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Hope | ||||
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Category: Post-HBP Characters:Harry/Ginny Genres: Fluff Warnings: None Story is Complete Rating: PG Reviews: 38 Summary: Harry leaves the Dursleys for the last time, only to confront someone he wasn't ready to. Hitcount: Story Total: 5733 |
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A/N: This was the first story I wrote just after reading HBP. I needed to write this, though after I calmed down a bit I felt better about the whole thing. Regardless of my current state of mind, I wanted to share it with everyone. Enjoy. :) --------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- ----------- He was ready. He never really unpacked his trunk. He wasn’t staying, anyway. He arrived back to the Dursleys’ and immediately wrote to Ron asking him to come and get him as soon as possible. He didn’t care how: Floo fire, Apparate with Mr. Weasley, ride on his broom, whatever. The moment Hedwig was away, he took a shower, put on his shorts and lay on his bed, looking at this photo album. He was suddenly aware that he didn’t have any pictures of Dumbledore. He frantically dug through his trunk until he found what he was looking for: the Dumbledore Chocolate Frog Card he had gotten on the train his first year at Hogwarts. After looking at it for a scant few seconds, he couldn’t contain his grief, and he cried himself to sleep on his bed. The response from Ron was as short as it was swift: Dad will pick you up Friday. It could not be managed sooner. See you then. Friday was four days out when he got the post. Harry stayed in his room, occupying his time trying to understand everything that had occurred. The fake Horcrux never left his hand, and he ran it through his fingers and between his hands as he thought. Friday had finally arrived. Harry didn’t know when Arthur would show up, but he wasn’t going to be caught unprepared this time. As soon as he finished his breakfast came out of his room, took his dishes to the kitchen (much to Aunt Petunia’s surprise), then proceeded to bring all his belongings downstairs. The then sat on his trunk, resumed playing with the Horcrux and waited. To his surprise, none of the Dursleys bothered him. At a quarter to noon, Petunia opened the kitchen door and approached him. “Expecting someone?” She asked simply. Harry nodded. There was a pause. “Will you be coming back?” Harry sighed and said, “I suspect not.” Petunia nodded and hung her head. She then returned to the kitchen, closing the door behind him. It was done, then. Harry was never coming back to the Dursleys. Not if he could help it anyway. To his mild surprise, this fact did not cheer him up. At precisely noon, there was a knock at the door. Harry hurried over to it, but there turned out to be no need. None of the Dursleys entered the room. Harry opened the door. Mr. Weasley stood in the doorway, looking much older than Harry remembered. He looked at Harry with a sad, almost defeated gaze. He forced a smile. “Harry.” “Mr. Weasley,” Harry replied. “Ready to go then?” Mr. Weasley asked. Harry nodded quickly. Mr. Weasley looked around the room. Harry recognized what he was doing and motioned him into the living room. Mr. Weasley walked over to his belongings and waved his wand. They disappeared in a flash. “So,” Mr. Weasley started. “This might be the end of your stay here.” “Yeah,” Harry said dejectedly. Mr. Weasley started to speak, but stopped before he could make a sound. He then said, “Whenever you’re ready.” Without another word, Harry stepped over and put his hand on Mr. Weasley’s shoulder. Moments later they were standing outside The Burrow. Mr. Weasley hurried Harry into the house. “Sorry to rush, but I’ve got to be off to work. You’ll be sharing a room with Ron again. Room is at a premium with the wedding and all.” “I don’t mind,” Harry said. Mr. Weasley helped Harry pull his trunk into Ron’s room, then turned to face him. “We will continue to have heavy protection until after the wedding is over,” Mr. Weasley revealed. “After that, it will be lightened a bit. I suspect it will stay that way until… well, for a while.” Harry sighed and nodded. Mr. Weasley’s face twisted in pity. “Do try to cheer up, Harry. The wedding is coming up. It’s a happy occasion.” Harry didn’t want to feel happy just then. After a pause, Mr. Weasley said. “Right, Molly should be along soon. You’re well protected, so I’ll be off. Take care, Harry.” With a loud crack he was gone. Now alone in Ron’s room, and the house to he knowledge (save the guard), Harry decided he was going to go downstairs and find something to eat. Being in Ron’s room brought Ron and Hermione back into his mind. After the games they played the last year, he was sure now that it was only a matter of time before they were going out, if they weren’t already. It suddenly occurred to him that, given his decision about Ginny, that there were refraining from being… erm, romantic around him out of respect. He was thankful and felt guilty at the same time. He couldn’t deny that he would feel a bit jealous that they would be able to enjoy each other’s company, and he couldn’t do the same with Ginny. The happy memories he shared with Ginny in the short time they were together flooded his mind, threatening to bring back tears to his eyes. He shoved them away as he opened the ice box, pulled out some leftovers and started making a sandwich. “Welcome back, Harry,” a soft voice said from behind him. His stomach lurched and he froze in