a/n: So here's the next chapter. I hope you guys like it. I'll be updating again on Tuesday...well I'm pretty sure I will be. Anyways I would really like to get ten reviews before I update so please review and if I have ten by tuesday, I'll update again.

And also you guys should check out this story called It's Hard To Believe by Weasley Lover018. The first two chapters are really good and there's more to come.

Always,
Kylie

Always and Forever

Life's Too Short

Hermione lay in the window seat with a bunch of books surrounding her. She had taken out every book she could find on wizard beaches and she had the Modern Bride magazine out. Everything would have been very helpful had she not fallen asleep after opening Exotic Beaches. The stack of books before her sat untouched and the one that she had opened to read fell onto the floor. It was the day after the wedding and she had brought the books home from work with her to read while dinner was cooking but after a tiring day at work she had fallen asleep even before she got to start dinner.

Ron walked through the door several minutes later. He opened his mouth to say hello but didn't see Hermione in the kitchen. He spotted her asleep on the window seat and decided that for once he would make dinner for her instead of the other way around. He changed out of his work clothes and then went to the kitchen where he looked for something to make that was easy. After searching through all of the cabinets and finding nothing with directions he understood, he opened the freezer and found a frozen pizza.

"This looks easy." Ron said to himself as he took the box out of the freezer and read the directions.

As he was setting the table with paper plates, cups, and candles, Ginny walked through the door.

"Ew, what smells like it's burning?" She asked. Ron was about to tell her to be quiet when he smelt it too.

"Damn it!" He exclaimed, forgetting that Hermione was asleep. He took the pizza out of the oven although you couldn't really call it a pizza anymore. It was more of a blackened un-edible brick.

"What is that?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, what is that?" Hermione asked, coming over to the kitchen table with a yawn.

"It was supposed to be dinner." Ron said. Hermione smiled at him.

"Aw, you…tried…to cook." She gave him a quick kiss and then they both looked at Ginny.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I just want to see what you two were doing for dinner. I didn't really want to cook." Ginny said. "But, now I see that unless I want to eat charcoal, I better cook." Hermione laughed while Ron looked offended.

"You and Harry aren't going out tonight?" Hermione asked.

"No, we normally save Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays for going out." Ginny answered.

"Wow, that's it?" Ron asked sarcastically. Ginny ignored him.

"But we aren't going to be able to do that anymore. I have to go back on Sunday." Ginny said. Hermione looked sympathetically at Ginny.

"Why don't we all go out and get something to eat then?" Hermione asked. "We could go to that fast food place down the street."

"Alright." Ginny agreed. "I'll go get Harry." She left them alone and Ron took the burnt pizza and dumped it into the garbage.

"Sorry." He said, blowing out the candles. "I tried." Hermione smiled and put her arms around his neck.

"No, it was sweet of you." Hermione said. She kissed him.

"So what's with the books that were so boring they put you to sleep?" Ron asked. Hermione laughed.

"It was just a busy day at work and then I had to lug these books home." Hermione said. "I was in search of a beach to get married on." Ron smiled.

"Well when we get home I'll help look through the books. We should find a place." Ron said. Hermione smiled and kissed him again. Unfortunately they were interrupted when they had to go to dinner.

When they got home they had planned to look through the books but one thing led to another and they ended up forgetting about the books.

The next morning they awoke and went through their usual morning routine. They showered and dressed for work and then went to have breakfast. As they were making plans to search for the place to get married that night Ginny grumpily walked through the door with Harry who had a consoling arm around her.

"What's wrong Gin?" Ron asked. She tossed an envelope down on the table and grumpily fell into a seat. Ron picked up the envelope and realized it was the Hogwarts letter.

"Open it. I don't want to." Ginny said. Ron shrugged and tore the envelope open. A list of the things she would need fell out along with another unfamiliar letter. "What's that?" Ginny asked. Ron handed her the letter and she read it out loud.

