Chapter Eight
It had been a week since Ginny had gone home and naturally, the Weasleys deemed it time to throw a party in her honor. They all assembled, the Weasleys, Harry and Hermione, Luna, Draco and Ginny, and packed into the Burrow.
Molly had out done herself once, again. She made and enormous meal complete with appetizers made up of soups and salads, a grand main course of roast beef and Yorkshire puddings with mash potatoes and garden grown corn and an amazing desert of custard, chocolate cake and some of her homemade strawberry ice cream. By the time they were done, everyone was too stuffed to eat another bite and that included the bottomless pit himself, Ron.
They couldn't all squeeze into the dinning room seeing as it was originally for only nine so they all picnicked outside. The summer sun was still high in the sky as they dined, sharing stories and anecdotes of days gone by.
"An then all you could see was a bouncing ferret in the middle of the corridor!" Ron exclaimed making everyone in the group laugh, even the star of the story but he had his means of revenge ticking in the back of his mind. When the group had quieted down, he struck.
"Does anyone remember the time Ron started puking slugs?" Draco asked calmly, taking the audiences attention away from his own embarrassing moment.
"I remember that!" Hermione giggled. "His breath was horrible after that!"
"Well yours would be too if you had over a hundred slugs comin' out of ya!" Ron protested in his defense. Everyone laughed.
"Oh!" Ginny exclaimed. "I've got a good one! Remember when Fred and George flew out of the school, telling Peeves to give Umbridge hell?"
"I don't remember that," Molly said while eyeing the twins.
"Thanks a lot Gin," Fred grumbled, smile however not leaving his face.
"Just another thing that needs to be explained," said George who was wearing the same expression on his face as his brother. Laughter sounded again.
"There has to be something for Ginny," Fred said with a wicked grin.
"Yeah," said Charlie, catching his brother's drift. "We have heard something about everyone here, even our newest member of the family meaning our young Mr. Malfoy of course, but nothing of our sweet lil old Gin."
"Mum? Do you have anything?" Ron asked pleadingly.
"Nothing that would be as embarrassing as the rest," Molly replied,
"I've got one," Draco said while looking down at Ginny, a grin appearing on his face.
"That was just clumsiness," Ginny said matter-of-factly. "They have all seen that before."
"Yes but they haven't seen it when your blind," Draco countered.
"Just tell us the bloody story!" Ron demanded. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"The day before we went to St. Mungo's, Ginny stayed at my place and I assure you Mr. Weasley that nothing happened," Draco said while looking over to Arthur and holding up his hands in defense.
"I trust you Draco and please, call me Arthur for goodness sakes," Arthur chuckled. Draco nodded and continued.
"Ginny had just woken up. We had just decided that we were about to leave so Ginny began to crawl to the side of the bed. Well, lets just say she crawled a little to far." Draco then made the motion of her falling off the bed with his hands. Laughter erupted from the group. "So I see her fall off the bed and it scares me half to death so I rush over and she's laughing as if nothing happened at all!"
"Well it was funny!" Ginny said, a smile appearing on her face. Draco laughed along with everyone else, Ginny soon joining them.
"I suggest you boys go play some Quidditch while we clean up here," Molly said when all the laughter had died.
"I think that's a fine idea Molly," said Arthur, kissing her on the cheek. Everyone then got up, couples untangling themselves from each other.
"I'll see you later," Draco whispered before kissing Ginny.
"Save me a broom, I've got a score to settle with Potter," she replied sending him a smirk that would give his own a run for its money.
"I think I'm rubbing off on you."
"Oh probably." Draco kissed her once more then ran off to join the boys. Ginny watched his retreating form and smiled contently.
"Hey Gin!" Hermione called, pulling Ginny from her thoughts. "We could use you're help you know!"
"All right, all right, don't get you're nickers in a twist." Hermione smiled and went back to gathering the supper things. Ginny glanced once more over her shoulder and went to join the girls.
* * * * *
"Scared Potter?"
"You wish."
"You may have been good at Hogwarts but things have changed mate."
"Keep talking like that Weasley and you are going to be more disappointed than is already necessary."
"We'll see."
