"Bill, is that a question you really want me to answer?"
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
"Why are you going to the trials, Hermione? Kingsley said we didn't have to," Ron asked disbelievingly. Ginny didn't really disagree with him. She didn't understand why Hermione would want to watch all the boring legal proceedings, especially when some of them would bring up horrible memories of the past year.
"I've already explained, Ron. I want to make sure none of them get off without the punishment they deserve," Hermione answered, a little testily.
"But what are you gonna do if you disagree with the sentence? No offence, but I don't think the Wizengamot is gonna change their minds if you think they should've done something differently," Ron responded, and Ginny winced, knowing exactly how his girlfriend would react to that.
Hermione pushed away from the table and stood up. "I don't need your permission, Ron. They're trying Fenrir Greyback today, and I'm going to be there." Without another word, Hermione walked out the back door, disapparating after she passed through the wards.
Ron shook his head. "Was I wrong?" he asked Ginny and Harry. Harry just shrugged, apparently not wanting to take a side.
Ginny tried to explain. "It's not about being right or wrong. Hermione's not stupid– she knows she can't control the Wizengamot. She just doesn't need you reminding her of that when she's doing something she thinks is important."
Ron rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I know she's smarter than me, but that doesn't mean she's always right." Grumbling, he walked out of the kitchen.
Harry looked over at Ginny curiously. "She is overreacting, right?" he asked.
She laughed, nodding her head. "She definitely is. But that's Hermione."
Harry wrapped an arm around her and kissed her cheek. "Thanks for making it easy to be your boyfriend," he said affectionately.
"You think I'm easy to deal with?" Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
Harry grinned, not taking the bait. "I think I love you, and that makes it very easy to be with you."
Ginny smiled at him and kissed him softly. He really was a very sweet boyfriend. "Well that makes two of us," she agreed. "So you're not going to any trials then?"
Harry shrugged. "I wasn't planning on it. I think they'll have enough evidence and witnesses to put away all the Death Eaters they're trying. What do you think?"
Ginny thought about it for a moment. "I think you going to any trial would be a huge story and put a lot of pressure on the Wizengamot."
"And I don't want to turn it into a spectacle or make any of it about me," Harry interrupted, as if Ginny needed that clarification. He never wanted anything to be about him.
Ginny nodded before continuing slowly. "I… do think there are a couple of people that you could provide some important testimonies for if you wanted to though. Whether you show up to the trials is a different story."
Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "Do you know who all has trials scheduled?"
Ginny grabbed the Prophet that had been delivered earlier in the morning and placed it between them. Fenrir Greyback's image was on the front page, but they listed all the trials for people who committed crimes during the war inside the paper. Harry opened it, found the correct article, and ran a finger through the list of names, murmuring to himself.
"Dolohov, Goyle, Macnair, Malfoy– they're putting the whole family on trial?"
Ginny shrugged. "I guess so. Lucius and Draco were actual Death Eaters, and Narcissa certainly encouraged their activities. Not to mention she turned her house into Riddle's headquarters this year."
Harry sighed. "I should probably make sure Kingsley remembers what she did in the forest at least. He can deal with explaining it to the Wizengamot."
Ginny nodded, as Harry continued reading through the names. "Runcorn, Umbridge, Yaxley. Wait– Umbridge? They're putting her on trial?"
"Apparently. She deserves to be punished," Ginny growled with disdain.
Harry frowned. "Her trial is in two weeks. I'll testify at that one."
"Really?" Ginny asked, a little surprised that he'd be willing to voluntarily put himself at the centre of attention for a trial, even if it was for Umbridge.
"Definitely. I'll do everything I can to get her locked up for a long time," he said with a flash of anger in his eyes. That subsided after a moment though, and he looked back at the paper again. "Bloody hell, they've only got–" he started counting "– ten people on trial? And two of them weren't even Death Eaters!"
"A lot more must've died at the battle than we realised. And Kingsley said there were a lot that were still on the run," Ginny offered, but the number discouraged her too.
Harry frowned. "Twelve to fifteen is what he told me after the battle. I don't know them all, but there's no mention of Rookwood– but I saw him get stunned by Aberforth…"
She shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe in all the confusion…"
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair frustratedly. "Figures," he muttered darkly. "So he's not on trial, and neither are Nott, Travers, the Lestranges, or–"
"The Carrows." Ginny finished, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach that her tormentors were still out there somewhere.
Harry nodded and rubbed her arm gently. "They must've run away from Ravenclaw Tower. I promise, Gin–"
Ginny cut him off with a soft kiss. "I know," she whispered, not needing him to finish the sentence. He'd do everything he could to protect her, and she'd do the same for him.
HGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG
The week had gone by pretty fast, all things considered. Charlie had left on Monday, and Greyback's trial began on Wednesday. Harry and Ginny filled their time by taking flights together and helping at Hogwarts where they could. On Friday, Hermione returned from the final day of Greyback's trial, looking very pleased.
Harry, Ron, and Ginny had all been playing with the Quaffle above the orchard when they heard her apparate, but they quickly landed and met her at the porch. "He got a life sentence in Azkaban," Hermione proudly declared.
Harry nodded. He hadn't been expecting anything less for Greyback, and he was glad that the Wizengamot had agreed. Ron hugged Hermione quickly, and Harry and Ginny locked eyes before looking away from each other, trying not to laugh at the awkward hug. Hermione smiled a little before going inside.
"So Hermione still hasn't forgiven you?" Harry asked, sitting on the porch swing.
Ron shrugged. "Not yet. She'll get over it though. I think she just likes being annoyed sometimes," he said, making Harry and Ginny both laugh.
"She likes being annoyed at you because you annoy her," Ginny teased her older brother. Ron just rolled his eyes.
"You know she likes you, mate. You've just gotta be more… sensitive now," Harry offered somewhat helpfully.
