A/N: This story was previously published on HPFF. It was written in 2008.
The final battle had been raging for hours. There had been many casualties, but thankfully only a few of the Order and the DA had so far been killed. Mad-Eye Moody and a few other Order members had been killed, and Hagrid was badly injured, but his tough skin kept him fighting. Professor McGonagall was fighting with a manic grin on her usually stern face, and it was obvious that she considered this as enacting revenge for all of the Death Eaters previous victims.
Only Harry Potter, the emerald-eyed, raven haired boy of just seventeen – the Boy-Who-Lived, the Chosen One – stood apart from the rest, Tom Marvolo Riddle – Lord Voldemort, the Dark Lord – opposite. They faced each other, completely silent, though Harry was pale and shaking as if under the Imperius Curse. As they fought, the others kept shooting worried glances at him, most notably his best friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, and his ex-girlfriend Ginny Weasley, who was getting more and more distracted by the minute. This meant that Fenrir Greyback, who Ginny was fighting desperately, was slowly gaining the upper hand. Suddenly, as Ginny just fired off a strong Impediment Jinx at Greyback and he was flung backwards, the pop of someone Apparating sounded a short distance away from her left ear. She turned sharply to see who had appeared behind her, but there was no-one there.
At the same moment, Hermione spun around fiercely, her hair whipping her face as if it too were angry, leaving Macnair, the Death Eater she had been fighting, lying both unconscious and paralysed. Her eyes connected briefly with Ginny's as they shared a look of understanding, but then Hermione saw something over Ginny's shoulder, her eyes grew wide, and she screamed in terror. Behind Ginny's unprotected back, Greyback had launched his huge, disgustingly hairy body at her, trying to bite her. Ginny tried to avoid him, but she hardly had time to react before another person threw their full weight at her, and all three crumpled to the ground, with Ginny struggling to breathe under the weight of the two fully-grown people strewn across her stomach and legs. There was a muttered word from above her, a bright flash of light, and the weight on top of her lessened as Greyback flew backwards into the air. The figure on top of her shifted their body, trying to put less weight on Ginny, but there was blood coming from somewhere, and he moaned, 'Ginny...' as his full weight fell on her. He was unconscious.
'LIBERDAMOR EXIGO!'
The shout echoed throughout the battlefield. Nearly everyone stopped fighting and turned to see what had happened – both the Death Eaters and their enemies. Harry, still pale and shaking, but also looking like he would faint at any moment, was standing with his wand raised and pointing at where Voldemort had been fighting just a moment before. Now, there was only a small scorch mark on the otherwise green grass. Lord Voldemort had finally been defeated. The unspoken good news was reflected in everyone's eyes as they smiled at each other for the first time since the Horcrux hunt had began. As they watched, however, Harry collapsed into a heap on the ground, apparently exhausted. A quick series of pops sounded across the battlefield as the remaining Death Eaters Disapparated away to their safe houses, leaving only the victors, the dead and the injured on the field. Mrs. Weasley flew immediately to Harry's side to tend his injuries, and Hermione moved to join her and Ron, who was trying to heal him. Ginny could see Harry, lying still and unmoving, and her heart pounded in her chest. He couldn't die, leaving her here, not now, not after Voldemort was gone. She needed him - no, she hastily reminded herself, she could never be with him. It wasn't meant to be, so she shouldn't get her hopes up, but every time she had seen Ron and Hermione together, holding hands or even just talking quietly and their eyes connected, her heart had ached for Harry. She wished they could be like that – a young couple, always together and very much in love. As much as she hated to admit it, especially since Harry broke up with her, she had always needed him, and always would. Thinking about him brought her back to the present, and she felt an overwhelming urge to check on him. She raised a hand in Hermione's direction, waving it feebly to gain her attention.
'Mione,' Ginny groaned in discomfort, hoping Hermione could help her get the body off her. She needed to be able to breathe, especially now that her life, and hopefully Harry's, could go on.
'Oh, Gin! I'm so glad you're alright! You are, aren't you?' Hermione exclaimed nervously as she ran over to Ginny. Between the two of them, with Hermione huffing and puffing, they managed to heave the body off Ginny's waist, where it had been restricting all movement. Ginny took in a very deep breath, relishing the fact that she was actually still alive. She had survived the final battle. And maybe now, Harry and Ginny's life as a couple could finally go on. But, for now, she wouldn't let herself think about that. Not yet.
After a moment, she stood up, feeling very weak in the legs, due to the lack of circulation, and she and Hermione finally managed to roll the person over until they were lying face up. It was Bill Weasley, his handsome face battered and bloody. His right arm was twitching strangely, and blood oozed surprisingly quickly onto the grass, staining it Gryffindor red. His eyes were tightly closed, and he attempted to move his injured arm, groaning in pain as he did so. At that movement, something deep inside Ginny seemed to snap, and she let out a piercing cry which echoed through all the battlers' souls, as well as the surrounding area. Mrs. Weasley looked up sharply, and seeing her only daughter in such agony, rushed to help them. She reached them, and knelt over Bill, trying to find a pulse, but he had stopped moving, and his breathing was barely visible.
