A/N: Hello all!!! Wow, I haven't been on the computer in ages! I've had so many projects due before Winter break! But now that Winter Break is here, I typed up this chapter in one sitting just for you guys! I hope you like it, it's less depression in this chapter, more light heartedness :^) Well, here it is I hope you like it! And thank you so much for all the reviews!!!! Love ya to bits! So without further ado, , Happy Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza...ect, and if you don't celebrate a holiday this month, Happy snow!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, though I wish I did... Nor do I make any profit from this story.

Dedication: John Cruiz, my 80th reviewer who was so sweet as to inform me that I was taking to long in posting this chapter! LoL! Here you are a dedication for your wait! ;)

*A touch of normal* (btw- really bad title couldn't think of anything, I was going for how it would be like this if there was no war going on...I dunno if I liked it...)

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"Harry" A voice called softly.

"Harry mate." The voice called again. Harry opened his eyes slightly,

"Ron?" Harry asked his voice scratchy with sleep. He raised himself and saw he was outside and the sun was well into the sky.

"Hey Harry" Ron said grinning as his friend came to life, Harry grinned sardonically at Ron and got up stretching.

"Nice nap?" Ron asked curiously.

"Yeah" Harry was said with a dawning realization that this was the first night that he had gone to sleep without having any of his haunting nightmares.

"No dreams" he whispered quietly into the day, the wind whipping away his soft-spoken words.

"Huh?" Ron questioned.

"Nothing" Harry said turning back to the tree, true it wasn't the most relaxing sleep he had ever experienced he knew from the stiffness in his back.

"What time is it?" Harry asked.

"Uh" Ron said rolling up his sleeve to reveal no watch, "time for me to get a watch." Ron mumbled turning red.

"You and me both." Harry laughed.

"It was nine thirty when I woke up five minutes ago." Ron explained.

"Mum came in and told me you were sleeping outside." Ron said pausing as Harry's cheeks colored slightly.

"Then she said for me to wake you because it was time for breakfast." Ron said

"Though she seemed kind of adamant about waking you." Ron added, as Harry nodded.

"When's Hermione coming?" Harry asked.

"Later tonight." Ron answered. "When breakfasts done do you want to play a game of quidditch? Bill, Fred, and George are coming back and Ginny and Charlie are here." Ron explained, "we'd have seven players, maybe Remus could referee?" Ron suggested excitedly.

"I've been practicing with Ginny all summer, she's really good, she's going to make chaser this year no problem." Ron said this all very fast with excitement, Harry's quick excitement about playing quidditch again quickly disappeared though and Ron seemed to notice as he stopped looking crestfallen.



"You don't want to play?" Ron asked dumbfounded.

"No, it's not that, I do" Harry explained causing Ron's face to alight with excitement, "but" Harry started as Ron's shoulders slumped and his smile faltered.

"I can't" Harry finished.

"And why not?" Ron protested loudly. Harry closed his eyes trying not to get frustrated with his friend.

"Ron, I can't very well play if I don't have my broom." Harry said quietly opening his eyes to a sheepish looking Ron.

"Why don't you have your broom?" A voice said from behind them causing them both to turn to Ginny.



"Dumbledore has it" Harry explained, "from when Umbridge hid it in the Dungeons." Harry explained with a ghost of a grin appearing on his face.

"You know how everyone said the cow was having it guarded by a troll, well she was" Harry said a half smile on his face. Harry looked up and saw Ron and Ginny sporting identical looks of pure mirth on their faces as they laughed out hysterically.

"She didn't" Ginny gasped out, as Harry yes in response.

"Oy," Ron panted, "well, why can't Dumbledore send it?" Ron asked curiously.

"Dunno," Harry said, "he's giving it to me when I go there, I guess he's kind of forcing me to go see him." Harry explained.

"That reminds me." Ron said suddenly his grin growing larger.

"What?" Ginny asked voicing Harry's unspoken question.

"You got captain." Ron said excitedly causing Harry yet again to question yet again if he was going to expect it.

"Yeah" Harry answered.

"Did you really?" Ginny asked eyes going wide.

"Harry that's fantastic!" Ginny said sounding truly delighted.

"Why aren't you more excited?" Ron questioned.

"Uh, cause I'm not sure if I'm going to accept it." Harry mumbled.

"What?" Ron burst out, "why?" Ron asked staring hard.

"Harry you were the youngest to play in your first year in a century! You've been on the team for five years and you're a natural." Ron said, "and you're bloody obsessed with it." Ron added quickly.

"Not as much as you" Harry defended.

