Author's Note: Confrontations are coming, revelations will be made, and heated snogging will take place very soon. Just bare with me here for the few tedious chapters of back story and plot set up. Read, Review, and enjoy.

Chapter Two:

The Weasley's were trying impossibly hard to put on a brave face, not only for Harry but for themselves as well. Harry had avoided them most of the day and most of them had avoided him as well. Besides Mrs. Weasley's initial hugs and attention she was off to deal with wedding issues, and Hermione and Ron, obviously having taken their cues from their best friend, had stayed mostly to themselves as well. Fred and George were no doubt at the shop, Charlie had disappeared some hours before upon first coming home, and despite Harry's disappointment, Ginny had yet to show her face.

Nobody seemed up to socializing, even despite the joyous occasion that was due to take place the next day.

While summers past had seen some pretty awful events, this was different somehow. There had been a war raging outside for almost two years, but somehow, with the loss of Dumbledore and the threat of Hogwarts not reopening, it was almost like it was more real. Like war was not just something you read about in newspapers and heard through word of mouth.

It had all of a sudden gotten so close you could taste it.

He finally emerged from his appointed room after a full afternoon of nothing but empty thoughts and a short bit of dreamless sleep, casting a hollow glance towards Ginny's closed door as he made his way towards the stairs.

"Well, well," an oddly jovial voice came from afar as Harry's feet hit the landing at the bottom of the stairs, "Look who finally decided to join the land of the living."

"Leave him alone, guys," Harry could not see Hermione but somehow he knew she was rolling her eyes from the tone of her voice.

"About bloody time," Fred continued despite the interruption, "We were just about to notify the guards and send them to go fetch you--"

"--Make sure you were still breathing and all that," George grinned with humor, the sight a pleasant surprise.

It should not have been, if anyone could find it in them to find humor in light of the most recent developments, it would have to be the twins. Harry smiled and felt some of the tension edge away at the twins' presence; they always had a knack for making the best out of the worst situations. Or else, being completely oblivious to whatever was going on around them.

The five of them lounged around the living room for a while, discussing the shop (much to Hermione's dismay who had obviously heard it already and was in no mood to hear it again) and quidditch. It was much too hot to go outside and play, although it was quite clear all of them yearned to do so and they were all much too lazy to do anything else-- including anything on the entire list of things Mrs. Weasley had left them to do in preparation for the following day.

"It's ridiculous," George had groaned when he had looked at the parchment long list. "This whole wedding is turning into a bloody disaster."

"Clean the dishes, dust the furniture," Fred did a ridiculously amusing impression of his mother, "we don't even live here anymore--"

"-- and the woman has us doing chores."

"Where is Bill and Fleur, anyway?" Harry asked as his eyes scanned over the parchment that had been thrust in his direction.

"Fleur is out with mum doing Merlin knows what," Ron rolled his eyes, "Bill is, despite what everyone else thinks, getting his robes fitted."

"That is because he is a procrastinator," Hermione said from behind her copy of The Daily Prophet, "Everyone has been after him for months--"

"He's a man, Hermione," Ron cut her off prematurely, "What do you expect?"

Hermione grinned teasingly, "Nothing, I guess."

"Anyway," Fred interjected, obviously having sensed the argument simmering underneath Ron's not so friendly glare, "you should have seen the look on Bill's face when he found out he couldn't spend the night here--"

"Apparently," George continued, "It's superstition or some bullocks like that."

"I honestly couldn't understand exactly what Fleur was saying," Fred grinned devilishly, "I didn't really care either… she just looked so good saying it."

"It's a muggle tradition," Harry told them, laughing as a dreamy look crossed Fred's features at the mention of Fleur. The Weasley men had always taken a liking to her, it was always the girls who had a problem with it. It was probably a good thing that Mrs. Weasley had been at least a bit more tolerable towards her future daughter in law. "Bad luck or something like that."

It felt good, Harry thought, as he watched Ron and Hermione tease each other and Fred and George tease them for teasing each other. It was a never-ending cycle that Harry reveled in. It made him feel more happy, lighter. It was almost freeing to be there like that with them, carefree and chatting like nothing else mattered in the world.

