Chapter eight

People all around the ball room kept gazing at Harry and Severus. They could see real feelings there and the two men were not hiding it. Most of the Weasley's were angry but they also knew that with the minister as Harry's guardian no one could take the chance of getting even. They realised they would just have to wait out the years they had to pay off their life debt.

Molly was more saddened by the fact that Fred and George refused to have anything to do with her Arthur, Ron or Ginny. Arthur realised how wrong they were, trying to force Harry into a relationship with Ginny just because she had feelings for him, they did not think about how Harry felt. Ron was furious, but he was mainly angry about the job Harry is forcing him to do, not that his sister was stuck with a huge debt to pay off.

No one apart from Severus seemed to notice that Hermione had not turned up. What she had done was leave the magical world. If she had just trusted Harry, trusted their friendship should would not have lost her friend or her future in the magical world. She decided it was time to return to her roots.

The memorial ball began with a lot of speeches, mostly about the people who lost their lives. As the names of the person who died was read out and the ones receiving the award was read out. The picture of the deceased was projected on a large screen at the side of the stage. Even though many died before James and Lily Potter, they were the first pictures displayed and the first award was given out, to their son Harry. After family members received the Harry Potter bravery award for their lost loved ones, the speeches turned to the heroes that fought and lived. Pictures were taken of all the order of merlin recipients, from first class to third class.

Even though everyone enjoyed their dinner, they were trying to get their emotions under control. The Weird Sisters took to the stage as soon as dinner was finished. They played a few songs before calling Harry up on stage.

Harry stood, he removed his robes to show basilisk skin jeans that were skin tight, with an acromantula silk shirt of emerald green. Severus gave him a smile and a nod, Harry gave him a small kiss before heading up on stage. Apart from the few Weasley's that were angry, the other friends of Harry cheered and called his name.

For the next half an hour Harry had the crowd crying or dancing up a storm, but everyone enjoyed the show that Harry Potter and the Weird Sisters put on. After finishing with a muggle song that even some purebloods knew, imagine by John Lennon, Harry thanked the band, thanked the audience then stepped off the stage. He planned to go right back to sit beside Severus. He was caught in the middle of a huge group hug by all his friends, led by Neville, Luna and the twins. All Harry could do was laugh. But the ones watching the group around Harry Potter all smiled. They realised that it was thanks to these young people that saved their world and saved more lives. They decided to just let the group of young heroes enjoy themselves.

Even though Harry and Severus had planned for a short night, they stayed and they admitted they were enjoying themselves. Harry watched as Severus danced with Minerva, something no one ever thought they were see. Harry agreed to dance with many of his female friends, even some of their mothers. He figured these people were true friends and he knew he was lucky to finally get to meet their families.

By the end of the night Harry believed he must have danced with almost every female who attended the memorial ball. Severus had also danced with others, the female staff of Hogwarts.

One promise that Harry got from Kingsley was there was never to be another statue of him. He did agree that a chocolate frog card could be made if the people that fought in The Battle of Hogwarts also had a card made. That included the house elves, the hippogriffs, the centaurs, Grawp and Hagrid. Kingsley already knew Harry would suggest that, but he shocked Harry when he said his parent's would have their own cards along with Sirius, Remus and Tonks. So as everyone was leaving they were given out a card of themselves along with a packet of the cards that had some brand new faces on them.

As Harry and Severus finished saying goodbye to Kingsley, Minerva and the rest of the staff of Hogwarts, Filius Flitwick whipped out his wand and cast a solid crystal block. The aurors all sprang into action, they thought their minister was under attack. But what they saw wasn't some dark witch or wizard, it was a young teenage girl who was lying, dead on the ground. Five aurors remained with Kingsley and his group while the others went to see how the girl died and what spell she cast, as she was holding her wand.

'I don't think she was aiming at me,' Kingsley said sadly as he stared at Ginny's dead body.

'Do you think it was me or Sev she was trying to kill?'

'You Harry, she probably felt she had nothing left to lose. If she killed Severus, and lived, she would have ended up in Azkaban but her family would still owe those debts. Killing you cancels the debts.'

'Do you believe the others were in on this in the hope she could kill Harry and get away with it?' Severus asked.

'If any of them were, it would be Ron, but not Arthur. I'm not sure about Molly, but I doubt she would risk the life of one of her children.'

'If she knew, she would do it herself and not allow Ginny to put herself in danger. I could believe Ron might have known and agreed, but for all I know he had no idea what his sister was going to do,' Harry glanced around, 'None of them are here, they all left.'

'They left just as you took the stage, only the twins and Charlie remain. They left about twenty minutes ago,' Minerva said.