"Too true," Ron said and then paused as he realized what Harry said. "You think I should be captain?" Ron questioned quietly.

"Yeah" Harry answered as Ron started to speak he interrupted. "You've been a quidditch fan before you could walk, you know all the teams, you know all the plays, I don't know as many as you do, mostly just seeker moves, you're the one who defeated the chessboard, you have all the tactics, you might be a bit rash at times, if you want Gryffindor to win, the obvious choice would be you." Harry finished with Ron pink in the ears.

"You're better at quidditch than me," Ron said.

"Shut up Ron." Harry said slowly. "You played last year. I didn't." Harry said.

"Only because the fat cow wouldn't let you!" Ron burst out.

"It doesn't matter. You helped win the cup." Harry stated.

"But..." Ron started.

"Look just drop it. I'll think about it ok?" Harry asked.

"Why isn't Katie captain, she was on the team longer than both of you and it's her last year?" Ginny asked.

"Because little sis" a voice said walking up reveling Fred and George.

"Katie has been made Head Girl." Fred finished wiping an imaginary tear from his cheek.

"We're all so proud." Fred said then snickering added "especially our dear brother George here." Fred said poking him.

"Really?" Ginny asked not sounding surprised.

"So she's quitting quidditch?" Ron asked incredulously.

"No, she just feels she can't keep the two positions without being overwhelmed." George explained sounding horrifically rationally.

"What?" George asked as they all stared at him quietly.

"Well. Any way mum wants you in for breakfast." Fred explained looking nonplused at George's behavior.

"Come on then I guess." Ron said slowly.

"Yeah" Ginny said following.

"Right." Harry agreed as they all walked into the house together.

"Good Morning dears." Mrs. Weasley said as they all sat down at the table.

"Morning mum" said the Weasley's together.

"Good Morning Mrs. Weasley." Harry said smiling.

"Morning Weasley's, Remus and Harry." Arthur said coming downstairs to a chorus of good mornings.

"Well what do you have planned for the day?" Mrs. Wesley asked.

"Quit itch" Fred and George answered with mouths full of food.

"Fred, George" Mrs. Weasley said curtly.

"Sworry mum" Fred and George said together mouths still full of food, Mrs. Weasley started to speak up when Ron spoke up.

"Can't" Ron said simply.

"What?" Charlie exclaimed

"And why not?" Fred asked.

Harry stared at the table, "yes you can" Harry mumbled.

"No" Ginny pressed with Ron nodding his head along with her.

"Because Harry doesn't have his broom" Ron finished.

"Oh dear" Mrs. Weasley started.

"He can use mine." Remus offered.

"No thanks, you were supposed to be the referee." Harry said smiling. "You still could be." Harry supplied.

"I do believe I have an extra" Arthur said, "and since I won't be playing why not use my broom?" Arthur asked.

"Dad you brooms ancient, Harry can't use it." Ron said rolling his eyes.

"Well, I admit." Mr. Weasley started.

"No that's fine thanks." Harry said smiling widely.

"Brilliant" Mr. Weasley said.

"Be the ref?" Ginny asked Remus.

"Yes, yes of course." Remus said.

"I'm rubbish at quidditch" Remus explained, "I was always there to watch." Remus explained and Harry looked down at his French toast.

"Right, well are you only playing with six, it'd be even teams" Remus said abruptly changing the subject.

"No Bill's coming later." Ginny supplied.

"Is he bringing Fluer?" Charlie asked grinning pulling out the word Fluer.

"Now Charlie, be quiet. I don't see you with a girlfriend." Mrs. Weasley admonished strictly.

"Yeah and good riddance." Charlie said grinning at Ron and Harry.

"How's Angelina by the way Fred?" Ginny asked sweetly causing Fred's ears to turn red. "And George, Katie?"

"Really Fred, Angelina Johnson? And George, Katie Bell?" Mrs. Weasley said sweetly causing Fred to shoot daggers at Ginny.

"And how's Dean, Ginny?" Ron asked clearly enjoying his sibling's embarrassment.

"We broke up" Ginny said indifferently though her cheeks turned red as her mother exclaimed "Ginny!"

"So Ron," Harry said pausing as Ron turned to face him. "How's Hermione?" Harry asked evilly grinning at Fred and George as they gave cat calls.

"What do you mean Harry?" Ron asked his ears bright red along with his face that was slowly burning.

"Oh nothing" Harry said feeling bad for embarrassing him in front of everyone and turning back to his plate.

"No I think you do" Ron said prolonging it causing Harry to turn and look back at him and then look quickly over to Ginny who looked just as shocked as Harry felt.

"Er?" Harry supplied.

