CH 7

"Well?" Harry asked again the fear inside him attempting to surface but he kept it in check.

Ginny looked at him with shock plainly visible in her eyes but so was the love as she looked down at Harry, the only man she had ever loved but did she love him enough.

Every pair of eyes in the room was now fixed on the young couple, everyone holding their breath waiting for her response. Mr and Mrs Weasley stood with their hands locked together praying Ginny made the right choice.

"Harry?" Ginny's shaking voice shattered the silence "Are you sure, I mean we're still so young what if" but she was stopped by Harry,

"Ginny, I love you with all my heart and soul as far as I'm concerned there is nothing more sure than this." With those words Ginny seemed to physically relax, she then smiled and joined Harry on the floor and kissed him, although the kiss didn't last long it was one of the most caring and passionate they had ever shared and as they parted she said the words everyone in the room had been waiting and praying to hear since they noticed the situation.

"Yes, God yes!" She said as she pulled him into another deep kiss forgetting that the room was full of her friends and family, that was until she heard cheers and cat-calls (Fred and George) at which point they both went deep crimson, but that to faded when Harry placed the ring on Ginny's finger and she looked at it for the first time. What she saw was incredible, on the ring depicted in the gold of the band were a lion and a dragon each carried a gem, the lion a sapphire, the dragon an emerald which were held together forming a perfect heart.

"It's beautiful." She gasped

"Only fitting as it's yours." He replied, he then helped her up and her family engulfed them.

As they were congratulating them and looking at the ring Harry managed to slip away and speak to Sirius,

"Thank you Sirius!"

"For what?"

"The ring and . . ."

"The ring was your own accomplishment I just placed the order and as for the other thing well you were right she does deserve it but why you didn't keep is what I don't understand."

"I have all I need right here, you and the Weasleys plus Hermione and I'll always have my parents in my heart, I don't need that orb," but he trailed of

"What?"

"I just wish you could be here in person"

"So do I,"

"Maybe I could help there!" Said a voice from across the room, they turned to find Professor Dumbledore standing in the doorway a smile on his face. "I hope I'm not intruding," he said glancing round.

"Of course not Professor" said Percy the first to overcome the shock of seeing him there.

"Thank you now as I was saying, Sirius " he took a handful of powder from a small bag at his side and threw it in the fire and Sirius emerged into the room and was immediately hugged by Harry, Ron and Hermione, Sirius then walked over to Ginny,

"Welcome to the family" he said with a smile then hugged her. He then smiled at the rest of the Weasleys and they all turned their attention back to Dumbledore.

"I'll not stay long, I have simply come to deliver a message. Harry, Sirius Pettigrew has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of the muggles you were accused of Sirius however, for the death of Lily and James he has been sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss." Everyone nodded to show that they understood, when Harry thought of something

"Professor, I thought the Dementor's were."

"Yes Harry some of them have joined Voldemort, but some remain loyal to us and once the war as it is, is over then the kiss will be administered until then they act as spy's for us, now I'm afraid I must be going. Sirius I've left some powder by the hearth for your return trip when you are ready." With a quick nod to them he began to leave, but at the door he turned smiling "Oh and Harry, Ginny congratulations." With that said he left.

"How did he know?" said Fred after he left

"He must have seen my ring" Ginny said, but then she seemed to remember something. She walked over to Harry and took his hand "You owe me a favour" she told him with a grin.

"I know" he said "But not now I think the room is full enough as it is."

"O.K. but I won't forget, I'll just spring it on you at some point and trust me it will be embarrassing."

"What, why?"

"Because I owe you for proposing in front of my entire family!"

"Ah, sorry?"

"That's alright but I'm still getting you. Hey Harry?"

"Yeah love" Harry had now relaxed again since Dumbledore's departure

"Where did you get this ring? I've never seen anything like it!"

"He designed it" Sirius had joined them with Ron and Hermione while the others got ready for dinner "Asked me to order it for him."

"You designed it? O.K. I understand the lion because of our house but why a dragon?"

"Um well." Harry looked suddenly nervous, when Hermione spotted something on the cover of a book she'd received from Percy.

"That's why! Harry? You've been studying?" She seemed quite shocked,

"Why? Why a dragon?" Ginny asked turning to Hermione "Well?"

Hermione handed the book to Ginny. On the cover in silver it said 'Famous and ancient wizarding families' underneath was a coat of arms depicted a golden dragon holding a silver sword between it's front claws, but it was the name beneath that caught Ginny's attention 'POTTER'

"Harry is that?"

He looked at her and the image with love in his eyes "My family crest," he suddenly smiled "Yours too soon."

At those words she felt a tremendous warmth pass through her whole body and she felt herself blush but she ignored it as she hugged him and made her way to the kitchen to help with dinner. But before she left the room she turned smiled and said "I can't wait."

Dinner that day was a loud affair, wizard crackers were exploding all round as they were pulled, Fred and George had come up with some new inventions which they had somehow snuck into dinner. "Well what do you think?" they asked as Sirius suddenly turned into a startled black pig and back again "Pork sausage, good eh?"

"Harry?"

"Yeah Gin?"

"Remind me never to accept anything off those two again," she pleaded while Harry just smiled and nodded

He around at all those present realising that this was by far his best Christmas ever. However he spotted something that could possibly make it better "Hay Gin? Look!"

"What is it?"

