Chapter One: The Explanation

Harry wandered along the corridor looking around at the wreckage and

taking in the images of destruction and bloodshed every few feet.

He knew he should feel happy but he couldn't stop thinking of Remus and Tonks and Fred, along with countless others who had given their lives in an effort to finally rid themselves of Voldemort, who had thoughtlessly erased the lives of so many more. He still couldn't quite grasp the fact that Voldemort was finally dead, that he would no longer seek Harry, and that he could now live his life freely, the prophecy had been fulfilled. He stopped and leaned against the wall drinking in the events of that night, until he heard a soft voice from behind him that he would have recognized anywhere.

"Harry?"

He turned around and saw Ginny standing a few feet behind him.

Wordlessly he walked over and hugged her, and they stood there holding each other.

Harry realized she was crying and held her still tighter.

"It's over." she said.

"Yes," Harry said. "It's over."

They sat down and leaned against the wall while Ginny stared at him for a long time. Harry didn't know what to say, his brain was numbed by the lack of sleep, along with the loss of Fred. "He's gone, you don't have to run any more." Ginny said. " But of course running wasn't the only thing you've been doing now has it?" Ginny asked.

"No I should say not" Harry said with a small smile.

"Ginny," Harry said suddenly "you know I missed you more than anything"

She gave a tired looking smile. "I missed you too" she said

"I thought you were dead" she said, her voice hitching on the last word.

Harry looked at her, there were tears in her eyes.

"Why would you do that? What happened?" she asked furtively.

"I went into the forest fully intending to die." Harry said.

"But why?" Ginny insisted.

"It's a long story." Harry sighed.

"Well I've got time." Ginny said.

Harry laughed and said "alright it starts like this, do you know what a Horcrux is?" she frowned and said "Yes" an answer Harry had not been expecting. In answer to the look on his face she added "Dad had to deal with some old muggle woman finding an old one a few years back"

"Well," Harry said "that's what we were hunting"

Ginny looked horrorstruck "You-Know-Who had a Horcrux?" she asked.

"Not Horcrux, Horcruxes. There were seven in all." Harry said grimly

Ginny's eyes widened. "One of them was Tom Riddle's diary" Ginny's look of horror had been nothing compared to now. "The other's were a ring that Dumbledore destroyed, a locket that Ron stabbed, a cup that Hermione stabbed, Ravenclaw's diadem that burned, the snake, and me." he finished.

"What do you mean you?" Ginny asked quietly. Harry took a deep breath "The night that my parents died, when Voldemort tried to kill me, my mother's protective spell rebounded on him and caused a piece of his soul to break off and become attached to me, meaning that as long as I lived, so would he. So I went into the forest to allow him to kill me in order to destroy that piece." Ginny asked "But then how did you survive?"

"Well," Harry said "When Voldemort took my blood back in fourth year and took it into him it kept me alive when his spell hit me, he managed to shatter that piece of his soul, while leaving me alive. However, he didn't know that." They remained quiet for a long time then, allowing the full impact to sink in. "Come on we should get back down to the Great Hall" Harry said finally. They stood up, Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulders and Ginny wrapped hers around his waist and they made their way down the stairs.

Ok so I intend to right more chapters but I need some reviews in order to get some feedback, what you'd like to see happen, and if anyone even liked this..so review review review!!