AN: Again, my many thanks to Imogen for beta reading this and to Ginny Potter for rooting me on! I hope this lives up to your expectations! And GP: Thanks for being so proud of my official conversion!
Chapter Two
Harry stood on the dock over looking a vast lake. The sun was shining brightly and he could feel a cool breeze on his face. A few birds chirped and flew by overhead. The water rippled gently creating cascades that danced in the sunlight. He smiled at the calm that surrounded him…and at the figure he saw across the distance.
Ginny waved at him. She smiled in that way that only Ginny could smile…that way that made his knees go week and sent a wave of happiness straight to his heart. She was so beautiful. The color of her hair changed with the way the sun fell over it. The skirt of her dress flittered in the wind and brushed up against her legs, showing off her form. Harry felt he could melt in the heat that came from her deep brown eyes.
She laughed…but she was always laughing. She held up an object in front of her face so Harry could plainly see it. It was one of the many stolen socks she had nicked form him. She waved it around teasingly with a laughter that sounded like music. She spun around in a mock dance as Harry began to approach her.
But he couldn't get to her…
The dock didn't cross to the other side of the lake. He signaled for her to come to him, but she only laughed again and began twirling. He yelled out to her to come join him, but his plea fell upon a deaf ear.
Wanting to be near her, he jumped into the water and started his swim over to her. As he came up out of the water, the sky had darkened and lightning sparked overhead. The rain started to pelt down and Harry could hear Ginny calling out to him for help. He swam with all him might, but each stroke seemed to be taking him away from her instead of closer.
Panting and out of breath, he grabbed hold of the wooden dock and climbed back on top of it. Ginny was still there in the distance, but she was soaking wet and crying. The storm blew harder as he yelled out to her again. She ran from place to place looking for him, calling out his name. The rain made it difficult for her to see him at all, despite the flailing arms from Harry.
And then he saw creatures approaching her from behind. Hooded creatures, reaching out to her…pulling her close to them. She walked to them as if in a trance, ignoring the screams from Harry.
"NOOOO!!!!!!"
Harry sat bolt upright in bed, panting in shallow breath. He wiped away the sweat beading up on his brow and rubbed at his eyes to help him focus on reality rather than the reoccurring dream. He had been having that dream for five years now, and every time it was slightly different. But it never got better…it only worsened.
He glanced over at the clock and decided that he should go ahead and get up, as he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep now. He grabbed his robe and headed for the shower. He turned on the water and stepped in while it was still cold. He had become used to the cold in the war against Voldemort, and clean water was sometimes a luxury, so he didn't mind a cold shower at all.
What he did mind was being cooped up in this hotel room. After he had beaten Voldemort at his own game, Harry naturally had gone to the Ministry to report the happenings. The Ministry wanted to make sure that this time the Dark Lord actually was gone and wouldn't let Harry out of their sight just in case. He had obliged for the past 3 days, but he had had enough of it now. It was time to move on.
They wouldn't even know he was gone anyway. In the past few years, Harry had developed invisibility techniques equal to that of Dumbledore's and could sneek past anyone unseen. That was how he had been able to get to Voldemort. And that was how he had managed to finally put an end to this nightmare he had been living for the past eight years.
Voldemort's return to power took its toll on the wizarding community. By the time he had left Hogwarts, there was a full-fledged war on, pitting the Ministry against the likes of Dumbledore's supporters. Eventually, the Ministry had come to their senses and had joined forces with Dumbledore…but only after suffering great losses; Hagrid…Snape…Fudge…and worst of all…Sirius. One by one Harry had watched the people he cared about fall at the hand of Voldemort, and he felt useless to do anything to stop it. He had made up his mind when Sirius was taken from him, that he would not lose another friend…or loved one…to that scum.
That's why he left. Ginny had protested, saying that they would be able to get through it together. But he knew that everyone he had a connection with was in danger…especially Ginny. He had stupidly made known his intentions toward her by asking her to marry him. Within a week she had had three attempts on her life. Harry was determined not to lose her like that, even if it meant being apart from her. So he left.
She had been over at his house nearly every night, begging him to reconsider. He had told her he had to leave, that it was the only way, but she didn't think he really would. She had stayed with him that night, clinging to him with desperation. The passion that erupted from them that night was uncontrollable. They had made love before, but it had never been like this…as if they were saying good-bye forever. He had held her to him for as long as it took for her to drift off to sleep, her tears still streaking her face. Then he had quietly and stealthily slipped out from under her arm and left her to awake alone.
