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A Week at the Burrow | ||||||
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Category: Alternate Universe Characters:Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Teddy Lupin Genres: Comedy, Fluff, Romance Warnings: None Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 30 Summary: The Weasley family is finally all together at the Burrow for the week prior to Easter. During their stay Harry and Ginny, discover their feelings for one another, or the fact that they hadn't left. Set in an AU where Harry and Ginny were unable to talk following their kiss in HBP. Hitcount: Story Total: 13992; Chapter Total: 1638 Awards: View Trophy Room Author's Notes: Here we are at last! This is the final chapter! Thank you all so so much for reading and reviewing and favouriting this story. I hope that you enjoy this chapter even though I know many of you disagree with his actions, (which may or may be the point, from a certain point of view). Thank you all so much once again, and now enjoy! |
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Harry was harshly yanked out of the pleasant darkness of sleep. “Are you fucking kidding me?” were the first words he heard as he became more and more aware. It was Alice, her tone was angry and the slightest bit of disappointment. As his eyes struggled to see the scene laid out before him. Alice stood next to his side of the bed, holding something in her hands. Harry felt around the side table for his glasses, pushing himself up, so that he was sitting up. Once he put his glasses on, the scene became extremely clear. Alice stood dressed for work, however she was holding the Prophet. When he looked at the cover he saw himself and Ginny. The cover showed him and Ginny locked in their embrace at the quidditch match. He was confused because at first it appeared as though it were a muggle photo, but after a time he and Ginny, separated. He hadn’t realized in the moment and it seemed neither had Ginny, that someone in the crowd of hundreds of cameras, had taken a photo of them. “Alice, I-” he began but was cut off. He had no idea what to even say. “Save it Harry.” she sighed, and sat down on the edge of the bed. “It just kind of happened.” “I’m sure there was nothing that led up to this. Simply in the heat of the moment you just happened to kiss Ginny, who flew straight into your arms. I’m not stupid Harry. I saw what was going on. I just hoped that I was overthinking and chose to be ignorant.” “What do you mean?” “Oh please Harry. You think I don’t see the way you and Ginny look at one another.” “We’re just friends.” Harry wasn’t even sure why he lied. They both knew the relationship was over, and he had no desire to salvage anything from it. “Friends don’t look at friends like they wanna bend them over the table and fuck them Harry.” Alice said with malice, though her voice remained calm and steady. Harry felt some small need within him to explain to her that it was more than desire he felt towards Ginny, but he knew that there was absolutely no need or reason to say that or defend himself. “Alice, I’m sorry, I truly am. I didn’t intend for any of this to happen.” Alice just let out one long breath and looked down at her hands and the stupid magazine in her lap. “I know that, I know. But whether or not you ‘intended’ this to happen or not, it has been clear for longer that I would like to admit that this was going to happen. I really cared for you Harry.” she sounded defeated as she spoke, and Harry felt even worse that it had happened this way, but there was nothing he could do about it now. “I cared for you too.” He noticed a small sad smile appear quickly on Alice’s face, before falling into back frown. “This is it then.” She said. “Yes it is.” Harry sighed, feeling a large weight lifted off his shoulder. Now that they were for the most part past the large issue. But they needed to begin the next phase. “You can stay here for as long as you need, while you find a place of your own or whatever. I will stay at the Burrow.” “Thank you Harry, but I have already arranged it. I will be out tomorrow.” Harry felt bad but he was a little thankful that this was the case. “Alright.” “I’ll leave you to get dressed.” she said quietly, and what Harry presumed to be holding back tears, caused her voice to stilt a little, but she quickly left what was once more his room. As he pulled on his clothes, his brain, which was now fully beginning to process the reality of the fact that he was now a single man once more, though he hoped that this would not last long, as his thoughts shifted to Ginny. Ginny. Harry’s sleep addled brain processed for the first time that morning about how the publicity of their act may very well affect her too. He grabbed up what little clothes he could and tossed them into the enchanted bag, which stayed laid on his dresser, yet to be put away from the other day’s return. He worried quickly about what conversations he may have to have with Molly and Arthur, and hoped that they would still hold respect for him once they found out. He couldn’t even imagine what may happen once any of her brothers or Hermione found out. He apparated to the front door of the Burrow, and knocked hard on the door hoping to god that