Don't Leave Me

Everyone's mood was subdued as they retired in the warmth of the tent. Ron was hugging the life out of Hermione, saying that she needed to get warm, though both of them had a blush on their face. Harry hadn't said a word in over an hour, so I hadn't pressed him through the link. I knew it was bad, I knew it had affected him on a level much deeper than he was letting on, but I needed to know just how bad it was. He kept hold of me softly though, comforting me even though it should of been the other way around. I too couldn't get that image out of my mind. Is that really his worst fear? Well of course it is; I knew that. I guess I just wasn't ready to have it shoved in my face.

It was just too quiet. Everyone was trying to think of something to say...anything. I needed to know what Harry was thinking, what he was feeling. The suspense was killing me to have him so shut off, I needed to know. I slowly reached out to him mentally, asking what he was thinking. It took a while for him to respond, but when he did he said something I didn't expect.

I've never been more scared in my entire life.

Did it really mean that much to you?

It was like every nightmare I've ever had put into one painful memory.

I shifted slightly in his embrace, looking round into his eyes. Although his appearance was calm, his eyes showed different, shining a vivid green and pupils much sharper than usual, alert but moist. His composure kept slipping.

I felt like crying myself, I could feel it now. His heart thudding still in his chest as if he was about to face Voldemort himself at any moment, the lump in his throat as he kept back the tears, the forced steadiness of his breath, the control of his shaking hands and the chill up his spine. As usual he was putting up a front for the rest of us, always strong, always caring for everyone else.

Oh, Harry...

He looked away from me, swallowing loudly, the light reflecting off of the moisture building in his eyes.

You don't always have to be strong...

His facade was slipping now more than ever as he rushed a shaking hand through his hair, looking at the floor. He took a shaky breath before trying to clear his throat unsuccessfully. Ron and Hermione looked around expectantly.

"I'm going to take first watch." He mumbled hastily, swinging his leg off the couch and getting up quickly.

"I'll come with you-"

"No." He looked back apologetically, I don't want you all to see me like this, and I need some time to think, "I'll do it. You should all get some sleep. I hope you feel better Hermione." He added, throwing her and Ron a warm smile before heading out of the tent.

As soon as he was out, Hermione cast a silencing charm inside the tent and they both looked expectantly at me.

"How is he?" She asked.

"Not good." I replied simply, feeling the need to throw something, or smash someone's face in for how unfair this was. And yet at the same time I wanted to shut myself in my room and cry my eyes out. Harry had shut himself off somewhat again, restricting the feelings from me again, like he had the past hour.

I sat back heavily on the soft couch, sinking into it and hoping it could swallow me whole.

"But how bad is it?" Ron pressed

"Bad." I replied simply again, not wishing to elaborate. Didn't they understand? I didn't want to talk about it. Harry was their friend too, why couldn't they work it out?!

"Ginny we are his friends, we have a right to know-"Hermione tried to reason.

I glared at them angrily, "Don't you understand? Do you not know him at all? We knew the horcrux would put up a fight and guess what!? It did, by showing Harry his worst fear. He's never been more scared in his freakin' life! Not standing up to You-Know-Who, not fighting a Basilisk, not even by his own freakin' DEATH!"

"Really?"

"Yes REALLY!" I spat back at Ron, "And if you two couldn't figure that out yourself, then maybe –"

"Ginny, do you want to join me outside?" Harry asked, now standing inside the tent.

I jumped out of my skin, looking at him guiltily. Was he angry that we'd been talking about him, or that I'd had a go at his friends?

For how long have you-

Come on.

He took my hand in his and led me outside. As soon as we were, he stopped abruptly, turned around and captured me in a tight embrace. The overwhelming need to cry surfaced again. What the hell is wrong with me!? I never cry!

"Harry, get off, I want to go back in there and-"

It's not them you're angry at, he said, not releasing me.

The tears were threatening to spill over.

"Harry, get off, let go of me." A spat angrily, struggling against him.

It's okay, Gin. He thought softly, stroking my hair comfortingly as my struggles slowed, It's just you and me now.

I ground my teeth together in an effort to stop them falling.

You can cry now.

They spilled over, coating my cheeks in a warm line against the pressing cold air which I sucked in as I let out a sob. I pressed my face further against his chest as more and more fell.

"I-I'm making your j-jacket wet." I protested,

I don't care.

I'm such an idiot

Of course you're not-

"Harry!" I protested, trying to get away again, "I am, you're comforting me and I should be comforting you! And I had a go and Ron and Hermione and..."

Shhh, it's okay. I'm here now.

I relaxed back into his embrace as he comforted me through the link.

I cried for a while longer, drenching Harry's jacket as he refused to let me go. As my crying subsided, I felt surprisingly tired.

Come on, let's get you inside.

