The Beginning of the end (chapt.1)
Summary: After the final battle, the tears, the joys, the heartbreaks. What I think happened during those 19 years.
I don't own Harry Potter, unfortunately it's all J.K Rowling's.
He was walking out of Dumbledore's office Ron and Hermione at his side. He looked at them and he thought about how they had stuck with him for 7 years and how they'd helped him by risking their lives in the past year and he smiled to himself.
"What are you smiling about?" Ron asked frowning at him
"Just how much I owe you guys for the past year, Thanks!" He said smiling to them
Hermione walked closer to him and gave him a hug while Ron tapped him on the shoulder.
"No problem mate"
Without even noticing they found themselves in front on the Gryffindor portrait hole.
"Um…" They all replied at the same time
"Oh just go in already" The Fat Lady told them a smile on her face
"Thanks" They all said once again
Harry was last to enter the common room and he was suddenly lost for words the entire Weasley family was there staring at him. He had absolutely no idea what to tell them and he wasn't ready to talk to them just now. While Ron and Hermione went towards the family Harry headed straight to the dormitory he was so accustomed to.
When he finally opened the door he almost turned around Ginny was sitting on the end of his bed. They stood there looking at each other for a long period of time till Ginny stood up and closed the distance between them she lifted her hand and put her palm on his cheek rubbing her thumb against it. As she slowly retreated her hand a frown marked her beautiful face and she suddenly whipped Harry across the face.
"Ow Ginny!" He yelled
"I thought you were dead. How could you do that to us, to me?" She said tears rolling down her face.
She was turning about to leave but Harry pulled her hand and spun her around. She threw her arms around his neck and he brought her closer to him by putting his hands around her waist. They stayed close to each other for an immeasurable amount of time taking in each other's scent.
He brought Ginny to the side of the bed still holding her in his arms and letting her sob, he knew his turn would come soon and that she would be there for him. Harry was starting to stir, he was waking up. He turned his head and found Ginny lying next to him, his arm around her neck and hands linked together. He smiled and slowly as not to wake Ginny he started to untangle himself. When he got up he saw the beaded bag on the other bed, and went to it.
"Accio-clothes" He murmured
After he washed up he returned to the dormitory.
"Hi Harry" Ginny said getting up to meet him.
"Hi. Do you want to go to the great hall?" he asked casually
As they descended the stairs and approached the doors leading to the Great Hall they realized that it had been completely rebuilt. Well almost it was mainly all done.
Ginny spotted her family across the hall and started walking to them when she saw that Harry hadn't moved an inch. He still didn't know what to say to them, he knew he shouldn't blame himself for all the deaths that occurred during the battle however he did feel remorse and ashamed that he asked all these people to die for him.
"They don't hate you Harry" Ginny told him, a smile coming on her radiant face.
"I just don't know what to say to them Ginny, I just can't face them now" he said starting to turn away towards the doors.
"Harry wait"
She took his hand, staring at them and then looked into his enchanting emerald eyes, as he stared at her beautiful hazel brown ones that look so much like Mrs. Weasley's.
"Trust me" she told him turning her thumb on the back of his hand to sooth him.
He looked up at her once again taking in a deep breath and smiling at her. They walked hand in hand till her mother brought Ginny into a hug. Mrs. Weasley turned her face toward Harry, slowly letting go of Ginny and starting to walk towards him. Ginny looked towards them hoping Harry would be alright. Finally Mrs. Weasley came to a halt in front of Harry.
"Mrs. Weasley I'm so sorry for everything I've put you trough in the past year" he told her tears coming into his eyes. Mrs. Weasley was after all the closest person to a mother he ever had and he did love her very much.
"Harry dear, are you alright" She didn't let him answer she started to hug him as did Harry.
"Never do that to me again Harry" she told him looking at his face and smiling.
After Harry talked to everyone he sat down opposite Ron and Hermione next to Ginny.
"Guys I want you to come and see McGonnagall with me later, you're just as much in the story as I am"
They both nodded. Harry smiled. After eating as much as they could Harry stood up.
"Ginny would you mind coming for a walk with me?" He asked her looking at the table for fear she wouldn't want to come, he needed to talk to her.
"Um… Sure Harry" she said a bit unsure.
They headed outside into the sunlight.
"Ginny, do you want to know what we've been doing this past year?" He asked her.
"Yes." She replied simply
"Ok but I want Ron and Hermione to be there to." He said. She nodded
"Listen I'm really sorry for everything I've done to you I know it's not fair. But I did it to save you." He said staring at the ground.
