02

A man is dead only by rumour.

They can be as alive as you and I breathing in the air but as long as people think your dead there's little or no hope. Once they have seen your pictures in papers with "DECLARED DEAD" there isn't much more thought given that you may well be alive. Harry Potter found himself in this predicament and wasn't sure exactly what he was supposed to feel. He'd done his job, he'd killed Lord Voldermort and he'd gotten out alive.

ALIVE.

And everyone thought he was dead.

Then suppose he had the opportunity to tell everyone he was alive. Suppose he stood outside the Ministry of Magic, purposely disguised, trying to decide whether to go in and tell Arthur Weasley he was alive. For a long time he wondered if it really mattered. Maybe they were better off thinking he was dead. He stood outside the Burrow on a breezy day and was surprised to see none other than Ginny Weasley laze her way along the fields, in a shawl and skirt and not much else. She walked seductively; as if aware someone was watching her.

Hermione came out and Harry had to swallow, he'd missed her and Ron so much, despite the fact they'd declared themselves "in love" at such a optimistic time as they went into battle. He never got the chance to tell them he was happy for them; it just made him want to run up and declare himself alive even more.

But something stopped him as at that moment Ginny shrunk into Hermione's friendly outstretched arms and begun to shake with tears. Harry stood still wondering who it was that had made her cry. Perhaps it was a boyfriend or a relative? No. If it was either of them Ginny would face them and she wouldn't cry; she would only cry like that if it was someone she could not face.

Someone who was dead.

Harry could only watch as what he assumed was Ginny Weasley crying over him. Chances were it could be over something much more materialized but his gut told him it wasn't. For close to half an hour Hermione and Ginny sat together, Hermione assuming a big sister kind of role. Ron came out and sat on the other side of Ginny wrapping a long arm around her, he saw Hermione and Ron exchange one of their looks, one of those looks they had that said it all. Ginny was squished between them as Harry had many times found himself to be. It was well after dark by the time they went back into the house and Harry felt a twinge to follow them but he stayed where he was.

Why?

He didn't know.

'Why don't you just go to them, Harry? It's obvious you want too,' Remus Lupin asked him as he served breakfast next morning at Lupin Lodge.

'How?' Harry asked. 'Hey guys sorry you thought I was dead but I'm actually alive still so, surprise!'

Remus shook his head. 'Well obviously you wouldn't say that.'

Harry shrugged, 'I'm going for a walk, I'll see you later OK?'

He wasn't sure how long he walked for but it was well past lunch when he came back and Remus wasn't in sight. He froze at the door when he instead saw the one and only Ginny Weasley fiddling with the book in Remus' large bookcase, she hadn't returned to Hogwarts so she must be doing correspondence.

He was able to see her close up and on the warm summer day she was in very little. He was still as he watched her, in a very nice summer dress which came above her knees and shortened slightly as she reached up, his mouth twisted into a wry smile. She had grown up immensely and she was making his mouth dry.

She twisted around.

'Remus?' She asked quietly, Harry managed to duck out of sight quickly and silently.

She frowned slightly then shrugged and turned back to the shelves.

Harry glared through the window and breathed again as his eyes raked over her, slight curves on her slender body, he suddenly wondered what she'd think if she knew he was perving on her. She'd blush then smack him; the old Ginny would have just blushed and wanted to crawl under the carpet but this one, the one he'd just begun to know was a lot sassier.

She found the book with an 'AHA! GOTCHA!' and she settled into one of Remus' couches, Harry could see more of her legs that way and decided it was time to stop. He stalked through the meadows and emerged a few hours later hoping it was safe.

Remus was at his desk and was waving at him to come in.

'Hey,' Harry greeted, 'is Ginny gone?'

Remus nodded and Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

'Would it of been such a bad thing if she had seen you?' Remus asked quietly. 'I am getting sick and tired of pretending you are dead.'

Harry sighed. 'Not yet, Remus.'

The werewolf shrugged.

'Just remember Harry, the longer you leave this, the worse it will become.'