A/N Sorry for the wait, more said at the end.

Thank you to Ginny Guerra for taking the time to edit my mistakes. Who knows where I'd be without a good Beta. THANK YOU!

The weeks passed quickly since Harry had left the hospital. Despite the proposal, we both wisely, I think, decided a few months of dating would probably be needed before he placed a ring on my finger. Spending nearly every possible waking hour with him since made only one thing clear, I was sure I wanted to spend a lifetime with him.

At the moment, however, my attention should have been on the pre-school children running amok in the classroom behind me. Desks scraped along the ground and more than one chair was knocked over. A normal teacher would have been more worried, but I was a witch after all. With a flick of my wand the classroom became much more child safe than it should ever have been. I grinned, feeling rather proud of myself. Those simple spells gave me time to consider the more important things in life, namely Harry.

I sighed looking out the window. It was difficult thinking back to the day a few weeks back when I had found out who he is. All I really wanted to remember was Harry asking if I would marry him. The thought still made my face blossom with a shy grin, which I tried to suppress. Those attempts were unsuccessful.

Another positive, something I am rather proud of actually, is that I am now four weeks free of reading Potter novels. I'm not even itching to read them anymore. Ron and Hermione even threw me an 'I'm over Harry' party. Naturally, and to my horror, Harry was invited. Not sure if I'll ever live that one up.

The real irony, I guess, was that outside, leaning against a tree, stood not just the Harry, but my Harry. His messy black hair stood up at odd angles, and his green eyes studied the mothers around him awkwardly. I narrowed my eyes. He had the infernal mountain bike with him again. Despite trying to hate the thing, it was what had brought us together after all.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, I winced. There were still ten minutes left until the end of the day. Despite the slow movement of time, the bell did ring eventually. My relieved shriek gave the excited cries of the children a run for their money. It was the town's summer festival tonight after all, and to the locals, myself included, it was a very big event.

There was only one problem. I had to get a hoard of school children out of the classroom. I turned to a scene of complete chaos. I grinned and got down to business. It was business as usual.

"Don't forget your bag, Bryan!" I shouted loudly and grunted as Michelle ran into my leg. "Put on your coat, Peter," I lunged at the boy to stop him from running outside. He grinned up at me and I smiled dangerously. If he only knew how much trouble his mother was giving me. "Ouch!" I shouted.

"Sorry," a squeaky voice apologized.

I turned to find Michael lying on his back staring up at me. "That is quite alright." He did not get up and I dropped to my knees. "Are you hurt?" I asked feeling a rising panic.

Then he laughed loudly. "Goth you, mith Weathy." I rolled my eyes at his pronunciation. Then he scampered away. I let out a tired breath. The day was supposed to be finished, but apparently my class was not done with me.

Using the table, I pushed myself back up onto my feet. Something wet slammed into the side of my face. I almost cursed loudly. Thankfully it came out as a low, "Arggh!" I turned to see Bobby standing there. His hands were covered in mud. I opened my mouth, but had to duck to the side as a water balloon came sailing in my direction.

"I'm sorry, Professor McGonagall," I whispered to myself. I had to wonder how she had managed to survive all the Weasleys over the years.

"Michael!" I shouted. It proved too late as another bright red water balloon struck me in the face. I stood motionless, cold water trickled down my face and hair. "What is going on with you today?"

They fled without uttering a word. "Oh no, you don't." I said to myself. My wand materialized in my hand, and with a discrete flick, the group tumbled to the ground. I cushioned the floor of course. I was a sensible teacher.

Holding them in place I stalked towards them. Mud dripped from my face onto my clothes and the floor. Giving my most evil grin, I knelt beside Bobby, Michael and Michelle. "Now, I would like to know: what possessed you to attack me?" My voice was overly friendly.

Their eyes went wide and then their mouths opened. "He made us," Bobby began.

Michelle pushed him away. "No, he gave sweeties," she said innocently with large, brown, puppy dog eyes.

"Who paid you in sweets?" I asked slowly, my mind could already fathom the source.

"Umm…" Bobby thought. "Ha… He…"

"Henry," Michelle added with the same adorable expression.

How could I be angry when someone looked at me like that? "You may go," I finally said with a smile. "I'll give each of you another box of chocolates tomorrow for being honest." I lied about the why. Instead, it was a reward for giving me permission to hex the living daylights out of Harry. I rubbed my hands together in glee. Today might be even more fun than I had previously thought.

