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Face Down
By londonxlove

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Category: Post-Hogwarts
Characters:All
Genres: Angst, Drama, General, Romance, Songfic, Tragedy
Warnings: Dark Fiction, Extreme Language, Sexual Situations, Violence
Story is Complete
Rating: R
Reviews: 17
Summary: The war is over and Voldemort is gone. But what happens when Harry returns home to find that Ginny is engaged? This is a songfic to one of my favorite songs, Face Down by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. It is a story of despair, abuse, and a burning hope for a better life.
Hitcount: Story Total: 8108



Disclaimer: Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R. Note the opinions in this story are my own and in no way represent the owners of this site. This story subject to copyright law under transformative use. No compensation is made for this work.



Author's Notes:
The idea for this story came to me while listening to the song, Face Down by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. It took me longer to finish than I had expected, but whatever. I hope you enjoy it.




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“Hey girl you know you drive me crazy
one look puts the rhythm in my hand.
Still I'll never understand why you hang around
I see what's going down.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



Harry stepped out of the mustard-yellow taxi and breathed in the fresh air.

He was home.

Just two months ago, he, Ron, and Hermione had found and destroyed the last horcrux, Rowena Ravenclaw’s tiara. Shortly afterward, he had challenged Lord Voldemort to a duel, the duel that changed the wizarding world forever.

The Darkest wizard known to mankind was no more, killed at the hand of the twenty-two year old Harry Potter.

After finally giving all sorts of speeches, meeting with the press, and signing an infinite number of autographs (his hand was still sore), he took in the familiar sight of his house, not having stayed in it for quite some time.

Once he paid the driver and collected his suitcase, Harry walked up the steps, cast Alohomora at the lock, and strode inside.

It seemed emptier than he remembered it, or perhaps it was just his imagination. Of course, he was used to rooms filled with reporters bombarding him with questions, so maybe that was it.

Yet, there would always be an empty space within his heart, a space that could only be filled by one person.

Ginny.

Harry wondered what she was up to. He hadn’t seen or heard from her in two years, when he, Hermione, and Ron had stayed at the Burrow for just a night, then went back on the hunt for horcruxes. He did not let her come with them (and for that matter, neither would her mother), as it was just too dangerous, and he could not bear it if anything happened to her. He barely forgave himself for hurting her back in his sixth year, at Dumbledore’s funeral, and deep down inside he hoped she was still waiting for him to return to her, and they could begin their lives together, free from evil at last.

Deciding that the best person who would know what had been going on with Ginny for the past two years would be Hermione (as the two women were close friends), he walked over to his fireplace, took a pinch of Floo, and called, “Hermione’s flat!”

“Harry! You’re here!” the brunette exclaimed as Harry shook the soot from his hair and clothes. Hermione had returned two weeks before he.

“It’s great to be home,” he grinned as Hermione threw her arms around him.

“Welcome back, it’s great to see you again!”

“It’s great to see you too,” Harry said, laughing at her enthusiasm. After all, it had only been two weeks since they saw each other last.

“So, how long have you been back? Who else have you been in to see? What time did you get home?” Hermione spluttered.

“Whoa, one question at a time. You’re starting to sound like those damn reporters.” Hermione grinned sheepishly. “In answer to your questions, I just arrived, and I haven’t been in to see anyone else yet.”

“Aw, so I’m the first person you decided to see? That’s so sweet of you!”

Harry shrugged. “So, what’s new? Ron owled me the other day that you got a job at Hogwarts, as the new Charms teacher. Well, what’s the story?”

“Oh yes, Professor Flitwick told everyone that he is ‘too old for this and needs a nice, quiet retirement.’ He needed a replacement, so Headmistress McGonagall owled me, requesting if I would like the job! Well naturally, I accepted, I mean teaching has always been something that I would have liked to do, so this is just a dream come true!” Hermione beamed.

Harry smiled for his friend. “Congratulations, Hermione, I always knew you couldn’t stay away from that school for too long of a time. After all, it’s got a pretty big library,” he joked, earning him a playful swat on the arm. “So, how are the wedding plans coming along? Set a date yet?” Ron had proposed to her the day after Harry defeated Voldemort.

“No, nothing official, though we were thinking perhaps some time around Christmas,” she replied. “So what about you, Harry? Found the right girl yet?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact,” he said. Hermione’s eyebrows shot up past her hairline. “I met her quite a while ago, in my second year, actually. Only, I didn’t realize I loved her yet, because she was acting so weird around me. She even stuck her elbow in a butter dish. I think you just might have even met this girl, Hermione,” he teased. The brunette gave a weak smile. “So how is Ginny? She doing okay?”

Hermione looked genuinely nervous. “Um, well, about that…”

“What?” Harry said sharply. “She hasn’t got a boyfriend, has she?”

This time, Hermione audibly gulped. “Well, Harry, G-Ginny is, well, she’s…she’s engaged to be married.”

“She’s WHAT?!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect
every action in this world will bear a consequence
If you wade around forever, you will surely drown
I see what's going down.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~Las t week~

Ginny Weasley sat at the dinner table, an untouched plate of lemon garlic chicken placed in front of her and across the table, before a lonely, empty seat.

