Chapter 7: A New Dawn
Ginny Potter awoke and felt as if she were in a dream. The feeling of satin around her naked body, in addition to the presence of a warm and equally nude body next to her, was the first things that made her think this. However a quick pinch of her arm revealed that she was in fact not dreaming and very much awake. She was in an extravagant bed, in a castle of all places, and she was lying intertwined with her husband. Carefully she slid from his loving embrace and opened the curtain to ensure that no one was in the room. Sliding from the bed, Ginny found a robe on a chair next to the bed. However it was no ordinary robe, it was a mint green Japanese silk Kimono. She noticed, as she picked up the Kimono, that their wardrobe had been picked up and properly hung sometime during the night but assumed no one would be brave enough to open the curtain, or at least she hoped not. Ginny, feeling a slight chill, donned the robe that her husband had purchased for her and walked over to the terrace.
Harry awoke upon hearing the doors to the terrace opened and assumed that his lovely wife had stepped out to survey the grounds during the early hours of the day. Harry knew that Dobby would have attended to the Potter's wardrobe shortly after they were asleep, and not a moment before. Dobby seemed to know when his master was asleep and ensured that all used garments were cleaned immediately and new clothes ready for the following day. Harry never understood why Dobby did this but could not fault the house elf for wanting to take extra care of him. Harry had freed the house elf from the villainous Malfoy's during his second year at Hogwarts and the elf became one of his most loyal companions ever since. Harry opened the curtain, found his hunter green robe awaiting him, donned it, and proceeded to find his beautiful bride.
Ginny was gazing at the beautifully manicured grounds and gardens when she felt a pair of arms encircle her waist and all to familiar lips nibbling on her right ear lob, then traveling down the side of her neck. Ginny couldn't have suppressed the shudder she felt as one of Harry's hands entered her robe and fondled one of her breasts.
"Good morning love." Harry said in a husky voice. After their four-year separation he was determined to make up for all the attention he'd neglected to give her.
"Is it morning… I couldn't tell. It seems like we did this all night, it could be dinner time and I wouldn't know… or care." Ginny replied with a blush as she thought back to the previous night.
"In that case…" Harry said and removing his wandering hand scooped his wife up into his arms and carried her back to bed.
The two lovers were barely under the sheets and Harry was just about to untie Ginny's Kimono when they heard their door swing open and a rather large object flew through the curtains landing next to the two unsuspecting adults.
The look on Chloe Grace Potter's face was priceless. She had awoken in a strange place not too long ago and remembered she spent the night in her father's home. She went to find her mummy first thing to see when breakfast would be served only to find her mum's room empty. She asked a servant where her father's room was located and once she had this information raced to see him. She was very concerned about her mother's whereabouts. Flinging the door open, Chloe darted across the room and launched herself up onto the bed and through the maroon curtains landing right beside her mum. Finding her parent together in the same bed was the last thing the four-year-old Potter had expected, not that she was upset but this.
Harry and Ginny were luckily still dressed when Chloe landed next to her mother and laughed at the expression Chloe was giving them. "Sowy." Chloe stated finally able to speak. "I… I tawt mummy was missing when I found her room empty." Chloe explained red faced.
Harry reached over and grabbed his daughter and proceeded to tickle the girl senseless. Her laughter filled the room and began traveling down the hallway. The redness in her face was now obviously from lack of air, as opposed to embarrassment, and Harry stopped long enough for the youngster to catch her breath.
"Ummmmm… so does this mean my mummy and daddy are staying togeder?" Chloe asked. She had assumed as much but it was obvious to the two proud parents that she needed reassurance.
"Yes Chloe," Ginny answered. "Mummy and daddy are staying together, as long as your father will have us that is."
Chloe turned to look at her father. Harry was rubbing his chin and pondering a response. The scared impression on Chloe's face told him that he needed to stop teasing her. "I want you both here with me always." Harry answered sincerely and with much love. He wrapped his arms around his daughter and showered her with kisses, earning him more giggles as she tried to squirm out of his embrace.
Ginny just sat back and smiled. It warmed her heart to see Harry and Chloe take to each other as they did.
"Chloe, go ask Nanny Charlotte to help you get dressed for breakfast, Alfred will bring you all to the dinning room and we can eat as a family." Harry informed the little girl.
Chloe gave her father a kiss on the cheek, hopped down from the king-sized bed and closing the door behind her.
"Where did their wardrobe come from Harry?"
"Since it's my job to anticipate your, and your family's, every need, the closet's are filled with clothes for people of all shapes and sizes. I had Alfred inform Charlotte that all she need do to get something for the children is to place her hands on the closet door, and inform it who the outfit was for. Upon opening the door the closets will manifest wardrobe assigned to that person. I took the liberty of having clothes bought for your family, so they would never have to bring any with if they were to stay overnight.
"And what pray tell did you have bought for me?" Ginny asked in curiosity.
"Nothing." Harry replied, "Just how I like you, in nothing at all."
Ginny playfully swatted his arm. "So what am I to wear this morning? Surely not my formal dress?"
