A/N it appears gremlins have gotten into the site, as I am unable to see any reviews. So, apologies if you have sent one, especially if you had any queries. Please PM if you did, as I have no idea when the issue will be fixed. Nor do I have any idea if you liked the opening chapter but here we go, into the real story...
Thirty Five Years Later-
Ginny bowed her head as the national anthem played, thankfully signalling the end to the ceremony they held every year on May second in London. This was the second one she had attended. The very first one had brought back too many memories, held at the site on the newly refurbished stadium. She had only gone in the hopes of seeing Harry again, but it had been in vain. There had been too many people, too many reporters. She'd begun to panic, and her parents had ushered her out of there as soon as they could.
She really hadn't given much thought to going this year either. The invitation arrived every year and usually ended in the bin, but for some reason, this time she had tacked it on the fridge. She had pulled it off yesterday, intending to bin it, but on the spur of the moment, with nothing better to do, she decided to go. She then changed her mind about a hundred times, even as she drove into the city, parked close and walked the rest of the way. Now she had a slight headache for over-thinking the whole thing.
Thirty five years. She was now fifty one, heading for fifty two. She thought of Dean, wondering what he would look like now at fifty three, for he had been a year older than her; the same age as Harry.
She realised that people were leaving. She stood, unsure of where to go. It was lunchtime; the ceremony had lasted two hours. She could return home, or she could grab some lunch and do some shopping in the city. She looked left, and right, trying to decide.
The crowds jostled her, and if she wasn't careful, she would be swept away. She felt uneasy, not liking to feel crushed or pressed in, even though she was better now than she used to be. "Excuse me," she said, standing her ground. "Excuse me."
She desperately looked around for a way out. The crowds parted and suddenly, he was there. Standing in front of her, albeit maybe ten feet away. Stunned, she stared at him, just as he stared at her before breaking out in a huge smile. "Ginny?" he mouthed in disbelief.
"Harry?" she asked, stunned beyond anything.
He nodded and took a couple of tentative steps towards her. She took a couple of steps towards him, pushing against the crowds that were heading in the opposite direction.
She took advantage of a gap in the crowd and burst through and then, there he was, right in front of her. "Harry?" she questioned again, almost as if not believing he was really there.
He laughed and nodded again, and they took the next few steps till they were in each others arms again. Passers-by looked at them curiously but then continued on their way.
Ginny looked over his shoulder as he held her tight. In all the crowds of people here, they had found each other. "I can't believe you're really here," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.
"I was really hoping I'd see you," he admitted, when they finally pulled apart. "So, still a virgin?"
She stared at him in shock before bursting into laughter. "Oh my God!" she laughed. "Did I really tell you that?" She punched his arm lightly.
He grinned cheekily, and it was all she could not to stare. He was here, right in front of her. "I can't believe you're here," she repeated.
"Ahem. Harry?"
They both turned to see an attractive woman watching them fondly. Harry smiled, beckoning her closer. "Ginny, this is my sister, Rose, she came with me today. Rose, this is Ginny. Finally, this is Ginny!"He chuckled.
Ginny smiled at Rose, then gulped when Rose stepped forward and hugged her. "It's wonderful to finally meet you, really."
"You too," said Ginny. It was strange, she had never met this woman before but she felt like an old friend from childhood, thanks to all the stories Harry had told her about his sister.
"So, I guess I'm leaving you in good hands?" asked Rose to Harry.
Harry quirked an eyebrow at Ginny. "Have you got any plans after this? Want to get some lunch together, catch up properly?" he asked.
"Yes, I'd love to catch up," agreed Ginny, feeling ridiculously happy that he had suggested it.
Harry grabbed her hand, as firm as he had that terrible day long ago. "Great! Thanks Rose, call you later," he said.
Rose nodded, smiled at them both and left.
"Do you have any favourite pubs or restaurants?" asked Harry.
Ginny shook her head. "I don't get to the city much. You choose," she offered. She wondered if he realised he hadn't released her hand.
"All right, then. This way, we can walk, its not too far," he said.
