Chapter Ten: The Gryffindor Heart
Ginny woke up slow, warm, and comfortable. In fact, she'd not slept this well in years. She breathed in deeply, the scent reminding her of home and Hogwarts all at once. Ginny felt like she was surrounded by a warm safe shield. Nothing could harm her. It engulfed her, and Ginny didn't want to leave that warmth, this safe place. Ginny stretched slightly as she slowly roused herself. Leaning back into her body pillow. She buried herself further into hard muscle. "Mmm."
Her body was sore. She must have overdone it yesterday doing… doing…
Ginny nearly jumped out of her skin when last night's activities came back to her. Her eyes opened sharply as realization hit her. She was very naked and the 'pillow' behind her was very male.
Ginny's surprise would have had her face first on the stone floor below if not for Harry's restraining arm laying securely around her waist. She closed her eyes as she let out a long breath in an attempt to calm her racing heart. This was comfortable. This was nice. But it couldn't last. Ginny's heart rate slowed as she let her mind and body slowly wake up.
'Harry…'
Ginny was slow to wake up. She'd always been slow in the morning as if she needed to restart for the day. Without the annoying beeping of her alarm, it would have been easy to fall back to sleep in Harry's arms. His heart beat remained steady, a soft lullaby. Gradually, she became aware of where their skin touched. How she wished they didn't fit together so well…
Some five minutes later Ginny was fully awake and aware of her body. Gently, she slipped from beneath Harry's arm. His hold was secure, but not tight.
The moment she moved away, she instantly missed the warmth. However, the cold worked in her favor, sharping her focus and her senses. Ginny didn't know when Harry would wake up, so she moved quickly but silently. Their clothes were scattered everywhere. Her bra hung off the back of Harry's only chair, but that wasn't what she was looking for right now.
Where the bloody hell was her wand? Ginny bent down to get a closer look at the clothes scattered at her feet. However, rifling through the items for her wand was producing nothing. After several minutes of this, Ginny stopped her useless effort to think the problem through. Where was the last place she remembered having her wand?
Ginny's thoughts skimmed backwards through her memories of last night, bring a light blush to her features. However, her efforts were not in vain. Over by the desk! Ginny kneeled down by the desk and buried under some knocked over papers was her precious wand. How it had gotten over there? She wasn't entirely sure as she didn't remember setting it down. Still, it was better not to question it now.
With a quick flick of her wrist, Ginny's clothes dislodged themselves from the various places around the small room and landed haphazardly in front of her. Ginny quickly put them on despite how much she'd have preferred to take a shower first. The shower would have to wait as the longer she stayed the more likely it would be for Harry to wake.
Once fully dressed, Ginny turned to leave. In the process, she caught Harry's unwavering gaze. From the look of him, he'd been awake for a while. How long? She didn't know, but clearly long enough to have become aroused. Ginny looked back up to his face. His eyes finally finding her own. They held her momentarily. They spoke of desire and longing. They were feelings that Ginny shared, but…
"You're leaving." It wasn't really a question, but still Ginny felt it needed an answer.
A slight nod before she spoke, "Goodbye, Harry." Ginny hesitated at the doorway only for a moment. Looked back one last time, despite knowing she shouldn't.
The sadness in Harry's eyes told her that he understood her goodbye and her answer. Ginny wanted to stay. Every fiber of her being told her to stay. She had nowhere to go today. No one waiting for her, and no family obligations. It would be easy to stay, and lay in bed with Harry all day. However, that was all just a dream. She couldn't stay, no matter how much she wanted too. Harry only had himself to blame. Ginny could not easily forgive him for what he'd done.
Ginny turned away at that. Leaving Harry and the Ankou Company for good. Harry had made his decision, now it was time for Ginny to make her own. She was sure that with her Gryffindor heart she could eventually forget about Harry Potter.
Once home, or what used to feel like home, Ginny made her way to her bathroom to shower. What had she been thinking last night? Ginny had known beforehand that it could never work. Not after what Harry had done. As if he didn't think she would ever find out. Did he think so little of her intelligence?
She'd figured out about his involvement with the Burrow attack on her family barely two weeks into the job. Vividly, Ginny remembered the number of times she'd nearly confronted him about it. However, each time she'd stop herself from giving him the satisfaction of knowing she still cared. Her passion was her own and she would not so easily give it to him. Besides, what would it have changed?
Harry had always been a man of his word. Furthermore, she'd never known him to make an empty promise. Well, there was that one, the last one he'd ever made her. However, even as Ginny thought about it she knew he'd kept it. In his heart, he'd kept that promise as well.
Ginny closed her eyes as the hot water ran down her shoulders and through her hair. She'd thought about that day often. The last train ride home that she'd ever have with Harry had made numerous appearances in her dreams and nightmares. Harry had stopped briefly outside her compartment only staying long enough for her to catch his eye. They'd met at a luggage compartment not far from her compartment and he'd pulled her into a kiss. He'd always been a great kisser.
Ginny was on the brink of losing herself to Harry's kisses. Passion and desire lacing each one more fiercely than the next. However, after the events of the Triwizard Tournament she needed to talk. Yes, that was why she'd followed him.
She pulled away suddenly, only for Harry to trial his kisses down her neck. "Oh." Moves like that were precisely why a decent snog session with Harry could take hours. Still, Ginny didn't have hours. They needed to talk. Somehow she found her voice again, "Stop." Harry looked over at her in confusion. "I can't do this anymore. This hiding, Harry."
"I'm not hiding. Not anymore, Gin." Harry replied as he moved in to continue kissing her, but it was not that simple for Ginny. She held her hands firmly to his chest to stop him. Harry looked into her eyes to see the skeptical look she was giving him. "No really. I've just won the tournament, Gin. There's no one in my house that can object to you, to us, now. At least not where it can get back to me, and that's as good as it gets in Slytherin house."
"But at what cost?" Ginny questioned searchingly. Her worry evident on her face and in her eyes.
"Ginny this was a risk worth taking." Harry touched Ginny's face tenderly. "More than worth it." He leaned in to kiss Ginny softly. This time she didn't push him away.
Still, the kiss could not clear her worry completely, "But…"
"No, Gin. I'll be fine, more than fine now." Harry looked kindly at Ginny holding himself inches away. "Be my girl, Gin."
"Are you asking?" Ginny challenged.
"Is there more than one answer?" Harry challenged back.
It was a game to them. Back then they'd made just about everything into a game. Harry had won this challenge. Still, this was more than a game. Ginny was no longer the little girl crushing on the white knight that didn't exist. No, her brothers had crushed that dream even before she'd made it to Hogwarts. Nevertheless, after years of learning about the real Harry and about herself, Ginny had realized she was absolutely okay with loving the black knight instead.
Moreover, she loved how honest she could, and in turn honest Harry could, be with their relationship. There was no pretending, he didn't try to hide from her. Between the two of them, there were few secrets left unshared. Unfortunately, that didn't hold true for the rest of Hogwarts. Now, Ginny needed more. She could only hope that Harry was ready to give it to her. "No more hiding. No more getting Neville to take me out on a date for you. No more secretly meeting in the library."
"Yes, yes, and yes. Although I was hoping we could keep the secret meetings. You know I can do no wrong in Madam Prince's eyes." The smile in his eyes made Ginny blush. "We'll be together, nothing can stop this Ginny." Harry decreased the space between them even more, "No more dancing in the shadows for us."
"Do you promise?" Ginny responded in a small voice.
"I promise." They stared at each other deeply, "So what do you say?"
Ginny initiated the kiss for the first time in their conversation. "I thought I already was your girl" She replied impishly.
