A/N: This, my friends, is the last ever chapter of this fic. I guess you could say it all ends a little abruptly, but the truth is I just couldn't take it anymore. I was so sick and tired of it. I hope, however, I have satisfied your fluffy little hearts, because this is some of the fluffiest fluff I have ever written. And this chapter is dedicated to Professor Dumbledore. May he rest in peace.
o-o-o-o
When Ginny woke up she thought at first that it was any normal day. She lay in bed for a while, wondering if she should at all bother to get up, then once she slung her feet over the side of the bed she scanned her room for Hedwig. Instead of Hedwig, however, she found something much better.
"Harry!" she exclaimed and got to her feet in a hurry.
Harry grinned. "Good morning, my lady. I thought you'd never wake up."
"Harry why are you…" And then it dawned on her. "Right. Hogsmeade. Light, I had completely forgotten. And that despite the fact that I spent the entirety of last night thinking about it."
"Is that so?" Harry asked and looked at her in amusement. "You had forgotten about me, is that so? Well, I guess I could just go away, then, since you apparently don't care." He turned as if to leave, but Ginny grabbed his arm.
"Walk out that door and I'll hex you within an inch of your life." Then she kissed him. A lot. Once they broke free Harry wasn't the only one grinning like an idiot.
"I guess I'll take that as a sign you have indeed missed me," he said.
"You have no idea. When did you get here?"
"About an hour ago. I went to see Professor Dumbledore first. Ginny, have you talked to him lately?" Harry looked worried now.
Ginny shook her head. "I haven't had the time. Why? Is everything allright?"
Harry shrugged. "Don't know. He looked… old."
"He is old."
"Well, yeah, I know that, but he has never looked it before. At least not since the war ended. I'm worried about him."
Ginny gave him a hug. "Don't," she said. "Perhaps he's just got the flu or something. Not even Dumbledore is immune to sickness, you know."
"I know," Harry replied. "I just don't like to see him that way. Oh well, it's probably no big deal. I guess Dumbledore can take care of himself."
"I'm sure of it. Now, then. How are you?"
Harry smiled and tucked away her hair behind her ear. "Never been better, actually," he said. "And yourself?"
Ginny snuggled even closer and rested her head on his chest. She took a deep breath, and let the happiness overwhelm her. "Never been better," she said and held him tight. "Good lord, Harry, it gets harder and harder to be away from you every day. I'm not sure how I'll be able to hang on until summer."
He stroked her hair carefully. "I know what you mean. Which is why I went to see Dumbledore." He let her go and they sat down on Ginny's bed. "Remember how he said he'd look into finding us a place to live?"
Ginny looked at him and interlaced her fingers with his. "Yes?"
"Well, good news. Just yesterday he had talked to someone he knew in the village, and apparently they're going to sell their house. It would be up for sale some time in the next week, and get this, they had actually went to see Dumbledore to hear if he knew anyone who wanted to buy. Well, Dumbledore being the great man he is, thought of you and me immediately, because apparently it's perfect for us. And he said that if we wanted we could go take a look at the house today."
Ginny was speechless. "So you're saying…"
"That if we're lucky we could be the owners of our very own house by the end of the day," Harry completed.
"Wow," Ginny said breathlessly.
"You said it," Harry agreed. "So, how does that sound?"
"It's perfect, Harry," Ginny replied. "I can't believe. When could we go down to see it? Right now?"
Harry laughed. "Personally I'm about to die from starvation, as I haven't had any breakfast. But I promise that as soon as we have eaten we'll go down and see it."
"There's just one problem, though," Ginny said, all of a sudden unsure.
"What?" Harry asked with a frown.
"Harry, I don't have any money for a house. I'd need to get a loan, or at least ask my parents for some money or…"
"Ginny don't worry about that," Harry said and looked at her. "I have the money."
"But I can't let you do that!"
"Why not? Once we get married my money will be yours, so why shouldn't I be allowed to pay for it?"
"But that wouldn't be fair!"
Harry smiled. "Angel, it's not about that. If it makes you feel better I can make it as a sort of a loan. I'll pay for the house, in exchange for you making me dinner at least once a week for the rest of our lives."
Ginny laughed. "You twit. But if that's how you want it to be, then that's a deal." She sombered. "Thanks, Harry. This means the world to me."
"And you don't think it does to me? Ginny, do you have any idea how it makes me feel to finally have a family? I've never really had that, and in only a couple of months I'll be married to the greatest woman in the world, we'll be settled in our own house, and we'll be living our own life. Together. That it in itself is more than I could have ever dreamt of. And to have a house that we will live in together, that is worth more than any kind of money in the world."
