Coming Home

A/N: Okay, so this chapter is set up weird, too. Sorry…again! ^_^ The first scene of the chapter is set-up for the song. After that, the verses to the song are the flashbacks and the chorus is the here-and-now parts of the chapter, okay? All flashbacks will be indicated by italics and, of course, my normal scene-change symbols (~*~*~*~*~*~).

To sak: I don't write for reviews, as you would know if you bothered to read my author's notes properly. I POST for them. I do so to know that people enjoy my story. After all, if it's not being enjoyed here on aff.net, why am I wasting my time posting it and the bandwith it takes to do so? I'll simply move it to another site where it will be enjoyed more, or else keep it for myself and my friends to enjoy. Also, if you don't want to review, don't. Others will.

To Splodge: I don't need to change anything about my Veelas' characteristics, actually. I didn't take them from any story, but from Turkish folklore. Veela are characters in folklore and, as such, their character traits are mostly set in stone. If you want someone to make some stuff up, I suggest you read the Vanteerian Charm instead of my story; it's very good. Hope you can either enjoy this or find something else that you enjoy better.

To SlashySnitch: Yes, dear...it's Dom!Draco, Sub!Harry. Happy?

To Rowan: If you're not interested in reading the lyrics, skip them. They're there for people who haven't heard the songs I'm basing the chapters on. They do, however, need to be there. THE CHAPTERS ARE BASED ON THEM. I don't know if you missed it or what, but that was sort of the point. Hope you enjoy this next chapter and feel free to skim the lyrics for the rest of the story.

To my other reviewers: HURRAY FOR REVIEWS! Thanks to you all for reviewing because they mean the world to me and really do brighten my mood. I wish all readers reviewed as awesomely as you guys!

Hope you all like the chapter and please go the extra three inches to rate and review as I adore reading them and they really make my day! Also, please leave your e-mail addies as I alert to updates! ~ FA

~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry sat at Gryffindor table for only a little while longer after Draco ran out. He knew he’d basically run out of time. He had, of course, known his time was limited, but he hadn’t realized it would run out quite as quickly as it had. He would talk to Draco soon. Yes, soon. First, however, he needed to talk to Ginny. He owed her that much, at least.

He found her in the library and asked her to walk with him. She agreed and they headed off down the corridors, finally stopping near a large, ornate window that looked out onto the lake and forest. “I’m sorry.” Harry said.

Ginny nodded slightly. “It’s not as though you can control it.” She replied, knowing instantly to what he referred. “I assume then that you’re choosing him?”

“It’s not a choice.” Harry replied, turning away from the window to look at her. She looked back at him, tears in her eyes. “It’s not a choice.” He repeated. “How can I weigh someone’s feelings, even mine and yours, against someone else’s life? I can’t let him die.”

Ginny was silent, staring up at Harry for several long moments, before asking. “And what about my life, Harry? What about our life?” A single tear slid down her cheek, swiftly followed by another and another and another. “What about everything we promised?”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry approached Ginny where she sat, wrapped up tightly in a blanket, beside the lake. “Cold?” He asked softly as he sat beside her.

“A bit.” She smiled at him. “We leave tomorrow. I can’t believe its summer already, can you?”

Harry smiled back, shaking his head. “I know. A whole month apart…” He leaned in and kissed her gently. “I’ll miss you.”

Ginny shifted closer, leaning against Harry’s side. “Not half as much as I’ll miss you and you know it.” She laughed softly and Harry laughed with her. “We’ve only been dating a few months…” She stopped.

“I know.” Harry whispered. “I know and it feels like it’s been forever and yet not nearly long enough.” He leaned down and kissed her again, more deeply this time to show her how strongly he felt. “I love you.”

“And I, you.” She replied softly. “More than you’ll ever know.” She sighed and a wistful smile flirted with her lips. “I know we’re young…so young…”

“I don’t care.” Harry replied, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer to him. “I don’t care how young we are or what people say. Ginny, I love you. I’ll always love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Do you mean that?” Ginny asked, her honey-colored eyes meeting his own jade gaze. “Do you promise we will?”

Harry hesitated for a second, but only a second. He felt like he was standing outside a ring of fire, with Ginny standing inside it, and he had to jump through those burning, blazing flames to get to her. To be with her. He opened his mouth to promise, but couldn’t say it. Instead, he kissed her again, promising without the words he just couldn’t seem to say.

