Chapter Nine: Dragon Camp
The tiny innkeeper smiled happily at them as they ate the dinner she'd prepared that night at the long table in the public dining room of the inn. She eagerly piled more sausages on Ron's plate as he grinned happily back at her.
"I'm going to miss the food," Ron said as she moved back to her kitchen to fetch a pot of potatoes.
Harry smiled. Ron had said that every place they'd been.
"Tomorrow?" Ginny asked.
"Early," Harry confirmed.
"There's nothing more here to look into?" Ron asked in a low voice, sipping at his water.
"Nothing," Harry said. "He took what he made here with him."
They traded glances, communicating without words.
After dinner, as they were used to doing, they put on the heavy jackets that Hermione had transfigured their all-weather cloaks into, and went for a stroll around the town.
"It's pretty here," Ginny said, her small mittened hand held loosely in Harry's larger one. "It seems almost impossible that anything... like that... could happen here."
"Things like that can happen anywhere," Harry said. "Anywhere at all."
"I'm going to sleep well tonight," Ron said happily. Harry and Ginny noticed the look Hermione shot him, and then watched as Ron flushed. "I mean... I..."
"We'll all sleep better tonight, Ron," Ginny said softly. "As much as I like this little town, I'm going to be glad to leave, I think."
They ended up back in the inn, had some of the warmed, sweet wine the innkeeper pressed on them, and retired early. Harry was very aware of the early hour he'd set for them to leave.
They quietly parted at the top of the stairs, Ron and Hermione entering the room opposite, and Harry following Ginny into their own.
"Christmas is only a little over a week away," Ginny said softly, removing her jacket and boots as Harry walked across to open the window. Hedwig flew in, landed on the desk and shook her feathers.
"Yes," Harry said, stroking the snowy owl gently.
"I wonder..."
"They're fine, Smidge. I'm sure of it."
"Do you think...?"
"What?"
"Do you think we could send a message home... just so they know that we're okay?"
Harry turned and looked at her, his green eyes sparkling. "You're homesick."
"Aren't you?"
Harry smiled. "It's different for me."
"How?"
"You need a home to be homesick for. I miss people... when they're not there," his eyes lingered on her. Ginny felt her cheeks warm.
"We should get some sleep," she said softly, moving to the side of the bed and removing her jumper.
Harry hesitated, eyeing the floor again.
"Harry, don't be silly. We shared the bed this afternoon."
Harry felt instant relief. He hadn't been looking forward to a return to the floor. "Ginny?"
She turned, surprised. He hadn't called her by her name in months.
"Harry?"
"I promise, we'll get word to them soon."
"Thank you."
Harry found sleep hard to come by that night. He laid awake, listening to Ginny's breathing, and the occasional hoot from Hedwig, who had taken up residence on the windowsill where she could watch for mice on the snowy ground two stories below.
Under the duvet, Harry felt Ginny's warmth, and edged closer. Without realizing how, he found himself with his arms around her, her head on his shoulder, and her warm body held closely to his side. He didn't remember falling asleep, but he remembered his dreams that night.
They were an hour outside of the village, still shrouded in darkness, when Harry called a halt.
"Brooms," he said quietly. Immediately, they all opened their packs and removed their brooms. Hermione cast swift enlarging charms, and they suddenly had four full-sized firebolts. "Disillusionment," Harry turned to Ginny and cast the spell on her, his wand tapping the top of her head. When she was invisible, he felt the tap on his own head, then the familiar cold feeling washing over him. "Mount up."
With a kick, they were in the sky, and flying towards the north east. Dawn was still a thin, pale line on the horizon. Silently, they flew through what was left of the darkness.
This wasn't the first time they'd flown their brooms. If they travelled this way, Harry insisted that they leave in the darkness, fly disillusioned, and land some distance from their destination. And they had to be silent while they flew. Harry had pointed out that in the cold winter air, noise travelled well, and they didn't want people in the countryside hearing voices in the air. The chances of their seeing the bits of their brooms still visible was minimal, but they had no wish to draw the attention of muggles to flying voices.
They flew silently for four hours. Harry was beginning to feel rather stiff and cold when he began to descend towards the patchwork of rocky country below them. Landing on a rough outcropping, he immediately stepped back and into the cover of an overhang of rock and countered the disillusionment on himself. The others, all that was visible of them the tips and ends of their brooms not covered by their cloaks, landed soon after and followed him in.
