Harry smiled as he watched Ron twirl his beautiful bride. Merlin, he was married! Even saying it aloud didn't make him believe it. "I'm married!" he said to himself.
"Well, duh, that's what this party is all about, silly. Only for you would I wear a pink bridesmaid dress," smirked Ginny, punching his arm.
"Thanks, Gin. With the way Cho was acting, well, anything to keep her happy, yeah?" said Harry, kissing his best friend's cheek.
"Bridezilla," coughed Ginny. Harry threw back his head and laughed. "Come and dance with me," he said, offering her his hand.
Ginny looked right and left. "Hmm, is Madame Pomfrey around? I might have need of her after this dance. You know, broken toes and all," she grinned.
"Hey, I'll have you know I was taught by my best friend Ginny Weasley how to dance," protested a laughing Harry.
"Well in that case." Ginny signalled to Lee Jordan, and the tempo of the music changed to something faster.
"Not the 'Time Warp'" groaned Harry, as Ginny pulled him over to Ron and Hermione. The four of them had gone to Muggle London to see the stage show together.
"Hey, you're the one who got me hooked on Muggle music," grinned Ginny, as they all did a jump to the left.
"You're as bad as your dad," said Harry, doing the pelvic thrust.
"Hey mate, might want to save that for later," grinned George, dancing past with Angelina.
Harry blushed as Ron, Hermione and Ginny laughed.
"Where are you going for your honeymoon, Harry? Did you decide?" asked Hermione.
"I really wanted to go to Hawaii, in the States, but Cho was dropping hints about Paris, so that's where we're going," grinned Harry.
"Ah, gay Paree, ze zity of loverz," mimicked Ron, in a really bad French accent.
"Non, Ronald, you are 'urting my ears with that tacky accent," groaned Fleur, as she and Bill danced past.
"Er, sorry Fleur," mumbled Ron, as he took a step to the right.
"I bet this song was your idea, Gin," beamed Tonks, as she dragged Remus on to the dance floor.
"Who me?" asked Ginny, in a little girl voice with an innocent look.
"Guilty," shouted Harry, Ron and George, pointing at her.
"Hey, be nice or I'll get Lee to play the 'Nutbush' next," said Ginny.
They all groaned. The music came to an end, and they all collapsed against each other, laughing.
Cho came over to them. "Harry, it's nearly time for our wedding dance, and then for us to leave."
"Do you want help changing, Cho?" asked Ginny. "We can use my room. Your bags are all in there." The wedding reception was at the Burrow.
"Thanks, Ginny. You've been a great bridesmaid, thank you," said Cho, hugging her.
"You're welcome. It's been fun. Just give me a signal when you're ready to go. In the meantime..."
Ginny smirked and the others groaned as the first sounds of the Nutbush came on. They all got into position, including Molly and Arthur, Andromeda and Sirius. Cho gathered her wedding robes as well, and the Burrow was hopping as they all did the Nutbush dance.
Harry laughed as he watched everyone around him. Neville, stumbling as he tried to concentrate. Luna, doing moves to music only she heard in her head. Sirius, Remus and Tonks, the Weasleys. Seamus, Dean. Even Hagrid was attempting to follow everyone's steps.
Merlin, it was the best night of his life. Everyone he cared about was here, celebrating his wedding. He was 19 years old, nearly 20, married to a beautiful witch. Life didn't get much better than this.
Xxxx
Harry's POV
Life after the war had got easier. He'd taken a long time to de-compress, to process all he had been through and all he had done. While he knew he could never have done it without Hermione and Ron, it had been Ginny who he'd turned to as he dealt with all the emotion. Ginny, who'd been his best friend since sixth year, when Ron and Hermione had finally got together. In truth, it had been Ginny he'd missed most while the three of them had been away.
They'd been based at Grimmauld Place, with Sirius and Remus doing research, while Tonks kept working at the DMLE, hoping to hear of any news that she could bring back to the Order.
They'd all gone to Hogwarts to retrieve Ravenclaw's tiara, and to search more of the castle. It was there the final battle had taken place, and it was there that Harry learned that he, himself, was a Horcrux, and had to sacrifice himself in order to finally defeat Voldemort.
He managed to find each of his friends and, without giving anything away, leave them behind with words of love and friendship. Except Ginny. He'd seen her as he walked past her on the way to the Forest, and, for some reason, he just couldn't bring himself to say those final words to her. Goodbye was so-final. He couldn't imagine a world without Ginny Weasley in it. His best friend, his confidant. The only one that seemed to know what he needed. A shoulder to lean on, a joke to cheer him up, a prank to pull to make him laugh so hard he had tears rolling down his cheeks.
