A/N: Here's the next chapter. Please review, it makes my day! This is the big chapter. The big secret is finally revealed.

Harry sped through the corridor, barely noticing the eyes of the Weasley's following him down the hallway. He entered his room, and grabbed his trusty Firebolt, still the fastest broom for him the world. He swept down the way to the Headmaster's office and saw him just as he was coming down past the gargoyle.

"Albus, it's confirmed. He is in the Chamber. I saw a flash of red hair as I entered the bathroom, but wanted to notify you. I am going down now." The Headmaster took it all in, and nodded. He motioned for Harry to lead the way and they went quickly down the corridor.

Harry's mind was assessing the situation. He had a dark presence, hiding in the Chamber. There was one possible hostage, boy aged eleven. Harry knew he couldn't let any personal feelings towards the boy influence his decision making. He would make it out of here in one piece. The Wizard was a capable one, though nothing on the level on Voldemort. The Wizard didn't just want to kill and steal; he was here for a specific reason and seemed to have a personal vendetta against Harry and/or Dumbledore.

Students quickly went to the sides of hallway, clinging to the wall. Eyes were wide as they saw the Defender and Headmaster of the school walking down the hallway with such a grim look on their face. Harry's Firebolt was clenched in his left hand while his right gripped his wand tightly. They finally reached the bathroom. Dumbledore went and stood with the Weasley's. Harry stopped, looking as if he was about to say something to them. Apparently, he thought better of it as he turned on his heel and swept in to the bathroom.

A hiss was heard as Harry tried to open the now-closed entrance. "What? OPEN. Why isn't it working? OPEN." Harry's head stuck back through the entranceway, beckoning in Dumbledore. "It's not opening to my command," he said with a wave of his hand. He tried again, with the same result. Dumbledore stood there, and tried al the opening spells he could. None of them worked, as the porcelain sinks stood there untouched. Harry remembered them being an illusion before, and cautiously reached out and was disappointed to see his hand firmly stop at the sink. They were real. Somehow, Krokidil managed to open the portal, and respell it to accept a different opening command. Harry looked at the sinks, and noticed that the snake emblem that marked the entrance was gone, replaced with clean silver that matched the rest of the sinks. Harry stood grimly, before turning to Dumbledore. They met each other's eyes, before nodding.

They returned to the hallway. Harry stepped forward, and told the Weasleys "there is nothing we can do." Gasps met his statement until he finished it. "Yet."

Harry walked through the hallway on his way to his weekly appearance at dinner. His mind had been consumed with anger and self-doubt after his failure to rescue Eli. He walked blindly, his feet carrying him to the Great Hall, while his mind was elsewhere. Repeatedly, he forced students to dodge him wildly as he cared not if he ran in to them. He was more disappointed in himself than he thought possible. He thought he had buried these heavy emotions a long time ago. Sighing, he turned in to the hall and walked towards his seat next to Ginny.

She nodded slightly to him in greeting, and returned to her food. She hadn't been herself since the unsuccessful rescue attempt. They sat and ate in silence, as the other teachers gave them their space and talked amongst themselves.

"I'm sorry." Harry's voice broke the silence between them. Ginny turned towards him and placed her hand on his arm. He stiffened at the touch, but she kept her hand there unafraid. She waited until he relaxed, and he had a small smile on his face in gratitude.

"Harry, can you come to my room later? I want to talk to you. Can you come by around eight?" Harry searched her eyes, and saw only sorrow and pleading in them. He nodded slowly, feeling that she deserved that much for how kind she had been to him, regardless of any fights they might have had. She smiled at him, and returned to her food. They finished the meal in silence.

As she got up to leave, she turned to him, and whispered "thank you." He nodded and watched her go. In the back of his mind, he knew that he would do anything to make her smile again. He went back to his meal.

Harry stood in front of Ginny's door. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This was surprisingly hard. I am going to be alone with a beautiful girl in her room after hours. Harry mentally slapped himself, shaking those kinds of thoughts from his head. He reached out, and knocked gently on the door. His watch read three to eight. The door opened slowly, and he stepped to see Ginny smiling at him, though it clearly wasn't a full smile. She motioned for him to sit on the nearby couch. He sat, and she brought him tea, and took a cup for herself.

He sat quietly, sipping the tea, knowing that she may need a moment to compose her thoughts. She had placed her tea on the nearby table, and looked at her hands. Just as he placed his cup down, he looked up to see tears in her eyes. He was about to speak when she launched herself in to his arms. He fell back against the side of the couch in surprise, as she wrapped her arms around his chest and cried in to his chest. His arms remained in the air behind her, and he slowly brought them down to her back, rubbing it slowly. Harry knew he couldn't help crying girls, it was his great weakness. Dark Lords he could handle, tears on a member of the opposite sex, he was lost.

Harry eventually managed to right himself, and got in to a more comfortable sitting position. He awkwardly sat there rubbing her back while she cried. Finally she stopped and just leaned against him. After a moment, she seemed to realize where she was and drew back. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her nose and cheeks were puffy. In a corner of his mind, Harry thought that she never looked more beautiful. She smiled sadly at him, and said "Sorry. I really didn't plan for that to happen."

