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*