A/N: I just want to thank my beta, Amy, for encouraging me on this story.
Just a side note: This story is not related to my fanfic, The Prophecy:
Heart's Desire. It popped into my head right after I'd read about the
First Kiss contest over at Gryffindor Tower and I just had to write it.
Hope that everyone enjoys it & Hope everyone has a lovely Valentine's.
Thanks :-)
The Second Kiss
"We can't do this!"
"I'm not sure that we have a choice ..."
"Of course we have a choice ... we can wait. There must be some other way ..."
Harry Potter listened to the voices fading in and out around him. Slowly, his emerald eyes fluttered open to find himself once again lying in a bed in the Hospital Wing. "Wha 'appened?" he mumbled out drowsily.
"Oh good," a voice said somewhere to his right. A moment later, Madame Pomfrey's face appeared hovering above him. "You've awoken."
Another voice broke in; this one deeper and laced with sarcasm. "How could he not ... with all this bickering going on."
Harry turned his head slightly to see Professor Snape standing off a bit from his bed. The man had a disdainful expression on his face as he glared across the room at someone else. Following his professor's gaze, Harry found Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore standing near the end of his bed. Again, he repeated, "What happened?"
All four adults in the room turned and looked at him. It was Dumbledore who spoke up. "What do you last remember, Harry?"
Looking away, Harry thought back to his last memory. He knew that he was in his fifth year at Hogwarts. The war with Voldemort had been slowly picking up momentum, but so far the school year had been calm. Because of this, students had been allowed to go about their normal activities. "I was playing Quidditch ... against Ravenclaw ... reached out and caught the Snitch ... then ..." His green eyes opened wide. "It was a portkey ... took me to the Forbidden Forest." Pausing again, Harry licked his dry lips.
Professor McGonagall seemed to sense his discomfort and quickly got Harry a glass of water. After taking a few gulps, he looked at the woman and smiled. "Thanks." His gaze returned again to his headmaster. "Voldemort was there ... he ... *did* something, but ... I don't know what ..."
"Voldemort forced you to drink a potion, Harry," Professor Dumbledore stated. "A very deadly potion. Luckily, Professor Snape had the antidote all ready ... just in case. He'd heard rumors that Voldemort might be planning to use this certain potion on you. He immediately made up a batch of the remedy."
Harry's gaze shifted over to Professor Snape again, who was scowling at the floor. Quietly, the boy said, "Thanks."
At first, it seemed that the Professor didn't hear. But then in a low mutter, the man replied, "Don't mention it." He raised his face up and looked over at his colleagues. "So ... are we going to do this or not? I have lesson plans to prepare."
Glancing over at Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore, Harry was surprised to hear his headmaster say, "That is really up to Mr. Potter, I think. As it is his life that is in question."
"What do you mean, Professor?" Harry asked.
Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he answered, "We have a plan, Harry ... but it will require you to die."
**********************************
Ginny Weasley sat in the Gryffindor Common room, off to one side. No one seemed to notice her. Not that it was surprising that they didn't. No one rarely paid much attention to the petite redhead fourth year student. She glanced across the room at her brother, Ron, and Hermione Granger. They were sitting close together, obviously quite distressed. It had been hours since they'd heard any word about Harry. All they'd been told was that he'd had yet another run in with You-Know-Who and was taken to the Hospital Wing. Sighing, Ginny shifted in her seat. All they could do was wait.
***********************************
"All right."
Four different expression met that one small answer. "Are you sure, Mr. Potter?" Professor Dumbledore asked. Harry just nodded in reply. The elderly wizard looked over at the Potions professor, saying, "Severus ... if you will, please."
Professor Snape seemed almost a bit too eager to Harry. The man swept over to Harry's bedside, pulling a vial out of his robes. "Drink this, Potter," he demanded as he shoved the potion at the boy.
Harry took the vial and eyed it warily. Knowing that there was no other way, he slowly brought the draught to his lips and drank. Within seconds, the glass fell from his hand ... and Harry's world faded to black as he collapsed onto his bed.
***********************************
"Do you think he's going to stand there all day?" a voice quipped from somewhere in the darkness.
"Give him time ..." another voice started to say.
However, the first voice immediately cut in, "He's got all the time in the world now, doesn't he? ... now that he's one of us?"
"Go away, Peeves," the second voice snapped. "Go pester, Filch, will you!"
Harry opened his eyes. 'Peeves?' he thought, 'What did he mean by ... oh yeah ...' His vision blurred in and out for a moment, but slowly came into focus. Glancing around him, Harry found he was no longer in the Hospital Wing. He appeared to be standing in the hallway, near the portrait of the Fat Lady. "How'd I get here?"
"Not really sure, Harry," that second voice answered, causing Harry to turn around. Standing there behind him ... as solid as can be ... was Sir Nicholas.
"Nick!? ... is that really you?"
"In the ectoplasm!" Nick replied, giving a slight bow. "You showed up about five minutes ago. I've just been waiting for you to completely join us."
Harry looked down at himself. "I don't look any different. It must not have worked," he started to say. Just then, Professor McGonagall came up the hall. "Professor," Harry called out. "I ... I don't know what went wrong, but ..." He paused. Looking closely at Professor McGonagall, Harry noticed that she wasn't paying any attention to him. Upon closer inspection, he also realized that it looked as if she were crying. "Professor? ..."
"She can't hear you," Nick told Harry gently. "Nor can she see you."
For a moment, Harry stood just opening and closing his mouth. Finally, he said, "So ... it worked. I'm ..."
"You're a spirit, Harry."
"I don't understand, though," Harry said after a pause. "We've always been able to see you ... why couldn't Professor McGonagall see me?"
"I've had centuries to learn how to maintain my appearance to the living ... you'll eventually learn how. It just takes time." Nick glanced in the direction of the Gryffindor Common room. "She'll be telling them all now, I suppose."
Harry understood immediately what Nick was referring to. He just nodded silently, then followed his ghostly friend through the thick walls into the common room. The sight that met him made Harry gasp. "They're all so ... colorful!"
Nick chuckled. "It's their auras. We in the spirit world can see the emotions of the living."
Glancing around, Harry spotted Professor McGonagall leading Ron and Hermione off to one side. He hadn't really noticed the thin lines of colors that had surrounded his Transfigurations teacher until now. Perhaps that was because they mostly seemed to be of a silver and grey coloring. Moving closer to the professor and his friends, Harry asked Nick, "What do the colors mean?"
"Well," Nick replied, pointing to Professor McGonagall, "The grey usually indicates depression or extreme sadness. The silver also is sadness. If you notice the orange around your friends, that implies that they are both frightened."
"Mr. Weasley ... Miss Granger," Harry could hear Professor McGonagall saying, "I wanted to speak to you first, before addressing the rest of the students."
Hermione interrupted, "Is Harry okay?"
Professor McGonagall closed her mouth, looking silently at the girl for a moment. Hermione paled as the colors around her began to swirl. Harry watched as Hermione swayed unsteadily on her feet, until Ron quickly grabbed her. Holding up his friend, the redhead looked back up at the professor and said, "What? ... you're not saying ...!"
Slowly, Professor McGonagall nodded her head. Ron let out a horrified, "No!" as Hermione collapsed against him in sobs. The rest of the common room went deathly silent as all eyes turned their way.
It was at this moment, that Harry saw a glimmer of some sort out of the corner of his eye. Looking over, he noticed Ginny sitting perfectly still in a chair off in the shadows. He hadn't noticed her before ... and obviously neither had Professor McGonagall, Ron, or Hermione. Harry could hear Professor McGonagall speaking to the rest of the Gryffindors, but his attention was solely on the youngest Weasley. He realized that she'd overheard Ron and Hermione being told about him. Just like Hermione, an array of colors swirled about her.
Harry turned around and glanced around the common room. Everyone was swirling with colors ... mostly grey and silver. There were some flashes of red ... some brown ... even a bit of black. Harry also noticed that students were banding together in groups of two or three. Everyone was comforting each other. Everyone except ...
Turning back to look at Ginny, Harry gasped. "Nick! Look at Ginny!" Nick did just that and made a sad 'ahhhing' sound. "What does that mean? ... Where'd all the colors go?"
"She's lost them all, Harry," Nick answer quietly. "Because she's lost hope. She's numb and not feeling any emotions." The ancient ghost patted Harry's shoulder comfortingly. "It happens to the living from time to time. Often the colors come back after awhile ... but sometimes ..."
Again, Harry glanced around. Frowning, he moved over to the young girl. "Why isn't anyone coming over here to be with her? Don't they see she's over here by herself?"
Nick looked at Harry with surprise. "Did you ever notice her, Harry? ... when you were among the living?"
Harry opened his mouth ... then quickly closed it. He hadn't. Sure, he had noticed things like when she talked directly to him. Or when she did something quite noticeable, like spill pumpkin juice all over herself just as he sat down next to her. Even noticed her studying or in the halls on the way to class. But he'd never really *Noticed* her. Never took the time to see how she was doing or if she needed any help ... comfort ... friendship.
"No," Harry finally said quietly. "I guess I didn't." Just then a brilliant mixture of red, purple, black, and brown blazed from around Ginny. "What's happening?" Harry asked, jumping back from the sight.
Nick was frowning at the young girl. "This doesn't look good," was all he said.
Ginny suddenly stood up from the chair and silently slipped across the room and out of the portrait hole. Harry took only a second to glance back at Ron and Hermione. The two were sitting together in a tight embrace, clearly trying to comfort each other. Harry was glad that they had each other to get through this ... he just wished that they wouldn't have left out Ginny.
Taking off after Ginny, Harry went back outside the Gryffindor common room. He looked around wildly, trying to determine which way Ginny had gone. A bright shimmering caught his eye and he took off after it. It seemed like every time he turned a corner or came to a crossroads, Harry'd see another sparkle to show him which way to go. After awhile, he realized he was heading up to the Astronomy Tower.
Upon reaching the top of the tower, Harry went out onto the balcony. There he found Ginny staring out towards the Forbidden Forest. As he approached her, he could see the tears streaming down her face. He wanted so desperately to wipe those tears away ... but he couldn't. Instead, he moved up to her. "Ginny," he whispered, though she couldn't hear him. "What are you thinking?"
In one swift movement, Ginny climbed up on the ledge and stood up. "Oh Merlin ... No, Ginny! You can't do this!" Harry cried out to her. He looked around madly, but there was no one around to help. He turned back to see Ginny take a small side step. "Please, Ginny! ... Don't Do This!"
Ginny glanced over her shoulder, then suddenly raised one hand out as she shouted, "Accio, broom!"
Harry watched in shock as a broom that had been hidden in the corner flew into the girl's outstretched hand. He blinked at her, then at the broom. As it finally clicked what was happening, Harry said, "No, Ginny! ... That's as suicidal as jumping off this ledge!"
Ginny shifted the broom in her hand and carefully straddled it.
"Wait, Ginny!" Harry called out, his hand reaching out despite his knowledge that it would do no good. "Ginny! You Can't Go!"
With a look of intense sorrow, Ginny glanced behind her one last time.
"Please hear me," Harry pleaded, unable to take his eyes off the girl.
Ginny turned back and gracefully kicked off the wall.
"Ginny, Wait!" Harry yelled. He took a step forward. "Please Ginny ... Wait!"
Instantly, Ginny stopped the broom. She hovered in the air for a moment with her back to Harry and the school. Then, lowering her face, she slowly turned around. The look on her face ... those wide, bright eyes ... it reminded Harry so much of the first time he'd seen her at the Burrow. "Harry?" she whispered, disbelieve tainting her voice.
Harry nodded, hoping that she could really see him. "It's me, Ginny. Come back ... Please!"
She didn't even hesitate, but smoothly flew over and landed next to Harry. As Ginny dropped the broom to the floor, she gazed intently at him. She took a step forward, reaching one hand up as if to touch him. But she never did. Instead, Ginny whispered, "Y-you're ... a ghost."
"Something like that," Harry answered back.
Ginny brought her hand back to her own face and covered her mouth as she let out a small sob. The colors around her changed once more to those of silver and grey as Harry watched her brown eyes fill with tears. "Oh Harry ... why?"
Harry moved towards her, but she stepped back just as quickly. The movement surprised Harry. Watching as the girl's aura began to be interlaced with strands of orange, Harry suddenly understood. "Ginny, you don't have to be afraid. Things aren't what they seem."
Letting out a half laugh, half sob, Ginny replied, "Not what they seem? It seems to me like your standing before me as a ghost ... that You-Kn ..." She shook her head, strands of red now entering the air about her. "That *Voldemort* killed you ... that *he* won ... and you're dead." As she spoke those last few words, her head bowed in defeat and the colors again began to fade.
"Don't do that, Ginny," Harry said, desperately. Ginny raised her tear- filled eyes up to look at the boy questioningly. "I can see that you're losing hope, Gin ... don't."
