The Chamber and Beyond Chapter 5: Ch5 Goodbye For Now, a harry potter fanfic

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. I had major writer's block and it took me a long time to rediscover my muse. I did use the time that I was not writing to catch up on reading other stories that I have neglected to keep myself current on. I'm glad to be back writing this story; however, I feel that there isn't much more to it; maybe 4 more chapters including this one. I will make a sequel to this story and it will be set in either Harry's 5th or 6th year, I still haven't decided exactly which yet. The sequel will probably be rated M for more adult content. I apologize to everyone for not updating sooner; anyone who is an author knows that when you hit writer's block it takes some time to get past it. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Be sure to review.

Jon

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The Chamber and Beyond

Ch. 5

Goodbye for Now...

The remaining days spent at Hogwarts were some of the best of Ginny's life. Harry and she would rarely be seen apart from one another. They spent afternoons out on the grounds by the lake, while they spent evenings curled up next to the fire playing games like exploding snaps and wizard's chess, or just engaging in conversations about their lives growing up.

She couldn't believe that not only was she not making a fool of herself in front of Harry but that he was actively trying to be her friend. Of course this made her like him even more, after everything that happened over the past few weeks her feelings had changed towards the scruffy haired boy with the piercing green eyes. He was her best friend, he was her confidant, he was her savoir from the horrors that could have befallen her had she not been saved from the chamber of secrets, he was everything to her and there was not a moment gone by that she wasn't thinking about him. Generva no longer had a mere crush on Harry that's for sure, even at such a young age she had fallen for her black haired, green eyed, knight in shinning armor. Now how long it was going to take her to realize herself how deep her feelings really went for the young man was a different story.

Similar things could be said for Harry, he had grown attached to the youngest Weasley as well. There were things that he shared with her that he just couldn't with the others, Ron especially. Ron was his best mate and everything but there were just certain things that Harry didn't feel comfortable about sharing with him or Hermione, but with Ginny it was different. She was different from everyone he had encountered in the wizardry world so far. She didn't judge or pity him because of how he was treated when growing up. She didn't look up at his scar in awe anymore every time they encountered each other, even if she had when they had first met, in fact every time that she saw it nowadays a sad look would cross her face because she new that in exchange for that scar and the fame that came with it Harry had lost his whole world, the world that he had the possibility of experiencing where he grew up with loving parents and maybe even some siblings instead of the horrid relatives that he had to endure for the last 12 years. She saw him for who he was, not what fame made him out to be and that was refreshing for a change.

Needless to say neither of them wanted the school year to end because that would mean that they would have to go their separate ways, even if just for a little while. But even they best of times must come to a close eventually.

It was the morning of the returning trip to Kings Cross Station and everyone was trying to make the best of their few remaining moments together until they all returned after the summer holidays.

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Ron watched Harry pack his bags his mind going back and forth on what he was about to say to his best friend. You see contrary to popular belief Ron was not an idiot, although he did do and say stupid things sometimes he was still perceptive about the goings on of things around him, he noticed the inordinate amount of time that Harry and Ginny had been spending together and he noticed how close they had become. His big brother nature didn't like any guy spending 'quality time' with his little sister, even if the guy just happened to be his best friend. Deciding to start with a tactful approach he opened up a conversation with a simple statement.

"These last few days have been great haven't they, It seems like its been forever since the whole ordeal with the Chamber of Secrets instead of less then a week." said Ron hopping that Harry would take the bait so that they could get to the subject matter that Ron really wished to talk about.

"Yah it's been great, time really has been flying by hasn't it." said Harry as he placed more of his clothes neatly in his trunk.

Ron gave an inward smile, 'good, he took the bait now I just need to steer the conversation towards Ginny.' "I noticed that you've been spending a lot of time with Ginny lately, what brought on the sudden change. I know you wanted to be a better friend to her and get to know her better but recently it's like you two are never apart; Hermione and I hardly even see you anymore."

Harry stopped packing for a moment to contemplate his answer. "I'm not sure exactly why but I have this constant need to be around her. I have so much fun when we're together; I forget about all the pressures and bad things in life: from something as simple as exams and having to go back and deal with my relatives over summer to something as major as the fact that I have an evil wizard out there who wants me dead. She makes me smile even when I feel like I'll never be happy again. I just can't put words to the feeling I get when she's around." With that Harry went back to packing his stuff without even looking at Ron to see his reaction to what he said.

Ron stood there shocked at what Harry just said. He didn't know what Harry was going to say as a response to his question but he certainly did not expect to hear that. None the less he gave himself a mental shake and continued on with what he wanted to say. "Harry, don't take this as an attack on your personality because I know you're a really good guy; this is just my big brother nature kicking in. There aren't many things I would kill for but I would go to the end of the earth and back to protect my baby sister from any type of hurt that she could possibly encounter." Ron paused to let this statement sink in.

