AN: Hey guys! So just an overview:
Harry and Ginny never got together in Harry's sixth year. They are just friends now. Its been two years since the war and a lot of things have changed. The question is, changed for the better or for the worse? READ AND FIND OUT!
DISCLAIMER: I bow to the magician J.K. is. Its her treasure, I'm just playing around with it.
Chapter # 1 "Looking back"
Setting: The Burrow
Two years after the Final Battle of Hogwarts.
Once again her beautiful hazel eyes swam with fresh hot tears as she gazed at the all-too-frequent sight: 's cosy little kitchen was as usually over-crowded with the usual lot. With Ron and Hermione in one corner, Percy and Penelope in the other and Charlie, Bill, Fleur, and of course The Boy Who Lived clustered around George and Lee Jordan and laughing their heads off at their new experiment for the Weasley Wizard Wheezes, it seemed that her absence would not be that easily noticed. She turned away, placed all of them behind her and set forward in the pleasant August night. The light breeze kissed her cheeks, ruffled her hair and reminded her so badly of all such night she had spent at the Burrow about half a year ago but then those nights were not the same, at that time she had not been alone. At that time she had not purposefully sought out solitude for herself, she had not pushed away everyone away from her like she had now. Then, she had not grown into this aloof and reserved person she now was. Back then she was the heart of the assembled company, the soul of all the fun and life at the Burrow. She impatiently brushed away the tears, tidied her hair and inhaled the pleasant air which reminded her of her childhood, her family and of…of him.
"No! Don't! Just don't think about him. Don't you even dare to think about him Ginny Weasley. How much more are you going degrade yourself? For how long are you going to let him use you? Till when will you be his comfort cushion? How could you—" she broke down.
The thought of him had brought about a fresh stream of tears. Ginny placed her hands on her throbbing temples and tried to gain control over herself. She was indeed getting good at that. With such frequent breakdowns and such weak self-control, with time she had managed to learn the way of calming herself. The famous Muggle quote rang through her mind "Practice makes perfect". She laughed bitterly at the thought; her insides mocked her at her pathetic condition, at her weakness and at her incapability of dealing with it. She kneeled down on the grass and gazed up at the sky. Twilight was fading, another long night was on its way which meant that another day was gone and still Ginny Weasley was stuck with the grief of her past, of her shattered dreams. For how long was she going to continue in this way? For how long was she going to repent after someone who was never actually hers? For how long was she going to let him affect her like this? Influence her thoughts; haunt her mind, her day, and her nights? How could she continue in this way? How could she once again let Harry be the cause of her discomfit, of her loneliness, of her weariness?
"Not for long" she sighed answering all these questions which were perhaps for the fiftieth time racing through her mind. To prove that answer true she had to move on, get over him, show him it did not matter, that she was okay. But then had he ever doubted that she was not okay? That he had done something which had completely broken her? No! Harry did not know that his innocent actions, his friendliness all this had in one way or another made her into the person she now was.
Ginny sighed again, more heavily and loudly this time. She tugged at the grass in an impatient gesture and let her mind wander to the time when everything had been normal. When she had been happy, when she had walked in nights like these, sat on the ground like this, gazed up in the sky not alone but with her friend at her side, with Harry.
…
It was the summer after the war at the Burrow. The air was still mournful after Fred's death. It was no longer normal or customary for the house to echo with laughter, for Fred and George's attic to shake with loud bangs and for to shriek at the top of her voice, admonishing the twins to give up their freakish plans. A melancholy feeling had hung over everyone, deepened by some rare mysterious attacks on Muggles reported to the English Ministry from within the country and abroad ; it had seemed that life could never return to normal. After the war Harry had shifted to the Burrow forced by Ron and bullied by . For the boy who had become world-wide famous at the age of one only, it seemed that he would be capable of dealing with this increased popularity and expectations. Being the guy who had vanquished the Dark Lord, it was impossible for Harry to remain in the background after the war, it was not only expected from him but it was considered to be his duty to be up and about and be as revolutionary as he could be. Many thought that for a youth of only eighteen summers it was too much to ask for but other contradicted that for a youth of such extraordinary talent and charisma it was perhaps nothing at all. Hence, with the whole wizarding world counting on Harry Potter once again, the Chosen One had decided to let his fate lead him forward, an arrangement with which he had had spent all his life as yet.
For Harry, Ron and Hermione to go and complete their year at Hogwarts would have been a waste of time. This, having been expressed by Ron although relieved Harry but brought about the displeasure of Hermione. No, whatever may happen, she would not start her professional life without complete education. So eventually Hermione had set off to Hogwarts alone. Having failed to convince the sheepish looking Harry and a highly disgruntled Ron, this seemed to be the only way out. Without more ado Harry and Ron had found themselves admitted in Auror training. Harry had been dumbstruck when Kingsley had asked him to join in. Too much overwhelmed to speak, he and Ron had accepted the proposal and had started their career towards aurorship, their dream.
