Hey Guys, I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update. I started back at Uni so the weeks have just been passing really quickly, hope everyone's still interested.

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with the HP franchise, all rights go to JK Rowling. I wish they didn't though.

Chapter 15

Stupid. Bloody. Noble. Fucking. Git.

Ginny fumed internally as she angrily flipped through the pages of Quidditch Weekly. This was her fifth time reading it this week, it served as a great distraction from Harry Bloody Potter. Unfortunately, like Harry Potter, it didn't get any less disappointing.

That's not fair; She berated herself for even thinking that.

Knock Knock Knock

Ginny groaned and threw the magazine down beside her. 'Bugger off Hermione, I don't feel like talki- Oh' Ginny stopped in her tracks when the door slowly opened to reveal a very nervous, very fidgety Harry Potter standing in the doorway.

'I can, err, leave, if you want?' he muttered, his feet shuffling. His green eyes bore into hers; she felt her heart speed up, she felt her anger towards him slowly dissipating-

'That might be for the best.' Ginny replied quickly, tearing her eyes away from his and picking up her magazine. She discretely glanced over the top of the tabloid and watched Harry hesitate in the doorway, he made a move to walkaway but turned his head to look at her.

'Ginny. I'm sorry. For whatever I've done to hurt you, you know you're the last person I'd want to hurt- 'Ginny scoffed and flipped a page. 'What's supposed to mean?'

Ginny looked up at his angry tone and arched an eyebrow before looking back down at the pages of her magazine. Anger was starting to boil inside of her, an anger that was easier to contain when she was able to concentrate on whatever was in front of her.

'I didn't say anything.' Ginny muttered, failing to keep annoyance out of her voice.

'You didn't have to,' Harry snapped, he took a deep breath and asked her, with all the calm he could muster 'Just tell me what's wrong.'

Ginny looked at Harry once more, deciding whether he looked like he could take it. She decided she didn't care. 'Right now, Harry, you're what's wrong. So, if you could kindly leave… '

'I came up here to talk Ginny,' Harry cut her off, Ginny noticed his hands where clenching. This sent a wave of anger course through her veins. How dare he be angry at her. Ginny stood up; the magazine rolled in her fist.

'Fine.' Ginny snarled; her jaw clenched 'What do you want to talk about?'

Harry's whole body tensed; he gave her a pleading look 'Just tell me why you're angry.'

There was silence for a few seconds before Ginny hissed 'No word for 9 months!' She felt her hands start to tremble with rage. 'Do you understand what that was like? And now your buggering off again-'

'Ginny, you know I couldn't-'

'I don't know anything Harry!' Ginny snapped; her face was starting to feel warm now. She didn't want his excuses; no matter how logical they were. Logic didn't make it hurt any less. Ginny felt tears start to prickle in her eyes, her free hand clenched, she took a deep breath and muttered 'Bugger off upstairs Harry'

'No.' he said, taking a few steps towards her, he reached his hand out and touched her face, looking into her eyes. Ginny crossed her arms over her chest, she felt herself start to melt looking into those emerald green orbs. He looked concerned, scared, worried which only made her resolve dissolve more. Ginny tentatively leaned her face into his hand, the intimate moment only reminded her of a time she thought she'd never have this again, only reminded her of the pain and grief she had felt seeing his still body. She needed to know, had he been dead, maybe then it would stop haunting her, maybe then she could enjoy him.

'Did you die?'

His brows furrowed; he carefully retracted his hand and ran it through his hair. He was uncomfortable. 'Where did that come from?' he asked quietly.

He was avoiding the question, trying to find a way out. He didn't need to answer, his actions had for him. He really had been dead.

Ginny wasn't sure why this shocked her so much, but she felt her heart thud to the floor. He was alive and standing right in front of her, why did this hurt more? Why had this confused her more? The familiar sensation of a panic attack started to rise in her chest, she'd suffered with them badly after the Chamber. Ginny quickly pulled away from him.

'Get out' she said quietly, the tears were pooling in her eyes now. She didn't really want him to leave, or did she…?

'But Ginny…'

'Leave' Ginny said louder now, pulling away from him. She wanted him to go. Seeing him was too painful, but not seeing him…

'Gin, are you ok…?' The tears where starting to fall now, and her chest was getting tighter and tighter. She needed him to leave, he was only making it worse.

'Get out Harry!' She wailed through her sobs, chucking the magazine at him. She was hysterical now. She could no longer control her actions. 'Get out!'

