Never Give Up
Chapter 1
Ginny's eyes squinted open against the morning light battling through the drawn curtains. She stretched her arms above her head, in a sleepy daze. The remnants of her dream came back to her, and she felt the space beside her was empty. He hadn't been there, Ginny thought, although she should have got used to this by now. She woke once again to the sinking feeling that her dream hadn't been real. She could've sworn the delicate touches were more than fragments of her imagination. She also woke in anger at herself. She was over him, and had been for years. Not that they were ever anything, or going to be anything.
Ginny laid her head in her hands, scrunching up her face in annoyance. She liked Dean, and was happy to be with him. He treated her as something precious and his letters piled up on her dresser. But something was nagging at the back of her mind, guilt perhaps, despite having no reason for this. Ginny was confused but quickly cleared her head before jumping out of bed.
As Ginny entered the kitchen that morning, she was greeted with the wafting smells of pancakes cooking, and her mother's voice calling up the stairs to the rest of the family and Hermione. She slouched into a chair, pushing the hair out of her face. A slight scowl rested on her face, it was too early, and everything was complicated. It didn't help that Ron almost spilt juice all down her as he leant across to reach the toast. Hermione knew something was up, and sent her a questioning, yet sympathetic look. It didn't help that when the Prophet arrived, there was more reported deaths, and nothing they said could make it go away. There was fear that hung in the air, and wove its way into everybody, so everyone feared for their lives and those of who they love.
There was a knock on the back door, accompanied by the screech of a snowy owl and the thud of a trunk which appeared by the sofa, engraved with the initials H.P.
"Oh, that must be Dumbledore's doing. He said he'd send Harry's luggage over... and that must be Harry..." Mrs Weasley placed the pan back down, and then opened the door. Harry stood on the step, grinning but then looking slightly overwhelmed as Molly pulled him into a strong, motherly hug, while she muttered about how much he'd grown and that she'd feed him up.
"Mum, let him get in!" Ron and Hermione had pushed back their chairs and rushed towards them. Hermione through her arms around his neck as Ron and Harry shared a smile. They started enthusiastically chattering about the few weeks they'd been apart, as they slowly moved towards the table. Ron and Hermione began bickering again, and Harry pulled off his coat. Ginny had watched all this from her seat, and for some reason she felt a nervous shiver run down her spine. She noticed his hair had grown as he ran his hands though it, and his shoulders were broader when shook the coat from them. He hung his coat up, and turned around to face the table. His green eyes met hers, and his face lit up again in a grin, which she mimicked. She finally got up and leapt towards him giving him a hug, and he whispered in her ear, "It's good to see you."
The rest of the day was lost in a whirl of chatter and games of quidditch in the summer sunshine. They flew through the orchard, passing a worn muggle football between them. It was so natural when they sat amongst the trees, and for the time being, they forgot about what all of them knew was to come, and the cloud of fear was lifted. When the sun started to set, they piled into the Burrow in fits of laughter, and played exploding snap for hours.
Mr and Mrs Weasley had long since gone to bed. The moon was high in the sky, and a bottle of golden firewhiskey lay empty on the table. Harry and Ron sat in front of the fire, speaking in hushed tones. Ginny watched their silhouettes against the flickering flames, while curled up on the sofa. Her eyes had grown heavy, and her head was nodding into the cushion. Ron kept glancing at her, and she knew they needed to speak alone, the three of them.
"I'm going to head up to bed now. I'll see you all in the morning." The other three responded in chorus. She started walking out, but turned and said, "Oh, and Harry, you get to meet phlegm tomorrow." He looked confused, and shot her a questioning look. She just laughed and climbed the stairs. Hermione and Ron could fill him in. As she glanced around one last time she saw the three of them huddled together.