"How can I not, Harry," Ginny cried out softly. "You're dead ..."
"But *Hope* isn't," Harry answered quickly. "Hope never really dies ... we just misplace it sometimes." Ginny lowered her face into her hands and began to cry softly. If he'd had a heart, it would have been breaking at that moment. Harry couldn't stand to see her crying.
Ginny suddenly raised her head again, wiping away the tears. She gave a bit of a sniffle, but set her face into a determined expression. Though the silver and grey colors still swirled about her, Harry noticed that the red was increasing somewhat. And a light blue began to glow all around her. He looked at her curiously until she scooped up the broom from the floor and moved back over to the ledge. "You're right, Harry," she said quietly. "Hope doesn't die ... but Voldemort will!"
Immediately Harry understood her plans. "No, Ginny ... it won't work. If you go after him, you'll only get yourself killed."
"I don't care," Ginny snapped back, staring out towards the forest again. "I can't just sit back and let nothing be done about your ... death."
Harry looked away, trying to think of some way to keep Ginny from leaving. He'd promised not to say anything ... it was essential to the plan that not very many people knew what was really going on. Still ... if he said nothing and Ginny got hurt because of him ... or worse, if she died ...
"Ginny, wait!" Harry made up his mind. He'd explain to the professors later. And if they didn't understand or agree with his decision ... well, he didn't care. He couldn't risk Ginny's life. "I'm not dead!" he blurted out.
For her part, Ginny just turned and looked at him. Her expression switched from determined to shock to pity in a matter of seconds. Gently, she told him, "Yes Harry ... you are. I know that you may not want to accept that ... perhaps that's why you're still here, but ..."
"No, Ginny," Harry interrupted, "That's not why I'm still here. I'm still here because I haven't really died."
He could see the doubt ... and a glimmer of hope ... swirl in the young girl's brown eyes. "But I can see right through you. If you weren't really dead, then how could you be here like this?"
"Stay with me, Gin, and I'll explain the whole thing."
Looking down, Ginny seemed to consider his request. Finally, she nodded her head and once again placed the broom on the floor. Harry sighed heavily in relief. Indicating that they should move away from the ledge and sit down, Harry led Ginny back inside. They sat down in a darkened corner and Harry began his tale.
************************************
"Where do you think she could have gone?"
"I don't know."
"You don't think she'd ... do something ... hurt herself, do you?"
"I Said I Don't Know!"
Silence.
"Geez, Hermione," Ron's voice cut through the air again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just worried too."
Hermione shrugged off the hurt she was feeling and gave the boy a sympathetic smile. "I know ... I understand." As Ron wrapped his arm around her shoulder, Hermione leaned against him. She wasn't sure what she'd do without him. And she hoped that she'd never have to find out.
They were approaching the Astronomy Tower. It was very late in the day and they'd been searching everywhere for Ginny. Shortly after Professor McGonagall had announced that Harry hadn't survived the dark lord's last attack on him, they'd noticed that Ron's sister was missing. Immediately, both were concerned.
"I won't let you down," both Ron and Hermione heard coming from the tower's room. They looked at each other, then quickly entered the room.
There in one corner, sitting there with an inattentive look upon her face, was Ginny. Ron let go of Hermione to rush up to his sister. "Ginny! We've been looking all over for you!"
"Well, here I am," she replied, giving her brother an irritated look. Her brown eyes flickered to the space next to her and she muttered, "Oh..."
Barely noticing this, Ron knelt down. "Ginny ... I don't know if you heard ..."
The look on Ginny's face made the boy pause. She looked thoroughly angry. "Of course, I heard, you git! I was sitting right there when McGonagall told you and Hermione ... you just didn't notice ..." Again, she glanced next to her and flushed. "But ... with that news, it's understandable," she finished in a whisper.
Ron and Hermione exchanged quick worried looks, then the redhead reached out and pulled Ginny into a brotherly hug. "I'm so sorry, Ginny. I'm sorry that we didn't notice you there. Please, come back down with us. You need to be with us as much as we need to be with you."
Ginny was silent for a moment, but then slowly nodded her head. Helping his sister to her feet, Ron led her over to where Hermione stood in the doorway. As soon as they reached her, Hermione gave Ginny an emotional hug. The fifth year Gryffindor girl had once again began to cry.
"Come on," Ron said gently, wrapping one arm around Hermione and the other around Ginny. "Let's go join the others."
************************************
Harry stood in the Astronomy Tower room, watching his friends leave. He hated doing this to them. At least, he mused, Ginny now knew what was going on. He felt an odd confidence that the younger girl would be able to comfort their friends and keep an eye on things for Harry.
Leaving the Tower, Harry slowly followed after the three Gryffindors. He wondered if this plan would really work. Would it truly pull Voldemort out? Would he be able to do what was needed and still get back in time? Then, amongst all this serious thoughts, one odd one suddenly emerged. Harry couldn't help but wonder, 'Why haven't I ever talked to Ginny before now?'
*************************************
It was late at night in the Gryffindor fourth year girls' dormitory. Ginny lay in her bed, replaying the day's events. It had started so wonderfully with the Quidditch game. Harry'd caught the Snitch ... then vanished. From there, it all had seemed to go down hill. Just when it appeared that her world had crumbled around her, Harry was suddenly there. They had talked for almost three hours ... definitely their longest conversation. And Harry had told her everything. About his adventures the first year ... what he saw when the dementors came near him ... how Sirius was innocent and was his godfather ... and finally, what they were currently planning to do in this fight against Voldemort. She'd never felt closer to him ... and yet so far away. Sighing lightly, she closed her eyes.
**************************************
It wasn't right for him to be there, he knew. But he couldn't help it. Harry just wanted to make sure that she was still in the castle ... that she hadn't changed her mind and gone after Voldemort. Drifting through the curtains that surrounded Ginny's bed, he smiled as he gazed down at her. Who was he kidding? He just wanted to see her again.
Harry pulled himself up onto the girl's bed and watched her for a moment. She looked so calm and peaceful lying there. 'She looks so pretty,' he thought as well, immediately feeling foolish. Now wasn't the time for such thoughts. But looking down at Ginny's soft skin, splattered lightly with an array of freckles ... her vibrant red hair, fanned out around her face ... her rosy lips, forming just a bit of a smile ... those long eyelashes, fluttering ... then opening ...
Harry jumped back as Ginny's eyes suddenly opened and she sat up quickly. A small squeal sounded from her. Somewhere in the room, a voice called out worriedly, "Ginny? You okay?"
"Y-yeah," Ginny answered, staring at Harry with wide eyes. Slowly, the orange tint around the girl faded and she added, "Just a bad dream. Sorry." Ginny's roommate muttered something along the lines of it being okay. Pulling out her wand, Ginny quickly placed silencing charms about her bed. Then turning on Harry, she growled, "Harry James Potter! How dare you scare me like that!"
Looking at the vivacious girl, Harry tried to look remorseful ... but he couldn't hide the goofy grin that seemed to want to form on his ghostly face. "Sorry ... I was just ... Thought I'd ..." He closed his mouth and looked hesitantly at her. "Sorry," he finally muttered again.
Ginny calmed down and gave him a small smile. "It's okay ... just warn me next time. It's quite alarming to open your eyes and find a spirit hovering over you, you know." Harry just chuckled as he nodded. "Did you want to talk more? ... about what were discussing before Ron and Hermione found me?"
Harry nodded. "I think that I told you most of it. There was just one thing more." Ginny looked at him inquisitively, but silently waited for him to continue. "I've only 72 hours from the time I took the potion to complete this. At the end of 72 hours, the potion wears off and my spirit is pulled back to my body."
Nodding, Ginny said, "Well, then you'll be back among the living in a couple days. That's not so bad." Glancing at Harry, Ginny seemed to study him for a moment. "Why do I get the feeling that it's not as simple as it sounds?"
"Because," Harry replied slowly, "It's not. At the end of 72 hours, my spirit only has around thirty seconds to get back to my body ... or it loses the ability to re-enter it. My body will keep living, but my spirit will be forever separated from it."
"Oh Harry," Ginny whispered, reaching out a hand towards him. Meeting only air, she quickly dropped it back to her lap. "We'll have to make sure that doesn't happen then."
Harry felt an odd rush pour through him as he gazed over at Ginny. The fact that she'd said 'we' made him suddenly feel stronger and more assure of himself than he'd ever had before. Quietly, he told her, "You should get some sleep. We'll worry about all this when we get to it. For now, just rest."
*********************************** Ginny nodded her head slowly and laid back down upon her bed. Closing her eyes, she tried to fight back the fears that were welling up within her. She couldn't lose Harry now ... not after they'd finally begun to open up to each other. Ginny didn't want to even think about what it'd be like not having him with her.
Suddenly, she felt a cold tingling slide across her forehead and down her cheek. Smiling with more contentment, Ginny snuggled down into her blankets. He wasn't going to leave her ... she felt more certain of that now. Though she was sure if she'd open her eyes, she'd find nothing there, Ginny knew that Harry would always be close by.
***********************************
Time went by much faster than Harry had anticipated. Before he knew it, they only had about twenty hours left. Pacing back and forth, Harry scowled down at the Astronomy Tower Floor. As classes were over for the day, he and Ginny had the tower to themselves. "It's no good," he finally stated. "It's not drawing him out."
"There's still time, Harry," Ginny reasoned quietly. Harry knew that she was right. But with each passing minute, he didn't like their chances.
"We've less than a day, Gin," Harry said, pausing to look at her. In the low set sunlight, Ginny's hair seemed to glow around her head like a fiery halo. Harry blinked, then shook his head. He needed to stay focused ... and that was something that was getting more and more difficult to do around Ginny.
Moving over to him, Ginny commented, "Perhaps he just needs an incentive ... something more to lure him to the school grounds."
"I don't know, Gin. All I do know is that something needs to be done ... and soon. This is one of the best chances we have against him. If we lose this opportunity ... we could possibly lose the war."
The two stood there silently, just looking intently in each other's eyes. After a long moment, Harry looked away. "I need to go speak to Professor Dumbledore and the others. Why don't you go get some dinner and I'll check in on you later." Without glancing up at her, Harry walked off.
Ginny stood there for a moment, watching him float away. Her face set once more in a firm look of determination. "Something must be done ... and I know just what ..." she whispered to the empty air around her.
**********************************
Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Harry were all in the headmaster's office trying to work out a new plan for action. Harry'd finally been able to show his presence to the three professors only the day before. This hadn't left them with much time to work out details and such. Already, they'd been discussing the lack of response from the dark lord for nearly three hours. They were just about to take a break when the headmaster's door flew open and Hagrid came rushing in.
"Professor! Professor! We've got a serious pr..."
That's as far as he got, for he just then spotted Harry. "Blimey ... Harry! Is that really you?!"
"Er ... yes," Harry began to say, but was quickly interrupted by Professor Snape.
"Potter couldn't stand the thought of not seeing the entire school grieve over his death, so he's been hanging around to watch the show." Giving the larger man a bored look, he asked, "Now ... what was it that you were going to say that was so urgent that you felt it proper to barge in here like a madman?"
"Oh Yes!" Hagrid exclaimed, turning once again to Professor Dumbledore. "We've got ourselves a problem. Seems that a student went missing a little while ago. No one was overly concerned at first because I guess she's been doing that for awhile now. But then some first years thought they saw someone down by the Forbidden Forest ..."
Professor Dumbledore held his hand up to stop the man. "Hagrid ... who is it that's gone missing?"
Hagrid cast a glance towards Harry, then said in a lower tone, "Miss Weasley, sir."
Harry immediately snapped to attention. "Ginny?! What are you talking about? I was just with her a few hours ago ... we had discussed ..."
Professor Snape literally flew into Harry's ghostly face. "YOU DID WHAT?!!!"
"I ... er ... well ..." was all Harry could stutter out.
"NO ONE is supposed to know about you, Harry!" the grouchy professor lectured. "NO ONE but *we* here are supposed to see you or speak with you ... except for Sir Nicholas. So how is it that you were *discussing* something ... ANYthing with Miss Weasley if she's not suppose to be able to see you, hear you, or even know that you're here?"
"I showed myself to her," Harry finally answered quietly. Then looking at Professor Dumbledore, he pleaded his case. "It was right after she'd found out. I followed her to the Astronomy Tower where ... I thought at first she was going to try to ... hurt herself. Instead, I realized that she was going to try to go after Voldemort by herself. I *had* to stop her! It was the only way."
To Harry's relief, Professor Dumbledore gave him an understanding smile as he nodded his head. "I believe we can trust Miss Weasley. She will not reveal anything to anyone."
"Perhaps not Willingly," Professor Snape interjected. "But if she's disappeared and *they* have her now ... they could get her to talk."
No one said anything for a moment. Only the sounds of the Sorting Hat snoring softly could be heard. Finally, Harry spoke up. "I'm going after her. If they've got her, I'm going to go bring her back." He gave Professor Dumbledore a steady look. "I'll need to abort the plan and re- enter my body."
