Chapter Eleven:

Ginny stood in the middle of Harry's bedroom, marveling to herself. It was odd and scary, but amazing as well. It was as though Mother Nature had just decided to plant a bunch of flowers on the carpeted floor of the Abbey.

The scent was wonderfully sweet and only seemed to intensify over time. It was very fragrant, yet gentle enough not to be overpowering. Her senses felt filled with it, and she felt overcome with an urge to just...remove all of her clothes and roll around in the blooms, wrapping their scent all over her body. But she didn't think Mr Cosgrove would fancy coming back to find her in that position.

She knelt and ran her hands over the blooms and felt a shiver pass through her. The flowers seem to respond to her touch; she felt as though a slight breeze had passed through the room, lifting the delicious scent into the air and carrying it outwards. Harry had tried to pick some of the flowers but had been unable to pull them from the floor. For some reason, she felt compelled to try it herself.

The flower released itself easily, and Ginny gasped. Its stem was long and purple, with wide fern-like leaves. She brought it up to her face and breathed in the sweet, earthy tone, letting it fill her lungs. She felt a sense of happiness that she couldn't describe; a sense that something had slid into place.

"It's only in the bedroom, although you'll see that's enough, I -" Harry paused as he stood in the doorway, pointing. "Gin, did you manage to pull one out?"

She nodded and stood up, holding it out to him. "Just breathe it in, Harry; doesn't it just...make you happy?"

Mr Cosgrove moved past Harry and looked at the floor, his expression one of astonishment. He muttered something about 'Meadowsweet' and kneeled, putting his hands over the flowers.

Harry, however, was staring at her. "Ginny, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Harry, I'm...I'm glorious!" She spread her arms out wide, as though she could embrace the entire room. She felt incredible inside. The scent of the flowers, the after-effects of pleasuring Harry; her whole body felt as though it was singing.

"Gin." Harry moved closer to her, taking her hand. He touched her face, his eyes wide. "You're...you're glowing, do you know that? Your skin, it's...I've never seen you look like this." His voice sounded awed, and Ginny smiled at him, feeling his love for her wrap itself around her.

Mr Cosgrove glanced up from where he was kneeling, and for the first time, really looked at her. He stood up and crossed over to where they were standing and turned her to face him.

"I don't believe it. Albus was right...you areher heir. The Prophecy was correct."

Ginny blinked at him, not understanding. Harry moved next to her, as though to shield her.

"What do you mean 'the Prophecy was correct'? What Prophecy? And whose heir is she, exactly?" Harry asked, his voice sounding worried.

Mr Cosgrove just shook his head at them, muttering to himself. He looked back at them and nodded.

"Right. You two need to come with me. Albus needs to tell you exactly what it is you're doing here. I don't think he expected it to happen so soon but, Ginny...remember how we were talking this afternoon about Aine returning?"

Ginny nodded, a small and strange little hole seeming to puncture her happiness. Somehow, she knew what he was going to say.

"Well, it's happened; at least, her former power has come back. In the form of you. And it's inside you right now, isn't it? You can feel it, can't you? It's finally awakened."

Harry turned his head to stare at her, and she wanted to stop time, to make Mr Cosgrove take back what he had just said, but she knew somewhere in the heart of her that he was right. She was different inside; she could feel something new coursing her through her, changing her more with every second that passed. She nodded her head and looked at Harry, his eyes and expression confused. She reached out and touched his face, cupping it gently.

"Don't be frightened, Harry," she said softly, and she wondered if she were saying it to ease his mind or her own.

o-o-o-o-o-o

"Ah, Dylan, I was hoping you'd Floo about the letter I sent you -" Professor Dumbledore stopped when he saw Harry and Ginny move in front of the fireplace. Ginny had taken a hold of Harry's hand, and she squeezed it now, as though to remind him to be patient.

"Professor Dumbledore, why did you send Ginny and I to this Abbey? And don't tell me it was so we could do some bloody research project. I want to know the truth, and I want to know it now."

Harry kept his voice even, but he knew he couldn't keep the anger out of his eyes, and he knew Dumbledore could see it as well. The old man sighed and nodded at them, disappearing briefly. The next moment, he was standing in front of them.

"I take it something has happened tonight with Miss Weasley?"

"According to Mr Cosgrove, it's been prophesied to happen, so again, tell me what exactly is going on and don't draw out the explanation. I'm not in a patient mood."

