When Harry started his seventh year, it was a much subdued school that he returned to. Dumbledore's death had left a great hole at Hogwarts, but his dying words had been right. He would never be gone as someone there was still loyal to him. Shortly after he died, Professor McGonagall was appointed to the position of Headmistress.
The Weasley family had gone through some major changes as well. Several months after the marriage of Fred and Angelina, twin girls were born. Not so surprisingly, neither one had the red Weasley hair. Fred still ran Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes with George and a couple more shops had opened across England.
Bill and Fleur had married and were living in France where they were expecting their first child.
Charlie had stopped chasing dragons and was nor a Ministry official on Dangerous Animals. After working closely with Tonks in the Order, the two had married shortly before the birth of Tonks' son with Lupin. He'd been named Remus Charles after both his fathers.
At Hogwarts, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione were closer than ever. Harry spent the year with his biggest worry being the Quidditch Cup, which they won due to Ron's Keeping skills. Ron didn't make Head Boy but remained a prefect. Hermione was Head Girl, a position she shared with the Head Boy, Ernie McMillan. Ginny continued to have visions, the phsyical and emotion pain never lessening, though with the help of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, she got through it.
Now, they had reached the big day, the last hour, the final minute. Graduation had come and they were moving on. All except for Ginny, who had decided after the war to continue in her dream to become a Healer. She was to be left behind, but Harry couldn't let go completely.
As celebrations went on that night, both Harry and Ron knew that there was something that they each must do.
Harry approached Ginny nervously.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Weasley," he said to her mother. "Can I borrow Ginny for a little."
Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Of course, Harry dear." She winked at him, knowing what he had planned. Ginny stood up and they left the building, hand in hand.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey," Ron whispered to Hermione. "Should we go patrol the halls once more?"
Hermione laughed softly as they made their exit, sneaking away from where her parents were speaking with Neville's grandmother. She missed the knowing look that they gave her.
"Where are we going?" she asked as they turned away from where they usually patrolled.
"You'll see," he said mysteriously and she laughed again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry and Ginny wandered barefoot along the side of the lake where the moon was reflected in it's still surface.
"It's so beautiful here," Harry said, breaking the silence. "How can we all just leave this?"
Ginny smiled. "That's easy for you to say. You're the one going ahead. You're my best friend Harry, and my boyfriend. But you're leaving me, and I'll have no one."
Harry surreptitiously reached into his pocket.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ron and Hermione stopped in a hallway in front of a blank wall.
"What are we doing here?" Hermione asked. Ron said nothing and opened the door to the Room of Requirement.
Lit only by candlelight, the room had a soft glow. Soft music played from an old phonograph and there was an empty space in the middle of the room.
Ron turned and bowed to her. "May I ask a dance of this lovely lady?" he asked with mock formality.
Hermione responded in kind. "Good sir, I accept this offer." She moved to wrap her arms around his neck.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry pulled a small cedar wood box from his pocket and knelt onto one knee.
"Ginny, I've known you for seven years and I feel as if I've loved you for longer. I'm graduating and I won't see you until next Christmas. Voldemort's gone and our last threat is rounding up the remaining Death Eaters. I can't start my Auror training without knowing. . ."
As Harry continued to speak, he didn't notice the look in Ginny's eyes. It was distant and far seeing as if she was focused on something illusive, that Harry could not see.
Harry opened the box. "Ginny, will you marry me?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ron dipped Hermione down low as the music slowed to a stop.
"When did you learn to dance?" she asked as he pulled her back up.
"Earlier today," he replied. "My mum taught me."
The phonograph started again and they danced a couple minutes more.
"You know, Hermione, we've graduated."
"Well-spotted," she said, jokingly.
"We'll separate tomorrow," he continued seriously. "Harry and I will go start our Auror training and it will be months before I will see you. You'll get a job and I'll be an Auror. We'll never be able to each other once that happens. Life will separate us."
"I don't want that to happen," Hermione said quietly into his shoulder.
"Neither do I. I love you, Hermione."
Hermione looked up at him. "So, what can we do about it?"
Ron smiled. "I've been working on that for awhile, actually." He pulled something from his pocket. "Close your eyes."
She complied.
