*A/N* Post epilogue, all couples stand as Jo wrote them, but what happens in those 19 years and what happens after the kids leave is still up of expansion. Harry and Ginny's kids as well as Ron and Hermione's go to public school before going to Hogwarts. In America they would be finishing Elementary school. Instead of middle school they go to magic school.
Sorry in advance for any spelling or grammar issues. My beta is retiring and I am in search of a new one. If you have a good one, please lemme know who!
They stood there on platform 9 and ¾, watching all the havoc, the kids whose first year it was hugging and kissing their parents goodbye, waving hello to all their friends. Ginny over heard her brother,"So that is little Scorpius." Ginny's head shot up and looked over to where the Malfoys were standing. She noticed Astoria Malfoy née Greengrass looking the ever attentive mother, making sure her son was groomed and clean as to give an impression befitting a Malfoy. Draco, however, wasn't paying attention to his son. He had seemed to notice Ginny's staring. As he looked over, Ginny wasn't sure what the look on his face was, a mix of pride and yet sadness was there too. "Make sure you beat him in every test Rosie." Ginny saw how Draco's face changed as the rest of the golden trio looked over. With a curt nod he turned away and walked further down the platform.
Ginny was glad to see him go only as so Harry wouldn't see the look on her face; any lingering glance as she thought once again on how life might have been. She couldn't quite focus on the greeting that was happening in front of her, her brother's children, Teddy and screaming about Bill's daughter Victoire.
Soon enough it was time for everyone to climb aboard, and Ginny waved as her two sons waved from the train. Harry, the ever doting husband, placed his hand on her shoulder, "You alright love? Hermione was talking of maybe going to lunch, seeing as we're in the city and all. Are you up for it, or would you rather go home and rest?"
Ginny turned shaking the thoughts free from her mind, and smiled. "That sounds lovely." With a smile Harry kissed her cheek and walked ahead with Lily, continuing to talk about how Ron had "passed" his driver's test. Hermione caught up and walked beside Ginny. Hermione had known of course. She knew although her 6th and 7th year, but Ginny had made her swear not to tell anyone. "Gin, I know it's hard. You have to ignore him. No matter what memories or 'what ifs' it brings up."
Ginny could feel the tears start to well up in her eyes, but blinked them away and put on a smile as to not confuse the guys, should they turn around. They walked on, trying to persuade their husbands to eat somewhere besides the Hogshead.
By the time they got home, Ginny had cleared her thoughts. She remembered how Harry had made her happy through the last 19 years. She had no sooner gotten through the door and hung her robes when she noticed an owl at the window. She knew it to be a ministry bird, so she opened the glass and took the message. Without a treat, the bird turned and flew off. Ginny looked down to see it was addressed to herself. She opened it to see the lightly scrolled words, "It was nice to see you today. You seemed happy. I still think of strawberry blonde babies, but I know you never wanted it." The ink blurred in some areas, but then Ginny realized it was her tears marring the paper. She lit the fire and through it in, longing to keep the note, but afraid Harry would find it. She forced herself to stop as she watched the heat curl the edges so you could no longer see the words or the large 'D' that had signed it.
"Sad to see Albus go?" Harry took Ginny's face in his hands, wiping at the tears with his thumbs. Ginny smiled, "It will be quieter with only one around, even if she is going to be in school part time. Which reminds me, will you help Lily with her Cursive? She needs help with her Q's." Harry nodded and accio-ed some lined parchment and a bed over before calling to Lily and going into the dining room. Ginny's eye lingered just a moment on the embers thinking of what had been there a moment before, then got up and walked out of the room.
It had been a month since school started, and though her letters with James and Albus she knew all of the goings on even before Harry and Ron and Hermione did. Even about Rosie's relationship' with Scorpius and how Albus was jealous. Harry laughed as he read the letter, "Sounds like my dad jealous over my mum and Snape hanging out."
'And look where that got them. Two people dead and a triple agent.' Ginny faked a smile to her spouse, "Just don't tell Ron, he'd brag to Rose about how her mum punched Scorpius' dad in the face; anything to not talk about the memory of barfing up slugs." Harry laughed at the mention of the second year trauma, "It's better than being the amazing bouncing ferret!" Ginny couldn't help but genuinely smile at that one. She had teased Draco about that one, but he would always retort with,"Weasels and Ferrets. We rodents are lucky." The Weasel line would often land him a smack. Harry leaned over and kissed his wife, mistaking her smile for a laugh at his joke, rather than that of fondness for a memory.
"Well love, I'm going to put Lily to bed. Do you want to go out? I can have Kretcher watch her, if she needs anything." Ginny nodded to her husband as she stood from her spot on the couch. As much as Kretcher bothered her and creeped her out a bit, she knew she was better off going out. If they stayed home Harry would try to get into her knickers, telling of how lily was the heavy sleeper and the boys were gone. If they went out Harry wouldn't try anything, as to not 'embarrass' Ginny, more like impugn of her character, and if he had enough to drink he would pass out once they got home so Ginny could actually rest.
Ginny went to her closet as she heard Harry tuck in their daughter. Grabbing a muggle cocktail dress from her closet, she made a few minor adjustments, so it resembled less a family event dress and more a 'let's-get-drunk-and-shag' dress, although these were not her intentions for the evening. She dropped the neckline and shorted the tight a-line of the skirt. She cast a quick spell on herself for hair and makeup, and was just putting on her second shoe when Harry walked back in the door. She straightened up and Harry almost collapsed.
"On second thought, let's stay in," Harry could all but stare as he walked over to Gin. He pressed his lips to her collarbone, "quick before my wife comes back." Scoffing at her husband's joke, not in humor but in memory and how easily that could be true, she turned and dragged him into the living room, "Come on! I haven't been out in ages and I want to go. Please?" Ginny had to hold the smirk behind the pout, knowing it would ruin everything if she showed it too early. Seeing His posture relax she allowed it to show through. In a matter of minutes they apperated to downtown London, and went of looking for a good Wizard dance club.
After somehow getting 6 drinks in Harry, Ginny managed to haul him on the dance floor. It was crowded, but he would tire out and if they got separated, the crowd could be blamed, if necessary. A remix started, and Ginny could hear one of the few muggle songs she knew and liked take over. Apparently La Roux was quite popular amongst the other patrons, as there was much screaming. Harry grabbed her arm and yelling to be heard told Ginny he was sitting out for he wasn't feeling too good. Ginny tried for a look of pity, which came out like apathy, and went back to dancing.
When Ginny danced, it was like nothing in the whole world mattered. She could forget about her kids, her husband, her job, and could focus on the music, and rhythm moving her; that and the pair of eyes that kept finding her on the dance floor. She would have found her husband and left, or found a way to get away from it, if not for the fact that those eyes, while following her every move, could somehow see through the makeup and clothes, her kickass attitude that made most guys leave her alone, and saw her. There was only one person who made her feel like that. She froze on the dance floor and just stared at him. Knowing he had been caught he walked up to her and smiled that smug grin that melted her heart every time.
"Hello Red."