Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Authors Notes: Hey everyone... Well I know this has been a long time coming... but here it is... I will give you a heads up... you might need tissues at the end of this chapter... :)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! We hope to hear what you think :) Rhiain & Carolyn

Chapter 21

The Worst Kind of Memory

The sun was shining brightly, and the Great Hall looked magnificent. The enchanted ceiling reflected the weather outside, so that streams of sunshine filtered through to shine beams of light all over the hall. The hall had been set up as it had been for the Yule Ball that year. Small tables in place of the usual four house tables were scattered everywhere. Families of the seventh year students who were graduating, sat with their children.

As everyone sat at their tables, Professor Dumbledore was making his end of year speech. Ginny looked around her table at the faces of her loved ones. Mum, Dad, Ron and Hermione, Harry sat to her right, of course. Bill and Charlie had been unable to attend, but Percy and Penelope were there, as were the twins and Kate and Angelina.

Ginny looked down at her hand, entwined in Harry's, before glancing up to see his eyes fixed on her. She smiled at him shyly. She still had to pinch herself that they were boyfriend and girlfriend - even after two years it still struck her as amazing. And wonderful. She loved him with her whole heart and she knew he felt the same way.

As she continued to gaze unabashedly at Harry, he seemed to change. He looked fuzzy and out of focus and he was fading away. She didn't understand. What was going on? She turned to everyone else to discover that they too, were vanishing right before her very eyes.

Ginny began to panic. What was happening? She glanced around the Great Hall to discover that she was now alone. And it wasn't the Great Hall, but a dark room that was unfamiliar to her; and Harry was no longer with her.

Ginny tossed and turned as her dreams turned into the nightmare... the ones she had been trying all week to keep at bay. She struggled against them, trying to wake up. As she opened her eyes, they fell on the Dementor. She shrank back against the wall.

She steeled her mind against the images she knew would permeate her brain, but there was just no hope against a Dementor whose job it was to suck out every happy thought you had, only to leave you with your worst memories.

Ginny whimpered, tears silently making their way down her face. She tried to still the images, but they were relentless...

Neville on his knees before her, begging for his life... Ginny, impervious to his screams, killing him instantly.

A hand ripping her clothing to violate her in the worst way possible... big, slimy hands touching her, tearing at her underwear, without regard.

An ugly green light hitting Harry and killing him... Harry falling to the ground, lifeless. Ginny's screams as she was pulled away from him.

Ginny was crying silently. "No, please, not Harry. You can't take him away from me. Please don't," she begged in the silence of the room. Silent except for the rattly breath of the Dementor standing over her.

&&&&

Sirius, Remus and Anne crept through the room to the hallway, casting revealing spells all the way. They moved into the corridor and headed south towards the room that was their goal.

The stood poised to defend themselves against whoever was in there.

"I think some good ol' fashioned door kicking might be more appropriate," said Sirius, his voice quiet and threatening. "It will take whoever is in there by surprise. All together?"

Anne and Remus nodded.

"On three," began Sirius. "One, two three!"

In unison, the trio turned sideways and raised a leg each and with all the force they could muster, kicked in the door, and raced in, wands at the ready.

The room was dark, and the person in there, was on the floor, not moving.

"Lumos!" spoke Remus quickly. Sirius and Anne followed his lead, and then they all stopped.

Lying in a heap, in the middle of the room, was Harry.

"Harry?" cried Sirius, rushing forwards to him.

&&&&

The three Aurors crept through the kitchen silently. They continued out into a hallway, that had several doors leading off it.

There was no sound from behind the first door, or the second. However there was movement coming from behind the third door. This must be the person they had seen pacing on their temporary map.

The footsteps stopped, as they paused outside. With a number of hand signals from John, they moved quietly back up the corridor where it was pitch black. They were going to wait for whoever was in there to leave the room, and follow him.

They didn't have to wait for long. They heard footsteps coming towards the door and seconds later it opened.

Adam turned away from the three Aurors and they breathed a collective sigh of relief, and after casting a few unobtrusive charms around themselves, they silently followed him.

