AN: Ok, because after I thought about it for a while, I really didn't like that last chapter. Like I had said it was harder to put something in than I thought. So, since I wasn't real happy with it and because I had made the people who have been following this story wait for so long, here is the next chapter.

Chapter 13

Ginny was in the kitchen at the Burrow alone finishing the cleaning from Maddie's birthday party. She had sent her mother to bed or at least out of the kitchen. The whole family, plus family friends had spent the afternoon at the Burrow eating and playing.

Maddie and Paxton did pretty well, only a few fights broke out between Paxton and Maddie when he wanted to help Maddie unwrap her presents. He had to be reminded his birthday was coming up and he could unwrap his own and Maddie had to be reminded to calm down and keep her temper in check or risk hurting Paxton with accidental magic. They spent the remainder of the evening over her new toy broomstick.

She had received more picture and story books from her Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione. A purple miniature pygmy puff complete with cage and accessories from her Uncles Fred and George, several new toys, a new ballerina outfit from Lizzie and a complete set of personal Quidditch outfits and a new toy broom sporting the Dover Dragon's logo and colors from her dad. She had promptly wanted to put on the t-shirt he had given her with his name and number.

Company had finally dispersed and now it was clean up time. Harry came up behind Ginny again. "Where's Maddie?" She shivered at the sound of his voice so close to her ear. He was standing so close she could feel his chest against her back. She took in a deep breath and continued to wipe down the counter. He was going to give her a heart attack if he kept this up.

"She's already in bed. While you and Ron finished packing up the picnic tables and outside chairs she had fallen asleep on the couch, so Dad took her on up to her bed."

Ginny could feel Harry smile. She turned sideways to face him. He propped himself against the counter with one hand and faced Ginny.

"Yeah, she did have a busy day. I thought there for a moment she was going to hex Paxton with just her mind."

Ginny chuckled. "Yeah, we have to watch them two sometimes. They are so close in age. They can infuriate each other faster than anyone else, but they are fiercely loyal to one another as well. It's going to be interesting when they go off to Hogwarts together."

"Fleur is letting him go to Hogwarts?"

"Yeah, well, they live in England and that's where his father went." Ginny just shrugged her shoulders.

She tried to take a small step back, so that she wasn't so close, but Harry reached out and gently rested a hand on her arm. Ginny took in a deep breath. She had been trying to be better over the weekend whenever Harry came near her. She would let him brush her hand with his, or tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, or sit near her. Every move he made she took a deep breath as if she had just forgotten how to breathe the moment before.

Ginny also noticed that these small movements and reactions and chair placements at dinner had not gone unnoticed by Hermione who kept an eagle eye on the two.

Harry gently ran his thumb along her arm and then dropped his arm back to his side.

"I'm really glad I was here for this. I hate so bad that I've missed the others."

"I'm glad you were here too. She never wanted to leave your side all day." Ginny had been playing with the dish towel. "Just, promise us you'll be here for the others."

"I will, I don't ever want to miss another. I want to be at her sixtieth birthday." Ginny chuckled lightly and just nodded.

"Ginny I was wondering, if we could work out some kind of permanent schedule or something at least until regular season starts for me to spend time with Maddie?"

Ginny nodded again. This was a good idea. "Well, don't you have two a day practices?"

"Not anymore, we finished boot camp as we've so termed it Friday. For the next several weeks, practices will be in the morning for the whole team and then squad or individual training in the afternoons. I'm not on the chaser or beater squad, so I pretty much just have my basic weight training three days a week and that's only for an hour or so. I'm through each day by say 2 p.m."

"I usually don't get off work till 5 each evening, give or take."

"Why don't I start picking Maddie up from school then? We can hang out each afternoon, go to the park or something. I can take her to dance class on Monday's too."

"And then when I get off work, you can bring her home to me."

"Exactly. That way I'll get to see her almost everyday before regular season starts and I have to be on the road with the team occasionally."

"I think she'll really enjoy that Harry."

"I think I will too."

"Hey, where is everyone?"

Ron came bursting in the back door. "Gone home or I sent them to bed or out of the kitchen. Mum cleans up enough around here, I figured I would take the job tonight." Ron made his way over to the table and sat down. "Got any cake left?"

"I just put it away."

"I'm hungry, Harry and I put all the outside furniture and stuff away."

"When are you not ready to eat?" Ginny huffed.

Ron just smirked. "Never according to Hermione."

"What did I do?" Hermione asked as she entered the kitchen.