Ginny would answer. “Harry?” Molly asked as she opened the door and let him in. “Is Ginny here?” “What? No, she left very early this morning, took one look at the prophet and apprated with but a word of goodbye. She took the Prophet with her too.” Harry felt a small wave of relief at the fact that Molly and thus likely Arthur, had not found out yet. “Why don’t you stay for breakfast, it’s still rather early and I don’t believe you go to work for another few hours.” Harry only now became aware of the hunger that had consumed his stomach, and he found the idea of a full Mrs.Weasley breakfast rather enticing. “No thank you, I should be going.” “Are you alright, dear?” “Yes, well, mostly, I broke up with Alice this morning.” he phrased it lighter than what Molly would likely find out in the future but nonetheless it was the truth. “Awe, Dear.” Molly said as she wrapped him in a hug, he pulled away after a few short seconds. “Did Ginny go to her flat?” he asked as his mind raced with what was to come. “Yes, but I-” “Perfect, thank you I have to go, I’ll be in touch soon, much love.” Harry said as he cut her off and made his way out the door. He walked a bit away from the door before disapparating. After a few seconds of black, he was in the entryway of Ginny’s flat. He heard moving in her bedroom down the hall. “Ginny!” He called as he took a step into the flat. She came rushing out of her room. They just stared at one another for a moment. Harry had no idea what to do. “I take it you saw the news then.” Ginny said as she moved closer. “I thought my days of being front page news were long over.” Harry said, causing Ginny to laugh, and a large smile to appear on his own face. “Oh Harry, I think as long as you live, you won’t not be front page news.” she said with a laugh. “I know I know, but I can dream.” Harry laughed. “Did Al-” she began, a little sheepishly. “Yes, she and I broke up this morning.” “Oh, I’m sorry.” “Don’t be. I was going to do it this week anyway.” “Do you have work today?” She asked, as she moved closer to him. “I do. But as you are probably aware, it is still rather early. So not for an hour or so.” He said as he looked down at his watch. “Have you eaten.” She said in a leading tone. “No.” Harry planned on stopping at a café before going into his office, once he left Ginny’s. But his answer caused Ginny to smile. “Would you like something to eat?” “Sure, if that is not too much trouble.” “I was already going to cook myself breakfast. So we can eat together.” She said as she walked past him towards the small kitchen. “Would you like some help?” “Are you suggesting I’m a bad cook.” Harry laughed, but this was not the case. “No, just like with most things, you are a great cook, you just sometimes tend to get frustrated when cooking multiple things at once.” Ginny scoffed at the first part but relented. “I would like some help, yes.” She said as she continued on past him. Harry followed her into the kitchen as they got to work on a breakfast of eggs, bacon toast and coffee, Ginny cooking the eggs, while Harry watched the bacon fry and occasionally flipped it. Through the cooking process they made idle conversation about what work they had in store for the day, and Ginny’s prior quidditch win. Eventually however their conversation found its way back to what had transpired barely an hour ago. “So if you and Alice are broken up, and you own Grimmuald place, and everything in it, where is she going to live?” “I don’t, but I told her she could have time to sort it out, but she said she would be out tomorrow.” He said as he turned the bacon over. “Surely you are not going to go home tonight then?” she asked. “No I planned on staying at the Burrow, though I forgot to tell your mother when I saw her.” “Oh, well I was thinking, if you wanted of course, that you could stay here tonight. Might help avoid any, awkward conversations.” They had yet to discuss what the kiss had meant, and what the fact that it had been captured on photo meant. But Harry liked her idea. “That would be great, I hope I won’t be getting in the way of any plans or anything.” “Not at all, I have practice later, but that will be done before you get off work.” Harry had almost forgotten that he had to go to work in less than an hour and would not be able to spend the day with Ginny, despite the fact that she herself had to go to work. He was however excited that at the end of the day he would get to come home to her. “Well then I would love to.” Harry said with a smile. “Good.” Ginny said with a smile as well, before turning back to the eggs and scooping them out onto separate plates. Something about this part of Harry’s morning seemed so right. Early mornings cooking with Ginny, laughing about life and the fact that though he was disappointed that he would be leaving her for a few hours, he could resolve himself in the fact that when he finished work, he would be coming back to her. This was how Harry wanted all of his mornings from that time on to go. They sat down to breakfast and discussed the various goings on in the wizarding, talking about everything but the reason Harry had come there this morning. After they finished eating and just continued talking over their second cups of coffee. Soon however Harry checked his watch and