&&&&

After climbing through the ground floor window, Harry, Hermione and Ron crept through the mansion, casting revealing charms every step of the way, to prevent being caught in any Dark shields.

"We need to head towards the middle of the mansion," whispered Harry to the other two.

"Harry, look," said Ron urgently, grabbing Harry's and Hermione's attention. "This corridor splits and goes in three directions."

They all moved in single file down the corridor. When they reached the junction that Ron had seen from the room they had just come from, they paused. One of the corridors went right, one left, and the third went off on an angle.

"I think we should take the middle one," said Hermione quietly.

Harry and Ron both nodded, remaining silent. They all moved forward, treading softly, and after a minute of two they came to a lone door. It was the only door they had come across. Harry went to open it, when Hermione stopped him.

"What?" said Harry, annoyed.

"I just want you to be a little bit prepared for what we might find Harry," Hermione began tentatively.

"She's fine," said Ron adamantly.

"And she might not be," insisted Hermione, ever sensible. She had watched them both be torn apart at losing Ginny a second time, both from different emotional points of view to be sure, but heartbreaking to watch nonetheless. "We don't know what she's been through since she was captured."

"And the longer we discuss this Hermione, the worse she might be," snapped Harry, gritting his teeth. "I'm going in. Just be ready to back me up if I need it."

He moved to the door again and tried the handle. As he expected, it was locked. He tried "Alohomora" and that didn't work. He and Ron went through the usual array of charms to get through whatever barriers were still in place, and eventually they heard a click and the door opened a fraction.

Harry moved into the room quietly, his senses alert for anyone else in the room other than Ginny. Hermione followed and Ron, rather unwillingly, stood guard at the door.

Harry's eyes swept the room; it was dark and he quickly noted that there was no other way out. And then his eyes fell on a small heap curled up against the wall.

Ginny.

Harry stood transfixed for a mere second, before crossing the room in a flash to kneel down beside her. He chocked back a sob as he looked at her, tears springing up in his eyes instantly. She looked... beaten, destroyed. Her hair was unkempt and tangled, and as he gently brushed her hair out of her face with his fingers, he looked down into her small, pretty face and noted with anger that they'd beaten her. There were bruises showing around her cheek and eyes and she was pale and tear streaked. He couldn't bear to think what they'd done to her. He only hoped it wasn't permanent. He couldn't bear it if...

He started to feel cold and clammy, and couldn't understand why he would feel like that. His head started to swim with the images of Ginny's rape - the ones he'd unwillingly conjured up in his sleep since she'd told him. He shook his head to clear it, but something was wrong... he could hear his mother's screams again... Harry turned to Hermione to tell her something was wrong, and the look of horror on her face was enough to confirm that the Dementor that Adam had somehow conjured up, was in the room.

He turned on his knees and slumped onto the floor, the Dementor already draining him of energy. He pulled his wand to summon his Patronus...

&&&&

"Harry?" cried Sirius, rushing forwards to him.

"Harry? Oh my God, what happened?" Sirius knelt down, pulled Harry into his lap, holding him close. His brain whirled with questions.

"How did he get here? He was supposed to be heading towards the middle room with Ron and Hermione," said Sirius, shaking his head, his eyes welling with tears. His head hung on his chest, which heaved with the grief that was welling up inside him.

Anne and Remus stood silently, Remus pulling Anne in close to him as she cried into his robe.

Remus was too shocked by the events to think clearly. But as he stood there watching Sirius clutching Harry, something caught his eye. Harry's hair was changing colour. Remus released his hold on Anne, comprehension coming to him quickly.

"Anne?" whispered Remus to Anne. "Anne, look at Harry."

Anne opened her eyes, the hopeful tone in his voice getting her attention. She turned in Remus's arms and looked at Harry. She glanced at Remus in wonder. Harry's body had changed. "Draco?" she whispered, incredulous. Remus nodded.

She knelt down to Sirius and placed her hand on his arm. "Sirius?" Anne shook him slightly.

Sirius raised red rimmed eyes to hers, not really focusing on her at all.

"Sirius, it's not Harry," Anne whispered gently.

"What?'" whispered Sirius, not understanding what she was saying, at first.

