Bring Back The Sun

02. Awkwardness Abounds

There's nothing left to loose

Nothing takes your place

When they say you're not that strong

You're not that weak

It's not your fault

The first thought as Harry's foot stepped over the threshold of the Burrow's front door was that it hadn't changed a bit, and he was eternally grateful. He loved that he could always come back here, and it would always be the same. Life outside the house didn't cause it to become uncluttered or less homey. For the first time in weeks, Harry felt his spirits rise as he looked around the large kitchen. The table was clean, looking like it had just been scrubbed and dishes were doing themselves in the sink by the open window. Outside, the sun was shining brightly over the hill and finally…finally Harry felt that things would get better, that he would be okay.

Everything would be okay.

Crashing on the stairs announced the arrival of Ron's two older twin brothers, Fred and George. Both of them were dressed in Muggle clothes and had, apparently, forsaken Apparating everywhere for their mother's sanity. Beside Harry, Ron stood looking at him apprehensively. Harry ignored him, he didn't need any pity. Especially from his best friend.

"Harry!" George greeted him, clapping him on the back. "How've you been?"

"Good," Harry replied gruffly, glad the twins weren't treating him any differently.

"That's obvious, as you look like hell," Fred commented, a grin on his lips as he received seething looks from Mr. Weasley, who had the day off from work and had picked Harry up through the Flu Network.

Harry made to brush some soot off his baggy clothes, but George shook his head, "The bags under your eyes. Pig could probably sleep in them." Pig, as if he had heard his name and was going to come running, streamed down the stairs and began twittering madly around the kitchen until Ron scooped him out of the air, mumbling.

"I haven't been sleeping," Harry explained, clearing his throat. He suddenly felt as if he were on stage, in front of a million people who were requesting he do an Irish jig.

Ron stood around uncomfortably, glancing at his best friend and brothers, "Er…why don't we put your trunk upstairs? And Hedwig." He motioned to his father, who was holding Hedwig's cage in his hands, looking nervously around at his boys, and his honorary son.

"I'll do it," Mr. Weasley said briskly, setting Hedwig's cage on the table and pulling his wand from his pocket. He muttered a spell which sent both items into the air, where he carefully prodded them, and flew them up the stairs ahead of him.

"Mum's in Diagon Alley with Ginny," Ron explained, once his father was out of earshot, "They're shopping. Hermione's with them."

George plopped into a seat at the table, "Don't leave out what they're shopping for." He grinned at Harry, and motioned for him to sit, which he did, "Picking up some regular Muggle clothes. Mum says Ginny's grown up and she should dress as such. It surprised the hell out of us, we didn't realize Mum noticed that Ginny had stopped being five."

"She's nearly as tall as you are now," Fred said to Harry, laughing at Harry's awestruck face. He had never considered that the youngest Weasley might actually grow up at some point. Ron had grown, Harry noticed, because his jeans left about three inches of skin showing.

Ginny, of course, had grown up a lot since Harry had met her…but he was interested, for some reason, to see what she looked like now. As if on cue, a coughing, sputtering girl rolled out of the fire place and under the table; all Harry saw was a mane of flaming red hair. Next came a stouter woman, Mrs. Weasley, who had lost a lot of weight since he'd last seen her. He supposed she'd been worried, about one thing or another and had cut down on her food intake to compensate. Last out of the fire was Hermione, who's sleek brown hair was in a high pony tail. She was wearing, to Harry's astonishment, a pink sundress and shiny high heels. He rarely saw her out of the school uniform, but even in the summers, she had never once worn pink.

As he gawked at her, she was brushing soot from her spotless dress (there was no doubt that she had put a spell on it to keep it clean), Ginny rolled out from underneath the table wearing an identical dress in lavender which accentuated her features and made her look a lot older than she really was. She smiled at Harry, "Hello. How are you?"

Harry turned to look at her, doing a double take. He heard Ginny's voice, and saw a glimpse of her hair as she spilled from the fire, but he didn't register this person in front of him as Ginny Weasley. "Er----"

Hermione jumped forward, throwing her arms around his neck in a quick hug, "Harry! How are you?"

He didn't bother wondering why everyone was asking him how he was. He figured they were just waiting for him to start screaming, or crying, or throwing things all about the room. He hadn't been himself lately, even before Sirius' death. He registered all this to growing up, and hoped they'd assume the same.

"Oh, Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley cooed, stepping forward and pulling him into a bone-crushing hug; he was used to this kind of hug from her and though it hurt for a moment, he couldn't help but feel glad that she hugged him in such a motherly way. "It's so good to see you."

Harry cleared his throat, nodding curtly as she released him. Ginny and Hermione were standing together, both the same height, looking at him apprehensively as if he may begin shouting at them to get out of his way at any moment.

"Well," Mrs. Weasley said, sounding awkward, "I'll just start dinner, than, shall I? Yes. Hermione, dear, why don't you owl Neville and tell him he can come whenever he'd like."

"Neville's coming?" Harry asked Ron, who nodded while rolling his eyes. Hermione bustled out of the room, without a backward glance at anyone.

"Oh, and Ron," continued Mrs. Weasley, just as Ron was standing up from the table; George and Fred watched him innocently, but with identical grins of mirth on their faces. Harry could tell they were plotting something. "Luna sends her regards. The girls and I saw her in Diagon Alley at the dress shop. My, she's a pretty girl, isn't she? Pity her father runs such a rag of a magazine---"

Fred interrupted, "You still read it, though, don't you Mum."

She ignored her son as she waved her wand at random inanimate objects and sent them into action. "She is a sweet girl, though. Ginny and Hermione seem to get on with her very well. Of course, she and Ginny have been friends for years, but what with what happened last year…well, they're closer now. Anyway. She says hello."

Ron's ears turned pink, a sure sign that he was embarrassed. "Thanks, Mum, Harry and I'll go upstairs…and…put his stuff away…" he motioned for Harry to follow him, and Harry gratefully obliged. He hated being in the spotlight, especially in front of his favorite family in the world.

"You and Luna, eh?" Harry asked, as the two of them climbed the stairs to Ron's room which sat on the very top of the house.

"Shut up, Harry," Ron replied, but Harry could see he was smiling.