A/N: Anddddd - I think it's done! I may write an epilogue at some point (famous last words; I think I've promised an epilogue in most of my stories), but everything else is finished. Thank you to those who read and commented; I appreciate it more than you know. I do have another story idea in mind but I need a bit of a break before I get into it. Who knows, maybe I'll write some of those epilogues first.

When Harry finally emerged from the house, there were dozens of flashbulbs and shouted questions all around. He ignored all of them; he'd done enough talking inside and Gawain could give a statement on behalf of the Aurors. The only person he wanted to talk to right now was standing just beyond the edge of the garden and it was to her he walked, his steps growing quicker the closer he got. Ginny held out her arm and he took it and whirled them both away.

Hotel Villa La Coste was both magical and ridiculously expensive, and because of those two things Harry had been able to make a reservation months ago that allowed him and Ginny to arrive whenever he wanted, no warning needed.

The bright sun that soaked the villa's sitting room was a stark contrast to the gloom of England and the warm breeze seemed to be everywhere. Ginny laid her head on his chest and he swayed with her, idly playing with her hair.

"We're staying here longer than just 24 hours," he said finally. "And not only because I need to sleep before I'll have enough stamina to make love to you as many times and in as many positions as I intend." He tilted his head back so he could look her in the face. "Why do I suspect that you didn't sleep either, all that time?"

Ginny shrugged. "I knew you'd come out, and be fine. And I wanted to be there when you did, not off at the Burrow having a kip." She looked around the room and sucked in a breath. "Is the entire wall opened up to the outside?"

"Probably," said Harry. "And it leads to our own private swimming pool. And the shower and tub warm up immediately, no waiting."

"It's perfect," said Ginny. Her face broke into an enormous yawn. Harry took her hand.

"If we sleep naked, we'll be able to get started that much faster when we wake up."

Ginny grinned and pulled off her heavy jumper.

"It's really too warm for all these clothes anyway."

For once, Harry woke up before Ginny, anticipation making it impossible for him to stay asleep any longer than absolutely necessary. He slipped carefully out of the ridiculously large and comfortable bed and, still naked, padded softly outside. The open wall really was convenient, he decided, as were the wards that assured no one - not even an owl flying overhead - could see them whether they were in the room or outdoors.

He walked slowly around the edge of the private pool, examining the tropical plants and lounging sofas that ringed the space, considering things. It was going to be like making love in a tropical version of the Burrow's pond, he thought, and his heartbeat quickened.

Decisions made, he found the small, carefully-placed coconut by the entrance to their room and whispered into it. Minutes later, trays of food appeared on a nearby table.

"That looks delicious."

Harry turned around to see Ginny leaning casually against the open doorway, watching him. Her hair was down around the sides of her face, blowing in the light breeze, and when she smiled at him, all the air rushed out of his lungs.

"Can you wait?" he asked when he found his voice. "To eat, I mean."

Ginny's eyes flicked downward and her smile grew a bit wicked. "I'm not sure I have a choice."

Harry walked forward and took her in his arms, adjusting himself between them. "You always have a choice."

"Well then, I choose you." The words might have been light, but Ginny's voice hitched at the end and when she tilted her head back to look at him, her eyes were very bright.

"I choose you too," Harry responded immediately. The words hung, heavy and loaded, in the air. He cleared his throat. "So, uhh, do you want to make love in the pool or on one of those lounging pods? For the first time, I mean." Ginny quirked her head to the side.

"What's a lounging pod? Sounds a bit like something Professor Sprout might grow in Greenhouse Five. A plant you can take naps in or something."

Harry chuckled. "You aren't far off." He took her hand and walked her outside. A large structure that looked rather like an opened clam made out of heavy straw faced the back end of the pool. Inside its "mouth" was a cushy looking mattress covered in a brightly striped cloth and a number of equally comfy pillows. Harry flicked his wand and water began running down an artfully-arranged pile of rocks at the edge of the pool just opposite. Ginny smiled.

"I love waterfalls," she said happily. "Let's start in the pod first and later you can go down on me while I'm floating on that raft." She pointed at the object. "Then tonight maybe in that outdoor shower."

Well as long as you have a plan," said Harry lightly. He started to lean down to kiss her but she stopped him with a hand on his chest. "Wait."

Harry froze. "Do I need to brush my teeth?" He cupped his hand over his mouth. "I did a freshening charm when I woke up but I can go to the loo if you'd rather me . . ." He paused. "Or what?"