At first Harry was confused about what Ron was getting at but as he turned around and saw Ron staring at him with determination on his face he understood what he meant. 'He thinks there is something going on between me and Ginny, something more then just friendship, and he's afraid that I might hurt her emotionally.' "Ron, I assure you, Ginny and I are just friends; really good friends, but friends none-the-less."

"Are you sure?" said Ron. He wanted to believe Harry, but even he saw the looks that Harry gave his sister and they didn't appear to be looks that one friend would give another.

"I swear to you Ron nothing is going on." said Harry. He was shocked by the amount of protectiveness that Ron was showing for Ginny. 'He must really care for her a lot. I think the event with the Chamber of Secrets has increased his need to keep Ginny out of harms way, even if he was going a little overboard at the moment; after all this is me were talking about, I would never do anything to hurt Ginny.'

Ron looked at Harry skeptically but he decided to take his word for it. "Alright Harry, I believe you." 'But you better believe that I'm going to keep a close eye on you as far as my sister is concerned.' he added as a mental after note. 'I should talk to Hermione and get her take on the subject, she can give me a girls perspective on things not to mention she is more perceptive then I am; I'm more of a punch first ask questions latter kind of guy.' A smile crossed Ron's features as he thought about Hermione. (I know this is a HarryxGinny fic but I couldn't help myself, I'm even thinking of adding a RonxHermione chapter, mostly just to make the fic longer because I feel I'm running out of things to write which seems to happen a lot when you first start out writing)

"What are you smiling about?" Harry was confused at how Ron could go from all serious to grinning like a kid in a candy store so quickly.

"What?... Oh nothing." said Ron blushing and turning away. 'What's wrong with me I shouldn't be thinking about things like that?'

"Whatever, lets just get back to packing otherwise we'll miss the train." said Harry starting to get annoyed but still relieved that Ron backed off about the time that Ginny and him were spending together.

"Yah, your right" said Ron as he turned back to finish packing his own things.

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Back up in the Girls dormitories Ginny and Hermione were having a similar conversation.

The two girls sat on Ginny's bed in the deserted dormitory talking to one another having already finished their packing due to Hermione's constant need to do things early; they had ended up packing last night.

"So you and Harry have been spending a lot of time together. What exactly have you two been doing?" Hermione said giving Ginny a suggestive wink which made Ginny blush and look down at her hands.

"We haven't been doing anything like that. (I'm referring to kissing here! Get your minds out of the gutters, remember she's 11 and Harry's 12 there way to young for stuff like that) In fact I'm really not sure of his feelings towards me. He's been really nice and we have a lot of fun together but he hasn't hinted towards anything beyond friendship, I'm afraid he'll never feel the same way about me that I feel about him. I'm beginning to think it's a lost cause." said Ginny sadness and defeat in her voice.

Hermione felt bad for her new friend. In the short time that Hermione had spent with Ginny over the last couple of days, and I mean really short because Harry took up most of Ginny's time, she has started to think of her like a sister. Hermione had fun hanging out with Ron and Harry but she needs a girl to talk to and confide in. Ginny was just that girl, she could be there for her and vice versa. "Come on Gin I'm sure he'll come around. I see the way he looks at you, its obvious he cares, maybe he just hasn't realized it himself yet." said Hermione as she embraced the smaller girl.

"It's just so hard, having these feelings for someone and having no way of knowing if those feelings are returned. It's just hard sometimes when we're talking, or playing games, or even just sitting in silence and he looks over at me and smiles it lifts up my heart and shatters it at the same time thinking that he only cares about me as just a friend... a friend like you or Ron. You have no idea what that feels like." Ginny said in an exasperated tone.

Ginny's statement hit Hermione hard, it's almost word for word exactly how she felt about a certain one of her friends. She knew exactly how Ginny was feeling but had no idea how to fix it because she was struggling with the same thing herself.

Hermione sighed, "Just give him time Ginny, he'll realize what he's missing and come to you, just wait and see. Guys can be slow that way; you just have to give them time to figure things out for themselves. Now let's get our stuff and head down to the common room and wait for the boys, no doubt their still packing because they waited to the last minute."

The girls giggled and got off the bed. They grabbed their trunks and Hermione did some quick charm work to levitate them down the staircase to the common room. (I realized that I didn't have any magic in any of my chapters and since this is about wizards and witches I felt that I should add some spells here and there)

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As Ron and Harry were about to leave the boys dormitory Neville came up carrying a message with him.

