Chapter Thirty-Five: Results and Fresh Starts.

The next day everyone was tired, Harry had ended up falling asleep cuddling Ginny on her tiny hospital bed.

'Harry… sweetie… wake up' Ginny said in the morning.

Harry woke up with a start 'Are you ok?' he asked.

'My side's falling asleep that's all' she replied.

'Oh, sorry' he said sleepily sitting up.

Ginny was discharged that morning and they went back to the Burrow. On the kitchen table was a copy of the morning newspaper bearing the headline, as Harry knew it would.

THE BOY WHO LIVED DEFEATS VOLDEMORT

WIZARDING WORLD REJOICES!

Harry didn't read the story that followed, he knew what it would say, but one line did catch his attention however. The body of the 'dark lord' will be burned at sunset today to assure that he will never return. Harry thought about Gryffindor and the element it represented: fire, it really was all over.

The rest of the paper had stories about how the death eaters had disbanded, most having been caught and sent to Azkaban prison for the terms of their natural life. Harry knew that the next few months would be full of trials and the relief would be hard work, so many people had lost family and friends to Voldemort. Harry was sure of one thing though… he didn't want to be an Auror any more… He'd faced enough dark wizards to last him his whole life.

As Harry was eating his breakfast he got about a hundred letters all thanking him, he didn't read them all he didn't want to be thanked over and over, he just wanted to start his new life, post-Voldemort, his life with Ginny. Harry, the Weasleys and most of the wizarding community went to witness Voldemort's cremation and when it was over there were more celebrations and parties, the Weasley's didn't celebrate though, Ron's condition seemed to have worsened.

Ron was in intensive care for a month, the curse that had been fired at him was one that the hospital staff didn't know much about it seemed to be a mix of about six deferent ones. His wounds were hard to heal and he was in and out of consciousness. At one stage they were told that he probably wouldn't make it through. The happiness that had surrounded Harry's defeat was dissolved as soon as they found out the extent of Ron's injuries. When he was on the up and up he was moved to a normal ward, where he was for another two weeks before he was actually allowed to go home.

Their NEWT results came a week after Harry defeated Voldemort, once everything had calmed down slightly, one think envelope each for Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny. No one looked at Ron's, it laid unopened on the messy desk in the study. Harry unfolded his first.

NASTILY EXHAUSTING WIZARDING TEST RESULTS

Pass Grades: Outstanding (O) Fail Grades: Poor (P)

Exceeds Expectations (E) Dreadful (D)

Acceptable (A) Troll (T)

HARRY JAMES POTTER HAS ACHIEVED:

Charms E

Defence Against the Dark Arts O

Herbology E

Potions O

Transfiguration E

'I got outstanding in Potions,' Harry said in disbelief.

Hermione had achieved all outstanding, Ginny got outstanding in charms, Potions, Transfiguration and DADA and exceeds expectations in all of her other subjects. Ron got exceeds expectations in everything accept for DADA where he got outstanding but they didn't find out until he was at home. They were all happy with their results and so were Molly and Arthur.

A week after Ron was discharged (much to Hermione's digression) he went for a job at the Ministry in the Department of Mysteries and got it. He wasn't allowed to tell anyone what he actually did though. Harry started thinking about other jobs now that he knew he didn't want to be an Auror, he wanted to do something that he loved, it didn't need to be high paying he had a fair amount of gold still in his back account, just a job that he loved. He thought so hard that he seemed distant and preoccupied most of the time. Ginny had noticed.

'What's wrong Harry' Ginny said one afternoon, putting her arms around him from the side.

'Nothing' he said placing his arms around her too 'I'm just thinking about what I want to do now' he replied.

'Like, as in a job?' Ginny asked.

'Yeah' Harry replied.

'I thought you wanted to be an Auror, you got the grades to be accepted in to the training,' she said.

'Gin, I've had enough of dark wizards and I don't want ever put myself or anyone that I care about in danger again' Harry replied.

'So what do you want to do?' Ginny said, they'd sat down by now.

'I'm not sure, I love Quidditch and I love flying' Harry replied.

'Go be a pro Quidditch player then' Ginny said.

Harry smiled but shook his head 'I've thought about it believe me, but going pro would mean I'd be away from you to much, I don't want a life like that' Harry said.

Ginny smiled 'What about the Ministry?' she suggested.

'I don't want to be writing reports on cauldron bottoms, like Percy' he replied.

