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Author: KEDme Story: Bring Me to Life Rating: Teens Setting: Pre-DH Status: Completed Reviews: 22 Words: 42,493
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Just once in my life, ~Evanescence~ Ginny stared at herself nervously in her full length mirror, wondering what Harry even saw in her. The dress she had chosen to wear was her best Muggle attire, but it looked like everything else in her wardrobe – shabby and worn. She studied herself critically again. On second thought, maybe it wasn't the pale green dress that made her feel so melancholy. The simple A-line with the short sleeves and a rounded neck was pretty enough. It was the rest of the image that was the problem. She fastened a simple chain around her neck, wishing that she had something better. On her wrist, she wore the charm bracelet with the Golden Snitch. The lone charm looked slightly out of place on the empty bracelet, but Ginny didn't care. She loved it with all her heart and would wear it every day, even if she never got another charm to add to it. After trying several different hairstyles, she finally piled her long red locks on top of her head and attached it with a clip. Next, she decided to apply some lipstick and blush to mask the paleness of her skin. When she was finished, she felt better about her appearance, but still wasn't completely satisfied. If she had long dark hair and exotic eyes, she might feel differently. As it was, she was stuck with bright hair, boring brown eyes, and entirely too many freckles. She rubbed her glossy lips together anxiously, setting the dramatic colour she had chosen for the occasion. Tonight she felt more nervous than she had in a long time at the prospect of seeing Harry. What would he think of her now? He probably regretted what they had done. She blushed with embarrassment at the thought of their night together. Would he still feel the same way about her? Maybe they'd go out and have a nice time, only to have him tell her that he made a mistake and didn't really like her that way after all. The jittery feeling intensified and she held a hand to her stomach to calm the fluttering sensation in her belly. Deep down, she knew Harry wouldn't do that to her. But the thought that he could if he wanted to was still troubling enough to make her light-headed. Stopping suddenly, she got a grip on herself. What was she doing? She had never in her life felt this insecure around another person. Ever. What was it about Harry that caused her to go dry in the mouth and forget who she was and how far she had come? She wasn't ten anymore. She could handle this. But the next second a wave of… something passed through her and she shivered. Her night with Harry had changed her; she could feel it coursing through her just below the surface of consciousness, but she couldn't name it. Despite her happiness, there was a cloud hanging over her that she couldn't identify. She should be overjoyed – ecstatic even. But she wasn't. "Ginny, dear!" her mum called from down below. "Harry's here to pick you up for your date!" Ginny cringed inwardly. She hadn't told her parents that she was going on a date with Harry. She just said she was going out. Damn! That meant Harry must have told them. Now there was no getting out of it. The whole family would know in a matter of hours that she and Harry were an item. Damn, damn, damn! She tried to school her voice as she yelled back, "Tell him I'll be down in a minute, Mum! I'm just finishing up!" Taking one last look at herself in the mirror, she sighed and smoothed her dress nervously. "You look lovely, dear," the mirror complimented her. "At least one of us thinks so," she muttered dryly, but it did make her feel a tiny bit better. Not finding any more excuses to delay longer, she took a deep breath, picked up her handbag from the dresser, and made her way downstairs. The living room was empty when she hit the bottom of the stairs, but she could hear voices coming from the kitchen. Her heart hammered painfully when she caught wind of his quiet, respectful voice answering a question posed to him by her mum. That voice never failed to send shivers down her spine. He had no idea what he did to her. Bracing herself, she fixed a smile on her face and strode confidently through the door, flashing everyone a radiant smile. She was rewarded by a jump and a blush from Harry, who was sitting at the table nursing a hot cup of tea. His face showed everything she wanted to see. He was just as nervous as she, but the look of pleasure was unmistakable and, to her amazement, she even thought she saw