*End of Summer*
The summer had been brief, lighter than a whisper. Melody wanted to cling to every last perfect sunset and each twilight walk, but the school year was fast approaching. She would have to move back into her suite at the school the next day. Packing up the few things she had brought from her suite to the Burrow, Melody tried to ignore Harry who was hovering over her.
“Come on, Mel, stop packing and enjoy your last day with me,” he pleaded as he moved up close behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“I tried to do this yesterday, but someone kept throwing my trunk off the bed,” she replied, setting down the last of her textbooks and placing her arms over Harry’s.
From underneath her, she felt his arms moving for the trunk again, but she spun quickly and laid her body over the half-packed luggage. It seemed like a good idea to keep Harry from interrupting her by throwing it again, but instead he locked an arm on either side of her waist. His hands became buried in her layers of clothes as he pressed his body against hers and kissed her.
“Oh, alright,” Melody said letting him remove the trunk from underneath her.
That night, Mrs. Weasley prepared a huge meal to send off all of her children that had gathered at the Burrow in the last few days. Ginny was there with Collin and Ron and Hermione sat across from them as Mrs. Weasley placed a large bowl of boiled potatoes in front of Melody.
“All packed, dear,” Molly asked her as Arthur took a seat beside Harry.
Melody nodded despite the piles of references she still had sitting about the room she had secretly shared with Harry for the summer.
The group tore into the wonderful food in front of them and laughed and enjoyed yet another pleasant evening at the Burrow. Just as Molly was pulling out a divine looking cake, Ginny decided to stand and make an announcement.
“Mom, Dad, and everyone else “ I’m pregnant.”
Everyone was completely thrown for a loop, but the silence that caught the group only lasted for a second as Mrs. Weasley burst into hysterics, nearly dropping her cake.
A million words came out of her mouth as she latched on to her only daughter and wept. Mr. Weasley rose steadily from his chair and crossed to Collin. They exchanged the general congratulatory handshake and it was done. They both returned to their seats and watched as Molly spun a very overwhelmed Ginny in circles.
Out in the garden after the sun was completely gone, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Melody lounged looking up at the night sky.
“I can’t believe Ginny is actually having a baby,” Ron said, breaking the long lived silence.
“What’s so hard to believe?” Hermione asked.
“That my little sister is going to be a mum.”
“Do you think she’s too young?” Melody asked, slipping in closer to Harry.
“No,” Ron replied immediately, “Mum already had Bill and Charlie by the time she was Ginny’s age.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Nothing. I can’t wait to have kids,” Ron said putting his around Hermione.
“You’re going to have to,” she snapped back, “I am too far into the research library right now to think about kids.”
“Always with the bloody research library, Hermione! What’s more important to you, me or it?!” Ron said, sharply removing his arm.
Harry and Melody sensed a good old Ron versus Hermione argument coming on, so they stole the opportunity to head out on one of their long walks.
As soon as the sound of Ron and Hermione yelling faded away, Harry acknowledged an immediate problem of their own.
“I have some good news,” he began slowly, “There have been sightings of Draco Malfoy, and Gryson thinks he has secured a spy into his inner circle to track him. We’ll be able to catch him.”
“That’s great!” Melody said grasping his hand.
“Yeah, but it also means that I am going to have to stick pretty close to the Ministry to be available at all times.”
“Oh,” Melody replied timidly.
She was thrilled to hear that Draco was going to be put behind bars where he should be, but a selfish monster inside of her hated to think about all the time lost with Harry.
“How is this going to work, Mel, with you at the school and me stuck in town?”
Melody had no idea, but she confidently gave him an option.
“You can visit me every chance you get. I used to see Hermione in Hogsmeade every night.”
“Why can’t you just live in town with me and Disapparate to Hogsmeade every morning for classes?” he asked, obviously not pleased with Melody’s plan.
“You know they don’t let teachers do that unless they’re married. I told you that.”
Harry was quiet for a long stretch of their walk before stopping Melody in her tracks. He placed a hand on either one of her elbows and held her very still.
“Then why don’t we get married?” he asked.
His face was glowing over his great idea, but Melody was far more cautious. As happy as they were right now, they had only been reunited for a short time. Everything was still very new again and Melody didn’t feel right jumping into something as serious as marriage when they had such a shaky history.
“Oh, Harry,” she began, “You know that wouldn’t be a good idea “ not now at least. I’ll come see you every night in town if I must, but I can’t marry you yet.”
“We’re adults now, Mel,” he replied, “We both know we are going to get married eventually, so why don’t we just do it now so that we can have this whole mess settled.”
“I’m sorry, Harry “ not yet.”
Melody could tell that this conversation just might have ruined his summer. As much as she hated to leave him the next morning, she had to, no matter how important it was that she was with him at that very moment.