Chapter 3

Kisses, Tears, and Fears

The scenery spun. Harry and Mr. Weasley were sucked away through the portkey. When everything stopped, Harry found himself sitting on the ground next to Mr. Weasley who had somehow managed to stay standing, outside of the enchanted Burrow.

"Are you okay?" Mr. Weasley was helping Harry off the ground and then picked up Hedwig who was twittering angrily in her cage, off the ground.

"Yea, I'm fine," Harry was now dusting off his pants and then straightened his shirt.

"Good, then let's hurry up and get into the house. I believe Molly was cooking lunch when I left. We can help get the dishes out. That is assuming of course that she hasn't gotten those boys to do it already." Mr. Weasley chuckled and grabbed the other end of Harry's trunk and began a fast paced walk up to the Burrow.

"Smells delicious, Molly!" Mr. Weasley and Harry walked into the house, which smelt like corned beef. Harry looked around the kitchen and saw that the table had already been beautifully set, and Mrs. Weasley was just putting some salad on the table. "Are the boys home yet?"

"No," and then she approached Harry and embraced him in her arms the way a mother would, "Oh, Harry, it's so good to see you again! Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes. The bous should be home by then, too. Ginny will help you take your trunk up to Ron's room. Ginny dear!"

"Coming, Mum!" Ginny called from up the stairs and came to the kitchen answering her mother's call. "Yeah? Oh, hello Harry."

"Hi," Harry responded and Ginny blushed and smiled.

"Ginny, could you help Harry bring his trunk up to Ron's room?"

"Sure," and she picked up one end of Harry's trunk.

"Thank you," Harry said to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as he picked up the other end of the trunk and Hedwig.

Harry followed he beautiful red haired girl up the stairs. Her hair gently waved back and fourth as she walked past the second landing then began to speak.

"So have you thought about what I said at all?" Ginny's cheeks turned to a soft shade of pink.

"Huh? Oh, wait, about what?" Harry was so entranced with her shiny hair that he had barely taken in a word that she had said.

"Have you considered about keeping the D.A. meetings going?"

"Oh yeah, I mean, well, I was thinking about it, and it sounds like Hermoine thinks that it is a good idea as well, but maybe not."

"So, are you and Hermoine and item now?"

"NO! I, what I meant to say was, why would you think that, we're just good friends," Ginny's face now turned a violent shade of red and Harry's matched. When they realized this, they both began laughing, "She just sent me a book on defensive spells, that's all."

"Well, you should keep it going. It was really a lot of fun, and you helped a lot of people, like me," she made an uncomfortable pause that Harry really wished that she wouldn't have made. She noticed and quickly finished, "and did you see how much you helped Neville? He kicked butt when we went to the Department of Mysteries," she seemed very uncomfortable, so Harry took over as they entered Ron's bright orange room on the fifth landing and put down the trunk.

"In the end though, it would really just depend on my work load and how much interest there is, after all, we might get a decent defense against the dark arts teacher this year, who knows."

"Well, I'd just like to say that you're the most decent teacher I know, and I'm very interested," Harry raised his eyebrows and blushed. Ginny moved in closer and smiled.

"Have you considered what Ron might say if he walked in on this, after all, this is his room," Harry liked her, but Ron never took very lightly to any of Ginny's previous boyfriends. He didn't want to lose his best friend over a girl, Even if it was Ginny.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I have, and I've decided that I don't really care. I can date whomever, whenever, wherever I wish, and he should just keep his big nose out of it. What I do in my personal life is my business and he should butt out. I don't judge him on matters concerning his personal life. I understand that he's my older brother, but there's a big difference between over reacting and being over protective."

Okay, I get that, but he's my best friend, and you know how he is. I don't want to throw away our friend ship. We should at least give him the idea slowly, or make him think that it's his idea, or something."

"Listen, Ron's not due home for at least another five minutes and should he come home early, we would be able to hear him coming up the stairs. And anyways, I guess you're Quidditch Captain this year and I really need to tryout for chaser," Ginny just began giggling and blushing at this.

Harry was left speechless. He had never known Giny to be so outspoken. He wanted to kiss her, sure, but in the right setting. They were alone, yet he still felt as though he was being watched. For some reason, he felt as though it would have been much better if they were being watched and felt as though they weren't.

