==Racing Time==

(A/N) Well guys this is it. The very last chapter of Racing Time. Wow. I'm about to cry. Ugh. I'm so scared. I don't want it to end. I don't know when I'll make another long fic. I'll have to pry through my head tonight before I fall asleep for more fic ideas. Well I really don't have anything to say. I'm too choked up about typing the LAST chapter that I can hardly type at all. Well here goes nothing. Well something but… you know what I mean.

(Disclaimer) Sadly no the Harry Potter series does not belong to me nor do the characters in this fic. But what I do own is the plot. Hey it's a start right. But what sucks is that has nothing close to Ron. sigh Damn it!

Chapter 14: Let It Pour

Harry sat in the middle of the empty Quidditch Pitch across the dirt road from the Burrow. He sat and listened to the rolling thunder in the distance and watched lightening streak across the sky. A light drizzle of rain was falling on his head, and the ground was squishy with mud, but he didn't really care. He had other things on his mind at the moment.

It had been nearly a week since Ginny had been taken to St. Mungo's. Just yesterday she was brought back to the Burrow but that didn't mean she had got any better. Infact she hadn't made any improvement since he, Ron, and Hermione first brought her in. The Healers had told Mr. and Mrs. Weasley that they weren't even sure if she'd get better, perhaps only worse. That's what was going through Harry's mind; that was what he was thinking about, had been thinking about, for the past week. He had caused her this pain; he's the one that put the Weasley's only daughter and sister in her deathbed. It was his fault he had chose to listen to her. Why did he in the first place?

Oh yeah, because he loved her. Why could nothing go right for him? It was as if every person he ever loved or felt close to had been taken away from him. It was a miracle Ron and Hermione weren't in the ground either.

Speaking of which, there they were, making their way towards him hand in hand at that very moment. Harry tried to hide the fact that he had seen them but that didn't seem to stop them in the least. He didn't need their pity right now. It was Ginny, who was lying just upstairs, who needed the pity. That is, if her nurse actually let them get anywhere near Ginny's room.

"Harry!" Hermione called from behind his back.

Please go away, Harry said in his head. Just go away.

He waited a little while and had almost believed they had gone when he saw their shadows standing over him.

"Harry, we should go in," Hermione said lightly from behind his back. "It looks like it's about to storm." Lightening flashed in front of him and he gave a slight shiver.

Harry turned around and looked at them. They were still wearing those same faces they had all week. It was a mixture of pity and worry. For some reason they hadn't left him from their sight; they must have thought he'd do something irrational, and actually that didn't sound like such a bad idea to him right about now.

"I'll come in a little while. You two go ahead and I'll catch up later. I just want to think for a bit," Harry said as thunder rolled over head.

Hermione looked at Ron with eager eyes then knelt down by Harry's side. "Harry, if you need to talk we'll always be here for you. You know that right?" she said looking at him almost expecting him to reach out and grab her by the neck and pour out all his feelings. He could tell she was a bit disappointed when he didn't.

"Yeah, I know," Harry said solemnly and he turned away from them once more.

Hermione sighed behind his back and Ron gave a faint groan of irritation. "Alright, suit yourself, mate," Ron said and Harry could hear them as they finally trudged away back towards the Burrow, the mud squishing beneath their feet.

Why should they care? Harry thought to himself. Why should anyone care if it rains on me or if I get struck by lightening or if I drown in a flash flood or something? Even I don't care what happens to me.

He sighed and then lay on his back staring up at the swirling grey sky. He had to blink back a bit when a few droplets of water started to fall into his eyes.

Really, it would make no difference if I do die. Harry concluded. After all I'm already dead, alive and breathing, without Ginny here. There isn't any use for me anymore. Voldemort's dead now so what good do I have to offer this world? Nothing! So why not just get it over with? Why should I just hang around and get in anyone's way.

Even Ginny wasn't around anymore to make him feel any better about himself. She was the only person who ever made him feel like he was worth more than a famous name but she wasn't even here to dry away his hidden tears.

