Chapter 2: Living with The Weasleys
—
"You'll be staying with Ron, Harry dear," Molly said, levitating eleven year-old Harry's trunk out of the boot of Arthur's car and towards the house. Percy, Fred, and George had all piled out of the car before Harry and were already halfway up to the house carrying their own trunks. Ron, who was much smaller than his brothers, was struggling with his trunk so Arthur levitated it for him.
A smiling Harry followed Molly through the kitchen and up the stairs to Ron's room, followed closely by Arthur, Ron, and a very nervous but very excited Ginny.
"Arthur's had a bunk bed made for your room, boys, just like Fred and George have," Molly said as they reached the second landing and continued past the twin's room. "Do you want the top bunk or the bottom, Harry dear? Ron will take whichever you don't want."
"Top bunk, please!" Harry smiled. "Climbing up into bed every night sounds fun!"
"I wanted bottom bunk anyway," Ron grinned.
"Perkins helped me with it," Arthur smiled. "Or, rather, I told him what I wanted and he did it all. That man knows his carpentry."
The adults dropped off both trunks at the foot of the bunk bed. "Dinner will be at six," Molly smiled. "Ron will show you around, won't you Ronnie dear?"
"Yeah, mum, I'll show him around," Ron said, and Molly and Arthur left.
"Bugger off, Ginny, Harry doesn't want you hanging around to stare at him," Ron groaned. Ginny, who was standing timidly in the corner by the door, let out a peep.
"I, er, uh… s…sorry, Harry," she said before scampering off back down the stairs.
"She wasn't bothering me," Harry said to Ron. "Why'd you send her off?"
"Don't tell me you liked her staring at your scar like that," Ron rolled his eyes.
"I didn't mind it actually," Harry said. "What I did mind though was how rude you were to her. You could have asked her to leave nicely."
"She's just my sister, we talk like that to each other all the time," Ron huffed, sitting on his bed.
"Yeah, well it reminded me of how you used to treat Hermione before she was our friend… and of how Dudley used to treat me… and I didn't like it," Harry replied.
"Oh," Ron said. "Yeah, that makes sense. You want me to apologize?"
"Just be nicer to her in the future, please," Harry said.
"Yeah, I'll try," Ron said.
Harry and Ron spent half an hour unpacking and chatting in Ron's room. Then Ron gave Harry a tour of the house.
"I'll show you around outside tomorrow," Ron said as they say in the living room. "You can see the garden and all the animals. We can go to the apple orchard up past the big hill. The farmer doesn't care if we take apples. He knows our parents."
"Do you care if I go check on Ginny?" Harry said. "I haven't seen her since you sent her off. Her bedroom was on the first landing, right?"
"Yeah, go for it, hers is the first one," Ron said. "She usually doesn't let any of us in her room though. I expect her to send you off."
"If she does, that's fine, I just want to make sure she doesn't think I actually minded having her around."
Harry climbed the first flight of stairs and knocked on Ginny's bedroom door.
"Who is it?" Ginny replied.
"It's Harry," Harry replied hesitantly. After a long, silent pause the door opened slightly and Ginny's head appeared.
"Y…yes, Harry? I'm sorry for staring before, I-" but Harry cut her off.
"No need to apologize, you didn't do anything wrong, Ginny," Harry smiled. "I just came up here to tell you that Ron was being mean and I don't mind having you around…and also to ask if you wanted to come up to the orchard with me and Ron tomorrow."
Ginny's eyes went wide. "I… really?" Harry nodded and smiled. "Okay!" She replied, sounding very excited. That sounds great!"
"Great. Well, see you at dinner," and Harry turned to return to the living room where he's left Ron.
—
Molly had replaced most of Harry's clothes within the first week of him moving in. Harry's new wardrobe had mostly belonged to Bill. He was no longer swimming in clothes four sizes too large for him.
Ginny reminded Harry of himself in many ways. Everything she owned had belonged to one of her siblings first, just like Harry had only ever owned things that had belonged to Dudley.
Like Ron, she only wore hand-me-down clothes that clearly used to belong to their older brothers. He and Ron looked fine in them since they were boys, but as a girl, none of Ginny's clothes looked right on her.
Furthermore, she didn't have a broom. The twins had their matching cleansweeps and Ron had Charlie's old comet, but Ginny didn't have any way to fly with them.
"Who wants to broom race around the big oak tree and back?" Fred called out one day as he, George, Harry, Ron, and Ginny had all been playing football in the field by the garden.
