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Future Plans | ||||||
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Category: Post-HBP, Post-Hogwarts Characters:Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, Ron Weasley Genres: Angst, Drama, Fluff, Romance Warnings: Sexual Situations Story is Complete Rating: R Reviews: 18 Summary: It's nearing Harry's 20th birthday and he begins to question the path he's set out for himself, including questioning where to take things with Ginny. SEQUEL to One Year Hitcount: Story Total: 24248; Chapter Total: 7078 |
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Harry stared at the chessboard, trying to decide whether he should concede the match or try to allow Ron to beat him for what seemed like the millionth time. “Harry, hurry up. Make a move,” Ron said impatiently. “Why? The result’s going to be the same.” Harry put his chin on his hand, trying to figure out whether to move his knight or to simply move the queen in order to hasten his eventual defeat. “Why you were Quidditch captain if you can’t even strategize is beyond me, Harry,” Ron mused. Ron leaned back against the wall and absently stroked his chin, thinking of ways to hasten his eventual victory. Harry never got to make that move as Ginny quickly entered the room and sat on the floor next to Harry. “Harry, you’ve just got an owl from the Ministry,” she said, handing it to him. She looked at him with anxious eyes as Harry read the message. “Forgot about this,” he said, remembering the promise he had made. He looked over at Ginny. “I’ve got to leave tomorrow.” “What? You can’t! You have five days of holiday until classes start. Why?” Harry couldn’t help but notice the hitch in her voice. Ron felt strangely out of place and took Harry’s queen. “Checkmate. I’ll leave you alone for a little while.” He got off the floor and went outside onto the porch. “What’s going on?” Ginny asked again. Her voice was panicking. “Why do you have to go?” Harry took a deep breath and looked over at her. “It’s a three-day conference; I have to go. I forgot about the whole thing, actually. I don’t want to do it, but they want me to teach a workshop or something since I have more experience than any of the other Auror trainees.” He noticed Ginny’s worried look. “I told them I‘d do it to get Scrimgeour off my back.” He stroked her silky hair and felt himself start to ache for her. He didn’t want to leave. It would be months before they could see each other again. “I‘ll miss you,” Ginny told him and scooted closer to him, nearly touching him. “I know. I will too.” He began stroking her back, feeling her smooth skin beneath his fingers. “Can I ask you something?” “Anything, Harry.” She looked at his face and smiled. “You look so serious. What is it?” “Uh,” he began. You can’t propose now, you idiot! “Um, Ginny?” “Yes?” “Do want to go out on a date? Since I have to leave, and all?” “I’d love to.” Ginny kissed him lightly. ***** Harry and Ron stood outside Ginny’s door, waiting for the girls. “What’s taking them so long?” Ron checked his watch again. ”I’m starving. What are they doing in there?” “Ron, shut up,” Harry said. He sat on the floor, hating himself for having to leave. “It’s not always about you.” Ron looked at Harry quickly, noticing his eyes becoming glassy, not wanting to make eye contact. “Harry, I’m sorry. You’ve got every right.” Harry put his hands in his pockets and walked over to the stairs. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling, then back at Ron with determination in his gaze. “I’m gonna ask her, Ron.” There, Harry thought, I’ve said it. “What? Tonight?” Ron swallowed hard. “I thought you were only thinking about it.” “No. Not tonight. I hate being apart from her and not knowing when we’ll be together again. That message today settled things for me.” Harry looked at his friend, who was hanging on his every word. “I try to make myself forget how good she makes me feel and how happy I am when I’m with her, but I just can’t because she’s my whole world.” He stopped to collect his thoughts. “I could fail my Auror training tomorrow and be the happiest man in the world if I knew I would be able to see her first thing every morning,” Harry explained. “That’s all that matters. Nothing more.” Ron sat in stunned silence. The door opened and out stepped Hermione, wearing a dress with a deep cut neckline. “Ginny wants to talk to you, Harry.” He got off the floor and heard Ron whistle at Hermione as he