Ginny sat in a stupor with her head on her mother's shoulder. After all she'd endured this school year, she was simply numb now. Her eyes found Harry and she dimly wondered why those crowded around him couldn't see that he did not want to be mobbed at the moment. She watched as he managed to slip away, and the smallest of smiles found its way to her lips when she saw him escape with Luna's assistance. She perked up a tad and watched with increasing interest as McGonagall eyed the spot where he'd swung his invisibility cloak on, and strode purposefully toward the entrance hall. As McGonagall left the Great Hall, Ginny sighed and closed her eyes once more. The last thing she was aware of before falling asleep was her mother's hand reaching up to caress her face.
oOo
Minerva McGonagall was watching Harry Potter carefully. She could see the weariness and despair in his eyes. She was just about to walk over and dispel the crowd around him when he managed to extricate himself. She smiled as she saw Luna speak to him quietly and her smile turned to a grin when she saw him disappear beneath his cloak. She stood and hurried to follow him out of the Great Hall before she lost him.
"Mr. Potter!" she called gently but firmly as she cleared the huge doors of the Hall. She waited a moment and wondered if she'd been too slow when he slowly dropped the cloak. Her heart ached at the look on his face. He was so exhausted, so broken.
"Yes, Professor?" he said quietly, looking at the ground.
"Mr. Potter," she said again, much more gently, as she approached him. She put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder and continued, "First of all, I know you don't feel like talking right now, but before you leave the castle, would you please sit down with the remaining Order members and share your story?" Harry nodded silently. "You are welcome to stay as long as you want. Second, after you get some sleep, I want you to allow Madame Pomfrey to check you over. No arguments," she said with finality. He nodded once more. "And finally, Mr. Potter," her voice dropped as the business-like air left her and sadness crept into her tone. "I know that once the weariness has worn off, you will be anxious to reunite with Miss Weasley." At this, Harry's head jerked up and he looked her in the eyes with surprise. She gave a small smile and continued, "I just want you to know that when you do, you need to be slow and very gentle with her. Miss Weasley has suffered greatly this year." At this, Harry's face darkened and his eyes narrowed.
Slowly, as if he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer, he said, "What do you mean exactly, Professor?"
McGonagall pursed her lips, unsure how much she should say. She knew Harry would be enraged, and at any rate, the story was really Ginny's to tell, not hers. She spoke carefully. "You saw Mr. Longbottom and Mr. Finnegan, Harry. I don't wish to betray Ginny's trust, but let's just say that the Carrows were in charge of discipline, and they weren't particularly discriminate. And—" she paused, unsure of whether she should continue, based on the sudden blazing look in Harry's eyes, then decided, in for a knut, in for a galleon, and continued, "the older students, Gryffindors in particular, tried to take punishment intended for the younger students whenever they could." She watched Harry carefully. He was controlling himself, but he was livid, she knew. Without a word, he turned on his heel and marched back into the Great Hall.
McGonagall rolled her eyes skyward, wondering what kind of beast she had awakened.
oOo
Harry barged back into the Great Hall and skidded to a stop, searching the crowd for Ginny. He finally spotted her with her head on her mother's shoulder. Molly locked eyes with him and gently shook her daughter awake. Ginny opened her eyes and her mother nodded her head toward Harry. Ginny looked at him, her eyes unreadable. Harry crooked his finger in the universal, "Come here," gesture, and watched as Ginny and Molly exchanged a few words and Ginny rose, walking toward him. When she reached him, he wordlessly took her face into his hands and kissed her softly. Then he took her hand and without a word, led her from the Great Hall to Gryffindor Tower. He was glad no one was in the Common Room and he prayed there was no one in the seventh year boys' dorm, either. He led her upstairs and was relieved to find it empty. He tossed his cloak on the bed that would have been his that year and turned to face Ginny, who looked somewhat uncertain.
"Take off your clothes," he said with no preamble.
"W- what?" Ginny asked, eyes wide.
"Take off your clothes," he repeated, quietly but firmly.
Ginny didn't move.
"Ginny, I'm not asking you to get naked, and I'm not going to touch you if you don't want me to. Please. Do this for me. Take off your clothes."
Ginny narrowed her eyes at him, considering. Then, slowly, she unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them off, dropping them on the floor. She then reached down and pulled her shirt up over her head, leaving her wearing only her pale blue bra and knickers. She looked boldly into his eyes and he set his jaw before daring to look. As his eyes drifted down, she heard the sharp intake of breath at what he saw there. There was a large bruise blossoming on the front of her left shoulder, and he could see that creeping across her right breast, down into her bra, was the telltale yellowing of an older bruise. There were similar bruises on her arms and legs, in various sizes and states of healing. Harry ground his teeth together. "Turn around," he forced out. Ginny closed her eyes because it was about to get worse.
