Chapter seven
Ginny almost laughed. "Married? Who makes up these rules?"
Jake opened his eyes as he heard these words. He noticed that the small red haired boy that had been following him around like Jake was a hero for the past two days was sleeping next to him.
Jake jumped out of bed, and ran over to hug his mum, since she was now awake. It still had not registered in his brain what she had said, but rather, just the fact that she was awake.
A hand stopped Jake before he reached the bed, though. "Gently Jake,"
The hand dropped from Jake's shoulder, and Jake went to hug his mum as tight as he could with out fearing to hurt her.
Ginny knew that that out of all the people in the house, she had scared Jake the most when she was hurt. He had seen her get hurt from Justin – Dudley, many times before, and Ginny knew Jake was scared that he would one day become an orphan again. He didn't speak it in so many words, but she could see it, and she was sorry that she had broken the confidence that he never would be again.
She pulled Jake onto the bed, and he climbed up. She wrapped her arm around his small body, and whispered into his ear, "I'm okay Jake, I promise. Harry's my doctor, and he promises too."
Jake looked up into the eyes of his professor. Harry nodded solemnly, watching the two reunite. The Weasleys would soon wake, and then Harry's alone time with Ginny will have ended, for now.
Jake looked to Ginny. "So who do you have to get married to?"
Ginny smiled and hit him lightly on the side his head. "No one. It's just going to me and you for a while alright buddy?"
Jake's face lit up, "Could we see if Luke wants to come back to, since Justy Dusty is gone?"
"We'll see,"
Harry smiled at the child's name for Justin. He glanced over to Ron, who was starting to stir as well. He studied Ginny's face a moment while she was talking to Jake. The love he felt for her was almost unbearable because she didn't know. He had no problem marrying her, that was for sure, but he didn't want to do so just so she could get her magic back either.
Ron was by his side now, talking to Harry, trying to get Harry to get him some breakfast. Harry nodded absentmindedly at the boy, and told him to go get dressed in his room, Ginny's old room.
Harry stood, and said, "Jake, are you hungry?"
The boy shook his head no, even though at the thought of food, his stomach growled.
Ginny smiled and shook her head, as Harry chuckled. "Go on Jake, I'm not going anywhere. Just going to take a short nap, and then you can tell me more about what you and Amy have done at Hogwarts."
Jake reluctantly went to get dressed in Ron's room as well.
"He's a good boy." Ginny said, watching him as he went. Harry wrapped the covers around her body.
"A wonderful student as well," Harry caught her wrist and put a bracelet around it, and clasped it.
"One thing, I loved at the hospital, was two way bracelets between the nurse and patient, just in case something was wrong. I never understood why the company never sold them to the public; they'd have made a fortune during the War."
"You press this button, and it calls mine," Harry held up his wrist. This light on mine tells me if you're awake or asleep. This one," he pointed to a light that was frantically blinking, "Oh Ginny, why didn't you say something? I knew I was forgetting something!" He pulled out a bottle and then went over to her glass and poured some of it in. As he told her to drink it, he finished, "This light tells me if you're in pain."
Ginny nodded and drank the foul potion. "I've felt worse, Harry, nothing to worry about."
The last thing she saw before she realized Harry had slipped a bit of dreamless sleeping potion in as well was his concerned face, with one tear rolling down his cheek.
"Ginny? You awake? I need to talk to you if you are."
Harry padded over to the bed, where Jake was curled up into her side. It was late. Ginny could tell, as she knew that Jake had been next to her for a few hours. "Yes, Harry," she said softly into the darkness, "I'm awake."
Something was deeply troubling Harry. She could tell by the way his voice had wavered when he was calling out to her. "What is it Harry?"
"I – I, bugger, its nothing Maybe I should wait till morning. Do you need anything?"
"Nonsense, Harry. I'd love a cup of hot coco, and we can discuss whatever it is that is on your mind. It's obviously something."
Harry nodded, and helped Ginny, wrapped up in a comforter, down the stairs and into the kitchen. When they were both settle next to each other, Harry began, not able to look at her. But like in his earlier years, he troubles just seems to pour out.
"Ginny, when you were the one on the floor, Merlin, I thought I'd explode with anger. I haven't felt that anger since Ron and Hermione died. And now, look at you. For cripe's sake, I made you a widow because of that anger! I killed my own cousin even. I killed my last living relative." Harry rambled on and on, never looking at her. Ginny sat, fingering her cup, taking a sip now and then.
Harry was crying, but he plunged on. Ginny knew that he hadn't done this since before the final battle. He just needed her to listen. To know that she was there was all that he wanted. As much as he refused to say so himself, she knew that he loved her. It would take him a while to realize she would not be going anywhere again, but he would do it, eventually.
He took a deep breath. "Ginny, I don't know what your plan is. I don't know if you'll leave as soon as your better. I don't know if your scared of me for some reason anymore. All I want to ask you tonight is, what do you want Jake to know? He still has no idea you are the missing Weasley. None. You can have it that way, if you want."
Harry didn't even wait for an answer, but continued to ramble on. Ginny touched his shoulder. "Harry, oh Harry. Is that what this about? You think I'm going to leave again?"
