...And another one opens - Part 5

Hermione had apparently been struck dumb by the lack of order in the kitchen and hung back slightly in the doorway, while Ron simply slipped into his customary seat at the table and tried to remain unnoticed. Harry wasn't quick enough to follow suit.

"'Arry!" Fleur shrieked, gracefully moving away from Charlie and towards Harry. She took him in her arms and kissed him on each cheek. "I am zo 'appy to 'ave you here."

Fleur's shout had alerted the rest of the Weasley family to their arrival, and Harry shifted uncomfortably beneath all the attention.

"Hi, Fleur. Hello, everyone," he mumbled, feeling the heat rise to his face.

"Oh! You're all here," Mrs. Weasley cried, rushing over to crush Ron in her embrace before pulling back to look him over carefully. Finding no apparent cause for concern, she turned around and treated Harry and then Hermione to the same treatment.

"We're here, and we're fine, Mum. Nothing to get so worked up about," Ron grumbled, wiping his face of his mother's kisses.

Harry pulled away slightly and stood with his back against the wall as Ron greeted the rest of his family. He scanned the room yet again, cursing his traitorous heart for its pathetic hopefulness.

How was his resolve ever to hold if he'd trade the world for the mere sight of her at the first chance he got? His breath caught in his throat as Ginny came down the stairs and stopped at the bottom, her eyes taking in the happy welcome.

She looked like an angel as she floated down the stairs, and Harry thought his heart would burst from simply seeing her again. The morning sun streaming in from the kitchen window lit her hair with a fiery brilliance that Harry longed to run his fingers through. Her hair had always been so sinfully soft, and he loved to touch it.

Time lost all meaning, and, for a brief moment, he was back at Hogwarts, and she was still his. He knew he was staring, but he couldn't seem to drag his eyes away. It took all the force of will he possessed not to cross the room and take her in his arms. Suddenly and for a moment that seemed to last an eternity, nothing and no one else mattered to him.

Her eyes locked on his, and while time stood still their fierce gazes raked over one another as if each were committing every detail to memory to reexamine on lonely nights apart.

Dear God, she's beautiful.

Gripping the amulet in his pocket fiercely, Harry forced himself to breathe and drag his eyes away. That was exactly why he had to stay away from Ginny. He was powerless against her charm, but there were things that had to be done, and he had to be the one to do them.

If anyone else had noticed his brief lapse of resolve, they didn't say anything, although he was certain he could feel the heat from Hermione's stare on the back of his neck.

Ginny entered the room and walked towards Ron, gently nudging him on the shoulder. "Welcome home, Ron. I'm so glad you managed to get here in time to do some of these chores. The family that works together shares in the joy together," she said in a singsong voice.

"Great," Ron grumbled, pulling an apple off the table and biting into it.

"Hi, Harry. Hi, Hermione," Ginny said brightly.

Harry's heart nearly broke in two. Leave it to Ginny to act as if nothing had changed and there wasn't this huge wall of tension between them.