After All, Harry

recovery and cameras

"I'm alright." She assured. Harry smiled sadly, shaking his head.

"It's okay to not be, you know," He pulled her closer to him, and Ginny felt herself actually relax a bit. "You're the one who taught me that."

Ginny blinked away the tears quickly, trying to erase the awful memories that still tainted her mind. "It's just awful...I can't help but see him over and over again, on the floor...and you," She gulped, "It hurt seeing you like that, especially because of the way you left and how they said you were...gone."

"I'm not going anywhere." Harry reminded her, and he hugged her closer. She felt more silent tears tun down her face, but she felt herself really relax for the first time in hours.

"I'm just afraid," She whispered, and when he said nothing, she continued, "I can't get those memories out of my mind, and it terrifies me to no end that someday that might really happen..."

"It won't." When Ginny opened her mouth to retort, he interrupted, "I will do anything. I won't leave you. No matter what."

It was the intensity of the words and the way he said them that made Ginny believe him so. She felt the warmth and the heat of his voice, the touch of his skin that made it all the more real. She knew that no matter what, he'd never leave her. She knew that now. She held him closer, playing with the thin chain around his neck.

Harry sighed, his eyes tired, but still bright green, and Ginny took her hand in his and squeezed it encouragingly. "The entire Auror Department is going to be investigated and reformed, starting December 30th." He said, his face unreadable. Ginny tried to not gasp dramatically in surprise.

"December 30th??" Ginny's eyes widened. That was quick, she didn't expect for it to happen so soon, Kingsley was so far a great Minister, she knew that, but he was taking action quicker than any other Ministry official she'd ever heard of. "Isn't that soon?" She laughed, and Harry smiled half-heartedly.

"Yeah, Kingsley said it was necessary," Harry took a deep breath, "He's sure this is not the last of the attacks, he suspects there are Death Eaters still on the Auror force."

Ginny stilled.

She sort of forgot that everything wouldn't be sunshine and rainbows the minute Voldemort was dead. There was still so much work to do.

"Then let's take tomorrow and the day after to rest, just the two of us," Ginny offered quickly, burying her face into the crook of his neck.

She needed to feel normal for a little bit. "After all, Harry, don't you think we need some peace?"

Harry laughed, his eyes bright with content. Ginny smiled, feeling much better than she did earlier. His presence just did so much for her mood.

"With me, Gin," Harry smirked, and Ginny could see his dorky smile in the dark. "I don't think we'll ever get complete peace."

"Oh, yeah," Ginny teased, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling the blanket up closer, "I forgot that came with the 'Chosen One' thing."

"Shut it," Harry laughed, and Ginny smiled, but raised an eyebrow at him.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, love."

"That's what I thought." She teased, closing her eyes finally. The sun was coming up and with him there with her, she supposed she could finally get some rest. The light peeked through the window above the hills, and Harry groaned, grabbing his wand and flicking his wrists so the curtains snapped shut.

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Ginny put her head in her hands, contemplating if she should just order food and tell Harry she cooked it instead of showing him an explosion of Shepard's Pie and a disastrous blueberry pie. It'd actually been going quite well, she'd managed to make an average desert pie that looked a bit deformed on one side, and the Shepard's was pretty good, considering her other awful cooking adventures.