Disclaimer: Rinnnnnng! Rinnnnnng! "Hello? Oh hi mom. No, this is not Jo Rowling and I don't own any Harry Potter stuff. Yes mom, I'll make sure my brothers eat. No mom, I haven't checked on them recently. Mom! I've told you! I don't own Harry Potter. Okay, Bye mom!" As you can see, I don't own any Harry Potter. That belongs to Jo Rowling. I only own the characters not copyrighted. There will be a character I've decided to put in my story (somehow, haven't thought of it but I like her description) that I found on the JK Rowling site. Her initials are C.P. so when you see her, no I did not make her up. She is a Rowling Character.

I am SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY! I've had a lot of homework the past what, forever weeks? I haven't had any time to work on any of this chapter. I know, excuses, excuses, excuses! Excuses are probably the worst thing a writer could do. But here is mine: after I got a 68 on my biology test, it kinda sucked me into a 'depression'. I'd never gotten a D on a test. EVER! I stayed home and studied, and haven't written anything since. Another (though lame) excuse is that my dog ate my computer. Okay, just got carried away there. The real deal is that I've had writer's block. I don't really know what to write so this chapter isn't gonna be very fantastic. Truthfully, I wrote like the first couple of paragraphs on a napkin in my 7th period class. Not that focused. Sorry for any discrepancies (there you go Jeff!). Please review anyways. Even if you think it's crap. Thanks to all my reviewers! Sorry I kept you waiting! 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 5: Toils and Boils

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So Harry." Hermione piped up, "After all these years, I've still wondered a few things. First of all, I can't believe, after all you'd told us, why did the Dursley's let you stay? They've always seemed like they hated you." At this point everyone was listening intently.

"Well, personally, I don't know myself. I walked up there expecting rejection. When he stood up to Aunt Petunia to let me stay, I was very confused. Then I met Anne, Dudley's fiancée. She had that affect on people. She had an air to her that made everyone want to be nice. I mean, Dudley came up to me and apologized for everything he'd ever done or said to me in the past. When Lilianne was born, they even made me her godfather. For the first time in that household, I felt wanted. I helped raise her when Dudley and Anne had to go to work. So Hermione, you said there were a few questions. What were your other questions?" Harry could tell that they were all very confused but that they also understood.

"Okay, well after all these years, why didn't you even let us know you were alive? It seemed to us that after we told you that Ginny died, you died too. We sent you letters and we didn't even know if you were getting them. It would have been nice if you would have just done something to let us know." Hermione looked visibly hurt.

"I checked up on you two a few years ago at the wedding. I came. I, as you had suggested, disguised myself as an old man. I didn't say anything to you, though I did have a conversation with Ron, even though he didn't know it was I. I thought you figured it out, Hermione. I used your own disguise ideas and I noticed you kept staring at me with a look of confusion on your face. I wanted to come talk to you, but knew you would know it was I. I didn't want you to figure it out. I didn't want to draw attention to myself. After you gave me that look, I got out of there. Anymore questions?" Harry had gotten so worked up he had gotten up and started walking up and when he finished he was standing next to Ginny.

No one spoke for a long time. All that could be heard was a tiny drip from the fountain and a dog barking in the distance. This time it was Ginny who spoke up.

"Okay, so I'm still really confused. Who's Penny?" Ginny was smiling but was very serious. Ron was the one who answered her question.

"Ginny, a couple of years ago I met this lady, a muggle. We hit it off and now we're married. That's the wedding they were talking about. Penny and I just had a child, Arthur James Weasley. Here, I've got pictures." Ron and Ginny looked at pictures as Harry and Hermione caught up on the past eight years.

"Hermione. I don't know what's come over me. Since yesterday, I've felt more alive. I actually got up the nerve to go and talk to Ron. I thought about just owling but that would seem too, well, too impersonal. I thought it deserved a little more respect. I mean, his sister is alive. And she's married. I just hope she's happy. Oh yeah, I forgot. Hermione, when I went back to talk to Ginny, she said her husband left her because I came back. I feel so awful for that. I didn't want to ruin her life. Hell, I didn't even know it was her until she said my name. I will never forget her voice. Hermione." Harry looked at her pleadingly until she finally spoke.

"Harry, you do realize what you just said right? You just told me you still love her. You need to make sure she knows that. You need to go to her face and tell her that you still love her. You really do. I know you do. When I see you look at her, I see the same look in your face as I see when Ron looks at Penny; when Mr. Weasley looks at Mrs. Weasley; when Fred looks at me. It's a look of true love. Ginny was confused when she left. She was hurt, angry, upset, and devastated. Now she's feeling left out. Talk to her. Tell her how you really feel." Hermione got up and went to the other side of the room where Ron and Ginny were talking about just random stuff, such as how the Chudley Cannons were doing and Ron's job.

