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He Had to Go
By chell_e_bean

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Category: Post-OotP
Characters:All
Genres: Humor
Warnings: None
Story is Complete
Rating: PG-13
Reviews: 3
Summary: Harry races off to the final battle...
Hitcount: Story Total: 4771







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A/N: I've been holding on to this one for a while. Let me know what ya'll think.
The standard disclaimer applies; I am NOT JKR.





His eyes burned into mine and I knew he would go; he had to go. The fear and anxiety were gone and all that was left was determination. I was actually afraid of him.

I had known all along that he was powerful but, at this moment, the energy coming from his very essence sparked through the molecules in the air. He was angry and I was glad his ire was aimed elsewhere.

He practically pushed me down as he prowled out of the room, going who knew where to face the being that had plagued him his entire life. I started after him.

“Don’t.” He didn’t even turn around.

“But,” I started, indignation coursing through me at his brevity.

“I said, ‘don’t,’” he spat and he disappeared through the portrait hole.

I did the only thing I could: I gave him a two-minute head start and went after him. I knew he would be angry with me, but I couldn’t let him go alone. I realized it was his fight and that only he could take this monster on, but I felt I had a claim on the villain as well. Besides, I had just told him I loved him.

********************************** ***************************

Earlier< /i>

The common room seemed quiet for how late in the spring it was. This time of year usually had seventh years going nuts over NEWT’s, fifth years pulling their hair out over OWL’s and everyone else exhausted, studying for end of year exams. The tension was the same, but the silence was deafening.

The war that had been looming for the past three years had finally reared its head too close for comfort. Most of the Order was in Hogsmeade, trying to hold the town to keep Hogwarts safe. The residents of Gryffindor Tower, we four in particular, could do nothing but wait for word from our professors.

“Harry, sit down and stop pacing,” Hermione said, looking up from the book she was not really reading. “There’s nothing we can do right now.”

Harry did stop pacing, but only to glare disbelievingly at her. “Hermione, I have to do something; if not now, when?”

“Dumbledore told us to stay put until the Order contacted us,” she replied. “I think we should listen to him.

“Dumbledore isn’t always right, Hermione,” I interjected, trying to hold my temper in check, wishing Hermione would be a little more sensitive to the situation. The chess game I was playing with my brother was not going well, but neither of us seemed to be paying much attention.

“He is trying to keep us safe until the time is right for us to join the fight,” my bushy-haired friend retorted. “Don’t egg him on, Ginny,” she added in an undertone.

I turned to stare at her, ready for a fight, “I’m not-,”

“Okay,” Ron said, interrupting our argument. He stood up, looking at his girlfriend and me. “Hermione, let’s go see if there is anything McGonagall needs us to do.”

“But, shouldn’t we stay?” she said, looking at him questioningly. “What if-,”

“No,” Ron said, pulling her out of her chair, “we need to go.”

Harry looked grateful that Ron, at least, felt the tension and had decided to alleviate it. He flung himself into the spot where Hermione had been sitting, put his face in his hands, and grabbed his hair.

“I can’t believe they expect us to sit here and wait,” he mumbled to the room at large.

I got up from the table and sat next to him in the chair. “I know this must be frustrating for you,” I said understandingly. He didn’t look up at me as I spoke.

We sat in silence for a moment, as I contemplated my next words. I wanted to ask him something that I was afraid for him to answer. We were friends, but I was never sure how close. I paused, staring at the side of his head, and blurted, “Are you ready for this?”

He looked up and locked eyes with me. “Do I have a choice?” he asked morosely.

I expected something along these lines, but was not satisfied with his cryptic response. Brow furrowed in frustration, I whispered, “Harry, you know what I mean.”

“Of course I’m not ready for this,” he responded, head in hands once more. “I’m terrified. The fate of our world lies on my shoulders.” He looked up at me earnestly, his green eyes filled with anxiety and fear. “What if I fail?”

I felt my stomach flip-flop and my eyes soften at his vulnerability. I placed my hand on his shoulder and, looking right in his eyes, said to him, “Harry, you won’t fail.” And I believed it with every fiber of my being. I had known it as long as I had known Harry: he would defeat Voldemort.

“But he’s so much more powerful than I am.” Harry stood up and began pacing again. “There is so much that he is capable of that I’m just not.”

“Harry, there are things that you are capable of that he isn’t,” I told him, standing and meeting him in his stride. “You have been taught by some of the most powerful witches and wizards alive. You will have the best of them fighting beside you.” I put my hands on his shoulders to stop his movement. “You know that you have a power that Voldemort doesn’t have and that he doesn’t understand. You have people that love you and that you love in return.”

He looked down and our eyes met again. Those green eyes had always been electrifying to me, but something in them right then made my skin burn.

