Back after a year long hiatus... enjoy! (reread the last chapter if your confused, it'll catch you up!)

The Long Goodbye

Chapter 21: Something New This Way Comes

There was an eery silence in the flat as Ginny tried to sort out events from the night before. Sophie was happy as long as she was in Ginny's arms and at that moment in time... that is all Ginny could want for.

Harry sent his owl to say he'd bring dinner by after he finished packing. Ginny spent the afternoon wondering just how much packing he could have left if he was keeping the apartment. Harry spent the better part of a year with only his rucksack and whatever Hermione had thought to pack in her purse. He was probably just as confused as she was.

There was an ease in being with Harry. Everything about it just fell into place. However after everything she'd gone through in the past few years... she wasn't exactly comfortable with things being easy, when things were easy, it seemed there was a catch, their HAD to be a catch.

Harry would be gone from November to February he'd probably visit intermittently in between. Long distance was hard. In her final year at Hogwarts they'd had to do the "Long Distance Thing" and Ginny couldn't help but remember how many more fights presented themselves.

She had a lot to focus on. School for one. While she was at the top of her class, she knew that other students would be gunning for her. She kept telling herself... it is ONLY four months. It is ONLY four months. Then she remembered where she was four months ago. A lot can happen in four months.

Harry finished packing by 1 and spent the rest of the afternoon looking at his photo album and the pictures that he had added to it in the last year. Pictures of Ginny and Sophie, Ron and Hermione, and he couldn't help but realize the sense of permanence Ginny's pictures brought about.

Maybe he was being overly sensitive this morning. Ginny was scared. After everything they had fought while they were in school and all of the life changing things that had happened... Ginny was always afraid of that personal risk. She was afraid especially after the last year... that he would walk away angry again.

He was done. He was done running away and he was done pretending that it didn't matter. It did matter. It mattered to him more than he cared to really dive into. He wanted to be with Ginny, and he had to convince her that she could in fact trust him again.

He would marry her one day, but only after convincing her that this long goodbye was over. They were through saying goodbye. After they broke up last year, there was a part of him that couldn't understand why. Ginny had always been in his heart. Why couldn't she see that? It was only after that he realized what she must have been going through.

He was with her, then he had to fight Voldemort, then he was with her, then he had to find Horcruxes, and all that time he was busy and distracted. She was left waiting and worrying and it was no wonder that when the excitement ended, she wanted to have peace for a while. Harry hadn't brought peace to her life. It was no wonder she chose seclusion over him.

Then she was pregnant. She did it all on her own, had the baby and afterwards... he'd been to angry to think of her while it seemed she was constantly thinking of him. She deserved to be taken care of. She deserved consistency in her life.

Harry just had to prove that he was someone she could count on. He was some one who could bring peace to her life. He was someone worth taking that personal risk for.

At around 4:00 Harry owled to say that he'd be over at 5:00 with dinner. Sophie was playing in her play pen and Ginny proceeded to get ready. She didn't know what she would say. She didn't know if there was anything to say.

They'd been trying to get it right for years now and it seemed that he was always leaving, she always had something to focus on that was just as important and she wondered if maybe all of that was a way for them to know... that maybe they weren't as important to each other as they had always thought.

After everything she had done that had hurt Harry in the past she couldn't help but think that maybe she didn't deserve to believe in silver linings. Maybe a silver lining was just too much to hope for.

When Harry came over at 5:00 his hair was its natural unruly, his clothes were nothing extraordinary but jeans and a polo were simple and comfortable. He was putting the flowers he had brought into a vase and setting the table for dinner.

When Ginny came out with Sophie just a few moments later... Harry's heart stopped. She was in every day clothes, but there was something about this set up that put his heart in his throat. He walked over to her calmly, he leaned in to take Sophie, as he was leaning in he put his arm around Ginny and kissed her. It was a simple gesture, as though they'd been doing it their whole lives.

As Harry took Sophie, Ginny stood there overwhelmed. She walked to the table on air. Harry pulled out her seat and she sat unsure of exactly what was about to transpire.

"So," Harry said sitting down at last, "I think we should date"

Ginny laughed at the absurdity "I get the feeling we are a little past dating at this point"

"I feel," Harry said with certainty "that dating is just what we need to trust each other again"

She got quiet

"The truth is Ginny, we've been saying some day for a long time, and I'm done with pretending that there is something more important than our family. There isn't. You and Sophie are what I want. However I think you were wise when you said that we have to be careful this time. More careful than we have been in the past. So like I said I think we should date. I would be honored to call myself your boyfriend, and to be able to tell Witch Weekly that I'm basically off the market"

She sat quietly taking it in, Harry's eyes were eager and she couldn't help but smile knowing that he was on edge. "Dating huh? You think you can win me over that easily?"

"I know a thing or two about a thing or two"

"What about Quidditch?" she'd wondered how they would handle this, what they would say when the time in fact came.

"I'll write you and visit you on any days off I have" his heart swelled, it would be nice to know he'd be coming home to someone after those long days on the road.

"You don't have to visit me on ALL your days off, to be honest there may be times that I can't do anything because of school" he laughed

"Well maybe I'll be visiting another lady in the area" he said smugly,

"Uh what do you-" Harry started cooing at Sophie... "Right" relief washed over her. They could do this.

That night the conversation flowed easily over dinner. Harry brought his schedule and Ginny got out her Syllabi and they talked about when they could see each other. It wasn't ideal but it was certainly better than nothing.

