Don't Give Up Hope
Author: Chewy1
A/N: I posted this a while ago. It's sort of Alternate Universe now, well... it doesn't really go with canon. But I always liked it for some reason. Hope you do aswell.

It's not like I was never going to see him again. Of course I was, next summer! But something in the back of my head kept telling me otherwise. I drew my arms around myself and squeezed tightly telling myself over again that I would see him the day I graduated. Of course I would, all was well in the Wizarding world. Right?

Nothing had ever happened between the two of us. Reasonable, considering I had given up on the boy in my fourth year, even with my feelings still as strong as ever beneath. We were never known as Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley, "Star Couple of Hogwarts"! That stuff doesn't happen in real life, not to me anyways. I never expected him to return what I felt for him since the first day I saw him on the Platform at King's Cross; it wouldn't be real.

I stared out the window of my nearly empty compartment (save Luna) at his disappearing figure. He had come with my mum to see me off for my last year, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George along side. It was strange not having those three on the train with me. The last two years it had been us together on the train, the four of us. Unfortunately, even with the four of us together on the train Harry had closed up into himself after the death of Sirius. It seemed as if he'd never go back to being "just Harry". Ron, Hermione and I were always afraid of that happening.

His temper grew and the school, particularly the Slytherins after his outburst towards Draco, began to walk on eggshells around him. Even Harry's two best friends had become afraid of saying something that would cause him to snap. After Dumbledore's murder at the beginning of last year Harry lost hope in almost everything.

Dumbledore, even when Harry was annoyed with him had grown to be quite a father figure and the shock of losing another person that he cared for sent him toppling. It seemed as if we had lost the one true Harry to a quiet, reserved... psycho.

I closed my eyes as we passed through trees, they're shadows sweeping by over my head. I could never forget the beginning of my sixth year, the dead halls, the fear within everyone's eyes, the tragedy that would change everything.

A reserved psycho. Harry had been like that since the day he saw Dumbledore's still, cold figure lying in the Hospital Wing. He'd never been completely the same since. He spoke to no one after that, and hardly looked anyone in the eyes.

Feeling as if I was the only one willing to speak up I had pulled him aside one day soon after Dumbledore's death and gave him a large and unfortunately for him, hard slap across the face. We shared a few colourful words but in the end I think I got part of the old Harry back.. I had to laugh hollowly to myself as I remembered the incident; the fear I felt towards Harry Potter for the first and last time, ever.

'Bloody hell Ginny, what was that for?' yelled a very aggravated Harry Potter. He held his very red left cheek in his hand stretching out his jaw and stared at girl across from him incredulously.

'Will you grow up?' yelled an equally aggravated Ginny Weasley. 'Honestly Harry. The world hasn't ended and the only reason it would, would be because you gave up and I am not going to let that happen! I know that you're upset and grieving over Sirius and now unfortunately Dumbledore but... there's nothing you can do and the only way you can make it better is to get rid of the reason they're gone.'

'Don't talk to me about growing up, Sirius and especially not Dumbledore.' Harry took a large shaky breath trying to calm his temper. 'I am grown up! I'm more grown up than the majority of this bloody school will ever be and getting rid of Voldemort will not bring them back! They're gone and so is the wizarding world.' Harry scrunched down as Ginny raised her hand again.

Ginny sighed deeply dropping her hand to her side before lifting it again and poking Harry in the chest, 'Now you listen to me boy. The way you are acting is not grown up. You're acting like a childish seven year old and I'm bloody sick and tired of it. Of anyone in this stupid war you have got to act your age and older than anyone because if you lose it, we all do!' Ginny looked at Harry and took a deep breath. She lifted her hair from her face and wiped a stray tear from her eye, 'I'm not trying to make you forget about them. I just want what's best for the wizarding world and right now that is you; sane and together.'

'What about what's best for me? Has anyone ever wondered what that was? What that is? What was truly best for me and not what they thought would make me happy? I have never been thought of like that, no one has ever let me decide what was best.'

'I do care about what's best for you and I want you happy but mourning over Sirius and Dumbledore right now when we're on the brink of war is not helping anyone! The only way we have a chance is if you don't lose hope. Do you hear me? You can't lose hope because someone you love has had their life taken away from them. When Bill was killed I wasn't allowed to grieve because Voldemort could feel it. Now you have to take a breath and just...' she paused trying to get her thoughts in order. 'Get what needs to be done done first. Do you hear me, do you understand?

