Author's Note: This is just another plot bunny that was settling into my head and then the Oooh, oooh, oh, ooh, from Metro Station's Seventeen Forever started ringing into my head, and then I thought, wow, that's an awesome song for this fic.

So here goes! All lyrics belong to Metro Station, their record company, or whoever writes the songs. The plot belongs to me, though. All characters are courtesy of JK Rowling. If I owned the books, Ted Tonks and Mad-Eye wouldn't have died.

Seventeen Forever (One-Shot)

You are young, and so am I and

This is wrong, but who am I to judge?

You feel like heaven when we touch

I guess for me this is enough

Harry Potter could feel excitement radiating all over his body. He'd spent the last year fighting off the worst Dark wizard in Wizarding history. He'd tried to keep the best two friendships he'd ever had from crumbling and save the romance between them at the same time. He'd had to wear a locket that made him feel horrible. He had had to think constantly, strategizing, considering all possibilities and working to save the world.

It had felt awful and pressurizing to have to fate of the entire world on his shoulders. Sometimes, when Ron and Hermione were asleep he'd torn out clumps of his hair and screamed out in frustration.

Now it was all over. It was the best feeling in the world to just be able to relax and think about something other than Lord Voldemort. It was incredible how much lighter he felt inside after it was all over. He contemplated this as he stared into the mirror, wondering if his clothes were spiffy enough.

He was wearing a white T-shirt, an unzipped navy-blue sweatshirt, and light gray jeans. Harry's shoes were black and white trainers, and he thanked God that they weren't beat up as the other ones.

His vision grew blurry for a second and he blinked, only to make the heavy feeling of his eyelids worse than they already were.

"Are you okay, Harry?" asked a familiar voice, and he turned to see Hermione as she walked into the seventh year floor for the boy's dormitories. "I think I heard you talking."

Oh, shite. I was talking to myself again. Harry straightened up and then turned back to look at the full-length mirror. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

"I hope so," Hermione murmured. "You deserve a good rest. And – um, I think Ginny's waiting for you in the common room." She winked at him as he blushed. "Ron and I or organizing a little campfire thing by the lake. It's just all the people who fought in the Battle and we'll just be hanging out. Seventh years at one campfire, teachers at another, sixth years at another, like that, but we'll all be allowed to mingle. At the end there's gonna be a big bonfire where we combine all the fires."

"Sounds legendary," Harry joked, straightening the collar of his shirt for the hundredth time.

Hermione gave him a playful slap. "Seriously, Harry, I don't know how long Ginny will wait," she teased him. "You've already left her for a year –"

"Shut up," Harry muttered. "How long have you and Ron left each other waiting?"

"You shut up," Hermione growled playfully, and then she hugged him. He hugged her back. "I'm really proud of you, Harry," she whispered. "It's been really hard all these months. I'm just glad we can all hang out. You deserve it."

"Thanks, Hermione," Harry said, a little bit shocked by Hermione's display of affection. But before he could be surprised for much longer, she pulled away and patted his back. "See you downstairs," she told him, and walked away.

Harry took a deep breath and followed suit.

We're one mistake from being together

So let's not ask why it's not right

The campfire slash bonfire was really well organized and fun. Harry sat with his legs bent in front of him, his arms slung across them. All of the teens who were and would've been in his class this year were everywhere around their fire. Ron and Hermione were next to him, eating hot dogs of sticks. Ron had his arm around Hermione. Occasionally he'd have a word with Harry but he and Hermione just kept whispering and giggling, and occasionally kissing.

Lavender Brown, who had been injured, had bandages on all over and was sitting next to Seamus, who was talking to her with concern. She began shivering and then Seamus took off his Quidditch sweatshirt and wrapped it around her. She looked shocked but pleased and they spoke enthusiastically to each other.

Neville was speaking animatedly with Hannah Abbott, who had been close to him during the D.A. that year. Harry watched them all for a bit and then when he looked back at Hannah and Neville's spots, he didn't see them. They were walking steadily away from the group, Neville's arm awkwardly close to Hannah's shoulders. Harry chuckled.

