Harry & Cho
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HANGING TIME
By: Karen Kinkaide
Chapter Nineteen: Steal my Heart
She was not exactly sure what possessed her to say what she had to Cho that day, but now that Ginny had time to process everything, part of her was glad she had said what she had. She did love Harry, and if there was even a slight chance that Harry still loved her, she was not giving him up. Ginny had grown up with six unruly brothers, and she had learned quite early on that the only way to survive was to fight for what you wanted.
If she had to pick one thing that was causing her a bit of stress was what Harry planned to do when his re-election as Minister came up. If she recalled, the time was fast approaching for his re-election. Ginny could name about five people she knew in the Ministry who were gunning for Harry’s job. A divorce may just be all the ammunition they needed to oust Harry. She knew that it was no secret that a divorced man had no future in politics. Ginny frowned as she glanced at the contracts on her desk. She wondered if Harry had thought about that.
“You look perplexed,” her secretary said from the door.
“Oh. I was just drifting,” Ginny replied.
“I just came here to drop off some more documents that need your signature, and also to remind you of your meeting tomorrow.”
Ginny chewed her bottom lip, and motioned for her secretary to just leave the parchment on her desk. “Thanks.”
After her secretary left the room, Ginny sighed and fell back against her chair. She was exhausted. This stress could not be good for her. Or the baby. “I need a holiday,” she muttered, as she picked up her quill and started on her work again.
“ ”
Harry looked at his watch again. He was late, he realized. Although, Harry could not really say that he blamed him. He knew Ron had to know by now what was going on, and Harry was damn sure that the odds of Ron keeping his temper in check were slim to none.
He sighed and glanced towards the door as he heard it open then close. It wasn’t Ron. Harry leaned back in his seat, and unfolded the letter Cho had sent him yesterday. David still had not signed the divorce papers she had given him. He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes wearily. Who was he kidding thinking he and Cho could make a clean break? This was a marriage they were both talking about. It was not a simple decision like deciding what to eat for dinner that night.
“Harry?”
Harry looked up and before he could reply, he felt Ron’s fist connect with his cheek. His glasses were knocked off his face, and he reeled back in his seat. “I suppose I deserve that,” he said, rubbing his cheek gingerly.
“You deserve a lot more than that,” Ron shot back.
“Yes, I suppose I do,” Harry said, reaching blindly for his glasses.
Ron inhaled deeply before handing Harry’s glasses to him. “So … so,” his lips tightened as he fumbled for the right words.
“Just let me have it,” Harry said, “I am not going to stop you.”
Ron clenched and unclenched his fists, while he glanced around the room. He forked a hand through his red hair, before settling for taking the seat across from Harry. “I think you know very well what I want to say.”
“I’m sorry, Ron,” Harry muttered sheepishly. “I do not want to hurt Ginny, or any of you for that matter.”
“Sorry?” Ron blinked. “That’s all you have to say for yourself? You’re sorry?” He crossed his arms across his chest in an effort to restrain himself from lunging across the table and throttling Harry. “How dare you hurt my sister! After everything we did for you. How could you? What were you thinking? Did you just think that you could walk away without hurting anyone in the process?”
“I love Ginny,” Harry insisted. “It is just not the way she deserves. I want her to be happy.”
“She is happy! With you.” Ron’s eyes softened for a moment. “You were all she ever wanted. All she ever needed. She waited for you while you went off and defeated Voldemort. You know why she waited? Because she knew you would come back.”
Harry stared back at Ron, his green eyes meeting Ron’s icy blue ones. “I know, and that is why this makes it even harder. But, Ron, this is my choice.”
“You also made a choice when you married my sister.”
“I made that choice, but what happens when you start to think that just maybe it is the wrong one?”
Ron just continued to brood and stare daggers at Harry. “I’ve never had to make that choice.”
“I love Cho. I have always loved Cho. Always will. I don’t expect you to understand that, but I do. The way I feel about her is …” Harry trailed off.
“People change. You don’t know anything about Cho, how can you possibly love her?”
“I just do. I’m sorry, Ron.” Harry’s eyes drifted to the table. “I care about Ginny, and I always will. And I will always be a part of the baby’s life. That will never change.”
