Summary: Ginny is now 24 years old. She is well-known and famous. But during a press-conference, memories of her past begin to come back to her. She goes back to the summer she turned 16. The summer that changed her life. But Hermione and Harry are acting strangely. What is really going on? POV of Ginny at first and then changes! HBP spoilers.
I Know It's Been A While, But CHAPTER 17 IS UP!
Categories: Ron/Hermione AND Harry/Ginny Characters: None
Warnings: Book 7 Disregarded
Challenges: Series: None
Chapters: 17
Completed: No
Word count: 41781
Read: 61306
Published: 10/25/05
Updated: 07/29/07
1. Back in time by Rons chick
2. Explanations and Hidden Tears by Rons chick
3. Mixed Feelings by Rons chick
4. Weddings Cause Confessions by Rons chick
5. A Conversation with Voldemort by Rons chick
6. The real Deal by Rons chick
7. I can't Lose Her by Rons chick
8. One More Chase by Rons chick
9. The Mysterious Ginny by Rons chick
10. Ginny's Answers by Rons chick
11. And Yet Another Surprise by Rons chick
12. Floo Mysteries by Rons chick
13. Hate, Love, and Hidden...Tattoos? by Rons chick
14. A Will, A Few Promises, And the Journey Continues by Rons chick
15. The Unknown World of a Locked Gaze by Rons chick
16. Live Until the End of the World by Rons chick
17. One World Destroyed, Another Discovered by Rons chick
Back in time by Rons chick
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters! That is all the brilliance of JK Rowling herself!
“Ms. Weasley, Ms. Weasley!”
I looked around and tried to find a face within the sharks that swam before me to whom I would allow my blessing for them to question me. The flashing lights were blinding but I was used to it by now. I pointed into the crowd, trusting that I had picked someone trustworthy.
“Ms. Weasley, is this book a recreation of your life? Can you relate to any of it?”
I smiled. I had expected this question sooner or later. I laughed politely before answering.
“Well, I guess every girl on the planet of Earth can certainly relate to a bit of the book, yeah. I guess it just is what makes us, us, really.”
I smiled as the room buzzed with a return of polite smiles and laughing.
”Err…but I guess this book is really trying to get in a girl’s head. No, these experiences are not directly from my life, but they pretty good, eh?”
I smiled to let the room know that I meant well. The room began to grow loud once again as they realized I was done with that question and was ready for the next. I randomly pointed, once again, into the crowd.
“Ginny- excuse me, Ms. Weasley-“ the lady said as she corrected herself which made me smile.
I recognized the lady’s voice as she spoke, but I couldn’t place why it was so familiar.
She continued, “I think I can speak for the entire room when I say that I am so very curious as to whether or not the rumour of you being engaged is true.”
I felt the smile slowly fade from my face and my eyes mechanically moved to looked over the crowd to find the eyes I ached to see.
Those eyes, those wonderful eyes that I knew I wouldn’t find within the crowd today. Not today and not ever. It hadn’t even taken that much time for me to accept. It was just a fact and nothing more.
I took a deep breath in and then let it out slowly before answering. “Err…well…yes. The rumours are very true.”
I had never been much of a liar. That is why I chose not to, despite the feeling of wanting to keep it to myself. My eyes, once again automatically, began to surf the crowd and, once again, I realized I wouldn’t see the other face that I longed to see. His eyes, my hair, and freckles on her little face; the face I wouldn’t find. I took another deep breath. This was not a subject that I particularly liked to talk about.
“And may I ask to whom?” the lady asked.
I focused on her a little more closely and I finally realized who she was. Rita Skeeter, the most famous of all of the sharks in this small, cramped room. I didn’t have the time to concentrate on her, though, because my head was too busy spinning with the words in her most recent question. I had to close my eyes to keep from crying.
And suddenly - I was sixteen again.
(Flashback)
“Oh, Harry, that would be wonderful!” Hermione reached up and grabbed Harry’s hand as they went out to dance on the dance floor.
The room was vibrant and energy was everywhere. The roses that were dangling from the clear and gorgeous sky were perfect for the occasion. They were at the rehearsal ceremony for Bill’s and Fleur’s wedding. Fleur had wanted an outside wedding and wedding rehearsal. The ceremony was Mrs. Weasley’s request. She had made tons and tons of food for tonight with the help of Ginny, Hermione, and Gabrielle. Bill wanted the rehearsal three days before the wedding for an unknown reason but it had been alright with Fleur and Mrs. Weasley, so that is how it was planned.
Ginny and Ron sat at the table decorated in a white and teal tablecloth to match the bridesmaids’ dresses and watched them leave.
As Ginny saw Harry grab Hermione around the waist and pull her closer, memories of just a few months ago surfaced to the front of her mind. This was not a new occurrence, as it had been happening since Harry had arrived just two weeks earlier. She remembered the first day they kissed. It was perfect.
And then there was Dumbledore’s funeral. It had been an awful day but she could still make out the look on his face when she told him the truth.
“I never really gave up on you,” she’d told him. “Not really,”
Ron glanced at his sister and noticed that she was deep in thought. He gestured a shrug toward her that she knew meant, ‘Wanna go?’
She smiled, glad to be rid of the painful memory of Harry breaking up with her and nodded.
As they went out onto the floor, they shared a slow dance. Ginny was kind of sad that soon they would all return to school and it would be her brother‘s last year. She knew he was, too.
“Look, Harry, they’re sharing a brother-sister dance! Do you think they think anything of this?” Hermione asked him as they danced slowly and watched the siblings.
Harry considered this for a moment before answering. Hermione and Harry were like Ron and Ginny: brother and sister. Not by blood officially, but by friendship. Them sharing a dance as intimate as they were trying to be, it just wouldn’t look that suspicious.
“Actually, no,” he finally told her.
He could tell she agreed because she didn’t object. She just stayed quiet and went back to dancing.
“Slow songs, I hate them,” Ron told Ginny and she laughed as she new this was true.
Once they had gone to a friend of Charlie’s wedding and Ron had tried to dance with a really pretty girl. He did fine and they had been having fun when the regular music played. Then they put on the slow songs and she was so happy with his regular dancing that she had insisted that he slow dance with her. After he stepped on her four times, she gave up and left him standing alone in the middle of the dance floor while surrounding people tried to find which part was his face and which his hair because he was blushing so deeply.
Ginny smiled at the memory of watching him and started glancing around when she noticed-
“But they are looking now.” As Harry said this he grabbed Hermione around the waist and pulled her closer.
He knew in his heart that this was awkward. It wasn’t Hermione he wanted to be holding. It would always the fiery red-head with amber eyes blazing into him at that moment with a look of disgust. Oblivious to his thought, Hermione smiled.
“Maybe that will,” Hermione’s voice snapped Harry back to reality and they both laughed. Now they could both see the looks on Ron’s and Ginny’s faces out of the corners of their eyes.
“Don’t let them know that we know they are watching. Come a little closer and put your head on my chest like that,” he told her.
He situated her head so it was lying on his chest once again thinking of how Ginny used to do this to him and it had felt so right.
For effect, Hermione closed her eyes and smiled. She wanted so badly for Ron to be angry. She wanted to know his true feelings. Harry really did smell good, though, and she was able to stop thinking about Ron for just a moment. Harry was just tall enough that when she laid her head on his chest he could rest his chin on her head. Ron was so tall he had to bend down to rest his chin on her head. Although for some reason, she would always prefer him over Harry.
“Oh my goodness, Ron, look at Harry and Hermione! Is it just me or are they a little close, even for them?!” Ginny almost sounded a little worried.
When she’d found them within the crowd she had to do a double-take to make sure they weren’t kissing. But they were really close! And why was his hand so far down her back and travelling further?
“Bloody hell!” Ron whispered. “Yeah, I reckon they’re too bloody close!”
By that time they had stopped dancing. Thank goodness they were toward the outside of the dance floor and not front-and-centre like the last time he’d danced with a girl. He could feel his face turning a darker and darker shade of red. The anger was taking over his body.
‘But it is Hermione and Harry!’ he thought.
‘They are like me and Ginny! Why are they so close?’
“Oh, Harry, they are leaving!” Hermione sounded guilty, but Harry wouldn’t let her stop dancing.
He held her tight and put his hand on her neck to keep it plastered to his chest. He wouldn’t let them ruin his and Hermione’s plan. At least he wouldn’t let them ruin it yet.
“Let them. Don’t let them know we know they are leaving. It will screw things up,” he told her.
She new he was right once again and without further question, she obeyed.
****************
“Where did you guys disappear to last night?” Harry asked Ron and Ginny nonchalantly the next morning in Harry’s room.
Harry and Hermione were sitting on the bed together, staring at Ron and Ginny, who were sitting in chairs, facing them.
They met like this every morning before going to breakfast. Ron and Ginny both started mumbling incoherently. Harry thought he heard something like, ‘homework’, ‘tired’, and ‘feeding Pigwidgeon’, from them.
“You know,” they grumbled together.
Ginny looked up as if seeing Harry and Hermione sit together for the first time and gave them a dirty look. Then, before they knew it, she stormed out of the room slamming the door behind her.
Ron looked startled at this sudden sound, for he had been very interested in the spot on his floor. As he looked up to see who ran off, he noticed Harry and Hermione as well. You could tell the family resemblance as he gave them a dirty look and stalked off after his sister, slamming the door even harder to announce his discontent.
“Very nicely done, Hermione!” Harry gave Hermione a high-five and they smiled satisfyingly. “What do you say we cluelessly find out why they are angry?”
She smiled. “Harry, my dear, ‘cluelessly’ is not a word, but I do agree, lets.”
They left Harry’s room to follow their angry friends.
“Hey, what’s up?” Hermione asked Ginny as she reached the room they had been sharing.
Ginny concentrated hard on the blank sheet of paper on the desk in front of her. Then she glared at Hermione before turning back to look at her homework.
“Harry, it’s not like you don’t know!” Ron threw at Harry, still staring blankly at his paper on the desk.
He suddenly felt like his room was too small. Then he felt a sharp pain of anger as he silently cursed himself for not locking his door before Harry had come up.
“Please, Ginny, tell me what’s going on!”
“YOU KNOW I FANCY HER!!!” Ron screamed at him.
Harry backed away a little as he wasn’t expecting him to be this angry.
“Ginny, you need to settle down! He broke up with you!” Hermione felt like she was doing really well after having practiced this with Harry after the party last night.
“Mate, seriously! You never made a move! You were too busy snogging Lavender! You had your chance-”
“And I want mine!” Hermione yelled.
“Just cool down a bit! I’m out of here!”
And when Harry left Ron’s room and a speechless Ron, he was pleased to find Hermione already waiting for him in his room.
“Its love,” they said to each other at the same time.
“Wait - he was mad?!”
Harry nodded. The feeling was creeping back into his gut. All he wanted was to hold her. He just wanted to tell her how much he loved her. He wanted to relive that day in the common room when he’d kissed her after they won the final Quidditch game of the season last year. He wanted to erase in her memory as well as his the day he broke up with her. The day of Dumbledore’s funeral.
“I figured
she would be mad. I really want to tell her, Hermione!” he whined.
Hermione gave him a hug. They had been through this conversation a million times before.
“You have to do this, Harry! Not just for me but for her! You know she wants to come with us. We know she can’t!”
“Hermione-when things start to work more and we finally tell them the truth, it will work out for you. You and Ron will live happily ever after. But it won’t make any difference with Ginny than if I told her now.”
She seemed to consider this for a moment. What he said was true.
“Not yet Harry! Maybe after she gets back to school and realizes that we aren’t there is when Ron can know the truth! Harry he will use her and you know it!”
At this last statement Harry couldn’t respond. Hermione was right, as always. It was the reason he broke up with Ginny in the first place. He could never live with himself if it was his fault that she got hurt or even killed. And he would know, as he always does. He would use her as bait like he did with Sirius. The hate rose inside him once again. Voldemort would die before anyone else got hurt and he would make sure of it.
A/N: Okay, guys “ Thanks for bearing through this chapter. Unfortunately, there is no way to rewrite it, but I now have a beta and the story is better, I promise! Sorry if there are questions, but they are all answered in the next few chapters! Hope you read all of it (until whatever chapter I am still writing!). Thanks so much for reading, now please REVIEW!
Manda*
Explanations and Hidden Tears by Rons chick
Author's Notes:
This chapter has been edited! :)
Manda*
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters!!!
“Yes! That would be another ten points for us, I believe! Thank you very much,” Hermione cheeped with a twinkle in her eye as she spun around on her broom and flew back toward Harry to give him a high-five.
That was her third goal against Ron during their four-on-four Quidditch game of the afternoon. It was Ron, Ginny, Bill and Fred against Harry, Hermione, Charlie and George.
After the fight that they had all had the morning before, Ron and Ginny had been cooped up in their rooms only to come out to have meals and give a grunt or two. Bill had insisted that they all get over the bicker and play a round of Quidditch before the wedding the following afternoon.
“Fleur will be so angry with you all if you are not getting along! You are all old enough to put it to the backs of your heads, at least for the rest of the weekend. You’re not five! Get over it and come play four-on-four with the rest of us,” Bill had said earlier that morning.
Charlie smiled and swooped down from his position at the posts to high-five Hermione.
“I’d say our little know-it-all, Quidditch-is-a-waste-of-time girl sure knows how to score on our freckly-red-headed kid brother, what’d you say, George?”
George smirked at his older brother, nodding.
“Agreed, older brother!” he shouted and Hermione couldn’t help but beam proudly.
Everyone could hear Ron grumble angrily from his post. Harry decided that his best mate needed his support at that moment. His smile quickly disappeared as he formed a more serious face.
“Did any of you consider that he was giving Hermione a break? She doesn’t really know how to play and she is a girl.”
Not able to hold it any longer, the smile reappeared on Harry’s face as Hermione screeched, not expecting this comment, and flew over to him to hit him hard on the arm.
“This game is getting really intense!” Fred observed with no hint of hilarity or mischievousness in his voice.
“Yeah, maybe we should pack it up, kids!” George commented critically as he looked around the field to see that Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were all in a bad mood and Harry was grabbing his arm in pain from Hermione’s anger.
Without another word, the entire flock of teenagers had hit the ground, all with brooms in hand, and had begun walking toward the house. Bill and Charlie stared in amusement at Fred and George. They had such power.
“Who won, dears?” Mrs. Weasley asked the group of teens as they one-by-one entered the back door and went their own ways all over the house.
Harry walked into the living room and slumped into a spot on the sofa. He watched Ron stomp up to his room. A minuscule smile found its way to his face as he watched Ginny roll her eyes at Ron’s dramatic performance before she stepped onto the first stair to start up to her room. But she paused and looked over at Harry. He looked away quickly before she would be able to see his eyes.
Oblivious, Hermione sat down on the couch next to Harry and grabbed his hand. A sharp pain went through Ginny’s heart and she continued her way up to her room to be alone. Now she wasn’t only angry that they’d lost, but also sad that she’d lost the one she loved. In the back of her mind she knew that it was the first sign to heartbreak when you start to realize that he was serious about breaking up. He was no longer hers.
Harry watched as Ginny continued up the stairs and didn’t even try to rid his face of the heartbroken longing look on his face. He’d had a month at Privet Drive to release his heartache. Losing Ginny and Dumbledore in the same week had been a shock and he hadn’t talked about it to anyone all summer. He was just satisfied that he didn’t lose them in the same way. He would never have to worry about losing Ginny the way he lost Dumbledore just so long as she stayed away from him.
“Harry,” Hermione’s voice snapped Harry back to life and he looked over at the brown fluff of hair sitting next to him.
He noticed that his hand was now his own again. He took a deep breath in, realizing that that was how he preferred it if it didn’t belong to Ginny.
“Yeah,” he breathed out.
“That was rude! You know as well as I that it doesn’t matter who is shooting, especially in front of his brothers, Ron doesn’t take it easy on people. He doesn’t know how!”
Harry just stared at her, so she continued.
“Yes, I am very aware that I just ruined you little thing there with Ginny but we both know that I had to. You were looking away anyways. Now why were you so rude out there?”
Harry tried to smile at Hermione’s fake innocence and obliviousness.
He shrugged. “He is my best mate. He needed some support out there. Besides, we can’t have him hating us all summer. He is going to fight with us in a couple of weeks, you know.”
Hermione speechlessly blinked. She sighed lightly before getting off of the sofa.
“I’m going to go clean up before dinner. The last thing we need is to ruin this thing. The wedding is tomorrow and as much as none of us are particularly thrilled about it, Fleur wants it to be perfect. If we are all fighting then it won’t be very perfect now will it? So, you go fight it out with Ron or whatever it is that boys do to forgive each other and I will go talk to Gin. See you at dinner.”
She was so much like his sister that these directions coming from her mouth directed at him made him smile a little. He nodded because he knew it was all she wanted for him to do.
*********
“Gin, are you in here?” Hermione walked into the room she shared with Ginny and went over to sit on her own bed.
“What, Hermione?” Ginny snapped.
“Look, I know that this entire ordeal is difficult for you and I respect that you need time and space. But, Ginny, we can’t fight for long, and you know that just as well as I do,” Hermione stated confidently.
“I always thought you fancied my brother,” Ginny grumbled as she sat on her bed and faced Hermione.
“I gave up on him, Ginny. I wanted him to fight for me when I was with other people, not to fight with me. I just…I can’t…,” Hermione was speaking so quietly, Ginny guessed that it upset her and dropped the subject.
“Come here,” Ginny told Hermione and grabbed her in a huge hug.
When they pulled away, there was a big smile on Hermione’s face and Ginny decided that she’d done the right thing. But now she had to get out of the room; she had to get away from Hermione just for a small while.
“I’m going to help mum with dinner. See you down there in a bit?”
Hermione nodded and Ginny left the room. But she wasn’t headed toward the kitchen.
(At the same time Hermione and Ginny were talking)
“You didn’t have to do that, you know. Stick up for me back there, you didn’t have to do it,” Ron grumbled at Harry as he walked into Ron’s room and closed the door behind him.
Ron didn’t look back at him; he just continued to stare blankly at the photo album on his desk. He heard Harry sit on the bed and could feel the burning glare through the back of his head that Harry was giving him.
“What?” Harry asked.
“You heard me,” Ron growled as his boiling point grew when hearing Harry’s bogus obliviousness.
He spun around to find Harry looking surprised that he’d managed to anger his best friend, once again.
“No, I meant, what did I not have to do that I did?” Harry’s look made Ron start to realize that he hadn’t come to fight, only to talk.
“You know!” Ron felt his voice begin to slightly rise. “Sticking up for me out there! You and I both know that I really didn’t mean to let Hermione get all of those shots against me. Thanks for sticking up for me, but you really didn’t have to.”
Harry smiled warmly. “Ron, please just forget it, alright? I mean it doesn’t matter it was just a game. I just…I just don’t want you mad at me for this thing with Hermione. I know you’ve kind of always had an eye for her and this with me and her is a little awkward. I wish I could explain what’s really going on with me her, but I can’t. It’s just that…Ron, you never told her…you know…how you feel about her…and…she and I both…just kind of…stopped waiting for you,” Harry mumbled.
He didn’t want to give away too much, but he wanted Ron to feel the need to tell Hermione how he felt. He also didn’t want Ron to get mad at him again. Much to his surprise, Ron just sat in his seat, frozen and speechless. He seemed to snap himself out of his zone a minute or so later and offered Harry a weak but warm smile.
He placed his hand on Harry’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, mate. I guess you’re right; I should’ve told her before it was too late.” Ron’s words were a little discouraging.
Harry wanted to hear that Ron was still going to fight for her or even hear him asking his permission to have a second chance with her. Harry pushed the dissatisfaction to the back of his mind and smiled.
“Thanks mate,” Harry told him weakly.
Ron stood up and began to walk over to the door. “I’m going to go get ready for supper. See you later?”
When Harry nodded, Ron left. Harry was left with all kinds of thoughts. He didn’t want to be asking Ron for his permission to date Hermione; he wanted permission to date Ginny. He wouldn’t be going through all of this trouble if Dumbledore had lived. He would know that there was a little safety remaining in the world and would have never broken up with Ginny.
But Dumbledore had gone. And with him, he took all of Harry’s hope. The tears began to flood Harry’s eyes as memories of Dumbledore drinking that potion came back to him; memories of that night.
“Harry, it’s…Harry? Are you alright? Harry, are you…are you crying?” Ginny’s voice soothed.
Harry had been caught.
Mixed Feelings by Rons chick
Author's Notes:
This has recently been edited as well! :)
Manda*
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these Characters
“Harry…are you alright? Harry, what’s wrong?”
Harry hastily wiped his tears and rid his head of the memories he was reencountering. The visions of Dumbledore falling out of the window didn’t seem to want to leave, but he pushed them to the back of his head, none-the-less. How could he be so stupid as to be caught crying by none other than the girl he loved?
“Nothing is wrong, Ginny. What are you doing in here?” he spat toward her.
She was taken aback, but didn’t let him notice as she walked over to him and sat down in the chair across from him.
“I just needed to…Never mind, it doesn’t matter. Please talk to me, Harry.” She didn’t want him to know that she needed to escape Hermione and all of her happiness. All she wanted was to talk to him.
“I can’t! Please leave, now! PLEASE, GINNY!” He lost his calmness without expecting and was just as scared of himself as Ginny was.
He immediately regretted yelling at her, but knew she wouldn’t have left if he hadn’t. The hurt expression on her face made his stomach flip flop. Her eyes were filled to the brim with tears, but for some reason they never left; they never strolled her cheeks, but instead stayed in her eyes where she wanted them.
She shot out of her seat and walked over to the door. She put her hand on the knob and then turned to look at him.
“You have to speak to someone soon or else you will have a break down!” she said fiercely as her eyes burned into his. “I don’t know what is going on between you and Hermione, but I am not buying it! Not a bit of it!”
With that, she stormed out.
******************
“Harry, open this door right now!”
Harry ignored the banging coming from the other side of his door. It slammed open and Hermione walked in.
“What is going on? You didn’t come to supper or dessert. You have been locked inside of here for almost eight hours! Do you realize it is almost 10 o’clock? Harry, what is wrong? Ginny came out hours ago practically crying! She was saying something about things finally catching up with you or some gibberish. She said you won’t talk to her. Harry please come down and talk with us.”
Harry continued to play with the hem on the covers of his bed.
“I don’t want to talk,” he said simply and quietly.
“Well, you need to. Everyone has gone to bed. Come down to Ron’s room with me, please.”
She walked over and grabbed his arm, making his stand up and follow her out of the room toward Ron’s.
“There you are! Merlin, you’ve been up there for hours!” Ron stated when Harry and Hermione entered his room. He was sitting on his bed cross-legged, while waiting for them to come back.
“So I’ve been told,” Harry said.
“Me and Ginny didn’t know if ‘Mione would be able to get you down here!” Ron said, ignoring Harry’s last statement.
Harry looked over to the bed next to Ron’s to find Ginny sitting on it, avoiding his glance.
“Harry please talk to us. We haven’t pushed you yet, but please don’t make this one like the summer a couple years back. Please talk and don’t hold it all in! We are here for you,” Hermione said.
Harry finally broke down. “HE WOULDN’T BE DEAD IF IT WEREN’T FOR ME! I SHOULD HAVE DRUNK THE POTION! I SHOULD HAVE NEVER LET HIM DIE!!!” he yelled at them.
“Harry, don’t think that way! Nothing could have stopped his death. You went through this with Cedric too! It’s not your fault!” Ginny soothed.
“YOU ARE THE ONES THAT WANTED ME TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I HAPPEN TO BE THINKING AT THE MOMENT!” Harry screamed again.
The room grew silent again; not in shame but in curiosity of what he would say next.
