Harry woke up and stretched his arms. It felt good. There was no pain in his body. Everything had finally healed. Voldemort had been defeated for a few months now and all of the Death Eaters were in Azkaban. For the first time ever, life felt simple and good. Harry stood up and almost hit his head on Ron’s low ceiling. He could hear his friend's low snores coming from the bed on the other side of the room. He chuckled and began to get dressed.

When he was putting on his socks, Ron awoke with a start. He sat up and mumbled something. As he saw Harry he sighed, “I keep forgetting you’re in here, Mate! Are you going to Godric’s Hollow?� Harry nodded as he looked for his trainers. “Construction…you know…� Ron rubbed at his eyes and flopped his feet to the floor. They danced around until they made their way into his slippers.

“How long is it going to be until you can move in?� Ron asked as he stood up, his head dangerously close to the ceiling.

“I don’t know,� said Harry, “but I hope that when I do, your sister is with me.� Harry didn't have any shame talking about Ginny in front of Ron anymore, but Ron had a different opinion on the matter.

His ears turned red, “Don’t talk about being with my sister around me! It's rather odd…my best mate with my little sister…� He shuddered and stuck his tongue out. “Keep your love life to yourself.�

Harry laughed and casually asked, “How long is it going to be until you and Hermione get together?�

“What!?� Ron straightened up so fast that his head hit his ceiling. He rubbed at the bump, “Me and Hermione? What are you talking about?�

“Come on, you’ve fancied each other for ages. How long do we all have to wait before either of you realizes it?�

“Come off it! Hermione and me? You’re off your rocker!� Ron pulled his shirt on over his head. Harry could see that he was blushing profusely. "Merlin, Harry..."

“If you say so, but I’m not the only one who thinks that. Everyone does! Even your mother!� By this time Harry had both of his trainers on and his hair somewhat under control. “Ponder that while I go do something productive that doesn’t make me gape like an idiot.�

Ron closed his mouth, which had been hanging open. Harry left him standing there confused and went down to the kitchen. As he passed Ginny’s room he couldn’t help but look in and smile at her. She was sitting by her window with Hermione. Her red hair was tied in a ribbon. She looked beautiful, even in jeans and a t-shirt. She smiled back but kept on talking. Hermione didn’t even seem to notice him.

Harry entered the kitchen and sat down next to Fred. “What are you doing here?� he asked. Right after he said it he realized how rude it had been. “Sorry, it’s just that you’re usually at your shop.�

Fred nodded, “George is taking over today so I can have some quality time with my favorite…er…favorite Harry building his house.� He smiled sheepishly at his word choice, but gave Harry a firm clap on the back nonetheless.

“You don’t have to,� Harry insisted. “After all, Bill, Charlie, Ron, and your Dad are already helping me.�

“Exactly why George and I decided to take turns coming to help. We figure the sooner you get out of here, the sooner you and Ginny get back together. You were good for her, you know, even if you do attract far too much attention. Therefore, we help.�

Harry didn’t know what to say. He smiled and took a piece of toast off of the pile. Soon he would be able to go home for good. The Burrow was as much of a home as he had ever known but now he had his parent’s old home in Godric’s Hollow to look forward to. It had been left to him and as soon as the needed repairs were done he would get to move in.

“Bill and Charlie are already there trying to get some pixies out of the curtains in one of the guest bedrooms. Apparently Charlie’s ears are about three times their normal size because they keep launching him out of the window using his ears as handles. I would pay big money to see him bouncing down the street with ears the size of dinner plates.�

Harry finished his toast and waved to Fred, “I’ll see you in a bit then. I assume you are going to wait for your dad and Ron. Ron will be down in a bit. He was waking up when I left.� Fred saluted him and went back to his eggs.

Harry Apparated to Godric’s Hollow and he heard Bill’s shouts immediately. “STOP GRABBING HIS EARS.� He heard a loud crash. Somebody cursed loudly.

Harry rushed up the stairs and went into the nearest guest room. About six pixies had Charlie Weasley by the ears and were pulling him toward the window. Bill had given up using magic and was beating them with his wand. Harry whipped his own wand out and shouted,“Stupefy!� The pixies were small so his spell took out two at once. He repeated his several times until all of Charlie’s pixies were lying stunned on the floor around him.

“Thanks for that,� he panted as he slowly shrunk his ears back to their normal size. He scooped up all of the pixies and stuck them in a bag. “I think we’re going to donate these to Hogwarts. They’ll have a need for them somewhere. Is that all of them?� He gingerly poked his wand at the curtains. Nothing flew out at him so he sighed and sat on the floor.

“What’s next?� asked Harry eagerly. Charlie gave him a looked of pure hatred and threw himself back to the floor and let out a moan. Harry instead asked Bill who looked around the room with his hands on his hips, trying to find something else that needed to be done.

“We could straighten up this room. That wouldn’t take much magic and there is no big chance for injury.� Harry agreed and Charlie grunted.

They had been cleaning up and repairing Godric’s Hollow since Harry had defeated Voldemort and learned that the house was his. They had recently finished the downstairs and had begun working on the bedrooms. Charlie had come back from Romania to help and Bill had taken time away from Fleur each day as well. They two of them had put a lot of work into the house and Harry was very grateful.

It took about half an hour to clean and straighten up the room. Bill then mentioned that there was a boggart in the wardrobe of the master bedroom and some doxies in Harry’s old room.

Harry decided to tackle the boggart. Right before he opened the wardrobe door he heard a crack. He heard Ron yell something at Fred. Mr. Weasley yelled something at Ron. Fred started to yell something at his father when Ron hit him with a jinx. Harry ran down the stairs as Fred started on Ron. He pulled them apart, quickly telling Fred and Mr. Weasley that Charlie and Bill were in his old room taking care of some doxies and needed assistance. When then had gone up the stairs, Harry gave Ron a look and led him up the stairs to the master bedroom.

“There’s a boggart in there,� he said pointing at the door. “It’s going to become a dementor but I’m going to change it into Fred in a pink cloak and he’s going to trip over it and fall on his face. Then you laugh, got it?� Harry had his wand pointed directly at Ron’s face. He was sick of Ron always starting fights with his brothers. “Uh-huh…� whined Ron looking at Harry’s wand. Harry lowered it and made his way to the wardrobe. He pulled open the door and a dementor flew out. He saw it’s scaly hands reaching toward him. As it was lowering its hood he shouted “Riddikulus!� All of a sudden the cape turned a bright shade of pink and the hood fell down revealing Fred. He shouted and tripped over the hem of the cape and fell onto his face. Ron let out a loud “HA!� and the boggart disappeared with a wave of Harry’s wand.

“Thanks,� he said to Ron. “Don’t mention it,� said Ron, pink in the face and slightly flustered.

As they were walking out of the door Ginny and Hermione came hurrying up the stairs.

Hermione hugged Harry and then Ron. Ron blushed when she hugged him. “Good morning!� she said. Ginny stood just behind her and looked at Harry. He smiled and she looked down at the floor. This had gone on long enough. They had to talk.

“Ginny…can we talk for minute?� He asked casually, hoping no one else would detect anything suspicious. She looked up and nodded.

They walked down the stairs and into the backyard. Harry sat on a bench just outside the door and patted the seat next to him. Ginny sat down gingerly as though she was on pins.

“How are you?� she asked awkwardly. Harry could tell that she was trying to keep things friendly.

“Ginny, I’m sick of just being your friend! I only said that because of Voldemort! Now that he’s gone everything can go back to normal! I miss you…I love you…� He knew that the outburst was sudden and to the point, but he'd been holding it all in for far too long.