I have no purpose here, he continued, I couldn't even save the person I loved. Why else do I have to offer anyone except that I killed Voldemort. Well what good was that now? He's gone! I don't have anything to live up to now!

…I couldn't even save her!

Harry slammed his fist down into the ground with fury and it landed smack into a puddle of water and mud that splattered his face and chest but he didn't even bother to wipe it off.

Dumbledore had talked with Harry not long after Ginny had been hospitalised. He told him that the best reason for Ginny to even be able to survive the blow from the Orb was that she still had good in her heart even if Voldemort had clouded most of it with his evil. "But the good of one's heart cannot totally save a person," he had told Harry as they sat together on a bench in the tearoom. "The only other thing that would have saved her was the love of another. The love from another's heart saved her, the love from your heart, Harry. For a hero is not always determined by his strength but by the goodness and love from his heart."

Well fat luck that did for him now! Ginny was practically dead now give or take a few days, and then what would he have? His best friends had each other, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had Ginny to worry about, and Ginny wasn't there for him anymore. If he was to be judged by the strength of his heart then he was good as dead. He had nothing left to love anymore what with Ginny gone. He wasn't a hero, not without her.

Ginny was running with all her might through the darkness, the darkness that had followed her all along, that had steady chased her all this time, always just a few steps behind her, always steadily breathing down her neck. She could hear its voice whispering in her ear, tempting her to turn back, and telling her to give up. And yet even thought she knew she had to keep going and keep moving, the darkness didn't seem so bad after all. Her temptation to stop and let it be over with grew stronger and stronger as time ticked by. Her deep urge for rest made the darkness not seem as horrible anymore. Infact, it seemed as if it were the only way out of this never-ending tunnel of nothingness.

The dreaded exhaustion was seeping into her heart fast than she had expected. It seemed as if the nothing was draining her of energy with every passing second. It wasn't going to give up that easy. It wanted to stop her no matter what. It wasn't going to let her go until it got what it wanted, and what it wanted was her. Its breath was hot on the back of her neck and she could hear it's ragged breathing drawing nearer and nearer. It was close… too close.

The hissing sound of the nothing rang in her ear louder than it ever had. It was closer than it ever was. It could taste her fear and it made it stronger. Its blackness was drowning her, suffocating her in itself. She tried to breathe but found no air. She fell to the ground not able to move any longer and it closed in on her like a predator on its fallen prey and she couldn't do anything about it. Her mind stopped and she felt as if her lungs were about to through themselves out of her throat as she gasped desperately for breath. There was nothing she could do. The nothing had taken over her and she would be lost forever in its everlasting darkness that drained her very soul from her body.

Then through the darkness there came a hand. She held onto it with all her might and she refused to let go. She held onto it tighter than she ever could have before scared to let go and fall once more into the nothings never-ending depths. She felt her breath return and gulped it down savouring ever ounce. She was flying up again towards a brilliant white light and she had to shield her eyes, which were starting to burn from not being accustomed to this brilliance. She looked up enjoying the moment even with the simple sting and then she saw the face she had dreamed about all along. The arm was connected to a body the body of the person that kept her going all this time. Two emerald green eyes were staring into her soul bringing her back to life. He pressed his lips to hers bowing back her soul into her heart making her finally feel alive again. Then the light began to get brighter and brighter and she had to blink back painful tears. Harry smiled at her and she felt her heart leap with happiness that she never could have dreamed possible.

He leaned in close to her ear and she could feel his breath blowing through her hair as he spoke. "You're safe now," He whispered the words dangling in her head. She watched him back away slowly then disappeared all at once as she was filled with the blinding white light.

