He hated that so many people could see the thestrals now.
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
It felt like her eyes had been closed for about two seconds before she was woken up by a very handsome man leaning over her.
"Morning, Blaze," Harry greeted her cheerfully, brushing a kiss against her lips.
Ginny let out a little sigh and reached up to touch his cheek. "I'm gonna miss waking up to this."
"Yeah, I don't think your roommates would like me barging in every morning to wake you up," he responded, chuckling as he sat down next to her on the bed.
"And you couldn't even get into the dorm anyways."
"I'd figure out a way if I needed to."
She smiled and kissed his cheek, letting him pull her into a tight hug. She had no doubts that he would easily get into the girls' dorm if she needed him. It still wouldn't be the same though.
Ginny was well aware that, throughout her life, particularly in the last several years, she had become more and more independent. If she didn't love Harry so much, there would be something a little disconcerting about the idea that she felt so inextricably tied to him. But the fact was that she wasn't dependent on him anymore than he depended on her. They were their own people still; that wouldn't ever change. But they were always there for each other and made each other better. That was how they worked so well together as a couple, and Ginny was more than happy to not question that.
"How much time do we have?" she asked, still pressed into his side.
"About an hour. Plenty of time for breakfast."
"Plenty of time for this too," she whispered, tilting his head down to meet hers in a very satisfying kiss that probably took up more of their remaining time than was responsible, but neither of them were too concerned with that.
By the time they made it downstairs, they had much less than an hour and hurriedly ate her mum's porridge and bacon before changing clothes and levitating their trunks to the porch. Harry was worried that Eirwen wouldn't know her way to Hogwarts yet, so he went back upstairs to get her and her cage, leaving Ginny alone with her parents.
"You're going to have a great year," her dad promised.
Ginny smiled a little and nodded, still wishing she didn't feel this sad about leaving home to go to Hogwarts, especially considering Harry was going with her.
Her mum apparently read her mind. "This will be good for you and Harry, finally getting a chance to have a normal year together."
"I know," Ginny replied. This was the first step in their plan for the rest of their lives, as loosely defined as that plan was. Really, the only plan was to stay together no matter what, and they were both sure that everything else would sort itself out.
"You don't need us to tell you this, but keep being there for each other. It may be a normal year, but it won't all be easy."
"I'm not going anywhere. I love him," she answered earnestly.
"Ditto," Harry responded, smiling brightly at her as he walked out onto the porch. Ginny pecked him on the cheek before turning to see her mother crying.
"I can't believe I'm sending my last two kids to Hogwarts," she said, wiping her eyes and sniffling slightly.
Ginny noticed Harry's expression brighten even more at her mum saying he was one of her kids. He walked over to her and bent down, wrapping her mum in a hug, whispering something that made her sniffle again. Ginny's dad approached her now, and she immediately leaned into his warm embrace.
"We're going to miss you around here."
She nodded. "We're gonna miss being here. I love you, Daddy."
He kissed the top of her head. "I love you too, sweetheart."
He squeezed her tightly one last time before letting her say goodbye to her mum, who was still wiping tears from her eyes as Harry stepped away from her and went to say goodbye to her dad.
"I'm gonna miss you, Mum," Ginny whispered, hugging the slightly taller woman.
"Oh, I'm going to miss you too, angel. Both of you. But I know you're going to have a great time at Hogwarts. I'm just so proud of you."
For the first time this morning, Ginny felt like she might cry, but she managed to hold it together, even though her voice was a little scratchy when she said, "I love you."
Her mum kissed her cheek. "I love you too."
Ginny rejoined Harry, who looked a little misty-eyed himself, and they brought their trunks past the wards.
"And you're sure you don't need us to go with you?" her mum asked.
Ginny smiled but shook her head. "Nope, this is what I got my apparition licence for. We'll be fine."
"Okay, just be careful, and we'll see you at Christmas."
They gave her parents one last wave before looking down at each other. Harry nodded, and they both spun on their heels, leaving Devon behind with a soft pop and landing immediately in an alley near King's Cross.
"Hey, you're wearing the earrings," Harry commented, looking at her ears closely and smiling.
Ginny blushed slightly, very pleased that he'd noticed as she reached up to touch one of the Snitch earrings he'd given her for her birthday. "Of course I am. They're my favourites."
Harry grinned proudly and kissed her cheek. "They look great on you," he said before leaving his trunk and Eirwen with Ginny to fetch two trolleys. He returned quickly, and once they loaded their trunks, they approached the massive brick structure that Ginny remembered finding intimidating when she was much younger. Things had changed quite a bit since then though, and she had no problem entering now, rolling her trolley side-by-side with Harry as they walked through the station, coming to the all too familiar spot between Platform Nine and Platform Ten.
"Ladies first," Harry said with a smile, gesturing for her to run through the magical passageway. She rolled her eyes at the chivalrousness of the gesture before winking at him, waiting for the path to clear before jogging quickly to the brick wall, pushing her trolley ahead. Even though she'd been doing it for so long, she couldn't help but tense slightly at the moment it looked like she'd crash into a solid wall, but, as always, everything went dark for a moment before she emerged in a massive platform packed with far more people than had been here the last time she'd been at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. She turned, waiting for Harry, and unsurprisingly, he came through the barrier right behind her, still smiling at her like he had been all morning.
It had been a hectic morning in the Weasley house. Of course, Percy had been ready before anybody else had even woken up, but the twins were, as usual, taking as much time as they could to have some fun with packing and leaving the Burrow. And even though their parents had been telling Ron for days to get packed, he'd waited until the morning he left for Hogwarts for the first time to pack his trunk.
When they finally did get everyone ready to use the Portkey their father had arranged, Ginny, who was supposed to stay at home, grabbed on to it at the last second, hoping that, somehow, she'd be able to go to Hogwarts a year early. Her mother wasn't too impressed with her stunt, but she was so distracted by trying to get everyone to the train on time that she just sighed and took Ginny's hand to keep her from wandering off in the train station.
