Author's Note: Thank you to my two reviewers. Check out chapter 1 again, the spelling mistakes and the missing words have been corrected. Thanks.

Chapter - 2

RIM OF NEW START

The Great Hall was packed with people, who were sprayed across every single corner of it, not caring about where they sat or to whom they share their sorrow with. It was just like the sorting hat had said we should be. United and unprejudiced, present for the other's in the time of need. But still, it was not true, at least not fully. There were no Slytherins present in the Great Hall, if you excluded the fallen Death Eaters and the Malfoy family, who seemed happy that every single one in their little family was safe. A large quilt was flattened over the raised platform and on it laid the dead, the dead who had given their life for a good cause, to help make a world safe from evil and fit for the coming generation.

Some movement happened in one of the secluded corners of the Great Hall, which was covered in rubble. And in that secluded corner, stood a boy, invisible to everyone. That boy was none other then Harry Potter, the savior of the Wizard-kind, the next thing to god for most people and a beacon of light for the people who wanted to lead the Wizarding world in a bright twenty-first century. But the boy in question stood there silently, taking in the massacre and damage.

Harry stood alone in one of the secluded corners of the Great hall, draped in his Invisibility Cloak, not wishing to be seen or being congratulated, when because of him countless peoples were dead, who would not even get a speck of fame when history would be written. He felt like he should just kill himself, to spare him the humiliation, which he was sure he would see in the eyes of those people who had lost someone close to their heart in the war.

But still Harry couldn't help himself to look at the group of redheads or more precisely a redheaded girl, whose head was lolled on her Mum shoulder. Harry had to constantly fight an urge of running to her and hug her, kiss her. And it didn't help that his eyes sorted her head every second. Harry was thinking for how could he penance for what had happened because of him. If he tried he could slip out, unnoticed and then maybe he could live life of a hermit and after a point people would forget about him, maybe forgive him too. It seemed as the best option to him, as he was sure he didn't had the guts to suicide. As he scurried to the oak doors, he couldn't overcome the urge to see Ginny again. He slowly and cautiously moved toward the place, where she sat surrounded by her family. Harry heart broke when he heard her crying. He couldn't bear to even think that Ginny hated me. She had been his sole lifeline, watching her tiny dot in the Marauder map gave him the pleasure and warmth, which he was sure even firewhisky wouldn't be able to give him. And seeing her sob, most probably scoffing on him, cursing him because of him, his brother was dead, made Harry heart crumble in pieces and bleed out every happy thought out of it.

Harry stopped mid way in his tracks as tears started dripping down his cheeks and guilt filled his heart, pumping through his vein and arteries and clouding his sense with self-loathing. He turned around, steeling himself to walk away, when he caught the tail end of a statement made by Ron.

"… be fine."

"No, he wouldn't be fine," Harry heard Ginny scoff, "Harry would have locked himself in a room and would be cursing himself, blaming himself for what had happened, when he's not even a tad bit at fault here."

Ginny sobbed again and Harry had to force his legs in the floor, to stop himself from running at her. Ginny after what had happened, didn't blame him. It made his heart lighter as a great deal of weight had been lifted from it. He heard Ginny sobbed again, and she said, which came a little muffled, "I want Harry."

Harry was overcome by just those three words. But what touched his heart most was the longing and insecurity in her voice. He wheeled around instantly and ran toward Ginny, forgetting the fact his Invisibility Cloak was still draped around his body. He engulfed Ginny in a hug from behind, which momentarily startled her but after a moment of surprise, Ginny leaned in his hug as Harry rested his chin on her head.

"What happened, Ginny?" came the concerned voice of her Mum.

"Harry," was all Ginny answered. Understanding dawned on their faces and Ron arms started groping the air just above Ginny. After few unsuccessful tries and some successful dodging by Harry, Ron finally caught hold off Harry Invisibility Cloak and yanked it away, revealing a exhausted Harry. Ginny spun in his arms and looked at him with big sad eyes.

"What happened, Ginny?" asked Harry.