it was nearly quarter to eight, he had to leave for work. “I have to go.” He said bringing his plates and coffee to the kitchen. Ginny got up and brought her own plates with her to the kitchen. She walked Harry to the door of her flat and talked with him as he put his shoes on. “Oh, my bag. Where should I put it?” Harry asked as he picked the bag up. “Oh, I’ll put it in the bedroom.” she said as she took the bag from him and walked towards her bedroom. Harry couldn’t help but think for the first time since they decided that he would be staying at her place, that he had no idea where he would be sleeping. A few seconds later she walked back to him. “Alright, thanks for breakfast. I’ll see you later.” He said, but before he could get ready to apparate, Ginny was in his arms, her own wrapped around him. He gladly hugged her back, she pulled back after a few seconds and leaned up and pressed a short kiss to his cheek. “Have a good day.” She said with a smile. “You too.” he said, matching her smile, then she stood back and watched as he disapparated. When he arrived at the ministry, he kept his head down, as he walked to the Auror offices, he passed more than a few people who he heard mutter his name and he knew they had seen the bloody Prophet. He was unfortunately more than used to people talking about him quietly, he felt bad for Ginny, but he knew she could more than handle herself and especially among her teammates who would likely pat her on the back. He laughed to himself at the thought of the Harpies patting Ginny on the back after seeing that morning’s Prophet. He made his way to the crowded elevator where thankfully he didn’t encounter anyone who he knew personally, he dreaded what may happen if he ran into Percy or Arthur, but he made it to the Auror offices without any interruptions. As he entered the office, he saw what must have been his new assignments fly overhead and gently unfold and float their way down into a neatly stacked pile on his desk. As he walked past the various Aurors and D.M.L.E. employees he caught more than a few of them glancing and smirking in his direction, he knew that most people had seen the photo, given it was the cover of the Prophet. But only some of his co-workers lacked the decency to ignore it and chose to make faces at him. Thus Harry kept his head down and continued on to his desk. He picked up the first file of the stack, his new assignment. A former ministry official, an open and willing Voldemort collaborator during the war, who had fled to France had been recently sighted by many in the back alleys and dark places of various spots in Wizarding Britain. Harry couldn’t help but notice that some of the names on the list were more than unreliable and many worked in the way of bribes. He often wondered what an Auror would do in the future when all of the remaining death eaters and Voldemort collaborators were caught or were old enough to be all dead. As almost all of the work he had done as an Auror always involved catching wizards related to Voldemort in some way, whether Death Eaters themselves or collaborators like this official. As he began to look into the other files on his desk, mostly just more paperwork involving his old assignments Harry’s thoughts always made their way back to Ginny. That was the course of the entirety of Harry’s day; work on the assignment, do some paperwork, think about Ginny. But before he knew it, the day was over. And he was making his way into the crowded elevators, on his way to the ministry’s apparition points. With a pop and following second of darkness, Harry was once more in the entryway of Ginny’s flat. “Hi, Harry!” He heard her call from her bedroom. “How did you know it was me?” he asked as he was taking off his shoes. “You’re the only person that I’ve allowed free passage to the wards.” She said as she came out of her bedroom. The second Harry looked up he only caught a glimpse of her before he felt her against his chest, he pulled her into him as close as he could. This is what he had been waiting for all day long. “How was practice?” “It was alright, pretty easy going. Some of the girls were impressed with my recent press coverage,” She said, looking up at him and winking before much to both of their dismay, pulling out of the hug, “how was yours?” “It was alright, I got more than a few looks from some of the other ministry employees. Not to mention the prats at the office but no one said anything surprisingly. Not to mention I got to come here after work, so that made it pretty good.” Harry said with a smile. “Good.” She said as Harry followed her into the rest of the flat, plopping himself on the couch. As Ginny continued onto the kitchen. “Want a beer?” she asked from inside the fridge. “Yes please!” Harry called as he flicked on the t.v., Ginny had had it for a while and since moving out of the borrow, she had slowly tried out new muggle technology, but she had still yet to master the t.v.. She came back from the fridge and placed hers on the table after taking a large sip from it and plopped herself down, right next to Harry. When she had first sat down, there was a little space between the two but quickly Harry ended up with his arm around Ginny as she cuddled into his side. Neither had felt like cooking dinner