Harry had left her at the train to go back to his relatives. It was the last time she'd see him for more than ten years. Ten years she'd thought him dead, and blamed herself partly for it. Harry had only put forth effort in the tournament because he'd believed it would make him unquestioned within his house. He'd been right as he normally was, but it had cost him his life. Or so she'd thought.
Now ten years later, Harry involved himself in an attempt to kill her family. And why? To bring her to him. To meet once again. Harry was a fool. He'd only needed to nod in her direction. A simple note in the post, and she'd have dropped everything, everyone to be with him. Even so, nothing could ever be that simple, not with Harry Potter.
Now, finally, more than two months later Harry realized his mistake, and somehow that prat thought leaving her again was the best way to ask for her forgiveness?
Ginny shut her eyes in frustration. That asshole had never even realized that it was impossible to forgive something that was never asked.
She could have worked with him, of course. She'd been doing something similar with Black for years. Even if Black apologized she'd never be able to forgive him. However, Harry wasn't Black. Ginny could hate him all she wanted, but in the end she would always love him.
She was glad that she was no longer working with that arrogant man. Ginny could hold the hate in her heart, but eventually she'd have let it go. Forgive him despite herself. The friction may have lasted for a while, but in the end that too would have faded. There would have been one too many 'dates' that weren't dates. Too many Christmases and Birthdays, to have held on to her hate. Even so, a part of her would have hated herself for having given in so easily. That, Ginny was sure, would have always been between them.
However, she didn't have to worry about that now. Harry had made that decision for the both of them. He had threatened the lives of her family. Tried to kill them. Despite the fact that her relationship with Ron and Percy was strained at best, they were still family. Ginny hadn't grown up with much, being a Weasley, but they had love. Love and family.
Ginny sighed as she thought of Harry again. Harry didn't consider family with the same respect that she'd grown up knowing. She'd spent two years with him, one and a half talking about everything under the sun. So, Ginny had picked up on the friction between him and his family. A family by blood to him were relatives and nothing more. Nevertheless, this was her family, and to think Harry would use it to get to her was simply unthinkable, unforgivable.
Ginny had spent countless nights thinking about Harry's motives, because there had to be a motive outside of the obvious. Harry had done so much work with her family why try to kill them now? It just didn't make any sense. To think she would find him before it got that far was a pure risk and a gamble. She'd only known Harry to bet on a sure thing. So this was completely out of character. He couldn't be that arrogant to believe she would find him before it all fell apart. For all she knew, he'd no intention of saving them otherwise. It was all just too confusing to speculate.
Everything seemed to bring Ginny's thoughts to last night. What had she been thinking last night? Ginny breathed in deeply as images from last night came back to her against her will. If she were honest with herself, she had known what she was doing, and thinking. Ginny had tried to sleep him out of her system, but it didn't seem to have worked as he was all that was on her mind.
As the warm water ran over her, she couldn't help but want something, someone else there with her. Merlin, she hated that man. No matter what he seemed to do, she could not stop loving him.
Ginny sighed heavily as she got out of the shower and dried off.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A loud knocking sound came from her door. Who could that be? It was her day off and Hermione or Tonks wouldn't have bothered with the door. Ginny put on a bathrobe placing her wand in the inside pocket out of habit before she made her way to the door. She supposed it could have been a neighbor, but she didn't think she'd done anything to warrant a visit.
"Can I help…?" Ginny began, but stalled at the familiar man outside her door. "Harvey?"
"Ginny, you answered. I'm sorry to have disturbed you liked this, but you've been avoiding my owls and my floo calls."
"Oh, yes." She showed Harvey into her flat with a hand holding on to her robe tightly. This probably wasn't going to take long enough to warrant a change of clothes. "I've just been busy. Why don't we sit down?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Like you always are…" Moving to sit down, Ginny noticed Harvey's hesitation as he gave her figure a quick once over. "Uh. You are remarkably underdressed. I can wait while you finish putting on clothes."
"Oh, I'm sure this won't take long." Ginny replied as she tightened her robe. This was getting very awkward as she'd just cheated on Harvey not twenty-four hours ago. In fact, she was thinking of Harry even now. If only she felt this strongly about Harvey. Ginny's eyes landed on said man fidgeting on the seat beside her. Looking everywhere but at her, she couldn't help but wonder if maybe now with Harry out of her system she could feel something, even if only a tiny spark.
There was only one way to find out. Ginny grabbed Harvey by the collar of his shirt and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Memories of last night increased her expectation. She remembered desire, how every moment, movement, and breath made only left her wanting more. But those feelings were missing, all just memories from another time. With Harvey, there was nothing.
Harvey moved to deepen the kiss further, but Ginny pulled away quickly. Hoping she was disguising her disappointment in the process.
Harvey was just not Harry. He could never be Harry. Why she thought he'd be able to make her feel like Harry could, she didn't know. Desperation maybe. Even so, Harvey was not her only experience at a passionless relationship. So, far no one she'd dated had provided that spark, which didn't bode well for her future relationships.
"I'm sorry."
"What's this about Ginny? Is this about dinner? Or about what I said the other night? Because we can take things slow if you want."
"It's more than that, Harvey. I'm, I'm sorry, but this." Ginny pointed between them, "Us, isn't going to work."
Harvey nodded his head in understanding as he leaned back in his seat. "I can't say I didn't see this coming." Ginny was surprised he was taking it so well.
"Harvey, I'm so sorry. It's not you, really it's me." Ginny began her well rehearsed speech.
"I know."
"Excuse me?" Ginny looked sharply at Harvey at his response breaking Ginny from the next part of her speech. She'd used this same breakup speech several times, and there were a number of responses she expected, including 'this is bullshit'. However, agreeing with her was not one of them. After all, Ginny hadn't really meant it wasn't Harvey's fault. Of course it was his fault. It was always the blokes fault.
She supposed if she currently wasn't so mad, she'd have realized it wasn't entirely his fault. How could he control that fact that he wasn't even remotely attractive to Ginny? That he couldn't get her hot and bothered. That there wasn't even a tiny spark between them. Even if all that were true, as Ginny was too mad to give that a valid weight, it didn't make it her fault.
"You're gay aren't you?" Harvey continued not sensing his impending maiming.
"What?" Harvey had seconds to explain before she hexed his bits off. Then they'd see who was gay. Ginny just needed a reason to hex another one of her boyfriend's, ex-boyfriend's, family jewels off. She'd even remember to give them back to him mostly untouched. Although, she'd heard it was a painful reattachment process.
"Well, it's no secret that you've never slept with any of your previous boyfriends." Harvey held his hands up to stall her rebuttal. "I know. I know. You're waiting for 'marriage', but there are plenty of other things we could have done instead. More importantly, I can tell you're not even a little bit interested, on an emotional or physical standpoint. I mean that kiss back there. It was like you were trying too hard."
"So you think I'm gay?"
"Well, yes..." Ginny's anger slowly abided, this was the strangest break up she'd ever had. Not to mention, Harvey seemed so sure of his own conclusion on her sexuality.
"You don't think that there could just be someone else, another bloke?" It was the closest she was planning on getting to outright admitting to him about sleeping with another man.
"Ginny, there's never someone else." Harvey replied matter-of-factly. Ginny was a little insulted, but it was true. Or at least, it used to be true. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but I've talked with some of your previous boyfriends. They all tell me the same thing. The same thing I've noticed. You're just not interested in men. I've seen it, and I know deep down you know it. But I'm not upset." Harvey took Ginny's hand in his. "I want to be there for you, as a friend."
"I…" Ginny started as she let go of his hand.
