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In the Days That Followed | ||||||
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Category: Post-Hogwarts, Post-DH/AB Characters:Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Minerva McGonagall, Other, Ron Weasley, Teddy Lupin Genres: Angst, Drama, Fluff, General, Romance Warnings: None Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 42 Summary: The final battle has been won and the war against Voldemort is finally over for good, but there is still the aftermath to battle through. Hitcount: Story Total: 23647; Chapter Total: 2969 Author's Notes: Thank you to Arnel for your brilliant editing skills! (Edited - 9/8/2021) |
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Harry slowly opened his eyes to discover he was in bed in his former dormitory, which appeared to be empty. Confusion flooded through him as he tried to remember how he ended up there, certain he had not done so without help. He remained still as he concentrated on searching for the last memory he had before coming to bed, but everything felt hazy. It didn’t help that it appeared to be dark outside, as well as inside the dormitory, so he was not even sure how long he had been asleep. Reaching out to grab his glasses off his bedside table, he noticed his knuckles of his right hand appeared red and scratched. He bent and stretched his fingers, wincing at the pain that shot through them as he did so. He knew he had not injured his wand hand in battle, whenever that had been, but he couldn’t think of when he had done it after. He went over his movements from the end of the battle, trying to piece together what had happened. He knew he had visited the Headmaster’s Office with Ron and Hermione and had left with them. He had grown tired quickly as they walked back towards Gryffindor Tower, which led to him sitting on the floor in the corridor. He clearly remembered speaking to Professor McGonagall, who had sent him directly back to Gryffindor Tower with help from Ron. He knew he had spoken to Kreacher and had been treated by Madam Pomfrey, but after that, everything was hazy. Looking down, Harry realised he was not wearing a t-shirt. He quickly lifted the covers to discover that he was, thankfully, wearing a pair of boxer shorts. Even when he was too tired to do anything, he always made the effort to pull on a pair of pyjamas, so what had stopped him this time? Shower. He had been in the shower. It was with that thought that his memories flooded back. He had broken down in tears while he had showered. The lack of distraction had meant he had not been able to think about anything but the losses the battle had brought and the guilt that he felt for surviving. He had punched the mirror in the bathroom, which would explain the state of his hand, but anything after that was a blur, except one thing. The warmth that came from a pair of arms wrapping around him just before he had blacked out. Had Ginny been there? Harry finally sat up and went to grab his glasses once again, only to notice someone asleep in an armchair that looked like it had come from the common room. A small smile appeared upon on his face as he realised the one person that he wanted to see most in the world was right there in front of him. Ginny. She looked just as beautiful as she always did to Harry. It was clear she’d had time to shower, change clothes and have any injuries healed. It warmed his heart to know she had sat by his side while he had slept. He did wonder, though, just how long she had been there as it couldn’t possibly be comfortable to sleep in a chair. He was grateful and relieved that she had survived the battle. He knew, though, he would probably pay for the mistake he had made in siding with her mum about her not being a part of the fight. He knew she was a strong and capable witch but seeing her walk into the Room of Requirement had scared him, especially given how he had pushed her away to protect her. He felt he could breathe a little easier now, knowing she was alive. He just hoped she would not hold his mistakes against him and that she still wanted to be with him. She was the witch he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and was his best source of comfort, something he would need in the coming days and weeks. Harry remained where he was, watching Ginny sleep, not remotely worried about how long he did so. He didn’t want to move from his spot, out of fear of her waking up, seeing he wasn’t there and deciding to leave the room as a result. Several days or months could have passed, and he knew he would willingly remain where he was if it meant being the first face she saw when she eventually woke up. Thankfully, Ginny began to stir before slowly opening her eyes. She stretched out her body, having been curled up in a ball for several hours. Then, much to Harry’s delight, she turned her sleepy gaze towards the boy she had been waiting to wake up. Ginny’s eyes widened when she realised that Harry was awake and watching her. She wanted to throw herself at him, hold him tightly in her arms and never let him go, but now the moment had come, she remained still, uncertain of what to do. She didn’t even know if he would want her back, knowing there was no way he could possibly be the same boy who had walked away from her after the best kiss of her life. Yet, the way he was looking at her suggested her worries were all for nothing, but she wouldn’t know until she said something. “How long was I asleep for?” Harry asked, not