Ginny's face had gone solemn. "Do you want to tell me what happened in the house first? What your parents said?" She gave a little shrug. "I mean, I know something pretty important must have happened in there during all those hours, right?"

Harry thought for a moment. His eyes flicked briefly back to their room and his robes, where the wooden box was hidden with a spell. He didn't think there was any way he could tell Ginny only part of what his parents had said and done, so if he wanted to talk about it with her now, that talk was going to end with a proposal. He knew Ginny was only thinking about his emotional state; history had shown that he usually needed time to process and share after seeing visions of his parents. Of course she'd worry he needed that again now, before anything physical happened.

And engagement sex was likely to be fantastic.

Still, he shook his head. "I do want to tell you, everything. But it's likely to take a while to explain it, and I don't feel a pressing need to get it all out this instant." He stepped closer. "I feel another kind of pressing need though."

Ginny groaned and swatted his arm. "That is absolutely horrible, Harry. Horrible. I should refuse to have sex with you as punishment for making a joke that bad."

He made a big show of stepping away from her. "If that's what you want, I'll respect your wishes, although if that's the case I'm going to ask you to please put some clothes back on." He gestured back at the lounging pod. "Did you bring a book? I won't interrupt if you'd like to read for a bit. I can start working on my reports and things for Gawain." He turned half away from her as if planning to walk back to the room, but before he could take a second step Ginny grabbed his hand and whirled him back to face her.

"Don't you dare," she said fiercely. Harry studied her for a moment, his eyes sweeping down from her face. As his gaze crossed her chest her nipples puckered as surely as if he'd touched them. He lowered his eyes more and Ginny gasped.

"How are you doing that?"

Harry dropped down to his knees.

"Power of anticipation, I expect," he said. He pressed his lips against her hip.

"I'm tired of anticipating," she said plainly. The want in her voice was palpable. Harry sat back on his heels and looked up at her. He thought about the box again, and its image warred with his very obvious physical desire. He took a deep breath.

"The lounging pod, then?" he asked. Without waiting for an answer he stood up and took her hand.

"You can scream as loud as you want," he said casually as he led Ginny carefully around the edge of the pool. "The wards are built into the air around the entire space. Not even rain can get in." He thought about the wards set at his parents' house. They'd also kept out the weather, despite the enormous hole blown in the wall of his nursery. Without them he'd likely never have found his parents' wands.

Ginny touched his cheek and he looked at her in confusion. "What is it?"

"You looked a million miles away," she said.

Harry gave her a rueful smile. "Is that how far it is to Godric's Hollow?" He sat her carefully down on the soft cushions of the lounge and tried to marshal his thoughts. Ginny tugged on his hand.

"I knew you needed to process everything first," she said.

Harry shook his head. "Not everything." He bent down and kissed her. "Wait here, I have something to show you." As soon as he said it, he knew the decision was the right one. He was tired of anticipating too, after all. Instead of Accio, he walked carefully back into the villa and to his cloak pocket. Ginny looked curiously at the wooden box. It was big enough that its contents weren't obvious; indeed, she might have thought it held Harry's baby teeth or something. He sat down next to her.

"My mum talked about a 'bed box' sometimes; this is it. It was attached to the underside of her mattress and today she told me to get it. It's the first thing I've taken out of the house. I didn't even write it on Dodge's blasted list first, not that I think he'll be anywhere to protest for a while." He was speaking too quickly, saying too many words, but he couldn't stop himself. Ginny gave him an indulgent smile.

"It's a beautiful box; is it Goblin-made?"

Harry shook his head. "It's Muggle. I don't know where she got it; she didn't tell me. Only that I needed to . . ." he shook his head. "I'm explaining this all wrong."

"Why don't you start at the beginning?" Ginny suggested. Harry shook his head again.

"The beginning's boring and doesn't have my parents in it.." He turned the box in his hands. "Well, they were there for a little while, but then they were gone again, before they came back." He stopped and looked her in the face. "They were meant to be Horcruxes. Or, one Horcrux."

Ginny didn't look as shocked as he'd expected and belatedly Harry considered that she might already know some of what he had to tell her. Still, her brow wrinkled. "Your parents?"

"Their wands," he clarified. "I guess Voldemort was planning to use them to make a Horcrux with my death. He'd started the ritual before he tried to kill me; got them open and ready to accept his bit of soul. It wouldn't have worked, of course; a wand would make a terrible Horcrux, but that's why they were able to talk to me."

