Ends are not bad things, they just mean that something else is about to begin. And there are many things that don't really end, anyway, they just begin again in a new way. Ends are not bad and many ends aren't really an ending; some things are never-ending.
― C. JoyBell C.

Ginny lay awake, having just finished listening to the disc Harry had made for her, and contemplated the songs Harry had chosen. Some she recognized from Hermione's collection, while the others were completely new to her. Once again, Harry had shown her the depth of his emotions without really needing to say a word.

Tell me, tell me, the words to define, the way I feel about someone so fine. How do you talk to an angel? Ginny blushed, letting out a silent giggle. Harry compared her to an angel. She didn't believe she was anything that special. Obviously, he was exaggerating, though it was a boost to her ego that he thought of her as such. She shook her head in mild disbelief. Harry thought he didn't know how to say what he wanted to say to her? He did well enough before dinner, just as he'd done previously when he'd almost said those three little words to her.

Something about you now. I can't quite figure out. Everything she does is beautiful. Everything she does is right. How in Merlin's name could he possibly think that? She had an awful temper and he knew it. He'd experienced it. Surely, he didn't mean that so literally. How could every little thing she did be beautiful? Ginny sighed a little. Now, she was going to be hyper-aware of her actions when around him, and worrying how he saw them. She shook her head. No, she wasn't going down that road. She wouldn't become like some of the other girls, constantly fretting over whether they looked or acted good enough. Harry liked her the way she was. That was the message Ginny received from the song.

I've traveled so far to change this lonely life. I wanna know what love is. I want you to show me. I wanna feel what love is. I know you can show me. This one nearly made Ginny cry. The raw emotion in the words, practically begging for love and compassion—it's how she would have described Harry back at the beginning of their friendship. Even with the love he'd received from Moony, Harry had still been desperate, deep down, for more, she knew, regardless of whether he wanted to admit it. It was awe-inspiring to see how much he'd changed since then, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon a completely different creature than it had been in the beginning.

Maybe it's the way you touch me with the warmth of the sun. Maybe it's the way you smile. I come all undone. Lost in love is what I feel when I'm with you. Ginny had no idea that her touches or just her smile affected him that much. Thinking back, maybe she should have had a clue. He always perked up whenever she touched him, whether it was a squeeze to his hand, an arm around his waist, or a kiss to his lips. Great happiness, mixed with a little pride, rose up inside to settle around her heart, her throat threatening to close up with burgeoning tears.

Ginny's breath hitched as she inhaled deeply to calm herself. She was well aware of how difficult it had been for him to reveal himself emotionally to her, and she swore she'd never do anything to cause him to regret it. In fact, every day, she'd find some way to show her appreciation of his effort, whether by hug, kiss, or telling him she loved him. She hoped to be able to do all three, but was unsure how things were going to go after their exams were finished, not to mention the summer.

Yawning, she decided to not think about that just yet. A quick glance at her clock showed her just how late it was: nearing midnight. She needed to be well-rested for Herbology in the morning. As she burrowed into her mattress, she wished Harry good luck on his Astronomy exam. Closing her eyes, bits and pieces of "her" songs played in her head, allowing her to fall asleep wrapped in Harry's love.

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At breakfast, owls brought in the usual mail. Harry watched them, a smidgen of jealousy twisting his gut. A barn owl landed in front of Hermione, what he presumed to be The Daily Prophet clutched in its talons. Just as he was taking another bite of his eggs, Hermione's gasp drew his attention. Her eyes were flying down the page, lips moving silently as she read. Harry glanced at his other friends in confusion, but none of them knew what was wrong, either.

He knew it wasn't good, whatever it was. His good mood dissipated at the dismayed expression Hermione wore. She huffed and threw the newspaper onto the table.

"I can't believe them. What idiots!"

Harry snagged the paper, instantly finding the article that had his friend in a snit. As he read, his stomach soured, the light and fluffy eggs he'd been eating now sat like stones. Devising Dragons had lost their recording contract, and it was all because of their announcement over the Easter hols. Apparently, they'd been in negotiations since then due to the mixed public reaction, to no avail. Guilt flooded through him. They were here for him, made that announcement for him. It was his fault they no longer had a contract.

The Prophet was instantly snatched from his loose grip and was placed on the table. A hand gently tugged his chin around until his eyes met brown. Ginny looked him over carefully, and Harry wanted to squirm under her scrutiny. Her free hand squeezed his now cold one. Without saying a word, she stood, grabbed her notes for her Herbology exam, then motioned for him to collect his notes for History of Magic. Once he'd done so, she led him outside. Harry felt many pairs of eyes on them, and it irritated him.

Not far from the main doors, Ginny stopped, whirled around, and engulfed him in one of her "It'll be alright" hugs. "It's not your fault, Harry," she said, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

"Isn't it? They did it for me, to make me feel better."

Stepping out of arms that had reflexively wrapped around her, Ginny's hands cupped his face, making it impossible to look anywhere but into her eyes—eyes that blazed with her conviction. "They did it because they were tired of hiding, tired of pretending to be someone they weren't. Don't you dare take that away from them."

He gazed into her fierce eyes, contemplating what she said. It was true. The band members had said it themselves. They wanted to be open about their lycanthropy, hoping to help others who were also afflicted. Harry grimaced in disgust at his audacity. The world didn't revolve around him. He didn't think like Malfoy.

"You're right, Ginny. I'm sorry. I know they wanted to help others like us. I just felt so bad about them losing that contract that—"

"I know, Harry," she said, softly. "Unfortunately, the world is run by money rather than by what's right."

"Yeah." Harry slid his arms around Ginny's waist. "Thanks for helping me see reason."

Ginny grinned. "Any time. That's what I'm here for, to make sure you don't get egotistical."

Harry laughed. "Good."

The two spent the remaining time in a more enjoyable, non-verbal activity. The tolling of the bell put an end to the teens' fun.

"Harry, thanks again for the songs. I loved each one of them."

Harry grinned sheepishly, pink slightly staining his cheeks. "You're welcome. Again. Each of them said what I didn't think I could."

"Well, now you know you can," Ginny quipped. "You don't have to say it all the time if you don't want to, though."

"Okay, but I want to now, so...I love you."

"I love you, too, Harry."

"I need to go. I have to get up two sets of stairs. Good luck in Herbology."

"I think you're the one who's going to need the luck. If you hurry, you'll have to time to do a little quick revising before the exam starts. I'll see you at lunch."

"Yeah, see you." Harry gave her a quick kiss before dashing back inside the castle, weaving his way through those exiting to the greenhouses or Hagrid's paddock.

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Within a remarkably short period of time, Harry walked into the History of Magic classroom and winced. It felt as if a dragon had been breathing in there. Sweat beaded on his forehead and at his temples almost instantly. Ick! Why did the room have to be so hot on exam day? It wasn't even that hot outside! Swiping at his forehead, Harry resigned himself to dealing with it since there wasn't a thing he could do about it.

