CHAPTER 6:Back To Diagon Alley
Diagon Alley was, to Ginny's surprise, brimming with festivity. People of all ages were walking, shopping, and doing the things that they were afraid to do during the war. Not that this mattered to her, of course, since she had expected it to be quite empty and not crowded as it was now.
"It's been a long time since we've been here, hasn't it?" Hermione, who was walking next to her, asked in tone that was slightly louder than usual.
Ginny looked at her and smiled in agreement. "It has been," she said, raising her voice so that Hermione could also hear her over the conversations of their surroundings. "I actually expected most of these stores to be closed or abandoned."
Hermione nodded. "I know."
"Will you two girls hurry up already?" Ron yelled as he and Harry walked a few feet ahead of them. "That old bloke with the cane next to you is walking faster than the both of you combined."
Ginny gave him a confused look as Ron kept pointing at something. She followed the direction of his finger, looking over on Hermione's side, and sure enough, there was an oblivious old man with a cane, walking at a quicker pace than the two of them.
Ginny rolled her eyes at him and gave Hermione an annoyed but gleeful look. "So, how are things with you and Ron?" Ginny asked, still walking at the same pace as they were before Ron interrupted them. "Everything alright?"
Hermione nodded and then shook her head thoughtfully. "Well no, actually," she answered. "Ron's been pretty…well, he's been acting strangely ever since this morning."
"Please Hermione," Ginny begged sarcastically. "Ron's always strange."
Hermione smiled at her. "True, but he's awfully worse now."
"You mean after mum walked into your room?" Ginny inquired.
"Exactly that time." Hermione said.
Ginny looked at her sympathetically. "My mum overreacted, didn't she?" she asked.
Hermione cocked her head to the side and crossed her arms across her chest. "Actually, I expected s'more," she replied honestly. "But the funny thing is, Ron and I didn't do anything at all."
"Really," Ginny said in a tone that told her friend that she didn't believe in what she said.
Hermione continued as if she didn't hear Ginny's remark. "I mean, it is true that we were sleeping with each other on his bed…but with our clothes on, mind you. We didn't do anything actually. As corny as it may sound, we just fell asleep in each other's arms as we've always done."
"Purely innocent intentions," Ginny added understandably.
Hermione nodded. "Purely," she assured. She looked down at her moving feet and looked back up at Ginny with pink cheeks. "I'm so embarrassed."
"I'd be too," Ginny consoled, trying to be empathetic. "Imagine if mum saw me sleeping on the same bed as Harry's."
Hermione nudged her on the arm and pointed at Harry. "So how are things between Harry and you?" she asked slyly.
Ginny smiled widely as she nudged her back on the arm. "Pretty good actually," she replied cheerily.
Hermione grinned at her friend. "That's nice to hear."
Ginny smiled as she tucked a loose strand behind her ear. "I love him," Ginny said all too seriously, making Hermione place a tentative hand on her back. "I really do."
"Does he know that?" Hermione asked as she began to twirl the zipper of her sweater in her hands.
Ginny stopped walking abruptly and wrinkled her forehead. "I hope he does," Ginny answered.
Hermione turned around to face her. "Why?" she asked, a confused look on her face. "You haven't told him?"
Ginny stared down at her feet thoughtfully and back up at her. "I don't think he needs to hear me say them to know how I truly feel," she said.
Hermione nodded in agreement. "But he's told you, right?" she asked.
Ginny opened her mouth to reply but closed it immediately as she noticed the knowing glint in her friend's eyes. "How'd you know?" she asked.
Hermione shrugged. "I just do."
Ginny shared a significant look with her friend and sighed. "Of course you wo-" She stopped immediately as she noticed the worried and unfocused look on Hermione's face.
"Where've Ron and Harry got to?" Hermione asked, searched for Ron's red hair amongst the large bustle of people.
Ginny looked at her. "I don't know," she replied. "Weren't they walking in fro-"
"Oh there's everyone!" Hermione exclaimed. She pointed over to two young men, one redheaded and one raven-haired, waiting impatiently for them by the entrance of the Quidditch shop.
Ginny waved her hand at Ron and Harry, signaling them to continue walking without waiting for them.
Ron shook his head and cupped his hands over his mouth. "Mum and dad think that you've dawdled too much already and that you two are better walking with us!" Ron shouted.
Harry nodded. "Your mum and dad seem to rather be in a hurry!" he said.
Ginny looked at Hermione and sighed. "Men," she spat, but in a low amused tone. "They don't seem to realize how much they embarrass themselves in public."
Hermione laughed and shook her head. "I think you mean boys," she corrected.
Ginny nodded. "Men who act and think like boys."
They both laughed with their hands over their mouths as they ran up to catch up with the so-called men.
"So where's your dad going?" Harry asked as he watched the redheaded man's figure disappear amongst the horde of people.
"I'm not sure, mate," Ron replied with a questioning look on his face. "He mentioned something about Ministry business and how he's late."
