Forward Progress - Part 8

He told them all about his confrontation the previous day and how Wormtail had explained to him how Voldemort's own over-confidence and excitement had created the horcrux from Lily's death, and how the soul fragment had ended up inside Harry.

The others listened in horror, their faces mirroring his dismay. Harry cleared his throat. "So, the way I see it, we have to figure out a way to destroy both Voldemort and the Seventh horcrux at the same time."

"No!" they all shouted at once, their shock giving way to fierce determination.

"Don't be stupid," Harry snarled without mercy. "Don't you think I haven't been thinking about this? There is no other way. Voldemort has to be destroyed, and if I have to sacrifice myself to do it, well…that's just what I'm going to do."

Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes, biting her lip in thought. "No, Harry. There has to be another way. It can't end like this. Professor Dumbledore never would have given you hope that you could survive if it weren't possible," she said fiercely. "Riddle's diary was still a diary after you sank the fang into it. And the ring! Dumbledore was still wearing it as a ring after he removed the bit of Voldemort's soul."

"Yeah, but with a big crack down the middle. I don't want to live the rest of my life like the Longbottoms, Hermione. I'd rather die," Harry said vehemently.

Ginny whimpered slightly from where she was seated on the couch. Harry reached out and took her hand. He could feel her trembling even though she tried to hide it.

"But, the diary wasn't damaged," Hermione insisted. "Professor Dumbledore hurt his hand horribly destroying that ring, but you didn't hurt yourself destroying the diary, and the diary remained intact. Only the soul fragment was gone. There has to be a way."

Ron stared at Hermione hopefully, nodding his head. His Adam's apple bobbed convulsively.

"Maybe," Harry replied, refusing to allow the seed of hope to blossom too fully. "But we can't trust that. We'll have to explore both options – a way to destroy both remaining bits of soul, and a possible way to survive." He still couldn't bring himself to say out loud that he was the Horcrux.

"I won't lose you now," Ginny said quietly but firmly.

Harry knelt down in front of her and took her face in his hands, lowering his voice so only she could hear him. "I can't make any promises to you, Ginny. Merlin knows I wish I could, but if there was ever something worth fighting for, it's what you've shown me my life can be. I do want that, Ginny. I want you," Harry said, leaning over and kissing her softly. He could taste the salt from her tears and hated himself for making her cry.

"We'll do this together," she whispered. "We'll find a way."

Harry wrapped his arms around her and hugged her fiercely. He decided then and there that he would live and be happy with Ginny while he could. It was exactly what his parents had done. His one greatest regret about losing Sirius was that they'd never had enough time simply to be together. He'd give Ginny the gift of time; it was all he has to give.

As he embraced Ginny, his eyes fell on the tapestry hanging on the wall and it sparked a memory.

"Oh, I ran into Malfoy this morning," he said, sitting next to Ginny and putting his arm around her shoulders. Both Ron and Hermione's heads shot up from their discussion in the corner.

"You did?" Hermione asked blankly.

"What did the wanker have to say?" Ron asked darkly.