Ginny gave a faint scream and woke up to a bright flash of light from her bedroom window followed by a roaring roll of thunder. She was back. She was back home where she had been wishing to be. But…

"Harry…" she whispered under her breath. All the realisation of what had happened to her came pouring into her image by image and it all became so overwhelming she started to cry. The long dark chamber, the Orb of Light, Voldemort, and the dreadful image of herself in that mirror; it was more horrible than anything else than to see yourself as the very person to kill the one you love. She shuddered and still kept searching her mind for the 'other things', the things that she couldn't control. She as the Heroine, attacking Harry, and Ron, and then Hermione, and then, there was something else, something she couldn't quite explain. Harry had come to her and she seemed to be in two places at once. She remembers Harry standing there in a trance and she could also remember holding on to him telling him to open the Orb. She had told him that willingly of course, she knew what would happen if she hadn't.

Another flash of blinding light brought her back to her scenes and she jumped out of bed with the next boom of thunder. She had to get to Harry. He wasn't exactly sure why, but she had to find him, to make sure he was okay. She had to be able to hold him again.

She rushed to the door but nearly collapsed to the floor with exhaustion after two steps forward. She hadn't thought about it, but she must have been in that bed for a while now. She practically crawled across the floor towards the door and out into the hall. She didn't care what happened. All she knew was that she had to find Harry. It was a set plan and nothing was going to stop her.

She pulled herself back onto her feet as she neared the door and threw it open and made a dash for the landing. Just as she neared it a large woman in bright white robes was running up the stairs ahead of her. She had wild black hair with several streaks of grey pulled into a tight knot on the back of her head. She must have been a Healer because Ginny could clearly see a gold badge with a big 'H' on her chest, gleaming proudly.

Ginny's legs couldn't take the stress anymore and she fell to a slump by her parent's door. She tried to pull herself back to her feet by pulling on the doorknob but even her arms were shaking like mad. She started to cry out of desperation and absolute pity for herself; she felt utterly useless.

The Healer took on look at Ginny's pathetic disposition and slapped her hands to her mouth in shocked awe.

"MS. WEASLEY!" she screamed stopping dead in her tracks. "WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING OUT OF BED?!"

Ginny gave another feeble attempt at pulling herself up by the doorknob but fell once more onto the floor. The Healer practically sprinted over to her as Ginny tried to push her away.

"No! No, leave me alone! I have to get to Harry!" Ginny said throwing her leg out in from of her as the Healer made a grab for her arm.

"NO!" the Healer yelled in absolute torment at the very idea. "No you may NOT! You are far too weak to be running out to the Quidditch Pitch at this time! I absolutely forbid it!" She flung Ginny's leg painfully to the side and slung Ginny inelegantly over her shoulder as Ginny pleaded to be released as well as kicked and flailed her arms trying to get away from the unnaturally large woman.

Eventually, the woman plopped Ginny down on the bed in her room and locked the door behind herself; undoubtedly to be sure Ginny wouldn't be able to stand long enough to get out. It was true though; she couldn't stand long enough. So she surrendered to the Healer's authority and lay back on her bed waiting for whatever came next.

The Healer began to bustle about at a small cabinet set up beside Ginny's closet with her back turned.

"When did you wake?" she asked hurriedly as though the sooner she got whatever it was out the better Ginny would be.

"Just now. But I-"

"Well I definitely wasn't expecting that you to wake up at all, I tell you. Much less wake up today. And wanting to go out in the pouring rain you say. Ha! It's a miracle your mother isn't here or she'd be screaming her lungs out right now. She being too obsessed about your condition and you'd find me crazy if I dare go find her and her husband. You Weasley's are some stubborn one's I tell you. You don't seem to want to give it up."

She continued to mutter to herself as she placed a vial full of nasty green liquid in Ginny's hands for her to drink and then continued to go on rambling about. Not even pausing to think Ginny threw her head back and let the bitter potion flow down her throat in one huge gulp. It wasn't until after a few seconds that the vial taste finally hit her tongue. As soon as it hit her stomach though, she could magically feel her legs come to life once more.

The Healer walked over to Ginny's bed and began to fluff up her pillows behind her head. "Now rest your head. Your going to need your strength for when you family hears about this. Infact when I go to get your soup downstairs I'll have to stop to send work to your mum about your awakening. Dear God, I'll expect she'll be in here bawling her eyes out before you can even take the first bite of your food."