Harry tilted his chin at his headmaster and stared defiantly at him, not caring one scrap that the man could turn him into a bug if he wanted to. He was seething with emotion and right now, all of it was focused on the man in front of him. The man that continually kept things from him; things he ought to know. And now, he was hiding things from Ginny as well, and that was something that Harry would just not stand for.

"Er, Harry, perhaps if we could all sit down and -" Mr Cosgrove used his wand to conjure some chairs for them to sit in. Harry looked away from Dumbledore and glanced at the other man, who paused when he caught his look and seemed startled to see the open hostility there. Ginny gripped Harry's arm, forcing him to look away. As far as Harry was concerned, Dumbledore and Cosgrove both could go to hell and back again. They had been in on this together.

"Harry, let's sit down, please. I don't want to have a shouting match standing up," she said softly, her voice trying to soothe him.

"I'm not going to shout," Harry said as he looked back at Dumbledore. "I'm going to listen, aren't I? To something that was no doubt kept from us for our own good, isn't that right, Professor?"

Professor Dumbledore nodded, his expression serious. Ginny sighed and chose one of the chairs to sit in, tugging on his arm to do the same. Harry waited a moment and then joined her, his frustration boiling through him. He hadn't been this angry in a long time and once again, it was Dumbledore bringing it out of him.

The two men sat in the chairs in front of the couple and shared a look. Dumbledore rested the tip of his chin on his fingers, and Harry was surprised to see that his eyes were not studying him, but Ginny. After a moment, Dumbledore spoke.

"Miss Weasley, perhaps you would like to fill me in with what has happened tonight."

"I'll tell you what happened," Harry said, interrupting before Ginny could speak. "We had some flowers show up on our bedroom floor, and I went to find Mr Cosgrove to show him, and when we got back, there was Ginny, standing in the middle of them, and she was glowing as though she'd been...touched with some sort of...I don't know, power. And then Mr Cosgrove started talking about prophecies and well, here we all are, waiting for you to tell us the touching story of why we were never told about this. But of course, you won't make it easy, will you? You'll sit there and pretend we're too young to understand, as always."

Professor Dumbledore acted as though Harry had not spoken, and he continued to gaze at Ginny. Harry stood up angrily, fists forming at his sides. He knew Mr Cosgrove had pointed his wand at him, but it didn't matter; they all knew Dumbledore could merely flick his hand at him and send him flying backward if he wanted.

"Harry! Sit down," Ginny said, her voice strained. "Please."

"I suggest you listen to Miss Weasley, Harry," Dumbledore said as he finally glanced up at him. "I don't think she wants to hurt you."

Harry opened his mouth and then faltered, Professor Dumbledore's words sinking in. Harry looked at Ginny and saw that she was staring at Dumbledore, her face unreadable.

"Ginny wouldn't...well, she can't do what you do, anyway," Harry said, stubbornly, wondering why the old man was being so god-damned frustrating.

"Oh, I think Miss Weasley can do whatever she pleases, isn't that right, Ginny? You can feel it."

Harry rolled his eyes. He turned to Ginny. "Now what is he on about? Ginny tell him you don't feel anything of the kind -"

"I would never hurt Harry," Ginny said, her voice calm, but her eyes were angry as she gazed at Dumbledore. Harry faltered and wondered if everyone had suddenly gone quite insane.

"For Harry's sake, I am certain that is a good thing, however, until we test your strength, I do not think you should try anything, even if it is to keep him out of harm's way," Dumbledore said quietly, meeting her gaze.

Ginny looked up at Harry. "Harry, sit down. Please, my love." She stood up and touched him gently, and Harry felt calmer suddenly, as though he'd taken a very deep breath. He nodded dumbly, and they both sat down again.

"You were both sent here to study the Prophecy of Aine; in this, I did not lie to you. I needed you to acquaint yourselves with her history."

"What do you mean, we were both sent? I thought I was merely here at Harry's request," Ginny asked, her voice surprisingly calm.

"I knew Harry would ask you to go with him, Ginny. And I also knew that you would agree. Had things not worked out naturally between the two of you, I would have made certain you still had this time together. The fact that you were already falling in love with each other simply made my position easier, although I don't think it made your parents sleep any better."

"Okay, so you wanted us both here. Why?" Harry said, still holding on to the remnants of his anger.

"Because there is a second prophecy, Harry, a prophecy which Ginny's parents have been aware of for some time. They knew this time was coming; they were only a bit shocked at the passionate turn it seems to have taken so quickly. Although, I do not think they completely understand how passionate it is," Dumbledore added as Ginny's skin flushed.

