The following weeks were marked by waiting: waiting for Ginny to wake up, waiting for her condition to improve, waiting until she was recovered enough to return home. Harry spent all the time he could at Ginny's side. Her family, as well as Viktor Krum, much to Harry's chagrin, came and went. Mrs Weasley had to drag Mr Weasley home each evening so he'd get a proper night's rest. But Harry remained. The only times he left Ginny were when the matrons and medi-wizards came in to examine and care for her. At almost all other times, he refused to leave her.

He wanted to be there when she woke up.

Every night that first week, he would wait for the matrons to make their final rounds of the evening and slip back into her room, where he would quietly undress and climb into the bed with her. If the matrons were aware that he was spending the nights with Ginny in his arms, they said nothing of it. He was always careful to wake up early in the morning, dress, and tiptoe out of the room once more before the matrons returned.

If she should come out of her sleep in the night, he wanted to be at her side.

The days passed in a blur of routine until Harry was no longer sure how long they'd been here. One morning he woke up and something told him he needed to stay this time, even if it meant the matron catching him. He'd grown used to talking to Ginny to pass the long hours, even if he didn't expect a reply.

One day she would.

"It's time to wake up, Ginny," he said, brushing the hair out of her face and kissing her hairline. "It's morning."

The usual silence was all he had in answer, but something inside him made him persevere. "Is today the day? Are you going to come back to us today?"

He thought she stirred, but he didn't allow himself to let his hopes get out of hand. She'd moved against him before, and it hadn't led to anything. She'd simply settled back into her unnatural sleep again. "Can you hear me, Ginny? I'm here. I've been here every day for you. I'm waiting for you. When you wake up, I'll be here, still waiting."

He felt it again. She definitely had stirred this time. His heart began to beat a bit faster. "You can hear me, can't you, Gin? You're in there somewhere, and you want to come back to us, don't you? Well, listen to me. Follow my voice and find your way back. I miss you."

Her eyelids fluttered for a moment, and she opened her mouth, emitting a small, incoherent sound. Harry rushed on. "Yes, love, that's it. You're doing it. Keep fighting."

She was responding. He could feel it. "Come back, Ginny. Your family is waiting. I'm waiting. I need you, Gin. I can manage without my powers, but I can't manage without you."

Her eyes fluttered open. And remained so. They were focussed. Harry felt a smile broaden over his face. "Harry?" she croaked. "What are you doing here?"

Harry's eyes were beginning to sting with tears, but they were tears of relief and joy. "I've been waiting for you to wake up." His voice was strangely gruff.

"Where am I?"

"St Mungo's."

Harry was beginning to worry she was going to remember everything, and if she did, would she expect him to have his powers restored to him now. He didn't have the heart to tell her the truth if she asked. Fortunately she didn't. She also didn't seem to find it odd that he was lying in a hospital bed with her.

"You're scruffy," she informed him.

Harry laughed at that, and the sound echoed off the sterile walls. While he'd been staying with Sirius and Remus, he hadn't been allowed near a razor, and since he'd been at the hospital, other concerns had seemed more important. He was reluctant to leave her for even the short time it took him to hop into the shower and change into the clean clothes Sirius brought for him. "I'll see what I can do about that then."

He leaned in and kissed her gently. When he'd pulled back, her eyes had fluttered closed again, leaving Harry to wonder if he'd just dreamed the entire exchange.

He stayed in her room that morning until the matron came in so he could tell her that Ginny had woken up briefly and that she'd been aware. The matron didn't seem surprised at all to see him, and Harry had to conclude the hospital staff had known he'd been here all along.

*

More time passed, and Ginny would wake up sporadically before drifting off again after a few minutes, but each time she woke, her eyes stayed open longer, and she was coherent. The medi-wizards couldn't tell anyone much about Ginny's condition. They'd never encountered anything like it before. All that could be done for her was to let her rest, eat, and grow strong again.