"I don't mind walking. I like the outdoors," she said.
He smiled and squeezed her hand. "Me too."
~00~
They'd ordered lunch but food was secondary as they brought each other up to date on each other's lives.
Harry had married Sarah, a co-worker at one of the precincts he had worked in. They had two daughters, Samantha 25 and Hailey, 22. They'd lived in the city, in a town-house Harry had inherited when his godfather had died.
"We were happy; Sammi had just announced she was engaged and two days later, Sarah got the call. It was cancer," revealed Harry sadly. "She died nearly two years ago."
"Oh, Harry, how terrible. I'm so sorry for you and the girls," replied Ginny, reaching for his hand and covering his with her own.
Harry smiled his thanks. "Rose had been great, she's really been there for the girls. Her marriage broke up a few years ago, she has a daughter, Daisy, who's sixteen."
The age Ginny was when they had met. "What about you?" he asked, not wanting to dwell on family heartaches.
Ginny nodded. "I married Cedric; I've known him most of my life. His parents and mine were friends. We had twin boys, Ben and Steven, they're 24. Ben's off travelling the world; he's a nature photographer. Steve lives near me in Bristol, he's in a relationship with Lucy, she's twenty seven and has a little boy, Teddy, 4 and together they have Michael, 2 and a half."
"So you're a grandma," teased Harry.
Ginny nudged him but nodded. "I love it. I have them sleep over on the weekends at least once a month. So you did end up as a policeman, then?" she asked.
Harry finished his pint and gestured for two more. "Yes, eventually. I, er, took some time off from the course after...what happened."
Ginny looked at him knowingly. "Me too, for awhile. Then I threw myself into work. I trained as a nurse in the Emergency ward."
"That's brilliant. Like giving something back after how they helped us," cheered Harry. She nodded, surprised that he understood that. Her family had thought it was too much for her.
"I really loved the training, but as soon as I got to work in a real hospital, it brought it all back, all the bad memories. I couldn't cope, and I had to quit. I ended up becoming a physical education teacher," she said, keeping it simple. No need to dwell on the knowing looks on her family's faces that had made her feel even more of a failure; like they knew it was going to happen.
"Oh," said Harry. He wondered how much to reveal to her. " I left the police force and became a social worker about twelve years ago."
They were interrupted by a waitress bringing them their fresh drinks. It gave them time to gather themselves and their thoughts.
"Goodness, it's nearly five," gasped Ginny, checking her phone. "I should get going!"
"Stay, have dinner," urged Harry. "There's still so much to talk about. You haven't mentioned any of your brothers. Ring Cedric, he'll understand, right?"
She hesitated; but what was there to hurry home to? An empty cottage? The dog and the cats? "Okay," she agreed, before she could over think it and change her mind.
"Brilliant," said Harry. "Drink up, we'll go somewhere else for dinner."
"I really can't believe I'm here with you, after all these years," she said, yet again.
"I know. I thought a lot about you over the years," he admitted, grabbing her hand and squeezing it.
Everything was just so right and familiar between them as they finished their drinks and left to go to dinner.
~00~
At dinner she had told him about Cedric, and the car accident caused by a drunk driver that had taken him away from her five years ago, and ended her career as a physical education teacher. He commiserated with her, knowing only too well how hard it was to go on after losing one's partner. She didn't mention the year of rehabilitation she'd had to go through.
They touched on nearly every aspect of their lives, but neither delved or offered anything too deep. It was too soon to open up to someone who, in reality, was a stranger. But there was also a comfortable feeling, a connection they didn't delve too deep into.
It was after seven when Ginny decided she needed to head home. Slowly they walked back to Ginny's car; Harry declining her offer of a ride home.
" Well, this is me," she said, gesturing to her car.
" Ginny, can I call you; stay in touch?" he asked, just as she was about to climb in to the front seat.
" Yes, of course," offered Ginny. " I'd like that."
" Good," said Harry, almost relieved. " Here, give me your phone and I'll put my number in it."
She handed it to him and he fiddled with it, adding his number then ringing his phone from hers. " Now I have yours, too," he said.
