Strawberries

Reunited

"Harry," Ginny stuttered as they came to a stop in front of the house, "Harry, I really don't want to do this… How will they react when they find out they now have relations with the Malfoy's?"

"Just don't worry about it. Everything will be alright. Let me do the talking…"

Ginny, Serena, and Harry got out of the car. Ginny stood, clutching Serena's hand, staring at the house. This house had been her home; this was her's.

"Harry, I can't do it, I just can't," She turned away opening the car door.

"Ginny, Ginny, they will find out sooner or later. I'm pretty sure that they'd rather hear it from you then from Lucius," That made Ginny stop.

She sat there trembling, half in the car and half out.

"It's going to be okay Mommy," Serena stated.

Ginny stared at her in disbelief, "Serena, Serena, you don't know them like I do, how do you know it's going to be alright?"

"Because Daddy said so," Serena stood there innocently, it was amazing how this naive little girl could affect her mother.

Ginny smiled a sweet smile, "You're right," she said. She stood up and closed the car door. Harry made a gesture for her to move in front of her, and she quailed.

"Harry, please say you'll stay with me,"

"Always," he took the her hand in his and kissed it tenderly, "Always," This gave her courage and she took a hesitant step forward.

It took them a while to get to the front for of the house, but they did it. And Ginny stood in front of the door a few minutes, just contemplating the though of seeing her family again.

"What will they think of me?" she wondered aloud.

"They won't," Harry said, "They'll just be so glad you're alive."

Ginny's hand paused in front of the door, and then she knocked.

A second where nothing happened, another second when you could here footsteps, and then…

"Harr-" The red haired Mrs. Weasley opened the door, smiling. But she stopped short when she saw the woman accompanying the long time family friend.

"Merlin," she uttered, she started to fall, and Harry caught her, staggering under her sudden, unexpected weight.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that!" Harry said, laughing. Ginny smiled, weakly.

"Molly? Molly?" Mr. Weasley suddenly appeared, he rushed to his wife's side and took her from Harry.

"Harry what-" he too stopped short when he saw Ginny. Harry saw the sudden surprise, and then the realization break upon him.

"Ginny…" he murmured. All thought of his wife gone, but he couldn't move because to embrace her because of his wife's great weight. Instead of rushing to hug her, he called all the family over, and Ginny backed away slightly when he did, cowering behind Harry, "Bill! Charlie! Fred, George! Anybody! Everybody!"

He took a deep breath, saying it at last, "Ginny's alive,"

***

With that there was a sudden uproar in the house, Ginny, Harry, and Serena were all ushered into the house, and many tears shed. Ginny and Mrs. Weasley crying hardest of all. It was awkward, something was missing. Harry realized that there was a Weasley missing. He then remembered that it had been his best friend, Ron; and Hermione's disappearance didn't go unnoticed either. All felt it, but none spoke of it. It was a painful memory that they wished not to dwell on; and for Ron's sake, his last dying words, his last wish, they didn't want to cry for him.

Harry held Serena, who has clinging to his waist, shy and unnerved by all the tears of these identical people. She took even more surprise at how her mother greatly resembled them.

This was her family.

"Mum, Dad, everyone," by now they had all settled in front of the warm fireplace, and Ginny felt the rush of long forgotten familiarity and comfort wash upon her, "I want you all to meet someone…" she grasped the shy Serena's hand and pulled her in front of her. The family sat, eyes wide, at the little girl who looked exactly like her mother had when she was at that age. "This is Serena," she paused, dreading to say it, "my daughter,"

There was a silence.

"Merlin," Mrs. Weasley whispered, "Ginny-"

Ginny recoiled, and Harry stood up beside her, protecting her. Mr. Weasley was surprised at how well they all fit together. Harry behind Ginny, his arm resting comfortingly on her shoulder, and then Ginny's hands on Serena's shoulder; they looked like a family.

"Ginny… my little girl; my little girl's a mum!" Mrs. Weasley held out her arms and embraced Ginny, and they cried into each other, happy tears of motherhood, and sad tears of reunion they thought would never come.

Again there was another teary period, and even Crookshanks, who had come to live with the Weasley's, seemed to be mewing in the nostalgia of it.

And after it seemed nobody could cry any more tears, Mrs. Weasley broke away, "This calls for a celebration!" she hurried into the kitchen, tears still falling down her face, to cook up a welcome home dinner.

***

"Mum," she paused, tears coming on again from the word, " You've out done yourself," They sat down in the garden under the starlit sky, a long table filled with food; the table groaning from under the weight. Music and laughter filled the air, and the garden was lit by candles and a roaring fire nearby. It seemed that this had been the way things had always been; laughter and good times.

They celebrated long into the night. Serena ran around with Bill's daughter, Elizabeth; though the mom, Fluer Delacour, absent. There was also Charlie's kids, a boy, and Fred and George's kids, 4 boys- two pairs of twins, and a girl. Harry laughed at the antics of the four twins; it was a war between them, who could outsmart the other pair, who was funnier, who was grosser. Harry felt at ease.

Ginny, however, was the opposite. She felt very awkward around her family. She didn't know what to do with her hands, she acted polite- but formally; 6 years apart had built a gap between it. But as the night went on, the gap slowly filled and she relaxed.

They were to sleep at the Weasley's already crowded house. Ginny slept in her old bed, and Serena beside her, all the other families slept in their respective rooms, and Harry slept in Ron's old bedroom. Finally at 3am, the house was quiet. Harry lay in bed, his arms behind his head, thinking. As happy as he knew Ginny was tonight, she seemed separate from her family. She had been through so much in those 6 years; alone, and then to be welcomed back into loving arms was slightly overwhelming.

