A big Thank You to Kurinoone for not only giving me permission to play with her toys, but also taking time out to help me keep h/g in character. You made writing this an absolute pleasure:)

To the readers, in case you haven't read the Dark Prince trilogy, you must! Her Harry and Ginny are as captivating (if not more) and perfect for each other as their canon versions. Anyway, this isn't going to make much sense, if you haven't read her stories.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, everything belongs to JKR and whatever doesn't is Kurninoone's.

He had never expected to fall so hard for anyone, hell he hadn't really thought about love till he met Ginny, not even after that really. She hadn't done much to endear herself to him initially and he had too much on his mind to even think about any romantic entanglements. Yet, somehow she had managed to become such an important part of his life. So, important that he refused to even consider the possibility of her not making it through the night.

He hated to see her like this…pale, quiet, unmoving and he knew there was only one thing to blame for it-that damned sport she loved! He hadn't exactly been thrilled with the idea of her joining the Harpies, but the again he wasn't the kind who'd stand in the way of something she wanted. If he had been, she probably wouldn't be with him.

But, things had to change now, he'd be damned if they didn't. He wasn't going to let her join back. He had seen enough, broken bones, psychotic stalkers, morphed pictures and now this. He would have to make her see that this wouldn't work. He wasn't going to stand for another sleepless night of checking her breathing repeatedly to make sure she was still there.

He squeezed his eyes shut and wiped away the stray tears roughly. He didn't cry, he wasn't made like that and he would never let her know that she made him. He squeezed her hand lightly and then slowly moved their joined hands to her face to check her breathing yet again.

Sighing with relief he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. A few more hours, he repeated to himself yet again, she wouldwake up and then he would be able to scream at her for putting him through this and let her call him an arrogant, selfish prat. At this point he knew, he'd happily let her call him a million other names for the rest of his life…if only to hear her speak.

His wait lasted well beyond the few hours he had hoped for. In the 52 hours and 23 minutes that it took Ginny to wake up, he managed to hold it together but just barely. He avoided her family, Sirius, his father and refused to as much as look at his mother. She had already seen through the stoic façade he had put up and he couldn't bear to see that sad look of understanding in her eyes. Damien, Ron and Hermione, were the only ones he really acknowledged and that too because they had the good sense to leave him mostly alone.

It was just he and Damien in the room, when Ginny moved for the first time since she had been brought in. Both of them literally jumped out of their chairs and the moment she opened her eyes and called his name, he felt a heavy weight lift off his chest…he could breathe again.

The moments after that passed in a blur, there were healers, Ginny's family, his family, the only thing he remembered though was holding on to Ginny's hand as if his life depended on it and an all-consuming overwhelming sense of relief.

It took over three more days for Ginny to be discharged. Between their families, Ginny's teammates and the healers, they didn't get much alone time. So, he left their Quidditch discussion for when he would finally take her home.

The healers had advised her at least a week of complete rest post discharge and an additional two-month break from any strenuous activity. Seeing Ginny's reaction to the suggested quidditch break, he braced himself for a massive argument (one that he was determined to win). But, before that he wanted to hold Ginny in his arms again, feel her warm body against his, snog her senseless, hopefully without any interruptions from family and the ruddy hospital staff! He needed every small reminder of the fact that she was really there.

When they reached home, he carried her over the threshold like he had on their wedding day and felt lighter than he had in days, when her face lit up with a glowing smile. Back in their room as they lay entwined together, he let the steady rhythm of her beating heart soothe him.

He loved her, he knew that, but there were times when he forgot just how much. The last few days had reminded him of what she was to him in a manner that he wasn't likely to ever forget.

He had almost drifted off to sleep, when he felt her shift beside him.

"What…where are you going?" She had already accused him of fussing too much, but the healers had told her to rest and he was going to ensure that she complied.

She shook her head, smiling at him as if indulging a child. "Nothing, I just realized, I was supposed to owl Gweong and tell her about my recovery schedule."

He took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was sure was the end of his peace of mind for sometime, "About that…I think we need to talk."

She furrowed her brow in confusion, "but we already discussed everything with the healer…"

"I meant your going back to the team", he answered looking at her steadily.

"Umm…okay what about it?" She asked her confusion still evident.

"Maybe you should consider looking at different career options. I don't think a sport is worth your life." He answered back calmly.

He had expected an angry retort, not the incredulous, amused look she gave him. "Have you gone barmy? I am not quitting quidditch because of a little accident!"

If she had just carelessly dismissed his concerns he would have been angry, but the apparent disregard for her own safety made him lose whatever hold he was keeping on his temper.

"A little accident?" He growled out, "You almost died Ginny…that wasn't a LITTLE bloody accident! I was told you may not make it…do you know how that felt? I almost lost you!"

He punched the wall next to their bed, the pain felt better than the frustration and anger coursing through him. He heard a glass break somewhere and tried to rein his temper in, but he couldn't erase the image of her pale unmoving form lying on the hospital bed.

"Your eyes…" he heard her faint voice break through his fog of anger, only to intensify it even more.

"Damn my eyes! It's your eyes you should be worried about…can't see a blasted bludger." He yelled at her, "actually, don't bother, you won't be seeing much of them in any case now."

She stared at him quietly for a few moments and the years of knowing her told him she was getting ready to explode. Let her, he thought, he could take anything she threw his way.

"I think you're talking out of your arse", she spoke eventually, her voice barely disguising the fury she was feeling.

"Really? Looks like it's your brain that has been damaged!" He retorted in the same tone.

"Shut up Harry!" She shook her head and tried to get up. His hand shot out almost reflexively and he pulled her back.

