Harry Potter 1. Moving On

As Ginny looked up into Harry's eyes her breath hitched. She briefly looked to his lips before lifting her sight back to his eyes. "Why. . . ?" She took a deep shuddering breath as her eyes welled to the brim with tears.

"It's the only way to keep you safe. I could never forgive myself if He targeted you, or Ron." Harry tried to be reasonable, tried to be reassuring as he brushed a stray strand of hair out of Ginny's face. She snatched his hand away from her face and held it tightly between her own.

"Forget Ron this is not about him," She squeezed his hand for emphasis, "this is about me, about you, about us. About our-" She was cut off by a gentle kiss from Harry. She kissed back trying to convey all the muddled feelings in her heart; the anger, pain, fear, and above all, loss. Harry pulled back and she starting crying freely. "I can go with you!" she pleaded.

Harry merely smiled sadly as he cupped her cheek in his free hand. "I'm sorry Ginny, thank you for all the time we spent together. I promise I'll never forget you." Slowly he kissed her one last time before stepping away.

"Harry!" she sobbed one final time as he spun and disapparated. Ginny's heart broke that day and Harry Potter was never seen again.

* * *

'That was five years ago' Ginny thought slapping her cheeks as she got out of bed; shoving her wand into her pocket. She walked over to the window of her flat in London. Leaning on the sill she murmured to herself, "Five long years ago." As usual it was dismally gray outside and raining hard. She stood up from the window and stretched her arms over her head and glanced at the clock hanging over her chair. 'Almost six thirty huh. . . Time to get ready for work.'

Padding lightly over to her closet the only sounds in the room were her footsteps and the pitter patter of rain on the windows. Ginny winced as the wardrobe doors creaked loudly, mentally reminding herself to do something about them one of these days. She grabbed a light blue turtleneck and was pulling it over her head when a loud crash echoed throughout the flat and she spun around with an undignified squeak. A large lump of unrecognizably wet fluff was perched at her window, holding a limp roll of parchment in its beak.

"Oh, bloody hell Errol. Give me a heart attack. . ." She jerked the shirt down and ran over to the closet and pulled out a towel before heading back to the window. Pulling it open she grabbed Errol up in the towel and carried him into the kitchen. "Oh stop fidgeting you silly thing I don't want you dripping all over the floor." She deposited a still fighting owl onto the kitchen counter. He fluffed up and looked at her wearily. Pointing her wand, a slight light glowed around Errol, and suddenly he was fully dry and gave an appreciative hoot. He dropped the parchment into Ginny's outstretched hand.

Dear Ginny,

It's that time of year! That's right; the annual Weasley family reunion is here. Next Saturday the 16th of July, you are cordially invited to the Burrow at 10 o'clock A.M. Any complications let me know as soon as possible. Hope to see you soon!

Love, Mum

Tearing off an edge of the invitation she scribbled down her acceptance and handed it back to him. She kissed him on the beak and carried him back to her room to open the window for him. He hooted and flew off into the morning sky; no doubt that he'll be soaked before he gets half way home. 'Well now I have something to look forward to for next weekend. As if I had plans anyway.' Ginny threw the towel in her hamper before finishing off her morning routine.

That Saturday seemed to come closer and closer. Ginny grew more excited with each passing day; it had been ages since she had seen her brother and Hermione. They were really too cute with each other. She wished she had someone so precious to her, someone who was around. . . She banished that thought from her head as she hopped into the shower to get ready. After a breakfast of eggs and toast she checked her watch. "9:13, I guess it is a bit early but I'll see if mum needs any help." Checking her reflection in the mirror she made sure she looked presentable in her white dress with red roses. With an approving nod she stowed her wand in her purse and apparated with a pop.

Raised voices met her ears as she landed on the front step of the Burrow. Pushing open the door she walked into the kitchen where her mum and brother were arguing about something. "Mum seriously you need to calm down it really isn't that big of a deal!" said an exasperated Ron.

"Big deal! This is your future were talking about here. I would like to have heard about this sooner," retorted Mum.

"Woah calm down, what's going on here? Ron what terrible thing did you do now?" Ginny came into the room with a worried look on her face.

Ron blushed heavily and muttered something into the floorboards. Mum however burst into a huge smile. "Oh my I really am the first to know! Well I guess I can forgive you for now anyway."

"Huh? What's going on Ron?" Ginny just looked back and forth between a still crimson Ron and grinning Mum. Ron looked up and had opened his mouth when a beaming Hermione burst through the back room.

"Ginny! Oh it's been ages," she rushed forward and hugged Ginny hard, "The most amazing news love! I'm pregnant!"

Ginny's jaw slowly opened and she jumped up and down screaming. "Oh Hermione congratulations! How far along are you?" She grabbed her brother around the middle in a tight hug while he awkwardly patted her on the back.

"Just about five weeks now. I have been dying to tell everyone but Ron made me keep quiet till now. Oh I am so happy I want to tell everyone I see." She reached over to grab the bowl of salad off the table and carried it outside calling over her shoulder, "Ginny come on we have so much to talk about!"

