AN: To all of you who are wishing for more H/G interaction, here it is! Thanks for the reviews guys; I really appreciate it. It means a lot to me that you take time to review. If you want me to read one of your stories, simply state so in the review! This is the last chapter. Probably a short epilogue to come.
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Chapter 22: Resolution
Harry nervously looked at Ginny. He couldn't tell her…what if she thought he was horrible? But something about the encouraging smile on her face made him see that he had to go forward.
"Well I'm looking at the Death Eaters and Voldemort. I try to look away, but I can't. I try to run, but my legs won't work. And then…" Harry looked at Ginny, who was listening intently, hoping that his dream would not make bad memories resurface. "And then I watch Voldemort murder my parents, Cedric, your Dad, and Hagrid. After that he looks right at me. My scar is burning so bad by then that I just want to fall over, but I can't. Then Voldemort says what he told me when he broke into Hogwarts. 'Who is the sacrifice of the day? Who else has to die for Harry Potter to live?'" He broke off, unable to speak anymore. He felt like he was drowning in bad memories.
"Oh, Harry." Ginny whispered, eyes wet with tears. She leaned towards him and ran a finger over the scar on his forehead. Harry closed his eyes, shivering at her touch. After a brief second he felt warm pressure on his scar. He opened his eyes and saw Ginny's lips pressed against his forehead. "I've been wanting to do that since I was 10 years old," She said, giggling softly and wiping tears from her eyes.
Harry smiled at her and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Don't cry. I can't stand to see it. I shouldn't have told you that dream. I didn't want to bring back those things. I'm sorry."
Ginny chuckled again and looked up at him seriously. "Harry, I'm crying because I'm so happy. You mean so much to me and I'm glad you got that dream off of your chest. Besides you have to hear this. It wasn't your fault, Harry." He was looking down at the ground, his heart filled with shame. She was wrong; it was his fault. The people in his dream would still be alive if he had never existed. Ginny cupped his chin in her hand and made him face her. "Harry, it wasn't your fault." She repeated.
Harry nodded, though he wasn't sure he believed her yet. "None of those things were your fault." He looked at her, amazed that she had seen through him so clearly. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, and he struggled to keep them under control.
"It wasn't your fault." She murmured again with the most sincerity Harry had ever heard in his entire life. He still couldn't believe her and he was starting to become angry and impatient.
"Okay!" He yelled, afraid that if she continued, he would break down altogether.
"It wasn't your fault, Harry." He could take it no more.. Tears spilled over his cheeks and Ginny embraced him. He sobbed into her shoulder relentlessly, unable to bear the weight of being Harry Potter any longer.
Over a half and hour later, they finally broke apart. Harry felt a tad embarrassed at his sudden outpour of feelings, but he also felt cleansed as well. It was as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and he was grateful, so grateful, that he had Ginny.
After they had calmed down quite a bit, Harry knew that he had to help Ginny overcome the dreams that haunted her. "Ginny?" He said softly.
"Yes?" She whispered back so quietly that Harry was almost unable to hear her.
"Please tell me your dream." He spoke firmly, but sincerely. He wanted to help her, but he also knew how hard it was to just let your emotions run wild.
Ginny nodded, but it was awhile before she began to speak. "I always have the same nightmare, almost every single night." She took a deep breath, and by the pensive emotional expression on her face, Harry guessed she was gathering her thoughts. "I see myself, I'm watching me. I have this grin on my face and I'm writing in the d-diary." Her voice shook, and her chin trembled as she spoke. "I can see what I'm writing. All these s-stupid things. I wrote about you, and how my brothers were m-mean to me. And Tom…he responded back with compassion. And I watch as I take the bait for Voldemort's trap." Ginny stopped to wipe a few tears from her eyes, before continuing. "I don't suspect anything. I just take in everything he says, just like it happened. I don't actually attack or hurt anyone, but I have to watch as I betray everyone I love by pouring my heart and soul into this evil stranger. And it hurts to watch, Harry. It really does, because I know how easily I was tricked."
She finished the last sentence in a rush before she could no longer take it. She broke down, just as Harry did, though she did not need as much prodding. Harry whispered words of comfort in her ear, just as she did for him, and they held their embrace for a long time, neither wanting the moment to end. "I love you." Ginny stated at last, kissing him on the cheek.
Harry responded by holding her even tighter. There was no way he was going to be able to let her go. "I love you too." He whispered. "And I'll always be here for you." Both of their lives had been filled with so much pain and loss that Harry felt the need to add on that he was not going anywhere. After all, he sometimes found that he could no longer have trust in people; that he wasn't sure they would always be there for him.
Ginny looked up at him and Harry found himself unable to look away from her warm chocolate eyes. "I'm never going to leave you, either." She said into his ear. Her breath tickled his neck and he closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the sensation. He was very glad that no one else was in the Hospital Wing, because he needed to kiss her.
Their lips met and Harry had the distinct impression that he was under a Cheering Charm. His breath mixed with hers, and he felt heated from the inside. The kiss felt like none other they had had so far, and Harry knew that the things they had shared with each other would alter their relationship forever.
They would always be together; there was no doubt about that now. Harry also knew that no one, but Ginny, could understand him. They had shared many of the same experiences and it comforted him to know he was not the only one out there that had survived Lord Voldemort.
"Harry we can't keep this up. Madam Pomfrey is bound to come in here any minute to check on you." Ginny said, breaking their connection. Harry groaned, but sat up nonetheless.
A minute later, Madam Pomfrey came bustling in, and Ginny sent him a knowing look. "How are you feeling Mr. Potter?" She asked, not waiting for an answer before she began checking his bruises and cuts to make sure he had healed. "Dumbledore says you may return to Gryffindor Tower."
The day went by rather quickly, and it was the most normal day Harry had experienced in a long time. Hermione fretted about their exams being so close and urged them all to follow a study schedule as she did. Ron pretended to be annoyed, but Harry caught them kissing outside the portrait hole, not even an hour later. Much blushing had been done by Ron and Hermione, while Harry had smirked at the two, and mocked Hermione about abandoning Prefect duties for more "enjoyable activities."
That night, Harry thought of Ginny and how remarkable she really was. He wondered how he had failed to notice her in previous years, but did not dwell on this. After all, he had finally cottoned on. He slept peacefully that night, dreaming of quidditch and a certain redheaded girl. No longer was he haunted by visions of Voldemort, and he hoped this would stay permanent.
Across the tower, Ginny dreamt of what it was like to kiss Harry Potter. She had dreamed of this many times in her youth, but now she truly knew what it felt like. She, too, remained free of nightmares, and Tom Riddle taunted her no longer.
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