Harry rounded on her. "You did once before, didn't you? Left, and wouldn't even owl me." He snapped.
For the first time, since he had started, she saw his face.
Mixed behind the tears, the anger, the hurt, was the face of a young boy. The boy was waiting for her to leave again. He thought that he'd never be worthy of her. It was the face of a boy who had never had a real family. And in that moment, he looked like….
Jake.
She did the only thing she knew to do.
She set down her hot coco on the table next to her, and pulled him into a big hug.
Harry's head landed on her chest. He shuttered at the smell of her sweet scent. He involuntary closed his eyes, and just breathed the smell of her in. She wrapped both arms around him, her fingernails running up and down his spine. "Just relax Harry, its going to be okay. I'm not leaving."
Harry wanted to run and never look back, but at the same time, didn't want to move from her embrace for a good long time. His feet voted with the later idea. They wouldn't steer his body anywhere.
Ginny sighed, as Harry's breathing became regular. He was getting sleepy. "Harry, turn over love," she whisper.
He turned over, so his head was in her lap now. She slid down a little bit on the couch to get a more comfortable position. Her mother was going to scream when she got up, but right at that moment, Ginny didn't care.
She thought a little while on what exactly she was going to tell Jake. Finally, she decided to tell him, not only because he would feel betrayed if she didn't, but because maybe then Harry would she that she wasn't going to run.
I want my magic back, sure. But I want Harry back even more.
The next few weeks came and went in a blur for Ginny. Christmas came and went. The Weasleys were overjoyed that she was in fact alive. Jake returned to school. Her mother had to work, as she was now a part time mediwitch as well, her father still worked in the Ministry of Magic, Fred and George went back to working in their shop. The only ones who didn't leave during the day, was Harry, and little Ron.
Harry told her that he had a substitute for another week, and if she wasn't completely better by then, which he was sure that she would be, she would be staying in the Hospital Wing, no argument.
She was feeling better then before, and would have jumped for joy the first day that Harry said that she could try walking to the bathroom, even though he would be right there.
She had made it, just barely. She hadn't wanted to try it again in a few hours, but Harry insisted that she try. If she couldn't make it, he would be right there to help her.
Her recovery felt like it took years. She spent the time playing small games with Ron, who delighted to have a new Aunt that paid so much attention to him.
Harry moved her to solid food, and she thanked Merlin, because as he had predicted, she had lost weigh on his food supply. Her mother had assured her it was necessary because of the blows to her stomach, but she still hated not being able to eat when she wanted.
Finally however, a few days before Harry was due to return to Hogwarts, (he was going back the first of February) he came in to say that she could now get up and move around as she pleased. However, she would not be going home, nor staying at the Burrow. "I need to be close to you, just in case anything should happen," he explained. "How would you like to stay at Hogwarts?"
Ginny eyes filled with tears. "I – I don't know. I don't know if I could handle it because everything is magical, and I can't do magic anymore."
Harry sighed. "That would be hard for me too. But Ginny, what made you a strong witch was because you as a person were strong. I believe if you wanted to, you'd adjust to it.'
Ginny nodded. "But what would I do?"
"Well, you have two choices." He looked away a moment. "I'm not sure you'll like them though."
"Anything is better then being stuck in a bed for a month. I still don't see why you couldn't just heal my bones and everything with a couple of potions."
"Because of how bad you were hurt," he explained for the hundredth time.
"So I'm told, so I'm told"
"The first one is that you can stay in the Hospital Wing. Maybe help some of the patients in there, but remember you'd also be a patient yourself."
Ginny shook her head. "I already like the second idea better. I'll take it."
"Alright then. It's settled. Your things will be moved into my tower by tonight. I am afraid however; I will not give up my king sized bed so another bed can fit, when you could fit in the nice comfy bed I already have in there. No argument. I will not put in a second bed. It'll be fun to have an assistant professor though. We can do much more spell practice if you'll help teach the movements of the wand.
Ginny's heart jumped to her throat. Did she know this man? Five years ago, Harry would have refused to sleep in the same bed as her, even with clothes. Now he was leaving her no choice? She felt a little betrayed that he took for granted her feelings on the subject. How was her heart going to manage sleeping with Harry Potter?
Harry sure was trying his hardest to keep her away still. But why? After that night they had shared on the couch, and the awkward morning, she was confused with everything he did around her.
Yet, she knew in her heart that he loved her. He was still afraid though. That was the only explanation. Of what, she wasn't sure yet. But she had vowed that she would not give up on him. Not after she knew he knew that she gave up his magic for him to save the world.
She remembered that night many times. He had never been granted a childhood. He had never had love. Was that why he was so scared? It seemed to be so to her.
She knew one thing. She had to break that barrio before it consumed his whole heart. And she would do it, or die trying.
And the other thing she had to do? She had to explain everything to Jake. She knew he was bursting with questions. She knew Harry had asked him to wait until she was better to ask her questions, so she didn't get too "tired"
Merlin, she loved those two. They even looked alike, strange as it was. She was sure even Harry had noticed that. But alas, there was no real secret. They were just look a likes, she thought with a smile.