This World belongs to JKR.

The Long Way Home.

"Harry I'm really not dressed for rolling around on the grass, fun though it is," Ginny said from underneath Harry's right shoulder.

"Quiet Ginny we're not at the Hollow. The Portkey has taken us somewhere else." Harry rolled off Ginny, and moved into a crouch, wand in hand, his eyes peering into the shadows around him. The sun had yet to fully appear over the horizon, making visibility difficult. It was the perfect time for a trap. Harry remembered someone telling him once, probably Hermione, which this was why attacks were often launched at dawn.

"Can you see anything," Ginny said in an overly loud whisper. Ginny being quiet, and being drunk, didn't go together Harry thought. He put up his hand to silence her, but to no avail. "What are those little men doing?" Harry looked at where she was pointing, and visible relaxed. It was a group of muggle garden gnomes standing around a sad excuse of a garden pond. He finally recognised where they were.

"It's alright it's not a trap. I know where we are," Harry said lowering his wand, in relief.

"Where's that. It all seems too neat and tidy this garden, unnatural if you ask me," Ginny said finally standing up, and brushing herself down.

"That's what Tonks said about the kitchen a few years ago," Harry said. "We're in the back garden of number four Privet Drive."
"What, this is the home of your Uncle and Aunt," Ginny said in surprise.

"I guess somebody at the Ministry forgot that I no longer live here."

"Did you tell them that you'd moved?"

"No, I never thought about it to be honest. I didn't know I had to, still the less people who know where we live, the better I like it."

"You couldn't tell them anyway Harry. I'm the secret keeper, remember."

"Ginny could you try and talk a little quieter. We don't want to wake the Dursleys up."

"Ok, but you're shouting as well you know," she said again too loudly. Harry shook his head, and regretted it when he felt dizzy. It was like she thought everybody was deaf. Well at least she was a happy drunk, loud, but happy. It could be so much worse. She could always start picking fights when she'd been drinking.

"Come on then lets get to the front of the house, and then we can decide how to get home."

"Why don't we just apparate from here?"

"No, I don't think either of us is in any condition to do that, and as much as I love you I have no wish to be splinched to you." Harry led the way through the narrow gap between the house and the panel fencing. Too much alcohol had slowed his reactions, so he only just managed to step over the small stack of terracotta pots that hadn't been set flush to the wall. Unfortunately he forgot to warn Ginny who walked straight into them with her shins.

Harry's childhood had not been happy, but in one respect it had been a very sheltered upbringing. Foul language at the Dursley's was like a speck of dirt. It was not allowed under any circumstance. Harry imagined that Mrs Weasley thought about it in much the same way. Ginny though had been brought up with six older brothers, and the language that flew from her mouth clearly illustrated this fact.

"Gin keep it down," Harry said desperately, but it was too late. The Dursley's were heavy sleepers. They had to be with the amount of snoring that went on in the house. Unfortunately the ruckus had woken a dog that Harry had very bad memories of, Ripper. "Aunt bloody Marge is staying. Come on we'd better leg it."

"Is that the one you blew up?" Ginny asked as she rubbed her shins, her gown pulled back over her knees.

"Yea and I don't want to meet the evil cow. Are you all right love?" Ginny was limping and by now they had reached the front garden of number four Privet Drive.

"I've had much worse on the Quidditch pitch, but it stings like crazy at the moment."

"Here let me," Harry said using his wand to gentle heal the scraped leg. It didn't take long.

"Thanks Harry that's much better. You have a gentle touch." Ripper, who Harry wished had passed on years ago, was still barking.

"Who's making all that ruddy noise down there," a voice bellowed from an upstairs window?" Harry quickly slipped his wand back inside his robes, gave a small sigh, and looked up at his Uncles face.

"Good morning Uncle Vernon, how are you?" Harry said in as normal a tone as he could manage.

"Oh my God it's the boy. Go away, how dare you turn up here after what you did the last time." Harry frowned, and then remembered that he had left a portable swamp in the bathroom. It all seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Harry thought you might have a birthday present for him. He was eighteen yesterday you know," Ginny said laughing.

"And who the hell are you?" Vernon asked.