~*~*~*~*~*~

“I…” Harry’s voice was choked; he hated hurting Ginny this way. “I had no way of knowing when we made that promise.” He gently wiped her tears away, his own heart aching when they were simply and swiftly replaced with more. “Please, don’t cry…”

“What else can I do?” She asked, letting out a desperate, keening sob. “Harry, I love you! Whatever I’ve done to make you decide this…whatever I said or did…please, I’m sorry! Harry, don’t do this!”

Harry tried to take her into his arms then, but she fought, pounding her small, delicate fists against his chest even as he gripped her upper-arms. She shook her head, sobbing, and said. “No, Harry…no, don’t hold me and wipe my tears when you’re leaving me. It isn’t fair! What did I do?”

“Nothing!” Harry told her desperately, wishing it didn’t have to be this way. “You know why I have to do this, Ginny…please, don’t cry…please…”

“What else can I do?” She repeated brokenly as she rested her forehead weakly against his chest, no longer hitting him. “I gave you everything, Harry…what else can I do?”

~*~*~*~*~*~

They met in the Room of Requirement. It was dark, but they knew each other by touch and taste. Their hands and mouths were frantic, searching. Clothes were shed and a bed appeared. As Harry pushed Ginny gently onto her back on it, the moonlight from the room’s window lit up her face. Her flame-colored hair framed the pale, heart-shaped face. Her freckles were a light trail across her nose and Harry followed it with his lips. She’d gone without the make-up she normally favored; to please him, he knew. It meant a lot.

They kissed again, touched again, explored again and for the first time as well. It was fast and hot and Harry was scared, in a way he’d never known he could be scared before. Of the consequences of his actions. Still, it didn’t stop him. He placed his palm over Ginny’s heart, the skin beneath his fingers slick with sweat, and she did the same to him. Their hearts were both racing, their breaths both labored, and still they didn’t stop. There would be no stopping this time. On that, they had agreed.

Finally, they lay together, quiet now and calm. They curled together, wrapping their arms around each other, their hands still pressed against each other’s hearts. Now their hearts beat calmer and together. They kissed once more and shared words of love, vowing to always mean them and to always keep this night, this act, this time, for them. Then they drifted to sleep in each other’s arms, neither knowing it was for both the first and last time.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry held Ginny gently against his chest, burying his face in her hair. “I’m so sorry, Ginny.” He whispered as she sobbed into his chest. “I wish there was another way, but there’s not.”

Ginny sniffled and pulled back, nodded. “I know.” She told him. “I know and I understand. I just…I can’t help wishing something would happen to fix this all and to make it better so we can be together again.”

Harry stood there, helpless, as the girl he loved began to back away from him. “I understand why this has to be, Harry…I just don’t understand how you can do this to me.”

As she turned around and left him standing there, he said aloud the only thing he could think of to say. “What else can I do?”

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was a cold California,
Even in the summer,
She was wrapped in a blanket by the pool,
There were rapid statements,
About life commitments,
A sense of heat that I couldn't bare to touch,
I couldn't bare it.

It's not your fault so please stop your crying now,
It's not your fault so please stop your crying now,
Please stop your crying now,

There was staring and seclusion,
A fine tuned way of motion,
A face wrapped for a suitor,
The sound of hearts pumping at the same beat,
Coming 'round the corner,
In almost all directions,
A sense of heat that I couldn't bare to touch,
No, I couldn't bare it.

It's not your fault so please stop your crying now,
(It's not your fault so please stop your crying now)
It's not your fault so please stop your crying now,
(It's not your fault so please stop your crying)

Now you, wait for, something, to cure this,
While I'm here, under your downpour.

No, woah.

It's not your fault so please stop your crying now,
It's not your fault so please stop your crying,
It's not your fault.

It's not your fault so please stop your crying now,
(It's not your fault so please stop your crying now)
It's not your fault so please stop your crying now,
It's not your fault so please stop your crying now,
(It's not your fault so please stop your crying now),
It's not your fault, stop crying now,
(No...)

~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Okay…so, that’s Chapter Three. Hope you all enjoy! I believe its okay…but then, I’m a little biased, aren’t I? lol… ^_^ I hope you guys all like it. Please go the extra three inches to rate and review; they really make my day! Leave your e-mail addies as I alert to updates. ~ FA