It was quiet at the Burrow, and to those who knew how noisy it could get would have been in shock at this. A hot breeze blew in from the window over the bubble filled kitchen sink. A young lady of eighteen formally called Ginny Weasley sat at the worn table with a glossy copy of Witch Weekly in front of her.

Mrs. Weasley who would have been fixing lunch at that time was taking tea at her daughter in-laws house. Ginny looked up from the magazine when she heard singing come from the garden. She looked out the window to see Luna Lovegood, her closest friend coming up the dirt road.

“Luna!” She called out from the open window. The blonde fairy like girl waved her handful of foxgloves, lady’s smock, and londdon lily’s. Ginny had been expecting her friend for a couple hours now so she hadn’t been surprised by the handful of flowers. She had been meaning to pick some but never seemed to have the time.

A few minutes later Luna waltzed in the back door. “Hello Ginny! And how are you this fine day?” Luna said as she took a blue vase from the shelf and placed her bouquet into it.
Luna had spent so much time outside but she never seemed to burn or tan, for that matter she just seemed to glow.

“Fine, mum went to Hermione’s for tea so it’s just us this afternoon.”

“Wonderful! Because I have news for you!” Luna said as she arranged the flowers then seeing Ginny pour herself a glass of water she took the cup and poured it contents into the vase. Luna had outgrow her whimsical ideas, but it was still obvious how excited she was.

“What news?” Ginny asked as she took her empty glass and filled it with water. Luna took that mornings copy of the Daily Prophet and opened it to page six, and then set it before Ginny. “The social page? What would I want with the social page?” Luna pointed to a large headline. It read He’s Back in bold letters.

He’s Back
Wizarding World Hero returns to the country! Late last night Mr. Harry J. Potter was reported to be seen at the Leaky Cauldron. No information about his trip was given, the most eligible bachelor in the wizarding world came home sporting a tan. So we suppose he went somewhere warm, Mr. Potter left a few months after the war with You-Know-Who was won. He seemed out of spirits when he left but seems a lot happier. What was Mr. Potter doing out of the country? Is he seeing anyone? These questions and more are being asked by the witches of the wizarding world.

Ginny dropped the paper, her eyes went wide. Memories of his sparkling green eyes filled her mind. His messy black hair and glasses she loved so much tortured her.
“He’s back” she whispered before falling off her chair.

“Are you alright?” Luna asked peering over the table looking at Ginny.

“Fine” Ginny told her as she climbed back onto the chair. She pushed her hair from her eyes to look at the paper again.

“So? Aren’t you excited?”

“NO! I won’t know how to act around him! I’m not even sure if we could do the awkward break-up, just friends now stage!”

“Then I think you’ll say ‘yes’ to my proposition.” Said Cho Chang, a lovely girl of nineteen who stood in the doorway.

“How long have you been standing there, Cho?”

Cho smiled “Long enough to know if I had been Harry you would have been sent to St. Mungo’s.”

“She was supposed to be happy that he was back.” Luna told Cho, upset that Ginny hadn’t taken the news the way she had wanted her to.

“Oh, Luna!” Ginny sighed “I am happy that you told me. Now I only have to worry that he’s watching my every move.”

Luna gave a small “Oh” it was so hard to tell what Ginny wanted.

“What is the proposition?” Asked Ginny hoping it included leaving home for the summer. Since he was back Harry would spend more time at Ron’s and in turn Mrs.Weasley would invite him over to dinner at least twice a week. She had to get away…even though she didn’t really want too.

Cho walked into the kitchen, she wore a short blue summer dress and her glossy black hair was pulled into a messy bun. She had been working at Witch Weekly for a year and had a wonderful discount at the hottest wizarding stores. “My mum and I were to go to our beach house at Fall Bay but she can’t get the time off from work so I thought I would ask my friends (Luna smiled at this) if they wanted to come for an extended stay.”

“Father and I went there a few years back. They have the most interesting sea shells!” Luna exclaimed thinking about her large collection she kept in a gigantic glass jar at home.

“I’ll have to ask mum…she shouldn’t mind. When do you plan on leaving?” Ginny asked wondering how long she could avoid Harry.

“Saturday next.” Cho replied hoping that Molly would allow Ginny to come. She knew that Mrs. Weasley was still upset about Ginny rejecting Harry.

“Dad won’t mind if I go…He likes that I have friends to do things with.” She said as she seemed to forget herself and slip back to her fifth year attitude.

“It will be fun! We can go swimming everyday, have a bonfire, walk the beach, spend hours reading and doing whatever we want.” Cho said happily; glad that she could count on Luna and Ginny.

They talked for a while longer before Luna and Cho had to leave. Luna to her night-shift at Honeydukes and Cho home to fix dinner for her mum and dad. “Don’t forget to ask your mum and owl me as soon as you know!” Cho called as she and Luna left the kitchen.

Ginny watched her two friends walk down the drive before sitting back down. She picked up the paper then tossed it back onto the table. There was no way of getting around it. Harry was back and she would have trouble convincing her mum to let her go anywhere.

