Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and I don't own the song. I do own this plot. Steal it and I will eat you.

I've had this story in my mind for a while it was just the matter of typing it. I did start writing the first scene in a book but ran out a lead and threw my pacer against the wall. Wasn't pleasant. The song in this is I want you by Bon Jovi which happens to be on the Keep the Faith album. Do listen to it...it's a great song.

Ah, the story is dedicated to Heenie. Strange, I know, but I don't really write Harry/Ginny and Heenie loves them.

Outside their comfortable apartment building, Ginny and Harry were standing hand in hand, looking up at the stars.

"I love the stars," Ginny sighed and leaned against Harry.

"I know," Harry replied, trying to muster enough strength to say what he was about to say. "Ginny?"

She looked up at him and smiled. "Yeah?"

He let out a breath. "We can't be together for a while. I think that because of the war, it would be safest for you if we weren't..." he gritted his teeth "...a couple."

Ginny jerked her hand out of Harry's. "What do you mean?"

Harry turned his gaze away from her and sighed. "I don't want to see you hurt," He told her as he looked at the dark sky and stopped himself from reaching for her. "I would do anything for you but -" he sighed again, "I can't be with you always. I would die before allowing you to get hurt."

Tears sprang into Ginny's green eyes. "You want us to end?" she asked softly.

Harry turned to her. "I love you, but it will be the only way to keep you from harm."

"What are you trying to say? What are you telling me?" Ginny drew in a shaky breathe. "Why are you breaking my heart?"

"I need you to know how I'm feeling," Harry told her honestly, trying to ignore the hurt in her eyes. "This war is real Ginny and I'm right in the middle of it. I just don't want you to be dragged into the middle with me."

The tears that were pooling in her eyes threatened to fall. "Do you think that I am helpless? I would never allow myself to be purposely harmed."

Harry frowned. "It doesn't matter if you wouldn't allow it because it will still happen. Voldermort will come after you because you are someone I care for." He gritted his teeth and said, "I love you too much Ginny."

"You love me yet you're hurting me far beyond anyone has ever hurt me before," Ginny told him, tears sliding freely down her cheeks. "Why are you doing this to me Harry?"

"Ginny -" Harry reached for her but she jerked away.

She shook her head. "Don't touch me..."

Harry felt his own heart breaking. "It's only till the war is over Ginny. I don't want to lose you."

Ginny wiped the moisture from her cheeks with her palm. "You know what Harry?" She asked him in a shaky voice. "You fight your war. I was never going to stop you from doing what you were destined to do. I had only ever planned to help you, be with you through everything." She watched as Harry drew a shaky breath in. "You say you don't want to lose me but you know what, you just have."

"I never wanted the war, I just want you," Harry whispered back.

Ginny shook her head and turned away. Away from him. Away from them.

------------------------------------

Harry looked across the crowded room and grimaced. He hadn't seen her in over four years yet she hadn't changed an inch. Her red hair swung around her face like a beacon of light and her smooth face was glowing with happiness. He could hear her laugh at one of Fred's jokes and he turned away.

The last time I saw her
Was the night she said goodbye
She said that love's a stranger
And it's sure to pass you by

"Here mate, you look like you need one," Ron appeared next to him and handed him a beer. "No offense but you should be cheering. Voldermort's gone. It's over."

Harry drained his beer can and slammed it on the counter next to him. "I know and it's good that he is."

Ron grinned. "Don't sound so excited."

"Sorry if I'm not a fountain of happiness at the moment," Harry told his best friend sarcastically. "It's been a rough week."

Ron shook his head. "I haven't seen you crack a smile for a while Harry and it's not because of the war." He jerked his head towards his sister. "You made a bugger of a mistake there."

"Shut up Ron," Harry snapped. "You don't know anything about it."

Ron raised a brow. "Hermione and I know more than you give us credit." Ignoring Harry's glare, Ron beckoned Hermione over. "Hermione, you know all about Harry's problem don't you?"

"That Harry's an idiot?" Hermione grinned. "Of course I do."

"Why are you both torturing me?" Harry snarled and ran a hand over his tired face. "I've killed deatheaters, destroyed the evilest man in the wizardry world and am going to have to face the woman I love but will never be with all in the span of a week. Don't you think my week has been shit enough without you too annoying me?"

Hermione and Ron exchanged glances. "Harry," Hermione started, "don't you think it's time to speak to her about it?"

"Hermione has a point mate," Ron told him with a thump on his back. "You either spend the rest of your life with her or regretting that you never tried to fix it. You had a great thing with Ginny."

Hermione elbowed him and he looked to where she was jerking her head. A startled look spread across his face. "Or you might just move on," Ron stuttered. "Get on with your life. Meet someone else."

Harry frowned at them. "A second ago you were practically telling me to jump her."

"Yes but we just assessed you chances of her actually forgiving you," Hermione coughed and fidgeted with her fingers. "They weren't to good."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "You're a terrible liar Hermione."