"I don't know how it was like for you not to know were you're brother and best friend were during the last year and if they were ever going to come back. But I wanted to tell you that it was also hard for me not knowing if you were surviving if anything was happening to you, because I love you Ginny. And I don't know if you already have another relationship already going on or if you don't want me anymore but I really needed to tell you" He said in a rush still looking at the ground. They were silent for a couple of minutes until he looked up at her blank face.
"I'm Sorry Ginny I shouldn't have told you that. Not right now" he said and started walking back to the castle.
Ginny was shocked she couldn't believe he just said all of that, she loved him too but it was just too much to absorb she wanted to say "I love you too Harry" but she couldn't find her voice instead she just watched him walk back up to the castle afraid of what he was thinking. He would think she didn't like him, that she had a new boyfriend. Truth was she was miserable for the past year everything he said was true she was worried sick for her friend, brother and lover. She was heading back to school to meet up with her family.
Harry saw Ron and Hermione in a nearby corridor. He walked to them thinking it was time to see McGonnagall.
"Hi. You ready?" he asked them. They both nodded. They started walking towards Dumbledore's… well McGonnagall's office now he thought. When they arrived in front of the gargoyle he let them pass even without password. They knocked once they arrived in front of the massive doors.
"Enter" said a soft voice.
"Harry, to what do I how this pleasure?" she asked
"Well professor we would like to tell where and what we were doing this past year, and why we barged into the school late the other night" Harry said looking at the floor.
"Well I certainly hoped you would tell me" she said a smile in her voice
"Sit down"
After two hours of telling the story they were now down in the Great Hall finishing they're lunch with the rest of the Weasley family for the exception of Ginny. She finally entered the Great Hall and sat herself next to Hermione opposite to Harry.
"Where are you going Harry?" said Hermione for Harry had stood up and started to leave.
"Um… just going for a walk" he said turning away stealing a glance at Ginny all the while and started thinking about the horrible event that had occurred earlier that morning.
Maybe she didn't want anything to do with him anymore, he would understand after all he had left her. Maybe she had a new boyfriend because she thought he wouldn't come back alive. When the sky started to get darker Harry realized that it was time to go back to the castle he decided to skip diner. He headed back to the common room and when he entered he heard two girls talking and he recognized the voices as Hermione and Ginny.
"I just don't know what to do Hermione" Ginny said
"What do you mean?"
"Well after what happened this morning I don't know how to fix it, he went away probably thinking I had a new boyfriend or that I didn't love him anymore"
"Well do you?"
"Of course I do Hermione, I love Harry with all my heart and it was so hard last year and I couldn't wait and I still can't wait to be in his arms again and kiss him…" she trailed off. Harry had a huge smile on his face. So she did love him. Suddenly he knew what he had to do. He walked into the room and both Hermione and Ginny stared at him.
"Ginny could I have a word alone please" he asked her she threw a small smile at Hermione and walked up to him, Hermione headed to the boys' dormitory, Ginny and Harry sat on the couch facing the fire.
"Listen Ginny, I'm really sorry for coming at you like that this morning. It wasn't fair to you, you've lost a lot of people you loved." He paused for a moment thinking of Fred's lifeless body as tears stung his eyes. "I'm really sorry" he said in a low voice finally meeting her eyes. She smiled up at him.
"Why are you smiling?" he asked her.
"Because that was really sweet Harry, you're always saying sorry, and this morning I was just shocked that you said you loved me. It was the first time anyone said that and I love you to Harry, there's no one else." She said looking down tears welling up in her eyes.
Harry took his hand lifted up to her face and tilted it up so she would look him in the eyes. They looked at each other for what felt like hours when they finally kissed passionately. Later that night Ginny was leaning against Harry her head on his shoulder, his head on her head sleeping peacefully for once in a long time.
The next morning brought on the funerals for some who had died in the battle. Harry went to all those whom he had known, and the hardest one was definitely Remus and Tonks' funeral, Remus was after all the last friend of his father's to die, and yet Remus had become somewhat of a friend of Harry's as well. He sat next to Ginny who held his hand while tears streamed down her face. Harry squeezed her hand and she squeezed back settling her head on his shoulder. Harry had to look away at the lake as to not scream out loud. It started to be to much. What made matters even worse he saw Andromeda Tonks and Teddy, his godson. He promised himself and he'll promise Teddy as well that he'll be just as great a godfather as Sirius Black had ever been to him.
"Harry" Mrs. Weasley called after the ceremony.
"Hi, Mrs. Weasley"
"Harry dear, you'll be coming back to the Burrow with us today"
"Um… Sure" he replied "I just need to handle some things first"
"I just need to handle some things first"
"Alright" she said with a smile
Harry turned to Ginny, Ron and Hermione.
"I'll be right back guys, I need to go see someone" He said kissing Ginny on the cheek and walking away.
"Bye Harry" They replied.