Chapter Four
Ginny and Colin apparated at the front door of The Burrow and Ginny swung the door open without hesitation only to be smothered by her mother's hugs and kisses.
"Ginny! Oh I've missed you sooo much! Come and give me a kiss," squealed Molly loudly while Colin stood awkwardly in the entranceway shuffling his feet. "Goodness! Colin you too!"
Colin looked absolutely stricken when Molly Weasley let go of Ginny who was gasping for air and was headed for him.
"Er good to see you too Mrs Weas-," but Colin never got to finish his sentence as the air was hugged out of him as well.
From the kitchen a pained voice could be heard, "Merlin, what's all this commotion? It can only be Ginny and her trusty steed Colin Creevey!
"Oh dad, what did you do to your chin? I told you, don't bother using muggle razors!" shouted Ginny in excitement, running down the hallway to hug her father who was holding a tea towel to his face to stem the bleeding from his chin.
"Ah Colin," said Arthur as he released Ginny and shook Colin's outstretched hand.
"Mr Weasley," nodded Colin brightly.
"Eyah!" shrieked Ginny as a little fluff ball flew into her head. It was only Pigwidgeon.
"Aww c'mon Gin, I'd expect you to have better reflexes than that, being a top graduate from the Underground!" said a voice from above.
Ginny whirled around in excitement, Pig flying into her head could only mean one thing and that was Ron was here!
"Ron! Oh my gosh I haven't seen you in so long!" cried Ginny as she raced up the stairs to hug her brother.
"Oi, aren't you going to ask how your favourite brother is?" asked Ron in a muffled voice as he hugged Ginny back. This only made her giggle.
"Excuse me? Don't you mean me, your fave bro?" said a grinning Charlie Weasley standing at the foot of the staircase looking at Ginny adoringly.
"CHARLIE!" was Ginny's reply and on went the re-uniting of the brothers who had not seen Ginny for four years straight since it was only the parents who were allowed to visit.
Draco groaned in disgust, he had just witnessed Harry detract moldy boxer shorts from somewhere in his bed with a pair of tongs.
"Get it away already! That is so rank, Merlin I think I'm going to hurl," moaned Draco from the other side of the room. This was quite a powerful statement since Draco was an Auror and has witnessed more things the average wizard would.
"Ah quit your whining Draco, just cause you wear the same set of clothes everyday," quipped Harry.
"Oh yeah?" challenged Draco.
"Yeah," replied Harry.
"WELL WEAR THIS!"
And suddenly without warning a pillow smashed into Harry's face knocking his glasses askew.
"ARGH" yelled Harry and he grabbed the tong with the boxers and flung them at Draco.
"Dude that is foul! That's it, this is war!" yelled Draco and soon it was war. War of the dirty underwear, drooled on pillows and the occasional unused condom.
"..and I hell kicked Vladmir's arse at the finals of sparring," finished Ginny digging into her dinner.
"Givera, language please," said Molly placidly.
"Sorry mum," said Ginny, sending a sideways glance at Colin. At twenty-two she still had to listen to her mum boss her around. But Ginny wouldn't complain, she was grateful she still had her mother, when so many other's had been murdered.
"So Ginny, excited about the Fencult Forest mission? I would've liked to go but I've still got the enemy watch with division 4077," said Charlie.
Ginny groaned and looked quite put out.
Colin decided to save her and said "no she's disgusted. Ginny was guaranteed she would be partnered with me but instead something happened and her partner is now Draco Malfoy. Unfortunately nothing can be done."
The entire Weasley family looked outraged.
There were several cries of "I'll kill him!" but this time it was Ginny to the defence.
"Guys I hate him and I will have a grudge, but Colin told me I had to get over it since there is nothing to do be done. I just got to try to make myself have confidence in Malfoy, just as much confidence I have in me since we're going to be," Ginny gulped at this moment "partners."
Ginny's entire family gave her sympathetic looks and moved on though Ron, Fred and George still looked like they wouldn't mind giving Malfoy a piece of their mind. (And knuckles.)
Harry and Draco stood up ramrod straight at the entranceway to their dorm.
"Very good, this dorm is spotless like it should be," said the superintendent in charge of Harry and Draco. He glared at the two like he knew that something was going on. Which there was of course. Both men wondered how he could always tell.
Only minutes before was their complete mess and pandemonium inside that dorm room.
The "pillow" fight had escalated into dueling and somehow paint had also squirted from the tips of both wands.
It was sheer Auror training that got the room spotless on time.
"C'mon Harry, let's catch the early mess so we can eat and spend one more night reminiscing about the good old five years here," muttered Draco and both men walked out of the room, the world really starting to weigh on their shoulders.
"Mmm, Ministry food, I'm going to miss warm food," mumbled Harry as he shoved shepherds pie down his gob as did Draco.
"Glmmngh," was Draco's reply.
The two chatted idly until more people began to arrive. All from their division, savouring their last night of innocence until they would be sent off to fight, fight a cause that could bring them crashing down onto their knees.
