Now And Forever
Chapter 30

By Abraxan

Finally, the doors opened and they were ushered into an open-air theatre where they’d be served a traditional luau and watch a show featuring dances from the various Pacific islands. A lei made of tiny sea shells was draped around the neck of each guest, and they were offered odd-looking drinks called My Ties — at least, that’s what the name sounded like. Harry and Ginny each took one. They sniffed and then sipped and decided the drinks were tasty.

Long tables like those in Hogwarts’ Great Hall filled the floor area. Harry and Ginny were directed to a table that was already about half full.

"Where are you two from?" a middle-aged woman asked as they sat down. "We’re from Ohio, these folks are from British Columbia, they’re from France, and this other couple is from Germany."

"We’re from England," Ginny replied.

"Lovely! We have quite an international group here, then. First time to Hawaii?"

"Yes," Harry replied, helping Ginny get settled in her seat. He hung her lightweight cardigan over the back of the chair before he sat down.

The people around them chatted about various things, just getting to know each other. Most of them were much older than Harry and Ginny, who just sat holding hands and listening to the ebb and flow of conversation.

"We’re here for our thirtieth anniversary," the lady from British Columbia said. "You two look like you’re about our children’s ages. You can’t have been married for long. Are you on your honeymoon?"

Harry saw no reason to lie about it. "Yes."

Excited congratulations flowed around the table, and each couple shared how long they’d been married. The couple from Ohio had them all beat at 37 years. Harry felt his cheeks heat up a bit at the gentle teasing from the older couples. A glance at his wife made him forget his embarrassment. Her cheeks were suffused in a pretty blush that made her just that much more beautiful. He smiled and slid his arm around her back, playing with a tendril of her hair as they chatted to their dinner companions.

When they went through the serving line and chose their food, Harry and Ginny took some poi at the urging of the servers. Like the others who tried it, they soon found out that poi wasn’t something they would miss when they left Hawaii.

Harry leaned toward Ginny and murmured, "Now we can say we’ve had it, so we never have to eat it again!"

Ginny laughed. "Good!"

The servers kept the guests glasses filled with whatever they’d started with. Harry began to feel warm and relaxed, which surprised him a little, given that they were surrounded by strangers who kept asking questions about him and Ginny that he might normally consider prying. Something about the drink made his head buzz, but it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. Maybe it was the fruit in it, he wasn’t sure. It didn’t seem to be any stronger than butterbeer, but he’d never had a buzz from butterbeer. The slight frown line that had appeared between his eyebrows eased as he gazed at his table companions. There was a general feeling of friendliness about these people, so he didn’t feel a need to worry. Ginny seemed to be enjoying their attention, so he left her to deal with the social graces and just enjoyed watching her chat with the others with growing animation. But the next time the server came to refill their glasses, Harry did wandless magic to remove the alcohol from the drink, leaving it tasting like fruit punch. He smiled, pleased with his spell. He certainly didn’t want to get drunk and forget about a single moment of his honeymoon.

Ginny leaned toward him and whispered, "You did something to the drinks, didn’t you?" He nodded. She smiled at him and kissed the end of his nose. "You’re a wizard, Harry. Well done!"

He laughed aloud, startled by her teasing comment. Before he could come up with a snappy reply, the woman from Ohio asked them a direct question.

"Where in England do you live?" she said. "My husband and I went to England to celebrate our thirty-fifth anniversary. We toured a lot of the country. It’s just lovely there."

Ginny hesitated and looked at Harry, who picked up the conversational ball. "We live in London."

"Oh, we just loved London!" the woman enthused. "And what do you do?"

Harry smiled and gave the safest answer he could manage. "I’m in school."

"What are you studying?"

"Law enforcement," he said, grateful that he’d thought out his answers to such questions before the trip.

"So you’ll be a police officer?" the man from Germany said in his thick accent. "I, too, am a police officer."

Harry just smiled, uncertain what to say next. Fortunately for him, the announcer came on the stage and began introducing the evening’s entertainment. He was joined on the stage by Polynesian men and women in a variety of native costumes, some carrying musical instruments, others carrying what looked like gourds with clusters of feathers coming out of the small ends. These turned out to be rattles that they shook while dancing.

As the show progressed, the music went from throbbing, exciting rhythms to lovely tunes that Harry thought felt like a spell being cast around him. If it was a spell, it was a pleasant one, not anything scary. He soon changed his mind, though, when, after a few performances by the professional dancers, the announcer said he wanted some volunteers to learn how to hula. The British Columbians at his table waved and called out that their group included a pair of honeymooners, which prompted the luau staff to invite Harry and Ginny to join others who had volunteered or been offered the chance to get on stage and learn to hula.

"Uh, no, I don’t dance well," Harry told the pretty young woman who invited him and Ginny to try the dance.

