Love Heals

Harry and Ginny were waiting outside McGonagall's office. Ron and Hermione were in there. They were in there, and he wasn't. He was capable of so much more than them, but they're let in on some little secret? And he isn't? This wasn't right....

Ginny watched as Harry paced back and forth. He was obviously thinking intently. She wanted to say something to him, but she didn't know what. It was awkward to suddenly be alone together after they had broken up. It was impossible to tell if Harry felt the same way or not. He seemed to be thinking about other things. She didn't blame him. She wanted to know what was going on in that office just as much as he did. It really didn't seem right that Ron and Hermione were in there, and Harry was left out here. Maybe she should say something to him... anything... just to let him know she was there for him. Ginny drew up her courage.

"Harry?" He didn't stop pacing. In fact, if he hadn't replied Ginny would have had no idea he even heard her.

"Yeah?"

"Never mind."

She sunk down against the wall and sat, once again lost in her thoughts. He didn't care. He didn't care that she was there. He didn't even really seem to notice she was there. If he really liked her, this would have been awkward for him, too. It obviously wasn't. Ginny suddenly realized that he hadn't broken up with her to protect her, he'd used that as an excuse. Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes, and she hated herself for it.

Harry stopped pacing as Ginny sat against the wall. She looked upset. Had he done something? Honestly, he had been so wrapped up in his thoughts about what Ron and Hermione were doing, the fact Ginny was there didn't have that much of an impact anymore. It did now. He suddenly felt strangely uncomfortable. The last time he'd seen her, he had told her they couldn't go out anymore. Something else to feel bad about.... Fantastic.

Ginny was surprised to feel Harry sit down next to her. "Are you alright?" he asked. She nodded. Maybe that wasn't so much of a lie now. "Things have been weird lately," he said. "Not that they weren't always."

"I know," she said, and she adjusted her position so that her head was leaning against Harry's knee. Her legs tucked in behind her as she laid on him. He slowly brushed the bangs out of her eyes and casually stroked her hair. It didn't even feel as though they'd broken up at all anymore. This is how it should be.... This is how they wished it could always be.

*

More time was passing then they had expected. Ron and Hermione were in there for a long time, and it was starting to really annoy Harry. As though reading his thoughts, Ginny spoke up. "What do you think they're doing in there?" She asked.

"No idea, but they've been in there for a really long time."

"Wanna see if we can hear anything?" Harry looked at her. He guessed that's what growing up with Fred and George leads to, although it didn't seem like a bad idea.

"Right behind you," he said.

Ginny got up, slowly, and walked over to the door. Harry followed closely behind and pressed his ear to the wood, as there were no keyholes to eavesdrop from. "Anything?" he asked after some time.

"Nope."

Groaning in frustration, they pulled away from the door. "Ginny?" Harry asked as they resumed sitting against the wall.

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing here anyway?"

She sighed. "I ran away."

"What?"

"I ran away from home. Bill and Charlie were off working, Percy's been an idiot, Fred and George have to run their shop, Ron was off with you two, and it was just me left. The house has never been so quiet. I wanted to do something. I wanted to help. Just because we stopped going out didn't mean I didn't care about you anymore. Not just you, Ron and Hermione, too, and the rest of the Wizarding World. I was suddenly alone. I really wanted to be helping you with whatever you were doing." She paused as a slight tear ran down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and continued, though her voice sounded shaky and strained. "Then mom said I should go back to Hogwarts for my sixth year, and I nearly screamed. In fact, I think I did scream. I started shouting and yelling at her. There was no way I was going back to school when I could be doing something useful. I told her I was leaving and stormed into the living room to get the floo powder. I came here. It was the only place I could think of. I didn't know where you and Ron and Hermione were, so I came here. I realized it was strange that I had come to the place that had been the cause of my leaving in the first place, but I figured there must be someone here who could help. I wanted to find you. I needed to find you. I felt so in the dark, you know? I was ready to do something insane."

"I know the feeling," Harry said honestly, recalling the summer going into his fifth year. "What did your mom do?"

"I was surprised that she didn't leave immediately, but she eventually came after me. She and McGonagall talked, and I was left out here like we are now. I don't know what they were saying, but they were in there for a long time. I heard mom yelling at one point, something about me being too young, and then McGonagall said something like 'She's five years older than your son was when he and his friends stopped Voldemort from stealing the stone.' Mom came out a little while later, not in the best mood, mind you, but she resigned. After an emotional good-bye, she left and McGonagall told me you'd be coming at some point. She told me to wait outside while she spoke with you."

