Disclaimer: I own nothing. I am merely borrowing some of J.K. Rowlings superb ideas.
His love of fall started when he was eleven. It was then when he learned the freedom the changing of the leaves brought. Every fall he escaped to Hogwarts away from his abusive Aunt and Uncle. Fall was her favorite season too. She had brought so much more meaning to the season and made him fall in love with it even more. It was during a colorful fall they were married in the backyard of the Burrow, but it was also in the fall when she left him. Whenever the air became chilled and the leaves began to change color he no longer felt the joy that he did once so many years ago.
The leaves crackled and shattered into hundreds of pieces beneath his feet. His son, a young red headed boy followed by his side as they walked silently towards the slanted house that was held up only by magic. It was the house that she had grown up in. The front yard was blanketed in multicolored leaves and bits of discarded rubbish such as rusted cauldrons, old brooms, and spare car parts that came from Mr. Weasley's small obsession with muggle things. From behind the house the playful shouts from a younger generation of Weasleys could be heard. The sounds of the Burrow weren't much different from when Harry use to visit during his school days, but it wasn't the same anymore. There was something missing.
----
Harry Potter had never been so nervous in his life. His heart was racing and threatening to burst out of his chest. His palms were covered in perspiration that he absent mindedly kept wiping on his pants. Even when he faced Voldemort he wasn't this nervous. He ran a hand through his already messy hair and fidgeted with bouquet of daffodils he was holding.
The train was four minutes late and the time it took for her to step down from the train was agonizing. She finally appeared surrounded by a group of chattering girls. Harry looked past the girls, she was the only one he was focused on. The world around him went into slow motion and all he could do was stare at her as his heart rate soared. He reached into his pocket to make sure the small box was still there. He was just so nervous that nothing would go right. Harry felt like he was in the middle of one of the corny muggle love movies that his aunt always watched. She was in the middle saying goodbye to several of her friends oblivious to Harry when he came up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist and whispered into her ear, "I missed you love,"
"Harry Potter," she scolded. "Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?"
"Yes, I can, but I brought you flowers, and I have something important to ask you" Harry said handing her the bouquet of daffodils he'd been gripping and then falling onto one knee. He fumbled in his pocket a second before producing a small black box and opening it to reveal a large diamond ring. "Ginny, I love you. I can't deny it. When I am with you I feel like I did the first time I flew. It's this feeling of loving something so much I never want it to end. Luckily, with you, and unlike flying I never have to let it end. When you're flying you have to come down sometime, or you risk falling off the broom and plummeting to your death. With you, that will never happen. I guess what I am saying is: Ginny Weasley will you marry me?"
The girls around Ginny giggled and swooned over the ring, but Ginny kept a straight face. "Nope," she said simply. Harry's face paled considerably but she continued. "Who do you think you are Mr. Potter coming here bringing me cheap daffodils and comparing me to you broom?"
"But I thought you liked daffodils?" The boy stuttered.
"I do." She said implying to the flowers, "But comparing me to a broom ride? Am I supposed to let you ride me forever?"
"Yes! I mean no. It's the only analogy I could think of that wouldn't manage to enrage you." Harry stuttered trying to defend his proposition. "It was Hermione! She's the one who told me an analogy would make the most romantic proposal."
Ginny guided Harry to his feet with a soft giggle and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "Harry, you should know I'd never agree if I couldn't give you a hard time first."
Harry looked at her relieve. "So does this mean you'll marry me?"
"Yes Harry, I'll marry you."
----
The backyard was set for a party. There was a large table of food that Mrs. Weasley had spent hours preparing. Streamers hung from the trees and brightly colored floating balloons secured to small weights littered the yard. Mismatched tables and chairs were set about the yard and were surrounded by freckled red-heads.
This yard was the place they had taken their vows. Ginny had walked across it wearing beautiful ivory robes and carrying a bouquet of burgundy and dark orange flowers with all intentions of swearing her love to him. This was where they united wands and exchanged rings. The yard had been full of people sitting on white wooden chairs there to watch the Harry and Ginny wed. It had been a perfect day for a wedding and there was nothing that could ruin it.
