Tick. Toc. Tick. Toc. Tick…

"Will some one shut that God dam clock up!" Harry's voice broke through the silence that seemed to have descended upon the Burrow like a tangible object.

"Harry mate," began Neville laying a calming hand on his shoulder whilst one of the Aurors hastily shot a silencing charm at the offending clock. The clock seemed to bulge indignantly and shot a bolt at the Auror, who ducked hastily. The bolt struck the wall inches behind him and imbedded itself an inch deep in the thick, yellow plaster. No one tried to remove it. "I think your becoming hysterical."

"Hysterical?" Harry muttered followed by a snort. "I'll show you hysterical." No one quite understood what he had said as his sentence came out sounding more like a snarl than any recognisable words. However, the nasty look he gave the room left no doubt to the meaning.

One of the Aurors turned and tutted disapprovingly to his partner. Harry grimaced and turned his gaze back to the floor, his hands bunching into fists on the arms of the lumpy armchair that Molly had ushered him into half an hour ago. The Auror's partner let out a poorly disguised chuckle and Harry's knuckles turned white as his grip on the gaudy material increased. Neville gave Harry's shoulder a quick squeeze and glared at the offending men who remained completely unabashed.

The burrow fell silent once more and Harry lifted his head. For what felt like the one-hundredth time he turned his eyes to scan the people in the room with him. There was Neville of course, sitting straight backed in his own lumpy chair next to Harry, sensing Harry's eyes upon him Neville gave a half hearted smile before turning his head to gaze morosely out of a nearby window.

By said window lounged Kingsley. Despite his relaxed posture Harry thought the man looked, twitchy. He kept sneaking little glances around the cramped room in particular towards the door.

Harry followed his gaze and quickly spotted the two other occupants in the room. Both were Aurors and despite the differences in appearances (one was very tall with an almost malnourished look about him and the other was built like a brick.) The smirks they wore when they saw Harry looking at them were almost identical. Angrily turning his head again; in a movement nearly fast enough to give him whiplash Harry's gaze fell upon a row of wizarding photo's propped across the surface of an antique looking table.

The first two were nothing special. A photograph of the twins, standing side by side and covered in a red goo, that oozed its way over matching toothy grins. Another of Ron and Percy playing what must have been an intense game of wizard's chess. It was the third that stole Harry's gaze and knocked the breath out of him.

It was of him and Ginny. Mesmerised he watched as his photograph self twirled the awe-inspiring red head across the picture. He watched as they danced, as the image of Ginny laughed soundlessly and the image of himself grinned in a way he himself hadn't for the past two months. He was surprised to find himself crying.

"It's started, hasn't it?" He murmured quietly to Neville, wiping the offending moisture from his eyes.

"Five minutes ago."

Again Harry's gaze strayed to his feet. His grip on the chair arms increased again until the material felt strained to the point of ripping under his fingers. Five minutes ago, the wedding between Draco bloody Malfoy and his beautiful Ginny had started. If he held the chair any looser he might fall. It was this grip that kept him firmly seated in a world that had turned itself upside down.

Not for the first time Harry wondered what it would be like if Arthur Weasley had been a bit less trusting, or if Lucius Malfoy (smarmy git) had been a little less sneaky. He wondered what would have happened if that corrupt git Fudge hadn't been Minister of Magic.

Not that it helped matters. They were beyond help now.

When Ginny had told him, tears in her eyes what had happened Harry felt like he was the butt of a very poor joke that he couldn't understand. Surely Arthur wouldn't be foolish enough to sign anything without reading at least once. Surely Malfoy wasn't that desperate. But no. It had happened. Lucius Malfoy had placed a contract for the marriage of Ginny and his own malformed spawn in a pile of documents for Arthur to read and sign. And Arthur, that idiotic man, had signed it.

Not that he could fully blame Arthur. The whole family was pretty sure that the parchment had a compulsion charm on it, one that forced the reader to sign it. But when Harry had made an appeal to Amelia Bones, head of the Magical Law Enforcement to have the document scanned by trained Aurors; Fudge had stepped in. Face sweating profusely under his ridiculous lime green bowler, he had put a halt to all investigations and had the contract itself placed in the care of trusted Aurors.

