1 January 2001, 2:13 am
Magical is most certainly a word destined to describe the life of Ginny Weasley.
Beyond the obvious reasoning of her Wizarding genes, the youngest Weasley seemed to have luck in her blood. The Chamber of Secrets notwithstanding, Ginny usually found a way around the stickiest of situations with little trouble.
It may have been the first time she had been lost, but it was certainly not the last.
The Second War made every witch and wizard in Britain feel adrift and Ginny, longing for stability, had freely returned to Hogwarts to finish out her seventh year. Despite the daily tears and the unsurprising dramatic shift in how Headmistress McGonagall allowed the classes and students to remain lax, the old stone castle still felt like her second home. At the end of her final week at Hogwarts, Ginny wept for many reasons but mostly for the marked ending of her childhood. No one would have guessed that the same smiling and laughing teenagers on the front lawn were some of the same who had helped to defeat Voldemort one year prior, but Ginny knew better, and she knew they would all be stronger because of it.
Seven years at Hogwarts had come and gone and the last Weasley had ridden in the tiny wooden boat back across the lake, leaving her school days and their horrors behind.
Her own grin had spilt her freckled face later when the throngs of people parted in the crowded Hogsmeade and nearly a dozen eager gingers had burst forward, each one with tears in their eyes and open arms reaching for her. But Ginny only saw one person.
Harry.
Heart leaping in her chest, Ginny admired the slight scruff of hair underneath his jaw and the slight tan gleaned from a week of rest, relaxation, and almost maximum effort to continue to exercise. Harry Potter had filled out in the many months since he was finally allowed to be someone other than the Chosen One and she wanted to say aloud, with absolute conviction, that he was quite the roguish looking wizard now.
But he had not left room for any of her rakish remarks or comments. Instead, Harry had walked straight up to Ginny, slid one hand around her waist and the other around the back of her neck, and - hundreds of eyes on them be damned - he had kissed her.
She had felt it in every cell of her body - felt it where his touch seared an invisible imprint into her skin, his lips fire on her mouth. And every one of those cells was singing joyously with the love and life that Ginny knew she would so willingly give to Harry if he would let her.
The world had come back to her too quickly and she had felt her cheeks heat - most likely from the sun she had quickly thought - as her lips stretched wide to their full extent. A chorus of oohhs and awwws, along with a few catcalls, had begun and Ginny had to watch Harry's lips move to hear what he was saying.
"I love you."
It was the first time he had told her that.
Momentarily stunned silent, Ginny smiled wider still and returned the sentiment wholeheartedly. "I love you too."
Harry had pulled her to him tightly, her face wet with fresh, happy tears and pressed into the curve of his neck, and Ginny had known that everything would be alright again.
Magical, she had thought, today is a truly magical day.
But if the elation of graduating school, and having the man of your dreams finally tell you he loves you, felt that fantastic - then Ginny couldn't find the words for how she was feeling at that very moment, years later. She could scarcely find the words to describe how her New Years Eve had taken such a turn, let alone how her emotions were coping with all of this new information.
The naked man next to her rolled completely onto his side and the creamy, soft sheet fell lower against the soft, dark hairs on his abdomen. Harry deftly adjusted the black, wire frame glasses on his nose and laid a slightly calloused hand on her sheet glad thigh. Ginny held his emerald gaze and grinned wide. Her bare breasts swayed softly and she quickly leaned forward to kiss his lips.
"Are you quite happy?" Harry asked cheekily.
"Quite," Ginny replied smartly with a smirk.
"Good," was his one word reply before he smoothly grabbed her naked waist and yanked her towards him, her legs sliding awkwardly beneath her as she fell forward and laughed perfectly.
"You certainly blew any surprise I could ever plan for you right out of the water," Ginny stated as she too rolled onto her side and their noses lightly touched.
Harry blinked and cast his gaze down to her lips, a pink flush spotting his slightly tanned cheeks. "I tried my best, love, but I can't claim all of the credit."
He met her chocolate eyes and smiled as an auburn eyebrow arched and one corner of her mouth twitched upward in a smirk.
"No?" Ginny asked with mock incredulity, sarcasm dripping from her words. "But I'm most certain that Ron was the one to have given you such a romantic idea. "
Harry barked a short laugh, his right arm resting on the curve of her naked torso as a freckled hand flitted to run through his messy black locks.
"Actually, it was Hermione who -" he began.