I could've cleaned myself with a wave of my wand, but then I would not get any sympathy. Fake sympathy.

HGHGHG

Ginny was late. I could not blame her. The three children I bribed the day before had only just come running out of the building. One of the kids' hand was covered in mud and the other held a bag full of balloons. I smiled inwardly. Those were the best three bars of chocolate I'd ever bought.

Then she arrived. "Oh, Ginny, what happened?" I tried my best to sound surprised and supporting at the same time when she came close enough for me to see the state she was in. Her hair was soaked and mud slid down the length of her red hair. Her clothes were drenched underneath the jacket she'd put on.

"Nothing much," she smiled. "Just kids being kids, I suppose."

"Does this happen often?" I asked in genuine surprise.

She laughed. "Probably once every week. They can be a bit of a handful at times, especially when my mind is distracted."

I placed my hand around her shoulder. "So, am I such a big distraction?" I tried not to sound smug, but it was difficult. I kind of liked the idea of being a distraction.

"Perhaps," she answered. There seemed to be a hint of something else in her voice, but I could not place it. "So, are you ready for the village festival this evening?"

I glanced up at the sky without a cloud in sight. "I think tonight might be just perfect."

In reply I got a very intriguing smile. "Today is going to be most rewarding."

I frowned at the unusual comment. Did she know about the prank? No, she couldn't, my partners in crime had looked much too gleeful when they'd come storming out of the building. Ginny had not gotten hold of them to place the fear of a Weasley woman into them. I shivered at the mere thought of how she'd rescued me. Ginny was one special witch.

"It might just be memorable," I whispered. It had already been. A prank every now and then was good for the soul.

"Memorable can wait," she said pulling me down for a very wet kiss. "I need a shower first."

"I best… get… you… home then," I tried to speak, but I was sure it came out wrong as I was busy trying to get rid of the mouthful of dirt which had accompanied her kiss. Note, next time I should tell them to aim for the body, not the face.

"That might be in the best interest of my hair and public image," she replied in a sweet voice. Was it perhaps a little too nice? No, I was just being paranoid. She knew nothing.

HGHGHG

A few hours later, as it began to grow dark, Harry and I were walking hand in hand away from my flat. It was comforting to have him so close to me, even if he was an evil prat who bribed school children with chocolates to prank me. Well, it was kind of endearing, but I would never publicly admit it.

"So, what do you want to do first?" Harry asked as the stalls began to emerge in the distance.

I thought for a moment. "Not sure. I've never been to a Muggle fair before."

"I've never been to a magical one," Harry replied. "What are they like?"

I grinned. "There are a lot of Harry Potter stands."

He frowned. "Really?"

"Of course," I answered with enthusiasm. "There's the 'Cast a Stunner Like a True Potter', rather boring that one. Personally, I like the ride 'Harry's Wronski Feint'. That one really is great."

"I can do it better than the books describe," Harry muttered.

I stopped walking. "So you've been reading my books, have you?" I laughed.

He mumbled something about letting his mouth doing his thinking. "They were actually my books, given to me by the Minister of Magic." He rubbed at his hair and forehead where I now knew his scar to be. "I had to read them at some point."

I grinned, walking around him. "So, was that a boast then, Harry?" My voice dripping with sarcasm. "And there I thought you the most humble man in all of Britain." He made no reply, but his red cheeks were enough for me. Then my hand went to cover my mouth in mock surprise. "Or are you jealous of a ride?"

He looked away guiltily and then he grabbed my arm to tug me towards the fair. "I'm not jealous!" He said heatedly after a few strides.

"You just want to impress me then."

"Who wouldn't want to impress you," he said with sudden seriousness that sent a shiver down my spine. It was a very nice shiver.

I had no come back for the line. All I could think of was the complete honesty in his gaze. It felt odd to think of Harry actually thinking he needed to impress someone. I wanted more time to discuss his insecurities, but we arrived at the crowded Fair and the moment passed.

I coughed, trying to get back on topic. "There's the 'T…'" It was no use. He had befuddled my mind completely. "Oh, never mind. I'm already liking this one more."

"We haven't even seen anything."

I grabbed hold of his arm and gave it a loving squeeze. "You're here, that's all I need to have a great time, Harry."

He smiled shyly. I knew my words meant a lot to him. That same insecurity in himself. I will get through to him one day.

