Author's Note:
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Chapter Nine - The Aftermath Part Two:
Harry had woken alone in his old dormitory almost ten hours after falling asleep with Ginny in his arms. He stretched carefully as he climbed out of bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. For the first time in longer than he could remember, he felt well rested. He quickly dressed in the clean jeans and shirt that the house elves had washed for him after the battle; washed up a bit and made his way downstairs.
The castle was more full than he had expected. Teachers and wizards he had never met before were working together to help put the castle back together. He watched in fascination as stones flew around and were put back into place; statues righted again and house elves scrubbed the newly restored walls clean again.
"Potter?"
He turned at the sound of McGonagall's voice and nodded at her, "Professor."
She gestured for him to follow her into her office. Harry closed the door behind them and stood in front of her, his hands in his pockets.
"I see the castle is being repaired, how are you? How is everyone doing? What do you need me to do?" Harry asked her, his eyes on her face.
To his surprise, her arms came around him and she hugged him tightly. He put his arms around her in response and she let out a small sniffle, patting his back before she pulled away, wiping tears from her eyes.
"Professor?"
McGonagall, wiped her cheeks hastily and smiled so warmly at Harry that smiled back. "I have never been more proud of any student in my entire life, Harry. Here you are, asking to help and I … You have done more than enough already!"
Harry flushed a little at the praise. "I want to help, Professor. I am partly responsible for the damage done to the castle after all. I did bring the battle here."
McGonagall shook her head. "Hogwash! Now, have a seat and a biscuit," she said, gesturing for him to sit down. It made him grin as he remembered the first time that she had offered him a biscuit in her office. He accepted happily and smiled at her as she spoke. "I am the Headmistress of Hogwarts now."
"Should have been you all along," he said and she smiled at him.
"Regardless, I am Headmistress now. The castle will take a few weeks to be fully repaired, some of the damage will even take months, but we will repair it all. There will also be a memorial built on the school grounds for those who gave their life during the Battle of Hogwarts, that's what it's being called."
Harry nodded. "That sounds great. There should be a memorial."
McGonagall smiled at him. She tapped her fingers on her desk as she spoke. "I wanted to thank you as well, Harry. You saved my life during the battle and that's something that I will never forget. It was foolish of you to jump in front of me, but I am thankful for it. You were incredibly brave and you will be awarded accordingly. I believe the Ministry is already doing the paperwork for an Order of Merlin, First Class."
"Oh," Harry said, flushing red at the thought. "That's not, er-"
McGongall's smile widened. "It is very much actually. Now, Harry, the other reason I asked you to come in here was to find out what you were planning to do now."
"To do?"
She nodded, her glasses tipping down her nose as she looked at him. "Yes. Obviously, you may stay at the castle for as long as you like while we're in repairs, but are you coming back in September for your seventh year?"
Harry hesitated. Honestly he hadn't even thought about it. The only thing on his mind after the battle had been sleep, food, and Ginny. "I don't know yet, Professor. I don't think so. There are a few things that I want to do first."
McGonagall nodded. "Well, this castle will always be open to you. If you want to stay and help with the castle repairs of course you are welcome too, but go do what you need to do."
Harry smiled at her. "Thanks, Professor."
"Minerva," she said, smiling warmly at him. "You may call me Minerva."
Harry's grin widened as he stood up. "Thank you, Minerva." He had never respected anyone the way that he respected McGonagall and to hear her ask him to call her by her first name he knew that he had more than earned her respect in kind.
He headed out of her office and back up to Gryffindor Tower. He packed up his rucksack and then sat on the bed for a moment.
"Kreacher!"
The house elf that he had inherited from Sirius appeared in front of him. He still wore the locket of Regulus Black around his neck and looked up at Harry adoringly.
"Yes, Master Harry?"
"I'm going to return to Grimmauld Place and I would like for you to come with me."
Kreacher nodded. "Of course, Sir! Kreacher would be happy to go back to Grimmauld Place with Master Harry."
Harry smiled at the elf. "Alright, I'll see you there then."
The elf disapparated with a loud crack and he grabbed his rucksack, making his way out of the dormitory again. He walked through the castle, waving at people who greeted him, blushing a lot when people thanked him and praised him, but he finally made it into Hogsmeade and he disapparated to the front stoop of Sirius' old house.