Taking a seat next to Neville, he glanced over the notes he'd made, but his mind drifted away from the monotonous subject to earlier that morning when he'd first seen Ginny. He couldn't stop the goofy grin that appeared on his face. The instant he'd stepped off the boys' stairs, she'd launched herself into his arms, thanking him and telling him how sweet his gesture had been. She'd even placed a quick kiss to his neck, just under his jaw, that sent delicious little bolts of pleasure zinging through him.

Everyone in the room had been watching them, so he couldn't kiss her the way he'd wanted to, but that was okay. Relief that she'd liked the songs had swamped him, putting him in an incredibly good mood, a joyous high, almost, that had lasted through Ron's sour expressions directed at them, through Hermione's constant quizzing, all the way down the stairs, and through part of breakfast. He couldn't recall ever feeling so...well, giddy.

Then, he came crashing back to Earth with the arrival of The Daily Prophet. Harry wondered if there was something he could do for them, like hire someone to work out a contract for them, or something. They had done something nice for him. He could certainly return the favor. Sirius would know what, if anything, could be done. With that course of action planned, he tuned back into his surroundings just in time to hear his name being called by someone other than Professor Binns. Hermione whispered to him what was going on, and Harry quickly acknowledged his name, proving he was, indeed, in attendance.

"I hope you weren't thinking about my sister with that look on your face."

Harry faced Ginny's brother, prepared to remind him the agreement they'd reached regarding his behavior, only to find Ron wasn't angry. He did look comically disgusted, however. Even so, he didn't appear to be serious. Harry grinned again, deciding to have a little fun at Ron's expense.

"Actually, I was. I was thinking about this morning in the common room, how she—"

Ron's hands came up as if he was trying to ward off Harry's words, his face scrunching up. "No, I don't want to hear any more of that. Watching it was bad enough. I didn't think I'd be able to eat after that little display. No. I don't need that in my head just before the exam."

On the other side of Harry, Neville snickered. The four of them sobered quickly once the exam and answer booklets were passed out. Harry read the first question then, read it a second time. He groaned under his breath. He had no clue what the answer was. That did not bode well for the remainder of the exam. Something popped into his head, and, correct or not, he wrote it down. That happened on more than one occasion during the three hour time period. Harry didn't know where the ideas were coming from, but figured writing something down was better than leaving it blank. By the time he'd finished, he still wasn't overly confident in his grade.

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After lunch, it was out to the greenhouses where it was stifling hot. Again, Harry felt sweat instantly bead on his forehead. Whoever thought having the Herbology exam in the afternoon at the beginning of June was a good idea? It was Harry's opinion that the person should suffer right along with them. Maybe that would change the person's mind. He swiped at a drop of sweat running down his cheek, and joined the table where Hermione, Ron, and Neville sat.

On a table at the front of the class, several potted plants sat waiting, along with some dragon-hide gloves, bags of dragon dung as well as Mooncalf dung, and a few other gardening implements. As it turned out, they were to be graded on how well they could demonstrate the proper techniques for repotting those having overgrown their current pots, pruning the plants that needed it, and harvesting the useful parts where applicable.

Three hours later, Harry, throat parched, trudged into the castle with his classmates. Glancing toward the stairs, he didn't see Ginny yet, so he ducked into Sirius' quarters to wash his face and hands. Somewhat refreshed—and cleaner—Harry stepped out into the Entrance Hall to find Ginny waiting for him by the doors of the Great Hall.

"You didn't have to wait for me," he told her once he'd reached her. She made to hug him, but he stepped away, his nose wrinkling in disgust. Though his clothes were clean of the dung and other potting soil, they were sweat-dampened, and a faint dung-ish odor mixed with his sweat to create a less-than-pleasant scent. "I'm all sweaty. I stink. A blistering afternoon in June is not the best time period for Herbology."

Ginny hugged him anyway, then pulled away, jokingly screwing up her face. "Wow. You do smell a bit foul." Sighing melodramatically, she placed the back of her hand against her forehead. "Oh, woe is me! My boyfriend smells terribly, and yet I still want to sit next to him! What am I to do?"

Leaning a shoulder against the door, Harry laughed at her antics. "I guess you have a problem, then."

Ginny dropped the act instantly, beaming at him. "No, I don't. I'd rather you sit next to me than next to someone else. Come on, I'm hungry."

The first thing Harry did upon taking his place was to gulp down some pumpkin juice. Luckily, the pitcher was charmed to refill automatically, so there wasn't an issue of running out, which was a good thing since most of the students using it had been out in the greenhouses and were greatly dehydrated. Between himself, Ron, Hermione, and Neville, Harry was certain the four of them had emptied the pitcher at least twice.

As he ate, Harry noticed something peculiar. Ginny had a small pile of diced steak pushed to the edge of her plate. He watched her scoot another small cube to join the small mound. He couldn't understand it. The meat tasted alright to him, if not a little overcooked. He preferred his meat rare, but he'd gotten used to eating it the way Hogwarts prepared it. That was just him, though. A side effect of being a werewolf.

He opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong, but a flurry of brown distracted him. Owls flew in, landing before a majority of the students, Hermione included. The instant Harry saw the newspaper in the owl's clutches, he knew he wasn't going to like what was in it. Why else would they send out the Evening Prophet? That was usually sent out on the weekends or when something utterly newsworthy happened and it couldn't wait to be included in the following morning's newspaper. Hermione's expression told him he'd figured correctly.

"What is it this time?" he asked warily.

Instead of answering, she slid the paper across the table. Harry's insides froze. The werewolf hunter had been identified and caught. Picking up the Prophet with a shaky hand, Harry read through the article. A part of him sympathized with the bloke, albeit a small part. The rest of him nearly rejoiced that Uncle Remus and all the other innocent victims would be getting justice. Swallowing with a little difficulty, he dropped the paper back onto the table.

"What does it say, Harry?" Neville asked.

Harry slid the paper to his friend. He squeezed the hand that had appeared in his while he'd read. Ginny dropped her head to his shoulder, and he leaned his head against hers, soaking in her silent support. They remained quiet while the others read what had been written. Once Hermione finished reading—she hadn't taken the time to read it previously—Harry gave Ginny's hand a final squeeze and straightened to return to his meal.

"Are you okay, Harry?" Hermione asked, her voice and expression full of sympathy.

"Yeah. It was just a shock, you know? I didn't think they'd ever find out who did it, or why. In a way, I feel sorry for him. I can't imagine anyone hating themselves enough to hunt innocent werewolves. He wasn't turned, but to be scarred so badly, and having to deal with the pains every full moon, not to mention the meat preference? That may seem trivial to you, but for those who always found rare or close to rare meat repulsive, the switch in preference really isn't so trivial. Just the side effects of lycanthropy can be enough to drive a person insane, obviously."

