Awakening to a New World

Harry Potter flew through the air, the wind whipping through his hair. He could feel the warm sun on his back and see fluffy clouds surrounding him. Green rolling hills were far below, spreading out as far as his eyes could see. It felt so good, this feeling of freedom. Had he ever had worries? It seemed like... but no, nothing came to him. All he knew right now was that his mind was at peace, as he slalomed among the clouds.

He swooped under a cloud, and suddenly the ground turned black. An ominous feeling came over him as he realized the world was turning dark. Harry flew through the clouds into the black area. He was desperately afraid, yet knew that he had to fly to it. Lives were at stake.

The air was growing cold, so cold...

* * *

Harry awoke feeling woozy, as he slowly came to consciousness. Where was he? His vision was blurry; he couldn't tell. The room was white, although he could see flashes of color around him. It was very quiet.

He tried desperately to remember where he was. Bits and pieces came to him, but nothing concrete. A battle? Yes, that's right, he thought. He had been in a battle - a terrible, terrible battle. Something horrible had happened, but he couldn't remember any details.

A voice was in the room... what was it saying? Something... familiar. The voices were definitely familiar. It was... Ron and Hermione. He smiled to himself; they were his friends, his best friends. The terrible thing hadn't happened to them. He couldn't tell what they were saying, but that didn't matter. They were with him, taking care of him. He would be safe with them.

Their voices sparked a memory of another time. Harry wasn't sure when it was, but it was recent...

It was late at night in the common room. Harry, Hermione and Ron were sitting in front of the fire. Dumbledore had told Harry earlier that he had intelligence that Voldemort planned to attack the school the next morning with everything he had. Death Eaters, Dementors, Giants, Goblins, and many dark creatures that Dumbledore wasn't even certain of. Dumbledore had looked as grave as Harry had ever seen him.

"Harry, the Prophecy is being fulfilled. Do not be afraid; the love in your heart will see you through this. I wish I could tell you the key to all this, but I simply don't know. I had hoped to know more, but..." he stopped, and put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "My job will be to lead the fight against the dark army, and to give you time. Your job will be to fight Voldemort," he had said.

Dumbledore continued. "On this eve of battle, I must admit something to you. I have watched you very closely these seven years, and you are everything I could have hoped for and more. I love you like a son. Whatever the outcome tomorrow, you have become a great man." Dumbledore embraced him, and Harry embraced him back tightly.

Harry told Ron and Hermione what was to happen. Dumbledore would tell the rest of the school.

The trio sat holding hands, watching the fire, reflecting on possibly the last night of their lives.

"You know we'll be with you, Harry, whatever happens," said Hermione.

"Whatever happens," echoed Ron.

Harry nodded, feeling so happy to have friends like this, and so guilty that he was placing them in danger, and knowing there was nothing more he could do.

Harry broke out of his reverie. That was it. Voldemort had attacked the school. But Ron and Hermione survived. They survived, he thought, a feeling of joy rising in his heart. I didn't kill them. They didn't die because of me. But something horrible had happened, he was certain of it.

So tired, must sleep...

* * *

He flew lower into the blackness, looking at the strangely dead land. It was rather rocky, but there were trees sparsely distributed about the terrain. The trees were thin and reedy, without leaves or any apparent foliage. They cast sinister shadows among the rocks.

He landed in a small valley, where his instincts told him that danger lurked. His scar abruptly gave a sharp pain. He pulled his wand and walked between some large rocks. Panic overcame him, as he realized someone close to him was in great danger. He started running, randomly weaving through the maze of rocks until he came to a large clearing. Voldemort suddenly appeared in front him.

"Ah, Potter, thank you for coming. I need a bit of... information," he said with high pitched laughter. "Tell me... tell me of your true love."

Harry's scar flamed with hot pain as his heart grew cold.

* * *

More voices. Ones that he didn't know, or perhaps it was... familiar? He didn't know; it took too much energy to identify it. He caught a word... a name. Ginny.

He smiled as he thought of Ginny. In the summer before his sixth year, when he had learned the Prophecy and after Sirius's death, she had helped him so much.

