The Choices We Make
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor will I ever own Harry Potter.
Chapter 2
Don't barrage me with the questions to all those ugly answers.
Harry Potter stood in the Weasley's backyard clad in his dress robes gently sipping on some Butterbeer. Bill and Fleur's wedding went smoothly; the only problem was when Fred and George transformed Bill's hair a bright pink minutes before the wedding was to start. Harry had never been to a wedding and was surprised to find that he actually enjoyed it, not that he would admit that fact to anyone. In fact the past couple of days were exactly what Harry needed, he spent all of his time with Ron or Hermione relaxing. The only shadow on Harry's mind, not including Voldemort of course, was Ginny. She hadn't really talked to Harry since he has been there, and has made every effort to avoid him. The past couple of days the only thing she has been found doing is reading a book Charlie recently got her. She wouldn't even join in on their many games of Quidditch. Instead she found a place far away from Harry and proceeded to read.
Harry found himself walking aimlessly away from the party contemplating what to do about Ginny. On one hand he was glad that she didn't seem to be fighting his decision, but to have her hate him was a whole other issue. That tore Harry up inside, especially when all that he wanted to do was hold her and tell her how he really felt. Suddenly Harry found himself at the pond standing right in front of his tormentor.
"What are you doing here?" Ginny asked quietly, locking eyes with Harry for the first time in days. Harry was breathless, all day he had tried to avoid looking at Ginny. Her pale green dress did nothing to calm Harry down. All he wanted to do was snog her senseless.
"I'm just walking," Harry responded.
"Well I'll be going then," Ginny said as she brushed past him.
"Ginny, wait," Harry said as he grabbed her wrist, sending his nerves into a chaotic state.
"What Harry?" Ginny said exasperatingly.
"Don't hate me." Harry said with a tone of desperation.
"I don't hate you," she quietly said.
"Then what's the matter," Harry asked starting to get angry. "You know why I broke up with you. I wish I didn't have too, but it had to be done."
"Wrong Harry," Ginny said as the infamous Weasley temper began to rise. "You didn't have to do anything, you chose to."
"Being with you just puts you in danger and if you get hurt, I couldn't live with myself."
"Do you not think that I'm a target right now? I'm a Weasley, Harry; otherwise known as a Muggle lover. And what about Ron and Hermione? Aren't you putting them in danger? What's so different about them?" Ginny said eyes blazing.
"We've been through so much together, they know what's-"
"So, I can't take care of myself is that it!" Ginny yelled.
"No! That's not what I mean, you're twisting my words." Harry yelled back.
"Then explain to me what you mean," Ginny said oddly quiet as she crossed her arms.
"Um…." Harry was at a loss for words. He knew what he wanted to say, but didn't know how to say it.
"That's what I thought," Ginny said clearly disgusted. "Get back to me once you've made up some clever lines." And with that Ginny walked away leaving Harry very alone and confused.
The next morning Harry didn't see Ginny at all. Hermione once informed Harry that she was up in her room reading, but that's all the further they talked about it. The short but volatile conversation Harry had with Ginny stuck in his mind. He couldn't think of an answer to her question. Why is Ginny different from Ron and Hermione? Ron and Hermione were his best friends and Harry loved them as such, but Ginny…she made Harry feel happy in a way that Ron or Hermione couldn't. And when Harry thought of his future without Voldemort, Ginny seemed to dominate his thoughts. The only possible conclusion that Harry could come up with was that he loved her, and that thought terrified him. Ginny was different from Ron and Hermione, just because she was Ginny.
Later in the afternoon Harry left Ron and Hermione and went to talk to Ginny. Harry's stomach was in knots, and he had never felt more nervous in his entire life. Before he left he needed to clear things up, but he was scared he would just botch things up again. Harry paused in front of Ginny's door and took several deep breaths and then, calling on all of his Gryffindor courage, he knocked on the door.
"Come in," Ginny said.
Before losing he nerve Harry opened the door and quickly shut it behind him. Ginny was reading on her bed and was clearly shocked to see Harry standing there.
"I need to say something, but you can't interrupt me or I won't say everything that I want to say," Harry said quickly. "Understand."
Ginny nodded her head and put her book down. Harry started in, "You are different from Ron and Hermione. They are like my brother and my sister, and it feels wrong to be doing something without them, because they've always been there. But you are…um, how do I say this." Harry cleared his throat. "When I think of my future, if Voldemort was gone, I see you. And the reason why is that I think I love you." Harry said this last part looking directly into Ginny's eyes, and he saw surprise and hope there. "And that's the reason that we can't be together right now. Because I feel like I have to defeat Voldemort, because I have to return to you. And I know that it might be irrational, but it makes me feel better. And I need you to respect that." Harry was slightly breathless after this speech and was prepared for Ginny's reaction.