"I'm Mrs Potter, and you're Uncle Vernon. Harry's told me all about you," Ginny said. "I have to say he doesn't think much of you, you know, and having met you I can understand why."

"What's going on Vernon," A new voice boomed out, "Who are these hooligans?"

"Don't worry Marge I've got it all under control." Uncle Vernon was looking panicky now, and Harry knew why. There were no underage restrictions on using magic anymore.

"You can't pussyfoot around with hooligans Vernon. Move out of the way let me give them a piece of my mind." A large pug faced woman appeared at the window, and for reasons that Harry didn't understand immediately Ginny burst into hysterical laughter.

"I don't believe it, it's a butch Umbridge, and look at that moustache," was all Ginny could manage, before bursting out into peals of laughter again. Harry was trying not to join in, but the combination of alcohol, their emotional link, and Ginny's infectious laugh was too much. The comparison was just too good, and Harry was soon laughing with her, both of them ignoring the tirade that was being spewed down on them.

"Right that's it. I going to come down and give them both a damn good thrashing," Aunt Marge said her face disappearing from view. Uncle Vernon's face reappeared and Harry couldn't decide whether he was angry or sacred.

"For God sake boy leave, do you want the neighbours to see, leave now," he bellowed.

"Say please, and his name is Harry you fat lump," Ginny yelled back. Harry wondered if there was anybody still sleeping in the street.

The idea of calling Harry by his name, and saying please to him, was obviously a step too far as Uncle Vernon's face also left the window. There was a brief flash of Aunt Petunia's face at the window, as though she was checking that it really was Harry.

"Where's the damn blasted key to the door Vernon," they heard from inside the house. After a great deal of shouting, the door eventually opened inwards, and then there was a great deal more pushing and shoving, as the over weight brother and sister fought each other to be the first one out. Aunt Marge not surprisingly won as she was holding an aggressive barking dog under her arm. Harry had slipped his wand back into his hand, but slipped most of it up his sleeve. Ginny, he was glad to see was still unarmed, but he knew that could change in an instant.

"Right, you hooligans are in for it now," Marge yelled brandishing her walking stick in one hand. In fact he wasn't really sure why there were still there. Ginny though showed no signs of wanting to leave, in fact she was enjoying herself, and of course he couldn't abandon her.

"Look you bearded monstrosity, if you must call as hooligans at least have the good grace to call us well dressed hooligans. I don't get dolled up that often, so you could at least notice," said Ginny grinning broadly finding the whole situation hilarious. Marge Dursley was stopped in her tracks by these comments, and for the first time she actually looked at the two people she had been haranguing

"You, it's you boy! How dare you come back here. You should be locked up for stealing or drug dealing, or whatever crime you committed to get the money for…for clothes like that."

"Marge will you please calm down, or you'll wake the whole street," Vernon said desperately his head managing to look in six directions at once.

"Never mind the damn neighbours Vernon. The boys obvious broken out of St Brutus's, and gone on a crime spree. You need to ring them up, and tell them to come and fetch him, now!"

"It's a strange thing you know, but Harry doesn't go there anymore. They said he was cured, so there's room for Dudley now," Ginny said.

"Don't be ridiculous he's been a criminal his whole life. Not surprising considering his parents, bunch of no good layabouts sponging off the hard working taxpayer. Get them Ripper," she said putting the elderly dog on the ground.

Ripper was now well pass the prime of his life, and waddled rather than ran at them. Harry hated this dog, just as much as he hated the Dursley's, and he was sorely tempted to hit Ripper with a stunner. Instead with minimal movement, so the wand wasn't seen, he wordless cast a stinging hex, hitting the dog right on the nose. The dog may have been old and slow, but the reaction was immediate, and with a high pitch yelp it turned tail, and waddled back into the house.

"Not much of a dog Aunt Marge," Harry said, "sacred of its own shadow. I'd guess it must be bad breeding, a bit like its owner."

"Ripper come back to mummy," Marge said waddling after her dog. Vernon's eyes narrowed, and Harry could tell that he knew that he had used magic.

"Don't you dare use your unnaturalness here amongst normal people."