place. He didn’t have to turn around to know who was there. He wasn’t prepared to face her this soon, but he realized now he didn’t have a choice. He turned around slowly to see her standing there, hands clasped together, sitting at the table, watching him closely. “Hi Ginny,” he said weakly. “Could I bother you to make one of those for me?” she asked gently. Harry nodded. “Sure.” Harry busied himself with making the sandwich as he grasped for a subject to talk with Ginny. He was determined to avoid talking about their relationship. Everything he thought up would remind him of the situation, so he abandoned his quest as he put away the bread and took the sandwiches to the table. “Thanks,” Ginny said, somewhat more cheerfully. “No problem,” Harry replied. They ate in silence. Harry didn’t look at Ginny, but he didn’t have to. He knew she was observing him. When he and Ginny were done, he took the plates, washed them, put them away and started for the stairs. “Don’t run away from me, Harry. Please.” Harry stopped. “I’m not running away.” “You can’t avoid me, Harry. I live here, remember? We have to find a way to get through this.” Harry hung his head. “I don’t know if we can.” There was a pause. “Please Harry, come sit down.” Harry put a foot on the next stair, but stopped. He hung there, caught between wanting to get away from the situation and his desire to give Ginny a fair chance. She was his friend and had stood up for him even to Hermione. Slowly, reluctantly, he allowed himself to return to the table and sit down. A lump was forming in his stomach and threatened to make its way to his throat. “Look at me, Harry.” Harry swallowed hard. “I can’t.” He discovered his voice was shakey. “Why not?” Harry paused. “It hurts too much.” “Then listen to what I have to say, and you listen close.” Harry nodded. Harry heard Ginny take a deep breath. “I don’t have even the slightest bit of evidence, but I don’t think Dumbledore is gone.” The lump painfully jumped a foot in his chest. “Don’t…” “You were there, Harry. You saw the ceremony. The whole casket thing seemed just a bit dramatic to me.” Harry almost lifted his head, but caught himself at the last minute. “What are you getting at?” “Look at what we know: Dumbledore trusted Snape. Dumbledore knew what Draco was doing. Did it ever occur to you that Dumbledore and Snape had this whole thing planned?” Harry straightened up a bit as Ginny talked, but he kept his head bowed. “Dumbledore was the greatest wizard in the world. Don’t you think he would have had this prepared? You know how cleaver he was! What better way to draw out Voldemort than to let the world think he was dead?” Harry’s mind started to reel. Could it be true? Was there a chance? Harry shook his head. “It’s too much to hope for.” Ginny paused. “Maybe. I’ve been thinking about something else too.” “Oh?” Harry asked. “Ron and Hermione offered to come along with you, right?” The lump in Harry’s chest grew bigger as he nodded. “They will become targets for Voldemort. You’ll be putting them in danger.” Harry smirked. “They pretty much insisted.” Harry felt Ginny’s hand on his chin as she forcefully pulled his head up. She had a fierce look on her face. “And how am I any different?” Harry gulped. “Why shouldn’t I be given the same chance?” Harry tried to hang his head, but Ginny wouldn’t let him. This time she had a smug look on her face. “It’s too late anyway,” Ginny said. “Draco knew we were going out before the incident. He would have told the Death Eaters about it. I’m already a target,” she said as she pointed at the Weasley clock. As before, all the Weasleys were still on ‘Mortal Peril’. “Ginny…” “No Harry, my mind’s made up,” Ginny said as she stood up and walked over to him. She turned him around so she could sit on his lap and, after doing so, put her arms around his neck. “Besides, you can’t protect me if I’m not with you.” Harry felt the tears leave his eyes as Ginny lifted his head once again. She waited until he was looking her in the eye. “I didn’t give up on you all these years, and I’m not about to now. When we were together, I was the happiest I have ever been. Like I told you before, your quest against Voldemort doesn’t frighten me, it’s one of the things I like about you. You are the only one I want, Harry. I’m not going to let you go.” Harry shook his head. “You have to.” “No!” Ginny said forcefully. “I don’t.” “Ginny…” Ginny pressed her lips onto his before he could finish. His mind wanted to pull away, but very quickly his heart overtook him. He allowed himself to get lost in the kiss, reveling in Ginny’s passion and returning it in kind. Ginny finally let up, and Harry lost control of his emotions, allowing the sobs to come. Ginny pulled his head into her neck, and he cried into her. Ginny stroked his hair as he did, and after several long moments he recovered. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he said ominously. “I can’t be apart from you, Harry,” Ginny said softly. “When we got together, it was like the missing piece of my life had finally been put into place.” Something shifted in Harry’s mind. “Dumbledore told me that the power I have that Voldemort doesn’t is that I am capable of love.” Ginny froze in place and stared at Harry. “Are you saying you love me, Harry?” Harry blinked. “I don’t know, Ginny. I think maybe I do.” Ginny smiled. “As my mum said, ‘Where there’s love, there’s hope’.” Harry managed a week smile before Ginny leaned in and resumed her passionate kiss. |
| Reviews 38 |
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