A/N: What a fast update! The title of this chapter, Hear Me, is the title of a lovely song which is sung by Kelly Clarkson. I highly recommend it and suggest that you listen to it while reading this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything; Harry Potter belongs to JKR, and the song Hear Me belongs to Kelly Clarkson.

Chapter 6: Hear Me

Ginny headed back to the long, white table amidst the dying applause and was greeted with a huge hug from Hermione.

"That was wonderful Ginny, you were amazing!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah Ginny, it was bloody fantastic," Ron added, clapping her on the shoulder. It was a mark of how distracted Hermione was with Ginny's performance that she failed to reprimand Ron for his language.

"Thanks guys, but really, it was nothing…" Ginny protested.

"Nothing?!" Ron exclaimed. "Are you crazy, you could practically go pro!"

"Ron, really…" Ginny cried.

"He's right you know," a quiet voice said. Ginny turned to see Harry across the table from her, a smile playing across his lips. "You really were excellent."

Ginny felt her face grow warm from her trademark Weasley blush and she merely nodded in response. Inside, Ginny was moaning in embarrassment. The one time that Harry actually willingly spoke to her during his entire stay, and she was too nervous to even say anything!

"Oh listen, the band is starting a new song!" Hermione exclaimed. Ginny quickly turned away from Harry and looked towards the band, which had started to perform a much more fun, upbeat song.

"Oh, this is one of my favorites," Hermione said. Glancing knowingly at Ginny and then at Harry, Hermione turned to Ron and asked, "Dance with me?"

"Wh-What?" Ron said at first, his expression completely bewildered. Then, he seemed to regain his composure and changed his response. "I – I mean yeah – yes, yes, Hermione, let's dance."

He awkwardly held out his hand for her and Hermione took it excitedly; letting a red-eared Ron lead her onto the dance floor where other couples had already begun to dance. Ginny smiled as she watched them go, and then turned back to Harry. He was smiling too, but when he noticed Ginny's diverted attention, he hastily grabbed the nearest drink and took a sip. Ginny took a deep breath and steeled herself; it was now or never.

"Harry, could I talk to you about something?" Ginny asked.

"Look, Ginny," Harry hesitated, lowering his drink. "If this is about what happened at Dumbledore's funeral, then –"

"You better believe it's about what happened at the funeral," Ginny shot back, making Harry jump. She fixed him with a steely glare for a moment before softening her expression and continuing. "Harry, I never really got a chance to talk to you about all this. I mean, when you first sprung it on me I just blurted out the first thoughts that came to mind. Not that I don't still stand by what I said, but you had so much more time to think about what you were going to say. Well, now I've thought through everything and I have something to say about it – about us. I wanted to tell you that I respect your decision Harry – I can even sympathize with it and understand where you're coming from. In some ways, I'm flattered that you care about me so much that you're willing to sacrifice our relationship to keep me safe."

Here Harry's worried expression lessened and he gave her a sheepish smile.

"But that does not mean that I agree with your decision. Respecting a decision and agreeing with it are two very different things," she said harshly. "Harry, you don't have to give me up. You don't have to sacrifice what we have just because of the war. Don't you think I'm in danger whether I'm with you or not? Harry-"

"That's right, you're already in enough danger as it is and I'm not going to risk your safety so that you can be with me," Harry interrupted. "We just have to go back to being friends, that's all. Just friends. Then, when school starts you'll head off to Hogwarts and I'll…"

Harry trailed off, realizing he had said too much. Ginny wasn't going to let him off that easy, though.

"Harry, what are you talking about?" she asked. "Are – are you not coming back to Hogwarts next year?"

"Ginny, I told you," Harry said, "I have things that I need to do on my own now. I can't go back to school now – not until Voldemort is gone."

"But, you can't just go running after You-Know-Who all by yourself!" Ginny exclaimed. "Do you even know how you're going to… what you're going to…?"

"Yeah, Ginny it's all taken care of," Harry replied. "Ron, Hermione, and I know-"

"Wait, you, Ron, and Hermione?" Ginny said. "Ron and Hermione are going with you?"

"Well…" Harry mumbled.

"Oh, Harry, let me come with you too!" Ginny pleaded. "I want to help you, I could really-"

"No, absolutely not," Harry said, his voice suddenly very stern. "You can't come with us Ginny, it's too dangerous. I'm too dangerous."

"Oh, I see," Ginny snapped. "But I suppose that it's not too dangerous for Ron and Hermione then, yeah?"

"No – Ginny," Harry begged, but Ginny was already out of her seat, standing in front of him.

"Its fine Harry, I understand perfectly," she said, her voice quieter now. It looked almost as if she had admitted defeat, and she supposed that now would be the right time for her to surrender. But Ginny just couldn't let go of that one last thread of hope – her hope that Harry would somehow see things her way.

"Be safe while you're gone, and try to keep in touch," she whispered, and with that she spun on her heel and headed towards the outside flaps of the tent.

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Once she was outside, Ginny ran to the nearest tree and collapsed under it. That had not gone as nearly as well as she had hoped. Harry was supposed to at least consider looking at her view of the situation; she had certainly done him that same courtesy. But no, the narrow-minded, stupid and noble prat could only see things one way. And Ginny had not expected to learn that Harry, Ron and Hermione were all planning on some grand "Defeat-You-Know-Who" adventure that she was not being included in. How was she supposed to react to news like that?

After a few minutes of well-earned tears, Ginny leaned back against the tree and looked up at the stars. Her one thread of hope was still holding on and it was glowing as bright as ever. Ginny sighed and felt momentarily disgusted with herself. Here she was, going on sixteen years old, and she was still pining over Harry Potter. Well, she reasoned, at least this time around I know that he actually returns my feelings. He just needs to be persuaded… I just have to express myself differently…. Suddenly, the solution to her problem hit Ginny with as much force as a rogue bludger. She quickly got up and raced into her house, leaping up the stairs and bounding into her bedroom. There it was, right on her nightstand where she had left it; her song journal. She grabbed it and ran from the room, headed for the wedding reception. Nerves and uneasy stomachs be damned – she was pulling out all the stops to make Harry realize the truth… she just hoped that it would work.

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A/N: Yes, chapter six! The next chapter, which will arguably be the best one, also happens to be the last one. It's sad, I know, but I think that I'll be able to finish this story before Deathly Hallows come out! So, what did you think? Leave a review and let me know!