Professor Ginevra Weasley

Disclaimer: Get this pesky thing out of the way. I am in no way related nor do I own Harry Potter characters. I am however the proud owner of the plot :)

It has been a loooooooooong time compadres. SO sorry for the delay. Hope you enjoy it. If you'd like there is a very small addition in Chapter 2.

A VERY belated birthday gift for helaluvE – STILL the best fanficer now and always. We veterans now BB ;)

Apologies for any mistakes. Been working on this for the better part of 6 hours so am in no mood to proofread :/

Things you should know:

This takes place 11 years after the end of the Second Wizarding War

Harry and Ginny did not date in sixth year or after the war but the "crush" days of course still exist :P

Enjoy :)

HPHP

(A few months later. The end of the scholastic year is soon approaching.)

Ginny was busily hunched over the mountain of parchments on her desk. At the beginning of the year ordering supplies of Potions used to be a nightmare. She had never been good with calculations, that was Bill's forte. However, over time, she had gotten the hang of it. As she was looking around trying to remember where she had placed the note she took with the required number of toad's warts, a soft knock could be heard on her door.

At that moment, Ginny found the note lodged underneath the frame which held a jovial photo of the last Weasley Christmas party. With a triumphant smile, she called out to the visitor to come in.

Assuming it was Filch who was expected for his weekly list of 'Most Wanted Deviants' she kept looking at her papers while she heard the door open and footsteps approaching her desk. She could feel a pair of eyes staring at her and looked up as normally Filch did not wait for a prompt to begin the speech he had rehearsed on his way up.

But it wasn't Filch she found staring at her over small spectacles and a... was that a smirk on Minerva's face? Ginny was more shocked at the expression on the renowned austere professor's face than she should have been at the fact that McGonagall showed up announced.

Ginny rose to her feet, mouth slightly agape and quickly made a motion for McGonagall to sit.

"What are you doing here, Minerva?" Ginny asked surprised.

McGonagall sat down, still smiling at the young Headmistress.

"Just thought I'd stop by and see how things are going."

As soon as the shock had worn off, Ginny smiled warmly at her predecessor and waved her wand for the kettle to star boiling for a cup of tea. Sitting back down in her chair, she was about to begin along recount of events, when a sneering voice behind her could be hard.

"Spiffing. If you don't mind the fact that our Headmistress and our Defence teacher are acting like teenagers."

Ginny whipped around to glare at Severus.

"Ah yes, Harry's here," Minerva retorted nonchalantly.

Ginny quickly looked back at Minerva, "What have you heard?"

"Oh nothing," a small knowing smile appeared on Minerva's face.

Ginny looked unconvinced. "You know I liked the no-nonsense Minerva better."

From behind Ginny, Dumbledore had a little twinkle in his eye.

"Poppycock Ginevra. I always enjoy a little amusement. I have a particular fondness for irony."

McGonagall smiled fondly at Ginny as the younger Professor looked less and less amused while getting up to make tea. Minerva let out a small laugh as she accepted the cup.

"So, tell me Ginevra, what else has been going on? I heard Flitwick blew up a tower this year. I daresay it beats the time he mistakenly Confuzzled all the ghosts."

HPHP

Harry approached the hunched-over figure at a calm pace and tapped his shoulder lightly. The little boy jumped up startled. He had obviously been engrossed in the text in front of him.

"Harry, you scared me," Teddy exclaimed.

Harry noticed that Teddy tried to surreptitiously cover up some of the papers but didn't let Teddy catch him noticing. Instead, he let him see his amused smile.

"Sorry, mate. I've been looking everywhere for you. We were supposed to meet in my office remember?"

Teddy looked alarmed at his watch.

"Sorry Harry! I just started reading and lost track of time. I'll just..." Teddy quickly began shuffling papers into his bag but Harry calmly laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Teddy, it's ok. I understand. Well maybe I don't understand. Your Aunt Hermione would. But I know how you love your books. There's no need to rush."

Teddy nodded but harry noticed that he kept subtly trying to shove some papers aside.

"So, what are you doing all the way back here in the Restricted Section?" Harry asked nonchalantly.

Teddy avoided his gaze.

"It's quieter back here. I don't like all those people whispering."

For a moment, Harry's examining eyes softened. He remembered what that was like. He still dealt with it! But something about the way Teddy kept looking down...

"Hey Ted, I think I found something that might interest you. Magical Maladies by..."

Harry looked up to see who had been addressing Teddy. He was surprised to see Hector Burke holding up an old and tattered volume.

Burke also seemed surprised at the new addition, yet he quickly masked it with a pleasant greeting, well as pleasant as hector Burke could muster.