"Ron and Mione!" The two of them were sat opposite Harry deep in a quiet conversation totally unaware of anything around them; they hadn't even looked up when Sirius had gone through his unexpected transformation.

"What's the plan Harry? Same as last time?" Ginny asked when she saw them,

"Yeah divide and conquer and with any luck you may just be able to keep your promise to Ron."

"When shall we do it?"

"Right after dinner," he said as he took her hand and lent nearer to plan what to do with their friends.

As dinner drew to a close it was Mr Weasley, who supplied Harry with what he was waiting for,

"So what are you lot up to this afternoon?"

"Well I was hoping for a quick game of Quiditch as I need to get ready for the next game." He then added "We've got to win" hoping no one heard, but he was out of luck.

"Harry!" Ginny said sternly "That was not your fault"

"But we lost to Hufflepuff!"

"Only by ten points and there was no way Madam Pomfrey was going to let you play so stop blaming yourself. Besides your back now so we can still win the cup." Hermione snapped

"O.K. I'll stop moping if you help me train." He said with a slight grin

"Erm" she had to find a way out of this but she knew he had her, he knew she wouldn't let him blame himself so she would just have help "Alright but nothing fancy O.K?"

"O.K. how about one on one seeker practice then if everyone's up for it we have a proper game?" That got everyone's approval including Sirius who offered to act as ref.

After dinner they all made their way out into the back yard Percy had decided not to join in but instead allowed Hermione to borrow his Nimbus. As Harry and Hermione moved away from the others for there 1 on 1 he nodded to Ginny then caught up with Hermione.

"So" he said as he shot passed her after the practice snitch she had released.

"So what?"

"So when are you and Ron going to sort yourselves out?"

"What? I don't know what you mean."

"Mione, I'm not blind nor are any of the others it's just I know a little bit more than them. Now when are you and Ron going to sort this out?"

She sighed in defeat "I'm going to speak to him tonight so if you could?"

"I'll have everyone out of you way by nine!"

"Thanks Harry"

"Don't mention it, just sort this Ron's becoming unbearable."

The rest of the day continued as planned and during their match Harry pulled Ginny aside and told her of Hemione's plans and learnt the surprisingly Ron had similar plans, "So all we have to do is get everyone out of the way and hope it works." Harry said.

"Trust me Harry it will work Ron is determined."

"Well any ideas?"

"Fred and George are no problem I'll just send them to Lee's by the time they get there it'll be too late to come back but as for Percy, I don't know."

"Leave Percy to me I know how to get rid of him, so that just leaves your parents."

"That's no problem we'll just say we want some time alone and they'll be gone in an instant. So it looks like it's going to be a quiet night in our rooms tonight to keep out the way." When she looked across to him she realised he was thinking of something "Harry what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Lets just say tonight won't be as bad as you think."

"What are you up too?"

"You'll see." And with that he joined the game with Ginny following close behind.

They played for most of the afternoon and Harry was happy to see that they were all getting better including him; also Hermione was looking muck easier on a broom. Throughout the game however Ginny kept trying to trick Harry into telling her what he was up to but to no avail.

"He won't tell you, you know." Sirius had flown over after another failed attempt by Ginny, "I've seen that look before and whatever he's hiding will stay that way until he's ready, but I will say this, from the way he's grinning it's something you'll like." But at that point he spotted Fred fouling Ron and shot off to deal with it.

They finished the game just as it was getting dark and headed back, as they arrived Harry disappeared up to Percy's room and the next thing they knew Percy shot into the kitchen told his parents he was going out and disaparatred. Harry entered the room with a smug look on his face.

"What did you say to him?" Ginny asked

"Let's just say he's visiting a school 'friend,'" he replied with a wink.

"Ah!"

"Now you're going to deal with the rest of them right?"

"Yes but what about Sirius?"

"Well actually I was just about to leave." Sirius walked over to them "And if I heard right and you rid of the twins you'd best hurry they said they had an experiment to run!"

"I'd best go then," Ginny said as she hugged Sirius "Come visit again before we go back to school."

"I will especially after today's surprise." He said with a smile and Ginny left to deal with her brothers.

"You're a lucky man Harry." Sirius observed

"I know, I just can't believe it took three years to figure it out." Harry said smiling after Ginny.

"Well you had a lot on your mind at the time, speaking of which what are you planning?"

"I can't say right now because I need to someone first but I'll tell you if I pull it off!"

Fred and George entered the room at that point "See-ya Harry, Sirius we're off to Lee's." and they left using floo powder.

"I guess I should be going as well I'll speak to you tomorrow." And he entered the flames of the fire which were once again green from floo powder "Black Manor." Once said he was gone.

Harry stood there a second before heading for the stairs, as he reached the first floor he found Ginny explaining to her mother what was going on, he tried sneaking passed but was soon spotted.

"And where are you going?" Ginny asked when she spotted him

"I'm just putting my broom away then I thought I'd have a shower since we've been playing all afternoon."

"O.K. but be quick I'm not sitting on my own all night."

"I don't intend to let you." He left before she could ask what he meant, as he left he noticed Mrs Weasley smile at him knowingly but returned her expression to normal as Ginny returned her attention to her.

Harry continued up the stairs but instead of heading for his room he went towards Ron's, but he didn't stop there either but headed to a door further along the corridor behind which he found one more flight of stairs as he started to climb he took a deep breath and thought 'I hope this works'.