This time Ron elbowed Hermione and she jerked her head towards where he was looking. Harry followed their line of sight and his face fell. A tall man with blonde hair had his arm wrapped her waist. Ginny looked up at her companion and smiled, a glorious smile. Harry's heart shattered.

"I'm so sorry Harry," Hermione told him and laid a hand on his shoulder as he turned his back on Ginny.

Harry shrugged her hand off and cross the kitchen to the fridge. "Don't be. She told me years ago that I had lost her. What would have changed in four years huh?"

"But you were living together...how could it just end so easily?" Ron asked him.

As she packed up her belongings
Baby wouldn't look me in the eye
But I could see a tear roll
Off her face
As we both tried so hard
Not to cry she said

"It didn't," Harry replied quickly and cracked open another can of beer. "It was hard and I cried for ages after she left. But it was something I had to do, something that was going to happen either way."

Hermione shook her head. "You threw away something great Harry, and you're going to regret it for the rest of your life. Look at you," she continued, "you're 22 and you haven't smiled since Ginny left you. You spend every day and every night working to drown your sorrows. You threw away Ginny and now your throwing your life away."

Harry shrugged again. "You don't know the half of it Hermione, so don't preach to me about things you don't know." He slammed his can on the kitchen counter next to his first one. "You don't know what she said to me and you have no bloody idea how much I regretting saying what I said to her. You have no idea that my heart broke the instant she told me I had lost her." He sighed. "Do you know how much I had to hold my hands to my side to stop myself from wrapping my arms around her?"

"Harry -"

He held up a hand to stop her. "A piece of my heart left me when Ginny went. The part of me that cared about life, that smiled, that had any hope of a happy future. Everything that was happy left me and I can't get it back."

"Fair enough, " Ron told his friend and clapped him on his back again. "Mum threw this party to celebrate our defeat so try to be a little happy for it." He grasped Hermione's elbow. "Harry, don't kill yourself while your drowning." And with that he steered Hermione towards Remus.

Harry looked at his friend's back and grimaced. Being in public was hard because all he wanted to do was go to work and distract himself. If he was working, he wasn't hurting. He leaned against the counter and looked towards Ginny and her companion. She looked happy and free.

Letting out a sigh, Harry picked up his beer cans and stuffed them in the bin. He liked the taste of muggle beer. It was strong and it made things hazy, fogging his mind. He always made sure there were at least four in his apartment at all times and tonight, knowing Ginny would be here, he had put some in the Weasley's fridge.

Molly waved him over, calling his name. Harry gritted his teeth and moved to where she was standing with Ginny and her boyfriend.

I never wanted the stars
I never shot for the moon
I like them right where they are
All I wanted was you

"Harry dear, I've been trying to find you for a while now," Molly told him happily and smoothed out the collar on his shirt. "And why are you wearing black because it does nothing to bring out your eyes," she asked him sternly, eying his dark jeans and black shirt with disgust.

"I'm in mourning," Harry answered quietly.

Molly humphed but let the matter drop. "Harry, this is Greg Baxter, Ginny's fiance."

Harry felt his body go numb and cold but he mumbled a quick. "Hello."

Greg's face broke into a grin. "Of course I've heard of you. Your just a little famous." His face was handsome and he had kind blue eyes. Harry automatically hated him.

"Yeah," Harry strained a smile, "just a little."

"I work at the St. Mungo's with Ginny." He smiled down at Ginny. "That's how I met her."

Harry had to stop himself from strangling him and said, "That's great." Spying the front door only metres away, he turned to Molly. "Sorry Molly but I have to run. I told Kingsley that I would cover his shift later tonight and I'm going to grab a couple hours of sleep before I go into the ministry."

"No problem Harry," Molly said with a hint of sadness. "Just don't forget about Christmas."

"I won't," he promised and turned back to Ginny and Greg. "Sorry but I have to go. Have a great night."

Greg's face fell a little. "Do stay, I'm sure Kingsley won't mind if you're a little late. After all," he continued, "if it wasn't for you we wouldn't be here for this party."

Harry looked at Ginny's blank face and gritted his teeth again. "Everyone here did something to help me." His eyes connected with Ginny's. "And they should be celebrated for it because without them I wouldn't be alive today."

So baby just turn away
Because I can't face the truth
All I'm trying to say
Is all I wanted was you

"You should visit us sometime," Greg told him honestly and Harry hated him even more.

He stuck his hands in his pockets. "It's never going to happen," Harry told him, deciding it was time to be honest. "I am never going to visit you and I am never going to be friends with you. It would be hell for me to sit in your living room and pretend that we could be mates because I can't. Have a great night." He turned away from them and crossed to the door, opening it quickly and slamming it behind him.

The wind hit his face as he started walking toward the apparating point at the edge of the yard. The sound of the front door slam traveled towards him but he didn't turn around. There was no-one that he wanted to see at the moment. All he wanted to do was get away from the burrow.

