Hey guys! I know a bunch of you who read "Just Friends" are patiently awaiting the sequel, and thank you for doing so. But I just had to write something while I was gathering my thoughts. And here it is. Enjoy.
Early Sunday evening, Ginny Weasley stood in the kitchen of Studio Weasley, her restaurant/nightclub in wizarding London. She pushed the bright red hair that was falling out of her loose ponytail off her face and continued to chop parsnips. She'd always enjoyed cooking, ever since she was a little girl watching her mother. She grew up helping her mom in the kitchen but she never got to cook a whole meal for anyone. Until one evening a few years ago when Molly Weasley was sick and she asked Ginny to cook dinner for everyone. It was a Sunday and all of the Weasleys, (excluding Percy) Harry, and Hermione were all there for their weekly family dinner. The meal went off with out a hitch and everyone was impressed by Ginny's culinary skills. Fred and George must have been especially impressed because that year they bought her this very restaurant for Christmas and in two months' time she made enough money to pay them back in full. One year later she had enough to expand Studio Weasley and it now had a second floor which served as a nightclub.
She checked her watch. Six O'clock. She needed to be out of there in a half hour in order to be at the Burrow by seven thirty. She begin working more quickly, cheerfully yelling out orders to her 20 member staff as they all worked in harmony to bring together the meals for the late-dinner crowd. Her stomach fluttered nervously at the thought of going to dinner tonight. She was bringing her new boyfriend, Brian MacDougal, to the Weasleys (and Harry) weekly Sunday dinner that Molly had insisted on after Harry, Ron, and Hermione had finally defeated Voldemort for good.
She wasn't nervous about him meeting her family….She thought, stirring a creamy sauce in a pan. She was worried about him meeting Harry. That's stupid. She scolded herself. What does it matter what Harry thinks? She chuckled bitterly to herself. Harry won't care either way. I'm sure he's far too busy with his flavor of the week.
Ginny reflected on the women Harry had started dating since he'd become head of the Aurors at the Ministry and easily the most famous wizard of all time. They were all thin, beautiful, and dumb as bricks. 'Don't worry about it, Gin,' Hermione had once told her soothingly. 'He'll wake up someday.' Ginny now scoffed inwardly at this memory. Easy for her to say. She and Ron got married ages ago. And besides, Ginny had grown tired of waiting. She had hoped that after the defeat of Voldemort that they would get back together, there was hardly anything to worry about now, was there? She held on to this thought, waiting and anticipating the moment Harry would make his move until one day, she woke up. Maybe he's moved on, you prat. She'd thought angrily. Maybe you're standing around, mooning after him like some lovesick puppy and he's moved on.
That's why, three months ago, when the cute (if conceited) Brian MacDougal asked her out, she didn't turn him down and they'd been dating ever since. Sure, he was a bit full of himself, considering he was only a clerk at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. But he was a good laugh and wasn't an important element of a good relationship laughter?
She looked back at her watch again. Six twenty. She shrugged, that was good enough for her. She handed the ladle to a nearby chef, William. "Finish for me, will you?" She asked. He nodded obediently and she turned, scanning the rowdy but efficient crowd for her top chef, Mary. "Oi! Mary!" She yelled.
The spunky brunette turned around to face her employer with a smile. "You headin' off to dinner, Boss?" She asked, her American accent thick.
"Yeah," She tossed her the keys. "Lock up here tonight, will you? I really ought to run," She added, checking her watch again. "Mum will kill me if I'm late again."
"No problem. Say hello to Harry for me, alright?" She teased, winking.
Ginny blushed despite herself. "They're meeting Brian tonight, you Yank." Mary pulled a face. "Oh, what, you don't like Brian either I suppose?" Ginny asked, hands on hips.
Mary smirked a little bit. "What do you mean 'either'? I thought you said your family didn't meet him yet?"
"You know what I meant." Replied Ginny, feeling flustered.
"Uh huh…." Mary agreed unconvincingly. "Well, I don't like Brian as much as uh…oh…I dunno, say…Harry? But I guess he's okay. Look, if you're happy- I'm happy, my little English muffin!" She said, grabbing her cheeks and pinching them.
Ginny playfully slapped her friend's hands away and turned to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow!" She called back, laughing.
She Apparated back to her one bedroom flat, quickly stripped out of her work clothes, and jumped into the shower, humming softly to herself. Once out of the shower she wrapped a soft, white towel around herself, moving to the vanity and magically drying her hair. She donned her Muggle attired, leaving her face free of makeup, just the way her mother liked it.
She stepped out of her flat and down the hall where she Apparated to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes where she had promised she would meet Brian and her two elder twin brothers.
She opened the shop door and stepped in, surprised at how crowded it was considering her brother's would be closing soon. She watched as Fred, George, and Brian helped their final costumers, and George followed them all to the door, waving merrily and shutting it tight behind them.
Brian noticed Ginny for the first time and he stepped around the counter to greet her. "Hello, love," He said, pecking her innocently on the lips, uncomfortably aware that his employers and her older brothers were watching. "You look different." He added.
"Different bad or different good?" She asked cautiously.
He shrugged noncommittally. "Just different."
George rolled his eyes behind Brian's back.
Fred stepped around him and grabbed Ginny's arms, kissing both her cheeks. "Dahling you look fab." He said.
George followed in his brother's footsteps. "Yes, dahling. Simply mahvelous!"
She giggled. "Come on, you three, we better go now, we have to be there in five minutes." The four Apparated, one after the other to the Burrow.
Ginny grabbed Brian's hand once they had arrived. "Nervous?" She asked.
"About what?"
"Meeting my family and Harry for the first time."
"Oh. No," He said. "And I still don't understand why Harry has to be here. I mean, he's not exactly family, is he?"
