�Are you sure this is how you want it to be, Potter?�

Harry was in McGonagall�s private office. His eyes wandered away from the concern on her face to the darkness that waited outside her window. For a brief moment in time, his mind flashed again on the hurt and disbelief he had seen on Ginny�s face that afternoon and it helped to steel his resolve.

�Yes, Professor. I�m... this is how it has to be.�

McGonagall frowned at him and then sighed. She bent her head and continued writing on the parchment in front of her. Harry felt the familiar twinge of guilt fill him, but pushed it down. There was only one way out of this and he couldn�t give in to any lingering thoughts of duty.

He couldn�t stay at Hogwarts and that was that.

After the scratch of McGonagall�s quill subsided, Harry glanced at her again and found that she was studying him. She seemed on the verge of saying something, so he beat her to the quick.

�I know I�m leaving you in a bind, Professor and for that you have my apologies. But I cannot stay here... for... personal reasons. I think it is necessary that I return to London and continue my Auror training. It�s for the best, I think. And besides, my replacement will-�

�I have no doubt your replacement will be acceptable, Mr. Potter and it is fortunate for you that they agreed to help you, otherwise I would be less inclined to indulge this whim of yours.�

Before Harry could open his mouth to speak, McGonagall was standing, with parchment in hand. She strode over to where he was sitting and looked down her nose at him. And even though Harry had defeated Voldemort and faced the Death Eaters, getting stared at disapprovingly by Minerva McGonagall was probably still on his list of top five things not to do.

He stood up and looked down at his feet. Truth was, he just wanted to be gone. He had already packed and he was ready to catch the early train out of Hogsmeade. He didn�t want to chance running into Ginny again.

�Harry,� McGonagall spoke his name softly, �I understand if you feel the need to separate yourself from certain emotions that being at Hogwarts may create in you, but to rob yourself of the joy that you have experienced teaching seems foolish and reckless. I am sure that whatever transpired between you and Miss Weasley-�

Harry snapped his head up and grimaced at the mention of Ginny. He took the parchment that McGonagall offered him and met her eyes.

�Nothing happened between me and Ginny Weasley, Professor,� Harry paused for a moment, his thoughts returning once again to the image of her face. �She is a young girl. She has no other error than that.�

McGonagall looked at him a moment longer and then Harry watched as she nodded her head. She led him to the outer door and then stopped him one last time before he left.

�Remember Harry, that while you have done a great many things in your life, you are not as old as you think and there are worse mistakes that youth can make. My only hope now is that you do not grow to regret this one.�

Harry stopped, but didn�t look at her. �I thank you for the chance to teach here, Professor McGonagall. I hope you don�t regret that.�

�Of course not, Mr. Potter. Albus always wanted this to be your home.�

Harry closed his eyes. He heard her shut the door behind her. With a determined step, he made for his room to pick up his belongings. The sooner he could leave this behind him, the better.

Ginny had troubled dreams and awoke as though she had not rested at all. Groggy and grumpy, she decided Snape would just have to roll his eyes at her again as she walked into Potions late. She took an extra long shower, trying to force her mind to forget what had happened yesterday afternoon.

�Go Ginny. Just go.�

Those were the words he had used and his voice had been so... harsh and strained. Ginny tried to forget the rough feel of his hands on her, but she couldn�t. She couldn�t actually believe Harry had truly meant her harm, but then she couldn�t actually believe the look she had seen in his eyes either.

It was as though he was barely controlling himself.

She had seen him like that only once before- and that had been when Sirius had died and he had come running into the brain room after Bellatrix Lestrange. The anger had poured off him then and although Ginny hadn�t known at that time about Sirius, the look on Harry�s face had alarmed her.

She didn�t know how she would face him today, when she saw him. But she knew they needed to talk.

Her mind a million miles away, she walked through the quiet Gryffindor Common Room and started to make her way to Potions. She didn�t hear McGonagall calling to her until the Professor was right behind her.

�Miss Weasely!� McGonagall panted as she reached her.

Ginny snapped her head up and then looked embarrassed. �Oh, Professor, I�m sorry, I didn�t hear you. I�m late for Potions and Professor Snape will just-�

�I will let Professor Snape know that you are with me. Please follow me to my office.�

Oh no, Ginny thought, she knows what happened with Harry. How can I can explain away snogging a professor?

Feeling like a mouse caught in a trap, Ginny shuffled after the Headmaster, imagining the Howler her mum would have to send about this.

