Chapter 2- Don't Cry

She laid in bed, listening to the rain pound the window. It was almost as if the night he'd left was being re-created. He'd left, he'd left her. Had it only been a year ago? It had seemed like so much longer, Ron and Hermione had been furious when they discovered he'd left. They knew that Ginny had known he was leaving, they'd realized that he'd told her, but they were too busy comforting her to yell. Had it really only been a year ago?

She tossed and turned in bed, trying to sleep, willing sleep to come. When she was asleep he was there, they were together, never to be separated. Still, sleep did not come easy for her. Not anymore, not since he'd left. She was too busy worrying, worrying and praying that he'd return, that he'd come back to her.

Creak.

Swish.

'Not again.'

It was not the first time she'd relived that night. It had been pretty close to the end of the world in her eyes, but it hadn't been. The end of the world would only come if Harry Potter did not come back, if they received word that he'd died. Much to her relief, no such word had come yet. He'd been writing faithfully, as often as possible, which meant that somehow, by some miracle, she'd been getting a letter once a week. Though the letters began to get shorter, it was enough that she knew he was okay, enough to know he was alive.

The weight on her mattress shifted and Ginny closed her eyes tightly. She didn't want to relive it; she didn't want to keep hearing his words in her head. She just wanted to let go of them, to stop them from coming to her every night. That was all she wanted, to stop the painful memory. She didn't want to cry, today was supposed to be happy. It was Bill and Fleur's anniversary; they'd been married for a year. Unfortunately, their wedding anniversary was also the anniversary of the day he'd left.

She couldn't stop the tears. She missed him so much, and exactly a year ago he'd left. A year ago, on a night exactly like this one. Ginny knew that Hermione was asleep, Hermione slept much better than Ginny did. Why wouldn't she? The man Hermione loved was always there, no matter what. Yes, Ron and Hermione had finally gotten it together. They'd been together for ten months, and hadn't argued in four. It was a happy day for them too.

"Don't cry Gin. Please don't cry, you know I can't stand to watch you cry."

For one moment, she thought that it was her imagination. For one moment, she thought she was reliving that night. The next moment however, she knew she wasn't. She could feel his breath on her skin as he leaned in to kiss her, she could feel his lips brush against her cheek. She sensed him next to her, the way she hadn't been able to in her dreams, in her memories. She sat up, turning to face him, still barely able to believe he was there. She felt him touch his hand to her cheek, wiping away her tears as she continued to cry, out of relief, out of shock, and out of love.

"You didn't tell me you were coming, why didn't you tell me?"

She wrapped her arms around him, oblivious to the fact that he was sopping wet. She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his wet robes. She knew she ought to wake up Hermione, but she wasn't sure how long he'd be there, and she didn't want to share him at the moment.

"I didn't plan it. I was in the area and I had to stop in and see you, you and everyone else."

Ginny was quiet for a moment, enjoying his presence, enjoying the feel of him being so near. Finally, she spoke. It was the most important thing on her mind at the moment, she had to know.

"How long are you here for?"

She knew, as Harry pulled away, that this was not going to be very good news. He placed his hand under her chin, lifting her head to look at him. He alone would understand what the question meant.

"He's not gone yet Ginny. I've gotten the Horcruxes, destroyed all of them, if it weren't for the fact that I knew you were waiting for me… I probably wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't have fought so hard. The hardest part comes now, I have to kill him. I'm staying for a couple of days, and then I'm leaving again."

Ginny bit her lip, trying hard not to cry. He'd come to see her one last time before he went off to fight him. She knew that he'd come so that she could strengthen him, remind him of why he needed to fight, why he needed to live. He wanted her to remind him of what he could have, if he fought his way back to her. The life he could have if all went well. Ginny knew, at that moment more than ever, that she was his strength; she was his reason to fight. She looked up at him. He needed her to be strong, so she fought back the tears, and pushed a smile onto her face.

"You're soaking wet! Come on, Fred and George left some clothes in their room that should fit you. You'll end up sleeping in there anyway, so let's just go down there now. Be careful not to wake up Hermione."

She pulled the covers off of her body and climbed off of the bed. Her flaming red hair cascaded down her back, glowing against her white nightgown. Harry stood up, following her as she pushed open the door and headed down the hall towards Fred and George's room.

"There should be something for you to change into in the closet."

Harry nodded, but Ginny noticed that he didn't move, merely stared at her, transfixed by something that only he could see. She moved toward him, her hand outstretched, taking his into hers.