"I've always loved you and I can't go another day like this." He slid a golden ring with a small diamond onto her finger. As he did, her eyes flew open.
"Hermione, I want you to marry me at Christmas."
Tears wee falling from her eyes as she nodded and threw her arms around his neck.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ginny looked away longer than Harry felt was necessary.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
"Harry, I'm not even seventeen yet. I'm not ready for marriage."
"I know. But I've talked it over with your parents and we can wait until you're ready, after you graduate."
"No, Harry," she said gently. "I'm not ready to agree to something like this. And I know you're not."
"I'm ready," Harry insisted. "Ginny, we've been dating for two years! Don't you think that it's time to take the plunge?" He grabbed her hand.
"After facing Voldemort, I understand better how important you are to me. I can't lose you."
Ginny met his gaze, tears pooling in her eyes. "Harry, if the whole purpose of you asking me to marry you is so that we can "take the plunge," then I'm positive that you aren't ready for this."
Harry swallowed hard. "What do you mean?"
"I can't marry a little boy."
That hurt a lot. "Little boy?" he asked, seething.
Ginny turned her back to him, disappointed. "Harry, you've given me no reason to believe that you are ready for marriage, but I love you. If I knew for a surety that you were prepared for this, you might be able to persuade me as well." She waited, but Harry said nothing.
"I guess you have your answer. I'm sorry, Harry." She kissed him on the cheek but he turned away. Purposefully, she headed back to the castle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was late when Harry finally returned to the common room. The fire was dying down and two figures were seated on the couch. Harry came around and smiled, though the smile seemed rather forced.
Hermione held up her left hand and the tiny diamond caught the firelight.
"Well done," Harry said heartily. Hermione stood up and he hugged her.
"I'm really happy for you." He released her and Ron extended his hand.
"Congratulations mate," Harry said, then he pulled Ron into a quick embrace.
"Ginny?" Ron asked quietly. Harry shook his head and Ron's face fell.
"It'll be okay," Harry said, clapping his best mate on the shoulder.
"What will?" Hermione asked, curiously.
"Nothing," Harry said, with a half smile. "So, when's the big day?"
"Christmas," Hermione replied.
"Like I said, I'm thrilled for you both. Now, it's late and I think I'll head up to bed."
Harry turned and slowly walked out of the room and up the stairs.
"What's the matter with him?" Hermione asked.
Ron sighed. "Ginny said no."
"He asked her?"
Ron nodded. "Yeah, poor bloke."
"Will he be alright?"
Ron put an arm around her. "I don't know. I just don't know."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
At breakfast the following morning, Professor McGonagall stood to make an announcement.
"Would the graduating seventh years please stay after you eat for a brief assembly?"
The assembly, it turned out, wasn't as brief as expected. Professor McGonagall droned on for a quite a long time, enumerating the many responsibilites that they as adults would have to take on. However, something she said at the end struck Harry strongly.
"We'll face much loss and disappointment in the years to come. Never regret it. As Professor Dumbledore once said, 'Don't look back on the wound, but learn from the pain. That is where you will find your peace.'"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The trio stood alone, standing before the doors as they prepared to leave the school for the last time.
"Do you remember the first time we came here?" Hermione asked.
"Eleven years old," Harry said. "Our whole lives were spent here, growing up, developing our powers." He glanced at Ron and Hermione, holding hands. "Learning to love and learning to let go. How can we leave it?"
"By knowing that what's ahead of us is better than what is behind." Kyla Thomas walked up behind them. "I wasn't here nearly long enough, but I'll miss it." She smiled at them.
"I'm not coming back next year. I've signed on with the Cannons. Training starts this summer."
She shook Harry's hand, then Ron's, and embraced Hermione.
"I'll miss you," she said. "It's been great."
As she walked away, they turned to watch Neville saying goodbye to Luna. Dean walked by with Lavendar and Parvati and they called out their goodbyes.
Hermione sighed. "I guess we're the only one's left."
She gripped Ron's hand on her left and Harry's on her right. As one, they crossed the threshold into a new world.
Woot! Another one begun. To maintain tradition, here we go with the first spoiler!
"She's been. . .dating-"
"Who?" Harry asked, urgently."
There ya go, and please review!
True Love Waits by Narwen3
Chapter Notes: Here we go again!