Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. – St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians.

Different than expected

The door to the girls changing room slammed loudly shut while at the same time a young woman let herself slide, with the back against the wall, down. The long fiery hair appeared like a veil hiding the never-ending stream of hot tears over her pained face. Her whole delicate body shook each time when a sob escaped her lips.

"Ginny!" a male voice called.

Heavily breathing, Ginny leant her head against the wall. She had lost Harry forever, and she didn't even know why. Had she done something wrong, wasn't she attractive enough anymore? No matter what it was, the certainty that she had lost her true love hurt incredibly. For weeks, she had hoped Harry would finally choose her. Perhaps, the fact that she had forced Harry to choose had driven him into Hermione's arms?

"Ginny, are you in there?" again, the anxious voice of Neville came but this time right from the other side of the door.

Another cry left, unhindered her lips.

"I'm coming in now." He warned and slowly opened the door.

"Go away!" She didn't want anyone to see her like this.

Her plea seemed to fell completely on deft ears by Neville. As soon as the door was open, his old insecurity returned for a moment when he saw how devastated she was sitting on the floor. Nevertheless, he came back to his senses and hurried to her side like so many times before. As soon as he was sitting next to her, he put an arm around her shoulders, and she allowed herself to lean into him.

"Harry?" He broke the silence.

Ginny could only nod against his chest.

"What is it this time?" Underlying anger was in his voice.

It was probably this silent annoyance that gave her the most comfort. Like hardly anyone else throughout the past year, Neville had stood at her side often even against her protest.

"He chooses Hermione." She mumbled.

"Finally." Neville whispered, but Ginny heard him anyway.

Hurt, that even he seemed to be against her, she tried to push him away from her. But he held her hand tightly.

"Finally, you've got certainty and a chance to find happiness again." He added, and that calmed her a bit down.

"But I don't understand it, Neville! Am I that insufferable, what I've done wrong?" She desperately asked him while fresh tears streamed over her face.

"Nothing." Neville smiled sadly. "Nothing at all, Ginny."

"But-"

"You can't live through certain things with somebody and not realise in the end that you just can't be without this person anymore." He interrupted earnestly.

Ginny tightly closed her eyes and nodded reluctantly. She understood what he tried to tell her and could even sympathise, but it didn't change the fact that she felt extremely hurt. In an attempt to comfort her, Neville pulled her against him, and she let him.

In strips, the sunlight shone through the windows and illuminated single dust particles, which moved slowly through the air. Several times Hermione blinked as if she was awakening from a dream. She had clearly heard Harry's words but just couldn't get it. He was still holding her hand against his chest and looked intently at her.

All her thoughts, all her worries were gone. She could read it from his expression that he was completely honest with her, and still, she couldn't believe it to be true. For so long, she had convinced herself that Harry never would feel more than friendship for her. She had given up on him, opened up for other boys who showed interest in her instead. Now he was standing in front of her, told her the words she'd thought were impossible. For months, years she had locked this part of her heart away, believing all the love she felt for him, would remain forever unheard.

"Hermione?" he softly stroked her cheek with his other hand.

"Truly?" uncertainty like a small child she asked.

"Yes, truly." Harry confirmed with a mild smile on his lips.

Carefully, as if he could vanish any second, she turned her head slightly and kissed his palm.

"I love you, Harry, for so long." She whispered at last and could watch how deep relief washed over him.

His whole face lighted up so much that he appeared younger than a few minutes ago. The gentle kiss that followed was filled with affection.

"Come with me!" She heard Harry say high-spirited and felt how he took her hand in his much larger one as if he wanted to leave with her.

"Wait, we still have to attend lessons." She half-heartedly protested.

Harry just grinned amused by her typical reaction.

"I rather want to spend the day with you than to sit in a classroom." He replied.

"But - but we're role models." The rebel inside her rolled the eyes at these words, and she knew that she certainly wouldn't spend a single minute today on school work.

Unimpressed Harry guided her out of the classroom, through the corridors to the secret passage to Hogsmeade.

"We're breaking so many rules." She sighed while they watched the statue moving out of the way.

"You love to break them." Harry purred while he pulled her into the dark passageway right against his body.

"Just for you." She admitted grinning and looked up into his from his wand illuminated face, which was just a few centimetres away from her.

In the background, she heard how the statue closed the passageway again and put them into complete darkness. She didn't care, though. Hermione had only eyes for Harry. Fears and worried didn't count anymore. Again on this day, she felt his lips on hers and didn't know if she'll ever get enough of them. Each time, it was proof this was her reality now.

The streets and the shops in Hogsmeade were at this time of the day vacated except for inhabitants, and a few visitors. For the first time, it wasn't too bad that Harry was probably one of the most famous wizard's alive. Ambrosius Flume, the owner of Honeydukes, was extremely excited to find the Savior of the magical world suddenly in his shop that he didn't even question how the pair got there in the first place.