At the end of January Viktor returned to Durmstrang, and Harry wasn't sad to see him go. The rest of Ginny's family visited as they could, trying to catch her during her periods of consciousness but not always succeeding. Mrs Weasley came every day. Harry stayed with Ginny in her room during the day, occupying himself while she slept and talking to her when she woke up. He'd asked for parchment and ink, and Hermione had brought him several books on racing brooms, as well as some Muggle texts on aerodynamics. At night he returned to Remus' house by Portkey.

A few days after Krum's departure, Harry was sitting in the corner of the room, paging through Living on a Twig and a Prayer by Icarus Sparrow while Ginny napped. Every so often he would pull out his quill and jot down a thing or two on a piece of scrap parchment. Spread out on the floor at his feet was another sheet of parchment with drawings of brooms on it. None of them was quite right. Yet.

"Harry?"

He glanced over at the bed. Ginny's eyes were open.

"I'll be right there," he replied. He marked his place in the book and went to sit on the bed with her.

Ginny was still looking over towards the corner. "What are you working on?" she asked, as he helped her sit up. "That's not anything for the Ministry is it?"

"Er, no. I haven't been in to work since… Well since the day that article came out. I don't imagine I've got a job anymore, but it doesn't matter."

He wanted to brush this topic aside as quickly as he could. He didn't want her to feel guilty that he'd lost his position at the Ministry. It wasn't her fault, after all. He now knew she'd attempted to contact him when she'd arrived in Norway. Mrs Weasley had told him she'd sent out owls, but that they'd never arrived. It made even more sense in light of another article that had appeared in the Grand Inquisitor, which appeared to carry the text of a break-up letter. It had looked all the more authentic since it had carried Ginny's habitual closing line that mentioned Oxford Street. Fortunately for Harry, he'd only seen this second article after he'd discovered the truth, but it proved that the letters had been intercepted.

"I've had an idea," he went on, changing the subject. "When I went to that Quidditch match, remember?"

"Yes, we looked at the reports at Christmas."

"Well, I've thought about trying…"

Harry broke off. The door had opened and a uniformed matron had come in, a large goblet in her hand. "Ah, I see we're awake," she said briskly. "And just in time for your restorative."

Ginny pulled a face, and Harry had to struggle not to laugh. He knew she hated the stuff, and she'd been made to take it in large quantities ever since she'd woken up.

"I'll be back in a bit, Ginny," Harry told her, getting off the bed.

He knew the matron had probably come in to do more than force Ginny to take her potion. In the beginning, Harry had put up a fight to be allowed to remain in the room while Ginny was being examined, but he'd never been allowed to. The twins had taken great delight in giving him some rather lurid details about different magical means used to treat unconscious patients. There were all matter of charms that could be used to get an unresponsive person to ingest nourishment, for example, but if nourishment was going in, it implied certain other… details that Harry would rather not think about. He'd been happy to leave the matrons to their work after that.

He cooled his heels in the corridor, wishing he'd thought to bring his books with him. Mrs Weasley had been in that morning, but she'd had some errands to run this afternoon, and she probably wouldn't be back in to the hospital so soon. There was nobody else around for him to talk to.

When the matron came out at last, Harry went back into the room. Ginny didn't look very happy.

"What's the matter?" he asked her, trying to keep his tone light. "Still tasting your potion?"

"Vile stuff," she grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's worse than my mother's, and I didn't think that was possible."

Harry sat down on the bed again, looking at her more closely. "Is that the only thing bothering you?"

She sighed and looked away for a moment. He saw her swallow once, hard, and when she turned back, she'd gone very serious. "Harry, I need you to tell me the truth."

"Of course, Ginny. Anything."

"Am I dying?"

"Ginny, what are you on about? What makes you say that?"

"Because I don't think I've ever felt more horrible in my life. How long was I unconscious for? And I still slip in and out. What if the next time I slip out, I don't come back? I've asked the matrons when they come in at night, and they won't tell me anything."

Harry could tell she was trying to put a brave face on things but inside she was frightened. "Ginny, you're not dying, all right? You're not." Inwardly he added, "You can't. I won't let you."

