Harry Potter and the Wedding Present

Harry Potter was happy… no, that wasn't the right word… he was exultant, ecstatic… he was married!

As thoughts of the previous day began to replay in his mind, his smile widened and the feelings in his chest began to expand. He slowly opened his eyes and saw beautiful red hair fanned across his chest… hair that belonged to his wife… Harry's grin widened further than he thought possible…

My wife… I can't believe it… she married me! I AM MARRIED TO GINNY!

His eyes glassed over a little with joy as he smelled Ginny's hair… the same smell he had smelled so long ago in the Potion's class. He blinked rapidly trying to clear away the tears in his eyes. He didn't want Ginny to wake to a crying husband.

"Harry," the question came out as a whisper and he could feel her breath on his skin as she began to wake up. "Harry? What's the matter?"

Harry sighed, and kissed the top of his wife's head. "Nothing, Ginny – I am just so incredibly happy right now. I can hardly believe that we are married… that you said yes… that I get to spend the rest of my life with the woman I love and adore… Sorry, it's just a lot to take in right now."

Ginny sat up, pulling the sheet up with her, and smiled down at her husband of almost 24 hours – and Harry's eyes, despite his attempts, glassed over with tears again to see her beautiful smile and the twinkle in her eyes as she looked at him. His breath caught in his chest and he sat up, gently took her freckled and wonderful face between his hands, and staring into her warm brown eyes, kissed her softly.

"I love you so much Ginny Potter!"

"Mmm, I love to hear that my husband… my Harry!" She returned his kiss, but then startled him with the next question, "What time is it, Harry?"

"Ummm…," he grabbed his watch off of the night stand and handed it to her, "I can't see this without my glasses – you tell me."

Ginny looked at the watch and her eyes got enormous with shock.

"Bloody hell! We're going to be late! I am going to jump in the shower – we have to be to the Burrow in an hour, Harry. Remember, we are opening the wedding presents this morning before we leave for the honeymoon?!"

Harry grinned as his wife jumped out of bed, grabbed some clothes and ran into the bathroom to get ready. His grin turned very mischievous as he realized what opportunity had presented itself to him.

His grin never disappeared as he jumped out of bed and followed his new wife into the bathroom.

HGPHGPHGP

Harry and Ginny finally had gotten ready and made their way to the Burrow. As they stepped out of the floo, they were greeted by a rousing applause, whistles, and catcalls. Harry grabbed Ginny to try and hide his blush that was making him look like one of the Weasleys, while Ginny laughed, stood straighter, and with a flourish curtsied to her brothers, "Thank you, thank you!"

"You lot settle down, right now. That is not appropriate and very unkind to do to your sister and her husband," Molly Weasley said as she and Arthur made their way into the sitting room. "Hello Ginny, hello Harry. Come sit, come sit."

Harry sat down in one of the comfy arm chairs and pulled Ginny into his lap, still trying to stop the blush that was still evident on his face. He looked at the group of people sitting in the room with him. Arthur and Molly, his father and mother-in-law, who had from the first time he had met them, had treated him like another one of their sons. Bill and Fleur, Charlie, and Percy – the older Weasleys, who were like older siblings, even Percy now that he had mended his relationship with his family. When Harry saw George smile, his heart ached a little to know that they would forever miss another identical smile with Fred's passing. Then Harry's gaze settled on his best mate, Ron, and his wife, Harry's other best friend, Hermione, and Harry's smile brightened significantly. They had all been through so much, but they were still here, and now they were family in every sense of the word.

"OK, Hermione – please keep track of the gift and who sent it so Ginny can make sure to get out the thank you cards when they return from their honeymoon, OK?

"Sure thing, Molly," Hermione already had a quill and parchment ready for the task.

"Well, Ginny – Harry, where would you like to start?"

Ginny turned around to Harry, gave him a quick kiss (which received another round of whistles), and smiling at him quietly said, "Well Mr. Potter – you get first choice…"

Leaning down and grabbing the nearest gift, said, "Let's go with this one Mrs. Potter!"

Molly beamed at her daughter and only son-in-law, and the gift unwrapping began.

HGPHGPHGP

A couple of hours later, Ginny and Harry and finished unwrapping all of the presents – George and Percy and taken all of them up to Ginny's old room for storage until the couple returned from their honeymoon, and everyone sat quietly in the living room. At this point, Molly and Arthur excused themselves, and when they came back into the room they looked at Harry and Ginny.

"There are two more gifts, that we would like to present you both with," Molly began.

"Yes, your mother and I have wanted to share these with you for a long time, but we both decided that it might be more special to share them with you at your wedding," said Arthur.

As he finished, Arthur raised his wand and softly spoke, "Accio pensieve!"

A pensieve came floating from the kitchen area, and stopped in the middle of the room. Harry and Ginny looked at one another in confusion.

"Um, Dad… that's a pensieve… and they are REALLY expensive… and you really didn't have to…," Ginny spoke in a confused whisper.

"Oh honey, no, we borrowed this from Professor McGonagall. What we wanted to share with you two are two very special memories," Molly's smile was tinged by tears in her eyes. "Your father and I hope you will understand and know how special they are when you view them."