walked in the room. “Shut the door.” His nose filled once again with the scent of her flowery shampoo. He looked to his left, and fell in love all over again. Ginny looked stunning. Her hair was curled and pulled off her face, leaving only a few strands on either side. She wore a sundress he had never seen before that showed off her tan and had painted her toenails a shocking pink. She had makeup on, something she rarely did, and lipstick. Harry thought her lips never looked as delicious as they did at that moment. “You look beautiful.” Ginny smiled brightly and twirled around, causing the dress to lift. “I hate that you’re leaving tomorrow. They keep you so busy and you’re gone all the time.” “I know. You don’t get much time off, either.” He held her waist. “Why’d you want to be a Healer anyway?” He was only teasing. He was so proud of her. “That’s three more years, Gin.” But if you married me, we’d have all the time in the world, he thought. He pulled her closer to him. “Why do you have to be an Auror?” They both smiled. “Why couldn’t you just play Quidditch like Ron, and have two months off at a time. Or work at the Ministry like Hermione?” Harry scoffed at that suggestion. The last thing he wanted was to be cooped up in an office all day. “I’m serious this time, Harry.” He paused, trying to think of a good way to tell her the other work-related news. “Actually, I didn’t want to say anything, but, uh, McGonagall sent me an owl last month asking if I’d teach Defense,” Harry informed her. He wasn’t exactly sure if this was something he wanted to do, either. He was, after all, only twenty, but had achieved so much in a short time. He did, he heard, have a knack for teaching. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Ginny started to pout. “Because…” She pulled his head forward, kissing him. He forgot what else he was going to say. “Are you going to take it?” Ginny started kissing his neck and nibbling his ear. “If you keep that up, I won’t be able to decide anything,” Harry answered. He held her face in his hand and said softly to her, “I will if you want me to.” “Harry, I have no right to make that choice for you.” Her heart was beating faster and faster as their eyes locked. “Your opinion matters to me, as does your happiness. Besides, that should be a choice we make together, right?” Her lips were inches away from his now. “I want it to be. Understand?” “Harry....” Her eyes widened as she suddenly realized what he was talking about. “What?” He looked into those eyes and lost all other thought than of her and making a future together. “Don’t you?” She nodded. Her heart was in her throat. She’d never felt such joy in all her life. “But you’ll have to wait. You deserve every right and beautiful thing in the world; everything I have ever fought for was to make the world a better place for you and me.” He closed his eyes, kissing her gently. “Um, Harry...I’m hungry,” Ron said through the door. They could hear Hermione hit him upside the head. “Ouch!” Harry and Ginny smiled at each other, laughing with their eyes. “Be right out, Ron!” Harry told him. He took her hand to leave the room and opened the door, letting Ginny go first. ***** It was a short walk to the restaurant, and the summer air made for a nice trip. Harry and Ginny remained a few paces behind Ron and Hermione, holding hands and talking about nothing. Ron glanced back a few times and smiled, as if he noticed for the first time how much Harry was in love with Ginny. They sat at a table near a large window with candles that gave off a soft glow. Their conversation during their meal remained guarded since none of them wanted to admit that the holiday was over and they had to get back to real life. The dessert cart arrived, and luckily, for Harry, Treacle Tart was on the top shelf. “I’ll have that,” he told the waitress, pointing out his favorite treat. Ron shook his head. “Never understood why you like that stuff, mate,” he uttered as he pointed to the cheesecake. “You haven’t lived until you’ve sampled this one.” This particular restaurant supplied Ron with his favourite cheesecake all Quidditch season. He took a huge bite after he set it down. “Wan shum?” he asked Hermione. “Ronald.” He swallowed hard. He knew better than to challenge that tone of voice. “Please do try to grow up.” She sliced her pie in half, giving one piece to Ginny, and taking half of Ginny’s chocolate cake. “Ron, to tell you the truth, if you had eaten Aunt Petunia’s cheesecake you