Okay, the only thing I can really say here is sorry to the infinite power. That's really the only way I can possibly apologize for such a long wait. However, this is it, finally, the final chapter of Harry Potter and the New Beginnings. This is the end, although there will most likely be a sequel when I have more of that written in advance. I think I only have a chapter or two right now, I'll have to check.

Anyway, here's the chapter and I hope that you enjoy it. Thank you to all of my wonderful readers, and even more to those of you who reviewed. I love getting those messages in my inbox. It's one of the best feelings in the world when you see that somebody took enough time to write even three words to you, so thank you.

~Robin

Disclaimer: If I was J. K. Rowling, then this story would be about eight times longer.

Chapter 14

April 18th 1999

Harry woke up completely at peace in the large master bedroom, his arms wrapped around Ginny's torso, fingers stroking her smooth skin. Wait, skin! The previous night's events came crashing back to him and he realized why he was so utterly relaxed. He sighed happily. He hadn't originally wanted to have sex with her the night before. Well, he had wanted to, but he hadn't really intended to.

She, however, had obviously been planning it and had seduced him. Harry pulled her closer to him and kissed the back of her neck, shifting her hair out of the way. She turned in his arms to face him, eyes opening. "Already hoping for a repeat of last night's events, Mr. Potter?" she asked him suggestively before planting a kiss on his adam's apple.

"Well, if you're offering," Harry said, winking at her.

Ginny laughed and rolled away from him, before sitting up, holding the sheet against her naked torso. "Sorry, love, but I think you might have to wait until tonight, at least. It's getting a bit late and I'm still a bit sore," she told him.

Harry glanced at the clock. It was almost eleven. "I never wanted to hurt you, love," he swore.

"Harry, I wanted this to happen. I wanted us to happen. It would have hurt eventually, no matter when we didn't. Think about it. This way, we get a whole lot more time doing what we did last night, and less worrying about the fact that I might be sore for a few hours," she said plainly.

"Alright, I get the point," Harry said, sitting up too.

"Good. I'm going to grab a shower then," she said.

Harry had a sudden idea. "Mind if I join you?" he asked. At the look on her face he rolled his eyes. "I don't mean like that. I just mean that the shower is more than large enough for two people and that we'll be downstairs earlier if we go together," he explained.

"Okay, but no funny business," she warned.

Harry snorted. Yes, he was the one who they had to worry about.

May 2nd 1999

They had spent the rest of the weekend at Potter Manor, exploring the grounds (which included beautiful gardens, sweeping lawns, a small, clean pond, and even a full-sized quidditch pitch. The back edge touched upon the outskirts of a forest and there was a creek a bit farther in. Also outside was a heated pool with a water slide and diving board, and Glen showed Harry how it could be magically enclosed during the winter.

Then they began to make the trips to the Potter Family vault in Gringott's, bringing some things back to the manor. It was mostly portraits and silver and china that had the Potter Family crest on it, but there were other things like afghans, rugs, and small furniture pieces that made the old house feel more like home.

After they had finished at the Manor they returned to the Burrow for the remainder of their holidays before going back to the school, where Hermione immediately started them on an ambitious study schedule that would finish preparing them for their N.E.W.T.'s. The teachers had stopped assigning homework and were going back over everything they had learned in the past seven years that had even the slightest chance of coming up on the tests.

N.E.W.T.'s were just under two weeks away, and for once, it wasn't the only thing on Harry's mind. Of course not. Today was Memorial Day, the first Memorial Day, to be precise. Exactly one year ago, Harry had defeated Voldemort. Right now, Harry was trying not to think about that, trying not to let the memories of that day enter his mind. Unfortunately, after all of the ceremonies, speeches (one made by him), and the reading of the list of the dead, it was all that he could think about.

He wasn't at dinner, knowing that it would be just as somber as the rest of the day had been, and he wasn't sure if he could take it any more. If he entered that room, he knew that there would be nothing stopping him from going completely and utterly mad, trying to block out the stares and the whispers and the sad glances that would follow him everywhere he went.

The door to his dormitory opened and Harry looked up, ready to tell whoever was invading on the first moment of privacy that he had had all day to go away, but he didn't. It was Ginny. She watched him somewhat wearily from across the room, seemingly hesitant about coming in. Harry sighed. She, above anybody, knew how he was feeling. She was the only other person who had been possessed, taken by Voldemort, who had ever had a connection with him the way Harry had. Plus, she had been there for the last week as he had tossed and turned in his sleep, his nightmares returning worse than they ever, and held him, carrying him through them, loving him despite all of the baggage that came with him. For that, Harry would forever be grateful.

He pat the spot next to him on the bed, their bed, really. Ginny slowly walked over and sat carefully next to him. "I know today's been tough for you Harry, but you don't need to close yourself off from everybody like this," she whispered to him, placing her hand on his arm and rubbing it gently as she spoke.

"I'm not trying to close myself off, Gin," Harry retorted. "I'm just... I feel like if I go into the great hall right now, everybody staring, waiting for me to react, that I'm going to explode keeping it all in. I don't want them to see how weak I feel right now."

