24th December 1999

Ginny looked at her reflection in the mirror and sighed deeply to herself. The deep midnight blue satin was gorgeous and complimented her fiery hair and alabaster complexion perfectly. Hermione's knowledge of Muggle London was patchy and disjointed, but they had found the perfect dress in only one afternoon once Ginny had decided against wearing dress robes to the Harpy's Christmas party.

Ginny could not help but smile and think of what Harry would think about it when he saw it; she then remembered that Harry was not going to be attending the party with her tonight. In the six months since she had finished school and joined the Holyhead Harpies, Harry had accompanied her to all the social events and this would be the first one he would miss. Her feelings of abandonment were unwarranted: Harry had been called away by the Aurors and he was not expected back for another few days. It was a shame that he would miss Christmas in the meantime.

Knocked out of her reverie by a tap on the door, Ginny allowed her roommate and fellow Harpy Grace into her room. Grace looked gobsmacked as entered the room and took in Ginny's dress as she compared their reflections in the tall mirror. Grace was tall and athletic in figure, a dark brunette with bright blue eyes and deeply tanned skin. Her scarlet dress flowed around her seductively and enhanced her well-earned and carefully maintained reputation as a man eater.

"Looking good Weasley! Are you good to go? The press are going to want photos, especially seeing as how it's Christmas Eve. Although what for is above and beyond me. My journalist 'friend' tells me that it's something to do with seeing us celebrating just like everybody else."

Ginny suppressed a chuckle at Grace's nonchalance. Her posing abilities were second to none; especially if there was a new gentleman 'friend' on her arm.

"I'll have to catch up. I've got some bits to finish off first"

Grace left Ginny reluctantly and after protesting, but closed the door again behind her. Ginny heard Grace and their two other housemates leave shortly afterwards. Ginny continued to stare at her reflection before suddenly grabbing her wand from the dresser to her left, seizing her best black cloak from its hook in the hallway and leaving the apartment, almost slamming the door in her haste. She had Apparated away before she got more than three feet from their stoop.

Harry was apprehensive as he approached his front door. Not more than an hour ago, his security alarm had gone off. Linked to a Hermione-altered Muggle pager he kept with him at all times, Harry ensured that his private abode in London was sheltered while he was working away. Raising his wand and edging slowly into his apartment, the evident breeze from the wide open window was cold and bracing, adding to the mysterious aura emanating from the darkened room as Harry mentally took inventory of his meagre belongings. Realising that nothing was missing and ensuring the main room of the apartment was secure, Harry then turned to the window. He fought the dancing curtains and shunted the sash window down into its frame tightly, grateful that magic helped this action to run smooth and silently.

Turning to glance round at the room once more, Harry could sense that something felt different. There was nothing wrong, but something had definitely changed since his departure nearly a week ago.

Stalking quickly and silently across the kitchen towards the back corridor, Harry checked the second bedroom, a room he'd been using as a study since Ron moved out nearly a month earlier, before ducking through the door into the slightly larger main bedroom. Again, the window in here was open, but the reason was obvious this time. Ginny was curled up tightly in the bed, fast asleep wearing one of Harry's favourite t-shirts, completely unaware of his presence.

Chuckling silently to himself and cursing his own foolishness at jumping to conclusions, he stowed his wand and backed out of the room pulling the door quietly behind him. He poured himself a strong drink in the kitchen and, returning to the small but functional study, he wrote his report about the week's activities up to the point where he had had to leave to deal with his 'security issue'. It took longer than usual, maybe because of the hour, but mostly, he thought to himself, because of the beautiful distraction waiting for him next door.

Finally finishing his report in the early hours of the morning, he Vanished it meaningfully to his desk at the Ministry; Harry strode through the door into the adjoining bathroom and, stripping off his clothing, Banished them to the laundry hamper in the corner. Harry showered, allowing the heat and steam to soak through him as he washed a week's worth of muck down the drain.

Turning the tap off and wrapping himself in a towel, he tip-toed as quietly as possible into the bedroom and rummaged through a drawer to find some pyjama bottoms to sleep in. Seeing as how Ginny was sleeping in his pyjama top, he was left bare-chested, but doubted that Ginny would have any objections to the view. Now bone-tired from the long working week and the hot shower, Harry slid into the bed beside Ginny. Laying his arm over her she suddenly turned over, her eyes wide open for less than a second as she recognised him. Closing her eyes again and smiling contentedly, she wrapped herself into her favourite position, tucked into his side her arms enclosing him in an embrace.