"Dear Miss Weasley,

It has come to my attention that not only are you writing the advice column for the Hogwarts Herald this year but you are also writing one for the Magical Gazette and you will be taking care of Penelope Lupin after school as well as balancing your homework and leaving on weekends to go home. There is the matter of being Chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I advise that one of the activities be dropped from this list for the simple matter that it will interfere with your studies but however that is up to you. If this becomes a problem with your studies I will have to intervene and see that one of the activities is dropped. Please think this over.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore"

Ginny looked up at the others. She hadn't really given much thought to this and she had forgotten about the Quidditch thing.

"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked. "I know you probably could do all of these things if you tried but I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Yeah, Gin." Harry agreed. "Maybe you could give up the Herald. Two advice columns are a lot."

"But I couldn't do that to Colin. It would take him longer to find an advice columnist and I'm not quitting my job. I make good money there. And besides giving advice comes easily so I can get both columns done by the deadline and not have to work on them over the weekend." Ginny said.

"You can't give up watching Penny because after school, when you're watching Penny is when you can do your homework." Hermione said. They all looked at her. "I kind of already planned out a homework and N.E.W.T study schedule for you and then fitted watching Penny into it."

"Well she's right there." Ginny said. "I have to do both and Hermione's already sorted that out for me so the only thing left is…"

"Quidditch." Ron finished for her.

"Yeah, Quidditch." Ginny repeated.

"You can't give up Quidditch." Harry said. "I was looking forward to coming and watching you play like you would do for me."

"I know but it has to be something." Ginny said. "And Quidditch would put more pressure on me because of afternoon practices and Saturday games. It would cut into everything else I have to do and then I would miss your matches because of mine."

"We could always play on weekends at the Burrow." Ron shrugged. "Besides we have to start teaching Alexis and Cecilia." Hermione laughed.

"Ron they're just two months old." She said.

"It's never too early to start." Ron said. Ginny nodded.

"He's right." Ginny agreed. Harry and Hermione laughed.

"So you're going to give up Quidditch?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, I think I have too." Ginny said. Harry put a hand on her shoulder.

"Just as long as you're not overworked then we'll find other time to play Quidditch." Harry said. Ginny smiled at him as Hermione picked up the booklist.

"I can get these books for you today." Hermione said. She smiled. "I wonder if anyone else is going to be buying their school books there." She said. "I know everyone normally goes to Flourish and Blott's but maybe it'll be different now that there's another bookstore."

"I'll put out the word." Ginny said smiling at Hermione. "And thank you."

"Anytime." Hermione smiled.

"Why don't we all go into Diagon Alley tonight?" Ron asked looking at the list of things besides books that Ginny needed.

"Yeah, that sounds good." Harry agreed. "We'll get some dinner and then go with Ginny to buy her Hogwarts stuff."

"Ok." Hermione agreed. Ginny smiled and thanked her friends for coming with her. Their conversation was interrupted when they all had to get to work.

Ginny sat at her desk working on answering a letter. The office was empty since everyone else was out on assignment. She had just begun reading when she heard Susan's voice in the room.

"Ginny your mum's on the way up with the twins." Susan said. Ron had bought something like a muggle loudspeaker for the Gazette office. There was one in each room and Ron's office and Susan's desk had the main ones that connected to everyone's.

Mrs. Weasley appeared in the door just then with a stroller. Alexis and Cecilia were sitting up in the stroller with smiles on their faces. Atop of their heads blonde hair was growing in and their eyes gleamed an amazing blue color that matched their father's, uncles', and aunt's eyes. Their faces had a few freckles across their noses and at two months old they were starting to look different so that Ginny could tell them apart despite the fact that they were wearing different (pink and blue) outfits.

"Oh, they're so cute!" Ginny exclaimed as she got up from her desk and picked the first one in the stroller up, Alexis. Ron came into the room then.

"Hey mum." Ron said. He picked up the remaining baby, Cecilia.

"Hi." Mrs. Weasley said. She fell into the chair across from Ginny's desk. "I forgot how much of a handful babies were."