"Be there in a minute Hermione!" She turned on Ron who blushed even deeper and scurried out after his wife

"Well would you believe that!"

Molly stared out the door at the receding back of her youngest son. "Very much a surprise dear," she shook her head and turned back to the stove, "Stir the biscuit dough if you don't mind or it will stick."

"Of course not Mum," she picked up the bowl and grabbed a spoon from the drawer and stirred the dough "I can't wait to see who comes this year. I hope Aunt Muriel will forget that it was today. I am not thrilled to have her interrogate me on where my boyfriend is. I can run my own life, with or without a man. But anyway, I can't wait to see Charlie and Bill ohh do you think they'll bring any friends from work? That's also exciting seeing all the friends of-" Ginny abruptly cut off as the bowl she was mixing slipped from her fingers and crashed to the floor.

Molly whipped around and rushed to her daughter. "Ginny dear what's wrong? Did you see a spider or something?"

Hermione burst through the door looking concerned. "What happened? I heard the crash is everyone ok?"

Ginny started and blinked a few times before answering. "Oh! I'm so sorry Mum I'm just fine. I thought I saw a mouse is all. Here I got this." She bent down to pick up the pieces of the bowl and noticed that her leg was bleeding. As she reached for the shards they flew out from under her fingers and reassembled on the counter. She looked up at Hermione who then cleaned the floor with a deft stroke of her wand.

"I'm just going to go clean my leg up I'll be right back." She abruptly turned and walked out on the concerned faces of her mum and Hermione.

'He could be there this time. It's been so long he might come back,' closing the bathroom door she sat down to think. She wasn't sure how she would take seeing him just for him to leave so suddenly, 'No! It shouldn't matter he left not only me but the entire family. I was the last one to see him and no one has heard from him since. Who knows if he is dead or alive anyway? But the family reunion had always been on July 16th he could have remembered. He might still. . .' she didn't dare finish that thought. She cleaned up her leg put a Band-Aid on and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

* * *

So! My little HP fanfic ive been working on. (Of course I dont own anything HP all rights are to their owners yadda yadda yadda) Much more to come! Any comments or critiques are welcome. My first submission to the site so be nice!


	2. Unwelcomed Distractions

Tousling her hair at her reflecting Ginny took a deep breath and walked back into the kitchen to face her mother. It was impossible to hide for much longer as she was starting to hear the chatter pick up to inform her that the family had started to arrive. In fact after waving to her mother while giving her thumbs up she walked outside and almost straight into Aunt Muriel.

"Oh! Auntie its so, er, good to see you! How was the ride?" Ginny asked pleasantly.

"I came with Percy, spluttering fool he's become. All he would talk about is the Ministry! Absolutely no word in edgewise. I remember when he used to have a bit of humor in him. But enough about him, I am more interested in you. At least Percy has that lovely Penelope Clearwater, now she is a pretty thing." Aunt Muriel gave Ginny one of her trademark smirks and dove right in. "So dear, any men I should know about?"

Ginny blanched visibly. She had not been prepared to face Aunt Muriel so soon; normally someone would have warned her about her Aunts arrival so she could be avoided until she had downed at least three drinks. Ginny should have stopped to talk to Mum and avoided all this. But she had no choice now. "Oh the Ministry is just full of nice men, just no one smart enough to have a coherent chat with is all. If I find anyone worth mention I will owl you right away!"

Aunt Muriel broke into a gin like she had about four different men lined up for her but at that moment Hermione came out of the kitchen and provided the crucial distraction in the form of a large punch bowl. "Oh! I am so sorry Auntie Hermione needs me right now. We'll talk later!" Aunt Muriel looked like a rare delicacy had been taken out from under her nose. She shot a nasty look at Ginny's receding back.

"Oh thank you!" Hermione sighed in relief when half the weight was picked up by Ginny. "There were too many people milling around for me to levitate it to the table safely. I didn't want to be a bother so I took it out myself."

"No you saved me, Aunt Muriel was about to give me a list of men delighted to date me. She needs to understand I can find men on my own." Ginny scowled again for emphasis.

"Right over here, next to the salad," Hermione motioned with her head. "I guess we saved each other huh? By the way is your leg alright?" They set the bowl down with nary a drop spilled.

"Oh! Yah it just needed a quick wash its fine," Ginny waved the question away with another. "So! You look positively radiant today, all the excitement from the baby huh? I can't even begin -"

"Ginny stop it." Hermione cut her off sternly, "Now you had better tell me what's wrong or I will hex you into next week. Don't you dare give me that crap about seeing a mouse either."

Knowing she was caught Ginny sighed and pulled Hermione into the shade under an ash tree. "You see. . .I was just thinking everyone coming today. I wondered what Luna was going to wear and it just. . ." Ginny trailed off. "I thought that you know, maybe, He might come," she finished lamely.

