The hospital wing came into view as Ginny’s eyes forced themselves open. She blinked as the light shone through the windows, illuminating the darkness in which Ginny had been unconscious.
It took Ginny a moment to realise that she was not alone in the Hospital Wing. She could overhear the shrill voice of her mother, and the sharp voice Ginny recognised as belonging to Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse.
“…Calm down, Molly. She’ll wake soon.”
“…What happened to her, Poppy? And to Harry?”
Madam Pomfrey sighed. “I wish I knew, Molly. I wish I knew.”
Ginny heard her mum give a sniffle, and quickly closed her eyes as Mrs Weasley looked towards her daughter; she could not think why, but Ginny did not want to reveal that she was awake just yet. Thoughts of Harry filled her head as she closed her eyes, she saw him falling, and she remembered rushing to his body, casting the spell and then nothing, just blackness.
Ginny heard footsteps approach her bedside as she lay perfectly still; she heard Hermione’s soothing voice beside her, and felt the bed sink slightly as Hermione sat down beside her.
“Oh, Ginny…wake up, you’ve got to. Harry needs you.”
Ginny’s eyes snapped open. “Where is he?” she demanded, fixing Hermione with a stare.
Hermione let out a shriek and fell off of the bed in shock. “Ginny! You’re awake!”
Ginny opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the high-pitched squeal of Mrs Weasley, “Ginny! Oh, Ginny! You’re okay! I knew you would be okay!”
Ginny struggled to breathe as Mrs Weasley threw herself on top of her and wrapped her arms tightly around her. “Mum… can’t…breathe,” she spluttered.
“Give her some room, Mum,” a voice called over the commotion, and Mrs Weasley retracted her arms from around Ginny revealing Fred, George, Bill and Ron standing behind her, all of them were looking embarrassed at their Mum’s behaviour, but all looked equally thrilled to see that Ginny was awake.
A thousand questions flew through Ginny’s mind as she stared at the crowd of people gathered around her, however, her eyes shifted back on to Hermione.
“You never answered my question, Hermione,” she said coolly.
Ginny could see Hermione’s eyes go wide as she looked at her.
“What question was that, Gin?” asked Fred and George at the same time, neither of them had seen the look on Hermione’s face.
“Where’s Harry?”
Immediately Ginny felt guilty for asking, watching as the expressions on each of her companions faces faded from their initial joy at her own awakening, to a pain and grief that was no doubt caused by Harry’s condition.
For a moment there was silence, Ginny’s mind raced during the quiet, thoughts of the worst entered her head. Harry could not be dead… surely not. It was Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived “ he must be alive, he had to be.
Ginny stared fiercely at her family and Hermione, waiting for an answer, that she got it when Mrs Weasley shooed Ron and Bill out of the way.
As they moved, Ginny could see the bed next to hers; lying there, unmoving and unconscious was Harry Potter, no longer bloodied and broken, just very, very still.
“He’s not… dead?” Ginny asked, her voice quivering as she struggled to hold back the tears that were threatening to escape her.
“He’s not dead, Miss Weasley.” Ginny looked up as Madam Pomfrey interjected, the Hogwarts resident nurse had come over to check up on Harry, she was checking his breathing as she spoke, “He’s still alive, his breathing remains steady, his wounds have healed, as far as I can tell he is completely healthy, he’s just unconscious, but nothing will rouse him.”
The tears started pouring down her face as Ginny could hold them in no longer, what was wrong with Harry? Why wouldn’t he wake up? Was this because of what Malfoy had done, or because of what Ginny herself had done?
“Ginny, dear, what happened to Harry?” Mrs Weasley asked kindly, stroking her daughter’s hair as she did so.
“I don’t know, Mum,” Ginny began, “Harry had come to try and save me, he lowered his wand to Malfoy so nothing would happen to me, and Malfoy hexed him, and blasted him off of the top of the Astronomy Tower. I managed to disarm Malfoy using Harry’s wand, but he escaped, I rushed down to where Harry landed and saw him lying there, broken and bloodied.” Ginny paused to wipe the tears out of her eyes. “I remembered something, an incantation that I had read in the notebook Harry had given me for my birthday, I used it, but I don’t know what was supposed to happen… it might be my fault that Harry is lying there like that.” Ginny broke down completely as the realisation that it could be her fault dawned upon her.
