Chapter 5
**Continued Flashback**
“Ron!” Ginny shouted in surprise, “what in the world are you doing here? Did you write those notes?” she questioned, desperately hoping he hadn’t.
Ron laughed out loud, holding his hands up in surrender, “No, Gin. I didn’t write them. I am, however, supposed to give you the next one,” he held out his hand, a small red envelope inside his grip, “go on Gin. Take it.” Ginny cautiously moved closer, her squinted eyes watching him carefully. She snatched the envelope from his hands and quickly stepped backward.
She started to run her finger along the edge of the envelope, processing everything that was going on, “Ron, is that you? I mean, you’re not like under the Imper--”
“What!” Ron threw his hands up in question, “no! Of course not, but I wouldn’t tell you I was under the Imperious Curse if I was, now would I?” Ron crossed his arms and stared at her like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Right,” Ginny said blushing, “just in case though…what happened at your ninth birthday party?”
“GINNY WEASLEY!” Ron yelled, growing increasingly red.
“Answer it Ron!” demanded Ginny.
Ron sighed heavily, “Fred and George stole my Cannon’s poster and made me do the chicken dance with my knickers over my head before they’d give it back. Happy?”
Ginny fought to suppress her laughter, “Very, thank you.”
Ron gave her a dirty smirk, “just open the bloody letter Gin.”
“Right,” she started to rip the back open, and then realizing her brother’s presence stopped to look him in the eyes, “would you mind?” She raised her eye brows to reinstate her point. Ron mumbled angrily as he stomped off towards the castle. As soon as she saw him disappear into Hogwarts she turned her attention back to the letter.
Surprised to see your brother?
Just wanted you to know he gives his blessing,
Should that hold you back. I don’t think it would.
I suppose I can’t keep putting it off though, can I?
Why I brought you here?
But I’m not quite ready to reveal my secret.
One more thing.
As soon as she had finished reading the last word a small pop came from the envelope and she looked into it see something long and thin inside. She pulled it from the envelope and held it before her; it was a small pearl white candle. The wick wasn’t lit though and Ginny looked back into the envelope for the missing clue.
She wondered as dhr turned the envelope over. What? This doesn’t make any sense.
Looking back at the letter she saw that new words had appeared after the original note.
Hold it tightly and it’ll search your soul for who you want this to be.
If it’s who you wish, your candle, and your path, will be lit. If it’s not, then you’re free to leave.
Nervousness eating away at her insides Ginny gripped the candle and held it close to her heart.
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Hermione cautiously approached Harry, who was leaning against a tree with his eyes closed and his arm resting on his bent knee.
Crossing her fingers behind her back she walked up to him, cleared her voice and spoke up, “Hello Harry.”
He opened his eyes and looked at her, a weak smile appearing, then closed them again, “Hey Hermione.”
Hermione took this as a sign that it was ok to stay so she sat down next to him and turned her attention to the lake before her, “She’s stronger than you know. She’ll be ok.” She was trying desperately to comfort him. To her surprise he let out a small laugh.
“The thing is, Hermione, I know she’ll be ok. I wonder though, if…,” Harry’s voice trailed away as he lost himself in a memory. Snapping back he glanced at Hermione, “I wonder if I’ll be ok.”
Hermione smiled sympathetically at him, laying her hand on his shoulder. This was worse than she had thought. She could tell he was reliving certain precious memories of Ginny in his mind’s eye. He seemed eager to say them aloud, like talking about them would make him never forget. So Hermione let him talk.
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Ginny was lost in her thoughts as she gazed at the empty Quidditch pitch. She was fumbling with a strand of her hair when she saw someone walking into the stands. Her heart jumped for a second, thinking it was Harry, but she was quickly disappointed once she recognized the Weasley red hair. She frantically wiped away her tears and took a deep breath, trying to hide the fact that she’d been crying for the past hour. She heard Ron trample down the benches towards her.
“Hey Ron,” she beat him to it. Caught off guard he seemed startled for a second then took a seat next to Ginny.
“Hey Gin’” he answered, not sure exactly what he was supposed to be saying.
Ginny, figuring he was completely clueless as usual, took charge, “Ron, I know what your going to say. ‘He’s just trying to protect me’, right?” She rolled her eyes as she looked out to the threatening storm clouds.
