Disclaimer: None of it's mine, except the plot. Anything alse you may recognize belongs to the beautiful and wise JK Rowling.

Warning: Major fluff ahead, Proceed at your own risk!

A/N: Just wanted to clear up a couple of things. To answer Stahchild's concerns, Voldie didn't even have a chance to get moldy before being scattered to the four winds, so no chance at all of him coming back. Mrs Figg is one of my favorite background characters in the books. She has a tendency to say what she needs to, when she needs to, and to perdition with anybody who objects. She's also fun to write for. As for another Tom Riddle situation, let me put it this way; no way jose, nyet, non, nada, ain't happening, no way in Hades! Reassuring enough? LOL Moody is gone, and you're absolutely right about Dumbledore. When his eyes are twinkling, he's getting ready to start pushing buttons. Problem is, he knows all the right ones. To Madam Whitbrook, Thank you very much, dear lady. I have done my best to avoid all the cliches that seem to abound in fandom. Some have been well written, but some of the others...urgh! Thanks again to all who have reviewed this story. You are definitely appreciated.

And now, without any further ado, if you have your dress robes ready, we will head to the ball...

The Ball:

A month later, all of the preparations were finished, and the Great Hall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was ready for the impending ball. It was to be a ceremony celebrating the award of the Order of Merlin First Class to Harry Potter. It would be overseen jointly by both Arthur Weasley, Minister of Magic, and Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster, as well as Supreme Mugwump of the Wizengamot. This would be an official ceremony, but Harry was determined that it would also be a celebration of the end of the reign of terror of Lord Voldemort. It would also be, quite simply, a celebration of life. Something like that was sorely needed, as a reminder that, no matter what horrors may have come before, no matter how dark times may have looked, life must go on.

A horde of Weasleys, along with a host of others, descended on the school. Harry had decided he wanted all of his adopted family there with him, on this occasion, as well as all of his friends. They had kept a flock of Ministry owls busy, for quite a while.

He escorted his girlfriend, Ginny Potter, up the main staircase, and into the entrance hall. They paused for a moment, looking around. He thought back to the first time he'd seen it. This place had filled him with awe and wonder, as he had heard the portraits talking, and seen them move. Now, he knew most of them by name. Some of them were old friends now. He had waited here, to be ushered into the Great Hall, before he was finally sorted into Gryffindor house. There had been many good times, as well as some not so good. To be honest, some of those times had been pure hell. They had all led to this time, though, and that was to the good. Just as long as he never had to visit Madame Pomfrey in the hospital wing again, he'd be happy. He'd gotten a bit tired of all the jokes about him having his own reserved bed in there.

Harry looked over at Ginny, still amazed at the fact that she would want to be with him. He had never thought of himself as anything other than Harry. Just Harry. That was how she saw him as well, and it was what she loved about him. She didn't love him for his money, for his reputation, just for him. Along with all his flaws, and she knew how many there were. She was beautiful, especially tonight. Ginny wore long golden silk dress robes, with ebon celtic designs working up the front. In back, they plunged to mid-back, leaving the skin bare. Her auburn hair was swept up in an updo, with the ends that escaped in curls. She also wore the pendant he had bought her in New York. She looked, in short, like an angel.

Harry himself was in dress robes of such a dark green that they were almost black. Without the glasses he'd had to wear in school, his emerald green eyes shone brightly, and anybody who saw the two of them together knew how deep his love for her ran. For months now, he'd had eyes for no other woman.

He looked at her, held out his arm, and asked, "Ready for this, love?"

She looked steadily back at him and grinned. "Ready as I'll ever be." She took his arm, and they walked into the Great Hall.

As they passed through the door, a minor official announced them, "Harry Potter and Ginevra Weasley." This was followed by applause from the room in general, along with catcalls from a small group of redheaded males off to one side. The couple moved around the room, greeting friends they hadn't seen in a few months. They saw Neville, on the arm of Luna, who was looking very pretty indeed, in a pale pink robe. Of course, she was also wearing the expression that had always made Harry wonder where, exactly, she was, but that was Luna.

Lee Jordan was also in attendance, with his wife. She was a dark-haired beauty, with deep blue eyes. Lee had to greet the two of them, "Ginny, love! How are you tonight?' He gave her a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. "You know Anna, right?" When she nodded, he turned to Harry. "Harry! How are you, mate? This is my wife, Anna."

The dark-haired woman shook his hand saying, "So you're Harry. I hear so much about you from Lee. He always loved watching you play quidditch."