"My parents...knew? Before we left? They knew Harry and me..." Ginny paused, shaking her head. "And they still let me go? I'm sorry, Professor but that goes against everything I have ever known about my parents. There's no way they would happily send me off with Harry if they knew that we...well...there's no way."

"Your parents did not have much choice in the matter, I am afraid. I am not their favorite person these days, to be truthful. Nor am I Bill's favorite either."

Harry felt like saying they could join the club but kept his mouth shut. He glanced at Ginny, trying to gauge her reaction.

"What does this Prophecy say exactly?" she asked after a moment, rubbing her hand over her forehead, as though she had a headache. Harry reached out and touched her, pulling her hand into his. She smiled faintly at him before looking back at Dumbledore.

"Unfortunately, I cannot give you the exact reading of it; it was broken during the skirmish in the Department of Mysteries, at the close of your fourth year. You may recall some prophecies were damaged?"

Ginny and Harry both nodded at him. Harry had a mental image of the ghostly apparitions he'd seen rising from the broken glass orbs; he shivered in remembering why they had been there, to begin with.

"The Seer who gave the Prophecy has since passed on, however, your parents still have their copy of it, and when it was first given to them, they allowed me to hear it as well. Perhaps when you return home, you can ask them for it, as it is rightfully yours."

"What did it say?" Ginny asked again, her voice soft.

"It said that the seventh daughter of the seventh child would love the boy who defeated the Dark Lord. That because of this love, a power would manifest itself within her in the form of the One who could return. She would sacrifice herself to save him and know the truth of the stone and of the water, and she would be released at the time of his death."

Professor Dumbledore's voice died away, and the silence seemed to press down on them all. Harry shook his head to clear it.

"What exactly does all that mean?" he asked after a while, glancing at Ginny, who had bowed her head and was looking down at her lap.

"As with all prophecies, it is open to interpretation, Harry. But it appears that the first part of the Prophecy has indeed come true. Ginny is in love with you, as she always has been, isn't that right?" Dumbledore's voice was tender, and Ginny looked up at him. Harry felt his heart break at the unshed tears he saw in her eyes. She nodded her head.

"I have always loved Harry," she said softly. "Even before I knew him...I loved him."

"Gin -" Harry started but she shook her head, turning to him.

"It's true, Harry. In some way, I've always...just...loved you. The idea of you, the thought of you...but you, all the same. I didn't understand it really, until after we were together."

Harry let the information sink in for a moment, marveling at it. He wasn't certain he deserved that sort of devotion.

"And now it appears that Aine's power has indeed been brought out by that love. I'm not wrong in assuming the flowers appeared after you and Harry had been together?"

Harry felt his skin heat but watched as Ginny nodded her head, meeting the headmaster's eye head-on. He was in awe of her lack of embarrassment.

"If you'll forgive the intrusiveness, but was there anything specifically different about this time?" asked Dumbledore.

"Don't you think that's our business?" Harry said loudly, feeling indignation rise inside of him.

"He's right, Harry. It was different. Didn't you feel it?" Ginny turned, her eyes bright as she looked at him.

Harry knew it had been more intense, but he didn't understand what that meant. "But, Ginny...we didn't...you know...technically..." Harry's voice trailed off as he glanced at Dumbledore.

Ginny looked at Dumbledore, a determined look in her eyes. "We didn't make love in the sense that we joined with one another, but I...I pleased him, and in doing so, I pleased myself. I remembered thinking that it was the first time since we'd been together that I truly understood lust, the pure and simple physical expression of the love that I have for him. I felt different inside; the more I made it about pleasing Harry, the more it became about me giving him everything I could."

Professor Dumbledore nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I thank you for being frank about this, Ginny."

Ginny continued to look at him. "It's okay. I think Harry has always known that he could have me."

Harry painfully cracked his neck as he quickly looked at her. "Now wait just a minute, what is that supposed to mean? I've always known I could have you? You're a person, Ginny, not a pet or...a piece of furniture or something."

Ginny turned and slipped out of her chair, moving toward his in a graceful, fluid movement. She lowered her head down to his, capturing his lips in a slow kiss. He forgot where he was for a moment and responded, wrapping his arms around her. His common sense prevailed, and he pulled away, his voice shaky.

"Er...should we really do that in front of them?" he whispered. Ginny's eyes looked sadly into his for a moment, and then she slipped out of his arms again, returning to her chair. Harry shook his head, trying to calm his breathing.

"What in the bloody hell was that about?" he asked after a moment.

"I think Ginny is trying to demonstrate that within every relationship, there is a shift of power - one is weak to the other's dominance. I think Ginny believes that she is the weaker of the two of you."

Harry stared at Dumbledore and then looked at Ginny, who was staring at her hands.

"Well, that's just...that's stupid. She's not weak; she's...she's equal to me in every way. Ginny, tell him. I don't think I can 'have you' any way I want you. You fight with me all the time, for crying out loud."

"It wouldn't matter if you pushed me away from you or told me you wanted to stop seeing me, Harry...I would still love you, and I would still let you do whatever you wanted to me. Can you honestly say the same?" She raised her head and looked at him. Harry shook his head at her.

"What is wrong with everyone all of a sudden? First of all, I am not 'pushing' you away from me - now or ever. Second of all, if you ever let me just do what I want with you, then please, kick me. Preferably someplace soft. I would never, in a million years, hurt you intentionally, Ginny. Gods, don't you know that?"

Ginny smiled briefly and shook her head. "I know, Harry. But consider this - you would push me away to save me, wouldn't you?"

Harry paused, knowing that she was right. He would push her away if he thought she was in danger. Ginny smiled sadly at the look on his face. He felt himself becoming annoyed.

"And you're saying that you wouldn't push me away to save me? Is that it?" Harry asked, confused by the direction the conversation had taken.

"No, I don't think I would. I...I would rather have you with me than without me."

"Well, I reckon that defeats the sacrifice part of that bloody prophecy then," Harry mumbled to himself. Ginny raised her eyes at him.

"Don't get me wrong, Harry, I would die for you, but I would never push you away and consider it the right thing to do. I honestly couldn't live without you, Harry."

Harry felt the tears hot behind his eyes and cursed. He stood up and kneeled in front of her.

"You're not going to live without me, damn it! I thought we settled this? Didn't you just yell at me the other night about having a future together? I want that future, Ginny. So no one is going to be doing any pushing away or dying or whatever else it is we're supposed to be fated to do. We're in charge of our own lives, isn't that right, Professor Dumbledore?" Harry said as he turned to face the older man. Dumbledore nodded, and Harry turned back to Ginny, taking her face into his hands. "It's all about choices, Ginny. And now and for always until I'm too old to see, and you're too old to have your own teeth, I choose you, Ginny. You."

He kissed her, not caring one bit that Cosgrove and Dumbledore were watching them. He felt the hot wetness of Ginny's tears as they fell down her face and wiped them away for her. Ginny laughed, quietly, shaking her head at him.

"Too old to have my own teeth, Harry?"

He grinned sheepishly and shrugged. "So no more of this talk about who's weak and who's strong. It's codswallop. I wouldn't love you if you weren't so strong, you know that, right?"

Ginny nodded, and he hugged her, pulling her into his arms. He didn't see the look that passed between her and the man sitting behind him.

o-o-o-o-o-o

With some help from Dumbledore, they managed to have a bloom-free floor in their room once again, although they could both still smell the lingering scent in the room. Ginny felt exhausted, even though her body still felt as though it were exploding with...something. Her mind, unfortunately, was heavy with its thoughts and fears. She and Harry were lying in bed, both lost in their thoughts. She rested her head on his chest, listening to the beating of his heart. It soothed her for some reason. She moved closer to him, and he stroked her hair.

"I don't understand anything about that Prophecy, well, the part where you love me, I get that. But I reckon...what does it mean? 'She will know the truth of stone and of water'? It doesn't make any sense. And what about the sacrifice and the release? Don't those two things ...I don't know, cancel each other out? How can you be released if you've sacrificed yourself?"

Ginny shrugged and didn't say anything. She didn't understand it either; although the moment she had heard it, she had known it was true. She didn't understand how she knew that at all. She sighed.

"We should get some sleep," she said quietly.

"I'm sorry; you're probably exhausted," Harry said as he reached over for his wand. He made the room darken, and the only light was from the window above their bed.

"Ginny?"

"Yes?"

"I'm...I love you. I don't care what happens. As long as we're together."

His voice sounded so young and so fragile, that Ginny squeezed her eyes shut to block the tears. After a moment, when she was certain her voice was strong enough, she whispered her reply.

"I know, Harry. I love you, too."

Harry tightened his arms around her, as though to prove to her how much he did love her, and she felt herself relax into his embrace.

She waited until his breathing evened, and she knew he was asleep. No matter how exhausted her head was, she knew she wasn't going to get much sleep. She slipped out of Harry's arms and quickly changed clothes again. Grabbing her wand and key, she left the dark and safety of the room, locking the door behind her. She headed for Mr Cosgrove's office.

She didn't knock when she entered because she knew they were expecting her. Still, she paused as she took in the scene in front of her; Professor Dumbledore was standing in front of the fireplace, and Mr Cosgrove was pacing behind his desk. They both turned to her when she came in.

"Harry is asleep?" Dumbledore asked her needlessly, and she nodded. Before she could say anything, Mr Cosgrove cleared his throat.

"Perhaps, Ginny, you and Albus would like to talk alone. You'll let me know when you're going to leave, Albus?"

"Yes, Dylan, thank you."

They both watched him leave, and Ginny knew he was scared, but she wasn't certain if he was afraid of her exactly or just the situation. He closed the door quietly, and she sighed. Professor Dumbledore nodded to the chairs that remained in front of the fire.

Professor Dumbledore conjured a pot of tea for them to share, and she allowed him to pour her a cup. She didn't meet his eyes and only looked up when he cleared his throat. She was surprised to see him holding a plate of biscuits in front of him, and she thankfully took one. Even though her appetite had left her, there was still something comforting about a lemon and raspberry tea biscuit wasn't there?

"How do you feel, Ginny?" Dumbledore asked her quietly, and she swallowed before answering.

"Like I'm being pulled in two directions; my body is wide awake, but my mind feels as though it has had to sit through four hours of History of Magic," she said without thinking. She colored slightly, but the headmaster only smiled kindly at her.

"I expect you will notice that your natural stamina now has been enhanced. The rest of you will respond as well, eventually. I think what is happening now is only natural; your mind is trying to figure out what has occurred."

Ginny put down her teacup and looked at him. "What has happened then? I mean, exactly?"

"Exactly? I am not certain; however, I do think that something inside of you has connected with something that is very old."

"But is it Aine? I mean, the prophecy said the power would manifest itself in the form of the one who could return but...how do you know it's her?"

"Have you spoken to Brogan Caley about Aine much?" Professor Dumbledore asked, surprising her.

"Brogan? Well, a bit. Harry and I were wondering about that - why did you want us to study Aine when it's obvious that Brogan knows more than we ever could? Although I reckon now, considering what's happened, that point is probably not as important," she added as an after-thought.

"The Prophecy of Aine is valuable to Mr Caley for various reasons; you might say he has a personal interest in its fulfillment."

"But why?" Ginny asked, confused. "He told me the last known descendant of Aine hadn't heard the full Prophecy, and that no one was certain what it says exactly."

"The Prophecy of Aine was first made many, many years ago. Long before you, Mr Caley or I were even born. It was decreed at the time, that the Prophecy would not be heard until the last known survivor of her bloodline reached his or her twenty-second year."

Ginny frowned. "But if no one has heard it, how do we know about it?"

Professor Dumbledore sighed. "The way most things are known, I'm afraid - gossip, rumors...theories...the story of Aine has been around for a long time. There have been enough... oddities about her and her powers to make some believe that she did indeed possess a powerful gift."

"But a powerful gift of what? What do I have to do with all this? I mean, really? What am I supposed to be able to do now?" Ginny felt angry, and her head swam with all the new information she had been given.

"Your role is such as what your prophecy stated; to love Harry and to protect him with the power that you have been given," Professor Dumbledore said quietly, surveying her over the tops of his glasses.

Ginny understood why Harry often got angry at their headmaster; it was like having a one-way conversation with yourself. He had told her a great deal, but she knew he had not told her enough. She rested her hand on her forehead, rubbing her temples, sighing.

"Why is this happening now?" she asked quietly, not really expecting an answer.

"Because I believe something is happening to Harry; he is changing because of the depth of his feelings for you. Love has played such an important part in Harry's survival - from the beginning, it has been the one thing that Tom cannot understand. He laughs at it - those who love Harry have always been something of an amusement to him. He cannot fathom caring for another person other than himself and so, therefore, he disregards it. I think because of the connection they share, Tom is getting his first real flicker of what it means to love because Harry is learning what it means to truly love."

"And I bet Tom doesn't like that one bit," Ginny said softly, feeling a memory from her past tugging at the edge of her mind. She'd poured her heart into that diary; she poured out her soul. And Harry had been included in that, hadn't he? Towards the end, hadn't Tom laughed at her for thinking that Harry would ever notice her?

