A/N: This was written right after finishing HBP. In effect it would be the next chapter of the book.
Hero's Farewell
It wasn't just one day. In Harry's original plan he'd say goodbye to Ron and Hermione right after the funeral, and head toward the Dursley's. Then off to his parent's house. The hunt would begin, and he wouldn't have too much time to think about what…who he had left behind. But Ron and Hermione would be coming with him, and they had to go to the wedding, and weddings are complicated, and it just couldn't be done in less than two days, and then one day for the wedding, so three days.
Day one started with Harry running errands for Mrs. Weasley, cleaning, and helping to get the back yard into good order. He had been moping through cleaning the living room, casting longing looks at Ginny through the window, when Hermione walked up to him. She took his hands, and sat down next to him.
"Harry."
"Oh, Hi, Hermione."
"I want you to listen to me very carefully. Forget your plan of nobly dropping Ginny, and enjoy the next few days. They'll be little enough joy for who knows how long after that, so you should take advantage of what time you've got."
"But…"
She cut him off, "Look, you can't protect Ginny by pretending she doesn't mean anything to you. Between Snape already knowing about you two, and Voldemort being the best Ligillemens to ever live, it just isn't going to work. Her going back to school when it opens should help, but you tormenting yourself, and her, by playing at this charade won't."
"Hermione, it's not that…" Harry was quiet. "She makes me happier than anything ever has. I was ready to start off, right after I broke with her. If we start back up, I don't know if I'll be able to leave."
"Leave that to Ron and I, we'll get you back on the path, day after the wedding, but you might as well enjoy the next few days."
He looked across the garden to Ginny, putting up a garland of flowers for the wedding. "You two will get me going?"
"Right after breakfast on Sunday morning."
Harry dropped his duster and walked out to Ginny, and looked up at her. "I was being stupid."
"Took you long enough to figure that out."
"Ummm..."
"Took Hermione long enough to tell you that."
He grinned up at her. She hopped down from her perch and slid into his arms. At some later point he heard Mrs. Weasley, "How are those flowers coming along." Not really a question, she could see the last length of the garland dangling from where Ginny left it. He looked a bit chagrined and let Ginny go.
The next day involved more errands. "Harry, go get…" "Harry, put these there... " "Harry, help get Fleur's family settled." It was the first time he had ever wished the Weasley's had House Elves. How on earth could one party take so much planning? Did they really need all this white, pink, and gold fluffy stuff? And why did he have to carry it all?
He and Ron had just gotten back from a trip to Fledding's Jewelry to pick up the rings, and a few other things.
"What are these?" Harry asked looking at a small pile of short wide boxes.
"Like I know, mate. Stuff for the ladies."
They had handed off their packages to Mrs. Weasley, who told them to look out back and see if everything was all right. "I just want to make sure everything is perfect…"
"Wow!"
"Yeah."
"Is this your backyard?" Harry asked.
"I think so, that's the house behind us." Ron replied.
The backyard had been transformed into a fluffy white/pink/gold wonderland. Rows of chairs flanked a white path leading up to a white gazebo draped with shimmering white/pink/gold silks. Flowers cascaded from candle holders placed at the ends of the rows. The hedges had developed white blooms. ("Who was the florist?" "George, I think." An evil grin spread across Ron's face as ideas for taunts swept through his mind.) Mrs. Weasley walked up behind them, and put her arms around them. "What do you think?"
"It's lovely Mrs. Weasley."
"Mom, compared to this, Fleur's a homely girl."
"Ron, that the nicest thing you've ever said to me. Come inside, dinner's in a few minutes.
"Did you get it?" Hermione asked Ginny as the red-head walked in with a brown paper wrapped package.
"Yep, came on one of the owls. Lucky no one decided to open it."
"Not luck, this company makes sure their goods can only be opened by the addressee."
"Then I better hand it to you." Ginny gave the package to Hermione.
A quick flick of her wand, and the package opened. Two smaller parcels wrapped in brown paper lay inside. She handed one to Ginny, and began opening hers. "Wrong one, this is yours."
Ginny switched packages with her. Opening the hole in hers large enough to take out the cream colored lace bra, panties, garter belt and stockings. "Oh they're so pretty. What did you get?"
Hermione held up a ruby colored merriwidow. "Oh my. You might kill Ron with that."
Hermione smiled wickedly at Ginny. "That's kind of the idea."
"I hope Harry likes these."