Ron and Hermione had tried to help, but they almost made it worse. He knew they cared about him a great deal, but they had a tendency to pity him and tiptoe around him, which only seemed to irritate Harry more. He felt guilty thinking back on how he had treated them.

It had taken Ginny, with her Weasley temper, to finally pull him out of it. He had snapped at her one too many times, for some trivial reason he couldn't even remember. He chuckled slightly as he recalled her reaction.

"Who do you think you are, Potter? Are you starting to believe your own press clippings? Do you think you have the right to go around snapping at people? Guess what, Harry, we all have losses because of You-Know-Who!" she said, and had stalked away.

Her reaction had stunned him, and he felt badly for days afterward. He finally apologized to everyone, and that had become the beginning of his growing closer to Ginny. He had started to confide in her things that he couldn't even tell Ron and Hermione. Somehow she understood him, perhaps because of her experiences with Tom Riddle. She always seemed to know when to calmly give him comfort. And seemed to know when I needed a sharp kick in the arse, he thought, amused.

By the end of his sixth year, he knew he was deeply in love with her. He desperately wanted to tell her, but he was so afraid. What business did he have loving anyone when he was Prophesied to possibly die?

That seems so long ago, he thought, drifting away...

* * *

Harry launched a curse at Voldemort, one that he had found in an obscure book in the Restricted Section. It wasn't an unforgivable, but extremely powerful nonetheless. A lethal burst of magical energy leaped from his wand. Voldemort reached out and caught the light in his hand, concentrating it into a ball. He blew on it and it dissipated harmlessly.

"Feel better, Potter? Now may we get back to the subject at hand? Namely, your true love. Tell me her name..."

"No!" he screamed. Please don't hurt Ginny, he thought desperately.

His cold eyes seemed to look into him, and read his thoughts. "Ginny... Ginny Weasley. Of course. The Potters always go for the redheads, don't they?"

* * *

Harry was startled awake out of his dream. "Does anyone know what happened to her?" said someone clearly.

He knew he heard that. He couldn't name the voice, but he was sure he'd heard the words. His head still felt filled with cotton, and his vision was blurry. Shapes seemed to move in and out of his vision, as his head lolled from side to side. He decided to stop trying to see and closed his eyes.

Who had they been talking about? What happened to who? Ginny, he thought. Maybe they're talking about Ginny.

Fear stabbed through his heart. He still couldn't remember the battle. All he knew was that something dreadful had happened.

His seventh year came back to him. It had become more and more difficult to hide his feelings from Ginny. He loved her so much, and she supported him unconditionally. They all knew that the showdown with Voldemort was coming. All their lives were on hold, but he was so tempted to admit his feelings.

It almost happened one night, a few months ago. It was Christmas at the Weasleys'. The family was in the kitchen. Harry and Ginny were alone, sitting in the living room, just watching the fire. The firelight danced on her hair, making it sparkle in the dim light of the room. He wanted to reach out and touch her hair; it looked so warm and inviting.

Without thinking, he got up from his chair and sat next to her on the sofa. She turned, a curious look on her face. They looked into each other's eyes. He wasn't sure how long; his breath catching as he seemed to get lost in her pools of beautiful brown. They were sitting very close to each other. All he had to do was lean over and kiss her. Oh, he wanted to, so desperately...

"Happy Christmas, Ginny," he whispered to her.

"Happy Christmas, Harry," she whispered back, and she smiled at him.

Little was said, but it had felt like a promise.

* * *

Voldemort waved his wand, and Ginny appeared. She was bound in large chains. She looked fearfully at Harry. "Harry, what happened? Please help me..."

Voldemort laughed. "Ah, your true love," he said mockingly. "How will you save her, Potter? After all, isn't it your love that is killing her? If you didn't love her, she wouldn't be here."

His words burned Harry to his core. How could he deny it? His love was going to kill her. His love killed everyone.

Voldemort pointed his wand at Ginny. Harry desperately tried to figure out a solution. He looked around frantically, wishing Dumbledore would save them. Voldemort laughed, reading his mind.

"Dumbledore, Potter? He's not coming. I've taken care of him, not to worry."

