Ginny could not believe her eyes as Harry and Voldemort stared at each other with such venom that it was hard process. She held her breath as everyone else shouted about his survival. The minimal fighting that was still happening ceased instantly and all eyes turned to the pair of them, who was now circling each other several feet apart.
Harry's first words were, "I don't want anyone to try and help me!" Ginny had to hold onto Bill to try and prevent her natural instinct of running to him, wanting to protect him as always. A massive circle of spectators had formed around the pair in the middle and all eyes were trained on them. Ginny couldn't have been prouder or more nervous for Harry if she tried! He had been dead…she was sure of that! She'd seen it in her minds' eye. People couldn't come back to life. That's how it worked…so why was he here, living and breathing and talking? She couldn't fathom it. A part of herself died when she had thought Harry was dead…and now here he was.
Voldemort hissed in a snake-like voice, "Potter doesn't mean that! That isn't how it works, is it? Who is going to protect you today, Potter?" Harry smiled a wry smile and said seriously, "Nobody. There are no more Horcruxes left. It's just you and me, Tom." Harry saying his birth name made Ginny shudder and Bill wrapped an arm around her protectively. He held Fleur's hand on the other side of him and Ginny waited with baited breath. She felt like she was watching this confrontation through someone else's eyes.
Harry added, "Neither can live while the other survives…we know that is true, and one of us is about to leave for good." Ginny made a move to walk forward and run to him. She couldn't lose him twice! Once was painful enough! She felt a hand on her shoulder and she thought it was going to be Bill, but it turned out to be Ron. He shook his head silently. She glanced at Hermione, who was watching the scene looking as tense and worried as Ginny felt. Ron pulled her back to where she had been standing and she sighed, looking back at the scene before them, both Riddle and Harry still circling like vultures.
Voldemort asked jeeringly, "One of us? You think it will be you, do you Potter? You survived due to a mistake… an accident, on my part, and because Dumbledore was pulling some strings the whole way through." Ginny could see the malice in Voldemort from the way his eyes only focused on Harry. It was as if he couldn't see anyone else in the room, and maybe he couldn't.
Harry smiled an empty sort of smile as he asked, "Accident, was it when I fought you in the graveyard and you killed Cedric after telling Pettigrew to "kill the spare." Ginny winced at the mention of this. Harry continued relentlessly, ""Accident, when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, that I didn't defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?" Ginny flinched! So Harry had died…she had thought so…but how? Everyone else seemed frozen in spot as she glanced around the room, faces frozen in shock. "Accidents!" screamed Voldemort, but still he did not strike, "Accident and chance and the fact that you crouched and sniveled behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!" Ginny felt like shouting at Voldemort to grow the hell up and take responsibility. At least he had admitted to killing Cedric now. Ginny was relieved Harry had brought that up specifically…
Harry said more sternly than before, "Nobody else is going to die tonight…" Everyone held their breath and Ginny felt her insides squirm. She wanted to run to him. She tried, but her feet were frozen in place. Harry continued swiftly, "You won't be able to kill any of them every again, don't you get it? I was ready to die so that you couldn't hurt any of them…"
Voldemort sneered at Harry and then retorted, "But you DID NOT!" Ginny felt her heart pounding incessantly in her chest. Was this it? Was this the moment of truth? She stared at Harry, waiting for his answer. He replied, "I did. I did what my mother did for me. They're protected from you. Haven't you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding? You can't torture them anymore! You can't touch me. You don't learn from your mistakes Riddle, do you?" Ginny heard his words as if they were from a long distance. Her mind couldn't process all of this. Harry had protected them? He was the reason more of them weren't dead…?
