"Harry! What-?" Ginny shuffled into the kitchen, eyes half-closed in the unexpected light. Harry was facing the other direction, hands bracing the countertop before him. He didn't turn as Ginny entered the room, but she could see the droplets of red hit the white tile floors. "Merlin," she whispered, moving forward and wrapping her arms around him. His knuckles were busted and tears stained his cheeks.
Ginny steered him over to the table, sitting him down in a chair and facing him with hands on her hips. She knew she looked the spitting image of her mother, but god, her husband was an idiot.
"Are you alright?"
Harry shrugged, running a hand through his hair out of habit. But when the fingers of his injured left hand brushed his hair, he sucked in a breath, pulling back. "I'm fine," Harry said through his teeth.
"Mhmm. Sure you are." She knelt down in front of him, pulling her wand out of the pocket of her dressing gown. "You're also the worst liar I've ever met, and I grew up with Ron. Surprised it hasn't gotten you both killed by this point," she added in an undertone. Harry rolled his eyes and so did Ginny. She waved her wand over his hand, casting a simple healing charm. "I'd relieve all the pain, but I feel like you need it to remind you not to punch furniture in the future. Another nightmare?"
Harry shook his head, not negating her statement, just exasperated. He gave her an appreciative smile, nonetheless. "It's been years, years, since the war ended. I thought it'd get better by now."
"You know it's not that easy. I wish it was." She cleaned away the blood from his hand, from the cabinet he'd hit, from the floor. "You're still the bravest person I've ever known. These bruises, these nightmares, they don't change that. They don't make you weak, Harry. This doesn't stop you."
Harry gave a watery chuckle. Tears were threatening to spill from his eyes again, but he met Ginny's eyes anyway. "You're brilliant, you know that?"
"I do." She flashes him a proud, cheeky grin. "And you are going to be fine. And, well. If you're not, you've still always got me. Which is… something."
"It's everything," Harry murmurs, wrapping his arms behind her neck and pulling her in for a kiss.
A/N: Written for Seasonal - Days of the Year – Sept 16: Write about a husband appreciating their wife; Shay's Musical Challenge 45: Write about not letting anything stand in your way; Gryffindor Challenge – Harry Potter, Short-tempered; Writing Club – Character Appreciation 19: (era) Trio; Cookie's Crafty Corner – Needles: Write a het pairing; Showtime 10: (action) Lying; Amber's Attic T2: Write about someone important to your main character; Lyric Alley 12: I am brave, I am bruised; Ami's Audio Admirations 1: Write about someone at home; Bex's Bazaar – O5: Write about someone having someone's back no matter what; Film Festival 46: (color) Red, 57: (word) Brilliant; Holmes: (emotion) Anger; Sophie's Tearoom – Tiramisu: (emotion) Fed up; 365 Prompts – 245: (restriction) Only characters from one era; Dragons and Writing Month: wc 395
