Harry woke to a brightly lit sitting room. The sunshine was pouring in through the windows and Harry was happy to see Ginny was not sleeping in any of the various chairs around the room. He felt surprisingly refreshed and reached across the table to pull his glasses and put them on. Ginny must have taken them off after he’d fallen asleep.
He sat up and looked around the room. There were no signs of life and he got up slowly, stretching and realising he didn’t feel any aches and pains. He was surprised he’d healed so quickly and headed up the stairs. He had a feeling he wouldn’t need help bathing again, although he couldn’t argue that he had enjoyed the attention.
He made it easily up to Ron’s room. The room was clean, a rather unusual event, and Harry found his bag and pulled some clean clothes out. He quickly showered and changed into proper clothes, heading back downstairs. Ginny’s door was closed and Harry didn’t think it would be prudent to wake her up. He’d been exhausting her for the last day and knew she needed her rest.
The kitchen was empty and Harry poked around, finding a few things to eat. He picked up the latest copy of the Daily Prophet and flipped through it as he drank a cup of tea. He noticed a pair of letters sitting near the window sill and got up. Both were addressed to him. He read them quickly. One was from Kingsley, informing him that he should report to the Ministry in one week; Harry noticed the date was before Ginny’s birthday. He didn’t want to miss it, but knew he had to report to work. The second letter was from Neville, confirming that he’d be joining the Ministry the same day Harry would be. Harry assumed this meant Ron had also gotten the same letter and start date.
He looked up as Ginny trudged into the kitchen, yawning loudly, then covering her mouth quickly. ‘Harry! You’re up early.’
He nodded and smiled. ‘Not really, I think it’s half-past nine now. Did you get any rest?’
She nodded and then smiled sheepishly. ‘I did. I’m glad I listened to you, I needed a good night’s rest.’
Harry laughed. ‘Is it my turn to say you should listen to me?’
She shook her head and smiled. ‘No, I’m the only one who can say that.’
He smiled and watched her sit down next to him. He asked, ‘Do you want me to make you a cup of tea?’
She raised her eyebrows. ‘You’re going to make me tea?’
He nodded. ‘Sure, I think I can handle it.’
She placed her hand over his. ‘How are you feeling? The colour has really returned to your face.’
He grabbed a couple of her fingers awkwardly and replied, ‘I feel good. Those two potions knocked me out, but I feel really refreshed.’
She smiled. ‘One more and then rest is all you need.’
He pulled away from her reluctantly, and walked over to the stove, putting the kettle back on. He noticed she hadn’t gotten dressed and had her robe pulled tightly around her body. She had pulled her hair back away from her face, but still had an air of exhaustion about her.
He grinned at her and said, ‘Are we just going to hang about here today?’
She nodded, stretching again. ‘I think we shouldn’t stray too far, in case you need to rest.’
He gave her a sceptical look. ‘I feel fine. If you want to head out for a bit…’
The kettle started to whistle and Harry turned his attention away from Ginny. He poured a cup for her and turned to see her looking away from him. He placed the cup in front of her and she turned slowly, a faint smile on her face.
She sipped the tea and said, ‘I don’t think, given everything that’s happened, that going out is a good idea for you.’
Harry shook his head. ‘I don’t want you going out alone, so if you want to go out, let’s go.’
He smiled at her encouragingly and she cringed. ‘Harry, I don’t want you to feel obligated…do you think you can stay here…’
She looked at him questioningly and he said urgently. ‘We’re going out, then?’
She started to argue and gave him a small smile. ‘Give me a half hour and I’ll be ready. How much time do you need?’
He looked down at his clothes and said, ‘Do I need to change?’
She laughed. ‘You look fine to me!’
She got up slowly, kissing him on the cheek. Harry watched her head out of the room and took her empty tea cup to the sink. The last thing he wanted to do was see George right now. Every fibre in his body was screaming against this. He knew he had to go. He couldn’t let her go there alone. He didn’t know if he could bear the look Mrs. Weasley would give him. He couldn’t blame her if she was upset with him.
He should never have stayed here this long. As he sat waiting for Ginny, he knew what he had to do. Once he was well enough, perhaps in the next day or so. He would go back to Grimmauld Place. He had caused the Weasley family more grief in one summer than he’d caused them the entire time they’d known him. Starting with Fred’s death, there was little Harry could think of that had been positive. The only positive thing for him was his time with Ginny. That was something he’d not trade for the world.