Voldemort spat at Harry, "You dare…" Harry nodded seriously and replied, "Yes I dare. I know more things than you do Tom Riddle. Important things. You don't know them. Would you like me to divulge them before you make another big mistake?" Voldemort sneered at Harry mockingly, "Is it love again?" said Voldemort, his snake's face jeering. "Dumbledore's favorite solution, love, which he claimed conquered death, though love did not stop him falling from the tower and breaking like an old waxwork? Love, which did not prevent me from stamping out your Mudblood mother like a cockroach, Potter – and nobody seems to love you enough to run forward this time and take my curse. So what will stop you from dying now when I strike?" Something inside Ginny snapped then. She wanted to run forward and stop him. She knew she couldn't though because the shield would prevent her from interceding. She wanted to tell Voldemort that he was wrong…that so many people loved Harry. Her father, her mother, Ron and Hermione and herself. She loved Harry. She could see on the faces of those around them. She felt like she was bursting with desire. Ginny knew in that moment, that she would put her life down to save Harry…because that's how much she loved him.
Harry smiled serenely and replied, "Just one thing." Voldemort said slowly, "If it is not love that will save you this time, you must have some magic that I do not, or otherwise a weapon more powerful than my own?" Harry said clearly, "I believe both." Voldemort's cruel, mocking laughter scared Ginny. It was more terrifying than his screams of rage, anger and disbelief. He said to Harry menacingly, "You think you know more magic than I do? Than I, Lord Voldemort, who has done more magic than Dumbledore could even dare to imagine?" Harry had an answer ready and waiting, "Oh he dreamed of it, but he knew more than you, Riddle, better than you to do what you have done."
Voldemort screamed so piercingly then that Ginny had to cover her ears, "He was WEAK! Too weak to dare or to try and have what could have been his, but what is now MINE!" Harry defended Dumbledore vehemently, and Ginny couldn't have been prouder of him as he responded, "No, he was better than you. A smarter man, a cleverer man." Voldemort retaliated just as quickly, "I planned Dumbledore's death. He is in his grave because of my plans!"
Harry argued back again, "You thought you did. Once again you were incorrect." Ginny frowned…what on earth was Harry going on about now? With all this new information making an appearance, it was hard to keep up! It seemed like Ginny wasn't the only one who found this tidbit confusing. Neville, a few people left of her was murmuring with Seamus and Dean, who looked equally puzzled.
It seemed that Voldemort did not have a response for this, nor did he seem to care about what he should retaliate! He spat words at Harry just to try and get a rise out of him, "It doesn't matter! Dumbledore is dead! Deader than a dodo! I've seen it myself, Potter! He is rotting away in these very grounds, and that was my goal all along!"
Ginny felt like they were on the brink of discovering the last of the details that they needed for the story to come to its completion, and for everything to make final sense. Harry seemed unperturbed by Voldemort's words as he continued carefully, "Yes he's dead, but you didn't choose his manner of dying, he did. He arranged it months before you came along with someone you thought you could trust all of these years."
Voldemort rolled his eyes, he still circled Harry, like a vulture trying to understand how to best hurt his prey as he questioned, "What childish nonsense is this?" Harry smiled unfalteringly and continued his explanation, "Severus Snape was never yours. He was not yours from the moment you decided to start hunting down my mother. You never noticed it either, because of the one thing you'll never be able to understand. I'm guessing you never saw Snape's Patronus, Riddle?" Harry had reached a point in his circling where Ginny could see his facial expression. This entire time it had been entirely focused on Voldemort. Now it seemed like for even a split second, his attention had flickered to her family. His eyes searched them until they found her. He was still pacing, but the second was enough for Ginny to know that whatever happened at the end of this confrontation, Harry loved her and he had done everything he'd done to protect her out of love. It was something she'd always known anyway, but him breaking his focus to look at her at such a crucial moment made her feel like all the sacrifices made between them had been worth it because of their mutual love for one another.
Ginny held her breath and gripped Bill's arm tighter as Harry revealed, "Snape's Patronus was a doe. The reason is because he loved my mother for most of her life, since they were kids." Harry kept pacing but his voice had grown a lot more passionate as he said, "You should have realized this when he came and begged you to keep her alive." This was a lot to take in. Ginny glanced at Ron and Hermione to see if they were reacting in the same way. Even they seemed surprised at this information. That was unusual. It was hard to imagine Snape loving anyone…let alone Harry's mother.
