Chapter 7: The End
*Harry's POV*
Harry leaned out on his balcony, the cool wind whipping his already untidy hair and smelling of the ocean. He tried once again to try and figure out what exactly it was that drew him to Maria. He was fairly sure it wasn't just because she was gorgeous, but if it wasn't that, than what was it?
Harry sighed. No, it wasn't her beauty. She was just so familiar, even though he was quite sure he had never seen her before. She just seemed to have a certain something about her that made him want to be with her. And the sad thing was he didn't think he could leave the town without her.
Maybe he would just move down here to be with her. He could do that, but then, what if she didn't reciprocate his feelings for her? He couldn't bear the thought of rejection, when he felt so strongly about her.
He mentally slapped himself. He couldn't think of Maria that way, not when Ginny, his love, was somewhere in this town! The key to his memory! But what if, when he got his memory back, he still was in love with Maria? How could he break it to Ginny and Ron and the rest of the Weasley's that he didn't love her, he loved a supermodel he had only met once? After all the Weasley's had done for him? No, he would have to pray that he would love Ginny once he got his memory back. And, if he didn't, he would pretend he did. But he couldn't marry someone he didn't love! That would be awful! But, he found himself thinking rather guiltily; maybe Ginny would have found someone else…
"Harry mate? You here?" Ron's voice sounded from the door. "We've brought some chips and drinks!"
Harry shook his head, trying to get rid of those thoughts, and went to join his friends.
*Ginny's POV*
Ginny wrung her hands and paced in front of the door. She put a hand up to knock, and then lowered it quickly. "No, I can't do this…yes, I can! I have to…" she kept muttering to herself, until finally, she forced herself to knock. Her heart quickened when she heard footsteps. She squeezed her eyes shut in a silent prayer. She had to do this…had to…otherwise Alison would do it herself…
"Maria!" The door swung open and Harry's handsome face appeared. He looked quite happy to see her…perhaps to happy, she thought.
She smiled quickly. "Hello, Harry. Might I come in?"
Harry shook his head as if to clear it and let her pass. "We're having a drink. What will you have?"
"Oh, nothing, thank you," Ginny said, twisting her hands as she smiled at Ron and Hermione.
"Okay," Harry said, pulling a chair up for her.
"What do you need?" Hermione asked with a rather forced smile.
"I-well, I've come to tell you something." Ginny began.
"Go on, then," Ron said, smiling and leaning forward.
"I'm not who you think I am," Ginny blurted.
Ron looked taken aback. "Then who are you?"
"I-I'm someone…else," Ginny said, desperately trying to stall.
"Someone else?" Hermione inquired with amusement, looking not at all interested.eHerm
"Who?" Harry prompted, settling into a chair behind her.
"Someone from your past," she whispered looking up at Hermione. "Point your wand at me and do the canceling spell."
"What? Why?" Hermione asked, drawing her wand.
"Just do it!" Ginny cried, her eyes squeezed shut.
"Well, all right," Hermione said doubtfully, and cried, "Finite Incantatem!"
And, before Ron and Hermione's amazed eyes, Ginny's hair switched abruptly from black to bright red, her tanned skin became pale, her nose reshaped, and she shrunk a bit.
Hermione shrieked and almost fainted. Ron looked at her, disbelief etched in his features, and then jumped up. "Ginny!" he cried, and lifted her off her feet and hugged her tightly.
"Oh, my God, Ginny, it's you," Hermione sobbed, and hugged her sister-in-law with such force, Ginny nearly had the wind knocked out of her.
*Harry's POV*
Her hair became red. That's all Harry could see from his position in back of her, and then Hermione let out an almighty yell and Ron grabbed her. Hermione began sobbing and hugging her, but Harry just sat there, dumbstruck, not even hearing their summons. In a few moments, he would be Harry Potter, completely and totally, not knowing that in the back of his mind he really was John Garrison. He would be in love with that red head. Maria had lied to him. No, Ginny had. But why?
"Harry, come on, look at her!" Ron yelled smacking him on the head. Harry did not advert his gaze from the floor.
"Oh, God, I hope this works," Hermione prayed.
"Wait, what?" Ginny demanded. Her voice was different too, Harry noticed absently.
"Oh, Ron, maybe we should tell her what's going on before Harry looks at her," Hermione said to her husband.
Ron sat down on the couch, defeated. "Fine, but make it snappy."
"Okay, Harry, don't look at Ginny until she knows what's going on," Hermione instructed. Harry merely inclined his head, still lost in thought.
"Ginny, you see, Harry wasn't dead. He actually was transported away by the spell he used to kill You Kn-Voldemort, and was found, unconscious, in front of a hospital in London, his memory gone.
