|
I'm Glad I Met You | ||||
|
Category: Post-Hogwarts Characters:Harry/Ginny Genres: Romance Warnings: Death Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 3 Summary: Harry, reflecting back over the past century of his life in the home that Ginny and he had built, is greeted by a familiar face. Hitcount: Story Total: 2045 Awards: View Trophy Room Disclaimer: Harry Potter Publishing Rights ? J.K.R. Note the opinions in this story are my own and in no way represent the owners of this site. This story subject to copyright law under transformative use. No compensation is made for this work. |
|
|||
|
The sun was barely rising over the treetops, casting a pale shadow that would disappear as the day grew longer. The weather was brisk, the cold November air slowly blew around as if to warn people that it was only going to get colder. The weather was fickle here in Reading. One could never be too careful and always had to take care and carry an umbrella with them. Harry Potter sat on the porch of his home as he watched the sun rise. The rays of light played against the calm waters of the pond in front of him as if they were lovers. Now an old man, his face and hands wrinkled by time and his famous lightning bolt scar all but gone, he sat and drank his coffee as he took in the start of the day. His house was one that he and the Weasleys had built after he had become head of the Auror Department. Ginny had just been glad to move out of their flat with James. She had been complaining that there wasn’t enough space and with Albus on the way, she had pointed out that that would be even more so a fact. So, Harry had hired the help of the Weasley clan and, together with them, had built a beautiful two-story house that Ginny and he could raise their kids in and be proud to call home. That had been a century ago now. A whole century had passed of making memories in the house. Almost everyone he cared about had long since gone. No one from the Weasley clan was still alive except for the newer generations. Ron had passed two years ago and Hermione had preceded him by six months. Ginny had passed away about a year ago and it had taken its toll on Harry. He now found himself in a big empty house full of memories. His kids visited occasionally and so too did their children, and even his children’s grandkids. There was no shortage of Potter’s. It was kind of funny how he had been the last Potter until his son James had come along, and now there were Potters everywhere. Yes, the Potter and Weasley clans lived on, and probably would for a very long time after he was gone too. It was a comfort. A small comfort, but a comfort all the same. He longed to follow Ginny into the Great Unknown. He had lived a long, fulfilling life and felt he was ready to move on. He had never prepared himself for life without Ginny and found himself to be ill-equipped for the task. Losing Ginny had taken something out of him. Harry slowly stood up, his bones creaking like an old porch swing as he shuffled back inside. He meandered throughout the house, going through random rooms in no particular order as if he could drink in the memories that had occurred there over the years. He could still see Lily running in the back door crying to her mother because James had taken her favorite toy away or Albus when he had fallen out of the tire swing and scraped his knees. The memories of his wife and children were all over this house. At that moment, James came bursting out of a room with Albus hot on his trail. They were both yelling and giggling as James took off with Albus right behind him. Lily trailed out last, not able to keep up with the boys, but laughing and giggling all the same as she followed them. “We raised wonderful kids, didn’t we?” Harry heard the voice before he felt the touch on his hand. He looked to his right to see Ginny smiling at him with love and compassion. She was younger than he could almost remember seeing her. If he were to guess, he would say she was in the later years of her Hogwarts age; when he fell in love with her. “Hey you,” she smiled as she squeezed his hand. Harry’s heart soared as he squeezed her hand back. “Hey, yourself.” She slowly moved her hand to cup his cheek. “You’ve gotten even more wrinkles since last we met.” Harry let out a half laugh half sob as he gathered her up in his arms and hugged her as hard as his old body would allow. “And you don’t look a day over sixteen,” he replied. “You really know how to charm an old woman,” Ginny said in jest. Harry pulled back and looked into Ginny’s eyes; that deep shade of chocolate brown that he had fallen in love with. Gone were all the wrinkles that he had grown accustomed to over the years, instead replaced by the freckles he used to kiss one by one when they were alone. “What are you doing here?” he asked. Ginny looked thoughtful for a moment and then smiled slyly and said, “I’m not even sure, honestly. Maybe I’m not here and I’m really just a phantom or an apparition. Maybe I’m a figment of your imagination.” “But I can feel you,” Harry said as he grabbed her hand again. He wrapped his arms around her once more and pulled her in, tucking her head underneath his chin. Her hair smelled like something flowery, the type of shampoo she always used. “I can smell you and hear you. How could you be a ghost?” “Well, I guess that means I’m just a figment of your imagination, then,” she said as she pulled away before tugging on his arm. “Come, let’s go outside and sit on the porch.” Harry followed her silently as she led him out onto the front porch. She helped him sit down on the swing, before taking the spot next to him and looking at the rising sun. “You know, you couldn’t have picked a better spot to build our home,” she said. “I fell in love as soon as I saw it.” “You fall in love easily,” he joked. It was well known to everyone that Ginny had harbored a crush on him since before she had even met him, and even more so once she had met him. “Oh, shut it, you!” Ginny exclaimed with a laugh as she poked his shoulder. Harry smiled. “I didn’t build this home, Ginny, you did.” “Huh?” she asked. “What do you mean?” “I mean,” Harry started as he looked at her, “I might have physically built this house along with your brothers, but you’re the one that made it home. All the love and warmth present in this house over the years... that was you. If you hadn’t been here, it would’ve just been another house; another place to sleep or to raise the kids.” She smiled as she laced her fingers with his and put her head on his shoulder. For a minute, neither of them spoke as they watched the sun continue to climb into the sky. “There’s a lot of things I regret in my life,” Harry said, speaking up after a time. “There’s also a lot of things that I’m thankful for. Meeting you, falling in love, spending our entire lives together; I couldn’t have asked for anything more.” “Yes, we did make quite the pair, didn’t we,” Ginny giggled. “That we did, love,” Harry said. Ginny stood up. “Well, I think it’s time. I best be off.” Harry shot up off the swing with a speed he didn’t know he had. “But why? You just got here. Where are you going?” “Oh, you know,” she said with a smile as she made a motion with her other hand. “Around.” “But I don’t want you to go,” Harry choked. “I’ve missed you so much. I’m old and tired and I don’t want to keep doing this without you anymore.” Ginny cupped his cheek and pulled his chin up to look directly into his eyes. “You’ve been so strong, Harry. I couldn’t be prouder of you if I tried. I know others would also agree with me.” Ginny hugged him before whispering in his ear, “Come with me, then.” Harry stared at Ginny with hope in his eyes. “I can... I can do that?” “That’s why I came here in the first place, you dolt,” Ginny said with a smile. “Besides, I have a few people waiting for you and I promised I’d bring you.” “Huh?” Ginny motioned to the other side of the pond. Harry squinted into the sunlight trying to make out the four figures standing on the opposite bank. There was a man with messy black hair and the outline of a pair of glasses, a woman with long flowing hair that looked like fire, a man with shoulder-length black hair that flowed like a sheet in a clothesline on a windy day, and finally, a man with shorter brown hair and a scar across his face. They were all smiling at him and waving. Harry waved back before turning to Ginny. “You know, I’m really glad I met you.” Ginny smiled; a dazzling smile that seemed to be brighter than the sun he had just stared into. “I’m glad I met you too, Harry Potter.” She took his hand, and they were off. To where Harry didn’t know, nor did he care. As long as Ginny was by his side, everything would be worth it in the end. Later that day, Harry Potter’s family came around for a visit and found him sitting on that same porch swing looking out, unseeing, to the setting sun with a smile of contentment and happiness upon his face. |
| Reviews 3 |
|