"But the same thing happened to you." This was the first time that she'd acknowledged losing her powers in his hearing. He hadn't even been certain until know that she was aware of it. "You didn't take this long to recover."

"I hadn't spent the previous months exhausting myself and not eating properly. I hadn't been sleeping out in the cold for days with nothing but a tent and a few warming charms for shelter. I hadn't made a gem before it happened to me. Only you know how much that takes out of you; I've only ever seen the effects in you. Listen, do you want me to fetch the medi-wizard and have him explain things to you?"

She shook her head. "It seems as if they've told you some things, at least. Any time I ask anything they put me off. I don't think they realise that I know what's happened to me, and they don't want to tell me."

"I don't think they know what to do with you. They know what's happened, but I don't think they know how it's happened. Your body has undergone a terrible shock at a time when it was already weakened. And this isn't something that happens every day, so they haven't got a treatment for it. All you can do is rest and get strong."

Ginny looked down at her hands, which were in her lap. "I should never have trusted her," she whispered. "I should have known something was wrong."

He put his hand over hers and took them. "How would you have known? You saw a chance and you took it. You did it out of love for me. How can I possibly fault you for that?"

"Yes, but I should have known. I should have just accepted… I mean I've really made a mess of things now."

"I know you, Ginny, and when you get an idea into your head, you don't let anything stop you."

A tear slipped out. "And where has that got me? I'm completely worthless now."

"Ginny!" he exclaimed more loudly than was proper in a hospital. "Don't ever say that about yourself!"

"But it's true. What can I do now?"

"If you're worthless, that makes me worthless too. Is that what you believe?"

"No! No, of course not."

"Well then don't say it about yourself. You and I are the same now. We're equal." She looked up at him sharply when he said that. There were still tears glittering in her eyes. "It doesn't make us less than anyone else. Just different."

He released her hands and put his arms around her, cradling her against his shoulder. She burrowed against him, and he heard her sniff once or twice. She took a shuddering breath against him, and then she was crying in earnest. He tightened his hold on her, remembering a time when she'd comforted him in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. It had been less than a year ago.

After a while, her shaking subsided, and Harry kissed the top of her head. "We're just going to have to learn to manage together, that's all. Do you think we can do that?"

Against his shoulder, Ginny nodded. He continued to hold her until he felt her relax in his arms. Her even breathing told him she'd dropped off to sleep again. If rest was the best thing for her, she was certainly getting it. He should probably ease her out of his arms and let her lie down properly. He'd do that. In a while.

*

Ginny swallowed the last of her restorative potion with a shudder. If anything, this stuff tasted worse with every dose. She banged the goblet back down onto its tray, dreaming of the day she'd be released, and the noise echoed through the empty room. She was tired of lying around in bed all day, even with Harry there to keep her company.

The door to her room opened, and she sat up in anticipation of Harry's arrival. It was Valentine's Day, after all, so perhaps he'd thought of a way to make the day special. One of the matrons had reminded her of the date just last night when she'd asked what Ginny thought she might get for the occasion. The realisation that it was already the middle of February had come as a shock to Ginny. She'd been in and out of consciousness so often in the beginning of her convalescence that she no longer had a clear idea of how long she'd been here. The idea sunk in once again now, giving her a chill, as she thought of all the complications this hospital stay was causing. She'd missed a colossal amount of school, and she didn't even want to think about what the hospital bills would amount to.

The sight of an enormous flower arrangement bobbing through the door made her set those thoughts aside. It appeared as if Harry had really outdone himself with things. Except the person bearing the flowers wasn't Harry. It was Mrs Mutt. Ginny looked at her warily.

"Hello, dear," said the older woman, the edges of her mouth turning up slightly.

"Er, hello…" Ginny couldn't bring herself to formulate any more of a reply than that.

"I'll get straight to the point. You must be wondering why I'm here after the way I spoke to you the last time we met. I'm afraid I've judged you too harshly, and I've come to apologise for that. I really should have known better than to trust something that was printed in the Grand Inquisitor of all things."

Ginny closed her mouth and found her voice. "Please… please sit."