Music wafted through the air, light and fun. All around people ambled about in small groups. Some of the older children, home for the holidays, moved about with their friends. Those groups avoided parents and any younger siblings like the plague.

"Ginny," the older and more mature voice of Martha greeted. I spun to see my boss smiling at the pair of us. "Henry," she added almost as an afterthought, she had eyes only for me. "Would you mind terribly if I steal my teacher for a few minutes." If she only knew who Henry was, she would never have let him out of her sight.

"Not at all, Martha," Harry replied with a smile and a curious gleam in his eyes. He knew the woman was a witch. "I'll go get us some drinks, Ginny."

He walked off towards one of the little stands selling beverages. I did not glance in Martha's direction until she spoke to me. Harry's backside was much more interesting.

"So, how does it feel dating a Muggle?" she asked with childish excitement. I rolled my eyes slightly. She had been trying to corner me for days about information on Harry.

"Not so strange as you might expect. Muggles are the same as us, they just can't use magic." I wondered at the woman. She saw them every day and still she could not fathom that they were people.

"Really?" she asked in surprise. "Despite working with them, I've never been able to see myself with one." She trembled, probably due to the horror of the thought.

"Did you hear about all those Death Eaters sentenced to Azkaban?" she asked suddenly. So this was what she wanted to talk about. At least it was not about Harry.

I nodded, while looking at Harry again. The trial had been difficult on Harry. Still, the Ministry felt sure they were the last of the remaining Death Eaters. Despite them being locked away, there would forever be a cloud hanging over Harry. Every day he would need to place a charm over himself to hide his magical signature. I even had to learn the spell. No point in leading people to him by being foolish.

"Are you alright, Ginny?" the woman asked.

"Just thinking, Martha," I replied. "Talking of all these Death Eaters just works on my nerves slightly. I'm glad the Ministry managed to get the last of them."

"Aren't we all, dear? I hope you can take care of this man of yours," she pointed a not so subtle finger in Harry's direction. He stopped walking and frowned at me. I gave a slight shrug, which went unnoticed.

"He can take care of himself," I retorted, perhaps a bit harshly. "And if he can't, I'll be there to bring him home."

Martha snorted at my comment. "If you say so, dear."

"Finished, with my wonderful date?" Harry asked politely. I smiled thankfully at his intrusion.

"I think so," Martha said slowly. "For now, that is, Henry."

"See you tomorrow." I waved goodbye. "And good riddance," I muttered angrily.

"She's not so bad," Harry said, while smiling and waving as well.

"No, she's not, except that she is always trying to get more information about you. And then she thinks you are a complete waste of my time."

"Name a magical person not trying to learn more about me," he joked. It had come slowly over the weeks, but Harry was beginning to joke about who he was, if only in small bits. He grinned at me and his green eyes shone. "And I think a certain Miss Weasley tops the list," He took a deep breath, "By some margin."

"Watch it, Potter!" I laughed. "I do have a certain hex, which leads to certain winged creatures flying from a nose." He paled and my grin grew mischievous. "So, my brothers have warned you?"

He gave a weak smile. "And I think Mary from the books sort of drove the argument home."

I managed a pleased smirk. "So the books were good for one thing at least." He stood still. "Aren't you going to give me my drink?"

"Sorry," he chuckled, handing the drink to me. "Bat-Bogeys can turn a mind numb." The colour on his cheeks returned slowly.

HGHGHG

I barely managed to get the horrible itching feeling out of my nose and the sound of screeching bats from of my mind when Ginny let out a cry of absolute horror and frustration. I spun, only to find Ron and Hermione walking through the crowd towards us.

"Fancy meeting you here," Hermione laughed when she was within hearing distance. "I never knew you two would know about this fair."

"We only live in this humble town, Hermione," Ginny retorted. I got the distinct impression she did not like the idea of her brother being here.

"Is that so," Ron laughed. "Hermione, we really should learn more about my sister and her whereabouts."

"Agreed, Ron," Hermione answered. "I just find it odd that your parents said nothing to us. I mean they're here as well."

Ginny's eyes went wide. "They're not!" she shrieked and I had to suppress a laugh.

"Ginny, would you be a dear and hold this for me."

The suppressed laughter threatened to turn my face purple from the effort of not letting it out. Ginny crossed her arms, looking indignant and spoke in a low threatening voice. "Mother, what are you doing here?"

"Oh," Mrs Weasley said airily. "Came for the fresh air, nice people, and to say hello to Martha."

