Shared Dreams
By ByRillYAN
A/N: I own nothing of what I write. J. K. Rowling owns all of the characters, settings, and anything else she has claim to.
Chapter 2: The Burrow
BANG!
Harry got off the Knight Bus with everything he owned. He checked Dudley's discarded windup watch which Harry had picked during his most recent stay with the Dursleys. 'Hopefully this one will last a year at Hogwarts' Harry thought.
5:38 a.m.
'I hope I didn't wake anybody up coming here so early.' Harry started towards the Burrow. As he was approaching the front door, Ginny burst out of it. Harry noticed she was hastily dressed and her hair was in much need of a good combing. He stared at her stunned. 'She really is pretty' Harry thought, remembering the dream from the night before.
"Can I help you with that Harry?"
"Huh?"
"Can I help you bring your stuff inside?"
"Oh! Sure!"
"I didn't expect you to get here so early."
"The Dursleys would've been mad if I tried to drag this stuff through the when they were awake." The two headed toward the house with Harry's trunk supported between them.
Once inside, Harry's stuff was left next to the stairs, "We can take this up after breakfast," and the two teens left for the kitchen.
"HARRY!" Mrs. Weasley screamed excitedly. "Why didn't you tell us you were coming? I bet you're starved. Were the Dursleys treating you all right?"
"Mum! One thing at a time. Harry just got here. He just decided to come last night. I'm sure he's starving, and yes, the Dursleys were treating him alright, or at least they aren't the reason he came here today."
"Is she right Harry?"
"Um ... yeah." Harry said while thinking, 'Since when does Ginny answer for me?' Mrs. Weasley started working twice as fast on breakfast, apparently trying to cook twice as much as before.
"Harry, do you want to play chess while waiting?" asked Ginny, pulling him towards a side table in the kitchen.
"Hmm? Sure."
Harry had just taken Ginny's rook with his queen, "Check," when Ron walked into the kitchen. "Is breakfast ready yet, mum?" asked Ron gapping at the extra large amount of food Mrs. Weasley was cooking.
"Of course not dear. Why don't you go help your sister win her game of chess. It appears Harry has gotten a little better at the game since I last saw him." The smile that grew on her face when she said the last part went unnoticed by the others in the room.
Ron, upon hearing Harry's name, immediately looked around the room trying to find the boy. "Harry! Glad to see you here mate!" Ron gave Harry a big pat on the back while looking over the chess board. "Ginny, you're really in a sticky situation here; I thought I had taught you better. Except for Hermione, Harry here is the worst chess player I've ever seen!"
"Thanks mate, love the complements," said Harry while trying to punch the red haired boy. "Where's Hermione? Your last letter said she was coming over soon." Ron's ears turned nearly the same shade of red as his hair. "She's coming over in time for breakfast today," answered Ginny. "She and Ron have been writing each other every day recently." As soon Ginny finished her statement, the fireplace flared up and the girl they were talking about stepped through trailing a huge trunk behind her.
"Breakfasts done, Time to wake all the sleepers up," cried Mrs. Weasley. "Hermione, great you could make it! You can leave your trunk where it is and help Ron, Ginny and Harry set the table for breakfast while I wake everyone else up."
"Great to see you, Hermione!"
"Another newcomer, how many will we get in one day?!"
"Bloody hell ... Hermione!"
"Watch your language Ron. I'm glad you're all happy to see me! When did you get here Harry?"
"He got here at 5:30 this mourning" answered Ginny.
"And your answering for him now?" asked Hermione, voicing Harry's thoughts and making Ginny blush.
"Well I knew the answer," replied the now red faced girl. Hermione looked at her knowingly, "You should get a shower and change after breakfast." If anything, this comment made Ginny even redder. The four teens went about setting the table in silence after that.
Fifteen minutes later the table was sagging under the weight of the food, and eight sleepy people were relieving the table of its stress. Ron had positioned himself next to Hermione. The two were doing their best to wakeup everyone else at the table arguing about house elf rights. Harry sat across the table from Ron with Ginny next to him and across from Hermione. Fred and George sat across from each other next to the girls. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat at either end of the table.
"Do you think they'll ever shut up?" Ginny asked Harry.
"It doesn't sound like they will anytime soon. They weren't like this during the school year, what happened?"
"They argued during the school year, Harry. You just didn't take the time to notice anything outside your own little world..." Ginny was cut off by a particularly nasty swear uttered by Ron.
"RON! For Merlin's sake, please Watch Your Language!" Hermione shrieked at Ron.
"I'm sorry," Ron responded, barely audible and looking very displeased with himself. "I shouldn't have said that." The kitchen went dead quiet; Ron was venturing into unknown territory, and everyone was surprised. Hermione opened her mouth as if to speak, but her voice didn't seem to work. She tried again and this time accomplished the task, "It's ok. You didn't mean what you said..."
"That's the problem," Ron cut her off, "in the moment that I said it, I did mean it. I instantly regretted it, but for that moment, I did mean it."
"But you regretted it a moment latter, and that's what counts, right?" Hermione said, unsure of what to do or say for one of the few times in her life.
"No. Its what counts is that I said it, and what's worse is..."
"What is it that's worse, Ron?"
"That I said it to you."
"But I already said that it's ok."
"I like you, Hermione, and..." Ron's mouth kept moving as if he were still talking, but nothing more came out.
"Oh, Ron!" exclaimed while trying hug the life out of him, "I like you too!" Next to the happy new couple, Fred was looking rather glad himself.
"Hey George, where's my gallion?! I told you they'd get together this summer. Ha!" George grumbled while handing Fred the large coin, "They could've at least had the decency to wait until the school year."