After three-quarters of an hour, Ginny came down the stairs. She was dressed in dark colours and smiled at him. ‘I think it would be best if we Flooed there, don’t you think?’
Harry nodded. ‘I don’t think I’m up for Apparating right now.’
She nodded at him and replied, ‘Are you ready?’
He nodded and watched as she headed to the grate and threw a handful of Floo powder into the grate. She said clearly, ‘St Mungo's.’
She disappeared in a burst of green flame and Harry followed her, saying the same thing and arriving in the foyer of the hospital. Ginny was standing only a few metres away and Harry felt anxious as Mrs. Weasley was there talking urgently with Ginny. She looked up, startled, to see Harry walking towards them.
Ginny said something emphatically back to her mother. Then Mrs. Weasley gave her the worst glare Harry had ever seen. He stopped for a moment and then mustered his courage. ‘Hello Mrs. Weasley. I hope its alright that Ginny and I have come.’
He didn’t finish his thought, but she shot him a warm smile and said. ‘I just wish Ginny had told me you were even planning on coming.’
Ginny didn’t look at Harry, but focused on her mother. ‘Mum, I told you last night I wanted to come see George.’
Despite Harry’s presence, Mrs. Weasley turned her back to him, cutting him out of the conversation. ‘Ginevra Molly Weasley – we did discuss this last night and I thought I made myself very clear.’
Harry could still hear her clearly and took a step back. He was feeling very anxious and almost hoped that Ginny would relent and let them both go back to the Burrow. But he knew the chances of that happening were very small, as Ginny accepted defeat from very few people.
Mrs. Weasley was pushing Ginny back through the foyer and Harry didn’t know if he should help her or stay out of it. The decision was made quickly for him as Ginny pushed past her mother and said to Harry evenly, ‘Let’s go.’
He looked at Mrs. Weasley for a moment, but could feel Ginny’s gaze on him. He looked away from Mrs. Weasley and followed Ginny to the nearest lift to the psychiatric ward of the hospital. He could feel a host of butterflies flying through his stomach, but also noticed the blank, distant stare on Ginny’s face.
She was trying to hold it together, but her eyes were glittering. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her on the side of the head. She welcomed his warmth and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him.
The lift stopped and they walked out slowly, hand-in-hand. Harry felt like his shoes were filled with lead. Each step he took, it was harder and harder to lift his feet. He finally stopped in the middle of the corridor and felt Ginny turn abruptly with a questioning look on her face. He couldn’t look at her and said quietly, in almost a whisper, ‘I can’t…I’m sorry…’
He knew she was hurt. He wasn’t being there for her in any sense of the word. She had taken care of him, helped him get better and he just stood there; unable to move, unable to speak, just standing there.
She released his hand and turned away from him. She walked down the hallway and didn’t turn to give him another look. Harry found a chair to sink into and sat down heavily, running his hand through his hair. He could feel the tears slipping down his face and he wiped them away angrily. He was emotionally spent and sat there, unmoving for three quarters of an hour before he heard soft footfalls coming down the corridor.
He couldn’t help himself and looked up slowly. Ginny’s face was blotchy and red; tears were streaming down her face. He got up quickly and repeated, ‘I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.’
She didn’t say anything, but wrapped her arms around him tightly, crying into his chest. He rubbed her back soothingly, whispering what he knew were worthless apologies. She caught her breath after a bit and pulled away from him, wiping her face with her hand. She frowned at him and whispered, ‘He’s not doing well at all…’
Harry tried to pull her back into his arms, but she kept her elbows locked and he said, ‘Its only been a couple of days.’
She shook her head. ‘He’s confused, about everything…he…he asked me where Fred was…I…I didn’t know what to tell him.’
Harry looked at her worried. ‘What did you say?’
She shook her head, the tears threatening again. ‘I said I didn’t know…’ She pulled away from him, though he held onto her wrist. ‘I lied to him…I couldn’t…I couldn’t tell him…not like this…’
Harry squeezed her wrist gently and said quietly, ‘I think you did the right thing.’