"You look sad and exhausted," said Ginny, her fingers tracing his lips, "come sit here."

Harry shook his head and said, "There's not enough space and you looked more tired than me." Harry completed trying to smooth her disheveled hairs.

"Harry, sit down," said Ron, and it sounded more as a order than a statement, "you are exhausted and you need to get your share of fussing from Mum because I've had enough to last hundred lifetimes." Though it was supposed to be a jest, it lacked the jaunty and carefree voice, Ron usually used. He sounded like a old man, wrecked by the life, trying his hand in humor in middle of a funeral.

Even Mrs. Weasley didn't rebuke him at his comment. Her eyes scrutinized Harry and she said, "You look peakier than ever and you have surely lost around fifteen-twenty pounds. You are in desperate need of a hearty meal."

Harry looked from one Weasley to another, shaking his head ruefully not meeting any one eyes. How they could be so patience and understanding with him, when he was the sole cause of Fred death? Ginny seemed to read his thoughts, as she stood up, wrapping her arms around his waist, and resting her head on her chest, as trying to pour every unsaid word of consoling and love in him through her embrace. Harry hugged her back as he felt his throat getting heavy because of the tears that had been accommodated in them. Then suddenly Ron voice came, cutting through his trance and pulling him in reality.

"Stop brooding Harry. We all loved Fred, but we love you too. And what had happened here today and yesterday was not your doing. It happened because of some sick lamented idiots and you just tried to put a stop at it. You made sure that there would be no more Fred or Dobby or Colin or Lupin..." His voice broke-off as he started sobbing.

No one said anything. The silence around them was thick and heavy. After some antagonizing moments, Ginny said, "Promise me Harry that you won't blame yourself for the deaths and destruction caused by Death Eaters and You-Know-Who."

"You can speak his name now, Ginny," Harry said, kissing the crown of her hair. Even when Ginny face's was buried in his chest, he could feel her eyes trained on her heart, trying to pierce through them and gain a promise. Slowly every Weasley looked at him, all of their eyes demanding the same promise. Under their unwavering gaze, he said in a weak voice, "I… I will t — try."

At this point, everyone heaved a sigh of relief and Ron commanded, "Buzz-off. Make seat for The Chosen One."

Harry cursed loudly and made a rude hand gesture at Ron, who chuckled in return. Ginny shifted in her arms, looked him straight in the eyes and whispered, "You can sit where I was sitting, I won't mind."

"No, Gin…" Harry began but was cut-off by Ginny, as her lips crashed over his lips in a searing, hot kiss. Their were many discreet coughs, but the couple seemed to be oblivious to them as their tongues melted into one and their hand soothed and caressed the other tension down.

Harry felt a surge of anger, when someone snapped his fingers in front of him making him end the kiss. Harry whipped her face in anger, and saw Ron looking at him, his face livid and his lips pursed in a thin line. He glared at Harry and hissed, his lips barely moving, "I remember telling you to stop messing with her."

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but was cut-off by Ginny, who snarled, "You very well know, why he had to ditch me. And secondly you have no power over me. I will go out and date anyone I want."

"I only want you to be safe," Ron said, his eyes reflecting his concern, "I don't want you to look or behave like that again."

He paused and Ginny snarled, "Again?"

"Yes again," he shot, "Don't you dare act like you know nothing. You cried yourself several nights to sleep after Harry ditched you; I haven't seen you that cut-off in my entire life."

"I was cut-off," Ginny said, but her voice now lacked the furiousness they had, "but now, everything is back to normal. Harry's back."

"So what," Ron snarled, his face glowing red, "he will go again."

Ginny snapped her head from Ron to Harry and then back to Ron, "Where is he planning to go now? Tell me."

Ron cowered a little, shuffled his feet and said, "He isn't planning to go anywhere, up to I know, but you know he will grope on the first chance, if he finds that something is wrong."

