Author's Note: All belongs to J.K. Rowling. Sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter up, I'm having writer's block with this story. Hopefully it will be wrapped up in the next 2 or 3 chapters. Be sure to check out my other story, which is Next-gen!

Chapter Eleven

Three days later, Harry and Ginny were playing Quidditch on the newly completed pitch. They sped past each other, Harry swerving in and out of the goal hoops, Ginny's hair flowing in the wind behind her. The mid summer day was brilliant—a soft breeze ruffled the grass below, the sun shining above. Harry shouted something unintelligible at Ginny and she screamed nonsense back, throwing her head back to laugh happily. Finally, Harry motioned downward, and she followed him, skidding to a stop practically right on top of him. They tumbled into the grass together, tangled up in each other's limbs. Harry came to rest with his head propped up against her thigh, and she absently ran a hand through his hair while propping herself up and gazing at the beautiful sky.

"What was the best time you had last year?" She asked lazily. She'd heard about some of the more traumatizing experiences, but she assumed there had to have been at least a bit of enjoyment during all those nights with Ron and Hermione.

"I dunno. I mean there wasn't anything particularly good." He closed his eyes and rolled his head into her hand. "Listening to the radio updates got us all pretty jazzed up for a while. When I heard that you tried to steal the sword of Gryffindor I was terrified for your safety, but I'd honestly never been more proud of you." He cracked an eye and grinned up at her. "And going to Godric's Hollow was good in a different way, I guess."

"I thought that's where you barely escaped from Nagini?"

"It was, but before that, Hermione and I saw my parents' old house—there was all this graffiti on it telling me that people were out there rooting for me, so that was good. And then we went to their graves."

She was silent for a moment, considering this. It had to have been difficult for him, but she realized that that night at the graveyard was the closest he'd ever been to his parents since he was an infant.

"What about you?"

She considered this. "There were some good times with Neville and Luna. We plotted all kinds of crazy ideas to get back at the Carrows, and only went through with about half of them. Honestly though, I was terrified all the time. It was hard to stay strong and keep going. If anything had happened to you—and Ron and Hermione—I don't know what I would have done." She closed her eyes and let the sun warm her face. "Harry, when I thought you'd died…I've never been that frantic in my life."

He didn't say anything, but sat up and put his arms around her. They sat like that for a while, relishing in the fact that they were alive, together, on this beautiful day. Suddenly, they heard someone walking down the steps of the stands towards them.

"Oi! Get your hands off my sister, you git!"

"Ron!" Harry released Ginny, but immediately took her hand and stood them both up. "Hermione!"

Ron and Hermione made their way quickly onto the pitch, and Hermione threw her arms around Harry in a fleeting hug, while Ron awkwardly embraced his sister. They then switched, and Hermione squeezed Ginny and Harry and Ron clapped each other on the back.

"How did it go with your parents?" Ginny asked breathlessly.

"It was fantastic! I was able to completely restore their memory. They're at the Burrow now, so your parents can help them figure out what to do now. Dad's going to try and buy back their dental practice and move back into the house." She smiled brilliantly.

"Yeah, she was amazing, seriously. Got it right on the first try, of course." Ron squeezed Hermione's hand. "Mum wants you home, Gin. She sent us to come and get you both."

"Okay, well, we're pretty much finished here anyways, aren't we, Harry?"

"Yeah! Ginny's been putting a lot of work into the Quidditch Pitch, and the inside of the castle looks almost back to normal by now." He shifted his weight on his feet. "I actually…need to talk to you two about something."

"What is it?" Hermione asked sharply, a look of worry crossing her face.

"Well..let's sit." Harry suggested, and Ginny nodded. The foursome resumed sitting where Harry and Ginny had just been, crosslegged in a circle on the grass. Harry looked at Ginny, hoping for some inspiration. He didn't even know where to begin…

Thankfully, Ginny cleared her throat and started explaining the situation. "Professor McGonagall approached Harry and I a few days ago..she had a proposition for us."

Ron snorted, and Hermione gave him a chastising look. "Professor McGonagall wants me to come teach DADA next year." Harry said evenly, looking mostly at Hermione, because he was more sure of her reaction than Ron's.

"Oh, Harry, that's fantastic! Of course you would be a great teacher."

"Yeah, and she said that if I come back next year, she'll make me Quidditch Captain." Ginny smiled. "And Harry will still get to take his NEWTs in other classes to become an Auror, but she's going to give him his own room so he doesn't have to deal with all the adoring fans." This was stated in a teasing tone, and Harry playfully swatted her arm.