"Your father has another of those last minute meetings he's been talking 'bout," Mrs. Weasley interrupted as she passed out small brown bags to the group.
"Now," she said, turning to face the four young teens, "these bags are filled with quite a handful of galleons and sickles, so spend them wisely."
"I didn't know we had this much money, mum," Ginny whispered as she peered into her sack. "Where'd it come from?"
"Thanks to your father we do now," her mum said in a tone that told her not to ask anymore questions.
"Mrs. Weasley, I can't take this," Harry said as he offered back his bag to her.
"Neither can I," Hermione added, as she too, held out her brown bag.
"I have my own mo-"
Mrs. Weasley looked at them with smiling eyes. "No, you two," she said sternly, but with her eyes still shining. "We all know how much you've both deserved this. It's the least my family and I can all do to show our appreciation."
"But Mrs. Weasley-" Hermione began, her cheeks getting redder by the seconds.
"No buts, dear," Mrs. Weasley interrupted with a smile.
Harry sighed defeatedly. "Thank you very much," he said.
Hermione grinned in appreciation. Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."
"And it's Molly," Mrs. Weasley reminded as she tiptoed to give them both big hugs.
"Mum!" Ginny yelled in annoyance from behind her, giving Ron a death glare that told him to sod off.
Mrs. Weasley turned around from the two teens to face her daughter with a cross look on her face. "What is it, Ginny?" she asked in an exasperated tone.
Ginny turned red. "Oh, I didn't mean to…yell…at you…Mum," Ginny said slowly, apparently trying to choose her words carefully. "Ronald here," she pointed at her brother, "wanted to know if we'll ever move from this place anytime soon."
Mrs. Weasley looked confused for a millisecond until she grasped the idea of what her daughter was trying to say. "Oh, right," she said, noticing that they were standing in the middle of the crowded street.
"Yes, Ron," Ginny said to her brother in a fed up tone as he whispered something in her ear. She loved her brother, she really did, but sometimes…oh sometimes he could be quite a handful. She turned to face her mum as Ron stopped whispering. "Mum, Ronald's wondering when dad'll get back."
Mrs. Weasley looked at Ron inquiringly, noticing how he didn't make eye contact with her. "I s'pose around the afternoon," she replied to her daughter.
"Around noon, Ron," Ginny whispered loudly. "And a note to the wise," she said to him sternly, "don't use me as your messenger."
Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat, ignoring the two and looked at the rest of the group expectantly. "So, where shall we stop at first?" she asked, clapping her hands.
Quality Quidditch Supplies, The Leaky Cauldron and Flourish and Blotts came the reply, causing Mrs. Weasley to wrinkle her forehead and sigh.
"I see," she said thoughtfully, "maybe we must split up to save time, eh?"
"Can we?" Ron asked in a pleading tone.
Mrs. Weasley looked at her son, not surprised by his sudden change in behavior ever since this morning. "If that's how you feel, then I guess we should," she stated. "We'll meet back here by noon?"
Ron nodded. "Come on, Hermione," Ron said, dragging her away with him from the group.
Ginny and Harry looked at each other with puzzled looks.
"So I s'pose you two wouldn't want to tag along, would you?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Sorry mum," Ginny replied apologetically, Harry and I-"
""Well, don't worry, it's fine," Mrs. Weasley interjected. "If you need me, dears, I'll be at Madam Malkins buying dress robes."
Ginny smiled at her mum as she walked away from them, leaving the two in the middle of the street.
Ginny turned to face him and smiled widely. "So…" she started.
"So.." Harry said, shoving his hands in his pockets.
Ginny looked at him expectantly. "Where do you want to go?" she asked cheerily.
He shrugged as he eyed a couple of whispering wizards passing by. "Wherever you want to go, I s'pose," he said in a disgruntled tone without looking at her.
Ginny bit her lip and looked at him. "Is anything the matter, Harry?" she asked, placing a gentle hand on his arm. "What's eating your socks?"
"Nothing is," he replied, kicking a small stone with his foot.
Ginny looked at the stone and back up at his apparently vexed face. "You can tell me, Harry."
"For Merlin's sake, I don't want to talk about it!" he spat, shrugging her arm off his shoulder.
"I was just asking." Ginny held up her hands in surrender. "If it's that personal, then don't tell me," she said calmly.
He pushed his glasses higher on his nose and sighed. "Now's not the time."
Ginny didn't say anything but nodded even if she didn't know what he meant.
"So where do you want to go?" he asked, a half-smile on his face.
Ginny crossed her arms over her chest thoughtfully as they resumed walking. "To the joke shop," she said and quickly added, "I was hoping to buy another pygmy puff."
"Sure," Harry said, but with a confused look. "Don't you already have one? Arnold right?"
Ginny nodded as stopped outside Fred and George's shop. " I want to get another one to keep him company."
Harry smiled slightly as he held out the door for her to enter. "You mean like a female pygmy puff?" he asked.
Ginny shrugged. "Something like that," she replied.