a hint of desire there. Her own face was heating from the implications of what that meant, but she struggled to maintain an air of nonchalance. "Hello, Harry," she said casually. "Have you been waiting long?" "Only about fifteen minutes," he said, rising from the table. He was dressed in a Muggle sports jacket and tan trousers. The honest smile on his face completed his sexy ensemble, making Ginny pause and try to school her reaction. She wished desperately her parents weren't there. "But I was early," he added. She knew he didn't want her to worry that she'd made him wait. Her parents were obviously trying not to look at them, but finding it difficult. They were making themselves busy in a corner of the kitchen, but they kept shooting them curious looks. Overall, her parents seemed more amused than upset. Ginny was finding it difficult to talk – Harry was looking at her too intently. She blushed and glanced away, but couldn't keep it up for long. When her eyes wandered back to him, she found that his gaze had not wavered. They stared at each other for a few minutes, not knowing what else to do, until her father's throat clearing brought them back to the present and they both jumped. "Your mother and I have decided to take advantage of an evening alone. We're going to take in one of those Muggle moving picture shows. Will you be able to lock up before you leave, Ginny?" "Of course, Dad," she said, flashing her father one of her famous smiles. "We'll take care of it." She turned her eyes back to Harry and found herself lost again. His green orbs were like a magnet and she had a difficult time staying away from them. At the same time, his gaze was very un-nerving. It was as if he was looking straight into her soul, and a small part of her was worried about what he might see there. Molly and Arthur gathered together what they needed and paused to bid the young couple goodnight. Molly kissed her daughter's cheek and gave her a knowing pat of approval before giving Harry an affectionate hug and kiss good-bye. Arthur turned to Ginny and paused. Her gaze shifted from the boy she loved to her father. "Have a nice time, dear," he said quietly, just to her. He paused to looking meaningfully into her eyes, gripping her shoulders tightly. "I trust Harry to be a gentleman. If this is what you want, then you have my blessing. He's is a fine young man and I couldn't think of anyone better for you." Ginny's heart softened. Her father always knew just what to say. "Thanks, Dad." "I'll make sure your mother gives you a few days before she tells the whole world," he whispered, winking. "You don't need any additional pressure from your brothers right now. Just… just enjoy your time together." She felt herself tear up at her father's thoughtfulness. Instead of saying anything, she threw her arms around him and squeezed tightly. "I love you," she whispered in his ear. He looked mildly surprised but just as misty-eyed when he pulled away. "And I love you, too," he said gently. Harry looked slightly uncomfortable, but Mr. Weasley turned to him and shook his hand firmly. "Harry," he said in a fatherly way. Ginny understood that he was sending Harry a message just with the tone of his voice. Harry returned the handshake with a firm one of his own. "Mr. Weasley," he said evenly. It occurred to her that the two men exchanged an entire conversation with that small interaction. The whole thing was very strange to Ginny, who had never had this experience before with any of her boyfriends. Everyone seemed to sense this date was different somehow. As she was pondering this her parents exited, leaving the two of them alone. Harry smiled at her warmly. "You look beautiful," he said. "Thanks," she said, fighting a blush. "You look pretty good yourself." Harry seemed to shake himself out of his stupor. "I have something for you," he said, thrusting a small package into her hands. "Oh!" she said. "You didn't have to…" "I know," he assured her, "but I wanted to. Open it." He seemed as excited as a boy at Christmas. She smiled at his enthusiasm and tore open the paper on the tiny, professionally wrapped box. Inside, nestled on a tuft of cotton was another charm. Ginny picked it up and gasped. It was a rainbow. "This is lovely, Harry," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "I've never seen such beautiful colours!" He looked pleased. "It's imported from Ireland – made by Leprechauns, the clerk said. I liked it when I saw it because it reminded me of you." He paused and took her hand in his, his face deadly serious. "Ginny…. This may sound corny, but you… you brought colour back into my