"Come on, you lot. We've only got a few minutes," her mother urged.
Fred turned around. "What do you want us to do, Mum? Roll over anyone who gets in our way?"
"Obviously not. It's packed with Muggles, of course, just like every other year, but that's not an excuse for being late. Just go as fast as you can without hitting anyone or making a scene."
Ginny had to jog slightly to keep up with the faster pace of her older relatives with longer legs, but she wasn't deterred from her mission. She looked overhead and saw the numbers passing. Seven, eight, nine…
"Now, what's the platform number?" her mum asked, probably to test Ron, but Ginny couldn't help herself, remembering all the stories she'd been told by her brothers.
"Platform Nine and Three-Quarters! Mum, can't I go–"
Her mother immediately squashed any hope she had. "You're not old enough Ginny, now be quiet. Alright, Percy, you first."
Ginny watched Percy go with wide eyes, almost unable to believe what she was seeing even though she'd heard about it plenty of times. She just had to get in there, so, when nobody was looking, she darted through the barrier after him.
She spun around, trying to take in everything that she could. She was surrounded by people with trunks and brooms and owls and it was just so exciting. It was almost as exciting as seeing the fabled Hogwarts Express for the first time. She heard the rattle of the twins' trolleys coming through the barrier, but she barely even glanced in their direction, now surveying the train for a possible way to get on without being stopped by anyone.
After watching for a couple seconds, she realised that nobody was actually checking tickets or anything, and she didn't look that much younger than the new first years, so surely she could make it on the train without any issues. She took one last glance at the barrier before taking off to make sure that her mum wasn't coming through, but then she forgot whatever it was that she was planning when she saw him.
Her mouth went dry, and she could feel herself staring, even though she couldn't help it. He was dressed in rather ratty clothes and looked incredibly confused, but that didn't bother her at all. He wasn't much taller than her, and he was shockingly slight. His chalkboard black hair was so unruly that she wondered if it had ever been brushed before, but it only made him cuter. More than anything, she noticed his wide eyes. She'd never seen eyes that bright and green before. If he hadn't walked right past her, she could've stared into those eyes for hours, she thought.
Ginny did her best to keep watching him as he walked away, feeling an odd sensation in the pit of her stomach that she was entirely unfamiliar with. Her mum was lecturing her about not running off, but she didn't hear any of it. When she saw Fred and George talking to him, she unconsciously brushed her hair with her fingers, hoping they'd introduce her before leaving. She wasn't that lucky though, and he quickly disappeared onto the train.
She thought she caught a glimpse or two of him through one of the windows while her mother was saying goodbye to her brothers, but he never looked at her. Her ears perked up though when she heard George say something about the black-haired boy they'd met on the train.
"Know who he is?" George asked.
"Who?" her mother responded.
"Harry Potter!" Fred answered.
Ginny's heart started pounding even faster than before, unable to believe that the cutest boy she'd ever seen was the very same boy that she'd been in love with for as long as she could remember. She had no idea what she'd say, but she knew she had to talk to him.
"Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see him? Mum, oh please?" Ginny begged, but to no avail.
"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"
"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there - like lightning," Fred replied, making Ginny do her best to stand as tall as she possibly could to see if she could spot him again.
Before she knew it, her brothers were leaving, and she felt even more crushed than before, knowing that she couldn't go to Hogwarts with them and Harry Potter. She wouldn't have dared to do it if Harry Potter was around, but since he wasn't, she broke down in tears, still wishing there was some way she could go.
George tried to comfort her. "Don't, Ginny. We'll send you loads of owls."
Fred at least got a laugh out of her when he said, "We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."
The train started peeling away, and Ginny wrenched her hand free from her mum's, running as fast as she could to wave goodbye to everyone and to the dreams she'd had of going to Hogwarts today. The scarlet engine quickly snaked around a bend in the tracks and vanished from sight, leaving Ginny to walk back with a downcast face to her mum.
"Oh, Ginny. You'll get to go next year," her mum promised, pulling her crying daughter into a hug.
"I wanted to go this year."
"I know, dear. But Ron needs a year for him to be the youngest at Hogwarts, and then it'll be your turn. And just think… in a few short years, you'll be the only Weasley at Hogwarts, and then your brothers will all be jealous of you."
"You really think so?" Ginny asked dubiously.
Her mother chuckled. "I know so."
Ginny nodded, not fully convinced, but now her mind was on something else. "I can't believe I saw Harry Potter."
"I know you did. And he was just a normal boy, wasn't he?"
Ginny shook her head emphatically. "No. He was… special."
Her mum smiled down at her, and Ginny could tell she didn't understand. It didn't matter. Even if she had to wait for a year, she'd eventually be at Hogwarts with Harry Potter, and then she knew anything would be possible.
Ginny blinked, and the vision of the boy she'd instantly developed a crush on morphed into the man she'd fallen in love with. He was much taller and not quite as skinny. He still had the same, or possibly even messier, hair, and his bright green eyes still captivated her with every glance. He usually looked much more assured and confident than he did right now though, which may have been the primary resemblance he bore to his younger self from her memories.
"This is weird," Harry said quietly, eyes darting around the platform.
Ginny nodded. "Yeah, it's been a while for you."
Harry shook his head, and she realised that it actually hadn't been that long since he'd been in a place that at least resembled King's Cross and this platform. Judging by his expression, that's what he was thinking about. She placed a hand on his.
"You okay?" she whispered.
He looked down at her now, taking a deep breath as they made eye contact. She gave him a small, encouraging smile, and he responded in turn, nodding now. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good."
"Then let's get our stuff on the train," she said, kissing him on the cheek before they began pushing their trolleys towards the Express.