----
"Harry!" Fred called out, "Is there a reason our little sister isn't wearing white?"
Harry blushed and fumbled for a reply, but was saved by Ginny who came storming across the lawn holding her robes high so they wouldn't hit the ground and become soiled before the wedding and with tendrils of her recently curled hair bobbing in her face. "Ivory fits the season better than white," she informed them.
"Sure it does," said George joining in on Fred's mischief. "Of course your not wearing ivory because traditions state your longer pure enough to wear white."
Ginny's eyes narrowed. "Fred and George Weasley! I could care less about tradition. If I had wanted to wear white I would have." She turned to Harry and carefully removed one hand from its task of holding up her robes and kissed him letting her free hand gently roam down his chest. "Even if I went by traditions the lack of white would be well worth it."
----
They walked into the backyard and immediately a young girl ran up and hugged Harry.
"Uncle Harry!" she said ecstatically. She then turned attention to his son and attached herself to his left leg. "Dustin! My most favorite cousin in the world!" she squealed. "Mum say's we're having a party for you, and there's going to be cake. I like cake, though Grandpa and Grandmum say it's bad for my teeth, but I still like it."
Dustin smiled down at the freckled bushy haired girl of about five. "Yep, I leave for my first year of Hogwarts tomorrow." He lifted her up and swung her in a circle.
"Can I come too?" she asked excitedly.
"I don't know about that," Dustin said smiling. "I am sure your smart enough, I think you're even smarter than me, but I think your Mum would miss you an awful lot."
Harry watched as Dustin was pulled by his younger cousin towards his large extended family. Dustin was a name of strength. Ginny had insisted upon her son having a strong name.
----
Shortly after they had gotten married Harry came home exhausted from grueling Auror training to find her sitting on the couch reading through a book. He went to her and kisses her lightly. "What are you reading love?"
"Nothing to interesting. Just picking a baby name," she commented in nonchalantly.
"Baby name?" He stopped dead in his tracks. "Who's having a baby?"
She turned to her husband a smile graced her lips. "It seems that we have been visited by the Weasley curse of fertility."
His eyes quickly filled with tears of happiness it had always been his dream to have a large family. "We're having a baby? A family?"
She nodded. "Yes, Harry. We're having a baby."
"Have you seen a healer? How far along are you?" he excitedly babbled and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"I haven't seen a healer yet, but I made an appointment for next week. I took a home pregnancy test, that's how I found out. I don't know how far along I am but I'm only about two weeks late." Ginny calmly answered him. "Now are you going to help me pick out a name?" She pushed a book in his direction.
"A name? Already? We don't even know what you're going to have yet," a look of confusion crossed Harry's face.
"We're having a boy," Ginny said matter-of-factly.
"How do you know?" Harry asked.
Ginny grinned. "A mother always knows."
They sat silently paging through the books suggesting and occasional name. Harry finally looked up from the books. "All these names are too weird. How about Arthur James after his grandparents?"
"Most definitely not! I will not have a son with such a weak name. He needs a strong name. A name that will define his greatest qualities," Ginny ranted.
Harry mumbled something inaudible and started paging through the book. "What about Clancy. It means offspring of a red-header soldier. That would definitely describe our son."
Ginny shook her head. "I want a strong name, but not something that the other children would make fun of him for. What parents would torture their poor child with a name like Clancy?"
Harry rolled his eyes at his picky wife. "I'm glad you weren't this picky about a husband."
"Oh, but I was." She said snuggling against him on the couch. "I went for the best and I got the best."
Harry blushed lightly and went back to skimming the pages of the book. "Dustin. I like it."
Ginny peered over his shoulder at the book. "Dustin, valiant fighter and dark stone. Harry I think you found something I would actually consider naming our son." She kissed his cheek and went back to her reading. After several minutes she squealed, "It's absolutely perfect! Dustin Kane Potter-Weasley."
