The Way Things Were
Prologue
A/N: This is the first fic I've ever published on a website before, so please review!
The train rattled gently as it coasted across the countryside. Outside, the sky was inky black and the pale moon seemed to be the only light in the world. Other than the darkness, it was a warm night. Ron Weasley ran a trembling hand through his vivid auburn hair as the train rumbled toward the Burrow. He had been gone for two years, at a new school for auror training in Lyon. He had gotten his acceptance letter right after graduating from Hogwarts and had set off for France shortly after. He had said his goodbyes and all, but two years had been a long time.
Ron was afraid to find our what he had missed. Harry had been offered a position on the Holyhead Harpies quidditch team as well as a rather good one in Canada, the last he'd heard. Hermione had been presented a job on the Committee on Experimental Charms as well as one as a Healer-in-training at St. Mungo's. Ginny had still been in Hogwarts when he'd left The Borrow, but she'd said something about teaching at Hogwarts or working with magical creatures like Charlie.
Ron hoped more than anything that Hermione hadn't changed. It had been one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do, leaving her to go to the Innovative Auror Institute. But it had been she who'd suggested it as a career opportunity in the first place. She said she'd still be there when he got back…
Why hadn't he just apparated home? Ron had originally wanted to travel by muggle transportation home as it would take longest, and he was nervous. Now he was having second thoughts. He wanted to get to the Burrow, walk up the stairs (did they still creak like they used to?) and fall into his warm bed and sleep through to the next day. It was very late, and he was exhausted. Too bad there were muggles on the train, or he would have apparated right then and there. For now, he would sleep uncomfortably in his seat until the train reached his stop and he would dream about how it used to be…
******
The old red picnic table sagged under the weight of the couple. Or at least, it used to be red. The paint had flaked off in so many places one could see the layers of blue, green, yellow, and an orange shade (with two black Cs linked in the center) that the table had been painted so many times before. Dark haired Harry was seated on it, his hands quite full, with Ginny Weasley straddling him, kissing him fiercely.
Suddenly, a ginger haired head popped out of the back door of the Burrow.
"Harry, where – oh!" gasped George. Fred, his twin, appeared behind him. Being the older brothers they were, both stepped outside into the warm night. Ginny and Harry broke away quickly. Ginny sighed with embarrassment and hung her head.
"Sorry to – er – disturb you," said George, snickering.
"We wanted to borrow your quidditch set, Harry. George and I were planning on going to visit some old friends in Reigate tomorrow and we wanted to bring it along to see if they were up for a game," Fred said.
"How long will you be gone?" asked Harry, peering at them from behind Ginny.
"Only two days or so," replied Fred.
"Alright then," said Harry.
"Excellent," said George.
For a moment, Fred and George merely stood there, arms crossed, looking expectant.
"Well?" said Harry exasperatedly.
"Hm?" said Fred obliviously.
"We were busy," said Harry.
"But you're not now," said George.
"Only because you're standing there, watching!" said Harry hopelessly.
"So? It's our backyard too," said George critically.
Harry wasn't sure what to say next. He didn't know if they were really serious or just joking. If they were kidding, they were some high-quality actors.
"Fine, then no quidditch set," said Harry, as a last attempt.
"Fine!" said Fred.
The twins stood silently for a moment, glaring as though they were seven years old rather than twenty-one, while Harry pondered his next move. He was fairly sure they were only trying to annoy them or embarrass Ginny.
"Ehh, nevermind," said Fred suddenly. "We really want the set."
They grinned and headed back into the dark house. "Happy snogging!" said George cheerfully.
Harry rolled his eyes and smiled slightly at their retreating figures. When the door snapped shut, Ginny looked up slowly.
"Where were we now?" asked Harry.
Ginny blushed and rested her head on Harry's shoulder. His hands were wrapped tightly around her waist to keep her from
sliding off his lap. She reveled in the feeling of his arms around her. She'd wanted this for so long…
Just less than a year ago, Harry had admitted that he liked her as more than a friend. Ginny had thrown her arms around him and positively sobbed into his chest. Harry had kissed her tears away, and ever since then, they'd been together. It had been like a dream come true for Ginny. She'd liked him since she was twelve. After Hogwarts, she swore to herself that she would stop drooling over Harry and she would actually get to know him. It was in this way that Harry was comfortable enough to confess his feelings for her.
Harry himself was a first string seeker on the Grodzisk Goblins, the team that was once home to Josef Wronki, the best seeker ever. He teammates were some of his closest friends since Ron had left, though he still kept in touch with Hermione who visited the Burrow often.
Harry had bought a house in Hogsmeade, but he was rarely there. The Burrow felt more like a home than anywhere else had and he was either there with Ginny or traveling with the team.