“Is that really so bad Gin’? He’s not the only one who wants you safe, you know,” Ron mumbled, staring intently at the hem of his cloak. Ginny turned to him and gave him a side hug.
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**Flashback**
Ginny closed her eyes as she brought the candle nearer to her heart. Instantly something was rushing through her body, it was cold and seemed to be whirling all inside of her. After a few seconds of this sensation she began to feel something warmer against her chest. Looking down she saw that the candle in her hand had been lit. It shined dazzlingly in the blackness that blanketed the night sky. She smiled as she gazed into the small flame. Then suddenly she noticed another light coming from a few feet in front of her, flickering in the midst. Then another across from it and then the flames began zigzagging as they appeared, creating a lit path. Ginny’s ruby hair seemed to dance in the radiance and her eyes imprisoned a rambunctious spirit. The eagerness bottled inside of her seeped out through her expression. She was elated.
She glided forward to the path, gracefully striding along the shore as the ominous water mirrored the light of the fires. The walkway seemed to wind endlessly as she awaited the end, more so, who was at the end.
Ginny grew energized as she saw that up ahead the path seemed to finish, but she couldn’t make out if anyone was waiting there. As she approached the edge she was clouded with confusion. The path went straight into the lake. It seemly disappeared at the spot and ceased to proceed. She scanned the area around her, searching for another note or a different path or anything that could explain what was going on. Then she heard it. It was a noise, a song, coming from the water. She recognized it instantly. A small beacon of light seemed to be coming from the center of the lake and Ginny squinted into the night to see what it was. As she stared off into the glassy water’s surface the path decided to continue. The same candles lit her way, but this time directly into the water. The candles were standing on the surface perfectly still and illuminated the lake. Amidst the candles a figure was standing on the water. Ginny’s heart started beating uncontrollably. The silhouetted person was standing tall and handsomely as he started walking towards her. It was Harry.
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“You know, Ron, I was remembering the night he asked me to be his girlfriend,” Ginny suddenly stated as she stared out into the sky, “it was really amazing.”
“Yeah, uh huh,” Ron murmured uncomfortably, not particularly wanting to know every detail of how his best friend managed to swoon his little sister. Especially if it was anything like the night he had told Hermione he loved her. The silence allowed for him to look back on that night in the courtyard. He smiled thinking of Hermione, which quickly disappeared when he realized that Harry must feel the same about Ginny. It was a terrifying thought.
“He was beaming, you know? I think I was too. Gosh, I became so excited when I saw him walking towards me on the lake,” Ginny reminisced as she sighed heavily.
Ron laughed a little, “You know I remember him searching in every book in the library looking for a spell that could turn water hard so you could walk on it. He never would tell me what he was looking for though, till that night. He couldn’t get the spell to work so he had to get Hermione to come down and figure it out, which of course meant she found out every detail of what he was planning. Came running to me all flush in the cheeks and acting all girly, Hermione did,” he smiled when he heard Ginny snicker to his side.
“You guys really didn’t know anything about it before?” Ginny asked.
“Not a clue. I think Hermione was catching on though, like always. Once the beans spilled though, he begged us to help him finish everything. I’ve never seen him that nervous, even before the Tournament fourth year,” Ron confessed.
Ginny was smiling brightly now, her cheeks blushing slightly, “He was so proud that he had managed to convince the mermaids to sing for us but wouldn’t let on of course.”
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“She was mesmerizing, Hermione. So gorgeous; I couldn’t take my eyes off her,” Harry confessed as he sat up against the tree.
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“Then he walked up to me. All nervous, twiddling his thumbs like mad,” Ginny continued.
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“I couldn’t keep them still. Then I just let it all out…”
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“Nothing fancy or overdone. Just perfect, you know Ron? It was romantic because it was real. I couldn’t believe that it was happening.”
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“Then, before she could even say anything back, I walked up to her and we….”
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“Snogged?” Ron asked point blank. Ginny smiled in response, bowing her head and letting her hair fall, looking back up when Ron continued, “so, what now? What are you going to do, Ginny?”
Ginny looked up to her brother and shrugged her shoulders.
There seemed to be only one answer. I’ll wait.