Chapter 9! I'm sorry about the delay guys, but my Word died! Its my dad's fault, and although he denies any such murderous actions… I know otherwise!
On normal occasions, Harry would have found no better pastime for his weekend than attending the weekly ritual lunch at the Burrow, hosted magnificently by Mrs. Weasley. What with the food enough for a small country, the raucous chatter presented by all Weasley's seated at the table and the after-meal festivities hosted by none other that Fred and George, it was normally all he could think about after a long week at the office.
But this was no normal occasion.
In fact, as he walked up the dirt driveway towards the house with Ginny at his side on that particular warm, Sunday afternoon, it was taking all his self-control not to turn on his heel and bolt at least ten miles in the opposite direction. He knew in the back of his mind that he was being stupid, but the teenage boy that still took residence most of the time within him was dreading informing the family of their new-found romance.
"Stop being a ninny." Ginny said suddenly, sensing his anxiety. "It's my family, not a paddock full of raging bulls."
Harry snorted. "That, my dear, is exactly what it is."
"I don't see how."
"You wouldn't, you're one of them!"
Ginny rolled her eyes and brushed her hair out of her face with a sigh. "You know, I thought you were going to be different that all the other guys I brought home to meet the family…turns out your even worse."
"We have too much history together."
"Which is why it's so special."
Harry frowned at her. "Stupid women logic – ow!" he cried as Ginny pinched his arm defensively.
Truthfully, Harry would have much preferred to keep news of his and Ginny's new relationship within the confines of the house for another few years. But Ginny had been adamant, and her ways of persuasion were not for public conversation…especially in front of her parents.
"You're just nervous is all. You need to find a way to calm down." Ginny said, heading for the front door.
Harry stopped and watched as she approached the door and raised a hand to knock, before grabbing her hand and yanking her away before she could even give the door a single wrap. She snorted as he dragged her around to the side of the house and out of view.
"What the bloody hell are you doing?" she giggled.
Harry smirked and pressed her up against the wall. "Calming myself down." He whispered.
"How in the hell does this calmmmphphph…" but she didn't get to finish as Harry covered her mouth with hers in a kiss.
This risk of the getting caught was high, as they were pressed against the wall that separated them from the kitchen where everyone was bound to be sitting by now. And Harry was kissing her with enough emphasis for it to become difficult to remain silent enough without her quiet, muffled moans sounding, at least, like a dying animal.
"Harry…" Ginny whispered, pulling back. "We're gonna get caught!"
"No we're not." He replied with a smirk, kissing the sensitive spot on her neck. "You're just teaching me CPR."
"What's that?"
Harry rolled his eyes and ran his hands up her sides, making her shiver. "Just shut up… you talk too much as it is."
Ginny was once again denied the chance to retort by him kissing her with such insistence that it left no room for rational thought, let alone any form of argument. Not that she was complaining, far from it in fact. Self-admittance told her that she was totally smitten with him, and who was she to deny a good snog from such a man?
Harry smirked a little as she threw her arms around him, drawing him just that little bit closer. Later on, he would probably feel rather embarrassed to be engaging in such an activity while pressed against the outer wall in the shadow of the Burrow, a place he had called home ever since he were twelve. But the only thought going through his mind was… well nothing actually.
Ginny sighed into his mouth, jumped up a little and wrapped her legs around his waist. She had no idea how this classed as 'calming him down', but it really didn't matter. His hands had slipped up under her shirt and were stroking her back softly.
"We should stop." She breathed.
"Mmm, we should." Harry muttered, breaking the kiss only enough to speak.
But neither of them moved apart.
Harry turned and took a few steps towards the back of the house, still kissing Ginny casually. He stumbled a little on an uneven patch of earth and stumbled, nearly toppling over. Ginny let out a squeal and giggled, but still they did not stop. They would have, had they known this was going to go any further. But it wasn't, and they didn't stop.
Every girl should be treated like this. Ginny thought, stroking his face. She could feel his freshly shaved skin, soft and moisturized. He smelt so good and he kissed so slowly and sensually that she considered 86-ing the whole 'Lunch-at-mum's' thing, just so they could go home and snog some more.
Harry took a few more steps forward and suddenly without any warning, his foot snagged on another piece of up-turned earth and the two of them fell to the ground, Harry landing on Ginny with a grunt. She burst out laughing and adjusted his glasses back on his nose.