Ginny rolled her eyes and scoffed with slight irritation. It was annoying enough that the bushy haired witch still intruded on Harry's life, and by extension hers, whenever she pleased, but Ginny almost couldn't stand that Hermione would take it upon herself to dictate Harry's love life too. Or the fact that he would probably allow her to.
"Gin -" he started once more, needing to explain himself all over again. "'Mione didn't just - plan it out and tell me where to go and when." Harry looked at her still arched eyebrow and placed a hand on her ass to squeeze gently, bringing forth the small sigh he expected. "When it opened a few months back, she dragged Ron and I there, saying it was for some random article she was writing during that short stint with the Prophet - the story about Muggle ingenuity and their technological advances."
Again Ginny rolled her eyes, but allowed the slight tension to leave her muscles, Harry's gaze silently pleading with her to not remain transfixed on the tiny detail.
"She kept going on about how romantic it was - probably trying to give a hint to Ron," Harry explained, another grin spreading his lips as he poked fun at his best friend.
"Fat chance of that," Ginny smirked and leaned in again to press a kiss to his mouth. "However, it came about, you most definitely put yourself in the running for wizard of the year, Mr. Potter."
"It was pretty clever, wasn't it?"
Harry's grin stretched further and Ginny rolled her eyes, humor evident in her gaze.
"Quite so," she responded poshly.
Laughter split the darkness of the early morning and the happy couple was quick to return to their naked, breathtaking activities. A scant few fireworks sounded in the distance and though the bedroom window was still in need of cleaning and dust made the brief images blurry, Ginny was quick to return to the recent memories of the night as her eyes slid shut blissfully and Harry took his place atop her.
As was every New Years Eve, London was blistering cold and covered in snow. But that did not stop the holiday activities of so many witches, wizards, and Muggles as they hurried to find their appropriate mode of transportation to their desired destinations.
Ginny didn't mind the cold - on the contrary, she was ready to tell the next person who complained about the weather that they should try flying around a Quidditch pitch in this weather - now that was cold. But no one else deigned to relay their animosity to her and she took the final left turn onto Grimmauld Place as an icy wind pulled several stray pieces of scarlet hair out of the collar of her long, wool coat. Hands tucked into the warmth of deep pockets, she embraced the frigid weather on her bare face and set her sights upon her destination.
Or rather, where her destination would be if it were visible to the naked eye.
Number 12 Grimmauld Place did not appear to have been constructed between Numbers 11 and 13, but knowing better, Ginny kept walking, turned the sharp corner around the open rusty, iron gate and darted up the short set of cracked stairs. If she had blinked she would have missed it, but her eyes remained open and the enormous sound of stone grinding on stone alerted her to the magical appearance of Number 12.
Nerves suddenly racking her body, Ginny hesitated momentarily before raising a folded hand to the door and rapping lightly with the serpent knocker. Her wand slid into her grasp inside the occupied coat pocket and she had the fleeting thought to Disapparate back home and wait for Harry there. Footsteps grew louder as she worried over how private her reunion with Harry was going to be with so many close friends nearby, but the sliding of metal locks on the other side of the door told her her time was up.
Any bit of worry she had disappeared the moment the warm air rushed through the open door and Luna Lovegood smiled serenely back at her.
"Happy New Year, Ginny," the blonde haired witch greeted her calmly, the giant relaxed smile on her pale face the only indication of her excitement at seeing her closest friend again.
"Oh Luna!" Ginny exclaimed loudly and dashed forward to throw her arms around the other woman's neck. "Happy New Year!"
The old troll leg umbrella stand by the front door had been replaced the previous year with a lone branch from the Womping Willow, crafted to resemble a suitable coat rack, and Ginny carelessly threw her charcoal wool coat on an empty peg as Luna shut the door behind them and reattached all seven locks. She instinctively listened for the tell-tale screaming of Walburga Black from her portrait on the first landing, but any complaints from the dead witch were still muted by the Permanent Sticking Charm Harry had finally placed on the curtain covering the rotten excuse for decoration.
The old house looked much the same as when she had been there last, only about nine weeks ago around Halloween when she had squeezed in a trip home between Quidditch games. The carpet was still thin and the dust so thick at the baseboards that you could no longer notice that there were wooden floors beneath the once ornate runners. But the large undertaking of removing the peeling wallpaper had been finished since she had visited last, and Ginny was impressed with the rich dark chocolate Harry had chosen to paint the walls instead. With the ancient wallpaper went the dusty outlines of portraits past and in their place was the most noticeable change to Number 12 upon entering. Frames of all shapes and sizes had been hung perfectly, some of their contents moving, some of them frozen for that brief capture of a moment. Images from their time at Hogwarts filled a good handful of the frames, a stained Gryffindor Quidditch robe hung inside a glass case with a gold placard on the front, and a very realistic, but nonmoving, portrait of Sirius all hung on the wide expanse of the wall running the length of the house. They looked a bit out of place above the threadbare carpet but she knew that would change soon too.