"I thought you might like something simple for your first day as lady of the keep." Harry stated as he kissed his wife briefly, then leaving the bed he walked to the closet. He opened it and stepped aside. Ginny marveled at the vast array of clothes for her to choose from.
Harry went to his closet and removed a pair of black pants, and a white turtleneck shirt. Harry, reluctantly, began dressing. He knew his family would be rising now, whether they liked it or not because of the children, and that the lord and lady of the keep should be present when they arrived at the dinning room. When he turned to look at his wife he noticed that she was wearing a matching white turtleneck shirt but had chosen a black knee length skit to wear.
"How on earth did you manage to put everything on before me?" Harry asked in astonishment.
Ginny kissed her husband and gave him a big hug. Harry returned the embrace and immediately took notice of something. Before pulling away Ginny whispered in his ear, "who said I put everything on."
* ~ * ~ *
The entire family watched as the lord and lady of the keep walked hand in hand into the dinning room. George, Fred, Bill, Charlie and even Percy applauded them as the joined the family. The children didn't understand the gesture but were so hungry they didn't care. They wanted food and they wanted it now. Sitting in the same seats as before, the servers brought in all sorts of breakfast foods. This meal went much better than dinner, disaster wise, and while the children talked amongst themselves a very red faced Ginny was the target of her brother's comments. Harry just smiled. He didn't care if the family was having fun at his expense, he was just glad they were here with them.
"In all seriousness Ginny, what are you going to do now?" Charlie asked.
"Well… I think it's obvious that Chloe and I will be moving here." She replied before taking a bite of toast.
"Obviously… but what do you plan to do now that you're a 'lady'?" Bill wondered
"I haven't figured that out yet. I spent so much time just being a mother to Chloe that I have no ambitions to the contrary."
"Not to interrupt this lovely family discussion, but I had a question for you Arthur." Harry interjected. "Have you given any thought to my suggestion?"
"Suggestion??? What suggestion?" Molly asked.
"Indeed I have Harry. It's a very tempting." Arthur replied with a smirk. He was purposely evading this wife's inquiry.
"What suggestion?" Ginny asked equally curious.
"So what do you think?" Harry asked smiling as he ignored his wife's question.
The various other Weasley's were equally as curious as to what their father and brother-in-law were discussing but thought to just enjoy Molly and Ginny's torment.
"As heartbreaking as it is I think I will have to resign from the Ministry of Magic." Arthur said.
Molly and the family were shocked at this announcement.
"What ever for? You love your job father." Percy retorted in astonishment.
"For one reason because I have been there far too long. It's time to try something new. For a second, because I can choose my successor, and finally because I have decided that your mother and I are due for an extended vacation." Arthur announced.
Molly was flabbergasted by this declaration. "We've been fairly well off for sometime now Molly dearest and I think now that our family is raised and having families of their own that we have earned the right to travel."
Molly didn't know what to say. She just hugged her husband and gave him a kiss. The children all released a resounding, "awwwwwwww" at the same time.
"Where do you plan on going first?" Ginny asked.
"We'll let fate decide that for us." Arthur answered his daughter.
"I hear Paris is lovely." Bill offered kissing his beautiful French born wife.
"Hold on, who will take care of the Burrow?" Fred asked.
"Yes Arthur… we can't just leave our home unattended." Molly said.
"Actually…" Charlie interrupted. "Dad, Mum… I was wondering…"
"Yes Charlie?" Molly asked.
"I was wondering… if you would consider allowing Eva and I to stay there while you were away. We could keep it up for you while your gone."
"That's very nice of you to offer Charlie but with you in Romania it would be very difficult for you and Eva to travel back and forth, even by port key." Molly explained.
"Yes, that could be a problem… if the two of us were living in Romania." Charlie answered.
"You mean?" Molly said with a hand over her heart.
"Eva and I have discussed it and we've decided to move to England. With you and dad planning to travel I can't think of anyplace better to raise our family than the Burrow." Charlie said.
Molly hugged her second oldest son and daughter-in-law. While she would not have minded traveling to Romania to visit Charlie, Eva and the baby she relished the idea of her entire family being geographically closer together.
"I think I have another idea." Harry said.
All eyes were upon the lord of the house. "Molly, Arthur, why don't you move your things into the Keep. That way all your family heirlooms will be safe here, and…" Harry paused for dramatic effect, "Give Charlie and Eva the Burrow."
No one said a word for almost a minute, then Arthur said in a nonchalant voice, "sounds perfect to me, can you pass me the bacon Ginny?"
Arthur never got that bacon. Charlie heaved his father up and gave him a huge hug. He second oldest, despite all the joys he'd experienced in Romania, truly missed his family and their home and was overjoyed that now… it was truly his home.
"You can renovate it of course…" Arthur wheezed out as Charlie continued to give his father a bear like hug.
The rest of the day was spent planning where Arthur and Molly's possessions would be placed, what Charlie would like to do to the burrow and general family bonding time. All in all, Harry James Evan Potter, Virginia Potter and Chloe Grace Potter sat happily together as they and their family made preparations for the future… A very happy future.
Not the End.