Hermione's eyes widened, and her glance cut to Ginny. Harry followed his friend's gaze, and found his girlfriend trying to casually hide her discarded steak. Her head was bent, her face hidden by her hair. Her shoulders were slumped as if she, herself, was trying to hide. Her eyes flitted up to his briefly, and he could see guilt in them, along with anxiety. Why? What did she have to be guilty or anxious about? As he studied her, wracking his brain to come up with a reason, Ginny pushed her food around her plate.

"What's wrong, Ginny?" When she didn't answer, Harry plucked the fork from her hand and replaced it with his own hand. "Please talk to me. What's the matter? Is it the fact that you don't like the steak? That's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"I used to," Ginny said softly, her gaze fixed on her plate.

"Okay, but I still don't see why it's a problem."

"I used to love meals here. Then, I started to not like them. I started picking out the meat from some of the meals, especially the steak and kidney pie, because it just didn't taste right to me. I didn't even notice I was doing it until about a week ago."

"About a week ago? Did something happen a week ago?" Ginny just looked at him, waiting for him to figure it out. The only thing Harry could come up with was— Dread settled in his stomach, making him afraid to ask, but he had to know. "About a week ago as in the full moon?"

His head dipped at her nod. "When did you start to not like the food, Ginny?"

Harry was certain of her answer, but he asked it anyway. Her nearly inaudible response nearly killed him. The end of January, when Uncle Remus had been killed. It was also when she'd gotten her scars, scars he'd given to her. Did she have any other symptoms, then? She would have told him if she had, wouldn't she? Or maybe she just didn't realize them for what they were? Exhaling through his nose, he picked at his own plate.

"Why do you eat this when you don't like it? There's plenty of other choices."

"Because I like the other parts, odd as it may sound."

Harry ate a few more bites before pushing his plate away. "We need to talk, Ginny."

"Yeah," she said in resignation, "I know." She ate a bit more, then claimed to be done.

The two of them headed to "their" spot outside the main doors. It was still fairly warm even though the sun had disappeared behind a mountain. Birds warbled in the dusky light. Hands in his pockets, Harry leaned against the castle wall.

"Have you experienced any of the other side effects?"

Mutely, Ginny nodded, then sniffled. Harry gathered her into his arms, his heart aching. He'd done this to her. No matter how she tried to turn it around to make it sound better, there was no getting around it. He was responsible for her having to change her eating habits, or for having to endure whatever else she did.

"I'm so sorry, Ginny. I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know, Harry. I'm handling it, though."

"What else have you experienced?"

"Soreness, like how you do, but not to the same extent. I thought I was simply overdoing the running, but Hermione pointed out to me that I've been complaining about the same time each month."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Harry asked her, hurt that she hadn't come to him with anything.

"What right did I have to complain when you go through so much more? Besides, the stretching did help."

Harry exhaled in mild irritation, but reigned it in, drawing Ginny further into his embrace. "I feel awful not having noticed anything was wrong," Harry lamented, his voice husky with emotion.

"You weren't supposed to notice, Harry," she pointed out. "I didn't want you to feel bad. Don't think I don't know how guilty you're feeling right now."

"Well, it is my fault, but I don't want to argue about it. Promise me that you won't keep things from me, okay?"

"Okay. Oh, and I think I got a little moody, too."

Harry chuckled. "Yeah, well, I have, that's for sure. Anything else I should know?"

"Other than thoroughly embarrassing Colin, no. Trust me, you don't want to know."

By the way her face flooded with color, Harry figured he'd take her word for it. "Er, okay."

"Everything alright?"

Harry looked over his shoulder to answer his godfather. "Yeah. We just needed to talk privately about something."

"Good. Say good night, Harry. We need to be going."

As Sirius stepped back inside the Entrance Hall, Harry turned his attention to the girl in his arms. "I'll see you in the morning."

Ginny smiled up at him. "I'll be here in my usual spot, waiting for you."

Harry nodded, then kissed her slowly. He hadn't intended it to be a long kiss, out of fear of a cheeky comment from Sirius, but he lost track of time and failed to end it before they were discovered. Harry pulled away at the rather insistent throat-clearing behind him. He was in for it now. Well, he could endure it. That kiss had been worth it.

"I love you," he breathed.

"I love you, too," Ginny replied just as quietly. She stepped away from him, and said in a normal voice, "Sleep well, Harry. You'll need it for your Defense Against the Dark Arts exam."

Sirius laughed heartily. "She's right, kiddo. You're going to need all your wits about you tomorrow."

"Why do I get the feeling you have something extra special planned just for me?"

Feigning innocence, Sirius asked, "Would I do that?"

"Yes!" both Harry and Ginny insisted.

Sirius shrugged. "I guess we'll see. We really do need to get home, though, and Ginny needs to get inside."

Giving Ginny's hand a final squeeze, Harry walked backward, following Sirius toward the main gate, so he could watch Ginny until she'd stepped into the castle. Not breaking stride, he whirled to face forward, noticing a teasing smirk on his godfather's face.

"What?" Harry asked against his better judgment.

"Anything you and I need to be discussing? You know, like how much trouble you can get into while doing things that feel really good at the time?"

His ears and face burning, Harry scowled. "No," he said emphatically, "we do not need that discussion." Frustrated, he huffed. "Honestly, why is everyone trying to make it into something it isn't? First, Mrs. Weasley. Then, Ron—more than once. Now, you. We know what we're ready and not ready for. Why can't anyone just trust us?"

Stepping through the main gate, Sirius stopped to look at Harry. "It's not that we don't trust you, really. It's just that you're both at the age where your decisions are going to be influenced by something other than your good judgment. It's a lot easier than you think to get into trouble. Especially for you. Don't think Remus hasn't talked to me about his concerns."

Harry looked up at Sirius anxiously, his irritation evaporating. "He had concerns?"

"Oh, nothing specific. He did tell me about those other instincts that could kick in at some point."

Certain he would spontaneously combust at any moment, Harry averted his gaze to the ground at their feet. The last thing he wanted was to be having to discuss that again. Once was plenty. He groaned under his breath. The earth could open up and swallow him now. Please? No? Figures.

"There's nothing to worry about," Harry said with exaggerated patience. "Nothing is happening."

Sirius flashed him a wicked grin. "Oh, I'm sure a little something is happening when you're with her. You're more fourteen than thirteen, after all. It wouldn't be unusual for you to be experiencing some...involuntary responses...to a pretty girl."

Harry groaned again, his fingers pressing against his ears, and stepped away a few paces. "I don't want to talk about this with you."

Sirius laughed. He actually laughed! Here he was, as uncomfortable as a sheep in the presence of an Antipodean Opaleye dragon deciding whether it was hungry, and Sirius was laughing at him. Harry glared stubbornly at his godfather as the man approached. At Sirius' gesture, Harry dropped his hands.

"Well, kiddo, I'm the only one you have, unless you'd rather discuss this with Mr. Weasley. Although, talking about this while dating his daughter might be asking for a different kind of trouble. Maybe Dumbledore? Then again, he may have a hard time remembering that far back." Sirius snapped his fingers as if something just occurred to him. "No, I've got it. You can talk to Snape. I'm sure he'd give you an earful."

Wincing at the visuals conjured up by those words—especially Mr. Weasley, shudder—Harry held his hands out in front of him. "Alright! I get it! Okay, I'll agree to talk to you if that other starts happening. Happy now?"

"It's more like when that other starts happening. Remus was pretty certain it would, but to answer your question, yes, I'm happy now. I just want you to be extra aware of things."

"I am. Can we end this discussion now?"

"Sure," Sirius said with a chuckle. "Take my arm and I'll Apparate us home."

Harry grabbed Sirius' arm and instantly felt the unpleasant squeezing that accompanied this mode of travel. Solid ground under his feet again, Harry swallowed, his breath shallow. He hated the fact that Apparating turned his stomach. It would be a great skill to have if he was ever in trouble. He hoped fervently that it was just the Side-Along Apparation that made him queasy, and that when it was just himself, he'd be fine.

Once his stomach had settled to the point Harry thought it was safe for him to move, he opened his eyes to find Sirius waiting patiently for him. "Teach me to Apparate. It can't feel like this."

Sirius studied him momentarily. "I'll have to think about that. It certainly wouldn't hurt for you to know. As for that sick feeling in your stomach," Sirius shrugged, "maybe it will, maybe it won't. Remus never seemed to have your problem, but then, I know a few people who avoid Apparating altogether because they do have your problem, only much more severely."

Harry scrunched up his face. "That would be awful."

Sirius nodded with a quick glance around. "Come on, let's get inside. It's getting late."

After taking a hesitant step, Harry found it didn't bother him, and followed his godfather into their house.

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Harry nervously watched, the next morning, as each of his classmates completed the Defense final exam. Sirius had numbered them off, making Harry last, which only made him more nervous about what was in store for him. He'd heard the others say something about an obstacle course, but nothing else. They were outside in the relentless sun, though he knew it would be worse if it was the afternoon rather than morning. Thanks to some special charms, he couldn't even see the course.

Sirius had greeted them all at their classroom door and explained that it had been planned to give them an obstacle course as their final exam, but they could choose to take a traditional exam if they preferred. To a person, the obstacle course was chosen, so the lot of them passed by the other classrooms, descended two sets of stairs, and exited the huge main doors. Now, they were out on the grounds, not far from Hagrid's paddock, each third-year student taking his or her turn on the course.

Finally, it was Harry's turn. Before he could step forward to begin, Sirius held up a hand.

"Hang on, Harry. I wanted you to understand why I had you go last."

Harry shrugged. "I figured you wanted to add something to it, like throwing magical attacks at me or something."

Sirius nodded. "There is that, but also, I wanted to make sure you had plenty of time, to go through the course without rushing. Remus left some pretty extensive notes on what he wanted to do for this. I guess, I just wanted to be sure you were okay."

"I'm fine, Sirius. Really. I'm more nervous about how I'll do."

"Don't be. You know all this stuff. Just take your time. If you get into any trouble, though, send up red sparks and I'll be there. Now, off you go."

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Harry passed through the gauzy spell barrier that blocked the view of the course from those on the other side. He walked for what seemed like hours before he came across a body of water. There was no way to go around it, so he began wading through it. At its deepest point, the air-temperature water reached his chest. That was when he felt something grab his ankle and yank, pulling him under.

Spinning quickly to get a look at what had him, Harry spied three pale green water demons, their long spindly fingers clutching him tightly, two at his ankle and the third at his knee. Kicking only served to make the grindylows more determined keep him in their domain. Attempting to shove at the one attached to his knee resulted in Harry getting bitten. Recalling what Uncle Remus had taught them, Harry grabbed the grindylow's fingers and wrenched, cringing at the snapping he felt in them. The little water demon instantly let go and swam away. Repeating the action with the other two, though more difficult, was met with similar success. Getting his feet under him, he stood, breathing deeply. As quickly as he could, he exited the pond on its other side.

Now, he was thankful it was so warm. However, he had a feeling he was going to be chafing really soon. Suddenly, the back of his right leg stung.

"Ow!" He whirled around, but no one was there. Another piercing sting hit his left arm, his right hip, and the center of his back. "Bloody hell!"

Harry began to sprint away from the area, constantly casting his shield in every direction. It wasn't long before the attacking spells faded. Harry thought he should have reached the paddock by now. It hadn't been that far away, and he knew he'd run a fair distance already. Well, nothing to do but keep on, so that's what he did.

Soon, the way in front of him was pockmarked with various sized holes. On the alert for Red Caps, Harry started to traverse the field. Without too much effort, he made it across and was instantly accosted by a hinkypunk at the edge of a marshy area. Well, not literally accosted, but the moment Harry stepped onto the swampy ground, the hinkypunk appeared and tried to coax him into following. Harry knew better and went the opposite direction, all the while ignoring the false directions the creature shouted at him.

On the far edge of the marsh, there was an old trunk. Knowing he was supposed to climb into it in order to face the last creature, Harry opened the lock, released the hasps, and, upon raising the lid, climbed inside. A short ladder led down a few feet into a shadowed interior. Harry closed the lid behind him as he climbed down. Once he reached the floor, he looked around, his wand out, for whatever it was he had to face.

Out of the shadows came a very familiar redhead. "Ginny? What are you doing here?"

Ginny's lovely face twisted into an ugly, disgusted sneer. "Never come near me again! You're a filthy, dangerous animal!"

Harry's breath caught in his throat. He felt as if his heart had been torn right out of his chest. "Ginny? What? What did I do?" His voice was barely audible. He didn't bother to hide the tear that left a salty trail on his cheek. "Please, tell me what I did to you."

Ginny came closer, her brown eyes flashing scornfully. "Did you really think I could love you? I'm too good for you. You should be thanking me profusely for not pressing charges against you for your attack on me. I hate you and I never want to see you again."

Harry couldn't breathe. It hurt too much. His greatest fear had come to pass. The brightest light in his life had come to realize she was better off without him, in fact, that she didn't really love him at all. Backing up to the wall, he slid down it until he sat on the floor, his knees pulled up, arms limp at his sides. Ginny continued her tirade against him, and Harry buried his face in his knees, not wanting to see her any longer. He'd been hurt by words before, but hearing those words coming from Ginny brought about a whole new level of devastation within him, one he was not equipped to handle.

Then, his mind began to realize those were words he'd heard come out of Malfoy's mouth and other Slytherins like him. Ginny would never say those words. She'd never think herself above anyone, either. Whoever that was spewing those hate-filled words, it wasn't his Ginny. His eyes narrowed on Ginny's doppelganger still ranting and hurling hurtful words. A memory tried to surface, but it faded away under the faux Ginny's verbal onslaught. Concentrating fiercely, he tried again to remember what creatures they had studied.

It came to him abruptly. A boggart! They take the form of what a person fears most! And the way to get rid of one was...

"Riddikulus!" Harry shouted, pointing his wand at the thing that wasn't Ginny.

The boggart Ginny danced a jig for a few seconds before popping out of existence. A ladder appeared against the opposite wall from him. Rushing over, he scrambled up and out of the trunk that sat next to Sirius. He didn't bother greeting his godfather, nor did he greet Neville, Ron, or Hermione, who had stayed behind to wait for him, for the real Ginny was standing next to Sirius, smiling at him, her love for him shining in her eyes.

Feeling overwhelmed by the rush of relief flooding through him, Harry swept Ginny into his arms and held on tightly, burying his face into her shoulder. Her arms immediately slipped around his waist, one hand rubbing his back. He could feel tears building again, but managed to keep them at bay with a sniffle and swallow. He couldn't hide the little tremors that shook him.

"Harry?" Ginny softly spoke his name, her concern for him evident in her tone.

"Just give me a minute."

"Sure." Her gentle tone helped ease his tension.

Harry luxuriated in the feel of her hand's comforting movement, the feel of her holding him tightly. Her flowery scent made him think of grassy meadows just waiting to be played in. Getting himself back under control, he breathed deeply and let it out slowly. Stepping away from Ginny, he blushed. Sirius and the others were still next to them, watching them.

"Sorry."

"Don't be, Harry," Sirius said, reassuringly. "Boggarts can be nasty creatures. Never be embarrassed for seeking comfort." He perked up a bit. "You did well, kiddo. You should be proud."

Sirius began removing the charm that blocked their view, and Harry got a real look at the course. Jaw dropping, his eyes darted from the pond to the potholes, to the marsh and the trunk. The entire course fit in the grassy area between them and Hagrid's corral! Sirius cleared the land, returning it to its original state, and sending the creatures back where they belonged. Then, he summoned the other trunk, which he shrank and stuffed into the first one.

"How did you—? I could have sworn I ran for a greater distance."

"Ah, the wonders of magic," teased Sirius. "Come on, lunch is nearly ready to begin, and I think you could use the entire time to relax."

Harry nodded. He certainly could. A shudder went through him. He never wanted to face another boggart again. Nothing could be worse than that. The good thing was he'd finished his exams since he'd only chosen to take one elective class. Ginny, too, had finished hers. That meant, while Hermione and Ron were busy that afternoon with more final exams, and Sirius had another exam to give, he and Ginny could have some time alone. He definitely looked forward to that.

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"Do you want to talk about your boggart?"

Harry sighed. No, not really, but he knew he should. He and Ginny were in their hidden alcove, sitting on the floor. They'd spent the first few minutes of their time there otherwise occupied.

"It turned into you," Harry stated quietly, staring at his hands currently resting on his knees. "And then you started saying things like how you didn't want me around anymore, and how you thought I was a vile creature and dangerous. You said you couldn't possibly love me, that I was beneath you. You kept going on and on with so much hatred and it hurt, so badly. I couldn't think."

Gentle pressure on his chin coerced him to meet her gaze. "Harry, I could never say those things to you. I love you." She punctuated her declaration by leaning in and kissing him, rather soundly.

When Harry broke the kiss, he kept his head against hers, enjoying the feel of her breaths on his skin. Eventually, he pulled back, but kept a hand wrapped around one of hers. Swallowing, he continued speaking.

"Once I realized you were sounding more like Malfoy and his friends, I realized it wasn't really you. I knew you would never think you were better than others. I figured out that it must be a boggart and got rid of it." He laughed self-deprecatingly. "I should have never thought it was you in the first place. I was so stupid. I knew I was down there to face something. It should have occurred to me immediately that it was a boggart."

"And just how many times have you faced a boggart before now?"

"Well, none, but—"

"So, how were you supposed to know what it was, then?"

"Ginny, we studied them in class. Everyone faced one. Well, everyone but me. You remember?"

"Yes, I remember you telling me about that, so my question is still a valid one. How were you supposed to know?"

"I just should have known you wouldn't have been down there."

"Okay, granted, it would have been odd for me to be down there. Well, now you know what form your boggart takes. You'll be more prepared next time."

"Hopefully, there won't be a next time."

"So, what did you do to it to make it leave?"

For the first time since they'd returned to their hidey-hole, Harry cracked a real smile. "I made it dance. Watching it do a jig and spout off mean things at the same time was rather funny."

Ginny laughed. "I'll just bet it was."

Silence stretched between them, both aware their regular time together was rapidly coming to a close. Ginny scooted up against Harry's side and laid her head against his chest. Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulders, his other hand still clutching hers. He closed his eyes, wanting to concentrate on being there with Ginny instead of thinking about what it was going to be like to not see her for a while.

"I don't want to spend another week without you here, Harry," Ginny sadly whispered.

"I don't want to be away from you, either, but it's only a week. Once the term is over, Sirius is going to ask your parents to let you come to our house in the mornings to train with me."

"Really?"

"Really. It won't be easy, believe me. I thought I was going to die those first few days."

"But you're building up some nice muscles."

Color rose in his cheeks and ears, but he grinned, pleased she'd noticed. "You, er, noticed?"

Ginny's head moved against his chest. "Of course. I noticed on Monday the instant you put your arms around me. I just didn't want to say anything and embarrass you. Believe me when I say, those workouts are really starting to pay off."

"What happened to not embarrassing me?"

"I changed my mind," Ginny cheekily replied. "I'm a girl. I'm allowed."

Harry chuckled. "Yeah. Okay."

Neither moved nor spoke again until a silvery Patronus called them to dinner.

0000000000

"YOU!" screeched dark-haired, pug-faced girl.

Harry turned away from his conversation with Ginny to face the girl who had screamed. He nearly groaned. Malfoy's girl, Parkinson, stood with her wand pointed straight at him, her face contorted in anger and hatred. Several other Slytherin girls stood to either side of her, all with their wands drawn. Students scurried out of the line of fire, creating a voyeuristic ring around the "combatants."

"How dare you come back after what you did? Draco was expelled because of you!"

"As I recall, he was expelled for attacking me. He deserved what he got."

Parkinson snarled and hurled hexes at him and Ginny with frightening accuracy. Shoving Ginny against a wall and huddling there, Harry hastily called forth his wand and, wrapping himself around her, cast his shield, hoping it was strong enough to withstand the force of her spells. Then, more spells pummeled his shield, weakening it. Harry hoped someone would stop them soon before his shield gave out.

A particularly strong spell slipped through, slicing Harry's back. When he hissed from the pain, Ginny tried to look at him, but he wouldn't let her. She tried a few times to wriggle her arm and wand free to send a few hexes of her own, but Harry simply grabbed her arm and tucked it between them again and again. No way was Ginny getting hurt. Not if he could help it. He grunted from the impact of a well-placed Bludgeoning Hex. His ribs on fire, he tried recasting his shield. It was weak, but it was better than nothing. Where were all the professors? Why hadn't they stopped it already?