that night, so they ordered pizza, which thus far had been Ginny’s favourite muggle fast food. As they ate and drank, they watched whatever show came on but were really more invested in the conversation between one another. After they finished their pizza they fell into a small silence as rerun of ‘Star Wars’ came on, something that had enthralled Ginny just as much if not more than it had Arthur. Harry remembered how she could not stop talking about after they had seen the most recent one in theatres, just after Ginny had finished her seventh year. At some point as they sat, Ginny ended up laying her head in his lap, and he played with her hair, the way they both loved. It finally felt, for the first time in a long time, that things between them were normal again. Doing things they hadn’t done in years but still seemed second nature to both of them and if Harry was honest with himself, things that he had missed greatly. “I missed this.” Harry murmured to Ginny. But was met with no reply. “Ginny?” he asked a little louder, checking to see if she had fallen asleep. However he was met with no reply again. He decided to enjoy the moment for what it waited until what must have been the second star wars movie that night had finished. Towards the end of the movie he found himself barely able to keep his eyes on the fight between Luke and Vader. As the movie began to jump with each time he closed his eyes, he decided that it was time to go to bed. “Ginny, wake up.” he said quietly as he rocked her back and forth gently to stir her awake. He heard her let out a hum and a breathe before adjusting herself to curl her body more around him. “I don’t want to.” She said quietly as she uncurled herself and stretched. “I know but I want to go to bed. And you’re sleeping on it.” Hearing that caused Ginny to sit up and rub her eyes. “What? Do you not want to sleep in the bedroom?” she asked, suddenly looking concerned. “I don’t want to put you out of your own bed.” To this Ginny, let out a tiny small laugh. “I assumed you would understand that I meant, with me, but if you don’t-” “Oh. No, I think that's a great idea.” He said cutting her off. “Good. Come along then.” she said as she slowly got up off the couch and led him to the bedroom. She walked back out into the bathroom as Harry pulled on the shorts that he normally wore to bed. When Ginny reemerged from the bathroom, he caught her looking at his chest, though with a much different look than she had from their meeting the other night. Harry climbed into Ginny’s bed after brushing his own teeth, and Ginny came back into the room and found her moving some stuff around before getting in after him. Without either of them speaking a word, Harry moved his arms and Ginny laid her head on his chest, just above his heart. After a few minutes of just laying there, enjoying finally being able to hold one another before they slept, Harry broke the silence. “Should we talk about the Prophet this morning at all?” he asked. Slowly sliding his fingers up and down her arms. “I don’t know. It depends on what you wanna talk about, I suppose.” Harry could tell from her tone what she was getting at. “I don’t want any of your brothers or-” “I’m not worried about what they think right now, nor do I imagine they will care that much.” “I’m not thrilled that it ended up on the Prophet, but I am glad that it happened. And It wasn’t just because of the celebration of victory, it was not even back then.” Harry hoped Ginny knew that he was talking about their kiss in his sixth year, if she remembered it all.” “I hoped it wasn’t.” “What was that about team potter, and Mr. and Mrs. Potter?” Harry asked, smirking though he was unsure if she could see it. “Wishful thinking I suppose” Ginny said with a laugh, but Harry knew she was being honest. They fell back into a comfortable silence, Harry didn’t want to fall asleep so as to not be torn from this moment. He felt as though he felt even better than he had those few short times they had slept like this before “Y’know what Alice said to me this morning?” Harry asked as Ginny hummed her curiosity, before he continued. “When we were arguing I said that we were ‘just friends’,” he used air quotes as he said this which made Ginny laugh, “she told me that ‘friends don’t look at friends like,” Harry paused to contain his laughter, and the minor heat he felt rising in his face, “like they want to bend them over the table and fuck them.”. Ginny burst out laughing, thankfully, which caused Harry to as well. “She really said that?” “Yes.” They continued laughing for a short while, especially Ginny. Before settling into a comfortable silence, eventually however, she looked up at him. “So do you?” she asked. “What?” “‘Y’know, want to bend a certain friend over a table and fuck them?” Harry felt a slight rush of confidence at her words. “Oh, well, there is no table in here right now, but maybe sometime soon.” “I like the sound of that.” she said, with a smirk which Harry could feel against his chest. The two laid there for minutes, possibly even hours, in the most comfortable silence they’d ever known until finally, Ginny broke it. “Harry?” she asked softly. He hummed an acknowledgement and looked down to where her head lay, and was met with her eyes. She took a deep