KEEPSAKE
Post-Seven; Harry returns from Auror training to find Ginny with a one-year-old son that she claims to be theirs.

Disclaimer: All JKR's work.

Note: For all those who read my first version of Keepsake, this is a new version of that story. The storyline has remained inherently the same, but the story has just been retold with a clearer focus. Also, this is slightly out of canon. It is post-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, but very few events from the book did not take place in the same world as Keepsake. I am writing it in the same way that I did the first version, which was written before HP7. So some things may be different.

ONE: A Kiss Goodbye

"Harry?"

Ginny fumbled blindly under the sheets of her bed, still slightly disoriented from having just woken up. When she realized that the space next to her was empty, she opened her eyes and looked around her room. Morning light peeked through from behind her curtains and her door was slightly ajar as opposed to being fully shut as it had been last night. He must be downstairs, she concluded.

She crawled out of bed slowly as the aftereffects of last night's firewhisky shots drummed soundly through her head. Her stomach growled at her and she remembered how little she had to eat in comparison to how much she had to drink. For being hung-over for the first time in her life, Ginny realized she didn't care much for it. As she tiptoed around her party clothes strewn across the hardwood floor, she grabbed her night robe from her closet and wrapped it around herself to conceal her otherwise scanty undergarments that she had uncomfortably fallen asleep in.

Never again. Firewhisky, no food and Harry…never again.

As she walked into the empty hallway outside her room, a small pang of fear resonated in her mind. Where was everyone? Had Harry and Ron left already? Did she wake up too late to say her goodbyes? What if last night's semi-drunken encounter had been the last she would see of Harry or her brother for the next year? She continued down the hall, hoping to find someone that would prove her wrong.

"Alright there, Ginny?" someone said from behind.

Ginny turned around and found Hermione standing there, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hermione. Have they gone yet?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. The two of them are still downstairs eating breakfast. You see, your mum's got this idea that they'll be poorly fed at Auror training. So she's hoping to counter a year's worth of malnourishment with just one breakfast."

"I see," Ginny said. "Why are you upstairs?"

"Your brother's not quite the smartest when it comes to packing for a year," Hermione explained. "Your mum sent me upstairs to do the job properly. He seemed to have forgotten to pack his underwear…"

Ginny smiled thankfully. "I don't know what Ron would do without you."

"There's a thought," Hermione said wistfully. "So…"

Ginny looked at Hermione suspiciously. "Yes?"

"You spent the night with Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Not so loud!" Ginny said, panicked. "You know? How do you know?"

"Everyone knows," Hermione said dryly. "Everyone except Ron, perhaps, but that's to be expected. Believe me, the two of you weren't exactly the most subtle pair last night. You were flirting the entire night."

"Damn it." Ginny shook her head aggressively. "I can't believe last night happened. And what's worse is I'm the stupid one in this situation. He's the smart one, doing whatever the hell he wants the night before he leaves for a year, and I'm the one who's left to pine for him in his absence! Where's the common sense in that?"

"I couldn't tell you. I thought you and Harry were done."

"That was all firewhisky last night," Ginny explained. "Not much of it was done on actual emotion."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Hermione said. "Harry seemed to have a lot on his mind during breakfast this morning."

"Really? Did he say anything?"

"Not when we asked him. Besides, he was a bit preoccupied with some Auror business, as well. An owl came this morning with a letter telling them that instead of going to Ireland for the first leg of their training, they'll be heading to Germany."

Ginny sighed. "When Harry and I broke up, it was so that we could both focus on other parts of our life. Him on his Auror training, and me on becoming a Healer…or whatever it is that I need to do with my life. But ever since him and Ron told us that they would be leaving for a year, I haven't been able to get him out of my head since."

"Do you want to get back together with him?"

"I can't possibly do that! He could meet someone in the next year. I don't want to make him feel as though he's obligated to someone here. Besides, he's leaving today. There just isn't enough time. Not everyone can have the same stable relationship that you and Ron have."

