The idea for this came to me when someone showed me some of Blvnk-Art (which is incredible) over on Tumblr. It was an image of Teddy playing the guitar. Mix that with all the posts from various people claiming Harry would just do things because it was funny or to mock his relatives. I liked the idea of Harry finding some way to express himself through something other than yelling. I plan on doing some family moments in the future, such as Lily bringing home a boy for the first time. Which is why this is also marked with the family tag.


"Harry, you're never going to use it. It's such a waste of your money," Hermione's mothering tone always reminded Harry of homework. Well, the homework he skived off till the last minute. Now, at the ripe old age of nineteen, one would figure he would be free of Hermione's nagging, but someone doesn't change overnight they say.

The object of her distain was a Fender Classic Acoustic Guitar. He Hermione, and Ron had been wandering through the streets of Muggle London when Hermione had requested they visit a thrift shop a few streets down. The boys had agreed, semi-grudgingly, but in the end, had enjoyed the merchandise available. Harry had been partially enchanted with the dark, wooden guitar. The way the neck seemed to gleam in the light of the room… If he was completely honest with himself, Harry had always found the idea of learning an instrument enticing. While in primary school, most of the children could study a musical instrument. Dudley had chosen the drums, so he could hit something. Harry, however, had not been allowed to join the class, because his aunt and uncle hadn't "trusted him with such expensive equipment".

Then, while at Hogwarts, Harry had bigger issues than learning how to actually play the flute Hagrid had given him in his first year. Not to mention he always imagined himself as more of a guitar man. He had the slim fingers that were ideal to move up and down the strings.

Harry had his own money, he had his own flat, he had some free time… why not learn to play the guitar? When Harry mentioned the idea to Ron, he had just slapped him on the back and wished him luck. Hermione, however, seemed to think the idea of him learning the guitar preposterous, something Harry took rather offensively.

"Hermione," Harry tried to keep his voice level. "I think it would be nice to learn something that isn't used for fighting Dark wizards."

Ron snorted. "Well, you could try to use it in a fight. Maybe if the bad guy hears your singing they will surrender."

"Why would they surrender?"

"Well, mate," Ron shuffled his feet. "I've never heard you sing, but I doubt you're like that Mitchel Jason Hermione keeps mentioning."

"Michael Jackson, Ron," Hermione correctly automatically. She then turned her attention to Harry again. "Harry, it just seems frivolous."

Harry glared at his two friends. "First of all, Ron, I wouldn't have to sing. I could just learn to play songs without words. Secondly, Hermione, it's my money I can do what I please with it."

Ron gave him a smug smile that Harry wanted to punch off his face. "Sure thing, mate. What would be the point without having some lyrics? People who play the guitar always seem to sing as well."

"Not always," Harry claimed. "The guitarist for the Weird Sister's doesn't sing."

"She does backup vocals though, and the main singer can also play the guitar."

"So maybe I'll learn how to sing well, along with figuring out how to play the guitar." Harry was started to feel real annoyance. Now he really wanted to get the guitar just to spite his two friends.

"I'll bet on that," Ron claimed.

"On what?"

"You learning to sing and play guitar." Ron grabbed the guitar from its rack on the floor and handed it to Harry. "We'll make it a little gamble. How long do you think it will take you to learn to play well? Two years? Three years?"

"Er…" Harry didn't really know how long it would take him to be any good at the guitar. In his mind he had the rest of his life, now Voldemort was gone, to practice, but now his pride was in question and his stubbornness had taken hold. "About three years or so."

"Alright, so how about this, you have three years from today to perform a song… how about at the Burrow? That way we can have multiple listeners and everyone can vote on how well you do."

Sweat started to form on Harry's palms, but he raised his chin defiantly. "Okay, you're on. What happens if I forfeit or completely bollock it up?"

"This is so stupid –" Hermione started to say but Ron overrode her, "How about you have to pay for me and Hermione to go on holiday for a weekend."

Harry's eye brow rose, as Hermione flushed. "And if I serenade you all?"

Ron arrogant smile returned. "If you can impress more than… let's say five people, not including Ginny or Mum because you have them wrapped around your finger, I'll pay for you to go on holiday for a weekend."

"Me and Ginny," Harry bargained. Ron's smile fell as he gave his best mate his "brotherly glare", as Ginny called it. Though he accepted his and Ginny's relationship, Ron liked to live in denial about their physical relationship… Not that Harry minded, he had no desire to discuss sex with his girlfriend's brother, even if the brother was his best mate.

