Almost

Harry had been at the burrow for three hours and every ten minutes it seemed some new catastrophe was reported via the wizard radio stations or the Daily Prophet. Molly cried some when Arthur left for work. Fred and George spent their days working in their shop with both fun and offensive/defensive products, but they made sure they played some sort of prank before they left so that Molly would be slightly aggravated and forget to cry. Bill was staying at the house he'd purchased for himself and Fleur in the village, Ottery St. Catchpole, and Charlie was staying with a friend in Hogsmeade. They both came for dinner that night. It was tense; everyone was at his or her wits end. Harry spent one evening just listening to and watching the people he cared most about now that he'd lost his godfather and Dumbledore.

"Mum," Bill said with a patient tone, but Harry saw him twisting his napkin viciously. "You've nothing to worry about, we're all fine."

"Yeah, Mum," Charlie chimed in. "The dark forces are starting to fall back."

Fred and George glanced at each other, then at Ginny. She seemed to be thinking very hard about something, for she was staring blankly into thin air.

Harry watched George lean toward her.

"Mum, can I talk to you after dinner?" she suddenly asked.

George grabbed the potatoes in front of her, and Harry was a little disappointed. He'd thought she was going to be the victim of a prank in order to lighten the mood. Lately, even Molly enjoyed getting pranked.

"Of course, dear."

Harry glanced at Ron. His friend was glancing up at Hermione, then back at his plate. Harry was amused to find Hermione just staring thoughtfully at Ron. Ginny had told him about Ron's botched proclamation. He wished that times were peaceful so that all the postponed weddings and the tentative couples could just be together.

"I'm getting married," Charlie announced, as though reading Harry's mind.

"Charlie, that's wonderful!" Molly cried. "Do we know her?"

"Not yet, she's the one I've been staying with in Hogsmeade. She used to be a dragon expert that I worked with in Romania. She quit when her sister was killed two years ago. Now she lives in her sister's old house with her nieces."

"Fleur and I are holding the ceremony in a week," Bill told his brother. "Are you and this woman going to wait a while being holding yours?"

Charlie snorted. "I'm not kidding myself, and neither is Alera. We're getting married next month in a small ceremony. I want her to be mine, Dark Lord or not. Mum, may we use your garden?"

Molly teared at this thought of the first weddings among her children. "Only if I get to meet her, soon!"

"Of course, Mum!" Charlie laughed, "Alera is going to throttle me if I don't bring her around soon. We'll be bringing the girls too. They're eleven, starting this year at Hogwarts. She's so grateful they'll be protected throughout the year. Nona and Jessie are very excited to be attending school while Harry Potter is still there."

Bill grinned. "You know, they'll probably get along with Fleur's sister, Gabrielle. She's coming up to England, starting Hogwarts also."

Harry groaned. It was going to be another fan club. He wondered if he could wear his invisibility cloak throughout the day. He glanced over at Ginny's chair, but she wasn't there any more.

"Where's Ginny?" he asked.

"Here!" a tiny voice called. "When this shrinkage wears off, Fred and George had better run!"

Harry leaned toward her chair and discovered a miniscule Ginny standing on her chair with her hands on her hips. She was glaring at George, who picked her up and set her on the table.

"Ginny!" Molly cried, then suddenly began laughing hysterically.

Soon everyone, even Ginny was laughing, then, with a pop, Ginny returned to normal size.

"I don't want to be giving you all a table dance you know," she announced. "Someone help me down."

Harry stood, shoulders shaking from laughing so hard, and held out a hand to give her support. Ginny took his hand and stepped gracefully from the table to the chair and then to the floor. She glanced at her watch.

"Mother," she said suddenly. "May I be excused?"

"Of course," Molly replied. "Has it to do with those days you won't tell me anything?"

Ginny looked at her mother for a moment, and then kissed her on the cheek. "I'll be home in a couple hours."

She left, and the Weasleys went back to eating, but Harry looked quizzically at Ron.

"Where's your sister going?"

Ron shrugged and bit savagely into his bread. "She's been disappearing all summer, and we didn't even notice until last week."

Bill frowned. "Ginny never has been the type to allow her brothers to be as protective as they'd like to be. Fred and George are positively afraid of her."

Fred looked for a moment like he'd deny it, but then he grinned. "Damn straight, have you ever had her swinging Dad's replicated mace at your head before?"

Harry laughed.

"Harry, I know what tomorrow is!" Hermione sang out suddenly.

He grinned massively and chuckled. "Me too! Tomorrow I can use my magic." He frowned suddenly as a new thought occurred to him.

"What's wrong Harry?" Ron asked, looking concerned.

"I'll have to watch twice as hard for Voldemort," he paused as then entire family winced visibly. "He's bound to look for me now that I've become legal."

"Let's take it one day at a time, my boy," Arthur smiled reassuringly at him. "Just enjoy your birthday."

Later, as everyone piled into bed, Harry went outside into the garden. He stared broodingly into the night sky, wondering what would happen to him this year. Every year at school, something terrible had happened; and Harry wasn't quite naïve enough to believe that Voldemort would let him off the hook until he was finished with school. He wouldn't be returning to the castle at all, except that he needed a base of operations for his search.

A noise to his left startled him out of his reverie. Ginny, looking weary to the point of dropping was walking slowly toward the lopsided house.

"Ginny? You look tired," he called out softly.

She laughed quietly in response. "I suppose that's because I am."

She stopped and sat on the low garden wall that was made of gray stone. "Harry, I have a big secret."

Harry stood silently, unsure of what to say. He had his own secrets, but he didn't know whether Ginny's would be more or less serious. She had always kept herself so guarded.

"I know," he answered. "Your family told me you've been disappearing all summer."

Ginny looked genuinely surprised. "I hadn't thought they'd even noticed."

"Bill said you weren't the type to let them protect you, so they had to trust you."

She sighed and hung her head as she stared at the ground. "Sometimes…sometimes, I wish they could protect me."

Harry took a few steps toward her. "From what?"

Ginny stood up. "I'm tired, Harry. I'm going to bed, and I think you should do the same. Mum's got something planned for you tomorrow, and if you aren't well rested, you'll disappoint her."

The thought of something being planned for him distracted him long enough for Ginny to slip inside. He had to smile at her evasion skills.

Harry swore he would discover Ginny's secret, before term started. He would at least find out why she kept it such a secret.