Laughing and with bags full of sweets, they left the shop finally. The day, which had started windy, had turned into a beautiful autumn day. The trees with their colourful leaves and the still warming sun were like a balm for the soul.

"Give me this. I put it in my school bag." Hermione requested.

Just now, Harry noticed that she had her old school bag full of books around the shoulders.

"You still have it?" He asked, surprised.

It had been such a common picture over the years that he hadn't wondered before why she wasn't using her handbag from the Horcrux hunt.

"Call me sentimental, but I have it since our first year, and I connect extraordinary memories with it." She explained with a fond smile.

"Understandable." Harry commented and gave her the sweet bags. "But let me carry it."

"It isn't necessary, Harry." She argued.

"I insist."

"By all means, go ahead." Hermione reluctantly gave in.

"Merlin, what are you caring around, stones?"

She just laughed and waved her wand towards the bag. Right away, Harry felt how the burden eased up.

"Thanks." He took her hand and kissed her.

"It's helpful not to forget that we can do magic." Hermione teased and returned the kiss, which didn't seem to end.

Together, they spend the remaining day in Hogsmeade, which had been severely damaged due to the War but only a few places still reminded at the massive fights. For a few hours, they weren't two war heroes but just a couple in love, who filled the streets with easy laughter.

At the horizon, the sun was slowly setting for Harry nor Hermione did it feel like the day was nearing its end. The past hours flew away in a blink of an eye. But how happy and carefree they had been? Hermione couldn't remember if she ever felt like this before. Reluctantly they returned to the secret passage to the castle of Hogwarts.

They managed to find their way back to the corridors with a few breaks here and there because of the overwhelming emotions. On their way to the Gryffindor Tower, Hermione decided Harry had carried her bag long enough. He, in turn, gave in though not without the candy. In the past years, she had developed a sweet tooth, and he just knew that he never see his bag full of sweets from the Honeydukes again. He opened the school bag and stopped in his tracks. Among several books, he saw an oddly familiar one. The binding and the cover fit, he was sure it was the same book from their time in Australia which she had been so adamant about keeping away from him. Captivated by it, Harry took it and read for the first time its title.

"Happily married for noobs." He read out loudly without to notice what he was actually doing; he was that flabbergasted.

In vain, Hermione, who was blushing deep red by now, tried to get a hold of the book but Harry kept it out of range. Harry looked at her with round eyes while she avoided his gaze. It was all so embarrassing.

"A book about marriage?" Harry's voice was slightly breaking.

"After you had been entirely against disowning me, I tried to inform myself what it takes for a marriage to be happy." She helplessly admitted.

In a hurry, he threw the book back into the bag and dropped it without much care on the floor before he turned back to her. Suddenly, he held her surprised face with his hands and looked at her with bright eyes.

"This is probably by far the craziest and at the same time the most selfless thing that anyone ever had done for me, Hermione." Harry told her breathlessly and closed the distance between them for a passionate kiss.

"Mr" Professor McGonagall cleared her voice "and Mrs Potter if you would be so kind as to follow me!"

Utterly shocked, they jumped apart and saw their Headmistress a few metres ahead in the corridor. She had already turned on her heel and was marching to her office. Without another word, they followed because they knew that meant trouble.

The Headmaster office looked vastly different now that Professor McGonagall was Headmistress. Gone were all obscure instruments and had been replaced by several old books and a few unusual objects like a little jar with ash inside, a schema for Transfiguration it seemed and an old Quidditchbroom.

"As much as I'm happy on your behalf that you apparently decided to keep your promise of marriage -" She began as soon as she was seated behind her desk but interrupted herself upon the surprised looks the head couple gave her.

"Very well." She breathed exasperatedly. "After your letter, Mrs Potter, and your reaction to the different setting of the headquarters, it wasn't that difficult to deduce the situation you are in."

Professor McGonagall paused and watched Harry and Hermione sternly how uncomfortable they took a seat at the other side of the desk.

"War, difficult situation leads us to decisions we might regret later." McGonagall continued in a much kinder tone. "So, I'm glad, really, that you two realised this" She gestured between them "Is not one of those."

"But to considerate an old law, a loophole for pureblood families - Mr and Mrs Potter, is rather disappointing. "

They were more than anything astonished to learn how far her knowledge of the whole affair went. Before either Harry or Hermione could say a word, Professor McGonagall stunned them once more by her next statement.

"More so since in your case, it wouldn't have worked anyway."

It took a moment for the information to sink in.

"But I looked it up, Professor. In 'Protective legislation of the noblest Houses', it clearly states that a man or the head of his house can disown his wife." Hermione argued and then turned to Harry. "I'd never asked you if -"

"Miss - Mrs Potter, I'm well aware of where to look for this law, and many in our magical community chose to believe it to be accurate, but I assure you it is not." McGonagall interrupted the younger woman more harshly than intended.

"How is it not?" Hermione inquired faintly.

"If it were, do you think any pureblood family needed to burn members from their family tree?" The Professor asked rhetorically. "There doesn't exist any law that could control the purest form of magic."