"Fine, you and Ginny," Ron conceded. He cocked his head to side, looking at the instrument in Harry's hands, then a mischievous grin, that Harry had always admired in Fred and George, came to Ron. "How about we up the stakes?"

Harry looked at his friend quizzically. "How so?"

"If you can write your own song and preform it and get the five votes, I'll send you on holiday for a week, where ever you want. No help writing it, however, it has to be your own work"

That was incredible tempting. A week away, just him and Ginny. Maybe somewhere warm where she could wear one of those skimpy swim costumes… Yeah, that would be nice. "What if I don't get the votes on the song I wrote?" Harry asked, making sure he knew the all the terms of Ron's bet.

"Simple, you send me and Hermione away for a week, wherever we want."

Hermione was shaking her head, but remained quiet. Clearly, she had given up on bringing any of her logic into their conversation. Ron still had the self-satisfied smile, obviously doubting his best mate's song writing ability. To be fair, Harry had never been great at writing essays at Hogwarts, so he doubted he would be good at writing songs, but he didn't have to write his own song necessarily. He could just use someone else's song and still win a free weekend away with Ginny.

Harry stuck out his head. "It's a deal."

Ron grasped the outstretched hand and shook it enthusiastically. "Well, you best go purchase that and get home to practice. Three years will fly by before you know it."

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Ron hadn't been wrong about the years flying by. Between his career as an Auror, helping to raise Teddy, having a professional Quidditch player as a girlfriend, Harry lacked free time. However, he made sure to practice his guitar every night, unless he was away on a case. Even if it was only thirty minutes, he made sure to practice a new cord, rhythm or accompaniment. If Ginny spent the night, she would sometimes sit in the room with him, listening to his repeated tries to play selected songs.

When he had bought the guitar, he had also purchased some books explaining the cords and how the strings can combine to make pleasing sounds. They also had songs to rehearse, old Muggle classics like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Froggy Went a Courtin'. He also made sure to learn some song he could use in the bet, he enjoyed classic rock songs such as Carry on My Wayward Son and Hit Me with Your Best Shot. Their cords weren't difficult to perfect and Muggle rock artists didn't always have the greatest voices, so he wasn't too worried about the singing portion.

However, Harry wanted to completely prove Ron wrong, so he did decide to write his own song. He would spend late nights sitting in his living room, a fire blazing, strumming cords, working with anything he could draw inspiration from. One night, when he was with Ginny, he made real progress. She had claimed his couch, spread out, a book floating in the air above her as she read.

The sight of her… she was incredible and she had chosen him. Why she put up with him, he never could understand? He was a moody, workaholic and she was a spirited, strong, temptress who could be with anyone she wanted. She had dealt with him for years now, from back in a time when he was bitter about the world and the prophesy, to now when he was annoyed with his name being dragged in the papers. Even more, she dealt with her name being dragged through the mud because she was with him.

If he had it his way they would stay like this forever, comfortably laying around his flat. Free to be themselves. They could talk with one another for hours, lay in each other's arms in front of the fire, be together in any way they desired. Then, just like the Knight Bus, out of nowhere and fast, he knew he wanted Ginny. He wanted to have that dream of being together forever. She would be his and he would be hers.

It was a stroke of genius, his hand moving across the parchment starting to form phrases and lines. He knew what he wanted to say, who he wanted to say it too, and how he wanted it to end.

Ginny looked away from her book, to see why his quill was scratching so loudly. "How's it going over there, music man?" Her voice was filled with humor as she smiled at her boyfriend.

"Great. I've decided to write my own song for that bet with Ron," Harry informed her, not looking up from his writing."

"When is that due, anyways?"

"Three weeks."

Ginny smiled. "At my birthday party, huh? Are you going to serenade me for my present?" She had said it in a joking manner, but that had been Harry's intention when he started writing.

He decided to play it off, however. "If you would like it to be."

"Well, I don't know if it can beat the new Firebolt you gave me last year, but sure."

"Alright," was all Harry said and continued to write down his thoughts before they left his mind.

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"So, Ginny told me that you wrote her a song for her present," Hermione said, taking the empty seat next to Harry. All the Weasleys had gathered at the Burrow to celebrate Ginny's twenty-first birthday. Everyone lounged around the warm lawn, talking and eating Mrs. Weasley's delicious food.

