TITLE: Always On Your Side

PLOT: Harry and Ginny remember the break-up in HBP, and both wonder aloud whether it wouldn't be too late to love again. A songfic to the song Always On Your Side by Sheryl Crow.

DISCLAIMER: Harry and Ginny are property of the all-powerful J.K. Rowling!

SHIPS: Harry/Ginny…it's my first ship-fic that doesn't involve R/Hr!!

MAIN CHARACTERS: Harry and Ginny

SPOILERS: HBP

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This song is Always On Your Side by Sheryl Crow. I thought the lyrics were perfect! Listen to / buy the song!! And thanks to my wonderful beta, OceansAway!!

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-Flashback-

"Ginny, listen ... " he said very quietly, as the buzz of conversation grew louder around them and people began to get to their feet. "I can't be involved with you any more. We've got to stop seeing each other. We can't be together."

She said, with an oddly twisted smile, "It's for some stupid, noble reason, isn't it?"

"It's been like ... like something out of someone else's life, these last few weeks with you," said Harry. "But I can't ... we can't ... I've got things to do alone now."

She did not cry, she simply looked at him.

"Voldemort uses people his enemies are close to. He's already used you as bait once, and that was just because you're my best friend's sister. Think how much danger you'll be in if we keep this up. He'll know, he'll find out. He'll try and get to me through you."

"What if I don't care?" said Ginny fiercely.

"I care," said Harry. "How do you think I'd feel if this was your funeral ... and it was my fault ..."

She looked away from him, over the lake.

"I never really gave up on you," she said. "Not really. I always hoped ... Hermione told me to get on with life, maybe go out with some other people, relax a bit around you, because I never used to be able to talk if you were in the room, remember? And she thought you might take a bit more notice if I was a bit more – myself."

"Smart girl, that Hermione," said Harry, trying to smile. "I just wish I'd asked you sooner. We could've had ages ... months ... years maybe..."

"But you've been too busy saving the wizarding world," said Ginny, half-laughing. "Well ... I can't say I'm surprised. I knew this would happen in the end. I knew you wouldn't be happy unless you were hunting Voldemort. Maybe that's why I like you so much."

-End Flashback-

Ginny remembered those few minutes with Harry, and sighed miserably. She'd tried to put up a brave face to mask the emptiness in her heart. They could have had years, but now Harry needed to fight Voldemort, because he would never rest until Voldemort was dead.

My yesterdays are all boxed up and neatly put away
But every now and then you come to mind
Cause you were always waiting to be picked to play the game
But when your name was called, you found a place to hide
When you knew that I was always on your side

Well, what if she and Harry got back together once Voldemort was vanquished? She tried to extinguish the thought that Harry might not live in the final struggle. She could help Harry try to kill him…but she knew Harry would never let her. It upset and frustrated her that she could not help Harry when his life depended on it. I'd have thought Harry would want a little bit of extra help, but she understood that he was trying to save her. She wished that Voldemort had never been born, that everything could be like those good old times when they were still young and had nothing to worry about…

Well everything was easy then, so sweet and innocent
But your demons and your angels reappeared
Leavin' all the traces of the man you thought you'd be
Leavin' me with no place left to go from here
Leavin' me so many questions all these years

Ginny just wished that Hermione still had her Time-Turner, so they could go back in time and do it all over again. She didn't know if she believed in fate; but if she did, she would have sworn that this was not how things were supposed to turn out.

But is there someplace far away, someplace where all is clear
Easy to start over with the ones you hold so dear
Or are you left to wonder, all alone, eternally
This isn't how it's really meant to be
No it isn't how it's really meant to be

Harry remembered; every little detail of the water's surface, the grass blowing in the wind, every etched line on Ginny's face was clear as day, and it nearly ripped his heart in two. Despite Ginny's brave words, he could tell that this was going to eat her from the inside out, especially if he died. He couldn't do this to her…even if he had to kill Voldemort, and that Ginny would be a valuable fighter, it would be entirely his fault if he let her fight and she died. How could this possibly turn out the way it was supposed to?

Well they say that love is in the air, but never is it clear,
How to pull it close and make it stay
Butterflies are free to fly, and so they fly away
And I'm left to carry on and wonder why
Even through it all, I'm always on your side

Harry could not bear to just sit there. If he was truly going to give up Ginny so that she would be spared, he should spend as much time with her as possible. But if he did that, his already very thin line of decision would shatter. He couldn't let that happen. But he would have to talk to her at least once, pretend that nothing was wrong, or he would never be able to erase her eyes from his mind; the eyes that, despite the words, betrayed misery and fear for him. He wished, for the thousandth time that day, that Voldemort was not out to kill him. Fighting against Voldemort had already killed Dumbledore, the strongest protector Harry had, so what was he to do if he only contained half of Dumbledore's power and common sense?

But is there someplace far away, someplace where all is clear
Easy to start over with the ones you hold so dear
Or are you left to wonder, all alone, eternally
But is this how it's really meant to be
Now is this how it's really meant to be

Harry ran a hand through his disorderly hair, and decided that if he didn't stop feeling like this he'd go mad. But he at least had to say goodbye to Ginny before he went to fight Voldemort. Shaking his head sorrowfully, he got up, stretched, and set off to find her. She was in the first place he looked- in the comfortable armchair in the common room, staring into the fire. The room was empty apart from them and Crookshanks, who was asleep in Ginny's lap.

Well they say that love is in the air, never is it clear
How to pull it close and make it stay
If butterflies are free to fly, why do they fly away
Leavin' me to carry on and wonder why
Was it you that kept me wondering through this life
When you know that I was always on your side

She looked up at him and smiled sadly. "So much for giving up on me," she said. He looked distraught as he sat beside her.

"I know, it's just…this is driving me insane! I can't go off to fight Voldemort if I like you like this, but I can't fight him without liking you! It's a no-win situation."

Ginny gently deposited Crookshanks on the floor and laid her head against Harry's shoulder. "I know. It hurts me too."

They sat together for a few moments. Then Harry broke the silence. "Ginny?"

"Yeah?"

"I promise," he looked into her eyes and she knew he wasn't lying, "I promise that whatever happens, it will all be okay and I'll always love you."

"And if you die?" Ginny voiced the one question that had been troubling her.

"I'll wait for you," promised Harry softly as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"I love you," whispered Ginny.

Harry felt so much better hearing those words. With love as his shield and determination as his sword, he could now fight fearlessly.

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(A/N: I love this song, and I decided to write a songfic to it, but I couldn't really think of much else... sorry if it was kind of pointless. But I love the song, at least! Remember, songfics aren't supposed to have points! They're supposed to be fluffy! Review please, it can't take more than a few teeny-weeny seconds, just a simple 'Good Job' will do! Flames will be used to rekindle the Gryffindor fire for more H/G fluff, and constructive criticism is good!! Thnx for reading!

StarryKnight46

B/N: Awwwwwwww…so cute and fluffy!

OceansAway)