Harry laughed and said, "Nice to meet you. I always knew there would have to be somebody that could slow him down. Thought it would have to be somebody beautiful, and I was right."

Anna looked at Ginny. "Isn't he the charmer? You've got your hands full with this one."

As the other couple walked away, Ginny looked at him, saying, "Better watch it with the flirting Potter. I do have my wand under here."

"You know you're the only one for me, love. I really do love you, and I plan on proving it to you once and for all, soon"

"Harry, you don't have to prove it to me." She wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him into quite an impressive kiss. By the time they pulled away, they heard voices that seemed to be discussing them.

"See, George? I told you they would keep doing this in front of us."

"Hell of a way to get revenge. Shameful, really."

"Still, they are impressive when they do that. Maybe they would give Katie and Alicia lessons."

The happy couple turned to face Fred and George. "Something you wanted?" Ginny asked pointedly.

"Dad just sent us to let Harry know the ceremony will be starting soon, so it's time for you two to get up to the head table."

The Twins hurried away, making sure they stayed out of Ginny's way. They knew she could be quite the firecracker when she wanted to be, and they knew just how far to push her.

The couple walked up to the main table and greeted Arthur and Molly. Molly was careful with her hugs tonight, so as not to crush their robes. They all took their seats, signalling the hall to settle into theirs as well. A few minutes later, everyone in the Great Hall was seated, waiting for the start. Once everyone's attention was on the dais at the front of the hall, Professor Dumbledore stood.

"I would just like to welcome everyone here tonight, for this happy occasion. Mr Potter, our guest of honor, has expressed the wish that this be a joyful celebration, and I join him in that wish. As such, I'll keep my remarks brief, and allow our Minister of Magic to continue. Arthur?"

There was a smattering of applause, and laughs, as Arthur Weasely took the podium.

"The reason we are here tonight is to present one of the highest honors the wizarding world can bestow upon an individual. As you know, it's the Order of Merlin, First Class. We have quite a few previous recipients of that honor here with us tonight, including the esteemed Headmaster of this school. That's the official reason. The real reason we are here is to thank the man who, quite literally, saved the world. All of it, not just our little part of it. I don't want to embarass him. Heaven knows he gets enough of that already. Most of you here are friends of his, whether from school, the Order, or just from everyday life, and you also know how much this kind of to-do embarasses him.

"Our family has had the honor of knowing Harry Potter since the day he returned to the wizarding world. Our youngest son has been best friends with him since that day. He saved our daughter's life in her first year, and has saved all of the rest of us here, a hundred times over. We have also had the pleasure of watching him grow from a nice young boy, if a bit quiet, and even a bit skinny, into the handsome and respectable young man you see here before you. We have been proud to know him, all this time, and are even prouder that he calls our family his own. Even though we're not blood-related, we feel that he couldn't be closer to us, if he was one of our own. I would just like to extend our congratulations, as well as our thanks, to Harry Potter. Thank you, son." The hall erupted in applause as Harry walked up to the podium to accept his award.

"Here I thought you weren't going to embarass me." Laughs echoed around the Hall at this. "I just wanted to say a few words, then we can get started on the wonderful dinner that's no doubt been prepared."

"First of all, I want to thank you for the honor being given to me. I'm not sure how much I deserve it, having only done what was needed at the time. During the war, I saw many sacrifices much more extreme than my own. People willingly gave their lives to stop Voldemort, including my own parents. Families, and even whole villages, were lost, all in the same cause. We all lost loved ones, over the past few years, whether parents, children, classmates, relatives, or dear friends. I would just like us all to have a brief moment of silence, for those who are no longer with us."

After a few moments, he continued. "Next, I'd like to formally announce the formation of the James and Lily Potter Memorial Fund. It's been started to help take care of the people and families affected the most by the war. This will be for the families who have lost their homes, children who have lost parents, or anyone who is quite beyond their means due to the war, whether hospital bills or other expenses. The Fund will be independently administered by an advisory council, who will have final say in most matters. The fund is already established and relatively self-sufficient, but any donations are, of course, welcome. It will be a huge job, but I think we are up to it."

Wild applause erupted through the Hall at this, rivaling even the announcement of a House Cup winner. After a few minutes, he raised his hands for silence. When the quiet had returned, he stepped from behind the podium and continued. "You know, a few months ago, I would have thought that wild hippogryphs couldn't have dragged me back in here. At least not this soon. Albus Dunbledore, though, made me an offer I couldn't refuse." He shook his head in disbelief. "I still can't believe I'm about to say this, but, starting in a few weeks, I'll be assisting Remus Lupin as Defense Against the Darks Arts professor, as well as running the newly restarted Dueling Club.

