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SIYE Time:14:52 on 29th March 2024
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Don't Let Me Down
By Bekah Jo

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Category: Post-Hogwarts
Characters:All
Genres: General
Warnings: Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations
Rating: R
Reviews: 146
Summary: After the Dark Lord has been defeated during the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry is finally able to rekindle his relationship with Ginny and work on building a normal life. When He, Ron, and Hermione are given the chance to return to their beloved school, everyone is ecstatic, except Harry. An amazing opportunity has Harry thinking his future lies elsewhere.
Hitcount: Story Total: 53432; Chapter Total: 3335





Author's Notes:
Because I didn't want to leave everyone hanging too long, thought I'd throw this up this chapter, for a bonus this week :D




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Harry stood outside the gates and gazed up at the castle. The sky was bright blue, with only a few cotton clouds dotting the sky. A light breeze rustled across the grounds, ruffling the fringe on Harry’s scarlet and gold scarf, and carrying the sounds of excited voices making their way to the Quidditch pitch. Harry pulled his jacket tight and his Dodgers cap low, before slowly stepping through the gate. As McGonagall had promised, he was able to step through the barrier with ease.

Harry took his time walking up to Hogwarts. He wanted to allow all the students to file into the stands before he entered. Only a select few knew he was back for the week, and he didn’t want his sudden appearance to take away from Ginny’s first match. Plus, he didn’t want her to know he was in the stands and make her nervous, or cause a distraction.

After receiving the dates of Thanksgiving break, Harry immediately sent out owls to Kingsley and Arthur, in attempt to set up travel back to England. Kingsley had been more than happy to schedule Harry a series of portkeys back across the country. And Arthur left the floo open for the evening so that Harry would have no problem getting back to The Burrow. He had purposefully left Molly out of the loop, so that he could surprise her. He was pretty sure he had accomplished that, though vomiting into her rose bushes was not the surprise Harry had been going for.

When the last Gryffindor scarf trailed into the stands, Harry jogged down to the pitch. He suddenly realized that this would be his first time going to a match as a spectator. From his very first year he had either been streaking after the snitch, or else stuck in the castle. Chuckling softly at the memories, he climbed to the Gryffindor box. He immediately spotted Ron’s red hair, in the front row. Beside him Hermione sat, bundled up, with her head in a book.

Harry walked over and bent down to an unsuspecting Hermione. “A Quidditch match is no place for schoolwork,” Harry commented.

Hermione’s head whipped up, eyes wide and mouth agape.

“What are you doing here!?” she squealed, jumping up and hugging Harry tight.

“What are you doing, hugging strange men?” Ron cried. Harry lifted his cap and winked at Ron. “Harry! What ARE you doing here?” Ron hissed.

“Couldn’t miss the first match of the season, could I?” Harry answered. He pulled his hat back down and went to sit beside Ron.

“That’s a lot of traveling for just one weekend,” Hermione admonished.

“I know, that’s why I’m here for a week,” Harry said, casually waiting for Hermione to take his bait.

“A week! Do you really think it wise to miss an entire week of classes, during your first semester?”

Harry laughed. “Calm down, Hermione. There’re no classes this week. American schools take the week off for a holiday called Thanksgiving,” Harry reassured. “When I saw that the vacation coincided with Gryffindor’s first match, I started setting a plan in motion to get here for it.”

“I take it Gin doesn’t know you’re here?” Ron questioned.

“No, I want to surprise her after the game. How’s the team looking?”

Hermione went back to reading and Ron started filling Harry in on what he had been seeing at practices. Ron had gone along to a few practices, helping to train the new keeper. He said that Ginny was continuously second guessing things off the pitch, but you’d never know it when she on the broom and coaching the others. She was confident and compassionate with her team, and it all reflected in her superb chasing skills.

“Wait til’ you see her fly, Harry,” Ron declared. “She’s like a bullet on a broomstick.”

“Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to Hogwart’s first Quidditch match of the season!” a familiar voice reverberated through the stands.

“Is that Lee?” Harry wondered, looking to the announcer booth. Sure enough, Lee Jordan and George Weasley sat together, huddled over megaphones.

“Since they opened up the shop in Hogsmead, Professor McGonagall invited Lee to do the commentary,” Ron explained. “Apparently, she told Lee that the matches just didn’t have the same excitement without him in the booth. Lee agreed, as long as George could provide co-commentary. McGonagall reluctantly agreed to a trial period. Rumor has it, they made an unbreakable vow to keep their language clean.”

“You started that rumor,” Hermione huffed.

