“Are you ready for this?” Ginny asked.

Turning to look at her, Harry had suddenly never felt as grateful for her as he did right at that moment. He wished he could put into words what it was he felt for her, but even after being together and going through so much as a couple, he still didn’t completely know what it was. Ignoring Ron and Hermione who sat across from them, Harry squeezed her hand back and gently kissed her on the cheek, his face lingering next to hers longer than necessary.

“No,” he replied truthfully.

Well,” Harry replied guiltily, remembering what he had done whilst in Ron’s body. “I’m apologising in advance, you’re probably going to get in a bit of trouble.”

Ron was immediately suspicious. “What did you do? I mean, what did I do?” he asked apprehensively.

“You, uh,” Harry began apologetically. “You may have attacked Draco Malfoy.”

“You’d better watch her, Potter,” Malfoy added sarcastically. “It’s no wonder the Dark Lord didn’t want her.”

“It’s going to be alright.”

“Stop saying that, it’s not alright!” Harry raised his voice, immediately regretful. His mind racing in confusion, he ran his fingers through his hair. “ I’m sorr-”

“Don’t apologise,” Ginny cut him off forcefully. “This isn’t your fault, you didn’t ask for any of this. You realise that, don’t you?”
 
 

“Harry? What is it?” Sirius asked softly.

 

He didn’t know where to start, or even what he was going to say at all. “It’s fine, Sirius, I-” Harry began nervously, stuttering a little. “I’ll do it.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“I can’t trust you anymore, Harry!”

 

Harry stopped dead in his tracks, feeling as though he were physically winded. He stared at her incredulously for a long moment as her words started to make sense. “You think I’m cheating on you?”

 
 
 

“You’ve been quite careless, Potter,” a voice said as the light dimmed to reveal the Auror who had taken he and Hermione to the one eyed witch. “Anyone would think you wanted to die.”
 

“Isn’t anyone going to ask me what I think?” Ginny called out from the bed.

“No,” the three of them replied firmly.
 
 
 
 

“Where did you go?” he asked quietly. Feeling her slip her hand into his he pulled away from her even more, unable to look her in the eye.

“I haven’t moved.”
 

“My dear,” Remus smiled grimly, moving away from the wall and approaching her chair. “If I were an imposter, you’d be dead by now.”

“It’s gonna be okay, Mum,” she whispered. “He’s gonna take good care of me.”
 
 
 

Harry couldn’t help himself, the words streaming effortlessly out of his mouth. “You haven’t changed a bit…still look like a troll.”
 

“If you don’t shut up I’ll put this fork up your nose,” Harry said sharply, brandishing a soapy fork in Ron’s direction.
 
 
 
 

“That’s the Queen.”

“Ugly lookin’ thing.”

“She’s old, Ron, and on a coin! Let’s see you get your face on a coin…”

“I’ll tell you where I’ll stick your face…”
 
 

"He'd rather you pull his teeth out."
 

“Bertie…” came the exasperated sigh of a security guard. “What are you doing now?”

“I didn’t really eat that frog, did I?”         
Harry smirked. “You’ll never know for sure.”
 

“You have hit your mother,” Hermione interjected, her voice muffled somewhat.

“Doesn’t count when you’re seven.”

“You put her in St Mungos, not to mention the time you broke Ginny’s leg.”
 
 
 
 

“If tea leaves are never wrong I should have been eaten by a giant marshmallow long ago.”
 

"We’ve got tiny fluff balls running amok."
 

Chapter 41
 

Chapter 43
 

Chapter 45
 

Chapter 47
 

Chapter 49 Imbalance
 
 
 

Chapter 51 Snape's Tale
 

Chapter 53 The Prelude
 

Chapter 55 The Battle of Hogwarts Part II
 

Chapter 57 Epilogue