With that, Molly put her wand to her temple, closed her eyes and pulled a silvery thread away and slowly put it into the pensieve.

Ginny stood up pulling Harry with her, and they both entered the memory…

HGPHGPHGP

They landed in a waiting room in St. Mungo's. Molly was standing there holding a tiny baby wrapped in a blanket, looking very nervous. Arthur came walking up to her and putting an arm around her shoulders quietly said, "Molly-love, it will be OK. The healers know we are here and will know what's going on. Please let's sit down for now, come on, you need to rest a little."

"But Arthur – she's not sleeping at all and the fever isn't going down. I don't know what to do anymore. Ginevra is barely four weeks old, and I am so worried!"

Arthur leaned in and kissed Molly's forehead, then gently took a finger and spreading the blanket a little to look at the tiny baby girl in his wife's arms. "I will go find a healer then."

He softly guided his wife and daughter to some seat, and Molly sat down as Arthur left to find and talk to a healer.

A quiet voice sounded in the stillness of the waiting room, "Hi, I'm Lilly Potter. How old is your baby?"

Harry's breath caught in his throat. His mother was sitting close by, with a young black-haired, green-eyed toddler squirming on her lap. The sight brought tears to his eyes, his mother looked so peaceful and beautiful even with his younger self trying to escape her embrace. He felt a warm hand slide into his and entwine his fingers, and with a small tug, Ginny whispered into his ear, "You were such a cute baby!"

Molly sniffed a little and sat up straighter before responding. "Hello, she just turned four weeks old yesterday."

"Ahh, I am sorry that she isn't feeling well. What's her name, if I may ask?"

Molly slowly smiled down at her daughter and whispered, "Ginevra Molly Weasley."

"That's beautiful name. Is she your only child?"

Molly laughed, "Oh no… she has six older brothers at home. By the way, I am Molly Weasley. I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I am just worried about Ginevra."

Lilly smiled and replied, "Please don't worry about it. Do you know what's wrong with her?"

Molly heaved a great sigh, "No. Usually I have been able to heal my children, but for some reason nothing I have done seems to be working. Ginevra's been running a fever and is fussy – and I can't understand what is causing it. None of my other children are sick."

The toddler was squirming even more in his mother's lap. His arms outstretched as though he wanted to go see what the other red-headed woman was holding.

"Harry, son, you need to sit still until they call our name." Lilly looked serenely down at her child. That look caused the older Harry's tears to spill over and down his cheeks, Ginny quietly reached her arms around his waist and pulled him into a hug.

"Lilly, what is your son's name? And what brings you here?"

Then realizing how forward her latter question was, Molly took a sharp intake of breath and clamping her hand over her mouth apologized as her cheeks turned red in embarrassment.

Lilly just smiled at the older woman. "His name is Harry, and we are just here for his one year check-up. His birthday is actually July 31st, but we were a little late in making an appointment."

Molly smiled, "Ahh, my youngest son, Ronald, turned one this past March. Is Harry your only child?"

Lilly's smile grew larger, "Yeah, but my husband and I are hoping that he won't be for too much longer." Then realizing the implications of what she had said, Lilly's own cheeks flamed red.

Older Harry smiled while at the same time felt renewed tears flow. "I love you Harry." He heard the words and felt the love from his wife as she strengthened the hug she still had him in. He turned and looked into her beautiful brown eyes and smiled down at her, "I love you Ginny."

Just as the newlyweds turned their attention back to the memory, they gasped as the toddler-Harry finally achieved his freedom from his mother's arms, and with a speed that belied a toddler waddled over to Molly and the baby girl in her arms. Lilly jumped up and was trying to grab him before he accidentally hurt the sick baby being held by her mother.

Molly smiled and looked unsure whether she should keep the sick child out of reach of the oncoming toddler. But before she could make a decision, the small baby's arm came out of the blanket and as it did the toddler's outstretch hand grasped the baby's small left hand. There was a small glow around the two children's hands which caused Molly to gasp and watch as the toddler carefully holding the baby's hand looked up at her and in a determined voice said, "Gin."

At this, the present-day Ginny gasped out loud, and at the same time so did the memory Lilly, who was beginning to kneel down next to her son so that she could gently pry his hand away from the baby's without causing the baby pain.

"I am so sorry Molly, but that is the first time Harry has spoken before. I hope he didn't hurt Ginevra."

Molly looked down at her daughter and smiled. Ginevra was grinning back at her mother and appeared to be wholly better. The baby's cheeks were still a little red, but her eyes were sparkling with a look of inner peace and joy. Molly looked from the baby to the toddler who just smiled back at her and said once again with greater conviction, "Gin," and then giggled as his mother picked him up and put him on her hip.

"Molly, is Ginevra ok", Arthur had just arrived with a healer in tow. "Molly, this is Healer Maxwell. She would like to take a look at Ginevra." As he said this, he noticed the other two people in the sitting room and introduced himself, "Oh, hello. I'm Arthur Weasley."

Lilly smiled at him and said, "Hi, I'm Lilly Potter and this little black-haired handful is Harry."