Ron sighed. "I guess." Then he looked back up at the two of them. "What are you two doing this weekend?"
"Andromeda's bringing Teddy over soon," Ginny said happily, making Harry smile with her.
Ron nodded. "You two sure do like that kid, huh?"
Harry chuckled. "Yeah, I'd say we're both rather fond of our godson."
"Yeah, but you guys seem to really like taking care of him together," Ron elaborated, but Harry still didn't get what was so shocking about that.
"Yeah, of course we do. He's our godson. We love him, and we love each other," Harry responded.
Ginny took his hand, squeezing it in agreement before adding, "He'll never know his parents, so we're doing our best to be as good to him as Remus and Tonks would've been."
Harry smiled at that, and Ron nodded. "Well you both seem… suited to it, I guess, even if I don't really get it." Harry had to agree. They both did seem suited to it somehow, and he was very thankful for that.
Andromeda arrived with Teddy a couple hours later, and after Ginny had taken Teddy into the house, Harry stopped her on the porch.
"Andromeda–" he began before she interrupted.
"Andi," she reminded.
Harry smiled slightly. "Andi, about last weekend, with the scar…" he trailed off, knowing he had to explain it even though it still made him feel uncomfortable.
Mercifully, Andromeda put a hand on his arm and smiled at him. "Molly explained enough to me. I can't pretend to understand everything, but I know enough to not need you to tell me any more. And based on what I've learned about you so far, I'm guessing you're tired of people praising everything you've done, so I'll just say thank you for everything, especially how you're taking care of Teddy, and we don't ever have to talk about anything related to that scar if you don't want to."
Harry exhaled gratefully. "Thanks, Andi. That means a lot." She nodded, and they went inside together. Andromeda stayed for dinner and then a while afterwards. Harry had noticed that she was slowly integrating herself more into the family as Teddy spent more time with them. She seemed to be slowly becoming better friends with Molly too, which Harry thought was nice for both of them. He also noticed that George wasn't at dinner, but he didn't worry too much about it. He'd been keeping an eye on George for Charlie, but George had actually been at dinner every night this week before today, and Harry hoped that meant he was recovering more.
Some time later, Harry and Ginny were getting Teddy ready for bed, when Harry found himself just staring at her changing Teddy's nappy while talking to him and making him giggle. She looked up at him, eyes sparkling. "I do really like when you look at me like that," she said, smiling brightly at him before laying Teddy in his cot and planting a kiss on his sleeping face.
She climbed into bed and Harry followed, pulling her close. "The next thing on my list– I love you because you're a great godmother to Teddy, and I love watching you take care of him."
Ginny kissed him deeply. "I could say the same about you, Harry." Harry smiled, falling asleep peacefully with thoughts of how much he loved both her and Teddy.
He woke to the sound of Teddy crying. Without even thinking about it, he pulled himself out of bed and rushed to the cot, quickly lifting the baby out of it. He cuddled the baby in his arms and looked down at it, stunned at what he saw. It was deformed, with its skin raw and rough. It wailed once again, and he jumped, dropping it into the cot as it reached its hand up, trying to touch his face.
He peered over the edge of the cot and immediately lurched back as a tall hooded figure rose where the baby had been. He stumbled backwards, scrambling to find his wand as the person standing in the cot pulled back his hood, revealing the pale, noseless face of Voldemort. Voldemort towered over him, and he couldn't find his wand anywhere.
He stood in between the bed and Voldemort. Ginny was still sleeping, and Teddy was in the bed with her somehow. Voldemort sneered. "Oh, I don't think I'll let this trick fool me again," Voldemort said in his grating, high-pitched voice, casting a spell that threw him across the room. He barely had time to turn and watch as Voldemort raised his wand.
"Avada–"
Harry's eyes snapped open as he felt Ginny kissing him. He kissed her back, but his eyes were darting around, trying to see as much of the room as he could past her. When she sat up, he immediately stood and looked in Teddy's cot, exhaling gratefully when he saw blue hair and Teddy's calm face, still asleep.
He turned back to Ginny, who was looking at him worriedly. "What– what was that one?" she asked quietly as he sat next to her.
Harry grimaced, taking a moment to answer. "I– I dreamed that the part of Riddle's soul that I'd seen in King's Cross when I was there with Dumbledore took Teddy's place. It freaked me out, and I dropped it. Then Riddle was there, and I couldn't find my wand. I tried to protect the two of you, but he– he just threw me to the side. You woke me up right before… he killed you both," he answered, voice still shaking from how real his dream had felt.
Ginny pulled him close to her, and he rested his head on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Harry. We're both here, and we're not going anywhere. Let's send Amelia an owl tomorrow and have her come as soon as she can."
Harry nodded. "It'd been so long since the last nightmare that I hoped maybe they were done," he confessed.
Ginny smiled sadly at him. "Me too. But I do think they're getting a little better… physically at least. You're not screaming in them anymore, you're shaking less, and it's easier to wake you."
Harry chuckled. "That's because you're kissing me to wake me up. I can't sleep through that."
Ginny laughed with him. "Hey, whatever works." He laughed again, standing up to check on Teddy one more time before he crawled into bed next to Ginny, holding her closely as he fell back asleep.
HGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG
Amelia surprised them both when she came shortly after receiving the letter, even though it was a Saturday. Ginny left Teddy with her parents and George and joined Amelia and Harry on the porch.
"Thanks for coming so quickly, Amelia," Ginny said gratefully.
Amelia smiled. "Of course. I'm always happy to help out whenever I can."
"We didn't mean to take up your time on the weekend," Harry offered apologetically, but Amelia dismissed that with a wave of her hand.
"I mean it, Harry. I enjoy spending time with the two of you. Plus, I get to see Molly when I come out here. But most importantly, if it helps you at all, I'll come whenever I'm needed." Harry nodded his appreciation, and Ginny could tell that it meant a lot to him that she was this willing to help.
