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Author: MyGinevra Story: The Hog's Head Rating: Teens Status: Completed Warning: Extreme Language, Sexual Situations Reviews: 5 Words: 426,278
Ginny flew to Harry and threw herself at him; he caught her and whirled her around and when he put her down, she gave him a wet kiss. “What on earth are you doing here?” she said, her eyes gleaming, her whole face smiling. “How long have you been here?” “I’m here to be with you. I came yesterday evening. And I knew all along you would make the team!” He picked her up and whirled her again and she gave another shriek. He set her down and they grinned at each other, holding hands, feeling the closeness build. Ginny suddenly let go one hand. “Come, meet my new teammates.” She pulled him into the middle of the room where the others were standing, watching them, as was everyone else in the inn. Ginny introduced him to Ginger last. “Pleased to meetcha.” She blushed, the first time Ginny had seen her do that. “Ginger is from the East End,” Ginny said to Harry. “Doesn’t Dean live near there? He’s a friend of ours from school,” she said to Ginger. “He was in Harry’s year.” “I ‘ope ‘e doesn’t live too near,” Ginger grinned. “I wouldn’t wish my neighbor’ood on anyone.” “Why don’t we sit?” Coach Dee said. They went to a round table off to one side, and the bartender brought over a pitcher of butterbeer and five glasses. The coach poured and raised her glass. “Here’s to a championship season.” They clinked and drank. As they talked, Ginny kept eyeing Harry, but although they were holding hands under the table, he wouldn’t look at her. Finally she dug her fingernail into his palm and he glanced at her with an enigmatic smile. He leaned over and murmured, “Lots of good news to talk about when we get home.” She sat back and rubbed the spot she had attacked with her thumb. Harry squeezed her thigh and she let out a squeal that caused everyone to look at her. “Sorry.” She felt a Weasley blush creep up her face. “I’m feeling a little excited.” Coach Dee and Gwenog went back to their conversation, but Ginger grinned at Ginny and Harry. They stayed for an hour, then Coach Dee invited Harry to join them back at Harpy Heaven. He and Ginny walked with Ginger. A breeze was blowing off the sea, but the bright sun overhead warmed them. The walk gave them a beautiful view toward the hill on which the clubhouse sat, but they could not see it. “Being near the water reminds me of Shell Cottage,” Ginny sighed. “Let’s go back as soon as we can. I’ll ask Fleur if we can stay there for a weekend after school ends.” “That’s your sister–in–law?” Ginger asked. “Sounds like a foreign name.” “Yes, she’s French.” “I don’t know,” Harry’s brow furrowed. “With the new baby she might not want to deal with company.” “It won’t hurt to ask,” Ginny said. Ginny told Harry that she had invited Ginger to the wedding. “And you should see her fly. She has a Cleansweep that moves like a Nimbus, at least.” “Cool.” Harry looked at the girl. “When’s your first match?” “We probably won’t even be in the lineup,” Ginny answered. “But, Harry, how can you come to a match? Isn’t it...?” He glanced at Dee and Jones, walking a few yards ahead of them. “The problem is solved,” he said in a low voice; he gave her the enigmatic smile again. Ginny didn’t say anything, but she couldn’t help the smile on her own face. She noticed Ginger’s puzzled look, and put a finger to her lips. As they climbed the low hill, almost a bluff, the clubhouse gradually appeared, like a photograph coming into focus. When they were about two hundred yards away they could see it clearly, and by the time they were within fifty yards they could also see the pitch. They went inside and Harry waited in the common room, chatting with Coach Dee, Happy Fields, and Brenda Touron, who had prepared contracts for the new Harpies to sign. Ginny packed her bags and picked up her broom, then walked down the hall to Ginger’s room. She was also packing. “‘E’s a doll, that ‘Arry Potter is,” she grinned. “Do ‘e ‘ave a brother?” Ginny chuckled. “You’re not the first girl to ask that. Oh, Ginger, sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.” She giggled. “I actually had a crush on him before I even knew him. And I never guessed that he was interested in me until two years ago...” She got a faraway look. “Merlin, it was almost exactly two years ago. We had just won the Quidditch Cup and I went to hug him and he kissed me and it was all over, I didn’t stand a chance. If a long–lost brother shows up, I’ll let you know right away.” They laughed their way downstairs, and then there was one final thing to do. In the office of Coach Fields, they each signed a magical contract that officially made them members of the team. They also put their uniform robes on once more and each got her photograph