"It is my belief that what Tom doesn't understand or like will eventually be his undoing. He runs from love, and Harry, it appears, is embracing it. Two conflicting points of view that only has one outcome in my eyes."

Ginny glanced at Professor Dumbledore, surprised by the tired, yet honest voice of his answer. She didn't know why it surprised her, but she was finally just realizing something.

"You really do think Harry is going to survive, don't you?"

"It has always been my hope that once Harry is free from the burden of Tom that he lives a full and normal life. I have cared for him more than I should have, probably. I admit that when I see him with you, it does my old and foolish heart good. I know he has had to live without for a very long time - I am not ignorant of how he was raised. Your family's acceptance of him has long been one of my most private joys. I don't think Harry would be half as strong as he is without the influence of you, your family, Miss Granger and the others that have been in his life. Even if he doesn't realize it, he draws strength from it. I think that your love for him has especially had a very profound effect. He has come to realize that there are things he needs to fight for. People he needs to survive for."

Ginny let his words sink in. She stared at her cup of tea, watching the light of the room reflect off its honeyed tone. What Professor Dumbledore said was true; Harry was starting to see that there was life after Voldemort. She'd never really thought about how he must have felt before - she had yelled at him for going through the motions, but now that she considered it, how could she blame him? And was it wrong for her to feel even the smallest bit of pride that it had been her to give him something to believe in?

"I reckon you're right," she said after a moment, looking back up at Dumbledore. "Harry does seem to know now that he has a life that is waiting for him after everything is done. But I still can't seem to shake the last part of the Prophecy, sir. Hasn't that pretty much said that Harry will die?"

"I admit that part of the Prophecy has given me a reason to pause. However, I do believe there are too many variables to know for certain that it is Harry's death of which it speaks."

Ginny wasn't certain that she knew what he meant exactly. She could admit to herself that when Professor Dumbledore had first told her the Prophecy, she had felt fear work its way around her heart. For certainly the words 'she will be released at the time of his death' meant that Harry was leaving them...leaving her? She knew that she had never once thought that Tom would be victorious after everything, but she had to admit to thinking once or twice that the price of Tom's destruction would be Harry's life. The unfairness of it all suddenly made her want to scream - 'why this? Why now'? Why right, when she and Harry were discovering each other, did this have to happen? Harry didn't deserve this burden, now or ever. She looked at Dumbledore, feeling her resolve roll through her.

"Then I want you to tell me what I can do with all of this...energy I have now. Tell me what I need to do to protect Harry. Because I am not letting Tom kill him. I'm not going to let him win. Not this time."

o-o-o-o-o-o

Ginny returned to the room sometime right before dawn. Well, at least now her body's tiredness matched her mind's. She quickly got undressed and pulled her nightdress over her head. She slipped under the sheets and rolled over, pressing herself against Harry's back, wrapping her arms around him. He felt cold to her touch, and she shivered slightly. He stirred and then turned. She realized he hadn't really been asleep.

"I thought you'd never get back," he said, his voice devoid of any inflection. She couldn't tell if he was angry or not.

"I'm sorry," she said simply because she was. He sighed and turned, pulling her into his arms. He squinted at her, tracing the line of her cheek with his hand.

"Did he tell you what you needed to know?"

Ginny bit her lip. "No, but I didn't expect him to. He... he told me there are spells I need to practice...things to help me keep things in check."

"Like what? What exactly can you do now?"

"I can, if I focus, block spells without a wand...and I can...well, Dumbledore said I'll be able to do loads of things as time progresses. That...all of the power will just get stronger until I'm...well, ready to..." Ginny paused, not certain if she wanted to complete the thought.

"Until you're ready to sacrifice yourself for me, right?"

"That's not what he said, Harry."

"Codswallop," Harry said as he released her, sitting up angrily. Ginny sighed and rolled over on her back.

"It's true. He didn't say that."

Harry put his glasses on and cast her a bitter look. "Don't fucking lie to me, Ginny. I can take it from those that think they know better, but I can't take it from you. You know as well as I do that Dumbledore believes in the Prophecy."

Ginny winced at his voice, but sat up, folding her arms. Fine, if he wants to have a row...we can have a row...

"Well, I'm not lying to you, Harry. He honestly doesn't know what the last part of the Prophecy means; he says there are too many variables, and that it could mean any number of things. There's the role of the other Prophecy to consider, the one regarding Aine herself - none of us know what it says, for one thing, plus there is your own destiny, your own connection to Tom to think about. Professor Dumbledore is right about one thing; we can't give up just because of some stupid old Prophecy that says you're going to die, and I'm going to sacrifice myself. Any sacrifice I do is going to be based on the fact that I know someone can come along and pull my sorry arse out of it because I am going to be with you for a long time, Harry Potter. You're not getting rid of me because of some stupid old prediction."

