IMPORTANT! THIS STORY IS BEING REWRITTEN! Feel free to read but realize that each week, a new chapter will be changed! The better version is being uploaded on SIYE daily...it would be better to read it there! :D

A Tale That Differs

By Pilargirl

PROLOGUE

Harry Potter's frown turned into a smile as he stepped into the bright green flames and thought about his destination. This last month he had, for the last time, coexisted with his aunt, uncle and cousin; for his own safety, of course. Nevertheless, Harry was extremely happy that he was finally going home, to the burrow...truth be told, the fact that he was going to the burrow instead of Grimmauld Place made everything even better, he had been dying to see Ron and Hermione since he passed the barrier at King's cross.

He took a second to think, once again, that it must be risky to take the floo but he remembered the letter from Dumbledore, confirming that they would never expect him to floo, especially from an electrical fireplace. Besides, once he was near the burrow, he'd be completely safe; the wards that Bill had worked on would be unbreakable for at least two weeks; just enough for the wedding to take place safely.

Harry, carefully, spoke out and braced himself as his body start to twist and turn and, soon enough, he was awkwardly trying to regain his balance on the Burrow's living room floor.

"Harry!" The boy heard Hermione's voice squeal just before being covered in a pair of tight arms. "Happy Birthday!"

Harry pulled back, looking behind Hermione, to see Ron walking towards him, and Mr Weasley smiling at him and then turning around, to inform the order that I'm safe, Harry thought. Hermione pulled away from him and Ron gave Harry a one-armed, manly hug.

"Happy Birthday, mate," Ron spoke as he pulled back. Harry smiled widely at them and felt a flush reach his cheeks, he'd never really got used to people actually remembering his birthday, let alone congratulating him.

He took in the familiar atmosphere of his favourite place in the world, after Hogwarts. He would give anything to live freely in a place like this for the rest of his life.

Before he could thank his two best friends he was interrupted by several shouts from up stairs. He then proceeded to realize that Molly Weasley, his almost adoptive mother, hadn't come to welcome him and pull him into one of her excruciating, bone breaking hugs.

"Where's mum?" he asked Ron. By now, calling Molly 'mum' was second nature to him but he remembered how, two years ago, the transition had been particularly difficult; in one way, it seemed like he was betraying his mum's memory; in another way, he was putting his honorary family at even more risk. However, the summer before fifth year, after Harry was nearly killed for trying to take a killing curse that wasn't meant for him and Molly nearly killed him and Ron for even putting themselves in any kind of danger, he finally understood it was the best word to describe what he felt for Molly and Arthur Weasley and what they fell for him.

Suddenly, another shout erupted from upstairs and Harry repeated his question.

Hermione and Ron gave each other a look that wasn't missed by Harry, who raised an eyebrow at them.

"Ginny's home," Harry's best mate simply said in a monotone voice. Harry didn't really know what to make of that, the last time he had seen Ginny Weasley, he was twelve and had just killed a basilisk...since then, he had heard a few stories of the girl but never really seen her

"Since when?" Harry asked casually as he walked towards the sofa and sat on it. His friends joined him, and he knew that if he wanted to get any talking done, it must be now, because in less than half an hour he'd be surrounded by Weasleys and Order members who would require him to tell them how his summer had been.

"This morning, really," Hermione answered him in a small voice that was strangely unlike her.

"What's going on?" Harry asked curiously, looking at his best friends with a mixture of curiosity and worry. "She was meant to be here, wasn't she? I mean, isn't she meant to be a bridesmaid at Bill's wedding?"

Ron let out a half-chuckle mixed with a sigh. "I don't know if she'll even bother with the wedding," he said. Harry sent him a questioning look.

Ron shuffled a little in his seat until he was comfortable, but as he opened his mouth, he realized he couldn't really put the words right, so he let Hermione speak for him. "Ginny was supposed to be here since the beginning of the summer, but she said she was going to stay at a friend's house the first few weeks. Molly got angry when she hadn't arrived a week ago and she sent her an owl, and after not getting an answer, she sent an owl to the friend's mother only to get a response from the woman, saying that she hadn't seen Ginny in over two years..."

Harry gaped at Hermione slightly then a thought crossed his mind and his expression changed, "Voldemort?" he whispered.

Ron laughed. "Unless Voldemort's suddenly a rather handsome Italian, I doubt it..." Ron muttered.

"What?" Harry asked, getting confused.

"It seems Ginny has been..." Hermione started. "She's been travelling during all the holidays she didn't spend here."

"But you guys haven't seen her in over a year, I mean, she wasn't here for Christmas, and she was gone by the time I arrived last summer so...how has she been travelling? With what money?"

"According to what we heard mum telling dad, she's just living as well as she can, taking the magical tent everywhere and just, you know, enjoying herself around Europe..." Ron spoke with a disgusted expression on his face.

Harry had to laugh, Cute Ginny Weasley? Lying to her family and running around Europe? "Are you sure you've got the right girl, Ron? From what I can remember, your sister isn't exactly that kind of girl. Besides, what is she? Fifteen?"

Ron shook his head at Harry being so naive. "Tell that to dad, who put a tracing charm on her and found her in Spain, at a bar, drinking, surrounded by strangers."

Harry ran a hand through his hair; he was starting to think that maybe Voldemort would have been a better option.

Another shout was heard from above and the noise of someone descending the stairs was heard.

"Oh...you're already here," Harry heard an unfamiliar voice mutter behind him. The seventeen-year-old turned around only to have his jaw drop instantly at the sight before of him.

She wasn't tall, not at all; nevertheless, her legs seemed to go on forever and her tan was far too dark for anyone who was truly English. Her tank top left little, if not nothing, to imagination and her high-heels seemed to be in danger of becoming sky-scrapers.

The characteristic Weasley red hair was decorated by darker highlights and it fell around her face and shoulders with volume, Harry had never seen anything that resembled fire as much as that hair did. Funny enough, the thing that really shocked Harry was what he saw beneath the thick makeup and the curtain of red hair; he saw two big chocolate eyes that looked exactly like they had when Ginny Weasley had woken up in the chamber of the secrets.

"Ginevra Weasley! I haven't finished talking to you!" A loud voice was heard, coming closer each time. Harry saw the girl roll her eyes a little and leave the room, leaving him stunned.

"That's...?" Was the only thing Harry could mutter.

"Told you she wasn't exactly an eleven-year-old anymore," Harry heard Ron say.

"Yeah," Harry muttered. "No kidding."