He knew that no matter what, he had to support her, whether he truly believed that what she’d done was right or wrong. She shook her head disbelievingly. ‘I don’t think so…but I couldn’t bear telling him that Fred is…dead.’
‘I hope you haven’t been more foolish than usual.’ Mrs. Weasley was coming down the hallway with Mr. Weasley in tow, both looking disapproving.
Harry cringed, seeing them storm at Ginny. Mr. Weasley grabbed his wife’s arm, slowing her down, and walked past her. ‘Ginny, I think you’ve acted imprudently today. You and Harry should both go home, now.’
He didn’t look like he was up for any sort of discussion and Harry nodded. Ginny shook her head. ‘I didn’t say or do anything. Harry didn’t even come to George’s room!’
Both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley’s faces were washed over with relief. Harry gave them a sharp look, quickly realising what the argument between Ginny and Mrs. Weasley had been about earlier. He looked away from all of them, realising he was, once again, the cause of more grief in their lives. The lives of people he cared about more than any other family he’d ever known. He turned away from Ginny and looked at the floor. He could distantly hear the argument continue, but was feeling sick to his stomach.
Mr. Weasley regrouped quickly and said, ‘That being the case, I still think you and Harry should go home and stay there. Is that clear?’
Ginny nodded and said, ‘You can’t keep me from seeing my own brother – he can’t be happy not knowing! And you didn’t tell him what happened?’
Mrs. Weasley stepped forward. ‘It doesn’t matter what we tell him, he doesn’t seem to keep things in his head.’
Ginny said disbelievingly, ‘You can’t be serious?’
Mr. Weasley narrowed his eyes and Ginny started breathing shakily. ‘Why didn’t you tell us?’
Mr. Weasley clenched his jaw. ‘We told Ron and Percy.’
She shot back, ‘And you didn’t see fit to tell me! I’m not so fragile I’m going to break.’
She was seething with anger, but Harry was barely discerning her. Something was happening. He was not just anxious anymore, he was feeling sick. He could see the chair he’d sat in earlier and sat down in it heavily, though no one noticed.
Mrs. Weasley said sternly, ‘Do not take that tone with either of us, young lady. You have your hands full as it is –’
She stopped short, seeing Harry slumped in the nearby chair. She hurried over, putting a hand on his forehead and giving Ginny an angry look. ‘If you want to be irresponsible, that’s fine, but you shouldn’t be doing this to poor Harry.’
Harry shook his head, saying thickly, ‘I’m fine, Mrs. Weasley.’
She bent down taking his head in her hands. ‘Did you eat anything?’
He nodded. ‘Of course…I just wanted to sit down that’s all.’
Ginny shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, Harry.’
He looked up at her. ‘Don’t be…’
Mr. Weasley looked disapprovingly at the two of them and grabbed Ginny’s arm firmly. ‘You are going to go home. You’re going to take Harry home. And you’re both going to stay there.’ He said more softly, ‘We’ll take care of George. You have far too many worries for a girl your age.’
Mrs. Weasley stepped away from Harry, hugging Ginny tightly. She whispered, ‘Just go home, dear. Everything will be okay. George will be fine, in a bit.’
Ginny was crying again and stepped over to Harry, reaching a hand out to him. He looked at her sadly. He took a deep breath, getting up of his own volition. He looked at the two Weasley parents and said feebly, ‘I’m so sorry, for everything.’
Mrs. Weasley just shook her head, but didn’t say anything. Mr. Weasley nodded at him and Ginny pulled him forward with her, leaving her parents to walk back to George’s hospital room.
His head was swimming and he tried hard to stay upright as they walked down the corridor. Ginny had wrapped an arm around his waist and said, ‘Just a little bit further.’
He nodded mutely. They approached the grate and she took his face in her hands. ‘Speak clearly, I don’t think I’ll be able to find you if you get lost.’
He nodded again and shook his head to clear it. He grabbed a handful of Floo powder and walked into the grate, saying, ‘The Burrow.’
He felt sicker than ever as he landed and fell heavily on the kitchen floor in the Burrow. He was surprised to hear some one speak his name in a startled manner and lifted him under the arms out of the kitchen. He could distantly hear Ginny’s voice mixed with some one else’s. He felt someone helping him to the couch and passed out.