For the first time, she noticed that there were a lot of people looking at them. She wasn't all that surprised by the younger kids staring, but it was a little surprising to see so many people, both adults and older students who had gone to Hogwarts with Harry for years, acting similarly. For his part, Harry acted like he didn't notice, mostly keeping his head down, and, thankfully, nobody stopped them.
Since they were both of age, they had the enviable privilege of being able to levitate their trunks onto the train, which they took full advantage of. Even on the train, people gawked, and Ginny did her best not to return their looks with glares of her own, knowing that Harry hated being the centre of attention. Thankfully, they managed to make it to an empty compartment with a few minutes to spare, and Ginny sat next to Harry, who was next to the window, and he immediately took her hand in his.
"Next stop– Hogwarts," she heard Harry say quietly, mostly to himself.
Not as many people noticed them, walking through the corridor, although Ginny did put a hand in her pocket and was very tempted to pull her wand when Romilda Vane walked past and made no attempts to hide her hungry look towards Harry.
"You thinking about a Bat-Bogey?" Harry asked, surprising Ginny, who had thought that he wasn't paying attention.
"And a lot more," Ginny grumbled, more than a little jealously. Harry laughed and moved the hand he was holding to his other hand so he could put an arm around her.
"Next thing on the list. You're so protective of me and our relationship. I really love you," he whispered into her ear, sending goose pimples down her neck and arms. She was about to turn and kiss him when their compartment door slid open, revealing several people they were much happier to see than Romilda Vane.
HGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG
It had been a bit of a surreal experience, returning to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. It had come a year late, but this was his last first of September as a Hogwarts student. He shouldn't have been surprised when he made it through the magical passage and was immediately reminded of the conversation he'd had with Dumbledore while he lay dead in the Forbidden Forest. It was lucky that Ginny was there because he could feel the pull of a panic attack on the edges of his mind, but she tended to be really good at keeping him focussed on the present moment, and today was no exception.
It took a couple minutes to make their way through the crowd that was gaping at him, as usual, and into an empty compartment. He was sat against the window and knew people were still looking at him, both on the platform and in the corridor, but he did his best to not react. He had quite a bit of experience with that, at least.
He did notice though when Ginny tensed next to him. He turned and saw she was looking at the door to their compartment and immediately realised what had her gripping her wand.
"You thinking about a Bat-Bogey?" Harry asked, thinking he actually wouldn't mind seeing Ginny hex Romilda.
"And a lot more," Ginny grumbled, making Harry smile widely. He loved her for a lot of things, and this was definitely one of them.
"Next thing on the list. You're so protective of me and our relationship. I really love you," he whispered. She started to turn towards him, but they were interrupted by their compartment door opening, and Harry was more than a little relieved to see several of their friends filing in.
"About time! I didn't think we were gonna find you two," Demelza exclaimed, taking the seat on the other side of Ginny.
"I knew we'd find them when we saw them," Luna commented, taking the seat opposite Ginny.
Dean followed Luna, shaking his head but not saying anything as he took the seat opposite Harry.
"Feels a little weird being back here, doesn't it?" Dean asked.
Harry nodded, thinking Dean had no idea just how weird it was. "It's really weird. S'pose it'll be even weirder when we have new roommates this year."
"Damn, I hadn't even thought about that," Dean responded, rubbing his chin and looking out the window.
The train suddenly lurched, meaning it was eleven o'clock, and it began pulling away from the station, leaving behind a large crowd of waving families. The train quickly picked up speed and rounded a bend, and King's Cross disappeared from view.
Harry could admit to himself that, as excited as he was to go back to Hogwarts with Ginny, he was more than a little nervous at the prospect of returning without his two best friends. Some of those nerves were relieved as conversation flowed easily throughout the old friends within the compartment. Luna was one of his best friends, and he'd grown closer with Demelza through Quidditch. He'd always liked Dean too, other than when he was dating Ginny, so, at the very least, there were more people around that he could hang out with beyond his girlfriend, even though he was more than satisfied with spending every minute with her.
Ginny clearly agreed with that sentiment, not letting go of Harry's hand at all throughout the ride, even when she wasn't looking at him and was engaged in conversation with someone else in the compartment. The only time she let him go was when he happily purchased treats from the trolley for everyone, bringing back fond memories of his first ever trip aboard the Hogwarts Express.
He dropped the pile of treats in the empty seat next to Luna, picking out a Pumpkin Pasty for himself and tossing a Chocolate Frog to Ginny, knowing she couldn't resist chocolate. She grinned at him as she unwrapped the package. Harry looked out the window at the rolling hills, savouring his pasty.
He turned back around when Ginny gasped. "Holy shit."
"What?" he asked before seeing that she was holding a Chocolate Frog card in her hand. He tilted his head to look at it clearly and inhaled sharply, seeing his own face looking back at him.
"Are you bloody serious?" he asked nobody in particular.
"What's that?" Demelza asked curiously.
Ginny grinned and read, "Dubbed 'The Saviour of the Wizarding World,' Harry Potter is internationally renowned for defeating He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named single-handedly and winning the Triwizard Tournament in triumphant fashion. Potter currently attends Hogwarts, where he plays Quidditch, and enjoys Gobstones and Potions."
Harry groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "Unbelievable."
"They didn't even try to get it right," Ginny commented, shaking her head before passing the card to Luna. "Everyone knows you're an Exploding Snap kind of bloke… even if you're not great at that one either," she joked.
"They said I beat him single-handedly and won the Triwizard Tournament triumphantly," Harry added, still shaking his head.
"This isn't even a magical portrait," Dean commented, holding the card out to Harry, who saw now that the image on the card was one that had been on the front page of the Daily Prophet over the summer.
"Bloody hell. They could've at least asked," he grumbled.
"Because you would've said yes?" Ginny asked even though he could tell she knew the answer.
"Well… no, but I'd rather have it be right than this rubbish."
"It's not all bad," Demelza offered.