"What is it, love?"

He stared at her for a moment more, before pulling her into an embrace, holding her like he'd never held her before. He began to stroke her hair softly as they stood in the dark of Fred and George's room.

"You're beautiful Ginny. You're beautiful, and you're the reason I fight. I know I need to get back to you. I know I can't leave you. You are my strength. You're my everything."

Ginny looked up at him, not sure what to say. She'd known that, but to have him admit it… that was something else. So, she said the only thing she could think of.

"I know."

She pulled away, smiling up at him. Being the girl he needed her to be, being stronger than she was. He knew that it was an act, that she wasn't as strong as she claimed to be, as she pretended to be. He knew these things, but he didn't mind. How he hated to see her cry, and know that he'd done it, that it was his fault. That was why he was so grateful that she didn't cry, grateful that she pretended to be strong, at least for now. Someday, someday soon, she would cry, and he would watch. He would watch her tears, and wipe them away. He wouldn't ask her not to cry, he would do just the opposite, he would tell her to cry. Oh, how he longed for that day.

"You really ought to change."

Ginny smiled as he nodded and made his way towards the closet and pulled out some clothes. She sat on the bed and waited for him as he changed; she needed to be with him right now. He'd been gone from her life for a year, and she needed him just as much as he needed her. Finally he emerged, holding his wet clothes as if trying to decide what to do with them.

"Just put them down, Mum will wash them tomorrow morning."

She watched as he nodded, dropping the clothes on the floor and making his way towards her. He sat next to her on the bed and she turned to face him.

"How've you been Ginny? Everything going alright?"

Ginny thought for a moment, wanting to answer, but found she could not say. Instead she leaned in and kissed him. It was a powerful kiss, hungry and full of want, and need. They were fueled by what they had been denied, fueled on by their love. Neither of them stopped to think about what would happen if they got caught kissing at three 'o' clock in the morning, they were too lost in each other. Reluctantly, Ginny resurfaced, pulling herself away from the kiss. He looked at her.

"What is it?"

She said nothing, but took a deep breath as she looked at him.

"I just can't believe you're here. This past year has been… hard. It's hard to know that you're out there risking your life, fighting for your future. I want to be with you, fighting at your side. I'm of age now… I'm not a little girl anymore."

He looked away, staring down at his hands as he closed them around hers.

"We've been through this before Gin. You can't come, even if you are of age. I can't protect you."

She looked at him sadly as he avoided her gaze.

"Harry… look at me."

She was pleading now, and Harry couldn't handle hearing her speak that way. He looked up and she looked directly into his eyes.

"You don't have to protect me. I can handle myself."

He sighed, there was no choice. He had to tell her.

"You're right Gin. You can take care of yourself, but if you're there… I'll be too focused on your safety to protect myself. All anyone has to do is point their wand at you and I'll do anything they want. It's too dangerous. Not for you, but for me. I'll do anything to protect you. That's /my/ weakness. That's why you can't come. It seems selfish, I know, but it's true. If you come… if you come I'll die. He'll kill me, and he'll use you to do it. If I do die, I don't want you to have any part of it. I don't want you to be there."

Ginny smiled, for the first time she fully understood why she couldn't go.

"It's not selfish Harry. It's not. I understand that, I really do. I don't want you to die, and I certainly don't want to be the cause of your death. I get it."

Her voice was gentle and she hugged him again, then she pulled away and looked at the clock.

"You must be tired. It's nearly 3:30."

He nodded and lay down. She smiled and got off of the bed, heading towards the door.

"Don't leave."

Ginny turned around, smiling at him.

"I can't very well sleep in here. Mum and Dad would have a fit."

Harry grinned back at her.

"I'm not asking you to sleep in here. Just stay with me, talk to me. Until I fall asleep."

Ginny rolled her eyes but moved towards the bed. Motioning for him to move over and make room. She lay down next to him and smiled as he slipped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer.

"I really missed you Ginny."

She smiled again, lacing her fingers through his.

"I know. I missed you too.

She rested her head on his chest, not realizing that it would only make it harder for her to leave once he fell asleep.

They talked for awhile, before Harry's breathing slowed into rhythmic pattern. Ginny lay next to him, her head still on his chest, rising and falling as he breathed. She knew she ought to leave, but was finding it hard to do so with his arm wrapped around her so warmly.

'Just a little bit longer…'

She closed her eyes for a moment, and slowly drifted off to sleep.