taken. Finally their Portkeys were prepared and, before they said their goodbyes, Coach Fields handed them each a parchment with the practice and game schedules. “First practice will be next Saturday at ten o’clock, but it will be a short one, just to introduce everyone and have a quick fly–around. The following Saturday is our first friendly match with the Cannons. We don’t plan to put you two in the lineup until later in the summer, but of course you’ll participate in the practices. You can take a look at the schedule, but we know all about your wedding plans, Ginny, and we won’t be expecting you here full–time until August.” “Is that a problem?” Ginny asked. “I don’t want to miss more than I have to.” “Some of the other clubs might make it a problem, but we do not,” Coach said emphatically. “Happy witches make happy Harpies.” She laughed. “I never put it that way before, but I like the sound of it.” Ginny and Ginger gave each other one last hug, then the two Portkeys — an old duffel bag and a battered teakettle — glowed blue. Ginger grabbed one and Harry and Ginny grabbed the other. In a moment they were back in Madam Hooch’s office. The Flying instructor shook Ginny’s hand; there was a flash of light, and Dennis Creevey grinned at them from behind his camera. “Congratulations!” exclaimed Professor McGonagall, who was also there. “This is a brilliant day for Hogwarts. It’s been at least five years since we had a student go from school directly onto a professional club.” She turned to Hooch. “That was Wood, wasn’t it, Rolanda? He went to Puddlemere, I believe. Two Gryffindors,” she beamed at Ginny proudly. “And you accompanied her there?” she arched her eyebrows at Harry. “No, Professor, I Floo’d down yesterday, and I stayed at an inn in Holyhead. I didn’t see Ginny until a couple of hours ago.” “Hmm.” She gave him a thoughtful look, but Ginny grabbed his hand and started for the door. “Thanks, Professors,” she said. “I have to get back to my room and send owls to my family. They don’t know yet.” She pulled Harry along and Dennis followed. When they were in the hallway she turned and gave Harry a fierce kiss, then pointed at Dennis. “No pictures, if you please, this is a private moment.” “No problem, my captain,” Dennis gave her a mock salute. “Maybe we can take a couple back in the common room?” “Maybe. Now run along.” She shooed him away, then kissed Harry again. The door to Hooch’s office opened and Professor McGonagall walked out. “Have you sent your owls already?” the Headmistress asked, then strode off without waiting for an answer. “I think she was smiling,” said Harry as they watched her go. “Her lips were curled up one millimeter on each side.” “Come on,” Ginny took his hand. “We have so much to talk about. I want to know why you decided to come to Holyhead.” “Because I love you.” Harry picked up her bag and they put their arms around each other’s waist. “I couldn’t bear to be away from you.” “You’re a liar. You did something, and you came to Holyhead to see if it worked.” “Yes, there was that. But shall we go back to the inn? I promise I’ll tell you everything there.” “In the bedroom, of course,” she said dryly. They were in front of the Fat Lady, who looked at them with interest when she heard Ginny’s words. “Pillow talk?” she leered. “Paint remover,” Ginny scowled; she gave the password and without further ado the painting swung back. Dennis had preceded them with the news of Ginny’s approach, and the crowded common room erupted in cheers as she entered. Demelza Robins was the first to shake her hand, then hug her, followed by the rest of the team, even Jimmy Peakes. Ginny pushed her way through to the stairway. She went up and in a few minutes had changed into fresh clothes and was back in the common room. Harry helped her get through the crowd to the fireplace, and then they were in the sitting room of the flat in front of the love seat. Harry took her hips in his hands and they looked at each other; a moment later they were in each other’s arms. “I missed you so much,” Ginny whispered as Harry smothered her face in kisses. “Oh, yes.” His hands had gone to wonderful places and Ginny let her knees go. Harry caught her and lowered her to the rug; he was breathing hard and his hands were trembling as he undid her belt and zipper. Ginny reached up and removed his eyeglasses. “Someone missed me, I see,” she smiled. “Or maybe someone got a little excited when he gave me that incredible massage.” “Yeah, that’s it,” Harry breathed. “Massage... Oh, Merlin.” After a minute he rolled off and lay back on the rug until he caught his breath. He turned to look at her, his beautiful Ginny who was lying next to him, looking back with a little smile. “Feel better?” she touched his lips, then kissed them. “For the time being,” he grinned. “At least until you want another massage. It