The remaining weeks of summer flew past in a haze of evenings in the orchard and days of consistent nagging from Mrs Weasley, greatly contributed by the stress of Fleur being there, or Phlegm as they called her. Despite Mrs Weasley's dismay, the wedding seemed to be going ahead. It wasn't that there was something in particular she didn't like about her, it was just her son was being married, she felt she was losing him in a way, and wasn't sure what to make of it. Ginny it seemed, was on the receiving end of Mrs Weasley's bad temper. This meant she was bombarded with chores and errands, which often kept her away from the other three. She ended up with Fleur much of the time, and slowly began to get to know her, even though she'd never admit it.
Ginny felt herself getting closer to Harry, as friends, but her heart still fluttered when she watched him fly against the striking blue back drop, and when he accidently nudged passed her on the stairs. She thought she was imagining it, but he seemed at ease with her now.
She also got closer to Hermione over the summer and they became best friends. It was strange to have another girl in the house to relate to and save her from the boyish madness which usually surrounded The Burrow. They often walked into the village together and chatted about everything and anything. They knew what each other were thinking just with a glance. Ginny teased her relentlessly about Ron, which agitated Hermione. But Hermione would return this favour by bringing up Dean in front of her brothers and Harry, causing her to squirm and blush furiously.
The older three's O.W.L results arrived one morning and as expected Hermione paced up and down the kitchen, biting her nails and breaking down every section of the exams again. The boys just lounged in the chairs, pretending not to be bothered, but Ginny could see the worry in Harry's eyes. She was trying to listen to Hermione and calm her down a bit, she knew better though than to try and shut her up. Unlike Ron, he had made a very insensitive comment which exploded back in his face, so he was sulking.
The owls flew in through the window and waited patiently until their loads were untied, before returning into the sky. As expected Hermione did extraordinarily, Ron did better than she was expecting, and Harry did pretty well, he got an Outstanding in 'Defence Against the Dark Arts' obviously. He had more experience than any of them, Ginny thought thinking back to the days of Dumbledore's Army. He was smiling a fake smile, and she could see tears glistening in his eyes though. Hermione noticed too and tactfully didn't press him, and Ginny followed suit. She silently picked up his results and read through them, seeking the Potions grade. He hadn't got what he needed to do Potions next year, he couldn't be an Auror.
They had a meal that evening with the whole of the Weasley family, which was filled with laughter and more food than possible to eat. Mrs Weasley had not failed in making sure the boys were fed, and the feast left everyone in high spirits. Even Mrs Weasley was being civil to Fleur, who sat very closely to Bill. Ginny couldn't help but smile as the candles danced in her eyes long after the sun had fallen. She realised how lucky she was to have such a loving family and friends who would be loyal to her whatever the future would bring.
Harry slipped through the back door and into the darkness, and Ginny looked around the table before quietly following. She softly padded over to him and sunk onto the grass beside him. They smiled and each other and neither of them said anything for a few moments, just soaking up the sounds of the night sky.
"Harry?" She looked up to him, her eyes searching his.
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry about your potions grade... I know what it meant..."
"That's okay. Don't worry, I'm fine." Harry met her steady gaze and hastily ran his hands through his hair.
"No, I'm serious. You'll be great anyway and they'll be mad not to take you..." She knew him too well to believe his comment.
"Thanks Ginny. But it's not true."
"Your problem is you're too modest. You are amazing at spells and you are really courageous."
"Ginny..." His lips curled upwards into a smile. Something about the way he said her name made her shiver from the tips of her toes. "You're just too kind."
"You know you can always talk to me about anything right? Tell me what you're really thinking"
"I... I feel..." Harry avoided her eyes and stared blankly ahead of him. "I feel everyone is expecting so much of me and I can't even think of what I want. Once all this is over, I don't want to be left without anything."
"Harry that won't happen- you'll always have us... me... here. And you have to start listening to yourself as well as what everyone says you have to do." She laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and was surprised when Harry leant into her and placed his head atop of her silky hair. He whispered thanks into her ear and they sat like that for a while, chatting about whatever came into their heads. Eventually, Mrs Weasley called out of the back door for them to get to bed as they had a busy day tomorrow. They parted in good spirits, and in each other's trusted friendship.
