Chapter One: Harry's Farewell

A small dark figure hovered over the the Weasley's garden. It was dusk, the sun already hidden behind the abundance of tree-tops clouding the horizon. A faint pinkish glow illuminated the vivid red hair of the figure as it made a loud grunt-like exclamation and hurled yet another crab apple off into the distance.

"Ginny dear, come off that broom and help me set up for dinner. You've been out hear for hours!" Mrs. Weasley's voice rang out shrilly in the quiet evening from the Burrow's doorway. As the round women slammed the door she mumbled, "You'd think she'd be spending every last minute with Harry seeing as its his last night and all." Her eyes revealed a great depth of worry. Trouble with her daughter's relationship was just one more concern on top of everything else.

Harry had been visiting the Weasley's for a couple of weeks before he headed off to search of the remaining horcruxes with Hermione and Ron in order to fulfill his destiny. Meanwhile, Ginny would return to Hogwarts studying and doing homework while constantly wondering if her boyfriend, brother, and best friend were at the moment in mortal peril.

Well perhaps boyfriend wasn't the correct term Ginny thought bitterly. The fear and frustration at her inability to help in Harry's quest was mingled with conflicting feelings about their relationship. Harry was a changed man and Ginny just couldn't take it anymore. She hurled one more apple in anger, landed her broom, and stomped indoors.

When dinner was ready, Ginny was sent to fetch Harry. She climbed the many stairs to Ron's room and abruptly knocked on the door. There was no response. "Typical," huffed Ginny. She flung the door open and examined the serious boy slouched over a book on Ron's bed. He was completely average looking, a lean figure with pale skin and unruly hair. His clothes were rumpled for lack of attention. His thin face sported deep worry lines as he studied, attempting to take in everything and anything that may help him defeat Voldemorte.

Harry Potter had the weight of the world on his shoulders, there was no denying it. And as mean as it sounded, this did not exactly make him prime dating material. It would be one thing if he remained open to his friends and could still manage to find some pleasure in life, but Harry had completely given himself over to anxiety and the the prospect of himself as the world's only possible savior. He was so incredibly serious all the time and so incredibly focused on himself. Of course that could only be expected in light of his situation, Ginny thought guilty.

Finally, Harry noticed Ginny's presence and looked up at her, his intense green eyes seemingly piercing through her thoughts. Ginny couldn't speak for a minute. Despite her frustration with him, Harry still held an immense power over her. Eventually she composed herself. "It's time for dinner."

"All right, I'll be down in a minute."

"Is that really all you have to say to me right now?"

"I can't understand what you mean by that." Harry's voice was even and calm, practically devoid of emotion.

"Well, its our last night together, so there are defiantly a lot of things you should be saying, maybe how much you love me or how much you miss me. You could even be so bold as to ask how I was doing today seeing how as we haven't spoken all day. But least of all, you could walk down to dinner with me and stop isolating yourself from everyone else, even your girlfriend!"

Harry's eyes dulled and narrowed. "Ginny, you should be supporting me, don't you realize that entire world is relying on me?"

"Of course I realize that, but what you don't realize is that there is an entire world outside of yourself. What's the point of saving something that you don't give a damn about?"

Harry chuckled. "Ginny, Ginny, you're just to young to understand. Someday you'll realize how silly you're being."

By this time Ginny was absolutely fuming. "Look, I understand how hard it is to be you right now but you'd be giving yourself a lot easier of a time if you would talk to other people once in a while and come off your high pedestal. I mean, are we even dating anymore? Because it doesn't seem like it, we haven't had a decent conversation since we were at Hogwarts!"

Harry's voice became more agitated and harsh in response to Ginny's accusations. "Well I don't really have the time or energy to be concerned with trivial things like that, do I?"

Ginny just stood in the doorway for a few seconds taking in this last biting comment. Her pretty face was bright red with anger, her eyes gleamed with disgust. Her muscles were all tense as if she was about to pounce. Finally, she simply let out a breath and spun around to make her exit.

Ginny was the youngest of a family of boys, and this showed in her character. She was tough and independent. She sat through that dinner with a fierce determination to remain civilized. Harry acted his usual self, limiting any sort of communication and displaying just the bare minimum of politeness required of him. He left the next morning along with Ron and Hermione before Ginny awoke. Ginny forced herself to replace all her confusing emotions with bitterness and anger. She didn't shed one tear.