Chapter 3: The Second Time

Kids, it's easy to imagine that as soon as Voldemort was defeated the world went back to normal. But that just wasn't so.

You never got to meet your uncle Fred, but he was a wonderful person. Very funny, like your uncle George. He always knew how to lighten a mood, always ready to make people laugh.

When he died, the family was devastated.

Yes, I still saw your mother, but she wasn't ready to be in a relationship. And really, I wasn't either. But I did still love her.

It wasn't until after Fred's funeral that I approached her again and tried to resume our relationship.

…

It was a miserably hot summer's day and the funeral was packed. Fred was so loved by everyone.

Your grandmother asked me to sit by Uncle Ron even though I wasn't really a part of the family yet.

I kept glancing at your mother the entire time. She even looked beautiful then with her eyes red, and cheeks tear streaked.

When it was finally over, everyone lingered to share their sorrows, except Ginny. When I finally spotted her she was hunched over in her chair, clutching her sides with a far off look.

"Can I sit here?"

She looked up and nodded without showing any change in emotion.

"Ginny." It was hard to begin. I put my hand to one of hers. "I'm so sorry." I had prepared this whole speech, but she put a hand to my lips before I could continue.

"Harry, please don't." Her brown eyes filled with tears. "Just-just hold me and shut up."

I wrapped her in my arms and we sat there for a while as she cried onto my sleeve.

For the next couple weeks we hardly spoke. To sit together, hold hands, yet barely share a few words: that was all the consolation we needed.

But then Ginny got better.

One morning I was at the Burrow, in the back yard all alone, sitting on a benches. She was so quiet, I didn't hear her come up, but then she was sitting beside me. She turned towards me, and I could see her eyes were filled with anguish.

"Harry, I've been terribly selfish," She said.

"What-"

"Let me speak. Please. I've been using you for comfort when you want so much more. It isn't fair."

"I don't care," I told her. "Really, I can just be comfort if that's what you want. I'll just be your friend if that's what you want. I'll do whatever you want."

"That's sweet, Harry." She took my hand. "But I don't want to just be friends, I never have. I want to be so much more. But I don't know if I can right now."

How right she was, but the words were disregarded as soon as they were uttered.

"That's alright." I stroked the side of her cheek. "I'll wait twenty years if I have to."

"You're too good for me."

"Not possible."

"I think I'm going to kiss you now."

"I think I'll kiss you first," I said then I kissed her.

I felt happier than I had in a year. When we parted, Ginny was smiling for the first time that summer.

"Now, you have to tell me what you've been doing all year," she said with sternness, yet a smile.

So I did. I told her everything.

You kids know most of it too now, but back then only Uncle Ron, Aunt Hermione, and I knew. So I told your mother about everything she had missed during the Battle at Hogwarts and after.

Things really got better then, but some days were harder than others. We could be together and happy most days, but on others Ginny was too sad to speak.

And the death of Voldemort wasn't the end. There were still death eaters out there with crazy vendettas. I had to help to put them away.

We were just two kids trying to stay together at that time, but we were not ready and not really sure what our relationship meant.

We had no idea how long this bubble would last.

…

The beginning of the end was when I decided to get my own flat. I never knew what this would lead to. If I had known, I would've waited until Ginny had already left for Hogwarts. But I didn't know. I had no idea.

You see, I didn't really have a home. I'd grown up with my uncle and aunt, but they moved, and that house was now occupied by strangers. I'd inherited Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place from my god-father, but it wasn't secure for me to live in at the time.

The Burrow was the only place that truly felt like home, but I couldn't stay there. Your grandmother didn't want me to move out, but I knew I had to. It was time to move on. So I began looking for my own flat.

Ginny helped and we found a place. It was small but I didn't have many possessions.

…

"I just want to cut in here," Ginny said. She gave our children a very stern look. "None of you should be having, or should ever have, sex while still in school."

The children gaped in shock of her blunt honesty.

"She's right," I said with stern conviction.

The kids exchanged frightened looks.

"Did you two...?" James looked between Ginny and me.

"Go on, dear," Ginny said. The statement was directed at me.

…

So there I was, a new auror, in my new flat. I felt so grown up. But I wasn't truly happy. Sure, I was happy when I was with your mother, but things were still tough. I was exhausted from chasing death eaters all day, and it was terrible that your mother was so unhappy. I hated seeing her like that.

I tried to cheer her up when I could, but what I should've realized is that you can't make someone heal faster. Healing takes time and patience. It's different for everyone, and you can't push it. I never should've tried.

What I should have done was back off and let Ginny heal on her own. I shouldn't have tried to date her. It wasn't our time and I created more heartache by trying.

…

Ginny cut in. "It was just as much my fault as yours. I knew I wasn't ready, I knew I was still grieving, but I continued to take advantage of you. I should've told you to back off and give me time. And meant it this time."

…

Well, the point is we made some very bad decisions then.

The worst of all was on a hot night two weeks before Ginny was to leave for Hogwarts.

AN: As always, review, review, review!

Also, PurplePrincess77 suggested that I write this same sort of story for Hermione and Ron. I think it'd be really fun, but I'd like to get more opinions on it to make sure I'm not wasting my time. So, I put a poll up on my profile about it, please please please take it! I'd really appreciate it!

Don't worry though, I wont start the Ron/Hermione story until I'm finished with this one. I'm just putting up the poll now because I figured this way I'd get more responses as opposed to giving it a deadline of a week.