Chapter 22 – Tea

Harry watched Ginny started dinner from the kitchen doorway. She was dressed in a pair of jeans, one of Harry's old t-shirts and a pair trainers. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her hair was so long it reached down to her waist. She looked beautiful. Harry could watch her all day if he wanted to. He loved everything about her. Harry loved the way she talked, the way she walked, and the way she looked. He even loved that famous temper she had and the fact that Ginny had no problem putting Harry in his place when it was needed. Harry loved every part of her. From her sharp, clever mind to her freckled nose, Harry loved her. She completed him in ways that nobody else could. She was his entire world. Harry loved Ginny with every fiber in his body, but he couldn't help hear that little voice inside of him that said it wouldn't last. Harry just stuffed that into the back of his mind. Ginny would never leave him, would she?

Andromeda and Teddy were gone for the night visiting some of Ted's relatives and wouldn't be back until the morning, so it was just Harry and Ginny for dinner. Harry could tell that Ginny was preparing some type of fish with a milk-based sauce with asparagus and baked potatoes on the side. She hadn't noticed that Harry was in the room. After a couple of minutes, he quietly walked up behind Ginny and wrapped his arms around her waist.

As Harry nuzzled Ginny's neck he said, "You know, we do have a house-elf."

Ginny giggled as she leaned into him and replied, "I know. I enjoy cooking for you but hate cleaning, so it works out nicely."

Harry chuckled, "Just as long as it works. I love your cooking. Some of your dishes are even better than your mum's."

Ginny replied, "Thank you. I'm just about ready to put this in the oven. Would you like some tea?"

Harry let go of Ginny's waist, "Tea sounds good." He went to a cupboard and grabbed a couple of cups and set them on the table while Ginny tapped the kettle with her wand. Within moments, she was pouring hot water into the cups.

They both sat down at the table facing each other in comfortable silence. Harry sipped his tea and just stared at his wife while Ginny leafed through a copy of Witch Weekly. There were days when Harry couldn't believe that he was married to Ginny and this was one of them. Every day he woke up and was still amazed that they were together. Harry just smiled even though that little voice kept telling him it wouldn't last. Harry couldn't help but listen to that little voice every now and again. He just hated that it spoke at most inopportune times.

Harry finished his tea and asked, "If you had the chance, would you do it all over again?"

A look of confusion spread across Ginny face as she asked, "What do you mean?"

Harry waved his arm around, "All this. Would you do it all again?"

Ginny knew what Harry was asking, or what he wasn't asking. He needed to know that Ginny still loved him and wanted to be with him. Growing up the way Harry did with the Dursleys, when things in his life seem to be going reasonably well, Harry questioned it. Harry questioned whether he deserved the life he now had. He questioned the fact that he was fortunate enough to have found true love. Sometimes he worried that somehow, someway everything would be taken away from him. The Dursleys made Harry feel unimportant and little more than a slave, even after he started Hogwarts. He was bullied not just by his cousin Dudley but by his aunt and uncle too. He was used as a punching bag by Dudley with his Uncle Vernon egging Dudley on. Harry was blamed for everything wrong that happened. As a result, after years of mistreatment and abuse, Harry just assumed that when bad things happened in his life, somehow it was his fault. A part of him still thought that he wasn't meant to have a happy life. That part of him believed that happy lives were for other people, not Harry Potter. Harry never expected anything from anybody as a result of his formative years. He was always surprised when he received gifts at Christmas or his birthday. He treasured every gift and card he ever received to the point that one of his dresser drawers was stuffed with so many cards, he couldn't fit any clothes in it. Even if deep down inside he didn't want the gift, he still loved it and treasured the thought behind it. Anytime he opened a gift he always looked like he would burst into tears because somebody actually took the time to think of him. After all this time, he still wasn't used to it. Ginny knew being the center of attention made Harry feel uncomfortable because it was still something that was new to him after all this time. At their wedding Harry was a bundle of nerves. It wasn't the fact that he was marry Ginny, it was the fact that so many people were there to see him marry Ginny. Ginny made sure that his birthday parties were small affairs with little fanfare that Harry could handle. Over the years, there's even been a couple of occasions when Harry even got a little uncomfortable when Ginny cooked his favorite foods. Most witches and wizards wanted to be with Harry because he was Harry Potter, The Man Who Saved the Wizarding World. They thought that if they were friends with Harry, or just seen with him they would benefit from it. In essence, the used Harry for their own gains. Harry learned quickly not to trust most people.

Ginny reached across the table and took Harry's hand. She rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb. Ginny told him, "In a hot second."

Harry smiled slightly and said, "Ok."

Ginny looked deep into his beautiful emerald green eyes. She stated, "Harry, I've loved you since I was ten years old. I've loved you since before I knew what love was. Once I figured out what love was, even though I was dating other boys, I feel so deeply in love with you that nothing could help me. Not that I wanted help mind you. You are the one and only man for me, you always have been. Nothing is ever going to change that fact. I love our life. I embrace the craziness of it all too. I guess I always knew life with you wouldn't always be easy."

Harry dipped his head and softly said, "I'm sorry."

Ginny squeezed Harry's hand, "It's not your fault. You couldn't have helped it. You didn't ask Tom Riddle to curse you when you were a year old. You didn't ask to be one of the most accomplished wizards of our time. I love you, the real you. I love Harry Potter, my Harry Potter. I know who you really are, and I love everything about you and everything that comes with being with you. Sure, the press can be a pain, but I would have to deal with them even if we weren't together. The witches at the office drive me nuts the way they throw themselves at you, but I know you and I trust you. I know that you don't fancy any other witch but me. You are my everything. There's nothing that could change my mind about it either. I don't care how many reporters ask me questions about you or how many witches try to catch your eye, my feelings for you will never change."

