Two Nights in the Garden

Chapter 2

Promise Fulfilled

When Harry awoke the next morning, he never could have dreamed of what was in store for him that day. Most of the day was filled with tension so thick the very air seemed to stand still, and when the bell finally rang at a quarter past six in the evening, Harry nearly ran to the front door. He was surprised to see both Mr. Weasley and Mad-Eye Moody waiting on the doorstep, having come to collect him. Hoping that he could just get his belongings out of the house before his uncle noticed, Harry engaged them in a quick, whispered discussion of how they were traveling and how they would get his belongings to the Burrow.

To his dismay, Moody insisted on checking out the house before they left, which meant several more minutes of time at the Dursley's. At this point, after nearly seventeen years of living with them, he was ready enough to leave – forever – that minutes seemed like days. When Moody finally returned from Harry's room, he gave him a toothy grin and handed him his shrunken belongings, which he promptly pocketed and then headed for the door.

On the very last step, a voice called out from behind him.

“Well, well, well, it's finally time. Petunia, get out the cake!” Uncle Vernon glared nastily at Harry, clearly hoping Harry would think they were finally doing something nice for him. Harry decided not to give him the pleasure and turned to walk out the door. As he reached back to pull it closed, he felt a spell brush past his shoulder and glanced one more time at the people he had called family for so many years.

They were shouting and screaming, and before the door fully closed, Harry saw what was left of the cake now covered in large droppings of dung.

“Nice shot, Moody,” he said quietly. The old Auror winked back at him with his one good eye.

They walked quickly to Ms. Figg's house where they were to Apparate from, and Harry suddenly felt a wave of fear and memories wash over him.

“Er, Mr. Weasley, please don't take offense to this, but before I go anywhere with you, I need you to tell me what nickname you used for Mrs. Weasley when I was there last summer.”

The red-haired man blushed to the roots of what hair was left on his head and whispered in Harry's ear.

“Sorry,” said Harry, “I didn't quite catch that. Could you say it louder?”

Clearly dismayed, he stepped back and said, “Mollywobbles.”

“Well, that's a new one for the Order to hear about, eh, Harry!” said Moody, who then turned and Apparated away.

Harry grinned and apologized to Mr. Weasley, who chuckled and said, “Grab on, Harry!”

Together they Apparated to the Burrow.

On first appearing in the kitchen, Harry couldn't help but let a broad smile come over his face. For so long this place had been more of a home than anywhere to him, and he loved coming back. Mrs. Weasley appeared from nowhere and gave him a hug, saying how happy she was that he had come for the wedding, and could he please help them set up tomorrow.

He nodded quickly, still smiling, and then asked Mr. Weasley to expand his things back to their normal size. As soon as the spell was complete, he hefted the large trunk onto his back and started to make his way upstairs. Assuming he would be staying in Ron's room, he carried his trunk all the way to the top, bumping and clunking all the way.

When he reached Ron's room, he looked in but didn't find anyone. He suddenly realized that, other than Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, he hadn't seen another soul yet. He screwed his face up wondering where they might be and went back down stairs.

“Er, Mrs. Weasley, have you seen Ron?” he asked.

“Oh, yes Dear, he was outside weeding the garden earlier. Why don't you see if you can find him out there?”

Harry nodded and went out the door, holding it so it wouldn't slam shut behind him. He walked out into the garden, listening closely for voices. He went farther and farther into the overgrown walks and just as he was about to reach the end of the stone wall, he nearly fell as he tripped over the prone figure of Ron.

“Oi, watch where you're going,” Ron said, then looked around. “Harry! Bloody hell, you're here. Bugger, I thought you weren't going to be here until tonight. Dad must have left work early.”

“Well, thanks for the friendly greeting, mate. It's good to see you, too.” Harry looked slightly affronted by Ron's strange behavior and stood back a few steps from him.

“Seen Ginny yet?” Ron asked rather hotly.

“Er, no. Actually there was nobody inside when I got here but your mum and dad.”

Ron gave him a short look and then bent back over to retrieve his tools from the dark earth he had been working in. As he did, a stiff breeze came up bringing in low clouds and cooling the air so suddenly Harry would have sworn it was by magic.

