Disclaimer! i own nothing at all! it al belongs to the Queen! this is just a quick oneshot after i was inspired by a headcanon on tumblr.
It was a cool spring day, Harry and Ginny were holding hands walking into the Great Hall, they took their usual seats at the Gryffindor table, though Ron and Hermione were no where to be seen. It was nice, it just being the two of them. Harry piles on loads of potatoes onto his plate, and starts stuffing his face, before Ginny even gets any food on her dish.
"Whoa, Harry! Slow down, I swear you are nearly as bad as Ron." Ginny exclaims.
Harry swallows and smiles at Ginny, "Sorry, old habits die hard."
Ginny looks confused as she watches Harry slowly eat his food. "What do you mean, Harry?"
"Summer vacation is nearly here, i try to eat as much as i can while i know i will get food. At the Dursleys, if i don't eat fast enough Dudley will finish it off for me." Harry stares down at his plate, no longer eating or looking at Ginny.
"Y-you dont get to eat everyday there?" Her eyes widen and stare at Harry in surprise. "Has it always been like this or just since you started at Hogwarts?"
Harry stands up, "I don't want to talk about this here, let go for a walk." Ginny reaches for his hand and they walk up to the 7th floor to the Room of Requirment and instantly a door reveals. Harry pulls Ginny gently into the small dimly lit room, with a fire blazing along the wall, and a small couch on a rug seated before it. Harry hesitates, and Ginny softly tugs him farther into the room leading him to the couch. "Talk to me Harry, tell me what it was like at the Dursleys."
Harry sits beside Ginny, and wraps his arm around her shoulders. "i was left on ther doorstep when i was a year old the night of Halloween when my parents were killed. My Aunt nearly stepped on me when collecting the morning milk. It wasnt so bad at first i remember be allowed to play in the same room as Dudley when i was young, but then at like age 4 or 5 suddenly i wasnt allowed near him alone. My room was move to the cupboard under the stairs." Ginny gasps, her eyes filling with tears. "Dudley was spoiled, he got toys and money and gifts and love. i once made the mistake of asking why i couldnt play anymore, and why i wasnt allowed a room like he had. My Uncle locked me in my cupboard for 2 days, though i was allowed food. Ive never had clothes of my own, they were always second hand from Dudley, not that they couldnt afford it, but because they couldnt be bothered."
Harry took a deep breath, "It wasnt til i was about 6 that i figured out that i wouldnt ever be loved like Dudley, that they wouldnt ever like me like they did him. I started to hate Dudley, of course later it was warrarnted. My Uncle thought at age 6 was old enough to earn my keep, i did all the yard work, and any mistakes were rewarded with no supper and a day locked in my cupboard. At school i wasnt allowed any friends because Dudley and his gang made it clear that his odd cousin in the baggy clothes and broken glasses was not a proper playmate, and if anyone tried they would be beat up like i was."
He paused and swallowed, " Once a year my uncles sister would come for a visit for entire week, the one i blew up my 3rd year. She encouraged Dudley and Vernon to bully or beat me. "Bad Blood" she'd say, of course then i didnt know about my parents, i wasnt allowed to ask wuestions about them or be punished. At age 7 i took over the cooking completely, i took a nasty beating the first few weeks, i'm a complete slob at cooking. Finally Vernon put a stop to me cooking anything but breakfast, becuase even i couldnt mess that up."
"The years went on, no friends at school, chores and beatings at home, i hid in my cupboard a lot, i had a few chess pieces i used to play with, i stole them from the neighbors trash. And then the letters came, i was so confused when i saw my name on the envelop, i was an idiot and tried to open it in front of the Dursleys. My Uncle tried everything he could to get the letters from coming, he burnt them, he ripped them up, boarded up windows and the mail slot, until after about a week, hundreds of them came flying in. He forced us to leave, we drove around for hours, then stayed at a motel, and more came for me at the front desk, so we left again."
"it was the night before my 11th birthday that we stayed at the shack on a island, my aunt and uncle got the bedroom, my cousin got the couch, and i was sleeping in a molding sleeping bag, counting down the minutes until i turned 11. it was a minute after midnight that Hagrid kicked the door in, and broke my uncles gun, gave my cousin a pig tail, and told off my aunt for not telling me the truth. And then he told me what happened to my parents, he told me about Voldemort, and explain about Hogwarts and the lot. It was the best birthday i ever had. After we slept we ate the birthday cake he made me, and he bought me my frist real gift, Hedwig."
Harry shrugged, "its not so bad now, i have a bedroom, it used to be Dudley's second room, and after your brothers ripped off the bars on my window 2nd year, i like it. If it hadnt been for your mums cooking during my 4th year summer i would of starved, they put Dudley and the entire house on a diet, and the only way to make him feel better was to ensure that he still got more than me. All last summer i was locked away, and fed only cold soup every other day. But i only have this summer, and half of next until I'm free of them forever. They may be related to me, but they arent my family."
Harry looks over at Ginny and shes silently sobbing, she throws her arms around him and hugs him tightly. I'll speak to mum and Dumbledore if i have to! i wont let you stay at the Dursleys for any longer than needed for the ward to protect you! That place is awful! If it wasnt illegal i would hex the bloody hell out of the whole lot of them!"
Harry smiles and kisses Ginny, "I love you." His eyes widen as he realizes what he has just said. Ginny looks deep into his eyes, not even pausing "And i love you Harry, i think i have since i moment i saw you when i was 10 years old, but i know i love you now, no matter what happens."
