"What's the matter, Master Harry," Kreacher asked from the doorway.
"Ginny's twentieth birthday party is in a couple of hours and I still can't think of anything to get her," he groaned. He'd used the 'amazing snog' gift last year, thinking he would be able to come up with something better this year. The step up from that was a shag, which neither of them were quite ready for.
Kreacher paused a moment, scratching his ear in thought. "Does Miss Ginny like jewelry?"
"Not really...," Harry muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Why?"
"Mistress Black has a vault of her finest jewelry in her room. She placed spells on it to make sure only the owner of the jewelry could remove it. It passed to Master Sirius when she died and then to you."
"Well, I don't have any better ideas. Might as well take a look." Although, he doubted Ginny would like anything that Mrs. Black did.
"This way," Kreacher said, leading Harry to the largest bedroom in the house. Pointing to a blank stretch of wall in the room, Kreacher said, "Place your hand there."
Harry did so, and the piece of wall swung forward, revealing a small space in the wall. Gaudy jewelry winked out at Harry from the darkness. "Thank you, Kreacher, this will do," Harry said warmly. He was surprised that Kreacher would suggest giving away anything of Mrs. Black's and touched that the elf was loyal enough to him to do so.
"You're welcome, Master Harry," Kreacher replied, bowing out of the room.
One by one, Harry removed the pieces of jewelry, examined them, and threw them aside when he rejected them. The vault was nearly empty when Harry put his hand in and, instead of grabbing cold metal, grabbed a dusty piece of parchment. Curious, Harry unfurled the crackling note.
Harry,
I sincerely hope you never read this. The only person who can open this vault is the owner of the jewelry. Being the last of the Black family, that means me at the moment. If you're reading this, it means you are the new owner and I am dead. I'm sorry that I never got the chance to be a true godfather to you, but I'm glad for the time we did have together. I couldn't ask for a better godson.
I've hidden a few items of valuable, but sentimental, nature that are rightfully yours in here. I'm sorry I never told you, but they are sentimental to me, as well, and I selfishly held on to them. Plus, this is the only place in the house that is safe from Kreacher.
Always,
Sirius
A tear splashed onto the note and Harry had to concentrate to keep his fingers from trembling as he reached in for the final object in the vault. It was a small velvet box. Opening it, Harry saw three rings; a large, solid gold ring, a small silver ring with a single diamond in it, and a larger silver ring with three diamonds on it.
He picked up the gold ring, which looked to be a man's ring, and looked inside for an inscription. Sure enough, he found one: Forever, James and Lily. His father's wedding ring. Breathing became much harder as Harry's heart began pounding in his throat. The other two had to be his mother's engagement and wedding rings.
He knew what to give Ginny for her birthday.
When he told Mr. and Mrs. Weasley what he planned on giving Ginny, Mrs. Weasley instantly dissolved in tears and nearly crushed his lungs trying to hug him.
"Molly!" Mr. Weasley chuckled. "It would be a bloody shame if you killed Harry, now, after all this time."
She gave a watery chuckle and let go of Harry. "I'm sorry, dear. It's just...a lovely gift!"
"I agree," Mr. Weasley said. "I think it's a wonderful idea."
Harry glanced at them both, wanting to express so many things to them, some with words, some without. But, the only thing he could find to say was, "Thank you." Just two words...but Harry found that they were sufficient. Wordlessly, Harry left to get ready for the party.
Ting, ting, ting!
The crystal glass note pealed over all the noise at the dinner table.
"I can't believe our little Ginny is twenty already," Mrs. Weasley said, beaming at everyone there. "It seems like just yesterday, she was watching her brothers going off to Hogwarts, wanting to go with them and asking to see Harry Potter." Harry smiled as he remembered his first ride on the Hogwarts Express and Ginny eagerly awaiting the Hogwarts toilet seat from Fred and George. "To Ginny!"
"To Ginny!"
"Before we get to dessert," Mrs. Weasley continued, "I thought Ginny should open her gifts."
They moved into the living room and Harry could barely concentrate. The moment was coming. He was so preoccupied, he didn't notice what anyone else had given Ginny.
Finally, Ginny had opened all the gifts in front of her. She turned to Harry, that blazing look in her eye, and he heard her say, as if in a dream, "I didn't see your present, Harry." Her beautiful lips were curled into a slight grin. She had to be remembering last year's present.
Reality snapped back into focus and Harry's mind was suddenly clear. "Best for last, Gin," he told her, grinning himself. Glancing over at Mrs. Weasley, she gave him an encouraging smile.
"Everyone get comfortable, because I have a few things to say, first," Harry said, standing. His eyes swept the room, landing on all of the Weasleys -- Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill and Fleur, Charlie, Percy and Penelope, George, Ron and Hermione (an engagement ring gleaming on her finger), and lastly Ginny. It actually surprised Harry that Ron had beaten him to it.
Taking a deep breath, Harry looked at Mr. Weasley and started pouring his heart out, "You once said to me that it was a lucky day for the Weasley family when Ron decided to sit in my compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Well, it was a lucky day for me, too. From the moment we met, you all treated me like I was part of the family." Harry turned his gaze to Mrs. Weasley, whose eyes sparkled with tears again. "You even said I was as good as your son, once." Mrs. Weasley had to dab her eyes furiously. "That really meant a lot to me. It still does. All I've ever wanted was to know what it was like to have a family and you gave me that. And over the years, I started thinking of you as my family. I don't know if you feel the same --"
"Of course we do, you git," Ron said, punching Harry's arm.
"God, Harry, do you really think I'd lose an ear for anyone less than family?" asked George.
Harry's heart filled with warmth and it was a moment before he could speak again. "Well, I was thinking it's about time we made me an official part of the Weasley family."
"You mean, like adoption?" George asked stupidly.
Percy's face lit up. "That wouldn't be too hard. I have some contacts --"
"Not adoption, exactly," Harry hurried to cut off Percy. His heart thundered against his ribcage as the moment came nearer. A sniff came from beside Harry, and he glanced at Hermione. She had tears in her eyes, too, and looked at him in that understanding way of hers. Nervously, Harry fumbled in his pocket for the velvet box, now only containing his mother's engagement ring.
Turning toward Ginny, Harry's nervousness suddenly evaporated. She looked at him in ecstatic shock and he saw the answer in her face even before he asked the question. Who was he to skip tradition, though? Harry knelt before Ginny, opened the box, and held it out to her.
"Ginny, will you marry me?"