“Lupin loves you like a son,” I said, barely above a whisper, still locked in his gaze. “My parents consider you one. Hermione and Ron love you like a brother.” I faltered here, as my bravery had almost run out. “I-I just love you.”

It felt like we stood there for an eternity, just looking at each other. He blinked and I could see a question forming on his lips.

Before a word was uttered, however, there was a commotion at the portrait hole. I dropped my hands and Harry took a step back as Hermione and Ron clambered through, looking disheveled and harried. They stopped dead when they saw us and Hermione stifled a sob. She looked as if she’d been crying.

“Hermione?” Harry inquired walking toward his friend, concern dripping off of every syllable.

“Oh, Harry,” she said, throwing herself in Harry’s arms, shoulders shaking from her tears.

“Ron, what did you do?” I asked, masking my frustration at the interruption and worry for my friend by playfully hitting my brother’s arm.

The look in his eyes told me this was not a time to be playful. For the first time since my first year, Ron hugged me to him. He looked over me to his best friend.

“Harry,” I had never heard his voice so somber. “Erm, when we were talking to McGonagall, an owl came from Hogsmeade. It doesn’t look good.” His voice hitched and he held me closer to him. “Dumbledore’s dead, Harry. The Death Eaters ambushed him.”

I pushed my brother away, not knowing why he would say something so hurtful. I looked at Harry, hoping to see a dubious grin on his face, wanting to hear him tell Ron off for being such a prat. All I got was a stoney look and silence.

Ron looked at Hermione and Harry. “I’m sorry mate.”

He took Hermione by the elbow and tucked her under his arm. “I’m going to take her up to rest. I’ll be down in a second.”

****************************** *******************************

It was still early enough that we could be in the corridors, but I kept thinking that we should have planned more (or at all) before we left. I’m sure Harry looked too determined to simply be roaming the halls and I was trying too hard not to be seen by Harry to look casual. I prayed we would make it out of the castle without encountering anyone.

No such luck.

“Hi, Ginny,” came Luna’s voice. I had been concentrating too hard on walking stealthily to notice my friend’s approach.

“Oh, hi Luna,” I replied, lamely. My eyes continued to stare down the hall; I just needed to keep walking.

“Where are you two going?”

I looked at her then, confusion painted all over my face. “Who?” I knew ‘who’, but why did Luna?

“I just saw Harry storming through the corridor.” The look of knowing on her face was beyond irritating, only she didn’t really “know”. “Then I saw you. Where are you two going?”

“Erm, we aren’t going anywhere.” I was not thinking fast at all; my thoughts were back on the raven-haired boy I was supposed to be following. “I don’t know where Harry’s going, but-,” Oh Merlin, where could I have been headed?! “I was going to the library.”

A look of incredulity crossed Luna’s face, but she smiled, nodded, and said, “Tell Harry hello for me,” and walked away.

Now I had to run. I knew he was headed for the front doors, but Luna had caused me to lose a lot of time. Once we were outside, I had no idea where to go.

As I dashed around the last banister of the staircase, I saw Harry standing by the oak front doors. He was just standing there, breathing deeply, with his eyes trained on the staircase, waiting for me. I froze.

“I told you not to come,” he blurted.

“Harry, you can’t do this alone. It’s not just your fight.” I was trying so hard not to think about what Harry had been about to say to me. I had to keep him from doing something crazy. I made my way down the rest of the stairs.

“I have to do this on my own. I’m the only one who can defeat him.” He turned toward the doors and said over his shoulder, “Stay here. Your brother will kill me if something happens to you.”

But he didn’t walk out the oak doors. He stood there, looking at me, like he was trying to memorize me. I seized the opportunity.

I closed the distance between us and placed my hands on his shoulders. “You may be the only one who can conquer him, but you don’t have to fight him alone.” I stood on tiptoe to wrap my arms around his neck and, as I leaned in to embrace him, his hands flew to my cheeks. Before I had time to register what had happened, his lips had left mine and his voice was soft in my ear.

“Ginny, I have to do this, but I will be back.” He leaned back and looked into my eyes. “Tell Ron and Hermione not to worry. We’ll talk when I get back.” And he ran out the door.

I stood there, stunned, my hand to my lips. There was so much to say, but he had left. Then the vehemence with which he had promised that he would return hit me and I smiled. We would have so much to discuss!

“Ginny!” I spun at my name to find Ron and Hermione racing down the steps. “Where is he?” my brother shouted. They both looked terrified.

“He’s gone,” I said, a little dazed, “but he told me to tell you not to worry. He said he would be back.”

I started back up the steps, then turned back to see their stunned faces. Grinning, I said, “I believe him; he had to go, but we have a lot to talk about.”












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