The world was still not rid of all the dark wizards had became apparent to Harry in his first month of training. They had to track down the last of Voldermort's followers but this proved to be no easy task. Some of them had fled abroad while some were in England. It was the new regime in the Auror Department to send delegations of Aurors in other countries to catch the last of Voldermort supporters. This privilege was not to be given to foreign Aurors as the techniques used and the past information still remained secret hence the Auror training became more challenging and more prestigious as well. However, gradually time passed and Harry continued with his training and in the meanwhile strengthened his bond with a Weasley he had never though could be so understanding.
Ginny had went off to complete her seventh year with Hermione but when on Christmas or Easter holidays she came home and spent time with everyone, Harry realized for perhaps the first time in seven years, that she was no longer the shy little girl who used to blush hot in his presence or used to leave the room in a flutter in case of his presence. For Harry it had been an agreeable surprise. He realized that Ginny was witty; she was charming and sometimes adorably innocent. Harry used to wonder that why had it taken him so many years to realize that? Was it because he was too much engrossed in Voldermort or was it that Ginny had not opened up like she had now? Whatever may be the reason, for Harry it was enough that he was no longer the cause of her discomfit and that now things were not awkward between them. A great friendship and understanding with Ginny had blossomed and for Harry things could not have had been better. As Ginny had completed her year and came home, Harry had felt as if the Burrow had changed. It had seemed as if sunshine had just sneaked through the walls of the dark house illuminating the hearts and the lives of its residents. The quietness which used to hang over the house had suddenly disappeared. Molly Weasley had lightened up considerably when she had Ginny by her side and Ron and Harry started to fill their days with activities other than catching culprits. Harry had admitted it to himself that Ginny did know how to make life easier for other people. He had realized that it would have been exceptionally difficult for Ginny to overcome the grief of her brother's death but then she had probably strengthened herself over the year and had taken upon herself to do the same for her family. In this way life had seemed to return to the Burrow. George Weasley had found himself a new partner in Lee Jordan and Percy and Penelope had become engaged. During all these happenings Harry and Ginny had grown close to each other, the former enjoyed a new friendship and the latter indulged again in her twelve-year old fantasy.
Ginny had convinced herself into moving on during the past years. She had realized that to pine after him in such an absurd manner was fruitless hence when she had returned home after Hogwarts she had returned to her normal self and had realized that she could be friends with Harry without expecting more than that but still a slight hope had nourished in her bosom and she had unconsciously clung to it.
The place where Ginny Weasley sat in the present had been occupied by Harry and Ginny a long time back. With Ron and Hermione spending time together, fidgeting over wedding arrangements, Harry and Ginny had found themselves thrown together oftener. Whenever Harry came home exhausted with the day, it was Ginny in whom he confessed his troubles, his fears, his insecurities. Living at the top of all the crime and fearing that darkness would again envelope the world, Harry had found it hard to resist hopelessness which seemed to engulf him. However, with Ginny at his side, he began to feed on her optimism; he absorbed in her enthusiasm and her courage and found a support in her which he had never thought existed. It had been at the persuasion of Harry and not her brother Ron that Ginny opted for Auror training. Long discussions with Harry, lying on the ground, under the numerous glittering stars, Ginny had realized her own passion for the profession. Harry recognizing her talent, had taken it upon himself to persuade her into applying. She needed some boast, Harry had known that, hence with his support and encouragement, Ginny Weasley followed the footsteps of her youngest brother and started training. Harry and Ron were a year ahead of her thus it was no unusual thing for Harry to be helping Ginny in her projects.
With things going so smooth something occurred in the fall which completely changed things. For Harry confusion reached its peak and for Ginny disappointment mounted up.
Back in the present as Ginny thought about it all, her eyes filled. This time the tears were not flowing because of disappointment but because of anger. Ginny cursed herself on her hideous behavior, tormented her feelings and condemned her expectations. She remembered the excitement running high for Percy's upcoming wedding immediately before Christmas. The film of that eventful day flitted across her eyes, making her sadder than ever…
Dressed in pale peach gown which made her hair look redder, Ginny descended the stairs magnificently and quite dramatically drew sighs from her mother, Fleur and Hermione. She laughed at their reaction and joined them in the kitchen.
"Mum! Stop staring at me like that and sighing in this way. You are making me nervous." She laughed.
"No seriously Ginny you look gorgeous" Hermione piped in." I told you this gown would look beautiful with your hair and see I was right".
"Okay! Now that's enough of me, where are the boys? Percy's fine right? He hasn't run off as yet surely?"
