Chapter 3: The Last Quiet Moments

October 22, 2000

Ginny ran her fingertips slowly across the wood grain of Harry's kitchen table as she stared down at it without really seeing anything. She knew Harry was seeing Hermione and Ron out through the floo in the living room, but she had slipped off to the small loo next to the kitchen right after they announced they had to leave. After taking care of her most pressing issue, she had splashed water on her rather pale face, and cast a few freshening charms to help with the last of her hangover.

Returning to the kitchen, Ginny could hear the rumble of low male voices and Hermione's higher pitched one from the next room. She could have joined them, but instead slid into one of the chairs that sat side by side at the table. All she could process at this point was the one word that ran through her mind.

Engaged.

She, Ginny Weasley, was engaged to Harry Potter.

Ginny had never meant for this to happen when they made their pact last night. Granted, she was quite intoxicated, but she couldn't believe she had made a mistake like this. Ginny remembered the only other betrothal contract she'd encountered, from her seventh year at Hogwarts. A Ravenclaw in her year had been betrothed over Christmas and was showing a copy of the document to some of the other girls in Potions one day, and Ginny had caught a glance at the seal as the girl described the process of her engagement.

Thumping her head down on the table, she closed her eyes as she contemplated what to do now. It wasn't like she didn't want to be with Harry. It seemed like she had always wanted to be with Harry. The crush she'd had when she was little had faded over time, but her feelings for him had never gone away. Ginny had given up on him ever noticing her, and had dated a few boys at Hogwarts, but they had never made her heart sing like it did when she thought of Harry. So instead, she chose to concentrate on her studies and being Quidditch Captain during her last year of school, helping Gryffindor take the cup with a record-breaking win over Slytherin.

After Hogwarts, Ginny was recruited for the Harpies, and she made quidditch her life. She dedicated herself to it, throwing all of her energy into training and practice. It had paid off, and after just a year on the team she was now a starting Chaser. She knew her family worried about her, and Ron and Hermione had even tried to set her up once on a blind date. But she'd declined, using quidditch practice as an excuse to get out of it. She had no interest in some bloke that Hermione knew from the Ministry. Especially since right before Ron had been raving about the gorgeous woman Hermione had set Harry up with on a date. Just the thought of Harry with some fawning girl draping herself all over his arm made her feel a bit ill, and she had redoubled her efforts at spending all of her free time in training after that.

Ginny raised her head from the table just in time to see Harry return to the kitchen. She looked over at him, watching as he ran a hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. Ginny shot her eyes back to the table as she saw him look her way. You coward! She said to herself.

"Are you okay?"

Harry's voice came from across the room, and she glanced up, watching his face closely as he walked over and took the seat next to her. He looked concerned, but he didn't have the overwhelmed expression she saw before when Ron told him they were engaged.

"Yeah, I'm okay, I guess," Ginny said with a wry smile. "Or at least, I think I am. I'm not really sure–"

"–what to think. I know the feeling," Harry interrupted, returning her smile.

A heavy silence fell over them, and Ginny reached out to the betrothal contract without thinking, running a finger over the bottom of the parchment near the blood red seal. She watched Harry lay his hand over hers, and slowly stroke his thumb across the back of her hand. The warmth she felt coming from him made her look up and meet his eyes. What she saw there gave her enough courage to finally speak.

"Harry, I know this isn't exactly what we had in mind last night. But… did you mean what you said before? About being interested in me?"

"Yes, of course. And Ginny," Harry scooted forward on his chair, his knees coming into contact with hers beneath the table. "I haven't changed my mind. This contract doesn't change my feelings for you. Or the fact that I want to be with you."

Ginny turned her left hand over from where it lay trapped beneath his. She smiled at him, running a finger over his palm from underneath and felt him caress hers in return.

"I've always liked you, Harry. And… I really want to be with you, too."

