The Burrow was almost unrecognizable. Flowers were everywhere, various Weasley members were running from a frenzied Fleur (who seemed to have gone rather insane), and in the days before the wedding so many family members were arriving at the Burrow that Harry figured it would burst from exhaustion.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been there just a few days, and Harry already felt more at home than he ever had. He clung to the happy thoughts of the wedding, thrived on all of the wonderful people he was around, and tried not to dwell on what they were going to have to face afterwards. However, speaking of things Harry had to face -
“Harry, have you seen my dress shoes?” Ginny asked kindly, popping her head into the room he and Ron shared. Harry shook his head, rather startled by her sudden appearance. “I swear Ron hid them, that git -” and she tore through all of Ron’s things in a frenzy. Harry tried not to feel the heat creeping up his neck as she brushed past his bed; he hoped she couldn’t hear his heart pounding, as it was probably audible from downstairs.
He knew Ginny would never ignore him or treat him with unkindess, even if he had broken up with her, but still, part of Harry wished she would show a bit more - remorse. He knew it was selfish and he knew it absolutely wasn’t Ginny to wallow on things past, but he at least felt a little sad inside that he wasn’t holding her and kissing her whenever he got the chance. She seemed perfectly fine with it. Women, he thought rather dejectedly as she continued to search Ron’s things.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Ron shouted, appearing suddenly in the doorway, wrenching his things from Ginny’s grasp and attempting to stuff them unkemptly back in his trunk.
“I’m looking for my shoes, Ron!” Ginny shrieked, ignoring his attempts to re-pack his belongings that were being carelessly tossed about. “I know you hid them! Now Fleur is insisting that I trade with Hermione as she feels I’m going to fall in them and Hermione’s are one size smaller - where is she anyway?” Ron had now given up all hope in taking back his stuff, threw his hands in the air, and slumped on his bed, Ginny still tearing through the entire room. Nobody even seemed to notice Harry who was sitting on his bed in silence, uncomfortably observing the whole thing.
“Ah, well,” Ginny sighed, putting the stuff down finally, “I guess you didn’t hide them after all -” but she was interrupted with a loud CRACK! as Hermione appeared next to Ron’s bed holding a pair of silver shoes, making him jump about three feet in the air as he almost fell off the bed.
“Oh, honestly, Ron. You should be used to it by now with Fred and George Apparating everywhere,” Hermione scolded, brandishing the shoes in his face. “Ginny, Fleur’s gone crazy. She insisted I find you and trade shoes with you - are these yours or mine?”
“Oh, I’ve no idea,” Ginny whimpered, throwing up her arms and trudging out of the room haughtily. “I’m so sick of this wedding!”
“What’s gotten into her?” Ron asked innocently.
“Oh, Ron, how can you be so thick?” Hermione hissed as she rolled her eyes and ran after Ginny. Ron began to sputter defensively but Hermione was already out the door.
“Women,” Ron muttered, looking forlorn, and finally turned to Harry. “What do you make of it then?”
Harry was very surprised at Ginny’s sudden outburst. He hadn’t seen her without a perfect smile on since he arrived here.
Harry shrugged, realizing Ron was expecting an answer. “You suppose I know?”
Harry’s tone must have been colder than he’d meant it to be, for Ron then mumbled something like “Sorry, mate” and “didn’t know.” Harry flicked his wand and the curtains drew around his four-poster, shutting him from view.
“No worries, I’m fine. Just thinking about the Hocruxes,” Harry lied, although there was some truth in this once he thought about it. Harry expected that his foul mood was due to two things - Ginny and Voldemort. An unlikely pairing of problems, Harry thought to himself and allowed himself a chuckle before falling into a deep afternoon sleep.
Harry was awoken what seemed to him like seconds later by Hermione, who was yelling something about dinner in the garden. The sun was setting and Harry was surprised he’d slept for so long. Since he’d been at the Burrow, however, he had been sleeping rather fitfully - he expected that being at the Dursley’s hadn’t really helped his mental well-being. No matter, he wasn’t quite sure which place he liked least at the moment - while he did feel right at home at the Burrow, he had to endure constant warnings from members of the Order to return to school, he barely had a moment to think as the entire house was in utter chaos (yes, more than the usual chaos), and worst of all, he had to see Ginny at least three times a day at meals. He couldn’t keep his mind off her, and his decision to split with her didn’t feel like it would hold much longer.
With that said, he rolled stiffly out of bed, put on his glasses, and joined the Weasley family - along with what seemed like several hundred others - for dinner in the garden.
“Harry, dear,” Mrs. Weasley cooed, enevloping him in a hug just as he was about to sit down in between Ron and Hermione. “Have a good nap?”
“Yeah, I did, thanks,” he replied politely and gave her a wan smile. She patted him on the back, introduced him to several dozen family members, and then finally ordered them all to tuck in.
Mrs. Weasley’s cooking was nothing if not magnificent. At least that aspect of life at the Burrow always put Harry in a good mood. Ginny was sitting all the way at the other end of the table with Bill, Fleur (to Ginny’s obvious dismay), Tonks, and Lupin (who were both quite the happy couples at the moment). Harry watched as she laughed hysterically at something Tonks whispered in her ear. Harry became extremely jealous that it wasn’t him whispering in her ear, realized exactly how crazy it was that he was jealous about that, and then decided to look nowhere but his plate. Hermione, however, had apparently seen the whole thing and gave Harry a knowing smile that he chose to ignore.