"Or what?" Harry said not attempting to hide his wand anymore, or contempt. "Now I suggest that we take this indoors."

"We don't want you here," Uncle Vernon blustered.

"Trust me nor do I we're only here by mistake, but we have some news that may interest you." Uncle Vernon looked like he would try and argue the point, but Harry pointed his wand at him, and he reluctantly followed his sister indoors. Once in the house Harry turned into the sitting room that he had always been banned from, and stood by the fireplace, with Ginny beside him.

"What are we doing in here Harry?" Ginny asked looking at the spotless room, distastefully.

"I figured we'd better get inside. This way I have more freedom to use magic without getting caught. No magic in front of Aunt Marge, if we can help it alright. Hermione can do memory charms, but I've never tried one."

"But why are we even bothering with them?"

"I figure they should know the war is over, as we're here." The Dursleys had all trooped into the kitchen after Ripper, but when they realised that Harry was in the sitting room they reluctantly followed.

"So have you come begging for money," Aunt Marge said nastily.

"No thanks, I have plenty, and making more all the time thank you very much," Harry said calmly. "First things first this is Ginny Potter my wife of the last few weeks, my best friend, and the bravest person I know."

"Ha I knew it she's pregnant. Well you can take your whore, and walk the streets like you deserve," Marge boomed.

"Right I've had enough of you," Harry shouted. "She is not pregnant you fat slag." He then pointed back out into the hall. "What's that behind you Marge?" Aunt Marge looked at where Harry was pointing, as she did so he pulled out his wand, and stunned her. She collasped face first over an armchair and lay motionless."

"Marge," Uncle Vernon shouted moving to help her.

"Stay where you are," Harry snapped." The evil bitch got a fraction of what she deserved, and if I hear anymore language like that, a lot worse will happen to you. When she wakes up you can tell her that Ginny hit her." Ginny laughed, but Harry's Aunt and Uncle went pale with fear.

"What do you want then?" Aunt Petunia asked. The first time that she had spoken that morning.

"Me. I don't want anything, like I said we came here by mistake. I just wanted to tell you that the war is over. Voldemort is dead. The murderer of your sister has finally received justice." Petunia moved to the sofa in a daze, and sat down. Uncle Vernon seemed unsure whether he should help his sister, who was still spread eagled over the armchair. Or should he comfort his wife who had been shocked by the news. In the end he stayed where he was, his fear of Harry's wand and anger, the deciding factor.

"He's really dead then," Aunt Petunia said after a silent pause.

"Yes."

"And did you, you know…"

"Kill him. In a manner of speaking, yes we did," Ginny finished.

"What, she was there?" Uncle Vernon blurted out.

"Her name is Ginny, and if that is too much for you, call her Mrs Potter," Harry snarled. "If it wasn't for her I'd be dead, so for once in your life show some respect to a person, who is more than you could ever be."

"Was it bad?" Petunia asked.

"Bad enough," Ginny said coldly.

"Of course it was. That was a stupid question, sorry," Petunia said quietly.

"Come on Ginny it's time to go," Harry said.

"What about Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked.

"What about her?" Uncle Vernon closed his mouth when he saw Harry's expression.

"Dad what's going on," Dudley asked in his pyjamas. He had appeared in the doorway. The noise and the sound of raised voices had finally dragged him out of bed.

"Nothing to bother your tiny little brain about Dudders." Dudley then saw Ginny in her evening gown.

"Who's that?" he said with a leer.

"That Dudley is my wife, and you better be careful what you say or think next. She just punched your Aunt Marge out." Dudley's jaw dropped as he saw the large unconscious body of Marge sprawled across an armchair, and the slight frame of Ginny who was pretending to gently rub her hand.

"Tell me Dudley," Ginny said, "why do you wear a watch round your ankle? It can't be very convenient" Harry looked down at where she was pointing.

"That's not a watch Gin. Dudders here has been tagged by the police. Been a naughty boy again, haven't you. Don't tell me you've been driving other people's cars without permission again. It looks to me like prison is your next stop Dudders." Dudley just scowled and refused to say anything.