Hermione's face fell. "Oh Ginny come here." She pulled her into a tight hug; she somehow knew her friend had never quite gotten over Harry. "Just because he hasn't written for years doesn't mean he has forgotten us. This is his first home; you know he went crazy over these reunions. We are his family, even the extended ones. He will come home one day; that I can promise you. Now, go take a walk before your mum sees you all puffy faced."

Ginny hugged Hermione fast before heading back to the house. 'Hermione was right! I can't get upset just thinking about him. I'll see if there is anything else to be taken out and then I will catch up with my family and have a great time. I don't need someone who is never around. He will come back, dead or alive I will never know, so until then I will carry on and enjoy my life.' Picking up a bowl of chips off the table she brought them outside.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur of faces old and new. Grandparents had grown old and frail while children had grown into adults before her eyes. It seemed everyone had moved on in the past five years. It was about time she did too. Enough of her life had been spent swooning over her famous friend. But with that fame came a responsibility that could kill him. He will always have a special place in her heart but that would be it. After all Allen from Magical Law Enforcement had invited her out for coffee just last week. Maybe it was time she took him up on his offer.

After everyone had gone home and Ginny was left with her mum and dad cleaning up after the guests. Chairs and tables were refolded, food was packed up, and there were four tidy garbage bags sitting by the curb. Ginny sat down with a sigh at the kitchen table; it had certainly been a long day. "Mum, dad, is everything finished? Come sit and have a cup of tea with me before I go."

"I think so; the gnomes have even come back into the garden already. It's like nothing happened today." She heavily sat in her chair. Flicking her wand in the general direction of the stove the teapot rose and floated over to land in the sink. The faucet turned on and filled the kettle almost to overflowing before shutting itself off while the teapot steadily bobbed over to the stove. The flames rose to meet the pot as it landed with a soft metallic click.

Ginny got up to find her favorite tea in the back of the cabinet. She knew her mum would not throw it out but it was still a matter of finding the small tin labeled Rose Hips. After her bout with the Flu when she was twelve she had taken a liking to the delicious tartness of the tea that her mother had her drink with every meal. Her efforts were rewarded when she found the tin under an old box of food dyes. She grabbed her mother's favorite earl grey and sat back at the table.

"Thank you for all your help today Gin, it means a lot" said dad. Her mum came over and kissed her on the forehead before sitting down herself.

"It's been so long since this house has been full, it makes me happy to see everyone smiling. You know it's been weeks since you have dropped by. At least send an owl every week, you know we miss you," mum said semi-sternly.

"You're right, you're right. I've been caught up with work yah know. At least I get to see dad every so often. We had lunch last week! But I will try harder, I promise," Ginny finished sheepishly.

At that point the kettle began to whistle shrilly. Dad got up to turn the flame off and pull down two cups for his wife and daughter. He himself never quite grew fond of tea, no matter what flavor. Adding a tea bag to each cup he poured the boiling water over the bags. The mixing aromas filled the room slowly. After placing the pot back on the stove he carried the mugs to the table.

Thanks were murmured and tea was slowly sipped. The sound of the clock ticking slowly tocked throughout the house, it was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. It was the silence of moments being shared, of comfort in each other's presence. The tea was finished and empty mugs were left in the sink. Ginny was walked to the door by her mum and dad.

"Thanks again for everything Ginny. Come by any time," mum said with a kiss to Ginny's cheek.

"See you at work. Send your mother an owl you know she worries," dad hugged her close.

"Bye guys see you soon." Ginny smiled and walked out the door, apparated, and found herself outside her apartment. Giving a yelp she realized that she was not alone in the hallway. Her flat was one of two on the floor but no one had lived there for as long as she could remember so the stranger put her on guard. It was odd. She took the person to be male, back and head against the wall with his legs splayed in front of him. His hair was overgrown and his clothing decidedly ragged. She decided she'd call security when she got inside.

She pulled her want out and tiptoed to her door while fumbling with her key. The loud clank of keys against the doorknob caused her unwelcomed guest to snore loudly and mumble in his slumber. Ginny froze. She knew that voice. It had certainly dropped and was rugged with sleep but she could have recognized that voice a mile away. She opened her door and paused before going inside. She just had to know. She leaned over and looked the grizzled man in the face.

His black hair was long and completely unkempt, as if no brush had dared come near it for years. His face was long, lean, and decidedly gaunt. But it was him, it was Harry. She had to smile; it was his luck to show up after she had finally locked him away in her heart. Ginny stood up, walked inside, and closed her apartment door with a soft click.


	3. Welcomed Return

Ginny's alarm clock woke her up the next morning 6:30 sharp. Groaning she pulled the covers up over her head to silence the beeping coming from her bedside table. After realizing that wouldn't work she threw back the blankets and slapped her hand on the off button. Instantly she was met with the absolute silence of her flat. Deciding that this was no way to start a morning she got up and turned the radio on to some unknown song, it had a good beat and that was enough for her. Dancing over to her wardrobe she picked out a standard outfit for her standard job at the Ministry and laid it down on her bed. She did work for the Auror's office, as a secretary, so not THAT bad she told herself.