"Stupid boy," Professor Snape growled, earning himself a glare from not only Harry, but also Professor McGonagall and Hagrid. "Didn't I make it clear ... you cannot enter your body again until the 72 hours have passed. It's only at that time that the spirit changes enough to re-enter into a body ... and you'll only have the thirty seconds to do it."
"I don't have time to wait until then!" Harry nearly spat back. "Voldemort could kill Ginny before then ... I can't let that happen!"
Professor Dumbledore interrupted at this point. "Harry. We will send in the best of our Aurors to find her ..."
"That's not Good enough! I need to go ... she went because of me," Harry shouted. Then lowering his voice, he added, "I won't let her die because of me as well." Ignoring the protests that arose the moment he turned around, Harry drifted swiftly out of the office.
As Harry floated through the school hallways, he'd barely noticed the startled looks or gasps from the students that he passed. His entire focus was on reaching the Forbidden Forest and finding Ginny. Escaping out the front doors, Harry drifted as quickly as he could towards the trees that loomed in the distance.
Once he reached the edge of the forest, Harry wasn't sure just where to go. He had no idea how to find Ginny ... or even if she was in the forest. As he glanced around warily, a sparkling shimmer off to his right caught his eye. Harry recalled having seen the same thing several times when he'd been around Ginny. Taking a chance, he decided to follow it.
He wasn't sure just how many hours passed as he weaved his way through the darkened forest in search of Ginny. All Harry knew was that he needed to find her ... and soon. He had a horrible sense of dread that he wouldn't reach her on time. And if that happened ... he somehow felt that he wouldn't be at all concerned about the fact that he was so far from his own body.
Another shimmer shone in the distance and Harry quickened his pace. Just as he rounded a large tree trunk, he spotted the camp. There appeared to be several dozen Death Eaters moving about the area. What was more surprising was the several black masses that seemed to be posted around the encampment. As Harry moved up closer to one of the dark blotches, he cringed with disgust.
The black mass seemed to be made of a dark, oily substance that swirled around as it moved. What had repulsed Harry so much was that he could see drowning within the dark goo various faces, each twisted in misery and pain. An echoing sound of shrill cries radiated from each mass.
Carefully skirting around these oddities, Harry floated carefully into camp. No one appeared to be able to see him, much to his relief. He moved along until he came to a small tent that seemed to be heavily guarded. Drifting through the canvas, Harry nearly cried out as he spotted the form of a petite redhead huddled in one corner. "Ginny!"
The girl raised her face, her brown eyes opening wide. "Harry?! What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you that," Harry muttered back, floating around her as he tried to assess the situation. "We've got to get you out of here."
Ginny just stared at Harry with a sad look of disbelief. "Me? ... Harry, you're the one who's in danger. You shouldn't have left the school. What if you can't make it back to your body in time?"
"I'll make it back ... but only with you," Harry stated firmly. "I will not leave here without you."
Hours passed, but neither could figure out a way to get Ginny safely out of the camp. Ginny had tried to convince Harry to go back and get help, but he refused to leave her.
"Harry ..." Ginny began, but then ...
"Your precious Harry Potter is not here to save you, child," a high pitched voice spat out from the tent's entrance. Harry moved back into the shadows, though he was fairly certain that he couldn't be seen anyway. As the figure stepped forward, Harry felt a surge of raw energy shudder through him.
"Who says that I need Harry to save me, Voldemort," Ginny said quietly as she glared at the approaching figure. "I got away from you before ... I can do it again." Though her voice was steady and soft, Harry could see the glow around her turning more and more orange.
"Stay strong, Gin," Harry whispered into Ginny's ear. Instantly, the orange began to fade away and a light blue took it's place.
Voldemort had moved to stand above her. "You are an insolent little thing, aren't you," he snarled. "Perhaps you need to be taught a lesson." Pulling out his wand, Voldemort pointed it at the girl and opened his mouth to utter a curse.
"NO!"
The dark lord's red eyes grew wide and slowly his gaze moved from the young girl on the ground to the hazy form next to her. As Harry slowly began to take shape, Voldemort hissed, "It can't be! You are dead!"
Harry stood defiantly in front of Ginny. "Leave her alone, Voldemort! Your battle's with me."
Voldemort stared at Harry for a moment, then he threw his head back and laughed loudly. "My Battle with you, Potter, is over ... I Won and You are Dead! It's now time for the War to proceed and for the world to become Mine! And I will start here with your pretty little friend."
Ignoring Harry, Voldemort turned on Ginny and once again opened his mouth to speak a curse. But in a flash, the young girl jumped to her feet and tossed a handful of dirt into the dark lord's eyes. The action so caught him off guard that Ginny was able to snatch his wand out of his hand. "Expellimerus!" she screamed, sending Voldemort soaring backwards and out of the tent.
"Whoa!" was Harry's only reply as he looked at Ginny with both amazement and admiration.
Ginny had already turned, though, and pointed the wand at the back of the tent. As she muttered another spell, Harry watched as the canvas split down the center. "Come on, Harry," Ginny called to him as she slipped through the hole.
Outside, Death Eaters were running around and curses were flying. Harry was terrified for Ginny until he realized that not all the spells and hexes were coming from Death Eaters. Apparently, help had arrived.
"Harry, Look!" Ginny cried out as she dodged a curse from one of the Death Eaters. They looked over to see the caster now on the ground with a huge black dog on top of him.
"Sirius!" Harry called out. The dog quickly looked up at him and barked. Though none of the others in the camp could see him, Sirius obviously could. Ginny cast a 'Petrificus Totalus' charm on the Death Eater, allowing Sirius to get off of him. The dog barked again, as if urging the two to follow him.
The three weaved their way through the fighting until they reached the edge of the camp. Harry glanced around nervously, trying to keep an eye open for the odd black forms he'd seen earlier. Sirius didn't seem concerned and swiftly led them out away from the camp. They'd gone so far, when Harry stopped.
Both Ginny and Sirius must have sense him doing so, for they too came to a halt. "What's wrong, Harry? We need to keep going ... get you back to Hogwarts. There's only another hour or so left. If you don't get back ..."
Harry drifted over and placed a ghostly hand in front of Ginny's mouth as he murmured, "Shhh ... it'll be okay, Gin. I always knew that it might come to this." Ginny began to shake her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "Sirius will lead you to safety ... but I have to finish this. I have to do what we planned or else it's all in vain. I know that it's too late to make it back ..."
"No! No, it's not, Harry," Ginny cried, raising her hands. She seemed desperate to touch him, but there was nothing there to touch. "You said that you weren't leaving without me ... well ... I'm not leaving without you!"
"You've got to, Gin ... You've got to go ... and live." Harry gave Sirius a look. "Take her back ... protect her." Looking back at Ginny, he whispered, "Ginny, I ..." His hand lifted and he moved it slowly near her forehead and down her cheek. He wanted so much to say something ... to tell her ... but no words could form. Knowing it was for the best, Harry disappeared.
As he moved back through the forest towards the camp again, Harry could hear Ginny's sobs and pleas. Still, he couldn't turn back. He was doing this as much for her as he was for the wizarding world's safety. Reaching the edge of the camp, Harry found Voldemort standing there waiting for him. Once again, he shimmered into view.
"Ah, Mr. Potter," Voldemort said venomously. "I thought perhaps you had run away. I must say that I would have been highly disappointed if you had."
"Well," Harry snarled back, "I really would Hate to disappoint you." He noticed Voldemort motion towards someone to his left. Glancing over, he cringed once again as he watched one of the black masses swirl towards him.
Voldemort's laugh cut through the morning air. "Ah, the wonderful effects of my Dementors. They make both the living and the deceased cringe in fear."
"It's not fear, Voldemort," Harry told him, still eyeing the approaching form. "It's disgust." He finally turned away from the dementor and faced Voldemort. "It's the same feeling I get when I see you."
Voldemort's upper lip curled into a sneer, but he was stopped from commenting by the arrival of a hunched over, thin figure. "What is it, Wormtail?" the dark lord snarled.
Holding something out to Voldemort, Wormtail cowered as he muttered, "W- we were able to retrieve your wand, my Lord." Harry froze. Ginny had had the dark lord's wand. Did that mean ...?
"Is that All that you brought back?" Voldemort asked, glaring at the man. Slowly, Wormtail nodded. Voldemort let out a howl of anger, then screamed, "Why did you not bring back the girl?!!!"
"Sh-sh-she e-e-esc-aped, m-my L-lord!"
Voldemort only paused a moment before snatching the wand out of the bowing man's hands and pointing it at him. "Crucio!" he yelled, causing Wormtail to fall to the ground writhing in pain.
Harry wanted to look away, but couldn't. Instead, he used the opportunity to inch forward. Voldemort was busily enjoying his servant's misery to notice that Harry had moved up beside him. In one swift movement, Harry reached out and slammed his ghostly hand onto Voldemort's forehead. "Mark!" he muttered, then quickly withdrew his hand.
"What Have You Done?" Voldemort screamed as his hands flew to his head. Harry couldn't tell if it'd worked or not. He didn't have time to worry about it. He knew that he needed to find someone ... anyone from their side to complete the link. Turning, Harry moved to leave ... but found himself face to ... *faces* with a looming dementor.
The black mass swelled up, nearly towering over Harry. It seemed to be moving to surround him before devouring him completely. Harry couldn't move ... he seemed almost frozen to the spot.
Suddenly a cry filled the air, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A silvery flash shot around Harry in a blur. The dementor made a hissing squeal and began to back away. As it did, Harry saw the most beautiful sight in his ... well, existence.
Standing not ten feet away, stood Ginny Weasley. Her fiery red locks blew about her angelic face, like she was surrounded by a raging fire. Her brown eyes sparkled with intense concentration as she pointed her own wand steadily at the retreating dementor. Harry took a step towards her, but then paused in horror as he heard behind him, "Avada Ke..."
Another black form suddenly leaped past Harry from out of nowhere. Turning, Harry found Sirius gripping Voldemort's wand arm in his jaws. The dark lord hissed with anger as he struggled with the dog. Finally, he looked up at Harry and laughed. "I still win, Potter!" With that, he and all the Death Eaters and dementors in the camp vanished.
Sirius immediately moved to Harry's side, as did Ginny. Harry glanced down at the dog and whispered, "Thanks." Sirius just made a whimpering noise. Turning to Ginny, Harry said, "Why'd you come back?"
"I meant what I said, Harry," she whispered softly. "I'm not going back without you."
Although he noticed others joining them, including Professors Dumbledore and Snape, Harry didn't turn away from the small redhead. "Ginny ... it's too late ..."
"No," she declared stubbornly. "I refuse to believe that. There's got to be a way to get you back. I can't lose you ... not now ..." Her voice broke slightly on the last few words.
Harry reached up one hand and placed it as near her cheek as he could. "I'm sorry ..."
Ginny leaned towards his hand for a moment, closing her eyes. Then, stepping back, she shook her head violently. "NO! There has Got to be a way!" She turned her brown eyes towards the professors and pleaded, "Isn't there something ... some way that we can get him back in time.
Everyone seemed to look away except for Professor Dumbledore. To Harry, the older man almost seemed to be watching expectantly. Professor Snape had been looking down at a gold pocket watch. Suddenly it began to chime. Looking up, he said in an oddly soft voice, "Time's up."
"No ... no ..." Ginny repeated, then almost threw herself at the Potions master. "Don't you know of ANY way to help him?"
Professor Snape tried to push the young girl away as he snapped, "What do you want from me, Miss Weasley? He made his choice. He knew that his spirit would need a body in order to survive ... it was his choice ..."
"WAIT!" Ginny exclaimed, looking at Professor Snape with wide eyes filled with hope. "You said that he needs a body ... can it be ANY body?"
"Well, technically, ... no. It needs to be his." Ginny began to slump in defeat.
"Or one in which a strong bond exists," Professor Dumbledore said suddenly.
Harry and Ginny both turned to their headmaster. "What kind of bond?" Ginny asked urgently.
"It doesn't matter," Professor Snape cut in. "There's only few seconds and then his spirit is permanent."
Ginny ignored the man as she repeated, "What kind of bond?"
Professor Dumbledore merely smiled as he answered, "That of love."
Harry watched as Ginny stared at the old man for a moment, then slowly nodded her head. She turned around and quickly walked up to him, blushing profusely. Harry was fairly certain why, but he found himself to be as frozen now as he had been when facing the dementor. Ginny stopped in front of him and gazed up into his ghostly face. "Harry? ... do you trust me?"
Without hesitation, Harry nodded as he whispered, "With my life." Ginny just smiled lovingly at him.
Neither were sure what they were to do. Acting solely on instinct, they moved towards each other as they heard Professor Snape counting down in the back ground. Just as the man reached one, the two students seemed to embrace and then merge into a swirl of colors and light.
