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"Oh my... marriages, and children, and... life. You always know how to beautifully describe the little things in life, as well as the big things. But you handle each with the same amount of care as the next. I felt just as excited reading about George and Hermione's lunch, as I did about the birth of Fred and Hermione's first child. And Percy's appearance was a nice touch too. And Hermione's thoughts of Harry and Ron after giving birth have only prepared me to want to throttle Harry and Ron come next chapter, lol. Good Update." - ProperT of FanFiction net.

Thank you to the following reviewers: Sampdoria, misssweetsweet, kazfeist, Cibbler, FmaFan10, Beneeta, F75, FredWeasleyLover1126, Secret Thought, Canadian Harry Potter Fan, Rob-girl, PyroAngel8605, Jester08, msenterprise, RipleyWriter93, Dizi 85, sweetgirl23, Hotkat144, SexiAnglo, RoxasIsReal13, sakuralilystars, Kou Shun'u, LavenderLily, KandyFloss, MxAzingxSpork, Shdwcat27, UntoldLies, LemoN-x-DroP, yasmin, ernie0926, Lunar Kasumi, CrzyPirateFanatic, Morkhan, bethygirl94, jamy21, wasu, WeezeyTwin, Lara Zed and Binx23, ProperT, pstibbons, SeanEmma4Evr.

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While You Were Gone
Chapter One

In ten years, Harry had grown used to the regularity of his new life. He rented a nice flat, or apartment as it was called in Canada, in a small little wizarding community. Across the hall from him was Ron, in his own comfortable flat. They owned a shop a few blocks away that sold top-of-the-line Quidditch gear and taught lessons to young children before they were sent off to the Canadian branch of wizarding school. While they were known as small celebrities, they weren't mobbed by the locals or even asked for signatures. After ten good years, they were just Ron and Harry, the blokes who ran the Quality Quidditch shop that was well known in Canada and it's neighboring country.

They hadn't ever planned on spending so much time away from their home country. However, after finding a flat to share and getting to know a few of the locals, they thought it wouldn't be too horrible if they got jobs. They worked off and on for a few of the stores. Stocking, cleaning, working retail, and after awhile they agreed it might be nice to open up their own store. They worked with the local wizarding bank and Harry used a good chunk of his inheritance to pay for it all to be set up. Within a few years they were well known and it just seemed right to settle down awhile longer. They always said that when it was time to move back, they'd sell the store or hand it over for somebody else to run. But years passed, the boys grew up, made friends around the town, and found a nice place for themselves.

They knew very little of what was happening in Britain. For the first three years, they received post from Molly, Hermione, and Remus, but slowly, after not having returned or replied, the post simply stopped. Every once in awhile, one of them would send out for a Daily Prophet so they could learn of events. It was through this method that they learned of Arthur's being hired as Minister of Magic. Because they read very rarely they weren't as caught up as they could be. They missed announcements of births and marriages for family and friends. They knew only that their names were hardly written any longer. Mentioned in passing through articles, but the "Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were said to have been spotted..." writings were all but gone.

It was a day like any other, Harry had just returned from his noon lessons of teaching a group of five year olds to fly and Ron was off working at the shop. On the window sat a brown spotted owl with a letter hanging from around its leg. Upon being woken from its nap as Harry trudged around the kitchen, searching out something to eat, it hooted excitedly, waving its leg. Sipping from a bottle of butterbeer, Harry untied the white ribbon from the owl's leg and pulled the envelope away. Without preamble, the owl was gone. Shrugging, Harry let his bottle sit on the table as he tore the top corner of the envelope, hooked his thumb inside and ripped it open. Inside sat a thick rectangular invitation. On one half it was decorated with white and black prints of flowers while the other side was a a deep ocean blue with dark black handwriting.

Minister of Magic, Arthur Weasley and his wife Molly
invite you to celebrate the marriage of their daughter

Ginevra Molly Weasley
to
Neville Franklin Longbottom

Sunday, the eleventh of August, 2007
Four o'clock in the afternoon
Spacious back property of The Burrow
near Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon

Please RSVP before the eighth!
Admits you and one guest.