"So tell me, what's been going on with the attacks since the last time we met?" she asked.
"The nightmare I had last night was Riddle attacking the three of us while we were sleeping," Harry answered.
"You also had a waking attack the night before the memorial," Ginny added, remembering that they never saw Amelia after that one. Amelia nodded and scribbled a couple notes on her pad.
She looked up at Harry. "Who were the three people being attacked in your nightmare? You, Ginny, and…"
"Teddy, our godson. I dreamed that I heard him crying, and when I woke up to check on him, Riddle was there," Harry answered.
Amelia frowned and added another note to her pad. "I don't remember you mentioning him before. When did you become involved with him?"
Ginny looked at Harry sadly before answering, "He's only just started spending some nights with us. The rest of the time, he's with his grandmother. We didn't meet him until after– after the battle." Amelia nodded understandingly, not needing any further explanation as to why they were so involved with their young godson's care.
"Harry's physical reaction to his attacks has been improving though. He's shaking less, and he's waking up easier," Ginny added.
Amelia raised her eyebrows and nodded, apparently surprised. Ginny was surprised as well when Harry explained, "Ginny's started kissing me to wake me up." She glanced at Harry, who was grinning happily at her, before looking back to see Amelia chuckling.
"I have to admit, I wouldn't have expected that to be something that would help, but I'm glad it seems to be working," she said.
"I told her you'd be impressed by her medical skill," Harry responded, still smiling. All three of them laughed at that for a moment.
Amelia looked back over her notes once more before assuming a more serious expression. "Your waking attacks seem to be sticking to the same pattern that we noticed earlier, being triggered by a particularly strong event related to the battle. In the most recent case, it was the memorial. Those triggers are things we should generally be able to watch for and make sure that someone is with you when they might come up. As far as the nightmares go, I think I'm starting to notice a bit of a pattern. New, happy things are coming into your life, and your brain's response is to make you have nightmares about you losing them. Your first nightmares came after you told Ginny you loved her for the first time, and they were about losing her. Then they subsided for a while until your godson started staying with you, and now you're dreaming about losing both Ginny and your godson."
Ginny exhaled at the gravity of that realisation. He rubbed the back of his neck. "So… if good things happen in my life, I just need to expect that nightmares will come with them?" Harry asked with a hint of despair in his voice that hurt Ginny's heart.
Amelia tapped her chin with the tip of her pen. "I'm not sure, honestly. I know you want a better answer than that, and I wish I could give you something more conclusive, but every brain is different, and everyone processes trauma differently. It may not feel like it, but considering what you've been through, I think you're holding up remarkably well." Ginny squeezed Harry's hand, able to tell he disagreed. "I've been doing some research, and I want to suggest you start doing some form of regular exercise. Some Muggle studies have shown that moving your body helps take your mind off things, but, more importantly, there's some evidence to suggest that moving physically can actually help your brain move past the blocks it's dealing with."
Harry nodded. "I can do that. Is there a specific exercise, or does it not matter?"
Amelia shrugged. "It doesn't really matter, just as long as you're moving. Running is a fairly common one because it's easily accessible and engages pretty much your whole body."
"Okay. I'll try that and see if it helps," Harry said, looking a little more hopeful now than he had before.
"Great. Then we'll try that out, and, in the meantime, if you notice any triggers, either with things reminding you of your trauma or if really good things are happening, just make sure you're not alone. The last thing we want is you to be by yourself when one of these happens. But other than that, I think you're in pretty good shape, all things considered," Amelia said with a smile. Ginny and Harry both thanked her, and she left after speaking to Ginny's mum for a few moments.
Late in the afternoon, Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron were all in the living room. Hermione was holding Teddy once again, seemingly becoming more comfortable with holding him. Ron obviously wasn't any more comfortable with the idea of children than he had been when Teddy first started coming around, and he practically made it a point not to look at Hermione while she was holding Teddy. Instead, Ron, Ginny, and Harry were all discussing far more important matters.
"I'm just saying, if the season actually does happen this year, Chudley's got a real shot at surprising some people," he argued passionately.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Chudley surprises people when they make it through a match without anyone falling off their brooms. I don't know why you put yourself through this every year, Ron."
"Says the Harpies fan," Ron retorted. "One day, Chudley will be back, and it'll feel so good to be rewarded for my loyalty then."
"At least I can remember my team winning a championship!" Ginny responded, annoyed at the same argument they had at least once a summer.
Before Ron could answer that, Harry interrupted. "What do you mean if the season does happen?" Harry asked.
"Last season was cancelled midway through. Too many people were disappearing, and nobody was going to see any matches anymore. I think they expect it'll get back to normal, but it's still a little uncertain, I guess," Ron explained.
"Well, the Ministry does have far more important things to do than make sure the Quidditch League is running again," Hermione inserted her opinion, apparently forgetting that all three of the other people in the room were passionate lovers of Quidditch. She rolled her eyes at their protests and walked into the kitchen with Teddy.
Before the argument could get started again though, Ginny suddenly remembered that there was something she was wanting to do with Harry, so she quickly ran upstairs to get ready for it.
HGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG
"So the Healer was here again?" Ron asked when it was just the two of them in the living room. Harry nodded. "Yeah, I had another nightmare last night and we owled her this morning."
"Same stuff as usual?"
Harry shrugged. "Riddle was attacking Teddy this time too. I couldn't find my wand in the dream though. I just– I felt so powerless. All I could do was stand in between him and the two of them, but he just threw me to the side."
"Mate, you know that stuff's not real. You've always got your wand with you, and even if you didn't, Ginny would. And she'd be sure to cast a wicked Bat-Bogey Hex on him. Although, I dunno if that would work right since he didn't have a nose," Ron finished thoughtfully, causing Harry to start laughing at him. It was ridiculous, and more than a little irreverent considering the trauma of the nightmare Harry had experienced, but his best friend was really good at making him feel better.
