MetaFic

Despite the way he’d spent the previous day and night, Harry rose very early that morning. It had taken them a while to fly to Godric’s Hollow and by the time they’d arrived, it was late in the afternoon. He would have preferred to have Apparated them to save time and avoid being spotted by Muggles, but he didn’t think he could do it with two brooms and Ginny’s trunk as well. They were both very tired when they arrived, so he was grateful that Dobby was there to meet them. But things didn’t go as smoothly as Harry had wished.

“Dobby is pleased to see Harry Potter, but is wondering if such a brave and wise wizard as Harry Potter should be bringing a Dark witch into his house.”

After they had showered and changed, they tucked into the spread that Dobby had laid out in the kitchen. Fully sated, they retired to the bedroom where sleep claimed them before they could continue where they’d left off at the farmhouse.

Leaving Ginny in bed, he went downstairs and sat in his study, responding to owls he’d received whilst he was gone. Only Hedwig could deliver to him personally, the other owls would come to Godric’s Hollow. He tried to avoid using her for sensitive matters as she was so well known, but she had proved in the past that she could be elusive when required to be so. He penned a number of replies as well as sending out some other notes. Things were progressing, but he wondered if they moving fast enough. He handed the notes to the parliament of owls that he kept and sent them on their way. Hedwig waited patiently for hers, but none was forthcoming.

“Sorry, girl,” he said, as he stroked her soft white feathers. “I need a bit of secrecy this time.” She seemed to understand and nipped his hand affectionately before flying off to a nearby tree to roost.

Now he had nothing else to do other than eat the breakfast that Dobby had brought for him and wait for the replies. One by one they came, and by the time he’d taken a Floo call, he was feeling a little more reassured about matters. He returned to the bedroom and slipped under the covers next to Ginny. The bed was warm and inviting, and she even more so. He lay propped up on his elbow, wishing that things had been different and that today he wasn’t going to gamble everything they had on some educated guesses and a bit of supposition. He placed his hand on her shoulder, intending to wake her. Her skin felt so soft that all he wanted to do was enjoy the sensations that caressing it brought.

Come on, Potter, if all goes well tomorrow, there will be plenty of time for that.

Reluctantly he shook her shoulder and whispered softly to her. “Come on, sleepy head, rise and shine; we’ve got a lot to do today.”

She shifted slightly but her eyes remained steadfastly shut. She was lying on her back, her hair spread across the pillow. Her face was turned away from him, exposing her neck. He planted a soft kiss on the uncovered flesh, resisting the temptation to run his fingers through the luxuriant mane that fanned out around her.

“You know, for the Big Bad Bitch of Slytherin, you look awfully cute when you’re asleep?”

She stirred slightly and groaned.

“And do you know that if you don’t leave me alone, I’m going to show you just how nasty a Slytherin can be?”

He poked her gently and chuckled.

“Try me.”

The covers flew off and she dived on top of him, her fingers attacking his ribs. After several frenzied minutes, he succeeded in extracting himself from her grasp and ran off to the bathroom with her in pursuit.

Eventually they made it downstairs in time for a late lunch. Ginny was pleased to find that, although he was still a little wary of her, Dobby was more accepting of her than before. As they ate Harry sat opposite her, wondering what he’d done to deserve such a beautiful woman as Ginny – especially one that had been hidden in plain sight all these years.

“A Knut for your thoughts?”

“I’m just thinking how lucky I am to end up with a girl like you.”

She shook her head and laughed.

“I’m not sure that there’re many that would agree with you, Harry.”

“Good,” he said smugly, “because that means I’m going to have you all to myself.”

“What are you going to do, lock me in a tower and throw away the key?”

He quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Why, do you have a thing about locks and chains then?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she teased.

“Actually,” he grinned, “I would.”

After lunch they set off for Diagon Alley. As access to the house was restricted, they were unable to use the Floo. Instead, they Apparated into a small office at the disused Post Office railway station at New Oxford Street. The bleak, white-tiled walls were in stark contrast to the warmth and comfort of his house at Godric’s Hollow.

“It was the last safe place we had,” he explained, as she stood on the short platform looking around. “Not exactly comfortable, but safe.”

“What about your house?” she asked. “Couldn’t you go there?”

