The wedding had gone splendidly. It had been a beautiful garden celebration, with a white, flower-covered archway at one end of the aisle and a raised platform at the other for Bill and Fleur to stand on. The pair had proclaimed their love for each other in a way one might expect to see in a Hollywood film: doves had been flying over the garden gracefully, and geese waddled their way around, while a marquee had been constructed in another area of the garden where tables and chairs had been conjured and House Elves could be seen serving the food and drink.
"I can't believe they're using House Elves!" Hermione complained to Ginny as the pair stood next to the buffet table, Hermione refusing to take anything from a passing House Elf offering elderflower wine.
Ginny sighed. She had been listening to Hermione complain about something or other for the past ten minutes and was beginning to wish she had taken Great Auntie Muriel up on her offer of a chat, which promised to be embarrassing – if not completely and utterly boring. She wished Hermione would provide her with something to take her mind off the one thing she wasn't supposed to be thinking of: Harry. Though he was standing across the other side of the marquee, she had a perfect view of him, standing there in the black dress robes Bill had chosen for his groomsmen, his dark hair tidied with a spell Hermione had come up with and his green eyes sparkling behind his glasses with a cheer she had not seen since Dumbledore's death. He looked completely stunning, and served to remind Ginny of exactly what she was missing out on.
She, on the other hand, looked like some kind of meringue, if not a hideous monster – her dress was that bad. It was peach-coloured (a colour that Fleur had finally decided would neither clash with Ginny's hair or cause her sister Gabrielle to look flushed out because of her pale skin) with disgusting silk roses at strategic points around the dress and a scratchy netting underneath. At least she didn't look completely awful, though: a special witch had been hired to do her hair, which had been curled, leaving it to bounce gracefully onto her shoulders, and Mum had for once approved of her wearing make up. Maybe that would make up for the hideous dress.
"Ginny? Ginny! Are you listening to me?"
Coming back to reality, Ginny glanced up at Hermione, who was looking at her impatiently.
"What, Hermione?" she sighed tiredly.
Finally realising why Ginny had been 'away with the fairies', as Great Aunt Tessie had put it when she had tried to talk to Ginny earlier, Hermione gasped.
"Oh, Ginny! I'm so sorry!" she cried, her hands over her mouth in realization. "I'm really sorry; I've been going on all day and all the time …"
She didn't have to finish her sentence. They both knew that this was a hard time for Ginny. It was just a month ago that Harry had decided they should call it a day, and Harry had spent most of that time at the Burrow, making it very hard for Ginny. How could it be that just a few short weeks ago she was kissing Harry, spending all of her spare time with him and the pair had been completely happy, yet now everything was so horribly different?
Harry was clearly avoiding her: if she happened to come to breakfast while he was there, he would make his excuses and leave; he spent most of his time either in Ron's room or in the paddock, flying on his broomstick, deciding that he had had enough when anyone suggested joining him. Then, to make matters worse, he, Ron and Hermione had taken to being very secretive, making a point of stopping their already hushed conversation whenever she or anyone else entered the room. It had been very hard for Ginny to endure this sudden change in behaviour, though she knew that it was as hard for Harry as it was for her. Yet knowing that it was hard for him too did not make it any easier on Ginny, and she had consequently had the most boring summer yet so far, ensuring that she was wherever Harry wasn't, which usually meant being alone. She should have realised before they started seeing each other how hard life would be if they broke up. She hated to think what things would have been like had they broken up on bad terms…
"I'm sorry that we've been so secretive lately," Hermione said, showing that one did not need to be a Legilimens to read minds. She linked arms with Ginny and took her out to sit on one of the chairs left over from the ceremony. She looked earnestly at Ginny before she continued. "I swear to you that if I could tell you, I would. But this is something big and the only person that knows -" She paused and gulped as she corrected herself. "- knew about this other than the three of us is – was – Dumbledore."
