Inspired by the song Give me Love by Ed Sheeran

June 20th 1997

She refused to cry. Even though it hurt, it hurt more than she wanted to admit. After a few glorious weeks the sky had fallen. Dumbledore was dead. Snape and Malfoy had escaped to their master. And now Ginny was sitting alone, having been broken up with, at a funeral no less.

'I mean really,' Ginny couldn't help but think bitterly. 'He could have at least done it somewhere else.'

She knew better of course. He needed to do it now or he never would. She had seen it coming since that night, but she had hoped he would back out. Of course, because it was Harry, that didn't happen.

At least he didn't say it was because he didn't feel for her anymore. In truth he said it was because he cared for her too much. 'That didn't make it easier,' again bitter thoughts ran through her head. People all around her were moving, back towards the castle, to the gates to leave the grounds, but she remained in her seat watching the three figures in the distance walking around the lake.

They would have each other: Harry, Ron, and Hermione. That was at least a small comfort to Ginny. But deep down she wish she could be the one to help him, be the one he relied on. They had talked often during their walks around the lake. They talked about their fears, their desires, their passions. He claimed during one of these walks, that she was a great source of comfort for him, but she craved to do more for him.

She wanted to be there with the three of them right now, conspiring the next form of action. But here she was, on the side, just like it always had been. She had thought, hoped, that when she started dating Harry he would bring her into their group. He had opened himself to her, but there was still something that was plaguing him, that he didn't talk about.

She once asked about it, as they sat in the grass; him playing with her hair and her with her back resting against his chest. He had frozen at her question, his breath holding. He told her he wasn't allowed to tell her, that Dumbledore said not to tell anyone about it. He claimed the exception being Ron and Hermione.

At the time Ginny had reassured Harry, telling him it was fine and he let his breath go. Inside, however, Ginny felt saddened. She wanted to be apart of his life, every aspect, but he blocked her from this point.

Now here she was, completely kicked wasn't going to see him for months, that being if he could come to the Burrow during the summer. All she could do was wait. Wait for him to finish it all, everything he didn't tell her. She knew she didn't have to wait, but she was going to. She had gotten a taste of the life she always wanted, and nothing else would be satisfactory to her.

Ginny stood from her chair. She saw Neville and Luna standing to the side looking at her. She figured they knew, she must be easy to read. Making her way over to them, they smiled at her and together they made their way to collect their stuff for the train ride back to London.

July 30th 1997

She couldn't help but watch him, every time she saw him was like a breath of cold air. Sharp against her lungs, but necessary. After the rocky rescue mission, all Ginny wanted to do was be with him. All she wanted to do was hold him, make sure he was still, Harry.

He took it all to heart. Hedwig, Mad Eye, George's ear. He was so young, but there was so much pressure on his shoulders. Ginny had noticed it throughout their time together last year. Sometimes he would just look off into the distance, his brow pressed together. Back then Ginny could distract him, in more ways than one, but now she was powerless to help. These days he didn't want to look her in the eyes.

They never had problems looking each other in the eyes. They use to sit around the fire, talking about anything and everything, and they would never lose eye contact. It was a way to reach Harry. His face might be stone, but his eyes showed all he was feeling. Now he refused to let her see his real self, he hid himself from her.

Eventually he slipped up saying he what he was going to do, making he even more tight lipped.

Fear was gripping at her heart, as she tried to act normal. She didn't want to set off her mother, more than she already was. But it was hard, the man she had been with, the man she cared for was going after the most dangerous dark wizard of all time. She didn't know how to deal with all the emotions she was facing. She was scared for him, she was angry at him, she was worried with him. She wanted to cry, she wanted to punch him, but most of all she wanted to hold him. She wanted to keep him safe.

August 2nd 1997

Tears of pain fell from her eyes. The wedding was destroyed, and the guests were interrogated. Of course, the death eaters had their own way of question a suspect, one that the old Ministry wouldn't approve of. Ginny was one of those lucky few, who were treated as such. All her family had been asked about "Potter".