Ginny looked at him, terror in her eyes. A tear fell down her face, as she seemed to realize that Harry was helpless.

* * *

Harry drifted back into consciousness, more strange voices surrounding him. They seemed oddly familiar. Wasn't that... Mrs. Weasley? Yes, apparently she was here, too, wherever "here" was. The thought gave him comfort.

What would Mrs. Weasley think of him loving her daughter? Would Mrs. Weasley, who had been so good to him since he was 11 years old, still love him if he put her only daughter in danger? Was it fair to anyone in his beloved surrogate family?

Yet he had done exactly that. Yes... that was it, he thought, as more memories came back to him. Ginny had insisted on standing with him, along with Ron and Hermione. The memory came back to him...

Harry was alone with Ginny, explaining what Dumbledore had told him. He desperately wanted her to go somewhere safe.

"No, Harry. I will be with you," she said firmly.

"Ginny, please, do this for me. I ..." he stopped. He wanted to say, "I love you," but he couldn't. Not yet. Not when he was possibly about to die. It wouldn't be fair to her.

Ginny looked at him compassionately. "Harry, you saved me in my first year. Even if I didn't have a Wizard's Debt, I would stand with you. You have your destiny, Ron and Hermione have theirs, and I have mine. And mine is to be with you in this war." She hesitated. "Harry, this will sound strange, but somehow I always knew that this is where I would be when You-Know-Who attacked. Just somehow - I know that it's where I need to be."

Harry nodded. He knew he wouldn't be able to talk her out of it. Tears came to their eyes, and they embraced.

He smiled as he thought of their embrace. A tiny sigh escaped him. It took so much energy to think. He felt himself slipping away. Please, I don't want to go back to that dream, he thought fearfully, but he felt so weak...

* * *

Seeing Ginny's tear rolling down her face tore at Harry's emotions, his guilt overwhelming him. There must be some way to help her, but he couldn't think...

Bellatrix apparated next to Voldemort with a loud 'pop' sound. Hatred welled up in Harry as he saw the killer of Sirius. "Ah, baby Potter, does your widdle girlfriend weep for you?" she said, in a mock-baby voice.

Voldemort gave a hearty laugh. "Well, Potter? Should I let Bellatrix have some fun with her first? Or should I kill her quickly?"

Harry let out a primal scream as he rushed Voldemort. He wasn't sure what he was thinking; if magical attacks didn't work, perhaps physical ones did. He pulled back his fist, intending to drive it into that laughing face with all his might.

Voldemort raised his eyebrows, and flicked his wand at him. Harry flew backwards through the air, flipping over and landing on his stomach. He rolled over onto his side painfully.

"Ooooh, are you angry, baby Potter? Do you need to go in your crib?" Bellatrix waved her wand and bars appeared around Harry. Voldemort laughed.

They both turned toward Ginny. Harry looked on, wanting to beg for her life, but knowing it would do no good...

* * *

Harry awoke again, groaning slightly. He could barely make out objects around him, but things were still blurry. Many, many colors were around him... flowers? Yes, that was it! He had many flowers around him. He felt proud for identifying something outside of himself. The effort exhausted him, and he closed his eyes. The room was quiet; he was sure he was alone now.

More memories were coming back to him. Dreadful images of a great battle slipped into his mind unbidden. Hogwarts... it was badly damaged, he knew. He recalled Dumbledore magnificently casting spells as fast he could say them, mowing down large numbers of dark creatures. The houses had come together in the end, even the Slytherins, to protect Hogwarts. Harry idly wondered which side Draco had chosen.

Many older students had volunteered to stay behind; the younger ones had been evacuated. Harry was certain that many, many people had died in the great battle. And someone important to him had died... the memories were flooding back now; Harry's terror increasing as he remembered what happened.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny stayed out of the main action, as planned by Dumbledore. They watched from the Quidditch pitch, which was farthest away from the center of the battle.

It was toward the end of the battle. Dumbledore was leading the teachers, the Aurors and even some regular wizards who had come to help against the hordes of dark creatures. They were winning at great cost. Voldemort had not put in an appearance, and some had started to wonder if he wouldn't.