When Ron stood up again, it was with a strange tool in his hand. Harry didn't recognize it from anything he'd used at the Dursley's while working in their garden, but he did notice it's rather sharp edges and pointed tip, which were aimed directly at him.

“Ron, what's going on?”

“I should ask you the same thing. You know, I could deal with it when you broke up with Ginny. I thought ‘give them a week and they'll be back together'. It's been a month Harry, and you still haven't talked to her. And then you didn't want us to come to your house. What's going on, mate ?”

Harry just stared. He hadn't seen Ron this upset since… well, he couldn't ever remember seeing Ron this upset. He held up his hands.

“Look, other than the fact that she's your sister, I don't see how this is any of your business!”

Instantly realizing that what he said hadn't helped, he reversed gears.

“Okay, that's not what I meant. I just don't want her to get hurt. If Voldemort found out that I… that we were, you know. I mean, if she were to go with us, she'd be in so much danger. What if she got hurt? It would be my fault for letting her come, and… and I don't think I could live with that.” He finished with such a low voice that Ron had to lean forward to hear it all. The sadness so present in his friend's posture and words suddenly made him feel guilty for yelling and he sat down hard on the ground.

Harry looked at him for a moment and then sat down as well. He found a convenient spot on the wall to lean against and rested his arms on his knees. Across from him, Ron picked at the ground with the strange tool, digging small holes and dragging ruts in the hard-packed earth.

“How are things with Hermione? Is she here yet?”

Ron looked up quickly, but then recovered and tried to act casual. “Yeah, she's here.” He rolled his eyes, fighting back a smile. “Ginny grabbed her the minute she came in the door and hauled her off to her room.” He swooped his hand in an upward arc through the air and laughed. “She looked surprised, but they're probably talking about girl stuff and didn't want us around.”

“Girl stuff? Like what?” Harry looked genuinely confused.

“Like what?” Ron laughed. “You don't know? They're up there talking about us, mate.”

Harry's eyes went wide. “About u-us?” he stuttered. “But what's there to talk about?”

“Plenty, I'm sure. Mostly about how daft we are.”

Harry breathed out through his mouth, leaning his head back against the hard stone wall. He could hear Ron picking at the ground again, and somewhere nearby the sound of trickling water lent a little peace to the garden.

“Ron,” Harry said slowly, “you know I'm not very good at this stuff. Did I really muck things up bad with Ginny?”

Ron stared at him for a moment, taking a deep breath and dropping his gaze to the ground again. “I was going to hurt you earlier, you know that, right?” Harry nodded and Ron continued, “We talked last night. She's hurt, and when I realized how bad, I got all defensive, and then… “ He broke off, jamming the sharp tool down into the dirt and looking up at Harry again.

“And then I realized how much I had cocked things up the last few years. I guess… I guess seeing her hurt by someone she thought she could trust made me realize how I had done the same thing. You and Hermione and I, we were always off doing something. We always sat together, we always hung out together. Just seeing the look on her face, because of what you did, it made me realize I should to make it up to her… I told her I'd start by talking to you today.”

“What I did,” Harry muttered to himself darkly. “She's probably better off without me anyway.”

Ron wasn't sure how to answer that, so he just grunted noncommittally. They sat in silence for a few more minutes before Mrs. Weasley called them to dinner. It was just as well because the light was beginning to fade and the shadows were getting very long. The orange light of the setting sun shown on the side of the house, illuminating the dust and bugs floating through the air. He took a few deep breaths and stood up, brushing himself off in the process.

“So, that's it?” Harry asked.

“Well, we're both blokes, what more is there? I'm supposed to get angry with you, you're supposed to realize you've been a right git, and then you apologize to Ginny and it's all over.”

“Ron, look, I don't know what's going to happen with her. I miss her, but everything is just so screwed up right now. I don't know what to do.”

“Well,” said Ron, “you can start by talking to her. You owe her that much, at least. And remember, I'm still her big brother, and I promised her I'd take care of her. If that means pounding you to a pulp, then so be it.”

Harry couldn't help but grin. “I'd like to see you try it.”

“Don't tempt me. I'm not through with you until I see the two of you work things out. I hate seeing her this way, and I hate knowing my best mate is why she looks so upset.”

Harry didn't say anything more and they turned toward the house. They wound their way back through the garden and Harry tried to slow his beating heart as he went inside, knowing he was about to see Ginny again.

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