Dealing With Fame

Dealing With Fame

Chapter 2

Where's Harry?

Ginny immediately bounced off her seat out of nervousness, forgetting about what her mum was going to tell her, as she took in the image of everyone standing before her. She immediately ran to where her brothers stood, all tired and haggard looking, and hugged them all at once. It was times like these that reminded her of her earlier years growing up as the youngest Weasley. Tears overtook her eyes, dripping unconsciously down her cheeks as they hugged each other.

Hermione immediately walked to where Ginny was presently, her bushy hair bouncing as she did so. She embraced her redheaded friend in a tight hug and kissed her freckled forehead.

As they hugged, Hermione whispered in her ear, "Ginny, I know that we haven't been on good terms lately because of all these happenings, but I just-"

Ginny stared at her, also noticing how much she had changed over the few years. "It doesn't matter anymore, Hermione," she whispered back before she could stop herself. She opened her teary eyes, which she hadn't realized she had shut, and looked at her friend straight in the eyes. "It's all in the past."

Hermione looked down at the floor and back at Ginny. "You're the greatest, Y'know," she said as she smiled, her eyes also watery.

Ginny sighed and shook her head. "But not great enough for him," she said bluntly.

Hermione looked at her in amazement. "What in Merlin's name are you talking 'bout?" she asked. "Of course you are. You're the only one he's been thinking of every day!"

"Oh, that's just posh, Hermione," Ginny said, "He does not! He's probably moved on already."

"Believe me when I say it," Hermione whispered. "Don't tell him I told you this...I doubt you know this, but he, Ron, and I shared the same sleeping tent since it was big enough for us three...

"Anyway, he obliviously says your name in his sleep almost every day. And when he was awake, Ron and I noticed that he would always be writing something on a piece of parchment," she paused, smiling at the thought. "We never knew what he was writing, well, until I found that one crumpled piece of parchment lying on the floor, with nothing written on it but "Dear Ginny."

"You're just making this up aren't you, Hermione," Ginny asked, eyeing her suspiciously. "If I remember correctly, you lot weren't allowed to owl us at the time."

Hermione shook her head "I'm honestly not, " She defended. "Harry still thinks about you."

Upon hearing his name, Ginny flinched. She had been so caught up with her brothers' arrival that she failed to notice Harry's. She trembled as she realized that everyone in the room was redheaded, with, of course, the exception of Hermione.

"Hermione, where's Harry?" she asked loudly as she gripped her friend's arm tightly.

"Ginny, not so loud," she whispered as she glanced around the room. Hermione looked around, an undefined expression on her face. "That's strange. I thought..."

"Did Hermione tell you yet, Gin?" Ron asked, grinning, as he walked over to Hermione and placed an arm around her shoulder.

Ginny looked at Hermione, who was blushing for some odd reason. "Tell me what?" she asked curiously.

Ron smiled proudly as he opened up his mouth to say something but Hermione nudged his stomach with her elbow before he could reveal anything.

While Ron groaned about, Hermione mouthed to her, "I'll tell you later."

"Ron, have you seen Harry?" Ginny asked hastily.

Ron looked up at her. "Why?" he asked. "What's happened now?"

"He's not here," Hermione replied, creasing her forehead.

"What d'you mean?" Ron asked. "I could've sworn we all apparated at the same time."

"Ronald Weasley! How many times have I told you not to swear!?" Mrs. Weasley asked sternly as she and Mr. Weasley came over to them.

Ron cringed in fright as his mum came over to where he stood. Even after so many years, he still was afraid of his mother's temper. Ginny would've laughed her head off if only she knew where Harry was and if he was safe.

Ron gulped. "More than a few times?" he replied honestly.

Mrs. Weasley smiled as she walked to Ron and hugged him. "Now, dear, why were you swearing?"

Ron looked at Hermione and Ginny for help as his Mum waited for a reply.

"Mrs. Weasley...I mean, Molly," Hermione corrected as she smiled, "Um, he swore because...Harry's... um ...missing..."

Mrs. Weasley gasped. "Missing?" she asked. "Harry's missing?" Her voice was quite loud that everyone in the room turned their attention to her. "The poor boy! We must look for him!"

"Who's missing, Mum?" Fred and George asked in unison from opposite the room.

"Harry can't be missing!"

"Harry?" Bill asked in surprise. "Ron, wasn't he standing next to you when we apparated?"

Charlie also turned his attention to Ron. "Yeah, wasn't he, Ron?"

Ron took a step back because of all the questions bombarded towards him.

Mr. Weasley called for everyone's attention, silencing the room. "Bill, Charlie, can you both search the bedrooms right now? Maybe he's taking a rest upstairs or something."

Ginny looked at her father as her eldest brothers left the room. "But, dad, I haven't seen him when you lot arrived, so he can't be upstairs."

"Then where could he be?" Ron asked.

Hermione placed a hand on her forehead and said, "Well, he isn't here, that's for sure."

"We looked all over, dad," Charlie said, upon entering the room.

"And he's not here," Bill added, causing Mrs. Weasley to cry.

Mr. Weasley placed a comforting hand over his wife's shoulders. "We've been here for no more than an hour, so I suppose that he can't be in much danger, although I could be very much mistaken."

"Instead of standing here and doing nothing," Ginny said, looking at everyone around her, "shouldn't we be looking for him?"

"She's right, Mr. Weasley," Hermione said, "Harry might need us, wherever he may be."

Mr. Weasley sighed. "I believe you're both right, girls," he said. He then began assigning places to everyone except Ginny.

"What about Ginny?" Ron asked his father.

Mr. Weasley chanced a look at her. "You'll just stay here and watch over the Burrow."

"What?!" She exclaimed in astonishment. "Dad, you can't just let me do nothing while everyone is. Don't tell me you expect me to just stay here and worry?"

"Your father's right, dear," Mrs. Weasley said as she took her father's arm. "You wouldn't want Harry to come home to a deserted place, would you?

"Well, no-" Ginny started.

"It's all settled, then," Mr. Weasley said. "We're all to meet back here in an hour."

Hermione walked over to Ginny. "It'll be all right," she said, comfortingly. "Look on the bright side, if Harry does come home when everyone else is looking for him, your face will be the first thing he'll see."

Ginny groaned at the thought as she watched everyone disapparate before her eyes.

Ginny fell helplessly into a comfortable armchair, though she couldn't find any comfort from it to end her worrying.

Half an hour passed as she sat there, thoughts passing hastily through her mind. She got up and started to pace in front of the chair, trying to kill the time. She still could find no comfort, so she sat back down in the chair.

"Brilliant," she said sarcastically, knowing no one could hear her, "They all still think I'm too bloody young to do anything."

The floorboard by the doorway creaked loudly causing Ginny to look up from her seat and gasp.