Out Of Hogwarts

-Chapter three: Dinner At The Burrow -

After an hour or so, everyone at the table was leaning back in their seats, enjoying the aftermath of a good meal. Well, except for Ron, who still hadn't finished eating. To everyone's astonishment he did not even look close to being full, which should not have been surprising for it was typical of Ron. Hermione had once tried to examine that habit of his, of eating too much, but she gave up as quickly as she started.

Everyone around the table was talking merrily and listening to Fred and George's hilarious stories, most of them at which had taken place at their joke shop. Molly wasn't really interested in hearing what they were saying about the shop, which she never approved of anyway. She still insisted that it was not a way to make a living, even though they were pretty successful. Their business was expanding into two more divisions in Britain and three in Europe.

Since Molly Weasley had decided to ignore her two sons' idiotic stories she sat in her seat at the edge of the table, quietly talking with Harry, who didn't feel like joining the merry chatter either. The livid feeling burning his mind, of the earlier happenings, was still there.

"So this one kid came into the store yesterday, and he started looking around. Fred here immediately saw that he was looking around too suspiciously, and he guessed he wanted to steal something. So we set him up, and allowed him to steal something-" George was cut off in mid sentence.

"What did you do that for? Helping him to become a law breaker isn't right." Bill interrupted him, a little startled by his brothers' behavior.

"We're getting there, keep your pants on..." Fred muttered, annoyance unmistakable in his voice.

"Anyway," George continued while glaring at Bill, "we let him think he got away, and, well, actually he did, the stupid little git but he didn't know what he had stolen. In his pocket was our latest invention, 'Weasley Itchy Freezey', and let's say that when your legs and arms are frozen, and you really need to scratch them, it is not a pleasant experience! And indeed it was a beautiful moment watching that poor mate walk out of our store and into doom." He finished his story and pretended to shed a tear from his eye.

Everyone who was listening laughed at Fred and George's sadistic actions; how foolish was the kid to think that he could fool the kings of mischief, 'The Great Weasley Twins'.

"Your children will be miserable when they grow up. Every time they do something bad, their daddies will try some new pranks on them," assumed Jessica, who was looking amused and scared at the same time.

"At least we'll have some proof that they work," replied a smiling Fred.

"Fred Weasley! I cannot believe my ears!" exclaimed Angelina with her eyes wide open, gaping at her husband.

"Cool down, I was only joking. You really think I'd do anything like that to the little Gnomes?" he asked with a smile.

"Do not call my children stupid!" she snapped at him.

"I did not call OUR children stupid, they like it when I call them Gnomes!" he half snapped, half mocked her.

"That's because they're two years old! And you are an idiot!" She pushed herself up from her seat, walking angrily out of the room.

"Don't you dare walk out on me, Angelina Weasley, not when I'm talking to you!" shouted Fred loudly, slightly raising his voice.

"It will be Johnson, not Weasley if you don't shut the bloody hell up!"

With that last comment she had walked out of the door, leaving a shocked Fred to gape at the door. He huffed loudly, while putting his best face on, and charged after her yelling something about 'damn hormones'.

"Sometimes I wonder... if it's Fred or Angelina that's pregnant," chuckled Hermione.

"Such an understanding husband," Ginny commented with a mock dreamy expression on her face. Everyone's response was to break out into peals of laughter.

"I'm lucky Katie wasn't here - she would have hexed me 'till next week," George muttered to Charlie.

* * * * * *

Soon enough the dishes from the table had disappeared, and soon so had Harry and Molly. After clearing up the dishes of the table, and muttering a few spells to make them wash themselves, Molly and Harry continued to talk quietly.

Now that the dishes were clean and the whole clan was seated in the Living Room, Molly took it upon herself to heal Harry's eye. All it took was one simple healing spell that Harry told himself to remember so if Hermione would do something like this in the future he would be ready.

When Harry finally sat down in the living room he was too tired to talk; he just sank into the nearest armchair in sight. At the Dursleys' he always found housework to be easy, because there was only a small group of people to clean after. But now, at the Burrow, there were always a lot of people and mountains of dishes and utensils ready to be cleaned.

He watched all the happy faces of his friends and family, who were now gathered round together for a cup of tea.

