Fri Oct 4, 2002
The Three Broomsticks was rocking, for a Friday night. Usually it was a slow night, but tonight it was closed for a private function. It was the seven year reunion of Dumbledore's Army. Although the first meeting had been held down the road at the Hogs Head, it had been closed since the passing of Abe Dumbledore earlier that year. So the decision had been made to hold the first meeting at the Three Broomsticks. Everyone had good memories of times spent there during Hogsmeade visits while they were at Hogwarts.
Ginny Weasley opened the door, and the sound of the music hit her. Looking around, memories came flooding back. As she quickly looked around the room, she realised a lot of people were staring back at her.
She did a quick mental check of what she was wearing. A long black tee covered tight black jeans which were tucked into black boots. A denim jacket kept the early October chill away. She'd wanted to look terrific tonight, getting back together with so many of her school mates. She'd wanted the confidence of looking good, because deep down, she wasn't feeling great.
She had been looking forward to the reunion. She was proud to be a part of the DA, and had made good friends. It had given Ginny a feeling that, despite being school kids, they were ready to be a part of the battle that was sure to come. She had excelled in learning the spells Harry had taught her; he was a natural leader and teacher.
Yet, when the battle came to Hogwarts, her family wanted to keep her locked up in the Room of Requirement. Even Harry had agreed she should stay there with Neville's grandmother. She had never felt so angry. Fortunately, Neville's grandmother had agreed, and the two of them had waited a decent amount of time, and broke free and joined the fighting.
When her mother had been killed duelling Bellatrix, defending Ginny, and Arthur had been killed when rogue Death Eaters had attacked the Burrow the day after the Final Battle, Ginny had been lost. Her family had become so over protective of her, especially since the Chamber of Secrets incident in her first year. Yet, with their parents gone and their home in ruins, Bill had turned to Fleur for comfort, Charlie had returned to Romania, and a bottle of Firewhiskey, Ron had Hermione, and Percy was helping George deal with the loss of his twin, Ginny was left alone. Confused, angry, grieving. Alone. In her despair, the day after she turned seventeen and was legally an adult, she left. Left her family, her friends, her homeland.
The invitation to the reunion had seemed like a sign, right when she was questioning where her life was going. So now she had returned to England. Hoping to reconcile with her family; reconnect with old friends. Maybe see if there was a life here for her, because she was done with the life she had in California.
Suddenly she was nervous. She smoothed her hands down her side, to wipe the sweat off her hands. She took a deep calming breath, willing herself to stay calm. Determined to have a good night, she headed further inside.
She looked nervous. And gorgeous.
Harry Potter stayed in the shadows, content to study Ginny Weasley through the crowds of people that surrounded her. She was the only reason he'd come tonight. He'd wanted to see her again, to see if he still had that incredible knee-jerk, kick-in-the-guts reaction to her wonderful smile. And her infectious laugh. Hearing it in the hallway at Hogwarts as they passed on their way to classes had always made him smile. And she'd laughed a lot.
She was always in the middle of one practical joke or another. She was daring and, seemingly, carefree, a trait that Harry envied. Yet he knew that deep down, she still carried the scars from her encounter with Tom Riddle.
Harry had never graduated from Hogwarts. He hadn't returned for his seventh year. Once it was known to the public that Sirius Black was alive, he and Harry had disappeared, to hunt down the remaining Horcruxes. They only kept in touch with Albus and Remus. When the Final Battle had started at Hogwarts, Harry had been pleased to see that Ron, Hermione and Ginny had kept up with the DA, and the students were prepared to fight. His heart leaped as he saw Ginny for the first time in so long, and when her parents and brothers had insisted she remain in the Room of Requirement, he had agreed. He had needed her to be safe. She had left England weeks later, after more tragedy had befallen her family.
She had left, to find her place in the world. She had found fame and fortune. And Harry had been happy for her. I f anyone deserved it, Ginny did. She'd always been different. And to him, she'd always been special.
Not that he'd ever told her how he felt. He was more of a loner while she always seemed to have friends around, well, ever since her third year. He'd first become aware of her because of the Chamber of Secrets, when he'd saved her life. Then, her second year, his third, they'd both received special training from Professor Lupin. He grew to know her, trust her. Like her. And even at that age, although he didn't know it then, love her.
He'd found it funny that he was closer to her than her brother, who was in his year, and was even his dorm mate. Ron was a nice enough guy, but more likely to hang out with his twin brothers, or Seamus and Dean.
Harry had toyed with asking Ginny to the Yule Ball, but his best friend Neville Longbottom had beaten him to it. He'd seen them dance and have fun, and wondered if they'd kiss goodnight. It had hurt like hell, just to think about it, yet he knew he had nothing to offer her. She had seemed content with his friendship.
