DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. That would be the JK Goddess herself.

AN: Inspired by an interesting fic on Neville I read by Meddow

"What do you mean I can write?!" an irate Ginny Weasley screeched.

"Er, I mean, Ginny. Well, its auror school, isn't it?" Harry muttered back.

Harry had been expecting this sort of angry outburst ever since he had finally decided to confess to his girlfriend that he would be attending auror school in the fall. He had kept Ginny in the dark for months, while he had been filling out applications and sneaking off to London for interviews and skills assessments. He had finally received his owl two weeks ago notifying him of his acceptance.

"I spent years waiting around on you Harry Potter, and I won't do it much longer," Ginny fumed.

Ginny had developed a crush on Harry the first time she had seen him getting onto the Hogwarts Express for his first year at school. Her feelings hadn't changed for him over her years at Hogwarts either. It didn't seem Harry would ever notice her though until things began to turn around in her fifth year. They had enjoyed a short time together near the end of the year before Harry had to leave on secret business, a quest for pieces of Voldemort's soul.

Ginny had been upset, but she had understood. But now, after only a few short weeks of happiness, he wanted to throw it all away and go back to fighting the bad guys. She simply couldn't take it.

"I'm sorry Ginny. We still have the rest of the summer though. And we'll keep in touch. Whenever I have breaks-" he started. Ginny cut him off with a loud huff, leaving the room.

He didn't see her for the rest of the day. But when Ron walked by her room later that day, he swore he heard things being slammed around. "Having a right tantrum," he muttered.

Ron and Harry decided to spend the rest of the afternoon in the garage helping Mr. Weasley sort out some new muggle artifacts, including a rather rude stuffed bear and a book that managed to glue itself shut anytime a muggle tried to open it. These were among the milder objects to make it into Ministry possession, but Mr. Weasley found them fascinating anyways. "A book computers, how very interesting," he remarked.

It wasn't long until Mrs. Weasley was calling them all in for dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Percy (who had taken to eating dinner with his family several times a week to make up for lost time) George, Harry, Ron, and Ginny sat down to a table laden with dishes of all sorts.

Halfway through the meal, Mr. Weasley cleared his throat and said, "Well I hear Harry and Ron have a bit of an announcement for everybody."

"Oh?" said Mrs. Weasley.

Ron blushed. "We did it, Mum. Me and Harry got into auror school!"

"Auror school? My word, I didn't even know you had applied. Ron, I am so proud of you! You too Harry dear."

"One of my uncles was an auror," Mr. Weasley said matter of factly. "Dead helpful job. Glad to see you boys doing something worthwhile."

"An auror is a fine career to have," Percy blustered. "While not perhaps as prestigious as a leadership role in the ministry, it is quite a good start. I do hear that the ones in training go through some awful things though."

The conversation at the table descended into rumors about what sorts of things auror trainees were expected to do. However, as this information was top secret, it was all rumination. After a few moments silence, while they all pondered George's last suggestion of food deprivation, Ginny made a little noise. She had been silent for most of the meal.

" I have a little announcement too."

Everyone looked up at her in slight surprise, having forgotten she was there in the silence.

"Go on, Ginny sweetheart," her mother said, still heaping potatoes onto her plate.

"I am not going back to Hogwarts next year. Professor McGonagall offered to let me graduate early, and I am going to take her up on it. I was accepted into the medical training program at St. Mungo's, and I am going to go. I leave tomorrow."

Her mother was flabbergasted. The spoon with potatoes lay on the table, forgotten.

Finally, it was Mr. Weasley who spoke, "Ginny, I thought you had decided not to apply for that program. Why did you wait so long to tell us?"

"I- uh- just recently had a change of heart. That's all," Ginny said, glancing quickly at Harry, who looked dumbfounded.

"Well, Ginny, I guess if this is what you want," Mr. Weasley started,

"I must say I think you are much too young to be going off by yourself, but I don't suppose I can stop you," said Mrs. Weasley with a bit of a sniff.

"Mum, this is a really good opportunity," Ginny said, patting her on the back comfortingly.

"Alright then. We'll settle your arrangements after dinner I suppose," Mrs. Weasley said with an unsteady note in her voice.

After dinner, Harry grabbed Ginny and managed to pull her out into the backyard for some privacy.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Harry asked angrily.

"I told you I wouldn't wait forever."

" I don't want you to wait forever, Ginny. I just need to do this, okay. I need to be an auror. It's- it's all I have ever known…fighting the dark side."

Ginny knew this was true. She knew that ever since birth, Harry had been charged with the unpleasant duty of destroying one of the most cruel and dangerous wizards in history. Voldemort had chosen Harry as his equal on the fateful night that he killed Harry's parents and tried to kill Harry. Since then, Harry had continues to lose countless friends to Voldemort and his supporters. Ginny shuddered to even think of the numbers.

Harry could have picked any occupation he wanted. People everywhere loved him and were clamoring to give this young hero a job, but Harry only knew one thing: fighting against the dark arts and those who practiced them.

"They are still out there, Ginny. Some of his supporters are still out there, trying to destroy more families like mine. I have to do something."

Ginny sighed.

"I know, Harry. We've all had losses this time around. I don't want to be mad anymore."

He smiled a half smile. It wasn't often that Harry really smiled these days. It was too soon. Too soon after the deaths of Remus, Tonks, Fred, Dobby, and so many others.

"But, I am still going to train. I have to have a part in this too," she finished.

Harry frowned but nodded his head. He walked closer to her. She really was beautiful in the moonlight, he though. Her long red hair, patches in the dark and parts lit up by the moonlight as though they were on fire. He smiled down at her and wrapped his arms around her fragile body. Ginny allowed herself to give up the fight. She relaxed into his arms and let her head rest against Harry's chest.

There was a loud thud of a window being raised. It was Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen.

"Come on Ginny. We have too much to plan already," she called.

Ginny gave Harry one last longing gaze before heading into the house to her parents and inevitability.