world." Ginny looked at him curiously and was about to say something when he shushed her with a finger to her lips. "Just let me say this, before I lose my nerve." She nodded mutely. He took her wrist in his hand and drew his wand. With a simple command, the new charm was in its place next to the Golden Snitch. As he was doing this, he talked. "You brought me back to life, Ginny. I was dead inside, but now… now I'm breathing again. That night – the night of your birthday – I was ready to give up. I was so tired of fighting, of trying to fake my way through life. Then you kissed me, and my world… exploded. I started to remember how it felt to be alive, feelings I never thought I'd feel again. Because of you, I can start living again. I missed you so much and I've come to realise that I can't be without you ever again." "I missed you too, Harry," she said tearfully, but smiled teasingly. "If I'd have known all it would take to bring you back was a good snog and a shag, I would have done it sooner, you git." He laughed along with her and then kissed her deeply, making her knees go weak. He held her to him tightly, wrapping his strong arms around her tiny waist as she nuzzled her face in his chest, smelling his scent. Whispering into her hair, he added, "My rainbow, Ginny. That's what you'll always be to me. My colour… my hope." They stayed like that for a few minutes, wrapped in each other's arms and feeling the emotion of the moment until Ginny broke away, swiping the tears from her eyes. "Where are we going, anyway?" she sniffled, trying to bring the conversation around to less emotional ground. She was very curious about what Harry had planned because he hadn't said much that morning. Harry's eyes sparkled. "You'll see," he said mysteriously. "How are we going to get there, if I don't even know where there is? I can't Apparate unless you give me a location," she said logically, trying to needle the information out of him. She loved surprises but, knowing her for so long, he certainly knew how crazy they made her and it was clear he was taking full advantage of that knowledge. "You'll see…" was his enigmatic response. "You're not going to tell me anything, are you?" she said, frustrated. "Nope. You'll just have to trust me." She caught his eye and held his gaze. "I do trust you." Shaking off the seriousness of the moment, he smiled and held out his arm. "Shall we go?" "Let's," she said grandly, taking his arm. They walked to the door and she cast the proper wards and spells as they exited. But once they were free of the house, she still didn't see how they were going to get where they were going. "Now what?" she asked apprehensively. "Are we taking the Knight Bus, or Side-Along Apparating?" "Just wait," he said mysteriously. "You'll see soon enough." A few seconds later and a black cab came bursting out from nowhere. The magical taxi cab screeched to a halt right in front of them and the driver leaned out the window. "You order a cabby, mate?" he asked. His fat body held up a fat head with thinning grey hair and when he smiled, his teeth proved to be crooked and yellow. "Yeah," Harry said, stepping past Ginny and opening the back door for her. She slid in the back and he joined her a moment later. "You know where to go?" he asked the cab driver. "Yep," he called back. "Got me directions right 'ere," he said, patting his shirt pocket. "You goin' to London, huh?" "Yeah, that's right," Harry said. "I left specific instructions." He seemed to be trying to shut p the talkative cabby. "Don't worry none, sir. I know where to go. Know every inch of London, I do," he rambled. "Been driving cabs for more'n twenty years. Yes, sir. I'll get you there faster than you can say You-Know-Who!" Harry's smile tightened and Ginny felt him stiffen at the reference. She grabbed his hand and squeezed, flashing him a supportive smile. The cabby seemed oblivious to how uncomfortable he was making them and continued to babble on as he drove. The cab, itself, was just as fast as the Knight Bus and sent them flying all over the back seat, but Ginny couldn't complain; she liked being this close to Harry. "Yes, sir! I seen it all," the cab driver continued, unaffected by the jerky ride. "You-Know-Who even rode in this 'ere cab once. 