Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters (damn)

A/N-This is my first fanfic, I hope you all like it. Please review, my writing can't get any better if people don't tell me what to fix.

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Chapter 1: Harry and Ginny Back Together

"I cannot believe Dumbledore made me come back here," Harry grumbled to himself as he stared at the ceiling of his bedroom at number 4, Privet Drive.

"Neither can I."

"Ginny! What are you doing here?"

"I ran away from home. Owl post is so slow, and we really need to talk."

"What about?"

"You dumping me."

"Oh. I thought I explained that we couldn't be together because Voldemort is after me."

"Harry, Harry, Harry, you should know better than to think I'll just accept what you say. Don't you respect me enough to let me make my own decision? I want to be with you, and I don't care about the danger."

"Alright."

"Wow. I didn't expect you to give up so quickly."

"You act like you're asking for some huge thing. I want to be with you just as much as you want to be with me, maybe more. And now I won't feel guilty because it's your choice to come; I'm not making you."

"Glad to hear it. Now, are you going to invite me in, or am I just going to have to sit on the window ledge for the rest of my life?"

"Sorry. Want to come in."

"Love to. How's your summer been?" Ginny asked as she grabbed hold of the top of the window frame and swung her feet inside.

"The usual. Dudley was arrested last week. I still have trouble believing he was stupid enough to steal a car. Petunia and Vernon are furious; they act like I made him do it."

"And did you?"

"Well, maybe I did cast a little charm to make him think it was his car."

"Harry! Shame on you! " Ginny said with a stern look masking her amusement.

"Yeah, like you wouldn't have done the same thing!" Harry shot back. He knew Ginny far too well to think she was really angry with him.

"I don't know. I've never met Dudley."

"Be grateful for that; he's a bloody pig. Dumbledore must have been off his rocker to make me live here."

"I agree. He should never have sent you here. I mean, what would it have cost to let you stay in the magical world. Your life, but you can be happy without one of those. The lives of whomever you were staying with, but they would have known the danger. The magical world's only chance at survival, but we all know the apocalypse is coming, it doesn't really matter if it comes in a hundred years or tomorrow, no one will care…"

"Fine, I get it. Dumbledore isn't the crazy old coot I like to believe he is."

"Was, you mean."

"Oh, yeah."

It still wasn't real to Harry. After all, Dumbledore had only been killed twelve days before. Most of the time Harry didn't even remember that Dumbledore was dead, but when he did, the grief was so overwhelming that he couldn't even speak most of the time. With Ginny there, Harry felt safer than he had for a long time. Safe enough to let his guard down and dissolve into silent tears.

"Harry." Ginny said softly as she moved over to the bed and sat down next to him. "I know it's hard on you. He was like a father." Ginny gently took him in her arms and held him.

"No, he wasn't. Sirius was like a father to me. Dumbledore was more like a grandfather, the only grandfather I ever knew. I can't believe he's gone."

"Don't worry, Harry. I know it feels like nothing will ever be the same, and it probably won't, but don't let that stop you. You still have a responsibility to their world and ours to face the dark lord and defeat him. You're strong enough, I know it."

"Thanks, Ginny. I'm happy you came. On to better news. How has Ron been?"

"About the same. He can't handle Dumbledore being gone, either. He's been doing a bit better lately, though."

"Really? Why?"

"He and Hermione finally figured out that they like each other. They started going out, oh, about three hours ago." Ginny said with a grin, checking her watch.

"Three hours ago? Have they been snogging nonstop or something?"

"Well, that's kind of how it started. Ron tripped and Hermione's lips broke his fall. They've been kissing ever since."

"Well, it's nice to know Hermione's finally having some fun. I just hope Ron doesn't dump her once he's over the whole Dumbledore thing. She'd never speak to him again."

"You'll have to make sure he doesn't, then. We'll need Ron and Hermione on good terms if we're going to find and destroy all the Horcruxes."