"What does Kane mean?" Harry asked.
"It means tribute, warrior, the doubly-accomplished, golden, man, the eastern sky, and beautiful. Please Harry it's perfect. Wouldn't you be honored to have a son with that name?" She gave him that puppy dog look that always made him melt.
"It perfect Gin."
----
The small girl led Dustin over to her parents. "Mummy, Dustin is going to Hogwarts tomorrow. Can I go with him?" She asked her mother.
"Trina honey, you can't go to his school just yet, but this year you start your own special school for kids your age." Hermione looked down at her daughter. "I don't think I ever want you to go to Hogwarts, you'll be so far away. Mummy would miss you."
Harry sat next to Hermione and bent over to whisper to Trina loud enough so her mother could hear, "You're Mum is just worried that when you go to school you'll be smarter than her."
"Harry!" Hermione scolded playfully hitting him. "That's not true."
Her husband Charlie chuckled from her side, "Moine you know he's right. You're afraid your top scores will be broken by your brilliant daughter."
Hermione turned to her husband and began to scold him. "Charlie Weasley! That is not true. I want my daughter to do the best she can in school and get the best grades she can! And if that means getting higher grades than I did, so be it!"
Hermione sat in her spot pouting in anger. Charlie lent over and kissed her. "Has anyone ever told you your beautiful when you're angry with me?"
"I hear it every time you piss me off." She smiled at him. His kiss quickly made her forget her anger.
They were the unexpected couple. During Hermione's seventh year Charlie was transferred to Hogwarts caring for the dragons that were stationed around the castle for extra protection. Their seventh year was a time of darkness, the student population dropped drastically. Students were kept home by their fearful parents, and some had left to join the ranks of Voldemort. There wasn't a school house left untouched by Voldemort's recruiting endeavors. It was eminent there would be an attack on the school so every available source of protection was used. Despite the darkness the two quietly formed a strong bond.
It was a surprise to most when he proposed to her the day after Voldemort's defeat. Both sides of the family were shocked to find out about their hidden relationship. The shock quickly turned to joy and the two were married that summer. They were the first of the Weasley clan to be married, and shockingly the last to start having children.
Hermione swore off having children, she wanted to further her education and become a working woman. Mrs. Weasley who was desperate for more grandchildren kept trying to convince her daughter-in-law that it was possible to have children and be a working woman, but Hermione would hear nothing of it. She amazingly put off the Weasley curse for eight years. Through out her entire pregnancy she whined about not being able to do field work for her job as an Unspeakable and how utterly boring sorting through reports and filing papers was, but once that child was born Hermione quickly became a proud mother. Being a proud mother didn't keep her from going back to the work she loved, but it did cut down her long hours at the Ministry. There was no longer overtime for Hermione Weasley.
----
Ginny had absolutely insisted on a home birth if her mother could do it, she could too. Harry had supported her throughout the pregnancy, but as labor progressed, Harry had come to doubt Ginny's claim.
It started simple enough. Little pains and whimpers at random intervals. Then when the little pains started to become stronger, Harry was still handling it alright. But when Ginny began yelling and pacing, Harry became a wreck. He tried to be there for her. Tried to be a calming hand to hold onto, but the further the labor progressed the more painful it became for Harry to watch. Soon he had managed to lock himself in the kitchen with a strong cup of tea, letting the midwife and Mrs. Weasley take care of Ginny.
He would occasionally join them in their bedroom, but would quickly retreat again to the kitchen claiming he had to do something. Mrs. Weasley seemed to mind this more than Ginny. At first she kept following him, giving him a bit of a scolding but, Mrs. Weasley finally gave up on pestering Harry so she could be with her daughter.
Harry sat sipping his fifth cup of tea trying to muster up the courage to go to Ginny again when the kitchen door burst open.
"She's ready to push," the midwife announces. "You better come quickly."