"Ginny! Don't talk nonsense. You make me nervous; I just hope everything goes well. I kept on telling everyone that the backyard is too small for the ceremony but Percy won't listen. And if now the guests get uncomfortable I would never be able to look them in the face! Oh my god I—"
"Mum! Mum! Calm down" Ginny placed her arms around her mother and gave her a small hug which although did not seem to but reassured Molly a great deal. She could not remember when and how she had grown to be dependent on her youngest child.
"You've seen the arrangements right? And we told Penelope about them and she was satisfied so just relax. Everything would be fine and even if the guests do somehow get uncomfortable and start complaining I'll ask George to perform his Memory Charm. Then they would never mention anything. What say?"
At the precise moment came in to inform them that the guests had started arriving which created a lucky diversion for it seemed as if Ginny's attempt at lightheartedness was having reverse affects on Molly. The thought of George and Lee using their tricks on the guests made Molly sought them out and then the next twenty minutes passed in lively argument including reassurances from George's side and accusations from Molly's.
As Ginny entered the tent set up in the backyard her eyes fell on Ron and Harry standing by the entrance on the opposite side. At that moment Harry looked up and saw her standing there. He smiled at her and waved. She waved back and made her way towards them.
"Merlin me Ginny! You look-you look what! Pretty. Yeah you do." This surprised praise from Ron made her laugh which turned into a big wide grin as Harry joined in the exchange of compliments.
"Yeah! Really you look beautiful! The color suits you a lot"
Feeling a bit hot in the freezing weather she returned some incoherent remark and moved away to help the guests find their seats. She satisfied her conscience with the thought that the Heating charm may have been overdone and became busy in the ceremony. They did not get together again throughout the ceremony. Harry being busy with his Ministry colleagues and she monitoring the refreshment supply and all. At the end as the newly-wed couple took their place on the dance floor, she saw Harry approaching her with two bottles of Butterbeer.
"Hey! God I'm tired! All went well thanks Merlin. Those two look really cute together" he said, looking over to the spot where Percy and Penelope were twirling together.
"Yeah they really do. I'm really happy for them. Mum was so anxious that this place would get overcrowded but all went well" Ginny sighed, feeling genuinely happy for her brother who had alienated himself from his family for two long years.
Harry looked down at her with smiling eyes and said "It's fantastic how everything got normal once again. I never thought this was possible. With the war over… Fred gone I just used to feel as if it was impossible for all of us to be happy once again. The first time I came to the Burrow after the war It seemed as if I no longer knew this place; so sad, so quiet."
Silence followed his words in which Ginny tried to maintain her cheerfulness. She was just about to reply and try divert Harry when he started off again, showing how much affected he still was.
"Then there is Teddy! Whenever I close my eyes at night I see his face. Then I remember Remus's happiness and his trust in me. I don't why this happened. I just feel that his fate resembles mine so terribly. I don't want him to suffer the way I did. I just don't know what to do. I—"
"Stop Harry" Ginny stopped him and laid a hand on his arm. Giving it a squeeze, she continued
"Harry I totally understand your sentiments but thinking about all those painful moments would make it impossible for us to move forward! Do you think that if at this moment we start to indulge in the sorrow of Fred's loss, we could ever enjoy the blessing we have been bestowed with right now? Could I ever feel happy for Percy if I kept on thinking about Fred's death? No! I could not do that. It would seem as if I have forgotten him but Merlin! I could never do that. I just do not think like this as if he has left us, I keep on feeling that he is still here, I keep on imagining how he would act in different situations. I see his face in George's, I see his actions in Charlie's, I see his anger in Bill's, I sometimes hear him saying things through Ron, I feel him through Mum. In this way, I've learnt to live for him; I've learnt to live in the happiness of once having him as a brother, not in the grief of losing him."
Tears shone in her eyes and her voice cracked as she felt a stab of pain in her heart. All those times they had spent together flooded into her mind. Fred pulling her ponytail while she lay on the sofa, Fred throwing her off the broomstick and then rushing over to see if she was hurt, Fred enveloping her in his bear tight hug, Fred shielding her from the Death Eaters, Fred lying dead on the ground with the ghost of a smile still on his face. She pushed these thoughts away, feeling as if she was going back on her own words to Harry. She looked up and saw Harry watching her concernedly.
"Ginny I am sorry. I did not mean to upset you. Are you okay?"
She gave him a weak smile which trembled on her lips.
"Yeah I am fine. I just could not help remembering the old times. Come on Harry! You do not have to apologize for anything. You know that you can talk to me about anything right? So it's okay"
"Thanks Ginny! Thanks a lot for being here for me all the time"
She looked into his eyes and saw them shining with earnest. How could she help not being here for him? Did not he know that he made her equally comfortable... perhaps not!
She was about to reply to him when a male voice shouted from behind…
AN: So so soo? How was it? Review you guys and tell me what you think. Any guesses as to what's going to happen? Also, constructive criticism most welcome. I am halfway through this story but I'll upload the rest only of you guys want me to. So let me knoww! :D