Harry nodded. His guitar sat to his left side. He had finished the song only last night. He had stayed up late, perfecting the rhymes and the progression of his cords. Though his stomach was filled with fluttering wings, he was also highly anticipating Ron's stunned expression.

"Well, I'm looking forward to it," Hermione smiled at him. "As much as I disagreed with the purchase at first, you have used it quite a bit. Not to mention I want Ron to stop being so smug about it all." She moved in closer to his ear. "He already has his holiday spot picked. As much as I want to go on holiday, I would rather you prove him wrong."

"Thanks, Hermione," Harry told her sincerely, "I would love to prove him wrong as well."

Hermione laughed. "So, how was the song writing process?"

"Honestly…" Harry thought about it for a moment. "I didn't think anything would come to me, but the words came out of nowhere. I just wrote what I was feeling."

"That's incredible, Harry. Well, I hope everyone likes it. You need at least five votes, without Ginny or Molly."

"Yeah, but that leaves you, Arthur, Fleur, Bill, Percy, Audrey, George, Angelina, Arthur, Andromeda. Do you think Teddy and Victoire count?"

"I don't see why not. They can tell bad from good even at a young age."

"So, I only really need half of the people here to like it."

Hermione smiled and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I'm sure you will get Fleur's approval if it's a love song, she's very sentimental that way."

Harry laughed, just as Molly called for present opening. The Weasleys and their significant others all gathered around a table set out in the garden. Harry took a chair next to Ginny. Now that the time was approaching the fluttering turned into something more extreme, his hands seemed clammy and his face felt slightly flushed.

Ron glanced over at him periodically, his smile growing wider and wider. Ginny had only just unwrapped her final gift, a pair of dragon hide gloves Charlie had sent from Romania, when Ron said, "Well, that's everyone…except Harry. Mate, what did you get Ginny?" He put on such an innocent act that only people who knew about their bet, that being himself, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, would know he was fishing for the bet.

Hermione shook her head at her boyfriend's actions, but smiled at Harry, trying to send her encouragement. Ginny glared daggers at her brother, but also let Harry defend himself.

"You're right, Ron," Harry tried to keep his voice from wavering, "You didn't see my present on the table, because I have a special gift for her." He stood and brought his guitar over from his original seat.

George was grinning from ear to hole. "You're gonna play a song? The Chosen One can play guitar?" He looked over at Angelina. "How the hell didn't he have more girls fawning over him at Hogwarts?"

Angelina looked at her new fiancée. "Most of us girls on the Gryffindor Quidditch team had a thing for Harry at one point."

Harry was momentarily distracted. "Wait… Really?"

Angelina nodded. "Oh yeah, but we all knew you fancied Cho."

Ginny rolled her eyes. Harry decided it was time to move on, he didn't want to talk about Cho. "Anyways, yeah, I can play guitar. Actually, I wrote this song."

"Merlin," George muttered. "If Witch Weekly knew about this."

No one seemed to pay George any mind however, all eyes were focused on Harry. If he hadn't been nervous before, he would be feeling it now. He positioned the strap over his shoulder and placed his fingers in the starting position of the E cord. Slowly he began, trying to forget about everyone watching him.

I found a love for me

He moved from E to C with easy, having practiced for the last few weeks. He let his mind focus on the cords. He didn't want to remember this wasn't his private study where no one could hear him.

Darling, just dive right in
And follow my lead
Well, I found a girl beautiful and sweet
I never knew you were the someone waiting for me
'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love

Harry refused to look up from his guitar. He felt self-conscious about his singing voice, but no one was saying anything, and Harry figured if he really did sound awful George would boo him, maybe even throw tomatoes.

Not knowing what it was
I will not give you up this time
But darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own
And in your eyes, you're holding mine

Baby, I'm dancing in the dark with you between my arms
Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song
When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath
But you heard it, darling, you look perfect tonight

Well, I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know
She shares my dreams, I hope that someday I'll share her home
I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets
To carry love, to carry children of our own
We are still kids, but we're so in love
Fighting against all odds
I know we'll be alright this time
Darling, just hold my hand
Be my girl, I'll be your man
I see my future in your eyes

He couldn't prevent himself from taking a peak from his guitar. The only person he looked for was Ginny. In his split-second look he could see a brightness in her eyes. She must have been trying so hard not to laugh, that tears had sprung to her eyes.

