Epilogue: Three Years Later…
"C'mon, Ginny, we're going to be late!" Harry checked his watch impatiently.
"I'm almost ready!"
Sighing, he wandered around the kitchen, looking at the photos that covered the refrigerator. He grinned at the first one: the photo from their wedding. She had been beautiful that day and he couldn't believe it had been nearly three years since they had gotten married. The wedding had been small and quiet, in the warmth of late June, in a meadow just outside Godric's Hollow. Only their closest friends and family were there to share the day with them.
The grin grew wider as he came to the row of baby announcements. The first one belonged to Roxanne Alicia Weasley, born on December 1, 2001. In the picture she had the faintest amount of red hair on top of her small head. Now she was a sweet toddler, laughing nonstop at her father.
The second one belonged to Edward Evan Revere who was born November 2, 2002. Lauren had never smiled so much that day and Harry chuckled remembering the panic in Fin's face. He was much calmer for the birth of Anna Melinda Revere on November 12, 2003, the same day her namesake had been born. Edward was a terror at the current age of two, only settling down when his five-month-old baby sister was next to him.
The fourth and final birth announcement belonged to Millie Marie Jacobs. She had been born on February 6, 2003. Hannah and Brad had yet to get married, but they found no reason to; they had each other and a beautiful daughter, they didn't need rings and a piece of paper saying they were together forever. Things with them would never change.
A photo of Jack and Vanessa was next. He was grinning up at the camera, his arm around her. It was from their trip to Denver, Colorado; they still lived in America during the off-season of Quidditch. Jack still played for England, though he had plans of retiring soon. This was mostly because of the expected birth of Cassidy Jane Wilkins. Jack was constantly going on about the pregnancy, hoping Cassidy would have Vanessa's black curls and vivid blue eyes.
The next photo was a wizard one of Ron, Harry and Hermione. It had been taken nearly three years ago, not too long before the wedding. Harry felt a sense of peace come to him as thought about how Ron and Hermione were just as close to him as ever; Ron had been the best man in Harry and Ginny's wedding.
"I am ready!" Ginny appeared beside Harry, smiling.
"Took you long enough." He smirked, kissing her on the cheek.
"Let's just go."
They stepped into the fireplace and flooed to The Burrow, finding the inside filled with Mrs. Weasley's panicked voice.
"Don't let that make-up smear, Sarah!" Molly Weasley came rushing down the stairs, a grin breaking out across her face as she saw her two youngest children.
"Harry, Ginny, I'm so happy to see you!" She engulfed them both into a crushing hug, though she was very fragile with Ginny.
"Mum, we were here last night." Ginny rolled her eyes.
"I know, but-George put that down now! I will not have you ruining your youngest brother's wedding!" She screeched.
"I was just getting Roxy a snack, Mum! Relax, would you?" He held his hands up in surrender.
"I'm sure you were." Molly pointed her finger to the door. "Go and make sure Muriel finds her seat."
With a look of disgust and quick wink to Harry and Ginny, George left the kitchen to find his great-aunt who was most likely screaming at someone at the moment.
"Harry, the ceremony's about to start, you need to make sure Ron's ready." Molly pointed up the stairs, and Harry kissed his wife swiftly.
"Take Ginny to her seat please."
"I know how to walk, Harry."
"Of course you do, love." He flashed Ginny a crooked smile before bounding up the stairs to the very top, marked Ronald's room. He found Neville and Seamus and even Dean gathered there already, most of them laughing at the nervous wreck on the bed that was Ron.
"He started 'bout half an hour ago." Seamus told him, smirking down at Ron, who was silently staring up at the ceiling.
Sighing, Harry stood over his friend. "Ron, Hermione's waiting for you."
No response.
"Ron, the girl you've been in love with since you were eleven is going to be walking down that isle soon and if you aren't there, as best man, I'd have to marry her and I don't think your sister would appreciate that."
A slight smile formed on Ron's lips and he seemed to relax a great deal. "Why me, Harry?"
"Because Krum was too tall." Harry snorted.
"But I'm taller than Krum!" Ron sat up, panic returning.
"Ron, Hermione loves you and you love her. And today you will become her husband and she will become your wife."
A grin cracked across Ron's face. "I love that stupid know-it-all."
"Yes you do, mate. Now take a deep breath and be ready to stand up there and keep on your feet even after you see her."
"Was it this hard with Ginny?"
Harry laughed. "Ginny and I nearly eloped the day I came back and told her I was a prat. When she did walk down that isle though, everything just vanished. It was just me and her, just how it was supposed to be."
