Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. All rights go to JK Rowling/Warner Bros. I do not profit in any way.

Enough Trouble for a Lifetime?

Chapter 1:

Harry woke up. He lay still for a moment, waiting expectantly for the usual feeling of reluctance at facing the new day. He had become used to that feeling in the last year or so.

But it didn't come.

Flashbacks filled his head as he remembered the events of the previous night. He saw himself circling slowly with a pale, tall figure, who cast his curse in a flash of green light, and as it rebounded, the caster splayed on the floor.

Dead.

Lord Voldemort was finally dead.

And as the jubilation of his victory began to overcome Harry, other memories began to materialize.

The line of bodies, stiff and pale in the Great Hall. Some of which had far too familiar faces. Fred. It seemed so wrong for someone so full of life to die, leaving his mirror image behind forever. Remus, the last Marauder standing; his old Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher – the best teacher he had ever had; who had later become his guide, an Uncle-like figure, almost family. Next to him, Tonks. Her bright bubblegum-pink hair was ever vivid in death, contrasting ghastly with her chalky skin.

Harry curled up on his four-poster. They had won the war, but at what cost?

Grief was a strange thing, thought Harry; it was ever present in his life, for as long as he could remember. And it never went away. All that Harry could do was learn to live with the deaths that he felt responsible for, and hope for the pain to subside some day.

Thinking about the war fatalities, all lined up neatly, Harry took a silent vow. He would never let anyone die for him again. Harry would no longer let people step in front for his protection, and take the numerous bullets firing at him.

Another thought entered his head, suddenly. Although Remus and Tonks were gone, a piece of them remained behind; Teddy Lupin, Harry's godson.

Harry lay quietly, hoping for sleep to overcome him again. He was tired, and it was very early, but despite this, Harry found it impossible to get back to sleep. He listened to the other four boys' deep breathing, and tried not to think.

He sat upright when the door to the boys' dormitory opened slowly. A young, red haired woman stood cautiously in the doorway. She looked around at the other beds sharply, presumably making sure that all of the other boys were asleep, before meeting Harry's gaze. Harry stared unabashedly; he had never fully appreciated how beautiful Ginny was before.

"Harry, you're awake," she stated softly, staring straight back into Harry's green eyes.

"Ginny, I'm so sorry." Harry croaked.

She walked slowly over to his bed, and placed her finger on his lips.

"No, Harry. You're not to blame for what happened to... to F-fred." Her eyes beginning to water, she scrunched them closed for a moment. When Ginny finally opened them to speak, her gaze was hard. "Only one man was to blame for what happened here last night, and his name was Tom Riddle."

She looked defiantly into his eyes, as if challenging him to object. When he didn't speak or move from his position on his four-poster Ginny sighed, and lay down on his bed beside him. Harry wrapped his arms around her, and they lay silent for a few moments, content with each other's company, gaining comfort.

"Ginny?"

"Hmmm?" She replied, turning over to look at Harry.

Harry took a deep breath. "Do you want to know all that happened last year?"

Ginny looked hesitant; biting on her lower lip nervously. After a minute, she looked up at him. "Okay," she said quietly.

And so Harry told the whole of his story, leaving nothing out; he figured Ginny had earned the right to the whole truth. She stayed quiet, which Harry was grateful for; it was already hard enough to tell this tale. Ginny's only interruption was, understandably, when Harry told of how Ron had left him and Hermione. Her eyes narrowed into what Harry had come to recognise as a dangerous glare.

"I'm gonna kill him," she hissed.

Harry shook his head. "He came back."

"But he left you!" She exploded "He left you and Hermione when you needed him most! And you forgave him?"

"Ginny, I haven't told you all he did when he came back," Harry said, slightly alarmed at Ginny's furious expression.

Her expression still hard, she nodded. "This had better be good," she murmured under her breath.

Harry sighed, and continued with his story, explaining how Ron had dealt with the Locket Horcrux, and his ingenious idea to gather the basilisk fangs from the Chamber of Secrets. Ginny shuddered slightly at the mention of Slytherin's chamber, but her face was slowly softening.

"We couldn't have done it without him, Ginny," Harry said.

She nodded.

He continued onto the memories he had received from Snape, and his fateful walk into the forest, before realising that Ginny's face was contorting.

"Ginny? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"You were so brave!" She exclaimed, burying her face into his shoulder. "When I saw you in Hagrid's arms... I thought..." She didn't continue, trying to pull herself together.

"I know. I'm so sorry Ginny." He stroked her hair, "When...when I was walking through all those trees, all I could think of was Ron, Hermione... and you. How I'd never hear your laugh again, never see your smile..." His voice cracked; "And thinking of what would happen to you, to Ron, to Hermione... if he survived... was the only thing that kept me walking. I was so scared, Ginny..."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight... and Harry never wanted her to let go. And then he realised something, and the words were out of his mouth before he could think about it.

"I love you."

Ginny smiled, and wiped a tear off of his face. She leant up to whisper in his ear.

"I love you too, Harry Potter. And I always have."