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Author: Velvethope Story: From Answers to Questions Rating: Teens Setting: Pre-HBP Status: Completed Reviews: 12 Words: 201,438
“Oh, Ginny, I just can’t believe it.” Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Ron were in Harry’s flat. St. Mungo’s had released both Harry and Ginny because they were both better than expected. With promises that they would rest for a few days, they had both been given clean bills of health. Harry’s seemingly miraculous recovery was the top discussion among the staff and while Ginny knew her father was trying to keep it quiet, most people knew something extraordinary had happened. So Hermione and Ron had insisted they take care of the couple and had stopped off and bought enough food to last them for a few days. Ron was showing Harry how to cook something or other. Ginny wished she could go watch them, because whatever it was they were doing in there, it did not sound as though Harry was enjoying it. She kept hearing him curse and then it would sound as though something had broken. She’d had no idea Harry was so hopeless in the kitchen. No wonder he had wanted to hire a house-elf. She looked at Hermione now and shook her head. “What can’t you believe?” “You. Harry. He doesn’t even have a scratch on him. If I hadn’t seen him when they brought him in...Ron said he was really frightened, you know, when you pulled Harry out from the rocks. I’m just...I’m amazed. I’ve read all about the Kiss of Life, of course. It’s so rare, Ginny. And the fact that you and Harry...well, I just can’t believe it. I always thought it was one of those hokey things, you know like Crumple-Horned Snorkacks or Divination - ” Hermione paused and then blushed. “Sorry.” Ginny laughed and patted her hand. “It’s okay, Hermione, I know how you feel about those things. And I can’t believe it myself. I don’t think the real meaning of it has hit home yet. Just think, all those times when I was a little girl and I used to think Harry and me were meant to be? Who knew I was right?” “Well, you are a Seer,” Hermione said pointedly. “True,” Ginny laughed. “Most people don’t find their soul mate, you know. I was reading all about it last night.” Ginny paused as they heard a particularly loud crash from the kitchen. She looked at Hermione and then called out. “Harry?” They heard something that sounded like grumbling and then Harry poked his head out of the kitchen door. “Yes, love?” Ginny bit her lip and glanced at Hermione who was also trying not to laugh. “Er...everything all right in there? Do you two need some...help?” “No...no. We’re fine. It’ll just be ah....” Harry paused and looked behind him. “It’ll just be a little while longer.” Harry’s head disappeared again into the kitchen. Hermione and Ginny burst out laughing. Ginny rubbed her head in dismay. “Should we tell him he had a turnip in his hair or no?” Hermione laughed heartily. “No, let’s not. I want to see how long it stays there. Besides, it sort of goes with his new glasses.” After a moment, the two stopped laughing and took a sip of their tea. Hermione put her cup down and then gasped. “I almost forgot! I stopped off at your flat like you asked. Here’s the clothes I brought.” She handed a small satchel to Ginny. Ginny sighed. Her flat. How she missed it. Well, not really, but at least now she’d have a few things of her own here. She and Harry had decided that she would stay with him. How far the mighty and independent have fallen, Ginny thought. Her earlier arguments for independence seemed silly now, after everything that had happened. After realizing you’d gladly give up your life for someone, how could you argue about things like who lived where? It was all pointless in the long run. She smiled eagerly at Hermione and looked at what she had brought her. Something blue caught her eye and she pulled it out, frowning. “Hermione, this isn’t mine.” “I know. That’s something I picked up especially for you. Payback for the brown dress. I think Harry will really like it.” Ginny pulled out a nightgown, the colour of dark sapphire. It was long and silky, feeling like cool water in Ginny’s hands. The front part around the neck was done in fine lace. and scooped down very low. It was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. She stared at her friend. “Oh, it’s lovely, Hermione. But you didn’t have to.” “Nonsense. You mentioned you didn’t have anything here, so I reckoned that applied to nightgowns as well. Although I hardly expect you to stay in it that long.” Ginny blushed. “Hermione, stop it.” “Well, Arthur did point out that the ah...physicality of your relationship was probably very strong.” Ginny felt herself turn an even darker shade of red. “Stop it. It’s bad enough my father knows. And now my mum,” Ginny paused, dreading the idea. “And my brothers and...oh bugger it...I should just take an ad out in the Daily Prophet.” “Maybe you could write a column on it,” Hermione said, her mouth twitching. Ginny stared at her. “You know,” Hermione