Chapter two: FRIENDS
Dumbledore sat in his office smiling at himself. His plan worked out exceptionally good. He had watched Harry over the summer and although the boys spirits had definitely increased, he was still worried. There had been no way to keep Harry out of the Orders doings after the defeat, searching for remaining death eaters and he was eager to join the Auror training in autumn.
However Dumbledore had different plans. The boy-who-lived would soon be the man-who-lived, without having much of the pleasures of a boys life. There had been no way to convince Harry to take some time off and just enjoy himself.
Therefore the Headmaster changed his tactics in offering the still vacant DADA teacher position. There hadn't been to many obstacles to be overcome. Staff and Ministry were easily convinced that he would be a good choice despite his youth. Harry's skills were thoroughly acknowledged through out the war and the rest trusted in the good judgement of Dumbledore.
As on Harry's behalf there had been less troubles than expected. Harry's love for Hogwarts had been a big plus, but the Headmaster soon recognised that this love wasn't the only important one. In turn this was the only point that made him uneasy. A teacher-pupil relationship would certainly raise problems – big ones. "I have to watch out, that nothing happens to them!" Dumbledore said to himself.
"Think about how to conceal a certain Potter-Weasley relationship? Ts, Ts, Ts. By Merlin what a Headmaster you are." One of the paintings on the walls interrupted his thoughts.
"How would you know ?" Phineas.
"Isn't it obvious. We've been all here on this endless talks with that boy. That is what you set as moral standards!"
"Oh sod off Phin!" Dilys Derwent shouted "This is not the average and you know it. Sometimes you have to judge by the occasion."
"Ah that it is. We just bend the rules as we like to have them."
At this Everard stood up moved into Phineas Nigellus picture and knocked him straight out. "Sorry, Albus. I know violence is not the answer, but I'm just too fed up with this old git."
The others snickered when Phineas returned. "That was unasked for."
"Oh it definitely was" the other pictures chorused.
"Was not. We've discussed it all over and did you forget that I was from the beginning for this plan."
"Yeah, but just to see him failing!"
"Well everybody got his reasons!"
Dumbledore left his office shaking his head, hundreds of years and still they could argue like children. However Phineas was right. He would to everything to conceal the relationship, but he would do nothing to prevent it. Both of them deserved to be as happy as they could get. That was the only thing important in this case.
The same time at the other end of the Hogwarts grounds, Ginny and Harry were having tea with Hagrid. The girl was wildly recounting a game of Quidditch at the Burrow, running around and waving her hands until she stumbled over Fang and landed in Harry's arms. She was catching her breathe and sighed happily "Yeah and that it was, I beat our super-seeker Mr. Potter!"
"I have been distracted!" he defended playfully.
"By what!?"
"By you of course!"
"Ha! What should this mean? That's the game – one has to do some bluffs."
"Bluffs, sorry that I'm laughing. That was all unfair - you in tight t- shirt and shorts, waving hair. That's unfair female distraction! I'm just a man" he smirked.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier. Would have won much more games than."
Hagrid watched them smiling. Ginny still on Harry's lap. 'That's the way it should be – the youth bickering and flirting happily.' Fang started to bark and scratching the door. "Sorry, you two. Just have to see what the dog is up and about, back in a minute." 'Or two' he thought.
Suddenly Ginny flung her arms around Harry's neck and hugged him tightly. He couldn't quite devour the feeling being pressed against her chest when she released him again.
"What was that for?" he choked.
"Nothing, I'm just happy that you're here. I know I've got Colin. And I get on well with the girls from my class, but it's not the same as with you and Hermione and Neville and even the brat of my brother" she gave him a peek on the cheek and stood up. "It's dinner time. Are you coming."
Harry shook his head, his knees were to mushy to stand up let alone walking.
"Well, tell Hagrid I said goodbye" and she was gone.
Harry let his head fall on the armrest.
"WHAT" he pounded his head on the rest again.
"THE HELL" thump!
"ARE YOU" thump!
"DOING HERE" thump!
"Getting a headache" Hagrid stood in the doorway. "Want some more tea?"
"Why not" Harry sighed. Hagrid turned to the stove to hide a smirk.
Ginny was nearly flying on the way back to the castle. This could be her best year. No threats, no war, the family all well, no annoying brother, but two of her best friends around, the others in constant owl contact, with everybody on good terms. 'Now we find myself a nice decent boyfriend and the world is perfect! Note to self: Have to talk to Colin about this!'
And that's what she did when they sat outside the next day in the warm autumn sun. "What do you think?" she asked "Who would be a worthy candidate?"
