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*
Never what it seems by Rons chick
Chapter 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*