There was a lull in the battle, and then suddenly the world seemed to explode. A huge hole opened up in the ground, and a second wave of dark creatures larger than even the first wave appeared. Voldemort was in the center of the army, and they were advancing toward Harry's position. Dumbledore led his troops toward the new threat, but they continued to advance. Harry's scar flamed with pain as Voldemort approached.

As planned, Ron and Hermione took up positions flanking Harry to prevent any dark creatures from getting too close. Ginny took up a rear position to make sure nothing came from behind. Harry stood in the center, his wand outstretched in a dueling position.

Voldemort strode in, a cold grin on his face. "We meet again, Potter. Avada Kedavra!" he screamed, but Harry was ready. He dove behind a large stone that had been placed in the pitch. The stone blew apart, saving him. Part of Dumbledore's plan had been to strategically place large shield stones that would help Harry to avoid the killing curses.

"Why do you prolong this, Potter?" he asked, sounding annoyed. "Surely you must see this is a useless exercise. Avada Kedavra!" Harry dived behind another stone. Harry then ran across the pitch, launching a powerful spell in return. Voldemort waved his wand, creating a shield. The spell hit the shield, which made a loud shattering sound. Voldemort was knocked back a few paces, and he raised his eyebrows.

"I see you've been studying, Potter. Impressive, very impressive," he said coldly.

Back and forth they launched spells, seemingly at a stalemate. Voldemort appeared to decide a change in strategy was necessary. He spotted Ginny across the pitch, and pointed his wand at her.

"Accio!" Voldemort cried. Ginny flew through the air like a rag doll, and dropped about 10 feet from Voldemort. Harry looked on in horror and began running toward them.

"That's right, Potter, come and save her. You have feelings for her, don't you?" he said, amused.

He pointed his wand at Ginny. Harry threw himself through the air in front of her, as Voldemort shouted, "Avada Kedavra!" The spell hit Harry square in the chest, and he fell to the ground.

He had felt himself rising out of his body, looking down at the scene, at his body. Ginny screamed, holding her hands over her face. Voldemort pointed his wand at her and gave one final spell.

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort said. Harry watched from his floating position as the green light seemed to move in slow motion toward Ginny. It struck her, and he suddenly felt a violent yanking sensation. Everything went black as he lost consciousness.

A sick feeling filled him as he recalled the events. Ginny can't be dead, he thought miserably. Please, let it be just me that's dead. Emotion welled up in him as he fell back into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Voldemort pointed his wand at Ginny. "Well, Potter? What will it be? Fast or slow? Maybe if it's slow, you'll think of something before she dies," Voldemort said cruelly. Bellatrix laughed hysterically.

Harry couldn't take anymore. He fell to his knees in his cage and buried his head in his hands. He heard the mocking laughter; miserable pain ran through him at his helplessness.

"Harry, I'm here. You're going to be all right," a soothing voice said.

He froze. The voice - it was Ginny. But she sounded different now.

"Come back to us, Harry. I'm waiting for you," she said. Her voice was gentle, so gentle and healing.

He finally looked up. The bars were gone. Voldemort and Bellatrix were mere shadows, fading away. Ginny held out her hand to help him up. He took her hand and stood up. She was smiling at him, her beautiful smile...

* * *

Harry woke up. He felt stronger now. His vision was clearing as he looked around the room. He was in a hospital bed, and someone was speaking to him.

"I'm here, Harry. You should be stronger now. You're in the last stages of the healing potions. You're going to be fine," said Ginny. She was standing beside the bed, stroking his forehead. It felt so good. "Shhhhh... you were having a nightmare. It was just a bad dream, nothing more."

"Ginny?" Harry asked weakly.

"Yes, I'm here." She smiled at him.

"Are you... alive?" he asked. He desperately needed to know.

"Yes, I'm alive, and so are you, although we weren't sure for a while. Ron and Hermione are safe as well," she said.

He let out a long breath. "How did we live?"

"To be honest, Harry, it's not entirely clear. But Professor Dumbledore has a theory. Are you sure you want to hear this now? It's a bit complicated," she said.

"Yes - I need to hear it," he said.

"Well, first let me tell you that Voldemort is gone for good. You did it, Harry. He's gone forever."