"You'll be fine, Ron, best thing that ever happened to me was marrying Jessica." Dean smiled.
"I'm ready." Ron stood up, grinning at his groomsmen.
Harry clapped him on the back, glancing at his watch. "Glad you're ready because you're nearly late."
***
Through the entire ceremony Harry did his best to look at Ron and Hermione, and not his own wife. She was sitting in the front row, watching her brother and friend say their vows. It was a traditional muggle wedding with the wizarding twist. Harry had to bite his tongue to hide laughter when he saw the failed attempts at muggle attire.
The ceremony came to a close and Ron and Hermione walked out first, then everybody slowly began exiting for the reception. Harry pressed a kiss to Ginny's forehead, looking at her lovingly.
"Harry, its Ron and Hermione's day, don't spoil it."
"How?" He asked incredulously.
"By looking at me like it's our wedding day again." She smiled.
"That was a memorable day."
"Yes it was, we will have plenty of stories to tell our kids one day, especially about the fireworks George attempted to sneak in."
Harry laughed and bent his head down so he was level with Ginny's round belly. "Hear that, Lils? This is a good time to remind you of the dangers of Uncle George."
"Harry, we don't even know if it's a girl."
"It's going to be a girl, I know it." He grinned at her stomach eagerly.
"You'll know in four months when it's born, sweetie."
"Lily, don't listen to your mum, she doesn't know anything."
"I'm going to give birth to this child, I think I know a thing or two. It's just as likely that you're talking to James Sirius as you are of talking to Lily Luna."
"I know you're Lily, honey, don't worry."
Ginny rolled her eyes as he continued to talk to her stomach sweetly. Harry was the most excited soon-to-be father anyone had ever seen. He was constantly talking to Ginny's growing belly and was convinced he would be getting a little girl in four month's time.
"He's convinced it's a girl."
Looking up, he saw Molly and Arthur standing next to them, grinning. Harry remained bent down, elbows on his knees, glancing happily at Ginny's stomach.
"Your father was the same way. Every time I was pregnant he was convinced it was girl." Molly looked at her husband who shrugged.
"I was right in the end."
"Yes, but it's just as likely that this will be James and not Lily." Ginny looked pointedly at her husband.
"Hey, this is just as much my baby as it yours. I think it's a girl."
Rolling her eyes, Ginny pulled him up. The tent was half empty now and the back rows were all the remained of those who were seated. Harry looked and saw a happy sight, sending his lips into a mad grin.
With a baby cradled in her arms, Lauren was smiling at him. Fin had an arm around his wife and a hold on his small son, whose blue eyes were glued to his sister. Ike with his hair now a shorter, bleached blond gave Harry a thumbs-up, his eyes gleaming. Jack and Vanessa waved together, Vanessa keeping one hand on her round stomach. Brad was holding his sleeping daughter while Hannah grinned vibrantly.
As his eyes scanned back to the end of the row where Lauren sat, Harry could have sworn he saw a beautiful blond grinning wildly at him. As she slowly disappeared, she gave him a quick wink, nodding to Ginny. Nobody ever truly leaves.
"Harry?"
Harry looked back down and saw Ginny eyeing him curiously. "Ready for the reception?"
"Yeah, before Teddy and Jack destroy everything. Good thing Victoire's still a little too young to cause too much damage."
"Give her some time." Harry shrugged, leading his pregnant wife out of the tent, flashing a quick smile to his friends that were gathering their kids and leaving; Harry knew they'd be at the reception.
"I love you." Harry lifted Ginny's chin, looking at her intently.
"I love you too." She pressed her lips to his and Harry was lost in her embrace. They broke apart only when the baby kicked, both of them feeling the small burst of life from her stomach.
"You are going to be a true marauder, Lils." Harry smiled down at the exact spot the baby had kicked, before looking back up at his wife, sighing contently.
Ginny had her eyes on the blue stretch of Sky above them. It was always there, no matter what. Harry thought over his life with Ginny and felt love flow all around him happily. He was hers forever and they had their entire lives together ahead of them. This was how life was meant to be.
A/N: I want to thank all of you who have reviewed and everyone who has been reading! I have plans for a few oneshots on this story and a next-generation sequel. I'd love for you all to check out my other story, Water Lillies (there are quite a few similarities between it and this story)
If you have any questions about what else happened, I'd be more than happy to answer them as best I can, just leave a review or message me.
Thanks again for all your support and please review to let know what you think of the whole story!
-hpMarauder4Life