Ginny blinked back tears. Harry was surprised because she hadn’t even cried when they had split up. She took his hand in her own, “I didn’t think you were ever going to say that!� she cried, “I love you too, Harry James Potter and if you don’t kiss me right now I think I’ll explode!� She pulled his face over to hers and put her lips up to his, caressing his face in her hands like she hadn't been able to do for over a year.

Harry kissed her back just as eagerly. He had hardly expected this to go this well. In fact, he had expected her to call him a jerk for waiting so long and then hate him for even thinking that she still had feelings for him. He put his arms around her and pulled their lips apart, holding her close to him. He felt her put her head on his shoulder and then her hot, happy tears spilling onto his shirt. He could smell the familiar floral scent of her hair, and it was the best thing in the world. She had just finished school the previous year so they had their entire lives to be together just like they were at this moment.

He heard happy cheers and looked up to see everyone piled around an upstairs window watching them. He looked back down and Ginny grinned up at him. He kissed her nose lightly, “It’s good to be home.�

Ginny took Harry’s hands in her own. They had only been back together for a week but it already felt as though they’d never been apart. She had Harry blindfolded as she led him down the long drive. Harry could feel his excitement building. Ginny had told him that she had a surprise for him. He didn’t know what it could be. She had taken him blindfolded on the Knight Bus to a quiet street somewhere; that had been an adventure in itself. Now, she had him by the hands and was leading him to an unknown destination.

“Ginny, where are we going?� He asked, knowing she wouldn't tell him anyway. He tripped slightly on a crack in the road, but kept going.

Ginny laughed at his klutzy moment, “You’ll see.� She kept moving forward on the same road. Soon she turned onto a different drive.

All of a sudden Ginny stopped. She squared Harry’s shoulders and turned him slightly until she had him facing the way she wanted. She stood behind him and began to untie his blindfold.

“Ok…Now!� She ripped the blindfold away and Harry’s jaw dropped. They were standing outside Godric’s Hollow, but it wasn’t the same place that it had been. All of the windows had been replaced and curtains had been added. The door had been painted a cheery red to match the newly added flowers that filled boxes in the windows. He walked up the front path of cobblestones and looked at even more flowers that lined it. He was surprised to see that they were all different colored lilies.

“Mum…� He stooped down and fingered the petals of a pink flower. Tears welled in his eyes.

He felt Ginny’s hand on his shoulder. “There’s more to see.�

Harry stood up and walked with Ginny through the front door. Everything was clean and shiny. The grand staircase that ran up the left side of the entrance way sparkled and glittered due to it's newly polished surface. He walked into the room to the right of him and found a fire in the large fireplace. Pictures were waving at him from above the mantle. He saw pictures of himself, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Sirius, The Weasleys, and right in the middle was a large picture of his parents. Harry choked back tears once more. This was amazing. He couldn’t believe that the Weasley’s and Hermione loved him enough to do all of this for him.

Harry walked all the way around to every room in the house. There were no more magical creatures in the furniture or dirt in the corners. Everything was clean and creature free. When Harry came back downstairs the entire Weasley family was sitting in his father’s old library. This was the only room Harry hadn’t seen yet. His father’s entire collection of books had been restored to their old glory and elegance. Every shelf in the room was full with volumes of every shape and size. Ron came over and clapped him on the back.

“Are you ready to move all your stuff in? Then you’d really be able to call this home…�

Harry nodded and grinned as he looked around the room again, “Home…�

Over the next three days Harry and the Weasleys managed to get all of his things into Godric’s Hollow and put in their proper places. It wouldn’t have taken them quite as long if some of his things hadn’t broken or come up missing. They spent an entire day in Diagon Alley shopping for replacements for all these lost and broken items. Soon Godric’s Hollow was fit for Harry to move in.

The day he left the Burrow, Mrs. Weasley broke down into tears, “Harry, you’re actually leaving! I’m going to miss you, dear! You come visit every day, better yet, you can come to dinner every day! Oh, Harry—�

“Mrs. Weasley, please. I’m not going that far and if you need me, you know where to find me.� Harry patted her comfortingly on the back.

“You’re right…sorry, dear. I overreacted a bit…� Mrs. Weasley hugged him again and stepped aside for someone else to say goodbye.

Ron put his hand on Harry’s shoulder, “Thanks, Mate!�

“What for?�

“I get my room back to myself!�

Hermione made a noise somewhere between a sob and a gag. “Is that all you can say, Ron? Your best friend is leaving to go out on his own and all you care about is your stupid room?�

“Hermione, it’s not like he’s dying! He’s right here! And—�

“Funny thing, I actually am right here, and I can hear everything the two of you are saying!� Harry cut in.

“Right,� said Ron glaring at Hermione.

“Well, goodbye! Don’t forget to write!� Harry shoved them all out the door except for Ginny, leaning against it and letting out a sigh. “Merlin, that felt good!�

“What did?� asked Ginny, putting her arms around his neck.

“Slamming the door to my own house!� Harry smiled and gave her a small peck.

“How long do you think it will take them to realize that I’m not with them?� asked Ginny, casually running her fingers through the back of his hair.

Harry thought and then said, “I’ll give it three…two…one…� There was a knock on the door. “Told you,� he said smiling.

She laughed and kissed him quickly before opening the door and walking out. “I’m coming! I’m coming!� she called. Harry saw her flip her hair over her shoulder and wave to him before Bill closed the door once more.

“Alone at last,� Harry sighed. Even though he'd rather Ginny had stayed, it felt good to be alone in his new home for the first time. He walked around the house. It was oddly quiet and lonesome. Every step he took he expected to hear a loud noise or explosion as was common in the Weasley house, especially with Fred and George home. He sat on the edge of his bed and leaned backward, putting his weight on his hands. Home was wherever Ginny was, not here. He grabbed a quill and a piece of parchment and began to write a letter:

Ginny,
I can’t get you off my mind. Come visit me as soon as you can get out of the house. I don’t care what time it is. I’ll be waiting for you.
Love always,
Harry

He gave the letter to Hedwig who took flight immediately. He watched her fly off into the distance. It should only take an hour or two and Ginny would have his letter safely in her hands. Harry sighed. He could imagine her opening the letter and the smile on her face when she read his message. Suddenly he heard a car drive by. It only lasted a second but it was enough for Harry to notice the quiet once more. He did not remember ever being somewhere this quiet and still while the sun was still shining.

When he walked into the kitchen, he saw a note pinned to the fireplace. It read:

Harry,
We are all going to miss you. You may have been a git at times, but we love you just the same. Ron says that you are a prat and thanks you very sincerely for giving him back his room. Ginny sends her love in any form you wish to receive it. In addition, I, Hermione give you only the best of luck in your new house. We love you, Harry!
Hermione, Ron, and Ginny

Harry smiled and folded the letter. He slid it into his pocket for later. At least Ron was being optimistic about this whole thing. Hermione only wished him luck. She did not say whether she was happy or sad about him leaving. She did say that they would all miss him, but they were supposed to say that. At least he knew that Ginny really loved and missed him terribly.

Harry sat in his father’s old library and pulled a big book of the shelves. It did not have a title but he opened it anyway. It was a book that his father must have read a countless number of times because all of the pages were old and worn. It had the name James Potter scribbled in the inside cover. Harry scanned the first page and found it to be a book about a witch and a wizard who were deeply in love. Harry stuck his tongue out. He couldn’t imagine his father being interested in something that reminded him of a Muggle romance novel.

He put the book back on the shelf. He found a copy of Quidditch Through the Ages and settled down into an armchair to look it over. He hadn’t read that book since he was in his sixth year. Soon, lost track of the time and before he knew it Hegwig was rapping on the window with his answer.