“Don’t be silly, dear, it wasn’t your fault,” Mrs Weasley started.
“How do you know that?!” Ginny snapped.
Ron opened his mouth to speak at this point, but seemed to think better of it, instead Hermione spoke, “Ginny, Harry wouldn’t have wanted you to learn a spell that would do this to him, I’m sure he’ll be fine, he probably just needs a lot of rest.”
“Of course it wasn’t your fault, don’t be so silly,” Madam Pomfrey snapped. “Whatever spell it was that you cast on him saved his life, I have no doubt about that.”
Ginny smiled through her tears, Hermione was right, Harry wouldn’t have wanted her to learn a spell that would leave him in limbo.
“Can you give me a minute alone with him?” Ginny asked, looking around at her family.
It was Mr Weasley who spoke first, “Of course Ginny, take as long as you need.” And he ushered the rest of the Weasleys out of the hospital wing, Hermione leaving hand in hand with Ron, Lupin however stayed behind.
“Ginny, I know how you feel about Harry, you must stay positive, for his sake, if he is lost on his way back, he’ll need your love to find his way.” He smiled at Ginny, before speaking again, “I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but your N.E.W.T’s start tomorrow.” Lupin smiled again, turned, and left Ginny alone next to Harry.
Ginny got up out of her bed, and walked over to where Harry lay, she sat down next to him on the bed, and took his still hand in hers, weeping softly to herself, and sat with him for hours, until she was interrupted by a stern voice.
“Miss Weasley.” Ginny gave a small jump in fright and turned to see Professor McGonagall stood behind her. “I think you should head up to your dormitory now, your N.E.W.T’s start tomorrow, you need to rest. I will, of course, permit you to visit Mr Potter at any time you desire, but for now, you must leave him.”
“No, I can’t leave him, I don’t care about my exams, all I want is Harry back.”
McGonagall looked as though she was about to shout, but instead her expression softened, and when she spoke again, her voice was full of sympathy, “Ginny, we all hope Harry makes a full recovery, and I am sure that he will, like I have said, I will permit you to see him at any time you wish, but for now, you must get some rest.”
“Can I stay here with him tonight?”
McGonagall said nothing for a moment, apparently thinking. “Of course you can, I shall inform Madam Pomfrey, but you must be ready for your exams by nine o’clock tomorrow morning, you first exam will be Charms. Goodnight, Miss Weasley.” As she left she waved her wand, causing Harry’s bed to extend to twice its usual size, making room for Ginny to lie beside him. Within a moment of lying down next to Harry, Ginny’s eyes were closed, and she fell into a deep sleep once more.
“Ginny! Ginny! Wake up, you’re going to be late!” Ginny groaned, as she opened her eyes and saw Luna Lovegood and Colin Creevy standing by the side of the bed, fully clothed and ready for their exams. Ginny sat bolt upright and looked at Harry, there was no visible change in him since the day before, but Ginny could swear that his breathing had become more pronounced. Ginny leaned over and kissed him goodbye, and rushed up to the Gryffindor dormitory, grabbing her wand and getting dressed, she then rushed to her first exam with Colin and Luna.
Ginny found herself with less and less time to visit Harry, she had to get her N.E.W.T exams out of the way before she could concentrate on seeing him again. She sat her exams one by one, until finally the last one had finished, as soon as the examiner had announced that they could leave, Ginny ran as fast as she could to the hospital wing to find Ron and Hermione gathered around Harry’s bedside.
“Hi, Ginny, how did your exams go?” asked Hermione, lifting her gaze from Harry and meeting Ginny’s eyes.
“They were fine, had a little trouble with Potions, but other than that, no problems,” Ginny replied, looking from Hermione, to Ron, to Harry.
“What do you think you’ll do after school?” Ron said, whilst giving Ginny a brotherly hug.
“I don’t know. I want to make sure Harry is okay first of all, if, no, when he is better, I thought maybe I’d like to teach Charms here.”
Hermione beamed at this remark. “We’ll both be teachers then “ that would be brilliant!”
Ron sighed. “It’s alright for you two, I don’t know what I want to do anymore.”