They looked at each other for several seconds, then Ginny took a step forward and hugged him. "Thank you for coming today. If you hadn't...I don't think I'd come again next year."
His arms around her waist and his face buried against her shoulder, Harry chuckled. "You're welcome. Today has been just...great. Let's do this again, soon."
Ginny stepped back, smiled at him and nodded. " Goodbye," she said. This time she did get in and leave, unaware that Harry stayed watching her until she turned a corner and disappeared.
" After all this time...Ginny Weasley," he muttered to himself. He sincerely hoped it was not the last time he saw her.
Both debated whether it was too soon to call or text the next day or the one after. Finally Harry broke the drought, calling her around tea time on the third day. He reiterated how great it had been to see her again, and they continued re-connecting.
He texted her a couple of photos of them from the newspaper archives online. Ginny could barely remember looking that young, but it was Harry as she always pictured him. He had grown well into his looks, his black hair now run through with grey/silver streaks in what Hermione would call distinguished. She sent back a witty remark, and he responded in kind. It was easy, it was fun and it went on for another hour.
She called Harry that night, and they discussed their favourite music, movies and books. Harry, having lived in the city for years, regularly attended concerts and the theatre, whilst for Ginny it had mostly been movies. They found their musical tastes ran quite similar, both liking sixties and seventies classics.
He rang her the next night, and they talked till nearly midnight. The stories they shared were of their childhood. Growing up with their siblings and the fun things they did, the anecdotes that were still brought up at family gatherings. Ginny confessed that she had grown up bit of a tomboy, with a liking for sport. Harry admitted to thinking of his younger sister as his best friend, as the two had been the only children amongst their parents friends for a long time, till Frank and Alice Longbottom had returned to London from Bulgaria, with their son, Neville.
Ginny asked about Neville, having heard of his heroic efforts that day as one of the first on the scene to try and help trapped people. She had read in the newspaper that he had been honoured for his work, and she was pleased for him.
" Oh, we're still great friends, in fact, I'm seeing him tomorrow for a football game. I'm kind of the reserve, and he rang me earlier, asking me to fill in for someone who's working this weekend. He was the best man and at my wedding, and I was his when he married Hannah. He's also Hailey's godfather, and I'm godfather to his son, Trevor."
"I love to hear that. What career path did he take?" asked Ginny, picturing the slightly chubby man from the grainy photo in the newspaper in the days after the tradgedy, overwhelmed with all the attention. She was pleased to think these two men were still good friends to this day.
"He's always had this thing about plants, even as a kid. He now owns one of the biggest nurseries around, thank God. He came in very handy when I did up my garden, both in terms of advice and providing all the plants I needed, at cost price too," enthused Harry.
" You like gardening?" asked Ginny, somewhat surprised. She had surmised that living in a town-house in London was a preferred choice over a cottage with land.
She could practically imagine Harry shrug. " We had this overgrown garden out the back, it seemed silly to waste it. One weekend we dug it all out. It was plenty big enough for a small garden and a courtyard. Eventually we added a seating area, and it was lovely sitting out there for a meal on a nice night."
" Sounds lovely. I was brought up with a veggie garden; weeding, mulching and spring planting. We all helped mum pick berries and I helped her make jams and sauces. It's just something we've always done, grown our own fruit and vegetables," said Ginny.
" Mmm, home made jams! Sarah and I would drive down to stay with mum and dad for a weekend before the girls came, and we'd often call in on some of the local markets for their fares. Pickles, sauces, jams, even the bread!" exclaimed Harry.
" There are some great markets around Tinworth, that's not far from your parent's place, is it?" asked Ginny. " My brother and sister-in-law live there."
" They have some great beaches there. I've always liked the idea of a house on the beach front," mused Harry.
" It's very relaxing," agreed Ginny. " We loved the outdoors, we always took the boys camping in the summer. Hiking, bushwalking, rafting and of course, swimming."
" Sarah and the girls weren't ones for camping," admitted Harry, " but I went with Nev and Trevor one time, to the Cotswolds."