He seriously doubted that if it were not for the twins presence, the conversation would have been steered in a completely opposite direction and Harry had never been more happy to see the red haired twins in his life.

That was, of course, until they brought up the second most dreadful subject: Ginny.

It was quite clear that Fred and George had no idea what had went on last term between them, and judging by the cautious looks both Ron and Hermione sent his way at the mention of her name, it appeared as though they had expected something other than the cool indifference he somehow managed to show those around him as the conversation turned to his ex girlfriend.

Harry swallowed at thought, realized that, even though everything that was going on around them, it was a nauseous feeling that consumed him at that title. Ex girlfriend. It sounded so final. So definite.

He hated it immediately.

"You should have seen it, Harry," Fred continued his face bursting with pride as he retold the events of the most recent argument between the youngest Weasley and her mother. "It was brilliant--"

"I'm selling tickets and popcorn to the next one, honestly, the way those two go at it--"

Fred cut him off and resumed his story telling, "Ginny has been after mom about school--"

"Ron has told mom that he doesn't plan on going back--"

"Although I don't think she truly acknowledged it," Fred continued as Harry sent a curious look toward Ron who merely shrugged in response. "But anyway, no one has made a final decision about whether Hogwarts will be reopening next term--"

"And mom let it slip that even if by some chance school did reopen, she wasn't real keen on the idea of Ron and Ginny going back," George looked positively busting with amusement as he told this story.

"To which Ginny got all up in a huff that nowhere is safe so why keep her here instead of at Hogwarts--"

"Well lets just say Mum didn't respond too kindly to that," Ron interjected from across the room.

"So Ginny said if she wasn't going back to Hogwarts than she wanted to come live with Fred and I--"

"--which got us in bunches of trouble with both mum and dad--"

"And Mum replied that the only way that would happen was over her dead body--"

"--To which Ginny not so smartly replied that by the looks of things that may not be so impossible," Fred shook his head and amazement, "Mum didn't stop crying for an entire day."

"And besides shouting off chores at us when we are around, she hasn't talked to us since," George said gloomily. "Says we're encouraging the situation."

"Yes, well," Hermione interjected stiffly, obviously having sided with Mrs. Weasley as she finally took her nose out of the newspaper and set it to the side, "Now Ginny and Mrs. Weasley aren't talking--"

"Unless they're arguing," Ron told Harry.

"And all of that could have been avoided--"

All three Weasley men cut Hermione off simultaneously, "If Ginny would have kept her bloody mouth shut."

Hermione huffed indignantly, sending a sideways glance towards Harry who caught it just at the last minute out of the corner of his eye. It was clear she wanted to say more, but did not dare. Which was just fine by him, all this talk revolving around Ginny was starting to make him just a bit more than uncomfortable.

xXx

"All I'm saying," Mrs. Weasley's voice boomed throughout the house, "Is a little baby's breath and we can charm the daisies--"

"Mum," it was Bills voice then, teetering upon the edge of irritation as he sighed, "Can we drop it?"

They entered the living room, where not so surprisingly everyone was still lounging about, Hermione and Ron on one couch, sharing another newspaper, as George and Fred went over inventory on another and Harry, well Harry was not doing much of anything, just sort of staring off into space in his own little world.

Everybody seemed to have noticed their arrival, but nobody moved to do anything about it.

Mrs. Weasley sniffed the air unhappily and looked away from Bill, "I'll ask Fleur when she returns, I know she'll agree with me."

Bill, whose gashes and scars were still rather strikingly red and glaring, mumbled something incoherent under his breath and was about to retort when he noticed the five lounging about. Apparently his noticing caught the eye of Mrs. Weasley as well for she screeched so loud everyone within the room nearly leapt out of their respective seats.

"Do not tell me," She started, hands on hips with fury, "That you lot have sat here all day when I gave you a list of things to do," her eyes caught wind of Harry and she smiled genially, "Of course not you dear," she said which made Ron snort and mimic her words which resulting in a smack on the arm from Hermione. "But the rest of you," she gasped, obviously overcome by anger, "I told you…"

"Oh mum," George rolled his eyes, "Relax. We are a bunch of well trained wizards--"

"Fred I honestly don't care what you are--" Mrs. Weasley cut of George's reply and in the process drowned out Hermione's 'and witches' add in.