was pure hell, having all of you there but not able to have you. I don’t think I could survive another one.” “Next time I’ll try to accommodate you.” Harry gazed at her. “I love you so much.” Ginny rolled them both so that she was on top; she rested her hands on his chest and put her chin on them. Harry reached for his wand where it had fallen out of his belt onto the rug and Summoned a cushion from the love seat; he tucked it under his head. “So tell me,” said Ginny, “how is the problem solved?” “I went to dinner at Hermione and Ron’s on Friday evening, and I told them all about it, going back to last summer when you could tell when I was coming home from here. She dragged us to the bookshop, and we were there for six hours until they kicked us out about an hour after closing time. She took a whole stack of books home, then she went back at the crack of dawn and spent another five or so hours there. Then she came back to their flat and dug out those books she stole from Dumbledore’s office about Horcruxes —” “What!” Ginny exclaimed. “What do those have to do with it?” “Wait, I’ll explain. So after all that research, including staying up all night, she finally found something in one of the Horcrux books, and I think it’s something that Riddle didn’t know. Hermione thinks that if you use a person as a Horcrux, and then the damn thing is removed or somehow goes away, that person is left with what she called a hole that can be filled up with another piece of someone else.” Ginny abruptly got up and sat back on the rug. She stared at Harry with a mixture of incomprehension and shock. “There’s a piece of me inside you?” she said. Harry sat up and reached for her hand. “It’s not Dark Magic, love, and it’s not something either one of us tried to do. It just happened. But that’s the connection.” He stroked her hand and she looked at it. “Can you feel it?” Her eyes went to his scar. “It’s not there,” Harry shook his head. “Hermione couldn’t figure out if it’s anything physical or something in our minds. She said that there’s nothing actually written about it, although she’s going to take a look in the Restricted Section at Hogwarts. She said that everything she came up with was an inference, she even called it an educated guess.” “I suppose we should still ask Professor Dumbledore,” said Ginny. She was quiet for several moments, just looking at their hands. Then she moved closer to Harry and put her hands on his chest. “I’m going to have to get used to this, love. I always thought of the connection as just magic, something that we had that was wonderful. It’s still wonderful, but...” She looked at his scar again. “It almost sounds like you have a physical deformity, like a finger that got chopped off, and the stump will always be there, no matter what. I mean, what would happen if I died?” “Oh, God, don’t say that!” Harry cried. “That’s not going to happen! And maybe... maybe because part of you is here —“ he touched his chest over his heart “— maybe you’ll still be there.” He shook his head violently. “I don’t even want to think about that. I think it’s so amazing, Ginny. And Hermione said it’s likely that there’s a piece of me inside you, just like it was with Riddle. It’s... it’s beautiful, love, it’s beautiful.” There were tears on his face, and Ginny wiped them away. “So what does that have to do with your being at Holyhead this morning?” “As soon as Hermione explained the connection, I just knew I had the key to understanding and controlling it. Remember, I told you that when I was in Paris Bill said that we would learn to control it? And I can! I went to Holyhead yesterday around four o’clock, and the whole time I was there I knew what you were feeling. I knew when you and Ginger Beale were flying together; I knew when she almost scored; I knew that your shoulder was still bothering you; I knew that you were looking at my picture in the locket; I knew when you got picked for the team the next morning.” Harry paused. “Did you feel or sense anything from me?” Ginny thought back, and remembered moments at the clubhouse when Harry seemed to be there, but she had taken it to be only her longing for him. “Not really. You were inside me and I wanted you, but...” She lowered her eyes and smiled coyly. “That’s how I always feel.” “How?” Harry had a lecherous grin, “Like I’m inside you and you want me?” Ginny smacked him. “You naughty boy, you. Maybe you should sleep in the elm tree until we’re married.” “Even when you’re not here?” “But I’m always here.” She poked his chest hard. “You just said so yourself.” She started laughing. “Of course, then I’d be sleeping in the tree with you.” She pushed him down and leaned over him. “I’ll have to let you sleep in the bed, otherwise I’ll be covered with bug bites every morning.” “I don’t want anyone biting you but me,” Harry pulled her on top and they