'Then she snuck back,' Kingsley said then turned to Filius who still had his wand in his hand, 'We owe you for your quick wand work Filius.'

'I believe this makes things even, although I did not know who cast the spell or who the intended victim was.'

The head auror finished speaking with his aurors before he headed to the minister and his friends.

'The last spell she cast was the killing curse.'

'The crystal deflected that, I did not know crystal could do that. Do you know whose wand she was using?'

'It's registered to Molly Weasley. I will need to bring her in to find out if she was involved.'

'We don't believe she would risk her child's life, but this needs investigating. Do what you have to Gawain. Can my guests leave?'

'Yes, but all of you will need to come in tomorrow and fill out a witness statement form.'

'We will be here,' Minerva gestured to her staff.

'We'll come in after breakfast,' Harry said but Severus nodded. If anyone noticed they would see that Severus had not let go of Harry since the spell was cast, or when Filius stopped them being hit with the killing curse.

Harry and Severus were quiet as they headed straight back to Severus' country home, and even though they usually made love whenever they spent the night together, this night they just crawled into bed together. Harry put his hand on Severus' chest and he wrapped his arms around Harry. Both were still a little emotional due to the names of their loved ones had been called out. But they realised how close they came to losing the other. Even though Harry thought Kingsley was right when he said she would be after Harry, he knew there was a possibility that she was after Severus. Harry also knew that if Severus had seen the curse heading towards Harry, he would have done everything he could to protect him. He had been doing it for years, he would still protect Harry if it was necessary. So for now they just held each other while they thought of how luck they had been.

The following morning the Daily Prophet arrived. Most expected the front page would be about the memorial ball, it wasn't, it was how Ginny Weasley died trying to use the killing curse on the saviour. It also mentioned the Ron and Molly Weasley were both now sitting in holding cells as they knew what Ginny had planned and originally were going to be there to keep Harry distracted so Ginny could get a shot. Arthur had blocked the floo when he overheard his wife and son saying that he would finally pay for what he had done to the family. Arthur had no idea who they were talking about, he just assumed they were talking about Harry.

Percy realised just how much trouble some of his family members were in and if he wanted to keep his job, he decided to steer clear of them, except for his father.

Fleur threatened to leave Bill, and take their daughter with her for agreeing with his sister and mother about Harry. Bill finally realised what he could lose and he was not going to allow anyone, not his mother nor sister to cause any more problems in his marriage.

Severus and Harry met up with the rest of the staff of Hogwarts the following morning in the atrium of the ministry. Both men ended up hugging Filius for what he had done. Even though anyone that saw that spell heading towards Harry or Severus would have tried to stop it, Filius's quick wand saved their lives, or one of their lives. They all believed it was meant for Harry, but until Molly and Ron's trial, they just weren't sure.

After they finished filling out their witness statement forms, Severus told everyone that he had proposed to Harry, who accepted. With Ginny being dead, they could marry and both wanted to. They were congratulated even if it wasn't really the right time to celebrate.

Arthur apologised to Harry and said he realised he was only thinking of his daughter's feelings and never once thought of Harry's. Harry accepted but said things just couldn't be the same. The twins still supported Harry and knew this was their sister's fault and she paid the ultimate price.

The trial for Molly and Ron didn't have any surprises. They revealed that Ginny planned to kill Harry but if she could, she hoped to get Snape as well. But it was mainly Harry she was going to kill.

Even though Harry and Severus got their answer, and knew either of them could have died, they decided they were not going to waste another moment of their lives.

A month later, Kingsley conducted the wedding ceremony for Severus and Harry, it was held on the grounds of Hogwarts. Since that was where they met and it was a place that both men had deep feelings for, they thought it was appropriate. Minerva agreed to hold the ceremony there the moment they asked.

There were only a few guests invited, who stayed for dinner in the great hall. This time there was one large round table for Harry, Severus and their guests. One thing that the guests noticed was the newly married couple never once stopped touching the other.

It had been like that since the night of the memorial ball. Harry and Severus knew how easily they could have lost the other. They decided they were not going to hide their feelings anymore. They danced but it was mainly holding each other and moving to the music. Both men had lost a lot in their short lives, so even though the war was over, there was still danger. The last lot of danger came from someone they knew. They were not going to take their lives for granted.

Harry and Severus thanked all the guests for being with them and for the gifts. They both hugged Minerva before they apparated home where Severus and Harry spent their first night as a married couple, cuddled together in their large bed.

The two men might still like their times when they did their own things, but now they were together, living together and sharing their life together.

The end: