CHAPTER FIVE A WEASLEY REUNION

Harry had left earlier then Ginny expected that morning. She had been in the kitchen making some hot tea for them both when she had heard him cross the entryway and leave without a word. She was almost grateful, but knew that the longer they didn't talk about the night before, the harder it would be to start. There was already enough distance between them. They didn't need something like this widening the gap. She waved her hand to put away the empty saucer and cup that had marked his place at the table and they jumped back into their cupboard, unused. Her own cup stood cooling in front of her. She had a fleeting thought of what the tea leaves simmering at the bottom would reveal about her had she dared to read them after her drink. It was enough to make her think that she wasn't getting enough milk in her diet. She vanished the tea without even a sip missing and filled the cup with cold milk instead. The kitchen began to feel like a dank dungeon. She got up, gathered her milk and biscuits, and headed out to the warmth of the hallway. She hadn't made it far when she nearly tripped over a bundle of dirty clothes at the top of the kitchen stairs.

"Oh, sorry Miss Ginny Weezy. I didn't mean to be in your way. These stairs are getting awfully worn, so Dobby just wanted to give them a good scrubbing for his Harry Potter and Miss Weezy."

"Don't worry about it, Dobby. No harm, no foul. I haven't seen you in a few days, though. Have you been here?" When Hogwarts was destroyed in the final battles, the house elves had no where else to go. Kreacher had refused to be freed so they had given him a wing of the house with all of the left over Black family items to care for until he died. Dobby, even though he didn't live there, had popped in every now and then to do a little house work or visit Harry and Ginny. When the Ministry had repaired and reopened the school, it had become more of a place of worship then a school. Some of the house elves had returned to help the few remaining wizard families' children with meals, but it became too hard to maintain a good educational institution when the tourists where swarming it night and day. The actual school had to be moved to a new location and the building that had held Ginny and Harry's childhoods had now become a cold museum.

"No, Dobby's been to Hogwarts this week. They've made a great new exhibit and they needed Dobby's help with it." He drew himself up with pride at being needed for something outside of housework. "They found Harry Potter's old Nimbus 2000 and needed Dobby to remember what it looked like when it was broken by that nasty tree. They put up a great display of Harry Potter's school things. There's even rewards offered to get his books and robes. But Dobby didn't tell them that he had just washed them and put them in Harry Potter''s attic, so they won't find it. Dobby thought a lot about his Harry Potter and Miss Weezy this week. Thought they might need help this week. Lots to do when the winter is coming. Must get the house ready. Dobby will be taking a break soon. His Winky will be here soon to have dinner with Dobby."

"That's great. I think there's some leftovers from last night in the cupboard, so help yourselves, but let me know if you need something you don't see." Even though she thought he was adorable, she was just not in the mood to hold a conversation with Dobby right now and began walking up the stairs. Before she neared the top, however, she had an idea that actually made her jump a little with excitement.

"Dobby, do you think you could help me get the house straightened up before tomorrow night?" She asked.

"Of course, Dobby could do it. It's nearly done now. Kreacher won't let Dobby into Kreacher's room, so just the bed in Miss Weezy and Harry Potters room left." Dobby began to bounce on the balls of his feet, mimicking Ginny's excitement.

"Don't mind our bedroom, I'll take care of that. If you don't mind, I'll just need to have you run to the post office after I write a few letters. If you could send them out with express owl post, I'll have Hedwig take the nearest one, but I'll have four or five to go. We're gonna have some people over for the weekend. " Her smile spread as ideas of entertaining her closest friends and family in her home for the first time in years came to her. She wouldn't have to be alone with him tonight. The thought had come so suddenly and with such force that it actually startled her into grabbing the stair railing. That wasn't the reason that she was bringing people over was it? The night before flashed before her eyes and her cheek throbbed slightly. Was she really afraid of being alone with Harry now?

She looked up the hallway to the door at the end. Her hand slipped casually to her jean pocket and fingered the key that weighed so heavily next to her leg. She really had promised Harry that she would stay out of the room at the end of the hall, but hadn't he also promised to never hurt her? Well, one good turn really did deserve another right? Besides, what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Before she had made a definite decision, her hand was on the doorknob and the key had clicked satisfyingly. It wasn't her fault that he had left the key in her possesion. She couldn't be blamed for his blind trust. She lost control of her foot and it kicked the door slightly, swinging it wide open. Well, as long as it was open, she had better make sure that the door hadn't knocked anything over. She stepped gingerly inside and closed the door behind her. If he came home suddenly, she couldn't give him reason to be more upset with her. Wouldn't give him reason to hurt her again, was more like it. These thoughts scared her and she had to tell someone that she was thinking them.