When they finally stopped laughing, Ron said, "Seriously though. Nothing like that's ever gonna happen, and even if it did, we'd all have your back, wand or no wand."
Harry nodded, thankful for Ron's loyalty. "I appreciate it mate, and believe me, I know. You punched Lavender's dad in the face for me."
Ron groaned and put his head in his hands. "Bloody hell, don't remind me." Harry started laughing before he saw Ginny coming down the stairs wearing a sleeveless top and leggings that certainly caught his attention.
Ginny smiled at the way he was looking at her. "I thought we'd go for a run before dinner," she said. Harry nodded eagerly, bolting up the stairs to change before meeting her out on the porch, completely ignoring the questionable look Ron gave him as he went back through the living room.
She had her hands over her head, stretching from side to side, and Harry snuck up behind her, wrapping his arms around her stomach and hugging her tightly while kissing the back of her neck and exposed shoulders. She giggled, "Harry, I did actually mean for us to go for a run."
Harry groaned, and she turned around to look up at him. She kissed him quickly– far too quickly for him– before stepping back. "You think you can keep up with me?" she asked teasingly.
Harry grinned. "Guess we'll find out."
They ran for the better part of an hour. Harry was faster than her in a sprint, but they were able to keep pace together fairly consistently as they ran around Ottery St. Catchpole before returning to the Burrow. Harry hadn't run that much in a long time, and he was definitely feeling it by the time they finally stopped when they crossed through the wards.
"Not bad," Ginny said, breathing heavily. Harry chuckled and turned to look at her, but all thought was wiped from his mind when he saw her. Her face was red, and she was drenched with sweat. She looked a lot like she did when they finished playing Quidditch, except she was wearing leggings and a top that left very little to Harry's currently overactive imagination. Without thinking about it, he pushed her against the back of the shed and began kissing her fervently.
She jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around him. Harry groaned into her mouth as he felt more of their bodies coming into contact. He couldn't stop kissing her. He wanted to kiss every part of her. Feeling braver than usual, he began trailing kisses down her collarbone and her upper chest while he gripped her bum with both hands. Ginny's hands were wildly messing up his hair, and all he could think was that this must be the best feeling in the world, kissing her everywhere he could while she moaned his name.
Dimly, Harry thought he heard something, but it didn't matter nearly as much as this. He found his way back to Ginny's mouth, caressing her tongue with his as they both continued melting into this perfect kiss. Well, it was perfect, until– "Oh!"
Harry pulled away from Ginny, still slightly dazed but aware of the exclamation that had come from somewhere near them. Blinking, he saw Hermione staring embarrassedly at them both. "Damn, Hermione. What was that for?" Harry grumbled as Ginny slowly disentangled herself from him.
"Sorry, I was just looking to see if the two of you had come back yet since dinner's ready, and then I heard you, and– sorry," she answered, very flustered at the scene she'd interrupted. Harry sighed sadly, disappointed but not too surprised. It was hard to get much privacy living with this many people.
Without any explanation and avoiding looking at Harry, Hermione pulled her wand out and stepped close to Ginny, pointing it at her neck. "Celivor," she said.
Harry frowned, and Ginny explained, "It's to cover all the lovely marks you give me when you do that."
He nodded bashfully. "Sorry about that," he said, although he wasn't really that sorry at all.
Ginny and Hermione both giggled together at him before Ginny kissed him sweetly. "Oh, I don't mind it at all. I think it's rather sexy, actually, but my brothers would probably disagree."
Hermione groaned as Harry grinned, definitely liking that explanation more. The three of them joined the family for dinner, and Harry was pleased that George was eating with them once again. After dinner, Harry and Ginny both showered before getting Teddy to sleep and crawling in bed themselves.
"You really get worked up when I'm hot and sweaty, don't you?" she asked him teasingly.
"You're always hot," Harry answered with a grin.
She rolled her eyes. "Very funny. I'm not complaining though. It feels really good when I can tell how badly you want me."
Harry kept grinning at that blazing look in her eyes. "I always want you that badly. Just something about seeing you like that makes me lose all the control I normally have."
She smiled at him. "I wouldn't mind you losing control a little more often."
Without hesitation, Harry began leaning in to kiss her again before she stopped him with a giggle. "Not in front of the baby, Harry!"
Harry groaned and collapsed as if in agony, resting his head very close to hers on the pillow. "I love you, Blaze," he whispered.
Ginny smiled and kissed his nose. "I love you more."
The next morning, Harry woke, surprised that Teddy had apparently slept through the night. He was starting to stir though, so Harry picked him up, ready to take him downstairs, not expecting to see Ginny sitting up in bed.
"You're not going back to sleep?" he asked curiously.
She shook her head. "I'm actually awake now. I guess Teddy not waking us up helps with my sleep or something." Harry nodded, and they both went downstairs with him.
Harry started frying some bacon and eggs, and Ginny stood nearby, holding Teddy and watching him. They talked idly about random things, and, not for the first time, Harry found himself pleased with just how easy it was to talk to her about anything, even when it seemed like they didn't really have anything to talk about. Ginny shifted Teddy so she was only holding him in one arm, and with the other hand, she began casting light Incendio spells to toast the bread. Harry grinned at her.
"It may be mundane, but being able to use magic sure does help," Ginny said, clearly grateful for their realisation that the Trace wasn't being monitored.
"We're just a perfectly domestic couple, making breakfast on a Sunday morning," Harry responded, still smiling at the homey feeling he got making breakfast with her and Teddy.
The family spent the day at the Burrow together, lazily lounging and enjoying a nice summer Sunday. Harry and Ginny went for another run before dinner, but Harry unfortunately had to control himself afterwards because Bill and Fleur were arriving for dinner at the same time they were finishing their run. It was obvious that Ginny could see the frustration on his face, and she didn't make it any easier, teasing him by letting him follow her hungrily up the stairs before shutting the bathroom door on him. Harry groaned, and she quickly opened the door, kissed him softly, and grinned at him before closing the door again to take a shower before dinner.
