A/N: Sorry for the delay. I totally screwed my self over on the last chapter which left the rewrite of this one a disaster. Plus Final Fantasy VII Rebirth came out and I've been playing that instead of writing due to the disaster that was the chapter.
Also I know the Holy Head Harpies is an all girls team but I screwed up and put males on the team for the story and it wasn't an important enough fact to go back and try to write a more plausible scenario.
Enjoy
P.S. I just found out that the site removed my scene brakes and its going to bug me so im going back in to reupload to fix. I apologize if you get flooded with updates.
Chapter 17:
Ginny walked into her apartment after leaving Harry's and plopped down on the recliner in the living room, exhaustion coursing through her. Her head was reeling with everything Harry had revealed to her so far with a promise of more to come soon. Her heart ached at the thought of Harry being so broken down like that, and all alone. The situation had been much worse than any of them thought. Harry had been more broken than they could even realize, and Ginny felt dread in her stomach at realizing that there was nothing any of them could have done to help him by themselves. The only thing they could have done was send him to St. Mungo's and that would have been a disaster for him once word had gotten out.
With a tired sigh she tried to think if there was possibly anything more that she could have done to help him at the time when he was with them. She didn't think there was anything. He was self-isolated, stuck in his own hell. As much as it pained her to admit it, it was probably for the best that things played out how they did. Harry needed to find himself again and she didn't think anyone could really help him except a professional.
She wasn't quite sure about a Muggle asylum though. She didn't know much about them, and from what Ron told her, from the movies he saw, they didn't sound very good. Though she was smart enough to understand the difference between movies and reality, even though she really didn't have much of a concept on movies. But from Harry's retelling of events, it didn't sound as bad as Ron's movies. It sounded like a safe place for those in need of the help they needed.
"Mostly safe." Her mind supplied as she shook away the vision of Harry slicing open his own skin in an attempt to end his life. 'Multiple attempts.'
She wanted desperately to talk to someone about all this, but she wasn't quite sure how Harry would feel about being discussed. He never did like it in the first place. And she wasn't quite sure how much of it was meant to be just for her to know. She figured that he would tell the others what he wished them to know when he was ready, but she still wished she could talk to someone. She wanted someone to share with her the pain and horror with her on just how close they had actually come to losing him forever. To tell her panicked mind that everything was okay now, that he was healthy and happy and back with them.
Ginny looked over at the clock above the fireplace. It was well past 2AM. She didn't even notice the time was going so quickly, so wrapped up in Harry's story. Even if there was someone she could talk to, nobody would be up at this horrible hour.
She sat back thinking again. It was a lot to take in. She had learned more about Evelyn's mother now but there were still a lot of questions, the main one being, where was she? It didn't bode well that Harry had met the woman in that halfway house. Hearing the problems that the woman had faced, didn't bode well on her mental stability. But still, Harry had been there too and he had gotten better, perhaps this Andrea was too. Though if she were, where was she? Shouldn't she be with Evelyn? Harry had told them that Evelyn's mother wasn't around, so Ginny knew the woman wasn't in their lives. Harry had said that the women- 'Andrea.' Her mind reminded her that Andrea had survived childbirth with a possibly powerful magical child, and knowing how Harry felt about family, how desperately he had wanted his parents growing up, she couldn't imagine he would just take his daughter and run, at least without a reason.
She sighed in frustration. She wanted nothing more than to go back to Harry's and demand he tell the rest of the story, but she knew that wasn't possible. He had to take care of Evelyn now. The young girl was probably fast asleep again, having been given both a calming draught and sleepless dream potion earlier, but she'd been around parents of young children long enough to know that Harry would probably want to stay with her and make sure she stayed asleep, which would leave Ginny with her own thoughts.