“Sirius died because I was a stupid git and went to the Department of Mysteries. My parents died because I was born when the prophecy predicted. Cedric died because I told him to touch the cup with me at the end of the maze. It is all because of me; because I was born. But all of their deaths made no affect on the world. Dumbledore died this time, once again because of me. But this time it does affect the world. There was safety with him here. Not much, but there was some. But now there is none; no safety left. And that is because of me; all because of me.”
By the time Harry had finished he was barely audible. Nobody in the room said a word until at least five minutes had past. Everyone was processing what Harry had just told them.
“Wow,” Ron breathed.
“Oh Merlin,” Hermione murmured, “Harry, I can’t believe that you have been thinking this all summer without talking to anyone.”
“That’s not the half of it,” he told her trying to calm himself and thinking of everything with Ginny.
“Harry,” Ginny was at a loss of words, “I just…I never thought…It’s not your fault. None of it is. You must understand that.”
Harry closed his eyes. They were wrong. He should have never been born; he screwed everything up.
“You don’t honestly believe it’s entirely your fault, do you, Harry?” Ron screwed up his face and gaped at Harry in disbelief.
Harry didn’t answer.
“Bloody hell, Harry, how d’ you keep this all in for so long?”
Smiles began to break out around the room at Ron’s question.
“I don’t,” Harry stated simply with the shy smile becoming more apparent.
He started to realize why he cherished Ron and Hermione so much; they would always cheer him up.
“Sorry…you know…that you couldn’t talk sooner,” Ginny stuttered without looking at him.
He shook his head. “’Snot your fault, I swear it. I just wasn’t ready to let my thoughts become words just yet. Until Hermione made me, I guess. Sorry ‘bout snapping at you earlier, Gin,” Harry said.
Ginny looked up and gazed into his eyes. He had called her ‘Gin’. Maybe there was still a chance. He wouldn’t still call her his old nickname for her if he didn’t still have feelings for her.
He broke her gaze after a few moments. He could remember distinctly the day they spent in the common room just after they had begun to go out. They had made up a stupid joke about him having a Hungarian Horntail tattooed on his chest. She’d said it was macho. He instinctively grabbed his chest.
“What’s the matter?” Hermione asked him suddenly looking worried. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah just thinking. But forget about that. We should all go to bed. We have a wedding to attend in the morning. My room, seven o’clock?” Harry asked.
“Err…make it seven thirty?” Hermione asked and Ginny nodded in agreement.
“Fine by me. Goodnight, all see you in the morning bright and early!”
And they all went to their rooms for a night’s rest of sleep.
Weddings Cause Confessions by Rons chick
Author's Notes:
No worries: This has been officially edited! :)
Manda*
Disclaimer: Although I would like to say that these characters are mine, they are not!
“GINNY! GET YOUR BEHIND DOWN HERE PLEASE! WE NEED TO DO UP YOUR HAIR!” Mrs. Weasley shouted from downstairs the next morning. “AND YOU HERMIONE; yours will take ages!”
Hermione and Ginny looked at the two boys sympathetically before following orders and leaving the room.
“Bloody hell, I’m glad I’m not a girl,” Ron mumbled.
“And so are they, Ron. They would be disgraced if you were,” Harry laughed at the look on Ron’s face. “Right... Well, I think we should probably get dressed.”
**************
“Oh Merlin,” Harry whispered to himself as Ginny and Hermione walked closer to him and Ron.
He thought he might pass out right then and there. She had out-done herself and become even more gorgeous than he could have ever predicted. Ron grabbed onto Harry’s arm to keep from fainting.
“I know,” Ron told Harry.
Harry smiled. Ron obviously thought Harry was overwhelmed by Hermione. He had no reason not to think that, as he thought her and Harry were a pair. Harry just nodded and agreed. Hermione was a right sight, but there was no competition between her and Ginny.
“Wow, you two look amazing,” Hermione told Ron and Harry as her and Ginny finally reached them.
“You, too,” Harry told them with a smile.
Hermione held out her hand and Harry took it. Ron and Ginny seemed to pretend they didn’t see anything. Harry tried to hide the feeling of guilt as they proceeded outside.
“Fleur looks like a vision, I’ll tell you that!” Ginny said.
“What happened to ‘Phlegm’?” Harry asked.
Ginny smiled. “She really fell in love with my brother,” she stated simply.
A calm, satisfied silence fell over the four teenagers the rest of the way.
“Alright, come with me, please; the lot of you! Hermione and Harry last, just as we planned. Ginny you go with George first. Fleur’s friend, Juliette, will be going with Charlie, and Fleur agreed to let Fred walk down with Angelina. Right, well, off we go.”
Mrs. Weasley led the four of them back into the house where they had just come from and then into the kitchen. Mr. Weasley, Fred, Angelina, Charlie, Juliette, and Bill were already there. Bill was ringing his hands. His face still held the scars from just months ago and his temper was now a chore to control, but he was still Bill, and that is all anyone cared about.
“Alright, now everyone is in their seat. Bill, Ronald, please go up to the front now,” Mrs. Weasley instructed. “I must go sit, as well…Hermione, please assure me everything will go well?”
Hermione nodded with a smile. “I couldn’t let you down, Mrs. Weasley,” she told her.
They all watched as Mrs. Weasley went between Bill and Ron and led them to the front where the preacher was. Next, Ginny took George’s hand and they glided down the isle to the front. They were followed by Juliette and Charlie, Angelina and Fred, and finally Harry and Hermione.
Once everyone was up at the front, the music began and Fleur slid peacefully down the isle with Gabrielle carrying the access of her dress behind her. Even Harry had to catch his breath as he watched Fleur come closer and closer. He looked over at Ron and wasn’t surprised at the mesmerized look on his face. He was surprised that he wasn’t looking at Fleur. Instead, he was staring at Hermione.
**********
“That was brilliant. It really was. Fleur looked stunning!” Hermione said as she danced with Harry.
He nodded. It had been a fine day. He looked over when he heard a giggle and saw George throwing Ginny around the floor. He smiled to himself at the fact that she was smiling.
He suddenly felt a push on the shoulder and tripped over himself, stumbling to keep standing. Before he had time to process what had happened, Ron was shouting.
“HERMIONE, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?” Ron screamed. He seemed to catch his breath for a moment before continuing less loudly. “You don’t love him. War makes us jump into relationships and do things we wouldn’t have ever done before. That’s what mum and dad told me. Don’t jump into this relationship with Harry. It’s not what you want.”
“HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT I WANT, RONALD?” Hermione yelled.
She was fuming, Harry could tell. He noticed Ron’s face grow a darker shade of red. Harry had to focus to tell if it was really Ron speaking. He would have never guessed Ron would have the ability to speak his feelings; especially to Hermione.
“Because you walked down that isle with him today and there was nothing! There were no sparks, no looks on your faces as if someday it would be the two of you having the wedding. But you were walking toward me. In that dress, with that smile, and I knew that it would be me with you, not him!” Ron said with fury.
Then he took a step closer to her, put his hands behind her neck, and kissed her.
“Hermione?” Harry knew that all three of them had to have a discussion in his room as soon as possible.
On queue, Hermione pushed Ron away from her gently and turned toward Harry.
“I can be with him if the rest of the world thinks I’m with you,” she whispered to him.
Then she quietly told Ron to go wait up in her room.
“I’ll explain to him, Harry. I’ll tell him that in order to keep Ginny safe, I have to pretend to be with you. Take my hand and lead me into the house. It won’t be as suspicious that way.”
Harry followed orders and took her hand. He led her into the house and to her room. They stood outside the door for a moment.
She reached up and hugged him hard. “He loves me, Harry,” she said and he noticed that she was crying.
He watched her enter the room and walked up to his own. The thought of Ron not loving her when Hermione loved him so much must have put a hole through Hermione’s heart. Was that what he was doing to Ginny? The door burst open and an angel entered. She bared that same look in her eyes; that blazing look.
“Did you listen to Ron?” Ginny said.
“Yes, but the bigger question is was it him speaking?” Harry answered.
Ginny smiled. “He was right, you know. You don’t love Hermione anymore than she loves you. I mean…of course you love her, but not like she and Ron love each other. Not like…Never mind…Harry, we can do it now! If they are together, we can be together!”
“The four of us might know that they are together, but the rest of the world cannot,” he told her.
“Harry, why?”
“Because if he knows that she is with Ron, then he will hurt you.”
“HE DOESN’T HAVE TO KNOW I’M WITH YOU!” Ginny shouted.
“He just knows, Gin!”
“Are you not afraid of what will happen to her? You are scared something will happen to me, but won’t he hurt her?” Ginny asked.
“She will be with me! If something happens, I will know right away!”
“WHAT do you mean, Harry? I will be with you, too! Hogwarts is open! It reopened and we are all going back.”
“No, Ginny, we won’t be going back! Someone has to find those horcruxes and kill Voldemort. Who else but me?”
When Harry said this, Ginny fell to the floor.
“I hate that you have to be so noble. Why can’t you just do what you want for once!” she whispered.
“Because the rest of the world depends on me. I told you about the prophecy last year when we were together. You know what it is that I must do! It is me or the world, Gin.”
Harry was used to the idea by now.
She left quietly not long after that and Harry went to sleep. He no longer had dreams about Voldemort, but sometimes the last night of Dumbledore. Mostly, though, his dreams were full of Ginny. He dreamed about Ginny walking down the isle toward him. He told her he loved her and they said their ‘I do’s’. He was just about to kiss her when a sharp pain went through his head and he clutched his scar.
A loud banging from his door was barely audible because of the pain in his head and then Hermione entered.
“He took Ginny,” Hermione cried and Harry had no problem hearing it.
A Conversation with Voldemort by Rons chick
Author's Notes:
Edited version:)
Manda*
“He took Ginny,” Hermione cried again.
Harry was out of bed and dressed like a bullet before Hermione’s eyes. Harry didn’t need explanation of what Hermione meant. He just knew something was wrong. Voldemort had still figured Ginny would be his weakness despite his cover-up with Hermione.
“I’M STILL HERE AND SHE IS GONE! Harry, I just don’t get it! It was supposed to be me if anyone! I was prepared, I was ready! We were asleep and then I heard a scream a few minutes ago and when I looked over, she was gone!” Hermione was hysterical.
Harry grabbed her shoulders. “Does anyone else know, yet?” He asked.
“No, I just figured you would want to know first,”
“Alright, get Ron and everyone else up. Have them go to Grimmauld Place. Tell them I will be there as soon as I can,” Harry threw directions at Hermione as he hastily escorted her to Ron’s room.
“Where are you going, Harry?” Hermione whispered.
“I had a dream about a month ago about Voldemort taking someone. I didn’t know then who it was, but I have a feeling I know where. I must go. Please tell them for me? And take care of yourself while I’m gone, alright?”
And Harry was gone. He was suddenly really glad that he had passed his Apparition test the first week he had been here. He knew it would be needed in the war. What he didn’t know was that it would be needed so soon.
He suddenly felt like his head would explode; a feeling he hadn’t quite gotten used to yet.
He arrived at a regular house; the house that his parents had once lived in…and died in. He pushed away the knot in his throat from the thought of his parents and what might happen to Ginny.
He focused on the task at hand; the job ahead, and what he needed to do. He walked closer and closer to the door of the ordinary home. Without knocking he entered. He heard a loud noise from directly above him as if something had been dropped. He pointed his wand ahead of himself and headed for the staircase slowly.
“He will never think of coming here, master…wonderful idea this is,” Harry heard Snape say from above.
“Silence, Snape. It will take him far less time to find us than expected,” Voldemort said.
“How do you know, master?”
“Because I do,” Voldemort told him.
It fell silent again. Harry waited a minute or two and then began to ascend the staircase as slowly as if in slow motion. When he got to the top of the stairs, there was a large landing.
Harry hid behind the wall and moved his head so that he could be hidden but still see the two men. Ginny was lying motionless at the feet of Voldemort. His scar began to prickle with pain and the anger grew within Harry.
He took a slow and deep breath.
“He is here, master,” Snape said.
Harry could practically hear the sneer on Snape’s cold, pale face.
“I know,” Voldemort said.
The anger in his body and mind added to the pain within his forehead was too much to control now and Harry could no longer hold it in.
Before he knew what he was doing, he had darted from behind the wall and shouted a spell at Voldemort.
“SECTUMSEMPRA!” Harry yelled.
The blood began to spill from Voldemort’s limp body and Harry saw his wand drop the same way Draco Malfoy’s had last year. Harry wasn’t thinking and his anger was speaking for him as he shouted toward Voldemort and Snape.
His words were being shouted but were drowned out by Voldemort’s screaming and Snape’s counter curses on the cuts.
“YOU WON’T WIN THIS WAR! I’LL WIN AND YOU WILL SUFFER! You know my weakness, Riddle. You have used it against me for many years. You killed my parents, Sirius, and now Dumbledore. But there is one thing you must know. You won’t kill Ginny and you certainly won’t kill me. I know you’re secret, now. I’ve given up trying to kill you until I’m certain it will be for good. You are such a coward, using my loved ones as a lure to get me here. You are so afraid that you will lose again. Just like you lost when I was a year old; and again when I was eleven, again when I was twelve, when I was fourteen, then fifteen and you will lose now. YOU WILL NEVER WIN WITH COWARDICE! Trust me on that one,” Harry spat.
He walked over and grabbed Ginny. He looked over at Snape holding Voldemort’s weakened body in his arms.
“You used my own spell against me and my master. You will pay. I would finish you now, but he wants you for himself. You are such a spoiled one, Potter. Thinking everything is about you! Well, here is reality for you: YOU LOST LAST YEAR!” Snape’s lip curled as he said this.
“No, I didn’t. He won’t let you finish me. And yet the only time he wins is when you do it for him. Haven’t you heard about your master’s secret? HE CAN AND WILL DIE! It is the only consequence for all of the lives he has ruined in his existence,” Harry said.
Snape raised his wand at Harry. Before he could send anything toward him, however, Harry had Disapparated.
His mind was spinning and his body ached. He really hated Apparating. He had not been doing it long and was relieved to find that Ginny was still one piece as well as himself when he arrived at his destination. But she was unconscious and appeared lifeless.
He watched Number twelve Grimmauld Place appear before his eyes and approached the door slowly.
“My God, Harry, you’re here! Get in, get in! Someone outside may have seen you and…GINNY! Harry, you have Ginny!” Professor McGonagall ushered him inside.
A crowd of people came flooding toward Harry and questions were thrown from all directions. He realized he was out of breath, but didn’t care.
“We need to get her to St. Mungo’s! Now, she is really hurt! I don’t know what he did, I don’t know what happened, and we just need to go!” Harry shouted.
Everyone grew silent and he heard many footsteps and motion before he heard Hermione shout,
“Oh, for Merlin’s sake, people! WE NEED TO TAKE GINNY TO THE HOSPITAL!”
But Harry had a feeling they were too late. Something was terribly wrong.
A/N: Alright guys, the story is just kinda getting started. I appreciate all of the reviews that you write me! It is awsome getting feedback! Also-sorry that everything was so confusing at the begining but thanks for stickin' with my story! Sorry this chapter is so short but I think the next chapter might be a little long! Thanks for reading! Please Review!
Manda*
The real Deal by Rons chick
Disclaimer: Although I would love to say I own these characters, I do not. Credit goes to JK Rowling!
“I told you. I used this curse that is like a knife. You wouldn’t know it, it’s called Sectumsempra. That is beside the point; it was the first spell that came to mind and I just wanted Voldemort to be hurt or distracted. I heard Snape talking with him when I was downstairs and since Snape invented the spell, I knew he would know the counter curse and would mend his master as quickly as he could. I saw Ginny and I kind of lost my mind. I yelled a bunch of stuff at him and Snape and then I went to Number Twelve. I don’t know what else-“ Harry was cut off from re-telling his story for the umpteenth time by Remus Lupin.
“Did you say that Snape made the spell up?” Lupin asked.
Harry nodded.
“You used Snape’s spell against the dark Lord himself?”
Harry nodded again. He was tired; no- he was exhausted. He just wanted to sleep. But he couldn’t.
”Harry, please, just go lay down!” Hermione said as if reading his mind.
He shook his head at her. ”I’ve told you, I just can’t, alright?” He sighed.
Hermione nodded, walked over to him and gave him a hug. Then she kissed him on the forehead and walked away.
“He alright?” Ron asked when Hermione reached him around the corner.
She shrugged. “He won’t sleep. He just wants to know she’ll be alright, just like the rest of us. Remember what I talked to you about last night; ‘bout how if anything should happen, it would happen to me? I was ready; Ginny wasn’t. You must understand that this wasn’t supposed to happen. He just-“
“Do you regret last night?” Ron asked as he stared into her eyes with so much passion.
Last night they’d decided to be together as a couple, but only so Harry, Hermione, and he would know. Then they’d kissed but been interrupted by Ginny running in. He took Hermione up to his room to give Ginny time alone. He told her he loved her and after kissing him, she’d returned the statement.
“Ronald,” she whispered, “there will never be a time in my life when I will regret it.”
She looked down at her hands, shyly.
He grabbed her and kissed her.
“I’ll always love you,” she said softly into his ear.
At the same time
“Okay, so you and Hermione planned it all?” Lupin asked Harry.
He nodded. He had just explained what Hermione and he had been doing. Now his head hurt, though, because he had said so much tonight. It was the only thing keeping him awake. He was grateful that Lupin showed no sign of sleepiness and helped carry on conversation with him
“Did you and Hermione think of this alone?” Lupin asked.
Harry nodded again.
“To keep Ginny safe?”
“Yeah, that’s what I don’t get. I spent so much time with ‘Mione. I don’t understand how he still went after Ginny instead.”
This question hadn’t left his mind since Hermione had burst through his door last night. Lupin was silent for a moment, thinking
“Harry, my dear boy, I’m not Dumbledore, nor do I have a mind as wise. But, this question might be easier to answer than it seems,” Lupin said.
“What do you mean, Professor?” Harry asked.
Lupin smiled. “Voldemort knows your heart, Harry. He knows the weak points, he knows your mind. He is very aware that you are smarter and more mature that most your age. Not book smart, necessarily, but naturally smart. You might spend all of your time with Hermione, but it is a plain fact to him that your heart is not with Hermione, even if you are standing right next to her.”
“Harry,” Hermione walked toward them as if on cue, “you can go inside. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley just came out and they want you to see her.”
Hermione grabbed his hand and led him into Ginny’s room. She sat him down in a chair by the bed and left the room.
Harry instinctively grabbed Ginny’s hand. It was cold and motionless. He brought it up to his cheek and let it rest there for a moment before kissing it lightly and bringing it down to the bed. Still holding it, he took his free hand and caressed her face.
“I’m sorry, Gin,” he whispered, “Last year at Hogwarts…at Dumbledore’s funeral… I told Ron and ‘Mione that I wouldn’t go back to school. I told them that I would hunt for the horcruxes. They agreed to go and even I know that there was no stopping them. ‘Mione and I started talking this summer about it all and she pointed out that you would try to come if you knew. I realized that with me gone, I couldn’t be there for you right when you needed me. I couldn’t…I…And then I just knew he would find you. He did and here we are. ‘Mione wanted to find out if your brother loved her. She wanted to keep you safe, too. She thought of the whole thing. She decided that we should pretend to be together. We were doing well, I thought. Lupin says Voldemort knows where my heart is and that’s how he found you. I’m sorry, Gin, I’m so sorry.”
He was crying now. He had wanted to tell her what the real deal with Hermione was, but he didn’t know how. And now here he was, sitting next to her hospital bed pouring his heart out while the Healer outside couldn’t tell him or the family what would happen to her.
Ginny lay in the bed with Harry holding her hand and embracing her cheeks. He was speaking so quietly, but she could hear him. Her heart was pounding and her eyes burned with hot tears. She was numb for the most part all through her body. Her Healer must have given her a numbing potion. The pain earlier had been almost unbearable. Harry had been her hero again. He’d saved her life from Voldemort once again.
She tried to open her eyes to see her night in shining armor. It took all of the strength to do this, though, and the pain in her head when her eyes finally did open was atrocious. This pain along with the happiness of seeing Harry’s face again and hearing his speak of his heart was too much to handle.
Harry looked up at her face and noticed the tears in her eyes. She was crying. He knew something didn’t seem right.
She never cried; but she was now.
Now that I've written it and submitted it, this chapter really isn't that long either. It is really fluffy, sorry people! I just thought that this would be a good chapter to explain a lot of confusions! Thanks for reading! Review and Tell me what you think!
Manda*
I can't Lose Her by Rons chick
Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing J.K's brilliant characters!
“Ginny, please speak!” Harry whispered fiercely. “Are you alright?”
Silence. Harry was growing panicky. She was staring right at him with hurt in her eyes. Not hurt as in physically, but something was wrong. And was that love in her eyes, too? Could she hear him speaking? Why wasn’t she answering? Why wasn’t she speaking? She was looking at him and her eyes were flooded with tears. His face was still damp with tears as well, but he wouldn’t start to cry again. She could see him, he knew, and because of that, he needed to stay strong.
Ginny wanted to answer, she really did. She wanted to reach up and grab him around the neck and kiss him hard. She wanted to tell him that everything would be okay now. She wanted to explain that no matter what she would always love him and that they could be together for real now. She wanted to explain to him that she would always be in danger; her family was blood traitors and she was the only girl in the family not to mention the youngest. She tried to move her hand up to his face again. Nothing happened. She tried to move her lips to form a word, any word. Still, nothing happened. She could only cry harder with fear of what was wrong with her. She hoped with all her might that Harry could sense that something was wrong.
He did
“HEALER HANSON! I NEED YOU! SOMETHING IS WRONG!” Harry screamed.
He knelt next to Ginny’s bed and held her hand with both of his up to his face. He closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face again.
“Please,” he pleaded, “Please don’t leave me. Be strong, baby! Please…I can’t…hang on…we’ll figure it out…I know, Gin, I know something’s wrong…hang on…I love you…we can get through this.”
He was still mumbling when the Healer entered the room.
“What, what’s going on?” Healer Hanson, Ginny’s Healer, asked.
“She’s up, she’s awake, look. But she can’t speak or move. Something is wrong and she is scared. Please help, please figure it out!” Harry was hysterical.
He didn’t know how he knew what Ginny was thinking or feeling, he just knew. When he looked over at her face, he could tell that he’d said and done the right thing.
“Okay, Mr. Potter, okay,” said the Healer as he grabbed Harry’s arm. “I need you to leave for a little while, okay?”
It was more of a statement than a question and Harry was leaving so the Healer could fix Ginny. But then a thought crossed his mind that she wanted him to stay with her. He looked over at the bed Ginny was lying in and saw a look of pleading and worry mixed with fear and alarm. Once again, he knew what she wanted.
So he looked over at the Healer and told him that Ginny wanted him to stay with her. The Healer was in too much of a hurry and in the middle of a thought, so he ushered Harry out of the room and closed the door behind, apparently unaware that Harry had spoken.
“Harry, what’s going on? Is she alright?” Hermione ran up to Harry and put her hands on his shoulders.
She noticed that he was upset and had been crying. When she’d heard Harry yell for Healer Hanson, she’d known something was wrong, but she didn’t dare interrupt them.
“She…she’s awake,” Harry stuttered, still in shock of everything.
Hermione gasped. “Merlin, Harry, that’s wonderful! So what are they doing in there, then?” she asked.
“She…she can’t move…or talk…she wants…she wants him to help her…she wants to tell me something…but she can’t move…or talk,” Harry was mumbling again.
“What? Okay, wait-Ginny is awake, but she can’t move or speak. She wants Healer Hanson to help her because she has to tell you something?” Hermione re-capped.
“Yeah, I ‘spose so,” Harry said.
“How do you know that she needs to tell you something if she can’t talk?” Ron was suddenly on one side of him.
Hermione and he were helping Harry walk to a seat in the waiting area not far from Ginny’s room.
“I don’t know. I can just feel it, I guess,” Harry said. He looked over at Hermione. “I told her everything. I thought she was asleep but I think she was awake and heard it all,” he told her.
