Chapter 4!
Harry gripped the steering wheel tightly and felt a minute amount of tension leave his body. It felt good to be in his own car again. The sleek, black mustang was the only extravagance he'd really allowed himself since he'd joined the force four years ago. He might have the bank account of a fifty year old millionaire, but he had the body and heart of a twenty-three year old, and he loved to hear his baby purr.
"Nice ride." Ginny had drawled when he'd let her in the passenger side. He'd been more offended than he'd care to admit. Not that he wanted to brag, but he'd gotten girls to come back to his apartment with this car alone. The supple leather seats were a dream, and the way it handled… Harry smiled and took a right onto the freeway. This car was his baby, alright. And the girls came and went, but his shiny little monster was here to stay.
And it was nice to be with something of his own, today. Everything from his morning run to his afternoon snack had come from and revolved around Ginny Weasley. For the past several years, Harry had gotten used to controlling everything around him. That's what made him a good agent, a good cop. He got control of the crime scene, the details of a case, the criminals. But now, well, he was remembering the reasons he didn't like personal surveillance work.
Now, his sanity depended on getting Ginny in and out of her parents' house as quickly as possible.
"All of my brothers and their wives and girlfriends are going to be there. And then of course there's all the extended family, Dad's work friends…Though they may not be there, Mom said it was just a family affair. But even that's huge! Not that my mother minds in the slightest. She likes to cook, see…" Ginny had told him, laughing at her own joke.
Yeah, Harry thought, turning off an exit ramp, Her mom liked to cook quite a bit. In fact had made a career out of it. During his walk-through of Ginny's apartment last night, he'd seen that she'd had every single cook book her mother had ever written, as well as the DVD series of the past twelve seasons of Molly Weasley's shows.
She was called the modern-day Julia Child and was a very public figure. It was no secret that the Weasley family was loaded with cash up to their ears because of her. No wonder she liked to cook. She'd have to, living the life that she did.
Harry continued down a road that became more and more isolated from civilization. He shook his head quietly as Ginny babbled about various landmarks they passed, her favorite childhood park, her first school. Harry barely paid attention, instead concentrating on the road.
No one knew that much about the Weasleys' personal lives. Ginny was the only one of them who'd become really notable like her mother. Her oldest brother, Bill, had gotten some notoriety for hacking into a bank's database, then getting hired by that same bank to keep others from breaking in as he had.
Other than that, the Weaselys were a mystery. They lived out in the middle of nowhere, as Harry was seeing now, and were said to be very close. There was some talk of them being "batty" or having started a popular blood cult, but Harry was sure that those were just media rumors. Ginny was normal enough…kind of.
As a point of pride, she'd taken it upon herself to be as loquacious as possible. She talked at him almost non-stop for hours today at work. She'd talked about her new editor, how she'd been disappointed she hadn't gotten a promotion, that she'd recently grown to love apples, where she hated them as a child.
Harry had been exhausted for her, by the end of the day, but she hadn't seemed bothered. He'd abandoned her ridiculous signs halfway through the day, and had stuck with nodding or shaking his head. Not that she asked him many questions. Her constant barrage of dialogue had been a bit of a blessing, actually, and gave him something to focus on while he stood there behind her desk, watching the door to her small office.
"We're here!" Ginny grinned beside him, wriggling in her seat. He looked up and, indeed, pulled the car to a stop in front of a set of huge wrought iron gates. The words "The Burrow" were set into the metal. Ginny startled him by pushing the button to roll his window down, then practically leaped over the center console to lean out the window towards a keypad beside the driveway.
Harry was pressed back into his seat by her wriggling body. The scent of her flowery perfume, which had been teasing him all day, suddenly enveloped his personal space. He had to stop himself from breathing the heady, seductive scent deeply into his nose.
"Rube! Rubeus it's me, Gi-" Ginny was cut off when Harry grasped her firmly around the waist and deposited her back in her own seat. She exclaimed in outrage, but he ignored her.
"Special Agent Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley requesting entrance." He barked out the window, not pleased that his body had reacted so quickly and completely to having Ginny so close to him. He'd have to just get used to having her close. It was just part of the job. Only the job.
"Agent Potter, is it?" A booming, jovial voice came back over the speaker. "And Little Gin-Gin! Welcome home, my girl." The voice said indulgently. The gates in front of them swung open and Harry eased the car forward along the well-lit drive. Ginny crossed her arms.
"So you'll talk to my security guard but not to me?" She asked, sullenly. Harry could have told her that the security guard wasn't constantly questioning his competence, and that it had been necessary to identify themselves. Instead, he remained stoic beside her. After a surprisingly short drive, they found themselves at the main house.
Harry had to assume that it was the main house, because the driveway stopped and Ginny had already rocketed out of the car. Harry shut off the engine and stepped out hurriedly, keeping an eye out for her. She'd gone bouncing up to the guard station.
