This story is a series of one-shots that takes place in the 19 years between the last chapter and the epilogue. Also I do not own rights to Harry Potter so the characters are not mine.
Measurements of time seemed to cease to exist to Harry; it could have been minutes that past or it could have been hours. However, the reality was that it was only little more than the first and a lot less of the second and Harry felt that he could not have marked the difference. He had barely eaten the sandwich that Kreacher left for him when he caved into the call of comfort his bed offered. As his head it the pillow he sank into the warmth of his bed on the top of Gryffindor tower and drifted to sleep without a thought in his head because he was too tired to dream.
After a nameless amount of time passed it wasn't dreams that began to over take his mind but memories that appeared while his slept. The memories that appeared before him were both good and bad, and much like watching his own life happen all over again. It wasn't until the familiar scent of flowers; that he had come to secretly acknowledge to himself as the most exotic smell in world, infiltrated his senses that he began to dream. It made his memory of a warm sunny day under a willow at Hogwarts turn suddenly heated with the all too coveted red head that had taken up many of his thoughts of late. Harry couldn't pin point a one time he began to fall in love with Ginny; but he knew for certain that he began to see her and respect her as more than Ron's little sister when he was in his fifth year at Hogwarts. Working with her in the D.A made him see that she would perhaps be one of the strongest witches he would ever know in heart and magic.
He was awoken from his wonderful dream by the sudden shift in his bed. Being still paranoid from the war the suddenness in which he awoke caused him to bolt up and knock Ginny off the edge of his bed. A few moments past before he had realized what happened and who was now on the floor. He jumped out of the bed to help her up and was surprised by her reaction to scoot away from him on the floor. "Ginny?" his voice being barely above a whisper due to utter exhaustion and worry; his heart began to brake as he saw the tears begin to form in her eyes. "Ginny", his voice went even softer as he reached out to her again but was again denied.
Instead he stood up as she got to her own feet and was taken off guard as tears began to fall from her eyes and in a blind fury she shoved him as hard as she could into the nightstand next to his bed causing a loud bang as it hit the wall. "No!" she screamed causing the whole room to wake up all too suddenly in a panic and look to the site of Ginny punching Harry over and over as tears an down her face. "You ran off to face him alone. You didn't say anything to anyone. You just left! What the hell is the matter with you, you stupid git?"After the fifth punch her fist became less forceful and turned feeble and shortly after she sank into him and let her tears continue to fall as Harry wrapped his arms around her.
"Ginny, what the hell are you…." A confused pale faced Ron was cut off by a sleepy Hermione grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the bed they had shared for the past two hours. Having finally admitted to each other what everyone had known all long they now found themselves to be inseparable since the battle.
Sleepily she spoke, "Come on Ron I think it is time for lunch". She practically had to drag Ron out of the room as he seemed unsure if he should really leave Harry and Ginny along; and he thought he had heard Hermione say something about giving them privacy. Severely irritated, the other occupants grabbed their blankets and pillows allowing several inappropriate words to slip from their mouths as they made their way out the door. As the door shut he could have sworn he heard Neville say he wished he had stabbed him with the sword instead of the Snake.
Harry held Ginny several more minutes before her tears began to slow and she pulled away from him. He hadn't planned on having to relive everything so soon after it ended. He had however planned on Ginny being the first of whom he told; so he guessed as he grabbed his wand off the now crooked nightstand and murmured "Muffliato" that now was as good as ever to start over.
"Ginny, please" he started cautiously as he placed his hands on her arms, but even after the tears she was still angry it seemed as she jerked away again.
"No, I don't want to here some excuse about you having to do it alone. You always try to go it alone and I never took any stock in that stupid prophecy. You didn't have to do it alone. Why can't you just accept people want to be around you and that people want to help you? Almost everyone here risked their lives for you last night and for what? Some died; Fred, Lupin, Tonks, and for what? For you to turn yourself in and die! How could you do it Harry? How could you leave us behind like that? How..." her voice cracked as tears took over again. "How could you leave me like that? I…we…thought you were dead". Ginny seem reduced to tears once again as she slipped to the floor.
Harry didn't dare touch her, but instead fell beside her. His thoughts were swimming in his head and fear consumed him. All her pain right now, being cause by him. He didn't know what words were going to come out of his mouth when it opened but his mouth did open and he began to speak.
"The prophecy was real", he stated quietly. She looked up shocked and ready to reply but he put his hand up much in the fashion Dumbledore had done to him many of times to stopped her. "No, you had your turn now you need to listen to me because there is allot I never told you. At first it was because you were just Ron's sister but even as you became my friend I still didn't tell you. Then when I realized that I was falling for you I never told you to protect you. So now I'm going to tell you everything even what I've never told Ron and Hermione, and then if you still are mad at me; well at least you know the truth". He took it as a good sign that she just stared at him without speaking.
