A/N: The good news is that chapter 8 is up, the bad news is that due to timing conflicts and fore seen issues, this will be either the last or next to last chapter. I am sorry for this but I am going out of country for a few years and will not be able to continue. For those of you who have read my story from the beginning and liked it, I am sorry for ending my story short like this. One day I hope to finished it, but that won't happen for a while. Sorry.

A/N2: I would like to thank J.P. publicly for all his help. He helped me with editing and what not, and for this I say thank you.

Chapter Eight

Back to School

Ginny and Harry were sitting in the living room of the burrow, Harry's head lying on her lap. She was gently playing with his hair, staring out a window, admiring the bright moon and few stars she could see.

"Ginny, I love you," he said, looking into the fire.

"I love you too," she replied, taking her eyes away from the window. He turned his face up to her and she leaned down and kissed him briefly. "Why don't we take a little walk?"

"Sounds like fun to me," Harry said, smiling. He sat up, allowing her to get up. She then grabbed his hand and pulled him up too. They walked out the kitchen door, hand in hand. As they were making their way past the garden, Hermione called out.

"Hey, wait up you two." Hermione and Ron were walking toward them from the side of the house. When they reached Harry and Ginny, Hermione continued, "Where were you two going?"

"Just for a little walk, what about you two?" Ginny asked.

"The same, but I wanted to talk to you about something."

"What?" Ginny questioned.

"Over here," Hermione said, grabbing Ginny's hand. As they walked away, Harry heard Hermione say something, which produced laughter in the younger girl.

"What was all that about Ron?" Harry asked, looking at his friend, expecting him to know the answer,

"I have no idea," Ron said, a blank expression on his face. "We were just sitting on the ground, enjoying a nice little conversation, when she saw you and Ginny walk out of the house and jumped up. She said something but I couldn't understand her."

Not completely satisfied with Ron's reply, Harry asked, "What were the two of you talking about?"

"School," Ron answered. "We were sitting there talking about who was going to be there."

"Well, I guess we'll find out in a couple of days, won't we," Harry said, trying to figure out what the girls could possibly be talking about. They sat there in silence, until Hermione and Ginny came back, both smiling broadly.

"You ready?" Ginny asked Harry.

"Yeah but what was all that about?" Harry asked, as they walked away from the other two.

"Just some girl stuff, you know," she replied.

For the second time that night Harry wasn't satisfied with an answer, but decided there was no use in trying to get more information from Ginny. They walked around, talking about school and Quidditch.

"Did Professor McGonagall say anything about you remaining captain?" But before he could answer she replied for him. "I sure that you still are captain, considering they don't pick a new one every year. I can't wait to play again."

Harry leaned in to kiss her when she had finished. Not expecting it, she flinched, hitting his nose with her chin. "I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to do that," she said to a laughing Harry, who was holding his face.

"It's okay," he got out, still laughing. "But you will have to pay for that. Kiss it and make it better."

She leaned in to give him a kiss on his nose, but as she did so he turned his head up, pressing his lips to hers. Ginny didn't pull back but deepened the kiss. Harry pulled her in close and she slowly moved her hands over his muscular arms, resting one on his chest.

"You have a perfect body," Ginny said, when their kiss finally broke, red in the face.

"Not nearly as perfect as yours," he replied, bring her lips back to his.

They stayed outside for a while longer, till Ginny finally said, regretfully, "We need to get back. Mum said tomorrow we are spending the day cleaning and getting ready to go back to school."

Mr. Weasley had once again arranged for a Ministry car. When they were all ready, and the trunks in the car, Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione jumped in the back, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley in the front with the driver. When they reached King's Cross, they went through the barrier to platform nine and three-quarters in turn and looked around at all the faces. Some were new and some were old, but all were welcome.

"Harry," some one called out from behind him. He turned and was face to face with Neville Longbottom.

"Neville, how have you been?" Harry asked.

"I've been well," Neville replied. "I'm really glad that you came back. My gran said that she wanted me to come back. She said it would help me later on in life."

"Neville," Luna Lovegood said. "Hi Harry."

"Hey," Harry said back, a smile on his face.

"Neville, I think that we should go find some seats. Should we save some for the rest of you?" Luna asked.

"That would be great," Hermione said. "But we have to go up to prefect's carriage first."

Neville and Luna walked off, holding hands. Harry said, "I thought they would make a good couple."

"I always wondered if the two of them would get together. They both seem so happy," Hermione said. "But we have to get up to the Prefect's carriage. Come on Ron." They walked off, after Mrs. Weasley hugged them and told them to have fun and be good.

"The two of you have fun, too," Mrs. Weasley said, giving Ginny and Harry hugs in turn.

"I'll see you in a little while, okay," Ginny said to Harry, after giving her father a hug.

"Have fun, and remember you are welcome at my house anytime," Mr. Weasley said, holding out his hand to Harry.

"Thanks," Harry said, shaking his hand. "I have to go get on the train. I'll see you at Christmas." Harry walked onto the train and looked for Neville and Luna. He finally found them at the back of the train, in the last compartment. He walked in and sat opposite Neville and Luna. Neville looked up and smiled.

"Harry, I was wondering if you had decided to sit with someone else?"

"Why would I do something like that? Anyways, what did you do this last year?" Harry asked.

"I did some work for The Quibbler. Luna's dad said I could come back and work for him after school if I wanted. I really enjoyed it," Neville said, beaming.

"That's really cool. I've been wondering what everyone has been doing this last year," Harry said.

"I was, umm," Neville started, the smile fading, making sure not to make eye contact with Harry.

"If you want to ask me I don't mind, you can ask me anything," Harry said, sensing what Neville wanted to ask.