"Bill thought he'd detected part of the Horcrux ritual but he wasn't able to confirm how far it had gotten. So they really talked to you? Your parents didn't just discuss things with each other and you understood what they meant?" GInny's voice was gentle; she was giving him a way out if Harry was merely relating his wishful thinking. But he didn't need it, and didn't need to say too much more either. He put the box down between them and took her hands.

"I'll tell you the rest later, but the most important thing is that they got to see you, and know how much I love you and how much you love me." He couldn't help but grin as the import of what he was about to do washed over him. "As you know, of course."

"Of course," Ginny murmured. Her eyes found his. Harry picked up the box again.

"I have a million things to say to you, and I will, but you've always known my heart and my mind better than I know myself," he said simply. "I know it won't surprise you to hear that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and that I want the rest of my life to start right now." He opened the box and took out the ring. "Ginny Weasley, will you marry me?"

"Of course I will," she said. Her lips twitched. "But maybe I don't know your mind as well as you think. I had no idea you were planning on asking me tonight."

Harry slipped the ring on her finger and then pulled her into his lap. "But you knew I was planning it."

"Of course," she said promptly. "But I'd envisioned something like a Christmas Eve walk in the orchard at the Burrow." She shifted in his lap until she was straddling him. "We can never tell a soul that we were both completely naked when it happened, you know."

"It was after a lovely breakfast on our private terrace and we were both in our pajamas," he said promptly. He lay back on the lounge's cushions and pulled Ginny flush against him. "And it's too bad our villa doesn't have a fireplace, which is why we couldn't make a Floo call right away." He snorted suddenly. "I really did ask you to marry me whilst starkers, didn't I? Is it terribly unromantic?"

"Harry, I don't think you could have been more romantic if you tried. I mean, look at this place." Ginny gestured expansively.

Harry began trailing his fingers up and down her body. "I wasn't exactly planning to ask you here; I mean, I didn't actually have a plan." His hand stopped in a particularly sensitive spot and Ginny shivered. "But when my mum gave me the ring, I knew it was time. It's much better than anything I'd been looking at."

Ginny held out her hand and admired the emerald. "It's perfect." She leaned over to grasp him. "Let's see how much moving around makes it sparkle."

Harry's chuckle turned into a sharp intake of breath when Ginny began to pump. "Oh, that feels good," he groaned. His head fell back onto the pillows.

"It's supposed to." Ginny's voice was further away than he expected and a moment later he understood why. His hips jerked when her mouth closed around him and Harry didn't try to bite back his groan. Instead, he propped himself up on his elbows to watch. Ginny stopped and peered up at him.

"Are you trying to finish faster so we can get to the part where you go down on me on the raft?"

Harry grinned. "Nah, I just like to watch."

Ginny bent over him again and he lost his train of thought. She wasn't wrong though; watching Ginny give him a blow job always got him close to climax quickly. Normally he'd try to draw things out or even stop her so he could finish inside her, but right now it felt like they had all the time in the world. He sat up a little bit more and played with Ginny's hair while her mouth worked him up and down. After his climax he pulled her up his body and cuddled her against him.

"This isn't why I asked you, but I knew engagement sex would be fantastic," he said eventually. "And I'm very curious to see how it feels on that raft."

Ginny rolled off him and onto her side. "I hope neither of us gets seasick," she said with a grin.

Fortunately, neither of them got queasy, and after Harry got her to climax not once, but twice, they floated leisurely in the warm water before finally climbing out to eat the food Harry had ordered. Over platters of tiny sandwiches and fruit and crisps Harry finally told Ginny the rest of what had happened in Godric's Hollow. She was alternatively furious and delighted and emotional as he explained what Dodge and the Death Eaters had tried to do and how his parents had helped stop them.

"They were solid enough at the end to give me a hug." Harry doubted he'd ever tell anyone else that part. Now Ginny was the solid presence beside him and he was more grateful for that than he could convey. They were quiet together for a while, and only when the plates had been banished and they climbed back into the bed did she ask another question.

"You left the wands at the house?"

Harry knew what she meant. "They aren't going to work anymore. My parents told me everything they could. And it's enough."

Ginny snuggled into his side. "I still have to help you make a list of everything you want to keep," she said. Under the blanket she hitched one leg across his waist. "Later."

Harry rolled to face her. "Much later. Right now I think we need to have more engagement sex."