Even I knew those were not the reasons for coming. Ginny apparently saw through it as well. "Why are you here?" She asked again.

"Ginny!" Mr Weasley called suddenly. "What a pleasant surprise."

"Dad?" The sound coming from Ginny was by no means pleasant.

He ignored the fiery eyes and enveloped her in a fatherly hug. "Haven't seen you in a few weeks."

"We were at The Burrow over the weekend," Ginny reminded him. Her arms were still crossed across her chest. I could see the beginnings of her, by now, famous temper.

"Really?" Mrs Weasley exclaimed. "It can't be."

"No, Ginny," Mr Weasley continued. "It most definitely has been more than a few days."

"Perhaps we should continue walking," I said finally. "There is so much more to see, and we wouldn't want to waist the evening."

"An absolutely spiffing idea, Harry." I stopped at the sound of Fred's voice. "I mean, would you take a look at all these marvellous people, and all in need of an eye-opening prank."

I groaned internally. This was not going to go down well.

"Fred!" Ginny simmered near breaking. I shook my head, definitely not going to go well.

"Come now, Ginnikins." I tensed and watched in fearful awe as the boiling point of one very powerful bundle of energy was reached. To be honest I felt sorry for George.

I breathed calmly and quickly did what any sane wizard would do. I raised a privacy ward and made sure I was on the outside. I threw in a few random wards just in case.

Despite my quick reactions, my ears were still bombarded by "Do… not… call… me… that!"

Then I was outside. A few more quick flicks and a few notice-me-not charms were floating around the Weasleys. Ron and Hermione, seeing what I was up to, came to stand next to me.

"That was quick thinking, Harry," Hermione said with a certain amount of respect.

I nodded and cocked my head to the side while watching Ginny continue her tirade against her brothers.

"We need some of those Muggle things they eat while at the…" Ron's eyes clouded over in thought.

"Popcorn?" I supplied. "At the cinema."

"Yeah, that's the stuff. Got any?" Ron asked.

I gave the area a quick scan. "I'm sure someone is selling, but I should probably go calm Ginny down before something permanent happens."

"Is that wise?" Hermione asked, placing a hand on my shoulder to keep me back.

I shrugged. "Got to stop it at some point."

"Either you're brave," Ron began, "or the stupidest man alive." He glanced at Hermione and shrugged. She let go and I took another step towards Ginny. The last soft word I heard was, "stupid."

"You… will… not…. Prank!"

I stepped back again. "She's still going on strong in there," I explained.

"Bloody hell," Ron breathed out. "She does have a lot of pent up frustration."

I shook my head. Hermione gave me a sly grin and a wink. I blushed, never having expected that from her.

Then Ginny's steam ran out. Fred and George began to dance about and I could see their good natured teasing continuing. "It should be safe now," I said with confidence.

"You first, mate," Ron spoke nudging me forwards. I gulped and took a step through the privacy ward. It was blessedly quiet.

"Finished hiding?" Ginny grumbled.

"I was not hiding," I replied with mock chagrin; "Merely ensuring the safety of my person."

"Wise words," Fred nodded. Then, with his back to Ginny, he spoke in a mock whisper, "Always keep an escape plan handy with this one."

I rubbed my chin as if in thought. "Then why didn't you leave?"

"Because someone," George emphasized the word someone while looking at me, "Placed an Anti-Apparition ward over us."

"Did I?" I replied in honest surprise. "Must have slipped in there with the rest," I shrugged apologetically.

"You could've walked away," Hermione interjected. "Like we did."

"And turn our backs on the likes of her!" George went pale at the mere thought. Fred came to stand next to him.

Ginny had come round to take my hand. "So are we still a go for this evening?" I asked.

She glared at her family and then sighed in defeat. "Since they are all here, I'm sure we could spend it with them amicably." There still remained a definite threat in her voice.

"That's the spirit," Mr Weasley said. "Now!" He clapped his hands together with glee. "Time to explore." Then he was off.

"So much for spending time with him," Ginny snorted. "After all the effort they put in to ruining my evening." She shook her head in frustration.

"A few hours with them is all," I whispered. "Then the evening is ours."

"Promise?" she asked and I gave her a reassuring kiss.

"Promise."

She gathered herself, scowled at her family and said. "Ok. Let's go see what's happening."

It was fun, I had to admit. Being with these great people for a few hours were some of the best hours of my life. I'd never imagined being part of family could be as great as this. The time I spent with Sirius and Remus had always been in preparation for some battle or mission. Even the pranks with them were always an attempt of hiding some or other fear. This, well this was just pure relaxation and fun for the sake of fun.