---

We use our voice to communicate with others, but this was one of those times when the Weasley family, or to be specific Ginny and her father, sat listening to Molly. Now Mr. Weasley had just returned home from work and had a lot on his mind, so he ignored his wife, saying, “Really?” every once in awhile just to be part of her conversation. Ginny, on the other hand, only heard “Blah, blah, blah and blah!” Harry this and Harry that. Dinner, chicken , Harry, tablecloths and where on earth did I put that recipe for… it was driving Ginny absolutely batty!

Molly did not notice the lack in conversation as she continued her now twenty minute monologue and Ginny was now seriously considering setting the tablecloth on fire. A few minutes more and she would have, but Molly soon ended with, “Well? Blue or green?”

“Blue or green what?” Ginny asked as she absentmindedly flattened her mashed potatoes to the ceramic plate.

“I suppose we can discuss the colors later on,” Mrs. Weasley sighed as she helped herself to another slice of bread.

“Mum, I don’t need to pick out colors for anything,” Ginny stated, thoroughly confused at what they were talking about.

“Of course you need to pick a color for your tablecloths!”

“Mum, I don’t use table cloths.”

“For your wedding reception you will! Honestly, Ginny I don’t know what you’re thinking.”

“What the hell!”

“Ginevra! Your langue has become absolutely atrocious! Do you think Harry wants his future wife using such vulgar language?”

Ginny got up from the table so fast that for the second time that day her chair clattered to the ground. Mr. Weasley looked just as startled as his daughter. He respected Ginny’s choice and did not push her for details. All he knew was that Harry had purposed and Ginny had rejected him. This was definitely way out in left field as the Muggles said. He looked at his daughter; she shook her head and yelled, “Heck no!”

“Of course you’re going to marry him! I have had enough of your childishness; it’s time you-”

“I would rather marry Draco Malfoy!” The room went as silent as the grave at this outburst. Molly let a gasp escape her; this was not what she wanted to hear.

Yes, at this point Ginny would gladly choose him over Harry and it wasn’t like Draco didn’t have any redeeming qualities. He had joined the good side in the end, and when he wanted to, he could be very nice. Ginny would have used the word sweet, but she had never seen him be “sweet” so she decided it was best not to bank on something like that.

“You…you-”

“Mum, I mean it. If they both purposed to me, I would choose Draco over Potter.”

Another gasp came, except this time from Arthur Weasley; he was very surprised at his daughter calling Harry by his last name.

“Well, we have nothing to fear from him. I doubt that you would accept any such proposal after you see Harry again. He is coming for dinner this Friday and you have to be here,” Mrs. Weasley stated triumphantly.

Things were going downhill rather fast now. Ginny knew she would end up in Saint Mungo’s if she saw Harry again. She had to leave; Fall Bay now seemed like a distant mirage. She would not let her only escape be torn from her. “No!” This was not going as she had planned, “Dad, may I please go to Fall Bay with Cho and Luna? If I stay here, I will end up at Saint Mungo’s.”

“You will be going no such place!” Molly yelled, causing the tea kettle nearby to shake with apprehension.

Whether she meant Fall Bay or Saint Mungo’s, neither she nor Ginny could discuss because Arthur Weasley finally spoke. “Molly, I think Ginny should go to Fall Bay with her friends.”

“But-”

“Yes!”

“But only…”

“But only what?” Ginny asked, worried that her life as a single girl would be thrown away for a single summer vacation.

“Ginny, this dinner means a lot to your Mum, so if you want to go on this vacation, you really should be there.”
Even though her father didn’t say it as a command, Ginny knew this was no request.

“That sounds reasonable and Luna can spend the night!” Ginny smiled, proud of her quick thinking. It was possible that with Luna there, she wouldn’t be approached by him.

*

Dear Cho,

Well, after a long dinner conversation my dad said I can go with you and Luna to Fall Bay! But I have to be at the family plus Potter dinner this coming Friday! I know you have to work so I invited Luna over to spend the night. Hopefully she will keep Harry occupied while I try to stay calm. I would rather not go to Saint Mungo’s anytime soon. So I now only have to endure the rest of this week. Goodness knows I shall be on Potter Watch the whole time!

Let me know when and where Luna and I should meet you. Thanks again for saving me. I don’t know what I would have done!


Your friend,
Ginny

When her letter to Cho was done, she began one to Luna.

Dear Luna,
I can go to Fall Bay! I’m very excited about this, but I do have a small favor to ask of you.

This coming Friday, my mum is having the family and Harry over to dinner. I would like you to come too so that I won’t be so worried about you-know-who! This invitation also includes a sleepover so that you won’t have to Apparate home late. Please, please say you will come! It would mean a lot to me!

Your friend,
Ginny

Ginny sent the two letters on their way. After watching the sky for a few more minutes, she threw herself on her bed, closing her eyes. Memories flashed before them and they all included the one person she wanted most to forget. “Uggh!” One thing was for certain. This was going to be a very long week for Ginny Weasley.