Hi all,

Somehow, Chapter 3 was posted as Chapter 2...I don't know how it happened. Sorry for any confusion it may have caused.

Failte

Ginny pulled Hermione into her room and shut the door behind them. She weaved past the cot they had moved in for Hermione to use and sat on the edge of her bed, twisting her hands.

"Oh, Ginny, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, sitting on the cot, facing her friend.

"Nothing, it…it's just an emotional day. I mean, my brother's getting married, I am so happy that he's happy and that he's doing better. I know it's hard to tell, but I'm getting used to the scars, I hardly notice them any more. And he is dealing with it all so well, he's back to his old self, well, except when the full moon comes, he gets tense and moody, I told you about that, didn't I? At first it was kind of scary, I mean, he never snapped at me before, but I know not to take it personally and he knows now that if he snaps at me I'll snap right back. I'm not afraid of Bill."

Hermione leaned back on her hands and watched as she nervously babbled. "It's Harry, isn't it?"

Ginny shrugged, "I thought I was prepared to see him again."

"This hasn't been easy for him either."

"I know. It is nice to see him again. He's looking a little worn. Did he say if the Dursleys were mean to him?"

Hermione shook her head, "No, he said they pretty much left him alone. He's, uh, he's done with them, he doesn't have to go back."

Ginny chewed on her lower lip, "I should talk to him."

"Then do it, I know he would love to talk to you."

A knock on the door prevented Ginny from responding. "Come in."

The door swung open and a pretty young witch with shoulder length brown hair, a cute upturned nose, sparkling lavender eyes, and a wide smile stepped in. "Wotcher Ginny, Hermione!"

Both girls' mouths fell open in shock.

Tonks tossed her head back and laughed as she flicked her wand almost absently, turning a book into a chair which she set between the bed and the cot. "Remus looked at me the same way when he arrived at my flat," she told them as she sat on the chair, stumbling a bit over the hem of her deep, red dress robes. "Nice dress, Ginny."

"Uh, thanks, Tonks," Ginny replied, finding her voice. "You look great."

"Thank you. I thought that I should come to this formal affair au natural. Well, not entirely, my eyes are really hazel, but that is so boring, isn't it? Oh, not on you Hermione, you have such lovely eyes, they have such a pretty shape. I just think lavender goes better with my complexion."

Hermione was too swept up in the moment to be offended. "I take it Professor Lupin approves?"

Tonks colored slightly, but her smile grew even more at the mention of Remus. "Yes he does. He likes my pink hair too, but this is a nice change."

"Do you ever trick him with your different appearances?"

"Nope, he always knows it's me."

Ginny couldn't help but grin as Tonks spoke animatedly about Professor Lupin. She adored the former Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher and she felt that if anyone deserved some happiness in his life, it was Remus Lupin. And if anyone could make him happy, it was the pretty, young, bubbly witch sitting in her room.

"Has Professor Lupin been talking with the werewolves again?" Hermione asked, always curious.

Tonk's expression darkened, "Yeah he is. I don't like it and after all this time he hasn't been able to convince any of them so it's time for him to stop."

"Why doesn't he?"

"Because he promised Dumbledore he would."

Hermione nodded, "Is there any word on Snape? I read the other day that there was a Death Eater's attack in Hogsmeade, was it bad?"

"We captured two Death Eaters, but about a half dozen others got away. Four wizards were injured, one seriously."

"What is the Order…"

Tonks shook her head, "Come on, Hermione, you know I can't discuss Order business with you guys."

"Is Professor Lupin here?" Ginny asked.

"Yup, he's downstairs with Harry and Ron. I thought I would come looking for you girls and chat."

"I love your makeup," Hermione said. "I have to get dressed, maybe you could help me."

Tonks grinned, "I hardly ever wear it, but I found this spell in an article in last month's 'Magic Monthly'. I was surprised it worked so well. You don't need much, but we can give it a try."

Ron took a huge bite out of the sandwich he had concocted from various ingredients he had found in the kitchen. Beside him, Harry poked at some kidney pie they had found. They sat at the kitchen table with Ron's brothers and father, Fleur's father, and Lupin.

"So, how'd ya get here?" Ron asked his best mate.

"We took the Knight Bus."

"Really? How was the trip?"

"It was fine."

"Did Hermione take the Knight Bus to your house?"

"No, her parents drove her, they were going on vacation and decided to take this side trip with her. She called it 'Happy Family Fun Time', but I think she was being sarcastic."

"When did she get there?"

"Harry," George spoke up. "In his own round-about way, our little brother here is inquiring about Hermione."

Harry smiled and set his fork down, picking up a glass of pumpkin juice, "She was fine. Rather quiet and a little nervous, I think."

"Nervous?" Ron asked. "Why?"