Harry stood frozen to the spot, his eyes like saucers and his face was completely pale. If she hadn't been in such a state, she would've worried about him. Before either of them knew it, Harry was being pulled out of the room, by who Ginny imagined could have only been Ron and Hermione, and marched upstairs. Ginny felt a pair of arms wrap around her and pull her onto her bed.

'Ginny you must breathe' Fleur said softly, laying her head on top of Ginny's 'Breathe Ginny. You must breathe.'

'He- He was dead' She continued to wail, heaving sobs wracked her body as Fleur ran a hand through her hair the younger girl's hair. 'Fleur- I just don't know- I just- what do I-'

Fleurs heart broke for the younger girl in front of her, she was far too young to have dealt with the pain she had in the last year, well the last six years. She was only sixteen, no wonder she was confused, Fleur herself was confused. Ginny had lost so many in that battle, but she had seen the look on the girls face when Harry's body lay in Hagrid's arms, pure agony. Fleur can imagine that the kind of pain she had experienced wouldn't just go away.

Fleur continued to rock Ginny, once she had calmed down, she pulled back slightly from her sister-in-law, still running a hand through her hair. 'Eet iz ok to be confused.'

Ginny sniffled, avoiding Fleurs eyes, she nodded slightly.

Ginny looked passed Fleur and saw her mum standing in the doorway, watching her with sad eyes and tears streaming down her face. Molly sniffled and started to wipe her eyes 'Sorry. Sorry, I just realized I haven't seen you cry like that since your first year...'

Ginny started to wipe her own tears away and walked over to her mum, wrapping her in a bone crushing hug. Molly accepted it gratefully, and held her daughter. Molly pushed her away slightly and kissed her forehead, she smoothed overs Ginny hair and wiped the remaining tears away.

'You love him' Ginny was slightly taken aback by her mother's statement. As far as she knew, her mum knew nothing about her and Harry's short relationship last year, although it probably didn't take a genius to work it out. Molly took a deep breath and put her hands on either side of her daughter's face and looked into her eyes, chocolate brown meeting chocolate brown.

Before Ginny could offer a reply, her father walked up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder. 'You ok, Ginbug?'

'Yeah' Ginny said weakly, turning to look up at her father. His face was pale, and he looked almost distracted, which made no sense because he had just been upstairs with-

'Is he ok?' Ginny asked, suddenly overcome with concern.

'Yes… yes, he's just worried' Arthur said unconvincingly, he seemed to realize his mistake and took a deep breath. 'It's nothing to concern yourself with darling. He's upstairs talking with Ron and Hermione as we speak, he's tired and worried is all.'

Ginny nodded slowly, staring at the floor. Maybe ignorance really was bliss, especially in the case of Harry Potter.

She heard feet ascending the staircase, looking up she saw George and Charlie.

'You alright Gin?' Charlie asked, concern etched into his face. His brow was furrowed and the tips of his ears that famous Weasley red, his eyes kept darting up towards the attic. 'What did he say to you?'

Ginny scowled slightly at her brother but understood his worry. Charlie also didn't know Harry all that well, so if any of her brothers had the right to be miffed it was him, she still didn't like it though.

'Nothing,' she sighed; her arms crossed over her chest. Charlie's mouth opened in protest, she sent him the most pointed look she could muster. 'Drop it Charlie.'

'Yeah, get over yourself mate.' George piped in, walking over and patting Ginny on the head. 'Ickle Ginnykins can, clearly, take care of herself' She glared up at him, internally smiling at the praise. 'And what the fuck are you going to do anyway Charlie?'

'Language!' Molly roared.

George ignored her and continued 'Go up there and threaten to kill him? I'm sure he'll welcome that, have you seen the state of him? He might just jump out the window for you if you ask him nicely enough- '

'GEORGE!' Her father roared. Silence seemed to stretch over the whole house, her father rarely shouted like that. Clearly this drew the attention of Ron who quickly rushed down towards them, stopping a few steps above the landing. His face drawn and worried as he looked over his family.

'What's going on?'

Everyone stood in silence a second, waiting to see if their father was going to say anything else. Arthur merely watched George with scathing eyes before turning to Ron

'Nothing to worry about son'

Ron looked at his father, confused before shrugging it off. Ron quickly turned to Ginny, his eyes and demeanor softening.

'You alright?'

'I'm alright' Ginny sighed with a nod of her head; her arms still wrapped around herself but more in comfort now than anything.

'Good' he said softly, taking the last step off the stairs.

