Chapter 3! This story may be a little shorter than I expected, as I don't want you all to have to wait thirty chapters for something to happen!
It had now been three days since Ginny had been back, and Harry had finally drawn a conclusion about her presence.
She was going to be the end of him.
Everything about her seemed to grab a hold of his attention and refuse to let it go. The way she brushed her long red hair, she way she laughed after being told a particularly amusing joke or story, the way the corner of her lip was always quirked upwards in a mocking smile…
Harry shook himself and brought himself back to the task at hand. It would not do him good to be thinking about Ginny and how soft her skin looked while he was attempting to do the shopping. He was likely to pick up some Turpentine instead of vinegar.
He liked his time alone at the supermarket. And yes, while he knew it was rather a feminine tendency to possess, he still liked the atmosphere of it. He had never been allowed to go shopping by himself as a kid while Dudley had been given ten pounds a week to spend on sweets. Whenever he did go, he was forced to keep hold of the cart while Aunt Petunia pushed it around, all the while listening to her scolding him about his disheveled appearance.
So, leaving the girls back at home to have some time to themselves, he had apparated to a safe point just outside the local shopping centre, grabbed himself a shopping cart and went about the weekly chore. Ginny had offered to come, but Harry told her it wasn't necessary.
Well, it wasn't a total lie.
He had meant what he told Tonks; he couldn't get her out of his head. She was like a fog that resided over everything he had kept in sharp focus these past few years, clouding his vision and demanding his attention. A big, red-headed, sexy looking fog.
No, stop it. Harry thought for not the first time in the past week. Ginny is not for you. You have other things to be worrying about right now. The Peregriene case for starters…
It was true. This case was a new and time-consuming one to solve and it needed all his concentration to sort it out. It was big with underworld figures, and he didn't need the distraction of his teenage fantasies getting in the way.
As he turned into the next aisle, he shook his head and growled at his lack of priorities. For so long he had been focused on the job, each case being settled then straight onto the next one. Women – although he had been with a few – had not been the top priority. It had been his job. He was the job. It gave him purpose and made him happy.
But then why was he obsessing over Ginny?
I'm just happy to see her. Harry thought, selecting peanut from the shelf and putting it in the cart. Yeah, that's all. It would be the same if I hadn't seen Hermione in three or four years.
Finding himself happy with this conclusion, Harry smiled to himself and headed off down the aisle with a spring in his step, determined to find some marshmallows.
"Let's go dancing tonight!"
Hermione looked up from her work at Ginny as she danced across the table. "I'm sorry, could you say that again? I don't think the baby in my belly heard you!" Hermione yelled.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "And I thought Ron was the sarcastic one in your marriage."
"Well, did you really expect me to get dolled up in my jeans and a tight fitting top and dance with you? And you were meant to be the smart one in the Weasley family." Hermione said, going back to her work.
Ginny blew air out of her lips, pulled the chair out and sat down heavily. "I'm bored Mione." She whined.
"Well, take Harry with you." Hermione said with a grin.
Ginny ignored her. "Come on, we used to pull all nighters! You remember that? Dragging out arse's into bed at six in the morning…"
Hermione smiled. "I do remember that. But that was before I became classified as one and a half people Ginny. And while I would like to go out – god knows I could do with a stiff drink half of the time – I couldn't stand it." She said apologetically.
Ginny put her chin in her hand and looked at Hermione with pity. "Why do you bother with it then? This children thing?"
"Because it's going to be worth it in the end." Hermione said simply. "Look, aside from the aches and the nausea and the sleepless nights and the cramps…"
"You know, fascinating as all that is, it's really not convincing me that this' she said, pointing at Hermione's belly 'is a good deal." Ginny giggled.
Hermione rolled her eyes and smiled. "The way you talk, it's as if you don't want kids."
"I do." Ginny said defensively. "Just…not right now. Besides, I would like to find a guy first. You know, get married, have a Honeymoon…they need to have some input."
"Yes, sadly." Hermione agreed with a laugh. "Inconvenient little things they are."
"Oh,' came a male voice from the doorway ', surely we aren't all like that."
Ginny smiled around at Harry as he levitated ten or so shopping bags into the kitchen, giving both women a toothy grin as he passed them.
"Well, I wouldn't know." Ginny said, getting up to help him. "I haven't taken you for a test drive yet." She said.
