Anything for Love
By Vanilla Twist
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all its many wonderful elements are not mine; they belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers.
Author's Note: This is my first attempt at a Harry/Ginny fic. I wrote this for my Dad, an adamant H/G shipper and a Meatloaf fan. My inspiration was Anything for Love, my favorite song that Meatloaf sings. Read and Review, please.
Angry shouts could be heard through the open window of the Gryffindor common room. Occasionally, a spark of green light would explode, visible through the window. The air was thick in the common room as many Gryffindor students sat in the many squashy armchairs, some softly whispering but most sitting silent in the tension.
After yet another shock of green light and the appearance of a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth outside the window, Hermione Granger's voice snapped through the room. "Somebody shut the bloody window blinds!"
After the shock that the head girl used such crude language a third year got up and slammed the window shut. The silence resumed and Ginny Weasley turned to watch the golden trio as the conversed in the corner.
Ginny could tell they were talking of something gravely serious (honestly who wasn't) but she knew that they were talking of much more. Hermione's face was open and full of raw fear, a sight that happens very rarely. The brunette was a master of masking emotion. Her eyes were wide and desperate, her mouth was whispering urgently, as if she was having a hurried argument.
Ron was always easy to read. In happier days, you could tell if he was angry, frustrated, embarrassed or content simply by the varying shades of red his face turned. Today however it was pale; drained of all color, reflecting his terrified blue eyes even more. His shocking Weasley red hair was a mess as he dragged his hands through it, a nervous habit of his that he had had since childhood.
And then there was Harry. His face was flushed in frustration and his eyes held the determination that Ginny had fallen for years ago, when everything was easy and pure. The innocence that once accompanied his boyish face was long since gone. He was exhausted, Ginny could tell. He was running off his stubbornness.
Oh how Ginny longed to go over and hug him. To run her hands through his hair and to tell him that she'd go to the ends of the earth and through the fires of hell for him.
Ginny watched Hermione's mouth form the words, "No Harry!" to no avail as Harry rose from his chair and stormed upstairs to the boys' dormitory, Ron hot on his heels, pleading with him urgently.
"I'm going to bed Ron! Leave me alone." He snapped angrily, shoving her brother from his path. Ginny watched him trek up the staircase until he was no longer visible. She turned her gaze back to Hermione's now tear-stained face. Ron was talking in whispers to her, patting her back awkwardly while she buried herself in his arms.
It was rather sad that they had yet to acknowledge their feelings for each other, Ginny thought bemusedly. Then on a darker note, it wouldn't matter anyway as she figured they would all die soon. She crept past Ron and Hermione and silently climbed the boys' staircase. At the top of the stairs she saw a door open and then close with no one in sight. Ginny continued up the stairs towards that door and whispered lightly, "I know you're under that cloak Harry. Show yourself, I need to talk to you."
A hand appeared out of the air and grabbed her arm, yanking her underneath the cloak. Harry's breath was warm on her neck as he hissed in her ear. "Why did you have to come up here Virginia?"
Ginny shivered that her called her by her full name.
"Why Virginia?" He moaned softly, as he guided her down the staircase and to the portrait hole.
The portrait closed lightly behind them and Harry pulled the cloak away. His eyes were red rimmed, and his face tortured. Ginny took a deep breath and raised a hand to his cheek.
"I'm going with you." She told him, his face darkened and he pushed her away.
"No! No way Ginny!" He snapped, emerald eyes blazing.
"Why not Harry?" Ginny asked, angry. "I can fight too. And don't you dare tell me that you weren't leaving to fight them Harry. I see it in your eyes."
"Fine Virginia, You win, I'm going out there. But you are NOT!" Harry snapped.
"Again I ask, Why the hell not Harry?" Ginny was near tears. "Harry, I love you and I would do anything for you to love me back."
"No." Harry whispered. "You can't. It's too dangerous."
Ginny didn't know if he was referring to going with him or loving him or both.
"Harry," Ginny whispered as tears slid down her face. "Harry look at me, please."
Harry turned slowly and Ginny saw that his eyes were misted with unshed tears.
"Harry, you're different for me than most people, a puzzle I just can't figure out." Ginny continued softly, brushing his hair back out of his eyes. "You're different Harry Potter. You are led by your heart. You'd do anything to help those that you love and care for."
"Virginia, please…" Harry spoke barely above the whisper.
"No Harry. Let me finish. Let me show you that I also can follow my heart. We understand each other Harry. You know that we do. But Harry, in your haste to protect the ones that love you, you shut them out. Why do you shut me out Harry? Why won't you let me help? I too would do anything for the ones I love, Harry. And I…"
She was cut off as Harry's lips came crashing down onto hers.