Harry rushed into the room, intending to be by his wife's side. He took her hand and lightly squeezed it. He had been preparing for this day for seven months now. He had read the childbirth books, taken a class with Ginny, and he was certain he was ready. He coached her as she pushed and peered between her legs waiting to see if the his sons head would appear. The first glance he got of the head made him woozy he never expected it to look like that. He could only assume it was the second glance that sent his body to the floor.
He woke up to the sight of feet. "Hey look, Daddy is finally awake." He heard a voice coo above him.
Harry stumble to his feet where he found the occupants of the room including his new infant son staring at him. Harry reached out to brush his fingers across the child's face.
"Ginny, he's perfect."
----
Across the lawn stood Fred and George with their wives. Just shy of two months before Ginny's due date Fred and George had insisted on holding a family only dinner party at one of their neighboring houses in Diagon Alley. That night the twins made an announcement that sent Mrs. Weasley into a fury. They had eloped earlier in the month to their long time girlfriends Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson. Mrs. Weasley spent a good portion of the night scolding them. She wasn't upset by the lack of a formal wedding, or because George's wife Katie had stomach swelled with pregnancy, but for leaving their families in the dark about the event. Once the fury worked its way out of Mrs. Weasley's system she hugged both girls and welcomed them to the family. That was one of the great things about Mrs. Weasley, she had been through so much in life she had learned that is was always useless to remain angry. George's first child, Andrew, was born several months after Dustin making them just far enough in age not to be in the same year together. Luckily Angelina had a child shortly after that giving Andrew family in the same year as him. The two were scheduled to start Hogwarts in a year, unfortunately for the Hogwarts staff they took after their fathers. Another unfortunate for the teachers of Hogwarts was that Fred and George Weasley seemed to have a bit of a competition going over who could have the most children. Harry had personally lost count after five children apiece.
As a young child Harry had dreamt of having a large family. He had every intention of raising his many children in a much better environment then he had grown up in. His aunt and uncle had taught him one lesson in life, a household without love is torture. Ginny had promised him that large family early on in their marriage, but unfortunately it wasn't to happen.
----
They had just gotten Dustin to sleep. He had grown so much since he was born and his first birthday was approaching quickly. Harry curled up against Ginny's warm body and gently stroked her stomach as she lay in bed quietly reading. She was only two months along in her second pregnancy. As they did with Dustin they had picked out a name the day her pregnancy was confirmed with a home pregnancy test. Harry lifted the thick comforter from Ginny's body and leaned down to kiss Ginny's stomach. "Good night my little Axelia Reagan" he murmured to her stomach. Harry replaced the comforter and settled onto his pillow welcoming a night of sleep.
In the early hours of the morning he awoke when he felt her roll out of bed and stumble towards the bathroom. Harry rolled over and waited for her to return so he could fall back to sleep with her in his arms, but time slowly passed and she didn't return. Worry overtook Harry and he got up and knocked quietly on the door and called to her, but he the only response he got was a muffled cry. He poked he head into the bathroom and found her sitting on the cold tile floor her body huddled in a corner silently shaking with sobs. He ran over to her and crouched down beside her. "Ginny love, what's wrong."
"Oh God Harry," she whispered, "I'm so sorry. I am so sorry." her voice began to rise. She clung to him her sobs no longer silent. "I woke up and I felt the cramps. I didn't think it was, I just didn't realize. There was blood Harry. Blood."
Harry helped her off the floor and to the bed his mind racing. He ran to the nearest fireplace and awoke the Burrow with shouts for help. Within minutes Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were in his bedroom. Mrs. Weasley helped Harry take Ginny to St. Mungos and Mr. Weasley stayed with Dustin.
It was nearing lunchtime when Harry apperated home. He found Mr. Weasley in the kitchen watching Dustin sitting in his highchair making a mess of his lunch as he ate. Harry stood staring at his son with a lost look in his eyes. Without speaking a word Mr. Weasley took Harry by the arm and led Harry to the living room and to a seat on the couch.
He searched his son-in-laws blood shot eyes before questioning, "How is she?"