"Nothing, your fiancé is hungry again."

Hermione just rolled her eyes as she sat down next to Ron and Ginny once again pulled the cake from the fridge. She went ahead and placed four plates on the table and made a pot of tea.

The four adults sat around the table and ate and talked for a few hours just like they use to at school. For a small moment in time, everything seemed right once again. Hermione and Ron were sitting next to each other and engaged. Harry was next to Ginny and their daughter was asleep upstairs. They talked about random things and about the upcoming wedding. Recounted a few of their better days at Hogwarts and wondered what school would be like once the next generation made it there.

"Blimey, I better get home, I do have practice in the morning." Harry stood up quickly almost toppling his chair over.

He headed towards the back door so he could apparate home after everyone gave a round of 'good nights'. Ginny met him there. She was so close to him she could see the pupils of his eyes dilated almost purely black in the little bit of light the lamps were giving. She couldn't consciously remember wanting to stand this close to him on purpose, but yet she was and whispering. "You're going to pick up Maddie tomorrow right?"

"Yes."

"Ok, I'll inform her teacher. I should by home around 5:30, so anytime around there or a little after you can bring her home."

Harry nodded. He quickly brushed her hand with his, not quiet in a squeeze and then walked out the back door.

Ginny turned back into the kitchen to clean up yet again, but Hermione had beaten her to it.

"So, what was that all about?" Hermione was standing behind Ron's chair her arms crossed, her toe tapping and trying hard not to grin.

"Nothing."

"Uhhh huh. Right." Ron was trying not to grin now.

"He's picking Maddie up from school this week, nothing more. Now stop grinning. I'm going to bed before either of your get carried away."

However, Ginny couldn't stop herself from grinning for some unexplained reason as she climbed the steps to her old bedroom.

-----

The past several weeks had gone very smoothly and for once in over a month Ginny felt like life had finally gotten back into some routine.

Harry had been picking up Maddie from school and they would usually go to a play park or they would stroll through Diagon Alley getting ice creams and visiting the twins at their joke store. One afternoon when it was raining Harry even took Maddie to a muggle cinema to watch a cartoon. She was still raving about that afternoon. An evening or two, this past week Ginny had even talked Harry into staying for dinner. He stayed one night till Maddie went to bed and tucked her in once again reading her a bed time story.

Harry had spent most of Saturdays and Sundays at the Burrow as well, returning home only in the evening to sleep after he had put Maddie to bed himself. On those weekend days when Ginny would have to make Maddie lie down for an afternoon nap her and Harry would stroll through the garden or out to the pond and talk.

Ginny was becoming less jumpy in his presence. Hermione had tried to press Ginny for more information, but she just told Hermione that Harry was spending as much time with Maddie as he could and that they were just catching up on life from the past few years and talking about Quidditch.

The last bit was especially true, the World Cup games were in full swing now.

Ginny and Harry had just made it out to the pond and had walked out to the end of the small pier to sit and dangle their feet in the cool water.

"Are you going to go to any of the games to report?"

"Don't know. Lane Lark has reported on most of them so far, I've been working on getting the preview for the regular season together."

"How about the final?"

Ginny shrugged her shoulders. "Guess it depends on if Jim can get any extra tickets. Ron waited too late and wasn't able to buy any when they went on sale."

Harry reached in his pocket and handed Ginny an envelope.

"What's this?"

"Just open it."

Ginny did so and inside were a set of tickets for box seats. Her eyes got as big around as saucers.

"Harry!" She gasped.

"The team has a large box to ourselves and we each got a set of tickets. I think we can each invite up to like fifteen people or something another. It's a party box or something, catered and everything. I figured the only people I have to invite are your family."

"Everyone is going to flip over this."

"Yeah, well, I just figured it would be a good weekend together. We could go camping like we did before."

Ginny nodded. "I hope it just turns out better in the end than last time." Ginny stated remembering the Dark Mark that ruined their trip the last time they were able to go to the World Cup finals.

"So, who do you think would want to go?"

"Hmm, well, you'd be hard pressed not to have Maddie there, she'll be floating till then. Then well, Ron and Hermione."

"The twins I'm sure."

"Yeah, and Angelina. Katie probably won't go, she's too far along in her pregnancy and mum won't either, so they'll probably stay at the Burrow."

"What about Bill and Fleur?"

"Bill definitely and Paxton. Fleur won't and Benjamin's too young. Charlie might come over for it, and bring Chris, Carolyn is still too young."

