Hello everyone!

Chapter six here. Umm, so, here we have a whole chapter of Harry and Ginny all alone. And don't worry, it's just them hanging out and being boyfriend and girlfriend, nothing to cover your kids' eyes for. It's a bit shorter than I wanted it to be, but it seemed right to end it. So anyways, Harry and Ginny at the Burrow, everyone!

Thanks to my amazing reviewers, DukeBrymin, isigirl, SiriusObsession, and Snape1918. Thanks so much, guys :D

Here it is, I hope you like it!

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Glancing at the map, I beckoned for Ginny to follow with the elves. We only mean to borrow them for a while, and I'm sure McGonagall wouldn't mind that the Weasleys were borrowing them, but I still don't want to be caught with them. There's just something about it, you know?

For her part, Ginny just seems to be having fun with the little adventure.

She was herding the house-elves along with a delighted look on her face, an expression that was hard to look away from, actually. There is just something divine about her smile.

"Merlin!" I whispered, facing front again and finding Mrs. Norris. "Is Filch really still here?"

Ginny actually shooed her away.

I gave her a questioning look.

"We've, uh, sort of become friends."

"Really?" Now this is a story I want to hear.

"Um, yeah."

"Do tell."

"Why?"

"I'm curious."

She sighed. "Well, I thought at first that Filch would be thrilled, having Snape and the Carrows with all their horrible punishments. I mean, you know how he used to talk about the old punishments that were banned."

"Yeah, I remember," I shuddered for my first-year self, remembering his description of chains and thumbscrews.

"Well," she continued, pausing only so that we could all slip out a side door of the castle. We were suddenly in the fresh spring air with an expanse of deserted land between us and the edge of the grounds. "Turns out that was just talk, just so he could scare the younger ones into behaving. And when he found out what we were up to one night, we never got in trouble after that."

"What?"

"Yeah, threw me for a loop, definitely."

"That's impossible. He actually let students get away?"

"Yeah. I suppose he thought we weren't doing anything that merited the Crutiatus Curse. And one night I heard him hobbling away muttering about Dumbledore's memory."

"Wow." Old Filch actually had a soft spot. Or, at the very least, he had enough respect for Dumbledore to try to protect the students. "I never would have thought."

"Me either," she said softly, almost like she was lost in a memory. "But he turned out to be pretty decent, when it mattered."

"This is the same man who wanted me expelled several times, right?"

Ginny laughed. "The very same. I think. I suppose someone might have polyjuiced him—but no, Mrs. Norris would have noticed."

I couldn't say anything to that. I never thought old Filch had that in him.

"We're here," Ginny announced, snapping me back to the present. We had reached the edge of the grounds, a step beyond the gate and we could apparate away.

"Alright," I said, ushering all the house-elves into a line. "Now, a two at a time will hold on to me, and I'll apparate you all there."

They all nodded, and the first few elves took my hands. I gave Ginny a smile before I twirled on the spot.

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By the time Harry had come back for me, he had a rather grim expression on his face. All the elves had gone, and so I was able to hug him tightly as we apparated home.

All my worries became truths the moment I opened my eyes. Our house was in utter shambles. And not just overgrown gardens and a messy sink. It seems the Death Eaters must have visited while we were gone.

The house looked entirely rundown. Half the shutters were littering the ground, the other half were hanging at odd angles. Most of the windows were blown in, and I could only imagine that there would be plenty of glass to clean up inside. The front door had been burnt to cinders, and the flames must have licked up all around the frame, because paint was peeling everywhere. And this was only the front of the house.

I was suddenly aware that Harry was still holding me tightly.

"I'm fine," I said softly, pushing away from him as calmly as I could.

"Are you su—"

"I'm fine. It's all over now, anyway. We only have to clean it up."

He nodded and took my hand, leading me into the house.

When we made our way to the kitchen, I found that two of the elves had already set to work in there, clearing away old dishes that had been left in our haste. I could have sworn that Mum had fired a quick scourgify at that them as we went out the door, but I suppose I was concentrating on more important things. Hearing that Dad had been detained at the Ministry meant that we had to leave immediately, and Mum and I had been out the door with the clock before we really even had time to think. I looked up, half expecting to see the clock back up on the wall.

Of course it wasn't there.

It must still be at Auntie Muriel's sitting somewhere in her labyrinth of rooms. I suppose Mum or Dad will go ask her for it eventually.

It occurred to me that I shouldn't be so calm, but then I realized that Harry was still holding my hand. It's difficult to lose your calm when Harry Potter is next to you. Can I be perfectly blunt and say that he's comforting me more with the title of Boy-Who-Lived than Boyfriend at the moment?

It's just…it's over…and that's what's keeping me calm, I suppose. It's really over, and there's nothing we have to do anymore. These are only testaments to the fight that we won.

It's only a memory.

