A/N: yes u were right, that last chapter was a bit of a filler...ha yeah well thanx for reading this....lol R/R!!!! p.s. once again i own nothing in this story except Harriet and the Ghost Galleons.....sigh..... o and if you were wondering, no one did believe that Harriet was really Harry's sister....just thought u should know that before u read this....
Part Seven
"Oy! OY! Stop throwing that! That's not a ball that's my OWL!!" Ron ran over to save Pig from the grasp of a two year old.
They were all back at the Weasley's for the reception. Everyone was having a good time, even Harriet. She just had one problem.
It wasn't a problem really; it was more of a decision. Harriet was almost positive that she was no longer going to America. She looked around at all of her friends, swapping stories from the past school years, talking about the latest Quidditch match. How could she have ever wanted to leave this? Sure, there were hard times, but most of the time, it was...well...fun.
Harriet smiled to herself. Fun. That wasn't a word she used very often.
She stood up from where she was sitting to go look for Fred and George. Harriet was now longing for this 'fun' thing that everyone kept talking about.
As she stood up, she noticed Hermione coming toward her.
Great. Harriet thought. What is she going to tell me off for now?
"H-hello Harriet," Hermione said, looking down.
"Hey, Herm, what's up?"
"Er, listen, Harriet," she said looking up at her. "I know, in the past years since I met you I haven't been very...very polite toward you. I have to admit I was very skeptical about whether you were really Harry's sister or not, and your scar..." Hermione's eyes darted to the crescent moon shaped scar on Harriet's forehead. When she realized what she was doing she looked down again. "But-but after Dumbledore gave his speech today, I realized he was right. You have been through the same as Harry and-"
"Woah, Hermione I don't want anyone to feel bad for me just because of what Dumbledore said," said Harriet.
"No! No, Harriet, it's not that, it's just that Dumbledore was right. Just because we had all heard of Harry and not you, doesn't mean that we shouldn't believe you're really his sister or call you a liar. It's just like what Harry always said. You didn't ask to become famous because your parents died, and I- oh Harriet I'm so sorry!" Hermione hugged Harriet and burst into tears on her shoulder. Harriet was taken aback.
"I've been so horrible to you all these years!" sobbed Hermione. Harriet patted her awkwardly on the back. "I was always talking about you and calling you a liar for saying that you were Harry's sister! I don't even know why I didn't believe you; I had no reason not to!"
"Jeez, Herms get a grip. It's ok! Really, it is. A lot of people didn't believe me, I'm used to it...trust me..."
Hermione let go of her and wiped her face on the sleeve of her robes. She sighed, and then smiled up at Harriet, her face streaked with tears.
"I feel better, letting you know how sorry I am. I feel like my conscience is finally clear." She laughed shakily. "D'you wanna come play wizard chess with Ron, Harry and me?"
"Um well actually I was just about to go look for Fred and George," said Harriet. "But, I guess I could come play later..."
"Oh. Well alright then. See you, Harriet." Hermione turned and Harriet watched her walk, still surprised at what she had said. After a while she turned to go look for Fred and George.
She found the twins, still in their ties, lurking in the front garden. Slowly, she snuck up behind them and when she was a few feet away she yelled:
"Hey, guys!"
"OW!" George looked up quick and hit his head on the flower box outside the window. A shower of soil fell on his head. "Warn a person, will you?" he said, brushing dirt out of his hair. "Bloody hell..."
"What are you doing down there anyways?" asked Harriet as Fred emerged from a bush, a gnome wriggling in his grasp.
"Catching gnomes, of course!" said Fred, gesturing to the potato like creature in his hand.
"Um, why?"
"Because, young Harriet," said George standing up. "Last time we de- gnomed we accidentally dropped mum's topaz ring down a gnome hole. So now we have to find the gnome who has it before mum notices it's gone."
Harriet rolled her eyes. She wasn't even going to ask what the twins were doing with Mrs. Weasley's topaz ring. In fact, the more she thought about, she didn't even want to know.
"Well, I think I'm gonna go get a drink. Maybe trick Percy into eating a cockroach cluster..." said George. "Anyone want to join me?"
"Nah," said Fred pulling up another gnome. "Tormenting Percy is fun and all but today I'm going to get in touch with my gnomish self." He spun the gnome in his fingers before chucking it across the fence into the field beyond.
George shrugged.
"Suit yourself." And he walked off, humming 'Weasley is Our King' as he went.
Harriet sat down on a dry patch of grass. She looked up at Fred who was looking aimlessly at the field beyond the fence. The sun was starting to set and the dying sunlight shone on the boy's face. Harriet noticed a sad look reflected in his golden-brown eyes.
"What is it?" asked Harriet standing up and walking over to him.
"Hmm?" he said, turning to look at her. "Oh nothing."
"Fred Weasley, you can't lie to me. I know there is something wrong."
Fred sighed.
"You're right, Harriet I can't keep anything from you. In fact, I probably couldn't if I tried. I'm not good at this Harriet. This isn't like making people laugh or coming up with a brilliant new prank. I've never been through this before."
"Fred," said Harriet. "What are you talking about?"
"Harriet, I-I think I love you."
There it was. That terrible, awful, awkward silence. Harriet was shocked. Her brain was in lock down and it was still processing what Fred had just said.
Fred stood there awkwardly, not sure what to do next. He started to turn away when it all clicked with Harriet.
As he turned, she grabbed his tie and pulled him into her. Her lips pressed against his in a warm sensation. She was still holding onto his tie, but Fred's arm (the one that wasn't in a sling anyway), was wrapped around her. She stood there on tip toe, every nerve in her body pulsing a mile a minute.
Oh that's it. she thought to herself. No way I'm going to America now, I could never leave this behind.
After what seemed like eternity, Harriet finally let go of him. But Fred's arm was still wrapped around her. She could feel his heart beating in his chest before he let go.
They stood there in silence for a while until they heard George calling from behind the house.
"Fred! Harriet! Did you die back there? Go get your brooms we're playing Quidditch!"
Fred looked at Harriet.
"Should we go then?"
Harriet nodded and together they walked back to the party.
