Chapter 6- Well, if it isn't Damien?

Ginny lay in bed an hour later, the uneasy feeling still present. She looked at her watch and found it to be almost midnight. Ginny sat up, grabbed her stake and tiptoed over to Dawn, careful not to wake Hermione.

"Dawn," she whispered, poking and prodding.

"Gin? What's wrong?" Dawn asked sleepily.

"I'm going out to patrol I've got that uneasy feeling again,"

"Okay do you want me to come with?"

"No, I just wanted to let you know, go back to sleep."

Ginny made her way out of the room and down the stairs, careful to skip the creaky step. She shut the door as quietly as she could and walked around the property, heading towards the pond. Near the pond was a small wooded area, that frightened her as a child. Ginny sat down near the pond and listened to the sounds of the night. She heard a figure approaching her and could sense it was a vampire. She made sure her stake was within reach and waited until he got closer, prepared to fight him.

What she wasn't prepared for, was the voice that spoke. "Why if it isn't little Ginevra all grown up."

She turned, startled and stared at the dark haired man before her.

"Why if it isn't Damien, just as devilishly handsome and evil as the last time I saw him," she retorted.

"The last time I saw you, you were eight years old. You had wandered into the woods, naive and scared and I let you escape, out of the kindness of my heart," he said inching closer to her.

They were extremely close now and Ginny began to feel a little twinge of nervousness.

"You don't have a heart, remember?" she said.

"Ah, yes how could I forget? Good thing too, because this time I'm not letting you escape," he said and lowered his face to her neck. She moved out of the way and took a defensive stance, ready to fight him.

"Oh you think you can fight me?"

"Yeah pretty much,"

He lunged at her and she lifted her leg and kicked him backward with as much force as she could gather. They fought for what seemed like forever, until Ginny finally gained the upper hand, and kicked him to the ground. She pulled her stake out and held it to his throat.

"You've got ten seconds to get out of my sight. You let me escape once and I'll do the same for you. We meet again and I will kill you. Go now."

She watched as he scampered away, muttering curse words to himself. Ginny examined herself for cuts and bruises and found a cut across her cheek which was dripping blood, a large slash along her stomach and a few bruises on her arms and legs, other than that, Ginny came out of the fight with no other injuries. Ginny opened the door to the kitchen silently and made her way to the sink. She grabbed a washcloth and started to clean herself up. She took off her shirt to examine the cut on her stomach, when she heard something move. She whipped around and took out her stake to find Harry standing at the entrance to the kitchen staring at her. His eyes widened and he started to turn around.

"Harry wait, I'm sorry I didn't mean to embarrass you, I'll put my shirt back on just a minute," she slipped her shirt back on and hurriedly hid her stake.

"Sorry about that Gin, I didn't mean to walk in on you like that," he said. He went over next to her by the sink and poured himself a glass of water.

"What are you doing up so late Harry?"

"Oh you know I couldn't sleep, bad dreams," he mumbled.

"I still have them sometimes too about last year," Ginny said.

"What did you do to your face?" He asked and reached his hand to touch her cheek.

"I err.. ran into a tree branch.. because I was walking and I didn't see it and it hit me.. and well.. you know," Ginny tried to explain desperately.

"And the other bruises? Look Ginny, I know something's going on with you. Ron and Hermione haven't noticed yet, but I can tell. There's something different about you, and if you ever need to talk about it I'm here," Harry said sincerely.

"Why Harry you've grown up," she said trying to lighten his serious mood. "Thanks for the offer, and the same goes for you. Something happened after the Department of Mysteries, something other than Sirius. I guess we both have our own secrets don't we? Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's my fault so many people are dead." Harry began in a melancholy tone. "My fault Sirius went after me. I haven't told anyone this yet, not even Ron or Hermione, but I know the prophecy. Dumbledore had the memory in his pensieve, and I saw it that night. I have to kill him, no one else, just me." Harry repeated the prophecy word for word, fighting to not cry. "What are we fighting for? What's the point?"

Ginny took his hand in hers and looked up at him in the eyes. "We're fighting for peace, Harry. None of this is your fault, if it wasn't you it would have been someone else. Don't ever think it's your fault. You may be the one that has to kill him in the end, but you sure as hell better believe you won't be alone. So many people are standing by your side Harry. Don't forget that, and don't push them away, it'll just hurt everyone in the end."

