CHAPTER FOUR: IN YOUR EYES

Harry nervously fiddled with his tie and wondered how Fleur Delacour had come to know how Muggles dressed for weddings. What he wouldn't give to just be in his regular robes – or even dress robes, in fact, so as not to be wearing the plain black tuxedo he had struggled into not half an hour before.

Looking in the mirror, he saw a black blur whiz behind his head and turned to see a red-faced Ron hurling his tie across the room in frustration. Catching Harry's eye in the mirror, Ron grinned and apparated to where his tie now hung pathetically from a bookshelf.

"Bloody thing will be the end of me, I tell you mate." Puffing out a resigned breath, Ron wrapped the tie around his neck and with a look of sheer determination, struggled to knot it at his neck. "Hey, I've an idea! You can apparate now, so why don't we just take off! That way we won't have to wear these ridiculous outfits!" Ron looked at Harry hopefully in a half-joking manner before returning his frustrated attention back to the tie. "This will have to be good enough because if I have to look at this blasted thing any longer, I'll strangle myself with it, I tell you." Harry laughed and together, the two friends left Ron's Chudley Canon-ed room and headed downstairs for the wedding.

Harry sat at his table and watched his two best friends talk akwardly across the dance floor. The simple ceremony over and the reception just getting started, the guests had all piled onto the dance floor. Harry smiled and enjoyed the gentle breeze that did nothing to help his already unruly hair. He noted how the sun seemed to shine brighter on this day and how the sky seemed especially clear. How deceptive weather could be, when Harry knew that things would be getting darker with every day that passed. Shaking his head to clear it from the path his thoughts were taking him, Harry's gaze landed on a fiery stream of softly curled red tendrils. Feeling his heart drop and constrict all at once, Harry tried, but try as he might he could no longer tear his eyes away from the curls now dancing merrily in the wind.

Though her hair frolicked and played with the gentle wind, Ginny Weasley's happy face was far from the emotions she felt storming inside her. She resisted the urge to turn in her seat and search for the eyes she felt were watching her, and instead, merely tucked away a strand of hair that mingled with the tear cascading down her cheek. Though happy for the union that brought a little joy in the growing darkness that threatened the wizarding world, Ginny felt it all to be a rather cruel joke in the midst of her heartbreak. But she would not argue. Despite what she was thinking or feeling, it was up to Harry. He carried a burden she knew he would not give up, but that he would bear until the time had come to destroy the burden or be crushed by it. She would not take this away from him, even if she had the power to do so. Wistfully, she let the last tear fall from her lashes and gently wiped it away with a firm resolve. This was the way things had to be. Fully strengthened in her resolve, Ginny pushed her chair back from the table and made to stand, freezing halfway as she saw a hand extended toward her.

Harry did not know that time had passed. He didn't realize that he had gotten up from the table where he sat and that his feet were carrying him in the direction his gaze never wavered from. But now, as his hand waited outstretched, he stared down at Ginny and didn't care what he had decided since the weeks after Dumbledore's death. He knew that once he felt Ginny's small, delicate hand in his that he wouldn't be worrying about anything but holding her as close as possible for as long as possible.

Ginny let Harry lead her gently to the edge of the makeshift dance floor, feeling a tingling sensation begin where his hand rested at the small of her back and spread throughout the rest of her body. Silently, they spoke not a word and despite their surroundings, it felt something like magic that all others seemed to fade around them. The music swelled, enveloping them in its hazy mist, as Harry and Ginny began to dance.

I think I finally know you, I can see beyond your smile

Harry allowed his gaze to roam Ginny's face, as if making sure that everything he dreamed of her was still there. His eyes caressed and roamed the planes of her face, taking in every lash, every freckle, memorizing as if he would never get the chance to do so again. Feeling a tug of desperation at wanting to keep her with him forever, he allowed his gaze to collide with hers and he smiled and held her ever closer.

I think that I can show you, that what we have is still worthwhile

Ginny bit her lip to keep tears from springing to her eyes once more. She was not fooled by that smile. Probing the depths of his green eyes, Ginny understood the sadness underlying the fierce passion that stared out at her. Nothing had changed, but he was here, holding her tenderly as if she were a treasure made from his dreams that would vanish if he so dared to wake from them. Ginny tilted her head stubbornly and silently willed him to look into her eyes and read her soul. She was not made of glass, she would not break and shatter as he clearly believed she would. She desperately wished he would see the strength she knew she could find if it meant that Harry would stop pushing her away and allow her to fight beside him.

Don't you know that love's just like a thread
It keeps unraveling but then…

"Ginny, I can't let you do that," Harry whispered fiercely, pulling her ever closer and resting his head on her thick, blazing curls. "I will never lose you to him. He's taken enough from me. For someone who doesn't understand or can't fathom love, he's managed to take everyone that I could ever love from me. I can't lose you Ginny, I just can't," Harry muttered hoarsely into her hair, clutching at the soft curls entwined around his fingers.

It ties us back together in the end...

Clutching his arm, Ginny pulled away from him so that she could catch his gaze straight on. Ignoring the sudden lurch her stomach took at the sight of his tears, she steeled herself for the fight she knew would hold more at stake than any battle with Voldemort or his Death Eaters.

"It won't be that way, Harry. Don't you see, Dumbledore told you, it's love that you have over Voldemort. If you push mine away and tell yourself that it's for my own good then he's already won! If you go to face him, armed only with sadness and loss at trying to beat him from taking away all your friends by getting rid of them yourself, then you've made his job all the more easier. You've helped him succeed." Ginny tilted her head as Harry averted his eyes from her.