Ginny noticed herself in a few of the frames she glanced at quickly and she made a mental note to look at every one of them before she left for Germany in two days time. Luna was openly staring at her but Ginny didn't find it unusual and rushed forward with a burst of excitement to give her friend another hug.
"How are you? How is Rolf? Broken down his barriers yet?" A quick waggle of her eyebrows accompanied a flashing smirk. "Did you bring him with you? Where is everyone? Filling their mouths with treats and alcohol already?" Ginny rattled off without taking a breath. "Have you seen Harry? Has he come down yet?" She continued, sparing a glance towards the top of the stairs covered in semi darkness.
"It's lovely to see you, Ginny," Luna said dreamily and she turned to walk towards the kitchen without any preamble, as if it was she and not Ginny who had lived there for over a year. "Everyone has been congregating downstairs, though I think George talked Ron into letting off some fireworks a bit early in the backyard." Luna continued walking leisurely and Ginny realized with a snicker that her cooky friend had not changed a bit, if the sweeping periwinkle robes with dancing Thestrals were any indication at least. "Harry was downstairs too, he seemed somewhat nervous but I would be too if I had a Chameleon Ghoul living in my house. Or maybe the Wrackspurts are coming around again."
Luna shrugged noncommittally and flicked her wand to make the gas lamps burn brighter, erasing the shadows that lingered on the stairs and illuminating the new paint that extended up the walls to the upper floors.
"Did you bring Rolf with you?" Ginny prodded again, a mischievous grin in place. Luna waited to say anything, and instead paused in the doorway to the large dining room to turn up those lamps too before she nodded to herself and stowed her wand away.
"Of course not," Luna said blankly turning back to look at the other witch. "I have only met the wizard twice."
Ginny did not miss the way she measured the slowness of her speech to match her usual casual way with words, nor did she mistake the flush on her cheeks or slight smile for something else.
"Yea you oughta get to know him better before you bring him around this lot," Ginny laughed, clearly picturing some poor bloke being figuratively pounced on in the lions den of Weasleys.
"Why? What's wrong with us?" A voice asked from above, the words getting louder as footsteps moved down the stairs. "Don't you think we'd be on our best behavior for guests?"
The air sucked out of her lungs while her stomach seemed to drop out completely before rushing back up with a momentary lapse of dizziness. Every centimeter of her skin tingled with awareness and she felt the weight of the motion as her eyes traveled up the stairs and her feet automatically stopped moving. Time slowed until the one second felt like a whole minute. Ginny's gaze moved over clean black, leather boots, up a pair of dark denim clad legs and past the crisp white shirt tucked in neatly, skating over the open collar and the slight bit of dark chest hair -
Harry.
It was as if she was seeing him for the first time.
It may have only been two weeks but Ginny swore she fell in love with him again as she met his green gaze and stilled completely. He smiled hesitantly for a moment then grinned full out as he continued down the stairs.
"Well I guess he wasn't in the kitchen anymore," Luna said, breaking the silence. "I'll go see how everyone is coming along with the festivities," she finished and noiselessly went down the stone steps to the basement where laughter and voices floated up freely.
Ginny felt as if she didn't know what to do until Harry at last stood before her and his scent wafted over her. Everything came back into focus, her heart picking up its natural pace, and she felt tears well up in her eyes as her face split with an enormous grin.
"Hey," Harry said lamely.
She laughed again and easily the tension was broken as Ginny placed both hands on either side of his neck and pulled him in close. "Hey," she whispered throatily and pressed her mouth against his, his hands coming to rest on the small of her back until their hips were pressed together too.
"I've missed you so much," Harry mumbled against the warmth of her neck several minutes later. "You don't know how much I've wanted this after a long day."
Allowing the salty tears to leak out, Ginny giggled to cover the wobbly sigh that threatened to destroy the image of strength she portrayed despite the sadness that accompanied her when they were parted.
"I think I have a pretty good idea. You can't even imagine how badly my back is in need of your hands," she stated without any hint of an underlying insinuation, but the wiggling of an eyebrow brought the color to his cheeks anyways.