Harry simply nodded.

Ginny couldn't let Harry fall down this rabbit hole again. The worst was when he did it a couple of months before their wedding. Harry was so convinced that Ginny would leave him that he tried to break things off with her first. Ginny caught on to it quickly and realized what was really going on, so she went to great lengths to make sure that Harry understood that she was here to stay. Ginny wasn't angry or mad when she figured it out, she just wished that Harry opened up to her about what he was feeling. Once everything was cleared up and they talked it out, Ginny promised that she would always be honest, and Harry promised that he would open up more to her. Since then, they both stayed true to their word.

She quickly stood and said to him, "Love, come with me." Ginny reached for Harry's hand as she led him out of the kitchen into the sitting room where they stood into front of a large mirror. She asked Harry, "What do you see?"

Harry thought for a few minutes. He finally said, "I see us."

Ginny closed the small gap between them and asked, "Do you know what I see?"

Harry shook his head as he thought where this was going. He started feeling foolish. Why were they standing in front of the mirror in the sitting room? Harry didn't quite know what Ginny was doing.

Ginny smiled and said, "I see me with the love of my life. I see a man who is brave and courageous. A man who will throw himself into harm's way to ensure the safety of another. A man who is sweet and kind beyond anybody I've ever met. I see a man who always, and I mean always, does what's right no matter what happens to him. I see a man who is so selfless that he makes others take stock in their own lives and beliefs. I see a man who is loyal to a fault and will do anything to help anybody. I see a man who, despite how he's been treated in his life, he treats people with a compassion that I have never seen before. I see a man who is happiest when everybody around him is happy."

Harry shifted his weight uncomfortably from foot to foot. He tried to walk away but Ginny stopped him.

Ginny told him, "You need to hear this." She faced Harry, "When I look at you, I don't see The Boy Who Lived or The Chosen One or The Man Who Took Down Voldemort or whatever other title the wizarding world has given you. I see the man I married, the man I love. I see Harry Potter, my Harry Potter. I see you in ways nobody else does and I am forever grateful that you allow me to do that. I know how hard it is for you to trust people and I am so thankful that you decided to trust me. I will never betray that trust. I love you, all of you, and everything that comes with it. What started as a little girl's crush turned into so much more once I got to know you."

Harry bowed his head and said, "You're too good to me."

Ginny felt frustration flood into her, but she was careful not to show it. She knew this was hard for Harry and she knew that it wasn't his fault. Harry was led to believe that what he wanted didn't matter and he should be happy with whatever he was given. The Dursleys beat into him that his life was worth less than everybody else's. Luckily, conversations like this didn't happened often. The last time they had this talk had to have been over a year ago. Ginny thought undoing the damage the Dursleys did to Harry was even harder than trying to reverse the damage from the war.

Ginny smiled, "Nobody will ever mean as much to me as you do. You've always been there for me, no matter what. You found the strength to comfort me and help me deal with Fred's death despite everything that you were going through. When the war was over, it broke my heart to see you so broken the way you were. Your eyes were so full of so much pain and sorrow. I didn't think you would ever be the same. I've never seen anything like it before or since. Despite all that, you helped me, Mum, Ron, and the rest of the family deal with our own losses. Despite everything that you were going through inside of your head, you helped rebuild Hogwarts. If anybody deserves a happy life, it's you. You have experienced so much pain and seen so much evil, it's amazing that you still have a heart in that chest. You truly are the best of us all." Ginny leaned in and softly kissed Harry.

She then said, "And for the record, I find you very sexy. I love staring into your emerald green eyes. I love how they light up when you get excited. I love the fact that no matter what you do, your hair always looks like you just got off your broom. I just love running my fingers through it. I love your strong arms and when you hold me, I know nothing will ever come close to hurting me. You make me feel so safe. I love the way you kiss me. No matter if it's long and passionate or just a quick peck on the cheek. It's like fireworks go off and I feel butterflies in my stomach. I've never felt anything like it before. And please don't be mad, but the scars just add to it all. There are times when I watch you get dressed. I just want you, right there. You look so good. When you get dressed up to go out, you're so handsome and dashing. I want every other witch to see what I have, what they don't have, what they'll never have." Ginny smiled seductively at Harry.

Harry face was now as red as Ginny hair.

Ginny continued, "Most of all, I love you. Not what you can do for me or do to me. I love you. I love who you are. Let's face it, we've known each other forever. I've seen you at your worst, I'm still here with you and I know your best is still yet to come. You may think that you're the lucky one, but, in reality, it's me that's lucky because you chose to be with me. You trusted me with your heart and that's something that I don't take lightly. You could have been with any other witch after the war, but you chose your childhood sweetheart. That speaks volumes of who you are. I love that Harry Potter." Ginny took Harry's hands in her own and continued, "I love the Harry Potter that makes me feel safe at night. I love the Harry Potter that helped me deal with my brother's death. I love the Harry Potter who gets down on the floor and plays with his godson for hours on end. I love that Harry Potter. You are that Harry Potter, my Harry Potter."

Ginny wrapped Harry up into her arms, "I love you and I love being your wife. I wouldn't change anything about it. I would choose to be with you all over again, no matter what."

Harry just stood there dumbfounded in Ginny's embrace. Did he really deserve everything that he had worked for? Ginny said he did and that's all that mattered.