"Are you done now?" Ginny asked quietly, Harry nodded his head in response. Ginny walked over to Harry and stood very close, because of this Harry was having a hard time thinking. "I think I love you too." And with those words the monster inside Harry's chest erupted, and he eagerly responded when Ginny kissed him. Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny's waist and pulled her closer to him. Feeling her body right next to his was torture and yet filled with immense pleasure. As Ginny pulled away Harry couldn't help but let out a moan. He had gone through such a long time without touching her, that in this moment of weakness he didn't want to stop. Harry was pleased to see that Ginny did look dazed.
Ginny stepped away leaving Harry feeling very cold and said, "Once you get over this Spiderman complex, let me know."
"What?" Harry asked confused.
"One of Fred and George's old muggle comic books. The point is, I will respect your decision- but I don't like it." Ginny said with a weird glint in her eyes.
"I never said I liked it," Harry said. Harry had to fight off the sudden urge to kiss her again. "I should go."
"Yeah," Ginny said. And with that Harry reluctantly left her bedroom. After staring at the door for several seconds Ginny sat down on her bed and finished reading her book.
The next morning Harry awoke to Ron shaking him violently.
"What's going on?" Harry said groggily.
"Harry," Ron said seriously. Harry thought that Ron looked slightly pale. "How are we going to tell my mum?"
"Urgh," Harry said as he hid under his pillow. "Ron, you did not just wake me up because of that. I thought someone died or something."
"Sorry mate, but once we tell her. I'm dead."
"Ron, you are of age, she can't stop you."
"I know, but it will make her cry. And you know how much I hate to see my mum cry."
"Ron, its going to be tough, but just imagine her reaction if you just left in the middle of the night without any warning," Harry reasoned.
"I guess you are right," Ron said.
"Of course I am. I'm the Chosen One remember," Harry responded.
"I must have forgotten. It won't happen again," Ron said dryly.
"Well now that I'm awake, let's get some food," Harry said as he crawled out of bed. Several minutes later, Harry and Ron were sitting at the table surprising Mrs. Weasley.
"You boys are up early," she commented as she started preparing breakfast.
"Yeah, I couldn't sleep," Ron said as he carefully examined the table top.
"Really? Is something bothering you? Do you feel sick?" Mrs. Weasley said as she put her hand against Ron's forehead.
"No mum it's not that," Ron said and with an encouraging look from Harry he continued. "I have something serious to tell you."
"I don't like the sound of that," Mrs. Weasley said as she stopped cooking and turned to look at Ron.
"Yeah, um….you see Harry here has this mission-sort of, and me and Hermione have decided that we need to go with him."
"What kind of mission?" Mrs. Weasley asked suspiciously.
"Well, the kind that involves destroying Voldemort's soul," Ron said and prepared himself for a verbal beating. However, silence filled the kitchen.
Mrs. Weasley was staring at Ron and eventually muttered, "What?"
"Mrs. Weasley," Harry decided to help Ron out, "you remember that prophecy last year right? Well, I know what it said and it basically said that I have to kill Voldemort or he will kill me. And this year Dumbledore and I were working on a way to kill him. And we found one, but Dumbledore died before he could finish his plan, and so I have to pick up where he left off."
Mrs. Weasley had tears in her eyes, "So you, Hermione, and my son are the only ones that can defeat You-Know-Who?"
"Basically yes," Harry said.
"And why can't an adult go with you?" Mrs. Weasley demanded.
"Because we can't draw attention to ourselves, the fewer who know about this the better. If Voldemort becomes suspicious, we are back to square one."
"I still don't understand why someone with more experience can't go with you," Mrs. Weasley said upset.
"Mum! Who do you know that has more experience dealing with Voldemort than Harry, Hermione, and I? This is something that I have to do! I feel it in my bones, mum. I was meant to be by Harry's side, and I'm willing to take the risks." Ron said fiercely.
"But you're my baby boy," Mrs. Weasley said as she started to cry. Ron quickly got out of his seat and embraced her. Harry never realized how much taller Ron was than his mum.
"Mum, it will be alright," Ron said comforting her. "We'll check in regularly and write a lot and keep you up to date. I promise."
Harry suddenly felt like he was an intruder and quietly left the room. As he sat in the living room, he imagined what it would be like to tell his parents that he was going. And with that thought he was filled with so much loneliness and despair, that Harry thought that he might break.