Author's Note: Hey everyone, sorry that I didn't update last night, entirely too fatigued. I proudly present to you, chapter seven! Oh yeah, I don't own Harry Potter in the least.

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VII

Ottery St. Catchpole, And A Bit Of Degnoming

Harry stretched his body and yawned lazily. It was half six on Monday, 23 June. Now that Hermione was 'round and Harry had gotten back together with Ginny, he decided that he would try to make "Ginny and the Trio" become "the Quartet." Most peculiar, Harry noticed, was Hermione and Ron's actions towards eachother. "What dolts," Harry though, "they're obviously mad about eachother. Makes me wonder if Fred and George will sit Hermione down and threaten her not to hurt dear Won-Won." Harry laughed at this, and got out of bed. As he passed dear Won-Won's bed, Harry stopped to watch: Ron's feet were sprawled at his pillows, and his head was poking out the covers at the bottom, snoring the morning away. Harry shook his head with a smile and headed for the bath.

Harry emerged at seven o' clock, and trudged downstairs for a glass of pumpkin juice and perhaps a banana. He was surprised to arrive to see Bill stirring a cup of coffee.

"Top of the morning," Bill said, and smiled.

"And to you," Harry replied, "Why're you up so early?"

"Trouble sleeping, you know," Bill mentioned, "I'm getting married in about a week, you know," he smiled as though he'd just remembered, "What roused you?"

"Ugh, Ron's awful snoring," Harry frowned.

Harry poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice and selected a banana from the bowl on the table, and began eating.

"So," Bill began, continuing to stir his coffee, "Have you and my baby sister been on a date yet?" Harry choked. The only true date that he could remember was that one instance at the lake, so long ago. He frowned. As happy as he was, he noticed, he was frowning a lot lately.

"Not really," Harry said, slightly ashamed, "Well, sort of."

"No worries," Bill reassured, "I think you ought to take her to the village today or something." Harry had forgotten that the nearby village, Ottery St. Catchpole, even existed.

"I've never set foot there," Harry mentioned.

"Oh, none of us really have," Bill said, waving his hand, "Mum and Dad were always afraid we'd spill something to the Muggles."

"Muggles..." Harry thought aloud, "I'd need some sterling..." Harry mentally kicked himself, as he figured Bill had no idea what he was talking about.

"Gringotts, Harry," Bill said, "Don't forget I worked there. They convert Galleons into Sterling." Harry grinned, as he had indeed forgotten that Bill worked for the wizarding bank.

"I never thought of that," Harry admitted, "Thanks a lot!" He rose and bid farewell to Bill, who was reading a newly arrived Daily Prophet and sipping at his coffee. Returning to Ron's room, he grabbed a piece of parchment and a pouch. He filled the pouch with eight galleons and scribbled the following on the parchment:

"To Whom It May Concern,

I, Harry Potter, humbly request a currency conversion from Wizarding Currency to Pounds Sterling. I'm sending eight galleons. Thank you very much.

Harry Potter"

"Take this to Gringotts," Harry said to Hedwig, attaching both the note and pouch to her, "And hurry back." He opened the window and she took flight immediately. Harry smiled; he had an incredibly reliable owl. He glanced at the clock. 07:30, and Ron was still asleep.

An hour later, Harry heard a light rapping at the window. When he realised that it was Hedwig, he opened the window and she offered him his pouch and a new note.

"To Mr. Harry Potter,

Thank you for using Gringotts Currency Exchange Service. Enclosed in the included pouch you will find £40. A remainder of 96 pence, or 3 sickles, 1 knut, has been retained as a surcharge. Once again, I thank you for your use of the Currency Exchange Service.

Filius Elwindor

Chair of Foreign Currency Dept."

Harry was impressed with the efficiency of Gringotts, and pocketed four banknotes, one £20, one £10, and two £5's, all bearing the portraits of Muggles he never really knew of. A few minutes ago, Ron had awoken and stumbled into the shower, and it seemed as if the Burrow was teeming with life. Harry returned to the kitchen and found it bustling. Mrs. Weasley was cleaning dishes, Bill was lazily reading the paper, Fred and George were attempting to get Hermione to operate the same product which they'd used on Ron the other day, and Hermione was obviously getting irritated with them, as she was beginning to turn pink-faced and her retorts were snappy.

"How many times have I told you," Hermione said quickly, "I'm quite tired of being your guinea pig. I haven't forgotten that telescope!"

Harry felt arms 'round his tummy and turned his head right into a kiss on the cheek. He smiled.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said with a slight blush.

"Good morning," replied Ginny, who gave him a soft kiss on the lips, "What're we doing today?"

"Oh, I've got something special in mind," Harry grinned as he said this.

