Notes: This was written as a challenge for the Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley fic-a-fest challenge community on livejournal several months ago. Lyrics from the song "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" by Bryan Adams. Enjoy!

I Do It For You

Harry felt oddly out of place as he stood off to the side of the dance floor, watching the other wedding guests mingle and dance, as he waited for Ron to return with a new round of butterbeer.

Attending weddings was not something Harry thought he was particularly good at, even though the only previous wedding he'd attended was that of Ron's brother Bill to the former Fleur Delacour. He felt awkward being part of a celebration for two people whom he had never met, but realized that there were plenty of Weasley and Prewett cousins that he still did not know, and Ginny and Mrs. Weasley had insisted that he come along ("Honestly, Harry, you've got to meet them all at some point." Ginny had said).

He scanned the room quickly and his eyes fell on Ginny, looking absolutely stunning in a deep blue satin gown, her red hair cascading down her shoulders, talking animatedly with her mother, Hermione, and the bride, whose name Harry was ashamed to admit he couldn't remember. Harry mentally added that to the list of reasons why he was not good at weddings.

Ron rejoined him after a long while, and passed Harry one of the butterbeers he was holding. Harry took it and drank appreciatively, feeling slightly more relaxed.

Ron nodded over to where Hermione, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley were all admiring the bride's gown. "What do you reckon they're talking about?"

Harry shrugged. "Girl things, most likely." He nodded politely as one of Ron's relatives passed by.

"Probably planning our own weddings, I expect." Ron said after a drink. Harry nodded, as there was probably some truth in this, especially if Mrs. Weasley were involved.

"And isn't it bad luck or something like that to plan them before there's even an engagement?" Ron continued and took a long drink of his butterbeer.

"I don't know really, but nothing makes your Mum happier than having something to plan." Harry answered.

They continued to watch the dancers from the sidelines, and Harry couldn't help but remember how they had spent the entirety of the Yule Ball during their fourth year at Hogwarts doing exactly the same thing. The only difference was that this time their dates hadn't gone off with other blokes.

Harry turned to Ron to say something, but stopped short as a soft, melodic piano intro tickled his ears. He knew that song. He had heard it when he was a kid, only he couldn't think of where exactly he had heard it. He looked at Ron, completely bewildered. "Your cousin listens to Muggle music?"

"He's a Weasley. Most of us have our own little fascinations with Muggles." Ron answered as Harry looked away distractedly; Ginny had caught his eye as the song had started.

"I'll be back in a minute." Harry said and set his butterbeer down on an empty table and started toward Ginny.

He wasn't sure what it was about the song that gave him the urge to dance, because dancing was the one thing that Harry just didn't do. But there was something so inexplicably perfect and familiar about the song, and sharing a dance with Ginny was the only thing Harry wanted just then.

He reached Ginny's side and took her hand into his. He spoke quietly as he asked, "Can I have this dance?"

Ginny looked up at Harry in surprise and nodded as he led her out to the floor. He slipped his arm around her waist and drew her close until her body was flush against his.

Ginny rested her hand on Harry's shoulder and looked him fully in the eye. "You never dance, Harry." she whispered with a smile.

Harry kissed her softly in answer and continued to sway slowly with her in his arms, marveling at the way she fit perfectly into them, and how the top of her head fit just below his chin when she laid her head against his shoulder. He held her tighter as he curled their clasped hands in towards him, resting Ginny's palm flat against his chest. Ginny closed her eyes as Harry softly hummed the melody into her ear, and smiled, losing herself completely in him.

Harry allowed his eyes to close and his mind to wander, as the final chorus flooded his mind.

"Yeah, I would fight for you."

The Chamber of Secrets had been opened after a half-century, and no one knew who was behind it. Who was the heir of Slytherin? All hands pointed to Harry, and there was nothing he could do to prove otherwise. For all he, or anyone else, knew, he could be. And he had been able to enter The Chamber and fight two demons at once; a deadly Basilisk and Tom Riddle, the man who would later become Lord Voldemort, who had used the memories of a diary to act through Ginny. Destroying the diary was the only way to release Ginny from the terrible power that had reigned over her and save her life. The Basilisk's venomous fang had pierced the diary, destroying the memories held within forever.

The prophecy felt awkward and slippery in his hand. What could it possibly hold that was so important? The manic voice of Bellatrix Lestrange rang in his ear as she and her fellow Death Eaters began to close in around Ginny. He instinctively stepped between them, the prophecy still visible in front of his chest. All he could do was wait for the right moment to strike. But for now, at least, Ginny had all the protection she needed.

The Great Hall was filled with people, dueling and casting curses, some to kill, some to injure, and still others to simply disarm. Harry cast Shield Charm after Shield Charm, and spun just in time to see a flash of green light illuminate the hall. His breath caught somewhere in his chest as the curse just barely breezed past Ginny. Mrs. Weasley's voice rang through the hall and he saw Bellatrix fall. Voldemort was in a fury. He stood alone.

"PROTEGO!" Harry shouted, and the Cloak fell away from him as the shield expanded throughout the hall, and he knew Ginny and the others were safe.

He and Voldemort began to circle, and it was the beginning of the end.

"I'd lie for you."

Umbridge had been in a rampage about 'suspected illicit activities' at Hogwarts. Oh, if she had only known what had been happening behind her back. Left and right students were questioned, all with the same results. Ginny had maintained a resolute attitude of quiet defiance when she had been called in for her time of questioning. She had looked Umbridge directly in the eye and claimed she knew of nothing as the small coin in her pocket began to warm; the DA would be meeting later in the evening.

"Walk the wire for you."

Ginny was growing restless. The war continued on, and as each day passed with no news of Harry, her heart leapt. But it made her long to see him, to touch him, to confirm for herself that he was still alive, still searching for a way to defeat Voldemort. Ginny sighed, pacing in front of her aunt's sitting room window. Harry had given her up to protect her. To wait for him was no small sacrifice of her happiness, but it would be worth it in the end. It had to be.

"Yeah, I'd die for you."

The forest was dark as Harry watched the small group of Death Eaters around the fire, all certain that he had run for it to save his own skin. He pulled the Cloak from around him and slid it under his shirt before stepping out from the trees. He would die for those who had given their lives to protect his. And he would die to protect the lives of those still fighting for him, but for one more than others. Ginny filled his entire being as a flash of green light rushed at him and hit him squarely in the chest. His body went rigid, his knees buckled, and he fell to the ground, motionless.

As the words faded away into melody once more, Harry understood, as he wrapped his arms fully around Ginny, the connections, both obvious and subtle, that had seamlessly joined his life with hers. Circumstances had forced them apart, and had brought them back together, always stronger than before.

And they danced, just the two of them, wrapped up in each other and swaying slowly, lost in a moment that was completely and wholly their own, where no one else existed, long after the last melodic notes had died away.

A/N: Thanks for reading. Whether you liked or disliked, please take just a moment to leave a review. Writers live and die by the feedback of their readers. Cheers.