He scrambled to the window and let her climb into the room. She held out her leg diligently and let him untie the scroll of paper. Ginny wrote that she would be there first thing in the morning and her mother said that she could stay all day. She even mentioned that Ron and Hermione might come a bit later. Harry set down the letter on the table in the library. His friends were coming. He wouldn’t be alone anymore. Ginny was coming home…

Harry went into the front room with all of the pictures. There was one of him and Ginny in her last year of school. She was kissing him on the cheek under the mistletoe. It had been her Christmas break and she had surprised Harry with a sprig of ‘nargle free mistletoe’ as she had called it. The memory made Harry laugh. He spent the remainder of the evening sitting in front of the fire watching his face turn red again and again.

He finally dozed off fully clothed on his big king-sized, four-poster bed, ready for a full day with Ginny.

Harry woke up to the smell of coffee and bacon. He sniffed the air and followed the scent all the way to the kitchen. He walked in and saw Ginny standing by the stove with her wand out making strips of bacon fizz and pop. She didn’t see him come in so he stood there for a moment just watching her. She pushed a lock of hair out of her face and gathered all of the bacon on a plate. He walked forward as she turned around and found herself nose to nose with him.

“Oh, Harry! You scared me!� Ginny gasped, almost dropping the plate of bacon. Harry laughed and kissed her softly. “Surprise?� she said holding out the plate.

“No more surprises, okay? You have done more than enough just by coming here.�

Ginny smiled and bowed her head. Harry caught sight of her red face and hid a chuckle.

She tucked her hair behind her ears and smirked again. “So,� she said. “What now?�

“I don’t care,� said Harry, “as long as I’m with you.�

“Quit being sappy!� she retorted. “No matter how cute it makes you look.�

“Really?� asked Harry as he straightened his glasses.

“Of course,� said Ginny, “but I’m your girlfriend, so I have to say that.�

“Thanks,� said Harry sarcastically. “Are Ron and Hermione coming today?�

“Maybe later…but they were kind of…umm…preoccupied.�

“Preoccupied?� asked Harry. He raised his eyebrows and looked at her, extremely curious.

“Let’s just say that Ron took your advice and Hermione took mine.�

“Finally,� sighed Harry with relief. “So, we’re probably going to have a whole day just to ourselves.�

Ginny walked out of the kitchen and into the front room. Harry followed her puzzled. She threw herself onto the couch and patted the seat next to her, “I guess so…�

Harry fell down beside her and hugged her to his chest. She was warm and he could hear her every breath. This was perfect. This was what he wanted every day to be like for the rest of his life…the rest of their lives. He inhaled the scent of her hair and stroked it gently. This was heaven. This might even be better than heaven. He had Ginny—the love of his life—in his arms and he didn’t have to worry about any sudden attacks or any prophecies or foretelling; this was just him and Ginny.

Ginny stirred and raised her head to look into his deep green eyes. She had never been more in love, or more comfortable around anyone. She started to say something but Harry put a finger to her lips and said, “Shh, don’t talk…� Ginny closed her eyes and bit her lip. She nodded reluctantly.

“Fine, one thing,� said Harry as he noticed how upset she looked. He had wanted to remain in his thoughts, but he couldn’t stand to upset Ginny even with something this small.

“I was just going to say how much I love you.� Ginny laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled in close. It wasn't anything she hadn't said before, but it was something she hadn't said in a very long time.

Harry smiled and locked his arms tight around her like he would never let go. “I love you too, Ginny.� She looked up and kissed him lightly with her eyes closed. She opened them and saw the love for her fill his eyes. This moment it was just the two of them in the world. It would have lasted forever, but….

A loud knock sounded at the door to Godric’s Hollow. Harry awoke with a start. Ginny had her head on his chest and her eyes, too, opened immediately at the noise.

“HARRY! OPEN UP!� came a loud yell from the other side of the door. “DON’T MAKE ME MAGIC MY WAY IN THERE!�

“I’m coming, Hermione!� yelled Harry as he stood up and stretched his arms. He rushed to the door and called out, “What are you doing here?�

“What do you mean, ‘what am I doing here?’ Ginny said that you invited me!� Hermione yelled as she continued to bang on the door with every once of strength she possessed.

“Oh, yeah,� said Harry and he immediately regretted not telling Ginny to come alone in that letter. “Forgot,� Harry mumbled sympathetically as he unbolted the door.

“Finally,� cried Hermione as she stepped into the entrance way. “I thought I’d be out there for ages!�

“Sorry,� said Harry. “Dozed off…�

Ginny came in from the sitting room and waved at Hermione. “Where’s my brother? And why are you out of breath? What happened?�

“Ginny, can we talk? I have so much to tell you! Loads has happened and I don’t know what to do with myself!� Hermione walked through the door that Ginny just came out of and threw herself down on the couch.

“Of course we can talk. What has happened since I left this morn-oh, Harry!� Ginny jumped, suddenly remembering that Harry was still there. “Can you let us talk for a moment?�

“Go ahead,� said Harry as he leaned against the wall.

“Alone,� said Hermione quietly, giving him an apologetic look.

“Oh, sorry! I’ll just go to the kitchen, or my bedroom, or the library, or—or something,� said Harry as he slowly backed out of the room. There was no way he even remotely wanted to listen to their girl talk anyway. Whatever they had to discuss, he'd be much better off entertaining himself for a few minutes.

“Thank you,� mouthed Ginny from the couch. Harry nodded curtly and made his way towards the kitchen.

After what seemed like hours, Ginny found Harry in the kitchen and sat down next to him. “A lot is changing around here.� She laughed and shook her head. “You won’t believe what’s happened. I mean, we’ve wanted it for so long…�

“What’s happened?� asked Harry, now filled with mild curiosity. “What did Hermione tell you?�

“Harry, you might want to stay seated. This is going to impact your life – everything is going to change. It’s a good thing, though,� she assured him, seeing the look on his face.

“I’m glad you explained yourself so well,� Harry said, rolling his eyes. He was expecting something along the lines of Hermione was now going to be living at The Burrow so that Mrs. Weasley had someone else to spoil, or Fred and George had sold their store and everyone was distraught. What he heard, was a completely different story.

“Ron and I are getting married,� said Hermione from the doorway. “He’s only just asked me.� She sat down at the table and put her head in her hands. “It’s a funny story actually.�

“I’d like to hear it,� said Harry patiently, though his insides were flipping every which way and his mind felt like it was imploding on itself. Married? Ron and Hermione? Hadn't it been just a couple weeks ago that Ron hadn't even realized she'd fancied him?

“Well, it started almost right after Ginny left this morning. Ron and I were cleaning up after breakfast and one thing led to another and soon…we let’s just say we “discovered� what the other had to offer. Mrs. Weasley found us—er, snogging on the kitchen floor and demanded for us to leave her house. She said that no snogging would happen in her house unless the couple was rightfully married or engaged to be so. Well, Ron couldn’t have that. He looked at his mother and then me, and he asked me to marry him.�

“And you agreed?� asked Harry. “Just like that?� Harry couldn’t contain his disbelief. This was very much out of both of his friend’s characters.

“Just like that,� said Hermione quietly. She, too was amazed with her own forwardness to accept.

“Why isn’t he here with you?� asked Harry. “Shouldn’t he have come too? Surely you didn’t already have a fight?�

Hermione laughed and shook her head, obviously still flustered, but happy nonetheless. “No, his mother was torn between outrage that Ron would ask something like that without a fair bit of thought, and joy that I would be joining the family. She told Ron to de-gnome the garden and then they would have a talk about responsible decisions before he could come here too.�

“I see,� said Harry. “So he should be here any moment then?�

“I suppose so,� said Hermione with a large smile on her face. “I’ve always fancied an Autumn wedding…� She sighed dreamily and stared off into space. It was as though she and Ron had been dating for years, but in reality, they hadn't dated at all.

