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Author: Willbot Story: Looking Forward, Looking Back Rating: Teens Setting: Pre-OotP Status: Completed Reviews: 1 Words: 9,307
"Stand up now Ginny and let me have a look at my baby." Molly Weasley was many things and no matter how old her children got, she would always be their mother. With a wistful catch in her voice, she dabbed her handkerchief to her eye. "Ginny, you look like an angel." Nodding her agreement, Hermione silently wrapped her arms gently around her friend. "Gin, I can't believe my eyes. Your Mum is right – you are an angel!" With a nervous giggle, Ginny looked at the two other women in the room with her. "I wonder what Harry and Ron are doing right now?" "Well I talked to Ron about what he and Harry did while waiting before our wedding and he told me that they just traded stories about our days at Hogwarts. I'd wager that those two are doing much the same again right now." "Ginny dear, did I ever tell you about what your father and I did to poor Harry right before he asked you to marry him?" Ginny's face lit up with a smile as she looked at her mother. "Yes Mum you did, but I don't think I ever told Hermione." Mrs. Weasley face took on a mix of guilt and wicked mirth as she sat down on the padded bench. "Well girls, it started like this ... " ~oOo~ One year ago "Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, thank you so much for joining me here." Harry stood up to shake Arthur's hand and kiss Molly's. The Weasley parents had just walked into the Leaky Cauldron and stood at Harry's booth. "Oh Harry, you're such a flatterer." Molly blushed slightly, even though Harry had made a habit of kissing her hand every time he greeted her. "So what's on your mind, son?" Arthur Weasley asked as he helped his wife out of her traveling cloak. Harry had to a take a deep breath before he spoke. His stomach was in knots and there was no easy way around this. "Actually sir, it was your last word that I want to talk to you about." "Harry, my name's Arthur. Enough with this ‘sir' nonsense. Now what're you trying to say? You're not making any sense." Flashing a quick glace over at his wife, Arthur tried not to smile openly in front of Harry. He and Molly both had a fair idea what Harry was going to ask, but they weren't about to let him off the hook that easily. "Erm, yes sir. I mean Arthur." Pausing, Harry gulped down another deep breath. His heart was racing and he wouldn't have been surprised if the elder Weasleys were able to see it beating out of his chest. "What I came to ask you about is that Ginny and I ... well … we've been together now for quite some time. You know how much I love her and how much she means to me." "Oh why of course we do Harry dear." Molly laid an affectionate hand on his arm. "You've always been there for her and you've been so sweet to her." "Thank you Molly. I just…" "Mrs. Weasley." Arthur interrupted with a grunt. Confused, Harry looked across the table. "E-e-excuse me?" "Mrs. Weasley. Not ‘Molly'." Arthur looked across the table at the trembling young man before him. ‘Frazzled' would've been an excellent word to describe him. Arthur wasn't sure how much longer he was going to be able to keep up the charade though. It took all of his concentration not to fall over laughing. One glance at the suppressed mirth in his wife's eyes showed that she too was waging the same internal struggle. "Oh of course of course. My apologies. As I was saying though, I love Ginny very much and can't imagine the rest of my life without her being a part of it." "And well you shouldn't. You two are meant for each other. Much like Ron and Hermione are." Arthur bought his fist down to the table with a resounding THUMP as if to drive his point home. Nervously, Harry adjusted his glasses before proceeding. "Well Arthur, that's kind of what I wanted to speak to you about today. I was wondering if … I mean if it would be alright if … that is I'm thinking … " "Thinking what? Come now dear. You're not making any sense right now." Molly Weasley could feel the laughter tugging at the corners of her mouth and she fervently hoped that Harry wouldn't notice. "I was wondering if I might … that is if it's alright with you … " Harry took a deep breath before blurting out, "IwouldliketomarryGinny!" Laughter was the absolute last reaction he was expecting, but that was exactly what had greeted him from the two Weasleys. Confused, flustered, and just a trifle annoyed, Harry had to wonder exactly what was so amusing about his question. Arthur wiped a tear of laughter from his eye as he looked over at his wife. "Well Molly, I don't know about you, but I think if he could survive the ordeal that we just put him through, then I think the least we could do is give him our blessing!" Molly got up from her seat, placed her arms around Harry, and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Harry, I think it's absolutely marvelous that you actually had the courage to sit through that. Of course you have our permission to ask Ginny to marry you. I'm sure she'll say yes and I know you'll both be very, very happy together!" Harry gaped at her with surprise as well as a bit of shock. "You mean all of that was just a PRANK? That's … that's … that's something that Fred and George would do!" Arthur started laughing all over again at that remark. "Well who do you think they learned from Harry?" With a sigh, Harry's head fell into his hands, shaking in disbelief. One thought was able to make its way through Harry's mind in the midst of all the jumbling thoughts that were in his head. Well, let's just hope that Gin doesn't get the same idea to torture me when I ask her to marry me. ~oOo~ Now By the time Molly Weasley had finished her tale, all three women were doubled over in laughter, holding onto their sides, and howling with glee. "Oh Molly," Hermione managed to get out between giggles. "That was absolutely priceless. I only wish we all could've been there to see the look on poor Harry's face after that." "Mum, as I've told