It wasn't long before sleep was forgotten and the young couple were twisted around each other, kissing fiercely and allowing each other to explore their bodies, not for the first time. They hadn't realised how much they'd missed each other until they had reunited and it wasn't long before the two of them were breathless. Harry looked into her eyes, the most beautiful he'd ever seen them, and told her he loved her before starting to back away, as he always had before. Ginny instead pulled him close again and, returning his proclamation, and kissing him passionately again.

He pulled away, if only slightly and silently asked the question. They'd discussed sex before, been in this position and situation before, but never felt ready. Harry didn't want to make her feel pressured. They were both aware it would happen eventually; after all they had the rest of their lives together.

"Yes." Her voice was quiet, but Harry heard and, with a rush of emotion for her, kissed her gently before they started to make love for the first time.

A short while later, though it felt like a lifetime and wrapped firmly around each other, the couple fell asleep.

Ginny squirmed slightly as Harry reached over her to stop the alarm clock buzzing. She was still half asleep, but very aware that the arm draped over her head was still shuffling about long after the clock was silenced. She waited patiently, Harry obviously still thinking she was sleeping soundly, and he eventually stopped routing in his bedside table, for she now realised that was what he was doing. Whether he'd found the object of his quest or not, his arm stilled, but stayed where it was and she dozed a little longer before she felt Harry move beside her, as of trying to see if she was awake yet. Tempted though she was to pretend a little longer, she put him out of his misery.

"I'm awake Harry. It's ok." She didn't understand why she whispered, they were the only two in the whole apartment, but it was a behaviour that was mirrored by Harry.

"Sorry, did I wake you?"

"Yes, but like I said, it's ok. What's bothering you?" She turned around in his arms, twisting so she could face him. There was something in his eyes she couldn't place, but it didn't concern her. He seemed certain and spoke with confidence.

"Merry Christmas, Ginny" he spoke normally this time, and they smiled at each other, kissing briefly, before he broke the silence once more. "I have a present for you." He smiled at the joyful glow that filled her eyes.

"Really? I thought we agreed to swap presents at The Burrow later?"

"We did, and you have a present under your parents tree, but I didn't want an audience when I gave you this" intrigued, Ginny's eyes lit up again as the arm hovering over her neck withdrew towards Harry and slowly brought a very small velvet case into her line of sight. It was black, with silver lining the edges and Ginny grew anxious as she realised what might be small enough to fit inside. Shuffling against him, Ginny fought to sit up in as Harry also shifted into a better position in which to talk. Neither of them cared that they were still not wearing any clothes.

"Harry!" the tension in her voice was thick, the panic in her voice clear.

"Look, I know what you're going to say," he held a hand out to stop her interrupting and, once she got the message, took her left hand in his right one, their hands meeting across their bodies, "I know we've talked about this as a 'one day' and an 'in the future' but I know how I feel about you. More importantly, you know how I feel about you and I know you feel the same way.

"So many people are going to tell us that we're too young, that we have the rest of our lives to do, well, do whatever we want. They're right; we do have the rest of our lives, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Last night: coming home to find you here and finally being able to show you how much I love you proved it; I don't want to spend another night without you. Ginny, will you marry me?" He opened the treasure box in his free hand to reveal an understated, but nevertheless exquisite engagement ring. Its beauty was undeniable but its lack of extravagance suited the two of them perfectly.

There was a short silence, but it seemed, to Harry, to last a lifetime. Someone, he couldn't recall who, had once told him that this was the longest silence he would ever have to endure. He couldn't help but think in that moment that they had a very good point.

"Yes."

It was such a small answer, in such a small voice, that Harry wasn't sure for a moment that she'd said it; but he saw the answer in her eyes too – just like last night, her eyes were filled with love for him. She leaned across the trivial distance between them and kissed him. It wasn't long before the newly engaged couple remembered they weren't wearing anything and returned to the previous night's activities.

They were late to Christmas lunch that year, but once their family, for that was who they were to Harry now, saw the distinctive ring, all was forgotten in the chaos of congratulations and festive celebrations.

A/N: A few notes on the title, oblique as it may be. My school diary has quotes along the bottom of the pages and one quote caught my eye the other day, about yes and no being the oldest, but most difficult answers to give… anyway, it stuck with me and when trying to think of a title for this, it came back to me, hence the title. Hope that makes sense. I'll post the actual quote on my profile page, for reference!