She did her duty, she told them nothing. She claimed he broke up with her and that she couldn't stand to be near him anymore. Her prosecutor believed her, but that didn't stop him from using his interrogation methods for a short time, but Ginny was strong. She decide right then and there that she would be strong for him. She would spend the year supporting his cause in any way she could. She was going to be apart of his corner. She would show him love, even if he wasn't able to accept it.

October 25th 1997

All she wanted was to stop feeling the way she did. She felt like she was on the verge of breaking into a million pieces. Harry had been gone for months and there hadn't been a word on him since September, and the last word had not been positive.

She sat by the fire in the Gryffindor Common Room, well late into the evening. The clock that sat above the fireplace had broken, making it so the only sound in the room was the crackling of the flames. Oddly it brough Ginny comfort, without the ticking it made it seem as if time was frozen. It was as if there was nothing but the small room filled with couches, chairs, tables, and a warm fire.

That wasn't true, just looking over to one of the tables showed the outside condition. Newspapers piled up, so people could find information on their families. Wanted posters for the undesirable number one littered the tables, as well. Just seeing his name on the dirty paper twisted Ginny's gut.

She knew he was hidden, if they had captured or killed him it would be headline news, so for now he safe, as safe as he could be. But sometimes it was still hard to breath. She knew she needed to be tough, for everyone who needed hope, but how was she supposed to have hope? Sure, he wasn't dead or captured, but who knew what he was dealing with? She surely didn't. Everyday she was afraid to see what new thing would be thrown at her.

Ginny rubbed her hands over her face. She needed to stop thinking like this. Her heart was still beating, her mind was still strong, she could still fight for what was right. She could still hold on to the idea of him, she could still believe that he was going to stop it all. She had to believe and help other believe as well.

December 25th 1997

Subdue wasn't a strong enough word for her family on Christmas Day. Ginny's mother, whose face was thinning with worry, seemed unable to bring herself to her usual cheer. Her father, who was normally quiet, barely spoke. Even the rambunctious twins were sat calmly by the fire, making small talk instead of cracking jokes.

Bill didn't come with Fleur, claiming they wanted a small affair for their first Christmas. Remus and Tonks were focused with the preparations of their baby. Percy didn't even try to make contact.

Ginny wished she knew where her brother, her best friend, and ex boyfriend were. Morale was dropping everyday for her, and she didn't know how to bring it back up. It was impossible to stop her imagination from running wild, thinking the worst case scenario.

All Ginny could do was fight and hope. If it had been her, if she was out trying to end Voldemort, Harry would have been supporting her in every way he could. She had tried with the sword, but even though that had failed she could at least help Hogwarts be strong against the Carrows tyranny.

She watched the coals of the fire die down as the night progressed. All she could do was pray, pray that Harry was succeeding with his plan. Hope that it was all going to end soon.

April 8th 1998

All she wanted was to see them with her own eyes, but no one would accept that. They just wanted to hide her in Muriel's house and never let her out of their sight. Bill had rushed them away from the Burrow saying Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been captured making it so the family couldn't act like Ron was up in his room ill with spattergroit.

From that point on Ginny's mother was on full alert. She kept Ginny and the twins on lockdown. This mixed with the fact that she knew the trio was almost within her grasp made Ginny more irritable than ever, something Fred was happy to point out to her.

Was it to much to ask, to go and say hello and give each one a hug? Ginny didn't think so, her mother had other thoughts. In the end she decided to write a letter. A letter to each one of her friends currently hidden at Shell Cottage. She started with Dean, saying she was happy he was alive. Next was Ron, claiming she missed him and calling him a prat for being away for so long.

Luna and Hermione each got a long explanation of how much she missed them and how she worried for them everyday she didn't see them. When she finally reached the letter for Harry she had a hard time writing all her thoughts down. It had been awhile since she open up that door. She had tried to lock it away, but now she knew he was alive everything came back to her. It flooded her mind like a river during a extreme storm; overflowing into areas where it shouldn't.