"Wow." Hermione grinned. "Well that is some big news."

"Yeah…so I haven't told McGonagall yes yet, because I wanted to talk to the pair of you first, obviously, and see what you were doing…"

"We haven't really discussed it…" Hermione looked shyly at Ron.

"I actually have to tell all of you something." Ron said suddenly. He looked a little worried, as if there were something important that he wanted to get off his chest. "I haven't said anything about it yet because I wanted to focus on getting Hermione's parents back safe and sound, but before we left for Australia George asked me if I would take Fred's place and help him with the joke shop."

There was a moment of silence among the four of them, while each processed this. Finally, Ginny said, "That's great Ron. George really needs you right now, and I was honestly afraid he'd just say screw the joke shop and do something else for a while."

"That's what I thought too," Ron responded. "But George said that Fred wouldn't want him to give up on the dream, and to close the shop would be like closing the book on our brother. He said that if we keep the shop going, we can keep a piece of Fred living on." At this, Harry took Ginny's hand. He noticed that Hermione had tears in her eyes.

"Well, Ronald, I think that's wonderful." Hermione finally said.

"Really? I figured you'd be mad at me for not wanting to finish my NEWT's and become an Auror like Harry."

"There's plenty of time to do that later, if you want to. And George needs you now. I think this is the right thing to do." She wrapped her arm around his neck and leaned over to hug him.

"So…that just leaves you, Hermione." Ginny bit her lip anxiously.

Hermione was quiet for a while. "I really do want to come back and finish my NEWT's, but I don't really like the idea of dealing with all the younger kids, staying in the dormitory, not having Ron around…"

"But Hermione, you'd be in the dormitory with me! We'd both be seventh years, remember?"

"Yes, Ginny, but I think Hermione has a point." Harry said, shaking his head. "Look, if you really want to come back, I bet McGonagall can work something out for you."

"What kind of something am I working out, Mr. Potter?" A voice called from behind him. The foursome turned to see Professor McGonagall walking towards them, her tartan cloak flowing out behind her.

Harry stood, the others quickly following suit. "Hermione, Professor. She's thinking about returning to Hogwarts, but doesn't want to stay in the dormitory with Ginny and the others."

"I didn't mean it like that!" Hermione grabbed Ginny's arm. "It's just that after last year, I think it would be a hard adjustment to be…back to the way things were…before…"

"It's okay, Hermione, I understand." Ginny gave her friend a genuine smile.

"Yes, well, it is understandable, and since you've taken a year off, you're going to be older than the other seventh years, so I believe it would be a bit inappropriate for you to stay in the dormitory." McGonagall pursed her lips and tapped her fingers together. "I believe I might have a solution."

Hermione looked hopeful. "Really?"

"How would you feel about being Head Girl, Miss Granger? You certainly deserve it more than many students who have received the honor in the past few decades, and you would get your own quarters and a common room to be shared with Head Boy."

"Head Girl! Hermione, that's fantastic!" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione looked somewhat shocked but mostly pleased with herself. "Are you sure, Ron? You don't mind?"

He gazed at her in wonder. "Are you kidding? Of course I don't mind. You have to come back to Hogwarts, you'd be lost if you didn't." He hugged her and smoothed her hair down.

"Mr. Weasley, is it my understanding that you will not be returning to Hogwarts this term?" McGonagall asked.

Ron blushed. "Well…yeah, Professor. My brother George has asked me to go into business with him, you know, at the joke shop…"

McGonagall kept an indifferent expression on her face. "Well, academia isn't everything. I believe it's very noble of you to assist your brother in this time of tragic loss. We will miss you in Gryffindor House, but rest assured that you will be granted visits to your sister and your friends whenever you can get away."

Ron blushed even deeper. "Really…wow. Thanks, Professor." He didn't know what else to say, so he looked at his hands and shifted his weight.

"Well, I certainly appreciate your assistance with the Quidditch Pitch, Miss Weasley." Professor McGonagall said approvingly, looking around.

"Yeah, Ginny, it really looks great." Hermione smiled and put her arm around her friend. "But we really ought to get back before your mum has a panic attack wondering what's taking so long."

"Yes, I guess we should." Ginny said, taking Harry's hand and looking reluctantly once more at the pitch.

"Thanks, Professor McGonagall, for everything." Harry smiled at his professor, following his best friends and his girlfriend as they headed back up toward the castle.

Professor McGonagall simply nodded, her hands folded behind her back. "I'll see you three on September 1st. And Mr. Weasley—good luck."

Ron turned and smiled, and Hermione hummed to herself. Their plans were falling into place nicely.