Ginny Weasley sat in the silence surrounding her soul, despite the noise that was echoing around her. Lying on the grass in front of her was a body so broken it was almost unbearable; lying on the grass was the body of the one person she loved more than anything else. Harry Potter was lying in front of her, and the very fact that her soul was shattering didn't even register every time she looked at him. The incomprehensible pain- the broken heart, the shattered soul that was cracking just like glass- it encompassed her until she couldn't feel anything else, until she couldn't do anything else except stare at him, wishing, willing that it wasn't true.

Ginny hadn't fallen in love with the simple image of Harry Potter like she had as a child. When she was young, she had idolized him- thought about him every day and dreamed about marrying him, falling head-over-heels into his arms and being happy forever. That had been her fantasy, and Ginny was ashamed to admit that now. But when she had come to Hogwarts, she had seen that there was more to the boy beyond the tragic but amazing past and the scarred forehead- he was a person, and he had feelings and a heart and she couldn't manipulate him like she had thought. Ginny would never admit now that she had been crushed that her dream wouldn't be as easily achieved as she had thought- but still she had an immense crush on him, and for five years she stared after him, wishing that she was his forever and always. Hermione had advised her early on to just relax and let him see the real her, instead of the mask she generally wore in an attempt to impress him, and she had followed that advice to the word.

When Harry had kissed her in her fifth year, it had been like a million fireworks exploding in her head. It had been magic and wonder and light and happiness and joy all at once- and not just because it was what she had always wanted, it was her dream- no, it was because she wanted that in that moment. Ginny didn't want it simply because it was her dream- she had grown to love Harry for the person he was, for his actions and his heart and the way he held her gently as he kissed her. She was happier than she had ever been, and it was an amazing feeling. She recognized that the world loved him for what he had done for them- but she loved him irregardless, irrevocably, and the fact that reassured both her heart and his was the fact that she knew she would love him under a different name, under different circumstances.

But now it was all shattered in a single moment, in a single glance at the one she loved lying in front of her- and Ginny was broken herself, and as she watched him bleed she swore she could feel her own heart leaking the inky blood that let a person live.

To tell the truth, Ginny wasn't so sure she wanted to live anymore.

If it meant living without him- without Harry- then Ginny didn't know if she could do it. Harry had been her everything- and being apart from him for the summer had not been good for her personal sanity. When she had seen him lying in the Hospital Wing, blind- her heart had broken, just a little bit. She was trying, in her own personal way, to bear his burdens for him- and when she had told him that she didn't care he was blind, she had taken a bit of that pain away from him. But she had added to her own weight that rested daily on her shoulders- the truth was, she didn't care that Harry was blind. It wasn't that that bothered her. It was the fact that he was lost now- he only had her, and no sight to guide him. Her heart had torn then.

But now, minute-by-minute, as she just sat and stared at him, she knew that her heart wouldn't be put back together, no matter what happened.

Everything was all over now- she knew this- but Ginny barely contemplated the fact that she would surely lose her life now. Harry was gone, and with that she had decided that her life was too. It didn't matter anymore. Harry had failed- and she hated to think that- but it was true, and now Voldemort had won. Terror would now rule. Violence would be the dictator, and lives would be taken on a whim. She had no doubt that hers would be at the top of the list.

Harry had given himself up, and when Ginny thought on that another fresh tear crept down her cheek to accompany the thousands of others that had already fallen. Harry had given himself up- willingly- for all of them, and now he was here, dead. That was so tragic- that someone so young, someone so perfect, would be asked to do something so hugely terrifying.

Ginny cursed Dumbledore, the meddling, horrible old man, under her breath. He was the one who had prepared Harry, essentially, for slaughter- Harry had shared once with her all the manipulations that had been pushed against him. And when he had said so calmly that Harry had been abused- Ginny had known that, ever since her fifth year, but still- she had broken, and now to see him here- there were no words for it.

It wasn't just that Harry was dead. Harry was broken- not only mentally and emotionally by abuse and blindness and scarring and everything else that had happened to him- but he was also broken physically. His body was so cut open, bloodied, bruised, broken that he was almost unrecognizable, even to Ginny, who knew him more than anyone- and for her to remember that just the week before she had held his hand and kissed his blind eyes and his scarred forehead- the fact that he was gone now, and broken more so than anyone could ever, ever be-

A fresh sob escaped her, and ignoring the blood, Ginny let her head rest in her arms on Harry's chest, feeling her own chest heave with broken sobs as she cried over what she could never now have.