Her face, with that blazing look on it, was the last thing he saw before he was enveloped in a green light. Then-nothing. Until he woke up and saw Dumbledore at Kings Cross.
He'd come back and finished the job. He'd found her, mourning a fallen brother. She 'd jumped up and hugged him so hard when she saw him. "Thank Merlin," she whispered over and over. "I don't know what I would have done if I lost you too."
She'd stood by him as they attended the funerals. She'd sat with him in silence, just enjoying the peace and sunshine. They both proudly accepted the offer to be Remus and Tonks' sons godparents.
He never would have made it through that time without her. And then-she was gone.
Ginny returned to Hogwarts to complete her seventh year; Hermione by her side. Both Ron and Harry watched the train pull away, still waving madly. When it was out of sight, he immediately felt berefit.
"I miss her already," moaned Ron. Harry felt the same about his best friend.
He and Ron started their Auror training. Harry wrote and told Ginny all about it, as did Ron to Hermione. Their return letters were full of Hogwarts news, which made the men feel nostalgic.
Harry had been working at the Auror office for a couple of months when he bumped into Cho Chang in Diagon Alley one day. They'd gone to lunch and caught up on all the news. Cho invited him to a party the next Saturday night, for Roger Davis, a fellow Ravenclaw.
Harry dragged Ron with him, and had a good time. He got to meet people at Hogwarts who he had seen but never talked to. He found it interesting, getting perceptives of other students from that time.
He kissed Cho that night, but declined her invitation to come in for 'coffee'. Ron looked surprised to see him when he Apparated home to Grimmauld Place, where Ron was staying with him and Sirius.
"Didn't expect you already, mate," grinned Ron.
"Ron was just filling me in," smirked Sirius.
"Shut it, you two. It's way too early for any of that," blushed Harry.
"So when are you seeing her again?" asked Ron.
"Tomorrow," admitted Harry.
Sirius laughed, and slapped him on the back. "I'm off to bed. Night, lads."
The date the next day went great, and they made plans to go out during the week. A couple of weeks later, Harry did stay the night. After all, he had decided he was in love with Cho. Sirius was happy to see Harry so happy, but worried that it was all happening too fast..
Harry had written to Ginny about it, of course. She was his best friend, and he valued her opinion. Her reply was everything he wanted to hear. As long as Cho made him happy, that was all right with Ginny.
At Christmas time, home for the holidays, Ginny helped him shop for the perfect engagement ring. She was the first one he told on Christmas morning, that Cho had accepted his romantic proposal, and she had immediately accepted being Cho's only bridesmaid when asked. Sirius quietly congratulated Harry and Cho, while secretly hoping one or the other would come to their senses before their wedding.
Cho did get quite frazzled with all the wedding preparations, knowing the eyes of the wizarding public would be on them. Ginny helped as much as she could from Hogwarts, until Cho owled her, saying she had decided on a pink dress for Ginny.
Only Harry's begging made her relent. Only because she wanted the best for her best friend would she wear a pink dress.
The wedding ceremony was spectacular. Some referred it to a Royal Wedding. Maybe Cho had acted irrationally at times, but she had pulled off a major coup.
The reception was more low key, only for family and close friends.
While they were in Paris, Harry celebrated his twentieth birthday. He was bombarded with owls and gifts from his family and friends. He was thrilled to hear that Ginny had a try-out with the Holyhead Harpies very soon, and was training hard for that.
When they returned to England, he and Cho found a house to buy. His friends had all come to the house warming party, including Ginny. When they had a private moment alone, she told him she'd done well in the try-outs, but failed the physical. The ankle she'd broken first at the Department of Mysteries, and then at the Battle, had cost her a spot on the squad. She had just accepted a position with the Unspeakables, working at the Ministry.
Being newlyweds, his friends gave him and Cho plenty of alone after their house warming party, thinking they'd want private time together. It was during this time that Harry realised he had married too quickly. Left alone, just the two of them, they had nothing much in common. Cho was overwhelmed with all the Weasleys, and didn't like going to the Burrow too often. She resented him for leaving her to spend the ocassional day at a Quidditch game with Ron, or to catch up with the Weasley boys for a drink at the pub.
Harry was now in his second year as an Auror, and was doing really well in a job he loved. He never turned down an assignment and often worked extra shifts. Cho was looking for work after being out of the wizarding world since she left Hogwarts. She occasionally caught up with Marietta Edgecombe, a witch Harry didn't particularly like. But Cho was lonely, and she started to resent Harry's work hours, and any time he spent with his friends, yet when they were together, they barely talked, unless they were arguing.