"Grope?" Harry snarled, feeling indigent, "I don't go groping around trouble" — his voice increased to a shout — "trouble comes groping around for me. Do you think that I like the fact that everyone I loved died because of the so-called trouble or you believe that I like to play the hero, living in a stinging tent, watching over my shoulder for coming death."

Silence surrounded the Great Hall. All the chatter and banter died, eyes craning around to find the source of the commotion.

Moments passed, and no one even dared to drew a breath or blink a eye. Harry felt a feeling of self-consciousness flood over his body, confirming that every single pair of eyes was looked on him. The sudden force of anger which had overwhelmed each of his sense moments ago died down and now he felt bad. He shouldn't have raged on Ron. It was the minimum he could get for the sins he had done; his acts which had led to a mass murder, his acts which had led to the demolition of the first place he thought of as a home. This thoughts fueled his feelings of self loathing, self pity and once again the idea of living the rest of his life as a hermit sounded the best option.

Ginny must have sensed his increasing sense of self-contempt and self loathing as she hugged him tighter, running a soothing hand up and down his back.

"No one blames you Harry," she said to his chest. There was once again murmuring, which Harry didn't care about, but the huskiness of the murmuring made his heart clench with fear. Finally they had seen that I am the culprit and are devising ways to torture me, he thought with a sad smile.
But if it was the penance he had to go through, to make some amends he was more than happy. Maybe after the course of his penance he would die happily and maybe he would be able to meet his parents. The memories of his parents brought back the flashes he had seen when he was in Voldemort mind. His throat clenched, his eyes bulged with unshed tears as his Mum pleading face came in front of his eyes. Life was too painful, to painful to continue; maybe, just maybe, death may be peaceful. Then he remembered the serene faces of his Mum and Dad, Lupin and Sirius all smiling benignly at him. He had to drop his trail of thought, as a voice cut through his ears to his brain and the voice sounded small, frightened and full of regret.

"Harry," the voice said again. Harry glanced over and saw Ron, looking intently on the floor, "I'm sorry Harry. I shouldn't have said that I mean how can — can anyone — I mean why will you grope for trouble."

"You are not the one who should be sorry," Harry cut-off Ron statement, "I should be the one who should be sorry. Look around, what had happened because of me. If I had handed myself to Voldemort" — their was a collective gasp and shudder — "nothing of this would've happened."

"Harry," a voice said, it was of Ginny, "you promised me that you wouldn't blame yourself for any of that had happened. You are at no fault here, and my gruesome brother needs to shove his empty head up his ass and say sorry."

Harry kept quite and then said, in a small and whispered tone, "I promised you I won't blame myself for the things that I hadn't done; but all this around here had happened because of me."

"No Harry," retorted Ginny, her eyes ablaze with anger, "I'm saying it again, and I will say it a thousand time, you are not at fault here. What you did probably saved us from all the tortures we would have faced if you haven't fought for us and I will be damned if anyone here doesn't agree with me."

No one said anything except Ron who was again and again apologizing and Harry had a shrewd suspicion that someone had cursed or hexed him to say that up to he forgave him. Harry just smiled and let everyone enjoy the scene. Ginny smiled wickedly at him and Harry had no doubt left, it was Ginny who had cursed Ron.

After some moments Harry took pity on him and signaled Ginny to lift the curse. Ginny pouted, battling her eyelashes at him. Harry just shook his head in mild amusement and again pointed at Ron, who was grasping his neck in attempt to stop himself from babbling incoherently. Ginny lifted the curse and Ron heaved a sigh, throwing a disgruntled look at her.

"Harry let's sit," said Ginny, tugging at Harry arm and motioning him to sit.

"There's not enough space," said Harry, pointing to the chair.

"I will stand," Ginny said and pressed her finger to his lips, blocking the retort which Harry had on his lips. Harry tried to wriggle away, but Ginny pushed him in the chair. Harry glared at him, and Ginny smiled wickedly in return.

And then many things happened in the same second.

