The Day After Talk (Flashback) Who: Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley Where: Great Hall and then by the lake When: May 8th, soon after the feast What: Ginny and Harry have a much needed...talk. Notes: ...It's Ginny. And Harry. Talking. Status: Complete
Ginny stood up. She had to get away. If she had to look at her devastated family for another moment, she would lose control. And she couldn’t, not yet. Not when there was still so much she wanted to do. Her eyes searched for the one person she needed to see. Finally she spotted him surrounded by people wanting to congratulate him or just talk to him.
They all wanted a piece of their hero. But even at a distance Ginny could see the strained expression on Harry’s face. He looked tired and unkempt. She wanted to scream at all of them to leave him alone… but instead she walked over to where he sat and spoke in a calm voice.
“Harry, can I speak to you?” She glared at the others, “In private?”
Harry looked up at Ginny and nodded, almost wanting to thank her for interrupting the people around him. They slowly walked away, some of them looking annoyed. "Sure, Ginny," he said and pushed himself up.
Ginny hesitantly reached out to clasp Harry’s hand and when he didn’t pull away she was filled with relief. Even now, after everything was more or less over, she was scared and unsure. Did Harry still want her? She wasn’t sure. She wasn’t sure of anything anymore.
Harry looked down at their hands before he looked into Ginny's eyes. "Where did you want to go?" he asked.
On a whim she decided they would go to a secluded spot by the lake that Harry had taken her to right after their first kiss. As she led him through the throngs of people and out of the castle, she wondered idly if he knew where they were going. He was the one who had shown her the way to their place.
“Follow me,” she said softly. As she led him through the throngs of people and out of the castle, she wondered idly if he knew where they were going. He was the one who had shown her the way to their place.
Harry almost immediately remembered where they were going, the memories coming back to him easily. He ended up watching Ginny as they walked. She was the same Ginny, with her beautiful features and long red hair that Harry loved to run his fingers through. He sighed softly, squeezing her hand. But was he ready to continue from where they left off?
Ginny felt Harry squeeze her hand and her stomach erupted with butterflies. She squeezed back and all of a sudden, she dared to hope. She could feel his eyes on her as they walked along but she looked straight ahead. She finally stopped once they were safely hidden away from prying eyes and slowly turned to face him, still holding his hand tightly in hers. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out, all she could do was stare at that much-loved face. “Harry, I…”
"Ginny," Harry whispered softly, reaching over to cup her cheek. He ran his thumb over the soft skin. "Are you doing okay?" he asked.
Ginny’s eyes filled with tears when she felt his soft touch and heard his gentle voice. Before she could stop herself she had thrown herself in his arms clutching onto him as tightly as she possibly could. There was a constant echo running through her mind, Harry is here, Harry is safe. Harry is here, Harry is safe. All that escaped her was a muffled sob, “Harry, here safe.”
"Ginny..." Harry wasn't sure what to do at first, his arms slowly wrapping around her. "I'm here, yes." He began to rub her back gently, hating it when she cried like this. "Shh...don't cry..."
Ginny was mortified. She had fantasised about how this meeting would go since the day Harry left, but never once had she envisioned this scene, her crying over him like a weak little child. But she was tired of being brave, of being strong. She had held onto her emotions with a tight leash since Dumbledore’s funeral. And now she wanted to cry damnit. She wanted to give in to all her emotions and finally feel something other than the cold numbness that had been a part of her for the last year. She wanted to soak in the feeling of being in Harry’s arms again. Her sobs slowly subsided as Harry whispered words finally penetrated the fog she was in. She pulled away slightly and wiped her face awkwardly with one hand while still gripping Harry shirt with the other.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cry all over you,” she said quietly, looking down. Ginny took a deep breath and then another and then lifted her eyes to meet Harry’s, wondering what she would see in them.
"Don't worry about it," Harry said quietly, looking back into Ginny's eyes. "You never did answer my question." He reached up and wiped away a stray tear with his thumb, keeping one arm around Ginny's waist.
Ginny felt lighter than she had in a long time. “Better now that you’re here,” she said with a hint of a smile
Harry smiled softly, brushing the hair away from her face. "Are you really?" he asked.
“Really truly,” Ginny said smiling back. “You were amazing today and yesterday and every day the last few months. I’m so proud of you. And so glad you’re back.”
"Aw, Ginny, thanks," Harry said softly, reaching for her hand before he turned to take a seat by the lake. "That means a lot..."
Ginny sat next to Harry and rested her head against his shoulder. "I was really scared for a while. For you, Ron and Hermione. I tried to listen to Potterwatch as often as I could. The things they said you did! Did you really break into Gringotts?" she asked, her eyes wide.
Harry smiled softly and nodded, looking out at the lake. "Yeah, not for money though," he replied. The sun was beginning to set and it made everything look peaceful. Which was strange, after everything that happened.
Ginny followed his gaze and watched the sunset for a moment in silence. "I didn't think it was for the money. You were doing whatever it is that Dumbledore told you to. That you would only trust Hermione and Ron with. And no one else." She tried but didn't quite manage to keep the bitterness out of her voice.
Harry could hear the bitterness, but he didn't know what to tell Ginny. It was too much to explain now, even if he wanted to. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I am."
"Doesn't matter anymore," Ginny said, brushing away Harry's apology. "What matters is that you're here, and we can be together again."
Harry swallowed at Ginny's words. She was right, there was nothing in between them now, not really. But he still wasn't sure if he was honestly ready.
Harry's silence sent a shill down Ginny's spine. The hope she had felt before vanished. "We are going to be together again... aren't we Harry?" she asked desperately
"I want to...yeah...it's just so soon right now, and...I'm still getting used to this all, you know? Finally being over..." Harry looked down at the ground as he spoke. "Did you want to tell me something before?"
“Finally being over,” Ginny repeated hollowly. “Yes, it is all over isn’t it? Except it’s not. Only V-V-Voldemort is gone. Nothing else is over. Fred is dead. Tonks is dead, so is Remus. They are not over. Their bodies are still lying in a room here in Hogwarts, and you’re saying it’s over? It’ll never be over Harry. Not once they’re buried, not when they finally track down the other death eaters, not while we have no school, no government, nothing. It’s not over! If you’re asking me to wait for the end for us to be together, then you’re asking me to wait forever. And I love you Harry, I do. But that’s asking for too much.”
Harry went silent again, nervously chewing on his bottom lip now. What could he say to Ginny? That he didn't want to be with her? It would've been a lie if he said that, because he did, really, it was just. "I need some time, Ginny. Just...please. I know you've waited...and waited, but I just need a little more time." To myself, he added silently as he glanced at her.
“Do you love me Harry?” Ginny asked quietly with her eyes fixed on the sinking sun.
"I...I love you, Ginny," Harry said quietly, swallowing. He just wasn't sure of how.
He loves me! I knew it! Ginny screamed in her mind as she turned to face him with a huge smile on her face. She lifted her hand to cup his cheek gently. "I love you too Harry. I always have" she whispered and then she was kissing him with everything she had.
Harry could remember this, remember that kiss she gave him on his birthday, how he had waited to do that again, after everything was over. He reached up and cupped her cheek, running a thumb over the skin. "Ginny," he whispered, pulling back after a long moment. "Will you do that for me? Give me a little time?"
Ginny kissed Harry again, just pressed her lips against his until he responded before she broke away. "Just promise you won't make me wait till the end."
Harry still wasn't sure if he could promise Ginny just that, so he kissed her gently instead of replying.