A measured voice spoke up, "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with your daughter. I have run the usual diagnostic charms and she appears to be 100 percent healthy. I am not sure what was going on with her, but I think you should be able to take her home. If anything changes, bring her back immediately. OK?" And with that Healer Maxwell strode from the sitting room.

Molly looked flummoxed as she sat back into the chair and explained to Arthur what had happened with the two young children right before he had entered the room. He grinned and looked at the little boy, "Thank you for helping my daughter Harry."

The toddler looked immensely pleased with himself, and said once more, "Gin." He squirmed off of his mother's hip and once again waddled over to the baby, taking the girl's tiny hand again whispered, "Gin" as he brought it to his tiny lips and kissed a spot right between her thumb and forefinger. At the action the baby laughed and gurgled. Lilly laughed as she picked up the toddler, "All right little Romeo, it's time we get to our appointment. Say bye-bye to the Weasleys."

"Lilly, before you go – would it be OK to take a picture of the four of us," Molly asked. "Arthur has his camera, and this has for some reason been a very special day for my daughter and I. Would that be all right?"

Lilly smiled, "Of course it would be. Maybe, once these troubles settle down our families can get together."

"I would love that," Molly said earnestly.

Arthur directed the two mothers to stand shoulder to shoulder and with both children in their arms, snapped a picture of the four.

After saying their goodbyes, Lilly began to walk away. Her son who was in her arms was looking back at the trio of redheads and with one arm outstretched toward them quietly whispered, "Gin…" as the memory faded and the newlyweds made their way out of the pensieve.

HGPHGPHGP

When Harry and Ginny emerged, they were greeted by Arthur and Molly. One of Arthur's arms was around his wife's shoulders, while Molly had one arm around Arthur's waist and a rectangular present held in her other arm.

Harry was speechless at what he had just seen, and judging by the quiet sniffles he was hearing from his wife, he wasn't the only one. He turned and wrapped his arms around Ginny and pulled her close to him. Looking down at her, he smiled, "Well, I guess we really are meant to be together Love."

When he finished saying the words, Ginny lit up his world with a brilliant smile. "I guess I need to thank you for saving me again." Harry grinned and leaning down caught her lips in a kiss.

"Harry, Ginny – I hope you don't hate us for not sharing that memory sooner with you." Molly's voice was soft and full of trepidation.

Harry looked at his mother-in-law and then at his wife. Ginny's eyes were as full of love and happiness as they had been the day before as they were married. Harry knew what he had to do.

He let go of his wife and resolutely walked over to Molly, and as he neared her he grinned and grabbed her in a hug that she would be proud of and said so that everyone in the room could hear, "Mum, that was the most wonderful and greatest gift I have ever received except for one other!"

Molly giggled at Harry's jubilant answer and returned his hug. "I am glad you like it – though I wonder what gift beats that one," her voice full of unbridled curiosity.

Harry smiled and whispered into Molly's ear, "The love your daughter gives to me will always be the best gift I will ever receive! And I thank you for her!"

Molly's eyes widened and then filled with tears, "Harry… I am glad my daughter chose you!"

Ginny, meanwhile, had gone to her father, hugged and thanked him for what he given.

Chuckling a little, Arthur grinned and said, "Well, there is one more piece to this gift. Molly?"

Molly finally stopped hugging Harry and stepped back next to Arthur, "Here is the last piece of our gift to you both." She smiled as she held the present toward the newlyweds.

Ginny took it and smiled up at Harry, "So, do you want to unwrap it?"

"Nope, you do the honors, but let's sit down first," he grinned.

Ginny led them back and with Harry sitting in an over-stuffed armchair, she plopped down onto his lap, while her parents sat in the sofa nearest to them.

Unwrapping the paper Ginny smiled as a picture frame was revealed. In the picture were two read-headed women holding their children as they all smiled. The toddler kept looking over at the young baby and grinning at her. The baby's eyes looked at the toddler with undisguised joy.

Ginny and Harry smiled at one another, though neither could voice the gratitude that they felt towards Molly and Arthur at the moment.

"Umm, one last thing – Ginny," Arthur queried. "Would you look at your left hand?"

Ginny's brows knitted in curiosity as she looked. There in the space between her left forefinger and thumb was a cluster of freckles.

"Um, what am I looking at Dad? They're just some freckles of mine…"

"Actually Ginny," her mother continued, "we noticed those freckles when we got home from St. Mungo's that day. They weren't there before and…"

"And that is precisely where little Harry kissed your hand before he and his mother left for their appointment," her father continued. He smiled and the look of shock on the young people's faces.

Molly smiled, "And if you look they are a perfect match to the seven Pleiades."

Ginny grinned at the group of freckles and nodded her head at her mother's statement. Her grin widened as Harry took her hand and gently put it to his lips and kissed the spot again. As he did so a pleasant feeling travelled through her body and Ginny breathed a sigh of contentment. Their lives were ending up so much better than any of the old bedtime stories her parents used to read to her about the Boy-Who-Lived.

Her smile widened as her husband pulled her head down; looked into her eyes; smiled and whispered, "I love you forever Ginny Potter," and then sealed it with a kiss.