They stood where they were for a long, impossible minute.

And, to Harry's relative embarrassment, it was Ginny who spoke first.

"I'm sorry for taking your promotion."

And it was a statement so simply said, so humorously ironic, that Harry chuckled, then chuckled, then laughed while Ginny did the exact same thing beside him.

"I had no idea they were searching for a new Head of House for Gryffindor."

"Me neither," she replied as they turned to face each other, "and I promise that is not the reason why I asked to accompany you."

"Isn't it? You've always been of the ambitious sort."

"So ambitious - so much so that I turned down a professional contract to be a teacher. I have my eyes on being headmistress, you know."

"And I have my eye on being Chief Governor."

Almost on cue, both sets of eyes checked around them for any lingering ears.

And there was laughter and smiles all around when they looked at each other again.

"Oh, Ginny." He stepped up towards her. He clasped her hand in his, drinking in the wonder that was Ginevra Weasley. "Thank you."

"For stealing your job?"

Harry smirked. "For standing up for me, for standing by me. There is - nothing that can compare to the comfort of knowing that you're on my side, no matter what."

She blinked quickly a few times, as if clearing something from her eyes. "Harry - "

"We've waited long enough, haven't we?"

She didn't reply. She only looked at him, with piercing yet tender eyes - with a gaze that he wished to share forever.

"I can't wait any longer," he said softly, stepping even closer towards her. "I've been the Chosen One and The Boy Who Lived and the person whose significance has come completely from things happening to me long enough.

"I want to make things happen - to choose things happening. I want to share adventures and mentor our students and break curses - one by one."

They stood so closely now that he could feel her breathe on his chin, tickling and enticing the skin on his neck.

"I've broken one curse already." He cocked his head towards the vast table the governors had used. "I have full intent to break another."

She looked up to meet his eyes, and he wanted, with every fiber of his being, to kiss her to oblivion just then.

"Will you let me, Gin?"

Slowly, her lips curled into a smile. And she nodded.

And she leaned forwards just as he did for their lips to meet in a crushing, all-consuming kiss. The warmth that had radiated from her body seemed to merge with his own throbbing chest to flame into a burning furnace between them. Her hands wandered, though not as quickly as his did - and he soon found himself lifting her until she sat on the long, empty table, his body pressed against hers as he stood between her legs.

Their kisses teased, and taught, and taunted, alternating between tongue and lips and moans of humming approval.

And when they parted, both breathless and flushed, the only thing he had presence of mind to say was, "That was worth the wait."

And she laughed, and he laughed.

And they nearly skipped the entire way, hand in hand, back to the faculty tower.

Later, they would talk about how to inform her family. Later, he would tell her how he intended to never, ever let her go again. Later, he would seal every promise with a kiss to her lips and her brow and her neck and her skin.

But, for now, all he could do was to focus on reigning himself in until every student and teacher was safely out of sight before he ravished her again.

A/N: I hope you liked this resolution! Just a short epilogue remains :)