Harry reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind her right ear. His index finger trailed down her jaw line, raising goose bumps all over her arms. Ginny bit her bottom lip as she felt it stroking against her skin, her thighs tensing as the air in the room seemed to get heavier between them. His green eyes seemed a shade darker than usual and she watched his adam's apple bob as he swallowed.

Harry dropped his eyes suddenly and reached down to hold her hand that had been resting on her knee, grasping it firmly and pulling her towards him a little. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath before meeting her gaze again.

"We, um… need to talk about this," he said, with a nod of his head towards the contract. "Did you get a chance to read it over now that we know what it really means?"

"Oh," Ginny said, her voice sounding breathy to her ears. "Not really. I suppose we should, though." She shook her head a bit to clear it, then slowly slid her left hand out from under his on the table and drew the parchment closer to where they were sitting.

Ginny leaned closer to the parchment, feeling Harry doing the same as he read alongside her. Her right hand was still grasped firmly in his left and he had rested them on top of his thigh. The muscles in his leg flexed beneath their clasped hands as Harry shifted in his seat, and Ginny closed her eyes as she prayed for a bit of patience. Merlin, this man is distracting.

Opening her eyes again, she began to read. Some of the language was a bit confusing, but she understood the gist of the agreement they had signed. Ginny laughed a little at certain parts, thinking it sounded a lot like two very drunk people had gotten together and written this in the middle of the night on a lark. Which they had.

"One month?!" Harry exclaimed from beside her. "What on earth were we thinking when we decided to give ourselves a deadline of a month?"

Ginny snorted. She had just read that part for herself, and she knew exactly what they were thinking. "We were drunk, jealous, and randy. There wasn't a whole lot of thinking involved, Harry."

Harry chuckled. "You've got a point."

Finally reaching the end of the document, Ginny blew out the breath that she'd been holding for the last few paragraphs. Glancing up through her eyelashes at his face, she saw him looking back at her. Harry let go of her hand and laid it carefully on his leg. He reached up and cupped her face, rubbing her cheek with his thumb.

"So." Harry's voice seemed to rumble up through his chest and into her ears, falling straight to her stomach, where she could feel her muscles quivering in response.

"So we're engaged," Ginny finally managed to say.

"Yes. We are." Harry's lips had never looked more kissable as he grinned at her, but she tore her gaze away from them to look back up at his eyes.

"And we have one month in which to… lose our virginity. To each other," Ginny said. She hated the slight blush that rose in her cheeks, cursing her Weasley genes that gave her such a fair complexion. Ginny clenched her right hand where it lay on his thigh, her short nails scratching against the fabric of his pants.

"Mmmhm." Ginny saw Harry's nose flare.

Deep breaths, Ginny.

"Um… and according to what I think this document says… during that month we're betrothed and the dowry gift is each other's virginity," she said. Harry's eyes had become very intense as he slid his hand around to her neck, slowly caressing it back and forth with his fingertips.

"That's what I understood, as well." His voice was husky, and Ginny's eyelids grew heavy as she tried to continue explaining the document, but she was more interested in how full his lips looked and wondering what he would taste like.

Biting her lip, she forced herself to continue.

"But, the document says the betrothal can be dissolved at the end of the 30 days only by returning the dowry gift. Except…"

"Except it's kind of hard to return that kind of thing," Harry finished.

"Yeah."

"Which means…"

"Which means… if I've read this right… we have to get married," Ginny said. She knew the ridiculous language they had cooked up the night before, and the fact that they would have to get married, would take root in her brain eventually. But right now all she wanted to do was kiss him. Ginny leaned towards him a bit and licked her lips, hoping he'd take the clue.

"So… when are we going to tell your family about this?" Harry asked suddenly.

My family, what…?

Oh bloody hell, my family.

Ginny turned panicked eyes to Harry and his smile was irksome. "My family? Harry, Ron could be telling them right now!"

"No he won't," he soothed. "He promised not to breathe a word to them, in return for me not hexing his bits off for what he did."