Harry read it over twice, surprise written plainly in his face. Below, near the corner, it read "Invitation is required! Security will be at a high!" He wondered if Ron got one too and walked across the hall to check. There, sitting on the ledge, was a white and gray speckled owl holding an invitation. Untying it from the bird's leg, he locked Ron's flat back up and decided to make a trip over to the shop. He wasn't sure what to think. Part of him was happy that he was even considered at such a private and momentous occasion but another part worried about his appearance at the wedding. Should he even go? It'd been ten years, they were likely incredibly upset with him. Plus, wouldn't the reappearance of him and Ron sort of take the spotlight off the happy couple? And what if they tried to convince him to stay there? To move back? Did he want to? He loved the life he led. He enjoyed knowing the people that lived in the community and teaching children to fly and play Quidditch. He loved the shop he and Ron ran together, and things were going especially well with his girlfriend Lacey. They'd been talking about moving in together and after three years of dating, he felt a serious commitment to her.

Walking down the few blocks to the shop, he felt a sense of worry set in. What would Ron think? Would he be ecstatic to go back or just as hesitant to go? He knew Ron really enjoyed living in Cerridwen Circle. Walking through the door of the shop, he wasn't surprised to see Ron react automatically to the ring of the bell above that accompanied his entrance. Grinning, Ron tossed his magazine down and nodded to him. "Hey Harry, wasn't expecting you for another hour or so," he called out.

"Yeah," Harry replied, sighing quietly. "Well, unexpected mail."

Ron looked over at him in confusion. "Unexpected?"

Harry walked over, handing him the invitation and sticking his hands in his pockets. He watched Ron's brows lift high and his face widen with mild shock. He too had been surprised to find Ginny marrying Neville. He seemed so jittery and not all as confident as Harry saw someone being in a relationship with Ginny. But it had been ten years and he did remember that Neville had been a strong opponent in the war. He had grown up, become a little darker with the life they'd had to lead, but he still had the same Nevilleness about him. He was a little awkward, horrible at making potions, and stuttered whenever he spoke to a girl who wasn't Hermione. But, for whatever reason, Ginny deemed him adequate to marry.

"Huh," Ron said, nodding slowly, his brows knit together. "Well... I guess..."

"So, you want to go?" Harry asked, his brow lifting questioningly.

"D'you?" Ron volleyed back, still staring at the invitation.

"Yes and no," he replied, leaning against the counter between them. "You know your mum, she'll want us to move back. And Hermione..." He winced automatically, his eyes falling in shame. He hadn't returned any of her mail. He hadn't even had the heart to tell her face to face that he needed to get away. He had carried the guilt for so long. Part of him was sure that she understood, that if he went back, she'd hug him and cry and tell him it was okay. But another part was just as certain she would slap him, walk away, and never look back.

"Yeah... But... But it'll be nice seeing the family. I mean..." Ron scratched the back of his neck, lifting his chin to look at Harry imploringly. "Just because she wants us to move back, doesn't mean we have to. We could commute from here to see her and them. And... And I don't want to miss my baby sister's wedding, Harry." He grinned good-naturedly, shrugging his shoulder. "She's the first one since Bill, I think. Bet mum will be going crazy with putting it all together. We'll practically blend right in!" he assured, nodding.

Harry nodded slowly, a smile breaking out on his face. "It would be good to see everybody," he admitted. "Fred and George will probably take the attention off of us if we ask, too."

Ron agreed heartily, before running a hand through his hair and sighing. "So we're really going back then..."

"Yeah," Harry said, his eyes falling. "D'you think I should bring Lacey? It's going to be pretty overwhelming. But... I mean, your mum will want to meet her and I know Lacey'll want to meet Hermione. It doesn't seem right to leave her behind." Shaking his head, Harry shrugged.

"Yeah, you should definitely bring Lace. I was thinking of asking Julie. Ya think it's too early?" He lifted his brow wonderingly.