'Course, he was in disguise, he was. But I swear it was 'im. Some say 'e could transform into anything. I believe it, too. Saw it for me self not more'n three years ago. Just after 'e came back. He was with this little old lady – probably one 'o his Death Eaters – disguised as a cat, 'e was. Scared me so bad, I drove straight into a tree!" He shook his head sadly. "When I looked back, they was gone. Just like that!" he said, snapping his fingers. The old man peaked at the couple in the rearview mirror, probably to see their looks of horror. It was evident he had told this story many times before. When he didn't get a reaction he tried a different approach. "'Course I didn't worry none. Even through those dark days, I knew little 'arry Potter'd get him in the end. Told me wife that then, too. 'Mavis,' I said. 'Don't you worry none. 'arry Potter will take care of us, just like 'e did before when he was a wee tyke, 'cause You-Know-Who couldn't beat him then, and 'e certainly couldn't beat 'im after getting trained up at Hogwarts under Dumbledore, may 'e rest in peace. Great man, 'arry Potter is…. great man. And no finer wizard there ever was than Albus Dumbledore, 'cept for 'arry Potter, 'o course." Harry squirmed in his seat and Ginny bit her lip to keep from laughing. She'd definitely be teasing him about this later. Harry self-consciously flatted his fringe over his scar, which was faint and pale but still very visible. "How long before we get there?" he asked pointedly, slumping down in his seat. He and Ginny were getting bounced all over the backseat with every twist and sharp turn. "Almost there," the cabby replied. He narrowed his eyes in the rearview mirror. "You wouldn't be one of His supporters, would you?" he asked suspiciously. "I don't transport no Death Eaters in my cab, so you'd better speak up!" Harry looked up, surprised, and Ginny was genuinely appalled. "Of course we're not!" she said, indignantly. "Whatever would make you say such a thing?" The man's eyes were still narrowed suspiciously. "Usually whenever I mention 'arry Potter, I get a favourable response. Unless it's one of His supporters. You two just sit there not saying nothin'. What you 'ave against 'arry Potter?" he asked angrily. Ginny smiled slyly. "I happen to fancy Harry Potter very much," she said, looked at Harry sideways. He reddened but looked pleased. "Ever since I was a little girl, I've had quite a thing for him," she added, loving how uncomfortable she was making Harry. The cabby looked pleased, but narrowed his eyes at Harry. "And you, young man? Where do you stand? Not jealous of 'im are ya?" "Not at all," Harry said quickly, looking helplessly a Ginny. When he saw that she was not going to get him out of this he mumbled, "He's okay, I suppose." "Okay? Okay? Why, he's the best thing that e'er 'appened to the wizarding world! Saved us twice, 'e did. You owe your life to 'im, young man. He saved us all! What you have to say 'bout that?" he asked, looking at Harry expectantly. Harry squirmed but Ginny fixed him with a stare and he knew he'd have to answer. He pleaded with her silently to help him, but she refused to help him out of this one. It was too much fun. "Yes," she said pointedly, crossing her arms. "What do you say to that, Harry?" "I-I think," he stammered, "that he had a lot of help. He would never have made it without the love and support of those around him. He has a lot of really good friends who never let him down and always stood by him, no matter how much of a prat he was to them. I think – no, I know – that without those friends and the most beautiful girl in the world on his side, he would have certainly been lost. They're the ones the world should thank." Ginny sucked in her breath as he brought his hand to her cheek and caressed it tenderly. "He's a very lucky man," Harry said, "to have people like you in his life." "No," Ginny said fiercely, clutching his hand. "We're the lucky ones." While they had been talking they hadn't noticed the cab come to a screeching halt in front of a busy Muggle street. The cabby looked back at the two, confused. "So, 'arry Potter is a friend of yours, then?" he asked uncertainly, trying to get his small mind to understand. Ginny and Harry looked at each other and laughed. *** "The look on his face was priceless!" Ginny laughed, as they sat next to each other on the London Underground and reminisced about their recent cab ride to the station. "I bet he tells that story for years to come to anyone who'll listen." Harry chuckled too. "Yes, and I'm sure Mavis will be the first to hear it." "It was nice of you to sign the receipt for his dying wife," Ginny said thoughtfully. "I'm sure she'll really appreciate it." She doubted whether Mavis was truly on her deathbed as the cabbie had claimed, but it had pulled at Harry's heartstrings enough to get him to sign his name when requested. "It was the least I could do," Harry said nonchalantly. "He really seemed to be a big supporter of me and…. Well, er… of