Harry sighed, and Ginny patted his leg. "If it makes you feel any better, it's not like you weren't already famous before." He rolled his eyes, and Ginny chuckled. "Yeah, I didn't think so."
The rest of the trip passed mostly without incident. Ginny demanded that Harry put the Chocolate Frog card in their album even though he wanted to tear it up. Reluctantly, he agreed, sliding it into his trunk to do later. Once it grew dark outside, they all donned their robes, and Harry began looking out the window more regularly, anticipating the first glimpses they'd get of Hogsmeade and the castle.
Finally, the train snaked around one final bend, pulling into Hogsmeade Station. Harry squeezed Ginny's hand in anticipation, and she smiled bracingly at him. Before the train even came to a stop, the corridor was crowded with students, and it was several minutes before their compartment could unload, leaving their trunks on the train to be taken to their dormitories.
Harry grinned, seeing Hagrid ushering the first-years to the boats, waving a hand at him when Hagrid saw him. There wasn't time to talk now, but Harry knew he'd see Hagrid soon enough anyways. He turned and began walking with Ginny and everyone else to the carriages, feeling an odd prickling on his neck that disappeared as he turned around.
Shaking his head, he forgot all about it hearing Dean say, "Whoa." Harry glanced over to him, seeing that he was staring at the thestrals that were stationed in front of every carriage. It was then that Harry noticed a large number of students all staring at the skeleton-like creatures. Most of the students staring in shock were older, but he felt a tug in his chest, seeing how many younger students could obviously see them.
Next to him, Ginny had been talking to Demelza but stiffened, noticing the thestrals later than everyone else. Demelza looked a little confused– she'd been evacuated before the battle, Harry expected.
"We couldn't see them… when we went to London," Ginny said quietly.
Harry nodded, putting an arm around her. "I know," he responded equally quietly.
She didn't say anything for a couple moments. "Henry Baker. I think he was the first one I saw." Harry nodded, vaguely remembering the name from the memorial and trying to remember if he'd been in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. He hated that he couldn't remember. He hated that so many people could see the thestrals now.
He took a deep breath and led their group to a carriage. Ginny and Dean were both still eyeing the thestrals a little warily, but they got in the carriage all the same, breaking the trance that had been holding so many of the students captive. None of them said much in the ride up to the castle. Ginny didn't let go of his hand, or he didn't let go of her hand. There was something oddly ominous about the ride, but Harry did his best to shake it off, knowing that this year was actually going to be calm and normal. It wasn't easy to do that when he could see the silhouette of the phoenix statue by the lake, as if he needed any reminder of what had happened here a few short months ago.
They finally arrived in front of the castle, and students poured out of the fleet of carriages into the Entrance Courtyard. The older students seemed to be going much slower, not that Harry could blame them. In the dark, it was all too easy to picture the castle in smoking ruins. Ginny gripped his hand so tightly that he thought his fingers might have been permanently disfigured. They'd been here several times since everything happened, but being here at night, with a large crowd of people… everything felt more real, like that night. Clearly, the people looking at Harry now remembered that the last time they'd seen him here, he'd been laying, presumably dead, at the feet of Tom Riddle.
He did his best to ignore it all, following the younger students into the Entrance Hall. The thirty or so older students who'd been at the battle were still moving slowly, but most of them did pass Harry and Ginny, walking into the Great Hall. He squeezed Ginny's hand and they walked through the doorway.
He did his best to suppress the memories, looking at anything other than the spot where everything had happened. If asked, he could easily find where both he and his enemy had stood, and the thought made him sick. He looked at the walls and the ceiling. Some trick of the light, with the floating candles and torches on the walls, made Harry think of daybreak, and then he couldn't suppress anything any longer.
The air sparked and crackled as blasts of light carved paths through the smoky haze. Morning was coming, and he had to finish it. He ran towards his nemesis, letting everything else fade into the background, focused on one singular goal.
Or that was the plan, but, as usual, his plans usually led to all hell breaking loose. The plan went out the window when he saw a flash of green light shooting past red hair to his right. He didn't hesitate, taking off towards Ginny, who was fighting Bellatrix as valiantly as she could. She'd been lucky that the first blast of light had missed her, but even as he ran, aware of her mother behind him, he knew they were too late.
The next blast of green light caught her square in the chest, and she tumbled backwards, motionless.
He heard screams somewhere. They might have been his own. All the colour faded out of the room as he fell to his knees. The cloak fell off him, and he heard people shouting his name, but he couldn't look at any of them. He wanted so badly to fight, but he'd fought so hard for so long, and this was his reward. Dead parents. Dead godfather. Dead friends. Dead girlfriend–
The pale, red-eyed villain strode across the Hall to him, apparently unimpeded by anyone, determined to reach him. There was confusion in those eyes for some reason. He didn't really care. Almost hesitantly, Voldemort raised his wand.
A flash of green light burst across his vision, but the last thing he saw was Ginny running towards him, inviting him to be with her again.
HGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG
It was almost too much to walk through the courtyard and into the castle. They'd been here plenty over the summer, even at night once or twice, but something in the air felt different about tonight. Judging by how tightly Harry was gripping her hand, he felt it too, as did all the older students who were giving Harry looks when they thought he wouldn't notice.
They followed the younger students into the Entrance Hall, and Ginny waited a moment for more of the older students to pass before entering the Great Hall, a place where the entire course of history was altered forever.
It was like all hell had broken loose. Centaurs and villagers from Hogsmeade stormed the castle, Neville somehow killed Voldemort's snake with the Sword of Gryffindor, and the battle raged on. Ginny felt like she could barely move, unable to wipe the image of Har– his body from her mind. The only thing keeping her going was rage. She didn't know how, but she was going to do her part to make sure they won for him… or die trying.
In all the chaos, the Death Eaters had stormed the castle, and Ginny followed at a sprint with several more defenders of Hogwarts. She saw a mane of shiny black hair ahead and immediately recognised it.