Voldemort would not rest in his denial, "He just desired her! He agreed that there were better women out there, more pure-blood women who he could be with. He deserved more." Harry replied in a low, calm tone (but Ginny know that this tone was not a friendly one), "Obviously he said that to you! But he's been working with Dumbeldore ever since you were after her! Dumbledore was dying already when Snape killed him! He chose his own method of death!"
There was a beat of silence in the hall again. Nobody seemed to move, except Harry and Voldemort. Voldemort laughed madly and screeched, "It doesn't matter who's side they were on! Either way they are all dead! Dumbledore, Snape and your mother were all vanquished by me! It makes perfect sense! I am stronger, and more powerful than any of them! Dumbledore was trying to prevent me from having the Elder Wand! He was trying to give it to Snape instead. But I got there before you, you insolent youth! I killed Severus Snape three hours ago and therefore the Elder Wand is mine!"
Ginny couldn't believe it! The Elder Wand…but the Elder Wand was a myth! It wasn't real, surely? But then again…the Invisibility Cloak was real. She glanced around at her family, who had begun whispering amongst themselves, similar expressions of shock and disbelief apparent on all of them, except Ron and Hermione. Hermione looked a little puzzled, but other than that…she wasn't entirely surprised!
The next words Harry uttered sent chills down Ginny's spine, "Yes, you did. But before you try to finish me off for the thousandth time…think about what's happened, Riddle. Try and feel some sort of remorse…any remorse." Ginny's heart raced and she leant against Bill's shoulder for support. She so desperately wanted to run out there and stand in front of Harry- to protect him. It was like she was fighting every nerve in her being, resisting the impulse. Bill seemed to understand and so he held her to him, trying to prevent her from going anywhere.
Voldemort seemed more surprised than anyone at Harry's words, "What are you talking about? Why would I show some remorse? I have nothing to be shameful of…" Harry's next words were biting, "It's your last chance to redeem yourself. I have witnessed what you will become if you do not try and do this. I have seen it for myself. It's not a pretty sight. Try and be a man." Ginny held her breath. She moaned, as if she was already feeling the pain of Harry's departure. Riddle had the Elder Wand…the most powerful wand in the world! How did Harry think he was going to survive death again? He wasn't a cat who had nine lives…
Voldemort hissed at Harry, "You dare…" Harry nodded, "Oh I dare! Because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all, Riddle, it's backfired on you." Ginny's brain was working furiously. She thought to herself: Harry has died and protected us all, so that means if Riddle tries to attack him and kill him again, then… she gasped! Harry will live! But wait…Lily died trying to protect Harry out of love. She frowned in utter confusion, feeling lost. That only left all of them protected, not him…
Harry answered Voldemort's obvious question, "The Elder Wand isn't working properly for you because you killed the wrong person. Snape was never the real master of the Elder Wand! He never defeated Dumbledore that night on the Astronomy Tower…" Voldemort said wildly, "He killed-" Harry snapped impatiently at Voldemort and retorted, "You haven't been listening? Dumbledore and Snape planned his death! He was never defeated! Dumbledore intended to die, undefeated- making him the wand's last true master! If everything went as it should have, the wand's power should have died with Dumbledore, because nobody won it from him."
Ginny could see Voldemort smirking and now she felt more lost than ever. She had no clue what Harry was going on about, and it seemed neither did the rest of the onlookers. This whole conversation had thrown her entirely! Everything she thought she knew…she was wrong about! Voldemort sneered, "Well then, Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand! I stole the wand from Dumbledore's grave, he was the master, and now I am!" Harry said curtly, "You still don't get it do you? Just having the wand in your position isn't enough! Just using the wand doesn't make it truly yours. Didn't Olivander tell you? The wand chooses the wizard…it's one of the very first things he said to me when I entered his shop. The wand chose a new master before Dumbledore had even died. The wand chose someone who hadn't even yet touched it. The new master took it from Dumbledore against his will, without realizing what he had done…"
Harry trailed off, Ginny's mind frantically thought back to that night. Who else had been there on the tower? Bellatrix…but she hadn't disarmed Dumbledore…the person who had done that was…Ginny gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth. Bill whispered in her ear, "What?" Ginny shook her head, eyes wide in disbelief! Draco had been the master of the Elder Wand! What in the world…
She looked around now, in search of him and his blonde-haired family, but they were nowhere to be seen. Ginny felt a rush of relief due to that, because Voldemort was about to learn the truth, and she would hate for him to kill Draco for this one, pathetic reason. It was then Ginny realized she had truly cared for Draco's well-being. Of course she had! She had tried to save him. Ginny also realized that she could never tell Harry about that all of that…if he survived this confrontation. He would lose it.