Hermione looked up in shock at Ron. “I thought you wanted to be an Auror?”
“I did, but it won’t be the same if Harry isn’t there with me.”
It was Ginny’s turn to look at Ron in shock. “Why wouldn’t Harry be there? He’s going to be okay you know!”
“I know, Ginny, I know, but Harry isn’t welcome at the Ministry any more, I heard it all when I went to find him after he disappeared from Hogsmeade. He broke into the Ministry’s supply of Veritaserum, made an unauthorised visit to Azkaban, the only reason he hasn’t been arrested is because he’s Harry Potter, but I was told by Rufus Scrimgeour himself that Harry was no longer welcome to train as an Auror.”
Ginny felt sick, Harry had gone to the Ministry to try and find information about her, and had succeeded in losing his job, the one job he had wanted to do since his forth year at Hogwarts. “Surely they’d take him back, he’s Harry Potter!”
Ron shook his head. “They don’t think he has the right temperament for an Auror.”
“But with Malfoy still out there…?”
“I know, Ginny, I am well aware of it,” Ron snapped, “but Harry will not be welcomed back into the Ministry!”
Ginny opened her mouth to retort but fell silent; Hermione, was silent as well, looking more than a little awkward at being trapped between the two Weasleys, Ron was seething, his face red.
Ginny turned back to Harry, she gazed at him, her big brown eyes welling up again as she looked at his lifeless form, when a pair of vivid green eyes opened, staring right at her.
Ginny nearly fell off of the bed in shock, those eyes were still staring at her. “Harry?” she whispered. Ron and Hermione’s eyed both darted down to where Harry was laying, his eyes resting on each of them, and then back to Ginny.
“Hi, Ginny,” Harry croaked, in a voice that hadn’t been used in a long time. “Ron, Hermione.”
Hermione burst into tears, Ron was looking at Harry like he was looking at a ghost, his face as white as a sheet, Ginny however, just smiled. “You’re back.”
“I’m back.”
“How?”
Harry propped himself up on his pillows, and took a deep breath. “You used my spell didn’t you?”
“Yes, but I…” Ginny started.
“Don’t worry, you did it properly, it worked just like it worked when I used it on you, just before Christmas.”
“What does it do?”
“Brings a loved one back from the point of death, I started researching it just after Dumbledore died. I worked under his belief that love is stronger than any kind of magic, and although I couldn’t find a spell that could counter ‘Avada Kedavra’, or bring someone back from the dead, I was able to create the spell that we have both used.”
“How does it work?”
“Well, the caster must have deep feelings of love in order for it to work, that’s why no dark wizard would ever be able to use it “ they cannot love to the degree that is needed. When the spell is cast, part of the casters soul is transferred to the injured person, that part of the soul heals wounds, eventually becoming part of the person, in this case, part of your soul became linked with mine.”
“And part of yours linked with mine?”
“That’s right.”
“Why was I unconscious after casting it?”
“It takes a huge effort, only those with huge feelings of love can cast the spell, anyone can say the words, but they won’t do anything unless there is love behind them. You passed out because you were prepared to give me part of you in order to heal me. The part of your soul that you gave to me is restored during your period of unconsciousness, making your soul whole again.”
Ginny blinked and looked at Harry, she couldn’t believe that she had saved his life, part of her soul was now part of him, and part of his soul was part of her.
Harry was looking at Hermione and Ron, both of them were now as white as sheet, looking at him in awe.
“Guys, it’s great to see you, but I think Ginny and I need a moment alone.”
Hermione spoke first, “Sure, Harry, its great to have you back.” And she gave him a hug, and took Ron’s hand and went to leave, Ron wasn’t ready to go though, he was still staring at Harry.
Ron slowly held his hand out to Harry, and Harry shook it, before pulling Ron into a brotherly hug. Ron pulled back, grinning. “See you, Harry, Ginny.”
Harry watched the two of them leave and turned back to Ginny, who was smiling at him. “Now, Miss Weasley, care to join me on a walk of the grounds?”
“It would be my pleasure, Mr Potter,” she replied, smiling more than ever and helping Harry to his feet.