When he opened the front door, the picture of Mrs Black screams hit him immediately. He hadn't returned here, not since Hermione had accidentally brought the Death Eater into the house after their escape from the Ministry. He ignored the screaming portrait and made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen.
Kreacher was waiting for him, making him pancakes and bacon which brought a smile to his face. "Thanks, Kreacher."
The house elf broke out into an ugly grin. "Of course, Sir!"
"So, Kreacher, this is my house now as you know," he said, trying to figure out how to voice what he wanted. "I think I do want to make it my own house. Sirius left it to me and I do need a place to live now. But, we have to get rid of that portrait of your old mistress."
Kreacher's ears drooped, but he nodded.
"I want to make it a home here and the dark arts stuff has to go; the portrait for sure and well, that room with the house elf heads on the wall. No thanks. Do you understand where I'm coming from?"
"Yes, Master Harry," Kreacher said. "Master Harry gave Kreacher Master Regulus' locket; Master Harry defeated He Who Must Not Be Named; Master Harry is a hero! Kreacher would be most honoured to help Master Harry turn this place into the Most Noble House of Potter if he so desires."
"I do so desire," Harry told him.
Kreacher smiled that ugly grin. "I will get to work straight away, Sir!"
"You can rest first, Kreacher," Harry told him, smiling. "But as soon as we can I do want to get started."
Kreacher immediately began to clean and it made Harry smile to see it. He did want this to be his home, but he wanted it to be his home and not the house full of dark arts and depression that Sirius had found it to be.
Harry finished eating and made his way upstairs to really explore the house. He started at the top floor, moving into Sirius' old bedroom. He would pack up all of this stuff too, he thought to himself. It was time to rid the house of anything he himself would not need and to keep the memories that he wanted. He smiled at the Muggle pin-up posters thinking that Sirius had definitely been a rebel to his parents.
It took Harry four hours to pack up Sirius' bedroom. In the end, he had one box that he was keeping for himself full of photos and letters of Sirius and his parents. He also decided to keep the posters of the Muggle pin-ups, having gotten Kreacher's help to remove the permanent sticking charms, but he didn't know where he would hang them yet.
A glance at the clock told him that it was just after five in the evening and he decided to take a break and apparate to the house of Andromeda Tonks.
He pushed his glasses up his nose before he knocked on her front door. Looking at photos of Sirius and himself as a baby had brought up thoughts of Remus and Tonks' son, his own godson. He hadn't even met the boy yet and he knew that he needed to rectify that as soon as possible.
The door opened and he was again shocked to see how much Andromeda looked like her sister Bellatrix, but there was kindness in her eyes, something he was sure Bellatrix had never been.
"Mrs Tonks," he said, smiling at her. "I don't know if you remember me from last summer, I'm -"
"Harry Potter," she said with a warm smile, embracing him. "Please come in!"
He followed her into the two story cottage and looked around, remembering how he and Hagrid had crashed here after being attacked by Voldemort and his Death Eaters in his attempt to escape Privet Drive. He remembered her husband Ted had healed him. He was gone now, he realized, another casualty of the war.
"Please, have a seat," she told him, gesturing to the chesterfield. "I'll be right back!"
Harry sat down, his eyes roaming the room. There were some baby clothes on the chair near him and he picked up the sleeper, the smallness of it shocking him. How could anyone be so tiny? He looked up at the sound of movement and smiled as Andromeda walked in with the baby in her arms.
"Harry, this is your godson, Edward Remus Lupin, but we affectionately call him Teddy after his grandpa."
Harry stood up and moved over to her, his eyes wide as he stared down at the tiny figure in her arms. Remus' golden brown eyes looked up at him from the baby and he had soft brownish blonde wisps of hair on the top of his head. "He's so small," he said, unsure of what to do.
Andromeda smiled warmly at him. "Here, take a seat and you can hold him."
Harry nodded, moving back to the chesterfield and sitting down as Andromeda placed baby Teddy in his arms. He was heavier than Harry expected, but he was solid and warm and soft. "Hi Teddy," he said as Teddy looked up at him, his eyes wide. "He has Remus' eyes."
Andromeda nodded, tears in her own eyes. "Yes, he does. But he has my baby's powers."