Ginny nodded to show she understood. She had guessed that it must have something to do with why Harry was constantly being called into Dumbledore's office last term and that Dumbledore must have told him to tell no one other than Ron and Hermione. She accepted that; what was harder to accept was not being allowed to be in their company as much anymore. Ron was lucky to have made two really good friends, such good friends that they seemed to spend most of their time together, and he had been kind enough to share them with Ginny, since they were so close in age. However, this behaviour was a cold reminder that Harry and Hermione were in fact Ron's friends first and Ginny's second.
"If it's any consolation," Hermione continued quietly, "I know that Harry still likes you."
Ginny's heart began to somersault inside her. But she wouldn't allow herself to get her hopes up. So what if Harry still liked her? It wouldn't change anything. Yet part of her was still curious. Had he said anything to her? Was he maybe regretting his decision to break up with her?
Permitting herself to look up at Hermione, her heart hammering inside her, she asked, "Why do you think that?" After all, it wasn't like Harry to talk about his feelings. Actually, it wasn't like any boy to talk about his feelings.
Hermione shrugged. "It's obvious. I know you think he's been avoiding you, but that's only for his sanity," she explained knowledgeably. "If he spent as much time with you as he used to, he'd go insane. Seriously. It's too hard for him to be around you when he likes you so much."
Ginny sighed and looked over to where the object of her affection was standing, chatting animatedly to some ancient relative of Mum's. She loved that about him; he had so little experience of family that he was willing to put up with all the Weasley oddballs and even the French Delacours, most of whom barely spoke a word of English. She had caught him trying to talk to one of Fleur's cousins earlier, attempting to get his meaning across with actions until Hermione had kindly informed him of a translating spell he could use.
"He looks great today," she murmured, half-smiling.
Hermione grinned at the way her two friends had become so infatuated with each other. "Give him time. He'll come to his senses," she advised sensibly.
Tearing her eyes away from Harry, Ginny raised her eyebrows at her brother's girlfriend. "And how exactly do you know that?"
Hermione shrugged and a mischievous smile that was most unlike Hermione found its way onto her face. "Well, to quote Harry, 'She's a clever girl, that Hermione'." She gave Ginny a knowing look. "I was right last time, wasn't I?"
Ginny had to admit that she was right about that at least. "Fine. Maybe you're right. But what do I do until then? I'm not saying I'm so pathetic that I've forgotten how to live without Harry, but it's going to be hard."
"Don't think about him," Hermione said simply. She smiled then and announced that she was off to speak to Ron, who had apparently just had wine spilled down him by a relative with the shakes.
Ginny, however, did not believe that it would be as simple as Hermione made it out to be and began to torture herself with ways of getting over Harry. After five minutes of this, she found she was almost glad when Auntie Mildred wandered over to her.
"Ginevra, darling!" Great Auntie Mildred called pompously, waddling over to sit next to the first female born to a Weasley for as long as anyone could remember.
"Great Auntie Mildred!" Ginny said with forced enthusiasm, allowing herself to be kissed on either cheek.
Great Auntie Mildred shook her head, wagging a fat, wrinkled finger at Ginny. "Less of the 'Great', please, Ginevra! I'm not a hundred just yet – I have another few years to go!"
"Sorry, Auntie Mildred," Ginny replied, though her attention had been caught by a cousin of Fleur's. The cousin, who happened to be wearing a much nicer dress than Ginny and who also happened to be half-Veela, was talking to Harry.
Immediately, Ginny switched off from batty Auntie Mildred and focused all her attention on Harry. Surely he wouldn't have any interest in some French girl, even if she was half-Veela … would he? She stared at the two of them, watching as Harry started talking back to the girl, nodding and smiling cheerfully, a glass of firewhiskey in his hand. Then, before Ginny could look away, Harry turned and looked towards Ginny. Seeing that she was staring at him, he blushed furiously, and out of the corner of her eye, Ginny watched as he appeared to make his excuses and wander away from the girl.
"Stop torturing yourself about the Potter boy!" Auntie Mildred said finally.
