Chapter 45: Healing the Heart

For two weeks, life passed in a quiet sort of limbo for Harry. He kept his focus on finding everyone that was listed on the detention sheet and figuring out if they were suffering from their forgotten memories. So far, Harry along with Ron and Hermione, discovered that seventeen students were suffering in the same way that Draco had explained to Harry: the nightmares, the feelings, the missing pieces of time that couldn't be explained. Harry made sure that everyone got a coin along with the potion that Snape brewed. It wouldn't stop the memories, but it would help with the overwhelming feeling of gaining them back.

Harry even started going back to class after gaining Snape's approval. Harry did feel uncomfortable at first with all the stares and whispers behind his back. It was like he was back in his first year at Hogwarts all over again. Ron and Hermione reasured Harry that everyone was just going off the rumors that they heard and that no one knew the real reason why he was absent for so long. Harry nodded, showing his understanding but for most of his classes, he kept his head down and tried to focus on his work. The only good thing that came out of all of this was that Snape no longer picked on him during potion class and some days, he could be considered decent. None of the other students noticed this change except for Ron and Hermione, along with Neville who also picked up on the change of their Professor.

Things were finally getting back to normal, at least to an extent. Harry did acknowledge that he still had a long way to go to be back to where he was but getting back to class and hanging out with his friends was a great first step, at least that what his Mind Healer had told him during their sessions.

But today, Harry was looking forward to something that he hadn't gotten to for two weeks. He was finally able to see Ginny, Harry could feel his heart pound faster at the thought of seeing Ginny again. Butterflies flew around in his stomach, making him feel as if he was about to be sick. After portkeying onto the grounds, Harry made the long walk up to the burrow.

Once the run down house was in view, he saw Ginny in the garden, her long red hair pulled back into a messy bun as she pulled weeds out of the dirt. Harry couldn't help the goofy smile that spread across his face as he continued his way up until he was standing just a foot away behind Ginny.

Harry didn't say anything, he just stood back and watched, but Ginny must have sensed his presence because moments later she turned around to see him standing there with that goofy smile on his face.

"Hey creep, were you planning on telling me you were there?" Ginny asked playfully as she brought her arm up to wipe at the sweat that had built up on her forehead before throwing a pile of weeds at Harry.

"I was just enjoying the view," Harry replied as he tossed the weeds back at Ginny after catching them, thanks to his Quidditch reflexes. Harry sat down next to Ginny and rubbed off the little bit of dirt that was on her nose as both of them sat in silence for a moment, both feeling the awkwardness in the air.

"...I'm sorry that I didn't write back to you," Ginny spoke after the silence became too much to bear. "I...I just needed some time…I needed to work things out," she explained.

"You don't need to apologize, I understand. It…it can be hard. I'm just happy to see that you are doing ok," Harry replied before giving Ginny a small smile in hopes of showing her that he wasn't mad at her for not replying to his letters.

"Its good to see you smile…I missed seeing that smile of yours," Ginny said as she returned the smile.

"I missed seeing you," Harry confessed. "Hogwarts isn't the same without you, the common room isn't the same."

"I'm hoping to come back in the next couple of days…I'm looking forward to coming back," Ginny said, surprising Harry.

"Really? Are you sure? It's only been two weeks, are you sure you're ready to come back?" Harry questioned.

"I'm sure. I want to get back to Hogwarts even if Mum believes it to be a stupid idea. She wants me to stay home for the rest of the year, but Dad pointed out that it was my choice if I wanted to go back or not. Took a day or two, but he finally convinced her to let me go back," Ginny explained. "Plus, I will have Fred and George if there is anything I need … along with Ron."

"And me," Harry added. "I am there if you need anything and I mean anything at all."

"That goes without saying," Ginny said with a slight blush to her cheeks as she looked down into his lap in an effort to hide it from Harry.

Harry cleared his thoughts, noticing Ginny's sudden uncomfortable mood. "A lot happened since you've been away," he said, changing the subject. "Hermione, Ron and I were able to track down everyone that had gained their memories back or close to it. And I think if they all testify, including us, we could get Lockhart the Dementor's kiss," he explained.

"What?" Ginny asked confused as she looked up at Harry "Dementor's kiss? Why would we do that?"

"So he can be punished for what he did?" This time it was Harry's turn to be confused. "Don't you want him to be punished?"

"Harry…Lockhart is in St. Mungo's in a locked ward with no memory of what he did or who he even is. Wouldn't it be like sending an innocent man to Azkaban?" Ginny questioned, feeling conflicted.

"He's not innocent!" Harry yelled " Shouldn't he be punished for what he did? For justice?"

"For justice? Sounds more like revenge to me. Lockhart...he did things…he never used a potion on me," Ginny admitted as she went back to looking down into her lap.

"What?"

"Lockhart never needed to use a potion on me, he didn't need to. He had something better."

"What do you mean?" Harry questioned.

"He…he told me if I didn't do what he wanted then he would do it to my brothers. He showed me what he would do to Ron, to Fred, to George if I said no. I told him yes every damn time to save my brothers!" Ginny admitted. "He did things…that I don't even want to think about. The first few days I was awake, I wanted Lockhart to pay for what he did. I wanted to march into St. Mungo's and do it myself but what would it fix?

"I…I can't let him get away with this," Harry spoke softly.

"He hasn't gotten away with anything. What is happening now, you are finding everyone who he hurt, you are helping them. Lockhart has no memories, isn't that punishment enough? With what you're talking about, with the Dementor's kiss. That's revenge, that's not the Harry I know."

"What am I supposed to do?" Harry said in the same soft voice as before.

"Try and move on from Lockhart, don't let him keep hurting you. Chasing after Lockhart will only lead to more pain. Helping everyone that had been hurt by him…that's how you heal, that's how you move on."

"But…I haven't been helping anyone, I just have…I haven't done anything to help anyone," Harry admitted.

"Maybe you should start," Ginny said as she took Harry by the hand, interlocking her fingers with his. "Let Lockhart go, focus on everyone else, on you. Leave Lockhart behind, forget about him. He's in a place where he isn't able to hurt anyone else and he isn't going anywhere."

Harry could feel a tear slide down his cheek as Ginny spoke, feeling all the rage he was holding onto for Lockhart disappear. "What would I ever do without you?"

"You'd be lost without me," Ginny replied before doing something unexpected, she leaned in and pressed her lips to Harry's.

Harry's eyes widened as he pulled away, staring at Ginny.

"I'm sorry," Ginny apologized quickly, her face turning a bright red. "I…I shouldn't have done that, I'm sorry."

"No…It was nice" Harry said, smiling before leaning back in and placing his lip on Ginny's, kissing her back.