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Title: Bill Stops By

Contributors: wolfie_weasley, ginny_ginger, _weasleyking_

Edited by: Carla Lute

Posted: 2005-10-10 to 11

Game Date: August 12th

Disclaimer: No one at Levicorpus owns Harry Potter, the world or its characters. We just like to play in J.K. Rowling’s world..

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Ever since Bill had been able to return back to work, it had been nothing but complete chaos. For the most part, days at Gringott had been mad. People were coming in droves so they could pull out enough money just in case Gringott was the next place to be hit by Death Eaters or Voldemort himself. Though there was also the paranoia of knowing where your money was! It seemed very much like human nature to observe the worse, and thus becoming self secluded with you hoards of money on hand. So naturally, Bill was sitting at his desk sorting through all sorts of withdrawal requests and the occasional wiring of money to relatives and any friends that were in need of it; generally because they had a death in the family, or their house had been damaged due to a recent attack on muggles.

It wasn't a very good time, and personally Bill didn't enjoy being at work. His wounds were still a little bothersome, though they had come along rather nicely throughout the summer time. Now many of the shallow scratches were down to just a pink outline, the others however were still currently in a Muggle form of stitches, the nurse believed that would be the best way for them to stay closed while assortments of ointments went to work actually getting rid of the scar tissue. Never mind that however, he was just extremely happy that Gringotts didn't shun him for not being partially lycan.

After a long day of work, his eyes feeling dry from the dust of the office, he was allowed to go home, though it was reaching the gauntly hour of 10pm. Apparating from the office to the outside of the Burrow, as it was not exceptionally safe to be staying at his flat, he rubbed at his eyes before opening the door and being greeted by the enjoying warmth of the Burrow, he wanted nothing right now than a good cup of tea and some sleep, as hard as it was to achieve with so many people now residing there. To be sure, he would probably be stopped numerous times before making it to the room him and Fleur currently shared, which his mum still thought rather undesirable, but she kept quiet due to the only fact that it took up only a small bit of the currently shrinking Burrow space.

Ginny was sitting at the table in the kitchen drinking a hot cup of tea, the kettle resting beside her, when she saw her brother walk in through the front door.

"Bill!" she shouted, "What kept you? Harry's here, did you know?" she asked, grabbing another teacup and filling it with the hot concoction.

With an exhausted huff, Bill fell into one of the kitchen chairs, smiling gratefully for the cup of tea already prepared for him by Ginny. "Work kept me, it's never ending, and it's just getting worse! At this point, I'm going to be staying there till midnight for the rest of the week. I wish people would just wizen up and realize that Gringotts is NOT going to be broken into, and even so, we have insurance to cover anybodies money." Sipping at the cup of tea in delight.

"Yes, I did hear about Harry and his arrival. How is he doing anyway? I'm sure you know all the wonderful details." Chiding his younger sister.

Ginny took another sip from her own cup of tea, and sighed, "Well, that's no good," she said, "This means that my time with you before you're all married and serious is going to be incredibly limited."

"Gosh, I don't know, we haven't been doing a lot of talking since he got back," she said, very tongue in cheek, enjoying the look on Bill's face.

"Oh, don't worry. While we're all rather busy with one thing or another, you'll still have enough time with me. Plus, it's not like I'm disappearing after the wedding. Well, maybe for a week for the customary honeymoon," which he was excited about, naturally. "Once that's done, I have a feeling we'll still be here. Mum is just crazy worried if we go anywhere else, which Fleur's a little sour about, but she'll get over it. I agree, me and Fleur should be here with everything going on." Giving his sister a reassuring smile.

"Talking hmm? What about if I may ask?"

"Don't have too much fun on your honeymoon, we're running out of room as it is," Ginny said with a laugh, "Mum is just the crazy worrying type. What did you expect? Though I'll be glad to have you around." She returned his smile with her own.

"Oh, I meant that we HADN'T really been...talking, persay."

He laughed a bit as his sister's comment, she was a witty thing, but with a family taken over by the male population, she needed to be. "Oh don't think we'll get to that soon here. I should think it smart to wait until you know, the war and such is over. Raising children in all this? That's just insanity."

Sipping more from that tea which shook off the tedious day at work quite wonderfully. "Oh right, well I suppose I can see why given the past you two have. But don't you think it right to seriously discuss it? You are no longer 10 and he is no longer 11, it would be right, as soon to be adults, to treat this as an adult situation." His older brotherly advice now kicking in.

Looking down into her cup with a little sigh, she said, "I think that's a good idea. Harry would probably agree with you there, too," remembering his parents, and thinking of how differently his life would be if they had somehow survived. Or how different her life would be if Harry hadn't.

A little nervous to have this conversation with her older brother, Ginny said, "Oh, well, I was kidding," she sputtered, "I mean, we haven't been dating since the end of the school year. You know. Though we really haven't talked all that much."

Turning back his attention to Ginny, thinking it might be better to drop this conversation due to the fact that Ron probably wouldn't be up for such, he shrugged and left it with one more bit of advice.

"Well, I suggest that you do, at least to clear some things up, otherwise you two will regret it, and with how things are coming along in this whole mess of things, you two might not have a lot of chances to settle anything."