Hermione smiled. “She has a right to know. I told Ron as well. We wanted them to find out in the end anyway,” she said.
Harry nodded. “Just not this soon,” he said.
“None of this was supposed to happen, so no, not this soon,” she told him.
He nodded again. He was tired.
“I’ll go get us all a cup of tea,” Ron said after a few minutes of silence.
Harry and Hermione nodded, and Ron set off. A few more minutes past with silence still.
“Harry, please talk to me,” Hermione said.
Harry continued to look at his hands. “I knew something would happen to her. I love her,” he said without looking up.
“You tried to stop it! And you saved her from him again! Don’t blame yourself again, Harry. She won’t want that,” Hermione told him wisely.
Harry looked up and stared straight into her eyes. I can’t lose her, ‘Mione! If I do, I…I just can’t,” he said. “I can’t lose her the way I lost Sirius and my parents!”
“You won’t, Harry, you won’t,” Hermione told him.
Ron came back with three cups of tea. Hermione could tell he had been crying but didn’t say anything. Ron, just like Harry, had to get through it himself. Ron’s sister, Harry’s love, Hermione’s best friend. Ginny couldn’t die, and Hermione would make sure she wouldn’t.
Healer Hanson kept messing with different spells and had a book of potions in his hand. He was pacing the room and mumbling things to himself.
Ginny lay in shock and horror of what was going on.
’The numbing potion’ she thought, ’He needs to undo the numbing potion!’
One More Chase by Rons chick
This chapter is dedicated to my bestest buddy: Envy of Emma! I love you!
“Harry, how did you…?” Hermione asked speechlessly.
“How did I what?” Harry asked.
“You know…err…figure that the numbing potion would the problem?” Ron finished Hermione’s thought.
“I told you, I just know…it’s like...it’s like-,“ Harry got cut off by screaming.
“GINNY!” Mrs. Weasley screeched, “OH MERLIN!”
Harry, Hermione, and Ron shot out of their seats and ran for Ginny’s room.
When they reached the door, Ron and Hermione didn’t hesitate to scamper inside. Harry, on the other hand, stopped himself. Deep in thought, he leaned his back against the wall next to the door.
He vaguely felt his body slide down the wall and sit on the floor. He needed to think. He needed to calm himself down somehow. Ginny was okay. They could be together. But wait-could they?
*********
“Harry? Harry, are you okay?” Hermione gently tapped Harry’s shoulder as she knelt down to sit with him.
His head snapped up suddenly toward her as if he’d forgotten where he was and that there were other people in the world. The look on his face was so puzzled that Hermione became even more worried than when she’d noticed he wasn’t in the room and then stepped out to find him on the ground with his face in his hands.
“Harry?!” she said more forcefully.
“I’m…I’m fine,” he stuttered.
Her face softened as she realized he was alright. But she wasn’t buying his excuse.
“Umm, yeah…Harry, you know me, right?”
He nodded.
“Okay, then you should know that I am not buying the act and I won’t stop badgering until you spill the explanation,” she said sweetly.
When he looked over at her, she blinked her eyes and widened her grin.
He sighed. “I can be with her now,” he told her.
She nodded and then spoke slowly. “Annnnnnnd?” She signaled him to continue because she couldn’t see the problem with this.
“Well, I already told you that I let it slip. All of it, not just about our stupid game to play with their minds, but all of it! I…I told her about us leaving and I told her that I wouldn’t be with her this year because we would be hunting horcruxes and Voldemort. I told her everything,” he whispered the last part.
Hermione finally understood the problem. Ginny would come. At least she would try to, being the stubborn Weasley that she was. Hermione sighed heavily.
She pulled Harry into a hug. “We won’t let her come. I promise Harry. I promise,” she whispered into his ear.
He held onto her tight. They sat like that for a small while. When they pulled away from each other, he was ready to move on and stop talking about the subject of leaving his life and leaving Ginny.
They got up and walked over to the seating area. They sat down and faced each other.
"So where is everyone?" Harry asked, looking around.
"Well," Hermione began, "everyone is still in Ginny's room. After about ten minutes, Ginny gave me a worried look. I knew she was worried about you. So I told everyone that I would give them some family time and then I came looking for you. She's really weak, Harry. I guess she put up such a fight to move some part of her body when she couldn't that her body and mind are worn out. They are going to keep her here for a week or two until she has all of her strength left."
She sighed and waited for a reply. When she didn't get one, she continued on a different subject. "Lupin left while you were in the room with Ginny earlier, by the way. I forgot to tell you. And Moody and pretty much everyone else that was here. They are still fixing up Grimauld. It's taking time. It's good of you to let them, you know Harry."
"Let them what?" he asked.
"Well, now that you are 17 and the house is officially yours, it's good of you to let Lupin and them take care of it and set it back up for the Order," she explained.
He nodded. "I don't want to keep it. And we need a place to go after we find each horcrux," he said. "And I know, by the way. I know Ginny was worried in there just now. She was worried that I wasn’t in there. She thought something happened to me and you weren't telling her. But when you left looking for me, she knew I was alright."
As Harry said this, Hermione gave him an odd look. "I still can't explain it. I can just hear her sometimes."
Harry instinctively grabbed his chest again as the image of her telling the Romilda Vane about his nonexistent tattoo.
A quiet, weak yell echoed quietly from Ginny's room and Harry shot up from his seat.
"Harry! Harry, get your arse in here now! Ginny's having a cow over something! She's says your hurt or something," Ron was terrified as he yelled at Harry.
Harry was so confused. But he put it aside and ran toward the room. He pushed Ron away gently and walked inside. Breathing heavily from fear, Harry stopped as soon as he entered and stared at where the bed was.
All of the Weasleys were surrounding the bed and he couldn't see Ginny. He could hear her weak and worried comments about him coming from her mouth. But then her screaming stopped and the family parted so that Ginny and Harry were face to face.
Harry slowly walked closer to her. His heart was pounding with hurt as he saw the tears in her eyes. When he got to her, he stared down at her for a moment.
"Harry...I thought...I thought...my heart hurt...you are," Ginny made no sense, as she whispered in shock and reached her hands out to Harry's face.
His head became foggy and he forgot all of his reasoning. He grabbed her hands with his own and knelt down beside her. He wiped at her tears softly and kissed her hand. They sat staring at each other for a few minutes more. Then he laid his head down on her stomach and together, they fell asleep.
**************
“Harry,” Ginny whispered as she tried to wake him up. “Harry, wake up. Everyone’s gone.”
Harry took a deep breath as if to show he was awake and he looked around the room. It was, indeed empty. His hand was pushed and he looked down at it. It was holding a single silver locket. He looked up at Ginny quizzically.
“We found it a couple summers ago at Grimauld Place. Lupin gave it to me a week or so ago. He said he’d found it when they started to re-safe the place. I wanted to give it to you as a late birthday present. But you know how things went this last week,” Ginny explained.
Harry smiled. “I’m sorry,” he said.
She nodded. “Let’s just forget about it for now, okay?” she whispered.
“But can I just…I just have one question,” Harry told her.
“Okay.”
“Why did you…why did you think I was hurt? Why did you think something was wrong?” Harry asked.
Ginny sighed. “Because I was hurt. My heart practically stopped beating. My chest hurt and my body became weak. Something in my head was telling me something was wrong. I don’t really know why or how, though,” she explained.
Harry nodded. “I’m going to go get something to eat. I’ll be right back, alright?” Harry asked.
When Ginny nodded, Harry got up and started to walk out.
“Harry,” Ginny stopped him as he reached the door.
He looked over at her. “Yeah?”
“I love you,” she told him quietly.
He smiled and walked out of the door.
************
“Do you love Ron?” Harry asked Hermione as he shoved a pumpkin pasty into his mouth.
They were, again, sitting in the seating area. Ron was getting tea downstairs in the cafeteria and the rest of the Weasleys were off at their normal activities.
Ron and Hermione had decided that, if they went home, they would just mosey around the burrow all day, so they’d decided to stay at St. Mungo’s for the rest of the day with Harry and Ginny. Harry wasn’t even asked if he wanted to leave. Everyone just assumed he would want to stay with Ginny because they’d fallen asleep together on the bed.
“Excuse me? Do I what?” Hermione asked, clearly shocked with his sudden question.
“Well, do you?”
Hermione glanced over at the stairs to see if Ron was anywhere close. When she saw that the coast was clear, she answered.
“Yes, if you must know. But I told him. And I know that he loves me, too. Even if he hasn’t said it yet,” Hermione explained. “Why do you ask?”
“I was just…I just wanted to know,” Harry said.
Right then Ron walked up the stairs carrying two cups. He walked over to Harry and Hermione and sat down. He handed one cup to Hermione.
“I didn’t ask for anything. What is it?” Hermione asked.
“I know you didn’t. But I also know that you have a small weakness for raspberry tea and they had it downstairs so I got you a cup,” he said matter-of-factly.
She looked at him, bewildered. “And how do you know this?” she asked.
“Because one time, a few summers back when we went to the Quidditch World Cup, you had about fifteen cups and then you told me: quote, ‘I have a small weakness for raspberry tea,’ end quote,” he said as he made his voice high to mimic her.
She smiled and they kissed. Harry pretended as if he was looking at a small old lady descend the staircase.
“Well, I’m going to go check on Gin,” Ron said.
He got up and walked into Ginny’s room. Harry and Hermione watched him go.
“You know, you could be eating with Ginny,” Hermione pointed out to Harry.
He sighed.
“She said she loved you,” Hermione whispered as she nodded her head up and down to show that she had figured out what he didn’t want to say.
“What? What makes you think that?” Harry tried to act innocent.
“Don’t make me have to tell you that I know you for the second time today!” Hermione exclaimed. “I’m not stupid, Harry. I can tell. You didn’t say it back, did you?”
“Harry, Ginny wants you,” Ron told them as he stuck his head out of the room.
Harry nodded. He was glad he didn’t have to answer Hermione’s last question. He got up to start walking over to the room.
And then he heard a scream again. This time it wasn’t weak or quiet and it wasn’t coming from a different room. It was loud and full of fear. And it was directly in his head.
He grabbed his head and began to shake back and forth trying to get the pain to decrease at least a small amount.
Hermione leapt forward and grabbed him.
“HARRY!” Hermione was screaming.
Then Harry realized what his head was screaming. It was screaming his name; it was screaming for help.
“Ginny,” he whispered through the screams inside his own ears. “Check…Ginny.”
“RONALD! CHECK GINNY!” Hermione screamed.
Ron ran into the room and saw nothing wrong with his little sister other than the fact that she was in a hospital bed
“SHE’S FINE,” Ron screeched.
And then the bawling stopped. Quickly, Harry ran toward Ginny’s room and bounded in. In the bed was Ginny, safe and sound. The screaming returned, this time muffled by weakness and Harry became determined to find it.
He apparated to Grimauld Place to find the house completely deserted. He searched all of the rooms and all he found was a ripped up picture of the Dursley’s house on Private Drive.
Without question, he knew where to go.
Within seconds, he was standing in front of the Dursley’s house where the Dark Mark looked down upon it. He rushed to the door and pushed it open. The house was a mess. On the counter was a picture of his parents out front of the zoo that Dudley was taken on his eleventh birthday.
He thought about the zoo hard and Apparated in front of the glass window where he had let a snake loose by accident.
Inside the cage now was Ginny hanging upside down. The shrieks in his head matched those of Ginny’s. He stared at her in shock before getting rid of the glass.
He quickly realized how stupid that choice had been. It was a trap. Shivers made their way down his spine as he heard the voice he loathed so deeply.
“Oh, Harry, you stupid boy, I knew you’d come for her.”
AN: Sorry it took so long to update. Finals suck! Anyways, hope you like it. Please Review!
Manda*
The Mysterious Ginny by Rons chick
Disclaimer: I think you get the picture
“Oh, Harry, you stupid boy,”
“HARRY!” Ginny howled at the top of her voice.
“Ginny, settle down. I will handle this, okay?” Harry said calmly.
He looked over at Ginny to see a look of hatred at her capturer.
She nodded.
“I should’ve known you’d join him,” Harry said.
The capturer smiled that toad of a smile.
“Oh, how you know me.”
Another chill ran down Harry’s back, but he pushed it aside.
“So, what’s your plan exactly? We are here and so are you. But nobody else is here, Umbridge. Just you, me, and Ginny,” Harry said calmly.
“The Dark Lord is set to the bed for weeks because of her,” the capturer pointed at Ginny.
“As a matter of fact it was Snape who created the spell that I used on Voldemort,” Harry said.
“You still say his name with such pride. You always were a boy of lies. But you don’t want to talk back to me anymore, boy!” she screamed.
“Why’s that? The only thing keeping me from jinxing you back at the school was the mere fact that you would shut the school down and blame Dumbledore. But Dumbledore isn’t here anymore, and you no longer have the power to shut the school down, now do you?” Harry said.
“That’s why I’m here. Stupid Severus had to kill Dumbledore. Now the Dark lord favors him. Well he won’t anymore. Just as soon as I kill the girl and bring you back to him for him to finish you off. The world will be a better place without you, Potter.”
“Oh, you fat toad you-“ Ginny started.
“SILENCE!” Umbridge hollered.
She pointed her wand at Ginny and red shot out of it. Ginny tried to scream but was silenced.
Without thinking, Harry took his wand out of his back pocket and pointed it at the capturer. He muttered a binding spell inside his head and rope shot out of the tip of his wand and tied her down.
“You’re a quick boy, Potter,” she spat.
Harry smiled. “And you’re a fat toad, Umbridge. Just as Ginny said.”
Harry pointed his wand at Ginny and made it so that she could speak. He grabbed her and cut the rope tying her upside down. He hugged her and then he walked back over to Umbridge.
“I wasn’t lying when I told you that Snape created the spell. When he was a year younger than I am now, he started to create dark spells. He would write them in his potions book. He called himself the Half Blood Prince. Stupid bastard. Anyway, I inherited his book last year and I found all of the spells. I used the Sectumsempra spell on your favorite student, Malfoy. At the end of the year Snape told me they were his spells. I never was a boy of lies. But you were.”
“You don’t know what you are talking about! Shut your mouth!” Umbridge screamed.
“Ever wonder why Snape is the only one taking care of him while he is bed-ridden? Put the pieces together,” Harry spat.
“You’ll both regret this. Mark my words, you will!” Umbridge screamed.
“And why’s that? We are in a zoo that is no longer in business. You are in the cage of a snake I once let free. Like I said before- no one is here to save you. But maybe Voldemort will love you just for trying. Fat chance,”
“You foul boy! You are mistaken! I am not in this alone. He will come looking for me!”
Harry looked over at Ginny when he felt her hand escape his. She had an evil look on her face and her wand was pointed at Umbridge. She whispered her bat-bogey hex.
Harry laughed at the sight of Umbridge. Then he grabbed Ginny’s hand and turned her so that they were facing each other.
“What did she mean when she said that she wasn’t alone?” Harry asked.
A sharp pain went through his arm. He instinctively grabbed it. Blood was slowly seeping out of it. He turned around.
Draco Malfoy was staring at him with his wand pointing directly at him.
“Pity, I was aiming for the filthy blood traitor behind you,” Malfoy said.
Harry pointed his wand at him. But before Harry had the chance to do anything, Malfoy had hit him with the same hex at least five times more. Blood was dripping from his face, his arm, legs, chest, and neck. His wand, though, never dropped.
Levicorpus! Harry thought in his mind.
Malfoy was lifted into the air.
“Cruc-“ Malfoy started.
“SECTUMSEMPRA!” Harry shouted.
Blood started to burst out from Malfoy’s face and chest. Harry thought to himself how familiar this scene looked. Then he felt a pull of his hand and he heard a whispered scream of shock.
He looked down next to him and saw a little redhead who was holding her breath with a look of shock on her freckled face. He stepped in front of her and held her tight. He put his hand behind her head and pushed it into his chest.
And then he apparated to Grimauld Place.
“Harry…HARRY!” Ginny was hysterical.
“What, what?” Harry asked.
“He’s not the one helping her! Malfoy’s not the one who was helping Umbridge!” Ginny yelled.
“What? Who is then?”
“I don’t know, I’d never seen him before. He was short and heavy. He had a silver hand. He is drinking polyjuice potion. He is pretending to be me. He’s at…the…he’s…St. Mungo’s…He’s at St. Mungo’s!” Ginny screamed.
“Peter Pettigrew. Hold onto my arm. Ginny, hold on for your life, okay?”
Ginny nodded and grabbed onto his arm as if it was the only way of living. She closed her eyes. She felt a pull and she felt as if her head would explode. But she was with Harry and he was saving her and so she pushed away the pain and held onto his arm tighter.
When they arrived, they ran up to Ginny’s room. Harry burst into the room to see Ginny lying on the bed.
Hermione was standing next to the bed holding Ginny’s hand. Harry looked over to the Ginny standing next to him, holding his hand. She had the blazing look on her face and she was staring straight into his eyes.
“It’s me, Harry,” she told him.
He leaned down and kissed her. As soon as their lips met, he knew it was.
“I love you, too,” he whispered into her ear.
She kissed him lightly again.
“HARRY!” Hermione screeched as she turned around and saw him kissing a girl next to him.
Hermione couldn’t see the girl, only Harry. She was furious.
“HOW COULD YOU! AND IN GINNY’S HOSPITAL ROOM!” Hermione screamed.
Harry smiled. The Ginny in the bed shot up and held her wand at Hermione.
“HERMIONE!” Harry yelled.
He ran in and jumped on to of Hermione to block her from the spell that the fake Ginny had shot at her.
The look on Hermione’s face was one of pure perplexity.
“It has almost been one hour. You will soon understand,” Harry informed her. As if on queue, the fake Ginny began to bubble and change into different forms. Before their eyes, Ginny turned into Peter Pettigrew.
“Oh, my,” Hermione whispered.
The real Ginny walked into the room and pointed her wand at Pettigrew.
“STUPIFY!” she yelled.
He froze and fell to the ground. She ran out of the room and called for help. It didn’t take long for help to come. Pettigrew was tied up and taken to Azkaban.
As soon as the Healers saw the blood stains all over Harry, he was permitted to a room.
Not long after, Ginny joined his room in a bed of her own. The Healers were surprised she’d made it without much strength.
Ginny knew how she’d made it…She’d had Harry.
A/N: Hoped you liked it. It's quite a lot for one chapter. Anyhoo-please Review! Thanks so much for reading.
Manda*
Ginny's Answers by Rons chick
A/N: This chapter is only for explaining the confusing parts of the last few chapters. Sorry about that, by the way. Anyways, it was a last minute chapter that I just wrote to explain. It is in Ginny’s pov to help you all understand what all has really happened. It goes back to the beginning of chapter 8, One More Chase. Hope you like it. Tell me what you think in a Review PLEASE!!!
“Ginny, something is still missing,” Harry knelt beside her bed and held her hand. She sat up. It had been two days since they had found Pettigrew and everything had settled down. Harry was officially out of the hospital, but the Healers still wanted Ginny to stay and regain her energy. Harry hadn’t really left her side. But he also hadn’t stopped badgering her about what had happened. And whenever he got to a certain sentence that he seemed to want to ask really badly, he always hesitated and decided to change the subject on himself. Ginny sighed.
“Ginny, I just…how…how long was…” Harry was stuttering again. It was the question he couldn’t seem to ask. Ginny grabbed his hand in both of her own and closed her eyes. She went back to the day the doctor had fixed her. As she did this, she could feel her own personal feelings and thoughts being transferred to Harry.
**********
(flashback)
“Ginny?” my mother whispered. I smiled.
“I’m fine, mum,” I told her. Her hands flew up to her face.
“GINNY! OH, MERLIN!” she shrieked. She grabbed me into a big hug. I lie in my hospital bed and let her hold me. I was exhausted. Suddenly Ron and Hermione burst through the door. Hermione ran over to my bed and grabbed my hand.
“You…you gave us a scare,” Hermione whispered into my ear.
“I tend to do that a little too often,” I said. Hermione just smiled. Ron came to give me a hug.
“Hermione here saved your little life,” Fred told me as he motioned toward Hermione. Hermione held up her hands.
“Actually, it was Harry who remembered the numbing potion. Don’t give me the credit,” she stammered.
“Speak of the devil, we have figured it out. We know about you and Harry last year. I don’t know how we didn’t see it earlier. Nonetheless, we suppose that the fact that he saved your life again will make up for the ‘breaking your heart’ bit. We’ll let it go -- this time,” George said. I smiled.
“Oh, will you?” I asked rhetorically. They nodded. I looked around the room to find no Harry. Before I could ask anything, though, the Healer was telling us information.
“This little fire-head is a bloody hell of a fighter. Excuse my language. She fought so hard to move or speak while the numbing potion was taking over her; she has weakened her mind and her body. We’ll need to keep her here for another week or two to gain her strength back,” Healer Hanson said.
I wasn’t listening. I was focused on my thoughts. Harry wasn’t inside this room and no one was telling me why. Was he all right? Were they hiding something from me? All I could feel was crying in my head. But I was okay, so why would Harry be crying? I looked up with a worried look etched on my face. Hermione was staring at me and caught my eye as I looked up. I gave her a look of desperation and confusion.
She understood and ran out of the room. I sighed as I realized that she was going to look for him. This had to mean that he was all right and they weren’t hiding anything from me. I started to relax a little. Listening to my Healer and my family was a bit boring but calming, nonetheless. Before I knew it, I was asleep.
I was only asleep for less than half an hour before Ron decided to talk to me. He woke me up and sat down in the chair next to my bed. I looked around to see everyone in separate conversations all around the room. Ron grabbed my hand.
“We did it,” Ron whispered.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Hermione and I finally hooked up. She told me…she said she loved me,”
“Wow, Ron. That’s huge. You did say it back, surely,” I whispered.
“Well…err…it’s just that…I can’t, Gin. I can’t let her have my heart until I know for sure. I know that I love her. I just have to wait a little while before she knows it,” he said. I nodded. Love. Strange word, isn’t it?
“Ronald, most of the time you are such a dimwit; however, every once in a long while, you are the smartest human being I’ve ever spoken with. And if you tell anyone that I just said that, your head will be mine!” I added that last part when I saw that look on his face. He smirked. I started to chuckle a little.
I was interrupted by a small pain in my heart. I grabbed my chest. But the pain grew and suddenly the pain was so excruciating that I felt I was having a heart attack. And there was only one person that could cause that to my heart: Harry.
“Harry,” I gasped. “HARRY! WHERE IS HE! IS HE OKAY? YOU MUST FIND HIM! SOMETHING ISN’T RIGHT!” I was screaming now, but I was so weak that it didn’t sound like it. My entire family was surrounding my bed and my mother was trying to grab hold of me. I kept violently shaking my head. Something was wrong with Harry and I could feel it.
And then my family parted so that I could clearly see a path to the door. I was silent and still except for my rapid heartbeat in my chest, as it rose and fell while I breathed, and for the tears streaming from my eyes.
I was face to face with Harry. And he was moving closer and closer to me, making me calm down. When he reached me, he stood over me and stared.
"Harry...I thought...I thought...my heart hurt...you are," I whispered in shock, knowing that I made no sense. I reached my hands out to Harry's face; I just wanted to know he was real. He grabbed my hands with his own and knelt down beside me. He wiped at my tears softly and kissed my hand, sending shivers up my spine. We sat staring at each other for a few minutes more. Then he laid his head down on my stomach and together we fell asleep.
We must have slept for about an hour. I woke up first to an empty room. I felt the heat of his body and the beating of his heart against my stomach. It felt so right; so good, that I didn’t want to miss it or forget it. He was still holding my hand and I carefully removed it from his. I found the locket Lupin had given me the week before still wrapped around my neck. I took it off and played with it in my hands. I would give it to Harry today. It was the only way. What if I never got the opportunity again? I took a deep breath.
