After Harry made his decision about the Elder Wand in Dumbledore’s office (it would always be Dumbledore’s office to him), he knew all he wanted to do was go to the Gryffindor dormitory and sleep for a moon. He quickly said his goodnights to Ron and Hermione before setting off towards the dormitory. Harry hoped that Kreacher would be waiting for him with some food for Harry before he drifted off into what would hopefully be a long, dreamless sleep. Despite this, when Harry walked by the Great Hall, he caught sight of a large assembly of redheads still sitting at a table in the Great Hall.

Watching them all, Harry felt like an intruder on their grief, until he saw the one redheaded girl. She turned her head and tossed her mane of hair, and Harry felt a wave of gratitude. He hadn’t lost one more in the horrendous battle. Sure, he had realized it, but seeing Ginny look so vibrant and alive, even through her grief, really drove it home. Harry needed to see her, speak with her. Pulling up his baggy jeans, Harry changed course and began walking into the Great Hall.

Predictably, Ginny noticed Harry walking in before Ron did, but Harry didn’t mind. He wanted to see Ginny now. As though she was in a dream, Ginny rose from her seat and began walking slowly across the room, keeping her eyes fixed on Harry. Once the occupants of the room had realized what was going on, they stopped their conversations to watch, as though they were watching a romance movie, not real life. To some of them, it was like watching a celebrity love story unfold before their eyes.

Harry wasn’t aware of the silence or the stares. Harry could only see Ginny, the redhead who so often appeared in his dreams. He couldn’t help but feel a sudden nervousness as he met her gaze. What if she didn’t want him back? He didn’t know if he could bear rejection from her.

Ginny was barely able to take in Harry’s appearance. There were drops of blood mixed with dirt on his clothes, and he looked even lankier than usual. His innocent, sweet face held the experience of a man who had gone through far more than someone of his age. Ginny couldn’t help but wonder if he was too old to have a relationship with her. Just too emotionally old to ever have a relationship again. But those thought went out the window when she caught the look in his green eyes. He looked exhausted and hardened, but in those eyes was still a glimmer of youth, a glimmer of Harry’s characteristic insecurity. She saw, in Harry’s eyes, a glimpse of the Harry, not the Boy-Who-Lived, who she had fallen in love with.

At that point, Ginny’s emotions overtook her and she ran forward, just like she had a year before in the Gryffindor Common Room after the Quidditch final. She felt like she couldn’t get to Harry fast enough. Launching herself into Harry’s arms, she kissed him full on the mouth, not unlike Hermione had done to Ron earlier.

Harry was bemused for a moment, but he responded eagerly, enjoying the taste of her mouth on his, just as it had been the year before after the match, during those secluded hours on the grounds, on his birthday. The kisses that had kept him going during the painful, starving nights: it was those kisses that had brought Harry back from the dead. Harry felt Ginny grin against his lips as he pulled her closer to him. Finally, when they pulled back from each other to breathe, the Great Hall erupted in cheers, similar to the cheer that arose when Tom Riddle had slumped to the ground. Harry couldn’t help but let his face spread into a disbelieving smile.

“D’you hear something, Harry?� Ginny joked, grinning. Harry kept his arm firmly around her waist as he replied,

“It kind of sounds like a movie theatre… I guess I forget that being the ‘Boy-Who-Saved-the-World’ means that people notice when you snog in the middle of a crowded room.� Ginny smiled at his joke.

“Man-Who-Saved-the-World. Harry, I don’t think anyone can call you a boy anymore,� Ginny replied, smiling. Harry smiled gratefully at Ginny’s understanding of the situation.

“I’m going to go give my condolences to your parents,� Harry said, mood becoming solemn again. Ginny nodded, leading him over to where the Weasleys sat. Fred’s body was on the other side of the table, against the wall and covered by a magenta blanket.

“Hello, Harry,� Mrs. Weasley said warmly, rising from her seat to give Harry a hug. “Come and have some food; you must be starving, dear boy.� Harry grinned. Some things never changed.

