Better Late Than Never

Harry quietly entered the house, quickly banishing his trunk to his room. Noises could be heard radiating from the kitchen. Through the crack of the door, Harry watched the beautiful redhead within as she cleaned up the dinner dishes. She was humming to herself, completely oblivious to his presence.


Silently, Harry opened the door and padded across the kitchen. Ginny startled when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist. She quickly turned around and drew her wand. Harry kissed horehorehead softly before she could hex him and whispered, “Hi, love.”


“Dammit, Harry. You scared the hell out of me,” she huffed as she put her wand back in her pocket.


“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you, Gin,” he said before covering her lips in a quick, chaste kiss.


“I think I can forgive you,” she teased as she turned to finish the dishes. “I wasn’t expecting you back until tomorrow.”


“I finished up everything in New York early, and I couldn’t stand being away from you for another day,” he confessed softly. He gently brushed her hair from her shoulder and placed a soft kiss just behind her ear, causing a low moan to escape from her lips. “God, I’ve missed you, Gin,” his voice was low and husky.


“Harry, it’s only been three days,” she smiled as she shook her head slightly.


“Are you saying that you didn’t miss me?” he jumped back with mock hurt.


“Of course I missed you,” she said turning around and cupping his face in her small hands.


He leaned down resting his forehead on hers and suddenly said, “Marry me, Gin.” Green eyes met unsure brown ones as they stood in silence for a few moments.


Tears flowed down her cheeks as she pulled him closer and softly brushed his lips with hers. “I love you, Harry…” her voice was soft and trembling. Harry thought he heard some hesitance behind it.


“I’m sorry, Gin,” he said as he looked down and slowly pulled away. Oh, Merlin! What did I do? Am I crazy? It’s only been two weeks since I came back. Did I really expect her to accept? Tears burned his eyes as they threatened to fall.


He felt a soft hand grasp his arm and he slowly turned around. Ginny’s eyes were red and shiny from the tears that streaked her cheeks. “Harry…” she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Let me finish…” Harry nodded. “I love you. I have missed you - not only for the past three days, but for the whole year you were in New York. I don’t want to be apart from you again.” She reached up and wiped the tears from his cheeks and whispered, “Yes,” and smiled.


“Yes?”


She nodded as she grabbed his face and pulled him down into a passionate kiss. All of the love, passion and desire flowed between the two of them, and neither wanted it to end. Ginny ran her fingers through his unruly hair pulling him deeper into the connection. She could feel his hands rubbing gently over her back, reveling in the sensations they were producing. A deep sigh escaped her lungs as his hands grasped her round bottom and lifted her onto the countertop.


Her hips pressed into him, feeling his reaction to her. Harry released his lips from hers and she lightly groaned at the loss of contact. He softly kissed a trail across her jaw, settling just underneath her ear. Small hands ventured from his shoulders down and started manipulating the buttons to release the fabric barrier covering his chest. She wanted to feel his bare skin. His muscles quivered as she ran her fingers softly over the taut flesh. She could feel his warm breath against her ear as she continued to explore his upper body.


“Gin?” he asked, breathless. She raised her eyes to meet his. “Where are the girls?”


She smiled and whispered, “I put them to bed an hour ago.”


Harry took a deep breath, trying to regain any of the composure he had left. “We’d better stop,” he said, moving slowing away from the flushed redhead in front of him. Her eyes were sparkling with mirth as she kept hold of him so he couldn’t move away. He looked down at her, wanting to hold her and touch her and love her, but wanting to respect her and her children asleep down the hall. “Gin, I don’t know how long I can control myself. You are driving me crazy. I don’t want to wake the girls,” he said trying to cover the lust behind his voice.


“Well, let’s go to bed then,” she said casu as as she let go of him and jumped off the counter. Harry watched her curiously as he followed her out of the kitchen. She padded across the living room toward the hallway. Pulling out her wand, she whispered, “Nox,” and the house suddenly became dark.


Harry stopped at his bedroom door and whispered, “Goodnight, Gin. I love you.”


Slender fingers entwined in his and a soft voice whispered near his ear, “If you love me, you won’t go in there.” Harry felt her pull him by the hand across the hall. Suddenly his lips were being devoured as she pulled him into her bedroom.


Oh my gods. All coherent thought escaped him as she pulled him further into the sweet-smelling room. He fell backwards onto the bed, pulling her with him. Hands and mouths wandered and explored every inch of each other’s body. After a while, Ginny found herself lying naked in the middle of the bed with Harry staring down on her.