"I have one last thing to do, while I'm up here, and I beg your indulgence in this." He walked over to Ginny and dropped to one knee, holding a small velvet box in his hand. With the other, he took her hand. "Ginny, you've stood by me for a long time now. You've been my friend, when I needed one the most. You were the one who pulled me back from the brink, when I wanted to fall. You've been with me for the good times, and through the very worst. You never left my side through any of it. Ginny, you are my life, and you are my love. Will you consent to be my wife?"

Not a word was uttered in the hall, nor a deep breath taken, before she gave her answer. Finally, she nodded and said, "Yes." Harry swept her up in his arms, holding her tightly to him, as they kissed as if this was the first kiss, the last, and every one in between. They were so lost in each other, that they didn't notice that a roar of cheering and applause threatened to shake the school to it's very foundations. When they broke apart, a lifetime later, he slipped the ring onto her finger. It was a gold setting, with a pear-shaped diamond in the center, flanked on one side by a single perfect ruby, and an equally perfect emerald on the other.

Molly came over then, and pulled them both into an embrace, crying with happiness. Hermione rushed over as well, waiting for a chance to hug them both. Once Molly let go, she was right in there, hugging Ginny, and wanting to see the ring. While this was going on, Ron came up and said, "Way to show me up, mate. Thanks a lot." They laughed at this, Ron shaking his head. "Congratulations, mate."

Once things had calmed back down a bit, Dumbledore gave the house-elves the signal to start dinner, and everybody's plates filled. Everyone in attendance tucked in, enjoying the wonderful meal. They enjoyed it all the more, in the atmosphere of joy and jubilation that surrounded them. Once the meal was finished, the Headmaster gestured, and the tables went to rest around the outside of the room. At that moment, a platform appeared below the dais, complete with the popular wizarding band, Wierd Sisters.

Dumbledore then asked Harry, "Would you and your lovely fiance do us the honor of opening the ball?"

Harry offered his hand to Ginny and said, "Shall we?" She took it with a smile and he led her out to the floor. He placed his other hand on her waist, and they became the only ones in the world, as they danced.

She looked up at him and asked, "Just how long have you been planning this?"

"All my life. Oh, you mean this night in particular? About the past five weeks or so. I told you I'd prove how much I love you." He teased her gently.

Once the first song ended, other couples joined in. Ron and Hermione were first, then Molly and Arthur, and soon every couple in the place was dancing, enjoying the now romantic atmosphere.

After a few dances, the newly engaged couple decided to sit down and rest for a bit. They tried to pick an out of the way table to sit at, but it didn't seem to do any good. They were still besieged by well-wishers. While they appreciated the congratulations they were getting from everybody, it was becoming a bit much. Harry and Ginny shared a wry grin, and Harry said, "I guess that's what I get for proposing so publicly." A few minutes later, the stream of handshakes and hugs tapered off, enough so that they could enjoy watching the dancefloor. It appeared that Neville had much improved his dancing, or Luna was better at avoiding his feet. Neither was sure which. They watched Ron and Hermione, and came to the conclusion that Ron had definitely improved, though they did appear to be arguing a little bit about something. Harry was surprised to see Hagrid, waltzing around the floor with Madame Maxime, the Headmaster from Beauxbatons. It was amazing how gracefully the big man could move, at times. After the next song, Hermione and Ron headed over to their table, and Ron collapsed into a chair.

Hermione asked Ginny, "May I steal your fiance for a dance?" Ginny nodded, and he was led off to the floor.

Harry and Hermione danced to a slow song. She looked up at him and said, "You both look happier than I've ever seen you. Do you have any idea how proud of you I am? Not just now. I always have been. Always."

Harry said the only thing he could. "Thank you, 'Mione. Thank you for always being my friend. I'm sorry I didn't let you in sometimes. I was a prat. Forgive me. You've always been the sister I wished I had." He kissed her on the forehead, then felt a tap on his shoulder.

Ron said, "Alright then, mate. That's enough of trying to steal my fiance. Yours is over there." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder with a grin.

Harry handed Hermione back over to Ron and rejoined his own fiance.

As they were about to go back out, Mrs Figg came up to them to say, "Thank you for the pictures, dears. I don't think I've enjoyed anything nearly as much as that in a long time, until tonight."

The couple grinned, and Ginny said, "We're glad you enjoyed them. They were funny, weren't they?"

They eventually got out to the dance floor once more, and they were, again, the only couple in the world, for a time.