Green. Just simple, sparkling, emerald green pools. Suddenly, these startlingly green EYES, they seemed to be, contorted. Now, they were black, black as coal… An endless abyss of darkness. Tom Riddle’s eyes.

Ginevra Weasley woke with a start in her small room. Pushing her dark red hair out of her pale blue eyes, Ginny stood from her single bed at the Burrow, and went to the window. A full, circular moon stood out vividly from the pitch black sky.

Turning slightly from the window, the red-haired young woman glanced at the alarm clock to the side of her bed. It was one o’clock in the morning. Ginny stared back through the crack in the curtains, and her mind wandered to Harry Potter.

How was he doing, by himself, down at the Dursleys? Despite her mother, Molly Weasley’s desperate attempts to persuade Professor McGonagall to allow Harry to stay with them for that summer, she had insisted that Harry should be at his aunt and uncle’s home as usual, where he belonged, where he was safe. There was where Dumbledore had wished him to be, before… He was murdered.

Ginny wondered how Harry was taking everything that had happened. Dumbledore’s death, Snape’s betrayal, Draco Malfoy the Death Eater. Their break-up. She herself had found it hard to cope with the fact that she had liked Harry for so long, and, it seemed, barely five minutes after they got together that they broke up. He had insisted that being with her would cause her too much danger, that Voldemort would use her to get to Harry. Of course, she had insisted that she didn’t care, although inside, she knew that he was right. It would be better for them both if they stopped before feelings developed even more.

Ginny knew that Harry would be arriving at the Burrow sometime in the next couple of weeks, as it was Bill and Fleur’s wedding near the end of the holiday. It would be one of the last times she’d see him, and Hermione, and probably her brother Ron, too, for quite a while.

You see, Harry had decided that he was not going back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year. That he was going to search for the remaining Horcruxes, the pieces of Voldemort’s soul. Then, when they were destroyed, Harry was going to track down Voldemort himself, and destroy him, too.

The worst thing was, her brother, Ronald, and one of her best friends, Hermione Granger, had (of course!) hurriedly decided to sneak off with him on the Horcrux hunt as well.

She would go, but, first of all, Harry would never in a million years allow it. Second, she couldn’t do it to her mother. Ginny was the only Weasley girl, and her mother went crazy with worry for her all the time. Ginny couldn’t understand how Ron could do it, either. He was Molly Weasley’s little ‘Ronniekins’.

She left the window, walking slowly back to her patchwork-covered bed. It was late, and she needed to get some sleep. Crawling back under her covers, Ginny Weasley was asleep within minutes.




Just five hours after Ginny went back to sleep, she was woken by three loud knocks on her bedroom door. Grabbing her dressing gown from the bed post and pulling it on, she sat up, calling softly, and rather sleepily,

“Come in…�

The door opened, and in strode Hermione.

“You’re finally here!� Ginny cried, as Hermione swept her into a friendly hug, before seating herself on the bed next to her.

Nervously, Ginny asked, “Have you- Have you heard from Harry?�

Hermione smiled slightly sympathetically.

“Yes, Gin, we- I- Well, we’ve been sending each other letters all summer, Ron, Harry and me. Harry… Didn’t send you one?� When Ginny shook her head sadly, Hermione continued. “He said he would! I told him to! He’s been troubled over your break-up all holiday.�

Ginny looked up, surprised, muttering,

“He has? I thought it was only me…�

“Are you kidding me?� Hermione laughed. “He’s being going on about you all the time, swamping Ron with queries on you, and asking me how you’ve been when we’ve chatted on the ‘felly-tone’.�

Ginny, slightly pleased by this, said in a more cheerful voice,

“So, shall we wake up Ronniekins and head down to breakfast?�

“Sounds good to me! I haven’t seen him since the fu-� Hermione’s face dropped, and her voice became sadder. “Since… Dumbledore’s funeral.�

“Oh, Herms. What am I going to do at Hogwarts, all by myself? Without you! Without Harry! Without Ron! Even without Dumbledore…�

Hermione put her arm around her friend. “It’ll be alright, Gin’. Come on, get dressed and we’ll go and get Ron for breakfast. You do that; I’ll go fetch dear Ronald.�

Leaving the room, Hermione climbed the stairs to Ron’s attic room, and, instead of bursting in like she normally would, knocked on the hard door. She heard a deep grunt of a snore, and knocked harder. No response. She banged on the door with her fist. Still no response. Rather frustrated now, Hermione tucked a strand of curly brown hair behind her left ear, before slamming into the room, yelling,

“Argh, RONALD!�

Ron jumped from his bed like a jack-in-the-box, yanking his bedclothes up to his chin.

“HERMIONE!�

“What, are you self-conscious?� Hermione asked, smirking. “Ha, look at you, all embarrassed!�

Ron's ears flushed to a deep red.

“Anyway, breakfast is ready, and you’re going to be busy today.�

“I am?� Ron asked, dismayed. “Doing what?�

“Getting your room ready!� When Ron’s face continued to stay blank, Hermione said, “Harry arrives tomorrow, remember?�

“Oh yeah!� Comprehension dawned on his face.

“Well, I’m going down to breakfast, so get dressed at meet us down there, ‘kay?� Hermione smiled leaving the room and closing the door behind her. Halfway down the stairs, she met Ginny, dressed in a plain pink T-shirt and faded dark blue jeans. When they arrived at the kitchen, they found Mr. Weasley reading the newspaper at the table, and that Fred and George, two more of Ginny’s brothers (obviously, by the vivid red hair), had apparently paid the family a visit, and they were sitting at the table too, chatting about their joke shop profits. Molly Weasley was using her wand to make bacon flip in its pan. Hearing the two girls on the stairs, she turned, face beaming.

“Hermione, Ginny, dears, sit down!� Mrs. Weasley waved her free hand in the casual direction of the table. “Breakfast’s almost done!�

Hermione sat down next to Mr. Weasley, who passed her the paper he had finished reading with a smile.

“It’s all yours, Hermione, I have another paper here!�

She took it gratefully, placing it onto the table and opening it to the first page. Ginny sat next to Fred, and began to listen in on their conversation. After a few minutes, she said,

“So things are going well for you guys then? At the shop?�

Just as Mrs. Weasley was placing the plate covered in bacon sandwiches onto the table, Ron staggered down the staircase, yawning loudly and managing to say,

“Mmmmmm, Mum, is that bacon I smell?� before sitting next to his sister.





The rest of the day passed without anything interesting happening. Fred and George stayed for most of the day, and left for their shop at four o’clock. Ron practiced Quidditch by himself in the garden for several hours, and Hermione and Ginny stayed in the sitting room and chatted all day, occasionally showing each other spells.

At seven o’clock, as it was just getting dark, Mrs. Weasley called everyone in for dinner. Ginny found it delicious, as most of her mothers meals usually were. Tonight it was pork chops with gravy, cooked the magic way. It was such a large dinner that by the time everyone was finished it was past ten o’clock and moths were fluttering against the windows.

And that was when the happy family, including Hermione, heard it. A sort of scraping, scratching sound from the sitting room. Mr. Weasley heard it first. He stood up, followed by Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and lastly, Molly Weasley. When they reached the room, they realised that the noise was coming from the fire-place. Flakes of soot flew from the grate, and, rather suddenly, a black figure burst from the fire-place, startling Mrs. Weasley, who screamed.


A/N: Come on you guys! I've had loads of reads and just one review! Please, I always answer them, and this IS my first fan fic! So read and REVIEW! I want to know how I'm doing!

End of last chapter:

~And that was when the happy family, including Hermione, heard it. A sort of scraping, scratching sound from the sitting room. Mr. Weasley heard it first. He stood up, followed by Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and lastly, Molly Weasley. When they reached the room, they realised that the noise was coming from the fire-place. Flakes of soot flew from the grate, and, rather suddenly, a black figure burst from the fire-place, startling Mrs. Weasley, who screamed.~

______________________________________________


The black figure was lying on the mat, covered in soot. A rather familiar cough was sounding from his mouth. After a moment of shocked silence, Ginny stepped forward, and whispered,

“Harry? Is that… You, Harry?�

The person lifted his head from the mat and stood up.

“Yeah, who did you think it was?� he asked, grinning.

Hermione, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley seemed to hug him all at the same time. Hermione said curiously,

“Harry, what are you doing here? You’re a day early! Ron hasn’t even finished getting his room ready!�

“I have, Hermione!� Ron said indignantly. “For your information! Hiya, Harry, mate.� Ron slapped his shoulder.

“Harry dear!� Mrs. Weasley fussed, bustling forwards to sweep more soot off of Harry’s shoulder. “Come on, you go and have a shower, and I’ll rustle you up some dinner!�

An hour later, everyone was crowded once again around the table, Harry eating, and Ron eating seconds, or maybe it was thirds…
Harry told the Weasley family that Uncle Vernon had sworn that it was today that he was to be packed off to the Burrow, and although Harry had insisted that it was too early, he was sent anyway.

“How was that bit of your summer with them, then? They seemed to let you use the felly-tone, from what Hermione told me,� Ron asked, before stuffing a forkful of mashed potato into his mouth.

“It was the same as, really, except I was allowed to call Hermione. I was ignored though, as usual,� Harry answered, shrugging.

“Oh, Harry, you look underfed! More chops?�

Harry accepted more food from Mrs. Weasley with a polite, “Yes please, thanks!�

Mr. Weasley had been quiet for a while, but now he spoke up.

“Harry. We have been sent the letters from Hogwarts early, yours included. Here,� he passed it to Harry. “Read it.�



_____________________________________________________________________

Dear Mr. Harry Potter.

We are pleased to welcome you to a new year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment for your seventh year at the school.
Term begins on 1st September as normal.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress

_____________________________________________________________________

“Professor McGonagall is the new Head?� Harry questioned, although, really, he wasn’t that surprised.

“Yes,� Hermione answered, rather confused. “Didn’t Ron tell you?�

Ron’s ears went crimson. “Oh- Oh yeah, I might have missed that part out…�

Hermione rolled her eyes.

“It doesn’t matter,� Harry said stubbornly. “I’m not going back, anyway.�

Hermione suddenly seemed to find her nails incredibly interesting, and Ron stared down at his newly filled plate.

“You can’t be serious, Harry!� Mr. Weasley objected. “This is your most important year, with N.E.W.T exams coming up!�

“What does an education matter when the world is in danger and you could die at any minute?�

“Harry, it matters! And, the world isn’t just yours to save. There are powerful Aurors out there at this very moment, tracking down You-Know-Who!�

“It won’t make any difference! They won’t be able to destroy Voldemort, it is for me to do! It’s my destiny, Mr. Weasley, according to a prophecy. I need to track down the Horcruxes.�

Arthur Weasley went white.

“Hor- Horcruxes? I’ve heard about those… Splitting your soul into another piece… So, Harry, are you saying that Voldemort has killed enough people to split his soul into another piece, and sealed it into a- A different item, or living thing?�

“Yes,� Harry nodded slowly. “But you missed out one little thing. He hasn’t split his soul into one piece. He’s split it into six.�

Mrs. Weasley gasped; as did Ginny, who had only heard Harry mention Horcruxes. She hadn’t realised that they were of so tremendous importance.

“Harry, you can’t do this alone-!�

“That’s why we’re going with him!� Hermione interrupted. Ron sank even lower into his chair.

“Ronald Billius Weasley!� Mrs. Weasley cried. “What, were you just going to sneak off in the middle of the night without telling us? Do you want to make me have a heart-attack with worry?� she turned to Ginny. “And I suppose you were planning to run off too?�

Ginny was just about to shake her head when Harry yelled,

“No! Ginny’s NOT coming! Its too- It’s too dangerous for her. If she were-.�

“Don’t you dare!� Ginny cut him off with a shout. “Don't you dare finish that sentence with, ‘if she were a bit older…’! I am just one year younger than you so don’t you dare!� she repeated. “I proved myself last time you refused to take me, didn’t I? Left Malfoy in a ‘flap’ in the fifth year, if you KNOW what I mean!�

“Yes! But this’ll be more dangerous!� Harry insisted.

“MORE dangerous? More dangerous than fighting a castle of Death Eaters at the end of last term? I don’t think so, Harry. How are going to manage this on your own, eh? If you’re worried about me being sucked into your world, then it’s too late. I was sucked in long ago, in our second year, to be exact. Stop trying to protect me and let me help you!�

There was a painfully long silence. Then…

“Are you- are you sure? After everything that’s happened…�

“Of course I am, Harry!�

“No.�

Just one, small, significant word from the end of the table. Everyone turned to meet Mrs. Weasley’s forcibly calm face. “No.� The word was repeated. “My daughter is staying right where I can keep an eye on her.� She turned to Ron. “And so is my son. I cannot stop you, Harry, Hermione. You are of age and not my offspring. But I am keeping Ronald and Ginevra here where I can keep an eye on them for as long as I can!�

Both red-haired children began to argue at once.

“MU-UM-!�

“But mum you can’t stop us-!�

“Why can’t I-!�

“-I’m the same age as Harry and Hermione-!�

“-go?�

“-and of age, right?�

“-And I’ve been in danger before-!�

“Although Ginny isn’t-…�

“-I want to go!�

“IT’S NOT FAIR!� they both finished on a louder note.

“That’s enough!� said Mr. Weasley. “Molly, Ron’s of age, you can’t stop him, really.�

“Arthur! I’m not letting my children get killed-!�

“They won’t get killed!�

“You can’t be sure of that!�

“Mum! I’m sixteen! And besides, Hogwarts will be just as dangerous as anywhere else, now that- Now that Dumbledore is dead,� Ginny finished softly.

Mrs. Weasley hiccupped. There was now a silence that seemed to stretch out for hours, which was finally interrupted by a musical knock and a loud, flowery sounding,

“Hellooooo!�

“Mum?�

Mrs. Weasley stood silently and went to the front door, opening it. Before she did, she asked who they were –“It’s Fleur and Bill, Mum!�- and made sure it was them. They swept in, Fleur saying in her heavy, French accent,

“Eet is us, Molly Weasley! Bill ‘as been wanting too come visit you before ze wedding!�

“Yeah, she’s right. Seen as our wedding is in… When is it, Fleur?�

“On ze twenty-fifth of August, do you not remember?� Fleur said with a light laugh.

“Come into the kitchen, dears…� said Mrs. Weasley wearily, giving Bill a small hug.

Fleur flounced gracefully into the kitchen, and Harry heard Ginny whisper to Hermione,

“Urgh, not Phlegm again…�

Hermione gave a small laugh, and the two girls glared scornfully at Fleur as she embraced Harry, crying,

“Oh ‘Arry! Eet ees so good to see you again! Ze wedding ees so soon, no?� before kissing him twice on each cheek and doing the same to Ron, who grinned stupidly.

Mr. Weasley checked his watch. “Come on, Ron, Hermione, Harry, Ginny, up to bed. It’s quarter to twelve already!�

“Thank God, couldn’t bear to be around Phlegm any longer!� Ginny muttered, and the four left for the stairs.

“Where are you sleeping? Percy’s old room?� Harry asked Hermione, halfway up the stairs.

“No, Ginny’s, on the floor.�

“How come? Percy’s room is empty, and so’s Fred and George’s…� Harry wondered aloud.

“Because Fred and George filled theirs with all their rubbish, failed sweets and experiments and stuff, and you can’t even get through the door now, it’s so full!� Ron answered. “And Percy’s room is being kept for Bill and Fleur, Mum has been expecting them for a while now.�

“Oh yeah, I remember, the last time I stayed over they used their room for storage.�

“Well, this is our stop,� Hermione said, motioning at Ginny’s door. Ron was quite shocked when Hermione leaned forward, kissing his cheek, then hugging Harry, saying, “Well, ‘night. I’ll see you all in the morning…�

She opened Ginny’s bedroom door, and said, “Come on, Gin, it’s late, and tomorrow I want to show you that book…� the disappeared into the room.

“’Kay, I’ll be there in a minute,� Ginny answered, turning to the door before saying, “Goodnight Ron… And Harry.�

“’Night,� Harry answered, following Ron up to his room. When they had reached the door with The Chudley Cannons poster on it, Harry said, laughing,

“Ronald, you have a rather silly-looking smile on your face, and I don’t think it was from Fleur’s kiss.�

Ron’s ears, for the third time that day, went red.

___________________________________________________


-GRUNT!!-

Harry Potter woke with a start. It took him a while to work out where he was, but after a couple of confused minutes it registered in his brain that he was at the Burrow, in a sleeping bag in Ron’s room. And to the left of him, was the cause of his abrupt awakening; Ronald, who at that very moment let out another grunting snore.

Groaning and rubbing his eyes, Harry sat up, throwing a pillow at Ron, who yawned and muttered,

“Wazzamatta, Potter, it’s the middle of the night and I’m trying to sleep!�

Harry glanced at the telltale ray of sunshine snaking through a gap in the curtains.

“Oh yeah, sure it’s the middle of the night,� he said. “That’s why your mother is cooking bacon downstairs then, I guess…�

Ron sat up too at that, moaning, “Fine, I’m up for Merlin’s sake!�

Harry got dressed while Ron dozed, pulling on a pair of jeans and a green T-shirt.

“Ron, get up! I have to go and face your parents now, after the argument where I sounded like a stubborn brat, and you’re coming with me. Now get up!�

Harry left Ron’s bedroom, starting down the stairs. He met Bill halfway down, who was coming out of the bathroom with toothpaste down his pyjamas, who said sleepily,
“Harry, good morning!�
Before disappearing back into Percy’s old room, which now had the words ‘guest room’ written on a piece of wood and nailed to the door.

Harry continued down the stairs, passing Fred and George’s empty, cold-looking room, then Ginny’s flowery smelling one. He reached the bottom and paused, thinking about his entrance. Should he apologise for insisting to stay away from Hogwarts? Should he stay silent? Should he-

“Well go on then!�

Harry jumped about two feet into the air, and whirled around to meet Ron’s happy, although admittedly rather tired-looking face.

“Scared? Paranoid, much?� Ron asked, grinning.

“Shut up, you!� Harry said, returning his friends grin and pushing open the kitchen door. Inside was Hermione, Ginny, and instead of Mrs. Weasley magically frying the bacon, Mr. Weasley stood in her position.

“Dad?� Ron said, surprised. “You’re cooking breakfast?�

Mr. Weasley nodded. “Your mother wanted a lie-in, so I came down instead.�

The two boys sat down at the table. Hermione glanced worriedly at Harry’s face. He had small blue lines underneath his eyes, and his black hair was sticking up in a way that somehow made him look tired.

“Are you… Are you okay? You look like you didn’t have a good night’s sleep…� she asked.

Harry smiled. “Have you ever tried sleeping with someone who snores and snorts like a pig in the vicinity?�

“I do NOT!� came an indignant voice on Ron’s side of the table.

“You do,� said the unusually quiet voice of Ginny from next to him. Ron was in a huff all through breakfast and ate his fried bread in silence.

It was a half an hour before Bill finally came down, Fleur behind him. The couple sat down, and Mr. Weasley offered them something to eat. After being served, Bill turned to Harry.

“Eh, Potter, how about a friendly, mini Quidditch match in the yard after breakfast? Me and Ron against you and Gin’? Fair?�

“Fair!� Harry agreed on a happier note, laying his plate on the counter next to the sink.

___________________________________________________


After a while, the game drew to a close. Despite the ‘referee’ – Hermione –‘s short attention span on the game (she had ended up reading a book after just three and a half minutes), Harry and Ginny won, twenty goals against fifteen; three of which Ron had scored.

Soon enough, Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour’s wedding rolled around. Early in the morning, Harry, Ron, Bill, Fred and George (who had arrived by floo powder), Charlie (who had arrived from Romania), and Mr. Weasley were pulled into their suits first, before being shoved out of the house to head down to the church so that the girls could get ready in peace.

When Ginny came sleepily into the kitchen on Friday, the 25th of August, Mrs. Weasley was fussing around the wedding dress, sticking pins in it, and Fleur was arguing that Mrs. Weasley was doing it WRONG, and that she should just do it herself. Hermione was sitting next to Gabrielle Delacour, Fleur’s sister, holding her own dress and reading the newspaper, waiting for Mrs. Weasley to fit her.

“Morning, Ginny dear, your dress is over there, on the counter by the sink. I’ll do you after Hermione,� Mrs. Weasley said awkwardly, mouth full of pins.

Ginny nodded, and sat next to Hermione. “Where’s everyone else?�

“Oh,� Hermione answered. “They’ve gone.�

“GONE?� Ginny asked, positively alarmed.

“-To the church,� Hermione finished, flicking past the Quidditch section of the paper.

Ginny glanced over to her mother, and Fleur. Fleur’s wedding dress was traditional white, with a satin corset and long, fitted sleeves which flared at the cuff. There were small, very pale pink rosebuds around the hem and neck line. Her hair was down, one thick strand of it from the front pinned back with a large, glittery, pink-rose-covered clip. Just behind the hair clip was the start of a long, plain, white veil. She had decided that Ginny and Gabrielle were to wear thick, cream-coloured dresses, with thin straps, no sleeves. They were to have their hair up, but have matching hair clips as Fleur. The difference was that Ginny and Gabrielle’s were blue, to match their eyes.