Eventually we settled down on a small bench with an ice-cream each.

"So, have you got your driver's license yet?" Hermione asked Ginny eagerly.

Ginny shook her head. "No, but I'm taking the test in a few days."

"And no confounding this time," I spoke up. She glared at me and I smiled in return. "I had to undo the effects of a certain charm just before the man signed her documents."

Hermione gasped. "You didn't, Ginny. Do you even know how many laws you broke…"

My mind switched off as words tumbled out of Hermione's mouth at a rate no human should have been capable of.

"Hermione!" Ginny cut her off at last. "It wasn't that bad. I mean I can drive well; the man was being a prat that's all. I would have passed if it wasn't for the car I nearly hit…"

"And the old woman you nearly drove over," I added innocently before taking a bite out of my cone.

"She had no right to cross the road where she did."

I looked up at Hermione. "I know, I mean who would ever think a person would cross the road at a pedestrian crossing?"

Ginny huffed and then I jumped as a very cold something slipped down my back. Strawberry ice-cream. Not even Voldemort had ever been so evil. With an effort I eventually managed to save my skin from the frigid cold.

Ron was laughing and Hermione tried hard not to snigger. "Ha-ha, laugh at poor Harry who's got a freezing back, ruined shirt, and let's not forget a wasted ice-cream." Ginny was looking very smug. I stared into her eyes. "That's like three kinds of evil rolled into one… at least."

Ginny's grin grew. "Only three." She tapped her chin. "I'll have to do better next time."

"You're the one playing with fire, Harry," Ron managed to say. "You'll have to learn soon, or later that it can burn."

Ginny smiled sweetly at the words. There was only one course of action left: Beg for forgiveness. "The old lady was out of line and should never have been near a road, let alone crossing it," I said. "And Ginny should have received her license." She was a good driver actually.

"See!" Ginny proclaimed. "Even Harry agrees that I should've passed."

"Oh," Hermione nodded. "I can see the injustice in the way you were treated. Why don't you just Imperious the man next time and do the job properly. I mean Confundus charms are for amateurs."

"Do you think it would work?" Ginny asked in apparent seriousness.

"Well, with your driving, you might need something a bit more potent," I said flatly.

Mistake. Let's just say, Bat-Bogeys are not nice and I will never tease her driving again.

HGHGHG

I knew I still needed to get Harry back for making those children gang up on me at school, but I felt sorry for him. Lying on his back, fighting a few small bats made me rethink my retribution. For the moment that was. There would always be another day to get him back.

With a quick Finite Incantatem, I removed my hex. Harry squirmed for a few more moments before he managed to get to his feet. His green eyes stared back at me and he wiped at his nose.

"That was… interesting," he whispered.

I really did feel guilty. "Sorry," I mumbled.

He waved the apology aside. "I was kind of looking for it, wasn't I?"

"A little, perhaps," I replied.

We finally managed to rid ourselves from my parents. Fred and George were at one of the stands discussing ingredients with some unknown man. Hermione and Ron had left to go home some time ago. My parents had finally wandered off by themselves; hopefully they were at The Burrow.

"Freedom," I exhaled, leaning against one of the sturdier displays.

"I rather enjoyed the time with your family," Harry said honestly.

I reached out to stroke a tender hand through his hair and then reached up to give him a light kiss. I could see the pain, which always accompanied memories of his broken past. "They just are a bit of a handful at times," I smiled.

"More than a handful," Harry joked, but it did not reach his eyes. "Still, to feel that love and have it returned..."

"You have me now," I said, forcing him to look into my eyes. "I love you, Harry James Potter."

He leaned forwards and placed his head against mine. "I don't understand it." His head shook slightly. "But, I can't see my life without you anymore." His green eyes widened and they stared deeply into mine. "I love you."

I held him tight while holding his gaze. He did not have to say the words for me to know them. They were written in each look he sent in my direction, each time he brushed a hand through my hair, stroked my back, or just held my hand. I could feel his love. I only ever doubted if he believed my love for him.

"How can you love me so?" he asked.

I smiled. People were walking all around us. I could even feel the stares on my back. It mattered little. My focus was on one person, the man holding my arms, and the need to tell him how much I cared for him.