'He's still breathing,' Ginny gasped through the flood of tears now trailing down her cheeks. Mrs. Weasley glanced up at Ginny with a heartbroken expression, for she did not want to choose between her eldest and youngest. For Molly, having one child broken was hard enough, but two was unbearable. However, cradling Bill's body to her chest with some difficulty, though refusing to accept any assistance, she looked at Ginny once more, this time with a heartfelt apology in her eyes, and Disapparated away with him to St. Mungo's.
Ginny did not move; she could not move; she could not feel. She sat, silent and motionless, in front of the crushed, ruby red stained grass where Bill had lain. How long she spent there, unthinking and unfeeling, she had no idea. She had lost a part of herself; and, for now, she couldn't function without it. After a while, she felt someone wrap their arms around her small body, rocking her back and forwards in sympathy, and a voice whispering in her ear. She turned, her face wet and her eyes still swimming with tears. It was Harry. His face was ashen, but he stood anyway, and beckoned for her to follow him. Suddenly, the weight of the world was thrust back onto her shoulders; she recalled all that had happened between them, and knew she needed to be alone.
'I can't do this,' she whispered, her face scrunched up as if she was being tortured. She felt still more tears welling up in the back of her raw throat, and she turned and fled, Disapparating away from the place which would now haunt her dreams, because of both Bill and Harry.
Harry watched her go, dejected and confused. He only wanted to comfort her, like she had done to him after Sirius and Dumbledore, but she had fled. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cho Chang, one of the fighters, approaching him. She was trying hard not to look like she had just fought Death Eaters, and she held herself tall as she walked, acting for all the world as if she herself had just defeated Voldemort. As she approached him, she flicked her hair in a becoming manner, though by now, Harry was immune to it – he had had Ginny, and he never wanted anyone else.
'Great job, Harry,' she simpered, peering up at Harry through her dark eyelashes, 'aren't you pleased it's all over?'
'It's not over yet.' Harry shot back coldly, as he brushed past her to the spot Ginny had Disapparated from. As he walked past the Weasley family, who were all huddled together in a show of solidarity, he muttered, 'I'll find her.' Mr. Weasley and his childrenlooked grateful as they comforted one another, and Ron shot him a hopeful look as Hermione held his hand and softly whispered in his ear. Harry knew it was a desperate attempt to keep Ron calm, and stop his anger. No-one wanted him to explode at a time like this. It was a desolate sight, but it was the last thing Harry saw before Disapparating to the Burrow to start the search for Ginny.
The house and yard at the Burrow looked as cheerful as ever, and for that simple reason, Harry found himself feeling resentful towards the buildings he'd for so long called a home. He could see where Ginny had wandered randomly through the yard; she hadn't bothered to clean herself up, and some of Bill's blood had dripped onto the ground, leaving a ruby red trail for Harry to follow. Eventually he found her, sitting up near the top of the hill, which was hidden by the trees, where they had played Quidditch during so many long summer holidays. He could understand why she had come here; Bill had been a fantastic Quidditch player, and just being on the pitch soothed Harry's troubled mind. Ginny had backed herself into a tree, and was crying again, clutching her knees and rocking savagely as the tears made pale tracks down her now dirty face. Wordlessly, Harry sat down beside her. Ginny made a small movement, as if to shrink away from him in fear. He did not move – he just needed her presence next to him. For a long while, they sat in silence, and although Ginny wouldn't admit it, she liked having his comforting presence next to her.
' Ginny, its okay,' he soothed, 'it will be all better soon.'
'Really?' she asked, looking up at him sadly. He was instantly reminded of when he had first seen Ginny, at Platform 9¾, and the way she watched the Hogwarts Express, with tears running down her face, until they were out of sight. It was then he realised – she was so lonely. Harry found himself both respecting her, and also wanting to protect her from anything; from everything.
'Really.' He reassured her.
'But what about us?' Ginny pleaded, 'Can we finally be together?'
She looked too sweet and innocent, looking up at him from her tearstained and scruffy face, that he could not help it. He felt all the love he had for her swelling to fill his heavy heart, and he leant over and placed his lips gently over hers. It was only a brief kiss, but it was full of tenderness, commitment, reassurance and love. It also held a promise; that he would look after her, and love her, for as long as he lived.
'I love you Ginny, you should know that,' Harry whispered, taking her hand in his, as he stood stiffly. Ginny stood also, and let him lean on her as they began to walk back to the Burrow to face the rest of the Weasley's – together.
'I've always loved you, Harry, and I always will.'