Deeper Scars

Harry had learned pretty early on in his first year not to talk about his life before Hogwarts.

The few tidbits that he had let slip to Ron and Hermione in his first year had never failed to cause awkward silences. He often wondered that if his friends knew about what happened to him, they would never be able to treat him the same way again.

So Harry learned to keep his treatment before Hogwarts inside of his head (unless it came to Snape and occlumency lessons).

He never told Hermione that she was the first person to ever hug him. He didn't tell Ron that he had gotten his first Christmas presents in first year. He certainly didn't tell Mrs. Weasley just how underfed he had been at the Dursleys.

He hated attention like that and he certainly didn't want his friends to think he was fragile. He wasn't.

So while Ron and Hermione knew some of how bad Harry's life, he never wanted to test how they'd (or anyone else) react to the whole story.

That was exactly why he was mentally berating himself right now.

It had been just another conversation with Ginny. They were sitting next to each other in the living room of the Burrow. She had been joking about having to sleep in close quarters with Hermione and a few other girls for Charlie's wedding to a Romanian dragon handler when Harry had commented "It's better than living in a cupboard."

Immediately, the joking mood had vanished.

Crap.

Ginny was looking at him, aghast.

Harry quickly dashed for the nearest exit.

Some Gryffindor you are.

Harry really didn't care about Gryffindor bravery right now. He was too ashamed and embarrassed by what had just happened.

What had just happened?

He had done such a good job at keeping his past in… well, the past. He had honestly thought he was over it.

Apparently he wasn't, old emotions (shame, fear) ran through his head, things he had kept locked away in the deepest reaches of his soul, only to be relived in the occasional nightmare that wasn't about one of the many deaths he had witnessed.

He honestly wasn't surprised that it was Ginny he slipped up with; he always felt the most at ease, the most natural with his girlfriend.

It was unfortunate that it was exactly this person who he was most mortified to tell this stuff too.

Harry stopped running and leaned against a tree in the backyard of the Burrow. He had never felt so ashamed of himself. The worst part was that he had no idea why he felt this way.

Harry closed his eyes and crumpled onto the ground willing everything to go away.

"Harry?" Ginny's voice was quiet and unsure.

Apparently things didn't work like that.

Harry decided not to answer that, maybe if he didn't respond; she would leave him alone…

"Harry" This time, his name came out in an exasperated sigh.

What should he do? Could he play it off as a joke, or say he had fallen asleep in a cupboard after hiding from a teacher late one night at Hogwarts? Nope, not after he ran out of the house like a bloody idiot.

Could just tell her not to worry about it? That everything was fine?

Definitely not, that answer would probably just make her angry(er?); she could always tell that he was lying.

Which led Harry to two startling conclusions, he would have to tell her the truth, and everything was definitely not fine.

"Harry!"

Wait, what!

How could Harry mention living in a cupboard like it was a perfectly natural thing to do?

It took Ginny, all of three seconds to realize the repercussions of Harry's offhand comment.

What had the Dursleys done to him?

As far as the Weasleys knew, the Dursleys were just simply horrible to Harry.

Perhaps Harry had a different definition of horrible, or he was just lying for Merlin knows what reason.

Either way, Ginny knew one thing, her boyfriend needed her, whether he knew it or not.

It wasn't hard to find him. It was harder to get him to look at her. It was almost as if he was… ashamed.

Ginny had heard of people who had been abused as children feeling ashamed of what happened.

Suddenly, a sickening though struck her, had he been beaten!

Ginny felt sick at that, and decided not to think about that now and instead get Harry to open up to her.

"Harry!" Finally, he had turned around. Perhaps her plea had just enough desperation and fear to get a reaction from him.

Harry looked up at her. He was nothing like what he had been a few minutes ago. His eyes clearly showed shame and fear (Of what? Me?). Ginny suddenly felt a wave of fierce protectiveness wash over her.

No one hurts my Harry!

All she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and shield him from the world, to make everything better for him, so he would never be hurt again (Okay, she did want to go to the Dursleys and hurt them like they had hurt Harry, make them sorry that they had ever laid a finger on her Harry, but Harry would always come first for her).

"What did they do to you?" Ginny demanded.

Harry opened his mouth, but his voice was caught in his throat, he blinked back tears.

Seeing the strongest and kindest person she knew in this pitiful state spurred new anger within her.

"What the hell did they do to you!" She demanded harshly. Harry winced, and Ginny internally berated herself for taking the wrong approach.

Ginny knelt down next to Harry, taking his hands in her own.

"Harry, you mean everything to me, everything, it's just that someone hurt you like that… I just want-" Ginny desperately struggled to find the right words "I just want to help you" She sobbed "I love you."

"I love you too" Harry's response was automatic and without hesitation.

"Then you can understand how I feel, right?" Ginny asked calmly. Harry nodded, remembering fearing for her life and safety during the horcrux hunt.

"Let me help you."

"Okay" Harry answered, his voice thick.