Ginny's suspicion was correct, when in the next breath Harry announced, "The true master of the Elder Wand is Draco Malfoy." Voldemort seemed aghast and chatter broke out across the hall. It fell silent immediately as Voldemort raised his wand, aimed at Harry, pure malice and hatred on his face.
Voldemort's reply was soft and deadly, "What does it matter, Potter? You don't have your original wand anymore. Now we battle on skill alone, and that will determine which of us is more powerful. Once you are dead, I will finish off the Malfoy boy…"
Harry interrupted his train of thought and Ginny winced at Voldemort's statement. Ron turned to look at her and he whispered haughtily, "What happened with you and Malfoy?" Ginny glared back at Ron, "Shut up! Nothing! I'm listening!" Ron frowned at her, but otherwise didn't make any more comments. Harry was ready with another retort, "You're too late, Riddle. I overpowered Draco weeks ago and took this wand from him." He looked down at the wand in his hand and Ginny frowned…so what did that mean about the Elder Wand? Did it belong to…Harry?!
Harry continued smoothly, looking unperturbed about what was undoubtedly going to happen in the next few minutes of his life, he whispered, "So now it all comes down to this. Do you think, Riddle, that the wand in your hand understands who his real master is? If this is true, it means I am the master of the Elder Wand…"
There was a collective gasp of shock which reverberated around the hall. Ron also seemed flummoxed, as Ginny glanced at them to gauge their reaction. She was right, it seemed Hermione had also guessed as much, but Ron seemed bewildered. She was using their facial expressions through this confrontation to determine how much they did or didn't know. This seemed to be news. Bill beside her looked pale, and Fleur looked like she was stiff in surprise. Her parents…Ginny turned her gaze to them and it looked like her mother wanted to rush into the middle of the ring and protect Harry, like she'd protected Ginny, but her father was holding her back.
Ginny turned her gaze again to the two enemies, who had finally stopped circling each other. She looked at Voldemort's face to the right of her, looking just about ready to kill, like a lion hunting its prey. Harry seemed relatively calm in comparison as Voldemort screeched at top volume, "Avada Kedavra!" Harry shouted back, "Expelliarmus!"
What happened next happened was a blur. There was a green light erupting from Voldemort's wand, and a red one coming from Harry's as they met in the middle, and within moments, the Elder Wand was sent soaring across the sky and it landed in Harry's hand. Nobody dared to breathe as Voldemort's body collapsed on the floor, dead.
When Voldemort's frail body finally landed on the floor with a loud thud, there was a brief moment of silence in which it felt like nobody dared to breathe in case Voldemort would do what Harry did and somehow breathe once again. Harry stood staring at Voldemort's still form and it didn't take long before there were crowds surrounding him, wanting to touch their savior. But after the initial shock, there was a sudden eruption of screaming and yelling and joyful celebration.
Ginny only looked at the cold-hearted form for a second before cheers began exploding around the place. When she glanced up, she found that Harry was surrounded by a sea of people already. Her mother and father were in the crowd, as well as Ron and Hermione, Neville, Seamus, Luna, the twins, and plenty of others. The cheering was so loud she felt like her eardrums were going to burst.
Ginny wasn't sure what to make of it all. Her mind had gone blank and as much as she wanted to be with Harry after all of their separation, she knew that the odds of that happening anytime soon were rather unlikely. Her mother was walking out of the crowd and she came to Ginny, tears in her eyes. She smiled forcibly, "You should go and congratulate Harry, Gin. He would appreciate it." Ginny shook her head and whispered, "He's got bigger problems than me right now. I don't want to make life any more tiring for him."