Harry listened to the house settling. The crickets outside hummed harmonically.

Harry heard an out of placed squeak ring out. There was a slight pause and then another one, and this repeated; footsteps.

Harry glanced at the door. He saw the knob turning quietly, and the door push open. A mane of bright hair peeked out from the crack in the door.

"Harry?" it was very quiet, as if testing the waters.

"I'm awake," he answered.

The door opened and Ginny stood in the doorway; ethereal in her soft blue nightgown, bathed in the moonlight; a deathless goddess. She closed the door softly behind her, and sat on the bed beside him.

"Where's Serena?" he asked softly.

"Sleeping," she answered, "running around with the kids must have worn her out," Ginny smiled.

Harry's eyes asked her why she was here.

"I couldn't sleep,"

Harry patted the bed next to him, and she rolled onto the bed next to him. They lay there in silence, side by side, each to their own thoughts.

"You did it," Harry said.

"Did what?" she turned to him.

"You survived," he stared at the ceiling, "you came back to you're family after all these years."

Ginny didn't respond right away, "it was hard," she said thoughtfully.

"Hard?" asked Harry, he turned on his side to face her, "Ginny, you've been through so much- too much," his eyes had a pained look in it.

"I have, haven't I?" she looked thoughtful again, "Serena's been through so much."

"I know," Harry's anger suddenly flared, "I'm going to kill that bastard…" he said.

"Harry, you're turning into Ron," she half smiled. There was a period of silence again, then, "I'm scared," Ginny whispered.

"Why?"

"Because of Lucius, of what my family would say if they found out, for Serena," she closed her eyes, willing the tears not to fall; she had cried enough tonight, and now would be the worst time to start up again. A whimper escaped.

"Don't cry Ginny," he swept in into a hug, and she let the tears flow against his chest.

"I don't mean to- I don't. But I'm afraid,"

"I'll protect you," he kissed her hair.

"My hero," she let out a hiccup, and smiled.

"Me? A hero? Get out," he chuckled softly.

"You are Harry. You were always too…. Good. It was kinda creepy."

He chuckled, "And you're my Strawberry," he murmured into her hair, relishing in it's silkiness and it's 'Ginny' smell.

"You've got two Strawberries now!"

"My Strawberries…"

Ginny looked up and Harry's sleeping face, "Harry?"

"Yes Ginny?" his eyes opened. Ginny stared back into his clear, startling green eyes.

"Thanks for staying with me,"

"Always, always," he kissed her forehead, his eyes closing.

But then Ginny suddenly leaned up and their lips collided. Harry responded by kissing back tenderly. Ginny relished in his scent and soft lips, and was disappointed when he pulled away.

"Ginny-"

"No, it's okay. I understand," she moved to leave. But he kept his arms locked firmly around her, "That's not what I meant. Don't go," he whispered. She didn't move for a second, but then slid back into his embrace, feeling very safe against him.

"Just now's not the time," he murmured.

"Goodnight Strawberry,"

"Goodnight Hero,"

***

When Harry awoke he found himself against the wall. And when he rolled over slightly he ran into a very small figure.

During the night, Serena had wedged herself between Ginny and him, and she was breathing lightly, her thumb half falling out of her open mouth.

Harry thought about the position they were in. He didn't think it would be good for the Weasley's to wake up and find all three of them in the same bed. Especially since they had just been reunited with Ginny last night. He didn't think it would make a good impression.

But he didn't want to move, first of all he would wake them up, and secondly, he was comfortable in the warm sheets.

So he lay there, staring at the two red heads sleeping next to him. He listened for any sounds of anyone awake. He suspected that Mrs. Weasley was already awake, cooking up another storm. There was a clanging downstairs that suddenly rang out in the silent house.

Harry was sure that had woken others. Ginny had suddenly opened her eyes. They fell upon Serena, and then to Harry who had been staring at her.

He smiled and looked down at Serena, finding the little girl completely adorable.

"'Morning" he mouthed, and she mouthed it back to him. Serena stirred, making slight winning noises. Her thumb popped back into her mouth and she opened her eyes. She saw the two adults on either side of her, and took her thumb out of her mouth quickly.

"Hello," she said quietly, still groggy.

The two grownups laughed, and Harry tickled Serena and Ginny quickly joined in. Serena squealed , but Harry quickly cupped a hand over her mouth.

"Maybe it isn't good for you two to be found here right now," he whispered.

"Yeah, probably," Ginny whispered back.

Serena nodded, following the two's example.

"Come on Serena," Ginny stood up and picked up Serena.

Harry got up and quietly opened the door, peeking out. Empty, but he could here movement in the other rooms. Ginny stepped out into the hall. She opened the door to her room and stepped in, closing it behind her, but not before giving Harry a smile.

Harry stood there in the hall with a t-shirt and boxers on, a goofy grin on his face. The door to Fred's room opened and the man himself stepped out. He passed by Harry, on his way to the bathroom, both of them just up from bed, messy haired. Fred stared groggily at him and then patted him on the shoulder, "You're lucky it's early mate. For one, I'll forget about this later, and two, it's too early to bash you're eyes back into your sockets." Then he continued down the hall and into the bathroom, closing the door. Harry stayed there for a minute or two more before going back into his room to change.

***

After another wonderful meal, Ginny, Harry, and Serena departed. Harry drove them back home, smiling as he listened to Ginny answering all of Serena's questions about her new family. He helped them with their stuff back into their new apartment, which was not to far away from Harry's own flat. Then he left them and went back to his own home.

He trudged back in and stood there in a daze at the kitchen counter. When he finally snapped out of it, he took a shower and got ready before heading down to the shelter, to interview Ginny for her new job.