She slowly turned and heard Harry's gasp when he saw the scars and still-healing stripes across her back.
Harry was in shock at what he saw there. One of the newer stripes was oozing and had stained the back of her bra. His hands trembled, and he noticed that Ginny's hands were trembling, as well. Then the words came from his mouth, unbidden, softly, gently. "May I touch you, Ginny?" Silently, she nodded.
Harry stepped forward and gently placed his hands on her hips, squeezing gently. He ran them up her sides and leaned forward to drop a gentle kiss on her left shoulder. He sensed, rather than saw, her eyes drift closed, and he murmured, "Thank you for showing me. Is it okay if I heal a couple of these?" Ginny nodded again.
Then she whispered, "It's hard to get to my back to do it myself." Harry was about to ask why she hadn't gone to Madam Pomfrey, but she answered the question before she could ask it. "We couldn't go to the staff. They wouldn't have been able to do anything and it would have made it worse on us if any of them had tried to confront the Carrows." She paused, and sniffled a bit. "But Harry, this is nothing."
Harry stopped abruptly in the midst of a healing spell and said, "What do you mean it's nothing? It's not nothing. I mean, look at you!" he choked out, the tears threatening. Ginny turned and gave him a sad smile before turning back around. "Finish what you were doing, Harry, and I'll answer your question."
Trembling, Harry finished healing the still raw wounds on Ginny's back and then unabashedly turned to rummage through Seamus' trunk until he found some healing salve. He applied it liberally to any place on her back that looked red and then tossed it back into the trunk.
Ginny turned around to face him, her face grateful. "Thank you, Harry," she whispered. Then she took his hand and led him to the bed that would have been his. "Sit down."
"Do you want to get dressed?" he asked, awkwardly.
"No." She said nothing more.
"Okay, then." He took a deep breath, not at all sure that he really wanted to hear the answer to his question, but kept going. "Tell me."
Ginny reached for his hand. "I'm a pure blood witch, Harry," she said sadly. "I'm valuable." She cleared her throat and plunged ahead. "They didn't want to mark us up too much, so they mostly kept the beatings to areas not often exposed," she said, waving her hand toward her back. "But when they felt like they were going a bit too far, they found a more suitable means of punishment." Harry's eyes widened as fear gripped his stomach.
"Not—they didn't—"
"The Cruciatus, Harry."
Harry's head spun and for a moment he thought he would be sick. Then Ginny said something that he wouldn't have thought possible.
"It gets worse."
Harry was lightheaded and realized he was breathing heavily. He didn't know how it could get worse than the Cruciatus, unless—
No.
Not that.
Anything but that.
Harry braced himself.
"When you're a pureblood witch in an atmosphere of pureblood maniacs, hell-bent on creating a 'utopian' pureblood society," she huffed out a mirthless laugh, "what would be your biggest fear?"
Harry couldn't breathe. He felt the bile rising in his throat.
"No. Please, Ginny. No. Tell me they didn't—"
"They didn't," she acquiesced. "But they came close enough to terrify me," she admitted. She swallowed, took a huge breath, and continued.
"Carrow got me in the Dark Arts classroom for detention once, and he ripped my clothes off. All of them. I stood there, completely naked, and I refused to show any fear or beg him for mercy. He walked around me, appraising me, then stood behind me and grabbed my breasts." Ginny stopped, composing herself. Harry felt rage as he'd never felt before—and that was saying a lot. Ginny continued. "I could feel how—how hard he was as he pressed up against me. And he seemed a little pissed at my refusal to show fear." The rage in Harry's chest began to be tempered with pride. "After a few moments of groping, he unzipped his pants and I was terrified that he was going to rape me. But he didn't. He just walked around in front of me and proceeded to begin to stroke himself. Every time I tried to close my eyes or look away, he would slap me across the face and tell me to open them or to look at his dick. I finally got tired of being hit and just left my eyes open until he was finished." She slumped a bit with relief. "That's it. That's everything."
Harry was frozen in horror, until suddenly he felt his gorge rise and knew he couldn't stop it. He leapt off the bed and dashed into the bathroom adjacent to the dorm, barely making it in time to heave into the toilet. He hadn't eaten in—he had no idea how long—but he still managed to expel some water and stomach acid, which burned his throat. Ginny reached him just as he was finished and ran her hand across his back. He flushed and stood up, somewhat shakily, and turned toward her. She was surprised to see tears streaming down his face. He held up a finger, indicating for her to wait a second, and then he reached over and grabbed a bottle of mouthwash belonging to one of the guys. He swished and spat, then turned back toward her.
