Disclaimer: This is J.K. Rowling’s world. Thank you for letting my mind wander…
Part Three: Harry
Ginny trembled for several moments. Expressing her feelings about Harry and her current situation did not come easily into words for her. Rose waited patiently for the teenager to open up to her. After all, she had already told Ginny her troubles. Surely there was some way that they could help each other. Ginny took a deep breath.
“Harry and I…Well, we’re not together anymore. It was his decision, not mine. It’s just…hard. I still see him everyday and he never makes eye contact with me anymore. He never talks to me and he’s just not the same. I don’t know what to do,” Ginny confided. Rose’s expression became sad. Ginny felt that Rose understood her completely.
“Do you know why he doesn’t want to be with you anymore? You said that he still loved you,” Rose asked. Ginny knew the answer although she hated it.
“He told me that it was for my own safety. Harry has lived a very tough life. He has had loved ones ripped away from him throughout his whole life. I think that he believes that if he lets himself get close to someone that he’ll just be setting himself up for another loss. I really don’t know sometimes with him. He can be so…distant. It’s killing me to think that I can’t do anything only because he won’t let me. And then there’s me. I just feel so alone,” Ginny tried to explain. Rose nodded.
“Have you tried talking to him, honey?” Rose suggested.
“I have tried that. He just ignored me or said that he had something else to do. It’s like he’s scared to be too near to me. I’ve tried everything,” Ginny said sadly. Rose considered for another moment.
“There’s not much else you can do. He’ll come around. It may take some time, but for the time being I suggest finding something else to do. Go out and have some fun with friends or pick up a new hobby. If Harry sees that you’ve moved on, maybe it will knock some sense into him,” Rose advised. Ginny frowned. She didn’t want to give up on Harry and she wished that the time would go faster.
“This morning I told Harry that I hated him,” she blurted out suddenly. It had been bothering her all day. Rose raised an eyebrow.
“Did you mean it?” she inquired.
“Of course not! I love him and I always will. I was just mad this morning. But I said it to him as I ran out of the door and I didn’t get to see his reaction. I know that he doesn’t hate me, but I can’t help thinking that he didn’t come after me. He didn’t follow and tell me that everything would be alright and that I really didn’t hate him. And now I’m wondering if he even cares at all. It’s silly, I know,” Ginny muttered. She felt a hot tear roll down her cheek and then another one followed. She hated crying. It made her feel weak, which she wasn’t even close to being. She absolutely despised it, but she didn’t stop herself.
“Oh, dear. I can’t tell you that everything will be okay. I can only tell you that things happen for a reason and most times we don’t understand that reason until much later, after it has passed,” Rose tried to explain. Ginny didn’t feel much better but she understood. She stood up and gave Rose a hug.
“Thank you for everything. I think that it’s time that I go and deal with a few things. Again, I’m very sorry for your loss,” Ginny excused herself. Rose thanked her back and wished her luck with Harry. Then Ginny crossed the room this time fully avoiding confrontation with Isaac and Xavier. She marched up to Craig who was talking with Blenkinsop.
“Can I have a word?” she asked Craig with slight irritation in her voice. He nodded almost reluctantly. She pulled him over to the couch in front of the fireplace and they sat down on it. Ginny looked into the fire for a minute and then faced Craig who caught her gaze curiously.
“Okay, first, how dare you accuse me of not understanding your situation. And second I’ll tell you why I have a crystal clear understanding. My name is Ginny Weasley. My boyfriend, well I guess ex-boyfriend now, is Harry Potter. You’ve probably heard of him?” Ginny hissed. Craig’s eyes widened; he obviously had no idea who Ginny was before. He nodded.
“Good. Then you know that Voldemort is after him. You know that he has lived his entire life in fear. And you know that I have spent every night worrying about him even if he’s the git who dumped me a month ago. If you understand all of that then you must know that I recognize what it’s like for someone to leave because they think that it would be ‘safer.’ So, Craig, go back to your family. Only if you are together with them will you be safe. I’m waiting for Harry to see that and your family is waiting for you to see it. So there. That’s what I have to say. Now either you follow my advice or you keep trying to be the hero. Either way you’ll see it someday,” Ginny finished and then started to stand up. She had said her piece and she felt that there was nothing left to say. It was up to Craig now. She started walking away.
Then she heard footsteps behind her and felt a strong grip on her upper arm. It was Craig. He turned her around and then pulled her into a tight embrace. Ginny was taken off-guard. He whispered “thank you” in her ear and stuffed something in her hand. Then he mouthed goodbye and walked away quickly, almost skipping actually. After shaking Blenkinsop’s hand hastily, picking Hayleigh up, and spinning her around, Craig opened the door to the pub. Ginny watched him as he waved to her giving her a warm smile. When he stepped outside and the door shut behind him Ginny was sure that Craig had found his way home.