“Autumn?� gasped Ginny. “But Hermione! You do realize that autumn is only a couple months away, don’t you?� Ginny couldn’t believe how quickly Hermione and Ron were rushing into things. They had only gotten engaged that morning.

“Yes, I know,� sighed Hermione, “and I’m going to have difficulty waiting that long.� Harry knew that Hermione had had feelings for Ron for a long time, but this was almost too much for him to take.

He banged his head down on the table. To think, only moments before his life had been almost normal. He sat up straight when a bang on the door signified Ron’s arrival.

Hermione jumped to her feet and cried, “How’s my hair?�

“Bushy,� said Ginny quickly without even thinking. Hermione gave her a worried look, so Ginny replied, “Oh, did you want me to lie? It looks straight, then.� Hermione put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips doing a very good imitation of Mrs. Weasley. Ginny tried again, “I mean…it looks….nice? But since when have you ever cared about your hair—?�

Hermione ignored Ginny’s comments and turned to Harry, “Are you going to get that, or shall I?� Her impatience was growing with the volume of Ron’s knocking.

“Oh, are you ready for me to answer the door now? I thought we were fretting over our hair,� Harry teased. He patted his own messy locks down to his head. “How’s mine?�

“Harry!� shouted Hermione angrily.

“Well, you did sound a bit like Parvati or Lavender…� said Ginny solemnly. “You’ve never cared about your hair before, and it’s just Ron.�

“I suppose I have to do everything myself,� said Hermione as she backed towards the kitchen door.

“I’ll get it,� sighed Harry. “It was a legitimate remark, though.�

“Door,� said Hermione, tapping her foot impatiently. She had never been so anxious to see Ron.

“Women,� said Harry as he walked past her.

Ginny followed Harry into the hall moments later. He was about to let Ron in when she stopped him. “Wait a second, Ron!� she shouted suddenly. “I lost an earring back!�

“Oh, for the love of Merlin!� shouted Ron. He ceased pounding and crossed his arms. “Hurry up, will you?�

“Wait a minute,� said Harry quietly. “You’re not even wearing earrings.� His curiosity was building. Ginny obviously had something in mind.

“Shh,� said Ginny as she put one finger to her lips. “I thought this would be a day just the two of us,� she whispered. “I’m sorry that I asked them to come over as well.�

“You’re here so nothing else matters,� said Harry, hoping that she wouldn’t hear the frustration in his voice.

“I wanted this day to be perfect,� said Ginny quietly. She didn’t know how to say exactly what she wanted. Harry had a way of making her hands clammy and her heart pound.

“It was,� said Harry. “I'm still getting to spend an entire day with you.� He kissed her softly and wrapped her in a giant hug. “Never think that I’m upset when you are with me. You could make anything bad disappear in an instant. I love you, Ginny.�

Ginny looked up and swallowed quickly. She blinked and decided to go for it. “Harry?�

“What?�

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and with recent events being what they are…Will you marry me?�

Harry gaped at Ginny for what felt like hours. “Marry you?� he asked softly. Ron could still be heard banging on the door. “Ginny, I- I don’t know what to say.�

“Say you’ll marry me,� said Ginny, stepping closer to Harry. “I know that I should wait for you to ask-if you were even going to ask- but I can’t wait for you anymore! I’m sorry, Harry, but you’re kind of slow…�

“How do you figure?� asked Harry defensively. “We’re still really young!� Even as he said it, Harry realized that he just said the one thing that he was always so defensive about. They weren’t young. They were of age and could do exactly as they pleased. For heaven's sake, Ron and Hermione were getting married on a whim after they'd snogged once, so why shouldn't he and Ginny get married, too?

“Look at how long it took you to ask me out again after You-Know-Who- I mean Voldemort- was gone!� cried Ginny. “Who knows how long it would be before you got the guts to pop the question! I can’t wait for you forever, Harry. Mum will be thrilled at the idea of having two weddings to plan and we’ve known each other for almost ten years, now. I mean, we could wait until after Ron and Hermione’s wedding, so we’d have a bit of a long engagement, but I don’t care as long as I know that we’re going to be together for the rest of our lives! We’ve been in love for three years, Harry, and I’m not about to let you ruin everything by waiting ages for us to move up to the next step in our relationship. I’ve wanted to marry you since… since I was ten, actually, but that’s not the point.� Slowing down, she continued, “The point is that we love each other… shouldn’t that be enough?� Ginny gazed into his eyes with such a fire that Harry had never seen before.

He had to admire the fire in her eyes as well as the meaning of her words. “Well, I was kind of hoping to ask you, but you beat me to the punch. You know I love you, Ginny Weasley, with everything inside of me. I’m not too pleased with the idea of a long engagement because if I could, I’d marry you right here, right now. But if a long engagement is the only way, then fine. Yes, Ginny, I’ll marry you. I won’t have a ring right away, but I’m yours if you’ll still have me… but I think we better wrap up this moment, though, before Ron breaks down my door.�

Happy tears poured down Ginny’s face as she laughed. It was the first time Harry ever recalled seeing her cry. “You’re right, he is knocking awful hard," she laughed. Before he had a chance to open the door, though, she grabbed his arm and asked, "Why would you think a ring would matter to me? Especially when I kind of just sprung this on you unexpectedly…�

“I’ll say,� said Harry as he flung open the door. Ron stood there with his fist still raised as though he were about to strike Harry in the face.

“What took you so long?� asked Ron.

“Found it,� muttered Ginny as she picked up an imaginary earring back off the floor. “They’re just so small, Ron, and I didn’t want you to accidentally step on it or kick it. Then, I would have never found it.�

“Ginny, you’re a witch. Couldn’t you summon it, or something? I swear, you are the strangest sister I could have ever asked for. Wait—do you even have pierced ears?� asked Ron.

Ginny opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again.

“Never mind,� muttered Ron. “Next time I’m not even knocking,� he warned.

“Ron!� cried Hermione as she tore through the door, knocked Harry out of the way, and leaped into Ron’s arms.

“Oomph!� said Ron. “Hello, Hermione. I missed you, too.� Harry rolled his eyes dramatically as Hermione planted kisses all over Ron's face.

“Oh, by the way,� said Ginny quietly, “Harry and I have some good news…�

The next few hours were spent in Harry’s kitchen going over plans for the future. Hermione wanted a wedding in late summer or early autumn, which worked perfectly because it was still July. Plans for an August wedding went into effect as Harry and Ginny tried to settle on a month.

“I don’t want a winter wedding,� said Ginny. “It’ll be too cold. I don’t mind snowmen or snowball fights, but I don’t want the best day of my life to be ruined by a snowstorm.�

“How about spring?� asked Harry. “Autumn is kind of cutting it close to Ron and Hermione’s, but spring is nice…and they’ll be loads of flowers.�

“Yes, but it’ll be rainy,� said Ginny. “And again, my wedding would be ruined by a storm.�

“How about early June?� suggested Hermione. “The weather will be warm and the rainy season will be ending. It’ll be a long wait, but I’m sure it will be worth it.�

“June?� asked Ginny. “I’ll be almost nineteen and Harry will be nearly twenty so that’s good…the weather sounds nice, too. What do you think, Harry?�

“June it is!� Harry said in triumph. “Finally,� he added in a whisper to Ron.

“I’m with you, Mate,� said Ron. “Mine is next month, so just think how I feel.�

“Sorry…� said Harry sympathetically, though he could tell that Ron was thrilled to finally have his emotions for Hermione out in the open.

“So, Harry, when shall I tell Mum?� asked Ginny suddenly.