After dinner, Andromeda took Teddy back home, but Bill and Fleur stayed in the living room late in the evening with everyone else, after Arthur and Molly had gone to bed. "I've been meaning to tell the three of you, the goblins really aren't happy with you," Bill said to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Well we're not happy with them either, making their security so tight and all," Ron responded immediately, making everyone laugh except Percy, who still looked a little uncomfortable with the idea that he was in a room with three known thieves of Gringotts.
"Kingsley told us that they were mad that we'd gotten in, but he said he'd take care of it. Nothing's changed?" Harry asked.
Bill shrugged. "It's interesting. I think they're disappointed that Kingsley refused to arrest the three of you, but they probably didn't expect much less. On the whole, they're definitely happy to be back in charge of Gringotts now that Riddle's gone, but they're prideful too, and they're really unhappy that you managed to break in, considering it was supposed to be impossible."
"It would've been impossible if we hadn't had help from a goblin," Hermione responded, and Harry nodded his agreement.
"And we only barely made it out even then," he added.
"I don't think that would make them feel any better about it. They're pretty poor sports about it all, and they've been spreading some nasty rumours about how the three of you managed it," Bill said.
"Hero status in the wizarding world doesn't transfer to the goblin world, then?" George asked, cracking a smile that made everyone chuckle.
"What are they saying we did?" Hermione asked curiously.
"A bunch of ridiculous stuff honestly. Some think that you threatened Griphook to get him to help, and others have said that the whole war was a scheme to allow you to break into Gringotts–" Ron laughed bitterly at that "– and a lot of them say that you used the Imperius Curse to get in. It's all bollocks, and everyone knows it other than the goblins, but you all know how they can be."
Harry could feel his heart pounding, and he could see that Ron, Hermione, and Ginny looked similar to how he felt. It had never occurred to him that the goblins would be aware of what he'd had to do to break in. He saw Bill's eyes narrowing, looking at them, but thankfully, Ginny was quicker on her feet than the rest of them.
"That's obviously ridiculous," she said, shattering the awkward tension that had risen up between them as they exchanged uncomfortable looks.
Bill nodded and leaned back on the couch "Exactly. They're just upset that someone actually managed to do it successfully, and it doesn't help that the culprits were some of the most high-profile people in our world."
Harry exhaled, relieved that nobody had pressed the matter further. That relief didn't last long because after everyone had started to go to bed and Bill and Fleur were getting ready to leave, Bill asked if he could speak to Harry on the porch for a moment. Harry hesitated but agreed.
"How have the panic attacks been?" Bill asked.
Harry shrugged, a little surprised that this was what Bill was asking about. "Pretty rare, actually. I had a nightmare a couple days ago, but that was my first in almost two weeks. And I had a waking attack before the memorial, but the Healer told me we could expect those around events that remind me of everything. Overall though, they're getting better."
Bill nodded. "That's good to hear. I was hoping things would start calming down for you more as we started moving past the funerals and everything. I was also wanting to ask about George. Charlie sent me an owl and told me what he'd told you. Has he been okay?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, there's only been one night this week that he hasn't been home. The rest of the time, he's been here, and you saw him today. He seems to be doing pretty good, I think."
"Yeah, I agree. Still keep an eye on him though. Grief like that can come in waves, and the last thing we want is for a big wave to catch George while none of us are aware."
"I will. We're all looking out for him here."
"I appreciate that. And… the last thing I wanted to ask you about was those rumours," Bill said, looking carefully at Harry. Harry frowned as he let a breath out.
"We made a deal with Griphook. You were there. We didn't threaten him or anything. And if we were scamming the world with the war to rob Gringotts, we would've stolen something much more valuable than we did."
Bill's gaze didn't waver. "And the last rumour?"
Harry pressed his lips together. He contemplated what to say for a moment. "Bill, is that a question you really want me to answer? I didn't hurt anyone, and we wouldn't have broken in if we didn't have to to end the war. If you ask again, I'll answer. But… just make sure you actually want to know," he warned.
Bill grimaced, running a hand through his hair. Finally, he shook his head. "You don't need to explain anymore. We all know you did what you had to do." Harry nodded gratefully, and Bill shook his hand firmly before pulling him into a brief hug. Bill and Fleur left a few moments later, and Harry joined Ginny in bed immediately after.
"Bill knows," he said quietly.
Ginny nodded. "I figured he did. It's okay though. He wouldn't ever tell anyone."
"I know he wouldn't, but if I ever did get arrested for that, the people that know could be in trouble for not reporting it," he responded.
Ginny shrugged. "You told me more than he knows. And if you get arrested for anything you did to win the war, I'll gladly go with you."
Harry laughed. "That has to go on the list. You'd be willing to go to Azkaban so we wouldn't be separated. Absolutely mental."
Ginny smiled and kissed him softly. "We promised never to be apart again."
Harry smiled too as he held her close. "Together forever," he whispered, drifting off into a peaceful sleep.
HGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG
"Goyle's trial will be interesting to watch. Both Dolohov and Greyback received life sentences, and it seems like Macnair's is going the same way, but I don't know how the Wizengamot will treat someone as young as Goyle," Hermione said, reading over the Prophet at breakfast. She'd spent the last three days at the trials for Dolohov and Macnair, and she'd surprised everyone when she said that she'd testified at Dolohov's trial.
The report in the Prophet had stated that Hermione testified that Dolohov was at the Department of Mysteries two years ago in the battle there, and he'd knocked her unconscious with some sort of unknown curse. It was curious to Ginny that they were resentencing all of these Death Eaters who had broken out of Azkaban based on recent crimes. For example, Dolohov had murdered Ginny's uncles, Gideon and Fabian, and was already serving a life sentence in Azkaban before he escaped. It just seemed like a waste of resources, although the more cynical part of her thought that this was the Wizengamot's way of finding out all the secrets of the past year in a public forum.