She smiled to herself wondering how he knew when it was time to leave. Then she remembered that he had put something in her hand. She opened the envelope, unfolded the letter, and read it:
Dear Ginny,
Thank you for everything. It takes a great person to listen to my story with such understanding. It takes more than a great person. You are a truly wonderful girl and any guy would be lucky to have you. I don’t know how he knew, but Blenkinsop told me that you’ve had some trouble with your boyfriend (I think he said his name was Harry?) recently and I just want you to know that no matter what he thinks, he’s wrong. You deserve the best. If you love him, then he’s probably the right man, but us guys can be pretty slow so just give him so time. He’ll come around and realize what he’s losing. You’re a great person.
Now as for me, I’m going home. I have this feeling that I’ve heard what I needed to hear. I trust that you will too in time. I hope that you’ll be able to forgive me for yelling at you earlier. Sometimes my temper is a curse. Actually it’s like that all the time, but it happens. I wish you the best in whatever you do. You’re a true friend, Ginny.
Your Friend,
Craig
P.S. I’ve put my address on the back. Keep in touch!
Ginny smiled. He must have written that letter while she was talking with Rose. He might have intended to leave without saying goodbye and give to letter to Blenkinsop to give to her. She was glad he had waited. Ginny folded the letter and put it safely in her pocket. She walked up to the counter and sat. Sitting there made her realize that maybe life isn’t about the little things like hurtful words and dirty glances. Maybe life should be about the bigger picture. Because if one focuses too much on the little things, then they could preoccupy themselves and miss the important things. Ginny’s thoughts drifted.
She saw Harry entering the common room of Gryffindor Tower. She felt herself running up to him and kissing him without any care in the world. Then she remembered all of the quiet afternoons that they had spent together and how happy she was. Next she saw Harry’s hurt face at Dumbledore’s funeral and thought that she would have done anything just to lift the pain from him. She heard him telling her that they couldn’t be together anymore and she felt the hurt flow from his words.
She saw Craig’s face as he told his story about his murderer of a father. She felt Blenkinsop’s kindness when she remembered what he had told her about himself. She saw the fear in poor little Hayleigh’s tears that made Ginny miss her home, too. Finally she felt the reassurance in Rose’s voice as Ginny laid her heart out on the table for anyone to hear.
All of these thoughts zoomed through her mind at once. Ginny tried to make sense out of them. All she could hear was Rose telling her that everything happens for a reason. She wanted very much to understand what that reason was. She considered for a moment how her friends’ stories could help her. She heard Craig’s voice saying “she doesn’t understand what she has.” Was Craig’s question directed at Hayleigh or herself? She couldn’t tell anymore. How many times did she feel that she wasn’t good enough for Harry? How many nights had she spent awake trying to discover her flaw? She doesn’t understand what she has.
She continued to think. Craig’s letter crossed her mind. He’ll come around and realize what he’s losing. Was she finally starting to put the pieces together? Harry and Ginny shared a love so deep that it killed them to be apart. She realized that she had seen it on Harry’s face everyday. He was paler and thinner. It was absolutely hurting him because he was torn away from her.
They don’t understand what they have.
All of the people at the Green Dragon would be far better off with their loved ones. Ginny finally understood the secret of the Green Dragon Pub. The secret was love. There was no simpler way to say it.
Ginny couldn’t have felt happier in her entire life. She jumped up and ran over to Blenkinsop. Ginny gave him a big hug and thanked him earnestly. She hated to leave Hayleigh all by herself but she knew that she’d be just fine in Blenkinsop’s care. She gave her a loving hug and waved spiritedly to Rose. She waved back. Ginny grinned her biggest grin. It was quite a change from the last month. Walking toward the door, Ginny took one last look around at the sad little pub. Then happily, she opened the door and found the woods staring back at her. It was partly sunny outside. Even better.
Taking one last quick glance at the pub, she stepped outside into the sunlight and walked forward. On the rock where she had cried her eyes out just two hours before was Harry Potter. Somehow, Ginny wasn’t in the least bit surprised. She glided over to the rock and sat next to him. He looked up startled.
“Hi,” Ginny said to him. Harry stared at her for a moment.
“Hi,” he replied as if he was meeting her for the first time.
“So what brings you out here?” Ginny asked. She didn’t remember Harry being behind her on her way out to this spot.
“Well, after you left I was doing some thinking. And I was thinking that maybe I should follow you. It took me a while to get here but I found your footprints and they just stopped here so here I am,” he explained.
“What were you thinking about?” Ginny prompted. Harry looked away for a minute as if he was collecting his thoughts for what he was about to say. Ginny waited patiently.
“I was thinking about us and how much of an idiot I am,” admitted Harry. Ginny shook her head in protest.
“Harry as stupid as you can be sometimes, you’re not an ‘idiot,’” she assured.
“Yes, I am. I made the girl that I love hate me,” he grumbled softly. Again, Ginny shook her head, but this time at her own stupidity.
“I didn’t mean what I said,” she confessed. “I was confused and angry.”
“It sure sounded like you meant it. I don’t really blame you either,” Harry said. Ginny scooted closer to him and pulled his face around to look at hers. She kept her hand on his cheek as she spoke.