Harry tried to put on a hard face but was breaking inside. "They say Ginny is doing well. We…" He stopped to swallow down a sob. "We lost the baby," he finally said barely above a whisper. Mr. Weasley was at a loss of words. Harry sat before him his eyes brimming with tears, trying to be strong for Ginny and his family, but he was broken. Harry tried to continue. "They say that everything should pass from her body within twenty-four hours. They plan on sending her home with medications to prevent infection tomorrow." He buried his head in his hands trying to hide is grief from the older man.
Mr. Weasley put an arm around Harry in comfort and murmured, "It will be okay son."
Harry clung to Mr. Weasley, he let go of everything he was holding inside and sobbed, he cried for his wife and her pain, he cried for his lost daughter Axelia and how she never got the chance to see the world, and he cried for himself. He clung to Mr. Weasley for what felt to be hours, but was only about ten minutes before the tears subsided. "Harry why don't you go take a shower before going back to St. Mungos, Molly is with Ginny. I know they will understand."
----
Even now remembering that night Harry was left hollow. One of the people he loved more than anything was ripped away from him. It wouldn't be too much longer until a second person he loved was taken from him too.
Harry was brought out of thought by Ron who was standing in front of him. "Sorry I'm late," Ron said. "She has to pack everything in that damn diaper bag, because you never know what's going to happen." Ron motioned to his wife who currently engaged in a heated conversation with Hermione over the existence of Terry Hooked Squawkers, which were suppose to be a small water fowl that lived in a cove on the island of Greenland. Hermione's body language showed that she was becoming frustrated with Luna. Harry still didn't understand what brought Luna and Ron together. He had always assumed Ron was a bit more sensible, but he was now taking his family on vacations at least once a year to hunt down rare unheard of and probably non-existent animals. Ron once admitted to Harry that he didn't believe half of the stuff Luna did, but as long as he could do something to make her happy he would. Harry could see that Ron truly did love Luna. Every time they looked at each other there was a spark in their eyes.
"How's work?" Harry asked his friend.
"Great as ever. We just closed up a great Quidditch season with the World Cup." Ron was proud of his work. After the war the Ministry was only beginning to get back on its feet with a newly appointed Minister of Magic. Ron entered the Ministry as an assistant to the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports. They had slowly begun to rebuild the Quidditch League which had been completely disbanded during the war. It wasn't until recently Ron was appointed the new Head of the department. "How's work for you, Harry?"
"I love it. I don't think there's anything else I'd prefer to do." Ron grimaced at the reply. He didn't understand why Harry had given up his new found career as an Auror after Ginny's death. He didn't understand that after going through the process of watching someone you are so tightly bound to slowly die that your dreams change. He didn't want to stop the bad guys anymore. They weren't responsible for the pain he went through, he needed to help others. Help them through the same pain he had encountered. That was why two months after Ginny's death he put in a notice to the Ministry of Magic and went into training to be an aide for St Mungos' hospice. He was doing the simple work that many wouldn't want to do. He would wash the bodies of the dying and change their linens. He would listen to their concerns with a friendly ear and just hold their hands if they needed it. He was there also to help their families with the grief that he had so much trouble handling on his own.
----
He came home from another day at work. He found Ginny on the couch with her knees to her chest staring at their son playing with his toys on the floor. She hadn't been well since she miscarried two months ago. At first she was emotionally ruined, as was Harry. They finally had come to the decision to place a memorial stone in the small Cemetery on the Weasley property with their lost daughter's name. This helped them both. It gave them closure. Ginny however emotionally better was sinking physically. She was becoming weak, she no longer had beautiful pink vibrant skin but was pale, and she had begun to lose weight. She went to healer after healer looking for a diagnosis. Most wrote her off as depressed from losing a child, but she knew they were wrong. She had finally found a healer that was willing to run an assortment of tests to find the cause of her failing health.
Harry walked over to her and hugged her from behind. "You saw the healer today?"
She nodded and her eyes glazed over.
"Did you find anything out?"
She nodded again. "Yes, that it's my fault we lost Axelia."
