Disclaimer: I only own the plot. Everything else belongs to JKR and the songs lyrics are from The Frays' song, All At Once.
Breaking Point
Chapter 4
All At Once
There are certain people you just keep coming back to
She is right in front of you
You begin to wonder could you find a better one
Compared to her now she's in question
And all at once the crowd begins to sing
Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same
It seemed impossible, really. For them to meet again in such awkward stages of healing was complete irony.
It had been months since the last time Harry had seen her at the Ministry gala. The weather, once wet and cold, had turned into a glorious spring. A season of new beginnings. The prospect of their separate lives entangling once again seemed impossible. And yet, she was in his every waking thought. It felt as though he were putting together a jigsaw puzzle, which was almost complete; he only needed the last piece. And he knew where it was, he just lacked the knowledge of how to reach it.
In the past such beautiful weather would have taunted his sour mood. Every sparrow's call, every newly blossoming bud would tear at his already damaged heart. How could the world be so full of life, so sweet, when Harry felt nothing but bitterness?
Today however, was different. Sitting in the crook of a tree's enormous roots by the river, he felt pleasantly at ease. The weight, which had been dragging him down these past few years, had lifted. His chest felt lighter, and if not completely free of the ever-pressing weight, he felt that the barriers he'd built around himself were beginning to crumble. Now, they were no more than a broken down wall. And even though he sorely denied it, it was all because of his unexpected glimpse of a certain redhead. Sure enough, it had shocked him at first, but ever since then, something inside him seemed to have taken root. No matter how hard he tried to squash this budding thought, he couldn't. It had gotten its first nurturing ray of sunlight and that was all it needed. A new beginning.
Maybe you want her maybe you need her
Maybe you started to compare to someone not there
Looking for the right one you line up the world to find
Where no questions cross your mind
But she won't keep on waiting for you without a doubt
Much longer for you to sort it out
He knew he really ought to get going, it was late. The last fading rays of sunlight were now partially obscured by the trees branches, throwing a dappled effect across the grassy ground. He had spent most of the day there, taken refuge in the trees wooden arms. It was a secluded spot and that was one of the reasons he had chosen to frequent it so often. Throughout the day he had dozed peacefully. Dreams filled with memories of times when the world wasn't so dark. When awake, he sat silently, thinking. Not of anything in particular, he just let his mind roam freely. Over the past few weeks of coming here, he seemed to finally be pulling his life back together again. Slowly, but surely, breaking through the barriers he had grown to know so well.
Harry was about to leave his peaceful hideaway by the river, when something stopped him. He could have sworn he'd just seen a glimpse of shimmering red hair and he felt his heart skip a beat.
A little further on, past the river was a low, dilapidated wall. It's rough edges and sharp corners had been worn smooth over time. And it was there that Ginny sat. Her back was leaning against the wall and a look of contentment fell across her face, as she looked up at the great expanse of sunlit sky above. One hand was resting in her lap, the other on the ground beside her, twisting a blade of grass around her finger.
Her whole form seemed to glow in the faint rays of sunlight filtering through the clouds. The sky, now a brilliant crimson sunset, matched her vividly red hair.
Harry found himself turning towards her, as if to walk over there. The thought quickly passed though, and he regained his senses, mentally cursing himself for forgetting the current circumstances. He didn't love her. He didn't need her. And yet…
Sometimes
We'd never know what's wrong without the pain
Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same
Sometimes you're closer to your breaking point than you think.
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A/N: This was a filler chapter but trust me, there is much more to come! Right now I plan to have 10 chapters, but that could change. In the next chapter, the story will really get going… Personally I'm still not too happy with this chapter. I don't think it's up to my usual standard. What do you think?
Coming Up: Harry is nearing his breaking point and Ginny is not far off. But what happens when they finally come face to face? And as their lives converge Ginny wonders if it really is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to her past relationship with Harry.
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