Ginny looked intently down at her teacup as he spoke, knowing full well that he was right. Harry and she were probably both confused about our relationship, among other things, and patience was only a virtue when there was enough time to wait. "I guess so," she said, still not daring to look up, "Do you ever worry about Fleur?"

"Sure I worry about Fleur, it's natural for anybody to worry for the person that you care about the most. It's natural that Harry worries about you and you worry about him. But if that's why you two have been acting so incredibly timid towards each other, then I'm seeing that as a grave mistake."

Pausing for a moment, listening to the clock ticking a small tune for the three of them, he did enjoy the late nights, when everything was calm and soothing.

"But here's the thing, Ginny. As much as I worry about Fleur, I worry more about leaving her here. When that foul beast attacked me, I was worried about her well being, not my own. I do not hope that for you or Harry, and to be realistic, there is a possibility either of you can experience something similar. So I suggest that words need to be exchanged to at least avoid regret."

The way his words struck her was rather sudden and unexpected. They were being timid, they were playing games, and they were dancing around the larger issue of them both wanting to be more than friends, but Harry wouldn't let them be. A discussion needed to be had. If something happened to her or Harry, would she feel good about their relationship right now? Would she be okay with never knowing how he felt, or without him ever knowing how she felt? The obvious answer was no. She cared about him far too much to let him live the rest of his life not knowing that. However long that was.

With this, she gave an involuntary shudder, and a soft, automatic nod in Bill's direction, chancing a glance into his eyes. "I was terrified when that happened to you. When that werewolf bit you. And then I was worried what Fleur would think with you all scratched up," she admitted meekly, "But she really didn't care." That seemed like real love to her, Ginny thought. People who care about each other enough that they don't care about one individual part of that person. Bill was a packaged deal, scars and all, and Fleur cared so much that she didn't care. A Paradox, perhaps.

Bill gave Ginny a subtle smile, she wasn't the only one who would think that about Fleur, he knew probably the whole family did, so it was good to finally know that they understood how Fleur really did feel.

"I believe she's been trying to show the whole lot that since we've arrived there, but you and mum honestly did not give her the time of day. So maybe now you'll be nice to her, and at least treat her like your future sister-in-law? Nobody enjoys being the odd one out, despite how they act." Lowering his voice for Ginny, "especially being sometimes bossy and arrogant, but that's why I'm marrying her." Giving his sister a wink before rising from the table, patting her lovingly on the head. "'Night Ginny, I am glad we have these talks once and awhile, good for us both." Before heading upstairs for much needed sleep.

Ron walked downstairs, through the quiet house. Not expecting anyone to be up, he was surprised to hear voice and see the flicker of fire against the wall. Walking into the kitchen he wasn't surprised that it was Bill and Ginny up.

"Mind if I join you two?" Ron asked, sitting down at the table, rubbing his face.

"Hmm..?" Before looking up, giving his brother a smile. "Of course we don't mind, have a cup of tea while you're at it." Sliding Ron another teacup in his favor. "We're just enjoying some idle chit chat, you know, life and whatnot." Leaning back into his chair feeling extremely relaxed at this point.

"So why are you up at such a late hour?"

"Chit chat. My favorite," Ron said, a small smile on his face. Taking the cup, Ron played with it for awhile before finally taking a sip.

"I don't know. Just couldn't fall asleep tonight." Ron looked at his older brother. At the scars littered across his face. It hadn't changed him. Made him a little more rugged. But the thought that someone so close to him could have been killed by such a ruthless animal like Greyback revolted Ron. "Work keep you late?" Ron asked, snapping back to reality.

"One of those nights, we all have that. Though I'm sure mum would be furious to see you two up. Don't worry though, I'll make sure to lie and say it was my fault." Giving his siblings a wink.

"Yes, work seems to enjoy keeping me late, though really everybody there is totally exhausted. I'm just extremely happy that they didn't decide to let me go due to my...injuries. But that's probably why I enjoy it there, they understand that this war will have its drawbacks."

"I'll blame it on Fred and George even though they're not here. She knows they're crazy enough to cause some sort of disturbance without actually being here," Ron said, toying with his now empty cup. "That's the thing with working at Gringotts. I doubt they care about appearances. You could not have a face and still be more attractive than the lot that works there."

Bill leaned over to ruffle a bit as his brother's hair, Ron did always make him smile when he needed it. To be chipper was vital in their everyday life, and Ron seemed to add to that without a blink.

"Thank you for that, but you're quite right, I'd say I'm still rather attractive, though oddly enough, by Goblin terms, they believe I've become even more attractive than before. Imagine that, I'd hate to see what their more attractive female happens to look like."

Bill had been ruffling his hair since he could remember. It always brought a smile to his face and tonight was no different.

Ron guffawed. "Umbridge," he said shortly. "Hem, hem."

Though Bill didn't know the whole story with Umbridge, she still had an extreme reputation at Gringotts, not to mention a long lived odor that just seemed to find it's way down to even his office. The woman, in his own experiences, was a horrid over bloated billy goat, with the devil eyes to boot. So the comment of comparing Umbridge to the goblin females made him tip back on his chair with an uproaring laughter.

"Oh my, dear Ron, sometimes you surprise me and give me exactly what I need from a hard day's work. Though to be quite honest, the goblins even find her ugly. Call her a warty old hag behind her back. She still seems to think she has the right to prance around at Gringotts, or rather, loom around at Gringotts."

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