Fred and George didn't live in the Burrow either. They had built a large room over their shop in Diagon Alley, where they stayed, though the majority of their time was spent at their joke shop or at the Burrow. Ginny was the only Weasley that still lived at home, though she would have a job at Hogwarts in the fall as a Junior Groundkeeper assisting Hagrid, and would be a substitute for the other teachers.
Harry gently kissed Ginny's exposed neck and planted them all the way to her jaw as she straightened up. Upon reaching her lips, Harry whispered, "It's nearly midnight, Ginny…"
Their lips met then, and when they pulled back, Ginny asked in a hushed voice, "Do you have to go?"
"I should…"
"But Harry you can't leave now," said Ginny convincingly.
"No, and I'm not," he replied gently. "But soon…."
As he trailed off, Ginny captured his lips with hers and she felt as though she would die if he ever left her side.
******
As Hermione entered the loud pub, she was hailed by a familiar face.
"Hermione! Over here!" called Lavender Brown, her old Hogwarts roommate.
Hermione pushed her way through the tables and chairs littered across the floor to reach the booth that Lavender shared with
Parvati Patil. She slumped into the cushy seat as Lavender scooted over.
"Long day at the office?" asked Parvati.
"Incredibly long," said Hermione wearily.
"I haven't seen you in The Three Broomsticks in a long time. Let me buy you a drink," Parvati said.
Hermione grinned inwardly. Truly, the only reason she put up with Lavender and Parvati was so that they would buy her drinks. Hermione didn't even like to drink, but today had been a long one at the office. She allowed them to order her small glass of mulled mead, which she sipped gratefully. She had worked herself to the bone today; there was dozens of paperwork to be done in the process of making the Denuo Ortus Charm, one that could change any living thing back to its newly born state. A rather unimportant charm indeed, thought Hermione.
Hermione had worked so hard because she wanted to be able to sleep that night. Molly Weasley had told her that Ron was coming home the next day, and she knew she wouldn't be able to doze off into her usual dreamless sleep with that on her mind. So, now Hermione was exhausted and she had a bit of alcohol in her system. She was sure would be able to sleep tonight, even though the thought of Ron coming home made her stomach clench unpleasantly.
Hermoine wondered if he'd changed. Would he look the same? She hoped that his hair was the same; she loved his hair. What if he had forgotten her? What if he met another girl at his auror school? What if he had done both? What if he brought the girl home? Hermione tried to push the horrible thoughts out of her mind and ordered another glass of mead, just in case.
Prologue
A/N: This is the first fic I've ever published on a website before, so please review!
The train rattled gently as it coasted across the countryside. Outside, the sky was inky black and the pale moon seemed to be the only light in the world. Other than the darkness, it was a warm night. Ron Weasley ran a trembling hand through his vivid auburn hair as the train rumbled toward the Burrow. He had been gone for two years, at a new school for auror training in Lyon. He had gotten his acceptance letter right after graduating from Hogwarts and had set off for France shortly after. He had said his goodbyes and all, but two years had been a long time.
Ron was afraid to find our what he had missed. Harry had been offered a position on the Holyhead Harpies quidditch team as well as a rather good one in Canada, the last he'd heard. Hermione had been presented a job on the Committee on Experimental Charms as well as one as a Healer-in-training at St. Mungo's. Ginny had still been in Hogwarts when he'd left The Borrow, but she'd said something about teaching at Hogwarts or working with magical creatures like Charlie.
Ron hoped more than anything that Hermione hadn't changed. It had been one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do, leaving her to go to the Innovative Auror Institute. But it had been she who'd suggested it as a career opportunity in the first place. She said she'd still be there when he got back…
Why hadn't he just apparated home? Ron had originally wanted to travel by muggle transportation home as it would take longest, and he was nervous. Now he was having second thoughts. He wanted to get to the Burrow, walk up the stairs (did they still creak like they used to?) and fall into his warm bed and sleep through to the next day. It was very late, and he was exhausted. Too bad there were muggles on the train, or he would have apparated right then and there. For now, he would sleep uncomfortably in his seat until the train reached his stop and he would dream about how it used to be…
******
The old red picnic table sagged under the weight of the couple. Or at least, it used to be red. The paint had flaked off in so many places one could see the layers of blue, green, yellow, and an orange shade (with two black Cs linked in the center) that the table had been painted so many times before. Dark haired Harry was seated on it, his hands quite full, with Ginny Weasley straddling him, kissing him fiercely.
Suddenly, a ginger haired head popped out of the back door of the Burrow.
"Harry, where – oh!" gasped George. Fred, his twin, appeared behind him. Being the older brothers they were, both stepped outside into the warm night. Ginny and Harry broke away quickly. Ginny sighed with embarrassment and hung her head.
"Sorry to – er – disturb you," said George, snickering.
