'CHAPTER FIVE: MAKING PUMPKIN JUICE'

The next days spent at the Burrow were either too packed to think or too slow to want to get up and do anything.

Last minute wedding plans were still being made. Fleur had rushed in two days after Harry's birthday in hysterics, for what, Harry did not know. He and Ron had avoided the kitchen the rest of the day and the part-veela was much calmer when dinner came around. Ginny and Hermione were pulled into the middle by Mrs. Weasley, who even after accepting her soon-to-be-daughter-in-law, was very weary to spend much alone time with her.

But when all was quiet and all the adults were at work or at Headquarters, the four teenagers lounged around the house and sat peacefully in the living room for most of the day. Ginny had taken to curling herself up in Harry's old baby blanket, which Harry reluctantly decided he liked very much. She would occasionally join Ron in a well matched game of Chess or play Exploding Snap with Harry. But for the most part she would lay back and read one of her silly girl magazines or talk quietly to Hermione about equally girly things.

If she were not talking with Ginny, Hermione would characteristically pull out a book she'd read more than three times. Ron had made it his official duty to distract her whenever he possibly could. Harry enjoyed watching his two best friends interact together. They were so obviously attracted to one another that it seemed stupid that they were not off somewhere having a good snog.

Ron, for his part, mostly spent his time avoiding summer homework and playing Chess with whoever would challenge him. He quickly got bored of playing Harry, who most definitely did not test his skill, and tried to get Hermione to play with him. But she steadfastly refused to come out from behind the pages of her novel; another romance to Ron's chagrin.

The kids were not allowed outdoors for long periods of time, although Ginny and Ron both yearned to go for a swim in the pond. Bill had put up some rather complex charms around the Burrow, but Mrs. Weasley refused to let any of the four take more than three steps outside. And how she did it, no one knew, but when Ron had decided to ignore the rules and go for a fly, he hadn't been half way to the Quidditch Equipment shed before Mrs. Weasley was bellowing at him from the kitchen.

Needless to say, all four of them were growing restless. Even Hermione, who loved reading more than anything, was beginning to put down her book and stare aimlessly at the fireplace. No one could wait until Bill and Fleurs' wedding to liven things up a bit.

The day before the wedding came slower than Harry would have liked. As he awoke to Ron's heavy snoring he guessed that today would be a hectic one. He was greeted while going to take a shower, by Hermione who looked as if she'd been up for hours.

"Fleur's downstairs. I'd avoid the kitchen and living room. In fact, don't bother going downstairs." She blew a strand of disobedient hair out of her eyes and added, "Unless you want to help, that is."

Harry shrugged and said he wouldn't mind if the women needed help.

"Oh, it's not just women down there. Charlie's here. He's the best man, you know? And Fred and George...I think they're just making matters worse though. Anyway, I'll be in Ginny's room. She won't come out and I told Mrs. Weasley I'd get her to come around. I think she's angry and Fleur for making her wear the ugly bridesmaid dress."

The boy grinned. "It can't be that bad."

Hermione shrugged. "Well, Ginny thinks it is. The dress is really very lovely for Fleur's sister, Gabrielle. And she's about ten. I suppose that's what makes Ginny so angry."

"What? That she's wearing a ten year olds dress?"

Huffing at her best friend, Hermione pushed that annoying hair away again and said, "You wouldn't understand, Harry. It must be a girl thing."

Harry nodded with a serious expression. "Yes, must be."

She hit his arm rather hard and said, "Oh, be quiet, you!" With that, she marched into the youngest Weasley's room with a determined look on her face.

After he'd showered, Harry jumped down the stairs. After only ten minutes, he quickly regretted his decision not to stay in Ron's room. Mrs. Weasley had him making lists upon lists of unnecessary things, hanging balloons, addressing 'Thank You' letters that would be sent after the wedding, and even holding pins while she fixed Fleur's dress.

"There now," she said after half an hour. "That looks rather lovely, dear." Fleur's dress was too swooping for Harry's taste. Large pieces of material were pulled up around the part-veela's waist. Even so, he nodded when asked if he agreed and watched as the bride looked at her reflection in the mirror.

"It iz beautiful, no?" Charlie, who was just passing through the room, quickly exclaimed with practiced awe at how lovely the dress was and then was gone. Harry noticed he had not for one second looked at the costume Fleur was wearing.

"Harry, pass me another pin. I think I'll put this piece up too." He handed Mrs. Weasley another pin and proceeded to ignore everything going on around him.

For lunch, Mrs. Weasley ordered Ginny to make the sandwiches. The redheaded girl was still not pleased to be downstairs and she huffed and puffed all through slicing bread and spreading the mayonnaise.

"Careful there, Gin," Harry said, leaning against the counter and smirking at her. "You might just blow the house down."

Ginny huffed and glared at him. "I don't know what that is supposed to mean, Harry Potter, but if you're not going to help, get out of my way." She pushed past him to wash the lettuce in the sink.