"Ron are you feeling all right?" Ginny asked kicking her foot under the table.

"Ow" Harry cried out feebly, as his shin felt as though it would split in half.

"Ohmygosh, Harry are you all right?" Ginny asked quickly eye's wide and her cheeks brightly colored.

"Yes" Harry answered reassuringly, though lying.

"I thought you were Ron" Ginny said over Fred and George's cackling.

"Why were you trying to kick me?" Ron asked

"Erm" Ginny said looking for an answer when suddenly the door banged open.

"Mum, I'm home." Bill shouted and Ginny got up quickly and ran out of the kitchen.

"Billy" Harry heard Ginny playfully call to him. Harry had heard many stories of Bill from Ginny, it wasn't hard to figure out that Ginny adored him as, Harry smiled to himself, as did Fluer. He remembered back to his forth year when Fluer had look at Bill in the room behind the teachers table. Harry was quickly brought back to the present when he saw Bill standing in front of him.

"Oh excuse me?" Harry asked quickly.

"How are you Harry, I haven't seen you since last year?" Bill said smiling, glancing behind him to Fluer.

"Oh, I'm fine thanks." Harry said

"'Arry!" Fluer said swopping down and giving him kisses on each of his cheeks.

"Hello Fluer, how are you?" Harry asked.

"Exquisite " Fluer answered with a French flair to the word.

"How is Gabrielle?" Harry questioned.

"Marvelous." Fluer answered, "she talks nothing but of you, how you saved her life two years ago, etc." Fluer said glowing Harry looked down at the table.

"But you do...sort of...I mean-don't you think you've got a bit of a-a-saving-people-thing?" Hermione's voice echoed through his head.

"Great" Harry replied smiling insincerely.

"Right then Harry coming?" Ron asked sensing his best friend's thoughts.

"Yeah sure" Harry said getting up from the table.

"Thanks so much Mrs. Weasley" Harry said smiling warmly.

"Oh, dear it's nothing" Mrs. Weasley said shooing him away.

"Coming Bill?" Ginny asked eagerly, causing Harry to smile sadly.

"Course Ginger Snap" Bill said smile evident in his voice causing Ginny to flush.

"Not in front of Harry" Ron mocked Ginny in a high-pitched voice, Harry looked across at the two siblings, it was evident they had become closer over the summer, as Ron had mentioned they once were. Ginny punched his shoulder good naturedly while Ron flinched and rubbed his arm in mockery causing Ginny to shove him into the wall.

Harry grinned to himself, 'Home' he thought, 'is the best medicine.'

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Thanks so much for the reviews:

Melindaleo- Aw thanks so much for the in depth review! Did I happen to mention that you are an excellent review giver? Luv ya to bits! Thanks so much!

Ben- LoL!! Thanks so much for the review I loved it! Really informing! The sex god eh? Well Dan the laugh is better so blah! *evil grin* Don't say such sick things

about Harry, he would never be "busy with professor snape working on some *extra credit*" ew! Lmao! Thanks so much for the review!!!

Ckat44- Thanks so much for the review and welcome! I'm glad you like my story, and I too like the father/son relationship of Harry and Remus so there will be, I

think it's actually more evident in this chapter.

Kemenran- LoL!! It's never happened to me, but I'm glad you liked the chapter! Thanks so much for the review!!!

Philly- awww!! Thanks so much!! You cried, really Philly you baby!! :-P!! I'm just kidding!! Thanks so much luv ya to bits!!!

Amy- hello and welcome to my humble abode! Well, thanks so much for the review, it was very informative..or questioning, but I really liked it non-the-less, it gave me things to think about! Yeah Remus and Harry will have a closer relationship, and yes Voldie will make his appearance through newspapers and such, the real excitement will come later on about mid year ;) Thanks again for the review!

Missy- LOL!! Thanks so much Missy I'm glad you liked it!! LoL I wrote that line on purpose to be confusing *smirk* But I'm really glad you liked it! Thanks so much for the review!!!

John Cruiz- ah, my dedicatee! I'm sorry I took so long with this chapter, but you realize that this will be chapter 13 did you read 12? Cause I saw you updated on 11...*hands chapter timidly over* I hope it was worth the wait!

Kungfubaby- aw *blush* thanks so much!! That was a really sweet review! I'm really glad you like my story so much! Yay! A developing project! LoL! Again thanks so much for the review!!

Cintishortstop- Welcome to my story, *bows* I'm glad you liked it enough to review! Thanks so much!!

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Stay tuned for the next chapter: "Apples and quidditch"

Tentative chapter title, may change. ; )