She walked inches into the room before tripping over a thick maroon sheet that covered an aging frame. As she looked up to see if she had caused any damage she looked into the worried face of a very wizened old wizard that she hadn't seen in years. She placed a hand to her mouth and let the tears begin to flow freely, but not in sadness, from joy. "Professor Dumbledore?"

He took her in from top to bottom from inside his painted realm. A faint smile crossed his lips before they cracked open to speak. "You know, all marriages start with a little trouble. A great man once said "This too shall pass." You're strong. We're all here for you, young Weasley. You know, more than any of us, that love is more than skin deep." He pointed knowingly with his eyes to the side of her face before smiling fully. "I know your parents will have better advice to give you. I believe they're over in that corner, along with your brothers. Perhaps you should tell them, instead of me. I'll always be here. I'm not going anywhere." He smiled as he pulled a bag of lemon drops from inside his robes and started sucking on two at a time. "Eternity does have it's benefits." He held up the bag and began to hum through his candy.

She smiled back at him, but knew that he considered the conversation over. She crept slowly to the back corner of the room and looked upon the sleeping faces of her two parents. She stood for several moments, not wanting to wake them before she heard a whisper from her right. "Ginny? That can't be you? You're..you have..."

"Boobs!" Bill and Charlie where gaping in awe at the maturity of their sister. "Fleur, look at this. Ginny's finally a woman." Bill pulled his wife from the corner of the frame to show off his little sister.

"So you've joined ze ranks of womanhood 'ave you? Welcome little sister. You should 'ave come to me before now though. I could 'ave 'elped you with zat 'air. Per'aps then you could avoid zat." She pointed to Ginny's cheek before smirking slyly and returning to her corner. Well, there was bound to be some setbacks to seeing her family, Ginny thought, mentally rolling her eyes.

Charlie's face dropped as he rounded on Ginny. "What is she talking about, Gin? Avoid what?"

"Mum, Dad, get up. Ginny's here and I think she has something to tell us." Bill looked down at her with a look of concern.

"Well, that can't be my little girl can it?" Mrs. Weasley rubbed her eyes in disbelief as she shook her husband awake. He rolled to the side with a grunt of annoyance at being woke up. "Arthur, for crying out loud." She smacked his head and he woke with a start.

"Well, here's a sight for sore eyes." He said through a stiffled yawn. "Haven't seen you in, what has it been, a year or so?"

"It's been six years, two months, and three days. Are you eating alright dear? Do you have a good home? Are you dressing warm enough?" It was as if Ginny was still the young child she had always been in their eyes. She was used to being babied as she was the youngest and only girl, but sometimes it was a little too much. This time, however, it had been sorely missed and she answered all of her mothers questions without even an ounce of irritation.

Suddenly, Molly's face dropped as she noticed Ginny's face. "My goodness, dear, what has happened to your eye? Did you have an accident? Some essence of murtlap will clear that up right away dear. Do you need the recipe?" She began to search her pockets as Ginny dropped slowly to her knees and cradled her face.

"I don't think et was an accident, was et Ginny dear?" Came Fleur's voice from just outside the frame. Bill stepped out of the frame to quiet Fleur.

"What is she on about, dear?" Now it was Arthur's turn to be concerned. They all sat in silence, waiting for Ginny to gain the courage to tell them what had brought her here.

"Well, it's sort of a girl thing, if you don't mind dad. I'd like to just talk to mum if I could. Just for now," she added as she saw the hurt look on his face, "I promise I won't leave without saying good-bye to all of you." He nodded as he stood up and stepped to the side, disappearing behind the frame. Ginny looked over fiercly to Charlie and he finally stepped to the side too.

Ginny noticed that her mothers eyes had begun to swell up with tears. "What's wrong, mum?" Ginny asked.

"It's just that I've missed our little girl-to-girl talks. I've missed you. But enough about me, dear, what can I do for you?"

"Well, I don't know how up to date you are, mum, but I'm engaged."

"Engaged?! Oh Ginny, how wonderful! Did you want me to help plan a wedding? I've got plenty of ideas. Do you have a pad and pen? Oh but look at me, I don't even know who the groom is. Anyone we know?" Her eyes twinkled with a hopeful spark.

"It's Harry, mum."

"I knew it! Oh I always hoped he would be a true member of the family. We owe so much to him, after all. Such a nice boy."