" Oh, we've been there," said Ginny. " They have some great walking trails. The boys liked all the water sports."
There was a comfortable silence before Ginny exclaimed, " Goodness, it's close to midnight! You said you had an early start tomorrow, so I should let you go."
Harry chuckled. " It's fine, Ginny. I-I've really enjoyed talking to you these last few nights."
Ginny smiled as she lay on her bed. "Me, too."
There was a pause, then Harry said, " But I'd really like to see you again. Do you come to London often? Perhaps we could do dinner again, maybe even with Nev and Hannah? Nev said he'd love to meet you."
"I guess I could drive up or catch the train, but I wouldn't want to leave too late," she replied hesitantly. Since the car accident, she really didn't like driving long distances at night.
" Maybe a lunch, then?" asked Harry hopefully.
" Last time we went for lunch, I left London at nine," remembered Ginny, with a chuckle.
" How about brunch, then? I promise you'll be on the road by three, four at the latest. Please, Ginny?" begged Harry. Somehow it was important that he see her again.
" Fine. Talk to Neville tomorrow, see when it's convenient for him and Hannah. Now, go to sleep," she said, amused.
" I will, and I'll call tomorrow, after our match," he vowed.
" Fine. Good luck," she said, wishing she could watch him play.
" Thanks. Good night," he said softly, wishing she could see him play.
" Good night, Harry," she said.
They both hesitated, reluctant to hang up. They then repeated, "good night," at the same time, then both laughed, and finally both hung up.
/*/*/*
The next day she didn't have to work, so took advantage of the time off to do some housework and baking. She flicked the radio on to her favourite channel that played classic music. She was singing along to her favourite band from the 90's, the 'Wired Sisters' and shaking her butt when there was a knock on her back door. It was her son, Steven. He entered after knocking.
"Hey, Mum," he called, amused. "Did you know all the dogs and cats in the street are howling out here?"
She flicked her tea towel at him. "Such cheek. You obviously inherited it from your father, along with being tone deaf," she teased affectionately.
"Sorry?" he asked, a hand behind his ear, "speak up, my ear drums just burst!"
She chuckled, going over to hug him and kiss his cheek. "How's my second favourite son today?"
He winced. "Ouch, Mum, that hurt. If Ben were here, he'd say the same about your singing."
"How I miss the days when my beautiful sons would beg me to sing them to sleep," she said whimsically.
"More like a coma," whispered Steven to Fang, the dog, who had come to see who was visiting. Steven fondled the old dog's ears, and he flopped onto the floor, happy.
Ginny leaned against the island bench in her kitchen, her arms folded. "Did you come to visit for a reason?" she asked.
"Just wanted to see how the ceremony went. You did go, didn't you?" he asked, opening the cupboard where his mum kept biscuits and cake. He held up a pound cake. "Grandma?" he asked. At his mother's nod, he brought it down and went to grab a knife to cut it.
"Yes I went," admitted Ginny, grabbing a side plate for him to put the cake on to catch the crumbs. She had picked up the one on top, a plastic one featuring his son's favourite cartoon character, 'Marvin Miggs, the Mad Magician.'
Steven shot her a wry look, accepting the plate and gesturing for her to go on with his hands, as his mouth was full.
"It was pretty much what I expected. A lot of talk by politicians, using the day as a platform for their anti terrorist stands. They did mention that a number of original survivors had passed on last year; that was rather depressing," she said.
"And you were okay by yourself, the crowds didn't bother you?" asked Steven.
Ginny shook her head. "You know I haven't had any sort of panic attack in crowds in years, love, but thanks for asking. I sort of sat alone anyway. It was only at the end that I became caught up in the crowds, but then..."
"Venwot?" asked Steven, with a mouthful of cake.
His mother shook her head. "So like your uncle Ron. Anyway, I was trying to leave and that's when I saw Harry." She started piling dishes into the sink.
"Harry who?" asked Steven, grabbing the milk carton from the fridge and drinking it straight up. He wiped his mouth on his arm. "Wait, not the Harry?"