"Harry," a familiar voice called his name.

Harry spun on his heel and turned around. Ginny was standing a couple of steps away from him with her arms crossed. "What do you want Ginny?"

"What the hell was that in there?" She asked him angrily. "What gives you the right to treat someone like that?"

"I won't stand there and pretend I like him, because I don't." He crossed his own arms. "Come to tell me I acted like an asshole?"

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "You did act like an asshole. Just because you killed Voldermort means you have the power over everything. Greg did nothing to you."

Harry fisted his hands. "He has you!" He snapped. "He can kiss you, he can hug you, he can take you into his arms every night and you love him. I hate that. I hate that I love you so much that it hurts and you are engaged to someone else. I hate that you belong to someone other than me."

I tried so hard to remember
When where why how love went away
I tried to drown myself in pity
But the whiskey kept calling you name

"I'm not yours Harry," Ginny said softly.

"I know and that's what hurts me," he whispered back. "I still love you so much Ginny. I told you, all I ever wanted was you."

"I told you Harry, you lost me. I know you tried to do the right thing but I couldn't wait forever." A tear rolled off her cheek. "You broke my heart."

Harry stuck his hands back in his pocket. "You walked out of our apartment..."

Ginny threw her arms up. "You told me it was over Harry. Did you expect me to stay there if we weren't together?"

"I didn't expect anything. My heart wasn't in it when I told you that Ginny," Harry said. "I'm not complete without you."

Ginny wiped her cheek. "I couldn't wait forever," she whispered.

"I would have waited forever for you," Harry moved towards her and placed a hand under her chin, tipping her face to look at him. "I would have done anything for you."

Ginny looked at him sadly. "I know."

I bought you fancy cars and diamond rings
All the things that money brings
And the servants to paint the sky blue
And I worked so hard seven days a week
And built a fortress for your heart to keep
If I could I'd wrap these words up for you

Fighting the cold pain from his heart, Harry lowered his head and his lips connected with hers. The kiss was soft and sweet. Harry wrapped his arms around her slender body and crushed her to him, just to feel the warmth of her body again.

"Harry," Ginny breathed against his lips, "I can't do this."

Harry rested his forehead against hers. "I know." He didn't let go. "I'm sorry for everything that's happened. I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for telling you that I wanted us to end. I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life."

"I'm sorry I couldn't wait," Ginny answered softly.

"So am I."

Harry slowly unwrapped his arms and stepped back. "You're the only one that makes me happy. Ginny, you're the only one that can make me smile. You took a piece of me when you left and I know that I should want it back, but I don't."

Ginny rubbed her face. "You're going to make someone very happy Harry."

"It should have been you."

I never wanted the stars
I never shot for the moon
I like them right where they are
All I wanted was you

Ginny shook her head. "Please don't do this because I won't be able to walk away from you again. I still love you Harry, but I can't do this to Greg."

A icy claw clamped around Harry's heart and he nodded numbly. "I hope he makes you happy."

Blinking back some tears, Ginny grasped his forearms. "You will find love Harry and you will find someone that makes you happy. Believe me, you will smile again." She pulled him into a hug.

Harry rest his head in her feiry hair, knowing it would be the last time they ever came in close contact with each other. "I hope so." He let her go.

"Bye Harry," she whispered and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'll always love you." She turned around and walked towards the front door.

So baby just turn away
Because I can't face the truth
All I'm trying to say
Is all I wanted was you

--------------------------------------------

Months later, Harry sat at his kitchen table with a cup of coffee in his hand. He had thrown the beers from his fridge into the bin the minute he had gotten home from that party. It was time to forget about trying to be hazy. He had to pick up his life again.

Someone rang at his door and he moved to open it. Ron was standing in the hallway looking lanky and uncomfortable. "Hey mate, I've got something for you," his red-haired friend told him and moved into his living room.

"Sure Ron, come in," Harry said sarcastically and shut his door. He moved to where Ron was sitting and frowned. "What is it?"

"I know you've decided to start your life over again but you need to see these. You'll appreciate them," Ron told him honestly and spread out photos on the coffee table.

They were of Ginny's wedding. Harry had gotten an invitation in the mail but had decided to forgo going. He needed to figure his life and seeing Ginny, happy on her wedding day, would cut too much. She look amazing in the photos. Glowing. Happy. Greg was standing next to her, grinning ear to ear and looking at his new wife with love.

"I know you wouldn't have wanted to see them, but I know that deep down you would," Ron said. "I want you to see how happy she is."

Harry had to tear his gaze away from them. "Tell her I'm happy for her."

I may have built for you a dreamhouse
But never thought you were alone
I filled the party up with company
But never made our house a home
All I got is my guitar my chords and the truth
All I got is my guitar...but all I want is you

"All I want is you..." sigh I'm so sappy. Major heartache. I expect tears. Heenie, did you cry? Because if you didn't shakes fist...review if you'd like...I'd love to hear what you like or disliked ;-)