Ron paced in the Gryffindor common room. There was a brilliant fire cheerfully crackling but he ignored its warmth. He didn't necessarily dislike the idea of Ginny and Harry dating but he didn't want anything to happen to her. He didn't want her to get hurt.
"It's way past lights out," he grumbled. "They're gonna get in so much trouble when I--"
"When you what?" Ginny asked coming in through the portrait hole alone. "What are you babbling on about?"
"Where have you been?" Ron demanded harshly. He circled around the armchair and stood a couple of feet off, with his arms folded. "You know better than to wander around the school at night!" Ron bellowed, his ears a flaming red.
"Who do you think you are?" Ginny asked. "You're not in charge of me Ron. I'm not a little girl anymore." She got up into his face. "Stop ordering me around. I can break rules just as easily as you can and I don't need to answer to you about it either." With a huff she headed up to the girls dormitory.
"Where are you going now?" Ron yelled.
"To bed you moron!" Ginny snapped. "Where else? Or do I have to ask your permission for that as well?" She added sarcastically before shutting the door behind her. Ron turned around and headed up to his own dormitory, grumbling as he did.
Once inside her room, Ginny leaned against the door and sighed happily. Despite the fight with Ron, she was happier than she had been in a long time. If only he could understand. she thought. But Ron had never understood much about feelings. Quietly, Ginny pulled on her night gown and got into bed, pulling the curtains around her. She lay there but didn't sleep. She knew that she shouldn't.
Harry walked the hallways. He knew where he was going. It was a desperate gamble and he refused to think about what would happen if he got caught. But, this was his last hope. He stopped outside the Room of Requirement. Taking a deep breath he began to walk back and forth, his eyes shut tight.
I need Sirius, he thought. Just to see him one more time. I need Sirius Black. He opened one eye, then the other. He exhaled the breath he never realized that he'd been holding. Turning the doorknob, he entered the room.
The light from the hallway filtered in through the doorframe, displaying to Harry's dismay, an empty room.
"Sirius?" he said. His voice echoed off the stone walls. He sand down on the floor dejected. As all became silent again, Harry finally realized that Sirius was really gone. His body started to shake with sobs.
He didn't kow how long he sat there crying. Eventually, his tears were utterly spent. Sensing someone behind him, Harry turned around fearing the worst.
"Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said. "Taking a midnight stroll?"
Harry stood up, brushing off his robes. "He's really gone Professor," he said weakly. "He can't ever come back, can he." It was a statement, not a question.
"How remarkably like your father you really are, Harry." Dumbledore smiled. "He was very persistant when he wanted something and his friends and family were the most important things in his world. He sacrificed all he was and had for them. You should be proud Harry. Proud that you come from a good heritage. Your father and mother would be pleased with the man that you are becoming."
"I beg your pardon, Professor, but if the pain and loss is part of it, I'm not sure I want to be a man."
Smiling again, Dumbledore placed a comforting hand upon Harry's shoulder. "So many have said the same. Harry, when you can stand up in spite of the pain and continue to want to feel, you will be a man. When the loss makes you want to love more people and not push them away because you fear losing them, you will be a man." Pulling him face to face, his blue eyes searched Harry's green ones. Harry felt as if his soul was being read.
"Harry, you need to tell your friends the truth."
Harry's mouth dropped open in shock. "But--I can't! If they knew that I must be a murderer, they would never look at me the same! And if they knew that I could be killed--you don't understand, Professor. I don't want their pity! I don't need it. I have been pitied all my life and it's never given me anything but more heartache!"
Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "Harry, you underestimate the people who love you."
"I can't believe that," Harry said.
"Well, that's your choice, Harry. Maybe when you are a man you will understand. Now, it is late and classes start tomorrow. You'd better get back to Gryffindor tower." Harry nodded and began to leave. He was stopped by Dumbledore who had one more thing to say.
"Don't underestimate the love of your friends. It is the most powerful emotion that there is and yet, so few understand it or can even feel it. Don't take it for granted. One day, you would wake up and find yourself old and bitter."
Dumbledore let go of him. Nodding his head, he said "Goodnight," and disappeared into the shadows.
With nowhere else to go, Harry returned to the common room. When he arrived at the Fat Lady's portrait, he whispered the password and quietly entered. The fire had burned down to embers and the room was chilly. Pulling an afghan off a nearby armchair, he curled up on the couch. Then, he heard soft footsteps behind him and a quiet voice whispered, "What time is it?"
"Just past midnight," he answered. "What are you doing still up, Ginny?"
"I couldn't sleep," she admitted, walking around the couch and sitting next to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "It's funny," he heard himself say," but after 5 years, I am still amazed at how quiet it is at night."
"I like it," she replied. "It's peaceful. During the day, everything is so loud, and everyone is so busy that you can't even think. And you never get to be alone."
Harry looked down at the top of her head, entranced by the way the firelight played off her red locks, making her hair seem to be a bright copper. Then, he knew he wanted to tell her everything. Looking up, Ginny saw the troubled look in his eyes.
"What is it?" she asked sitting up. "Are you alright Harry?" she asked concerned. Harry looked sadly back at her.
"Ginny there's--there's something I need to tell you. Something important, something that I haven't told anyone."
She looked expectantly at him, worry etched on her face. "What is it?" she whispered.
"It's about the prophecy."
HA! Take that! How about that for a cliffhanger! Well, I am awfully proud of myself for finally getting this part up. I decided to give Harry a final chance to grieve and let go, and I wanted Dumbledore to speak wise words to him about being a man and what that entails. Also, now Ron is mad at Ginny and Harry so we have that little dynamic. Happy reading and here's your spoiler!
"You may not fear him but I do! I've grown up in fear of him! It's been a big part of my life. For fifteen years I've heard You-Know-Who this and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named that. While I hate that fear, I must give in to it!"
Sometimes, I'm so mean with these spoilers that I anger myself.
Also, there has been some drama with the Dumbledore lines. THEY ARE STAYING!!! I announce it because there was some negative feedback but ultimately I made my decision. I mean, JKR didn't bring Sirius back to life just because we didn't like it. Maybe that's an extreme example....