Ginny nodded. "Yes, the Harry. Honestly, would you let your sons do that, drink out of the container?" She walked over and handed him a tissue to wipe his mouth on.
"No, sorry, Mum...but get back to Harry. You saw him? Did you talk?" he asked.
Ginny nodded again. "We went out for lunch after the ceremony and talked for ages. Then we went out for dinner too."
Steven studied his mother. She was a youngish fifty two, had always been an active mum, a fun mum, strict but fair. He'd always thought he had been pretty, and right now, her face was all lit up.
"That's great, Mum," he said, sincerely. "So, are you going to see him again?"
"I think so, I mean, he invited me to come up to London to meet his friend, Neville, who was also there...that day. Maybe even this weekend," she replied.
"You're going back to London this weekend? You hate driving too far," reminded Steven.
"I can catch the train, Steven, then take a taxi to wherever we're meeting," reasoned Ginny. They didn't live too far from the Bristol train station.
Ginny bustled away, returning to her dishes. Steven watched her for a moment; something was different about his mum, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"Well, guess I should get back to work. I'm happy for you, Mum, happy that you met up with this Harry bloke. I'd like to meet him one day, thank him for helping you that day," said Steven.
"Thanks, love, he'd probably like that, too. He married and had two daughters, similar age to you and Ben, actually," said Ginny.
"Oh, he's married," said Steven, feeling somewhat relieved; for what, he wasn't sure.
"Actually he lost his wife to cancer nearly two years ago." said Ginny sadly.
"Oh...right. Well, best be off. I'll see you soon, Mum," said Steven.
"Bye, love, give my love to Lucy and the boys," she called, waving.
Steven took ten steps outside before getting his phone out and ringing his brother.
Ginny was unsurprised to receive a phone call from Ben not half an hour later. "Hi, love, how's Norway?" she asked.
"Brilliant, I hate to leave it, I've got some amazing shots, though. Hey, I heard you went to the ceremony after all," he said. Last week she had told him she wasn't going to go.
"Yes, I went, and I'm so glad I did. I met up with Harry again, after all these years," she said, deciding to get straight to the point of his call.
"Well that's great. I bet you had a lot of catching up to do," guessed Ben.
"Yes, we did. We exchanged phone numbers and I hope to get back to the city this weekend to meet his friend who was also there that day, Neville," said Ginny.
"That's great, Mum," said Ben. "You're getting out and about."
"Yes," said Ginny, dryly. "Imagine that, me having a life!"
"Come on, Mum, that's not what I meant. I know you go out with Hermione and the aunts from time to time. Even Luna when she's home," added Ben.
"Which is never," laughed Ginny. "She used to just pop home to check on her dad, then go again. Last time was the longest, when he died," she said softly.
"Rolf and Luna's books are in demand right now, Mum," reasoned Ben. "If they took too much time off, they'd lose their momentum, their audience. Actually, it looks like I'll be heading down to Australia with them next," he informed her.
She sighed, not in jealousy but maybe a touch of regret. She and Cedric hadn't gotten to travel much, only to Paris once on a family holiday to celebrate her brother Bill's birthday, something they still did to this day. "You're fortunate to have a job that allows you to see the world," she said.
"I know, Mum. Hey, why don't you come too, you could catch up with Luna, see the other side of the world. God knows I could do with a hand sometimes, so it wouldn't be all holiday," he offered.
"I don't know, love, you know I look after the boys sometimes to give Lucy and Steven a break," she reminded him.
"Mum, they could manage for a few weeks if they had to," argued Ben. "Just think about it, please. And this Harry bloke, well, I say go for it, have fun."
"Go for what? It's just dinner, Ben, dinner and a catch up...and the occasional phone call," she tacked on.
"Whatever makes you happy, Mum. Damn, I have to go. Call you next week, okay? Love you," he recited.
"I love you too, Ben, take care," she recited her part, and hung up.
She felt ridiculously happy to have told her sons about meeting up with Harry, and for the rest of the day, as she finished her chores, she sung at the top of her voice. She ignored the fact that the dog and her two cats were strangely absent all day.