snogged until Ginny started moaning. “No fair,” she gasped. “I haven’t had a turn yet.” Harry quickly rose; he stood and picked her up in his arms. In the bedroom it took only a moment to remove their clothes — they were mostly undone by now — and this time he was tender and slow, and Ginny had lots of turns. * * * * They spent the rest of the day and evening in the four–poster except for trips to the little kitchen to eat, and Ginny told Harry all about the tryouts, the clubhouse, the meetings, and Ginger. “She’s amazing, love. She’s so upbeat and happy, even though she’s living in a way I could never imagine for myself. I don’t know how she does it. And we just seemed to hit it off. Sometimes I was wondering if that’s what it’s like to have a twin.” “And you invited her to the wedding. That’s cool. Maybe Charlie will be interested in her.” Ginny smiled, but shook her head. “I think Ginger is more... Dean’s type,” she smiled again, but then frowned. “Don’t patronize her, Harry. She may be poor and have different ideas of how things work, but she’s smart and knows what’s going on.” “I didn’t mean to be patronizing. I thought she was nice. I’m glad you hit it off with her.” “And speaking of poor...” Ginny sprang out of bed. “I have something to show you.” She picked her jeans off the floor and rummaged through the pockets, then climbed back onto the bed. She slapped Harry’s hand away from her breast and sat on her knees, holding up a parchment with a golden talon embossed at the top. “My contract!” she said excitedly. “I’ll be earning ten Galleons a week as soon as I’m there full–time. Until then it’s three Galleons a week. Harry, I have gold! I don’t have to ask Mum and Dad for things anymore!” “Can I start charging you for meals, then?” “Ooo, you wretch!” She started pummeling him until he grabbed her hands and they rolled together, giggling and tangled in the sheets. They made love one last passionate time, and then Harry walked her back to Hogwarts. As he returned to the inn, he pressed his hand to his heart; he had left part of himself with her, but he no longer felt that it was missing. * * * * It was now only a little more than a month until the end of term. The seventh–years who were taking N.E.W.T. classes did nothing but cram for the exams, which were administered by the Ministry of Magic, just as O.W.L.s were. All of their classes were devoted to preparing for the tests; there was no homework, and all term projects had been turned in. Ginny spent almost all of her free time in the library with Keesha and Luna, except that she took an hour every afternoon to fly in the stadium. Whenever Harry could, he went to Hogwarts directly from work and flew with her, helping with passing drills or playing a Beater’s position. Sometimes Ron came and also helped by playing Keeper so Ginny could practice shooting. It was a very full schedule and by Saturday night she was exhausted. They went back to the massage chamber in the Room of Requirement on Saturday evenings, except that they requested a nice, comfy bed and a larger tub in addition to the massage table. They spent the night there once, but the next morning they missed waking up in their own four–poster and being able to walk into the little kitchen to find Winky’s breakfast sitting on the table. From then on, they went back to the inn after the massage, enjoying a nighttime walk down the castle drive and through the village. The third time they were there, three days before N.E.W.T.s and after Ginny had spent the morning at a practice session with the Harpies, they noticed that the book — which was always there with the box of massage equipment — was a few pages longer; it now contained photos of a witch massaging a wizard. Harry got to stretch out on the table first while Ginny’s exquisite hands rubbed and squeezed his muscles and joints. They exchanged places and Harry, who was getting to be an accomplished masseur, returned the favor. They went back to the flat where Ginny was extremely accommodating. But she was back at school early the next morning, Sunday. She was especially worried about Defense Against the Dark Arts because the fall term had been interrupted by the shenanigans of Professor Pester, and Madame Maxime had pushed her N.E.W.T. section along at breakneck speed. When Harry arrived at the library in the late afternoon to bring her back to the inn for dinner, all three girls — Ginny, Keesha, and Luna — were asleep with their heads on the table, surrounded by books and parchments. Harry gently prodded Ginny and she groggily lifted her head. “Oh, no,” she groaned, looking around. “What time is it? I still have three chapters to revise.” She swore and picked up her textbook. “Come on, love,” Harry said. “Give it a rest for a couple of hours. You need to eat. Why don’t you all come back to the inn. Winky’s making