"Thank you, dear." Mrs Mutt set the flower arrangement on a nearby table and took the chair next to Ginny's bed. "As I was saying, I wouldn't normally pay much attention to a rag like that, but when Harry didn't return to work, I knew something had to be wrong. And then there were all the rumours flying about the Ministry about your going missing."

"I heard there was a picture. It was enough to rattle my own mother."

"Yes, but I should have known better. I told Harry myself that those pictures can be doctored to show something that didn't really happen."

"I haven't seen the pictures, so I don't know, but if my own mother believed them, they must have been really bad."

"They didn't cast you in the best of lights, dear. And the article didn't help."

Ginny's heart sank. "Oh."

"That's all in the past now, though. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for believing the worst of you."

"I don't suppose there really is anything to forgive, is there? You were upset for Harry's sake. You were only trying to do what you thought was best for him. I know you must like him very much."

"Yes, well, he's a good boy, but I'm not sure he was cut out to work in an office. He's very clever, but I don't think the work really suited him."

"No, that job wasn't really for him, but he was trying. He wanted to fit in, and we thought the Ministry would be a good place for him. I don't know… maybe he'd still be making a go of it if I hadn't left."

"It's difficult to say if he'd have kept at it. Apart from him not being suited to the work, there were certain… people in that office who didn't make life easy for him."

"Yes, I know who you mean. There's no love lost there." Ginny paused. Something was eating at her. "Mrs Mutt? May I ask you something?"

"Of course, dear."

"Well, what made you change your mind about me?"

"Everyone knows what you've done, dear."

"They do? How?"

"There have been more articles in the paper, legitimate ones this time."

"Oh no, not more articles. What have they said about me now? I don't care for me, so much, but my mother… my family."

"Everyone knows that you've come to lose your powers, but not through any sort of Dark Arts, as certain less reputable sources have claimed. It was an ancient magic cast by a goddess."

"Dark Arts? I don't understand. How did any of this get into the press at all? I can't believe my family would have talked about this. No one has told me anything! Can you please tell me what's been happening since I've been in here?"

"I can't tell you what happened in the first few days, dear. But in the week after you came to the Ministry, another article came out in one of those rags claiming there was a rash of Dark Activity going on. It had cost you your powers. And I think your friend Mr Krum was put out over that, because there was an interview in the Daily Prophet a few days later, in which he told the real story. The Ministry was involved, as well. They didn't want the public to panic over unfounded rumours of Dark Magic, and there was an investigation. I also bumped into your father and asked him about it. He confirmed the story in the Prophet."

She paused for breath. "I knew I had been horrible to you, and I had to come. I was surprised you didn't kick me out. I would have in your place."

Ginny smiled a bit at that. "I think it was the shock of seeing you. I wasn't thinking properly."

Mrs Mutt's eyes twinkled in understanding. "I ought to apologise to Harry, as well. How is he?"

"Why don't you stay and see him? I'm sure he'd be happy to see you. He's usually here by now, but he's late today."

"I'm sure that's because he's arranging a surprise for Valentine's Day," Mrs Mutt said with a wink. Then she looked at her watch. "I'm due in at the office today, and I'm running late."

"Come back another time, then. Harry's here every day."

"Or if he can tear himself away from you for a while, he can come to the Ministry, and I'll take him to lunch. Good-bye, dear."

And then she was gone, leaving Ginny alone. When Harry still hadn't arrived ten minutes later, she began to grow impatient. There was nothing for her to do, and she wondered again how much longer it would be before she was released from her prison. She began to fidget in her bed and thought about getting up and taking a walk through the corridors. If the matrons would let her get away with it, she'd do just that. It would serve Harry right if he arrived to find the room empty.

Ginny was swinging her legs over the side of the bed when the door opened again. She quickly composed herself in case it was one of the hospital staff coming in to check on her. She really wasn't supposed to get up and wander about needlessly, even if she was bored silly.

