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A/N: Guyyyysssss….! I'm not really sure if everyone has lost interest in this story, but I'm really sad that I got only 11 reviews on the last chapter… This is actually really discouraging because I mostly still write for the reviews.
A lot of you may ask why I write for the reviews, and the reason is that I really just want to nerd out over Harry Potter fanfiction with like-minded people. It is the reason why I started writing this fanfic in the first place.
To all the people who left reviews, I thank you wholeheartedly. You are amazing and I thank you for being invested in my story. In fact, after all is said and done, I will continue my other Harry Potter story, "When You Tell Yourself to Stop Being So Dense" just for you guys. You are the lifeblood that pumps into the heart of this story, keeping it alive. Because if I honestly never got reviews, I would have stopped writing this long ago. So, thanks so much, again!
But I am a word addict. And reviews are my drug of choice.
So… Please?
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Chapter Fifty-One
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For the entire train ride home, Harry had been distinctly uncomfortable.
Not because of the bench he was sitting on, which was as comfortable as ever with its padding. Not because of the temperature because the interior of the train cars were toasty warm.
No… it was because he had a painful erection the entire train ride home, digging into the zipper of his jeans. He couldn't stop thinking about earlier... with Ginny. The way that she had whipped her shirt off had shocked him in the most rewarding way. And the sight of that absent shirt with nothing but her bra in place…? Well, it left Harry mesmerized.
He really couldn't stop thinking about it.
His mouth wouldn't stop watering as he pictured her clearly in his mind. So much so, that he had to resort to swallowing his saliva every few seconds or so. His hands were so clammy, that he had to constantly rub his palms on his trousers. He really wished that they had just missed the train and continued on with where he and Ginny had been heading.
What would have happened if they hadn't been interrupted? Would he have gotten her bra off, too? Touched her bare breasts in the palm of his hand? Perhaps even kiss them? Suck them? But then, would it have stopped there? Or would it have continued on until he had Ginny completely naked in his bed…?
These questions went round and round in his head, with his cock twitching painfully as he thought them.
It didn't help his predicament any that Ginny was sitting right beside him the entire time... acting completely normal one moment, laughing with all of their friends. But in the next moment, she would turn her gaze to him and give him this look.
And Harry swore to Merlin that every time she looked at him in that way, he had been close to creaming in his pants.
To say that their arrival at King's Cross was both a blessing and a curse would be a vast understatement. He would miss Ginny over break. Ron and Hermione, too. But he was also looking forward to spending time with his parents at his home.
And the sooner that the winter hols started, the sooner he could return to Hogwarts and thoroughly explore the new aspects that Ginny had just introduced to their relationship.
His cock twitched at the thought as he got off of the train, one hand firmly on Hedwig's empty cage and the other clasped with Ginny's. She didn't seem to mind the clamminess at all, which made Harry grateful.
As they were rifling through the pile of luggage that was getting thrown onto the platform, looking for their own, he heard the district yelp of motherly joy that could only come from Mrs. Weasley. He only had enough time to turn and face her before he found himself crushed into a tight bear-hug. Mrs. Weasley had tears of happiness that leaked out of her eyes and she held him to her.
"Oh, Harry, my dear! My heart could just burst from seeing you and Ginevra together!" She pulled away just far enough to be able to cup his cheek with her hand. Beside him, still holding his hand, he heard Ginny groan in embarrassment at the situation. "As you were probably well aware, Ginny had quite the crush on you all these years, and - well, I always thought that the pair of you would be good together, but I didn't want to push."
"Nice to see you too, mum," Ron called sarcastically as he pulled Hermione's trunk from the pile.
Mrs. Weasley waved her hand at Ron haphazardly. "Oh, tush! Of course I'm happy to see you, Ronald. You too, Ginny. I just hadn't expected to see Harry here, is all. It would've done you well if either of you had told me that he was allowed to join us for Christmas." She broke off with a stern, motherly look that she directed at both of her youngest children.
"Actually, Mrs. Weasley…" Harry interjected, but he was interrupted.