"Hey Harry I ran into professor Dumbledore as I was leaving the great hall after breakfast and he asked me to give this to you." He handed it to Harry and Harry unraveled it with curiosity. Once Harry had the note opened he read it out loud so the other two would know what the message said.

"Harry, I'd be very appreciative if you would stop by my office so we could have a chat before you head down to the station to return home for your summer holiday. Albus Dumbledore. P.S. I enjoy licorice wands. " Harry finished reading the note out loud and looked up at the other two.

Ron was the first one to speak, "What's with the part about licorice wands?" Harry gave Ron a look silently wondering how Ron could be anymore dense sometimes, "It's the password to get into his office Ron."

"Oh! Makes sense," said Ron as he finally made the connection.

"I wonder what Dumbledore wants to talk to you about Harry?" said Neville looking between Harry and the note curiously.

"Not sure, I guess I'll just have to go and find out," replied Harry and with that he sprinted off down the staircase to the boys dormitory, out the portrait hole and off towards Dumbledore's office.

Harry arrived outside of the stone gargoyle slightly out of breath. He bent over taking in deep gulps of air for a minute before standing up erect, giving the stone gargoyle the password and ascending the revolving stone staircase that lead up to Dumbledore's office. Once in front of the door he took a moment to compose himself before knocking three times, even though he had been in here before being asked to come here for a private chat with the headmaster was a slightly nerve-racking experience for the second year.

Harry heard a polite, "you may enter," come from the other side of the door and Harry slowly opened it to reveal Dumbledore sitting at his desk examining the old diary that had until recently contained the memories of Tom Riddle.

"Ah Harry glad you could make it, I was concerned that my note may have not made it to you in time before your boarded the train home, please sit down," said Dumbledore in a pleasant tone of voice.

Harry crossed the room and sat in the chair on the other side of Dumbledore's desk and looked up expectantly.

"I noticed you've been spending a lot of time with Miss Weasley recently, you two are becoming quite close aren't you?" asked Dumbledore.

Harry as a bit confused what this had to do with the reason Dumbledore asked him to come to his office to talk about but he decided to answer truthfully, besides he had the feeling that he wouldn't be able to put one over on Dumbledore, "yes we've become really good friends."

Dumbledore smiled warmly and that ever present twinkle that as in his eye shone brightly. "I'm glad to hear that Harry, I can't think of a better friend that Miss Weasley could possibly have. As her friend I'm sure you feel protective of her correct? You wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her?" said Dumbledore in a semi-serious tone.

It was at this point that Harry went passed mere confusion into full on bewilderment. 'What was Dumbledore trying to say, was Ginny in Danger somehow?' Thinking about Ginny possibly in danger caused Harry to jump up from his seat, "What do you mean sir, is Ginny in trouble? I thought with the Diary destroyed and the Basilik dead she was safe. There couldn't possibly be something else after her could there be?" His words came rushing out so fast that all of his questions seemed to blur together.

Dumbledore just chuckled and motioned for Harry to sit back down but then his face took on a serious expression. "No Harry it's nothing like that though I fear that her experience with the diary and with Tom Riddle may have changed her forever… I'm sure she's been having nightmares am I correct?"

Harry wondered how Dumbledore could know this but again he decided to stick with the truth even though Ginny had promised him not to tell anyone, if the headmaster could possibly help her with her nightmares then maybe it was worth betraying her confidence in this small matter, he just wanted her to be okay. "She has sir, she promised me not to tell anyone… Is there anyway you can help her make her nightmares go away?"

Dumbledore sighed, "I'm afraid not Harry only a dreamless sleep potion can do that but I would not suggest it, they are terribly addictive if taken regularly and if you accidentally take too much there is a possibility that you may never wake up. No there is no magic that can help Miss Weasley with her nightmares but I do believe that you may be able to be of some service to her in the management of her nightmares."

Harry went back to his confused state once again which seemed to happen a lot during his conversations with the headmaster, "How could I possibly help her sir?"

"Harry what I'm about to tell you is to stay between you and me," said Dumbledore, "I fear that Miss Weasley is not yet ready to hear the truth. I believe that when Voldemort possessed Miss Weasley through the use of the diary that another thing also took place. You see Voldemort needed Miss Weasley's strength in order to escape the diary but in return when the diary was destroyed I think that some of Voldemort's abilities may have transferred to Miss Weasley without her knowledge. The only other person that this has happened to in history is you Harry so I think you would be the perfect person to help Miss Weasley through the changes she might go through in the near future." said Dumbledore as he stared over his half-moon spectacles at Harry.

"So Ginny is going to be like me?" asked Harry trying to process the situation.