“No. It’s mine; no one else knows where it is.” They could have gone there, he knew, but they’d always managed to find another hiding place even when it was just the three of them.

“Not even Ron and Hermione?”

“The only people who have ever been there are me, you and Dobby. The way my parents were betrayed ….” His voice faltered as the memory that he relived whenever a Dementor was near came to him once more. “I swore that I’d never let it happen to me.”

She slipped her arm around his waist and pulled him closely to her.

“It’s okay, Harry, I’m here.”

They walked down Charing Cross Road, trying to avoid the hordes of tourists who cluttered the area at that time of the year. He was glad when they reached The Leaky Cauldron and the sounds of Muggle London faded. Apart from a nod from Tom, Harry’s appearance didn’t cause much of a stir and they were soon into Diagon Alley itself. They chatted happily as they walked along, not paying attention to the few people who said hello to Harry. But the longer they walked, the more people recognised him. Soon they had attracted a crowd of witches and wizards of all ages who slowed their advance.

Harry very rarely let something like this happen; he disliked the attention his fame brought and hated the crowds that could congregate if he stayed in one place too long. But today was different. Today was about working towards a goal and to do that, he needed to attract more attention than usual. But the more people who greeted Harry, the more nervous Ginny became.

“Do you think it’s wise, you taking me to the end-of-term thing? I mean, won’t everyone shun you now you’ve hooked up with me?” She glanced nervously at the witches and wizards around them. Harry smiled reassuringly at her and pulled her closer to him.

“Let them. Too many people only want to know me because I’m famous, so it would be good to lose them.” As they talked, he nodded to people who smiled and waved at him.

“What about Ron and Hermione?”

Harry shrugged his shoulders as if he didn’t really care.

“Ron’s not going to be too pleased, but I’m sure he’ll be glad to have his sister back.”

“And Hermione?”

They both knew that Hermione had deep reservations about the time that Harry had spent with Ginny. It was possible that he would have to choose between the two of them. In Harry’s mind, there was no doubt about whom he would choose.

“She can either accept the truth or–”

Their conversation was interrupted by a flash as someone took their photo.

“Mr Potter, Mandy Rogers, Daily Prophet, may I ask you a few questions?”

He stopped and looked in the direction of the voice and took in the woman before him. There stood a middle-aged witch with dirty blond hair and a hopeful expression. As he looked more closely, he could see that the strains of being a journalist were beginning to require more makeup than was attractive. She had her quill and parchment ready to record his words of wisdom. It was the opportunity he had been hoping for and why he’d let the crowds assemble.

“Sure, go ahead.” He made sure that Ginny was close by him as the interview got under way. It was important that they included her in their report as well.

“Are you going to be at the end-of-year celebrations at Hogwarts tonight?”

“Of course I will,” he replied emphatically. “Whatever made you think that I wouldn’t be?” He smiled encouragingly at her, willing her to continue.

“There was a rumour going round that you’d stormed out of the school vowing never to come back.” So that was the spin they’d put on it.

“Nothing more than a rumour, I assure you. I have every intention of being there tonight.”

His mouth was beginning to ache as he kept a smile on his face. Whatever I do when I leave school, he thought, I won’t be a politician.

“And what about your partner, Miss…?” Thank Merlin! I thought you’d never ask.

“Weasley, Ginny Weasley.” He was so keen that they include her in their article that he almost spelled out her first name for her. “Yes, she has kindly agreed to accompany me tonight. We’re actually just going to Madam Malkin’s to choose our robes.” He‘d put up with more than he could normally cope with, and now he’d had enough. “Now, if you have no more questions, we’re running a little late.”

The photographer took a few more pictures and then he and the reporter scampered off to their office to catch the evening edition. As the couple carried on down Diagon Alley, there were a few more nods of recognition, but generally Harry was left alone.

“I’m surprised you talked to the press. I always thought that you hated them.”

“I do, but they can also be used. By the time we get to Hogwarts, everyone in the school will know that we’re coming.”

“Very Slytherin, Harry. I can see that we have more in common than I thought.”

“Thank you. The Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin.”

He thought she seemed unphased by his admission, but he was beginning to realise just how well she could hide her emotions.

“And why didn’t it?”

“Because I asked it not to.”

She paused as if considering this new piece of information.