"It's not Harry. It's Draco Malfoy."

Sirius looked down, and sure enough, Anne was right. It wasn't Harry anymore. It was Draco Malfoy. Sirius looked up at Remus and Anne, not comprehending what the hell was going on. Sirius gently lowered Draco to the floor and stood up, his legs still shaking from the shock he'd received.

"He must have had some polyjuice potion with some of Harry in it. You said he'd been following Harry around the world," Remus volunteered, looking at Sirius, trying to come to grips with what might have happened.

"Well, I don't think this is what he was planning when he took the potion. Do you think the potion was fatal somehow?" queried Anne.

"No," said Sirius, looking down at Malfoy, disgust flitting across his drawn features. "Adam betrayed him. That's my bet."

"Well, we can't help him now, and he certainly can't do any more damage, so let's just go and find the others and see if they need any help. Adam's still in here somewhere, and still a very real threat," said Anne worriedly, "and he obviously has no compunction about killing to satisfy his own evil ends."

&&&&

John, Geordie and Natasha were creeping behind Adam, not making a sound.

Adam worked purposefully towards the centre of the mansion. He was obviously going to check on Ginny.

Each Auror wondered where Malfoy might be hiding. They were passing so many corridors, that it seemed as if the mansion just went on for ever.

Hermione was frozen to the spot. Dementors didn't affect her the way the affected Harry, or even Ginny.

"Ron," called Hermione, "Ron!"

Ron turned from watching the corridor and faced the room. Before Hermione could blink, Ron had drawn his wand and cast his Patronus.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Before Voldemort had been destroyed, and the Dementors along with him, the Auror Division would often come across Dementors during the war. Expecto Patronum, therefore, came easily to an Auror.

An eagle shot out of Ron's wand and headed straight for the Dementor, which backed away from Harry and Ginny immediately.

"Lumos," said Hermione. She searched the room quickly, found a light switch and flicked the room's lights on so that they could see. It didn't matter if they were discovered now, they needed to defend themselves against this Dementor first and foremost.

Ron moved to the centre of the room and fired off another Patronus at the Dementor, trying to steer it away from Harry and Ginny.

"Hermione, get everyone here now!" cried Ron urgently. "We need to contain this thing and get everyone out. Harry and Ginny aren't going to last long with this thing around. I'll drive it out of here."

Hermione, steeling herself against the Dementors affects, pointed her wand to her throat and incanted the charm, calling to everyone.

&&&&

In the meantime... despite the fact that Emily, the boys and Aurors had split up, as they'd seen the main group do...

Emily and Fred turned a corner and heard footsteps. They froze. Emily pushed Fred behind her to protect him.

"Emily!" Fred grumbled.

"Shut up and stay behind. You can't protect yourself in here," snapped Emily.

The corridor was very dark and they waited in silence, Emily with her wand, ready for anything. As the footsteps got closer, they could hear whispering.

"Fraser?"

"Yeah?"

"How long did -"

"Hang on... shush, I think..." Fraser cast a few charms to determine what was in front on him. "Lumos."

"Phil? Fraser?" called Emily hesitantly.

Fraser and Phil moved down the hallway towards them, Phil looking extremely relieved.

"Well, so much for splitting up," remarked Fraser wryly, smiling at Emily.

"I know, but actually I feel better now that you're here," she replied.

"Oh, thanks Em!" Fred said indignantly.

"Oh hush you. You know what I mean. I don't know everything that Fraser does."

"Well, let's keep going. I gather you haven't found anyone yet?" Emily and Fred shook there heads. "Well, we just passed a small corridor back a bit, let's go back and see where it goes. This place is such a maze... it doesn't feel like a mansion, more like a command centre," Fraser mused.

They all turned back and proceeded down the corridor that Fraser had mentioned, and before they had got too far, they heard footsteps coming towards them.

"Nox," whispered Fraser. The group stood silent, up against the wall of the corridor and waited, Fraser in the lead, wand drawn.

As the footsteps came closer Fraser stepped into the middle of the corridor, lit his wand and prepared to face down whoever it was.

Emily, Phil and Fred held their breath, Emily waiting to see if she could help.