"He was still a Death Eater though," Ron commented, apparently satisfied with the idea of Goyle receiving the same punishment as everyone else.
"Well, yes, there's no denying that if he has the Mark. But if there's no proof that he actually committed any crimes, I don't think he'll receive anywhere near as harsh a sentence as people like Dolohov and Greyback," Hermione answered, seemingly a little more willing to talk to Ron than she was last week. Ginny knew that Ron had told Hermione that her testimony had been really important, and she suspected that played a large part in it.
"By that logic, Malfoy also wouldn't get a harsh sentencing then?" Ginny asked.
Hermione frowned, thinking it over. "I don't know, honestly. He was definitely closer to everything going on than Goyle ever was, but I still think the Wizengamot will be a little more lenient with him."
"He deserves some time in Azkaban," Ron said, shaking his head disdainfully.
"He didn't turn us in when he knew it was us at Malfoy Manor," Harry interrupted abruptly.
Ron snorted derisively. "Sure, but he tried his damnedest to capture us in the Room of Requirement, and you repaid that by saving his bloody life."
Harry shrugged with a frown, and Ginny felt validated, remembering that she'd assumed it had been Harry's idea to save them when he'd told her about it, even if he'd acted like it was a group decision. The conversation stalled though when Hermione stood up to apparate back to London for the trials. Ginny caught Harry's eye and turned away to not laugh as Ron kissed Hermione slightly awkwardly on the cheek and said he'd miss her.
Seeing their reactions after Hermione left, Ron rolled his eyes. "We can't all be perfect couples like the two of you. I suppose you have some lovely romantic day planned in your perfect relationship then?"
Ginny laughed at his frustration. "Of course. We're going to be having a fantastically romantic time helping at Hogwarts today," she said, exaggeratedly batting her eyelashes at Harry, who laughed with her.
"I mean, when you think about it, Hogwarts is where we got together, so how many places are more romantic than that?" he asked contemplatively.
Ron just groaned and threw his hands in the air. "Absolutely bloody mental," he grumbled, and Ginny and Harry continued laughing as they told him goodbye and went to apparate to the gates of Hogwarts.
The past few times they'd been there, Ginny and Harry had sort of taken care of whatever they saw that needed to be done, but today, McGonagall gave them a specific task when they saw her in the castle. "Thank you both for coming again. I noticed yesterday that there's a lot of damage in the left second floor corridor that needs to be taken care of, if you wouldn't mind."
They both agreed and walked up the stairs to the second floor. The corridor seemed vaguely familiar to Ginny, but it seemed like it had been a while since she'd been here. With a start, she realised why it was so familiar.
Ginny's head was pounding with pain as she did everything she could to open her eyes. Her eyelids felt so heavy, and it seemed like it would almost be easier to just stay laying here. Wherever here was. She was on something that felt hard and cool and wet. That uncertainty forced her to open her eyes, trying to ignore the pain in her head. She immediately flinched, seeing a huge man towering over her, but almost instantly, she saw that it was just a statue.
Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and nearly screamed at the massive snake that was twisted around the room. It was apparently dead though. Ginny was sure this was the strangest nightmare she'd ever had. The nightmare only got stranger when she heard frantic footsteps running towards her. She turned to the sound and was shocked to see Harry Potter running at her, which only made it feel more like a dream.
He looked worried about her. This must've been the most attention he'd ever given her, and she was sure she looked like a wreck. But then she saw what he was holding– the diary. In that instant, it all came rushing back to her, and she couldn't help but cry as she remembered the horrific things she'd done because of that diary and Tom Riddle. Worst of all, Harry must've known what she'd done. Maybe if she could just explain, he wouldn't completely hate her.
She stumbled over her words, not doing anywhere near a good enough job explaining why this had all happened, but it didn't seem to matter. Harry was trying to comfort her, however awkwardly it came across. If she hadn't been as devastated as she was, knowing she was about to be expelled and sent to Azkaban, this interaction with Harry probably would've been one of the best moments of her life. Instead, she couldn't stop crying, and she knew how embarrassing it was, but she couldn't help it after everything she'd been through this year.
They somehow made their way to Dumbledore's office. Ginny was so distraught that she could only vaguely remember something that had felt like flying. As she was sitting there with her parents, she found herself staring at Harry, who explained everything about the Chamber. He looked like he'd been in a terrible fight, and Ginny realised, barely registering his words, that Harry must've been the one to kill the basilisk, probably with that giant sword he'd put on Dumbledore's desk. Blinking, she noticed the horrible diary and finally saw the hole in it. Harry must've done that too. In one fell swoop, he'd saved her from everything she'd been tormented by this year.
And in his story, he didn't once mention that it was her fault. He wouldn't have had to put his life at risk if it wasn't for her, but he did it anyway. He came to save her. Ginny had always believed that Harry Potter was a hero, and from the time she heard the first stories about him, she was certain that she'd be very important in his life, despite all the teasing her older brothers gave her for it. For the first time though, it really hit her that he was going to be very important in her life, whether he knew it or not. Because she could tell, even then, that she'd carry that memory of Harry saving her life, like the hero she'd always thought he was, with her forever.
"Ginny, are you okay?" Harry asked, standing in front of her and looking down with a great deal of concern.
Ginny blinked, suddenly returning to the present. "Huh?" she asked, regathering her bearings in the corridor.
"You just started staring at nothing for like ten seconds," Harry said, still looking very concerned.
Ginny suddenly remembered why she'd been inside that memory. "Do you remember this corridor?" she asked quietly. Harry frowned and turned to look before he stiffened with recognition, looking back at her with a different level of concern in his expression.
