CHAPTER 19

Old Habits

Morning came to Harry quicker than expected. His eyes had barely shut for what felt like a minute before the sun shone through the entrance to the tent. Immediately, there was the hustle of people moving around him. Despite his lack of sleep, he was surprisingly awake – and so was one of the first prepared that morning.

Ginny had offered him a small smile when she woke up, which he didn't return. Harry could still feel her hands on his skin from the night before. He felt an air of discontent towards her – she couldn't toy with his emotions like that, and then expect him to be happy when she returns to the arms of Jack. 'Professional,' Harry kept telling himself, 'last night was nothing, be professional."

At breakfast, Harry noticed that eyes kept darting in between the newly dug graves and Harry. It was as if they rendered him responsible. Harry kept his eyes on the ground in front of him; he couldn't handle any more guilt than he already felt. He thought of Ron and Hermione, saving them, having them at arms distance, pulling them away from that place. It was enough to keep his mind at bay.

They set upon their journey again – multiple feet scuffing the dirt, Harry navigating. Navigating was like trying to remember a dream; all the details of turns and paths had slipped from his memory – lost in the desperate desire to get away from Vereor Nex. He wished he had made markings on trees, or paid more attention to where his feet took him.

"We've already been down here!" Called a disgruntled voice from the back of the group.

"No we haven't!" Harry called back. But then he looked around; there was an awkward tree that hung over the path, with knotted branches that he could recall passing ten minutes ago. He could also just make out a number of footprints on the dirt in front of him, he swore to himself.

"We've made a wrong turn haven't we?" Said George, following Harry's eyes. Harry nodded, realising how much time they had wasted.

"We were meant to go straight," he muttered to himself, before setting off again, to much muttering and negative comments from the Aurors behind him.

"We'll make the time up," came the voice of Ginny behind Harry.

"Yeah," came Jack's voice, "yeah we will." Harry couldn't help but feel that Jack was merely agreeing with Ginny to feel the void their fight may have opened the night before.

They walked until their legs felt like weights had been attached to them, until their back ached and the road in front of them turned blurry. They hadn't come across any more Death Eaters, Harry assumed it was because the trace was gone – but he was certain they were still out there searching. The anticipation of attack felt like prickles on the back of his neck. Just when they were about to quit and search for a campsite, Harry felt an arm jut out in front of him, bringing him to a halt. Charlie was squinting into the distance,

"What is it?" Asked George. Harry saw it too, something large moving behind the trees, he clutched his wand, but Charlie shook his head at him.

"It's not human," he muttered.

"Doesn't mean it's good!" Harry replied. Then they came into full-view, several Centaurs, lead by a man with black horse legs and long, ebony hair. They all held their bow and arrows aloft, prepared to take them all down. Charlie raised his hand in defense,

"We're only passing through!" He announced, "we don't mean any harm!"

"This area is restricted," the leader announced, a few of the others beat their hooves against the ground.

"Our sincere apologies, we didn't know," Charlie stated. Harry could hear a few Aurors shifting uncomfortably – not loving being held at firing length of centaur arrows.

"Have you seen any Death Eaters around?" Asked a female Auror from somewhere behind Harry. The centaur stepped forward with authority and assessed the group with a stare.

"You are the first humans we have encountered today," he said, his deep voice a warning not to question any further.

"Please, just let us pass," Harry said. "We're trying to get to Vereor Nex, to save lives –,"

"What you are doing does not concern us," the dark bay to the right of the leader muttered. "It is what you are doing in this moment, that does. Tell your people to lower their weapons." Harry turned around and noticed that a few Aurors held their wands in clenched fists. Harry raised his eyebrows at them and they lowered them, keeping a wary eye on the centaurs.