"We? Are you coming too?"

"I was going to, but if that's how you're going to react, maybe I won't. Maybe I'll just go and bang Draco Malfoy while you're out saving the world and whatnot."

"OH, mental picture! Why'd you have to say that? Now I'm going to have a picture of you banging Malfoy in my head for the rest of my life! I ought to tell Ron, he'd love a picture of his baby sister banging his arch-nemesis stuck in his head for the rest of his life."

"Shut up, I was only joking! Like I'd even want to bang Malfoy. He'd probably give me herpes."

"Can we please stop talking about you banging Malfoy?"

"Fine. You know, you're rather cute when you're all hot and bothered about something."

"I think I know what's getting him hot," said a voice from the door.

"Must you eavesdrop on all my private conversations, Dudley."

"Yeah. So, who's this hottie and do you have a problem with the guy she's banging?"

"She's not banging anybody, okay! Can we just stop talking about Ginny banging people?"

"We could, but watching it make you uncomfortable like this is worth your weight in gold."

"I won't turn you into a duck-billed platypus if you shut up about it, right now."

"All right."

"Good. I'm glad we have an understanding. Dudley, this is Ginny. Ginny, this is Dudley."

"Nice to meet you, hot-I mean, Ginny."

"I dearly wish I could say likewise, Dudley."

"Huh?"

"So, Harry, are you ready to go?"

"Go where?"

"Almost, just give me a few minutes to finish packing."

"Go where?"

"Okay, but don't take too long."

"GO WHERE? WHY DOESN'T ANYONE TELL ME ANYTHING?"

"Because, dear cousin, it is none of your business."

"You're calling Dudley 'dear cousin'? Doesn't that sound a little Bellatrix Lestrange to you?"

"Maybe just a little."

"Who's Bellatrix Lestrange?"

"Dudley, would you please leave Harry and me alone. We have some important things to discuss."

"Sure, I guess I could just go away and steal another car or bang my girlfriend or something…" Dudley mumbled under his breath as he walked away.

"Talk about a disturbing mental picture. What kind of desperate self-hating scarlet woman would even think about banging him? If I'd known what my Jedi mind tricks would get me into, I never would have used them."

"What do you know about Jedi mind tricks?"

"Hermione brought the Star Wars movies to the Burrow for Dad. He's a bit obsessed with them, I'm sorry to say."

"I'll be sure to stay away from him, then."

"It won't be that hard. We'll be on our merry way just as soon as Bill and Fleur's wedding is over."

"Right, Bill and Fleur's wedding. I forgot about that. Are they still making you be a bridesmaid?"

"Yeah. I watch my back if I were you, though."

"Why?"

"One of Bill's friends at Gringott's was kind of stupid, and you know what they say: only the most skilled and intelligent wizards can become Curse Breakers…"

"Because the stupid ones die."

"Yeah, so now Bill is down one groomsman."

"Well, that wouldn't be so bad. It's not like I have to lick his shoes or anything."

"Actually…"

"No, please tell me that the groomsmen don't actually have to lick the groom's shoes!"

"I'm just kidding. It'll be more or less like a muggle wedding: lots of food, lots of family, and lots of dancing."

"In that case, Ginny Weasley, would like to accompany me to the happiest day of your brother's life?"

"Sorry, but I already have a date."

"WHAT? WHO ARE YOU GOING WITH? I SWEAR, I'LL HEX HIM SO MANY TIMES HE'LL…"

"Kidding! Seriously, you need to learn how to tell when someone is joking!"

"Maybe you just need to learn what things should never be joked about."

"Mmm…that's a possibility."

"Yeah, it is. Now kiss me before I decide to ask someone else to the wedding."

"You wouldn't dare," Ginny said with a slight lilt in her voice, but she leaned into the kiss anyway. She wasn't about to take any chances when it came to her man.

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So that's chapter 1. What did you think? Please review. I love you all, I'll update soon, bye!