Harry Potter was sitting in a strait-backed chair that faced his friend Ginny Weasley. A stack of Auror permission sheets awaiting his signature were scattered across his lap.
"Well Gin," he sighed, crinkling the parchment. "I think it's time for me to head off."
He looked up at Ginny as if expecting to see her respond. Her beautiful face was covered with a magical breathing mask, and her body was hidden under a thick white blanket. It almost looked as if she hadn't grown at all in the past three years. Harry was the opposite.
Though he was never going to be as tall as Ron, Harry was just above average. One would definitely say he wasn't the scrawny fifth year at Hogwarts anymore. With his jet-black hair and Emerald green eyes, Harry Potter was considered good-looking. The one and only problem with the wizarding world's hero was that he was taken.
Yes, Harry James Potter was engaged, and not to who most people thought he would be. It had all happened two years earlier . . .
XoxoxoxoxoX
"Harry mate, you can't go on like this." Ron slid into the bar chair beside Harry who, once again, was indulging in an enormous amount of fire whiskey at a dance club..
Harry just turned to face Ron, his face hazzard. "I can do whatever I please." His words were slurred slightly from the alcohol, but his tone firm.
Grabbing the glass from his best friend, Ron nearly shouted,"Take a look at yourself, Harry! You haven't had a social life with anyone in a year! Not a single word to your friends or family!"
The raven-haired man glared darkly at Ron."Ginny was my family Ron. Now I have none."
With an exasperated sigh, Ron grasped Harry's shoulders and gave him a little shake. "Would you stop it? We all know you loved Ginny, but that's no reason to give up on your friends! Hermione, mum, all of us are worried about you."
For once, Harry looked into Ron's eyes. They were shiny with unshed tears. "I know Ron . . . I just really miss her. It's so hard to go and see her, to know I can't do anything to help."
"But you can help. Harry, do you think this is what Ginny would have wanted if she wasn't in a coma? No! She would want you to be living the best that you can, even if that means you moving on."
"I reckon," Harry said softly. "I reckon you're probably right."
Ron smiled at Harry, happy he was finally seeing the light. "I know I'm right."
"Excuse me, but would you like to dance?" Harry and Ron turned to see a very pretty woman who was smiling cheerfully.
"I, er . . ." Harry looked at Ron, who was raising his eyebrows suggestively.
Ginny would have wanted you to move on . . .
The words rang in his head, over and over until he nodded, taking the blonde witch's hand. They danced for a while, Harry trying to ignore the urge to run off. However, as the night and a few conversations went on, Harry found he actually liked this new woman who he had found was named Alexandra Domini.
It was only when Harry realized how late it was, that he decided it was time to leave. "Hey, thanks for getting me to dance with you. I've been going through tough times."
The witch grinned, "It was no problem. I'm glad to have been help to Mr. Potter."
"Next time I see you, I'll be Harry, okay?"
"Should I take that as an invitation?"
Ginny would have wanted you to move on . . .
"Yes."
XoxoxoxoxoX
Harry shook his head, his engagement ring glinting the light. "I'll see you tomorrow Gin, I still have some, ah, business to take care of."
Ever since Harry had started to date Alexandra, nicknamed Alex, Harry was careful not to mention her to Ginny. It was only because in the way back of his mind, where he kept all his memories of her, he felt he was cheating.
Making sure that Ginny's room was clean, he apparatted home to his flat for some well intentioned time with his fiancee.
Hermione opened her eyes in the dark to see Ron still sleeping soundly beside her. She watched him, mildly interested in the way her husband looked when he was sleeping. Or rather pretending to sleep. It was only a few minutes before Ron had his arm around her shoulders. He smiled lovingly, playing with her hair as the two lay together, staring up at the ceiling.
"Ron," Hermione asked, turning on the light. "What do you think about Alex?"
Ron turned to face Hermione, his eyebrows knitting. "Harry's fiancee?"
Hermione sighed softly. "Yes. I mean, she's certainly likable being pretty, honest, and hopelessly clumsy. She just . . . she's just-"
"She's just not Ginny," Ron finished for her, his loving smile gone. "I know. I sometimes wonder if she's just putting up a show for us, pretending to be the cute little wife for Harry. I've been feeling a little uncomfortable around her for a while. To be honest, the only reason I pretend to like her is, well, for Harry's sake. Why?"
Hermione looked at her hands, shifting under the covers. "I was at the hospital yesterday checking up on Ginny. You know, putting new flowers in the vase, changing her clothes, etcetera. Anyway, as I was walking out, Ginny's nurse contacted me saying a blonde woman had come asking for the papers to cut off Ginny's lifeline."
Ron sat up in bed, his eyes wide. "WHAT!"
Nodding, Hermione continued. "Obviously it had to be Alexandra. The good news is that Harry has to sign it for the papers to be legal."
"Wait . . . Why Harry? Wouldn't it be us?"
"No. At the time Harry was Ginny's girlfriend, remember? He was there practically every day for eight months. I suppose during one of those days he was put on the document."
Ron closed his eyes, leaning his chin on his wrist. "I hope he doesn't sign that thing."
"To be honest with you, I kind of hope he does. I mean, think about it. If Ginny ever wakes up, for her, it will be as if no time had passed. She would still be in love with Harry. Not to mention she'll have the personality of an eighteen year old, even if she was physically twenty one."