"Where are we?" Ginny asked, her voice shivering with cold.
"You'll see," Harry said. "Okay, everyone?"
"Cold," Hermione's teeth chattered. Harry swiftly hit her with the counter to the disillusionment charm and a warming charm, then did the same for Ginny. Hermione helped Ron. Harry was looking out over the steppes when he felt warmth hit him. He turned to see Ginny smiling at him.
"You needed to warm up, too."
"Thanks," he nodded at her, taking her hand.
"Where are we?"
"I'll tell you soon," Harry said quietly. "We need to move on."
"Walking?"
"For now."
"How far?"
"About two miles, at best guess."
"You're not going to tell me, are you?"
"Not right now," Harry smiled.
"Fine," she shook her head. "Let's get to where we're going. It's cold."
Harry led them in the direction that he thought he'd seen the encampment from the air. With luck, the person he was hoping to meet would still be there. He'd been given the information over six months ago, and situations changed.
As they approached the camp just before eleven o'clock, Harry searched the group. It was several minutes later, and they'd been noticed by more than one person, when he suddenly saw the familiar red hair.
"Harry?" Ginny squeezed his hand. "Is this...?"
"Smidget?" the bulky form of Charlie Weasley came running up to them, grabbed Ginny and swung her around in the air, laughing. He hugged her hard, then turned to Ron and hugged him, as well. "I can't believe you're here! Harry... what on earth...?"
"Hello, Charlie."
"You're okay? All of you are okay?"
"We're fine, Charlie," Ginny's eyes glowed with thanks as she looked at Harry. "We're great."
"Where have you been? Mum's been going nuts..." Charlie hugged Hermione and then turned to Harry. "Where have you been?"
"We can't tell you that, Charlie," Harry said quietly.
"No... no, of course you can't..." Charlie was obviously concerned, but he nodded. "I'll have to owl Mum..."
"Not until after we're gone, Charlie," Ginny said.
"But, Gin..."
"And it's Smidge... okay?"
"What?"
"We're travelling as muggles, Charlie," Ron explained. "And it's bloody cold out here... can we get inside somewhere?"
Charlie laughed. "You get used to it... sorry. I can't believe you're here... I... does Mum know...? Of course she doesn't... come on..."
"I think we should set up our own tent. Do you have somewhere we can do that?"
"Yes," Charlie nodded. "Just over here..."
"Where are the dragons?" Ron asked.
"Disillusionment charm," Charlie laughed. "They're quite close, though..."
He pointed and Ron turned, behind them, in the field they'd just traversed, were three sleeping dragons. They'd walked within feet of them.
"You mean, we...?"
"Perfectly safe, Ron," Charlie laughed. "They're asleep. Now, had they been awake..."
Ron turned white. "No one thought of putting up a sign or two? Give a bloke fair warning?"
"That would rather defy the reasoning behind disillusioning them, now wouldn't it?" Hermione asked dryly, hitching up her rucksack and following Charlie.
He led them towards a low slope beneath the main camp and pointed out an area. "That big enough?"
"Uh... yes," Harry laughed.
"Quite," Hermione smiled.
They quickly removed the tent from Ron's pack, the poles from Harry's, and the stakes from Hermione's and set up the tent.
"Come in for a cup of tea, Charlie?" Ginny asked as Hermione disappeared after Ron under the flap.
"Magical tent?"
"Um, yeah," Harry smiled. "Plenty of room."
Charlie followed Ginny and Harry brought up the rear, standing as he got inside.
"Nice place," Charlie looked around appreciatively.
"It's home," Ginny shrugged, taking off her heavy cloak and tossing it over the back of the couch. Charlie looked at her oddly.
"You can't tell me where you've been?" Charlie asked as they removed their outer gear and sat down. Ginny dissappeared into the kitchen.
"I'm sorry, Charlie... it would be too dangerous. Even coming here..."
"Then why did you?"
"Ginny was missing you... everyone."
Charlie nodded, then looked down at his hands. "Can you tell me where you're going? Or how long before you go home and my mother gets to sleep again?"
"I'm sorry, Charlie," Harry shook his head.
"We came with Harry by choice, Charlie," Ron said in a low voice. "I don't like worrying Mum, but I'd do it again. We have a job to do."
Charlie looked at his younger brother, then at Hermione, sitting close beside him on the couch. Harry sat in the large armchair to their left, and Charlie's eyes strayed to the doorway as Ginny came through with a tray of tea.
"You're okay, though?"
