Harry stood, talking with Remus, oblivious to what Ginny had seen.
“What’s that you’ve got in your pocket?” he asked, noticing a suspicious square bulge in his robes.
Remus flushed but pulled a tiny, velvet-covered box out of his robes. He opened it hesitantly and revealed a gold ring. It was simple, yet elegant, containing a small diamond and the inscription My Angel.
“I want to ask Tonks to marry me,” he muttered anxiously, glancing over toward his girlfriend, who was chatting merrily with Molly.
“When did you get that?” Harry asked, still staring at the ring.
“Last week. I’ve, er- been saving up.”
“Then what are you waiting for?” Harry asked incredulously.
“I don’t think I’m ready for marriage,” he replied uncertainly. “I don’t have the money to take care of her, or time to give her the attention she needs.” His voice trailed away tentatively.
“That’s not all, is it?” Harry asked. He knew what the answer was, but he wanted to be the one to tell him how foolish the concern was.
“You know why else,” he responded sceptically.
“You know that she doesn’t care about your ‘furry little problem,’” Harry sighed. Perhaps Remus would never learn. He cleared his throat loudly. “Excuse me, everyone. Remus would like to make an announcement.”
Remus looked stunned. He threw Harry a look that clearly said, “I’ll get you”, but Harry could see his hand clench over the velvet box, and he knew that he was going to follow through.
He took a few timid steps toward the woman of his dreams and fell slowly to one knee. Tonks’s eyes widened in realization.
“Nymphadora, I love you more than anything. You made me laugh when I wanted to cry. You opened my heart for me when I closed off it off to everyone. You gave me the strength to be the man that I always dreamed of being. You are my world. To show you my gratitude, I have only one question for you. Will you marry me?”
He held the box up to her. Her eyes sparkled with tears of joy as she pulled up her fiancée and kissed him hard and meaningfully.
“Yes!” she squealed triumphantly. He grinned, looking relieved. He kissed her back. When they finally pulled away, everyone who knew either of them, which consisted of most of the party, cheered so loudly that the trees around them shook. Remus turned to Harry. His eyes were sparkling more brightly than Harry had ever seen before.
“I’ll still get you for this,” the newly engaged man chuckled. Harry laughed. The twinkle in Remus’s eyes told him that he was too grateful and relieved to actually want to do anything to him. Harry jumped as he felt a small hand slip into his.
“I’m glad you helped them out,” Ginny whispered beside him. Her voice was shaking slightly, as if she had just been badly frightened.
“Gin, what’s the matter?” he asked concernedly.
“Nothing,” his wife lied.
“You’re a terrible liar.”
“I know,” she began, but as her husband began to question what was wrong, she interrupted him. “I’ll tell you later. Don’t ruin this for Remus and Tonks."
Harry gave her a sceptical look that blatantly told her that he was concerned. Ginny nodded, but turned her attention back to the party.
He sighed and followed suit. He was immediately met up by Dean and Seamus’s congratulations. He forced a smile but couldn’t get rid of his concern for Ginny. He glanced over to where she was talking animatedly with a large group of friends. It seemed that she had already gotten over what had been bothering her. However, he knew that she was still concerned when she blocked him out of her mind. With a sigh, he turned back to his old classmates and talked about everything, from recent Quidditch games to how much they missed Hogwarts. He only half listened to their conversation about the Wigtown Wanderers. He was confused and felt the unusual dread that he had last felt before he was ambushed by Malfoy. He inwardly anticipated the end of the party, though enjoyed himself best as he could while surrounded by others. It had been a long time since the sun had disappeared behind the trees, and hours after that, the last guest found it time to leave. Each carrying an armload of gifts from friends and well-wishers, Harry and Ginny headed for their house. However, as they apparated into their roomy home, Harry immediately felt a horrible cold that was all too familiar.
“DEMENTORS!” Harry shouted, fear clenching his insides. “Get out your wand.”
She obeyed quickly and was casting patronuses into the air. Nothing but silver vapour became of her spells.
"I can’t do it!” she screamed, panicking.
