Magical Summer

Chapter 1

Back at the Burrow

Ginny was sitting sulkily in front of the fire at the Burrow. Ron and Harry had recently bought a flat, Harry finally getting sick of living with the Dursleys, leaving the youngest Weasley alone at the burrow with only her mother and father for company. Sure, Ginny loved her parents very, very much, but it just wasn't the same as having her favourite brother there for company.

"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley called. "Would you help me with these plates? I can't possibly fix dinner all alone!" Ginny heaved herself up from her seat reluctantly and turned to enter the kitchen when she heard the distinct loud crack of someone Apparating behind her. She whirled around to face…

"Hermione!" Ginny cried, throwing her arms around her best friend who was clutching a large ginger cat. Crookshanks leapt lightly from Hermione's arms and set off to find garden gnomes.

"Hello Ginny." Hermione said, a small sniffle thrown in with her greeting. Ginny stepped back to peer into her face, which was wet from crying, yet there was a broad smile on her face.

"Mione, what's wrong?" Ginny asked her, sitting her down on the couch.

"Absolutely nothing!"

"Then why are you crying?" Ginny demanded, sitting next to Hermione.

"Oh, Ginny, Ronald asked me out!" Hermione whispered happily. Ginny sat there dumbfounded for a moment until what Hermione said had registered.

"Oh, I see. I'd cry too." Ginny replied gravely.

"Ginny!" Hermione squealed, hitting her friend in the shoulder.

"Okay, okay. OH HERMIONE! HOW DID IT HAPPEN?" Ginny said, exaggerating each word.

"Last night Harry and Ron asked me if I'd like to go to go into Hogsmeade with them and I of course accepted, but Harry wasn't there! Ronald said Harry was sick so we just hung out at the Three Broomsticks and he asked me! I nearly drenched him in butterbeer but I said yes, of course!" Hermione said quickly and excitedly.

"Neat. Are you gonna tell my mum and dad?" Ginny asked, watching Hermione take on a guarded look.

"Well, actually, I wanted to tell you and then hopefully tonight at the dinner we could announce it, Ron and me that is. Who all is coming anyway?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, Tonks, Lupin, Hagrid, McGonagall, you know, the old crowd." Ginny said.

"So it's just pretty much the Order to pay respects to Dumbledore?" Hermione asked, her voice breaking slightly. Ginny sighed heavily and nodded.

"It has been one year, but it seems like yesterday, doesn't it?" Ginny said sadly. She stood up and looked into the fire.

"I'm glad they made the week within his passing a holiday at school. The students can remember him properly without being loaded down with books and such." Hermione said thoughtfully. Just then Mrs. Weasley bustled into the living room.

"I thought I heard your voice, Hermione, dear!" She said, pulling Hermione up and enveloping her in a bone-crushing Mrs. Weasley hug.

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley, how are you?" Hermione asked, putting a hand to her ribs.

"Fine, fine, dear. When will Harry and Ron arrive, do you know?"

"I'm afraid I don't Mrs. Wea—"

CRACK, CRACK!

Harry and Ron stood before Mrs. Weasley, Hermione and Ginny, swaying slightly on the spot.

"Harry, dear! And Ron too! Oh how lovely!" Mrs. Weasley then wrapped the boys in another tight embrace then stood back to inspect them. Ron was wearing a happy expression as he looked at Hermione over his mother's shoulder, but Harry still had that distant dark look in his eyes, resulting from the battle with Voldemort he had earlier in the year.

Harry, with the help of Ron and Hermione had been able to find all remaining four of the Horcruxes and finally defeated the Dark Lord once and for all. Sure, Harry had celebrated Voldemort's defeat, but Harry could not soon forget the terror he witnessed and the pain he experienced, both physical and emotional.

Ginny surveyed Harry carefully. She didn't show it, but she had been deeply hurt when she and Harry had split one year ago. How could she not be? But she knew he'd done it to protect her. She had greatly hoped they might get back together after Voldemort had met his downfall, but Harry had barely spoken to anybody but Ron and Hermione.

True to their word, Harry, Ron and Hermione had not returned to school at all. They had spent the first term fighting against Death Eaters and Voldemort himself, whereas now they had been victorious and no longer had to fight.

