1Chapter 7: Harry's confession

The day before the wedding the Weasley house was all bursting with noise and people. Preparations were being finished, things were being set up. Time was flying way too quickly for the mother and father of the groom. Life in the Weasley house had always seemed quite crazy but nothing was compared to it now that Fleur's parents and sister had arrived. Fleur, her mother and Mrs. Weasley were occupying the kitchen working hard on fixing dinner and finishing up the cake. Fleur's father and Mr. Weasley were sitting outside resting for a moment from all the work they had done de-gnoming the backyard. Bill was resting, having been a little under the weather because of last night full moon. And Ron was in his room trying on his dress robes from Fred and George that he would be wearing as one of Bill's ushers.

"Well I have to admit these are much better then the ones I had for the Yule Ball. I'm still ashamed of those." Ron said looking into the mirror inside his closet. Harry sat on Ron's bed and looked at him.

"Yeah they are much better." Harry replied somewhat glumly. Ron turned around and looked at his best friend.

"Hey what's up with you mate? You've seemed down all day. Come to think of it, you've been kind of down since you got here. What's with you?" Ron inquired. He had a feeling he knew a little of why Harry was feeling down but he was not positive it was all true. "Is it the whole Horcruxes thing?"

Harry shook his head and sighed. "It's your sister mate. She's been ignoring me since I got here. And when she does see that I'm there, she gives me this really pissed off look." Harry replied looking up at Ron water stained ceiling.

"Maybe it's because she really is pissed off. You broke up with her." Ron stated undoing the hooks on his robe. Harry's eyes shot for Ron. Ron looked up when he felt them on the crown of his head. "Yeah I know. Even though you didn't come right out and tell me. Hermione told me. And Ginny. And I sort of figured it out on me own."

Harry looked down, somewhat in shame. "I'm sorry mate. Sorry for the whole lot of it." Harry muttered with a sigh. "I really like Ginny, Ron. I really do. But I have to go and risk my life trying to save the world. What if I fail? What if I'm the one who must fall? I can't go out there and fight knowing she's back here pining over me and worrying. For one, I'd be too worried that she would be in trouble. And secondly, I would be thinking of her more and that might end up getting me killed when I shouldn't have been. There is too much on my shoulders right now. I don't want to put all this weight on someone else while adding even more to my own."

Ron threw off the dress robes and hung them over his closet door. He stood bare chested and in his boxer shorts as he turned to Harry.

"I know why you did it. And I believe you're reasoning is good. But you've hurt her Harry. She's not going to forgive you easily. She loves you." Ron replied in a simple tone.

Harry looked down and groaned. "I'm such a prat." He murmured. Ron walked over to his friend.

"Harry you have to do what you think is right. If leaving Ginny and all the feelings you have for her behind is the answer, then you must do it." Ron said putting a hand on Harry shoulder.

Harry jumped up off the bed, knocking Ron's hand free and forcing him to take a wobbly step backward. "That's the problem. I can't leave her behind. I love her Ron." He cried out.

At that moment there was a knock at the not all the way closed door and Hermione stepped in.

"Gee Harry you know the whole house can almost hear you." She said as she noticed Ron's not so clothed body. At the sight of Ron's bare muscled chest, she turned red. To cover up her embracement she looked over at Harry. "Mr. Weasley would like you're help in the yard Harry."

Harry turned to her. "Right. Cheers." And with that he walked out of Ron's room leaving Ron standing in his boxers and Hermione blushing as red as any Weasley.

"Well I better be going. You're mum needs help in the kitchen." She said as she turned.

"Right."

Hermione took a step toward the hall but something made her turn around and look at Ron again. "You know, that would be a lovely outfit to wear for the wedding but I don't think your mum would be very happy about it." She said gesturing toward his skimpy attire.

Ron turned Weasley red. "Right. I'll get dressed and I'll be down to help." Ron replied moving over to his closet and pulling out a pair of pants and stepping into them.

Hermione smiled to herself as she left and headed downstairs. Now that had been a nice surprise.

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Just below Ron's room, Ginny fell down on her bed, a extendable ear in her hands. She had been listening to the conversation between her and her brother.

She sighed. "I still love you too Harry." She whispered to herself as she heard him walking past her closed door. A single tear slide from her eyes. She knew he was just trying to protect her. He knew he was looking out for her. But she also knew that what he had done may have made it all worse. She was thinking about him more now then she had before. She was worried about him more then she had been before, with the exclusion of the Triwizard tournament.

Suddenly her sadness disappeared and she became angry. She wasn't just going to sit around and let him leave the day after tomorrow. She couldn't. At least not without her. If she was with him, he wouldn't have to worry about her and she could look out from him if there was an attack. She was going to go. No matter what her brother said. No matter what Harry said. She loved him and because she loved him, was blind to anything else but to being with him. Even when she was supposed to be mad at him.

Ginny's thoughts were broken by a knock at the door. She gave permission for the person to enter and Hermione peeked her head in.

"Hey Ginny, you're mum could use some help in the kitchen. I'm just on my way, wanna join me?" Hermione offered with a smile.

Ginny paused for a minute. The kitchen meant being around Fleur but she knew her mother was having a horrible time with everything she had to do. "Yay, alright." She replied realizing that if she did leave with the golden trio in two days time, this might be the last few times she would see her mum. This thought made her eyes water but she swallowed hard and followed Hermione to the kitchen. She would be strong. She was determined to be. And determined to go.

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I'm sorry for what I've done.

It was stupid of me.

I realize now that you will never forgive me.

And I understand why.

But all the same I'm sorry.

It had to be done.

But it didn't change how I feel.

I still love you.