Harry had only seen the contract itself on one occasion before Fudge swept into the scene. It was an A4 sized piece of parchment. The writing itself was written in an elaborate, swirling form of calligraphy. As Harry watched the silver ink seemed to gleam sinisterly from the page. Mocking him. Hands trembling, he lifted the parchment to his face so he could read it clearly. The first thing his eyes were drawn to was the set of names printed at the top. 'Ginervra Molly Weasley, to be bonded to Draco Malfoy,' the names were bold, standing out from the rest of the lettering. Without Ginny's warm presence standing next too him Harry wouldn't have been able to finish reading the contract.

In silence he perused the rest of the contract. It was a very medieval object, focusing on the bonding between the two families and the duties the would be wife would have. There was not one mention of what would happen if one of the parties was not a willing participant in the occasion. Harry got the impression no one would really care. Finally at the bottom of the parchment, written in a tiny font almost too small to read was the sentence 'Anyone, be they magic or muggle, human or animal will face dire punishment if they interfere with this matrimony.'

In a dead voice Ron explained. "It mean's we'll loose our magic mate. Even you can't fight this. There's nothing we can do."

Harry slammed his fist into the table causing Hermione's cup of coffee to jolt and spray the liquid across the table. In other circumstances, the sight of Percy drenched in the muggle beverage would have been a source of great amusement. But no one laughed. Even the twins, usually so quick to find humour in even the dullest moment didn't crack a smile.

"There must be something… Anything?" He cried desperately. But as he looked around the crowded table, filled with the best and brightest of the light, they all looked away. His head swivelled desperately from side to side trying to catch their eyes. Waiting for someone to jump up and say.

"Just kidding, it was all a joke. Ginny doesn't have to marry Malfoy. She's still yours."

But as he looked, as he prayed that someone would stand up and say "So here's the plan." As he waited for someone to come up with a harebrained scheme to rescue his beloved they turned their backs. Even when the Malfoys, who were now held with more contempt and hatred in Harry's eyes than even Voldemort came to pick Ginny up a month before the wedding to plan. No one made any move to stop them. They couldn't. Not at the risk of loosing their magic.

He still couldn't believe that he had been right there, right next to her, when they had taken her. He had been right there, and he hadn't lifted even one finger to save her.

Even now, as the minutes ticked by, as each second span them closer to the end. As each millisecond drew them closer to a time when she would be beyond his help, he still sat there. In the same lumpy chair he had been forced into, with the same people who were there under ministry orders to make sure he didn't try anything to disrupt the wedding, he did nothing. He couldn't. All because he was to stupid to think of a way to escape this without loosing his magic.

Without loosing his magic…

Neville looked up in shock as Harry started to laugh. He really had cracked hasn't he? He thought miserably to himself. He had been dismayed himself when he learnt of Ginny's fate. She had been a good friend to him throughout his sixth and seventh years at Hogwarts and they had kept in touch even after he had left via owl post. It pained him to admit it, but he had had a slight crush on the youngest Weasley and even though he was engaged to Hannah Abbot now, a small part of him still felt he had a connection to Ginny. They say you never forget your first crush…

But how he felt must be nothing, compared to the way Harry must feel. The quiet, almost shy Chosen one had been going out with Ginny since halfway through their sixth year. Almost two and a half years. They were Hogwarts golden couple and lots of people (Neville included) felt that if Harry continued to progress magically as quickly as he had been since the beginning of his seventh year, they would become a couple, legendary enough to rival even Merlin and Morganna. The certainly deserved it.

Harry himself, was probably Neville's best friend in the Wizarding world. He knew Harry probably valued Ron and Hermione's friendship more than Neville's but Neville found he didn't care. After all, he would probably still be a plump little nobody without Harry.

It was Harry who had sparked Neville's love of Defence against the Dark Arts, and it was Harry who had encouraged Neville to go for a Mastery in the subject. He still had three years left of education left before he could attempt a duel against one of the four Elites who ran the Masters guild. But the things he had experienced so far left him with a sense of self worth that he knew he could never have achieved without the help Harry had given him at the beginning.

As Harry laughed Neville couldn't help but feel a small sense of dread. There was something seriously wrong here. Harry hadn't smiled, let alone laughed for the past month. He barely talked anymore since Ginny was gone.

