Just Love
The minute Harry, turned around, he knew he shouldn't have. The only thing stopping him from running to Ginny, pulling her close to him, and smothering her with kisses was his desire for her to remain safe. The misty look in his eyes must have showed; it prompted questions.
"Harry, are you alright?" Ginny questioned him, honestly concerned.
"Yeah, why?"
"Your eyes looked funny."
Thankfully, Mr. Weasley thought this to be the perfect time to investigate the new arrivals in the kitchen.
"Harry, good to see you!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed as he gave Harry's hand a firm shake.
"You too, Mr. Weasley."
"Harry, please, call us Arthur and Molly, you've known us so long, and are practically like a seventh son to us. Actually, better yet, call us Mum and Dad."
"Oh, I couldn't do that," Harry replied, thoroughly shocked.
"Harry, please," it almost seemed to Harry that Mr. Weasley was pleading with him. "It would be a great honor to Molly and myself if you would call us by the titles we feel any son of ours would call us."
These words touched Harry deeply. The closest family he had ever known was the Weasley's, and now they really wanted to have him acknowledge them as such.
"Alright, Dad. You and Mrs. Wea…Mum, have been the closest people to parents that I've ever had. It will be an honor of mine to call you as such."
At some point during this exchange of words between 'Dad' and Harry, 'Mum' had entered the kitchen and had tears leaking out the corners of her eyes. Once Harry spotted her, she ran over to him as fast as she humanly could, and flung herself around him. The only words Harry could decipher were, "honored," "son," and "finally." By the time she was pulled away from Harry to allow him the gift of oxygen by the combined efforts of Ron and Ginny, Harry had a large tear soaked spot on his left shoulder, and numerous what appeared to be lipstick stains on his cheeks.
"Oh, I'm sorry Harry. I guess I got a little carried away," Mrs. Weasley apologized to him as she used a couple spells to dry his shoulder and remove the stains on his cheeks. Harry finally thought it safe to look up after he felt his blush receding, but caught Ginny's eye, who started to giggle at him, which caused him to duck his head to hide his blush once again.
"Fred! George! I thought you weren't coming home for a few more weeks," Harry's head snapped up at Ginny's squeal to see her twin older brother who had apparated into the kitchen.
"And miss Harry's birthday celebration? No way!" Fred replied.
"After all, Harry's our number one supporter. Isn't that right, Harry?" George winked at Harry. It was, after all, his Triwizard Tournament winnings that helped found Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Harry grinned sheepishly and nodded. "And since Harry is our number once supporter, we are going to provide you with a free canister of our newest product, Coma-Toast." Harry looked at the canister of the product that Fred had shoved into his hands.
"Guaranteed to put you to sleep within five minutes after ingesting," Fred explained as Harry read the label. Want to get out of work or classes? Just bake a tablespoon of this odorless, tasteless, and colorless powder into your bread, or sprinkle on your toast. Sleeping will generally last for four to six hours. Warning: Overdosing may cause sleeping for days on end, or a sever craving for grain products. Note: May also be used in other baked goods such as muffins.
"Thanks, guys! This will definitely come in handy this year," Harry genuinely thanked them.
"Harry! You can't seriously be considering using that! You'll sleep through all your classes!" interjected Hermione, who was absolutely horrified at the idea.
"The hell he isn't! That stuff's brilliant," Ron replied in an almost angry but slightly mystified tone as to wondering why anybody wouldn't use it.
"Well, fine! Blow your N.E.W.T.S.! See if I care!" Hermione screeched as she stormed off, opened the back door and slammed it on her way out.
During the few weeks that Harry had been at the Dursley's, he had thought about what he had said to Ron and Hermione about not returning to school for their last year of Hogwarts. He seriously had been considering just going off to Godric's Hollow where it all began. But the more he thought about it, the more he knew he would regret it. Professor McGonagall had said that Harry would get into Auror training if it were the last thing she'd do. He also thought how disappointed Dumbledore, Sirius, and his parents would be if he didn't finish school.
"Bloody hell, I better go fix that," Ron said, although he looked a little afraid as to what he might get an earful of.
"Goodness, look at the time! Harry, your party's in a little over two hours, why don't you go upstairs and rest. Ginny can show you up to your new room." Mrs. Weasley explained as she bustled off to start getting things ready for the party.
"I guess I'd best help your mum with the decorations. I'll see you two later," Mr. Weasley called to them as he left the kitchen following his wife.
"Are you coming, Harry?" Ginny questioned, as he stood there slightly perplexed as to why he would have a new room. Ginny seemed to be able to read his mind.
"Since Fred and George now live above their shop, I moved into their room. You're going to be in mine." Ginny explained. Harry was sort of disappointed that he wasn't going to be sharing a room with his best mate anymore, but was also jumping for joy in on the inside at the thought of being in Ginny's old room. Before he knew it, they were there.
"Here you go," Ginny suddenly said as they reached her old room. It still had "Ginevra's Room" stuck to the walnut door in peeling yellow and lavender letters. Ginny smiled and let out a small chuckle at the sight of his face, "Go in, my room isn't going to hurt you."
Harry slowly opened the door, almost as though he were scared that it was going to hurt him, but was rewarded with the best room in the whole house. It was light green with yellow and lavender trimming. The open window looked out onto the back garden, which explained the flowery scent; Ginny's scent. The room was sparsely furnished: a bed, desk with chair, and a wardrobe, which also had a mirror when investigated closer.
"Do you like it?" Ginny questioned, looking slightly nervous.
"I love it. It's absolutely perfect." Harry responded with a smile, the kind that went all the way to his eyes.
"I'm glad. Do you need help unpacking?"
"Yeah, that'd be brilliant."
The next hour and a half was spent with lighthearted conversation with Ginny while unpacking Harry's things. Unpacking really didn't take all that long; Harry only had a few shirts, trousers, and jumpers to actually unpack. The rest of the time was spent just talking.
"So what's up with Ron and Hermione? He said that he needed to go straighten things out after she left the kitchen with the whole Coma-Toast fiasco."
"Oh, didn't they tell you? He's on pretty thin ice with her. Lavender keeps writing to him and Hermione found the letters. They're dating now." Ginny had noticed that Harry still looked utterly bewildered, and found it necessary to explain their relationship. "It may not seem it while they're with others, but when they're alone…I'm warning you, don't walk into a room if just the two of them are in there. It's a total snog-fest!" Ginny ended with a look of utter horror and revulsion at the thought of her best friend and her brother snogging.
"I'll keep that in mind, thanks." Harry laughed as he thought that Ginny's facial expression went for him, too.
"Bloody hell! I've got to get ready for our party! We're supposed to be down there in half an hour."
"Our? We? What are you talking about?" Harry asked, thoroughly confused.
"Didn't they tell you? Honestly!" She cried in exasperation. "It's a double party for you and me. Since my birthday's August 11, and yours is today, and the wedding's going to be the 12, we thought it might be fun and easier to have them together." Ginny explained with a grin, but it suddenly faltered. "That's alright, isn't it?"
"Yeah, I think it's great." Harry replied with a sudden smile playing his face.
"Brilliant. I've got to go clean up and get dressed. You better get ready too. Oh, and Bill said that he needed to talk to you, I have no idea what about though." Ginny started for the door then stopped, turning back to him, grinning widely, "Happy birthday, Harry. I'll see you soon."