When Fleur had decided that the dress was ready, Mrs. Weasley told her to go and wait outside in the warm sun for the car to arrive. There was no way that they were travelling to the church by floo powder; Fleur’s dress would be black with soot when they arrived. Broomsticks were out of the question; Bill had said so, and, strangely enough, the broom had gone missing from the house anyway.

Hermione’s dress was now being fixed up. She had chosen to wear a dark pink, thin dress. It had lighter pink flowers on it, and cascaded to her knees in delicate swirls of material. Mrs. Weasley had insisted that Hermione’s brown, shoulder-length, naturally wavy hair was beautiful untouched, and wouldn’t let her straighten it like she had for the Yule ball in fourth year. Instead, the front of her hair was to be scraped back, and held in place with a small pink bow. Seen as Hermione’s dress only needed to be adjusted at the hem, Mrs. Weasley was finished in seconds.

“Come on, Ginny dear, I’ve done Hermione’s adjustments, your turn.�

She adjusted Ginny and Gabrielle’s dresses together; they were almost perfect anyway. After fixing the girls’ hair and getting her maroon, frilly dress ready and on, Mrs. Weasley hustled the girls outside to Fleur. They waited a few moments, before, to the unsuspecting passengers’ delight, a stretch limo trundled down the muddy road.

“A limo?� Mrs. Weasley breathed. “But Arthur said…�

She was cut off as Gabrielle and Fleur rushed forwards to the car at the same time, colliding and nearly ripping their dresses. Eventually, they were untangled and the five were on their way to the church.

_____________________________________________________________________


A few hours later, everyone was busy chatting, dancing, and – in Ron's case – eating cake in the church hall, which was beautifully decorated. The wedding had gone perfectly; save for some awkwardness at the start, as Percy had been invited and had actually come. This was cue for more crying from Mrs. Weasley, and some major hugging.

Now, the priest was ushering everyone outside, where Bill stood on the grass, holding a broomstick. Fleur rushed over, asking him what he was doing and he began to make her get on. Suddenly they took off, the long, white material of Fleur’s dress flying behind them. Fred whispered something to George and George took something out of his pocket, and threw it in the air. It was small, gold, and you could only see it in the shine from the garden lights. It suddenly sprouted a pair of silver wings, and it reminded Harry strongly of the Golden Snitch. It flew over the flying couple before exploding into words over their heads: Just Married. The words were surrounded by little, mini Golden Snitches, flying in between them and zooming around like shooting stars.

The crowd of wedding guests on the ground burst into applause, and Harry could hear Ron saying excitedly to Fred,

“Whoa, how’d you make them, are they for sale at the shop? Wicked!�

“Yeah, little bro, it’s the ‘Weasley’s Wicked Weddings’ range. Developed ‘em just yesterday,� Fred was heard to reply.

Everyone was slowly drifting back in again, and music had started to play. Harry slowly walked over to the food table, taking one of the little, triangles shaped sandwiches and taking bite out of it, sitting at a nearby table. Hermione, who had previously been chatting away to George, came and sat next to him.

“Hi, Harry. Have you seen Ginny or Ron around?�

“Yeah, Ron’s over there,� Harry replied, pointing. “With Gabrielle Delacour and Charlie.�
Hermione glanced over, frowning slightly. “Harry, do you want to dance?� she asked, standing up and still staring at Ron.

Harry gave her a funny look. “Er… Okay.�

They stood, walking over to the wooden dance floor. Hermione placed her hands on Harry’s shoulders and they began to sway to the music. There was a thought at the back of Harry's mind that Hermione was closer than she should be, and noticed that she was turning slightly to still see Ron, who was now staring straight back, a sort of outraged look on his face. He stood, and came out onto the dance floor too, where he asked anxiously,

“Can- Can I take over? Dancing, I mean?�

Harry grinned and pushed Hermione slightly so that she was dancing with Ron instead. Wondering where the bathroom was, Harry drifted in the general direction of the food table again, where he bumped into Gabrielle, who was helping herself to some cake.

“’Arry Potter!� she exclaimed. “Ginny Weasley ees looking for you!�

“Where is she?� he asked, all thoughts of the bathroom gone from his mind.