"I'm sorry, Gin. I didn't even realise–"
Ginny shook her head. "I just haven't been back here, since… all that."
She sat on the floor and leaned against the wall, and Harry followed, sitting next to her. "You've avoided it for five years?" he asked quietly.
Ginny just shrugged. "It was a conscious thing at first, but over the years… I guess my mind just started redirecting me from coming here without me even thinking about it."
They sat in silence for a moment. "Sometimes I forget how dangerous stuff was back then. I think I was still so caught up in the magic of everything that it seemed like everything would still be alright somehow," Harry said, almost sadly.
Ginny grimaced. "I was definitely more aware of how dangerous everything was then. And not all of us could protect ourselves like you could. I was just lucky that you saved me."
Harry looked at her again. "Gin, I'd never let anything happen to you."
She nodded. "I know that. But that's because you love me. Back then, you did it because someone was in danger and you wanted to help."
Harry frowned but nodded. "I did still care about you. Just… not the same as I do now," he admitted as if that was wrong.
"I know, and that's okay. By the end of that year, I was certain that I was stupid for having feelings for you because you wouldn't ever feel the same. That didn't stop me though. Even when I did finally start dating people, I still knew you were the only one for me."
"You did?" Harry asked, apparently a little surprised.
Ginny nodded. "I've told you that I had a crush on you from the first time I saw you at King's Cross, and you know that I had a crush on the idea of you from the stories my mum would tell me. You became almost like– like a mythical character in my bedtime stories, always chasing away the monsters and saving the day." Harry chuckled, and Ginny glanced at him because he obviously didn't understand.
"Harry, you realise that's exactly what happened in the Chamber, right? You defeated a monster and saved my life." Harry's expression became more serious, looking at her curiously as she continued. "It wasn't just that you became like a knight in shining armour or something. That year was utter hell for me, dealing with– with him all the time. And suddenly you rescued me from all that. You'd risked your life to protect me, when I felt like it was all my fault, and when you told Dumbledore what happened, you tried to protect me and didn't even say anything about me being the one opening the Chamber. I– I didn't understand what love was back then, but I'd never felt anything like that before or since, other than when I was with you."
He was quiet for a moment. "I never realised how… I dunno, I knew you had a crush on me, but I thought that went away. I just– you were in the Chamber, and someone had to rescue you," he said, like anyone would've done it.
She put her hand on his. "Yes, and I'm so glad it was you that rescued me, even though I don't quite fancy the idea of being a damsel in distress like I did when I was younger."
Harry chuckled again. "It doesn't suit you very well anymore. You're too strong and powerful to be a damsel in distress," he replied, smiling affectionately at her, and Ginny leaned against him, just as grateful for his presence now as she was all those years ago.
"What– what was it like?" Harry asked tentatively a couple moments later. Ginny sat back up and frowned, not understanding the question. "I mean– my fifth year… it was agony when he was in my head, and I thought I was gonna die when he possessed me in the Department of Mysteries. I– I can't imagine how scary it was for you the whole year."
Ginny exhaled slowly, looking down at the stone floor. "Sorry, you don't have to–"
Ginny looked back at him like he was crazy. "I know… but I do want to. It's like how I want to know everything about you, I guess. I want you to know everything about me, even though it's hard sometimes." Harry nodded, squeezing her hand tightly for comfort.
"It started so small– gently almost– that I didn't notice at first. I'd walk to breakfast and not remember getting there, or I'd not remember anything about a class I was just in. By the time I noticed something was seriously wrong and my memory gaps were bigger, I worried that I'd be in trouble if I told someone. I suddenly had red paint on my hands and my robes were wet the night the Chamber was reopened. I'd find myself covered with feathers with no idea where they came from.
"I became convinced around the time that Colin was petrified that it was me doing it, but I was sure that there was no way things would end well for me. If I told someone and I was right, I'd be expelled, and if I told them everything but it wasn't me, I'd be sent to St. Mungo's with brain damage or something. And he was so good at convincing me that nobody would understand me but him, and if I told anybody, bad things would happen to me."
"He was worried you'd expose him and ruin everything," Harry said.
Ginny furrowed her brow, having not thought very much about this in a long time. "I think it was more than that. He made me so dependent on him that I think it made him stronger. I didn't have any friends, and I shut my family out. He practically consumed me, and he made me feel ashamed for talking about anyone outside of him and…"
Harry frowned, looking at her curiously. "Him and…" he nudged, and Ginny sighed.
"He loved talking to me about you. I told him all about how you'd defeated Voldemort and what Ron had told me about the Philosopher's Stone. He seemed so understanding and interested in what I had to say, and when I told him I was in love with you– because what else would you call it at that age– he basically pounced. I'd have to talk to him every day if I wanted a chance of getting someone as great as Harry Potter to notice me.
"It started off like he was encouraging me, like he wanted me to succeed and make you fall in love with me, but over time, it all became so much more… malicious, I guess. Harry Potter wouldn't be interested in someone who annoys him by being around all the time. Harry Potter wouldn't look twice at a girl who wasn't as grown up as the other girls. Harry Potter would run away from a girl who was terrified that she was losing her mind. But it was all okay because– because Tom would help me. He– he'd make me better. All I had to do was give myself to him, so… that's what I did. I– I didn't have a choice. He knew too much, and after you'd had the diary for a little bit, he said if I ever tried to get rid of him again, he'd tell everybody everything I'd ever told him. I tried to fight back against his control after Hermione was petrified, but I– I couldn't do it. I wasn't strong enough."
Ginny looked back at Harry, who had a tear rolling down his cheek, even though he looked furious. "I wish I could kill him again," he growled. Ginny nodded. She understood the feeling.
"I had nightmares, too, you know. It took so long before I stopped hearing his voice every time I made a decision. It felt like every time I looked at you, I heard him mocking me. It was years before I finally stopped hearing his voice," Ginny said, confessing something she'd never told anyone before.