'Yes, I hear you, now you hear me,' Harry looked at her menacingly and shoved her against the wall holding her roughly around the shoulders. 'There is no hope for this bloody school. The one person who Lord Voldemort was afraid of is dead. We're gone either way because Voldemort isn't scared anymore, and I have no fucking clue what to do so don't tell me to stop acting like a child because I'm the only one seeing this clearly.' Harry took deep rasping breaths before letting go of Ginny's now bruised shoulders and looking at her angrily. 'Don't complain to me that you couldn't mourn over your brother because Voldemort could feel what you feel. I wasn't the one that started writing down my secrets in an unknown diary and was slowly possessed by the Dark Lord.'

Harry's head flew back as Ginny punched him square in the nose. Ginny stared at Harry with tears in her eyes and a look of pure terror falling over her face. She shook her head down and stared at the ground whispering, 'I'm only trying to get you to see clearly. I don't want to see you fall apart because of Voldemort because that's the one thing that he wants more than anything. To be the reason Harry Potter falls and I know this because he slowly possessed me through that diary. Now before I go I'm going to ask you to do something for me...' She looked up at him with her tear-stained visage and looked deep into his emerald eyes. He stood and held his right hand to his bleeding nose.

'The only thing I ask of you is that you try. For me. For Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, my mum, dad, Remus. For Sirius, Dumbledore and most of all for your parents. Voldemort took so much away from you and I push you to get rid of him once and for all so that the people he's killed don't suffer any longer. So for once in your lifetime listen to my words and acknowledge my presence and just try for me. Don't give up hope.' Ginny whipped around quickly and ran off in the opposite direction she came a whimper escaping her lips before turning a corner.

I suppose it helped because the next day Harry seemed a little more like he was in his first year, bruised jaw and everything. He seemed to let himself hope just a little bit... enough. Three months later the Dark Lord was killed by the hand of the one person who could. Without guidance by Dumbledore or anyone but Harry himself, Voldemort was defeated.

I sat back in my seat as trees covered the view from the large window and hugged myself tighter. I was frightened when I had spoken with Harry in that corridor. He had hurt me and left bruises along my arms but I was never able to stay mad at him. There was always something about Harry Potter that made me forgive him no matter what and that's what scared me more than anything.

I looked up at the ceiling of the compartment and drew in a long breath. My seventh year at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry was to be a long one.

'Mum!' I ran into my mother's arms like I had the past six years. I was done finally and all I had left to do was walk across the stage. Professor, sorry Headmistress McGonagall thought it best that we celebrate graduation like muggles would to honour the "mudblood loving" ex-Headmaster.

We were dressed in our gowns and had our strange looking square caps mounted onto our heads. I hugged my mother with all my might and exhaled into her shoulder. Seven long years were finally over. I pulled away as McGonagall's voice rang over the students and parents. It was time.

I peered at my mother before giving her a kiss on the cheek and running off to join the rest of the graduating class. I sat with the rest in the lined chairs facing the stage and watched as each Professor made a small speech about some of the many events that had happened over the years to this age group. I took a deep breath as my name was called and I slowly made my way to make the final speech before the class was to graduate. I stepped up to the front of the large stage and pointed my wand at my throat, "Sonorus".

'I remember arriving in Hogsmeade on September first and wishing that I could go home and spend another year with my mother baking cookies and sending out letters to my older brothers. I remember looking around at all the other students that towered over my small form and wishing I could find my brothers in the crowd and go with them instead of the large man calling to the first years. Of course my brother Ron hadn't gone on the train, but I didn't know that at the time...' A few members of the audience chuckled as I thought quietly to myself before continuing.

'I was terrified walking into the Great Hall and having everyone's eyes on me and me alone as I was being sorted into my house. My house... more like my second family. Oh wait, the majority of it was my family, forgot,' I paused before carrying on.

'My first year didn't go very well and neither did Colin's but we made it through, yay us! My years at Hogwarts weren't as happy as others and I'm not sure why I was chosen to tell you about them but I'm going to do it honestly because after the last four years I believe everyone can handle it.

'In my first year I was the cause of the "Chamber of Secrets" to be opened and many students to almost die. Not the greatest year for anyone but still it's part of my Hogwarts experience. My second year was better other than my lack of friends due to the previous year and my giant crush on Harry Potter,' I paused and looked at Harry who had come with my family and who now sat beside my weeping mother. A brief smile crossed his blushing face before I once again continued.

