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When Did You Know | ||||
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Category: Post-HBP Characters:Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley Genres: Fluff Warnings: None Story is Complete Rating: G Reviews: 15 Summary: One-Shot - Harry reflects on the moment he knew he would spend the rest of his life with Ginny. Hitcount: Story Total: 4297 Author's Notes: First Fan-Fic. Be gentle. Of course, all characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I take no credit, this is just a scene I think would be cute. |
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Most people, when faced with the same question, would have to concentrate to remember. When had he known it was Ginny, only Ginny? Harry needn't hesitate, even for an instant. He remembered that moment every day of his life... Ginny had been so strong when he told her they couldn't see each other any longer. He was sure she didn't like it....Merlin, he wasn't happy about it either. But it had to be done. He knew it was his fault that people were dying. His fault Cedric died...His fault Sirius died...His fault Dumbledore died. He couldn't risk her as well. So she went home to the burrow, with a strong facade and a whispered "I'll always love you, and I'll be waiting" in Harry's ear when they parted at Kings Cross Station. She had no idea the affect she had on him. It took every bit of strength he could muster not to grab her in his arms and take her with him. But he needed to control his emotions to protect her. He simply smiled and turned from her. She couldn't be permitted to come with him. It was bad enough Ron and Hermione were insisting on coming with him. But they were in too deep already. Even if they weren't with him, he knew that Voldemort considered them just as dangerous. They had bonded over the years, and were pretty much inseperable. Over the past 4 weeks at the Durselys' their bond had deepened. Harry didn't know if it was because they spend practically every waking minute together, or if it was because they had simply communicated so much while they strategized and prepared for each task they knew they would need to complete soon in order to overcome Voldemort. Whatever the reason, Harry was comforted by the changes they had gone through. It seemed, these days, they could almost read each other's minds. He knew which book Hermione was going to need before she even lifted her head and reached for it. Ron knew when Harry needed encouragement before he could even drop his head in depression. Their minds, their very souls, were very nearly intertwined. They were, for lack of a better explanation, a trinity. And Harry was quite sure that if one of them was mortally wounded, they other two would shortly follow. Either they would all make it out of this alive, or they would all perish. Harry couldn't have let the same thing happen with Ginny. Her life had to continue, even if his didn't. Before any of them realized the time had passed so quickly, it was time to return to the Burrow for the wedding of Bill and Fleur. Harry was torn. He was excited at the prospect of seeing Ginny again, but was terrified of not being able to be with her at the same time. Harry, Ron and Hermione apparated into the garden of the Burrow early on Saturday morning, the day of the wedding. They weren't surprised to see much activity even as early as they arrived. Weasleys were everywhere, doing last minute preparations on Molly's orders. It was moments before they three of them were caught up in the same activity. They were so busy that Harry would only see Ginny fleetingly in passing until after the ceremony. Even during the reception Ginny was kept busy with bridesmaids duties. By the time Harry and Ginny were headed to their separate bedrooms they'd said only a few words to each other. Although they hadn't spoken much, Harry could not deny that he knew she was hurting. Her eyes were dull, and they did not smile when she did. Ginny was as gracious as she could be, but Harry could tell that she was burdened, and that it was his fault. Harry fell into a fitful sleep that night dwelling on the pain he had placed in Ginny's eyes and wondering if he would ever be able to make it up to her. Harry wasn't able to sleep well and decided, at 3:00 in the morning, that he'd go and make some tea, as he was sure he wouldn't be able to get any more rest. He was surprised to see Ginny already at the table with a cup of tea when he reached the kitchen. When she looked up he saw tears glistening on her cheeks and puffy eyes rimmed in red. Merlin, had he done this to her? Had he been the cause of those tears? Harry wanted to apologize, to explain, to take it all back, to kiss her...but all he could do was stare at her as she stared at him questioningly. Suddenly, Ginny was up from her chair and flying up the stairs. Harry was left wondering how he could have been so