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*Chapter 5 *

The Grinning Gargoyle





. . . Ginny was sitting on a balcony looking out at the dark mountain side. A white peacock was sitting on one side of her and a red suitcase was sitting on the other. She was feeding the peacock some wild berries; it was gently pecking them out of her hand. The peacock spoke to her with Harry's voice,"What's in the suitcase?" She reached for the suitcase and as she did a bee landed on her thigh and stung her. She laid the suitcase in her lap and opened it up. Inside were two beans, one pink and one blue, a pair of orange rimmed eyeglasses, and a cup of tea. As Ginny looked at the odd things over in her suitcase, the peacock said to her in Harry's voice again, "I am going to race up the side of the mountain. I will be back at dawn." He jumped off the balcony and raced up the mountain. As Ginny was waiting for the peacock to return she picked up the pink and blue beans, she ate them and took a drink of the tea. As the sun rose over the top of the mountain, she picked up the eyeglasses and put them on to see the peacock racing back to the balcony. He landed and dropped awater lily at her feet. She reached down and picked it up. . .

"Ginny . . . Ginny, wake up we are going to be late," said Hermione her head poking through the fireplace in Ginny's room.

"Late for what?" she said yawning.

"We are supposed to be at Madame Veils for our final fitting at ten o'clock this morning," she said."It's nine o'clock and please wear something nice. I will meet you there." Hermione disappeared.

Ginny got out of bed and went to her closet. She looked at all her clothes hanging there. A knock came on the door.

"Come in." She continued looking at her clothes as Mrs. Weasley opened the door and walked in with Dobby.

"Good Morning dear, sleep well?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Yeah. Mom we are going shopping for wedding stuff today then we are going out to diner later. Hermione wants me to dress up a little; I have no idea what I want to wear." She exhaled loudly.

"Well Dobby doesn't know much about clothing matters but he would think Miss Ginny Weasley would be very pretty in anything." He said bowing his head to her.

"Why, thank you Dobby."

"Dobby has got something special for Miss Ginny Weasley ma'am."

"What is it Dobby?"

"It is a necklace. You wear it where ever you go and Dobby will know if you are in trouble or not and he will be able to find you miss." He handed her the necklace.

"This is beautiful Dobby."Ginny was looking at the necklace closely. It was a diamond encrusted in what looked like platinum flames. She knelt down for Dobby to put it on her neck.

"Thank you Dobby."

He left the room and bowed to her. Mrs. Weasley said ad she was looking through Ginny's closet, why don't you wear what Hermione got you last year for your birthday. I t was a black'A' line mini skirt with a little ruffle at the bottom the fabric was chiffon, Hermione told her. The top was an emerald green top that dipped very low and wrapped in the front and tied on the side with long see thru sleeves that flared at the end. She remembered Hermione being so excited about it. Ginny had never worn it.

"Well it would make Hermione happy," she said to her mother.

Mrs. Weasley laid it on the bed told Ginny she was going out today she should be back later.

"Oh and Ginny dear if you decide to stay over at Hermione's let us know please."

Ginny nodded her head to her mother as she left the room. She got dressed in the outfit lying on her bed.

When she looked at her self in the mirror she thought out loud, "No wonder it's called a mini skirt!The top is a little lower cut than I would normally wear too."

The skirt struck Ginny mid thigh and the shirt showed the top of her chest. She felt like some of those women she saw in some of Hermione's 'Fashion Magazines' as she called them, she defiantly wasn't use to wearing this kind of attire. She usually wore older clothes because she worked with at the Ministry for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She looked at her self again then she touched the wand to her face her make up appeared, Ginny did not wear that much make-up, but today she wore a little more than she normally would. Then she taped it to her hair, it did alittle dance as well before it settled in a half up half down style. Then she thought well since I am going for awhole new Ginny today she tapped it again and her long red hair turned into shorter red hair with a messy look, it reminded her of Tonks or a fairy, only anormal color. Ginny had never had hair shorter than her shoulders but she could change it when the day was over. She sat down on the bed and put her knee length boots on that Hermione convinced Ron into buying to go with the outfit. She stood and looked in the mirror once more.

