Nothing could hold Ginny back as she saw Harry standing in the doorway of The Great Hall. She wondered to herself why she was running over so desperately when she knew full well she was just imagining things. She'd just seen him dead with her own eyes just minutes before, limp in Hagrid's arms as Voldemort laughed his evil cackle. Her mind was just playing tricks on her.

Harry noticed her coming and looked at her with wide, glassy eyes. He placed a finger to his lips and beckoned her to follow him into a nearby classroom. Ginny slowed down her pace but kept focused on him. Her Harry.

As she closed the classroom door behind her, she took a deep breath. Harry was standing in front of her, looking grey and hurt, covered in blood and wearing ripped clothes.

She shook her head. She needed to stop being so stupid! Ginny forced herself to remember his dead body right in front of her. She'd seen it! But for some reason her heart and body wouldn't accept that, and she found herself taking a step closer towards him.

"Harry?" Ginny heard herself whisper cautiously.

"I'm so sorry, Gin," he replied instantly. His tone was quiet and he sounded pained. Harry's eyes didn't leave Ginny's the whole time.

"I'm seeing things, I'm seeing things..." she murmured more to herself than to him.

Harry suddenly grabbed her shoulders, silencing her, and bent down so that he was at her level. He looked into her eyes even more deeply, and she recognised the broken look in his eyes. "Don't, Ginny, please don't. Give me time to explain. You aren't seeing things, I swear. I...I'm an idiot. I've hurt you in one of the worst possible ways. I heard your screams and cries and I just wanted to hold you, tell you it was okay - it ripped me apart."

She was confused. "You-You heard me scream? What? How? What's going on, Harry?"

He sighed and moved away from her slightly, releasing her shoulders. "I had to pretend he'd killed me, so that I could come back later on and finish him off. So I didn't correct him when he thought I was gone."

Ginny shook her head quickly. "No. I can't kid myself. I'm imagining this, I know it. Or maybe you're just some sick imposter or something, I'm not sure. All I know is that Harry Potter is dead, and that I can't cope with that at all. I can't cope with any of this! It isn't fair! I don't have a clue who you are, but you aren't Harry. You aren't my Harry." as she spoke, she collapsed in tears. She sunk to the floor and hunched her shoulders, sobbing.

Harry felt tears of his own sting in his eyes, and had to clench his fists to stop them coming out. It was horrible seeing her in this state - the state that he himself had caused! He crouched down beside her, and took a deep breath. This was a long shot, but he had to try it if it could reassure her in the slightest way. He'd gathered no words he could say could make her better.

"Ginny, I think there's one way I can prove to you that I'm not lying. Please."

He leaned closer to her, despite her alarmed expression. He kept leaning until her soft, full lips were touching his own. He kissed her and after a while, she caught on and kissed back. He brought his hand up to her beautiful auburn hair - that hair - and stoked it, smoothing it away from her face.

Harry had known he had had to kiss her, because she had always commented when they were together about how he kissed like nobody else. She'd always told him how she could recognise him by his kiss if nothing else.

It seemed it had worked when she made that tiny little groan from the back of her throat. She always did this, without fail, when she wanted him to kiss her deeper. Ginny brought her own hand to the back of Harry's head and tangled her fingers in it. She held his head tightly to hers and swiftly quickened the pace of her lips and tongue. After a while, Harry moved his arms so they were around her tiny waist and pulled her body securely against his own. They kissed like this for ages, and they only broke away when they heard a huge thud come from the Great Hall next door.

Harry looked startled when Voldemort began to speak. "I need to get in there right now. Stay here, please, Ginny."

"No chance! I'm coming with you."

"I am not letting you get hurt. No matter what, I do not want you getting hurt."

"Harry, you can't come back to me and then leave. What if you really do get killed this time, Harry? After that...You can't just mess me about, keep coming back and leaving again...At least if I do come in there with you then I'll know, I won't just be left scared and waiting all over again. You have no choice, this is my decision."

He softened a little at this and considered what she'd said. Anyway, he knew she would probably follow him no matter what, and he'd rather know where she was...just in case.

Harry clutched her hand and stood up. "When we get in there, you go right back to your family, you hear me? Stay out of his sight and keep your mouth shut. Promise me this."

She nodded and kissed him lightly once more. "I promise you, Harry."