Harry snorted, totally oblivious to Hermione watching them. "Well, whenever you want to take me for a ride let me know. Er – that is…" he stuttered as the realization of what he just said hit him.
Ginny was staring at him with a smirk, but Hermione was clutching her belly she was suppressing her laugher that hard. Harry blushed so hard he was almost the colour of the tomato he was holding.
Ginny quirked an eyebrow, looking anything but embarrassed or insulted. "Okay. If I ever get the urge for a 'ride', you'll be the first one I call." She said slyly, taking the tomato out of his hand and giving him a wink.
Harry laughed nervously, trying desperately not to take her promise to heart.
CRACK.
"Hello? Wife? Where is my wife?" came another familiar male voice.
All three residents looked at each other in confusion for a moment, before the one and only Ronald Weasley waltzed into the room, his Quidditch duffle bag lopped over his shoulder and a wide grin on his face.
"Ron!" Ginny screamed. She leapt over the counter top and threw herself at her brother.
Ron, whose eyes had landed immediately on Hermione as soon as he had arrived, looked stunned as he found himself in a tight hug with his little sister.
"Ginny?" he laughed, hugging her while feeling confused.
"Ron!" Harry cried.
"Harry." Ron smiled over his sister's shoulder. "Hermione." He said.
"Ron." Hermione said, getting up.
"Well, now that we've all introduced ourselves properly…" Ron said, dropping his bag and prying his sister off him. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"
"Gee, great to see you too big brother." Ginny huffed, putting her hands on her hips.
"No, I am happy to see you!" Ron laughed, ruffling his hair. "It's just… er…why aren't you at work?"
"She's on holiday." Harry said, coming forward to greet Ron properly. "Great to have you home mate. Finally, we can tip the scales of testosterone a little in our favor." He muttered.
Ron laughed as Hermione finally got up. "Okay, move aside…lady with a baby coming through." She said, waving her hands dismissively.
Harry and Ginny stepped aside and exchanged a smile as Ron and Hermione embraced warmly, sharing a small, tender kiss. The moment gave Harry a flashback to their wedding day, just after they had been pronounced husband and wife.
"Mmm, I missed you." Ron said, giving Hermione a kiss on the forehead.
"And we missed you." Hermione said, giving her belly an indicative tap.
"We?" Ron asked, bewildered.
Hermione gave him a look.
"Oh! We!" Ron laughed, dropping to his knees. "Hello my beautiful little baby. Did you miss daddy?" he cooed to Hermione's belly.
Harry and Ginny rolled their eyes, but Hermione smiled down at her husband as if it were the cutest thing she had even seen in her life.
Harry, although he wouldn't say it out loud, was immensely glad that Ron was back. He had missed his best friend in the short time had been away, and while Hermione was great company, and then Ginny… they just weren't the same as Ron.
Ginny watched as Harry slipped back into the kitchen to begin preparing dinner. She watched his face as Ron and Hermione sat back down to discuss Ron's trip. Harry looked a little sad, yet determined.
"…and then the fans were going nuts. I mean, who would have thought that there would be English fans in the crowd, let alone Cannon's fans. It was mad; I've signed so many pieces of parchment I feel like I'm the Minister of Magic." Ron was saying.
Ginny smiled and got up to help Harry. "I'll be sure to pass that on to Dad."
"Oh Harry, don't cook anything." Hermione said suddenly.
Harry stopped short of making the first slice through the onion and blinked. "What? Shall we all just go hungry then?"
"No, we'll order in. Ron's just gotten home and surely you don't want to stand in the kitchen the whole time." Hermione said.
Ron looked a little taken aback. "Harry's been cooking?"
Harry considered them all for a moment, before sighing and making everything vanish with a few spells. He smiled and summoned his cloak.
"Alright then. I'm just going to go out and get something light. I'm not all that hungry." He said, doing his cloak up. "Ginny? You want to come?"
"But, Ron just got back and…" she stopped at the look Harry was giving her. "Oh, right. Yeah. I'm not all that peckish either." She said, getting the point.
"Oh, are you sure?" Ron asked as Ginny went to get her cloak as well.
"Oh yeah. I'll just go for a stroll around the village and be back later." Harry said.
Ginny came back moments later and the two of them left with a final 'have a good night'.
As soon as they were out the door, Ron turned to Hermione. "So? Are they together yet?"
Hermione sighed. "Sadly no. But I'm working on it."
