|AN|: Hello everybody! Oh, it's so good to be back! I've missed this so badly. I'm returning with a big story (at least I hope it will be)!
Firstfuly, I want to thank to everybody who helped me start with the story. My wonderful beta maker Stephanie O, my dearest friends Marta and Mikey (PotterMichael) and all of you about whom I was thinking all the time while writing this. Knowing that hopefully some of you would enjoy it is exactly what made me start writing, because nothing is more enjoyable for me that making Harry Potter fans happy! :D I hope you will like it and I hope you will support me, because as everybody who writes probably knows, it's sometimes so hard to write something useful. So, if you like it just let me know and I will try to keep it as good as I am able. And for now just... Enjoy!
I OWN NOTHING BESIDES THE STORY LINE.
SUMMARY: The war is over. Voldemort is dead. The Wizarding World is in rubble. Now there is their time to build a new, better world for themselves. To finally be free.
PAIRINGS: Canon. H/G centered.
RATING: M to be safe, but mostly T. I will warn you in later chapters if it is about to have an M content.
GENRE: Romance, Family, Friendship, Hurt-Comfort, Humor, Drama- pretty much everything :D
BETA: Stephanie O
To Be Free
Chapter I
And From the Ashes, the Love Shall Rise
"That wand's more trouble than it's worth," said Harry. "And quite honestly," he turned away from the painted portraits, think ing now only of the four-poster bed lying waiting for him in Gryffindor Tower, and wondering whether Kreacher might bring him a sandwich there, "I've had enough trouble for a lifetime."
They made their way down the miraculously undamaged stairs to the Headmaster's Office, holding onto each other for a dear life. Harry and Ron were mostly supporting Hermione's weight, as she was quite apparently dead on her feet, even if trying very hard to convince them otherwise. They didn't have anything to say to each other at that moment, each of them burrowed deeply in their own thoughts. Taking a great amount of comfort from one another, they silently agreed on the direction they were heading. They all knew they needed to wash, eat and sleep and the Gryffindor Tower was the only place they were considering as suitable right now. They were halfway there when Harry stopped suddenly and looked back above his shoulder without a word. Hermione furrowed her brows and looked at him with concern.
"What is it, Harry?" She asked in a whisper, suddenly in her battle mode again, even despite the overwhelming tiredness she was experiencing. Harry shook his head slightly and carefully let go of Hermione, hoping that Ron will be able to take care of her on his own. Ron and Hermione exchanged worried glances and then looked at Harry in the way only a real family, a caring family, could look at him. His heart clenched and he felt a sudden need to just hug them, so he did, startling Hermione slightly in the process and taking Ron completely off guard. The two of them recovered quickly though, and hugged the boy... no, the man... who both of them had considered as a brother for longer than they could remember. After several seconds he let go of them and looked at them with unshed tears in his eyes and a little smile on his lips.
"Thank you," he choked. Hermione looked at him with tears streaming down her cheeks and love evident in her eyes, then placed a gentle kiss at his cheek, making Harry smile wider. Ron patted Harry's arm gently with a great amount of affection in his own eyes.
"Hermione told you once mate, that we are in this together. Of course being Hermione, she was right," said Ron with a small chuckle. "Even if I was a prat at times, since the day we kicked the troll's smelly butt in the girls' restroom, we were together through thick and thin and I certainly hope it'll stay that way." He added earning an adoring glance from Hermione. Harry smiled slightly at the new couple, happy that they finally found a way to each other. They found their happiness and he thought that it was time for him to fight for his own for once. Hermione noticed he was smiling at them, but there was something more in his eyes.
"I know that look Harry." She stated, looking at him with raised eyebrows. "You always get it when you are determined about something." She added. Harry looked deeply into her eyes and then glanced at Ron with a mixture of worry and persistence.
"I need to talk... with Ginny." He said hesitantly, looking pleadingly into Ron's eyes. He knew two things for sure right now; first, that he will never again try to keep Ginny away from himself and second, that he didn't want to argue with Ron about it right now.
"Harry..." Ron began with resignation "... please, I don't want her to be hurt again." He added pleadingly with implore in his eyes. Harry was taken completely off guard by the concerned tone in Ron's voice. He was rather expecting an angry, gitty and jealous Ron, but instead he saw a caring, loving, concerned brother. Harry looked at Ron with a hurt expression and ran his hand through his own hair, hanging his head down guiltily in the process. When he looked up again, tears were sliding silently down his face.
