I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing
Ginevra Molly Potter was meandering through the halls of Hogwarts. It was the day of her youngest child's graduation. Lily Luna Potter had been Head Girl and top of her class, and her parents and brothers were very proud of her. Ginny wasn't quite ready to sit in the Great Hall with the other families, so here she was. She hadn't been inside Hogwarts since Albus' graduation several years before, and even then there was just something about today that was bringing the memories of her own days in the school rushing back. She wanted to look back on everything, but she didn't know where to begin.
And so she had decided to wander aimlessly through the school.
As she left the GreatHall she had stopped in the antechamber. She remembered waiting here, in the Entrance Hall, to be sorted. She remembered looking over at the Gryffindor table for her brother, Ron, and his friend Harry, and not seeing either of them but seeing the rest of the Gryffindors cheering loudly for her. As she stood there reminiscing she didn't notice her husband stepping up behind her.
Harry James Potter had wondered where his wife was going when she left the Great Hall only a few moments before. They had been sitting, with their two sons, amidst all the other families waiting to watch their children graduate from their alma mater. She looked rather distant and so he had decided to follow her, and see if everything was okay. She never even noticed him standing there with her.
Ginny left the Entrance hall and made her way to the second floor. She found herself in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and remembered trying to dispose of Tom Riddle's diary. As she made her way to the sinks, she remembered waking up in the Chamber of Secrets, after Harry had slain the basilisk and rescued her. She stared at the sink, feeling all the emotions from that day rushing forth to meet her. Ginny couldn't hold back her tears any longer. It was just too much to handle.
As Harry followed Ginny, he wondered why on earth she would decide to visit Moaning Myrtle's loo. After all, it couldn't hold very pleasant memories for her. He watched from the doorway as she stepped up to the bank of sinks guarding the Chamber's entrance. Harry had no idea what was going on with the love of his life...but as she started to cry, he knew he needed to find out.
Harry quickly moved from the doorway to his wife, wrapped her up in his arms, and held her as she cried. He gently smoothed his hand up and down her back as the other held her head to the crook of his neck. Patiently, he waited until Ginny's tears stopped and all that could be heard was the occasional sniffle. As he pulled back to look at her face, so he could find out what was wrong, all he could think was how beautiful she was
"Beautiful", said Harry
"Wha..what?" asked Ginny who was very confused. 'How did Harry know where I was?"
"I said you look beautiful, baby. What's wrong? Why are you in here crying?"
Ginny scowled at the word 'baby,' but as she looked up at her husband, and she could see the worry written all over his face. He had no idea just how much it scared her to think that she had nearly lost everything she held so dear to her heart right here in this room.
"You know I hate it when you call me 'baby,' Harry. At any rate, I...I wasn't ready to sit just yet. I wanted to reminisce on our years here, and this was as far as I made it down Memory Lane. How did you know where I went?"
This made Harry laugh.
"My apologies, m'lady, but I have been walking beside you since you left the Great Hall, you silly woman. So tell me what's wrong; I'm not psychic. You know I was crap at Divination."
Ginny giggled at this. It was true. Harry had been terrible at Divination. And as he smiled down at her, all he could think about was how he had very nearly lost the love of his life, and all the wonderful things that came with having her as his wife and lover, right here all those years ago. He assumed she must be thinking the same thing.
"We've come a very long way since we were last in here, love. I almost lost you that day. And every day since, I have been thankful that I made it to you in time."
"I was just thinking the same thing, Harry. Things could have turned out so differently. It scares me to think that I might never have been standing here with you today." At this, Ginny couldn't take it anymore. She was getting herself all worked up and she knew it. But she just couldn't help herself. As the tears started flowing, she kept going. "What if things had gone differently? What if I had died, Harry? What if you ended up with someone else? I almost lost you that day, Harry!"
Seeing Ginny breaking down again was just too much for Harry. He hated seeing her cry. He never seemed to be able to make everything better. But this, he could handle, if only because he knew how to handle it when he was thinking the same thing.
"Ginny, love, you need to calm down. I love you so much and you know it kills me to see you hurting. But you have no reason to be hurting. Not this time. You know why?"
Ginny mumbled a response into Harry's chest and tried to get a handle on her tears.
"Look at me, love."
Ginny raised her head. With tear filled eyes she looked into Harry's loving ones.
