Chapter One
Ron Weasley walked into the Gryffindor common room that seemed surprisingly intact, seeing as most of Hogwarts was greatly damaged. "Mate, it's not your fault. Please come stay with us," Ron said trying to comfort his disturbed best friend, while also trying to persuade him to stay with the Weasley family. Harry couldn't do it. He couldn't stay with a family who had done so much for him, and what did he do in return? He waited because he was a coward. He waited to face his death against one of the darkest most powerful wizards of all time, Voldemort. Although the terrible wizard was gone for eternity now, Harry was still hung up about how he had been afraid to do what he had to do all along. By then Remus, Tonks, Collin, and Fred, all very close to Harry, had already sacrificed themselves to end the dark wizard's reign.
I could have stopped it… they would still be here if I wasn't a coward… I don't belong in Gryffindor I'm not brave enough. There had been an awkward pause where Ron had awaited Harry's response. Harry looked up at his best friend with watery eyes, "I can't do that Ron. I'm sorry but I can't. Please tell your mom thank you for all she has done for me."
"Go on Harry, you know you can't stay at Hogwarts, they're gonna close it down for a couple of weeks to fix it, ya know? You'll be transported somewhere and might never get to be an Auror or anything you had planned for your future. Let's go." Ron motioned Harry to the door way but Harry remained glued to his seat.
"Ron, I don't think I can become an Auror anyway with all that's happened. I can't bear to see your family like this… and the worst part is that it's all my fault." Harry sunk deeper into his comfortable arm chair.
"It'll get better, I promise. Just come with us; you need time off from thinking. Thinking, for you, is the worst thing right now. Let's just go home and get some rest." Ron pleaded desperately. Harry refused.
"Have it your way then." Ron said feeling guilty that he might not see his best friend for a long time if someone couldn't convince him. As Ron got out of his chair, Hermione Granger walked into the common room. Hermione and Ron hadn't exactly told Harry formally that they had become a couple, but they had a feeling he already knew. Ron waved to Hermione silently as he quickly walked out the door.
"Harry, you know you're a hero, right? You can't save everyone. I mean you understand that don't you?" Hermione said encouragingly.
A look of pain and anger, flashed upon Harry's face. "Yeah, well I'm not. A true hero can save everybody, and I didn't do that. I'm no hero."
"Do you remember when you stopped Voldemort in our first year? When we figured it all out all by ourselves and then got past all the enchantments? When you were unconscious in the hospital wing, that year, me and Ron were so afraid that you wouldn't wake up. All your encounters with Voldemort have worried us sick and we were and still are genuinely afraid of losing you. Won't you please go with me and Ronald to the Burrow? We don't want to lose you; we need our best friend, I don't think we could get along without you. Besides, you'll be letting everyone down, especially Mrs. Weasley; she thinks of you like you're her own son. Do you know how much it will crush her to see that she will have lost two children in a matter of a week? Please come with us." Hermione's speech had made Harry legitimately reconsider, but his stubborn and selfish ways overpowered what Hermione had given all her emotion and influence into.
"I'm sorry, but I just can't. I was so selfish to not go out and face Voldemort earlier. I could have ended it all! I can't bear to see Mrs. and Mr. Weasley, Ron, George… Oh especially George. He lost his twin and I'm to blame. Can't you see? We are talking about people's lives here! I could have saved them! And I deserve to have nothing left. I should die alone, a painful death, for what I have done and I just can't bring myself to be around a family who loves me when inside I feel so much regret and guilt for not saving their son, so I just can't okay? Why won't anyone understand?" Harry started bawling. Hermione sat on the arm rest of the chair he was sitting on and gently soothed him while he cried. They sat there for an hour in silence when suddenly the door that stood ajar swung open. The love of Harry's life stepped through the door. Hermione quickly saw what was happening and left the two alone.
Harry and Ginny gazed into each other's eyes deeply. Ginny had longed to see her true love once more, alive. Her eyes were puffy from crying and so were his. Ginny and Harry, at the same time, moved to the couch just opposite of them. Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and they stared forward in silence.
"What about us?" Ginny broke the silence. She knew the first two attempts of trying to get Harry to come to the Burrow failed. Harry turned his head to look at her. Even though she had not taken a shower in two days and her hair, makeup, and clothes were a mess, Ginny was the most stunning thing he has ever seen. He tucked a stray strand of her fiery hair behind her ear.
"Well, darling, I don't know," he answered uncertainly. What was he going to do now? He didn't want to leave Ginny, not again. But the tears she's shed were his fault. It had dawned on him how much he upset the one person who he loved so much it hurt, by not saving her brother. His stomach churned. He felt a pain he had never felt before. A single tear slid down his pale cheek. Ginny, who tried to show Harry that she could stay strong for him about losing her brother, confusedly looked over at Harry who was still staring into her gorgeous eyes.
Ginny worried about her…err what was she to call him? She wasn't really going out with him, as he broke up with her earlier in the year to protect her. Her concern for Harry grew as another tear rolled down from under his glasses. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be crying," Harry sniffled. "It's just that so much has happened in this year alone, but I just can't believe how lucky I am to have you," he added.
Ginny honestly did not expect that at all, but before she could say anything, Harry's soft lips met hers and she never wanted it to end. After a decent amount of time, Harry pulled away from Ginny gently. Ginny looked up at Harry while her head lay in his lap. Harry ran his fingers through her hair. She turned her head so Harry didn't see the tears form in her eyes.
"I'm glad to have you too," she finally said, her voice quavering.
"I don't know where I would be without you Ginny, and I know that I have been really selfish lately, and I'm sorry for that. I wish I never had to leave you, and I'm not about to go and do that again. Would it be alright if I stayed with you guys at the Burrow?" Harry let his feelings pour out without second guessing this notion.
"Harry, I didn't know you could be so romantic and emotional." Shocked, Ginny just lay in his lap for a few minutes. "Of course you can stay at the Burrow. Mum will be so pleased that you're coming after all."