"Without loosing my magic, without loosing my magic, without loosing my magic…"

It sounded like Harry was muttering to himself now. Neville was just preparing to retake his position standing next to Harry to try and keep him calm when he felt a wave of magic, great enough to make his hair stand on end flood the room. In shock he jumped to his feet, he pulled his wand out, expecting Voldemort to burst into the room followed by thousands of Death Eaters. But no one came. He spun in shock, noting that Kingsley and the other two Aurors (dunderheads) had also drawn their wands.

Finally he noticed the source. "H…Harry?"

Harry had stood up. His eyes behind his glasses seemed to glow and Neville found himself wondering if they had managed to absorb some of the death curse that fateful Halloween night. Power seemed to roll of him in waves. The silencing charm on the clock broke and it started to let out a loud dinging noise to signify it was half past six. Crookshanks, who until now had been sleeping on the windowsill behind Kingsley, leapt to his feet, hackles raised and spitting.

One of the Aurors, the stumpy looking one tried to shoot a stunning hex at Harry.

The red light zoomed towards him. But seconds before impact Harry span around; Neville didn't hear him say anything but a stunning shield of iridescent light that reached from floor to ceiling jumped into existence. It seemed to contort, rippling at the curse's point of impact and sent the stunner right back at the Auror who it originated from. The man, who's training and experience was clearly lacking when you compared him to someone like Harry didn't stand a chance. The stunner hit him square in the chest and he was blasted back against the door. He fell down, unconscious before he hit the floor. His partner was quick to follow as Harry shot his own, much more powerful spell at him. He landed in a heap next to his partner, snoring slightly.

Looking at the shield, Neville thought it reminded him of Harry's patronus. Whilst it didn't take the typical stag shape it was of a similar colouring and texture. The scholar in Neville briefly wondered how he had done it before he realised he was the only conscious person in the room apart from Harry.

They stared at each other and it flashed through Neville's mind how similar Harry had become to Dumbledore. How similar, and yet how totally different. Harry's eyes seemed to twinkle in the same way Dumbledore's had. A sure sign of the magic brimming behind them. Yet Harry could never truly be like Dumbledore, he was too open. He was too fair. And despite all the world had thrown at him, he was too innocent.

"I can't do it Nev," whispered Harry. "I can't live without her. My magic's a small price to pay." Neville felt he understood. It was exactly the type of sacrifice his friend would choose to make and whilst it pained him to allow Harry to make such a sacrifice, he knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't let him go.

"I won't stop you."

Neville saw Harry smile, saw him raise his wand. He didn't even try and defend himself as the jet of red light soared towards him. Just before it hit he managed to murmur "good luck." Then he sank into the blissful darkness whilst Harry left to do the impossible. But the impossible would never stay impossible for the Chosen of the light.

It was her wedding day and Ginny knew she had never looked more beautiful in her life. The dress she wore probably cost more than all the clothes she had ever worn put together. It clung to her chest before falling like a waterfall to the ground, as she walked the layers of silk moved with her, swaying gently and sometimes revealing a hint of her legs that lay beneath. She looked like a dream, like perfection. She felt like she was dead.

The contract had ruined her life. It had done the one thing she thought was impossible. It had taken Harry from her. With him gone, it felt like the world had fallen to pieces. She didn't know what to do anymore. The whole situation felt surreal to her. Like a nightmare she should wake from at any second. But she knew it wasn't. Sometimes she still hoped that Harry would save her. If a Basilisk couldn't stop him, what hope did the Malfoy's have? They weren't even venomous! But it could never happen and it was selfish of her to even think about it. He shouldn't risk his magic for her.

"It's time to go." The high pitched voice of the Parkinson bitch broke through her thoughts and she swung round. Pansy was dressed in a dress almost as beautiful as Ginny's. Ginny took vindictive pleasure in the way the pale pink silk emphasised the ugly red flush across Pansy's face and neck and how the tight, drawn back hairstyle drew attention to her pug like nose. And whilst the tightness of the dress certainly made Pansy's boobs seem much bigger than her own, it also puckered in an ungainly way over Pansy's not so flat stomach. All in all, Pansy looked like a pig to Ginny's angel.