"Where's Fleur?" Ginny asked, taking a seat at her desk with Alexis in her arms.

"She went back to work yesterday but she keeps sending owls to make sure they're ok. She Apparates back every hour to make sure they're ok. It's just new mother jitters. It happens all of the time." Mrs. Weasley explained. Ron didn't seem to be listening.

"I though that the first new Weasley's would have ginger hair." Ron said, looking at Cecilia's head.

"But look at their eyes." Ginny said. Ron took a look and saw the same blue eyes that he had, looking back at him. "And Cecilia's got Vela in her." Ginny said. "She's going to be a real heartbreaker."

"Ha, Bill's going to love that. He's never going to let this one out." Ron said. He turned to Cecilia. "You better stay little forever because your daddy's never going to let you grow up." Ron said to her. Ginny and Mrs. Weasley laughed.

"And I don't think Fleur's going to be letting her little boy go. He's going to be a mama's boy." Ginny said. "Aren't you?" Ginny asked her nephew. Mrs. Weasley and Ron laughed.

"Ron, your twelve o'clock is here." Susan's voice came over the loudspeaker. Ron looked disappointed.

"Sorry mum, I've got to go, I'm interviewing for new reporters." Ron said as he put Cecilia back in the stroller. He said goodbye to the twins and his mother before going back to his office.

"So mum, what brings you here?" Ginny asked. She got up to put Alexis back in the stroller and take Cecilia out.

"I got a letter from Professor Dumbledore." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Oh is it about all of those things I'm doing because I've decided to give up Quidditch." Ginny said as she sat back down with Cecilia.

"Well that was part of the letter." Mrs. Weasley said. "The other part explained how you would be going home on the weekends."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you about that." Ginny said. "Dumbledore said it would be ok if I did and I'll be working on my homework and everything mum." Ginny assured her. "Hermione's got a study schedule for me and we're going into Diagon Alley tonight to get all of the school stuff and Harry's going to bring me to King's Cross station on Sunday morning."

"Ginny, I don't know if it's such a good idea." Mrs. Weasley said. "It'll be much harder on you two having to say goodbye every weekend."

"I know that mum but I don't think I could spend weekends at Hogwarts while Harry has to come visit me for the day. It wouldn't be the same as it is now where we can go out and do things, together as a couple. I wouldn't be able to miss that for a year." Ginny said. Mrs. Weasley contemplated this for a minute.

"Alright." She said. "As long as it's what you want." Ginny smiled at her mother. She was afraid that they were going to have a big argument but Mrs. Weasley seemed in an agreeing mood or maybe it was that she wanted what would be best for her daughter's heart. "And Harry's going to get you on the Hogwarts Express. Do you want your father and I to meet you two there?"

"No." Ginny shook her head. "I'll stop by Saturday to say goodbye but I think that Harry seeing me off is something for just the two of us."

"Alright." Mrs. Weasley said. She smiled at her daughter and then went to hug her. "Oh Ginny, you're growing up so fast. I remember when you were just Alexis and Cecilia's age. I love you."

"I love you too mum." Ginny said. Ginny had figured that the moment when they would talk about who would bring her to the train station and whether or not she should stay home for the weekend would come but she had not expected it to be this easy.

"So what are you working on?" Mrs. Weasley asked. "Anything I can help with." Ginny smiled and informed her mother about the letters she was writing and Mrs. Weasley informed Ginny on her ideas for the advice.

Ginny found out where she had gotten her gift for giving good advice from.

After work that day Ginny headed over to the bookshop where she expected to say hello to Tonks and then go back to the flats with Hermione and wait for the guys but when she got there, despite the fact that it was closing time, the bookshop was packed with students all in the section of schoolbooks. Tonks was at the counter trying to ring up everyone in the long line and Lupin was trying to calm Penny back there. Ellen and Hermione were standing by the school books section, trying to help the students get their books and Anthony was standing at the coffee line where not too many people were. Ginny knew that her help was going to be needed.