"Ginny—" he began.
She cut him off. "Harry, it's okay."
"No, Gin, it's not. I am so sorry I asked you to take your clothes off. How callous could I possibly be? Please forgive me."
At this, Ginny rolled her eyes and sighed. "Harry," she said softly, reaching for his hand. "I'm strong. I'm fine. And most importantly, I trust you with my life. I had no problem with undressing in front of you. In fact, the only thing about all of it that pisses me off is that I wanted you to be the first man to—to touch me there," she finished, a bit shyly.
Despite his anguish, Harry felt a twinge in his groin. God, he'd missed her. God, he wanted her.
Without a word, Ginny led Harry back into the dorm, and sat down on the bed, patting the spot next to her. "Harry," she whispered, looking at the floor, "where do we stand?" She lifted her head and looked him dead in the eye.
Harry found that he couldn't form words at that moment, so lost in her chocolate brown eyes was he. So he simply leaned forward, ever so slowly, his eyes never leaving hers, until their lips met. At this, his eyes fluttered closed, and he felt her arms wrap around his neck. The kiss quickly deepened, becoming more heated every second, until their tongues were swirling madly and their breathing was ragged. Harry felt himself being pushed backwards, and felt Ginny's legs tangle with his. They were lying side by side across the bed, and he felt himself growing very hard, very quickly. When Ginny pressed her hips against his, he knew she felt it too and was surprised that he felt thrilled rather than embarrassed. The next thing he knew, she was tugging his t-shirt over his head. He stilled her hands and said, "Ginny?"
She bored her eyes into his, and the blazing look of want and need couldn't be missed. "Yes, Harry. I want this."
Harry hesitated. God, he wanted it, too, but he had to be sure.
"You're absolutely sure, Gin?"
"I've never been more sure of anything." The tone of her voice made it very clear that she was telling the truth. In response, Harry released her hands and allowed her to continue taking his shirt off. Slowly, they began to kiss again, and he allowed his hands to slide across her back to the clasp of her bra. He unhooked it surprisingly easily for someone with no experience, and he sat back from her and looked deep into her eyes as he slid it from her shoulders. When she had tossed it aside, he finally looked down and took her in. God, she was beautiful. Even bruised and scarred, she had the body of a goddess, as far as he was concerned. He gently lay her back, taking in her beauty as she lay below him.
"Is your back okay?" he murmured.
"What back?" she answered with a small smile, as she reached for his bare shoulders. Harry resumed kissing her, his left hand behind her back, his right tangled in her hair. Slowly, he allowed his right hand to trail down, past her neck, fingering her collarbone lightly, and finally, he reached her breast. He gently ran his fingers across it before cupping it in his hand. Ginny gasped with pleasure. She removed her lips from his and panted, "Yep. I like it better when you do it," and Harry couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him.
He resumed kissing her, but broke away after a moment, kissing across her jawline, down her neck, and across her collarbone again, all the while making her pant in anticipation. She knew where he was going.
When at last he reached her nipple, Ginny sucked in a breath at the pleasure she felt from the heat of his mouth. He sucked reverently and ground himself against her. Ginny was reminded that he was still in his jeans, and she hastily fumbled for the buckle of his belt. She paused as Harry switched to her other breast, sucking eagerly once more, and then finally she succeeded in freeing his belt. She hastily unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans and began to shove them down. Harry broke away from her long enough to kick them off, and then all that remained between them was his boxers and her knickers.
Harry reached for the top of her knickers and looked into her eyes once more. "You're sure?" he whispered. Ginny only nodded in response.
Slowly, reverently, Harry drew Ginny's knickers down her legs. Ginny watched him, no fear or embarrassment in her eyes. Harry looked on in awe as the love of his life was completely exposed to him for the first time.
"You're perfect," he whispered.
Ginny smiled at him. "And you're overdressed," she pointed out.
Harry looked down and noticed his tented boxers. "I can rectify that small issue," he quipped.
"From the looks of it, there's nothing small about it," she shot back, a sly smile playing on her lips.
Harry laughed in spite of himself and shoved his boxers down with no hesitation. He was sitting up on his knees, and he allowed Ginny to take him in as he had done to her. Her eyes were eager as she took in his muscled chest and abdomen, and then lingered for a moment on his manhood. He saw no fear, no hesitation—only longing.
Slowly, he pressed himself down on top of her, kissing her more slowly and sensuously than he ever had before. When they broke the kiss they were both gasping with desire and anticipation, and he slowly allowed his hand to drift south. He hesitated for the barest of time when he reached her hair, then stroked his fingers through it until he came to his goal. With no hesitation he confidently ran his index and middle fingers from her opening up to her clit, shocked at how wet she was.