“Our match today is Gryffindor verses Slytherin,” Lee announced. “And I do believe we are in for an exciting game! Both teams are carrying fresh faces this year. Heading up the Slytherin team is their Seeker, Jennifer Watkins. From what I heard, if old Voldy hadn’t interrupted the season, she was well on the way to securing the cup last year.”

Seven players, cloaked in green and silver, marched onto the field and lined up at the center line.

“I’m pleased to announce the arrival of Gryffindor’s team, captained by the last Weasley of our generation, Ginny Weasley!” George heralded. “I’ve been here to see some of their practices, Lee, and I tell ya, she’s put together a sharp team.”

Ginny led the team onto the pitch to stand in front of the Slytherins. Madame Hooch stood in the middle and instructed the captains to shake hands. Ginny and Jennifer shook quickly and Madame hooch blew her whistle, signaling the teams to mount their brooms.

“On my whistle, you may begin play,” Madame Hooch called. A shrill whistle filled the field and the players took off. The bludgers were let loose and Madame Hooch tossed the quaffle in the air, before sending out the tiny, golden snitch.

Harry saw the snitch for a nanosecond before it was lost in the bright sunlight. In that time, Ginny had seized the quaffle, and passed it to the other veteran chaser, Demelza Robins. Together, Ginny and Demelza shot up the pitch, weaving in and out of Slytherins and ducking bludgers. With a final pass from Demelza, Ginny sent the quaffle soaring through the middle hoop, before the Slytherin keeper even registered her arrival.

The Gryffindor stands roared and Lee gleefully announced, “I think that’s the fastest I’ve ever seen a player score! Ten points to Gryffindor! What was that George, five seconds?”

“I think the only thing I’ve seen quicker is Filch confiscating our goods,” George laughed. “The Slytherins are fighting back, though. Chaser Frank Hodgkins has the quaffle now. That was a well aimed bludger from Sanchire, but artfully dodged and Hodgins passes to Leo Snow. Snow is hurtling to the hoops….oh! Right through the keeper’s hands! Ten to Slytherin!”

And that’s the way it went for an hour. As soon as one team pulled ahead by a few goals, the other would rally right back. Gryffindor’s Seeker, Dennis Creevey, was soaring high above the pitch and kept spectacularly diving every few minutes, only to pull up empty handed a second later. There hadn’t been a snitch sighting since it’s release.

“Creevey and Watkins are like cats out there,” George remarked, as Watkins halted mid-dive and reversed. “Pouncing on anything shiny that catches their eye.”

“I’m starting to think someone’s throwing knuts onto the field, trying to fake them out,” Lee retorted.

“Someone should have tinted Dennis’ goggles,” Harry muttered, following Ginny’s red mane, bolting through two Slytherins and effortlessly passing the Quaffle to Demelza. In their intricate dance, Demelza rolled out of the path of a screaming bludger, and then tossed the quaffle over her head, back to Ginny. Ginny scooped it from the air, feinted right, but launched the quaffle, like a rocket, through the left hoop.

“And that’s three hundred and ninety to Gryffindor,” Lee announced. “They’re back to within ten points of Slytherin!”

Harry was amazed at how Ginny’s skill had improved since he flew with her last. The way she raced across the pitch, he could see her planning out and executing her next two or three moves, all within mere seconds. She zigzagged past bludgers like they were house flies, and the opposing team may as well have been invisible.

A flash of green from the staff booth caught Harry’s eye. Squinting, Harry saw two witches, in dark green robes, talking to Professor McGonagall. He didn’t recognize them and elbowed Ron.

“Who are the two women talking with McGonagall?” Harry asked, pointing across the field. “Are they new professors this year?”

Ron followed Harry’s gesture and shook his head. “Seamus, give me your binoculars for a second,” Ron said, turning around and holding out his hand.

“I told you the other day to buy your own in Hogsmeade,” Seamus griped, handing his binoculars to Ron.

Ron took another look at the staff booth. “Blimey, they’re from the Holyhead Harpies!” He handed the binoculars back to Seamus and turned to Harry, saying, “Bet they’re scouting for next season.”

“Think they’re here to see Ginny play?” Harry wondered, as Ginny scored another goal, putting Gryffindor back in the lead.

“Well, if she wasn’t on their radar before, she sure is now,” Ron declared.

Just as Slytherin drew level again on points, Dennis Creevey tore across the field, towards the Slytherin goal posts.

“I think young Creevey sees something!” George cried.

“He’s certainly got something on his radar. Probably Douglas’ watch,” Lee chided.

“No, I don’t think it’s….yes! Creevey’s got it! He’s caught the snitch! Gryffindor wins, five hundred and sixty to four hundred and ten!” George whooped.

