There's nobody here, it's just you and me,
It's where I wanna be
But I hardly know this beauty by my side
I'll never forget, the way you look tonight
"Lady in Red" by Chris DeBurgh
Harry woke up in the middle of the night slowly taking in his surroundings. Rubbing his eyes and putting on his glasses, the hotel suite slowly came into view. The alarm clock on the bedside table next to him told him it was too early to be awake. The limited light the moon provided through the split curtains revealed a mixture of rumpled dress robes, trousers, and a shirt that lay in a crumpled heap near the foot of the bed next to two opened trunks. The only item of clothing that was shown any respect was a pale ivory wedding dress that lay carefully on the armchair in the corner next to two pairs of uncomfortable his and her shoes.
Memories of a few hours ago started to replay themselves in his mind’s eye.
Harry stood in front of a handful of his closest friends and family waiting for the most beautiful woman in his life to walk down the aisle to meet him. The sun was just beginning to set, coloring the sky in swirls of pink and purple.
Harry wondered how Ginny was doing. He hadn’t seen her in two days and was anxious to see her, to be with her and talk to her. Just a few more minutes and he’d finally be able to see her.
As the sun started to go down, the surrounding trees began to shimmer, no doubt, from the light of actual fairies. He kept looking down the aisle, trying to catch a glimpse of her through the archway decorated with ivy and white roses now sparkling with fairy lights, but he couldn’t see anything past the foliage.
“I know what you’re trying to do, and trust me, you won’t be able to see her,” Ron whispered from behind Harry.
“What? Why not?”
“Hermione cast a Disillusionment Charm on Ginny, so you won’t be able to see her just yet.”
“That’s not fair,” Harry said indignantly. “Can you see her? How does she look?”
“Gorgeous,” Neville said from behind Ron, sounding a bit punch-drunk.
“NEVILLE!”
“That’s my wife.”
“That’s my sister.”
“Sorry, just stating a fact.” Harry noticed Neville didn’t look at all sorry.
The music cued and Harry watched as Luna, followed by Hermione, walked down the aisle, each clutching a small bouquet of mixed roses. Both witches wore lilac colored dresses, but the styles of the dresses were different. Ginny encouraged Luna and Hermione to find their own dresses just as long as they were the same in shade and color. Luna’s dress was just as unique in style as she was in life. Hermione’s dress was long and off the shoulder. Harry could have sworn he heard Ron say ‘Whoa’.
The music changed and everyone stood up and turned around toward the dazzling, flower-filled archway. He could see Mr Weasley standing under the archway with his arm linked with Ginny’s arm.
Everything around Harry seemed to fade and blur, except for the gorgeous figure walking toward him. Walking down the aisle, Ginny looked radiant in a sleeveless off the shoulder, pale ivory wedding dress. The dress clung to her body and flared out a bit at the hips. Her long red hair was half up away from her face and hung in long tendrils down her back. A few of the fairies from the archway started to follow behind her, as if they too, had been hypnotized by such beauty.
As Ginny got closer to him, Harry noticed she only had eyes for him. She winked at him and gave him a smile. Harry noticed her eyes were shining with tears. He would have forgotten what he was supposed to do next if it wasn't for her father's help. Mr Weasley lightly touched Harry’s arm to get his attention and with a watery smile he held out his right hand for Harry to shake. Harry swallowed thickly as a lump in his throat started to form. He bypassed the outstretched hand and enveloped Arthur in a hug.
“Congratulations, son.”
Harry nodded his head as the lump in his throat wouldn’t let him say anything, so he didn’t. Ginny kissed her father on the cheek as a single tear fell down. Mr Weasley smiled and offered Ginny’s hand to Harry.
Harry vaguely heard the Ministry official say ‘Who gives this witch to this wizard…’ He just wanted to gaze at Ginny again and again and catalogue every detail of how beautiful she looked on their special day.
They were finally married. No more would Harry have to sneak in and out of Ginny’s bedroom at the Burrow in the middle of the night, no more would she have to leave his flat early in the morning to go back home. She was home. Ginny would be the first thing he’d see in the morning and the last thing he would see before going to sleep.
Harry turned on his side and gazed at the beautiful sleeping form next to him.
Ginny, his brand new wife, slept soundly on her stomach facing him. Her striking red hair cascaded behind her along her pillow providing the only vibrant color to the white bed clothes. Her small silhouette tucked comfortably under the sheet exposing only her shoulders. Harry lightly feathered her shoulders with his fingertips, any excuse to touch her. The bare skin was calling to him like a Snitch waiting to be caught. Ginny stirred at this touch, but didn’t wake. Her outstretched hand found his and held it. Harry lightly caressed her hand tracing lazy circles with his thumb.
Harry should really be asleep after enduring a night like tonight. They had to be up early tomorrow to catch a Portkey to Rome for their much awaited honeymoon. He was looking forward to finally being able to go on a proper holiday with Ginny. Not just for a weekend where they just “happen” to be in the same place, and “coincidentally” staying at the same hotel the exact same weekend she had an away match and he had a “free” weekend. No, this time they would be on holiday for ten glorious days as a married couple. Ten days of not having to think of anything but what they wanted to do or if they even wanted to leave the hotel. Ten days of no interruptions, or cases to work on, or schedules to interrupt them.
Ah, ten blissful days alone with Ginny and a bed. Holidays didn’t get much better than that, thought Harry.
Harry was too restless to go to back to sleep just yet. For once in his life it wasn’t a nightmare or a difficult case that had woke him up out of a dead sleep. It seemed silly, but it was just the need to look at Ginny that had stirred him awake. An unexplainable urge to touch her, to remind himself she was real, that this life he now had with her was genuine and not some dream he would one day wake up from.
Harry let go of her hand for a moment to brush a lock of hair away from her face. Ginny made a noise that sounded like a sigh and turned on her side facing away from him.
There were some nights, not unlike tonight, when he would wonder what he ever did to deserve a life like this, to be able to have such a beauty like Ginny by his side.
The more Harry thought about it, Ginny had always been there with him from the beginning. Even though she hadn’t directly spoken to him the first couple of years, she faithfully stood by him, silently supporting him. Harry had never felt like he was alone in any fight. She had always been there fighting alongside him. And on those dark days she had held him and had helped pick up the pieces when he had fallen apart.
Ginny knew exactly when to leave him alone to brood and when to push him to talk. Some of the best times they had together were those quiet times when they didn’t have to say anything to each other.
Harry smiled, taking comfort in the simple fact that Ginny knew him better than anyone else. At times it was scary and yet a relief, to have someone like her in his life who could read him so well.
Harry’s eyes started to get heavy with sleep. He turned on his side, snaked his arm around Ginny’s waist, holding her close to him. She gave a little moan and pushed her bum against him.
One thing about Ginny would remain true for Harry as long as he lived. He would never forget the way she looked tonight.
This Beauty By My Side by kalae_zoe
Story Notes:
Special thanks to jennyelf for being a great beta and for giving me that extra push to finish this when I started to whine about deadlines.
This story was written as part of the hg_silverlining lj community song lyric fic challenge.