Chapter 2

He Deserves It

Molly and Ginny had their back to the flames as they were washing up the breakfast dishes when the flames from the floo gave a familiar roar of a new arrival. Molly didn't even turn around. "Forget something dear?" she asked over her shoulder, assuming it was Arthur, who was not unknown for forgetting things.

Ginny though did look around and before he could even breath, she replied in cheerful surprise. "Harry!"

"Harry?" her mother repeated now looking at the floo.

Harry was happy he had missed their breakfast time. He knew his appearance would cause a stir. Two Weasleys at a time, especially these two, would be okay. All of them at once, would have been unbearable. Harry stepped out of the fireplace, where the morning light finally gave a full view of condition. In fact, completely drained of emotion and his injuries now having time to set in, he winced as he stepped from his chest pain. He didn't say anything, because he didn't know what to say. He just waved and let his appearance speak for itself.

"Merlin," Molly gasped and Ginny's mouth fell open, both of their eyes shot wide.

The mother of seven's reflexes kicked in. "Ginny, I need ice. Ronald!" she called. Harry tried to open his mouth but was silenced as Molly escorted him to the nearest chair. Ginny was frozen in shock so her mother reminded her. "Now Ginny." The daughter shook her head clear and departed.

Already looking the young man over Molly saw the black eyed and blood on his cheek and shirt. Moreover it was the look in his eyes that scared her to the bone. "Harry… dear… what happened to you?"

Ron thundered down the stairs. "I didn't do it!" he said out of reflex. As he turned the corner and saw the guest he instantly smiled and forgot his mother's call. "Harry mate! Didn't expect yo…" stopping only when the black eye registered with him.

Molly's head snapped directly to her youngest son. "I need a handful of dittany from the garden… NOW." she added to prevent any additional gawking. Without missing a beat her attention returned to Harry with an expression that clearly demanded an answer.

Hell with it. Harry thought again, and figured he might as well go with honesty. "Spilt some coffee," he simply replied.

"What?" Molly questioned. "How does coffee do this?" she questioned as she already had her wand out magically scry his full health. Ginny returned with the ice pack and automatically gently held it to Harry's eye as Ron dashed in with the herbs. "Harry, you've got a black eye, you're bleeding, I can see your jaw and tongue swollen. You have three cracked ribs and it looks like you haven't slept in weeks."

"Blimey," Ron simplified. "Did a Death Eater take a pass at you?"

"No! No, no." Harry assured with a dismissive wave. "I'd never come here after a Death Eater attack. This was my uncle."

All three of the Weasleys fell silent, both at how casually Harry said it and the results directly in front of them. To a family that was the epitome of there always being room for one more, love and acceptance, this was unconscionable. Mother Molly's face tuned as red as her children's hair and eyes could spit fire. She kept control immediately, "You two, upstairs now!'' She ordered her children in a tone of voice that left no room for debate or confusion. The pair did so as Molly went to the floo and threw powder in. "Arthur's Office."

Arthur's face appeared from the flames. "Oh, hello love."

"Arthur, we need you home. Take the day." she coldly told her husband while never letting her gaze leave Harry.

He had been married long enough he recognized her voice and expression and nodded. His only question was, "One of the kids?" in a tone clearly showing who it was was irrelevant, his wife was getting him regardless.

"Yes," she simply replied as she returned to the patient.

"Mrs. Weasly, he doesn't need to come home. The ice is more than enough" Harry protested.

Molly looked at the boy incredulously. "Harry, cracked ribs do NOT heal with ice."

Moments later Arthur flamed into the kitchen, "Right, what's going.. Oh, hello…" he never did get Harry's name out as he came to his side but let his wife start healing.

"What happened?" he asked in grave concern.

Molly looked at him and coldly replied. "His uncle."

Arthur's jaw squared up and his hands tightly squeezed into fists. Molly could tell he was biting his tongue to keep from yelling. Catching a breath and looking at the young man before him, he pulled up a chair. For the moment both the parents set their rage to the side and focused on compassion for the young man. Molly tended to his injuries. Arthur put a kind hand on Harry's shoulder and simply said, "Tell me everything."

'To hell with it'. He thought. Harry started with this morning's breakfast and his trip to Burrow.