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, the bombardment ceased.

"Harry!" Footsteps rushed up next to them. "Hang on, Harry. Don't move."

That was an order he could follow since it didn't seem as if he could move. His back screamed and his side burned. He could barely breathe. He certainly couldn't speak.

"Harry?" Ginny twisted enough to look up at him. "Merlin, Harry, you're bleeding!"

He was? Huh. Guess that would be the source of the warm wetness he felt on his back, but Ginny couldn't see his back. What was she seeing, then? She was staring at his face. Ah, that would be what was now running into his eye. Harry attempted to smile, but knew he wasn't successful. Ginny wriggled out from between his arms and gasped. He must look as awful as he felt.

"Alright, Harry," came a very familiar voice from over his shoulder, "just be still a little longer. Let me check you over."

Harry began to feel a bit light-headed. Breathing deeply was still impossible. Without warning, a goblet appeared in front of his eyes.

"Here, Harry, it's a pain potion. It'll work long enough to get you up to my ward."

Oh, yes, please. Anything to not hurt as badly as he did. Shakily, Harry took the goblet and downed its contents. Closing his eyes, he waited for that blessed numbness. Within seconds, relief came and he could finally take a full breath. A warm cloth began gently wiping away the blood from his face. Opening his eyes, his gaze fell on Ginny, a worried expression marring her pretty face as she cleaned him up.

"I'm alright, Ginny."

Ginny's hand faltered as she focused on him. Tears gathered in her brown eyes. "You will be." Leaning close, she whispered, "I can't wait until we're out of here. The new school has to be better than this."

"Let's get Harry up to my ward. I can properly heal him there."

Ginny nodded and moved away. Sirius lifted him to his feet. Spots dancing in front of his eyes, Harry leaned against the wall, hoping a few moments would help him get some strength back. As he looked down at the stone wall, he noticed numerous nicks and gouges in a roughly shaped semi-circle. It took a half-second for it to dawn on him, but when it did, it was like a punch to his gut. His shield may not have stopped everything that had been thrown at them, but it had blocked the vast majority of spells.

"Come on, Harry," Sirius coaxed, "let's get you upstairs and comfortable."

Turning away from the wall, Harry let himself be led, one hand in his and another hand at his elbow, up to Madam Pomfrey's domain.

0000000000

Some time later, Harry awoke from a light doze to Sirius' shocked exclamation. He didn't dare move, not even to open his eyes, for fear the conversation would cease. He could guess at who was in the room with him. Sirius, obviously, and it had sounded like Professor Dumbledore was also here. No doubt, Madam Pomfrey was somewhere close by, and if the hand clutching his was anything to go by, Ginny sat next to him.

"Sirius, please. You don't want to wake Harry. He certainly doesn't need to know how close disaster was."

Harry was right. Madam Pomfrey was present. Hang on. What did she mean by that? Had he been that close to dying or something? He didn't think he was that bad off. A light touch caressed his cheek and he wondered if he'd done something to alert Ginny that he'd awakened.

"I'm not so sure keeping something from Harry is the best choice, Poppy," Sirius argued. "You know he has trust issues as it is, even if he has gotten better about that."

"True. I just don't see the point in telling him how close he'd come to being forced to transform again. What good does it do to tell him that each of those girls had thrown that modified spell at him?"

Oh, Merlin, disaster would have been an understatement! He'd have taken out a huge portion of the student body before anyone would have stopped him, beginning with Ginny! Pain settled in his chest at the thought. He tried to comfort himself with the fact that it hadn't happened, but it didn't work. His mind insisted on giving him images of bodies strewn along the floor of the Entrance Hall, sliced open, blood pooling around them, of Ginny lying among the carnage, her radiant hair clashing with her crimson blood, her face the color of death, her brown eyes glassy and lifeless.

No longer caring if the others knew he was awake, Harry rolled to face Ginny, drawing his knees up as far as he could. As if sensing his distress, Ginny immediately whispered in his ear that all was well, running a hand comfortingly through his hair. It helped only a little. The image of Ginny lying on the stone floor, torn apart by him, wouldn't leave him.

Ginny's words turned to humming, then to singing. Smiles await you when you rise...Do not cry...Cares you know not...While over you a watch I'll keep...I will sing a lullaby. His mind only picked up those random words, but they were enough to diffuse the terrible visual in his mind, allowing peace to wash over him and lull him to sleep.

0000000000

Sirius stood on Harry's other side, watching Harry respond to Ginny's tender ministrations. Once again, he was grateful for Ginny's presence in Harry's life. Harry must have overheard them talking. Well, better he knew the truth than to suspect something was being hidden from him. In a matter of a few moments, Harry had settled into sleep.

"You are so good for him," he praised her softly. "Thank you very much for everything you've done for him."

Ginny shrugged, her face aflame. "I'm glad I can help him. Despite what everyone seems to believe, I really do love him. I'd do anything I could for him."

"I believe you. It's the way you look at him sometimes. It's the same way Lily looked at James, as if she could see their life together simply by looking into his eyes. He looks at you in the same manner, in case you were curious. Although, there's a little something extra in his gaze. Awe, I think."

A pleased grin accompanied the color in her cheeks. "He's told me he loves me."

Sirius shook his head in amusement and just a little envy. "I admit, I'm more than a little amazed. Most people don't find their other halves until well into adulthood, if at all. For the two of you to have done so already, it's just...incredible."

Ginny looked down at a deeply sleeping Harry, her brow furrowing after a moment of thought. "Sirius, Harry said something about training me during the summer. Are you really planning to do that?"

"Is it something you'd like to do? I, personally, feel it's best if you do, but you're the one who'll be doing all the work, physical and magical. It's up to you."

Sirius was only mildly surprised the girl answered without hesitation that, yes, she'd like to participate in the workout regimen.

"That way, I'll get to see Harry every day. Those two weeks were awful. I don't know if I could stand not being with Harry on a regular basis again. I'm not looking forward to this next week." A little frustrated, she huffed. "Why couldn't school end right after the exams? Why couldn't they just send us our results like they do the OWLs and NEWTs?"

Sirius chuckled, thinking how much Ginny reminded him of Lily, especially in moments like this. "Well, I might be able to convince a certain someone to let you out early—all in the name of your safety, of course. It would mean having to say goodbye to your friends earlier, though." Ginny was already nodding, excitement on her face, but he asked his next question anyway. "Do you want me to try?"

"Yes," she said emphatically.

"Alright, I'll talk to your dad tonight. It's his decision. Now, it's getting late. You should head back to your common room. I'll contact you through the mirror when it's been decided."

"Okay."