Ron rolled his eyes. "Bloody hell, they're so vacant up stairs sometimes. Its bloody obvious, and it has been so since we were sixteen years old!"
Hermione grabbed the front of his robed and pulled him down. "Enough about them. More about me sugar daddy." She purred.
Ron smirked. "Ah yes, I think I like this topic better.
Harry laughed and shook his head as they walked away from the house up the road that led to the town. Ginny quirked an eyebrow and looked up at him.
"What's so funny?"
"Queen of subtly you are. Cant you tell when I'm trying to give you a hint?" Harry asked, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Well, how was I supposed to know? I thought you would've wanted to spend more time with Ron after so much time apart." Ginny laughed.
"Five days is hardly a long stretch of time Ginny." Harry said. "Besides, the wife and baby do come first. They're family after all."
Ginny looked at him for a moment before speaking. "Does it get to you sometimes?"
"Come again?"
"You know, living with a married couple with a baby on the way. Don't you ever feel a little… excluded?" she asked carefully.
Harry smiled down at her, as she looked very apprehensive, as if he were going to snap at her for being to intrusive. But, she needn't have worried. She was probably one of the only people he didn't mind sharing such information with.
"Well see, there's a bit of a loophole there." He said. "I'm not living with them. Technically, they're living with me."
Ginny looked confused. "Okay, explain this one to me."
Harry chuckled. "That house is mine. I bought it as soon as I moved out from Remus's flat, and Ron and Hermione moved in with me. After they were married, they said they were going to move to give me some more space, but I could see that they really couldn't. They didn't have enough money for the house they wanted and I didn't want them living in some two-room flat with a cat and an owl and one day a family. So, I told them to stay with me. They're moving out soon though, a really nice place just outside London."
Ginny nodded. "Wow. I never knew that." She said. "I thought you three went into equal share."
"No, its mine. Although we like to keep up the façade that we did indeed split it three-ways." Harry said. "So, where did you want to eat?"
Ginny blinked. How did anyone have such compassion and discretion in their bodies? And for a male! Harry Potter truly was a unique wizard.
"Ginny?" Harry asked again.
"Oh, um… Three Broomsticks?"
Harry smiled. "Sounds great."
Ginny giggled as he stuck his elbow out and she slid her arm through his, walking with him down the hill into the bustle of Hogsmeade.
Harry and Ginny stumbled out of the Three Broomsticks a good three hours later, laughing hard and holding onto each other for support. The air was warm and quiet… until they began singing at the top of their lungs.
We are the pride of Gryffindor, we were robes of red and gold
We will always fight for victory, like the Gryffindors of old,
All for one and one for all,
We will answer to the call.
We're the lions, we're the lions,
You will hear our might roar!
After they had finished singing the Gryffindor team song, they fell into another round of laughter as more cheering from students in the pub followed them out the door.
Apparently, Gryffindor had beaten Ravenclaw by one hundred points in the Quidditch final only hours ago, and all the seventh and sixth years had come down to the pub to celebrate. Ginny and Harry had been in the middle of dinner when the rowdy group of teenagers had entered, singing loudly for the entire town to hear. And once Harry had found out the good news, he ordered a round for the entire pub to celebrate.
"Well, as if you weren't popular enough…" Ginny laughed, her arm still around Harry as they walked up the empty street.
Harry sniggered and rolled his eyes. "All I did was get them a pint of Butterbeer each, nothing terribly exciting like breaking open Zonko's and letting everything loose."
"Ah, and getting them tipsy from Butterbeer was of course the better option."
Harry smiled and shoved her playfully. "I didn't hear you complaining. How many did you have again? Seven? Eight?"
"It was three, Mr. Exaggerate."
They let out another hearty laugh, before sobering up and falling into a content silence. It took every once of control for Ginny not to take Harry's hand in hers and snuggle into him. The night was warm, and having a handsome man on your arm seemed to suit the scene perfectly. He had seemed a lot more at ease with her tonight than he had been the previous few days. Perhaps he was finally getting back into the swing of having her around.
Ginny frowned as she suddenly felt Harry's demeanor shift. He had become very still all of a sudden, and when she looked up at his face she saw it had gone oddly blank.
"Harry? What's…"
"Shh." He hissed, not looking at her. "We're being followed. Act normal." He whispered flatly.
