Chapter nine

'Ginny, what did Harry want?' Ron asked looking suspiciously at his sister.

'He's being unreasonable, that's what he's doing. As for what he wants, first, that we don't get seen as a couple, or been seen too often together and he wants me to take extra defence lessons from Oscar or him. I'm not going to do it, because if Harry's my boyfriend, then we get seen as a couple.'

'He is trying to keep you safe Ginny,' Charlie said.

'No, he's being a stupid noble prat, like always, that's what he's doing.'

'Look, we know you're used to getting your own way Ginny, but we know Harry, he's not going to give in on this. So you either forget about Harry or do what he wants. I can understand where he's coming from,' Ron said but put his arm around Hermione.

Ginny sighed then sat down, 'He can be so stubborn, but you're right, aren't you. He's not going to change his mind?'

'No, he won't Ginny. He's scared, not just for you but for everyone he cares about. Then think of what he said. They keep hurting Harry, but trying to kill Oscar, that shows they want Harry for something but they don't care about anyone else. He told us why he wouldn't stay here or go out with us too often, he wants them to think we're not that close anymore. If they found out about you and Harry, you would be targeted,' Hermione explained.

'I saw the looks he gave mum and dad Ginny, he's not going to put them through that again. So now it's up to you, what are you going to do?' Bill asked.

'Fine, I get it, it's just so unfair. But I can tell you now that we're going to be spending a lot of time here or at his place if that's the only way we can be together,' Ginny stood up and went inside, 'I need to speak to Harry, is it alright if I go there?'

'Is he expecting you to Ginny?' Arthur asked.

'Yes, if I agree to his terms. At first I wasn't going to, but Ron, Hermione and Bill made sense.'

'Alright, try not to be too late though. You might be an adult now, but you are still our youngest child and only daughter.'

'I won't dad,' Ginny gave him a smile then stepped into the fireplace, vanishing from the Burrow, then stepped out in Harry's living room.

'Fine, I'll do what you want, but I'm giving you a warning now Harry Potter,' Ginny stepped over to him, 'If you ever, ever break up with me again, you're going to lose some parts.'

Harry stared at Ginny, then pulled her into his arms, kissing her hungrily and never wanted to stop. The moment their lips parted, Harry gently touched Ginny's face.

'I won't Gin, but can you understand why I'm doing all this?'

'Yes, I was cursing you're name before, but Ron, Hermione and Bill said some things which made me understand. So who gave you this advice, I'd like to thank them.'

Harry pointed to the two men sitting together on the couch, 'Oscar, then Kingsley chipped in as well.'

'When Harry explained to us what he wanted you to agree to, I thought you would have hexed him Ginny,' Kingsley smirked.

'I wanted to, but I think I was in shock that he never gave in. I can usually get my brothers to give in to me. Harry's a stubborn, noble prat, but that's who he is, I've always known that.'

'So are you going to do some extra training?'

'Yes, but you can, either here or at the Burrow. I'm used to you teaching me.'

'We might leave you two alone, see you in the morning,' Kingsley said and he walked up the stairs with Oscar.

Harry took Ginny's hand and they sat down, 'I have missed you, more than you realise.'

'I have to,' Ginny reached up and ran her finger along Harry's scars, 'They really try to kill Oscar?'

'Yeah, they keep aiming the killing curse at him, but me, always slicing hexes. Which means they are planning something, we just don't know what. Then I always end up with a headache for a few days, I…I don't know what they want with me.'

'Do you know how many are left out there?'

'Of his main death eaters, only four, but there are a lot more, their just not that powerful. When I really looked at you're mum and dad, it almost brought me to…to tears Gin. I won't put them through that again just so we can be together. You're parents mean a…a lot to me.'

'I know they do, Bill said something similar. I overheard them talking, mum was going on about having all of us live at the Burrow, even Bill and Fleur so she can keep us together. Dad kept talking to her until she realised that all of us are adults now and we can take care of ourselves and if mum tries to get to overprotective, then we might all end up moving out. None of us want to upset mum, but we do understand. She's blaming herself for Fred.'

'Why would she blame herself when it had nothing to do with her?'

'I thought you were going to say you blame yourself for Fred.'

'I did blame myself at first, but I've been doing a lot of thinking and Oscar's very good with his advice. So why is she blaming herself?'

'She saved me from Bellatrix, but couldn't save Fred. She keeps saying that she's the parent, it's her job to protect her kids.'

'I saw what happened to Fred Ginny, nothing could have saved him. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.'

'Yeah, Percy told us what happened. How he didn't want to move from protection Fred, but you dragged him into a corner to keep him safe.'