“Harry,” I whispered as I tried to wake him up. “Harry, wake up. Everyone’s gone.” Harry took a deep breath as if to show he was awake and he looked around the room. I pulled open his hand and placed the locket inside. He looked down at his hand and then looked at me with a quizzical look on his face.
“We found it a couple summers ago at Grimmauld Place. Lupin gave it to me a week or so ago. He said he’d found it when they started to re-safe the place. I wanted to give it to you as a late birthday present. But you know how things went this last week,” I explained. Harry smiled.
“I’m sorry,” he said. I nodded.
“Let’s just…let’s just forget about it for now, okay?” I whispered. I knew he would want to talk about everything. I didn’t. I’d heard what he’d said while I was numb. I needed no more explanation.
“But can I just…I just have one question,” Harry told me.
“Okay.”
“Why did you…why did you think I was hurt? Why did you think something was wrong?” Harry asked. I sighed. I knew that I needed to explain at some point
“Because I was hurt. My heart practically stopped beating. My chest hurt and my body became weak. Something in my head was telling me something was wrong. I don’t really know why or how, though,” I explained. Harry nodded.
“I’m going to go get something to eat. I’ll be right back, all right?” Harry asked. I didn’t want him to leave. I knew he was just leaving to think things over, but I didn’t want him to. I knew how it would end: He would think things over and decide that the noble choice was to put us (or the theory of us) in a drawer and lock it, throw away the key, and never go looking for it again. But I nodded, knowing I couldn’t stop him either way. At my signal, he headed toward the door.
“Harry,” I stopped him as he reached the door. He looked over at me.
“Yeah?” he asked. I decided to tell him. Right then, right there: before it was too late. I didn’t know what his response would be, but I was taking the chance.
“I love you,” I told him quietly. He smiled and walked out the door, ripping my heart in the process once more. And no sooner had he left than Umbridge and a very peculiar man arrived next to my bed.
“What-,” I started to say. She silenced me when the spell she cast hit me square in the face. I couldn’t help but flinch and the panic began to spread through my body as I realized that, for the second time that day, I couldn’t speak or yell. I went to reach for my wand, but I couldn’t find it. And the realization that it had probably been taken when I’d gotten here hit me like a bullet.
I watched Umbridge as she spat words toward the man that was with her. A shine caught my eye and I noticed a large, silver hand coming out of the man’s robes. It didn’t take me long to realize that it was his hand.
She yelled at him for a few minutes more and then I watched him drink a potion from a flask that he pulled from his pocket. I felt sweat form in my palms as my shocked eyes observed him turn into an image of myself. Before I could react, Umbridge had me by the arm and was yanking me out of my bed. Before we Apparated, I caught a glimpse of my ‘image’ climbing into my bed. But I was pulled away with that sickening feeling in my head that I knew only came from Apparating.
And then we arrived at a place I’d never seen. Before I knew what was happening, I was hanging upside down in a cage. She pointed her wand at me and I felt the silencing hex lift from me. The moment I could, I screamed for Harry. I screamed and yelled and cried and pleaded for him to find me. There was a man that was pretending to be me and he could hurt my family. I just wanted Harry to figure out what was going on.
“Don’t worry, he’ll find you. And when he does, I’ll be the lucky one. Oh, what the Dark Lord will say when he sees that I’ve gotten rid of you, the love of the Boy Who Lived, and that I’ve captured the Boy himself! Oh, what he’ll say!” Umbridge was mumbling. And then, as if she’d seen me for the first time, an evil grin appeared her wicked, toad-like face. Shivers slid down my spine.
“Oh, how you’ve grown. I should’ve seen it coming: you and Potty. Peter told me that you held Potter’s heart. But soon the Dark Lord will hold it. And I don’t mean hold it with his heart; I mean literally. Oh, and here Potter is coming now, right on time!” And when I looked over to see if she was lying, the cage’s glass disappeared and in walked my hero; my knight in shining armor. And at that moment, I knew that everything would be okay.
************
End Flashback
Ginny let go of Harry’s hand softly and looked up at him. He was still trying to cope with being able to feel what Ginny had felt and see what she had seen let alone trying to handle everything those abilities had shown him. But she wasn’t finished with him yet.
“And you know what happened next. But when we got to the hospital and you looked me square in the face and told me you loved me,” Ginny sighed, “now THAT was incredible. But now that you know, now that you understand and have been in my head, it is my turn to ask a question: How did you always know where to find me?” Harry took a few deep breaths. He looked at her and kissed her softly on the lips. Then he whispered his answer.
“You have a way of showing me.”
A/N: Hoped you liked it! I am working on the next chapter! Great thanks to my awesome new beta, Allycen! R&R!!!
Manda*
And Yet Another Surprise by Rons chick
“Where are you going?” Ginny asked Harry as he pulled on his jacket and began to button it.
She hadn’t planned on waking up to him getting ready to leave. Just two days ago they, together, had told their separate and similar stories to the family. She didn’t know where Harry was planning to go, but the thought of him leaving her side again, even if only for a moment, made her cringe.
She took a deep breath as she watched him. The air in her hospital room was stuffy and she longed for the crisp odor of the world outside. Regaining her energy like her Healer had explained was no fun at all; and it had only been a week.
Harry finished buttoning his jacket and looked up at her. “To a place I thought I’d never return to again. Which is ironic considering it will be the second time I return there in three days,” he explained as if it were the simplest answer in the world.
Ginny was confused. Where was that exactly?
“What? I don’t think I understand correctly,” Ginny said with her face screwed up.
“Ginny…When I went…looking for you,” Harry sighed and then sat at the end of her hospital bed before continuing, “I was sent to…well…to the Dursley’s. But there was a…There was a Dark Mark over the house. I know I sound crazy, but I must go back.”
Ginny was starting to understand. She shook her head.
“Harry, you have no need to explain; I understand. What I don’t understand is why you didn’t tell us. I mean, did you just completely skip that part when you told everyone what happened?”
“Err…Well, yeah, I had to. I want to go back, but I want to go alone. If the rest know about it, they’ll come. This is one thing I must do alone; for me. If anything happens to me, you’ll know! And only then will you tell anyone where I am, I hope. And if something happens here, you’ll let me know, right?”
She nodded.
“I just…Ginny, I need you to let this be our secret. When I get back, I’ll tell everyone, okay? But for now, I just…Can you please refrain yourself from telling anyone?”
From the blazing look on her face, Harry knew this would be their secret; at least until he was ready for anyone else to know. He got up from the bed and looked down at her.
“I love you,” she told him.
The memory of the last time Ginny said this to him as he was leaving was fresh in his mind. But that memory wouldn’t repeat itself.
Harry walked over to her bed and kissed her.
“I love you more,” he whispered. He closed his eyes shut and disappeared.
**********
“Where’s Harry gone off to now?” Ron asked Ginny as he and Hermione entered Ginny’s hospital room.
“Yeah, we heard him Disapparate. Where’d he go?” Hermione asked as she walked over the chair beside Ginny’s bed and sat on Ron’s lap.
“Err…he didn’t want anyone else to know,” Ginny said.
“Well, when does he plan on returning?” Ron asked as he played with Hermione’s hair.
“Hmmm, I don’t know, let me think,” Ginny screwed up her face.
She thought the question over and over in her mind. It took a while and Ron and Hermione just stared in amazement. Suddenly, she smiled and let out a small giggle.
“He doesn’t know. But no later than tomorrow afternoon,” Ginny explained.
Ron was gaping at her. He turned Hermione’s head so that she was face to face with him.
“Babe, we need to learn how to do that,” he told her.
Hermione smiled. “Sure, I’ll sign us up for a class,” she said, sarcastically. “Well, it’s practically noon. What could possibly take him that long?” Hermione asked Ginny.
Ginny shrugged, trying to act as if the love of her life weren’t going to a house with the Dark Mark over it and he wasn’t, once again, putting his life at risk. But she could expect nothing less of him. The nobleness took over more of his life as he aged. She sighed.
“Bugger! I wanted to ask him about something. Oh well, I’ll just wait,” Ron said. “I’m starved! ‘Mione, get up, I want some food. You want me to bring you something? Ginny, anything? Well, I’m off,”
At the same time
’When will you be back?’ Harry smiled. The sweetest feeling filled his body at the sound of Ginny’s thoughts in his head.
’I’m not sure, but definitely before tomorrow afternoon. Ron wants to know, right?’ Harry thought hard.
’You guessed it. I miss you already,’ Ginny’s thought echoed through his mind once again.
’Likewise. Got to run; I love you,’ he thought.
’I love you more,’ she returned.
Harry took a deep breath and began to walk up toward the house he grew up in. The Dark Mark was no longer staring daggers down upon the house and Harry instantly knew that the Ministry had been there not long before him.
He approached the front door slowly with his wand held high. He was in no hurry. When he reached it, he carefully opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind him.
“Hello? Is anyone here?” Harry shouted.
“Who the bloody hell’s there?” a shrill voice echoed throughout the house.
Harry recognized it as Aunt Petunia’s and his body relaxed a little.
“It’s…err…it’s Harry,” he yelled back.
Aunt Petunia came running toward him from the kitchen. She slapped his face hard and his eyes widened. He took a step back.
“This is all your fault, Harry Potter, you ball of filth, this is-“ she was barely understandable through her tears and Harry could tell by the way she was shaking that she was going to fall onto her knees.
He caught her before she hit the ground and he dragged her into the living room. The sofas were ripped and torn. He flicked his wrist and put the room back together. Then he brought his aunt over to a sofa and sat her down on it.
As he started to stand back up to grab a chair for himself, she clung onto him hard. He sat back on the sofa next to her and held her tight, letting her cry on his shoulder for the first time in his life.
**********
Thirty minutes and many tissues later, Petunia Dursley had half-way pulled herself back together. She sat, facing Harry next to her, on the sofa with his hands in hers.
“I’m sorry, Harry, for slapping you. I was scared; you surprised me! I thought this to be the last place you’d return to. You made that very clear your last night here. I…It’s not your fault what happened, Harry, I know that. You’re not the only wizard in the family. It’s just-“ Aunt Petunia was sniffing still and couldn’t seem to look at Harry.
“I know. I understand what you’re saying, Aunt Petunia. I was upset the day I left. After the way you treated me all of those years and then the day I was leaving you all wanted me to thank you?” Harry sighed, deciding to change the subject. “I didn’t come here to do this. I can explain better why I came, if you tell me what happened first.”
Harry waited while his aunt collected herself again and took a deep breath. She released his hands and turned so that she was facing the room.
“Well…It started about five days ago,”
**********
“Well, yes, I love him! Merlin, you and Harry really are two of a kind!” Hermione giggled at Ginny.
“What do you mean?” Ginny asked.
“Harry asked me if I loved Ron, too,” Hermione explained.
“Well, you both are so mysterious! But he loves you, too, even if he never says it,”
“I know,” Hermione whispered with a chuckle.
“So when did Harry ask you?”
“Hmm, must have been about a week ago. It was the day Umbridge took you. While she was kidnapping you, Harry and I were talking out in the waiting area,”
“That was the day I told him I loved him,” Ginny smiled at the memory.
Hermione was happy to see the twinkle in her friend’s eyes.
“Well, he loves you, too, you know,” Hermione said.
“Who loves who?” Ron asked as he entered the room with a pumpkin pasty in one hand and a glass of water in the other.
He walked over to Hermione who got up from her seat and let him sit down. When he set the water on the small table next to the chair, she sat down on his lap.
“Harry and Ginny,” Hermione explained.
“Oh, yeah. I guess I would say it is love for those two,” he said with a laugh. “Maybe for a certain other two as well,” he offered softly, the smile never fading from his lips.
“Hmm, maybe,” Hermione said. She giggled and then kissed him lightly.
“Oh no,” Ginny whispered.
“What’s wrong?” Hermione and Ron asked simultaneously. Ginny looked up at them, her face full of worry.
“It’s Harry. His uncle and his cousin are dead,” Ginny whispered.
“Serves them right, the way they treated him!” Ron said.
“Ronald! It doesn’t matter what they were like, they are his family and they didn’t deserve to die!” Hermione heaved incredulously at Ron. “You know, they apologized! Yeah, right when he was about to leave they apologized to him and they…they told him they loved him! The only part of the story that is more odd than that is the mere fact that Harry knew they were truly sorry; he could see it in their faces. But he yelled at them. He told them that he would never return to that house as long as he lived! He said…he said he could never forgive them,” she sighed. “He must be feeling terribly, with those being the last words he ever said to them! But that only means one thing: that’s where he is, isn’t it, Ginny?”
Ginny’s face was white now, and all she had the ability to do was nod.
“What is it?” Ron asked Ginny.
“He’s terrified. His aunt is alright, but he knows they will come after her. She cried for half and hour when he got there. He doesn’t know how to explain it to her. And you aren’t supposed to know where he is. Nobody is. He wanted to tell you himself. He is so angry. If Voldemort kills his aunt, he will take Harry’s last living relative,” Ginny explained.
The color came back to her face and suddenly her face was as red as her hair. She was angry.
“Hermione, he wants you to go to your parent’s house right now. He wants you to take them to Grimmauld Place and keep them there. He thinks Voldemort is after them next. We can’t let this happen. GO!” Ginny demanded.
Hermione stood up, horrified and shocked. She looked over at Ron who was now standing up behind her. He grabbed her in a big hug and kissed her swiftly.
“I’ll go with you. Ready?” Ron asked.
Hermione nodded and together, they left, leaving a useless, scared, and lonely Ginny behind. But then she heard Harry inside her head and a smile took over her face.
’Ginny, I’ll see you in ten minutes and explain more of what’s going on,’
‘I love you,’
‘I love you more,’
A/N: Hola people! Heeeeere’s chapter 11! Sorry it took me sooo long, but just be glad it is here now! Thanks for reading, now please REVIEW! Tell me what you think: what you liked, what you didn’t like! I need to know these things! Tankies again!
Manda*
Floo Mysteries by Rons chick
A/N: Hey, guys, here is the next chapter! It takes some quotes from the movies, rather than the books, but I needed some spells that the books didn't have! Just wanted to give you all a heads up! Oh, and I have a new fic called Sometimes, It's Okay to be Happy. Check it out sometime!
“Mum!” Hermione called as she entered her house. Ron came up next to her and grabbed her hand. She squeezed it for comfort.
“Mr. and Mrs. Granger?” Ron yelled. A petite, straight-haired brunette walked into the living room where Ron and Hermione were. Her cheeks were flushed and she heaved a sigh of relief. “OH! Hermione, you worried us half to death! There was a loud ‘pop’ and then someone screamed for us! Come over here and give me a hug! RICHARD? Come here and put that gun away! It’s our daughter and her friend, Ronald. You remember Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, don’t you?” Mrs. Granger called to her husband as she squeezed her daughter tightly. Hermione ran to her father as he entered the room.
“Dad, there is no time to explain! We’ve got to leave right now! You are in danger!” Hermione explained as she rushed them to the fireplace. “Ron, did you get it?” Ron lifted the bag of Floo powder out of his pocket.
“I’ll go first, you go last,” Ron directed and Hermione nodded. “Mum, dad, Ron is going to show you how to travel by Floo powder. You take a handful of powder just like Ron is doing now. Step into the fireplace. Then, say the name of your destination. In this case it is Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. Throw the powder down and you will arrive at your destination. Remember to say it very clearly. Watch Ron,” Hermione explained. They all turned their attention to Ron who stepped into the fireplace, shouted ‘Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place’, and then threw the powder down. As he disappeared, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gasped simultaneously.
“Mum, you go first. Here, take a handful of this. Right, so step into the fireplace. Loud and clear: Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place,” Hermione instructed. Her mother obeyed and soon, Hermione and her father were the only ones left. "Here is the powder. See you in a second!” Hermione watched as her father disappeared into the flames. She took a deep breath and wiped a tear of relief from her face. She, unlike Harry, had been lucky. She grabbed the bag of powder and stepped into the fireplace. She took another deep breath, stated the same address as her parents and boyfriend, and was off.
*****
“Oh, my!” Mrs. Granger whispered when she arrived at Grimmauld Place. Her face was covered in ash and her hair was a mess. Ron chuckled a little and reached for her hand.
“Come on out of the fireplace. Your husband shouldn’t be long,” Ron soothed. She accepted his hand and used it as support as she climbed out of the fireplace and stood next to the tall red-head. She grabbed hold of his arm tightly and waited for her husband to appear in the fireplace where she had just been standing.
“Dear heavens!” Mr. Granger exclaimed. He greatly resembled his wife as he, too, was covered in ash. Ron reached forward and grabbed his arm.
“This way, Mr. Granger, Hermione should be here within the minute,” Ron informed them. He looked down at Mrs. Granger, who was still attached to his arm and couldn’t help but smile; some day she would be his mother-in-law. A minute went by without Hermione and then another. After five minutes, Ron got frustrated and worried.
“Come with me,” Ron told his future in-laws. He led them into the kitchen, where his mother was making tea for a very frightened-looking lady who was sitting at the table.
“Oh, Ronald, dear, OH! Mr. and Mrs. Granger! Come, come sit down and have some tea. You will be staying here with us for a while. This is Petunia Dursley, Harry’s aunt. You remember Harry?” Mrs. Weasley gave each of the Grangers a hug and sat them down at the table with Mrs. Dursley. “Ron, dear, where’s Hermione?”
“I’m not sure, I’m going to go back to the house and find her,” Ron answered as calmly as he could. However, he knew his mother could see the fear in his eyes because it was reflected in her own. They both knew that they couldn’t show their worry for Hermione’s absence because they needed to keep their company calm. He walked over to his mother and kissed her cheek.
“I’ll be back soon,” he told them. He walked over to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of Floo powder. He took a deep breath and clearly stated his destination. He started to spin and he instantly knew that something was wrong. Someone was messing with the Floo Network. He squeezed his eyes tighter.
Ron felt his body shoot out of the fireplace into his new location and he slowly, carefully opened his eyes. It was dark and big. He most definitely was not in the Grangers’ residence. He jumped when he heard a scream and Hermione came running toward him. She was so happy to see him even though she knew he would come looking for her. She whispered all of this to him as she threw her arms around his neck and buried her head in his shoulder.
“I thought I lost my parents but was lucky. Then I was here and I didn’t know if I would ever see you again. But you came back! You came looking for me. I hoped you would and you did,” Hermione whimpered. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around him. She brought her head back to look at him. They kissed and Ron realized she was crying.
“I love you,” he whispered. She pulled him tighter and laid her head back on his shoulder.
“Me too,” she whispered. They stayed like that for a moment or two longer, and then Ron let her down and kissed her once more.
“So, where the bloody hell are we?” Ron asked as he looked around. He grabbed Hermione’s hand and they started to walk around the house.
“I’m not sure; I don’t understand why we are here. I’ve searched most of the house and it doesn’t seem like anyone, or anything, for that matter, is here. I mean, there is nothing with significance to us or the war,” Hermione explained. “Damn, I wish there were some way of contacting Harry!”
“Why don’t we just Apparate? Isn’t it the Floo Network that got us here in the first place?” Ron asked.
“I’ve tried that. Remember how Hogwarts had that enchantment that forbade Apparition or Floo or anything on school grounds? Well, I think that the same enchantment is over this place except that we can Floo into the house, but we can’t Floo out,” Hermione explained.
“Oh, I’ve got it!” Ron shouted. Hermione watched as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a little mirror. He tapped the glass with the tip of his wand and looked into it. “Harry! Harry! ‘Mione and I are at some house we’ve never been to before! The Floo Network sent us here! We will explain more later, just try flooing to Grimauld Place! Hurry!”
**********
“How is she?” Ginny asked Harry. She was lying on her side facing the window. He lay behind her, facing her back and playing with her hair.
“Aunt Petunia? Terrible, but she has to grieve. And your mother will help her,” Harry answered.
“And you?” she whispered. Harry was silent for a moment. He sighed and put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.
“Just…just don’t leave me, okay?” he whispered into her ear. He rested his chin on her shoulder.
“Okay,” she agreed.
“Promise?” he asked.
“Promise,” she told him.
“Harry!” Harry and Ginny jerked their heads around to the chair next to the bed. Ron’s voice was frantically coming from Harry’s jacket. They listened to the rest of what Ron needed to say. Then Harry, quickly though reluctantly, got up from the bed and grabbed his jacket. He carefully reached into one pocket to find nothing. He slowly descended his hand into the other pocket. Before he pulled out the object he relaxed and let out a relieved sigh. Ginny half-expected to see an object she wouldn’t understand. When she saw the little mirror she couldn’t understand why it gave Harry an answer. He turned to and saw the bewildered look on her petite face. With a smile, he lifted the mirror up in the air for her to get a better look.
“I know! I need to explain,” Harry chuckled. Ginny’s face showed a sweet smile as she nodded. “Sirius gave it to me, before…well, you know…There are two. They are like muggle telephones, I guess. They are a simple form of communication. So, about a week ago, I gave the other to Ron, knowing he would spend most of his time with ‘Mione. Or he would be with me and ‘Mione with you, but then it goes to no use, now does it. Sirius and my dad used to use them. Watch.” Harry tapped his wand on the glass.
“On my way!” he told the mirror. Then he looked up at Ginny. “I was going to give it to you, but then…well, I didn’t need to in the end. I’m going to go see what is wrong. Ron wasn’t freaking out too much so it probably isn’t a life-or-death situation. I’ve got to run.” He threw his jacket on and leaned over so he was face to face with Ginny.
“Can I ask you something?” she asked softly.
“Yes.”
“That promise you made me swear to earlier? That goes both ways.” She looked directly into Harry’s green eyes and whispered, “Don’t leave me, Harry Potter.” Harry kept her gaze.
“I promise, Ginny Weasley, I promise. I love you.” He kissed her passionately and left the room.
’I wasn’t finished with you, Mister!’
’Sorry, but your brother and future sister-in-law may be in trouble. What did you need?’ Harry thought.
’I know you love me, but I really do love you more,’
’Impossible,’ Harry thought with a smile. He grabbed a handful of Floo powder from the stand next to the fireplace, took his place, and shouted for Number Twelve, Grimauld Place. When he arrived at the house, he immediately noticed the darkness and the simple fact that he wasn’t at his godfather’s old place. There was light coming from a muggle lamp on the table next to the fireplace, and there were candles lit everywhere, but the house itself was pure black. The house was familiar, but he couldn’t remember why. Ron and Hermione came running from a room off to the side of the hall he was standing in.
“Finally!” Ron exclaimed impatiently.
“Sorry, I was with Gin when you used the mirror. You know I have to explain these types of things to her; she wasn’t part of us until last year,” Harry explained. Ron shrugged. “So, talk to me. What’s going on? How’d you get here? Where exactly is here? I mean, is this place familiar to you, too?”
“Whoa, Harry slow down,” Hermione told him. “We have walked through the entire house and we have no idea where we are. No, it isn’t familiar to either one of us at all. It’s familiar to you? Harry, where’ve you seen it before?”
“I’m not so sure. I know that I do recognize it, though. How’d you get here?” Harry asked.
“Well, we went to get my parents. We had to Floo them back, you know, so Ron went first, then my parents and then me. I don’t know why, but I was sent here instead of Grimauld Place. I must’ve been here ten or fifteen minutes when Ron came,” Hermione started to explain.
“I got to Grimauld Place and her parents followed soon after. I waited about five minutes for her, but she never came, so I took her parents into the kitchen with my mum and your aunt. It took me a while to get out of there, but when I did I tried to Floo back to the Grangers’ residence. I was sent here, too. That’s when I contacted you,” Ron finished explaining. Harry nodded through each piece of information. He took it all in and started to try to figure out where he had seen this house before. A few moments of silence passed while they all tried to gather their thoughts.
“OUCH!” Harry yelped in pain, causing Hermione and Ron to jump in fright. “What’s wrong, Harry?” Hermione asked.
“Is it your scar?” Ron questioned. Harry reached into his jean pocket and grabbed something. He threw it on the ground, where it clinked loudly. They all stared down at it. It was slowly getting redder and redder as if it was heating metal. Hermione pointed her wand at it and whispered a spell to stop it from getting hotter. Harry slowly bent down to pick it up when it cooled.