"A date!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly, attracting the attention of everyone else in the room.

"What's that now?" Fred asked

"A date?" George clarified, "And where is this, might we ask?"

"Mind your own business, you sods," Ginny snapped at them, "Or I'll hex you into the next millenium! And shouldn't you be working?"

"Oh, come off it Ginevra!" Fred said in his defence.

"Yeah," George agreed, "We only jest! And we closed the shop for a week, on account of missing our dear, dear family." George grinned at Ginny. The twins then both got up and walked away, huddled against eachother in what appeared to be fast whispers.

At this point, Ron had come downstairs and taken a newly vacant seat next to Hermione, and grabbed his breakfast.

"Ronald," his mother began, "Since you're so late to rise, I hope you'll find that there are more gnomes in the garden that need to be done away with."

"Aw, Mum!" Ron complained, "I thought Hermione and I might apparate up to Hogsmeade!"

"Oh Ron," Hermione began, "It'll be fine. I'll just help you, and then we can go. Besides, I think Crookshanks has already started the job for us," she smiled.

"That's the spirit, dear!" said Mrs. Weasley, happily, and she returned to her work.

"Well," Harry started, "It's about a quarter past nine." He turned to Ginny and grabbed her hand, "Would you like to go?" Ginny smiled and nodded, and the two of them went out the front door. Mrs. Weasley sighed.

"Oh, aren't they just precious?" she cried. Ron rolled his eyes.

Outside it was a beautiful morning, the sun shone strongly in the light blue sky, and every here and there little tuffs of white cloud were patched, rolling slowly by. Harry and Ginny were hand-in-hand, walking down the road.

"So," Ginny began, "You never actually told me where we're going."

"I thought it might be a bit of fun," Harry answered, "if we went up to Ottery St. Catchpole."

"I haven't been there since I was seven!" Ginny said, "Mum took me to the grocer with her once, and when we were paying I asked why she was using Muggle money." Ginny frowned, "She never let me go again."

Harry laughed and gave Ginny a kiss on the cheek, and the two happily strode along the road into the village. Meanwhile, back at the Burrow, Ron and Hermione had just set out in the back garden against the gnomes.

"Blasted little bugger!" Ron shouted, holding upside down from the leg a gnome who had just punched him in the eye. "Petrificus Totalis!" casted Ron, and the little gnome immediately turned stiff. Ron nonchalantly threw him like a frisbee.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no!" Hermione said quickly and excitedly, "Put him down!" She was talking to Crookshanks, who had managed to catch a rather unpleased gnome and was now carrying him around like a dead mouse. Crookshanks meerly glared at Hermione with a look that said, "I finally catch one, and then you come 'round," but dropped the gnome.

"Thank you," she said, petting him, "You can go terrorise them, just please, for our sakes, don't eat any." Ron laughed.

"I don't know why you like that bloody cat so much," he said, "although I suppose he might be slightly useful at times."

"Oh, come off it," said Hermione, "He was the only one who knew your favourite pet rat was really an evil animagus!"

"Alright, alright, I'll give him that," Ron admitted, "I guess...that if you'd've never bought the thing, we could be in some serious trouble."

"Is that an apology?" Hermione asked slyly.

Ron glanced at Crookshanks. He was now engaged in a fist-fight with a gnome. Or rather, the gnome was shadow-boxing in front of Crookshanks, who simply swatted him over the head. Ron laughed and conceded to Hermione, "Yeah, I guess."

The two of them worked diligently in the garden, stupefying or petrifying bugg...I mean gnome after gnome, until at one point, after downing a particularly obnoxious gnome, they both reached for it. Ron's hand landed right atop Hermione's who had grabbed the gnome. The two quickly pulled away and looked at eachother.

"S-sorry..." Ron stammered, but they held eachother's gaze.

"Oh...it's alright..." Hermione said, in a slightly sad tone, and as she closed her eyes for a moment, she felt lips on hers. Her eyes jolted open as if she needed to check to see who it was. Ron felt this and immediately pulled away.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry..." Ron started, quickly, "I just...saw an opening...and I-I..."

"Shush up," Hermione said, and she kissed him this time. It was short, but when she pulled away, Ron was as red as a London bus, with a goofy smile plastered across his face, and a bit of mud slapped him in the side of the face. It was a thrown by a gnome.

"Can I kill him?" Ron said, grabbing at his wand. Hermione laughed and smiled.

Harry glanced at this watch. It was ten o' clock when he and Ginny arrived at Ottery St. Catchpole. During the three mile trek, they had talked about her family and her childhood. The village was small and quaint, and it looked as though only a couple hundred people could live there.

"Oh, look Harry!" Ginny said happily, squeezing his hand and pointing at a small group of children kicking around a ball.

