"It was a mistake! An accident!" Ginny cried to a motionless Harry. "I didn't mean to-"
"You meant every second of it!" Harry growled, suddenly starting on Ginny. "That's all you do! Do things behind my back, get caught, and think apologizing will solve everything!" He spat, his face twisted in a feral snarl. "Well guess what? IT AIN'T WORKING."
"No! I... I..." Ginny's eyes shifted as she desperately searched for an explanation. Harry, sensing her moment weakness, pressed his advantage.
"You never felt for me!" He declared, eyes flashing with anger. "You only went after me 'cause I was FAMOUS!" He said venomously. "You never loved me." His voice had dropped down to a spiteful hiss. "You never loved me."
SLAP!
Harry woke with a start, his face stinging from the memory of that fateful slap. That slap that changed everything. Breathing deeply, he felt his racing heart calm down slowly. "Just a dream." He muttered to himself. "It's all in the past, Harry boy..."
And he was right, in a way. It was a long time ago, and Harry was willing to let it slide. He was a new man now, a changed man. He was no longer the humble student he used to be. Here stood a man with fame, riches, and good looks. The winning combination to the glorious lockers of women.
Whipping the bed sheets off, Harry quickly bid mini-Harry good morning before dashing off to the toilet. Washing up was a blur of water, towels, and creams, as Harry swiftly cleaned himself up as well as wake himself up with a nice splash of cool water.
The most time consuming of bathroom tasks was hair styling. Now, Harry was a famous man, and he couldn't be seen with a rats nest for a head, could he? He pulled out a comb from a nearby drawer, alongside with some hairspray and a hair dryer. "Time for a fashion disaster." He narrowed his eyes, and rock music started pouring from a hidden loudspeaker. His hands deftly moved from comb to hairspray to hair, brushing and spraying his messy hair into shape. Before long, his hair was fully styled to his liking. And the liking of many females as well.
Ginny liked it too. "Shut it, brain. I'll have none of that in MY life." Harry snapped at himself. He stopped when he realized talking to himself probably didn't help things, but he still grumbled something about his mind going rogue. "I'll have to check with a doctor... talking to myself isn't normal, is it?" Nope. "Quiet."
But that was quickly forgotten over a delightful breakfast of sausages and eggs, and by the time he was done, his little spat with himself was long gone, replaced with high hopes for the day. "Today is going to be great!" He grinned lopsidedly.
Ginny Weasley was feeling absolutely horrible. She dreamt of sunshine, and better days. She dreamt of a glorious future, of family. Of love. Imagine the crushing disappointment she felt when she woke to her dingy little compartment.
"Another day..." She patted her cheeks. "Time to get up..."
She dragged herself to the toilet, where she half-heartedly washed up. She went out almost exactly the same as when she went in. Then she plopped down in front of the table and reached for a piece of bread. "Ruddy dry bread..." She chewed a bit and swallowed, then set down the bread with a sigh.
Her life was in the dumps. Ever since she broke up with Harry, her life just seemed to slide. It was almost like a curse, but not the curses you could cast with a wand. It was the mysterious forces of beyond type of curse. But whatever the cause, her life had gone to the gutters the moment she left Harry.
She sighed, and trudged out the door.
Harry laughed, and strode out the door.
"Hey Harry, what's up?" His neighbor, Mr. Swiney, was a cheerful and happy man. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"
Harry waved in response. "Sure is, Mr. Swiney. Sure is." His confidence was on max setting, his swag on full capacity. Nothing could rain on his parade, literally, as he had a personal entourage of lovestruck women and eager apprentices, which he protected with a sunny day charm.
Suddenly, he spotted a girl sitting outside of a cafe. And she was GORGEOUS. Holy smokes she was hot. she had raven black hair, a perfect complexion, and, as far as Harry could see, a rockin' body. "Look, my pupils. Let me show you how a pro gets the girls." The women tittered about how manly he was, and Harry's students leaned forwards in excitement.
He flashed his trademark grin, and sidled up to the girl. "Hey." He said, sitting down opposite of her. "I see you like philosophy." He said, gesturing at the book the girl held. She looked up, and nodded hesitantly. "I used to study philosophy, you know." Okay, technically a lie, but he was adept at the odd philosophical problem.
"Oh? Really?" Oh sweet jesus her voice was like the bells of heaven. Harry was momentarily stunned by just how beautiful her voice was. Fortunately his inner casanova quickly took over, and before long they were deep in conversation. Meanwhile, his students were hiding comically behind a bush, observing from afar. He flashed them a thumbs up, and went on to phase two.
