Disclaimer: Anything you recognise is not mine; it all belongs to J. K. Rowling as we all know
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Chapter Four
Not giving up
"Harry?" Ginny's voice was barely louder than a whisper and she had gone a ghostly white colour.
Harry felt his hand reach up and run through his hair, a habit he had acquired after seeing his father do it in Snape's pensieve.
"Hey"
Ginny couldn't believe it. Harry Potter, in the flesh, standing here in front of her. He looked the same as before, only a bit older. His build was slightly bigger, more muscular, she supposed from chasing death eaters around and he was slightly taller. But he still had the same warm emerald green eyes and messy jet-black hair.
Harry took a step forward.
"Ginny…I…"
"Ginny?" Ginny heard Nick's voice call as he came up the stairs. "Is everything alright? Everyone's just downstairs whispering to themselves and I…Oh, hello"
Harry looked at the new arrival and noted with jealously the way he gently placed his arm around her waist and gave her a soft kiss on her forehead.
Looking back over at Harry, Nick nodded and held out his hand
"Nicholas Dalton, Ginny's fianc
Harry swallowed bitterly at those words but reached out and took the hand
"Harry Potter, Ginny's…friend"
Nicholas took a step back.
"Harry Potter? The Harry Potter?"
"Yeah, that's me"
"Well, it is an honour! Ginny mentioned that you were a family acquaintance but I had no idea I would get the chance to actually meet you at there house!"
Something flashed in Harry's eyes but he just nodded and said, "Yes, well, I'm a bit more than just an acquaintance actually. We're all very close really."
Harry looked at Ginny as he said this but she avoided his gaze by staring down at her feet.
"Well, it would be really nice to get to know you better. How about a drink sometime?"
"Mmm hmm." Harry mumbled
The three people standing there fell into an uncomfortable silence, broken only when another pair of feet was heard heading up the stairs.
"Um, Harry?" Hermione called out. "The guys have started organising a huge game of quidditch outside for the kids, they could really use your help. And Nick, Percy wanted to know if you could help get lunch organised"
"Sure," Nick said, giving Ginny another kiss on the top of her head before heading down
Harry stared impassively at his retreating back before glancing at Ginny who was still avoiding his gaze. He looked over at Hermione, who gave him a small smile in return. Sighing, Harry too, headed down the stairs.
Neither Hermione nor Ginny spoke for a while after the men had left. Ginny was lost in her thoughts, thinking about the day Harry had left when Hermione finally reached over and patted her shoulder.
"Do you want to go to your old room an talk?" She asked softly, concern evident in her eyes.
Ginny just nodded mutely.
Putting her arm around her shoulders, Hermione gently steered Ginny up the stairs and into the second room on the right. Closing the door firmly behind them, Hermione turned to look at Ginny.
Ginny didn't know what to think. She thought she was over Harry Potter, she really did. When he'd walked out that door 5 years ago, Ginny had been absolutely devastated. She'd spent weeks moping about before she had decided she was being stupid. He was gone, he left her, and she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of waiting and pining away for him.
Slowly, she'd turned her life around, met new people, found a new purpose in life. Teaching at Hogwarts was like a dream for Ginny, she loved the idea that she was imparting her wisdom onto the younger generations. Then she'd met Nick and any remaining thoughts of one Mr Harry Potter had seemed to disappear from her mind.
Or so she'd thought.
She could feel a tear slipping down her cheek as Hermione put an arm around her shoulder.
"Hey, it's okay."
"No, no it's not." Ginny sobbed. "Why did he have to come back just now when I thought my life was perfect? I mean, yesterday I was so happy, I thought everything was right, I love Nick, I was going to marry him and we were going to babies and live happily ever after. Now Harry's here and I…I…"
"Just because Harry's back doesn't mean anything has to change between you and Nick. Unless…of course, if you wanted it to…if you…say, still loved him?"