"I'll help if you ask."

"Here then." She thrust the head of lettuce into his arms. "Chop this up."

He stared at her in disbelief as she turned away again. "You expect me to help when you're being so rude?"

She pivoted on one foot, turning to glare at him with a rather scary expression. Her foot tapped the floor and her hands flew to her hips. He'd never seen her look more like Molly Weasley than in that moment.

"Fine, give me a knife." Within seconds the lettuce was chopped, along with tomatoes, pickles, and olives were sitting in a bowl in the middle of the sandwich toppings.

"That wasn't so hard now, was it?" He teased.

"I swear, Harry. I'll hex you into next week if you're not careful."

He grinned at the challenge and she rolled her eyes. "Careful now, I can do magic now...and you can't, so ha."

"Wow, good one, Harry. I'm so scared that I'll get a letter from the Ministry...oooh!" She shook her hands around her face sarcastically and turned her back on him.

"Sandwiches are ready!" she called to all the inhabitants of the house.

"Ginny, dear, could you whip up some pumpkin juice, too?" called Mrs. Weasley.

Harry saw the redhead visibly tense at the question. "Sure, Mum, I'd be delighted!"

She turned to face him again and practically growled at the look on his face. "I've no idea how to make pumpkin juice, so don't ask me for help."

Ginny sighed, her shoulders slumping, and asked, "Could you please at least get the pitcher to put it in?"

He nodded and obediently started searching for the missing Tupperware. Harry tried to ignore the younger girl's loud mutterings from the other side of the kitchen.

"You're wrong," he said, placing the pitcher next to her. She looked up and glared at him. "They're just busy, Gin. And they don't think you're their maid, I swear. And I bet that dress isn't as bad as you think..."

"Not as bad as I think, huh?" She crossed her arms. "It's horribly unbecoming to my figure, Harry!"

He choked and was sent into a coughing fit. She patted his back rather unhelpfully. "Look, not to put this wrongly or anything, but I'm pretty positive nothing could be unbecoming to your...figure," he finished quietly.

She gave him a look that clearly stated, 'Do you want to bet?'

"That's nice, Potter, but you haven't seen it."

The conversation was over, apparently, as she again turned away and proceeded to make pumpkin juice. Harry still didn't know how to when she was done.

"I'm getting married tomorrow!" Harry heard Fleur squeal from the living room. The four teens had gathered in the kitchen to stay out of the way.

"Anyway," Hermione said, rolling her eyes at the door and turning back to the group, "I was wondering when you were going to check out your new vault at Gringott's, Harry."

He shrugged, pretending not to care, and said, "I'm not sure yet."

"Well," Hermione started, not minding Harry's short response. "Were you going to go see Godric's Hollow?"

He stared at her. "You told us, remember? At Dumbledore's funeral?"

"Yeah." He gulped. "Yeah, I remember."

"Well, are you going?"

Harry stared at his folded hands.

"Harry?"

"Hermione, leave him alone for a minute, would you?" Ginny's voice demanded across the table.

"But –"

"Maybe he doesn't want to talk about it, alright?" Harry could have kissed her...or not. Whatever.

"Of course he d –"

"No, actually I don't," Harry snapped, rubbing his temples and staring at the wall behind the youngest Weasley.

"Harry..."

"Please just drop it, Hermione. Maybe tomorrow?" He saw the disagreement on his best friends face but turned to Ron, ending the conversation like he did so well these days. "So, have you got something for the happy couple tomorrow?"

"What?" Ron looked confused.

"A wedding gift? You said you didn't have one."

"Harry, I was joking, remember? Just to hack off Hermione. You were there!"

The raven haired boy shrugged. "I thought maybe there was some serious hidden beneath the fakeness..."

"Nah, I got 'em something."

The girls looked expectant.

"Well," Hermione asked after several moments when Ron tapped his fingers on the table to a rhythm in his own mind. "What did you get them?"

"Ah, nothing special. I overheard Fleur telling Bill there were no good pictures of them once, so I got a photo taken of each of them and sent them to Dean. He drew them a portrait. And I got a frame to put it in." Ron shrugged like it was no big deal and went on with his tapping.

Hermione and Ginny, on the other hand, clearly thought this was a huge deal.

"Ron, when the hell did you get so sentimental?" Ginny asked in awe.

Her brother blushed and looked at Hermione who looked almost frozen with shock.

"What?"

"Nothing!" she said quickly, shaking her head. "It's just...that's really...really sweet, Ron." Now it was her turn to blush. Good Merlin, when would they ever stop dancing around each other? It was seriously starting to drive Harry insane.

"I figured they'd like it," said Ron.

"I'll say," Ginny agreed.

"Way to go, Ron," Harry added, hitting his mate on the shoulder in a friendly sort of way.

"Thanks mate." Ron was talking to Harry, but was glancing sideways at Hermione. She was still blushing violently. Why? Harry did not know.