Harry had meant everything when he had said so he decided to start at the beginning as he knew it; the day Hagrid showed up and told him who he was. There was so much Ginny didn't know about him and now more than ever he knew that if they were ever going to make it she needed to know everything. So he told and told. He even decided to tell some of the things that maybe weren't so important like they used to make of Hermione before they became friends, Fred and George giving Harry a toilet seat as a get well gift( at which she laughed), and about seeing Sirius out the Dursley's before the Night Bus arrived.
She gasped at some things, looked confused allot, but thankfully he thought she had yet to speak. Some parts he saw the distinct look of anger in her eyes but would then vanish shortly after. By the time he arrived to the point of learning about the Horcruxes Harry's voice had grown Horace and Ginny had began crying again. Everyone had left over 3 hours ago and had wondered where they had gone but were glad they had not yet returned. He opened his mouth but closed it again. He didn't want to continue yet. "Please speak to me Gin".
"How can someone do that to their soul? Destroy it like that?"
"I guess someone that doesn't really have one or thinks so little of the importance of their soul".
"Harry, I'm sorry I know that you have been through so much more than I have and I…" before she could finish he cut her off again.
"There's still a lot more Gin, please just let me get through it". She nodded and he continued. When he got the point where he and Ron had fought and Ron had left he had to stop because she had jumped up and started making towards the door.
"I'll kill him" she spat venomously.
"Ginny please, it wasn't really him shortly after Hermione and I realized it was the necklace that was the problem. Please I…I need to finish this because…because if I stop I might not by able to finish it". Ginny made a very indignant gesture and murmured something about getting him later before turning around and returning to Harry's side. "Thank you". By the time Harry had finished explaining Snape's memory and what he had intended on doing another hour had past and Ginny had cried beyond tears and was reduced to dry sobs.
"But..but how could Dumbledore d..o…do that. H…e…he raised you like a lamb for sla…ugh..tr".
"I'm not mad at him Ginny. I think I understand why he did it. I think he knew that if I learned to soon than I would have given myself up prematurely and also I would not have had the chance to enjoy life with the ones I had grown to love if I knew I was going to have to die three years ago. To be honest it was easy to accept" Ginny looked horrified. "No, that's not what I meant. I mean I think apart of me knew it was going to have to be that way. The hard part was walking out there and.. and not being able to tell you all that I'd miss you and I wanted so much to tell you that I loved you but I couldn't. Cause I knew that if I stopped to talk to you than I wouldn't have been able to do it because I would want to stay with you forever and I knew I couldn't do that". Ginny nodded, she finally understood why he did it, but it wasn't enough he wanted her to know the rest. So he told her about speaking to Neville and figuring out the snitch. He told her about walking to his death with his parents, Sirius, and Lupin. He told her how his last thought was of that kiss on his birthday and of her. She was biting her lips trying to suppress more sobs when he started talking about King's Cross.
"To be honest it took awhile to get that the thing in the corner was Voldemort and when Dumbledore told me about his past and about his beliefs I just couldn't be mad at him. Then he told me I had a choice to go back. I chose it. But it didn't really work the way I hoped because coming back I knew I was going to have to play dead for a few minutes until the right moment hit. However when I came back they were playing with my body to make sure I was dead and all the deatheaters were still there plus the snake was still alive so I couldn't do anything. When they had Hagrid pick me up and carry me to the school it took all I had not to tell him I was alive but I knew he would have blown it. It was even worse when I heard you scream because I couldn't do anything to let anyone know I was alive without getting killed again.
"When I followed everyone inside I realized that my willingness to die for everyone probably saved allot of lives because Voldemorts curses wouldn't stick to anyone. When we reached the hall I saw that curse that almost hit you and started charging at Bellatrix but I stopped when I saw your mum. Man she was bloody brilliant. Than the rest of the battle you saw for you own eyes". He stopped again trying to judge her reaction before finishing completely what had been said in Dumbledores office.
Ginny appeared in deep thought before speaking, "Harry I'm not mad at you anymore but I wish you would have confided in me more. I mean I know why you didn't but it doesn't really make it hurt much less that you didn't and I know that what you went through is so much more than I did but still I need to say this. This past year has been horrible for me not knowing that the man I love was alive or dead until the newspaper prints about a break in you'd down or word from someone that saw you. Then when Bill showed up and said you three were at the cottage after barely escaping Voldemort. I begged my mother to let me go there because I had to see you with my own eyes. But it was too dangerous and Bill admitted that he was sure you were planning something dangerous. I was scared and my fears just kept building up. Then last night we lost Fred, Lupin, and Tonks it was like a crack in my heart so when I saw your body apparently dead it was like everything just disappeared inside me and I..I was broke". She looked up and saw tears in Harry's eyes.