Ginny grinned wickedly and stood from her bed when the lady's back was turned. She slid over to her trunk lying in the nearby corner on the floor and pulled it open. Just where she had expected it to be, Ginny's wand lay neatly onto of her wizarding robes where her mum always put it. She stood up slowly again and turned to face the Healer who had just dropped whatever it was that was in her hands.

"You must not know the Weasleys well enough," Ginny laughed evilly pointing the wand threateningly at the terrified woman's face. "If you would have then you would have known not to give me that potion, at least not until my parents were home. Because as you'll soon find out, us Weasleys never give up and ALWAYS get what we want. And you know what? What I want is Harry right now! So move over, bitch! Miss Virginia Weasley's coming through! And there ain't no way someone like you is going to stop her!"

A sprinkle of light rain was falling down on Ginny's arms as she let the door slam behind her on the way to the front yard. Ron and Hermione were walking towards her scattering the chickens on their way over. They took one look at her and stopped dead in their tracks.

"Ginny!" they called out in unison and each in turn swept her up into a huge hug each.

When they stood back to look at her Ginny couldn't help but grab Hermione into another embrace yet again. She couldn't shake off the regret of hurting her like she did. And now that Hermione was herself again it was as if she had burned a huge hole in her heart. Tears of shame kept burning at Ginny's eyes but somehow she managed to hide them with the raindrops clinging to her cheeks

"I'm so sorry, 'Mione. Will you ever forgive me?" Ginny sniffled choosing to pretend the obvious tears weren't even there.

Hermione smiled at her lovingly then looked up at Ron in the same manner. She slid her hand into his and winked at Ginny's curious eyes. "Sure, Gin. Why not? I'm in a good mood this afternoon." Ginny laughed and sobbed at the same time and threw her arms, once again around Hermione's shoulders.

"I never wanted to hurt you. I swear I'd have rather kill myself than do that to you."

"I know." Hermione smiled a simple happy gleam so visible in her eyes. She seemed radiant even though the sun wasn't in the sky. She seemed to be lighting up the air just with her presence.

Ron just stood there gazing from one girl to the other with a look of bewilderment. Undoubtedly he hadn't yet processed that it was actually her, his sister, standing before him.

Ginny turned to Ron her tears more obvious to herself now and stared at him like she wanted to take him in all at once.

"Oh, Ron!" she cried and lunged out at him. "I love you so much. I don't know what I'd do without a brother like you to make sure I'm protected."

"Uh…thanks I guess." Ron muttered not knowing what to do with himself. "But… how… I don't…"

"No time, Ron," Hermione interrupted waving her arms frantically as Ginny finally let go of Ron's shoulders. "He's at the Pitch, Gin. He should still be there since we only just left him."

Ginny could have kissed Hermione right then and there but managed not to deciding she really didn't want Ron to stare at her like she was a totally different stranger anymore than he was now. Instead she just smiled gratefully and took off across the dirt road to the abandoned field across the way. But not before she could get a glance at a diamond ring gleaming proudly on Hermione's left hand.

As she drew closer she could plainly see the large patch of trees that blocked out the secret Pitch she used to watch bill and Charlie play on when she was only a tiny girl. Ginny raced down the unmarked trail that led to the entrance and whipped about the last small bunch of trees to find Harry sitting there in the middle of it all, his knees pulled up to his chest and his hair flapping around in the turbulent wind and rain.

The rain began to pour down harder than ever and her soft red hair turned to clumps of deep blood red. Heavy drops began to run down her cheeks and onto the ground while some of them ran down the back of her night dress sending shivers down her spine and her teeth began to chatter. A flash of lightening streaked through the air illuminating the trees around her and making her jump with fright.

"Harry!" she called out through the air but was drowned out by the sound of deep rolling thunder. Beginning to grow frantic she ran faster and faster. Harry remained seated on the grassy field as she continued to slip and slide in the mud and newly formed potholes in the wet ground.

Another streak of lightning and an immediate clash of thunder made her whip around to be sure there wasn't some monstrous creature crashing through the trees behind her.

