A flash and a spurt of a thick, scarlet liquid… she knew he was in pain. No… no… this couldn't happen…
A spurt of thick, scarlet liquid and a gasp… a whisper of 'Parvati'… she knew he was worried. Was Parvati dead? No! It couldn't be…
"It can't be… it can't be…"
"Ginny, it's okay."
"They're not dead…"
"Hey, at least open your eyes."
"I killed someone!"
"Open your eyes, Ginny."
Ginny did not want to open her eyes and see all the damage she had brought about. She had probably killed Harry and Parvati in that accident. What the hell had happened to her? She remembered feeling blank at a point of time, but then she had regained her senses and had still been unable to do anything. And now, she was possibly a murderer.
Ginny's eyes flew open as waves of nausea crashed upon her. Everything seemed to be going round and round. A hand placed itself upon hers, but Ginny pushed it away as she got out of bed and rushed into the washroom. Someone came up to her and stroked her back as she doubled over and threw up into the basin. She was sick for a long time, and was retching even after there was nothing left in her stomach. It took some time for the sensation to die away, after which she fell onto the bathroom floor, her legs too weak and her eyes full of tears.
"Are you okay?"
Ginny saw Hermione's blurred figure crouch before her. She threw her arms around Hermione, who returned the hug, stroking her back still. "Hey, it's okay."
Tears began to stream down Ginny's face. "I- I killed them… I killed Naina, Parvati and Harry…" She stood up again and doubled over the wash basin, retching again.
Hermione stood up, came beside her and put an arm around her. "It's all right, Ginny. Everyone is fine."
There seemed to be something robotic about her voice that made Ginny look at her. "You're lying."
"No, really," said Hermione, leading Ginny back to her bed. "Parvati is alive and well and so is Naina. Harry is hurt, but Parvati is treating him now, so he'll be fine too."
"Then can you take me to Parvati? I want to see her."
"You're not supposed to overexert yourself, Ginny, you were hurt, too."
"I don't care!"
"I do," said Hermione, firmly. "We all do, Ginny, so please get rest."
"No! I need to see them!"
"Ginny, please-"
"TAKE ME THERE!"
"No, Ginny," said a firm voice, and Ginny saw Ron approaching her, from a corner.
"When did you arrive?" asked Ginny.
"I was here all this time," Ron replied. "And you won‘t go anywhere. Parvati is treating Harry and you're wounded too."
Ginny sat up on her bed. "Look, if you don't take me to that room, I'll go there by myself."
"I won't allow you to."
Ginny opened her mouth to retort, but a lump began to form in her throat. "Fine," she said, in a shaky voice and lay down again, controlling her tears with great difficulty. Hermione looked at her for a second, and kept her hand on Ginny's.
"Ginny, don't cry."
Ginny turned away, determined not to let her brother catch her crying, and let silent tears stream down her face. But she knew that Ron had realised what she was doing, and heard the door shut as he walked out.
***
It hurt him. It was hurting him very badly. He could not move his legs, as his thighs seemed to be frozen. His hands seemed to be made of hard rock, too. It was impossible to even twitch them. His head hurt. His cheek burned in pain.
Harry moaned in agony, and a hand stroked his good cheek. "It's all right, honey, I'm here."
"Parvati…"
"Yes, I'm here, Harry."
"I'm… sorry."
"No, honey, everything's fine, relax."
“Naina…?”
“She’s absolutely fine, Harry, she’s playing with Jessica and Jake, right now. I Disapparated with her, before the car could crash into me.”
Harry took a deep breath as he heard a knock on the door. "Come in," said Parvati's voice, and the door opened.
"How's he?" asked a voice that Harry recognised as Ron's.
"Better," replied Parvati.
"Is he still bleeding?"
"Yep. He's managed to break his left femur, somehow- it was a compound fracture. I put the bone back in place, but the wound is still bleeding and joining the bone was slightly difficult. I've stopped the bleeding temporarily. How's Ginny? Has she woken up?"
