This Love

Part 9

"This love left a permanent mark"

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"Hey everyone," Harry called over the noise. "Please-"

"SHUT UP!" Ginny bellowed.

Ron jumped backwards, grabbing at Hermione's arm.

"She hasn't changed at all," Hermione murmured to him, sliding her arm around his waist as he put his around her, recovering from the shock.

"Thanks, Gin. It's getting late." They all gazed at the clock that hung on the wall over the fireplace. It read 2am. "So we can set up beds for whoever wants to stay and..."

"Who wants to stay?" Ginny asked.

Everyone raised their hands and Harry sighed.

"Okay then. Well-"

Just then Teddy and Victoire burst through the front door, holding hands, and stumbled into the living room. Teddy crossed the room and hugged Harry and Ginny and Victoire kissed their cheeks.

"What did we miss?" Teddy asked.

"You staying over as well, Ted?" Harry questioned wearily.

"Sure. We'll go set up the spare room." And they lead Victoire through the crowd that was their family, holding her hand above people's heads rather than letting it go, ruffling Lily and James's hair and kissing Albus, who had reappeared with Scorpius at his oldest sibling's voice, and up the second staircase.

Everyone had thought Victoire would have been a panicky, stressed out bride but she was coping fairly well and had only had one breakdown. An alarmed James, who wasn't great with feelings, and a calm Scorpius who was and had always been very close to Victoire anyway, had been with her at the time and they were both sworn to secrecy.

Harry ran a hand through his hair tiredly and turned back to his family.

"Just use the usual rooms," he said.

Later, when he went to check on them he found James, Fred, Molly, Dom and Lucy in James's room, Albus, Scorpius, Rose and Roxanne in Albus's room, and Lily, Louis and Hugo in Lily's room. He kissed each of his children goodnight before going to check on his adult guests. Technically James, Fred, Dom and Molly were of age but he still considered them kids, especially James. James would always be his little one, more so even than Albus and Lily. Victoire and Teddy were in Teddy's childhood bedroom, cuddled up on the bed, and Harry blew them both a kiss before retiring to his bedroom where Ron and Hermione were lying in the spare bed, Ron snoring loudly and Hermione reading a thick book.

Ginny was propped up on some pillows, typing on her laptop - a Christmas present from Harry two years ago that she had only just mastered the use of - probably her latest interview with the captain of the Wimbourne Wasps.

"Hi Harry," Hermione said softly, closing her book and placing it on the floor beside the bed.

Harry smiled at her, taking off his glasses and sliding into bed beside his wife.

"How's your week been?" He asked Hermione, who shifted in her bed, careful not to wake Ron.

"Pretty good. How about yours?"

"Yeah, okay I guess. I feel like I haven't seen Ginny in ages though."

Ginny took the hint and shut her laptop, lying her pillows flat on the bed and moving closer to him. He put an arm around her as she lay her head on his chest, and Hermione smiled at the couple.

"'Mione," a muffled voice said, and Hermione jumped as Ron rolled over and reached for her hand, entwining their fingers with the hand that wasn't rubbing his eyes. "What are you-" He paused to yawn. "What are you talking about."

"Just what a pain you are and how you should look after the kids more," Hermione joked, leaning over and running her fingers through his messy orange hair and smiling lovingly at him.

"I will," Ron mumbled, closing his eyes at her touch and sinking back into his pillow. "Need to sleep now." He brought her hand to his mouth and pressed his lips to it, and a moment later he was back asleep.

"My brother," Ginny muttered, shaking her head. "I don't know why in Merlin's name you married him."

Harry laughed and kissed her forehead.

"She has her reasons, I'm sure."

"Of course I do," Hermione said fondly as she looked down at the sleeping Ron.

Harry kissed Ginny suddenly and she made a sound of surprise before winding her arms around his neck and kissing him back. Sighing, Hermione scooped up her book and began to read aloud, and Harry and Ginny broke apart grudgingly to listen. Luckily Hermione was a beautiful reader and they soon found themselves lulled to sleep by her even tones.

"Works every time," she said to herself, closing The Tales of Beedle the Bard and settling down beside her husband.

He was still snoring quite loudly and so she scrabbled for her wand and cast a spell on him and he quietened. Then she waved her wand and turned out the lights. She could just make out the forms of Harry and Ginny, asleep in each other's arms, and as she lay back down again Ron pulled her closer, wrapping her in his arms, still asleep.

She closed her eyes and thought of days surrounded by these same people, duels with Dementors and battles with Boggarts, or even just laughing and sipping drinks by the Black Lake or feasting in the Great Hall. She didn't have anyone to read to her before bed but she had Ginny, her fierce, only really close female friend, Ron whom she'd always been in love with, and Harry, her best friend in the whole entire world, and all the stories they'd lived together.

~ THE END ~