continued, “About how soul mate sex is the best ever!” “Hermione!” Ginny said, outraged. Hermione started laughing very hard then, and Ginny was tempted to tell her to shut up. After a moment, Ginny started smiling too and was soon laughing with her friend. After a long series of giggles, Hermione stopped and shook her head. “Oh, I am sorry, Ginny. It’s just...oh, this is just too much. I mean, I always knew you and Harry sort of...worked well together, but...now since you’ve been officially sanctioned....” Ginny rolled her eyes. “Shut it, would you? It’s not as though we have an official decree of anything. We’re still just ourselves.” “Right, right,” Hermione said, calming herself down. Her eyes glinted at Ginny mischievously. “But please, do let the rest of us mortals know, how IS the sex?” Ginny shook her head. “What has gotten into you today? You’ve gone a bit barmy. I think my family is rubbing off on you way too much. Although I can‘t see them wanting to know about that sort of thing.” Hermione giggled uncharacteristically again, but then sobered. “I’m sorry. Honestly. You’re right. I reckon it’s just....” Hermione paused and then looked at her. “I was scared when they brought Harry in, Ginny. I thought he was dead. And then when I saw you...I don’t know...as much as I would hate to lose one of you, I know I couldn’t survive losing both of you. I love you two. I’ve known you both almost my entire life and....” her voice wavered with emotion. “It’s okay, Hermione,” Ginny said quietly. “No, it’s not. I never tell people how I feel. Well, except Ron. But...look, I’m just glad you were there to save Harry, and that Harry was there to save you.” Ginny moved the satchel of clothes from the table and then gave her friend a hug. She couldn’t handle all these emotions anymore. Even her brothers seemed unusually subdued around her and Harry. Almost in answer to her thoughts, Ron came out of the kitchen carrying a plate full of freshly baked bread. He had a scowl on his face. “You know, I think for Christmas I am going to set Harry up with some cooking lessons. He’s horrible. Maybe Snape could offer to do them, he likes to torture people. You’ve got your work cut out for you, Ginny,” Ron paused and really looked at them. “What’s with you two?” “Nothing,” said Hermione, her tone returning to normal. “Nothing, dear brother,” Ginny said as she took the bread from him. “And I’ll kindly ask you not to refer to Harry as horrible. How bad can he be?” Before Ron could answer, Harry joined him, holding what looked like a roasted chicken that had been hastily put back together. “I’m pretty bad actually, but in all fairness Ron’s a miserable teacher.” “You’re just a lousy student. Something I should have remembered from school.” Harry made a face at Ron and put the chicken on the table. He frowned at it. “Well, it doesn’t look like much, but I do believe it’s edible. I think. Oh well, if it‘s not, I take full responsibility. The chicken was my job.” Ginny pulled a piece of meat off of the lopsided bird and tried a small taste. She smiled at Harry. “It’s delicious.” Harry smiled. “I knew there was a reason I loved you. You like my cooking.” Ron rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Look, you three sit down, I’ll bring out the rest of the food. I’m responsible for that. Wait till you taste the red potatoes!” Hermione shook her head while Ginny and Harry sat down. Harry’s eyes strayed over to the open satchel on the floor and he looked at Ginny. “Got enough for a few days, do you?” Ginny nodded. “Hermione was kind enough to stop off and pick up a few things.” “Good,” Harry said smiling. “Because I don’t intend to let you out of my sight.” “You’re the one who left and got caught under a rock ,” she reminded him. “I rescued you.” Harry nodded. “You’re right, as always...hmm, then how about I don’t intend to let you let me out of your sight?” Ginny grinned widely at him and thought about the nightgown Hermione had given her. She had a feeling Harry wouldn’t even want to let her out of his grasp when he saw it. Hermione cleared her throat and they both turned to look at her. She smiled apologetically. “Sorry, just reminding you two I was here. Pass the chicken, would you Ginny?” Ron came back out and passed out the remaining dishes. All in all it was a good dinner. Ginny couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed so much or ate such wonderful food. Lopsided chicken and all. *** Long after dinner and Hermione and Ron had finally left, Ginny did put that nightgown to good use, although true to Hermione’s prediction, it didn’t stay on for very long. Slipping it back on now, she smiled to herself as she watched the night sky starting to turn pink with light outside of Harry’s window. She lay back down and rested her head on his chest. She knew that he was finally asleep. She was tired as well but she couldn’t sleep. There was restlessness in her bones. Too many things were happening lately that she couldn’t keep track. Ginny felt as though she were inside a windstorm. She