"Well, dear Ginny, don't believe me old fashioned, but I think one should fall in love, not just pick a convenient counterpart."
"Urgh, Colin, if you put it like this, it sounds definitely awful. You make my love life sound like a matter of business – as in demand and supply. Haven't it worked quite nicely over the past two years. I had some pretty nice boyfriends, didn't I."
"You did, but what I don't like is the word nice. Nice is – how can I explain nice, plain, no heart beat, nothing wonderful – just nice. Don't you want more?"
Ginny's face clouded "Not anymore."
"Come on Gin! I didn't want to upset you. You had a crush, you worked hard to get over it and you did, but know it's time to open up again. Things change!"
"That's what I meant. I just have to take a look around and see what's on 'display'" she smirked "And then we see what happens. Not just getting together with someone who likes you and you don't want to be alone. I'll have an open look and let time work."
"Fine, I'm in for this one. Well than let's have look." He glanced around when he saw a familiar figure approaching "Prof. Potter, nice to see you."
Harry bent down and said in a low voice "Please, stop calling me Professor when nobody's around. It makes me nervous." Colin cheered.
"What are you two doing so far off."
"Searching for a boyfriend." Harry frowned.
"Ahm, not for me Colin" hurried to say. "For Ginny." And to his utter joy the frown even increased.
"Colin!" Ginny sighed exasperate.
"WHAT?" he smirked.
"First: Professor there, hello! Second: overprotecting brother's best friend, hello!"
"Oh!"
"Nothing to worry here, Gin. Good luck!" Harry tried to sound cheerful "I've got to finish my round, bye."
When he was out of earshot Colin continued "Don't forget number three: potential boyfriend."
"Ha! Ha! Creevy. Forgot number one and two, as well as number four: platonic friend more like a brother. "
They were interrupted by the bell announcing the end of the break.
Harry was grateful for the bell to get rid of not so pleasant thoughts after the short conversation with Colin. However it wasn't to easy to concentrate. 'I have to do something! But what?!"
"Prof. Potter!" a pupil said "Everything ok? You didn't answer. I just cannot get this spell right" Harry snapped back to reality.
"Yeah fine, let's go on. There's always a way to get it right" he smiled encouragingly at the boy. 'There has to be a way to get this right' he said to himself.
Dumbledore sat in his office smiling at himself. His plan worked out exceptionally good. He had watched Harry over the summer and although the boys spirits had definitely increased, he was still worried. There had been no way to keep Harry out of the Orders doings after the defeat, searching for remaining death eaters and he was eager to join the Auror training in autumn.
However Dumbledore had different plans. The boy-who-lived would soon be the man-who-lived, without having much of the pleasures of a boys life. There had been no way to convince Harry to take some time off and just enjoy himself.
Therefore the Headmaster changed his tactics in offering the still vacant DADA teacher position. There hadn't been to many obstacles to be overcome. Staff and Ministry were easily convinced that he would be a good choice despite his youth. Harry's skills were thoroughly acknowledged through out the war and the rest trusted in the good judgement of Dumbledore.
As on Harry's behalf there had been less troubles than expected. Harry's love for Hogwarts had been a big plus, but the Headmaster soon recognised that this love wasn't the only important one. In turn this was the only point that made him uneasy. A teacher-pupil relationship would certainly raise problems – big ones. "I have to watch out, that nothing happens to them!" Dumbledore said to himself.
"Think about how to conceal a certain Potter-Weasley relationship? Ts, Ts, Ts. By Merlin what a Headmaster you are." One of the paintings on the walls interrupted his thoughts.
"How would you know ?" Phineas.
"Isn't it obvious. We've been all here on this endless talks with that boy. That is what you set as moral standards!"
"Oh sod off Phin!" Dilys Derwent shouted "This is not the average and you know it. Sometimes you have to judge by the occasion."
"Ah that it is. We just bend the rules as we like to have them."
At this Everard stood up moved into Phineas Nigellus picture and knocked him straight out. "Sorry, Albus. I know violence is not the answer, but I'm just too fed up with this old git."
The others snickered when Phineas returned. "That was unasked for."
"Oh it definitely was" the other pictures chorused.
"Was not. We've discussed it all over and did you forget that I was from the beginning for this plan."
"Yeah, but just to see him failing!"
"Well everybody got his reasons!"
Dumbledore left his office shaking his head, hundreds of years and still they could argue like children. However Phineas was right. He would to everything to conceal the relationship, but he would do nothing to prevent it. Both of them deserved to be as happy as they could get. That was the only thing important in this case.
