Chapter 7: The Contract

Ginny was sitting next to Harry while he was lying in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had done everything she could and said that he would live, but would not yet wake up. Seeing Harry like this pulled at Ginny's heartstrings and she could feel the barriers she had built up around her heart breaking down.

Had Harry jumped in front of a deadly curse for her? Or did Neville know Harry was there and was he the intended target? Ginny kept asking herself that question over and over. If Harry jumped in front of the curse, then why would he do that? He didn't love her, right?

And thus Ginny's thoughts went in circles. Does Harry love me? was the question that Ginny asked the most. Ginny was sure that Harry did not love her, he had said so himself.

He already died and came back from the dead for you! a voice in her head said. It sounded strangely like that of Hermione.

But he said I'm not the girl of his dreams, Ginny thought back.

Did he say that? the voice in her head answered.

Now Ginny wasn't so sure any more. What had Harry meant by that?

"Ah, there you are, Ginny!" a voice interrupted Ginny's thoughts.

Ginny turned around and saw Ron walking into the hospital wing. Ginny whipped out her wand and pointed at him.

"Not a step closer, Ronald!" Ginny said dangerously.

"Look, I came to find you to explain everything. You can hex me into next year when I'm done. I probably deserve it," Ron said, holding up his hands.

"Start talking!"

"The plan was to kidnap you and let Harry save you. Just to show you that Harry still cares about you, Ginny, The Death Eaters were never part of the plan. It turns out that Neville was Imperiused," Ron started his explanation.

"I know that Neville was Imperiused, Ron. I saw it in his eyes! But why did you feel you had to kidnap me?" Ginny asked incredulously.

Ron sighed and shook his head sadly.

"You don't know how Harry was after you ripped his heart out and stomped on it," Ron began.

Ginny made to interrupt, but Ron continued before she could get a word in.

"It was as though he had been kissed by a Dementor, only worse. He wouldn't eat, sleep or clean himself unless I encouraged him," Ron continued relentlessly. Ron then explained what he had been doing the last few months and how he had taken care of Harry.

The longer Ginny listened, the more ashamed she felt. She had done that to Harry?

"... so you see, that is why we worked so hard to bring the two of you back together," Ron concluded his story.

Ginny thought it over, but something rattled in her memory.

"This isn't about the curse is it?" Ginny asked dangerously.

"This stopped being about the bloody curse the moment you ripped his heart to pieces!" Ron nearly shouted.

Ginny looked sceptically at Ron.

"Really, I don't care about the curse. I don't care if I will only ever have sons and nephews in the future, all I care about is that my best mate nearly died for you! And that you are too blind to see what is in front of you!" Ron shouted this time.

Ginny wanted to retort but Ron had shocked her into silence.

"When Harry wakes up you are going to have a good talk with him and talk all this over. If you have to break his heart, then do it honestly and gently," Ron said angrily. And with that Ron marched out of the hospital wing.

"Ron... is... right... this... isn't... about... the... curse..." said a raspy voice from beside Ginny.

Ginny spun around and saw that Harry was awake and coughing.

"You're awake!" Ginny said incredulously. Harry just coughed some more.

"Oh, right, some water," Ginny said, handing Harry a cup of water from the water bottle that was on Harry's bedside table.

"Thanks," Harry said.

"You're welcome. You heard all that?" Ginny asked.

"I was awake since Ron entered the hospital wing," Harry answered.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I had no idea," Ginny said softly.

"It's okay. I shouldn't have put you on the spot like I did on your birthday. It doesn't matter anyway," Harry said sadly. He looked truly defeated. The barriers that Ginny had built up around her heart against Harry were falling apart even further.

"It matters, Harry," Ginny said hotly.

"I think you made it quite clear on your birthday that you don't love me..."

"I do love you," Ginny said softly, but it seemed as if Harry hadn't heard her.

"... that is okay I guess, but that doesn't stop me from loving you, from protecting you..." Harry said.

And with that Harry had broken through all barriers Ginny had built up over the past months, and tears started to fall down her face.

"I love you too, Harry," Ginny said softly through her tears.

"... I will understand if from here our p– umph,"

Ginny had interrupted Harry by giving him a kiss on the lips, and showing Harry just how much she loved him. After some time Ginny broke the kiss and smiled at Harry.

"I missed you," Harry said softly.

"I guess I have been a bit of an idiot," Ginny said grinning.

"We both have, Ginny, we both have. I should have told you earlier that I love you," Harry said shaking his head.

"No, we both weren't ready for those words yet," Ginny said softly.

"Yeah, I guess you are right about that. Shouldn't have proposed then," Harry said thoughtfully.

"You did what you thought was right due to the curse, I understand that now," Ginny said.

"I don't want to marry because of the curse, Ginny. Not any more. We can wait if you want, no matter how much your brothers want daughters," Harry said with conviction. And in that moment Ginny knew Harry was speaking the truth.