"Just help Tonks out at the register and put the closed sign up." Hermione said as she handed a kid going into first year Standard Book Of Spells Grade 1. Ginny put the closed sign up and joined Tonks behind the counter. Within fifteen minutes the place was cleared out and Hermione had a smile on her face. "Did you see how busy it was, and for a Tuesday!" All of the other employees looked wiped out but Hermione was ecstatic as she said goodbye to Tonks, Lupin, and Penny and then went to check the cash register.

She and Ginny headed back to their flats after and went into their separate flats to change. Hermione pulled on a pair of jeans and a gray short-sleeve shirt. She slipped her feet into white flip-flops because she thought her feet deserved the break from the heels. She pulled her hair into a messy bun and went out to the living room to take another look at the books. As she opened the book that she had barely gotten to read yesterday the door opened and Ron walked in with his briefcase in hand.

"Hey honey." Ron said. He barely had enough time to put his briefcase down before Hermione ended up in his arms.

"Guess what, guess what!" Hermione exclaimed and before Ron could even open his mouth Hermione spoke. "For the entire day the bookshop was packed like crazy! I had to close a half hour later because there were still so many people there! They were Hogwarts students buying books!" Before Ron could even respond and tell her how amazing that was she pushed her lips on his and they stayed in the lip lock for several minutes before they were interrupted by Ginny.

"Geez, get a room." Ginny said, putting her hand over her eyes. Ron let Hermione down and glared at Ginny.

"Sorry." Ron said. "I didn't realize that being in our flat didn't count as being our own room."

"That's alright." Ginny said. "I'll forgive you this time but don't let it happen again." Hermione laughed while Ron glared at her and then went to change out of his work clothes.

"Do you have the list?" Hermione asked as she went into the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water for Ginny and herself. They both sat down at the kitchen table and Ginny took her bottle of water. She had on a pair of jeans and a white top.

"Yeah, it's in my purse." Ginny said. "Harry's across the hall getting changed now."

"Great." Hermione said. "And you packed the books in your trunk?"

"Already done." Ginny said.

"Good." Hermione said. Harry entered the flat just then wearing a pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt.

"Hey." Harry said. He went into the fridge and got a bottle of water and sat at the table with them. "What's going on?" Harry asked. Hermione launched into an explanation on how busy the bookshop was that day until Ron came out of the bedroom wearing a pair of tan shorts and a black t-shirt with Nirvana printed across the front. Hermione had gotten him that shirt.

"Are we ready to go?" Ron asked. "I'm starved." They laughed and got up to go.

The four of them stopped to get a bite to eat at the fast food restaurant down the street before going through the Leaky Cauldron to get to Diagon Alley. They made it just before closing time to the few stores they needed to get to. As they were leaving they ran into Neville and Luna exiting the Quill Shop on Diagon Alley.

"Hello." Luna said with a dreamy smile. "School shopping?"

"Yeah. I got pretty much everything. You?" Ginny answered.

"I'm just missing my books." Luna said. She turned to Hermione. "Do you sell school books at R and H Books?"

"Yup." Hermione answered with a smile. She held back from gloating about the busyness in the shop.

"Wonderful. I'll stop by tomorrow." Luna said.

"How's Gary?" Ron asked.

"He's adapting to the new habitat." Neville answered. "We're thinking about getting him a mate."

"Two Vornacs?" Harry asked.

"Hopefully more." Neville said. Harry chuckled.

"So does Dumbledore know that you're married?" Ginny asked Luna.

"Oh, yes." Luna answered. "He was very kind about it. He sent us a letter congratulating us and giving me permission to leave on weekends as long as it wouldn't interfere with my studies."

"Well that's good." Ginny said.

"Yes, Neville and I are thinking of starting a family once I get out." Luna said with a smile.

"Really?" Hermione asked. "But you're only 17."

"Luna and I both think that life is too short so we don't want to waste any of it." Neville said. Hermione smiled for the couple.