And to think, that only two hours ago he was ready to strangle each and every one of them, Hermione in the lead. Well, everyone with the exception of Molly (who saved him from them). She always defended him, like a mother would. Probably just like his mother would, if she wasn't dead.

"Hey, what's bothering you mate?" asked a voice to his left.

He turned his head silently, meeting Ron's eyes.

"Nothing," he muttered.

"Come on. We were just teasing you, no need to take it so harshly. I can see mum fixed it for you..." Ron tried to cheer him, offering a weak grin.

"It's not that," Harry said, still looking into space with a blank expression.

"So..." Ron looked at him expectantly.

"Nothing..." he replied, while letting out a breath he had been holding in.

Harry got up and strolled into the kitchen, and then headed out the back door. Ron watched him go, a worried expression on his face. He never liked it when Harry acted like this so he decided to go after him.

When Ron reached the garden, he saw Harry standing by the large pond, looking at the sky with the same blank expression.

He knew what it meant, Harry had a black cloud hovering over his head. And he, Ron, was intended to find out why...

"Hey," he greeted him quietly.

"Do you think she loves me?" Harry asked, not turning to meet his eyes.

"Who? Herm?" Ron asked, surprised.

Harry nodded.

"Sure she does!" said Ron, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"So why does she make it so difficult for me?" he asked with a slight sadness in his voice.

"Herm is...a little complicated, you know her. Why? Has something happened?" he asked. Ron was getting more confused by Harry's attitude.

"Yes... No... I have no idea anymore." He sighed loudly.

"Come on, Harry, what's with all this talking? You were perfectly happy three hours ago," Ron replied, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"I was talking to Mum a while ago, when you were all in the living room, and I told her what happened this morning after she left-"

Ron cut him off.

"You actually told her something about you and Hermione? And she didn't freak?" he asked in amazement.

"Yeah, so? I always talk to Mum about things, she gives the best advice," Harry said while looking at Ron oddly. "What is the big deal?"

"Nothing, It's just that I finally understand why she defends you all the time. You're the only one who actually talks to her about your life; even Ginny keeps everything to herself!" Ron told him with astonishment.

"What? Don't look at me like that!" Harry snapped at him.

"Sorry mate, you just caught me off guard with that," Ron said with a smile. "Seriously, now, tell dear Ron what is the problem. I already know that Herm is abusing you, and don't go too far with this all right? I still need to look at her from time to time, she is my best friend..."

"She doesn't want to get married," Harry responded, getting right to the point, which startled Ron a little bit.

"Excuse me?" he asked dumbly.

"She doesn't want to marry me, Ron!" Harry said a little too aggressively.

"When did you ask her? And why didn't you tell me?" He was confused and angry at the same time.

"I didn't," Harry answered simply.

"So how the bloody hell do you know what she wants? You didn't even give her the chance to..." Ron stated, and Harry was sure that he thought he was an idiot.

"Because she told me so," he replied. "And I never knew you were so positive of the possibility that she will dump me," he added sarcastically.

"Did she really say it to your face, like, 'Hey Harry, I don't want to marry you, so don't bother asking?' kind of way?" Ron tried to mimic Hermione, which turned out to be a very bad imitation.

"No, she kind of hinted it. How did Lavender react when you proposed to her?" Harry asked and looked at Ron, who was grinning broadly, recalling that night.

"I asked her, and she just jumped into my arms shouting yes like some mad woman an-" He was cut off by someone's voice.

"You begged me to marry you! After the girls rounded you!"

Both men jumped and turned around, as Lavender stood there smirking at them.

"Don't do that, you almost gave me a heart attack!" whined Ron.

"Don't whine, Ronald. Now, what is all this proposal talk about?" she asked, as she placed one arm around Ron's waist.

"Nothi-" Harry didn't have the chance to finish his sentence.

"Harry wants to marry Hermione..." Ron supplied, and before they knew what was going on, Lavender jumped on Harry squalling with excitement.

"Oh God. Really? You're kidding? Really?" she asked with a lot of enthusiasm.

"But she doesn't want to marry Harry..." Ron said, and Lavender stopped jumping and looked at him oddly.

"Don't be stupid, Ron! Why wouldn't she?" she asked surprised.