Harry had been shocked to hear Ginny say Voldemort's name. She must have been the first Weasley to ever say it. He quickly hid his astonishment.

"Were you out here the whole time?" he asked.

"I tried to hide when you guys came in. I didn't want you to see me right then. I thought Ron would get scared, and I really wasn't in the mood to explain anything at the time."

"I get that," Harry said, and he meant it.

"I thought you would," she said.

"But Ginny..." his serenity was plummeting down as his mind became focused on actuality. "...it's not safe. If you're with me the whole time, it just gives Voldemort more of a reason to use you."

"So you'd rather him use Ron?"

"I didn't say that."

"Or Hermione?"

"Ginny...."

"Or some innocent person who wanted nothing to do with it whatsoever? I'm putting myself in this position, Harry. I know what I'm risking. I know the dangers."

Harry was silent for a moment after that. She was making sense. He felt the same way he did when McGonagall was telling him about Snape. It made sense, but it wasn't something he wanted to believe. He searched his brain for some smart reply, but there was none. What could he say to that? He really wanted Ginny protected, but he couldn't very well strap her down and force her to stay behind. She didn't even know about the prophecy, or the Horcruxes. It wasn't that he didn't want Ron and Hermione protected as well, but there was something different in their case. They had been with him from the start. They were always there with him. They were his team. At Dumbledore's funeral, they told him they'd always be there. He knew they would be. This was stuff they just did together. Now Ginny was coming into the picture. She could certainly handle it, he told himself. She'd proved herself skilled enough to handle a lot.

"You have to be careful," he said.

"Well I'm not about to go up to Bellatrix Lestrange and say 'Hey, work your magic,' am I? I know to be careful, Harry."

He paused again, thinking. Then, slowly, he nodded. Ginny visibly relaxed. There was nothing he could do to stop her if she wanted to help. She would probably be a really big help, actually.

The entrance to Dumbl-- McGonagall's office opened, and Harry and Ginny jumped to their feet. Ron and Hermione were looking at Harry very strangely. Their faces contained sympathy and pity, mixed in with comprehension. He looked at them curiously, and their faces returned to normal. "Ginny," Ron said, turning to his sister. They hugged. As Ron broke apart he said, "McGonagall explained everything. I can't say I'm thrilled with it, but if it's okay with Harry...."

Harry nodded. "She told me everything," he said, jerking his head toward Ginny. "So what were you doing?" Ron looked at Hermione nervously.

"McGonagall just wanted to tell us some things about the war she thought we should know," she said.

Well that was a lie, Harry thought. "And she couldn't tell me?"

"Oh, it was just that you already know about it, so she didn't think you needed to stay. She thought you'd rather spend some time with Ginny," Hermione said tensely.

"Really? And what was it that she told you?"

"Just some stuff about...stuff." Harry raised his eyebrows at her. "I can't tell you here," she said, glancing at Ginny. Ginny rolled her eyes and let out a sound of extreme annoyance.

"I thought we agreed you were including me? Tell me what she said, now," she ordered. Harry was surprised at how demanding Ginny could be.

"It's not just you, Gin," Ron said, and Hermione looked taken aback. "We just can't talk about it here. We don't know who else is around." At this, Hermione looked seriously shocked, but she instantly covered it up.

"Y-Yeah," she stuttered in agreement. "McGonagall told us not to talk about it until we're certain we're alone."

Harry wasn't sure what to think, but one thing was obvious: They were lying through their teeth. He decided to drop it for now, not feeling up to arguing, but he'd be sure to interrogate them later.

McGonagall stepped out of her office. "Are you ready to head back?" she asked. They nodded and followed her inside. "I've already informed The Marden you'll be staying there, Miss Weasley," she continued as she picked the floo powder up off the mantle. "Your things will be sent there shortly, if they aren't there already."

"Thank you," Ginny replied.

"You are quite welcome." The powder was passed to Ron first, and he vanished within the flames. Hermione was next to go, followed by Harry and Ginny.

"Come on, I'll show you where the bedrooms are," Hermione said when they arrived. She gave Ginny a little tug on the arm and pulled her along. Harry and Ron went to find their personal bedrooms, as well. Ginny's belongings had not yet arrived, so she disappeared into Hermione's room to borrow some pajamas.

After a few minutes of getting ready, Harry climbed into his own bed. He would have fallen asleep instantly on the comfortable mattress, had it not been for his thoughts keeping him awake. Although he had decided to drop the subject then, Harry hadn't forgotten the way Ron and Hermione looked at him when they first came out of McGonagall's office.