Ginny realized she had sounded angrier than she'd meant it, but didn't care. He needed to get it through his thick skull that not everything was designed to keep him in the dark. Sometimes people just didn't know the answer. Harry sighed and then slumped. He shook his head and looked at her, his anger seemed to have left him.

"I'm sorry. I...I just...I woke up, and you weren't here, and I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking about everything, and I felt...I don't know...that now the two of you are going to be keeping things from me."

"I can't believe you think that I would do that to you, Harry," Ginny said, sniffing. She still felt angry at him - or maybe it was just her monthly crankiness coming back.

"I'm sorry."

She gazed at him, suddenly not wanting to be fighting or angry or cranky or anything. She just wanted to hold him. She reached out, touching his shoulder and soon they were kissing and falling back on the bed. She sighed when she pulled away finally and held his face in her hands.

"Trust me, Harry. Just a little bit? I know what you've been through, and I wouldn't truly keep anything from you. Ever."

"I do trust you, Gin," he whispered. "I trust you more than anyone, I hope you know that."

Ginny nodded and removed his glasses for him again, rolling over and setting them on the table. Harry moved in behind her, wrapping her close to him. His breath felt warm against her neck, and she felt her heart beat faster. She wished they could make love; she wanted to feel closer to him, needed to feel him inside of her, if only for a little while.

"Ginny?"

"Hmm?"

"Er...about how long do you er...you know...um...I mean, when do you think that we can..."

Ginny smiled to herself and turned her head to see his face. "A few days at least, Harry. Besides, I need at least that much time to figure out how not to fill our floor with flowers again."

Harry shifted, and she felt him against her, causing her to sigh. He buried his head in her hair and mumbled something.

"What was that?" she asked as she turned back around.

"I said that I think if I have to wait a few days then we won't just have flowers on the ground, we'll have a whole bleeding forest to contend with."

Ginny giggled softly at the thought, and they both relaxed, settling into sleep, holding on to each other.

o-o-o-o-o-o

Brogan Caley was awake and dressed before Dylan Cosgrove even knocked on his door. He'd had a fitful night, tossing and turning until finally waking, getting dressed and ready for the day. He had been trying to read; an old book on the Munster legend of the Well of Aine, but his mind kept wandering for reasons Brogan couldn't name. He'd had a strange sense of foreboding most of the evening and as usual, it led him to distraction.

When Cosgrove knocked, he let him in, already knowing that something had happened.

"Brogan, I didn't expect you to be up."

He watched as Dylan glanced surreptitiously around the one-roomed living area all the students were given.

"I had trouble sleeping, I reckoned it was easier for me to just get up and do some reading."

Dylan nodded. "Your Transfiguration revision coming along fine, then?"

Brogan frowned. "I was reading about Aine; that talk yesterday at breakfast made me want to reacquaint myself with a few things. But I really don't think you're knocking on my door at the crack of dawn to talk about that or my regular class load, are you? What's happened?"

Dylan studied him for a moment and then smiled faintly. "I think it best you take tea in my office this morning. Albus would like to discuss a few things with you about your future plans."

"My plans? I'm staying here through the school year - I thought that was settled?"

"Yes, well...Ginny Weasley and your long-gone ancestor have moved the timetable forward. The first part of the Prophecy has been fulfilled it seems."

Brogan stared dumbly at his friend, not understanding his meaning. It was too soon. Ginny couldn't...she and Harry were close, he knew that...but...he shook his head as though to clear it.

"She's... she knows?"

"She knows enough," Dylan said and nodded to the hallway. "Come; let's talk things over with Albus. He spent most of the night with her, testing her strengths. We'll see what he has to say about it all."

Brogan nodded and turned to grab his things, stuffing his wand and book into his rucksack. He followed Dylan to his office, his mind still trying to sort everything out. If what Dylan had said was true, then Ginny had manifested Aine's power last night. He felt a small tug on his heart about that - he'd grown to like Harry and Ginny in the week they'd been around. And even though he'd found himself jealous of their obvious affection and attraction for each other (something he'd never truly had if he were honest with himself), he didn't wish them any ill will - and he certainly didn't wish on them what was probably about to happen.