She thought back over the first few months after the war had ended. Due to the battle being at Hogwarts and the damage it had caused, classes had ended over a month earlier than normal. That summer had been a great relief as the fear lifted from Voldemort's death, but it was still stressful and frightening. They had lost Fred, and his death had hit the family hard. None harder than George of course but still very hard. The "Golden Trio" as everyone still referred to Harry, Ron, and Hermione were practically inseparable still. They had put on brave faces, especially Harry as he was pushed and pulled in every direction. He had joined in the mourning of the dead, had attended every funeral he could, but had done so stoically, his eyes would be moist, his expression grim but never once had she seen him cry. He gave his time willingly to those who asked, especially the ministry, throwing his support fully behind Kingsley as he took up the fight as interim Minister.
But sometime between then and Ron and Hermione returning from retrieving her parents from Australia, something had changed. Harry had changed. He had come back to The Burrow one night after a day at the ministry differently. It had been hard to pinpoint exactly what had happened, but he had become distant that night, being physically there but his mind was obviously not. The next day he stayed in bed, barely responsive. Nothing they did could get him up. Ginny's mother had chalked it up to worry, that for the first time in a year Ron and Hermione were not by his side and he was concerned. She had told them all to leave him for a bit, he would be fine when they return.
It was a great relief a week later to have Hermione and Ron back home. They had been as alarmed as the rest of them when told of Harry's odd behavior, but with their return, so too did Harry. Mostly. He got out of bed, but he didn't really leave the Burrow. He became even more quiet and withdrawn, isolating himself from the outside world. Only speaking to those inside the Weasley home.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts Ginny stood from her chair and headed to the kitchen for a drink. She didn't want to think of that time. Instead, as she drank a glass of water, she thought about Bill and Fleurs' wedding, the last time before the battle of Hogwarts she had seen Harry. He had been distracted then too, but differently. She remembered how good he looked in his formal attire, how she wanted to wrap her arms around him and dance with him all night. She knew something big was happening and that he, along with Ron and Hermione, wasn't returning to Hogwarts with her, though Ginny wasn't sure if anyone else knew. Their leaving suddenly at the wedding was frightening. No one knew where they had been for almost a year and she had lived with constant worry that her best friend and brother and at the time ex-boyfriend would end up dead. Once they came back though they had explained everything about the Horcruxes and their search to destroy the six of them.
Wait, no. Seven of them.
Ginny dropped the glass onto the counter harder than necessary. Ron and Hermione had told her there were six Horcruxes. Harry revealed to her that night he was the seventh. She started to feel angry at that. They had kept the knowledge of Harry being a horcrux from her. If she had known that, would she have been better equipped to help Harry? Knowing that he was worried about that piece of Voldemort's soul still in him?
She looked at the clock again. It was almost 2:30AM. She should have waited till morning but she couldn't. She had to get answers and she couldn't wait till morning. It would eat her up till she exploded and then she wouldn't be rational enough to ask what she needed.
Turning from the sink, she grabbed her wand and exited her apartment. Stepping outside the building from the exit on the side of the shop she apparated into the backyard of her best friend and brother's house and used her key that she was glad she had grabbed as well to let herself in and run up the stairs.
She found their bedroom, not caring if they were decent and slammed open the door and turned on the light. Both Ron and Hermione jumped startled awake at the loud sound and cringed under the sudden harsh light above. Looking around they saw Ginny step into the room.
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"Bloody hell Ginny. Do you mind we're not decent!" Ron shouted, wrapping the blanket tighter around himself, Hermione doing the same. Ginny didn't seem to notice or care. She stood at the end of their bed furious.
"Why didn't you tell me about Harry being a horcrux?" she shouted at them. They looked at her startled and confused, not quite sure what was going on.
"What are you talking about Ginny? Can't we discuss this tomorrow when we're like, not naked and sleeping?" Ron shouted back, annoyed.
"No, not till I get some answers." She demanded. Ron was about to yell again but Hermione put her hand on his to stifle him.
"Ok, let us get dressed really quick and we'll meet you downstairs, ok?" Hermione said calmly.
Ginny looked reluctant to leave, but nodded then turned from the room, slamming the door behind her. Ron and Hermione stared after her, jumping again slightly as the door slammed shut.
