Disclaimer: Not my total creation, I've just added bits and stretched bits.

Almost

Everyone in the room was staring at Ginny, except Fiera. The coppery blonde was still gripping her friend's hand and arm, while studying her shoes.

"Fire Witch?" Molly asked quietly.

"I hate to sound ignorant," Harry interjected, "but what exactly is a Fire Witch?"

The Weasleys all looked at each other, even Hermione wouldn't quite meet his eyes. Finally, Ginny sighed.

"A Fire Witch is always female, men don't have the right temperament I guess. They can control some elemental powers, accompanied by limited wandless magic. They can also transform themselves into phoenixes; which is why they're commonly called Fire Witches and not Elementals, which is their true name."

"All the ones I've heard of were dark witches," Charlie muttered ominously.

Alera stood up. "Not all of them have been dark! A lot of Fire Witches are confused. They're told they have awesome powers, so they seek someone who can help them control them. Those who practice Dark Arts have power, they may be evil, but they have power. Some Fire Witches use their abilities to help others! For all the thanks they get…."

Ginny and Fiera looked up in wonder at Alera. Everyone else in the room looked ashamed.

"A-are you one of us too?" Fiera asked, awed.

Alera smiled a comforting smile. "You've been sneaking off for a long time now, trying to learn more about this on your own, girls. I can help you as new Elementals learn how to control your magic, and how to strengthen it."

"Alera?" choked Charlie.

She turned to him, ashen. "Yes?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"She was scared," Ginny answered for her, earning a grateful glance from her almost sister-in-law. "It's hard, knowing that few people will accept you, and many will assume you have ties to the Dark Lord. It kills a person when those they care the most about turn on them."

Alera and Fiera had tears in their eyes. Molly got down onto the floor with Ginny.

"I love you," she whispered. "I know you haven't any inclination to join his side. Promise me, no more secrets. Okay?"

Ginny smiled widely and threw her arms around her mother.

"Weird," Ron commented. "We've got a Fire Witch in the family."

"Two," Charlie grinned. "Alera's not going anywhere."

"Oh, Charlie!" she cried happily and threw herself at him.

Neville though didn't look quite so convinced. Harry felt the nervous energy surrounding the Weasleys heighten.

"Right. You can all risk them turning on you and killing you. My Gram has been through enough. Fiera, don't call me again."

It was probably a good thing that he got up and stalked to the fireplace and left on floo powder, otherwise, every Weasley in the room, and a few unofficial Weasleys may have hit him. The only person not furious after his exit was Fiera, and she was heartbroken. They were instantly indignant on the young American's behalf.

"That prat!" Ginny screamed, throwing her shoe at the fire. She missed, but no one noticed.

"He's not coming back to my house!" Molly insisted.

"I'm going to pop him one when term begins!" Ron exclaimed.

"I plan on catching him in Diagon Alley," Harry fumed.

"Fiera, are you okay?" Alera asked, slipping her arm around the sobbing girl.

She shook her head. "Please don't hurt him, he'll come around. He has to. I love him!"

Arthur stood. "It's late. We're all tired. Things will look better in the morning. Everyone head to bed, and tomorrow we'll get your school things and what-nots."

Nobody felt much like sleeping, but they all obeyed Arthur. All of the teens made themselves comfortable in the living room of the Burrow, curling around each other until everyone was cozy. The lights went out, and the house slowly stilled. Finally, Harry lie there listening as no sounds permeated the inky blackness surrounding him. There were no street lamps around the Burrow. He was almost asleep when he felt that someone needed to talk. The feeling was so strong, he believed it was his own desire for a moment. He opened his eyes, surprised that the moon and stars outside gave enough light to see vaguely. Ginny was creeping over people and toward the kitchen. He waited until she was out of the room before he stood and followed her. He caught up with her in the back yard as she sat on the same stone fence they had occupied the night before.

"Hello, Harry," Ginny greeted him, not at all surprised to see him.

"You knew I followed you?"

She laughed. "Of course, you don't sneak well. What did you want exactly?"

Harry flushed, unsure even then if the desire to talk had been his or if he'd imagined it. "I don't know."

She sat silently for a few minutes, staring up at the stars. "I suppose you understand, don't you. You have felt some of the strange feelings that being different inspires. Having there be something about you that leaves your destiny in debate. It's no picnic."

Harry walked over and sat next to her. "No," he agreed, "it isn't."

"I'd like to give it all up, be normal," she sighed, resting against him.

"Like to tell them I don't want it."

"Like to ask for a vacation from being me."

"Did you know about the prophecies?" Harry asked suddenly, wanting to be completely open with her for one night.