Fortunately, it was Harry who entered this time, bearing a large basket and smiling at her in greeting. She felt herself smiling back, in spite of her earlier impatience. He'd obviously been preparing a surprise just as Mrs Mutt had said. Besides, he was giving her that smile, the one she loved, the one that she felt deep in her heart. He looked good today, fairly neat and clean-shaven. She had a vague recollection of waking up beside him and thinking it was Hagrid for a moment, but she didn't know if she'd dreamt that now.

Harry opened his mouth, no doubt to wish her good morning, but then she saw him glance towards Mrs Mutt's flower arrangement on the table, and his smile faded from his face. "Where did those come from?"

"Oh, I had a visitor earlier."

"What, have I got competition now?"

Ginny raised her eyebrows at him. "Competition? More like my competition, you mean. You just missed her. It was Mrs Mutt. She was asking after you. I think she misses you at the office."

"Oh, well it was nice of her to visit, wasn't it?"

Ginny waited for him to give her the basket, but Harry didn't say anything. He simply set it down on the floor next to the table and came to sit on the bed with Ginny. Ginny crossed her arms.

"How are you feeling this morning?"

"Feeling? Oh, I'm just fine, thanks. Nothing to do, but I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You sound a bit put out over something."

"Oh it's nothing, believe me, it's nothing."

"Well, have you had your breakfast?"

"Nothing edible, thanks. Just more of that vile restorative."

"I might have something here then. Hang on."

Finally. Harry had gone for the basket.

"Your mother sent this. Look," he said, bringing it back and opening it. He began to pull out all manner of her mother's delicacies: scones, freshly baked bread, butter and home-made preserves. "She's packed enough here for the two of us. I wonder why."

Ginny wanted to scream, but she thought better of it. She didn't particularly want the matrons coming in, panicked. "I don't know," she said icily. "Maybe it has something to do with the day."

"Really, do you think so?"

Ginny's jaw dropped. Was he really that thick? He had to know what day it was. She knew, and she wasn't even in a position to keep track of the date. Harry began to eat, and she felt like kicking him.

As it was, she decided she wasn't talking to him. If she was going to make a good show at being hacked off, she really shouldn't be eating, either, but she couldn't help herself. The food the matrons forced on her was almost as bad as the potions she had to take, and she wasn't about to pass up the chance to have some of her mother's baking. Although her mother had been sneaking food into Ginny whenever she could, Ginny still didn't want to miss this opportunity.

It irritated Ginny even more when Harry apparently didn't even notice she wasn't talking to him. When they'd finished the food from the basket, he went over to his place in the corner and took out his infernal flying books. He'd had a chance to explain to her what he was doing. He'd had an idea for a new broom design, and he was trying to see if he could make it work. The twins had been very interested in the drawings the last time they'd visited. Well fine, he could have his brooms and flight books. See if she cared.

After a few minutes of staring at the ceiling and fuming, Ginny realised she had to visit the loo… and the door leading to it was over near Harry's corner. She stole a glance in his direction. Had she imagined it, or had she caught a movement of his head, as if he'd been watching her and didn't want her to know? Oh well, let him wonder. He was a prat.

She got out of bed -- grateful that since she was now up and about her mother had been providing her with some more adequate sleepwear than the hospital issue, which didn't do a very good job of keeping everything covered -- and headed in his direction. He must have been paying more attention than he let on, for he stood up immediately. "You need any help?" he asked solicitously.

"I'm just fine, thanks," she replied, pushing past him and closing the door more loudly than necessary.

When she came out again, she thought she caught a half-smile on his face, but it was gone too quickly to be certain. She ignored him and got back into bed.

After a few more minutes, the door opened again. Ginny looked up, expecting one of the matrons had come in to prod her some more. It was one of the matrons, in fact, but she was carrying a long, white box tied with a red ribbon.

"This was just delivered for you," she informed Ginny, setting the box on the bed.

"Thank you," Ginny replied, as the matron walked out again.

She began to undo the ribbon. She had a good idea what the box contained, and she was ready to make a fuss. It looked as if Harry had remembered after all, and he'd just been teasing her. She lifted the lid and uncovered a bouquet of pink long-stemmed roses. In the middle was one white rose, and it was filled out with sprigs of rosemary.

