Menace

Chapter One

Harry Potter leaned against the big tree and took a swallow of his butterbeer, smiling as he watched Ron give his new bride a kiss. He had to admit he felt a bit jealous, even if he had sworn off marriage since all of his relationships thus far had been disastrous. But he had been having second thoughts since Ron finally made it official with their long time friend, Hermione. She hadn't been false and hard as some of the women were that he met, and she truly loved the man she had just married, anybody looking at her could see that. She looked utterly beautiful in her wedding dress and Ron hadn't been able to take his eyes off her all day, looking as if he couldn't believe she was really his. Harry wondered how it would feel to care about someone that much, because as far as he could recall he never had. Oh sure, he mused, he had cared about some of the witches he'd dated, but not enough to warrant the sort of expression his friend now wore. His thoughts were interrupted when Carter Nelson walked up to him, grinning like an idiot.

"What have you got to smile about?" he asked the other man, staring up at him slightly at his height of nearly six and a half feet.

"Lots of things," Carter answered, still grinning as he leaned against the tree next to his friend. "I'm smiling because the sun is shining on our friend's wedding day, Tabitha is here with me and she can't keep her hands off me, I look devastatingly handsome in my formal robes, the butterbeer is cold and plentiful....lots of things," he said, ticking the things off in the air with one finger. His smile suddenly turned wicked and he narrowed his eyes at his dark haired friend. "Plus there's the fact that a certain young lady is dodging around from one person to the next trying to hide behind them so that you don't see her."

Harry rolled his eyes, and lifted his butterbeer again. "Bloody pest," he growled, his eyes flicking instantly to where Ginevra Weasley was hiding this time. He had been aware of her location at every second since the reception began, she wasn't very good at hiding, but she kept trying anyway. She was probably hoping he wouldn't notice her and that he'd then leave, without getting his hands on her and making her pay for her last two escapades. His face grew even grimmer as he thought of the time she had stolen his truck.

When he had gone to the house that she stayed in with her brother on Ron's estate, she had been in the kitchen holding a bottle of maple syrup over some pancakes. Unfortunately, he had just barged in the door without knocking and she had turned and squeezed the bottle in fright. Even now, he could still remember looking up as the stream of syrup flew high through the air and then, with unerring accuracy, landed in his already dishevelled hair. It had taken six tries with a cleaning spell to get the sticky substance out and he had been doubly irritated as he hadn't been able to punish her for it. Yet, he reminded himself with a tight smile. She had run out of her house at breakneck speed and climbed up a huge tree with the agility of a monkey, and he hadn't been able to follow her. His one attempt had seen him break a limb off the tree under his weight and end up on his backside on the ground, something she had laughed at, nearly making him explode with rage. If Ron hadn't come and taken him away he would probably still be standing there now, waiting to kill her. Obviously she realised he wouldn't be forgetting about that anytime soon, if her pathetic attempts to hide were anything to go by.

"Anybody home?" Carter asked, snapping his fingers in front of Harry's face and laughing at his furious expression. "Gee, who could you be thinking about?"

"It's your fault, you mentioned her!" Harry snapped, looking over at her again and narrowing his eyes. "If I get my hands on her, she won't sit down for a month."

"Hmm," Carter murmured, looking thoughtful, "looks good today, though. Does she not? I can't remember seeing Ginny in a dress more than twice. Shame, she's pretty as a picture when she dresses up," he said, giving her the shortened name everyone knew her by.

"I hadn't noticed," Harry said grumpily, swigging his butterbeer again. It was a lie, but he wasn't going to let on. At Ron and Hermione's barbecue he had seen her dressed up for the first time since she was a kid, and he hadn't been able to keep his eyes off her, shocked at his body's response to someone he saw as just his best mate's menacing little sister.

She had been wearing some sort of gypsy style attire that day, and she had looked lovely. His own surprise had been the only thing that saved her from a good hexing, and even then she had been lucky to escape. Now she was wearing some sort of silk outfit in a bright golden/bronze, and he hated the fact that he had noticed that her brown eyes had reflected the colour of the dress, making them sparkle. Of course, he hadn't had much choice in noticing, as at one point he had seen the two eyes staring warily at him through the crook of someone's arm; another one of her bad hiding places. It would almost be funny if it didn't make him look like some sort of big, bad ogre out for her blood. Everyone had noticed, and that was why he was now standing away from them all enjoying a nice cold butterbeer. Now Carter had joined him and he was sure the others would soon follow.

"I don't know why you don't just grab her and snog her. Get it over with," Carter said, laughing at the filthy look the other man shot him.

"She's just a kid, you pervert. A man in my position doesn't think of doing things like that with his best mate's little sister."

"Sure they don't. You do realise that she's only a year younger than you, you twat?" Carter asked, looking over to where Ron and Hermione were still standing hand in hand whilst they chatted with their guests.

Harry frowned at that and looked at Hermione and Ron, they seemed so happy to have finally found one another. His eyes moved to where Ginny was standing again, watching as she quickly ducked behind Neville when she caught him staring.

"She's just a kid," he murmured again, looking away before Carter caught him staring. He was angry with her, he reminded himself. He wasn't lusting after her. No way. No shape. No How.

Their falling out had happened on the night of her Hogwarts graduation. High on success, and on top of her world, despite the recent loss of Percy, and numerous friends in the war, she'd shown up at his dorm room at the Legion Training Facility. His roommate, her brother Ron, had been out with some slag from their class. With his heart in his throat, he'd watched her as she let her beautiful dress slip to the floor. She'd told him she wanted nothing more than his love, and his hands on her. She'd wanted him to be her first, her last....