me." Ginny saw the pain that twisted on his face. He had almost said Dumbledore's name. Harry never said the names of the dead, if he could help it. It was like saying their names brought all the pain to the surface and he'd rather bury their memories along with their bodies. He had never told her this but she knew. "So, you've yet to tell me where we're going," she said, changing the subject. Harry smiled again. "I've never been there before, but I've been told it's a great place to take a girl on a first date," he said secretively. "You aren't going to give me even a hint, are you?" "Just one," Harry said mischievously, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "I doubt it'd help anyway. It's a place loaded with Muggles from all over the world. That's all the hint you're getting, though, missy. You'll just have to wait." "Hmmm," Ginny mused, trying not to shiver from his closeness. This semi-crowded train suddenly felt very intimate indeed. "That could be almost anywhere in London." She snuggled closer to him, enjoying the liberty. It felt so natural to be this close, even in the company of a train full of strangers. Come to think of it, it was probably easier to be intimate with strangers looking at them than people they knew. Strangers weren't apt to make kissing noises behind their backs like her immature brothers surely would. They rode in peaceable silence for awhile until their stop was announced. "This is it," Harry said, standing. "Here?" Ginny asked, surprised they were getting off already. She wished now she had been paying more attention to her whereabouts – she couldn't recall hearing what stop they were on. They exited the train and found their way to the surface into one of the strangest places Ginny had ever been. It reminded her of Diagon Ally without all the items specific to wizards. They were in a square of some sort teeming with Muggles. Muggles of all kind were everywhere. Some were walking, some were jogging, and some were riding bikes. Many were just clustered in groups or sitting on the steps of a large fountain. Everywhere Ginny looked, there was life. She had never seen so many Muggles in one place before – not even at King's Cross Station. The buildings were huge, ominous structures set against the fading London sky. The lighted signs were bright and bold, even in the late afternoon sun. She immediately felt intimidated yet fascinated by the strangeness of it all and instinctively leaned in closer to Harry. "Where are we?" she whispered. "Piccadilly Circus," he answered. "It's a big tourist spot. Supposedly there's a statue here of Eros somewhere." "The god of love?" Ginny asked, wide-eyed. Harry coloured slightly. "Yes. I think I see it over there!" He pulled her over to a large fountain on a platform with steps all around. People were either loitering on the steps or gazing up at the form of a winged archer high at the centre of the fountain. They stood at the fountain's edge and craned their necks to see. Eros stood on one graceful leg, his wings spread wide and his bow held out before him. He seemed to look down on them and smile a knowing sort of smile. "What do you think he's thinking?" Ginny asked. "They say if a couple in love stands before Eros and kisses, he will send them a blessing," he answered, still gazing up. Ginny looked at him intently. "Do they really?" she asked. It suddenly hit her that – other than their first kiss in the Gryffindor common room in front of the entire Gryffindor Tower – she had never kissed him out in public before where so many people could see. She wondered if Harry, who was much shier than her about snogging in public, had thought this through. He turned and faced her slowly, their eyes locking. "Yes," he said huskily, as he pulled her close. The kiss was long and sweet, full of promise and withheld passion. When it was over, they held each other for a long time. "Excuse me!" a pleasant voice called out. They both glanced up to see a young street artist looking to make a quick pound. "Would you be interested in a sketch of the two of you in front of the fountain?" he asked hopefully. Ginny sighed happily as Harry agreed. "Can you draw the two of us with Eros looking down from above?" he asked the young man. "No problem," he answered. "I can draw anything you want." "Won't it be expensive?" Ginny asked, thinking of the money and wondering if Harry had enough Muggle currency to cover the cost. "It's just a sketch," the young artist assured her. "I charge twenty pounds for a drawing, but if you don't like it you don't have to pay. I'm trying to work my way through art school and I do