Ginny dropped herself in Harry laps, causing Ron to skid on the floor and fall, butt first. Charlie surprised by Ginny act, toppled off his chair. Bill who was feeding Fleur porridge, shoved the spoon in her cheek and Fleur punched him between the legs in return, causing him to groan loudly. Mr. Weasley looked mortified and Mrs. Weasley was glaring at her daughter. Whoops of joy and wolf whistles filled the Great Hall.

"What do you think you are doing, Ginevra?" asked her Mum pointing at Harry lap. Harry grew red and he wouldn't have been even a tad bit surprised if steam was coming out of his ears. He tried to push Ginny away, but Ginny resisted his shove with a push, which made Ginny back and Harry stomach come indecently close. Harry was aware that Ginny could sense his breath on the back of her neck as every time he exhaled, Ginny moaned slowly, wriggling her neck a fraction. Harry had to use every single ounce of patience and wisdom he had to stop himself from groping on Ginny's neck, as he was very well aware of the menacing look her brothers were giving him.

"Ginny get up from my laps, now," Harry hissed, his tone pleading.

Ginny wriggled in his laps, making Harry eyes bulge as he tried to conceal a moan.

"It's very comfortable here. Soft and smooth yet hard and toned."

At this, Harry jumped up, causing Ginny to jump up in alarm. Harry wanted to make a suitable distance from Ginny's brother to duck their curses and hexes. It was true that moments before Ginny had pushed him in the chair he wanted to die, but he never planned or thought that he wanted to die a painful death. And if the looks on the faces of Ginny brothers were any indication, it was going to be a very painful death, painful indeed. Harry gulped again and winced when Ginny touched him. He backed away, shaking his head vigorously trying to send her the message, Please spare me.

Ginny grinned and took a step closer to him. Harry pleaded to her, but Ginny grinned again and continued to take small steps toward him. Finally, when Ginny was just a step away from him, he hissed, "How would you like my chopped parts to be sent to you? Floo or owl?"

"What are you saying?" Ginny said, stopping in her tracks, much to Harry's pleasure.

"Look at your brothers," Harry hissed, pointing discreetly at her brothers, "they are ready to chop me in pieces, if I touch you."

Ginny looked at them from the side of her eyes, "What's the trouble? Because up to I know I'm the one doing the touching."

"Don't play with me, Ginny," said Harry, "if anyone of us touched the other, I'm gone."

"No, they won't," replied Ginny, "It is none of their concern —"

"Tell them," Harry interjected.

"I will," said Ginny and extended a hand to touch Harry shoulder. Harry winced at the contact, but it was only fake. But Ginny took it seriously and huffed, "Honestly Harry, don't wet your pants."

"On the topic of pants," said Harry, "do you think that they will be happy after just chopping it off. Would they leave me alone then?"

"Oh no," said Ginny dramatically, "that's the most important part you have in your body. They had to settle with something else, because that's even not yours, its mine."

There were noises of spluttering and Ginny turned around to see the bands of her brother standing their, looking perplexed.

"What are you lot doing?" asked Ginny, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"Keeping our sister and her boyfriend in check," said Charlie, flexing his fist.

"His boyfriend," said Percy, "he is not. He is a close friend, trying to take advantage."

Harry felt indignity and pride sore from every nerve of his body. He opened his mouth to speak, but Ginny beat him by a niche, "Advantage? And Harry. These are the two words, completely opposite of each other. I always suspected that you are dumb but honestly this dumb. You are going to break Ron record, if you continue on this path."

Everyone seemed taken aback for a second and it was all Harry needed.

"I'm feeling exhausted. I'm going for a kip."

He turned not wanting to be under the scornful gaze of her brothers, which seemed to be boring inside him.

"FRED."

Harry stopped dead in his track and saw a boy waving at George. Harry didn't knew the boy, but the reminiscent of the Fred name, had changed the atmosphere in the Great Hall. Time seemed to stop, and the people around him dead. No one even dared to drew a breath. The boy strode forward and looked confused seeing the faces of Harry and the others. Ignoring them, he turned to George and said, cheerfully, "Fred, I heard you purchased Zonko. Where's George?"