“What is it, Harry?” Ron asked.
“It’s the locket Ginny gave me the day Umbridge took her,” Harry told them. He examined it more and saw the serpentine S that was on it. Harry snapped his head up. He knew where he’d seen this house before. “This is the Horcrux that was replaced by the fake one from R.A.B.! It is Slytherin’s locket! This is Hepzibah Smith’s house! Dumbledore brought me here last year when he was teaching me. The locket brought us here!”
“That doesn’t make sense, Harry! Why would a locket bring us to this house?” Hermione asked.
“This locket was given to Voldemort’s mother. She sold it for money when she was pregnant with him. She sold it to Borgin and Burkes. They sold it to Hepzibah Smith. When Riddle was older, he worked there and he came here to make a sale one day. It was the memory I saw. He came here and she showed him the locket. OH! And she showed him a cup; a golden cup that was Helga Hufflepuff’s. She showed it to him but she told him that she wouldn’t sell them. He was infatuated with them, I remember that! And then she died a few days later and they convicted her house elf.” Harry explained.
“Harry, that still doesn’t explain why the locket brought us here,” Hermione told him. Harry started to think hard again. Hermione was right, that still left the question of why the locket would bring them there. As he thought, he subconsciously rubbed his chest. He was confused. They were sent here by someone or something he was sure of it, and he was pretty sure that the locket and the cup had something to do with it.
’Harry! Harry, what’s going on? Where am I? Where are you! Harry what’s happening?’ Ginny was saying in Harry’s head. He stopped rubbing his chest and reached up to scratch his forehead.
’Ginny, nothing is wrong. Nothing is happening, are you okay?’ Harry asked her. His head suddenly became clear again and he knew she was feeling better.
’Sorry, Harry, I just had a moment of confusion. I was just really…never mind. Sorry to bother. Miss you. Good luck. Harry shook his head. He had to remember to talk with her when they got back. They were linked and when something was wrong with her, something was wrong with him, too.
“That’s it!” Harry exclaimed. “They are linked! The locket was Slytherin’s, the cup was Hufflepuff’s! They are drawn together! Riddle didn’t just make the locket a Horcrux; he made the cup one, too! And we are here for it! The locket brought us to the cup!”
“Brilliant, Harry, that’s it!” Ron cheered. He slapped Harry on the back.
“Very good, Harry, but Ron and I’ve searched this house. It is a mess! Unless you know where the cup is, we will never find it!” Hermione explained.
“Did you find a room with lots of useless things packed everywhere?” Harry asked, remembering the memory.
“Yeah, there were a couple of rooms like that. One was just down the hall in that room, there.” Ron pointed at a door a few feet down the hall. Harry nodded.
“Let’s see if it’s in there.” They walked into the room, Harry leading the way. He opened the door and slid inside. This was definitely the room! He could picture Hepzibah Smith sitting just there, with Voldemort in front of her.
“This is it,” he told them. “I’m not sure if the cup is in here, though. The house elf brought it in.” Ron pretended not to notice Hermione roll her eyes. She sighed and then took a deep breath to re-focus herself.
“Okay, hold on. Was it in a box or anything?” Hermione asked. Harry nodded.
“They were each in a leather box,” Harry told her. Hermione lifted her wand.
“Accio Horcrux,” Hermione said loudly and clearly, picturing the cup in a leather box as she did so. A few long seconds passed with Ron and Harry staring at Hermione.
“’Mione, you can’t possibly think that will-“ Ron was cut off as a leather box flew into the room and landed in Hermione’s outstretched hands. She smiled a mischievous smile.
“There are so many things you don’t know, Ronald,” Hermione murmured matter-of-factly. Ron smiled.
“All the more for you to teach me,” he told her, returning her mischievous look. Harry grabbed the box from Hermione’s hands, shaking his head without hiding the smile playing at his lips.
“You two, my god,” he was whispering as he opened the box. When the lid was open and the gold was shining, Ron and Hermione walked to Harry to look over his shoulder at the object before him.
“Wow, that is gorgeous,” Hermione whispered. Ron nodded in agreement.
“How do we destroy them?” Harry asked. “Try putting the locket inside the cup. See what happens,” Ron suggested. Harry shrugged and tried the idea. He carefully placed the locket inside the cup and held it up. It took a second or two before anything happened, but the cup began to glow in a light that shined the room, and before their eyes, a figure appeared.
“Dumbledore,” Harry whispered unbelievingly. He felt the tears form at his eyes and didn’t blink them back. The figure before him, still glowing, smiled.
“Yes, Harry, it is I. You’ve done so well! You’ve gotten this far by using all the information I’ve left for you. Surely you had to know I would die some day. I’m sorry I couldn’t have been around long enough to see you defeat Voldemort. Harry, I must inform you, these Horcruxes are not real; they are fake. Good work, but I’m afraid that you have found the wrong thing,” Dumbledore told Harry. Harry was still crying now, and these words hit him like a bullet. Dumbledore was lying; these were not fake and he knew it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“Goodbye, Dumbledore,” Harry whispered. He pointed his wand at Dumbledore. “ Reveal your true identity! ” he whispered. Ron, Hermione and him watched closely as Dumbledore’s figure spun around and around and slowly became a snake. It was a boa constrictor and it now stared down upon Harry. “Nice try,” Harry told it.
“Can’t fool you, can I?” it hissed at him. Harry felt his face become a scowl.
“Truth! Tell. Me. The. Truth. Are these real Horcruxes or not?” Harry spat. He watched as the snake nodded.
“You will never destroy my master!” it hissed at him. It began to charge down at him, its fangs dripping with venom. Its head came closer and closer to Harry and his feet were frozen to the floor.
“VIPERA EVANESCA!” Ron pointed his wand and shouted at the top of his lungs. The snake evaporated. No sooner was the snake gone, than the cup caught fire and exploded into flames. Ash covered everything in the room as it was filled with an uncomfortable silence. Harry was breathing heavily and Hermione was shaking in fear. Ron ran to Harry and helped him up, for he had fallen when Ron shouted the spell. Then he ran to Hermione.
“’Mione, baby, are you alright? Yeah? Look at me.” Ron tried to calm Hermione down. She looked into his eyes and broke down into tears. He pulled her into a hug and she cried into his chest. He ran his hands through her hair and continued to whisper to her to calm her down. Harry watched with pride as his two best friends showed their love for each other. It had taken them too long to know how strong the love was. It reminded him of Ginny. He couldn’t, for the life of him, figure out why it had taken him so long to grasp the love between Ginny and himself. He smiled. He missed her.
’It took you long, yes, but it worked out in the end so it doesn’t matter. And I miss you, too,’ Harry heard Ginny say in his head. He smiled. He was taken out of his trance when Hermione grabbed him into a hug and kissed his cheek. When they pulled away, she grabbed his hand and started to lead him back out of the room and down the hallway. Ron came to the other side of Harry and put his hand on his shoulder. They walked in silence until they got to the fireplace.
“Where did you learn that spell, Ron?” Hermione asked him. He smiled.
“Snape used it in our second year during the Dueling Class thingy, ‘member?” Harry smiled and nodded. Ron sighed and turned back to Hermione.
“There are so many things you don’t know, ‘Mione,” he told her. She smirked.
“All the more for you to teach me, Ronald,”
“Okay, then, lovebirds. Can we focus on how to get the hell out of here?” Harry asked with a chuckle. Ron and Hermione blushed but laughed along none-the-less. There was no room in their heads for sadness, for they had just destroyed two of the four Horcruxes left to destroy.
A/N: So there it is! Hoped you liked it! Great thanks to my betas: Envy Of Emma, xx storieteller xx, Katrina and HarryPotter is my LIFE! You all rock! Thanks for reading, now please review! And don't forget to check out my new Fanfic, 'Sometimes, It's Okay to be Happy'.Thanks so much! Manda*
Hate, Love, and Hidden...Tattoos? by Rons chick
“I’m glad you’re alright, Harry. You worried me.” Ginny was sitting underneath a tree in the forest behind the Burrow playing with the grass as she watched Harry throw sticks. It had been a week since Harry, Ron, and Hermione had destroyed the Horcruxes and Ginny had been home from St. Mungo’s for a few days.
They had avoided talking about this for as long as they could, but they were all alone for the first time in a week. Harry had explained everything about what had happened to everyone, but Ginny could tell that he didn’t want to talk about it with her. She knew that he didn’t want to relive the moment of confusion they’d shared or the fear they’d both held about something happening. She understood that he had to go soon and she also knew he didn’t want to hear her insist that she go as well. She watched Harry pick up another stick.
He examined it in his hand and then looked up at Ginny. “Me, too,” he said lightly before throwing the stick. They both fell silent for a moment, Harry watching the stick fly through the air and Ginny gazing at him.
“Harry, don’t fool yourself. You know I’m going with you and you know that you can’t stop me,” Ginny told him. She gave him the look he knew so well; the blazing look that saw right through him. He stared right back, locking their eyes. She saw a single tear run down his cheek and lightened her gaze before standing and walking to him. She put a hand on each side of his face and guided it to hers to rest their foreheads together.
“I hate it when you’re like that.”
She chuckled at his statement and wiped the streak left on his cheek from his tear with her thumb. She leaned in and put their lips together softly. Reaching up, she grabbed him into a hug, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her head into his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her waist to pull them closer and buried his face in her hair.
“I know I’m difficult. But Harry, if something happened to you and I could’ve done something about it, I would kill myself. Besides, you may hate it, but you love me. And, do you want to know a little secret?” She whispered the last sentence. Harry grunted. “I love you more,” she told him. She kissed him again, this time deeper and full of need and want and passion. He kissed her back, revealing the same feelings and he pulled away when she started to take his shirt off.
“What are you-“ he started to ask but was cut off by the sight of her removing her own shirt. “Are you sure?”
She smiled in response and grabbed him into another kiss. “Positive,” she whispered into his ear.
**********
Afterwards, they lay on the blanket that Harry had conjured, holding one another. Ginny’s face was lying on Harry’s chest and she was tracing circles around the tattoo of a Hungarian Horntail on his chest. Harry was running his hands through her hair and looking up at the sky. Ginny sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. Harry cocked his head and sat up as well, putting his hand on her knee.
“I get it,” she whispered, her eyes shining.
Harry smiled. “ It's my favorite memory of you. When,” he cleared his throat and lost his smile, “when I left you, I went home and had to put myself through pain. I had to do it because I knew I had hurt you so badly. I did it magically, not the muggle way. I did it with my wand and put a permanent sticking charm on it so I could keep my favorite memory of you with me at all times. Next time Romilda Vane asks you if it is true that I have a hippogriff tattooed across my chest, you can honestly tell her that it is a Hungarian Horntail. But Ron’s pigmy puff will remain a lie.”
Ginny was so stunned and so touched that smiling wouldn’t even express her feelings. She stared into his eyes with a look of true love for what seemed an eternity. She grabbed his hand and led it to a very low spot on her hip. “Me, too; of my favorite Noble Harry moment.”
Harry looked down to where his hand was now touching Ginny. It was a tiny tattoo of the Triwizard Cup. A slow, bewildered, look crept upon his face and gazed into her stare.
**********
“We are alone!” Ron shouted as he pulled Hermione into his bedroom and closed the door. He walked over to his bed and sat down, pulling Hermione onto his lap. They kissed.
Hermione smiled into the kiss and then pulled away, giggling.
“What?” Ron asked, unable to hide the permanent smile attached to his face.
She shook her head. “I honestly never knew if this would ever happen.” She gestured her hand toward the two of them. Getting up from the bed, she started walking around the room, smiling still, but nervously wringing her hands as she did so.
Ron cocked his head to one side. “How’d you mean, love?”
Hermione took a deep breath. “I…I think I fell for you at the end of our third year when you got hurt because of Sirius. Harry and I had to use the Time-Turner to go back in time and we left you behind in the hospital wing. It was only three hours, if I remember correctly, but I missed you so much. During our fourth year you never asked me to the Yule Ball. I didn’t even fancy Viktor! And then in our fifth year, it seemed we were so focused on Harry and last year with Lavender Brown. I just…I knew I would always be in love with you but I never figured we would end up together! I figured that if, in some wild circumstance you loved me back, you would never say it.”
She had stopped walking and was now standing in front a very surprised Ron who was still sitting on the edge of the bed.
Ron gulped. “Me? Second year-the basilisk attacked you and my world crashed. I didn’t know why I was so upset. You were my friend, but I was really upset. I put it together when you got better. Since then, I try to focus on things about you that annoy me. That way, I could fight with you and nobody would expect a thing. Viktor and then McLaggen, Harry was my last string. I never thought it would happen either, really. I’m guessing, someone up there,” he pointed upward, “likes me.”
Hermione smiled. “Well, whoever it is, they like me, too.”
Ron grabbed her thighs and pulled her to stand between his open legs. They were face to face with him sitting and her standing. “They bloody well do! Only a fine fair lady could be blessed with such a handsome bloke like me,” he whispered.
She rolled her eyes and looked away. “Merlin, Ronald, I hate that you must always feel the need to ruin a perfect moment!”
Ron smiled and pulled her even closer. “No matter-hate it all you want. We both know that you love me.”
Hermione said nothing in response but she couldn’t help but grin. Ron kissed her sweetly and then pulled her into a hug. She grabbed his hand and led him out of the door and down the stairs.
“Where are we headed?” Ron asked.
“To the kitchen to help your mother with supper, of course. We can’t lock ourselves in your bedroom all night. It is disrespectful,” she explained.
Mrs. Weasley was getting the dishes out of the cupboard when they reached the kitchen. She smiled at them and Hermione instantly went to help. Ron was walking toward the table to sit down when the door opened and in walked Harry and Ginny. Harry started toward the table and Ginny went to help Hermione and Mrs. Weasley with the meal.
“Where’ve you two been off to?” Ron asked, leaning back in his seat and putting his feet on the table. Mrs. Weasley walked over and slapped his foot, gave him a look of death, and went back to pouring drinks.
“We just went for a walk in the forest,” Ginny explained as she stirred the container of iced tea.
“Ginny, sit down! You’ve just arrived home from St. Mungo’s and I will not have you going back again! Sit down and let Hermione and I finish up. Harry, will you take my stubborn daughter into the front room to rest? She is just getting her energy back and you two go for a walk in the woods? Merlin...” Mrs. Weasley was muttering to herself as Harry got up and grabbed Ginny’s hand, leading her into the front room to sit on the sofa.
“Oh, really, Mrs. Weasley, a walk is perfect for getting her energy back! It gets her out of the house and yet it is still close and she was with Harry. I’m sure there is nothing to worry about,” Hermione said.
“You are probably right, Hermione. Yes, yes, you are. I just get so worried about her health, her being the youngest and the only girl-“
“CAN WE PLEASE STOP TALKING ABOUT ME AS IF I’M AN OBJECT?” Ginny shouted from the front room after over-hearing Hermione and Mrs. Weasley’s conversation.
“She’s right, you know. How would you like it if you were stuck in St. Mungo’s for a couple weeks and then still restricted from everything even after you got home?” Harry asked as he walked back into the kitchen to grab two glasses of water. The room hummed in agreement and Harry walked back to the sofa with the waters.
“Thank you,” Ginny told him when they heard conversation return to other subjects in the kitchen.
Harry smiled and kissed her forehead. “Anytime, love, anytime.”
“Can we not…Can you not discuss…err…anything with Ron or Hermione?” Ginny asked nervously.
“What d’ you mean exactly?”
Ginny cleared her throat. “I know that you tell them most of everything and I was wondering if we could keep this to ourselves. I don’t plan on telling anybody that I just turned seventeen and I lost my virginity to Harry Potter. Can we just…err…please?”
Harry smiled. “Whatever you want, Gin. You know I don’t mind keeping it between us. I mean, how would it sound, me going up to your brother and telling him, ‘Hey, mate, I’ve just shagged your sister and we both lost our virginities in the process,’? A bit uncomfortable, don’t you think?”
Ginny’s face relaxed and she kissed him. “A bit. But could you imagine my mother’s response? ‘Ginny! How could you use the energy when you need to be resting? Well, I trust you were safe?’”
Harry laughed. “And Hermione,” he raised his voice to imitate his friend, “‘Oh, Merlin, you two! Well, don’t go off telling Ron about this because I just don’t want him to expect anything!’”
They kissed again. Then Ginny pulled away. Her face was screwed up and the worry had returned to her eyes.
“Harry?”
“What is it, love?”
“We weren’t, though, Harry. We weren’t safe!”
Harry calmed her down and then placed a palm on each side of her face, holding their foreheads together just as she had done earlier that evening. “Don’t fret, Gin! It’s alright! It will be alright! Go into the bathroom and perform a birth control charm that I’m sure your mother taught you long ago.”
Ginny took a deep breath and got up from the sofa to do as he instructed. She had memorized the charm years ago and it was simple to perform. Afterwards, she felt better as well as calmer and she walked back to the front room to find Harry in the same spot as she’d left him. He smiled at her and she kissed him when she sat back down next to him.
“Better?”
“Much.”
Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen that it was time for supper and a quiet ‘pop’ showed that Mr. Weasley had arrived. Harry and Ginny got up from their seat and held hands as they walked toward the kitchen. Standing in front of the door, Harry stopped and pulled Ginny into him for a deep, quick kiss.
“I love you,” he said into her ear.
She smiled. “I love you.”
Together, they walked into the kitchen and took their seats at the table. The rest of dinner, they only hoped that no one saw the flush in Harry’s cheeks or the plastered grin on Ginny’s face.
**********
“Why are you packing, Harry?” Ginny asked as she waltzed into Harry’s room the next morning. A bag was on his bed and he was filling it with closely chosen pieces of clothing.
“I’m leaving,” he told her flatly without looking at her.
“When?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“Alright, I’ll go pack my things.”
Harry stopped messing with his clothes and looked up at Ginny as she started to leave the room.
“No.”
Ginny stopped walking but stayed facing the door with her back to Harry.
“No, Ginny, you’re not coming.” Harry sighed.
Ginny shook her head in anger and turned to face him. “Yes, I am. I thought we discussed this last night. Don’t you remember? I am very well going and there isn’t a thing you can do to stop me.”
“Damn it, Ginny! I bloody hate it when you get like this! You know, sometimes…sometimes I hate that I love you! I HATE THAT I AM SO BLOODY IN LOVE WITH YOU, GINNY!” Harry took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in his throat when he saw the look on her face. “D’ you ever wonder why I don’t want you to go? If I didn’t love you as much as I do then it wouldn’t hurt so damn much that you have to be so freaking stubborn! I’ve lost everything, Ginny, bloody everything!” He stared at her and took no notice to the crack in his voice when he stated, “I can’t lose you, too.”
Ginny glared at him and ran a hand through her long, red hair. “Please don’t ask me to stay, Harry.”
Harry closed the distance between them and put his hands around her neck to kiss her hard. “Please don’t ask to come with me, Ginny.”
Ginny lowered her head and stared at the floor. “I can’t stay put while you risk your life. I can’t believe you are asking me to.”
Harry lifted her chin up to look at him. “Yeah, well, I can’t believe you are asking me to put the one person I want to spend the rest of my life with, into danger.”
At the Same Time
“’MIONE!” Ron called from his room. Hermione opened the door and walked in.
“What is it, Ronald?”
“Are you finished packing, then?”
Hermione nodded. “I finished a couple minutes ago, why?”
“Are we going to leave early and go to Number 12 to visit your parents and Harry’s aunt?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure. I think Harry might have told them yesterday afternoon that we would come visit before we left.”
“Have you seen Ginny?”
“Err…Earlier this morning, ‘bout thirty minutes ago, she headed down to the kitchen for a pastry. I think she was going to Harry’s room after. Why?”
“We can’t put it all on Harry to tell her we are leaving and she can’t come. I mean, she won’t take it easy and it isn’t fair for us to dump it on Harry to tell her. We should go help him.”
“Yeah, I suppose so.”
They walked to Harry’s room swiftly and weren’t surprised to see them holding each other in the middle of the room. Hermione and Ron could both hear Harry whispering something to Ginny and then they distinctly heard her mumble something back. They watched as Harry and Ginny went back and forth a few times. Ron had no trouble hearing Ginny tell Harry that she couldn’t believe he would ask her to stay. He listened to Harry respond, explaining that he couldn’t believe Ginny would ask him to put her in danger.
“Well believe it, the both of you, because Harry did ask you to stay, Ginny! And Ginny did ask you to let her go, even if it means putting herself in danger, Harry,” Ron spoke matter-of-factly as he stepped into the room, ignoring Hermione’s slap on his arm. “The point is, we must make a decision. Either Ginny comes or stays, which I prefer the second one.”
“As do I! Ginny, you mustn’t come with us! You are my best friend and the last thing I want is for you to be hurt! Go back to school, Ginny, and be our Hogwarts spy. You can tell us everything that is going on! We need someone like that!” Hermione exclaimed.
“I know I’m your best friend, ‘Mione. Likewise with me. But I don’t see Harry stopping Ron from going or vice-versa and they are best friends! I’m not stopping you from going, either, now am I? Why is it so important that I stay?”
“Ginny, it’s different with you. You know very much that I am not insulting you when I say this, but, Ginny, you’ve never done this before. ‘Mione and I have always backed Harry up and stayed by his side through everything! You haven’t and it isn’t just figuring out the next task in the Triwizard Tournament or going to find the Sorcerer’s Stone this time! This is it, this is fighting Voldemort, full strength! We all love you to death and you are our only hope at coming home to a friend. D’ you understand what I’m getting at?” Ron asked.
Ginny never softened the blazing look she was giving her brother, but she did understand. She sighed and turned on her heel before stomping out of the room and slamming the door behind her.
The trio quietly stared at the closed door. Harry ran a hand through his hair. He hated that he’d hurt her again. But he would never be able to live with himself if something happened to her. He hoped that someday she would understand that he needed to know that there was something to look foreword to coming home to. He didn’t realize that he was subconsciously rubbing his chest again. The door pounded open and Ginny came running toward him with her blazing look. She jumped on him and wrapped her legs around him, burying her face in his neck. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her.
“Someday I will, Harry, but right now I can’t. I just want you with me, I want you safe with me,” she cried into his neck and he tightened his grip, closing his eyes and burying his own face into her neck. Neither noticed Ron and Hermione slip out of the room and close the door behind them.
A/N: There you go! Sorry there was so much fluff, but you’ll soon realize why it had to be that way! Thanks for reading, now REVIEW!! Tell me if you hate it, tell me if you love it! I need to know what to improve and change! Thanks so much!
Manda*
A Will, A Few Promises, And the Journey Continues by Rons chick
Author's Notes:
Here is Chapter 14: Hope you like it!
Manda*
“Goodbye, darlings! Arthur is at Grimmauld, and he is expecting you soon! Just be careful. Please, just be careful! I couldn’t stand it if any of my children were hurt, and that includes you two, Harry and Hermione!” Mrs. Weasley grabbed each of the Trio in a bone-crushing hug. She kissed them each on the forehead and wiped a tear from her eye.
It was a beautiful day; the weather wasn’t scorching hot, even though it was still summer, but it wasn’t cold, either. There was a slight breeze that cooled everyone’s skin from the bright sun. It was the perfect day to leave, and Ginny would be leaving in two weeks for school.
Ginny and Harry had spent the entire night talking and making promises to one another, among other things. Ginny had accepted that she couldn’t go with them. She stood with pride next to her mother, waiting her turn to bid her friends goodbye. And yet, despite Ginny’s reassurances, Harry couldn’t help but worry that her Weasley stubbornness would show itself and she would follow them.
Ron went to give his sister a hug. He whispered that he loved her and she reached up to kiss his cheek. Hermione was next to hug Ginny; they hugged tightly for several minutes, each trying to remember the other.