this to help make ends meet." "That's fair," Harry said, seemingly unconcerned about the cost. "Where would you like us to stand?" "How about over there where the light is better? I think it'll cast just the right shadows to make an interesting composition." They agreed and moved to the spot he had suggested. Half an hour later, Harry paid the young man for the drawing and they parted ways, each satisfied with their end of the deal. The next challenge was to find a deserted spot where Ginny stood in front of Harry while he put an Imperturbable charm on the drawing and shrunk it to fit easily inside his shirt pocket. "Where to now?" she asked excitedly when he was done. "I've heard of a place around here were they have ten-pin bowling. Interested?" he asked, raising his eyebrow in mock challenge. "Oh, yes!" she squealed, clapping her hands. "I've always wanted to see how that game works. I read about it in Muggle Studies years ago." They headed across the street to a large building called the Trocadero that turned out to be a shopping plaza. Inside were all sorts of restaurants and specialty shops aimed at the Muggle tourists. The top level was an amusement centre with all sorts of games, including the ten pin bowling alley. They whittled away the rest of their date playing video games and trying out every form of "amusement" the place had to offer, discovering they were fairly evenly matched in almost everything. Neither could ever remember having so much fun or laughing so much. Stumbling back outside after several hours, they happily walked the streets of London hand in hand, marvelling at the lights and people they passed, content in the fact that they were together. For one sweet moment life was simple; they were any new couple falling in love for the first time. There was no Voldemort, no painful past, and no debilitating curse… nothing except for the reality of their new relationship. It was late when they found their way back to the Burrow. They Apparated directly to the back garden of The Burrow and Harry bent to give Ginny a kiss. His lips were warm and sweet on hers, and she returned it eagerly. "Tonight was the most fun I've had in years," he whispered, his mouth still hovering over hers. He looked deeply in her eyes and she could see the longing there that surely mirrored her own. "As first dates go," Ginny smiled as his lips found the sensitive spot on her neck that sent shivers down her spine, "it was pretty good." He leaned into her and she could feel every inch of his body pressed up to hers. "You're not one of those kind of girls, are you Ginny?" he said, his breath hovering near her ear making her dizzy with the sensation. "What kind of girl are you referring to, Harry?" she asked innocently. Her heart pounded out an erratic rhythm as she felt his hot kisses trailing down her neck under her earlobe and her body was tense with anticipation. She leaned into him weakly and found her legs were no more steady than a newborn fawn. Looking around for a place to go, he pulled her behind the tree in the garden – the same shadowy tree where they had shared the kiss on her birthday. This time there was no loud party going on around them, no candles to blow out to spoil the moment. He leaned her against the tree and planted a smouldering kiss on her willing mouth before answering. His voice was little more than a murmur. "…The kind of girl who only kisses on a first date." Her eyes widened with understanding as she drunk in his brilliant green eyes brimming with need. "I never kiss and tell, Harry. You know that," she flirted, as she found herself caught up in his stare. "So you want to play, do you?" he said with a crooked, feral smile, his eyes dancing merrily. Swiftly, he crushed his mouth to hers again and deepened the kiss immediately. His advance was more demanding this time and a hundred times more exhilarating. Her head leaned against the bark of the tree as his tongue explored the recesses of her inner mouth. She moaned in the back of her throat and then returned the kiss hungrily, feeling his hands work her dress up so that he was touching bare skin. He was slowly sending her over the edge of desire and into the land of pure need. His strong hands skimmed over her thigh and hips, and she instinctively arched towards him. Before she knew it, her fingers were in his hair around his neck, and her legs once again had found their way to his waist. His mouth was back on her neck now and she heard him say softly, "One thing you need to remember about me, Ginny…is that I like…" he paused to drive his point home, "…to win." "I think we both win at this