Secret Love

Chapter 14: Secrets at the Burrow

The journey back from Gringotts was quiet, filled with the weight of everything Harry and Ginny had just learned. Neither of them had expected their trip to the bank to unfold in such a life-altering way. They held hands tightly as they approached the Burrow, their hearts pounding in unison as they prepared to tell Mrs. Weasley the shocking news.
When they entered the kitchen, the warm, familiar smells of cooking filled the air, but the comforting atmosphere did little to calm their nerves. Molly Weasley, who had been preparing dinner, turned around with a smile, welcoming them back."How was your trip, dears?" she asked, wiping her hands on her apron and glancing at their intertwined fingers.Harry and Ginny exchanged a glance, both of them trying to muster the courage to tell her. Finally, Ginny spoke, her voice wavering slightly. "Mum, we... we need to tell you something."Mrs. Weasley's smile faltered, and her brow furrowed in concern as she noticed the serious expressions on their faces. She put down the spoon she was holding and walked over to them, her eyes scanning both of their faces."What is it, Ginny?" she asked, her voice gentle but worried.Ginny took a deep breath. "At Gringotts... we found out some things about our soulbond." She paused, struggling to find the right words. "It turns out that being soulbonded doesn't just make us emancipated. It... it also means that we're married."Mrs. Weasley's eyes widened in shock. "Married? But how can that be? You're only fifteen, Ginny! You're just children!"Harry spoke up, trying to explain as best he could. "We didn't know, Mrs. Weasley. The goblin, Ranrok, told us. Apparently, in the magical world, a soulbond is considered a marriage. Legally, we're husband and wife now, no matter how old we are."For a moment, Molly looked like she might faint. She sank into a chair at the kitchen table, staring at them with wide eyes. "Married," she repeated, her voice faint. "My baby girl... married."Ginny quickly knelt beside her mother, taking her hand. "Mum, I know it's a shock. Believe me, Harry and I were just as surprised. But... it's the law. There's nothing we can do to change it."Mrs. Weasley shook her head, still trying to wrap her mind around the situation. "But you're so young. You haven't even finished school! How can they expect you to be married at your age?""We know," Harry said softly, stepping closer. "But we didn't choose this. It just... happened. And honestly, Mrs. Weasley, I love Ginny. I can't imagine my life without her, and this bond—this marriage—just makes that even clearer."Ginny nodded, squeezing her mother's hand. "I love him too, Mum. And no matter how crazy it seems, we're going to figure this out together."For a long moment, Molly was silent, her expression torn between shock and concern. Finally, she let out a long sigh, her shoulders sagging in defeat. "Well, I suppose... if this is the way things are, there's nothing I can do to change it."Ginny gave her a tentative smile. "Does that mean you're okay with it?"Molly looked up at her daughter, her eyes softening. "I can't say I'm happy about it, Ginny. I'm worried for both of you. But... if this is what the law says, then I'll support you. You're both good kids, and I know you'll handle this responsibly." She paused, her voice taking on a slightly more serious tone. "But you should be careful. Your brothers—especially Ron—might not take this as well as I have."Ginny nodded. "We were actually going to ask you to keep it a secret for now. Harry and I are still processing all of this ourselves, and we're not ready to tell everyone just yet."Mrs. Weasley pursed her lips, considering it for a moment. Then she sighed again. "Alright. I'll keep it quiet, but you should probably hide those rings. The boys are bound to notice eventually.""Thank you, Mum," Ginny said, leaning forward to give her mother a hug. Harry could see the tension in Molly's shoulders ease slightly as she hugged her daughter back.Mrs. Weasley pulled back and glanced at their hands, where their wedding rings gleamed softly in the kitchen light. "A simple Concealment Charm should do the trick for now. Just be careful. Magic like this has a habit of fading at inconvenient times."