Chapter 13: Elucidation

Ginny thumped down on her chair as soon as Harry left, letting the conversation sink in.

The prophecy was not lost, Harry knew it..., and he had either to die or kill...

For an instant, Ginny almost felt bad for her behaviour, she considered that may be Harry was right; but then she remembered the past events and her anger towards Harry returned.

Harry always wished Voldemort had killed him, so everything would have been different; so that he would not have to feel guilty about so many people dying...

'But if it would have been that way,' Ginny mused. 'Then the world would've been a thousand times worse than now...'

As Ginny sat in her room thinking over what Harry had said, a idea came to her mind...maybe Harry just needed someone to explain to him that his presence is a blessing, maybe he needed someone to share his burden...not to sympathise with him or blame him...

'And that's just what I will do...' Ginny thought. 'Talk to him, make him understand...share his burden...'

Her mind made up, and a determined smile on her face, Ginny Weasley moved over to her bed, eagerly waiting for the next morning...

Harry returned to his own room, plopping down on his bed fuming. He was glad he was alone now so he had time to think.

Harry had thought Ginny had understood...but today, what she said, it made him realise that no one can understand how he felt; no one can understand the burden he carries.

Harry felt the feeling of loneliness creep back up, he was alone yet again with no one to understand him...

Various thoughts played his mind that night, thoughts he could not share with anyone. Even when Ron came up to the room, Harry feigned sleep...

But sleep was miles away. Harry knew it was a restless night ahead; yet eventually he did close his eyes, he did leave reality behind, although where he went was far worse...

Harry woke with a start next day to an empty room. The sunlight streaming through the windows told him it was about time for breakfast, a notion that was confirmed by his watch.

Dressing up for the day, he headed down for breakfast, last nights events fresh in his mind. Upon entering the dining room, Harry caught a glimpse of Ginny, deep in thought, and a certain ache started within his heart, an ache unlike other...an ache like betrayal...

Harry felt himself being watched, and turned to make eye contact with Remus. At that moment, Harry knew the older man had an idea of what had happened, and the message conveyed by his eyes told Harry that Remus held Harry guilty for everything.

Frustrated, Harry sat down on nearby chair, and finishing his breakfast silently and quickly, excused himself heading up to his room.

Harry wanted to throw something, to break something, yet his frustration was so much, that he just sat down on the floor leaning against the bed and closed his eyes, trying to sort out his thoughts.

A meek knock disturbed his musings. Harry didn't want to be interrupted...he didn't want anyone to sympathise with him, not right now at least, so he pretended no one was in.

"Harry...please open the door...I know you're in there..." A meek voice called from the other side.

Harry pretended not to hear.

"Please Harry...just this once..." The voice said again.

"Go Away Ginny!!" Harry yelled at her harshly.

"Harry..."

"I said go away..." Harry said, his head still leaning against the bed, eyes closed.

"Please Harry...I really want to talk to you..." Ginny replied even more meekly if possible.

Sighing, Harry muttered a "Come In" sitting up straight against the bed.

Ginny entered closing the door behind her.

"You don't need to apologise Ginny. You are just like everyone else. You can't understand me...No one can. It's not your fault." Harry finished harshly, before Ginny had a chance to speak.

"I am not here to apologise" Ginny replied looking at Harry.

Harry looked up to Ginny and their eyes met. They remained motionless, staring at each other for quite sometime, before Ginny flung herself towards Harry engulfing him a hug.

That hug, a simple gesture of love, a proof that she will be there no matter what, that small hug, was the breaking point for Harry.

He wrapped his arms around Ginny's petite body, holding her tight and close as if she would run away. Burying his face in her neck, Harry conveyed all his emotions to her; his frustrations, his anger, his sorrow...and perhaps...even his apologies...he conveyed them to Ginny through that hug.

They stayed like that for a long time, supporting each other, before Ginny finally broke apart.

"I am sorry Ginny...I wasn't thinking straight...I shouldn't have shouted at you...it's just that..." Harry said to her.

"Its Ok Harry," Ginny said smiling and bringing her hand to his cheek. "It's all right."

Her smile was infectious, because Harry smiled too. Ginny moved to sit beside him, his hand in hers, placed in her lap, and her head on his shoulder.

"Harry...tell me everything...tell me why do you blame yourself for everything?" Ginny asked quietly.

"Ginny...you know...you know the prophecy, you know Voldemort is after me, you know he attacks because of me, everywhere I go, he attacks, and people die because of me...you know and yet you ask..." Harry said putting his head on top of hers.

"Harry sixteen years ago if you would've died, can you imagine what would've happened?" Ginny asked.

"People wouldn't have died because of me..." Harry replied dryly.

"And perhaps, I would've died too..." Ginny said.

"What?" Harry said looking at her astonished.

"Look Harry," Ginny said turning towards him. "Look where we are now...you are alive, we are alive, and hope remains alive to this day...If you would've died sixteen years ago, hope would've died with you, Voldemort would've taken control; he would've killed everyone who defied him, the Order members, Ron, Hermione...me..."

Harry sat there listening to her, looking at her now bowed head; her words stirring something inside him.

"If not then, then in my first year...through the diary, I would've died...all of us would've been lost, and no one would've been there to face the darkness surrounding us." Ginny continued.

"Don't you see Harry, you are our hope, a blessing sent to us...you alone are not burdened Harry, we all are, we all share your burden. Remember, you said once that Voldemort is just another man craving power, then how can you blame yourself for his wrongdoings. True you are supposed to fight Voldemort Harry, true it is prophesised, but everything is else too."

"We all have prophecies concerning us, they may not be predicted by seers, or heard by everyone, but they do exist...and when the time comes we have to fulfil them."

"They are just tests, tests we must pass, to move on. You being chosen as Voldemort's equal is a test for you, a test of courage, something you must pass, to show you actual strength."

"You don't kill people Harry, Voldemort does. He kills people for pleasure, for fun. Tell me Harry, what do you think if you would've died, would Voldemort have stopped killing, would he have turned to the Light Side?" Ginny asked looking up at Harry for the first time.

Harry closed his eyes and swallowing the lump in his throat shook his head in negative.

"No he would've been worse, much worse." He said.

"So now tell me Harry, why do you blame yourself for everything he does, why do you feel that people die because of you?" Ginny asked holding his head.

"Because I am a selfish thick-headed oaf..." Harry replied smirking at her, causing her to smile as well.

"But Ginny...look at my parents, Sirius, they died...."

"They didn't die Harry," Ginny interrupted him. "They didn't die because of you. They sacrificed themselves, for their hopes, their dreams, for the hopes and dreams of people they love. It was their choice, they could've chosen to help Voldemort, but they knew that true happiness lies in fighting him, for the ones you love. They were ready to take the chances, even if you had not existed, they would've fought for their beliefs...They knew the consequences, and in their full perception, they selected their path..."

Harry was lost in thought for a very long time before he finally looked at Ginny and smiled, "Thanks Ginny. You opened my eyes..."

Ginny just smiled and hugged him tightly, a hug conveying, strength, love but most of all hope...

A red-haired woman wiped off her tears and closing the door left the two teens alone heading down to join the others.

"They are a match mad in Heaven..." She whispered to herself before entering the living room mingling with the crowd present therein...

A/N: Another chapter at your service. Thanks to all those who reviewed.

Please Review for this one too.

Take Care.