"Don't Stop Believing"
Chapter 05
August 02, 2005
It was later that afternoon that Ginny was sitting in her room at the Burrow watching Harry stand outside and talking to Bill and Charlie, who had returned home upon learning about the attack on the Burrow.
Ginny pulled at the strings on the comforter and thought about the conversation that she had with Harry on the way to McGonagall's office. Ron and Hermione had gone ahead to give them some time to talk. Ginny knew Harry meant well went he said it was over, but Ginny refused to give up on him. They argued about this right up until they got to the office when McGonagall opened the door. They abruptly shut up, and said their good byes before flooing back to the Burrow.
Now, the conversation kept playing over and over in her head. The one thing she had never intended to say had come out.
How could I have been so stupid, Ginny thought as she glanced over to the picture sitting on her desk. Colin had taken it at the Yule Ball when Harry had kissed Ginny and given it to her.
There was a knock at her door and Hermione announced herself before coming in.
"Ginny, you okay?" Hermione said, as she shut the door back quietly. She didn't want to push in the case that Ginny really wasn't okay and decided to lash out.
"Not..not really," Ginny said, as she laid back on the bed and let out sigh.
"You want to talk?"
"I suppose. Hermione, how could I have been so stupid? I just started talking and something came out that Harry shouldn't have known," Ginny said while getting more frustrated at her own stupidity.
"Well, what exactly did you say to him?" Hermione asked.
"Well, it started out fine, and then he said he didn't want me around him. That is was dangerous. I flew of the handle. I told him that I could handle myself and I wasn't going to leave him when he needed all the help he could get. He started getting upset and told me that it wasn't my problem," Ginny said.
"And? That's all? We've been telling Harry for years that he is going to have help whether he wants it or not," Hermione said trying to comfort her friend.
"That's not all. Hermione, I told him I loved him!" Ginny exclaimed as she stood up and started pacing. Hermione quickly recovered from the obvious surprise.
"Well..do you? I mean really?" she asked carefully.
"Of course I do. He's Harry. I've loved Harry since the first day I saw him at the train station," Ginny said quietly.
"You were only nine years old Ginny," Hermione said.
"I loved him Hermione! He was quiet and sweet, but right then I knew," she said as she collapsed back onto the bed.
"What did you know?"
"Something clicked that day. I knew I was supposed to be with him," Ginny said as tears filled her eyes.
"So, we'll come check out the place later today then?" Bill said, as he, Harry, and Charlie walked back to the house.
"That would be great. Thanks for doing this for me. I just want it to be safe. I need to be able to sleep at night without worrying about my home being attacked," Harry said, opening the door.
"Harry I won't lie. They will find a way to work through it. They always do," Bill said, while kissing his mother on the cheek.
"Hi dear. Oh this place is a mess. The good thing is that no one was hurt," Mrs. Weasley said, as she picked up a broken plate from the floor.
"Except Ronald," Charlie said, as he looked at Ron, who was crawling around on the floor.
"I was not hurt. I tripped," Ron said, as he looked under the chairs.
"Ronald, son, what are you doing?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"I dropped something Mum. Relax," Ron said.
The other three returned to cleaning up the kitchen and Harry walked over to Ron, who was putting something in his pocket.
"Outside." Harry said quietly.
"Mum, we'll be out back. Maybe I dropped it there," Ron said. She was about to ask what he lost but the door slammed before she could speak.
"You find it?" Harry said, as they walked over to a tree and sat on the other side of it.
"I got it. Does the ministry even know Malfoy was here?" Ron asked.
"They know, but they don't know what he left behind," Harry said, almost smiling.
"Shouldn't we give it to them?" Ron said, as he pulled out the wand.
"Sure. After we have a look at it," Harry said.
"Well, shall we get to it?" Ron said, starting to pull out his own wand.
"NO! Not here," Harry said looking around.
"You think we're being watched? Death Eaters aren't that sneaky, are they?"
"No, but your family is," Harry said, smiling.