"Well, Angelina found him a couple of months ago in a Muggle grocery store and brought him to the Burrow. Dr. Cross came and told us that he needed to be reintroduced to people and things and something or someone will trigger his memory and he will get the whole thing back. We had tried everything and everyone we could think of, and he would go into these spells and then know what they were when he opened his eyes, but none were big enough. One day, I persuaded Ron to say your name to him, and we got the biggest reaction from him ever."
"Really?" Ginny asked incredulously. "I-I didn't know I meant that much…" her voice faltered.
"Yes, and so we knew that we absolutely had to find you, so I did a bit of-erm-research and found the exact times you left and traced you to here, using a neat spell that tells us if your in a town or not."
"How did you know what times exactly?" Ginny asked.
"She used a Time-Turner!" Ron burst, sounding quite excited.
"Really? Like when you were in third year?"
"Yes," Hermione answered a bit peevishly. "Now that that's all taken care of, Harry, it's time to look at her."
Harry blocked her out. What if he didn't want to? What if he wanted to be John Garrison/Harry Potter his whole life? What if-
His thoughts were cut off when cool fingers pushed his neck gently upwards.
He was staring at an angel-the angel he saw when Hermione had said, "Ginny Weasley" to him for the first time. He felt their eyes connect and something like a barrier broke, letting through all dreams, wishes, memories…the world went dark.
~*~*~*~*
Harry rushed forward through the screaming, frightful crowd of students being escorted to their safe houses. He scanned the corridor, and spotted a familiar flash of red hair: his best friend, Ginny.
"Ginny!" Ginny turned around and spotted him.
He reached her, and couldn't help noticing, despite everything else, how beautiful she was. He had been feeling like that for quite some time, and he didn't know how to deal with it.
Harry saw her
expression become fearful, and his heart wrenched. She had begged and pleaded
and cried, but he was adamant. He was going to destroy Voldemort. He knew how;
it was a highly complicated and advanced spell, but he was confident.
"No, Harry, please, please don't!" She begged, tears streaming down
her cheeks. He embraced her tightly and she clung to him.
"Ginny, look at me," Harry gently raised her chin so his green eyes,
full of determination and conflicting love, bore into hers. "I'll be back.
I promise. I'll do it for you. You've been my rock, my support through these
hard times when Ron and Hermione were off together," he gave her a small
smile here, "and I'll fight with every fiber of my being to get back to
you. You're my best friend, Gin. D'you think I would just leave you?"
"No, but Harry, please-" overcome with emotion, Ginny wasn't able to
finish her sentence. She gave an almighty sob and hugged Harry tightly. "I
love you," she whispered, barely audibly into his shirt that was soaked
with her tears. He heard her, and it was as if fireworks went off in his brain.
He loved her. He loved her more than any girl he'd ever known; he loved her
more than life itself.
"Gin, I love you too." Harry whispered. Ginny looked up, daring to
believe what she had heard. He was drowning in her eyes, and time seemed to
stop as he brought his soft lips down on hers and gave her the sweetest, most
tender kiss she had ever received. They both knew in that instant that they
were meant to be together and no one else would suffice. Finally, Harry broke
the kiss and squeezed Ginny's hand.
"I'll be back, I promise. I love you, Ginny, and don't ever forget that,
even if I don't make it back. I'll never be gone from you. It's only time.
Always remember that." He brought Ginny's hand to his lips and kissed it
gently.
Ginny had torrents of water pouring from her eyes now, and again she begged him
to stay, and again he refused, saying he had to. Harry let go of her hand
regretfully and turned and walked away. He had to force himself not to look
back at her, but he could still hear her sobs. He walked through the oak front
doors to face his destiny.
~*~*~*~*
Harry stirred, and his eyes snapped open. He was Harry. Harry Potter, with the lightening bolt shaped scar, best friend to Ron and Hermione Weasley, and in love with an angel- Ginny.
There she was, hovering above him, with Ron and Hermione, but his gaze was focused on her. He pulled her down next to him with one swift movement, and kissed her. He kissed her with everything he had, tasting the salt from her tears and relishing it. He parted, breathing heavily, and whispered, "I told you, Gin. I told you I would always be with you, and that it was only time. Only time, and that it was. I'm back now, and I'll never leave. Ginny, marry me. Please, I've waited too long."
She was sobbing, and she threw her arms around him. "Yes, yes I'll marry you! Yes, yes, yes!" She choked, and kissed him again.
A/N: Bravo! Epilogue coming up, folks! Thanks a mil to all my reviewers!
Bella