"Stupefy!" she shouted, but somehow, Bellatrix Lestrange deflected the attack, even though her back had been to Ginny when she'd cast the spell.
"Ooh, someone's feeling a little feisty. Tell me, do you miss your ickle boyfriend?" Bellatrix taunted before sending a purple curse at her, which Ginny repelled.
"I'll fucking kill you," Ginny growled. "Confringo!" she cast, sending a rope of fire at the evil witch, who vanished it into smoke before it reached her. Bellatrix started to respond, but she was put on the defensive when Hermione and Luna attacked her from behind.
Ginny fired all manner of curses and hexes that she could think of, but Bellatrix almost dismissively deflected all the jets of light being shot at her from the three younger witches. Even worse, she was starting to fire retaliatory curses at the three of them as she spun in a dizzyingly terrifying circle.
Ginny didn't even hear the incantation, but she saw the jet of green light flying towards her. For the briefest of moments, she was tempted to not move. It didn't matter how the battle ended– Harry would still be gone either way. At least this would be a painless way to join him.
Then she considered that he'd probably be rather pissed off if she got herself killed just to be with him, especially when there was still a battle to be won. The last thing she wanted was for him to be upset with her when they were reunited, so, with unerring speed and agility, honed by years of rigorous Quidditch practice, she dodged to the left, feeling sparks coming off the bolt of light as it soared past her, maybe an inch away from her head.
She fired off another stunner before she heard her mum's shout. "Not my daughter, you bitch! Out of my way!"
Ginny watched on in simultaneous horror and thrill as her mum held her own against Bellatrix, firing spells so rapidly that she could barely keep up. The air around them was hot, and the stones in the floor cracked with all the force of the magic being thrown about in this duel. Bellatrix called another taunt to her mother, and Ginny saw a look that she'd never seen before in her mother's expression.
There had definitely been times in her life when Ginny had been scared of her mum, especially when she'd done something she probably shouldn't have, but she'd always known that her mum wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone. For the first time, that confident expectation dissolved, seeing the fierce, protective scowl on her mother's face as the jet of green light flew out of her wand and caught Bellatrix in the chest.
There wasn't time to celebrate or think about what she'd just seen because an explosive scream rocked the Great Hall. Ginny turned and saw that Voldemort was standing alone, apparently having knocked McGonagall, Kingsley, and Slughorn away. Voldemort had nothing but hatred in his red eyes as he raised his wand and pointed it at her mother.
"No!" Ginny shouted, beginning to run towards her mum, seeing what would happen before it did. Even as she ran, she knew she'd be too late. But then something happened that she couldn't have ever predicted.
Even though they'd had only one very brief conversation since the summer, she recognised his voice immediately. She didn't know how it was possible, but she didn't really care either. All she knew was that it was the most beautiful sound she'd ever heard.
"Protego!" Harry shouted, throwing a massive blue-tinted shield between Voldemort and her mother as he ripped his Invisibility Cloak off.
People cheered, but that didn't even begin to cover the range of emotions she was drowning in. She thought she might pass out or vomit or burst into tears or run to him. Instead of any of those, she let her mother hold her tightly, and Ginny just watched him.
Harry and Voldemort circled each other while everyone looked on from the edges of the Great Hall. He was talking a lot, but even though she loved hearing his voice, she couldn't pay too much attention to his words.
He looked more confident than she'd ever seen, not nervous or shy at being the only thing anyone was paying attention to. He moved with the assurance of someone who knew they were strong enough to do whatever had to be done. As they continued their circle and she saw Harry's face again, she could almost feel the intensity radiating from his entire expression, especially his eyes, making one last stand against the greatest evil any of them had ever known.
His confidence was infectious. When sunlight broke into the Great Hall, Ginny wasn't worried at all to see Voldemort raise his wand.
"Avada Kedavra!" he cast.
And of course, even in this final life or death moment, Harry didn't fight to kill. He really was too good of a person. She wasn't surprised when he went for the spell that had saved him so many times before.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted.
Their green and red bolts of light collided in a blast of gold that threw itself at Voldemort. His wand flew into the air, and Harry, the greatest Seeker she'd ever seen, caught it easily. She heard a thud and momentarily pulled her eyes away from Harry to his enemy, almost unable to believe that she was looking at the dead body of Voldemort, lying on the cold stone of the Great Hall.
Everything was completely silent for a moment. She looked back at Harry and saw the triumphant look on his face, staring down at the corpse of the monster who had tried so hard to ruin his life. For the first time, she allowed herself to think about what came next, but those thoughts were interrupted when the Great Hall exploded with cheers and screams and celebration.
Ginny ran to him, but he was so surrounded by people that she wasn't sure if he saw her. Finally, she stepped back from the crowd, knowing that he'd find her eventually. Now that everything was over, she remembered the terror and grief that had gripped her so tightly just an hour ago. The party in the Great Hall was just getting started, but she found herself walking away from it all, walking outside onto the desecrated lawn of the Hogwarts grounds.
Harry would find her eventually. He had a promise to keep.
She felt eyes on them, mostly on him, when they entered the Great Hall. Ginny was so wrapped in her own memories that it took her a couple seconds to realise that Harry was trembling next to her. She looked up at him and saw his eyes vacantly staring ahead. On the other side of him, Dean was looking very concerned, and he wasn't the only one.
"Get everyone else inside," Ginny ordered, pulling Harry into an alcove off the Entrance Hall, knowing he wouldn't want everyone to see him like this.
Harry was sweating now and breathing rapidly. She kissed him once, then twice. His breathing evened slightly, but he still had the vacant look in his eyes. He was still trembling.
"Harry, it's okay, babe. I'm here. You're alright. I love you, Harry. Stay with me."