"Ginny I want you to feel comfortable in your sexuality. That way you're not hurting yourself, or others." Harvey interrupted, his face sympathetic.
"Harvey, I…" Ginny began again. How did she even start?
"Ginny, I want you to be comfortable with yourself. I'm sure your parents will understand this too." Harvey gave her another sympathetic look.
Ginny couldn't believe what she was hearing. Harvey and apparently all of her other ex-boyfriends thought she was attracted to women. How arrogant were these blokes? She wasn't interested in them, so they just assumed that was because she didn't like men? Ginny ought to hex Harvey where he sat for the comment. Only he was being so nice and sincere about it all.
She couldn't decide if she wanted him to keep thinking that, or tell him she'd had a very good time with another bloke not even twenty-four hours ago.
The thought brought back images from last night once more. Harry was quiet a skilled lover... No, she was definitely not gay. Harry would make a liar of her any day of the week. Harvey just wasn't her type. It would have been nice if he were, since her type seemed to be an egomaniacal, dark lord prat.
Ginny sighed heavily. It would be easier to let everything just go from here. However, she couldn't risk her mum hearing about this. Just the thought of her mother finding out her precious baby girl was gay didn't sit well with her, especial since it wasn't true. Mum would eventually get over her being gay, but if she found out it wasn't true later. Her mother would only get more upset to find out her baby girl lied to her. It was a situation that Ginny was not prepared to get herself into just for the comfort of dumping Harvey.
"I kind of what to let you keep thinking I'm gay, Harvey. It would be easier on us both. Only, I'm not gay. You're just not my type." Ginny finished as nicely as she could.
"I know I'm not you're type." Harvey said giving Ginny a knowing look before shaking his head in frustration. "Never mind. You'll come into your own some time, just know that I have no hard feelings, and that I'll always be there for you if you need someone to talk too or act as your wingman."
Harvey got up forcing Ginny to do so as well so that she could close the door behind him. Harvey might not have had hard feelings about it now, but if he'd known she was still sore from sleeping with another bloke without even the slightest intention of marriage, it would be quite a different story. Oh well, she'd tried. Ginny would just have to make sure she told her mother before word got back to her about this breakup.
The next day found Ginny back in her element at St. Mungo's where the only thing she had to really worry about was upsetting the older Healers, mostly Pye. Ginny had been working for four hours, having not been able to sleep last night. It was barely ten now, but Grace was insistent that she take a break, a small one. So Ginny relented. However, she'd refused to go into her small office. They'd settled for a working break with Ginny munching on the snacks Grace had provided, while they reviewed her upcoming schedule.
"I finished editing your last two papers last week and sent them off. I expect a review shortly, but Stephanie tells me they'll be accepted. This is mostly just a formality."
"Good, but next time I take a week off, you should too Grace."
"Someone's got to hold down the fort. Besides Ginny, you were paying me time and a half. Not to mention a nice Christmas bonus." Grace winked. Ginny shook her head. She wasn't even surprised. This woman could be too much some times, but she was worth every Knut.
"You've been invited to a number of talks including, drumroll please." Ginny gave Grace a look while Grace continued as if she'd gotten said drumroll, "The International Mind Healing Conference this April! It comes with an honorarium and everything!" Grace's excited expression was infectious.
"Really? Why do you think they asked so far in advanced? I'd have agreed to go the day before without pay."
"You might have agreed, but I'd have had to cancel. Ginny, you can't imagine how many of these invitations to speak you're getting. If they waited any longer, your schedule would have been all filled up!"
"I hope I still have time to, you know, work."
Grace rolled her eyes, "I'll make sure you don't have more than one event a week for no more than two days. However, you're going to want to figure out which ones you want to accept." Grace moved some papers around, "St. Mungo's wants you to guest lecture the seventh year class this semester."
Ginny nodded, "I guess I can't turn that down. It's not like it's a whole day engagement."
"I've also got a couple of other invitations that aren't paid. I'd have said no right away, since they wouldn't even pay your porkey travel and hotel cost, but…" Grace slid over a memo. "This one's from the European Werewolf Association."
It was a nice formal letter asking if she would give a three-day workshop to the werewolf community in May, but they couldn't pay her to do it. "Of course, I'll go to the Werewolf Association, Grace. You know how I feel about the werewolves."
"Yes, which is why I didn't tell them no, but there are a lot of meetings and invitations here some like this that I've screened, but others more like the International Mind Healing Conference. If you accept this, then we'll have to decline something else."
"I don't care Grace. Of course, I'll go to this one. Why don't you set the details?"
Grace made a note, "Alright, but I want you to go over the lot of these, so I can put the rest in your calendar."
"I'll do it during lunch. What about my case load? I've finished up with my rounds."
"About that…" Grace didn't finish as a booming voice called out.
"Happy New Year, Healer Weasley!" Hippocrates came into view only seconds later along with Senior Healer McFarland.
"Happy New Year, Senior Healers Smethwyck and McFarland. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Happy New Year, Healer Weasley." Senior Healer McFarland replied, "And the pleasure is ours. I assure you."
"I knew we'd find you hard at work as soon as you could." Hippocrates continued over Senior Healer McFarland, "You know you could have taken this week off as well."
"You know I can't stay away. I wouldn't know what to do with myself, so one more week was out of the question." Ginny smiled. "In fact, I hope you both have a nice load of cases for me. I was just asking Grace about them."
"Yes we wanted to talk to you first before we piled on the next set of cases." Senior Healer McFarland replied first.
Seeing the hint, Ginny showed them to her office. She looked back to see Grace grinning like an idiot. Grace had been going on and on about how she was due for a promotion. She'd be sad when Ginny told her that hadn't been what the conversation was about. Ginny had another two or three years before she could even think about a promotion.
With a quick flick of her wrist, she transfigured two soft chairs familiar with Hippocrates' bad back.
Ginny sat down, "What can I do for you, Senior Healers?"
"Please Ginny, it's Eadan."
"I believe we are past formalities, Ginny." Hippocrates added not to be out done.
Ginny had never seen them fighting like this. "Of course Eadan, Hippocrates."
"We want to talk about your career." McFarland leaned toward Ginny.
"Oh?" Ginny was surprised.
"You ended the year on a high note in both of our departments. You've published more papers than seventy-five percent of the Healers in our department." Hippocrates responded.
"Despite your late entry, you are coming up to par with the number of papers accepted from my department as well. I can only imagine what will happen this year if you continue."
"Thank you, but really, I've been lucky with the patients I have been given. Anyone could have done the same given the chance."
"Ha, if only that were true." Hippocrates replied brashly.
"Ginny, there is a difference between having a difficult patient, and being able to successfully solve the case. Half of your work could have been done by anyone, but the way you heal." McFarland shook his head, "I've never seen it done before."
"It's your innovation, Ginny, and not just the patients you have been given, that is the reason for the growing number of publications under your name." Hippocrates gave Ginny his grandfatherly look.
"Your skills as a healer have increased substantially in the past two months." McFarland continued. "Your improvement is simply remarkable. More importantly, this is the first time any healer has worked in two separate departments fulltime."
"I was hesitant to allow it at first, but with You-Know-Who's increasing activity, I had to give Eadan an extra hand." Hippocrates added.
"Still, I asked for you by named, because I'd heard of your skill. You have so far passed all my expectations."
"Thank you, Eadan, Hippocrates you both are too kind."
"Kind? Ha! We have been doing you and your skill a disservice." Hippocrates replied roughly.
"I'm sorry?" Ginny asked with confusion in her voice.
"No, we are sorry." McFarland pointed between the two Senior Healers. "Furthermore, I've re-read every one of your reports. They are simply breathtaking. We both agree that you would do very well with a trainee healer."
