DISCLAIMER: Forgive me, I forgot to add this in at the first chapter…I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters. And I won't own it anytime soon…so I think this one will suffice for the whole story?

Thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed and especially those of you who added me on your "Favorite Authors" list. Wow. Thanks!

Somebody said that this storyline had been done before. To whoever has done this before, I sincerely apologize. I had NO idea that this was out there. If anyone would like to make any suggestions for a different job for Ginny, that would be great!

Oh and a quick note: I don't think I made this really clear. The "separation" that they encountered was NOT the separation in book six…it was something entirely different that will be revealed later.

Enjoy!

Chapter Three

The First Day

I awoke again in the very early morning. It was still rather dark outside, and as I glanced at my clock I groaned. It was barely after five in the morning.

I swallowed, feeling that my mouth was as dry as cotton. Sighing, I got up, threw on a robe, and then threw it back off. Nobody would see me; I was just going on a quick ice run. I grabbed the small bucket sitting on the desk and headed out towards the ice machine.

My mind raced as I thought of my dreams. After falling asleep I had dreamed again, but this time it was more of a memory than a dream. I had seen almost a montage of the past times that Harry and I had spent together. Shaking my head, I grabbed the door handle and stepped out to the hall.

Shutting the door behind me, I gasped as someone said "Going somewhere?"

Harry stepped out near me.

"Oh dear Merlin," I said, rolling her eyes. "Don't you ever sleep?"

"Yes," Harry replied. I waited for him to say something else, but he remained silent.

I ignored him and walked staunchly to the small corner room with the ice machine. Once the bucket was full of it, I turned around and sighed, seeing Harry standing right behind me. I inwardly groaned as I realized this was the second time he was seeing me with barely anything on.

"Honestly Potter, if you follow me so close I may have to kill you," I said.

The tall man simply stood before me, as a realized for the first time that he was no longer a boy at all. Suddenly I had a strange urge to push back his hair and trace the scar that still remained on his forehead. I even felt my hand move slightly, but instead turned and walked to the room. Without another word, I slammed the door, leaving Harry to sit in the hall.

HARRY'S POV:

Dear Merlin.

I loved being near her again. Countless times I had resisted the urge to grab her and shake her, making her realize what a miserable brute I was. I wanted to tell her that I was sorry, and make her understand what I was feeling. Then I wanted to kiss her senseless.

But I was sure that doing anything like that would quickly land me in St. Mungos. Ginny not only had a wand, she had a powerful kick in her.

I sighed and ran my hands through my still black and unruly hair.

Ginny could never know that I took this job to be near her. I told her that I had received the job without knowing or wanting to guard her. However, it was truly all rubbish. I felt a need to protect her.

Lately I had been having dreams, bad dreams. Like the dreams that I had when I was feeling through Voldemort, or rather, looking through his eyes. But it wasn't his eyes I was looking through, it was my own. I was standing helpless as I watched Ginny being brutally beaten and then finally, dying.

I had woken up more than once the past night in a cold sweat, convinced that I really was seeing her die. Lately the dreams were occurring more and more often, and I had no idea what to do about them, or even what they meant.

I let down my guard for a moment, and leaned against the wall. I let my back slide down the wall until I was sitting. Burying my head in my hands, I heaved a sigh.

I didn't know which part was harder. The fact that I thought there was a chance of losing her, or the fact that I could never have her to lose.

Either way, I just knew that I had to protect her.

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Later that morning as Ginny finally stepped out of the room, my breath caught in my throat. She looked absolutely stunning, dressed in a casual, flowery dress. I was able to look nonchalant and extremely professional on the outside, but on the inside I was shaking. I inwardly cried when she sent me a glare, turning and walking down the hall without a word. Her assistant, the small brunette sent me what looked like an apologetic smile.

She must not have known the history between us. Either way, I just nodded.

"So, Amy, what are we doing today?" Ginny asked once Amy had caught up with her. I walked quietly a few feet behind.

"Well," Amy said, lightly touching the tight bun that she always wore on top of her head. "Besides your appearance that we are going to right now…you have lunch with Brutess at two, and then a small party tonight to celebrate Julie's new CD."

My eyes narrowed. Who was Brutess? However, I quickly perked up when Ginny sighed and remarked about spending time with the "horrid, smelly old man", as she called him.