you before – that prank might even out-do the revenge Harry put together for Ron after he first kissed me after the Yule Ball." Hermione's laughter quickly died off as she suddenly began blushing rather furiously. "Why Hermione, whatever is the matter? Remembering other memories of that night?" The wickedness of the grin on Ginny's face was almost frightening. "Oh no, Gin. It's just that I helped Harry out with that particular hex. To this day I don't believe Ron knows of my involvement in it. At least I hope not! He'd never forgive me for telling Harry about the Phobius Illusi hex." Ginny burst out in a fresh wave of laughter while her mother had a very perplexed look on her face. "Phobius Illusi? Dare I even ask what that does?" Molly tried to fix her daughter-in-law with a stern gaze, but the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth ruined the effect rather completely. "Oh Mum, just because Ron would randomly see people turn into spiders doesn't mean it's anything to get all worked up about." Ginny replied with a wink. Hermione jumped in to explain quickly. "Basically what the hex does is it tricks the victim's mind so that they think they see people randomly turn into their greatest fear. Since we all know how terrified Ron is of spiders, I can only guess what he was thinking the first time he saw someone suddenly turn into an Acromantula. I remember what finally caused Harry to relent was that during Potions class, Professor Snape apparently turned into an Acromantula. Ron screamed like a child, tried to hex Professor Snape, and ended up with a week's worth of detentions. By then, Harry figured he had gotten things square with Ron." Clutching at her side as laughter rolled from her lips, Molly looked up at the two girls. "Now I see why those two boys wanted to marry so much. You're just as evil-minded as they are! Speaking of which ladies, I think we've kept poor Harry waiting long enough. Hermione, if you'd help me attach the train to Ginny's dress, then we can let her get married and become Mrs. Harry Potter." ~oOo~ By general consent, Albus Dumbledore was asked to officiate the ceremony. While he had no official legal grounds for marrying people, Arthur Weasley – serving as Acting Minister of Magic until the position was formally bestowed upon him – had managed to get the paperwork through the system this time. Standing before the throng of people who had gathered for this event, Dumbledore pointed his wand towards his throat, muttered "Sonorus", and cleared his throat once before speaking. "Friends, family, and loved ones gathered here today. We are here this day to bear witness to a joining of two lives. Two lives that from this day forth will forever be joined as one. We have stood in awe of the accomplishments of these two people, for they have been the catalyst for so much of the joy around us. Now we join our heart and minds together to wish them the same joy for themselves that they have given us so freely." "Harry James Potter and Virginia Marie Weasley – you have faced so much, both individually and together. Words alone will never be able to express how much you mean to those around you. You have given hope to us when we thought that hope was gone, you have given us light in the middle of darkness, and you have proven that in the end – love is the strongest force of all." "Harry and Ginny wrote their own vows, so with that, I turn to them. Virginia?" Ginny smiled once at Dumbledore before returning her gaze to Harry. "Harry, you are my Alpha and my Omega. I see the sun rise and fall in your eyes. With you by my side, I have no limits. From this day forward, I face the trials of life knowing that you are there by my side. Freely I give to you my heart and my soul, knowing that you will keep them safe forever. I love you more than words can say. Together, we will live forever." With a nod to Ginny, Dumbledore turned to the man at her side. "Harry?" "Virginia, I can't imagine what life would be like without you. You will be the last person I see when I close my eyes at night. You will be the first person I see when I open them again each morning. You are the rock from which I draw strength. You are the sun that brings light to my day. You are the star that guides my path in the darkness. Yours is the love that brings a smile to my heart. Whatever the future brings to us, I face it with you. My love, my life, forever with you." With a smile to them both, Dumbledore motioned to Ron. Reaching into his jacket, Ron pulled out a small leather bag that he handed to his aged mentor. Opening it, Albus poured the contents into his hand. A pair of gleaming gold rings fell onto his hand. He handed one each to Ginny and Harry. "These rings belonged to Lily and James Potter. Harry and Ginny asked that they be allowed to wear them – in part to honor their memory, in part to show us all that love is eternal." "Harry, if you'd place this ring upon her finger and repeat after me. I take you as my wife." "I take as you my wife." "I share with you my life." "I share with you my life." "We two become one." "We two become one." At this, Harry's voice cracked. "Ginny, if you'd place this ring upon his finger and repeat after me. You now become my husband." "You now become my husband." "Our two lives, fused as one." "Our two lives, fused as one." "This I pledge today, never to be undone." "This I pledge today, never to be undone." "Ginny, Harry, it is now my pleasure to name you as man and wife. Harry, you may now kiss the bride." A/N: OK, so I should've put a fluff warning on the second half of this. I'll make up for it with a double dose (literally!!) of comedy in the epilogue. Thanks as always for the reviews. Jack and Imogen should have perpetual thanks from me for all the help they've provided. Apologies to Imogen as well for the inadvertent use of her story title in Ginny's vows. I didn't even notice it until Jack pointed it out to me. The epilogue should go up along with this to wrap everything up!
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