"Ginny, Harry will love whatever you have on. The real question is: Will he be able to figure out how to take them off?"
Ginny giggled, "Well, if he doesn't that could be interesting too."
"How are you going to tell him?"
"Tomorrow night, you know Glinda's Song,"
"Yeah, good one."
"Anyway, the band will play that one, and I will be dancing with him, and I'll ask him then."
"Good plan. I already told Ron to make sure his room was free, told him what I wanted to do in his room while it was empty. He blushed so hard his hair was the least red part of him after I told him."
Ginny laughed. "Tomorrow will be so much fun."
"Will McGonagal be at the wedding?" Hermione asked. The wedding was two hours away and they were taking advantage of the first time in three days to talk without anyone listening in.
"I think so," said Ron.
"Good, I want to ask if we can go back to Hogwarts a bit."
"Why on earth would you want to do that?" asked Harry.
"I want to get in the library. There's loads of stuff we need to know, tricks that will come in handy. Really basic things like how to set a ward, or more important stuff like what artifacts of Ravenclaw are believed to have survived. Where Voldemort used to spend time. All sorts of useful stuff."
Harry have been about to roll his eyes, and groan, but part of him actually listened to what she had said, "You know that's a good idea."
"You think?" said Hermione sarcastically.
"If we're very lucky she'll let us raid the potions cupboard."
"If we're very lucky we'll get a chance to use the pensive. I don't know where Dumbledore stored his memories, but if we can find them, even if there is nothing new, I'd like to see what you think after looking at them."
Mr. Weasley poked his head into Ron's room. "Come on you three, it's time to get dressed." Hermione got up to leave, as they walked down the hall Ron and Harry heard Mr. Weasley say, "Molly's waiting for you in Ginny's room…"
Harry rummaged about in his trunk. "Here they are." His new dress robes were dark forest green with a black trim.
"It's not often I feel grateful to Fred and George, but these are worlds better than the dress robes my mom was able to get." Ron was pulling his maroon robes out of his closet.
"Yeah, I like you better without lace."
"Harry." Ron paused looking like he was trying to say something.
"Yeah, mate." He stopped one leg in his dress pants, one leg out.
"Could you make sure not to get back to the room 'til after 2:00." Ron was grinning sheepishly.
"You and Hermione?"
"No, I just want to make sure I'm good asleep before you come tromping in here. Of course, me and Hermione."
"Sure. Wow. I guess I didn't think… wow…"
"Yeah, well, that's more or less what I told her. Took me a while to get used to the idea."
"Wait, she asked you?"
"Yep." For a moment they both silently appreciated Hermione.
"Brilliant!"
"Yeah." They went back to putting on their dress robes.
"So, are you going to, you know, do IT?" Harry asked.
"I think so. I don't plan to chicken out."
"No, I didn't mean…just…wow." Harry continued buttoning his shirt. The idea that in just a few hours his two best friends would be in this room, here, where he was standing, doing IT, was swirling around his mind. When he realized that he had bungled his tie for the fifth time he put his mind back in his head, and began concentrating on the job at hand. He looked over at Ron, who was having about the same luck with his tie.
"So, do you have anything?"
"Huh?"
"You know, something so she doesn't get pregnant. Pregnant and hunting Voldemort don't go hand in hand."
"Harry, she's a witch."
"So…"
"Ginny told me about it, it's something all the girls learn in third year, makes sure nothing happens if they don't want it to."
"Oh. That's useful."
"Yeah... What do muggles do?"
"Condoms."
"What are they?"
"I'm not really sure, I didn't spend enough time with the Muggles. After all it's not like Uncle Vernon set me down to have a talk with me." Just the idea of which set them both to laughing.
They were dressed and had been sitting in the living room playing chess for half an hour before Hermione came down. Harry was winning for once, but he suspected that Ron was a bit distracted. Both Ron and Harry stopped and just looked at her. Her gown was deep ruby, and cut so that her arms and shoulders were bare. She had her hair pulled up, and tendrils were curling around her face.
"You two look nice." Once she spoke they both jumped up. Ron went to her, put his arm around her, and whispered something in her ear. She smiled and kissed him. Harry went over to him more slowly, and hugged both of them.
"You're beautiful Hermione." Harry told her.
"Oh, how sweet. Stay that way, I want a picture." Mrs. Weasley hurried down the stairs and grabbed a camera. "Now smile." They did and she shot the photo.