It was only a matter of chance that Harry saw his replacement get off the train as he got on. With a weary sigh, he stopped and tapped them on the shoulder.

�Hey, I thought you couldn�t come until next week?�

Hermione Granger whirled around, startled, but then her face broke into a huge grin when she saw who it was.

�Harry!�

She embraced him then and for a moment Harry let himself enjoy it. It was good to see her. He only wished he had time to spend with her.

Hermione smiled as he pulled himself free. �Well, as soon as I sent off my answer to you, I contacted Mr. Weasley and he agreed to give me the time off, immediately. He reckons he owes it to McGonagall. And you, of course,� Hermione paused as she looked at him. �But Harry, I still don�t understand why you have to go back into training now. Your letter didn�t really explain-�

Hermione was interrupted by the sound of the train whistle blowing in their ears.

Harry forced a smile onto his face. �And I don�t have time to go into it now. I have to run Hermione, or this train will leave without me.�

Hermione frowned at him. Harry stepped up onto the step of the train car and forced a cheery wink.

�I�ll keep an eye on Ron for you. I�ll stop by to see him when I get into town.�

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but was drowned out by the train whistle once again. Harry took that opportunity to wave one last time and then head back into the car. He left his friend wondering what exactly was going on.

Ginny slouched in the chair McGonagall had conjured for her. The Headmaster had not said a word since they had arrived and Ginny reckoned she was trying to wait her out, to get some sort of confession from her.

Two can play at that game, Ginny thought. I can be just as silent as her.

A moment later, McGonagall cleared her throat.

�Miss Weasley, it�s come to my attention that yesterday something transpired that is looked down upon here at Hogwarts and I must confess that I am a bit nonplussed as to how to reprimand you.�

Oh, dear, thought Ginny.

�Look, Professor McGonagall, what happened yesterday between Harry and me was my fault and I-�

�Miss Weasley, I�m sure I don�t know what you�re referring to.�

Ginny blinked at the Headmaster in confusion.

�I...� McGonagall said, after a moment. �Was referring to your disagreement with Professor Trelawny and the subsequent way you left your allotted time with her. She seems to think you�ve decided to not study Divination, after all.�

Ginny felt all the color rush to her face. �Oh! Well... yes. That. Well, you see, Professor McGonagall, Professor Trelawny and I... we don�t get a long very well. We have a difference of opinion about my... uh... lack of clarity. She has me doing nothing except staring at orbs all day!�

Ginny wasn�t sure, but she could have sworn she saw McGonagall�s mouth twitch into the briefest of smiles.

�Well, yes, be that as it may, Miss Weasley, Professor Trelawny is still your teacher in this matter and you should not disrespect her, regardless of your feelings about her... methods.�

Ginny nodded.

This time McGonagall did smile at her and Ginny released an inward breath she hadn�t realized she�d been holding.

�I admit that while I do not much approve of Divination as a whole, Miss Weasley, I do believe it is important for those with specific talents such as yours to train themselves in the right way. I take it you do not enjoy the benefits of the crystal ball?�

�No. Not really, Professor.�

McGonagall nodded her head as though deciding something.

�I was wondering, Miss Weasley, how open you would be to receiving training in another way?�

�Another way?�

�It�s come to my attention that an old friend of mine has moved back to England from America. She, unlike Professor Trelawny, ahem... is not a seer herself per se, although she does enjoy a healthy love for things of that sort. But she has a formidable knowledge on the subject and has just written me asking if I know of any promising students she might tutor. Would you object to having your Divination lessons be with her? I�m fairly sure I can arrange for Professor Miracroix to join us on staff for a limited time.�

Ginny considered it. Would she object to getting out of classes with Trelawny? Was she kidding?

�Yes, Professor, I think I might enjoy getting away from... er... I mean, getting to know things from a different perspective.�

�Good. Then it is settled. I will inform Professor Trelawny that you are to do your Divination studying in the library from now on until Professor Miracroix can join us. Mind you, I expect you to stick to your regular Divination hours, Miss Weasley. I do not want to see you anywhere but the library during those hours, do I make myself clear?�

�Yes, Professor.�

�Good, off you go. Take this note to Professor Snape, to explain your absence from his class.�

Ginny took the note and couldn�t believe that not only had she not gotten yelled at (or worse, expelled) from school because of kissing Harry, but that she was now getting out of her classes of torture with Trelawny. It was probably the sense of elation that made her turn around before she left.

