Sincerely, Harry James Potter

Chapter 5

Harry went to see Ginny every weekday. He knew her family visited her on weekends and he was still reluctant to have anyone know he was even leaving the house, let alone where he was going. Unbeknownst to him, several people at St. Mungo's had recognized him. There'd been some whispers but no one had said anything to him and they had apparently kept Harry's visits to Ginny quiet as word didn't seem to have gotten back to any of the Weasleys.

At first he'd talked to her about the books and the movies Hermione had shown him. This had expanded into him telling her how he felt about it all and that it had been the catalyst to getting him out of the house and then to his visits. When he'd exhausted that topic he started telling her about the things he saw on his walks around Muggle London. Every day he sat by her side holding her hand and when he left he kissed her gently on the cheek. At the end of the week he would remind her that her family would be coming to see her over the weekend and he'd see her again in just three days.

Harry had been visiting Ginny for about two months. One Sunday evening he was alone in the house while Ron and Hermione had gone to spend the day at the Burrow and then to see Ginny with the rest of the family. Harry was sitting in his bedroom in a wing back chair with his feet resting on the edge of the bed. He'd made it a habit to not be around when Ron and Hermione returned from their weekend outings, as he hadn't wanted to hear anything about them. Tonight though, he was curious to see if they said anything about Ginny and had left his bedroom door open a crack. When they walked by, Harry, with his head back against the chair and his eyes on the ceiling, listened.

"You know Ron, I really think I saw improvement in Ginny, today."

"Do you think so?" Ron's response was hopeful and yet weary at the same time. "I don't know, Hermione. We've been waiting for her to recover for such a long time."

"She wasn't rocking with quite the same intensity as usual. Didn't you notice?"

"No."

"I know how hard this has been for you, Ron. But I really think she seemed better. Don't give up hope."

Hermione's and Ron's voices faded as they passed out of Harry's earshot. A minute later he heard their bedroom door click shut.

The next day's visit was the same. Harry didn't see any change in Ginny and wondered if Hermione had imagined it. At the end of his visit, Harry stood up and kissed Ginny on the cheek. As he did so he felt a slight pressure on his hand.

Harry froze. Pulling back but not letting go of her hand he asked quietly, "Ginny?" There was no response. After a few expectant moments Harry said, "I'll see you tomorrow," and left; feeling sure he had imagined it.

The rest of the week was the same as usual with the exception being that as the days passed the pressure Harry had felt from Ginny on Monday increased. He was sure he was getting through to her.

Harry said nothing to anyone. He didn't want to raise anybody's hopes only to have them dashed later if Ginny didn't recover. That weekend was one of the longest he'd experienced in recent years. He couldn't wait for it to be over so he could go back to St. Mungo's.

The following week Harry did finally notice a decrease in Ginny's rocking. She continued to squeeze his hand when he left for the day and Harry developed a spring in his step on his walks to and from St. Mungo's; something he couldn't remember when he'd last experienced. He didn't realize it but Harry was experiencing hope for the first time since the war ended.

At the end of that week, Harry kissed Ginny's cheek, squeezed her hand as she squeezed his and said with a smile, "I'll see you next week." When he went to withdraw his hand from Ginny's she held on. Harry stood quietly and when she finally let go he started to leave. He had just reached the door when he heard, "Harry." It was just a whisper but in the quiet of the room it sounded like one of Fred and George's Catherine wheels flying through Hogwarts.

Whirling around Harry looked at Ginny. She was sitting motionless in the chair, her gaze was focused and she was looking right at him. Harry strode back across the room and sat in the chair he had just vacated. "Ginny?"

At first she just looked at him with watery eyes. Then she cried, "oh, Harry," her voice scratchy from disuse. She threw her arms around him. Harry held Ginny tightly as she sobbed in his embrace. The pain she'd bottled up for so many years and that had nearly consumed her very soul was finally being released. Harry felt silent tears of his own slide gently down his face into Ginny's hair and realized that he had also bottled up his feelings. He'd always felt that everyone expected him be strong and he'd tried so hard to fulfill that image. Together, Harry and Ginny gave in to the healing power of their grief.