Chapter 28 – Another Step Taken

February 14th came and Harry was nervous, he thought about how he was going to ask Ginny to marry him a thousand times or more. His 6th year defense against the dark arts class came in as he was thinking and he looked up and saw Anna. A thought suddenly occurred to him. What was Anna going to think about this? He needed to talk to her before he asked Ginny. He started the lesson and when they were all practicing the Patronus charm he came up to her.

"I need to speak to you after class," he said in an undertone then said out loud. "Focus on happy thoughts." So at the end of the lesson Anna went up to his desk with a questioning look.

"What do you think of Ginny?" he asked.

"I think she is a nice person, why?"

"I want to marry her," he replied. Anna didn't say anything, this must have been why she couldn't get to sleep last night. She had felt nervous for sometime now and didn't know why. Unknown anger flared up in her, why did she have to have this stupid connection. She looked at her father who was biting his lip in anticipation. Waiting for an answer, Anna was happy for her father and Ginny yet why did it come as such a shock that he wanted to marry Ginny. Ginny would never be her mother she had one of those. She knew how Harry felt about Ginny even if she didn't feel what he was feeling she could see it in his eyes, which at the moment were filled with worry. Did he actually think she would say she wasn't happy about it? It wasn't her choice if they got married anyway.

"I don't know why you are asking me?" she replied. Harry looked at her in disbelief.

"Because I want you to be ok with this, I want your opinion."

"Well then I have no problem with it," she said grinning.

"Great I am asking her tonight," he said.

"Tonight don't you think that's a bit soon? I mean remember what you said to me? She doesn't even know you have a daughter," Anna replied.

"I do know that, but I thought about what you said and came to the decision if she loves me she will understand why I had to keep it a secret." Anna nodded and left. That afternoon Anna went to her care of magical creature's lesson and looked at her future step mother. Anna knew in an instant that Ginny was going to say yes when Harry asked her.

The evening came and Harry went to Ginny's office. He knocked on the door and went inside.

"Hi, Harry," she said.

"Hi, come with me I have a surprise for you," he said and went up to her with the blindfold in his hand.

"You are not putting that on me!"

"It won't be a surprise if you don't." Ginny rolled her eyes and Harry grinned putting the blindfold on. He led her out of the office and down to the entrance hall.

"Come on Harry where are we going?" Ginny asked after 10 minutes of walking.

"In a minute, in a minute," Harry replied as he laid out a blanket next to a tree over looking the lake. "Now sit down and don't take of the blindfold. I want to tell you something." Ginny sat down and did as she was told. "I love you Ginny, I have not felt this way since Katie. I can't see my self ever being with anyone else. I don't want to be with anyone else, Ginny I want to be with you forever. So will you marry me? But before you answer I told you I was married but I need to tell you something else. I have a daughter. I can't tell you who she is but you may have already guessed. You can not tell anyone about her though." He said taking off the blindfold. Ginny was silent and Harry felt he was about to die with nervousness.

"Harry just because you have a daughter doesn't mean I will love you less. I would love to meet her, but only when you are sure it is safe."

"Does that mean you will marry me then?"

"Yes of course I will," she said. She looked into Harry's emerald eyes and she leaned up to him. They kissed until Ginny felt she couldn't take it anymore. The happiness in her heart was overwhelming; she had never felt this way about Sean that was for sure.

Anna hadn't seen Lupin since dinner, he hadn't gotten her anything but she wasn't that upset about it. Well maybe she was a bit. Anna had given him his present already. It was a picture of the Quidditch team, in a frame and signed by all the members. Remus and James were sitting with her. James was complaining that he didn't have a girlfriend. Remus was listening apparently engrossed by what James was saying. Anna looked up as the door slammed shut as Lupin walked in and looked around for Anna. He spotted her and waved her over to him. She rolled her eyes and got up giving an apologetic look to James who was glaring at her as though it was her fault she had a boyfriend.

"What?" She asked a bit more angry than she intended.

"Come on," he replied taking her hand in his and leading her somewhere.

They ended up on the Quidditch pitch. She gave him a funny look and answered her unasked question.

"I couldn't get the hospital wing to be empty so I thought this would have to do… our first kiss," he replied. He then pulled out a wrapped package. He pulled her close to her and put his hands on her back. He leaned down and captured her lips on his. Anna lost herself in the kiss. When they finally pulled apart breathing deeply, Anna opened the present. It was a snitch with the engraving:

To Anna, I will wait. Lupin.

"I know you are hiding something, my dad is not Remus Lupin for nothing. But I don't want to know what it is until you are sure you can tell me. And anyway I am sure it is not that exciting anyway."

"Oh really," she said grinning, her hands moved from around his back to his sides and she started tickling him.

"NO! Come… on that's… not fair," he said between gasps as he tried to run away. She chased him around the Quidditch pitch and when she caught up with him he stopped suddenly and they fell in a heap on the floor.

"Thank you," she said as they looked in to each others eyes. He smiled and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and brought her closer to him.