"We're fine," Ginny asked. "Is everyone... at home...?"
Charlie looked at her for a moment. "I'm sorry, but no. You've been gone for over four months, things have happened."
"What?" Ron asked, sitting forward.
"Who?" Ginny's voice was faint as she sat down on the arm of Harry's chair. Harry touched her back, instinctively trying to give her some strength.
"Mum and Dad are fine. They moved the day you left. I get regular owls from Dad. Mum is going crazy wondering... well."
"Who, Charlie?" Ginny insisted. "Bill?"
"No, Smidge. Percy."
"Percy?" Ron's voice was hollow. "When?"
"September. There were several attacks... the Ministry... Dad was there, but..."
"Dad's okay?"
"As okay as you can be when you watch your child die, I guess," Charlie said. "They were after Scrimgeour..."
"And did they get him?" Harry asked in a dangerous voice.
"No," Charlie said calmly. "They didn't. He..."
"He what?"
"He... well, Perc' took the brunt of the attack. He... they say he didn't suffer."
"Who says?" Harry asked sharply.
"The aurors," Charlie said. "Tonks said... Tonks told me that the curses they used... well, he was gone quickly."
There was a moment of silence. Harry had thought the middle Weasley son was a first rate idiot, as had most of his siblings, but he was still Molly and Arthur's child, still Ginny and Ron's brother.
"I'm sorry, Charlie. It... Molly must have been a mess," Hermione said softly.
"She's suffering more wondering where you lot are, if you're dead or alive," Charlie said shortly. "Running off like that..."
"We've got a job we've got to do, Charlie," Ron said. "Dad understood that."
"I know," Charlie nodded.
"You can send them an owl after we've left," Harry said.
"They'd do better with an owl from you," Charlie growled.
"Then we'll write letters for you to have delivered, shall we?" Hermione said.
Charlie looked at her. "Your parents are worried, too. They've been in contact with Remus."
There was a shadow in Hermione's eyes. "I told them I had to go away for a while, that they wouldn't be able to contact me until I got back."
"They're still worried," Charlie said. "Your cousin got married."
"Deanna?" Hermione looked at him, her eyes rounded. "But..."
"You were supposed to be there. They didn't think you'd miss that."
"I forgot..." Hermione said. "With everything else.. I just forgot."
"Are you at least... succeeding in what you're trying to do?"
"We can't talk about that, Charlie," Harry said. "For your safety as much as ours."
Charlie nodded. "I don't suppose you can tell me how long you'll be here?"
"A few days," Harry said. "No longer."
"There's more news from home," Charlie said, sipping his tea. "Fleur is preggers..."
Ginny gasped.
"And so is Tonks," Charlie grinned.
"Tonks?" Hermione's eyes widened. "But..."
"She and Remus got married the first of September," Charlie laughed. "Just went and got married. They're living at Grimmauld Place. Tonks said you wouldn't mind."
Harry grinned. He didn't mind at all. Remus was going to be a father.
"The twins?" Harry asked.
"Doing well. Running the shop. No one knows where they or Mum and Dad or Bill and Fleur are living. I don't suppose you could tell me that?"
"I couldn't if I wanted to, Charlie," Harry looked at him meaningfully.
"I didn't figure you could," Charlie nodded, understanding. "When I go back to visit I go to Grimmauld Place. I haven't seen the twins, but Mum and Dad say they're doing fine."
"And the school? Hogwarts?"
Charlie's eyes clouded. "McGonagall tried, but they just couldn't open this year... too many people withdrew their kids. Dumbledore gone, and... well, with Snape having been a teacher... people just don't want their children out of sight."
"I don't suppose you've heard anything about Neville Longbottom or Luna Lovegood?" Ginny asked.
"Luna, no... but Neville was here."
"What?" Harry looked at Charlie.
"He came looking for you. Said he wanted to go with you, after he'd found out you were gone. He figured I'd know where you were, as he couldn't find Bill or Mum and Dad. I told him how to get in touch with Dad at the Ministry."
"How long ago?" Harry was surprised.
"September."
"Can you deliver a letter to him for me, Charlie?"
"I can have it delivered."
"Good. I'll have it for you when we leave."
"Well," Charlie stood. "It's almost lunch... I have a shift at one. Is there anything you'll need?"
"No," Ginny stood and hugged him. "We've got everything we need right here."
"Dinner is served at six,"Charlie said. "You'll join the crew?"