"Fraser? It's me Sean, and Shane."

Fraser, Emily, Fred and Phil let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Well, I must say, this is actually pretty funny. I can't believe that we split up, only to come across each other. And in a place as huge as this," Fred grinned at everyone.

Everyone smiled, until they heard a voice, a female voice cry out.

&&&&

"Sirius, Remus, Anne, WE NEED YOU HERE. NOW!" cried Hermione, trying to quell the panic that was rising within her. It was unreasonable, she knew, but she hadn't been this close to a Dementor since her third year at Hogwarts, and try as she might, she was already reliving her parents' death in her mind. 'WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE ROOM, JUST FOLLOW MY VOICE!"

&&&&

"That was Hermione," said Emily. "Quick, let's go!"

She turned and ran in the direction of Hermione's voice.

&&&&

The moment Hermione had called, everyone responded. Sirius, Remus and Anne, ran out of the room, leaving Draco's body behind and bolted towards the middle of the mansion, following their instincts as well as Hermione's voice.

The three Aurors following Adam stopped in their tracks the second they heard Hermione's voice. Adam's steps faltered and he turned in a circle on the spot looking around. But not seeing anyone, he started to run.

The Aurors followed, not concerned if he saw them or not. They rounded a corner, with Adam still in front. They could see light spilling from a doorway, and a Dementor being backed out of it.

Adam went to draw his wand...

"Expelliarmus!" cried Natasha the instant she saw Adam go for his wand.

Adam's wand flew out of his hand and he turned in surprise, not having realised anyone else was there.

"Petrificus Totalus!" John shouted.

Adam froze where he was standing and fell flat on his back.

As they approached Adam, they heard running footsteps and Sirius, Remus and Anne bolted around another corner into view.

"I'll move Adam to the front door," advised Geordie, wanting to get him out of the way, in case anyone stepped on him. She had just seen the Dementor backing out of the doorway, and reacted quickly to move him out of harms way. "Mobiliscorpus," she incanted, using her wand to direct Adam's body down the hallway towards the front of the mansion.

Sirius pulled up short when he saw the Dementor. He'd never been good with the Patronus charm as he was too easily affected by Dementors, given the horrors of his past association with them. So he did what he did best; morphed into Padfoot and kept running. He ran circles around the Dementor, snarling and snapping, keeping it distracted whilst Ron kept pushing it back with his Patronus.

Anne and Remus, seeing that Adam had been taken care of, moved into the room to see where everyone else was. And they came to a halt. Harry was lying limp on the floor with Hermione bent over him crying, a few feet away from Ginny. Ginny was slumped on the floor, unconscious.

Anne went to Ginny immediately. "Ennervate," she whispered, pointing her wand at Ginny and watching her face for signs of life.

Ginny's eyes slowly opened and focused on Anne. She tried to pull herself up into a sitting position, but collapsed again.

"Ginny, stay still, it's alright. I don't know how long that Dementor has been here, but you're very weak. Here have some chocolate, that should help."

Ginny tentatively took the chocolate and forced some into her mouth, it's sickly sweetness flooding her body and warming her instantly. Anne watched her carefully as Ginny took a deep, unsteady breath.

"How did you get here?" Ginny asked, her voice tremulous and shaky.

"Well, that's a long story actually. It can wait till later. But everyone came, we couldn't hold them back." Anne spoke with a smile in her voice.

She looked over at Hermione who, although she looked rather pale and shaky, was cradling Harry in her arms. She floated some chocolate over to her, which Hermione immediately gave to Harry, who was struggling to regain consciousness, as well as taking some for herself.

Remus stood there, relief flooding his heart that everyone was safe, at last.

"Anne," interrupted John, "what would like us to do?"

Anne paused for a moment thinking. "Get Adam back to the Ministry and in custody immediately. Take him to the Ministry as well, but don't notify his family until I get back there."

John nodded and he and Natasha left to follow Anne's instructions.

Anne turned back to Ginny, who was looking very fragile.

"Where's Sirius?" asked Ginny, her voice trembling with emotion. "I need to speak to him."