It was ten o’clock, and her soon-to-be husband was supposed to be home hours ago to enjoy the special dinner Ginny had planned for the two of them. She found herself unable to move — the anger and sadness smoldering within her was paralyzing. So she sat… and waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. Just when she was about to get up and walk right out the door, it opened, and loud footsteps staggering across the floor could be clearly heard throughout the house.

“GIN-GIN! I’M HOME!” a drunken male voice called. He came into the dining room, his brown hair messy, his blue eyes glassy, a horrible stench of firewhisky, and worst of all, he swayed violently with each step he took.

“Ian! Where were you! Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting?!” Ginny screeched.

“Wuz wrong baby? You miss me too much?”

“MISS YOU TOO MUCH?! TONIGHT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SPECIAL DINNER I MADE FOR THE TWO OF US! WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?!”

“Come on baby, don’ get all like that. I wuz jus’ gettin’ a few drinks at Mario’s with Vince.”

“VINCE! OF ALL PEOPLE TO BE WITH INSTEAD OF ME, YOU WERE WITH THAT BASTARD!”

“Hey.” He pointed a finger at her, violently tottering again as he did so. “Don’t you be talkin’ to me like that, and don’ be talkin’ ‘bout Vince like that either.”

“You will not tell me what to —” but she never finished her sentence, because the hand of the man she thought she loved struck her across the face with such a force, Ginny thought she would come crashing down through the very floorboards.

“Yes, I will. And now, I’m tellin’ you to come to bed. Now.” He grabbed her by the wrist, all but dragged her up the stairs, threw her on the bed, slammed the door, and climbed in next to her. Ginny was still in shock over her fiancé hitting her, and could not say anything. All she could do was cry silently as Ian just flicked his wand at the lights, and all was dark.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Cover up with makeup in the mirror
tell yourself, it's never gonna happen again
you cry alone and then he swears he loves you.

~*~*~*~*~*~

[Morning]

Ginn y had not slept a wink. She could not flee from the room, because Ian had locked the door magically, and her wand was still down in the kitchen so she could not unlock it. The only other wand that she could have used was his, and it was inside his sleeve as he slept in his hung-over sleep.

Her back against the headboard, she moved her knees up against her chest and under her chin, her face still pale from the events of the previous night. The movement was enough to wake Ian, who was always a light sleeper.

“Mmmmm, good morning, Sunshine,” he yawned. “Man, my head hurts.” When she did not say anything, he rolled over and looked at her. “Ginny? What’s wrong, baby?”

Ginny looked at him straight in the eyes. “What’s wrong? Are you honestly asking me what is wrong right now?! Don’t you remember anything from last night?”

He screwed up his face in concentration, then remembering what had occurred, his expression turned from thoughtful to horrified. “Ginny, baby, I am so sorry. I never meant any of that, you know I didn’t. I was drunk, Vince got me to drink nearly a whole bottle of firewhisky, I swear I love you. Please, please forgive me for what I did, I swear to you it will never happen again.”

“And you expect me to believe you?! Why should I? Give me one reason! Just one!”

Ian’s eyes bore into Ginny’s. “Because I love you.”

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Ginny sighed — she was so confused. All she could think of was to just nod her head. Maybe, just maybe, she could trust him on this.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ha rry’s heartbeat quickened and his breathing became shallow. “Ginny is getting married. My Ginny…,”he thought.

“Harry, I’m so sorry, I would have told you sooner but I only found out from Ginny just a few days ago. I went to go visit her in the little house she shares with her fiancé, and they both sat me down and told me the news. If you ask me, Harry, there’s something about this guy that just isn’t right…I’m not sure if I trust him,” Hermione said.

Harry could only nod weakly. “Who…and how long?” he croaked.

“His name is Ian, and they’ve been engaged for about a month and a half,” she replied.

He gave another feeble nod. “What’s he like?” he asked.

“Well, he’s handsome, sure, but when you look at him in the eyes, there’s something completely untrustworthy in them — I don’t know what, though. And he always calls Ginny ‘baby’ which is entirely the most annoying thing I’ve ever had to listen to. Plus, when she’s with him, so doesn’t seem…happy. At least, not as happy as the two of you were back in our sixth year. He isn’t right for her, Harry.”

Something monstrous suddenly erupted from somewhere within Harry. He felt pure rage and hatred towards this fiancé of Ginny’s. If she had found somebody that made her happy, that gave her the love she deserved, then he might be okay with it. But if she wasn’t happy, if she wasn’t loved…it made Harry furious.

“Where is she? Where does she live?” Harry said.

“Erm, I’m not totally sure, Harry…I used this special portkey at the Burrow which only goes directly to her house. They have one for each of the Weasley children,” Hermione answered.

“Thanks, I’ll see you later,” he muttered as he went over to her fireplace and grabbed a handful of Floo powder.

“Wait, what are you —?”but it was too late. Harry shouted “The Burrow!” and was engulfed in emerald flames.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Harry stumbled out of the Weasley’s fireplace. Shaking off the ashes, he called out, “Mrs. Weasley?”