"But trainees are only given to Senior Healers. I've still a long way to go before I'd even considered that kind of responsibility." Ginny added modestly. A trainee healer would be nice as she'd be able to get so much more done with an extra set of hands, especially since any work they did would count on her record.
"In years, maybe, but by measuring pure skill?" McFarland shook his head.
"You are more than ready. You have out-strode anything I could have every predicted." Hippocrates added.
"We could have predicted. We have given you more and more cases, until finally you've been at triple caseloads for the last month." McFarland countered.
"It is simply remarkable what you have been able to accomplish."
"Even Senior Healer Turpin speaks highly of you, Ginny."
"Well, thank you." This could not be going where she though it was…
"Which is why we are putting you up for promotion." McFarland leaned back in his chair after he spoke.
"Merlin." Ginny couldn't believe it. Senior Healer this soon.
"It's really a formality. Within the next week you will be Senior Healer Ginny Weasley." Hippocrates replied matter-of-factly.
"Moreover, we want to offer you a permanent position within our two departments."
"With the position would come two trainee healers, one for each department in the summer."
"Of course, we would each be paying you the Senior Healer salary." McFarland added quickly.
"I don't know what to say." Ginny replied. She'd never even considered this possibility this soon.
"In addition, we would be willing to hire you an additional secretary." McFarland continued relentlessly.
"And a bigger office. We'll have this one professionally enlarged within the week." Hippocrates cut in to the conversation.
"No." Ginny replied sharply causing both men to look at her sharply. "I mean, the larger office sounds nice, but Grace is working just fine."
"Then how about we personally pay her with a 20% raise." McFarland spoke first.
Ginny looked stone faced, she was so shocked. They were negotiating her promotion for her.
"30%? We can do 30%." Hippocrates added at her hesitation.
"Yes, of course. That's fine." Ginny hesitated.
McFarland jumped on her hesitation. "We know you have a very busy schedule. Invitations to some of the top conference and the like. So, we also came up with an alternative if you think a permanent position in two departments is too much."
"Yes," Hippocrates said with disdain, "We are both willing to re-negotiate the Senior Healer salary."
"Oh?"
"And of course the office still gets bigger and your secretary's salary will be increased by at least 30%. The Spell Damage Ward, as the most funded department, will be willing to pay very highly for your permanent entry into our department." McFarland added.
"Thank you both. I just need a little time to think about it all."
"Of course. Of course. I'll leave some cases with your secretary, Grace isn't it?" At that comment, everyone moved to leave with McFarland heading the group. "Have a Happy New Year, Ginny."
"You as well Eadan, Hippocrates." Ginny replied to the two men's retreating forms. Her mentor moved much slower, probably because of his advanced years. At least that's what she thought. For as soon as McFarland had turned the hall, Hippocrates turned back sharply before she could exit her own office.
Ginny gave him a questioning look. "Don't let money be a driving force in your decision. I'll make sure you get paid anything he can offer." Seeing the seriousness of the conversation, Ginny stepped back into her office fully.
"You know I'd never let money get in the way of a big decision like this, Hippocrates."
"I know. I find that one of the better qualities you have Ginny. One of many." Hippocrates moved back out of her office. "And Ginny," He turned to put a grandfatherly hand on her shoulder briefly. "No matter what you choose, know that your future with this department is far from over."
"What do you mean, sir?"
"I'm getting older, Ginny, and soon I will retire. When that time comes, you will be my number one choice to replace me."
It was a frank admission that surprised Ginny. "Department Head? Why me? There are plenty of people who have been here for longer and have more experience."
"The number of cases you have completed." Hippocrates shook his head in disbelief. "You're currently closing more cases successful with three times the load than any other Healer in this hospital. More importantly, Ginny, when you got here you were the youngest Healer we had ever seen. The most talented Healer I've come across in my long career. There is just something about you that screamed to me that you were meant for greatness. I'd been planning to retire soon, but now. Now, I know I need to stay to see you through your career. My wife was not happy when I told her that." They both shared a laugh at that one.
"You may not be ready yet, but soon…" Hippocrates let his sentence hang in the air for a moment. "Ginny, I strongly believe that you were not meant for just healing. Your talents are limitless, and I want to make sure you get challenged beyond anything you could ever imagine. It's not often I get the pleasure and the opportunity to mentor a talented Healer that also has the aura of a strong leader. So, I plan to see you through to the end."
"Still…" Ginny replied uncertain.
"Now, you're too young, but in two, three years. You'll have the highest case work of anyone currently still working. Not to mention, you'll also be a prominent Senior Healer." Hippocrates looked over at Ginny as he continued. His conviction clear in his words. "At that point, no one will be able to say anything to my request."
Friday evening found Ginny enjoying her favorite dragon brandy after a large dinner with the Lupins. With Remus and Teddy at the table, Tonks had kept the topics light and safe. Ginny had even mentioned her promotion to Senior Healer which had everyone extremely excited for her. Tonks' hair had turned several different colors in her excitement to the amusement of everyone at the table.
Remus had left several hours ago right after dinner, leaving Ginny to play with Teddy and make small talk with Tonks. Her invitation to the European Werewolf Associate Conference in May had inevitably came up. Tonks had immediately decided that the whole Lupin family should tag along. A sort of family vacation. Still, Ginny thought Remus might be hesitant to go considering his own experience with werewolves.
Ginny had personally put Teddy to bed. He insisted on it every time she came over. Something about how her bed time stories were the best. So, Ginny had told him one of her famous bed time stories. Tonight, he'd asked for his favorite. A heroic tale about the princess and the black knight who rescues her from the evil snake man. Teddy was always the black knight.
At those thoughts, Tonks returned with the bottle of dragon brandy and a glass for herself. "Now that the pup's asleep, it's time for some girl talk." Tonks spoke as she sat down next to Ginny on the couch.
"Only if you'll top this off." Ginny held her empty glass to Tonks. Out of all of her brothers only the twins could out drink her.
As Ginny took a healthy sip of her brandy, Tonks went in for the kill, "So, what's this I hear about you being gay?"
"Gay?" Ginny nearly choked on her brandy, which would have been a waste. "Who did you even hear that from? I only just broke up with Harvey, and I can't imagine him running his mouth about that yet."
"Ha! So there is something there." Ginny gave Tonks an angry look, "Ron mentioned it at work the other day. I've been meaning to ask you about it. I mean, I'd be fine with it, but… It didn't quite sound like you."
Ginny sighed, "It's not. I broke it off with Harvey, or I guess we ended it mutually. He seems to think I'm gay. In fact, he said all of my exs seem to think the same thing." Ginny looked like she was about to kill someone, "Ron, you say…" Ginny snorts, "I guess it's a good thing I talked to mum Tuesday after work."
"Same day you got promoted?"
"Yeah, thought I'd tell her the bad with the good."
"I'm sure that went over well." Ginny made a face, "It couldn't have been that bad, Ginny."
"She got all weepy, even telling her about the promotion didn't seem to help. Something about how if I work too much, I'll never get married… I just don't see why she was so upset. Charlie's way older than me and the last time he saw someone seriously was ages ago."
Tonks put a reassuring hand on her arm. "She loves you Ginny. She just wants you happy."
"Yes, well I am happy."
"Are you? You just broke up with your boyfriend. A boyfriend, might I add, that you'd been seeing longer than any of your other boyfriends. " Ginny looked away from Tonks. She always saw right though her.
"I'm fine, Tonks. It just didn't work out with Harvey." Ginny smiled softly as she spoke mostly to her glass of brandy. "At least he didn't take it too hard. Seems to think me being gay was why it didn't work out."