"I do that to you?" he whispered huskily, surprised.
"You have no idea," she whispered back, panting a little.
"Wow," he whispered in awe. That he could make Ginny's body react that way was unbelievable. Him!
"Please, Harry," Ginny whispered, and he could see the raw longing in her eyes. "I need you."
Harry only nodded, and he felt her opening her legs beneath him. He positioned himself over her and glanced at her once more for her approval. She nodded breathlessly and reached down to guide him to the correct spot. With a final nod, she released him and Harry slowly began to push home.
Holy God, she was tight, so impossibly tight, and he knew he would never last. He stopped when he saw her wince in pain, and she held up a single finger. "Give me a minute," she whispered, her voice tight.
Harry thought he was going to explode, but he wouldn't dare risk hurting her further. He waited patiently until Ginny opened her eyes, took a deep breath and said, "Okay. Go," as she began to move beneath him. Harry thought he would pass out from the sensations brought on by the movements she was making. He had no idea that being with her could feel this good. He knew that every orgasm he'd ever had by his own hand would simply pale in comparison to this. He bent down and took possession of Ginny's mouth as they moved together.
"I love you," he whispered into the kiss.
"I love you," she returned.
Harry took a deep breath, their tempo increasing. He knew he wasn't going to last much longer. He was utterly shocked when Ginny gasped and began panting, moaning his name. And that was all it took to finish him. He groaned as he came into her, burying his head in her neck. "Oh, Gin…" was all he managed as his climax came to a close.
He pulled out of her, wincing at the sensitivity, and rolled off of her. Exhausted, he reached up and pulled the covers back. "Come on, love," he whispered.
Sated, Ginny looked at him lazily and crawled toward the head of the bed.
As she tucked into his side, she breathed in his scent and said, "Thank you, Harry."
"It was my pleasure, Ginny. I love you more than life."
"Me too."
And then they were asleep.
oOo
In the Great Hall, Molly and Arthur were conferring with Minerva McGonagall in hushed voices. It had been more than twelve hours since Ginny had disappeared with Harry, and they'd yet to reappear. Molly had a sneaking suspicion what they'd gotten up to, but she was a little concerned all the same. She just wanted to know exactly where her daughter was, her activities be damned. McGonagall had explained to them that she had caught Harry in the entrance hall and asked him to be careful with Ginny, as she had suffered greatly over the past school year. Arthur and Molly had paled and pressed her for details, but McGonagall wouldn't budge. "That is something you will need to discuss with Ginny," was all she would say.
Molly pressed her lips together and made a decision. "I'm going to Gryffindor tower," she said to Arthur and Minerva. "Current password?"
McGonagall smiled. "Courage," she said.
oOo
Dean, Seamus, and Neville wearily climbed the stairs to the seventh year dorm, Ron trailing behind. They were exhausted, having spent every moment since the end of the battle moving bodies inside and helping to treat the wounded. It was only after Madam Pomfrey had physically removed them from the hospital wing (she had grabbed their ears two-by-two and pushed them out the double doors into the outlying hallway), saying that they needed to go find a bed and get in it or she would arrange for them all to have beds in the hospital wing, that they finally took their leave. They didn't feel too guilty, as staff from St. Mungo's had arrived in due course, and it appeared everything was under control.
Seamus was the first to reach the door to the seventh year dorm, and he opened it, walked in, and abruptly backed out, slamming the door as he did.
"What the hell, mate?" Ron asked in irritation.
"You don't want to go in there," Seamus said, looking anywhere but Ron's face.
"Bloody 'ell, Seamus, don't be a prat," Ron said. "I'm exhausted and I need a bed." Ron pushed past his fellow Gryffindors and barged into the dorm, not hearing the "good luck with that," that Seamus muttered under his breath.
Ron froze in horror. There, right in front of his eyes, lay his best mate and his sister, fast asleep. Worse than that, they were naked. How did he know? Because his little sister's bare breasts were on full display, the sheet shoved down around her waist. He wanted nothing more than to run screaming from the room, but he couldn't seem to move.
He felt Seamus reach into the room and grab his shoulder, hauling him backwards. "Come on, you bloody git," he said, unable to hide the mirth in his voice. Ron allowed himself to be pulled out of the dorm. Seamus closed the door and then turned Ron around to face his classmates. He was barely able to hold back his laughter. "Breathe, Ron," he muttered, chuckling.
He glanced at Dean and Neville, who looked baffled.
Seamus tossed his head toward the dorm and mock-whispered, "Ginny and the Chosen One…in a most unfortunate state of dress…or lack thereof, so to speak."
