Snapshots From Life

Chapter 22 - Tea

Harry watched Ginny start dinner from the kitchen doorway. She was dressed in a pair of jeans, one of Harry's old t-shirts and a pair trainers. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her hair was so long it reached down to her waist. She looked beautiful. Harry could watch her all day if he wanted to. He loved everything about her. Harry loved the way she talked, the way she walked, the way she looked, and the way she dressed. He even loved that famous temper she had and the fact that Ginny had no problem putting Harry in his place when it was needed. Harry loved every part of her. From her sharp, clever mind to her freckled nose, Harry loved her. She completed him in ways that nobody else could. She was his entire world. Harry loved Ginny with every fiber in his body, but he couldn't help hear that little voice inside of him that said it wouldn't last. Harry just stuffed those words into the back of his mind. Ginny would never leave him, would she?

Andromeda and Teddy were gone for the night visiting some of Ted's relatives and wouldn't be back until the morning, so it was just Harry and Ginny for dinner. Harry could tell that Ginny was preparing some type of fish dish with a milk-based sauce with asparagus and baked potatoes on the side. She hadn't noticed that Harry was in the room. After a couple of minutes, he quietly walked up behind Ginny and wrapped his arms around her waist.

As Harry nuzzled Ginny's neck he said, "You know, we do have a house-elf."

Ginny giggled as she leaned into him and replied, "I know. I enjoy cooking for you but hate cleaning, so it works out nicely."

Harry chuckled, "Just as long as it works. I love your cooking. Some of your dishes are even better than your mum's."

Ginny replied, "Thank you. I'm just about ready to put this in the oven. Would you like some tea?"

Harry let go of Ginny's waist, "Tea sounds good." He went to a cupboard and grabbed a couple of cups out and set them on the table while Ginny tapped the kettle with her wand. Within moments, she was pouring hot water into the cups.

They both sat down at the table facing each other in comfortable silence. Harry sipped his tea and just stared at Ginny while she leafed through a copy of Witch Weekly. There were days when Harry couldn't believe that he was married to Ginny and this was one of them. Every day he woke up and was still amazed that they were together. Harry just smiled even though that little voice kept telling him it wouldn't last. Harry couldn't help but listen to that little voice every now and again. He hated that it spoke at most inopportune times.

Harry finished his tea and asked, "If you had the chance, would you do it all over again?"

A look of confusion spread across Ginny face as she asked, "What do you mean?"

Harry waved his arm around, "All this. Would you do it all again?"

Ginny knew what Harry was asking, or what he wasn't asking. He needed to know that Ginny still loved him and wanted to be with him. Growing up the way Harry did with the Dursleys, when things in his life seem to be going reasonably well, Harry questioned it. Harry questioned whether he deserved the life he now had. He questioned the fact that he was fortunate enough to have found true love. Sometimes he worried that somehow, someway everything would be taken away from him. The Dursleys made Harry feel unimportant and little more than a slave, even after he started Hogwarts. He was bullied not just by his cousin Dudley but by his aunt and uncle too. He was used as a punching bag by Dudley with his Uncle Vernon egging Dudley on. Harry was blamed for everything wrong that happened. As a result, after years of mistreatment and abuse, Harry just assumed that when bad things happened in his life, somehow it was his fault. A part of him still thought that he wasn't meant to have a happy life. That part of him believed that happy lives were for other people, not Harry Potter. Harry never expected anything from anybody as a result of his formative years. He was always surprised when he received gifts at Christmas or his birthday. He treasured every gift and card he ever received to the point of one of his dresser drawers was stuffed with so many cards, he couldn't fit any clothes in it. Anytime he opened a gift he always looked like he would burst into tears because somebody actually took the time to think of him. After all this time, he still wasn't used to it. Even if deep down inside he didn't want the gift, he still loved it and treasured it because of the thought behind it. Ginny knew being the center of attention made Harry feel uncomfortable because it was still something that was new to him even after all these years. At their wedding Harry was a bundle of nerves. It wasn't the fact that he was marrying Ginny, it was the fact that so many people were there to see him marry Ginny. Ginny made sure that his birthday parties were small affairs with little fanfare that Harry could handle. Over the years, there's even been a couple of occasions when Harry even got a little uncomfortable when Ginny cooked his favorite foods. Most witches and wizards wanted to be with Harry because he was Harry Potter, The Man Who Saved the Wizarding World. They thought that if they were friends with Harry, or just seen with him they would benefit from it. In essence, the used Harry for their own gains. Harry learned quickly not to trust most people.