Harry shifted on his feet. Julie was Ron's longest girlfriend. He'd been unable to stay with anybody for any memorable about of time. As soon as his current interest brought up commitment, he was gone before she could blink. Julie had been going strong though; nearly a year and either she wasn't interested in long term or she knew Ron better than those before her. She was a nice girl, a little abrupt, but she got on with Ron better than most women. They met when Julie moved to town to take care of her grandma after she had some back problems when degnoming her garden. She ended up staying and caught Ron's eye almost immediately. Harry got along with her, unlike most of Ron's past girlfriends. She was friendly, funny, and understood Ron's lack of emotional depth. If there was anybody Ron could settle down with, it was Julie. Harry had always assumed it'd be Hermione, so he wasn't quite sure what to make of Ron bringing her home. "I don't think so. It's been almost a year, Ron. Besides, your mum would have your head if she found out you didn't bring her."

Chuckling, Ron nodded agreeably. "True." He waved to a bloke who entered the store and began looking around. "They wanted a reply before the eighth. That's... tomorrow, isn't it?" he asked, lifting a brow.

"The owl had to come quite a ways. Could have been a late one, too. I'm not sure everybody will be happy to see us," Harry admitted, shaking his head and grimacing. "Guess if we're going through, we should probably head out soon. Get us a place to stay and settle in. Don't want to rely on Molly to house us if she's gonna have a lot of people coming out for the wedding."

Ron's head bobbed up and down in understanding. "Right, so after we close the shop, I'll give Julie a shout, tell 'er to get ready. We're goin' home for a wedding." Grinning, he stood up, his arms crossing over his chest. "Should probably get some new robes for it, or somethin'."

Harry chuckled. "Yeah, probably." Taking a deep breath, he jerked his head to the side. "Well, I'm gonna go see if Lacey can come. I'll pop over to Margie's, see if she can make us a portkey over, yeah?"

"Sounds good," Ron told him, turning his attention to the customer as he walked over with a top-selling broom cleaning kit.

Nodding, Harry walked out the store and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he directed himself towards Lacey's flat. Three years ago, she'd come into the shop looking for a new broom. After an hour of chatting her up over brooms and Quidditch plays, she asked him out for tea, and they'd been together ever since. She was a fun girl; always talkative and friendly. She was a Quidditch enthusiast and quite liked following the Chudley cannons in the papers, so her and Ron got on well. Harry liked how laid back she could be, how she took everything in stride, including his past, and simply accepted things as such. He figured if he were ever to think long term, like marriage and family, she would be the right person for it. He wasn't looking at it though. He was happy with how things were for now and he knew she was, too. Knocking on her door, he felt his shoulders straighten. He hoped she would come, if only to help him through it all. He dearly hoped everybody would be understanding and accepting of their arrival.

Knocking on the door, Harry shifted on his feet. He'd already told Lacey all about the Weasleys and Hermione, so she'd understand, he was just a little worried about how everybody would react to her. Would the Weasleys like her? Would Hermione? What if they didn't get along? Lacey was a born and bred Canadian witch who had never been to Britain in her life. She did however find his British accent "adorable and sexy". The door opened and his eyes immediately lifted to find her blue gaze. "Hey," he said, a smile finding his mouth easily.

"Hey," she replied, stepping back for him to come in. She leaned forward as he walked in, kissing him in greeting before she closed the door. "Thought you'd be at home enjoying lunch and reading a magazine," she said, following him into the living room to plop down on the couch. Her legs moved up to curve behind her as she sat angled toward him.

"I was, but then I got some mail and forgot all about lunch," he replied, leaning back into the comfort of the large couch.

"Ya want me to make you a sandwich or something?" she asked, pointing her thumb back at the kitchen.

"Nah, that's all right," Harry said, shaking his head. "It was an invitation. To a wedding." His eyes slipped away from hers, roaming around the flat, though he knew it top to bottom.

"A wedding? Who's getting married? I didn't hear about it. You'd think somebody would have said something. Just five minutes ago my elderly neighbor Mr. Walker popped over to tell me he heard Teresa Clark, the teacher over at Cromwell preschool, broke up with James Baft, that nice candy store owner." Her brows lifted as she shook her head.