"Ask Harry! He said it, not me." Ron threw his hands up in surrender.

"Oh Harry, she loves you!" Lavender said, taking Harry's hands in hers.

"I know she loves me! But did she ever say something about wanting to marry me? Of course not! Because she doesn't want to!" Harry said angrily. Dropping his hands from hers, he stormed silently toward the house. Ron and Lavender watched their friend walk away, still slightly shocked at his sudden outburst.

* * * * * *

Harry stepped into the living room, still shaking with anger. He took in the room's warm atmosphere and looked around at his family and friends. And there she was, her head on Ginny's lap; she was fast asleep. Looking so innocent, he watched her as all his worries and anger faded into thin air at that very moment. He was lost. Lost in her, and the way back was impossible.

He approached her slowly, and bent down a little to pick her up.

"Don't you dare touch me, or Ginny will be the next thing that will be flying at you," she said, still half asleep. Ginny looked at her with an unpleasant expression on her face.

"Well then," Harry whispered to her, "do as you wish. I'm going home."

He walked toward Molly and Arthur, who were currently talking with Bill and Fleur.

"Well, I think I'm going to Apparate home..." he said with a weak smile, as Molly stood up and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"'Night Mum," he said quietly as he kissed her cheek.

"Dad." He shook the older man's hand warmly.

"Good night, mate," Bill said, nodding at him. Harry smiled at Bill and Fleur and nodded.

He then turned to the other couch, where George and Charlie were in the middle of a chess game. He nodded at them too, and wished them good night as well.

"Gin, Malfoy. Don't want to see your faces tomorrow morning," he said with a small laugh.

"Don't flatter yourself Potter." Draco smirked at him.

Ginny nudged her husband lightly in the ribs.

"Ow!" he yelped.

Harry bent down and gave the small redhead a brief hug; she held on to him long enough to whisper something in his ear.

"Don't worry, we won't be over tomorrow. Mum is taking care of that, so you and Hermione can make up for as long as you want to," replied Ginny, giggling.

The moment Ginny released him from the hug, Hermione pulled his head down again, to his great surprise. She kissed him softly and tenderly.

"Hmm...hmm... hmm..." They heard Ginny clear her throat. "Sorry to break your little moment, lovebirds, but you're kind of in my face."

She giggled as they both blushed, and Harry straightened himself.

"Oh Gin, another thing," he said, "tell Fred and Angie goodbye for me, and Ron and Lav that I'm sorry." Ginny looked confused because of the last part.

"Bye," Hermione said.

He smiled weakly, and then vanished with a small pop.

* * * * * *

An hour after Harry had gone home, Hermione Apparated into their bedroom. She expected Harry to be awake. She thought she made it pretty clear back at the Burrow. But as she looked around the room, he wasn't awake or even there. Peering into the bathroom, he wasn't there either. A terrified feeling filled her chest.

Hermione hurried out of the bedroom, and stepped into the small living room. She immediately understood where he had gone. Right in front of her, on the small couch, laid a sleeping Harry Potter. She wanted to jump at him and hit him for driving her crazy, but didn't have the heart to do so. Walked over to him and bending down beside him, she looked at his perfectly sleeping form.

"Harry," she whispered, stroking his hair lightly.

"Late', Mione, tied now... we did it all' weedy." (Translation: Not now Hermione, tired now... we did it already.) He mumbled in his sleep.

She smiled at the thought that he was thinking about her even in his sleep.

"Harry, Sweetie, get up and come to bed..." She nudged him lightly to wake him up.

"No, I'm staying here," he mumbled in the same half asleep tone she used on him in the Weasleys' living room, "too risky. If I go in there now, your mood can change again and I'll be spending the night avoiding flying books."

Her face twisted from a loving expression to an annoyed one.

"Fine. G'night," she muttered.

But before she got the chance to move, he pulled her into a short kiss. Then released her, and went back to sleep. Hermione entered their bedroom, with a very dazed look on her face.

'Damn him!' she cursed him in her mind before drifting back to sleep.

Later that night Harry was awoken by a sudden figure landing on him. As brown wavy curls covered his face he smirked to himself, and made room for her on the sofa. Finally, they both fell asleep in each other's arms.