Epilogue: Love Is The Last Thing To Fade
It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word you could light up the dark
Try as I may I could never explain
What I hear when you don't say a thing
The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all
All day long I can hear people talking out loud
But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd
Try as they may, they could never define
What's being said between your heart and mine
A soft glowing light illuminated the kitchen of the burrow. In one corner, a baby with a cloud of the palest buttermilk blonde curls stirred gently in her sleep.
She looks so much like her father, mused Ginny Weasley, as she paused whilst pulling on a green cashmere sweater, to gaze down in awe at her daughter. The baby awoke, opening her enormous grey eyes, and Ginny scooped her up into her arms. She traced the scattering of freckles across her daughters' nose and smiled. She really was the most beautiful child she'd ever seen.
"Ginny?"
Hermione's voice broke Ginny's content silence, and she turned to see the older girl hovering in the doorway to the kitchen, that led out onto the patio. It had been surrounded and sheltered with vines, to keep out the breeze, and it made them feel even more secure then usual.
"Is she awake?" Hermione's voice was softer now, and Ginny nodded, before yawning.
"Do you want me to take her so you can change?"
Ginny nodded again and gently handed her pride and joy over to here friend and began to climb the stairs to her room.
"There you are mione! Ive been looking everywhere for you! Molly says dinner is nearly ready"
Hermione looked up into Blaise's handsome face, his black hair as messy as ever.
Sometimes she couldn't believe that he was still with her after so long. It was coming on to two years now and she didn't think she could ever love anyone else as much as she loved Blaise.
The pair gazed down at the tiny bundle of blankets and blonde curls that just peeked out from them.
"I want one" Hermione whispered longingly, and Blaise slipped his arms round her waist, placing a tender kiss on her lips.
"One thing at a time" he murmured, fiddling with the engagement ring on her left hand.
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Ginny stared at herself in the full length mirror in her tiny bedroom at the burrow. The dress she wore was a beautiful emerald green hue; the dress she'd bought for the end of year ball. She'd never gotten to wear it in front of Draco, even though it was because of him, she'd bought it.
She sighed sadly as she pulled her hair up into a knot at the nape of her neck. She missed him so very much.
Her hand subconsciously flew up to the chain round her neck, on which hung, a simple but beautiful ring. Her engagement ring from Draco. It was a shame he'd never had the chance to ask her.
Casting a final glance in the mirror she made her way back down stairs and out onto the patio.
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The burrow's garden had never looked more beautiful, Ginny thought as she paused to take in the scene before her, from the patio doors.
The trees twinkled with tiny shimmering faerie lights, which flitted back and forth across the rose garden.
A long oak table, bending under the weight of a million delicious dishes, that her mother had spent all day cooking, spanned the length of the patio.
And there, seated all around it, were her friends and family.
Her parents sat at one end, cooing over her daughter, who looked so angelic, with a twist of roses in her soft baby curls.
Harry and Ron were laughing and joking with the twins, each of whom had bought their respective girlfriends to dinner. Harry, however, Ginny noticed, couldn't take his eyes off his own girlfriend, Amy, as she sat opposite him, deep in conversation with Brett, who grinned at her as he glanced up for a second and caught her eye.
Charlie, Percy and bill were poring over a quidditch magazine, which held the very first photos of Harry in his new position as seeker for the English Quidditch team. He was hoping to lead them to victory in the quidditch world cup later this summer.
Her gaze moved onto Hermione and Blaise, who couldn't be more in love if they tried. They had found something. Something that made them last. That allowed them to deal with any problem or obstacle and land on their feet.
Draco and she hadn't been so lucky as to land on their feet. She knew this meant that perhaps it wasn't meant to be, but it was a horrible thought to contemplate. He hadn't been her first love, and she doubted he'd be her last. But she had loved him, so very much and she missed him dreadfully.
"He should've been here tonight"
Ginny jumped as she heard Brett's voice from just beside her. She shook her head and turned to smile up at him.
"No, it was his time to go," she replied; "anyway he'd have hated it!" she laughed.
Brett chuckled, and then paused, turning her face towards his, a look on concern across his handsome features.
"Are you okay?" He whispered, and she smiled.
"Yes", she looked up at him and then leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his lips.
"Life moves on" She shrugged, before deepening the kiss.
They broke apart after awhile, smiling at each other. She didn't think she would fall in love again so quickly or so easily, but Brett had suddenly materialised into her life and she did love him.
They made their way to their seats, Ginny scooping her daughter into her arms as she passed her parents.
To a passer-by, the three of them; the redhead girl, the American boy and the tiny smiling baby girl looked like the picture of true contentment and love. And Ginny thought, they were probably right.
After all life moves on, but once you've experienced it, lost it, found it and fought for it, love is the last thing to fade. It's always standing just to the right of you.
THE END.