Disclaimer: I own no part of this story except for the plot and spell work. J. K. Rowling owns everything else, including dozens of hours of my life that I am dedicating to this story.

Chapter 14: Remembering the Past

Harry woke up the next morning around eight and nearly jumped off the couch before he realized where he was and who he was with. Harry, with one arm still around Ginny and the other desperately clutching his wand, looked a strange sight to anyone passing through the common room at that moment. Not that there were many people up and about at eight on a Saturday, but there were a few students milling about at that early hour. Harry gave two first years a smile as they looked at him in awe. The two quickly turned to leave the common room, quietly whispering to one another.

Harry looked down at the sleeping beauty that was lying on top of him. In Harry's eyes, Ginny was simply the epitome of beauty. Her lustrous red hair was straight and went to about the middle of her back. Right now it fell down over her right shoulder where it covered half of Ginny's face. Harry brushed a strand of hair from Ginny's eyes and carefully looked at the face of the woman he loved. Ginny had such a content smile on her face that Harry felt like he could have walked on water if he'd wanted to. It was nice to see that Ginny had missed Harry just as much as he had missed her, though it did remind him of how stupid he had been. Nonetheless, Ginny's smile only accentuated her natural beauty. Ginny never bothered with makeup, which was one of the things that Harry loved about her. Harry knew that every time he saw Ginny, he was seeing the real person and not some fake mannequin doll. Plus, Ginny didn't need to bother with makeup; she looked great the she was. Self-confidence had never been an issue with Ginny; she was perfectly fine with the way she looked, which was a rarity with most of the women Harry knew.

Harry briefly wondered when he had started to think of Ginny as a woman rather than just Ron's little sister. Harry knew that the fact that she was Ron's little sister had been the main reason he hadn't noticed Ginny for so long. Of course, it did take Harry until his sixth year to finally notice that Ginny was no longer the small girl that he remembered from his second year.

It was his sixth year when he started to consider Ginny as anything but a friend. However, Harry hadn't ever acted on it because Ginny was Ron's little sister and Harry had seen Ron's temperament when it came to who Ginny dated. Then one night, after both Ginny and Harry had finished serving a detention with Snape, Harry simply hadn't been able to control himself any longer and had kissed Ginny with all of the passion he had bottled up for the past three months. Harry had thought that Ginny would be furious with him. She had been dating Colin for nearly a month at that time and Harry had mentally cursed at himself for messing everything up. Harry had been about to break the kiss when suddenly Ginny relaxed into it and began to kiss him back. When Harry finally regained enough of his senses to realize that he was completely out of air, he reluctantly broke the kiss and looked at Ginny with startled eyes. Ginny just smiled and pulled Harry to her once more.

Ginny later told Harry that she had been dating Colin, as well as everyone else she had ever tried dating, to try and get over him. The day before the fateful date of their first kiss, Ginny had finally accepted that getting over Harry was no longer an option and knew that she needed to break up with Colin soon. Ginny hadn't wanted to lead Colin on when she knew that she wouldn't ever be completely over Harry. Ginny had been planning to do it that night, but Snape had given the two of them detention for returning from Quidditch practice with muddy shoes and afterwards Ginny and Harry had become slightly distracted while spending some quality time in the Gryffindor Common Room while everyone else was already asleep. That was when Ron had walked in and found Harry and Ginny snogging together on the couch. Harry remembered that conversation quite clearly.

"What the hell are you two doing!" an angry Ron had yelled.

"Keep it down Ron, unless you want all of Gryffindor Tower down here to witness this," Harry had whispered.

Ron did get a little quieter, but the anger radiating from him spoke volumes much louder than words.

"Really Ron, this isn't what it looks like," Harry began before Ron had cut him off.

"Really Harry? What it looks like is that you and my sister were sitting there snogging one another when you aren't even dating. Ginny, I know you have liked Harry since your first year, but did you even think about Colin?"

"Of course I thought of Colin you overprotective prat," Ginny had replied angrily. Ginny hated it when her brothers started in on her personal life. She loved the gits, but they were way too overprotective of their little sister.

"And?"

"And I am going to break up with him. I was planning on doing it tonight, but bloody Snape had to give me detention. Which I am now quite thankful for," Ginny said looking at Harry.

Harry had smiled which seemed to make Ron even madder.

"Harry, let me ask you this. Do you have any intentions of dating my little sister?"

Ginny seemed to perk up at this question and stared at Harry intently. Harry found it difficult to look Ron in the eyes and started to look down at his feet.

"No Harry, I need you to look me in the eyes. I need to know that you are telling the truth."

Harry looked into Ron's eyes and found that the answer was much easier than he expected it to be.

"Yes Ron, I do intend on asking Ginny out; not for just a fling or a one night stand, but because I actually care for her. She is an absolutely amazing girl and I can't wait to spend time with her and get to know her more. I want to ask her out tomorrow, but I will probably wait a week after Ginny breaks up with Colin so that Ginny doesn't have the usual rumors following her."

Ginny gave Harry's hand a squeeze, "Thanks Harry."

"Alright mate, that's all that you have to say," Ron said with a smile.

"You mean – you aren't mad?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Mad? Harry I'm bloody proud of you, though I must say that it took you long enough to notice her."

"Yeah, well I have always been a little slow," Harry as a smile started to form.

"Isn't that the truth – but seriously, I want to be the first to say congratulations and good luck to the both of you. And Ginny, I must say that you couldn't have found anyone better."