Hermione turned red. "Ron and I aren't exactly stable, but I trust our relationship enough that after a year, we'll still be the same."

"Harry and I don't even have a relationship to speak of."

"Well, to be honest Ginny, that's your fault. You're the one that ended things because you thought it would be better for the two of you. But the truth is Harry never got over you. And you never got over him, either."

"What are you suggesting exactly, Hermione? I can't start anything with him now."

"Talk to him," Hermione said calmly. "I'm sure he'd want to do the same, especially after last night. You can't let him leave confused."

Ginny sighed again. "I suppose so. After all, it's Harry. Talking to him has never been a problem before."

"Ron, have you seen Harry?"

After talking to Hermione, Ginny walked downstairs to find that the entire breakfast table had been cleared. Her mum was in the kitchen hand washing the dishes as opposed to using a wand, while her father was out in the front having conversation with the Ministry delegate that would escort Harry and Ron to their rendezvous point at a Portkey. The rest of her brothers were here and there, hoping to avoid any last minute chores that would be forced upon them.

"He's outside in the garden. Why?" Ron eyed his little sister suspiciously.

"Don't give me that look, Ron. I just want to talk to him."

"Haven't the two of you had enough to talk about, what with last night and all?"

"Shut up, why don't you? I thought I ought to give him a proper goodbye. And don't you dare make a comment after that."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Ginny, haven't I told you to be smart with Harry? With boys in general?"

"Well, you haven't exactly dealt me the best advice with boys…"

"I'm being serious, Ginny. I'm not saying this as Harry's best mate, but I'm saying this as your brother. A year is a long time. Anything can happen. With you, I know that 'talking to Harry' doesn't mean just talking to Harry. Be pragmatic here. You're young and you have a thousand options to choose from."

Ginny shuddered. "I'm not used to your big brother advice. But don't worry, I'm being smart. Besides, if things can happen in a year, then why are you bothering with a long distance relationship with Hermione?"

"Hermione and I are…different," Ron said carefully. "We're older and I'm relying heavily on her common sense to keep us together."

"I'm only a year younger, Ron. And Harry's the same age as you are and we've been together long enough to know how this works. I don't even understand what you're getting worked up for! I just want to talk to him."

"I'm only watching out for you."

She reached over and hugged Ron in the middle of their dining room. She sighed deeply.

"I know. You're the best brother I could ask for, and I'm going to miss you terribly."

"Are you lying?" Ron asked jokingly.

"Of course not. Who else is going to watch out for me when you're gone?" The two of them pulled away.

"Exactly. Keep that in mind while I'm gone. Now go out and talk to him. But be careful and quick. We're leaving in fifteen minutes and I need to go say my, erm, proper goodbyes to Hermione."

Ginny grimaced as she walked out to the backyard. The decorations from last night were still strewn across the garden. A banner that Hermione had bewitched to hover above the festivities had now fallen to the ground and rippled in the gentle breeze. Several tables were still set up, some still covered with empty glasses and half-eaten meals. She wasn't looking forward to having to clean this up with her mum and Hermione once the boys left, but she knew that as long as the garden stayed this way, then Harry would still be here and she could have her chance to talk to him. She looked around several times before she finally found him sitting alone at the table where they had been sitting last night, drinking firewhisky, following through with their indiscretions…

"Hi there," Ginny said softly.

Harry jumped at the sound of her voice and nearly toppled out of his chair. He stood up awkwardly and swept his jet-black hair to one side of his face, revealing his lightning-bolt shaped scar and his emerald green eyes. For a twenty-year old, he looked like a young man who had been through so much more in his life. Even after three years since Voldemort's defeat, he still had the demeanor of a weathered soul ready for a life of relaxation. However, his career choice of being an Auror contradicted that.

"Hi, Ginny." His voice croaked nervously. He looked as though he had been planning this moment in his head for a while.

