"So, what now?" Ron asked, his hand still entwined with Hermione's.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking down the stairs from Dumbledore's office.

"I'm going up to the common room." Harry only had one thing left to do and could not contain his smile as he thought of what awaited him.

Sensing what he wanted, Hermione said, "We'll go downstairs, and make sure nobody comes up."

Smiling, as he watched his two best friends walk down the corridor, he turned and headed for the Fat Lady, the portrait that guarded the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower. When he finally walked through the portrait hole, his heart jumped into his throat. The very person he was looking for was sitting on the couch staring anxiously into the fire, her tousled red hair falling in front of her pale and delicately freckled face. She didn't hear him come in and was startled when he sat down next to her.

"Hey, Gin." Harry said hesitantly.

She turned to look at him slowly, her golden-brown eyes brimming with tears and slapped him hard on the cheek before collapsing onto his chest and allowing herself to be engulfed by his strong arms.

"I... thought... you were... dead!" She sobbed, clutching his shirt, taking comfort in his familiar smell. "Don't ever do that to me again!"

"I will never leave you again. Will you have me back?"

Composing herself, she looked up into his emerald eyes, "I thought I had lost you forever. I have never been more scared in my life. All I want is you."

Harry couldn't control his sudden, overwhelming desire; he leaned his head down, and their lips connected. In that one kiss, Harry felt everything that had happened wash away. He was happy, he was content, and nothing was going to stop them from having a future together.

"I want to be with you forever, Gin. I have missed you so much- I just didn't feel complete. But now that I can hold you in my arms again, I finally feel whole. You are the only one for me, Gin?"

For a moment, Harry was speechless, completely in awe of her beauty. Her gorgeous long hair was cascading over her shoulders, and all he wanted to do was run his fingers through its softness. Her eyes were dry now, but he reached up to wipe away a stray tear away. She took his roughened hand in hers, and pulled it to her heart.

"Yes?" she said, looking up at him.

"Marry Me?" He hadn't planned on asking her, but as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew it was the right thing.

Tears welled up in her eyes again. She dropped his hand and leaned in to kiss him. He immediately pulled her closer to him, running his hands up and down her back. She lifted her hands and tangled her fingers in his unruly hair, pulling his face closer to hers. Harry didn't want to stop. He was perfectly happy to spend the rest of his life kissing her. When the need for oxygen became overpowering, he very slowly and reluctantly pulled away.

"I'll take that as a yes!" Harry whispered, grinning from ear to ear.

"Always," she said, closing her eyes and laying her head on his shoulder. Harry lay down on the sofa, and she fit in his arms perfectly, beside him. They stayed there quietly for a while, enjoying the simple pleasure of being together again. When Ginny's breathing slowed, Harry closed his eyes, inhaling the scent of her hair. Happier than he could remember he too fell asleep.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -