Part 23 (1)

The following morning.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had spent the night prior formulating a plan for how to get the memory off of Slughorn. In Hermione's way, it was annoyingly meticulous and Harry sat across from her, close to dozing off as she recited it.

Ron was sat back in his chair looking at her with a faint smile on his face. Harry was sure he didn't understand a word she was saying.

"He's on his walk right now, he'll be back in his office at 7:15 sharp. You mustn't be late, do you understand?"

She breathed deeply and glanced at the vile of liquid luck. "Now how do you reckon we should do this...? I read somewhere that the angle you drink the Felix at has a significant effect on how-"

Harry, now fresh out of patience rolled his eyes and downed the potion in one go. As the thick golden brew slipped down his throat a sense of peace and confidence settled over him like a blanket of snow. "Alright." He said, clearing his throat. "Hagrid's."

"Harry!" Hermione cried. "You've got to go speak to Slughorn, remember?"

"I know, I know, but- I've got a really good feeling about Hagrid's. It's the place to be tonight, you know?"

"No." Ron and Hermione chorused. "I know what I'm doing." Harry said firmly as Ginny entered the common room. "Or at least Felix does-" He stopped in his tracks. Ginny furrowed her eyebrows, checking behind her.

"Ginny." Harry said.

"... Yeah? What?" Harry chuckled a bit as he bounded towards the portrait hole.

"You are gorgeous." He called behind him.

Ginny flushed red and Hermione smiled endearingly. "Gross." Ron muttered. Hermione glared sideways at him. "Haven't you got a Lav-Lav to go snog?"

Ron opened his mouth and scratched the back of his head as Hermione left the room.

"Morning, Won-Won!" Shrieked Lavender, coincidentally, from the stairs of the girl's dormitories. "Oh bloody fantastic." He growled under his breath. "Alright. Lavender, sit. I need to speak to you."

Hours later.

Ginny sat cross legged on the couch reading, with a sleepy Seamus draped across her lap. Ron and Hermione were on the ground playing wizard's chess on the coffee table, all hushed giggles and warm smiles. Neville sat in an arm chair with charms homework and Dean towered over him, helping.

Luna was visiting, she was by the roaring fire with Crookshanks curled up in her lap.

Harry finally came in, and plopped onto the couch next to Ginny, waking Seamus with a start. Hermione looked at him intently. "Well?" Harry smirked, and pulled the vile of white wispy vapor out of his pocket; Slughorn's memory. Hermione, Ron and Ginny all grinned widely, scoffing in disbelief.

"What's that?" Inquired Neville. "It's a memory." Said Luna. Harry nodded. "For Dumbledore."

"Well when are you going to give it to him?" Ron asked. "Not tonight, I'll be busy."

"Busy with what?"

"Celebrating." Harry grinned. "Celebrating what?" Inquired Dean.

"Don't say anything." Seamus said, perking up. "You've given me all the information I need. I'll tell Fred and George to get the refreshments." He winked and jogged up the stairs.

"I've got an essay to do..." Hermione moaned. Harry looked at her with pleading eyes. "Oh... Alright. I need half an hour in the library." She said, getting up. "Then I'm all yours."

Ron followed her to the portrait hole. "I'll come help you."

"You will distract me."

"Oh I'm distracting, am I?" Ron smirked, holding the painting open for a flustered Hermione.

Neville stretched a bit then began packing up. "Yeah I'll be there, I just need to stop at the apothecary. Luna?"

Luna looked up at him. "I love the apothecary." She said, taking his hand as he helped her up. "Who's owl is your favorite?"

"Mine's actually Harry's..."

All who remained in the common room were Dean, Ginny, and Harry. "You'll come, won't you Dean?" He nodded. The silence that followed was painful. Harry finally cleared is throat. "Ginny. Walk?" The redhead sighed in relief. "Yes please."

On the grounds with Harry and Ginny.

"I don't know why it's still so awkward... It's quite obvious that he swings a different direction."

"Please tell me you're talking about Seamus."

"Yeah."

"Merlin, I thought I was the only one who thought there was something going on between them."

As per usual, Harry and Ginny's stroll was the best part of both their days. They stayed close together, their hands brushing every so often, at which point Harry would smirk over at Ginny, who would only roll her eyes.

They stopped at a bench that looked over the lake. "I never get bored of this view." Ginny sighed. Harry, who would usually agree, stayed silent. Ginny looked over at the boy, who was solemn.

"What?" She whispered gently. "Everything's about to change. I'm not going to get this again for a long time."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I have the memory, Gin... This will tell me how to kill Voldemort. You think I can just wait out my 7th year and then get started?"

Ginny exhaled slowly... the thought of Tom- Voldemort, had always been so perpetual. It was a reach to imagine a world without him in it. And to think Harry would have to be the one to rid it of him was a thought beyond overwhelming. Even for her.

But glancing over at Harry's burnt out emerald eyes, the brightness gone from them, she realized there was no imagining how he felt. But it was Harry and Ginny, so of course he told her.

"I'm terrified. I have nightmares about just seeing his face- my heart races just bloody thinking about him. I'm going to have to fight him one more time, but this time it's different because if I- If I lose..."

Ginny fought the urge to sprint from him as he spoke. She didn't want the burden of knowing Tom. She didn't want Harry the burden of having to kill him. But the deepest desire of her soul right now was to not say the wrong thing.

It was virtually impossible of course, because in this situation there are very few right things you could say. A simple solution would be to sprint. Run. Far away. Forget Harry. Not deal with the emotional baggage of the chosen one. Not say the wrong thing.

These thoughts were racing through Ginny's head a mile a minute, however only a few moments have passed. You have to wonder what dear Harry thought through all of this...

Well he let it all out, of course. He told Ginny exactly what he felt. It's what he'd always done, it was nature. The sky is blue, the grass is green, and Ginny will always know exactly what Harry is thinking. It's one of the simpler things because it is fact, and Harry loves it.

It only works because Ginny understands what Harry is feeling like nobody else ever could, because they are the same. And it only continues because no matter what, Ginny always says the right thing. It's one of the simpler things because it is fact, and Harry loves it. You have to wonder what right thing Ginny said, after these few moments... 

"You won't."

"What?"

"You won't lose."

Ginny Weasley, everybody. She's quite the genius, is she not? Why? Because she always says the right thing. Now this thing that she said was especially correct, and here's why.

Nobody on earth or elsewhere has ever been in Harry Potters shoes. (And what tight, uncomfortable, shoes these are.) Therefore nobody could give Harry any advice that would be of use. Good advice must come from experience, you see.

What Harry needed was the confidence from someone he trusted and cared about that there was an inkling of a chance that he could do this. That was exactly what he needed, so Ginny gave it to him. Are you catching on yet? The sky is blue, the grass is green, and Ginny gives Harry what he needs. It's one of the simpler things because it is fact, and Harry loves it.

Ah, I believe we've arrived. The point. It took me long enough. We may continue.

"Though I suppose you'll lose in a way, because it'll be quite a while before you can have another pumpkin pasty..."

Harry was grinning like a madman, how was it possible that Ginny could've cheered him up when he'd made the deepest, darkest, realization of his life? (Well we just went thought all this so we know of course. I'm sure Harry and Ginny will find out soon enough.)

"Yes." He replied. "It is a loss. Precisely why I'll be getting drunk as hell tonight." 

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