*
A Muggle Anniversary
"FRED!" Angelina hollered. "BILL SAID NO WANDS! GET YOUR BONY BUM DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!"
Ginny laughed as she watched Angelina chastise Fred in a way not unlike Mrs Weasley. The preparations for her parents wedding anniversary were in full swing.
Mr and Mrs Weasley had been sent off to visit some distant relatives for most of the day and the children were being baby-sat by Ron, Hermione and Harry, leaving plenty of time to set everything up.
Or so they thought.
They hadn't counted on the caterers being late, or the muggle hall being double-booked, or the decorators being the victim of one of Fred and Georges pranks.
Bill was in a panic, snapping at anyone who got in his way. It was times like this that Ginny realised her cool, brother with the big fang-earring was definitely the child of Molly Weasley.
"Bill," She could hear Fleur say calmly. "Using a little bit of magic to get out of this mess will not ruin the muggle atmosphere of this party.
"It will!" Her brother replied, frustrated. "The place will reek of magic, it stays in the air for a few hours after it's performed."
"Exactly," Fleur said. "And this party doesn't start for a few hours, if we fix this now, then by the time the party starts, any remnants of magic would have disappeared."
Bill sighed. "Alright, Alright! You get whatever needs to be done, done, I'm gonna set some tables and chairs up."
Fleur rolled her eyes at Bill's retreating back then turned and smiled at Ginny.
"Men." She muttered. "Although I hear you've been quite successful in that area hmm?" She asked, giving Ginny a gentle prod
Ginny blushed. Hermione, Alicia and Angelina had invaded Harry's house early Friday morning. Ginny had woken up to their loud screams of delight.
Soon, her whole family had known, and the demand for details from her sister-in-laws coupled with the ominous threats her brother made to Harry had given them little chance to spend time together. Tonight was going to be their first real outing together as a couple not counting their first dinner.
"So," Fleur asked. "Have you broken the news to Nick yet?"
Ginny felt a pang of guilt at the mention of Nick's name. Immediately changing the subject, she said, "Okay, I'll do a light memory charm on the decorators and somehow get rid of the second booking. You can do a spell to get the food made faster."
She turned to walk off, but Fleur called her back. "Ginny, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that…"
"No, don't worry, it's fine, this stuff just has to be done soon is all. Otherwise Bill will throw an even bigger fit." She managed a weak laugh and turned back. She knew Fleur was watching her so she tried to look untroubled, but inside, she felt enormous amounts of guilt. She hadn't told Nick yet. He wasn't getting back until the next day and she felt she owed it to him to at least break up with him in person. And give him back the ring.
The only problem with that was that she desperately wanted to attend her parent's party with Harry. That meant all her family and friends would know of the broken engagement before Nick did. That wasn't fair to him either.
Either way, Ginny felt like the bad guy, and looking at it from Nick's perspective, she would be the bad guy. She sighed again. 'Just don't think about it tonight.' She told herself. 'Worry about it tomorrow and just enjoy the night ahead of you.'
She sighed again, as she found the decorators huddled in a corner of the room, both sprouting large ears and tails. They looked up, terrified at her approach as she calmly performed the counter-curse then performed a memory charm. Soon both of the decorators were smiling blandly at her as she showed them the exit and paid them for their troubles.
She looked up as she heard Bill yelling at George for spilling the pumpkin juice and rolled her eyes. It was going to be a long day.
***
Five hours later, everything was perfect, or as near to perfect as it was going to get. The hall was there's, the food had arrived and Fleur had finally managed to get Bill to calm down a bit.
Checking the time, Ginny realised that she only had an hour and a half to get ready before the party started. Saying a quick goodbye to everyone, she apparated home to get ready.
***
Harry had a headache. A huge, pounding, someone-bashing-a-mallet-over-your-head type of headache. And it wasn't getting any better.
"Please," he reasoned to the three boys hanging off brooms in the middle of the yard. "Come down off the brooms and give the girls back their dolls."
"No!" One of the boys, who Harry suspected was one of Fred and Angelina's twins, yelled back. "They won't leave us alone, they keep pestering us to play a stupid doll game."
Harry rubbed his forehead as the screaming from inside got steadily louder. Ron appeared out of the back door, and, noticing the three kids flying gleefully around on their broomsticks and Harry's frustrated stance, grimaced.
"Didn't get the doll back?" He asked, coming to stand by Harry.
Harry shook his head and continued to massage his temples. "No."
Ron sighed. "Well, the girls are all inside with Hermione, I had to get out of their, their crying and wailing was really getting to me."
Looking up at the three boys, Ron groaned. "God, I hope I don't have to go through this with Paul when he gets older." He muttered to Harry, before raising his voice and yelling. "Oy! Kevin, Martin, James, you kids get your butts down here this instant!"