Neville grinned and Dean's mouth fell open. "Wicked," they said simultaneously.
This startled Ron out of his state of shock. "Shut up, you bloody pricks!" he fumed. "I'm scarred for life," he moaned, sinking onto the stairs and dropping his head into his hands.
Seamus laughed as he reached down and pulled Ron up. "Come on, Ron, let's go crash in the Common Room."
Ron reluctantly rose at Seamus' insistent tug, and stumbled down the stairs after them. Just as he reached the bottom, he noticed his mum and dad coming through the portrait hole.
"Oh, bloody hell," he thought to himself.
oOo
Arthur looked at his wife as Minerva gave her the password to the Gryffindor quarters. "I'm coming, too, Molly," he said.
He didn't miss the knowing look and the smirk exchanged by McGonagall and his wife. "Are you sure you want to do that, Arthur?" Molly asked, trying to hide the grin that threatened to break out.
Arthur rolled his eyes heavenward and sighed. "Really, Molly," he said, a bit condescendingly, "you don't actually think I'm that clueless, do you? Anyone with a pair of eyeballs can see that they're madly in love, and as I recall, they're already older than we were when we first—" Arthur smirked as Molly placed a finger over his lips, effectively silencing him, while shooting a glimpse at McGonagall. She may be an adult with children of her own, but she still held her Head of House in the highest esteem, and Molly couldn't bear the thought of disappointing her.
She was shocked when McGonagall laughed heartily. "Oh, good heavens, Molly, don't look so horrified. You think I don't know what happens in my own House?" She smirked. "I turn my head when I feel it's prudent, and you and Arthur were so clearly meant to be, how could I interfere?"
Molly gaped while Arthur just grinned. He turned Molly toward Gryffindor Tower and held his hand out behind his back, palm up. His grin widened when he felt McGonagall slap his hand in a low five.
oOo
Molly stepped through the portrait hole and met Ron's horrified eyes immediately. She stifled a laugh, guessing that he'd stumbled upon his sister and best mate in a compromising position. She glanced at Arthur and knew he'd surmised the same. With a sly wink, she ambled toward her youngest son, Arthur following close behind.
"Ronald," she said, feigning worry. "Have you seen Ginny? She went off with Harry hours and hours ago, and no one's seen her since."
Ron paled and Molly didn't know how she was going to hold it together.
"Well," she continued, "we're just going to have a look up in the dormitory to see if they went up there—"
"NO!" Ron shouted, louder than necessary. "Umm, I don't think you want to do that, Mum."
"Sure we do," she said as she brushed past Ron, Arthur following behind.
Ron let his head hang down as they passed. From one of the couches in the Common Room, Seamus, Dean, and Neville were turning red with the effort of holding in their collective laughter.
oOo
"Molly, my love, you are incredible," Arthur whispered as he pulled his wife to a stop at the top of the staircase. He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her back into him. He swept her hair to the side and planted a slow, sensuous kiss on the side of her neck. She shivered; he could still make her weak in the knees after all these years. He murmured against her skin, "I mean, did you see the look on Ron's face? It was priceless."
Molly laughed lowly and reached for the door handle. "I think you'd best wait here, dear, in case your daughter isn't, um, quite presentable."
"You'll get no argument from me," Arthur replied with a grin.
Molly quietly turned the knob and slipped into the dorm, closing the door behind her, leaving it only cracked. She took in the sight before her and couldn't help but smirk. Sure enough, there lay her only daughter with Harry Potter, both naked as jaybirds as far as she could tell. She crept to the bedside and lovingly smoothed back Ginny's hair, then pulled the sheet puddled at her waist up so that her breasts were covered. She looked so peaceful and so happy, despite the bruises that Molly saw splashed across her skin. She frowned at this, vowing to have that talk with her daughter that McGonagall had suggested.
She crept back to the door and motioned Arthur in. "Found them," she smirked.
Arthur poked his head in and rolled his eyes, failing to keep the grin off his face. "Well," he said, feigning resignation, "if it had to be someone, I'm glad it's him."
Molly looked at him slyly. "Want to have a little fun?"
Arthur pretended to look mortified. "What, me? Embarrass my only daughter, my baby girl?" He dropped the act. "Of course I do." He gave an evil grin.
"You or me?" Molly asked. "Which would be worse?"
Arthur contemplated. "You for him and me for her. You start," he said with a wink.
Molly smiled and then, with effort, locked her features into a livid stare. She took a deep breath, and then—
"HARRY JAMES POTTER, JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING WITH MY DAUGHTER?!"
Arthur almost choked as Harry and Ginny shot straight up, Harry grabbing for his glasses and wand, Ginny fumbling with the sheet to cover the breast she'd just inadvertently exposed.