Instead, he'd sent her home. It was for her own good, as well as his. She was Ron's little sister for Merlin's sake, and that territory was strictly off limits. Harry knew at the time he was too much of a mess with Hermione's disappearance, and his recent defeat of Voldemort. If he'd ventured into anything with Ginny he knew he'd end up hurting her.

He'd only ever seen her in such a way that one time, and never again since, so why would he start now? Because of how she looked at the barbecue, his mind supplied helpfully, and he grimaced, squashing the stray thought down. He did not like her in that way, he didn't like her at all. She'd tried to burn him alive as retaliation for that night... Bloody Hell, every time she saw him she retaliated.

"Whatever, mate," Carter murmured, laughing happily as Tabitha came up to them and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Hey baby."

"Hey yourself, handsome. Hey Harry," she said, her eyes still fixed to Carter's.

Harry gave the greeting back and stared at the two of them, seeing the way Carter softened as soon as Tabitha was anywhere near him. He looked away with a sullen expression and started studying the people at the party. Damned if they didn't all seem to be in couples, he thought, frowning deeply. He hadn't even thought about bringing a date, and Merlin knew he could charm the bowtruckles from the trees when he put his mind to it. It hadn't even occurred to him. Now he started feeling a bit odd, because so many people were with someone else. Even Neville had plucked up his courage and asked Daphne to accompany him. Although, they both looked so tense that he couldn't help wondering if that had been the right thing to do. Still, at least they had each other. He didn't have anyone.

Carter and Tabitha were so wrapped up in each other now that Harry decided he'd better leave them on their own, feeling a bit like a spare wheel.

Neville looked at him with something like relief when he approached him, and Harry's eyes widened as he felt the tension surrounding his former dorm mate at Hogwarts. He looked at Daphne Vance-Lupin and gave her his best grin, seeing her face relax as she helplessly smiled back. If there was one thing he could do, it was get people to smile at him. Apparently, according to Hermione, it was because his grin made everyone feel like laughing, or at least that's how it worked for her.

"How are things Daffy?" he asked her, glancing once at Neville.

"Er...yeah, they're okay," she murmured, chewing her lip. "I've just got to go and see Hermione," she said hurriedly and rushed away, her sigh of relief audible.

"So what's going on then?" Harry asked Neville, looking confused. "I thought you'd been dying to get at Daphne for months?"

Neville shrugged uncomfortably. "Yeah, well, things aren't exactly running smoothly," he said quietly, sounding fed up.

"How come?"

He nodded towards where Daphne had disappeared, frowning. "Ask her. She won't let me anywhere near her. I tried kissing her and she looked like she hadn't ever been kissed before." He scowled and sighed deeply. "I thought she liked me, but I guess I was wrong. Still, you live and learn right?"

Harry nodded and raised his eyebrows. "Apparently. So you won't be asking her for a date again, then?"

"If she wants to date me she can damn well ask me, not the other way around. I don't need to be made a fool of more than once." He shot another fierce look at Daphne's back and then walked off, muttering to himself. Harry watched him go and raised his butterbeer bottle in the air, muttering 'cheers' under his breath.

"Nice chatting to you too, mate."

He shoved a hand in his pocket and wondered why he was feeling so ill at ease, then he caught sight of Ginny again and glared at her, making her jump so hard she spilled the drink she was holding, making a stain appear on her dress.

"Hey Harry," a voice said from behind him, and he turned around, giving a groan when he saw the Creevy brothers coming towards him, big grins on their faces.

"What do you two want?" he asked them shortly, glaring down at them.

"Good to see you again," Dennis said, leaning around Harry to look at Ginny, laughing when Harry tensed up. "Seems to me you have a little problem over there. I never thought I'd see the day when The-boy-who-lived couldn't control a tiny little witch like that!"

"Bite me, Dennis," Harry snarled, moving back a step when Dennis' smile got even bigger. "And that wasn't an invitation!" He rolled his eyes when both of them laughed and then gave up, turning and making his way out of the crowd of people.

Harry had just breathed a sigh of relief that his escape had gone unnoticed when once again he was accosted by the piercing voice of Molly Weasley. "Harry James Potter! Don't you think you can sneak off without saying good-bye," she scolded shrilly.

Merlin, I don't need this right now, he thought miserably. Mrs. Weasley, bless her soul, was always trying to set him up with one female or another, feeling that the great Harry Potter was just too good of a catch to not be married already. He appreciated her efforts to hook him up, he really did. It's just that every girl he'd gone out with under Molly's recommendation turned out to be boring as all hell or a complete freak. Not to impugn Molly Weasley's taste... but Harry would not settle down with any one of those women for all the gold in Gringotts. He'd go mad, he would. Every time he saw her it was the same old thing. Harry braced himself, plastering a warm smile on his face as he turned to her.

"Of course not, Mrs. Weasley, I'd never give up the opportunity for a quick snog from my favourite witch!" he said in a sugar-coated tone as he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek.

"Such a Charmer you are," she told him, pinching his cheek and blushing radiantly. Here it comes, Harry thought. "Remind me why it is that some lucky witch hasn't snatched you up already."

See, told you! His inner monologue laughed as Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Come now Mrs. Weasley, I've told you before I'm still trying to come up with a way to snatch you from Arthur. I'm ruined for all other witches," he told her flirtingly, and put his arm around her shoulder as Arthur approached.

"Harry My boy!" Arthur said jovially, shaking Harry's hand while clapping him on the shoulder with the other. "How have you been?"

"Oh you know... the usual. Busy catching the flobberworms of wizarding society and protecting the ones with all the galleons... although there doesn't tend to be much difference between the two morally these days. It's definitely good to be back permanently."