Harry's eyes met hers in confusion and then he watched as Teddy's forehead formed a lightning bolt scar. "Wow," he said as he watched the scar fade from Teddy's forehead. "Guess that starts young, eh?"
She nodded. "It did for Dora too. He's only seven weeks old, but the last few weeks, I've noticed those powers just like his mother had."
"I'm sorry about your husband and Tonks and Remus," Harry told her.
Tears filled her eyes. "Thank you. Ted was trying to protect me. Like always. He thought I would be safer if he left, I disagreed, but well … when Dora and Remus came here and moved in with us to keep her and the baby safe I thought this was why we're fighting; why we're working so hard to rid the world of evil. But, alas, not everyone can return home safely." Harry watched her as she sat down next to him and gently brushed her finger along Teddy's cheek. "But I have this little guy in my life now and that makes it easier."
"Why did Tonks leave?"
Andromeda smiled sympathetically at him. "She was an Auror, Harry, a powerful Auror who had been stuck at home unable to do much to contribute to the fight because she was pregnant. When she had Teddy, she was so proud of him and she loved him so much, but she also wanted to keep her husband safe. Remus was her entire world. They argued before he left, Remus told her that she had to stay behind, to take care of their son. But Dora is stubborn, she told him that she loved him and for him to be safe and to come back to them. Five minutes after Remus left, she kissed me goodbye, kissed Teddy and she was gone. She didn't want her husband to be off fighting without her."
Harry smiled when Teddy's tiny hand gripped his finger tightly. "When I saw both of them, all I thought was poor Teddy, no parents, just like me. But unlike me, I want him to know all about his parents. I want him to know that I will always be here for him."
Andromeda's smile widened. "I was surprised when Remus told me that you were to be his godfather. I thought, he's so young, but now I see why he chose you. I think he knew he wouldn't make it through the war alive, but that you would and he wanted his son to be given the opportunities that you never had. My cousin would have been an amazing godfather to you, Harry. I am very sorry that prison robbed him of that chance."
"I don't know anything about babies," he told her smiling. "But maybe you can help me? I'd like to take care of him sometimes, you know, when I can."
"As often as you like," she told him with a smile. She glanced up at the clock. "He's on a pretty good schedule now actually and it should be about time for him to eat. Would you like to feed him?"
"Yeah," Harry said, grinning.
"Come on back into the kitchen with me. I'll show you how to warm up a bottle."
Harry merely grinned, holding Teddy in his arms. He would always be there for him, he promised. Always.
Harry spent the next three days at Andromeda's house, waking up with Teddy in the middle of the night and helping coax him back to sleep and feeding and changing him until he felt like he had the swing of things. Andromeda was grateful for the help and it gave her some time to rest.
On the third day, he kissed Teddy goodbye and promised Andromeda he would be back on the weekend to visit, but that he still had some things to take care of. He headed back to Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, surprised when he walked in to see the progress that Kreacher had made in his three day absence. The large front entranceway alone was cleared and the portrait of Mrs. Black was gone. Harry ran his hand along the length of the wall where the portrait had been, impressed that Kreacher had removed it and he said as much to Kreacher when he saw him.
He showered and changed and then disapparated to Diagon Alley. He had another stop that he had been going over and over in his mind and one that he felt needed to be done. When he stepped into Gringott's Wizarding Bank, all eyes immediately moved to him.
He walked up to the front desk and asked to speak to the head of the bank. It was a goblin named Gorthrup and he nodded at him when he was entered into his office.
"Harry Potter," Gorthrup said, his long fingers entwined together in front of him.
Harry nodded, clearing his throat before he spoke. "Yes. I wanted to come and formerly apologize for well, for breaking the dragon free and destroying the bank."
"And for your thievery?"
"Not for that no. What I stole was an important piece that helped me to destroy Voldemort. I'd take that again in a second," he told the goblin in all honesty. "But I do apologize for all of the trouble I caused in getting it. I took nothing for my own personal gain. It was all to end the war and to end Voldemort once and for all, which I did. I am only sorry that some of your workers were hurt and that the dragon burst through the roof and well, destroyed the bank. I'm willing to pay for the damage if necessary."