Harry chuckled. It seemed nothing happened in Cerridwen without everybody else knowing it. "Well, actually, it's my old friend Ginny's wedding. Ron's sister. She's invited us back to Britain to see her get married to another friend of ours, Neville," he told her, his hand lifting to rub at the back of his neck.

"Ahh..." she said, nodding. "I'm guessing Ron really wants to go." Harry nodded, frowning slightly. "But you're a little more hesitant."

Sighing, Harry's shoulders slumped. "What if they hate me?"

"I'm sure they don't hate you, Harry. They're upset, sure, but I'm sure they'll be more than happy that you're back. You're family." She reached out, taking his hand and lifting it into her lap. "I'd love to meet them. Especially Hermione. She'll be there, won't she?" she asked inquisitively.

"It's likely. Even with Ron not there, she was sure to have kept up with the Weasleys. Her and Ginny were friends, too, and Molly treated her like a daughter." Nodding, he bit his lip for a moment. "Of them all, she has the most reason to despise me."

"And of them all, she has the most reason to understand," she reminded, her hand lifting to run through his hair reassuringly. "And if she is mad, wouldn't it be better to go back, clear the air, fix the friendship?"

Letting out a heavy breath, Harry nodded. "'Course she might just curse me before I can even explain myself." He turned to her, his expression solemn and serious. "She'll put to use her extensive knowledge and I'll be a goner before I can even introduce you. How ever will you survive without me?" he asked, his mouth slowly twitching with a smile.

"I'll cope," she said, shrugging a shoulder with an impassive face. Chuckling at his expression of feigned hurt, she rolled her eyes. "So I'm coming then, eh?"

Clearing his throat, Harry shrugged. "Well my other three dates fell through, so I guess so."

Snorting, she shoved his shoulder and stood up from the couch. "And I was going to make that treacle tart thing you love."

Harry hopped up from the sofa, his eyes lighting up excitedly. "Really?"

"Not anymore I won't," she told him, shaking her head. "And I'm not coming to the wedding either." Pressing the back of her hand to her forehand dramatically, she shook her head. "Go on without me, I can hardly bear the sight of you."

"Too bad, you're about to spend a week with me, Ron, Julie, and a group of people that will have a ten year grudge against me," he told her, moving to wrap his arms around her slim waist. Her long dark hair brushed his cheek as he rested his chin on her shoulder. "Just a warning, Hermione was training to become an Auror when I left. Very quick with a wand, incredibly intelligent, and has a very sharp temper when scorned."

Chuckling, Lacey's hand lifted to pat his cheek. "This promises to be interesting," she said jovially.

Harry's mood picked up dramatically after visiting Lacey. After leaving her apartment, he stopped over at Margie's to ask her to make up a portkey for them for mid-afternoon the next day. When he arrived home, his shoulders a little less weighed down, he searched around his closet for something nice to wear. Ron was right when he said they'd need new robes, but he didn't want to look like something the kneazle dragged in when he saw them for the first time in ten years. Molly would rant about how he wasn't eating or taking care of himself and he couldn't have that. After packing up a bag of clothes to bring along and grabbing a photo album because he knew Molly would want to see pictures following all that had happened, he searched around his desk to find the envelope addressed to Hermione. So many times in the last ten years he almost sent it to her, his apology, his plead for her understanding, but it continued to sit, unread. He vowed he would give it to her, that he wouldn't let the opportunity pass. Despite the fact that he hadn't seen her in ten years, that he basically abandoned her, she had always been his best friend.

Later that night, he stopped by Ron's to make sure he had packed and was ready to go. Julie was visiting and sitting on the couch, shouting to him from her comfortable position on the sofa as she flipped through the channels on the TV. "Don't forget your boxers again. Last time we went on vacation, ya had nothing to wear under your pants the whole week!" she reminded, waving at Harry as he walked in the living room.

"I remembered," he replied, sounding disgruntled.