"Is it safe?" asked Harry.
"Safe?" Charlie looked at him.
"I don't particularly want it getting back to Voldemort that we're here, Charlie," Harry said firmly.
"No one here..." Charlie looked like he was going to lose his temper for a minute, before he took a deep breath. Harry waited. "I suppose you have to be suspicious of anyone you don't know, don't you?"
"It's how we've stayed alive this long," Ron replied. "Can we trust the people here, Charlie?"
"They're a good bunch," Charlie said. "I've known them all for years, and there isn't one of them who hasn't lost someone to Voldemort, who wouldn't give their left... well, wouldn't give a lot to see him burn. No, they're all trustworthy."
Harry nodded, then looked down at his hands. He felt... out of place. Was this what this thing with Voldemort was doing to him? Was he turning into someone who wasn't even comfortable in the presence of the Weasley family?
"Six o'clock... at the main tent," Charlie nodded before exiting through the door. Harry glanced up, just as he was hit solidly with a body.
Ginny.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you..." she rained kisses on his face as she hugged him tightly. Harry's body's response was immediate and obvious. He flushed deeply.
Ginny grinned and kissed him again, long and hard, until Ron cleared his throat meaningfully.
"Well, I don't know about you lot... but I'm for a nap," he said, standing and stretching.
Harry thought Hermione shot him a rather nasty look, but couldn't be sure, as the distraction of having Ginny in his lap was proving too much. She had just kissed him like... like...
Like she still meant it.
Harry didn't sleep. He tossed and turned, and he finally dozed lightly, but by four o'clock, he was up, had a shower and changed. He collected the clothing that needed washing, and headed downstairs to find Hermione.
He found Ginny.
"Good morning," She smiled at him over the rim of a cup of tea from where she sat at the table.
"Morning. Did you sleep?"
"For a bit. Tea?"
"Please. Are the others down yet?"
"No..." Ginny's eyes slid to the stairs and the closed doors to the landing at the top.
Harry looked at her for a moment, not understanding the tone in her voice. She sounded amused. "What?"
"You haven't noticed?"
"Noticed?"
"Hmm," Ginny put the tea pot down and pushed his cup toward him. "Nothing. What did you need her for?"
"I have laundry, and I'm not very good at the cleansing charm..."
"I had noticed," Ginny smiled. "Let me."
"You can...?"
"I'm Molly Weasley's child, what do you think?"
"Well, so is Ron, and I haven't noticed that he's any better at it than I am," Harry said, pushing the pile towards her. He sipped at his tea as she pulled the clothes towards her and started casting quick charms at them.
"Thank you, Harry," Ginny said softly.
"For what?"
"For bringing us here. I was really missing my family, and you knew that."
"Of course I knew it," Harry said. "You're a close family, and you haven't seen them in ages. Maybe you shouldn't have..."
"Don't say it," her eyes narrowed dangerously as she looked up at him. "Don't you dare."
"But I'm glad you did," Harry admitted, his eyes on the table in front of him. Why was it so difficult to talk to her honestly? He used to be able to...
But that was before you realized that Ginny Weasley's being too close to you could be very, very dangerous for her.
But isn't she in danger now? Here? She came with you, despite everything. She's here. This is enough to get her killed, isn't it?
"Harry?" Ginny was looking at him oddly.
"I'm fine," Harry nodded. "I'm also hungry. We skipped lunch."
"I made muffins when I got up," she stood and moved to the counter, coming back with a tray. Harry took two and dug in. He was on his second when Ron stumbled sleepily down the stairs.
"Mmm," Ron said, grabbing a muffin as he poured a cup of tea. "Muffins."
"You're welcome," Ginny said dryly, not looking up from cleaning Harry's clothes.
"You make great muffins, Smidge," Ron said, doing his best to stuff half of one in his mouth. "What's that you're doing?"
"Harry's laundry," Ginny said absently.
"Ooh, I have stuff..." Ron brightened immediately.
"Get Mione to do it," Ginny retorted.
"You'll do his but not mine? Nice!"
"I..." Harry began, sensing the beginning of a sibling argument.
"I'm doing Harry's because I offered to do Harry's. Because no one has actually ever taught him how. Mum has taught you, so do your own, or ask Mione to help."
"Nice," Ron repeated, taking another muffin and sitting back petulantly.
"What are you two arguing about?" Hermione came down the stairs.
"Laundry!" They both spoke at once, and then ended up grinning at each other.
