Chapter 9

Harry arrived back at the Burrow that afternoon. He was tired but happy. It had been a productive day. He stared at the Burrow for a couple minutes before going in, leaving his broom in the newly rebuilt broom shed. He loved this place and the people inside it more than anyone else in the world. He was glad to be back again.

Walking in through the kitchen Harry was pleased to find Mrs. Weasley, Ron, and Hermione sitting at the table, a map of Australia spread out in front of them.

Mrs. Weasley got up and greeted Harry. She looked a little perturbed.

"Oh Harry, you're back! How did it go at the Ministry?" she asked.

Ron and Hermione both looked up.

"Yeah, what did the Ministry want with you this time?" Ron asked with a grin.

Harry looked around for Ginny, but didn't see her.

Sensing the coming question, Hermione said, "She's up in her room. I think she was worried about how today was going to go."

"Well," said Harry with a smile he couldn't hide, "I have some news about that."

"What news?" asked Ron.

"You first," Harry replied, gesturing to the map on the table.

"I need to go find my parents." answered Hermione. "Its been weeks since the battle, and things here are starting to get back to, well maybe not normal, but headed in that direction."

"I'm going with her," Ron said proudly.

"I still say you're too young!" said Mrs. Weasley.

"Mom," Ron began with a tired tone, "We've been over this. We're both of age, and its not like we weren't traveling together before this."

"But still..." Mrs. Weasley said with exasperation.

Harry thought he knew what was going through her mind; her baby boy was growing up.

The discussion was interrupted again by Ginny coming downstairs. Harry's insides clinched at how beautiful she was. She smiled broadly at Harry, then came and gave him a warm hug.

"You're back! How long have you been here?" she asked.

"I only just got in." Harry answered, then went on saying, "I have some big news."

"Well," said Ron, keen to get the subject away from him and Hermione, "Don't just stand there, tell us what it is!"

Harry took a seat, and nodded his thanks when Kreacher suddenly appeared with a cold bottle of butterbeer for everyone.

"There's so much to tell." Harry began, then he remembered Mr. Weasley's request, "First, Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley wanted me to let you know that he's going to be late tonight. He said he had some errands to run after work."

Mrs. Weasley frowned, and asked, "What kind of errands?"

"I don't know. That was all he told me."

"Thank you dear." Mrs. Weasley said with a sigh.

"Will you please get on with the story?" asked Ron.

"Right, I'm getting to it." Harry smiled and began, "I got my broom back!"

"No Way!" said Ron surprised, "Seriously?"

"Seriously, Kingsley said they found it while they were looking for Mad Eye last year. He said what with everything that was going on, no one remembered to get it to me."

"Do you have it with you?" Ginny asked with the same excitement as her brother.

"I put it in the broom shed."

"Excellent!" Ron shouted.

"Harry, that's really nice." Hermione said warmly, "What else did Kingsley have to say?"

"Well, we're all being given the Order of Merlin, First Class." He went on.

"The Order of Merlin?" asked Hermione.

"First Class?" from Ron.

"Oh!, I'm so PROUD!" Mrs. Weasley cried, her hands clutched at her chest.

"That's Great!" said Ginny, she came forward and kissed Harry, then gave him a warm embrace. "You've earned it." She said, then looking at the other two, "You all have."

"Is that all?" asked Ron.

" 'Is that all' he says," answered Mrs. Weasley, "as if that wasn't enough!"

"Well," Harry said sheepishly," Actually there is a little more." Four sets of eyes turned to him, and Harry went on hurriedly, "Kingsley has promised me a job at the Ministry, but before I take it, Mrs. McGonagall has asked me to come back to Hogwarts and do my seventh year."

Now Harry looked over at Ginny. "She wants me to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, just for a year until she can get the job permanently staffed. The other teachers will tutor me in our off time, and I get to live in staff quarters at the school." Harry went and took Ginny's hands, and looked into her chocolate brown eyes, "She also says that for this year only, she will bend the rule about teacher and student relationships, as long as we act normal on school grounds."

"Oh!" exclaimed Hermione,

"She's also said that you and Ron can come back to school too." Harry added with out looking at her.

Hermione seemed to come alive with excitement. "It will be so nice to finish that part of our education!"

Ron rolled his eyes, and looked at Harry, "You don't think she's going to let me skip this do you?"

"Not on your life, mate." Harry said grinning at Ron.

"Well, I guess a visit to Diagon Alley is in order," Mrs. Weasley said thoughtfully, "I expect you all will be needing to get some things for school."

