Better Late Than Never

“Hi, Uncle Harry!” Maddy and Annie chimed as Harry and Ginny apparated to the front of the primary school.


“Hi, girls,” Harry said as he scooped them both into his arms.


“Well, we know who they love more,” Ginny said teasingly with an expression of mock hurt on her face.


“We loou tou too, Mum, but we see you every day. We never get to see Uncle Harry,” Maddy said as she wrapped her arms around her mother. Ginny smiled and glanced up at Harry who was holding Annie in his arms.


The four of them started walking home when Harry asked the girls, “How would you like to see me more often?”


Maddy looked up confused, “Uncle Harry?”


“Well, I might be around here a little more, now,” Harry said glancing toward Ginny.


“Uncle Harry, you’re staying!?” Annie exclaimed as she wrapped her little arms around Harry’s neck.


“Oh, no, Annie, Harry still has work in New York. He can’t stay…” Ginny stopped when she saw Harry’s face fall. Dammit! Insert foot into mouth. “Oh, Harry, I’m sorry. I just thought… I don’t know what I thought. I didn’t mean it that way.” She stopped and grabbed his arm. “Harry, I wish you could stay. I just didn’t want the girls to get their hopes up in case you don’t want to stay.” G bli blinked hard to fight the tears back.


“Of course, I want to stay, Gin. Didn’t you hear what I said earlier? I love you! Do you really think I want to lea…”


Harry was interrupted as Maddy yanked hard on his shirt. He looked down at her. Her face was glowing as she asked, “You love Mum?”


Harry knelt down so he was eye level with the perceptive eight-year-old. “Yes, Boo. I love your mum.” Harry looked up at Ginny and reiterated, “I love her very much.”


“So, you’re staying!” Annie asked again.


Harry stood up, staring at Ginny as he spoke, “I think I might stay. That is, if your mum wants me to.”


The two strawberry-blond girls looked pleadingly at their mother. Their eyes spoke volumes.Please? Ginny grinned at her daughters and then looked into Harry’s green eyes that seemed to ask the same pleading question.


“Yes, I think he should stay. I would like that,” Ginny said as small happy tears trailed down her cheek.


Harry reached up and wiped the tears away and softly kissed her lips. They heard small giggles coming from the girls. They started walking again when suddenly Maddy started running in front of them singing, “Mummy and Harry sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” Harry calmly handed Annie to her mother and chased after Maddy. “You little imp!” he teased as he grabbed her and started tickling her. Ginny watched from behind smiling. Thank you.


*


“Oh, hello, Harry dear. How are you?” a voice asked as Harry was enveloped into a hug. He hugged the person back.


“Hello, Mrs. Weasley. I’m fine, thank you.”


“Are Ginny and the girls coming?” she asked as she pulled back to finish working on supper.


“They’re coming by Floo. I apparated here first to help her get the girls through. I would much rather do this than use Floo.” Mrs. Weasley chuckled at Harry’s reluctance toward using the fireplace way of traveling. She remembered the problems he used to have getting to the right grate. His hesitance was very substantiated.


Suddenly, a green flame erupted in the fireplace and Maddy and Annie stepped out of the fireplace. Harry urged them out of the way so Ginny could come through. Another green flame erupted then Ginny stumbled through the fireplace. Harry caught her in his arms before she fell. “You all right, love?” Ginny smiled back at him and nodded as she stood up and brushed the soot off of her.


Mrs. Weasley noticed the way that Harry had caught Ginny and what he had said. She was surprised to see Ginny smile at him. Her gaze went back and forth between the two, analyzing the situation. Harry was watching Ginny intently as she brushed the soot off of the girls. His eyes were full of love. Once the girls were cleaned up, Harry took them into the living room to play.


Mrs. Weasley stood there, not moving, absorbing what she had just witnessed. Ginny walked toward her, smiling. “Mum?” she asked as she wrapped her mother in a hug. “What’s wrong?”


The older lady was speechless as she hugged her only daughter. “Nothing, dear,” was all she was able to spit out.


“Can I help you with anything?” Ginny asked as she started getting the dishes out of the cabinet.