stupid. Why didn't he just say hello? He dropped into a chair and buried his face in his hands, he no longer fought the tears that had been threatening to fall all summer. After only a few moments Harry felt the warmth of a small hand on his shoulder and heard her angelic voice, "Harry, are you alright?" Harry looked up to see concern in Ginny's eyes...concern, love and tears. "I...you...hurt...Ginny, I'm so sorry." Suddenly he was sobbing, and Ginny stood there holding him while he sat with his arms around her waist. He had hurt her terribly and she was soothing him...kissing the top of his head and shushing him, telling him everything was going to be okay. After a few moments Harry's sobs subsided, and he realized that Ginny had been sobbing as well. She pulled up a chair and sat next to him. Harry could hold back no more, "Ginny, I'm so sorry I hurt you. When I came down here and saw you crying and knew that I had done that..." But that was as far as he got, as Ginny interruped him. "Harry, I wasn't crying because you broke up with me. I mean, yeah, I did my share of that over the summer, but I really do understand. I knew that you weren't breaking it off because you didn't care, but because you DO care. I've spent a lot of time thinking about it and I know that you were right to do what you did. These tears....I was crying because I know that you are leaving today. I know that you are going out there to lead a war against very powerful forces. I'm scared for you Harry. I know how Voldemort thinks...he possessed me in my first year, I know what terrible things he can do, what awful things go through his mind. I am terribly frightened that, in a single moment, I could lose my brother, my best mate, and the only man I'll ever love. And I know, that I can only ever be proud of you. Because you are facing evil itself, not just to save yourself, but to save the ones you love and the ones you don't even know. You are waging war against Voldemort, willing to give your life. Your entire purpose is to be selfless, so I must allow you this one selfish act...hurting me only in order to protect me. But you have to know that I will always be here for you, and I will cry...not because you have hurt me, but because I'm terrified that you are going to be hurt, and I'm scared that I may never see you again." It was then...that moment...that Harry could not deny that he was head over heals, madly, deeply in love with Ginevra Molly Weasley. "Ginny, I love you. I don't know why I didn't know it by now...maybe I really did but was just too bloody thick to realize it. I love you deeper than I ever thought love could run. And I promise you, whatever I have to do, I will come back to you." Harry kissed Ginny for the first time in what seemed like ages. He couldn't help himself, he had to kiss her one last time before he left on his mission. It wasn't until then that Harry realized that Ginny was holding something in her hand. "Ginny, what's that you have there?" "Oh, Harry, this is what I left to collect after you came downstairs." She handed Harry what looked like a shoe box. When Harry opened it he saw it was packed full of sealed envelopes, placed in order and numbered. "What are these?" "Harry, this is what I spent this summer doing. Each envelope has a little note to you. Each note tells you how much I love you and how much I believe in you. Some of them are just me writing about certain memories I have from all during the time I've known you, and what I was feeling during those memories. I have to be honest, you will find that sometimes the ink is smeared because I was crying when I wrote them. A lot of love and tears went into writing these. But I did it because, when you are feeling low, or tired, or just feel like giving up...I want you to pull one of these out and read it and know that I am waiting for you, and loving you." Harry realized that this is what Dumbledore was talking about...that Love was his ultimate power. This love is what he had, that Voldemort could never understand, and therefore would always underestimate. Harry relayed this story to the one who had asked the question, "Daddy, when did you know that Mummy was the one for you?" Lilly had sat at rapt attention the entire time. Harry knew she was just beginning to be interested in boys and that is why she asked. When he was finished telling the story she looked up at her father, "Daddy, I hope I find someone who's loves me just as much as you love Mummy". And with that she hugged him and skipped off to her room to go to bed. Harry pulled an old tattered shoe box out from under the couch and walked to his bedroom, where Ginny was just finishing preparing to turn in. When she saw what he was carrying she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Harry...you kept them, after all these years?" "Of course, Gin, these letters are what won the war". |
| Reviews 15 |
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