"And is it?" Tonks asked.
"Oh Merlin no." Ginny replied without a second thought taking a sip of her brandy. Memories of New Year's Day coming back to her. No, she was definitely not gay.
Tonks had a wide smile on her face, "Oh my. You've cheated on Harvey haven't you?" How anybody could be happy about infidelity was beyond Ginny. She only wished Tonks would stop saying shocking things as she tried to drink.
Ginny coughed roughly in reply, shocked at the allegations. Tonks pounded her back several times to help clear her windpipe. "What? How? How did you know that?" Ginny replied as she stopped choking on her precious dragon brandy.
"The look on your face, dear. You knew you're into men because of a good shag." Tonks' eyes moved up and down suggestively. "Who is he and when do I get to the meet the lucky man? I want all the details."
Ginny turned red in embarrassment. Harvey hadn't even believed it was possible, but here Tonks was sure she'd shagged some random bloke silly. "Tonks, no stop." Ginny needed to end this line of question fast, "It was a onetime thing. It's never going to happen again."
"Wanky." Tonks wiggled her eyebrows again.
"Tonks." Times like this reminded her that Tonks was not like her mother.
"Alright, okay. I'll leave it." Tonks repositioned herself taking a long sip of her own brandy. Her expression was serious when she spoke next. "What's been bothering you, if it's not Mister Incredible-in-Bed?"
"I'm fine. Nothing's been bothering me, Tonks."
"Don't lie to me Ginny. I know something up." Tonks persisted.
"Really it's nothing." Ginny replied hesitantly moving a strand of hair out of her face. She thought about drinking her last swallow, but thought better of it. Tonks wasn't likely to give up. Not to mention their last conversation still bothered her. Ginny feared what Tonks would say next.
"I know this has something to do with the Reaper, Ginny." Ginny looked up sharply as Tonks continued. "You're working for him, in exchange for your family's lives, aren't you?"
"I… What?" Ginny had feared Tonks knew, but how?
"I went to the hospital to see you, but Grace said you'd already left. So, I stopped by your place, but you weren't there either. I knew you wouldn't be with Harvey." Tonks paused to give Ginny a knowing look. So, Tonks had known that relationship had been doomed to fail as well. "So, I stopped by the Burrow thinking you would be there. Imagine my surprise when Molly tells me you're still at work. The clock saying the same thing."
That damned family clock. Ginny finished her drink and poured herself a refill. Only after taking a healthy swallow of her new glass and topping that off did she reply. It was time for damage control. "Are you planning to tell Dumbledore?"
"Do you want me too?" Tonks countered.
"No. Merlin No! The Reaper is not someone you double cross." Ginny replied.
"Ginny," Tonks replied softly. "You know that's not reason enough if this man is hurting you."
Ginny sighed as she tried to find the answers in her glass of amber liquid. "Tonks, that's not the problem."
"I can tell you're unhappy, and yet sometimes, I haven't seen you happier. Not in a long time. What is it, Ginny?" Tonks asked sympathetically. It was an opportunity to tell someone. To let her confused thought out there, but could she? "Ginny you can trust me. Whatever's said between us will stay between us." Tonks replied sensing her uncertainty. "My occlumency is good enough for that." Still Ginny hesitated. "Not even Remus will know."
"I think I love him. The Reaper." Ginny replied hesitantly as she played with her drink.
Tonks leaned back into the couch cushions with a wide smile on her face. "That's wonderful news."
"Wonderful?" Ginny questioned. Tonks' response was completely unexpected. She'd told Tonks she was in love with a mass murderer. That was not 'wonderful'.
"You've found love again, Ginny. I feared you'd never be able to again after Harry, but now." Tonks pulled Ginny into a one arm hug. "Wonderful." She whispered in her ears. Pulling back to get a good look at Ginny her grin never wavering. "Let's face it Ginny, I wasn't even the least bit surprised that you broke it off with Harvey. He was boring and uninteresting. And you. You needed someone with a little fire in his veins. Someone on your level."
"And you think the Reaper is that someone?"
"He's strong and powerful. His life involves excitement. Sure he's a little dark, but after being with Remus for nearly nine years now. I've realized that life, wizards, it's not always black and white. Gray defines the world we live in. So, yes. I'm happy for you. I don't see why this is a bad thing."
Tonks' eyes showed her happiness for Ginny. It was… depressing. Ginny had not found love again. Harry. The bastard had marched back into her life without a by your leave. He'd ripped everything asunder without care for the items he'd been breaking in the process. Ginny only wished it could have been that simple, finding love again.
"The Reaper was the reason my family was in danger to begin with," Ginny replied solemnly.
Tonks smile dropped for the first time. "Oh. I can see how that could be a problem."
Snorting Ginny spoke, "Oh, if that were the only problem." Ginny finally took another sip of her brandy. "You want to know why he did it all. Attacked my family, or at least helped attack my family?" Ginny didn't wait for Tonks' reply, "To get to me. He went through all that trouble to get to me."
"As in…" Tonks replied with anger building in her features.
"No, at least not intentionally." Ginny replied quickly. "He needed a healer for his organization, and I'm the best." Ginny took another sip of her strong brandy.
"Ginny I'm sorry." Tonks spoke softly as she rubbed her arm gently in comfort.
"Don't be, Tonks. I'm in love with a man that would have been happy to see my family dead. Not me. No, never me. But my family he could care less about." Ginny paused to finish off her third glass. "And yet I still love him. After everything he's done, the torture, the murder. Does that make me a bad person, Tonks?"
"Love is blind, Ginny. It's confusing, messy, and never how we think it should be. But, we can't help who we fall in love with. No one can. Just ask Remus, the old wolf struggled the whole way."
"But Remus isn't a dark lord."
"I won't exactly call the Reaper a Dark Lord yet. From what I've seen, he only kills Death Eaters."
"Directly." Ginny replied lost in her own thoughts for a second. "It doesn't really matter anymore."
"Oh, why's that? Don't you still have to work with him?"
"As long as I don't go to him, I'll never see him again."
"He let you off the hook after taking the effort to bring you to him?" Tonks asked with clear confusion in her voice.
Ginny smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Because he's a coward. For all his bluster and strength, he's nothing more than a coward inside. He could have had me easily if he'd just asked. But now… Now he's not worthy of my Gryffindor heart. I just can't love a coward. How would I be able to trust him with my heart?" Again. Ginny thought the last word to herself.
Daphne hesitated at the deep red curtain. This could go very poorly based on what had happened to Theo. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes to mentally prepare herself. She had to do this. No one else could, and if nothing changed, their company, the empire she had risked her life for, and the lord she served, were going into ruin.
"Daph, you have to do this. You know I can't. Harry and I have never talked like that before." Blaise retorted though their two-way mirrors.
"You think I've talked with him before? Not about problems, anyway. We talked about as much as you and Harry talked." Daphne paused. "That was always Tracey who did the touchy feely stuff, and I was happy to let her do it."
"Tracey's not here anymore, Daph." Blaise countered softly. "And Theo was nearly killed when he tried."
"So, you can't. I don't know, call in and give him a man to man talk?" Daphne was searching for a way out of the inevitable.
Blaise saw right through her as he always seemed to do. "I know you're scared you'll mess it up, but really Daph, you're a natural at this sensitive stuff." Daphne tried to argue, but Blaise spoke first. "No, you are. Just pretend it's me you're talking to."
"But it won't be Blaise."