"Harry!" she called out once more, missing the lightening this time by a couple of mere, lucky seconds.

Harry lifted his head up that had been buried deep in his arms and listened closely to the howling wind in his ears. He could have sworn he had just heard someone call his name. Someone he had only just been dreaming about seconds earlier. But no, it couldn't be…

"Harry!"

There it was again. This time he was sure of it. But no it couldn't be who he thought it was. It had to be Ron or Hermione coming to get him from the rain. Or even Mrs. Weasley but surely not… I mean it couldn't be…

"Ginny?" he asked himself admitting aloud the very first person that had triggered in his mind.

"Harry!" Ginny's sweet voice rung out again for the fourth time. Harry didn't have to look back to see whom it was that voice belonged to. Even if he had his glasses where too fogged up to be able to tell. But as he turned back and saw the outline of her tiny blurry figure racing towards him across the Quidditch Pitch his heart leapt with absolute joy.

"Ginny!" Harry called back running towards the one person he had missed more than anything else in the world. As she drew nearer and he could see her beautiful red hair clinging to her skin her knew what it felt like to be happy, truly happy.

Ginny ran with all her might and jumped full force into Harry's arms. He stumbled backward slightly but managed to maintain his balance and not topple over. He wrapped his arms tight around her waist and absolutely refused to let go. She was positive that if she had wanted to get free she wouldn't have been able to. But that wasn't on her mind at this moment. It was all so wonderful just to feel him in her arms again to worry about things like that.

She held Harry closer to her than she ever though possible and let it sink into her heart that it was he who was holding her. He brought something into her that no one else could. It felt like her heart was fit to burst with happiness as he pressed his lips against hers and she wasn't about to stop it. She strung her fingers through his jet-black hair, clumped in patches from the falling rain. The one thing that had been torn from them the moment they had said they were over had came back into their souls full force and it almost knocked them completely off of their feet. It was more wonderful than the morning of Christmas; was worth more than all the gold in every vault in Gringott's bank; more powerful than any spell cast by any wizard that ever existed; and more welcoming and heart-warming than hugs and kisses from your friends and family after a long vacation. It was pure love, everlasting love that no one could ever tear apart. It was here between these two heart-struck teenagers standing in the middle of a muddy Quidditch Pitch in the pouring rain as lightening flashed in ever direction and thunder roared overhead.

As they broke apart Ginny rested her head on Harry's chest and refused to move it elsewhere.

"Ginny," Harry whispered into her ear.

"Yeah," Ginny sighed, still keeping her head buried into him listening to the steady rhythm of his heart and following the drawing of his every breath.

He lifted her off of him and stared her dead in the eye. She stood there entranced by the beauty of the emerald green and refused to look away, not that she'd have been able to if she'd tried.

"Ginny Weasley, I love you more than anything in this world," Harry started, the slightest sign of a glinting tear in his eye. Ginny could pick it out even through the splatter of rain clinging to his skin. "Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I'd find someone like you. You make me feel worth living, like more than just a famous name. Then once I saw Voldemort taking you away from me in a dream, I knew in my heart and soul, I wouldn't bare having to lose you. I would rather never to speak to you again than to see you dead. I couldn't take that chance of him getting to you because of me and I knew I had to let you go. I thought it over in my head again and again but never once did I think of you. Never once did the thought cross my head that you might want something different. I was selfish and stupid and didn't even consider how you might feel, and I'm sorry. I almost lost you Ginny… forever. But I hope in your heart you can find a way to forgive me. Because I don't know what I'd do without you in my life, Gin. I can't see me without you. You mean everything to me, Virginia Weasley…

"…And I love you."

Ginny began to sob silently even though she was smiling ear to ear. She hung her head guiltily not being able to cover her hands with her eyes because Harry had her shoulders in a hard grip.