Ginny laughed 'no, not something like that, I mean what about the Department of Magical Games and Sports? You'd be close to Quidditch and it's a really laid back department, you already have one foot in the door with Bagman' Ginny replied.

'Ginny you're a genius!' Harry said, 'why didn't I think of that, it's perfect!' he stood up and picked up his fiancé, swinging her around the garden, she was giggling.

Hermione came out with Izzy then 'What's going on? Why so happy?' she asked magically laying out a blanket and placing the now three-month-old down on it.

'Harry's just figured out what job he wants' Ginny said.

'But I thought you were going to train to become an Auror?' Hermione said.

'Not any more, had enough of dark wizards, I'm going to apply at the Department of Magical Games and Sports,' he said.

'Wow Harry, that's great' Hermione said sitting down on the blanket with her daughter. 'Ron and I have decided on a date for the christening,' she said.

Ginny joined Hermione on the blanket, Harry walked over and sat down too 'so when is it?' Harry asked.

'It's going to be next month, the eighteenth of September' Hermione stated 'it's going to be here by the way and you two will have to stand with us and say a few things but it's pretty straightforward' she added.

Harry and Ginny nodded along with Hermione, they talked for the rest of the afternoon. Ron came home from work at six; the whole family had dinner together at the big wooden table.

A week later Harry met with Ludo Bagman, the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports about a job, it went well and Harry started a few days later.

Harry covered the walls of his cubical with photo's of Ginny and his friends as well as a few posters of Quidditch teams, he didn't have to do a lot on his first day he was mainly just shown how the department operated and where everything was, Harry was happy with his new job.

But while Harry was at work Ginny was bored even though she had dozens of things to do, she missed him mainly, they'd spent so much time together over the last year and she only realised it when he wasn't there all the time, she'd taken Harry a bit for granted. Ginny started thinking about ways to distract herself, when the things she thought of failed she started thinking about her own career, but the more she thought about it the more confused she became, she really didn't have a clue about what she wanted to do. She toyed with the idea of becoming a healer, a banker, being a shop assistant with Fred and George and working for the Ministry but her mind kept her from making a decision, something was stopping her from working. She thought harder, she'd been through a lot since her first (official) year at Hogwarts but now Voldemort was gone, as she thought about everything that had happened to her she looked down at her left hand. I can't believe I'm getting married, she thought as she fiddled with her ring. Then it struck her… the perfect way to distract herself… she and Harry hadn't started planning their wedding yet!

As soon as Harry got home from work she ran to him, after a big hug she said, 'Can we talk?'

Harry looked worried.

Ginny noticed his look and smiled widely 'there's nothing wrong, just come on' she said pulling him along by the hand in to their bedroom. She sat down on the bed; Harry sat in the armchair that was in one corner of the room.

'So what do you want to talk about?' Harry asked.

'The wedding, I want to start planning it and that means confirming the date,' she said.

'Ok then, let's think logically, I'll be right back I'll go and get some parchment and a calendar,' Harry said.

'What for?' Ginny asked.

'Well we want a spring wedding with a calendar we can look at all the dates in spring and find a date that will be perfect' Harry replied.

Ginny giggled 'you've been hanging around Hermione way to long Harry' she said.

'Yeah I guess I have,' he said simply, getting up to fetch the parchment and the calendar.

He was back a few minuets later with the parchment etc plus a tray with two big glasses of lemonade and a plate of biscuits 'I'm hungry' he said when Ginny gave him a significant glance, he joined her on the bed making the tray float at hand level.

'Maybe you've been around Ron to long too,' she said giggling.

'Yeah probably' Harry replied smiling, he let out a small laugh.

'So firstly, what day do you want it to be? Weekend or weekday?' Ginny asked.

'I think a weekend, it makes it more likely that people will come then' Harry replied.

'So a Saturday then?' Ginny asked.

'Sounds good to me' Harry said through a mouthful of chocolate choc-chip biscuit and nodding just to make sure Ginny understood.

Ginny shook her head 'you have been around Ron to long' she said, 'Ok… so Saturday, what dates are they?' Ginny said flicking through the calendar.

'Wait, what month do we want?' Harry said.

'What about May, it'll be warmer but it'll still be really pretty, plus I want to have Isabella in it and she'll be one in May' Ginny replied.

'Well we don't want a yucky day… May sounds great, what are the Saturday's in that month?' Harry asked.

