I only want her heart

Chapter 1 – The Invitation

Harry's head shot up as he heard a tapping coming from behind him. His head spun round and he came face to face with an elegant Golden Eagle owl. Ginny's owl. His heart was racing as got up and stumbled in his haste to reach it and retrieve the letter.

He hadn't spoken to Ginny in a week, or sent her a letter, or received a one from her, or even seen her, and it was driving him crazy. He hated waking up each day knowing he wouldn't be able to kiss her good morning, he hated the time when he reached for the Daily Prophet, only to see a picture of himself and Ginny plastered across the front, he hated the very thought of her with another man, but mot of all he hated not being able to just smile with her.

It had been three glorious weeks since the battle and Harry had been having the time of his life, with the people he loved most when he'd woken up one morning in the flat he shared with Ron and George and received a letter from Ginny, with this very owl in fact.

Dear Harry [The letter read]

I'm so sorry. I just don't think it's working, you and me I and mean. Maybe it would be best if we spent some time away from each other. I don't think we should talk either, I don't want to , I don't know what I would say.

Ginny

It had ripped his heart out, and in the week since he had just mooched around the flat. Ron wasn't helping either, just telling Harry maybe it wasn't meant to be and he should really get up and out, that he would never win any girl's heart by staying in, but really he only wanted Ginny's.

With trembling fingers he untied the letter from the owl's leg, and opened it. To his dismay, it was simply a letter from Mrs Weasley inviting him, Ron and George to tea that evening.

Well of course he wasn't going, it would mean seeing Ginny.

He wrote a short reply, telling Mrs Weasley that Ron and George would be there, but he wouldn't. Though as he was about to fix the letter to the owl's leg, a thought struck him, why shouldn't he go?

Ron was right, he wouldn't win any girl's heart by mooching around his flat, and it was Ginny's he really wanted. Ginny would be there, he thought, he had to try, to explain, even if she said she didn't want to talk.

He re-wrote the reply and quickly sent it off before he could chicken out, then went to make himself look at least slightly respectable.

When Ron arrived back from spending the day at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes with George, he found Harry clean and shaven, dressed in something other than the baggy t-shirt and joggers he'd been in for the past week.

'Where you goin'?' Ron asked.

'Your mum invited us all over there for a family dinner, I thought I'd go,' Harry shrugged.

Ron's mouth dropped open, and a look of panic crossed his face, so quickly that Harry wasn't even sure it was there. 'What?' Harry asked, confused.

'Ginny,' was all Ron managed in reply.

'I know. I figured I had to try. I mean like you said, I'm not gonna win any girl's heart mooching around this flat.'

'But, the letter . . . it said . . . she didn't wanna talk . . .'

'But Ron, I love her, I'm not letting it all go that easily,'

Ron still had a fairly vacant expression, and Harry didn't mistake what was this time clearly was panic cross his face as he stumbled into his bedroom to change. 'Right,' he mumbled as he went.

Twenty minutes later found Harry pacing the exact same area he had been in when Ron arrived home. A creak from the door made him look up and see George entering the flat.

'Hullo. We're going to the Burrow for dinner in ten minutes. Whole family's gonna be there. Would hurry up if I were you.'

'You're going?' asked a fairly shocked George in reply. It appeared the whole family knew about his situation with Ginny.

'Um, yeh . . . I've got to try. I mean, I love her'

George raised his eyebrows and scrurried off with a quick, 'OK,' to change into something a little smarter, or at least a little cleaner. Even Harry noticed the dust coating his robes.

When George was out of sight, Harry ran towards the door of Ron's room and knocked quickly, 'Ron? Are you alright?'

'Uh yeh,' was the simple reply.

'Ron, you've been in there forever. Usually it takes you about two minutes to change and any mention of food, you're right out the door.'

'I'm fine Harry, really,' Ron said as he opened the door. The vacant expression had gone, but panic and worry was still somehow etched into his face.

'Is it something to do with Hermione?'

'No Harry, honestly, let's just go,' he said quietly with a very sombre expression, turning to walk towards the door, but Harry grabbed his arm, spinning him around with a concerned look on his face.

'Something's up. I can tell.'

'Oh for Christ's sake Harry. Just leave it can't you?' Ron burst out, but immediately looked embarrassed for his anger.

After that, Harry figured whatever it was he wasn't going to say, and by that time George had appeared from the bedroom so he just followed a fidgeting Ron towards the door in silence.

The worry Harry had been feeling earlier returned to him. What if she told him she hated him? What if she said she had a new boyfriend? Harry didn't think he could handle it if that were true.

No. He thought to himself. She's not that sort of person.

But then she wasn't the sort of person to send him a letter splitting up with him without telling him why.

It was the two faint 'pop's of the other two apparating away that brought him to his senses. Slowly, he took a deep breath before spinning on the spot himself and apparating away to the Burrow.