Ginny felt a wave of nervousness wash over her, but did as he commanded. Indeed, now that she took notice instead of day-dreaming, she could hear footsteps moving closely, yet erratically behind them, as if the person were pausing every few seconds to duck behind somewhere and hide again. She looked around and saw that they were very much alone.
And just as she opened her mouth to ask Harry something else, he had shoved her sharply aside into a nearby bush at the exact same time a gravely voice behind them shouted "Incarcerous!"
Ginny looked around, dazed as the spell went flying past her and sound of a scuffle began to take hold. "Harry?" she cried, getting up.
And she saw him. Harry had blocked the spell so fast she hadn't even seen him get his wand out. The man who had been following them, fell back into shadow and turned right to run down an alley way.
"Hold it!" Harry roared. He lifted his wand and out of it came a flame-like lasso. Harry cracked it like a whip and it caught the man around the ankles, bringing him crashing to the ground.
Harry advanced on him, but the man was up again. "Relashio!"
"Protego!" Harry shouted. And the spell ricocheted off Harry's shield into a tree, splintering the bark and smoldering it. "Pertrificus Totalus!" Harry shouted.
Ginny leapt into the alleyway after Harry just in time to see the silhouette of the man in the long trench coat snap into a solid statue and collapse heavily into a pile of rubbish at the end of the alley with a loud crash.
Harry glared at the figure for a moment, before drawing himself up and striding over to him. "Stay there Ginny." he said without turning around.
Ginny stood at the entrance to the alleyway, watching on in silence as Harry knelt down beside the figure and pointed his wand at his throat.
Harry glared down at the man, not able to make his face out in the dark. "Lumos." He commanded. The top of his wand shot out a beam of light and illuminated the man. From the entrance to the alley, Ginny could see that he was in his late thirties with an unshaven, thick face and dark hollow eyes. He looked very annoyed… and a little scared.
But Harry actually smiled. "Benson?" he laughed disbelievingly. "Jesus, what the bloody hell are you doing here? Partiona Finite."
The man let out a breath as if he had been holding it and glared up at Harry, his body still frozen in a body bind but his head now free. "Potter." He spat.
Harry smiled, although it did not reach his eyes. "Benson, you should know better than to sneak up on men in the middle of a deserted street." He said softly, but deadly. "Terrible things could happen."
The man Benson looked over Harry's shoulder and laughed as Ginny slowly crept into view. "Interrupt a date with the little lady, did I?"
"You pay her no notice Benson." Harry snapped, pushing his wand harder against the man's neck. Benson's smile was wiped instantly off his face. "Now, what did you want to attack me for?"
"Attack? Y-You?" Benson laughed nervously, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. "Now, how do thick do you think I am? You know I wouldn't have attacked I had've known it was you Harry."
"Yes, you would have." Harry sneered. "As long as the price was big enough."
"No!" Benson cried. "I wasn't sent. I-I was just after some gold is all. Just some finance…"
Ginny watched on in amazement. She had never seen anyone cower before Harry like this before, as if absolutely terrified of him. And Ginny could definitely see why this man would be. Harry was exhuming so much magic the very air was pulsating with it. His face was cold and accusatory as he grabbed Benson by the front of his coat and dragged him up into a sitting position.
"So mugging some innocent bystander is your defense?" Harry laughed bitterly. "This isn't making me any happier to see you Benson."
"No… I mean… argh!" he suddenly cried out in pain.
Harry frowned and looked down to see a spot of red, stick substance just under Benson's ribs. He had cut himself on a broken piece of glass in the pile of trash he had fallen in. Harry exhaled slowly through his nose, debating on his next move.
"Well, seen as we're talking… tell me what you know about Augustus Peregriene." Harry said.
Benson suddenly went a little white. "P-Peregrine?" he stuttered. "Never heard of him."
Harry smiled. "Come now Benson, lets not dawdle. Surely you can be a good boy and not make me resort to 'other' methods of persuasion." He said, taking his wand and jabbing it a little in the wound.
Benson let out a cry of pain. "Okay… okay… maybe I have heard of him." He admitted, his voice strained. "You know, on the grapevine. You hear these names popping up out of no-where lately… wizards hoping to be the next head of the house."
Harry grit his teeth. "Tell me what you know about him and his dealings."
"I-I don't know any – OW!" Benson cried as Harry poked him again. "Argh, Christ Potter…"
"I can stand here all night Benson." Harry sang.
"Okay, maybe I do know something."
"Maybe?" Harry urged, tightening his grip on the front of Bensons coat.