"We wanted to borrow your quidditch set, Harry. George and I were planning on going to visit some old friends in Reigate tomorrow and we wanted to bring it along to see if they were up for a game," Fred said.
"How long will you be gone?" asked Harry, peering at them from behind Ginny.
"Only two days or so," replied Fred.
"Alright then," said Harry.
"Excellent," said George.
For a moment, Fred and George merely stood there, arms crossed, looking expectant.
"Well?" said Harry exasperatedly.
"Hm?" said Fred obliviously.
"We were busy," said Harry.
"But you're not now," said George.
"Only because you're standing there, watching!" said Harry hopelessly.
"So? It's our backyard too," said George critically.
Harry wasn't sure what to say next. He didn't know if they were really serious or just joking. If they were kidding, they were some high-quality actors.
"Fine, then no quidditch set," said Harry, as a last attempt.
"Fine!" said Fred.
The twins stood silently for a moment, glaring as though they were seven years old rather than twenty-one, while Harry pondered his next move. He was fairly sure they were only trying to annoy them or embarrass Ginny.
"Ehh, nevermind," said Fred suddenly. "We really want the set."
They grinned and headed back into the dark house. "Happy snogging!" said George cheerfully.
Harry rolled his eyes and smiled slightly at their retreating figures. When the door snapped shut, Ginny looked up slowly.
"Where were we now?" asked Harry.
Ginny blushed and rested her head on Harry's shoulder. His hands were wrapped tightly around her waist to keep her from
sliding off his lap. She reveled in the feeling of his arms around her. She'd wanted this for so long…
Just less than a year ago, Harry had admitted that he liked her as more than a friend. Ginny had thrown her arms around him and positively sobbed into his chest. Harry had kissed her tears away, and ever since then, they'd been together. It had been like a dream come true for Ginny. She'd liked him since she was twelve. After Hogwarts, she swore to herself that she would stop drooling over Harry and she would actually get to know him. It was in this way that Harry was comfortable enough to confess his feelings for her.
Harry himself was a first string seeker on the Grodzisk Goblins, the team that was once home to Josef Wronki, the best seeker ever. He teammates were some of his closest friends since Ron had left, though he still kept in touch with Hermione who visited the Burrow often.
Harry had bought a house in Hogsmeade, but he was rarely there. The Burrow felt more like a home than anywhere else had and he was either there with Ginny or traveling with the team.
Fred and George didn't live in the Burrow either. They had built a large room over their shop in Diagon Alley, where they stayed, though the majority of their time was spent at their joke shop or at the Burrow. Ginny was the only Weasley that still lived at home, though she would have a job at Hogwarts in the fall as a Junior Groundkeeper assisting Hagrid, and would be a substitute for the other teachers.
Harry gently kissed Ginny's exposed neck and planted them all the way to her jaw as she straightened up. Upon reaching her lips, Harry whispered, "It's nearly midnight, Ginny…"
Their lips met then, and when they pulled back, Ginny asked in a hushed voice, "Do you have to go?"
"I should…"
"But Harry you can't leave now," said Ginny convincingly.
"No, and I'm not," he replied gently. "But soon…."
As he trailed off, Ginny captured his lips with hers and she felt as though she would die if he ever left her side.
******
As Hermione entered the loud pub, she was hailed by a familiar face.
"Hermione! Over here!" called Lavender Brown, her old Hogwarts roommate.
Hermione pushed her way through the tables and chairs littered across the floor to reach the booth that Lavender shared with
Parvati Patil. She slumped into the cushy seat as Lavender scooted over.
"Long day at the office?" asked Parvati.
"Incredibly long," said Hermione wearily.
"I haven't seen you in The Three Broomsticks in a long time. Let me buy you a drink," Parvati said.
Hermione grinned inwardly. Truly, the only reason she put up with Lavender and Parvati was so that they would buy her drinks. Hermione didn't even like to drink, but today had been a long one at the office. She allowed them to order her small glass of mulled mead, which she sipped gratefully. She had worked herself to the bone today; there was dozens of paperwork to be done in the process of making the Denuo Ortus Charm, one that could change any living thing back to its newly born state. A rather unimportant charm indeed, thought Hermione.
Hermione had worked so hard because she wanted to be able to sleep that night. Molly Weasley had told her that Ron was coming home the next day, and she knew she wouldn't be able to doze off into her usual dreamless sleep with that on her mind. So, now Hermione was exhausted and she had a bit of alcohol in her system. She was sure would be able to sleep tonight, even though the thought of Ron coming home made her stomach clench unpleasantly.
Hermoine wondered if he'd changed. Would he look the same? She hoped that his hair was the same; she loved his hair. What if he had forgotten her? What if he met another girl at his auror school? What if he had done both? What if he brought the girl home? Hermione tried to push the horrible thoughts out of her mind and ordered another glass of mead, just in case.