"Your back?" Harry asked incredulously with a twinkle of mirth in his eyes, leaning back slightly to give her face a once over. "It's my back that needs the endless knots worked out - you would think Director Robards forgot what it's like the first few months after Training is finished."
"Aww," Ginny cooed with near perfect false sympathy. "Does the unbreakable Harry Potter want his Auror job to be a little bit easier?"
Harry scoffed playfully. "As if being an international Quidditch super star is the most difficult profession in the world."
"Hey!" Ginny admonished lightly. "I'll have you know that the team isn't called the Harpies because the witches are all pleasant people to be around. Especially Gwenog - even if we were number one in the league, I don't think she would be happy with the team."
"I'll take flying laps over chasing a half naked and wholly drunk wizard through the Muggle portion of Canary Wharf any day," Harry countered as equally wide grins split their overly joyous faces.
She made an odd noise that was halfway between an excited yelp and a throaty laugh, and laced her fingers together behind his dark head. "But Auror Potter - you can chase me around naked anytime."
It was Harry's turn to roll his eyes with fake exasperation but one hand squeezed the plumpness of her ass all the same and once more they laughed in sync.
"Only if you're naked too, love," he stated with a wink and displayed his Seeker fast reflexes to press a wet kiss just below her ear before Ginny could raise a hand to lightly smack him.
"Oh I think that can be arranged, Mister Auror sir."
"Though not tonight, Gin," Harry stated with a lopsided grin, clearly already picturing her naked form. "I thought we could stay here for the night instead of going home - Merlin knows I've seen enough splinched wizards to last a lifetime."
"Are you saying that you're going to get me too drunk to travel safely - that doesn't sound very gentlemanly," Ginny questioned cheekily, her gaze taking on a hooded look as the corners of her pink lips twisted into a knowing smirk.
"Quite the opposite - I think you're the one who will outdrink us all and have me on the floor before midnight even rolls around."
Harry basked in the melody of her tinkling laughter and wondered how he could possibly love anyone more than he did the youngest Weasley in that moment.
"I'd better get you started then if I want to take advantage of you later," Ginny continued roguishly before she tilted her mouth against his and kissed him with only a sliver of the pent up passion from the last couple of weeks.
"Come on then," Harry began, stepping out of her embrace moments later and twining their fingers together, pulling her away from the stairs and towards the darkened doorway down to the kitchen. "Better let the natives know we haven't run off on them before they get restless and come find us. I hear George has a new creation he wants to test out and I'm not looking to give him an excuse to make us unknowing participants."
"No, we had best not," Ginny agreed truthfully and happily let him lead her in the direction of food, liquor, and what was sure to be a fantastic holiday night.
The hands on the clock moved closer to midnight much faster than she had anticipated but Ginny was unsurprised after it became apparent that George really was going to use the evening as an attempt to get everyone to try out his latest concoction, an unapologetic Angelina shaking her head ruefully with every no he received. Ron and Hermione spent a sizeable portion of the night bickering good-naturedly and Ginny had to admit that the pair were suited for each other in every way possible. Luna flitted around the kitchen happily, quick to point out to anyone who would listen that she suspected fairies would love to make a home in the new bubbles lit from within on the ceiling. Neville Longbottom kept stealing blushing glances at his date, the demure and lovely Hannah Abbott, as she chatted animatedly with Fleur in partial French. Bill held court near his wife, eagerly telling Charlie, Harry, and Angelina's brother, Richard, about his recent trip to Egypt to assist with the latest tomb uncovered after centuries hidden in the sands.
Ginny laughed heartily along with everyone else when Lee Jordan accidentally popped a Canary Cream into his mouth and his dreadlocks quickly turned into bright yellow feathers. The alcohol probably made the wizard a tad more frightened than he ought to be but it was Luna's reaction - a thoughtful question if the feathers would be worth any money - that had them clutching their sides with laughter and Lee Jordan embracing the brief clucking for their amusement.
It was in that moment, as with so many in the last three and a half years and with many more in the decades to come, that Ginny thought about how far they had all come, and how much they had lost. It was a sobering thought and she turned away from the merriment as a tear came to her eye at the notion that Fred should be right there with George, comically harassing Lee about not being careful what he ate around him.
A hand was lightly placed on the small of her back and she turned around to find Harry looking at her with concern and anxiousness.
"You alright?" He asked in a low tone, his body angled to keep anyone from directly seeing her face.