Then Arthur made the logical assumption, but still asked the question. "This wasn't the first time was it?" Harry hesitated. He stammered and stalled. For years he had reflexively been conditioned not to add his troubles to others. Arthur squeezed his shoulder in compassion. "Harry, we're the adults and we love you. Tell us everything."

So Harry did. Well not everything, but far more than he had ever told another living soul. Molly had tears fall down her face as she listened and Arthur had ups and downs between rage and heartbreak. Almost as bad as what he told, was how Harry said it. He reported coldy, calmly, more like a statement of facts than memories of pain. In the end Molly hugged him so hard he feared she may recrack the ribs she just mended.

They took a moment to catch their collective breath. Finally with nods between the parents Arthur called up for Ron who came immediately. "Ron, go get the camp bed set up. Harry is staying for a bit. Harry, why don't you get settled."

Harry nodded as he walked up stairs to help set up the bed while Molly and Arthur talked.

Once the footsteps faded she looked to Arthur. "He is not going back." Molly said flatly.

"Agreed." Arthur nodded. "No question. Frankly, I'm looking for a reason NOT to apparate over there and hex the lot of them."

Molly reached out for her husband's hand. "Lucky him, because you wouldn't be going alone. …. Harry IS the reason. Hexing them won't fix him."

Arthur nodded.

Molly chose her words carefully, "You realize, if we do this, Albus will be quite upset."

Arthur returned the hand squeeze, looking straight to the face of his love of several decades. "And we don't care, do we."

"Not in the slightest." Molly replied with conviction.

"At the next Order meeting that man is getting a piece of my mind." he said resolutely.

Molly nodded with her husband. "From both of us."

Upstairs in Ron's room Harry and Ron made short order of setting up the camp bed. Ron's awkwardness was palatable. Not knowing what to do he was sticking with silence. Harry finally broke the silence. "For Merlin's sake Ron, please just be normal."

"Well … it's just… I don't know what to say."

"That never stopped you before." Harry replied in a muted voice. The joke was intentional, just hard to put much heart into it.

Ron's face went from stunned to a questioning grin. "You cheeky bastard! You can joke?"

Harry sat on the bed and looked across to his mate. He raised his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "You've known me like … six years. Nothing's changed, it's just… more in the open now." Harry rubbed his hand through his hair. "Bollox." he finished under his breath.

"Language." Ron reminded in a half hearted Hermione impersonation.

A small grin came to my right cheek. "You don't have the voice quite right."

"I'm a bloke, she's a girl. What do you want?" Ron honestly asked. He kept his energy a little lower out of kindness but was glad to see some give and take with Harry.

Harry snickered a bit. "Thanks Ron."

"No problem. You know… a full summer with us would be pretty cool."

"Summers are usually warm." Harry replied dryly.

"You know what I mean." Ron gave his friend a full smile. Harry was still in there. "We could put some serious time in the pond. Camp in the orchard a bit."

Harry's eyes flickered a bit. "I really hadn't thought that far. I didn't really even have a plan for tomorrow, much less the summer," he shrugged. "I just stormed out and…" gestured with his hands, "this was the first place I thought of to go to."

There was a moment of silence. Ron uncharacteristically opted not to go for the joke. "Harry?"

"Ya Ron."

"I'm glad this was the first place you thought of."

"Thanks, Ron."

Another uncomfortable silence. Finally Harry asked, "Ron?"

"Ya man?"

"I hate to be the jerk, but I've had a hell of a morning, can I just take a nap?"

"You traveled 180 miles today, and all you need is a nap?" Ron ask with a grin.

"Shut up." Harry replied, still flatly.

"I'll let you sleep, you know how we are, I'll let you know when we're eating."

Ron gently shut the door, which quite frankly was the bigger giveaway that something was up. Above him in the stairwell sat Ginny. Ron turned around to see her sitting and watching, silent as the grave. "Merlin!" he wanted to shout, but kept it to a hush. "What are you doing."

"What do you think I'm doing? I'm listening!" she whispered yelled back.

"To a private conversation? In my room?"

"Like you haven't eavesdropped on me before!" she pointed out.

Realizing she was correct, Ron retreated and simply replied, "That's… that's different."

