Summary: Someday he'll be back, because it will guide him back to her. Post HBP, HPGW. Oneshot, but continuation is possible if you want me to.
Rating: K+
Category: Angst/Romance
Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potter, that credit goes to J.K. Rowling. I just took her characters and ran with it.
Reviews: Sure, constructive criticism is always appreciated. This is my first HP fic, so go easy. Also, please no flames on the pairing or character.
Beta: Self, so any mistakes are mine.
Harry had his trunk packed and sitting on his bed. His Firebolt and invisibility cloak lay on top of it. Ron was asleep, and hadn't woken up at all thanks to Harry's muffliato charm. Harry walked over to the snowy owl perched on the dresser.
"I'm gonna leave you here, Hedwig. The Weasleys could use a new owl," he said, petting her feathers. Harry looked at his watch, it was nearly midnight. He was going to turn seventeen in fifteen minutes, and then he was leaving. But there was one thing he had to do first.
He carefully tiptoed down the stairs, being sure to avoid the creaky ones, until he came to Ginny's door. It was slightly opened, and Harry pushed it further as he stuck his head in.
"Ginny?" he whispered. He heard a rustle and realized she was sitting on her bed, watching him.
"Knew you'd be coming," she said, and Harry couldn't hear any trace of tears in her voice. "An early happy birthday, Harry, I guess I won't get to give you one on time." Harry pushed the door all the way open and walked over to sit on her bed. He reached out and touched her face, pulling her towards him into a kiss. When he felt a drop of liquid hit his fingers, he pulled back.
"Ginny?" He asked again. She looked up at him, fighting the tears, and he hugged her as tightly as he could. He let her cry, and when her tears slowed she pulled back and looked him in the eye.
"Please, Harry, we can't leave it like this," she stopped and composed herself, then continued, "I don't care what happens to me, I'd rather go through-"
"Well I'd rather you didn't. I'll most likely end up dead this time, I don't want people mourning you too." She opened her mouth to say something but he leaned forward and kissed her again to cut her off. "But understand this, Ginny. If I can get through this with any life left, I'll be back for you." Harry stood up, and Ginny did as well. They stood looking at each other for minutes on end, then the clock in the corner of her room started to chime. In tandem, they reached out for each other and hugged, held on for dear life. At the twelfth chime, Harry whispered,
"I've got to get out of here, my protection's gone now. I don't want to bring anything down on the Burrow." He pressed his face into her hair, kissing her forehead, then let her go and backed out of the room, never breaking eye contact with her until he had to turn and go up the stairs.
He moved swiftly but carefully back up the stairs. Ron and Hermione knew where they were meeting him in a few days, he just hadn't told them that he was leaving so soon. Harry used a quick charm to shrink his trunk. He put on his invisibility cloak, and got on his Firebolt. Hovering outside the window, he removed the muffliato charm from Ron.
About a hundred yards from the Burrow, he turned in the air. He could see a faint, flickering spot of light from where he knew Ginny's window to be. He smiled, recognizing the ever-burning candle she'd bought at Diagon Alley the week before and realizing why she'd bought it. Someday he'd be back, because that flame would guide him back to her.
Reviews: again, please no flames to characters or pairing