Chapter 12- I Promise

The last of the Aurors were finally leaving. Harry had alerted them the minute they had gotten back to Ginny's flat. Some had come and questioned the duo; others had gone to the Riddle house to gather those who had remained there… and to bring David into custody.

Harry was furious with himself. By pushing Ginny away, he had put her in danger. It was his fault David had ordered her capture, it was his fault he had nearly taken her… and he had a feeling that this time, Ginny wouldn't be telling him that it wasn't his fault.

"I'm going to take a shower. You can leave if you want to. I'll be fine."

Ginny wasn't looking at him, she hadn't looked at him since they'd gotten back, and it hurt more than he could ever imagine.

"Right."

She nodded and disappeared into the back bedroom.

He let out a sigh, sitting down on her couch. He had no intentions of leaving. For once, he was not going to run from his feelings. He was not going to run from her. He was going to apologize for everything, for leaving her, for making her cry, for pushing her away… for never having the Gryffindor courage to tell the truth… for never being able to admit that he loved her.

He did love her; it was scary to him how much he loved her. He knew that if he really had blown it, if she wouldn't take him back… he would die. He couldn't live without her, and he didn't want to try. If she said no, if she said that it was too late, he would keep coming, he would beg her, plead with her. One last chance. One last chance was all he wanted. She hadn't ever really given up on him, and he wasn't going to give up on her.

"You're still here."

For the second time Ginny's voice jolted him out of his thoughts. She still wasn't looking at him. She was bent over, pretending to pick something up off of the ground and set it on a shelf. It was about eight 'o' clock at night, and she was wearing a pair of pajama pants and a loose t-shirt. He hair was wet and didn't look like it had been brushed yet… he was sure that he had never seen anyone more beautiful.

"Yeah… did you really think I would leave? You know me better than that Gin."

He was grinning slightly, but when she turned to look at him he stopped instantly. Her eyes were dead, more hollow than they had been before, completely void of anything other than pain and anger. The bitter resentment was seeping out of her, and he instantly knew that he was going to get it now…

But it didn't come. Instead, she turned away from him again and he saw her shoulders shaking. It was then that he realized just how fragile she was. Ginny had always been strong, rarely ever seeming to waver, and hardly ever crying.

He thought about how often she had cried these past few weeks and his heart sank. It seemed like without him around, without him or Ron or Hermione, she wasn't strong. Harry was her last tie to the happiness of her past, the last tie to those giggly nights with Hermione… he was the reason she could stay strong, and without him… she was weak.

"Ginny…"

His voice was soft and gentle as he stood up and moved behind her, slipping his arms around her comfortingly.

"I'm sorry Ginny… I'm so sorry… I never wanted to hurt you."

She broke away, turning to him with her eyes blazing.

"But you did hurt me! You knew you were hurting me! And no, I don't know you! Not anymore! I- I used to! I used t-to know y-you… but now… you're- you're a stranger to me."

Her voice softened as she neared the end of her sentence and she broke down again, moving away from him and towards the couch. Harry followed.

"That's not true. You do know me. You may not know about the past five years of my life, but you do know me. You know me better than I know myself Ginny, and I think… I think that you know that."

She looked down at the floor, a part of her knew that it was true, but she wasn't going to give in. He had spent so much time pushing her away from him…

"I don't want to get hurt Harry and you- you're the only one that can hurt me this way. I need someone… I need someone safe, someone who can't tear me apart… I need…"

She cut off, and he looked over at her.

"No, you don't need those things. You need someone strong, someone who appreciates you for who you are, you need someone who thinks you're beautiful in pajama bottoms and a loose t-shirt. Someone who thinks you're stunning without makeup and with your hair a mess. You need someone who thinks that you're strong and smart and free spirited, but knows that you're soft and gentle… and fragile. You need someone who can handle your temper, who can keep you in line when you lose it. You need someone hotheaded and reckless and just as stubborn as you are… you need… you need all of that, plus so much more."

She looked at him.

"And who do you know… who do you know that is all of those things? Who do you know that can know all of that?"

He smiled wryly.

"Me. I know it all Ginny. I know I've been a jerk, I know that I've hurt you… and it was stupid. I was so afraid of the past, so afraid of myself that I couldn't realize that what I really needed was right in front of me, but I know it now. I know that the one person who can heal me, who can make me feel better… is sitting right across form me, with flaming red hair and brown eyes and pale skin and freckles… I need you Ginny, and I think… I think that you need me too."

His hand traveled to hers, his thumb running over the top of her hand.

"Please Ginny. Please give me one last chance. I won't ever hurt you again, I swear it. I- I don't think that I can handle walking out of here knowing that I messed up so badly that you wouldn't take me back. I can't handle knowing that I screwed it up so badly that… that you don't love me anymore."

She looked to the floor, and back to his eyes.

"I- I can't…"

He sighed, squeezing her hand.

"I won't give up on this Ginny. I'll wait for you… I'll wait for you to be ready to give me another chance. You didn't give up on me Gin, and I'm not going to give up on you. Ever."

She bit her lip, looking down at their hands as he laced their fingers together. She so badly wanted to believe everything he was saying. Her mind flitted over everything that had happened in the past few weeks. The love in his eyes that had always been hiding was now clear, shining through to her, but still… what if he…

"I don't think I can…"

Harry lifted her hand to his mouth, kissing it.

"Ginny please. You have to believe me… I love you too much to walk out of here knowing that I've lost you…"

Ginny froze, looking up at him.

"What?"

He sighed.

"I love you Ginny. I know it's been a long time since you've heard me say those words, but I do love you… I love you so much Ginny…"

She looked at him.

"Promise me something."

He nodded.

"Anything."

A flicker of a smile crossed her face.

"Promise me… promise me that you'll never break a promise to me again."

He nodded.

"I promise."

She smiled a bit more, leaning in and kissing him. He kissed her back, finally feeling his heart fall back into place. He'd done it. He'd come up with something to say that would make her forgive him… she'd forgiven him… and that was more than enough.

/Author's Note/

One more chapter to go! I hope you're liking the fact that I'm getting these up so quickly, and making them long at that. I'm considering a sequel… I've left it wide open for one if I ever feel like it… I'll let you know if I decide. Please review!

- Kyla