The boys simply laughed at his attempt and continued to fly around.
Ron groaned. "Geeze, what the hell are we supposed to do?"
Harry shrugged as he watched the kids. They were actually pretty good; they'd make some damn good chasers.
"You guys STILL haven't sorted this out?"
Harry and Ron both turned to see Hermione, hands on hips, glaring at them.
"You both left me inside with a bunch of screaming children to deal with these kids and I find you out here just watching them?"
Ron scowled. "We've tried everything, we don't know what else to do. YOU try getting them down."
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron then turned to face the kids.
"If you boys don't get down here this second not only will I get your mothers over here to deal with you, I'll make sure they bring your grandmother with them and maybe she can get some sense into you. I'm counting to three! 1…2…"
Before he knew it, Harry found the three boys standing contritely in front of them, giving them some of the biggest puppy-eyes he'd ever seen.
Hermione eyed them tersely, before saying. "Right, inside and give the girls back their dolls." She ordered and bustled them into the house. Harry and Ron followed, looks of shock on their faces.
When they were almost inside, Harry turned to Hermione.
"How did you do that? That was amazing!"
Hermione smiled smugly at him and Ron.
"It was easy. All Weasley men are afraid of their mothers. And they are all positively trembling at the thought of an angry Molly Weasley."
Ron looked ready to refute that statement, but then he paused and seemed to grudgingly accept the logic in it. Harry was about to make a comment when loud pops were heard and suddenly Fred, George, Percy and Bill appeared.
They seemed to observe the scene before them – the girls grouped together in a corner, happily having a tea party with their dolls while the boys, surprisingly, were sitting quietly, though sullen-looking in another corner.
"Everything go well?" Percy asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.
"Just peachy." Hermione replied again with that smug tone.
"Oh…well, I suppose we should get going. The girls have already gone home in a panic to get ready, I don't know why though, there's still an hour till the party…"
"An hour?!" Harry heard Hermione gasp. "Oh that is bad!" She quickly turned, and started up the stairs, yelling behind her, "I'll see you guys later…"
The five Weasleys plus Harry stared quizzically at her retreating back then all glanced at each other. "Women." They agreed, before taking their children and disapperating home.
Harry looked at Ron, "I'd better go too, I told Ginny I'd pick her up at her apartment." Ron nodded and watched as Harry disappeared.
Looking back around the room, he saw his own children, Paul, curled up on the sofa, having somehow slept through the debacle that had just occurred and Bella, calmly reading a book.
Ron ambled over to his daughter and sat down next to her. "Don't turn out like your mother okay?" He whispered.
Bella looked up at him and smiled. "Sorry dad, I already am." She replied. "It's written in my genetic code and I…"
Ron groaned good-naturedly. Indeed she already was.
***
"Ginny?" Harry called, waiting outside her apartment door. Having apparated quickly home to throw on a old suit that had last seen light at Ron and Hermione's wedding, he waited patiently for Ginny to open the door.
And was astounded.
"Ginny…" He breathed, taking in her appearance.
Ginny smiled at Harry's awed stare. And so he should, she thought self-righteously, she looked damn good. When Perry had called himself the master of fashion, he hadn't been kidding.
Harry didn't know what to think. She stood before him, like a divine being from another world. Her dress, a dark red in colour fit her perfectly, the short skirt showing off her toned legs. On a thin, platinum chain around her neck, the silver pendent he'd given her years ago sparkled, like it knew it was exactly where it belonged. Her hair had been styled in big, loose curls that framed her face. Dark, smoky eyes watched Harry as he took in her appearance.
"You look…amazing." Harry said, moving forward to gently stroke her cheek. "Absolutely amazing."
Ginny's smile increased as she leant forward and planted a light kiss on Harry.
"You don't scrub up too bad yourself." She said as she winked up at him. "So, how was baby-sitting my lovely nieces and nephews."
Harry rolled his eyes with such exaggerated theatrics that Ginny burst out laughing. "Let's just say that I've learnt for when we have kids that every male Weasley is afraid of their mother." Harry made a face, then suddenly looked unsure. "That is, I mean, if you wanted to have kids, because I know I do, but if you didn't, I'd understand, because after all, it is a joint decision and we have to agree on it and…"
Ginny shook her head with a smile as she pressed her lips against Harry's, effectively ending his speech. When she pulled back, she gave him another smile.
"You're perfect, do you know that?" She said tenderly, raising one hand to stroke his cheek like he had done to her earlier.
"Of course," Harry replied, with a twinkle in his eye. "And that is why I deserve only the best life has to offer."
With that, he swept Ginny up in his arms and declared, "And you, Virgina Weasley, are the epitome of excellence."
