EVERLASTING

a Harry Potter fan fiction

Ch. 1

Harry was tired. Not only physically, but mentally as well. The feeling in his legs was a mixture of pain and numbness. His head pounded from exhaustion. Despite the fact that he hadn't eating for hours, possibly days, the knot in his stomach refused to ease. He couldn't remember a time in his life when he felt so undone and absolutely drained. Not even when he was recovering from a rough Quidditch match or an overwhelming beating from his cousin Dudley. He had just barely avoided Madame Pomfrey, dodging away from her concerned hands and advised her to tend to the wounded before himself.

Harry felt no desire to make conversation with those who survived the battle. Although if he was being truthful with himself, he would make an exception for Ginny, but he didn't even know if she wanted to see to him at the moment. Besides she and Ron had just lost a brother, and their family would want them to stay together. Each thought of Ginny felt like a stab to the heart, a relentless reminder of his actions and feelings for her.

After leaving the Great Hall with a little help from Luna, he had slipped back under the Invisibility Cloak and crept up the long stairway to the Gryffindor common room. Among the other animated art works hung the portrait of the Fat Lady, amazingly unharmed except for the fact that she was now sitting a tad crookedly. Her face filled with relief and joy, the glass of wine in her hand tilted slightly. It was at that moment that Harry realized he didn't have the password to enter, but to his surprise the Fat Lady simply smiled and swung open for him.

"Thank you." he whispered gratefully.

"It's no trouble dear. After all that you have done, it's the least I could for Harry Potter." She gave him another wide smile and once again swung closed, once again sealing the opening.

Harry sighed, then slowly dragged himself through the common room. As he started for the stairs leading to the boy's dormitories, Harry reflected on the fact that he hadn't slept in these rooms in over a year. The rush of nostalgia overwhelmed him and memories came flooding back as he collapsed onto the first bed in sight. It seemed like it had been an eternity since the battle and even longer since he left in search of the Horcruxes. Pictures of the battle flickered across his mind like a muggle moving picture film. He saw each death, each spell, each mournful cry of despair, and then….Voldemort crumpling to the ground like a bag of dust hitting the pavement.

Harry shook his head and pulled himself out of the never ending cycle of images, choosing instead to think of Ginny. Another stab to the heart. There was an everlasting hole inside of him, one that hadn't been caused by Voldemort's spell. It had ripped open his soul when he practically abandoned Ginny, and it just seemed to grow larger as time went on. Harry closed his eyes and thought of her long red hair and the blazing fire look in her chocolate brown eyes.

He had hoped to dream of her as he fell asleep, but soon found that he could find no rest. His body was bruised and his clothes were covered in blood, but he didn't have the motivation to clean himself up. His stomach had since released it's tight knot and was now growling with hunger, yet he refused to call out for Kreacher to bring him something to eat. All Harry could think about was an amazingly beautiful girl with flaming red hair and how much he loved and missed her.

Ginny Weasley. The sister of his best friend, daughter of two of the kindest people he had ever known, and the love of his life. Harry could still remember the look of love reflected in her whenever she looked at him and how wonderful it felt to hold her in his arms and how amazing it was to have the press of her lips against his. But that was all before the war. Before he left her behind because of his need to protect her. And he broke her heart.

Could she still love me? he thought. Is it possible that after all this time, she still might feel something towards me despite the fact that I broke her heart nearly a year ago? Harry's mind pounded out the possibilities, daydreaming of the possible reunion that was soon approaching him. A reunion mixed with love and hatred, happiness and fear. And while Harry was considering all this, he failed to hear the faint sound of someone walking up the stairs, but he didn't miss the feeling of a pair of eyes watching him.

Although his guard was somewhat lowered since the battle, having spent a year on the run had lefts Harry's senses ever heighted in certain situations. All feelings and thoughts of fatigue left him as he laid as still as possible while reaching in his pocket for his newly repaired wand. He clenched the familiar handle in his fist ready for anything. Then through darkness and silence, a voice so small broke through.

"Harry?"

"Ginny?" He asked, trying to adjust his eyes to focus on her figure in the dark doorway. He hastily sat up and tried to compose himself.

Ginny stood hesitantly in the doorway with her clothes torn and dirty, her left cheek smeared with the blood that had dribbled down from a cut across her forehead, and her usual neatly brushed hair was caught up in a series of tangles and knots. And yet she was perfection. She reminded Harry a Greek warrior goddess.

"Aren't you tired?" she asked, walking slowly to stand in front of his bed.

Harry began to shake his head, but the pounding in his head and the aches of his body soon reappeared and made themselves known. He winced slightly, squinting his eyes as if trying to suppress the pain. Ginny, a reflection of her mother's temper, will and concern, didn't fail to notice this. She knew him too well.

"That's what I thought." She reached down to the foot of the bed and forcefully tugged off his muddy trainers and threw them to the floor as if in disgust. She walked around to stand at his side and sat beside him. Ginny reached up and gently slid his round glasses from where they sat crookedly on his nose, and placed them upon the nightstand. Grabbing a blanket from a nearby, Ginny placed it first over Harry before Ginny slide underneath as well.

"But-." Ginny covered his mouth and shook her head.

"No, Harry. Not now. I haven't seen you in nearly a year and then when you finally did show up it was in the middle of a war. So please, I've missed you so much and I need someone to just hold me and make me forget everything that's happened even if it's for a moment. We'll talk in the morning, alright?"

Harry nodded and wrapped his arms around her slow and cautious. Ginny buried her face into his chest seeking comfort and closed her eyes. Both ignored the pain racing through their joints and muscles and snuggled ever closer. It was as if Ginny's presence had brought a potion of sleep over Harry, encompassing him within her love. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't keep his eyes open to watch over her. As he drifted off, Harry smiled, knowing Ginny was safe in his arms.