Ginny sighed and pushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. "Well, they aren't here right now. It's just you and me. Will you let me see that? You of all people deserve to show the emotions that you want to show on today, of all days," she urged. "People almost expect you to shed some tears or something. I'm pretty sure that you're the only one who hasn't."

"I just don't know how, Gin. I've been keeping it all bottled up so long. I'm not sure that I can let it out anymore," Harry whispered, bending forward and clutching his head between his hands.

Ginny moved her hand to rub his back. "Just let it out, Harry. You don't have to carry the weight of the Wizarding World on your shoulders anymore. You've done your part in this."

With that, the tears started pouring from his eyes and sobs wracked his body as Harry let every stored thought, nightmare, dream, memory pour out of him. The emotion rolled off of him in waves and he didn't know how long they were there, still in the same position on the edge of the bed, when his tears finally dried and his breathing went back to normal.

"Thanks, Gin," he rasped, throat dry.

"I love you, Harry. It was my pleasure," she replied, kissing him lovingly.

Harry broke it off after a second. "I love you too," he told her, before pressing his lips to hers again.

May 30th 1999

Hermione laid down her quill at the end of the last question of her last exam of her last year as a student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was almost depressing, to be leaving the school that had been like home to her for so many years, but it was liberating at the same time. She was going to go out into the Wizarding World and make a difference. She wasn't sure exactly how yet, but she had sent her application in to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, hoping for an apprenticeship to one of the attorneys there. She still wanted to take S.P.E.W. further, and maybe extend it to other magical creatures, like the centaurs and the goblins.

It would depend on her N.E.W.T.'s of course, but she was really hoping to get the position. Ron, of course, thought that just because she was Hermione Granger she would get in, but she had scoffed. He had decided that he was going to help Fred and George at the shop for a while and see how he did with that, but he'd also considered going out for a quidditch team.

Ginny was definitely going for quidditch. She had been invited to try out for the Arrows, the Tornadoes, the Harpies, and at least one other team, but Hermione knew that her heart was set on getting onto the Harpies, and that any other team would be a bit of a let down for her. She'd still play, of course, but it just wasn't her dream.

Honestly, Hermione had no idea what Harry was planning. She knew that he had been planning to be an Auror, but he hadn't mentioned anything about it lately, and as far as she knew, he hadn't sent in an application, not that he would need to. They had sent him several letters lately, asking if he was going to join their ranks, but she was pretty sure that they had just ended up balled up in the garbage. She did know that he was moving into Potter Manor a few weeks after graduation with Ginny, and that they were going to bring Teddy with them, since Harry was his legal guardian.

The hourglass at the front of the hall glowed bright and their time was up. Everybody put their quills down and Professor Tofty, one of the examiners, summoned them with a quick flick of her wand. "Alright, you are now free to go," she said in her quiet voice.

The seventh-years, including Hermione, all rose from their seats and made their way to the exit. Hermione felt a had close around her arm, and turned to see that, to her great surprise, it was Harry grabbing her arm. "I need to ask you something," he told her quietly.

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Alright," she said. She lead him into an empty classroom on the first floor and then turned around to face him. "What is it?"

Harry sighed and took something out of his pocket. It was a piece of parchment. I somewhat worn, extremely flat piece of parchment that seemed as though it had been unfolded and smoothed so many times that it might fall apart. He handed it to her. "That came in the post for me a few days ago," he stated.

Dear Mr. Potter,

I am writing on behalf of the head coach of Puddlemere United, Edward Tyler, to inform you of the recent opening of the Seeking position on our team. He recently chose to switch teams and go to the Arrows, which leaves us one player short this upcoming season. Our reserve Seeker is good, but we have seen a few of your matches, Mr. Potter, and I can quite frankly say that you are better.

Now, if you are interested, we would like to invite you to a trial day to see if you truly are good enough to play professionally with us. We would test you on your Seeking skills, along with basic flying, agility, and fitness tests.

If you make the cut, which I am almost certain you will, if you so wish, then you will have the starting Seeker spot on the team. This position would offer 46,000 galleons annually, along with a 500 galleon bonus for every snitch you catch and 2,000 galleons if we make it into the play-offs.

If you are interested in our offer, please write back by the 6th of June. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Peter O'Harris

Manager of Puddlemere United

Hermione looked up at Harry when she was finished. He looked slightly nervous. "Harry, have you talked to Ginny about this?" she asked him. He shook his head. "Why not? Don't you think it's important that she's involved in this?"

"Of course I do, but I wanted another opinion first," Harry said, shrugging.

Hermione nodded, understanding. "Well, it seems like a very good offer, and I'm certain that you'd do really well playing professionally," she assured him.

"I know, but, I don't know if I should take it," Harry said.

"Why not?"

"Because, I feel like I should be an Auror. I'm good at that sort of thing. They still need more people in the department and I know that I'd be good at that too. I'm just not sure that I want that kind of life anymore, constantly in danger and on the trail of dark magic. I feel like I've had enough of it for a lifetime, for a thousand lifetimes," he ranted, getting it all out into the open.

