Scarlet Kisses

Chapter One: Guilt


[Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the only things I own are my OC's and the plot.]


Voldemort was defeated at last. Both the wizarding and muggle world was at peace and can be assured that they will live past tomorrow. Sure they had lost a few people on the way: James and Lily Potter, Sirius Black, Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore (just to name a few). But on one boy, felt all the guilt on him. It was none other than the-boy-who-lived A.K.A: Harry James Potter. Harry has only hit eighteen but thinks that every death is because of him. Of course he realised that a few people would have died, but never did he think that all the people that died would have died. Especially family. After the death of his mother and father and growing up with his 'uncle', 'aunt' and 'cousin' he didn't know the true meaning of family. Well that was before he met the Weasley's. The Weasley's taught him what's it's like to be in a family. He even regarded them as family plus Sirius, Lupin and a few others. And they had always loved him back and never turned their backs on him. That was until Fred's death. Harry felt like every Weasley hated him because he was the cause of Fred's death. Even though the Weasley's –especially: George, Molly and Arthur– They always said 'we don't blame you.' Or 'it's not your fault.' Or even better 'Fred wouldn't have blamed you one bit.' Though George wasn't talking much to people he always reassured Harry that it wasn't his fault.

Harry was now sitting (what was) his and Ginny's tree. This is where they had sat at through the whole of Harry's last year at Hogwarts. The breeze blew softly. It rustled the leaves and the bare branches, as it was falling into autumn as well as gently blowing through his hair as if someone stood behind him blowing air. The tree itself was a few metres away from the Black Lake. The sun glistened over the lake but making it a little muggy, the shade of the tree offered little relief and shade from the heat. But that didn't matter. Harry felt his whole aurora turn peaceful. The first time he had felt it after the war.

Harry pulled out his freshly repaired Phoenix feathered wand out and ran his hands down it. His wand felt warm against his already hot hands.

'Where's the Elder Wand?' A familiar voice sounded behind him. Harry turned around and smiled as he saw the familiar reddish orange hair of his best friend since the first day on the train.

'Where it should be.' Harry replied.

'You would have had to bloody mad to give up the Elder Wand.' Ron said as he frowned and threw his hands up in the air in disbelief. Personally, if it was up to Ron he would have kept the Elder Wand.

'You would have had to bloody mad to keep that damn wand.' Harry mumbled back.

'Hey!' Ron said alarmed. 'I'm just trying to say that I would of kept it.'

'Ron, Harry!' A voice sounded behind both him and Ron. Harry laughed silently at his two friends. Ron plonked himself next to Harry and started to grumble.

'Hey Hermione.' Harry said as he turned around to wave at her.

'Hello Harry.' Hermione said quite cheerfully as she sat on the other side of Harry.

Harry had sensed some kind of tension between Ron and Hermione. True be told, after the kiss in the Chamber of Secret's tension had been running quite high. Though it was a "spur in the moment" kiss Hermione felt it as much more. But Ron on the other hand wouldn't give Hermione the time of day so she could ask Ron on what he had felt. So the awkwardness of not talking soon turned into tension between the two.

'What's up with you to?' Harry questioned as he turned around at both Hermione and Ron.

'Nothing.' Hermione and Ron said almost instantly.

'Right…' Harry said unsure if to push the matter further.

'So…' Ron said as the conversation shifted from normal to awkward.

The famous "Golden Trio" sat in silence and watched the Black Lake. The Giant Squid splashed about. Before anyone realised the sun was setting and Harry got up and left leaving Ron and Hermione behind. Harry walks up the path and into the castle. Rubble from the battle than had happened just hours ago still littered the hall. Harry walked around the castle with no place of mind what so ever. But he soon found himself walking up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower. Harry heard gentle weeping up and the tower, so he sped up his pace up the stairs. He finally made it to the top and he saw orange hair that fell over the persons face and arms. Harry quietly moved closer he had a feeling who it was. There was only a family of people he knew with that orange hair colour. He had to be about two feet away now.

'Ginny?' Harry questioned. The person looked up and there he saw a pair of brown eyes that were blood-shot.

'Oh-um,' Ginny stuttered, flustered that Harry had found her. 'Hey Harry.'

'Ginny, are you alright?' Harry questioned her.

'Yeah I'm fine, it's just…' Ginny trailed off before she started to cry again.

'Shh, is it Fred?' Harry questioned knowing that both Ginny and Fred were close, not as close as Fred and George were but they were still pretty close. Ginny nodded. Harry took her into his arms and ran his fingers through her hair. Moments past before the moon had arisen.

'Oh, shoot! I've got to go!' Ginny exclaimed as she stumbled out of Harry's arms.

'Wait! Where are you going?' Harry asked.

'Somewhere, you don't need to worry.' Ginny replied before she ran down the stairs and out of the Astronomy Tower.

Harry was alone once more. He stood up and walked to look at the sky. And tried to count the stars. This had been the first time since he had first confronted Voldemort that he felt at peace. He now felt relaxed that the fate of the whole world used to be in his hands. Now he could chose his own path and not worry that it will have a major consequence on the whole wizarding world. Ever since that night that Voldemort had killed his parents and his attempt on him he could finally chose his own destiny. His destiny belonged to him and no one can change it. Sure, he could have dropped out of the fight to finally kill Voldemort and take the coward way out, and ran away to somewhere like America. Maybe if he had dropped out not as many people would of died. He moved closer to the stars and the dark navy blue sky. Soon he was by the railing. He looked down and remembered when he had saw Dumbledore's lifeless body fall down the tower and to the ground below. He had a pang in his heart on how he labelled Snape as a Death Eater. When in reality he was nothing of the sort. After Voldemort had started chasing down his mother Snape turned his back on the Voldemort and his cause. He also remembered thinking that Snape was a cold-heartless teacher at loved tormenting Harry. But now it was because his dad and the Marauders were mean to Snape, but more importantly his dad had won this mother's heart. Harry wished he could go back in time to when Snape was alive and tried to understand him better.

