Chapter 4- Never Again

The celebrating had stopped months ago, but people were still thrilled. They had good reason to be, for the first time in three years, they did not have to live in fear. Those under the Imperius curse returned to their normal lives, and most of all, the Dark Lord had been defeated.

The happiness brought on by the defeat of the Dark Lord was dented however, cheapened for one family. One red-headed girl in particular was suffering. Ginny Weasley checked the Daily Prophet constantly, but it always said the same thing. Harry Potter was still missing.

"Ginny dear, you really should get out of the house. How about you come into Diagon Alley with your father and me? We're going to see your brothers."

She looked up at her mother. Ginny was sitting in the garden, lost in her thoughts as the snow swirled around her. The happy weather seemed to mock her. If she could control the weather, it would be pouring down rain, drenching a drowning everything within reach.

"No thanks Mum. I'll see them in a few days anyway. Christmas is fast approaching."

Her mother sighed, realizing that she was fighting a losing battle. She patted Ginny's shoulder comfortingly and turned away.

"Don't spend all day out day out here. Alright?"

Ginny nodded absentmindedly, having already returned to her thoughts. As her mother walked into the house and shouted to her husband that Ginny was not coming, her hand closed around the locket Harry had given her four months before. Four months. The letters had stopped coming about three months ago, near the time he'd vanished.

Owls were the only way they could communicate. Hedwig was their usual owl, but she'd vanished along with Harry. Ginny had considered using Errol and Pig, but somehow they seemed incompetent. Errol was clearly at the end of his life, and not up to long journeys. Ron had moved into an apartment in Diagon Alley with Hermione, and had taken Pig with him, so Ginny was out of luck.

She knew that the ministry had pronounced Harry dead, but she wouldn't believe it. He had said he would come back, and she wasn't going to give up on him. Not yet. She fiddled with the locket, her fingers moving over the clasp. She hadn't opened it, but she was dying to do so.

With a low sigh she watched a gnome dive from boot to boot. She could remember chasing them as a little girl, attempting to catch them as Bill supervised. She had finally succeeded at the age of seven, and discovered that they weren't fun things to play with. She still had the mark from where it had bit her.

Her thoughts and memories were interrupted by the sight of something white shooting out from the woods near The Burrow. It was something she hadn't seen in three months, and the sight of it loosened the tight ball of worry that had formed in the pit of her stomach.

Hedwig landed next to her, hooting softly.

"What have you got for me, girl?"

Right after she said it, she realized that Hedwig was not carrying anything. She was merely there. There was no letter, not even a short note…

"Is he alright Hedwig?"

At that moment Ginny was certain that she'd gone crazy. She was talking to an owl. The owl that belonged to the boy who'd defeated the Dark Lord, the owl that belonged to the man she loved, the owl that did not have anything for her. She stroked Hedwig for a moment, before the snowy white owl flew away.

The reality of the situation hit her with full force. Could it be that Harry really was dead? It certainly seemed possible; surely he would have sent something along with Hedwig, anything to let her know he was okay. She didn't cry, she merely sat there, trying to sift through her thoughts. She undid the clasp of the locket, pulling it off of her neck.

"Don't open it just yet. Not until I come back, or… if I die, but not until then."

His words rang through her mind. If she opened it, she would be accepting and believing that he was dead. Did she really think that?

"Should I open it?"

She spoke softly into the wind, trying to determine whether or not she should open it. After all, if she opened it, wouldn't that mean she was giving up?

"Open it Ginny. Go ahead."

She jumped, startled. Instantly she stood up and turned around.

"You're alive."

Standing before her, smiling widely, was Harry Potter. The only damage she could detect was a deep scar running along his face. Moving quickly around the bench, locket still in her hand, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Relief was filling her in ways it never had before.

For one brief moment she allowed herself to think that maybe, it wasn't really Harry. Could she be sure it wasn't someone using polyjuice potion? That unsettling thought vanished the minute he returned her embrace. That familiar feeling of security surrounded her and she knew he was there, that it was really him.

"Everyone said you were dead. Even Ron and Hermione thought so. Why didn't you write… a letter or a note? Or anything that could have shown me you were okay…"

She trailed off, pulling away and leading him back to the bench where she'd been sitting. The snow stuck to her hair, and her nose was red from the cold, but she wasn't ready to go inside yet.

"I never got the chance. I don't know where Hedwig is."

Comprehension dawned on her. She knew that he would have sent her something had he been able to.

"Hedwig turned up here a few minutes ago."

Harry stared at Ginny, both felt the tension between them increase, both felt their need for each other begin to overwhelm them.

"She did? Well, that's good."