“You are so beautiful,” he whispered hoarsely. She could feel the blush rush from her toes to her face. Harry smiled slyly as his fingers traced the lines running down her belly.


“Harry…” she said, embarrassed of his visual scrutiny. Harry stopped her arms before she could cover herself.


“Especially these,” he whispered as his fingers traced her stretch marks once more.


“No they’re not. They’re ugly,” she protested, trying to cover herself again.


“Harry leaned down and softly kissed the offending marks. “They are most definitely not ugly. *kiss* They represent the most beautiful thing in the world. *kiss* They mean that you are a mother. *kiss* Those wonderful girls gave you these. *kiss* To me, they are beautiful… *kiss* … and sexy,” he cooed seductively.


“Sexy?”


“Hmm-hmm,” he hummed as he moved up to take her mouth with his. He felt her breath release and heard a soft moan escape from the back of her throat. She took another ragged breath at the sensation of his calloused hand softly kneading her breast.


His lips slowly trailed down her neck and collarbone. Her eyes closed and she arched into his hand, reveling in the wonderful sensations he was stirring in her. Suddenly, his warm mouth covered her peaked nipple. His tongue rolled over the sensitive flesh. She started to moan at the feeling, but quickly stifled it by biting her lip. Harry let up on his torture momentarily as he held out his hand and whispered, “Silencio.” A soft glimmer shone across the room, then quickly dissipated. His green eyes were almost black with desire as he looked down at her. “No holding back. I want to hear you,” he pleaded in a low tantalizing voice.


Ginny looked at him with a perplexed expression on her face. “How did you?… wandless?” she stammered.


Harry grinned mischievously. “I have many talents you don’t know about yet,” he whispered as his hand ventured lower past her hips and down her thighs.


Her skin burned at his touch. Every nerve in her body was on fire. Her hands roamed aimlessly over his smooth back. Her breath caught in her throat when she felt his hand cup the mound of red curls between her legs. A moan hissed out as he slid a finger into her moist center. Omigod! she thought. Her breath was ragged as she dug her fingernails into his back. Feather-light kisses roamed ever southward when suddenly something warm and moist covered her sex. Holy shit! her mind exclaimed and her eyes shot open.


“Harry, you can’t…” she protested between breaths. She felt him chuckle lightly as he kissed her most sensitive spot. All possible thought of protesting was soon overwhelmed by the warm sensations radiating through her body. Her body felt detached from her mind. She felt herself rock against him, intensifying the pleasure he was giving her. Moans could be heard in the distance. Someone called out Harry’s name. Who was that? Was that me? Omigod…she thought as her body suddenly shuddered and felt like it would explode right then and there. She felt like a phoenix bursting into flames as every shard of her being shattered around her. She lay there catching her breath as Harry moved up to lie beside her. His mouth soon covered hers. She could taste herself on his lips, but didn’t care. All that mattered was her and the raven-haired man lying beside her.


“Harry… that was… oh… my… god… I’ve never felt that before,” she said breathless.


He looked quizzically into her brown eyes, and whispered, “What do you mean, you’ve never felt that before?”


“I… I’ve never…” she paused from embarrassment. “I’ve never had that happen before,” she said as she rolled over to face away from him.


“Gin, I don’t understand. You’ve never had an…” he stammered to say the word, “… orgasm before?”


She shook her head lightly. “Gin, I’m sorry, I thought… you know…you have two children… and you…never?” Harry asked with the sound of shock failing to stay confined in his brain.


She nodded shyly, still not able to face him, “The woman doesn’t have to… you know… in order to get pregnant.”


Harry’s mind didn’t seem to grasp the concept of the situation, “You were married eight years… and never…?”


Ginny was beginning to feel more annoyed than embarrassed now. She sat up on the edge of the bed, with her back still to Harry. “No Harry, I never did. I loved Colin, but it was always for him. It felt good, but I never knew that that was supposed to happen… that it could feel like that,” she confessed as she wrapped the sheet around her body.


“Gin, I didn’t mean for it to sound like that. I never really thought about it before. I’m sorry,” he whispered and gently rubbed her back.


“You didn’t do anything wrong, Harry. That was incredible. I never knew that sex could feel so good. I feel so naïve and… I don’t know… short changed.”


He gently ran his fingers across her shoulders and placed a soft kiss at the nape of her neck. “Well, wejustjust have to correct the oversight, won’t we?” He didn’t giver her a chance to respond when he turned her around and covered her mouth with his.