Although nobody really wanted to think about that. Not that night anyway.
In the dorm room, the two of them changed into their sleepwear for one last time and climbed into bed. Intent on talking themselves to sleep.
"I'm going to miss you Harry. I never thought I'd say this, never but I will. It's really been great knowing you. Thought you might like to know that," murmured Draco in the dark.
"Yeah, I feel the same. Now I know why you were such a bastard. No shit, serious. I just want to make it out of this alive. I want to live, feel's like I've been constricted all my life. I'm twenty three, I want to live to Dumbledore's age," murmured Harry back.
Draco sighed. "This will be it then. The final series, ka-put. Either you or him goes, preferably him."
Harry smiled into the darkness and replied "glad to know you cared Draco."
"Okay, any more sentimental crap and I'm going to hurl," said Draco grumpily, but secretly he was smiling on the inside.
"Fine you asked for it," said Harry cheekily and continued "tell me what you REALLY think of that sex goddess Ginerva Weasley!"
Draco could have choked. (On his own saliva that is.)
Spluttering (Harry smiled at this) Draco replied "Weasley? Ginny? Sex goddess?"
"Yes, Ginny Weasley."
Draco decided to change tactics and said "yes I agree with you, sex goddess."
He really did secretly agree with that.
"Well don't I fucking envy you? You're working with the most gorgeous woman I know," mused Harry, much to Draco's discomfort.
"Ah shut up you dong," was Draco's witty reply.
'I knew it!' said Harry's mind.
"C'mon, who's the girl you were partnered with," asked Draco.
"Oh, Amanda. She's really friendly, was in Ravenclaw in our year," murmured Harry.
"Shit. You're not interested are you? Can't use it against you," replied Draco.
"Oh, so you are interested in the youngest Weasley," Harry smirked.
'If only Draco could see my smirk,' thought Harry.
"Fuck off Harry, I can just feel that smirk on your face," growled Draco.
Harry sighed, "she's a nice, girl Draco, I know you think it's just me and my cracked skull but she'll grow on you. It's early days but I know she's perfect for you."
Draco just huffed and said "whatever. We better go to sleep now, it's getting late."
"Uh-huh, or someone just wants to think about someone and," Harry was cut off when he felt the pressure of a wand on his neck. "And what happened to the 'we better go to sleep' huh?" mused Harry.
Draco merely growled and grunted "goodnight."
In a mock girly voice Harry replied "night night, and don't let the Gin-bug bite. Hard."
"Owww," groaned Colin as Ginny's camp bed flicked back up and thwacked him on the nose.
Ginny only giggled and said "oh c'mon Colin, you're a big boy, big boys don't cry over sore noses do they now?"
Colin gave Ginny a look that could kill, but in Ginny's case she only laughed harder.
After Ginny's laughter had subsided she waved her wand in a little circle and muttered a spell at Colin's nose and he immediately felt the effects of it and calmed down.
"I hate your camp bed Ginny," muttered Colin.
"Oh really? I remember in our sixth year and you slept over. You freaked over that bed. Said the old springs and wiring were a work of art," replied Ginny with a smile. "You used a whole roll of film taking photos of that!"
Only incoherent grumbling could be heard.
Colin was well trusted by the Weasley family and ever since his parents had been murdered at the hands of Voldemort the Weasley family had basically took him in.
Dennis, Colin's brother had found love early and was now married.
So since Colin had graduated from Auror academy and his roommate had already gone to see his family one last time Ginny invited him over. This is how it came to Ginny happily snuggled in her childhood bed while Colin examined his nose in Ginny's ridiculously decorated mirror. Covered with preserved flowers and love heart cut outs.
"Oh for fucks sake Col! Your nose is fine! I am an Auror you know, I can heal these things," said Ginny grumpily.
"Yeah, fine it looks okay," mumbled Colin as he climbed onto his creaking camp bed as it took his weight.
"Ready?" murmured Ginny.
"Yeah," murmured Colin back and Ginny waved her wand silently and the lights went out.
Ginny sighed. "Colin, I can't believe this is only how long we have to spend with each other before we have to go again. I'm so glad I've met up with you again."
"Mm, I know. I know. But it doesn't matter Gin, no matter how many years pass I'll always be your best friend, just as I always know you'll be mine," replied Colin.
There was a silent pause for a few moments, while both friends thought of the all the good times they had spent together and how lucky they were that they were still alive. How the next day they would be waking up early and traipsing into the Fencult forest to try to kill the wizard who had made them all completely miserable.
A tear slipped out of Ginny's eye but Colin was stronger.
"Gin?" came Colin's soft voice from somewhere around her.
Ginny sniffed and said "yeah?"
"Don't worry, I will see you again."
Ginny smiled and she really wanted to believe it.
Hey, I know this chapter was a bit fluffy but you definitely need it. I hope you have enjoyed reading and REVIEW! nods energetically