Before either could reply, Arthur schooled his features into a classic "disappointed father" look and said, with as much emotion as he could muster, "Ginevra Molly Weasley, I am so disappointed in your behavior. Why, this—this isn't how we raised you, to just hop into bed with any bloke that comes along!"
Harry was attempting to formulate coherent words, and Ginny's eyes began to blaze with anger at her father for implying that she was some slag, but it didn't matter. Molly and Arthur couldn't keep up the charade, and they both broke into hysterical laughter. Molly covered her eyes and leaned against Arthur for support. Tears were leaking from her eyes as she leaned against the love of her life, laughing. "Did you see their faces?" she choked out. "That was priceless!"
Arthur's laughter rivaled her own and he held his beloved up against him. "That was perfect, Molls!" he managed to get out.
Ginny and Harry looked at them, bug-eyed, and then looked at each other.
Molly finally got ahold of herself and addressed Ginny and Harry. "We were just taking the mickey out, you two. And it was worth it, too, I might add. You should have seen your faces!" She giggled. "Get dressed, kids, and meet us in the Common Room. You're in no trouble with us," she finished. Arthur nodded his agreement with a grin. With another smirk, Molly and Arthur turned and left the dormitory, leaving two shocked Gryffindors in their wake.
oOo
Ron watched in shock as his parents descended the stairs hand in hand, laughing to themselves. They spotted him and he leapt up from the couch and charged toward them. "What the bloody hell are you two laughing about?" he asked incredulously. "Did you see that spectacle up there?" he asked, pointing up the stairwell.
"We did, son," said Arthur placidly. "What of it?"
Ron spluttered, "Y—You, you two are okay with that? She was bloody naked and sprawled out on my best mate!" Ron started up the stairs and was met by his father's firm hand smacking into his chest.
"Ronald," Arthur growled in a warning tone, "watch yourself."
Ron gaped at his father. "But—"
"No buts, son. I don't care if she's not yet of age. She and Harry have just survived a horrifying war and they love each other desperately. I have no problem with them taking their physical relationship to the next level. And I hate to break it to you," he smirked, "but your mother and I were younger than both of them the first time we slept together." Molly stifled a laugh at the horrified look on Ron's face.
"Yes, Ron," Arthur said, enjoying every ounce of discomfort he was imparting upon his youngest son. "Your mother and I are actual human beings with actual, normal sexual urges. I mean, how the hell do you think we ended up with seven kids?" He winced a little at the painful reminder that he now had only six children. Ron apparently didn't even make that connection, so horrified was his countenance.
Molly was so desperately grateful to her love for his sense of humor. Watching him tease Ron was easing the dull ache in her heart. She knew that she had a long road ahead of her, but she knew that with Arthur faithfully by her side, they would survive it.
Ron recovered the use of his limbs and spun on his heel back toward his couch in the Common Room. He was frantically trying to wipe every mental image of the last few minutes out of his head.
Molly and Arthur followed, fingers laced together, and found a seat. They noticed that the room had begun to fill with quite a few more Gryffindors. The mood was subdued but hopeful, and there was an air of relief and quiet joy that permeated the room.
Molly squeezed Arthur's hand and nodded toward the staircase as she spied Ginny and Harry descending hand in hand. She laughed to herself as she saw the looks of confusion and worry on their faces.
Harry leaned over and whispered something in Ginny's ear and she nodded. Harry left her side and headed for Molly and Arthur. "May I speak with you, Mr. Weasley?" he asked quietly.
Arthur rolled his eyes and glanced at Molly, who was smiling. "Yes, Harry. The answer is yes. Go. Ask her."
Harry looked at him, unsure.
"Harry." Arthur said firmly. "GO. Ask her. Did you honestly think I'd say no to you?" He winked and then shook his hands at Harry as if shooing him away.
Harry gave a half grin , placed his hands together in a 'thank you' with a slight bow, and turned away. He stopped and turned back, saying, "I have to go get my mother's ring from my vault at Gringott's, but I want to do this here, in this place that means so much to us," he said, looking up and gesturing at the Common Room. Arthur smiled and nodded.
Harry turned away and walked confidently to Ginny.
"Attention! My fellow Gryffindors!" he shouted as he reached her. She looked at him in surprise as he took her hand and pulled her into a tight embrace.
Holding her tightly against him, his chin atop her head, he continued, "I have something to say to you lot, something that I want to share with all of you, as my housemates and comrades in battle."
He looked down at Ginny. She was the picture of loveliness.