would understand my dislike of it,” Harry informed him, “especially after she made it fat-free when Dudley went on that diet. Disgusting.” He laughed, glad to have his friends around him. Ginny leaned over and whispered, “Does Ron know?” Harry looked confused. They had talked about so many things before leaving for the restaurant, that he didn’t know what she meant. “What am I supposed to know?” Ron finished his cheesecake quickly. His eyes went from Harry’s vacant expression to his sister’s panicky one. “Do you know?” he asked Hermione. “I haven’t the foggiest,” she replied. “Well?” Her eager expression made Harry choose the safest topic. “I’ve been offered a job,” he said, quickly placing a bite of dessert in his mouth. He purposefully chewed slowly. “Tonks did mention something. So are you taking it, Harry?” She glanced over at Ron, who stopped mid-swallow to follow the conversation. “Oh, I guess you don’t know.” “Will someone please feel me in? I feel like a bit of a dolt over here.” He stopped to think. ”What? Did McGonagall offer you a job or something?” He waited for Harry to laugh, but only received silence. Harry turned pink near his collar. “Yeah, teaching Defense.” Ron slapped him on the back, causing him to choke on his tart. “Oh, sorry, Harry.” He watched Harry drink his water. “So? If you’re taking it, why do you have to leave tomorrow?” Harry looked at Ginny, smiling. “Because we...uh...I don’t know if I’m taking it.” He took another bite. Hermione raised one eyebrow. “You can’t be serious! You were born to teach it! The school’d be filled to the brim once ‘the boy who lived’ started teaching there.” Ron’s loud voice caused several patrons to turn and look at them. “Shhh...” the three of them warned him. “Harry is just taking his time. He’s contracted to teach that workshop,” Ginny lied as she squeezed Harry’s hand. A sad look returned to her face as she suddenly remembered why they were here. Harry was leaving in the morning. Harry saw Ginny’s expression change. “You all finished? It’s getting late and I need to get up early.” He got up and held out his hand to Ginny and they started to leave the table. ***** Ginny opened her eyes to a day that was bright and cheerful, the polar opposite of how she felt. She so wanted Harry to stay. She loved him and he wanted to marry her. She could barely contain herself through dinner last night. She wanted to shout it to the world that Harry Potter was going to ask Ginny Weasley to marry him. If he had asked her to jump to the moon, she would have been perfectly happy to do so. Now, he had to leave and she couldn’t go with him. Her classes started again in two weeks. He’d be who knows where and she’d be at St. Mungo’s working on the spell damage floor, trying to convince Mrs. Longbottom that Gilderoy Lockhart was not her son Neville. Cheerful scene, she thought. “Ginny, you up?” Ron asked through the door. “Breakfast’s ready.” She looked at the clock and it was only eight o’clock. “Ginny?” He knocked again and opened the door. “You okay? I thought you’d be up already.” “I’ll be down in a minute,” she answered pulling the covers back over her head. “Hey, don’t worry. Harry won’t leave without saying good-bye. I’d kill him if he tried,” Ron told her. He uncovered her head and gathered his little sister in is arms, rocking her back and forth. “I love him so much, Ron.” “I know that.” He kissed her on top of the head. “Come on, Mum’s made waffles this morning and I know they’re your favourite. Besides, do you want Harry to see you like this?” Ron stopped. “Forget I asked that. The little bugger’d love to see you in your ‘jamas.” Ginny laughed. “Thanks, Ron. I really do love you.” She cleaned off his shirt. “Well then, let’s bring this little love-fest downstairs so Mum can fuss over him properly in front of us all. Clean yourself up and I’ll tell them you’ll be down in a minute, okay?” Ginny nodded. She took a deep breath, changed her clothes, and charmed her hair into a long plait. With brushed teeth and a little dab of lipstick and blusher, she headed downstairs into the kitchen. “Morning, dear,” greeted her mother. “Sleep well?” “No,” Ginny replied flatly. She sat down next to Harry and kissed him on the cheek. “Morning.” She braved a smile for him. “Hi,” said Harry leaning over to return the kiss. He didn’t know what to say to her this morning. Last night, they’d stayed up until two in the morning, talking about everything that came to mind, even though he should