After a quick shower she dressed and went to make herself breakfast. She flicked her wand toward her room and the song cut off to be played again from the kitchen radio. Ginny helped herself to a large bowl of oatmeal, a glass of milk, and tossed an apple in her purse for the bus ride to work. Pulling out her lunchbox, (yes, she was the one adult who still used one, and if you mocked it you would be hanging from the ceiling for the next few hours.) she began to rummage through her cupboard for lunch. Deciding it was a soup day she grabbed a clam chowder, Tupperware, and a spoon and arranged them neatly in her flowery lunchbox. She chose a pear from the bowl on her counter and went back into her pantry for something sweet. Today. . . she grinned wickedly and went to the very back and grabbed a chocolate bar, one of the few she kept in her house. It seemed a good day to indulge.

Her lunch packed away and waiting with her coat on the table in the hall she still had twenty minutes to kill until she needed to head out to work. She decided to flop down on the couch closest to the window and daydream demurely while the sun slowly rose in the sky. Her thoughts drifted to the reunion of yesterday and suddenly started, she rose off the couch and slowly walked to the door. Looking out the peephole she could still see a huddled mass on the floor. A breath she didn't realize she was holding was suddenly pushed from her lungs. He was still there. Harry had really come home, but for how long Ginny was not sure. Nor would she get herself into a tizzy to find him gone before she got home.

She returned to her living room and pulled a notepad toward her. Tapping a pen against it a few times she tried to gather her thoughts. What could she possibly say to the man she once loved? The one who broke her heart? She had a good idea.

'Harry,

Here is a spare key. You can raid my fridge and have a proper nap. And take a shower, you stink. I'll be home around 5:30, I expect dinner.

Ginny'

She had to smirk at her wit. Not only was Harry allowed to relax but she had insulted him as well, just like old times. And to top it off she would have dinner waiting! That sounded like a good idea to her. Wait. But what if Harry never learned to cook and blew up her kitchen? That was impossible she told herself he had lived on his own for the last five years he HAD to learn how to at least feed himself. And if not well he could always fix her kitchen before she got home and she would never know.

Either way she was fretting over something so absurd she had to laugh. She grabbed the tape from her desk drawer and stuck the key to the front of the note. Looking over at the clock she had only a couple minutes left. After putting her coat on she tossed her purse over her shoulder, picked up her lunchbox, and the note and stepped out into the hallway quietly. She didn't want to wake him now, not as she was sneaking out to work.

She gazed down at him and had to smile. He was still leaned against the wall but his head had slumped to his chest. She leaned down and placed her note next to his huddled body. She paused with her arm outstretched and had to fight the immense to urge to brush his hair out of his face. She straightened and took the elevator down to the first floor and left out the front door to catch a bus to the Ministry.

The first thing that Harry was aware of was the stiffness in his body. It protested loudly to the smallest indication that it was moving. Slowly and with much agony he first wiggled his toes and bent his knees to regain blood flow, and then he gently rolled his shoulders and his neck to get most of the cricks out. Needless to say it was painful to stand as the cracks and pops of his joints sounded. After a rather feline stretch he looked at his surroundings. Nothing seemed to be different save a small note on the floor. Stiffly bending down with more pops he scooped up the note and read it. He wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry, the note was so purely Ginny.

Deciding that he would indeed take her up on her offer he took the key off the note and opened her apartment door. For a minute all he could do was walk around the flat in awe. He had missed most of Ginny's adulthood and the absence of stuffed animals and primary colors proved him right. The rooms were sparsely but comfortably furnished. This was the apartment of a woman who didn't have much, but was proud. The walls were painted in varying shades of green, blue, and surprisingly orange in the kitchen. There he noted the fruit bowl on the counter and distinctly heard his empty stomach sound. He was in a room filled with food and had to fight to ignore his stomach for the moment; it should be used to being empty anyway.

The allure of privately touring Ginny's flat was too much of a prize to give up. He passed a door and poked his head inside to find a half bath with a diffuser on the counter, the entire room smelled of warm sugar, an unusual smell for a bathroom but certainly a pleasant one. He backed out and closed the door and continued down the hallway. Behind two slatted doors he could hear the soft hum of a washing machine going through a cycle, seems Ginny had upgraded. Continuing down the hall he reached the master room. It was painted a dusky red with dark furniture. Her bed looked so fresh and inviting he had to resist the urge to jump into it. He distinctly remembered her comment about him smelling and he did not think she would appreciate him stinking up her bed.

Continuing his tour he found her bathroom that was shiny, clean, and smelled like oranges. She had a shower that was also a tub and Harry gave in to the impulse to take a long hot shower. His body certainly needed it from sleeping in uncomfortable places for the last week. He stripped off his stiff clothing and wrapped a fluffy towel around his waist while he carried them down the hallway and opened the doors to the washing machine. Fortunately for him the washer had finished its cycle and was waiting to be deposited into the dryer. He switched the laundry without much trouble and dumped his own into the washer and put a small amount of the liquid into the compartment before flipping on the machine.