"Thanks, Harry, that means a lot to me," Ginny said sincerely.

"I guess I have to talk to Arthur about this sometime soon," Harry said thoughtfully.

"I heard most of your conversation, Harry," Arthur Weasley said as he approached the couple.

"Dad! How long have you been there?" Ginny said, turning towards her father.

"I heard the two of you discussing the curse," Arthur said smiling.

"Yeah, about that..." Harry began.

"It is okay, Harry. I think that I can finally finish the story I began on your birthday," Arthur said, shaking his head slightly.

"I never let you finish it, no," Harry said a little ashamed.

Ginny frowned, there was more to the curse than marriage?

"We never brought the curse up with you, Ginny, because we did not want you to think we were selling you. I take it that Harry filled you in on the basics?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, I know the basics," Ginny answered.

"What Harry doesn't know is that James and I drew up a betrothal contract that temporarily lifts the curse. It only requires the signature of the two of you and the betrothal contract will take effect," Arthur explained.

"What does that mean exactly?" Harry asked.

"It means that if you sign, the two of you will be betrothed. If you don't want to marry you can easily break the contract and the curse will be back. The contract breaks automatically five years after signing it," Arthur said, summoning a piece of parchment from his pocket and handing it over to Harry and Ginny.

"That solves a lot of things," Harry said, looking over the contract.

"Yeah," Ginny said. If they knew about this sooner, then a lot of trouble could have been avoided.

"I'll leave the two of you to it then," Arthur said, standing up.

"Yeah, I'm getting a bit tired out," Harry said, yawning.

"We'll sign that contract later then?" Ginny asked.

Harry nodded and, with that, fell asleep.

~O~

Harry had to stay in the hospital wing for a week before he was discharged by Madam Pomfrey. Neither Harry nor Ginny had discussed anything serious while Harry stayed in the hospital wing. They had agreed that they would sign the contract as soon as Harry was discharged.

Justin had come to Ginny in these days and apologised for standing Ginny up. There had been some sort of accident in Herbology - something about a Venomous Tentacula and a Mandrake - the previous day that made Justin unable to tell Ginny that he couldn't make it, due to the fact that he was unconscious. He was already discharged by the time that Harry arrived in the hospital wing.

Ron, Hermione and Neville visited the hospital wing often. At first Ginny was a bit apprehensive around Ron and Neville, but in the end it was Harry who forgave them saying that they were just doing what they thought was right. After that, Ginny couldn't stay angry at them any longer. She did however prank both of them so that everything they said came out in what Ron had called 'Kaeps Rorrim' for a whole day, luckily for Ron and Neville they both did not have to go into Auror Training that day.

Both Harry and Ginny where now sitting in the Headmistress's office to sign the contract. Arthur and Molly would arrive later to file the contract and make the betrothal official.

"You never told me, Ginny, how did you know the counter curse to Sectumsempra?" Harry asked, interested.

"I retrieved Snape's old Potions book for TEA. It was in there," Ginny explained.

"For tea? Remind me to not let you make tea," Harry said, teasing.

"The Emerald Army, you prat," Ginny said, lightly slapping Harry's arm.

"Ah, you have to tell me more about that some time," Harry said smiling.

"I will, I will," Ginny said smiling.

"Well, now we are finally ready for the future," Harry said, rolling up the contract on which both their signatures where now present.

Ginny couldn't agree more.

~O~

4 years later

"AND WEASLEY SCORES! IT IS NOW 270 TO 110 FOR ENGLAND. WITH THIS GOAL WEASLEY IS THE TOP SCORER OF THE WORLD CUP!" the announcer shouted.

Ginny was ecstatic. She was now flying in the final of the world cup between England and Bulgaria. It was just moments after Ginny's goal that Viktor Krum, who was flying his last match of his career before he would become an Auror, finally caught the snitch, ending the game, while making sure that Bulgaria was not humiliated too much.

When Ginny went to the top box to receive the world cup, she looked over at Harry. He was beaming proudly at her. Ginny wanted nothing more then run towards him and snog the living daylights out of him, but had to restrain herself. She had done it. She was now an international Quidditch champion and she would marry the love of her life. It couldn't get more perfect. Or at least that is what she thought, till Harry was kneeling in front of her when she finally returned to the tent set aside for the Weasleys.

"I know that we are already betrothed. I know we will marry soon anyway, but I wanted to do this the right way. Ginny, you are the love of my life. I can't imagine living without you any more. Will you marry me?" Harry asked, opening the small box he held in his hands and revealing an elegant golden ring adorned with a small ruby and emerald.

Ginny had never been more sure of anything than this.

"Yes, I will marry you," Ginny said before launching herself at Harry. With difficulty Harry managed to get the ring on Ginny's ring finger, and soon she was showing it off to the rest of her family, which by now was extended by three Weasley daughters, two from Bill and Fleur, and one from Percy and Audrey. Ginny couldn't stop grinning. Life was good.