I Love You

Harry sat by the lake, staring out across the water. All those years, all those years of learning, searching, trying and it was all over now. He couldn't believe it was all over. He could feel his heart thumping hard inside of him. He was still alive. He knew one of them had to go, and he fought to make sure it wasn't going to be him. However, even in fighting for it, it was not until this very moment that he felt truly, and completely alive. There was no more mark of death hanging over his head. There was no more mission consuming his life. He felt waves of emotions, from relief to extreme sadness. In the midst of his thinking he felt a hand rest on his shoulder and jumped.

"Sorry," Ginny knelt down next to him. "I didn't want to interrupt but I saw Ron and Hermione leaving. If you want to be alone, I can go," she had a hesitant look on her face. Harry looked at her and felt his heart calming. He didn't say anything, couldn't really say anything yet. He just took her hand and pulled her down next to him. She understood his need for silence. It was amazing to Harry, how easily she was able to read him. They had been apart for almost a year and yet feeling her next to him, he couldn't imagine a time where they had ever apart. She belonged next to him.

The wind gently blew against Harry's face and he took in a deep breath. The air felt different. It was fresh and it was light. He knew he had a million things that he needed to do but he couldn't wrap his mind around any of it. He thought of the bodies laid out to rest in the Great Hall. He thought of the rubble that lay behind him, his home, in ruins. He thought of a whole wizarding community celebrating and wondering what came next. He closed his eye. What was next for him?

"I love you," he turned and looked at Ginny. She had been gazing at him since she had sat down, waiting for him to start. He could see her eyes well a little but she blinked back any tears. He reached up and touched her cheek. Her skin was warm and soft, just the way he had remembered it.

She smiled. "I love you too Harry Potter."

The Little Things

"You got on?" Harry shouted, elated. He picked Ginny up and spun her around.

"Put me down you goof," she laughed as she landed back on her feet. "Yes, I got on!" she beamed.

"I am so proud of you," Harry leaned forward and kissed her. "I knew you would get it. Those Harpies would have been stark-raving mad not to accept you." He stared at his girlfriend with an immense measure of pride.

"Well I had a great coach. I wouldn't have gotten this far with out you my love."

"Oh shut your mouth, you're amazing and you know it. Remember all those time back at school when I was suspended from playing, you took over for me and won us all those championships," Harry thought back to sixth year. He could still picture that clear blazing look she had as she ran towards him after they had won. That was the first time they had kissed.

"I am rather good, aren't I?" Ginny stuck her tongue out at him, a sign that she was joking around."

"Well I'd say the Harpies think so," Harry pulled her close to him. "And you know what I think," he decided that before she could try and continue with her modesty he would cut her off. His lips pressed against hers and he felt her hands weave around his neck. As the couple shuffled back and fell onto the couch together Harry pulled back and looked at the girl laying next to him.

Words could not begin to describe the appreciation he had for her. If it wasn't for her he'd be completely lost at that very moment. She was there with him every step of the way after the Battle of Hogwarts, as it was now known. She helped him pick up all the pieces. She helped him get through his Auror training. She understood when he needed to be alone. She gave him his space without any question. While time passed and people began to move on with their lives, she understood that for him, moving on wasn't going to be that easy. And in return he understood that things were not so simple for her either. She had been there too. She had experienced loss and sadness just as great as his. They had been each others saving grace.

Eventually, time began to move on for them too. Harry began to realize it when it wasn't just the big things he focused on anymore. He wasn't worried about the big picture. It was the little things that brought him happiness. It was the way she snored softly in her sleep but vehemently denied it every time he brought it up. It was the sight of her chopping vegetables as she tried to follow a crazy recipe she wanted to try out. It was the way she absentmindedly bit her nails when they were waiting on something. It was the sound of her voice that greeted him when he got home everyday. It was all these little things, as well as the big things, that made the ties that bound them unbreakable.

Marry Me

"You know mate, you'd think that after killing the most evil wizard of all time, doing this would be easy," Ron teased as he watched Harry pace nervously back and forth across the room.

"Oh don't listen to him," Hermione shot her husband a look. "Ask him how easy it was for him to do. Right mess you were, weren't you?"

"I'm only trying to help is all, geez woman," Ron gave her hand a little squeeze to indicate he was just joking. Hermione squeezed back and gave him a wink. "You know she's not going to say no," Ron said turning his attention back to his best friend.

"She just might," Harry continued to pace, making his friends grow dizzy.

Hermione stood up and grabbed the wizard by his shoulders. He came to an abrupt halt. "Don't be daft Harry. Now breathe. You can do this. Stop being such a coward and get to it. If the Weasley clan has to go one more day without news of this engagement someone is going to riot, Molly in particular."

"Ok, ok," Harry forced a smile even though it felt like his heart had leapt up into his throat. "I am going."

"And remember Harry," Ron said as he stood up as well. "Hurt her and I'll kill you."

"Oh Ron," Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry managed to laugh.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Harry shook Ron's hand, gave Hermione a hug, and with a pop he was gone.

"You're home early love," Ginny glanced up from the magazine she was reading as she lay sprawled out on the couch.

"Kingsley sent me home, it's been a quiet day," Harry sat as she swung her legs off the couch giving him a space. Once he was seated she moved her legs up onto his lap. She closed the magazine and tossed it onto the coffee table.

"Sorry I missed you this morning," she pulled herself up to give him a hello kiss. "Practice started early and I couldn't bear to wake you. You looked far too cozy." Harry gave a small chuckle but otherwise remained quiet. "Are you ok?" Ginny questioned, sensing something was off.

"I'm ok," Harry nodded. He had thought of planning something fancy, maybe something involving candles and flowers. That was what Ron had done. However, Harry knew that Ginny wouldn't go for the candles and flowers. She wasn't that kind of girl. He had thought of a million ways to do it but in the end, he knew the best way to do it was to keep it simple. "I was hoping you would do be a huge favour though?"

"What's that?" Ginny questioned curiously.

Harry slowly slid off the couch and knelt down next to her. Her eyes widened as she realized what was happening. Harry pulled a ring out of his pocket and held it to her hand. Ginny broke out into an enormous smile before Harry even began to speak. The smile on his face matched hers. "Ginny Weasley, I am so thankful every day that you fell in love with me. We have both been through so much, and all I know is that I don't want to go through anything else without you as my wife." Ginny began nodding her head before he even finished speaking, and he started sliding the ring onto her finger. "So, if you'll have me, I was wondering, if you'd marry me?"

Ginny threw her arms around him and launched herself at him. The top toppled over into a heap on the ground. "Yes!" she exclaimed planting kiss after kiss on him. "Yes, yes, the answer is always yes."

Never had the word 'yes' ever sounded so sweet.

Hi all! It has been AGES. I have been inspired by the upcoming release of DH2 and it got me sucked back into the world of Harry Potter. It's not much but I'm just testing out the waters, preparing myself for the dive in. This is just a selection of a few snapshot moments in the lives of Harry and Ginny following book 7. These three are told from Harry's point of view. I plan on posting three more shortly from Ginny's perspective. Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more!

HP-Magic