"Harry, I think, for once, it's time for you to do what you want to do, not what everyone else expects you to do," she said softly, handing the letter back to him.

He hesitated before taking it back, folding it, and tenderly putting it back into the inside pocket of his robe. "I will," he said.

"Harry," Hermione called as he began to leave. He turned around again. "I think that Ginny will be really proud of you and will support your decision no matter what you choose."

"I know," Harry replied.

June 21st 1998

It was gorgeous day. A sad day, but gorgeous all the same. Harry was fingering something in his pocket as he stared out across the grounds from the window in his dormitory. N.E.W.T.'s were finally over and they were graduating in just over a week. Nine more days and he would be saying goodbye to the castle forever, at least as a student. He heard something stir behind him and turned.

Ginny was sitting up in bed, her red hair mussed from sleep, but looking as beautiful as always. She slowly got out of the bed and walked towards Harry, who opened his arms. She climbed between them and sat in his lap, leaning back against his chest. "It was today, wasn't it?" Ginny asked him quietly.

Harry nodded silently. "Two years ago, less than eighteen hours from now, he was dead," he confirmed, his voice catching slightly on the last word. "I didn't even think about it last year."

"Harry, you have to get it into your head that it wasn't your fault," Ginny said turning in his lap to look into his eyes.

"I know that, Gin," Harry promised her. "I really do, I just don't want to forget what happened today. I can't bare the fact that I forgot last year, that I didn't think about everything that was sacrificed today, sacrificed for nothing," he added bitterly.

"Maybe that's not what you should be thinking about," Ginny suggested timidly. "Maybe its time to move on. Not forget, just not to mourn any longer. What's done is done. It happened. That's the end of it. Maybe you need to make some new memories today, rather than dwelling on the old ones."

"I-I don't know if I can do that so easily, Gin," Harry said quietly.

"What was the one thing that he always supported? What was the one thing that Dumbledore said could overpower anything?" Ginny asked Harry, taking his face in her hands and caressing his cheeks.

"Love," Harry said, leaning into her touch and closing his eyes slightly.

"Then maybe we can get over this day together, just the two of us," Ginny suggested. Harry looked at her. "Well, I do love you, and all," Ginny huffed, defending her idea.

Harry chuckled. "I know that, Gin. I love you too, more than anything." He was thinking about the object in his pocket again. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Then I think the two of us spending the day alone together shouldn't be too much of a problem," Ginny concluded.

"That's not what I meant," Harry said, shaking his head slightly. He slipped his hand into his pocket. "What I meant was, will you marry me?" he asked, taking the small black box out of his pocket and opening it before holding it out to Ginny.

She froze. Harry's hand shook a little, causing Ginny to snap out of it. She took the box from him. "You thought you had to ask," she choked out, a smile spreading over her face. "Yes, obviously yes. Of course I'll marry you," she said.

Harry beamed at her and took the ring out of the box before gently sliding it onto her left ring finger. Ginny looked at it in awe. It was a large diamond with an emerald on either side set onto a simple, but elegant, silver band. "Harry, it's beautiful," she said.

"It was my mum's, but it's nowhere near as beautiful as the woman wearing it."

"I love it Harry, thank you," Ginny said. Then a couple of worries seeped into her mind and she bit her lip. "Harry, what are we going to tell my parents? They're going to think we're so young..."

"Your dad already knows," Harry said with a shrug. "I had to ask him, you know, tradition. And we're no younger than they were. We can wait a few years too, make it a long engagement. Ten years if you want it."

"How about we stick with two or three," Ginny said with a slight chuckle, her worries easily subdued.

"That sounds good to me," Harry said. He leaned towards her and barely brushed her lips with his before removing them again.

Ginny gave him a stern look. "There's no way that you're getting away with that tiny kiss," she scolded before leaning closer again and pressing her lips firmly to his, her arms wrapping around his neck and his around her waist so that they were as close as possible, sitting, wound up together, on the small platform in front of the window.

When Ginny pulled back, a few minutes later, they were both short of breath. Ginny leaned back against Harry's chest again as he played absentmindedly with the tips of hair. "How many people knew about this anyway?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"Just your dad, Ron, and Bill. Bill only found out because I had to get somebody I could trust to get the ring out of the Potter Family vault and send it to me," Harry answered.

"How long have you been thinking about this?" Ginny questioned.

"I've been carrying that box around with me for a little more than a month," Harry admitted.

"I love you, you know," Ginny said.

"Yeah, I know. I love you too," Harry replied, planting a small kiss on the top of her head. "When are we going to tell your family?" he asked.

"Well, I'll tell Hermione today, but we can wait and tell the rest of them after term ends, the first night after we get back. I just know Mum'll insist that the whole family is there that night for dinner anyway. It'll be the perfect time."

"Yes, that does sound perfect," Harry agreed. Then they climbed back into bed and lost themselves in each other before going out to face the world, ready to create new happy memories that would eventually outweigh all the bad ones that they already had in their lives.

That was the end. How did you like it? Thank you, everybody, again, for reading this far. I hope you check out my other stories and I'm grateful to all of you. Hugs to everybody.