It nearly killed him to leave that way, but he knew he would never get away from her if she were looking at him with those eyes full of hope. How could he walk away with her begging him to stay? No, this was the way it had to be done. He had to leave her when she couldn't protest. And at least they would always have the memory of that wonderful last night together.
Remembering the smell of her glorious hair, Harry dried off and dressed quickly. He had waited too long to be with her. And the bumbling Ministry wasn't going to keep her from him any longer. It was starting to worry him that no one would comment about her. He had asked several people if they could get a message to her or her family. The excuse he kept being handed was that his own reappearance was being dealt with and he needn't worry with anyone else right now. That was a load of bull and Harry knew it! Something was wrong and he was going to go find out.
Saying the incantation he had learned five years ago from Dumbledore, he turned invisible. He was now free to roam wherever he wanted. Of course, he hadn't told the ministry that he had managed this difficult bit of magic, deciding to keep this to himself until things really did settle down. He lightly stepped down he stairs, past the doorman, and out into the bright sun light. Nonchalantly, he walked into the post office and watched over the shoulder of a man flipping through a book of addresses. To his luck, when the man had finished, Harry needed to only flip two more pages to get to the "W" section. Scanning down the page, he read:
Molly and Arthur were listed as well as Fred, George, Percy, Bill and Charlie…but there was no mention of Ginny. Where was she?
He could find out from Ron and Hermione. They would know where she was, and quite frankly, he was longing to see them very much as well. He didn't think he could handle the Burrow right at this moment, so Ron and Hermione's house it was. London was just a short pop away. They could chat for a while, catch up on old times, and he could find out where Ginny was. Then he could Apparate to where ever she was and he would be with Ginny by night fall.
Without even having to really think about it, Harry appeared out of thin air on a street in London. The brick house on the corner was numbered 1342. Must be the place, Harry thought. The flowers in front were quaint and the bushes well trimmed. It looked like Hermione really had done a job on Ron!
He uttered the reversal to the invisibility incantation and walked up to the front door. Giving a few nervous but excited knocks Harry waited…
The door cracked open slightly revealing two big brown eyes staring up at him. "Yes?" said a child's voice.
"Hello there. I've come to see Ron. Is he home?"
"Maybe. Who are you?" the girl snapped.
"Harry Potter." Harry wasn't used to people not recognizing him. But then he had been gone for a long time. His hair was long and to his shoulders. His glasses had taken a beating and constantly needed fixed. His clothes were a bit tattered and hung on him as if they were for a larger man. He had lost weight from lack of food and was sure he looked scrawnier than he had ever looked in all his life. But surely this child would know who he was, especially considering that this was probably Miranda…Ron and Hermione's baby…well…at least she had been a baby when Harry last saw her.
"Yea…right! Harry Potter! That's a laugh!"
Harry frowned. "I am. I'm Harry Potter."
"Look, do you know how many of your kind we get here a day claiming that they are Harry Potter? Most of your kind just wants to ask my parents questions about his where abouts and stupid stuff like that. So I'll save you the time and save my mum and dad the trouble…WE DON'T KNOW WHERE HE IS!" She was about to slam the door shut when Harry pressed his hands flat against the door and stopped her from doing so.
"WAIT! Listen to me…I AM Harry Potter! What proof do you need? Look!" He brought one hand up to his forehead and pushed back his fringe, revealing his scar.
"Oh! That one's actually realistic! And I've seen my fair share. Let me guess, you really carved it on there to look just like him?"
"NO! I AM HARRY POTTER!! I swear on your father's Chudley Cannon posters and your mother's copy of Hogwarts a History!"
The little girl froze and the door swung open to reveal her in full. She was about 8 or 9 now, with loads of bushy red hair, Hermione's brown eyes, and Ron's freckled nose. "What did you say?"
"Look, I'll tell you anything you want to about them. I was there when they were married, and you father nearly passed out before the ceremony. I was even there when your mum decided to tell everyone for the first time…including your father…that she was going to have a baby! I was there when Ron took a slug belching curse in the gut to stop Malfoy from insulting Hermione! I AM Harry Potter!"
She just starred back at him with her mouth agape. She blinked in astonishment at him, but didn't say a word. Finally, a stunned voice from over her shoulder broke the silence.
"Harry?"
It was Ron.