Ron raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"Put it this way Ron. How do you think you'd feel if you woke up to see me married to another man?"
"I would rather have never woken up."
"Exactly. That's why I think she would be better off if we pulled the plug." Hermione leaned back against her pillows sighing once again. "Lets be ready to get a letter from Harry in the morning. I'm sure that woman is talking to him right about now."
Smiling slightly, Ron leaned over Hermione to turn out the light. "Is it all woman who wait to have conversations with their men at midnight? Or is it just you two?"
"Just us." Hermione snuggled up against her husband, a weight having been lifted from her shoulders.
Good Luck Harry.
XoxoxoxoxoX
Harry walked from the kitchen with two glasses of water. Alex, his fiancee, was sitting on the bed, waiting for him patently.
"Here you go," Harry climbed back onto the comforter, handing Alex the glass of water. "Now then . . . What was it you wanted to talk about?"
Alex smiled lightly, reaching into a drawer and pulling out a stack of papers. She ignored Harry's questioning look, and started out her well-planned speech.
"Harry, you go at least once a week to St. Mungos to visit an old girlfriend when you could be spending the time with me."
"Alex, you know why I do. Ginny was a big part of me during the war. Besides, she's Ron's little sister. It's what friends do, y'know?"
"Well, lately it seems as though she's been a bigger part in you then I am." Alex smiled innocently. She knew what her husband was going to say.
"Oh Alex. You mean a lot to me. If you didn't then I wouldn't be marrying you."
"I mean a lot to you? Then prove it." Alex handed the papers to Harry, crossing her arms. She had won and she knew it.
Harry's eyes read the first line and his jaw dropped. "Wha? This is . . . Ginny . . . what?"
"Oh darling just sign the papers. It won't make a big impact on your life. She's just a vegetable, remember?"
A part of Harry wanted to wring Alex's neck for saying such a thing about Ginny. He held himself back. "Actually, the doctors said she had a chance of waking up."
"So? It's not like you love her anymore."
Harry frowned slightly. Did he love Ginny anymore? No, he didn't. After all, he loved Alex, right?
"I'll . . . I'll think about it." Harry slid the papers under the mattress, his mind still on Ginny.
He hardly responded to his fiancee when she kissed him, or notice that the lights were out once again.
XoxoxoxoxoX
"Harry? You awake man?"
Harry jumped at the sound of his boss's voice as Remus Lupin sat down beside him, ruffling his young worker's hair.
"It's not like you to be falling asleep at work Harry. What's up?"
Harry blinked, pointing to the papers on the desk. Shrugging, Remus snatched the packet and read, clearing his throat when he finished.
"Ah. That's why." Remus looked at Harry thoughtfully. "So. What do you have in mind?"
"I don't know Remus. I was up all night thinking about it, worrying about it. I-I think I've made my choice now. "
"Then do it Harry. Just be back at work tomorrow in good condition. Can't have my top Auror sleeping on the job now, can I?"
Harry smirked as Remus left his office. After about an hour of paperwork, he snapped his briefcase shut and stood up, apparatting to the hospital.
When he reached the familiar hallway that led to Ginny's room, Harry slowed down. The papers were clutched tightly in his hand as he made his way to Ginny's bedside. Sitting down in the chair beside her, Harry looked at her beautiful face.
The face that had smiled and laughed with him. The face that had cried and smirked with him. The face that he'd kissed multiple times as a teenager. The face that he was going to say goodbye to.
"Hi Ginny. It-its me. Harry. Look, all this time that I've been visiting you- I haven't told you about something . . . or really someone. Her name is Alexandra. I met her about two years agoin a dance club."
Harry licked his lips, continuing. "She sometimes reminds me of you Gin. I think if you were here you would really like her. She's really helped me too. Helped me to move on. I-I think I love her Ginny."
Ignored the stinging in his eyes as he took a shuddering breath. "I'm going to marry her too, see?"
He held out his hand, flashing a golden wedding band that shone from his finger. "It's weird being engaged to someone Gin. Especially since we had conversations about ourselves marrying. Y'know sometimes I have dreams about us. Dreams where we had snowball fights, did homework, or just talked together. And I wake up wondering where you are so we can laugh about it. And then I remember."
Harry whipped his nose, his vision blurring. "It really is my fault you're here, no matter how many people say it was malfoy's. I'm really sorry Gin. If I hadn't made you go to the burrow, you would probably still be okay. But the thing is, I can't turn back time. Alex, she helped me learn that."
He stood up, his voice still shaky. "You-you know you'll always be apart of me Ginny. Always, no matter what happens. You were my first love, no one can take that position away from you. G-goodbye Ginny."
Harry leaned down, hesitating as his face stopped inches before his destination. When his lips finally reached her's he couldn't help but feel the old familiar fluttering in his heart.
Straightening, he left the signed papers on Ginny's bedside table, leaving Ginny behind forever . . . or so he thought.
XoxoxoxoxoX
Jenna enjoyed taking after Ginny. She had become quite attached to the girl after three years of looking upon the Ginny's face.
One could only imagine how sad she was when she came across The paper's with the famous Harry Potter's signature on them all. The old mediwitch sighed sadly as she filed the papers and leaned over Ginny Weasley's face.
"This would be a wonderful time to wake up dear," she said half joking, half seriously. The poor old witch never expected to see one brown eye appear from under the brilliant red hair.