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Chapter Sixty

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Ginny waited anxiously.

She shifted from side to side. Foot to foot. Periodically going up on her tiptoes to try and spot the mop of messy, black hair within the crowd as she waited by the train.

So far, she has had no such luck…

A sharp, wolf whistle suddenly broke through the noise of the crowd. Ginny's gaze, along with a bunch of the surrounding crowd's gazes, snapped to the noise.

"Looking good, Weasley!" Justin Finch-Fletchy suddenly called at her from a short distance away, waggling his eyebrows at her.

Ginny rolled her eyes and was about to respond with a rude comment, before someone beat her to it…

"Thanks..." Ron called back from his spot right beside her. "But you're not my type, Fletchy."

Ginny could only watch in satisfaction as the smile froze on Justin's face before it quickly melted off of his red cheeks.

A few surrounding people were chuckling at his expense, but Ginny paid Justin not another moment of attention. She continued her fruitless efforts in trying to find her boyfriend.

Merlin, she was so excited to see him. The way that they had left things, having only just started exploring a new chapter of their relationship, left Ginny wanting to give it another go…

To say that he had left her hot and bothered by what his mouth had done to her breasts would be the biggest understatement of the century.

Because Harry's mouth… it was talented. As was his tongue.

He had her in a complete withering, moaning mess. And she couldn't help but imagine what it would be like when they finally got to the point where he would use that talented tongue of his on… other places on her body.

Damn it all to hell! She was fantasizing about him again!

It was all that she had thought about since she had returned to the Burrow.

Him… and his amazing mouth…

It got to the point where it was affecting Ginny's sleep and she just had to reach down into her knickers in order to get some relief.

A part of her had wished that it was his hand the whole time.

Getting rather frustrated, Ginny turned to Ron and asked, yet again, "You see him?"

She was using her brother's height to her advantage, hoping that he would be able to pick Harry out from within the crowd.

Ron rolled his eyes mockingly at her, though she knew that Ron was just as eager to see Harry as she was. They had almost driven each other barmy after being the only Weasley children at the Burrow for the last seven days. Yes, she loved Ron and she liked spending time with him. But Merlin's beard, she was sick of him and she was pretty sure that he felt the same about her. It was for the best that they spend a little time apart. Ron stretched up onto his toes and scanned the crowd.

After about thirty seconds passed, Ron lowered himself back onto the heels of his feet again and shook his head at her.

"Nope… No sign of him. Wonder if Dobby blocked him out of the portal again…" Ron chuckled at the memory.

Ginny's gaze snapped from scanning the crowd to her brother's face.

Okay… she was now officially worried.

Ron must have noticed her face and smiled reassuringly at her. "Relax, Ginny. He'll be here. In fact, maybe we missed him and he's already on the train?"

Ginny perked up at the idea. "I haven't thought of that."

She never did make any plans with Harry in exactly where they were going to meet for sitting together on the express. So, she could see how Harry would have assumed that they would find one another within the compartments.

Ron smiled at her and punched her lightly on the shoulder. "See? Why don't you go look for him in the compartments? You'll find him eventually. I've got to go meet Hermione at the front of the train for the Prefect meeting."

He made it look as though he were dreading the Prefect meeting, but Ginny could tell - by a certain glint in his eye - that her brother was bloody excited to see Hermione again.

Ginny smirked at him knowingly and punched his shoulder right back. "See you at the feast."

Ron grinned and nodded at her before casually turning and walking towards the front of the train, dodging through the crowds as he went before Ginny could no longer see him.

Ginny sighed and resigned herself to the search for her green-eyed, messy-haired boyfriend on her own as she turned towards the nearest entrance and got onto the train car.

Students were loitering about. Mostly first and second years running up and down the halls, messing around, as the older students took the time to claim and settle into their compartments as they caught up with friends.

"Ginny," An uncertain voice called out to her from nearby.

Reflexively, Ginny's head turned at the sound of her name. Her gaze locked with his and Ginny immediately felt her features cloud in dislike.

"What do you want, Dean?" Ginny drawled, already agitated by his mere presence. She crossed her arms across her chest defensively as he took the few steps he needed to get closer to her.

Dean lifted a hand and scratched at the back of his head awkwardly. "Eh, look, I know that I'm probably the last person you want to talk to-"

"You guessed it," Ginny interrupted.

Dean sighed as he looked down at his trainers. Ginny started as she noticed how positively miserable he looked. "I… I just want to say that I'm sorry, okay? I've been a real prat towards you and you didn't deserve any of it. A-And Harry's always been a nice enough bloke but I let jealousy get in the way of seeing that."