"Oh, but it is no bother, Harry! No bother at all! You are most welcome at the Burrow." Mrs. Weasley was quick to assure as she patted his shoulder warmly. "We just have to take extra precautions with the sleeping arrangements, is all. I hope that you understand, Arthur and I do trust you. We really do. But there is the matter that you and Ginny are now dating and I was once young myself, so I know-"
"Mum!" Ginny interjected, her face becoming scarlet in her mortification. Harry's cheeks were just as red, himself. Especially since he now knew that Mrs. Weasley wasn't too far off the mark…
"Well, actually Mrs. Weasley, I'm not coming to the Burrow…" Harry managed to say through his mortified mumbling.
"You're not?!" Mrs. Weasley gasped, looking quite alarmed. "And where is it that you think you are going? Not to those relatives of yours, are you? I couldn't bear the thought of you spending Christmas with them!"
"Eh…" Harry began, not quite knowing how to explain it all in such a heavily populated area.
"There you are, Harry!" At the sound of his name, Harry whipped his attention over to the two strangers approaching. A man and a woman. Both had blonde hair and blue eyes and distinctly pointed features. Harry narrowed his eyes at them, distrusting, as they took their approach. The woman especially looked like she wanted to reach forward and touch him.
The man gave him a significant look. "We best be going. Snuffles is waiting…"
Clarity dawned on him instantly. These two were no strangers at all. They were his parents wearing glamours, coming to pick him up from the train station for the very first time. Harry smiled at them in relief, his shoulders sagging. Before he turned to look at Ginny, bending down to give her a chaste kiss on the cheek in goodbye, wishing that he could give her a kiss much less chaste than that. "Bye, Gin…"
Harry straightened and looked over at Ron and Hermione. "Bye. And Happy Christmas!" They both echoed the sentiments back at him before Harry looked back at his parents, preparing to get ready to leave with them.
His dad reached forward to grab his trunk from him when a tight grasp on his arm stopped Harry from handing it over to him.
He looked down at the hand and followed it up the arm to see who it was connected to. Mrs. Weasley was gaping at him with wide, fearful eyes. "Harry… Who in the name of Merlin are these people and why are you going with them?!"
Dread dropped to the pit of his stomach as he took in the frazzled state of the woman who cared for him as one of her own sons since he had known her… How in the name of Merlin could he possibly begin to explain this?
"It's alright, Mrs. Weasley-" Harry began, but was immediately cut off.
"It is certainly not alright, Harry! These two are strangers! You shouldn't just go off with them. They could very well be Death Eaters!"
"We most certainly are not Death Eaters…!" His dad interjected, actually looking offended at the mere notion of the title being associated with him.
Mrs. Weasley flashed him a very stern look that had Harry recoiling. "And how do you suppose I know that you're telling the truth? I've never seen the likes of either of you within Wizarding Britain. And you just expect me to let you just take Harry wherever you well please? Not on my watch!"
Harry whipped his gaze back and forth between them, frantically trying to find a way to fix all of this. As much as he loved the Burrow, he desperately wanted to spend this Christmas with his parents. At his home. But he couldn't risk his parent's exposure…
It was then that his eye caught on someone within the crowd, who seemed to be searching himself. Harry gasped as he spotted the lifeline.
"Remus!" Harry called out, raising his one arm up high in the air before he frantically started waving it about to catch his attention.
Remus' gaze snapped over at the sound of his name and his shoulders actually sagged in relief at the sight of him. He quickly made his way over and didn't stop until he had Harry tight within his embrace.
"Good to see you, Harry!" Remus said genuinely as he pulled away. Before he looked back at the glamoured figures of his parents, who actually looked on jealously at the fact that Remus got to touch Harry in such a familiar way while they couldn't yet. "Sorry about these two… They had apparated here before I even knew what was happening. Too excited, I guess. But I tried to warn them that they might cause some trouble from the simple fact that you wouldn't recognize them."
"We had it handled." His dad piped up defensively.