"Come on, Harry," Ginny said, getting to her feet and giving him a teasing grin. "How often do you get a chance to hula?"

"Not often," he admitted, standing up and following her and the young woman toward the stage. He leaned toward Ginny and whispered, "You’re going to owe me for this!" She just glanced at him over her shoulder and gave him an arch look, then ran up the stairs onto the stage.

"And here we have our honeymooners, right?" the host said when Harry joined Ginny on the stage.

"Yes," Ginny said with a pretty blush.

"Married how long?" the host asked.

"Three days," Ginny replied.

The host turned to the crowd, which was already cheering and applauding in response to her answer. "Three days! And she already has him trained to do what she wants!" Hearty laughter greeted his comment.

The host held his microphone in front of Harry. "What are your names and where are you from?"

"Harry and Ginny, and we’re from England," Harry replied.

"Aloha and welcome to Hawaii! We’re about to separate you and your pretty bride!"

Harry looked at the man in surprise for a moment. The announcer grinned, clapped Harry on the shoulder, then stepped away from him and the other tourists, who were now surrounded by the professional dancers. The men were drawn to one side of the stage, the women to the other. The professionals showed each group the basic moves they’d be doing.

Harry watched the dancers in front of his group carefully, determined not to make a fool of himself in front of all these strangers. The moves weren’t that hard. He just had to squat a bit, snap his knees apart and back together twice, make certain movements with his hands—sort of like thrusting a spear, he thought—then jump and turn and start the movements over. Okay, that shouldn’t be too hard. Then the music started.

Harry was doing pretty well until he did the jump and turn bit. Then he noticed Ginny in his line of sight and lost track of what he was supposed to be doing. She seemed to be a natural at the hula. Her hips swayed in perfect time to the music, and her hand motions and the little steps she made were elegant and fluid, much like the professional dancers. She was laughing, her cheeks flushed a very fetching shade of pink. Harry gulped and remembered to do the knee snaps but lost track of his other motions until they jumped again. He managed to keep up with the motions until he chanced a glance at Ginny again. The laughter of the crowd reminded him that he was supposed to be doing something himself, not just staring at her. I was moving! Maybe not the right way, but I was in time with the music! He shook his head and laughed at himself, then got back into the rhythm of the dance. Fortunately, it didn’t last much longer. Also fortunately, Harry noticed that the other tourists in the dance group were laughing at their own mistakes as well as his.

After several group bows, the participants were allowed to return to their seats. Harry noticed Ginny’s cheeks were still pink. "Have fun?"

"Yes! You?"

"I was glad to be part of an entire group of incompetent dancers, rather than being the only incompetent one," he said with a grin.

"You weren’t incompetent! I watched you! You really got that knee snap part."

He laughed. "That was the only part I got right, believe me! But you were brilliant! You’re a natural!"

"No, I’m not, but it was great fun!"

"Don’t argue with me, wife! Next thing you know, they’ll be dying your hair black and putting a grass skirt on you so you can join the show!"

"I’ll insist you be part of the company, or I won’t accept the job," she said with a pert smile.

They sat down amid a round of compliments and teasing comments from their dinner companions. Ginny sat sideways in her chair to see the stage better, since the chairs were a bit crowded together. Harry pulled his chair even closer to hers and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back to lean against his chest. She turned and looked up at him and whispered, "You make a wonderful seat back."

"I’ll add that to my résumé."

Harry sighed contentedly as Ginny relaxed against him. He rested his cheek against her head, drinking in the scent of her warm skin and the hint of sunshine and wind still wafting from her hair. He smiled at the thought that he didn’t have to worry about who was looking at them or whether anyone would be annoyed by him enjoying his time with her. She was his wife. It was his right to enjoy her to his heart’s content. He twined a length of her hair around a finger, enjoying its silkiness.

"Harry?" Ginny murmured.

"Hmm?"

"Are you paying attention to the show?"

"Mm-hmm." He ran his fingers lightly through the hair lying on her shoulder, then sat back when she turned to look at him. "What?"

She shook her head and smiled at him. "You paid a lot to see this show and you’re not even watching it, you silly man."

"I have the best show in town right here." He kissed her nose and smiled at her.

"I love you too," she whispered, then turned and settled back in his arms. "Pay attention to the show! There will be a quiz later."

That startled him. "Huh?"

She giggled. "Gotcha."

"Yes, you do. Wrapped tightly around your little finger."

"Around every one of my fingers," she said with great confidence.

He chuckled and nuzzled her neck. "You noticed that, did you?"

"Yes. Now shush!"

He settled his arms around her comfortably and gave her a little squeeze, then tried to follow her instructions and pay attention to the show. He managed it at least part of the time.

