Author's Note: This story builds on "Harry Potter and the Grand Alliance" and "Harry Potter and the Bond," and will make a lot more sense if you've read those. Of course, even if you have read those, you won't necessarily remember everything that happened, so here's a nice warm recap.
In Harry Potter and the Grand Alliance, we learned of a secret group of half-blood and Muggle-born witches and wizards called the Company of Tebo, who were using Muggle technology to oppose Voldemort. Harry had a strange mental linkup with Ginny and started dating her, Ron had a blazing row with Hermione and started dating her, and there was much rejoicing. Ron was taken out by a Bludger and then kidnapped by Death Eaters (though he was quickly rescued), and in a climactic battle I killed off one of my own OC's along with a bunch of middle-management DE's and dark creatures.
In Harry Potter and the Bond, Harry and Ginny had several more mental linkups (and a few physical ones as well). Fudge was killed by Voldemort, Lupin has died of silver poisoning, and Pettigrew has decided to become a double agent. Death Eaters kidnapped hundreds of the Muggle relatives of wizards at Hogwarts and in the Ministry, hiding them in a castle in the French Alps. The Alliance rescued the hostages, killing Lucius Malfoy in the progress. Draco went over the edge and tried to kill Harry, but Ginny jumped in front of the Killing Curse and blocked it, falling unconscious. She has yet to awake.
~~
"Cho?!"
She just grinned at him. "Well? Can I come in?"
Harry hesitated. "How did you get here?"
Cho giggled. "I Apparated, Harry."
"But, the Order – aren't they guarding – did they let you…"
"The Order aren't guarding you today, Harry. The Company of Tebo is. We're guarding you, I guess I could say, though they told me I'm not really a member until I pass my qualifying tests."
Harry tried to absorb all this. It wasn't easy. It was far too early in the morning for this. He took a deep breath. Start with the basics. "Will you come in?"
Cho grinned. "Why thank you, Harry. I thought you'd never ask."
She gave a slight, mocking curtsey and walked past him. Harry glanced outside once to make sure no one else was standing there before closing the door. "So, you work for the Company of Tebo now?"
Cho took a seat and grinned at him again. "Right in one, Harry."
"Why?" The question slipped out before he could think about it.
Cho sobered instantly, and Harry thought he could see a hint of tears before she blinked them away. "I told you last year, Harry. I have to do whatever I can to fight," she took a deep breath, "To fight Voldemort."
Harry's mind floundered, trying to think of a way to change the conversation before it came back to Cedric. "I, err, I meant why you? I mean, I thought the Company only took, um…"
"Half-bloods?" Cho finished for him. Harry nodded. Cho grinned again. "They made an exception for me, because I came up with an idea, and they heard about it. Ravenclaw thinking wins again."
"What idea?"
"Well, everyone knows how you saved Ginny's life in her first year, right? The Chamber of Secrets and everything; you risked your life to save hers." She paused expectantly. Harry nodded again, although he had no idea where this was going.
Cho continued. "Well, you've heard about the life debt that creates?" At Harry's nod, she continued. "So, then she risked her life to save yours this year."
Harry squeezed his eyes shut. Remembering that moment was horrible. After a moment, he felt Cho's hand on his arm. He opened his eyes, to see her looking at him with concern.
"I'm sorry, Harry. But I need to explain this. Everyone who knows about it assumes that she was paying her debt to you. But what if that wasn't it?" Her eyes were shining again, but this time with excitement. "What if she didn't do it because of the life debt, but because she wanted to? Then she would have created a new bond between you instead."
Cho kept speaking, but Harry didn't hear her. Suddenly he was back with Draco, watching Ginny fall, hearing her voice as he did when they were linked. He had been desperately seeking her, and he had found her.
I forced the link. Which means…
'Ginny? Are you here?'
And again, he felt it, her answering call, though as before he couldn't make out the words.
"I've got a part of her inside me!" Harry shouted.
Cho looked taken aback. "Er, well, that's not exactly what I meant…" she started, but Harry wasn't listening.
She's inside me, so I have to put her back.
"Cho, can you get me to Hogwarts?"
~~
Harry took Ginny's hand in his. Still warm. 'Ginny, can you hear me?'
Again, the wordless answer returned.
She's here. I can hear her. How can I put her back into herself?
Gently, he leaned forward, sliding his arms under her to hold her. He bent his head and, gently but firmly, pressed his lips to hers.
'Come back to me, Ginny. I… I love you.'
Harry's eyes closed as he concentrated on the kiss. He felt the warm weight of Ginny in his arms, the softness of her lips, the gentle pressure of her arms around him… Arms?
He broke the kiss and lifted his head slightly. Ginny's eyes were open and she was smiling fuzzily up at him, as if she had just woken up. "Good morning, Harry. Is it time to get up?" she asked sleepily.
The next sound she made was a surprised "Oof!" as Harry crushed her against himself in a joyous hug.