'My third year was... eventful, to say the least. The Triwizard Tournament took place and unfortunately at the end the Dark Lord was brought back into power and Cedric Diggory was killed by him in the process,' I paused for effect and many people gasped. 'Oh, but it gets better. My fourth year I spent waiting for the inevitable and near the end went with my brother, his friends and some of mine to the Ministry. While there Voldemort attacked and we lost someone that had been held prisoner for the last thirteen years of his life excluding two, and who had never had the chance to prove the authorities wrong. Sirius Black was murdered by his own cousin and only after his death was he finally set free.

'My fifth year while I was sitting at the Halloween feast with everyone in Hogwarts my eldest brother William was murdered and Voldemort took the lives of thirty other unsuspecting muggle-born, full grown wizards and witches. I wasn't able to be sad about my brother's death because I couldn't let Voldemort see my weakness. After the "Chamber of Secrets" and Tom Riddle getting inside my head he had never left and I was never able to mourn until Voldemort was defeated.

'I became friends with three very important people that are fortunately still in my life and helped Hogwarts stay sane during that year. Three people that helped me deal with the fact that I couldn't let my emotions show even in my head.

'My sixth year,' I wiped a tear from my eyes as I thought about what had actually happened. It hadn't really struck me until the beginning of my seventh year that Professor Dumbledore was indeed gone from the living. I sighed deeply, inhaling a deep shaky breath. 'In my sixth year, Professor Albus Dumbledore was murdered by Voldemort himself on the Hogwarts grounds and it seemed as if Hogwarts had lost it's hope and soul. Unfortunately this struck one person more than anyone else and almost led the only one who could defeat the Dark Lord to destruction.

'Fortunately with a few well chosen words, favour and a few, I'm sorry Harry, well placed violent actions I managed to keep him in his place. I suppose it helped because within the next three or four months he saved Hogwarts and the wizarding world without having the one person he thought he needed to do it.'

I stopped and let an unshed tear fall from my eye. The spectators were drawn into my words and took in a short deep breath waiting for me to carry on. They waited on bated breath for me to finish and tell what had happened over my last year. I peered down at them from my spot on the stage and at a particular person as I finished what I had started. I never let my eyes wander from his face.

'My final year that has just ended was... boring. No big events, no deaths, and no siblings. You could say it was a lonely year for me but the first fearless one I've ever had. No fear that Voldemort would show up to wreak havoc on the school but also no Harry Potter there to protect us incase he wanted to come back from the dead. Hogwarts is the most miraculous school in the world and I wouldn't give up my years here for anything other than a large Butterbeer in one hand and the hand of someone I love in the other. Just joking, although that would be nice at a time like this,' the audience laughed as I said my last few words.

'Hold on to what you have and what you want, because years from now you may not have them and they'll be lying on their backs six feet under. If you love someone tell him or her. Don't hold it back thinking that you have no chance because for all you know they may love you just as much. And above all, don't give up hope. It's the strongest thing you have and if you don't have hope you don't have anything.'

I stepped down from the stage changing my voice back to its normal volume and took my seat beside Cody Wilson again. I stared straight ahead listening for my name to be called so I could finally graduate. I thought about the words I had just spoken and rolled them around in my head. Where had they come from?

After many minutes I stood as if I was a machine and once again walked onto the stage and took my well-deserved diploma from Professor McGonagall. I switched the string on my cap to the other side and smiled out into the audience and to one certain person who smiled back. I sat back in my seat again and waited for the ceremony to finish before leaving my seat and finding my family, Hermione and Harry. I went around the large circle hugging each one of them tightly until I came face-to-face with Harry. I looked up at him nervously wringing my hands in front of me.

'Oh come here,' he sighed out taking me in his strong embrace. I hugged him back hard and laid my head onto his shoulder closing my eyes and breathing in his scent. 'Congratulations,' he whispered out into my ear before pulling away. I smiled up at him once again before I lost control of my limbs and lifted myself up on to tiptoes and met his lips with mine. I pulled away quickly looking down at the ground hardly believing that I had just done that when the words that I had spoken on the stage floated through my mind, "If you love someone tell him or her."

I looked back up at Harry just as his arm snaked around my waist pulling me to him and his lips met mine once again. I heard Ron let a loud laugh escape his lips from behind me, 'finally!'

I smiled into Harry's lips before pulling away and looking him straight in the eyes, a giant smile lined my already bright red face. Yes, finally.