She kissed him softly, then hugged him again, letting her hands trace up and down his spine, all the while whispering "thank you" over and over again.
A few months later:
"I, Harry James Potter, take you, Ginevra Molly Weasley to be my wedded wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
"I, Ginevra Molly Weasley, take you, Harry James Potter to be my wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
They both clung to the other's hand, Ginny smiling nervously, Harry staring at her in quiet disbelief. She had actually said yes and this was their wedding day. Who would have thought they would ever get this far? And after everything they had been through. He smiled at his wife – his wife! – warmly, and she met his eyes. The priest was talking, but for a few seconds there was only them.
"I love you," she mouthed silently, reminding him of Ron and Hermione's wedding, and Harry felt his heart beat underneath his dress robes.
"I love you too," he whispered before looking at the priest. He was closing the ceremony, and with a big smile he looked at them, then at the audience.
"It is my great pleasure to announce to you Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter!"
The crowd broke into applause, and Harry was sure he heard someone whistle, probably the twins. He grinned at Ginny, not caring if he looked like a love struck fool. It was his wedding day and that meant he was allowed to look just as love struck as he wanted to. Taking Ginny's hand he took a step forward and started walking out of the church. They passed the entire Weasley clan - Mrs. Weasley with red puffy eyes - Ginny had warned him that she would start bawling the moment the ceremony started. There was Mr. Weasley who looked like he had shed a few tears himself. The twins were grinning and patted Harry on the back as he passed them. Bill, Charlie and Percy looked as proud as only big brothers can when their baby sister gets married. Behind them sat Remus, he too a bit teary eyed, and he nodded as they walked by. Harry smiled in return knowing that his former professor cherished this moment just as much as Harry's father and godfather would have. They weren't here, though, but at least Remus was. And wherever Remus went, James and Sirius went with him, if but nothing as a memory. Harry turned his attention to Ginny and squeezed her hand. She was so beautiful. And she was his, all his.
They came to the end of the church and turned around to greet everyone who had been at the ceremony. Ron and Hermione came first.
"Congrats mate," Ron said and embraced Harry like a brother. "You did great up there." Harry smiled at his best friend and nodded. "Thanks. You gave me a fright with those rings, though." The two men laughed together before Harry found himself all but attacked by a sniffling Hermione.
"Oh Harry! I am so proud of you. You did so good!"
Harry hugged her back and laughed. "Thank you, Hermione. You weren't all too bad yourself." She dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief and smiled broadly at him.
"I am so happy for you," Hermione said and squeezed his arm. "And so very proud."
"Come on now, Hermione," Ron said and rolled his eyes behind her back causing Harry to laugh again. "You're not the only one who wants to congratulate them."
Hermione huffed and Harry shook his head. "I'll see you guys afterwards," he said and arched his eyebrows at Ron in response.
That was all he got to say before the entire Weasley family surrounded them.
"Welcome to the family, Harry," Mr. Weasley said as Mrs. Weasley embraced her daughter. Harry shook the older man's hand and said "I've been a part of this family for years, Mr. Weasley. Today only made it official." To this Mr. Weasley laughed and nodded. "Well, I guess you are right about that." He was then whisked away by the rest of the family who wanted his attention, and after them came other friends of theirs both from Hogwarts and from their jobs, and there were several people Harry had never seen but who obviously thought they ought to be at his and Ginny's wedding ceremony. After what seemed like an endless row of well wishers he was finally alone with Ginny, waiting for Ron to bring the not so horseless carriages of Hogwarts that would take them all to the reception dinner.
"Hello Mrs. Potter," he said with a grin as he turned around to face her. She was grinning just as broadly as him and took his hand.
"I love you," she said and looked up at him.
"I love you, too." He bent down and carefully kissed her, feeling the hair on his arms raise just as it had done the first time he had done that only a year ago. Back then their kiss had been the result of a sham, a prank. Today, however, was for real, and Harry wanted to spend as much time with his wife as he possibly could. So when they broke apart he said, half for fun, half serious "do you think they would miss us if we 'forgot' about the whole reception and just Apparated back home?"
Ginny laughed and buried her head in his shoulder. "Yes, I do think they would. My mum and Hermione would never forgive us! But," she sighed as she put her arms around his waist, "I do like the way your mind works."
Harry smiled and kissed the top of her forehead. "Well, I have waited this long. I might as well wait a few more hours."