Gorthrup stared at him. Never in his forty years as the bank manager had a wizard ever come and formerly apologized to him for a mistake they had made. Never had a wizard successfully broken into the bank and made it out alive either. Yet this wizard in front of him had done both.
"Mr Potter, as you can see, we already fixed the bank. As for the dragon, well, she was old and going free was probably for the best. You defeated He Who Must Not Be Named and whatever you needed to do in order to accomplish that, I cannot hold you responsible for those actions."
Harry nodded. "I am sorry for it nevertheless."
"We did have to do some rearranging with the vaults, but you are right, nothing else was taken and that is what matters." Gorthrup told him. "Would you like to visit your vault today?"
"I would. I would also like to re-organize some things."
An hour later, Harry left Gringotts feeling accomplished. The goblins had forgiven him for his destruction of the bank, but only because he had defeated Voldemort; he had opened the Black Family Vault that Sirius had left him and transferred its entire contents into his own vault. Upon this he had also learned that the Potter Family Vault was different from the vault that he had been using his whole life. When he stepped into the cavern vault of the Potter Family his eyes had widened in disbelief. Mounds upon mounds of gold coins stood around him like Aladdin's cave and he had asked once more for everything he owned to be transferred into the one Vault.
Never in his life had he imagined being so wealthy. He had opened a small account for his godson. He wanted Teddy to have a start in life. He took the new key from Gorthrup, thanked him for his help and headed out into Diagon Alley.
The big purple and gold sign of Weasleys Wizard Wheezes glowed dim ahead and he saw that they were still closed. He put his hands into his pockets and disapparated to Ottery St Catchpole and made his way up the narrow drive to the Burrow.
It had been a week since he had seen Ginny he realized. He hadn't even written to her to tell her where he had been. He hadn't been to see the Weasleys. He should have gone there first, he realized as he walked up to the front door and knocked.
Charlie opened the door and Harry was pleased to see him. His dark red hair looked windblown and the sleeves of his denim shirt were rolled up, revealing light scars and freckles. He grinned widely at the sight of Harry. "Harry! We were just saying we had hoped you'd turn up soon!"
Harry followed him into the kitchen and almost stumbled back when Mrs Weasley tackled him in a huge hug. He hugged her back, kissing her cheek as she fussed over the sight of him and ushered for him to sit down.
"I'm sorry, I didn't come straight away. There were a few things I wanted to do and I just, I should have come here first," he told her as he took a seat at the table.
Mrs Weasley shook her head. "Nonsense! But I am so glad to see you!" She kissed his forehead and then immediately began to prepare a plate of food him.
Charlie sat down next to Harry. "Dad's up at the Ministry, helping to try to get organized again. They asked Kingsley to be Minister and he's agreed. Dad's got a promotion. Still working with Muggles, but now he's head of a new department, the Department of Muggle Corporation. Kingsley feels that after his work in London with the prime minister that it makes sense to have a few witches and wizards working undercover in the government. Dad is running the department. There's maintenance, politicians, Aurors, everything that is needed to be educated about Muggles and how to work with them. It's pretty cool actually."
"That sounds like it," Harry admitted. "I'm glad Mr Weasley's the one doing it. He's the best for the job."
"That's what Kingsley said when Dad protested," Charlie said, grinning.
"Where's everyone else?"
Charlie thanked his mum for the food as she put two full plates in front of them full of meatloaf and mashed potatoes. "Bill and Fleur are back at Shell Cottage; Fleur's pregnant. Bill is over the moon about it. They are both back to work at Gringott's in the meantime. Percy is working for Dad at the Ministry. He asked Kingsley if he could be transferred and he's helping Dad with the political aspects of the department. He really loves politics, Percy does. George is sleeping upstairs. He says he's going to reopen the joke shop next week, but for now he's resting. Heard from Ron yesterday, he and Hermione have arrived safely in Australia, but they are still looking for the Grangers. It seems they went on a holiday. Ginny is still at Hogwarts. She insisted on staying and helping McGonagall put everything straight along with most of the other members of the DA."
"And you?" Harry asked as he ate the delicious food in front of him.
"I'm staying here for a few weeks, but then I'll be heading back to Romania. The reserve needs me out there."
Harry nodded, smiling when Mrs Weasley sat down. "How are you, Mrs Weasley? I'm … I'm so sorry about Fred."