Everyone raced to the broom shed. Ginny got Charlie's old broom first but Ron easily pulled it out of her hands. "You're too little to fly still, Ginny," Ron said, kicking off the ground clumsily.
"Give us a head start, yeah Harry?" George said as the three Weasley boys lined up above the fence.
"That nimbus will catch us no matter how much of a head start we get," Fred said.
"Yeah, bet I'll get second place though," George replied.
Fred counted them down and the boys raced off. Harry stood next to Ginny. She was avoiding his gaze and looking at her feet, clearly feeling defeated.
"Hey," Harry grinned, holding his nimbus out towards Ginny. "Think you can catch them on this?"
Ginny's eyes lit up. "I can ride your broom?" She asked, sounding flabbergasted.
"You can ride it any time you like," Harry smiled. "Now go show Ron you're not too little to fly."
With a determined look on her face, Ginny kicked off and raced after the boys. She caught up to them just before the big oak tree. Ginny whipped around the tree at top speed and speed back to Harry. She landed a little hard but she was totally fine.
"That was amazing!" Ginny grinned, wrapping him up in a hug. "Thank you, Harry! Thank you so much!"
—
"Mummy, can I have a new diary?" Ginny asked as she, Harry, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and four of her brothers lined up in front of the floo.
"We'll see, dear," Molly said. "The book list is quite long this year. I'm not sure there's enough money."
Harry and the Weasleys all filed through the floo one at a time. Ten minutes later, Harry was being escorted out of Knockturn Alley by Hagrid and he was reunited with the Weasleys at Flourish and Blotts. Shortly thereafter Harry met professor Lockhart, gave all his signed copies Lockhart's books to Ginny, and witnessed Arthur and Lucius scuffle immaturely.
After the whole family reconvened in the alley, Harry, Ron, and Hermione (whom they had met in the shop) went off to explore the other shops in the alley. Ginny clearly wanted to go with them but her mother dragged her along to buy school robes instead.
Harry had a purse full of his own money and didn't hesitate to spend it. He got sweets for himself and Ron while Hermione lectured to them about tooth decay. When he bought nice, new quills for all three of them, he bought a fourth quill as well. He told them it was for himself as a backup but really it was for Ginny.
After a short while they made their way to Madam Malkin's because Harry had gone back and forth on buying larger robes and had finally decided to do so. Hermione had purchased robes slightly too large last year and Ron had his brother's old robes to grow into so neither of them went inside. Harry thought it was nice of Mrs. Weasley to buy Ginny girl's robes for school instead of giving her the boy's old robes. The fit was a little different and it would have been obvious to anyone who looked at her that she was wearing boy's clothing.
When Harry entered, Molly was just finishing purchasing Ginny's robes. Ginny was admiring a dress on a rack by the door. It looked about her size. "Hey, Ginny," Harry whispered.
Ginny jumped "Hey, Harry," Ginny grinned. "Why are we whispering?"
"Because your mum will protest if she finds out I'm spending my money on you. I saw that your mum didn't get you a diary in Flourish and Blotts, so I'm going to get you one in Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment. We're headed there next I think. I'll call it a birthday present… Oh, hey, I got you a lollipop. Here."
Harry handed her the sweet and her eyes lit up. "Thank you, Harry!" Ginny smiled, unwrapping it and putting it straight into her mouth. "Oh, but mum did get me a diary. See?"
She showed off a black diary which had been in her cauldron along with her other books. Harry didn't really look at it but for a second.
"Oh, great! I'll have to buy you something else then," Harry smiled.
Just then, Molly returned and whisked Ginny away to go buy her wand. Harry was then measured by Madam Malkin for his new robes. Harry caught sight of Ron, Hermione, and Neville just outside the shop through the big window. He and Neville shared a wave.
"Don't move, boy, or you'll make me make a mistake," the witch complained.
"Um, excuse me… Madam Malkin… could I place an order as a gift for someone else if you have their measurements?
"Yes of course," she smiled, standing up from measuring him. "You're all done. You can step down… now… who will this surprise be for? And is it a Yule gift, a birthday gift, or something else.
"It's for Ginny Weasley… the girl you just measured before me. I'd like the emerald dress on display by the door," Harry smiled.
"An excellent choice, Mr. Potter. Is Miss Weasley a friend of yours then?" the woman smiled, walking over to the dress and removing it from the rack.
"More like a sister, but yes, also a friend," Harry smiled back."Let's make it a Yule gift I think, although I do need something for her birthday. It's in just a few days."
"She was also admiring the blouses on display on this rack," the woman said.