"Look, I'm really sorry, Harry. I understand If you don't feel the same way about me as I feel about you. I just really wanted to tell you, though I probably was a little too forward. I was just so nervous, but like I said, I'm sorry, and at least you know, and now I know," Ginny turned and went out the door and down the stairs.

"Wait!" Harry ran out the door after her. He finally caught up and jumped in front of her on the fourth landing. He just looked her in the eyes and kissed her. Ginny stopped, closed her eyes and kissed him back.

They stood there in a universe parted from the world where all the stars in the heavens orbited around them. There was no longer even a floor beneath their feet; they were simply floating.

Harry let go of her and gazed into her beautiful brown eyes before beginning again, "I'm sorry, I just didn't know what to say, but I do…"

Harry was cut off from a distant shouting from down the stairs, "Dinner's on!"

Ginny blushed and kissed Harry on the cheek. She ran down the stairs into the kitchen followed closely by Harry.

Ron, Fred, and George were helping Mrs. Weasley put the rest of the food on the table when they noticed Harry enter the kitchen.

"Hey, mate!" Ron was the first to greet him.

"Ah… Harry, how wonderful it is to see you again," Fred intruded before Harry could answer back to Ron.

"Yes, you really should keep in touch you know," George came and stood next to him.

Fred came to his other side, "We do like to make sure our investors are plenty safe."

"And Ron told us all about how you got rid of that horrid woman."

"And we really hope you put our gift to good use."

"Oh, and let's not forget about your store discount," George now circled around him.

"Discount?" Harry some how managed to squeeze in before Fred and George went off again.

"Yes, of course discount," George continued.

"Did you really think that we'd let you get away with out one?"

"You get one discount for getting rid of Umbridge."

"As does everyone who helped on that little brigade."

"and one for being an employee," George finished.

"But I'm not an employee. I don't…" Harry was unable to finish before Fred went on.

"You're an investor."

"Which is just as good as an employee," George finished the sentence."

"Fred! George! Would you stop? We'd like to eat sometime this year!" Mrs. Weasley yelled at the boys.

"Oh, and hello Ron," Harry Finally managed to get out before seating himself between Ron and Ginny and across from Fred and George. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat on either end of the table.

There was all different kinds of food at the table. Corned beef, wild rice, candied yams, a beautiful salad, twice-baked potatoes, refried beans, asparagus, and stuffed artichokes. It was quite obvious that Mrs. Weasley had been working on the meal all morning and that there would be leftovers for dinner.

"The table looks lovely Ginny," Mr. Weasley started conversation.

"Thank you. It was nothing. It wouldn't look half as good with out the nice dishes," Ginny responded modestly.

"So how has business been going?" Harry asked as the yams were passed around.

"It's been booming!" Fred said.

"Yeah, it's been great help having Ron working up there with us," George directed the attention to Ron who had just taken a mouthful of rice.

"Umhum," he swallowed with one big gulp, "It's been really busy, but we've been having a good time working up there. You know, to kind of keep our minds off of things."

"You should have seen it on the Fourth of July," Ginny began, "I had to go up to help. Those Filibuster Fireworks were going like mad. Fred and George were in the back trying to make what they could with the materials we had, I was stocking them, Ron was running the registers, and Mum, Lee, Alicia, and Angelina- did we mention they were working there- but they were out getting more supplies for them from all around."

"That bad?" Harry asked.

"Bad? Hell no! It's been great! We are even looking into some premises in Hogsmede, you know, fore something new." Fred ecstatically said as he took a bite of corned beef.

"We were thinking about the Shrieking Shack. 'Cause, you know," George winked at Harry obviously implying that the students could sneak in if they could get through the Whomping Willow. Or then again, maybe so they could sneak in.

George finished chewing then went on again, "But if we can't get enough help for the other shop, we might just end up selling some products to Zonko's. Of course we would still have to worry about giving discounts on our products, but we can just put them on sale on Hogsmede weekends."

"We really don't want to have to do that but if we can't get help."

"What we really want though is Honeydukes. Their location is much more… strategic. Much easier to get to, you read?"

"But it would be shameful to get rid of such a great store. We'd be hated for miles upon miles."