Mrs Weasley smiled at him, shaking her head. "Thank you. We're all dealing with trying to get our lives back. And we will. Now, I have cleaned out Percy's room for you, dear and it's open and ready whenever you'd like to move in."
Harry smiled gratefully to her. He had known that he would have a place here whenever he wanted. This had always been his family.
"Thank you, Mrs Weasley, but it's not necessary. I've moved into Number Twelve. Sirius left it to me and I'm working on cleaning it up. It's what I want to do."
"Good heavens, we were forever trying to clean that place up and it still is a depressing mess!" She insisted, her eyes wide. "Are you sure you won't stay with us, Harry? You would be more than welcome."
"I'd love too, really, but this is what I want to do. I'm packing things up and making it my own and Kreacher is helping me. He's already removed the portrait of Mrs Black so that alone already makes it a better place."
"He got the sticking charm off?" Charlie asked in surprise.
Harry nodded. "House elves are very powerful when they want to be. Dobby taught me that. Anyway that's what I've been doing mostly and I went to spend a few days with Andromeda and my godson, Teddy. I wanted to meet him and learn how to take care of him a bit. I told Andromeda that I would be back this weekend. I want him to have his own room in my house so he can come stay whenever he wants."
Charlie grinned at him. "Sounds like you're figuring things out."
Harry laughed. "Not really, but it's a start."
"Are you going to go back to school in September?" Mrs Weasley asked him, getting up and filling his empty plate again.
Harry smiled gratefully at her . "No, I don't think so. I think after this year … I think I'm beyond school at this point. I have no idea what I'm going to do, but I want to give myself time to find out."
"Have you talked to your aunt and uncle, dear? Dedalus told me the other day that they have been safely returned to their home."
He shook his head. "No, not yet. That's my next stop. I'm going to collect the rest of my things from them and settle in at Grimmauld Place." He drank the glass of milk Mrs Weasley poured him and smiled. "I just wanted to make sure everyone here was okay and well, see if you needed anything."
"No, dear," Mrs Weasley smiled at him. "You have given us more than enough."
Harry stayed an hour and then headed out to Privet Drive. His aunt was the only one home and she merely pursed her lips at him when he took his trunk. He was glad they were safe and he told her as much before he walked out with no intention of returning. After depositing his trunk at his new house, he headed into Hogsmeade and up to the gates of Hogwarts.
McGonagall greeted him in the entrance hall. "Harry, I didn't expect to see you back so soon."
He nodded, "I wanted to see if I could help out and talk to the remaining members of the DA who have been helping you."
"Of course," she said. "I think most people are up in Gryffindor Tower. It seems to be the common room of choice these days."
He smiled at her and made his way upstairs. The Fat Lady opened for him immediately and he stepped through the portrait hole. The Gryffindor common room was indeed packed. He found his friends fairly quickly. Neville and Luna were sitting together by the fire with Ginny; Seamus was chatting with them.
He made his way over and Neville's eyes widened. "Harry!"
He jumped up, pulling Harry close for a hug. "How are you!"
Harry grinned and hugged Neville back, followed by Luna and Ginny and Seamus. "I'm good. How are you guys doing? The castle looks great already, you must be working pretty hard."
Luna nodded. "The professors have been putting us in groups to clean up and it's been going very well. You look rested."
He smiled. "I feel rested. Not to mention full, Ginny's mum just fed me three plates of meatloaf and mashed potatoes."
Ginny grinned at that. "Sounds like mum."
Neville ushered for him to take a seat with them. "It seems almost unreal that it's over."
Harry nodded, glad Neville had spoken the words that had been dogging him. "It really does. I almost don't know what to do now. The last year was all about stopping Voldemort and now I've done it. Thanks to all of you."
"Thanks to us?" Seamus said in surprise. "Harry, thanks to you! You really did it! You defeated the darkest wizard of all time! You really were the Chosen One!"
"I did," Harry said with a smile. "But you guys are the real heroes here. What you did with the DA and leading the troops into battle, especially you, Neville. If you wouldn't have beheaded Voldemort's snake, this never would have ended."
"Why was the snake so important anyway?" Neville asked, "You didn't exactly have time to tell me earlier."