Her mother nodded tiredly and whispered, "I'm so proud of you my girl. You took that witch on, three against one, and still survived the odds. I'll never doubt your abilities again." Ginny hugged her mum then, ready to burst with gratitude as she whispered in her ear, "And the way you called Bellatrix a bitch is something I'll never be able to repay you for." Her mother tried to laugh, but it died on her lips. Ginny knew she was still upset about Percy.
Her father came over, hugged them both and then kissed her on the head, "Well done Ginny on being so brave. I'm so proud of all of you." He looked at Harry with such admiration. He was still surrounded by a sea of admirers. Ginny also turned to look at him and that's when Harry caught her eye again. He stared at her for several seconds longer than necessary, like how he had when he was confronting Voldemort.
Ginny was the first to break the eye contact now, feeling a sense of sudden exhaustion wash over her. She sighed and said, "Mum, do you mind if I go upstairs and sleep in my dorm bed tonight? I'm thoroughly exhausted." Her mother nodded and said, "We'll all stay here I think. I'm sure McGonagall could find us some spare rooms to use. And take one of your brothers with you! I don't want you wondering the castle on your own…given what has just happened!"
Ginny nodded and then looked around. Ron and Hermione were standing to the side of the crowd, also surrounded by a group of admirers. She didn't want to disturb them and then Bill came up to her. He hugged her fiercely and said, "I'm so proud of you, Gin! You fought like a queen earlier." Ginny laughed and hugged her eldest and favorite brother tightly in return, "Thanks Bill. So did you and Fleur…I didn't know she had it in her." He laughed and at the moment Fleur arrived at his side, "Bill, I zink I am going to go and tell my parents of ze good news. You can stay with your family for a bit and I'll stay with mine."
Ginny smiled gratefully at her sister-in-law and she did something she'd thought she'd never do- she hugged the silvery haired Veela. Fleur looked taken-aback and then she rested her chin on Ginny's head as she laughed, "What's iz this for?" Ginny muttered under her breath, "Don't get too used to it." She pulled away and then asked Bill, "Mind coming upstairs with me? Mum doesn't want me going on my own."
Bill nodded and grinned, "Sure thing. Let me just say goodbye…" Ginny nodded and then walked to the doorway to give them some privacy. She found Neville standing there, a crowd around him too. She ran up to him and hugged him fiercely, "Neville!" she sighed in relief that he had made it through! Neville laughed and Ginny felt his arms snake around her waist as he said happily, "Ginny! We did it! Can you believe it?" She pulled away and for a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. The look he gave her practically said so. But something made him change his mind.
Ginny turned and found Harry to be watching them, still encircled by a group of adoring fans. As soon as he saw her watching him, he glanced away but Ginny knew what that look meant…he was jealous of Neville. She sighed. They had a lot of ground they needed to cover and Ginny was too mentally and physically drained to do anything about it right now. It would have to wait until they were both feeling up to it.
Bill approached her and cleared his throat, "Ginny, you ready to head on up?" Ginny nodded, feeling her aching bones screaming for rest. Her and Bill left the chaos of the hall and walked up the stairs in silence for a while. As they were nearing the dorm, Bill said slowly, "So…you said Harry died?" Ginny nodded and she whispered, "He did. I saw it happen in my mind's eye. You're probably going to think I'm mad…but it's true."
Bill smiled at her and whispered, "I don't think you're mad. I believe you. I just don't get how he…came back." Ginny laughed at the outrageousness of this statement. People didn't come back from the dead unless they were ghosts. She murmured, "I guess we'll find out in the morning." Bill nodded and smiled at the Fat Lady, expecting her to ask for the password. Instead she just sung merrily and had a glass of champagne in her hand as she asked curiously, "How is Mr Potter?" Ginny shrugged her shoulders and whispered, "He's alive." She nodded joyfully and then swung open to let them in, "Nice to see you, Bill!" she commented cheerily. Bill smiled as they walked through, "And you too."