Anne was surprised. She'd've thought that Ginny would ask for Harry first, but she called to Sirius, who was still snarling at the Dementor down the hallway.

"Padfoot!" called Anne. With the communication charm, he heard her, even though he was a fair way down the hallway.

Padfoot bounded into the room, morphing back into Sirius once he got close to everyone.

"Sirius, Ginny wants you," said Anne gently.

Sirius knelt down before Ginny and took her hand in his, covering it and squeezing it gently. 'It's good to see you're okay Gin," Sirius said, smiling, relief heavy in his voice.

"Sirius, I don't know how to say this," Ginny whispered, starting to cry again. She knew the tears would never stop. She could hardly get the words out.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" Sirius, immediately concerned, looked to Anne for help. Anne just shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, also not knowing what was going on.

Before Ginny could respond to Sirius's question, they all heard the thunder of footsteps coming down the hallway towards them. Remus and Ron whipped around, wands out... and into the room ran Emily, the boys and the Aurors assigned to protect them.

They stopped suddenly and looked at the scene before them. Emily immediately moving into the room to see if Ginny was okay. Remus held her back.

"No, Emily, just leave her for a bit. She's okay, but very fragile." Emily nodded and stayed near Remus.

Ginny looked over at Emily, Remus and Ron, and then her gaze shifted back to Sirius, who just squeezed her hand comfortingly. "It's okay Ginny, whatever it is, you can tell us."

"Harry's dead."

The words hung in the air, thick as honey, until Sirius shook his head, not really understanding what she'd just said. Had he missed something? Again? He turned his head to the left. He could see Harry with Hermione and he was just pulling himself up into a sitting position.

And then in a flash he remembered Draco in the far south room. 'Oh my God, that was what Draco had done'. He'd changed into Harry, so that he had a new way to torment Ginny. Hate for the Malfoy family welled up inside him, as fresh as ever. He shut his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth, not wanting to let loose verbally, as much as he wanted to. He had to get his godson and future wife out of here and home... where they'd be safe... and together.

Emily made a chocking noise and turned away.

"Emily," Ron moved to her, enveloping her in his arms. She looked ready to cry and he sympathised with her right at that moment. Everything was so intense and he didn't entirely understand what was going on.

"Ginny, Harry's not dead. He's right here..." Sirius started to explain, and then stopped. Ginny had just spotted Harry. He was standing up and moving towards them. He smiled at Harry, who smiled back and then focused on Ginny.

"Hi Gin." Harry spoke gently as he crossed the space between them.

As everyone watched, they all smiled, waiting for Ginny's reaction to seeing Harry again. But Sirius, Remus and Anne hadn't anticipated the depth of psychological damage that Ginny had suffered at the hands of Malfoy's deception.

"No," she cried, "no, it's not true, YOU'RE DEAD!" Ginny stood up shakily, using the wall for support, backing away from Harry. "No, you're DEAD! I saw you die. You can't be him, you can't." Ginny kept repeating the words like a mantra, as if she was trying to protect herself from suffering his loss all over again. Tears poured down her face, fresh and unchecked. "You can't be him... you can't be..."

She backed herself up into a corner, her expression one of confusion and fear.

Harry initially stayed where he was, but he was so desperate to hold her and help her that he instinctively moved toward her. But the instant he moved Ginny became more and more hysterical, moving around the wall, to make sure this mirage didn't get any closer.

Ginny's brain was fogging over, she was mumbling, as she slid down the wall, falling in a heap when she hit the floor.

"Ginny, I'm not..." began Harry, looking lost, confused, not understanding what was going on. He took another step towards her.

Ginny saw him move closer and as weak as she was, cried out again, "NO! Don't come near me, don't... stay away... you're not real... you're not... I saw you die..." Ginny's face was a mess of tears and edging on hysteria, when Anne moved towards her.

"Ginny, Ginny, look at me honey." Anne spoke slowly and gently, not wanting to upset Ginny in the slightest. She moved closer.

Ginny's sad, wet eyes searched blindly for the voice that was speaking, and found Anne.

