MetaFic

"He should not be disturbed. He needs his rest."

Ginny sighed and tried to hide her frustration. Madam Pomfrey had met them at the infirmary door and was trying her best to refuse them entrance. Ginny understood that the medi-witch was simply protecting her charge, but that didn't change the fact that Ginny wanted to draw her wand and hex the matronly woman into next week.

"Now Poppy dear, I understand quite well that Harry needs his rest if he is to recover, but I don't see how refusing to let us see him is going to help matters. After all, we’re practically his family." Molly Weasley slowly advanced on Madam Pomfrey as she spoke. Braver wizards and witches than the school's nurse had been cowed by Mrs. Weasley's determined attitude.

Madam Pomfrey gave ground and sighed in exasperation. "Very well. Ten minutes, and only ten minutes. Then he must be allowed to rest!"

Molly smiled her most winning smile. "Thank you, dear. I knew we could find common ground."

Ginny and her mother quietly entered the school's hospital ward. Several of the beds were occupied. Ginny noticed Cho Chang sleeping in one of the beds, a calm and serene look on her face. The two women made their way to the back of the ward, where Harry's bed had a curtain pulled around it, offering him a modicum of privacy.

As they stepped around the curtain, they found Harry lying on his side, his back toward them. The blankets were tucked up over his shoulders, and he seemed to be sleeping.

"Perhaps we should come back later, after he wakes up." Mrs. Weasley started to step away from the bed.

"He's not asleep," Ginny said softly.

"And how do you know I'm not asleep?" A voice came from the bed.

A soft smile crossed the young redhead's face. "Because your glasses aren't on the nightstand."

"Oh. Well then. I suppose that's true." Harry rolled over and sat up. "Hullo, Mrs. Weasley."

"It's good to see you, Harry." Mrs. Weasley gave Harry a hug gently, as if he might break. "You had us most worried, young man!"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said earnestly.

"Just promise me you'll try to stay out of trouble for the rest of term." At Harry's nod, she smiled again. "Well, I'll go distract Poppy so you two can have some time together."

After Mrs. Weasley had gone to find Madam Pomfrey, Ginny sat on the bed next to Harry and took his hand. She gently rubbed her thumb across the back of his knuckles. "How do you feel?"

The young man paused for a moment. "I don't know." He paused again. "I'm happy you're safe. I'm happy Ron's going to be okay. I'm glad we saved all those people."

"But?" Ginny let the question linger in the air.

"It's the Dursleys. They're dead." Harry stared blankly into the space in front of him.

"I know, Harry. I overheard Dumbledore telling Sirius and some of the others about the letter he received and what happened after."

Harry sighed. "Then I don't have to explain to you what Dumbledore told me."

"Harry. It will be okay. We'll find a way to protect you over summer."

"It's not that. I know something will work out. It's–" He stopped and looked squarely at her. "I don't feel anything. For them. And they're dead. And I should feel something. They were my family. But I don't."

Ginny gently gathered him to her and spoke the words that her mother had said to her only an hour earlier. "It's going to be all right." She rocked him in her arms and felt his shoulders shake as he tried to hold back all the emotions that were pressing on his soul. Ginny swallowed, gathered her courage, and took a chance. "I love you, Harry."

These simple words, words Harry had longed all his life to hear, destroyed what little resistance he had left. The stoic, controlled mask of The-Boy-Who-Lived was swept away. In its place she found just Harry, a tired, lonely, confused fifteen-year-old who desperately wanted to believe what she had said. He clung to her, and allowed all his pent up feelings to finally be free.

Ginny held him until the storm passed. She noticed his breathing change, deepening and steadying. She knew from past experience that he was really asleep this time. With practiced ease, she carefully laid him down and then slipped her arm from underneath him. Laying his head on the pillow, she removed his glasses, placed them on the nightstand, and then pulled the blankets up under his chin. She leaned over and kissed his forehead with the lightest brush of her lips. After a last look at his sleeping face, she stepped away from his bedside.

She found her mother talking in whispers with Madam Pomfrey near the doors to the infirmary. "When can Harry return to the tower?"

Madam Pomfrey, who seemed calmer now, smiled at Ginny. "If everything goes as I expect, he can leave in the morning."

Ginny nodded. "Then I'll be here first thing." She turned and hugged her mother. "I think I'm going to go get some rest myself."

"Should I walk you back to the tower, then?"

"No, Mum, I'll be fine." She hugged her mother again, kissed her lightly on the cheek, and made her way back to Gryffindor Tower.