Harry chuckled at that. "I suppose I didn't." He briefly explained to them about the Horcruxes and how he, Ron, and Hermione had spent the year hunting for them. "Nagini was the last one. But you killed her, Neville, and that was huge. Now he can never find a way to come back."
Seamus whistled. "Wow. Just wow." He glanced up at the clock. "Well, I'm going up to bed. The Hogwarts Express is taking everyone home tomorrow afternoon. I need to make sure that I'm all packed."
Neville nodded, standing up. "You're right. We should double check the Room of Requirement, make sure we have all of our things."
"I'll come with you," Luna told him, smiling.
While Harry had spoken to them, the common room had emptied out and now he found himself alone with Ginny. She moved closer to him, taking his hand in hers as she spoke. "I'm glad to see you doing so well."
He kissed her quickly and made her smile. "I'm sorry. I never meant to just take off and not tell you what I was doing or where I was going. In my head I just had this list of things I wanted to take care of and when I woke up and you were gone, I just … it was wrong of me."
"Yes, it was wrong of you," she said, smiling at him. "But I get it. You had things to do and I wanted to stay here and help out. Madam Pomfrey has had her hands full in the hospital wing; most have been transferred to St Mungo's now and those who stayed are now strong enough to go home. McGonagall sent all of the students home except for those of us in the DA; those of us determined to stay and help attempt to clean up after the battle. But now we're heading back home tomorrow. McGonagall wants to make sure education is the priority in September. The fifth and seventh years will be allowed to take O.W.L.S. and N.E.W.T.S. in August. The Ministry is working to allow the tests to be overseen by those who want to get their tests. Otherwise, anyone who wants to come back and re-do a year is going to be allowed too. She's working on organizing how to go about it."
"Sounds like she's going to have her hands full," Harry told her, slipping his arm around Ginny's shoulders.
Ginny rested her head on his shoulder as she spoke. "Definitely. Neville says that he's just going to take his N.E.W.T.S. in August; he's not coming back for another year. But Seamus is considering returning. Luna and I still have our seventh year anyway so it doesn't matter to us. But there will be lots of decisions to make."
Harry nodded. "Yeah. I won't be coming back."
"I know."
"You always seem to know what I'm feeling before I do, how is that?"
She smiled at him. "I find you easy to read. How's Teddy?"
His eyes widened now. "Okay, who told you?"
She laughed and snuggled into his embrace, gently tracing her hand over his stomach. "No one. I just know that seeing your godson would be a priority for you. I only saw him once, after he was first born, but he was beautiful."
"He is," Harry told her, tugging out his wallet and showing her the picture that Andromeda had taken of him and Teddy the other day. "I want to get to know him, watch him grow up. I'm going to be the best godfather that I can be to him."
"I know you will be. So, what else did you do?"
He stretched his legs out in front of him, content to sit here, Ginny snuggled into his arms, her head resting on his chest as he spoke. "Moved into Grimmauld Place. Kreacher is helping me organize and clean it. That's where I will definitely be spending most of my time. There's a lot of work ahead. Saw your mum and Charlie and they filled me in on your dad's promotion and about Bill and Fleur having a baby. That's great news, Auntie Ginny."
She grinned at those words. "Yeah, I'm excited at the prospect of being an auntie. Fleur has really grown on me too."
"Wow, she must have, you didn't even call her Phlegm."
She laughed. "No, she's amazingly brave and she's not the superficial woman I thought she was. She makes Bill really happy. That's what matters most."
"I agree." He was quiet for a moment. "Well, I should head home. I just wanted to come and see you."
Ginny turned in his arms, straddling him. "Don't go." Her arms twined around his neck and she kissed him deeply. She had pressed her body against his and he let out a small moan at the feel of her breasts against his chest. "Stay here."
Harry kissed her back, her soft lips parting for him and he pulled her closer, his hands in her hair. When he pulled back, her brown eyes were twinkling at him. "I can't stay here, Gin."
"Why not?" She asked him, her lips trailing under his ear and down his throat. "McGonagall is not going to care that you stayed overnight with everyone leaving tomorrow. The castle is full of random people."
"True," he said, kissing her again. Merlin, he had missed her. The feel of her lips, the feel of her body against his. His body was definitely screaming at him how much he had missed her.
"My dormitory is empty," she whispered against his ear and he hardened instantly.