"We can sit, if you want," Ginny suggested, taking a seat next to him. "I'm sure you'll be spending a lot of the next year standing and moving around."

Harry smiled sheepishly. "I'm a bit scared, actually."

"Scared?" Ginny asked incredulously. "Harry Potter, the Chosen One? Scared? You defeated Voldemort – you did what no other wizard could do, and a little Auror training is scaring you?"

"When you put it that way, it sounds stupid, but I feel like this is the first time that I'm doing anything alone."

"You have Ron, don't you?"

"I suppose, but I mean that this is a different responsibility than what I'm used to. I've never really had to worry about taking care of myself – just others. Now, I'm accountable for my own actions and my future. I need to do well during training so that I can be an excellent Auror."

Ginny laughed. "You'll do brilliantly. You're a natural at all of this. A year across Europe is nothing compared to backpacking through it to avoid Snatchers and Voldemort's clutches."

Harry grinned sheepishly. "I guess…maybe I'm just scared of being away from familiarity for so long."

Ginny felt her cheeks fill up with blood. "Afraid you'll get homesick?"

"I'm almost certain," he said. "I may be going with Ron, but I'll be leaving behind all of my other friends that I've gone through so much with…including you."

"Harry…"

"Listen, Ginny, I know that we both have the same thing on our minds right now. And I just want to say that last night was amazing...at least what I remember of it. But spending a night with you, regardless of state of consciousness, is always a fantastic experience and it was the best way to say goodbye."

"It really was fantastic," Ginny said softly.

"Ginny, promise me something," he said seriously, as though he didn't hear her. "Promise me that you'll make yourself happy. That's my only wish for while I'm gone. Your happiness is all I truly care for and I want to know that you'll do me that favor. That regardless of whatever you and I are, you won't let that stand in the way of who you can be."

"What are you saying?" Ginny asked, somewhat offended.

"Don't think of me while I'm gone," he clarified. "Don't let me complicate matters. If you meet someone, then let it happen. Be happy!"

"You're not always on my mind," Ginny said defensively. "And I won't let you get in the way of my happiness."

"Good!" Harry said, relieved but a little too dense to realize that he had hurt Ginny. "That's what I want to hear."

"What does this mean for us, then?"

Harry shrugged. "It means that…we'll let things take their natural course. Anything can happen in a year."

"As if I haven't heard that one yet…" Ginny murmured under her breath.

Harry stood up. "I should say goodbye to everyone now…we should be leaving soon."

Ginny stood up as well and looked Harry in the eyes. "Well, then, goodbye."

Harry looked at her intently, his passion for her concealed by the kindness and warmth of his stare. He approached her softly and wrapped his arms around her, one around her waist and one around her neck to cradle the back of her head. As he leaned in softly, their lips brushed and he kissed her deeply, a kiss that would have to leave a lasting impression for the next year. Ginny arched her back and brought herself closer to him, but just as soon as she had done that, the kiss reached its end and he pulled away.

"Goodbye, Ginny."

With that, he turned around and away.

She stood there, motionless for a while and unable to think or do anything. Was that really how they would leave each other for a year? Even if he told her to be happy, regardless of him, she wasn't sure that that was what she wanted to do. Especially not after that kiss.

All of a sudden, Ginny was brought back to that moment in her room, three years ago, on Harry's birthday. She could remember not having a present to give him, instead offering him the simplest and surest sign of her love for him. A kiss. A kiss as simple as their kiss just now but filled with the promise of a forever together once he had fulfilled his destiny and Voldemort was gone. It was a kiss filled with certainty, one that said no matter what happened, they would still have each other.

She brought her fingertips to touch her lips. She wasn't sure what this kiss meant.

AN: So, for those who read Keepsake the first time around, I hope you still remember the storyline and enjoy the revamping. And for those who are reading Keepsake for the first time, regardless of version, I hope you enjoyed it [: I can't wait to restart all of this again!