"Yeah, I heard," Ginny looked at him with compassion. "No offense, but you need a little tuning."

He laughed. "No kidding. It explains why Voldemort hates me though."

She nodded. "Guess it does."

"What's it like being so different from everyone else?"

"You tell me," Ginny smirked.

He gave a wry grin. "Point taken. You want to hang together tomorrow?"

"What about Fiera?"

"We'll bring her. She could do with some distracting. I'll need help with Ron and Hermione always fighting."

"I guess you would. Sure, why not. Having a male around might help if we run into Malfoy or Neville."

"Sorry he acted like that."

"It's not your fault, Harry."

"I don't want you insulted," he insisted.

"Why?" she asked intently, her eyes probing into his, searching for answers that he didn't know.

Harry was still for a minute. He noticed the cool night air and what seemed to be a window open in Ron's room, where the twins were tonight. The house was a calming standard in his life, along with the people. Ginny was anything but calming, but he found that he liked it when she had him stirred up.

"I like you, Ginny," he said finally. "I'd like to get to know you."

She let out a short, explosive laugh. "Somehow not the same as in all those dreams I used to have about you."

His heart fell a bit at the "used to" but Harry knew it was his own fault. Ginny smiled, encouragingly.

"We've gone from mere acquaintances to dating and back to people who rarely talk," Ginny mused, gazing thoughtfully at her ex-boyfriend. "Sure, Harry, let's be friends. It'll be an interesting change."

The next day, Ginny noticed that the twins kept trying to corner her. She assumed it was for a trial run on a new project, so she avoided them. However, bathroom doors seem to narrow when there's two nineteen year old males standing in front of them.

"Let me out!" she demanded.

"Do you often sneak out to meet Harry in the garden?" Fred asked.

"What?!"

"We heard you last night," George explained.

"I don't think that it's any of your business," Ginny told them flatly. "What Harry and I choose to discuss, as well as the times and places we choose to hold those conversations is a private matter. Why were you eavesdropping?"

"Protecting our sister," Fred answered. "Do you still love Harry?"

"Harry and I are friends, that's all," she stated, her tone saying that the conversation was over.

They stepped aside, but as Ginny was walking away, George called, "You'd better hope so."

Fuming at their audacity, Ginny stomped downstairs where all the school age kids were waiting.

"What took so long?" Ron asked.

"Your brothers," Ginny snapped. "Let's get out of here before they come question you lot as well."

In Diagon Alley, they went quickly from on store to another, everyone wanting to get back home as soon as possible. In Madam Malkin's, Harry found a necklace with a "Mother" charm. He bought it, intending to give it to Molly. Ron saw him paying for it.

"Who's that for?" he asked.

"Your mum."

Ron grinned as clapped his friend on the back.

"That's real swell, Harry. She'll love that from you. She always refers to you as the eighth Weasley. Although, I guess, Alera or Fleur is going to be the eighth kid."

Harry smiled. "To technically join, I'd have to marry Ginny. I make it a point not to marry my good friends."

Laughter behind him caused him to turn.

"Good policy, Harry. Must be why you're still single," Ginny commented.

"Let's get out of here," Harry mumbled, flushing at the thought of marrying the red-haired girl.

The days flew by, and the moment of the double wedding approached. There would be no maid of honor or best man, seeing as the elder Weasleys would have chosen each other anyway. Hermione was extremely quiet, and spent most of her time studying alone, much to Ron's dismay. Ginny and Fiera (who had been asked to finished the summer at the Weasley's) spent quite a bit of time gone, but this time, no one mentioned it. Once or twice, Alera joined them on their excursions. Harry and Ginny had a couple more late night talks that the twins overheard. Nona and Jessie adjusted well to having a huge family. They spent several nights with their new "Grandma and Grandpa Weasley." Everyone adored them. Ron thought it was going to be amazing having a Weasley that was part veela. The day of rehearsals, Rubeus Hagrid came to the Weasley home.

"Hagrid!" Harry cried happily upon seeing his friend.

The half-giant leaned down and embraced Harry. Hagrid was now allowed to do magic. He even had himself a new wand, which Harry always noted with humor was a pale pink, not unlike his old umbrella.

"I've got a surprise for you," he winked his beady black eyes as Olympe Maxime, formerly the head of Beauxbatons, appeared behind him, smiling broadly, and dressed in a confortable robe, and not one of the heavily ornate ones she'd worn before.

Olympe held out a rather large but very soft blue blanket, and revealed a peacefully sleeping baby.

"We called him Albus," Hagrid confided. "Albus Harry, after two o' the strongest people we know."

"Hagrid!" Harry spluttered. "You've got a baby!"