AN. MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! Here's my Christmas present to y'all. Sorry that it's a little short, I hope you enjoy!
Ginny held the paper in her hand. Unfolding it for the millionth time, the creases wearing into the ink so that it was almost illegible. She knew it now by heart.
Ginny,
Sorry you haven't heard from me in forever. I know I left kind of suddenly, but I couldn't stay in England, it's not safe for me there. I'm sure that Hermione has already told you and Ron what happened so I won't even bother explaining. I miss you and I love you, know that I always will. But fate had drawn us apart and I think that this is where it ends. I'd really like to see you in person, one last time if it's not too hard for you. It's easier now to be around humans and I really want to see you.
HJP
She scowled at the piece of paper, but refolded it carefully and tucked it into the pocket of her robe. She gazed into the fireplace in the common room trying to distract herself from a certain raven haired, green eyed wizard. She sighed curling her legs up under her and drawing a book towards her, tucking the blanket around her legs. She opened the book only to find that it was about vampires. She tossed it angrily into the fireplace, not caring that it had cost her a galleon. She sighed and immediately went to fetch it before it was burned beyond repair. She snagged it and set it on the table beside the couch.
She hadn't cried when Harry had gone off fighting Voldemort. She'd been strong. And even though he'd left her relatively safe, she'd done what she could from the inside. There was nothing she could do know. She sighed unfolding the letter one more time, looking at the familiar chicken scratch that danced across a lined page. I love you, he'd said. I want you to come see me.
She remembered a similar letter that he'd sent a week ago to Ron and Hermione. Send Ginny my love, tell her I miss her, but I know now that things can't ever work out between us. Vampires and humans unfortunately don't mix as well as some would like. Why couldn't things work out, she wondered. Things were different now, admittedly. But things were never impossible. It wasn't like Tonks and Lupin hadn't worked out. She stopped herself at that thought, they were both dead now. She finally pulled out a quill and a piece of parchment, something she'd avoided doing for the past couple of days.
Harry,
It's weird being at Hogwarts without you here. Ron and Hermione are moping and we all miss you. I still love you, you know, and I will do whatever I can so that we can work out. I know that you told Ron and Hermione that vampires and humans don't work out. But you have to know that we're not just human, Harry. We, as wizards, have advantages that Muggles don't. I know that we could make it if we tried hard enough. I want to see you. Tell me where you're staying and I'll floo in for a visit.
Much Love,
Ginny
She reread it several times, before almost tossing it into the fire. She sighed, whistling for Ron's new owl, which she had dubbed Mena and attaching the letter to her leg.
"Up for a really long flight, girl?" she asked the owl.
Mena stared up with her with large eyes and Ginny would have sworn that the owl nodded.
"Take this to Harry in Washington would you?"
The owl looked at her solemnly before flapping her tawny wings and disappearing into the night. She let the tears stream silently down her face.
"So what's your story?" Alice asked, staring up as the sun spiraled towards them, and sparkled off their skin.
"What story?" Harry asked, trying to pretend to be ignorant.
"Your story, all wizards must have one."
"And vampires don't," he challenged.
"No, they do," she assured him, "I just wanted to hear yours first."
He sighed, leaning back against the grass and tucking his arms underneath his head.
"I suppose my story is slightly more extravagant than some."
She smiled, "I'm always up for a good story."
So he told her, about it all. About his parents and Voldemort. About being the Chosen One and the boy who lived. He told her about Ron and Hermione, his best friends. All the adventures they'd had every year. He told her about Cedric's death and Voldemort's return. He told her about Sirius and how much he'd meant to him.
"It's my fault that he died," he told her.
She looked at him seriously, butterscotch eyes curious, if not a little surprised.
"I thought that woman, Lestrange killed him."
He looked at her darkly, "It's not always the spell that kills a person. He wouldn't have been there if he didn't think he had to protect me."
"And you don't think he would have left the house sooner or later."
"Not unless there was a good reason."
"And you think that protecting you wasn't a good reason?"
"No! He should have been safe!"
"But he would've done anything for you."
"I know," he said, an aching sob coming up in his throat. He cradled his head in his arms and shuddered, shaking with tears that couldn't come out.
"I always thought I'd join them one day, you know? See my Mum and Dad. Have tea with the Mauraders. See all the people that died in the war. I was counting on it really? I hate this. It's never something I would ever, ever choose for myself."
Alice laughed lightly, and Harry turned to glare at her, eyes now a deep dark black.
"You should talk to Bella.. She's just dying to become a vampire."
"The humor is not appreciated, Alice. I would trade places with her in a heart beat."
Alice sighed, sadly.
"Does she not know the pain of what we are?"
"She sees a sugar coated version, I would say. The beauty, the immortality."
"What about losing those you care about, the pain of the thirst all the time?"
Alice looked at him, as if calculating how much he could handle, "what if the one person you loved, lived forever and you knew that you would die eventually and they would continue on living?"
"I'll never have to deal with that."
"I know, I can't even imagine."