Harry took a moment to stare at the building in front of him. He'd expected a huge mansion, a grand dwelling for a family so large and with so much money. He hadn't expected this squat, cozy bungalow. The lawn and front entance was immaculately lit and well kept, but that and the guard house was the only indication of the immense wealth of the people that dwelled inside it.
Harry blinked up at it for a second longer, then turned back to Ginny, only to blink again. She was talking to the biggest man that Harry had ever seen. He was massively broad and muscular, and had to top out at least at six foot eight. If he'd believed in such things, Harry would swear the man was part giant.
But the guard (Rubeus?) was shockingly gentle as he picked Ginny up and swung her into his arms with clear affection. Ginny squeezed him back as hard as she could with her arms only going half-way around his shoulders. Harry had to smile at this mis-matched pair. The love between them was palpable.
He erased his smile quickly, however, when Rubeus set Ginny back down and gave her a swift pat on her head.
"Run 'long to yer mother." The giant said, "She'll be happier to see yeh than I am. And that's hard to do." Ginny smiled widely and had to jump to plant a kiss on his cheek.
"See you later, Rube! I'll bring you some cake before I leave." She called over her shoulder. She nodded at Harry, motioning for him to follow her.
"That was Rube." She called over her shoulder, where he was walking the customary two feet behind her. The distance didn't deter her talking in the least. "He's been the family's guard for…as long as I remember. Before I was born, even. He was the third person to hold me in the hospital, just behind my mom and dad. I'm his favorite." She scrunched her nose at him sarcastically. "But he says that to all of us."
They walked up the wide stairs to the front door, and Ginny swung the door open just as Harry shouldered past her to scope out the space in front of them.
"You really think there's going to be someone waiting to attack me at my parents' house? With Rube outside and my whole family inside?" She scoffed at him and pushed past, headed towards the back of the house, towards multiple male voices. Harry had to admit that it didn't seem likely, but old habits die hard, and he was only doing what his training had pounded into him.
As they walked down a long, dimly lit hall, the voices, now mixed with a few female ones, grew louder and louder until it sounded like the whole house had erupted in a shout. Ginny hurried forward, and they stepped suddenly into a very open, bright room.
The vaulted ceilings and floor to ceiling glass rear wall bounced the sound of the cheers back to them.
"Who's playing?" Ginny called over the roar, which suddenly shifted to be mostly her name.
"Ginny!" Arthur Weasley was the first to stand and greet his daughter. The whole family, plus a few wives and girlfriends were draped over various chairs and couches, some sprawled on the floor, others in tall stools behind the couch. Their eyes, which had previously been glued to the TV, all swung first to Ginny, then to Harry, before the whole mass of them seemed to simultaneously pop up into standing positions and rush at her.
It took all of Harry's will power to step away from her, not closer. If we were talking about training, a number one rule was that when a huge group of people rushes at your charge, you don't step back and watch it happen. That is, unless the huge group is family. He watched in a sort of incredulous amazement as Ginny received hug after hug, kiss after pat on the cheek from her family…and then they moved onto him.
He was shocked when the tallest on, Ron, Harry knew from his files, stepped forward and offered Harry his hand.
"Ron Weasley. Pleasure to meet you, Agent Potter." Harry stared down at the calloused fingers in front of him before slowly lifting his own to meet Ron's handshake.
"H-Harry. Please. Call me Harry." He regained his composure fairly quickly, which was good, because the handshaking ritual continued with five other brothers and three young women. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as the most famous cook of their time walked quickly from the open kitchen on the other end of the room towards Ginny.
"Oh, Ginny, dear!" Molly Weasley burst as she flung her arms around her daughter. Harry met Mr. Weasley's eyes and shook the man's hand, but kept an eye on Ginny, who seemed suddenly in danger of becoming smothered in her mother's arms.
"I'm fine, mom." Ginny's voice was rather muffled as she tried to reassure her mother. "Really, I'm good. Look, I've got a guard and everything!" Ginny flapped a helpless hand in his direction as her mother finally let go to turn to Harry.
The rest of the family watched in amusement as their matriarch let out a cry and flung her arms around Harry, as well.
"Yes, Harry Potter! Thank you so much. Kingsley mentioned that this was a bit of a favor, and we cannot thank you enough, dear!" The boys erupted into laughter, and even Arthur cracked a smile watching his wife.
Harry patter her back awkwardly. "I'm just doing my job, ma'am." He muttered, not sure how to react to this round, energetic woman who'd pulled him into her strong embrace. She sighed shakily, and when she pulled back to grip his shoulders, he was alarmed to see that her vibrant brown eyes were shiny with tears.
"None of that, dear. This is not just a job, it's my daughter. And none of this "ma'am" business, my name is Molly. You'll do well to use it." She sighed and took a long look at him. "You're too skinny." She declared before releasing him and moving to fuss over Ginny some more.
Harry blinked, dazed at the rest of the family.
"Mum, you can't call Harry Potter 'too skinny'!" Ron said from the couch, his eyes back on the TV screen.
