Chapter Thirty
A month later, Ginny was cleaning up her room with more enthusiasm than with effect, she was calling out down the stairwell, "Have you got my washing mum?"
Mrs Weasley stood directly under the middle of the stairwell and shouted back, "Yes, I have asked you to collect your washing for three days, Ginevra Weasley, and stop shouting!"
Ginny came clattering down the stairs, round and round, "Don't call me that, Mother!"
"Calm down, for heaven sake, Cho Chang is coming to see you and to get to know us, she isn't coming to check for dust," said Mrs Weasley, dusting the bannister for the second time, undermining her own argument.
"And don't keep popping in on us as if you are expecting to catch us at something naughty, Cho is of age and I will be of age in fifteen minutes myself,"
"Well, don't be in the bedrooms with the door closed."
"Why not?"
"Well your brothers would never have been allowed to have a girl in their bedroom!"
"I am not a boy, and Cho is not going to get me pregnant!"
"Ginevra Weasley!"
"Don't call me that!"
Ginny sidled up to her mother and threw an arm over her shoulder, "Mum, Cho and I are not sexually active. And not because we are ot allowed to, but because we have discussed it and decided that we are not ready."
"I never had any such conversations with your brothers, Ginny," said Mrs Weasley flushing a deep red of mortification.
"Well, that's what we are talking around, isn't it? That's why you don't want us in the bedroom with the door closed? I just want you to know so that you don't worry about me, about us. I am a good girl, mum. Cho is a very good girl. There is no need for you to think that I am doing anything you would disapprove of, because I am not,"
"Alright, well, I don't think we need to go into to detail,"
"But that doesn't mean that if I wanted to do something inappropriate that I would hold back because someone told me 'no'! You know me better than that, mum."
"Oh Ginny, I don't know what to think about anything, anymore!"
Fifteen minutes later a sound of timid knocking could be heard at the front door, Ginny came thundering down the stairs but Mrs Weasley got there first,
"Oh Cho dear, welcome to The Burrow, come on in," she stood back and the two did the awkward dance unsure whether to hug, kiss or shake hands, Mrs Weasley finally said "Oh come here," she opened her arms and Cho accepted a hug from the older woman,
"Hi, thanks Mrs Weasley," said Cho, nervously.
Ginny flew across the room, and the moment her girlfriend had been released by her mother, Ginny wrapped her up, squeezing her tight and holding her close. Mrs Weasley felt embarrassed although she didn't really understand why, she had seen Ron, Harry and Hermione share many such earnest hugs over the years, but this was more intimate and pinched something inside of her.
Mrs Weasley stepped back, she turned to look away, the longer the embrace went on the more restless her stomach felt. "Oh Ginny, let Cho get her breath," she eventually said, "How about a cup of tea?" she had to find something to do, to distract herself, she bustled away into the kitchen and rather than using her wand, she made the tea in muggle tradition.
Ginny did finally step back, grinning broadly, gazing into Cho's eyes. They had written almost daily since parting in Kings Cross that day but this was the first time they had seen each other, been together since then. "Come on," Ginny grabbed the bag at Cho's feet with one hand, and took her hand in her other and dragged her upstairs the two of them winding themselves round and round, higher and higher.
Ginny pushed open the door to Ron's old bedroom, "This is your room," said Ginny, dropping Cho's bag onto the rug in the center of the room, Cho looked around, appreciating the obvious comfort of the room. Ginny stepped backwards out of the room and pointing across the hall, "Thats my room," she said and Cho followed her into the hall, looking into the room, but before she could really see anything, Mrs Weasley called up to them,
"Tea is ready, girls,"
"Thanks, mum," Ginny called down over the bannister, but before she took a single step, she grabbed the front of Cho's pullover and, well, pulled her over. She planted her lips on Cho's partly opened mouth, kissing her as thoroughly as she could in the thirty seconds she felt her mother would allow them, before coming up to move them on.
She left Cho breathless and barely aware of her surroundings. Ginny dragged Cho down the stairs and Cho, willing to follow, had to concentrate extra carefully to prevent herself from tripping or falling down the steep and tight circular staircase, at the speed applied by Ginny who was ever more familiar with their individual quirks.
"There you are," said Mrs Weasey, smiling at Cho, "Where have you come from this morning, Cho?"
Ginny indicated the sofa, and waited for Cho to sit, before sitting very close beside her and taking her hand, her familiarity made Cho both very, very happy but also nervous and self conscious in front of Mrs Weasley.
Cho accepted the cup and saucer, it clattered noisily, but she managed to sip the top inch quickly before she had the chance to spill it, "Oh from London, Mrs Weasley," Cho tired to shake off her nerves, "The team played in Swansea, Wales, last night, we travelled back on the coach this morning and I apparated as soon as I could get clear of the team."