"I..." He started but his voice caught in his throat. He swallowed hard. "I've never told her so, but I... you need to know, you should know." He looked Ron in the eyes. "I... I love her." He stated unhesitatingly and with such resolution, it was impossible to not take his words seriously. Ron's eyes nearly popped out of his head, but Hermione only gave him a smug look as if trying to say 'took you long enough to figure it out'. Harry never broke the connection with Ron's eyes. "And I swear to God, I'm going to do everything I can to never let anybody hurt her again, especially me." He added gulping loudly for the second time and searching Ron's wide eyes for an answer. Ron held his gaze for a few seconds as if searching for the truth of Harry's words in his eyes in return.
"Okay." He said simply, after what seemed like ages for Harry, and added a tiny head nod to his agreement. "I trust you." He stated and glanced towards Hermione, who seemed to be very moved by this conversation and pleased with his answer. She nuzzled Ron's upper arm letting him know that he made a right decision. "I'm not so sure though, if you should go to her right now." Ron added, taking in Harry's looks. "No offence mate, but you look like crap, you smell like crap and I'm very sure you feel like crap as well." He said making Harry chuckle lowly.
Ron's words made Harry realize how filthy he truly was. His clothes were soaking with blood, of which only a very small amount was his own. He looked at his hands and noticed they were covered in blood as well. Snape's blood- he thought. He was fighting a battle with himself in his head right now, trying to decide if he would be able to hold on for at least half an hour without seeing Ginny again. When he saw her after everything ended, he thought they had a lot of time to talk with each other later, here and now however, he knew that he was tired of waiting and he didn't want to do so anymore. Hermione seemed to notice his hesitancy and took a hold of his hand.
"Come on Harry." She said quietly tugging him gently. "I know we won't be able to make you agree on someone checking out your injuries, but you should at least take a shower and see how bad you are under those clothes by yourself." She said looking at him pleadingly. He knew he couldn't resist her at that moment, when she was looking at him with sad and concerned eyes. There were times when he could say 'no' to her rather easily, but now she was acting all sisterly around him and it would be heartless to deny her while she was truly concerned.
"Okay, you are right." He said with resignation and let Hermione pull him slightly towards her. "I'll go, but I don't know if I will be able to make it for longer than an hour without seeing her again." He added bashfully. Maybe it was stupid, but that was exactly how he felt. Hermione smiled at him knowingly and even Ron had a little smirk on his lips.
"Don't worry mate," said Ron, when they supported Hermione and started to move down the corridor once again "she waited for nine months, she'll wait an hour more." He finished and Harry's head whipped around to look at him.
"You really think so?" He asked with hope-filled voice. "You really think she waited all the time? That she would take me back?" He added, bewildered that someone, especially Ron, could think she would have him back even after how much he'd hurt her.
"She will probably yell," said Ron with a smirk, "and most likely punch you repeatedly wherever she can reach," he added, now fully smiling, "but believe me when I say it, Harry. If needed, she would wait for you till the end of time."
Ginny Weasley rested her tired, aching and very confused head at the table she was sitting at in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. She sighed heavily and moved her head slightly to look at her mother, who was sitting on her left.
Molly Weasley sat between her husband and her only daughter, her shoulders slumped, her head with red, tear-stained cheeks resting on Arthur's shoulder. He seemed to be trying very hard to be the strongest of the family and once again in her life, Ginny felt a wave of respect towards her father. Ginny's eyes immediately filled with tears which soon slid down her cheeks silently, despite her efforts to hold them back. She just couldn't. Not when she saw the strongest woman she'd ever known sitting there with nothing but emptiness in her eyes. The sight of her mother was unbearable to her, so Ginny lifted her head and looked across the table meeting Fleur's eyes in the process. Looking at the beautiful woman, now dirty, slightly wounded and covered with her husband's blood, immediately made her feel guilty and simply bad. How could she ever think that she hated the part Veela, when she was all her brother ever needed? When she watched Fleur taking care of Bill's wounded shoulder earlier that night, she saw only love and concern in her eyes, and she couldn't be more grateful that Bill had someone who took such good care of him.
She sent her sister-in-law a teary smile and got one back in response. Even if smiling was the last thing she wanted to do right now, she felt better somehow, because of the simple exchange. She met Bill's eyes briefly as she returned to scanning her family. He had a sad smile on his lips as well, torn between extreme grief and relief that he could still see the life in his sister's eyes, when she was so close to lying beside Fred's cold body only two hours ago.