"Now you lower your weapons," Harry said. Charlie looked at him, and for a moment Harry wondered if he had pushed the centaurs too far. He was used to addressing centaurs at Hogwarts, but these appeared meaner, more territorial. The leader tilted his head, as if considering before raising a hand – the centaurs lowered their weapons. You could feel some of the tension leaving the air. "Can we please just pass through? We have been hiking since sunrise, we are all very tired – we promise not to bother you again." The leader frowned, and considered the words for a moment.

"Very well," he stated, his voice sounding like a drum. "But I will remember your promise." Harry nodded in thanks and the centaurs walked away, some of them sealing their departure with steel-like glares and beating hooves. Only when the sound of them had completely disappeared did they continue walking in silence. They walked for another hour, afraid to stop, too weak to go on, until they found a clearing. By then the sun was casting long, dark shadows, and they had to set up camp quickly so that they would not be encased by night.

When the darkness did settle over the camp, everyone retreated inside to decide what the next day would bring. Once again, Harry was asked if he was positive they were going the right direction, but the more he thought about it, the more he doubted his certainty – they doubted him too, it seemed.

"We're going to just keep going the way we're going," Harry explained.

"And if we're going the wrong way?" Asked a male Auror named Colin, whose red hair dimmed in comparison to George's who sat next to him.

"Then we will have wasted a lot of time," Harry stated simply.

"That's not good enough," Colin stated, and a few Aurors nodded in agreement. "We can't just waste precious days –,"

"Do you have a better idea? A quicker way?" Harry asked, frowning, "because if you do then I'd love to hear it." Colin swallowed and shook his head,

"Didn't think so."

"How far away are we?" Asked Dylan, rocking backwards on the stool he was sitting on.

"We don't know," Ginny stated.

"Can we guess?" Asked Jack,

"We can, but we'd probably be wrong," Ginny shot back. Harry rubbed his eyes,

"Probably a day, maybe two…" he muttered, trying to remember how long it took him to get back – he rubbed a scar on his arm subconsciously. The group fell into silence,

"Harry, do you think –," Ginny began, but then was cut off by Harry standing.

He mumbled some excuse – any excuse – that would get him away from the group. He was sick of their disappointed tones, their accusative statements that were blatantly directed at him… he just wanted to get away from them, away from Ginny and the burning desire that coursed through his veins.

"I'll come with you," Ginny said, no question in her voice. Harry saw Jack look up and frown, he smirked at the thought that he was holding back a retort. Harry didn't respond to Ginny, and walked off without her, but he could feel her following a few paces behind. They walked until they were behind the tents, into a thick mess of trees, the edge of the campsite. Harry leant against a tree, enjoying the dark that surrounded him. Ginny stood in front of him, and crossed her arms.

"What?" He asked,

"What have I done?" She asked,

"What have you –,"

"Why are you acting like this? You've barely talked to me all day, and when you have to it's forced," she shifted her weight between her feet. Harry laughed a little on the inside, she was nervous talking to him. "Is it… is it because of last night?" Harry's eyes suddenly darted to hers, giving him away – Ginny sighed, drawing her conclusion.

"No," Harry lied.

"Then why?"

"Ginny, I've had a long day. A really long day." He rubbed his eyes, feeling the lack of sleep catching up with him. "And Ron and Hermione don't seem any closer than they were when we set out on this journey…"

"They are!" Ginny said, "we're getting there."

"Are we?" He stared at her; his eyes had now adjusted to the complete lack of light. "Please," he said, "just leave me alone." Harry took his back off the tree and went to walk further away when he heard the sound of metal scraping and a stiff pain in his back.

"Why?" Ginny asked

"Put down the sword," Harry muttered, with an uninterested tone.

"Not until you tell me," she stated. Harry turned around so that her swords tip was now sitting on his chest.

"So that's how it is? You don't like me behaving like this, so it's either tell you or we duel?" He raised his eyebrows in speculation, he saw her clench her jaw, only her stubborn nature keeping her in place. He decided to call her bluff, "go on then, kill me."

"Har –,"

"Why else would you have a sword pointed at my chest? Kill me." He was saying it simply, as if they were talking about the weather. She frowned for a moment then lowered her sword,

"I would never kill you."