"That's why I said pretend." Blaise stressed, before he decided to go a different route. "This is for Harry. We all love him, we would all risk are lives for him. We do it every day. Now, you need to put yourself out there. Show him you care, Daphne. Because without this, without you, we are ruined."
Blaise was right. If nothing changed, they were going to be in ruin. Still, it had only been a little over a week of this destructive behavior. It was always possible that Harry would snap out of it soon. The only problem was that they couldn't wait. Even now, the company was buried under paperwork that only Harry could complete. The missions had stalled. Ankou life as a whole had just came to an abrupt halt. If they had another week, then she would have waited, but they didn't have another week. They barely had a few more days.
So Daphne was here. She closed her eyes to channel her inner strength. Harry needed her now. "Can I come in?" She called out as she slowly opened the dividing curtain.
Harry looked haggard and lost. "What is it Daphne? I'm busy here…"
"Not from what I hear." Daphne moved in closer. If he'd been doing work she would not have been needed. "You want to talk about it?"
Harry paused a moment before looking over at Daphne hard. "Talk? Suddenly trying to channel Tracey?" He dismissed her with a snort. "What do you want Daphne? If it's not important, then you should go." He paused momentarily to look her in the eye, "Besides, we both know you're not Tracey."
His words were meant to hurt, and they did. "Then it's a good thing I'm not trying to be her." Daphne snapped back in anger before closing her eyes to calm down. She was here for a reason. "There will only ever be one Tracey, we both know that, but you have to talk to someone. Theo would be here but since you nearly killed him, and you never talk to Blaise, that leaves little old me."
Harry looked down in sadness. "You'll tell Theo I'm sorry. I'm just not ready to see him right now."
"He understands. We all kind of do." Daphne sat down hesitantly across from her lord. "What is this about?"
"You know Tracey always brought me chocolate before we would talk about anything…"
The pathetic way he said it made Daphne want to cringe. Really, chocolate. "Are you a five year old or something?"
"The door." Harry pointed to the curtain divider and turned around to lay on his back. This was going to be harder than she thought.
"Alright, alright fine." How the hell Tracey had done this so many times without hexing this man-boy would remain a mystery to Daphne.
It took Daphne another twenty minutes to steal… um… acquire some chocolate from one of the soldiers in the tunnels, and get back to Harry. She didn't even bother to look to see what kind it was.
"Here you go." Daphne passed over the peace offering only to watch as Harry just stared at the chocolate. What was wrong with the thing? Daphne looked down at the brand. It wasn't any of the cheap stuff either. She recognized it as the best chocolate Honeydukes had to offer.
Harry set the chocolate back down on his lap without opening it. "You know these were Ginny's favorite chocolates too. I got the house elves to leave a bar of these chocolates on her pillow every day for two weeks when she was mad at me over the Triwizard Tournament."
Oh… So, Theo was right, this was about Ginny Weasley. Daphne was glad she'd not taken that bet. Still, she hoped this was a simple situation, but knew it wouldn't be given the subject. "What happened Harry?"
There was a long silence for which Daphne was sure Harry wouldn't answer her before he spoke softly, "We slept together."
Okay, so that didn't sound as dramatic as she thought it would be. Why the hell was he moping around if he'd gotten into her pants? "Then why have you been moping around for the past week? This sounds like a good thing. You guys are moving into a relationship."
"She left." It was a short statement, but Harry had managed to sound like a wounded puppy saying it. "She hasn't come back since, and I know she's not coming back." Now, if only Daphne could figure out why he sounded so sad. Ginny Weasley was the Healer General and she was under contract. Why was her lord making it sound like she was gone forever?
"Ginny would never do that. She knows that she's under contract, and isn't stupid enough to stop coming all together. Maybe she's just scared about what this means for your relationship."
"No, that's not it. Before we slept together, I let her out of her contract."
"You what? Why!?" Damn it, now she knew why he didn't want to speak to Theo. Daphne was sure Theo's speech from earlier must have been why he broke it off. Now, her bleeding heart of a Lord had gotten rid of the only qualified healer they had. Daphne wanted to wring Theodore's neck herself for the problems he'd caused.
"She was a distraction. Theo's always telling me to get rid of distractions, so I did. Only..."
"Now she's more of a distraction." Daphne finished. This was a problem she didn't think she could handle. Merlin, Tracey why aren't you here. She wanted to kill those Death Eater punks all over again.
"She's all I can think about Daph..."
"You can't just sit here and do nothing, Harry. There are people depending on you. Theo tells me Jacob has a long list of jobs waiting for you, and several people he thinks you should meet personally." If her Lord could just get back in the swing of things he could just forget about Ginny Weasley.
"No. No, I'm not in the mood. You can take care of those for me. Get a group together to do the jobs, and have Jacob meet those other individuals. For now, let's just have the one Fixer. No, one sees me. I don't care what their problems are." Harry replied as he turned away from her.
Daphne looked at her Lord critically for the first time she'd entered his room. He was unkempt, he smelled a little like he'd not showered in days, and he was still wearing pajamas as if he'd just gotten out of bed. It was two in the afternoon… Furthermore, Daphne was sure her Lord wouldn't be improving enough to manage his own empire until the Healer General returned. There were things only he could do, and they would remain in limbo for who knew how long. Daphne could not let that happen. She wasn't going to see her Lord retreat into his self-imposed prison.
"So, you're just going to wait for her, the Healer General, to come back?"
"There's nothing I can do, Daph. I haven't even told her about my involvement with the Burrow attack. What then? She'll hate me even more than she does now. It's best if… We just go our separate ways." Harry replied with a faraway look.
If she'd been Tracey, it might have strung on her heart. As it was, Daphne stood up and snorted in amusement.
Harry looked angrily at her. "I thought you were here to help. Not laugh at me!"
"I'm not Tracey, Harry. I'm not going to silently watch you wallow in your own self-pity."
"Self-pity!? What the hell do you think I can do!? It's over. It was over before it even began, and that's my fault!"
"Yeah, you're right. You made the plan to attack the Burrow to get her here." Before Harry could retort, Daphne continued, "And you were the one to let her go."
"What?" Harry replied more calmly. "I'm not letting her go…"
"Do you love her?" Daphne interrupted.
"I… Yes, I love her more than you could possibly know."
"Then stop making her wait on you. She's found you, over and over again. From the way I've seen it, Ginny's the one who's pursued this relationship." Daphne paused to let her words sink in, "Now, it's time you went to her."
Harry deflated at Daphne's words. "I… I can't."
"Why?" Daphne waited for an answer that she knew she wasn't going to get. "If you won't go to her – if you're not going to put everything on the line for her – then put your heart and soul back into your empire! You're not just a figurehead here. I need you. Theo needs you. Blaise needs you. And every one of your followers needs you to be here, for us and this empire that you have inspired."
Daphne turned to go. "Whether or not you can be there for Ginny too… Well that's up to you." She left without looking back. Daphne didn't know what Tracey would have done. Nevertheless, this is what she had to do.
Harry slept on Daphne's words. Time you went to her. He'd never thought of their relationship as one-sided. He's never wanted to think about his hesitation. What was he afraid of? Ginny turning him down? Knowing everything he'd done and not being able to forgive him? Harry supposed he was acting cowardly. Daphne had pretty much slapped that in his face without saying the words herself. However, Ginny had been more forth right. Harry was a Slytherin. He was only protecting his heart, like any good Slytherin would do.
...put everything on the line for her… put your heart and soul back into your empire…
Daphne lacked Tracey's tact. Tracey could have said the same thing without insulting him in the process, but Daphne wasn't Tracey. No one could replace Tracey. Still, Harry had needed the kick in the pants whether it offended him or not.