quite sure how to start the conversation he so desperately wanted to have with her. “Well, you passed out around one or two o’clock,” Ginny told him. “So only a few hours, then?” Harry asked in confirmation as he looked out of the window and finally realised it was late at night. “No, Harry, you fell asleep around lunchtime, yesterday.” Harry was shocked. He had known he was physically exhausted after struggling to return to the Gryffindor Tower without the need for support, but he had not thought he would sleep for as long as he did. “What time is it?” he asked, realising he only knew it was late at night and not knowing where his own watch was. “Getting close to midnight,” Ginny told him, checking her watch. “All your personal belongings are in your bedside table before you ask. Hermione decided to be cautious and place a Locking Charm on there to prevent anyone from taking them. She said something about one item needing to be protected until you could deal with it.” Harry immediately knew Ginny, even if she did not know precisely what, was talking about the Elder Wand. He was glad that Hermione had made sure it was protected until he could go to Dumbledore’s tomb and place it back with the headmaster. “Why don’t I get us something to eat?” Ginny asked as an awkward silence washed over them. “Call Kreacher,” he told the red head. “I am sure he will come if you call.” Ginny gave Harry a look of confusion, finding it hard to believe that the old house-elf would be willing to do anything she, or anyone, asked. However, she trusted Harry and knew he would never suggest something like this to her unless it was true. “KREACHER!” she called out as Harry stood from the bed and headed into the bathroom. A loud crack sounded, causing Ginny to turn round to find Kreacher had indeed appeared. “What can Kreacher do for Miss Ginny?” Ginny remained silent, stunned by the change she saw in the house-elf. “Miss Ginny?” “Oh, sorry,” she replied, realising she must have been making Kreacher feel uncomfortable with her staring. “Harry has woken up. Can you get us something simple to eat and drink, please?” “Kreacher can do that,” he said before disappearing. Ginny knew there had to be a story behind the change but knew now was not the time to be asking about it. So much had happened in the past year, but the losses weighed too heavily on her mind to question Harry about everything. “I’m sorry about Fred,” Harry’s voice quietly came as he came out of the bathroom. Ginny figured the look on her face had given her thoughts away. “I wish I had figured it all out faster, perhaps then…” Harry started. “It isn’t your fault, Harry,” Ginny stated with a no-nonsense tone. “Nothing that has happened is your fault and I will be happy to tell you that every day for the rest of our lives if I have to.” Harry sucked in a breath at hearing those words, unable to believe that Ginny had said what she had. If what she said was true, it meant she still wanted to be with him and for the rest of their lives. Did that mean she was in love with him? Ginny slapped a hand over her mouth as she realised what she had just admitted to the wizard. She had not wanted to push the conversation about whether Harry was willing to resume their relationship. The look he had given her when she had woken up had suggested he did, but had her words been too much, too soon? “You can do that if you feel you need to,” Harry responded as a smile spread across his face, “just as long as I can tell you that I love you every day for the rest of our lives." “You can definitely do that,” Ginny immediately replied, stunned by the unexpected confession. The two teens moved across the room towards one another, meeting halfway. There was no awkwardness as they wrapped their arms around each other and brought their lips together, kissing for the first time since Harry’s seventeenth birthday. For Harry, the feel of Ginny in his arms and her lips on his was everything he had hoped for and dreamed about for the past few months. It was better than anything he had ever felt and so much different from their previous kisses. Before he had been forced to flee from the wedding, he had held back the true depth of his feelings for her, knowing there was a very real possibility that he would never be able to give her what she deserved in life. Now, however, he could kiss her with everything he had, knowing that he was free from the obligations that had been forced upon him by the prophecy. “I love you, too,” Ginny whispered joyfully as the couple broke the kiss. Harry felt like his heart would explode from the amount of joy he felt just from hearing Ginny say those words. Unfortunately, the knowledge that many people had died in the last few days seeped back into his mind, instantly bringing down his mood. “I feel the same way, Harry,” Ginny said as she cupped his cheek in her hand. “I am so happy you are here, alive and safe, but I hate myself for feeling this way when we have lost so many good people. Even more so because we lost Fred.” Harry wrapped her back up in his arms as the tears began to slip from her eyes. He carefully manoeuvred them back over to his bed and sat down with Ginny in his lap, holding her closely as she cried for the loss of her brother. “Sorry,” she said once the tears slowed, allowing her to regain some composure. “I really hate crying and now it seems I can’t stop.” “I think that may be the case for a little while,” Harry told her gently, knowing how much she refrained from crying in front of anyone. “We