"Oh, yeah, I need to get an owl. Mrs. McGonagall had a big bag of mail for me at Hogwarts, and Kingsley had another one at the Ministry. I guess I'll need an owl if I'm getting that kind of mail."

Hermione looked around, "did you leave it outside?" she asked.

"No, I took it to Grimmauld Place, I didn't figure I needed to bring that kind of mess here."

"You went to Grimmauld Place again?" asked Ginny. Her tone was light, but there was a gleam in her eye.

"Well, yeah." Harry answered her.

Then he remembered what Hermione had said when they went there together. That this was the type of thing Ginny was likely to get upset over. An idea struck him.

"I wondered if maybe you wouldn't like to go through them with me? I really don't want to go through them at all, but Kingsley says it will do a lot to restore people's faith that everything really can return to normal if I read and respond to a few of them."

"I think that's a great idea, Harry." Hermione said with a smile.

Ginny and Harry both looked over at her, and then Harry added; "I've also inherited my parents house. Its a wreck, I know, but I was thinking maybe you and I could take a trip up there and look around some more?"

Ginny's expression softened, and she answered Harry with a smile of her own,

"Yes, I'll go with you. We can make a day of it."

That night's dinner was extravagant. George came back with Mr. Weasley, and Bill came with Fleur. There was ham, potatoes, puddings and pies, roasted vegetables and a lovely onion soup.

George seemed to be coming back into himself, and entertained the group with stories of some of the things that were being tested at the joke shop. He made it known that Percy, after much apologizing and groveling, was once again dating Penelope Clearwater. When asked by his mother if he had his eye on anyone, George turned as red as his hair when he answered that Angelina Johnson and he had gone out a few times.

Later that night, when Harry and Ron had gone to bed, Harry told Ron about the Wizard he'd seen outside Grimmauld Place.

"Do you think its a Death Eater?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. I didn't recognize him, but that doesn't mean anything."

"You going to tell Ginny?"

Harry thought about this for several minutes, then said; "No, not right now. But if it does turn into something I'll let her know."

"You promised you wouldn't go where she couldn't be." Ron reminded him.

"I know, but I want to make sure its something to worry about first."

Ron only grunted his assent.

Harry lay in his bed, thinking about the events of the day. He found himself going over in his head what it would be like to live at Hogwarts. He even thought of lessons he might teach, and how he would differentiate those lessons between each year.

He was sure Hermione and Ron would want to help him, and maybe he could even get them to speak to some of the classes about what actually using the defensive magic they were learning was like.

It would be nice to have Ginny around. He wondered what that would be like. Would he be allowed to sit with her at meals? Or could he maybe arrange some nice quiet dinners alone, just the two of them?

Harry fell asleep to the thoughts of Ginny and him strolling the Hogwarts grounds together. His hand in hers. He didn't know that in Ginny's room, her thoughts were turned to much the same place.

It was with a shock that when Harry woke up the next morning, there was a cake on the table for him. Next to it was a small stack of presents.

"Happy Birthday Harry!" said Mrs. Weasley from the kitchen.

Harry was in shock. He had completely forgotten his birthday with everything that was going on. He sat down at the table stunned. He looked down at the small stack of gifts.

The sound of people coming down the stairs turned his attention. Ginny came down first, followed by Ron and Hermione who were hand in hand.

Harry realized something. It had been one year ago today that the wedding had occurred. That the Ministry fell, and the Death Eaters attacked forcing him, Ron, and Hermione to go into hiding for the better part of a year.

Ginny came round the table and planted a kiss on Harry's cheek.

"Happy Birthday!" She said smiling.

Hermione looked aghast. "Oh Harry! I'm so sorry! I've forgotten again."

Harry laughed at the look of horror on Hermione's face.

"Its no big deal." He said reassuredly.

Ron started to laugh, "Wow, twice in a row. That's got to be some kind of record."

"Ron, it isn't funny. Did you remember?" Hermione asked.

"Well, no, but then I don't think anyone really expected me to either." Ron answered, then he looked at Harry. "Sorry Harry, its been kind of hectic."

"Nothing to worry about." Harry said.

In truth he was a little hurt that his two best friends had forgotten his birthday, but he wasn't going to say anything about it. Things had been after all, very chaotic until lately. He was a little more upset that Ginny seemed to have forgotten too, but at least she'd come down and wished him a Happy Birthday.

Hermione wasn't fooled for a moment.

"No, it is. We couldn't give you your gift last year because everything sort of happened. I'm not going to see your birthday ruined twice." Hermione had tears in her eyes.

"Hermione, really, its okay." Harry said.

He was going to say more but he caught Ron making a gesture to cut it out. So he let the matter drop.