"This woman here, this beautiful creature in my arms—she represents all that is good, all that is noble, all that is lovely in the world. She is a true Gryffindor, with courage beyond anything I've ever known. It is only because of her love that I made it through the past eight months. Knowing that I had this," –he dropped a kiss into Ginny's hair—"to come back to…well, it's what kept me going. I could do what I had to do. For her. Because of her. Because I needed to come back and share a life with her." Harry swallowed, his emotions getting the better of him. He looked down into Ginny's awed face and stepped away from her. "So, despite the fact that I'm lacking the essential hardware for this, as it's safely tucked away in my vault in Gringott's, I want you all to share with me as I ask this woman a most important question." With that, he dropped to one knee and the entire room gasped. Ginny's eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth in disbelief.
"Ginny Weasley, you are the love of my life and my reason for living. Will you do me the exquisite honor of sharing your life with me forever as my wife?"
Harry watched in amazement as Ginny's eyes filled with tears. She closed them tightly and the tears spilled down her cheeks. She rushed to wipe them away before breaking into a huge grin. "YES!" she shouted, throwing herself down on him, knocking him to the ground. "YES YES YES!" She pressed her lips against his in a crushing kiss, and Harry was faintly aware of the wild cheer going up in the Gryffindor Common Room. He heard laughter, applause, catcalls, sharp whistles, and before he knew it, the people he'd spent the most important years of his life with were swarming them, congratulating them. He was shocked to see that many of them were openly sobbing. It was only then that he realized what this place—these hallowed grounds—meant to all of them. This was their home, their refuge, the place where they found out who they really were. This was where they forged friendships that would last a lifetime. This common room would link them all together for the rest of their lives. He looked into the eyes of Seamus and Dean with unabashed joy as they both wrestled to hug him first. Their laughter echoed throughout the large room as they knocked Ginny away from them, and her laughter followed.
Then he heard, "Get off of him, you gits!" and was shocked as Ron crashed into him, laughing and hugging him. "You bloody wanker, I ought to kill you, but I guess I'll just get a new brother instead."
Harry clasped his best friend tightly to him, trying to control his emotions and failing miserably. He choked out a sob as he gripped the back of Ron's neck and tilted their foreheads together. "Thank you, mate," he whispered. "You know I'll cherish her forever."
"Yeah. I know," Ron whispered back, his voice tight with emotion. "I know you will." Ron then reached over and pulled Ginny into a tight embrace, his cheek against her hair. "I love you, Gin. You two are perfect together," he whispered huskily.
Ginny grinned up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "Thanks, Ron," she whispered faintly.
They finally got to their feet and Harry's countenance changed. He had a steely look in his eyes now.
"One last thing," he said in a loud voice to the room. "Where are the Carrows? Are they dead?"
The room of Gryffindors exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of where this was leading. Finally, Neville spoke up. "Luna said that McGonagall tied them up and left them in Ravenclaw Tower."
Harry set his jaw, pulled his wand from his back pocket and headed for the portrait hole. He glanced back and Ginny and said, "You can come see this or not—it's your decision. And somebody find Luna for me!"
Wide-eyed, Ginny followed, Seamus, Dean, Ron, Neville, Molly and Arthur on their heels.
oOo
Harry marched with single-minded determination toward Ravenclaw Tower, hoping that someone would heed his instructions to find Luna. He needed her to get in—or so he thought. As it turned out, he caught Cho as she was exiting from the Ravenclaw Common Room.
"Cho!" he shouted. "Hold up. I need to get in there." Cho narrowed her eyes but held the door, allowing Harry and the small contingent of Gryffindors to enter her Common Room. As it turned out, Luna was already there, wrapped up in a blanket in front of the fireplace.
Harry spotted the Carrows immediately and strode toward them, slowing his pace with every step, a single-minded determination guiding him.
"Alecto, Amycus," he said, his voice deadly. "Fancy meeting you here." The Carrows eyed him warily.
Harry dropped into a nearby armchair, assuming an overly casual pose, twirling his wand through his fingers.
"I hear you've been very busy this school year," he said quietly, his voice disquietingly friendly. He stood. "Seems you two have been big fans of beatings, whippings, the Cruciatus, oh, and let's not forget sexual assault," he sneered.
Behind him, Molly and Arthur paled. The Cruciatus? Sexual assault? But each of them put those concerns on the backburner, because they could see that Harry was hell-bent on revenge, and they weren't sure they could stop him.
Arthur leaned over to Molly. "Go," he whispered urgently. "Go get Minerva." Molly nodded and quietly exited the Ravenclaw Common Room in search of her old Head of House.
Harry continued pacing in front of the Carrows. "It seems that one of your targets," he began quietly, "was my fiancée!" he screamed, and both Carrows began to look genuinely scared.