Looking over her other bridesmaids (over half of whom she had never met before) Ginny spotted Hermione and Luna near the back. Both looked radiant, despite their matching worried expressions. She offered a half hearted smile to them which they both returned before she turned her attention to the two oak carved doors that, despite their ornate patterns, and sense of grandeur, she had as much desire to walk through as the gates of Hell.

It was only the viscous shove that Pansy gave her that got her through them.

She glided down the isle, clutching tight to her Dads arm. To the sea of cold faces on either side she hoped she looked proud and unafraid. She hoped every single one of them could feel the hatred she hoped radiated off her like a slap in the face. It would only be her Dad who could tell how frightened she really was. Only her Dad would feel her trembling; only her Dad would feel the bruises from her fingertips.

As she stepped up onto the platform next to Draco she felt like she was going to be sick. She could see him stripping her with his eyes and she didn't miss the quick groping motion he made with his hands. He was a pervert. Rich and powerful yes, but a pervert all the same. She could remember every one of the advances he had made towards her over the last month. She could remember the time he grabbed her, kissing her roughly. She had tried to fight him off, but he had been too strong. Instead, he had pinched the tender spot on her upper arm and as she opened her mouth to scream her shoved his tongue down her throat. She had managed to get away before things got any further but it had scared her. She had felt violated. Worse than violated because he had taken something that belonged to Harry. Her kisses belonged to Harry only.

Still worse was the knowledge he was thinking about it. She could tell. Even as the minister started to ramble about love and unity she could tell what he was thinking. It disgusted her. He was the black to Harry's bright shining white and she wanted nothing to do with him. She remembered his words, whispered to her like poison as they sat at the dinner table. "When we are married, I will take what is mine." The memory made her shiver because she knew it was true. He would take what he felt was due and she wouldn't be able to stop him.

For the next half an hour she looked everywhere but at Draco. She had counted at least sixteen Auror's in the building and twenty Death Eaters. Using basic multiplication she worked out there were approximately three hundred guests. In the crowd's she had seen a few familiar faces.

Her family was sitting together in a row at the front. All six of her brothers were wearing identical looks of anger and hatred. Every single one of them looked like they wanted to rip Malfoy to shreds. She hoped they would. Next to them, her Dad had placed a restraining hand on her Mum. She recognised the look on her Mums face and she almost smiled when she her fingers twitch towards her wand. More fool Draco is he ever chose to be alone with the fearsome Molly Weasley after this.

It was almost time for the vows and magical bonding. She saw Draco take out his wand and Goyle fumble in his pockets where he was keeping the rings. She hoped he lost them. No such luck. She saw him remove them, saw him hold them up in front of him a look of intense relief on his face. She watched them glisten delicately in the light and for the first time felt a tear well up in her eye before drawing a crystalline path down her cheek and smear her makeup. She felt it teeter on the end of her chin, before it fell.

She longed to fall with it. She longed to be with Harry. She wished Malfoy would drop dead. She wanted Harry to be here instead of the bastard ferret. She just wanted Harry. Everyday she missed him, but she knew all the love in the world wouldn't bring him back. More tears were falling now. She couldn't stop them. Maybe she could cry enough to wash the world away. She hoped she could.

Ginny felt something poke her in the stomach, wiping the tears from her eyes she saw Draco glaring at her. She shot him a glare in return and he let out an almost sigh before waving his wand at her. With a start she realised the wedding had entered the final stage. Her fingers felt numb as she remover her wand from the bouquet of ostentatious flowers that had been thrust at her by one of the many snotty bridesmaids. Taking a deep breath she reached out her wand hand, careful to keep it from shaking. The look on Draco's face made her teeth clench. It was victorious.

Then her world turned golden. She could literally see golden vine like tendrils weave their way along the walls and ceiling of the cathedral. Maybe her month at the Malfoy's had made her go mad? But no, it seemed everyone else could see them too. The whole building fell silent as they watched the golden light stream from the floor up along the walls and along the arches and support beams of the roof until the ceiling became a mass of gold, undulating light. Ginny had never seen anything so beautiful in her life. Then the ceiling exploded and the world started to scream.