Charlie, sitting at the other side of Bill, had his head in his hands, sobbing silently and not even trying to hide it anymore. Ginny gently took her left hand from her mother's shoulder and reached across the table to place it on Charlie's arm. He looked up at the sudden contact and laced his fingers with his sister's, squeezing them quite tightly. Ginny tried to hide how much pain that caused her. She was pretty sure her wrist was broken, but she didn't care right now. This was her place, here with her family, trying to comfort them as much as she was seeking the comfort from them for herself.
She hesitantly looked at her right, where her right hand was still clasped tightly with George's. She'd offered it to him over an hour ago when Bill and Charlie were moving Fred's body to one of the classrooms prepared for the fallen, and he didn't let go since then. He was still looking blankly through what previously was a window in the Great Hall, but Ginny was sure he wasn't seeing anything. At George's right sat Percy and Ginny noticed that she didn't feel angry at him anymore, she felt sorry for him; she felt sorry because when he finally noticed he did wrong and came back to them seeking redemption, part of the family was ripped violently from him in front of his own eyes and now, he was left with the broken pieces of what used to be his family.
Ginny shook her head repeatedly as a cold shiver ran down her spine. She couldn't think like that. Yes, Fred was gone along with many others and it would hurt so badly probably for the rest of their lives, but they should be happy the rest of them were still alive and Ginny tried to do so, even if her heart was broken into pieces. They had to get through this and they had to do this together, as a family.
It felt impossible to her at this moment, so she thought of somebody who lost everything in his life and still was able to remain strong. Harry. Her brave, noble, stupid, funny, lovely Harry, who now was Merlin knows where, probably grieving on his own even if he left with Ron and Hermione. She wanted to see him so badly; not only him, but all three of them. She missed them terribly over the nine months, afraid not to mention the fact that she was deathly they would never return from their journey. Her brother, her sister-like friend and the man she loved more than life itself.
She lived for nine months fearing every morning that she would hear of them being on the list of the murdered and when she heard that Harry was dead a couple of hours ago... A new wave of salty tears slid down her cheeks and she wished so badly Harry was there right now to prove to her he's alive and fine, to hold her and tell her everything is going to be all right. The look she saw in his eyes when he noticed her climbing through the portrait hole to the Room of Requirement and later when he begged her with his eyes to stay out of the battle, proved to her that he, as well as she, was far from moving on from their relationship.
As if someone great above them wanted to grant her wish, the three of them- Hermione, Ron and Harry- appeared at the entrance to the Great Hall. Immediately, Ginny straightened in her seat, causing her family to take a note of the difference in her behaviour and they all looked at her only to notice her eyes glued to the trio in the entrance. Ron and Hermione rushed forward, but Harry seemed to hesitate for a moment when his eyes found Ginny's and he couldn't think of anything else anymore.
She stood up suddenly, causing her whole family to look at her again and even if her legs were shaking violently she started to run at a full speed towards the entrance. When she was halfway, she reached Ron and Hermione but thinking she would apologize later for ignoring them, she just ran past them and towards Harry. When finally only a few steps were keeping her apart from him, he opened his arms wide and she launched herself at him and clung to him tightly. When she felt his arms closing around her, for the first time since July, she felt she was safe.
When his eyes met Ginny's across the Great Hall he immediately felt tears building up in his eyes. She was all covered in dust, blood and scratches, but she never looked more beautiful to him. He just stood there, glued to the floor, unable to move, and stared at her like she was the most precious thing on the world. For him, she was- he realized.
He noticed her standing up suddenly and she swayed a little causing his heart beat to skip a bit, afraid that she would fall. Instead, she just started to run towards him and soon, after he barely managed to open his arms for her, she was clinging to him and he knew that he never felt anything so wonderful before. Just that simple act of having her back in his arms, made him feel like he was home again, like he wasn't some bloody Chosen One but like he was Harry. Just Harry. He noticed, suddenly, she was shaking in his arms and it took him only a second to realize that she was crying. It was like somebody took a hold of his heart and squeezed it tightly. He burrowed his head in her hair, breathing in her fragrance and kissing the top of her head lightly, as the tears slid down his own cheeks.
Completely oblivious to their surroundings, they just stayed like that for what felt like a lifetime and tiny second at once, before Harry placed his hands at the sides of her head and held her a few inches apart from his chest to look properly into her eyes for the first time since she kissed him on his birthday. He was trying desperately to burn her features into his mind to never forget the sight of her at that moment. Her eyes were shining from the tears which made two long tracks along her dirty cheeks, uncovering some of those adorable freckles he loved so much. She had a big bruise on her right cheek and a little scratch on her chin.
A deep, bloody gash was making its way along her hairline. He wanted to take away all the pain she was in, both the physical as well as the mental, which he knew from personal experience, was much worse than any physical wound. He brushed the tips of his fingers across her bruised cheek with a feather-like touch and she closed her eyes at that wonderful sensation.