"Ronald, it's true. He's too skinny!" She paused from wiping a smidge off Ginny's cheek to look back up at Harry. "You're too skinny." She told him again, and bustled back into the kitchen when Ginny finally waved her off. "I hope you're hungry!" She called merrily over her shoulder, all traces of tears gone.
"Not just a job, I'm their daughter." Ginny muttered as she walked past, elbowing him in the stomach. She plopped down on the couch, half on top one of her brothers. Fred? George? Even Harry's trained eye couldn't tell the difference between the twins. He stood there awkwardly in the entrance, scoping out where to stand before Ron waved him over, motioning to a stool behind the couch.
"You'll want a place where you can see the whole room." He said, nodding as Harry came over to perch on the stool. Ron was right, this was the ideal seat for him. He could see all the doors, windows, and he had a direct line to Ginny. Harry eyed the calluses on Ron's hands.
"Are you on the force?" he asked the taller man. Ron snorted and emptied his beer.
"Used to be. Went through training and all, but my wife didn't like the hours, all the danger…" He trailed off, inclining his head to a pretty brunette Harry hadn't met in the initial lineup. "Hermione Granger-Weasley." He said a bit loudly, catching her attention. She smiled sweetly at him and made her way around several lounging Weasleys to stop in front of them. She offered Harry her hand as Ron stole her beer.
"Hermione Granger-possibly- soon-to-be-hyphen-Weasley." She said, grinning at him. "We haven't decided yet." She told him.
"You haven't decided yet. I'm all decided."He handed back her beer and laid a smacking kiss on her cheek. "She'll cave, one day." He winked at Harry, who couldn't help but smile at the pair.
"Hermione Granger…" Harry's eyes flicked to Ron, "Possibly-hyphen-Weasley?" He asked as Ron laughed at his joke. "You're the lawyer on the trial for…" He trailed off, noticing that sever pairs of eyes swiveled to him at the word 'trial'. Hermione took over for him, smoothly.
"Tom Riddle, yes." She glared at Charlie, who was outright staring at them before he turned forward again. "I'm working to see if I can get him up to a triple life sentence. If anyone deserves it, it's that sick excuse for a man." She spat violently before sipping her beer and passing it back to Ron.
Harry couldn't agree more, and was glad that the lawyers on the case were so keen on keeping Riddle in jail for as long as possible.
"Hermione, dear, please no more talk of that horrible business." Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen. "Besides, dinner's ready!"
The effect of these three words was immediate. The whole red-headed lot of them seemed to jump out of their seats and run, stampede really, to the absurdly long dining room table which separated the living room from the kitchen. Harry followed quickly, sticking as close to Ginny as he could, making sure she wasn't run over.
He needn't have worried, but as soon as they were seated at the table, (Molly had insisted that he sit with them, next to Ginny, instead of standing behind her chair) Ginny leaned over and hissed at him.
"So you're not allowed to talk to me but you can get as chummy with my family as you want?" She glared at him as he mockingly tugged his ear. She whipped her head away from him and ignored him for the rest of the meal. Fortunately, Ron and Hermione Granger-possibly-hyphen-Weasely sat on his other side, and kept him entertained with a running commentary on the rest of the family.
Ron was overjoyed when he learned that Harry's favorite soccer team was the New York Red Bulls. Hermione merely rolled her eyes, and turned to talk to Audrey, Percy Weasley's wife. Harry found himself pushed and pulled into one conversation or another. It seemed that he couldn't play the "macho" bodyguard card, as Ginny would call it, and just keep silent. No one would allow it, here, and by the time they left, he'd exchanged numbers with everyone, and felt like he'd known Ron and Hermione all his life.
Firing up the car and waiting for Ginny to give Rube his cake, Harry sighed with contentment. He hadn't felt this happy in a long time. Possibly ever, a cynical part of him chimed in, and he couldn't help but agree.
Ginny slid into the car and collapsed into her seat with a sigh.
"It's always so exhausting, coming here." She said as they slid down the driveway. "I mean, I love them and all, but there's so much attention! They're making up for when I was away with the Flash doing the soccer thing. But still, there's only so much care and concern one person could take." She slumped back in her chair, a small smile playing across her lips, negating her complaints. She sat up suddenly.
"Also, I've decided not to be mad at you." She turned to face him. He raised an eyebrow. "Yes. First off, because I'm going to smother you with all my polite kindness. Second, because with my family, it's impossible not to fall in love with them. Thirdly, because I'm beginning to wear you down, aren't I?" She looked at him expectantly, but he shook his head 'no'.
She scoffed. "I know I am! When you passed me the beans tonight, I said thank you, and I heard a distinctive grunt out of you!" She argued. He had to keep from smiling.
She kept up her one-sided argument all the way home, and he reflected on her family. He wondered if she knew how lucky she was, having people like them behind her. It was something he'd never experienced, and he felt that he'd miss it, when this assignment was done.