a fabulous pot roast.” “I can’t,” she sighed. “I lost half a day yesterday because of practice, and the exams start in two days.” “Sure you can. You don’t even know what you’re looking at.” He pointed to the book which was upside down in her hands.” Ginny spun the book around. “Harry, please, I need to study.” He looked at Luna and Keesha who were staring bleary–eyed at him. “Come on, let’s all go to the Hog’s Head. You can Floo both ways, it won’t take long at all.” Keesha glanced at Ginny, while Luna continued to stare at Harry. He waved his hand in front of her face. “Luna, wake up. Come have dinner at the inn.” Ginny slammed the book on the table; the sound reverberated through the whole library. “Dammit, Harry,” she shouted, “we can eat here! Please leave us alone!” “Okay, okay.” Harry retreated, holding up his hands. He turned and walked down the aisle between the shelves, passing Madam Pince who was stalking the other way toward the source of the racket. He was in the corridor when the library door crashed open behind him, and Ginny came flying out. “Harry!” she shrieked. “Wait!” She threw her arms around him. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m so tired, I don’t know what I’m saying or doing.” Harry looked over her shoulder and saw the other two girls being ushered out the door by the outraged librarian. “And don’t come back today!” she wagged her finger at them. “I guess I don’t have a choice,” Ginny sighed. “It’s dinner at the Hog’s Head.” Keesha and Luna were loaded down with books. “We grabbed everything and ran,” Keesha grinned. “I don’t think she realized we had all this stuff. Let’s get out of here before she figures it out.” “You can study in the flat tonight,” said Harry. ‘The table will open up as big as you want, and I’ll bring all your food upstairs. Let’s go to the common room and we can Floo from there.” “Thanks, love,” Ginny said as they made their way to Gryffindor Tower. “I’m going crazy. I think you made the right choice by not coming back last year. N.E.W.T.'s are scarier than Death Eaters.” Harry chuckled. “Right. That’s exactly why I went into hiding. It had nothing to do with Riddle trying to kill me. I can’t speak for Hermione, though. She probably regrets it.” “That sounds like Hermione,” Luna yawned. “She’s very studious.” “I was joking,” said Harry, but Ginny pulled his elbow and shook her head. Harry nodded and said no more. They Floo’d to the flat and Harry set them up in the sitting room at the expanding table. He went downstairs and spoke to Winky, and soon there was a steady stream of food going up to the flat via the little kitchen. At seven o’clock, Harry said he had an errand to run and disappeared into the fireplace; he had whispered his destination and the girls didn’t hear what he said. Half an hour later he was back. “You don’t have to be in school until midnight,” he announced. “Professor McGonagall heard about what happened in the library, so she’s letting you all stay off the grounds three more hours.” He grinned as Ginny and Keesha jumped up and hugged him at the same time. After they sat back down, Luna got up and walked over to him. “Thank you, Harry,” she said, and kissed him on the cheek. She turned, went back to her seat, and picked up the book she had been reading; she started to write on a parchment, oblivious to the entertained looks from the others. At ten o’clock Ginny asked for coffee, and soon there was a pot percolating on the stove. Harry brought in trays of mugs and coffee cakes, which the girls took without looking up. At a quarter to midnight, they packed up their books and parchments. Keesha and Luna gave Harry big hugs — Harry held his breath, waiting for the peck from Luna that never came — and they Floo’d away. Ginny stood in front of the fireplace in Harry’s arms. “This was a life–saver,” she said as she rubbed his chest under his tee shirt. “I think having a change of scenery helped. We got a lot more done that if we had stayed in the library; we would have just fallen asleep again.” “Glad I could help.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her nose. “I guess I won’t see you until after the exams are over.” “I’ll send lots of owls,” she promised. She put her head on his chest. “Mmm. Just two more weeks and we’ll be back at the Burrow. Do you know what I’m going to do?” She looked at him mischievously. “I’m going to take you into the village and treat you at the ice cream store with my wages.” “My rich benefactress,” he smiled. “Where will you get Muggle money? I thought they were paying you in Galleons.” “Bill can get it changed at the bank. It’s so nice to have gold! I feel like I’m free.” “You deserve every Knut. How did practice go yesterday?” “Pretty good. They had Ginger and me flying with Jackie for a bit. She is so good! I think I learned more from her in five minutes than