"I'm sorry," he choked, tears still shining in his eyes, "I'm so sorry." He added and she made a shushing sound as she held his hand more firmly against her face. He couldn't forgive himself that he wasn't there to fight at her side, to protect her and make sure nobody hurt her. He frowned at the sight of her beaten up state as a single tear slipped from his eye and down his cheek. "Ginny," he said her name with such intensity that her eyes snapped open and she pressed her lips to the corner of his where the single tear disappeared. She looked deep into his emerald pupils and she saw him opening his mouth to say something as she cut in.
"You do realize, I should beat the bloody hell out of you, don't you?" She said and even if he knew she couldn't mean that more seriously, the corners of his mouth twitched upwards slightly. He nodded, too choked up to say anything."You are very lucky I'm too tired to do so, not to mention the fact that I'm quite happy you are still alive," she added and reached for his cheek with her good hand. He repeated the act of placing his hands at the sides of her head as he looked deeply into her brown eyes, shining with tears, flecks of gold and something that he could only describe as a fire.
"I love you." He said louder than he intended, completely unaware of the gasps that filled the room immediately after his confession. A few tears slid down Ginny's cheeks as she blinked rapidly trying to stop them. He wiped them with his thumbs and she inhaled a ragged breath turning her face into his hands to kiss his palm lightly.
"I love you too." She said with certainty, making her statement loud and clear for him as a little, teary smile crept onto her face. He leaned towards her and soon their lips touched, sending jolts of shivers down their spines and spreading a warm, peaceful feeling into their hearts, immediately bringing to their minds the wonderful memories of sun filled days spent in each other's arms. It was different though, somehow deeper, more intense, and as Ginny's warm, soft lips were sliding against his, as her hand fisted in his hair and her tongue teased his lips open, for the first time in his life, Harry Potter felt he was free.
The Weasleys just watched them with mouths hanging open and as Harry declared his love for Ginny loud enough for them to hear, Molly Weasley gasped loudly and Bill choked on his pumpkin juice. When several moments later Harry and Ginny appeared at the table there was a minute of complete silence. Molly had tears streaming down her cheeks as well as Fleur. Hermione sat grinning widely with smirking Ron at her side. Bill looked completely confused and slightly red, but it was hard to figure out if it was because of his coughing fit or because he was angry. Charlie along with Percy were looking at Harry and Ginny with eyes nearly popped out of their heads as they were trying to figure out if they were the only ones who missed something. Arthur looked slightly confused but amazed at the same time and, the most surprisingly, George had a stupid grin plastered on his face.
"Am I missing something?" Spoke Charlie, causing the uncomfortable silence to break. He looked around to check on the other's expressions.
"I believe you are not the only one," replied Bill with his eyes still glued to his sister's as he was searching for something in them. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Molly Weasley sobbed loudly and immediately approached her daughter and Harry wrapping them both tightly in her embrace. She squeezed Ginny's hand too tightly and she hissed under her breath, causing her mother and Harry to immediately look at her with concern.
"What is it?" asked Molly with panic in her eyes.
"It's nothing..." Tried Ginny but Harry cut in as soon as the words left her lips.
"Ginny." Was the only word he spoke, but when she heard the evident concern in his voice as much as she could see it in his eyes, she just sighed loudly.
"It's just my wrist." She said quietly rubbing it gently with her other hand. "I think it might be broken." She added and immediately regretted it as her mother started to fuss around her trying to make her go to the hospital wing and have it checked by the healers. "Mummy!" She finally interrupted and Molly looked at her startled. "Later," she said quietly, and when she saw Harry opening his mouth to say something she sent him a warning look. "Later," she repeated rather towards him than her mother. He nodded slightly and looked at the Weasleys again. They were still looking at them quite confused.
"I'm starving." Said Ron out of the blue and Ginny was very grateful to him for taking their Mother's attention off her. In no time at all, they were all digging in eagerly to plates filled with food, all of them apparently very hungry. When the plates started to empty, George rose his eyes from his plate, looking directly into Harry's eyes.
"Now," he started putting his fork aside, "care to explain to us why you were snogging the hell out of our little Ginny in the middle of the Great Hall right after letting half of the Wizarding World know that you love her?" He asked with bewilderment in his eyes.
"He seems to have a thing for kissing her in public," mumbled Ron.
"I wasn't asking you," commented George. "Wait... what?" He asked when Ron's words reached his brain.
"It's not like I can help it," replied a blushing Harry.