"Oh, I'm sorry." He said, horrified that he had possibly hurt her. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"
But Ginny was still laughing into his shoulder. "No, no, everything's super dooper…"
"Ahem." Came a familiar male voice.
Harry looked up and felt his stomach plummet to new depths. There, sitting out on the lawn at a long outdoor setting, was the entire Weasley family, Fred and George's girlfriends, Fleur Delacour and Hermione. Every single face looked down at them with amazement, save for Ron and Hermione who were red in the face with the effort of suppressing their laughter.
Feeling like he could fry an egg on his face, Harry looked down at himself, knowing what it must look like with him lying on top of Ginny, her legs wrapped around his waist. He looked down at Ginny. She had her head tilted right back and was smiling at the family.
She looked back at Harry and giggled. "Busted."
"Shoot me now." Harry muttered into his goblet for the tenth time that minute.
Ron clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, buck up. It could have been worse."
Harry looked at him.
"Well, no, actually I don't see how it could have been. But, look in the bright side… at least you didn't have to tell them!' Ron smiled, indicating to his parents down the other end of the table.
Harry looked and a faint smile crept up his face. Ginny was chatting away to her mother and most of the people sitting in close vicinity, no doubt going over the finer details of how she and Harry had come to be together. Mrs. Weasley had not yet managed to wipe the smile off her face, Fred and George were regularly muttering things to each other, sniggering and then looking down the table at Harry, and Percy (thankfully) looked quite impassive. Harry didn't think he would have been able to handle Percy making fun of him.
Ron had told him – after he and Ginny and sorted themselves out and sat down – that because of the weather, they had decided to eat outside instead of inside as they usually did. The reaction of seeing Harry and Ginny fall into the scene connected at the lips had been rather mixed. Mrs. Weasley looked really to send fireworks up into the air she was so happy, Fleur looked very amused, Percy had looked – predictably – a little indignant about the whole affair and Fred and George had expressions on their face that suggested that all their Christmases had come at once.
But it had been Bill and Mr. Weasley's reactions that had bothered him the most. It was the expressions that were blank on the outer, but inside said 'get me my wand and let me at him!'. Harry and not yet been able to look either of them in the eye, and hoped he could go the rest of the afternoon without speaking to them.
"Harry? Could I have a word with you please?"
Harry looked up at see Mr. Weasley looking at him from across the table, wearing that poker face.
Bugger. He thought. But he smiled sheepishly and nodded. "Sure." He said, his voice a little higher than normal.
The rose together and Harry, shoving his hands deep into his pockets, followed the Head of the Weasley family away from the table to the back of the tool shed, completely out of sight from the others.
Damn. Harry thought. Now there cant be any witnessed for my murder.
"No need to look so alarmed Harry." Mr. Weasley chuckled, leaning against the shed next to Harry. " Just thought we could use some privacy."
But Harry couldn't help himself. "Listen, Mr. Weasley, what happened just now… that was totally an accident. Well, I know it didn't look like it but… see, we didn't mean for anyone to… we were going to tell you…"
"Harry!" Mr. Weasley laughed, holding up a hand to put a halt to Harry's rambling. "Will you give me a chance to speak?"
"Right, sorry sir." Harry muttered, blushing.
"Sir? Since when have I ever been 'Sir' to you?" Mr. Weasley asked softly, smiling at Harry. "Listen son, normally when Ginny brings home some new chap she's fallen head over heels for I give the speech about how I expect my little girl to be treated and what bodily harm will come to him if he doesn't comply with my conditions."
Harry swallowed.
"But, that was only because they were all shifty… and because I knew they weren't going to be the final one for her. Unlike you." Mr. Weasley added with a smile. "I'm not going to say that seeing you with my little girl like that was something I was terribly in a hurry to see, but I am going to tell you that I'm glad you both pulled your finger out and figured out that you were so obviously right for each other."
Harry resisted the urge to collapse with relief. "So, you're not mad?"
"Mad? Are you daft? This is a good thing Harry! If Ginny's happy, then I'm happy. Nothing in this world is more important to me than seeing my children secure and at peace with their lives, and if you can bring that to her – and I know you do – then I have no quibbles about that." Mr. Weasley said.
Harry smiled. "I know how you feel. And I'm glad I can put a smile on her face just by being there."
"That's my boy." Mr. Weasley beamed, clapping Harry on the back. "Come on, lets get back to the food before Hermione polishes it all off. Such amazing appetite that girl has."