I did in five years at Hogwarts.” “So I wasn’t that good a coach?” he said in mock disappointment. “You were the best, sweetie.” She kissed his nose. “It’s just that you distracted me so much, I always forgot what I was doing.” “Now you’re a liar,” he leaned his head back and looked down his nose at her. “I was falling over myself to get you to look at me, and all you did was snog Dean Thomas. Or was it Michael Corner?” “It was none of them. You were always the only one.” “I know.” He kissed her for a long time, then he stepped back. “It’s almost midnight. Don’t be late getting back.” He gathered up her books and followed her through the fireplace to the Gryffindor common room. They kissed goodnight, and he returned to the inn. * * * * On Monday evening Harry sent Ginny a special package of Chocoballs and toffee crèmes, her two favorites. She didn’t eat them, though; she knew that if she started she wouldn’t be able to stop and then she wouldn’t be able to sleep, so she put them in her dresser drawer. On Tuesday morning she walked into Professor Slughorn’s dungeon classroom just before nine o’clock for her first N.E.W.T. exam. The professor was there behind his desk, along with a stooped, wizened, very elderly witch wearing Ministry robes. Cauldrons were set up at separate tables, one for each student, and Ginny took a seat near Ruth Madison; they exchanged nervous greetings. Luna and Keesha came in shortly after, and then Hector Freeman and Salvador Chambers. Professor Slughorn cleared his throat. “Good morning, ladies and gentleman. This is your Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test for Potions. It will be administered by a very distinguished friend of mine, Madam Griselda Marchbanks of the Wizarding Examinations Authority. I wish you well, and now I turn you over to Madam Marchbanks.” He nodded, and the old witch shuffled forward. She appeared to be extremely frail, but her voice was clear and strong. “I am happy to be here after a hiatus arising from certain unfortunate events. The world appears to be righted, so here we are.” She tottered forward a few more steps, supported by a gnarled wooden cane, and picked up a parchment from Slughorn’s desk. “On each of your tables is a copy of this parchment, containing your test questions. On my word, you are to turn over your copy, read the instructions, and begin. You have three hours. If you have paid attention to the excellent professor during the year, you will do well.” She picked up a large hourglass sitting on the desk and turned it over. “You may begin.” Ginny turned over her parchment and perused it. There were three tasks, and to her relief she saw that they had all been covered in class. She glanced appreciatively at Professor Slughorn, then set to work to produce an extract of spider pancreas that would cure ringworm without causing baldness as a side–effect. Two hours and forty–five minutes later Ginny sat back with a sigh and stretched her arms. Everyone else in the room was still working except Luna, who was sitting back in her chair staring at the ceiling, which she had been doing for half an hour. When Ginny got up to turn in her potions, Luna sat up with a start. She picked up all three of her phials, gave Ginny a quick smile, and followed her to the front of the room. When Ginny handed her phials to Madam Marchbanks, the old witch beckoned to her. Ginny leaned down — the stooped witch was a head shorter — and Marchbanks whispered in her ear, “Puddlemere’s Keeper broke his left arm two weeks ago in a flying accident. He tried to keep it a secret, but I know someone at St. Mungo’s. Shoot to your right and you’ll score every time.” She cackled and punched Ginny’s arm. Ginny laughed uncertainly. “Thanks,” she whispered, “but I probably won’t be in the starting lineup.” “Nonsense, girl. You’ll crack the lineup within a month. I’ve seen you fly here.” She punched Ginny’s arm again. “Go Harpies!” she said loudly, and cackled. Ginny smiled and thanked her again, then backed away to let Luna turn in her potions but also to get out of range of another left jab; the old lady’s whack actually hurt. She rubbed her arm and waited for Luna. They walked out of the classroom together. “Thanks for waking me up,” Luna said. “I kind of zoned out there.” “What did you think of it?” Ginny asked; they sat on the floor, leaning against the wall across from the dungeon, waiting for the others. “I wonder if Slughorn knew what the questions would be; we covered all of them in class.” “We studied sixty–five potions, so it was likely that whatever was on the exam would have been covered.” “Oh.” Ginny nodded; she hadn’t counted the topics in class, but she was sure that her friend was right. When the others came out at noon, they all talked about the exam for a few minutes, then Ginny left to send an owl to Harry. She went