The next hour was a blur of pictures, and helping get guests seated, answering questions, small talk, and vapid pleasantries. At one point Hermione left, and then a few minutes later, reported back that the bride was here, and with a good look at Harry said the Ginny was gorgeous. Eventually everyone got seated. The band began to play, and the wedding started.
Harry sat between Fred and George on the one side, and Hermione and Ron on the other. Mrs. Weasley, was sniffling quietly in the row in front of them. Mr. Weasley sat with his arm around her.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been talking about how fantastic the back yard of the Burrows looked. How pretty the music was. (George had added how pretty Fleur's cousins were… neither he nor Fred had brought dates, hoping to find themselves some partially Veela companions among Fleur's family.)
The music shifted to a wedding march and all talking ceased. Bill, Charlie, and one of Bill's friends from school walked to the front. Gabrielle walked up the center aisle, followed by Ginny, both of them clothed in filmy pale gold gowns. Harry's breathing stopped. All he saw was Ginny, the light shifting around her dress, the little emeralds sparkling in her flame red hair. His eyes stayed on her. Hermione nudged him, "Stand up."
"Oh." He stood, tore his eyes away from Ginny to watch Fleur walk up the aisle. The bride was beautiful, gloriously, radiantly, set the poets to writing, beautiful. She finished her walk and joined hands with Bill. The groom was, well, he had been handsome. Nowadays, he was euphemistically described as rugged. The wounds had scarred up, but they would never heal cleanly. They faced each other, and joined hands. Their binder stood up and began to explain the grave and beautiful nature of the Unbreakable Vow.
After about a minute of that Harry's eyes went back to Ginny. One day, I'll be standing here with you. I will live. I will come back.
The bonds glowed red on Fleur's and Bill's hands, and they were married. They kissed, and everyone applauded. The happy couple walked back down the aisle. Everyone milled around for a bit, and with a few waves of her wand, Mrs. Weasley had the backyard ready for a serious party.
Long tables laden with food formed a U around a dance floor. Harry, Ron, and Hermione made small talk, anything to avoid talking about the fact that tomorrow they'd leave for the Dursley's, and after that…
The music perked up and other guests began helping themselves to food. Harry was tempted to join them, but knew that he needed to stay nearby, about 10 million pictures had to be taken, and he was to be in some of them. He walked over to Ginny. She smiled at him.
"You're beautiful."
"You're not so bad yourself. Green suits you."
"Thanks, your mom picked them out."
"I'll have to admit, as annoying as Phlegm is, she did pick out nice dresses for us."
"Nice is hardly the word, you're ravishing."
"Do you think being part Veela gives you fashion sense as well as extreme prettiness? Or is that just one of her natural talents?"
"I want the Bridesmaids over here…" The photographer called. Ginny looked at Harry, "I'll be back, eventually…" and off she went.
He walked over to Ron, "Hey, do you think you could get a picture or two of Ginny and me?"
"If you'll do the same for Hermione and me."
"Let's find a camera. We should get a photo of the four of us too."
Time passed, photos were taken, the newlyweds hit the dance floor. Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny, grabbed a small table as a base for them, and then alternated between dancing to the slow songs, and talking and eating during the faster ones. Finally the first notes of Glinda's Song began to wind themselves through the group. Ginny and Hermione looked at each other, "Let's dance." She gave Harry her hand, and they walked to the crowded dance floor.
Ginny had that hard, bright look about her, Harry saw it and knew something was coming. He began to go over the reasons he didn't want her to come along with him on the Voldemort hunt in his mind, hoping she wouldn't want to fight him about it. She looked at him for a long time, kissed him, pulled away and began to speak.
"Did you love me yesterday?"
"Yes."
"Will you love me tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"Then love me tonight." He looked confused. She began to blush, but the hard, bright look remained.
"Love…Me…Tonight…" what she said finally made sense, she could see it hit him like a wave. He stopped dancing, looked blank, and then nodded. She led him off the dance floor to her room.
"You learn how to make a lock that can't be opened when you live with Fred and George." It finally hit him that he was alone with Ginny. Always before someone could walk in, someone could find them, but now they were alone. Really, truly, alone.
Harry's face broke into a grin. "We're free then."
"Yes."
His eyes traveled over her. He closed the gap between them and kissed her. Moments later he pulled back and walked behind her. He stood a few inches away from her, and began to pull the emerald tipped pins out of her hair. "I don't ever want to forget any of this." He purred, while stroking the hair that fell from the pins. He kissed her neck and she sighed.