couldn’t process it all. The missing girls, the explosion at the prison, saving Harry’s life...it was all too much to even think about. Harry muttered something as he slept, and she looked up at him, watching his face frown at the thing he was dreaming about. She moved her hand up to his face to calm him and he was still once again. She knew it got so busy sometimes in that head of his. She sighed and moved her body closer to his. She loved him so much it hurt. She never would have thought that possible, but here she was. For five years she had lived without this love, for five years she had told herself it didn’t matter. And now...now it seemed as though it were meant to be. Why had she been scared a few days ago about losing herself to it? That moment on the rocks had made everything crystal clear to her. She was still herself when she was with Harry, but she was also a part of something that was greater than her. Ginny knew then what was on her mind. It was obvious. She laughed as she thought of it. She lifted her head and kissed her way up his chest. Harry stirred but remained asleep. Smiling wickedly to herself she pulled herself up and draped herself across him. He shook his head as he woke and finally opened his eyes. “Ginny? What - ” “Shh,” she said quietly, and she lowered her mouth to his. She felt him wake up even more as he returned her kiss. He pulled back and squinted up at her. “Not that I mind the intrusion, love, but why are you waking me up at....” he reached out and fumbled for his glasses, glancing at the clock as he put them on. “At four a.m.? I thought you said I wore you out last night?” Ginny chuckled. She moved off him and took his hand into hers. “Weasleys have quick relapse time. You should know that.” Harry turned on his side and pulled her closer to him. “Hmm...right. Perhaps I’ll have to put a little sleeping draught in your evening tea if I want to ever get a full night’s sleep.” “Harry, do you remember what you asked me the other day?” “Hmm...what day would that be? Haven’t they all sort of bled into one?” Harry was moving the hair off of her face, letting his hands travel down the back of her. “The other day, when we came back here, in the afternoon....” Ginny paused, suddenly faltering. “Hmm...you mean the question that made you so mad at me you told me off, yet again?” Harry wrapped his hands around her waist. “Yeah,” Ginny said blushing, glad his attention was not on her face at the moment. “Listen, Harry, are you really awake?” Harry brought his eyes back up to hers and smiled. “As much as anyone can be at four a.m. Although I have to admit I’m bit distracted.” “Well, un-distract yourself.” Harry’s eyes widened at the tone in her voice, and he stopped moving for a moment. “What’s wrong, Gin?” “Nothing. I mean, I’ve been lying here, thinking and well, I...I think we should do it.” Harry’s brow creased in confusion. “Er...Gin....” “No, not that. I mean...the question you asked me. I’m...well, I’m saying yes, Harry.” Harry stared at her. Finally, after a long moment, he spoke. “What made you change your mind?” That was not the reaction she had expected. She bit her lip in confusion. Maybe he doesn’t want to marry me anymore, maybe he reckons I’m just a given? “I just...well, what does it matter? I want to be married. To you, you git.” Harry pulled away from her and sat up. He shook his head. “Why is it I am always getting told off by you? You said you wanted to marry me, just not right now. So what’s changed?” Ginny sighed. So much for romantic declarations in the middle of the night. She sat up and looked at him. “Everything. We’re...well, you know, what Dad said. I think we should get married now.” Harry sighed and stood up. He pulled his bathrobe up off the floor and slipped it on. Ginny was confused. Now what was wrong? “Why does the fact that we’re soul mates mean we have to get married?” he asked her, his voice stern. Ginny blinked up at him. “Well...sorry, Harry, but...um...duh.” “No, explain it to me. I really want to know your motivation here.” Ginny felt angry with him then. She crossed her arms and watched as he paced back and forth. “My motivation? Other than wanting to be your wife and the fact that I almost died when I thought you had died...hmm...those seem to be two good reasons to me.” “So this soul mate mumbo jumbo has nothing to do with it?” “What do you mean, ‘mumbo jumbo’? I thought you believed it?” Harry ran his hand through his hair. “No, I don’t know that I do.” Ginny moved as though she’d been hit. He didn’t believe it? How could he do the things he did or say the words he said and not believe it? “How can you say that,” she whispered. Harry stopped moving and kneeled down in front of her. “Don’t get me wrong, Ginny. I love you more than anything. And I know something happened between us on that hospital bed. I know we saved each other. But I don’t want some idea of fate or prophecy or whatever making it seem as though there was no other way to go. I’ve had enough of that in my life. I want you to want