"You don't understand what it's like to not have a choice. To be bound by fate."

"I understand better than you think Harry, and maybe someday I'll tell you why. We're fighting to live, don't you understand that?" Harry turned his head to the side and Ginny lifted her hand to his cheek and turned his face so that they were looking at each other directly. "A friend of mine told me, 'You may not have a choice in your destiny, but you are able to choose how you want to live while you're fulfilling your destiny.' You've got a choice Harry. You can brood and feel sorry for yourself because you're the chosen one to kill Voldemort, push everyone away and live in constant fear of being the cause of death for those around you. Or you can face up to what you have to do and do it, with the help of those who love you." Ginny lifted her thumb to wipe a stray tear that had fallen down Harry's cheek. She dropped her hand from his cheek and gave his other hand a squeeze. "So what's it going to be?"

"You're absolutely right Gin, thanks."

"Anytime Harry, after all what else am I good for besides running into things."

Harry gave a small smile. "So, tomorrow night your turn to reveal your secret, although I'm sure you won't cry like I did,"

"Deal. And if it makes you feel any better those were the manliest tears I've ever seen." This earned her a laugh. "It's okay to cry, you know."

"Now if you'll excuse me I best go get some shuteye, mum said that Bill and Charlie are coming tomorrow evening and I'm going to need my energy." Ginny said. "Harry, your parents and Sirius would be proud of you." Ginny gave Harry a hug and they stayed in that position for a few minutes. Ginny pulled away and looked at Harry. "Good night," she whispered. She began to walk out of the kitchen then turned around and said. "Don't let the nargles bite."

As Ginny walked out of the kitchen Harry chuckled. It was then that he realized he had fallen for the youngest Weasley, he had fallen hard.

Molly Weasley watched as her daughter talked with Harry. She smiled and wiped a tear from her hiding place in the living room and went back upstairs to bed.

Ginny woke up the next morning to an empty room. She went to the bathroom, took a shower, and threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She opened the bathroom door to find Harry standing there in his pajama pants.

"I take it you just woke up as well then?" she asked looking at him.

"Yep," he said yawning.

"Well now we're even, Mr. Potter, we've both seen each other with our shirts off. Although I must say I like it when I'm at this end of the spectrum much better. I'll wait for you and we can go down to breakfast- or lunch together." She smirked as he blushed and moved out of his way.

Five minutes later Harry came out of the bathroom and the two came downstairs to find Hermione reading and Ron and Dawn playing a game of wizard's chess.

"Good morning sleeping beauty or should I say beauties?" Hermione said not looking up from her book.

"I can't believe you two slept this late. Maybe we should just put you in the same room, you wake up at the same time anyways," Ron blushed as he thought about what he said. "No scratch that idea, pretend I never said anything."

"You should've seen her back in Sunnydale," Dawn said moving her piece. "I used to have to pour water over her head on some mornings."

"Hey!" Ginny exclaimed. "That was only after nights of extreme physical exertion."

Harry burst into laughter at what she said and Ginny turned red as she realized what he was thinking.

"Harry you prat," she said and slapped him. "That's not what I meant."

"You know it's a good thing everyone else is too busy to have heard that. I think Ron would've blown a gasket." Harry said still chuckling to himself.

"I can't believe you just beat me," Ron screamed bewildered "I can't believe she just beat me. No one beats me at Wizard's chess. No one, not even Hermione."

"Well someone had to eventually Ronald," said Hermione from her chair.

Ginny sensing a fight said quickly, "Harry I'm starved why don't we go into the kitchen and grab something to eat? Dawn you should come with."

Sure enough, as soon as the three had stepped into the kitchen, Ron and Hermione had began to argue.

"We need to figure out a way to get them together. And quickly or I think I'll go insane."

"I think we should give them one more week and if that doesn't work, I think I have a plan." Dawn smiled and sat down to tell Ginny and Harry what she had in mind.

Dinner that night was spectacular as usual and Dawn soon was like another member of the family. The eight Weasley's plus three were all in the living room. The sun had set and the entire group was talking and laughing, the twins pulling pranks left and right. Ginny had the same uneasy feeling in her stomach and went upstairs to use the loo. What she heard while she was upstairs chilled her to the bone.