"Hermione! Oh it feels like the longest time since we've talked. Okay, it has been the longest time! It's been eight years! How could I have-? Oh my God. Oh my GOD! You're engaged!" Ginny shot up from her brown leather chair and reached for Hermione's left hand. "Oh it's beautiful! What a magnificent ring! It fits you perfectly! To whom are you engaged?"(A/N: sorry, I'm kind of a grammar freak. Sometimes I can forget it but that was just one of my pet peeves: ending a sentence in a preposition) Hermione and the guys looked at her and realized that this was the most expression she'd shown openly since they'd been there.

"Ginny, now I've been dating this guy for three years and he proposed last week. It was so romantic. He had everything the way I wanted it. We're not going to get married for another 6 months at least. Now that you're back, I can have my first choice Maid of Honor. And I guess I've kept you waiting long enough for the "whom" part. Okay, Ginny. I'm engaged to your brother." Hermione was grinning ear to ear when she realized for the first time that she was going to get to have Ginny at her wedding.

"Charlie? Isn't he a bit old?" Ginny realized she was shaking her head. "Of course not Bill. He and Fleur are still…" Hermione nodded and Ginny went on guessing. "Okay, last time I checked, out of date but still, Fred was dating Angelina and they were pretty steady. So George?" Yet another solidified "no". "PERCY?" That just got three gaping stares. "Hermione, I'm out of brothers. Unless my mom has another one I didn't know about."

"Fred, Ginny, I'm getting married to Fred!" Hermione was still grinning but had gotten a little impatient with her persistent guessing.

"Omigod! Why didn't you tell me that when I nixed him?" By this time Ginny and Hermione were jumping up and down with little squeaks escaping them now and then. Ron and Harry just stared at them in amusement. Harry was staring at Ginny a little longer than Hermione still trying to decipher just what Hermione had said, and putting together what he should say to Ginny.

Later that night, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Harry went to a bar to celebrate the numerous things that had been happening in their lives. A little to many spikes later, Harry and Ginny were flirting and Ron was in the bathroom with Hermione holding her hair back as she puked. Harry and Ginny, the two who had had the least amount of drinks, sat on the couch just staring at each other and the other's double sitting next to them laughing. Harry looked at Ginny, regained sensible vision, and stared straight in her eyes.

"Ginny. I do love you, you know? I will always love you. I still remember the promise I made to you before I left for, uh, where we went. But of course, that's pointless now, I mean now that you're married and all."

"Harry. I love you too. I am married. But as I said earlier, he left me. And after spending the evening with my friends again, I'm not so sure I want him to come back." Ginny got up, kissed Harry on the cheek and left to go to sleep. Harry thought about following to see what she meant, but decided against it. After making sure Hermione and Ron left safely, Harry apparated to the dumpster on Privet Drive. Does she still love me?

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Hermione walked into Fred and her new flat. They had just finished redecorating just before he proposed. The sitting room and dining room were a light peach color with hard wood paneling and molding. There was white couches set up surrounding an oak coffee table sitting before a television that Hermione had suggested. In the back of the room, near the window looking over the park, there was a dainty, four-person dining table make of a light-colored wood and white wood legs. If you looked closely, on each leg near the top, there was an etched wand on one leg, an etched G on one leg, on another leg there was a lion with it's paws on a snake, and on the other, a date: September 1, 1991. That was the day everything began again. Harry met the Weasley family and in the coming years, saved many of their lives. To go with the beach textured room, there was white carpeting throughout the room, and white linoleum where the table sat. Hermione walked in and set her keys on the side table next to the door. She looked around and saw no one. As she made her way to the back, she heard the familiar sound of Fred snoring. She stepped in the bedroom and saw him sleeping on top of the covers, still clothed from this morning.

Hermione walked up to Fred, kissed him lightly on the lips and went to the dresser to change clothes.

"Mini? Is that you? What time is it?" Fred looked around, clearly confused as to why all the lights were turned out. "Hello. Where were you all day?"

"Don't ask Fred. You will find out soon enough. I really don't think I should be the one to tell you what I just experienced. The people we talked to today, they should tell you. When they're ready to talk. But it's definitely not now." Hermione laid her head on the pillow and before Fred could ask any more questions, she was out cold.

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

A/N: Sorry I just needed to put this in. as of November 22, 2005; I am almost done with this chapter. I don't know when the next chapter will be up but because of the wonderful American holiday of Thanksgiving, I'm out of school for 3 days! So maybe I'll write some there. Any reviews are appreciated! Also, another block in my writing is that I'm in the process of reading a 50-chapter story with like another 50 chapter sequel. So, I'm sorry. I'm really into this story. Can't think of the name right now, so I'll let you know later.