'The third, the tenth, the seventeenth, the twenty-fourth and the thirty-first' Ginny replied pointing at the squares on the calendar.

'The twenty-fourth and the thirty-first are good, they're both near the end of the month and they're both after Isabella's first birthday' Harry said.

'I like the thirty-first I think the twenty-fourth is to close to Izzy's birthday' Ginny said.

'So the thirty-first of May then? Shall we lock that in?' Harry said.

Ginny was grinning ear-to-ear 'We're getting married on the thirty-first of May!' She said.

Harry had an equally large smile on his face 'Yes, we are' he replied.

Ginny wanted Hermione as matron of honour and Harry wanted Ron as best man, they both agreed that they should be first to know. Harry volunteered to go and fetch them, as they were both in the kitchen confirming christening details, he Disapparated because he was in a silly mood and wanted to scare his friends.

CRACK! Hermione and Ron were sitting at the table with pieces of parchment spread out in front of them. They both jumped and wheeled around at the noise.

'Oh, Harry it's only you' Hermione said, her hand over her chest.

'Sorry to disappoint, come with me, Ginny and I want to talk to you' Harry said.

They got up and followed Harry (using the stairs) to the bedroom; they sat down on the bed with their friends.

Both Harry and Ginny were still smiling widely.

'So what's up?' Ron asked.

'Oh, the sky, the birds, you know' Ginny said, both Hermione and Ron looked at her funny, she giggled lightly 'Harry and I have something to tell you' she said and paused, savouring the moment of suspense.

'Well tell us then, what is it?' Hermione replied.

'Guess' Harry and Ginny said at the same moment, they were both in silly moods and thinking along the same lines… play with them for a while…

'You're pregnant!' Hermione tried.

'Funny that's the first thing that came to your mind Hermione, you must have baby on the brain now you have one, but alas, no that is not the answer' Ginny said still smiling.

'You've found somewhere to live together?' Ron tried.

'No, but come to think of that, we really should start looking' Harry answered.

'Well if you're not pregnant and you're not moving, what is it then?' Hermione asked.

'We've set a date,' Ginny said.

'A date for what?' Ron said sounding very stupid.

'What else Ron… the wedding, honestly you can be so clueless at times' Ginny replied.

Hermione shrieked 'WHEN?' she said.

'The thirty-first of May, next year' Ginny answered.

'Yay, congratulations' Hermione said.

'But we want to ask you both something though' Harry said.

Both Hermione and Ron looked expectant and sat up a little straighter.

Ginny gave Harry a mischievous look; he nodded 'can Isabella be in it?' They said together.

Hermione and Ron slumped slightly.

'She'll be one by then, she should be walking' Ginny replied.

'Of course she can be in it, someone will have to hold her hand though' Hermione answered.

'Yeah that'll all be sorted' Ginny said, still with that look on her face.

'Oh, ok then' Hermione said sounding rejected.

'Yeah well if that's all we'd better get back downstairs' Ron said also sounding rejected.

Harry and Ginny burst out laughing.

'What's so funny?' Ron asked sounding hurt now.

'Do you two honestly think we wouldn't have you in our wedding?' Ginny said.

'Well you…' Ron replied.

'Of course we want you guys in it, Ron you're my best man' Harry replied.

'Hermione I want you as my matron of honour' Ginny said.

'Really?' Ron and Hermione said together.

'Of course and we do want Izzy in it in case you thought that was all an act' Ginny replied.

'Thanks Ginny' Hermione replied hugging her friend 'we'd be honoured to be a part of your wedding' she added, as they broke apart. She and Ron left then.

After Hermione and Ron left Harry and Ginny talked more about the wedding and started writing out lists of everything that needed to be done, they had started on the guest list when they were called down to dinner.

When everyone had finished eating Ginny spoke up 'mum, dad, Fred, George' the twins were there for the meal, everyone looked up at her 'Harry and I have something to tell you…' she said.

'You're pregnant?' Molly interrupted.

'What is it with everyone jumping to that conclusion? Do these clothes make me look like I'm pregnant or something? No mum I'm not going to be having a baby any time soon… But Harry and I have…'

'Found a house together?' Fred interrupted this time.

'No… Will you please let me finish' Ginny replied, 'We've set a date and started planning the wedding' she said not caring to keep the excitement out of her voice or the smile off her lips.

'When is it dear?' Molly said, smiling expectantly.

'We've decided on a Saturday, the thirty-first of May, it'll be warm and still pretty' Ginny replied.