Finally

A/N: So, this was just an idea I had about how characters finally got together. My 3rd fanfic! Woo-hoo! First up: Harry and Ginny!

Disclaimer: Nothing is my own.

Ch. 1 Harry and Ginny; Take On the World

Harry Potter stood at the edge of the Black Lake of Hogwarts, gazing at the sparkling water and feeling as if he would never smile again.

It had been three days since the Battle of Hogwarts, a battle that had changed his and so many others' lives. It had been an almost out-of-body experience. How could everything he had been forced to live with for 18 years be gone?

So many had died . . . not just in the Battle of Hogwarts, but in the everlasting war against Voldemort. Warriors . . . his father, Mad-eye Moody, Tonks, Lupin, Fred, Dobby, Snape, Sirius . . . . People who chose to die, rather than take an easier path . . . his mother, Dumbledore, Regulus Black . . . . And those who had simply been in the way . . . the old man Harry had dreamed about in his fourth year, Cedric Diggory, Hedwig. Worst of all, Harry couldn't help but feel responsible for each one of their deaths.

Harry rubbed his face and sighed tiredly. Hogwarts was open to almost anyone right now, but soon he would have to leave, go out into the world, and begin the rest of his life. And quite frankly, he was scared.

"Harry?" A soft voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts. He jumped and whirled around to see Ginny staring at him, looking as beautiful as ever. "Sorry," she quickly added. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's --- it's alright," he said gruffly, turning back around. "Not your fault."

He could sense her hesitating, before coming to stand next to him.

"How are you doing?" she asked without looking at him.

"Fine."

"Harry, I know you better than that."

He sighed dejectedly. "I'm pretty torn up," he admitted.

Ginny nodded. "Me too. Everyone is."

She leaned in closer then, far too close. Her brown eyes met his green ones. "It's not your fault, you know," she whispered. ""They knew what they were doing, what they were fighting for."

She continued to lean in, so Harry could smell her flowery scent and he had to fight the impulse not to close the distance between them. "I know what I'm doing, too, Harry."

Harry realized with a start that they were no longer talking about the war. He turned his head away.

"Ginny, stop," he said.

A hurt expression flashed across her features, before it turned stony and she leaned away. "Why?"

He took a deep breath and blurted, "We shouldn't be together."

"What?"

"You --- you deserve better than me."

"Better? Harry, you just saved the Wizarding World, how much 'better' can I get?"

Harry didn't look at her, but he could feel her eyes boring into the side of his head. "You deserve someone normal."

"Normal?" Ginny scoffed. "Normal? Well, what if I don't want normal? What if I want you?"

Harry did not answer.

"Is it because of Ron?" she asked quietly, causing Harry to whip around, startled. "Is it because Ron told you to lay off me?"

"What? What --- no! No, this has nothing to do with ---"

Ginny suddenly grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Because I don't care what Ron thinks! I've never cared!"

"Ginny ---" Harry started, but was cut off by footsteps and an all too familiar voce.

"Harry? I was looking everywhere for --- oh, hi, Ginny! What are you ---?"

Harry looked down at Ginny and with a start, realized she had tears in her eyes.

"He ruins everything, doesn't he?" she whispered before letting go of him. She turned and shoved past Ron. Then, she took off sprinting into the castle.

"OI!" Ron called after her. He looked back at Harry. "What's wrong with her?"

Harry just shrugged and turned back around.

Ron stared at his friend's back, before going to stand beside him.

"You really like her, don't you?" he asked.

Harry sighed. "It doesn't matter."

"What? Why?"

"She deserves better than me. Someone normal."

"Normal?" Ron questioned, his brow furrowed. "And what makes you abnormal?"

Harry stared at his best mate, his eyes wide. He raised a hand to his scar.

"Ah," Ron said knowingly. "That's what."

Ron raised his eyebrows. "And what's so astounding about that? You-Know ---" he sighed, "--- Voldemort's dead, right? The connection between you two has been cut. So that means your scar is . . . precisely that! A scar! And so what if it's shaped like lightning? Personally, I think a tornado would be much more impressive."

Harry felt a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Besides," Ron leaned in closer and dropped his voice to a whisper, "I happen to know for a fact that Ginny has a scar, too." He smiled. "So, go get 'er, mate."

Harry swallowed against the sudden lump in his throat. "Ron ---" he choked, but Ron just shook his head.

"Don't mention it."

Harry nodded and took off running back to the castle.

"Ginny!" he called repeatedly after entering. "Ginny!"

"Harry?" a voice asked.

Harry spun around and saw that his red-haired beauty had just stepped out of an empty classroom. It pained him to see her tear stained cheeks.

"Ginny," he sighed and practically sprinted toward her.

"Har ---!" was all she got out before he took her head in his hands and crushed his lips to hers.

She seemed startled at first, but then she closed her eyes and slid her arms around his neck. He snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him, trying to get all unsaid things into the kiss. It was pretty much the best kiss he had ever had.

Far too soon, the kiss was broken. He smiled down at her and she ran a hand through his untidy, black hair. Harry bent his neck so their foreheads were touching and kissed her nose. She giggled.

Whatever happened in the rest of his life, Harry finally felt sure it would be ok. Because the people who cared for him were with him, ready to take on the world.

A/N: What did you think? I'm probably going to do Ron and Hermione next. Please review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!