They'd been on the same Quidditch team. He had been amazed when he saw her fly; she was a natural. By the time they got to her fifth year, his sixth, word was out that the scouts were lining up to sign her. Harry soon realised he would never be able to have her. He had that damn prophecy to deal with, and she would be a Quidditch star, travelling all over.
After the Final Battle, Harry had been in St Mungo's suffering magical exhaustion. He had missed Molly, Fred and Arthur's funerals, but was determined to attend as many as he could. Ginny accompanied him, standing at his side in support. The next day the press was all about 'Harry and his Girlfriend', with barely a mention of the one who's funeral they had attended.
There was a full story inside about Ginny's life, and whether she was suitable for the Saviour of the Wizarding World. Harry was glad the public didn't know Ginny was the student who had opened the Chamber of Secrets. He knew she still felt ashamed at her so-called weakness at needing to write in the diary. His Ginny was so strong, and hated showing her weakness.
Ginny had been appalled at the invasion into her life. Already feeling fragile, with the loss of her parents and brother, Harry wasn't surprised that she fled, but had thought it was only temporary. He had also sensed there was some other reason for her departure.
He'd only seen her once after the last funeral. She'd asked him about his dreams. Funny, no-one had ever done that before. Everyone else had simply assumed that, with Voldemort gone, he was happy. So he told her.
He told her he wanted a home. He'd never ever had one. The Dursley's sure as hell didn't count, and he and Sirius had made Grimmauld Place their base, as they travelled around, hunting Horcruxes. Neither he nor Sirius were happy there. Harry was determined to find a place for him and Sirius to call home.
Ginny had smiled up at him with those beautiful brown eyes, eyes a man could get lost in. Eyes that could haunt a man for the rest of his life. She touched his arm, and told him she hoped that life would give him him every dream he ever asked for. Then she'd left.
He'd watched her walk away, wondering why he hadn't had the courage to tell her how he felt about her. The pain around his heart had been overwhelming. But he had felt that he had no right to her. She was so full of life, of dreams, of promises and talent. Harry was spent of all those things. The Horcrux hunt and subsequent battle had left him empty, with nothing to offer her.
He'd heard she'd found success. He was saddened to hear she'd left her family and her country. Surprised that she'd turn to Quadpot, instead of Quidditch. He knew she'd been injured, and had hoped she'd then return home. Instead, she'd left the sport and surprisingly, written a novel.
He'd bought it, and read it over so many times he had lost count, and he'd been deeply moved. And he'd wondered just how much Ginny had been involved in the war, at what she'd seen and done and heard.
Her book had been about a young woman suffering depression. The way Ginny had described the 'faceless fear' or the 'sudden coldness of a dark wave overcoming her' had been a brilliant way of describing the young Tom Riddle she had written to in a diary, or the Dementors she had faced on the Hogwarts Express, and during the battle.
A Muggle reading it would have thought it was quite a descriptive way of describing her depression. Harry had realised it was almost autobiographical in many areas. She'd used powerful, moving words and used vivid emotional pictures.
Harry realised he had done the right thing. Letting her go had been one of the hardest thing he had ever done. But he'd made his own kind of peace with it. So, if he wanted to come to the Three Broomsticks tonight and see what she had become, then that was all right.
He was so damn proud of her. And he would continue to live with the choices he'd made.
"Ginny Weasley, I can't believe you're here!"
A slender exotic looking woman came running over to hug her. Ginny quickly glanced at her name tag to check which twin it was, saw 'Padma' scrawled on it, and greeted Padma Patil.
"Padma! It's so good to see you," laughed Ginny.
"We need to get you a name tag. This way, come on," she said, dragging Ginny by the hand over to a table.
"This looks really well organised. You've done well, Padma," smiled Ginny.
Padma beamed at the praise. "Well, Dean and I wanted to get as many of the DA together as we could. Despite why we were training, it really bonded us all together."
"You and Dean?" asked Ginny, thinking hard. "Dean Thomas?"
Lavender nodded and giggled. "I'm Padma Thomas now."
"That's so great. Congratulations!" said Ginny.
Lavender steered her over to a corner. "Dean, honey, look who's here."
Dean Thomas was examining a list. He looked up and smiled, then pulled Ginny into a heartfelt hug. "I really didn't think you'd show."
"Why not?" asked Ginny, accepting the badge he handed to her. He had drawn a caricature of her on it.
"Oh you know, the life you must live, out there in California-"
"Oh yeah, living the high life and all that," said Ginny, meaning to tease.
Padma looked delighted, as if Ginny had just confirmed her thoughts.
"It's great that you can just joke about it. I mean we were-I mean, I thought you might have changed, that's all," said Padma.
"Nah, not me," said Ginny, looking around. "So, are you waiting for many others to arrive?"
"No, not everyone's coming tonight. Nearly everyone's coming for the dinner tomorrow night, though. With you here, I think that's it for tonight," said Dean.
The reunion had officially begun.