“I’m alright, Mrs. Weasley, honestly.� More important things were on his mind other than the fact that he could feel his ribs poking through his skin after months of struggling for food. Harry shook Mr. Weasley’s, Bill’s, Charlie’s, and Percy’s hands before he turned to George.

“Hi, Harry,� George said, slightly glum. Harry felt a wave of pity for George. Everyone had lost Fred tonight, but George had lost a twin.

“George, could I have a quick word?� Harry said, swallowing. George nodded and rose from his seat. He and Harry walked across the room to an abandoned hallway. “George, I’m really sorry about Fred’s death. It’s my fault; if I had just given myself up sooner, maybe—� George cut Harry off.

“No. Harry, Fred lived and died the way he wanted too. He died fighting the Dark Arts. Fred didn’t die because of you. Fred died because of Voldemort,� George replied. He seemed to be trying to hold himself together. “I just... I don’t know what I’ll do without him.� George broke down into tears. Harry shook his head, fighting back tears of his own.

“George, you’re the only one who can tell us how you feel right now,� Harry began. “You’ve just lost the most important person in your life. But, George, it’s like how I felt when Sirius...� Harry trailed off and regained his composure. “We can’t, let ourselves go, or hide away. We’ve got to keep on living. Because, George, Fred died for something. Fred died so we could all keep on living,� Harry continued. “Dumbledore... He told me that the pain we feel is what makes us human. It shows that we can love. I always thought that maybe he was being a little thick, with the love, but he’s right. Love is the most important thing.�

“Harry, you don’t understand. No one ever called us ‘George and Fred’; it was always ‘Fred and George’. Fred was the leader. I don’t know what I’ll do,� George agonized.

“You’ll become the leader. George, you’re stronger, funnier than you realize,� Harry said. “I learned that after Sirius’s death. I learned that I was made of stronger stuff than a lot of people thought, including me. I could cope. I didn’t crack up. I know inside that you’re made of that stuff too,� Harry finished. George nodded, a new resolve in his brown eyes.

“I know I am too. Thanks, Harry.� A grin suddenly spread across George’s face. “Have fun with Ginny... But not too much fun, she is my sister, after all.� Harry nodded.

“I know; Ron has made that clear,� Harry responded good-naturedly.

“Ronnikins and I agree on something? That’s scary,� George said before walking back into the Great Hall. Harry couldn’t help but agree with George. The idea of five Weasley brothers united in disappointment couldn’t help but scare Harry a little. Following George’s path, Harry walked back into the Great Hall and up to Ginny.

“Ginny, I’m going to go up to find somewhere to sleep,� Harry said quietly in Ginny’s ear. “I want you to come with me. I need to tell you about last year.� Ginny nodded.

“Of course, Harry,� she murmured before turning to her family. “I’m going to go up to the dormitories.� Ginny kissed her mother and father, wrapped her brothers in a hug and then waited for Harry.

“I’m going to head up too.� Harry noticed the slightly shocked looks on the Weasleys’ faces. “Nothing like that,� Harry said hurriedly. Ginny took Harry’s hand in her warm, soft one.
“Harry is going to tell me some stuff he needs to tell me, and then we’re going to go to bed. Nothing more than that,� Ginny said, giving her brothers, especially Ron, a warning look. They backed off at a stern look from Mrs. Weasley as well, and Harry and Ginny walked out of the room in amicable silence.

“Ginny, it’s going to seem confusing, but I’m going to try to tell you the story as best I can. I don’t even understand all of it,� Harry said before he started. “I guess I’ll start with the prophecy. Yes, there is a prophecy. But Voldemort didn’t hear all of it. He only heard that someone with the power to vanquish him would be born as the seventh month dies, to parents who had defied Voldemort three times.�

“And that was you,� Ginny said, nodding.