Ginny grinned widely as she was immediately engulfed with the familiar smell of wood and her brothers' cologne upon entering the shop.
"I see," Harry said in a low tone from behind her.
Ginny turned her head slightly and looked at him with a slightly raised brow. "You see what?" she asked. She led him to the aisle containing the purple and pink balls that she wanted.
"Trying to play match maker, are you?" he accused in a joking tone.
"For a pygmy puff?" Ginny asked, wrinkling her head in confusion.
Harry crossed his arms and nodded. "You admit it then?"
Ginny finally understood what he was getting at. "No, I never said that!" she said.
"Right," Harry said, not really believing her.
She rolled her eyes meaningfully at him and turned away from him as she stooped down to pick up a pink pygmy puff. "She looks a bit cute, doesn't she?" she asked, holding the pink ball for Harry to see.
"She looks a bit like a furball," Harry admitted, trying hard to stifle from laughing out loud.
"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed, glaring at him.
"Ginny!" he exclaimed in the same tone as hers, but with a joking edge to it.
"Okay, stop!" Ginny said, pointing her finger at him, telling him to stop, but with a smile on her face.
Harry held his hands up in mock surrender as Ginny smiled triumphantly at him. "She does look a bit cute now," he said, cocking his head to his side as if he were a connoisseur of pygmy puffs.
Ginny smiled cheekily. "I guess I'll get her then," she said, striding over to the counter by the front of the shop where a tall young man serving as the cashier stood.
"Hey, Lee," Ginny said amiably to the cashier as she delicately placed the pink pygmy puff on the counter. "Where's the twins?"
Lee pointed to the door leading to the back. "Quite busy. They're keeping up inventory on the new stuff."
"Oh," Ginny said, her face crestfallen as she paid. She wanted to see her brothers again even if she only saw them the day before. "Well, tell them I came." She scooped up the pink ball and placed it in her jacket pocket.
"So where to now, Harry?" Ginny asked as she stepped out of the joke shop.
Harry looked around and raised his chin towards a shop. "I want to make a quick stop there," he said.
"Alright."
Upon entering, Harry touched the smooth, shiny broomstick on display and smiled, remembering his Firebolt, hidden somewhere in the Weasleys' shed.
"I used it," Ginny admitted out of the blue.
Harry jerked his head away from the broom towards her. "Used what?" he asked, confused.
The Firebolt," Ginny said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Harry looked at her with interest in his eyes. "Really when?" he asked.
Ginny smiled proudly. "I was Quidditch Captain for the House when you lot left," she said. "I needed a good broom, so I used yours rather than Ron's Clean Sweep."
"Brilliant, wasn't it?" Harry asked, a faint smile on his face.
Ginny grinned. "Still is," she replied, rolling up her sleeves absentmindedly. "Is it me or is it getting really warm in here?"
"I think it's just you," he replied, eyes gleaming. "It is a bit crowded in here actually. Want to go outside?"
Ginny shrugged. "If you're finished," she said.
"I am."
Ginny shielded her eyes from the afternoon sunlight that hit her face as she stepped out of the shop. "I guess it's not so hot out here," she said jokingly. "So where shall we be off to?"
"Want to go to Florean's?" Harry inquired.
Ginny thought for a second and nodded. "It's been ages since I had his ice cream," she said smiling.
They entered the newly expanded parlor shop, immediately engulfed with cool, relaxing air. Colorful posters of a variety of ice cream flavors and pictures of famous visiting wizards lined the walls and the wooden square tables were set in a fashion that made the room seem spacious despite the room's small size.
"So what flavor would you like, Ginny?" Harry asked, pointing to the long list of ice cream flavors by the door.
"Chocolate and raspberry with nuts," she replied instantly without much thought. "It's my all-time favorite."
"You're joking! That's mine too," Harry said, not hiding the surprise in his voice. "It's the first flavor I ever tasted here at Diagon Alley and my favorite."
Ginny smiled slyly. "I didn't know blokes had favorites."
"Now that's where you're wrong, Ginny," Harry said, his eyes crinkling mischievously, despite the seriousness in his voice. "Us blokes have many favorite things."
"Right," Ginny said, following Harry to the glass cased counter, displaying the variety of ice cream flavors.
"Welcome to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor," the young girl with golden locks behind the counter said in a cheery voice. "What would you like?"
Harry smiled cordially at the young girl that somehow reminded him of Luna. "Two.." he began, but was interrupted rudely by a feminine voice and a sharp poking on his back.
Harry immediately turned around and his eyes nearly fell out as he realized who she was.
A tall woman, wearing a white blouse and plaid skirt, with shiny, shoulder-length black hair, with an all too familiar pretty face stood before him.
"Um..excuse me I was in line before you.." she paused, noticing the unreadable look on his face. She half-smiled as a dawn of realization spreaded across her face as she took in the remnants of the famous scar on his forehead.
"Harry?" she asked boldly, ignoring the redheaded girl that stood next to him. "Harry Potter? Is that you?"