"Damn it, Virginia." He breathed when the kiss was broken. "Why do you have to make this so hard?"
"Make what so hard?" Ginny asked softly.
"Ginny I know how it's going to end. Either I will be the murdered or the murderer after tonight. Either way you'll leave me after." Harry turned away. "It almost makes death sound inviting, the thought of living with out having you."
"Harry, what are you talking about? I wouldn't ever leave you! No matter what." Ginny pleaded at him as he began to climb down the stairs into the great hall. "Harry James Potter! Don't you dare leave yet! Not without me!"
He hesitated for a moment and then walked on. Ginny ran after him, torn between anger and grief.
"Harry!" Ginny screamed as the doors of the hall burst open and hordes of death eaters filtered through the hall.
From her place on the stairs, Ginny could see his eyes widen. He recovered instantly and began throwing jinxes and curses at the nearby masked figures.
"Impedimenta!" Ginny cried out, hitting one square in the face.
"I'll be there Harry!" Ginny whispered to herself. "I'll be there for the end and if you die, I'll die too."
Ginny hexed several more death eaters before the rest of the school appeared, half dressed in pajamas, but all ready to defend the greater good and end the evil wave of terror brought on by a certain dark wizard.
"Ginny!" She heard Ron scream above the crowd. "Ginny where are you?"
"Ron!" Ginny yelled throwing out a Bat-Bogey Hex.
"Gin!" She whipped around just in time to see the youngest Weasley boy crumple to the ground in a heap, his body glowing eerie green as a reflection of the fatal curse.
"No!" Ginny screamed. "No! RON!"
The duelists around her all shrank back, clearing the floor before them, and Ginny saw Tom Riddle, himself, standing above the still form of Harry Potter.
"And now," Tom's hoarse voice hissed. "The Boy Who Lived shall become The Boy That Died, unable to save them.
"No!" Ginny screamed racing forward. "You're wrong." As she neared, she saw Harry's terrified green eyes flicker to her and widen even more, as if begging her to let it be.
"No?" Tom mocked.
"No." Ginny repeated firmly.
Voldemort turned away from her and laughed coldly. "Do you love him girl?"
"Yes." Ginny said head held high.
"But, does he love you?" Voldemort questioned cruelly, and then he recited in a cold high voice, "Oh Tom! Harry is too great for me and he'll never love me, I just know it. Tom, I don't know what to do, I'd die if he didn't care."
Ginny flinched inwardly. He knew! He remembered, and years later those words still hurt.
"Does he love you little Ginny?" Voldemort hissed quietly. "Lets find out. Enervate!"
Harry stood quickly, not looking at Ginny.
"Do you love her Potter?" Voldemort hissed so quietly it was practically inaudible.
"No." Harry lied back to him, praying mentally that Ginny would understand.
"Then we can dispose of her?" He stated, waiting for Harry to fall into the trap.
"No." Harry said louder than he intended.
"Crucio!" Voldemort hissed, pointing his wand at Ginny.
Her shrieks and cries pierced the silence of the hall and Voldemort laughed again more cruelly than before. When The Dark Lord's back was turned, a masked figure threw something at Harry, hitting him in the chest. He looked down to see a wand lying at his feet and a pair of cool grey eyes staring up at him through the eye holes of a mask.
"There isn't much time Potter." The figure hissed through the mask.
Harry grabbed the wand and faced Lord Voldemort's back. "Look at me, Riddle." Harry whispered angrily.
Voldemort turned sharply.
"Avada Kedavara!" Harry shouted thinking that when Voldemort was gone, Ginny could be free.
Voldemort fell to the ground instantly dead.
After a moment of stunned silence, the hall burst into pandemonium, the death eaters all scrambling towards the exit.
Only one hooded figure remained crouching beside the twitching body of Ginny Weasley. He had reversed the effects of the curse and was trying to revive the red-head. His mask lay discarded on the ground beside him.
Harry rushed over.
"It's a no go Potter." The figure spoke in the voice that gave him the wand. "She's dying."
"No." Harry whispered.
He fell to his knees beside Ginny. Her eyes opened slowly.
"Harry? Did we win?" She croaked barely audible.
"Yes, love. We did." He answered tenderly, stroking her cheek with his thumb.
"Malfoy." Ginny whispered.
The hooded figure crouching at her other side started.
"Yes?" He whispered.
"I knew you weren't all bad." She shuddered lightly as a wave of cold passed through her body.
"I love you Harry." She croaked.
"I know Virginia." Harry whispered crying.
Her face relaxed and her eyes closed. She took a last weak breath and went still.
A/N :
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