The same time at the other end of the Hogwarts grounds, Ginny and Harry were having tea with Hagrid. The girl was wildly recounting a game of Quidditch at the Burrow, running around and waving her hands until she stumbled over Fang and landed in Harry's arms. She was catching her breathe and sighed happily "Yeah and that it was, I beat our super-seeker Mr. Potter!"
"I have been distracted!" he defended playfully.
"By what!?"
"By you of course!"
"Ha! What should this mean? That's the game – one has to do some bluffs."
"Bluffs, sorry that I'm laughing. That was all unfair - you in tight t- shirt and shorts, waving hair. That's unfair female distraction! I'm just a man" he smirked.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier. Would have won much more games than."
Hagrid watched them smiling. Ginny still on Harry's lap. 'That's the way it should be – the youth bickering and flirting happily.' Fang started to bark and scratching the door. "Sorry, you two. Just have to see what the dog is up and about, back in a minute." 'Or two' he thought.
Suddenly Ginny flung her arms around Harry's neck and hugged him tightly. He couldn't quite devour the feeling being pressed against her chest when she released him again.
"What was that for?" he choked.
"Nothing, I'm just happy that you're here. I know I've got Colin. And I get on well with the girls from my class, but it's not the same as with you and Hermione and Neville and even the brat of my brother" she gave him a peek on the cheek and stood up. "It's dinner time. Are you coming."
Harry shook his head, his knees were to mushy to stand up let alone walking.
"Well, tell Hagrid I said goodbye" and she was gone.
Harry let his head fall on the armrest.
"WHAT" he pounded his head on the rest again.
"THE HELL" thump!
"ARE YOU" thump!
"DOING HERE" thump!
"Getting a headache" Hagrid stood in the doorway. "Want some more tea?"
"Why not" Harry sighed. Hagrid turned to the stove to hide a smirk.
Ginny was nearly flying on the way back to the castle. This could be her best year. No threats, no war, the family all well, no annoying brother, but two of her best friends around, the others in constant owl contact, with everybody on good terms. 'Now we find myself a nice decent boyfriend and the world is perfect! Note to self: Have to talk to Colin about this!'
And that's what she did when they sat outside the next day in the warm autumn sun. "What do you think?" she asked "Who would be a worthy candidate?"
"Well, dear Ginny, don't believe me old fashioned, but I think one should fall in love, not just pick a convenient counterpart."
"Urgh, Colin, if you put it like this, it sounds definitely awful. You make my love life sound like a matter of business – as in demand and supply. Haven't it worked quite nicely over the past two years. I had some pretty nice boyfriends, didn't I."
"You did, but what I don't like is the word nice. Nice is – how can I explain nice, plain, no heart beat, nothing wonderful – just nice. Don't you want more?"
Ginny's face clouded "Not anymore."
"Come on Gin! I didn't want to upset you. You had a crush, you worked hard to get over it and you did, but know it's time to open up again. Things change!"
"That's what I meant. I just have to take a look around and see what's on 'display'" she smirked "And then we see what happens. Not just getting together with someone who likes you and you don't want to be alone. I'll have an open look and let time work."
"Fine, I'm in for this one. Well than let's have look." He glanced around when he saw a familiar figure approaching "Prof. Potter, nice to see you."
Harry bent down and said in a low voice "Please, stop calling me Professor when nobody's around. It makes me nervous." Colin cheered.
"What are you two doing so far off."
"Searching for a boyfriend." Harry frowned.
"Ahm, not for me Colin" hurried to say. "For Ginny." And to his utter joy the frown even increased.
"Colin!" Ginny sighed exasperate.
"WHAT?" he smirked.
"First: Professor there, hello! Second: overprotecting brother's best friend, hello!"
"Oh!"
"Nothing to worry here, Gin. Good luck!" Harry tried to sound cheerful "I've got to finish my round, bye."
When he was out of earshot Colin continued "Don't forget number three: potential boyfriend."
"Ha! Ha! Creevy. Forgot number one and two, as well as number four: platonic friend more like a brother. "
They were interrupted by the bell announcing the end of the break.
Harry was grateful for the bell to get rid of not so pleasant thoughts after the short conversation with Colin. However it wasn't to easy to concentrate. 'I have to do something! But what?!"
"Prof. Potter!" a pupil said "Everything ok? You didn't answer. I just cannot get this spell right" Harry snapped back to reality.
"Yeah fine, let's go on. There's always a way to get it right" he smiled encouragingly at the boy. 'There has to be a way to get this right' he said to himself.