"So that's what," Harry started counting off on his fingers. "One, two…..12. What about Percy?"

"Nah, he wasn't ever much into Quidditch. Ohh Dad. He'll make 13."

"So there we go, our crew."

Ginny smiled as she placed the tickets back into the envelope and passed it back to Harry. "No, you hold on to it. I'm afraid I might lose them before then. That's still a few weeks away."

Ginny nodded and placed the envelope in the pocket of her sun dress.

"We'll have to get some tents. I think Bill has one, but it only holds like 8."

"I'll find another one." Harry was smiling from ear to ear. That was going to be a great weekend, or at least he hoped so. The twins had been a little chilly to Harry at first when he started coming back around and visiting Ginny and Maddie so much, but once they had realized how much he was sorry for missing out on Maddie and how much time and effort he was putting into spending with her, they loosened up.

Bill and Charlie had kept their tongue most of the time. They weren't rude or anything, but they weren't like overly excited either. But honestly, Harry had never spent much time with before anyway. They knew their acceptance of Harry would make Ginny feel better and most of her brothers had learned not to invoke her wrath on purpose.

Harry and Ginny sat on the pier for a while, watching the ripples on the pond from the breeze and warming their skin in the sun.

"Ginny."

"Yeah Harry."

"Ummm, Do you have anything special planned for tomorrow night?"

"Sunday evening?"

"Yeah."

"No, not in particular, I mean I've got to get Maddie and I home."

"Do you think that well, you could stay one more night or have Molly look after Maddie tomorrow evening?"

Ginny watched the ripples in the pond for a moments as she moved her foot through the water, thinking to herself.

"I reckon. Why?"

"Well, I'm not going to beat around the bush this time. But, well, will you go on a date with me?"

Ginny refocused her hazy attention. She was silent for a few moments and Harry was starting to get fidgety she could tell.

"Yes." She whispered.

Harry's head shot up. He had gone to studying his hands with intense scrutiny when Ginny hadn't answered him.

"What?"

"Yes, I….I would like that."

Harry nodded and looked in the opposite direction from where Ginny was sitting. And grinned to himself. Hoping Ginny couldn't quiet read the goofy school boy look he was sure was plastered on his face.

"Where are we going?"

"Surprise?" He said hopefully.

Ginny smiled too at this. "Ok, but do I have to get all dressed up again?"

"No, just wear something casual."

"I can handle that."

"Do you think Maddie's up from her nap? She's been busting at the seams all day to go down into town."

"Perhaps, let's go and get her."

With that Harry let Ginny lead the way back to the Burrow.

-----

Maddie was sitting on her mother's bed at the Burrow and pouting. She didn't understand why her mum was getting to go out with her daddy and she couldn't go. Hermione was standing behind Ginny who was looking into her closet.

"Hermione, I have no clue what to wear or where we are going. Do you?"

Hermione shook her head. "Nope, he wouldn't tell me either."

"Hmph." Ginny crossed her arms and stared once again at the limited wardrobe she had with her.

"I would have packed more or something different if I knew about this earlier."

"Here, let me have a look."

Hermione stepped forward and shuffled through what few items Ginny had with her at the Burrow while Ginny moved over to her dresser to do something with her hair.

"I want to go." Maddie was still whiny and upset and was clutching the teddy bear her dad had won for her at an arcade that week.

Hermione had backed out the closet and handed Ginny an outfit and went to sit on the bed next to her niece. "We know pumpkin, but well, sometimes, mummy and daddy just need to go somewhere just the two of them. Ok? Besides you have me and Uncle Ron all to yourself this evening, Paxton has already gone home."

That seemed to cheer Maddie up a bit.

"Are you sure about this Hermione?"

"Yes, it's nice, but casual."

Ginny nodded and proceeded to change into the knee length skirt her friend had picked out of her closet. It was flowy and was a light sage green color with ivory and pink flowers scattered over it and had a matching ivory top with lace trim. Ginny dug in her suitcase for a pair of sandals.

Ginny lightly dusted her face with powder and added one swipe of a light eye shadow and some tinted lip gloss. She didn't need or want much else in the way of make-up. She turned around to face her friend and daughter. "Well."

Maddie gasped. "You look pretty mummy!"

Ginny smiled and went to sit down on the other side of Maddie. "Now you promise me you'll be good for uncle Ron and aunt Hermione and that you're not going to pout for your Daddy like you've done for me all afternoon. Got it?" Ginny added with a smirk.