“Your mother? Oh, I don’t know…Isn’t she going to be mad because you’re still only seventeen?�

“I’ll be eighteen, and that’s nearly the same age Ron and Hermione are!�

“Correction,� said Hermione. “I’m going to be a few weeks away from twenty come my wedding. You’ll only be a couple months shy of nineteen. That’s a bit different.�

“Mother will fall for it,� said Ginny. “Besides, I’m mature for my age, and she adores Harry!�

“Good point,� said Harry. “She does love me, doesn’t she?�

“Don’t let your head get too big, or it’ll blow up,� warned Ron. “I’d tell her now, Ginny. She’ll only get angrier if you keep it from her. If she is anything like anybody else, she’ll just be happy that the two of you are finally getting married for good and not keeping up with this stupid on-again off-again thing you’ve got going on.�

“You’re sure?� asked Ginny, turning the tables with who was usually the confident one of the two.

“When have you ever worried about what Mum thinks?� asked Ron with raised eyebrows.

“Ok, I’ll do it,� said Ginny, Disapparating on the spot.

“Not wasting any time, is she?� Hermione commented. “Harry, we’d better go too. I’d say you should go alone, but I don’t think you want to leave us in your house.�

“I don’t care if you are alone in my house,� he said. “But if you want to come…�

“We’ll stay,� said Ron a bit too quickly. “Or, we could go too…� he said slowly as he caught Hermione’s glare.

“Thanks,� said Harry as he Apparated to the Burrow.

Harry appeared on the front lawn of the Burrow, followed moments later by Ron and Hermione. Ron prodded him in the back and he felt his feet move across the lawn toward the house. Ginny was already in the kitchen talking with Mrs. Weasley. Harry could hear every word from the sitting room where he was standing.

“We love each other, and it seems silly to wait any longer. Ron and Hermione were thinking about an August wedding, so Harry and I thought we would wait until next June. I’ll be almost nineteen, so I think I’ll be plenty old enough, especially with almost a year-long engagement. What do you think?�

“How long are you planning on waiting until you move into Godric’s Hollow?� asked Mrs. Weasley coldly.

“We haven’t really talked about it…� Ginny replied softly. “We were sort of preoccupied with the whole wedding thing.�

“Ginny, I don’t know whether to be upset with you or overjoyed.�

“Overjoyed would be the best option,� said Harry as he walked into the kitchen, not sure if he was walking into a battle zone or not, but it didn't really matter.

“Oh, Harry!� said Mrs. Weasley. “How do you feel about all of this?�

“I’m still sort of numb to it, actually,� said Harry honestly, pulling up a chair beside Ginny.

“Do you really want to get married?� asked Mrs. Weasley, obviously trying to protect her youngest child.

“Well, you know, Mrs. Weasley that I’ve always felt like a member of this family and I love your daughter very much. It’s logical that the next step would, of course, be marriage.� The whole topic of conversation felt a bit strange to Harry, but he managed to keep a straight face. He'd always thought of Mrs. Weasley as his own mother, so discussing marrying Ginny with her was not an easy talk to be having.

“But, so soon? You two still have your whole lives ahead of you!�

“So did you and Dad,� said Ron as he and Hermione entered the kitchen and sat at the table, “but that didn’t seem to stop you.�

“You know very well that your father and I were made for each other, but the four of you, well…�

“What makes you think that Ron isn’t made for Hermione and Harry for me?� cried Ginny. “How do you know?�

“I don’t,� said Mrs. Weasley simply. “That’s why I’m not sure about all of this…�

“Why?� asked Hermione, “Because you don’t know? Well, I know for a fact that I love Ron and I’ve been waiting almost nine years for him. If you think I’m going to wait any longer than the end of August, you must be crazy!� Hermione ignored Mrs. Weasley's angered stare at her words and kept her head held high.

“Same for me,� said Ginny, jumping into the action.

“Right,� added Ron and Harry quickly, not wanting to be scolded later.

“Well, I can see that you have all made up your minds,� said Mrs. Weasley quietly. “If you want to break a mother’s heart…�

“Thanks, Mum!� said Ginny kissing her mother on the cheek.

“You’re the best, Mrs. Weasley!� said Hermione.

“Thanks,� mumbled Ron, upset that the argument hadn't gotten any more heated. He always enjoyed when his mother was yelling and it wasn't at him, and he'd been expecting her to have a go at Ginny.

“So that’s it?� asked Harry. “Everything’s settled?�

“Harry, don’t make her change her mind,� whispered Ginny. “Let’s go get a drink at the Leaky Cauldron to celebrate. See you later, Mum!� Ginny linked arms with Hermione and swept out of the kitchen and Harry followed on their heels. He could hear Ron’s heavy breathing right behind him.

The two couples spent the next weeks entirely in one another’s company. Many late nights were spent by Ron and Hermione deciding on colors, flowers, food, entertainment, and guests for their upcoming wedding. Ginny spent her days absorbed in thoughts of her own wedding still so far away. Harry spent every moment by her side, but his thoughts were occupied with his parents. Living in their old house only made his thoughts more intense. He knew that they would hate to miss his big day, but they would have loved Ginny. That thought gave him comfort as the days went by.

The time came to decide whether Ginny would come to live with Harry now, later in their engagement, or after the wedding entirely. “What do you want to do?� asked Harry, oblivious to the intensity of the decision she was making. All he thought about was her, them, their relationship. Ginny was also thinking about her mother…

“If it were up to me, I’d be living with you already, but I know that’s not what my parents want, and I have no idea what you want…� Ginny was so frustrated with the idea that she was almost in tears yet again. This whole wedding ordeal was causing her rock solid character to shift and break under the pressure. The pain of her emotions was causing Harry grief as well, but of an entirely different kind; Harry knew that this was the sort of thing that they would have to deal with for the rest of their lives together, and he, ready to accept this, made no sort of effort against it. He wanted to Ginny to know that the rock she stood on was solid and that he was not going to go soft on her.

“If it pleases you, I see no reason why you shouldn’t come live with me now,� Harry replied honestly. “You’ll be living here eventually anyway…and a house is a house right?�

“I’d love nothing more than to move in with you right now, Harry,� Ginny said matter-of-factly, “but I’m afraid that perhaps we better wait until after Ron and Hermione’s wedding. That will give my mother more time to get used to it, not to mention give us more time to figure out exactly what’s happening. I don’t really give a damn what she thinks, but I want her to be at our wedding so it’s better not to upset her. And I don’t know about you, but I’m still in shock at everything. It’s all happening so fast!�

“I agree,� said Harry, not choosing to point out that it was her fault that it was doing so. “And good point about your mother. I don’t want to be on her bad side.� He spent several moments in deliberation. “How about late September then?�

“September sounds nice,� said Ginny as her voice slowly faded away into the thoughts of autumn’s leaves and changing temperatures.

“Ginny!� Harry and Ginny turned at the sound of Hermione’s voice from the hall. “Can you come here for a moment?� There was no hiding the hint of excitement in her voice.

“I think she has her dress,� Ginny explained. “She was going to pick them up sometime this week. She probably has the bride’s maid dresses too. That means I’ll need to try mine on. You better wait here. I don’t know if Hermione is going to want you to see or not since you’re the best man. She might think you’ll squeal to Ron or something.� Ginny smiled before she continued, “Hermione seems to be a very old fashioned bride so far.�

“That’s fine,� Harry said, picking up a book he had been reading the night before. “I’ll just continue my book while I wait. Lupin told me last week that it was one of my father’s favorites. I didn’t think he seemed the reading type, but the book is good so far.� Settling deeper into his seat, Harry pried the book open the marked page and pretended to start reading.

Ginny kissed him quickly on the cheek. “It helps if you are holding the book the right way.� She laughed and rushed from the room screaming, “Coming, Hermione!� leaving Harry flushed and embarrassed in her wake.