"Maybe she was nervous about seeing…everyone again," Harry teased. "Why don't you ask her?"

"Because he's thick-headed prat," Fred supplied.

Lupin leaned across the table and spoke to Bill in a low voice. "How are you doing?"

The groom-to-be shrugged, "I'm doing well, considering. I'm getting used to the small changes that occur with the full moon."

"You know you can contact me any time if you have any questions or worries."

Bill smiled softly, "Thanks Remus, that means a lot to me. How're you? Any news on the werewolf front?"

Lupin shook his head, "No, not yet. But I promised Dumbledore so I'll continue working on it."

"I saw the pretty brunette. Tonks?"

"Of course," Lupin replied. "That's her natural appearance. She wanted to look nice for a formal occasion."

Bill's smile grew even more, "Things okay between you guys?"

"Yeah, she's…amazing. You and I, Bill, we're two lucky men."

Bill tipped his glass in Lupin's direction, "I couldn't agree more."

Ron carried his empty plate to the sink and turned to Harry, "Come on, mate, let's go get ready."

"Watch yourself, Ronnikins!" Fred called after his brother. "You don't want to walk in on Ninny when she's getting dressed!"

"Oh, Fred, really," Mr. Weasley sighed.

Ron's face burned a brilliant shade of red as he stalked up the stairs, Harry behind him chuckling.

"Hermione, you look fantastic," Ginny gasped.

Hermione had chosen to go with a muggle dress instead of dress robes. It was a pale blue with cap sleeves and a full skirt in a simple cut that flattered her petite figure. Tonks and Ginny had helped her tame her frizzy locks with various potions and pull her hair back on both sides with hair clips covered in small, pearl-like beads. Around her throat she wore a string of pearls and matching earrings she had borrowed from her mother. On her feet were heeled shoes the color of her jewelry that added an inch to her height.

"Thanks, Gin, I feel pretty. I do enjoy dressing up once in a while."

Tonks stepped back and studied the young witch, "I do believe you are going to turn a few heads today, Hermione."

"She only cares about turning one head," Ginny commented.

Hermione blushed, "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

An explosion followed by a loud scream ripped through the air. Tonks instantly went into auror mode, her wand in hand. "Stay here, both of you, I'll be right back."

Ginny and Hermione hurried to the door and stood there, trying to hear what was going on. Footsteps pounded on every floor of the Burrow, voices shouted, and above it all, Fleur was sobbing hysterically.

An earsplitting whistle brought silence crashing down around them and Mrs. Weasley's voice boomed out over all other noises.

"Everyone calm down! No one was hurt! One of the twins' old exploding ink bottles was left in their room and burst, no one was injured, at least not yet. Oh, Fred and George, just you wait until I get my hands on you! Fleur, stop crying, we can fix your dress in a jiffy with a quick cleaning spell, now we have to fix your makeup again. William Weasley! Don't you dare come up here, she's fine, I promise you! Now go, all of you! Everything is fine!"

Ginny clamped a hand over her mouth to hide her giggles as she and Hermione slipped back into her room and shut the door. Less than a second later there were two pops as the twins apparated into her room.

"What are you doing in here?" She demanded.

George shrugged, "We figure we'll be safe in here until Mum cools down a bit."

"Yeah," Fred agreed. "She won't look for us in here."

Ginny rolled her eyes as they sat on her bed.

"What are exploding ink bottles?" Hermione asked.

George grinned, "One of our earliest inventions. For teachers you hate, or even classmates. They're really nice looking, fancy bottles filled with ink. But as soon as you stick your quill in it, it explodes, sending ink everywhere."

"Bloody brilliant," Fred chuckled.

"Hardly," Hermione gasped. "That could cause a lot of damage."

"It's washable ink, not permanent."

"Fred, George are you in there?" Bill called as he pounded on the door.

"Bloody hell!" The twins cried in unison as they apparated again.

Ginny wrenched the door open, "You just missed them."

Bill's face was red, causing his scars to stand out even more, "I'm going to kill them."

"You will not, you'll be sent to Azkaban."

"No, I don't think there is a wizarding jury in the entire world that would send me to prison for killing the Weasley twins."

The corner of her mouth quirked up, "True, but it would break Mum's heart and cast a shadow over your wedding day."

Bill chuckled softly as his face returned to a normal shade, "When did you become the voice of reason, short-stuff?"

"A long time ago. I had no choice, considering the family I was born in to."

Tonks appeared behind Bill, "I think Fleur has calmed down a bit. Wish I could say the same about Molly, she is going to skin the twins alive if she catches them."

"It was an accident," Ginny pointed out. "I'm sure they just forgot they left it there."

Bill looked down at his sister, an eyebrow raised.