"I'm so sorry Gin, I never.."
"Wanted to hurt me I know. It's okay, I understand, it's just that I never want to feel that way again". Harry reached out and touched her cheek.
"If I have it my way you'll never have too. Come on I think we have covered enough ground today. Let's get some sleep" he finished making a nod to the bed. Ginny nodded and stood up. Harry took his wand and removed the charm he placed on the room and they climbed into his bed. Just before sleep took them Harry whispered into her ear the words he had been longing to say "Gin I love you" and he fell asleep.
Sometime later Harry awoke to hearing voices arguing. He felt the weight of Ginny on his arm letting him know that not only was she still there but she was in fact still asleep. So he opted to quietly listen to the argument between his two best mates.
"Ronald, no, Professor McGonagall said under no circumstances was anyone to wake him up and besides we don't know how much they actually got".
"I don't care he is in bed with my sister and I don't like it. Harry may be my best mate but I won't let him take advantage of her".
"You need to grow up Ronald. He only broke up with her to protect her, he loves Ginny and it's about time he had someone in his life that loves him back unlike Cho who thought he was only second best".
"Well it's not proper their not even together".
"We're not together and you didn't have a problem with me staying in your bed earlier Ronald so don't even go there. You're a big hypocrite".
Harry didn't have to see Ron's face to know it turned a dark shade of pink before quietly replying, "Well, I have to wake Ginny up anyway; mum is in a right state looking for her. Plans need to be made".
"So, tell your mum the truth Ron, your mother will be understanding. She's known about Harry and Ginny for ages. She'll understand". Ron didn't reply but at the moment he felt Ginny stir beside him. He moved his arm and put his glasses on sitting up as Ginny opened her eyes.
"I would have thought that after that snog session you too had you would have stopped arguing. I guess I was wrong" Harry spoke looking at them still only half awake with Ginny now glaring at the couple.
Hermione truly looked sorry "Sorry Harry".
"It is okay I think we should probably be up anyway. What time is it?" he asked fully awake now.
"It is nearing seven at night. However, Harry, Professor McGonagall has given a direct order that you're to head directly to Madam Pomfrey and then straight back here. She told the whole School that we're to be left alone and that we're to not be taking part in any clean up for the next few days. She told me that she wants everything to calm down a bit before people start bothering us with questions." Hermione stopped for a moment as Harry made an inaudible sound.
"I'm guessing there is more" he replied as he felt Ginny snuggle into his arms and heard Ron grunt.
"Well yes, but she told me not to.."She stated looking uneasy.
"Hermione!" he spat.
"Well its just that Kinsley told her that they need to release an official statement on what happened and too do that he needs to talk to you; but she won't let him in fact she had the password to the tower changed and forbid the Gryffindor's to give it to him. I guess he tried getting up here earlier but Mrs. Weasley caught him and gave him an earful. She woke up everyone that was sleeping in the common room". After she finished Harry just nodded than turned to Ginny.
"Hey Ginny, I think you need to find your mum she's been looking for you" he said sincerely.
"Oh no you don't" she replied angrily folding her hands across her chest. "You're not getting rid of me to talk. Whatever you're going to say I'm going to here it".
Harry shook his head, "No, I really just don't want your mum to panic. I'm just going to go to Madam Pomfrey's". She glared at him, "Honest, Gin" he replied, putting his hands defensively. She sighed and finally got out of bed and walked to the door ignoring her brother.
When the door shut Ron and Hermione looked at him expecting him to say something but all he did was change his shirt and grab his wand. "What did you want to say mate" Ron asked.
As Harry put his shoes on he looked at them, " I meant what I said. I'm not going to keep anything from her anymore". His words were rewarded with a smile from Hermione and a skeptical look from Ron.
"Hey Harry I don't mean to bring up a bad subject, but I think we need to start figuring out on when we're leaving. To be honest I think the sooner we get rid this thing the better" Hermione spoke as he readied to leave.
"I want to leave on August 12th".
"Harry that's months away. I don't think we should wait that long to leave for Godric's Hollow" Ron spoke for the first time after Harry woke up.
"I want Ginny to come with and can't until after her birthday. Besides I want time to study on few things before we leave".
Hermione just nodded, "This can wait then. We should go before Ginny thinks we are really talking without her". With that the three walked out the door and towards their future.
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