Boy-Who-Lived Living in Hiding

The Daily Prophet has recently learned that Harry Potter has withdrawn from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. According to our sources, he left unexpectedly without giving any notice to professors or classmates. "I heard he was running scared," Draco Malfoy, a fellow student informed the Daily Prophet. "He was afraid of dying, so he left school." There are also reports that on what appears to have been his last night in school, his girlfriend Ginny Weasley, only daughter of Ministry employee Arthur Weasley, did not sleep in her own bedroom.
"I saw her sneak out after dinner," a source who wishes to remain unnamed informed our reporter. "She showed up again the next morning looking very tired and very weepy."

"Oh fuck," Harry said to no one as he balled up his copy of the Daily Prophet.

"What's wrong?" a very pregnant Venus Weasley said walking into the living room where Harry had been sitting.

"Oh just the usual bloody idiots at the Daily Prophet ruining my life. Not only are they reporting that I'm living in hiding, but they basically just told the whole world I spent the night with Ginny on my last night at Hogwarts." Harry groaned and threw the paper into the fire.

"Well did you?" Venus asked with a smile.

"Well, yes. But now everyone knows. Not only does it paint a huge target on Ginny's back…"

"But her father and brothers are going to kill you," Venus finished for him laughing.

"I don't think it's very funny," Harry said glaring at her.

"Well I promise I won't let my husband kill you, and if the rumors are correct, this won't be news to Ron," she said, still smiling.

"Well good then. That only leaves Mr., not to mention Mrs., Weasley, Bill, Fred, and George to worry about," Harry replied sullenly.

"It's the Fred and George I'd be worried about," Venus mused. "I don't think they're known for fighting fair. I wouldn't accept anything they tried give you for about a year."

Harry couldn't help but laugh. "At least I don't have to face them any time soon."

"Oh but I'm afraid you're mistaken my dear boy. Next week is Easter and we're going to spend several days at the Burrow. Or did you forget?"

Harry groaned again. "At least I'll get to see Ginny."

"Maybe," Venus teased. "But probably only from about twenty feet away the entire time we're there."

"You're not making me feel any better."

"Not my job to. My job is to teach and protect you," Venus said laughing.

"Yeah, thanks a lot. I'd like to see how well you'd handle Deatheaters with that belly."

"I take offense to that," Venus said with a smile. "But let's get back to your studies. I don't even want to think about what Dumbledore would say to me if he thought I was letting you slack off. It would probably rival what Molly and Arthur are going to say to you!"

"Ginny are you done with your potions essay already?" Colin asked his best friend.

"Yep, finished last night," Ginny responded proudly.

"What's gotten into you lately? You've spent more time doing homework and studying than any person I know, and I know Hermione!" Colin teased.

"Well, without Harry here to occupy my time, I've been a lot more focused. Plus, if I didn't focus on something, I'd go crazy thinking about Harry," Ginny explained. "Hey Hermione, Ron," she said as her brother and her friend walked over to where she was sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room. "What's wrong?"

"Ginny, I think you should look at this," Hermione said, handing her a piece of parchment.

Ginny quickly read over the article in question and dropped the paper, pulling her hand to her mouth. "This cannot be good," she whispered. "Mum's going to kill me. She's going to say that the whole world thinks I'm a scarlet woman. Oh I wish I were dead!"

"Don't joke about things like that," Colin said quietly.

"Don't worry Gin, I'm sure it will be okay," Hermione assured her. "Won't it Ron?"

"Oh, um, yeah, things will be fine," he replied, fighting back a smile.

Ginny scowled at her brother before smiling at him sweetly. "Don't worry, if it's not, I'll just have to inform Mum about all of the detentions Ron's been getting lately for being out after curfew."

"You wouldn't dare," Ron fumed.

"Oh rest assured that if you do anything to make my case worse, or if things start to get too bad, my tongue will slip," Ginny replied calmly.

"Oh Ginny please don't," Hermione begged. "That will be just as bad for me as it will for him, and I didn't do anything wrong."

"I'll try my hardest Hermione," Ginny said with a grin.

"Not to interrupt this blackmail party, but I've been meaning to ask you something Ginny," Colin said.

"Sure, Col. What is it?"

"Well, I was going to have to stay here by myself over Easter Holiday, so I was wondering if there was any way I'd be able to come home with you," he asked timidly.

"I don't think so," Ron quickly replied.

