CHAPTER SIX
Caught on the Bathroom Floor
It was mid-morning by the time Harry managed to lazily open one eye and squint in the direction of Ron's bed. A heap of messy blankets, clothes and sheets was rising and falling and making an annoyingly loud wheezing noise. Harry gingerly removed one foot from underneath his bedclothes and groped around for a shirt. Just above his head, the sound of groaning and clanking in the attic served as a sharp reminder that the previous night's dinner had not gone entirely to plan. Percy's blasphemous expletives were still ringing through his head, fresh in his memory, as was the forty-minute rampage Mrs Weasley had undertaken at eleven o'clock, pacing through the house like an irate whirlwind. Harry shivered. He hoped beyond hope that he would never have to repeat that experience ever again. If it hadn't been for the calming influence of Ginny and Mr Weasley, he felt sure the whole house would have fallen down around them all.
Yes, Ginny.
Harry caught up his shirt and his washbag, and instinctively groped around for his glasses. He hadn't worn them for several months now, ever since Sirius and Dumbledore had agreed that to avoid being at a disadvantage in unexpected situations, the optimum condition of health and fitness was essential. Madam Pomfrey had performed a highly complicated spell which had repaired the damage, and it had felt like being given a new pair of eyes. It was a definite improvement, Harry reflected, but old habits died hard.
He climbed cautiously out of Ron's bedroom window onto the outside stairs. He had felt utterly useless last night, as he watched the Weasley clan fall into disarray. He and Fleur had hidden themselves in a corner of the garden while Ginny had endeavoured to revive some degree of order. He had marvelled at her ability to take control of pandemonium, comforting the distraught, calming the angry, attending to the guests. When Harry had first met little Ginny Weasley, wearing a fluffy dressing gown with her elbow in the butterdish, he had never imagined her as the mainstay and bulwark of a household; a tower built on rock.
Since Mrs Weasley and the twins were quite obviously in the kitchen (the sounds of sharp reprimands and pitiful entreaties coming from downstairs indicated as much), Harry leapt over the bannister of the attic stairs to save walking down all the way. Regaining his balance for a second or two, he proceeded towards the bathroom, almost bumping in to somebody coming the other way.
"Hey! Take your time, no hurry!" laughed Ginny.
Harry stared at his toes awkwardly. "Sorry," he said, meekly. "I don't usually jump around people's houses at this time of the morning."
She laughed again. "It's OK. Ron does it all the time, only he's considerably less graceful at it."
While Harry was working that one out, Ginny reached for the doorknob. "Well, if you're going to stand there all day, I might as well take advantage - !"
"Oh no you don't!" Harry lunged for the door, catching Ginny's free arm in an iron grip. The scuffle that followed was loud enough for everybody in the Burrow to hear, including Ron dead to the world on the other side of the house.
It wasn't until the bathroom door had been flung open and the two combatants had collapsed in a heap on the carpeted floor inside that Harry realised he was still without a shirt, and their unusual proximity was - well - unusual. Ginny had obviously noticed it too, for her cheeks were touched with a delicate pink, and her eyes faltered under his gaze. But they were both laughing too much to care.
"What the HELL is going on here?"
Harry winced, and let go of Ginny's wrists. He got to his feet in a fluid movement, pulling Ginny up with him.
"Um, we were just - " he began, running a hand nervously along the side of his neck.
Ron eyed them both suspiciously. "Yes?"
"I was - um - I mean - " Harry caught Ginny's eye, and they both dissolved into laughter again.
"Now look, you two - " began Ron, seriously. He didn't get to finish, for Ginny gave him a hefty shove in the chest and steered the two of them out onto the landing.
"If you boys don't mind, I'm going to get dressed," she said, with a smile. She closed the door firmly behind her, and slid the bolt across.
Ron surveyed Harry through narrowed eyes.
"What?" said Harry, incredulously.
"You know something, Harry? You're absolutely rubbish at playing the innocent."
"I haven't done anything!"
"Yeah, well, let's keep it that way, shall we?" Ron's stiff posture loosened, and he managed a smile as he led the way downstairs. "And put a shirt on, for Merlin's sake. There's no need to make it obvious to the entire family that you're trying to seduce my sister."
Harry was about to launch into a full scale protest, but caught the mischievous glint in Ron's eye just in time. Instead, he satisfied himself with an amicable punch on Ron's shoulder.
***
The kitchen was a positive hive of activity. Mrs Weasley had filled the long pine table with pans and pots and bottles and jars, and was kneeling on the floor as Harry and Ron entered, with her head thrust into the murky depths of a cupboard. Fleur sat at the end of the table, elegantly dressed in a chiffon skirt and off-the-shoulder shirt, her silvery curls tied back from her face. One long, tanned leg was delicately laid across the other, and she dangled her sandal from her toe.