"Damn right it is! Because I'm NOT listening in to be a nosey prat! I'm listening in…" she caught herself and finally calmed down "I'm his friend too… and I care." Ron had seen those fiery brown eyes enough to know there was no escaping this conversation.

He gestured for her to follow him over to the balcony, where they could at least talk with less chance Harry would hear. Ginny nodded and accepted his terms.

When they got outside Ginny was concealing her concern fairly well. An outside observer might think she was only curious. But Ron had been her brother her whole life. "Ron, please, how is he?" He could see the level of genuine concern in Ginny's eyes.

"I - I don't know Gin." he answered honestly. "I've seen him take a lot. You-Know-You has hexed him. I've seen him caught in traps and endure god knows what else." He turned to look to the horizon. "I don't know if it was from Sirus's death or whatever happened today… but I've never seen him this low. Maybe it all adds up ?"

"I can't… even imagine." She joined her brother, fidgeting with her fingers. "Mum and Dad have always been so … kind."

"Gentle."

"Loving."

"You know, parent like, and stuff."

There was silence in the air. Ginny was the brave one and finally asked, "Ron…" hesitation filled her voice. "You two have been roommates for years, so it's a statement of fact that you have a lot more hours with him. And I love you, but you … sometimes you can be a bit …"

"Thick?" Ron finished.

"Sorry, but ya." she sheepishly nodded.

"Today Gin, I won't even try to defend myself. And you are wondering if I missed something." Ron had a seat on the top step. "I don't know. You know how Harry is. Barely talks about his home. What little he did I know was never anything good. But no, as I try to think back, I can't think of anything near this. Pretty sure if I had heard, I'd have reacted then the way I'm reacting now so … no?" he shrugged.

"Ya, that's true. You may be a git sometimes, but your heart's always in the right place." she reassured him as she sat down next to her brother. The pair of them looked down to the door, both trying to make sense of it all.

"Ron, I need a favor and for once I need you NOT to be a prat about it,"

"What do you need, sis?" he said, looking at her far more openly than she was used to.

"This time, for Harry's stay, while he's here, can I be his friend too? I mean without you being all pants about it. I mean I'm going to regardless, but it would be really nice if I didn't have to put up with you to do it."

Ron sighed, seemingly to suck up a rare moment of maturity. "Ya Gin, that's fair. I'll drop it… Harry needs every friend he can get."

Ginny let out a sigh of relief of at least one positive today. "Thank you, Ron."

Clearly this moment was getting too many feelings for him though. "Um, I'm going to go let Mum and Dad know Harry's taking a nap now. They probably want to know. "

Ginny followed her brother down the stairs and stopped just short of the bottom, listening. It was quiet. The pair poked their heads around the corner.

"Mum, Dad?" Ron called out. "Harry is taking a nap in my room. Are we good to come down now?"

Molly and Arthur sighed together. "Sure kids, come on down." Unplanned, both of them walked over to their parents, Ron to Arthur, and Ginny to Molly, and every one squeezed extra tight.

Then the men turned chicken first. Ron clearly making up an excuse. "I, ah, need to feed the chickens."

"I'll give you a hand, son." Arthur replied with a pat to Ron's shoulder.

"Cowards" Molly clearly joked as they walked out the house. Taking a deep breath she turned to her only daughter, held her by both shoulders and gave Ginny her undivided attention. "How are you dear?"

Rarely one at a loss for words, it was all the more unsettling when she replied, "I… I… don't know."

"That is an honest answer." Molly replied with another full strong hug. Then looking straight in her daughter's eyes with a fire of determination Ginny had only seen in the mirror Molly continued. "But we're going to make it right."

Ginny shot a look of confusion and disbelief. "What, how? What are we going to do?"

The mother quickly came to action, leading Ginny to the table and sitting her down in front of a basket of herbs and plants and the kitchen tools. "Well first, we're going to work and talk. Use that nervous energy for good. I want to brew up some more healing potions."

Standard Weasley process, after you got done treating one of the kids' injuries, you replaced what you used because with seven children, it was inevitable one of them would be hurt soon enough. Ginny reflexively fell into the job she had completed hundreds of times before.

"Second," Molly continued, returning to the dishes. "Your father is taking a few days off. He's going to take Harry to Diagon Alley tomorrow."