"Not well enough…" His mum pointed out as she nodded her head pointedly toward the hand that Mrs. Weasley still had on him.
Remus followed her gaze and it only took a moment for understanding to come to his eyes. "Ah, I see…"
Remus then stepped forward toward Molly and embraced her, which was awkward since she refused to let go of Harry. "Molly, how are you?"
"You know these people, Remus?" Molly immediately questioned, skipping pleasantries altogether.
Remus looked back over to Harry's parents, somewhat uneasy but still overly calm. "Molly… Perhaps we could go to the Burrow and I can formally introduce you to Harry's new guardians."
"Harry's new- What?!" Mrs. Weasley gaped, her wide eyes flashing a cursory glance over at Harry.
Harry had to look away.
"Molly," Remus stated again, his tone insistent. "The Burrow."
Mrs. Weasley's stare faltered when she turned her gaze to look at Remus. Before she let out a heavy sigh. "Oh, alright."
Harry's shoulders sagged in relief. Mrs. Weasley took her hand off of his arm and turned towards the frozen pair of her two youngest children. "Alright you lot, you heard Mr. Lupin. Say your goodbyes to Hermione, dears. We need to get this matter all sorted."
Ron flushed as he awkwardly said goodbye to Hermione as Mrs. Weasley's hard gaze watched him.
"Happy Christmas, Mione…" He said as he leaned down to place the quickest of kisses on her cheek.
Hermione's entire face was as red as a tomato. "Happy Christmas, Ronald." She said, before she reached down for her trunk and turned on her heel, heading for the barrier to the muggle platform.
Harry fidgeted as he watched the entire exchange. He had no idea what was going to happen next. Were his parents going to be exposed to the Weasleys? Would Mrs. Weasley insist that Harry stay at the Burrow? Or worse… Send him back to Hogwarts to spend Christmas alone?
Harry stressed over this before a warm hand threaded itself with his own. He looked down, startled by the touch, before he softened as he realized that it was Ginny.
She smiled up at him, meekly, trying to reassure him that it would all be alright. Harry could only give her a staggered nod as a response to her silent reassurances.
"Alright, then," Mrs. Weasley stated briskly. "Everyone have everything? Yes? Good. Let's carry on home, then. Remus? Can you side-along apparate Harry while I do Ron and Ginny?"
Remus nodded and stepped closer to Harry, linking their arms together, before he turned on the spot.
That suctioning feeling that stemmed from his naval suddenly overwhelmed him as both him and Remus spun in what seemed to be endless circles. The sensation made Harry feel ill. But in no time at all, he found himself standing in the Burrow's front gravel drive, landing on unsteady, wobbly feet.
Harry put a hand up to the side of his head, trying to put a stop to the dizziness. "Ughhhh…" Harry groaned.
"Sorry about that, Harry," Remus said, scanning him with concerned eyes. "I should've warned you."
The dizziness started to fade as Harry shook his head. "No, it's-"
Three distinct popping sounds broke through the quiet air, interrupting him, as Mrs. Weasley arrived with Ron and Ginny while his parents weren't far behind.
Mrs. Weasley brushed off the wrinkles in her robes before she looked over at his mum and dad with a distinct frown on her face. "How is it that you knew the way?"
His dad shuffled his feet uncomfortably, a rare sight to see James Potter in… even if he was disguised by a glamour. But his mum spoke up, in a small voice, "Because we've been here once before."
Mrs. Weasley's eyes widened in alarm at that before her eyes narrowed, instantly scrutinizing the pair of them. Harry gulped.
"Those aren't your real faces, are they?" Mrs. Weasley accused in a low tone.
Slowly, both his mum and dad shook their heads after a brief moment of hesitation.
"Who are you?" Mrs. Weasley demanded, her hand going for the pocket in her robes that held her wand.
"Mum!" Ginny tried to intervene, but Mrs. Weasley paid no attention as she whipped out her wand and pointed it firmly at his parents.
Harry acted without thinking. He rushed forward and stepped in front of his parents… facing Mrs. Weasley and her wand head on as he spread his arms out wide as a form of protection for his mum and dad.
