Authors Notes: Quick update before I eat my dinner! Hope you enjoy, please review!
Nine
Harry tried to avoid Hermione as much as possible at the Burrow over Christmas. With so many people around, this wasn't hard, though he had to try and stop himself from looking at her every few minutes. Christmas day was one of the best he had ever had and Mrs Weasley had outdone herself with lunch. After lunch, Andromeda put Teddy into bed and they all sat in the lounge room in front of the fire. Percy and Hermione were enjoying a lively debate (Harry hadn't heard the subject). Ron and Charlie where playing chess (for the first time in Harry's memory, Ron was losing). Bill and Fleur were talking quietly in one corner (their conversation looking very serious to Harry). Ginny and George were playing with some new products George had invented (Ginny was making a few improvements and George looked very impressed).
Mrs Weasley was knitting and rocking back and forth in her chair. She had hardly spoken all day and Harry knew she was thinking about Fred. He had seen her the night before, holding a brand new sweater with the letter F on it and it made him sad to think that she had still knitted him one. She had vanished for a period after breakfast and Harry had a feeling that if he went to Fred's grave, he would find the sweater.
'So tell me about this offer Kingsley has made of you,' Mr Weasley said lightly to Harry, swilling his Firewhiskey in his glass.
'How'd you know about that?' Harry asked- Kingsley had assured him that it would remain top secret over the holiday's.
'Harry, he's told all the department heads,' Mr Weasley said with a laugh. 'We have to keep it secret of course.'
Mr Weasley had been made head of the Department of Muggles, which dealt with anything muggle related.
'Did you accept?' Andromeda enquired from next to Mr Weasley. Harry looked at her curiously. 'I don't know what the offer is, but it sounds important.'
She winked as she said this and Harry had a feeling she had a source within the ministry.
'Yeah, I accepted,' Harry said with a smile, finishing of his own Firewhiskey. 'I start straight after the holiday's.'
'Excellent, Harry,' Mr Weasley said with a smile. 'Dumbledore would be proud of you.'
As night fell, Bill and Fleur excused themselves and returned to Shell Cottage. Percy left as well- he was going to go visit with his girlfriend, Penelope. George went upstairs to his room, looking slightly sad. Mrs Weasley went to serve some dinner for those who would like it, and Mr Weasley and Andromeda were asleep in their chairs.
'Would you like to help me feed the chickens?' Ginny said to Harry, standing up. Harry's eyes drifted over to Hermione, who instantly became engrossed in conversation with Ron.
'Er, alright.'
They went through the kitchen and drew on their cloaks and snow boots. It had been snowing for most of the day and they made deep trenches as they made their way over to the chickens.
'I feel like I haven't seen you in ages,' Ginny said softly as she opened the chicken pen. 'I didn't see you all summer, and then I went back to school.'
'How is school?'
'It's ok, I guess. McGonagall is trying to find someone who would make a good headmaster- she doesn't want the job. She likes teaching too much, and she's still teaching though the other teachers tell her not to.'
'And who's' teaching defence against the dark arts?'
'Hermione didn't tell you?' Ginny said, surprised. 'Viktor Krum came over to do it. He'd never been happy at Durmstrang or in his own country, so when McGonagall advertised, he applied.'
'What about his Quidditch?'
'I dunno- it's not like we're best friends or anything,' Ginny said with a shrug. 'From what I've heard from others he's only staying a year- he doesn't really like teaching. I don't think there's much he likes actually. Aside from girls.'
She looked thoughtful for a moment and then sighed.
'It's a strange place now, Hogwarts.'
'What do you mean?'
'It feels… wrong,' she looked sad. 'It doesn't feel so safe anymore.'
'It is safe,' Harry said and she nodded.
'I know, I know.'
The scattered the feed around in silence and Ginny picked up several eggs.
'So do you know what you want to do? When you finish, I mean' he asked as they left the chicken house and made their way back up to the house.
'George wants me to join him at the joke shop,' Ginny said. 'If I knew mum would go nuts, I'd leave now and go- NEWT's are useless.'
'Why would she go nuts?' he asked and Ginny laughed.
'Because since Percy, not one of her children has gotten their NEWT's. She's proud, of course, of what they've achieved since, but she's still miffed that they never finished their education.'
'Sometimes an education isn't the most important thing,' Harry said as they climbed up the stairs.
'You try explaining that,' Ginny said in a whisper as they re-entered the kitchen. Ron and Hermione were at the table with Mrs Weasley, eating in silence. Harry and Ginny joined them and when they'd finished, Hermione stretched and yawned.
'I think I might go to bed,' she said, standing up and throwing a significant look at Harry. Harry waited until he had heard her go all the way up the stairs.
'I think I might go to bed too,' he said as he stood up. 'I'm beat.'
He tried to not walk fast as he headed out and he was delayed in the lounge, as Andromeda was leaving and he had to say goodbye. He climbed the stairs slowly until he was out of earshot and then raced as fast as he dared. Hermione was sleeping in Bill's old room, and he didn't even bother to knock before he entered, but closed the door quickly.
'Merry Christmas,' he said, sneaking up behind her and placing his head on her shoulder.
'To you too,' she said, though she sounded slightly stiff.
'You ok?' he asked, feeling worried.
'It's just…,' she turned to face him and buried her head in his chest. 'I now know how you felt when I was helping Ron look for the flat.'
Harry knew she was talking about his walk with Ginny.
'Hermione…' he started, but she cut him off.
'I know that I'm being silly, I know nothing is going on there. I know that you…' she paused and looked at him. 'I know that you love me. I just can't help it… especially when they don't know.'
'Hermione, do you really want to tell them?' Harry asked cautiously. She went to shake her head, but then nodded.
'I hate keeping secrets and lying.'
'Look around you,' he said, taking a deep breath. 'Look at the day we've just had. Do you really think that we'd be able to do all this if they all knew? Ron and Ginny would never talk to us again. Mrs Weasley wouldn't either- look at how she reacted way back when Rita Skeeter was writing all that horrible stuff.'
'I guess,' she said, looking up and looking miserable. 'I just hate lying.'
'I'd rather lie than lose the only family I've ever had,' Harry said flatly, pulling her close and kissing her gently.