breath before continuing. “I love you. I’m in love with you and I have been for a long time. I think, hope, you feel the same, but this week only confirmed it. And that kiss, I-” Harry cut her off. “I love you too. I have been in love with you since my sixth year. This week only confirmed that, I am sorry I wasted so much time, but I was so worried you didn’t feel the same, and I was too scared to say anything.” Just as he finished saying it he noticed the large smile on Ginny’s face as she leaned in and kissed him. Ginny settled herself back down on his chest. And they continued to lay there for a long time, Harry still not wanting to fall asleep. “I can’t believe we’re alive, and here.” Ginny said, Harry wondered if she had been listening to his heart beat. Something she had admitted she enjoyed doing, while they were laying almost exactly as they were now, shortly after the war. “I know, sometimes I wonder if I actually came back out of the forest.” Harry said honestly. “I’m glad you did.” Ginny said sweetly. “I thought of you, just before I died.” “What?” Ginny said, whipping her head up from his chest to face him. The confusion clear on her face, even in the mostly dark room. He had never told her this before, nor had he told anyone else. He could tell that she was trying to process if she actually had heard him right; they had talked countless times about the moments leading up to his death. He had talked about the walk and using the resurrection stone on his way to see Voldemort. All of that, even him almost stopping when he saw her helping that Girl. But this was new to her. “What? I don’t…” she trailed off in confusion. “Right before I died, in the moment before the curse I thought of you and and the feeling of the kiss we shared.” “Harry, I-” she stopped herself, she had no idea what to say. “You don’t have to say anything I just felt like you should know.” She stared at Harry staying still for a second before she leaned forward and kissed him. After she pulled away, she laid her head back down and they both settled into fall asleep, content in the fact that after so long they were able to be in each other’s arms once more. Safe in the knowledge that they loved one another. When Harry awoke that morning for the first time that he could remember, he was not waking up from red hair but rather waking up to red hair. He became very aware of the flowery scent that Ginny always seemed to emanate from her no matter what. He felt her stretch in his arms, there was the slightest distance from then that Harry quickly made sure to remedy and pulled her close. She rolled over so that her hair was no longer in his face. And nuzzled her way into his chest. “Morning” She said quietly, her voice having yet to lose its low, sleepy tone. “Good morning” Harry said and pressed a kiss on the top of her head. Which she acknowledged with a delighted hum. “How’d you sleep?” she asked, stifling a yawn. “Great actually, the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time. What about you.” Harry hadn’t slept better than this since the last time he and Ginny slept together he figured, things had gotten better last week, but this was unreal. “Took the words out of my mouth.” “What time is it?” “Haven’t the faintest but I can tell from the window that it’s way past when I’m up so we should probably get up so you can go to work.” “Ugh, I don’t want to.” he whined jokingly. “I would love it if you could, but you’ve already made me sleep in for the first time in who knows how long, so you best goto work before we waste a whole day.” “I wouldn’t say we would be wasting it.” Harry teased and was met with Ginny looking up at him with a smirk. He freed her from his arms and watched as she sat up and stretched before she headed to the bathroom. He had to wait for a moment to verify that this was in fact really happening, and that was confirmed when Ginny came back out making a face at him and tossing him a towel. All throughout his shower Harry the only thing on his mind was their conversation last night and the fact that he loved Ginny Weasley and she knew it, and that she too loved him back. He came back into the room and got dressed when he entered the kitchen Ginny was making Coffee, and he poured himself and Ginny some cereal and brought it to her at the small table. “So, where do we go from here?” She asked, with a small smile. It was something that Harry hadn't really considered. He considered them together and was pretty sure she did as well. But he supposed that they hadn’t really talked about it. For him, though he wouldn’t admit it to Ginny just yet. This was it. “I don’t know. Wherever the hell we want I suppose.” To this Ginny smiled. “But as long as we’re together.” he made sure to add. “Good. I feel like we’re together.” she added. “I would say we are too.” “Good.” and with that they settled into a nice breakfast where they talked aimlessly about what life may hold for them. Eventually however Harry had to leave for work and Ginny walked him to the door, where she hugged him and he pulled her into a deep kiss, before bidding her goodbye. Content with the knowledge that from this day forward, this is how all of his days would begin, he apparated to work. |
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