Baby, I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms
Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song
When I saw you in that dress, looking so beautiful
I don't deserve this, darling, you look perfect tonight

He took a moment to focus on the guitar, calming himself. Going from G to Em to C then D. He took a deep breath before finishing.

Baby, I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms
Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song
I have faith in what I see
Now I know I have met an angel in person
And she looks perfect
I don't deserve this
You look perfect tonight

Harry strummed his final note, but kept his eyes down cast. The garden was silent except for the sound of bugs' wings whizzing by. Then, the echo of someone putting their hands together made Harry look up. George was applauding, and not in a mocking tone. His face was serious and impressed. Then Bill joined, as did Fleur. Eventually, the entire table was clapping, except for Ginny.

Ginny was just watching him, those brown eyes he adored flecked with unshed moisture. "Harry," her voice sounded choked, "that was… incredible." No one was clapping anymore, they were watching the couple.

Finally, Harry's nerves started to dissipate, until he remembered the other task at hand. "Ginny, I may not be the best at expressing myself, but I love you." Harry pulled the guitar over his head and set it on the lawn. "And if you'll have me, I would like to marry you." He reached into his pocket and retrieved the ring he had found in his family vault two years ago.

The once unshed emotion now flowed down Ginny's cheeks. Harry remained standing watching her, waiting for her to say something… anything. Then finally she said, keeping her eyes trained on the ring sitting in the palm of his hand. "What have you done to me, Harry James? I've never been a weepy girl. Here you go preforming such a beautiful song, and then you think it's the time to propose to me?"

"Uhh… Yes?" Harry wasn't sure if there was a correct response to this situation, it was unknown ground. Ginny started to chuckle as she met his eyes. She stood, and pulled him into a fierce embrace. "Can I take this for a yes?" Harry asked hopefully.

Ginny started to laugh harder. "Of course, it's a yes, you prat." She leaned up and kissed him hard. Harry could hear sniffling and the sounds of someone sobbing, but he had more pressing thoughts on his mind. When they separated, Harry looked over Ginny's head at his soon to be in-laws. Arthur was beaming, holding his wife as she seemed to be the cause of the sobbing. All of Ginny's brothers were smiling too.

Ron was the first person to speak, "Well, I guess I'll be paying for your honeymoon, mate."

Harry grinned at his best friend. "Yeah, that sounds fair."

Ginny pulled back from her new fiancée and turned to face her youngest brother. "You bet you will, for a song like that… you're sending us on a two-week holiday, not just the one you thought you could get away with."

Ron put his hands up in surrender. "Sure, Gin."

As the years passed by, Harry would regularly take out the guitar and play nonsense rifts. Especially after the kids were born, something they found entertaining when they were young. They would jump around as he would play a frantically paced beat. As they aged however, they found their father playing the intro to any Muggle pop song just frankly embarrassing. Sometimes Harry would purposely pick a song that would annoy his children.

Harry would still write down any songs that came to his mind. Most revolved around Ginny and their family. His first day as a married man. Ginny having a miscarriage. The first time he had ever felt James Sirius move in his wife's stomach. Holding his daughter for the first time. Watching Arthur fall ill and pass away. His fiftieth anniversary. Ron dying from a heart attack at eighty. Harry would commemorate moments in his life with songs, but none he held as dear as his first song… To him it was perfect and said everything he wanted.

When Ginny fell ill three days after her one hundredth and sixth birthday, he pulled out his guitar and played her song, though it hurt his old fingers. He wanted her to always remember his love for her. When she passed a day later, Harry held his guitar close. If he had the energy he would have written a song, but no, he just held close the memories. When he died four days later he arrived at the Burrow, the version of the Burrow he had seen at age twelve. There in the back garden was Ginny, watching and waiting for him with a joyous smile. She looked just as she did at twenty-one, beautiful and full of life. He rushed over and brought her close to him.

"Hello, my love," Ginny said keeping him held to her tightly.

"I've missed you," Harry claimed into her hair.

"I've missed you, too. Will you… will you play my song for me?" Harry looked up and noticed his Fender Classic sitting on the grass.

"Of course." He disentangled himself and picked up the guitar, positioning his fingers to start with a E cord.


If you have any suggestions please leave feel free to send me a message or leave a review with your song suggest. The song in this particular chapter is Ed Sheeran's Perfect. A song I highly recommend.