"Ginny, you know that's not true," Harry comforted. "What did the healer tell you?"
"Disease is spreading through my body, which is probably why I miscarried. I am dying. I have about nine months to live." Her face was expressionless; she had already spent most of the day finding a way to accept her diagnosis.
"Ginny, can they treat it? There has to be a way." Harry searched her eyes pleading for an answer.
She shook her head. "It's to advanced. Bury me next to Axelia's memorial stone? I want to be close to her."
"Ginny!" he said harshly. "You're not going to die. We'll find a way there has to be a way."
"No Harry, there isn't a way. It's spread to far. Even the muggle methods of cutting out the disease or trying to kill it with poisons wouldn't begin to help. I am going to die."
Harry tightly embraced her tears leaking from his eyes. She ran her hands through his wild hair and kissed his forehead. "Please don't cry Harry. I've suspected I wasn't well for awhile. My body is slowly dying. I knew it inside for so long and the healer only confirmed it today. We have to make use of what precious time we have."
----
Bill was helping his wife up from the ground where she had tripped over a branch and fell face first into the cool earth. He and Tonks has been the last marriage in the Weasley family. About seven years ago they married in a simple ceremony. They had long been lovers, but marriage wasn't a priority until the Weasley curse left Tonks pregnant. They now had two children. It was often said when they weren't around that they stopped at two children because of the fear that in an act of clumsiness Tonks would drop a child. This wasn't true though; Tonks was a wonderful mother who had never put her children in any sort of danger.
Percy sat next to Bill the two brothers were deep in conversation. After Voldemort's return was announced to the public Percy apologized to his family, but he stuck by Cornelius Fudge's side. It was only after Fudge had been dragged from the Ministry by Death Eaters and was publicly tortured and killed in the middle of muggle London that Percy joined the Order of the Phoenix. It was only then that his bond with his family began to tighten.
Percy was the only Weasley child that had avoided marriage. He was however the first Weasley to bring home a child. The winter before Voldemort's defeat Percy showed up at the burrow with a baby of six months in his arms. He wouldn't tell anyone where she had come from. At first his parents feared the child was his as they didn't know what had happened during the time he was away. He could have fathered a child in that time.
It became evident as the child grew that it held no Weasley blood. She had a pale perfect skin, no blemish or freckle would ever plague it, light almost white blond hair, and intimidating grey eyes. She had no hints of any of the Weasley traits and was even sorted into the Slytherin house at Hogwarts. Through the years Percy refused to tell his family nothing of her heritage. He only told them her name Cassiopeia Morrigan Weasley. She remained a mystery for years until the summer before she left for Hogwarts. He gathered his family and began to tell them a story.
He was willing to do anything to prove himself to the Order. Dumbledore sent him to a safe house to check on the occupants, inside he found Draco Malfoy clutching a baby girl. Draco had explained how he'd went to Dumbledore in his sixth year for help. He had done something disgraceful to the Malfoy name; he had fallen in love with a muggle born. Rather than face his fathers wrath and his love's impending death he hid under Dumbledore's cloak. Dumbledore protected him and his love for as long as he could by keeping them at Hogwarts, but the day came when they discovered she was pregnant. Dumbledore immediately sent them to a safe house where they later gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. It wasn't long after that that his lover was killed. Death Eaters found their location and killed her while Draco was forced to watch. By some miracle they never checked the small bedroom where Opeia slept through the massacre. Once they left, Draco who was bruised and broken took his child back to Hogwarts and Dumbledore to be relocated.
When Percy found them, their location had been leaked and Draco knew it was only a matter of time before Death Eaters showed up to kill him. He had pleaded with Percy to take his child and raise her as his own. Begged him to not let anyone know her true heritage as long as Death Eaters still had the tiniest hold of power. Percy tried to bring Draco with him, to lead him from his death but he refused. He no longer wanted to put his daughter in danger. Percy left Draco sitting on a worn couch waiting for his certain death. Percy exited the house carrying the child, behind him he heard the cracks of people apperating and he heard Draco scream. Without looking back he apperated with the child to Hogwarts where Dumbledore legally changed the child's name from Malfoy to Weasley.