"And you," he bent over, hands on his knees, whispering threateningly at Amycus, "you fucking scum. You dared to humiliate her and PUT YOUR HANDS ON HER?" he screamed. "You. Will. Pay," he said, his voice deadly.
"But…" Harry smiled an evil grin, "we'll start with your dear sister so you know what you have to look forward to. And trust me," he sneered, "yours will be much worse. Crucio!" he shouted, pointing his wand at Alecto.
The screams filled the Ravenclaw Common Room for a good 30 seconds before Harry stopped. He panted, and in the silence, Alecto's whimpers filled the air.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Harry said sweetly. "Did that hurt? Crucio!" he screamed, as he pointed his wand at her once more.
When he released her from the spell the second time, she cried out, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
Harry said only, "Yes. You are. Crucio!" He released her after only a few seconds and she passed out where she lay.
Harry turned to Amycus, who was pale and trembling. He tried to speak. "I—"
But before he could say a word, Harry screamed, "CRUCIO!" at the top of his lungs, and he watched with satisfaction as Amycus Carrow screamed in torment. "That's what you get for putting your hands on her! That's what you get for torturing first-years. That's what you get for being an evil fucking scumbug. Fuck you! NO ONE TOUCHES GINNY, YOU ASSHOLE! NO ONE!"
Harry kept Amycus under the Cruciatus for a full three minutes before Ginny managed to shake him out of his fury. "Harry! Harry!" she shouted, as if from a great distance. Slowly, he was able to focus on her. "Harry, listen to me!" she sobbed, her hands on either side of his face. "Stop this! This isn't you, Harry! It's not you! It's not who you are!"
Stunned, Harry released Carrow from the spell and watched apathetically as he collapsed, breathing heavily, somehow managing to stay conscious. Alecto was coming around, too, and Harry took one of Ginny's hands and kissed the palm. "I'm sorry, Love," he whispered.
Then he turned to the Carrows and the entire room trembled at the steel in his voice. "Now listen to me, you two. I'm going to stop now, but hear this: the Aurors are going to come and take you to the Ministry, and then you will go on trial. And you better believe that I am going to testify at that trial, and I am going to do my damndest to make sure you go to Azkaban and get a friendly little kiss from the Dementors when you get there." He turned away.
Amycus had the audacity to laugh at this. "As if they'll listen to a child," he sneered.
Harry turned around, slowly.
Amycus shrank back involuntarily at the look in Harry's eyes.
Harry crept forward and crouched in front of the Carrows.
"Well, you see, I'm Harry Potter, and I killed Voldemort. And I think that given those circumstances, they just might give a little weight to my requests. See you in court." He lingered long enough to see the Carrows pale and the looks of terror that flashed across their faces. He turned sharply before he could change his mind and rushed from the Ravenclaw Common Room. Once out, he nearly collided with Molly and McGonagall. Arthur and Ginny were hot on his heels.
"Mr. Potter?" McGonagall said questioningly, the look on her face a confusing mixture of disapproval and pride.
"They're fine, Professor. Possibly a bit sore, but fine," he added with some satisfaction.
He fixed McGonagall in his gaze. "Do you know what they did to her?" he asked in a low voice.
McGonagall closed her eyes. "No," she murmured. "Not her specifically. But I know what they were capable of and what they did to some students."
"Well, I do," Harry said coldly, his jaw set. "And they. will. pay." he said vehemently. "That bastard and his sister—"
"Harry," said Ginny, her voice gentle as she touched his arm. Harry noticed her parents behind her, their faces anguished. "Harry," she continued, "this is my tale to tell, not yours, okay?" Her voice was soft and loving. "I know you're angry, but please let me decide how and when and to whom to tell the story."
Harry dropped his head, properly chastened. "I'm sorry, Gin. Truly. I'm sorry. You're right." He took her chin in his fingers and tilted it up at him. "And you were right earlier—you are strong. Stronger than anyone I've ever known." He tilted his face down and kissed her gently. He then looked up at McGonagall. "Professor," he began, "I apologize for crossing the line. I had no right to do what I did. I accept full responsibility for my actions—"
Before he could finish, McGonagall waved him off. "Forget it, Potter. All you did was save me the trouble." She winked at him, her eyes twinkling. Harry's eyes widened. "Oh, and before I forget," she continued, "I hear congratulations are in order?"
Harry and Ginny grinned and he hugged her into his side. "Yes, ma'am. I asked her right in the middle of the Gryffindor Common Room. It seemed appropriate."
"Indeed, Mr. Potter. I wish I'd been there to see it. Just be sure I get an invitation?" she left the question hanging in the air as she turned and entered the Ravenclaw Common Room to check on her prisoners.