"Yea, yea," Ginny responded hastily with a smile plastered on. "Just thinking about how fast time flies."
There was a commotion of chairs scraping on the stone floor and someone opened the ice chest to pull out several bottles of champagne. Her gaze flickered back to Harry and she watched as he fiddled with a cuff link on one wrist.
"Everyone is making their way to the backyard," Harry explained, his eyes darting everywhere as if to assure himself she was fine. "George is going to set up on the roof to let off the fireworks and Hermione has laid out blankets for everyone to watch them."
"That sounds lovely," Ginny commented and the last of her sadness vanished as she saw that it was indeed only ten minutes from midnight, and the start of a new year. "Let me just grab my coat and we'll go out there."
The outside noises grew clearer as they ascended the stairs from the kitchen and through the crack of the open door the pop of a champagne cork preceded a round of enormous giggling from their large group of friends. Hermione loudly told Charlie that her glass was more than full enough, Ron shushed her with an even louder slurring of pacifying words, and Fleur shrieked happily, the blonde witch quickly drunk this being her first night out since giving birth several months ago.
"If Charlie is the one pouring the champagne, they're definitely going to run out before we get outside," Ginny groped for Harry's hand and sprinted towards the coat rack as someone yelled from the backyard that they were going to miss the big light show. "C'mon Harry!"
When he gave resistance, she glanced back and felt slightly foolish to have not noticed the unopened, frosty bottle of bubbly in his other hand. Harry smiled proudly and used her twisting momentum to pull her back to him.
"You don't need to get your coat," he told her. "I have somewhere better for us to enjoy the fireworks."
Immediately curious and excited in equal measure, Ginny cocked her head to the side and grinned widely.
"Trying to ring in the new year with a bang, are we?" She teased.
Harry shook his head of messy black hair and returned her grin confidently, an easiness falling over him as he seemed to relax into the actuality of his plan coming to life.
"Always insatiable," he replied in turn, but squeezed her hand with the reassurance that sexy time would be had. "C'mon," he said to her now, and pulled her in the direction of the stairs.
Hastily they nearly ran up the staircase, rounded the corner, and continued up the next flight to the third floor. Harry turned off to the left when they reached the landing and Ginny could see a faint light coming through the crack underneath the door of the master bedroom. Eyebrows raised, but unseen in the darkened hallway, she followed him eagerly as he pushed open the door and came to a quick stop.
Everything had been cleared out of the cavernous room, the moldy carpet had been ripped up, and the windows were sharp after a thorough checking. Through the glass Ginny could see snow faintly falling outside. Harry fumbled with the metal foil but quickly uncoiled the wiring and was yanking on the cork when she turned to face him fully.
"Hand me that glass," he asked as the cork gave a loud pop! and flew off the top of the bottle.
Ginny looked to where he indicated and gave little thought to the single champagne flute she picked up off the window sile. Holding it out for him, Harry placed his hand on top of hers and began pouring. The golden liquid had barely splashed in the glass when Ginny felt a familiar tug behind her belly button and everything fell away.
Her stomach dropped in terror and her eyes bulged but Harry was completely unconcerned with the sudden Portkey. He had scarcely smiled at her alarmed expression before the transportation spell ended and they were brought back down to a metal ground in seconds.
"What the fuck -" Ginny started as she gained her balance and righted herself, her hand coming off of the champagne glass without thought of its contents spilling.
It was of no importance though, because Harry seemed to expect her reaction and held onto the glass tightly, continuing to pour until it was near full. Completely nonplussed, he spun on his heel to retrieve a second glass that was sitting premeditatedly on the edge of a metal bench.
Ginny was left speechless, unable to find words for the breathtaking sight she was looking at. They were in a glass pod overlooking the big, bright mass of London, affording her a panoramic view of the whole city that she took in while turning in place slowly.
"Harry -" she said after a stunned moment. "What just happened? What are we doing here?"
He didn't appear nervous but Ginny immediately noticed that his hands were shaking. Harry realized it too because he held one behind his back and the other gestured towards the generous view. Down below, Muggles lined the streets nearest the river and huddled in drunken masses as they waited for Big Ben to strike midnight. The well lit, enormous clock stood starkly against the inky night sky, it's hands so very close to laying on top of each other. The dark waters of the River Thames snaked through the lively city, calm and clearly reflective as if ready to showcase the impending light display above.