up to the owlery. Bailey was there with the brood; the owlets were growing, and Ginny decided to see if Orion, the biggest, could deliver a message to Hogsmeade by himself. She told him to meet her at her room, and left. She wrote a long letter describing the exam, Madam Marchbanks, and the old witch’s intelligence about the Puddlemere Keeper, Oliver Wood. When Orion had flown off, hooting loudly and with instructions to wait until Harry came home from the Ministry, she lay down on her bed. She tried to stay awake, but when Sarah shook her awake and pointed to the closed window, it was the middle of the afternoon. She had missed lunch, and Orion was perched outside on the gargoyle, patiently waiting for someone to let him in. He hopped onto her arm when Ginny opened the window and lifted his leg. She took the parchment; it was the same one she had given to him. “Drat,” she muttered, then said to the owl, “I guess you didn’t understand. I want you to wait at the inn for Harry to get this. He may not come home for a few more hours. Is your father there?” Orion blinked a few times and hooted, then flew out the window. Ginny waited, and in fifteen minutes she saw two owls flying back from Hogsmeade. McPherson soared in the open window onto Bailey’s perch, while Orion, with the letter still tied to his leg, landed on her dresser, looking a little flustered and also a little winded. McPherson clucked and lifted his leg. Ginny went and took the message from Orion and gave it to McPherson. Before the owls took off, she gave each one an owl treat, and patted Orion’s head. “Don’t be upset, little owl,” she whispered. “Just watch your daddy; he’s the best.” Off the owls went, and this time Ginny knew that the message would be waiting for Harry when he got home. She rummaged through her dresser and found the chocolates that Harry had sent last night, and ate them all. Then she took her Charms books and headed for the library to study for her next exam. The days and the tests passed — Charms and Herbology on Wednesday, Transfiguration and Ancient Runes on Thursday, and Defense Against the Dark Arts on Friday. When Harry came to get Ginny late Friday afternoon, she was exhausted beyond caring. She was so tired that she didn’t want to take a chance in the Floo network, so they walked back to the inn with her leaning on Harry’s shoulder. She collapsed on the bed and Harry undressed her and tucked her in while she was half–asleep. He kissed her brow, then tiptoed out of the room and spent the evening in the sitting room reading the last two chapters of Hidden Hexes, his textbook for Evidence Analysis. Later, when he decided he wanted to fall asleep, he got into bed next to Ginny and read A History Of Aurors by candlelight. When his eyes started to droop, he blew out the candle, checked Ginny one last time, gave her one last kiss on the forehead, and slept. The next week was the last of the school year as well as the end of the first year of the Auror training program. Ginny’s classes were perfunctory; the only significant activity was the Leaving Ceremony, held on Wednesday under a marquee set up on the Quidditch pitch. Ginny wasn’t too thrilled with having to be there, since Gryffindor’s score in the House Cup was almost laughable, due mainly to her own unauthorized absences from school; only Slytherin’s score was lower — in fact the lowest in the history of Hogwarts — thanks to the crimes of Jace Kleinhead and his gang; not even Sean, Zoroaster, and Abigail’s heroism could overcome it. But her family would be there, and not only was she the last Weasley who would attend Hogwarts for many years, she was the first Weasley to actually finish since Percy, five years ago. She also would be presented with the Quidditch Cup, which more Gryffindors cared about than the House Cup, anyway, at least this year. So, after breakfast on Wednesday morning, Ginny lined up with her roommates and the seventh–year Gryffindor boys in the Quidditch dressing room, along with the seventh–years from the other Houses, and on a signal blast from Argus Filch’s cannon, they all filed outside under the marquee in a procession led by their House Heads. They sat up on a stage, and Ginny saw her parents smiling at her, her brothers waving at her, and Aunt Muriel glaring at her. Harry was there, too; he had managed to wangle a couple of hours from Saliyah after promising to get her tickets to the Harpies match with Wimbourne. After speeches from the Headmistress, the Head Boy and Girl — Hugh Swift from Hufflepuff and his twin sister Betsy from Ravenclaw — the House Cup was presented to Professor Flitwick; thankfully, McGonagall did not announce the scores, probably out of embarrassment for her own House. Then the Quidditch Cup was presented by Madam Hooch. Ginny and the rest of the team stood at the front of the stage and Ginny