The Gryffindor stands erupted in celebration; stomping, clapping and screaming as their weary, yet ecstatic, team returned their feet to the ground and piled on top of tiny Dennis.

“Yeah, Weasley!” Harry called, waving his hat as he leaned over the edge of the stands.

His yell caught Ginny’s attention and she looked up. When her eyes landed on Harry, they widened and a large grin spread from ear to ear.

At that exact moment, Boris Crass, a Slytherin beater, whacked a passing bludger in frustration. He wasn’t aiming it at anything, but ended up sending it on a collision course with the back of Ginny’s head. Despite still having her head gear on, Ginny crumpled to the pitch, like a rag doll.

Madame Hooch went screaming after Crass, while the Gryffindor team converged on Ginny. Before Ron or Hermione could protest, Harry jumped over the wall, cast a cushioning charm on himself, and, upon landing, raced across the grass.

“Don’t move her!” Harry shouted, as one of the beaters, John Kellerman, attempted to pick up Ginny. He knelt down at her side and vanished her head gear. Relieved to see the steady rise and fall of her chest, he gently lifted her eyelids. Her pupils appeared normal. She was just knocked out cold.

“Make room please!” Professor McGonagall instructed, as she made her way through the growing crowd. “Mr. Potter, it’s nice to see Auror training is paying off for you,” she commented, conjuring a stretcher under Ginny. A flick of her wand and the stretcher started floating towards the school. “How does she look?”

“Pretty sure it’s just a mild concussion,” Harry answered, holding Ginny’s hand as he walked beside her. “I don’t envy the headache she’ll have when she wakes.”

“Harry, wait up you prat!”

Harry glanced back and saw Ron and George running after him, with Hermione puffing along behind them. McGonagall clucked her tongue at Ron.

“Sorry, Professor,” Ron wheezed. “Is Ginny alright?”

“I’m sure it’s nothing more than a mild concussion,” McGonagall assured. “Madame Pomfrey will check her over just to be sure.”

They followed along up to the hospital wing, but were prohibited from going in while Madame Pomfrey examined Ginny. They conjured chairs and waited outside the doors for thirty minutes before McGonagall returned, with the nurse.

“Ginny will be just fine,” Madam Pomfrey reassured. “She does indeed have a mild concussion, and just needs rest. I’ve given her a sleeping potion, so I don’t expect her to wake for another hour or so.”

“You lot should go get some lunch,” McGonagall advised. “There should still be food down in the Great Hall.”

“Professor, would it be okay if Hermione and Ron went into Hogsmeade, with me and George?” Harry queried. “I promise I’ll return them safe and sound to the castle.”

“Of course, Mr. Potter. I believe I can trust you not to go apparating off.” McGonagall laughed. She pulled a slip of parchment from her robes, and tapped it with her wand. She handed it to Hermione. “In case Argus gives you any grief, just show him this.”

They thanked her and set off for the front entrance. After making it out the door, without encountering Filch, they hurried down to the front gate and down the path to the village of Hogsmead.

They stopped at the Three Broomsticks for lunch and Harry enjoyed a large mug of Madame Rosmerta’s Mulled Mead, that he had been pining for. Harry sat down and took a long sip, before sighing, “Oh, I needed this. A proper drink is hard to come by in America.”

“Harry, that jump from the stands was incredible!” Ron commended, after they had placed their orders. “How did you learn that?”

“Part of our Defense class,” Harry explained. “We practiced by jumping off the top of our sixth floor dormitory building.”

“That’s insane!” Hermione gasped, eyes wide in horror.

“We eventually graduated down to a one story grocery store. The only way we could pass that section was by being able to jump and cast the cushioning charm within three seconds.”

The four sat in the pub for forty-five minutes, while they ate lunch and caught up. Before heading back to the castle, they stopped and picked up a few treats for Ginny at Honeyduke’s.

“I have to get back to the shop,” George said, handing Harry his bag of sweets. “Tell Gin that I hope she feels better and I’ll be round to see her tomorrow.”

They waved good-bye to George and started back to the castle, with Harry nipping into the florist to get Ginny a bouquet of daisies.

“Are you still having nightmares?” Hermione asked as they passed through the gate.

“Not since Cliff got me out running with him, in the evenings.” Harry answered.

“You go running now?” Hermione said, amused.

“So you don’t read all of my letters to Ginny?”

“No, she doesn’t share all of them,” Hermione laughed. “Though I must say, I never knew you had such a romantic side.”

“Yeah, way to set the bar so high,” Ron groused.

“It wouldn’t hurt for you to say sweet stuff every now and then, Ron,” Hermione muttered.

“I say sweet stuff all the time!”