"I was wondering if what they said in the Prophet was true. I mean some of the things they said were hard to believe," he said, looking more relaxed. Harry answered their questions, choosing not to answer only a few, until they were joined by Ginny

"Hi Luna, how have you been?" Ginny asked.

"I have been fine," she replied. "I can see that you are doing fine also."

"Yeah, I have been keeping myself busy," Ginny said, smiling and looking at Harry, who was talking to Neville.

After Ron and Hermione joined them a little while later, the rest of the ride was full of laughter and accounts of the last year. When they reached the Hogsmeade's station they rode to school in a carriage together. It was a sad, yet exciting ride for Harry. All that happened to him in the school came flooding back to him. He turned to Ginny who was talking to Hermione, and remember that Hogwarts was responsible for her.

After the sorting and feast, Professor McGonagall got up for a speech and introduced the teachers. There were two new teachers, including the appointment of Professor Grubbly-Plank. Professor Lupin was back for another year in the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching post, and Professor Slughorn had also returned.

When the feast was over, and the students were making there way up to their dormitories, Harry and Ginny were standing at the door.

"I have to go make sure that all these little rug rats know where to go."

"I'll come with you," Harry offered, noticing Professor McGonagall was making her way towards them.

"Potter, I would like a word," Professor McGonagall said as she reached them.

Harry turned to Ginny and gave her a hug, and nodded. "See you back in the common room." Turning to Professor McGonagall, he continued, "Yes, Professor."

"I would like to know if you have thought about what I asked you at the Weasley's home."

Harry nodded, "I have."

"I have talked to Professor Lupin and he has agreed to let you assist him this year if you would like," Professor McGonagall said. "I would like you to consider this, so you might learn not only the subject, but how to teach it."

"Okay," Harry said. "But I haven't made up my mind yet."

"That's fine, just a little help if you would like it."

"Thanks, Professor."

Harry reached the Gryffindor common room, some time later than he would have normally, due to the fact he had picked the longest route possible. His knowledge of the castle was not a surprise, with all his late night wanderings and that map of his. Harry walked through the door behind the portrait to find Ginny was waiting for him in his favorite place by the fire. He walked up behind her, and threw his arms around her neck.

"I was wondering where you had gotten off to. I was about to come look for you," she said, moving over allowing him sit down beside her.

"I was thinking about something that Professor McGonagall asked me to do, at that dinner," Harry said.

"I thought she just wanted to see how you were, after everything that had happened."

"Actually, she asked to take over a teaching post after this year. She wants me to be the Dark Arts teacher," he said, not wanting to make eye contact because he hadn't told her before this.

"That's really cool, I think it would be the perfect job for you," she said, putting her head on his shoulder.

"But what about being an Auror? I would probably love that job, too," he said.

"After all that has happened to you at the hands of the Ministry, I don't think that I would feel comfortable working for them if I was you."

"I guess that is one vote for the teaching job. Is there any other reasons that you want me take that job?" She just smiled at him and kissed him softly as she got up.

"I think that I need to get to bed. It's going to be a busy day tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night." She left him after another kiss. He sat there thinking long into the night.

The next morning, Harry awoke to the moving around of all his other mates getting ready for their first day back. Dean Thomas just looked at Harry when he sat up, and Harry knew it was because Ginny had chosen him. Seamus Finnigan looked as he did the last time they had met, only taller and a bit heavy. Neville had apparently gone to breakfast early to meet Luna.

"I can't believe that Neville found someone that would go out with him," Dean said.

"Back off him, you're just mad that he's got a girl and you don't," Ron said, putting Dean in his place. Dean and Seamus exited quickly after that little exchange.

"I can't believe that they're making fun of him for having a girl," Ron said, looking at Harry, clearly annoyed. "I mean, Luna can be weird at times, but there's nothing really wrong with her."

"Yeah, but we need to get down to breakfast," Harry said. They made there way down to the Great Hall, where they saw Ginny and Hermione sitting near the end of the table. As they sat down by the girls, Hedwig came swooping down and landed in front of Harry.

"Who's that from?" Hermione asked, after Harry opened the letter.

"Lupin, he says that he wants me to be in his room this evening at seven-thirty," Harry replied after reading through the letter.

"I wonder what he wants. Do you have any idea?" Hermione asked.

"I think that I have a very good idea, but that's for another time and place."

"Harry, Professor McGonagall told me that she offered you a job after you complete your education. The Heads at the school as a 'rule' don't offer the job to one as young as you. You apparently have proven to her that you have the maturity to handle the job. You, unfortunately, have the experience," Professor Lupin said quietly, after Harry had joined him for their arranged meeting.

"Do you really think that I can do this though? You seem to know what you are doing; don't you want the job as long as you can do it?" Harry asked in succession.

"Yes, I do enjoy this work, but I only accepted the job because no one else would. It will be a burden to teach this year. I'm under strict guidelines. I have to leave the school every full moon, and if I mess up just once, I'm out," Professor Lupin said, with a deep sigh.

"What do you think about me teaching?"

"I really think that you have proven that you can do anything you want. This is not a decision that anyone can make for you. You have to decide," Professor Lupin said. After a moment of silence he continued. "You can talk to me anytime, and when you have decided what you want to do, my door will be open."

"Thanks," Harry said. "But do you think that we could still have these little discussions, maybe even teach me what I have to do as a teacher? It might help me decide."

"I think that's a good idea, but I think we are done for the night," Professor Lupin said, and Harry got up to leave. "And Harry, your parents would be proud of you."

A/N3: Tell what you think and depending on what is said,I might try to squeeze one more chapter before I leave.