"What the hell is up with her. Why's she bringing up Horcruxes at this time of night?" Ron asked, irritated as he got up and grabbed some clothes, watching as Hermione did the same on her side of the bed.
"I don't know." She replied as she wrapped her robe around her tightly over her pajamas and waited for Ron to put a shirt on.
Heading downstairs once they were decent, they followed the sounds of Ginny pacing the living room. Ron watched his sister for a moment, feeling grim at the irritated expression that mared her pretty face. The small redhead startled for a moment at seeing their sudden appearance before stomping towards them.
"Well, why didn't you tell me?" She ground out. They still looked confused. Ron rubbed his hand over his forehead feeling a headache coming on.
"What are you talking about Ginny? We told you everything about them that we know." He said, But Ginny shook her head in disagreement.
"You only told me about six of them. You didn't tell me about the seventh." She accused them.
"There were only six. The diary, the locket, the cup, diadem, ring, and the snake. There was no Seventh." Hermione said. Ron frowned as he watched his sister's face turn red and a sinking feel began to fill inside him. He realized then that she knew.
"You forgot Harry." She said,
"Harry was there when we destroyed them. Well, all but the cup." Ron stated the lie they'd concocted years ago easily falling from his lips.
"Harry was a Horcrux." Ginny stated firmly, and suddenly Ron felt very sick. "And I know that you know it. Harry told me. Harry told me, tonight. He said that he was a Horcrux. When Voldemort killed his parents and he disappeared, a part of his soul went into him." Ginny said softly.
"Ginny…"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Ron stared at his sister with sympathy. "We couldn't Ginny." Hermione answered the girl.
"Why not?" She bit out. "You don't think that information would have been helpful, or useful in helping him?"
"Ginny…" Hermione started as she sat down on the couch. She opened her mouth a few times, but nothing came out, seemingly unable to put her thoughts into words. It wasn't a state that Ron was used to seeing in Hermione and hated watching her flounder.
Stepping up next to her, Ron placed his hand on her shoulder and stared over at his sister. He understood why she was upset, hell he would be too, but he didn't appreciate her coming over in the middle of the night to yell at them for this. "Stop Ginny. You don't get to yell at us about this."
"And why not? Having this information could have helped us help him!" She yelled.
"Maybe, but you don't know that!" He yelled back. "We didn't know what was wrong with Harry back then. He had just defeated one of the most powerful evil wizards who had been hunting him and his family since before he was born. Harry had spent the previous seven years being tormented and hunted by people who just wanted to hurt him and kill him. He had lost so many people who he loved and so many he didn't even know that he blamed himself for. There was so much going on that anything could have been the cause."
"Yes, but this piece of information could have helped! And you two kept it from everyone."
"No Ginny. Hermione and I didn't keep it from everyone. Harry, Hermione, and I did." He grounded out. "You're missing the key part. Harry was involved in that decision. It wasn't something Hermione and I just thought up to piss you off."
"Yes bu-"
"You know what horcruxes are, Ginny. We explained it to you. There was no way in hell, especially immediately after Voldemort's defeat, could anyone in the world know that Harry had been one. Even though it was gone, with Harry still alive people would still be afraid that it wasn't and who knows what would have happened."
"We were afraid, Ginny." Hermione spoke at last. "We were afraid that if word got out that someone would try to destroy Harry. For all we knew the ministry would think him a threat to public safety and order his destruction just to be sure."
"Why would the ministry do that, Hermione?" Ginny asked skeptically.
"For the same reason they created the Muggle-Born Registration Commission." Hermione answered. "Because they can. And immediately after the war, while yes, we recognize things were being reshaped for the better, it still scared us, Ginny. They put so much fear in us, we weren't going to risk it. We weren't going to risk Harry. He had literally already died for all of us. Ron and I weren't about to risk him further."
"Yeah Gin, and soon after that things started to get bad for Harry." Ron added. "But we couldn't just pin it on the horcrux."
"And you didn't trust me? To let me in. To tell me?"