When they pulled away, Hermione was crying and she smiled, embarrassed. “I’m going to miss you,” she told Ginny. “But it won’t be too long.”
It seemed that Hermione was trying to convince herself more than Ginny, but Ginny nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’ll hold you to that statement.”
Harry looked at Ginny with the sweetest look she’d ever seen as he walked over to her. He placed one hand on her lower hip where only they knew a tattoo hid. In response to this, she laid her hand gently on his chest and looked into his blistering green eyes. He put his other hand on the small of her back and lifted her, slightly, into a mind-blowing kiss. When their lips parted, Harry reached down and wiped a tear from her eye.
“Sorry, Harry. I didn’t want to-”
“Don’t apologize. You deserve to cry now. After all, there wasn’t much crying last night, and I don’t want much crying after we leave.”
Ginny smiled and nodded. She leaned in for one more kiss before stepping away from him, but kept her hand on his chest.
He blinked a few times and took a deep breath, mimicking her by keeping his hand on her tattoo. “You promised,” he whispered, now staring at his feet.
She reached up and lifted his chin so he was looking her in the eye again. “So did you.”
One more kiss and Harry was walking away. Ginny was reminded of months ago when he’d broken up with her at Dumbledore’s funeral. She remembered watching him walk away from her just as he was doing now. But this time, he looked back. It only took a small glance for Ginny to realize he really was scared. Because of this, she took a deep breath and walked back into the house to help her mother start a lunch to bring to Grimmauld Place.
When Harry saw Ginny walk back into the house, his stomach turned. He wanted to run back to her and grab her into his arms, but he also wanted to keep her safe and protect her from everything. It was because of this that he turned back around and followed Ron and Hermione, Apparating to Grimmauld Place.
“You are doing the right thing, Harry. You promised her you would come back to her, and that’s all you can do,” Hermione told Harry when they got to Number Twelve. She hugged him tightly.
“But what if she comes?” Harry asked.
“She won’t. She promised you she wouldn’t and so she won’t. She’ll stay put,” Hermione assured him. She grabbed onto his hand and led him into the kitchen.
“Ahh, there you are.” Mr. Weasley ushered the Trio to seats at the table where Remus Lupin, Mad Eye Moody, Professor McGonagall, Aunt Petunia, and the Grangers were sitting drinking tea.
Harry walked over and placed a gentle hand on his aunt’s shoulder before taking the seat next to her. He’d become used to greeting her this way, because he was uncomfortable with hugging her or anything else, yet. He understood that she had lost her husband and son, but he had lost his parents, his godfather, and his headmaster along with his uncle and cousin. He had gotten a tiny bit closer with her since bringing her to Grimmauld Place, but nothing could ever make up for the way he had been raised. He told her this a few days ago and she told him she understood and she was eternally sorry.
“We are glad you stopped by, Harry. We have something to discuss,” Lupin said.
“Like what?” Harry asked curiously.
“As you know, I am the new Headmistress of Hogwarts. I was going through the desk drawers last week and I found Albus’s will. I scheduled a meeting with a Ministry member a few days later only to realize there was a note in the envelope saying that you were to open and read it with Remus, Alastor, Arthur, and myself. We were hoping to do it this morning before you left. We have a feeling it might have some clues that you’ll need before you leave,” Professor McGonagall explained to Harry.
“Err…Alright, I guess. D’ you want me to read it right now?” Harry asked.
“We were hoping so,” Lupin told him.
“You’ve got a long journey ahead of yeh,” Moody chimed in.
Harry nodded. “Hermione, Ron? D’ you mind taking my aunt out into the front room for a while?”
Hermione and Ron nodded. Mr. and Mrs. Granger got up from their seats and walked into the front room with their daughter while Ron waited at the door for Aunt Petunia. She got up and patted Harry on the back before heading out into the front room.
When they were gone and the rest were seated around Harry, he took the envelope enclosing the will with a shaky hand. His heart was beating rather fast and his head began to hurt with all of the memories of his former headmaster. He put a hand to his chest and closed his eyes, trying to clear his head so he could read the will.
’It’s alright, Harry. Whatever is wrong, you can get through it,’ Ginny’s thoughts swirled in Harry’s mind, giving him the strength he needed to take a long deep breath, open the envelope in his hands and unfold the letter within.
Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin 1st Class
If this is being read, I assume I have passed on. The only one I ask to read this is Harry Potter, and I’m sure it is you, Harry, that is. I have nothing but trust and faith in you, Harry. You were to me, the son I never had the fortune of claiming. I am so proud of you for coming as far as you’ve come. I’m sorry if I wasn’t able to help you rid of Tom Riddle once and for all.
By now, I’m sure you know all about Horcruxes, and just as a reminder, here is the list: the diary, which is destroyed; the ring, which is destroyed; the locket, which is hopefully destroyed; the goblet; the snake; and something that belongs to either Godric Gryffindor or Rowena Ravenclaw. The last is the single piece that lies within Tom’s soul.
Remember what the prophecy said, Harry. Neither can live while the other survives.
I haven’t much to give, but I leave my post of Headmaster to Minerva McGonagall. I ask you to take Fawkes with you, Harry, for I believe he will come in handy. If he needs to be protected, send him to the Burrow. He loves Hagrid, although I believe he would feel more comfortable with the Weasleys. I pass my dark detectors and those affects to Alastor Moody. To Remus Lupin I give the letter behind this one. And to you, Harry, I give my pensieve. It holds many memories you may need. One third of my fortune will be given to the Weasley family, another third to Remus Lupin., and one third to you, my boy.
I mustn’t say much, but you have to know: go to the place where what appears is what you need. You will be led to something important.
Know this, Harry: My death, along with Sirius’ and your parents’, is not your fault.
Signed, Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin 1st Class
P.S. I love you
Harry read this once over before reading it aloud. McGonagall was crying when he was finished. The room was completely silent except for McGonagall’s sobs. Harry handed Lupin the letter behind the one he had read.
McGonagall got up from her seat and walked over to the corner. Sitting there was a trunk Harry hadn’t noticed until now. She took a key and opened it carefully.
She gave a bag of money to Mr. Weasley, one to Lupin, and one to Harry. Then she took the pensieve and placed it on the table in front of Harry. She closed the trunk again and gave it to Moody who shrunk it and put it in his pocket.
“Fawkes is in the front room. I brought him here earlier,” McGonagall explained.
Harry nodded. “Thank you.”
He grabbed his chest again, thankful that he had gotten through the meeting.
’I told you you’d be fine. Now get going! The sooner you come home, the better,’ Ginny’s thoughts told him.
He smiled and headed toward the front room where he placed the pensieve carefully into his trunk.
“We should get going soon,” he announced to everyone. Hermione and Ron nodded in agreement and got up from their seats. Hermione, Mrs. Granger, and Petunia had been watching Ron and Mr. Granger play a game of Wizard’s chess.
The Grangers got up to hug their daughter and say goodbye to their almost son-in-law. Petunia got up from her seat, as well, and walked over to Harry.
“Thank you, Harry,” she told him. “I never realized how hard it must’ve been for you with each loved-one you lost. I understand now and I thank you so much for not completely giving up on me despite how I raised you and treated you. I know you have no choice, now, and you must go to war. I hope you kill him, Harry. I hope you kill the man that killed my sister, brother-in-law, husband, and son. And I hope you realize that I will worry about you the entire time you’re gone. I want to get to know who you really are. If you’ll let me, I’d like to have a second chance.”
Harry blinked in confusion. Then he sighed and grabbed his aunt into a hug. He kissed her forehead lightly and grabbed her hand. “I’ll come back. Everybody needs a second chance.”
Harry said goodbye to each of the Grangers and walked over to give Mr. Weasley a hug.
“Harry, dear boy, be safe. You are as much my son as any of the other six, and I can’t say I won’t worry about you while you’re gone. Keep Ron safe, as well, alright? And Hermione. She’ll be my daughter-in-law soon, I s’pect. Then again, you’ll be my son-in-law soon, too,” Mr. Weasley told him. Harry nodded, touched by this statement, before moving on to say goodbye to Moody, who gave him a slight side-hug, and a good luck.
“Harry, I’m so proud of you. You remind me so much of your father. Hogwarts is always open for you, keep that in mind. And be safe!” McGonagall told him as she hugged him tightly. Harry smiled in shock at this gesture and hugged back.
“Sometimes, if I just glance at you, I would swear you were James. But then I see Lily’s eyes and I know for sure it’s not him. If ever you need me, Harry, I’m here. Be safe, boy. You’re the last of those damn Potter boys.” Harry grinned at Lupin who pulled him into a short embrace.
“Well, you’re the last of those damn Mauraders,” Harry told him. Lupin chuckled lightly.
“Alright, where’re we off to, then?” Ron asked.
Harry sighed. He walked over to the fire. “Is your fireplace open, Professor?”
“Yes, Mr. Potter, why?” McGonagall asked.
“The letter said ‘Go to the place where what appears is what you need.’ There is only one place that fits that description and it’s in Hogwarts. Can we Floo to your office, Professor?”
“Of course, I’ll be right after you.”
Each of the Trio shrunk their trunks once again and placed them into their pockets. One by one, they went to what used to be Dumbledore’s office. Harry was first, followed by Hermione, then Ron, and lastly McGonagall.
“Should I go with you, then? I’m sorry, Potter, I’m not sure how this works,” McGonagall confessed.
Harry smiled encouragingly. “It’s alright, Professor. I think this is a first for us all. It might be a good idea for you to come.”
“Yes, Professor, you can wait outside, we will be able to find you if and when we need you. It wouldn’t be safe for you to come with us, Professor. This is something we have to do,” Hermione explained.
Rather than nod, sneer, or turn up her nose at this statement, McGonagall pulled Hermione into a gentle hug. “Thank you. I can wait outside the room. Shall we be off?”
And to the seventh floor they went. When they found the proper spot, the Trio walked past the painting three times; each thinking of a clue and of Dumbledore’s words that Harry had stated earlier; and sure enough, a door appeared. They bid farewell to their Professor and walked in through the door, one at a time.
“There’s a bit of a chill,” Hermione shivered. She rubbed her arms to circulate the heat and then began to breathe into her hands. Ron came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She buried her face in his neck.
“Lumos,” Harry said and his wand lit up. He waved a hand at Hermione and Ron. “This way, it’s a tunnel.”
Ten minutes later, they came to a wooden staircase. Harry shot fireworks up into the room at the top of the staircase but there was no movement, and so he crept up the stairs.
“It’s an attic!” Hermione realized when she followed Harry up. She looked around the room and saw an open space.
Filling the space was a single armchair placed in front of a fireplace with no logs or coal. It was just big enough for two adults to sit in and it looked brand new except that it was covered in dust.
Harry held his wand firmly ahead of him as he moved stealthily forward to see if he could find anything else. When he found nothing else, he moved closer to the fireplace and held his wand up to it to see if there was anything in it.
Suddenly, the flames burst from the fire and Harry stumbled back onto the floor. Hermione, surprised and frightened, threw herself into Ron and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face into his shoulder.
“Sorry,” she whispered, embarrassed that something so little could scare her that much. She started to let go of him but he snuck his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.
“I don’t mind,” he told her with a grin.
Harry looked over at them just as they kissed. It was strong and passionate and full of love, even Harry could tell. He got up and scratched his chest. It was a subconscious habit of his, now, that when he was thinking, or when he missed her, he would touch his chest as if to hold onto the memory of Ginny. He wished he could hold her the way Ron was holding Hermione, and kiss her the same way. He wished he could love Ginny the way Ron was loving Hermione. It made his heart ache that he could not do these things, and once again, he found himself rubbing a hand over his tattoo.
’I miss you, Harry!’ Ginny cried into Harry’s head. ’I miss you and I want you to come home!’
Harry shook his head. ’Is something wrong? Are you alright? Is everyone alright?’
’Everyone is fine, Harry, I just miss you! Please come home!’
Harry ran a hand through his hair, the other hand lying on the ground wrapped around his wand. ’I miss you, too, Ginny, but-‘ Harry’s thoughts were cut off by Ginny’s again.
’I’m sorry, Harry. I don’t know what I was thinking! I just all of a sudden needed you. I’m alright, now. I’m so sorry if I interrupted.’
’You see, I always need you, so that wouldn’t have changed in my case. But I love you, Ginny, I love you so much.’
’I know you do. But I love you so much more.
Harry felt an abrupt wave of affection and devotion run through the room. It overtook him and he gasped. He felt his love for Ginny and hers in return along with Hermione’s and Ron’s. It was the most powerful feeling he’d ever felt. He was frozen to the floor.
He distinctly remembered looking back at his friends, Ron shoving Hermione tightly between himself and the wall, unaware of the mood change. They were so enthralled in each other’s mouths and bodies that Harry had been happy for an excuse to look away toward the sound coming from the armchair next to him. A heavy wind stirred this strong feeling in the air. He was once again jealous of his friends, wishing and hoping it was Ginny that could be coming from the chair to capture him with her gaze. But instead, the wind stirred pieces of what looked like a letter, ripped up. The pieces came together and formed an envelope which flew to him. He caught it with one hand and froze again.
The wind had stopped as quickly as it had begun.
Gasping for breath, Hermione detached her mouth from Ron’s. She grabbed his hand from where it was on her waist, his fingers resting in the waistband of her jeans, and put it on his chest. “No, Ron. I thought we had discussed this. I’m not ready…and look where we are!”
It was at that moment that both Ron and Hermione came back to reality and realized where they were. Hermione blushed a deep shade of red when she noticed Harry lying on the rug in front of the fire, staring at them.
“What the bloody hell? I didn’t “ I mean, I thought “ what happened? It felt like we were somewhere else. I forgot we were here.” Ron looked around, puzzled.
“I don’t know, but I sure as hell am glad I wasn’t the only one who felt it.” Harry stood up and ran a hand through his hair.
“No, you surely weren’t the only one. That was the oddest feeling. Like the complete opposite mood of Dementors!” Hermione fixed her shirt and jeans.
“Harry, what’s that you got?” Ron asked, pointing to the envelope in Harry’s hand.
“I’m not quite sure, actually. It sort of, came at me just before the room turned normal again.”
Hermione walked closer to him. “Open it up. See what it is.”
Harry waited until Ron and Hermione were on either side of him before opening the envelope. He pulled out a letter and began to read aloud.
”There are only two things my heart truly beats for; one is a secret, and one is the only woman in the world that can provide me honest love. The secret is my most meaningful possession. And so, naturally, I will hide it with the woman who means the most to me. It will lie within her heart; forever and for always.
A love like ours is rare, I know this. This is the reason I spend each and every day with her, living our life together at the fullest. But my day will come, as will hers. And even then, my secret object will lie with her heart.
After I am gone, as is she, I’m sure this object will come of some importance to someone else. I will then have no use for it. And so this someone will take this object and use it to their own importance.
But this object is everything except usual. It responded to her the way it did because of our extraordinary relationship. If the someone who takes this object is without the love like my own, consequences will occur.
You see, no one person can enter the world this object offers. They must go with the one that completes the rare relationship. Only those in true, honest love “ like my own “ will be able to use this object to its fullest use.
And so I bid you-
Luck- no good, no bad, just “ luck.
- Godric Gryffindor
The Trio stood in silence for a minute to concentrate on the meaning of the letter. They knew that the woman he was talking about was either Rowena Ravenclaw or Helga Hufflepuff. But the object he was speaking of was truly a secret.
Harry shook his head in confusion and put a hand to his chest.
’What is it, Harry? What’s going on? Is something wrong?’
The familiar feeling of Ginny’s thoughts in his head made Harry sigh in relief. He was safe when she was in his head.
’It’s nothing, love,’ he thought.
“What is it?” Hermione asked when she saw the smile on Harry’s face.
Harry looked up, surprised. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just “ you know “ Ginny.”
Ron smiled. “I’m glad she wasn’t here when that thing happened. It’d have scarred me for life, it would’ve, seeing the two of you…you know.”
Harry chuckled. “You two about scarred me!”
Hermione started to blush again. She was about to say something when she noticed a picture replace the words on the paper, still in Harry’s hands. “Harry! Look! It’s a necklace or a locket or something!”
Harry looked down, and sure enough, there was a picture on the page of a necklace with a locket in the shape of a heart. The outline grew darker and darker on the page and then the necklace turned silver. Before his eyes, it became real, now lying on top of the piece of paper. It was heavy, however, and started to fall off.
Ron reached out to grab it. “OUCH!” he screamed before letting the necklace drop.
“What’s wrong? Is it really hot like the last locket?” Hermione asked. She walked to him and grabbed his hand to look for a burn.
Ron shook his head. “On the contrary, really. It’s colder than ice.”
Harry pulled out his trunk from his pocket and laid it on the ground. He enlarged it to its normal size and bent down to open it. He took out a hankie, closed the trunk again, shrunk it, and put it back in his pocket. Then he walked back over and knelt next to the necklace. He picked it up with the hankie and examined it.
On the back of the heart were the initials, ‘G & R’, proving their theory of it being Ravenclaw that Gryffindor was in love with.
“Oh! That’s what he meant. This is the object. When he said that the object would ‘lay with his lover’s heart’, he meant that it lay above her heart! She wore this around her neck and the locket lay above her heart,” Hermione explained.
“But he also said that to hold it, we needed a love like his and Ravenclaw’s,” Ron pointed out.
“We have that. Hence the mood change! You know the opposite of Dementors?” Harry remembered how Hermione had explained it.
Hermione and Ron nodded in recognition.
“Wonder what he meant about the ‘other world’, though,” Harry said.
The locket had warmed up from the hankie, and Harry took the opportunity and opened the heart. Inside was a picture of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw together. They were smiling happily. His heart gave a jolt at the thought that maybe, one day; he and Ginny would have a special object like this to share. He rubbed a finger against the picture to rid of the dust.
The room started to spin slowly. Harry looked around, but Ron and Hermione were gone. Steadily, the spinning grew faster and faster. Harry fell to the ground and closed his eyes, hoping it was just a dream and that it would go away soon.
And sure enough, the spinning stopped. Harry gasped for breath and carefully opened his eyes. He shook his head in confusion. This wasn’t the attic anymore.
He was sitting in the grass under a big tree. In the distance was a huge house. All around him were flowers.
“’Ello! We’ve been waiting for you,” a woman’s voice soothed into Harry’s ear. It was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard.
He licked his lips and turned his head to see who it was behind him.
He didn’t see much, however, because gorgeous lips captured his own the moment his head turned. She tasted so good that Harry kissed back.
He hardly felt her end the kiss and grab his hand. There must have been twenty of them. They had gorgeous blonde hair and slender bodies. Surrounding him, they led him up to the house he’d thought was so far away.
And Harry knew at that moment, he was in heaven.
A/N: There is chapter 14. This is kind of a cliffie and I was going to continue, but it got too long. Sorry if its confusing, but the next chapter has many answers to many questions! Thanks for reading, now please REVIEW! Oh- and while you wait for the next chapter, read my other fic Sometimes, It’s Okay to be Happy. Big thanks to my betas, Manda, HarryPotter is my LIFE, and xx thestorieteller xx!
Manda*
The Unknown World of a Locked Gaze by Rons chick
Author's Notes:
Oh, has it been long or what? Well, I just read a review I recieved from mrhelgahufflepuff, and I am so sorry for the long long wait! The good news is that this chapter is the longest chapter I've ever written! 3746 words. Sheesh! Hope you like it! Don't forget to review!
Manda*
Harry lay back in the blonde’s lap and let her feed him more food. It was good food, but the pleasures coming from lower on his body were making it difficult to focus on what exactly he was eating. There was a blonde at each foot and hand, plus some located at other places.
He groaned and clenched his jaw. The women were breathtaking and the things they were doing to him were amazing. One girl climbed on top of him to straddle him. She leaned down and took his lips with hers.
Merlin, he’d have to repeat these things with Ginny.
Ginny!
His heart skipped a beat as he broke the kiss and pushed the blonde off of him. His head snapped up as he heard a small ‘pop’ and a distant scream.
All of the women surrounding him jumped away from him. He looked around at all of them and jumped to his feet in shock. He barely heard himself yelp in fear at the creatures that had replaced those beautiful women sitting there, moments ago.
“What the bloody hell?” he asked himself as he studied the things staring at him.
They looked like the Muggle image of witches. Each one had a long nose with a single mole. They all had stringy long hair that was black, red, or grey. They were hunched over and short with wrinkled faces and hands.
Harry thought to himself that there were very few things in his life that he’d seen that could compete with how ugly they were. He looked off in the distance and saw about a dozen men standing in a group.
Harry smiled to himself as he realized that these men had outdone the creatures surrounding him by far. They were so hideous that he almost got a little frightened. But before he had the chance, he saw a stunning vision standing in the center of the men. She had fiery red hair and was looking around.
Finally, Harry caught Ginny’s gaze and locked his eyes with hers. Suddenly, he saw everything.
**********
“We need her to get her arse over here, now!” Ron yelled through the fire.
Ginny jumped out from her hiding spot behind the kitchen door. “Me? D’ you need me?”
Mrs. Weasley’s hand was covering her gaping mouth.
Ron’s head began to nod in the fire, seeing that his mother wasn’t about to answer his sister. “Yes!” he shouted. “We are in Hogwarts’ hospital wing. Floo to McGonagall’s office, now! She’ll be waiting for you there.”
Ginny screwed up her face. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“Just go, Ginny! Now!” Mrs. Weasley screamed.
Ginny jumped at her mother’s sudden outburst, but quickly regained herself and grabbed some powder, stepping into the fireplace and reciting her destination.
McGonagall was, as promised, waiting for Ginny when she arrived in the Headmistress’ office. Her face was flushed and she was out of breath and it worried Ginny even further.
“Professor, what’s going on?” Ginny asked with concern.
“I’m honestly not quite sure, myself. Quick, we must hurry. They will explain it to us when we get to the Hospital Wing.”
The Headmistress led Ginny to the Hospital Wing quickly and they were both out of breath when they pushed through the doors.
“Ginny!” Hermione shrieked when Ginny walked in.
She ran to her younger friend and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug,
Ginny pushed her away, too worried and anxious to hug back. “What is going on?” she demanded.
But she didn’t need an answer, for it came to her as Hermione moved out of the way. There, lying on a hospital bed, twitching and drenched in sweat was the love of her life; Harry Potter.
She gasped and ran to his side swiftly. She knew this would happen. He hadn’t been gone one day and he was hurt. Oh, Merlin was he hurt! He was alright, right? He wasn’t dying, was he?
She grabbed one of his hands and began to stroke his face with her other. “I’m here, love, wake up. Harry, darling, open your eyes. Harry wake the hell up! Damn it! What in Merlin’s name is going on?” she cried.
Ron saw the tears on his sister’s face and ran to her. He tried to pull her into a hug but she pushed him away.
”I don’t need a God damn hug right now, Ronald! I need a bloody explanation! And a good one at that!” she yelled.
“Ginny, it’s going to be alright. We need you to settle down. You’re in shock, I think. Just sit down here for a moment and let your brother and I explain,” Hermione instructed her friend.
Ginny reluctantly nodded and sat down in the seat beside Harry’s bed. Madam Pomfrey came in with some potions, which she set aside. She knelt down in front of Ginny to examine her.
“Nice work, Miss Granger. She is in a state of shock. The shaking, drop in temperature, and crying determine that. Miss Weasley, I’ll just need you to swallow this. It will calm you down a bit,” Madam Pomfrey told her.
Ginny took the potion being handed to her and swallowed it all down. She sat silently for a couple of minutes, taking deep breaths and slowly feeling more and more calm.
“Alright, Ginny, are you feeling a bit better?” Hermione asked softly as she placed a hand on her shoulder.
Ginny nodded, thankful for the gesture, but really not wanting anyone to touch her until she knew what was going on.
“Alright, then, Harry is alive. He is in a right state, but he is fine, we think. Don’t get worried, Ginny, because we know how to assure ourselves that he is fine. That is where you come in,” Ron began to explain.
“We were in the Room of Requirement, which led us to an attic we’d never before seen. We found a letter from Godric Gryffindor explaining his love for Rowena Ravenclaw. With it came a locket necklace of some kind. The locket on the necklace was in the shape of a heart and in it was a picture of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor themselves,” Hermione continued.
“Here, I have it,” Ron said as he pulled out a hanky from his pocket. He carefully unwrapped it, but made sure no skin was touching it. “We aren’t quite sure what is wrong with it, but Harry was studying it when he fainted.”
McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey, and Ginny studied the suspicious piece of jewelry in Ron’s hand.
“So, you see, it’s just his mind. It’s gone in there somehow. And Ginny, you are the only one that can get him back,” Hermione informed her.
“Wait a moment! Why Miss Weasley? We have highly trained Aurors and Order members that are far more suited for this task. Why must it be the youngest Weasley?” Professor McGonagall asked.
“Because, Professor, in his letter, Gryffindor explained that true love is rare. He said that this “item- was dangerous and that a person cannot enter that world without the other person. Harry and Ginny have that! They have that same rare love that he is talking about! Now the only person that can save Harry is Ginny! But that means putting herself in danger by entering that world,” Ron recited from memory. Hermione had made almost that exact speech to Ron on their way to the Hospital Wing.
“Absolutely not! We will not send such an innocent mind into a place we know nothing about! That just will not do! Will it Minerva? Will. It. Minerva?” Madam Pomfrey asked.
The Headmistress shook herself out of her trance and looked over at the school matron. “I’m afraid I just don’t know,” McGonagall admitted wearily.
“Well, I do know. It is my life, it is my decision. Tell mum I love her for me, will you, Ron?” Ginny asked her brother.
“Now, Miss Weasley, I’m not sure it is so safe for you to go so soon! If it is safe for you to go at all, that is!” McGonagall insisted.
Ginny stood from her seat furiously and glared a hole into the Headmistress’ face. “Are you kidding me? His mind is off somewhere, Merlin knows where, and only I can save him and you don’t want me to?! Well too bloody bad, Professor, because he could be in danger and waiting will just make everything a lot worse! Give me the damn necklace, Ronald,” Ginny demanded, holding her hand out to her brother. “I said give me to bloody necklace, now!”
Ron gave in and handed her the necklace. She looked at it and rubbed her hand along the outside of it. Once she had it opened, she continued to feel around, trying to find the way into the other world.
Everyone stared at her in shock, too surprised to do anything about it. Her face was red with frustration and anger and when she rubbed a finger across the picture, she knew she’d finally figured it out.
*****
Harry was shaken back to reality at the end of the flashback. His eyes came back into focus and he could see his surroundings. He almost jumped when he realized that he and Ginny were now standing face to face. Once again, brown eyes met green, and Harry bent down to capture her lips into a passionate kiss. Their arms wrapped around each other and when the kiss was broken and their eyes opened, they were in the Hospital Wing, in separate beds, in the middle of the night.
Harry hadn’t noticed that he’d been out of breath until he heard Ginny gasping for air in the bed next to his. He barely had a chance to comprehend that his breathing patterns matched hers before he heard a squeal and saw Mrs. Weasley get up from her chair between his and Ginny’s beds. She raced over to Ginny and began checking her up and down frantically, muttering all the while.
Ginny made a concerned whining noise and looked over at the bed next to hers. She locked eyes with him and Harry could see the worry melt away from her face. A single tear streamed down her perfect cheek.
“Oh, Merlin, Ginny, you worried me to death! I was so scared that “ Ginny? Ginny, what’s wrong?” Mrs. Weasley asked in a hushed voice.
She followed Ginny’s gaze and jumped when she saw that Harry was awake as well. She hurried over to him and leaned down to kiss his forehead before checking him up and down just as she had with her daughter. Harry noted the tear stains on the woman’s face and felt a tug at his heart that she cared for him. Then again, the tears could’ve easily just been for Ginny.
’Harry Potter, don’t you dare! Those tears were just as much for you as they were for me!’ Ginny thought to him.
“Mrs. ““ Harry began. He wanted to tell her that he was fine and that she had nothing to worry about, but he wasn’t able to finish because the moment he began speaking, his throat felt like a thousand needles were stabbing it. He reached up and grabbed it, wincing in pain.
“What’s wrong, dear? What’s hurting you?” Mrs. Weasley asked.
“It’s his throat, mum. It’s bothering him,” Ginny explained.
Mrs. Weasley needed no more explanation before she left their sides and the room, no doubt to find Madam Pomfrey.
The minute she was surely out of site, Ginny got out of her bed and slid under the covers of Harry’s. She lay on her side, Keeping him on his back, and put her head on his chest.
With her curled up next to him, Harry began to softly rub her arm, content with the moment of right then.
“It’s his throat, Madam Pomfrey. Ginny says that it is bothering him,” Mrs. Weasley’s voice came from the other room. She was getting closer, and she was with two other people.
“No matter, we’ll just see what exactly is wrong with him, and then we can fix it right up!” Madam Pomfrey’s voice replied.
“Is everyone asleep, then?” Professor McGonagall’s voice asked.
“Yes, but if we don’t wake them soon, I’m sure we will be hearing about it later,” Mrs. Weasley answered.
“Oh, Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley, you are finally awake!” McGonagall stated when she saw them.
Mrs. Weasley was momentarily taken aback to find that Ginny had gone to lay with Harry, but quickly recovered and gave them a warm, understanding smile.
“Mr. Potter, Mrs. Weasley has informed me of a throat pain that you are experiencing?” Madam Pomfrey asked.
Harry nodded.
“It hurts him as if it is bleeding. He feels as if someone were stabbing his throat with needles when he tries to talk,” Ginny told her.
Madam Pomfrey nodded while checking him over. Ginny had sat up to get out of the way and the nurse began to feel Harry’s throat. She took out her wand, pointed it at his throat, and said a few charms and spells.
“Well, Mr. Potter, it is swollen with manipulation. I can’t exactly grasp how it happened. Did anyone do anything involving your mouth or throat while you were…well, wherever it is that you were?” Madam Pomfrey asked him.
Harry closed his eyes to remember. There were the blondes and the fruit and then…Oh, Merlin, the pleasure! And there was the kissing and “ Oh!
His eyes snapped open in shock as he remembered the kissing.
Ginny gave him a look full of hurt and betrayal. “What did they do to you?” she muttered. She turned back to look at the school nurse. “These…creature type veela things kissed him. And fed him, and did things to him.”
“Oh!” Mrs. Weasley cried in shock.
“That explains the manipulation,” Madam Pomfrey pointed out. “But, then, why don’t you have a swollen throat?” she asked Ginny.
“Because Harry was there the entire time Ginny was there. It was Ginny that wasn’t there the entire time Harry was. One can only go in with the other, right? But Harry went in alone, therefore he was manipulated easily,” Hermione explained.
She had woken up when Ginny told Madam Pomfrey about Harry’s throat. Ron woke up as well, but not until Hermione had gotten out of the bed they had been sleeping on and started to talk. He stood up and went to the end of Harry’s bed to stand with his girlfriend and mother.
“Hmm, I’m not sure how I feel about that. Does it count as cheating if my best mate is manipulated by veela when his mind is sucked into another world and he is in love with my sister?” Ron asked to nobody in particular.
Harry felt his stomach turn. Yes, it did. He could’ve not fallen for the manipulation. He could’ve held his ground. Couldn’t he have?
“No, Harry, you couldn’t have. Don’t blame yourself, love. Godric Gryffindor himself said that one cannot enter without the other. This isn’t your fault. It most definitely does not classify as cheating. Come here,” Ginny reassured him as she pulled him into a kiss.
Hermione slapped Ron on the arm and gave him a threatening look.
“Remus, look how adorable they are!” Tonks’ voice exclaimed from a few beds down.
Lupin lifted his head from his pillow and he looked around sleepily. He spotted the group around Harry’s bed and rubbed his eyes awake. He stood up and stretched before helping Tonks out of the bed and walking to join the group.
“Morning, Harry. Well, it is technically about midnight, but all is well. Took you ‘bout two days to wake up,” Lupin said.
Harry screwed up his face and shook his head in confusion. “What?” he croaked, and grabbed his throat in pain.
“You’ve been asleep for nearly two days,” Hermione clarified.
“That can’t be. We were only there for an hour or so!” Ginny protested.
“That’s the power of manipulation. It explains a lot, really; the twitching, fever, time, throat pain, and all of it,” Madam Pomfrey explained.
“But all is better, now that you’re back. Hope you woke up fine?” Lupin asked.
Ginny smiled over at Harry. “We woke up fine, didn’t we, Potter?”
Harry grinned. ’Except that I thought your mum was going to have a heart attack, seeing us awake,’ he thought to her.
“Well, yes, there was that,” she replied.
He nodded.
“Your throat still a bother, then?” she asked.
In his thoughts he told her it was.
“Madam Pomfrey, is there anything you can do about the pain?” Ginny asked the nurse.
“I have sent an owl to St. Mungo’s for a potion that will take down the swelling a bit. It probably won’t arrive until the late morning, early afternoon,” Madam Pomfrey replied.
“It will only take a little longer, love. If you need anything, tell me, alright?” Ginny told Harry.
Harry nodded. ’You take care of me,’ he thought.
She smiled. “I know. Someone has to.”
“What’s that they’re doing?” Lupin asked as he eyed Harry and Ginny.
Ron shrugged. “They don’t have to ‘speak’ to talk to each other. They just use their heads, if you understand what I mean.”
“Use their…heads?” Mrs. Weasley asked, clearly confused.
“Yes, their heads. They use their thoughts to communicate with one another. They’ve been able to do it for a few weeks, now, actually. It is quite extraordinary,” Hermione answered.
’Bet you five galleons they don’t buy it,’ Harry thought.
Ginny snorted. ’I don’t want your money, Potter. Make it five kisses and it’s a deal.’
Harry narrowed his eyes at her. ‘What kind of kisses?’
She smirked. ’Take-your-breath-away kisses, of course.’
Harry scrunched up his nose. ‘I think I may need a demonstration, little Miss Red Head.’
Ginny let out an exasperated chuckle. She leaned in and pressed her lips against his. They were both floating on clouds and living in a dream for only a few moments. When they pulled away, they were both out of breath, staring one another in the eye.
‘Five of those? If I lose you get five of those?’ Harry thought.
Ginny beamed. ‘If you win you get five of those, too.’
‘Well, then what kind of a situation is this?’ he thought to her.
She giggled. “The kind where you win no matter what, you prick!” she told him aloud.
“Excuse me?” Mrs. Weasley asked.
Harry’s eyes widened in shock as he realized that they’d probably had an audience since the kiss, at least.
“Nothing, mum, I was just finishing a conversation with Harry,” Ginny answered calmly and skillfully.
“Merlin, you really can speak to each other, can’t you?” McGonagall asked.
Harry and Ginny nodded.
Ginny grabbed Harry’s hand under the blanket and squeezed it. ‘They believe it, I win!’ she thought to him.
He squeezed her hand back. ‘No, you did not! They buy it, I win!’
“Fair game, Potter! They didn’t believe it at first: your win; they do now: my win!” Ginny exclaimed loudly.
“That is absolutely remarkable!” Madam Pomfrey observed.
“Interesting; very interesting, indeed,” Lupin agreed.
**********
“So all it was were a bunch of witches of manipulation?” Ron asked Harry and Ginny.
It was around noon the next day. Everyone had gone home to rest. Harry and Ginny had been required to stay for observations, and naturally Ron and Hermione insisted to stay with them. The potion for Harry’s throat had yet to arrive, leaving Ginny to do all of his translating, which she really didn’t mind doing. She had explained everything to Ron and Hermione, filling in gaps with Harry’s help.
“Yes, that’s all, which means that Professor Dumbledore led us astray. It can’t be a Horcrux. According to the letter for Gryffindor, in order to come out alive, you must have true love. How could Voldemort “ oh, Ron, get over yourself! - have turned this into a Horcrux if he has no love at all?” Ginny pointed out.
“But, Ginny, don’t you see? You-Know-Who has followers! He has people that would do absolutely anything for him! All it takes is one volunteer, no? He just shoves them in there with the right spell on hand and leaves them there to die,” Ron said.
“That makes perfect sense! But if it is true, how do we go about destroying it? You can’t just destroy the locket because that world will still exist. It has to be destroyed from the inside out,” Hermione concluded.
“Two of us will have to go in,” Ginny insisted.
“Well, it has got to be soon, whoever it is!” Hermione said.
“If it’s soon, it’s got to be us. Harry isn’t all well, yet. Besides, even if he was well, he wouldn’t want you going in with him, Ginny, and he cannot go in alone again.” Ron protested.
’Will you please stop talking about me as if I weren’t here?’ Harry thought to Ginny.
Ginny rolled her eyes. “Harry would really appreciate it if we didn’t talk about him as if he weren’t here,” she told her brother and friend.
Hermione nodded understandingly. “Sorry, Harry, but I agree with Ron. Truthfully, if you were well, would you let Ginny go with you to destroy it?”
How was Harry supposed to answer that?
“See? It has to be us, mate. You can’t fight us on this one,” Ron scolded Harry; the silence having told him what Harry’s answer would have been.
“Love, they’re right. I don’t like the feeling of them going either, but you aren’t well, yet, and you aren’t going to go alone,” Ginny told him.
“Is he saying anything?” Ron asked his sister.
“No, he’s pissed off too much. You had better lie down and leave soon, before he does something to stop you,” Ginny recommended.
Hermione went over and kissed each of her friends on the forehead before lifting her wand and silently calling the necklace to her. Ron joined two hospital beds together, just as he’d seen Madam Pomfrey do earlier for Harry and Ginny. They lay down, side-by-side, and Hermione slowly opened the locket. Together, they touched the picture.
Ginny watched as they’re bodies became steady. She figured they were entering the world still. She waited and watched, ready for the twitching and sweating to come. But they didn’t.
Instead, Ron’s and Hermione’s bodies went limp.
Their bodies went lifeless.
A/N: Alrighty…There ya go! Sorry it took me so long to update, I wrote two new chapters for my other fanfic. I hope you liked it! Leave me a review and tell me how I did! Thanks so much!
Manda*
Live Until the End of the World by Rons chick
Author's Notes:
And here is chapter 16. Sorry for the long wait. Please review!
Manda*
“Something isn’t right,” Ginny whispered to herself.
’What?’ Harry asked, using his thoughts, since his throat potion hadn’t arrived just yet.
“That isn’t what your body looked like while you were in the world, Harry. They look dead!” Ginny explained. “Madam Pomfrey, can you please come in here? Something’s wrong!”
**********
Hermione opened her eyes and shook her head to recover from the dizziness. She looked around and tried to place where exactly she was.
A gorgeous blonde was standing next to her, reaching his hand down to help her up. He smiled a smile she couldn’t resist and she took his hand, letting him lift her gracefully.
When she was on her feet again, she realized how tall this boy was. She only reached his shoulder. She looked up into his face, but when she got to his eyes, she jumped. His eyes were black. It was such an extreme difference; blonde hair, black eyes, and she shook her head to get back to reality.
She was being manipulated! Where was Ron? They’d come together, right? He’d made it into the world with her, right? She looked around frantically, trying to find the red headed teenager who would make everything better.
She felt the blonde wrap his arms around her waist and pull her close to him. She couldn’t help but smile and, in turn, wrapped her arms around his neck.
She jumped out of his embrace when she heard a loud grunt coming from the ground next to her.
Ten horrifically revolting women were sitting on the ground, surrounding a familiar freckled boy who Hermione yearned to see. She looked up at the blonde and shrieked at his hideous face.
She fell to the ground and pushed the women out of her way. She laid herself beside Ron and kissed him softly. She found his hand and squeezed it hopefully. Her heart was pounding. Surely he was alright, right?
Her entire body relaxed when she felt a strong squeeze of her hand.
He opened his eyes and stared at her in awe. His mind never stopped asking how he’d gotten such an amazing girl.
Any trace of another man or woman around them was gone.
They got up and started walking around; trying to find something, anything, that would help them figure out how to destroy the unknown world they were occupying.
They found a field of grass and Hermione dropped Ron’s hand, running out into the field and spinning. She’d always wanted to do this. Was that what this world was about? Finding the perfect things in each person’s mind?
Ron bit his lip as he watched Hermione in the field. He couldn’t help but think of things he wanted them so badly to do together.
Hermione looked up at his face and smiled, shaking her head. Ron’s thoughts always sketched themselves on his face. She walked to him slowly and stopped arm-distance in front of him.
He continued to stare at her with a devilish look on her face.
She smiled, shyly. She reached out and grabbed his shirt, pulling him toward her slowly.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hard. He removed her shirt and laid her down on the grass.
**********
“Ahhh! Hahahahaha!” a woman’s screech and laugh echoed throughout the field.
Ron jumped up from where he was on the ground, with Hermione and grabbed his pants, throwing them on swiftly. “Damn women! What the bloody hell? We barely got to even finish…” his voice trailed off as he realized what was going on.
He looked down at the ground and smiled at Hermione, flushed and trying to dress quickly.
She stood up and straightened her shirt. She tried to fix her hair a little, but gave up when she realized that it was no use.
Ron chuckled as he watched her. He shook his head and moved closer to her, placing his palm on her cheek. “I love you,”
She kissed him lightly. “Me, too,”
Ron pulled away, suddenly, and shook his head, his face screwed up. “How are we talking? I couldn’t when we first got here!”
Hermione shrugged. “You didn’t try to,”
“Weeeee!” the woman’s voice screamed.
“Who is that?” Ron demanded, his face getting red with a mix of anger and fright.
“It’s coming from over there. Quick, let’s go see,” Hermione grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the voice.
After walking for what must have been just short of five minutes, they found a lake full of orange liquid that smelled distinctly of pumpkins. In it swam a tiny woman who looked to be thirty or forty years of age.
“Is that pumpkin juice?” Ron asked to no one in particular.
“Why, yes, it is, young man!” the woman exclaimed.
Ron rid of his shirt, a grin across his face, and prepared to jump in.
Hermione grabbed his arm and screwed up her face at him. “Are you mad? You will not be jumping in there. Put your shirt back on!”
Ron blinked at her for a few seconds before sulking over to where he threw his shirt. He put it on and walked back to her. “Sorry,” he mumbled.
Hermione smiled lightly. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. He couldn’t help but let a small smirk creep back to his face as he remembered what they’d done not twenty minutes before.
“Who are you?” Hermione asked the lady.
“Oh, my darling, I am a Prince,” the woman told her.
Hermione nodded. “You’re the Princess of where, exactly?”
The lady shook her head and looked up at Hermione softly. “No, no…I am a Prince,”
Ron screwed up his face. “Oh, gross! You mean you’re a man?”
The lady giggled softly. “No, dear boy! I assure you I am a woman. I am a Prince! My Lord freed me and put me here, in this world, to be happy forever!”
Hermione shook her head. This wasn’t making any sense. “How long have you been here?”
The lady sighed a smile of content. “Oh, a couple of weeks, I’d say,”
Ron chewed his lip as he was deep in thought. “How’d you get in here?”
“I don’t want to leave!” she yelled at him.
Hermione shook her head frantically. “No, no, miss! We don’t expect you to! We were just wondering how you got into this world!”
“I’m not going back! I don’t care if you go back home, but I won’t go with you!”
“Ma’am, we aren’t asking you to, we promise!” Ron offered.
“We are students at a school called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and we found this world there,” Hermione explained.
The woman’s eyes glazed over and she looked up into the light blue sky. “My son goes to that school. Have you seen him? His name is Severus. He’s a Prince, as well!”
**********
“You let my son and my future daughter-in-law go into a world that you both almost died in?!” Mrs. Weasley asked incredulously.
Ginny scrunched up her face in guilt. “Yes,”
“What am I going to do with you four? What am I…I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Mrs. Weasley stuttered, slipping into shock.
“Molly, take a sit. Here’s some water, drink it up. The last thing we need is for you to faint on us. Alright, do the two of you know how long the Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger will be in there?” Madam Pomfrey asked.
Harry shook his head and looked over to Ginny.
“It just depends on how long it will take them to figure out how to destroy the world. That time added to the amount of time it will actually take for them to actually rid of it,” Ginny said, speaking for both her and Harry.
“Molly, if it’s any consolation, their bodies are quite still and calm. They’re stronger in that world, since they are together. There isn’t much manipulation going on. Probably some, but not enough to really affect them,”
Mrs. Weasley sipped her water and nodded her head. She relaxed a little and took a deep breath. “We’d better call for Arthur. He’ll want to know what’s going on,”
Madam Pomfrey nodded and waited for Mrs. Weasley to get up and walk out of the room. She gave Harry and Ginny and look of death before following the other woman out to the Headmistress’ office.
“Your throat still hurt?” Ginny asked with clear concern.
Harry shrugged. The last thing he wanted was sympathy.
“Hey, don’t give me that. You may not want sympathy from anyone else, but I’m a different story. If anyone had the right to sympathize for you, it is the woman whose heart you have, alright?”
It was a rhetorical question, so Harry didn’t bother answering. Instead, he grabbed her and pulled her into a deep, fervent kiss.
When they pulled away, Harry smiled.
“Alright, you only have four of those left,” Ginny whispered, referring to their bet the night before.
Harry shook his head. ‘Nope. I have a lifetime of them left,’
**********
“You are Snape’s mother? Eileen Prince?” Hermione asked in disbelief.
The woman snickered. “No, actually, but I am Severus Prince’s mother. And yes, I am Eileen Prince,”
Hermione shook her head. This was unbelievable. She grabbed Ron’s arm and pulled him away behind a tree. “We can’t leave her alone. You go look some more about how to blow this world to hell, and I’ll stay here with her,”
Ron nodded. He kissed her nose sweetly and whispered a last, “I love you,” before running off into the forest and grasslands.
Hermione walked back to Snape’s mother and sat down against a tree as she watched the lady swim in thick orange sludge.
There was a comfortable silence for a while. Hermione’s thoughts were filled with Ron and what he was doing right then. She wondered if he really loved her. He had to, right? Because they were in this world, and they seemed to be free of manipulation. But what if he didn’t really love her? What if he was off sleeping with some random girl right now?
“You have every reason to be nervous, you know,” Eileen told her after around an hour.
Hermione screwed up her face. “Excuse me?”
“I can tell that you’re nervous about that red head that just left. You don’t think he really loves you,”
“You don’t know what the bloody hell you’re saying, so shut your trap!” Hermione demanded.
Eileen laughed. “You know he’s cheating on you. Right now, with some absolutely gorgeous girl. Admit it, girl. He just doesn’t want you,”
Hermione stared at the woman with utter astonishment. How could this lady be saying this to her? Who the hell did she think she was? Hermione could feel her face get hot with anger.
It must’ve been a little over an hour that Ron had been gone. What in the hell took that long? They’d searched for only around two hours earlier before they’d gotten…side tracked…in the grasslands.
Hermione secretly yearned for the ability that Harry and Ginny had. She wished that she and Ron could love each other enough to be able to communicate through their minds. She’d searched for a week straight after she found out about their ability and she couldn’t find anything that said anything about speechless communication.
If she just had that ability and could ask Ron where he was right now.
It took another half an hour before Ron showed up.
“Ronald, what took you so long?” she spat.
“I was trying to find any clues, love. Is everything alright? Did something happen?” he asked, taken aback.
“No, nothing. Stay with her, it’s my turn,” Hermione told him.
Ron walked over to her and grabbed her arms. He turned her to face him, but she just looked at the ground, refusing to meet his eyes. “Hey, ‘Mione. Look at me. Everything alright?”
Hermione took a deep breath and nodded, never looking into his eyes. “Yes,” she whispered.
He nodded, deciding to let it go for now, and kissed her forehead. “Okay, if you say so. Be safe, yeah? I love you,”
Hermione nodded and turned away from him, heading in the opposite direction of where Ron had gone.