Ginny was honestly surprised at how easily agreed to her demands.

And so Harry told her everything. How he was locked in his cupboard for weeks on end for doing accidental magic, how he was forever underfed, how the Dursleys encouraged Dudley's bullying of him, and how they treated him like a slave.

It was easier than Harry had thought it would be. In fact, once he started, the rest seemed to pour out on its own accord. He felt immensely lighter after he was done.

Ginny honestly didn't know what to say. Throughout the time that he was spilling his guts out to her, she had fought a battle against her anger and protectiveness so she would scare Harry away again.

She decided she shouldn't use words, and simply hugged him. He fell into her hug, tears streaming down his face, clinging to her like she was the only thing keeping him on earth.

Some people had some explaining to do.

Vernon Dursley sat at the kitchen table reading the morning paper. It was another quiet, normal, morning. Ever since those two freaks had let them come back to Privet Drive two years ago, Vernon had everything he wanted in life.

Petunia was making him breakfast before he went to work at Grunnings when he heard a knock on the door.

Grumbling that he had to get the door at such an unreasonable hour (8:00), Vernon lifted himself up and made his way to the door.

He was greeted by a young redheaded woman.

"Hello, is this the Dursley residence?" She said politely. Had Vernon been more perceptive, he would have heard the false tone in her polite greeting.

"Yes, why are you here?" He answered gruffly.

"My name is Ginny Weasley, I'm here because of how you treated my boyfriend." The spite in her voice was finally recognizable to Mr. Dursley.

Growling, he made to close the door, but the Ginny stepped in before he could do so.

"Now listen here, girl, I didn't-"

"No!" The Ginny commanded "You listen!"

"I know what you did to Harry, both of you!" She ranted.

"And I'm here to make sure you pay." She finished devilishly.

Mr. Dursley's expression shifted from annoyance to anger "I will not have any more freaks in my house!" He boomed.

"YOU DON'T DESERVE TO HAVE A HOUSE YOU LOW LIFE PIECE OF FILTH!" Ginny exploded in a rage and volume to rival Hagrid's nine years ago.

Then she drew her wand with fire in her eyes.

Mr. Dursley's face went from red to white in a blink of an eye.

"YOU MADE HIM LIVE IN A CUPBOARD! YOU STARVED HIM! YOU WORKED HIM LIKE A SLAVE! YOU EVIL SLUG!"

Vernon was backing up in panic while Petunia stifled a half sob half gasp.

"There is nothing I can do to you that will even come close to what you did to Harry" Her voice lowered to a deadly hiss, which was even somehow more frightening.

"But I am going to enjoy trying."

As she raised her wand, the Dursleys both flinched. However, she was interrupted by a loud pop.

"Harry!" Ginny gasped in surprise "How did you know?"

"What else would you do after I told you what happened?" He answered.

Ginny sighed "You're going to be stupidly noble again, aren't you." She stated.

Harry chuckled "If by that you mean stopping you from decimating them, then yes".

Ginny glared at him.

"Don't give me that look Gin, it's all in the past." He sighed.

"Don't lie to me Harry, if it's all in the past, what was that yesterday, huh?" Ginny retorted scathingly.

They were so caught up with each other that they almost didn't notice the Dursleys (both of whom were silently rooting for Harry to win the argument) silently edging out of the room.

"Oi! You're not going anywhere! Imobulus!" Ginny froze them when she noticed them trying to escape.

"What they did to you is unforgivable, Harry! I don't care what you say!"

"That doesn't mean you should hex the living daylights out of them!"

"I don't understand why you're so bent on protecting them, don't tell me your saving people thing covers complete bastards who deserve to rot in hell!"

"Gin, you're exaggerating-" Harry started.

"I AM NOT!" She suddenly yelled "THEY DESERVE TO FOR WHAT THEY DID TO YOU!"

Harry was completely taken aback by Ginny's sudden explosion.

"You were just a little boy!" She shouted with slightly less volume "You're so wonderful and you were just a little boy!" Now she was sobbing.

"You deserve so much better Harry! You deserve to be happy and they- they're your family! They should have loved you!" Ginny cried.

"I am happy" Harry told her soothingly "and I do have a family that loves me, even if it's mostly stubborn, hot tempered redheads."

Ginny let out a half sob half laugh and lunged at him. Harry caught her and took her tenderly into his arms. Both of them relaxed as they sunk into their familiar embrace.

"That doesn't excuse what they did." She sniffed.

"You're never going to let this go, are you?" Harry asked her.

"Nope" She answered, a smile coming across her face "does that mean I have your permission?"

Harry's face showed his indecision.

"Plleeaasee!" She asked, giving him her best pouty face.

"Okay, just don't go too hard on them" Harry sighed.

Ginny smiled and kissed him quickly on the lips before turning around and giving the still immobilized Dursleys a positively evil smile.

"I think transforming them into a horse and walrus was a little over the top" Harry told her as they walked back to the burrow after apparating into the yard.

"I think it was damn hilarious" Ginny answered.