"I couldn't tell anyone that he had touched me, messed with me. He told me I couldn't, they'd never me anyway. When I came back…when you saved me, it seemed pointless to tell anyone, it would only hurt them and I was afraid he'd be right, that they wouldn't believe me."
There was no sound, yet his ears were ringing. Nothing moved, but he was dizzy. Everything was silent and still as the meaning of her words sunk in, and at the same time everything was loud and everything was moving. Ginny nibbled on her lip and waited for an answer, by the way she looked away he could tell he hadn't answered the way she wanted him too.
"It's okay Harry, really it is, I should have…I'm sorry." Ginny whispered softly turning and walking away.
Everything burned inside her, she had hoped, even prayed that he would look at her and just hug her, tell her his feelings hadn't changed, or if they did that it was because he wanted to care for her, that they had grown stronger. She kept walking even though the ground beneath her seemed as if it was swallowing her whole.
Harry watched her go for a moment. She had turned, walked away before he could respond. Even though it had only been a few seconds, it felt like an eternity. Even though the sun was shining, it was cold.
"Ginny!" Harry called as if he had finally found his voice. "Ginny, please don't go." He said catching up to her a moment later and looking at her.
Her face was like stone, as if trying not to let any emotion show. He stared at the way her eyes sparkled with tears that would no doubt fall within minutes. Her way her breathing came out slow and shallow, as if she was unsure how to breathe. Her arms were wrapped around herself, as if holding herself together.
"Ginny. I think you're beautiful. I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I wasn't there, I'm sorry that you felt like I didn't want you…because I do. I want to spend forever with you, I want to get to know you, the good, the bad the happy and the hurt. I want to protect you in whatever way I can, if you'll let me."
Ginny stared at him for a moment, watching his face, looking for some sign of a joke…but it never came.