Well, not the world. The congregation leapt from their seats, the women flapping handbags and scarves as they fled. The men following swiftly after. Even the Aurors looked shaken although most managed to draw their wands. With amusement Ginny watched as the minister, a short, fat, balding man fled from the altar. His extravagant plum coloured robes flapping behind him. Her wedding was falling apart around her. She started to laugh.

As Ginny laughed, the golden light seemed to grow in intensity, ripping through a green light that she hadn't noticed before until it sparked and died.

"The wards!" She thought she heard Bill shout amidst the chaos.

A smile grew on Ginny's face as she felt the gold coloured light turn towards her. Like a plant to the sun it streaked towards her, knocking Malfoy off his feet in its hurry. He flew a good six feet in the air, landing panting at the feet of an irate Molly Weasley. Ginny didn't care. Her complete attention was fixed on the golden light pooling about her feet. As she watched it contracted, then expanded. Growing taller and slimmer until it stood almost an inch taller than her, phantom limbs seemed to sprout from it before solidifying to a set of wiry muscular arms she knew so well.

As she held her breath, praying with all her might, a head formed and sprouted hair before with a pop; Harry Potter apperated through wards almost as strong as those on Hogwarts itself to appear in front of her.

"Ginny." The way he said her name set a fire tingling in her stomach. He looked at her like a man who had just seen his idea of perfection. Then he grabbed her, pulling her close like he planned to squash her entire being inside his body so they could be one entity. She hugged him just as tight, finding herself crying his name over and over.

"Harry, Harry, Harry…"

Then he was kissing her. Lots of little butterfly kisses all over her face, over her ears, her eyes, her nose and lots on her mouth and she found she was doing the same. For what felt like an eternity they stood their, hugging and kissing and crying. Then Harry spoke.

"I… I love you." His voice was so choked with emotion he barely managed to get the words out. But Ginny heard them, and she knew he meant them.

"I love you too." She whispered, tucking her head against his chest. She felt it rumble as he laughed and smiled as she felt hope blossom in her chest and bloom across her body. She started crying again out of pure relief.

It was a miracle, she realised; and as she sobbed into his arms, she knew she would never, never let him go again.

Harry felt Ginny crying against his chest and pulled her closer. He felt like he was flying and let out another laugh from sheer relief. He didn't think it was possible to be any happier than he was at this moment and as he apperated them both away he knew, he knew that where ever they went; whatever challenges they would have to face so long as they were together they would be alright.

His apperation took them to a small clearing in a wood. The air here was almost silent, in contrast to the ruckus the church had been. Harry finally let Ginny go, but kept a tight hold on her hand, unwilling to loose the contact between them. They stood in silence in front of one and other. Just staring, memorising each other's faces again.

"Your magic's still here then." Ginny finally said.

"Yeah, it's not gone yet." Her words instilled a panic in him and he found himself checking his magic was still there. He could imagine it draining out of him like quicksand. To his relief he only felt a little different, as if he'd been doing lots of complex spells in quick succession. But it had definitely started…

"Where will we go? We can't stay in the Wizarding world." Ginny's voice broke through his thoughts and he found himself staring mesmerised at her face again. It was the most awe-inspiring sight he had ever seen.

"We'll have to live as muggles." He said after a moment of thought. "It'll be like an adventure." His boyish grin made Ginny giggle before she nodded.

"I can do it." She said resolutely, before sticking her chin resolutely in the air. Harry caught it. Holding her face gently in his hand he looked at her again. He examined every freckle and stared into her large, honey coloured eyes. Then he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her. Finally, he pulled away.

"But we'll have to return." He said quietly.

She looked at him in confusion he continued. "We have to stop Voldemort. Hopefully my magic will return and if not…" He trailed off before continuing in a voice so full of conviction Ginny felt herself shudder. "We'll have to find another way. To beat them, to beat him"

"I love you." She whispered, pulling him close into another kiss and as their lips met he knew he could do anything. He felt he was invincible, give him a Death Eater and he would defeat them; if Malfoy showed up? Bring it on. If Voldemort showed up in all his glory Harry could take him on, single handily, and win.

At that moment he truly understood how Love, was the power that Voldemort knew not.

This has been edited 13/07/10. Hopefully it's easier to read now?