"Then stop pointing that thing at me," he warned. It wasn't that Harry didn't understand what she was doing – their minds were very similar, when they were annoyed it felt good to do something practical – to put all their energy into something so that they didn't have to think anymore. Harry turned his back on her again,

"Hey! Don't walk away from me! We're not finished!" Ginny argued, clasping him by the shoulder. Harry stopped, feeling once again the electricity that seemed to flow from her hand into his skin. She left her hand there for a moment before he spun around and grabbed her wrist so quickly that she flinched.

"Stop it," he growled, "stop confusing me."

"Harry, you're hurting my arm," Ginny said, he released her.

"You're toying with me. I'd expect it from other girls Gin, but not from you."

"What do you mean toying with you?"

"You're taken, I've respected that, you have bloody Prince Charming over there, I kept my boundaries… but then it ends up being you who puts her foot wrong. You do these things…" Harry spat before stopping for a moment, "you know how I feel about you." Ginny swallowed,

"I wasn't trying to…"

"You can't have both of us."

"I don't want –,"

"What do you want?"

"Will you let me finish?" She snapped. "I'm sorry… for being confusing, but it's confusing for me too!"

"How?"

"I… I wasn't over you when I met Jack," Ginny searched Harry's eyes for a moment, "but I got over you… because you weren't here and I figured you'd never be here again." She was gesturing wildly – as if she could paint what she meant before them with her hands. Harry frowned, and she swallowed, "but the only reason I did get over you was because you weren't here… you know?"

"…. No"

"You came back, and it just put some old feelings into play,"

"So what am I suppose to do? Sit back and watch you be with him until you have a random whim like last night and let your guard slip?"

"No, no… I don't expect that."

"What do you expect?"

"I don't know! I'm trying to work out what's in my head right now." Harry clenched his jaw,

"But I love you!" Harry suddenly yelled, as if his mouth worked at its own accord. Ginny opened her mouth as if she was about to say something, then closed it again. Harry clenched his fists, "I love you… I wish I didn't. I wish I was over you…" He looked down at the ground, frowning in thought.

"I can't stand just being like this – every time you kiss him, it's like someone has gotten a blade and stuck it into my gut." Harry stared at her, "I'm a jealous guy Gin, I always have been… you know this… but I've been good, I've stayed back – I haven't done anything stupid because I want you to be happy, and I see that you're happy when you're with him."

"Harry… I – ," Ginny began,

"I know I complicate things, I know that you were perfectly fine before I showed up again… but I have, and I'm not going anywhere…" Harry swallowed and stopped speaking. There was a moment where Harry merely stared at the ground whilst Ginny tried to think of what to say, the tension between them felt stiff and impenetratable.

Ginny shook her head slightly,

"I was not perfectly fine until you showed up," she whispered, stepping towards him. He raised his eyes and stared at her, she was close, very close. He could feel the heat from her body as his own anticipated contact. She ran one hand up his arm and rested it on his bicep, then tilted her head slightly up to his. In a single moment she pushed her fingers through his hair and pulled him hungrily into a kiss. Time seemed to move slower, Harry kissed back, his arms wrapped around her waist, his body pressed against hers. Ginny placed a hand on his cheek, and they stayed there in their embrace, their bodies remembering, after years of being apart, exactly what to do. Harry pressed himself close to Ginny, so that any hurt left on the surface was spread thin and becomes a binding instead of a boundary. They broke apart to breathe again, Harry stared at her,

"Damn it," she whispered, before kissing him again.

Haha, finally right? This chapter is for all you Harry/Ginny fans out there, like me! ;) I'm sorry this update took so long - the amount of essays I've been made to write recently - they're trying to kill me!

Click the review button! It makes me so so happy! :D What did you think of this chapter? Loved it? Hated it? Do you think I did the Ginny/Harry scene okay? I want to know!

Love to all,

Pheonixxsong