Heading back to the bathroom Harry turned on the shower first to the hottest setting it had. Steam soon filled the room as he stepped into the spray hissing at the heat. He soon relaxed and looked at the shelves for some soap. Every bottle had fancy names and writing adorning them. He picked up the most innocuous bottle in the back and found lavender body wash. He stood debating for a long moment; he could finally be clean, but at the cost of smelling like a girl for the rest of the day. The filthy side of his brain won over and he poured a copious amount into his palm as he scrubbed off weeks of grime, filth, and sweat.

After his skin was scorched raw by the water he shut off the taps and grabbed the towel to wrap around his waist. He figured the machine would be finished by now and grabbed his glasses off the counter and jammed them back on his face only to realize that those too were filthy. He gently washed them in the sink, buffed them dry on his towel, and set them back on his face. He went to check the progress of the machine and was satisfied to find that it was indeed done. He grabbed the basket above the dryer and emptied the contents of the dryer to replace it with his own clothing. After putting aside the full basket he contemplated folding her cloths. It seemed a bit too personal, especially since there was a pair of underwear sitting right on top. He returned the basket to the top of the dryer and went back to Ginny's room. This time he had no reservations about crawling into her bed and taking a nap.

When Ginny walked into her house that night she expected to see Harry in the kitchen putting her dinner on the table. What she did not expect was the lights off and him half naked and lying on her bed with his glasses comically skewed on his unusually calm face.


	4. Sparks Remain

Ginny could only stare. He was so relaxed, so calm, so. . . emaciated. Without his shirt on she could see that his collarbone jutted out, his skin was stretched taught across his ribs, and his hips. . . she blushed, not the time to be staring when his towel was barely around his waist. She contemplated a minute, how best to wake him up? Her mind jumped to a few rather unsavory ways but she quickly shook them away. Scaring might not be good, she could end up missing her hand or worse. Better to wake him up the best way she could think of.

She tip-toed back to the kitchen and opened her fridge looking for something savory and filling. She pulled out the leftover chicken and put it on the counter along with a roll of biscuits before digging through her pantry for cans of corn and green beans. The veges were set to a simmer as the biscuits were set in the oven. But what to do with the chicken? Maybe a marinade in Italian dressing, or covered in herbs, or oh! Grabbing the flour from the pantry and the eggs and milk from the fridge she set the ingredients on the counter and pulled out a pan for frying and bowls for dredging. After about ten minutes the aroma of fried chicken began to waft through her flat. Everything but the biscuits was on the table when she heard Harry pad down her hallway and open the doors to the washing machines. Slightly curious as to what he was doing in there she decided to wait for him in the kitchen.

He came in a few minutes later looking slightly bashful. "Whatever you're cooking smells absolutely incredible Gin." He stood awkwardly at the counter not sure what to do with himself. He had grown, Ginny noted, a lot. He seemed happy; his smile actually reached his eyes.

"Harry.. . . I forgot how much-" she caught herself, best to keep it light after all. "You liked home cooking! I made fried chicken with biscuits and some veges. Grab a plate and tuck in, after all you'll need your energy for when I interrogate you." She smiled as she pulled an oven mitt on and turned around to take the biscuits out of the oven. As she set the try on the stovetop she felt arms encircle her waist. She didn't jump, just relaxed in his arms and inhaled the pure smell of him, albeit heavily masked by lavender.

"I missed you" Harry breathed into her ear, "I hope your cooking is as good as your moms." He reached out to grab a biscuit off the tray as Ginny tried to bat his hands away from the hot surface. He slid out of her reach and laughed, and god it was music to Ginny's ears. She almost cried with happiness but instead landed a punch on his shoulder and handed him a plate.

Dinner was light as Harry bombarded Ginny with questions about everything from Neville and the Weasleys to current news. It really seemed that he had lived under a rock for the last five years. There had been a new prime minister, Umbridge had lost her job, and Luna Lovegood had taken over the Quibbler. Harry seemed to thrive in all the news, no one had died and his friends had been doing well.

"Oh. Um. By the way. . . Promise me you won't freak out alright?" Harry looked puzzled but agreed. "Hermione is pregnant Harry. Ron's going to be a dad." His jaw dropped.

"That's fantastic! Oh my god how far along is she? Do they know the gender? What are they going to name it?" Harry glowed with happiness and his eyes shined. "I am so happy for them I hope they have Hermione's brains and the Weasley hair, " at that his face fell a bit. "I guess I won't be around to see the baby born huh."

"Oh Harry." Ginny paused; she had been waiting for this chance, to finally know where he had been and what he had been doing. But first. . . "They don't know the gender and just over five weeks. No names have been mentioned to me yet. Oh and uh, how long are you planning on staying?"

Harry looked pained. "Ginny. . . I really can't stay. I took a huge risk just coming here for the day, I don't want you getting mixed up in this. I couldn't live with myself if you got hurt." He hands clenched into fists on the table, his shoulders tensed up, and he visibly began to shake. "I will not allow any more friends to die because I was selfish." Ginny reached across the table and placed a hand on his arm.