"What he did?" Ginny's emotions were on a rollercoaster, and she gripped his thigh with her hand in an effort to ground herself.

"Yeah, lying about all your non-existent 'boyfriends' that he ranted to me about in an effort to make me jealous. Ron said he thought it'd give me the push I needed to ask you out sooner," Harry scoffed at the insanity of his best mate.

"That's insane."

"That's what I told him. But no, he won't tell your family," Harry assured her. Ginny's heartbeat slowed down at hearing that, sure for at least the moment, her mother wouldn't be rushing through the floo to either hex them or hug them.

Or both. You never know with Mum.

"But Ginny, we have to tell them. And soon," Harry urged. Ginny felt his hand leave her neck and run down her arm, gripping her bicep. She was still wearing her sleeveless dress from the wedding the night before, and his hand on her bare skin was warm and comforting. Harry squeezed her arm as he took a breath to continue. Ginny could tell he was about to say something she wouldn't like.

"Um… Gin… Hermione told me that although the document language won't be public, that seal means a copy was magically sent to the Ministry's Clerk of Licenses. And all new licenses are announced weekly to the press as public announcements."

"The press? The bloody papers are going to find out?! When? And how does she know all of this anyway? That's not even her department," Ginny said. Her panic was starting to set in again at the thought of everyone finding out. He was Harry Potter after all, and as much as the Weasleys didn't care about his fame, most of the Wizarding world did. Harry Potter's engagement in a betrothal contract would be front page news. Combined with her being a starting player for the Harpies, the press would likely never leave them alone. Oy, the Harpies… I'm going to have to tell Gwenog.

"That's what she was telling me on her way out. She and Ron are leaving tomorrow on their honeymoon, and she wanted us to be prepared. Hermione said she thought the announcements were sent out every Monday afternoon, but she couldn't be certain. And as soon as they see it, the Daily Prophet will print a story, knowing them. Hell, they'll probably print a special bloody edition," Harry said. Ginny could hear the loathing in his voice.

"So we have to tell them tomorrow evening, at the latest, or they'll find out from the papers on Tuesday? Merlin, my mum will go spare if she finds out that way," Ginny moaned.

She finally gave in to her body's cravings and moved even closer to Harry, turning sideways in her chair to face him and laying her forehead on his shoulder. His arm curled around her back and pulled her tighter to him, and Ginny couldn't help but let out a little sigh at feeling his arm around her.

"Hey, don't worry. I've got my invisibility cloak. I'm sure we can hide long enough for your mum to calm down if she does see it," Harry said quietly. Ginny smiled against his shirt and nuzzled her nose against the fabric a little, breathing in his scent, before she pulled back just enough to see his face. She was a bit disappointed that he'd put a shirt on earlier after Hermione had interrupted their conversation in bed. But she supposed he couldn't walk around bare-chested all the time. Pity.

"That's a lovely idea, Harry, but we'll just have to get it over with and face them," Ginny told him with a sigh. She suddenly noticed just how close their faces were, and glanced down at his lips. Feeling the weight of his eyes on her, she slowly raised her own. His stare was heady, especially this close, and her stomach muscles clenched in anticipation. Kiss me.

"Gin…" His voice was low and husky, and she could feel the vibrations of it like a wave of heat that sunk low into her belly. Their previous conversation was forgotten as the tension that had been growing between them since Ron and Hermione left now became unbearable. Ginny tilted her head to the right a little, meeting his stare head on.

Kiss me.

She felt his right hand slide off the table and onto her waist, his long fingers splayed against her lower back. Harry's eyes were half-closed as she saw him finally lower his head, and she let out a breathy sigh just before his lips touched hers.

Yes!