When they reached Dylan's office, Albus Dumbledore was indeed waiting for them; Brogan had only met him once before, but he could tell the man had had a long night. His eyes were tired, and his demeanor seemed worn out, but he smiled vivaciously enough as he shook Brogan's hand.

"Ah, yes, Mr Caley. Good morning to you. Dylan tells me you are enjoying a healthy summer of Transfiguration revision. A colleague of mine, Minerva McGonagall, will be most pleased to hear that. She has often said that private tutoring would produce only the most brilliant students in the subject. I'm certain she would love to know how you are fairing."

Brogan smiled politely and sat as they all took their seats around an elaborately decorated table, filled with tea, toast, and marmalade. He stared expectantly at the man in front of him, feeling his curiosity get the better of him.

"Sir? Mr Cosgrove explained that something has happened with Ginny Weasley. Is it...is it what was meant to happen?"

"What has happened is that Miss Weasley has indeed connected with something other than her own power, which I have always felt was extraordinary to begin with; her ability to fight off Tom Riddle for a year is not something most children her age could have done. However, I think that now she is in touch with something within her that is very strong indeed."

Brogan let this information settle in his head for a moment. "So...so she's...she is the true heir?"

"It appears so."

Brogan felt a million things at once and then felt nothing. He'd waited a long time to hear the words that Professor Dumbledore had just said and yet, now that they had been said, he felt empty somehow. As though what was happening wasn't real.

If Ginny was Aine's heir then that meant that she was...He forced his mind to pause at that thought.

"What about Harry?" he asked, wondering how much they had told the couple.

"Harry is... of course, a bit dismayed to find that the girl he loves has her own prophecy to contend with, but I think his dedication to her has only been strengthened."

Professor Dumbledore's voice held a note of warning, and Brogan met his eyes. "You're telling me this, of course, so I don't go spouting off about things, aren't you?"

The older man studied him for a long time and then nodded. "I know you believe in what this means, Brogan. However, that part of Aine's history has never been validated nor proven. And, as you know, we do not have reason to believe it is even a part of the true Prophecy."

Brogan felt himself become frustrated, even though he knew the man was right. "Yes, but... you yourself know that of all the tales and rumors that have been passed down about Aine, the clause of the heir and of the descendant being true loves has always been the one constant. That's one of the reasons you wanted me to meet Ginny, I know that it is."

"Brogan," Dylan Cosgrove interjected before Professor Dumbledore could speak, "Ginny was brought here because of her relationship with Harry and their destiny in fighting Voldemort; until you are of age and can hear the entire Prophecy of Aine for yourself, we cannot even begin to assume what is or isn't true about it."

Brogan scowled and remained silent. Yes, he'd heard it his entire life - don't believe what you read, because when you hear the Prophecy it might change it all. But the theories and the rumors always talked about the heir and the blood descendant being meant for each other, and he had felt something when he'd first met Ginny; something that felt right, even though he barely knew her.

"You find yourself attracted to Miss Weasley, is that correct, Mr Caley?" Professor Dumbledore asked him now, and he felt his skin heat as though Professor Dumbledore had read his thoughts.

"She's a fine person; very bright. Of course, that's attractive. I don't know her all that well," he admitted. But what I do know I like very much, he finished in his head. Of course, I like Harry a great deal, too.

"What you say is true. Yet, you are aware, however, that Ginny's attentions are elsewhere and will probably be so for a very long time?"

"I'm aware, yes. She and Harry are very much in love; a person would have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to notice that, and I'm not all three of those together; at least, not the last time I checked."

Professor Dumbledore smiled kindly at him. "I apologize for being rude. I only want to make certain that anything Ginny or Harry read or hear about Aine be about the facts and not about the supposition of romantic theory. I need the two of them to be united and not to doubt one another - they have a tough enough time ahead of them; they do not need to worry about other things at this point."

"It's all about defeating Voldemort, yes I know that," Brogan said carefully.

Brogan knew his duty. If Professor Dumbledore didn't want to prepare the couple then that was fine, that was his weight to bear when the time came. All he knew was that in a few months when he finally turned of age and heard the Prophecy - if it had anything in there about the heir and the descendant being united - then he wasn't going to stay quiet. He'd never loved anyone in his entire life because of that blasted Prophecy; he'd turned to books and revision instead, hoping that one day he would be allowed to fall in love. Always the rumor had persisted that the heir and the descendant were supposed to bond together. And if Ginny was indeed the heir, as it appeared she was, what else could that mean?

o-o-o-o-o-o