"Is asking you to care for your own life too much to ask for now?" He asked barely able to control the trembling of his voice.

"Oh! Yeah? And what gives you the right to talk about risk and danger?" She turned to him furiously, "do you want me to recount how many times I've feared losing you? Remember the Daywalkers, your Horcrux hunt? Or, should I remind of you other reckless escapades as well?"

"They weren't escapades and there were innocent lives involved in case you forgot! You are putting yourself at risk for a stupid sport. Anyway I know how to take care of myself."

"And I don't?" She asked shaking with anger.

He knew he was poking her, stroking her fury, and there was a part of him that adored her feisty spirit, but right now, it only made him want to shake her hard and hammer some sense into her.

"I am not the one who rammed headfirst into a bludger and fell from 50 feet up? Am I?"

"I don't believe this! So, now I am a dumb, incompetent idiot who plays a stupid sport for a living? Thank you Harry!"

"That's not what I meant…" He turned to face her and regretted it almost immediately. Her eyes had become red rimmed with tears and her crying was the one thing he could not bear. She didn't cry easily, that was why when she did because of him, he hated it.

"Save it! I don't think I can be in the same room as you right now!" She answered with clenched teeth pushing the covers off almost violently.

"You're not going anywhere." He held her wrist in an iron grip, "The healers asked you to rest…"

She tried to pull her hand away, but when he didn't relent she gave up and leaned back against the bedpost resignedly.

For a few moments neither of them spoke and he continued holding on to her, partly out of the fear that she would try to leave again and partly because even when they were mad at each other, holding her soothed him in a way nothing else did.

Eventually she broke the tension in a hard steely voice, "Look, I'm not giving up Quidditch, just because you say so. Accidents can happen anywhere, you can't just ask me to give up something because it's dangerous Harry. I'm not going to do it."

"And I am not going to let you put your life at risk again." He answered, his voice finally betraying the vulnerability he felt.

She said nothing for a while but something in her eyes changed and he watched the hard, angry look slowly fade away. "I won't…I promise. I will be more careful, but I won't give it up…I don't want to."

She grasped his other hand and rubbed his sore knuckles gently with her thumb. Her voice was much softer when she spoke again, "we can't predict what's going to happen tomorrow, can we? You know, I don't plan to play forever, but I will quit when I want to or maybe when I am ready to pop out little Potters…" she added with a small placating smile.

His breath caught at the mention of 'little Potters' and suddenly he saw a bright ray of hope, "let's start then…"

"What?" She asked with evident confusion.

"Making little Potters", he answered, his lips curving into a lopsided grin.

She shook her head and pretended to look exasperated, "I don't want to have a baby, just because you see it as some twisted way of keeping me away from Quidditch."

"Maybe I am ready for children." He tried again; the idea did have its merits, getting her to quit Harpies being the most attractive one.

"Yeah? We've been married for barely a year and you are ready to give up mad sex to clean baby poop, change nappies and spend sleepless nights with a crying monster?" She asked, her eyes shining mischievously.

"When you put it like that…"

She chuckled softly and raised an eyebrow prompting him to go on and he couldn't help but let his anger slowly fizzle away.

"So what now?" He asked after a few minutes.

"I don't know…" she shrugged, "you can't just tell me that what I believe in or my career is not important? That's not like you, you have always supported me, whether you've agreed with my choices or not and I have done the same for you…why are you doing this now?"

Her words hit home. A part of him knew it all along, but the anger and the fear of losing her had created huge blind spot. She was right; it wasn't like him…it wasn't like them to not support each other when one of them believed so strongly in something. But, this wasn't about her beliefs; it was about his fear. The words of Rodolphus from all those years ago echoed in his head, "because it would destroy him" and he couldn't deny the truth in them. He had experienced the fear of almost losing her for a few seconds when Rodolphus had attacked her, but that was nothing compared to the despair he had felt in those hours spent by her hospital bed.

"I was scared…I still am…" he admitted eventually. "I can't lose you Ginny…I can't…"

That was it really, he was scared. Coming so close to losing her had made him realize how vulnerable he was when it came to her. It was hard for him to admit it, but to Ginny he could, she understood and never made him feel weak for it.

She turned towards him and cupped his face, caressing it lightly. "I know how that feels Harry…I've felt it too. But, I am here now and I plan to be for a long time. I know eventually one of us will have to live without the other, but that will hopefully happen when we are old, senile and not because of quidditch…"

He couldn't help but smile at her last line. Trust her not to give up till then end and somehow it made him realize all over her again why he fell so hard for her. She never gave up on the things she believed in, she hadn't given up on him even during his darkest times. And as much as the thought of something happening to her terrified him, he realized he couldn't just ask her to give up something she loved and expect her to go with it.

She was still sprouting something about the merits of Quidditch, when he pulled her close and shut her up with a soft, gentle kiss. To him caressing her soft pliant lips with his mouth was perhaps one of the most calming things in the world. At this moment though kissing her meant a lot more…his mind kept going over her words, "I am here now" and to him the moment became an affirmation of that.

An hour later, he lay awake lightly running his fingers through her hair, as she slept, snuggled against his chest. She hadn't written to Gweong yet, he made a mental note to remind her about it in the morning.

He had accepted her decision to go back, but he had also decided to put a cushioning charm on her every night and to make sure that he attended every match of hers. He knew the charm was a part of the players' safety procedures; he didn't have much faith left in her team's safety drills though. Knowing Ginny she'd eventually see through his sudden desire to watch all her matches, but he didn't care, she could call him an overprotective prat for the rest of his life as long as he got to spend it with her.