I do not own Harry Potter
Harry, Ron and Hermione decided to leave for the Burrow around three, after they had had a nice lie in. Even after only two nights each room had become a mess. They had all vowed not to unpack but in the process of looking for things in their trunk everything was thrown about. After everything managed to make its way back into the trunks they were all ready to go. Hermione quickly shot a spell from her wand and the room shrunk back to Harry's old very small bedroom.
"Well I guess that's everything" Stated Harry sad for the first time that he would be leaving. It was his first experience here that he actually enjoyed. They walked downstairs and that was when everyone realized that they had no idea how to get to the Burrow. They obviously couldn't floo over, and Harry and Ron still couldn't apparate.
"I know… we can take the knight bus. I hope it is still running without Stan." Harry said thoughtfully.
"Great idea, let's go quickly." Harry understood Ron had meant before his aunt or uncle came out and decided to yell at them. Harry could see why his uncle had a nasty temper when it came to wizards.
They walked outside and Harry flagged down the knight bus with his wand. A new boy jumped off board that looked like Stan but was younger. Harry figured he was just his brother and his assumptions were correct when he started rattling off the speech that Stan had to Harry the first time Harry had rode this bus summer before third year.
"I'm Eric Shunpike, and where are you going?" he finished looking at the three of them.
"We are going to my home named 'The Burrow', have you heard of it? It is right outside of Ottery St. Catchpole." Ron told Eric.
"Oh yes I know exactly where that is. There is going to be a wedding there soon isn't there?" replied Eric.
"Yes my brother is getting married," said Ron as he climbed aboard the bus. Harry and Hermione followed behind dragging their trunks up. Since it was the middle of the day and this was the time when many people traveled around the bus was pretty full. They had to go to the top of the triple decker bus to even find three seats. Once they did they sat down and strapped in.
Harry was lurched around so many times during the ride that he thought he was going to be sick. He decided this might even be worse than floo powder. Finally after many bangs and crashes as luggage fell everywhere Eric called out "The Burrow!"
Harry Ron and Hermione hurried to get off the bus. Harry wasn't the only one feeling sick. Hermione waved her wand and the trunks flew out behind them. Harry forgot about that when they were dragging them up those stairs. As soon as they were off there was a loud BANG and he bus was gone.
"Wow that was terrible!" Hermione exclaimed. "I think I am going to be sick." She looked it to she ran off toward the Burrow her hand covering her mouth and Ron levitated the trunks to follow them in as they walked slowly breathing in fresh air.
"That really was a terrible ride wasn't it?" Ron said as if it was a question.
"Yeah another minute and I would have thrown up as well," replied Harry who looked a bit green himself. They walked into the Burrow to find it in chaos. Mrs. Weasly was running around baking this and sewing that. She was moving so fast Harry thought there had to be more than one of her. Ron cleared his throat to get his mothers attention.
"Oh Ron Harry, I am so happy to see you! Where is Hermione?" She said still flying around.
"Hermione ran in ahead of us she wasn't feeling well after the knight bus. I am going to go and check on her." Ron said as he continued up the stairs.
"Alright, Harry dear will you do me a favor and find Ginny, I need some help and that girl just keeps disappearing!" Mrs. Weasly exclaimed to Harry sounding frantic.
Harry decided that he really did want to go and see Ginny so he agreed. He walked up to what he new was her room and he knocked.
"Who is it?" she called through the door.
"It's Harry." Harry called back.
She threw open the door and he eyes were wide and she was smiling. Harry's heart melted. He really liked that smile. No he couldn't endanger her like that, he wouldn't do that. She threw her arms around him and pulled him into a hug.
"Harry it is great to see you! I thought you were my mum telling me to come and help her. Now I will at least have some help because you had to take Ron and Hermione with you!" she told Harry teasingly.
"I'm sorry they wouldn't leave me alone. And your mum told me to come up here and get you to come downstairs to help her so…" Harry trailed off realizing that they were still hugging and that their faces were only about inches apart. He liked holing her he didn't want to let her go but he knew it would just lead to her insisting that they be together if he didn't let go. He reluctantly let go of Ginny and turned to go back downstairs.