Startled, Ginny turned back to Auntie Mildred, who now had her full attention. "Excuse me?"
"I may be old, Ginevra," Auntie Mildred said almost sternly, "but that does not mean that I do not notice when my only grand-niece is too busy staring at a boy to listen to me!"
Caught off guard, Ginny blushed. "I'm sorry, Auntie Mildred," she muttered.
However, Auntie Mildred simply smiled. "Don't worry dear; I've been waiting for this day."
"Pardon?" Waiting for this day? What was that supposed to mean in relation to Ginny?
"When the only Weasley girl in the family for generations became infatuated with a boy, of course! Now I've heard from your mother all about these other boys you've been seeing recently, but I know a keeper when I see one."
Auntie Mildred winked at Ginny.
"I – I don't know what you mean," Ginny replied, shocked. Since when had Auntie Mildred ever been sane enough to talk about boys? And why on earth had Mum been talking to her about Ginny's love life?
"I've always said – and you can ask your Uncle William if you don't believe me – that it would take a very special boy to be anywhere near good enough for my Ginevra. You're not the only female Weasley for nothing, m'girl," she explained. "But I must say Mr Potter certainly seems like he's worth your attention. Your mother certainly seems to think something of him, anyway. She would have adopted him years ago if Dumbledore had let her."
"Auntie Mildred, what's your point?" Ginny asked, realising too late that this had come out quite rude.
Auntie Mildred, however, simply laughed. "Oh, you've certainly got your Uncle William's lack of patience!" she chuckled. "Just talk to the boy, Ginevra. He's only interested in you, after all."
Ginny blushed but did not move until Auntie Mildred pulled out her wand threateningly. Sighing, Ginny walked towards Harry, who was standing on his own near the buffet table. But as she got closer, she stopped. What on earth was she supposed to say to him? Were they even capable of having a normal conversation anymore? Turning around, she saw that Auntie Mildred was still threatening some kind of curse. That left her with no choice. She had to talk to Harry.
Taking a glass of elf-made wine from a nearby House Elf when she knew her mother wasn't looking, Ginny reflected on how she had so much courage when it came to Voldemort or his Death Eaters, yet when it came to something as simple as a boy, she ran away scared. She sighed heavily; this was going to be much harder than she had ever anticipated.
As she approached him, Ginny stared at him. What was it that she liked so much about him? What was it about Harry James Potter that left her, as Auntie Mildred had put it, 'infatuated'? Auntie Mildred was right, Harry was definitely different from the other boys she had been with. But why? Why were her feelings for him so much more intense? Why was it that she was standing just a few steps from him, yet she was quailing with fear?
"Hey," she managed finally.
To her surprise, Harry's face immediately lit up at the sight of her, his smile lighting up the whole marquee.
"Hi," he replied. "How's it going?"
"Well, it's been quite an interesting day, I suppose," she replied, amazed at how Harry could make her so scared yet so at ease.
Harry nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it has been, hasn't it?" he grinned. "Well, you certainly have some fascinating relatives."
Unable to help herself, Ginny grinned back. "You think they're fascinating? You should have met Great Granny. She died a couple of years ago, but she was really fascinating. I mean, she spent her days transfiguring beetles into buttons! How much more fascinating can you get?"
Harry laughed heartily at this, an infectious laugh that Ginny caught until the pair of them were in hysterics, laughing at the strangest things. It was nice to be able to talk to Harry normally again. She loved that he was so normal. Hermione was great, but she didn't know how to loosen up. Ron, meanwhile, well, he was her brother, what more could she say? But Harry was different. He was brave, he was funny, he was kind and caring, he was humble despite the hype that was made of him; he was just Harry. Maybe that was why she liked him so much – because he was just Harry.
"Well if you think they're so funny, you're seriously entitled to them, because I've definitely grown sick of them," Ginny decided.
Harry looked thoughtful before he said, "Hmm, so sick you blew one of them up?"
