Chapter One - The Day After
Harry woke, and as usual, reached for his glasses. He sat up and looked around the familiar dorm room. He saw Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean all still sleeping in their beds, and quietly got up, grabbed some clothes out of his pack, and headed for the washroom to shower and change. When he returned and saw that everyone was still sleeping, he quietly left and went out to the Gryffindor common room.
He smiled when he saw Ginny sitting in a chair by the fireplace. "Good morning, Ginny", he said with a smile, "You're up early!" She looked up at him, and Harry felt his heart skip a beat.
"Hi, Harry", she answered quietly, "I didn't get to see you much after...everything yesterday".
"I know," said Harry. "I had some things to take care of. Then I was so tired, I don't really remember much after that". "Looks like everyone is sleeping in today", he added, looking around.
"Not really," she told him. "You've slept for nearly a day, but the celebration went late last night." Harry was surprised as he realized that, in fact, it had been morning when the battle with Voldemort ended.
"I was hoping we'd find some time to talk. Would you like to go for a walk with me outside?" He held out his hand, a gentle smile on his face. Ginny stood and tentatively put her hand in his. Harry could only look into her eyes for a moment before he pulled her close to him, and hugging her tightly, whispered into her ear - "I've missed you so much, Ginny". She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed back, resting her head against his chest.
"Oh, Harry", she said, "When I thought you were...gone...". The tears she'd been holding back for so long began to fall. Harry held on to her while she cried quietly.
"I'm sorry, Ginny. Voldemort had to think I was dead so he would stop protecting Nagini."
"I know," said Ginny. "Hermione and Ron explained everything to us after you'd gone to sleep." Ginny looked up at him and Harry, looking in her eyes, bowed his head to hers for a tender kiss. When their lips parted, he softly brushed the tears from her eyes.
"Let's get out of here before everyone wakes up". She nodded her head. Holding hands, they walked out the portrait hole, and made their way outside.
In the light of a shiny new day, the damage to the school from the battle was unbelievable. There were piles of rubble everywhere. There were scorch marks on the walls. Broken glass, and twisted wood and metal were strewn through the halls, rooms, and stairways. As they stepped outside, Ginny quietly told Harry that the bodies of the defenders, death eaters, and the imperioused had all been gathered and moved. He put his arm around her waist, and held her tightly, knowing she was thinking about Fred, Lupin, Tonks, and all the others they had lost during the fight.
They walked down beside the lake until they were out of sight of the castle. Harry stopped, and turned toward Ginny. She was beautiful, standing there with a gentle breeze ruffling her hair, the sun bringing the fiery red to life. He could see the questioning, uncertain look in her eyes.
"Ginny, I know there is so much we've lost, just in the last couple of days, but I need to tell you something, and don't want to leave it for a 'better time'." He paused for a moment. "I thought I was going to die fighting Voldemort. I was willing to die, if it would save everyone I loved." He turned away from her but was still holding her hand, and said - "But I didn't want to die, Ginny. I wanted to live. Do you know why?" He waited, and after a long pause she whispered in a choked voice "Why?"
Harry turned back, and finally let everything he was feeling shine through his brilliant green eyes. "Because I love you, Ginny. I wanted a you and me kind of happily ever after." She closed her eyes tightly, finally hearing what she'd waited her whole life for. She opened her tear-filled eyes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him close.