"Come on I will help you with your mother's chores" He told her turning around to see the sadness in her eyes. He wished he didn't have to make her sad. He hated Voldemort! Maybe when it was all over they could be together. She quickly whipped the sadness from her face and followed Harry taking his hand in the process.
"Ginny you know we cant be together" Harry told her sadly.
"I can't just hold your hand for fun then?" She answered with a voice of innocence.
Harry smiled and they walked down to Mrs. Weasly. Ginny was not kidding that there was a lot of work she was doing. Harry was in charge of running decorations out to the ceremony area while Mrs. Weasly cooked and Ginny sewed the pieces that Harry was bringing out. When Ron and Hermione came down they simply waved their wands and the pieces Harry was supposed to bring out were out there and Ginny's sewing was done.
"I cannot wait until my birthday!" Harry exclaimed.
"Well you may not need to even wait that long" Mrs. Weasly said distractedly.
"Why is that?" Harry asked interested.
"If the school is closed then they will allow underage wizardry during the war at least" replied Mrs. Weasly.
Harry now had very mixed emotions. He wanted others to learn to fight and to be able to use their magic but if it was closed he would be able to use magic like his friends and now have to wait much longer. Mr. Weasly walked through the door at that very moment breaking Harry's thoughts.
"What is the news Arthur?" Mrs. Weasly asked her full attention now on her husband. Harry forgot that Mr. Weasly was now the head of a department so he would have been told about the decision to close the school and that meeting was today! Every face in the room was looking at Mr. Weasly expectantly.
"Well they have decided to close the school for the duration of the war. They don't want to risk an attack on the school that could endanger so many lives. They will be informing the muggle-born witch or wizards of what they are and explaining the situation o their parents. If they do wish to learn their magic Professor McGonagall has graciously offered to teach a small group the basics of magic so that they understand after that they just need the books and they can hopefully self teach. The governors feel it is too risky to open up the whole school again though. Also, all underage laws are gone for the duration of the war so that people may practice and learn new defense spells on their own." Mr. Weasly told the anxious group.
"But Mr. Weasly, wouldn't that mean that the other side now is open to teach younger people to learn the Dark Arts?" Hermione stated wisely.
Harry had only been concentrating on him being able to use magic he hadn't even thought about the fact that others would be able to as well.
"Yes, the governors thought about that but they decided the chances of You- Know- Who taking on recruits that were so young and inexperienced was not likely so they decided that it would be better to have them ready to take on him" Mr. Weasly finished knowing everyone knew who 'him' was.
Ginny was the first to take action. She jumped out of her chair and started shooting spells everywhere. She shot sparks into the air for celebration and made the booms dance and all the most unusual spells Harry could think of she knew how to perform.
"GINVERVA WEASLY STOP THAT THIS INSTANT YOU ARE GOING TO POLK SOMEONE'S EYE OUT!" shouted Mrs. Weasly at the top of her lungs over all the racket. Ginny stopped at once but she didn't stop smiling. Harry was impressed most people shock under the force of Mrs. Weasly's wrath but Ginny just continued to smile and say brightly, "Oh mom calm down I was just celebrating," and she skipped her way upstairs. Everyone stared after her including Mrs. Weasly obviously she wasn't used to people taking her yelling so lightly either.
"Er… well I am going to go upstairs then" Ron told everyone as if nothing had just happened.
"I think we will come too we still need to unpack" Hermione stated giving Harry a glare saying come on I need to talk to you.
They walked upstairs and Hermione told Ron to go into Ginny's room and that she needed to talk to Harry for a moment if that was alright. Ron agreed Harry thought it was because he wanted to ask Ginny what she thought she was doing. Harry was confused but she followed Hermione up the stairs to Ron's room. It still was covered in the Chudly Cannons paper with Pidwigeon's cage where Scabber's the rat used to live. Hermione closed the door and put a silencing charm on the room. Obviously this was serious but Harry could still not think about what it could be.
"Harry, why did you break up with Ginny?" Hermione asked straight out.
This was not what Harry had been expecting. He considered lying because he knew she wouldn't understand but he also knew she would know if he was lying. "I just can't have a girl friend, Voldemort will find out, and I don't want her to be in danger. She was already in danger once and that was terrible enough" Harry explained softly.