Harry wiped the tear from his eye, still looking at her with something fierce in his expression. "You fought him for an entire year. You were eleven and you held out for as long as you possibly could, despite everything he was doing to you, everything he was saying to you. He was in your head all the time, and you held out for a year. That's pretty fucking strong in my book," he said, and Ginny realized that fierce look in his eyes was pride. He was proud of her.
"It didn't feel very strong at the time," Ginny responded lamely, even though she was aware that Harry frustrated her for downplaying things he'd done just like this.
Harry turned so he was fully facing her. "You spent years hearing his voice afterwards, and you still had the courage to grow up and become an incredible person, despite him. You're the only person I know who could've gone from not having any friends in her first year to becoming friends with basically everyone at Hogwarts in just a few years. You've gone after your dreams, playing Quidditch, surviving the war… he– he tried to break you, but you didn't let him."
Ginny exhaled, nodding slightly and feeling like she was releasing some small part of this horrific experience that she'd held onto by telling him about it all. "And Riddle was so very wrong," Harry added. "Because I'm bloody mad for you, and I know you have to have lost your mind to want to be with me."
Ginny gaped at him as he did his best to stifle his grin. Finally, he let out a small snort, unable to hold in his laughter anymore, and Ginny couldn't help it. She laughed with him and fell into his arms, hugging him. Tom would've hated this– the two of them laughing outside the place where he almost killed her because they were in love with each other. And that was really the best revenge she could exact on the monster that had tried so hard to ruin both of their lives.
"Thanks for always being my hero." Ginny said quietly, still holding tightly to Harry.
"You're my hero," Harry whispered back. "But… I'd never stop fighting monsters if– if I had to for you, Gin. And I'll always be here. Because he really was wrong. I love you for who you are, scars and all. You're still perfect to me," Harry answered, sweetly kissing the top of her head.
"I love you too… scars and all," Ginny whispered, putting her hand over Harry's heart. Tom really would've hated this. He hated love, and love was the only thing that mattered to Ginny anymore. Scars and all.
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
A/N: I feel like I say this every time, but the nature of having chapters that are close to ten thousand words long is that there's a lot that happens in them, and it's always fun for me to go back and see what small things I forgot about in each of these chapters. Like I'd completely forgotten about the banter between Harry and Ginny and Ron that goes throughout the whole chapter, but it was so funny to me to read.
Death Eater trials were a big part of the aftermath of the first wizarding war, and that hasn't changed after the second one. We're going to get much more personal with the trial process in the next chapter, so I won't really go into it, but I will note that if anyone is wondering why they're bothering to try people who already had life sentences… Ginny's cynical reasoning is pretty accurate honestly.
Something that's easy to forget is how few Death Eaters are accounted for at the Battle. Bellatrix and Snape are the only two who definitely died in the Battle. Then, if you look at who was incapacitated in the final skirmish, just before Voldemort's death, it's just Yaxley, Dolohov, Macnair, Greyback, and Rookwood. Realistically, there had to be a ton of unnamed Death Eaters, so my thought is that those are the ones who died because everything with the trials and the still uncaptured Death Eaters is more interesting if we actually know who they are.
Amelia's advice on exercising is something I've read that doctors will advise people struggling with panic attacks to do, so it made sense that she would've also found that in her research and relayed it to Harry. And it doesn't matter at all because I think the meaning got across anyway, but I wanted to clarify that in the running scene, Ginny is wearing what's called a tank top in America. Based on what Google said, it seems like it would be called a vest in the UK, but in American English, a vest is what I believe British English calls a waistcoat, so I thought that term would be really confusing to my American readers because it definitely would've confused me. Just another weird quirk in the differences between the two dialects.
Ginny has a lot of her own trauma that she's working through. To be honest though, I think that she's already dealt with a lot of it. She's been overcoming it, with the help of her family, for years now, and even though she's rightfully very pissed off still and can get shaken by it, the trauma doesn't manifest itself with her nearly as much as Harry's. That doesn't make it less relevant or important– she's just further along in the healing process. One thing I really enjoyed exploring a bit in this chapter was the idea that Ginny had idolised Harry as this hero in bedtime stories, and then, when she's still 11, he actually defeats a monster to save her life like a hero in bedtime stories would. But it was important for me to distinguish that it marked a point for Ginny where her feelings transcended a simple crush because I feel like people dismiss her feelings when she was younger because of that. Even though she was really young, in her mind, she really did start falling in love with Harry when he risked his life to save her, and I can't say she's wrong, honestly.
Funny enough, as a small side note, I was rereading this chapter to prepare to write my A/N, and even though I've read this chapter 5-10 times, I found a pretty major plot hole for something that probably isn't guessable and won't be relevant for a long time. Once it does become relevant though, it would've been very easy to identify the plot hole, so I really should've noticed it on one of my rereads and couldn't believe that I hadn't. This is why proofreading exists I guess!
That'll do it for Scars and All! I hope you all enjoyed it and are looking forward to the next one, which is going to be very cathartic for all the good people of the world who hate Umbridge.
Coming Friday: I Must Not Tell Lies- "I'm wanting to testify at Umbridge's trial."
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
I wanted to note, in case you hadn't noticed, that I've changed the rating of this fic from Teens and Up to Mature. Nothing in the content of the story has changed at all since I started posting; I just genuinely wasn't sure which category it belonged in and needed the extra time to decide. Ultimately, the mature rating is there to give myself a little peace of mind, just so there's no questions about me possibly underrating the story. The primary reason for the rating is that Harry and Ginny are already exploring their physical relationship, and eventually they will continue progressing it further. To be clear, I'm not and never will write graphically explicit smut because it doesn't add anything to the story; however, there will be times when their physical expressions of love will be important to the story, and I'm not shying away from that, but I didn't want to feel uncomfortable about including that with the rating as it was before. As always, I appreciate your support! You all are the best!