“Not just me. It could’ve been Neville.� Ginny’s mouth widened in surprise. “I know. But, he did help vanquish him. He created a distraction; he killed the snake.�

“Why did the snake need to be killed?� Ginny asked eagerly. Harry chuckled.

“That comes next. Voldemort, however, didn’t hear the most important part of the prophecy that he would mark me as his equal, for neither can live while the other survives. Voldemort started hunting me down and, by extension, my parents.

“When Severus Snape heard this, he reported it immediately to Dumbledore. That was why he turned double agent: he loved my mother, and he wanted Dumbledore to keep her—keep us safe. Unfortunately, Pettigrew,� Harry cringed as he spoke the name, “betrayed them. Dumbledore still gave Snape the task of keeping me safe from Voldemort once he returned.

“Dumbledore, meanwhile, was researching the possibility that Voldemort might have made Horcruxes. A Horcrux is when a person splits their soul by murdering someone and takes the split piece and places it in an object. One Horcrux is an intensely evil object. Lord Voldemort made seven, not including the piece that is in his body. He put one in the diary that you came across, one in his ancestors’ ring, one in Slytherin’s locket, one in Hufflepuff’s cup, one in Ravenclaw’s diadem, and one in Nagini. Ron, Hermione, and I set out to hunt them down.

“The trouble is that Horcruxes are very difficult to destroy. Basilisk venom destroys them, and since goblin made armour repels common dirt and takes in only what makes it stronger. So the sword of Gryffindor is imbibed with basilisk venom from when I killed the snake with it. Snape used his Patronus to lead me and Ron to where the sword was, and Ron destroyed the locket with it. Hermione and Ron went to the Chamber of Secrets and destroyed the cup. Crabbe cast Fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement’s Room of Hidden things, which inadvertently destroyed the diadem. Neville killed the snake—�

“You said he made seven, besides himself,� Ginny said quickly.

“He did. But he didn’t intend to make the seventh.� Harry took a deep breath. “When he turned his wand on me, trying to commit such an act of evil, once the spell bounced back on him because my mother sacrificed herself for me. She wasn’t just a casualty of war; Voldemort told her that she could choose to step aside because of a promise Voldemort made to Snape to spare her. My mum refused.� For the first time telling the story, Harry choked up. Ginny placed a soft, comforting hand on his arm. “Voldemort killed her, and then he turned his wand on me. But he couldn’t kill me, and the curse rebounded. A piece of his already unstable soul fragmented, and it landed on the only living thing in our house: me.�

“Harry!� Ginny exclaimed, shocked. The idea that a piece of Voldemort had been living inside Harry, sweet, good Harry, horrified her.

“I know. That’s why I had to give myself up. But Voldemort had taken my blood to regenerate. That tied me to life, because he kept alive my mother’s protection. The only person in the world who couldn’t kill me was Voldemort. He was the only one who wanted to kill me.� Harry paused. “Of course, the curse did have its effects. It killed the bit of Voldemort’s soul that lived inside me; in fact, if I had wanted to go on to the afterlife, I could’ve. But I came back instead.�

“Why?� Ginny asked, interrupting him without meaning it. Harry swallowed nervously.

“You,� he muttered, staring determinedly at his muddy trainers as a blush crept up his cheeks. Ginny smiled.

“Harry, did you just—� Harry looked up and grabbed Ginny’s hands, confidence running through his veins.