"Jolly good, jolly good," Arthur replied.

"You know, Harry,." Molly cut in suddenly, "I ran into Susan Bones the other day, she's just got a new position at the ministry..."

"Molly." Arthur warned, cutting her off. "Harry does not need your help."

"Come now Arthur, it's been ages since the boy has been on a decent date with all the slaggy women skulking around these days... Besides Harry doesn't mind. Do you Harry?" she asked turning to him.

Harry's jaw clenched and he rotated his neck once to alleviate the sudden tension. It really was time to put an end to all this rot, but what should he say? How did he tell her to back off without hurting her feelings? Very, very gently... that's how, the voice in his head reminded. "Molly, it's not that I mind," he began turning to face her fully, "you've been my Mum since I was twelve and I really do appreciate your concerns, opinions, and efforts more than you can ever know. It's just that... well... I really have no problem finding my own dates."

Molly Weasley studied his face for a moment, before taking a breath. "I see..." she said pursing her lips. She looked so dejected that Harry immediately felt like a prize arsehole.

"Please don't be upset,." he said instantly, quickly trying to come up with something to smooth everything over. "I'm sure Susan is a lovely person, and I know your only looking out for me but... I... I'm... I'm sort of seeing someone already," he lied, and had to force himself from cringing. Where the hell did that come from? That nagging little voice asked. Oh bloody hell Potter... Way to open a whole new can of worms, he chastised himself inwardly.

"Really?" she asked excitedly. "Who is it? Is she here?" she then added, standing on her tiptoes and scanning the crowd to see if there was a witch she hadn't noticed.

Harry's eyes flickered to Arthur quickly and noticed the smirk on his face. It was nearly impossible to keep from blushing. "Oh.. er... her name is Bobbi... er Roberta actually. She isn't here today. Had a family function of her own to attend," he lied again, really, really feeling like an arsehole now.

"Bobbi hmmm? Very interesting, Harry. Tell me son, is she one of our kind?" Arthur asked in mock interest, forcing Harry even deeper. It was clearly evident exactly who every single one of the Weasley sons got the annoying habit from.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the older man momentarily, biting back a scathing reply. "Er... no. Muggle," he said quickly. Weasley men were buggers... the whole lot of them. Harry decided.

"Muggle?" Molly said and paused for a moment in thought. "Imagine that Arthur, here I've been setting him up with Witches all this time and the boy prefers muggles. Go figure. I don't know any muggles."

"Yes, dear... go figure indeed," Arthur replied winking at Harry. In that instant the raven-haired man realized that in his own way Arthur had actually helped in his difficulties with Mrs. Weasley, and Harry immediately retracted his mental comment about Weasley men being buggers.

"Well Molly, I think we'd best be off. We did tell Bill and Annabelle we'd be along shortly after them," Arthur told her as he took her arm and linked it through his.

"Yes, yes," Molly said with a shake of her head. "Best be off. Oh and Harry dear, do bring your Bobbi round at Christmas. It would be so very lovely to meet the girl who captured your heart."

"Of course, Mrs. Weasley," he replied dramatically, kissing her on the cheek and stooping for a familiar hug. "Anything for my favourite witch."

Mrs. Weasley giggled, blushing prettily and straightened his tie as Arthur shook his hand once again.

"We're heading back to Egypt right now, but in two weeks we'll be off on our holidays in America until Christmas so if you need anything at all please don't hesitate to floo us there. The kids will have the Address,." Arthur told him.

"Charlie, Rebecca and Ginny will be joining us for a bit after the baby is born, so maybe you can come for a visit?" Molly asked eagerly.

"I will most certainly try Molly," Harry assured, even though he would never go while Ginny was there. All he needed was for her to finally succeed at killing him while in a foreign country.

Seemingly satisfied with their encounter, the Weasleys were finally off with Harry breathing a very large sigh of relief. Arthur Weasley certainly deserved a very large and elaborate Christmas gift this year.

He wandered slowly towards the lake and crouched down next to the water, running his hand through the reeds and watching as a startled frog leapt into the depths. It was peaceful here, he thought, his eyes scanning across the lake to the land beyond that Ron owned. He hadn't given much thought to settling down and getting something like this, although he could well afford it. The life he was leading suited him up to a point, but the constant travelling was starting to get to him, and the thought of owning a place like this was enticing to say the least. He was going to be staying here for three weeks whilst his friends took their honeymoon, having promised he would watch the place for them, and he was looking forward to his time here. Maybe he would ask Ron if he knew of anywhere nearby he could purchase, see if he could work out a way to whittle down his Agency commitments a bit. Even retire, he thought, raising his eyebrows. But then, what the hell would he do? He certainly had the means to sit back and do nothing if he wanted to. But that would bore him to tears in very little time, especially if he was on his own. He frowned again and then started to turn his head when he heard a sound nearby.

He had time to see a blur of bronze rushing towards him and then he found himself toppling forwards into the muddy water at the edge of the lake, his body quickly sinking. He fought his way back upwards as the shock of the cold water wore off, breaking through the surface and wiping his face with one muddy hand, rubbing the bits of weed from his eyes. He instantly saw Ginny standing on the banks, her hands over her mouth and her face a picture of horror at what she had just done. One look at his furious face and glittering green eyes let her know that she was about to be in big trouble, and she started to turn away.

"Don't you bloody well go anywhere," Harry bellowed at her, cursing roundly when she ignored him and ran off, seeking the sanctuary of her house. It was the final straw for the man pulling himself out of the water, and he stomped after her, leaving a trail of mud and weeds as he went.

