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The Twice Struck Tower
By GREYWOLF

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Category: Post-DH/AB
Characters:None
Genres: Romance
Warnings: None
Story is Complete
Rating: PG
Reviews: 16
Summary: Harry meets Ginny for the first time after the battle.
Hitcount: Story Total: 7355



Disclaimer: Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R. Note the opinions in this story are my own and in no way represent the owners of this site. This story subject to copyright law under transformative use. No compensation is made for this work.



Author's Notes:
Thanks Ms Rowling for a wonderfull experience.




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The Twice Struck Tower




Harry turned from the re-closed white marble tomb. After leaving the Headmaster’s office, he had insisted they come directly to Albus’ resting place. He wanted no chance that the Elder Wand might go astray.

Taking Hermione by the left hand and Ron by the right, he headed back toward the castle. They were moving slowly, one foot in front of another. Fatigue was catching up with each one of them. Although Harry’s limbs felt leaden, strangely he was now keyed up, probably the result of opening and closing Dumbledore’s grave.

Harry spoke quietly, “I know nothing needs to be said, but …thanks you. I never would have made it without your help.”

He looked at Hermione and squeezed her hand. She said nothing, but she smiled, her eyes sparkling with tears. He turned to Ron. He was smiling too, but his face was more somber.

“No humorous comment?” Harry continued. “I think that’s what got us through; well, that along with Hermione’s brilliance of course.”

“Naw,” Ron replied quietly, throwing his arm around Harry’s shoulders. “Just doesn’t seem like the right time. At least it’s over.”

“Yeah,” said Harry. “It’s over.”

“Harry,” Hermione stopped their progress and turned to face him. “I know what you’re thinking, that you should have done better. Please try not to be too hard on yourself. True, the price was great, but it had to be done. It matters Harry, it really does. Sure, Ron and I helped, but in the end it was you who saved us.”

Harry gave her a sad smile. He gathered she and Ron in his arms. “Thanks,” he murmured.

Entering the castle Harry glanced into the Great Hall. He spotted Ginny, now sitting with George and holding his arm.

Harry yawned, “Why don’t you two go to bed.” Hermione gave a strangled snort. Harry smiled, “What I mean is, I’m too on edge to sleep right at the moment. I’ll just walk around some till I relax, then I’ll be up.”

“Right Mate,” Ron replied. “We’ll just go say goodnight to Mum, and I wanted to tell George. Well …I want him to know, it meant something.”

As Harry wandered aimlessly, for some unknown reason, his steps were directed to the Astronomy Tower. Slowly climbing, he sorted his thoughts. Granted there was relief, overwhelming relief, that his task was done. Tom was gone and the world was safe, but oh the cost. So many had been hurt, killed …the guilt. The guilt was eating at him.

Why should Fred have died instead of him, or Remus, Tonks, Dobby, so many others, why them, and not him? He felt like a drowned man who had been revived, only to be submerged again and again.

Strangest of all he felt …disappointment? That could not be right, could it? Or could it, after all, his whole life had been the task, now with Voldemort’s defeat, what? He was at a loss.

Then there was the most powerful thought, the most overwhelming, what about Ginny?

He knew he had hurt her, in many ways. He remembered her disappointment in the room of requirement, when she looked to him for support and he had to turn away. Could she forgive him, could they renew their relationship, or was it over? If he lost her, the bitter sorrow would overwhelm him, what good would it all have been?

He stood at the rampart, the very one where Albus Dumbledore had died, protecting him; and he gazed out. He wondered if even crying would help.

Then he heard someone coming up the steps. He turned his head and his breath caught in his throat, for it was Ginny. Her face was saddened, but with the moonlight and the breeze in her hair, it combined to give her an unworldly beauty. Harry thought she looked like an angel who had made the sorrowful choice to forsake heaven to come down to earth.

She walked slowly toward him, graceful and full of allure. She did not speak, but her eyes were fixed on his. When she reached his side, she took his arm and leant her head against his shoulder.

Harry’s heart felt constricted. Funny, but when he faced Voldemort he was unafraid. Now he knew fear, he knew it truly. Irregardless, he had to ask.

“Do you think you could find it in your heart to forgive me?” he asked quietly.

Ginny looked up, her face softening, then a slight smile appeared.

“Someone once gave me a poem about love,” she replied. “I may have the verses mixed up a bit, but it was something like this:

Love is patient. Love is kind.
It does no harm and it keeps no account of wrongs.
Love always hopes.”

She looked up into those now hopeful green eyes, “I have always hoped, Harry. Besides, there is nothing to forgive. Hermione explained why you had to do what you did.”

Ginny reached her hand behind his head into his hair and, pulling down gently, she placed a soft kiss on his lips. Sliding back, she smiled. She had never seen his tears before. Putting her arms around him, she placed her cheek against his chest. She had thought she was done with crying, but now she found new tears.

“If you need forgiveness, I forgive you for one thing, and that’s doubting me,” she sighed. “Darn that Ron. I didn’t get to tell you on your birthday that I would be waiting for you.”

Harry rumbled in his chest, “I thought about you all the time. Do you know what I did when I got really low?”

Ginny giggled, “Yes, Hermione told me about the map.”

Harry snorted, “Smart girl, that Hermione. I didn’t think she saw that. She got pretty low herself, especially when …well, did she tell you about her and Ron?”

“What?” she looked up.

“Hermione kissed him, right in the middle of the battle. I mean she kissed him!

“Finally,” Ginny smiled.

Harry paused, “Now what about us, is this our finally? Could you possibly be willing to take me back?”

Ginny squeezed him tightly. Her face beaming, she looked into his eyes.

“I will take you back on one condition, Harry.”

“Which is?” he asked, starting to smile.

“You may never, never leave my side again, without my express, written permission.”

Harry grinned. He looked at her for many moments as the world faded away, he kissed her, a kiss of renewal, of love and of hope. As he held her, he whispered in her ear.

“When I was facing Voldemort, and it was time to die, I thought only of you. I love you Ginny.”

“Harry,” Ginny sighed. “Since I first knew you, my heart has belonged to you, and it always will.”

They stood, gently clinging to one another for many minutes. Hope renewed, Harry felt calm, at peace for the first time in a long time. As exhaustion began to catch up with them, they headed for bed, hand in hand.

As they reached the stair, a stray thought popped into his head. So it was true, lightning does strike twice.
















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