Harry returned to the party with Hermione and they sat and watched for a while as people started to get up and dance.
“I’m going to get a drink, anyone want one?” asked Ron, approaching them.
“What is there?” asked Hermione.
“Er…”
“Oh, I’ll come and choose,” she said, getting up. “Harry?”
“Um, no thanks.”
Ron and Hermione walked over to the drinks table together, then began to walk slowly around the edge of the dance floor. Harry thought he saw Ron blush slightly, but then Hermione took his hand, kissed him swiftly on the cheek and they looked at each other more profoundly than Harry had ever seen before.
“What’s up with them?”
Harry looked up as Ginny sat down in the chair next to him.
“I don’t know,” he said, “must be the romantic atmosphere.”
Ginny nodded quickly. “Yeah, that’ll be it…”
The music played on and Ron and Hermione began to dance, both looking more contented than Harry had seen either of them all year. Harry and Ginny were now the only people still sitting and “ though it pained him deeply “ Harry knew what he was obliged to do.
“Ginny?”
“Mm?”
Harry offered her his hand and she slid hers into it softly. They walked into a space on the dance floor and Harry took her waist as she put her arms around his neck, her sweet-smelling hair brushing his cheek ever so slightly.
It was like perfection confused with torture. Harry couldn’t bear it and couldn’t help loving it simultaneously. Suddenly, there was nothing in the world except her and this moment and the feeling of her fingers’ touch on the back of his neck; it was too much “
“Sorry,” he said, letting her go and turning away.
He fled the marquee and strode hurriedly across the candlelit garden, breathing heavily. He stopped in the middle of a circle of tiny, flickering flames and closed his eyes, trying to rid his mind of the immense longing that it had just been immersed in so deeply.
“Is that your way of telling me I’m a terrible dancer?”
Harry spun round and saw her standing a few feet from him. The void between them was broken only by the constant chirping of the cicadas and the soothing saxophone in the marquee.
“Ginny…“
He didn’t know what to say to her and all that followed was another silence.
“Harry, this is stupid.”
Silence.
“It’s like you’re giving yourself a ton of extra grief for no reason.”
“Except there is a reason, Gin,” replied Harry, trying to keep the tension from his voice.
“Oh, yes, sorry,” said Ginny, failing to do just that. “I forgot “ you want to protect me.”
“Well, isn’t that for the best?”
Ginny came closer to him.
“Harry, in some ways I love it that you want to do the ‘noble’ thing, but in others, it makes me want to hex you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, the thing that you don’t seem to realise,” she said, coming closer still, “is that the noble thing would be to protect me by loving me like I know you do, not by pushing me away.”
Harry’s hand twitched slightly as Ginny’s fingers touched it gently, then slowly intertwined with his.
“We… can’t…” whispered Harry, hardly trying to resist it.
“Yes, we can,” said Ginny, “and we will.”
She reached up on tiptoe and gradually her body fell against his as their lips touched and Harry gave in to his inhibitions…
It was almost three in the morning when the party finally began to wind down. Harry and Ginny had lain down on the grass: him on his back, looking up at the stars, and her on her side with her arm across his chest, breathing lightly in and out on his neck. When the marquee started to empty and the probability of being stepped on grew, Harry leant over, gave Ginny a kiss on the forehead and said: “We’d better get inside.” They got up and Harry put an arm around her waist, holding her close to him.
“Hey, Harry,” she said in a low voice, pointing inside the marquee as they passed; Ron and Hermione stood in the centre of the dance floor, kissing, apparently oblivious to the fact that everyone else had left. “Looks like you were right about the romantic atmosphere.”
Harry smiled and they carried on up to the house. When they got to the landing outside their bedrooms, they stopped and turned to each other.
“You look completely beautiful tonight, by the way,” said Harry.
“Thanks,” whispered Ginny, and she reached up to kiss him before disappearing inside her room, with a twinkle in her eye.
Harry woke the next morning with the feeling that an immense weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He had had dreams filled with stars, jazz and … well, he had slept peacefully. He and Ron got up, dressed, then went into the girls’ room to see if they were awake.
Hermione and Ginny sat on their flowered bedspreads, both seeming extremely well-spirited and rather too giggly in Harry’s opinion.
“Good morning,” said Hermione with a smile.
Ginny grinned at Harry and leapt over her bed, landing beside him.
“Come on,” she said, in a low voice. “Let’s leave them to it.”
Harry nodded and led the way down the stairs and out into the bright garden, revelling in the fact that he could now hold Ginny’s hand as they walked again.
“I knew you’d come to your senses eventually,” said Ginny, as their bare feet reached the grass. “I was just hoping it wouldn’t take too long.”
“I can hardly remember why I thought us being apart was such a good idea,” said Harry. “You were right “ I can protect you by loving you, and I will.”
Ginny smiled. “Good, I’m glad. I’m going to make your last year at Hogwarts unforgettable.”
Harry felt as if a ton weight had just been dropped into his stomach; with all the excitement, he had completely forgotten about telling Ginny his plans for the next year. She was almost completely in the dark about most of the content of his thoughts and “ even if he couldn’t tell her about the Horcruxes “ she had a right to know as much as he could tell her.
“Ginny,” he started, unsure of how to continue. “Er “ let’s sit down.”
She frowned but sat with him under an olive tree.
“The thing is … I’m not going back to Hogwarts.”
She stared at him.
“What?” she gasped. Harry waited, knowing that he didn’t need to repeat himself. “Why?”