His voice seemed hollow as he stared at her. Neither of them was sure who had moved first, but within seconds they were kissing hungrily, filling the empty void that had been there for months. After a few moments Ginny pulled away from him, only to have him attack her neck. She struggled to bring her thoughts back to something other than his lips on her skin, and finally managed to speak.

"Where've you been all this time? V-Voldemort's body was found months ago…"

He lifted his head, stopping his attack on her senses.

"I can't honestly say I know that. I can't really remember much. I remember killing him but after that… my memory's blank up until a few days ago. I do know that wherever I was… all I could think about was that I had to get back to you. That it was over, and that I had to get back to you."

Ginny smiled shakily, and she realized that she was still holding the locket tightly in her hand. She moved to put it back on, but was stopped when Harry's hands closed around hers.

"Open the locket Ginny."

He withdrew his hands and she opened the locket. She saw a picture of him (moving of course) and one word, engraved into the gold.

"Cry."

She looked at him, slightly puzzled.

"Ginny… I'm not sure how many times I've made you cry, but I do know that I've told you not to cry. You don't know how much it hurt me, knowing that you wanted to cry, but wouldn't because I wasn't strong enough to watch it. I'm not going to do that anymore. From now on, if you want to cry, then go ahead.

Never again Ginny. You will never again have to hear me tell you goodbye because I'm going to run off and risk my life. From now on love, you are my main priority."

Her breath caught in her throat as he said this to her, and as she stared down at the locket. She closed it, slipping it back around her neck. She looked at him for a moment, smiling, before she began to cry. Sheer joy and relief had erupted inside her, resulting in those tears. Harry pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her comfortingly.

"It's alright love. I'm here, and I'm not leaving you ever again. I promise."

She continued to cry onto his shoulder as he stroked her hair, both were completely oblivious to the fact that the temperature was dropping considerably, at least, until Ginny shivered in his arms.

"How long have you been out here Gin?"

She pulled back as the tears began to slow.

"A long time."

He laughed and stood up, reaching out for Ginny's hand.

"Well, we should get you inside then. Is your Mum inside? I'm starving, and you know she'll want to feed me."

Ginny giggled softly, taking his hand and standing next to him.

"No, she's in Diagon Alley, inviting everyone over for Christmas dinner, and checking out Ron and Hermione's apartment."

He stopped walking and stared at her.

"Ron and Hermione's apartment… they moved in together?"

She nodded, leading him towards the door.

"Yeah, they've been dating for a little over a year now, and Ron wanted to move out. So he and Hermione moved in together."

They entered the kitchen, and Ginny let go of his hand, making her way towards the stove.

"What do you want Harry? Tea or Hot Chocolate?"

He smiled at her, moving to her side as she began to heat up some water.

"Hot chocolate is fine."

She nodded, and after a few minutes poured two cups of hot chocolate. She set them down on the table and sat down next to Harry as he took his seat. She checked her watch.

"Mum will be home soon."

He nodded to her, his emerald eyes meeting her brown ones. Instantly that familiar tension erupted between them and she took a sip of her hot chocolate.

"I love you Ginny."

She smiled at him, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"I know you do. I love you too."

The smile seemed to fade from his face slightly and Ginny frowned.

"Always?"

Ginny was startled by the question, and she moved her chair closer to his.

"Of course. Always. You know that. You never have to worry. Ever."

He looked down at the floor, looking slightly guilty. Ginny's heart dropped. Something was wrong.

"What is it Harry?"

He said nothing for a moment, but then looked up at her.

"I just- I suppose I thought that with me being gone so long, and presumed dead by the ministry… I guess I thought you'd have moved on. It scared me Gin. I was afraid to come here today, I don't know what I would have done if you had given up… I'm sorry I doubted you, even for a minute."

She looked at him, and then something he'd said clicked.

"I thought you'd said you couldn't remember anything from the past few months. How did you know the ministry had presumed you dead?"

Harry flinched at her tone of voice, accusatory, like she thought he'd lied to her.

"I saw it in the Prophet on the way here."

She nodded, now feeling foolish.

"Of course. Sorry…"

He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"It's alright. It seems we both had a few doubts, but they'll fade. I know it."

She smiled at him, and leaned in, kissing him gently. The hot chocolate lay forgotten on the table as he kissed her back. They broke apart and Ginny smiled, taking his hand into hers and lacing their fingers together, reveling in how perfectly they fit.

"Like two pieces of a puzzle."

Ginny knew at that moment, that there was no one else in the world who would do the things that he did. No one else would ever be able to make her feel the same things he made her feel. They were perfect for each other, they were meant to be.

"I love you."

She squeezed his hand as she spoke.

"I love you too Gin. I always will."

She smiled at him.

"You are my life."

Ginny smiled again as he told her what he'd already said before, both to her face, and in his letters.

"I know."

/Author's Note/

Alright. This is the last chapter. I hope you guys liked the story!