"NO!" Harry yelled at the startled Mrs. Weasley. "Have you any idea of what I had to go through to get them back?! I won't have you hurt them!"
Mrs. Weasley froze before a look of hurt flashed across her features. "I-I wasn't going to hurt them, Harry… I was merely going to remove their glamours."
Going against what would normally be his initial reaction, Harry hesitated to believe her. His eyes scanned her features, looking for any notable sign on untruth in her statement.
He was very relieved to have found none.
Harry let out a sigh as he lowered his arms, yet he still didn't step away from standing in front of his parents.
"Perhaps we should wait until we get inside to remove their glamours, Molly," Remus intervened as he gently laid a hand onto Mrs. Weasley's shoulder. "Trust me when I say that they are wearing glamours for a reason…"
Mrs. Weasley didn't respond in any way to Remus for a long moment, insteady staring intently into Harry's eyes. But Harry didn't waver under her gaze. He stared right back. Telling her without words that he was serious about this.
Finally, Mrs. Weasley closed her eyes in defeat.
"Oh, very well." Then her eyes opened again, and they were blazing. "But this matter better be explained as soon as we are indoors!"
All of them nodded at her demand and Mrs. Weasley gave a very firm nod in return before indicating that they best make their way to the house with an easily understood motherly look. They scrambled to comply, each rushing ahead in a brisk pace to the Burrow's front door. Harry made sure to stay close to his parents, while Mrs. Weasley kept a watchful eye from behind.
Harry could still feel the heavy weight of the stare on the back of his head as he walked through the front door into the kitchen and living room area.
Ron, Ginny and Harry plopped their trunks onto the floor as everyone started to disrobe their winter cloaks, scarfs and mittens. Everyone except for Harry, Remus, and his parents.
Harry really hoped that he wouldn't have to take off his winter cloak, at all. That he would get to keep it on until he got to Potter Manor.
"Now, then," Mrs. Weasley said with a clipped tone. Harry winced at the sound of it, as it was a vast contrast to how she had been talking to him on the train platform when she had first hugged him. He really hoped that this whole matter wouldn't tarnish the way that Mrs. Weasley saw him. "Explain."
Harry gulped, and connected eyes with his parents and nodded to them once.
James sighed, before taking out his wand from his wand holster beneath his robes. Mrs. Weasley immediately stiffened, but made no move against either of Harry's parents.
"Brace yourself, Molly," Remus cautioned as James Potter turned his want on both himself and his wife. With a muttered spell, the glamours were stripped away, revealing his parents.
Harry grinned at finally being able to see them and he couldn't help rushing forward into their arms, at last being able to actually touch them without suspicion. They readily accepted his embrace with easy chuckles and pats on his back.
When Harry pulled away, his mum had her hands cupped on both of his cheeks, smiling at him. "Happy Christmas, Harry."
Harry beamed at her and his dad chuckled once again, reaching his hand up to ruffle roughly through Harry's hair. Harry let out a disgruntled noise and tried to bat his dad's hand away.
He had honestly forgotten about the importance of Mrs. Weasley's reaction until they heard the clattering of wood falling onto the floor.
All three turned their heads to the noise, seeing that Mrs. Weasley had her wand arm extended, but her wand had fallen carelessly onto the floor. She was gaping at the three of them with very wide eyes and a gaping mouth.
Harry smiled at her, reassuringly, trying to show her without words that everything was alright and that his parents really were who they were perceived to be. That this wasn't an illusion or magic.
"Y-You're… Y-You're…" Mrs. Weasley stammered, unable to say any coherent thoughts.
His mum smiled. "Yes. We are Lily and James Potter. Harry's parents."
Mrs. Weasley nodded numbly, before her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed backward onto the floor, where everyone cried out at the resounding thump of her body hitting the carpet.
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A/N: I've got a short one for you all because I just haven't really been feeling it too much lately. So, please leave a review and help me get my confidence back for this story.
Thanks so much to everyone for reading. I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner than I have been.
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