"Harry," Aunt Petunia struggled to say his name.

"What."

"I want to thank you, both of you." Harry could see that this was almost physical hurting her.

"For what?"

"I never liked my sister. We were just complete opposites from the word go. We had absolutely nothing in common. She was everything I wanted to be, popular, charming, intelligent, and beautiful, and despite that, even though I wanted to I couldn't hate her because she was a wonderful person. Then we found out she was a witch." Petunia looked up at Harry, and for the first time in his life he saw a tear run down her face. "Finally I had a real reason to hate my sister, and I did."

"Why are you telling me this?" Harry said through gritted teeth trying to hold his temper in check.

"I never mourned her death. Why would I mourn somebody I hated, but she was still my sister, and I should have done. I want to thank you for avenging her. She was, and still is my sister." The tears were flowing more freely now, and Harry no longer wanted to witness his normally hard and cold Aunt breakdown.

"Fine. Come on Gin we'll catch the Knight bus," he said. Without a backwards glance he barged past Dudley and walked out on the last of his blood, followed by Ginny who now looked revolted by the whole episode.

They walked in silence towards the local park where Harry had caught the Knight bus once before. For the first time in his life his Aunt had shown a human side, and for reasons that escaped him he was furious with her for doing so.

"How dare she," Harry said through clenched teeth. "How bloody dare she hate my mum for being a wonderful person."

"I don't know what to say Harry," Ginny said.

"What the hell can you say about somebody like that? I can't even imagine how her mind works to come up with reasoning like that."

"Let's go home. I'm exhausted." Ginny said trying to distract Harry. Harry looked around and saw that the street was empty, and stepped off the curb with his wand held out. There was suddenly a deafening bang, and Harry was forced to leap backwards onto the pavement as a large triple-decker bus thundered into view.

"Welcome to the Knight bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard." Harry looked up into the face of Stan Shunpike, his face looked a few years older, but prison hadn't really left it's mark. Azkaban without the Dementors couldn't be as soul destroying as with them Harry reasoned.

"Good morning Stan, glad to see you've got your old job back," Harry said with a small smile. The Dursley's forgotten for the moment.

"Cor blimey, it's you, and…and her," he seemed quite unable to say anything else.

"It certainly is and can we keep it quiet?" Harry asked when he saw how full the bus was. The lower deck was packed with half asleep people he assumed were going to work. "Stan are all the decks this full?"

"Err no. The top deck is empty. People don't like to walk up that far." He was still staring open mouthed at them.

"How long will we have to wait?" Harry asked. Finally the shock wore off, and Stan Shunpike became all business again.

"Well," he said, "I reckon I can jump you to the front of the queue. I don't reckon anybody would mind. Seeing as what you both have done, and I owes yer a big favour or three, for getting me out of that there prison. I'll ask everybody, if they don't mind if you like?"

"Err no, don't do that." Tiredness was sweeping over Harry, and he couldn't stand the thought of being recognised and having to deal with it. "Look are the beds still out on the top deck?"

"They can be, don't take nuffink but the flick of switch to get them out again."

"Right do that then, and if you could stop anybody else from disturbing us we'd be very grateful."

"No problem."

"Great, and not a word to anybody while we're on board." Stan looked a little pained at this and struggled to answer.

"Yea alright, I wont say nuffink, while you're on board. After that I makes no promises."

"So how much do we owe you?" Harry asked drawing out his money bag.

"I don't want a knut off you. Have this ride on me. Now up the stairs, so we can get on. It'll be a good few hours though. It's the morning rush hour, we'll be busy for the next three to four hours."

"That's fine, we'll have a chance to sleep." Ginny he noticed was starting to wilt, and was hanging onto him for support. The steps were steep and narrow and twisty, making it hard work for Ginny to get up them as she was still in her ball gown. No sooner had they reached the top deck than there was a shout from downstairs.

"Take her away Ern," This was followed by another massive bang, sending Harry and Ginny crashing onto the nearest bed in a tangle of arms and legs. Clinging on for dear life they managed to sort themselves out, although it involved a great deal of giggling and laughing.

"You sure know how to show a girl a good time," Ginny said dragging an eiderdown over the pair of them.

