They stood in the courtyard, or what was left of it. Large pieces of rock littered the floor but it looked like Filch had tried to arrange them into neat looking piles around the edge. The fountain in the middle had also taken a beating, the basin at the bottom had been completely destroyed allowing the water to flow out across the stone floor and the statue in the centre was missing a chunk out of the top. It looked like it had been taken off by one of the giants scythes.
Ginny stopped near the one of the few ledges remaining and looked at Harry. "What is it Gin?"
"We need to talk"
"Okay..."
"I don't think I can do this right now"
"Do what?"
"Us"
"What? I don't understand what about in the dorm? You kissed me"
"I know but it's too soon, with Fr... What happened last night, I just don't think it is a good idea for us to be together"
Ginny refused to look at Harry, instead choosing patch on the floor in front of his trainers. He knew that wasn't the real reason. She could never look anyone in the eye if she was hiding something.
"Tell me the real reason Ginny"
"That is it"
"No, it's not. I know you; you can't look at me so I know you're hiding something. Tell me."
"You really want to know"
"Of course"
Harrys heart felt like lead, he had a suspicion what was going to come next and he knew that he wasn't going to like it at all.
"You left"
"I had to"
"I know, you had some bloody secret mission to go off on, with Ron and Hermione. I get it."
"Obviously you don't" Harry was beginning to feel angry now, how could she be annoyed that he had to go and kill Voldemort, he could have killed her.
"No I do, you dumped me because you didn't want me "in danger", Well news flash I was in danger all last year at school where you left me. I'm not some delicate little flower that needs protection I can fight for myself. Then you come back and go off and LET YOURSELF BE KILLED! "I had to" Harry shouted cutting off whatever she was going to say. "and I know you can look after yourself but I didn't want you to be in anymore danger than you already were"
"That wasn't you decision to make, don't you think I should have had any say in it."
"Ginny I'm sorry but I did what I thought was right and as for me letting Voldemort kill me, I had to I had no choice"
"Of course you had a choice, there is always a choice"
"No I didn't and maybe it would have been better if I had died, I'm lucky I came back"
"Better, better for who? Certainly not me or my family or your friends"
"Sometimes sacrifices are made for the greater good"
"But you didn't even say goodbye" Ginny sounded defeated now a total contrast form earlier.
I couldn't because if I had then I wouldn't have gone and we would all be dead, I. Love. You. Ginerva. Weasley" That was the real reason Harry realised, she was hurt because Harry never said goodbye. And you know what the last thing I thought about was you, your hair, your smell, your eyes, your smile. I was so happy that you where my last thought." Ginny was speechless.
"Gin?"
"Ok so what about next time?"
"Next time? Voldemorts dead"
"Yes I know, but your still going to be a target then so am I and you re going to leave me again aren't you because you don't want me in danger"
"I wouldn't, I can't leave you again"
"Somehow, I just can't believe you" she said sadly.
"I'll show you, I won t leave you"
"I can't be with someone I can't trust Harry. You need to get back to living normally again then when all of this isn't so raw and literally yesterdays new, we could try again. I'm sorry"
"Gin..." Harry couldn't think of anything else to say because deep down he knew it was true, he would never want to put her in danger but he knew that he loved her more than anything so he wasn't going to give up he was going to keep fighting for her. He had to make her see that he wouldn't leave her no matter what it takes.
Ginny rose on her tip toes and kissed Harry on the cheek, then walked inside. Harry sat on the ledge and put his head in his hands what had just happened? A tear dripped from his eye and then suddenly the floodgates opened and he wept. He cried for everyone he had lost, for Teddy and finally for Ginny who had stolen his heart.
He didn't know how long he had been sitting there but after a while a hand grabbed his shoulder. Harry turned around suddenly expecting an attack but found it was only the slightly balding Arthur Weasley.
"Alright son?"
"Yes sir"
"Call me Arthur, Harry, What s up"
"Oh it's nothing just the usual"
Arthur smiled "Do you want to talk about it?" Having raised seven children he knew that he shouldn't push him; he would talk in his own time.
Unsure of what Arthur had known about his and Ginny s' previous relationship Harry answered Not really, it's nothing"
Arthur nodded " Well I was just coming to tell you that we are going back to the Burrow and your quite welcome to join us, in fact Molly has insisted it"
"Thank you that would be great"
"No problem, now you wouldn't know what is the matter with Ginny would you?"
"Ummm..."
Arthur chuckled at Harry s reaction. "It will be ok, just give it time"
"How do you know?"
"I'm her father, I know everything" Harry took that as a warning as well as his answer.
"Yes sir" Harry answered in a small voice.
"So come on then let s go, Kingsley also said that he will move the meeting to tomorrow evening at the Burrow, so there s lots of work to be done" Arthur turned and walked back inside and Harry followed.
Next chapter is going to be up soon... hopefully. Thanks for reading.