A/N: English is my second language, so I'm doing the best I can with the checking of the word processor. This chapter wasn't beta.
A/N 2: I'm sorry and all that about the long the delay. I got lost and didn't really know where to go with the story. This is quite short and I'm counting on it to be a warm up to show me the way to continue.
CHAPTER TEN
The group entered Gryffindor Tower and Mrs. Weasley directed everyone to their rooms.
Bill, Charlie and Kingsley choose the would-be-sixth-year boys' dorm, while Hestia Jones and Tonks went to the sixth year girls' room. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley took the first room the right, where the new first year boys' should go coming September. The Twins were quickly to claim the fifth year boys' room, leaving the seventh's to Ron and Harry. Ginny and Hermione would stay at the seventh year girls' dorm.
The group dispersed rather quickly, but Harry was able to hold on to Ginny's hand and make her stay at the common room after it emptied.
The couple stopped in front of the stairs toward the dorms and Harry held both of hands into his, taking a deep breath before starting to talk.
"Ginny, there is something more that I would like to experiment with."
The younger girl inhaled surprised and squeezed Harry's hand in a silent sign for him to continue.
"I would like to see how we can try and make a relationship work, even if you will be at school and I will be muddle around, trying to find something to do."
Ginny opened her mouth to answer but Harry stopped her with a gentle finger over her lips.
"No, don't say anything now. Sleep over it. Talk with somebody, if you wish. Think about it before you answer. Whatever you choose to do, it will be alright to me. At least, you will always be my friend." He substituted his finger with his lips, giving her a quick peck, and then he released her hands and climbed the stairs two at a time.
"Harry Potter!" Ginny screamed. "You can't just say that and walk away!"
"Go to sleep, Ginny!" It was Mrs. Weasley's voice. "Whatever it is, you two can resolve it tomorrow."
The red head stomped all the way to the room she was sharing with Hermione. Before the other girl's inquisitive stare, Ginny just shook her shoulders and plumbed on her bed. Even with so much in her mind, sleep gripped her swiftly.
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Hermione and Ginny met with almost the entire group in the common room the next morning. They walked together toward the Great Hall for coffee.
"Your father, Kingsley, Tonks and Hestia went to work," Mrs. Weasley informed after some whispered question from Bill.
"Harry wasn't in bed when I woke up," Ron told the others.
"I worry so much about that boy," Mrs. Weasley said. "And he went to the Ministry with Kingsley."
"I don't think is correct to call him a boy anymore, mum," Charlie commented.
"He wasn't a boy for a long time now," Hermione whispered. "After he destroyed Voldemort, I would say that this part of his life is officially over."
"Even so…" Mrs. Weasley tried again just to be interrupted by Bill.
"Let it go, mum. We can help him cope; we can be around and be his friends whenever he needs."
"But we can not tell him how to live his life," Ron finished.
Mrs. Weasley agreed sadly, still murmuring how much cuddling and protection she believed Harry needed. Her children just shook their heads, knowing that nothing could really change her opinion or her behaviour.
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"So, what happened to the grumpy grease git?" Harry asked Shacklebolt while they arranged themselves on the Senior Auror's room.
"Well, he did get a dress down from the Minister," Kingsley chuckled.
"Well deserved and all that but I doubt it will cause a lasting impression."
"Ah, yeah, you do know Snape," Kingsley said. "But he certainly won't be going back to Hogwarts."
"He got a new post in the Ministry?"
"Oh, no! I wouldn't survive that!" Kingsley answered with an alarmed expression. "The Green Apothecary and Potions Company offered him a post."
"I really don't like potions and I never heard of them," Harry commented making a face.
"It's the company owned by the Greengrass family," Kingsley smiled. "They kept quite neutral in all this confusion, so they were out of the Ministry eye."
"But they certainly are a well known pureblood family."
"You can't condemn all of them, Harry." Kingsley said seriously.
"I know, but I do get suspicious," the young man answered.
"You can't go all your life like that, Harry, looking behind your back and doubting people around you."
"What happened to the 'Constant vigilance' motto? Moody would skin you alive if he heard you," Harry laughed.
"That's true and I agree that we can't just let go of the caution, but I'm against this high form of paranoia," Kingsley answered.
"Ok, I'll try to find an equilibrium, ok, but I'll not stop being suspicious of Snape and his cohorts."
"I think it's a smart idea to keep an eye on the silent purebloods. Don't worry, even if Scrimegour is a politician, he will not let something like You-Know-Who happens again any time soon."
"I hope you're right," Harry whispered. Then he looked the older man direct into his eyes. "And the first attitude should be dealing with this stupid "you-know-who" and others epithets, don't your think?"
"I'm work on it, ok, Potter," Kingsley said a bit annoyed. "It's not that easy, when you grew up hearing horror stories about that name."
"Yeah, I know. It was hard enough for Ron to start playing with it. But this should really be an issue. You can't have Aurors afraid to say the name of a criminal, can you?"
"Right," Kingsley said, looking sideways to the young man. "Let's get on with this report so you can go back to Hogwarts and the Minister can be happy."
"Just point the way and I'll follow," Harry joked.
Shacklebolt shook his head and pulled out the parchment and the Dictation quill to proceed with the report of the demise of the last Dark Lord.
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"We have been rather lucky, haven't we?" Harry asked, his eyes lost in a distance and invisible image, his head sustained by a hand under his chin.
Kingsley Shacklebolt finished the final touches on the report he was tidying up for the Minister and sighed profoundly before turned his eyes toward the pensive face of the young man.
"What you mean?"
"So few of us died," Harry answered. "Especially in the last battle, at Malfoy Manor."
"We had lost so many already," Kingsley shook his head.
"Ah, I'm not diminishing the losses," Harry said quickly. "But I must confess that I expect so much more…"
"I still don't understand," Kingsley said while preparing the report for delivery. After the last charm and after seeing the parchment duplicate itself and flew out of his desk, Shacklebolt turned all his attention to the young man.
"I was so afraid I would loose more of my friends and dear ones," Harry lowed his eyes, fleeing from the inquisitive glace of the black man. "I was afraid that Ron or Hermione would die, or maybe one of the Weasleys…"
"Or maybe Remus," Kingsley said with understanding, seeing the young man in front of him nod curtly.
"In that light, yes, we were quite lucky," Kingsley agreed.
TBC
