The human mind is a scary place. Full of doubt, angst, self-hate, and many other terrible thoughts. No one could ever want to be around someone who's broken, damaged, and should obviously be returned. There was no fixing him. The damage had been done. He had lost everyone. First his parents, it all started there, then Sirius, his only connection to his father. So many people had died on his behalf. But when he tried to die, he found himself at Kings Cross with a manipulative old man who raised him to die. Man, I can't even die right. There were so many lost in the war. People who were worth living for.
People say that in order to pick up the pieces you need to break first. Hadn't he been broken enough, weren't there enough pieces of him scattered, left to never be found? There were many times Harry just wanted it all to end. If he had ended it, Fred wouldn't have died, Lupin and Tonks would've been able to raise Teddy, and Sirius would still be alive.
And yet, she was still with him. After how horrible the past year had been. She didn't care. That's what amazed him. She still comforted him, even when he felt like a lost cause.
Harry sat. The Burrow was quiet. No one dared to say a word. He and a few of the Weasleys were gathered in the living room. Hermione leaned her head on Ron's shoulder on the loveseat. Charlie and Bill sat in the two chairs opposite each other. And Ginny, she was holding him. Tight. Like there was nothing in the world that could make her let go. And it felt nice. There were a million other things she could be doing, but no. She held onto him as silent tears filled his eyes. Reliving things that he shouldn't have lived in the first place.
She was always there, even when he had tried to push her away for her own safety. Harry didn't know what to do. He felt he should be helping the order figure this out but there was hardly anyone left. Besides, he was too comfortable to think about moving. Ginny threaded her fingers through his messy hair. He looked up at her, gave her a sad smile and she leaned down and placed a light kiss on his lips.
"You ok, Harry?" she muttered quietly. Harry wanted to be ok. He wanted to put up a brave front but he couldn't any longer. So simple a phrase but it sent many tears. Harry shook his head. "No, I reckon none of us are really ok after today." Tears came to Ginny's eyes too. Before things could get any worse, Harry sat up. The last thing he wanted was for everyone to see him cry. He got up and walked outside. The stars danced across the dark canvas, looking too joyful after the events of the day.
Harry stared at the sky, it reminded him of Hogwarts. The Great Hall, enchanted to match the night sky. He felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned to see Ginny.
"It's cold out here, Harry. Why don't you come back inside," She kissed his temple.
"I can't face him," Harry began to breathe heavily. "It's my fault he's gone."
"What are you talking about?"
"Fred." Harry choked. "It's my fault he died. I can't bring myself to talk to George. The whole bloody war was my fault!"
"Don't be ridiculous! You weren't the one trying to commit genocide," Ginny said.
"Then why does it feel like it's all my fault?!"
"I know it sucks, but you can't take the blame for it all!"
"I can't help but feel that if we were just a little faster, if we had just tried a little harder, then maybe everyone would still be here." Harry brought a hand to his face. He wiped away the tears that were threatening to fall once again.
"Harry James Potter, none of this is your fault," Ginny started. "It's not your fault that Dumbledore, the old bat, practically sent you on a wild goose chase and entrusted three 17-year-olds with the fate of Wizard kind! You are amazing, smart and one hell of a seeker!" Harry gave a little smile at the last bit.
"Ever since I first met you I knew you were brave. I knew that you would do great things. You kept saving everyone, but yourself," she caressed his face in her hands. "You saved me from Voldemort when you were twelve. You saved Sirius at thirteen. You won the Triwizard Tournament, even after witnessing his return."
There was a silent moment.
"And you made me fall in love with you. Hermione told me not to pursue you. To not go after you. But I couldn't not. There was something about you that just made me want you." Ginny smiled. "You from your Gryffindor pride to all the shattered bits."
"You didn't have to stick around. Especially after I told you I couldn't be with you."
"You're right," Ginny said. "I don't need a man, I had no obligation to you. But that's love, Harry. I love you."
Harry stood shaken. How could someone so beautiful, inside and out, love the mess that was Harry James Potter. "Woah, you-you've never said that before. Might want to take it back. It seems everyone I've ever loved has left me in their own special way."
"Wow, did Harry Potter just say that he loves me without saying he loves me?" Ginny teased.
"I… I love you too, Ginny," and with that Ginny pressed their lips together. Harry wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer.
They slowly broke apart and pressed their foreheads on each other.
"Thank you, Ginny," Harry said. "For being with me even in the darkest of times."
"And thank you, Harry, for always feeling the need to protect everyone. You make me feel safe."
Those last words shocked him. Never in his life had he ever thought he could ever make someone feel safe.
Harry took Ginny's hand and pulled her to sit on his lap on the ground. Together they held each other for dear life. Knowing that the worst was over. Knowing that right now they were in love and that nothing could ever change that. They had loved each other for the longest time. They sat in each other's embrace until the sun came over the horizon.
Harry still felt broken, still felt like some things were his fault but at least he wasn't the only broken one. He wasn't alone. After a war, was anyone really still in one piece?