After this comment, an awkward silence fell over the two old schoolmates. Ron cleared his throat, which broke the silence. “Have you already signed the ones you gave Gin?”
Harry shook his head. “I am waiting until she does. Besides, we have to go to see an attorney afterwards.”
“What if she doesn’t sign or Cho’s husband doesn’t sign. What then?”
“We’ll deal with that when and if it happens,” Harry said. His green eyes glistened with electricity. “I will tell you this Ron. I won’t force Ginny in to signing them.”
Ron’s lips tightened. “Good to know.” He held out his hand, and him and Harry shook hands. “This doesn’t mean I forgive you,” Ron warned. “Yet,” he added.
Harry laughed softly. “Fair enough.”
After the two had shaken hands, Ron pulled out The Daily Prophet from his robes. “I thought you would be interested to know who the prospective candidates are for Minister for Magic.”
Harry took the paper from him. “With everything that’s been going on, I almost forgot that the election is coming up.” He flipped to the page, and began scanning through the list.
Ron eyed him with interest. “What are you planning to do about this situation with Ginny? You know the minute the press gets wind of what is happening they will use it against you.”
Harry just nodded. “I’ll handle that.” He closed the paper then, before handing it back to Ron. “I have to be going. It was good that we had this talk, Ron.”
Ron just nodded in farewell. Harry left without another glance back.
“ ”
She wasn’t exactly sure how much time had passed since Harry had given her the papers; only that it felt like an eternity. Ginny had resorted to having to hide them in her desk, in an effort to avoid having to look at them. It seemed that every time she sat down at her desk, they would stare back at her. Haunting her. Taunting her.
Ginny rubbed her stomach as she set her quill down. Her last doctor’s appointment had gone well. Her doctor had advised her against any undue stress. “Fat chance,” she muttered.
She glanced at the clock on her desk. Harry should be home soon. It was weird, she realized. Having to live in the same house as your husband and knowing it was the last place in the world he wanted to be.
As much as she hated herself for thinking what she was, part of her knew it may be the only chance she had of convincing Harry to stay.
She heard the front door being opened and then shut. He was home. Ginny took a deep breath, pulled out a stack of parchment, and left her office. Ginny was in their bedroom, and was just filling a bag with a change of robes when Harry opened the door.
“Going somewhere?” he asked.
Ginny did not turn around then. “Not right this second.” She took a deep breath, and zipped up the bag, before turning to face Harry. “The doctor says everything is looking well with the baby.”
Harry nodded. “I’m glad.”
“Any news on Cho?” Ginny asked, despite knowing she may just cry if Harry told her what she hoped he would never say.
“No news.” Harry took both of Ginny’s hands in his then. “What I told Ron about not forcing you to sign the papers. I meant it. I won’t force you. ”
Ginny stared back at him. Her brown eyes were in stark contrast to Harry’s green ones. I love this man, she thought, and if I don’t say what I need to say, I will never forgive myself. She shook her head to dispel the doubts that were coursing through her veins.
“Gin?” Harry asked. “I know you don’t believe me when I say that I won’t force you to sign them, but I mean it. I honestly do.”
“It’s not that,” she whispered.
“Then what?”
Ginny inhaled deeply, and disentangled her hands from his. “I am only going to say this once, and I don’t want it to have any bearing on what you decide to do, but I just need to say this.”
She bit her bottom lip, and looked back at Harry, and fought back tears. “Here goes … Your choice, it is simple. Her or me. And I’m sure she’s really great. But, Harry, I love you.” Ginny blinked, and felt a single tear roll down her cheek. Harry reached out to wipe it away, but she brushed his hand away. “Let me finish or I may not finish at all.” Her eyes never left Harry’s then. “So pick me. Choose me. Love me.”
Harry’s eyes were soft then. “Ginny …” he began.
“I’m going to stay with Lavender and Ron for a bit. But, the minute you decide what to do, you’ll know where to find me.”
She leaned up on her tiptoes then, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Bye, Harry.”
“ ”
Author’s Note: One line has been adapted from Grey’s Anatomy.
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