Ginny walked into the guest room where Hermione was pulling dressed out of bags and laying them over the bed and chest of drawers. “Which one is mine?� Ginny asked, unable to contain neither her curiosity nor her excitement.

Hermione jumped in surprise. “Oh! Ginny, I didn’t hear you come in!� She went over to the bed and picked up a dress that was a lovely pale blue with taffeta and sheer. Ginny gasped, Oh, Hermione! These are beautiful!�

“I hoped you would like it,� said Hermione. “I only wanted the best for my maid of honor. The bridesmaid’s look similar, but yours is strapless and has a fuller skirt. The other dresses,� said Hermione as she held one up for Ginny to see, “are smaller and have thin straps. I wanted them to be yellow, but Ron wasn’t for the idea. He told me yellow was too girly for his standards and that I needed a different color, so I talked to Fleur about a week ago and she suggested I go with blue to match Ron’s eyes.� Hermione batted her eyelashes ridiculously and laughed. “I didn’t like the reason all that much, but I decided to go with pale blue anyway. You’ll look gorgeous! You should try it on.�

“I will as soon as you show me yours,� said Ginny with a smirk. “Let’s see,� she said, walking around the bed. “One for me, one for Fleur, one for Luna, one for Tonks, and one for your cousin….could that be yours still in the bag, then?�

“Stop teasing!� said Hermione with a strained high-pitched laugh. “These dresses are all blue, and you know mine is white. Why do you want to see it so bad, anyway?�

“It’s your special day and you’re my best friend! I want to see how beautiful you are going to be.� Ginny sat on the bed, flipped her hair over her shoulder dramatically, and stared at Hermione. “Well, let’s have it then.�

“It’s not very extravagant,� mused Hermione as she fumbled with the bag, “but here it is.� She pulled out a long white dress and Ginny’s jaw hit the floor in shock. The dress was made from thin silk except for the sleeves, which were beaded and slightly off the shoulder. There were small beaded flowers trailing from the top to the floor that added a touch of elegance. It was simple, but completely perfect.

“Well, what do you think?� asked Hermione, unable to hide the nervous tone in her voice.

“It’s gorgeous,� said Ginny in awe. “You’ll be the most beautiful bride ever.�

“Only until your wedding,� said Hermione. “I’m sure you’ll be able to top me with ease. You were always one of the prettiest girls in school.�

“But I don’t see how I could be more beautiful when you have the most perfect dress ever made!� Ginny fingered the beads on the dress and sighed.

“Ginny, don’t worry,� said Hermione gently. “You’d look amazing even if you were clad in house-elf attire.�

Ginny laughed, but her face turned bright red. “It doesn’t matter to as long as Harry is at my side.�

***
Even the weather was in attendance on the day of Ron and Hermione’s wedding. The sun was in the sky and there was not a cloud in sight. The day was warm, but a pleasant breeze was blowing. The birds were chirping and even the gnomes were staying inside their holes.

Ginny tiptoed into Percy’s room to wake Hermione who had stayed there overnight. “Ride and shine,� she said quietly.

Hermione sat up and rubbed her eyes. “I’ve been awake for a while,� she admitted. “You know very well that no one can sleep in on their wedding day.�

“I know,� said Ginny gently. “You are about to embark on a crazy adventure. Ron always keeps us on our toes, so I know he’ll do a good job of keeping you on yours.�

Hermione laughed and crawled out of bed. “He’s had me on my toes since I was eleven.�

“So are you excited for your honeymoon to Italy?� asked Ginny as she sat on the bed next to Hermione and took her hand. “I’m going to miss you so much. You know that, right?�

“I’m excited about the trip and I’m going to miss you too, Ginny. It’s only for two weeks, so I’ll be back before you know it.� Hermione hugged Ginny and the two friends embraced their last free moment together before the wedding.

“Now don’t cry,� said Ginny. “I would hate myself forever if I made you cry on your wedding day!�

“Better to get it out now, right?� Hermione blinked her eyes to keep back the tears. “It was so nice of Percy to let me use his room last night. I know that he was working the last shift at the Ministry anyway, but it was still nice.�

“He only wants the best for you too, even if he is a git,� laughed Ginny. “Oh, by the way, your cousin Maria is here. My mother is making her taste-test the food. I don’t know if she realizes what she got herself into, but she was too busy staring at anything and everything to notice. It’s strange having a Muggle in the house…�

Hermione joined Ginny’s laughter. “I better go rescue her before something bad happens. She always knew I was a witch because she was one of the first people I told, but she’s never seen anything magical before.�

“You can tell,� said Ginny. “You better let me go get her because Ron might be downstairs, and you know the rule.�

“I can’t see Ron until the wedding,� chanted Hermione. “I know.� She flopped back down onto the pillow in disgust.

“I’ll go and save her for you.� Ginny flounced to the door.

“Thanks, Ginny!� Hermione called after her.

“Oh, and I might as well bring up your mother,� added Ginny. “She has all of her Muggle hair…er…stuff, ready to go.�

“Oh joy,� said Hermione sarcastically. “After she’s done, we can always do some touch ups with my wand.�

Ginny left the room and Hermione got off of the bed and walked over to the window. She saw Bill and Charlie flocking chairs into the backyard. Fred and George were currently trying to set up a large arbor at the end of the garden, but people kept running past and knocking it over before they could get it anchored. Hermione laughed as she watched Crookshanks run around everyone’s ankles, sometimes causing him or her to fall over or drop whatever they were holding. She turned and saw Mr. Weasley on the steps.

“Mr. Weasley!� she called. “Can you bring Crookshanks in? I think he’s causing trouble to everyone outside.�

Mr. Weasley stopped. He had an armload of dress robes that he was carrying up the stairs for the men. “As soon as I get these upstairs, I’ll do just that.� He panted under the weight of the robes and began to continue up the steps.

“Do you need some help?� she asked, rushing to the door, eager for any chance to get out of the room and maybe even sneak a private few minutes with Ron before their big moment even it was breaking all the rules.

Ginny suddenly appeared behind him and lifted half the pile from his arms. “I got it, Dad. I know you hate to admit it, but you’re getting a bit old for this.�

“Don’t remind me,� he said bitterly, but a little more warmly he added, “but thank you, Ginny.�

“Don’t mention it.�

Sighing in disappointment, Hermione returned to the window to continue people watching. All of a sudden she was bombarded with a load of excited girls. Her mother and cousin Maria were at the front of the pack. Behind them Hermione saw Luna Lovegood, Tonks (looking quite out of place with baby blue hair), Fleur, Fleur’s sister Gabrielle, and Mrs. Weasley.

Hermione was suddenly caught in a whirlwind of hair and makeup. Ginny joined them moments later, but instead of helping, she merely sat on the bed and watched. After several moments, everyone backed away and Hermione’s mother handed her a mirror. She looked into it and hardly recognized herself. Her eyes were more stunning than she believed possible and her entire face seemed to shimmer. Her hair was pulled up tightly in curls that cascaded down to her shoulders and a small crown of flowers was set around it. “Doesn’t anyone just say ‘hello’ anymore?� she managed to sigh.

Hermione leaned over and kissed her mother on the cheek and then hugged her cousin Maria warmly. “I haven’t seen you in ages!� she exclaimed. “How are you?�

“Good,� chirped Maria, “but apparently not as good as you. You’re getting married! When did this happen?�

“About nine years ago actually….� said Hermione. “But it’s so good to see you!�

“Luna!� cried Hermione. “You look good. Did you get a new haircut?�

“No, Ginny put makeup on me earlier. She figured out what she was doing after a few minutes. Does it look alright?� Luna fingered her face gingerly, obviously new to any sort of beauty products.