"Afternoon Professor. What brings you here?"

Harry eyed Burke and looked down at Teddy, still sitting at the desk, to confirm their acquaintance. Teddy was wriggling in his seat nervously. Harry's gaze shifted back to Burke and was surprised with how amicable he managed to sound, considering his dislike for the boy.

"Was just looking for Teddy so we can have a chat. We were just heading off, weren't we Ted?"

Teddy looked up at his god-father. The little boy gathered his stuff, slugging his backpack onto his shoulder.

"Bye Hector," he mumbled, right before following Harry out of the library.

Burke simply gave a silent wave and sighed once the other two had left. He looked down at the book he had been holding and added it to an ever-growing pile of books on the table.

HPHP

Seven minutes and 99 steps later, Teddy was nervously sitting in Harry's office, waiting for the inevitable telling-off.

Harry had his back turned to him, making tea. Teddy was practically burning a hole in the back of his head. Finally, the boy couldn't take it anymore.

"Aren't you going to say something?" He blurted out.

"Like what?" Harry turned around dipping and lifting the teabag calmly before he set it down in front of Teddy.

Teddy eyed the teacup like it was obscene.

"You're not going to warn me about being friend with Hector?" He huffed out the mocking question.

"So you know it's not the wisest idea?" Harry replied.

"He's a decent bloke Harry," Teddy retorted, becoming visibly frustrated, "I wish everyone would stop being so judgemental."

Harry placed a reassuring hand on Teddy's shoulder. "I'm not going to tell you who you can or cannot be friend with Ted. I'm just looking out for your best interests. I'm just not entirely sure a bloke like Burke would be though."

"I can't you, out of everyone here, is judging someone based on his family. He's in Gryffindor Harry!"

"Houses have nothing to do with it, Teddy. You know that. And I'm not judging him on his family. I'm judging him on what I've seen in classes."

"When he answers a question! Come on Harry!"

"Why are you defending him so much? And why have you never mentioned the fact that you're friends?"

"Because I knew you would be like this."

"Teddy, wait."

And with that, Teddy grabbed his bags and left the room.

HPHP

A few days later, Teddy still hadn't spoken to Harry after their argument.

"He won't even look at me in class, and then I catch him and Burke past curfew in the hallways. I STILL don't know what they were up to." Harry was pacing in Ginny's office venting out his frustration.

Ginny leaned back against her desk, watching him pace.

"All students stay out past the curfew at some point or other."

"He doesn't have that many friends and the one friend he does have is Hector Burke!" he continued ignoring her comment.

"There's nothing wrong with Hector Burke."

Harry stopped pacing and looked at Ginny. "I don't like him being so secretive Gin."

"He's eleven. He's bound to be secretive."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean children that age rarely tell their parents everything."

Harry went to sit next to her, "But I'm not his parent. I'm his god-father. He should feel comfortable enough to tell me anything."

Ginny turned and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "I didn't mean that you're doing anything wrong Harry. It's only natural. Children that age are just beginning to find themselves and explore new territories especially here at Hogwarts. He needs to figure some things out on his own. You can't always be there to protect him and you certainly can't always be there to hold his hand, " she smiled softly at him.

Harry sighed, "This is what parents are referring to when they say 'They grow up so fast', isn't it?"

Ginny looked up into Harry's eyes, nodded and smiled.

Harry returned the smile. "How do you know so much about this?"

Ginny lifted her head and flared her hands flamboyantly. "'Tis the Weasley omniscience."

"You pick up a few tips when you've been teaching this long," Ginny explained.

Harry squeezed her arm in a half-embrace and Ginny let out a noticeable wince. He looked surprised and lifted her sleeve and saw a large bruise on her arm. "Ginny, what happened. Are you hurt?" He asked worried.

"Oh that, that's nothing," Ginny quickly rolled down her sleeve and moved away from Harry to sit behind her desk. "There were some wild Bouncing Bulbs in the Forbidden Forest when I went to make my daily rounds yesterday with Hagrid."

Harry turned around, suspicious at the sudden change in her demeanour.

He began slowly, "I heard at the Ministry this morning that a few illegal traders are taking it upon themselves to steal unicorn hairs. Didn't give you any trouble, did they?

Ginny looked at her papers, while speaking to him, "No, none whatsoever. I knew it would be a quiet night. Why I told you to go to the Ministry when they called."

"Ginny... look at me," Harry urged.

"What?"

"You're a terrible liar Ginny," Harry urged her softly.

"I'm not lying Harry."

Harry's face quickly turned serious. "What aren't you telling me Gin?"

"I'm not hiding anything Harry. Don't you trust me?" Ginny retaliated.