"Well congratulations then." Hermione said.

"Thank you." Neville and Luna said. They talked for a bit longer with Neville and Luna who seemed to be a happily married couple and as they walked away with their hands together, Hermione could tell that they really were happy.

After they headed back to Ron and Hermione's and sat out on the balcony. Harry and Ginny and Ron sat in lawn chairs while Hermione sat up on the ledge of the balcony. They talked about how Neville and Luna were happy but moving very fast, the success of R and H Books and then the topic of the Gazette came up.

"So how is Ask Ginny going to work while you're at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked. Ron and Harry went silent and looked at Ginny. They had all managed to avoid that topic for the evening despite the fact that they had been shopping for her Hogwarts things but now…

"Ron's going to have the letters sent to me and then when I finish a day's worth I'm going to give them back after classes. I've already gotten my column done for the first week so everything's set for that." Ginny said casually. She was determined not to let anything get her upset. She was going to enjoy her last few days here.

"And you're also doing the advice column for the Herald?" Hermione wondered.

"Yeah." Ginny nodded. "That'll be easy because it only comes out on Sunday and then I'll have Fridays to work on that."

"So you've got everything under control with that?" Hermione asked. "You aren't in need of a schedule?" Ginny chuckled.

"I think you should start planning your wedding before you start making any more schedules. You don't have much time left." Ginny said.

"I know, I know." Hermione said. "I've been so busy lately that I haven't had the chance."

"Oh, then let's look now." Ginny said. She got up from her chair and went inside, returning with four books and the magazine. She handed one to everyone.

Hermione took Beaches, Beaches, and More Beaches and opened the first page. There were a lot of beaches (as the title suggested) including beaches where they let dragons run around wild, beaches where there was quicksand all over the place, and more odd beaches like that. Hermione flipped past all of those pages until finally she found a perfect one. It was a small island in the Pacific Ocean that you had to take a Portkey to. Hermione read the description and found that there was a hotel on the beach where the guests could stay and then there was a picture of the beach where they could get married. The ocean waves crashed upon the sand and back. It repeated its self over and over again. Hermione had the urge to be there now because it was so beautiful. Paradise Isle was what it was called. Hermione knew this was the spot where she wanted to get married. As she opened her mouth to say she found the one, Ron said he found one as well.

"I found one." Ron said.

"Me too." Ginny agreed.

"Me too." Harry said.

"I did too." Hermione said.

"Look at this one, it's awesome. It's got a hotel where the guests get to stay and it's right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean." Ron said. "It's called Paradise Isle."

"That's the one that I found." Ginny said.

"Me too." Hermione agreed. They all looked at Harry.

"Well the one I found is called Firestorm Island." Harry said. "There are Dragons everywhere." Ron looked over at Harry's book.

"Actually that one looks cooler." Ron said. Hermione hopped off of the ledge and sat on the end of Ron's chair.

"I think we should stick with Paradise Isle." Hermione said. "It's much…safer."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Ron said. He took another look at the picture of Paradise Isle. "It does look like a nice place to get married." Ron said.

"So do you want to?" Hermione asked. Ron smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, let's do it." He said. Hermione's face lit up.

"We're going to do it! We're really getting married." Hermione said, unable to control the excitement in her tone.

"Yeah we are." Ron said. He too was having difficulty controlling his excitement. Ron pulled Hermione in for a hug and kissed the top of her head.

"We should get married on Firestorm Island if they aren't." He said. Ginny shook her head.

"I don't think so." She said with a chuckle. For a while longer the four of them sat there discussing the wedding and possible dates. The conversation went on to several different things before Harry and Ginny got tired. Around eleven Harry and Ginny got up to leave.

When they got back to their apartment Ginny dropped all of the stuff she bought in Diagon Alley by her trunk in her walk-in closet. She wasn't quite ready to pack yet. For now she would just enjoy her time with Harry…life really was too short to waste your time.