Summing up Daphne's words was simple. He either went to Ginny if he loved her, putting everything he had into convincing her to take him back, or… Or he could forget about Ginny Weasley. Forget he'd ever loved her. Daphne had made it clear which option she thought he ought to do. He'd be a coward to stand still when the love of his life was moving away from him. Daphne might look down on him for a little while if he chose to never move forward, but she'd eventually forget and forgive.
The problem with being a Slytherin was overprotection. Gryffindors had it easy. Run head long into any problem without any consideration to the outcomes, and hope for the best. That summed up how Ginny had approached their relationship thus far. Harry smiled at the thought. In fact, she often leaped without looking when it came to him. Trusting that he'd catch her. Ginny let her emotions rule her more often than not, never doing anything she didn't want to do, no matter the consequences. It was one of the many traits Harry loved about her.
In truth, Harry had never had a choice for his next course of actions. No, he had a choice. Everyone always had a choice. Even so, it was clear which the correct one was. He needed Ginny, Ginny wanted him, and his company would suffer without them both. Harry would not, could not, give up without a fight. Ginny deserved that much.
With that thought, Harry got off his backside, and made his way out of Anaon on foot. He traveled the tunnels quickly to Azkaban proper. Barely paid attention to his soldiers throwing themselves at his feet as he passed. He was a man on a mission. A mission he could not fail.
"My Lord!" Rang through the corridors as he passed. Harry nodded in passing, but otherwise kept his focus on the task at hand.
"My Lord!" Harry paused only momentarily as one of the station guards came to attention in front of him. He was tempted to ask them, and would have had the bloke's mate not elbowed him in the side to get him to kneel with him.
"As you were." Harry replied as he made his way in the direction of the kitchen. He wasn't going to waste his time trying to find out anything from them. They'd fumble over themselves before he could get a straight answer.
"My Lord!" Chef Davies replied as soon as Harry entered the man's domain. "How may I serve you? Hungry, my Lordship? Unsatisfied with anything? Anything at all?"
Harry ignored the man's question in favor for his own, "Where are the gardens, Davies?"
"Gardens, my Lord?" Harry narrowed his eyes at the man. He would not repeat himself twice. "Uh, this way." Harry looked over the green house, the soldiers attending it coming to a halt and kneeled before him. Harry ignored them, not seeing what he was looking for in the green house. "Uh, my Lord. It's mostly vegetables in this series of green houses, but if you're looking for potions ingredients they'd be on the other side by the gym."
"I'm looking for roses, Davies. Preferably, black and white roses."
"Oh? Flowers. I keep a personal garden that will have what you're looking for, my Lord. I have roses in every color imaginable, along with a number of other flowers you might like better."
Davies showed him to his personal garden. He'd not been exaggerating about the number of types of flowers he grew. The rose section, however, was the biggest. Harry found the black and white roses among red and yellow roses. They were beautiful, Ginny would love them.
"This will do, Davies." Harry moved to trim the flowers with the practiced hand he'd gained from his youth, when Davies interrupted him.
"I know you have your heart set on roses, sir."
"But?" Harry turned to face Davies' fidgeting form.
"I've some new calla lilies growing in the same colors that might be more appropriated, my Lord." Davies moved down several rows without looking to see if Harry was following.
"Calla lilies?" Harry questioned. The name rang a bell, but he couldn't quiet pinpoint what spell used them. If he was remembering correctly, they were for beauty and… No, Davies couldn't be using them for that. "I hope you're only making a glamour charm, Davies."
"Oh, that sir." Davies blushed as he trimmed the flowers and bound them in a green and silver ribbon he pulled from his pocket. "The Missus is trying to get pregnant, sir."
Harry nodded his understanding. Calla were commonly used for fertility rituals. But, he'd not been aware that Davies was married. He supposed he'd need to get to know more about his top officers beyond the job.
Taking the offered flowers, Harry couldn't help comparing them to the roses. Ginny would like these more, he was sure of it. "Do I even want to know what these mean?"
"I think my Lady will like them, sir." Davies reached for the flowers as he continued, "Shall, I send them off to the Healer General while you change, my Lord?"
Harry supposed he shouldn't have been all that surprised that Davies knew who the flowers were for, but what was he on about. "Change?" Harry looked down at himself to realize he was still in his pajamas. Pajamas he'd been wearing for a while now. "Yes, please send these ahead along with some of your best chocolates." Harry replied smoothly as if he wasn't standing in his pajamas.
"Of course, my Lord. The whole company feels the Healer General's absence. I'll be happy to help in any way that would bring her back."
Harry used Davies' apparition site to get to his rooms faster. A little embarrassed to have walked the corridors in his pajamas, Harry immediately headed to his shower. He was more than going through the motions now. He took his time cleaning up. He'd neglected his hygiene for too long, which wouldn't do if he hoped to impress Ginny. Once cleaned and shaved, Harry dressed carefully.
This was not like his trip to kill Umbridge. He needed to impress Ginny, but not be too over the top. Harry chose to wear black slacks and a green dress shirt he'd seen Ginny look twice at the last time he'd worn it. He put on his custom made dragon leather shoes instead of his black boots, and grabbed his heavy winter over coat. As a last thought, Harry picked up his polished black cane. It housed a hidden compartment with a pure silver blade within. It had been a gift from Mr. Nott on his twenty-first birthday that he'd never had the chance to use. More importantly, it would add something to his attire.
Taking quick stock of himself, Harry judged himself ready, or nearly so. There was just one more thing he would need for this trip. After all, there was no way he could go to Ginny empty handed.
Harry apparated back to the kitchen to find Davies waiting for him.
"My Lady should have gotten the gifts you sent along with a little extra."
"Extra?"
"I took the liberty to send the Healer General lunch as well, my Lord."
"Thank you Davies, but there's one more thing I need."
Harry paused outside the rundown department store 'Purge and Dowse, Ltd,' the inanimate dummy staring blankly ahead. He leaned on his cane, hesitating outside the street entrance to St. Mungo's. He'd gone over his arguments several times on his way here. To give him more time, he'd even taken the long route. Now was not the time for hesitation.
Harry spoke quickly to the dummy before stepping inside. Once inside, the warmth and noise engulfed him. Anaon was never warm. It held a chill in the air that could never be altered. Furthermore, few people frequented his halls. All that together, he'd learned to embrace the silence, which made this experience somewhat unpleasant. Harry fought his instinct to run, and walked calmly up to the front desk where the welcome witch sat. He ignored the crying children, and the other people with obvious magical mishaps as he passed them in line to the front of the desk.
"Excuse me sir, but you need to wait in line like everyone else."
"I'm looking for Healer Weasley. What floor may I find her own?"
"Senior Healer Weasley is very busy. If you need to see her, make an appointment like everyone else. Now, please back of the line."
Harry moved from the front of the line and made his way toward the stairs. The witch had given him what he'd wanted despite her words. Untrained minds were just too easy.
Harry moved with a purpose as he made his way to the fourth floor. No one questioned whether he was out of bounds. He expected nothing less. He'd start at the first floor where Ginny's office would be and work his way up from there.
As he climbed the stairs, he couldn't help but be impressed with Ginny's advancement. She never ceased to amaze him. Graduating St. Mungo's apprenticeship in three years, and now Senior Healer in three as well. She must have been the youngest Senior Healer at St. Mungo's ever.
Approaching the seated witch outside of the office marked Senior Healer G. M. Weasley. "Hello. Is the Senior Healer in?"
"Senior Healer Weasley is very busy. I'll take your name and set up an appointment with the Healer next week." The witch replied barely looked up from her work.