Ron looked down at Hermione and met her gaze, returning the small smile that she gave him. They were in sync with this. He loved his sister dearly, and Ron knew Harry loved her too, and both he and Ron and Hermione did trust her, but this was one thing the two of them would have taken to their graves if need be. They have never told a single soul, and barely even spoke about it to each other.
"We trust you, Ginny. That's never been a question. But this was something that you would never have learned about from us. Only three people alive knew this secret, and the only one who could have told you is Harry. Because Hermione and I never would have."
Ginny collapsed onto the couch then and placed her palms on her face. Ron felt for his sister, he really did. He hated seeing her upset. He hated that it was Harry again that had upset her. Moving past Hermione, Ron sat down next to Ginny and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her to him.
"I'm sorry Ginny." He whispered to her, feeling her shake her head.
"No, you're not."
"I truly am Ginny. I'm not sorry that we kept it from you, but I am sorry that you are once again hurt by it." He said. "But on the bright side, you now know how much Harry trusts you."
Ron smirked as he saw in his peripheral Hermione face palming herself and muttering his name.
"Tell me more about it." Ginny said. "About the horcrux."
"Ginny, we can't. It's not our place."
"I don't care Ron. I know about it now, and if I have to wait until next time, I'm alone with Harry for him to finish his story I may just lose it."
Ron furrowed his brow. "Finish? Why didn't he tell you the whole story?"
"Evelyn woke up." she explained. "How did it get destroyed? You showed me a couple of the objects and they were destroyed beyond repair. How was the horcrux in Harry destroyed and yet he lived?"
"Voldemort had to destroy it." Hermione told her. "I have several theories I've come up with over the years on the hows and whys. The most logical explanation I could think of was that Harry was able to survive because it was his blood that was used in the ritual that had brought him back."
"You mean like a horcrux? Was a piece of Harry inside Voldemort?"
"No, it wasn't the same thing. Harry didn't split his soul." Hermione explained. "But it's a very loose similar concept. I also believe that if it had been anyone else who had used the killing curse on him, Harry would have died but the horcrux would have survived."
"What?" Ginny gasped. "Like, really what? What does that even mean, how would it, I mean…would the horcrux take over then?"
"I don't believe that would be possible. It's a piece of a soul, yes, but it's just a piece. The killing curse wouldn't have destroyed the horcrux, otherwise we could have just used it on the other pieces or on Nagini. It would have killed Harry and left his body as a container for the horcrux."
"That must be why he went into the forest after Voldemort. Harry must have known what was in him and how to destroy it." Ginny said, "Voldemort could destroy it with a killing curse because it was his own soul. How long do you think Harry had known? How did he find out?"
"Snape's memories." Hermione replied.
"What?" Ginny said, confused.
"We were there when Snape was killed. But before he died, he cried some memories. Harry put them in a flask and Snape told him to take it to the pensieve." She paused for a moment thinking again. "Dumbledore must have known and had told Snape to tell Harry."
"Why didn't Dumbledore tell Harry himself? They spent enough time together during your sixth year." Ron ground out. It was something that had bothered him since he had learned of the horcrux in Harry. It was just one of many things that angered him about their old headmaster. Though he never dared to say it aloud. He hated the way the older man used Harry. For a man who had claimed to care about Harry, he had sure put him in a lot of bad situations. Ron felt that Dumbledore used Harry, played with him. Ron knew he wasn't alone in this line of thinking but with the man dead there was no point in dredging up old wounds.
"Because he didn't think Harry was ready." Ginny said quietly. Ron looked over at his sister. She was staring at the table in front of her but not seeing it.
"Ready for what?" He asked. She took a deep staggering breath. He could see tears falling from her eyes. He wanted to look away, he hated seeing people cry, especially when it involved the war. He's seen too many people cry over it.
"Ready to die." She said simply.
"You think Dumbledore just told Snape that so that Harry will die?" He asked, "So much for caring for Harry."
"He did care, Ron, which is why he probably didn't tell him till the last moment. Harry wouldn't have been ready. With most of the Horcruxes destroyed and an end to the war in sight, Harry was ready to sacrifice himself so that Voldemort could be killed." Hermione explained.