“Are you all right, darling?” Mrs. Weasley asked, noticing the way that Ginny was smiling. She hadn’t smiled in so long, let alone offered to help. Usually she went straight to the back yard and moped around. She would hardly say a word to anyone. This was a pleasant change.


“I am wonderful, Mum,” Ginny said smiling, glancing back at the door to the living room.


“Harry?” Mrs. Weasley looked inquisitively at the younger woman.


“Yes, Mum. Harry,” she said blushing. “Please, don’t say anything yet. I don’t want to be bombarded with the twins comments, tonight.”


“Ginny, it is so great to see you smiling again. It’s even better that it’s because of Harry. I will take care of the Dynamic Duo. All right?”


Ginny laughed and nodded as she and her mother worked together to finish preparing the meal.


*


“So, Harry, what have you been up to?” Mr. Weasley asked while they sat at the dinner table eating.


“Well, I have been working for the Department of International Wizardry in New York. I work with any Wizards that might need citizenship papers or passports, etc.,” Harry explained between bites of roast.


“Sounds really interesting,” Fred said sarcastically. Ginny stared daggers at him. Harry placed his hand on her thigh to calm her down. She immediately dropped her gaze from her brother and continued eating. The conversation went on about current news and events. Harry told the family about what was happening in the American Wizarding world and they filled him in on what was happening in England.


“So, when do you go back?” George asked.


Harry started to answer, but was interrupted by Annie who piped up, “He’s staying!”


Ron spit out the mashed potatoes he had in his mouth. Hermione gasped. Fred and George looked at each other and back at Harry.


“As Miss Annie so eloquently stated, yes, I am staying. I will be going to New York next week to gather my things.” Harry looked at Ginny who was beaming. “I’ve got more important things keeping here.”


“It’s about bloody time!”


“Ronald!” Mrs. Weasley gave her youngest son a death look.


“What? I’m glad I don’t have to spell it out for them any more. They were driving me nutters!” Hermione shook her head, stifling a giggle. Harry picked up a banger and threw it at Ron. “What was that for?” Ron asked while rubbing his head.


“For being a prat!” Harry answered calmly. Laughing broke out throughout the kitchen. Ron even had to give in and laugh at himself.


“It’s good to have you back, Harry,” Fred said with a wink. He looked at Harry and Ginny and grinned.


“Yes, it’s good to have you back,” Ginny whispered to Harry. He squeezed her hand under the table and smiled.


*


Harry walked down the dark hallway with Maddy cradled in his arms, asleep. Ginny was padding behind him carrying Annie. Harry entered Maddy’s room and gingerly laid her on the bed. He pulled the covers up and kissed her lightly on the forehead. “G’night, Boo.” He whispered as he closed the door behind him. Ginny had just come out of Annie’s room and pulled Harry into a hug in the hallway. He kissed the top of her head. “Do you want a drink?” Harry asked softly.


“Is wine all right?” Ginny asked. Harry nodded and Ginny went off to the kitchen.


Harry made himself comfortable on the couch reminiscing about the past two days and how much his life has changed in that short time. He looked around the room at the pictures of Ginny, Maddy and Annie along with the rest of the Weasleys. I’m home. This is my family; the only family I have ever known. Today was the best day I could ever have. He heard the kitchen door open and saw Ginny emerge. The light from the fireplace reflected in her crimson hair. Her eyes were sparkling in the dimly lit room. She is so beautiful. I love her more than I ever thought I could love someone. She handed a glass to Harry and offered a toast, “To us.” He raised his glass and repeated, “To us.”


Ginny sat next to him on the couch. Harry wrapped his arm around her pulling her closer to him. What did I do to deserve her? Last week, if someone had told me that I would be sitting here holding Ginny, I would have told them that they needed to be committed. Harry leaned down and kissed her temple. “Thank you, Gin,” he whispered.


She turned to look at him. “For what?”


“For loving me. I have never felt like this,” he said softly as he squeezed her in his arms. “Promise me something, Gin.” She smiled. “Promise me that we won’t fight our feelings anymore.”


“I promise,” she said smiling. She reached up and softly rubbed his cheek. “I love you.”


Harry leaned down to kiss her passionately, letting all his love flow into the connection. He pulled slowly from the kiss and whispered, “I adore you.”