“Hey!” Harry interrupted. “I’ve gotten pretty good at non-verbal spells and could hex you both quicker than you could blink,” Harry threatened, with a laugh.

Hermione and Ron huffed, but quit arguing.

“So, running,” Hermione continued.

“Yeah, Cliff started dragging me out to the beach for a run every night,” Harry said, opening the enormous wooden door with his wand. “It was brutal at first, and I literally thought I was going to die the first week, but it really helps clear my head and lets me sleep.”

Harry started to climb the staircase, but Hermione hung back. She grabbed Ron’s robes and pulled him to her side.

“You go on up, Harry,” Hermione urged, handing him her Honeyduke’s bag. Ron started to object, but she held up her hand. “We’ll give you two some privacy and come visit later.”

“Thank you,” Harry said, appreciatively. He started up the stairs, leaving behind Ron’s complaints of, “But she’s MY sister.”

He climbed the floors to the hospital wing, remembering the vanishing step just in time to leap over it. Ginny was still asleep, but he was allowed to wait outside of the curtain that closed off her bed.

Harry leaned back and thought of all the times he had ended up in this wing. As he was trying to decide which stay had been worse (regrowing the bones in his arm, courtesy of Gilderoy Lockhart, or waking up after the dementor attack and finding out his beloved Nimbus had been pulverized by the Whomping Willow), he heard a stirring behind the curtain.

“Where am I?” Ginny moaned.

“Good afternoon, Miss Weasley,” Madame Pompfrey chirped, bustling through the curtains. “You had a minor collision with a bludger, this morning.”

“I was having the nicest dream though,” Ginny sighed. “I dreamed that we won the game and Harry was there, cheering me on.”

Harry tried very hard to stay quiet while Madame Pompfrey conducted her examination. A sudden cry of pain made him want to barge through the thin barrier, but he stayed put.

“Yes, you have quite the goose-egg back there, young lady,” the healer tutted. “Keep the ice on it and take this for the pain.” Madame Pompfrey came out and gave Harry a stern look. “She needs to rest. Don’t get her over excited.”

Harry nodded, with a grin, and then finally peeked his head in. Ginny had laid back and covered her eyes with her forearm.

He tiptoed to her bedside and leaned down to whisper, in her ear, “Was it a nice dream then?”

Ginny gasped and pulled her arm away quickly.

“Harry! You’re-“

Harry didn’t let her finish his sentence. He cupped her cheek and kissed her. Her warm and familiar lips eagerly returned the favor.

“You’re really here,” Ginny breathed, finally breaking the kiss. She caressed his face and asked,“Why are you here?”

“There was a holiday break in America, so I thought I would drop by and catch the most brilliant match of Quidditch I have ever seen!” Harry sat down on the edge of bed and helped Ginny readjust her ice pack. “I can’t believe how amazing you were out there! I mean, I’ve known you were amazing for a while now, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen flying quite like that before.”

“How did I end up here though? The game had ended, so why was I smacked with a bludger?”

“That Crass bloke didn’t take the loss very well,” Harry explained. “He wasn’t aiming for anyone. He was just frustrated and you happened to turn around, because of yours truly, just as he pelted a bludger your way.” Harry grimaced and continued, “Had I waited and yelled a few seconds later, you would have seen it and been able to duck.”

“Oh, shut it,” Ginny scolded. “Don’t you go apologizing over an ill-tempered git’s rage.” She reached out her hand and Harry took it. “How long are you here? Please don’t tell me I spent all my time with you unconscious.”

“You’re stuck with me for a whole week.”

“How did I get so lucky?”

“When I saw that your match and the Thanksgiving break coincided, I got in touch with Professor McGonagall. She agreed to let me stay here for the week, if I agreed to talk to the Defense classes about my Auror training,” Harry explained and kissed her forehead. “So, no, you didn’t waste much time unconscious.”

“I’ve missed you,” Ginny whispered.

“I’ve missed you too,” Harry smiled, giving her hand a squeeze. “I have one more surprise for you, if you think your battered brain can handle it.” Ginny scowled at him. “I’ve been able to work my magic and got your mum and dad to agree to you spending Christmas with me, in Los Angeles.”

“Do you have my parents under the Imperius curse?”

“No, I didn’t use ACTUAL magic,” Harry chuckled. “I talked to them this morning, before coming here. Your mum took a little more convincing then your dad, but she came around to the idea and gave me permission to have you whisked away to a far away land.”

Ginny snickered and asked, “Did she use those exact words?”

“Maybe not those exactly, but you get the idea.” Harry kissed her hand. “So, what do you say? This Christmas, our first Christmas together, it'll be just you and me. No one else around to make plans with. Just us, doing anything we want,” he concluded, with a wink.