“I didn’t know you could ask it not to put you in a particular house.”

“Neither did I at the time. All I knew was that I’d met Malfoy and didn’t want to be in the same house as him.”

She sagged visibly at the news. “I wish I’d met Malfoy before I’d got to school, might have saved me a lot of bother.” Her voice was filled with regret and Harry wondered just how hard her six years at Hogwarts had been.

“But then, if you hadn’t been in Slytherin, I wouldn’t have found the Horcruxes and we all might be dead.”

“That’s it, Potter, always look on the bright side.”

Their arrival at Madam Malkin’s caused a great stir, especially when Harry told them he wanted everything ready for that evening.

“I’m sorry, Mr Potter,” said the manager, looking nervously at her important guest. “We did receive your owl, but we expected you rather earlier.” Harry blushed as he remembered why they were running so late. He glanced over at Ginny to see how she was faring but her face was showing no sign of discomfort. She winked at him before tuning her attention back to the witch in front of her.

“Well, I apologise for being late. Something came up that needed prompt attention.” He heard Ginny snigger at the unintended double entendre but pressed on. “But we’re here now, so perhaps we can proceed?”

“I’m sorry, Mr Potter; we can do the fitting today, but the garments won’t be ready for this evening. Perhaps something from the prêt a porter range?”

“I’m sorry to be so insistent, but it is important that we wear something more sophisticated than that tonight. Surely, something could be done.”

The witch shook her head and looked nervously at him.

“The only way I could do that is to ask all the staff to help and that would mean closing the shop, which I can’t afford to do.”

“How about if I pay you what you’d have taken in the time remaining today?”

“That’s very kind, Mr Potter, but I’m not sure you’d want to pay that much. There’s not only the takings that we’d miss out on, but the other work we need to do. You know, for people who want their garments for tomorrow?”

“Hang on, Harry,” said Ginny impatiently, “there’s a simple way to sort this out.” She fixed the witch with her most intimidating stare. “If I can see your till scrolls?”

The manager was about to object, but one look at Ginny’s determined expression seemed to stifle any protest. As she disappeared into the back of the shop with the manager, Harry chuckled at the thought of a grown witch being so intimidated by a sixteen-year-old girl. Ginny appeared after a few minutes with the manager trailing behind her. In her hand was the till scroll.

“Last Friday they took in twenty Galleons total, and the Friday before that twenty-two, and before that seventeen. I say you give them twenty five, final offer.”
Harry looked at the manager, who was looking confused and just a little annoyed at what the two teenagers were doing in her shop. He gave her his most winning smile and said, “Let’s make it thirty, shall we? And I’ll make sure that the press know where we got them from.”

The witch considered his offer for a few moments before agreeing. She locked the front door and the staff set to work. As the measuring tape whizzed around him, Harry hoped that none of his other plans would be upset by their earlier dalliance.

Their fitting finally completed and the clothes shrunk to fit in Harry’s pocket, they set off again with Harry refusing to say where they were going. Their first port of call proved to be nothing more mysterious than Gringotts. As they travelled down to the vaults, Harry explained that this was to allow Ginny to choose some jewellery from his vault. She initially protested, but when he refused to budge, she relented.

He watched intently as she worked her way slowly through his mother’s jewellery box. He was more worried about this part of the evening than anything else, and he shifted nervously as he waited for her to choose. After about ten minutes, she replaced all the pieces she had been considering.

“Harry, I can’t, these were your mother’s. Let me nip back to The Burrow, I’ve got my best pieces there. I can be back inside twenty minutes.”

He tried not to let his disappointment show at her wanting to wear her own jewellery. But aside from his own wishes, there were practical reasons why she couldn’t go back to The Burrow.

“Ginny, if you go home, your mum is not going to let you out of her sight, and no doubt you’ll have other company that you just don’t want.” He paused and watched her closely. She seemed to accept his reasoning and so he continued. “And besides, it would mean a lot to me if you would choose from this collection.”

It took her a while to choose and Harry looked on anxiously as she did so. His parents would never meet Ginny, and in asking her to wear his mother’s jewellery it was his way of introducing Ginny to her. When she’d finished, Harry stayed in the vault for a little while longer. Reaching into the bottom of the casket he took out a small black velvet box. In it were his mother’s engagement and wedding rings. He opened the box and glanced over at Ginny, who was waiting patiently for him with the goblin by the cart. It took all of his will power not to take the engagement ring out and place it on Ginny’s finger.