Ron stood up angrily. He didn't want to hear this again. He had already been pissed enough that Harry had gone off to sacrifice himself in the first place. He was already pissed off that their mentor orchestrated it. He was beginning to get pissed at his sister for bringing it up again, as well as being pissed at Harry for telling her, even though he had the right to.
"He told Neville about the snake. On his way to Voldemort, so someone else knew about the last Horcrux." Ginny said. "He went to die because the part of Voldemort in him had to be destroyed, otherwise Voldemort would have lived even after Nagini was destroyed. It would have been for nothing."
"Do you think it's still in him? That part of Voldemort's soul?" Ron asked suddenly, very concerned. "Is that why he left?"
"It's destroyed Ron. Voldemort is gone." Hermione said, tilting her head slightly as if a thought just fluttered through her head. Ron furrowed his brow to ask what it was when Ginny spoke.
"But he still feared it was there, and it drove him crazy." Ginny said softly.
"Literally." Ron muttered only to be smacked by both girls. "What else did he tell you, Ginny? Tonight, other than about the Horcruxes." He desperately wanted to know. He wanted to know what happened to his best friend. Ginny just shook her head no.
"I can't tell you Ron." She said sadly. He didn't like that answer.
"Great, now you're keeping secrets from us about Harry. We're his best friends. We deserve to know what happened. Is this payback for not telling you about the Horcrux?" He yelled in her face. Ginny cringed a bit.
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"Ron stop!" Hermione shouted.
"She's keeping secrets now as well, Hermione. I know you want to know as much as I do." He said angrily.
"I know Ron. But he'll tell us when he's ready. He's just started telling Ginny it's only a matter of time." She soothed him. He yelled in frustration and threw his hands up defeated and marched past them back up the stairs.
"I think I should go now. Sorry to have woken you." Ginny said quickly and with that she exited the living room. Hermione heard the back door open and shut and the lock got turned. She didn't know what to do after that. She wasn't ready to go up and face Ron yet. She sat back down on the sofa, and put her head in her hands, and just began to cry.
She cried for herself, the situation, Ron, all the pain they have suffered and know will suffer again, and most of all, she cried for Harry. He was such a wonderful person. Despite his upbringing Harry was a kind and compassionate person who only craved love and acceptance. Hermione hated how much he had suffered.
Hermione wasn't sure how long she had sat there crying but once she stopped her mind went back to work. Something that had been said earlier triggered an idea that began forming a theory regarding Harry's power increase. She had searched everywhere she could think of in the past weeks but hadn't been able to find anything that could explain the sudden spike to Harry's powers after the war. But it came to her during the conversation.
The Horcrux.
It was the only explanation. While she was correct in telling Ron and Ginny that the soul piece in Harry couldn't take over his body, it was still a magical creature, or object, or whatever the correct term was for it. It was living and Hermione would hazard a guess that it was what was blocking Harry's powers. And when Voldemort destroyed the Horcrux, it released its hold on Harry's powers causing the spike.
Sighing, Hermione sat back against the couch. She of course couldn't verify this. There was very little written or understood about the nature of Horcruxes, and asking about it would possibly bring up suspicions and Hermione couldn't risk anyone investigating and possibly finding out about Harry. As much as she hated to leave things unanswered, Hermione knew she would have to let this one go.
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"Hey Laura." Harry shouted from across the playground. Laura looked over at him and waved. Gently Harry let go of Evelyn's hand and pushed her towards the playground and Mikey to go play while he made his way over to his friend.
"Hey stranger, haven't seen you around here lately." She commented as he approached. He grinned at her rolling his eyes.
"Yeah sorry, been busy." He commented. It was true, aside from dropping off and picking up Evelyn, they hadn't had much of a conversation for the past few weeks.
"So, I've noticed. Those new friends seem to take up a lot of your time." She stated with just a little hurt in her voice. It didn't go unnoticed by Harry causing him to feel a little guilty for neglecting those in his current life.