************************************ Ginny could feel Harry's presence coursing through her. It was intense, and yet exhilarating. Her eyes still closed tightly, she took a deep breath. As her eyelids fluttered open, she glanced around at all the faces staring at her.
"How do we get them back now?" Professor Snape was asking Professor Dumbledore. "If we portkey them, there could be complications. She's too young to attempt apparating ... and there's no floo network close enough ..."
Professor Dumbledore didn't seemed very concerned, however. "I do believe that the means of transportation has already arrived," he commented mysteriously.
A sound of hoofs attracted Ginny's attention and she turned to see several Centaurs standing near a batch of trees. One of them stepped forward and addressed Professor Dumbledore. "The stars foretold that we should be here on this day and at this hour. How are our services required?"
"Ah, Firenze," the elderly professor said as he nodded at the man/horse. "We would be most appreciative if you could assist us in returning to Hogwarts. Especially this young lady here."
Firenze looked in Ginny's direction. Slowly, he approached the girl, eyeing her closely. "Though Mars still shines bright, so does Venus consistently emit her warm glow." He bowed slightly to Ginny, then said, "Climb upon my back, my lady ... I will get you safely back to your school."
Ginny gave Professor Dumbledore a hesitant look, but the headmaster just smiled at her encouragingly. So, carefully, Ginny climbed up onto the Centaur's back. As he pranced back and forth, she held tightly to his waist. "Hold fast, my lady ... my speed is that of the wind."
And he wasn't exaggerating. Ginny clung tightly to the Centaur as he sped through the Forbidden Forest. What should have taken hours to get through, only took a few minutes. Quite soon, Firenze had reached the edge of the forest where the school grounds began. There waiting for them, were Professors Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall.
As Ginny slid off the Centaur's back, Firenze said to the professors, "My service is done ... I must return to watching the sky. The stars will tell me if you are in need of my help again." He bowed to the three adults. Then glancing at Ginny, he bowed yet again. "Ginny Weasley ... guard well the soul of Harry Potter. Thy bond is now as endless as the universe." Turning quickly, Firenze raced off into the forest.
"Come along, Miss Weasley," Professor Dumbledore said gently as Professor McGonagall placed an arm around the young girl's shoulders. "Time is still of the essence."
Ginny had a difficult time focusing on all the faces of the people they passed as they made their way into the school and up to the Hospital Wing. Two faces, however, were quite clear. Hermione and Ron met the group just outside the Infirmary doors. Rushing up to Ginny, Hermione began to sob. "Oh Ginny ... we were so afraid that we'd lost you too ... you just left ... and then some people were saying that they saw Harry's ghost ..."
Unable to say anything, Ginny just looked at her friend. It was Ron who spoke up. "What's wrong with her? What did they do to her?" he asked in a frightened tone.
"Nothing is wrong with her, Mr. Weasley," Professor Snape growled. "If you two would just stay out of the way for a moment, then I'm sure you will get time enough soon to visit with both Miss Weasley and Mr. Potter."
That stopped both Ron and Hermione in their tracks. Hermione turned deathly pale, while Ron's mouth hung open as he muttered, "What are you talking about?"
Professor McGonagall tutted Professor Snape, then said to her two distraught students, "I believe that you should come with us, Mr. Weasley ... Miss Granger. I'm afraid that we haven't been completely honest with you in regards to Mr. Potter's ... demise."
The group entered the Hospital Wing and were immediately greeted by Madame Pomfrey. It was clear that the nurse wanted to fuss over Ginny, but Professor Dumbledore insisted that they proceed to a small room off of Madame Pomfrey's private office.
Inside the small room was only one bed. And there lying under the bed's sheets was a very still Harry Potter. Ginny heard both Ron and Hermione gasp, but she ignored them. Slowly, she walked over to the unmoving form.
"How does this exactly work?" Professor McGonagall quietly asked Professor Snape.
The Potions professor's answer was tense. "How should I know? I've never even heard of this being done before."
"What is going on?" Ron cut in, starting to sound a bit irritated. Though Ginny couldn't see any of them as she gazed down at Harry, she could hear everything they were saying. "What's wrong with Ginny? And if Harry's dead, why's his body still here?"
Professor Dumbledore's calm voice filled the air. "Harry is not dead, Mr. Weasley. He is only under the effects of a very powerful potion. This specific potion mimics death, allowing the drinker's spirit to wander free for a certain length of time. It is very dangerous because if the drinker's spirit does not return to the body at a very specific time, then the soul remains forever free of the body and the body remains soulless."
"And Harry took this potion?" Ron asked, astonishment in his tone. Professor Dumbledore must have nodded his head, because the next words Ginny heard were Ron muttering, "Bloody hell ..."
"Mr. Weasley!" Professor McGonagall warned, though only half-heartedly.
Hermione cut in at that moment. "If Harry's body is here, than ... where's his spirit."
"At present," Professor Dumbledore answered, "It is residing in Miss Weasley's body, along with her own."
"WHAT?!!" Ron blurted out. "Wh-wh-why?!!!"
As interesting as this conversation was, Ginny started to block it out. She concentrated instead on Harry's face. He looked so peaceful. But, somehow, she needed to get his spirit back into him. Only, how? They had simply embraced in order to put his soul in with hers. But she wasn't exactly clear on how to free him into his own body.
Her gaze traveled across the boy's dark messy locks. Ginny had barely realized what she was doing as she reached out a hand to gently stroke Harry's hair. Her fingers lightly brushed over the jagged scar that shown beneath his bangs. She suddenly had an urge to kiss his forehead ... no ... it was something like that. Something ... her instincts perhaps ... but for some reason, Ginny found herself slowly bending closer to Harry.
"What's she doing now?" Ron asked, only slightly catching her attention.
Ginny's gaze had drifted down Harry's face and now rested on his lips. It all seemed so natural ... the pull of two forces ... Ginny closed her eyes and gave in to the feeling completely. Moments later, she felt her lips lightly press against Harry's mouth.
*******************************
It was like waking up from a very intense dream. There were parts of it that seemed so vivid, while others just seemed to fade away. Harry tried to find something firm to hold onto as he felt himself tilt and whirl. Then an odd sensation filled him. It was as if an incredible wave of warmth washed over him ... more like rushed up through him. It seemed to generate from his lips, down through his entire body, than back up to his mouth.
From somewhere very far away, Harry thought he could hear voices. "Why's she kissing him?" That sounded like Ron. A gruff laugh made Harry think of Professor Snape. But the noises surrounding him wasn't what was catching his attention. It was the warm pressure that he could feel pressing against his mouth. Slowly, he moved his lips against the warmth. The result was amazing. The pressure seemed to counter and moved right along with Harry's own mouth.
Drowsily opening his eyes, Harry could only see a wall of bright red hair cascading down around his face. Letting his eyes come to focus, he was surprised to find that the hair was falling down from around a beautiful ... though slightly blurry ... face. A face that was presently Very close to his. So close that ...
'Ginny!' Harry suddenly thought, his heart pounding wildly. 'I'm kissing Ginny!' Despite the shock of finding this out, Harry made no move to break the kiss. In fact, quite the opposite. He instead reached up one hand and lightly touched Ginny's forehead with his fingers tips before trailing them slowly down her cheek.
To his amusement, Harry saw Ginny's eyes fly open. To his dismay, however, she moved away. "H-Harry? ... Are you ...?"
Harry smiled up at the girl, then nodded. "I'm fine, Gin ... thanks to you. You did more than save my life ... you saved my soul."
Ginny blushed lightly as she replied softly, "You did the same for me. Now we're even."
To her surprise, Harry shook his head. "We're more than even ... we're bonded."
The sound of a throat being cleared near by made both teens turn to look at the group of people standing there. Hermione was sobbing still, though smiling. Ron looked as if he didn't know if he should be happy or highly pissed off. Professor Snape looked almost bored. He muttered something, then quickly left the room.
Professor McGonagall smiled at the two students, though she looked to be on the verge of tears. "You both should get some rest. I'll see to it that you are excused from classes for the week." She started to go, but then looked back at them. "It's good to have you back with us, Mr. Potter."
Harry smiled as he gave a small nod. After Professor McGonagall left, it was only Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore in the room. The headmaster turned to Harry's friends and said, "Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger ... I know that you must have a million questions ... and I will see to it that they are all answered to the best of my ability. But I believe that now that you see that Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley are indeed alive and well, that we should allow them to get some rest. You may come back in the morning to visit with the two. But until then ... I do believe that there is a number of students that would very much enjoy hearing this good news."
Both Ron and Hermione nodded, though neither looked like they wanted to leave. "We'll be back first thing in the morning," Ron told the two. "And then I think we need to talk." He seemed to be giving Harry a very hard look as he said that. Hermione just gave a soft laugh, then grabbed Ron's hand to pull him out of the room.
Once they had left, Harry looked up at Professor Dumbledore. "Er ... Professor?"
"Yes Harry?" Professor Dumbledore replied, moving closer to the boy's bed.
"Did it work? I never got a chance to complete the link," Harry told him. "I did the spell like you said. A spirit mark ... from one living being to another. But if I didn't complete the link, then how will we be able to use the mark to track Voldemort?"
Professor Dumbledore just smiled at him. "Are you sure that you didn't complete the link? All it took was touching another living being. While we intended that person to be you ... there's another that has taken on this task. And from what I've seen, she will do splendidly."
Immediately, Harry's gaze shifted to Ginny. She was sitting there on his bed now, looking quite confused. "No," he whispered, paling slightly.
Ginny glanced down at him. "What's wrong, Harry?" she began to ask, then paused. She looked away for a moment, then turned to Professor Dumbledore. "You're talking about me. I'm the one that the link has been made to ... so I'll be able to help track Voldemort?" Professor Dumbledore simply nodded.
Turning back to Harry, Ginny gave him a small smile. "It's a task that I willingly accept. I'll do anything to help rid the world of that menace." Harry smiled back, though a bit sadly.
Professor Dumbledore coughed slightly, but neither of the teens noticed. Grinning, he said, "I believe that I'll be off now. Rest now, children ... you have both done well."
Alone at last, Harry reached out his hand and captured one of Ginny's. "I'm so sorry, Gin ... I never wanted ..."
"Shhhh ...," she murmured to him, laying a finger against his lips. "It doesn't matter. All that matters is that you're here ... really here."
"Thanks to you," Harry said once again. He closed his eyes for a moment. When he reopened them, Harry gasped lightly. A very soft glow seemed to surround Ginny ... white and blue ... pink, almost on the verge though of turning a deep red. And shimmering in between them was a soft golden strand of light.
"That's what I was seeing," Harry said absentmindedly. Ginny gave him an inquisitive look. He smiled warmly at her. "I kept seeing this shimmer of gold whenever I was near you. It was how I followed you up to the Astronomy Tower ... and later how I found you in the Forbidden Forest. I didn't know what it was ... until now."
Ginny tilted her head slightly. "What is it that you're seeing, Harry?"
"Our bond," Harry whispered. "It's stronger now, so it's more visible. It was probably there before I took the potion, but I never noticed it." His voice was quite sad as he said this. "While I was a spirit, I could see everyone's auras ... including yours. The bond still wasn't clear ... but I think that was because I wasn't ready to see it."
"And now you are?" Ginny asked softly. Harry nodded. Carefully, Harry pulled himself up so he was sitting very close to Ginny on the bed. She suddenly glanced down shyly at her hands as she said, "So ... that's how you knew ... that I was losing hope ..."
Harry reached out and gently lifted Ginny's chin with one hand. When she raised her warm brown eyes up to meet with Harry's bright green ones, Harry smiled at her. "You never lost hope, Gin, ... you just misplaced it for a moment. Nothing wrong with that."
Ginny returned the smile with a demure one of her own. Harry's stomach suddenly felt as if a million tiny Snitches had been let loose in his stomach, but he didn't mind. He was too caught up in the warm glow of Ginny's sweet smile. With his hand still tenderly touching the girl's chin, Harry began to lean towards her slightly.
In a nervous voice, Ginny murmured, "That was my first kiss, Harry."
The change of topic, didn't even faze Harry. He just moved a bit more towards her as he whispered back, "Mine too."
Ginny's gaze seemed unsure of where to settle as it flickered from Harry's eyes down to his slowly approaching lips, then back up again to the boy's green orbs. "It's sort of blurry, though ..." Harry nodded, but continued to move towards her. "I suppose because of what was happening ... with your spirit, I mean ..."
"Mmmhmm," Harry murmured, his own gaze now firmly set on Ginny's mouth.
"Everyone always says that your first kiss will be the most memorable, but I can barely remember any ...," Ginny began to say.
But then, Harry shifted his hand from her chin to place a finger against her mouth. "Let's be different, then ... how about we make our second kiss the most memorable?"