Their final destination was a surprise to Ginny: Ninety-Three Diagon Alley. When they entered the shop, it was empty.

Good, though Harry. I’m running out of time and don’t want to waste any of it shooing curious customers out of the way.

At the sound of the closing door a voice came from under the counter.

“I’ll be with you in a minute.”

As they waited, Harry looked around at the shelves and laughed at the warning aimed at shoplifters.

At the sound of Harry’s laughter, George Weasley’s head emerged above the counter. When he saw who was with Harry, he dropped the boxes he was about to place on the counter and let out a long stream of expletives. Once he’d recovered from the initial shock, he shouted to his brother who was out the back.

“Fred, get your arse out here quick, there’s someone to see us.”

“If it’s that moron from the Ministry,” bellowed Fred, “tell him we haven’t burnt the license for the explosives, it went up in flames with the bloody stuff.”

“Fred, shut up and get out here, now!”

When Fred finally appeared, he let out a longer string of expletives than his brother and also dropped what he was carrying.

“Blimey, Harry,” George said, still apparently unable to believe his eyes. “Mum and Dad are out there turning the country upside down looking for her. They’ll go apeshit when they find out. Where did you find her?”

“In my bed,” he grinned, earning a playful punch from Ginny.

“Merlin, Harry; you like to live dangerously, don’t you?” Fred looked at his brother and then back at the couple in front of him.

He grinned at them. “So everyone keeps telling me.”

“So,” said George, “are you returning her for Mum to shout out and then hug to death or have you got other plans?”

“I’ve got other plans. Guys, I need your help tonight, did you get my owl?”

“We did,” replied Fred. “We did wonder what you were going to do with all this stuff.”

“It’s a long story, but basically, with your sister’s assistance, I’ve had an interesting week.”

They both grinned and winked at him, but George said what they were both thinking.

“I bet you have, Harry, I bet you have.” His insinuation earned him a scowl from his sister.

“Get your mind out of the gutter, George, and listen to him.”

“I’m not George, I’m Fred.”

“Bollocks; Fred’s eyebrow doesn’t twitch when he sees me. Yours does because revenge is a dish best served cold, isn’t it, George? Especially when that dish is someone’s meat and two veg.”

“I see you haven’t improved her language much, Harry. Do you kiss Harry with that mouth, Ginny?”

“What I do with my mouth when I’m with him is my affair.” To emphasise her point she licked her lips suggestively and winked at Harry. “Now shut up and listen.”

“Thank you!” said Harry, anxious not to waste any more time. “I’ve found out quite a bit this week about the end of the war and who did what. I think some people are in for a few shocks when they hear what I’ve got to say.”

“Do we take it that this involves our little sister?”

“It does, and rather challenges people’s opinion of her.”

“So what has our wonderful sibling done that we should know about and can you put in a good word for us with her?”

“Help us out tonight, mon frères, and I promise that revenge will be nothing fatal.”

Harry placed a copy of the list of items he’d owled to them earlier on the counter. George picked it up and read it. When he’d finished, he looked at Harry, shaking his head.

“Most of this stuff is illegal,” he declared.

“Only in this country,” countered Harry.

“And what makes you think we stock this stuff?”

“Are you Fred and George or Ron and Percy?”

“Point taken.” Fred turned to George. “Bro’, we’ve got work to do.” He turned back to Harry. “Actually, most of it is taken care of; the only problem is getting it in place in time. Still, the kitchens won’t be much of a problem, they never were before.”

Fifteen minutes later, Harry Apparated them both back to Godric’s Hollow to get ready for the evening. Ginny eyed Harry appreciatively as he began to undress.

“You know, Harry, if I’ve got to keep my hands to myself all evening whilst looking at you in your robes, do you think that I could have a few moments before we go to …” She let the sentence hang in the air whilst she trailed a finger down his chest.

“I think so.”

“But perhaps we don’t have enough time?” she teased as she eased herself out of her underwear.

“We have plenty of time. After all, flushed cheeks and reddened lips will do away with the need for you to apply any makeup.”