Fighting for a Chance

By: FayeValentine00

"Ginny, how many times are we going to go through this? I already told you NO! You are not going with Harry. In fact, if I have anything to say about it, Ron will not be going either. I am not about to stand by and watch my children fight a war they shouldn't even be involved in!"

"What are you taking about? Of course we are involved! We all are. We are wizards aren't we?"

"Don't play word games with me Ginny. You know exactly what I am talking about," Mrs. Weasley said coldly looking her daughter straight in the eye.

"I'm not playing games, Mum! You know very well that Ron and Hermione WILL go with Harry. You won't be able to stop them. They have been through this together since the beginning!"

"All the more reason NOT to let you get involved!" The two women looked at each other across the table. Not caring that every person in the house could hear them, which included everyone except for Ron, Harry and Hermione.

"So I am just supposed to stand by and wait patiently for word?" Ginny's voice was on the verge of cracking. She was losing her patience and tears were beginning to well in her eyes.

"If it keeps you out of danger, yes!"

"And what if they all DIE? Am I supposed to just live the rest of my life knowing I might have been able to help them but didn't because my mother wanted me to stay home!" Ginny slammed her hands on the table and jumped to her feet staring down at her mother coldly. "I don't care what you say, that is not going to happen!"

With those words, Ginny fled from the room, ignoring her mother's call. She ran straight for her bedroom and slammed the door behind her. She'd finally had enough. Dumbledore's funeral had been three weeks ago and, although Ginny had tried, she just couldn't let Harry and the others go into danger without her. She understood why Harry couldn't be involved with her anymore and, although it hurt, it was comforting to know that it had not been because he didn't love her. She loved him more than she had ever loved anything and that was the reason she had to go with them. If anything happened to Harry, she'd never forgive herself.

A week later Ron, Harry and Hermione were all in Ron's room. They had been in there for hours without a sound. The Burrow had become a strange place since Dumbledore's death. Although everyone knew what was going to happen, no one spoke about it. I don't know if that made it easier for Harry and the others to prepare but at this point, Ginny didn't care anymore. She had to find her place and she knew it was at Harry's side.

She opened Ron's door without knocking and the three turned around so quickly that she almost lost all nerve, turned around and walked right back out but instead she gathered her courage and walked in. She had just closed the door behind me herself when Ron sighed.

"Go away, Ginny. We don't have time to talk right now."

"Obviously," she retorted rudely looking over his shoulder at the map on the floor that he quickly covered. "What's that?"

"None of your business. Go bug the twins or something, we're busy."

"Are you really that stupid, Ron?"

"What?" He looked surprised and actually looked at his sister closely for the first time since she'd entered.

Ginny noticed that both Harry and Hermione were looking back and forth between the two siblings not quite sure what to say so wisely staying quite. "Are you so stupid that you think I am going to watch the three of you run around God knows where doing God knows what while I just sit here and hope for the best?"

Although a little taken aback at Ginny's remark, he covered it surprising well and tried to blow her off. "I don't think anyone gave you a choice, did they?" They he looked directly at Harry as if to point out that he'd been the one to exclude her, not himself.

That jab hurt Ginny more than she was willing to admit but she tried her best to smile despite that. "I'm going with you. Either you can include me or I will follow you but either way, I am not staying home."

"Ginny, you can't come," Harry said softly, speaking for the first time with an expression of regret. "It's going to be really dangerous and you should be at Hogwarts where it is safe."

"How is Hogwarts safe? Have you already forgotten that last year Death Eaters got in, attacked us all and KILLED Dumbledore?" Again her voice was beginning to crack but she fought back the tears that burned her eyes.

The flash in Harry's eyes immediately told Ginny that she had gone to far but it was already too late to retreat. "Well, it's a hell of a lot safer then going out and looking for a fight, isn't it?" His eyes bore into hers so intensely that she couldn't help the tears that started rolling down her cheeks.

"Harry," Hermione said softly under her breath in a tone that obviously said things were getting too intense.

The room fell silent for a long time. Ginny tears rolled quickly down her cheeks but other than that, nothing moved. Finally after what felt like hours, Harry finally sighed and ran his hand roughly across his eyes before looking at Ginny once more. "You can't come. If anything happened to you…" his voice trailed off for a moment before he finished lamely. "You just can't."

Ginny tried to compose herself but her whole body was shaking by the time she managed to get out the words, "I have been in love with you, Harry Potter, since the first day I met you at Platform 9 3/4. If you think that I… if you think that I will just watch as you all run off into danger then you are wrong!"

She tried to leave the room with as much dignity as possible but the moment she was in her own room with the door closed behind her, the tears fell freely. She buried her head in a pillow and must have cried herself to sleep because when she woke up, someone was stroking her hair lightly. When her eyes fluttered open slowly, still damp from tears, the face she saw was one she least expected.

Hermione sat beside her on the bed, running her fingers gently though Ginny's red hair with a sad expression on her face. Quickly wiping her eyes, Ginny sat up and turned to face the girl who was practically her sister. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to check in on you. Are you okay?" She was surprised to see that Hermione's eyes were misty too and that seemed to make all of Ginny's own emotions all come rushing back.

"I don't know what to do, Hermione. I just want to help but all I seem to be able to do is make Harry mad and just push him farther away."

With a sigh, the older girl pulled Ginny into a hug. "I don't know if this will help at all but I don't think he's mad at you. He's worried about you. He just wants you somewhere safe. We all know you can fight. No one is denying that. You have fought with us several times and done a great job but Harry loves you…"

"Then why push me aw-" she began but Hermione cut her off quickly.

"Harry loves you, Ginny. Every single person Harry has ever loved has been killed by Voldemort and the Death Eaters. His greatest fear is having something happen to you. Don't you understand that?"

The question was, of course, rhetorical and both girls fell into silent thought. There were so many things that they both wanted to say but didn't. Hermione knew that had she been in Ginny's shoes, she'd feel the same way but telling the younger girl would do no good. Ginny knew that Hermione was siding with Harry and Ron but didn't throw that into her face because she knew Hermione wouldn't have come to her room if she didn't care.

Finally Hermione broke the silence. "After you left Ron's room, Harry left. He didn't say a word, he just walked down the stairs and out the front door. Ron tried to go after him but I am not sure if he's found him yet. Just keep this is mind, Ginny. If Harry didn't love you then he wouldn't fight you so hard, ok?"

"Ok."