all need time to come to terms with what has happened and the people we have lost.” The couple shifted further onto the bed with Harry sat with his back against the headboard as Ginny curled into his side, her head resting on his chest. This was something Harry had missed all those nights stuck camping in random locations with only the Marauder’s Map to provide him comfort in knowing Ginny was safe. The silence that followed was no longer awkward but comforting. “What has been happening while I have been asleep?” Harry asked after several long minutes. “And where are Ron and Hermione? I would have thought they would be sleeping in here with me.” “Madam Pomfrey kicked everyone out, except me,” Ginny explained, answering the last question first. “She said she didn’t want anyone disturbing your sleep. She let me stay because she wanted someone to keep an eye on you. It’s been mainly me and Mum watching over you, though Ron and Hermione have been in.” “Tell me that everyone knows they are a couple now.” “Yes, but they refused to say how it happened,” Ginny confirmed. “Bill said it didn’t happen while you were at Shell Cottage when I questioned him.” “It was just after you left the Room of Requirement,” Harry said, smiling at the memory. “Ron mentioned the house-elves in the kitchens, causing Hermione to throw herself at him and kiss him.” Ginny couldn’t help but laugh at the very thought of house-elves being the cause of her brother and her friend’s first kiss. Even though it happened at the most inappropriate moment, somehow the story of their first kiss seemed completely appropriate for the new couple. It was also great material to tease them about. “So, what has happened since I fell asleep?” Harry asked again, knowing he had been distracted by the question. He just hoped Ginny was not trying to hide bad news from him. He didn’t think he could handle anything like that on top of the guilt and grief that was already gnawing at him. “Honestly, not as much as you are thinking has happened,” Ginny told him. “The Wizengamot reconvened for an emergency meeting, expelled any member who sided with Voldemort, whether or not they had the Dark Mark, and made Kingsley the acting Minister for Magic.” “I think Kingsley is a great choice for Minister. Have you or your family spoken to him since it was announced?” “No. Dad said he was going to be too busy for the next few weeks,” Ginny explained. “He did address the wizarding world this morning, though, over the Wizarding Wireless Network.” “What did he say?” Harry asked, intrigued to find out what measures the former Auror had already put in place to keep their world safe and at peace. “He has placed British wizarding society in a national state of emergency,” Ginny told him as she thought back to what Kingsley had announced. “No one can leave or come into the country until all Death Eaters have been captured with any exceptions needing to be approved by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.” “They could still use Muggle forms of transport to escape the country,” Harry argued, knowing nothing would stop an escaped Death Eater from fleeing the country if they were determined enough. “Dad said it was highly unlikely as most Purebloods do not have a clue how to use Muggle transportation. He said they would more likely leave a path of destruction behind them if they did try.” “True. Plus, right now, they have nothing to lose” “Exactly. Anyway, Kingsley said that the Ministry would also be impacted with only essential services running to full capacity. His focus, right now, is dealing with the immediate aftermath of the war before he moves onto fixing the problems that led us down this road.” Harry had to admit he was impressed by Kingsley’s plans. The wizarding world had moved on like nothing had changed the first time Voldemort had been defeated, allowing for Voldemort to easily take over the Ministry when the time was right after he had regained his body. This time, the Ministry needed to be wiped clean of corruption and Pureblood influence. By making it that only essential services were running to full capacity, Kingsley would not find himself trying to handle problems from every department, allowing himself time to deal with the necessary issues that would stem from the end of the war. “Harry?” Ginny said, pulling the wizard from his thoughts. “What happened yesterday? What made you punch the mirror?” He wanted to avoid this conversation, because he knew it would only let the dark thoughts back into the forefront of his mind. Yet, he knew that if he had to talk to someone, it would be Ginny. She was his best source of comfort. She had never once pushed him to talk, only asking questions when it was necessary and unavoidable. The fact that she had never once pushed him to reveal what it was that he needed to do so he could defeat Voldemort meant everything to him. While he wasn’t quite ready to talk about everything, he knew that, in the coming days, she would be the one person who he would give a full and detailed account to. “I felt overwhelmed,” he stated, not even sure how to articulate what had happened. “By what?” Ginny asked, recognising that Harry would need encouragement and help to explain. “Everything,” Harry replied automatically, realising it was true. “I stepped into the shower, and it was the first moment I’d had been alone, the first moment I had not had to figure out my next move or worry if I was taking too long to end this war, and the first moment I’d had to realise just how much