That evening Harry and Ginny spent by the fire watching Sophie play with her toys on a blanket. She would get upset when they got too close and it seemed like a miracle when they first heard her say "Ma-Dah-ee" which they perceived as a combination of "mama" and "daddy". They listened to music on the wireless and held Sophie until she fell asleep. When she did Ginny picked her up and carried her too her room to sleep.

When Ginny entered the room again she lingered in the doorway for an extra second just to take in her life for a moment. She supposed Harry could sense her gaze because he turned around and smiled and nodded for her to come and sit with him.

She snuggled herself beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. For the first time in a long time she felt safe and taken care of.

"You know, all through school, I longed to have moments like these with you," Harry said breaking the steady silence

"I know what you mean, it all seems too perfect," Harry took a moments pause,

"Its not perfect Ginny, this relationship will never be "perfect" with my pride and your independence it is never going to be a walk in the park, but you and I... have always fit" he sighed, "From the moment I met your family at the train station I realized that you lot were the family I had been missing. We fit because long before we had Sophie... we were family, not in a gross incestual way but in a way that says we'll sacrifice for each other because... thats what you do for the people you love"

"Harry," was all she could say, "I love you too"

They sat in the quiet for the rest of the evening and ended up falling asleep on the couch.

The next morning when Harry woke up the world seemed different, he and Ginny were finally together. There would be no leaving and there would be no more "will they won't they".

He slinked carefully away from Ginny. Stuffed a pillow under her head and drew the blanket over her legs. He went in to peer at Sophie who was starting to stir in her room. He changed her diaper and her clothes. He put her a blue jumper that made her eyes sparkle. Sophie giggled as Harry changed her clothes and smiled at him in a way that made his heart melt.

Harry placed her carefully in her high chair and made sure to put some dry cereal in front of her so she would have something to munch on while he made breakfast for Ginny.

Ginny woke up the next morning to the smell of bacon and eggs and Sophie giggling at some strange noise she guessed must be coming from the kitchen. When she finally rubbed her eyes and sat up she could finally hear what the noise was.

"Whos got pretty eyes? Well Sophie has the prettiest eyes," he was putting plates on the table and singing to Sophie when he said her name,

"And I say who has the sweetest smile? Well Sophie has the prettiest smile," he spun this time and Sophie clapped,

"And I say Sophie is my favorite girl, and Sophie's mom is my favorite lady-"

"And I say you are so busted" Ginny stood up giggling,

Harry was caught off guard though only for a moment, "What didn't I ever tell you that aside from my aspirations to be a World Renowned Defensive Wizard, World Class Quidditch Player, and the Worlds Most Eligible Bachelor... I greatly desire to be World Famous Pop Star" he did some kind of kick spin with his leg, and started dancing towards Ginny,

"Oh Harry Potter if your legion of fans could only see you now!" he pulled her in close and spun her around before wrapping her up into him. Behind her now he wrapped his arms around her and with his mouth right next to her ear he whispered,

"What would they say?" his voice spent chills down her spine, she turned around slowly,

"That I am the luckiest girl in all of the world," he smiled at her,

"I just want you to be happy," his eyes looked like those of a child, asking for the opportunity from Santa Claus

"Done," she whispered almost inaudibly. Even though Sophie was still smacking the table and giggling at the mess she was making, Harry and Ginny didn't notice. For a moment they just looked at each other. Everything else in the room had disappeared.

They kissed. One perfect kiss. It was the kind you give to someone when the only purpose is let them know just how much you care. There is no desperation because you already belong to each other. There is no hunger because they have already given you everything you need. The kiss is a token to remember, to pull out in times of sorrow, and remember a time when you were truly happy.

After breakfast Harry sat and played with Sophie while Ginny cleaned up. The houself would have taken care of it, but sometimes it was nice to be domestic to think of what life could be like. She finished cleaning, packed a bag for Sophie and went with Harry back to his flat to get his things and then followed him to the train station. It seemed that most of the other players had already arrived and were as such saying goodbye to their girlfriends and families.

"Oy Harry!" Oliver Wood waved and when he saw Ginny smiled as if to say 'I approve'

"You'll come to Scotland in two weeks with Sophie" Ginny nodded,

"And I'll see you the first week in December right?" It was like she was pleading her case for a dream to come true "And then Christmas at the Burrow with my family" they both seemed nervous, scared to be apart but thankful to be together.

"I wouldn't miss a moment Ginny," Sophie had fallen asleep on Ginny's shoulder, "I wish she was awake," Harry laughed

"Its her nap time after all" she forced a laugh, she was afraid if she didn't she might cry, "Oh, I'll miss you, so much,"

Harry's face was suddenly serious, "I'll miss you too but we will see each other, and I love you Ginny, more than... well more than I think I know how to put into words,"

"Kiss me," Ginny requested, Harry dropped is bag and leaned forward, placing his arms on her back, and pulling her in as though he'd never let her go. When he finally did she looked relieved,

"This isn't a dream, we're really doing this aren't we?" she said smiling,

"Finally, done with goodbye," He responded

"Good because that was a really long goodbye and I stink at goodbyes," she laughed as a tear fell down her face,

"I love you Ginny," He kissed her forehead and the top of Sophie's head, "I'll see you in two weeks,"

Ginny nodded, "We love you too, I- I love you too Harry," with that Harry turned quickly afraid if he didn't leave now he never would. As of now everything was as it should be. Well ALMOST as it should be.

Only a few chapters left. I hope you guys are satisfied with where this is going :-) PS thanks for reading. I can't believe the movie is FINALLY out :-) I cried a few times while watching it. I'm debating what my next fan fic will be about so sound off if you'd like!

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