"Ginny, do remember who I am?" Ginny nodded. "You know I wouldn't hurt you, don't you?" Ginny nodded again. "Okay, good... you're not in any danger. Draco Malfoy is dead and we've got Adam in custody. You're safe now." She crouched down in front of Ginny, gently placing her hand on the leg that was closest to her - just wanting to slowly get inside her personal space again, without scaring her.

Ginny whimpered silently, her chest heaving with sobs that were fighting to escape her chest.

"Sirius, what the hell happened?" Harry whipped around to face his godfather, hurt, anguish and confusion showing in his exhausted features.

"Draco took some Polyjuice potion to pretend to be you."

Harry's mouth hung open slightly at this, as potential scenarios played out in his mind in the space of a few seconds.

"I'm not sure what happened - Ginny can tell us later, when she's recovered from her ordeal somewhat - but Malfoy was killed. And I'm guessing from her reactions... that Adam killed him, in front of her."

Harry closed his eyes, anger and hate crashing through his body in an instant.

"Where is Adam?" he asked, barely restraining the anger he felt towards someone he'd never even met before.

"He's in custody Harry. Don't worry, he's not going anywhere, except to jail where he'll be staying for the rest of his life," Sirius advised harshly.

Anne, watching them from her position on the floor spoke up. "And no Harry, you won't be the one to interrogate him. Your part in all this is over. Let's just get out of here and we can sort everything out in the morning." She looked at her watch. It was 6.07am. They'd been up all night. No wonder she felt tired! "Well later today at any rate."

"How are we going to contain the Dementor?" asked Remus, speaking for the first time since he'd entered the room.

"We'll just seal him in a room, and guard it for the time being, in case it somehow gets out," Anne said somewhat wearily. She pointed her wand to her throat and spoke to Geordie and Natasha who were at the front of the mansion with Adam's body.

"Geordie, can you please get back to the Ministry and get some fresh, wide awake Aurors to come and guard this place and the Dementor," Anne ordered.

"What are we going to do about Ginny?" asked Emily tentatively.

Everyone looked stumped momentarily, and then Anne spoke up.

"I think we should show her Malfoy's body." Everyone looked mollified at this suggestion. Anne continued. "She's too traumatised by what she's seen - I think it's the only way she'll accept that Harry's not dead."

Everyone looked at her - the suggestion seemed harsh given Ginny's present state of mind. But as they all stood there, Harry realised the truth in Anne's statement.

"Anne, ask her what Malfoy was wearing. She still might not believe you, but clothes don't change with Polyjuice potion, just the physical features." Harry faced Anne, as she stood up again, leaving Ginny still on the floor, weeping. "Maybe if she sees Malfoy in the same clothes as she saw me in," Harry tried to make sense of it, "then if she sees me, as I am, then it might just trigger enough that she'll believe me."

"Okay. Sirius, can you pick her up? Let's do this now before I get his body removed."

Sirius looked at Anne curiously. They seemed such harsh, unfeeling words - especially when they came from Anne. He was definitely seeing the different aspects of her personality. He smiled to himself, as he moved to pick up Ginny, Anne was one hell of a lady. He considered himself very lucky.

As Sirius lifted Ginny up off the floor, he shifted her around until he got her comfortable in his arms. She instinctively tucked herself into his body and slowly put her arms around his neck, still crying quietly.

"It's okay Ginny. I've got you," Sirius whispered to her. "You're safe now."

Harry stood by himself, watching Sirius lift Ginny into his arms, feeling... was it jealousy? 'That's ridiculous' he thought to himself. 'Get a grip Harry, it will all be over soon.' He turned away from the door... from everyone.

"Harry?"

Harry jumped at the sound of Anne's voice, as she moved in front of him. He smiled at her weakly, but Anne could see the tension in his stance.

"Come on..." Anne began as she took his hand to follow Sirius.

"I can't..." Harry was at a loss for words, his feet rooted to the floor.

Out of the corner of her eye, Anne saw Sirius pause in the corridor, waiting for them. She gestured for him to wait a moment.

Anne looked back at Harry. She thought actions might be more appropriate now, rather than adult wisdom. She moved closer and took him in her arms. After a moment, he relaxed and hugged her back, a tear trickling down his face.