Ginny gazed at him for a moment, the corners of her mouth tugging upward. Then slowly, she gave a nod. That was all Harry needed to give him the courage to close the distance between them. As their lips met in their second kiss, neither noticed the air about them shimmering as the golden strands of their bond completely surrounded them.
The End
The Second Kiss
"We can't do this!"
"I'm not sure that we have a choice ..."
"Of course we have a choice ... we can wait. There must be some other way ..."
Harry Potter listened to the voices fading in and out around him. Slowly, his emerald eyes fluttered open to find himself once again lying in a bed in the Hospital Wing. "Wha 'appened?" he mumbled out drowsily.
"Oh good," a voice said somewhere to his right. A moment later, Madame Pomfrey's face appeared hovering above him. "You've awoken."
Another voice broke in; this one deeper and laced with sarcasm. "How could he not ... with all this bickering going on."
Harry turned his head slightly to see Professor Snape standing off a bit from his bed. The man had a disdainful expression on his face as he glared across the room at someone else. Following his professor's gaze, Harry found Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore standing near the end of his bed. Again, he repeated, "What happened?"
All four adults in the room turned and looked at him. It was Dumbledore who spoke up. "What do you last remember, Harry?"
Looking away, Harry thought back to his last memory. He knew that he was in his fifth year at Hogwarts. The war with Voldemort had been slowly picking up momentum, but so far the school year had been calm. Because of this, students had been allowed to go about their normal activities. "I was playing Quidditch ... against Ravenclaw ... reached out and caught the Snitch ... then ..." His green eyes opened wide. "It was a portkey ... took me to the Forbidden Forest." Pausing again, Harry licked his dry lips.
Professor McGonagall seemed to sense his discomfort and quickly got Harry a glass of water. After taking a few gulps, he looked at the woman and smiled. "Thanks." His gaze returned again to his headmaster. "Voldemort was there ... he ... *did* something, but ... I don't know what ..."
"Voldemort forced you to drink a potion, Harry," Professor Dumbledore stated. "A very deadly potion. Luckily, Professor Snape had the antidote all ready ... just in case. He'd heard rumors that Voldemort might be planning to use this certain potion on you. He immediately made up a batch of the remedy."
Harry's gaze shifted over to Professor Snape again, who was scowling at the floor. Quietly, the boy said, "Thanks."
At first, it seemed that the Professor didn't hear. But then in a low mutter, the man replied, "Don't mention it." He raised his face up and looked over at his colleagues. "So ... are we going to do this or not? I have lesson plans to prepare."
Glancing over at Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore, Harry was surprised to hear his headmaster say, "That is really up to Mr. Potter, I think. As it is his life that is in question."
"What do you mean, Professor?" Harry asked.
Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he answered, "We have a plan, Harry ... but it will require you to die."
**********************************
Ginny Weasley sat in the Gryffindor Common room, off to one side. No one seemed to notice her. Not that it was surprising that they didn't. No one rarely paid much attention to the petite redhead fourth year student. She glanced across the room at her brother, Ron, and Hermione Granger. They were sitting close together, obviously quite distressed. It had been hours since they'd heard any word about Harry. All they'd been told was that he'd had yet another run in with You-Know-Who and was taken to the Hospital Wing. Sighing, Ginny shifted in her seat. All they could do was wait.
***********************************
"All right."
Four different expression met that one small answer. "Are you sure, Mr. Potter?" Professor Dumbledore asked. Harry just nodded in reply. The elderly wizard looked over at the Potions professor, saying, "Severus ... if you will, please."
Professor Snape seemed almost a bit too eager to Harry. The man swept over to Harry's bedside, pulling a vial out of his robes. "Drink this, Potter," he demanded as he shoved the potion at the boy.
Harry took the vial and eyed it warily. Knowing that there was no other way, he slowly brought the draught to his lips and drank. Within seconds, the glass fell from his hand ... and Harry's world faded to black as he collapsed onto his bed.
***********************************
"Do you think he's going to stand there all day?" a voice quipped from somewhere in the darkness.
"Give him time ..." another voice started to say.
However, the first voice immediately cut in, "He's got all the time in the world now, doesn't he? ... now that he's one of us?"
"Go away, Peeves," the second voice snapped. "Go pester, Filch, will you!"
Harry opened his eyes. 'Peeves?' he thought, 'What did he mean by ... oh yeah ...' His vision blurred in and out for a moment, but slowly came into focus. Glancing around him, Harry found he was no longer in the Hospital Wing. He appeared to be standing in the hallway, near the portrait of the Fat Lady. "How'd I get here?"
"Not really sure, Harry," that second voice answered, causing Harry to turn around. Standing there behind him ... as solid as can be ... was Sir Nicholas.
"Nick!? ... is that really you?"
"In the ectoplasm!" Nick replied, giving a slight bow. "You showed up about five minutes ago. I've just been waiting for you to completely join us."
Harry looked down at himself. "I don't look any different. It must not have worked," he started to say. Just then, Professor McGonagall came up the hall. "Professor," Harry called out. "I ... I don't know what went wrong, but ..." He paused. Looking closely at Professor McGonagall, Harry noticed that she wasn't paying any attention to him. Upon closer inspection, he also realized that it looked as if she were crying. "Professor? ..."
"She can't hear you," Nick told Harry gently. "Nor can she see you."
For a moment, Harry stood just opening and closing his mouth. Finally, he said, "So ... it worked. I'm ..."
"You're a spirit, Harry."
"I don't understand, though," Harry said after a pause. "We've always been able to see you ... why couldn't Professor McGonagall see me?"
"I've had centuries to learn how to maintain my appearance to the living ... you'll eventually learn how. It just takes time." Nick glanced in the direction of the Gryffindor Common room. "She'll be telling them all now, I suppose."
Harry understood immediately what Nick was referring to. He just nodded silently, then followed his ghostly friend through the thick walls into the common room. The sight that met him made Harry gasp. "They're all so ... colorful!"
Nick chuckled. "It's their auras. We in the spirit world can see the emotions of the living."
Glancing around, Harry spotted Professor McGonagall leading Ron and Hermione off to one side. He hadn't really noticed the thin lines of colors that had surrounded his Transfigurations teacher until now. Perhaps that was because they mostly seemed to be of a silver and grey coloring. Moving closer to the professor and his friends, Harry asked Nick, "What do the colors mean?"
"Well," Nick replied, pointing to Professor McGonagall, "The grey usually indicates depression or extreme sadness. The silver also is sadness. If you notice the orange around your friends, that implies that they are both frightened."
"Mr. Weasley ... Miss Granger," Harry could hear Professor McGonagall saying, "I wanted to speak to you first, before addressing the rest of the students."
Hermione interrupted, "Is Harry okay?"
Professor McGonagall closed her mouth, looking silently at the girl for a moment. Hermione paled as the colors around her began to swirl. Harry watched as Hermione swayed unsteadily on her feet, until Ron quickly grabbed her. Holding up his friend, the redhead looked back up at the professor and said, "What? ... you're not saying ...!"
Slowly, Professor McGonagall nodded her head. Ron let out a horrified, "No!" as Hermione collapsed against him in sobs. The rest of the common room went deathly silent as all eyes turned their way.
It was at this moment, that Harry saw a glimmer of some sort out of the corner of his eye. Looking over, he noticed Ginny sitting perfectly still in a chair off in the shadows. He hadn't noticed her before ... and obviously neither had Professor McGonagall, Ron, or Hermione. Harry could hear Professor McGonagall speaking to the rest of the Gryffindors, but his attention was solely on the youngest Weasley. He realized that she'd overheard Ron and Hermione being told about him. Just like Hermione, an array of colors swirled about her.
Harry turned around and glanced around the common room. Everyone was swirling with colors ... mostly grey and silver. There were some flashes of red ... some brown ... even a bit of black. Harry also noticed that students were banding together in groups of two or three. Everyone was comforting each other. Everyone except ...
Turning back to look at Ginny, Harry gasped. "Nick! Look at Ginny!" Nick did just that and made a sad 'ahhhing' sound. "What does that mean? ... Where'd all the colors go?"
"She's lost them all, Harry," Nick answer quietly. "Because she's lost hope. She's numb and not feeling any emotions." The ancient ghost patted Harry's shoulder comfortingly. "It happens to the living from time to time. Often the colors come back after awhile ... but sometimes ..."
Again, Harry glanced around. Frowning, he moved over to the young girl. "Why isn't anyone coming over here to be with her? Don't they see she's over here by herself?"
Nick looked at Harry with surprise. "Did you ever notice her, Harry? ... when you were among the living?"
Harry opened his mouth ... then quickly closed it. He hadn't. Sure, he had noticed things like when she talked directly to him. Or when she did something quite noticeable, like spill pumpkin juice all over herself just as he sat down next to her. Even noticed her studying or in the halls on the way to class. But he'd never really *Noticed* her. Never took the time to see how she was doing or if she needed any help ... comfort ... friendship.
"No," Harry finally said quietly. "I guess I didn't." Just then a brilliant mixture of red, purple, black, and brown blazed from around Ginny. "What's happening?" Harry asked, jumping back from the sight.
Nick was frowning at the young girl. "This doesn't look good," was all he said.
Ginny suddenly stood up from the chair and silently slipped across the room and out of the portrait hole. Harry took only a second to glance back at Ron and Hermione. The two were sitting together in a tight embrace, clearly trying to comfort each other. Harry was glad that they had each other to get through this ... he just wished that they wouldn't have left out Ginny.
Taking off after Ginny, Harry went back outside the Gryffindor common room. He looked around wildly, trying to determine which way Ginny had gone. A bright shimmering caught his eye and he took off after it. It seemed like every time he turned a corner or came to a crossroads, Harry'd see another sparkle to show him which way to go. After awhile, he realized he was heading up to the Astronomy Tower.
Upon reaching the top of the tower, Harry went out onto the balcony. There he found Ginny staring out towards the Forbidden Forest. As he approached her, he could see the tears streaming down her face. He wanted so desperately to wipe those tears away ... but he couldn't. Instead, he moved up to her. "Ginny," he whispered, though she couldn't hear him. "What are you thinking?"
In one swift movement, Ginny climbed up on the ledge and stood up. "Oh Merlin ... No, Ginny! You can't do this!" Harry cried out to her. He looked around madly, but there was no one around to help. He turned back to see Ginny take a small side step. "Please, Ginny! ... Don't Do This!"
Ginny glanced over her shoulder, then suddenly raised one hand out as she shouted, "Accio, broom!"
Harry watched in shock as a broom that had been hidden in the corner flew into the girl's outstretched hand. He blinked at her, then at the broom. As it finally clicked what was happening, Harry said, "No, Ginny! ... That's as suicidal as jumping off this ledge!"
Ginny shifted the broom in her hand and carefully straddled it.
"Wait, Ginny!" Harry called out, his hand reaching out despite his knowledge that it would do no good. "Ginny! You Can't Go!"
With a look of intense sorrow, Ginny glanced behind her one last time.
"Please hear me," Harry pleaded, unable to take his eyes off the girl.
Ginny turned back and gracefully kicked off the wall.
"Ginny, Wait!" Harry yelled. He took a step forward. "Please Ginny ... Wait!"
Instantly, Ginny stopped the broom. She hovered in the air for a moment with her back to Harry and the school. Then, lowering her face, she slowly turned around. The look on her face ... those wide, bright eyes ... it reminded Harry so much of the first time he'd seen her at the Burrow. "Harry?" she whispered, disbelieve tainting her voice.
Harry nodded, hoping that she could really see him. "It's me, Ginny. Come back ... Please!"
She didn't even hesitate, but smoothly flew over and landed next to Harry. As Ginny dropped the broom to the floor, she gazed intently at him. She took a step forward, reaching one hand up as if to touch him. But she never did. Instead, Ginny whispered, "Y-you're ... a ghost."
"Something like that," Harry answered back.
Ginny brought her hand back to her own face and covered her mouth as she let out a small sob. The colors around her changed once more to those of silver and grey as Harry watched her brown eyes fill with tears. "Oh Harry ... why?"
Harry moved towards her, but she stepped back just as quickly. The movement surprised Harry. Watching as the girl's aura began to be interlaced with strands of orange, Harry suddenly understood. "Ginny, you don't have to be afraid. Things aren't what they seem."
Letting out a half laugh, half sob, Ginny replied, "Not what they seem? It seems to me like your standing before me as a ghost ... that You-Kn ..." She shook her head, strands of red now entering the air about her. "That *Voldemort* killed you ... that *he* won ... and you're dead." As she spoke those last few words, her head bowed in defeat and the colors again began to fade.
"Don't do that, Ginny," Harry said, desperately. Ginny raised her tear- filled eyes up to look at the boy questioningly. "I can see that you're losing hope, Gin ... don't."
"How can I not, Harry," Ginny cried out softly. "You're dead ..."
