Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters J.K Rowling does unfortunately

The Image of love, life and death

Chapter 1

The cold spring air swept through the castle walls; feeding on the happiness that still remained. Sun light shone between the windows and holes on the castle walls, as it rose above the mountains surrounding the Hogwarts.

A similar smell to death, which Harry recognised, lingered in the halls. Several moving pictures lied on the floor of the grand staircase. He heard the demanding please of the damaged paintings. Pleading to be seen, to be heard and to see what was happening around them. Several had jumped into the near by frames. All of them were crying, sleeping or hiding behind what ever they could find in the painting.

Harry ascended the stairs taking two steps at a time, and waiting for a section of the stairs to move so that it was where he wanted them. Halfway onto the fifth floor, Harry noticed a figure that sat on the side of the stairs her knees up towards her face. The straggly, waist length dirty blonde haired female looked peaceful, so he hurried past her. But was quickly stopped by a firm grip across the ankle, the grip almost sent Harry tumbling to the ground. He looked down towards the person holding his ankle. Her red bulging eyes stared towards him as she slowly loosened her grip.

"Luna?" he said questionably.

The girl slowly stood up to her feet. Luna's watery eyes were now level with Harry's concerned one. She stepped back before lunging herself into Harry's arm. Newly shed tears ran down Luna's face, streaming the crevasses as her face scrunched up as if this would stop the salty tears from escaping her huge eyes. The heat emitting from Luna made Harry's own arm wrap cautiously around her thin body to try and comfort her tears away. The crying girls face was no enveloped by Harry's dirty bloody sweeter. She took her arms away from Harry's back and leant backwards, to this Harry felt cold and alone.

"I suspect that a lot of Thestrals will be seen by many, after this day is done" the cheery voice that usually came with Luna was no where to be found.

She is mad. But who doesn't like her thought Harry as he forced a smile and a nod in Luna's direction. Harry suddenly wondered where, the girl he most craved to be with was. The girl he longed to see, to touch and to hold. Bringing his mind to the current situation, he saw that Luna was staring up into his eyes, trying to look through them as if she would be able to tell what he was thinking.

"Umm… Do you know where Ginny is?" Harry asked, not knowing what to say, like most of the time he was with Luna.

"Yes Harry, she's in the Gryffindor tower." she replied, but Harry quickly dashed away "I think she was looking for you." She shouted towards Harry who was scaling the staircase.

As Harry reached the portrait of the fat lady he deeply sighed, to try and remember the password for the portrait to open. But then suddenly the portrait swung open, to reveal two first years fleeing the common room. The two heads quickly looked the other way when they saw Harry standing in front of them. As they walked away, Harry jumped through the portrait, and walked through the small corridor to the common room. Scanning each face thoroughly to find the familiar warmth that Ginny's face brought to him. And there she was sitting on a window sill, staring mindlessly out of the window; Harry initially thought that after everything that had happened over the past 24 hours, that the Gryffindor tower was virtually untouched.

But then his mind diverted to Ginny, whom was now looking at him. He stared longingly at her brown eyes, her thin lips quivered as she arose from her perch. Harry took each step towards her, as she took each step towards him, now within touching distance. Ginny raised her hand, and harshly slapped her friend, whom she hopped she could be more to her childhood crush.

Harry had his hand to the tender spot that Ginny had just graced, sharply, with her soft hands. He peeled away his hand to reveal a patch of skin that resembled the same colour of the Weasley's traditional hair.

"What was that for?" he asked as he reached for a stray strand of Ginny's hair that was out of place, and he pushed it behind her ear. But as quickly as she slapped him, she backed away and looked towards the floor, trying to avoid eye contact. Her face resembled that of her Mother when she was in her fierce temper. She glanced up towards Harry with out moving her head. But as soon as she locked eyes with her childhood crush, she let out an infuriating sigh.

"What was that for? Harry" she bellowed out as she drove her self forward "What was that for? That was for leaving me". Her voice now clear to all of those in the room, and they all quickly shot around to get a better look. With this she shoved at his chest, making Harry unstable and take a step back to regain his balance.

"That was for going off into the woods without saying good bye" Ginny now pushing a lot of force onto Harry.

"That was for making me think you were dead" This large push made Harry fall over the back of the sofa, but he immediately got to his feet, and stared once again at Ginny. The whole room had now stopped what they had been doing, and where whispering between each other.

"And this was for coming back to me" Ginny lunged herself towards Harry, taking his soft lips in hers. Her arms rose to wrap around Harry's dirty neck. Harry now brought up his hands, and cupped Ginny's cheek and wiped away her tears with his thumb.

Ginny let out a sigh; this gave the opportunity for Harry's tongue to slip through her wet plump lips. Both tongues were now fighting for dominance, to this Harry's face beamed with happiness. They both reluctantly backed away, the pair still silent.

"Can we talk in the dormitory?" Harry asked, finally breaking the silence. She griped his hand tightly walking past the lookers, pulling Harry along with her. In Harry's eyes she glided up the staircase. This made his stomach ripple with a feeling that he had not felt before. Shaking his head to rid of his thoughts, and realising they were passing the door to the seventh year dormitory. With a flick of her wand the door was shut, so that no one could here there debates, if this were to happen.

Once again, Ginny lurched forward wrapping herself around him. So tight that Harry could barely move. He managed to bend his arm approaching her back, and gingerly stroking her back. Her face nuzzled in to his chest, and her voice muffled as she spoke.

"I'm really tired Harry, can you stay with me? I need you with by my side tonight"

Without getting dressed into clean clothes they both climbed into an empty bed.

"I will be by your side forever Ginny" he declared, and promised as Ginny rested her head on Harry's chest and they both fell asleep, in comfort.