"Well, so long as you're both happy about it," Hermione looked at them as though trying to understand the workings of either of their minds. "How long are we here for?"
"A few days. No more," Harry said quietly.
Ginny turned and looked at him, "But it's only bit over a week until Christmas..."
"I know, but he'll be expecting us to try to be with family at Christmas. He's going to be watching. If there are visitors here... well..."
"We'll be with family," Ron said, working on his fourth muffin. "We'll be together."
Hermione smiled happily at him, and leaned down, kissing him on the cheek. "That's the nicest thing you've said in a long, long time."
Dinner with the dragon trainers was interesting, to say the least. Harry watched quietly, responding when spoken to, but otherwise watching the others. He was sipping at a second cup of the strong coffee the crew drank after the meal, watching, as Hermione, Ginny and Ron took part in an animated conversation with two of Charlie's fellow trainers when Charlie sat down heavily next to him.
"So?" Charlie looked at him.
"So?"
"What's going on, Harry?"
"I told you, I can't tell you that, Charlie."
"Not that," Charlie said quietly. "I meant with you and Ginny."
Harry's eyes moved back to him. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that Ron told me that the four of you have been travelling as honeymooning muggles, that's what I mean."
"Charlie, it's not..."
"It had better not be," Charlie growled. "She's sixteen, Harry."
"I know."
"Then why?"
"Charlie... we've been travelling. In places that... it's safer for her and Mione to be thought of as married women."
"I'm wondering who thought it up, Potter."
"Hermione, actually," Harry said. "Look, we've been going places... places where Ginny could easily have been..." he swallowed, trying to regain control of his temper. "Charlie, she's safer this way."
"You shouldn't have brought her in the first place," Charlie said soberly.
"It wasn't my choice, but just so you know, your dad told me he thought she'd be safer with us than left behind. Because your dad knows her, and he knew damned well that she wouldn't have stayed there. She would have come looking for us. Alone. This way, I can be sure she's safe. I can try to control the situation enough to get her out."
"You've been living together. Ron says you've been masquerading as a married couple..."
"I've told you why!"
"The wizarding world wouldn't..."
"We're not travelling as wizards, Charlie," Harry hissed, his eyes fiery green. He was very aware of the people around them. "We've been travelling as muggles. Voldemort gets wind of four wizards travelling around, he's going to take notice. No one is noticing two muggle couples."
"You..."
"I'd protect her with my life, Charlie. Even from myself," Harry stood, leaving the room and the building, heading back to the tent.
He was glad that Ginny was enjoying seeing her brother, but as far as he was concerned, they couldn't leave quickly enough.
Ginny found him leaning over the table in the tent, studying Hermione's timeline.
"Harry?" she said, softly announcing herself from the doorway. Harry glanced over his shoulder, staring at her for a moment, his expression non-committal. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I thought you'd be visiting for a while longer," he turned back to the timeline.
"Harry?"
"What?"
"I'm sorry."
"For what?" Now she had his attention. He turned, looking at her curiously.
"For Charlie," she bit her lip. "I saw you two arguing. It didn't take a genius to figure it out."
"You..."
"So, being no genius, Ron figured it out, and told me," she smiled. Harry couldn't help but laugh. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I just thought... I didn't want to lose my temper in front of Charlie's friends. Not exactly the way I pictured the visit."
"Charlie had no right..." her eyes flared.
"He had every right, Gin. But he needed to be set straight on some stuff."
Ginny sighed, then walked toward him, putting her arms around his neck and resting her cheek against his heart. "I'm still sorry."
"It's fine. Now he knows that there isn't anything... inappropriate... going on."
"Inappropriate?" Ginny laughed.
"You know," Harry felt his cheeks turn pink, but he wasn't sure if it was from the direction of the conversation or from his body's reaction to Ginny's slightly rounded form pressing against him.
Damn.
"Well, I think I'll have a shower before bed," Ginny pulled away, turned away before Harry could look into her eyes. Her cheeks seemed rather flushed as well.
"Ron and Mione?"
"Two of Charlie's buddies challenged Ron to some muggle game called 'quarters'... apparently it involves tossing coins at a bottle of firewhiskey and trying to knock the cap off, and from what I can tell, you aim to lose. Mione is trying to drag him out. Charlie wasn't helping."
"Well, I think I'll leave them to it, then."
"Good night, Harry."
"Good night," Harry said, watching her as she retreated up the stairs and through the door into the bath. When she was gone, he turned back to the timeline.