'I could see how distraught Percy was and spells were going all over, some just missed him. I haven't admitted this to anyone, but I'm scared Gin. Not for me, but for all of you, everyone that's friends with me. I keep thinking if I stop being close to anyone they might be safe.'

'And you're scared of losing someone again, that you couldn't survive if that happened.'

Harry gave her a small smile, 'When did you get to know me so well? You're right though, I wouldn't survive if I lost anyone else.'

'I know, we all know that because we've all seen what you went through after Sirius died, then Dumbledore. Remember, I was the one holding you when he died. Now you've lost Remus as well, the last person that was close to your parents.'

'Yeah, the pain of all that is just so strong, that I feel like I need to protect myself from going through that again. You know what I've thought about if I was to lose someone else?'

'I'm not sure, maybe you'd kill yourself if that happened.'

'That's one I have thought about, the other, I go completely in the opposite direction. I turn out like them, go out killing any dark witch or wizard out there.'

'Harry, you could never kill anyone.'

'Gin, you know I killed Voldemort, I…I technically killed Quirrell too. I saw what happened when he touched me, so I deliberately grabbed his face so he would die. But I have killed Ginny, I used the killing curse and just killed him and I'm not sorry for doing that nor do I care that…that he's dead.'

At first Ginny looked shocked, 'Who did you kill? Why Harry, because that doesn't sound like you?'

'I can see how shocked you are Ginny, but I'm not as innocent as people make me out to be and who can blame me really. I don't want to hurt or kill anyone, but I just don't want this anymore. Fighting, torture, pain…pain, suffering, loss, death, that's been my life, so now, I…I don't just sit back.'

'I don't know how you feel Harry, none of us can. Yes, we lost Fred, but you have lost everyone you've gotten close to. But who did you kill and why?'

'Rodolphus Lestrange, I saw him raping a girl in the middle of the fighting. The pain on her face with what he was doing to her, not to mention how disgusted she looked. When I saw that, I just pointed my wand at his back and said the killing curse. Fighting, pain and death in battle, I get all that when you're fighting a war, what he was doing was for his own pleasure, it had nothing to do with his own survival or war.'

'Okay, I can't say I understand, but I think if that happened to me and with my short temper, I probably would have killed him.'

'Don't say that, don't even think that Ginny. You don't realise how it can change a person. I know I'm not the same…same as I was before. Everything that happened before was out of my hands and I did things to live and escape. That time I could have just stunned him, but I chose to kill him. At first I kept telling myself it was what I was feeling from Voldemort, he was so angry at the time. But when I…I was sitting in the Hogs Head, I thought about it and it came to me that I did it and it had nothing to do with Voldemort, it was all me. But can we stop talking for a bit, I've really missed kissing you.'

Harry and Ginny stopped talking as their lips came together, but upstairs, Kingsley and Oscar had heard every word Harry and Ginny had spoken. They closed the door to the spare room.

'I can't believe what I just heard love, that doesn't sound like Harry at all.'

'When I first heard him say he used the killing curse, I was shocked babe. Even when I asked him about it, I was still stunned at the way he sounded when he explained. Now Harry has no idea you've told me about him living with a piece of Voldemorts soul inside him, but do you think it might have been him that influenced Harry. You've known him for a few years, what's your opinion on that?'

'I have seen Harry get angry because of whatever Voldemort was doing or saying at the time, I never realised what it all meant until I saw that memory. But listening to what Harry said and the way he said it, no, I think it was all Harry, nothing to do with Voldemort. When you've been fighting alongside him, have you noticed anything with Harry, a look maybe.'

'I've seen a fierce look on his face, but he just kept disarming. Finally he's stopped that and goes for the stun now. One thing though babe, those we did fight and capture, I never recognised any of them.'

'They weren't his main death eaters, and they weren't in his inner circle. They were just grunts. Now if Harry was to go up against one of his main one's that he's seen with Voldemort before, I'm not sure what he will do. I think we need to keep a careful watch over Harry because I think he's finally been pushed too far, especially for someone his age.'

'Yeah, it's hard to believe his only eighteen. When you listen to him, it's like talking to someone years older. But from what you've been telling me and what I've been hearing from Harry himself, I think that would age anyone.'

'Yes, it would. Now Marcus told me that most nights Harry screams out in his sleep. At first he went to check on Harry, thinking he was being tortured. So I explained that Harry has suffered from nightmares most of his life, but that usually came down to seeing through Voldemort. I told Marcus to just leave him if he hears that again.'

'So we might hear it ourselves. We should get some sleep why we can then. Can't have the Minister falling asleep at his desk,' Oscar smirked.

Kingsley laughed, then rolled them both over until he was lying on top of his partner and neither of them spoke another word as their mouths and bodies did the talking for them.