"Indeed. Want to talk about it? I'm free today and I'd like some intelligent conversation for a change." He said, slowly softening her defenses.
"Sure. Where to?" The girl smiled prettily, taking his hand of friendship. What she didn't realize was that Harry was looking for much more than friendship.
Ginny strode through the streets, sadly dragging her feet across the ground. "Crummy prices..." She muttered to herself. She was just forced to pass off one of the best cupcakes she'd seen in her life, just because she didn't have enough money. It was by accident that Ginny saw Harry through the throngs of people on the street.
The sight of him sent Ginny on overdrive. On one hand, Ginny wanted to be with him again. On the other, she hated him for jumping to conclusions, something that eventually led to their break up. But now she just wanted to make up with him, to explain what had actually happened.
Then she saw the girl.
"Sara, you are hilarious!" Harry chuckled at a joke the girl cracked. They had crashed at his house, got to know each other better, and was seemingly moving on to the more touchy-feeling stage already, all within five hours.
"I'm nothing compared to you, Harry. You know that." The girl, otherwise known as Sara, giggled. She batted her long eyelashes at him, smiling seductively.
"Is that so, now?" Harry smiled thoughtfully, before jumping her. They went down in a whirlwind of clothes, hands, and kisses. They rolled across the floor, giggling.
Spying on the pair via video camera, Harry's proteges were immensely impressed at his ability to get women on a whim. When the clothes started coming off, a few of the younger ones were made to look away. Needless to say, it turned out to be quite an interesting 'lesson' to learn from.
Ginny desperately tried to block out the screams of pleasure coming from beyond Harry's house door. It was too much, it reminded her of too many things. The nights they spent together, the things they did...
Ginny felt a teardrop roll down her cheeks, followed by another, and another. Soon her face was covered in tears as she cried, cried for the things she'd lost, cried for the chances she'd missed, and cried for the only one she ever loved. And yet, there he was, making love to a woman definitely that was not her. It was painful. It hurt.
And yet there was nothing that could make it better. Nothing at all.
Oblivious to the misery happening just outside his door, Harry was having the time of his life. He just had sex with the most beautiful girl he'd met, and now he was furiously making out with her. And he loved every single second of it.
He reached out, and grabbed a handful of Sara's hair. It was silky smooth, and delightfully ginger... what?!
Harry looked again. It was bizarre, and completely unheard of, but Sara was turning into... Ginny? "Ginny?!" Harry gasped, surprised at this turn of events.
"Who's... Ginny?" Panted Sara, trying to bring Harry back into the kiss.
"An... old friend." Harry said, as Sara turned from Ginny back into her original appearance. "Forget I said that, and let's get back to it!" He dove right back into business, into the waiting arms of Sara.
It's a sign...
"Don't be silly." thought Harry.
You know it...
"I'm afraid I know nothing of the sort."
SHE'S IN DANGER YOU DOLT! NOW GO AND SAVE HER BEFORE YOU REGRET IT!
"Holy shit! Fine, I'll go!" Harry leapt to his feet, hastily throwing on his clothes and bursting out of the house.
"Harry...?" A very confused looking Sara was left behind, scrabbling for her clothes. "Where did you go...?"
Ginny sat on a rock, looking out to sea. She always liked this place, this cliff top thinking rock. The sky, as always, was grey and gloomy, sort of like her feelings right now. Really, a thunderstorm would have been more accurate, but a cloudy sky was close enough.
Her mind was in turmoil, as she tried to process what she'd seen. Or heard. Harry had been sleeping with other women, presumably with MANY other women. While she, Ginny, was down in the dumps, Harry was living it up as a celebrity.
He was the Boy Who Lived, the chosen one, and he wasn't afraid to flaunt it. Ginny? She was the one who tagged along, the ex that no one remembers. She was unnecessary.
Ginny felt tears well up in her eyes as she contemplated her place in the world. What was the point? Her life was practically worthless, her impact on the world minimal. She had no influence, nor legacy to leave. The world was better off without her.
"Why am I going after Ginny?" Harry grumbled as he soared along the countryside on his Cloudrunner broomstick. "I don't have to, especially not after what happened."
You love her.
"No I don't." Harry said indignantly. "Not anymore."
You were happy when you were with her.
"I'm happy!" Harry rolled his eyes. "I'm living it up, can't you see?"
Does that make you happy? Simply living it up?
"Well..." Harry hesitated, before quickly frowning. "HEY! Quit messing with my head!"
I'm making you think, idiot.