"But *Hope* isn't," Harry answered quickly. "Hope never really dies ... we just misplace it sometimes." Ginny lowered her face into her hands and began to cry softly. If he'd had a heart, it would have been breaking at that moment. Harry couldn't stand to see her crying.
Ginny suddenly raised her head again, wiping away the tears. She gave a bit of a sniffle, but set her face into a determined expression. Though the silver and grey colors still swirled about her, Harry noticed that the red was increasing somewhat. And a light blue began to glow all around her. He looked at her curiously until she scooped up the broom from the floor and moved back over to the ledge. "You're right, Harry," she said quietly. "Hope doesn't die ... but Voldemort will!"
Immediately Harry understood her plans. "No, Ginny ... it won't work. If you go after him, you'll only get yourself killed."
"I don't care," Ginny snapped back, staring out towards the forest again. "I can't just sit back and let nothing be done about your ... death."
Harry looked away, trying to think of some way to keep Ginny from leaving. He'd promised not to say anything ... it was essential to the plan that not very many people knew what was really going on. Still ... if he said nothing and Ginny got hurt because of him ... or worse, if she died ...
"Ginny, wait!" Harry made up his mind. He'd explain to the professors later. And if they didn't understand or agree with his decision ... well, he didn't care. He couldn't risk Ginny's life. "I'm not dead!" he blurted out.
For her part, Ginny just turned and looked at him. Her expression switched from determined to shock to pity in a matter of seconds. Gently, she told him, "Yes Harry ... you are. I know that you may not want to accept that ... perhaps that's why you're still here, but ..."
"No, Ginny," Harry interrupted, "That's not why I'm still here. I'm still here because I haven't really died."
He could see the doubt ... and a glimmer of hope ... swirl in the young girl's brown eyes. "But I can see right through you. If you weren't really dead, then how could you be here like this?"
"Stay with me, Gin, and I'll explain the whole thing."
Looking down, Ginny seemed to consider his request. Finally, she nodded her head and once again placed the broom on the floor. Harry sighed heavily in relief. Indicating that they should move away from the ledge and sit down, Harry led Ginny back inside. They sat down in a darkened corner and Harry began his tale.
************************************
"Where do you think she could have gone?"
"I don't know."
"You don't think she'd ... do something ... hurt herself, do you?"
"I Said I Don't Know!"
Silence.
"Geez, Hermione," Ron's voice cut through the air again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just worried too."
Hermione shrugged off the hurt she was feeling and gave the boy a sympathetic smile. "I know ... I understand." As Ron wrapped his arm around her shoulder, Hermione leaned against him. She wasn't sure what she'd do without him. And she hoped that she'd never have to find out.
They were approaching the Astronomy Tower. It was very late in the day and they'd been searching everywhere for Ginny. Shortly after Professor McGonagall had announced that Harry hadn't survived the dark lord's last attack on him, they'd noticed that Ron's sister was missing. Immediately, both were concerned.
"I won't let you down," both Ron and Hermione heard coming from the tower's room. They looked at each other, then quickly entered the room.
There in one corner, sitting there with an inattentive look upon her face, was Ginny. Ron let go of Hermione to rush up to his sister. "Ginny! We've been looking all over for you!"
"Well, here I am," she replied, giving her brother an irritated look. Her brown eyes flickered to the space next to her and she muttered, "Oh..."
Barely noticing this, Ron knelt down. "Ginny ... I don't know if you heard ..."
The look on Ginny's face made the boy pause. She looked thoroughly angry. "Of course, I heard, you git! I was sitting right there when McGonagall told you and Hermione ... you just didn't notice ..." Again, she glanced next to her and flushed. "But ... with that news, it's understandable," she finished in a whisper.
Ron and Hermione exchanged quick worried looks, then the redhead reached out and pulled Ginny into a brotherly hug. "I'm so sorry, Ginny. I'm sorry that we didn't notice you there. Please, come back down with us. You need to be with us as much as we need to be with you."
Ginny was silent for a moment, but then slowly nodded her head. Helping his sister to her feet, Ron led her over to where Hermione stood in the doorway. As soon as they reached her, Hermione gave Ginny an emotional hug. The fifth year Gryffindor girl had once again began to cry.
"Come on," Ron said gently, wrapping one arm around Hermione and the other around Ginny. "Let's go join the others."
************************************
Harry stood in the Astronomy Tower room, watching his friends leave. He hated doing this to them. At least, he mused, Ginny now knew what was going on. He felt an odd confidence that the younger girl would be able to comfort their friends and keep an eye on things for Harry.
Leaving the Tower, Harry slowly followed after the three Gryffindors. He wondered if this plan would really work. Would it truly pull Voldemort out? Would he be able to do what was needed and still get back in time? Then, amongst all this serious thoughts, one odd one suddenly emerged. Harry couldn't help but wonder, 'Why haven't I ever talked to Ginny before now?'
*************************************
It was late at night in the Gryffindor fourth year girls' dormitory. Ginny lay in her bed, replaying the day's events. It had started so wonderfully with the Quidditch game. Harry'd caught the Snitch ... then vanished. From there, it all had seemed to go down hill. Just when it appeared that her world had crumbled around her, Harry was suddenly there. They had talked for almost three hours ... definitely their longest conversation. And Harry had told her everything. About his adventures the first year ... what he saw when the dementors came near him ... how Sirius was innocent and was his godfather ... and finally, what they were currently planning to do in this fight against Voldemort. She'd never felt closer to him ... and yet so far away. Sighing lightly, she closed her eyes.
**************************************
It wasn't right for him to be there, he knew. But he couldn't help it. Harry just wanted to make sure that she was still in the castle ... that she hadn't changed her mind and gone after Voldemort. Drifting through the curtains that surrounded Ginny's bed, he smiled as he gazed down at her. Who was he kidding? He just wanted to see her again.
Harry pulled himself up onto the girl's bed and watched her for a moment. She looked so calm and peaceful lying there. 'She looks so pretty,' he thought as well, immediately feeling foolish. Now wasn't the time for such thoughts. But looking down at Ginny's soft skin, splattered lightly with an array of freckles ... her vibrant red hair, fanned out around her face ... her rosy lips, forming just a bit of a smile ... those long eyelashes, fluttering ... then opening ...
Harry jumped back as Ginny's eyes suddenly opened and she sat up quickly. A small squeal sounded from her. Somewhere in the room, a voice called out worriedly, "Ginny? You okay?"
"Y-yeah," Ginny answered, staring at Harry with wide eyes. Slowly, the orange tint around the girl faded and she added, "Just a bad dream. Sorry." Ginny's roommate muttered something along the lines of it being okay. Pulling out her wand, Ginny quickly placed silencing charms about her bed. Then turning on Harry, she growled, "Harry James Potter! How dare you scare me like that!"
Looking at the vivacious girl, Harry tried to look remorseful ... but he couldn't hide the goofy grin that seemed to want to form on his ghostly face. "Sorry ... I was just ... Thought I'd ..." He closed his mouth and looked hesitantly at her. "Sorry," he finally muttered again.
Ginny calmed down and gave him a small smile. "It's okay ... just warn me next time. It's quite alarming to open your eyes and find a spirit hovering over you, you know." Harry just chuckled as he nodded. "Did you want to talk more? ... about what were discussing before Ron and Hermione found me?"
Harry nodded. "I think that I told you most of it. There was just one thing more." Ginny looked at him inquisitively, but silently waited for him to continue. "I've only 72 hours from the time I took the potion to complete this. At the end of 72 hours, the potion wears off and my spirit is pulled back to my body."
Nodding, Ginny said, "Well, then you'll be back among the living in a couple days. That's not so bad." Glancing at Harry, Ginny seemed to study him for a moment. "Why do I get the feeling that it's not as simple as it sounds?"
"Because," Harry replied slowly, "It's not. At the end of 72 hours, my spirit only has around thirty seconds to get back to my body ... or it loses the ability to re-enter it. My body will keep living, but my spirit will be forever separated from it."
"Oh Harry," Ginny whispered, reaching out a hand towards him. Meeting only air, she quickly dropped it back to her lap. "We'll have to make sure that doesn't happen then."
Harry felt an odd rush pour through him as he gazed over at Ginny. The fact that she'd said 'we' made him suddenly feel stronger and more assure of himself than he'd ever had before. Quietly, he told her, "You should get some sleep. We'll worry about all this when we get to it. For now, just rest."
*********************************** Ginny nodded her head slowly and laid back down upon her bed. Closing her eyes, she tried to fight back the fears that were welling up within her. She couldn't lose Harry now ... not after they'd finally begun to open up to each other. Ginny didn't want to even think about what it'd be like not having him with her.
Suddenly, she felt a cold tingling slide across her forehead and down her cheek. Smiling with more contentment, Ginny snuggled down into her blankets. He wasn't going to leave her ... she felt more certain of that now. Though she was sure if she'd open her eyes, she'd find nothing there, Ginny knew that Harry would always be close by.
***********************************
Time went by much faster than Harry had anticipated. Before he knew it, they only had about twenty hours left. Pacing back and forth, Harry scowled down at the Astronomy Tower Floor. As classes were over for the day, he and Ginny had the tower to themselves. "It's no good," he finally stated. "It's not drawing him out."
"There's still time, Harry," Ginny reasoned quietly. Harry knew that she was right. But with each passing minute, he didn't like their chances.
"We've less than a day, Gin," Harry said, pausing to look at her. In the low set sunlight, Ginny's hair seemed to glow around her head like a fiery halo. Harry blinked, then shook his head. He needed to stay focused ... and that was something that was getting more and more difficult to do around Ginny.
Moving over to him, Ginny commented, "Perhaps he just needs an incentive ... something more to lure him to the school grounds."
"I don't know, Gin. All I do know is that something needs to be done ... and soon. This is one of the best chances we have against him. If we lose this opportunity ... we could possibly lose the war."
The two stood there silently, just looking intently in each other's eyes. After a long moment, Harry looked away. "I need to go speak to Professor Dumbledore and the others. Why don't you go get some dinner and I'll check in on you later." Without glancing up at her, Harry walked off.
Ginny stood there for a moment, watching him float away. Her face set once more in a firm look of determination. "Something must be done ... and I know just what ..." she whispered to the empty air around her.
**********************************
Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Harry were all in the headmaster's office trying to work out a new plan for action. Harry'd finally been able to show his presence to the three professors only the day before. This hadn't left them with much time to work out details and such. Already, they'd been discussing the lack of response from the dark lord for nearly three hours. They were just about to take a break when the headmaster's door flew open and Hagrid came rushing in.
"Professor! Professor! We've got a serious pr..."
That's as far as he got, for he just then spotted Harry. "Blimey ... Harry! Is that really you?!"
"Er ... yes," Harry began to say, but was quickly interrupted by Professor Snape.
"Potter couldn't stand the thought of not seeing the entire school grieve over his death, so he's been hanging around to watch the show." Giving the larger man a bored look, he asked, "Now ... what was it that you were going to say that was so urgent that you felt it proper to barge in here like a madman?"
"Oh Yes!" Hagrid exclaimed, turning once again to Professor Dumbledore. "We've got ourselves a problem. Seems that a student went missing a little while ago. No one was overly concerned at first because I guess she's been doing that for awhile now. But then some first years thought they saw someone down by the Forbidden Forest ..."
Professor Dumbledore held his hand up to stop the man. "Hagrid ... who is it that's gone missing?"
Hagrid cast a glance towards Harry, then said in a lower tone, "Miss Weasley, sir."
Harry immediately snapped to attention. "Ginny?! What are you talking about? I was just with her a few hours ago ... we had discussed ..."
Professor Snape literally flew into Harry's ghostly face. "YOU DID WHAT?!!!"
"I ... er ... well ..." was all Harry could stutter out.
"NO ONE is supposed to know about you, Harry!" the grouchy professor lectured. "NO ONE but *we* here are supposed to see you or speak with you ... except for Sir Nicholas. So how is it that you were *discussing* something ... ANYthing with Miss Weasley if she's not suppose to be able to see you, hear you, or even know that you're here?"
"I showed myself to her," Harry finally answered quietly. Then looking at Professor Dumbledore, he pleaded his case. "It was right after she'd found out. I followed her to the Astronomy Tower where ... I thought at first she was going to try to ... hurt herself. Instead, I realized that she was going to try to go after Voldemort by herself. I *had* to stop her! It was the only way."
To Harry's relief, Professor Dumbledore gave him an understanding smile as he nodded his head. "I believe we can trust Miss Weasley. She will not reveal anything to anyone."
"Perhaps not Willingly," Professor Snape interjected. "But if she's disappeared and *they* have her now ... they could get her to talk."
No one said anything for a moment. Only the sounds of the Sorting Hat snoring softly could be heard. Finally, Harry spoke up. "I'm going after her. If they've got her, I'm going to go bring her back." He gave Professor Dumbledore a steady look. "I'll need to abort the plan and re- enter my body."
