AN: Sorry it took a couple days to get up. I own nothing in the Harry Potter universe, the same that no one here owns it all. Darn the JKR for beating us to it!;)
Harry yawned as he came down the stairs. His clothes were rumpled from sleeping in them. Noticing Hermione at one of the tables, he dragged himself over and plopped onto a chair.
"How are you feeling?" she asked gently.
"I'm exhausted. I feel so worn out, so old."
Hermione nodded sympathetically.
"Ron and I just talked to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," she said. "They said Ginny's doing fine and she's awake now."
"I know," Harry said. "I was there when she woke up."
"Does she know?" Hermione asked with a worried look in her eyes.
"It was one of the first things she asked." He didn't mention that he told Ginny that he loved her. This was different from how it had been with Cho. He didn't feel comfortable discussing this with Hermione; it was too personal.
"How did she react?" Hermione wanted to know.
"It's hard to tell," Harry said, honestly. "The loss of her hair was a big blow. It's always been one of her best features."
"She'll be able to do a Hair Thickening Charm, won't she?"
"Eventually," Harry replied then changed the subject. "Where's Ron?"
"With Ginny and their parents. They'll be leaving for the Burrow this morning and they're just saying goodbye. By the way," she added. "Hedwig arrived with something for you." She handed him an envelope. "She went down to the Owlery, I think."
"Thanks," Harry said, taking it. With the tip of his wand, he opened it. Quickly, he scanned the contents.
Wotcher, Harry! We heard about Ginny from Dumbledore. I hope she's okay, Dumbledore
sounded worried when he spoke with us. Molly and
Arthur should be there now, I imagine.
Goodness! I almost forgot why I'm writing to you!
My mind is a sieve these days, let me tell you! This
is to invite you, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny to the
wedding, December 23, at Grimmauld Place.
Dumbledore said he could get you out on the twenty-
second and have you back on the 24th, in time for the Christmas Eve Ball. Owl us back when you get the
chance!
Tonks and Remus
Harry looked up from the letter.
"Well?" Hermione said expectantly.
"Lupin and Tonks have set a date and are inviting us to come," he said.
"That's wonderful! I'm glad that they decided not to wait until the war's over."
"Yeah," he said vacantly. "Hermione, I'm not going to go to Hogsmeade today. I've got to go somewhere and think."
"Go ahead," Hermione said, looking at him with understanding.
Grabbing his coat and gloves, Harry left the dormitory. He headed down to the stairs, past the Great Hall where voices were raised in excitement at getting a little holiday, and he walked out the front doors.
After ploughing a path through the newly falled snow to the Quidditch pitch, he climbed into the stadium and sat down. He had been there for awhile when he heard someone come up behind him. He wiped his eyes and turned around.
"How are you?" Cho asked quietly, sitting down.
"I'm so confused. Why Ginny? Why couldn't it have been me? She could have died! Without her, I would be so lost, and I was so close to losing her! It was so horrible, that moment when I knew, knew that-"
"She was gone?" Cho interjected softly. "That you loved her and it was too late to let her know?"
Harry nodded. "I guess you know exactly how I feel."
Cho smiled a little. "Almost. When Cedric died, that was the end for us. But-"
"She gets a second chance," Harry said.
"Don't lose her like I lost Cedric," Cho said simply. "It broke my heart when he died."
"No," Harry said. "I can't let her die. Never." He stood up.
"Where are you going?" Cho asked, rising also.
"To break up with Ginny."
"What?!" she exclaimed.
"Every time I love someone, I lose them! They become Voldemorts leverage and they're killed or tortured or-!" He stopped, breathing hard, tears running down his face.
"I'm trying to save her."
Cho turned and started to walk away. "So you would hurt her to save her?" Her eyes filled with tears. "She doesn't deserve that."
"Does she deserve to die?" Harry bellowed. Without another word, Cho went back to the school.
Harry sat down and cried for a long time.
"You're awfully quiet," Ginny said.
Harry looked up. Noticing the pained expression in his eyes, Ginny asked, "What's wrong?"
"There's something I need to tell you," he said haltingly. "I don't think this is going to work out, you and me."
"What?" Ginny said. "You mean, you want to break up?"
Harry nodded slowly, unable to look in her eyes, knowing that if he did, he would break down. This is what's best for Ginny, he told himself, hoping if he said it enough it would come true.
"Why?" she said, tears filling in her eyes.
"There are reasons I can't explain," he said. He stood quickly. "You don't need me Ginny. You're better off if I go." He fled from the room.
Ginny fell against her pillows, her face tearstained.
"You promised you would never leave me, Harry Potter. You promised."
"What did you do to her?!" Ron screamed. He and Hermione stood in front of Harry who had been lying in bed. He stood up slowly.
"She's in there sobbing and nobody knows why! I know you had something to do with it!" Ron lunged at Harry and Hermione rushed to hold him back.
"Harry, what's happened?" she asked. "Ginny is absolutely shattered and all I got from her was, 'I don't blame him!'"
Harry sighed. "I broke up with her."
"Why?!" Ron shouted. "Why did you pick now? Of all the lousy, crummy, no good things to do to-" he broke free from Hermione's grasp and rushed at Harry swinging. His fist connected with Harry's jaw, sending him reeling.
"Ron, NO!" Hermione screamed, pulling him back. Harry stood up shakily, rubbing his chin.
"You leave my sister alone," Ron said poisonously. "You've hurt her enough." Turning around and avoiding Hermione's eyes, he stalked out.
"I suppose you hate me too?" Hary said scornfully, touching the tender spot on his face.
"I can't deny that I feel like taking a swing at you as well. Why did you do it? You'd been so happy!"
"I don't know, okay!" Harry's eyes burned with unshed tears. "Everything was so clear earlier. If I let Ginny go, I could protect her."
"Protect her from what, Harry, your fate?” Hermione said cuttinglty.
“I don’t want Ginny to be hurt because of me.”
Hermione snorted in derision. “Some hero you are,” she said. “Ginny made her choice. She knew the risks of loving you.”
“Don’t talk to me about love!” Harry yelled. “You’ve been petted and praised, coddled and protected all your life! You don’t know what it’s like to have no one!”
Hermione shook her head. “Maybe not,” she said. “But the way you’re acting, you’ll soon lose everybody that you do have.” She walked out the door and without looking back said, “Think about that, Harry.”
Whew! This took a little while to get up but it's finally here, the next chapter!!! Yeah, it's full of drama but that's okay, I'm a theatre kid, I like drama. I thrive on it. In other words, get used to it.
A lot of you have reviewed and told me that you feel Ron can be an idiot. I agree, but in this chapter, I wrote it so Ron finally reacts to something that needs to be reacted to. In other words, please forgive me. I really wanted Ron to hit Harry because Harry's being a ... word I can't say.
I just realized that I said "in other words" twice. That being said, in other words, here's your spoiler!
"Beware of pushing away the good things. Memories, lessons-" He paused. "People. In these things will you be saved."
Not as bad as some of the last ones. Till next we meet, keep up the reviews! 141! Try for 150 on this next chapter!!!