I’ll Stand By You

By Phoenix Sparrow

Inspired by Girls Aloud’s (or whoever did it first) I’ll Stand By You (Strange that! Lol)

+++Contains major spoilers of The Deathly Hallows Do not read on if you’ve not read that. +++

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Set some weeks after the end of the war.

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The war was over. Parties and celebrations up and down the country marked the final and complete demise of Lord Voldemort. Among the many festivities, though, were the many mourning losses. Those closest to Ginny’s heart weighed on her terribly, but now that she and Harry were finally together, she knew she could share anything with him. He had held her while she cried and his gentle embrace often helped her to sleep on nights when the memories were too much.

The summer wore on. Ginny and Harry moved into a small flat in London, not wanting to move into the house in Grimmauld Place Harry had inherited from his godfather. It held far too many memories. It felt like practically everyone they had lost in the fight had spent time in that house, one way or another.

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One night, Ginny went up to bed later than Harry. As she approached the door, she could hear him within, tossing and turning and mumbling fretfully in his sleep.

Going inside, she saw him drenched in a cold sweat. She’d vowed to stand by Harry the day they decided to get back together officially and yet, despite that it had been Harry who had helped her through her grieving more than vice versa.

Ginny approached the bed and sat down next to him, but jumped as he suddenly sat bolt upright with a pained yell. There were tears in his eyes, which, once he realised Ginny was there, he tried to brush away quickly.

“Harry?” She placed a gentle hand on his arm then slowly but surely leaned forward until he was resting against her. Finally, after so long, he was letting it all out. He was releasing all those emotions he had bottled up inside so he could focus on helping Ginny through.

“Shh,” she whispered softly into his ear, resting so close to her mouth. She kissed the side of his head gently. “Don’t be ashamed to cry. I’ve been there. I was there, remember? Let me help you through as you did me.”

Her words were whispered so softly they were barely audible but Harry heard every word and hugged her tighter.

“I know what you had to go through.”

“Not all of it,” he said, uneasily. He had never told her of how he had actually let Voldemort kill him in order to destroy the final piece of his soul, imbedded within his own.

“I won’t stop loving you, no matter what you tell me,” she assured him.

And so, after a deep breath, Harry told Ginny everything she didn’t already know. All those little things he kept locked up deep inside him. It did feel good to finally tell someone else about it, but still his emotions were running high.

He leaned away from her, then got up swiftly. He crossed the room and rested his head against the wall.

Ginny wasn’t sure how to reply to his words. She looked into his eyes, her own full of the deep admiration she held for him. “It’s okay, Harry. You stood up to him. Even though you knew you had to die! You faced him and allowed him to do it!”

Harry looked at her. “But I wasn’t quick enough!” He whipped back round to face the wall and punched it as hard as he could. “Teddy is without parents now! Your family…” He broke off, not wanting to upset Ginny again. “If I’d been faster, maybe they’d have survived.”

“It’s okay to get angry,” Ginny said softly, picking up her wand and approaching him. With a quick spell she mended the bones he’d broken in his hand, ignoring for now the dent he’d created in the wall. “But it’s not your fault. The ones who did do it have all paid, one way or another.” She took both of his hands in her own. “You remember what you told me, when I was really angry about what happened?”

Harry looked at her and nodded, letting out a deep and cleansing sigh. “We’re only human. It’s okay to feel angry.”

Ginny nodded in turn. “Yeah, so just let it all out…” She looked at the wall. “Which I think you have done. I don’t want to have to mend your hand again.”

Harry smiled at her and ran the now mended hand through her hair.

“I’ll never leave your side, Harry,” Ginny whispered to him. “No matter what.” She reached up to rub the tears from his eyes with her thumb. “It’s okay to cry, it’s okay to get angry. I’ll be there through it all. Even in your darkest hour I was there for you. I stood by you to fight and I will stand by you forever more.”

The smile Harry had finally conjured grew a little larger at her words and he leaned down to kiss her lovingly on the lips, then picked her up and gently carried her over to their bed.

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Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don’t be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
’cause I’ve seen the dark side too
When the night falls on you
You don’t know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less

I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you

So if you’re mad, get mad
Don’t hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now
Hey, what you got to hide?
I get angry too
Well I’m a lot like you
When you’re standing at the crossroads
And don’t know which path to choose
Let me come along
’cause even if you’re wrong

I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I’ll never desert you
I’ll stand by you

And when...
When the night falls on you, baby
You’re feeling all alone
You won’t be on your own

I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I’ll never desert you
I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you

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A/N: Okay, so very loosely based on that song. The idea just came to me while I was listening to this song in the shower. That was a few weeks ago, not long after finishing the book actually but I’ve only just written it up. The idea was swimming up there but not really with a form. Hope you like it though. Please read and review if you did. Pretty please!