Unexpectedly, Cho told him around Christmas time she was pregnant. Harry was so happy. He was going to be a father! He couldn't believe how much his life had changed. His friends and family were all excited for him; for them both. Cho accepted the congratulations, although she was a bit peeved that she had fallen pregnant so soon.
Harry doted on Cho throughout her pregnancy, and was home more to look after her. The bigger she got, the more he pampered her. It was during these times that Cho remembered why she had thought she loved him. The following months were amongst the happiest in her life.
Their daughter Lily was born the following June. With hair as black as her parents, with Cho's pretty features and her father's green eyes, she won hearts of all who saw her.
Ron and Hermione were chosen to be godparents. Harry apologised to Ginny, but she shrugged, smiling and saying, "the next one." Harry grinned and nodded, while Cho shook her head. The birth had been hard and she was in no hurry to have another one.
Despite not being Lily's godmother, Ginny adored Lily, and was over their place often. She was always the first one they called if they needed a baby sitter, so much that Lily complained loudly when Ginny wasn't there. "'Inny" was her third word, after Mum Mum, and Da.
Cho didn't seem to mind Harry and Ginny's close friendship, even when the press tried to make it out to be more than it was. They'd often lunch together, and catch up at Ministry events, although both Harry and Ginny hated the artificiality of those occasions.
Ginny kept her work and her love life private. She dated a bit, but the only one she seemed even half way serious about was Lee Jordan. They'd had a brief fling, then broken up after six months.
They then dated others, before sometimes drifting back to each other.
"I've met someone," Ginny would fire-call Harry, whenever she met someone new.
"He's not good enough for you," Harry would say immediately. Cho would chuckle in the background.
"'-issat 'inny?" asked Lily, toddling over. She leant on her daddy's arm and peered into the fire. "Hi. 'Inny, pway?" At one, she was already walking and talking well.
Ginny groaned and laughed. "Merlin, I love her so much. Hi sweetie, I miss you. Are you being a good girl for Daddy and Mummy."
Lily nodded. "Come and pway, 'Inny."
"Yeah, 'Inny," smirked Harry.
"Oh, I'm going to play all right. This new guy..." Ginny lowered her voice so Lily wouldn't hear as she filled Harry in on her latest guy.
As Lily prepared to celebrate her second birthday, Harry started to talk about having another baby. He and Cho argued, with her calling him selfish. She was sick of being chained to the house, she needed more. Harry wanted a house full of kids, and he'd told Cho that before they got married, so he didn't understand why she was so surprised.
Harry was upset. Wasn't he and Lily enough for Cho? What more could he do for her? That night he slept in the spare bed, thinking hard. He got up the next morning with a plan.
He offered her the chance to go to Hawaii, where they could get away and really talk about their problems. He fire-called Ginny, and she leapt at the chance to have Lily for a couple of weeks. Harry laughed at her eagerness, knowing his daughter felt the same way about Ginny.
Three months later, Harry and Cho left Lily with Ginny for two weeks while they went to Hawaii for their third wedding anniversary. Both girls were in heaven. Ginny had taken time off work, and had fun things planned for her and Lily to do together. She would make sure Lily didn't get time to miss her parents.
Harry and Cho needed the time away. Cracks were starting to appear in their marriage again, although their friends hadn't a clue. It had taken Cho a long time to bounce back from Lily's birth, and she was starting to resent falling pregnant so soon. She'd applied for a career with the Department of Magical Games and Sports, which was where she'd hoped to work when she'd met up with Harry.
They had a nice holiday, and Cho got to tell Harry how she was feeling. Despite being hurt that being his wife and mother to Lily wasn't enough for her, in the end he said he would support her in finding a job, as long as it didn't impact negatively on their daughter.
They arrived home, with Harry rushing over to Ginny's to get Lily while Cho started unpacking. She knew Harry was devoted to Lily, and had missed her terribly. Lily was definitely her daddy's darling and knew how to get her way with her daddy.
Life returned to normal, although Cho started to put out feelers for any sort of job. Harry didn't encourage or discourage her, but he admitted to Ginny he would rather she stayed at home with Lily till she was a bit older.
When Cho told him she'd gotten a job offer at the Department of Magical Games and Sports, he was happy for her. He begrudgingly gave his okay for Lily to spend the days at the Burrow, with Teddy and Vicky.
When Cho came home one night and told him Cedric Diggory had returned to her department from an overseas tour for the upcoming World Cup, Harry didn't think much of it.
Later, he would wish he had.
Stay with me Hinny fans, we'll get there!
