Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or it's characters, this is merely a work of fanfiction.

A/N: This was a request by "Leora" on AO3. fem!Harry x male!Ginny AU. Hope you enjoy :)

Heloise held Gideon's hand tight.

She refused to let any tears fall now, even if it was Dumbledore's funeral. She knew she was the leader of the movement now, despite what anyone said. They would continue to treat her like a child, but the last part of her childhood had died on the Astronomy Tower with Albus Dumbledore.

She was the one who had to destroy the horcruxes, and she was sure she had to do it alone. She wouldn't risk anyone else she loved. Too many people had died already.

She would go back to the Dursleys, lock herself in her room, and study every book in her possession that could help her. She wouldn't drag Hermione into this if she could help it.

She may have even stolen a few books from the restricted section, but no one needed to know about that.

Ron would take care of Hermione, she had talked to him about it extensively. He was insistent that they were coming with her. When she disappeared, he would make sure she was safe.

Heloise turned her face and looked out of the erected tent, past Gideon towards the Black Lake. His handsome freckled face obscured the view, so Heloise turned her eyes to him and enjoyed that view instead.

These last few months had been the sweetest of her life, despite the hellacious lessons on Tom Riddle and his horcruxes. She had spent every extra hour wrapped around Gideon in the Restricted Section, the Room of Requirement, and any other empty room he might find and pull her into.

He was amazing. Heloise was pretty sure he might actually be the best person she knew. That's why she had to break up with him.

Today.

She couldn't let him get caught up in this horcrux hunt, in this the darkest of Magic's. Gideon was good, and brave, and pure, he didn't need to see that.

She was fairly certain she wouldn't make it out of this war alive, and she wanted Gideon to live. She wanted him to flourish. He deserved every good thing in the world.

By the time the service was over, Hermione's face was wet with tears. Ron shrugged at Heloise, and led Hermione off to console her.

Gideon led Heloise on a walk around the Black Lake. He stopped on the far side, drawing her into his lap on the grass. Heloise tried to resist, but his strong arms won. Quidditch had made him a bit too strong for his own good. Heloise steeled her nerves.

"Gideon listen, we have to-"

"No," he insisted, cutting her off. He pulled her back to rest against his chest, and squeezed his arms tight around her in a hug. Heloise fought the urge to cuddle in closer, and pushed herself away from his chest, facing him.

"What do you mean no? I haven't even said anything yet."

"We are not breaking up so you can go on some stupid noble quest all alone. We'll go on the stupid noble quest together."

"Gideon, listen-"

"No," he insisted, "you listen. You always try to run off on your own, and it always creates more problems than solutions. If you believe you need to go off on some mission, then fine, but I'm coming with you, and so are Ron and Hermione."

His voice was deep with authority, and it was a tone she hadn't heard him use before. It sounded like Mister Weasley when the twins were being absolutely wild.

Was she being chastised?

Heloise wanted to yell, she wanted to rant and rave, she wanted to throw a rather large rock and see it smash into shards, but instead she sat there and considered his words.

Was it true?

"Sirius," she whispered.

He never would have died if she hadn't raced to the Ministry that night. She had accepted it long ago. Bellatrix shot the spell, but he was there because of her. If she had been just a bit more patient, or stopped to think for a second, it could have been avoided. Gideon had followed her into battle, because he always would, but he wasn't blind to her shortcomings.

She felt Gideon nod behind her.

He had been the only person able to get her to see sense after Sirius' death. He was the one who made sure she ate, and took her sleeping potions, and generally didn't lose her mind. He was also the only person she hadn't constantly snapped at that summer.

He would lay in her bed with her for days on end, coaxing her to eat when necessary, combing his fingers through her long black hair. He read her every book he could find, and played her records they had found in Sirius' room. It was then that she began to fall in love with him. She was all broken edges and shattered pieces from Sirius' death, but he was gentle and careful as he put her back together.

"Besides, you're so short! What if you need height to defeat Riddle? You need a strapping young lad like me along for the ride."

Heloise laughed. It was a tight and cynical laugh, but it was there. They had agreed to compromise and neither use the name Lord Voldemort or You-Know-Who. They now called him exclusively "Riddle", or "Tommy".

Ron thought it was hilarious.

"It's bad Gid, it's really bad, and it's only going to get worse. It's the Darkest Magic I've ever seen. It shouldn't exist."

Gideon shivered against her.

"We'll be okay, love. We'll be okay if we do this together. I know you want to save me, but you can't. I won't do what they want Heloise, and that will make me a target. It's well known that we've been dating for years. If anything it's more dangerous to leave me behind. They'll torture me to get to you."

Heloise wanted to tell him no, she really did, but he had a point.

They had been dating for years, it was well known that Gideon Weasley was connected to her. There had even been articles about their "budding romance" in the Daily Prophet. She had hoped to spare him, but perhaps she would just be leaving him vulnerable with a target painted on his back.

"Gid, I'm not sure I'm gonna make it out of this alive."

Gideon's heart sank to his stomach. He had a feeling this is what was really at the root of the problem.

"Then we'll do that together too. They'll have to take me down before I let them have you."

"Gideon, no-"

"Heloise, I can make my own decisions. Your father never would have abandoned your mother, and I will never abandon you. No matter what that means. The twins know a way around the Trace. We can take it off today, tomorrow if you want, but I'm coming with you and so are your best mates."

Well, that was new information. The twins doted on Gideon, he had always been their favorite. Of course they told him, but not her. She sighed heavily, but admitted defeat. He had thought of everything.

"Fine," she said weakly as she leaned back against his chest, allowing his arms to wrap around her once again.

"What are you going to tell your mother?" she asked reluctantly.

"Not a damn thing, I'm going to make the twins do it after we've left."

Heloise laughed, a rich full laugh. Gideon smiled and leaned down to place a kiss upon her cheek.