He stood awkwardly with his family for a second before her father asked, 'How is he?' Ron shot a quick look in Ginny's direction before answering. 'He's calmed down a bit, not really talking though. The usual. Hopefully he'll open up to Hermione a bit…'

'Close with Hermione, is he?' Charlie asked, raising an eyebrow at Ron.

Ron shook his head exasperatedly 'Shut up you tosser, it's not like that. They're best friends, he trusts her…' Bill and Percy now joined them on the landing, sending Ron a questioning look.

Ginny's memory from Remus and Tonks' funeral came flooding back. Hermione knowing exactly where to find him, exactly what he was doing and yet Ron had no clue. He'd asked her how she knew, and she'd said they'd, herself and Harry, gone there at Christmas…. That argument in the kitchen? There was clearly an underlying issue there as well?...

'Wait.' Ginny cut in, looking at Ron. 'Did something happen between you and Harry?'

Ron's whole face turned bright red, he reached his hand and rubbed the back of his neck, his guilt was evident when he turned his eyes to Bill who shrugged his shoulders and indicated towards the rest of the family. Ron let out a really sad sigh before saying

'I'm not proud of it. I said some horrible shit, stuff that I knew would hurt him but… Merlin I can't even express how bloody hard and frustrating and just… awful the whole thing was. Starving, cold, hunting Voldemort, I had been splinched and we were getting nowhere, and we had this thing that… made us angry. It just… I was the weakest.' Ron rushed, he glanced up at Ginny and his eyes swept slowly across his family. 'It's just… I've never been hungry before and… I'd never had to constantly live in fear… Never had to worry about my family's safety… Hermione handled everything so bloody easily. Sure, she was irritable and a little bit stressed, but she never got overwhelmed and Harry, was just Harry. No different. They both seemed so… fine. One night, we heard Ted Tonks, Dirk Creswell and Dean Thomas all talking…'

Ron looked at Ginny again and went silent. George urged him on 'Go on then.'

Ron took a deep breath and went on. 'They were talking about Ginny's attempt to steal the sword of Gryffindor-'

Ginny's body went rigid, she had no idea they knew about that. She didn't even know anyone outside of Hogwarts had been told about that.

'Ginny's what?' Molly squeaked and her brothers growled. There was two ways she could play this, accept the inventible lecture or tell them all to bugger off. She decided on the latter.

'Oh, bugger off, It's not my interrogation. Ronald, carry on' Ginny forced a confident cocky persona and ignored the lasting looks from her family, who eventually conceded and indicated for Ron to carry on.

'Yeah well, he was relieved to hear you'd only been punished by getting detention with Hagrid but… I didn't see it that way. I was so worried about you Gin… It's not even an excuse really. We got into a huge fight and I asked Hermione to leave with me… Merlin she just looked at me like I had 3 bloody heads, I could see how sad she was, and when she told me she couldn't leave him I just… walked out.'

'You're a dick' Ginny said bluntly also trying to keep her expression passive. It seemed too hypocritical for her to go off on one about having a go at Harry right now. Molly clearly decided to turn a blind ear as there was no admonishment from her, maybe she agreed.

'I made sure he knew that when he turned up at Shell Cottage' Bill cut in, he too was watching Ron, but his expression was slightly more sympathetic. Ron sent him a small smile, before turning back to the rest of the family, he was about to open his mouth, but Ginny quickly stepped in,

'How long were you gone?' Ginny asked.

'6-7 weeks' Ron answered as he shuffled from foot to foot.

'Merlin Ron!' Ginny exclaimed, it was getting harder and harder to sympathize with her brother.

'I regretted it immediately, and tried to go back but… Hermione's stupid bloody wards…'

'What about my wards?' A soft voice said from the stairway, before Ginny could chip in. Ron immediately chirped up and walked towards her. Ginny smiled slightly at the sappy look on his face, but almost heaved when he kissed her.

'Just how well they worked' Ron said throwing an arm over her shoulder and leading her into the group.

'Right.' Hermione said, she didn't seem to be with it. Her eyebrows burrowed and her arms crossed over her chest.

'So…' George asked, 'How'd you find them?'

Ron went into some tale about some light leading him to them, but Ginny tuned out and watched Hermione. The girl was somewhere else, she had been the whole time. She was thinking, it was clear by the lip biting and vacant look. Something to do with Harry, clearly, as he was the one she was with beforehand. What was wrong? Ginny decided it was better to listen to Ron than go down the road of what could possibly be wrong with Harry, she was certain she was a contributing factor.