Ginny let herself in the back door of her home and locked it behind her with a strong spell the twins had taught her, leaning back on the wood and closing her eyes. Oh no, not again, she thought, biting her lip as she tried to slow her heartbeat down. She had been causing trouble for Harry Potter for too many years now, and it didn't look like things were going to change anytime soon. Even trying to avoid him for the last few months hadn't worked. As soon as he was anywhere in her vicinity she managed to drop something on him, push him into something or nearly set fire to him. So far he hadn't managed to get hold of her, but she knew her luck wouldn't hold out much longer, not judging by the look on his face as he surfaced in the lake. It had been an accident, but she doubted he would believe that. In fact, thinking about it, he would probably be on his way here right now with blood in his eye, looking to take out his temper on her hide. She cast a quick look out of the window, not really expecting to see anything, and then jumped and almost fell over when she saw him striding towards her house, looking like a swamp monster.

Now what? She thought hysterically as she stood in the middle of the kitchen watching his progress though the glass. Charlie was at the party with her sister-in-law, Rebecca, who was heavily pregnant now and they didn't need the aggravation of a confrontation in their house. Harry was marching up the steps now and she belatedly moved away from the window, her hands going to her throat as he banged on the wood, his face pressing up against the glass panel and looking through it. "Open this bloody door if you don't want it broken down!" he yelled, pounding on the panelling and making the whole thing shake in it's frame. "I can see you in there, you little vandal!" She cringed at the string of curses when his attempt at an unlocking spell didn't work.

Ginny stood undecided as he hammered on the door and then took several steps backwards when the door gave an almighty crash, vibrating with the force of his shoulder hitting it. She knew that one more hit or a strong reducto spell and it would give way, so she rushed forward and unlocked it, pulling it open just as Harry was charging at it again. His momentum kept him going and his eyes widened as he tried to stop, but his wet shoes skidded on the floor and he went down, his large body hitting her ankles and sending her sprawling on top of him in an undignified heap.

When her makeshift Harry shaped toboggan finally slid to a stop against the opposite wall, Ginny tried to get off him, her hands and knees digging into him as she made an attempt to extricate herself. He smelled like a pond, and she could feel the malodorous ooze starting to seep through her dress. It made her try to move faster and as her foot hit the floor she slipped in a puddle of water, landing on top of him again with her elbow hitting him firmly in the ribs.

The air whooshed out of his lungs and he lay there trying to get his breath back, glaring at her accusingly through narrowed watering eyes. "You ruddy pest!" he growled at her through his teeth, his face just visible through the mud he was wearing.

"It was an accident...I-I'm sorry," she stammered, her eyes widening when he lifted his hands towards her, and she totally panicked, knowing if he got a good hold on her he wouldn't be letting go for some time. She threw herself backwards with all the strength she could muster, but one of his hands managed to attach itself to her upper arm and he tugged her back down. Seconds later his face went almost blue as her knee hit him squarely in the groin, her entire weight behind it, and his hand automatically went downwards to clutch at himself in agony. He rolled onto his side, dislodging her as he went and she fell next to him, scrabbling away as soon as she landed, watching him through wide eyes as he gasped and wheezed.

"Is there something you should be telling me?" her brother Charlie asked from the doorway and she looked up to see him standing there looking stupefied. "What, exactly, has been going on in here?"

"It was an accident," Ginny repeated in a small voice, glancing back at the furious wizard who was only now starting to recover and easing himself up into a sitting position.

"She's the damn accident," he growled, his eyes shooting sparks of fire at her. He looked up at her brother and grimaced. "Sorry about the mess."

"No problem," Charlie said, cocking his head to one side and staring at his sister. "I came back to see where you'd gotten to and if everything was okay. I guess it was just as well I did, hmm?" He shook his head and started to smile when he took in the state they were both in. "Ginny, you'd better go upstairs and get yourself cleaned up. You can't stay here and not say goodbye to Hermione and Ron, they'll be going off on their honeymoon in a little while."

"Okay," she said meekly and glanced once more at the oozing mess that was Harry sitting on the floor, gulping when she saw the promise of retribution in his eyes. She almost ran from the room to get away from him, silently thanking the Gods that her brother had come back when he did.

Charlie looked down at the larger man that he'd known for a few years now and grinned. "I bet right about now you want to take a carving knife to my baby sister, don't you?"

"A carving knife isn't big enough," Harry muttered, slowly pulling himself to his feet and wincing at the sudden bite of pain. "Damn, I'd better still be in working order, or she'll wish she'd never laid eyes on me."

"Somehow I think she already wishes that," Charlie said, shaking his head again. "Sit yourself down there and I'll go and get some clothes from Ron's place. Even a cleaning spell isn't going to get that stink out, and mine won't fit you."

Harry nodded gratefully and eased himself down into a kitchen chair, sighing as he relaxed. Now he could smell himself too, and he realised he wasn't too fresh at the moment. It was that little brat's entire fault. He could hear her clunking about on the floor above and his eyes narrowed, seeing her brother through the window disappearing down the road. Well, he hadn't said anything about staying away from Ginny, had he? Not one word about not punishing her? A grim smile touched his mouth as he stood up again and slowly made his way up the stairs, taking care to be quiet as he went. He didn't want her alerted to his presence in any way, because he intended to pay her back for every single little thing she had ever done to him, starting right now.

He didn't know the layout of her house, but he simply followed the noises he could hear until he got to the room they were coming from, stopping to listen. She was talking to herself, by the sounds of it, but he couldn't make out much of what she was saying, except for the words 'stupid' and 'clumsy' and then his name. His eyes narrowed and he snorted his breath out of his nose, thinking she must be talking about him, and he pushed her door open before he had any more time to think about his actions.