Harry laughed and nodded. "You have no idea."
Feeling much better, Harry's lost appetite suddenly came back to life with interest, and he felt his mouth water with the thought of the food awaiting them at the table.
"Oh and Harry, just one more thing."
"Yes Mr. Weasley?"
"Hurt my little girl, and I will jinx you until the end of the Millennium."
"This isn't right! You were meant to end up with someone we hate, so we could tease him at Christmas and Easter and family get-together's because he was such a pillock!" cried George in mock outrage.
"Yeah, you were meant to end up with someone who was boring and ugly and totally unambitious. Someone who can't fly and has the sense of humor of a baked bean." Agreed Fred.
"Someone like Percy." George muttered.
Ginny rolled her eyes at the twins, but suppressed a giggled at the reproachable look Percy was throwing them down the table. "Will you two stop it?"
"What? We can't do that stuff with Harry!" George said. "He's one of us!"
"You do it enough to Percy and Ron." Ginny said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah well, they're not really related. The red hair and freckles is just a coincidence." Fred whispered.
"She's right, its not fair of you to tease." Said Colette, Fred's girlfriend. She pushed her brown hair out of her face and helped herself to some more pudding. "I think its sweet personally."
"You would." Fred said, rolling his eyes.
"Ginny, don't listen to anything their saying." Piped up Katie Bell, who was currently dating George. "I agree with Colette and your mother."
"Whose side are you on anyway?" George demanded.
Kate simply smiled, took a piece of cake and stuffed it in George's gaping mouth.
Ginny smiled to herself and watched as Harry and her father came back to the table, sitting down opposite each other. Her father looked pleased with himself, but Harry looked like he couldn't decide to be relieved or scared. Ginny frowned, wondering what it was her father had said to him.
"You want me to curse him for you?" came Bill's voice suddenly in her ear.
Ginny jumped in surprise and turned in her seat to face him. He was squatted beside her, hidden from view from the other end of the table. He had his wand in his hand and his eyes were locked on Harry, who had now recovered and was talking to Fleur across the table.
"I'll give it to him on principle." Bill muttered threateningly.
Ginny sighed. "Touch a single hair on his head and you'll be harassed by flying bogies until the time your seventy." She said simply.
Bill laughed. "Oooh, the little sister is feisty today. And here I thought a good round of snogging made people less tense."
"You would know.' Ginny said, giving him a look.
Bill smiled, stood up a little and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "He hurts you, you let me know first."
"Then you wont be hearing from me for a long time." Said Ginny.
"Yeah, I know. I'm just living up to the role dear. I've yet to corner him and threaten him with bodily harm in your honor, although I don't think I'll have too… he seems freaked out enough as it is, poor chap." Said Bill, giving Harry a sort of pitying look.
Ginny laughed. "He's going to need a good sedative later."
"Or a good shag."
"Bill!"
"Harry dear, you really don't have to help me with this. Go sit with everyone out in the garden!"
Taking another dish from the rack, Harry smiled at Mrs. Weasley beside him and wiped the crockery dry with the towel. "Nonsense, I don't mind. After all, I can't just leave you to do all this by yourself now can I?"
Mrs. Weasley smiled and dunked another filthy plate into the soapy sink before her. "In all honesty, I could really do this in about thirty seconds, but one risks becoming lazy if they use their wand constantly for every little chore." She bristled.
"Too right." Said Harry, staking the plates as he dried them.
Mrs. Weasley went quiet for a moment, but continued to steal glances at him out of the corner of her eye. Harry, being the keen observer he was, of course noticed this, but felt it would be better for her to speak first. Obviously she had things she wanted to say to him, and truthfully, he had no idea what to say to her about the current situation as it was.
"Harry, may I be so bold as to say something to you in confidence?" Mrs. Weasley said finally.
"She's your daughter." Harry shrugged.
"Yes, and I know you're the one that broke her heart last week. Oh no, she didn't say anything!" Mrs. Weasley added at the look Harry had suddenly given her. "She didn't need to. I know how to read my own daughter Harry Potter, and I know the look any woman gets when her world has been shattered."
Harry didn't say anything. The old guilt surged up within him again and, just for something to do, he went back to the dishes.
"I don't expect you to tell me why or how you did it, as it is none of my business… but I would like some reassurance, as a mother, that nothing you say with ever cause me to see that look on her face again." Mrs. Weasley said, giving him a look.