In your eyes, I can see my dream's reflections
In your eyes, I found the answers to my questions

Harry struggled for words, but found that he had none. At a loss, he shook his head, telling himself that his way was the best. It was his prophecy and his battle alone. Not Ron's or Hermione's and especially not Ginny's. If it weren't for him, he knew that this celebration wouldn't have the slight air of sadness and fear floating above those whose faces were full of hope and determination. He had brought all this to them with the price of his friendship and he couldn't let that stand.

Ginny's eyes blazed as she grasped Harry's chin and forced him to look at her. This was it. She'd had enough and she wasn't having any of it anymore. Brave and noble his intentions were, Ginny could no longer allow him to wallow in such thoughts and feelings.

"You are selfish, Harry Potter, do you hear me?" she whispered, struggling with her immediate reaction to take it all back as shock and hurt registered on Harry's face. "Stop it right now. This isn't only about you not wanting us to get hurt. It's about you, Harry. You're thinking about yourself and not us. You're so full of wondering how hurt and scared you are. How devastated you'll be if anything happens to us. It's only your feelings you care about and that's why you're trying to push us all away. Why you're trying to push me away." Her words softening, Ginny continued, laying her palm against Harry's cheek, knowing she would not hesitate to apparate them both away from this nightmare, if only she could.

"Harry, I know you're preparing for what is to come. You're trying to make it so that we won't care or won't hurt as deeply if something is to happen to you after you face Voldemort. You're hoping that by making it so we have nothing to do with you, Voldemort won't use us to get to you. You're thinking that had it not been for you, everything would be just fine and dandy for the rest of us." Smiling as Harry looked at her in alarm, as if she'd somehow read his thoughts, Ginny rested her forehead fondly against his and whispered, "the world doesn't revolve around you Harry James Potter."

Harry searched for his voice and battled with the emotions in him that were vying for attention. Heat seared his cheeks and prickles of sweat formed along Harry's hairline and palms. Guilt, he didn't think the guilt would ever go away.

"Ginny, it was my fault Cedric died. If I hadn't brought him with me, he'd still be alive. If was my fault Sirius – ' he choked at the sound of his godfather's name – 'it's my fault that Sirius is dead. If he hadn't cared about me so much, he wouldn't have gone after me and he'd still be alive too. And Dumbledore, he was only protecting me. That's what everyone will try to do. Protect me – and they'll all just die." Harry shuddered with sobs he fought to contain and Ginny held on to him tightly.

"It's true you know. Everyone who cares for you is willing to die to protect you. But that is our choice, Harry. I've allowed you to make your choices, and you need to let us make ours. This has never really been your fight alone. Even before he had marked you as his equal and destined you to the fate you have, Voldemort still existed. The evil he did was still real and there were still people fighting and dying, just as people are doing now. Even before you existed, your parents, Sirius, Dumbledore – they were all in the order. Death was a possibility that they faced and acknowledged, but they did it all the same. It wasn't merely for you, but it was for good. It was so that good people, good things like love, it was so all that could exist Harry."

Ginny's voice shook with emotion as she fought for the love she knew she would never again find in another person. With each breath that she took and each word that she said, her determination took over and the light flashing from her eyes took Harry's breath away.

In your eyes, I can see the reason why our love's alive

Slowly Harry nodded, still unsure of the way his thoughts and feelings clashed with each other. So badly he wanted to believe what Ginny was saying, and as she clung to his face, mentally willing him to understand her, believe her, he felt his heart constrict and knew that he could not deny himself the truth of Ginny's words. Despite his fear of their harm or death, he had been thinking of himself - of the guilt he would bear should anything happen to them. Harry slowly began to grasp Ginny's truth, no matter how cruel they may be - because Voldemort was beyond cruel and he would stalk and prey on anyone, whether they had connections to Harry or not. In Ginny's embrace he could not find the logic that had once convinced him to detach himself from the people he loved. He did not see how cutting himself off from their love would make it any less painful if Voldemort interfered. He saw that he was cheating himself and his friends of the time that they so badly needed to treasure and cherish by letting himself believe that Voldemort would spare them should their ties to him be severed.

Deeply he stared into Ginny's eyes. He basked in the warmth that radiated from them and he felt he would drown in the sea that was raging in the pools of brown. Ginny loved him. He could see it as plainly in her eyes had she just written it down or said it to him.

He glanced around and saw Hermione and Ron, watching them from a distance. Looking at each of them in turn, currents of understanding seemed to pass between them. With or without Harry, these people would have made it their battle because despite Voldemort's best efforts, there was still good in this world and there would always be people willing to fight for it. He would allow them their chance to fight because it wasn't his place to take this away from them. They would face what was coming together.

In your eyes, we're drifting safely back to shore
And I think I've finally learned to love you more

Turning his face towards her own, Ginny gave a ghost of a smile and for long moments of time, they stared at each other, understanding what the other wasn't saying. Slowly their lips met in the softest of kisses and Harry closed his eyes and hung on. He didn't know how he would do it and he didn't know where the strength and power he knew he would have to possess would come from, but he knew that he would not be alone. For right now, Ginny was returning his love with hers that was altogether consuming and powerful on its own. Ginny loved him, and at this moment, Harry felt that it was enough.