"And you lost to the Caerphilly Catapults!"
"Yes, we lost, it was a good match though,"
"You didn't play, Cho?"
"No, I am unlikely to get a game this year, unless something untoward happens, and I don't wish anybody any harm,"
"No of course, not dear," said Mrs Weasley, handing her a plate of sandwiches. They all talked together for the best part of an hour before Ginny got the idea to drag Cho outside and 'show her the garden'.
"Thanks so much for coming, Chang, I am so happy to see you. I've missed you," she said, betraying the vulnerability that rarely reared its head, Cho grabbed her hand,
"Ginny, I have missed you too. I know, it seems like I am off having a great time while you're at home. Well I am of course, I am, but I miss you, terribly." Her voice actually broke and Ginny turned to face her,
"Cho? What's wrong? What's happened?"
"Oh nothing, I just feel emotional. It's been harder than I anticipated, harder and more lonely," Cho dashed a couple of tears away.
"Oh, you haven't mentioned anything in your letters,"
"I've just been focussed on making the best of it, I didn't want to worry you or disappoint you,"
"You could never disappoint me, here, let's sit down over here," Pulling Cho down into the sunshine, "Now I want to hear everything, everything."
"It's fine, the team is fine, everyone is really friendly, I've been taken out for drinks, invited around to dinners, met their parents, their partners and families. The work is fine as well, training, photos and interviews, charity work, it's all… fine." she said, weakly.
"But?" asked Ginny.
"I don't know anyone. I'm always being nice, on my best behaviour, I can't really talk to anyone, I don't want to appear that I am dissatisfied with my choice, or unhappy with the team. They might get the impression that I am a sook, or can't cope. I've been telling my family I am fine too, but I have been having more appointments with my therapist and I've been having more coffees with Frosty than he can probably justify."
"Right. So everything is fine at work, you're just struggling to cope with the change?"
"Yes, I suppose,"
"And you're experiencing a lack of resources?"
"Yeah."
"And resources you do have, you have been less than forthcoming?"
"Yes," Cho looked like she felt, like she was being told off. She was not upset, however, she knew Ginny was making a point, in order to be helpful, and she was right.
"Can you stay two nights?"
"Yes,"
"Did you bring your broomstick?"
"Yep,"
"Lets see what you've learned then?" Cho appreciated Ginny's approach, she had listened to Cho's experience, helped Cho to clarify her situation, and now she was going to give her some space to work it out, Ginny was simultaneously saying 'I'm here for you' and 'I'm not crowding you'.
The pair jumped up and headed upstairs,
"Leave the doors open, please?" said Mrs Weasley, with her best attempt at stern authority. She didn't know why she could shout at her sons until she was hoarse with no shame or regret whatsoever, but with Ginny, it was very difficult to lay down the law.
"Yes, mum," "Yes, Mrs Weasley," They replied together, Ginny and Cho grabbed their broomsticks and headed back down stairs and out of doors, they jumped on the brooms and Cho followed Ginny out into the Orchard where they chased each other around, grinning like mad.
They flew around until the sun began sinking, "Dinner," announced Ginny and Cho was only too pleased to have her feet back on the ground.
"How are you feeling?" Ginny asked, taking Cho's hand, as they walked back toward The Burrow.
"Better, thank you. You are right, I need to open up to you, to Hermione, to my family, at the very least. There are a couple of people on my team that I think would understand, so…" she shrugged.
"Good. I could use some opening up too?"
"What do you mean?"
"I want to hear how much you have missed me, not now, it wouldn't seem as authentic," Ginny grinned at Cho and the pair laughed as they entered the house, leaving their brooms at the bottom of the staircase.
"Oh there you are, I can see you both over the tops of the citrus trees, now I know where to look. Daddy will be home soon, and then we can have some dinner. Are you hungry, Cho?"
"Yes, Mrs Weasley, can I help with anything?"
"You could help Ginny set the table. Only the four of us, not like the old days, this table used to frequently take a dozen or more!"
"Are George and Ron coming tomorrow?"
"Oh yes, you were in George's year level at school, weren't you?"
"Yes, that's right."
The clock on the mantle dinged unobtrusively, but gained Cho's attention regardless, she stepped over to it and looked carefully, taking careful note of all the various hands each accounting for the very own Weasley face. No, that's not right, thought Cho, looking again, one image had blonde hair instead of red, and another one, no two with brown hair and another with black - it was her own image!
Mrs Weasley, Ginny and her own image were all pointing toward 'home', and right before her eye, Mr Weasley's image moed from 'work' to 'home'.