Ginny looked down at Harry, a look of longing on her face. Surmising she wanted a bit of privacy, Sirius walked away, keeping his back turned to them. Hearing movement, he couldn't help glancing over his shoulder, and smiled to himself. Ginny had leaned over Harry, one hand in his hair, the other hand wrapped around one of Harry's hands. She murmured something to him before giving him a whisper-soft kiss. Sirius quickly turned his head when she straightened.

"Good night, Sirius. I'll keep the mirror close."

"Good night, Ginny."

Sirius watched the girl leave, shaking his head, again. Both kids acted so much older than their ages most of the time. What was it that the Muggles said? Something about old souls? Maybe it was that, or maybe it was just Harry's lycanthropy and Ginny's past experience that made them feel more mature. Or maybe it was a combination of both. Merlin knew, either one was terrible enough to change how a person viewed the world and themselves.

Sirius left the hospital wing after a quick check on Harry, endured Mr. Filch's evil eye as he passed the caretaker, and descended the stairs. Stopping off in his quarters to pick up Harry's mirror where it had been kept that day, Sirius then left the castle, his mind racing in an attempt to figure out his best arguments in favor of Ginny leaving school early. It wasn't going to be easy, not with Molly's tendency to overreact. Sirius hated the thought of failing Ginny. He fervently hoped he could say the right things. He looked up to the heavens for guidance.

"Mercury is rising. Now is the time."

Sirius startled at the voice, and turned, wand out. He lowered it immediately. A centaur stood not far from him, watching the skies. The golden-haired centaur faced Sirius, looking him in the eyes.

"Mars gets ever brighter. Mercury is rising. It will guide you."

With that cryptic message, the centaur galloped away. Sirius shook his head. Trying to decipher anything a centaur said was like trying to sneak into a vault at Gringotts: it was impossible. He didn't need ambiguous messages. He needed luck. Yeah, some Felix Felicis would have been really nice. Too bad he didn't have any. Oh well, better to get it over and done with.

"Remus, James, Lily, give me the right words. I could use all of your help right now."

In a location from which to Apparate, Sirius pictured his destination and spun.

0000000000

Ginny met up with Hermione, Ron, and Neville in the common room. Ginny had been the only one of them to be allowed to stay with Harry. A few other Gryffindors asked how Harry was doing, and Ginny answered the best she could, but she didn't stop to chat with them. Sliding onto a chair at the table, she sighed as she met the concerned gazes of her brother and friends.

"Harry will be okay. He got a few cuts, some worse than others, and a few bruised ribs. Madam Pomfrey gave him some pain potions. He's sleeping now."

Hermione exhaled in relief. "That's good news."

"It almost wasn't good news."

"What are you on about, Ginny?" asked Ron, sounding perturbed.

"Those girls tried to make Harry transform again." All three faces paled. "Exactly. Luckily for Harry and everyone else, his shield was sufficient in keeping the spells from hitting him, though it didn't stop them from getting through, along with several other spells."

"Well, he's going to be okay," Neville reiterated. "That's the main thing."

Ginny nodded. "Right." Suddenly, she yawned. "I'm going to bed. See you lot in the morning. Oh, and Harry will be staying here until after breakfast."

The others bid her good night. Ginny wearily climbed up the stairs to her dorm. After brushing her hair, she changed into the tee shirt and shorts she preferred to sleep in, then hid her bed from view. Settling in, she lay with her hands tucked under her pillow, mirror on her chest, rehashing the day's events in her mind. The day had started out fine, but then Harry faced that boggart. Harry had been so pale when he'd climbed out of that trunk, a look in his eyes she couldn't decipher. The instant he'd pulled her into his arms, she'd known it had been really bad. He'd been able to control his tears, but she had felt him trembling. Poor Harry. Her heart broke just thinking about how much it must have hurt him. To know he feared she'd turn on him one day... It made her truly realize just how insecure Harry was. She finally understood the power she had over him, and it was frightening, yet humbling, too. One wrong word could be devastating. However, with enough right words, she could build him up, help him to believe he was worth loving, and that others can and do care about him, too.

Ginny grew angry as she thought about Pansy Parkinson and her little snobby friends. How dare she blame Harry for something that wasn't his fault! No one had forced Malfoy to do what he did. The blame rested solely with that rat-faced wanker! Her anger drained away as she remember her first look at Harry once the attack was over. Seeing all of that blood had scared her. Even now, just thinking about it, made her heart race and her hands shake. Harry had been so pale, and so obviously in pain. She half-expected him to pass out when Sirius helped him to his feet.

Harry had been injured trying to protect her, the stupid, noble git. She could have helped, but no, he forced her to hide behind him like a worthless damsel in distress. She should have forced the issue the instant Harry had been hurt, but she hadn't. Some part of her had been glad for the protection, and she hated it. Disgusted with herself, she rolled onto her side, the mirror falling onto the bed beside her. While, no, she couldn't have conjured a shield, she could have thrown a few hexes at them, namely her Bat Bogey Hex. It was her specialty for a reason. Ginny couldn't wait to get started on her training. She wanted to start with the Shield Charm, but figured Sirius wouldn't want to start there. Maybe she could talk Harry into teaching her. She was determined to not be a worthless girl again. A familiar buzzing drew her away from her thoughts.

"Sirius?" she asked, picking up the mirror and looking into it.

"Yeah, Ginny, it's me." Ginny noted he looked really tired. "Well, I talked to your parents, and they've agreed to take you out of school early. Tomorrow, in fact."

Ginny shot up to a sitting position. "Seriously? I'm going home tomorrow?"

"That's right, so have your things packed. You'll be leaving when Harry and I go. I volunteered to take you home."

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome, Ginny. See you in the morning."

"Good night, Sirius."

Slipping the mirror under her pillow, Ginny lay back down. She needed to get some sleep because the morning was going to be hectic trying to fit in packing, saying goodbye to friends, seeing Harry and having breakfast, not necessarily in that order. Sighing deeply, she closed her eyes.

0000000000

After having frantically stuffed her belongings in her trunk, Ginny barreled down the stairs and out of the common room, not waiting for the others. She'd explain later. She wanted to see Harry this morning. The more she thought about the attack, the angrier she became. She and Harry were supposed to be a team and that meant taking things on together! Pushing the doors to the ward open, she saw Harry sitting up in bed, fully dressed, and looking much better than he had the last time she'd seen him. He and Sirius were talking, so she hung back to wait, quietly stewing.

Harry looked her way and, smiling, waved her over. Ginny joined them, raking her gaze

over him, looking for proof he was, indeed, okay. The little cuts he'd sustained from the bits of flying stone, along with the larger one above his eye, had all been healed. The huge gash on his back was obviously fine since he was leaning against the wall.

"Alright, then, Harry?"

"I'm fine, Ginny."

"Good. Get ready."

"For what?"

"This. What the bloody hell did you think you were doing shoving me against the wall and using yourself as a shield?!" Ginny yelled, her hands flying to her hips. "You could have been hurt worse!"