I, and everyone else around me, had lost. All those thoughts and feelings were just too much to handle in that moment.” Ginny shifted up the bed, so she could wrap Harry in her arms and comfort him as tears slipped from his eyes. She wasn’t surprised by his answer. Given how much he had been through in his life, how much he had lost and how the fate of the wizarding world had rested on his shoulders, she was more surprised that he had managed to go this long without truly breaking down. “Sorry,” Harry quietly said once he had regained his composure. “Seems I may be dealing with the constant tears for a little while as well.” “Maybe next time, we can have a good cry together,” Ginny suggested with a smile on her face. Harry laughed at the suggestion but knew he would happily allow himself to cry with her anytime she wanted. “What happened in the forest, Harry?” Ginny asked nervously. “Why did Voldemort think you were dead?” Harry sucked in a breath, knowing that Ginny would want some kind answer to what she had just asked. Even if he wasn’t ready to tell her everything, he knew there were a couple of things he did want to share with her to help her understand just how much he loved her. “I do plan to tell you, Gin,” he told her earnestly. “I want you, of all people, to know the full truth, every little detail, about this past year and events from before I had to escape the wedding. I just need time to process it all, especially these past few days. I don’t even plan on speaking to anyone until I have told you everything. You deserve to know everything, the public do not.” “I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt here, Harry,” she replied, again not surprised by his answer. She had needed time to process what had happened to her after being possessed by Tom Riddle’s diary before she was even willing to share just the small details with anyone in her family. “I just need you to know that standing there as Voldemort told us you were dead was the most heart-breaking moment of my life.” “It broke my heart to hear you scream out for me. Please know that I didn’t do what I did with the intention of hurting you. It was just what needed to be done at that moment, something I will explain in more detail soon. I did think I was going to die, though, and all I could think of was you. You have been on my mind constantly, all year. I even spent most evenings watching you on the Marauder’s Map, making sure you were safe.” Ginny felt her heart melt at Harry’s words. While she was still desperate for answers and an explanation, she still appreciated how open he was being with her. “I saw you,” Harry continued, “with that girl you were helping in the grounds. It was when I was walking down to the forest to face Voldemort. I wanted to stop to speak to you, but I couldn’t bring myself to do so.” “Why?” “Because you were only the one who could have stopped me from doing what needed to be done, from doing what was right.” Harry looked away, scared to see the look of disappointment in Ginny’s eyes. “You let him hit you with the Killing Curse,” Ginny gasped as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place for her. “Yet, here you are, still alive. How? Why?” “Why? To break the connection between me and him,” Harry explained without going further into detail. “How I survived? Because he took my blood to help restore his body, which meant taking the protection my mum gave me as a baby. It kept me tied to him and tied to life.” “There’s more to the connection, isn’t there?” “There is. And I promise to tell you when I don’t feel so exhausted and have managed to wrap my head around everything. I just needed you to know that I meant what I said earlier.” “And what was it you said again?” Ginny asked with a teasing look in her eyes. “That I love you and want to be able to tell you that every day for the rest of our lives,” Harry responded instantly, happy to remind her even if she was teasing him. “We don’t need to figure it all out now as we have days, weeks, months and years ahead of us to do so. Right now, I just need to know that you will be my girlfriend again?” Ginny shifted once more, bringing herself to Harry’s eye level. “That kiss I gave you on your birthday, Harry,” she told him as she pressed herself closer to him. “That kiss was my way of telling you that I was yours. It was me telling you I would wait for you. Despite what you said to me at Dumbledore’s funeral, I never considered us truly broken up. I felt like we were more on pause until you were in a position to give our relationship the time and commitment it deserved. So, in answer to your question, no, I won’t be your girlfriend again, because, in my heart at least, I never stopped.” Without waiting for a response, Ginny leaned in and kissed Harry. The couple lost themselves in the kiss, both rejoicing in the fact that there was no longer anything to stop them from being together. When they pulled apart, Harry tugged Ginny down, so they were lying down, curled up together. “Let’s go to sleep,” Harry said after a yawn escaped him. “Are you not worried about my brothers finding me in bed with you?” Ginny asked as she made herself comfortable. “No,” he sleepily said. “I defeated a Dark wizard. I think that means they should be scared of me.” Ginny giggled as she felt Harry’s breathing even out. She closed her eyes and followed him into sleep as the food that Kreacher had delivered to the dorm, without them noticing, went uneaten. |
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