"Please, Grace." He'd spoke having picked up her name from her desk name plaque. "I know Ginny's back there." Having read those details from the secretary's surface thoughts. "Tell her Evans, Tobi Evans is here to see her. She'll want to see me."
The secretary looked up from her work at the use of Ginny's first name, and studied him. "Let me guess. You're the same friend sending flowers?" The woman seemed unimpressed. "Well, I can assure you now that the Senior Healer doesn't want to see you at all. Have a nice day." The woman replied with a false smile on her face.
"Just tell her I'm here, please."
The secretary looked him over, "Stay here, and I'll see if the Senior Healer wants to meet with you."
As the witch moved to the door, Harry waited only long enough for her back to be turned before he followed.
"Senior Healer Weasley, a man by the name of Evans is here to see you."
"Evans?"
"Ginevra." Harry replied behind the secretary. He stepped around the secretary despite her protests.
"Mr. Evans, I told you to stay put."
"No, Grace. It's alright. This won't take long." Ginny replied as she moved from behind her desk to stand leaning back on it, arms crossed.
Harry waited for the secretary to shut the door behind her before he spoke, "Senior Healer now? That's quite a promotion."
"Yes, it is. Now, if that's all." Ginny pointed to the door before crossing her arms again.
She was angry, very angry since she wasn't yelling at him. The frown on her face was also very prominent.
"Ginny." Harry spoke softly. He could see a half-eaten meal on her desk. She saw what he was looking at and moved to stand in front of it.
"Only one day of chocolates and flowers. You're losing your touch, Evans. I can assume Jeremy was behind the lunch." Ginny replied nonchalantly.
"He was more than happy to make it. Your presence is greatly missed throughout the company."
"Yes, well I'm sure it won't be long before they've moved on." Ginny turned her back on Harry to play with a quill on her desk. "Why are you here Harry? What have you come for?"
"You."
Ginny turned back around sharply at his omission. "You don't get to come here for that. You left me remember."
Harry took a step toward her. "I miss you Ginny." She gave him a look that burned him in place at that omission.
A dark laughter came from her voice, "You miss me? Perhaps you should have thought about that before you sent me away."
Harry took another step forward in his anger, "Sent you away! I set you free."
"Free? Who are you trying to convince? You broke our arrangement because you couldn't stand to be near me. You are a coward!"
"You think I could keep you chained to me? You think that would make either of us happy!? I want you to be with me because you want to be. To do that I had to let you go."
"We both know whose fault that is." Ginny replied just as angrily.
"More my fault than you know." Harry replied softly, deflating at her words. Ginny gave Harry a questioning look in reply. Harry ran his hand through his hair nervously. It was now or never. "I… I may have been more involved in the Burrow incident than I lead you to believe."
"Oh? You mean you gave Death Eaters the wards and spells necessary to deceive and trap my family at the Burrow." Ginny replied coldly.
"But… How? You know already?" Harry questioned shock in his voice. She'd known?
"Do you take me for a fool!? Of course I already know! There were only two, maybe three, wizards strong enough to make the necessary wards. Let's not forget the ease in which you broke said wards."
If she'd known, why hadn't she yelled at him sooner? Was she not upset? "You're not upset?"
"Of course I'm upset! You tried to murder my family. My family!"
Harry took another step forward in his own anger, "Your family is one of the reasons why I was imprisoned in the first place."
"You mean Fred or George?" Ginny didn't let him respond. "You know what? It doesn't matter. In the end you gambled with their lives! My life! You had no idea I would get called that day. I could have easily been trapped there as well."
"Gamble? I never gamble." Harry replied coldly. Did Ginny think that little of him? He took another step toward her in his anger. "I knew the whole plan. I knew they would be attacking other places, the size of the force. I knew you wouldn't be there. And I knew you'd find me."
"You couldn't have known I'd find you. You gambled."
"I know you Ginny. I knew you would find me." Harry replied as he took a finally step forward so that they were inches away from each other.
"Not well enough." Ginny replied softly. "Not nearly well enough. If you had… All you had to do was ask. But instead you go through all these lengths just to get to me!"
"I…"
"Four years, you've been free and never bothered to see me, to tell me."
"Ginny, I…"
"I thought you were dead!" Ginny replied with unshed tears in her eyes.
"Ginny." Harry instinctively moved to wipe the tears from her face. "I'm sorry. I…"
"NO!" Ginny pushed his hand away and spun away from him. Her back to him once more. "You don't get to do that anymore. Comfort me, as if you cared."
"I do care Ginny, I…"
"Then why did you let me believe you were dead for one more day than you had too? Why did you hurt me this way Harry? Of everything you've done, I might understand. But this – this I cannot." Although she tried to hide it, Harry knew tears ran down her face. Ginny brushed them away violently. Not once looking back at him.
It hurt Harry to see her cry like that. She was so strong. He'd not even seen her cry after the Chamber. "I… I was scared. Scared you'd moved on. Scared you'd hate me for what I've done. What I've become. I didn't want to lose you Ginny, not again. But in the process I ended up losing you anyway."
Harry took a step toward Ginny pulling her into his arms. She resisted only momentarily before melting into him. Harry pushed her away slightly to turn her around and pulled out the single red rose he'd brought with him. For something, roses were the best.
Wiping his thumb along the tear streaks on her face, Harry pulled her eyes to meet his own. Imploring her, Harry spoke. "Forgive me for my weakness, Ginny. My first instincts are not toward bravery as yours are. It was not how I learned to live my life. But from this day forward. I will try to be courageous in my love for you. I want to be worthy of you again." Harry paused to plead with Ginny. "Trust me with your strong, independent, courageous, Gryffindor heart once more."
Ginny took the rose and leaned forward into Harry's embrace. "I'm not sure I should trust a Slytherin to be brave."
Harry pulled Ginny in tighter letting his head rest atop her own. "A brilliant witch once told me that I was more than my house. That we all have a little bit of each house in us. I'd like to think I have some Gryffindor in me too." Harry whispered to Ginny.
Ginny buried her head further into his chest as she spoke, "I hate how much I love you."
Harry laughed softly at her reply. "I'm just glad you love me."
AN: End... Just kidding. There are two more chapters, theoretically. Although from the scene count, chapter twelve might be split in half. This story really sets up the sequel. So, you could say I'm looking forward to the end, even if I haven't a clue where the sequel is going.
First, I'd like to apologize for who long this took to get out. I wish I could say the next chapter was coming soon, but I've barely started with it. I blame my inability to say no. Currently working on four experiments, which all seem to be giving me trouble (just the nature of the beast). I have another big experiment that I'm not starting only because my PI is too lazy to look over my powerpoint outline and give me the go ahead (the same powerpoint outline that he asked for several weeks ago mind you...). Instead, he's set up a completely different set of experiments (not including the four projects I've got going now). So, I guess I'll be spending the only day I don't have classes trying to learn how to do electrophysiology in neurons. Electrophysiology, it even sounds hard doesn't it...
Oh well, at least once I get past chapter eleven, chapter twelve should be pretty easy to write. As always, I'd like to thank my beta bkats for taking the time out of his busy day to edit my stuff. Sometimes, when I think I have no life, I like to think of bkats and say 'At least I'm not in med school'.
Thanks for the review, guys and gals. They really helped me get this out.
KJ
PS. Still, surprised no one realized Ginny already knew... Oh well, I'll just say that's because I write better from Harry's perspective and he sure as hell didn't know.
PSS. If you don't know by now, then something is seriously wrong (and it's not with me...), but I still don't own anything related to Harry Potter.
PPSS. (Not sure if that even means anything...) Keep up to date with SOPA.