game, Harry," she said seriously before moving in for another searing kiss. "I want you," he said huskily when they pulled apart slight. She could see the truth of it on his darkened face. "Now?" she asked incredulously, not believing her ears. "Here?" "…Now," he said, kissing her lazily on the neck. "Here." She had no power to deny him anything. He must have recognized it, because he crushed his mouth to hers in a possessive way that drove any fear she might have had out the window. The real world spun and careened on its axis as they fulfilled their needs together. Afterwards, they clung to each other, panting and trying to regain control of their quivering bodies. Harry smiled that same crooked smile as he cupped her face possessively and looked deeply into her eyes. "Marry me," he said softly but clearly enough that Ginny knew it wasn't her imagination. "Wh-what?" "Marry me," he said again seriously, his dark eyes probing hers. His body still had her pinned securely against the tree creating a warm haven that blocked out the rest of the world. "Do you mean that?" she asked doubtfully, fearing that he'd regret it later. "I love you," he said, his eyes open and honest. "I think I always have, but I've been stupid. The worst mistake I ever made was giving you up and then sending you away. We've wasted so much time… I want to spend the rest of my life making that up to you." "Why don't you see how you feel about this in the morning?" she said doubtfully. His eyes flashed. "Don't you love me?" Ginny's heart melted at the words. How could he think she didn't? "Harry," she said tenderly. "I have loved you since the moment I first laid eyes on you. Even when I was trying to forget, you haunted me. I have never loved anyone like I love you, and I never will." "Then marry me," he pleaded. "Now… tonight." "You can't be serious!" she exclaimed, shock evident on her face. "What's to stop us? I love you and you love me." His gaze was determined and Ginny had seen that look to often to know that he could be deterred from getting what he wanted. "That's all we need, isn't it? I know someone in the Department of Legal Affairs who could do it for us tonight." "Tonight! What about Mum and Dad? What about my family? Our friends?" she said, chewing on her bottom lip nervously. But a thrill of excitement and rebelliousness was already taking root. It was a stupid, sinfully romantic thing to do, and the idea of secretly running off with Harry and getting married appealed to her inner wild side. He thought for a moment then his face lit up again. "We'll tell them in the morning and plan a proper ceremony for the family as soon as possible. They may not like it, but I don't care. I want you to be my wife now, tonight, before you change your mind. I'm never going to let you go, Ginny. This is forever." She saw the seriousness on his face and in his resolve and knew that she couldn't say no. "All right, then," she said shakily. "Let's… let's do it." Harry whooped happily and kissed her again. "After tonight, Ginny, the entire world will know you're mine. You belong to me and I belong to you, forever." He hugged her tightly to him and Ginny felt him release a breath of pent up anxiety. He had thought she might reject his proposal it seemed. Ginny smiled, but his words had struck a cord in her that made her shiver in the darkness. Tom had once said almost the same exact thing to her. 'After tonight, you'll be mine, forever, Ginevra… Stop snivelling and give in to your fate.' "Are you cold?" Harry asked her with concern, rubbing her arms to create friction and hold off the chill. "Not anymore," she smiled gratefully. Purposefully, Ginny tightened her grip on him and resolved to push those memories out of her mind for good. Harry was real and Tom was gone. By morning she would be Mrs. Ginevra Potter and that was all she had ever wanted – he was all she had ever needed. It would be enough to combat the dark memories and feelings that had been stirred up inside her recently – she was certain of it. She had every intention of making her future with Harry as bright as possible, and their love would shine the way.
[A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed this story. Reading the nice comments you leave for me is the highlight of my week. I hadn't read this chapter in awhile, so when I went back to edit it I was surprised by how little work it needed. I actually used the NC-17 version and just toned it down a notch, so I hope it wasn't too much at the end. So… will they really get married? You'll find out next week. See you then!]
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