"Boys can't get up the stairs," he told her.
Ginny shook her head. "Those spells were all removed by the Carrows and haven't been replaced yet." She stood up and held her hand out to him and he took it, following her up the stairs to her dormitory.
All of the beds were empty, but she tugged him to the far one on the left and opened the bed curtains, sitting down. Harry sat down next to her, his hand on her neck as he kissed her again.
"I love you, Ginny," he told her. He planted open-mouthed kisses down her throat and down the v-neck of the tee shirt she wore.
Ginny's hands slipped under his own shirt, tugging it over his head. Her hands slid over his abdomen and she smiled at him. "Not as skinny already. A few good meals in you helps a lot."
He smiled at her and kissed her again, his lips brushing hers so softly that she moaned. He tugged her tee shirt over her head and gently ran a fingertip over the swell of her breasts above her bra.
"Merlin, I missed you," he told her, kissing her breasts through her bra, sucking her through the cotton and making her moan. "I missed you so much."
Ginny sighed when he unbuttoned her jeans, sliding them down her waist and leaving her in just her bra and panties. "I missed you too, Harry. Every day."
His mouth found hers again and she kissed him back with such ferocity. He was so passionate, so giving with his kisses that she simply held on as he kissed her. His lips moved down her throat again, her collarbone, over the swell of her breasts and then lower. When he nipped at her bellybutton, she gasped. "Harry, please," she purred.
Harry smiled at her, licking his lips as he kissed her bellybutton again. He planted open-mouthed kisses down her stomach and gently kissed the top of her panties and then he kissed her knickers and she groaned.
He had missed her. He had missed the taste of her. The smell of her. The feel of her. He had missed everything about her. He slipped a finger into her knickers and she moaned his name. He slid them down her hips, tossing them aside and then with his eyes on hers he bent his head and used his mouth on her.
Ginny cried out at his touch. He kissed her and licked and nipped and she merely grabbed his hair and held on. When the orgasm went through her, she whimpered his name and he kissed her thighs, her stomach, her ribs. Then he unhooked her bra and suckled her breasts.
"Harry," she whimpered, tugging his lips to hers. It was still the most erotic thing to her, to taste herself on his lips. She kissed him softly and then she flipped him so that she was on top now. She kissed his chest, his stomach and when she started to undo his belt, he merely groaned her name.
This was familiar. This was what she had missed, being with him, just touching him. Nothing turned her on more than how much Harry seemed to be turned on by her. She tugged his pants down, followed by his boxers, freeing him and taking him in her hand causing him to groan.
The last time that she had touched him so intimately had been the same day that Dumbledore had died. That was almost a year ago now. She stroked him and he moaned her name and then she lowered her head and took him in her mouth.
"Ginny," he gasped, his hands fisting in the bedsheets as she worked him over. Her mouth doing the most delicious things to him and he groaned heavily when he came minutes later. "Sorry," he told her.
Ginny smiled and kissed her way up his chest. "I was just thinking that it's been almost a year since I've touched you this way," she told him, kissing his neck. "I'm impressed you made it that long."
He groaned when she kissed him, turning her so that he was facing her side by side. "I love you, Ginny Weasley."
Ginny kissed him softly. "Harry?"
"Hmm?" He asked her, his erection growing again against her leg. "I think maybe we should wait."
"Wait?" He repeated, his eyes on hers for a moment, befuddled. "Oh!" He exclaimed, suddenly understanding. "Oh, Ginny, I didn't … I mean, I didn't expect …" He blushed now, his ears reddening and she kissed him softly.
"I love you, Harry. But I'm not quite there yet," she told him honestly. Her eyes searching his in the dark.
He kissed her forehead. "You've already given me more than anything I ever could have asked for just by being my girlfriend, Gin. I would never rush you like that."
She smiled. "I know." She kissed his forehead and then climbed out of bed, tossing him his boxer shorts. "You should put those on."
He grinned at her but did as she asked before stretching back out on her bed in his just his boxers. Ginny picked up the tee shirt he had been wearing and slipped it over her head before she snuggled back into his embrace.
"Ginny?" He said after a few moments.
"Hmm?" She asked, her head resting over his heart.
"I love you."
She smiled into his chest and she felt him grin in return. "I know. I love you too."
Then she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