I resisted the urge to laugh as I watched Amy walk with Ginny. She was very short, and even the average height Ginny looked tall next to her. She wore a smart, gray suit that made her look much too old. Her face was rather plain, and almost always wore a look of frazzled confusion or a stern scowl. She once again reached up and touched the tight knit bun on top of her head. She reminded me so much of Professor McGonagall that it was remarkable.

Suddenly Ginny's voice rang out.

"Amy, we need to stop at the flower shop tomorrow. Could you make a note of it? I have to visit a special place," Ginny said. She turned her head slightly, whipping it back around when she saw my inquisitive stare.

I was actually a bit amazed that she remembered the date that tomorrow would bring. I felt a small lump rise in my throat remembering it, but quickly swallowed it back down and quickened my step.

I stood outside the stage curtain, watching Ginny laugh and talk with the show of this "The Wands Point", the most popular Wizarding talk show. And Ginny was on it. I shook my head. Even though she was known in mostly Muggle movies, using the name "Virginia" the Wizarding world still knew and adored the redhead almost as much as I did. Almost.

My muscles tensed as my name came up.

"So, Miss Weasley," Dora, the host said. "Would you tell us about the short little fling that you had with Harry Potter a few years back?"

My eyes narrowed. It was no fling.

"No," Ginny replied her face like stone. But she quickly replaced it with a smile. "I don't talk about that anymore, not really. Just to respect his privacy."

I had to smile at that line. At least she pretended to respect some part of me.

"Oh yes," Dora laughed. "I guess we would have to call him 'old news' wouldn't we? I mean, it's been years. And to think that he's an auror now. Couldn't really expect anything else could we now?"

Ginny smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Well, no I suppose we couldn't," she said.

"Yes," Dora said, sipping from the coffee mug she held close in her hands. "But of course, one has to wonder…what is he doing now that almost all the aurors are out of work?"

I saw a flicker of amusement rise in Ginny's perfect eyes. I myself almost had to smile, but not quite. So apparently the press didn't know that I was her official "bodyguard" yet. Good, the more time we had without the press going wild over that the better. Who knew what horrid rubbish they would come up with this time?

Ginny finished up the show and we quickly caught her chauffeured car to the restaurant. I made sure she was safely inside before I stepped in.

She sat in the corner, holding a small mirror and making sure her hair was all right. Next to her, Amy glanced at her watch nervously.

"Amy, would you stop that? You make ME nervous," Ginny said, snapping the mirror together. "We won't be late."

We would have apparated, but the restaurant was in a muggle part of town. Apparently Brutess was a muggle magazine director.

Ten minutes later we pulled up to the small place called the "Village Inn". I escorted Ginny in, while Amy followed behind me.

Ginny dropped her small bag and bent to receive it. I stopped short along with her, and Amy, with her nose buried in her date book as always, crashed right into my rear end.

"Oh!" She said, turning about ten shades of red. "I'm so sorry Harry."

I mumbled that it was okay, and lent her a hand to help her from the ground. She lingered onto my hand for a bit more than I felt was necessary.

"Amy!" Ginny called out. I looked up fearfully…she sounded mad. "Come walk up here. I need to know the rest of today's schedule…again."

She glanced back and our eyes met briefly. But she turned away so quickly that I wasn't even sure if I had imagined that brief glance or not.

I sat at a nearby table, pretending to read a newspaper while really watching Ginny. I could hear every word being spoken at that table. Like I said before, I have good ears.

"So Miss Virginia," the man said. "I really do hope that you will take my offer seriously. We would give you a large amount of money…"

"Oh, no," Ginny said quickly. "I want all money that I do for this shoot to go to my charity."

I smiled at that one. Ever giving, that was my girl.

"Yes, well," Brutess seemed surprised at this one. I guess all actors aren't as selfless as Ginny was. Then again, many of them weren't as successful as she was either.

They discussed more details, and nothing too important went by. Eventually they decided on a date for Ginny to go in and speak with them. A short interview and some pictures, but that was it. Apparently she didn't like this magazine much; I could tell from her voice.

It wasn't until walking out of the restaurant and getting back to the hotel that the real excitement started.

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Walking into the lobby of the hotel I was greeted by a large crowd.

"What do you suppose this is?" Ginny said to Amy.

"There they are!" A voice called out.

"Oh no," I said quietly. Running forward, I grabbed onto Ginny's arm. "Come."