Distantly, she heard Flitwick leading the new first years into the Great Hall. She held Harry tightly, doing her best to keep him from hurting himself as she continued to whisper to him. The longer it went on, the more nervous she grew about the possibility of him falling deeper into his panic attack. She was trying to think of someone who could help, unsure if Madam Pomfrey was equipped to assist with something like this, when Harry finally blinked and slumped against the wall. She did her best to support him as he slid to the floor before she sat next to him.
She took his hand, rubbing the back of it with her thumb before pressing a kiss to it. Harry was still breathing heavily, but he ran a hand through his hair and leaned against her. She didn't ask about it. He'd tell her when he was ready.
Almost immediately, he confirmed that for her. "I was– well, I was at the battle. I saw you fighting Bellatrix, and I started running to you. But– but then… she killed you," he whispered.
Ginny exhaled slowly, wrapping her arm around Harry's and squeezing his hand tightly. "It's gonna take a lot more than a psychotic bitch like that to separate us."
That earned a small smile from him. "Yeah, I know. It's just it all felt so…"
"I know." She kissed his cheek. "But I'm not going anywhere."
He turned and looked at her, and she saw the foggy sadness fading from his eyes. "I love you so much, Gin."
Ginny smiled at him now. "I guess it's lucky for you that I love you even more."
"Always so competitive."
"When it comes to loving you, definitely."
He put a hand behind her head and met her in a comforting kiss before resting his forehead against hers, where they stayed for several moments.
"You ready?" she finally asked him.
He sighed and nodded. "Gonna have to be ready at some point."
"Stay focused on me. We'll be okay," she promised, standing before helping him off the floor. She didn't let go of his hand as they walked back to the doorway of the Great Hall. Thankfully, the doors were still open, and most everyone was focused on the conclusion of the Sorting Ceremony, which saw Nathan Walters get sorted into Ravenclaw.
There was a familiar face at the end of the Gryffindor table though, and her expression broke into a knowing grin when Ginny and Harry slid onto the bench across from her.
"Couldn't even take a break from snogging to be on time for the Sorting?" Emily Brooks asked with a laugh.
Ginny started to provide an alternative explanation when Harry chuckled. "Let's keep that secret between us," he responded, exchanging their secret handshake which always made Ginny's heart flutter a little.
"Did we miss anything interesting?" Ginny asked.
"Not really. The Sorting Hat said some stuff about recovering from everything, but that was about it."
Their attention was diverted by Professor McGonagall, who stood at the familiar spot where Dumbledore had stood for so many years. "Let the feast begin," she called, and immediately, all the previously empty dishes on the tables were filled.
All down the Gryffindor table, students were tucking in to the delectable spread, and Ginny, Harry, and Emily were determined not to be left behind. Harry began eating a large piece of chicken while Ginny ravenously started on steak and potatoes. She was well aware that they were still getting odd looks. The younger students were probably just interested in the fact that a celebrity was sitting at the end of the table, but some of the older students had probably seen Harry's panic attack, and Ginny just hoped nobody would bring it up.
"New professor next to Trelawney," Harry commented between bites.
Ginny looked towards the staff table, seeing a middle-aged man with dark hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and a severe expression on his face. "Guess he's the new Defence professor."
"Looks like he's tired of Trelawney."
She giggled. "Can't say I blame him."
Once the sound of silverware on plates subsided as the students finished eating their fill, McGonagall stood again and almost all conversations ceased immediately.
"I must say that it is a true pleasure to see so many students with us today. I do not need to tell you all how trying the past year has been. Many of you know even better than I how difficult it was. Despite the struggle, we have prevailed. We are not without our losses and wounds, but the fact that this castle is standing and this Great Hall has been filled with laughter and happiness is a testament to your strength, courage, and kindness.
"Many things have changed in the past couple years. However, one thing that remains unchanged is our faculty's commitment to serving, educating, and protecting all the students of Hogwarts. For this reason, there are some updates to school policy that I wish to inform you all of.
"First, my door, and the doors of all my colleagues, will always be open for those in need. I expect this to be a difficult time, readjusting to school and normal life, and our professors want to help in making things easier. Second, we are committing to a more inclusive style of education at Hogwarts. Your houses are still your families, and we encourage friendly competition between the houses, but we also recognise the need for us to grow stronger as witches and wizards first, rather than as Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Slytherins. We will be encouraging more activities that unite students from different houses throughout the year in hopes that we will all become stronger together.
"As I said though, friendly competition is still very important at Hogwarts, which is why I'm pleased to confirm that, after an entirely disappointing hiatus, Quidditch is returning to Hogwarts."
That got more than a few cheers from the crowd, including from Ginny's end of the table.
"Yes, I must say I agree with that sentiment," McGonagall continued, although she thought she saw a small smile on the woman's face for a brief instant. "The final policy announcement only affects seventh-years. In light of everything that's happened recently and considering that you are all of age, we have decided to allow seventh-years the opportunity to leave the school any weekend, provided that they inform myself or Professor Flitwick of their destination and departure."
For the first time since she'd begun talking, whispered conversations broke out through the Great Hall, both among excited seventh-years and younger students who felt that there was some injustice in this system. Ginny could hardly believe it, turning to look at Harry, who was grinning happily.
"We'll get to go see Teddy!" Harry exclaimed, looking more excited than he had all day.
She finally smiled, still a little shocked but very pleased with the situation. "This is perfect."
McGonagall cleared her throat several times before the hall fell silent again. "I understand this is a new policy, and we're placing a significant amount of trust in you. Don't make us regret it." Ginny felt her almost withering gaze pass over the tables before she continued.
"There are also some staffing announcements to make. This year, Professor Marigold Pritchard will be teaching Muggle Studies." She gestured to an elderly woman near the end of the table that Ginny hadn't noticed before. "Professor Adrian Grimhall will be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts."
"He's the one who wrote our textbook," Ginny whispered to Harry, who nodded, glancing back at the stern-looking man.