"And make sure you grab that blue shirt I like. And don't forget socks either. You better find those black shoes of yours, too. Oh and--"

"I know how to pack a bag, Jules," Ron shouted back. "And I know exactly where my black shoes are! It's under control!"

"Said the man who forgets something every time he packs his bags to go anywhere," she sing-songed back, rolling her eyes and settling on a basketball game.

Harry could hear Ron muttering under his breath in his bedroom and walked over, knocking on the door to alert his best mate of his presence. He looked up, nodding his greeting. "D'you know where my black shoes are?" he asked, his voice low so his girlfriend couldn't hear him.

"It's under control!" Julie mocked, obviously having heard him.

Harry chuckled, shaking his head. "Just came by to make sure you were packing, actually."

"HAH!" Julie called out, amused.

Rolling his eyes, Ron rifled around in his closet a little more. "I'll be ready," he assured, standing up with one of his black shoes and tossing it in the bag before searching under the bed. "Julie already has her things ready to go. Any idea where we'll be stayin'? Doubt 'Mione will let us stay with her. If she even has a big enough place. Probably just a flat, right? That won't have bedrooms for all of us. And who knows how many will be stayin' at mum's! Probably have to rent a room at a hotel for the week. UH HAH!" Coming out from beneath the bed, Ron held the other black shoe up triumphantly. Exhaling happily, he tossed it into the bag and turned to Harry. "I put a sign up at the shop telling everybody we're closed for the next week. Should be enough time. Figure we'll come back a few days after the wedding. We'll have visited and seen everybody but then it's back here." He gave a decisive nod and stood up. "You had dinner yet? I'm starvin'!"

Sighing, Harry followed him out of the room as he made his way into the kitchen.

"Dinner will be ready in a little bit, Ron. No spoiling your appetite," Julie called out. "Shoot! Shoot! AH! What are you waiting for?" she could be heard shouting at the TV as they passed her.

Ron stopped at the fridge and rifled around, pulling out a butterbeer and sitting down at the table. "So, is Lacey coming then?" he wondered after guzzling down half the bottle.

"Yeah, she's getting her things together." Harry's knee bobbed up and down as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He didn't know what he wanted to say or ask, he just knew that he felt completely out of sorts and he couldn't help but wonder how Ron was so easy going about it all. He was returning to family though, a family that would surely welcome him happily. If Molly could still want Percy part of her family, then surely she would accept Ron back. But Harry wasn't sure sure they'd all be happy to see him. He was most anxious about Hermione. They'd basically abandoned her and while at the time he assumed she'd be content and understanding, over the years he'd started to wonder if perhaps that was his own selfish desire to run that made that conclusion hastily. She probably hated them and that thought hurt more than one would expect. He knew he deserved it, they both did, but he didn't want it to be true. He knew though, that no matter how sorry he was, she was not about to welcome them with open arms, not unless her hand was rearing back to smack them. He decided not to burst Ron's bubble however and to just deal with his own fears until they were back in Britain.

A short while later Julie served up dinner and Harry listened to them banter back and forth while eating. He left before dessert, wanting to get a good nights sleep. Julie promised to have Ron up and ready for the portkey time and Harry wandered back across to his flat. After double checking to make sure he wasn't leaving anything behind, he crawled into his comfortable bed and lay thinking of all that could happen in just a few hours. Falling into a worried sleep, he had strange dreams of red hair, spatulas coming down to beat him over the head, and books slapping him in the face.

When he woke up the next day, he was grumpy and uncertain about the whole trip. He got himself ready to tell Ron he just wasn't going, but when he entered the living room, he could see Lacey in the kitchen making him tea and breakfast and he sighed. Falling onto the couch, he knew he was going. She smiled at him knowingly and handed him his cup of tea before going back to the stove. "Don't worry so much. Everything will work out," she reassured.

A/N Hey guys! Finally, a look at Harry and Ron and what they've been up to. Hope you enjoyed this, let me know!

Thanks for reading! Please review, it's greatly appreciated!

Much Love,
-Amanda