Written for The Quidditch League: Round 1: What is There to Believe In?

Team: Appleby Arrows

Position: Beater 1: The ladder – Write about falling out of love.

Prompts:

[colour] green

The first thing she fell in love with was his green eyes.

They shone like emeralds, beautiful and precious. She liked his eyes when they were like that. It meant he was happy. Those times usually didn't last long.

Most of the time, his eyes were dark. Playing the hero took a toll on him, she knew that now. Back then, when he saved her in that dark, damp chamber from a monster wanting to be human, she didn't know the cost of being a hero. She didn't know of the high expectations set for him, nor the trauma he had to endure.

What hurt most though, was watching Harry lose that light in his eyes because of her.

Ginny loved Harry with all her heart but she was wiser now. She knew she couldn't, wouldn't keep him. His eyes that once shone bright green when he set his eyes on her, now seemed fake, like he was forcing himself to be happy to see her.

It wasn't her fault, she reasoned, a week after she had that realization. Harry needed something different. She could love him with all she had and try to support him as much as possible, but she couldn't give him what he needed. What that was, she had a clue but she wouldn't say anything. Yet.

Despite her revelation, their relationship continued on. Ginny was still a bit selfish, afterall. She wanted to keep him for just a bit longer, but it became harder and harder each day as his eyes turned a dull green the longer they were together.

It hurt, in so many ways, that she was causing that and it was with a heavy heart that Ginny sat him down to talk.

"Is something wrong?" her boyfriend asked as they settled in their seats at the table in their kitchen with a cup of tea.

They had moved in together a while ago. Ginny was so happy when he asked her, but now, that memory was bittersweet. Now, it was just that. A memory of when they were actually in love and happy with each other.

Ginny didn't speak at first, opting to take a sip of her tea. What could she even say? Did she ask why he couldn't love her? Ask who he was pining after? Maybe she should ask why they couldn't work it because she knew no matter what, that their relationship would end today.

"Did you ever love me?"

It took a moment before Ginny realized what she even said. It was the shock in Harry's green eyes that told her she had spoken. No matter what he said or what his face looked like, his eyes were still a window to her, letting her see what he really thought.

"What? Of course!" Harry immediately protested, setting down his own cup of tea.

"Then why don't you love me anymore?"

"I do love you! Really! What's gotten into you?"

"Do you? Then why do you always look at them like that?"

Of course she noticed the way Harry's eyes lingered on them. How his green eyes shone brighter than the most brilliant jewel. He was truly happy with them and that meant Ginny had to let him go. It wasn't healthy to be in a relationship that didn't have love, for either of them.

Ginny knew she would move on. It would be hard because she loved him for so long, but she had to let him go. She had to let him go to them.

Her boyfr–no, it was just Harry now, they wouldn't be dating for much longer– was silent as her last question rang through the air.

Then, he sighed, and his entire body slouched. Like this, Harry couldn't look more vulnerable, and Ginny knew she was making the right decision. Harry would have never told her, instead choosing to suffer in silence for the rest of their lives.

"How did you know?" he asked her quietly, green eyes vulnerable as he looked up from where he was staring at his lap.

Ginny smiled as she took another sip of her tea. It had been obvious for a while now, at least to her. She was just in denial for the longest time.

When Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, his green eyes would flare. It was a war between jealousy and love, eyes flickering from brilliant emeralds to a dark forest. He might've loved them but he never believed they would love him back, Ginny was sure of that.

The thing is though, is that they did love him. They let him in their lives in all aspects. They would practically go on dates with how much Harry third wheeled them, and they would regularly cuddle and show affection towards one another, affection that stemmed from more than platonic love.

Ginny wouldn't be the one to get between that, and she would make sure no one else did as well.

"It's okay, Harry," she finally said, having finished her cup of tea.

"It is?"

His confusion was clear and Ginny almost giggled at the way he tilted his head at her as if asking what she meant.

"It is. I love you, Harry, I really do. But I can't give you what you need. I only tried to fill a spot that was already filled."

"I did love you, once," Harry confessed, seemingly spurred on by what she was saying, "Just so you know. I never used you as a means to try to get over them. And a part of me will always love you, I hope you know that."

Ginny reached across the table to squeeze his hand. She knew that as well. What they had, had been genuine once upon a time.

"I will too. No matter how long it is, a part of me will always love you. It just… wasn't meant to be in this life."

Harry squeezed her hand back as he replied, in full sincerity, "I hope you find someone who will love you just as fiercely as you love people. You deserve at least that much, Gin."

Ginny nodded with a smile and released her hand from Harry's. The two now ex-lovers looked at each other and they both laughed a bit.

"I'm glad," Harry finally confessed, "That we had this conversation. I wished it didn't have to turn out like this though."

"Me neither," Ginny replied, "But it's for the best. For both of us."

Harry nodded in agreement and went to take a sip of his tea.

"I do want all the details though. About you, Ron, and Hermione, I mean. But please leave out any explicit things."

Her words caused Harry to choke on his tea and Ginny could only laugh as he tried to explain that she had the wrong idea. Despite his protests, his green eyes shone brilliant once more and Ginny thought that maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay in the end.