Cruel Love
The Beginning
It was two years since the most infamous prisoner ever to be held within the walls of the Azkaban fortress met his demise. Sirius Black was killed by a spell, cast by his cousin, henchwoman of Lord Voldemort – Bellatrix Lestrange, which sent him beyond the point of no return: through the veil in the Death Chamber. For two years since, Sirius Black's godson, Harry Potter- the Boy-Who-Lived, vowed to get revenge. Harry Potter's dream was to stop the evil of is world spreading more loss. Harry Potter's wish was to remove untimely death from the wizarding society.
And so Harry Potter grew more and more into himself, until someone was able to pull him out of the black hole. It was in the summer following his godfather's death that Harry Potter found solace in Ginny Weasley…
Harry and Ginny sat together by the fire in Gryffindor common room. For almost a year they had been an official couple and had enjoyed visits to Hogsmeade together and bunking off lessons to meet secretly in the Room of Requirement. Ginny was nestled into Harry's chest with the warm, yellow glow from the flames highlighting the redness of her long hair.
Harry was deeply in love with Ginny. As they sat for hours by the fire he would just watch her as she dozed off to sleep every night. She was beautiful. In Harry's opinion, she was the most beautiful girl in the world, but more importantly, she was his. Harry had always been afraid of falling in love, for a time never understanding what love really was, and when he finally found it, fear that it would be taken from him, just like every single person that he had ever loved. Fear that he would lose Ginny was a fear that haunted his very soul, every single day. He leant forward and kissed her gently on the forehead. Ginny's eyes fluttered open. She looked up at Harry and smiled.
"Hey," she said.
"I didn't mean to wake you," said Harry.
"It's ok," said Ginny. "I wasn't asleep anyway."
"Liar," said Harry.
Ginny grinned sheepishly.
"I love you, Ginny," he said quietly.
"I love you too, Harry," she almost whispered.
Harry gazed at Ginny with adoration. He would do anything for her; he knew that much. He would die for her. He would make sure she never suffered, never felt physical pain, or the pain of death. He always protected her. He walked her to every lesson, wherever possible. He didn't really believe that someone could hurt her within the walls of the castle, but then again, one can never be sure. One thing however would remain true throughout every day: Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley were inseparable.
They were living in dangerous times. The wizarding community lived in fear. The second war was raging. Voldemort and his Death Eaters were murdering every day. The Dark Mark was familiar to every one and no one was safe. Harry was determined to save Ginny and the rest of the wizarding world. It was his destiny to kill Voldemort, and he knew it must be soon. Dumbledore had found out that Voldemort was soon to execute his take over plans. Soon, if he wasn't stopped, he would be in charge of the ministry, and that would be the end. Harry didn't want to become a murderer, but then again, he knew he had no choice. Many nights he would lie awake, hating fate, fate that gave him an unavoidable destiny, a destiny which he had come to revile. The hopes of the world rested on his shoulders and at such a young age, it was so easy to buckle under the weight. But being with Ginny gave him strength. Harry knew that Ginny believed in him and would be by his side all the way and that gave him the confidence he needed. He would do it for her.
Dumbledore had spoken to Harry and told him when he had to go, when he had to fight, and told him to choose six fellow students to take with him to fight the Death Eaters. Harry was never sure why Dumbledore only wanted seven students. Harry couldn't understand why Dumbledore would risk the lives of any students at all, but, Harry had come to trust the old man and put his faith in his headmaster's judgement.
"I'll go, Harry," Ron said before the question's echo had died from the walls.
"Me too," said Hermione, her face pale and anxious.
She grabbed Ron's hand and pulled him close.
"I'm with you, Harry," Neville had agreed.
"So am I," Luna Lovegood had said, losing her usual dreaminess for a moment.
"You can count on me, Harry," Susan Bones had said with determination.
She, like Harry, had suffered at the hands of Voldemort. Now he had chosen five people and he knew who the sixth must be, but he desperately didn't want her to go. He wanted her to be safe.
"Let me come, Harry," Ginny said.
"I don't want you to get hurt," Harry said.
He kissed her putting all his passion and love into his kiss.
"I don't want you to get hurt either," she kissed him back. "Let me fight, Harry. Let me fight. I want to be there, with you. I don't want you to face this alone"
"Ok," he decided reluctantly.
He kissed her again. It was a kiss unlike they had shared before. No longer full of passion, love or adoration, but full of despair, fear and desperation. He kissed her like he would never kiss her again, like the world was going to end and there would be no tomorrow.
"I will win. I promise."
Two days later, Harry and Ginny were sitting by the fire again, only this time they were not alone. Hermione, Ron and Neville were with them, as well as Susan and Luna who had been allowed to join them in Gryffindor tower. They were off to fight the next day.
"Who else will be there?" Hermione asked.
"Remus Lupin, Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Ron and Ginny's dad, Bill, Charlie, Fred and George, Amelia Bones, Perkins, Luna's dad, Rita Skeeter-dunno why Dumbledore asked her, Hagrid, Madame Maxime, Fleur Delacour and McGonagall. Snape will arrive with the Death Eaters but he will fight for our side - so Dumbledore says." Harry replied.
"Do you think that's enough people to fight Voldemort and the Death Eaters?" Ginny asked anxiously.
"I don't know," Harry said. "But they're all powerful wizards, we should stand a chance." The other nodded.
"I'm so nervous," Hermione muttered.
Ron put a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"We all are, Hermione," said Luna.
Harry held Ginny tightly to him.
"Harry," she said, her voice sounding slightly choked. "If I die, I want the last words that you hear from me to be that I love you."
A tear fell down her cheek.
"You're not going to die, Ginny," he said, earnestly. "I won't let you."
After a nervous one and a half hours wait in the Gryffindor common room (Susan had been allowed to join them due to the nature of the situation) Harry looked at his watch and decided that it was time that the team of seven teenagers left to meet Dumbledore who would be waiting with a portkey to the Ministry. Harry and Ginny walked to Dumbledore's office hand in hand, closely followed by a pale Hermione and an anxious looking Ron. Luna Lovegood appeared as dreamy as ever and Neville was sporting a determined look. Susan Bones looked terrified but was trying to hide it. As they approached the phoenix statue that marked the entrance to Dumbledore's office Harry cleared his throat.
"Sugar Quill," he said softly so as not to be overheard even though it was only two o'clock in the morning.
The phoenix moved revealing a stone staircase. The seven teenagers stepped onto it and it spiralled upwards. Ginny dropped Harry's hand as he pushed open the door into the study. They all entered behind Harry, very cautiously. Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk. He looked old and grey and was wearing robes of maroon. He picked up a statue from his desk and walked towards them. He seemed tired and the sparkle in his eyes had gone out.
"Each of you must touch this portkey. It will activate in one minute," he said holding it out to them.
They all obediently stretched out their hands and touch the portkey. For what seemed like an eternity, they waited.
"3...2...1..."
Harry felt the familiar jerk behind his navel. They were all banging together, being transported in a whirl. When they arrived at the Ministry of Magic, Harry and Dumbledore were the only two left standing. Moody, Tonks and Lupin hurried forward to greet them.
"Snape has sent word," Moody whispered. "They're on their way." Dumbledore nodded.
Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Neville, Susan and Luna clambered to their feet. Ginny's hand trembled as it drew her wand from inside her robes. Hermione's face had gone from pale to deathly white, and Ron looked as though he was about to be sick, although no less determined to fight than any other person stood around them. They took their place in ranks behind the adults and waited from the imminent arrival of the enemy. Soon, the final battle would begin.