"I do my best," Harry said as the bed sudden lurched across the floor crashing into the next bedstead along.

"I can't see us getting much sleep on this thing."

"Well just snuggle up to me," Harry said. Ginny moved in closer putting her head on his chest, yawning and sighing at the same time.

"My favourite place."

"What the bus?"

"Your chest silly.
"Oh right." Harry absently began to rub the back of Ginny's neck, causing her to sigh again. "Thank you for a great evening, even if it did end badly."

"It was good wasn't it." Ginny raised her head and looked him in the eye. "Forget them Harry they're not worthy of your time."

"She's still my relative. The last surviving one. It's just that…" but he couldn't finish the remark he had no idea how to.

"They made your life a living hell. You're part of my family, our family now." Ginny then put her head back on his chest.

"I know, and I shall be eternally grateful for it." Harry lay there trying to relax as the bed moved backwards and forwards. The only tie he had with the Dursleys was blood. The ties with the Weasley's went much deeper than that, and when the time came to start their own family he would go their route, organised chaos not prim neatness. "I love you Ginny." Ginny though never heard, she had already fallen asleep. Harry followed shortly afterwards despite the erratic movement of the bus as it stopped and started.

It was mid morning when they finally arrived outside Godrics Hollow, after the Knight bus had dropped them off nearly half a mile away, for securities sake. They had managed to have three to four hours of constantly interrupted sleep. It wasn't enough, and they were looking forward to clambering into their own bed, one that wasn't being flung around every few minutes. Neither of them expected a reception when they opened the front door though, but that's what they got.

"Where the bloody hell have you two been," an angry Ron shouted at them as they walked in. Ron, Hermione, and both house elves were standing in the hallway.

"The Portkey took us to Privet Drive, so we came back on the Knight bus. We didn't trust ourselves to apparate," Harry said. "It took awhile."

"Merlin's beard we thought you'd been kidnapped or something," Ron said.

"Sorry about that. Look we're both knackered, can we explain later," Harry asked.

"Not really Harry we're about to Portkey to the Island," Hermione said.

"Oh yea, I forgot you were going there this morning. Have you packed enough books Hermione. There's not much to do there you know. Well apart from swimming, walking, and well you know what." Hermione flushed a light shade of pink, it was too easy Harry thought, and Ron wasn't much better as his ears glowed red.

"Yes thank you," she replied trying to recover her composure. "In fact we have all next year's text books with us."

"Sounds fantastic fun, and when are you coming back?" Harry said.

"The day before your birthday Ginny," Hermione answered.

"Ok we'll see you then," Ginny said. "Have a good time, we did." When they had finally convinced themselves that their lateness was all down to a bureaucratic cock up and not something more sinister, Hermione, Ron and Winky Portkeyed from the Hollow. Leaving Harry and Ginny to slowly walk upstairs to their room.

"So what do you reckon, will they stay the whole course, murder each other, or both of them come back early?" Ginny asked.

"They'll be fine. Ron's got his broom, Winky will feed him till he bursts, and Hermione has enough reading material for a month.

"I bet you they'll be back early. Now could you unzip me. I can't be bothered to try."

"Here you go," Harry said pulling the zip down. Ginny stepped out of it and threw herself into the bed, not caring about the rumpled gown left on the floor. Harry picked it up, and draped it over a chair. The gown itself looked in good shape despite it's morning adventures, and he was sure that Dobby could get the odd grass stain out. He turned his attention to the girl, no woman he corrected himself, who had become such a major part of his life.

When had she become so indispensable. Life without her was now unthinkable, in fact how had he coped before. He wasn't sure he had really. Despite his best efforts to ignore the feeling, deep down he was convinced that this would end badly one day. He didn't think he was meant to have happy ever after, something or someone would come and take all this away from him. Having undressed he climbed in beside an already sleeping Ginny, or had she passed out he wasn't sure. He decided he would take what life offered him, so he lay down, and watched her slowly breathing, until sleep overtook him as well.

XXX

I couldn't have an HP fic without the Dursley's. This was my way of getting them in it, with the Knight bus as a bonus.