"Of course I trust you," Harry replied stunned, "What's that got to do with anything? I just want to make sure you're..."

"SAFE!" Ginny rose agitated, "Yes I know. You always want to make sure everyone's safe."

"Well maybe if you didn't show up bruised and unexplained, I wouldn't need to worry so much." Harry was increasingly getting upset.

"I can take care of myself. You want to make sure everyone's so safe, Teddy's not even allowed to make his own decisions." Ginny was yelling at this point.

"Don't tell me what I can or cannot do for my god-son."

"Fine then. He'll open up to you less and less with this overprotective attitude."

"I know what's best for him."

"Yes, but allow a bit of leeway, won't you? He's only in first year for Merlin's sake."

"That's rich. You fell for a Dark Object in your first year."

Ginny stood stunned, staring at Harry. Within moments though the anger she felt could be visible on her face.

"Get out," she stated solemnly.

Harry was also stunned with her request but then quickly got up and left angrily.

"Explain to me exactly why you missed a perfectly laid out opportunity to tell him," Severus drawled out from behind her.

"Shut up Severus."

HPHP

Ginny sighed as she stood posed outside Harry's office later that evening, trying to summon up enough courage to knock on his door. She had cancelled on that evening's daily scout of the perimeters in vigilance of the unicorns. Merlin, giving up part of her job to patch things up with her boyfriend. She barely recognised herself anymore. It was part of the reason why she had gotten so angry and let things get out of hand earlier. She felt so different from how she was before. What if he left? Had she become so dependent on him that she would become of those wretched women who felt lost without their partner? Ginny shuddered at the thought. Think sensibly, Ginny told herself. Yes, she loved Harry... probably more than she should. But these were all irrational fears. Worrying about things that only might happen only lead to fights such as these.

So she took one more sigh, raised her fist and knocked.

"He's been utterly miserable since he returned, dear," the portrait of a 16th century witch spoke up.

Ginny nodded and a faint 'Come in' could be heard from inside.

She opened the door slightly and peaked in. Harry sat droopily in his chair with his robes half done playing with what looked like a metal model of Saturn and its rings. She opened the door fully and entered.

He peaked through hooded eyes to see who it is and looked up fully when he realised who it was. The look on his face was one of cautious intrigue. He remained in his chair looking up at Ginny but stopped playing with the model in his hands.

"I... I came to apologise," Ginny stuttered out at first.

When she noticed, however, that she wasn't getting a response out of him, she lifted her chin in defiance. She had admitted she was mistaken but she wasn't going to let him see her nervous.

Harry mumbled.

"What?"

"I said," Harry reiterated as he grabbed her hand and pulled her closer, while still sitting down, "I know you can take care of yourself."

Ginny smiled softly. She knew that was his way of apologising.

"And I'm sorry for bringing up the Chamber," Harry winced as he mentioned this. He looked down at her hands while he softly rubbed her fingers.

"It's not that you mentioned it," Ginny replied softly, "It's the truth. I accepted it a long time ago. It's the fact that you were a right arse for bringing it up."

Harry let out a sad chuckle, nodding.

Ginny smiled down at him but then her face grew serious.

"But I said some mean things as well," she moved his chin so that he could look up at her, his green eyes staring up at her. She leaned down and kissed him softly, apologetically.

Suddenly, a frantic knock was heard through the door. Both Ginny and Harry looked up startled and harry quickly made his way over to the door while trying to arrange his previous burnt-out appearance.

As soon as he opened the door, he found the agitated face of Professor Neville Longbottom outside.

"Harry... Ginny? Good. Let's go. I'll explain on the way."

Harry and Ginny glanced at each other and quickly followed Neville.

HPHP

About an hour and a half later, Ginny, Harry, Neville and Hector Burke could all be found in Ginny's office in various states of nervousness, anxiety and downright anger.

"Hector what were you thinking? You know that harming a unicorn is a very serious crime."

"Like I already told Hagrid, Professor, I didn't do any harm to that unicorn. It was wounded when I found it."

"Who would harm a unicorn?" Neville asked, honestly concerned about the well-being of the rare creature.

Harry stood with his arms folded next to the fireplace, fuming. He had already been told off by Ginny at the Forest for yelling at Hector. The only reason she had allowed him to stay was precisely because this fell precisely within his area of expertise.

Suddenly, loud voices could be heard from the stairway leading up to the office. Everyone in the room looked up as the door swung open to reveal the billowing black robes of Draco Malfoy, slightly older and taller than they remembered but with the same whitish-blonde hair and the same cold grey eyes.

"Weasley, what is the meaning of this? I insist you retract these ridiculous allegations at once."