* * * * *

Back in their room, Harry hung up his Hawaiian shirt and folded his jeans neatly before putting them back in the drawer. Ginny was humming in the bathroom as she got ready for bed. One of the songs in the show had caught her fancy and she’d hummed it all the way back to the hotel.

Stripping off his underwear, Harry tossed it in their laundry bag, then padded barefoot to the bed, unwrapped and ate the mint from his side of the turned-down covers and lay down. He sighed, realizing he should brush his teeth again, since he’d eaten the mint.

He glanced toward the bathroom, considering whether to drag himself out of bed to go re-brush his teeth, then shook his head. He could almost hear Ron’s voice: Are you a wizard or not? With a chuckle, he pointed his wand at his mouth and cast a very light cleaning charm, then ran his tongue over his teeth, pleased with the results of the charm.

After taking off his glasses and putting them on the night table, Harry flicked his wand to turn out the lights, then magically opened the drapes, leaving just the sheer white curtains across the slightly open door to the lanai. The night breeze carried the scent of the flowers blooming in the hotel garden several stories below.

Harry set his wand on the night table, then lay back on his pillow with the covers still thrown back, enjoying the cool breeze dancing across his skin and the soothing sound of the ocean. Hawaii really was paradise. The weather was perfect, the scenery lush, and nobody recognized them anywhere they went. He wondered if he could convince Ginny to live here. Speaking of Ginny, what was taking her so long in the bathroom? She was still humming, so he supposed she was okay, but she would normally have joined him in bed several minutes ago.

He got up on one elbow and looked toward the bathroom door. "Are you okay in there?"

"Don’t get your knickers in a twist, I’ll be out in a minute," she called, laughter in her voice.

He lay back on his pillow again, his hands folded behind his head. She’s up to something. He grinned. When Ginny sounded that pleased with herself, he was in for a treat!

When the door to the bathroom finally opened, the bathroom light flashed out before he could see her. He saw the moonlight flash along the length of her wand as she cast a spell. The air in the room seemed softer now, sweet and fresh as a dewy early morning in Scotland. Quiet music began, the sound apparently coming from the walls themselves — Harry felt surrounded by it. Hawaiian guitars and ukuleles, some soft drum sounds and gently shaken rattles, then the sound of voices singing in lush harmonies joined the instruments. He grabbed his glasses and put them on so he could see what she was up to.

As the singing began, Ginny emerged from the bathroom, her body glowing with the faint luminescence of reflected moonlight. She moved across the room until she stood silhouetted in front of the glass doors to the lanai. Her hair rippled down her back. The orchids she’d been collecting from their meals had been conjured into a crown that circled her head. She wore only the sheer slip she’d worn under her dress, which was made nearly invisible by the moonlight streaming in through the window behind her. Her hips swayed gently, her hands moving gracefully in a hula to the music surrounding her.

Harry’s mouth went dry as he stared at his wife dancing so sensuously just for him. He recognized the song as the one she’d been humming, one of those from the show that night. He swallowed hard, the music flowing over his skin like the most tender caress of Ginny’s fingertips, like the feeling of her hair lightly skimming his chest as she bent to kiss him.

As she turned, moonlight haloed her body, giving a soft glow to the shape of her breasts, the curve of her legs, the lovely swell of her hips. The light slid smoothly across the silky white slip, giving her body glistening highlights that shifted with her movement. Her hair shimmered with fiery highlights as she swayed. Harry had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

Harry felt the spell of the music drawing him to her. Slowly, slowly he rose to his feet and moved toward her. She was still dancing, gazing up at him, her hips swaying, her hands tracing graceful figures in the air. Harry put his hands on her hips, letting them move with her motion. She slid her arms around his neck, still dancing, still entrancing him with her every movement. Harry pulled her to him and kissed her, his hands gliding down the silkiness of her slip and back up again, slowly, sensuously, until she stopped dancing and stood gasping and trembling in his arms. Harry picked her up and carried her to the bed, where he rewarded her for that lovely dance in every way he could think of.

* * * * *

As they floated near the ceiling, reveling in the afterglow of their lovemaking, Harry kissed his wife on the nose and gazed at her, glad she was in focus when she was so close to him. One or the other of them had removed his glasses at some point, which usually happened, but neither could ever recall who did it. "I have to ask — what took you so long in the bathroom?"

Ginny’s deliciously wicked chuckle made shivers run down Harry’s spine. "I was rehearsing."

He laughed and cast the spell to let them back down to the bed gently, tasting the hollow of her neck as they descended. As they settled back on the bed, he got up on one elbow and looked down at her, then gave the tip of her nose the lightest possible lick. "And what do you have prepared for an encore?"

She laughed again and slid her arms around his neck, pulling him down into a kiss. "I’ll think of something," she murmured against his lips.