'Current life?' He cringed. Somehow his mind had separated his old friends from his new friends, and he wasn't quite sure if he liked that. Though he didn't really have much choice. Those in his 'current' life didn't and couldn't know about the magical world. His two worlds would always remain separate, and somehow that made him sad.
"It's not just them, I have class and that project I'm working on. And the school year is coming to a close in 4 weeks so I gotta get my students ready. I'm sorry I've been ignoring you." He apologized sincerely. She looked away huffy and rolled her eyes at him.
"Yeah yeah. I know." She said, "I just worry about you. You have all these things going on, on top of raising a young kid. Don't you ever feel like you're running too thin?" She asked him. He turned away at the question staring at the playground.
He did feel like he was spread out too much. And he was well aware that he would soon need to make some cuts in his life to better fit everything. It wasn't even a question of what to cut. Harry knew the only option was to temporarily drop out of school. Already he felt he missed so much of Evelyn's life due to work and school and trying to have some sort of social life. There was also Teddy to consider as well. Harry knew he was an important figure in his life and would be even more so as he grew up. Andromeda was a wonderful grandmother and was raising him with all the love and affection Harry had craved growing up, but Teddy will want and need a male role model as he grew older, and Harry was already that to him he knew.
And now he had more things to take up his time with Ron and Hermione finding him. He had desperately missed them along with all the other Weasleys. They had been the family he never had and had loved them. Their acceptance of his return only made him feel guiltier for his decision to stay away. But he vowed to not do so again, especially with how fond Evelyn was of them all.
And then there was Ginny. The girl he had fallen in love with in his sixth year. Who was sweet and loving and feminine while still playing and swearing as hard as any man. They hadn't been together that long before he had to break it off with her, nor did they really get back together after the war, but he had fallen hard in love with her and now that he had a second, or maybe third, chance with her he didn't want to waste it. He wanted to cultivate their relationship. He wanted her in his life and in Evelyns.
Harry shook his head to clear his own thoughts before turning back to Laura. "Yeah, enough about me. What about you? How's Mikey doing? He's gotten taller since I last saw him." He commented.
Laura and Harry spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on what's been going on the past few weeks while their children played harmoniously together with the other kids at the park. They didn't notice the photographer off to the side of the park though, snapping pictures, or the woman in a dark green shiny robe making notes with her quick quotes quill watching them.
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Today was peaceful. It was quiet, there was no noise around except for the sound of the crackling fire in the fireplace in front of her. It gave off a nice warm heat that mixed well with the nice cool breeze coming from the cracked window making the temperature in the room very comfortable.
Ginny was enjoying it. Her body still ached from playing the Quidditch championship a few days ago and she had been subjected to a few days of photoshoots and interviews. Asked the same questions at least a hundred times.
'How does it feel?' they would ask. 'What's next in your career?' Stupid questions that drove her absolutely bonkers to answer repeatedly. But it wasn't so bad, she thought, glancing up at the mantle. There sat the trophy symbolizing their victory, she smiled at that, remembering the feeling of realizing when Brody caught the snitch.
She leaned further back into her chair, feet propped on the table getting more comfortable. She was taking a relaxing day all to herself today. Something she hadn't done in a long time. Her mother had invited her over that day to assist with making some pies and cakes for Hermione and Ron to taste for their wedding, which they hadn't really announced but just randomly told everyone they came across, but she wanted a day to herself. Which led her to where she was now, comfy and with a pile of Quidditch magazines she'd been collecting for a few months but have yet to read.
She was broken out of her comfortable reverie by a knock at the door. She looked over to it alarmed, not expecting anyone and then scowled. She didn't want to see anyone today. She went back to her magazine, determined to ignore whoever it was but it was difficult to do. The person was still there after a few minutes, still knocking.
She sighed and huffed herself out of her comfortable position, annoyed and wondering who the hell wanted to see her so badly. She walked to the door and quickly opened it, ready to yell at who was on the other side, expecting it to be one of her pesky brothers.
It was not, however.