Ginny looked up sharply at Hermione. "Love Harry? No, of course not. I'm over him. I don't have any feelings left for Harry. I'm over him and I'm going to marry Nick. I don't know what I was thinking before, absolute rubbish, of course Harry being here doesn't change anything. Just because I may have some feelings left for him doesn't change the fact that I love Nick. I love Nick and I'm going to marry him. Yes, yes of course. Everything's fine. I don't know what I was thinking; I must just be a bit emotional or something. Yes, that's it. Just a bit emotional. Everything is just peachy now. Well, I think I might just go downstairs no and see what everyone else is up to."
Ginny nodded her head firmly at herself then turned and walked matter-of-factly down the stairs.
Hermione stared after her and wondered if she should tell Ginny that she'd just repeated and contradicted herself numerous times in that little speech.
**********
Harry was sitting next to Ron on a bench watching Fred and George give their team some tips while sending dirty looks at Charlie and Bill's team.
Ron was looking at Harry nervously, unsure as to whether or not he should say anything. He was saved the trouble of wondering when Harry spoke first.
"What's Nick like?"
Ron was startled, obviously not expecting that question.
"Well, he's nice. He's a good man." Ron paused as though trying to think of what to say. "He, well…Harry, you're my best mate and I'd really like to tell you that he's a sleaze whose using Ginny and that we should get rid of him, but really, he's a great guy. He gets on with the whole family, he has a good, stable job and he treats Ginny like she's a queen. And…they're pretty happy together. In fact, he's made Ginny the happiest she's been since…well…since before you left." Harry made a move to interrupt but Ron quickly got in first. "Before you say anything, I know that you really did think that you were doing the right thing for her. But geeze Harry, she was miserable when you left. I hated seeing her like that. I don't to see her like that again and since Nick's been in her life, I haven't."
Harry ran his hands through his hair. "So I suppose this is your way of telling me to leave her alone."
Ron sighed. "Would you hate me if I said yeah, pretty much?"
Harry shook his head sadly. "I understand where you're coming from but I don't know if I can"
Ron looked pained. "Harry…"
"Ron, I know I hurt her, I know what I did was stupid and idiotic. I've spent every day for the past 5 years regretting it. You have no idea how many times I started to write to her but didn't know what to say. I was stupid enough to let go of her once, I'm not going to do that again."
"But Harry, this time she's not your's to let go of…"
"But I want to make her mine again. I love her Ron. Always have and probably always will. I have to try, you understand that don't you?"
Ron nodded slowly. "Yes, I do, but Harry, before you do anything, you have to know that you're my best friend but she's my baby sister. My only sister. And, well, when it comes down to that, blood is thicker than water. Even though you're like a brother to me, you have to know now that while I pray to Merlin it wont happen, if you hurt her again…well, I wouldn't want to take sides but if I had to I would. And, though it really really pains me to say this, and I hope you don't hate me for it, Harry, but I think you know whose side I'd be on."
Ron looked hesitantly over at Harry who was staring down at his hands.
"No, no I don't hate you, and I wouldn't hate you either. If I hurt her again, I'd just hate myself. But you have to trust me Ron, when I say that I would never let that happen again. That is one thing I can promise you."
Ron smiled slightly. "Of course I do Harry, and I hope you don't take what I said before too hard because I know that you wouldn't hurt Gin, I just had to let you know where I stand."
Harry smiled back. "No, it's alright. I understand and respect what you said completely." Harry let out a sigh then a short bark of laughter. "Merlin, listen to us, going on about all this stuff on feelings, anyone would think we're a bunch of girls."
Ron grinned. "Hey mate, it could've been worse, at least we didn't start hugging or crying or something."
Both men burst into peals of laughter, interrupted only by a stray bludger hitting Ron in the shoulder.
"Oy! You two! Are you lazy mutts just gonna sit there all day or are you gonna come help us win this quidditch game?"
**********
Lunch was another noisy, boisterous affair.
The children crowded around the table, pushing and shoving to get the best of the food before it disappeared. Due to the lack of space, the children took their food outside to eat under the tree leaving the big kitchen table for the adults.
Ron and Harry were outside cleaning up after the quidditch match which Fred and George's team had won and so by the time they arrived inside, there were only two seats left. One was next to Hermione; the other was next to Nick.
Ron gave Harry an apologetic look as he went and sat next to his wife and Harry resignedly took his seat next to Nick.