Harry walked down away from the tower. Aimlessly he walked around the castle, with his arms in his pockets. He had made it to the Great Hall where the doors were shut and the whole room sounded quiet. He opened the doors and quietly and walked in. His eyes drifted around the hall and finally settled to where he saw Andromeda sitting but Tonks and Lupin with baby Teddy in her arms. Harry carefully walked towards her. While he was walking towards her. His eyes once again wondered through the hall. His eyes caught sight of a family at the very end and it broke his heart. It was the Weasley's. George was asleep on Fred's chest obviously he had been crying. Mrs. Weasley had fallen asleep on Mr. Weasley who was dosing off himself. The Weasley brothers were scattered around Fred and George. And Hermione was asleep next to Ron. All Weasley's were present and accounted for besides the youngest, Ginny.

'Oh! Harry hello.' Andromeda said this had broken Harry's thoughts.

'Hi Mrs. Tonks,' Harry said politely. 'I'm sorry about your daughter and son-in-law.'

Andromeda got up and walked over to Harry and placed her hand on his shoulder and said 'This isn't your fault Harry.'

'But-' Harry had started but was soon interrupted.

'Dora wouldn't of thought it was your fault. And Remus would certainly will not had one thought that it was your fault.' Andromeda said. 'Isn't Teddy just wonderful!?' Andromeda said in hope that it would stare the conversation away from Harry's guilt.

'Yes he is wonderful.' Harry said as he looked his god-son in the eyes.

'Do you want to hold him?' Andromeda asked.

Before Harry could protest he had Teddy in his arms. Never had Harry thought that a baby would be this soft in his arms. Harry had the sudden urge to shield Teddy from the world and keep Teddy for himself. Harry sighed in content. He loved the feeling of having Teddy in his arms. This made Harry want children when he was older. But soon Teddy started to cry. This alerted Harry, he had thought that he had broken Teddy. Andromeda sensed Harry's panic and gave him the bottle.

'Don't worry, he's just hungry.'


Ginny sat alone in the castle, Myrtle's bathroom to exact. Though she didn't really didn't have any nice memories about this place. She wanted to be by herself and what better place than Myrtle's bathroom, where the scariest time of her life was staged. So naturally this would be the last place anyone would look. She sat at the basin that opened up the Chamber of Secrets. Speaking of secrets she had a very deep secret to keep to herself. She was dirty. During the war she had done something that would grantee a place in one of the cold Azkaban cells. She could never tell anyone what she had done. They will never look at her them same. They will look at her like one of them, a Death Eater. Though she had nothing like the Dark Mark but what she did was something a Death Eater would have done. She made Bellatrix look sane, she could have been compared to Voldemort and she would still be better than him (in a bad way). She wished that the curse from Bellatrix had hit her square in the chest. Her mother shouldn't have come to her defence like she did. If anyone knew what she had done they would have left to duel Bellatrix by herself and defiantly wouldn't have defended her when the curse almost had hit her. Instead they would push her into the curse or cursed her themselves. Ginny had to run, she just had to! There was no way that she could stay there and spoil everyone because she had blood on her hands.

'What have I've done?' Ginny said out loud to herself. Her family would disown her and Harry would never want to be in the same room as he anymore. She will be an outcast in the wizarding world. Everyone would shun her as she walked down the street. She will become homeless and jobless. What about the muggle world? Ginny thought to herself. She could go to the muggle world and make herself a new life. Of course she will have to leave all magic behind, but she would rather leave all magic behind than be trapped in Azkaban. As a matter of fact it was magic that got her in the situation in the first place. She won't be able to stay in England. She will have to travel overseas somewhere like France or even America.

Ginny spent the next few hours planning her escape. She decided if it was best she went to the funerals and just ignores everyone until a suitable time popped up for her to leave. Before she left she will go back home and gather all her belongings and withdraw her little savings from Gringotts a hope that it will be enough to get her out of the country. Ginny also decided that it would be best to go to France. It was closer so it should be a cheaper fare over than to a place like America. To ensure no one recognised her she was going to go by the name Gabriella Wilson and only use her magic to use a glamour charm to ensure that her looks will be different and people will not recognise her from her orange hair.

After finalising her plan Ginny made it up to the Gryffindor Common Room. She walked up to the Fat Lady. The Fat Lady was soundly a sleep but a look of horror was on her face.

'Excuse me?' Ginny said softy as she was trying to wake up the portrait up. The portrait wasn't going to wake up anytime soon, so Ginny spoke a little louder. 'Excuse me?'

'Hm, what?' The Fat Lady said startled from being woken up.

'May I go in?' Ginny asked.

'Sure.' The Fat Lady said when she realised that it was one of the Weasleys. 'I sorry about your loss.' Even though the Fat Lady hasn't left her portrait news does travel fast and she learnt the Fred Weasley was killed. She never partially liked the Weasley's twins after all their pranks but she still felt sorry for the family. Ginny nodded and walked in, with the portrait closing in behind her.


Author's Note: Hi ya! This is my first fanfic! I've rated it T just to be safe. Please review. I'm sorry if any characters are OOC.

-Ashley