"That's awful clear," George replied, humor in his voice, "I'm not Fred. I'm George. "

"Oh for Merlin sakes," Mrs. Weasley through her hands up in defeat. "Where is your sister?"

"Hasn't shown her face all day," one of the twins piped up.

It was clear to anyone who was paying attention the slight look of sadness that overcame Mrs. Weasley's face then, and then, how hard she tried to hide it.

"Which is a good thing, if you ask me," the other one added in, which resulted in a hit to the back of the head from Bill.

"Behave yourself," Bill added in with a fierce glare as he swung a long bag, which was presumably holding his dress robes, over his shoulders. "I'll go fetch her, Mum," he added over his shoulder as he exited the living room.

"It's Bill's wedding," Ron spoke in agitation, "why can't he de-gnome the garden?"

Mrs. Weasley glared at her youngest son, "Because I asked you to do it, Ronald." With that she turned on her heel quickly muttering the entire way about how she had asked him days ago to do it and how he had, not so surprisingly, yet to do it. "I'm starting supper," she called over her shoulder, "when it's done that garden better be completely and utterly gnome free or so help me Merlin…" Her booming voice trailed off as she obviously entered another part of the house.

All eyes turned, highly amused, towards Ron.

"Yeah, Ronald," George and Fred teased simultaneously.

And almost as if reading their minds, Mrs. Weasley's voice came booming throughout the house once more, "That means all of you. Now!"

With much hesitation and reluctance, all five of them began to trudge out into the sweltering heat, complaining the entire way.

Miraculously, almost an hour later, the entire garden was almost completely de-gnomed. It was easier now that one, they had Fred and George helping, and two, the three youngest could do it magically instead of by hand. Hermione, who was always to suffer the brunt of teasing, faced no exception today. George and Fred were relentless as always, with no sign of letting up.

She took it stride however, attacking the gnomes viciously with frustration all knew she would rather be taking out on somebody else.

Quidditch was once again the topic of discussion, and Harry was very much surprised how much Hermione had put forth into the argument that was going back between the three brothers. Harry piped in as much as he felt like it, but Ron would always beat him to the punch, only pausing in his arguments when Hermione wanted to say something.

There was definitely something there, Harry sensed, as he looked at his two friends with a fond smile on his face, but he figured it was better not to say anything. Especially no now with the twins so close and the fact that they would pounce on the two of them with their merciless teasing.

With a swipe to his forehead, where he was sweating rather profusely, Harry quickly made his way towards the house and into the kitchen for a glass of water. No less he probably could have conjured it himself, but he was glad for the escape. The smell of home cooking and the coolness of the air inside was welcomed a great deal.

Of course, as soon as he entered the kitchen he wished he hadn't.

For sure enough there she was, Ginny Weasley, all fiery red hair and brown eyes waving her wand aimlessly over a stack of potatoes who then begun to peel himself. It was obvious she didn't notice his presence, of if she had, she did acknowledge him, just sitting at the table, her chin in the palm of one hand as she waved her wand in the other.

She looked beautiful. Enchanting. His heart sped up and his palms were sweating even more now, and he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. Harry figured he should have known it would be like this. Would be this uncomfortable. This hard.

He had not known when he was doing that day all those months ago after Dumbledore's funeral, but he had thought it was the right thing. Only now, as he looked at her so fondly, he can't remember why it had been the right thing.

Why it hurt so much seeing her when this had been his choice.

He was about to walk away-- had actually turned on his heel to do so when she finally spoke.

"Hi, Harry."

Harry turned back slowly, offering her a small smile as he waved his own wand and conjured up a glass of water mid air. "Hi, Ginny," he said just before grabbing the glass in front of him and swallowing the contents in a single gulp.

"I heard you were here, sorry I didn't come down to greet you."

Harry waved her off with his hand as he set the glass to the side on a random counter, "You should, uh, you should be careful with that. You're underage." He sounded like a bumbling idiot and he hated himself for it.

Ginny rolled her eyes and continued to watch the bewitched potatoes, "They can't tell that it's me in a house full of wizards. They expect mum and dad to enforce the rules, which they do, but if I get caught it will be my parents not the ministry, so keep a look out will you?" She grinned cheekily at him from across the room and all of a sudden he felt, very, very close to her.