Ginny hadn't been talking about him, she had been talking about herself, cursing how clumsy and awkward she had always been, especially around Harry and even more so since the dreaded what she now referred to as the "starkers incident". She had slipped her dress off and was just about to put a T-shirt over her head when the door burst open and Harry stood there, scowling at her. Her eyes grew huge and she belatedly tried to cover herself up, clad in only her underwear as she was.

Harry looked no less shocked, but he still looked seethingly furious too and he stalked towards her, making her start to walk backwards as she tried to get the shirt over her head, giving up and flinging it on the floor as she made a race for the bathroom so she could lock herself in. Harry belatedly realised what she was doing and lunged for the door just as she slammed it shut, giving a shout of agony as she caught his fingers in the door. He managed to snatch them back before they got chopped off and he stared at them, his expression getting even more furious as he saw the dent that ran right across them, already turning blue as they started to bruise.

He grabbed the door handle and turned, rattling it when he found it locked and he leaned against the door, listening for any noises on the other side. "You can't stay in there all day!" he shouted through the wood and then moved his head swiftly back when she thumped the other side of the door.

"I can do what I like! Why don't you go and jump off a cliff?" she yelled at him, annoyed that he had made her feel even more uncomfortable than she already was.

Harry gritted his teeth, almost breaking them. "Why don't you come out here and say that?"

"I'm not stupid!" she yelled back, hitting the door again with impotent fury.

"That's debatable! Get out of there right now!" he shouted, losing his temper completely.

"I will not!" she yelled defiantly, snatching her wand off of the bathroom counter where she'd left it and muttering a locking charm Fred and George had taught her.

"If you don't come out I'll break the door down," he threatened, hearing her putting a spell on the door and meaning every word. He measured the door and gave a grim smile. He could handle it easily enough, it wasn't that sturdy. "I'll count to three."

Ginny stood in the bathroom and wondered if he'd really do it, staring at the door in trepidation. He had tried to break the back door in already, she thought, so the betting was pretty good that he had every intention of breaking this one down. She looked down at her semi-nude state and quickly grabbed her robe off the back of the door, putting it on and belting it up. By that time Harry had got to two and he had started pounding on the wood again.

"Last chance!" he warned her, and she held her breath as he said 'three'.

When nothing happened she frowned and listened carefully, managing to move away from the door with a muffled shriek when she heard a spell being muttered at it from the other side. The door gave easily, the lock breaking out of the frame and leaving the actual door intact, swinging back and forth on its hinges. Harry glared at her as he literally filled her small bathroom up with his body, stalking towards her with murder in his eyes.

Ginny stared at him dumbfounded for a second and belatedly tried to run out of the room, but it was impossible to get past his bulk and he grabbed the collar of her robe easily, taking her wand away, and holding her struggling form in front of him. His eyebrows drew down in a deep frown when she continued struggling, kicking him in the legs with unerring accuracy and making him curse. He looked around the small room and his eyes lit on the back of the door, a nasty smile turning his lips upwards as he picked her up.

"Maybe this will keep you still," he growled, using the collar of the thick robe to hang her on one of the hooks, laughing as he watched her try to get down. He leaned towards her and gave an evil grin. "Going to behave or do you want to stay up there all day?"

"You pig!" she spat at him, trying to kick him again and only managing to set her entire body swinging wildly on the back of the door. She waited until she had stopped moving and then hung there limply, glaring daggers at him. "Get me down from here!"

Harry crossed his arms in front of him and leaned against the opposite wall, smiling smugly. "I don't think so. It's rather nice to see you unable to cause any damage, for once. Maybe I can persuade your brother to keep you up here until I leave Ron's house."

"I'll gladly stay up here to avoid you!" she said nastily, narrowing her eyes spitefully.

"Oh really? You'd stay up here for three weeks, would you?"

"Three weeks? You can't....you're not staying here for three weeks!" she said, a look of utter horror on her face.

"Well, no, not in this house," he agreed, looking at her distastefully. "Now then, what sort of punishment would suit what you've done to me?" he mused, one hand rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Suddenly he snapped his fingers and opened the shower door, pulling out the showerhead and turning it on, the water splattering onto the base of the cubicle. "I think this will be a good stand-in for the lake, don't you?"

"You wouldn't dare!" she said, her eyes widening as he grinned evilly, starting to lift the shower head up.

"Hey where did you go?" Charlie shouted from downstairs and Ginny breathed a sigh of relief.

"Up here! Charlie, you have to help me!" she shrieked, her eyes still riveted to Harry's hand and wondering if she was going to get a soaking.

"Hmm, saved by the bell, huh? Well, I guess this wasn't a fitting punishment anyway. Clean water hardly matches up to mud and weeds and stench, does it?" Harry said, turning off the shower and putting the hose back in place. When he turned back he narrowed his eyes and pinned her to the door with his hands on her shoulders, not taking her down from the hook. He still topped her height by a couple of inches, but she was unnervingly close to his intense emerald eyes. "I won't be forgetting about this, you know. You owe me, little witch, and you'll pay if I have to follow you around and wait for an opportunity. Don't say I didn't warn you!"

He moved back from her and pulled the door open, Ginny going with it, but he didn't say another word and she heard him walk down the stairs and start talking to her brother. Soon, she heard the sound of footsteps again and Charlie came in the bathroom, smothering his laughter when he saw her hung up like an old cloak.

"It's not funny," she said sullenly. "Get me down!"

Charlie grinned and lifted her off the hook, placing her on the floor again where she could straighten the robe, looking indignant. "He's such a pig!"

Her brother laughed. "Well, you do keep making a mess of him. I guess he's out for vengeance?"