Nick looked over with a smile when Harry sat down and clapped him on the back.
"Harry! How'd the quidditch go?"
"Um, yeah, fine thanks." Harry mumbled, helping himself to some of the Caesar salad in front of him.
"You're an auror aren't you?" Nick pressed on, a annoyingly cheery note in his voice
"Yeah"
"I've always been fascinated by the type of work they do. Wouldn't have minded becoming one myself but the job at the bookstore just popped up and I found that I loved it. And of course, that's where I met my gorgeous fiancé." Nick smiled as he gave Ginny's hand a little squeezed who smiled back, although it seemed somewhat pained.
"We just started talking and we seemed to click. We'd both been through some pretty painful separations and we were going to take things slowly, but, well, I couldn't help myself. I had to make her mine before anyone else took her." Nick smiled fondly at Ginny and so missed the almost murderous glare that lit up Harry's eyes. This wasn't lost on Ginny though and she quickly changed the subject.
"Nick darling, tell everyone about that customer you had the other day, you know the one who wanted the books on how to hex your enemies so they'd keep on gaining weight…"
As Nick started regaling everyone with his tale, Ginny leaned back and glanced towards Harry whose gaze was directed straight at her.
Caught in those emerald green depths, Ginny tried to look away but found she didn't have the will to. Looking into Harry's eyes seemed to reopen in her all the old feelings she'd ever had and as they rushed through her mind, she could feel the tears forming and she blinked several times to prevent them from falling.
Harry saw the hurt look in Ginny's eyes as she looked at him and knew that he was responsible for a lot of that.
She excused herself quickly from the table and rushed up the stairs. Harry watched her go and caught Ron looking at him. He stared back and Harry could read the message clearly.
Don't hurt her.
Like hell he would. Noticing that everyone had become caught up in one of Arthur's work stories, he slipped away quickly.
**********
Ginny was sitting quietly crying her heart out when there was a soft knock on the door. Sniffling, she tried desperately to compose herself as she wiped away the tears.
"Come in." She said, her voice wavering only the slightest.
The door opened slowly and Harry stepped in.
One look at him was enough to prompt Ginny into a fresh wave of tears.
"Gin…" Harry said, going over and placing an arm around her shoulders.
"Don't Harry." Ginny said, shrugging it off. "Please, don't. Just, just go away"
"Gin please, let me at least explain myself"
"What's there to explain?! You left, I moved on. Deal with it."
"Maybe I don't want to! Maybe I'm still in love with you! Maybe I never stopped loving you and maybe I want to win you back!"
"What if I don't want to be won? I told you that if you left, I wasn't going to wait around for you. And I didn't." Looking at her feet, Ginny took a deep breath. "I don't love you anymore Harry. I've found someone else and I'm happy"
Harry looked away quickly to hide the hurt that flashed through his eyes but still moved forward so that he was sitting right in front of Ginny.
"Are you?" Harry asked gently, watching Ginny closely. "Are you really happy?"
Ginny squeezed her eyes shut so as to stop the tears forming.
"Yes." She said, gritting her teeth. "Yes, I'm happy."
Harry moved closer and placed a finger under her chin so that she was staring straight into his eyes
"Look me in the eyes and tell me that Gin. Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't love me anymore and then I'll leave you alone."
Looking into his eyes, Ginny knew that there was no way she could lie to his face like that. Feeling the tears slide down, she tried to look away but Harry held her in place.
Shaking her head softly, she whispered, "I don't owe you anything Harry."
"I know," he replied softly, "But I love you and I would really like another chance"
Shaking her head harder, she moved away from his grasp and stood up.
"Just leave me alone Harry. If you love me, you'll just leave me alone." She said quickly, before turning and rushing out the door.
Harry watched her go sadly but felt a small smile tugging at his mouth.
"No can do, Ginny." He whispered to the empty room. "I'll win you back. I'm not giving up"
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Thanks to jill, SnowflakeGinny, JuveFan, YankeeTorp, pfc shew, MrKlortho, angelic-pen, Melissa, Sarahamanda, harry-potter-luva14 for reviewing, you guys sure know how to keep someone motivated!