“Alright? You look amazing!� said Hermione. “You could be the bride today if I didn’t know any better.�

Luna laughed. “No I can’t be because I’m leaving tonight with Daddy to go to Australia. He thinks there might be some Zingwangers there….�

“I’m not even going to ask,� laughed Hermione, used to Luna’s creative imagination and her father’s fantastic ‘discoveries’.

“I’ve never worn a lot of makeup before,� continued Luna. “It’s almost like having your face painted, really…�

Hermione nodded and smiled before turning to Tonks. “Tonks, it’s good to see you too!� said Hermione as she received another hug. “How is Teddy these days?�

“Fantastic. He’s downstairs with Remus at the moment, but you won’t recognize him when you see him. He looks so much like his father though…except the hair of course. The hair is mine.� Hermione and Tonks shared a laugh at the mention of young Teddy’s hair, which was often outrageous colors just like his mother’s.

“How old is he now? Almost two already?�

Tonks nodded. “He’s already walking and talking up a storm and—�

“Zis day is about you, not Tonks,� interrupted Fleur. “I remember my wedding day. ‘Eet vas over two years ago now, but I ‘ope ‘zat ‘zis day will be just as nice for you.�

“Thank you,� said Hermione sincerely, but giving Tonks a sympathetic smile. She mouthed, ‘You can tell me later,’ and the two shared a silent laugh.

“Now, everyone into Ginny’s room to get changed,� said Mrs. Weasley as she started shoving people out. “You’ve all helped enough! Out, out!� Soon the room was empty except for Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, and Hermione’s mother.

“Would you like to get into your dress now, Dear?� asked Mrs. Weasley. “The wedding starts in less than an hour.�

“That would be fine,� said Hermione, breathing deeply, the scent of excitement completely coating her throat.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?� asked her mother nervously, giving Hermione’s hand a small squeeze.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life.�

Ron fiddled with his tie nervously as his wedding hour drew nearer. It wasn’t long until the ceremony was due to start, and the butterflies in his stomach were working double time. Everyone else looked so calm, cool, and collected, but his brain was moving twice as fast as normal, and his sweat glands were on the fritz. “Harry, how do I look?� he asked with a nervous, crooked smile.

“Dashing,� said Harry with a laugh, straightening Ron’s tie ever so slightly, knowing that Hermione normally would have done it, but given the circumstances would be unable to until it was too late. “You look good. Well, at least you look better than you did for the Yule Ball.� He remembered back to Ron’s frilly dress robes in their fourth year and he snorted a little at the memory.

“That’s not saying a whole lot, though,� chuckled Fred from the doorway, where he was perched in waiting to be told it was time to go outside.

“You look fine, Ron,� said George, “and if you don’t, you can always count on Mum to tell you.� The twins shared a bout of laughter as they knew the wrath of Mrs. Weasley quite well by now.

“True,� chirped Charlie, sympathizing with the twins. “Don’t worry, Ron. I’m sure Hermione won’t care what you look like just as long as you aren’t stark naked.�

“Or maybe she’d like that more,� roared Fred. Eyeing the look on Ron’s face he added, “Just joking, little brother,� although he clearly wasn’t.

“You lot aren’t helping!� shouted Ron, his ears turning a violent shade of red. “I’m nervous enough as it is!� He crossed his arms and turned to face himself in the mirror, ignoring them all, and trying to focus on calming himself down before he had to face the crowd with scarlet appendages.

Bill walked over and put a hand on Ron’s shoulder. “Ron, take it from your only brother with experience, weddings are a lot of stress, I’ll admit, but tonight, it’ll be all worth it. You’ll have Hermione all to yourself in Italy and the wedding won’t matter anymore. It wouldn’t matter if stampeding hippogriffs interrupted the ceremony. You both could care less, trust me.�

“In other words,� added Percy in his usual pompous voice, “relax.� He yawned and leaned back in Ron’s bed, stretching out while all the while keeping his feet of the furniture.

“That’s the most intelligent thing you’ve ever said, Perce,� said Fred, slapping Percy on the knee playfully.

“Well relaxing is about all I want to do after working all night…� Percy yawned, ignoring Fred’s slight to his intellect.

“You better not fall asleep during my wedding,� snapped Ron, clearly not relaxed by anything his brother’s had said, although the prospect of his honeymoon was quite appealing.

“I won’t,� assured Percy, though his eyes were watering as he fought back another yawn. He’d been without his family for far too long to fall asleep during his youngest brother’s wedding.

“Can someone help me?� asked Neville quietly from the corner, finally making his presence known. “I can never tie ties correctly.�

“Sure thing, Neville,� said George as he crossed the room to assist him, fighting back the urge to slip a water cannon or something else random and disruptive into the center of Neville’s tie.

“It’s almost time,� said Harry. “Do you think we should go downstairs yet?� He was trying to perform his duties as best man while keeping Ron calm, and the task was not an easy one.

“I suppose,� muttered Ron as he headed for the door. “Come on, then,� he snapped to everyone else as he stepped back to allow them all to pass him.

Fred, George, Charlie, Bill, Percy, and Neville all crowded out the door, shoving past Ron to make their way down the stairs to the ceremony. “Are you coming?� Ron asked Harry once the others were all gone.

“I’ll be down in a minute, but there’s something I’ve got to do first.� Ron nodded and began down the stairs after Neville and his brothers.

Harry walked out the door once Ron was out of earshot, and stopped halfway down the steps. He bumped open a door and peered into Percy’s room and saw that it was empty save for a lone figure in white.

He rapped his knuckles gently on the doorframe and entered the room. Hermione turned and smiled at him. “You look beautiful,� he said, sincerely, not quite sure he would have recognized his friend had he not known whose wedding he was at.

“You look good too,� she replied with a soft smile. “I can’t believe this is happening,� she whispered, excitement and fear evident in her tone.

“I know,� he said. “To think, about nine years ago, our lives were normal. I’m sorry I ruined everything…� He laughed at his crack on himself, though she didn’t seem to understand his humor.

“What are you talking about?�

“I came to Hogwarts and became friends with Ron. Ron was rude to you, you cried, we saved you from the troll, and we’ve been friends ever since. But also since then our lives have been a crazy mess!� He walked over to her and took her hands in his. “So, I’m sorry that I ruined any chance you had at normality.�

“But if you wouldn’t have befriended Ron, I wouldn’t be standing here in a wedding dress, about to make the biggest decision of my life. You didn’t ruin everything. On the contrary, you perfected it.�

Harry released her hands and wrapped her in a giant hug. “I’m happy for you both,� he said. “I never thought my two best mates would be getting married, but here we are.�

“And just think,� said Hermione, her words filled with eagerness, “in less than a year, we’ll be brother and sister!�

“Yeah,� said Harry, “but I’ve always thought of you as a sister anyway, so it’s not that big of a deal really.�

Hermione’s eyes glazed with tears, and she shook her head to clear them away. “You better go,� she urged. “The wedding is going to start soon, and I still need to get my veil on…� Her voice suddenly became slightly panicked as she looked around for her veil.

“Yeah, and I don’t want Ron to get any more worried than he already is,� Harry teased, picking up her veil carefully from a table by the door and handing to her.

Hermione laughed and Harry hugged her again. “Good luck,� he whispered in her ear.

“I won’t be needing it, but thank you.� He gave her a quick smile and headed toward the door, running straight into Ginny. She didn’t even seem to see him because her eyes were fixed straight on the pile of lace in Hermione’s hands.

“Your mother is coming with a giant bag of booby-pins!� she cried. “Get over here and let me magic that thing to your head!� Harry slipped out the door unnoticed as the girls continued their preparations.