"Term is just over, isn't it a bit early for shopping?"

"They're not. Harry knows precious little about…" Molly paused for a moment. "Things that he should. And he doesn't even know the right questions to ask. So your father is going to ask those questions. And believe you me… he's going to get answers."

"Like what?" She asked. Not in any annoying child way, truly out of concern.

Seeing that concern Molly stopped distracting herself, sat down and took her daughter's hand. "Ginny, you know we've never believed in lying to you kids. And we're not starting now. But we have also tried to respect people's privacy. You out of all your brothers should know that."

Reflexively, Ginny started to object, but clearly couldn't, so stayed quiet.

"Thank you, now Harry will be staying with us for a while. I am absolutely certain that Harry will want to talk with you."

"Mum, Harry and I aren't…"

"Stop! Stop right there." Molly pointed a finger at her daughter. "Ginerva Molly Weasley, I brought you into this world and I have watched you every day of your life I could. I have seen both you and him grow up these last few years. Now, I don't know what you kids call your relationship 'status' or whatever it is." Molly paused and caught a breath. The last thing she wanted to seem like she was scolding Ginny.

In a far gentler heartfelt tone she continued. "The facts of the matter is each of you honestly cares for the other. Now I am NOT saying the two of you need to start dating, or whatever you call it these days. But you WILL be supportive to him. This whole family will. He deserves that. He's EARNED that. Between, you, Ron and Arthur, he literally saved three of our lives. And don't think I don't know about him helping the Twins with their business."

Ginny was legitimately surprised. The youngest four and Harry thought they kept that one quiet. "How did you know about that?"

Molly spread her arms wide, "I'm your mother, I know everything. But I choose what, when, and how I intervene. You can just assume my absence is approval."

Ginny actually swallowed. "Why am I actually slightly frightened?"

"Where do you think you got your edge from?" Molly smiled. "Besides, you're not the one who should be afraid. Harry's fam… relatives…Merlin, THAT's even too good a word for them. The Durseys are."

"Mum… you wouldn't… hex them… would you?"

Molly just turned and looked at her daughter. "Yes… but I'm not the one who needed restraining today."

Ginny's eyes grew wide. "Dad? But he's always so soft and kind, joking. I've never seen him anywhere angry enough to hex someone"

Molly held her daughter's hand reassuringly. "Ginny, you are Arthur's child. So it is his literal duty to be all those things to all of us in this family. He considers that a sacred duty. Now he's never been too pleased when we have heard what few scraps of detail of Harry's homelife. But when he heard and saw today… That someone violated that sacred duty to someone he's considered as part of the family… We damn near apprated first and asked questions later."

It was a very rare thing to see rage in the eyes of Molly Weasley. Ginny saw it now.

"But anyway, back to chores." And then the rage was gone, or at least well hidden. Ginny was shocked to see those sides of her mother, but she couldn't disagree with anything she said… not even what she had said about her and Harry's relationship, whatever it was.

She finished processing the greens for the healing potions and put that on the counter next to her mother. As she did her foot bumped against something. She looked down to see Harry's backpack.

"Mum, Harry left his pack down here. Mind if I run it up to him?"

"Try not to wake him, but probably best to. If he wakes and wants something out of it I don't want him worrying he lost it."

Ginny grabbed the bag and was instantly surprised that it actually had weight to it. Why wasn't it feather-weighted like every other wizard's pack? "Harry, what are you doing to yourself?" she asked as she carried it into the living room. She drew her wand and without so much of a second thought cast the charm on the pack. Then she had the second thought… and added an undetectable extension charm also.

As quietly as she could she climbed up to Ron's room and peeked her head in the door. And there Harry slept on his side facing away from her. Slowly and carefully she walked over his bed. She was smart enough not to call out to him. Hell, she was trying not to even breathe. She reached the corner of the bed. And successfully laid the bag by the corner. Her heart skipped a beat when Harry rolled on to his back. She froze, not wanting to make a single sound.

Frozen there, in midday light, she could very clearly see the face she had watched so often. The glaring black eye and swelling from the morning was already gone. That revealed the good looks that she had been appreciating longer than she cared to admit. 'Bollox… and also Thank Merlin.'

