Ginny Weasley (POV)

Jake is going to be okay! He was hit by a curse in Gringotts; one of his fellow Death Eaters had thrown it me when my back was turned, but Jake jumped in front of me and took the curse instead.

I took it as a signal to incapacitate the son of a bitch who cast it and then fell to my knees beside Jake to see how bad the damage was. Fortunately, it was only a small wound and there wasn't much blood loss; but I nearly died at the sight of his body falling.

Then the battle was over and I knew he was going to be okay. Now I don't have to live in fear of Voldemort.

Once Jake gets out of St Mungo's we're taking a very long, much-needed break from the Wizarding world; magic has screwed up our lives a little too much lately.

I love Jake; I knew it the moment he took that curse for me. Now all I have to do is tell him. And Dean too, of course, which I am positively dreading. But I have to do it because he's going to find out anyway; I'm sure Lavender wasn't the only one who figured it out. And Lavender isn't exactly known for keeping secrets.

But, whatever, I'll face that obstacle when it crops up. Right now, I'm going home, well my mum and dad's house; I haven't been home in a while, what with pretending to be a Death Eater and all. It'll be a nice change to have Mum and Dad around again, I missed them while I was away. And not only them, but my whole life before I was initiated into Voldemort's ranks. Not that I regret meeting Jake, though.

Anyway, when I Apparated to the Burrow, I found Mum in the kitchen, making one of her huge dinners. She jumped and turned around when she heard me Apparate and then let out a shriek when she saw it was me.

"Ginny!" she said, and pulled me into a hug. "Oh Ginny, you're safe! Thank Merlin, you're safe!"

I laughed and cried at the same time; I'd missed them more than I thought I would. It felt so good to be reunited with them, and when Dad came running in at the sound of Mum's shriek, he stopped in the doorway, looked at me for a few minutes and then hugged me just as Mum did.

Dinner that night was perfect; everyone close enough to be considered family was invited. Including Dean. Mum invited him over; to my horror, and I had to spend the night pretending we were still very much in love. But all night my mind strayed to the hospital bed Jake was lying in at this moment, and I felt my already strained conscience twinge with guilt. I wish he was right here with me.

Maybe I should tell Dean now; I know it's not the best of times when everyone is so happy and more than a little drunk, but I need to tell him sometime soon. What could be better than now?

"Dean?" I said quietly, sidling over to him, "Can I talk to you?"

"What about?" he asked. He didn't sound suspicious or even curious.

"Um … something" I said lamely, trying not to give anything away straight away.

He sighed and heaved himself out of his chair, following me out of the living room and into the kitchen.

"Okay Ginny, what's up?" he asked, looking at me carefully.

"I – well … it's hard to say …" I began, but I couldn't seem to get the words out.

"Ginny, there's a party in there waiting for us. Are you going to tell me what's wrong or not?"

"Alright. I hate to do this; I think we should split up." I finished in a rush.

There was only the sound of a dripping tap to be heard.

"What?" Dean said icily.

"I-I met someone else…" I said helplessly, watching his expression turn from disbelief to anger.

"Only you!" he exclaimed. "Only you could go to Voldemort's hideout and come back with a boyfriend!"

Okay, now that was a little harsh. It's not my fault I fell in love with someone else.

"I never meant to!" I cried. "Believe me, that was the last thing on my mind!"

"Yeah, sure it was."

"Oh come on! You really think I did this on purpose?"

"I don't know, alright? I don't what's happening."

"Well, that makes two of us then, because neither do I"

"You're not the person I thought you were Ginny." He said after a while. Then he grimaced. "Sorry, clichéd I know."

"You're taking this better than I expected" I said suspiciously. "Why?"

"We-ell…" Dean said slowly and guiltily.

"Well what Dean?"

"You remember that really ugly bitch, Parvati Patil?" he asked.

"Yeah…" I replied slowly.

"Um … she's not so ugly any more" he laughed nervously.

"You slept with her didn't you?" I said finally.

"If I say yes will you hit me?"

"Of course not!" I protested.

"Yes, I slept with her"

I slapped him hard and he yelled;

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For sleeping with her. And for being a hypocrite" I said calmly.

It was pretty funny to see Dean about to shake his head and then accept it. He looked so confused, but that wasn't so unusual. At least he was taking it well.

"So … are you okay with this?" I asked hesitantly.

He looked like he was about to say no and I was all set to feel terrible again, when his face broke into a huge smile.

"Yeah, I guess so" he said, still grinning. "Whoever you're in love with, he's a really lucky bloke"

"And I suppose Parvati Patil is a lucky woman" I said laughingly. "But it'll take her a while to realise that. Hell, it took me three months!"

He gasped in mock offence and I laughed; at least we were still friends, even if it was all rather sudden.

I never went back to the party; I decided I was too tired to pretend I wasn't so I let my mum know I was going to bed. She hugged me tightly and told me to get some rest and I knew she was so glad I was back.

The next day, I went to visit Jake. He looked much better than the last time I'd been in to see him.

"Hi" I smiled when I saw him.

"Hey Ginny" he said, "How did it go with your mum and dad?"

I'd told him about going to see my parents for the first time in a long time. He was really supportive and kind; telling me I should go for it and not hold back.

"They were ... really happy" I laughed.

I bent over the bed and kissed him gently.

"What was that for?" he asked, smiling.

"Because I love you" I said simply.

I watched his expression change from a smile to shock to a huge grin. His face lit up and he looked so ... wonderfully happy that I kissed him again.

Then he reached over to his cloak on the chair beside the bed and rummaged in the pockets for a minute.

He turned back to me, a mischievous smile on his lips and held a small, black velvet box in his hand. He slowly opened it and revealed a diamond ring.

"I love you too" he said gently, "Will you marry me?"

I stared in shock at the ring, then at Jake, then back at the ring again. Marry him? Well, that was unexpected.

His expression was agonised, and he made to put the ring away. I think I'd waited too long to answer and he thought I was going to say no.

"Jake, are you sure?" I asked hesitantly.

"Of course I am" he said earnestly.

"Yes, then, I will marry you"

And I know it's a little early for something this big, but I just know that I am in love and that Jake is the right person to marry. And no one's saying we have to get married right this minute. We can wait a while; we've got all the time in the world.