"Ginny Weasley today is the first day of the rest of your life . . . make it count!" She stuck her collapsible wand in the top part of her boot and (they were special made for collapsible wands with a snug pocket on the inside) grabbed her small purse to'match the out fit' and disapperated off to Madame Veil's.



Hermione was standing on the pedestal in front of the mirror, looking at her self, when Ginny entered the small shop. She did look very beautiful in her wedding gown. It was a very beautiful gown, in the medieval style, very low cut with a fitting waist, long flowing sleeves and about a four foot train. She kept checking her muggle watch for the time

"Oh, Hermione you look so beautiful," Ginny said with tears in her eyes. "Ron will probably faint."

"Ginny?" Hermione turned and looked at her with her mouth gaping.

"Well you said to wear something nice. So I wore what you got me my last birthday, seeing as I have never had a reason to wear it," Ginny said jokingly.

"Wow. I would have never recognized you. You look so . . . so great!" Her eyes still wide trying to get over the shock of Ginny's new look. "So um you need to try on your dress too."

"Okay, be right out."Ginny walked into the dressing room and changed into her dress. It looked like Hermione's minus the train only it was dark blue.

Madame Veil gave her wand one last flick, and said, "Okay dear, that will do it. You may come pick it up Friday."



They got dressed and walked out into Diagon Alley. They went to all sorts of shops that afternoon. They were finishing up at the Florina Floribunda's Flower Shop. Then they went to Olwick's Owl Post to mail off the Invitations to the wedding (it was a week before Christmas). Their day was filled with shopping for the wedding. Ginny was getting hungry and a bit bored.

When they got done they headed toward the Grinning Gargoyle, it was a new pub with a live band or singer and dancing on Saturday Night.

"Hermione if you had something to tell Ron that would affect his whole future in a way he was not expecting, would you tell him?"

"Yes, I think honesty in arelationship of any kind is really the best policy," she said as they kept walking. "Why do you ask?"

"Just wandering." She looked away from Hermione.

Ginny new any further conversation would make her think something was up. But she felt she should talk to Harry first. They were at the Grinning Gargoyle. You could hear the music from outside; of course Ginny heard it two blocks before. It was a pub really for younger witches and wizards, but you had a few older people there who liked to keep up with what the youth were doing.

Ginny could hear the live band performing in the background over the rumble of talking .The pub smelled of whiskey and smoke. Ginny could smell every type of tobacco being smoked. Ginny was a bit surprised to see so many of her old schoolmates there. She caught a glimpse of Harry and ducked to the restroom for a quick once over in the mirror, Hermione joining her.

The two of them made their way to the back through the crowd. She could hear the bellowing laughter from one of the twins.

"Hello every body it is so great to see all of you!" Hermione said setting her bags down beside her. "Luna I haven't seen you in ages, how are you?"

"Fine still looking for strange and exotic creatures, you know," she said with her dreamy voice.

"Tell me about it, she is hardly ever at home," Neville said rolling his eyes. Every one gave a big laugh.



"Well Hermione how was shopping?" Ron asked her as he pulled her seat out for her to sit down.

"Oh utterly exhausting,"Hermione said giving Ron a quick kiss. "Did you make it to Madam Malkin's?" She asked blinked her eyes at Ron.

"Oh, yeah we did that hours ago. Been poking around the quidditch shop most of the day," he said.

"Where's Ginny?" Fred asked.

"Hi guys how is everybody. For heavens sake Fred put that thing out." Ginny removed the smelly cigarette from his lips. "Don't you recognize your own sister?"

They all looked to see who was speaking.

"You tell him Ginny!" said Julia, Fred's wife. She was a very pretty woman with very blonde hair and brown eyes that looked like chocolate drops to Ginny. He met her in his Joke Shop in Hogsmeade she was a year or two younger than Ginny. She had a wonderful sense of humor, course she would have to, to put up with Fred.