Mrs. Weasley wasn't going to let the day go by without making it special.

"Harry, what do you want for dinner tonight? We'll make sure you have it. I've already invited Hagrid over and Andromeda Tonks. I think its time you met your Godson."

Harry did a double take on hearing this bit of news. He'd totally forgotten he was now a Godfather. Well, he wouldn't let that happen again. He'd be the kind of Godfather Sirius wanted to be. The kind Harry wished he still was. He would be a godfather to be proud of.

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley." Harry said with a lump in his throat.

Mrs. Weasley left the group to return to the kitchen.

Hermione and Ron took their leave and went outside. Leaving Harry and Ginny alone together at the table. Harry's cake and gifts were in front of him.

"I didn't forget your gift you know." Ginny said looking at him slyly.

"Er, uh, thanks." was all Harry could think of to say.

He smiled at her, glad for her company.

Ginny got up from the table and came around to take Harry's hand.

"C'mon, these will wait for awhile." she said.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked.

Ginny looked at him warmly. The love she felt, so deep and so pure was clearly evident in her eyes. Harry felt his heart melt, and his stomach dropped to his knees.

"I'm going to finish giving you the gift you got last year."

And with that she led him upstairs and to her room. Harry was quiet the whole time. When they entered Ginny's room, she closed the door and came forward putting her arms around Harry's neck.

"I love you Harry." she breathed.

Then she leaned forward and kissed him.

It was sometime before they came back downstairs.

Harry's birthday party was a great one. All of his favorite foods were served. Bill and Fleur came by, as did George and Angelina. Percy had sent a gift, but was on a Ministry assignment to America and couldn't be there. Hagrid regaled those gathered with tales of Harry and his exploits at Hogwarts, and told the tale of finding Harry at Godric's Hollow all those years ago. It was a sad tale, and not many eyes were dry when Hagrid finished. There were too many memories of recent events to prevent that.

Andromeda Tonks arrived with little Teddy. She looked Harry right in the eye, and then dropped the baby into his arms. "Harry Potter, meet your Godson. Teddy Lupin." she announced.

Harry took the baby awkwardly, and held him close. He looked down at the boy who looked so much like his mother with a tuft of bright cobalt blue hair on top of his head.

He changed his hold on the infant to make both of them more comfortable, and then went to sit down with him. Andromeda's face was neutral, but her eyes betrayed a certain warmth.

Mrs. Weasley brought her a slice of cake and a small glass of brandy. The entire room had gone quiet watching Harry holding the baby.

Harry, who had never held a baby before in his life, stared down in wonder at what he held. The little sleeping face silent and still. Gently, ever so softly, Harry brushed a finger against the baby's cheek. He was surprised at how soft his skin was.

"Look at him," Harry said to the room in general.

He looked up and was suddenly self conscious. Everyone in the room was staring at him. Ron and Hermione were standing nearby, Ron with his arms wrapped around her waist. Ginny stood next to them, her face eager, but seemingly hesitant to come forward and break the quiet moment.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat together holding hands tears in both their eyes. Mrs. Weasley's other hand was resting on Andromeda's arm. A trumpet sound was heard, and Harry looked over to see Hagrid blowing his nose in his great spotted handkerchief. George was patting him on the back. Angelina sat quietly nearby. Even Bill and Fleur looked touched.

Harry looked again at Ginny, who took that as her queue to come forward. She sat down on the arm of the chair Harry was in, and leaned in close to look at the baby.

Harry inhaled deeply at the scent of her, savoring the moment of it. His heart swelled. He gently passed little Teddy over to Ginny to hold, and was electrified by her touch as she took him. In that moment, Harry had a sudden vision. A vision of what his future might hold with Ginny. Where the baby she took from him was theirs. The home they shared was their own. Harry continued to watch Ginny. His eyes were blind to everyone else in the room. He watched as she cooed over the infant in her arms. Gently rubbing the baby's cheek and hair.

At that moment Harry knew something he had had only an inkling of before. He wanted this. More than anything else in the world. More than being an Auror. More than returning to Hogwarts as a student for the final time. More than ANYTHING, he wanted Ginny to become his wife, and for her to be the mother of their children.

The feeling took hold of him with an almost physical intensity. It was like a steel band had wrapped itself around his heart, and Ginny's acceptance was the only key to release it.

When Ginny looked over at Harry, he heard her breath catch. She looked intently into his eyes, and Harry saw hers widen ever so slightly. The warmth they held seemed to increase even more. Harry knew in that moment, that she recognized what he was feeling. That she smiled as lovingly and warmly as she did with a silent tear in her eye was all the reassurance Harry needed.