"Yes," said Ron. "And she's having kittens about you."
"Tell her we're fine."
"We did, but she still wants to visit you. And Hermione's still doing some last treatments, so we can't get her here. We can't take Harry there because he's in a worse condition. So all in all, Ginny's in quite a restless state, now."
Harry felt Parvati's hand leave his good cheek and gently open his mouth. She stuck some cotton wool between Harry's jaw and the torn cheek, before speaking. "Ron, I think I have a solution to this. Why don't you bring Ginny here and put her bed beside Harry’s? I can't leave this guy anyway, and if Hermione joins me, we can find a way to cure Harry faster." Parvati then stuck a soft pad on the underside of Harry's cheek. "Or we can take Harry there."
“Yeah, that is an option, but won’t it be weary for him if we move him?”
“It’s okay, he’ll be fine.”
“All right, then, Wingardium leviosa.” Harry felt his body being levitated. The sensation lasted for several minutes, until they seemed to have reached Ginny's room. Ron shoved a door open and there was an instant squeak of 'Harry!'
"Oh God, Ron," said Hermione's voice. "Why did you get him here?"
Harry heard her bustling about and Ron finally laid him on a comfortable bed. "Happy now?" he asked someone- probably Ginny. Then again, there was a sound of the door being shut and Harry knew that Ron had gone out.
"Oh Ginny," said Parvati, as she sat on Harry's bed beside him. "The fault was not yours and neither was it Harry's. I Disapparated just in time and everything is completely fine, You are awake, Harry will recover in no time… why do you two worry so much?"
"I was scared for you," Ginny replied. "And Parvati, I promise I'll never drive again."
"It was an accident, Ginny. It won't happen every time."
Ginny was quiet this time, and Harry felt Parvati leave his bedside. She walked around his bed for a few seconds, before finally putting a blanket over his legs.
"So have you found all his injuries?" asked Hermione, settling on Harry's bed.
"Apart from the torn cheek, he has broken his femur," Parvati explained to Hermione.
"Have you put the bone back in place?"
"Yup."
"Then give him the potion."
"He can't swallow anything, right now."
Hermione stood up. "Shall we use a syringe?"
"Oh!" Parvati exclaimed. "Why didn't I think of that?"
Hermione smiled. “I’ll get it, then.” She walked out of the room and came back in a few minutes, with a bag in her hand. She removed a syringe from it and took out a packet, tearing the plastic off to reveal a needle.
“You’re going to inject him?” The words had come unexpectedly out of Ginny’s mouth, and she looked at the women, horrified. “That will hurt him!”
Parvati chuckled. “I’m glad that you’re so concerned about him, Ginny, but believe me, giving him just a tiny prick and watching him cure in moments is better than waiting for him to be in a condition to swallow that potion.”
“Oh… sorry, I was just terrified when I saw that you were going to use a needle and … well…” Ginny’s face reddened.
“It’s okay,” said Parvati. “Personally, even I hate doing this. But it’s the best way.”
She rubbed a piece of cotton wool soaked in antiseptic on his upper arm and injected the potion. Harry let out a gasp at the prick. “I’m so sorry, Harry… I’m so sorry…” She patted the place where she had pricked him and sat down on the edge of his bed. “I’m going to see how your bone has healed, now. Just tell me if it hurts anywhere, okay?”
Hermione got up from her place and conjured a curtain, separating Ginny’s and Harry’s beds. “Sorry, Ginny, but I think we should let Harry have some privacy, now,” she said, as she sat on Ginny’s bed. “Parvati will let us know when it’s done.”
***
In another ten minutes, Parvati ripped the curtains apart, to reveal a very groggy Harry, resting on his bed. Hermione got up and went over to Harry’s bed. “How is he?”
“I’ve finished doing whatever can be done,” Parvati replied. “He should be fine, now.”