"I'm George," George choked out, his eyes shining with tears.

"Where's Fred than?"

George stooped his eyes low and didn't answer. When the boy persisted, George grabbed him by his collar and looking at him maliciously. The boy wriggled out of his hold and turned to head back, when Harry whispered to him, "He's d… dead."

The boy stopped dead in his tracks, his infuriated expressions replaced by commiserating expression as he looked at George. He walked to him silently and wrapped a arm around him. The feeling of jest and fun which was lighted in him, doused completely, not even a wisp of it left. Tears once again rolled down his cheeks, the tears which he thought had dried down long before. The flashes of Fred came in front of his eyes, his knees buckled and his legs swayed dangerously. He didn't even felt pain, when his knees smashed against the rough, hard floor of the Great Hall or when his head hit the floor, because of the sudden weight of grief that clouded it.

He only felt a hand, a small warm hand guiding him up; same as what had happened when he was broken-down when Dumbledore had died and the small warm hand had guided him. Harry wanted to retaliate but found that it was impossible for him to do so.

He looked up, and his eyes met her. They only showed concern. Harry tried to turn his eyes away, as every tear which fell down was a painful punch to his heart. He even tried to wipe them away, but his hand felt limp. A sob escaped his throat and his eyes fell on the dead bodies of the people who had died in the war. His eyes automatically sorted the people he knew and with each increasing number his head throbbed more viciously, trying to break the confides of his skull and zoom out to the dead.

Ginny would have noticed his gaze, as her warm, soft hand turned his head to look at her. Harry eyes transfixed as he looked in her beautiful eyes. He momentarily felt that his legs were moving in perfect synchronizing with her legs. They passed people after people who looked at him in awe, but all of then quickly snapped their eyes back to the floor, as afraid of him. Harry didn't give it much importance as they continued climbing up the stairs.

After minutes of slow walking, they arrived on the seventh floor. Harry didn't know where he was being led to, nor he had any thoughts. His mind was blank, but not peacefully, it was eerily blank. They stopped somewhere. Harry glanced up for a moment and saw the portrait of Fat lady, looking at him in concern.

"Why have you all lot brought him up here? And why is he bleeding?" asked Fat lady.

Harry snapped his head, amazed. All you lot? He had thought that only Ginny was the one leading him up. He glanced around and saw every single of Ginny's brother, forming a type of phalanx around him. It surely explained the scared looks the people had when they looked at him. He instinctively ran a hand to mop his brow which was feeling sticky.

When he brought his hand down, after mopping his brows he was amazed to see blood painted on his hand.

"What are you waiting for?" he heard Ron yell, "We don't know the bloody password. Just open the damn way."

Fat lady portrait swung open, and Harry was chambered in the common room through the hole. He felt his feet leave the floor and when he looked around, he saw Bill and Charlie had lifted him off the floor and were walking him up the stairs to the boy dorms.

He was laid in a familiar looking dorm. And just moments after he was laid, the door burst open, revealing a very tired but concerned looking matron. She glanced at him and strode toward him.

"What happened to Mr. Potter?" Madam Pomfrey asked the others.

"Don't know," Ron tried to explain, "he just kind of swayed and hit his head on the floor. Maybe exhaustion, he hadn't slept in thirty, thirty-five hours."

She jabbed her wand at Harry's forehead and then swished it at his face. He had a sensation of someone wiping his face.

"I am running out of dreamless sleep potions." Madam Pomfrey said, "and seeing Mr. Potter history he would have nightmares."

"I will sleep with him," Ginny whispered, her voice reflecting her concern and love.

Their were loud voices of disagreement, which continued up to Madam Pomfrey shushed them and said, "Keep quite or go away."

"You can't sleep with him," said Ron, scandalized.

"I don't mean that I will sleep with him," said Ginny and from a crack of his eye, Harry saw that she was scowling, "I mean that I will sleep alongside him."

"You won't," Percy said.

"You will find out that I will," she spat and turned to Madam Pomfrey, "Anything else?"