"Where have the rest gone?" I asked, suddenly realizing that there were only two elves working in the kitchen.

"Upstairs," he told me quietly. I think he was waiting for me to explode. But I wasn't going to. I was fine. "I told these two to work in here since we're all going to need to be fed, and the others are already working in the bedrooms. Starting at the very top, you know, and working their way down."

I nodded. It was a good plan. "I'll head into the sitting room, then. Get started in there, you know."

He nodded in response, and I felt him follow me out of the kitchen. A household spell book is meant to be in here somewhere…if I can only find it. I picked my way around several pieces of upturned furniture, more proof of the Death Eaters' visit, to reach the old wall that was lined with books. It was perfectly intact, despite the state of everything else in the room. Mum must have put some spell on it that was flame-proof.

I was only vaguely aware of the sound of furniture being righted behind me. I was busy searching for that book. What was it called? Something about household nuisances, maybe…

Quick Fixes for Humdrum Household Chores. Yep, that was the one. I remember the glossy cover from before Hogwarts, when I had nothing to do but follow Mum around all day—

I whipped around to the sound of a crash.

"Sorry," called Harry's voice, his arm waving from under a sofa. I rushed over and righted it.

"How did you get under it?"

"Erm…I'm not sure."

I couldn't help it. I started laughing.

Really hard.

I even completely forgot about actually helping him get out from under the sofa. Fortunately, he wasn't wedged under too tightly, so he wriggled out himself. Unfortunately, I was still giggling.

"Think it's funny, do you?" He asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and humor deep in his voice.

I stopped giggling at once, sensing the bit of danger in his voice. He took a step in my direction.

"Poor little Harry gets stuck under the couch, and you think it's funny?"

I bolted out of the house.

He ran after me, taking up the little game. "I'll catch you, you know!"

I snorted and ran faster. I was always quicker on my feet than he was. And I proved it to him time and again during Quidditch dril—

"AHH!" I screamed when he was suddenly in front of me, and I couldn't stop myself from crashing right into him and knocking us both over.

I took a second to catch my breath.

Then I slapped him.

"OW! What was that for?"

"Harry Potter, you cheated!"

He shrugged. "You never said that apparating wasn't allowed."

I groaned. "I'm saying it now. Apparating is so not allowed."

"Alright, fine," he said, rolling his eyes at me and rolling us both over. Next thing I knew, he was snogging me. In my own backyard! I nearly pushed him away before I realized that there was no one there to catch us, and none of my brothers were here to try to scare Merlin's pants off him for snogging their sister.

Yeah, once I remembered that bit, I figured I would just enjoy snogging Harry outside in the sunshine.

I mean, it really was rather lovely out.

And Harry was a fantastic snog.

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I really don't know why the elves keep sending furtive glances in my direction. I mean, they don't think I'm a slave-driver, do they? I'd love to pay them if they would let me, Merlin knows I have money enough, and—

"Harry?"

"Yes?" I asked, turning to Ginny's voice.

"I was just wondering, do you remember what color my curtains were?"

"I'm sorry?"

"My curtains," she repeated, sounding as thought it was the most normal question in the world. "They've disappeared, somehow, and I forgot what color they were. I was wondering if you remembered."

Er, no. "Sorry, Gin. I've only been in your room once, and I was much more interested in you than your curtains."

She looked disappointed but gave me a small smile. "Oh, well, thanks anyway. I suppose I can use this as a chance to redecorate. I mean, my room's been the same for as long as I can remember."

She was starting to turn away when I opened my fat mouth. I would regret it later.

"Why don't you redecorate the whole house?"

She cocked a brow at me in question.

"You'll never have another chance like this, I mean, eight elves to help you do it? I'm sure your Mum would want to," I encouraged, thinking of all the mismatched furniture in the sitting room and the peeling paint all around the house. Not that I mind it. It makes it homey to me, and completely the opposite of Privet Drive. But I've caught Mrs. Weasley looking dissatisfied more than once. And if anyone deserves a lovely home, it's Mrs. Weasley.

"You have a point," she agreed, moving to sit on the edge of her bed. I ended up sitting beside her on the bed. "And Mum's been talking for ages about putting new furniture in the sitting room."

"Why wouldn't she just transfigure it into new furniture?"

"I never asked."

I grinned. "Well, then, she probably won't object…"

Ginny gave me a mischievous grin. "Probably not."

We set to work right away, going back down to the sitting room and flicking our wands at different pieces of furniture.

"Just don't change the bookshelf," Ginny warned me, nodding toward the small library that dominated the entire south wall. It was actually rather handsome, despite the state of everything else in the room. Made out of a deeply browned oak, it was built into the wall. There was a trim inlaid all around, marking its borders and separating shelves. Since I was standing right next to it, I began caressing the trim lightly. It was very fine and smooth, silky under my fingers.

"Mum and Dad built it together when they left Hogwarts," she told me quietly. "We can't change that."