He laughed softly, before responding. "Don't worry about it. Are you okay now?" He hesitantly reached out and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I am a little better. I haven't cried since it happened. I guess I was just thinking too much and it came out. That isn't what I wanted to talk to you about though." She said.

"Oh really? So enlighten me." Harry sat up straight, and looked her in the eyes.

Ginny looked at him before taking a deep breath and letting it go. "Harry James Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, The-Boy-Who-Won, the Defender of Hogwarts. You…you are the love of my life." Harry's face blanched, and he felt himself consciously stop breathing.

Ginny continued. "I have been in love with The Harry Potter since I was a kid, and my mum would read me stories of the boy who survived Voldemort, but lost his parents, and disappeared. I thought you needed a friend and I thought I would be perfect. When I realized you and Ron would be going to Hogwarts at the same time, I envisioned him meeting you and becoming best friends. I thought you would meet me, swear your eternal love and sweep me off my feet. Then it actually happened and you came to the Burrow. I got to know you and quickly I stopped loving you." Harry looked at her in confusion. She loved him or she didn't? Which was it?

"Then I met you. YOU. Harry. Just Harry. I learned how thoughtful and sweet you can be for your friends. I saw how noble and brave you were when facing great danger, but how hopeless you were when facing a crying girl." Harry registered how she seemed to read his mind once again. "I fell in love with that Harry. I loved how she would run your hand through hair when you were frustrated. I loved how you always complained to Hermione when she bugged you about homework, but I knew that you were so grateful to her for it. And that you would let her do it, because you knew how important your grades were to someone like Hermione. I loved how you would play, and lose in, chess to my brother, knowing how great it made him feel when he managed to beat you at something."

Harry was astounded. He hadn't told anyone about either of those things. He hated losing to Ron in chess, and he could've tried a little harder in class. But he didn't care either way, because he did it for his friends. But no one knew that.

"When you finally kissed me after that Quidditch game, it was probably the most wonderful day of my life. The subsequent weeks until the end of term were wonderful. I was in Heaven, and I know that you were too. When Hogwarts was attacked, and you broke up with me, I was devastated. A part of me hated you for doing it, but I loved you even more for the stupid noble gesture you had to make. After that final battle and you ran away, I was distraught. I didn't talk for 3 weeks. My mum won't talk about that period, and my brothers were legitimately afraid of me. I haven't been happy since you left. I had a few dates, but nothing happened. The first few times, I spent the entire time just talking about you. Then I managed not to, but just compared the guy to you. His hair wasn't dark or messy enough, his eyes weren't bright enough. No one can compare to you Harry. Not to me. Whatever happened, whatever injustice you think you committed, it doesn't matter. Not to me. I. Love. You." Ginny's eyes were shining with tears, and Harry was completely frozen.

"Harry, answer me. Talk to me. Please." Harry snapped out of his shock and reverted back to his old habits. His eyes narrowed and his voice fell. "You don't love me. No one can love me. I don't deserve anything of that sort."

"You can't convince me of that until I know what you think you did. Tell me what grave evil you seem to have done by sending that bastard Voldemort to Hell."

"I can't tell you. After what I did, I can't tell anyone. I had my chance at friendship and I threw it out."

"No. Voldemort took it. Voldemort killed them, not you. You didn't kill them Harry. Everyone who knows you would agree with me. You don't have it in you to harm your friends."

His eyes fell. "Are you so sure about that?" His voice was small and broken, revealing the young boy that he never got to be.

Ginny blanched in surprise. "I thought Voldemort killed them. They were dead when I woke up. What happened, Harry?"

Harry turned to her. "You want to know what happened. I killed them. He gave me a chance to kill him. Three shots. Three hostages. I used Avada Kedavra three times that night." Harry raised three fingers, and started ticking them off. "Ron. Hermione. Riddle. I killed them. Regardless of everything else, an Avada Kedavra left my wand, held my hand, sent by my conscious mind, and hit Ron and Hermione. I killed them Ginny. It was me. All me. It wasn't Voldemort. If he had chosen a different order, you would be dead right now. So tell me, why do I deserve a second chance?" His hand fell, as tears slid down his face. His hands were shaking, and his breathing was shallow and erratic.

Ginny sat there. She had nothing to say. She expected various scenarios killing Ron and Hermione. But this, this she never expected. Harry sat there as his hand fell. He stood slowly. "That's what I thought. Goodnight Ms. Weasley." Harry turned and walked shakily to the door.

As he reached the door, she spoke. "Because they would think that you do. Ron and Hermione would want you to live your life. They still do. Even if they are gone, they still want you to live your life and raise Elijah. You are his godfather for a reason. If I had died, I would want to live too. Now answer my question: what would Ron and Hermione do in this situation?"

Harry met her eyes, nodded slowly before exiting the room. Ginny leaned back in to her couch, sighing deeply. This night had certainly showed her things. She rose and decided to go for a walk. She needed it. She wouldn't tell anyone, at least not yet. She walked towards her door, and exited silently.

A/N: So what do you think about the big secret? Anyone guess that Harry killed them?