A/N: Anything in Italics is from the sixth Harry Potter book.
Voldemort was about to kill that good-for-nothing Draco Malfoy when he actually revealed something of use; Harry Potter was dating Ginny Weasley. Instead of killing Malfoy, Voldemort simply performed the Cruceatous Curse enough times to satisfy his anger; he would have killed him afterward, but there was no need to. He needed as many followers as he could get after the battle on broomsticks; most of his good Death Eaters had been lost. And besides, Dumbledore was dead and Draco had given him valuable information. It might prove to be a good thing to have a student spy at Hogwarts… not that he would wait that long to capture the girl, because he also found out from Malfoy exactly where the Burrow was.
Draco Malfoy didn't know of the break up because Harry, in his depression, had told no one. Ginny, in her denial, had done the same. So in actuality, Harry had broken up with Ginny for no reason; because as far as her protection goes, it only matters what Voldemort thinks, and right now, Voldemort thinks that Ginny and Harry are dating.
Harry sat in the backyard of the Burrow, simply staring up at the deep blue sky.
He was remembering the moment Dumbledore was killed… killed pleading with Snape. Oh, Harry hated Snape more than he could ever have or ever imagined.
Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face.
"Severus… please…"
Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly at Dumbledore.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A jet of green light shot from the end of Snape's wand and hit Dumbledore.
Harry recalled how he couldn't even scream, and began to weep silently, not just for Dumbledore, but for Sirius, and his Mum and Dad… he weeped for everyone who had died trying to save him.
Ginny was also very sad at the moment, lost in her memories. But she was remembering something entirely different. She was remembering when Harry had broken up with her.
"I can't be involved with you anymore. We've got to stop seeing each other. We can't be together."
She said, with an oddly twisted smile, "It's for some stupid, noble reason, isn't it?"
Well, Ginny wasn't smiling now. She was crying. How could she have let him slip away… how could she ever forgive herself? She knew the answer; she couldn't.
She decided to take a walk around the backyard. It was always so pretty during the summertime, and always cheered her up. Once she got out there and looked at the flowers, she smiled through her tears. She looked around some more, and saw Harry. "Harry!" she called, and ran over to him. She threw her arms around him, "Harry, Harry, are you okay? You're crying so hard!"
He looked up. His eyes were puffy and red, his face was gaunt and haunted, and his cheeks were soaked with tears. It took him a minute to register her presence. "Ginny? What are you doing out here?"
"I live here, Harry," she said gently, "what are you doing out here."
"Thinking," he said. He saw the tear streaks on her face and asked, "Ginny, are you okay?"
"You're the one to talk," she said, "it looks to me like you were thinking of depressing things. Is that true, Harry Potter?"
"Yes," he said, "I was thinking about Dumbledore, then Sirius, and my parents… thinking how all of them died to save me… because of me."
Ginny was horrified. She had no idea Harry carried so much guilt. "Harry! You can't blame yourself. They all made those decisions on their own. You didn't try to convince anyone of anything. And the only reason you were in the Department of Mysteries was to save Sirius." She realized it had been the wrong thing to say.
Harry's temper flared for the first time in a long time as he yelled, "Yeah, Ginny! The only reason Sirius died was because of my stupidity! Is that supposed to make me feel better, Ginny? I'm not going to feel better! I'm not going to—"
But he was cut off my Ginny's lips on his.
They must have kissed more than a minute before he pushed her away and said, "Ginny!" He tried to sound stern but a smile was creeping into his face against his will.
"I know you liked it Harry. Don't try to deny it," Ginny teased.
"I never will try to deny it, Ginny. But just because I love you and like to kiss you doesn't mean that we can be together. It is much more complicated than that, Ginny," Harry replied.
Ginny became angry again and yelled, "It's only complicated because you choose to complicate it, Harry!"
Harry's temper rose once more as he said, "do you think I want to push you away? No! Of course not, Ginny! I'm in love with you! I always will be! But just because you love someone doesn't mean you can be with them!"
"Yes it does!" Ginny insisted.
"I can only do what I think is right, Ginny. Right now I think the only right thing I can do—the only way I can prove that I really love you—is to give you up."
"Harry—"
"No, Ginny! Stop trying to talk me out of it! This conversation is over!" Harry yelled louder. He started to storm away but Ginny grabbed his shirt and pulled him back toward her. He looked at her with rage as he said, "let go, Ginny."
"No! I won't let go! You are much too stubborn, Harry Potter! You can leave now but I will keep trying to talk you out of it—and I will succeed. I just thought I should let you know," she said as she let go of his shirt.
Harry didn't reply. He just stormed off, leaving Ginny standing there, smiling to herself, thinking well, at least he isn't sad anymore. Anthing is better than that—plus, he's so cute when he's angry. She laughed as he flung the door to the house open in his rage.