Harry's face reddened as his temper rose. "I was trying to protect you!"

"Did it ever occur to you that I could have helped? That I didn't want to be protected like some helpless little girl?"

"Well, there wasn't exactly time to stop and think!"

"I thought we were a team! I thought we would take care of things together! I guess it's only togetherness when spells aren't flying."

Harry stood, his own hands landing on his hips. "Well, excuse me for wanting you to stay safe," he said with heavy sarcasm. "Believe me, I won't be making that mistake again. Next time, I'll just leave you open and vulnerable!"

"Good!

The two of them stood nearly nose to nose, faces flushed, chests heaving, when suddenly, Harry's eyes widened and he scrambled onto the bed, drawing his knees up, his arms draped across his lower belly. He refused to even look at her. Confused and a little worried, Ginny's anger instantly cooled. She tried to catch Sirius' eye, but he was too busy watching Harry, looking to Ginny as if he was trying hard not to laugh. Focusing on Harry again, she saw that his face had more color than before, and he still wouldn't meet her gaze.

"Harry? What's wrong? Are you alright?"

Sirius finally turned in her direction, still looking amused. "Nothing to worry about. Are you completely packed?" At Ginny's nod, he stood, his arm out. "Then, why don't we go retrieve your trunk and give Harry, here, a few minutes. Perhaps in that time, Madam Pomfrey will have released him."

"Er, alright." Ginny tried to catch Harry's eye, but his face was turned away, and it didn't seem as if he would be moving any time soon. "Sure, I guess. I'll see you in a few minutes, Harry."

Ginny let herself be led away, glancing over her a shoulder once before stepping through the doors. Harry hadn't moved, except now he seemed to be staring at his legs.

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Oh, how mortifying! Why? Why did it have to happen then, of all moments? He supposed he should be glad it was then and not some other moment where he had no chance of hiding it. Still, it was so embarrassing! If she ever caught on... Harry felt his face heat again. Oh, Merlin, he hoped she never figured it out. His mind conjured up the visual of her in full temper, her eyes flashing dangerously. She'd been incredibly pretty.

"Everything alright between you and Miss Weasley, Harry? I heard your raised voices."

Harry looked up, a little startled at the fact that he hadn't heard the matron's approach. "I don't know. She's pretty mad at me for protecting her yesterday. Is it really so wrong to want her to be safe? I don't understand."

"While I can't be sure, I think her anger stems from the fact that she felt useless, something she disliked because it reminded her of her experience last year. Knowing Mrs. Weasley as well as I do, I'm certain Ginny was very coddled, something Ginny's independent streak rebelled against. It's likely she sees your actions yesterday as you thinking she had nothing to contribute, that she wasn't up to the task of defending the two of you. Then, there's her fear of something happening to you."

Harry groaned. "Of course I don't think that about her, though I doubt she knows that many spells. Not that I know very many, either. I just didn't want her hurt. With everyone around, I thought it was best to put up my shield, weak though it was, rather than risk accidentally hitting someone not involved."

"Give her a few minutes. Once she's calmed down, explain that to her." Madam Pomfrey patted his knee. "She'll understand. Now, let's do a final check of you, then you can go."

Thankfully, things had returned to normal, so Harry didn't mind moving around to give her access to his back and ribs. A thorough inspection later, he was declared fit enough to leave. As he was putting on his shoes, the doors opened to admit Sirius, stuffing something into his pocket, followed by Ginny, still looking a bit upset. Inwardly, Harry cringed. He needed to explain himself, but he really wanted some privacy when he did it.

"Ready to go, Harry?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, but I want to talk to Ginny a minute. Please?"

"I think that's a splendid idea. I'll go have a chat with Poppy. Just come by when you're through."

Harry nodded in response. To Ginny he anxiously said, "I'm sorry, Ginny, for yesterday. I just was afraid of something happening to you or to someone in the crowd. We are a team. I think I'll feel more comfortable in those situations once the both of us learn more spells. Maybe we should try to teach you the Shield Charm, too. That way, we can trade off between defensive and offensive spells."

"I'm sorry, too, Harry. I never should have lost my temper. I felt the same as I did last year under Riddle's influence, and it made me so mad to feel that way again. Mum babied me something fierce after that, and it seemed like you were doing the same. I should have known you hadn't meant it that way."

"So, are we okay, then?"

Ginny wrapped her arms around his waist in response. That was all the encouragement Harry needed to slip his own arms around her and hold her close. Burying his nose in her hair, he breathed deeply, letting that familiar flowery scent wash over him. It felt incredibly good to be in her arms. He wasn't naive enough to think they'd never argue, they were both too stubborn and had too much of a temper for that, but he didn't like arguing with her, all the same. Leaning back slightly, Harry kissed her.

"We should probably go," he said once the kiss ended, though he was extremely reluctant to move.

"Yeah. Right."

Taking her hand, Harry led her to Madam Pomfrey's office, where he gave the matron a hug and thanked her for taking care of him his entire life. Then, he, Ginny, and Sirius returned to Gryffindor tower to say his goodbyes to Neville, Hermione, and Ron, who had remained in the common room after saying goodbye to Ginny, with promises to talk to each of them regularly on the mirrors. He could tell Ron was upset and asked Ginny about it once he, Ginny, and Sirius were alone.

"He was jealous, Harry. At first, he didn't see the point of staying at school if I was leaving. Sirius explained that it would draw a lot of unwanted attention if all the Weasleys left school early. He wasn't happy about it, but understood why the rest of them had to stay."

Just outside the main gates, Harry took a final look at the castle. Life had changed so much for him since he had started the school year—good and bad, but mostly good. Hogwarts would always hold a special place in his heart. It would forever be the place where he'd gained his first true friends, where he'd amazingly found someone to love and to be loved by. Harry regretted not being able to stay, but perhaps one day he and Ginny could return.

Turning back around, he faced Sirius and nodded. He was ready to meet the future. He was certainly in a better place than he had been, and was now a little more prepared for what was coming. His gaze drifted to the girl beside him. She, too, was taking a last look at the school, perhaps reflecting on her own school year. Then, she turned her back to what had been, squeezed his hand a little tighter, and gave Sirius a nod.

"Alright, then. Each of you take an arm, and I'll get us to the Burrow. Ginny, have you Side-Along Apparated before? Any adverse reactions?"

"Yes, I've done it before. It's not exactly fun, but I've been fine."

"Oh, good. Then, there's only one of you I'll have to worry about soiling the ground when we get there."

Harry threw Sirius an annoyed look, which only made Sirius laugh. Ginny raised her eyebrows at Harry, and he blushed, shrugging. Sirius instructed the two teens to hold on tight, then the three of them disappeared with a loud crack, the next phase of their lives just beginning.

Author's Note: Well, this is it for this story. The sequel is in the works. Thank you all for reading and reviewing (for those who did). You are the reason I write (and for my own fun). Special thanks go to my beta who's been very patient and helpful.