"Alright then, fine! I'll think, if that makes you shut up!" Harry sighed in defeat. He cast his mind back, back to when he and Ginny were... a thing. Almost instantaneously he flinched and retreated. He wasn't ready to confront those memories yet. Instead he thought of his 'Glory Days', the life he'd been living since the breakup. They were great! ...Right? True, he was never bored of that life, and for once in his entire life he felt like he was in control, but, well, he wasn't happy. All of those women, Harry sought for a purpose. He felt... empty. And he was searching for something that would fill that hole.
A hole that appeared... when he left Ginny.
"I... I have been a fool." Harry gasped. "Ginny... I need to find her!"
"How easy would it be, to fall into the sea?" Ginny sang quietly. It was her favorite song, to Fall Into the Sea. "To be forgotten by time... To this fate I resign..."
"For I know you don't love me at all~!" Her voice rose up into the sky, only to be whipped away by the roaring winds. This was it. She stepped up to the edge of the cliff. The wind howled and clawed at her, urging her to jump.
"This is it, then?" Ginny smiled sadly, staring at the boiling ocean below. It beckoned welcomingly. Join us, the raging water murmured. JOIN US.
Ginny smiled dreamily and prepared to step off the edge.
HOLY SHIT HARRY GO FASTER!
"Shut it dweeb! I'm the one driving here!" Regardless, Harry pushed the Cloudrunner to maximum speeds. "Come on... COME ON..."
He didn't know why, but somehow Harry could feel Ginny in trouble. Whatever it was, she was in danger. He scanned the horizon.
There!
Harry swerved, finally spotting a smatter of ginger amongst the grey surroundings. "There! GO BROOM GO!" His heart leapt as he shot towards Ginny, his mind soaring with elation.
Until he noticed what she was about to do. "No..." His stomach fluttered as he stared, wide eyed, helpless, at the disaster about to unfold. "No... No. NO!"
"GINNY!"
"GINNY!"
The cry struck Ginny like a lightning bolt. She whipped around, and saw Harry streaking towards her. "Harry...?" She took a step forwards, breathing deeply. "HARRY!"
CRACK!
Ginny looked down as the rocky outcropping detached from the main cliff. The brief moment of confusion on her face made way for a look of understanding as she felt the ground fall from underneath her.
Of all the things she could see, she noticed the clouds part in the wake of Harry's broom. Sunlight streamed in from the crack in the sky, eliciting a smile from the falling girl.
"I'm sorry..." She whispered, tears sparkling in the light.
NOOOOOOOO-!
"NOOOOOOOO-!" For once, Harry and his inner voice was completely in synch as he watched Ginny plummet in a shower of stones.
"Faster, faster, FASTER!" Harry and his mind screamed as one, and the broom, miraculously went even faster. He saw the clouds be physically pushed aside by the cone of compressed air building up in front of him. He saw Ginny fall out of sight, almost in slow motion. Then...
BOOM! With a sound like rolling thunder, the cone was broken in a shower of rainbow light, sending Harry hurtling forwards. He didn't notice the explosion. He didn't notice that he was surrounded by rainbow light. His heart and soul was fixed on saving Ginny, and nothing could tear him from his goal.
The sheer heat from the sonic boom caused Harry's clothes to burst on fire, turning him into a burning comet hellbent on rescuing a falling girl. He gritted his teeth against the pain, reaching out his arm. He could see Ginny now, less than three stories away from certain doom.
"GINNY! GRAB MY HAND!"
Ginny gasped as a burning Harry streaked towards her, followed by a trail of rainbow. It was definitely the most bizarre thing she had seen in a long time. Tears flooded her face as she gazed upon her savior. Her savior, as always, riding to her rescue in her time of need. First, from the Basilisk. Then, from the oppression of Voldemort. And now, he was yet again risking himself for her.
"GRAB MY HAND!" That snapped her back to the present situation. Reaching out her hand, she threw herself forwards, latching on to... nothing?
Her eyes widened in recognition as her hands fell back, Harry's outstretched hand just barely out of reach. Death was near. She could almost smell it in the air. Closing her eyes, she apologized silently.
She felt something hit her side, hard. Darkness washed over her.
"...Am I dead yet?" Ginny whispered.
"I'm afraid not." That voice... Ginny's eyes shot open. There, holding her in his arms, was Harry. "Welcome back, sunshine." He chuckled.
She took a good look at her surroundings. They were still floating in midair, sitting on the Cloudrunner. The cliff was missing a chunk, said chunk now sitting near the foot of the rock face. Harry was smiling tiredly at her, his clothes burnt off in some places, revealing badly seared skin.
Involuntarily, Ginny started to weep. "It's okay, honey. You're safe now." He hooked his arms around her.
"I'll never leave you hanging..." he breathed, before bringing their lips together.