She gave Harry a good ten seconds of peaceful sleep. She watched his chest raise in fall. Peacefully, comfortably. He looked far more relaxed now in his sleep that she could remember seeing him… ever. Finally, Ginny attempted to leave again.

Only to be betrayed by a squeaky floor board. Bollox. She could already hear Harry stir. She turned around to greet him because, in for a penny in for a pound.

"Gin?" he asked, feeling around on the floor where he laid his glasses.

"Ya, Harry, it's me." she sat down on the edge of the bed by his feet. Unconsciously, not even realizing, she rested her left hand on his leg. It seemed to have a mind of its own as it seemed to gently pat above his ankle. After she mentally registered it, internally she froze for a split second, But finally decided, to hell with it. And then consciously kept it going. Ginny was no stranger to uncomfortable conversations, but this was a new realm. But she was never one to back down. "I hope you are feeling better," she greeted him honestly and softly.

Finally with his glasses on he propped himself up to properly look at her. "A bit, Thank you. Thank your Mum too, please."

"Absolutely." she nodded. Then remembering the reason she came upstairs. "You left this downstairs," she explained as she handed over the pack. "Mum didn't want you worried about losing anything."

"Oh, sorry, tha-nks?" he trailed off into a question when the bag was far lighter than he had walked out of the Dursley's with. Curiously, he opened the bag and looked inside.

"Harry Potter, do you honestly think I would steal from you?" she asked with an accusatory look.

"What? No. It's just a LOT lighter than when I left so checking if I had lost something. That would be just my luck."

"Oh! No, no, no that was me," she reassured. "I noticed you hadn't charmed your pack with a feather-light or expansion charm yet, so I added them. "A proper wizard pack for a proper wizard." she re-showed the pack to him with an honest smile.

"Wow, Thank you very much, Gin, I appreciate it. I didn't even know that was a thing."

"What are you talking about Harry? You've gone school shopping with Mum and us several times. You've seen her purse." As the conversation grew lighter she slipped her legs onto the bed for comfort along Harry's side.

"I know such things exist," he explained. "I did not know that they were charms you could add yourself. I've not even heard of Hogwarts teaching those spells."

"Oh, well they are just kind of common everyday spells most everyone knows from, like home and stuff."

Harry fell back onto his pillow. "Gin, those may be common and everyday stuff when you are raised by wizards, but…" Harry raised his arms wide in mock frustration. His voice was flatter than normal, but his personality is still there. That was a great comfort to Ginny.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't think."

"Don't worry about it. Wish I knew sooner. I would have packed my trunk and broom." At the end of his frustrations his hand fell down again and his left hand landed on her calf. She was wearing jeans and all but still, the touch was registering with her… but she didn't dare more or say a damn thing to ruin it.

"Wait, you cast them yourself? You're younger than me."

"Am I? Do you even remember my birthday?" she jested.

"11th of August." he replied instantly.

Ginny smiled, "Nicely done, Ron forgets half the time."

"I'm not your brother." Harry replied. "But what I mean is the Underage Trace?"

Cocking head to the side. "Harry, how bored do you think the Aurors are out here?" she laughed. "We live here. First, they aren't going to care about a couple of low level charms. Even if they did, they know there's like four other legal wizards here. Why do you think the mages that live on this side always do better in class? We get a ton more practice."

"I just figured you were smarter than most."

"Careful, Potter, flattery will get you." Ginny took great comfort even on his worst day, he could still banter with her.

With a moment of silence, Harry for once, tackled the elephant in the room. "How much have your parents said?"

She squeezed his leg reassuringly. "Actually nothing. Mum's let us know you're staying here, which is great." Gin tried to sound more welcoming than anything else. "She has said you are entitled to your privacy. Which I totally get, but…" she raised her hands gesturing to the house of brothers.

Harry grinned a bit at that. Then he took a deep breath. Ginny could tell he was summoning up the courage. Again, she held her breath.

"My uncle is a bastard, my aunt is a bitch, and my cousin is a twat." he said bluntly and cold.

Hearing Harry Potter finally swear like that made Ginny's eyes widen. Not offended in the slightest, just shocked this corner had been turned. "I - I completely agree." she said honestly and reassured with a squeeze to his leg. "But you don't have to say anything."