"And finally, as I am now Headmistress, I can no longer serve as the Head of Gryffindor House. My replacement is Professor Rubeus Hagrid."
She said it so plainly that it took a moment to register before the Gryffindor table erupted in cheers. Ginny laughed, seeing Hagrid blushing scarlet at the staff table.
"That's brilliant!" Harry said next to her, and she nodded, in full agreement with him.
Once the cheers finally subsided, McGonagall spoke one final time. "That is all the announcements I have. Class schedules will be distributed tomorrow at breakfast. Good evening."
HGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG
Harry, Ginny, and Emily allowed the rush of students to start exiting the Great Hall before they followed. He almost felt like a first-year again with all the eyes on him, but he could deal with the attention. He'd been doing it his whole life.
"I can't believe we can go home any weekend to see Teddy," Ginny said as they walked up a staircase leading to the Gryffindor common room.
"Me neither. Now we don't have to worry about being away from him too long. Couldn't have planned it any better."
Dennis Creevey was holding the portrait open. "Hey, Dennis," Harry said.
"Hey! Password's gillyweed."
"Are you a prefect now?" Ginny asked.
Dennis smiled and nodded. "Yep. Couldn't believe it when I got my letter, honestly."
"You're gonna do great," Harry encouraged, clapping him on the shoulder before stepping through the portrait and into the Gryffindor common room.
It didn't escape him that he hadn't been here since the days immediately following the battle. That apparently didn't elude Ginny either, judging by the look she gave him. Emily was ready to go to her dormitory and go to sleep, so they told her goodnight and sat together in the squashy, oversized armchair by the fire.
Harry kissed her cheek as she settled in on his lap, draping her legs across one of the arms of the chair.
"We made it," she said quietly.
"Never a doubt."
She snorted, making him laugh. "That makes one of us."
He liked the illusion of intimacy that this space gave them. He knew there were people behind him, possibly watching them right now, but for now, at least, it felt like he and Ginny were alone, and he couldn't imagine a better place to be.
She interrupted his thoughts as she ran a hand through his hair. "I wish we didn't have to be in different dormitories."
He sighed, having blissfully forgotten about that small hiccup for a little while. "Yeah, I know. Maybe I should've accepted being Head Boy to get the private bedroom."
She smiled at him. "Somehow, I don't think you would've enjoyed being Head Boy."
"Oh I know I wouldn't have. Owen's gonna be way better than me. But still… sharing a room with you would be a nice way to make up for it," he lamented.
Suddenly, the wicked grin that Harry loved crept across her face. "You know… if we leave on weekends to visit Teddy, we'd get to share a bed at home…"
Now his grin matched hers, and he kissed her right away. "You're a genius," he praised, still smiling affectionately at her.
"Not really. I just get creative when it comes to sharing a bed with my boyfriend." She winked at him, and he couldn't keep himself from kissing her again.
They sat together for a little while longer before Ginny began yawning. "Merlin, I really am tired."
"Good thing there's a bed upstairs waiting on you."
She rolled her eyes. "Maybe I just don't want to leave you," she countered.
"Maybe I'll go to bed too."
Ginny didn't even bother to come up with a response to that. She just nodded and slid off his lap, reaching a hand out to pull him out of the chair they'd sunk lower and lower into. The common room was almost entirely empty, and the people who were left were courteous enough to pretend they weren't watching them.
They walked hand in hand to the base of the stairs that split the boys' dormitories and the girls' dormitories.
"Are you going to be okay?" Ginny asked him, almost making his heart ache with the care and concern in her eyes.
"I'll do my best," he promised. That was all he could do, really.
"You better. I'll meet you here before breakfast."
He smiled at her. "Sounds like a plan. I love you, Gin."
"I love you, babe," she replied, standing on her toes to kiss him softly before letting him go. He watched her walk up the stairs and round the corner before he began making a mirrored trek up the boys' set of stairs, finally reaching the seventh-year dormitory.
Harry opened the door slowly, not wanting to wake anyone, but he didn't need to worry about that. His three roommates were all still awake and in various stages of getting ready for bed. He walked over to his bed, which was in the same place as it had always been, although Dean was now next to him, where Ron had been all those years. Elliot Carmichael's bed was next to Dean's, and Miles Fairfax was next to him. The final bed in the room was vacant, and Harry realised, with a sinking feeling in his stomach, that it must've been Colin's bed.
He did his best to push the thoughts that made him feel like he might fall into another panic attack out of his mind, quickly getting ready for bed. He'd never been particularly close with Elliot or Miles, but they'd always been friendly, and at least they weren't staring at him like an animal at the zoo. Nobody really said much of anything though, all very aware of the unfamiliar circumstances of their living arrangements.
As soon as he could, Harry was in bed with the hangings drawn around him. He thought about it for a moment before casting a Muffliato charm. He hoped he wouldn't have a nightmare, but he had just experienced his first waking attack in months, and he had a tendency to be loud in his nightmares if he wasn't woken up early enough. And it felt like the one person he trusted to wake him up was hundreds of miles away, even if she was just a few rooms over.
He tossed and turned for a while, annoyed at how uncomfortable it felt trying to sleep without Ginny next to him. He missed her. And he didn't want to admit it, but he was a little scared to go to sleep without having the safety of her with him. He wasn't sure how long he was like that before he finally felt sleep pulling him down. He just hoped it would be dreamless.
HGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG
It took everything in Ginny not to turn around before she got to her dorm and sneak into Harry's. She didn't like the idea of sleeping alone, and she really didn't like the idea of Harry sleeping alone, especially considering he'd just had a panic attack before dinner. She hoped he'd be okay, and she knew he wouldn't want to feel like she was trying to coddle him. So she made herself enter her dormitory, where the girls she'd shared the dorm with for the past six years seemed to be waiting for her.
Around the room, Mia Foster, Nina Ramirez, Sophie Bennett, and Isabella March were all talking, sitting on the edges of their beds. Those conversations ceased the moment Ginny walked in.