It was only years later when Percy knew that his daughter was safe from harm that he told her and his family the truth. She was entering her third year at Hogwarts now and had quickly become her house leader. She took after her biological father in so many ways, but unlike him she wasn't blindly led by hate for so many years.
----
It was nearing the nine month mark since Ginny's diagnosis. She had hung on through her son's second birthday, but it was feared that she wouldn't hang on much longer. When she started to slide quickly downhill she began refusing to go to St. Mungos. "I don't want to die in a hospital," she told Harry. So she stayed at home. She had fallen so far they now had constant nursing care within the home. Ginny slept most of the time but when she awoke Harry was by her side. "Harry," she whispered. "Please when I leave, take care of Dustin, and take care of yourself."
"Ginny, your son will have the best life I can give him," Harry murmured the words into her hair.
"But Harry, promise me, you'll move on, you'll find someone new to spend your life with," she pleaded with him.
"Ginny I wont promise you that, I can't promise you that," Harry said softly.
"At least promise me you'll do what it takes to make yourself happy." She searched his eyes with hers.
"Ginny, I can promise you that." He stroked her hair and embraced her.
"Harry," she said with tears gliding down her cheeks. "I just want you to know that my life with you has been perfect."
The next morning she didn't wake. She fell into a deep sleep and died two days later with her family by her side.
----
The party slowly broke up with the onset of night. Harry and Dustin were spending the night at the Burrow along with Percy and Opeia. The next morning they were to all go to King's Cross with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to watch the children part on the Hogwarts Express.
That night Harry laid in bed listening to his son's heavy breathing unable to sleep. He slipped from between the sheets and threw on his cloak. He silently made his way from the house and through the moist crisp night he walked to the furthest edge of the Weasley property where the family cemetery sat. Her gravestone sat next to a smaller stone which held the name of the child they had lost ten years ago. He ran his hand over the smaller stone and then knelt before the place Ginny was laid to rest.
"Ginny," he said out loud. "God, I miss you. Tomorrow Dustin leaves for his first year at Hogwarts. I can only hope he turns out different from his parents and stays out of trouble." Harry chuckled softly to himself and continued, "He's grown up so much, it's amazing. I did as I promised and I took care of him. I think I did a pretty good job. Your family has been such a great help, I don't think I could have done it with out them. I've been happy in life, Ginny. I know I promised you that. You begged me to move on once you died. I've been trying. I promise you I have, but so many years ago I found perfection, and it's hard to settle for less. I never have problems finding dates; my problem is that I never have problems finding their faults. Recently I have been seeing a new woman from work. She's wonderful. She has a son near Dustin's age and the two get along beautifully. I'm afraid though, I look at her and I can see myself with her. I can see myself growing old with her." Tears escaped the corners of Harry's eyes as he reached out to touch the gravestone. "I came out here to say my final goodbye. I'll always love you, and you'll always be the perfection I loved, but I'm moving on."
Authors Note: This is something I started writing almost two years ago. I had become quite the fanfic geek while I was taking a well needed break from college. I was running with a wonderful group of Harry Potter fans that were my muses. One of the girls, Amira, was an avid Harry/Ginny fan. I have never and still don't care for the Harry/Ginny ship, but I wrote this on a bit of a bet with her. She didn't believe I could write mush, and she didn't believe I could manage to make her cry. Needless to say I won when she read an early draft of this. When I began writing this story, I fell in love with it. To my amazement I was able to write the bulk of it in two sittings, it would have been one, but I had to sleep sometime. I've always meant to edit this story and make it stronger and better, but never had the time. I would occasionally sit down and work on it, but never finish it. Over this Christmas break, almost two years after I had begun it I sat down and finished it. I really hope that people enjoy this, I hold this story dear to my heart and am quite proud of it!
CAAEN FOREVER!
-----casi