"I want to see you." She took her wand. "Lumos." The resulting light was dim, but they could easily see each other.
She reached for the back of her gown. "Let me," Harry said as he reached for the buttons, and began undoing them. "Who made this thing? There's what, fifty, buttons?"
"Hmmm… I remember my mom smiling when she saw this."
Harry stopped for a moment, horrified. "Does your mom know what we're doing?"
"Giving you a proper good bye. My mom understands." Harry decided to file that information under things he would think about later, much, much, later. Better things to spend time on now. Like getting more of these bloody buttons undone. "How did you get into this thing?"
"Gabriele did my buttons, I did hers, half an hour later we were all set."
"Half an hour?"
Ginny laughed. "OK more like five minutes. Keep going." Harry got the last button undone and grazed his fingers along Ginny's exposed back. She arched her back against him, and shrugged off her dress. She spent a moment with her back to him, letting him drink in the view, and then turned.
His breath caught in his chest Ginny was facing him, just wearing a little lace bra, panties, stockings, and little lace up sandals.
Better than my dreams; better than my fantasies. Harry quickly toed off his shoes, and knelt before Ginny. He untied her sandals and slipped them off. He cupped his hands around her calves and slid them up her legs as he stood up. His hand settled on her bottom, I'm holding her bum! as he kissed her. After a few minutes Ginny pulled away.
"My turn." She unlatched his robe and pulled it from his shoulder. She untied his tie, and slid it though her fingers, she looked him straight in the eye and said, "This might come in handy later."
Harry blinked hard, and tried not to come in his pants. "You're beautiful."
She smiled and kissed him. She worked on undoing the buttons of his shirt. Then untucked it from his pants. She stopped undoing his clothes and moved away, "I want to burn this into my memory, you, your shirt undone, standing in my room, getting ready to make love with me." She looked at him hard for a few moments then moved back to him.
Her fingers danced along his skin as she pushed his shirt off. Kneeling in front of him she touched the line of hair that started at his navel and led down. "Let's see where this goes…" she smiled up at him. Ginny took his pants in hand, and had them unbuttoned quickly. They dropped to the floor and Harry kicked them off.
Ginny stared at him for a few seconds, fascinated. She could see his penis curving up under his underpants, just the tip of it sticking out from under the waistband. She leaned closer for a better look, and her breath brushed it. Harry's eyes rolled back in his head. He buried his hands in her hair and gently pulled her up to him. He kissed her, hard, pulling her against him, his heart beating faster, his body throbbing. "Ginny."
She pulled back, and walked to the bed. Tossing off the covers, and laying down, "Come here, Harry."
And then he was in her arms. Laying next to her, skin to skin, breath to breath. It felt so good kissing her, her mouth gently sucking his tongue, her hands stroking his back, her stocking clad leg rubbing up and down his. He started to thrust his hips against her, the tip of his penis caressing her tummy, leaving a slick wet trail. She reached down and pushed his underwear towards his hips. He raised up for a second to help her.
She rolled him onto his back and straddled him. "You're going to like this." She took his penis in her hand and began to stroke it. His eyes were closed and his head thrown back. He was making soft whimpering noises. His hands were fisted in the covers. She increased her speed to match the way his hips were moving. "Harry, look at me."
He opened his eyes slowly, there was almost no green, his pupils had dilated so far. He looked drugged, but was able to hold her eye contact; she squeezed a bit harder, and moved her hand faster. With a gasp Harry came. Ginny lay down next to him, holding him while his breathing and heart-beat went back to normal.
After a few seconds, maybe minutes, not hours, Harry rolled onto his side to face Ginny. "I love you."
"I love you. I have since I was 10 and saw you heading off to school with my brothers."
He was staring into her eyes, stroking her skin. He started to cup her breasts. Gently circling them. Ginny started making happy mewling noises. He took a moment to pinch one of her nipples softly. "Ohhh" she breathed. He pinched a little harder; she moaned harder.
He reached around to undo her bra. After a few seconds, while her passion cleared, and he tugged on her bra, she said, "Let me help you with that." She sat up, turned her back to him, "See, grab the one end, hold it still, and slide the other one out." She lay back down next to him, and he went back to cupping her breasts. Now free of the bra he was touching them reverently. Ginny had gone back to making happy noises. He bent his head down and licked one nipple. Then took it into his mouth to suck it. He noticed a lovely pink flush spreading across her chest.