“I think that sounds almost too good to be true,” Ginny sighed. “I don’t want to wait a whole month for it!”

“We just made it three months on nothing but letters and pictures. A month will feel like nothing,” Harry reassured. “Oh, almost forgot!” Harry reached around the curtain and got the bouquet of flowers and sweets.

“These are beautiful,” Ginny gushed, taking the flowers. “Thank you.” Harry conjured a vase of water and arranged the flowers.

“Everyone sends their love, and sugar,” Harry said, handing her the Honeyduke’s bag. “Ron and Hermione will be up later today, to visit.”

Ginny pulled out a box of Bertie Bott’s, carefully plucked out a red bean, and offered one to Harry. He settled on a green one, popped it in his mouth, and promptly started gagging. “Ugh, grass clippings!” he gasped.

Ginny laughed and tossed a yellow bean into her mouth. Her face fell as she slowly chewed it.

“I presume that that wasn’t lemon custard?”

“Egg,” Ginny mumbled, sticking out her tongue.

Harry sat with Ginny all afternoon, eating their way through two boxes of Bertie Bott’s. Harry mentioned that he and Ron saw two witches from the Holyhead Harpies at the game, but Ginny insisted that they were most likely there to scout out Slytherin’s seeker. When the sun had set, Ron and Hermione arrived with a plate of sandwiches and jugs of pumpkin juice. Despite Hermione bemoaning the amount of work she had, the four friends sat together and talked until Madame Pomfrey declared visiting hours closed.

“I need to go get my run in anyway,” Harry said, helping Ginny fluff her pillows and giving her a kiss.

“You’re still having nightmares?” Ginny worried.

“Not if I run until I’m exhausted. It’s the only other thing I’ve found that keeps the nightmares at bay. And since I don’t foresee Madame Pomfrey letting me enlarge your bed this evening,” Harry chanced a glance at the healer and her eyes could have shot daggers. “I’m going to go change and take a jog around the lake.” He gave Ginny one last kiss. “I promise I’ll be back here first thing tomorrow morning, though.”

Hermione and Ron said their goodnights and headed off to the Gryffindor common room, before curfew started. Harry made his way down to the second floor, where McGonagall had set up the guest quarters for him. Harry threw on his running shorts and shirt, then set off for the lake.

After four laps around the water’s edge, Harry was drenched in sweat and his muscles were screaming at him. He slowly made his way back to the castle, and was just closing the door when a strange voice reprimanded him.

“It’s an hour past curfew, son. What house are you in?” called a man, in black staff robes, descending the stairs.

“Oh, I’m not a student,” Harry answered. “Apologies for the disturbance.”

The man came to a stop in front of Harry and his stern look melted away to one of relief. He was middle aged, with blonde hair clipped short, and tidy. His blue eyes twinkled as he smiled.

“Of course you’re not, Mr. Potter. Apologies are mine. I’m Andrew Harrison, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor,” Andrew introduced, holding out his hand.

“Forgive me if I don’t shake,” Harry begged. “I was just out running and am a bit of a sweaty wreck. But please, call me Harry.”

“No worries Harry,” Andrew reassured. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. Minerva informed me that you’d be joining me for a few classes this week.”

“Yeah, I’m hoping I don’t make too much a fool of myself. I’m not the best at being center stage,“ Harry fretted.

“I’ll walk with you back to the guest quarters,” Andrew offered, moving back towards the steps. Harry nodded and followed. “You don’t have to speak to the classes if you don’t want. I won’t force you.”

“That’s kind of you, Andrew. But, I promised Professor McGonagal that I would share some of my experiences from training, so far. And in return, she has graciously allowed me to spend my Thanksgiving vacation here.”

“Why would you want to spend your time off back at school?” Andrew asked as they turned a corner.

Harry grinned and admitted, with a sigh, “A girl.”

“Ahh,” Andrew, nodded. “I can imagine the long distance takes a toll. May I ask who the lucky lady is?”

“Ginny Weasley, from Gryffindor.”

“Oh, Miss Weasley! She’s one of my best students! I believe along with her brother, and Hermione Granger, they could teach the class just as well, if not better than me. I guess that’s to be expected though, with you as their mentor.”

“We’ve been through quite a bit together. So I’m happy to share a few things I’ve learned in exchange for time with them.”

Andrew stopped outside the guest door. “Well, I’m happy to have you as part of my class. If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask.” With a wave, he set off to finish his patrol shift.

Harry let himself into his room and collapsed onto the feather bed. Within seconds, he was fast asleep.
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