“How do you feel?” Hermione asked, bending over and planting a light kiss on Harry’s forehead.
Harry smiled faintly. “Tired.”
“Come, let’s go to our room and you can sleep,” said Parvati, keeping a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “Ginny, can we go to our room?”
Ginny nodded. “I never asked anyone to get Harry all the way to my room, actually. I’m sorry, if I have troubled you.”
“No, no, it was fine,” said Parvati, smiling. “Come, honey.” She gave her hand to Harry, who made a valiant attempt to sit up, but merely sank back. “What happened?”
Hermione, who had been next to the door, hurried back. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know,” replied Parvati. “He’s not saying anything.”
“He must be feeling queasy,” said Hermione. “Do you have the potion for nausea with you?”
“No, but I’ll have to look for it in my room.”
“Well, same here, but I don’t know whether there’s still some potion left, or not. I’ll check, anyway.” Hermione walked out of the room.
Parvati, in the meantime, looked at Harry, who was taking deep breaths. “Oh, honey, just- just hang on…” Turning to Ginny, she continued, “I’ll be back. Could you take care of him?”
Ginny nodded, as Parvati walked away in a hurry. Slowly, she stood up and walked to Harry’s bed, where he rested with his eyes closed. His face was pallid and as Ginny settled herself on his bed, he opened his eyes.
She looked at him for some time. He seemed so helpless. How she wished that she could help him out. But what could she do, really? She was definitely not a Healer.
But she had to tell him something.
But was it important enough to be told right now? Ginny decided that it was, and took a deep breath. “Harry, I think someone tried to kill Parvati today.”
He drew in a sharp breath, and took a few deep inhalations. “How can you say that?”
“I’m pretty sure that someone had done something to the brakes.”
He did not speak, and shut his eyes again. “You definitely didn’t keep your foot on the accelerator?”
“Of course not, Harry.”
He inhaled a few more times, and kept his eyes tightly shut. “Let’s see what the others find out.”
Just then, the door burst open, and Hermione sped in, unscrewing a bottle of potion. In a moment, she had spooned some potion and put it into Harry’s mouth. He swallowed it, and seemed to feel better, for he sat up immediately. “Come on, Ginny, let’s go and””
Hermione raised an eyebrow. “You’re not going anywhere, Harry James Potter.”
“But Hermione, it’s impor””
“I don’t care! You are recuperating at the moment and I’m not allowing you to go to any other place, excepting your own bedroom.”
Harry stood up. “Fine, then. Could you call the others to my room?”
Hermione sighed and nodded in defeat. But as Ginny got up, she realised something. “Wait a minute. You’re supposed to be resting too, Ginny.”
“Hermione…”
“Okay, okay, go on, then. Go and lie down, I’ll call the others.”
Harry smiled and took a step ahead, only to feel a sharp pain shoot up his thigh. “OW!”
“What happened?” asked Hermione, standing up from Harry’s bed.
“My thigh…”
“Didn’t I tell you-?”
“No. It’s okay, I’m fine now.”
Harry walked out of the room, and after he and Ginny had walked for quite some distance, he stopped.
“What’s wrong?” asked Ginny.
Harry looked at her. “Could you give me a hand? My thigh is aching.”
“But then”!”
“I lied to Hermione, so she’d let me go.”
Ginny smiled. “Harry, when exactly are you going to stop playing the hero?” Nevertheless, she gave him her hand.
Harry smiled back at her and when he took her hand, a feeling of comfort passed through him. Her hand was very soft… like silk… her fingers felt blissful in his hand and she squeezed his reassuringly as they walked to Harry’s room.
Parvati, who was rummaging one of the shelves next to the bed smiled at them as they entered and helped them lie down, as all the other Aurors entered, too. Romilda was beaming at them, Irene looked indifferent and Anthony grinned at the duo through his grease-stained face. “I’ve been checking the car,” he explained.