--

A silence was all that followed, and Harry was acutely aware of his mother, father, and Sirius staring at him with both interest and worry. He knew they were waiting for his answer, but the truth was, he didn't have one to give.

Harry was immensely tired of decisions, and he was frankly surprised that he was given yet another chance to decide the fate of his life. He had decided once to go through the pain so he could live- and he had ended up blind, but he had been with Hermione and Ron and Ginny again. And now, he had another chance to decide after he had been so badly broken.

Startled, remembering, Harry looked down on his body and found that it truly was surprising that he could even stand. He looked up at the three standing a bit away from him, a question in his eyes.

There was silence for a moment, before Lily sighed heavily. "Even this can't be perfect, Harry."

Harry slumped to the ground and looked down at his hand, carefully wiping dried blood away from his fingers with his other hand. It was almost surreal, seeing himself so injured now- covered in blood, and cut up so badly it was almost unbelievable- it was a tragedy, Harry thought. Because he knew now that if he returned, it would hurt more badly than even before- and he had thought that that had been unbearable. Harry didn't even want to think about what this would be like to return now.

But as he stared at his parents and Sirius, he couldn't help but contemplate what really mattered to him now. It was a decision- in the moment, there was no present. There was only past and future. Remaining would be dwelling in the past; living in memories and wishes from before- but going back would be looking towards the future, towards a married life with Ginny and a life-long friendship with Ron and Hermione. He knew that would be coming, were he alive.

Looking up at that, Harry couldn't help but remark, "I was going to be married."

Harry hadn't expected a response, but he received one at Sirius' laugh. "Were you going to propose, Harry? Good! Ever since I saw the two of you together…"

Still laughing, he turned to Lily and James. "I know you watch, but maybe you haven't seen it- they look so much like you two! Red hair, dark hair- green eyes, and the girl, Lily, she has your personality. They are perfect together."

Both Lily and James turned their smiles upon Harry, their looks delicate and proud. Harry both flushed and beamed under their stare, but after a moment he looked up to face them.

"I really am in love with her."

Lily smiled even wider, and then she sobered. "I'm glad, Harry. Everyone needs someone in their life." She then frowned and said, "No one is expecting you to stay, and no one is expecting you to go. You don't have to explain yourself to us, Harry."

Harry's face adopted a frown to match his mother's and he said, with a trace of anger decorating his words, "I feel like I do. I have had so many choices if I want to live or die- and now, when it hurts more than ever- I am facing leaving the world in turmoil."

"You faced that before, son," James pointed out- factually, not cruelly.

"Yes. I did. But then- they had a hope. They could have prepared without me, and had a different defense or offense- but now, with me gone, they have no hope. They believe their Savior is gone forever, and with that everything is absolutely lost. They will all die."

No response was given to that, and Harry wondered despite himself if they had to be quiet in order to let him make his own decision. That would definitely fit in with the cruel way the world seemed to be constantly operating lately- just one tragedy after another, and then here, when he finally got to see his parents, they were silent. Harry cursed everything for a moment before standing quickly, wincing with the dulled pain that coursed through his body. He began to pace.

"I'm not sure, here," he said quietly, "what the cons to going back are besides the pain. I have to go back- how can I leave them all to die?"

Beyond that, Harry knew that he couldn't leave Ginny. He loved her too much.

Harry shot one last look at his parents and Sirius.

"Thank you for making your sacrifice for me," he said quietly to his parents, a small smile lighting up his pale face. "I'll make sure it wasn't in vain. That's why I'm going back."

Harry turned then to Sirius. "Sirius, you have no idea how much I miss you," he began. "When you fell through the Veil- I was lost. I'm so glad that I got to have you in my life, even if it was for a time so short as two years. I love you."

The magic led him then, and he was sucked away from the place beyond his mind, in the realm of death and life- he was sucked back into his body, back to a life of pain and loss but also one of love and beauty….

­--

The area around her and Harry was quickly becoming more and more vacant, and Ginny wondered in a small part of her mind if everyone had forgotten about them in their rush and in their panic. Frankly, she was okay with that. Even though it hurt so much- so much it was unbearable- she wanted to be with him here. She needed to be with him.

Ginny hadn't moved her head from his chest and was still sobbing heartbrokenly when she felt a movement beneath her that was not her own.

Harry- who everyone had thought dead- had taken a broken, shuddering breath.

