Far From Here
Chapter 1

Ginny pushed her peas around her plate, more silent than the others at the table. She mutedly accepted the bouillabaisse Fleur offered her and tried to dish some of the stew into her bowl as best she could without looking up. She knew that if her eyes lifted from her plate slightly too high, she would see into those emerald eyes, and even a fleeting glance could not be afforded.

Harry Potter had already tried three times that day to talk to Ginny alone, and each time, she had managed to slip away with some convenient help from the Order. After all, didn’t everyone want to offer some piece of advice to the Boy Who Lived? The Boy Who May Not Survive Tomorrow?

The first time he tried to get her alone, she had followed him innocently into the kitchen. However, she had soon regretted it in when he spun around to look at her with serious green eyes that seemed to contain remorse and determination. It was then, luckily, that Fred and George had swooped into the kitchen to laden Harry with more Decoy Detonators.

She knew what Harry wanted to do, and she would not let him. She would not let him discard her, the girl whom loved him more than life itself, here while he risked his life for the Wizarding world, those who had ridiculed him when he had needed the most support. She would not sit by idly as Harry entered You-Know-Who’s territory with the Order and most of her family.

“Ginny?� The low hum of conversation around the table faded into the background.

“Hmm?� Ginny had forgotten she was at the dinner table and feebly nibbled on some fish. Relieved to find a reason to turn away from those eyes that were so keen on capturing her attention, she twisted to look at Hermione.

Hermione lowered her voice so only Ginny could hear, “Harry wants to speak to you after dinner, he says.�

Ginny stiffened. Clever, Harry. “Thank you, Hermione,� she replied as offhandedly as she could. She could almost feel the piercing gaze on her and struggled to compose herself. Finding the need to do something with her hands before she could give in to her sudden desire to hex the boy a few seats down, she lifted her bowl of stew and drank greedily, concentrating abnormally hard on the bottom of the porcelain that shielded her from everyone at the table.

Dinner was over too soon. The sounds of chairs scraping the floor and of china clinking together seemed amplified to Ginny, but she calmly stood up as well and deliberately shuffled slowly to the sink to place her dishes in the sink. She would’ve offered to wash the large pile, but that would’ve been too obvious.

Someone gently touched her elbow. Hermione smiled at her encouragingly, though her eyes betrayed her feelings; she knew. “He’s in your room.�

Ginny put down the dishrag and made her way to the stairs. She had known this day would come, but still, she wasn’t as steeled for this as she had hoped she’d be. She grabbed the railing for support and pulled herself onto the first step. Climbing the three flights of stairs would be harder than she imagined.

Fight hard on a night like this
Look for a star and wish
You could get out of it.

By the time she reached the first landing, she had replayed in her mind all the afternoons she and Harry had enjoyed in Hogwarts and at the Burrow. She remembered his feather-light touches on her arms, shoulders, and belly. She relived his butterfly kisses that seemed to chase away all the dark thoughts that invaded her mind at night. She closed her eyes as she felt his warm breath on her ear as he whispered sweet nothings that relaxed her in a way no one else could.

She was halfway up to the second landing when she bumped into her brother. Ron looked unnecessarily aggravated, and his ears turned pink as he caught sight of her sister. He glanced away quickly, unable to meet her blank stare. He knew too and had probably had a row with Harry in a futile attempt to protect his sister. He mumbled something unintelligibly as he squeezed by.

The door to her room was open, the light streaming out onto the third landing. She climbed the last few steps with mixed emotions. Was she furious he wouldn’t let her go with him? Was she frustrated he was treating her like a fragile doll? Was she worried about what would happen to him tomorrow? Was she hurt he didn’t trust her enough to accompany him?

A dozen questions ran through her head, but she knew they would not be answered. Not unless she confronted the person she least wanted to see. Control yourself, Ginevra, she thought bitterly, what were you expecting, wedding bells to ring? Frankly, she was. She had wanted to grow old with Harry, even though it might have been impossible. She had wanted to be with him for the rest of her life. She sighed impatiently at herself.

She entered her familiar room. Harry had his back to her as he stared out her window. She took a few breaths to steady herself, but she could feel the stinging behind her eyes already.

“Harry?�

He whipped around; he had known it was her, but years of Quidditch training had honed his reflexes. She had caught him off-guard, that much she knew as she saw a glimpse of agony flitter across his face when he saw her. But it was gone just as quickly as it came. She closed the door gently, fighting back the impulse to slam it in an effort to keep out all her troubles.

“Ginny. I – “ No matter how much she suspected he’d practiced for this moment, he, too, seemed nervous and unsure of how to go on. “I’m not good for you, Ginny.�

The tingling sensation behind her eyes intensified. “I have no idea what you mean,� she replied more tartly than she had intended.

Harry seemed to be pleading with Ginny to make it easier. “You do. I…My future isn’t guaranteed, and you need someone – someone stable. Someone who is safe to be around.�

Ginny felt her anger flare. “Harry, I took that from you during Dumbledore’s funeral.� Even she flinched from the severity of her tone. “I would’ve thought you had realized by now, after all your time here with me, that we…we are right.� Ginny struggled to find the right word and settled finally with the only word that could truly sum up the past few months.

Harry ran his fingers in his hair; obviously this wasn’t going as planned. “Look, Ginny, there’s only a slight chance I’d survive,� Ginny didn’t miss the shiver that ran through his body, “and that sort of suffering, the pain of losing someone close, isn’t worth it.�

Ginny’s fury mounted. “Losing you as a friend isn’t any different from losing you as a boyfriend, Harry!� she shouted, no longer able to reign in her emotions. “I understood that separating from each other last time was for my safety, my family’s safety. But, now, on the eve of the most terrifying battle in history…Harry, you should be seeking me out rather than turning me away!�

Harry’s eyes flashed with anger. “This is for the best,� he said, his voice strained. “Ending our relationship before…before my death will make it easier for you to move on.� His eyes softened with sadness. “You don’t have to wait for me.�

Bite down and then pray, pray, pray
You'll make it through this to sing and say
You hold life dear

Ginny couldn’t recover fast enough to reply before Harry continued. “You’ve got your whole life ahead of you, Ginny, while I,� he chuckled mirthlessly, “I was doomed to die at Voldemort’s hands before I was even born. If that’s right, then someone’s been spending a bit too much time with Fred and George.

“However, I don’t regret our time together, Ginny. You’ve shown me more love than I could ever have imagined. When I’m with you, I forget I hadn’t known love growing up. I forget Voldemort could be just round the corner. I forget the pressures of being the Chosen One.

“Hermione told me about the nightmares. I’m to blame for them, I know. I’ve caused all this needless worry and horror that you shouldn’t have to suffer through. So stop torturing yourself, Ginny, and put all this behind you.� His emerald eyes were so solemn, filled to the brim with tears he would never cry. Ginny could only stare speechlessly. “If only we weren’t who we are.� Harry awkwardly smiled before fumbling toward the door.

As the door clicked shut behind him, Ginny crumpled to the floor of her brightly lit bedroom.

Moments turn to hours that become years...
And now I'm
Far from here, and we are happy
Far from here, we are all right
Far from here, things are peaceful
Far from here, we have insight
Far from here, we've detangled
Our strangled hold
And I hope to see you there.

---

End notes: This chapter was written July 18, 2007. Nothing from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has or will be incorporated into this story.

All reviews are graciously accepted and appreciated.

Far From Here
Chapter 2

“Ginny!�

Ginny glanced behind her but continued to sprint across the grounds of Hogwarts. She heard her mother scream her name again, but this time, she didn’t heed her. She could already see the bursts of light from the lake; the muffled sounds of shouts and wails soon reached her ears as well.

Soon, she reached the lakeside, but she didn’t feel the fatigue in her legs. Rather, she was spurred by the adrenaline rushing through her veins. She dodged a rogue Stunning Spell and took aim at a nearby Death Eater.

“Ginny, what are you doing here!� Ron had spotted her in the battle and had rushed over to protect his underage sister. He shot a curse at an unseen Death Eater behind Ginny.

Before she could answer, a bellow that sent her whole body shivering erupted from somewhere closer to the lake. Amidst the chaos that surrounded her, she saw a small clearing in the fighting where a tall, pale figure shot a green jet of light at a small huddle opposite him.

“NO!�

She couldn’t see if Harry was hurt, not from where she was now, on the outskirts of the battle. She flung a Body-Bind Curse at a masked Death Eater advancing on Tonks and ducked as a stream of purple light narrowly missed the top of her head. She dueled her way closer and closer to the wide berth given to the Dark Lord and his victim.