“Harry dear!” the plump red-headed mother in question shrieked. She ran over to Harry and quickly enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug.

“Nice to see you again, Mrs. Weasley,” he managed to choke out. She released him and ushered him into the kitchen, from which a delicious smell was coming from, and all but pushed him into a chair.

“My, my, it’s been ages since I’ve last seen you! How have you been, dearie?” she asked him.

“I’ve been well enough, Mrs. Weasley, but really, I just came to —”

“Harry, dear, you must stay for dinner, I’m afraid Arthur is working late tonight, so it’s just me,” she interrupted. “I’ve made steak and kidney pie, and this stew that’s been a traditional recipe in the Prewett family.”

Harry saw how eager she was and felt he did not have the heart to leave her now. He sighed. “Alright, Mrs. Weasley, I’ll stay.”

“Good, good! Now let me just get you a bowl of this stew!” Molly said delightedly.

Harry tried to rush through his dinner, but Mrs. Weasley kept filling up his bowl whenever he came close to finishing. Finally, after politely refusing dessert, he asked, “Mrs. Weasley, where is the portkey that goes to Ginny’s and…erm…Ian’s house?”

Molly smiled knowingly. “It’s hanging on the hook, dear, just over there.” She pointed next to the window, where an old sock was slung over a hook.

“Thanks Mrs. Weasley, and also thank you for dinner. It was a most delicious meal.”

“My pleasure, Harry, my pleasure. Hope to see you again soon!” she called just as Harry’s hand closed over the sock and he felt the familiar pull beneath his navel.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Face down in the dirt, she said,
"This doesn't hurt", she said,
"I finally had enough."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

[Mean while, during the dinner…]

Ginny Weasley sat on the sofa in front of the fire, a book open on her lap. She kept reading the same line over and over again. Her fiancé was supposed to be home ages ago, but God knows where he was instead. Just then, the front door opened, and in came Ian.

Ginny looked up from her book. “Where were you?”

He hesitated. “I was…with Kevin. We were discussing work stuff,” he said unconvincingly.

“Ian…were you with Vince again?”

“No,” he said firmly.

“Then who were you really with?”

He hesitated again.

She sighed heavily and whispered, “Who is she? What’s her name?”

After a few moments of silence, Ian replied hoarsely, “Linda.”

Ginny closed her eyes, not wanting to look at him. When she opened them again, he was kneeling in front of her.

“It’s not like I’m in love with her or anything. A just had a little bit of extra money and…”

“She’s a prostitute?!” Ginny exclaimed. And without thinking of the consequences, she slapped him across the face. When he looked up at her, there was pure evil shining in his eyes.

“Don’t slap me, you little bitch!” he yelled, and he did the same to her, only with more force behind it. She staggered backwards, an ugly, purple bruise already starting to form on her left cheek. Just when he raised his hand to hit her again, a figure appeared in front of the sofa, and it was none other than the famous Harry Potter.

“Get away from her,” he said so coldly, the room seemed to have froze.

For once, Ian seemed afraid. Picking a fight with the man who killed the most terrible Dark wizard known to their world was not on his list of things to do. However, summoning his courage, he retorted, "Stay out of this, Potter, this doesn't concern --" but he never finished his sentence. Just then, some unknown force picked him up and threw him against the wall, where he was knocked unconscious.

“Are you okay, Gin?” Harry asked with concern, coming over to her. She shook her head, burying herself into his shoulder, and sobbed uncontrollably.

“It’s alright, Ginny,” he whispered while stroking her hair. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re with me now. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you ever again.” He kissed the top of her head. She pulled away and stared deeply into his emerald eyes before tenderly kissing him, a kiss that was full of love and passion and hope.

A short while later, she broke it off and said choked out, “I'm sorry, Harry. Sorry for everything. Sorry for not waiting for you, sorry for dragging you into this --"

"Shh, it's okay, Gin. You don't need to appologise. Everything is going to be alright, I promise you," he whispered.

They were both silent for a moment. Then Ginny said, "I've never seen him act like this before. When we first met at the Three Broomsticks, he was such a gentleman. I never dreamed he would turn into...this. I think lately he's grown bored with me, I think he never really was ready to settle down and get married. But Harry, there's something I have to tell you." She paused, gathering herself together. "Even though I was with him for the past year and a half, there hasn't been a single day I haven't thought of you. Not one. I never stopped loving you, and I never will. But if you --" Harry couldn't take it any longer. He leaned in and brought his lips to hers, and this time it was more alive, more passionate, more free and hopeful and beautiful than any time before.

He broke it off several minutes later, saying softly, “You'll be happier, Ginny. I swear it. Happier than what you thought was the happiest day of your life. I'll do anything for you. I love you so much." Then, taking her hand, he apparated back to his house with her.

And the next day began with the hope for a better life, for both of them, because they knew they’d be spending it together.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Do you feel like a man when you push her around?
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end
as your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.


A/N:
I know that there is plenty of opportunity for me to continue with this story, but I don’t think I am going to. However, if anyone wants to continue it, be my guest, just please notify me before doing so. I would be very interested in reading it =]
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