Chapter 11: A New Beginning

Disclaimer: Anything related to the Harry Potter books does not belong to me.

Author's Note: Today is Christmas and as a present I decided to post for all my loyal fans the final chapter. I am deeply sorry if it disappoints anyone, but I really tried to do my best with a lack of inspiration. I had to finish the story since I could not leave you hanging. The purpose of this story is to be a preamble to a bigger fic, which was the one I had decided to do in the first place but I thought it needed some sort of introduction. This is why the chapters are always so short. I am currently working on another fanfic with a friend, but when that is done I will post the first chapter to this sequel. I hope you guys will read it too. Lots of love, emerald-star.

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Harry was sitting on a couch in the living room spacing out. He was so tired it was nearly impossible for him to maintain himself awake. Ron and Hermione had gone out to buy some food and other supplies. They would not be back in a while. He finally gave up on trying to wait for them and decided to find someplace where he could sleep comfortably without stirring to much emotions.

Just as he was about to leave the living room, there was a soft, almost inaudible knock at the door. He walked towards it in a daze wondering who it could be. Ron and Hermione would not be back yet and the only person that knew where they were was Ginny. He doubted that she had told anyone else.

Once he opened the door and saw who it was, his heart completely stopped and left his body. There she was in all her red haired glory looking at him with timid eyes. He wanted to say something; anything but he was sure his vocal cords were frozen since no sound came out.

"Hi…" Even though it had only been a whisper, her voice resounded throughout his whole body like a bomb that had been waiting slowly for the right time to blow up. That whisper had certainly warmed up parts of him that had frozen the minute he had decided to end things between them. He was able to provide her with a smile which she returned, giving him a bit of strength.

Not knowing what came over him, he swiftly grabbed her and gave her a tight hug, intending to never let go. Ginny seemed to freeze on the spot but was eventually able to respond. She hugged him back just as fiercely. After what seemed like ages he finally let her go and pulled her towards the living room. They sat on the couch he had been earlier. Harry just looked at her completely shocked.

"Would you please stop looking at me like that? You are making me nervous!" her faced was a deep red from embarrassment, yet it was not even close to rivaling her hair. He smiled at her and she nearly melted.

"Sorry, it is that you took me by surprise. I did not expect to see you here. What are you doing here?" he asked her in only one breath.

"I'm sorry, but I had to come. This is where I feel I truly belong. Fighting alongside with you guys. Not all coddled up in some castle, learning things that will never be of use." Even though she kept the tone of her voice very soft, he was able to catch every single word coming from her mouth.

"Ginny don't…It is too dangerous. If anything were to happen to you I … I don't know what I would do." His eyes were pleading with her.

"And how do you think I feel? In my dreams I have seen the three of you die in the most horrific ways over and over again. I spend all my waking time thinking about you, worrying, not able to concentrate on anything else. No, I can't do that anymore. If I do I will go crazy and you will really lose me then." Her hard, determined face left no room for arguing. Harry felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on top of him. Yet he had also been slightly moved at her words. He knew he would not be able to convince her otherwise. And in a way, he could not help but feel proud of her for that.

"We will not be able to convince you to leave and seek protection, will we?" It was a rhetorical question. He knew she would treat it as such.

"No", she stated simply. He looked at her and leaned closely. He whispered, "I love you", and just as she gasped, he gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. As he pulled back she said in a louder voice, "I love you too." He smiled and pressed his forehead against hers.

Ginny noticed that Harry was quite tired, even more than her. She pushed his head slowly onto her lap and started caressing his hair. He became extremely drowsy and was falling into a deep slumber. His last conscious thought was that here in her arms, he felt safe.

Meanwhile Ginny was wondering if she had made the right choice by coming here. As she felt Harry sigh contently in his sleep, all doubt left her mind in less than an instant. As she stroked his hair she too fell asleep overwhelmed by this stampede of new emotions that were finding their way into her heart.  the end…