"Well, mum, before you go singing his praises I suppose you should know that he's not the same Harry Potter that every one used to know. He's changed. Ever since the war, he's been afraid to love anyone. That's why I've been away for so long. He keeps you all locked in a room in our house so that he doesn't have to face the fact that you're not here anymore. I promised I'd not come in here, and so I can't stay long, but I had to tell someone. He's different. I can't get him to even react to anything anymore. He's just hallow. Until last night. We were, well, um, we were lying in bed and...mum, he rejected me." Ginny heard several audible gasps from around the entire room and knew that more then one pair of ears was listening. "I lost control. I couldn't believe he would hurt me like that, so I tried to hurt him back. I told him he couldn't be upset about losing his parents when he didn't even know them and he, well, he got upset with me."

"Ginny, think about it. You'd get upset with someone if they told you you had no right to be upset about us, wouldn't you?" Molly said.

"Mum, he HIT me." Ginny screamed, no longer caring who heard.

Molly grabbed her mouth as Arthur stormed into frame. Bill and Charlie were fighting over who could get closer to Ginny and several other people shouted inaudible words around the room.

"Never did like that Potter boy. Knew he was nothing but trouble." Arthur said as he rolled his sleeves up his arm.

"Where is he Gin? He's got ten of my friends to answer too." Bill shouted.

"Not if he meets mine first, Bill."

"Boys, I'm sure Ginny doesn't want there to be any more violence. Now settle down. I'm sure there's an explanation for this. There's got to be a calm, non-violent way to figure out what caused Harry to act out like that. We know him better than that."

"I know him better than that." Came a voice from the shadow of the far side corner. "Ginny. I'm so sorry." Ginny didn't recognize the voice and so she stood up to cross the room. As she reached the corner she saw Harry's eyes looking back at her from a portrait of a beautiful woman who stood next to Harry himself. There was no mistaking who these two strangers were. For the first time in her life, Ginny laid eyes on her would-be in-laws. She had no idea that Harry had portraits of his parents. She only knew of the photo album that Hagrid had given him in his first year that was now sitting on the table next to her head.

"I wish that I knew you better, dear. You must be amazing to have earned the love of my boy. I don't know what's wrong with Harry, but we'll have a talk with him."

Her voice was genuine and Ginny couldn't help but instantly fall in love with her.

"But that's just it. He wouldn't have to miss you if he'd just talk with you. He won't even come in here on his own free will, let alone with me dragging him in here for a parental lecture, you know? I don't know what to do." Ginny felt her eyes swell up and for the second time the tears began to run.

"Don't cry, dear." Harry's father sounded so much like him that Ginny looked up expecting to see Harry standing there. "We'll talk to him, one way or another, whether he wants to or not. Perk up, sweetheart. It can only get better from here. Boys, we've got work to do." James stepped off to the side and for the first time Ginny noticed who was in the portraits next to the Potters. Harry's Godfather and mentor, Sirius and Professor Lupin, gave her a quick wink before stepping off towards where James had disappeared to.

Lily's eyes matched Ginny's and she had folded her arms under to keep them from wanting to reach out to comfort Ginny. "I wish that I could say that we taught him better then that, but I can't." She chocked up a little at these last words. "You better not stay a stranger, dear. I want to know my daughter-in-law. I didn't even know my own son was getting married." She was no longer able to get words out. She just smiled before turning to join her husband.

"Um, Mrs. Potter? Please don't tell Harry that I was in here. I don't want to make him more upset with me." Lily smiled through her tears and nodded in understanding. Ginny watched as the third portrait now emptied. She wiped her eyes on her sleeve before turning to return to her family. She could hear them arguing about the best way to dismember Harry when she returned to her position on the floor.

"Please dad, Bill, Charlie, don't work yourselves up about this. I just had to tell someone, but I still love him. I can take care of myself. He won't hurt me again. I just wanted a little family advice for the best way to handle this."

"I have three pieces of advice for you, my darling." Came Molly's struggling voice. "Keep your distance, take care of yourself first, and don't tell your brothers. Fred, George, and Ron have just as much love for you as Bill and Charlie and they aren't held back by a picture frame." She smiled brightly at her daughter as Ginny settled in to have a long waited, and well deserved, visit with her family.

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Chapter 6 Teaser

He cleared a spot on the leaf covered ground and sat down cross-legged, facing the two markers. For a few moments, he wasn't sure what to say. He just sat looking over the blank stones and wished he knew what they would say to him if they knew what their only son had become. Ginny was right. He didn't know them at all, and as he sat wondering what to say, he felt as if he was just introducing himself for the first time.