"Are you two done yet?" Arthur called from the ground. Harry and Ginny smirked at each other and nodded. The quaffle was up and the game began. Ginny soared up, trained eyes searching for the snitch. Harry was opposite her doing the same. Everyone one the ground cheered as a goal was scored but Ginny didn't hear them. A glint of gold caught Ginny's eye and she dived, Harry not far behind her.
"Come on Gin!" Molly cheered from her seat on the ground.
"Come on Harry!" Hermione cried.
Ginny saw it, just infront of her. It swerved and Ginny moved to catch it. Harry was fast on her trail, the only thing slowing him down was the old broom. She bent close to her broom, giving her more speed. The wind wiped through her hair and brought tears to her eyes. Her heart beat with the adrenaline that pulsed through her. Ginny stretched out her hand and her fingertips brushed the snitch feathers. She willed with all her might to go faster. She stretched her arm as far as she could and she felt her hand close around the snitch.
"Yes!" she screamed before soaring upward in victory. She zoomed around the pitch as her family cheered below. She dove towards the ground, pulling up at the last moment and then slowly coasted to a stop. As soon as she was off her broom Ron tackled her.
"You did it! You did it!" Ginny laughed and let herself be swung around by her brother. When he finally set her down she was face by Harry. His face was stern as he held out a hand to her. She handed Ron the snitch and took Harry's hand with pride.
"Good job Weasley," he said in a voice to match his face. "But you know that it was just the broom that slowed me down and I could beat you any day." His lips turned upwards into a grin.
"I highly doubt that Potter but good try," Ginny replied, a grin appearing on her own face. Harry laughed and then swept her up in a hug.
"You owe me one Gin," he said when he released her.
"Anytime," Ginny said confidently.
"And you do realize that seeing as you beat the famous Potter, the only one to beat me, you owe me a match as well," Draco said while coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.
"And I give you the same answer, anytime."
"Good."
The sun was beginning to set and a late night breeze swept over the party, making a few of them shiver.
"Well, it's getting late," Arthur said. "I suggest we all go inside and have a nice cup of tea." They all agreed and followed the eldest Weasley back to the Burrow.
They all stayed up till around midnight, talking among each other about different things. Around two the crowd had thinned. Molly and Arthur had disappeared up into their bedroom, putting up a strong silencing charm. Percy soon followed their example. Charlie and Bill left for home not long after that. Ron and Luna flooed back to their flat and Harry and Hermione soon followed them. It was only Draco and Ginny left. They sat on the love seat, curled up together. Draco was playing with Ginny's hair, gently pulling his fingers through her fiery red locks.
"Hey," Draco whispered to a dozing Ginny who groaned in reply. "Let's go for a walk."
"Right now?"
"Yeah."
"Why?" She was whining now.
"Need to ask you something. Please Gin?" Draco looked at her with pleading eyes.
"Fine," Ginny grumbled. She gingerly got up and led the way to the back door.
The moon was out and the stars shinning as Ginny and Draco walked hand in hand underneath them. A light breeze blew over them, brining the smell of wildflowers to their noses. They stayed silent for a while but Ginny's curiosity and frustration was getting the better of her.
"So what do you want to ask me Draco?" He stopped walking and turned to face her. He brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face and stared into her eyes before taking her hands gently in his.
"Ginny, I should have told you back in seventh year that I loved you. For over three years now I have woken up with you on my mind and go to sleep thinking of you. Your face is always in my dreams. You are my life, my love and my friend. I have never loved anyone half as much as I love you. You mean so much to me Ginny that I don't think my life would be complete without you." Draco fished inside his pocket and pulled out a little black box. Tears were already coming to Ginny's eyes before she saw the box. Her eyes went round and her jaw dropped slightly. Draco smiled and dropped down to one knee.
"Virginia Weasley, will you marry me?" A tear of joy slipped down Ginny's cheek.
"Yes, Draco, I will," she replied with a shaky voice. Draco stood and opened the box to reveal a silver ring with a large white diamond and two smaller diamonds mounted on it. Draco took her hand and slipped the ring onto her ring finger.
"It's beautiful Draco," Ginny breathed.
"No where near as beautiful as you," Draco said softly. "I love you Gin."
"I love you too." Draco then leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers, proving his love for her and Ginny kissed back with the same passion. He then broke the kiss and picked her up, swinging her around in circles as they laughed. They made their dreams come true by pushing through.