She looked up into his eyes and blushed lightly. "I promise I will make it worth the wait."
Harry felt his heart jump into his throat at her words and was just about to suggest once more that they left now, before anyone saw them, but right then he saw Ron and Hermione in the corner of his eye, and with a sigh and Ginny's promise still ringing in his ears he let her go and turned to his best friends.
"You two ready?" Ron hollered and Harry took Ginny's hand and they walked together towards them.
"Yup, never been readier."
"That's not even a word, Harry," Hermione scoffed, and Ron snorted. "Give the man a rest on his bloody wedding day, Hermione!" Hermione rolled her eyes and retorted quickly, while Harry turned to his wife.
"We still have time to leave, you know."
She put the palm of her hand on his chest and smiled almost sadly. "A few more hours, my love. That's all they want. A few more hours, and then I'm all yours."
He nodded and blocked Ron and Hermione out of his head, a talent he had been bound to achieve after more than ten years as their friend.
"Let's go then. I am starving anyway. I could absolutely kill for some of that roast I know your mum has prepared."
Ginny giggled and kissed him quickly. "Do try to keep it as clean as possible, eh? It is our wedding day after all. I'd hate for you to be put in Azkaban on our first day as husband and wife."
He winked at her as they walked into the carriage. "Well Mrs. Potter, I will restrain myself for you and you alone. After all, I'd hate to miss the… err… dessert, I know you have prepared." Then he shut the door behind him, leaving the world behind for a few minutes, and as the carriage started to move Harry and Ginny Potter became oblivious to the scenery and revelled in the fact that at last, after everything they had been through, they were together forever.
In a small dining hall somewhere in England a man was getting to his feet. All around him the chatter died out, and the assembled crowd looked at him in expectation. He coughed and turned to look at the woman at his side and took a deep breath.
"Queen Ginevra," he begun with a little smile at their old joke, "I can't believe we're here today. If someone had told me this two years ago I would have laughed at them. Told them that you and I were only friends. We would never get as far as dating, and we would certainly never get married." He smiled and gave a little laugh. "I guess that helps to prove that Professor Trelawney was right about my Inner Eye, doesn't it? And of all the things for her to be right about, I'm glad this was it.
"I like this, you know – you and me. It's the one thing in my life I have come to always depend on, and it's the one thing that I have experienced that I have never had second thoughts about. I wish I could say that I have loved you from the first time I met you, it sounds so romantic, but we both know that's not true. In fact, I guess I'll be so unromantic as to say that I never really thought about you much until fifth year. And of course, I never actually came to see you as anything but Ron's little sister until Christmas of your seventh. I'm sorry for that, but at the same time I'm glad I got to know you the way I did, because that made our friendship genuine, and not something that was staged because we felt like we had to spend time together.
"Ever since we became friends I have loved being in your presence. Whenever you left I felt empty, like something vital was taken away from my life. And now, when I think about how I will never have to leave you again, that makes indescribably happy. And it makes the rest of my life worth living.
"Ginny, I know our relationship never was one for sappy sentiments and teary-eyed confessions of true love, and I don't mind because I'm not very good at expressing my feelings. Which is why I will wrap this up the only way I know how, and that is to tell you that I love you. And that I will serve you, my queen, and I will be your knight in shining armour for as long as you need me to, and I will always be by your side."
He ended his speech, and the silence in the room was only broken by a few occasional sniffles. He smiled nervously at the people around him, before looking at Ginny. Her eyes were blank, and he thought to himself that she had never looked more beautiful.
"Thank you," she whispered and took his hand, before getting to her feet. "Thank you." Harry kissed her quickly, before sitting down. Ginny wiped away a tear and cleared her throat before she took out a sheet of paper.
"Dear Harry, my ever faithful knight." She gave him a little smile, and continued. "I love you, did I ever tell you that? Did you ever believe me? If not, I promise that I will spend the rest of my life making sure you do. Because finally, after having been in love with you since I was ten, I can start to think about the rest of my life. A life with you, where you will be the constant that I have wanted you to be since I first saw you. Because however hard I tried to work against it, the indisposable truth is that for me there has never been anyone but you. Deep down inside I knew it all along, and the only one I never managed to fool was myself.
"The world has so many things to thank you for, Harry. Our gratitude for what you did can never be expressed in words. But not only did you save the world, but you saved me. You gave me a reason for waking up in the morning, a reason to smile, to laugh, and to face each day. And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you, I always have, and now I can finally tell the world, and most importantly, tell you, that I always will."