"Hey," Ginny said, acting like she didn't notice them all watching her with bated breath. She was friends with all of them at school, but she'd be lying if she said that she'd missed most of them during the four month long break. It had taken a couple years for them to really start talking to Ginny after everything that happened her first year, so she always felt a little left out of the group, which was probably why she had so many friends in the other houses too.
"You're famous," Nina blurted out.
"Huh?" Ginny asked, leaning against her bed and hoping this wouldn't take too long.
"You know… you've been on the cover of the Daily Prophet like five times this summer," Sophie answered like it was obvious.
"Ah– yeah, I guess so."
"I read that letter Harry wrote to the Prophet about you. It was so sweet!" Isabella practically squealed.
"Yeah, it was," Ginny acknowledged before being bombarded with more questions.
"Is it weird dating a celebrity?"
"Are you getting married?"
"Have you two done it?"
"How many times have you two done it?"
Thankfully, Mia, easily Ginny's closest friend in her dorm and the only roommate she actually had missed, interrupted the other three. "Hey, give her a break, for fuck's sake. She's had the media hounding her all summer. Last thing she needs is her friends doing the same thing now that she's gotten away from all that."
Ginny shot a grateful look to Mia. "You all were here when I dated Harry a year ago. It's pretty much the same now. And… not really, that's between me and Harry, that's definitely between me and Harry, and that's nobody's business," she answered all their questions in order.
Nina began responding. "Well… it's not really the same, is it? I mean he was always famous, but now he's–"
"He's Harry. End of story," Ginny interrupted, feeling rather defensive of his desire to be viewed as normal despite everything that had happened this summer.
"Right, that's enough questions. Lights out," Mia called, and, surprisingly, everyone listened. At least one of her roommates wasn't making a big deal out of the fact that Ginny's boyfriend was The Saviour of the Wizarding World or whatever title they decided to give him next.
She climbed into bed, pulling the hangings shut around her. She missed Harry. It had always been so easy to fall asleep with him holding her. She hoped he'd be okay. She hoped she'd be okay. Sleeping with him had kept most of the nightmares away for her this summer, even if it hadn't always done the same for him.
This was just the next stop in their journey. It sucked. But like Harry had said when she was worried that they shouldn't leave Teddy– after this year, they'd be able to do whatever they wanted. She was excited for the year ahead, but truthfully, she was even more excited for what lay beyond. Thinking about that was enough to give her hope for good dreams as she fell asleep.
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
A/N: First, I'll make the obligatory statement that the notes I write at the end of chapters are not going to include anything that affects the actual content of the book. This section is always going to be my personal thoughts on what I've written and any tiny things that I think are interesting. I won't be offended in the slightest if you're not interested in reading that since it's mostly written for myself as a way of remembering what I was thinking with some of my decisions. However, the end of each of these notes will include a teaser for the next chapter, so I do encourage you to check those out at least, and I also want to mention that there's going to be a bit more information on release plans for this book at the bottom of this note too.
The second important thing for me to say is that Terms of Growth is the second book in the series Happier Every Day. If you haven't read Book 1, Summer of Recovery, there are a lot of characters and events referenced in this book that won't make a lot of sense without that context. A link to SoR can be found by visiting my profile if you're wanting to check it out!
We've already seen a lot of memories of Ginny's in SoR, and there are so many more in ToG, including the two in this chapter that are two of my favourites. I've already put forward my idea before that Ginny had a crush on Harry for a moment, before she even knew he was Harry Potter, because it makes her feelings for Harry much more real to me. The memory of the battle, particularly Ginny having the temptation to just let a Killing Curse hit her, was both painful and very relatable, to me at least, in terms of having those brief moments of despair where things just don't seem worth it. The thing is that Ginny was strong enough to resist it because it really would've thrown everything off course if she hadn't. I also want to mention that DH doesn't specify what curse Molly used to kill Bellatrix. To me though, it's always been fairly obvious that it was the Killing Curse and that Molly couldn't hold back from using it when Ginny's life was at stake. The end of that memory is also cool because it's the very last memory that Ginny has before the start of SoR. Eventually, when this whole crazy series is over, I'm going to create an anthology of all of Ginny's memories as the unofficial first book of the series, and it'll be cool, to me at least, to go from the last sentence in Ginny's memory being 'He had a promise to keep' to Chapter 1 of SoR being titled Promise Kept.
I'll freely admit that McGonagall's announcements at the end of the feast are my way of adjusting the rules that govern the way the universe works so that I have more to play with. The houses having more opportunities to interact with each other and Quidditch returning are both very obvious examples of that, as is the new rule about seventh-years being allowed to leave the castle. I couldn't really let them go that long without seeing Teddy! I also think it makes perfect sense and was kind of dumb that seventh years weren't already allowed to do that considering they're adults.
So this brings us to the end of Chapter 1! Now that we're here, I want to briefly discuss the release schedule for this book. If you've been following the series since SoR, you'll be familiar with the Tues/Fri release cycle I've followed. Chapter 2 of this book will be released on Friday, but after that, I'm transitioning to a weekly release schedule, with new releases coming out every Friday. I really wanted to keep the semiweekly schedule, and I theoretically could because ToG is already complete. The reason I'm not is that I'm currently writing Book 3 and want it to be complete by the time I finish releasing ToG. Book 3 is substantially longer than either of the books I've already written, so I'm just not confident in having it done by the time ToG is done being released if I kept the semiweekly schedule. I am over 100k words in to Book 3, so I'm still writing a ton; there's just a lot more for me to write now. My hope is that I'll be able to transition back to a semiweekly schedule at some point once I'm confident that I'll be done with Book 3.
I really appreciate you all understanding and all of your support and encouragement! Please feel free to leave any thoughts or feedback on this opening chapter in the comments!
Coming Friday: Readjusting- "You are so bloody lucky I love you."