Her wide eyes stared at him in absolute shock. "W-What?"

Dean smiled at her sadly, the corners of his lips just barely lifting. "Truth is, Ginny, you are quite that catch. And I was able to recognise that there was no way I deserved you when we were together. So… I sort of panicked. I was afraid that you would see the truth that I already saw… that you were so far out of my league that I had no chance in hell in keeping you."

Dean hung his head and shook it slowly. "Trouble was, that in my attempts in trying to keep you, I only managed to push you away… straight into Potter's waiting arms."

The hard exterior shell of her heart cracked. The bitterness that she harboured towards Dean Thomas started to dissipate like a puddle under a hot, afternoon sun. Because in a way, she could completely understand where Dean was coming from… Why he did the things that he did.

He was trying to hold onto someone he thought to be unobtainable. She knew the feeling well. For how many years had she felt the same while watching Harry? Especially as he had watched Cho.

"I forgive you," Ginny found herself saying without actually intending to. But as soon as the words came out of her mouth, she realised that she genuinely meant them.

Dean's eyes widened slightly in surprise at her ready forgiveness. "Y-You do?"

Ginny nodded and smiled slightly at him. "I may not agree with all that you did, but I do understand why you did them. Believe it or not, I have had experience in dealing with rejection."

A slow grin grew on Dean's face as he stared down at her in wonder before he stuck his hand out to her in offering. "Friends, then?"

Ginny looked down at his hand, hesitating only for a beat of a moment, before she took his offered hand in one of her own and shook it. "Friends."

They shook hands for only a moment before they both let go. Dean grinned widely at her before he looked over at his shoulder to where Seamus was calling him. "Be right there!"

Dean looked back to Ginny and gestured with his thumb towards his compartment, "You want to join us? Seamus wants to start a game of exploding snap."

Ginny shook her head. "Sorry, I've got to find Harry. I haven't seen him since Christmas."

Dean nodded in understanding. "Alright, well, see you at the feast then."

Smiling at him as she nodded, she watched him walk away before she turned in the opposite direction. She was quite glad that things with Dean were all squared away between the two of them. Staying angry implied that she cared that he had hurt her, and honestly, Ginny was over the damage that Dean had done her. So, it really didn't make sense to hold any grudges against him.

With that thought in her mind, Ginny started her trek, looking in every compartment as she went.

All too soon, the train whistle blew and the telltale signs of the engine starting rumbled underneath her traveling feet.

She checked every compartment.

Every one.

No sign of Harry.

Panic settled deep within her abdomen. Did something happen? Where was he? He obviously wasn't on the train! Merlin, had he been abducted?!

Colour drained from her cheeks as the thought of Death Eaters getting hold of him was planted in her mind.

Hyperventilating.

She was hyperventilating.

She couldn't breathe.

Turning on the spot, Ginny burst into an empty compartment and opened a window, gasping for breath from the fresh, winter air that was whipping by.

What should she do?! She should obviously contact someone! But who?

His parents?

Dumbledore?

All that she knew was that she had to do something, but dammit all to bloody hell, she couldn't think straight!

Ginny fell back onto the seat, panting heavily, as she tried to think through the fogginess of her desperation. When out of the corners of her blurry vision, a swooping object fell in through the window. Ginny's gaze snapped to it and she let out a gasp.

"Hedwig?!"

Hedwig hooted in confirmation before she flew forward from her perch on the bench opposite of her to land on Ginny's knee.

Robotically, Ginny lifted her hand and Hedwig nudged her hand into it, lovingly coaxing Ginny to scratch at her head.

Ginny's mind was whirling. If Hedwig was here, then where was Harry? Did Hedwig's presence mean that he was alright or did it mean that he was in trouble?

Ginny focused her gaze on the beautiful, snow owl in front of her. "Where's Harry?"

Hedwig hooted before sticking her leg out. Ginny's gaze zeroed in on the small piece of parchment paper that was attached. Her gaze drank it in hungrily.

Immediately, Ginny untied the scrap of paper from Hedwig's leg before she scratched Hedwig's head again. "Good girl."

Hedwig hooted at the praise.

Ginny then wasted no more time and unfolded the note, her gaze absorbing the words as she read.

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Ginny,

Missed the train. See you at school.

Harry

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Ginny stared at the note in disbelief. It was so short. So abrupt…

'Maybe he was just in a hurry…' Ginny's thoughts reasoned with herself. 'Yeah.. he was just in a hurry. And he was nice enough to think about writing me when in such a hurry… He knew that I was bound to be worrying… Yeah..."