"Stupid boy," Professor Snape growled, earning himself a glare from not only Harry, but also Professor McGonagall and Hagrid. "Didn't I make it clear ... you cannot enter your body again until the 72 hours have passed. It's only at that time that the spirit changes enough to re-enter into a body ... and you'll only have the thirty seconds to do it."
"I don't have time to wait until then!" Harry nearly spat back. "Voldemort could kill Ginny before then ... I can't let that happen!"
Professor Dumbledore interrupted at this point. "Harry. We will send in the best of our Aurors to find her ..."
"That's not Good enough! I need to go ... she went because of me," Harry shouted. Then lowering his voice, he added, "I won't let her die because of me as well." Ignoring the protests that arose the moment he turned around, Harry drifted swiftly out of the office.
As Harry floated through the school hallways, he'd barely noticed the startled looks or gasps from the students that he passed. His entire focus was on reaching the Forbidden Forest and finding Ginny. Escaping out the front doors, Harry drifted as quickly as he could towards the trees that loomed in the distance.
Once he reached the edge of the forest, Harry wasn't sure just where to go. He had no idea how to find Ginny ... or even if she was in the forest. As he glanced around warily, a sparkling shimmer off to his right caught his eye. Harry recalled having seen the same thing several times when he'd been around Ginny. Taking a chance, he decided to follow it.
He wasn't sure just how many hours passed as he weaved his way through the darkened forest in search of Ginny. All Harry knew was that he needed to find her ... and soon. He had a horrible sense of dread that he wouldn't reach her on time. And if that happened ... he somehow felt that he wouldn't be at all concerned about the fact that he was so far from his own body.
Another shimmer shone in the distance and Harry quickened his pace. Just as he rounded a large tree trunk, he spotted the camp. There appeared to be several dozen Death Eaters moving about the area. What was more surprising was the several black masses that seemed to be posted around the encampment. As Harry moved up closer to one of the dark blotches, he cringed with disgust.
The black mass seemed to be made of a dark, oily substance that swirled around as it moved. What had repulsed Harry so much was that he could see drowning within the dark goo various faces, each twisted in misery and pain. An echoing sound of shrill cries radiated from each mass.
Carefully skirting around these oddities, Harry floated carefully into camp. No one appeared to be able to see him, much to his relief. He moved along until he came to a small tent that seemed to be heavily guarded. Drifting through the canvas, Harry nearly cried out as he spotted the form of a petite redhead huddled in one corner. "Ginny!"
The girl raised her face, her brown eyes opening wide. "Harry?! What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you that," Harry muttered back, floating around her as he tried to assess the situation. "We've got to get you out of here."
Ginny just stared at Harry with a sad look of disbelief. "Me? ... Harry, you're the one who's in danger. You shouldn't have left the school. What if you can't make it back to your body in time?"
"I'll make it back ... but only with you," Harry stated firmly. "I will not leave here without you."
Hours passed, but neither could figure out a way to get Ginny safely out of the camp. Ginny had tried to convince Harry to go back and get help, but he refused to leave her.
"Harry ..." Ginny began, but then ...
"Your precious Harry Potter is not here to save you, child," a high pitched voice spat out from the tent's entrance. Harry moved back into the shadows, though he was fairly certain that he couldn't be seen anyway. As the figure stepped forward, Harry felt a surge of raw energy shudder through him.
"Who says that I need Harry to save me, Voldemort," Ginny said quietly as she glared at the approaching figure. "I got away from you before ... I can do it again." Though her voice was steady and soft, Harry could see the glow around her turning more and more orange.
"Stay strong, Gin," Harry whispered into Ginny's ear. Instantly, the orange began to fade away and a light blue took it's place.
Voldemort had moved to stand above her. "You are an insolent little thing, aren't you," he snarled. "Perhaps you need to be taught a lesson." Pulling out his wand, Voldemort pointed it at the girl and opened his mouth to utter a curse.
"NO!"
The dark lord's red eyes grew wide and slowly his gaze moved from the young girl on the ground to the hazy form next to her. As Harry slowly began to take shape, Voldemort hissed, "It can't be! You are dead!"
Harry stood defiantly in front of Ginny. "Leave her alone, Voldemort! Your battle's with me."
Voldemort stared at Harry for a moment, then he threw his head back and laughed loudly. "My Battle with you, Potter, is over ... I Won and You are Dead! It's now time for the War to proceed and for the world to become Mine! And I will start here with your pretty little friend."
Ignoring Harry, Voldemort turned on Ginny and once again opened his mouth to speak a curse. But in a flash, the young girl jumped to her feet and tossed a handful of dirt into the dark lord's eyes. The action so caught him off guard that Ginny was able to snatch his wand out of his hand. "Expellimerus!" she screamed, sending Voldemort soaring backwards and out of the tent.
"Whoa!" was Harry's only reply as he looked at Ginny with both amazement and admiration.
Ginny had already turned, though, and pointed the wand at the back of the tent. As she muttered another spell, Harry watched as the canvas split down the center. "Come on, Harry," Ginny called to him as she slipped through the hole.
Outside, Death Eaters were running around and curses were flying. Harry was terrified for Ginny until he realized that not all the spells and hexes were coming from Death Eaters. Apparently, help had arrived.
"Harry, Look!" Ginny cried out as she dodged a curse from one of the Death Eaters. They looked over to see the caster now on the ground with a huge black dog on top of him.
"Sirius!" Harry called out. The dog quickly looked up at him and barked. Though none of the others in the camp could see him, Sirius obviously could. Ginny cast a 'Petrificus Totalus' charm on the Death Eater, allowing Sirius to get off of him. The dog barked again, as if urging the two to follow him.
The three weaved their way through the fighting until they reached the edge of the camp. Harry glanced around nervously, trying to keep an eye open for the odd black forms he'd seen earlier. Sirius didn't seem concerned and swiftly led them out away from the camp. They'd gone so far, when Harry stopped.
Both Ginny and Sirius must have sense him doing so, for they too came to a halt. "What's wrong, Harry? We need to keep going ... get you back to Hogwarts. There's only another hour or so left. If you don't get back ..."
Harry drifted over and placed a ghostly hand in front of Ginny's mouth as he murmured, "Shhh ... it'll be okay, Gin. I always knew that it might come to this." Ginny began to shake her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "Sirius will lead you to safety ... but I have to finish this. I have to do what we planned or else it's all in vain. I know that it's too late to make it back ..."
"No! No, it's not, Harry," Ginny cried, raising her hands. She seemed desperate to touch him, but there was nothing there to touch. "You said that you weren't leaving without me ... well ... I'm not leaving without you!"
"You've got to, Gin ... You've got to go ... and live." Harry gave Sirius a look. "Take her back ... protect her." Looking back at Ginny, he whispered, "Ginny, I ..." His hand lifted and he moved it slowly near her forehead and down her cheek. He wanted so much to say something ... to tell her ... but no words could form. Knowing it was for the best, Harry disappeared.
As he moved back through the forest towards the camp again, Harry could hear Ginny's sobs and pleas. Still, he couldn't turn back. He was doing this as much for her as he was for the wizarding world's safety. Reaching the edge of the camp, Harry found Voldemort standing there waiting for him. Once again, he shimmered into view.
"Ah, Mr. Potter," Voldemort said venomously. "I thought perhaps you had run away. I must say that I would have been highly disappointed if you had."
"Well," Harry snarled back, "I really would Hate to disappoint you." He noticed Voldemort motion towards someone to his left. Glancing over, he cringed once again as he watched one of the black masses swirl towards him.
Voldemort's laugh cut through the morning air. "Ah, the wonderful effects of my Dementors. They make both the living and the deceased cringe in fear."
"It's not fear, Voldemort," Harry told him, still eyeing the approaching form. "It's disgust." He finally turned away from the dementor and faced Voldemort. "It's the same feeling I get when I see you."
Voldemort's upper lip curled into a sneer, but he was stopped from commenting by the arrival of a hunched over, thin figure. "What is it, Wormtail?" the dark lord snarled.
Holding something out to Voldemort, Wormtail cowered as he muttered, "W- we were able to retrieve your wand, my Lord." Harry froze. Ginny had had the dark lord's wand. Did that mean ...?
"Is that All that you brought back?" Voldemort asked, glaring at the man. Slowly, Wormtail nodded. Voldemort let out a howl of anger, then screamed, "Why did you not bring back the girl?!!!"
"Sh-sh-she e-e-esc-aped, m-my L-lord!"
Voldemort only paused a moment before snatching the wand out of the bowing man's hands and pointing it at him. "Crucio!" he yelled, causing Wormtail to fall to the ground writhing in pain.
Harry wanted to look away, but couldn't. Instead, he used the opportunity to inch forward. Voldemort was busily enjoying his servant's misery to notice that Harry had moved up beside him. In one swift movement, Harry reached out and slammed his ghostly hand onto Voldemort's forehead. "Mark!" he muttered, then quickly withdrew his hand.
"What Have You Done?" Voldemort screamed as his hands flew to his head. Harry couldn't tell if it'd worked or not. He didn't have time to worry about it. He knew that he needed to find someone ... anyone from their side to complete the link. Turning, Harry moved to leave ... but found himself face to ... *faces* with a looming dementor.
The black mass swelled up, nearly towering over Harry. It seemed to be moving to surround him before devouring him completely. Harry couldn't move ... he seemed almost frozen to the spot.
Suddenly a cry filled the air, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A silvery flash shot around Harry in a blur. The dementor made a hissing squeal and began to back away. As it did, Harry saw the most beautiful sight in his ... well, existence.
Standing not ten feet away, stood Ginny Weasley. Her fiery red locks blew about her angelic face, like she was surrounded by a raging fire. Her brown eyes sparkled with intense concentration as she pointed her own wand steadily at the retreating dementor. Harry took a step towards her, but then paused in horror as he heard behind him, "Avada Ke..."
Another black form suddenly leaped past Harry from out of nowhere. Turning, Harry found Sirius gripping Voldemort's wand arm in his jaws. The dark lord hissed with anger as he struggled with the dog. Finally, he looked up at Harry and laughed. "I still win, Potter!" With that, he and all the Death Eaters and dementors in the camp vanished.
Sirius immediately moved to Harry's side, as did Ginny. Harry glanced down at the dog and whispered, "Thanks." Sirius just made a whimpering noise. Turning to Ginny, Harry said, "Why'd you come back?"
"I meant what I said, Harry," she whispered softly. "I'm not going back without you."
Although he noticed others joining them, including Professors Dumbledore and Snape, Harry didn't turn away from the small redhead. "Ginny ... it's too late ..."
"No," she declared stubbornly. "I refuse to believe that. There's got to be a way to get you back. I can't lose you ... not now ..." Her voice broke slightly on the last few words.
Harry reached up one hand and placed it as near her cheek as he could. "I'm sorry ..."
Ginny leaned towards his hand for a moment, closing her eyes. Then, stepping back, she shook her head violently. "NO! There has Got to be a way!" She turned her brown eyes towards the professors and pleaded, "Isn't there something ... some way that we can get him back in time.
Everyone seemed to look away except for Professor Dumbledore. To Harry, the older man almost seemed to be watching expectantly. Professor Snape had been looking down at a gold pocket watch. Suddenly it began to chime. Looking up, he said in an oddly soft voice, "Time's up."
"No ... no ..." Ginny repeated, then almost threw herself at the Potions master. "Don't you know of ANY way to help him?"
Professor Snape tried to push the young girl away as he snapped, "What do you want from me, Miss Weasley? He made his choice. He knew that his spirit would need a body in order to survive ... it was his choice ..."
"WAIT!" Ginny exclaimed, looking at Professor Snape with wide eyes filled with hope. "You said that he needs a body ... can it be ANY body?"
"Well, technically, ... no. It needs to be his." Ginny began to slump in defeat.
"Or one in which a strong bond exists," Professor Dumbledore said suddenly.
Harry and Ginny both turned to their headmaster. "What kind of bond?" Ginny asked urgently.
"It doesn't matter," Professor Snape cut in. "There's only few seconds and then his spirit is permanent."
Ginny ignored the man as she repeated, "What kind of bond?"
Professor Dumbledore merely smiled as he answered, "That of love."
Harry watched as Ginny stared at the old man for a moment, then slowly nodded her head. She turned around and quickly walked up to him, blushing profusely. Harry was fairly certain why, but he found himself to be as frozen now as he had been when facing the dementor. Ginny stopped in front of him and gazed up into his ghostly face. "Harry? ... do you trust me?"
Without hesitation, Harry nodded as he whispered, "With my life." Ginny just smiled lovingly at him.
Neither were sure what they were to do. Acting solely on instinct, they moved towards each other as they heard Professor Snape counting down in the back ground. Just as the man reached one, the two students seemed to embrace and then merge into a swirl of colors and light.
************************************ Ginny could feel Harry's presence coursing through her. It was intense, and yet exhilarating. Her eyes still closed tightly, she took a deep breath. As her eyelids fluttered open, she glanced around at all the faces staring at her.
