Awake Early One Morning

Harry lay awake in bed. After almost seven years of marriage, Ginny was still a surprise to him. They had made love all night long, starting first with hours of whispered words of love. Nothing was rushed between them; everything took its time. The removal of clothing, the foreplay. The lusty yet loving stares they exchanged. The sex, too, was not rushed. And after it was over, Ginny had nestled herself cozily into Harry's arms.

They had talked about the past, about Harry's overcoming Voldemort. Ginny listened as Harry talked about the death of Professor Dumbledore. They talked about Ron, on his honeymoon with his new bride, Luna. They talked about Hermione's on-again, off-again relationship with Draco.

They had talked about the present, about what they had done the day before and what their plans for the upcoming days entailed. They talked of Lily, their sweet four year old daughter with scarlet colored hair and eyes like her fathers.

They had talked about the future, about the two of them having more kids and taking them to see the world. They talked about what Lily's time at Hogwarts might bring. They talked about growing old together, laying in bed lazily and laughing about silly little things before getting up and starting their days.

And somewhere after hours of conversation, Ginny had fallen asleep. Harry stayed awake, watching the early morning sun reflect off of Ginny's hair. He gently stroked her shoulder, simply amazed at the amazing gift he had been given. As he watched her sleep, he didn't hear his door creak open until he saw a flash of red out of the corner of his eye.

"What's the matter, Lily? Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I couldn't sleep," Lily whispered, coming up to her father and dragging a stuffed teddy bear behind her. "Can I stay here with you and mommy?"

Harry lifted her up and chuckled. "As long as you promise not to wake mommy up. Then it's okay."

Lily mimed zipping her lips shut and tossing away a key. She crawled into the narrow space between her parents. Ginny grunted a little, but moved over and went back to sleep. "Good night, daddy," she whispered, turning around to give Harry a kiss.

"Good night, princess," Harry whispered back.

It was quiet for a few minutes. Harry savored the sound of his wonderful wife breathing in time with her daughter. And then Lily spoke.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, princess?"

"When are Uncle Ron and Aunt Luna coming back?"

Harry smiled. "Soon, sweetie," he promised.

"Where did they go?"

"They got married, remember? When two people get married, they go away for a while on vacation."

"You mean like Disney World?" Lily asked.

Harry smiled as he remembered his own honeymoon. "I guess some people go to Disney World."

This seemed to satisfy his daughter, as she simply said "oh" and fell silent again. "Daddy?"

"Yes, princess?"

"Uncle Ron loves Aunt Luna a lot, right?"

Harry chuckled again. "Yes, Lily. He loves her very much."

"Oh. Okay. Good night, daddy."

Harry kissed his daughter good night, although the sun was already up, and they would have to wake her up in an hour or so, or else she wouldn't sleep at night. It made Harry happy to worry about silly little things like waking his daughter up so she would sleep as opposed to saving the world. He fell in love with Ginny Weasley again every time he looked at her. She was his soul mate, and despite being together for almost ten years, seven of them in sheer wedded bliss, the love had never faded.

He thought of Ron and Luna on their honeymoon, coincidentally at Disney World for a week before setting off for the Virgin Islands. It had been a beautiful ceremony that brought all the Weasley's together. Even Percy had put aside his grudge to watch his younger brother get married. Luna had selected Ginny, Hermione, and Fleur Delacour to be her bridesmaids. Harry's heart had nearly stopped as he watched Ginny walk down the aisle in her lovely blue dress.

He thought of their own wedding, of Ginny looking like a fairy-tale princess in her perfect white gown. It had been just the beginning of forever for the two of them. Ron, of course, has been his best man. After the ceremony, Mr. Weasley had embraced Harry, calling him "son." It meant so much to him, officially being a part of the family even though he had considered himself an honorary member for years before.

Lily's soft voice brought him back from his thoughts. "Daddy?"

"Yes, princess?"

"Do you love mommy?"

Harry smiled. "Yes, I do."

"How much?"

Harry fell silent for a minute, trying to put into words how he felt about Ginny. "I love your mother more than life itself, Lily. I would die for her, follow her to the depths of hell for her. I would die without her." He tapped his daughter's nose. "Your mother is my angel. Without her, I would be nothing."

Lily pondered this for a minute, the words lost on her youth. "Okay." She yawned. "I'm going to go back to sleep now. Good night, daddy. I love you."

"I love you too, Lily. Good night."

And so Lily pushed her mother out of her fathers arms and fell asleep there, inhaling the scent of the two of them on Harry's t-shirt. Harry, too, fell back asleep. But Ginny lay awake, silently taking in the whole conversation between her husband and her daughter. She turned around, kissed Lily's forehead, kissed Harry's as well, and drifted off to sleep.