“It’s going to be all right,” Harry assured her as he felt the coldness grip stronger. She held his hand tightly as he conjured his first patronus to bring help. They watched as the stag rushed into the air, heading towards the Burrow. A horrible rattling breath clamped at their insides. It was apparent that the Dementor was not alone. He heard his mother’s screams in his ears but pushed them out as he clenched Ginny’s hand. The moment that his mind turned to Ginny, he realized that these Dementors were not normal. He saw his worst memories flash before him, fogging his mind beyond all other thought. He could feel Ginny beside him, trying desperately to create a corporeal patronus, but at the same time he saw her sprawled in the Chamber of Secrets, inches from death.
“She won’t wake,” Tom Riddle said. Harry forced himself to think about happy things with Ginny. She was eleven. She was so shy around Harry that she accidentally stuck her elbow a good inch deep in butter. Harry smiled at this memory.
“Expecto Patronum,” he muttered, feeling his strength wane. The Dementors pulled away slightly, but as the stag disappeared they made their way closer. Ginny collapsed beside him. “No,” he whispered, horrified. He still clenched her hand.
Ginny was slumped against the wall of the Department of Mysteries. Her leg was sticking out at a strange angle, and her face was limp from a stunning spell.
Harry continued to rack his brains, fighting the fog for happy thoughts. He thought of this first kiss with her after his detention with Snape.
“All Romilda Vane does is ask me if it's true you've got a Hippogriff tattooed across your chest- I told her it's a Hungarian Horntail.”
He could feel the Dementors drawing nearer. They were lowering their hoods. With the last of his strength, he looked down at his wife’s pale face. He forced himself to think of the happiest times with her.
“I love you so much, Harry.”
The greatest memory Harry had ever had flashed through his mind at that moment. Ginny Weasley-Potter leaned in to kiss him as the wizard behind him pronounced them husband and wife.
“EXPECTO PATRONUM!” Harry yelled as Ginny’s voice floated through his mind. This patronus, more brilliant than he had seen before, forced the Dementors away. Relieved, Harry fell to the ground to help Ginny. “Ginny, wake up-“ She didn’t so much as stir. Her skin remained as cold as ice and as pale as parchment. Pops filled the air as the tardy assistance arrived.
“Harry, what-“ Ron began behind him.
“CHOCOLATE-“ Harry yelled, slightly panicked. “GET CHOCOLATE!”
Hermione dashed off into the kitchen and came out with a large block.
“What happened?” she asked tentatively as Ginny stirred at the smell of the chocolate.
“Dementors attacked us,” he muttered, relief rushing over him as his wife opened her eyes and gasped weakly.
“Mmm,” Ginny murmured, hungrily grabbing the sweets before her.
“I think she’s getting better,” Ron chuckled nervously as his younger sister gnawed hungrily at the chocolate. He seemed awed by how quickly she recovered at the prospect of the chocolate.
“Never underestimate the power of girls with chocolate,” Hermione replied, though still worried for the well being of her best friends.
*********************************************
When they had finally assembled themselves in the Potter’s cosy sitting room, Harry tried to explain the attack.
“These Dementors were different,” he said, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. His arm was still tight around his wife, and she, in turn, held him close. “They were harder to drive away.”
Ron and Hermione frowned as Ginny nodded in agreement. However they could do nothing about the situation now that the Dementors had gone. They left a few hours later, after trying and failing to take their minds off of Dementors and Dark Magic. Harry and Ginny waved them off absentmindedly, both reliving the memories that the Dementors had stirred. Harry felt sure that Ginny was right for him, knowing that she was the only one that had driven them away. Ginny, however, was still scared. When she finally spoke, her voice was trembling and high-pitched.
“I-I still need to tell you- what I saw,” she stammered.
Harry said nothing for a moment. He was still holding onto her tight and could feel her shaking terribly. She mumbled something inaudibly.
“What was that?” he asked, beginning to worry.
“Cormac McLaggen,” she repeated louder, before finally breaking down into fresh sobs.
With Tired Eyes, Minds, and Souls We Slept by QuIDdITch_PlaYA
Chapter Notes: I just realized that chapter 3 in Revenge of the Serpent starts with a bit of RL/NT, so does chapter 3 in here :]
Unfortunately, the happy mood is punctured by what Ginny saw and by a surprise attack on the unexpecting couple.