Ginny raised her head faster than she had thought possible and looked at the boy she loved with all her heart, who was gasping violently and looked to be having a seizure. His whole body was shaking uncontrollably, and his breath was coming out in gasps that looked to be barely sustaining him.

Ginny felt as if she was in a dream when she leaned close to his head and whispered loudly, "Harry! Harry, can you hear me?! Harry!" It was surreal to her. Because this couldn't be real, could it? It had to all be a dream. Harry was dead. Any person who saw him would attest to that, without even listening for his heartbeat or feeling for his pulse.

Another shuddering, broken breath wracked through Harry's body, and a rattling, gasping sound escaped him- and for a single moment, Ginny believed that that had been Harry's final breath- the real final breath, now. Now he was truly gone. Now it was real.

But then he took another, and another; and after a moment a scream escaped his lips, a scream so shattering that Ginny was nearly ripped apart by it- for it was a scream condensed of so much pain and agony that no one could even classify it; it was a scream filled with the essence of death and life all tangled into one, a decision to live that only brought pain; it was a scream made of want and longing but still a desperation for it all to stop- all that encompassed in one scream, one high-pitched note that was detonated with pain-

People came running, and they were just about to be surrounded when Ginny made a decision. She had been looking around wildly, not knowing what to do or how to help Harry- he sounded to be dying- but now, she did not want others to be the one who helped him. No. She would be it.

Remembering the fire that was always present in their kisses and the way they both loved the other beyond their very being, Ginny knew what she must do. It wasn't just for Harry- it was for herself, because she needed this. She needed it.

Leaning down, Ginny pressed her lips to Harry's bloody ones, putting all her love and passion in that kiss- and Harry stopped screaming.

--

The pain was unbearable, and Harry could feel his body wrack with the agony that was constricting him in its grasp. He couldn't handle this- he couldn't, it was too much- he had made his decision, and he had the will to live, but surely he would die from this-

Harry could feel a scream escape him, and despite himself he thought he was already dead. Even the biggest will and the biggest hope cannot beat pain in open combat- and here, pain was winning, no doubt about it. Harry was ready to let go- he was ready, for this was too much. He had always been strong- living through things almost no one else had to face- but this…

His scream continued, loud and high- he could hear it- but it was quieting, and Harry could feel his life slipping away, second my second- tick tock, tick tock- the seconds counted by, and soon, Harry knew, the Savior's life would end, despite his decision. He would die not by words but by pain, and Harry wasn't really sure what was more honorable.

But then suddenly, something warm pressed against him, and in the subtlety of his consciousness he could feel a pair of lips against his own. From habit, even through his pain, he could recognize them as Ginny's- and he could feel her warmth and her love and her passion and her strength flowing into him, and he was strengthened by her love.

Harry could hear his scream fading, and with a final shudder he laid still, Ginny's lips still upon his own.

With great effort he opened his eyes through another course of pain, and he found himself staring back at pools of chocolate.

--

"Harry?" Ginny gasped, looking at the green eyes that were now staring back at her. The crowd around her gasped but didn't move.

"Gin…" The shuddering whisper was barely audible, and Ginny leaned closer to Harry's face to make out his words. "I'm here…"

"You are," Ginny gasped again. "Harry…"

Harry sighed deeply, and Ginny was glad to see that he was beginning to get his breath back.

"I came back for the world… but mostly I came back for you. I did it for you, Ginny…"

Ginny's sobs started afresh at his words, and she looked up briefly to see that Hermione and Ron were kneeling on the other side of her, letting her take charge. She was grateful to them for it; but she was surprised to see that both of them were crying. Not so much Hermione, but Ron- Ron almost never cried, and when he did it meant something. This meant something.

"Harry," Ginny said softly, lying down awkwardly so her head fit gently into the cradle of his shoulder and head. She was careful not to hurt him, balancing her weight so barely any rested on his broken body. "Please, don't ever leave me again. I need you…"

Harry sighed deeply again, and the words would not come beyond, "I did it for you… I love you, Ginny…."

The sight may have looked awkward to those who did not know any better, but to Hermione, Ron, the Weasley family, Dumbledore, Remus, and Severus, it was one of the most beautiful sights they had ever seen. These two were so strong- for they both were broken, in various ways- but they were so perfect for one another. And the words could still be heard, even past the sounds of the battle restarting:

"I need you… don't leave me…"

"I did it for you. I love you…"

--

Long chapter! And I liked it, actually! Amazing!

This better, better deserve a review. I swear, I want a ton of reviews for this one! It took me a long time! So ya'll better review!