Ginny grinned. "Okay, you win. Your relatives are definitely worse."
"Well, despite the relatives, it's been a good day," Harry said.
"I'm glad to hear it," Ginny smiled. "I suppose today's just so normal you can kind of forget everything else, can't you?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, it's been good." His eyes then filled with concern as he tentatively asked, "So, how have you been?"
Ginny felt unsure of how she could possibly answer this question. What was she supposed to say? "Well, I was the happiest I've ever been and now I've been reduced to moping around the house and pretending that I'm not hurting – and it's all your fault!" She would never say that to Harry. She knew that he had been just as happy as her, a happiness that he so rarely experienced, yet he had given it all up for her. So if she told him how much she was hurting, how much pain his decision had put her through, surely that would make him feel even worse? Harry was not new to the concept of beating himself up, and she wasn't about to become the cause of it. Yet she couldn't exactly tell him that she was fine, could she? He would see through that lie straight away and guess what it covered, or else maybe he would think her utterly heartless and that their relationship had meant nothing to her. That could never be the case.
Finally, she settled on an answer that was neither a lie nor a guilt trip. And hopefully, it would help Harry. Besides, boys didn't do feelings, did they?
"I understand why you did what you did," she told him quietly, watching her drink as though she expected something to jump out of it any minute.
"I'm glad," he said just as quietly. "I don't want you to think that I don't care about you. And I'm sorry if you feel like we've been leaving you out."
Ginny shrugged, finally allowing herself to take her eyes off her drink. "It's fine, Harry. Hermione said enough, most of which I could have guessed. Don't worry – she didn't tell me anything important," she added hastily, when Harry looked slightly concerned.
The pair stood in silence for a while, each looking anywhere but at the other. Ginny found herself absent-mindedly looking at Ron and Hermione, who seemed to be sharing a moment near the food table. For once, she noted, they were not at each other's throats. On the contrary, Hermione was smiling bashfully at whatever it was Ron was saying to her, and their hands were clutched together companionably.
"Ron and Hermione seem to be getting on well at last," she noted, wondering as she said it how Harry felt about his two best friends becoming an item.
Harry turned to look at Ron and Hermione. A smile formed on his face as he watched his friends, and at once Ginny knew the answer to her unasked question: Harry was the sort of person that cared about his friends and was clearly thrilled to see them so happy at last.
"Yeah, I'm glad they finally got it together," he admitted. "I must say it's nice not to have to put up with as many arguments. I've never really seen either of them as happy."
At that moment, the couple decided to engage in a kiss, causing both Harry and Ginny to look away embarrassedly, only to catch each other's eye. Ginny tried hard not to remember their own first kiss; it had been so surreal, the way Harry had come through the portrait hole during their post-Quidditch celebrations, and how he had swung his arms around her, hugging her as only he did, before he leaned in and kissed her, gentle but full of passion – and in front of every other Gryffindor, including her brother and her ex-boyfriend. That took courage, she decided. To follow an impulse like that in front of so many people, you had to be pretty brave. But that was Harry all over. After everything that he had been through, after everything he had seen, he still showed bravery that no one else could.
"You look beautiful today," he told her, and Ginny saw the longing in his eyes.
"Thanks," she replied, blushing. "I was just telling Hermione how great you look today, too."
It was Harry's turn to blush, but his gaze did not falter. But seeing the hunger in his eyes, the desire for love, Ginny knew that it would be best for both of them if she left.
"Well, I'll talk to you later," she said.
"Yeah, see you later," he replied smiling at her.
Then, just as Ginny had started walking towards the house, he stopped her and said, "Just so you know, it was nice to talk to you again. I've missed you."
Unsure of what she should say to this, Ginny simply smiled and said softly, "I've missed you too," before walking off, away from Harry, who she so craved to be with, and away from Ron and Hermione, whose romantic behaviour almost made her envious. After all, if Harry were to defeat Voldemort, he could do without distractions. It was hard, but that was the way things had to be.