Neither one of them were cowards. Harry would never back down from a fight and Ginny wouldn't stand by and let Harry defend their family by himself. From their apartment in Grimwald Place they could hear the screams of people and the footsteps fleeing down their street away from the coming onslaught of dragons.
The fire breathers were burning the small city to a crisp, straight off the map. Ginny felt warmth from above her and caught a peek of flashing red in the corner of the room. The fire about to rip through the floor of her first apartment, that had eventually become their first apartment. "Harry! A little help!" She scoops the baby Albus in her arms and grabs the three year old James Serious's tiny hand in hers and places it on her belt loop. "James, hold tight to mummy. It's going to be ok." His large shining brown eyes look up at her, jet black hair already flirting with his eyebrows, that damn potter hair, he whimpers quietly and tilts his head in a tiny nod - if three year olds nod.
Her wand finds it's way into her newly free hand pointing at the fire spreading over their heads she points her wand "Aquamente!" the fire retreats a few feet fro the stream of water. "Merlin's balls, 'Arry! Get your arse up 'ere."
Harry's feet pound up the stairs, four paws of the family dog follow right behind. "Oi, a little busy down 'ere." He wipes the sweat beading at his hairline starting to drip down his brow on the back of his arm plastering his black locks to his forehead.
"Shut it. Take James will you." His wife yells over the roar of the fire above, shooting another stream of water from the end of her wand. The little tyke is now on his father's hip who is stealing Albus from the spell yelling Ginny. "Get them out of here!"
"Pads, grab on you mutt." Their large black dog wraps his jaw around baby James crimson shoe. A lot pop fills the air and the Potter boys arrive in the grass at the burrow. Teddy who was sitting on the porch in no doubt brooding over this latest screw up with Victorie jumps at the sonic boom of their appearance.
" 's going on?" The singes on the shoulders of Harry's sweater hiss out with smoke. Harry puts James on the ground and shoves the baby into into the the young man's hands turning to walk away from the group to apparate back to his wife. Almost dropping the baby out of surprise Teddy " How c'n I help? Let me fight with you!"
Harry turns back, a fire in his eye that his godson has only heard stories about and Pads bounds at a limp toward his best friend ready to return back to the action despite his smoking leg. "NO! Stay 'ere Serious! Remus take care of the them." Twisting away from Teddy and the bunch now wide eyed in shock Harry realizes what he's said. He turns back mouth agape at his dog and human responsibilities, no words can come to his shattered heart, there is no apologizing or explaining what he's just said.
The stricken expression on Teddy's face and Pads bowing his head in a whimper hit him in the gut but he has to get back Ginny. She can't take those dragons by herself. A wave of his wand and a silver stag is in front of him. "Get the Order. Dragon's attacking Grimwald place. Kids safe. Need help." and with that the silver patrons disappears in a streak to reach help.
The familiar tug pulls at Harry's already flipping stomach. His feet hit the ground and heat blasts over his skin. "GIN! WHERE 'RE YOU!" The aquamente spell turns to steam before it gets two inches from the tip of his wand. "GINNY."
Three of the eight or so dragons stoping through the burning village turn to him, two others surround a soot covered and coughing Ginny wand in hand shooting blasts of light at the horntail straight in front of her twisting trying to fight from three sides. He apparates one more time so his back is pressed against hers, their shoulder blades touching and body heat adding to the burning air surrounding them. He trips on a burned stick at his feet, a glint of melting gold lettering catches his eye for a second. His wife's broom burnt past recognition, they must have shot her out the sky...
The sudden extra heat from her husband at her back is a comfort to her blistering skin. Help is here finally. "The kids?" she pants, sweat dripping down her face. Please. Let them be safe.
"Safe. Order's on the way." He reaches back with his free hand and wraps it around hers. And points his wand at the beasts threatening them. Giving her sweaty palm a squeeze the Potters send a fury of curses at their ugly armored assailants.
"Oi, took you long enough." Ginny's glances over her shoulder casting a smile that brightens her ash smeared face. Harry catches glimpse of the Horntail reared back in the air roaring and clawing at it's shout - trying to fight off a bat boogie hex.
That's my girl. "Oh, shut it." He can't help but smile back. His green eyes shining bright in contrast to the glowing shades of reds and oranges surrounding them.The glint of hope from his eyes gives Ginny's aching arms new life just in time as the horntail has returned, ignoring the unsightly protrusions from his smoking shout.
The Potters fight the dragons back to back all too expertly for such young parents, trying to buy enough time for the rest of the Weasley clan and the remaining Order members to get there. Fighting the burning pain from their charred blistering skin they turn in a circle to face new opponents. Spinning and passing each other in a closely choreographed dance flashes of green and red brighten the clouded air. The other dragons roar as more lights brighten the smoke letting her see the pairs of her friends and family go to work on the other monsters. They are here. Ginny lets herself sigh.
Now face to face, watching each others back, Ginny closes her eyes, a tear streaking down her face leaving a trail in the dirt and grime plastered there by these monster's destruction. "Harry, I love you." Her wand hand grabs the back of his head, pulling him into a quick kiss. The long crafted wood presses to the back of his head between her fingers and the heal of her palm.
He returns the snog mid battle holding her back in it's center he allows his eyes to close and drink in the last taste of her on his lips. The sticky heat cracked lips coated in ash don't taste good, bitter and salty, but he'll take it. "I love you too." Harry feels a drip of water trail down the side of his nose, eventually acting as a minuscule salty quench to his dry mouth.
The air heats around them, fire spreads unwelcome kisses their skin, and the two eyes lock in understanding. Her bright brown eyes glowing in a hard blazed look, yet still tender to Harry, His shining greens seem as deep as ever to her, but still manage to burn with determination and life, and the mischief that she saw for the first time at the age of 10 in a boy who seemed so lost.
Ginny's chest rises and falls against his in a slow breath calmly taking in the toxic air. "Cover me." The wand hand removed from his head and he follows with his from her back; preparing to give it their last effort as the surrounding five dragons open their mouths in unison and sparks erupt deep in their throats.
"Always."
With a great collision of flashing spells and fire the Potters join a familiar crowd sitting around a table in a bright room with no walls. A man with shaggy black hair and glasses, his arm around a women with vibrant green eyes smiling at each other. A red head with both ears and laughter in his eyes. A pink haired women sitting on a scruffy man's lap. A handsome man with long black hair raising a glass of firewhisky with barking laughter. A large man with a roaming eye shaking his head at the table's end. And a small elf wearing too many hats and mismatched socks standing at's it center turning his large brown eyes filled with joy to the couple "Welcome, Harry Potter and his Lady Wheezy."