The teachers and members of the Order had found it no use to continue their education since they had completely missed half the year, but with much persuasion and tears from Hermione saying she would never have a job, they consented, but decided that they would remain at their homes, or, in Harry's case, the Burrow, and just take 7th year all over again the next year. Hermione took this rather hard, ("I've failed?"), but decided she'd rather complete her education a year late than not complete it at all.

"Well, I'm sure you three need to unpack. Uhm, come on." Ginny said, starting up the stairs. Hermione followed her, Ron followed Hermione, and Harry followed Ron.

"When is everyone else arriving?" Ron asked Ginny once they were all piled in Ron's room. They had shrunken their bags and such and put them in their pockets for the journey, then just now had taken them out and restored them to their natural size. Hedwig and Pig had already arrived and were perched on top of the armoire.

"I'm not sure exactly, they'll probably just all turn up when the sun starts to go down. That's how it normally is." Ginny said with a shrug as she seated her self comfortably by Harry on his bed. Ron and Hermione had already taken over Ron's bed.

They were seated extremely close with Ron's arm around Hermione and her arm over his legs. Ginny chanced a sideways look at Harry who had not spoken a word. He was staring around at Ron's room with distant eyes, which turned out to have a grayish wallpaper after all the Chudley Cannons things had been ripped down to go in Ron's room at Harry's.

"So, Ginny, when do you have to take your exams?" Hermione asked pleasantly, noticing the tension in the room. Ginny made a face.

"Three days, right when I go back to school."

"Oh, need any help studying?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, would you?" Ginny said with immense relief.

"Of course! Come on."

"Now?"

"Yes now." Hermione snapped. She kissed Ron quickly on the cheek (he blushed but seemed pleased), seized Ginny by the arm and marched away with her. When the door closed behind them Ron looked at Harry.

"What's up, mate?" Ron asked worriedly. Harry looked at him.

"What d'you mean?"

"Harry, you didn't even say hello to Ginny, or my mum. What's up?" Ron pressed.

"I dunno, just being here, brings back lots of memories, you know? I was just reminiscing, I suppose." Harry said honestly. Ron nodded understandingly.

"Oh, mum owled me yesterday to see if we wanted to stay the summer, Mione too. I suppose it's for Ginny as much as her and dad. They miss us and probably don't want Ginny to be here all alone all summer. Whadda you say?" Ron asked Harry carefully. He didn't answer right away. He loved being at the Burrow, no matter how many memories, good and bad, it held, yet he was afraid to be around Ginny all summer. He didn't know if he would be able to keep his feelings to himself all summer. But why spoil it for Hermione and Ron?

"Sure, that'd be fun." He said.

Meanwhile in Ginny's room…

"The bastard wouldn't even look at me, Mione! He probably hates me like every other guy I've been with." Ginny said harshly, angry tears filling her eyes.

"Harry doesn't hate you, Ginny. He is just…confused." Hermione said lamely.

"Why should he be confused?" Ginny asked.

"Well, oh I don't know! He's going to see everybody tonight and he hasn't been around every single one of them together since, you know…the fight. He's probably scared and nervous." Hermione said knowingly. "I'm sure it has nothing to do with you."

"I miss him, Mione. I miss when he used to hold me and kiss me and be there for me." Ginny said, her attitude changing drastically as her tears spilled over her eyes. She wiped them away angrily.

"I'm sure he still has feelings for you, he just doesn't know exactly what to do about it. You know he's hopeless when it comes to that." She said, trying to get a smile out of her best friend.

"Oh, and guess what?" She added. Ginny just looked at her, like whatever she said could not possibly make her feel better. Hermione continued, "Me, Ron and Harry are remaining here for the summer." She said.

How wrong Ginny was.

She jumped up with Hermione and they hugged and squealed. "You want us to, right?"

"Of course!" Ginny said indignantly. Hermione smiled.

"Good, I have to go tell Ron. It's getting late, you better get changed for the dinner. You mom will go crazy if she catches you dressed in jeans and a Weird Sisters shirt for the dinner. She told us it was rather formal for Dumbledore." Hermione lectured. Her voice caught on his name and she hurried from the room.

Reluctantly, Ginny pulled off her jeans and shirt and was just standing in front of her closet, contemplating on what to wear when her door opened.

"Oh god! I'm sorry Ginny!" Said a voice. She whipped around.

"Harry?"

A/N: this is my first fic, so don't be too cruel if you don't like it. Please rate!