raised it above her head. Her name as team captain was engraved on it, next to Harry’s from two years ago, there having been no Cup last year. She looked at the two names, then looked at Harry sitting below her in the audience; they both grinned, feeling her pride together. After the ceremony Harry had to return to the Ministry but Ginny had lunch with her family at the Hog’s Head; then she went back to school and started packing. The Auror training program finished on Friday with a little party. Kingsley Shacklebolt was there, and he thanked them all for their hard work and commitment. Afterward, the students all Floo’d to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink and a goodbye until the fall, and then Harry returned to the inn. He Floo’d over to Hogwarts after dumping his books and other belongings on the sitting room table. Ginny was waiting for him in the common room. “Your name is on the Cup!” Harry said after a snog. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stay for lunch.” Ginny shrugged. “Let’s get out of here. I’m so itchy to be gone, I can’t stand it.” They walked down to the lake and looked over it to the White Tomb. “I suppose I should be thinking about seven glorious years at Hogwarts,” she said as they stood holding hands, “but I just want to go. I want to be with you and I want us to be married. We can come back to reminisce about the good old days whenever we want.” They were going to live in the flat until Ginny got settled in with the Harpies and they could figure out where the best place was to buy a house. Ginny had tentatively mentioned Godric’s Hollow, which wasn’t all that far from Holyhead, but Harry wasn’t sure. Besides, they both loved the flat so much, that even its relatively cramped living space didn’t bother them; as Ginny said, the closer she was to him the better. After dinner they went back up to Gryffindor Tower and Harry waited in the common room while Ginny finished her last bit of packing: setting up cages for all seven of her owls. Bailey had her own cage, of course, but there were three more for the owlets, two in each one. They had to put Peanut with Orion, otherwise the pest would have tormented his cage mate all the way into London and then in the car to the Burrow. Emma and Claire would be getting their owls — Rosie and Mocha — after the wedding since the owlets weren’t old enough yet to fend for themselves, and also assuming that their parents let them keep the birds at home. When Ginny was finished they walked back to the inn and spent a few hours in the dining room with their Hogsmeade friends. When they got upstairs, late in the evening, Ginny was moody, and just wanted to be held by Harry. “It’s all over, but nothing has begun yet to take its place,” she murmured in the darkness of their bedroom. “Every year at school something dreadful happened, but they all seemed to end with a good feeling. Well, maybe not my first year or my third year or my fourth year or my fifth year or my sixth year.” She laughed. “Okay, none of them ended happily except this year. But now it’s over.” She sighed, then put her hands around Harry’s head and pulled it toward her so that their foreheads touched. “Harry, when I’m here with you and you’re all next to me and touching me, I can’t believe how my life has gone. So many bad things happened over the years, but here I am with you, with the one person I always wanted to be with. I love you so much, please hold me.” She was weeping, and Harry held her tightly until her tears stopped, many minutes later. They kissed gently, then passionately, and fell asleep pressed against each other. * * * * The next day Ginny left on the Hogwarts Express. Harry Floo’d directly to the Burrow with his bags; there wouldn’t be enough room in the compartment for him, Ginny, McPherson, Bailey and all the owlets, plus the twins who insisted on traveling with Ginny, Rosie, and Mocha. But Harry was at King's Cross Station with Charlie and Percy when the train pulled in. The twins introduced their bemused parents to the owlets — Emma and Claire had decided to present a fait accompli and hope for the best — and hugged Ginny and Harry goodbye until the wedding. Other goodbyes were said to Luna, Keesha, Dennis, and a few others, and they set off in Percy’s Ministry car. Three hours later they pulled into the lane in front of the Burrow. Ginny got out and gazed up at it, then she took Harry’s hand. “Let’s go see Fred,” she said. They walked around to the back and down to the grave while Charlie and Percy unloaded the car. Ginny put a fresh spray of wildflowers against the headstone and stood close to Harry. “I’m glad he’s here and no place else,” she said, “and I’m glad we are, too.” She turned and smiled up at him. “We’ll be married here, love. I can’t wait!”
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