"You mean to tell us there isn't a way to end a magical marriage, isn't it?" Harry deadpanned.

At this Minerva McGonagall deeply sighed. Even though her two pupils came to their senses, they still didn't understand.

"If you two just had consulted me at the beginning of the school year - but no matter." She muttered more to herself before she became serious again. "What I'm about to tell you is a very private matter, and I'd hate to see it spread around. Can you keep it confidential?"

"Of course." They chorused.

"Good." She tightly acknowledged and nodded.

Abruptly, she stood up and moved to the large window behind her. The orange light of the setting sun let the circular room appear even more mysteriously. Harry and Hermione exchanged nervous looks. Neither of them wanted to be that intruding yet at the same time; they anticipated learning more about their Headmistress.

"I must have been at your age when I married him. Together, we grew up and eventually fell in love." Professor McGonagall told them with a much softer voice than they were used to.

"It was all so perfect, I thought." At this, she turned to them again.

The light from behind made it impossible to see any facial expressions. They only saw her silhouette how it reached over the desk, getting a hold of the little jar filled with maybe a small tablespoon of ash. For a brief moment, the greyish-black particles began to rearrange themselves into a ring, which hovered a few seconds inside the glass, even glittered faintly golden, before it fell back into a little heap of ashes.

"But it wasn't. The man, I thought I knew and loved, didn't exist anymore." Incredible sad, broken she sounded now.

"I won't bore you with details." As sudden, as she had bared her hurt self, it was gone again, and she resolutely put the little jar back at its place.

"But as soon as I learned the truth about my husband, my feelings changed. At some point, my wedding ring turned black until it fell off, and our marriage resolved."

The chair creaked when she sat back on it. All the while, Harry and Hermione watched every move like hawks. They knew their Professor for nearly eight years, but such details had remained a secret.

"The reason why I'm telling you this is to assure you. Marriage at this age is frightening, esp. if I'm right to assume it wasn't entirely planned like that at all. But fighting in a war against witches and wizards several years older than yourself isn't usual either." Yet again, she sighed. "Over the years, I was allowed to follow how the two of you grew up and inevitable closer. You care very deeply for another, and if I dare even say, love each other. There is no reason at all to expect that either of you has any intention not to keep their promise you have given."

"That's really kind of you to say -." Harry began slightly irritated.

"But my words are just that words." She interrupted him. "Why don't you take facts instead? Technically, you shouldn't be married anymore."

"I can't follow you?" Hermione spoke up, flabbergasted and shared a worried look with Harry.

"During the Battle of Hogwarts you died, didn't you, Mr Potter?" Professor McGonagall questioned calculative and sharp.

In a heartbeat, before Harry could reply, Hermione gripped his hand as if by just hearing the Headmistress say that he could vanish.

"Well, yes, I suppose." He uncomfortably answered.

"Go one then, look at your hands." Professor McGonagall urged them on.

Indeed, on both hands, the marriage ring was clearly visible. Fleetingly, they peeked at it.

"It is not just that you defied death, Mr Potter, but the extraordinary band between you remained."

"Surely, it isn't that unusual." Hermione muttered under her breath, and Harry had to stop himself from smiling.

"You know it better, Mrs Potter. Everything about it is unique." The Headmistress chided and leant back. "Nevermind, you came around anyway, and for that I'm glad, but I can't allow you just to skip classes if you feel like it especially not as Headgirl and Headboy!"

While Harry didn't dare to look at Professor McGonagall, Hermione nibbled in a nervous gesture on her lips.

"Given the circumstances though I think we may allow an exception." She faintly smiled at their shellshocked faces.

"And now, please get lost! Do whatever freshly married couples are supposed to do." The Professor shooed them away. "After everything, you deserve happiness. But remember to cherish what you have, don't allow it to wither."

"Yes, Madam!" Harry cheekily replied and stood abruptly.

"We won't." Hermione managed to say before Harry dragged her from the office.

Minerva McGonagall watched with a soft smile on her lips how eager they took the steps downstairs.

"You know, she is right." She heard Harry tell Hermione.

"About what?" Hermione inquired.

"That we should do what married couples are supposed to do." He responded cooly.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed but couldn't hide her amusement in her voice.

Back in the Headmaster office, Professor McGonagall just laughed at their antics. It was refreshing to experience that happy ends exist.

Author note:

Hello,
an interesting, intensive journey ends. I hope that I managed to show Ron nor Ginny in an all to bad light. Sometimes if people are hurt, afraid they tend to turn into awful personalities but that, I suppose, is human. It doesn't right away mean they are forever your enemy or that friendships are over. But that it might take time to overcome and allow to take a different view on the issues could actually help to accomplish that.
A few years ago, when I wrote this story, I wanted to tell a lighter story though not too happy and sappy because I can't be fooled like that but something believable. It got angsty parts, sad sidelines but also a happy ending...one that we probably need all at the moment. That said, take good care and stay safe.

Thanks for reading

~Phoenixwriter