Madam Pomfrey looked perplexed for a moment and then said, "Nothing. If Mr. Potter wakes up, call me. Okay?"

Ginny nodded and Madam Pomfrey left. As soon as the door closed, Ginny turned around and said, "Buzz out all of you know, before I bat bogey hex all of you in places you will remember for all your life."

Harry smiled and continued to peer from the crack of his eyes as Ginny brother took a step back, clearly afraid of her. Bill strode forward and said, "One of us will stay here" — when Ginny snarled, he added — "you can chose which one of us will stay here."

Ginny tapped her temple in manner of thinking, and then said, "I've decided. No one. Now, get out."

No one moved and Harry saw jagged light of blended orange and green soaring through the air. There were sounds of shuffling of feet and the closing of the gate and then everything went silent.

Harry opened is eyes fully and saw Ginny towering over him. She smiled when she saw Harry face and said, "So, you are awake."

"I'm know," Harry said, pushing a stray red tress behind her ear. Ginny climbed in the four poster, snuggling close to Harry chest. Harry shifted around, leaning over one of his side and wrapping his arms around her. And suddenly Ginny said, what she had said after their first kiss, "Don't wake me up if it's a dream."

And Harry repeated the same answer, he had said at that time, "I won't."

Harry buried his nose in her sweet flowering smelling hair and kissed her hair. The door opened and Harry saw Ron standing their, his eyes shifting nervously between Ginny and him. Harry gave him a nod, trying to tell that Ginny was safe with him, he wouldn't do anything. Perhaps he understood, because when he left he had a warm smile on his lips.

He drifter off to sleep, letting the darkness took over him.

Harry was standing in the forbidden forest, surrounded by his parents, Lupin and Sirius. Not the cross between Ghost and living but solid, substantial and living.

"How…" Harry's voice got struck in his throat and his mouth moved wordlessly.

"You want to ask how we become, how can I say, real?" Sirius asked, his black eyes glinting in the moon light.

Harry nodded, gratefully.

"It's because of you, Harry," said his Mum, "Your love which you showed for all of us drove us straight here in our bodies."

Harry stared at his Mum, his mouth agape. It was too good to be true.

"Is…" he shocked himself, when his voice came, "is it real?"

"Yes," his Dad said, "it is true, son. We can finally be together."

Tears rolled down his cheek. His Mum ran forward and engulfed him in a hug. He felt safe, secure like he had felt in someone embrace, he couldn't remember, nor does he wanted to. His Mum pulled away suddenly, held him at arm length and said, "You look weak. Let's go and feed you."

"Mum, but Voldemort," said Harry, but faltered under the concerned gaze of his Mum.

"You hear Sirius," said his Dad, proudly, "he don't hesitate in speaking that git, Voldemort name, just like his father. I told you."

"I was the one that told you in the first place," Sirius retorted and his Mum shook her head, looking amused and a small smile playing on her lips.

"And they are supposed to be best friends."

"We're best friends," they both said at the same time, their arm draped over other one shoulder.

"Lets go Harry," said his Mum, "you needed to be fed."

"Mum," said Harry again, "what about Voldemort. I need to finish him."

"You don't," said Lupin, "now we are here and we would do it figure."

"But Dumbledore said that I need to die."

"There are always second way, Harry," said Lupin.

And then trees around them shifted and their was a combined yell of "Avada Kedavra"

Harry saw the bodies of his parent and their best friends going limp and falling on the ground.

"NO……………………………"

"NO……………………………"

Author's Note: Hello to all the wonderful people who had taken out time to read my story and a bucket full of my gratitude to those who had reviewed it.

Now back on the story, the line which Ginny said before sleeping about dream they are taken from my in-progress story, 'The Year Alone'. It also follows canon and its about Ginny sixth year. If you get a chance, please read and review it.

The starting of this chapter sucks, but please deal with it. Leave reviews, may Merlin bless you.

P.S. : I will post two new stories by the end of this week, check them out, if you can.