Harry sighed, put the plate and towel down and leant against the bench. "Mrs. Weasley, how can I promise such a thing? To you or to anyone?" he asked. "I think that part of the reason Ginny and I are so good together is because I'm not afraid to hurt her feelings, nor is she afraid to hurt mine. We don't hold anything back. We'll say things that will sting, but we'll move on because what we have is greater than simple words spoken in the heat of the moment." Said Harry.
Mrs. Weasley considered the man beside her for a moment. He looked pensive, anxious and many other feelings she was not able to put a name to.
Harry smiled at her and ran a hand through his hair. "I can promise to try with everything I possess… but that's all I'm afraid. And that may not be enough for you, but it's all I have. And I know you respect me enough to accept that."
Mrs. Weasley smiled and drew him into a hug. "That's all the reassurance I need dear." She said, giving him a pat on the back.
"At least you didn't threaten me." Harry chuckled as they broke apart.
"Oh pish tosh, don't you listen to a word they say Harry." Mrs. Weasley said, waving a hand dismissevly and going back to the dishes. "Full of hot air those boys are; nothing they say will come to pass. Not if they want to endure the wrath of two Weasley women that is."
Harry laughed. "And with that incentive, I consider myself safe for another day."
"Intentions?"
"Morally based."
"Underlying schemes?"
"Non-existent."
"Sexual diseases?"
"What? Fred, how does that…"
"Answer the question orfeel the wrathHortensia!" Fred cried, poking Harry in the chest with his wand.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Nothing itchy, gooey or puffy to date." He said flatly.
It had to happen, he mused. He had been expecting it to happen a lot earlier in fact, but the delay didn't make it any easier to deal with. As soon as everything had settled down, Harry had been (and rather forcefully) dragged from a conversation with Hermione and Colette in the living room by his feet and out to the shed in the backyard, where he was then strapped to a chair and forced to sit under a lamp and answer every question Fred, Ron, Bill or George threw at him.
It was rather amusing actually, to be subjected to the treatment he dished out to wizards on a weekly basis. And had he not been so nervous at what the four Weasleys would do to him if he answered a question to their dislike, he would have played the 'blissfully ignorant' card he received more times that he could count.
Harry sighed and looked at Fred, who was seated directly in front of him with the others standing behind him. "So, is the interview over? Or would Percy like to dish some dirt on me too?" He asked, struggling against his binds in the chair. He had been sitting there for ten minutes and was starting to get an itch in his foot.
"Percy? Ha!" Ron cried as the others shook their heads in shame. "You know, he pretends like he's indifferent to the news that you're with Ginny, but I can tell he's really hexed up about it."
Harry frowned. "What, he doesn't want Ginny with me?"
"Its nothing against you mate." Bill said, pulling his hair out of his ponytail and trying it up again. "Like everything else close to him, Percy has rather… high standards. Probably reckons Ginny should be with someone really important."
"Because defeating You-Know-Who twice in two decades isn't at all important or significant." George said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Silly sod."
Harry smiled. 'Aren't I good enough for her?"
"Are you kidding? There isn't one man on this earth good enough for our little sister." Ron said pompously, making him look rather like Percy. "But, in the absence of perfect men… I guess you're the next best thing." He added with a smile.
"Not like we had much say anyway." Fred muttered, shrugging.
BANG. "What on earth are you four DOING?"
All five heads turned to see Ginny, who had just slammed the door open, standing on the threshold with her hands on her hips and an accusatory expression on her face. Fred, who had been sitting in the chair directly in front of Harry, leapt up and smiled hastily at his sister, as did her other brothers.
"Well?" she demanded, taking a step forward. "What are you doing with him?" she asked, pointing at Harry who was still strapped to the chair.
"Er – " Bill stammered, rubbing his neck.
"We were er…" Ron blushed.
"Just playing." George said hastily.
The other's all nodded and muttered in agreement. "Yeah, playing musical chairs." Fred added, causing the others to once again nod and mutter in agreement. Harry smirked; he couldn't help it. It was just too amusing to see these fully-grown men cowering before their little sister much the way they used to for Mrs. Weasley.
Ginny glared at them for a moment, before nodding. "Ah, I see. Musical chairs… without music or other chairs?"
The Weasley's just looked at her.
"For heaven's sake, at least Percy had the sense to simply shake his hand and leave it at that." Ginny snapped, waving her wand at Harry's binds causing them to fall free to the floor. "Now, get out."