Now that they were in the Gryffindor common room, Ginny felt like she didn't know if she could go to sleep. The room was much as she had last seen it, but the emptiness was something entirely new. Ginny sighed, "I don't know if I could go to sleep actually. As tired as I am…I just…" Bill smiled kindly at her and nodded, "Don't worry, I'll go to the boys dormitory."
He hugged her goodnight just as the common room door opened. Harry walked in and there was a deathly silence which had entered the room. Bill glanced between the two of them and then walked up to Harry, clapping him on the back, and said, "Well done, Harry. Thank you for saving us all." Harry nodded numbly and he asked Bill, while still looking at Ginny, "Where's Fleur?" Bill shrugged and replied, "Gone back to her parents for a bit. I'm going upstairs for a sleep. Goodnight you two."
Ginny swallowed tightly and whispered, "Goodnight Bill." Once he had disappeared upstairs, Harry hesitantly approached her. She couldn't help what she did next, it was as if it were out of her control. Ginny marched up to Harry, her hand flinging backwards and she slapped him across the right cheek, the sound echoed through the silent common room. Ginny whispered harshly, "That was for breaking up with me and leaving me here to suffer in this hell hole for the last year!" she exclaimed, feeling the pain in her fingers. What she did next, she knew was well in her control, but she did it anyway, as her hand slapped his left cheek, "And that was for making me believe you were DEAD!" she screeched in the quiet of the room.
Harry stared at her disbelievingly. His shell-shocked expression slowly brought some sense back to her furious thoughts and she felt the pain of the sting in her fingers. She wouldn't let him see it though as she clenched her fists. Harry seemed like he daren't move in case she would do that for a third time. He whispered throatily, "And what about for Percy? Aren't you going to slap me because of that? You can kick me in my gut if you'd like…"
His eyes were beginning to tear up, and Ginny wasn't sure if it was because of the loss of Percy, or because of the slaps she'd just given him, but she felt herself break inside. She felt tears springing into her own eyes and she said brokenly, "H…Harry, how could you have let me think you were dead! How? If I had done that to you, you would never have forgiven me and you know it!" Harry wiped the tears that hadn't fallen from his eyes and he whispered gutturally, "Ginny, there's nothing I can do or say that will ever explain how sorry I am for making you think that…but it wasn't like I had a choice! If anyone so much as had an inkling, Voldemort would have known too. And believe it or not I understand what you mean. This whole time I've been away I've been worried sick about you, you can ask Ron and Hermione…"
Ginny said angrily now, "Then why didn't you just take me with you?! It's what I wanted and it's what should have happened." Harry softened his expression then, "You know why." Ginny stalked up to him so that she was in his face, "Didn't do anyone any bloody good, did it?!" She smacked his chest angrily. She had thought the anger had faded by now, but it turned out she was wrong. Harry sighed and then Ginny slapped his chest again because it had felt good before. She did it again and again, taking the last years frustrations out on the person who had caused most of them until she felt tears flowing down her cheeks.
Harry didn't complain, not once. He could have easily moved out of the way or stopped her, but he took them like a man because he knew he deserved them. When all her anger had drained, she just felt the heartache this year had bought her. Ginny felt herself trembling from exhaustion and Harry wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him as she cried her unshed tears into his shirt. She inhaled the smell of him and she whispered resolutely, "You're not leaving me again!"
Ginny glanced up to see Harry smiling down at her, his face still red from the slaps she had given him, "It's a deal!" he said instantly. Ginny nodded, feeling a little unsteady as he took her chin in his fingers and whispered, "I think I should get you to bed." She frowned and whispered hoarsely, "How come you're not falling asleep on your feet?" Harry shrugged and replied, "I'm used to being up late at night. Come on."
He kept his arm around her and Ginny had never felt like she depended on someone so much in life (except maybe in the Chamber). She felt weak and fragile as he helped her up the stairs. Once they got there, he was about to let her go to when she clung to him, "No Harry. You said you wouldn't go anywhere." Ginny was never clingy or needy, but she felt like she had a right to be. She had been separated from Harry for far too long to trust that he wouldn't leave the moment he got the opportunity. She realized it would take her a while to fully trust him again.