"Unless we did get the Shrieking Shack. Then we could fix it up and maybe trade."

"Or do a bit of mining," Fred winked and then there was a knocking on the door.

"Ginny, would you get that?" Mr. Weasley pointed to the door with his fork.

"Yeah," Ginny got up out of her chair and began toward the door. When she was about half way there, Fred and George jumped out of their chairs and raced toward the door knocking over everything in their path- including Ginny. Fred got to the door and opened it up and George fell into him slamming the door followed by Ginny who when she got up joined in on the race.

Fred opened the door again and saw the occupant at the door and slammed it on his face.

"Fred! That's so impolite. Now who was that? Let them in," Mrs. Weasley told him.

"It's no one, Mum, somebody just left a burning bag of dung on our door step."

The door knocked again and Fred just locked the dead bolt. "FRED WEASLEY! You heard your mother!" Mr. Weasley yelled.

The person behind the door knocked again and George pushed Fred aside stubbornly and opened the door. There was a loud clattering from forks hitting the dishes as they were dropped as Percy Weasley walked into the kitchen followed by Fred, George, and Ginny who looked like they were part of the Italian Mafia.

"Mum… Dad… Harry, Ron, how have you been?" Percy asked nervously.

"Not that you really care or anything," George said. Fred probably would have but he was too upset to speak.

"I'm really sorry about last year, I just really thought…"

"You know Perc, sometimes I think that you think too much. Or maybe not enough, because anyone who thought anything about his family wouldn't do the things you did," Fred opened his mouth.

"Listen, I didn't mean…"

"But you did. Then you just waltz up to our door pretending like nothing happened." George went on.

"I'm not going to pretend that nothing happened because it did. And I wanted you all to know how sorry I am about all of it. I know I made a wrong turn but I just wanted to be successful," Percy tried to defend himself.

"Well congratulations. You did succeed, at tearing the family apart and making us miserable for months on end," Ron started in. "Did you ever even think of what was going on in Mum's head when you did that. You told Fred and George that they were a waste of time, and that Ginny and I were on the way to being just the same. Then you had the nerve to tell me not to hang around Harry."

"I…"

"You made Ginny cry!" Fred said. Percy turned around and looked at Ginny whose upset eyes were glazing with tears. Percy had nothing to say. He opened his mouth but no words came out. "I think you should go now," Fred hugged Ginny who was shedding silent tears in his arms.

Mrs. Weasley got up out of her chair and walked away up the stairs into her room. Mr. Weasley nodded at Percy and followed Mrs. Weasley up stairs.

Percy turned to Fred and began again, "Please listen I just…"

"I thought I told you to get out. You've done enough damage for one day I think."

"But I…"

"GO!" Fred passed Ginny over to George who brought her over to the table and pushed Percy out the door, "I said GET OUT!"

"I'm not done saying my piece!" Percy yelled back.

"You've said plenty."

"Now you liste…"

"Two hits, me hitting you and you hitting the floor."

"Fred, be reasonable."

Fred punched him in the face and Ginny screamed and covered her ears. "GET OUT!"

"No!"

He hit him again and shoved him out the door slamming the door behind himself and Percy.

"Ron, take Ginny to her room. I'm gonna go make sure Fred doesn't kill Percy," George handed Ginny to Ron.

"I should help shouldn't I?"

"Just take her." Ron took Ginny and slowly helped her up the stairs with Harry.

George ran outside and found Fred sitting on the ground with his head in between his knees and his hands on his head. "Did he leave?"

"Why did he come back? Why couldn't he just leave us be? We were getting along fine with out him and then he had to come and spoil our happiness." Fred had tears in his eyes.

"You know he'll be back eventually, right?"

"His main purpose on this earth since the beginning of time has been to make our lives miserable."

"It'll be fine. We should probably go inside and make sure that Ginny's alright though. Ron seemed kind of speechless too."

"Alright," Fred wiped the tears from his face and George helped him off the ground. "Oh, I almost forgot, we're due back to work in fifteen minutes."

"With all the commotion, I forgot. Ron should probably take the rest of the day off though. Sort his head out and probably catch up with Harry."

"Yeah, let's go."