I nodded. "Alright."

xxxxx

We'd worked on the sitting room for a good portion of that afternoon. Ginny had taken her time deciding on the color of the walls and carpeting, not to mention that she had suddenly decided the walls were bare. Unfortunately, I was a little too helpful with that issue, and I came up with the idea of transfiguring rocks into wall decorations. That should have been a job for Hermione, but, oddly enough, I had proved rather handy at it and Ginny set me to work on paintings and frames for the next hour.

"I have pictures of paintings," she said when I protested that I couldn't paint. "You just transfigure it to look like the picture."

Sighing, I did as I was told. And they did turn out rather well. Ginny seemed pleased, at least.

"I think Mum will like it," she announced, surveying the area critically with her hands on her hips. "She's been talking about this for years."

I just nodded, afraid to make any comment that might spark another remodeling idea. "Well, it smells like dinner in the kitchen, so—"

"Oh! The kitchen! And that will only be the beginning, we have to do my room and Mum and Dad's…it's probably best to just clean the boys' rooms up, put them right, you know, but not change them at all…they can change them the way they want to later…"

Oh Merlin, what have I gotten myself into? I'm supposed to be rebuilding Hogwarts! I didn't realize how much work this would be when I suggested it this morning. Although, honestly, I think it could have gone a lot faster if Ginny had just decided, rather than making me change the colors seven times.

Seven. Honestly.

But I did it anyway because, other than Hogwarts, the Burrow is the only place that has ever felt like home. Ginny wasn't the only one who was upset to see it in such a state this morning.

"Mistress, Master Harry," Kreacher said, bowing in the doorway, "Dinner is served."

"Well, thanks, Kreacher," I told him, leading Ginny into the kitchen. We were greeted with the smells of roast beef and freshly baked bread. Already there was a spread of things on the table. But it seemed that none of the elves were planning on sitting with us.

"Just sit, Harry," Ginny whispered, prodding me in the side when I looked like I was about to protest. "It'll make them feel better."

Grimacing, I did as I was told. But I couldn't help myself.

"Sit with us," I asked Kreacher and the other elf. She still hadn't told me her name. "Please."

The other elf promptly burst into tears.

I jumped in my seat, not knowing quite what to do with her. Kreacher gave her a reprimanding look.

"You will have to forgive Winnie, Master Harry," Kreacher said, bowing low. "She believes that you are her true master, and that she belongs at Potter Manor."

I was gobsmacked.

"She belongs at Potter Manor?"

Was there such a place?

Well, I suppose there must have been, but I always just wrote it off in the back of my mind. I always assumed that it would have been destroyed.

"Yes, Master," Kreacher assured me, although he looked disapproving of the words. "She says she wants to go home. She believes that she belongs at Potter Manor, since you have returned as its heir. She says you remind her very much of her Master James."

"Really?" I asked the little elf, unthinkingly stretching out a hand. She flinched away, and I pulled it back quickly. But I couldn't help asking. "You really knew my dad?"

She sniffed and nodded. "Yes, sir. Master James and Mistress Lily and Master Potter and Mistress Potter. I knew them all."

It took me a few minutes to absorb that information. This elf was my tie to my parents. And my grandparents. She knew them, remembered them in ways that I couldn't.

I could barely think.

What could she tell me about them?

"Well," Ginny said, breaking the silence, "at least now we know why they were all staring at you all day."

Kreacher stepped forward again, volunteering more information on behalf of the crying elf. "Winnie is only one, Master. The others all claim to belong to you as well. That is why they volunteered to leave Hogwarts."

"Even Bonky?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, Mistress."

I was still at a loss for words.

Ginny seemed to sense that I wasn't able to speak.

"Harry is tired," she told the two elves in a comforting voice. "Please, let us eat, and he will speak with you all tomorrow."

"They should eat and get some sleep," I managed to croak before they walked away.

"Oh, right," Ginny said, seeming to have forgotten that they needed to be told to do such things. "You should all have some dinner, and get a good night's rest. There's plenty of beds, just don't use the one on the fourth landing."

Kreacher murmured a 'yes, mistress' before backing out of the room with a still-sniffling Winnie.

I sensed more than saw her turn back to me. I sensed her walk toward me, and I sensed her confusion. She didn't know what to say to me.

I didn't know what to say to me.

My last tie with my parents is an old mansion and a bunch of houseelves. I suppose I should be happy that there's something left. But honestly, it all just feels like inheritances.

And inheritance has become a rather dirty word, in my vocabulary.

Someone always has to die for me to inherit things. My parents died, so I inherited a mound of gold. Sirius died, so I inherited another mound of gold and Grimmauld Palace. And now I'm finding that I've inherited another house.

A mansion. A big, empty, cold mansion.

And a bunch of houseelves that are meant to fill it.

I don't know that I want another inheritance.

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I hope you liked it :D