"Thanks Ron. I can't believe that you are taking this as well as you are."

"That's because Harry's my best mate, aside from Hermione, and I know that he isn't going to do anything to hurt you. Also there's the small, yet reassuring, fact that I room with Harry and I don't have to worry about knowing when he comes back to the dorm. And if he's not back in time, there's always the Map," Ron said with a wicked smile.

"RONALD WEASLEY IF YOU DARE –"

"Relax Ginny, I was just joking. However there are some of us who need to get our beauty sleep. I'll see you guys in the morning. Don't stay up to late," Ron said with a protective smile.

"Good night Ron, and thanks again."

"No Harry, thank you. Now I don't have to worry about my sister's boyfriends anymore. Wait till I tell Bill and Charlie about this."

"Ron…" Ginny began.

"Just kidding, just kidding," Ron said before heading up the stairs back to the dorms.

"Well you can't say that that wasn't a tad bit strange," Harry said while smiling.

"Yes, totally unlike Ron. I have to ask Hermione what she has done to the git."

"Yes, that would be a handy fact to know. However, as you can't ask Hermione until tomorrow morning, might I suggest that we do something else?"

Ginny laughed as Harry drew her close and the two once again started to engage in what would soon become, aside from Quidditch, their favorite activity.

"Ahem."

Harry jumped, expecting Professor McGonagall to be standing there, cold fury radiating from her eyes, demanding to know why Ginny was asleep on top of Harry. As Harry prepared to start pleading for forgiveness, he realized that Professor McGonagall was nowhere near him. Harry heard a giggle from beneath him and he looked down at Ginny, putting on his best stern look.

"You should have seen the look on your face," Ginny said smiling.

Harry struggled to hold on to the look but failed miserably as he burst into laughter with Ginny. After the two finally got themselves under control again, Ginny asked, "So what were you thinking so hard about handsome?"

"You," Harry replied simply.

Ginny wrapped her arms tighter around Harry and gave him a quick kiss.

"What were you thinking about me Mr. Potter?"

"Well, have you noticed that when people don't take baths they smell in the morning?"

Ginny nodded wisely, trying to keep from laughing.

"Good. Well, I was sitting here when I got a whiff of a really smelly scent. It reminded me of the first time we kissed."

"Yes, yes. Smells can do that. They do that especially when I think of how you used to play Quidditch."

"Touché," Harry replied while raising his hands in surrender.

Ginny laughed and pulled herself closer to Harry. She loved moments like this, where it was just her and Harry, and the two could catch up on all of the time that they had lost. Moments like this made life worth living and reminded Ginny of how empty her life would be without Harry in it. Ginny wished for nothing else than for this war to end, but she was frightened of how Harry would be after he had done it. Ginny didn't doubt that Harry would succeed in his fight against Voldemort, she couldn't doubt Harry, but Ginny was worried about how Harry would react when he killed Voldemort. Would he simply accept the fact that the war was now over and that he had done what was necessary to end it, or would Harry fall apart after killing Voldemort. Ginny knew that Harry had killed, and would likely do it again as the war continued, but somehow this felt different. It should have been the same; Voldemort would kill Harry without hesitation and Harry had to kill Voldemort to end this bloody war, but something wasn't quite the same as Harry killing a Death Eater that was attacking him. Dumbledore had told Ginny that when Harry killed Voldemort, he would have to make a choice. Because of the bond between both Voldemort and Harry, it is likely that Voldemort's powers would now be available to Harry and Harry would have to choose what to do with them. Ginny hoped that she was there at the end, but she was certain that Harry would make the right choice, whether she was there or not.

Ginny knew that she was now a target. After Harry's speech yesterday, Voldemort would be after her in order to try and hurt Harry. He had done that with Harry's parents, as well as Hagrid and probably Ron as well, and Ginny was now in danger. However, Ginny wouldn't have it any other way. She would rather spend a short life with the man she loved rather than live a long one without him. Besides, there was no guarantee to a long life in this war, anything could happen. Ginny knew that she should feel worried, especially now that the darkest wizard known to mankind would soon be after her, but she couldn't look into Harry's eyes and feel anything other than love. Just one look at Harry solidified her feelings and Ginny knew that Harry wouldn't ever let anything happen to her. Ginny sincerely hoped that Harry was right.

"Gin?" Harry said, interrupting her thoughts.

"Yes Harry?"

"Listen – I just wanted to say – I'm sorry that I wasn't here when Ron died and I'm sorry that I wasn't able to protect him."

Unshed tears glistened in Harry's emerald eyes and Ginny held him tightly as she responded.

"Don't be sorry Harry. Ron made a choice and it was his choice to make. I am sure that he wouldn't have had it any other way. Always remember what Ron did for you, but don't constantly dwell on his sacrifice. Ron died so that you could continue living and you have to let go of this before you can truly start to live once again."

Ginny didn't know where the words came from, for they were completely unlike anything she would usually say, but knew that they spoke the truth. More importantly, Harry knew that they spoke the truth. Harry nodded and whispered quietly.

"Thanks Gin. I couldn't have made it without you."

Ginny smiled before replying, "Sure you could have Harry. It would have been tougher, but you would have risen to the challenge as you always have and you would have succeeded."

Harry didn't bother with words, but cupped Ginny's chin in his hands. Harry ran his thumb over her cheeks before he leaned forward and his lips covered hers in a true expression of love.