"Hey Ginny. Your brother downstairs said that you were up here." Andrew stated. She had to use all her willpower not to groan. She had been trying to deflect Andrew's advances for weeks now, but the guy just couldn't get the hint she wasn't interested.
"Hey, Andrew, nice to see you but you see I am terribly busy…" She started, trying to get him to get the hint and leave.
"Yeah, I know, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a few minutes." He asked her, obviously not getting the hint again. She thought for a second and groaned inwardly, not wanting to be too rude. She did have to fly with him after all.
"Uh, sure, come on in." She said opening the door wider for him to enter. He walked into the apartment and looked around at it, nodding his approval at it. It was decorated as most Witches would decorate who weren't married, with the exception of a lot of Quidditch around.
"So, what brought you over?" Ginny asked him, trying to hide her annoyance. He continued looking around a little bit more before finally landing his eyes on her.
"I was wondering if you would like to go out tonight." He said finally. Ginny turned around so he couldn't see her rolling her eyes. He'd asked her out like four times already, always being shot down by her.
"Look Andrew, I like you and all, but I don't think I can date you." She said firmly. She didn't want to hurt his feelings, but it was getting to the point that she just had to start telling him exactly what she felt.
"And why not? We can go out some other time. We have over a month before practice starts. How about this weekend?"' He rebuffed. Ginny turned to face him again, arms crossed.
"Andrew, I'm sorry but no." she said. His face turned angry.
"And why not Ginny? Why won't you go out with me? Not even one little date?" He asked her. Her face turned hard at his tone, not caring to be talked to in such a fashion just because she refused to go out with him.
"Because I'm not interested in you alright. Now please leave." She started towards the door to show him out, but he grabbed her arm.
"Not interested in me? And why not? I'm attractive, I'm wealthy, I'm a Quidditch star. What's not to like about me?" He asked. She wretched her arm from his grip.
"That's why. You're so arrogant." She spat at him. "I'll never date an arrogant ass like you."
"You mean you won't date anyone but the Famous Harry Potter." He spat back. She looked taken aback.
"How dare you." She ground out.
"It's true. Everyone knows it. Except for a few dates here and there you haven't been with anyone since he left. Well, you know what, he's gone and left you." He said hatefully at her. Her face was getting red, the Weasley temper rising fast in her. "It's pathetic. You're going to end up alone because you can't face up to facts and are living in the past."
"Get out." She shouted at the top of her lungs. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"
"Go out with me Ginny." She laughed deranged.
"Go out with you? I turned you down so many times, then you attack me, and say such horrible things and expect me to just say yes?" She said sarcastically.
"Yes, I expect that. Let me make an honest woman out of you before you become a spinster hag." He said forcefully. She stared at him with so much hate she was surprised she hadn't exploded yet.
"Never. I would never go out with you if you were the last man on earth. Now GET OUT!" She shouted again. When he made no move to leave, she reached for her wand and shouted out whatever curse or hex would come out first. He screamed in pain and ran out of the apartment with Ginny slamming the door behind him.
"What the bloody hell happened up here?" Her brother George said, startling her from her seething anger. She didn't even notice him coming in. She looked up at him with a scowl on her face.
"Nothing happened." She said simply.
"Well, judging from the boils coming off the bat face that just ran out of here I'd say it's more than nothing." He commented. He was startled when he heard screaming coming from the upstairs apartment his little sister lived in above the shop. He wasn't too alarmed knowing she was very capable of handling herself, and if she needed him she would call him. But that didn't stop him from being curious and concerned, especially after the man left in such a state.
"It's fine George. He's gone, I'm here. Everything's hunky dorrey." She leaned back in her chair, feeling tired suddenly. She was tired of all this drama.
"Did he try some funny business?" He asked her, ready to go after him again and beat the bloody pulp out of him. A small smile graced his sister at that, she appreciated his protectiveness. She used to find it extremely annoying, and truth be told, she did still but now she was old enough to appreciate it.