"I can't lose..." Harry chocked back the sob that was threatening to overwhelm him.

"And you won't. You know it Harry. I know you do." Anne released him and looked up at him, compassion and love for her godson shining in her eyes. The Auror was gone, and just Anne remained.

"I know you're all over the place emotionally, right now, but persevere and in a few minutes, Ginny will see that you're alive and everything will be okay. I promise you." Anne raised her eyebrows and said, laughter in her voice, "Now, you know godmother's don't tell fibs don't you?"

Harry nodded his head, and with Anne leading the way, they followed Sirius through the mansion, to the far south room.

&&&&

In the far southern room...

Sirius moved into the room talking quietly to Ginny. Sirius was describing what Harry had been wearing when she saw him killed, and Ginny was nodding her head in agreement.

"Okay. Now Ginny, I know you're upset, but I need to look at him again and tell me what you see," pressed Sirius.

She looked up at him, still in his arms, eyes wide with shock and fear. "No, Sirius, don't... you can't ask me to..." she wriggled in his arms, and eventually he had to put her down. She stepped back from Sirius, looking at him as if he were a stranger.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Ginny looked bewildered. How could Sirius ask her to look at Harry's body again? It seemed incomprehensible to her.

"Ginny, listen to me. You need to see this. You need to look at the body." Sirius's eyes pleaded with her. "Please trust me."

Anne and Harry had crept silently into the room during this exchange and stood quietly where Ginny couldn't see them. Remus, Ron, Hermione, Emily, Fred, Phil and Shane were standing, respectfully, in the hallway - not wanting to crowd Ginny.

Ginny nodded her head shakily at Sirius and turned to look down at Harry's body.

There was complete silence as Ginny looked at the body on the floor. It was Malfoy! She turned her head slightly to look bewilderingly at Sirius, not understanding.

"I thought you wanted me to look at Harry's body?" Ginny's voice shaking slightly.

"Look at his clothes Ginny. They're the clothes you described to me, as what Harry was wearing. Look again," encouraged Sirius.

Ginny took a steadying breath and looked back down at Malfoy's body, her eyes widening as she took in the clothes he was wearing.

Seeing that she was on the verge of understanding what had happened, Harry stepped forward and touched her lightly on her arm. He noted that Sirius and Anne stepped into the hallway, moving everyone away, to give them some privacy.

Ginny turned to look at the person who had got her attention, and found herself looking into Harry's amazing green eyes. Her eyes filled with tears, finally understanding what had happened.

Harry took her in his arms, letting out a long breath of relief.

"Oh Harry, I'm so..."

Harry cut her off. "Shhhh, it's okay Gin. It's okay. I've got you now, you're safe. It's all over."

Ginny, weak with her ordeal sank completely into his embrace. Harry, not being at full strength after the encounter with the Dementor, sank with her to the floor, murmuring soothing words and endearments into her neck as she clung to him.

"I thought I'd lost you. I thought you were dead," Ginny hiccuped through her tears. "And I just..." she couldn't continue through her tears.

Harry held on to her, thanking God that she was safe once again. And this time, for good. Malfoy was dead. Adam was in custody. The world was as it should be. Or almost anyway.

He still had to convince Ginny to come home with him for the wedding.

He could still feel his mum's engagement ring in his pocket, still held there by a spell. He wanted nothing more than to propose to her right now... but it didn't seem right. She was so distraught and had been through so much... he wanted her to be rested and happy again before he proposed. He wanted to plan it, so that it was perfect.

Ginny lifted her head to gaze up at Harry. A gift. He was precious gift from God. She was still grappling with what had actually happened and was saying prayers of thanks to whomever was watching over them.

Harry tenderly tucked her hair behind her ears, and then settled her onto the floor. They sat looking at each other, Harry bringing his hands to lovingly cup her beautiful, tear stained face.

"I love you," he whispered into the stillness of the room.

"And I love you," Ginny replied, hope in her eyes once more.

Harry pulled her face to his and lowered his to kiss her, ever so tenderly, on the lips.

They revelled in each for other for what seemed like an age, kissing, touching, holding each other close once more.

It was a long time before either of them felt like going and finding the others.