Ginny looked at him. “Are the brakes fine?”
“As good as ever,” replied Anthony. “Nothing’s wrong with the brakes. I think you might have kept your foot on the accelerator. It was purely an accident. No evidences of tamper. It was definitely a coincidence for Parvati to land right in front of the car. The car, though, would have been spick and span if it were not for the crash. I’ve restored it to its original condition, anyway.”
Ginny breathed deeply and looked down. “I guess I must stop driving, then. Clearly, driving is not for me… I could have killed three people as well as myself, today…”
There was silence. Irene sighed. “Okay, then, I’m turning in. It’s half-past ten already.” She was about to leave, when she remembered something. “Oh yeah, we spoke to Belinda’s family members and searched her room. There’s practically nothing that’s helpful, except for the fact that she was crazy about you… as if we didn’t already know that…”
There was silence again as Irene left. Somehow, her presence seemed to cast an aura of unpleasantness and eeriness. A shiver of relief seemed to evolve in the room and with short goodbyes, the others left, too. Ginny was helped to her room by Ron; Parvati brought Harry a tray of light food in a short while, since he had not had dinner. Naina was now lying on Parvati’s lap, drinking a bottle of milk drowsily.
The small hand of the clock on the wall crept to eleven. Harry, having finished his food, adjusted his pillows and settled in as Parvati put Naina in her crib and lay down next to Harry. They switched off the lights and Harry snuggled in with Parvati, shutting his eyes and taking deep breaths. Today had been one hell of a day… Harry sank into a deep sleep within minutes.
***
Daisy’s eyes flew open at the loud ring of her cell phone. She sat up from her awkward position; she had been reading a book and fallen asleep at her desk. Rubbing her aching neck, Daisy grabbed her phone and looked at the name flashing on the screen. It was Andrew, one of her closest friends. She pressed the ‘accept’ button and brought the phone to her ears. “Yes, Andrew.”
It was not Andrew who replied, though. It was someone else and Daisy recognised the voice well. “YOU ABSOLUTE BITCH! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!”
“Language, Liz,” said Daisy, grinning. Elizabeth had a strange habit of swearing at her own friends sometimes. “What’s the matter?”
“DON’T YOU DARE TALK AS THOUGH NOTHING HAS HAPPENED! I’LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS. I’M TELLING THE AURORS THAT IT’S YOU.”
Daisy frowned. “Wait. What-?” There was a click and Liz had disconnected the phone. Daisy’s heart began to race as she got up and dressed. What was the matter? Why was Liz calling the Aurors? Had it happened already…? Daisy ran down the stairs and Summoned the car keys from the peg as she hurried out. With a crash, she remembered that Liz had called from Andrew’s house. Could this mean…? No! He had promised! Starting her car, Daisy pulled out of the garage and headed towards Andrew’s house.
***
Harry sat up, startled as the phone began to ring. Who the hell was it at the dead of night? Groaning, Harry picked up the receiver. “Hello?”
“Mr. Potter? This is Mr. Walanger.”
“Oh yes, sir. What is it?,” replied Harry, stifling a yawn.
“I’ve got grave news, Mr. Potter. There has been another murder in the city… in Bethnal Green. This time, though, the murderer has deviated from their trend. The victim is a man named Andrew Paul.”
Killer Instincts by Ginny Weasley Potter
Chapter Notes: Hello!
I'm really sorry about the delay, but I'm so glad that I submitted this just on time, or you'd have had to wait for three more weeks :)
I'm saying this very clearly- please don't expect fast updates: this year is very important for my life in terms of academics and it's very time consuming. I can't abandon that for MNFF...
Anyway, I hope you guys will like this chapter. And this goes without saying: Pauie has a big hand in making this chapter the way it is. You're the best, Pauie *huggles*!
This chapter is for Bi, another good friend. :)
Chapter Endnotes:
See ya! Please don't forget to leave a review!