"Oh, Harry," she began, lifting the flowers out of their box. Then she got a look at his expression. He'd obviously hadn't had any idea these flowers were going to be delivered. "You didn't send these, did you?" she asked.

"No."

Ginny dug through the box, looking for a card. She found it under the green tissue paper that lined the box, along with a glossy pamphlet, entitled "The Colours of Roses and Their Meanings". She set the pamphlet aside for the moment, as she tore open the envelope.

Ginny, the card read. Thinking of you often. Please take care of yourself. Your friend always, Viktor.

Ginny had a feeling Harry wasn't going to like this, but at the same time, she knew she couldn't hide it from him. She quietly handed him the card. He took it from her, and she watched his face carefully as he glanced at it. His jaw tensed visibly.

Ginny wondered how much Harry knew. Perhaps he'd sensed something. "It was nice of Viktor to think of me, wasn't it?" she commented, keeping her tone neutral.

"Isn't it though?" said Harry rather sarcastically.

"He's a good friend, Harry, and that's all. I don't have any romantic feelings for him. You know that, don't you?"

Harry stepped over to the bed, sat down and put his arms around her. "I know that. I'm a prat, all right?"

Ginny pulled him closer. "I love you anyway." She loosened her hold enough to kiss him briefly. "Here, have a look at this," she added, reaching for the pamphlet. "There must be a reason they put this in here."

Harry settled in next to her, one arm around her shoulders, as she scanned through the pamphlet. "Look," she said, "it says pink roses mean admiration and sympathy, and the white one means secrecy."

"Oh great, so what does he mean by that?"

"That he wants to be friends? He's sorry I got hurt?"

Harry sighed. "I suppose…"

"You gave me red ones on my birthday last year," she reminded him. "Those mean love."

The sound of somebody clearing his throat startled them both. Ginny looked round in surprise. One of the ugliest dwarfs she'd ever seen was standing in her room, and he was wearing lopsided wings, a toga and carrying a very fake-looking golden harp. It looked just like the dwarfs Professor Lockhart had hired for Valentine's Day during her first year.

"Great, just great," she muttered to herself. "My own boyfriend doesn't remember what day it is, and the twins pull a prank like this!"

"Miss Ginny Weasley?" the dwarf said gruffly.

"Oh no," she whispered, shaking her head. "No, I'm not. You've got the wrong room."

"That's not what they told me down the corridor. And you fit the description. Right."

To Ginny's horror, the dwarf jumped up on the foot her bed and stared down at her. She snatched up her bouquet of flowers and set them on the bedside table before looking towards Harry for help. He'd got to his feet.

"Oy! Get off the bed! I didn't pa-"

He broke off suddenly and went red. Ginny's jaw dropped, but before she had time to react, the dwarf began to sing while the harp strings jangled discordantly.

The dwarf finished on a very off note. Ginny wondered if it would be too impolite to stuff her fingers in her ears just in case there was a second verse. As it was, she was cringing at the words. They were even worse than what the twins had written in that valentine they'd sent to Harry.

She turned to Harry and glared. "Just what was that?" she demanded. "That… that… that was simply awful."

Harry looked hurt. "But… I worked so hard on that."

"You should have worked harder."

"Well, I reckon we're even now." Was it her imagination, or was he trying to fight off a smile? "Just what was that business about fresh-pickled toad, anyway?"

"I don't know. Why don't you ask Fred and George?"

"Why should I ask them?"

"Because they were the ones who sent that bloody thing in the first place."

The dwarf was watching this exchange with mild interest on his surly face, but he must have decided he'd had enough. "I'm not finished yet," he informed them.

Ginny's eyes widened as he reached inside his toga and pulled out a small pair of tongs decorated with tiny red hearts. In the tongs was a piece of burnt toast. The dwarf proffered his gift, clearly expecting Ginny to accept it.

Ginny glared over at Harry. "You've got to be joking."