In the end she decided to throw all the letters into the fire. Just writing down her thoughts had helped her worried and imprisoned mind, but they didn't need to be distracted. She wanted him to focus on the task he set out on. He needed to be the stone cold face he present himself with. Having placed her feeling into words had made her realise that even though it had been a while since she saw him, talked to him, held him, kissed him she still felt the same about him, if not even stronger.

May 1st 1998

The sight of him hit her like a tsunami, powerful and devastating. There he was beaten and battered. Injuries covered his body. He was a mess, but just seeing him letting their eyes meet… Something that had been pressing on her heart seemed to lift slightly. Here he was alive.

He was still a man on a mission. He was like well casted spell, unable to be redirected. He left her sight again, this time with Luna and the tension returned to her chest. She focused on what was being said around her. Her family had arrived, her mother trying to send her away, but it was Harry's return that that made the voice and people around her fade ever so slightly. When he sided against her fighting, it was like a slap to the face.

He was the boy who trained her to fight, so why was he against it. She wanted to prove that she had spent the last months being loyal to him and the cause, but he denied her that right. Anger rose in her like a balloon, and stayed until Harry had already left and returned again. He told her to leave the room and then come back in.

'Like that was gonna happen,' She thought as she left behind Tonks.

Then everything happened in bright flashes, time non existent. She watched people give it everything they had, regular people turning into the defenders of Hogwarts. When the rest was called she welcomed it gratefully, until she discovered who was apart of the fallen.

May 2nd 1998 Midnight

Every time she blinked she felt a tear in her eyes. There was her brother, her favorite teacher, and someone she considered to be an idol. They were gone. Her chest was more constricted than ever. All she wanted was to curl up, to try and stop seeing it all. She removed herself from the sight and helped with what she could, the best distraction she could come up with. Numbly she was aware of the time, the hour they were given was up and yet there was no signs of fighting.

When the words were spoken she didn't believe them, she blindly headed towards the forest, where he was said to be. It wasn't the sight that broke her, she couldn't really see him over everyone else. It was the sounds that came out of his best friends. Their strangled cries of his name, made her know that it was real. And yet it was a nightmare, her worst one.

Her knees wanted to give way, but someone held her up. After spending so long hoping and praying, and now it felt over. Her reason for fighting laying in Hagrid's arms. Cold went from her head to toes. She knew she needed to keep fighting, it wasn't just about Harry. There were others, there was the freedom of the people, but without the idea of The Boy Who Lived, without her Harry, it was hard to keep mind focused.

It was Neville who brought her out of her own mind. He was fighting, still fighting for everyone, just like they had all year. Ginny felt warm spread back through her. What Neville said made sense to her. The battle was still happening and with or without Harry, Voldemort needed to be brought down.

Now was the time to step up more than ever. When the fight moved back into the castle Ginny shot curses at any enemy she could see, until Bellatrix Lestrange took her attention. It took three of them to hold her at bay. When her mother stepped into the battle it was like the energy in the room changed. It was already charged, but this was more. It was as if lightning was ready to strike.

Molly Weasley, house wife and mother to seven children, beat Voldemort's right hand woman. Then all the energy was turned towards Molly, until the lighting struck, revealing Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived was not dead, no he was standing and circling Lord Voldemort.

It took all of Ginny's willpower not to step in front of Harry as he faced his opponent. Her brain had only reached a certain point of understanding. Harry had been assumed dead, but he wasn't. Ginny did not want to have to deal with Harry looking dead again, she wanted to stop everything and just hold him, protect him, shield him.

Finally curses were thrown, and the entire room watched with bated breath. It seemed as if all the air was sucked out of the room as the two spells collided. Then in an instant it was over, and Harry stood over the inhuman creature that had plagued him for sixteen years.