"Good morning!" she said, brightly, flashing Harry and Ron a radiant smile.
Harry smiled back, awkwardly. She always made him feel so untidy and plebeian. Ron ignored her completely. It was the sort of thing he did with Hermione when they weren't speaking to each other during a huge row, only Fleur didn't seem perturbed in the slightest.
"Mum?" said Ron, in bewilderment.
"I'm having a bit of a baking spree, dear!" came Mrs Weasley's muffled voice. "It helps me relax!"
Harry was very glad that his hostess couldn't see the expression of fearful apprehension that crept onto his face just then, mirrored to perfection in Ron's.
"Where's Perce?" Ron asked, reaching across all the rubble on the table for a slice of toast or two.
Mrs Weasley crawled backwards in an awkward manoeuvre until her head popped out of the cupboard. She was frowning.
"Work," she replied, shortly.
"Penny left for good then?"
"Who knows? And I don't want you mentioning it to Percy again, all right?"
Ron shrugged nonchalantly. "All right," he said, trying to retain some degree of deportment while munching on his toast.
"I want you on your best behaviour today, Ron. You and the twins. When I think of all the fuss last night! If it hadn't been for Ginny, I don't know what would have happened! Where is that owl with the post?"
"Mrs Weasley," said Fleur, suddenly. "I would like to apologise for being the cause of all the disturbance last night. Per'aps I should not 'ave come."
"Nonsense, my dear," replied Mrs Weasley. "I hope you will stay for a little while, if you can bear it."
"On the contrary, I would love it!" laughed Fleur. "If you are sure Percy will not mind after - "
"Oh, Percy will rise to the occasion, my dear, I'll see to that. Anyway, the house will be jam-packed by next week. Hermione's coming tomorrow, isn't she, Ron? Oh dear, I'm going to have to think about meals."
"Mum, don't stress!" said Ron. "We're OK, aren't we Harry? Three weeks of madness won't make much difference to us."
"It's about to get even madder!" came a voice from the doorway. Ginny stood there, perusing a piece of parchment, flanked by Fred and George pulling rude faces behind her back. "Bill's coming back on Saturday! Get off, you two! He's got permission to take the next few weeks off, so he'll be able to stay until we go back to school!" She squealed in delight and flung her arms around Mrs Weasley.
"Well, I hope he's not bringing that blasted motorbike this time!" said Mrs Weasley, dryly, a smile twitching at the edge of her lips. "Great, noisy thing."
"It was brilliant, Mum!" protested Ginny. "He gave me a ride on it all the way to Oberon's Well and back! We'll have to do that again! Take a picnic, like last time! It would be so much fun, and Harry would love it. Fleur should come too!"
"And what is Oberon's Well?" asked Fleur, intrigued.
"It's a beautiful little clearing by the river," explained Ginny, excitedly. "A few miles upstream. There's a little inn up there on the top of the hill, a bit like the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. They sell the best butterbeer in the world, and there's a tiny craft shop in an annexe round the back - really, really old. Fred and George like to buy stuff from there. And the views are gorgeous! We go swimming there quite often, don't we, Ron?"
Ron nodded, distractedly. "Hermione's coming tomorrow?"
"Yes, dear. It's Thursday today," said Mrs Weasley.
"Damn," muttered Ron, rolling his eyes. "She's going to make me do that Snape essay, isn't she?"
Mrs Weasley swelled, ominously. "Well, if you'd done what I suggested in the first place and finished it in the first week when it was all fresh in your mind - "
"Oberon's Well, Mum!" interrupted Ginny, loudly. "Can we go? Please, please, please? When Bill gets back?"
"It's a scream up there, actually," sniggered George, pinching Mrs Weasley's ribs, mischievously. "Remember last time, Mum?"
"I would prefer to have that evening wiped from my memory forever, actually, dear," was the curt reply.
"What did you do?" laughed Harry.
"That would be telling," murmured Fred, with a wink. "We might try it on you this time!"
******
Thankyou to everyone who has reviewed!! Every single one is very much appreciated :-D
For those who queried about the relationship between Harry and Ginny - never fear, it's going to unfold very shortly!
If you've got a spare moment and you're looking for a small masterpiece to read on FanFiction.net, take a look at 'Family' by JennaMae, 'Much Ado About Everything' by Moonlit Aria, both involving our favourite protagonist and his red-haired love. And also 'Through The Looking Glass' by Loveday Goodchild, aka my pal Ellie, which shows a certain Potions master in an entirely new light ;-D
All three are absolute treats, give them a go!
Thanks again to all reviewers!! I love you all :-D
xxx