"Let me get it straight. This..." said Bill pointing between his sister and Harry "... has happened before?" He asked raising his eyebrows at them.
"Yes," replied Harry and Ginny together before exchanging amused glances.
"This is going to be entertaining," mumbled Ron towards Hermione as she glared at him.
"What? When?" asked Charlie, looking confused, while Mr Weasley's head was snapping from one side of the table to the other as he was trying to follow the conversation.
"Why didn't you say anything, sweetheart?" Molly asked Ginny who banged her forehead against Harry's shoulder. She sighed loudly and looked at her family. At least they weren't crying- she thought as she cleared her throat loudly to bring their attention to her.
"We will tell you, when you stop talking," she responded and everybody closed their mouths instantly. "Thank you." She said as she looked towards Harry. He sent her a little smile while looking deeply into her eyes and started to talk without breaking the connection.
"About a year ago" he started smiling slightly, "I had a detention during the last Quidditch match of the season, so naturally, I couldn't play." He said looking away from Ginny's eyes. "Before the game I made the best decision I could have made and I asked Ginny to play as seeker to cover for me." He added looking directly to Bill, who happened to be sitting in front of him. "When I entered the common room after my detention I instantly knew that we won. There was a party going on and everybody was laughing and cheering and singing but I was looking only for her." He said and laughed lightly to his own thoughts. "I think I already loved her then, but I was too thick to figure it out," he added and he felt Ginny's hand squeezing his more tightly. "When I finally saw her she was beaming, with this blazing look in her eyes. She called 'We won!' and raced towards me. She wanted to hug me, I think, but when I caught her in my arms, I just couldn't help myself and... I kissed her." Ginny looked at him with so much love, he thought his heart would burst so he stroked the back of her hand with his fingers and continued his story. "I was horrified for a moment, I mean, what was I thinking to just kiss her without a word of warning or something?" He asked as he looked back into Ginny's eyes. They were wet again, but this time he knew it wasn't sad tears. "But I saw... no, I think the more proper word would be that I felt, she didn't mind." He said bringing the memory to his mind. "And that's how it started." He ended as Ginny throw her good arm around his neck and hugged him tightly again. He wrapped his arms gently around her.
"I certainly didn't mind, to make it clear for everybody." She stated looking at her family from Harry's shoulder.
"Zat eez so beautiful," gasped Fleur loudly as she placed her head against her husband's shoulder. Molly had tears in her eyes again as she squeezed her daughter's shoulder lightly.
"Yes it is." She said connecting her other hand with Arthur's. "Why didn't you tell me anything, Ginny?" She asked locking her gaze with Ginny's.
"That would be because he's a prat." She replied and Mrs Weasley raised her eyebrows. "A noble prat who broke up with me only to prevent Riddle from haunting me down because of him." She added as she looked back into Harry's eyes. "So I let him do this, even if I didn't care if I would be hunted or..."
"But I care," he cut in loudly. "I care too much to let it happen. And... I couldn't... I couldn't be by your side to protect you from him, because I knew I had something to do far away from you and that, no matter how much I wanted, I couldn't take you with me. I couldn't let anything bad happen to you, Ginny..." He said with tears in his eyes so she kissed his lips gently and rested her forehead against his while she wiped the tears from his cheeks.
A loud sob broke the silence and everybody turned their heads to see Molly crying into Arthur's chest as he tried to calm her down. Harry looked around again and noticed how much the expressions among the Weasleys changed. Tears were streaming down Hermione's and Fleur's cheeks, but in opposition to the men of the family they were just letting them go freely. Arthur's eyes were shining with tears as he was looking at his daughter with utter love and he gave Harry a small smile and head nod as their eyes met briefly. Ron and George weren't grinning anymore. Ron had a slightly amazed look at his face, probably because he just realized the depth of the feelings his best mate harboured for his sister. George still had a little smile on his lips, but his eyes were filled with tears and he was looking at Harry in a way that told him he was more than okay with Harry being in love with Ginny.
Harry was glad because of that. He knew the twins were always Ginny's favourite brothers, so seeing George now being okay with their relationship was more than comforting to him. He looked at Bill next, as he knew Ginny saw him always as her oracle. When Bill said something it had to be true, it had to be good. He felt even more relieved when he received a teary nod from Bill as well. Charlie and Percy both still looked very shocked, though didn't show any signs of being against him. Harry looked back towards the Weasley parents; the two people who, for years now, had welcomed him into their family and made him feel loved for once in his life. And when he saw them looking at him with nothing but love in their eyes, he was more than sure that everything is going to be all right.
|AN2|: Are you up for more?