"How do we get them back now?" Professor Snape was asking Professor Dumbledore. "If we portkey them, there could be complications. She's too young to attempt apparating ... and there's no floo network close enough ..."
Professor Dumbledore didn't seemed very concerned, however. "I do believe that the means of transportation has already arrived," he commented mysteriously.
A sound of hoofs attracted Ginny's attention and she turned to see several Centaurs standing near a batch of trees. One of them stepped forward and addressed Professor Dumbledore. "The stars foretold that we should be here on this day and at this hour. How are our services required?"
"Ah, Firenze," the elderly professor said as he nodded at the man/horse. "We would be most appreciative if you could assist us in returning to Hogwarts. Especially this young lady here."
Firenze looked in Ginny's direction. Slowly, he approached the girl, eyeing her closely. "Though Mars still shines bright, so does Venus consistently emit her warm glow." He bowed slightly to Ginny, then said, "Climb upon my back, my lady ... I will get you safely back to your school."
Ginny gave Professor Dumbledore a hesitant look, but the headmaster just smiled at her encouragingly. So, carefully, Ginny climbed up onto the Centaur's back. As he pranced back and forth, she held tightly to his waist. "Hold fast, my lady ... my speed is that of the wind."
And he wasn't exaggerating. Ginny clung tightly to the Centaur as he sped through the Forbidden Forest. What should have taken hours to get through, only took a few minutes. Quite soon, Firenze had reached the edge of the forest where the school grounds began. There waiting for them, were Professors Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall.
As Ginny slid off the Centaur's back, Firenze said to the professors, "My service is done ... I must return to watching the sky. The stars will tell me if you are in need of my help again." He bowed to the three adults. Then glancing at Ginny, he bowed yet again. "Ginny Weasley ... guard well the soul of Harry Potter. Thy bond is now as endless as the universe." Turning quickly, Firenze raced off into the forest.
"Come along, Miss Weasley," Professor Dumbledore said gently as Professor McGonagall placed an arm around the young girl's shoulders. "Time is still of the essence."
Ginny had a difficult time focusing on all the faces of the people they passed as they made their way into the school and up to the Hospital Wing. Two faces, however, were quite clear. Hermione and Ron met the group just outside the Infirmary doors. Rushing up to Ginny, Hermione began to sob. "Oh Ginny ... we were so afraid that we'd lost you too ... you just left ... and then some people were saying that they saw Harry's ghost ..."
Unable to say anything, Ginny just looked at her friend. It was Ron who spoke up. "What's wrong with her? What did they do to her?" he asked in a frightened tone.
"Nothing is wrong with her, Mr. Weasley," Professor Snape growled. "If you two would just stay out of the way for a moment, then I'm sure you will get time enough soon to visit with both Miss Weasley and Mr. Potter."
That stopped both Ron and Hermione in their tracks. Hermione turned deathly pale, while Ron's mouth hung open as he muttered, "What are you talking about?"
Professor McGonagall tutted Professor Snape, then said to her two distraught students, "I believe that you should come with us, Mr. Weasley ... Miss Granger. I'm afraid that we haven't been completely honest with you in regards to Mr. Potter's ... demise."
The group entered the Hospital Wing and were immediately greeted by Madame Pomfrey. It was clear that the nurse wanted to fuss over Ginny, but Professor Dumbledore insisted that they proceed to a small room off of Madame Pomfrey's private office.
Inside the small room was only one bed. And there lying under the bed's sheets was a very still Harry Potter. Ginny heard both Ron and Hermione gasp, but she ignored them. Slowly, she walked over to the unmoving form.
"How does this exactly work?" Professor McGonagall quietly asked Professor Snape.
The Potions professor's answer was tense. "How should I know? I've never even heard of this being done before."
"What is going on?" Ron cut in, starting to sound a bit irritated. Though Ginny couldn't see any of them as she gazed down at Harry, she could hear everything they were saying. "What's wrong with Ginny? And if Harry's dead, why's his body still here?"
Professor Dumbledore's calm voice filled the air. "Harry is not dead, Mr. Weasley. He is only under the effects of a very powerful potion. This specific potion mimics death, allowing the drinker's spirit to wander free for a certain length of time. It is very dangerous because if the drinker's spirit does not return to the body at a very specific time, then the soul remains forever free of the body and the body remains soulless."
"And Harry took this potion?" Ron asked, astonishment in his tone. Professor Dumbledore must have nodded his head, because the next words Ginny heard were Ron muttering, "Bloody hell ..."
"Mr. Weasley!" Professor McGonagall warned, though only half-heartedly.
Hermione cut in at that moment. "If Harry's body is here, than ... where's his spirit."
"At present," Professor Dumbledore answered, "It is residing in Miss Weasley's body, along with her own."
"WHAT?!!" Ron blurted out. "Wh-wh-why?!!!"
As interesting as this conversation was, Ginny started to block it out. She concentrated instead on Harry's face. He looked so peaceful. But, somehow, she needed to get his spirit back into him. Only, how? They had simply embraced in order to put his soul in with hers. But she wasn't exactly clear on how to free him into his own body.
Her gaze traveled across the boy's dark messy locks. Ginny had barely realized what she was doing as she reached out a hand to gently stroke Harry's hair. Her fingers lightly brushed over the jagged scar that shown beneath his bangs. She suddenly had an urge to kiss his forehead ... no ... it was something like that. Something ... her instincts perhaps ... but for some reason, Ginny found herself slowly bending closer to Harry.
"What's she doing now?" Ron asked, only slightly catching her attention.
Ginny's gaze had drifted down Harry's face and now rested on his lips. It all seemed so natural ... the pull of two forces ... Ginny closed her eyes and gave in to the feeling completely. Moments later, she felt her lips lightly press against Harry's mouth.
*******************************
It was like waking up from a very intense dream. There were parts of it that seemed so vivid, while others just seemed to fade away. Harry tried to find something firm to hold onto as he felt himself tilt and whirl. Then an odd sensation filled him. It was as if an incredible wave of warmth washed over him ... more like rushed up through him. It seemed to generate from his lips, down through his entire body, than back up to his mouth.
From somewhere very far away, Harry thought he could hear voices. "Why's she kissing him?" That sounded like Ron. A gruff laugh made Harry think of Professor Snape. But the noises surrounding him wasn't what was catching his attention. It was the warm pressure that he could feel pressing against his mouth. Slowly, he moved his lips against the warmth. The result was amazing. The pressure seemed to counter and moved right along with Harry's own mouth.
Drowsily opening his eyes, Harry could only see a wall of bright red hair cascading down around his face. Letting his eyes come to focus, he was surprised to find that the hair was falling down from around a beautiful ... though slightly blurry ... face. A face that was presently Very close to his. So close that ...
'Ginny!' Harry suddenly thought, his heart pounding wildly. 'I'm kissing Ginny!' Despite the shock of finding this out, Harry made no move to break the kiss. In fact, quite the opposite. He instead reached up one hand and lightly touched Ginny's forehead with his fingers tips before trailing them slowly down her cheek.
To his amusement, Harry saw Ginny's eyes fly open. To his dismay, however, she moved away. "H-Harry? ... Are you ...?"
Harry smiled up at the girl, then nodded. "I'm fine, Gin ... thanks to you. You did more than save my life ... you saved my soul."
Ginny blushed lightly as she replied softly, "You did the same for me. Now we're even."
To her surprise, Harry shook his head. "We're more than even ... we're bonded."
The sound of a throat being cleared near by made both teens turn to look at the group of people standing there. Hermione was sobbing still, though smiling. Ron looked as if he didn't know if he should be happy or highly pissed off. Professor Snape looked almost bored. He muttered something, then quickly left the room.
Professor McGonagall smiled at the two students, though she looked to be on the verge of tears. "You both should get some rest. I'll see to it that you are excused from classes for the week." She started to go, but then looked back at them. "It's good to have you back with us, Mr. Potter."
Harry smiled as he gave a small nod. After Professor McGonagall left, it was only Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore in the room. The headmaster turned to Harry's friends and said, "Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger ... I know that you must have a million questions ... and I will see to it that they are all answered to the best of my ability. But I believe that now that you see that Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley are indeed alive and well, that we should allow them to get some rest. You may come back in the morning to visit with the two. But until then ... I do believe that there is a number of students that would very much enjoy hearing this good news."
Both Ron and Hermione nodded, though neither looked like they wanted to leave. "We'll be back first thing in the morning," Ron told the two. "And then I think we need to talk." He seemed to be giving Harry a very hard look as he said that. Hermione just gave a soft laugh, then grabbed Ron's hand to pull him out of the room.
Once they had left, Harry looked up at Professor Dumbledore. "Er ... Professor?"
"Yes Harry?" Professor Dumbledore replied, moving closer to the boy's bed.
"Did it work? I never got a chance to complete the link," Harry told him. "I did the spell like you said. A spirit mark ... from one living being to another. But if I didn't complete the link, then how will we be able to use the mark to track Voldemort?"
Professor Dumbledore just smiled at him. "Are you sure that you didn't complete the link? All it took was touching another living being. While we intended that person to be you ... there's another that has taken on this task. And from what I've seen, she will do splendidly."
Immediately, Harry's gaze shifted to Ginny. She was sitting there on his bed now, looking quite confused. "No," he whispered, paling slightly.
Ginny glanced down at him. "What's wrong, Harry?" she began to ask, then paused. She looked away for a moment, then turned to Professor Dumbledore. "You're talking about me. I'm the one that the link has been made to ... so I'll be able to help track Voldemort?" Professor Dumbledore simply nodded.
Turning back to Harry, Ginny gave him a small smile. "It's a task that I willingly accept. I'll do anything to help rid the world of that menace." Harry smiled back, though a bit sadly.
Professor Dumbledore coughed slightly, but neither of the teens noticed. Grinning, he said, "I believe that I'll be off now. Rest now, children ... you have both done well."
Alone at last, Harry reached out his hand and captured one of Ginny's. "I'm so sorry, Gin ... I never wanted ..."
"Shhhh ...," she murmured to him, laying a finger against his lips. "It doesn't matter. All that matters is that you're here ... really here."
"Thanks to you," Harry said once again. He closed his eyes for a moment. When he reopened them, Harry gasped lightly. A very soft glow seemed to surround Ginny ... white and blue ... pink, almost on the verge though of turning a deep red. And shimmering in between them was a soft golden strand of light.
"That's what I was seeing," Harry said absentmindedly. Ginny gave him an inquisitive look. He smiled warmly at her. "I kept seeing this shimmer of gold whenever I was near you. It was how I followed you up to the Astronomy Tower ... and later how I found you in the Forbidden Forest. I didn't know what it was ... until now."
Ginny tilted her head slightly. "What is it that you're seeing, Harry?"
"Our bond," Harry whispered. "It's stronger now, so it's more visible. It was probably there before I took the potion, but I never noticed it." His voice was quite sad as he said this. "While I was a spirit, I could see everyone's auras ... including yours. The bond still wasn't clear ... but I think that was because I wasn't ready to see it."
"And now you are?" Ginny asked softly. Harry nodded. Carefully, Harry pulled himself up so he was sitting very close to Ginny on the bed. She suddenly glanced down shyly at her hands as she said, "So ... that's how you knew ... that I was losing hope ..."
Harry reached out and gently lifted Ginny's chin with one hand. When she raised her warm brown eyes up to meet with Harry's bright green ones, Harry smiled at her. "You never lost hope, Gin, ... you just misplaced it for a moment. Nothing wrong with that."
Ginny returned the smile with a demure one of her own. Harry's stomach suddenly felt as if a million tiny Snitches had been let loose in his stomach, but he didn't mind. He was too caught up in the warm glow of Ginny's sweet smile. With his hand still tenderly touching the girl's chin, Harry began to lean towards her slightly.
In a nervous voice, Ginny murmured, "That was my first kiss, Harry."
The change of topic, didn't even faze Harry. He just moved a bit more towards her as he whispered back, "Mine too."
Ginny's gaze seemed unsure of where to settle as it flickered from Harry's eyes down to his slowly approaching lips, then back up again to the boy's green orbs. "It's sort of blurry, though ..." Harry nodded, but continued to move towards her. "I suppose because of what was happening ... with your spirit, I mean ..."
"Mmmhmm," Harry murmured, his own gaze now firmly set on Ginny's mouth.
"Everyone always says that your first kiss will be the most memorable, but I can barely remember any ...," Ginny began to say.
But then, Harry shifted his hand from her chin to place a finger against her mouth. "Let's be different, then ... how about we make our second kiss the most memorable?"
Ginny gazed at him for a moment, the corners of her mouth tugging upward. Then slowly, she gave a nod. That was all Harry needed to give him the courage to close the distance between them. As their lips met in their second kiss, neither noticed the air about them shimmering as the golden strands of their bond completely surrounded them.
The End