“Ginny, I came back for you. I wanted to defeat him. I wanted to be able to defeat him because that would mean that the world was safe for you. I knew that even if I died trying, I would defeat him. I couldn’t just move on. I needed you. I thought of you every day we were apart. I stared at your dot on the Map. I thought about you. I thought about you before he cast the curse. It was always you. I suspect it always has been. I needed to avenge everyone who died because of him, but I also needed to do it for you. I love you, Ginny,� Harry said passionately. Ginny’s mouth opened slightly. She hadn’t even imagined the possibility that Harry could feel that strongly for her after what he had gone through. She wasn’t even sure if Harry would feel half of what she felt for him. Now she knew he felt just as much as she did. Harry swallowed. “You know the rest. You know that I gave protection to all of you, so he couldn’t kill anyone else. That’s why Neville broke free from the Body-Bind. You know why I beat him; the wand is mine now. I’m not going to use it, though. I repaired my holly and phoenix wand, and I put the Elder Wand where it belongs.�

“Harry... I love you too,� Ginny said. “I love that you would’ve died to save me. I love that you were watching over me. I love that you would’ve done so much for my family. I love that you chose to come back just to fight him again. I love that you didn’t run. You were my inspiration this year. You were what made me decide to restart Dumbledore’s Army. I knew that if you kept fighting, I could keep fighting too. Even when they used Crucio on me, I wouldn’t cry, I wouldn’t scream. Because I had you to think about. You kept me fighting.� Ginny swallowed and pulled out her wand. “Expecto Patronum,� she said, thinking of her and Harry’s kiss in the Great Hall. A silvery shape burst from her wand. Harry didn’t expect what he saw. A beautiful silver doe walked up to him and nodded its head towards him. He bit his lip and thought back to what Remus had said about Patronuses: “Sometimes... A great shock, emotional upheaval,� could cause a Patronus to change.

“A doe,� Harry said quietly. He was beginning to understand what had occurred.

“A stag’s mate, Harry,� Ginny said biting her lip. Harry nodded before pulling her into a hug. Feeling Harry’s tears wet her hair, Ginny patted Harry’s back comfortingly. She had no idea he would react like this. Harry pulled back.

“You’re the first person in my memory to ever say that to me,� Harry said, emerald eyes glistening with tears. “I know my mum and dad said it to me, but I don’t remember.� Ginny felt tears fill her own eyes. She thought that she was cried out, but evidently she was wrong.

“No one... Ever?� Ginny asked him. Harry nodded, sighing.
“Harry, you do realize how amazing you are? You know the joys of loyalty and love more than anyone, but you never had those emotions showered on you. You were just born knowing. And that is why I love you. The entire world loves you, Harry.�

“All I care about is that you love me,� Harry replied simply, taking her hand. “Let’s go to the Gryffindor tower. I feel like I’m—�

“Dead on your feet? I completely agree,� Ginny said, smiling. She and Harry walked the steps to the Gryffindor tower in comfortable silence, just enjoying each others’ company. Once they reached the tower, Harry seemed slightly surprised when Ginny followed him to the boys’ seventh year dormitory.

“Ginny?� Harry said questioningly as he took off his dirty trainers and socks. He shrugged off his robes and stood there in his jeans and t-shirt, surveying her.

“What?� she asked as she slipped off her own trainers and socks.

“Ginny, we can’t...� Harry started, but stopped immediately at the glare Ginny gave him.

“We aren’t going to have sex!� Ginny flushed at her outburst. “I figured we could just spend the night together.� Harry swallowed nervously. Ginny felt her eyes well with tears. “I can’t be alone tonight, Harry. Not after... Everything.� She succumbed to tears, something she rarely did. Harry wrapped his arms firmly around her.

“I understand, Ginny,� he whispered in her ear before walking over to his rucksack (he had gotten it from Hermione at the end of the battle) and tossing Ginny an old t-shirt of his that had once been Dudley’s shirt. “You can sleep in that, if you want.�

Ginny nodded, walking towards the bathroom to get changed. Harry, meanwhile stripped down and changed into new underpants, and pyjama pants. Ginny walked back into the room in his shirt, showing a tantalizing amount of her fair, muscular thigh. She walked up to Harry and smiled brightly.

“Stop ogling, Harry,� she said, smiling. The two walked over to Harry’s bed, pulling back the curtains and laying down side by side. Ginny snuggled into Harry’s chest, smiling contentedly as he threw an arm across her shoulders. The two were asleep almost immediately.