Suddenly Ginny stood up, pulling away from him. "What took you so long?" she demanded.

Harry stood too. "I had to get away on my own for awhile."

Ginny watched him shrewdly for a moment, then said, "You promised me you'd be here when I came back. Well I've been back for four days, and not a word from you."

"I killed Snape." Harry wasn't sure why he said it, but he needed her to understand what he was going through. He needed her help and this was his way of asking. Ginny shook her head, annoyed at herself and took him gently in her arms. She didn't know what to do, and just hoped that her touch would be enough.

"I'm sorry," he whispered wrapping his own arms around her. "I shouldn't have…I'll be here from now on, I promise. It's over now. All of it. It's over."

"Now we can live," whispered Ginny.

Nodding, Harry stroked her hair and kissed her. "I went to Godric's Hollow."

"Mmm. You said. Why?"

"I went to see my parents' graves to begin with. Then I visited the piece of land where our house had been: it was left to me in their will." The two of them sat back down on the bed, still holding hands. "Anyway, a new house has been built on it and Ginny, it's the most beautiful house; it's a little cottage with these plants growing up the walls and there's a wishing well in the garden and all these big trees."

"Whose is it?" Ginny asked, scooting closer so he was forced to raise his arm and allow her to snuggle closer to him.

"It belongs to this old man, I can't remember his name...Larry something? I don't know. Anyway, he was shovelling snow off of the path when I arrived and I told him who I was and that I owned the land…"

"And?" Ginny asked, now intrigued.

"Well it took awhile to convince him that I actually owned the place. Then he told me he'd built the place himself a while ago and he was looking to sell it anyway. So…I bought a house."

"So that's what you've been doing this whole time? Buying a house?"

Harry shrugged. He'd actually spent quite a lot of time sitting on his parents' graves trying to find answers that just weren't there. "Most of it," he agreed.

Ginny got off the bed and stared out the window, her arms folded. An emotion filled her but she couldn't quite place it. So he was going to leave her after all. He'd bought himself a nice house, hours away from the Burrow. He'd be going back there and she'd be going back to school

A pair of arms wrapped themselves around Ginny and she couldn't help but fall back into his warm body. "Ginny," he whispered into her ear. "I got this place because I thought you might want to live there with me. And anyway, I didn't spend the whole time buying a house…I was pretty messed up for a couple of days."

"So, what happened?" Ginny asked, turning and wrapping her arms around him. It felt wonderful to be able to hold him again.

"I realised I'd done something that I never want to do again. Killing Snape…well it's a part of me now." He shrugged and looked slightly embarrassed at his little speech. "I don't know, I mean I guess I saved a lot of people by killing him, but I still killed a man. I killed him out of anger and hate and that made me just as bad as him…"

Ginny cut across him, "No, you hated him for a good reason. He hated for no reason at all." Neither spoke for a minute until Ginny suddenly realised something and she turned her face back up to him. "Have you said hello to the family yet?"

"Oh," Harry said blushing. "I forgot actually. I just came right up here to you."

"Come on," Ginny said, taking his hand and leading him to the door.

---

"Eesn't she just ze most beautiful zing?"

Harry was standing in the living room, holding the baby Christine, and feeling quite awkward. Tension was extremely thick: Fleur had met Tania and they did not get along. Also Tania was upset because Ron kept complaining about Hermione and Krum. Krum was upset because he didn't want to share a room with Ron, and Harry was upset because a baby had just thrown up on him. So all in all, the atmosphere was not a particularly happy one.

Harry was glad when he found himself alone with Hermione and Ron later that evening. It had been a long time since the three of them sat and talked. Of course, Harry couldn't exactly call it relaxing as Hermione and Ron were bickering, but it reminded him of old times.

"I just don't see why you had to bring him," Ron said, leaning back in his chair so it was balancing precariously on the two back legs.

"Well, why's Tania here?" Hermione shot back. "And don't do that, you'll break the chair and hurt yourself."