Ginny dropped his hand and opened her mouth to retort angrily when Fred interjected. "Actually, mate, he's exactly like family. Isn't he, George?"
George nodded vigorously. "Yes, exactly. Let's go see if dear brother Harry has arrived." He looked at Brian as though he was something rather foul smelling, Fred mirroring his expression and the twins stepped into the house.
Brian laughed aloud as though Ginny's brother hadn't just given him a look of utmost contempt. He grabbed hold of her hand once more and tugged her gently towards the door the twins had just disappeared through. He smiled at her, and she smiled back, leading him into the house.
Harry had indeed arrived already and he was pacing the Weasley's living room in front of Ron and Hermione. They watched him, from the couch, their hands clasped. Ron leaned forward. "Harry?" He asked. "Are you okay?"
Harry stopped, looked briefly at them, and continued pacing. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be fine?"
"Uh…because the moment Hermione mentioned that Ginny was bringing her new boyfriend home for us to meet, you haven't stopped pacing. And I think you're wearing down the rug." Ron chuckled at his own joke.
Harry shot a glare at them. Harry thought he saw a glimmer of amusement in Hermione's eyes. Harry immediately stopped pacing. "I just hadn't realized they were becoming that serious," He scrambled for an explanation for his behavior. "And I just needed a bit more of a warning. That's all." This time he knew he saw Hermione smiling. "What is so funny?"
"Well, if you want to know what I think…." Hermione began, with the air of someone that was ready to offer her opinion on this particular subject whether her audience wished it or not. Ron rolled his eyes, amused, and put his arm around his wife's shoulder. "You date a different witch every week while Ginny has scarcely dated anyone in the past four years," She took a breath. "And now when she's starting to get into a serious relationship you're pacing the living room like some caged animal. You are now finally realizing that it is-"
"Dinner!" Called Mrs. Weasley. She came into the room and whispered to Hermione, who'd met Brian once briefly "You didn't tell me he was so handsome!" And she disappeared out of sight once more.
Harry's face grew dark and Ron laughed aloud, clapped his friend on the shoulder, and led them all into the kitchen after his mother. Harry, feeling annoyed that he hadn't gotten to explain himself, followed his best friends. But what exactly was he trying to explain? He hadn't even allowed himself to consider the thought that Ginny was becoming serious with someone. He had no idea how he felt about it. And what was it that Hermione was talking about? 'Realizing' what, exactly? He promised himself he would interrogate her later on the subject, but right now he had to greet this Brian character.
He stopped short in the doorway at the sight of Mr. Weasley and Brian shaking hands, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny beaming at each other. He felt a stab of jealousy. What if the Weasleys liked him better? He thought rather childishly that this might soon be the case. He felt ashamed and thankful that none of the Weasleys could perform Legimency.
Ron stepped forward to introduce himself to Brian, Harry followed suit. Ron held out his hand. "Ron Weasley." He said, shaking Brian's outstretched hand. Harry noted unhappily that Ron wasn't interrogating him rudely, asking what his prospects were and making sure he was good enough for Ginny. It was probably because of what happened next.
"Wait…Ron Weasley? You're Captain of the Chudley Cannons, aren't you?" He asked.
"Well, yes, I am," Ron replied, unable to contain his grin. "Are you a Cannons man?"
"Are you kidding? Of course! I was just telling Gin the other day how I think you guys have got a really good chance for the Cup this year. I can't believe she never mentioned it to me.
Harry cleared his throat slightly. "Oh, right. This is my best mate, Harry Potter." Ron said.
"Brian MacDougal," He replied. He held out his hand to Harry. Harry gripped it. "Gin never told me you were Harry Potter." He said, his eyes traveling up to Harry's lightening bolt shaped scar. He shook his head and called over to her "Gin, you never told me what great connections you have. First you brother is captain of the greatest Qudditch team in the world," Ron's ears turned bright pink at this, his smile broader than ever. "And now you're close personal friends with the Harry Potter!" He said, smiling at the pair of them.
"Well, come on, you lot. Time for dinner then," Mrs.Weasley said, herding everyone towards the scrubbed wooden table. "Brian, I do hope you like chicken, dear…."
"I like this kid," Ron whispered in an undertone to Harry as they sat down.
"Gee, I wonder why." Harry hissed back. He sat down across from MacDougal who had just pulled out Ginny's chair for her before sitting down himself. Harry glared at him. He took in his sandy colored hair that he had gelled and mussed so it was perfectly messy. Harry reached up and touched his own untidy hair, smirking inwardly. MacDougal had tried so hard to gain a hairstyle that came so easily to Harry.
MacDougal's straight, white, perfect teeth gleamed as he smiled, surveying the table laden with food. "This all looks great, Mrs. Weasley." He said, flashing her his brilliant smile.
Harry quickly piped up "Yes, Mrs. Weasley, it looks fantastic. And I know it will taste even better." He said, perhaps a little too enthusiastically. No one seemed to notice his odd behavior, though Hermione and Ginny peered at him curiously, Ginny's gaze staying on his face longer than need be. He looked away from her, flushing and feeling childish.
What was wrong with him? Why did he feel he needed to one up MacDougal? He took a sip of the wine that Mr. Weasley had offered him before passing the peas to Hermione, lost in thought.
I know the Weasleys love me. I needn't be worried about that. He took a thoughtful bite of chicken. Well, most of the Weasleys do anyway... He looked over at Ginny, unable to stop himself. He wasn't really sure how Ginny felt about him anymore. And what was worse, he didn't know how exactly he felt about that. Did he want Ginny to still have feelings for him? YES! His head screamed. He looked up, confused. He caught Ginny's eye once more. His stomach twisted, but it was not an unpleasant feeling. Oh yes. He thought. He definitely wanted her to have feelings for him. He looked back at his plate and finished his dinner in silence.