"It was an accident! I was trying to avoid Mum because she was after me about going on a date with Dean Thomas again." she said, her voice getting high pitched again. "I have never deliberately..."

"The maple syrup?" her brother cut in, raising one eyebrow.

Ginny blushed and looked away. "That was an accident too, and if it had been deliberate he would have deserved it, but he doesn't have any right to come into my bedroom, when I'm virtually naked..."

"Naked! What do you mean naked?" Charlie burst out, frowning.

She looked up at him and shrugged. "I was getting changed and he burst in without knocking, and he got an eyeful," she explained, wondering if her brother would have an argument with Harry if she embroidered the tale a little bit. But she couldn't have that, she thought. Charlie and Harry were mates, and she couldn't make her brother mad at him even if she did want to see him dead at the moment. "Nothing happened," she said, walking back into the bedroom.

"I hope not," Charlie said, relieved. He hadn't thought Harry would try anything, but you never knew.

"I'm going to get changed," she said. "Is Harry still here?"

"Mmm-hmm. He's using my shower to wash off the bottom of the lake. Maybe it would be best if you weren't still up here when he came out, okay?"

She nodded, definitely seeing the sense in that statement. "Okay. I'll get dressed and go and say goodbye to Ron and Hermione. I could go for a walk afterwards. Anything's better than being under the same roof as him!"

Her brother chuckled as he walked away, shaking his head. He wondered if the two of them would hate each other forever, deciding they probably would judging by the way Harry had been glaring at her earlier.

Harry stood under the shower and stared blankly at the wall, trying unsuccessfully to wipe away the image of Ginny wearing only her bra and knickers. He hadn't taken the time to realised she had curves like that underneath the boyish clothing she usually had on. The fact that his mind kept replaying the image over and over again unnerved him. What hadn't it affected him the first time? Okay, so he appreciated women, who didn't? But Ginny? Circe, she had been a thorn in his side for more years than he cared to remember, and she didn't seem to be improving with age. Not that he was that old. She was only a year younger than him, so that made her what? Twenty-one, twenty-two, he thought. Still young enough to be turned over his knee, he decided, frowning as he thought about doing just that. Merlin knew why she kept attacking him like that, but she seemed to have a knack for it.

He stared down at his big feet, grimacing when he saw the mud and ooze start to slide off his body under the spray of the shower. It wasn't even a particularly dirty lake, he mused. He had even been swimming in it before with Ron, but that had been on the other side when they had been fishing once, not this side where there were weeds and mud and gloop, all of which managed to adhere to his muscled physique with seemingly no effort at all. Had she planned that? he wondered, for the first time. Had it really been an accident, like she claimed? He shook off the thoughts and started washing himself, knowing if he didn't hurry up and make himself decent he would miss Ron and Hermione going off on their honeymoon, and he didn't want to do that. He was pleased that they were happy.

A few minutes later he was dragging a brush through his hopeless mop of black hair, wincing at the tangles he encountered. Apparently Charlie saw no need to have any expensive shampoos in his bathroom, just because he had short easy to control hair, but Harry noticed every brush stroke, cursing and wishing he had short a buzz cut again too. Still, the women seemed to like the longer untamed look, he thought with a big grin, nodding at his reflection once he had straightened himself up. Oh, yeah, the women liked it a lot.

When he got downstairs he found Charlie waiting for him, but no sign of Ginny and he scowled as he looked around. "Where is she? Waiting outside with a tin of paint to throw all over me?"

Charlie laughed at that and shook his head, standing up. "She's gone back to Ron's to say goodbye to them, which is where we should be." He walked out of the house and turned as Harry joined him, giving him a thoughtful look. "Why don't you try and get along with her, just for today?"

"It isn't me you should be saying that to. Why don't you tell her to stay the hell out of my way?" Harry said, very nearly snarling.

"She tries to, believe me," Charlie said as they walked down the dusty road towards Ron's house, the sound of revellers drifting to them in the slight breeze. "She just doesn't have much luck at it, that's all."

Harry just snorted at that, quickening his pace so he could join up with his friends and relax again. He needed to get rid of the anger flowing through him somehow, and if wringing Ginny's neck couldn't do it, then having a laugh with people he knew would help.

Ron was giving a speech when they finally got there, and he grinned as he drew his new bride up next to him, his eyes sparkling warmly down at her. "So we just want to say thanks to all of you for coming today, and we guess we'll see you when we get back," he said, finishing with a small bow and a kiss for Hermione.

Harry watched them with his lips pursed, wondering how that must be, having a woman love you like that. It must have something going for it, he thought, for Ron to ever contemplate getting married again after his divorce. Still, Hermione was one in a million, and Harry doubted he'd ever meet anyone like her, not while he was travelling around all the time. All he ever encountered were slags, and they were amusing for one night only, but never anything more long term than that. They were too vacuous. He moved forwards as others started saying goodbye to the happy couple, grinning and forgetting all his own problems when he finally stood in front of his two best friends.

"Congratulations, mate," he said to Ron, bending and giving Hermione a kiss on her flushed cheek. "You too, sweetheart. I know you'll both be happy. Just get some kids on the boil, okay? I wouldn't mind being called Uncle Harry, you know?"

Ron laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "I'll do my level best to make a start, don't worry about that. Hell, by the time we get back she should be getting nicely rounded!" He laughed when Hermione slapped his arm, instantly melting against him when he grabbed her up and planted a kiss on her lips. "You know you want to," he said, wiggling his eyebrows and making her giggle.

"Do you think you two will ever quit?" Harry asked, trying to look disgusted but unable to help grinning at the two lovebirds.