Ginny watched on, her arms wrapped around herself at the realization of what she was seeing. This was a side of Harry she had never thought possible. He was scary, intimidating and very powerful. She wanted him to look at her and smile reassuringly, but his attention was solely on the man in front of him.
Benson clamped his eyes shut, clearly in pain and took a few slow breaths.
"The sooner to tell me what I want to know the sooner you get patched up Benson." Harry said.
"Okay! Okay!" Benson cried angrily, looking even more pale. "But… you have got give me asylum or something. If he knows I ratted him out… he'll kill me."
"Done." Harry said instantly. "Now talk."
Benson let out a strangled sigh of relief, and then spoke in a hushed whisper. "Peregrine…I seen 'im in London the other day. You know – ah bugger, what's it called? – the place with all them pigeons."
"Trafalgar Square?" Harry asked, interested.
"Yeah, that's it. Anyways, he was conversin' well outta sight. I only saw him by coincidence. He was in one of them abandoned factories just a short distance away from the square, meeting up with a large group of chaps."
"By himself?"
"No, with his goonies. Anyways, they were dealing stuff. I saw the exchange."
Harry frowned. "Dealing? Who was the group?"
"They weren't wizards, I'll tell you that. They were muggles…drug lords or whatever they called."
Harry blinked in surprise. "Muggle Drug Lords eh?" he said more to himself. Hmm, that's something we didn't know he thought. "Okay, what is it he's dealing them?"
"Potions. You know, for their drugs. They brew the potions and then pass it on to them muggles to mix it into whatever it is they're makin'."
"What potions?" Harry growled.
"What? You think I know – ow!" he cried as Harry poked him in the wound again. "Argh! Okay, alright… it's a basic hallucinogenic. You know, Belladonna to relax and a bit of Dragon's blood too."
"What's that for?" Harry asked.
"How the hell should I know?" Benson snapped. "Come on now, let me go…"
"Ginny?"
Ginny jumped as Harry addressed her over his shoulder. "Y-yeah?" she whispered, taking a tentative step forward.
"Do you know why anyone would want Dragon's blood?"
"Well, many reasons. But muggles? I can't imagine what they would need it for." Ginny said. "I could find out for you."
Harry nodded, still looking at Benson. "Anything else?" he sneered at the wizard.
"No! No that's all I know I swear. I swear…" he muttered, his breathing more ragged with the pain.
Harry considered him for a long moment, before sighing and letting his interrogation façade drop away a little. He sat back on his heels and took his wand away from the wound.
"If I release you from this, will you be good and not try to attack me again?"
Benson coughed out a laugh. "As if I'd take you on, let alone in this state." He said, casting a glance at his side.
Harry smiled the faintest of smiles, before taking off the body bind spell and helping the injured criminal to his feet. He slung his arm over his shoulders and held him up with a grunt.
"I really am sorry about ruining your date Potter." Benson muttered.
Harry smirked and looked at Ginny. She was hanging in the shadows, looking quite nervous. Harry smiled reassuringly at her, and she seemed to calm instantly.
"Listen um, I've gotta drop him off at headquarters for some medical attention. Can you get home by yourself?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "It is only up the hill, Harry." She said.
Harry nodded. "Alright, I'll be home later. You ready?" he asked Benson, summoning an old milk carton and turning it into a Portkey.
"I'll live… no thanks to you." Benson growled at Harry, giving him a glare.
Ginny smiled as they left moments later and she herself apparated straight back to the house, feeling a little shook up.
She hung her cloak up near the door and ran a shaky hand through her hair. What she had just seen had been an image she had not seen since the war, when Harry had been on the front line. What she had seen tonight was intimidating, amazing and awe-inspiring all in the same package. So that's what Harry was like on the job? And she quite agreed with that man Benson… she would have much rather run in the other direction than take Harry on.
She walked into the living room and smiled as she spotted her brother and sister-in-law on the sofa. His head was in the crook of her shoulder and his arm around her massive belly, and her head was resting on his, both of them fast asleep.
So, resolving to wait for Harry in her room, Ginny left the couple in peace and trotted off down the hall, her mind still abuzz with all she had just witnessed.
A/N – I wanted to give you all an insight in the kick-ass Harry we all know is there. I hope it was good enough! And the Gryffindor Team song is actually the song for the Brisbane Lions football club, and I changed a few of the words.
Please review!