All hesitation and trepidation disappeared as he laid her back down onto the bed. His kisses were deep and hungry, but at the same time, soft and passionate. She could feel his arousal against her thigh and moved her legs so that he wositositioned between them. He raised himself upon his elbows and looked adoringly down at her. His breath was ragged as he brushed a few red tendrils from her face. Her hair was spread over the pillow, framing her face in a sea of crimson tresses.


“You are so beautiful, Ginny,” he whispered huskily before placing a soft kiss at the corner of her mouth. “I love you so much.”


“I love you, Harry, more than you could ever imagine,” she responded, running her hands up aown own his moist back, pulling him further down to her.


He felt her heat surround him and all comprehensive thought flew out the window. He paused as her body got used to him being inside her. They slowly found a rhythm and the cries and moans mingled into a sensuous symphony.


The newly familiar heat began to radiate through her body as he took her once more over the precipice of pleasure. She cried out his name as she grasped his shoulders trying to pull him closer to her. He felt her body contract around his length, sending him over the edge. His white heat filled her as his body stiffened and shuddered over her. They lay there motionless for a while trying to catch their breath but not breaking their intimate connection. Finally, thame ame back down to earth and curled up in each other’s arms.


Ginny had never felt so loved and fulfilled. Harry was everything she could have ever dreamed of a f a friend, and now… a lover. Small tears streamed down her cheek at the realization of loving someone with your whole being, andt sat saove ove being reciprocated.


“Oh, don’t cry, love,” Harry whispered as he wiped her tears away with the pad of his thumb. She silently nuzzled closer into his arms. His steady breathing and heartbeat quickly lulled her to sleep. Not long after, Harry, too, had fallen asleep.


*


Ginny’s eyes fluttered open to see a pair of emerald eyes watching her. She smiled as he brushed some hair from her face. “I could really get used to this,” she whispered as she leaned in giving him a morning kiss.


“Hmmm… so could I,” Harry softly replied, his voice raspy from sleep. “So… what’s the plan for today, beautiful?”


“I don’t know. I know we can’t stay in here all day, no matter how tempting,” she smiled. “What do you have in mind, Mr. Potter?”


“I would like to take you to London and…” he paused, searching her eyes.


“What?”
“Le “Let’s go to London and elope. Let’s get married… today,” Harry said, his eyes shining with love and hope.


“Harry, you’re serious?”


“Of course, I’m serious,” he said as he sat up hiding the hurt in his eyes from her reaction. Not daring himself to look at her, he continued, “I want you to be my wife and I your husband. I want to love you freely. I want to be here for you and the girls… always.” He finally turned to look back at the beautiful redhead. His eyes were shinth uth unshed tears.


Ginny smiled and placed a soft hand on his cheek. “Let’s get the girls up and let’s go,” she said smiling.


“Really?” Harry couldn’t hide the relief or the excitement in his voice.


“Yes! By the end of the day, I will be Mrs. Harry Potter.” I like the sound of that she thought.


Happy tears flowed freely down Harry’s cheeks as he enveloped the love of his life in his arms.


*


Maddy and Annie sat quietly in the pew watching Harry take their mother’s hand in his.


“I do,” he said softly.


The girls watched as their mother smiled through countless tears. “I do,” she repeated.


Harry pulled Ginny to him and kissed her passionately, or as passionately as you can in front of children. The couple turned around and picked up the two strawberry-blond girls, wrapping them in hugs. Maddy looked up at Harry and curiously asked, “All right… Mum is now your wife, right?” Harry nodded. “And you’re her husband, right?” Harry nodded again. “Then what are we?”


Harry smiled and proudly said, “You two are my step-daughters.”


“So… what do we call you?” Annie chimed in from her mother’s arms.


“Whatever you want to call me,” Harry answered smiling.


Maddy pondered a second before she muttered half to herself, “Well… you’re not really our uncle, but we called you that anyway… how about…” she paused to think a little harder about it.


“Daddy,” Annie said loudly, grinning from ear to ear. A tear escaped down Harry’s cheek as he looked at the girls and back to his new wife, who also had a tear in her eye.


“Is tall all right? Can we call you Daddy?” Maddy asked calmly as Annie nodded animatedly.


Harry swallowed the lump in his throat. “I think I’d like that,” he said through his tears and hugged the two girls tightly.


Ginny wiped the tears from her own cheeks and wrapped an arm around Harry’s waist. “C’mon, let’s go home,” she whispererougrough her emotionally sted ved voice.


Harry looked at the three beautiful girls, that were now his and smiled, “Home… yeah, let’s go home.”