"I should be the one who's sorry, Harry," she whispered and kissed a teardrop off of Harry's cheek. "I never should have called you selfish because you're not. You give and give until you're almost self-sacrificing and I respect you so deeply for that. I regret every word. You did what you had to do what you thought was best. It was your decision to begin with. Even if I had stayed with you it would have happened all the same. Maybe even worse. It was fate, Harry. And we beat it…together.

"But that doesn't matter now. All that matters is that we're together again." She looked deep into those green eyes of his and he stared lovingly back into hers. "And nothing will ever stop that."

The rain continued to fall but Harry and Ginny stood standing there, determined never to let go what they had wanted back more than anything else in the world. The lightening flashed and the thunder rolled as huge droplets fell to the ground. But none of that mattered anymore, at least not to them. For all they cared…

…Let it pour.

THE END

(A/N) OMG! I can't believe I just typed that. I'm totally crying right now. It was so sweet. Not to be conceded or anything. Awww. I loved this fic and I've been eagerly waiting to type this chapter since I stared I hope you all like it. I know I do. sigh Now what to do. I don't know what to do with myself anymore. Typing up this fic isn't a priority anymore so I don't know what else to do with my time. But now I guess this is it for this little series thing. This is the last installation of Lean on Me and Racing Time. It's like my kids you know and now their moving away. sigh They're growing up so fast. Well I can always have another. Lol. Okay enough with the lameness I'll stop now. Well that's all for now. Until next time…

Love from Lizzie

(Thanks and such for my wonderful reviewers)

DarkFlower2113- Wow. Long review. Thanks for everything. I personally don't find my writing to be all that great, but you made me feel special anyway. I'm glad that even if you didn't stick to my fic you apologised and actually came back. You didn't have to but you did. Thanks. Voldemort is really hard to write. I had so much trouble trying to keep him in character and I had to keep going over and over the dialect to keep him straight. At first he sounded too nice, then he sounded to insane-like, then he didn't sound like he had character at all. I was so frustrated but I got it through. I hope you post another chapter in your fic soon as well. I'm thoroughly anticipating it. Bye bye for now.

cristen- Don't worry we all get lazy and decide just to not sign in at times. I do it way too often. I can't believe you weren't positive if it would all be right in the end. Well ofcourse it had to be alright. I wouldn't have begun writing it in the first place if there wasn't a happy ending. That's just insane. Lol. Well thanks for reading I'm glad you liked my fic. And thanks so much for being such a loyal reviewer. I respect you for that.

Sakura Sayoran- I didn't take it as a flame. Flames are a lot meaner than that. I know. I've gotten a few from a couple retarded H/H supporters who had nothing else to do but make fun of other people's work. I'm always open to helpful criticism. I didn't mean for my characters to sound OOC but I don't think I'll change them anyway. Harry sounded like a crybaby because he just lost the only person he ever loved. I know I'd feel the same way if I lost my boyfriend and couldn't get him back. And I don't understand what you mean by my 'flow'. I don't see how I could make it any different than it already is. Thanks for reading.

ashleigh- When I saw your first review I couldn't help but smile. I was like "well that sux. She already figured it out." Lol. Thanks for reading and I'm glad you liked it so much.

Goldilocks31890-Lol. Yes, evil Ginny is always so funny I have to agree. I would have dragged that out a little longer, but I didn't know how. I didn't have anything else planned in the plot for her to be evil with so I couldn't. Poo, I know. But I did squeeze in a little Ginny mischief in this chapter. Hey, she called the Healer a bitch. That's always pretty funny. Thanks for reading.

RussellGrl15-Well… I'm glad you liked it. Lol. I guess Hermione paid Ro back for the whole life saving thing in Lean On Me last chapter. They both stopped each other from killing themselves. I didn't even mean to do that either. It just sort of happened I guess. Thanks so much for reading. You've been loyal to both my fics and I respect you greatly for it. Actually you've read all my fics I think. Wow. That's awesome. Oh and yes I do know how hard it is to type awesome really fast. I've done it a couple of times in the past. It's pretty hard huh? Lol. Oh well thanks SO much for reviewing. Do it again if you like. hint hint well that's all for today. Bye.