She was writhing against him now, and he knew that turn about was fair play, but just how to go about doing it. He continued stroking her breast while he looked at her underwear. The stockings were attached to…something, and the something was over her panties. It looked like he'd have to figure out how to get the stockings off first. He settled himself comfortably cross-legged between her legs, and lifted one of her legs into his lap. He began by kneading her calf, all the while looking very carefully at how the stockings were attached to the… stocking holder, as good a term as any. There was some sort of clasp, and he was sure he could figure out how to work it. He kneaded up her leg to her thigh. He spent a few moments luxuriating in the different feel of the slick smoothness of her stocking, and the velvety softness of her leg. Then her panties drew his gaze, he could see a large wet circle at the crotch of her panties, and his penis, which had been happily post-climax dormant, sprang to life.
Harry went to work on the clasp. Oh so that's how it works, just slide the top forward, and the bottom pops off. (Later when Ginny told Hermione that Harry had figured out the garter belt himself, Hermione was very impressed.) He was pulling the stocking off when he noticed it was caught on something, There's a clasp in the back as well…
He leaned forward to get to the clasp in the back, which put his head very near Ginny's muff. He took a deep whiff. This is what heaven smells like. His penis gave a corresponding throb. He quickly took off her other stocking. He pulled off her panties and stopped to look at the stocking holder. Ginny lifted up her hips. "It's just like a bra." He found the clasp and had it undone with something akin to flair.
He lay down between her legs. Looking closely at her… cunt, the word sent a thrill through him. Soft red curls, split down the center by wet pink folds. He blew on her gently and she squirmed. He smelled her. Delicious. He wanted more of that smell, wanted it forever, he leaned closer and licked her, just a light little move with his tongue, but it got a big result. Ginny jumped, and sighed. "Keep doing that!" Who am I to argue with the lady? He added a finger to her, easing it inside, watching her absorb him. She was so tight; the finger was snuggly held. He wiggled it a bit, and noticed that didn't seem to do much. Tried an in and out motion, that got her hips going. Up and down, with his finger sliding in and out, sliding on hot wet skin. He realized that soon he'd have his penis in there, and began rubbing himself against the bed sheet. Ginny was thrusting at him so quickly he was having a hard time keeping in place; finally he got his mouth on her clit and began to suck, instead of lick. She tightened up and began to twitch, her hands clenched in his hair, and legs locked around his back.
He lay with his head on her tummy for a while, and she caught her breath. She felt a very hard penis against her leg, soft as velvet, and hot as fire, and she knew it was time.
She pulled Harry up to kiss him; he braced himself on his elbow, and began to stroke himself against her. His penis sliding over her, driving her crazy. She was all nerves now, just feeling. "Do it, Harry." He slid into her, and she felt herself stretch, not quite painful, but not really comfortable yet either.
He sank into her and knew that he'd never want anything ever again the way he would want this. It was soft, and wet, and hot, and smooth and he was on fire and the only thing he needed was to be in her, and to move, because moving made hot and wet and smooth and soft somehow better, so much better.
At some point Ginny rolled on top of him. Straddling him so he could see her, and she could touch herself. Her rubbing her clit, his penis sinking into her, so so hot… She was rubbing her clit and he was holding her hips thrusting deep into her, when she started to shudder. Her little mewls had gone to full grown moans, and that set Harry off. "Ginny…"
His eyes were closed, but he could feel her on him. Her hair tickled his nose, her face snuggled into his neck, her body wrapped around him. He was afraid to open his eyes and find himself in the dorm at Hogwarts, this all a dream.
She shifted her head to rest her chin on his chest, looking up at him. Harry opened his eyes. He didn't know what the expression on her face meant. He traced her lips with his fingers.
"I don't want to leave you."
"I know."
"I'll come back."
"Good, I want us to do this again. I want us to do this a lot."
"How late do you think it is?"
"It doesn't matter, you can spend the night."
"Your parents are going to let me sleep all night with their fifteen-year-old daughter?" Harry just couldn't imagine Mr. Weasley saying yes to that one.
"Almost 16, and yes my parents, well, my mom knows. She considers this a very special circumstance. The Hero's Farewell she called it. Apparently they were quite popular during the last war. Once you get back we'll have to sneak around until we get married, but tonight, that's special."
"We will get married," he said.
"Yes we will," she responded.
He spent a few minutes stroking the skin on her back. "I will come back." A promise, and prayer to any and all gods who may have been listening.
"I know."