She wanted to believe it. She really did. Desperately so. But there was a voice… a voice that lingered in the darkest parts of her mind that planted doubt. It was the voice that she had primarily heard in her first year. The voice that had agreed with everything that Tom Riddle's diary had told her. The voice that Ginny had long since buried…

A voice that now wanted to be heard.

…..

The mouth-watering smells of pot roast and potatoes filled the Grand Hall. The mood was cheerful. Exuberant chatter cancelled out the possibility of silence over the merriment of fellowship and food.

It was a feeling that Ginny could often sense at Hogwarts. Especially around Christmas time.

But at the moment, she didn't much feel like participating in the current ambiance of the Grand Hall.

She still hadn't heard from Harry.

A large part of her had succumbed to the idea that he would be here, waiting for her at the Gryffindor table as soon as she had entered the hall.

So, when she entered - and her eyes had searched desperately for the head of messy, black hair - she had staggered to a halt when she realised that he wasn't there.

It had felt as though someone had shot ice, cold water at her from their wand.

Ginny sighed as she sat woodenly at the table, her fork sifting through the roasted potatoes as she moved them around her plate.

She hadn't an appetite all day.

Especially when she noticed that Ron and Hermione were missing now, too.

Neville and Colin sat with her but they seemed to sense that she was in no mood to talk with them, so they quietly talked amongst themselves.

In the hour that she sat there, it felt as though she could have been sitting there for days. But when she finally was able to stand from her seat as Professor McGonagall dismissed them to bed, Ginny finally noticed that Professor Dumbledore wasn't sitting at his seat at the head table… and he hadn't been there for the entire meal.

…..

Ginny sighed heavily as she followed the crowd of Gryffindors up the grand staircases towards Gryffindor Tower. Neville and Colin had long since abandoned her. Neville, who went to go find Luna, and Colin who came across his boyfriend, Sterling, at the doors to the Great Hall.

She was now all alone at a time where she was particularly feeling vulnerable.

The voice in the back of her mind reminded her that this is what she felt during her first year. When she didn't have any friends.

"Ginny!"

Ginny halted mid-step and turned back. Dean Thomas was rushing up the steps to meet her, a wide grin on his face. He halted a couple of steps below her and his smile fell as he noticed the expression on her face. "What's wrong, Ginny? Did something happen?"

Ginny blinked and shook her head rapidly to try and shake away the fog of her depressive mood. When she looked at him again, Ginny forced a slight smile. "No, everything's fine. I just keep staring off into space, for some reason."

Dean looked at her in a sympathetic gesture of kindness. "You must be tired, then."

Ginny nodded, eager at the excuse. "Yeah, it was a long train ride."

Dean chuckled as he nodded in agreement. "Did Harry bore you, then? I find that hard to believe. The bloke has got to have plenty of interesting stories to tell."

Ginny's forced smile froze on her lips before falling slightly at the mention of Harry.

"Speaking of," Dean spoke up, looking around her after not noticing her reaction, "Where is Harry? I thought that he would be with you. I wanted to apologise, you see."

Panic clawed its way up her throat. How was she to explain that she had no idea where her boyfriend was and that she was secretly going barmy at his disappearance? Merlin, she was so pathetic. "He… Well, he actually missed the train. So I'm not sure where he is."

His brown gaze snapped to hers, his brows furrowing in evident concern. "Merlin, is he alright?"

Ginny swallowed thickly at the bile that gathered at the base of her throat. "Yes, he's fine. He sent me an owl."

She could almost believe the words that came out of her mouth if she only let herself listen to them. But again, that nagging feeling that pulled at her chest told her otherwise.

The concern in Dean's gaze melted and he nodded his head towards the top of the stairs. "You want to walk the rest of the way with me?"

Ginny found herself nodding absentmindedly and she turned as they both continued up the steps.

"How was your Christmas?" Dean asked her, with genuine interest in his gaze as he looked over at her.

"Hmm?" Ginny hummed as she was pulled out of her meddlesome thoughts. "Oh, it was fine. How was yours?"

Dean beamed at the question and animatedly began to explain how his dad had gotten him football tickets for the opening game of his favourite team. Ginny nodded along and tried to understand his obsession with the muggle sport but couldn't quite manage it since she didn't even understand the sport itself to begin with.

It wasn't long before they made it to the portrait hole of the Fat Lady. The door was already open as the crowd of students took turns entering. When it came to their turn, Dean surprisingly didn't attempt to help Ginny step through the portrait hole, which left Ginny pleasantly surprised.