---Later that evening, after Harry and Ginny had cast the Concealment Charm on their rings, the Burrow was buzzing with the usual dinner-time chaos. The entire Weasley family had gathered around the table, laughing, talking, and passing food around. Despite the earlier conversation, things felt almost normal again. Harry and Ginny shared a few glances, relieved that for now, their secret was safe.But during the meal, when Ginny stretched her arm across the table to pass Ron the salt, disaster struck. The Concealment Charm, which had been holding strong all evening, suddenly flickered out. The soft glow of Ginny's wedding ring became visible as she handed Ron the salt.Ron's eyes, sharp as ever, immediately caught the glint of the ring. His brow furrowed, and he frowned at his sister's hand."Ginny... why are you wearing a ring?" he asked, his voice filled with suspicion.Ginny froze, her hand still hovering in the air. She glanced quickly at Harry, who was now sitting rigidly beside her. The entire table fell silent, every Weasley turning to look at Ginny and Harry with wide, curious eyes.Harry knew in that moment that there was no way they could keep this secret any longer.Ginny lowered her arm slowly, biting her lip as she looked at her brother. "Ron... there's something we need to tell you. All of you."Fred and George leaned in closer, their mischievous grins fading into genuine curiosity. Bill and Charlie exchanged glances, while Ron's frown deepened with confusion."What's going on, Ginny?" Bill asked, his voice gentle but concerned.Taking a deep breath, Ginny stood up, her hand reaching for Harry's. They both rose from the table, facing her brothers with an air of inevitability."It's... complicated," Ginny began, her voice steady despite the anxious flutter in her chest. "Harry and I... we went to Gringotts today to talk about the soulbond. And we found out something we didn't expect."She paused, glancing at Harry, who gave her an encouraging nod. "The soulbond... it doesn't just emancipate us. It... it also makes us married. Legally."For a moment, the silence was deafening. The words hung in the air like a storm cloud, ready to break. Fred was the first to react, his eyes widening in disbelief."Married? You're married?" he sputtered. "Bloody hell, Ginny! What do you mean married?"George, equally stunned, let out a low whistle. "I knew you two were close, but this is mad."Ron, however, didn't look amused. His face had gone pale, and his fists clenched at his sides. "You're joking, right?" he asked, his voice dangerously low. "You can't be serious. You're fifteen, Ginny! You can't be married!"Ginny squared her shoulders, her chin tilting up in defiance. "It wasn't a choice, Ron. It's the law. A soulbond is a marriage in the magical world. Harry and I didn't plan this—it just happened."Ron's face turned red with anger. "So, what? You're just fine with this? You're just going to be married like it's no big deal?"Harry stepped forward, his own frustration rising. "It *is* a big deal, Ron. But what do you expect us to do? We didn't ask for this, but we love each other, and we're going to make it work."Ron's glare shifted to Harry. "You love each other? You're kids! You don't even know what love is!"Ginny's eyes flashed with anger as she took a step toward Ron, her fists clenched. "Don't you dare talk to us like that, Ron! I love Harry, and he loves me. We're not children anymore, whether you like it or not."Mrs. Weasley, who had been quietly watching the exchange, finally stepped in. "That's enough, all of you," she said firmly, her voice commanding attention. "This is a shock to all of us, but fighting isn't going to help."Ron looked like he wanted to argue, but he bit his tongue and sank back into his chair, glaring at Harry and Ginny from across the table.Fred and George exchanged glances before Fred finally grinned, his usual humor returning. "Well, I suppose this means we have to start calling you Mrs. Potter, doesn't it, Ginny?"George smirked. "Blimey, Harry, you work fast."Ginny blushed slightly but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "Very funny, you two."Bill, ever the voice of reason, spoke up. "Look, this is a lot to take in, but if it's the law, then we'll have to accept it. But you two need to be careful. Marriage is a big responsibility, even for adults."Charlie nodded in agreement. "He's right. This isn't something to take lightly, but I trust you both to figure it out."As the initial shock began to fade, the tension around the table eased. Harry and Ginny exchanged relieved glances, grateful that most of the Weasleys seemed to be handling the news better than expected.Ron, however, remained silent, his face still set in a stubborn scowl. It was clear that he wasn't ready to accept the situation just yet.After a few moments, Mrs. Weasley sighed, placing a gentle hand on Ron's shoulder. "Give it time, Ron," she whispered. "They're still the same Harry and Ginny you've always known. This doesn't change that."Ron didn't respond, but Harry could see the internal struggle in his best friend's eyes. He knew it would take time for Ron to come to terms with this new reality, but he also knew that they couldn't hide from the truth anymore.As dinner resumed, the conversation slowly shifted to other topics, but the air in the room felt lighter. Harry and Ginny shared a quiet, reassuring look across the table. They had faced the first of many challenges, and though there would undoubtedly be more to come, they knew they could face them together.No matter what happened, they were in this for life—husband and wife, bound by love and magic.