Ron let the chair fall back to the floor. "She's our friend. Krum isn't, he's a moody git who -"

"He's my friend, Ron, I don't care whether you like him."

Ron snorted. "Yeah, right. Your friend; I doubt that."

Hermione stood up in a huff and said, "I'm going to bed. It was nice talking to you, anyway Harry." She turned on her heel and left the room grumpily, ignoring Ron.

"Good job," Harry said, yawning.

"What does she see in him anyway?" Ron asked. Grinning, Harry remembered Ron asking that exact same question in their fourth year.

"You jealous or something?"

"No!" Ron shot at him. Then he sighed, slumping forward in his chair. "You don't think she's sleeping with him, do you?"

Harry shrugged. "She could be," he muttered. Both boys sat there for a few moments, trying to think up all the hexes they could use on Krum if he was mistreating Hermione. "What about you and Tania, how's that going?"

Ron blushed. "Not amazing actually. She keeps saying she 'wants to take our relationship to the next level'. What does that mean anyway?"

Laughing, Harry got to his feet and stretched before he could be questioned on his relationship, but he wasn't quick enough.

"And you?" Ron asked. "What about you and my sister?"

"Oh, I wish I had what you two have." Hermione was back, now dressed in pyjamas and fluffy slippers, an empty hot water bottle in hand. "I was thinking, if Tania" she scowled as she said the name "and I slept in the living room tonight, you and Ginny could have her bedroom."

"It's ok," Harry said, his face going pink. Knocking his mug flying, Ron sat up quickly in the chair.

"Why would they want her bedroom?" he demanded. Harry could feel the heat in his face intensifying and tried to shoot Hermione a warning look. Either she didn't see him or she was ignoring him.

"To do what normal adults do when they're in a loving relationship."

"Hermione…" Harry began warningly but Ron cut him off.

"But you two haven't…I mean you wouldn't…have you?"

"Nice going, Hermione," Harry said, glaring at his friend. She just gave Ron a patronising look and opened her mouth to say something when Ginny came into the kitchen.

"Hey, I've been looking for you three. It's another no magic day tomorrow. They just announced it over the wireless."

"No magic? Again?" complained Ron. He leaned backwards in his chair again, a sulky expression on his face. "I don't get it though. Voldemort and Snape are both dead. The death eaters haven't attacked in ages."

"Actually they have," said Ginny, throwing a copy of the Evening Prophet down onto the kitchen table.

"Mass Muggle Killing," Harry murmured, reading the heading. "Seventeen muggles killed, two out of ten Deatheaters captured."

CRACK!

"RON! I told you, if you leant back in that chair, it would break!"

Ron rubbed his head, and looked up at Harry and Ginny who were snorting with laughter. Taking Hermione's outstretched hand, he got to his feet and surveyed the damage. With an embarrassed glance at the others, he took out his wand and muttered 'Reparo'.

"Well I'm off to bed," Harry said with a yawn as he rose to his feet. Ginny glanced up at him with a smile playing on her lips.

I'm so lucky, she thought to herself as she looked up at his long, sinewy frame, messy black hair and startling green eyes. He was a good-looking guy; there was no denying that. Ginny took his outstretched hand and returned Hermione and Ron's 'goodnights' as they left the kitchen and made their way upstairs.

"I've missed you," Ginny whispered, once they reached the second floor landing. Wrapping his arms around her, Harry pulled her close.

"Four months is too long," he said and she nodded in agreement.

"There are so many things I want to tell you about." She touched his cheek softly and said quietly, "and there are so many things you need to tell me."

Harry nodded and their lips met hungrily, needing each other. "Tomorrow," he whispered. "We have tomorrow."

"And another week and a half after that."

They both sighed sadly, realising that was all the time they had together. Harry kissed her again then they bid each other goodnight and went on to their separate bedrooms.

AN: bit of a surprise next chap. umm i only have a few chapters left. about three or four probably. please review! xxx