"I'll take one of each of those then," Harry said quickly. Madam Malkin raised an eyebrow. "She, uh… doesn't have very many girl's clothes. Most of her things are hand-me-downs from her brothers." Harry mumbled.
The witch smiled at this explanation. "Well then you are an excellent friend indeed," she smiled.
Harry bought four tops and hid them away in his bag along with his books and quills. He arranged for the dress to arrive for Christmas. "Your robes will be tailored and sent to you in the mail within five business days," Madam Malkin said once he paid. "They should arrive at the same time as Miss. Weasley's robes."
—
Harry rode Charlie's old comet up to the orchard where he knew he'd find Ginny and his nimbus. She was sitting under a tree reading a book and eating an apple as he gracefully landed beside her.
"Hi Harry!" She smiled with a mouth full of apple. Harry reached up, picked his own apple, and sat against the tree beside her. She closed her book and set it down.
"Hi, Ginny. I like your blouse," Harry grinned. Ginny blushed.
"I should hope so, you bought it for me. Hey, Harry… Why are you so nice to me?" Ginny asked. "You bought me these tops… you let me use your broom… you always invite me along when you and Ron play outside…"
Harry took a moment to chew and swallow before answering. "Why wouldn't I be nice to you?" Harry asked.
"Oh, I don't know. I guess I'm just not used to it. My brothers ignore me most of the time. Not Bill. He's awesome. I think I'm his favorite… but he's never around anymore. The others don't ever spend time with me."
"You remind me of me," Harry said simply. "Everything I ever owned was once owned by my cousin, even my clothes. I was neglected by my aunt and uncle."
"Mum and Dad don't neglect me," Ginny said defensively.
"That's not what I meant," Harry said quickly. "What I meant was I was lonely because I was neglected and you're lonely because you have all these siblings to compete with."
"Oh," Ginny said. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm sorry you were neglected by the muggles. I'm really glad you're here with us."
"I'm glad too," Harry smiled. "And just so you know, if you ever want something, I'll buy it for you. I've told Ron the same thing and I'm going to offer the same thing to Hermione. I'd tell Neville as well except he has his own money. It will be our little secret, okay? Your parents wouldn't approve."
"Harry, I can't ask you to do that," Ginny said, looking down in shame.
"Ginny, I've got more money then I know what to do with. If spending a bit of it makes you or Ron or Hermione feel happy and cared for then I'm going to spend the money."
"I… okay," she said, looking up at him with gratitude. "Thanks, Harry."
"No problem!" Harry smiled. "And hey, I've been meaning to tell you… I've noticed that you're a lot more relaxed around me now than you were two months ago when I moved in. I really appreciate you relaxing around me."
"Oh, uh, yeah, sorry I was such a spaz," Ginny groaned. "I'm still that way sometimes… I'll try to keep it under control."
"Ginny," Harry said hesitantly. "I know you fancy me."
Ginny's eyes went wide and she froze. "I… uh… I…. no, I just-"
But Harry cut her off. "No, it's okay Ginny, I don't mind."
"You… don't?" Ginny smiled hopefully.
"No, its fine," Harry repeated. "It's nice to have someone like you, you know? But I… er… I don't like girls."
Ginny gasped. "Oh my gosh, Harry, I didn't know you were gay." Ginny squeaked. "I'm sorry if I made you feel weird. I'll stop, I promise. I didn't know."
"What?" Harry laughed. "Uh, no, I'm not gay. I don't like girls or boys. What I meant, Ginny, was that kissing and cuddling and all that is gross. Fred and George talk about girls a lot but Ron and I never do. I'm sure I'll change in a few years, I just don't like girls… yet…"
"Oh," Ginny smiled. "Okay! But like, why are you telling me all of this then?"
"I guess I just don't want you to feel like I'm pushing you away," Harry said. "What I need right now is a sister… not a girlfriend."
"Got it," Ginny smiled. "If it's a sister you need, it's a sister I'll be. But Harry… When you do start liking girls, will you… uh… could you…"
"If I ever start liking you back, you'll be the first to know," Harry said. "Well, actually, Hermione might be the first to know. She might know before I do. She's way too smart for her own good."
Ginny giggled. "Race me around the oak tree?" she asked, standing up and mounting Harry's broom.
"Yeah!" Harry said jumping up and getting on the old cleansweep. "Don't forget your book!" he called, kicking off and racing away at an underwhelming speed. Ginny rolled her eyes, tucked her book under her arm, and sped off after him on the nimbus, beating him easily.