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

SIX MONTHS LATER

After many toils and troubles, Harry and Ginny had reconciled, started going out again, and Tim and Kaylee stayed in touch but he now had a new girlfriend, a muggle named Ashlee. Harry and Ginny were still against telling everyone they were alive just yet, so after six months, Fred and Penny, along with the other Weasley's, were wondering where Ron and Hermione were sneaking off to every week. Penny knew that it was his job and she lived with that, but Fred was starting to get jealous. It wasn't to the breaking point but he was far enough along to nag her so much that she started hanging out with Ginny more often. One day when Harry and Ginny were walking through a park, they got on the subject of their family. They both wanted to tell the Weasley's, but at the same time they didn't. They didn't want to see their reactions, and they definitely didn't want to hear Molly's rant about why they didn't get in contact earlier, or why Ron or Hermione didn't tell her they were alive and well. The part of reentering the wizarding world Harry dreaded most though, was reappearing when the whole world thought him to be dead. He dreaded their reactions; the Ministry's reactions; the Prophet's stories and most of all, Molly's reaction, finding out that he'd moved in with her daughter.

"Harry, I really want to see my family. I think that soon, not like tomorrow, but soon, we should come out of this life and reenter the one we were born in to. I know what's up with my family, but they don't know anything about me. They don't know we're back together, they don't know about well, a lot of things. Especially one. Harry, before long Ron or Hermione is going to find out and it's going to slip out and pandemonium will break loose. I think maybe the next time the two come together, we should go back with them. But we should at least explain to them why we want to do it now." Ginny looked at Harry and gave him the biggest eyes he'd ever seen.

"Ginny are you sure about this? I… I wanna talk to you." Harry had been looking nervous all night long.

"Yeah Harry. I always imagined- Harry we're talking right now. Why would you say you wanted to talk to me? This isn't anything like the infamous 'We need to talk' is it?" Ginny was obviously looking like she was going to be sick.

"No, no. It's nothing like that. It's-I-uh… Let's go sit down.'' Ginny and Harry went over to a bench surrounded by wonderfully managed flowers, unmistakably lilies. Harry sat next to Ginny then got up, fiddled around with something in his pocket, sat back down. Stood up and paced a while, then crouched on the ground next to Ginny. Harry sat there for a minute staring at the ground, then the lilies then finally up to Ginny. "Ginny, you know I love you right?"

"Well, you better for you to be acting like this." Ginny added a little laugh to calm her nerves.

"Well, do you know what today is?"

"Um… September 1st? Wow. Right now, fifty kids are being sorted into different houses at Hogwarts. It seems like such a long time." Ginny had a dazed look on her face as she reminisced about her happy days at Hogwarts.

"Yeah. But do you know what today is? Not just the first day of Hogwarts. What special happened on this day?"

"I don't know Harry, you've stumped me." Ginny was not in the mood to play a guessing game.

"It's been fifteen years to the day that I met you. I've known you for fifteen years. As long as that sounds, it sounds longer when I've been waiting about half of that to do this." Harry rearranged his crouching position next to her to a kneeling position right in front of her. He reached for the object in his pocket and revealed a small black box. He opened the box and revealed a white-gold ring with an emerald stone in the middle that matched her hair perfectly. "Ginerva Weasley, will you marry me?"

Harry was smiling but with a bit of apprehension in his face. Ginny looked at him with a wide smile. As soon as she smiled, that smile turned to a scowl, she got up and ran to the nearest building and ran inside as if she was going to be sick.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Uhoh! Cliffie! What's wrong with Ginny? Why didn't she accept? Okay, now the long awaited review thingy:

yourheartsdesire: Thank you. You have just read the next chapter. I'll try to have the next up sooner than this.

dolphinz87: Harry ran away because he didn't want to face everyone, the papparazzi, Ministry, and actually, I just wanted him to run away so I could have a semi-good plot. if you can think of anything better, let me know, I'll think about it and if i like it i'll put it in there (with credit to you of course!). Hope that answers ur questiona.

petroleumjellydotone: I hope to have the Weasley's reaction in the next chapter but I might put it off for later. I, dwntwndanbrwn, do solemly promise to have at least one of the Weasley's find out about their existance in chapter 6. There. Hope you liked that promise. And no, it won't be like Ron that already knows. maybe i'll try to do the whole family.

AllisonCarroll: Thanks! You're like my most constant reader/reviewer. Yay for you! Snaps for Allison (that's my best friend's name btw)

vt: thank's for letting me know! Now this was ur alert! ALERT ALERT ALERT! I ACTUALLY/FINALLY FINISHED THE CHAPTER! Hope you enjoyed that alert! LOL. Now let me go back to the corner so i stop embarrassing myself anymore!

Ms Ronupert Grint: Ha! I absolutely love ur name. Very original! Thank's for the review. UR the only one that said it was sweet. When I wrote the 5th chapter, I didn't know what was going on so I went back and reread the first 4 chs. I was fairly pleased and had that 'awww so sweet' feeling in my gut. Thank's for reciprocating what I was portraying.