Even though he was almost an entire room away.

She wasn't acting any different around him. Did not seem upset towards him in any way, and Harry almost felt a flood of relief run through him. Starting believing that maybe this wouldn't be as difficult as he thought it would be.

He watched, almost entranced, as she opened herself to say something but was cut off almost immediately as Mrs. Weasley came bounding into the kitchen. Ginny immediately dropped her wand and picked up the peeler and began skinning the potatoes. Mrs. Weasley was none the wiser and looked at Harry with concern.

"You look a bit peaky there, Harry. You alright?"

Harry sent a fleeting look towards Ginny who was trying her very best not to look at him, "It's just hot outside, that's all."

A look of utmost horror overcome Mrs. Weasley's face, "Oh, dear. I never meant for you to have to do the chores. Hermione either, here," she started to usher Harry towards the table were Ginny sat, "I'll finish with this and you and Ginny can finish peeling the potatoes."

"He really doesn't have to, Mum," Ginny said rather stiffly, eyeing her mother, "I can do it on my own."

Mrs. Weasley frowned at her daughter when Ginny wasn't looking, "Of course you can, dear. Why don't you just sit here and relax then? Dinner will be ready shortly." With a sniffle that sounded rather emotional, she waved her wand and almost immediately plates, saucers, cups, forks and knives came sailing across the room and began placing themselves at their rightful spots around the table.

Harry reached for a potato and the extra peeler.

"You really don't have to, Harry," Ginny said quietly, not bothering to look up at him.

"I know I don't," he replied as he began skinning the potato.

Ginny looked at him when he did this and smiled the smallest of smiles as she continued her own ministrations without even looking. In spite of himself, Harry smiled back. And despite the fact that they could both easily use magic to get the job done a lot sooner, they both continued to skin the potatoes, more slowly and carefully as ever. As if they were trying to draw out the moment.

Which was half the truth, because it was nice, Harry supposed as he looked at Ginny out of the corner of his eye, to be this close to each other without having to make up an excuse to do so.

So, in the silence of the Weasley kitchen, Harry and Ginny continued to skin the pile of potatoes in front of them, ignoring the not so subtle looks they sent each other in the process and pretending the situation was a lot more comfortable than it obviously was.

Dinner came more sooner than Harry had hoped, and was filled with boisterous laughter on behalf of the twins antics as George "accidentally" shot a spoonful of mashed potatoes in his brothers direction. Mrs. Weasley scolded them pretty heartily but no one could miss the smile lingering on her features afterwards.

Ginny sat at the far end of the table next to her father, far enough away from Harry for comfort, but still so close it made his skin boil in the most loving way. Fleur fed Bill off her own plate much to everyone else's dismay, but almost everyone took it in stride. Whereas last summer the girls sitting at the table would have muttered obscenities under their breaths, most of them looked on happily without complaint.

It seemed normal almost, actually looked normal, but as soon as this thought went through Harry's mind he would look at Bill and see the harsh scars glaring back at him. It was a harsh reminder of events past and yet to come.

Dessert was just about to be severed when a Pig came soaring through the open window, parchment clutched in his talons as the entire table roared with laughter at one of Fred's infamous jokes.

"Merlin," Mrs. Weasley groaned, clearly not happy about the interruption, "it never fails."

Mr. Weasley reached for the letter and scanned the hasty scrawl for a long moment. "It's for you, Ginny."

Ginny took the letter without so much as a thank you and ignored the curious gazes being cast in her direction. She ripped it open hastily and scanned the letter for a long moment before looking up, "It's from Luna," she said quietly, eyes immediately straying back to the parchment in front of her.

Pig drank a bit of water out of Mr. Weasley's cup before soaring off and out the window again.

Ginny let out a laugh of pure delight, "It says the Quibbler got word that McGonagall and Scrimgeour have finally come to an agreement," she paused for a long moment, as if reading and then rereading the letter again. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity she looked back up, the most peculiar look on her face, "Hogwarts is reopening September 1st ."

All that met her words was stunned silence.

(TBC)