"Ow!" She cried. I must have grabber her harder than I meant to. "Look, don't tell me to 'come', I'm not some miserable little…"

She didn't get a chance to finish her sentence as a huge wave of reporters, witches, and even a few wizards came running over to us.

"Miss Weasley, Miss Weasley, are you seeing Harry Potter again?" a million reporters all seemed to be yelling.

"No!" She cried. "He's my bodyguard! It's his new aurors job."

I grunted as a microphone wand was nearly shoved up my right nostril.

"Is this really just professional?" the witch with the wand said.

I wasn't going to say anything, but as I pushed Ginny through the crowds I saw her frantic face as she continued to say no. It hurt that she was so against anyone thinking that there was anything between us. So I managed to choke out a no, and then continued to guide Ginny through the mass of people.

Once I said no many of the surrounding witches screamed and came as close as they kid. One even locked onto my coat. Then I saw one of them reaching for their wand. I wasn't sure what she was doing, a love spell, or maybe a violent spell. Either way, she was reaching for it.

I grabbed for my wand and pulled it out quickly, expertly pointing it and the young witch.

"Accio wand!" I boomed. Her wand came over and I grabbed it, flinging it across the lobby. In the next heartbeat I cast a protective and repelling bubble around us. The reporters couldn't see it, but we were surrounded by a large see through, sound proof sort of curtain.

"Wow," Amy said. "You really are an expert with that."

I nodded, and then we walked calmly to the elevator, pushing ourselves in. I blocked the door with the spell, not letting anyone in after us. I hit six buttons in sequence. It was then that I had never loved muggle elevators more, even if they were an odd thing to have in a wizard hotel.

"Wait, none of those is my floor," Ginny said.

"I know," I said calmly. "But this will confuse the reporters the button will say that we went to these floors and think your room is there."

Once we reached the third floor of the button that I pushed, I got out and we dashed up the stairs to Ginny's floor. She and Amy both took a moment to lean against the wall and catch their breath.

"Excuse me," Amy said after a bit. She then walked and walked to her room door. "I am going to bed. I know it's early, but I'm not going to the party tonight and I don't feel well. Harry, I trust you can get Ginny there?"

I nodded, and Amy once again blushed. Why was she so prone to being so flustered? She bid us a goodnight and then shut the door.

I turned to Ginny.

"When do we leave?" I asked calmly.

Ginny looked at me with an almost questioning look on her face. She tipped her head slightly, as if there was something to me that she couldn't figure out.

"At 19:15 this evening," she finally said, a normal look returning to her face.

I nodded, and almost allowed a small smile to flicker over my face.

"Dang you Potter," I thought within my head. "Remember…you don't want this job."

I nodded again and then stood, waiting for her to enter her room. She opened the door, and then paused. She turned slowly to me and drew in a long breath.

"Thank you…Harry," she said. I just nodded again, but inside I wept.

She called me Harry. And she was grateful.

Maybe there was a chance of her not hating me until I die after all.

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GINNY'S POV:

Wow.

It had been quite the day. And the reporters finding out about him working for me, or rather, protecting me was only a small part of that.

As much as I hated to admit it, I like the fact that I could say that Harry was "protecting me".

I shook my head. I couldn't let this happen. Not again. Sure, he may be older and a more different person.

But after we last parted…I vowed that I would never let myself love again. Especially him. I couldn't let myself fall for him again. I couldn't let it happen…

And yet it was happening. And I had only spent a day with him. And he still hated me. He made it very clear that he was not pleased with working with me.

But I was still falling for him.

He didn't even know. I had treated him so horrible; it was no wonder that he probably hated me even more now. But still…when our eyes did meet I felt my legs go to jelly, and my heart would start racing, and my head would feel so dizzy…

I walked over to my bed and sank down, curling up into a small ball. I still had a few hours until I had to start getting ready for the launch party.

Why couldn't I let him go? Why was my heart so insistent on falling for him again?

"He was so brave in the lobby," a small voice in my swooned.

"He was just doing his job," another small voice snapped.

He had been brave, there was no denying that. He had protected me so well, and had been so courteous and…pushing through the crowd with his broad shoulders and his tall frame and…

No. Bad Ginny.

I stood up and walked to the sink, dousing my face in cold water.

No, I would not let this happen again. I wouldn't set myself up for such heartache again.

I was not going to fall for Harry Potter again.