This is it!! The epilogue
The next two weeks flew by in a blur of revising and wedding planning, so that when the day of the N.E.W.T.s finally arrived, Ginny was a bit fearful that she would write names from her invitation list down instead of famous witches and wizards as answers for her History of Magic N.E.W.T. and the flowers Harry had informed her he had chosen for her Herbology N.E.W.T. She had been very impressed with his choices, daisies, daffodils, and petite Nicole roses. She wasn't quite sure what they were, but he had sent her a picture and they were very pretty with pale pink petals edged in a deep red. They were by far her favourite of his choices because he had finally admitted he had chosen them because the pink reminded him of her skin and the red, her hair. Harry naturally wasn't prone to being very romantic, but even Ginny had to admit that that was a very romantic sentiment and gesture. She completely understood why he had chosen daffodils, as they symbolized rebirth and new beginnings and wasn't that what they all were trying to accomplish since the Final Battle? As for the daisies, he had said he had chosen them because he thought the small white flowers would look pretty in her hair.
It was with that thought that Ginny entered the Great Hall to sit for her N.E.W.T.s and the small smile it brought to her lips never left even when she couldn't remember the name of the Goblin who started the first of the many Goblin rebellions that took place in the 17th and 18th centuries.
She passed her defence N.E.W.T. with flying colours, she was sure as well as Herbology. She guessed her way through Arithmancy, but the examiner, an older gentleman with cloudy eyes didn't appear to notice.
Her last exam was for potions, and the female examiner, wearing filmy robes of varying shades of purple asked them to brew, of all things Amortentia. The last time Ginny had even seen the potion was during her sixth year, when Professor Slughorn had a cauldron of it simmering in the centre of his desk on Valentine's Day in a pitiful attempt to lighten everyone's dismal moods. Ginny could distinctly recall what she had smelled upon entering his classroom that day and she had had to immediately turn around and run to the girls' loo before she retched all over the floor. It was as if the ghost of Harry had been in the potions classroom that day and all she had been able to think about was the fact they had not heard from him, Ron, or Hermione in months and honestly had no idea if they really were alive or dead.
With some trepidation, Ginny gathered the ingredients needed to brew the potion and took care to ensure she followed the instructions exactly. When her potion was complete it had a lovely mother-of-pearl sheen and the steam spiralled above it weaving mesmerizing patterns in the air. Ginny had been holding her breath, afraid to inhale the aroma; however, when the examiner approached and marvelled over Ginny's skill, and Ginny opened her mouth to thank her the scent of the potion consumed her. Ginny closed her eyes and waited, but the nausea did not come this time and she sighed in relief.
"Would you mind telling me what you smell, Miss Weasley?" the lavender witch asked kindly, holding her clipboard and quill at the ready to record Ginny's answers.
"Um," Ginny started taking another sniff and savouring it and signalling out the three distinct scents. "Broomsticks, warm summer days, and evergreens."
"Any idea why?" the examiner asked.
"Oh, yes, I know why," Ginny answered, but did not elaborate any further. Broomsticks for Quidditch, warm summer days for the summer of her fifth year, and evergreens for the Christmases of her fourth, fifth, and seventh years, and all three smells reminded her of the essence of Harry. The examiner did not press, but moved on down the line of tables to speak with another student.
Ginny breathed a sigh of relief that she was finished, regardless of how poorly or well she did, this was the end of her Hogwarts career. She left the Great Hall and ambled out the front doors and down the steps, enjoying the warm sun on her face and wishing that Harry were here to spend the remainder of this glorious day with her. It would be nice to walk with him one last time by the lake and watch the giant squid flailing its tentacles about just like they had done on their very first walk together.
She walked down the path that would lead her to the lake and as she approached, her heart stopped when she saw a familiar figure already standing there, holding a chubby baby.
Ginny's heart swelled when she realized it was Harry holding a bouncing Teddy, who was looking about him excitedly, and his hair was jet black, just like Harry's. Ginny felt like she was looking at their future. In her mind's eye, she could see herself and Harry having a little boy just like that, who was the spitting image of his father. He'd be loved, happy, and well-cared for. He'd never have to worry about having too little to eat, or a warm bed to sleep in. There wouldn't be the threat of a war looming over his head and all he would have to worry about is what toy he was going to play with or that he thought beets were disgusting and his mummy made him eat them anyway. His mummy and daddy would read or tell him stories every night and tuck him into bed with goodnight kisses.
Their futures had never looked as bright as they did on this sunny day in May. Even though the emptiness of the loved ones they had lost could never be completely filled, life continued to march on, and their sacrifices would not be in vain.
Ginny ran the rest of the way down to the path towards him, not caring how or why he was there, but knowing he always would be. The life she and Harry would forge together had always been her heart's desire. As Harry wrapped his free arm around her and bent to give her a kiss, Teddy giggled and tried to push them apart, and in that moment of sheer happiness Ginny knew that this was where she had always been meant to be.