Ginny laid in her bed crying. "I should be down there helping them. Not up here." Ron paced the room constantly looking out the window as if hoping they might walk in front of it. He turned around to Ginny, "It'll be okay, Ginny. Every think will come around and well, I don't really know but it'll be okay. I promise." He embraced his sister in a hug.

Harry in all the mean while was just staring into space. He had never realized how hard Fred and George had taken the lose of Percy. They never made a big deal of it. There was a lot more than family pride coming out of Fred. He had really been hurt.

"He's gone," Fred walked into the room followed by George.

"How's Ginny?" George said.

"Seems to be taking it hard, but I don't really know, she hasn't said a word," Ron answered.

"I'm sorry about that Ginny, but he can't just walk up to our door and ask for forgiveness. He's going to have to beg." Fred was very firm on this comment, "And I'll make sure he has to."

"Listen, Fred and I are going to go make sure Mum's okay then we are going to go back to work. Lee's expecting us or we would just close early." George went over to give Ginny a hug and left.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Fred hugged Ginny and nodded at Ron and Harry then left to follow George. "I'll see you later."

"He should drop dead," Ron said under his breath.

"Your right, he shouldn't have come here like that but he was trying to ask for forgiveness, you should cut him some slack even if he doesn't deserve it. You know, be the better person," Harry said.

"You know you guys, I just wish he would have stayed away. We would have been better. We were just starting to put his bullheadedness behind us and he came back and… and…" Ginny burst into tears and Harry held her in his arms. "He just shouldn't have come, he shouldn't have come, I hate him," she cried into his shoulder.

"Ginny don't hate him. He's still your flesh and blood. You should be glad you have him you know. He just made an error in judgment, but you still love him deep down, or you wouldn't be taking this so hard." Ginny held Harry tighter.

"You know, Harry, Perc…. WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING!" Ron had just noticed Ginny's position in Harry's arms. Ginny jumped away from Harry and posed herself to look innocent. Ron didn't buy it. "Are you two?"

"Uh…" Ginny wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at Ron, "I came to Harry, I swear we haven't been doing anything without telling you, in fact, it only just happened today," Ginny made an uncomfortable pause then added in just for the touch, "I'm not lying, I promise," and she gave him an innocent smile.

"Harry?"

"Um…" he ran his hand through his hair nervously, "yeah, I guess so. Sorry, Ron, I should have at least asked your permission but it just kinda happened."

"But she's my little sister!"

"Yeah, I kinda knew that but…"

"Ron, listen, I'm your little sister, but only by one year. I shouldn't have to have your approval for everything. Just sleep on it."

"Well, I… I just… I suppose if it had to be somebody it had to be Harry. But if you break her heart," Ron turned to Harry with his face starting to turn red, "I'll break every bone in your body then I'll feed you to the giant squid so he can play with you first."

"Cool down, Ron, I'm not gonna hurt her, I couldn't."

Ron gave Harry his crooked smile, which obviously meant that he approved. "Do ya wanna go practice Quidditch or something, you're the new captain aren't you?"

"Yea, sure let's go, but um… I was gonna ask you if we were going to um… headquarters or if you even knew any thing that you didn't write in the letters for secrecies sake?"

"Oh yea, we were going to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow and meet Hermoine. We're going to err... headquarters from there." They were trying to avoid actually saying the name of the place for it had been Sirius's home. "So um… shall we?"

"Yea, coming, Ginny?" Harry held out his hand to her.

"Yea," Ginny accepted his hand and they walked down the five flights of stairs and into the large field surrounding the Burrow that the Weasleys would normally play Quidditch on.

"I sure hope you got it," Ginny said as they approached the field. "After not playing Quidditch for almost a year, I bet you're a bit rusty."

"Yeah, you'll have to be polishing up on your skills because we've been practicing since school let out, well, between working hours." Ron had a big grin on his face.

"HA!" Harry imposed an incredibly fake laugh, "So how are we doing teams?"

"How about you two against me?" Ginny said, "I'll try to score on Ron, but nobody will be able to score on me because Harry will be looking for the snitch, and because I don't have a keeper. It won't be for the points, well, yea it will be," Ginny smiled, "first one to get 150 points wins." Ginny grabbed the quaffle and raced up to the goal posts and scored the first goal. "Ten- zero, my lead!"