Ginny Weasley was not a complicated girl by any means. She believed in the simple things in life and the happiness that they could bring. She enjoyed watching the sun set, eating her mother's famous triple layer chocolate cake and reading a nice novel in front of a cozy fire. Ginny noticed, in the days leading up to the 31st of July, that she also thoroughly enjoyed seeing Harry Potter smile.
In the weeks following the Final Battle, Harry rarely smiled. But of course, that was to be expected, for they were all having a hard time dealing with the consequences of that night. As time went on though, and Harry and the rest of the Weasley family started to heal, he seemed to be smiling more and more, a fact that Ginny was aware of seeing as how it brought her so much joy.
On the morning of Harry's eighteenth birthday, Ginny stepped into the kitchen of the Burrow just in time to see Harry place a kiss on her mother's cheek – something that always made Mrs. Weasley blush – and thank her profusely for the wonderful breakfast she had made him.
More guests started arriving, and by seven o'clock, a large number of guests including Hagrid, Andromeda and Teddy and even Professor McGonagall, were all gathered around the yard, getting ready to eat the feast that Mrs. Weasley had prepared for dinner.
Before Mrs. Weasley could call everyone to the table, Ginny walked over to where Harry was sitting on the couch in the den, bouncing a giggling Teddy on his knee. The way he treated the little boy always made Ginny swoon. He was so good to him.
She tapped him on the shoulder and, when he turned to look at her, asked if she could speak with him privately.
"Sure," he said. "Ron, why don't you take Teddy until I come back" Harry handed the little boy off to his best friend who looked panicked at the idea of holding a baby.
"For God's sake Ron! You've faced a hell of a lot worse in your life!" said Hermione as she sat down next to him and pulled Teddy into her own lap. Harry and Ginny both laughed as she led him up the stairs. But Ginny could see Ron watching Hermione handle Teddy with a small smile playing on his lips and she couldn't help smiling as well at her brother's obvious happiness.
Once inside her bedroom, she closed the door and leaned back against it, watching Harry as he walked around and studied her belongings. Her bedroom hadn't changed much since the last time he had been in it, exactly one year ago. There were a few more trinkets here and there but nothing of great importance. The most important thing right now was him. It was always him.
"The view's still nice," he said pointing to the window like he had not so long ago.
"Yeah, I don't think the view changed much," she said, trying to make light of the situation. In reality she didn't know what to say to him. Of course they had spoken a number of times since the Final Battle, but all the conversations they had seemed to be force. They stayed away from the topic of their failed relationship and instead broached easier subjects like Teddy, school or Ron and Hermione. She was tired of avoiding him though. She needed him too much to continue.
"I couldn't think of what to get you," she said while walking towards him.
Harry smiled, obviously remembering the conversation they had the last time he was in her bedroom. But, unlike the last time, Ginny was sure that this time things would end differently. She needed them to end differently this time.
"You didn't have to get me anything," he said, clearly playing along.
"I wanted you to have something to remember me by," she walked over to the desk in the corner and pulled open the drawer that contained the envelope she wanted to give Harry. "I thought this would do the trick."
She held out the envelope for him to take and he looked at it apprehensively before opening it. Ginny held her breath as she watched him flip through the contents.
"Where did you get these?" he asked finally looking up from the photographs that he was holding. They were all pictures of the two of them, during her fifth year. They were either in the Great Hall or the Gryffindor common room, holding hands, hugging and looking genuinely happy to be in each other's arms. The pictures had captured the smile that Ginny loved so much and she had spent the nights leading up to Harry's birthday looking at them until she fell asleep.
"Colin gave them to me. At first I didn't know what to think because, well, he had been taking pictures of us," she said. She smiled at the thought of Colin. She missed him. "But then I realized that he meant well. And they're so well done too. I thought maybe you could put them in that photo album that Hagrid gave you."
Harry looked down again and Ginny wondered if she had upset it.
"Of course you don't have to! I just thought..."
"Ginny...This is... I have no words" When he looked up again he saw her smiling. "Please come over here," he pleaded.
Ginny walked towards the window that Harry was standing in front of and as soon as she was within arm's reach, he pulled her to him and placed a kiss on her lips. It was the most amazing kiss had ever shared and Ginny found that she felt lightheaded when they finally pulled away from each other. Harry leaned his forehead against hers before speaking.
"You really didn't have to get me anything you know," he said, a little breathless from the kiss they had shared. "Seeing you smile everyday is the best gift you could have possibly given me"
Ginny laughed before kissing him again, needing to feel his lips on hers after all this time apart. "Funny," she said "I was thinking the same thing about you."
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