Apocalypse Return

Chapter Three

As soon as he saw her, Harry sat up and swung his feet off the bed. It always broke his heart to see her sad, even before he screwed up the courage and asked her to go to the first Hogsmeade weekend with him his sixth year.

"Ginny!" he called.

Her head snapped up, beautiful curly red hair flying around her in a cloud. "Ohmigod Harry!" she exclaimed and flew over to him.

Within seconds, he was wrapped in a bear hug, Ginny crying softly. All of the doubts he had been harboring disappeared as she began to frantically kiss his face. When she hadn't been there when he woke up the first time, nor the next, he couldn't help but worry. It would be perfectly natural, and even *expected* for her to decide the trouble he attracted wasn't worth it. That there were plenty other better-looking, less troublesome men out there. People with fewer issues.

"Oh Harry, I was so *scared*," she whispered.

"Shh," he whispered back, holding her close to him. "I'm okay. Shh, shh, sweetheart."

Nothing he lied about got past Ginny, though. Never. Of course, she hadn't always had the courage or temerity to confront him on it, but now she did. She sat back, still straddling his hips, and stared silently at him, scrutinizing him. He managed to hold her gaze for a full minute before having to look away and find something else to stare at in a nonchalant manner. Unfortunately, he turned his head and met George's eyes. It was quite clear that the lone Weasley twin was struggling not to laugh. The furious glare Harry sent his way only served to strengthen the sparkle of mirth in his eyes.

"Harry." Her voice held a no-nonsense tone to it.

"Ginny... Please. Not now?"

Her sidelong glance toward her brother told him that she understood. George looked absolutely *delighted* when they both tried to glare him down at once. With a disgusted sigh, Ginny got off of Harry reluctantly and dragged a chair up until it was almost touching the skinny bed. For the next fifteen minutes, she was content to sit there with him, absolutely silent, one hand clasped in his, the other stroking gently through his wild black hair. He didn't talk, content with staring at the white ceiling. So much white...

His attention was drawn towards the door for a moment when it opened. A short girl, her dirty blonde hair swinging around her face, sauntered in.

"Lexi!" George exclaimed as she made her way to his bed. Harry vaguely recognized her as George's last flame.

"It would be wonderful to know just *where* he came up with that nickname for her," Ginny commented sarcastically.

A faint smile crossed Harry's face. "Her real name's Jess, right?"

The two were already engaged in full-frontal snogging, oblivious to Harry and Ginny watching. "Yeah. They're perfect for each other, sure. But, I mean, come on. In a *hospital*? With mum liable to bust in here any minute to visit one of you two?"

"Not to mention the beds full of other people in here," Harry added dryly.

George, obviously listening to their conversation, laughed as he broke away from Lexi. "That's right, Harry my boy. Perhaps Gin-gin would like the same attention." He winked, setting Lexi firmly on his lap.

"Ugh. Would you mind if I close the curtain, Harry?"

"Not at all." Of course he didn't mind. He felt too exposed the way he was open to the entire room. The rest of the people in the room were chatting between beds, but Harry just wanted to be alone. Except for Ginny, who never pressed him to talk if he *really* didn't want to.

Now, with a semblance of privacy surrounding them, Ginny sat on the edge of the bed. The sad, sad look on his face made her want to hold him in her arms and cuddle him until he smiled again. But he looked so fragile that now that she was over her initial exuberance, she feared that moving him would cause him to shatter.

"Harry, really?" she asked, leaning over him. "How are you?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" he returned crossly. "Don't I look as fine as I'm expected to be?"

"Yes you do," she soothed, dropping her head down to kiss him. "But you know that's not what *I* mean."

"Not today, Ginny. Okay? Not today."

"Okay. Don't get yourself worked up."

"Don't get worked up?" he asked incredulously. "*Don't* get *worked up*? Gee, it's not like I have anything to *get worked up* about. I didn't just almost get *killed* by the wizard who killed my parents or anything like that. There's no reason why I wouldn't want to talk about it."

"Okay, you're right Harry," she tried to placate him.

"And hey, watching my friends die was no biggie. It's not like seeing them alive again has thrown my mind into utter turmoil. It wasn't a big shock that I was expected to digest. No, not at *all*." He was shaking, trembling under the thin blanket. Whether it was from rage or delayed fear, he was too worked up to tell.

Ginny carefully pulled him until he was half lying across her lap, cradling him and murmuring soothingly. Before everything he had been almost the same size as her, and only a little bit heavier. The starvation diet the Dursleys had him on made sure of that. But now, he was frighteningly thin, alarmingly light.

He sighed heavily, allowing her to cuddle him. "I just want to go *home*," he whispered.

Ginny almost choked. Her mouth gaped open and shut a couple times before she managed to force some words out, her voice strangled. "You... you want to go b-b-back... to the Dursely's?"

For a moment, Harry looked up at her, shocked. "No, of course not!" He was blushing. "Y- your house is home. Hogwarts is home, but since the year is over..."

His eyes bored into hers for a moment before he lost his nerve and looked away. "I'll have mum talk to whoever's in charge. See what she can do."

"Thanks, Gin." She lay down on the tiny bed, Harry almost on top of her. He snuggled into her warm side, suddenly freezing cold, cold enough to be shivering.

Ginny held him in silence for a while. Sometimes, he needed that. Sometimes he needed her, his friends, the few teachers that were his family, to just be close to him for a while. To make sure he was loved. He wasn't insecure... he just liked to be reassured once in a while. But she was the only one who understood that, who finally figured out why there were times when he just sat quietly with his friends and listened to them talk. Or just cuddle with her for long periods of time.

"I love you, Harry," Ginny said quietly.

He didn't answer; he never did. The first time she had said those three words, he had just stared at her, his mouth gaping open. Then he had looked away. He looked away to hide the tears threatening, but she hadn't known that. It had been weeks before she would speak to him again. It was Ron and Hermione who finally made them talk to each other, sick of seeing the two of them wandering around miserable.

The first thing he did was apologize. Then he explained. He told her how he just couldn't say it because he was cursed. Because everyone he loved died. And he didn't want to lose her. She had tried to point out that wasn't true. Ron and Hermione were still fine, still alive. He told her that as irrational as it may seem to her, he just couldn't say it, no matter how he felt. Because maybe if he didn't say it, nothing would happen.

She understood then, just like she did now. When he looked away from her, she tipped his face back and kissed him gently. "I know, I understand. I know you love me too."

Eventually, he fell back asleep, still in Ginny's arms.

~~End Chapter Three~~