"We're in the topmost pod on the London Eye," Harry said evenly but the confused look on Ginny's face caused him to grin eagerly and explain further - "The Muggle wheel? I wanted to give you a breathtaking view for the fireworks," he added, attempting to sound nonchalant and pausing long enough that he quickly, but more sincerely, added, "Because you are so breathtaking every day."
"Oh Harry!" Ginny squeaked with a rush of emotion. Her heart felt like it was going to explode in her chest - she wanted to laugh and cry and kiss him all over at the same time. "This is absolutely wonderful! I never would have imagined -"
But she broke off, because in the moment she stole to glance back at Big Ben, as the thousands of people outside began yelling louder as the numbers they were shouting grew smaller, as the city seemed to swell with an unnamed largeness - Harry got down on one knee in front of her.
"Ginny -" he spoke heavily. "I can't imagine my life without you. You are the love of my life. With everything I am seeing now as an Auror - with everything that happened at Hogwarts - I couldn't let another day go by without asking you -"
"TEN!" The crowd shouted outside and a small black jewelry box creaked open in Harry's hand.
Ginny's vision focused and blurred, all light seeming to reflect off the large emerald cut diamond gleaming against the black velvet. Her body felt like she was swaying and her stomach threatened to lurch back up as she met Harry's eager gaze after a long moment.
"Ginny - will you marry me?"
"SIX!"
Her heart skipped several beats. This moment didn't feel real - in the way that this was too perfect to be happening to her and Ginny briefly thought she might have had too much to drink.
"FIVE!"
Her eyes flickered between the light off the diamond and the hopeful light in Harry's eyes. The love in his green eyes.
"FOUR!"
"Yes," Ginny said breathily, conviction and emotion taking hold of her as she repeated, "Yes," louder. And again, "Yes - yes Harry - I will marry you."
Her voice trembled on the last two words but it did not matter as Harry sprung to his feet and threw his arms around Ginny, his parted lips crushing hers as she held onto him tightly.
"ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"
The fireworks boomed loudly and quickly colored the black sky with falling rainbows of sparks. They parted slightly to glance sideways and Ginny was truly blown away by the thought and effort and timing that Harry had put into this.
A proposal.
Their eyes met and the fireworks threw their faces into a myriad of colors as they grinned happily. Harry pulled back further still, untangling his arms from hers to open the little black box once more. The decent sized square cut diamond winked at her before she noticed the smaller diamonds inlaid on either side of the band, the entire, beautiful ring cast in a brilliant white gold.
Harry delicately pulled it out of its velvet nest, shut the box and put it in his pocket, and reached for her left hand. She too was trembling lightly and they shared another laugh as he attempted twice to slide it on before it finally slipped onto her freckled ring finger.
Fireworks continued to blast loudly and Ginny rotated her hand gently as the reflective light bounced off the metal ceiling.
"A toast," Harry stated easily and Ginny's wet gaze fell on him again as he held both champagne flutes, one outstretched to her, and a few tears dropped off her lashes freely.
Words had almost all but escaped her for these long moments and her tongue felt heavy in her mouth as she took the glass from Harry.
"A toast -" he repeated, "To a magical life together - with the most beautiful witch in the world."
"Here, here," Ginny responded softly, and their glasses clinked together as a final round of fireworks crashed deafeningly across the London skyline.
Two hours later, almost exactly to the minute, Ginny rolled off her back and twisted to sit with her legs underneath her, the silky sheets tangling around her waist as she sat back on her haunches and stared unblinkingly at the new bling on her left hand.
Engaged.
The word ran through her mind, repeating itself over and over, until her cheeks were aching from smiling so hard. Ginny glanced at the emerald eyes fixed on her and stretched her lips to their widest, Harry returning the expression as he stared at her from his reclined position.
Engaged.
Tears sprang forth and Ginny blinked rapidly to get rid of them. Her lips pressed together in a vain attempt to contain her smile and she fully turned her focus from the sparkling ring. Harry rolled onto his side to face her and the hand he placed on her sheet clad thigh was quickly burning an internal heat through the whole of her body. Ginny leaned forward to press a kiss to his mouth and she had to bite her lip to keep from going lower.
"Are you quite happy?" Harry asked.
"Quite," Ginny replied honestly and a smirk bloomed once more.
Engaged, she thought. And realized in the same moment that her life had just irrevocably shifted..
.
.
A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope you have enjoyed the first chapter and are looking forward to many more. I know it has been a long while I have posted anything and I am very happy to be back in the saddle. Any reviews would be greatly appreciated and I thank you in advance for joining me on this brand new journey with our favorite Wizarding World companions.