Harry's lips were slightly chapped, but that thought quickly left her mind, along with all others, as she heard him groan and felt his hand clench on her waist. His thumb trailed up and down her side, and Ginny sucked on his lower lip before running the tip of her tongue along it. Deepening the kiss, she slid her tongue inside his mouth, flicking it against his as she hummed in pleasure. Never had she felt anything like this. Her breath was coming in harsh pants, and desire was starting to pool low in her gut, making her clench her thighs in an effort to find some relief.

Harry tore his lips away from hers suddenly, and she moaned a quiet "No" in disappointment. But then she sucked in a breath as he slid his hand under her knees and with his other arm bracing her back, lifted her from her chair right onto his lap.

Ginny let out a little grunt as she plopped into Harry's lap sideways, her feet dangling several inches from the floor. She decided not to waste time contemplating this little change in scenery, and instead looped her arm around his neck and twined her fingers into his hair. Ginny had always loved his hair, and the thick locks felt lovely against her fingers.

Laying her other hand against his cheek, she drew his head back to hers, and gave Harry a soft kiss. Ginny burrowed further into his embrace, feeling his hand making a long continuous circuit from her knee to her hip. Nuzzling her nose against his cheek she placed small kisses along his jaw line, following it up to his ear. Quietly murmuring his name, she found a spot low on his neck that when she sucked lightly on it, caused his whole body to shudder and a ragged groan to be dragged from his chest.

Ginny felt his hand move up and into her hair, drawing her face back towards his. Harry's kisses drugged her for long moments, and she lost track of time as she gave herself up to his lips and tongue and hands.

After what felt like ages, Harry drew back a little and rested his forehead against hers. Ginny kept her eyes closed as she tried to regain her breathing and locate what few brain cells were still firing in her head. Licking her swollen lips, she adjusted herself in Harry's lap for a second before freezing when Harry let out a rumbling groan.

Oh my.

Ginny realized she could feel his erection pressing up against her hip and had to fight the rather insane urge to continue squirming in his lap. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked up through her lashes to see a grimace on Harry's face as he breathed in slowly through his nose only to let it out through his mouth in a huff of air. Ginny felt a little smug that she could affect him this way, and a smile grew on her face.

"Hi," she whispered.

Harry's bright green eyes sparkled as he finally opened them to look at her.

"Hi," he whispered back. Harry leaned forward a bit to give her a final kiss, and then pulled her tightly to his chest, her forehead resting against his neck.

"I've wanted to do that for years," Harry mumbled. Ginny's smile grew even bigger. She felt giddy inside, like her 14-year-old self was ready to burst out in laughter and shrill screaming. Ginny rolled her eyes at herself for thinking this, but the little ball of happiness in her chest wouldn't go away. She couldn't believe that just yesterday, she was convinced that Harry would never return her feelings, and now she sat on his lap after having the most wonderful kisses of her life. It was almost too much to contain within her.

"Do you have to be anywhere today?" Harry asked her.

"No. Gwenog gave us the day off," Ginny replied. She had never been so happy to have a day off before. Her usual urge to train until she collapsed was nowhere in sight.

"Good. Because I don't want you to leave. Spend the day with me?"

Ginny grinned and kissed his jaw. "I'd love to."

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

It was late at night, and Harry lay in bed thinking about the day he'd spent with Ginny. After they'd finally left the kitchen, Ginny had asked if she could take a quick shower and borrow some of his clothes to wear instead of the bridesmaid's dress she had slept in.

Harry had reacted to watching Ginny walk around his apartment in an old Gryffindor t-shirt that swallowed her small frame, and a pair of his flannel boxers. And when she'd bent down to pick up the empty box from the pizza they'd shared, Harry had retreated to the loo and poured cold water over his head, giving himself a stern lecture in the mirror once he'd cooled down.

Imagine what she'll look like naked if she looks that good in my old clothes, he thought. Harry's mind conjured up the image of her tight arse against the fabric of the thin boxers, focusing on the rather obvious fact that she hadn't been wearing any knickers.

Dammit.