"It's pouring outside please, just stay the night." Her eyes pleaded with his, "I work in the Ministry I can help you I can get you information. Anything you need I can help! Please just stay."

"Ginny, I will not put you in danger. I'm leaving after dinner. I cannot thank you enough for all of this. I'm glad I was able to see you, glad that you are doing so well." He stood up and brought his plate to the sink. Ginny could only stare at his back in disbelief.

"You can't leave! Please you only just got here. I know nothing of how you've been, where you've been! You have to see Ron and Hermione, and mum will be so upset if you stopped by without seeing her. " It was a low blow but she had to keep him for at least another day.

"I am just trying to protect you guys! The only reason I came here is because your flat is in the middle of the city. If I went to the Burrow I would be tracked the entire way and your family would be massacred in the middle of the night. Is that really worth pleasantries Ginny?" He was breathing heavily and refused to look at Ginny. It seemed to hurt him to say those things. But that was nothing to how real the situation became for her.

"You're being tracked," she said it calmly. Not a question, just a statement.

"Ginny you do realize that I'm trying to kill one of the most powerful wizards of all time? He has spies everywhere and for god sakes he had Dumbledore killed imagine what he would do to me. Right now I would not last five minutes in a duel with him. I would be killed and paraded around as a trophy, is that what you want?"

"Harry come to the Ministry! You can be protected! They can place you somewhere He would never get to you. You could be safe."

"You know the prophesy as well as I do, 'Neither can live while the other survives.' Only I can stop him and He knows it. That is why anyone I talk to could be in danger. Anyone I care about could be tortured for information on my whereabouts. I should have never come here."

"I didn't realize the chance you took in seeing me. I'm sorry, I just spent so many years wondering if you were dead or alive. Whether I would ever see you again, it's just hard to let you go so soon." She felt so foolish for letting her feelings get in the way. She had him now and that was all that mattered, she would make the most of it. "Just one more hour then? I want to hear about you, I would hate myself if the last memory I had of you was us fighting."

Another low blow, Harry stood in the middle of the kitchen looking between Ginny and the door. He took a step toward her than back two. The inner turmoil was visible on his face, until a small sob escaped his throat and he grabbed and pulled her into a bone crushing embrace. "I love you so much, I do all of this to one day be with you again. You have no idea how hard it was to walk away from you all those years ago. All I ever wanted was you to be happy."

"I won't ask you to take me with you, I know how dangerous it is. I just ask that you don't forget about me. And please if there is anything you ever need, please owl me." She clutched the back of his shirt in her hands pulling him somehow closer. She needed this, something tangible to remind her that he was here and alive.

"I really have to go Ginny." He released her save a hand in hers and on her cheek. "By the way you should really get rid of all those perfumed body washes, you smell incredible on your own." He leaned his head down and buried it in her neck breathing in her scent as he kissed her neck.

"Harry. . ." He pulled back to look her in the eye before gently kissing her on the lips. Ginny laced her arms around his neck to pull him closer and deepen the kiss. He placed his hands on her hips and guided her over to lean against the counter. He gently pressed his body flush against hers kissed her once more passionately before detangling himself from her. Smiling softly he bushed his lips against her forehead before stepping back.

"I love you Ginny." Harry ran his fingers along her cheek again before heading toward the door. His hand was on the knob when Ginny finally snapped to. "I love you too Harry" she said, and her voice only cracked slightly as he closed the door behind him.


	5. Moment Has Come

Authors Note:  
I AM SO SORRY. Please accept this little teaser as an apology for right now. College and life got in the way and I know that is not an excuse but I have so much more on the way right now. I wanted to put this up because the next chapter or two are going to be soooo long and I didn't want you guys to think I was dead. As always please tell me what you think I always appreciate comments. ^_^

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Ginny stared at the door for a long moment before she let out a loud sigh and flopped down on her couch with an arm flipped over her eyes. She could still see the smile in his eyes, hear his bubbling laughter, feel his lips on hers. The guilt settled as a weight into her stomach when she realized she had fed him nothing but lies. Working at the ministry she was privy to knowledge that never made it to the _Prophet_. Voldemort may have been missing this whole time but the fact was that he was more active than ever.

The muggle studies teacher "retired" over a year ago and has not been seen since. Many theories are going around but the fact is that she taught tolerance to children and that was not acceptable in the oncoming Pure Blood world. Ministry workers also seemed to be going on extended holiday lately as well. Whether they fled the country or they simply had been killed already no one was really sure.

Lying about Luna had been the hardest though. She hasn't been seen in person for more than three years now. Early into Harry's disappearance Xenophilius became even more outspoken against the Dark Lord and everything that was being hidden from the public. He unfortunately could not give up his flowering garden and one afternoon as he was tending his dirigible plums a group of death eaters found him. He was dragged from his home and was never seen again. I shudder to think of what happened to him. But bless Luna, she went underground with the _Quibbler_ and publishes a new edition monthly.