"Something funny?" asked a soft, sarcastic voice. He knew that voice, that blessed sound. He turned around and looked up at Ginny, beautiful Ginny. Her dark ginger hair was in a bob, framing her face perfectly. Her brown eyes were sparkling with amusement and glee. He and Ginny had talked while they were walking towards the campfires, and they'd got separated among the crowd.

"Nothing but my sarcastic mind," Harry answered her. She laughed and kneeled down next to him. Her small hands settled on his shoulder and she leaned her head into the nape of his neck. Harry drew an intake of breath at the feel of her hair against his skin.

"Listen, I wanna talk," Ginny murmured into his ear. Her lips brushed his ear lobe, and he shivered. Harry answered her without turning around.

"Walk with me?"

"You read my mind," Ginny breathed, her hot breath tingling against Harry's skin. He stood up and Ginny did too, her small hands sliding down his arm until they reached his hand.

"We'll be right back," Harry said to Ron and Hermione, and without waiting for an answer, they moved down towards the lakeshore. He was well aware of Ron's eyes piercing his back and didn't turn around. He didn't care about what anyone else thought, right now he wanted nothing more than be with Ginny; even the touch of her hand was enough.

"So how was your quest?" Ginny said as she was out of earshot from the group.

"Horrible," Harry admitted. "All I could think about was you."

Ginny wrapped both her arms against his and leaned into him. "I was so worried about you, Harry – it was torture."

Harry hugged her briefly and kissed her forehead. "I promised I'd take care of myself, and Ron and Hermione too, didn't I?"

"Yes, and I believed you," Ginny said, staring out at the black water. "But honestly, I trusted Hermione to take care of you two goofs." She punched him playfully.

"Naturally," Harry joked.

"Anyway," Ginny said, and she pulled them farther down the lakeshore until they were hidden by the castle. "I wanted to tell you something."

"Yeah?" Harry said. They sat down in the shade of a willow tree, basking in the light of the beautiful moonlight. He felt Ginny's head touch his shoulder and her legs wrap with his.

"I love you."

The words sent a ringing that pierced to Harry's soul. Never had they said those three words to each other; it had always seemed obvious, always seemed unnecessary to speak words that were already shown through actions.

"I love you too." Harry said, and he was surprised by how steady and strong his voice was.

"When we kissed before – before you left," Ginny whispered, her voice trembling, and then she looked up at Harry, who kissed her softly. She stopped trembling and took a deep breath again. "When we kissed, I wanted to give you more than just a kiss. I wanted you to remember me. I wanted to show you how much I love you. I didn't want you to die before we had."

"Oh, Ginny," said Harry, pushing back a lock of her hair and kissing her deeply again. "When I thought I was about to die, I was thinking of you."

"You were?" Ginny said, and there was such softness in her voice. Her eyes filled with tears and she stifled them in Harry's sweatshirt sleeve.

"Always thinking of you," he said again, and they kissed harder.

You won't be seventeen forever

And we can get away with this tonight

"Ginny, I want to be with you tonight." Harry pushed a strand of Ginny's soft and smooth hair behind an ear and kissed her earlobe. "I want you to show me what you wanted to do back in August."

"But Harry," Ginny said. She held Harry's shoulders against her. "I don't want you to feel pressured - "

"I won't be seventeen forever. And you won't be sixteen forever. No one will know - just us. That's all I want." Harry kissed Ginny again. His lips moved in synchronization against hers and he held her head against his.

Ginny pulled away for a second. "I want it too. I love you."

"I love you too."

You are young and I am scared

You're wise beyond your years but I don't care

I can feel your heartbeat

You know exactly where to take me

Harry and Ginny ran together under the treetops. Harry let go of her hands and they lay on the ground next to each other. His hands touched her face before he kissed her passionately. As they kissed Ginny quickly unbuttoned his shirt and Harry pulled Ginny's off of her head.

They looked at each in wonder for a moment. And then Harry kissed her again, and that night, nothing was ever the same.

We're one mistake from being together

But let's not ask why it's not right

We won't be seventeen forever

And we can get away with this tonight

Ahhh Ooh, Ooh, Oooh, Waahh, ooh, aahh woooh.

Author's Note: I think this could've been better, but I'm really happy with it. Please review! I need your reviews! I hope this wasn't a lame ending. I tried to edit it to make it better.