He bent down and picked me up, I was too tired to even protest at being picked up, I felt utterly spent, so instead I whispered,

"I don't want to go inside."

"You're freezing and you need sleep." He disagreed, heading for the entrance of the tent.

"I want to stay with you."

He took me inside as I finally felt my numb skin ache at the sudden warmth. I buried my face towards he chest, unwilling for Ron and Hermione to see me in this state if they were there.

He lay me down on our bed and pulled the covers over me, sitting to rest on the side of the bed as he brushed the hair away from my face and I sank into the pillows. He bent down and kissed me lovingly on the forehead with cold lips, before he stood to leave.

"Please," I asked, grasping his hand, "Don't leave me."

He hesitated, before sitting back down, brushing my hair softly and rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb, "I won't."

"You'll stay with me?"

"Until you fall asleep."

That's not good enough, I want you to stay with me.

Hermione and Ron are asleep, I need to keep watch.

Well I'll keep watch with you.

No, get some sleep, and I'll see you in the morning.

I felt myself starting to drift off against my attempts to stay awake.

It's okay, sleep. I'll be right here.

Harry?

Yes?

I'm sorry.

He stopped brushing my hair.

Why?

I wasn't there for you; I should have known you didn't want to be alone.

And I you; for leaving you alone in the first place. Sleep.

And I dozed off.

I sat there for a while, not wanting to leave even though I knew she was asleep. She was breathing peacefully, her hair fanned out over the pillow. I realised that she was in her clothes still, but decided it didn't matter for one night. I kissed her forehead one last time, before I headed back outside, grabbing a coat on my way out and wordlessly casting a drying spell over my jacket. I could feel my eyes drooping already in need of sleep, but knew to do so would on grant nightmares.

Rubbing my eyes tiredly, I went out into the crisp coolness that brought me back alert. There was no point spending these hours I had on regretting what had happened in such a short period of time, now was the time to figure out how I was going to kill the snake, stop there ever being a battle and get myself killed by Riddle. Absentmindedly flexed his aching arms and he felt some of the cuts pull. He tugged back his jacket to see how they looked, and saw one main deep cut that had been almost healed running up the centre of his wrist, and some smaller ones that might scar and then fade away leading up around it in a faint pink mark past where he could see.

He tugged his sleeve back down, and stared back out into the shadowy trees that surrounded them. They'd have to move tomorrow, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to go back to Kreacher, even if the security of that place hadn't been breached there were still death eaters waiting outside. It would have only been a matter of time before they made a mistake.

Harry pulled the jacket around himself tighter in an attempt to keep out the pressing cold, when a thought crossed his mind. He turned into his animagus, allowing him to see in the night much more clearly, and therefore be able to spot intruders better. He thought about flying around the area, but figured it would be too obvious. No longer bothered by the cold, he found a comfortable spot to perch, steadying himself for the night ahead.

.......

The next morning Harry announced they were going to the Malfoy's the next day to free their friends and retrieve the Elder wand. The day was spent practicing transforming into their animagi, trying to control his power, practicing sword fighting, running through the plan and pretty much preparing for the next day.

After the long day they retired back into the tent once more. Harry had been so focused all morning he'd only been able to eat a few mouthfuls of food, and obviously hadn't gotten any sleep the previous night. The playful mood had wavered, and once again he had turned quiet serious.

When Ginny and he finally made it to the comfort of their own bedroom, and the door was shut, it felt as if all the pressure had been lifted. And his playful mood returned.

"Harry, I've got a really bad feeling about tomorrow." Ginny told him after, when they were holding each other close.

"Don't worry, I won't let anyone get hurt." Harry assured, becoming somewhat troubled again.

She shifted to look into his eyes, "It's not so much everyone else I have a bad feeling about."

He took her hand in his and kissed it softly.

"I always have a bad feeling for everyone when we're about to do something reckless. But I also usually get another feeling when something serious bad will happen"

"Always?"

"Almost every time I've had it, someone has been seriously injured or...killed."

"Do you have that feeling now?" She asked fearfully.

"No. Not at all."

At this Ginny relaxed slightly, "Good." She whispered, leaning forward and kissing him tenderly.

The next morning, they ran through the plan once more, before calling for Dobby. He took them to the highest floor in the Mansion.

"Right, Dobby, go down and wait for us in the Dungeons okay?"

"Yes Harry Potter!" He squeaked before popping away.

"Tell me again why he's meeting us there?" Ron asked.

"Because I don't want him to get hurt like last time." Harry replied solemnly, before hiding himself under the invisibility cloak. "Remember, don't follow until Ginny gives you the all clear." Harry reminded.

He went off checking behind various corridors, and when there was no one there, he would tell Ginny, and the others would know it was safe.

They kept on like this until they found who they were looking for, walking directly towards Harry. The floor under Harry creaked, and Draco stopped, looking behind him and raising his wand.