Every edition apparates onto her kitchen table in the shape of a paper airplane the third week of the month and with it a letter; written in the spindly, loopy lettering that screamed Luna. Most of these letters asked about the family and what she had heard from work. Of course she added very Luna-esque advice as well. "Make sure you put salt in your left shoe this week, there seem to be an abundance of clapterons sneaking around lately, they steal your daydreams you know!" It made Ginny laugh but the concern from Luna was touching if not hypocritical, seeing as the girl had a 100,000 galleon bounty on her head.

The public was being lied to on a daily basis and no one truly understood the danger they were in. At any given moment people were being murdered and there was nothing anyone can do to stop it. Honestly it's a miracle her family had been left unscathed so far. Surely we were being watched but everyone was these days. There were no odd occurrences to keep her on edge and if she didn't work at the Ministry she could almost forget about the rest of the world. Not that she particularly had a death wish but it didn't feel right that she sat back in complacency while families were being torn apart. Seeing Harry was like a slap to the face; he might have just been looking for some comfort but to her the war walked in her front door. The time for action was now; er well, as soon as she could hunt him down anyway.

Vaulting up from the couch she hastily scribbled a letter to her boss saying she would not be coming in tomorrow due to illness and threw open the nearest window and called for Pigwidgeon. The silly thing loved being with the owls outside and only came home when the mood suited him, or when he couldn't find any food that day. He always came swooping in when she needed to deliver a letter though, and not one to disappoint he flew in gracefully and landed on the counter in front of her with a leg presented. The prideful thing overbalanced and fell on his side with an indignant hoot. Ginny just laughed and attached the letter to the leg that was still sticking straight up in the air. Tucking him under her arm she carried him back to the window. "The Ministry, James Throngs' office please Pig" and proceeded to toss him out into the crisp night sky. He dropped a few stories before vaulting back up and over the rooftops.

"Odd bird right there," she muttered under her breath as she closed the window. The dishes were set to clean with a flick of her wand as she put the leftovers away. Her thoughts lingered on Harry as she got into bed that night. Her pillow reeked of lavender and something woodsy underneath, it was Harry she realized as she held it in her hands. Spreading a hand across the surface she flipped it over, plopped her head down, and promptly fell asleep.


	6. Erasure of Evidence

The next morning Ginny woke with a start. Her alarm never went off and she realized with horror that it was almost 11 o'clock in the morning. Flying out of bed she walked in a wide circle around her room trying to calm herself. The day was almost half wasted and she needed to work fast, clipping her hair back and rolling up her sleeves she cracked her knuckles loudly. 'Ok. Tracking potion time.' Digging through her old Hogwarts trunk she pulled out her cauldron and box of ingredients. She prayed they were still fresh, when was the last time she actually brewed a potion?

She had no other option, digging even further into her trunk she tossed out old clothing and Hogwarts a History, trudging further still she felt a stick to her palm and withdrew it sharply. A long string of creative and lengthy curses flew past her lips as she bandaged her hand up and set upon her trunk again with a smarter approach. "Accio Advanced Potion Making!" the tattered book flew into her hand and she kicked her trunk on her way out the door. Setting out the ingredients she set to chopping and crushing them before she set the cauldron to a simmer on the stove. After the potion was set to brew for three hours she began the hunt for the final ingredient, a piece of the person she was looking for.

Ginny had to admit to herself she felt like a stalker crawling along the baseboards for a strand of black hair. The kitchen was clean and so was the hallway, of course there was one place left to look. Pulling back the shower curtain she glared down at the drain. Her least favorite thing to do was clean the damn thing and now she had no other option. Kneeling down in the tub she found one long dark hair. Suppressing a slight gag she picked it up, ran it over to the kitchen, and flung it to the cauldron, it floated down unknowing of her repulsion. The potion turned the most marvelous glittering gilt. She had to smile; of _course_ essence of Harry was pure gold.

With twenty minutes left to brew Ginny went back to her room to get changed. Jeans and a long sleeve shirt were pulled on and as she was sliding her left sock on the entire flat quaked as if a bomb imploded. Sprinting to the kitchen with wand clenched at her side the mass destruction made her eyes widen. The cauldron seemed to have been blown apart and a rather large chunk of it was imbedded in the wall above the stove. The potion that had once been gold had changed to a muddled gray and now painted her walls in wide arcs. Obviously tracking him was not an option. Stupid really, if all it took to track him was a single hair he would have been found ages ago. With a rather withered look she walked to the center of the destruction and snapped "Scourgify!"

In a rather foul mood she looked up at the clock. Quarter past five already, she had to think fast. Harry could be out of the country by now if he really wanted to. This was his home and she knew how hard it must have been for him to come here, let alone get up the will to actually leave. He certainly would not contact anyone else, he had been reluctant enough to come here. But where would he go next? He never learned to how to drive a car so the main roads would be off limits and that would mean he either took a cab or–. She cut herself off mid thought. Of _course_ she knew where he would go!