Maddie clutched her bear. "Promise." And flashed her mum a smile.

"Ok. Let's head downstairs."

Hermione led the way holding onto Maddie's hand and Ginny followed. She could hear Harry whispering to Ron as they reached the bottom, but wasn't able to make out what he was saying. Hermione and Maddie moved out of the way and Harry turned to watch their progress. He turned back to the stairs and smiled as he saw Ginny step onto the floor.

Ginny blushed when she looked up and noticed Harry smiling over at her. Ron was trying to tell him something, but clearly he was no longer listening.

"Oi, Harry mate, did you hear me."

Harry's smiled faltered for a moment and then he looked back at Ron. "Umm, sorry no. What did you say?"

Ron looked in the direction that Harry had been staring and saw his sister. He just smiled and shrugged. "Never mind. You two have a good time." And with that, he left to find Hermione. That left Ginny and Harry alone in the front room.

"Hi." Ginny gave him a shy smile and a small wave.

"You look pretty Ginny."

Ginny blushed again. "So, are you going to tell me where we are going now?"

"Nope, but we need to pick something up in the kitchen first and then we're going to floo to the Leaky Cauldron."

Ginny nodded. She followed Harry who was dressed in a pair of khaki's and a white oxford button up, tucked in and with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

She giggled to herself when she caught herself scanning his backside. She felt like a school girl again and her crush was walking down the hall in front of her. Harry had always been able to make her heart race and it seemed as if time was not going to change that fact, no matter how hard she wanted that to change.

He turned and looked at her perplexed. "What's so funny?"

Ginny choked down another giggle and smiled at him. "Nothing. Sorry, I umm, well, I had myself distracted."

Harry shrugged his shoulder and walked into the kitchen. Molly whispered something in his ear as she handed him a picnic basket. He thanked her and then held out his other hand for her.

Ginny picked up a pinch of floo powder and threw it into the grate. "Ladies first." Harry held out his hand.

Ginny stepped into the green warmth and shouted "The Leaky Cauldron."

Harry followed suit and stepped out right behind her.

He smiled at Ginny and took her hand leading them towards the door that led out to muggle London.

"So are you going to tell me now where we are going?"

They stepped out into the warm night air of London. Harry looked over at Ginny. "I guess. There is this concert, an orchestra playing in a park near here. It's a bring a picnic and blanket type of thing."

Ginny grinned. "This ought to be nice."

Harry led the way and eventually they noticed it looked like a few other people where heading to the same place. They found a bit of ground under a tree. Harry let go of Ginny's hand and dug in the basket to find a blanket. He spread it out. Ginny sat down and pulled the basket towards herself to unload the dinner her mum had packed for them. They sat and ate and chatted while they could hear the orchestra warming up. Soon a man in a coat and tails turned around and welcomed everyone to the concert and gave an outline of the evening's performance. He then turned back toward the players and they started the concert.

Ginny sat in awe as the music and breeze swept through the air. Harry had packed their basket back up and had poured them a glass of wine each. He backed himself against the trunk of the tree they were sitting in front of.

He leaned over and touched Ginny gently on the arm. "Come here." He whispered.

She scooted over and he patted the space on the blanket in between his legs. She looked apprehensive for a moment and then backed herself into the space making sure to try and not come into too much contact with him. Harry handed her a glass. They sat there for a while just listening to the music and watching the other couples around them. Harry ran his free hand lightly against Ginny's free arm. She shivered slightly.

Harry leaned forward an inch or two and whispered at her ear. "Are you cold?"

Ginny shook her head. Harry leaded back against the tree once again.

Ginny finished the wine in her glass and sat it down on the ground next to them. "Do you want anymore?"

"No, I'm fine."

She fiddled with the hem of her shirt for a moment as if she was trying to make up her mind about something.

Even though she was sitting very close to Harry and practically sitting in his lap, he still ached to be closer to her, to wrap his arms protectively around her. He could smell the sweet scent of her shampoo and perfume mingling with the night air.

In that moment Ginny sighed and leaned back into Harry's chest. He thought it was going to burst it was so tight. He took one of her hands into his free hand and wove their fingers together. He could feel her relax into him with the swelling of the music. He had been wanting to be this close to her for weeks now.

Neither spoke. It was as if they were speaking a hundred things at once. Harry finished off what was left in his glass and sat it down next to him and wrapped his other arm around her waist. She placed her free hand on his leg. They stayed like that until the music stopped.

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