"No, he didn't. He just. I don't know. He was just very rude." She confessed. She looked up at him from her spot. "He said people talked about me, George, about me being crazy and stuff for waiting for Harry. Is that true?" She asked curiously.
George came round and sat on the couch by her chair and leaned back. People did talk about his sister sometimes. They treated her story as a tragic romance. The girl whose heart was broken by the Boy Who Lived. Who was left alone to wait for him and would most likely wait forever by the looks of it.
"Yeah, a bit." He admitted. Her face turned into a scowl again. "Not so much anymore, but mainly when mentions of broken hearts and waiting for love are brought up."
"That makes me sound very pathetic." She commented.
"Well, it sounds pathetic, but you can't help how you feel Ginny. If you feel you can't love someone else, then that's your choice. It's not fair to you to trick yourself into it so you're not alone and it's not fair to the guy you are lying to." George said honestly.
Ginny's scowl faded away back to her faded smile. She was one of the few people who saw George like this. Ever. The considerate, serious side. People didn't take him seriously because of his business, which is his fault. Him and Fred were never serious, always pranking people and being sarcastic. But they always opened up to her, being their baby sister and all.
"I'd be left alone forever." She commented quietly. George put on a big grin.
"Never my darling sister. I've been training Fred to take care of you since he was born. You'll never be alone." He said. Ginny couldn't help but laugh at that, at the picture of her darling little nephew taking care of his dear old heartbroken aunt. "And besides, you won't be alone forever now, Harry's back." He stated simply.
"That doesn't mean I won't be alone forever." She counted. George rolled his eyes.
"Oh, come off it. He was very openly, googly eying you on Saturday. He held your hand, he leaned in close to you, held you tight. When he left, the look he gave you and you followed. Despite all your reservations everyone knows you two are either back together or very close." He pointed out matter of factly.
"Yeah." She said simply. "But what if we do get back together. I don't know how we will survive. He wants nothing to do with the Wizarding world. He has no plans of coming back or doing anything involving it till Evelyn goes to Hogwarts. Which means, either he would need to come back, or I would have to give this up." She said, voicing her concerns. George looked at her confused.
"Why would you have to give up the Wizarding world?"
"Because I would do anything to be with Harry." She confessed. George scoffed.
"Now you are being silly. I may not know the new Harry well yet but I'm pretty sure he hasn't changed that much. He would never ask you to give up anything Ginny. If you were both together, well, I'm sure you two would find a compromise." He said. She was thoughtful for a moment, he was right she knew it. It didn't have to be all or nothing.
"I know, I'm just being silly. I just." She groaned in frustration. "This is all just new and different and I'm not sure how to handle it or what the future will hold. If there even is a future."
"You'll just have to be patient, Gin. But I'll just give you a little advice that you probably already know." He said, sitting up and leaning towards her. "Just be careful alright? He has a kid now, he loves you, but his kid is more important, you need to realize that, and understand that or you'll be in a world of heartache again."
"I know that, George." She said confused at this.
"I know you do but I just wanted to be sure. As a parent I understand a lot better. I love Angelina with everything I have, but our children are the first and most important thing in my life above anything else. Don't try to come between them Ginny, ok? They will figure out a way to include you." Ginny sighed, nodding in understanding.
"I had this conversation with Harry already. I understand. It's not just Harry anymore. And she's not just Evelyn, it's Harry and Evelyn, they are a packaged deal." She said quietly. George nodded, quite pleased she understood.
"Harry loves you, Ginny. There's no doubt about it. You guys just need to work on what's right for all three of you. It will work out, don't worry about it ok?" With that he got up from his spot and leaned over to place a kiss on the top of Ginny's head. "Enjoy the rest of your quiet day." He smirked leaving.
She smiled at him as he headed for the door but remembered something she wanted to ask him. 'Hey George, wait." She said and he paused and turned back to her. "The silent partner in Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, it's Harry, isn't it?"
George just smiled and zipped his lips with his finger indicating he would not tell her, however the wink at the end gave it away.
The rest of Ginny's day was left in thought. Yet again more drama, she wondered if anything would just be normal again.