Speeding out of her flat she made a beeline for the nearest underground. Two trains and four unbearably crowded blocks later she found herself panting outside King's Cross Station. Steeling herself she pushed her way through the milling crowd and picked up a discarded paper left on a nearby bench. Flipping it open she slowed her pace and discretely fell in beside the only other person leaning against the wall between platforms 9 and 10.

"You must have known I would find you," Ginny spoke softly. She saw his figure stiffen behind the paper.

"I wasn't expecting it so soon is all." The smile was plain in his voice, so was the wariness.

"I told you I want to help. I work in the Auror office I hear things, and I have always been discrete. "

"And I told you that it was too dangerous."

"Do you really think I give a damn? I am tired of praying every morning that I don't read the name of a loved one on the obituaries. I'm tired of sitting back in my cushy chair while my friends and family put their lives on the line every single day. Enough is enough."

"But you're alive. And will be tomorrow and the day after. Someone has to live to tell the next generation we didn't die in vain. I will not allow you to waste your life."

"You have no say over what I can or cannot do," her voice was icy and her fingers tore holes through the paper. "I am fully capable on deciding who or what I will die for. And if the freedom of a life safe from the oppression is not a worthy enough cause then you better me what is."

The silence between them was thick with tension. Ginny swallowed hard, afraid she had said too much. He closed the paper and deliberately turned toward her and said "Excuse me miss would you mind throwing this away for me I have a train to catch," he promptly walked down the platform and disappeared around a corner.

Ginny was absolutely shocked. She folded her paper up and was about to throw them both in the nearest bin when something small fell from inside the folds. She bent down and picked up the battered square of paper. _Errant animus reperio_, underneath there was a small drop of blood. She read the line over once more before the note folded in upon itself, over and over again, until it disappeared entirely from her hand. She smiled and clenched a fist; a faint square was traced into the back of her hand.

Trashing the papers and made the slow journey home. Her mind raced as she sat back in the plastic subway chair and closed her eyes, her right fist still tightly clenched in her lap. Organizing every rumor she had heard in the last month. Chastising herself for not paying closer attention she realized that the only useful thing she could possibly tell harry right now is that He was allegedly seen in Albania. Great information; he may be in another country or maybe he's sitting right under Fudge's chair as we speak.

Stepping into her apartment she sat down at her kitchen table and mused. What good would that information even do Harry? They could meet up for a spot of tea and talk about the Queen, sounds marvelous. _Neither can live while the other survives. . . _Harry has to kill Voldemort. There is no other way around it. What he needs is a secret weapon, something so powerful and _good_ that it would blast apart the evil residing at the core of Voldemort's soul. But how could something like that even exist? And if it did it would surely be locked up tightly in the ministry where no one but the highest Obliviators would have access to.

She placed her right hand on the table, palm up, and traced a square into the center. Something began to unfold ten times over in her hand until the note rested in her hand, full sized and heavily creased. Slipping it onto the table she flexed her hand and smiled demurely; creating that spell with Hermione second year had been one of their most useful endeavors even if it had taken most of the term, most useful when hiding notes from the prying eyes of McGonagall. Who would have guessed that it would have practical advantages out of school?

Taking out her wand she hung the tip over the drop of blood and clearly said, "Errant animus reperio." She waited a moment but nothing seemed to happen. Laying down her wand she picked up the paper and turned it over to reveal two lines of block text;

38 Soho Square, London England;  
Couch Under the Window, Left Pocket

Curious Ginny grabbed a spare sheet of paper from her desk and scribbled across the top 'Will this really work?' She folded it in half and apparated it to the given address. She nervously drummed her fingers on the table waiting for a reply. A few minutes later the same sheet of paper popped onto her table. She snatched it up and recognized his chicken scratch of an excuse for penmanship,

'Nope, definitely did not work, there goes my career as an Auror!'

Grabbing her quill she smirked as she wrote back 'With that attitude I would never want you to be one!' She folded the note back and repeated the spell to get his updated location before sending it again, the address changed to the right pocket this time. His response came quicker than the previous one,

'Good, you understand the spell. Always check the address before you send it no matter what. Keep in touch.'

'Before you go I need to know what you do. I don't want to waste my time on false leads or something extraneous.'

'Not right now, but when I have more time I will tell you. Until then.'

She held the paper in her hand and looked at the correspondence fondly before bringing the tip of her wand to a corner and set it ablaze. Best not to leave any evidence at all. Picking up the note from the table she set it in her left palm and muttered "caulis decuplatus," watching as it folded up into her palm, the only indication was the square traced into the back of her hand.

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Next chapter ahoy! Now I have a couple questions for you guys now. Firstly, since I began writing this story I have gone back and edited it maybe half a dozen times by now. And as such the chapters are more than a bit different from what is posted. Would you guys want me to reupload the updated chapters? Secondly, I need your help! I require a handful of new names and I simply cannot think of any good British ones XD. Send me your suggestions and I will add my favorites to the next chapter. And as always I always encourage you to leave any feedback for me, I truly do appreciate every single one. You guys are the best!


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Harry Potter, Hurt-Comfort, Romance