May 2nd 1998 Afternoon

The Great Hall was full of people. Everyone grieving, but yet so full of life. Ginny had never felt more confused. She wanted to cry, with happiness and sadness. She wanted to go find Harry and kiss him, but she also wanted to punch him. She decided to settle for eating the dinner the surviving house elves placed out.

Harry had been sleeping for ten hours, now. Ron had told her that morning that he went up to their old dorm. Ginny had been tempted to go up there and give him a piece of her mind, but Ron suggest she wait for him to get some sleep. Somehow her brother, who only a year ago couldn't handle the fact that the girl he liked kissed another boy, had started to understand emotions.

So Ginny waited. She to went up to her dorm and had a rest, but ten hours was just a really long time to wait. All the Weasley's and Hermione had grouped together at one table. Next to her, George sat picking at his food. Ginny knew that the loss of Fred was going to be hard on them all, but on George especially. It must have felt like losing a limb. Something that you were so use to being with you all the time, that the minute it was gone life was turned upside down.

A sudden change in volume made Ginny look away from her brother. At the door, people grouped up, crowding around a lone black haired figure. 'So sleeping beauty has finally awoken from his slumber,' Ginny thought, as the man in questioned slowly made his way towards the group of redheads positioned at end of the Gryffindor table.

The first to greet Harry was Ron and Hermione. They had both stood up when he approached. They both hugged him as soon as he reached them. He returned their affections. Ginny's mother was next, pulling Harry into the tightest hug Ginny had ever seen, and that was saying something for Molly Weasley.

The rest of her family moved to pat Harry on the back or shake his hand. Even George drew his eyes to Harry's and gave him a nod. Ginny remained seated. She had waited for ten hours and now she was going to wait for him to come to her. Really all she wanted was to taste his lips again, and maybe thump him upside the head.

Finally he approached. He was looking straight at her. His bright green eyes, that she had always loved, took her in. She felt like he was memorizing her, from every scratch she had to dried blood on her knuckles.

She waited for him to speak, to explain himself. She had been waiting for months to talk to him again, to hear his deep voice make words. Harry licked his lips, taking a deep breath, clearly preparing himself.

"Ginny —" The moment the first syllable came out of his mouth, Ginny realized she didn't need to hear it right now. Yes, she want to hear it, all of it, but right now she needed to feel him. Touch him and confirm that he was really right there in front of her.

She stood up quickly and pulled him into a strong embrace, her arms pulling him as close to her as humanly possible. Harry. For his part, didn't fight her. He fell right into her arms, holding her as tightly as she was holding him.

Ginny didn't want to ever let him go. She didn't care that everyone was watching them, including all her brothers and parents. She needed him and only him right now. They remained locked to one another for unprecedented time.

His head was positioned on top of hers. Her face was pressed into his shirt. Ginny could hear people around them moving around, resuming their old conversations before Harry had arrived, but they stayed together.

Eventually Ginny felt like she could let go. She pulled herself back from his shirt. She didn't want to be completely out of his arms, but she felt like she could stand slightly back. Harry seemed to know what she wanted. He loosened his arms, but keep them in the same position. Now they could look into each others eyes.

Harry was looking at her with a face of admiration and joy. Suddenly a spike of anger hit Ginny. She moved her right arm up past his neck, cuffing him around the back of his head. There was a loud guffaw from where Ron was sitting.

Ginny's voice was scary, even to her, "If you ever do that to me again Potter, I'll… I'll… I'll have to —" She was saved from coming up with a strong enough threat when Harry connected their wasn't passionate or long, but it felt like something filled Ginny's heart, something she didn't even know was missing. Just the small connection was all she needed.

Harry placed his forehead against hers, looking straight into her eyes. "You won't have to complete that threat, because I'll never do that to you again."

Ginny wanted to keep the small spark of anger that had been there previously, but she just couldn't. After missing him for so long she just couldn't keep the anger. She let out a long breath, "Good. Now do you want some shepards pie?"

He gave a low chuckle, grabbing her hand and moved to sit down "Yeah Gin, I would love some shepards pie."