“It’s … complicated “ “
“So complicated that you can’t even try to tell me?” asked Ginny, glaring at him with fiery eyes.
“I want to tell you!” said Harry in defence of himself. “Believe me! But I made a promise. Sorry.”
“A promise?” asked Ginny, and Harry thanked the heavens that the anger was leaving her voice. “To who?”
“Dumbledore,” he told her, clenching the pendant in his pocket.
Ginny considered this, trying to take it in.
“So … you’re leaving school the year before your NEWTs to do something that only Dumbledore knew about?”
Harry squirmed.
“Well, no, actually,” he muttered. “Ron and Hermione know and they “ er “ want to come with me.”
Ginny continued to glare at him.
“You’re joking?”
“I’m afraid not,” said Harry apologetically.
Ginny looked as if she might say something for a moment, then, without warning, she simply got up and walked away.
Harry sighed “ consoling girls was not his strong point.
“Harry, honestly; you’re worse than Ron!”
Harry snapped back to reality to see Hermione holding a pair of socks.
“Right “ yeah… “ he mumbled, looking down at the half-packed trunk that he was supposed to be loading his things into.
“Now,” said Hermione, thrusting the socks into his lap, “are you going to tell us what’s wrong, or are we going to have to ask?”
That was about right “ Harry had almost been waiting for that question.
“I had to tell Ginny about … stuff … “ he murmured.
“You told her about the Horcruxes?” asked Ron, folding a shirt distractedly.
“Of course I didn’t,” said Harry, expecting a little more credit. “The only people that know about them are in this room.”
Hermione took the shirt from Ron and folded it neatly for him, then lay it in his trunk.
“So she didn’t take the news about your plans too lightly, then?” she asked.
“Well, considering I can hardly tell her anything at all, I’m not really surprised,” said Harry solemnly.
“Well, technically, you could tell her “ “
“No he could not!” interrupted Ron. “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”
“I agree,” said Harry, “the less people that know, the better.”
“I suppose so,” mused Hermione, “it just seems so unfair.”
“You’re telling me,” muttered Harry.
The door opened and in came Ginny.
“You three look happy,” she said, casting a glance round the room, her eyes resting on Harry. “Can I speak to you for a moment?”
Harry nodded and followed her into the room across the hall, dreading what was to come.
“Sorry about earlier,” said Ginny, once they were sitting on her pink bedspread.
“No, I totally understand,” said Harry quickly. “And, you know, I’d get it if you just wanted to finish it all right now “ I’ve given you enough reason “ “
Ginny snorted, cutting Harry off.
“Finish it all?” she asked, a smile flickering across her lips. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Potter.”
“I’m “ what?”
Ginny put her hand on his and squeezed it.
“Whatever reason it is that you’re not coming back,” she said, “I know that it must be a good one. I realised that Hogwarts is your real home and that you wouldn’t leave just for the sake of it. I don’t know what happened this year, but however long you’re gone for … I’ll wait for you.”
Harry could hardly believe it; he had come to live with his loved ones disappearing “ often at the times when he felt he needed them most “ and yet here she was declaring her unconditional loyalty?
“Really?”
She nodded.
“Thank you,” said Harry, “that … that means a lot …”
Ginny smiled softly and kissed him on the cheek.
“As if I would leave you now,” she whispered.
The hair on the back of Harry’s neck tingled delightfully.
Saying ‘goodbye’ to the Delacours was not exactly an emotional affair. Mr Weasley shook Mr Delacours hand politely and Mrs Weasley smiled grudgingly as Giselle kissed her on either cheek; Harry got the feeling that group holidays were somewhat unlikely.
Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys “ minus Bill and Fleur “ flooed back to The Burrow, glad to be leaving their new in-laws behind but rather disappointed to be going back to England.
“Well,” said Ginny, once she, Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the Burrow’s kitchen, “We have the whole summer “ what shall we do?”
Harry lifted a hand to his face and inadvertently traced the scar on his forehead.
“I was going to “ I mean “ I was only going to stay for the wedding,” he uttered to the three inquisitive faces.
“You’re leaving already?” asked Ginny, crest-fallen.
“I want to, you know, get a start on things,” he said, looking at Ron, then Hermione.
“I guess we’re leaving too, then,” said Ron.
“No. Just let me go on my own first,” said Harry, thinking of Godric’s Hollow. “Please?”
Hermione nodded. “Of course. Send us an owl when you feel like some company.”
Harry smiled. “Thanks.”
He looked to Ginny. “This isn’t goodbye forever,” he said, taking one of her hands in his.
“When will I see you again?” she whispered, the pain in her eyes.
“When the world is free once more,” he replied, and he thought he saw a glimmer of unspoken understanding cross her features.
Harry kissed her tenderly “ his heart threatening to break in his chest “ then hugged Ron and Hermione in turn, noticing them clasp hands as he stepped towards the fireplace.
He sighed; their last days in the sun were over and it was time for him to face his destiny.
Destiny
Can’t live without you,
So why do I try to
Go on, despite you,
Despite the lies?
I live to be here,
I fear what you fear;
Forget what you hear,
My silent cries.
Torturing perfection,
The sweet confection,
Of your soft complexion,
Determined eyes.
Don’t want you to follow,
But it’s finite sorrow:
I’ll be here tomorrow,
Or in your mind.
A/N: Really hoped you liked this story and that it was as true to the books as I wanted it to be. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be continuing or sequeling this story, but hey, who knows? It's a long wait till Book 7, right?! The poem at the end was one I wrote, inspired by this story. Feedback much appreciated! hp xxx