"Stupefy" Harry whispered, and the spell shot at Draco's back, knocking him out cold. Harry quickly ran over to him and he quickly rifled around in his pockets until he had grasp of the wand as the others caught up with him.

"What should we do with him?" Ron asked fearfully

"I'll just erase his memory and leave him in a chair somewhere."

Draco let out a groan as his head started to move.

"Harry?" Hermione asked, as Harry turned to listen to her, "is that really the best idea? We could-"

"YOU!"

Before Harry had a chance to even look around, he was slammed into as hands closed around his throat and his breath was knocked out of him.

"FATHER! IT'S-"

"Pertrificus Totalus!" Ron threw, but that made in worse as Draco's hands were now frozen around Harry's throat.

"RON TAKE IT OFF!" Ginny cried out, rushing over to Harry as his struggling started to fade, and she tried to prize Draco's fingers away out of instinct. Ron was frozen in horror. "RON!?"

Hermione quickly took the spell off and Draco's body slumped to the floor next to Harry.

"DRACO?!" A shocked voice came from around the corner. Harry choked out, trying to draw in breath, bruising could already be seen starting to show around his neck.

Before anyone could respond other than to stupefy Draco again, his father and mother rushed around the corner.

"DRACO!" His mother screeched out at the same time as his father shouted out "POTTER!" raising back the arm of his sleeve.

"NO!" Harry croaked out, as the others shot spells at him but Narcissa deflected them and started shooting her own.

Harry's hands shot to the sides of his head as back arched in pain and he started to yell out. A duel started to ensure between the Malfoy's and Ginny, Ron and Hermione as they were at a loss of what to do.

Harry pushed the pain back, and saw Draco crumpled on the floor. He had to stop the fight, in case someone got hurt.

"I'LL KILL HIM!" Harry's voice rang croakily out suddenly as the spells ceased. They looked over to see him holding Draco back by his hair, his own wand at his throat.

Ginny, get the wand! Get everyone else in the dungeon out! He's coming!

In the Malfoy's hesitation, Ginny darted back and retrieved the wand.

GO, GO NOW THERE'S NOT MUCH TIME!

I'M NOT LEAVING YOU!

HE HAS TO KILL ME ANYWAY, I'LL BE FINE WHATEVER THE OUTCOME NOW GO!

BUT-

GO! OR LUNA AND DEAN AND EVERYONE ELSE HERE ARE ALSO GOING TO DIE!

Ginny hesitated before she motioned to Ron and Hermione as they all headed down the corridor in the opposite direction.

"Potter, now let's not be hasty. The dark lord is coming. He is not going to care about our son. Do you want to have his blood on your hands? " Lucius drawled, stepping closer with each sentence.

"You still owe me Lucius, for saving your life!" And with that Harry shot a blasting curse and the both of them. Narcissa blocked it again, but from the added force of the spell it shattered the shield and knocked them both backwards.

Harry's head was pounding, Voldemort wasn't far away.

Have you got to the dungeons?

Almost

With that Harry dropped Draco and pushed himself as fast as he could down the corridor, fear pounding his heart furiously as he knew there was little possibility getting out of there. And then his running faltered and he came to a halt.

I need Voldemort to kill me...

Harry, come on, he'll be here any minute!

Harry didn't move.

It all makes sense...

What?

You know where all the horcruxes are, you have the wand, the invisibility cloak and the stone. You have everything you Ginny.

Stop it, stop it, STOP IT! Stop talking like that and get your arse moving!

We're soul bonded so I could tell you where everything was. You'll go undetected by Voldemort because in killing me, he'll think he's won.

Harry-

There will be no battle. The only thing standing in your way-

HARRY! STOP IT!

Is me.

I CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU HARRY, I NEED YOU. I NEED YOU DAMIT! NOW GET OUT OF THERE-

A voice rang through the halls that sent a chill down his spine.

"Harry...Potter..."

He turned around to face his death.

I was given these abilities,

HARRY RUN DAMIT RUN!

So that I didn't have to go down without a fight.

"The boy...who lived..." Voldemort whispered, his eyes seemingly glowing red as he walked down the corridor towards Harry.

HARRY!

I love you, Ginny. So much, more than the universe, more than my own life, more than you'll ever know.

NO, NO I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU DO THIS.

He knew that Ron was holding her back, and that Dobby was getting ready to take them out of the Dungeons.

Dark Shadows of figures were now rushing around the corridor to stand by Voldemort's side.

"I'm not afraid of death. And I'm certainly not afraid of you Riddle." Harry said calmly, his voice echoing up the corner as he started to walk towards Riddle.

I only have one request.

HARRY YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!

Is that you are happy. I'll understand if you don't want to be with anyone else, but I do want you to be happy.