"Daddy's home!" Mrs Weasley called, and she and Ginny got to work preparing dinner and setting the table, they were working so industriously, that an onlooker might get the impression that he was some sort of tyrant, demanding his dinner be served to him the moment he stepped through the door. But this impression was immediately nullified with the approach of the man in question,
"Ah," he breathed, grinning as he stepped through the door, his eyes stopped on Cho, the only person not busily bustling around the room, "Oh, hello, and who might you be?" he said, continuing to smile widely, apparently having no problem in welcoming a complete stranger in his own kitchen. Cho had met Mr Weasly only one before, at the Hogwarts Quidditch Gran Final, but she didn't expect him to remember her - but she now knew whence Ginny came by her own expressive, winning grin.
"Hello, Arthur," Mrs Weasley called from the stove top.
"Hello, Molly, dear," he replied, taking off his hat and coat.
"Daddy," Ginny greeted him with a kiss, "You remember Cho? I reminded you this morning that she was coming to stay? Oh well, Daddy, this is Cho Chang, Cho, my father, Arthur Weasley,"
"Hello, Mr Weasley,"
"Nict to meet you, Cho,"
"Oh Arthur, you have met Cho once before at the Quidditch match at Hogwarts," said Molly, huffing in feigned annoyance, bringing the pot to the table, she took the opportunity to kiss his cheek.
"So I did, well, welcome to our home, Cho," he said, looking as though her presence was such a splendid occasion worthy of celebration.
"Thank you very much," Ginny plonked a pile of cutlery into Cho's hands, it wasn't that she expected Cho to pitch in as much as give her somewhere to direct her nervous response to being the centre of such attention. Gratefully Cho made her way around the table, placing the silverware beside the plates, she was pondering whether she would be more or less self conscious in this smaller Weasley family setting of four people compared to the much larger family of several years ago.
Mr Weasley was adorable, he was jolly and kind, telling them all about his day at the Ministry and asking them all about their days in turn. When he was reminded that Mrs Chang also worked at the Ministry he was overcome with interest, he knew her, he recalled the many kind things he remembered aboutCHo's mother, for instance,
"She was very kind to our family several years ago, organising Ministry cars for our safety, because of course we had Harry Potter with us frequently, in those years. Did you know Harry Potter from school? Such a wonderful boy, wasn't he?"
The women all nodded and smiled at Mr Weasley's rather forgetful and eccentric, but extraordinarily kind and generous nature.
"That reminds me, Daddy, Harry has got a new girlfriend now," said Ginny deliberately avoiding her mother's gaze, who could neither justify nor absolve Harry or Hermione from what she still thought must be a great abuse of their friend and her son Ron. She shook her head and clicked her tongue, but she already knew that Ginny would pay zero heed to her hinting. Cho suspected that she knew what was about to come, lowered her head over her dinner and kept her mouth busy.
"A new girlfriend? Did he have an old one?"
Cho choked on her dinner and reached for her glass of water, Ginny just laughed and shook her head, her father could be so vague, except if it concerned muggle safety pins or hole punches.
"I was his last girlfriend," she said, deliberately provoking her mother who screeched,
"Oh Ginny, honestly!"
"Really?" said Mr Wealsey, looking around as if this was wonderful news.
"And Cho was his girlfriend before me," she continued, trying hard to repress her grin.
Cho coloured fiercely, and gave up all pretence of eating, she simply sat staring at her plate, Ginny grabbed her hand under the table and Cho squeezed her fingers hard.
"Ginevra Weasley!" Mrs Weasley shrieked, throwing her napkin on the table looking threateningly at her youngest child. She didn't believe for one moment that line about Harry Potter and Cho Chang, Ginny was just stirring her mother without mercy.
"Really?" said Mr Wesaley, again, looking at Cho in amazement.
"Now Harry Potter is going out with Hermione Granger, Daddy."
"Harry Potter and Hermione Granger," he recited staring off as if mentally weighing the concept for appropriateness of fit. "I say," he said, "What a jolly good fit," He looked around at them all and raised his glass.
Ginny looked very pleased with herself and raised her glass to her father's, Cho followed suit, relieved to no longer be centre of attention. Mrs Weasley raised her glass if only to satisfy her husband but still eyeing Ginny severely.
"Harry and Hermione are both extended members of this family," Mr Weasley said as he replaced his glass on the table, "You can tell, when you are loved by a Weasley, you appear on the clock," he said, throwing his thumb over his shoulder, and picked up his fork to resume his dinner.
Cho looked back at the clock, recalling that she had seen her face on a hand just twenty minutes ago, she looked at Ginny who's turn it was to turn bright red. Ginny drank the entire contents of her wine goblet and she slipped right down in her chair. Not much escaped Mrs Weasley who felt justice had been served and her daughter had been silenced by her completely oblivious father, she smiled in self satisfaction and when Cho happened to chance a glance in her direction, she winked at her. She was not at all disappointed to learn that her daughter had chosen this young woman to fall in love with.