Harry and Ginny walked around the grounds together, until they arrived at the lake, the place where they kissed after Harry had saved Ginny in the Quidditch match. Harry stopped as they reached the lakeside, and turned to face Ginny.
“Ginny, I need to ask you something, I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, I was going to ask you in Hogsmeade, but…” he trailed off, and reached into his robes, Ginny couldn’t believe what she was seeing as Harry lowered himself to one knee and took her hand in his, “Ginevra Molly Weasley, will you marry me?” Harry opened the little velvet box in his other hand, inside was a shining silver ring, engraved with the message ‘I’ve got all I ever needed in you.’ “It was my mother’s, my father gave it to her the day he asked her to marry him. It’s one of the few things of theirs that I’ve managed to find.”
Ginny began to cry, not out of sadness, but out of joy, she’d refused him once, and had spent over a year regretting it, she wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice. “Of course I’ll marry you, Harry!” she shrieked excitedly, beaming from ear to ear, Harry’s face broke into a huge smile as he slid the ring onto her finger, and stood up to take her in his arms, he kissed her and held her tight, before breaking away.
“We better go tell everyone.”
“I’ve got six brothers, are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Ginny teased.
“Never been more sure of anything in my life.”
“Harry?
“Yes?”
“What are you going to do now that you’re not welcome back as an Auror?”
Harry looked at her; this was just one reason why he loved her so much, even at a time like this, she could always speak what was on her mind. “Oh, I thought I might send Oliver Wood an owl.”
Asking no more questions, Ginny smiled as Harry took her hand in his, leading her back to the castle for the last time.
What a perfect way to leave school, Ginny thought to herself, as she and Harry entered the castle together, as night set on the first day of the rest of their lives.
Draco cursed under his breath as he made his way down the corridor; the lilac walls seemed to close in upon him as he felt the shaggy carpet underneath his feet. He took a deep breath as he neared the ornate mahogany door which grew closer and closer. He raised his hand to knock, hesitated a moment, and then knocked on the door.
“Enter,” said a deep, coarse voice from behind the door.
Draco pushed the door open and strode into the dark room; he smirked as he saw the silhouette standing beside the window.
“Potter?” hissed the coarse voice that belonged to the Minister of Magic.
Draco smirked. “…Dead.”
“You’re sure?” the voice asked quickly.
Draco’s smirk flashed into the same dangerous smile he wore most of the time. “Absolutely.”
Laughter filled the air, cold, high, mocking laughter. “Then why is he, at this very moment, walking the grounds of your old school with the Weasley girl?”
Draco face froze in shock. “What?”
“You heard me, Draco, you failed… again. I grow tired of your failure.” Draco made a noise to interrupt, but the voice continued to speak, “Do not interrupt me, Malfoy, know your place. I could have you put back in Azkaban any time I wish.”
“Forgive me, sir,” Draco replied, “What can be done?”
“Ginny Weasley wears the ring, she and Potter are in love. This is not helpful news to us, Draco. You must destroy that love.”
“How?” Draco asked, completely bewildered by it all, how could Harry Potter still be alive?
“You must find the Book of Malice, an object though long lost, only through the incantations in that tome will you be able to permanently obliterate the love that Potter and Weasley share.”
“Where will I find the book, sir?” Draco asked eagerly, anxious to cause yet more pain to Harry and Ginny.
“I shall tell you, but first, come closer, sit with me.”
Draco crossed the floor of the candlelit room and found a chair at the desk. He pulled out the rough wooden chair and sat down.
“The Book is hidden far from here, deep in the heart of Bulgaria, you must travel quickly, this cannot wait. Go now, Draco, succeed, and I shall reward you beyond all others.”
Draco nodded and stood up; he pushed his chair back under the table before he headed for the door. “Thank you, sir.”
The voice laughed. “You know I dislike the term ‘Sir’, Draco.”
Draco laughed. “Of course, Minister.”
The door slammed shut behind him.
A/N - Well...that's all for this story, it's been a long road here, but I think it's been worth it, thanks to all my readers, without you, there's no point in writing, thanks to everyone who has left reviews, sorry I've been too busy to respond to most of them, and thanks to Robyn, thanks for taking a chance on my little story and making it better, you rock! Thanks again everyone, Lee.