Harry took another, "Ginny, for once I'm not trying to dodge a topic. I am at a point where yes, I'll finally talk, especially to you." he squeezed her calf muscle. "But right this moment … I just went over it with your parents. Can you give me a day?" This time his voice was almost pleading.

Ginny's hand was trembling. She willed control back over it and just gently caressed his leg in comfort. She leaned forward to try to show sincerity. "Harry James Potter, I have been waiting on you for years. And this is the biggest change I have seen in you… in like… ever. If anyone can give you another day, it's me." Then feeling he could use the joke she added, "Though I may hold you to it this time."

"I kind hope you do, Gin." he replied with more feeling that he had the whole conversation, followed with another pet to her calf muscle. Ginny's mind spun. Harry actually wanted her to follow up and talk.

Merlin's beard. If the git didn't screw up soon, he was going to get a tear out of her. She could already feel some welling up.

"How are things here?"" he asked honestly. "I hope I'm not bothering anything."

She shook her head, THAT was Harry Potter. She slid up half way on the bed and deliberately grabbed his left hand with both of hers. "Harry, look at me." She waited for his gaze to move from the ceiling until those criminally emerald eyes were focused on her. "You are never a bother to me."

Where did those last two words come from? Ginny wasn't planning on saying them, but she didn't regret them.

Harry took another deep breath. Even though he was literally laying in bed, it was clear he was forcing himself through some emotional barriers. "You're right, Gin. Thanks. Sorry. Old habits die hard, I guess."

"Don't worry about it." Trying to change the subject she went back to his question. "Not much is different. Dad's at the Ministry. Ron got hired for the sheep shearing at the Diggory farm next week."

"Ron… with sheep?" Harry asked.

Gin laughed. "Anyone who's only experience with Ron is school I get where that would be funny. But shearing isn't too bad and they were paying good coin. He may be annoying as hell but Ron is reliable."

"Agreed," Harry nodded, with the faintest hint of a smile on his face. That encouraged Ginny more than anything.

"I picked up some hours with Fred and George at their shop.. Oh! Merlin! Did you know Mum knows about your investment in them?"

Harry's eyes widened. "How much trouble am I in?"

"Are you kidding me? You are the only one who could do that and not piss her off. You are the favorite child. Mum said so."

A slight chuckle came from the young man. "You're lying about that." as wagged his right finger. He was quite content to let Ginny keep holding the left.

She giggled. "Okay, ya, I might be lying about the favorite child status. But to be honest, it is a conversation the seven of us have had a few times. But I am totally serious about she knows you helped the Twins out."

"Damn it, I thought we kept that one quiet."

"Me too! I asked her how and she was all, 'I'm a mother.' I was also serious that she seems like she is going to be okay about it, which … wow."

"Blimey."

Ginny let a quiet moment pass. "I'm glad you came here, Harry."

"You and Ron are both getting soft," Harry said with a smirk.

"Oi, no one's getting soft here…" counter, freeing one had to give Harry a playful slug to his forearm. "Wait… Ron?"

"Yep, after we set the bed up we started talking. So for once, you two agree on something."

"Merlin, I am … just like shook to the core." She looked off to the distance trying to process the thought. "Ronald Weasley took the day off of being a pratt." She looked down to Harry Potter, you are the Chosen One."

"Okay, that's it." he said, sitting up and finally letting go of her hand. "Time to go."

"Harry, you know I'm kidding." she said a touch of concern.

Harry nodded and stood up. "I do. I do," he reassured. "But I also know you guys have a house and a farm here, and frankly what I really could use is a dose of Weasley normalcy."

Ginny rose with him and as he walked the bed she dramatically grasped both of his shoulders. "Weasley normalcy? You are a very brave man." Then she hugged him. She meant it as a joke, but once there she couldn't deny the comfort. Then Harry hugged her back. Arms wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her close. Even pressed his head to hers. They both held it for a moment. Several breaths worth.

Finally, Harry gently whispered in her ear, "Thanks, Gin."

"You are very, very welcome, Harry." she replied back softly, tightening for a moment before letting go.

"I should go check in with your Mum." He said as he started to leave.

"Makes sense, I'll be down in a sec. Need to grab something from my room." she replied but kept her back to the door. She didn't want the git to see he'd gotten a tear out of her.