"Harry cant you see this is what Vol-Voldemort wants! He doesn't want you to love or live you life! Bad choice of words I am so sorry there Harry," she quickly threw out panic in her voice, "I just mean that he wants you to give up your friends and your girl friends. He knows we can help you so he wants you to not have us. Why do you think Ron and I insisted on coming to your aunt and uncle's? Voldemort doesn't know love and he doesn't want you to either. It is something you have against him Harry you need to use it!" she explained to him.
Harry thought that what she was saying made perfect sense but he just felt like that would be putting her in danger and he didn't like that.
"She is going to be in too much danger," Harry replied stubbornly.
"Harry, she will gladly risk the danger to be with you, she has liked you since she first met you. That is a long time and she is willing to be with you. Stop being so noble, she doesn't want it!" Hermione was starting to get annoyed. She turned to walk from the room when Harry got a brilliant idea.
"Hermione, I will talk to Ginny about this if you kiss Ron in front of everyone" Harry said barely able to control his laughter at the look on her face. She had turned a deep shade of red and her eyes grew very round. She didn't reply but she just turned and walked defiantly towards the Weasly's kitchen where sounds were telling them that everyone was now there. Harry quickly followed not wanting to miss this. Harry followed Hermione closely to the kitchen where they could hear Charlie laughing as Ron told them all about Ginny's little 'celebration'. Hermione seemed to change her mind and she turned around to see Harry standing there and again a determined look crossed her face and she turned back towards the kitchen. She walked right through the door and all heads turned. It couldn't have been better the entire Weasly family, plus Fleur, was there chatting casually and they all went quiet as Hermione and Harry walked in. Harry thought Hermione was going to not go through with it but she continued her walk towards Ron in front of the whole Weasly family she grabbed him and gave him a big kiss. Everyone was completely stunned, they had never expected Hermione to act this way and Ron was most stunned of all when Hermione pulled away he just looked at her we adoration in his eyes. Harry had to hand it to Hermione that took a lot of guts.
"Mrs. Weasly would you like some help with dinner?" Hermione asked as if nothing had happened.
"Yes dear that would be lovely, I am making a stew right now" Mrs. Weasly replied trying to sound as casual as Hermione did. Conversation slowly picked back up as Ron continued his story about Ginny. Hermione looked over at Harry and gave him a look telling him it was his turn now. He had never thought she would do it but since she did he had to do his part too. As the conversation turned to Fred and George's shop Harry took this opportunity to grab Ginny and ask her to go for a walk. She agreed and they went out to the Weasly's garden. Harry knew he needed to be seated and stopped to talk to her about this so they sat on the garden wall and she looked at him expectantly.
"Er… Right well I wanted to bring you out here Ginny because well I just had a talk with Hermione and what she was saying made a lot of sense. Voldemort never had any love when he was a child and that is an advantage I have over him. Hermione said that by breaking up with you I was only giving up and turning into someone like him, someone who didn't love. Therefore I would be giving up this advantage. And well I guess I am trying to say that only if you want to, will you be my girl friend again?" Harry asked uncertainty in his voice.
"Smart girl that Hermione. Of course I will be your girl friend Harry. As long as you promise me that you won't go thick again and decide you are better off alone because you are really playing with emotions here" Ginny told him teasingly.
"I am terribly sorry I guess I need to make myself clear how I feel about you" He told her leaning forward for a kiss.
When they were about inches apart Ginny spoke louder than was necessary, "Nope I understand completely how you feel." And she got up and walked away. Harry sat there completely confused for a few seconds watching her walking back towards the Burrow when she reached the door she drew out her wand and said a spell Harry couldn't heard it hit a bush three feet behind him and two figures emerges with flaps all over their faces.
"I told you not to come out here she always knows when we spy on her" Fred, Ron's older brother yelled at his twin.
"I swear she is too smart for her own good. Hey there Harry sorry about being here we were just doing some research for our shop and we didn't want to interrupt and ruin the mood so we just sat here" George told Harry, "that was a very cute speech you had going there though." Harry just had to laugh at those two who had been hexed by their little sister and weren't even that upset about it.