A voice became clearer as she approached, “You’re the weak one, Voldemort! You, who thought himself a god, are a mere mortal!� Harry sounded strained, yet he spat out with such venom, Ginny swelled, relieved he was still alive.

Voldemort let out another ear-splitting shriek, so powerful, the buzz of war died out almost immediately. Death Eater and Order members alike froze, their individual duels forgotten. All eyes were on the cloaked figure that started to rise several feet above their heads. The crumpled body of Harry Potter floated up as well. As if he felt the will of his loved ones, Harry began to struggle to stand on the invisible ground beneath his feet.

She heard someone near her gasp as Harry faltered. A few Death Eaters nearby aimed their wands at Harry, but Voldemort screeched, “No! He’s mine!�

“All your – “ Harry seemed out of breath, his chest heaving deeply. “All your Horcruxes are gone, Voldemort! You’re less than human now. You’re just a small sliver of a soul!� He lifted his wand with difficulty and used his other arm to wipe a trickle of blood that had escaped from the corner of his mouth.

The red slits that were Voldemort’s eyes narrowed. “How dare you!� he roared. “Avada Kedavra!�

“Expelliarmus!�

The jet of green light clashed with the red from Harry’s wand in an explosive collision. However, the stalemate was fleeting; Ginny watched wide-eyed as Harry’s spell slowly but surely began to overcome the curse cast by Voldemort. Harry’s eyes were tightly shut, as if – Ginny’s awestruck smile slid off her face – he were pouring his very soul into the Disarming Spell. The look illuminated on Ron’s face by the light above them confirmed her thoughts.

Rise high out of this whole scene
Look down and separate yourself
From your worst dream

She saw Voldemort’s shock and Harry’s grim determination, etched in their respective faces, as the red light advanced even closer upon Voldemort’s wand. At the last second, Voldemort’s eyes widened with horror as finally his wand flew out of his hand and clattered noisily to the ground below. Harry didn’t seem at all affected by his success.

“Avada Kedavra,� he whispered through clenched teeth.

The crowd seemed Petrified; all eyes were on the figure that was now falling so slowly to the ground, his cloak billowing gently around him. A dull thud shattered the fragile silence, and after a heartbeat, wails and moans erupted amongst the Death Eaters. Their cries were pierced by the roar of victory let out by the surviving Order members and students.

Only Hermione, Ron, and Ginny mourned among the victorious as they each began picking their way to the body that had inconspicuously fallen shortly after Voldemort’s. Ginny dared to let herself believe that he had survived, that he had not been hit by any curse that could kill him.

Broken, bloody, and glistening with sweat, Harry Potter laid on the ground, untouched and unaffected by the cheers around him. Splinters of wood from his own wand lay by his side, his glasses, broken beyond repair, further away. His eyes were closed as if in peaceful slumber. His lips were not set in a severe line; rather, a small smile tugged upward at the edges.

Ginny could hear the sob that escaped from Hermione. Ron mumbled something in response, perhaps to comfort both of them, but she couldn’t make it out. Suddenly the raucous celebrations and bereavements faded into the background. All that remained were her and Harry’s body.

Then fly far and then stay, stay, stay
Out of the way until the coast
Is clear and safe

She felt one foot place itself in front of the other, but she didn’t seem to have any control over where they went. Soon, she was half a step away from Harry, who still slept. She wanted to shake him, tell him that he didn’t need to pretend anymore; Voldemort was gone. They were safe now. They could live together in a small cottage in the mountains, just the two of them.

The ovation nearest to them began to transform into screams of horror and shock; Ginny, without looking up, guessed some began to realize their hero wasn’t breathing. She reached out tentatively to touch his skin one last time. Her defense against the sorrow around her began to crumble, and grief started to sneak into her tear ducts.

He was still soft, life-like, as if his eyelids would flutter at any moment. His flesh was still warm, not the ice-cold velvet the dead might have. Her heart jolted with hope only to plunge yet again when she noticed his lips were going blue.

Tears rolled down her cheeks quickly, but she still stared numbly at his body. The celebrations had ceased, and all eyes were now on the fallen hero. No one spoke. No one needed to.

Far from here, and we are happy
Far from here, we are all right
Far from here, things are peaceful
Far from here, we have insight
Far from here, we are laughing
Far from here, we are thankful
Far from here, we're forgiven
And for that we are grateful
Far from here, we've detangled
Our strangled hold
And I hope to see you there.