Ginny giggled as he swung her around in a circle. As Harry placed her gently back down, Ginny happened to glance at the old clock in the corner.
"Oh Merlin!" She exclaimed, "We're late! We have to go!" Ginny grabbed her wand and quickly apparated and Harry, shaking his head good-naturedly followed quickly.
***
The party was in full swing when they arrived, Mr and Mrs Weasley having arrived twenty minutes ago. Their loud exclaims of delight had been enough to satisfy even Bill who didn't chastise her for being late. Instead, he had glanced at Harry and given his sister a sly wink, convincing Ginny that the cool, Bill of old had not completely disappeared.
Minutes after their arrival, Harry was swept away to discuss quidditch with Ron, Dean Thomas and Justin Finch-Fletchly.
Ginny found herself surrounded by her giggling, gossiping sister-in-laws and a few tagalongs who demanded juicy details of her relationship with Harry. Ginny laughed them off and managed to get them interested instead in a conversation about their own husbands.
Spotting her parents in a far corner, Ginny excused herself to greet them. Seeing her youngest daughter, Molly Weasley rushed towards her and embraced her in a hug.
"Hermione told me about Harry, love, oh I'm so happy for you! You have to promise to give me all the juicy details…"
"Mum!" Ginny exclaimed, half amused and half horrified, before she was swept into a hug from her father.
Following this, Ginny was forced to endure a round of introductions to a whole lot of people she didn't know while Molly sang her praises.
"…Ginny was top of her year you know…"
"…She did an advanced charms course at one of the most prestigious wizarding universities…"
"…Working at Hogwarts now…"
Finally able to extract herself, Ginny meandered over to the refreshments table to get herself a drink. She'd just turned around when she felt someone bump into her.
"Oh I'm so sorr… Ginny?!"
"Cho!" Ginny exclaimed happily, embracing the older girl. Having, in the simplest of terms, 'swapped boyfriends' in Ginny's fifth year, both girls had been wary of each other for some time. A hidden passion of trashy muggle romances and Honeyduke's chocolates, however, soon had them swapping and recommending books. Their newfound happiness with their new boyfriends also helped to lessen the tension and soon they were good friends.
"So," Ginny asked, as they sat down. "How have you been? How are Michael and the kids? Merlin, I haven't spoken to you for so long! How's the business doing?"
Cho laughed. "I've been great, the kids and happy and healthy and Michael and I are still going strong. Business is good, of course we went through a bit of a rough patch a while back, but then of course you know about that since it was Harry who got us out of it."
"Really?" Ginny asked, intrigued. "What did he do?"
Cho looked surprised. "You don't know? Harry donated the money for us to buy some books for the kids. Very generous of him, he said he was doing it to get a friend a promotion as well…"
Ginny became lost in her own thoughts as Cho nattered on. Harry, donation, buying books, promotion. The pieces of the puzzle were all fitting together. Harry was, essentially, the one who sent Nick overseas. Standing up, she excused herself quickly from a surprised Cho and went off to look for Hermione. Surely, she would know what had gone on.
She spotted Hermione with Lavender and Parvati by the buffet table and headed over there. Their backs were turned to her and they seemed to be chatting excitedly.
Moving quickly towards them, she stopped about a metre away as she heard Hermione's voice.
"Well, some of his plans were just so romantic! The flowers! And the penseive idea, of course I agreed to help! So did Angie and Alicia, we all saw Ginny before that night, and we all did our own little things to convince her. Angie's was the best though, she had a brooch made exactly the same and she said it drove Ginny nuts! And I managed to find a whole heap of photos of Harry that I…"
Hermione trailed off as Ginny gave a loud cough.
"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed
Ginny glared angrily at her before turning around. Ignoring the calls from Hermione, she stalked away, looking for Harry. Not seeing him inside, she went out onto the verandah and stood in a corner, looking into the darkness to see if she could spot him.
Suddenly, strong arms encircled her waist and someone began placing small kisses up her neck. Whirling around to give Harry a piece of her mind, Ginny's words got caught in her throat.
"…Nick?!"
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Hehe, once again, I couldn't help myself.
Whats going to happen next? Will Ginny get mad at Harry? What will Nick say?? Will Ginny take Nick back???
Read and review to find out!!
Thanks to:
Lourdes, SnowflakeGinny, babygin, Sarahamanda, Amyaggie, MrKlortho, hart-break, Brown*Pryde, Pheonixgurl, WhiteRabbit5, JuveFan, Monalex Potter, Ginny1147, Anon, DMP, David M. Potter, Chloe Black, Greek Witch, Artificially-Flavored , BurningIce22, MuGgLeNeT27, SexyChaser33, blue_angel, Anna