"Harry, a hand here?" A flustered Hermione came through the doorway on her hands and knees, dragging a loudly singing Ron behind her an hour later.
"Trouble?"
"Ron. Drunk. Of course it's trouble!" Hermione glared at him like he'd said the stupidest thing in the world.
Harry laughed, moving to the door to pull Ron through. Hermione had managed to get him half way in, and he was currently lying on his back singing a rather annoying song about a young witch from Dover.
Hermione was blushing.
By the time Harry had managed to get the inebriated and very jovial Ron up to his bed and settled for the night, Hermione had gone to bed as well, and there was no one to discuss the details of the timeline with.
With a sigh, Harry, too, went to bed.
Much, much later, Harry found himself lying, suddenly awake, in bed. He didn't know for a moment what it was that had woken him. He listened, but there was no sound, so he rolled over to go back to sleep. Which was when he realized exactly what the cause of his waking had been.
Sometime while he slept, Ginny had crept into his room, and now lay curled on the other half of his bed, the duvet tucked beneath her chin. Harry gazed at her for a moment, wondering if he ought to wake her and ask her why she was there. In the end, he simply put one arm around her, pulling her back against his chest, and went back to sleep with his face buried in her flower-scented hair.
"I had a nightmare."
Harry was dozing, but was vaguely aware of the body lying curled next to his. He could feel her thigh against his, her toes where they pressed against his calves, and the softness of her breast against his chest...
He was suddenly completely awake and pulling away from the warmth of her. He was experiencing a very common reaction to where his thoughts had just been, but couldn't imagine what Ginny's reaction would be.
"Harry, relax..." Ginny moved closer to him. "I have six brothers, Harry... I know..."
"I'm not your brother," Harry's voice was gritty with sleep.
"Oh, I am fully aware of that," Ginny laughed.
"Gin..."
"Harry, please don't push me away again."
"I have to."
"No, you don't have to. You want to."
"No," Harry said, laying back against the pillows with a resigned sigh. "I don't want to, Gin. Trust me. Right now, I'd rather stick a pin in my eye than push you away, but..."
"Then don't," Ginny sat up, looking down at him. Harry noticed she was wearing a tshirt...
"Is that my shirt?" he asked, squinting at her.
"Yes," she smiled.
"Ron said you had a thing about nicking clothes..."
"This is the only thing of yours that I've... well..."
"Well, what?"
"I've actually nicked some of your socks, too," she flushed, biting her lip.
"That was you?" Harry asked, dumbfounded. All through sixth year at Hogwarts his socks kept disappearing. Harry had suspected Dobby, knowing full well the thing that the houseelf had about socks, but to find out that Ginny had been taking them, going through his trunk...
He flushed wildly.
"I like your socks," Ginny smiled, laying back down against his chest. Harry's arm went around her instinctively. She sighed.
"Ginny..."
"Harry, I know what you said. I remember it very, very clearly. But I just don't happen to agree with you."
"What? Why?"
"Because, Harry, we've been together for nearly five months, on our own, with only Ron and Hermione around, and I'm still alive."
Harry was silent.
"It rather blows a few planet-sized holes in your theory that I'm somehow at more risk when I'm with you."
"If you..."
"Harry, will you be honest with me if I ask you a question?" She sat up again.
"Of course..."
"Would you be hurt if I were... taken? Targetted?"
"That's exactly why..."
"If Tom got hold of me, that would hurt you?"
"Yes."
"Could anything possibly hurt more?"
"No," he said quietly. "Ginny..."
"Then how could it possibly hurt more if we stayed together? Harry, I'm close to you, regardless of whether our relationship is... romantic... or not. My brother is close to you. Hermione is close to you. Everyone knows that. Added to that, my father is an official with the Ministry, not to mention the head of the Order of the Phoenix. All of my family is extremely vocal about their opposition to the Dark, and their willingness to fight Voldemort. He possessed me in my first year, and you saved me from him when I was supposed to die. How much more of a target could I possibly be?"
"Ginny..."
"Besides which, Harry Potter, I love you."
They stared at each other for a full minute before Harry pulled her back down into his arms. How could he let her go? Quite simply, he couldn't, and he no longer intended to.
Okay, folks -- there is a nasty rumor going around that is "punishing" people for having review responses in the text of their story. I'm attempting to find out more... and as soon as I know, you'll know. Until then, thanks for reading my stuff!
CQ