have gone to bed much earlier; they both wanted the night to stretch on forever. Hermione had gone to bed long before, and Ron, the ever over-protective brother, fell asleep on the sofa and Harry levitated him up to bed. “So, Harry, when do you need to be in London?” asked Hermione. She handed Ginny the plate of waffles, to which she shook her head. “Ginny, you’ve got to eat something,” her mother reminded her. “Coffee?” Ginny nodded. “It starts at three this afternoon, but I have some things I need to do at home this morning.” Truthfully, Harry wasn’t exactly very thrilled at the prospect of returning to Grimmauld Place alone today. The small talk continued through breakfast, and Ginny remained quiet throughout. Every time she wanted to say something, she felt her throat tighten and she chose to remain silent. When everyone had finished, Ginny rose to help her mother. “Ginny, it’s all right. Ron and Hermione can help clear off.” “Mum, I was going to...” “Ronald,” Mrs. Weasley started, “don’t be thick. Give them some time alone this morning.” She gave him her ‘I mean it, Ronald’ look. Never wanting to confront his mother, he got up and helped her clear the table while Hermione started on the dishes. Harry and Ginny headed out for the garden and sat on the bench, watching the garden gnomes chase chipmunks. “Are you coming back for your birthday?” Ginny asked him. It was only a week away, and he wouldn’t be a teenager anymore. She wanted to do something special. “No. Classes start on the first, remember?” He looked at her, noticing the sadness on her face. “Well, um, maybe you can come up and visit.” Her smile returned. “There, that’s what I’ve been missing.” He kissed her lips, enjoying the taste of her, and losing himself in the scent of her shampoo. “I love that shampoo, Ginny.” She could feel his smile as their lips continued to touch. “I know. Why do you think I keep using it?” She looked at him and smiled again. She kissed him back, harder this time, putting all her love into that kiss. Her right hand went into his hair, stroking his scalp, while her left rubbed his back, feeling each muscle through his shirt. He pulled her closer to him and began kissing her neck, and working his way down to her shoulder and back up again, stopping to pay attention to her earlobe, pulling on it with his lips. She liked that, and Harry smiled. He did it again, and she arched her back, turning her face to him and starting another heated kiss, opening his mouth. His glasses fell to the ground as he continued to kiss her, wanting this day to never end. His stomach ached for her and his groin responded in kind. Good lord, he thought, she’s fabulous. Ginny’s mind was reeling from the sensations he made her feel, wanting to never stop. She felt his hands undo her plait and then weave his fingers through her hair. A groan escaped her, causing Harry to pull back, breaking contact. His lips were swollen and tinted with her lipstick; his eyes were wide and bright, focused on hers; his breathing came in fast, shallow breaths and his cheeks were flushed. He was beautiful. “Ginny...” She didn’t let him finish and began another deep kiss that turned his resolve to mush. How long he could keep this up without taking her right there in the garden, he didn’t know. But what he did know was that he’d never felt so alive in his entire life. “Eh hem,” they heard from somewhere, but they both ignored it. The sound repeated, louder this time, and they stopped kissing. Harry broke away from Ginny to find Mrs. Weasley standing about ten feet from them. Ginny quickly turned around, and, upon seeing her mother, turned the exact shade of her painted toenails. “Sorry, but Harry, don’t you need to get going? It’s nearly ten.” She politely turned away, hearing them giggle behind her and silently walked back to the house. Ginny wiped the lipstick off his lips, and was caught in the intense gaze of those green eyes. “Your mum’s waiting at the door, Ginny.” She looked across the garden at his words and grabbed his hand, leading him back to the house. Harry leaned over and whispered to her, “Oh look! Ron’s peeking over her shoulder, too.” Once inside, Harry gathered his things and said his good-byes to Mrs., Weasley, Ron and Hermione. They moved aside for Ginny as she hugged him. “I’ll see you soon. I love you.” Ginny nodded. He gave her a quick kiss and stepped into the fireplace, disappearing in a flash of green. |
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