"You must be stupid, boy, or else you would be running away like you usually do." Voldemort spat, "Or are you simply delirious, and believe you can somehow beat me?"

"I've never run away Riddle, never. And I have a power which you know not."

They stopped now, a few metres apart from each other.

"I highly doubt that some teenage can defeat the greatest wizard of all time!"

"Dumbledore was a greater wizard than you'll ever be!"

And this he simply smirked. It was all a joke to him.

"I have gone much further in magic than Dumbledore ever dreamt of boy."

"We shall see." Harry said, standing in his fighting stance. "Whatever the outcome, I still win." And with that he grinned at Riddle, loving the shock on his face that he would dare challenge him, that he wouldn't run, that he wasn't afraid.

"Are you afraid, Riddle?"

His eyes flared but he made no comment, taking a stance of his own.

"No one interferes, the boy is mine. Avada Kedavra!"

Anticipating this attack, Harry dodged out the way and brought up a shield, he created a lion of fire and shot it at Voldemort. Through it shot a powerful beam of water and the lion vanished. Harry held back the water with a shield, struggling slightly under its power at first; he slid back a few paces on the floor, his hands shaking. He built up a thousand nails from the beads of water and shot the back at him, and then threw his hand down at the marble flooring and watched as it cracked in two straight at up to where Riddle was standing. Riddle banished the nails and dodged the flooring. Harry had covered distance while Riddle was distracted, his flicked his hand as if on instinct the Sword of Gryffindor materialised there. It was perfectly balanced for him and fitted as if he were born to hold it. He jumped up, preparing to strike Riddle down, when there was a clashing of metal. Riddle had the Sword of Slytherin.

"How did you get that, BOY?" Voldemort bellowed

"Did you think you were the only one with family heirlooms Riddle?"

Riddle snarled, and forced Harry off where he jumped back a few paces. Whilst Harry was regaining balance Riddle struck again and Harry blocked it late, causing him to get a deep cut in his right side. He yelled out, but threw Riddle off and struck back at his left arm. Surprised at his strength, Riddle staggered and blocked late, meaning Harry struck into his upper left arm, but not half as deep as he had him. Riddle yelled out, before fiercely attacking. He started to lunge more, which meant that he would deal harder blows but would be more off balance, Harry dodged on his quick feet, and swung back at him. They were at this for a while, each getting more and more bloody and making more mistakes as time wore on. Finally, the swords clashed in the middle and both members were tiring. Harry's body had the first cut in his side, his right leg being the worst and a one on his upper left arm. Harry had got the barstard back in the left shoulder and arm, and one on his right arm. But Harry's were significantly deeper and he was losing a lot of blood. They both fought stationary, trying to overpower the other.

"Where did you get so much power, Potter?" Voldemort spat.

"Wouldn't you like to know!" Harry growled back.

Voldemort brought up his knee and buried it in Harry's wounded side. Harry yelled out as his strength faltered and Voldemort overpowered him. The swords rose up and the tip of Riddles' sunk into the side of Harry's face from his right jaw curving to his forehead. He yelled out and lost his balance, Riddle kicked him over, bringing the sword up as the final blow. Harry brought up his hand at the last minute, summoning a shield around himself, his own sword too far behind him to reach. The sword slowed but came through slightly. Harry struggled with it, as he truly felt his wounds burning with the basilisk venom that must have coated the sword, it wouldn't be enough to kill Riddle, or himself for that matter, but he won't be able to get rid of the scars.

"Scarred by a teenager, Riddle...how must...it feel?"

Riddle yelled out in anger, and the sword inched closer to Harry's neck.

Harry smiled. "I'VE WON RIDDLE!" he shouted gleefully.

He couldn't hold the shield much longer, he knew this was it. And he was ready for it.

I love you Ginny, I love you so much. You're going to beat the hell out of him because I know how strong you are. You're going to live a long and happy life, and then when you're ready, when it finally reaches the end of your life, I'll be right there, waiting for you.

Harry I love you so much, please, please, you can't leave me, you'll find a way out like you always do-

I love you, goodbye Ginny

NO! THIS ISN'T GOODBYE!

And with that, he smiled even wider. The pain, the misery, the struggle of his life; It was over. He felt in that moment not the burning of his wounds or the sweat on his brow, nor did he see the contorted anger in Voldemort's face. He felt a slight breeze cool him, he felt the love from Ginny shining on him like the sun, he felt at peace. He was ready. He closed his eyes and with that, Harry dropped his shield.

...............

Hey! What do you think? Please review good or bad! Cake for all those who review!!!

^_______________^

Yuki: Thanks ;) the other choice was collide by howie day, but I think that doesn't apply so much for the fanfic, and more to the actual story

PChris: Hope it lived up to your expectations

Hptrump: Original story title was 'A blessing and a Curse' ;). And thanks :D

Wizmage: Again, I hope it lived up to your expectations