"Loving you is like breathing," I began. "I can try to stop, even fight it for a while, but in the end I have to give in, and when I do, I can't get enough." I paused for a moment as I immersed myself in the feeling of being held.

He eventually broke the silence. "Within the space of a single night you became my reason for being."

I had wanted to say the same. "I guess we are hopeless."

He took my hand and we wandered away from the people who moved through the crowded streets. Being in a small town meant it took only a few minutes for us to reach a secluded lawn. When we did, he stopped.

"Ginny," he began and I sensed a tension in his voice. He began to fidget, his hands ruffled his hair and he even took a few lungful's of air. "Ginny, I wanted to say… ask rather… I'm no good at this," he muttered.

I grew nervous for him. "Just say it, Harry."

He calmed a bit and then I knew why he was so nervous. With a clumsy motion he dropped down onto one knee and in his hand he held a single red box. "I know we said we needed time and I know a month is not long, but, Ginny," He took another calming breath. My heart was beating in my chest. The world grew still as the music in the fair faded into nothingness. My eyes weren't even focused on the ring staring up at me. I had eyes only for the pair of green. "Will you marry me, Ginny?"

I stood stunned. My mind could not fathom the question. My answer was the easiest one I've ever needed to give; but still I found myself unable to open my mouth. Harry had sort of asked me before and I had said yes then. Still, the first time he asked we had been stressed, exhausted and I had definitely been scared to death. The second time had been in the hospital when he had been drugged and I had been so overwhelmed with the evening's events.

This was different. There was no pressure, no need for him to ask. Still, he was kneeling before me, arm outstretched, eyes wide with anticipation. I knew I loved him and he returned those feelings.

It felt like an eternity; thinking back, it was probably less than a heartbeat or two. Considering the rate at which my heart was beating, it would have been less than a second since he asked before I unglued my jaw and loosened my tongue to say, "Yes."

The first word came out slowly, it must have contained all the thoughts in my mind. A single word was not made for so much meaning. The rest came faster and with greater ease. "Yes!" I threw my arms around him. His body, unbalanced on one knee, collapsed under my sudden embrace. I did not care. "I thought we should wait, but I know now that I want nothing more than to spend a lifetime with you."

He kissed me and when I eventually rolled off him I felt as light as a feather. I, Ginny Weasley, was engaged to be married. Even before he slipped the ring on my finger, styles and colours for our wedding were floating through my mind.

I registered the ring. It was a lovely single diamond, not overly large, but not small either. I didn't even register the metal. I thought it had a lovely balance, which suited me perfectly.

My mind was elsewhere. Blue? No it would clash with my hair, but it might work. Red? Green? Purple? Every colour on the rainbow and not got a moment's consideration. Even Ron's favourite colour, orange, was considered briefly, very briefly.

Then there were flowers, guests, seating arrangements, menus, invites and… "We need a date!" I exclaimed.

Harry laughed richly next to me. I rolled my head to look at him. Perhaps finding a date could wait for another day. There were other things to do now. He stood and pulled my too my feet and Apparated us away.

Epilogue

"Are you sure this is necessary?" I asked over my shoulder. It had been a long and yet enjoyable hike up the hill. It wasn't too warm, and a gentle summer's breeze blew through the trees, which helped cool me somewhat. I had one objection to the trip. Witches were not meant for hiking, we were made for Apparating.

Harry did not answer. I faced forwards again and continued to trudge up the small winding forest path. Bushes attacked my hair and I tried in vain to keep it behind me. Long hair was not intended for hiking. "We could've Apparated," I said grumpily after another twig attacked my face.

"We can Apparate home," he replied. "But trust me, seeing the view for the first time after having worked to see it…" his voice trailed off and the rest was lost.

I did not retort, what was the point. I was actually enjoying the hike through the thick forest. I knew we were somewhere near Hogwarts. The thought made me go pale.

"Is this the Forbidden Forest?" I almost shouted.

Behind me Harry laughed. "No, but there might be some magical creatures here." I stopped to glare at him. "Some of them might even be as deadly as you," He smiled broadly, gave me a peck on my cheek and continued on passed me. "Almost there."

"We better bloody be almost there," I mumbled with a grin he could not see. He was not going to make me admit that this trip had been nice. I breathed out loudly in an attempt to agitate him.

"I know you're enjoying this, Ginny," he called down to me. "Those eyes of yours have never been able to lie."