"Not in this lifetime," Ron murmured, slowly putting his wife down and grinning stupidly. He looked Harry up and down and frowned. "Where did your robes go, and why are you wearing my clothes?"

The look of disgust that shadowed the Harry's face this time wasn't forced. "The little menace threw me in the lake!"

"Menace? Oh," Ron said, raising his eyebrows. "Ginny?"

"Yes, Ginny! Bloody pest," he muttered, looking around to see if he could see her.

"How did she manage to throw you in the lake? You're a little...er...bigger than she is," Ron said, measuring the man who was only a few inches shorter than he.

"She pushed me, and I ended up covered in the entire bottom of the damn lake! Hence, the clothes. Charlie came and got them, I didn't even have the presence of mind to tell him where my bags were, so that's why I'm wearing your clothes."

"Oh. And Ginny? What did you do to her?" Ron asked knowingly, raising just one eyebrow this time and smiling.

"She's as evasive as a Tebo, I couldn't get hold of her long enough to do anything. Then your brother came and damn well saved her neck again!"

"So you didn't do anything to her then?"

"No."

"Why is she wearing a different outfit then?" Hermione asked, looking off into the distance and making Harry follow her gaze.

"I followed her and she opened the stupid door just as I was about to break it down and I fell over... hell," he said, raking a hand through his damp hair. "She fell on me, then she kneed me."

Ron winced. "And yet you did nothing to her?"

"I told you, your brother came back and saved her. I hung her up on the back of her bathroom door." He shrugged and glared at the small figure trying so hard to blend in with the crowd and not attract his attention. His eyes followed her as she finally gave up and ran into Ron's house, and his jaw tightened.

"Harry!" Hermione said, trying to sound stern. Ever since she had seen the two together they had fought, and it didn't seem like their behaviour would ever get any better.

He managed to look like a two year old when he turned back to the couple and Hermione couldn't help smiling. "She's lucky I didn't hurt her."

"You wouldn't seriously hurt her?" she asked him, frowning now.

"No...yes...I don't damn well know. I feel like it sometimes. I still owe her for the lake, not to mention the truck," he said, mentioning the time Hermione and Ginny had taken his precious truck without permission.

His eyes narrowed suddenly. "In fact, there's no time like the present, is there?"

Ron smiled and shook his head, knowing there was no point trying to talk him out of whatever he was planning. He just hoped his baby sister was faster than his friend. "Well, we'll see you when we get back then. Take care of our house."

Harry shook Ron's hand and smiled. "I will. You have good time, okay?"

Another kiss for Hermione and then Harry stalked off towards the house in search of Ginny, his eyes glittering with anticipation.

Hermione bit her lip as she watched him go, jumping when Ron pulled her bottom lip away from her teeth gently. "Haven't I told you not to do that? Your lip will get sore and I won't be able to kiss you."

She smiled at him, everything she felt shining from her like a beacon. "I'd never stop you kissing me, you know that. I was just worrying about Ginny."

Ron shook his head and bent to kiss her, rubbing his thumb over her lip when he pulled back. "Don't worry, he wouldn't ever really hurt her. You know he's not like that."

"I'm not so sure, he looks so...wild these days," she murmured, looking towards the house again.

"Yeah, she does seem to wind him up, doesn't she? But if you're thinking that he'd hit her, you're dead wrong. He doesn't hit women, no matter what the provocation."

"Like you?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Just like me."

"Hmm," she said, pursing her lips and making him frown down at her.

"What do you mean 'hmm'?"

"Nothing," she said, smiling.

"Nuh-uh, don't try that, love. I'll get it out of you eventually, so you may as well tell me right now," he warned her, grinning wickedly as he thought of several ways to extract information from her, most of them extremely pleasurable.

Her smile almost matched his as she thought about some of the things he had done to her in the past, and she was almost tempted to remain silent. But now wasn't the time, she remembered, looking around at all their guests. "Okay. It's just that, if Harry's like you, then he really does hit women. Just not in a beating up kind of way."

"Ah, you mean a damn good bum paddling?"

"Mmm-hmm, exactly that. If that isn't hitting what is?"

"That isn't hitting, that's punishing. It's totally different. Which reminds me," he said, his eyes twinkling.

"Did I hear you call me "fat' last night?"

She giggled before she could stop herself and then tried to look repentant. "No."

"You know, love, I think you might be lying to me, and you know what I do when you do that, don't you?"

She nodded, a small smile curving her lips. "Yes."

"I punish you, don't I?"

"Yes, but I was only joking, and besides you told me it was humiliating and demeaning. Do you really want that to happen to your sister?" she protested, rubbing one hand over the buttons on his shirt.

"Too right you are!" he said. "But don't worry, he'll never really use it. Harry's bark is far worse than his bite. Maybe he can come up with a special kind of punishment then, hmm? Just like I did for you?" he murmured, pulling her against him and growling at the feel of her curvy body.

"Are you suggesting...?" she asked, looking like she couldn't wait to be alone with him.

"Come on, Mrs Weasley, let's say goodbye to our guests and then we can get on with our honeymoon." He bent and whispered in her ear. "I can't wait to peel that beautiful dress off you."

Hermione blushed, grinning when he called her Mrs Weasley, and she took his big hand when he held it out and walked off with him into the throng of people, forgetting all about Ginny for the time being.

Harry walked quietly through the sprawling house, smiling whenever he bumped into someone, his eyes always watchful. He had no idea where Ginny had gone, but he couldn't wait to find her. There was no big brother around this time to save her annoying neck. A sigh of frustration puffed out of him and he rubbed his neck, wondering where the hell she was. She hadn't gone to any of the bathrooms and all the other rooms were clear. That left the gym and the pool, and he doubted she was there. Still, he would look, just to be sure.