Ginny shot her brother a look that could kill. "I don't know Colin, but I'll ask my mum."

"Thanks, it would really mean the world to me," Colin gushed.

"Well I'm not promising anything," Ginny said.

"But you're asking," Colin replied happily.

"You know Ginny, you really probably should be staying at Hogwarts to study for your O.W.L.S," Hermione told her friend as they sat down on the Hogwarts Express. "You too Colin."

"Well there are things that are more important in life than test grades," Ginny responded.

"Yes and sha-," Hermione got a look from Ron and changed her choice of words, "I mean snogging your boyfriend isn't one of them."

"Do you honestly think that after that article in the Daily Prophet I'll get anytime alone with Harry at all?" Ginny asked. "It was almost impossible for us to get time alone over Christmas; can you imagine how it will be now?"

"So Harry will definitely be there," Colin asked curiously.

"Yep, he should be getting there right around the same time we do," Ron responded as if sending Colin a message to keep his hands off Ginny.

"Well, we'll find out soon enough," Hermione replied. "We're here." The foursome exited the train and saw Charlie waiting for them.

"Charlie!" Ginny cried as she ran into his arms.

"Hey you," he replied with a smile. "Hey Ron, Hermione."

Ginny pulled back and looked very seriously into her brother's eyes. "Did you kill Harry?"

"Nope, the little woman wouldn't let me," Charlie replied with a chuckle.

"Did Dad?" Ginny asked nervously.

"Well, he hadn't seen Harry yet when I left, so I honestly don't know."

"We better hurry back to the Burrow then," Ginny said, leading them all out of the train station.

Ginny walked anxiously up the path that led to the front door of her home. She reached the door and had her hand on the knob when she heard someone call her name. She quickly turned around and saw Harry standing, not but ten feet away from her. Suddenly the only thought in her mind was to have him in her arms. She ran over to him as fast as her feet would carry her and threw her arms around his neck. He responded by wrapping her in a tight embrace and lifting her into the air. They didn't need words to let the other know how they were feeling. It was only after someone coughed loudly, several times, that they realized they had a rather large audience.

"Well, Ginny dear, it's nice to have you home," Mrs. Weasley said awkwardly. "Why don't you take your things up to your room and then we can sit down, have some tea and chat." Ginny knew what that meant, and she knew not to argue. "Harry, I think Arthur would like a word with you in the living room. Colin why don't you let Ron and Hermione show you around." All five teenagers reluctantly agreed, each upset for different reasons.

When Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were alone in the kitchen, Ginny couldn't make eye contact with her mother.

"Well I can't say that I'm not a bit disappointed in you," Mrs. Weasley began. "I just wish you had been more careful. I know not to believe everything published in the Daily Prophet, especially after last year, but many people do. Honestly Ginny, what were you thinking."

The disappointment in her mother's voice was much worse for Ginny than if she had been yelling. "I had to say goodbye," she mumbled examining the floorboards.

"And you couldn't have done that in public, during decent hours?"

"Well I was being daft. I had ignored Harry his entire last week at school, and when I found out he was leaving the next day, well, I guess I was too upset to think straight."

"It upsets me to think about you and Harry having sex, but what upsets me the most is that if you're too irresponsible to be discreet, how can I know what other things are you being irresponsible about." Ginny's eyes widened. "Did you use a--,"

"Yes," Ginny quickly replied, cutting her mother off. "Wait, I know we did the first night, but…." Ginny thought to herself before her mother snapped her back to reality.

"Well good. I know you must feel like you are old enough to have sex, but I think we can both agree that you are much too young to be a mother."

"Yes," Ginny replied, her mind in a far off place.

"Well, why don't you go find Colin and see if he's settled in?" Mrs. Weasley prompted. Ginny got up from the table and made her way to her bedroom. She was surprised to see Colin waiting for her, sprawled out on her bed.

"I thought you were with Ron and Hermione?" she asked.

"Well I think they had other plans," Colin replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"That was terrible," Ginny moaned, falling on her bed beside Colin.

"Did she ground you for life?" Colin asked.

"Nope, worse. She told me she's disappointed in me."

"Funny, that's the exact same speech I received," Harry said walking into the room. "Although mine was topped off with, 'I've always thought of you like a son, and I want to continue to trust you, but after this it will be much harder,'" Harry said, sitting down at Ginny's desk.

"Harry, remind me to ask you something later," Ginny said quietly. "Okay, so what do you all want to do today?"