I shook my head. He did have this utterly annoying habit of being able to read me. It was frustrating, people shouldn't know so much about my personality. It was not fair to me. How was I, the youngest of seven going to do what I did best? How will I ever be able to manipulate him with my charm and wide puppy dog eyes?

Still, I loved the way he knew what I needed: A smile when I was down, a hug when I felt a little sad, a helping hand when I was struggling.

My feet had still not moved and I watched as he disappeared over a small crest. How could the world have dealt him such a cruel hand? I began to walk. I guess I was there for him just as much as he was there for me, perhaps more. The worst was his nightmares. Some nights he would wake screaming. His green eyes, wide, would look ahead unblinking as I held onto him. The memories were fading, thankfully. Hopefully they would be gone before our son, Albus, went to school.

Despite the thick canopy above me, I knew night was coming, and quickly. It would be, perhaps, only an hour before the sun would be completely gone. The noises in the forest began to change. They became more distant and I shuddered.

"Welcome to the Forbidden Forest," Harry whispered beside me.

"Harry!" I shouted as I leapt ten feet into the air. My wand was in my arm and a hex had already struck him.

I landed softly to find my husband lying on his back, blinking rapidly. "Knew I shouldn't have done that." He lifted his arm. "Helping hand, please."

I snorted as I stared down at him with crossed arms. "I think I'll watch you suffer, thank you. I stunt like that deserves more than a mere stinging hex."

He grunted, pushing himself upright. "At least the ground was soft," he mumbled as he brushed the dirt and leaves from his body.

"Harry," I began once he was clean. "Is this really the Forbidden Forest?"

He had a slight glimmer in his eyes. "No."

"Prat," I replied before continuing to walk. He would never have done that had he known my condition.

The rest of the walk still took us more than an hour to complete, but eventually we emerged on a dark hill. Taking my hand, he led me up a rocky outcrop. I stared out in awe and he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind.

We stood alone on the hill overlooking the town of Hogsmeade on one side, while having the enormous structure of Hogwarts loomed over us from the other. The stars twinkling in the night sky above were bright and the moon bathed the entire valley with its soft light. Even the usual noise coming from the forest was quiet, perhaps it was just my own imagination, but nothing made a noise.

"How did you find this place?" I whispered, almost scared of breaking the spell.

"I used that infernal mountain bike of mine," he replied and I let out a small laugh. "I had been here the day I nearly ran you over."

I thought back to the day. How long has it been since? Too long ago, and yet I've not spent enough time with Harry. I had been admiring a bright flower when a man materialised before me. Green eyes wide and distant, hair hidden by a helmet, as he flew passed me. Then I was rolling down the slope beside the road. I couldn't remember jumping, but I must have.

"I only stopped rolling once I hit a tree," I replied.

"I should've turned around."

"No," I shook my head. "Had you turned, I would've missed the best thing to ever happen to me."

"What?" He said seriously. "The chance to backhand the Harry Potter in a coffee shop full of people?"

"It had been a life-long ambition of mine," I agreed.

He chuckled. "And how did that fit into your grand schemes of marrying him?"

"It worked, didn't it?" I replied, nudging him playfully.

He grunted. "Manipulated from the first day."

"Precisely." I chuckled.

He leaned down and kissed my neck. "I love you."

Despite the cool evening air, I felt warm. Harry's arms were wrapped around my waist and my back was pressed firmly against him. Within them I was safe. Within them was a home I never knew I needed.

"I love you too, Harry." Then I took a calming breath to give him the good news I'd been hiding all morning. "I'm pregnant, again."

His hold on me changed subtlety and I could feel his whole body relax. "I thought I saw something else in your eyes this morning. Girl?"

"I think so." I had no way of knowing. Call it the female intuition of a Prewett, but I knew the baby was a girl. "Lily?"

"Perfect."

I smiled. Leaning my head back against his shoulder, I allowed myself to relax in his arms. Mary might have had the story, but I got the epilogue.

A/N Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the previous chapters. I am sorry if this isn't long enough or that not enough is discussed or resolved, but I don't want everything to be resolved. This last chapter almost feels like and epilogue with an added epilogue… well that was how it felt to me upon rereading it.

I really hope all of you enjoyed this little short story. I had some fun writing it and I hope it shows in the story.

Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I first needed to decide if I was going to stretch it into a few more chapters. I decided against it. This was supposed to be short and I did not want to ruin it by stretching it into a lot of nothing. So short and hopefully sweet I decided to keep it.

Thanks again to everyone! Your support was great!