Chapter 7

6 months later

"Oh, Ginny I'm so glad that your here!" Molly Weasley cried as she walked through the door.

Ginny was glad to be home to. School had been retched this year. She didn't know if it was because she missed Ron, Hermione and Harry or if it was because her classes were even harder. She wasn't sure, but it could be both. She wasn't doing very well. Friends weren't hard to make for her but, good ones were sometimes hard to find.

"I missed you, Mum." she whispered and hugged her, smelling the sweet smell of home. "Where's Daddy?" she asked looking around the kitchen and finding no one. Something on the stove was bubbling as usual and some potatoes were being peeled by magic into a massive pot. Ginny had missed it all so much.

"He's in the living room, dear." Molly smiled and turned back to the stove.

Ginny slowly walked into the living room and heard laughing. She opened the rickety old door and was more than suprised at what she saw. Her father was indeed in the room, so was Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Ron, and Hermione. Bill and Charlie were talking with their father excitedly about something, she supposed dragons. Fred and George were talking quietly amongst themselves. Hermione was sitting on Ron's lap and pulling on his (new) goatee.

"Hello everyone!" Ginny called and pranced into the room.

Everyone looked up and smiled at her. Ginny was once again reminded of how much she had missed them all, even Fred and George. Right away George asked her if she wanted a chocolate, which she knew not to take.

"How is your shop doing?" she asked politely

"Oh, it's just grand... you know... we've got more dough than we know what to do with." Fred replied with a grin. His tie was crooked, he didn't look any richer, maybe a little happier.

"You two don't have any girlfriends do you?" she teased.

They both grinned at each other. "The girls are all over us... with the money and looks and all." George laughed.

"George is dating Alicia quite regularly." Fred replied, sounding very businessman-like.

Ginny laughed, "Wouldn't have guessed that."

"Well... Fred and Katie are practically engaged."

Fred smiled sheepishly.

"Fred, in love?" she asked. "Your turning into Ronald over there." she smiled and they all turned to look at Ron and Hermione who, as if on cue were kissing. They all laughed.

"Ginny Weasley!" Arthur called and she giggled and ran to him, sitting lightly on his lap. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and noticed how his temples were now completely gray. He's getting so old,she thought.

"I missed you, Daddy." she said and hugged him.

"Good girl... and don't you worry, Harry will be here tomorrow." he laughed and patted her arm gently. Ginny blushed uncontrolably.

"Daddy! That was years ago!"

"Yes... yes... so sorry, i'm getting old you know."

She laughed and stood to greet everyone else.

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"Sorry I'm late!"

Everyone looked up and smiled as Harry entered the kitchen. Ginny was suprised. His hair was more messy than usual. He was still as tall as ever, but his shoulders were stooped as if he were to tired to stand any longer. He had dark circles under his eyes and he looked thinner than before.

"Harry Potter!" Molly cried seeing how he looked. "Haven't you eaten?"

He smiled and shook his head. "I won't eat unless it's your cooking."

Molly grinned but made a 'tsk' sound as she shoved him into the seat, inbetween Ron and Fred, exactly across from Ginny.

"I really am sorry to be late, Mrs. Weasley."

Ginny smiled gently as she thought of how many years he had known her but still insisted on calling her Mrs. Weasley instead of Molly.

Everyone started eating there strawberry tarts as Harry began to eat his mashed potatoes and pork chops. He ate slowly, as if savoring the taste of everything.

Ginny was known for her eating quickly so her tart was gone before anyone elses.

"Mum, would you like me to do the dishes?" she asked as she stood.

"Oh... no i'll just charm them... but would you go make up Percy's room for Harry, dear?"

Ginny nodded and dared not look at Harry. She felt like she did when she was 11, prancing around him, afraid... of something.

She pulled some sheets out of the closet upstairs and headed into Percy's room. She yanked the old sheets off of the bed and put the new ones on smoothly, ridding the bed of any crinkles. She opened the closet and smelled Percy smell. Oh how she hated that smell. She couldn't stand it. Down the hall she went to her own bedroom and brought her perfume back into Percy's room and sprayed the closet, breathing in relief. Nothing made her more sick than the sight or smell of Percy Weasley.

She hadn't seen him for two and a half years, and she hadn't talked to him in so much longer than that. Ginny opened the drawers of his dresser, nothing in the top 3 drawers. In the bottom drawer there lay a picture of him. The glass was cracked and Ginny supposed that her mother had broken it. She began to cry. She remembered the day that her mother had finally given up hope that Percy would ever come home. She had been crying, sobbing and she had been throwing his things out into the hall. It had been horrible.

Ginny to had been crying. To see her mother so hurt and by her own son had caused Ginny's heart to break. Percy would never be forgiven by Ginny, because of that.

She began to cry as she picked up the picture and stared into his brown eyes.

Her father had even cried. It had been the only time that Ginny had seen him cry. He had closed the door to his bedroom and not come out for anything. Percy had never been the kindest or the lovingly brother or son, but he had been smart, he was something to be proud of.

When Ginny finally dropped the picture onto the floor shattering the glass once and for all, she was sobbing uncontrollably.

Using her wand, she began to clean up the glass.

"Ginny?" she heard a whisper.

She looked up and was a little suprised to see Harry standing with the top 3 buttons of his shirt unbuttoned.

"Oh..." She was very embarassed as she wiped the tears off of her cheeks and stood, forgetting the picture completely. "It's so dusty in here... Allergies..."

He looked worried, "Would you like me to use a spell?"

She looked shocked, "No! No... I'm fine... I'll be fine... thank you." She hurriedly picked up the dirty sheets from the floor and walked towards the door.

"Thanks, Gin."