“Harry, you know I love you. I shouldn’t have said that, but at the time, I didn’t understand. And I still don’t understand everything, but some of it makes sense now. You see, Harry, I’ve been doing some thinking also and I think that it’s time for you to start trusting me a little…” Ginny suggested. Harry raised an eyebrow.
“I do trust you. I’d trust you with my life. It’s just that I think it would be safer if Voldemort didn’t know about us, which means that our relationship should be put on a bit of a hiatus. I’m sorry, but that’s the way that it’s going to have to be. I shouldn’t have come here,” Harry said sadly. He started to get up, but Ginny held him there firmly. She was losing her patience quickly.
“No, Harry. It doesn’t have to be that way. That’s just the only solution that you see. The way I see it is that you feel the need to take on this burden by yourself instead of seeking help from those people who love you. But I have a theory. Voldemort doesn’t have anyone he loves to back him up and you do. There’s no way that Voldemort can win the battle against love. It just can’t happen,” she explained. Harry looked into Ginny’s deep brown eyes. He had to admit that she was right in some ways but he still feared for her.
“Ginny, what if something happens to you? It would be my fault. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I ever let anything happen to you,” Harry replied stubbornly.
“Harry, don’t you see that I don’t care? It’s you that I want no matter how much danger I’m in. And I know deep down that you want to be with me, too. It’ll kill you if you aren’t. I had a friend once who was on the verge of losing everyone close to him. He had someone chasing after him, too. He ran away from his family for their safety,” Ginny said. She had caught Harry’s attention.
“Really? What happened to him?” Harry asked. Ginny thought for a moment about Craig. Truthfully, she didn’t know where Craig went for sure, but she had a feeling.
“The last I knew is that he took the advice of a friend. He went back to his family. It was hurting him more to be away. Don’t you see, Harry? We need to be together,” Ginny argued. Harry sighed.
“Ginny, who is this friend of yours?” Harry questioned skeptically. He wondered whether Ginny was just making someone up to prove a point.
“His name’s Craig. I met him today at that small pub right over there,” she pointed across the clearing without removing her stare from Harry.
“What are you talking about? There’s nothing there, Ginny,” Harry whispered anxiously. Ginny shook her head.
“That’s impossible. I was just in there…” Ginny started but then her voice faded when she spun around to face the empty clearing. Harry was right; nothing was there. She smiled slightly because nothing about the Green Dragon surprised her anymore. To make sure that what had happened to her was actually real, Ginny reached down and felt in her pocket for Craig’s letter. Thankfully, it was still there.
“Harry, I swear that a pub was there. But that doesn’t matter right now. What does matter is you and I,” she began as Harry was still turned away from her. She pulled his face around to her with both hands. She kept her hands on his cheeks. “Forget about the pub. Forget about Voldemort. Forget about Sirius and Dumbledore and even your parents. Focus on right here and right now. I love you, Harry. Nothing will ever change that. Now you look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t love me back,” she challenged.
“I can’t do that,” Harry muttered softly.
“I know,” Ginny said. Then she pulled Harry closer to her and looked into his deep emerald eyes. Harry couldn’t resist any longer. He pulled Ginny into a warm embrace and their lips met for the first time in what seemed like eternity. Ginny pulled him closer, not ever wanting to let go. Harry pulled them both up and he lifted Ginny up in the air. He spun her around as they kissed. It was a great feeling for both of them.
They slowly pulled apart, both of them gasping for sweet air. As Harry put her back down onto the rock, he saw the loving smile that he had missed so much. Ginny had the light back in her eyes and a new found excitement. She was finally well again. Everything was right in the world according to her. There was no Voldemort. There was no death. There was no suffering. There was only Harry and Ginny. She was smiling from ear to ear.
“Ginny?” Harry caught her attention.
“Yes?” she answered blissfully.
“Next time you talk to that Craig fellow, tell him that I said thanks,” he said as he slid up behind her and held onto her tightly. Ginny nodded happily as she remembered her friends from the Green Dragon. They had helped her more than she could have asked for. Suddenly remembering Craig’s letter, she pulled it out from her pocket. She pulled the letter out from the envelope and something fell out with it. Surprised, she picked up the paper that had fallen out. It was the picture that Craig’s sister had drawn for him. She grinned again. Turning the drawing over, she saw that what was written on the back was plain and simple.
You’re one of a kind. Don’t ever forget that. I’ll always remember you as the stranger who became my closest friend in a matter of minutes. I hope you find what you’re looking for.
And with that, Ginny looked at the drawing and then she looked at Harry. She couldn’t have asked for better friends. She tilted her head up and kissed Harry again. She felt his tender lips caressing hers. By then the sun had finally peeked out from behind the clouds fully. The trees smiled down at the couple and a warm breeze blew across the clearing. And deep in her heart, Ginny decided that she didn’t need a picture like Rose’s. Just holding Harry tightly in her arms was more than perfect for her.