He stared at her and whispered, "But then?" He looked at the boys' dormitory because the girls wouldn't have let him in. Ginny nodded desperately, "Please. I need to feel like you're near." Harry still looked uncertain, "What about Ron? He'll surely try to murder me…" Ginny scowled and said menacingly, "I can't believe you still think Ron has any authority on the matter!" she snapped.
Harry smiled slightly before helping her up to his room. When they got there, Harry was the first to collapse on the bed. He didn't even bother to take his shoes off and he held an open arm for Ginny to join him. She smiled weakly and then lay on the bed, Harry's arm rested underneath her head. It was a good way to ensure that he wouldn't be able to move, not without waking her at least.
Once she had curled up to his side, he wrapped the same arm around her shoulder and whispered, "I love you, Ginny. No matter what has happened in the past or what will happen in the future, I will always love you. That never changed." Ginny leant up and kissed his chin where his stubble was growing and she whispered back, "I love you too, Harry." He smiled, his eyes already closed and he was asleep within seconds. Minutes later, Ginny followed suit.
When Ginny fell asleep that night, she had no more nightmares. She was as close to Harry as she could possibly be, given the circumstances. She had lost a lot of friends, and of course that would take some time and a lot of grieving to overcome (if she ever got over it) but the thing that mattered most to her in this world was that, by some miracle, Harry was alive and sleeping next to her in her arms. Most of her family was still alive. Ginny couldn't have asked for more, as she drifted off quite happily into a blissful and dreamless sleep, a small smile etched on her face.
Hey everyone, so there you have it, my last chapter! I feel so sad that it's all come to an end! I can't really believe it actually. I feel a lot sadder than I expected it to feel. Which also makes me smile because it means that there WILL be a sequel for all of you have been requesting one! I don't know how long it will be- it definitely won't be this long, but I want to take my time with it and think it through. I want it to be my own story. I also feel like I will have more creative liberty and freedom which I look forward to in terms of plot. I will post it under a different title- probably Through Ginny's Eyes: After the War (or Part II- not sure yet)
I really can't believe this is over. I always imagined finishing it, and I don't quite feel as satisfied as I might have, considering this is two and a half years worth of writing and many late nights finishing chapters. I just want to say that truly, if it weren't for you guys encouraging me to overcome my writers block (which is a very real thing, I don't think I would have finished it. I can now tick it off my bucket list.
That long gap in writing the story was exactly what I needed. I changed in between and I feel like I can see how much my writing has developed and I am so grateful once again to everyone for the encouragement! I really never thought I would have so many people loving my story and honestly I cannot tell you how many times it has made my day, or how often I check to see if anyone has commented yet. The motivation and encouragement is what got me through! Writing is funny like that. You never think you have something important or different to say. So many doubts get into your mind and I truly nearly felt like giving up. I was so close, but at the last minute I changed my mind, and I did it for you guys. It would have been so easy to let it go and not pick up and leave it where it was, but I felt I owed it to all of you. I want to give a special shout-out to starrya47 and GinnyPotter6891 who were the ones who kept asking for me since day one! Really, if you guys hadn't, I wouldn't have finished, and so I owe it entirely to you! You've been there since day one, and I am truly grateful! I am also sincerely touched and grateful to all those who followed, favourited and even if you reviewed only once. This gave me so, so much confidence to persevere even when I really didn't feel like it.
I also just wanted to say, that when I first posted this story, it's because one of my friends encouraged me to see whether or not people liked my writing- so I want to thank her too. I felt so uncertain of posting something personal online for people to judge, and now I'm not scared of it anymore thanks to all of the general, mostly positive feedback that I have received from everyone. It has given me so much joy writing this story for you, and I can't wait for you to read Through Ginny's Eyes, Part II! I don't know why I chose through Ginny's character to write from, but I think it's because it had to do with her strength, and I was angry with the movies for changing her character so much. I hope I've done her some justice for all of you and for Ginny too.
Anyway, after this chapter being 8 pages long (now 9), sixth year being 143 pages in length, and 94 252 words, I'm feeling extremely proud of this story! I'm going to say peace out and see you all in Part Two! Stay tuned! Lots of love
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