The next few days were bliss for Harry, Hermione was right he really did need someone there for him. Hermione and Ron needed a long talk after what happened in the kitchen so Harry spent a good three hours in Ginny's room, which he didn't mind. Ginny's brother's did though they kept walking in the room every 5 minutes claiming to need something but really just wanting to be sure they were at least 10 feet apart. After George came in for his third time in 10 minutes Ginny whipped out her wand and that made him retreat and he must have told the others because they stopped coming in to. Which Harry liked the best because he like to talk to Ginny, the end of last year was crazy so he didn't get to see her much so he liked spending time with her. They were all frazzled helping for Bill and Fleur's wedding. They day of the ceremony was the worst yet. Everyone was crazy trying to find their dress robes. They girls were up early doing their hair and make-up and helping Fleur. Fleur's little sister Gabrielle came to the house already dressed and ready to help her sister. She was the maid of honor and so she had the most to do. Ginny was a bride's maid while another of Fleur's cousins was a flower girl and two more were bride's maids. Harry was glad he was not in the wedding procession. He had never been to a wizards wedding before but he wanted to watch the first one Ron had explained about how it was different from muggle ones and Harry who had never been to either was anxious to see. The lawn was where the ceremony was to take place. Bill and Fleur's wedding was to take place at night meaning the families had all day to be nervous. Fairies hung all around the chairs that had been set up. It was beautiful there were white roses and red roses along the isle and where the priest would stand there was bouquet upon bouquet of roses that even Harry had to admit were the most gorgeous thing. The setting behind where Fleur and Bill would stand was white with an intricate sewing pattern of doves on it in ivory. It was only a half moon but that was perfect for the guests they didn't want anymore or less. Remus Lupin especially was very happy about the date. He sat in the chairs very close to Tonks and Harry and Hermione walked over and talked with them for a while until the ceremony started. Tonks looked very happy to be sitting next to Remus as did Remus.
"I see you two are getting along very nicely now" Hermione stated.
"Yes, but Sirius would hate it if he knew I just know it" Remus replied.
"He would love that I am with one of his best friends and not some bad guy" Tonks told him as if they had had this conversation before. As the wedding ceremony looked to be starting the all took their seats. Harry and Hermione sat on the groom's side near the isle so they could see clearly; they were both anxious to see a wizard wedding. The flower girl was very cute she threw out red roses as she walked up the isle she had to be about 5 years old. Harry saw that a lot of people were taking pictures of her. Harry realized that all of Fleur's cousins must be veela too. Harry laughed as the little girl lapped up all the attention she was getting. Next came Ginny who looked gorgeous in a pale blue robe. She looked beautiful her hair was half up and half down and it was just slightly curly. Next came Fleur's cousins in the same robes, Ginny looked the best in them though. Then came Gabrielle in the same color robes but they had a different pattern on hers that was stitched in a deeper blue to make it looked very elegant. Then came Fleur, she looked gorgeous, Harry had to admit, she was wearing an ivory colored robe with diamond encrusted into it. Everyone snapped pictures at her; she was the most elegant bride and only bride Harry had ever seen. Harry watched as she approached Bill with a great smile on her face. The priest took Bill and Fleur's hands and the joined them together. Then he brought out his wand.
"Do you Bill take Fleur Delacor to be your wife to have to hold in sickness, health, poorness and wealth?"
"I do" Bill replied never taking his eyes off of Fleur. A jet of red light shot from the priest's wand and it encircled their hands. He repeated the statement to Fleur and she replied with "I do" and another jet this time of blue shot from the wand and encircled their hands.
"And do you both promise to stand by each others side no matter what obstacle may come between you?"
"We do" they replied together. And a final jet of yellow light shot from the wand encircling their hangs and the other two lights. The lights intertwined and slowly sank into Fleur and Bill's hands. Everyone stared for a moment then Harry and Hermione watched in amazement as Bill and Fleur seemed to spin in circles around each other. Then it all stopped and they looked happier than Harry had ever seen them.
"You may now kiss the bride" The priest said.
Everyone clapped Harry stared in awe at what just happened he knew that didn't happen in muggle weddings.
"Red meant love, blue meant intelligence, and yellow meant wealth," Hermione told Harry, "it is what their marriage will turn out to be like usually. That was really amazing to see it first hand though."
Harry hoped that when he was married his wedding could compare to this one. As he thought this the image of Ginny and him holding hands as bands were circling their hands floated in his minds and he smiled walking with Hermione to the reception area.