For Pinky Green's Quotes/Sentences Challenge in the HPFC Forum

( *~ 1 ~*)

( I just need someone to tell me everything will be okay. I need to believe that, it's all I have.)

( *~* )

"What happened to you?"

Harry looks wearily up, his face pale and his eyes red-rimmed, his hair sticking up all on one side. The sight that greets him is not one he expected.

"Ginny?" he asks disbelievingly. "What are you doing up?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing," his girlfriend says suspiciously, rising from her spot on the couch and moving toward him.

"Oh... just... couldn't sleep," says Harry lamely.

Ginny raises her eyebrows.

"It's not a big deal," he insists.

"Uh-huh."

She's directly in front of him now, nearly standing on his feet. She looks up into his tired, worn face. "You know you can tell me anything, Harry," she tells him softly.

"I know."

Harry pushes past her, sitting himself down in front of the fire, his upper body supported by the base of the seat Ginny has just vacated. He stares into the scarlet embers, eyes dark despite the brightness of what they're seeing. Ginny places herself gently beside him.

"It was a nightmare," he says at last, very quietly. "I - I hear my mum and dad again, but they're in the graveyard, and he... he does what he did to Cedric. And then it'll change to Sirius, in the Ministry, and he - Voldemort - is laughing, like a maniac... and it's horrible, because I know what's about to happen, and I can't stop it..."

Ginny's chin is resting on his shoulder, peeking up at him through her lashes. Harry bends his head and pinches the bridge of his nose.

"I just need someone to tell me everything will be okay," he almost-whispers, and his voice breaks. "I need to believe that, it's all I have."

"You have me," says Ginny simply, now clinging to his arm. "You'll always have me."

"I know, Ginny."

They sit in silence until Harry stands and offers her a hand, completely forgetting to ask her why she was in the common room in the first place. Just before they part for their dormitories, they share a hug and kiss.

In a voice so low he can barely hear her, Ginny reassures him, "Everything will be okay, Harry."

And that's all he needs.

( *~* )

That turned out well, even though I'm SOOOOOO not used to doing challenges it's not even funny. This'll be followed by four other short one-shots, all Harry/Ginny (kill me if you must). The next one should be up soon.

PeAcE_fOr_NoW!

-XAPY-TZINY-IIOZEINTON-NOAT