"I do not know the extent of which powers Miss Weasley may have acquired Harry so I can not say as to whether or not she will have the same gifts that you do. I do suggest that you keep an eye out for the emergence of these powers though, I have a feeling she'll be terrible confused and maybe even frightened by it and she'll want a friend there to help her through it. I will be keeping an eye out as well rest assured but I think that having you there is the best solution because after all nobody knows better what it's like to have Voldemort's gifts like you do Harry." said Dumbledore in all seriousness.

Harry thought over everything that Dumbledore had just shared with him before he answered, "If you think that me being there will help her then I'll do my best professor although I would have done everything in my ability to help Ginny anyway."

"That's just what I wanted to hear Harry," said Dumbledore smiling, "No I think you better run along back to the Gryffindor common room to collect your belongings and head down to the train before you miss your ride back."

"Okay professor," Harry said as he got up and exited the room. Harry descended the spiral staircase and sprinted off towards the common room to meet up with Ron, Hermione and Ginny before heading down to the gates to take the carriages to Hogsmeade station.

Harry entered the portrait hole to see Ron, Hermione and Ginny waiting for him in the common room with all of there luggage already with them, Harry noticed that Ron had brought down his things for him and he smiled at him in appreciation. "You ready to go mate?" said Ron, "If we don't head down now we're going to miss the train."

Harry looked at them all, his eyes lingering on Ginny, before replying that he was ready. Together they sprinted down the staircases, through the entrance hall, and towards the gates at the end of the school grounds. They barely made it in time to catch the last carriage before it took off down to Hogsmeade Station. As they were heading down the winding dirt road they all turned back to look at the castle as it began to shrink away in the distance.

"You know in spite of all the things that happened this year I'm going to miss being here." said Ginny as she turned back around to face the rest of the occupants of the carriage.

"I know what you mean, Hogwarts is my home, I can't stand having to leave and go back to the Dursley's." Said Harry a scowl on his face.

"Well at least look at it this way, I'm sure you wont have to stay at your aunt and uncle's all summer. We'll probably come get you so that you can stay with us for part of the Holidays, Hermione too." said Ron trying to lighten the mood.

"That would be great!" said Harry smiling. Harry took one last look at the castle, "I wonder if we will ever have a normal school year, with no evil wizards or monsters out to get us?"

"As long as your here Harry I doubt it." replied Ron in a joking tone.

The carriage stopped in front of the train and the four friends stepped out and into the crowd of students waiting to board.

They boarded the train and grabbed a compartment together. Harry sat across from Ginny and she shot a radiant smile his way. His thoughts strayed to everything Dumbledore had told him about hat Ginny might be in store for in the days, weeks, months and even years to come. He then made a promise to himself that not matter what happened he'd be there to help her through whatever she needed.

The rest of the trip to King's Cross Station Harry and Ginny spent in comfortable silence as they listened to Hermione talk about what she had planned with her parents during this summer vacation as well as Ron rattle off a list of things that they should do once they came over to visit for the rest of summer vacation.

The train slowly came to a halt and they grabbed their stuff as the disembarked the train to meet up with their respective families. Harry, Ron and Ginny bid Hermione goodbye as she headed through the barrier to meet her parents who ere waiting for her on the other side. Harry then turned to Ron and said his goodbyes before he went to join his family. Ginny was the last to say her goodbyes to Harry.

Ginny stepped forward and embraced Harry in a tight hug before she spoke, "Promise me you'll write to me this summer." She looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"Of course I will Gin, every week." Harry said as he smiled don at her.

She smiled back before tightening the hug for a second and then letting go. "I'm sure we'll invite you over really soon, I hope the Dursleys aren't too horrible to you while you're there," she said to him as she stepped away.

"They will be, but I can handle it," said Harry as he gave her a cocky grin, "I can't wait to see you again over the summer; I'll be counting the days."

She beamed up at him then stood on her tippy-toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. As she pooled away they both had a slight red tint to their faces and averted their eyes from one another.

"I'll miss you Harry, take care," said Ginny as she began to walk away from him and towards her family.

"I'll miss you too Gin!" Harry yelled back as he turned towards the barrier that he knew his relatives stood right on the other side of awaiting his arrival.

He sighed and took a step forward, 'this is going to be a long summer,' he though and he took a step through the barrier.

A/N: Well I do believe that this is the longest chapter that I have written so far and I'm very, very pleased with how it turned out. Your opinions may vary however and I am always open to constructive criticism. It may be a long time before I update again. My heart has just not been in anything lately, relationship problems have been turning me into the stereotypical mope who doesn't want to leave his bed everyday to go to work or see anybody or be upheld to any of my other responsibilities… But you never know maybe I'll have the drive to write some more soon, again I apologize to all of my faithful readers who had to wait such a long time for me to update my story. Again thanks for reading and be sure to review.

Jon