"Whatever you want to do," Colin replied sweetly.

"Oh, that reminds me, your Mum told me to tell you that dinner would be ready in thirty minutes. She also told me to tell Ron and Hermione, but I think that I'll casually forget," Harry said laughing.

"Oh, good plan. Take the attention off of us for awhile," Ginny responded laughing. "You know when you're devious like that, it really turns me on." She smiled at him devilishly and began to walk seductively towards him. She sat down on his lap and gave him a kiss.

"Okay, please don't forget that there is another person in the room," Colin moaned.

"Sorry," Ginny said sheepishly. "I just can't control myself around Harry; especially after being away from him for awhile."

"Remind me to test that later tonight," Harry said.

"Yeah, like you'll see me alone again anytime this century," Ginny said with a sigh.

"Well then I'll just have to shag you in front of your entire family."

"Harry James Potter, you will do nothing of the sort!" Ginny cried as Harry began to tickle her. She fell off his lap laughing hysterically. "Do you see why I love this guy Col?" she asked turning her attention to her best friend on her bed.

"I'd rather not say," Colin said, forcing a smile. "Tonight," he thought, "Tonight everything will come together."

That night, Ron and Hermione ate dinner in silence. They were both mortified when Mrs. Weasley had walked in on them snogging on Ron's bed. They knew they had a talking to coming after dinner.

"Why Ronald Weasley, I don't think I've ever seen you eat so slow in my entire life," Ginny said innocently.

"I'm not that hungry," Ron mumbled.

"Why, did you fill up before dinner?" Ginny asked with a grin.

"Enough you two!" Mrs. Weasley snapped. "You've all had more than enough time to eat, so if you're not done, too bad. Ron, Hermione, you can help me clean up in the kitchen. Why don't the rest of you go for an after dinner swim down at the lake."

"Well, I'm putting my wife to bed," Charlie said. "She's been far too busy and I don't think she's getting enough rest." Venus groaned, but allowed Charlie to lead her out of the kitchen.

"Fine, then Ginny, Harry, and Colin can all for a swim," Mrs. Weasley said huffily.

"Mum, I don't really want to go swimming," Ginny said.

"Then just go for a walk. Something. Anything. I just want all of you out of the kitchen, out of your bedrooms, and away from any comfortable sitting surface. We've got to figure out a way to get all of the hormones in this family under control." Mrs. Weasley started to take the dishes to the sink, then paused and turned to face Ginny again. "And don't you and Harry even think about losing Colin somewhere out there so you two can be alone!"

A few minutes later Ginny, Harry, and Colin were leaving the Burrow.

"Your Mum is in some mood," Colin said laughing.

"Well I had a chance to talk to Charlie this evening, and apparently Mum's stumbled into quite a bit of bad timing lately. Within the last two weeks, while she was trying to make plans for this week, she's managed to walk in on Charlie and Venus, Bill and Fleur,"

"But they're all married," Harry pointed out.

"You didn't let me finish. She also walked in on Fred and George with their girlfriends. In fact, I think Percy and I are the only two she hasn't walked in on," Ginny said laughing. "And Percy's not speaking to us!"

"Well, at least she didn't read about your brother's sex lives in the paper," Harry said with a groan.

"No, but I think that's why we got disappointment instead of yelling," Ginny said. "I think after seeing George, well in the middle of the act, she blew off most of her steam."

"Were they all shagging when she walked in on them?" Colin asked curiously.

"Well not Charlie, Ron, or Fred. But yes for George and Bill. I honestly don't know how Mum's going to be able to survive having them all here at the same time tomorrow." Ginny stopped walking, frozen in her tracks. "Did you guys hear something?"

"No," Colin replied quickly.

"Where was it coming from?" Harry asked nervously. Ginny pointed towards the lake. "I'll be right back." Harry cautiously walked off the path they had been on and wandered towards the lake. He did a careful examination of the area before returning to the path satisfied that there was nothing there. What he saw when he got there shook him to his very core; Colin lay on the ground unconscious and Ginny was gone.

A/N Okay so I'm being evil. I would have had this posted sooner, but there were problems with the log in page. Which is actually why you're getting left with a cliffhanger. I had extra time to add to this chapter. But, since I was having problems uploading, I've already started next chapter. What we're looking at is either one more chapter and an epilouge or two more short chapters and an epilouge. Doesn't make a difference to me!