She had told him many times that she hated when he did that when they had been dating, but he had never listened to her then. Maybe he had finally started taking her opinions to heart.

Ginny stepped through the hole and looked around at the crowd of students scattered about the Common Room. But immediately froze as she took in the three sixth years that sat huddled by the fireplace.

They didn't seem to notice anyone else in the room as they had their heads huddled together, whispering furiously through what Ginny knew to be the 'Muffliato' charm that Harry had found in the 'Half-Blood Prince's' book.

A part of her sighed in relief at finally seeing Harry, safe and unharmed within the confines of the warm castle.

But the other part… hesitated at the sight of him.

Her normal reaction to seeing him after being separated for a week would have been to run up to him so that he could gather her into his arms.

But that part of her was reclusive in the wake of the revelation that was just laid bare before her.

Why hadn't he included her in their secret meeting? Why hadn't he told her that he wouldn't be at the feast? Why had his letter been so quick and cold?

She knew the answer to all of these questions just from the first glance that she got from seeing the 'Golden Trio' huddled together without her.

Harry was shutting her out.

…

Ginny laid in her bed, her eyes staring unseeingly at the canopy of her bed in the wee hours of the morning.

She hadn't slept at all. Not even a wink.

She couldn't stop thinking about the night before, when she had first stepped foot in the common room.

She had stood there, frozen, for a solid minute. Staring at the Ron, Hermione, and Harry whispering together in a huddle by the fire. She made no approach towards them, somehow knowing that her interruption would be most unwelcome.

It wasn't until Hermione had noticed her from across the room and had nudged Harry did all three finally look up at her.

Harry's eyes had locked with hers, and she saw something flash within them that she couldn't fully understand. After a minute, he finally gave her a fleeting smile, but it looked weak - almost as though it took quite a bit of effort on his part just to manage it.

Ginny had blinked at the sight of it, her nerves shooting down from her chest as it locked her legs from being able to go to him.

Hermione then nudged him again, and Ginny's keen senses picked up on how hard she had jabbed him with her elbow. Harry had winced at the sensation but still didn't look away from her. But the jab seemed to have done the trick, as Harry then stood and slowly made his way over to where she was.

"Hey, Gin," Harry said quietly, his voice no longer held the confidence that he usually carried, a startling revelation to Ginny. Something wasn't right.

Harry slowly reached forward and grabbed one of her hands in his. Though she saw his hand reach for hers, his touch still managed to startle her. He then leaned in, with obvious hesitance, as he placed a lingering kiss on her cheek. His lips just barely touched her skin.

When he pulled back, his gaze boring onto her face with what she had recognized later to be repressed fear, Ginny had finally managed to find her voice.

"What is it, Harry?" Ginny whispered to him, fighting to keep the panic out of her voice, "What's wrong."

Harry had closed his eyes, letting out the exhale of a deep breath he had taken. His hand on hers had reflexively tightened. When Harry opened his eyes once again, the fear she had seen was pushed back to the background and that tight smile made an appearance on his lips, once again.

"What do you mean, Gin? Nothing's wrong."

Ginny's eyes had widened in complete disbelief as she had gaped at him.

Harry swallowed heavily, his eyes shifting away as he could no longer look her in the eye. "I-I'm just tired, Gin. I'll head up to bed. We'll talk tomorrow, alright?"

He had then let go of her hand and hastily made his way to the staircase for the boy's dormitories.

She had watched him go. With her mind frazzled and her heart clenching with fear.

The feeling had lingered throughout the night. And Ginny knew now that she could no longer entertain the idea that she would actually get any form of sleep. She sat up in her bed with a sigh before she parted her bed curtains, bracing herself internally to face the day.

She put on her robe and tied the sash around her form. It wasn't long before she found herself down in the common room, sitting on the window seat next to the window that looked out to the grounds.

And it was there, in the dusk of the muted sunlight peeking out beyond the mountains, where Ginny saw him.

Harry was out, on the grounds, running aggressively through the thin layer of snow.

At first, her mind panicked, thinking that something was chasing him.

But then, Harry had reached a red marker that was sticking out of the ground, before he turned on his heel and started running back in the opposite direction.

Confusion piqued along with her curiosity.

Was Harry… working out?

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A/N: I know. I know. You guys hate me. Let me just remind you all that Harry has decided not to break up with Ginny. He just doesn't know how to face her without telling her the truth. I swear that the angst will start to dissipate in the next chapter. All will be revealed in time. :)

P.S. Today is my birthday and I really wanted to post a chapter for you guys today!

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