A/N: Hey everyone! Thank you so much for all the reviews! Unfortunately, I won't be able to write out long ones this time, seeing as how I have to run out the door in a few minutes. But I really wanted to update for you guys, so here it is!
I just want to give a huge thanks to: blink gurl017, Maraudergrl99, Lily Dwarf, Harry/Ginnyfan4ever, Irishdancer61790, Lovely one, Wonkeyfaint28, Cycla, akf123, vt, IndiaInk, InLUVwithHarry16, Jill-Weasley, The Flying Moose, zoomzoom-pig, Miss Hogwarts, LillyGinnyEvans, and last but definitely not least, lizzie5555555!
You guys are seriously amazing, and I appreciate your reviews so much. And I promise I'll write out long reviews for everyone next time!
I'm really going to see my family.
Chapter Thirteen: HomecomingThirty minutes later, Ginny sat staring into space on her small double bed. She didn't have the slightest clue what she was going to say to her family, yet she felt the time was right. Scenarios kept running through her mind. Her mother would scream that she was an evil, evil girl and then slap her. Her father would bellow at her to get out, and her brothers would all sit watching, not saying a word. Ginny resisted the urge to scream, and begun to pace about the room.
Oh Jesus. What am I going to do?
I haven't the slightest clue.
Yes, thank you for that brilliant assessment.
What can I say?You could maybe help a little.
What do you expect? I don't know what to do.
What if my mother dumps her dinner all over my head?
Now that is a random and unlikely scenario.
Hey! It could happen.
You're right. It could.
Well thanks for the encouragement!
No problem.
You are frustrating, stupid voice. Go away.
Oh I've gone mad, Ginny thought to herself. She shook herself from her frustrating thoughts, and decided to was time to leave her room. Stepping into the hallway, she took a deep breath. Harry was sitting, waiting for her on the sofa. He looked up expectantly, and gave her a smile. Standing up, he walked over to her and encircled her with a hug.
"You look perfect Gin." He said with a smile.
"Thanks Harry. When do we leave?" she asked anxiously.
"Whenever you're ready."
"Maybe we could just sit down for a moment. I need to collect my thoughts."
"Sure."
They both settled themselves on the couch, and Ginny immediately turned towards Harry.
"Harry I'm so scared." She said quietly.
"Everything's going to be okay Ginny." He said reassuringly.
"What if they reject me? What if they don't even care whether I come back now or not? What if my mum dumps her dinner all over my head?" she asked, voicing her thoughts from earlier.
Harry let out a chuckle, and touched her face.
"First of all, your mother is not going to dump food all over your head, no matter what her emotions are. Second of all, I know they will want to see you. But you are going to have to explain to them why you left."
Ginny nodded, and Harry leaned over and kissed her forehead. Sparks shot through her body, and she felt herself grow warm. Ginny smiled at Harry, and reverted back to thoughts of her family. She could still picture every single face, every single smile. She had no pictures in her apartment, but even after all those years, she could not forget. Ginny could still hear her mother's shrill yell, her father's soothing voice. She could remember Ron's raucous laughter, Fred and George's mischievous snickers, and Percy's irritable harrumphs. She could picture Bill and his sharp earring dangling from his ear, Charlie and his dragon hide boots. None of that had left her, and she hoped it was all still the same. As selfish as it was to think, she prayed she hadn't ruined any of that.
Why had she left all those years ago? As hard as she tried, Ginny couldn't pin point it. She knew that much of it had involved Harry, and she berated herself for being such a coward and running away. But there had been another feeling, something she couldn't place. A small voice inside her had been screaming, telling her to get out. Ginny had felt trapped, like a caged bird that only wants to be set free to fly. She knew that she would have ended up with a tedious desk job at the ministry, a low income, and a broken heart. Something in her heart told her to run from all that she had once known. That feeling had been ringing in her ears, never going away. So Ginny had succumbed to it, even though she knew it was wrong. She had fled, not telling anyone where she was going. After she had left, Ginny was too stubborn and too proud to return, or make contact with anyone. But she would lie in bed at night with tears running down her cheeks, thinking about everything she had left behind.
And now Ginny was ready. She wanted to see her family, and she knew she couldn't stay away any longer. She was finally stumbling back to who she once was, and she wasn't going to pass that up now. Ginny knew that when she fell flat on her face, she needed them. She knew she needed them for the good times and the bad. Ginny turned to face Harry, and watched him for a moment. His eyes were fixed on something out the window, and his hair stuck up in odd places all over his head. She thought he looked absolutely perfect.
"Harry? I'm ready to go now." Ginny said, this time with more confidence.
"Okay. Let's get going."
"How are we getting there?"
"Floo."
"But I don't have a fireplace."
"You do now."
Ginny turned around and gasped at what she saw. A large brick fireplace stood against the far wall of her living room. She hadn't noticed that when she walked into the room. She gulped, and faced Harry again.
"When did you do that?" she asked with interest.
"When you were getting ready." He said with a grin.
"Ah." Was her answer.
"I've already contacted your family. They're all at the Burrow for dinner tonight. Even Bill and Charlie happened to be in town visiting. I told them that I was coming, and that I had a surprise for them."
"Oh goodness, what if they think your surprise sucks?" she asked, nervousness evident in her voice.
Harry let out a laugh, and wrapped his arms around her.
"You don't suck Ginny." He said with a chuckle.
"If you say so."
"I do say so."
