Chapter Four
Goodbye Proposals
Mr. Potter arrived at the appointed hour the next evening. If Ginny worried about the evening dragging, she shouldn't have. She was surprised by the number of things they had to discuss and found Mr. Potter to be a relaxed and enjoyable companion.
"Miss Weasley, if I might ask, do you have a first name?" Mr. Potter asked her as they walked down the wizarding streets of London. Ginny pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear.
"Yes, I do. My name is Ginerva, but everyone calls me Ginny." She smiled at him.
"Ginny, such a beautiful name, much like yourself. It seems to match your hair." Ginny laughed as he reached over and rubbed the fiery strands between his fingers.
"And do you have a first name? Or would you prefer to be called Mr. Potter until your dying days?" she asked as his hand retreated.
He chuckled softly and said, "Harry."
"Harry is a nice name. But you know all about my family. What's your like? Do you have any siblings? What are your parents like?" A sad and depressed look crossed his face. Ginny wished almost at once that she hadn't asked.
"I have no siblings. My parents died many, many years ago." He said quietly, slipping his hand around hers.
"I'm so sorry." She said. Harry didn't let go of her hand. She felt the warmth of his hand as she entwined her fingers with his.
They stopped outside her house. He took her by surprise when he leaned down and kissed her cheek.
"Goodnight Ginny." He said as he opened the gate to her yard.
For months, which soon turned into a year, Harry called on her as frequently as his job would allow. Harry soon told her about his job plans. They were moving him to Greece to do some auror work in a two weeks time. He had to stay there for many months. That seemed like an eternity. Ginny soon realized that she was no longer a young girl in love with love. She was a young woman in love with a man.
She dreaded him going but knew that he loved his job. She also knew that Harry might not feel free to speak of marriage until he had worked long enough to properly support a wife. She hated to think of all those long lonely days without him.
Those two weeks ticked by to quickly, Harry still did not speak of marriage, and Ginny often wished she were free to bring up the subject herself. Harry only had three days left before he had to board the train to leave.
The next day managed to drag. Her mum suggested that she should go do a little bit of window-shopping to pass the time away. She picked up Hermione along the way and they walked around the shops, pausing occasionally to look into a window.
Harry was so busy packing that he didn't get a chance to stop by until the next day. Their last day! Ginny moaned to herself. Shouldn't they be making their plans? But Harry didn't seem to share her concerns.
"You will come to the train with me, won't you?" he asked, lifting her chin, which had become a habit to him. Ginny nodded. She couldn't imagine not going to see him off.
"We need to talk," he whispered, leaning in to kiss her gently. Ginny couldn't understand it. If he needed to talk, why didn't he talk? She was there and was listening. Reluctantly, she climbed the stairs to her room. Tomorrow would be his last chance to ask her.
"Will you write me?" Harry asked her as he stood outside his train compartment.
"Of course." She said, tears stinging her eyes. "How could I not?"
"Time will pass." He said. "I will have my work and you will have your friends and family. Before we know it, the will be shipping me back here.
They heard the first train whistle signaled for all the passengers to board the train. Harry kissed her and Ginny squeezed him tight, not wanting to let go. She pressed her face into his chest. "Goodbye Ginny." He whispered in her ear.
She pulled back and saw tears forming in his emerald eyes. They looked dark with sorrow. She reached up to clasp the hand that brushed her cheek and the tears began to spill from her eyes.
He left her and went to his compartment. He lifted up the window and leaned out. He blew her a kiss and moved to lean back into the train but she called "Just a minute!" through the noise and he leaned out further.
"Are you going to ask me to marry you or aren't you?" she yelled as loud as she could so he would hear her over the roar of the train. She knew he understood because of the shocked look on his face.
"Well-?" she yelled again, "Are you?"
"We need to talk!" he yelled back. But Ginny wanted an answer. The train began to move slowly down the tracks and Ginny walked along with it.
"Are you?" she insisted. "Because if you are, I'm saying yes!"
People around them grinned at Ginny but she ignored them. She continued to walk with the train, her face turned upward.
"You'd say yes?" he asked, excitement showing all over his face. He stretched further from the train. He cupped his hands around his mouth so that she would hear him.
"Ginny Weasley." He yelled. "I love you, will you marry me?"
Ginny forgot to walk. She stopped, her hands flying up to her face. He loved her. He said he loved her!
The train moved on without her, slowly gathering speed. Suddenly she realized she forgot to answer him. She cupped her hands to her mouth.
"Yes! I will!"
She touched her fingers to her lips and threw a kiss at him. He pretended to catch it and put it on his lips. She stood on the platform; tears streaming down her face, watching the train carry away the man she loved.