Filch came staggering into the room, out of breath, "I tried to stop him Ma'am," giving a nasty look at Malfoy.

Malfoy simply sneered at him.

"That's quite alright Filch. That will be all."

Filch left the office, grumbling against anyone and everything as he is apt to do.

Malfoy and Harry looked disgustedly at each other while quickly averting their gazes.

Ginny moved to sit behind her desk, putting on a very formal one of voice, "Mr. Malfoy, I suggest you sit down and we will calmly discuss what happened tonight... And it's Professor Weasley to you." She gave him a challenging look, daring him to defy her on how he should address her.

He remained silent and she took this as her cue to begin.

"Almost two hours ago, I was called to the Forbidden Forest by Rubeus Hagrid who had been making his daily rounds of the Forest due to the esteemed guests we have at the moment. He informed me that he had found Mr. Burke next to a unicorn, which was mortally wounded and which the Centaurs, right now, are making every effort to save but I am almost sure they are failing.

Malfoy had looked shockingly at Burke the moment Ginny mentioned a wounded unicorn.

Burke quickly jumped to his own defence, "It was wounded when I found it."

"Why didn't you send up a flare with your wand or call for Hagrid?" Neville interjected.

"I bent down to look at it and that's when Hagrid showed up. Honest, I was just looking at it. I'd never seen a unicorn up close before," Burke continued agitated.

Ginny looked at Burke with a serious look, her hands folded in front of her. "Hagrid also mentioned that he saw you plucking hairs from its tail. You were doing a bit more than just looking at it Hector."

"Hagrid can't be sure about that. It was dark," Burke shot back.

Malfoy looked from Burke to Ginny. Burke looked nervous. Ginny didn't know what to think at this point.

He sat up primly and cleared his throat. "Rest assured, Hector will understand the seriousness of his actions," he said while eyeing Hector. "We do not condone this behaviour in any way in the Malfoy family."

Harry scoffed. Malfoy glared nastily at him.

Ginny leaned back in her chair, a pensive look on her face. "I do not believe you harmed that unicorn Hector. I taught you for five years. You have never shown cruelty in your actions. I will overlook the stealing of unicorn hairs seeing as you returned them willingly." Ginny immediately held out her hand at both Malfoy's and Burke's objections. "Don't dare deny it. Hagrid has better eyesight than a hawk. I am choosing to trust you Hector. I don't know why you were out there but you've have never struck me as foolish or dare-devilish. Therefore, there must have been a reason and until I find out what it is, I will not judge your actions. But rest assured, Hector, I will find out the reason. I will, for the time-being, punish your for entering forbidden grounds.

Malfoy chose this moment to pipe up. "Oh come on, that never leads to much beyond a detention."

Harry couldn't take it anymore. "Normally yes. But I've caught him in the Restricted Section only last month, in the corridors after-hours. He's been here for six years and let's be honest, Malfoy, he doesn't exactly have the best track record."

In a flash, Malfoy stood up, face-to face with Harry. "What are you insinuating Potter? As I recall, you did all of the things Hector is being accused of and you got called a hero at the end of it all. How did you know of his track record? Rummaging the old disciplinary files for traces of Father again?"

"I caught him with a book on Horcruxes when I found him in the Restricted section. Now he's harming unicorns. My outings were never about dabbling in the Dark Arts."

"No only to the Headmistress' room."

"Why you rat..."

Draco quickly took out his wand while Harry, with his quick reflexes wasn't slow in his reaction.

Both quickly shot out hexes which only ended up counter-acting each other and fired onto one of the portrait frames instead.

"AHHH," the portrait of Headmistress Phinease Junce yelled out, scampering to one side of the portrait. "Watch where you point those things. GINEVRA!"

Phinease had always been one of the more whiny of the portraits.

Ginevra covered her head as the after-effects of the hex bounced off the walls of the cramped room.

Neville quickly went forward taking the wands of both wizards.

"That's it. Both of you out. I will deal with Hector on my own. Draco, I thought what with your efforts to reform the Mafloy name, you would be of help. I always thought you were a fine god-father to Hector. Apparently I was wrong... and YOU," she glared at Harry, "YOU are a Professor. Neville, escort them BOTH out."

Harry gave a baffled look to Ginny, while Draco arranged his robes and scoffing away from Neville when he tried to direct him out.

Malfoy slicked back his always sleek hair and walked out of the office.

He waited for Neville and Harry to come down the staircase.

He looked at Harry directly and spoke, "Listen, Potter, us god-fathers can't all give secret maps to our god-sons and play our problems away. Some issues take a bit more time." He looked Harry up and down, sneering at him, "Grow up, Potter. I have."