So many thoughts were occupying her head. Surely Snape’s mum hadn’t been right. Ron had to love her. Otherwise she wouldn’t be able to be here.
She started to run. She ran through the forest and the trees, through the grass and the flowers, and she cleared her head.
It must have been fifteen minutes before she saw a guy standing by a tree. She glanced at him, but kept running, because if felt too good and she still had so much energy left.
Another fifteen minutes passed and she saw another man, this one more attractive than the last, sitting in the grass. Once again, she passed him, enthralled in the thoughts of her mind.
Ten minutes more and she came to a house. Three amazingly striking and sexy men stood on the porch of the house. Hermione slowly came to a stop in front of the house and stared in awe. This was her dream house; the house she always imagined herself raising a family in. It was perfect and she never wanted to leave it.
The men approached her slowly and she was captured by their good looks. One of them leaned forward and kissed her softly on the cheek. She giggled. Another one of them came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He buried his face in her neck.
“Ron,” she moaned.
Her eyes opened as wide as they could and she gasped. Ron! She was being manipulated. This couldn’t happen!
“Ron!” she yelled at the top of her lungs. “Ronald!”
**********
“Harry, wake up!” Ginny shook Harry with all her mite as she tried and tried to wake him up.
His eyes snapped open and he sat up quickly. “What’s wr-” he stopped himself quickly as a blast of awful pain shot through his throat.
“Look! Hermione’s body is freaking out! Something’s wrong!” Ginny explained frantically.
Harry glanced over at where Hermione’s body lay.
Her face was screwed up and her mouth hung open like she was screaming. Her breathing kept getting heavier and heavier as she continued to jerk around. This wasn’t just manipulation. This was so much more.
*********
“Hermione!” Ron shouted as he followed her voice.
It took him at least twenty minutes to find her. She was in front a large house, lying on the ground. No one was around her, so he ran up to her and knelt down to see if she was alright. She was breathing heavily, but she wasn’t moving.
“Ron,” she whispered.
Her body went limp.
**********
“Harry, she isn’t moving! She isn’t breathing! We have to do something!” Ginny cried.
Harry shook his head as he tried to think of what to do. ‘Gin, we have to go there. We can get them, we can save them. It’s the only way,’
Ginny nodded no hesitation or reluctance in her mind. She walked over to Hermione and Ron’s bed and grabbed the locket from their still hands. She walked quickly back of to Harry and sat down next to him. She opened the locket and took a deep breath before her finger joined Harry’s on the picture.
And everything started spinning. Ginny closed her eyes tight and only opened them when the spinning stopped.
She was in a room in a house. She looked around hastily and found the door to the room. She yanked it open and started descending the staircase at the end of the hall.
At the bottom of the stairs she ran into Harry and they stopped and came together. She shook her head to signal that she hadn’t found Ron or Hermione yet.
Just then, Ron’s voice echoed through the house. It was easy to tell that he was outside. Harry and Ginny raced outside to find Ron, hysterical and kneeling on the ground holding Hermione’s lifeless body in his arms.
Harry didn’t know what to do. He could get himself and Ginny back without a problem, but he couldn’t take Ron and Hermione back. Hermione needed to be awake and aware if she wanted to take Ron and herself back. Harry shook his head. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t be losing one of his best friends. He looked over at Ginny. She had to have a plan. She had to make this all better.
Ginny cringed at Ron’s painful cries. She shook her head. This was not going to happen. She wouldn’t let it. She knelt beside her brother and placed one hand on his shoulder and the other on Hermione’s knee. She looked up at Harry and hoped that he could read her face.
Harry took the hint and mimicked Ginny. He knelt down and placed his knee under Hermione’s shoulder, one hand on Ron’s open shoulder, and the other on Ginny’s waist. He closed his eyes tight and wished with all his strength that he wasn’t losing his best friend.
The ground started shaking. Trees began to fall over as it began to get more extreme. Harry clenched his hands tighter, as if he could just hold onto his friends. It was too much. He didn’t think he could handle it. There was no way they were going to make it through the ending of this world.
And far off in the distance, all four teens heard a very disturbed red-headed mother scream in horror at the sight of their four bodies.
One World Destroyed, Another Discovered by Rons chick
Author's Notes:
Wow, guys, it’s been awhile since I wrote last. There’s been a lot going in my life. But I’m so happy to have finished this chapter and I promise that I will never take that long again! I hope you like it and please give some constructive criticism. Thank you so much,
Manda
Six weeks had passed since Hermione and Ron had entered the world of Gryffindor’s locket. Remus Lupin had estimated that it had only been about 21 hours for Hermione and Ron. This was just an estimate based on Ginny’s comment the fortnight before.
“We were only there for an hour or so!” Ginny had said when Hermione informed her that they had been asleep for nearly two days.
Ginny and Harry had left about two weeks after Hermione and Ron, therefore they’d probably been there for seven hours.
The four teens’ bodies started to turn very pale after Harry and Ginny had let their minds enter the locket’s world for about a week. The bodies of Harry, Ginny, and Ron were all strained. Harry’s fists had become so tightly clenched that Lupin couldn’t understand how his nails hadn’t drawn blood from his hand yet. Ron’s faced was screwed up, angry and scared, and his arms were tight to his body, completely stiff. Ginny’s hand was on her heart, her eyebrows crossed and her toes curled. Hermione’s body, however, was the same as Harry’s had been the first time. She wouldn’t stop sweating and trembling.
Lupin was beside himself. Hermione’s body could only take so much more. And the fact that Hermione was the only one seeming to be manipulated made him very uneasy. He didn’t dare leave the hospital wing until they were awake and fine. But for some reason he got the feeling that everything was not going to be fine.
Mrs. Weasley, like himself, wouldn’t leave the teens’ sides. She cared for them and talked to each of their bodies, and tried to hold their hands. She would wipe Hermione’s face with a washcloth to help with the sweat and fever. She insisted (much to Madam Pomfrey’s dismay) that she be the one who forced a potion down her throat every day that should’ve helped the twitching, but wasn’t doing much. She had tears on her cheeks at all times of every day, no doubt fighting with herself to give up hope.
They were only teenagers, and no one quite understood why they were thrown into such a war at such a young age. And Lupin would always blame Voldemort for it. He was the one who killed James and Lily, marking Harry as his equal in the process. Ron and Hermione were such loyal friends that they would never think to let Harry walk into danger alone. And little Ginny. She was in it for love, friendship, and family.
Lupin had only ever seen that kind of love once before in his life and was not entirely surprised that he’d seen it in Harry as well. James and Lily. Come to think of it, Harry and Ginny had a lot in common with James and Lily. Firstly they looked like each other; Harry, the spitting image of James and Ginny, just falling short of identical to Lily. Ginny’s stubbornness was so much like Lily’s that it made Lupin’s heart clench. He could just see the memories of James getting so frustrated at Lily for putting herself in danger. He saw that exact argument from Harry and Ginny. Harry and James hadn’t wanted each of their red-heads to stand by them in war, while Ginny and Lily didn’t care what their men wanted.
“Please!” Hermione screamed, interrupting Remus’ thoughts. “I need help!”
“’Mione!” Ron screamed.
Harry started to shake his head and Ginny’s face developed such an angry expression that Lupin expected she’d kill someone.
“Love is stronger than Voldemort! Love is what makes a true Friendship and a true Relationship. Love is stronger than Voldemort…” Harry chanted through gritted teeth over and over again.
“Remus,” Mrs. Weasley mumbled as she stared at Harry’s body from her seat next to Hermione’s. “Remus!”
“Molly, go get Madam Pomfrey and have her bring in Healer Miller,” Lupin told her calmly as he went to Harry’s side.
Healer Miller was from Saint Mungo’s and had been staying at Hogwarts to keep an eye on the teens since Ginny and Harry had gone in after Ron and Hermione.
“It’s not working!” Ginny screamed.
Harry started to chant louder and louder and then as suddenly as it had all started, it stopped. There was no movement or sound from any of the bodies.
“They are talking. They aren’t awake but more like talking in their-,” Lupin heard Mrs. Weasley telling the Healer and Madam Pomfrey as they entered the Hospital Wing.
She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw that the bodies were no longer doing anything.
The four of them stared at the teens in silence as if waiting for it all to start up again. When nothing happened they all took seats around the room.
For five more days Lupin, Mrs. Weasley, Madam Pomfrey, and Healer Miller didn’t leave the hospital wing. Each of them stationed at each of the teens, they sat and observed the bodies. They were occasionally visited by Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Mr. Weasley, Petunia Dursley, Hagrid, Professor McGonagall, or other members of the Weasley family. Professor McGonagall mostly brought each adult food at each meal time and would fill in for someone if they needed to use the toilet. Hagrid only visited once, having left in tears at the sight of the bodies.
Hermione’s body was no longer showing signs of manipulation, nor was it showing signs of anything else. Her body was extremely cold to the touch and the pallor in her face was whiter than any of the others’. She lay in her bed, next to Ron, without a trace of life in her small body. Madam Pomfrey kept insisting that it was a good sign because it meant that she was not being bothered nor manipulated, therefore there was nothing to worry about; however, that didn’t seem to convince Mrs. Weasley.
It was a joint decision of the group not to fully tell the Grangers or Petunia the extent of the situation, but to insist to them that it was part of their mission in the war.
A fortnight after the bodies had spoken, Ginny’s began to stir. Mrs. Weasley was stationed next to her and lifted her head from the edge of the bed, waking up. She seemed to think that her mind was playing tricks on her, so she watched Ginny for a few more seconds before laying her head back down next to Ginny’s hand and closing her eyes. A minute or two later when she felt Ginny’s hand leap up to her eyes and she breathed in a long breath of air, however, Mrs. Weasley realized it wasn’t her imagination.
“Remus!” she yelped, her hand over her mouth in fear and hope as she watched her daughter’s eyes begin to open.
“Ouch!” Ginny croaked as the light from the room hit her eyes.
“Ginny! Merlin’s beard I was so worried!” Mrs. Weasley cried kissing every part of Ginny’s face that was open. The tears from her face were leaking onto her daughter’s and she couldn’t help but pull away to let out a long needed sob.
“Mum, it’s alright. I’m fine, I promise,” Ginny reassured her as she took her mother’s hand.
Lupin stared across the bed, from Harry’s side, at Molly and Ginny, wondering why Ginny wasn’t yelling at everyone about Harry still being asleep. He wondered why she wasn’t draped on top of him trying to wake him up or asking anyone about him.
Ginny looked around the room to see her brother’s body lying next to her best friend’s. She looked next to her to find Lupin sitting next to Harry’s side. She watched Harry’s face and smiled. She leaned down and kissed his cheek lightly.
“He’s back. He’s just sleeping for real now,” Ginny explained to Lupin’s questioning look. “We came back together. He’s really exhausted. Both of us are, really, I just wanted to tell everyone that we were back before I went to sleep.”
Mrs. Weasley moved to the other side of the bed so that she was next to Lupin, and she started to kiss Harry, too. She hugged him and mumbled things to him about being worried and being glad he was alright. He opened his eyes a little and smiled weakly at her.
“Mum, he still can’t talk but he says that we’ll explain everything in the morning. We just want to sleep for a little while. We haven’t slept in ages,” Ginny explained.
Mrs. Weasley nodded, squeezing Harry’s hand and telling him to get back to sleep. She kissed Ginny’s forehead once more before telling her the same.
“Ginny?” Lupin called from Ron and Hermione’s bed.
“Yes?”
“Are they back?” he asked her.
Ginny’s eyes looked defeated. She bit her lip and then closed her eyes. Shaking her head she replied, “I’m not sure. We didn’t come back with them. There was so much going on and you can only return with your other half-“ here she pointed to Harry “- so I didn’t see if they came back.”
Lupin knew that she was leaving out something important, but he let it go and told himself to ask later after the teens had gotten their sleep.
The next morning seemed to come and pass with Harry and Ginny still deep asleep and nothing occurring from Ron and Hermione’s bed. By afternoon, almost everyone had been informed of their awakening and had come to visit, most all disappointed that they were still sleeping.
“I don’t understand why they need to sleep when they’ve been asleep for six weeks!” Fred complained to his mother when they showed up to visit.
“Their bodies were asleep, Fred, but their minds were not,” was all the explanation Mrs. Weasley was willing to give.
The couple finally awoke around quarter past four in the afternoon.
They awoke almost at the exact same time and the first thing they did was find each other’s faces and kiss. It was not deep, but just short and sweet, seeing as neither had any energy.
‘I love you so much, Ginny Weasley,’ Harry told Ginny through their thoughts.
Ginny smiled. “I love you more, Harry Potter,”
‘I’d like to talk more and kiss more and show you how much I love you, but at the moment I feel as if I could eat a whole table of food from Hogwarts at the opening feast,’
Ginny giggled. “Mum? I hate to bother, but can we get some food?”
Mrs. Weasley came bustling through a few minutes later with two plates of food and Kreacher trailing behind her with more. She handed each of them a plate and set the rest on the table next to the bed as she watched them each tuck into their meals. She wiped a tear off her cheek and smiled.
“What’s wrong, mum?” Ginny asked, momentarily deserting her food.
“Nothing, darling. I just honestly never thought I would ever see any of you lot alive again. I wasn’t ready to give up on your bodies, I just didn’t know when I was going to have no choice,” she explained.
“Mum, really! You think you could get rid of us that easily? You clearly don’t know Harry and Ginny!” Ron exclaimed, smiling at his mother, sister, and best friend. “Together, they’re more stubborn than all of the Weasley boys put together.”
“Ronald!” Mrs. Weasley squeaked before running at his bed and showering him with hugs, mumbles, kisses, and tears, as she’d done to Harry and Ginny the night before.
“Please, Ron,” Hermione’s voice was so soft that Ginny was surprised anyone had heard her. “Please,”
Her face was white as the sheet that covered her body, her eyelids half-shut. Her lips were dry and cracked and the sweat on her forehead started streaming down her face and neck. Her voice was quiet and scratchy and Ron could tell it was hurting her.
Ron sat up and quickly picked her up into his arms. Holding her, he whispered all sorts of things. He told her he loved her and that she would be ok. He assured her that she would get through everything and he would be by her side every step of the way. He took the water that Ginny had brought him from her tray of food and he tilted the glass up so that Hermione could drink some.
None of them had noticed that Mrs. Weasley had left to find the Healer and Madam Pomfrey until they showed up next to the bed, trying to get Ron to let Hermione go. The tears from Ron’s eyes were exploding and his grip was so tight that no one was going to take her from him.
Hermione had fallen back to sleep in Ron’s arms and wasn’t awoken by all the clutter that was going on around her.
“No! You will treat her right here in my arms! I won’t let her go! I promised!” Ron yelled at everyone in the room.
The Healer and Madam Pomfrey finally gave in and started to examine Hermione while she lay within Ron’s strong arms. She was helpless and could not move in any way, for she was much too weak.
“This is more than the power of manipulation alone,” Madam Pomfrey stated, shaking her head.
The Healer darted into a different room and ran out carrying two small vials of potion. He gave one to Madam Pomfrey and motioned for her to take it to Harry. She headed toward Harry and gave him the potion, watching to make sure he drank it all and then she took the empty vial and walked over to where the Healer was trying to wake Hermione up so she could drink it.
“Love, wake up. Just for a moment. Please! Hermione, love just please wake up,” Ron was begging and he didn’t care. He needed Hermione to wake up and he needed her to be ok. He didn’t care that he was so openly crying in front of a room full of people and he didn’t care that her hair was getting wet from his tears. He kissed her forehead and rocked her back and forth. “Please, they need to help you before you get worse,” he whispered.
As if that was the key to the box, Hermione opened her eyes and took as deep of a breath as she could get. She looked at Ron and tried her hardest to smile, but in her state, it didn’t end up working. Ron kissed her forehead, afraid to kiss her lips because he knew she needed all the breath she could get.
Healer Miller held a hand up to Hermione’s cheek to get a sense of what her temperature was. He held the potion up and told her that it tasted ghastly but it would help with her throat and strength. She attempted a nod and Ron took the potion from the Healer and tipped it so that Hermione could drink it all.
The Healer went back to St. Mungo’s to consult another Healer about what to do. No one had seen Hermione’s condition before.
No sooner had he gone, had Ginny and Harry gone to Ron and Hermione’s side. Ron had fixed Hermione so that he was leaning against the backboard of the bed while she sat against him, between his legs for support, with her back against his stomach. Her head rested on his chest and she could feel his heart beat. Every couple of minutes he would lean down and kiss the top of her head. He could tell she was gaining some of her strength back because she lifted her hand and put it on top of his which was resting on her stomach.
Harry and Ginny stood watching their friends, and in Ginny’s case brother. Harry stood behind Ginny with his arms wrapped around her and her arms linked themselves with his. Harry caught Ron’s eye and there was an understanding that Harry hadn’t yet really received. Ron was giving his complete consent. He was saying that he understood their love for each other and he was saying that he knew why Harry had tried to break it off with Ginny. It wasn’t to hurt her but to protect her from his love for her. In that moment, Ron said more to Harry than anyone could ever know, and Ginny smiled as Harry unknowingly thought to her that it was one of the best feelings in the world; unknowingly he told her that he finally had her and that he would never again give her up. And she, completely knowingly, held onto him tighter.
“Well once the whole lot comes in to visit us we’ll have to tell what happened. Something unpleasant tells me that we’ll have to repeat it several hundred times,” Ron broke the moment with a complaint.
Harry and Ginny grinned and Hermione shook her head the slightest bit.
“Don’t exaggerate, Ronald. It will only be a few hundred times,” Hermione retorted, still so softly that it made Ron’s stomach tighten.
They all knew that she was trying to make it seem like she wasn’t in too much pain. They all knew that it was more pain than anyone could imagine. Harry reached forward and grabbed her hand. He looked her in the eye and silently thanked her. He squeezed her hand, letting her know they would all be by her side no matter what.
“Harry wants you to know-” Ginny started but was interrupted by Harry.
“I want you to know how much I appreciate both of you. All of you really,” he told them.
Ginny looked up at Harry with wide eyes. She turned so that they were face to face and he put his hand on her cheek. She turned her head and kissed his palm before jumping on him, wrapping her legs around his waist, arms around his neck, face hidden in his shoulder.
Harry chuckled. “I’m glad I got my voice back, too,”
He held her tight and pulled his head away just the slightest to look her in the face. And then they kissed. Harry was reminded of the first time they’d ever kissed and he smiled. Ginny pulled away, staring at him.
“What’s funny?” she asked, referring to his smile in the middle of their kiss.
“This seems a bit familiar,” he told her.
She smiled and nodded. “This was before you became the bloke who tried to break my heart,”
It was just a statement. It was neither an accusation nor a hurtful memory. But Harry’s smile faded and he let her down, walking back to their bed to lie down. He scratched his chest subconsciously and stared at the empty beds to the right of theirs.
“Harry, it wasn’t…I mean I didn’t mean anything by it. I know that it was what you had to do. We weren’t even together and look what he did to me,” Ginny was fighting a losing battle as she walked over to the bed. She saw that Harry was crying but she couldn’t figure out what to do. So she did what her instincts told her to do and without thinking, she climbed into bed with him and curled up behind him hiding her face in his neck.
“I’m sorry, Ginny. If you’d never met me none of you would be in this mess. Look at the lot of you! Ginny you’ve been attacked, held hostage more than once, been possessed by Riddle, the list goes on. Ron, you sit there holding the only girl that you will ever love knowing that you were this close to losing her. Hermione is hanging onto sanity by its threads. Manipulation, damage of a Horcrux, fighting to stay alive. You’ve all sacrificed yourselves for me and what for? What have I done for you?”
The room was silent for a couple of minutes, each of them soaking in what Harry had said. Ginny felt tears threatening to fall, but she wouldn’t let them. It burned a hole in her heart to know that this was really how Harry felt. And then the silence was broken.
“You’ve been the best, most loyal friend any bloke could have,” Ron told Harry as if he should’ve always known this and he couldn’t believe he needed to tell the latter. “For some bloody reason, unknown to me, I’m the lucky bastard who you chose,”
As fast as the silence was broken, it returned again, blanketing over the room.
“If you never met Ron, I would’ve never been friends with him. It’s only because of you that we met, Harry and you know it. I would’ve never found my other half. And it’s all because of you that I have. So besides the fact that you are, actually, an utterly amazing friend, I owe you my life for giving me this lucky bastard you chose,” Hermione chimed in, her voice a little stronger than before.
Once again the silence fell upon them. It was Ginny’s turn.
“Please don’t, Harry. Don’t do this. I don’t even want to think about what would’ve happened if you hadn’t met Ron. I don’t want to think of a world where you weren’t next to me, with me, in my head, tattooed on my body. I don’t want to think of my life without you in my heart. I’ve given you everything and I only have because I love you so bloody much. And if every day of my damn life I have to remind you that you are so much more of a blessing than a burden, I will. I’ll take that challenge with my arms wide open. You mean more to me than anything I will ever know. You are my world, Harry Potter; my whole world. Without you, I’m nothing! I’m 17 years old and I know very bloody well that without you I am nothing,”
She was 17. Damn it, Harry, Ginny Weasley is 17 years old. Then that means-
“I’m 18?” Harry asked. “It’s been a year?”
“Yeah, crazy, isn’t it,” Ginny said.
“Well after Ginny being captured, hospitalized, then captured again, hospitalized with Harry, a month or so of rest before that fat Hipzabab lady’s house, the will, the journey, the Horcrux…We must’ve been in that world for weeks! It only felt like a day for me and Hermione, but time flies in there,” Ron explained.
“Mum says we were gone for almost seven weeks,” Ginny added.
“I can’t believe we missed our birthdays. It seems like it’s only been a couple of months!” Harry thought aloud.
“You lose track of time when you’re in war, Harry,” Hermione told him.
There was yet another minute of silence before it was interrupted by a swarm of visitors that Madam Pomfrey didn’t even limit.
Healer Miller fought through the crowd and went right to Hermione’s bed. “Miss Granger, I’m afraid that before I can treat you I need to know what happened in that world. None of my colleagues nor I have ever seen a case like your own and in order to fix everything, I need to hear the story from at least one of you as to what exactly happened,”
“I can explain,” Ron volunteered. “But before I do, I have to say something,” at this point, he leaned over to the side of his bed and grabbed something from his robe’s pocket. “Hermione Granger I had a list of things that I wanted to say to you. I had a beautiful plan for this. But things change and in this case, I can’t wait any longer. Earlier Ginny told Harry that he was her world. She told me that a couple years back. She told me that Harry was her whole world and that even if they didn’t work out, she would only have room for him in her heart. And the moment she said those words to me I knew that I felt the same. I knew what she was feeling because I was feeling it for you. I’ve loved you since our second year at Hogwarts and even then I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. There is no better way of saying it other than that you are my world; my entire world. I am giving you my whole heart and I’m praying to God that you have the key. I am a lucky bastard, but without you, it means nothing,”
By now he had opened the little box in his hand and held out a ring to Hermione. She was sobbing and the room was silent as everyone waited for her to answer, shocked that those words actually came out of his mouth.
Hermione and Ron stared at each other as if they were the only two in the room. One of them hoping upon hope that the words wouldn’t be taken back while the other, blushing harder than he ever had in his whole life, held his breath praying upon any God that existed.
And then she smiled.
The breath Ron had been holding for what seemed like an eternity was let out as he shut his eyes tight in relief. “Please, dear Merlin, tell me that’s a yes,”
“What took you so long?” Hermione finally whispered, tugging at Ron to lean down to her and kissing him so deeply that she felt like she could pass her soul to him.
When they broke apart, Ron’s grin took over his face and the blush died down a little, though not completely, seeing that a room full of people were watching them. He pulled the ring out of the box and slipped it onto Hermione’s finger.
The room watched in happiness as the new fiancés embraced with a kiss yet again.
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