"Bloody-hell!. . . Ginny?" Ron said as he spewed his beer.

"Wow Ginny, you look great!"said Fred standing to give his younger sister a hug. "About time you had achange. I think it suits you."

"Yeah metoo said Seamus." His girlfriend poked him hard in the sides.

"Thanks guys. Ron close your mouth you are going to catch afly," Ginny said.

She walked to the only empty seat at the table which was between Harry and Neville.

Harry got up and pulled Ginny's chair out. As she sat down he gave her a kiss on the cheek as whispered in her ear, "I like it too." Harry looked at her as she smiled at him.

"Dean what have you been up too?" Ginny asked.

"Well I've been in Spain doing this and that for the Department of Magical Games and Sports. That's where I met Rozalyn," he said gesturing to the lady next to him. She had very dark hair and eyes; she was very quiet, compared to Dean.

The conversations between the friends went while they ate. They all laughed and talked about what each other had been doing. Seamus had been in New Zealand that's where he met his girlfriend Naomi. She was an Aborigine; they were a group of people who also had there own magic. Neville was teaching at Hogwarts he took Professor Sprouts job in Herbology when she retired. George was married to Claire, Julia's twin sister (they were expecting their first baby in the spring). Harry was about finished with Auror training; he would be done right before Christmas. Hermione and Ron were about to get married. Ron was working in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. Hermione was at St. Mungo's worked in every Department they had.

"Isn't that Malfoy?" Ron said in a low voice as the others continued to talk.

Ginny, Harry and Hermione turned to see a young, long blonde-haired man walking across the room. He seemed to sense them staring at them as he turned slightly to look at them over his shoulder. Making quick eye contact with them, he said nothing and continued on about his business.
"Haven't seen him in a long time," Ginny said as she continued to watch him walk in the opposite direction.

"No one sees him much," said Ron, furrowing his brow shaking his head, "Keeps to himself for the most part."

Fred stood up and said to his wife, "Would you like to dance my dear?" They walked out to the dance floor.

Harry followed suit.

"Ginny, may I have honor?" he held out his hand.

Ginny took and walked to the floor with Harry. She could smell Sage and Pine on him. Ginny thought 'wow I wish my sense of smell would tame down a bit.' They began to dance to the song the band was playing.



(Back at the table)Hermione/Ron:



"Hermione did you do that to Ginny?" he looked at her very intent.

"I most certainly did not. She arrived like that at Madam Veil's. I think she looks good."

"Yeah and so does every other guy in here," he said with a slight pitch to his voice.

"So. Is there something wrong with that?" she said raising her eyebrows.

"Yes. . . . No, well maybe."

"Oh give it up Ron. Ginny doesn't have to ask her brothers for permission to look good," Claire chimed in. "It certainly looked like Harry noticed too!" she said teasing Ron.

Ron took in a deep breath, as if to say 'I am not going to win this one.'

"Hermione would you care to dance?" Ron stood up and bowed to her. They joined the others on the dance floor.

Harry and Ginny did not even notice how they had danced through several songs before the band changed. They didn't get to see each other very much anymore, what with her work schedule and Harry's Auror training.

"I guess we should join the others," Ginny said.

"If we must," Harry said looking Ginny in the eyes.

She lowered her head and smiled. But really she did not want Harry to look in her thoughts right now. He was very skilled in Legilimancy. She really did not think he would with out her permission but just in case. They walked back over to the table and sat down. Ginny could tell that the evening was winding down for everyone. They all started to leave at intervals until it was her, Harry Ron and Hermione left.

"What time is it?" Ron asked Hermione.

"I think it's about eleven thirty."

"Do you guys want to come to my place for a while?" asked Harry

"Yeah, we haven't done that in a while" Ron said looking at Hermione as if to say 'Do you want to go'

"Sure, it will be fun," Hermione said looking at Ginny



"Oh, okay. I will need to borrow Hedwig to send mom and Dob. . . .dad a note" Ginny answered



With that the four of them paid their tab and left the pub, heading for Grimmauld Place.