"Things didn't turn out differently, Ginny. I saved you. And I'm glad I did because I could never imagine having a more wonderful life. I could never have the wonderful family that you have given me. Do I wish I hadn't been you in the chamber? Everyday. But it was you. I ALMOST LOST YOU. And it made me realize just how special you are to me. I love you more every day that I'm with you, baby, and I can't stand to see you tearing yourself up over 'What ifs' this way, because you didn't die. And I never had to wonder for a second what my life would be like with someone else, because I had you. You are everything that I have ever wanted. And I cannot imagine my life without you."
As Harry choked back his tears, Ginny reached up and pulled him down for a kiss.
"I love you, Harry. I'm so lucky to have you."
"I love you, too, Gin. I'm the lucky one here."
"How do you figure that?"
"You said 'Yes.'"
As Ginny smiled up at him, Harry grabbed her by the waist and started to dance.
"Harry! Why are we dancing in the loo?" Ginny asked between giggles.
"Because I want to dance with my wife. I want this to be my second favourite dance of all time," answered Harry.
"Oh? And what's the first?" Ginny inquired.
"Our wedding," he said simply.
Ginny thought back to their wedding day all those years ago. It had been a simple affair; only attended by family and close friends. Harry had asked for only two things: a small wedding, and to pick the song they would dance their first dance to as a married couple.
In her mind she could hear it. Harry had gotten them a muggle music player of some sort, an iPod, and had plenty of songs for the people to dance to. He had set Hermione in charge of it because she was the only other one who knew how to work the thing. The device had played lots of songs already, lots of fun things for everyone to dance to, and then suddenly it had stopped. Hermione had cleared the dance floor and announced that it was time for Harry and Ginny's first dance. She had been nervous as Harry led her to the middle of the floor; she didn't know what the song was or even if it was muggle or not.
Harry leant down to whisper in her ear, "Relax, love. I promise, you will like this song."
She had let out a breath, and he had nodded to Hermione to signal that they were ready. As the song filled the room, she looked into Harry's eyes and saw all of the emotions she was feeling reflected in them. She smiled at him, and said, "You're right. It's perfect."
I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
While you're far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Where every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure
Don't wanna close my eyes, I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby and I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you the sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you baby and I don't want to miss a thing
Lying close to you feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming
Wondering if it's me you're seeing
Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together
I just wanna stay with you in this moment forever, forever and ever
I don't wanna close my eyes, I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby and I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you the sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you baby and I don't want to miss a thing
I don't wanna miss one smile, I don't wanna miss one kiss
I just wanna be with you, right here with you, just like this
I just want to hold you close, feel your heart so close to mine
And just stay here in this moment for all the rest of time
Don't wanna close my eyes, don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby and I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you the sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you baby and I don't want to miss a thing
I don't wanna close my eyes, I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby and I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you the sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you baby and I don't want to miss a thing
I don't wanna close my eyes, I don't wanna fall asleep
Yeah, I don't wanna miss a thing
Ginny smiled as she came back to the present. Harry looked down and smiled at her like he had the day of their wedding.
"It's still perfect, Harry. You're still perfect. And I don't wanna miss a thing," she told him
"Well then, I guess we should probably be getting back to the Great Hall, don't you think?" he quipped.
She playfully smacked him on the chest and nodded her assent. As they made their way back through the halls of Hogwarts with their hands intertwined, she couldn't help but think that Harry was the reason for so many of her good memories at school.
Back in the Entrance Hall, Harry looked down at her, silently asking if she was ready. Reading his thoughts she smiled and nodded, and together they walked back to their sons. As the graduates traipsed out onto the platform that normally held the Head Table, the family stood as one, save for Lily. She stood tall and proud before the families of her peers. She walked towards the lectern and began to speak.
"My fellow Hogwartians, parents, and staff, as Head Girl it is my job to address you all at this graduation. There are so many things that could be said. So many anecdotes, puns, or statistics I could share, but won't. Because I don't have to. This says it all. 'I could stay lost in this moment forever. Where every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure.' A man named Steven Tyler once sang these words. At this, a time of beginnings and of endings, nothing could ever be truer. And so I present to you the Hogwarts graduating class of 2025."
As Lily looked out over the crowd, she could feel the smiles of her parents upon her. That quote had been meant to surprise them, and she hoped it had worked.
Ginny and Harry couldn't have been prouder of Lily in that moment. She had given them a gift that would make the day even more meaningful in the years to come than it had already shaped up to be. And as they walked up to greet their daughter after the ceremony, they made sure she knew it.
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A/N So this was my first fic. It started out as me helping a friend with some fics she was working on and I offered to help, but I tookit in a different direction and well, here it is.
I dedicate this to Vyn (AussieGleekFreak) and Rei (zombiereine) because I love them, and because I can.
Please review and give me some feedback. :)