"I beg your pardon?" George cried. "We have as much right to be here as…"
"Katie wants you." Ginny said simply, but there was something about her tone. "And Hermione wants you… and Colette wants you… and Fleur definitely want you.' She said, pointing to Ron, Fred and Bill each in turn.
Harry smirked and stood up as all the boys looked at each other, before they all laughed and spoke at once.
"Well, I'd best be going…"
" – I'm feeling a bit peckish actually – "
" – Don't want to leave her alone in her state for too long – "
" – Not interesting in musical chairs much anyway."
And all at once, they rushed towards the door and squeezed out as one, leaving Ginny and Harry alone in the shed with a final slam of the door.
Harry laughed and shook his head while Ginny let out an indignant snort and glared at the closed door. "Bastards. Honestly, so immature… are you all right?" she asked, giving him an apologetic smile.
"You mean did I survive my interrogations without psychological damage?" he asked, closing the distance between them and pulling her into a hug. "Well, I can neither confirm nor deny and signs of insanity at this time."
Ginny smiled and snuggled into him. "They could never break you." She whispered, closing her eyes and relaxing into his embrace. It was their first chance to be alone and just hold each other all afternoon.
Harry sighed and kissed the top of her head. "Well, at least everyone knows now."
'Not everyone. We still have that article to write for the Daily Prophet." Ginny smiled.
"Oh no."
"Oh yes, and then there are the interviews with Witch Weekly and The Quibbler…"
"You having fun at my expense here?" asked Harry with a smile.
Ginny laughed and looked up at him. "Always." She said, giving him a kiss.
Harry paused for a moment, before pulling back a little and looking at her. "You think they're… happy for us?"
Ginny wanted to laugh at the absurdity of this question, but at the look on his face she found she didn't really have the heart to tease him. "Of course they are! Did you not hear my mother talking about wedding plans in there? Did you not see my father beaming at you every time you even mentioned my name? They've been expecting it for years Harry."
"Gee, they don't hope for much do they?"
"They knew you made me happy, and that's all they wanted. Along with your happiness, but you were so closed off we didn't know what the hell you wanted!" she added.
Harry smirked. "You want to know what I want right now?"
Gin's eyebrows rose as Harry ran his hands down her hips, his fingers circling the outside her of her thigh. "Oh yes? What's that?"
Harry smirked. "To finish our CPR lessons."
And he reached up and pulled the chain hanging from the light, throwing them into darkness.
Hermione rolled her eyes as she sat down beside her husband, finding him with his nose pressed against the window as he gazed out into the backyard. "Should I call the police?"
'Huh?"
"You're perving on them… which is rather disgusting, considering she's your sister!"
"I'm not perving." Ron muttered, giving her a quick glance. 'They've been in that shed for fifteen minutes."
'So?"
Ron tore his eyes away from the window and looked at her. "So? He could be doing anything to her."
Hermione let out a splutter. "Excuse me? Sex is not only one sided you know." She huffed. "Besides, you don't even know that's what they're doing."
"They've been in there for a quarter of an hour! What else is it they could be doing?"
Hermione quirked an eyebrow and looked out the window at the shed. It was completely still. "Fifteen minuets? Hey, if Harry can go that long… I definitely married the wrong one." She said, giving Ron a look.
"You what!" Ron cried.
"I'm joking you idiot! Sit down." Hermione laughed.
Ron did so and looked back out at the shed. He rested his elbow on the windowsill and put his head on the ball of his hand. "I'm glad for him." He said quietly.
"Why? Because he can go for fifteen minutes?"
"No! Because he's happy." Ron said, giving Hermione a look. "I'd, been a little worried about him. He was so absorbed in his work, didn't let anyone close to him…" he trailed off with a sigh. "I really began to think he wouldn't find that someone. He became so distant around people, you remember. Pushed practically everyone away. But Ginny doesn't give up that easy… they're good for each other."
Hermione smiled at him and wrapped an arm around him. "You big softie."
"Shh, don't tell anyone. I'm pretending to be broody and unhappy about their relationship." He whispered with a smile.
"Well in that case, you shouldn't be watching them like a hawk at the window. Come on, I'll get you some treacle tart and you can massage my feet."
"Ah, that sounds fair."
A/N – Not very long, but it didn't really need to be. My updates may be a little shifty from now on, as I am resulting to using a laptop.
Please Review!