"Gone... forever? For certain?" he asked.

"Forever. His soul was sucked by a Dementor, but there's much more to the story than that," Ginny said. She hesitated. "Erm, Harry, do you remember what happened at the end?"

Harry nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I, um, threw myself in front of you."

Ginny bit her lip, and looked uncertain. "Harry, why did you do it?"

Harry had been waiting over a year for this moment, to admit his feelings to her, but now he found himself without the words.

"Ginny, ever since the summer before my sixth year, when I lost Sirius - you - you've been so important to me. I couldn't have made it without you."

Ginny swallowed, her eyes growing misty. Harry reached over and took her hands in his.

"I've wanted to tell you for so long. I love you so much. I - couldn't let anything happen to you. I would do anything for you."

"Oh Harry, I love you, too," Ginny said, her voice breaking.

Harry felt a great burden lifted; his hidden feelings exposed at last. Joy filled him as her words slowly sunk in. She loved him. Although he knew at one time she'd had a crush on him, he also knew that she had given up on him. There had always been a layer of doubt in him as to whether she would return his feelings. He smiled brilliantly at her and squeezed her hands.

"Thank you - for being there with me at the end," he said quietly.

"You're welcome," she said, almost whispering.

Harry paused, enjoying the moment. "But why did we survive?" said Harry curiously.

Ginny gathered herself. "When - when you took the curse intended for me, you got hit square by Avada Kedavra. It was sacrificial magic, Harry, like your mother's." Ginny paused again, and looked away nervously. "Erm, Dumbledore said it was a true love sacrifice."

Ginny continued quickly. "But normally even magic like that isn't strong enough for Avada Kedavra. Dumbledore thinks it was a combination of the sacrifice, your blood that was used for Voldemort's body, and your own level of magic power. It set up a protection around me, and the spell reflected back onto Voldemort, like it did 17 years ago. Voldemort was barely living again, but this time a Dementor got him before he could get away. Many people witnessed it."

Harry's mind was swimming with confused thoughts. "I was floating above my body - I think I was dead."

"Dumbledore said that your soul was temporarily held by the connection between Voldemort and your scar. The reflected curse pushed his soul out so violently that yours was pulled back in," she said.

Harry closed his eyes. It was too much to take in. "You're safe," Harry said with relief. "Thank God, you're safe."

She smiled at him and spoke softly. "Yes, Harry, we're all safe." She paused. "There's something else you should know." Harry opened his eyes and looked at her curiously.

She leaned over him and pulled one of her hands away from him. Reaching up to her head, she pulled her hair back, and on her forehead was a small, lightning-shaped cut.

Harry stared incredulously at her forehead. Tears welled up in his eyes, as he reached up and touched the beginnings of her own matching scar, tracing the outline with his fingertip. Ginny reached down, and touched his scar as well, reciprocal tears appearing in her eyes. He had always hated his scar; it seemed to symbolize everything that separated him from everyone else. Seeing Ginny with a mark like his released him from the burden of being unique.

They spent several quiet minutes looking into each other's faces, reflecting on the joy of being alive. Finally, Harry reached up and cradled her head in his hands. He had longed to touch her soft hair, and now he luxuriated in its feel. He then pulled her down to him and touched his lips to hers. He had waited so long to kiss her, and it was wonderful to show his feelings at last. Ginny moaned into his mouth as the kiss grew more passionate, sending a thrill of desire through him.

They broke away. "Whew... wow," Ginny said, smiling devilishly. "You don't know how long I've waited for that. But I better save some for later. You need your rest!"

"I think you almost caused me to pass out again," Harry said, grinning.

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "So, Mr. Potter, am I going to feel a pain in my forehead whenever you're feeling a bit peeved?"

Harry laughed, long and hard. "No, I think I have to be the one casting the killing curse for that. Who knows, though? Maybe. But I know one thing - you better get used to being called The Girl Who Lived." He laughed again, and it somehow felt like the first honest laugh he had ever had in his life. In a way, his life was starting all over again, and this time he had someone to share it with. He had someone with whom he shared a unique feature. They both shared scars that were born of love.