Ginny let the beginnings of smile appear on her face. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad with Harry there to support her. Harry released himself from her arms, and walked over to the fireplace. Ginny hesitated for a moment, and then walked slowly over to stand next to him. He gave an encouraging smile, and then removed some Floo powder from his pocket.
"I'm going to go first. I need you to wait about five minutes after I leave until you Floo. Is that okay?" Harry asked.
"Yes that's fine." Ginny replied with a nod of her head.
Harry gave her hand a squeeze, and threw some Floo powder into the flames. He stepped in and shouted, "The Burrow!" With that, he was gone. Ginny was left to mull over her thoughts in the five minutes she was alone. Those five minutes seemed an eternity. Ginny drew in deep, cleansing breaths as she thought of what she was about to walk into. Finally when she thought it had been around five minutes, she drew the Floo powder Harry had given her from her pocket. Ginny tossed it into the fire, and slowly stepped into the flames. They were licking at her clothes, hungry to swallow her whole. Ginny hesitated, and then finally said the words she had wanted to say for five years.
"The Burrow!" Ginny shouted as she disappeared into the fire.
Ginny fell to the ground outside the fireplace. She glanced up and saw the clock hand turn from traveling to home beside her name. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked around. Nothing had changed, everything looked exactly as it was. The living room was still small and cramped with old, but comfortable sagging furniture. The room was still cozy and warm.
"I'm home." She whispered to herself.
Ginny stood up slowly, and brushed the soot of her clothes. No one appeared to be in the kitchen, so she cautiously walked in. It was empty, and still messy from when her mother must have been preparing dinner. Ginny noticed an assortment of Muggle appliances, brought home by her dad no doubt. She left the room, and ambled towards the stairs. Ginny gently ran her fingers over the worn wood, remembering all the times she had slid down that very banister. She walked gradually up the stairs, and stopped when she came to the closed door of her room. Ginny paused for a moment, and then finally turned the doorknob.
A tear fell down her cheek as she stepped into the room. Everything was exactly how she had left it. Not one thing was out of place. Memories flooded her as she sat down on her tiny rose quilted bed. She had spent hours in here as a little girl, thinking about her life, dreaming of bigger things. Dreaming of Harry. She had cried there in the worst of times, and laughed there in the best. Ginny touched everything in the room affectionately, remembering every memory that went with each object. There was the quill she had used to write out all of her thoughts in her diary. There was her favorite sweater, the one she had worn the first time Harry's lips had met hers. Ginny pulled the soft, worn sweater over her head, feeling everything she had felt that first time. More tears escaped her as she spotted the delicate necklace he had given her for Christmas her sixth year. Realizing that Harry was probably waiting for her, she stood up from the bed, and left her room. She walked slowly down the stairs, preparing herself for what was about to happen.
Finally, she stepped out the back door. All of her family was gathered around the old wood table, chatting together. No one noticed her at first, so she just watched them. They were smiling and laughing, looking happy and content. Harry looked up, and saw her, and Ginny knew that this was the moment.
"The surprise I was talking about is here." He announced.
Every single Weasley turned to look at her. For a moment no one said a word. There was complete silence, and Ginny wondered if they would say anything at all. Tears once again began to spill from her eyes, and her vision grew blurry. Ginny began to turn around to leave, when her mother shot up from the table. She ran over to her and enveloped her in a bone-crushing hug.
"Oh Ginny. We didn't think we'd ever see you again." She said with a sob.
"I'm so sorry Mum. I'm so sorry." Ginny said through tears.
Molly didn't say anything more, just hugged her tight. The rest of her family stood up, and by the time Molly had finished hugging Ginny, the rest were waiting to wrap their arms around her. Each member of her family hugged her tightly, whispering that they were so glad she was home. When everyone had finally gotten their turn, she was pulled down into a seat at the table. Everyone stared at her expectantly, waiting for her to say something.
"I, I don't know what to say. All I can say is that I'm so sorry that I left all those years ago. I don't know why I ran away, and why I never returned. But I've missed you all so much." Ginny said, sniffling.
"We've missed you too." Everyone returned with watery smiles.
"Where have you been?" Molly asked quietly.
"In America. In a state called North Carolina." She replied.
Molly nodded her head, and Ginny continued.
"I was living in a small beach town on the coast. I lived with my best friend Ashley. She passed away a little over three months ago." She said with a choke.
"I'm sorry Gin." Molly said while squeezing her hand.
Ginny nodded this time, and continued.
"After she passed away, I knew I couldn't pay the rent on our apartment all by myself. So I put out an ad, looking for a roommate. Two weeks later, I opened the door, and Harry was standing right in front of me." She said with a slight smile.
"He didn't know that I was the girl from the ad, and we both had quite a shock. But thankfully, everything's gone fine." She said with a chuckle.
By now everyone was listening intently to her story. Everyone offered their sympathies over Ashley, and continued to ask her questions about what she had been up to. Tears, smiles, and laughter all were shared. Ginny felt almost whole again, like she was finally starting to become the person she had been. There they all sat, catching up on all those lost years until late into the night.
A/N: There it is! Ginny's homecoming. But don't worry, you'll see more of how the other family feels in the next two chapters! Remember...
REVIEWI'm giving you guys a challenge. This time I would love at least 20 reviews! I know you can do it! You know you want to! :)
Or at least you don't want me to bust a cap/ pop a vein now do you?
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