“I zink I saw her outside still, Charlie went outside and I zink she will bee with him, waiting for Fleur to come back with Viktor.�

“Viktor?� Harry asked, surprised. “As in… Viktor Krum?�

“Yes, he got an invitation but he ees a bit late, so they are going to see where he ees. Also, they are going to find out eef Hagrid and Madame Maxime received zere invitation.�

“Oh, okay, I’ll go and speak to Ginny then, see you later,� Harry headed towards the large wooden door that led out onto the lawn. Ginny was sitting on a metal bench, on the patio tile at the back of the church, alone. Charlie was nowhere to be seen.
Harry moved forward and sat down next to her. She looked up and smiled.

“Gabrielle told me that you were looking for me…�

“Yeah. How… Are you? After everything, I mean?� Ginny asked.

“I suppose that I’m as good as I can be, considering the, you know, events of last year…� Harry answered.

“Oh- Oh, Harry. I’m so sorry,� Ginny murmured, laying a hand on his arm comfortingly. “I… I wish that you didn’t have to go through this. That none of us did. That…� Tears sprung to her eyes. “I didn’t have to go through it alone.�

Harry’s face changed. “What do you mean, ‘alone’?�

“Well you’re leaving me, aren’t you? You, Hermione, Ron. Everyone is. They’re packing me off to Hogwarts again, when it’s no safer there than it is here! You – all of you – are leaving me to face Hogwarts alone. ALONE, Harry.�

“I- No you’ll be with- Ginny, stop it!�

A small tear had slid from Ginny’s eye. Harry couldn’t take it. He leaned forward and pulled her into a hug. Her head was against his shoulder and more tears crept out. “Please, Harry, please don’t leave me… I l- We-,� Ginny stopped talking, and pulled out of the hug slightly, staring at Harry, studying his face. They were so close… Noses touching… Almost… Lips touching, now… Kissing… Ginny’s arms wrapping themselves around Harry’s neck… His hands on her waist… Tongues entwining… All of a sudden, his hands were on her arms, pushing her away, shaking his head. Her eyes showed confusion, anger, hurt.

“No… Ginny, stop it… We can’t!�

Ginny let out a small groan. “Wh-hy?� She hated how whiney she sounded.

“You know why. The same reason we broke up at the end of the term,� Harry answered.

“Look, Harry, I will do whatever I can to persuade you, you know I will! You just tell me reasons we can’t be together and I’ll tell you why we can!�

“Voldemort,� Harry was surprised that Ginny didn’t flinch at the name, but continued. “Will use our relationship to get to me!�

“For Gods sake, Harry, get it through your thick head! I DON'T CARE! He’ll use me anyway! He’s not stupid, he knows what we feel for each other, even just as friends and he used me before! I’ve got as much a chance of being hurt as Ron and Hermione, and everyone else who knows you, has! Merlin Harry, just listen to me,� Ginny paused, before finishing, barely audibly, with, “Let me love you… Please.�

Harry stared into her eyes, and for once, had nothing to argue back about. However much he wanted to protect her, she was right. Everyone he knew was in as much danger as her, but for some reason he hadn’t been able to realise that. Ginny leaned forward again, searching his green eyes for any sign of anger or resentment. She found none. Her eyes flicked to his lips once before she kissed his again, more forcefully than last time. The two wrapped their arms around each other tightly, deepening the kiss. After a couple of minutes of frantic, rather lustful kissing, – as if they were never going to see each other again – Harry pulled away, whispering, “I’ll never leave you, I promise…�

Harry suddenly saw something moving in the far corner of his eye; it was rather large, and seemed to be coming closer. He untangled himself from Ginny and peered into the dark sky.

“What in good Merlin’s name is that?�

Ginny looked up, and stared at the object for a while, before muttering, “Is that-? No, it can’t be… Oh my God, it is!�

Harry looked at her blankly. “What?�

“Look at closer, really look, it has wings!�

And it had. He was sure that he had seen something similar to this before, in their fourth year. His thoughts were confirmed as it got even closer, and he could hear the steady beat of around six large pairs of wings. It was Madame Maxime’s six giant, winged horses, pulling the huge carriage which, Harry supposed, was carrying her and Hagrid. The carriage, which had been descending a little more every second, eventually landed on the ground. There was a small silence, before the doors were opened, and out strode Madame Maxime, Hagrid, Fleur, Bill – holding a broomstick – and finally, last of all, Viktor Krum.