Connotation
Ginny remembers the first time he said those three words and how her chest exploded. How every time they said them, they meant exactly that.
But years into their relationship, their marriage, those three words mean more than just an expression of love. She looks across the kitchen table as Harry works on something and smiles thinking back on how much meaning those three words really have.
"I love you!" She had said in exasperation when he'd let Jamie eat on his own and all the baby food had ended up everywhere and on everything within a twenty-foot radius of the high chair. Harry had run a hand through his hair and chuckled at the mush his hand found there. "I love you too!"
"I love you." Ginny had said quietly as she approached his home office - where she'd slammed the door earlier. The door was now open and Harry stood, staring out the window, looking out onto the street. He turned and sighed, giving her an understanding nod, "I love you too."
"I love you!" Harry wrapped her in a hug and spun her around when they found out she was expecting Al. "I love you too!" And she'd kissed him while Jamie tried to climb up Harry's leg.
"I love you," The annoyance was thick in her voice and Ginny could see the exasperation in his eyes. He'd worked through dinner in his home office again, and she had the kids in bed ready for Harry to go kiss them goodnight and he was still working. He hung his head and stood to walk up the stairs, he paused and gently took her hand, his voice quiet and contrite, "I love you too."
"I love you," Harry held her as she cried. She couldn't even handle two kids, how in the hell would she be able to take care of three? "I love you too." Ginny clung to him.
"I love you," Ginny whispered as Harry ran his hands over her, enjoying a stolen moment from the three children in the living room. "I love you too," he smirked against her skin when she shivered against him. Then their offspring started screaming at each other and came running into their room.
"Gin! Earth to Gin!" Harry waves his hand in front of her face.
"Sorry?" She shakes herself and smiles at him.
"I'll thank you to remember that I'm the one who zones out in this relationship." Harry's laughter is evident in the way his eyes dance behind his glasses and the smirk on his face.
Ginny laughs and reaches across the table to grab Harry's hand. "I love you, you know?"
Harry squeezes her hand and smiles, "I do, though I still don't understand how. But I love you for it."
Ginny smiles and admires the way a few gray hairs have started to come into his black locks, his face showing the nearly forty years he's been around. "I don't understand it either, but I'm betting I'll love you forever."
Harry laughs loudly, "We're being sappy now, are we? Alright then, I'm going to love you to my grave and then I'll come back as a ghost and love you worse than that awful 90s film."
"No!" Ginny takes her hand back and covers her face dramatically.
"Come on!" Harry teases, "You can't tell me that doesn't sound like an experience?!"
"Like the worst experience of my life! If you do that I'll find you in the afterlife and I'll kill you!" Ginny's trying to be angry but it's hard with how much she's laughing.
"Don't pretend you aren't at least curious," Harry smirks at her as he stands and walks to her side of the kitchen table.
"Not even a little," Ginny crosses her arms and tries to look serious.
Harry's smirk seems to suggest that she's failing. "Then I suppose I'll have to show you it would be worth your while." He leans close to her and Ginny momentarily thinks about throwing the facade and closing the distance to his lips.
"Mummy!" Lily comes running into the kitchen crying and Harry groans, dropping his head.
"I love you," Ginny kisses Harry's cheek as she stands to scoop the toddler into her arms.
Harry grins back at her as she dries Lily's tears, "I love you too."