"Football," Harry said, smiling, "Most popular sport in the Muggle world."

As the two meandered along the cobblestone streets, looking into shop windows, Harry wondered if Godric's Hollow was anything like this. He frowned as he thought of this, remembering the mission he had so willingly pushed to the back of his mind. The two of them had been so wrapped up in conversation and window shopping that they made no notice to the fiery, red-headed man who discreetly following them. After about an our of window shopping and taking in the environment, they stopped in front of a small restaurant.

"You fancy lunch?" Harry asked Ginny, and she nodded gratefully. Harry held the door open for her, but was careful not to help her in. Once inside, they waited in in front of the maitre'd's podium.

"The two of you?" he asked, and Harry nodded, "This way, please." They were seated near the window at the front of the restaurant. It was a small, square, wooden table that sat only two. The table was covered by a blue-checkered table cloth, and on it in the centre was a small clear vase containing three white daisies.

"I'll be right back with some water and the menus," said the maitre'd as Harry and Ginny sat.

"Oh, Harry, this place is so cute!" Ginny said, and Harry grinned. Outside, in the foliage in front the store, Fred Weasley crouched down, hidden under a bush, and stuck an extendable ear into the front window. "I wonder how George is handling ickle Won-Won?" Fred thought to himself. Fred's presence unknown to them, Harry and Ginny ordered and ate their meal. The both of them had drinken lemonade, while Harry ordered a club sandwich, and Ginny some dish with chicken in it.

"This is really good," Ginny said, and offered some to Harry, "Here, take the last bit." He obliged, and nodded his agreement.

"I'm really glad you brought me here," Ginny said, with a slighty dreamy tone, "It's so small, no one else is here...quite romantic," she added with a grin. As if they had both conversed and planned it telepathically, Harry and Ginny leaned over the table and met in the centre with a sweet kiss, or series of sweet kisses, rather. Fred gagged. His litter sister and his little brother's best mate were nearly snogging! When they parted, Harry simply gazed into Ginny's beautiful brown eyes and smiled.

"What?" she asked.

"I, uh..." Harry seemed to be struggling. And indeed, his heart was pounding out of his chest, "I...uh, well..." She looked at him expectantly, "I love you, Ginny." Ginny grinned and grasped Harry's hand, gave him a short, sweet kiss, and replied.

"I love you too, Harry."

Fred thought he was going to die.

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There you have it, an unprecedented chapter seven. Unprecedented because it was a day and a half late. I apologise. I found myself entirely too tired the other night to update, and I began this chapter last night 'round one. Hope none of you wants to kill me :( Umm...let's take a look at some reviews:

kitotterkat, krissygirl, skateforever, mizlovegood, Final, Wuteva, Captain Arianna Trouble, MooseMonkey, Rebecca, Wolf's scream, Schatje, Sienna03: Thank you all very much for your reviews. I'm glad you all like the story, and I'm doing my best to update regularly (as well as get some sleep), and I'm also trying to get these chapters longer.

tvchick87: Thanks a lot. I hope that this chapter let you get a better look at some other people, as well.

young kenshin: Haha, thank you very much. And yes, I am enjoying writing it, quite a bit.

Nytel: I'm really glad you think that I'm getting better, and I thank you. You may notice that this is the longest chapter yet :D Thanks a lot for your reviews.

S.Stryker: Well, I'm glad you love it. Harry may seem adamant about anyone not going with him, but can he really stop those who INSIST upon going with him?

angel6 aka trinigyal: I'm really glad you enjoyed it as much as you did. Yeah, Fred and George are pretty crazy, aren't they? Hah, I'm glad you love it. Thanks for reading :D

SaSush33: Haha, I'm glad that it doesn't matter that I have such little of a life :D I plan on writing past the summer, but I may have to either start a new fic or change the name. I dunno yet.

HugeHarryPotterFan: Alright already, last names dropped :D Yeah, I guess it is kind of fluffy, eh? Ah, cliché virility be damned, I'm a romantic. After the wedding, methinks, things will start to get a little dangerous.

twiggers: You flatter me :D Thanks a lot, I'm really glad you like it :D :D

chromatic.daydream: I do believe you have your date, and with Fred following them, perhaps a hex or two in the future? I'm glad you're really liking the story so much. And there's nothing wrong with a sugar high ;)

Discombobulatedperson: Wow, you flatter me, too. I'm really glad you guys like it so much, and I'm glad you're anticipated the next chapter. But wow, you love me? speechless

Well, that's it for me for a while. I may or may not have the next chapter up tonight. frowns You know, once you get out of a routine it's hard to start up again. Regardless, I'll try my best. Thanks for all of your reviews, and please, feel free to drop more! Take care.

-Walz