There was no luck in the gym, but when he walked into the big room that held the swimming pool, his eyes narrowed and a smile tilted his lips upwards. There she was, staring into the water and completely unaware he was there with her. He debated just walking up and pushing her in, but he wanted her to know he was there, to anticipate what he might do to her.

Ginny turned as soon as she heard a footstep behind her and her eyes widened when she saw Harry approach her, smirking gleefully. "Well, well," he said as he stopped about a foot from her, folding his arms over his chest and looking down at her diminutive figure. "All on your own? No one here to protect you from the big bad ogre?"

Her mouth fell open and she gulped, looking around for a way of escape before he could get hold of her. No matter how much she bluffed being brave in his presence, she wasn't, and it showed. Harry cocked his head to one side and narrowed his eyes.

"Scared?"

Ginny swallowed again. "N-n-no," she stammered, lifting her chin and trying to breathe evenly as he moved even closer. Dogs bollocks, she thought, he was going to kill her she just knew it. He could just wrap one of those hands around her throat and squeeze, and she would be dead before she could make a noise to alert anyone to what was happening. She took a side step, which he matched, making her heart try and beat her to death. Maybe Charlie would be able to hear me if I screamed? Surely someone was within earshot?

When he lifted one of his hands she totally panicked and made a desperate lunge for the doorway, swerving around him quickly before he had time to stop her, but she knew that she couldn't be that lucky, and Harry caught her before she reached the door, lifting her up and holding her against his chest while she struggled.

"Let me go!" she shouted furiously at him, scared out of her wits but willing to fight to the bitter end.

"You sure that's what you want?" he asked her, grinning with enjoyment. It was payback time and he couldn't wait. "Well, okay then..." he lifted her higher and prepared to throw her into the pool, but she saw what was coming and threw her arms around his neck so he couldn't let go of her. The feel of those small arms twined around him had the oddest effect and he froze, shocked as desire coursed quickly through him. Once again the image of her in her bra and knickers rose up in his mind and now he had the added problem of feeling her soft body against him, and a curse broke through his tight lips. Before he could even try and analyse why he was reacting this way, he forced her away from him and lifted her again, holding her so she couldn't grab him.

"Harry! Don't you dare," Hermione's voice said, coming from the doorway as she and Ron walked in to see where Ginny had gone, meaning to say goodbye to her.

But it was too late. He had been in the process of heaving her forwards and he couldn't stop, so Ginny went sailing through the air and landed with an almighty splash right in the centre of the pool, her wail of dismay echoing through the large room until the water cut it off.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped as she moved next to him, staring into the water with her hand over her mouth.

"Nicely done, mate," Ron mused, watching as Ginny struggled up to the surface and broke through with a gasp.

"Don't you dare compliment him that was a horrible thing to do, Harry, you should be ashamed of yourself!" she said, glaring at both men.

"I'm sorry," Ron said, instantly looking contrite in case she held out on him on their wedding night.

"Well, I'm not!" Harry snapped, looking slightly ashamed but also triumphant as he caught Ginny's eyes. "She damned well deserved it."

Ginny heard what he said and an idea popped into her head. She let herself sink under the surface again and started thrashing about wildly, coming up and gasping for all she was worth before she went under again, sinking a little lower this time.

"Oh...my...can she swim?" Hermione asked, pointing to the water frantically.

"I think so," Harry murmured, his eyes widening slightly when he saw her go under again.

"Did you even bother to find out?" Hermione asked again, prodding him in the ribs.

Ginny shot back up again and then thrashed a bit more, sinking like a stone to the very bottom of the pool and staying there. Harry gulped and his eyes widened further when she didn't come up. "Oh bugger," he muttered and then dove straight into the water.

It was what Ginny had been waiting for and she swam rapidly to the shallow end of the pool and hauled herself out, moving around to stand near Hermione and Ron as they watched Harry come up to the top and wipe the water from his face.

"Oh, now that was nicely done," Ron said, clapping as Ginny bowed dramatically. He started laughing when he saw Harry's furious expression. Hermione and Ginny joined in and Harry started swimming towards the edge.

"Oh, I guess I'd better go..." Ginny said, her laughter dying as quickly as it arrived. She turned to Hermione and Ron and gave them a big smile, flicking some wet hair out of her face as she did so. "Have a really great honeymoon, you two, okay?"

"We will," Hermione said, looking the other girl up and down. "I would hug you, but..." she broke off and shrugged.

"You haven't got time anyway," Ron said, nodding to where Harry had reached the side and was starting to get out. "You'd better get out of here, Ginny."

"Okay, love you! Bye!" she said quickly, kissing Ron on the cheek and then ran as fast as she could out of the room, her footsteps squelching distantly as she made it out of the house.

Harry stood next to them and looked down at himself, gritting his teeth. "I can't believe she damn well did that," he muttered, shaking his arms and sending a spray of water everywhere.

"Yeah, well, she had provocation," Ron pointed out, making no attempt to hide his grin.

"Provocation? Provocation?!" Harry yelled and he stomped away from them, following the watery trail Ginny left in her wake. "I may go to Azkaban for the rest of my life, but it'll be bloody well worth it."

Hermione and Ron looked at each other and laughed as his muttering continued until he left the house. "Poor Ginny."

"Poor Harry," Ron mused, twisting his lips as he looked down at her. "Before he knows it he won't be able to live without her."

She frowned. "You know, you've said something like that a couple of times now. Do you really think he likes her?"

"I think he's attracted to her," he corrected her, brushing one finger down her face. "It's a totally different thing. Not that he realizes it yet, but I'm betting he will soon."