Harry rolled over in bed, trying to ignore the bulge in his boxers. Just stretching the sheets across his erection was almost painful, and he hissed as he tried to find a comfortable position.

Pulling the other pillow over, he curled his arm underneath it and laid his head on the cool side, hoping that it'd give him some relief. As he breathed in through his nose, he caught the scent of wildflowers that still clung to the fabric from hours before.

Well, shite.

Giving himself over to the inevitable, Harry reached down and grasped his penis, stroking upwards firmly as he thought about her bum. The soft fabric stretched tight, as she bent over to pick something up from the floor…

Pumping himself into his hand, he imagined coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist as she rose from her crouch. Her back arching against his chest as he thrust his pelvis into her, hearing her moan as she felt how hard he was…

He was panting now, his arm moving faster as he rubbed his thumb over the head of his penis, spreading the fluid that was starting to leak out on each down stroke. His mind fed him images of Ginny, her hair like fire around her now bare shoulders, her lips swollen like they were after they had first kissed…

It was the thought of those lips moving down his chest and licking his stomach that finally set him off, and his orgasm slammed through him, his mind blissfully empty for long moments.

Harry came back to himself when he felt a cold wetness against his stomach, and he realized he still held his now flaccid penis in his hand. Groaning at the mess he'd made in his boxers, Harry rolled over and snatched his wand from his bedside table. With a muttered incantation he cleaned himself off, and then lay spread-eagle on his bed. Harry felt utterly spent, his muscles weak and his eyelids drooping as he fought the urge to fall asleep. He wanted to remember their spectacular goodbye kiss from that evening without his throbbing arousal getting in the way.

But the pleasant heaviness that suffused his limbs overcame him, and Harry barely managed to toss his wand back to the table as he succumbed to the sleep that pulled him under.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

October 23, 2000

It was just after 5 o'clock and Arthur Weasley was walking through the Ministry atrium on his way to the apparition point. It had been a nice, quiet Monday back at the office after the festive weekend with Ron's wedding. He chuckled a bit, remembering his wife's muttered comments about drinking and hangovers when neither his daughter nor Harry had shown up the previous day for the gift opening. But Hermione and Ron had assured the couple that their missing children had just had a bit too much to drink and would be fine after a day of sleeping in.

Arthur was thinking about what Molly might have made for supper, when another Ministry worker hailed him from nearby. Stopping to see who it was, he recognized the man, who he thought was named Porter, from the Ministry's Licensing office. The clerk grabbed Arthur's hand and started shaking it vigorously.

"Arthur! I wanted to congratulate you. Can't chat long – got to head home early tonight. But I couldn't believe it when I saw it – guess you didn't want to go bragging all over, am I right?" The man – Porter? Or was it Patton? – continued to shake Arthur's hand and rambled on, not noticing his confusion.

"That daughter of yours though, Merlin that's quite a catch! I bet you're rather chuffed, to say the least. Listen, must run – I'm sure I'll read all about it tomorrow in the Prophet. Ta!" and with a final cuff to the shoulder the clerk walked off, leaving Arthur looking bemused.

Shaking his head, he stepped up to the queue at the apparition point. He'd have to ask Molly about Ginny's game schedule when he got home. I didn't think they played quidditch on the weekdays, he thought to himself. Ah well, perhaps it was a practice game. I'll have to floo over and ask Ginny about this catch she made.

With a turn and a quiet pop, Arthur departed for the Burrow.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"I can't believe we're doing this."

"I can't believe we're hiding under your cloak in my parents' front yard like a couple of teens trying to avoid getting caught snogging."

"Well, we could–"

An elbow to his gut stopped that line of thinking as Harry tightened his arms around Ginny's waist. He was standing close behind her, and they were both huddled under his invisibility cloak, just a few meters from the Burrow's front door. They had apparated to the end of the Burrow's drive and walked in under the cloak's protection. Harry thought it might buy them a few more minutes of quiet before the explosion hit. Hurricane Molly was a force to be reckoned with, and he wasn't looking forward to what the Weasleys would say when they learned just what the two of them had done.