"Hey!" said Harry, irritated. "What is that? There were supposed to be chocolates. If you ate them, I'm going to demand my money back!"

"I thought this was more fitting," replied the dwarf peevishly, "but if you insist."

He reached inside his toga again, and pulled out a heart-shaped box. Ginny was extremely thankful it was wrapped. She didn't think she could have brought herself to eat any of the chocolate if it hadn't been. She set them next to the flowers for later.

The dwarf jumped off the bed, bowed curtly and left. "What on earth possessed you to hire a dwarf?" Ginny asked Harry when the dwarf had gone.

"I'm sorry, I reckon I thought it was funny. I really did think you'd sent me that valentine."

"Urgh, that valentine. Do you know how embarrassed I was when everyone thought I'd sent you that awful thing?"

"Yeah, I was there, remember? It's not the sort of thing a twelve-year-old boy wants to get in front of the entire school."

"So it was right up the twins' alley, wasn't it? They managed to get both of us with that. We need to get them back."

"Ginny, no, I don't think that's such a good idea. Haven't you learned your lesson?"

"Of course not." But then she realised that she didn't know how to go about getting back at the twins now. "I'll just have to think about it a little more," she added. "After all, most of the really good things I know require magic…"

Harry was back at her side in an instant, pulling her into his arms. "Oh Gin, I'm sure you'll come up with something good."

She didn't reply. She simply let him hold her. It felt good to be in his arms. He understood what she was coming to terms with, after all. He was still going through it himself. She tightened her arms around his waist.

"Well," Harry said after a while. "It looks as if my valentine's surprise fell a bit flat. Perhaps you should tell me what you want for your birthday so I don't make a mess out of that, as well."

"That isn't for almost two months."

"If you need time to think about it, that's all right. Make it something good."

"I think I already know, actually." She leaned over and whispered what she wanted in his ear.

"Are you sure?" Harry looked rather shocked. "Even after… I mean, Krum thought to send you flowers, and I thought it was a good idea to play a joke on you."

"It doesn't matter. And yes, I'm sure. I can't think of anything I want more."

Ginny knew he was going to protest some more. He still couldn't quite fathom that she loved him; he'd probably spend the next eighty years working on the concept. Before he could reply to her, she drew his lips down to hers. He'd kissed her on a daily basis since she'd woken up, but always gently, chastely, as if he was afraid anything more passionate would break her. But she wasn't fragile -- not anymore -- and she went about proving it to him.

*

It was the first week in March before Ginny was finally released from St Mungo's. Harry helped her pack up her things, and they used his Portkey to return to the Burrow. Mrs Weasley was waiting for them in the kitchen, the room already filled with the smells of her delicious baking. She was preparing an enormous cake, for the whole family would be coming over later to celebrate both Ginny's homecoming and Ron's nineteenth birthday.

Ginny was extremely happy to be home, even if it was only for a few days. She expected she'd be making arrangements to return to school after that. While she knew she'd no longer be able to keep up with classes like Charms or Transfiguration, she reckoned she could still prepare to take her NEWTs in Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies, History of Magic, Herbology and Astronomy. She might even be allowed to take the written portions of the examinations in some of the other subjects. Partial qualifications would be better than none at all.

It came as a shock when she climbed up to her room to unpack and found her trunk sitting at the foot of her bed. Glancing around, she saw her school books stacked on her desk, along with spare rolls of parchment and bottles of ink. The Firebolt was leaning against the wall in one corner, the bag she'd taken on her journey lying at its feet. Viktor must have brought those back with him.

She turned to Harry, who had followed her upstairs carrying her things from the hospital. "Who would have gone and fetched all my things from school? It doesn't make sense. I'm only going to have to haul it all back with me."

Harry merely shrugged at her. "No idea. I haven't even been back here since the end of December."

Ginny didn't like what she was thinking, but she didn't want to say anything in front of Harry. He didn't seem to know anything, in any case, and she didn't want to jump to conclusions. "Let me go ask Mum about this," she said before heading back out into the corridor and down the stairs.

To Be Continued…