“Bobby-pins,� Hermione corrected with a giggle as she sat down on the bed, “not booby-pins.� Ginny set the veil in her hair and said a quick spell. Hermione felt the veil cling to her curls and she took a deep breath. “This is it…�

Hermione’s mother came into the room with a bag in her hands. “Oh, it’s already been done…� she said sadly, seeing the veil atop Hermione’s head. “But it looks wonderful.�

“Thanks, Mum.�

“I’m ready when you are,� her mother added, setting the bag down on the table where the veil had been just minutes before.

“I was ready years ago,� whispered Hermione, more to herself than her mother. She stood up and walked down the stairs slowly with the help of her mother, careful not to trip over her dress, her shoes, or herself. She could hear music from the garden. All of her bridesmaids were standing in the kitchen, lined up and ready to walk out the door. When she entered the kitchen Ron’s Auntie Muriel stopped her. She held out the same crown that Fleur had worn for her wedding to Bill. “I figured we could make it a family tradition,� Muriel said, handing the crown to Hermione. “Take it,� she said sharply, shoving it into Hermione’s hands. “But I expect that back.�

“Thank you,� said Hermione. She was almost at a loss for words, and so stunned that she didn’t even notice her mother slip out the door, nor her bridesmaids begin to head out, too.

Ginny walked over and placed the crown on Hermione’s head. “Perfect,� she sighed as Auntie Muriel pushed her way past the remaining bridesmaids to get back to her seat.

Mr. Granger walked over to his daughter and took her arm in his. “All set, Pumpkin?�

“Yes, Dad.� They stood just inside the door, able to see all the other girls start down the aisle.

A different song began and Gabrielle set off down the aisle. Following her was Fleur, Maria, Tonks, Luna, and then finally Ginny. Hermione was now standing at the doorway to her destiny. There stood Ron at the end of a long, pale-blue aisle. The aisle was dotted with tiny white roses, and overhead loomed blue and white balloons that were suspended in midair. It was much like Bill and Fleur’s wedding, only this time it was her’s. Hermione sighed and stepped out of the doorway on her father’s arm. The crowd stood and there was a soft noise of approval from them all as she walked down the aisle. She seemed almost oblivious of who was in the crowd. She didn’t notice Viktor Krum watching her with jealous eyes. She didn’t see Lavender Brown sobbing silently into her lap. She didn’t even see Hagrid, even when he blew his nose loudly from the back row. She only had eyes for one person….

Ron stood at the end of the aisle and watched Hermione walk closer to him. He didn’t believe that he had ever seen her more beautiful than she looked at this moment. Her curls, her eyes, her figure, everything was perfect. Ron couldn’t stop staring at the wonderful woman before him, and she likewise couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of him.

Harry nudged Ron gingerly in the side as Hermione reached the front. Ron smiled at her and took her hand in his as they turned to face the same man who had performed Bill and Fleur’s marriage vows.

The ceremony passed with much weeping of happy tears and many cheerful words. When the rings were exchanged, there was a gentle chorus of approval from everyone in the audience. Hermione had a simple ring set with a rather large diamond with smaller diamonds glittering from around the band. Ron’s was a plain gold ring with the words ‘Faith, Hope, Trust, and Love’ engraved around it in a simple font. At the end of the wedding, Ron and Hermione kissed for the first time as husband and wife, and Mrs. Weasley let out a sob.

They turned to face their guests and Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Weasley and were almost immediately engulfed by a crowd of well-wishers.

“Congratulations,� said Fred, clapping his brother on the back.

“Way to go!� called George and Charlie from a few feet away.

“Welcome to the club,� joked Bill.

Hermione, likewise, was surrounded by a group of women and girls who were hugging her and giving her their congratulations and praises.

Harry leaned over to the group of girls and pulled Ginny out by the elbow. “We’ll talk to them later,� he said into her ear. “Let’s go somewhere else.�

“Okay,� she said quickly, pleased to have an excuse to escape the noise. She grabbed Harry’s hand and allowed herself to be led into the house. Harry began to go to Ron’s room on instinct, but Ginny voiced a complaint. “Harry, let’s go to my room instead. There’s no sense in going to his room when I have one of my own.�

Harry nodded, following her into her small room. They could see the backyard and all of the guests still swarming Hermione and Ron. This was only the second time Harry could ever remember being in her room.

“What a day!� she cried, flinging herself onto her bed. “At least something good came out of it.�

“What’s that?�

“I have a sister now,� Ginny said simply. “I mean, I suppose you could count Fleur, but she’s not really my sister. Hermione has always felt like family to me, so it’s nice that it’s official.� She had her hair all up in curls, but it was starting to fall out, ringlets cascading around her face. “So, how are you feeling?�

“I don’t know…how should I be feeling?� He sound down on her bed beside her, not really sure what she was getting at. Obviously he was tired, much like her, but it was hard to be unhappy when your two best friends were so thrilled and obviously in love.

“I don’t know, but your two best friends just got married. Are you okay with everything?� She seemed genuinely concerned and he didn’t know why. What did he have not to be okay with? Ron and Hermione were obviously happy.

“Well, not a whole lot as happened so far. I assume it’ll be weird though, yeah,� he assessed. “But they’re obviously ridiculously euphoric right now, so I don’t know how I couldn’t be okay.� He smiled at her, trying to ease any of her doubts.

Ginny put one of her small hands on his. Her touch was so gentle that had Harry not seen her place her hand on his he wouldn’t have felt it at all. Sometimes Ginny reminded Harry of a city girl trapped in the country. He had enjoyed the challenge of trying to figure her out for some amount of years. She always seemed to understand more than what he told her and she always seemed ready to move so fast, but in a good way.

“Now, it’s our turn,� she said. “One down, one to go.�

“Yes, but the best is yet to come.� Harry kissed her softly and rested his forehead against hers. He loved the way that Ginny always seemed to be listening to him even when he wasn’t talking, like she could read his mind and hear his heart.

They had so much to talk about, yet Harry didn’t want to say anything. Before their wedding, Harry felt that it would be her right to know everything that he had learned from Dumbledore in years past, but now was not the time. Despite the fact that they were alone, everything was almost quiet around them, and there was no real chance for them to be interrupted, he didn’t want to ruin the happy day with almost business-like information.

Outside, Harry could see the chairs being peeled away to make room for the dance floor and balloons being pushed to the side to make way for tables and gifts. Hermione and Ron were now standing with Fred and George by the back wall of the garden. Ron had his arm around Hermione’s shoulders and George was saying something to them that was seemingly funny because all of them were laughing.

“Do you think we should go back?� Ginny voiced his thoughts aloud.

Harry really didn’t want to, but at the same time, he wouldn’t see Ron and Hermione until they returned from Italy, and he would have Ginny all to himself plenty more times in the future. He stood up and nodded. “I think we should, though not because I’m not enjoying myself.� He winked at her slyly as he leaned for another kiss.

Ginny laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her from the bed. He set her gently on her feet and she kissed him again, longer this time. In this moment there was nothing wrong because everything was too right. Harry was floating on clouds, just him and Ginny. No one else was allowed in this sacred place.

It was amazing how Harry always made Ginny’s stomach turn. She closed her eyes and ran her hands down his back, feeling every muscle carved into his shoulders. She stopped all her thoughts and was in a moment; a moment with Harry. She relaxed her entire body as he ran his hands through her hair, causing even more curls to fall out of their places. At last, she spoke, though her voice was barely able to find its way out of her mouth. “Harry, we really should go back down. Mum will come find us if we aren’t there in a few minutes.�

“Right,� said Harry, sounding out of breath. He felt like he might never draw another breath of air again. His lungs were caught in his throat, but it wasn’t unpleasant. He took her hand and pulled her down the steps behind him, feeling very much like they were back in school and sneaking back through the portrait hole well after dark. Stopping only once so Ginny could fix her hair, the two made it back to the party in near-record time, joining Ron and Hermione like they’d never even walked away.