�Er... Professor McGonagall, what I said before about Harry... er... you don�t have to mention that to him or anything.�

McGonagall met her eyes then and seemed to size her up.

�There is not much I can say to Mr. Potter at this point, Miss Weasley. He is now beyond my ability to guardian, at any rate.�

Ginny frowned, confused. �I�m sorry, but what do you mean?�

�Mr. Potter left the school early this morning, Miss Weasley. He seemed quite determined to leave before anyone was awake. He�s gone back to London.�

Ginny felt the room close in on her. �When is he due back?�

McGonagall paused and frowned. �He�s not. He�s gone back to London to continue his training. He has arranged for a replacement to take over in his stead.�

Ginny felt her head nod and then she moved out backwards through the door. He�s left, she thought. He�s gone. He�s run off to London because of me?

Ginny felt two emotions at once- disbelief and anger. How dare Harry do this! How dare he run away in the night and leave her to wake up in a world without him! Of all the childish, foolish, stupid things to do- and he was the one calling her too young? Was he mad?

Ginny walked right into someone and cursed.

�Oomph. Pardon me, I�m sorry, I was looking for Prof- Ginny! Why hello there! I thought I�d have to surprise you at lunchtime!�

Ginny looked up into the kind eyes of Hermione and started to cry.

After getting sent back to her room, on strict orders of Hermione Granger, newest Hogwarts Professor, Ginny found herself no longer crying, but angry again. If it were possible for her to have Harry materialize before her, she would have punched him. Growing up with George and Fred, she knew how to throw her punches and so help her, Harry would be a bit black and blue by now, if she had her way.

It was in this mood that Hermione found her.

�Ginny, you�re making yourself upset, try to calm down.�

Ginny glared at her friend. �Easy for you to be calm, Hermione. You didn�t have someone you care about leave in the middle of the night just to get away from you.�

�Well, no. But I know working yourself up like this will not help matters any-�

�Do you know what he told me yesterday, Hermione? He said he could never love me, that it would just be... be... physical between us. Of all the nerve! As though I didn�t save his arse last year! As if there was nothing between us but that!�

Hermione frowned. �Did he really say that?�

�Would I be this upset if he hadn�t?�

Hermione considered this and then shook her head. Harry had seemed troubled this morning and very hurried.

�Ginny, please sit down.�

Ginny fumed and folded her hands, preferring to stand. Oh brother, Hermione thought, there goes that Weasley pride.

�Right. Well, I don�t know what�s been going on between you and Harry, but I do know he cares about you.�

�Yeah, like a piece of-�

�Ginny!�

Ginny sighed and then sat next to Hermione on the bed. �What?�

Hermione took a deep breath. �I�ve known Harry a long time and... while I�m not sure exactly what this whole business is about, I know that sometimes he just needs to be away from the things that are troubling him. If you and he were having some sort of difficulty it would be very Harry of him to want to get away so he could think.�

�But Hermione! That�s unfair! He should have stayed and talked with me and at least made sure I was okay after yesterday-�

�What do you mean? What exactly happened?�

Ginny blushed. �Well, we... ah... kissed. A couple of times, actually and he... er... got a bit rough...�

Hermione�s eyes widened. �Rough? He hurt you? Did he do anything else?�

�No. He pushed me away and told me to forget him. That he�d never be able to love me.� Ginny�s face looked so miserable, that Hermione had to put an arm around her friend.

�Oh Ginny. I�m sorry. I can�t believe Harry would do that, but... he�s been so reserved lately. Ron and I have hardly seen him, it�s almost as though he doesn�t want to bother us with his presence. I was more surprised than anyone that he took the Hogwarts position. He seems determined to put the past behind him and yet he keeps returning to those things that might cause him pain.�

�You mean like me, right?�

�No! Not at all. But being back at Hogwarts couldn�t have been good for him and... well, you know, he has been through an awful lot-�

�Well, those sound an awful lot like excuses, Hermione.�

Hermione thought about it and knew Ginny was right. It was fine and dandy to come up with different reasons of why Harry was a prat, it was another thing altogether to let him get away with it.

�Are you going to be okay if I leave you? I have a few things to do and an owl to send.�

�An owl? To who? Harry?�

Hermione smiled. �No. But someone who might be able to knock some sense into him.�

Ginny�s eyes widened. �You don�t mean?�

�Yes. I think it�s time that Ron had a little talk with his best friend about some things.