Suddenly not feeling very hungry, Harry mumbled something about needing even more sleep and hurried off towards the house, Ron and Hermione casting worried glances at each other as he stalked off. He knew he was being a pain, always moping about and always in a foul mood, but despite Harry’s original thoughts that all the happiness at the Burrow would make him happy, it only brought him more pain that he didn’t feel good enough to join in on it. Harry desperately wished he could let himself have joy and happiness for even a moment, for he knew that these just might be his last opportunities for it.
“Harry,” said a gentle voice behind him as he took his first steps up the stairs. He turned around and saw a tired but excruciatingly happy-looking Lupin giving him a watery smile.
“I’m not in the mood right now -” Harry started, but Lupin just chuckled and beckoned Harry closer. He was already fuming over Ginny and he didn’t need another happy face grinning at him.
“I wanted to talk to you about Hogwarts.” Lupin’s face was suddenly serious as his eyes penetrated Harry’s own. Perfect, Harry thought, just the thing I want to talk about right now.
“I know that everyone wants me to go back, but I promised Dumbledore -”
“I know this, Harry. I know you made a promise to Dumbledore.” Harry saw traces of grief etched in Lupin’s face, and he could tell that Lupin missed him terribly.
“So then you understand why I can’t go back,” Harry tried to say matter-of-factly, but ended up sounding haughty.
“That’s just it, Harry. I don’t understand. I don’t believe that Dumbledore would ask you to make a promise not to return to Hogwarts. He would have wanted you to finish your education before doing whatever it is you agreed you would do.”
“How the bloody hell would you know? You weren’t there when we -”
“When you what?”
Harry hated himself at that moment. He hated that this was all on his shoulders, but he knew it was something he had to do. He just couldn’t tell anyone else about it. Dumbledore had told him to confide only in Ron and Hermione, and that promise he would keep.
“I can’t say. I’m sorry. I’m not going back to school, and Ron and Hermione aren’t either.” Harry stared at Lupin for what seemed like a long, long time.
Lupin sighed, obviously realizing his defeat. He knew Harry wouldn’t change his mind. “I have to say I admire you, Harry. You never back down. You remind me so much of your father.” Tears stung Harry’s eyes as he saw the look on Lupin’s face, but Harry was tired of crying. He was tired of being sad. He wanted to be happy.
With that, Lupin turned and went back to dinner. Harry knew what he was doing, after all. When were people going to start trusting his decisions? Hadn’t he proven himself worthy of making them?
Feeling tired and dejected, he started his ascent back to his room. This time, another voice was calling his name. A girl’s. It was Ginny.
“Er - are you alright, Harry?” Ginny asked, concern etched across her face. Maybe she did still care about Harry after all.
“Yeah, fine,” Harry lied, pushing thoughts of school and Voldemort from his mind. “Er - can we talk?” Harry had no idea what he was doing, but he knew he needed to be near her, to hear her voice, and to tell her he was wrong. He took a few careful steps toward her.
Ginny looked at her feet. “Depends on what we talk about.”
Harry sensed the hurt inside her for the first time since he’d seen her this summer. He wanted to comfort her, and he was completely broken inside that he’d done this to her.
“I miss you, Ginny.” Tears sprang into Ginny’s eyes, threatening to fall. And when she looked up at him, he saw anger in her eyes. Frustration.
“You can’t just say that, Harry. We’re broken up. You shouldn’t care about me anymore.”
“How can you say that? Of course I care about you. It was never because of that. It was just -”
“What?” Ginny hissed. “You wanted to protect me, right? Harry, I understand that. I always did. What I don’t understand is - well -”
“What, Ginny?”
“Ron and Hermione are going with you, aren’t they?”
Her words stung Harry tremendously. He hadn’t told her. Slowly, he nodded.
“So,” she continued bitterly, “It’s okay if they go but not me? You used to do the same thing, Harry. It was always Ron and Hermione, never me. You trusted them, not me. You took them, not me. You always excluded me, up until a year ago. I thought that was over now, Harry. I really thought you included me this year. I guess I was wrong.”
“No! I did include you - I just - they - it’s -”
“Harry, I’m done. We’re done. Please don’t bring it up again.”
Harry stood there in silence, looking nowhere but her beautiful eyes. They stared at each other for a moment. She looked as if she was going to leave, just like that, and they were really over. Harry realized he would have to be okay with that.
Then, she was moving closer. She wasn't crying, but had a blazing look on her face. Harry moved closer to her, too, and took her hands. She didn't move away.
All of a sudden, they were kissing. Everything was wiped from Harry's mind as he intertwined with her, stroking her soft hair. He never wanted it to end. Neither did she.
When they finally pulled away, Harry looked into her eyes once more.
"One day, Ginny," he whispered. "I promise."
"I know, Harry. I'm sorry for all this," she laughed, the fire back in her eyes. "I was just being childish and jealous. I know this is something the three of you have to do. I won't intervene again - "
But Harry was barely listening. "I love you, Ginny Weasley."
"Goodbye, Harry," she smiled, and left Harry by himself, smiling like an idiot for what felt like the first time in ages.
A Summer to Remember by hermione__is__me
Chapter Notes: Just remember, this was written pre-Deathly Halllows. It's just my version of what happened that summer. I'm glad I still have readers even though DH is out. Go fanfics! :] This is probably going to only be a few chapters more, since it's only about the summer - but don't worry - I'm already working on a different story that's post-DH. Thanks for reading!