Harry focused instead on the somewhat childish, yet extremely amusing prank he and Ginny had worked out for Ron the previous afternoon. The thought of the numerous singing telegrams, confetti bombs, and parchments that shouted rude words showing up in their honeymoon cottage made him smile. Ginny had been especially brilliant when she'd charmed over a half dozen to sing in a voice that sounded suspiciously like Gilderoy Lockhart.

He figured Hermione would forgive them. Eventually.

"So, do you think Ron got his first owl yet? I'd give anything to see the look on his face when they keep coming every 30 minutes. Or better yet, Hermione's when –"

"Harry."

"Yes?"

"You're stalling."

Harry sighed and leaned his head down to rest on Ginny's shoulder. With his left hand still securely wrapped around her waist, he let his right wander a bit. The muggle t-shirt Ginny was wearing when she showed up at his flat that afternoon had drawn his attention immediately. Harry had no idea what it said or what color it was – all he knew was that it was about an inch and a half too short, and it exposed a swath of pale, taut stomach. He'd been obsessed with it ever since. Rubbing his fingertips back and forth over the exposed skin, he let out another pitiful sigh.

"Harry… what's wrong? You were the one who insisted on telling my parents right away. Just yesterday you were all ready and willing and now you're stalling," Ginny said.

Harry stood up straight and turned Ginny around in his arms to face him. Resting his hands on her hips, he let his thumbs caress the skin on either side of her navel, and leaned his forehead against hers. Ginny reached up and laid her palm against his cheek and it calmed him a bit from the panicky feeling he'd had ever since they arrived in the Burrow's front yard.

"Gin… what if…"

"What if what, Harry?" Ginny said, softly.

"What if they hate me for doing this to you? For… trapping you into this engagement, like this. It's just… I don't know. I think about this – us – and I'm so, so happy." Harry's heart started to race again as he thought about what they would say to the Weasleys. Ginny nodded at him to continue and he rambled onward in a slightly more hysterical tone.

"But I don't think your parents will be too pleased that the two of us were drunk and signed a pact to have sex with each other in order to lose our virginity, and then oops! We accidentally ended up engaged in a magical betrothal contract that will force us to marry at some point in the near future. Ha ha – isn't that funny!" Harry realized he sounded a bit like a madman, but he couldn't help it.

Ginny smiled up at him and stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his back. Harry hugged her to his chest and rested his cheek against her hair. He knew he was overreacting, but he loved the Weasleys – they were the only family he'd ever had and the thought of them being disappointed or angry made his stomach drop like a stone.

"You're scared they're going to be angry. I get that. I really do," Ginny told him. She was looking up at him, and her smile calmed him somewhat. Leaning down, Harry pressed his lips against hers, reveling in the kiss for long moments. But she finally pulled away and laid her hands on the sides of his neck.

"Now Harry…"

"Hm?"

"It's time to face my mum. Let's go." And with that Ginny whipped the cloak off their heads and grabbed his hand.

Dragging his feet, Harry followed her up the steps and into the front door of the Burrow, where a chorus of loud greetings met his ears. He realized with a sinking sensation that there was more than just Molly and Arthur at home that night. Redheads seemed to pop out from everywhere as they all converged on the couple standing just inside the entryway.

Oh Merlin, what are they all doing here?

A silence spread over the group, as they all stopped and stared at Harry's hand clasped tightly in Ginny's. Harry shuffled his feet, bringing him closer to Ginny, and his neck felt flushed at the Weasley's rapt attention.

"So! Harry and I have an announcement to make," Ginny said in an overly cheerful voice.

She's going to tell them now!? Damn, I didn't even get a last meal…

And without a moment to prepare, Ginny dropped their bombshell.

"Harry and I are betrothed. We're getting married."