"Okay, maybe they did. But you had to know they weren't going to let your wedding go by without at least a little, um, craziness. It wouldn't be a Weasley family occasion without it."

"Bill!" Arthur Weasley called up the stairs. "Come on down, son, your Uncle Andrew is here with his family!"

Bill winked at Ginny and waved at Hermione and Tonks, "I'll see you girls later."

"Well, since everything is safe up here, I think I am going to go find Remus. It was nice talking to you two again, we'll have to get together at the reception and make fun of what all the women are wearing." Tonks said with a smile.

Ginny giggled, "You're on." She shut the door behind the auror and was about to turn away when there was a loud, quick knock. "Geez, since when did I become so popular," she muttered.

Hermione laughed and sat back down on the cot, "Since your room became the hideout for all fugitives."

She yanked the door open and came face to face with Ron. "Gin, can I hide out in your room for a while?"

"Why? What did you do?"

"Nothing, uh, Miranda's here and she's already driving us nuts," he explained pushing his way into her room.

Harry followed behind, smiling mischievously.

"Who's Miranda?" Hermione asked, trying to act nonchalant.

"She's related to us, I think a second or third cousin twice removed or something, and she's always had a little thing for Ron," Ginny explained, grinning.

Harry sat in the chair Tonks had left, trying not to stare at Ginny. "She's about fourteen and hangs on his every word like he's some kind of god or something."

Ron sank onto the cot next to Hermione, sitting a little closer than necessary, "She's just a pain."

"Oh, I don't know, I always thought you were flattered by her attention," Ginny teased, taking her seat on her bed again.

"Shut it, Ginny," her brother grumbled, his face bright red.

"How has your summer been, Harry?" Ginny asked.

He shrugged, looking down at the tips of his shoes, "Same as always."

"That good, huh?"

Harry looked up, smiling softly, "And then some."

"You look nice," Ron whispered to Hermione.

She blushed prettily, "Thank you, so do you."

He looked down at the new dress robes the twins had bought him for the wedding. They were the same rich blue as their own, since he, the twins, and Charlie would all be standing with Bill they would all be wearing the same robes. "Thanks. I'm glad you could come, I mean, you and Harry. These family get-togethers can be so boring."

"Yeah, I know," she agreed. "A couple years ago, we had a family reunion, it was downright painful. It went on forever and I couldn't tell a lot of people where I was going to school, because then they want you to do stuff for them. I told my cousin once and she wanted me to make up a love potion so she could try and get this guy to like her."

Harry sat back in the chair and watched his friends, wondering if this was what it was going to be like when they went with him to find the horcruxes. Something had changed during the last school year, after Ron had tried dating Lavender. At first they had been uncomfortable around each other, and then, after he finally broke up with Lavender, they had become a little too close. He wished, once and for all, that the two of them would just admit their feelings for each other. Not that he wanted to worry about keeping them off each other while they were on their 'mission' as he called it. He shifted his gaze to the other bed where Ginny sat. She had pulled her knees up and rested her chin on them as she stared out the window beside her bed. The noise of family arriving and greeting each other wafted up into the open window.

His body moved on its own accord as he stood and moved to sit beside her. She looked up and smiled wanly. The soft, floral scent Harry had come to recognize as 'pure Ginny' surrounded him and made his fingers itch to touch her. Instead, he leaned against the wall on the other side of the window and looked down to see Arthur, Charlie, and Bill introducing members of their family to Fleur's family.

"Any word from Percy?" Harry asked quietly.

Ginny shook her head, "Mum made Bill send him an invitation, but we didn't hear anything back. I don't think he'll show up, but Mum is still hoping."

"Who are those people?"

"That's my Uncle Andrew and his wife, Hannah and their kids, Betsy, Simon, and Nigel. There are a few cousins over there, you know Miranda, and her brother, Matthew, and the little blonde is Lizzy, and the man over by the tree there is Uncle John and the woman is Aunt Victoria. They have three little hellions who are probably tormenting Crookshanks."

"I'm not going to remember them all," Harry admitted quietly.

"Don't worry about it. We only see them all at weddings," she lowered her voice and inclined her head toward the cot where Ron and Hermione were still talking, their heads bent close together. "But if those two keep at it, it might not be that long before you see them again."

Harry smiled, sadly.

Something about his expression made Ginny want to reach out and hug him, soothe him. But that was no longer her place.

"Ginny, dear are you in there?" Molly Weasley called through the closed door.

Ginny looked up and saw Hermione and Ron jump apart, as though they were caught doing something naughty instead of just talking quietly to each other. "Yeah, Mum!" She called back.

"Well, come along dear, we need you with the other bridesmaids and I need to find Ron."

"Yes, Mum," Ginny gave Harry one last reassuring look before standing and straightening her skirt. "And you don't have far to look, he's in here too."