me because of me, not because of some ancient magical ideal about our souls being meant for each other.” Ginny suddenly understood. She reached out and touched his face. “Oh, Harry, I do want to marry you for you. This soul mate business doesn’t change that, it’s only made me see how silly I was being - worrying about being independent! I’m only as strong as I let myself be and when I’m with you I feel free. You make me all the things I thought I wasn’t. I just don’t want to waste any more time fighting it.” She kissed him, deeply. After a long time, Harry pulled his head away and rubbed his hand on her cheek. “Then, yes, since you twisted my arm, I will marry you, Miss Weasley.” Ginny laughed. “Aren’t I supposed to be saying that to you after you present me with a ring, at least?” Harry looked around his room a second and then jumped up, going to his chest of drawers. He came back over to her, holding a small box. He smiled sheepishly. “It isn’t much, but I’ll replace it when I have time to look for a proper ring.” Ginny’s eyes widened and she took the box from him. “You have a ring, already?” “Er...yeah. Um...it’s not what you think, but it is a ring, of sorts.” Ginny opened the box and stared down at what it contained. It was a ring, except it wasn’t what you would call normal. It was wooden, for one thing, and rather crudely made. The wood itself was a bright honey colour and tiny bands of gold flickered as she moved it into the light. It was an uneven shape, as though carved out by hand. It had small writing along the inside of it and she held it closer to make it out. She gasped. “Why Harry, this has my name in it!” Harry blushed as he took it from her. “Yeah. It’s...remember that tree grove in America I told you about, Ever Green Grove? The one where the trees always stayed green and lush, even in winter?” Ginny nodded. “Sort of, I mean, I think I er...fell asleep, but it sounds familiar.” “Well, once a year, you’re allowed to go into the grove with an axe and well, they have this huge ceremony, actually. Every spring. People travel from all around and they go into the grove because it’s supposed to be a time of love, whether it’s unrequited or not and...well, anyway, it’s said that if you strip a piece of bark from the oldest tree there and make a ring out of it and carve in your beloved’s name, then...well, you’re supposed to find him or her again. Eventually. Or so the legend goes. And I...well, one year I did it and there was only one name I ever wanted to carve inside that ring.” Harry took the box from her hand and pulled her hand towards him. He fumbled as he removed it from the box and smiled. “It probably won’t fit. I’m not a proper carver. But...well, it’ll have to do, for now.” Harry slipped the wooden ring around her finger and Ginny bit her lip, not wanting to cry. The ring felt warm against her skin, and she watched as it seem to stretch and close around her finger. It fit perfectly then. Harry looked at her, his face determined. “Now let me see if I can get this part right, while not in the throes of passion,” Harry’s face broke into a smile. “No wonder you thought I wasn’t serious before.” Ginny laughed. “You did not ask me while you were in the throes of passion!” Harry shook his head. “Yeah, but it was right after...okay. Hmm...let’s see, I think it goes something like this...Ginny Weasley, will you marry me? Will you take pity on this poor wretched boy who takes forever to figure things out and even longer to do something about them?” Ginny smiled and squeezed his hand. “Of course, Harry.” “Sorry, must have a full complete answer in the affirmative for the judges - ” Ginny cut him off with a kiss and she threw herself into his arms. When they pulled away a moment later, Harry smiled shyly at her, and Ginny had never felt so happy in her life. She moved her mouth to his ear, kissing the part of his neck that she knew made him shiver. “I will marry you, Harry. Yes and yes and yes and yes. Is that enough affirmation for you?” Harry picked her up into his arms and lay her back down on the bed. He gazed down at her, his eyes full of love and longing and everything else that she knew was in her own eyes. He removed his glasses and ducked his head down. He kissed her softly on the neck, moving slowly down the front of her. His hands gathered the silk between his fingers, pushing the nightgown gently upwards. “And what exactly do you think you’re doing now?” she asked him, teasingly. Harry paused and looked slyly up at her. “I thought I’d try to get you to say yes some more...at least a couple of more times.” Ginny laughed and the sound of it filled the morning air as the sun started to rise. She raised her hand and gazed at the ring he had placed upon her finger. She didn’t want another one, this one was just fine, she decided. She was about to tell him so when he reached his main objective, and Ginny was lost to the sensation and forgot everything in the swirl of his loving. It was then that Ginny felt her soul breathe its answer: Yes. *** Ginny slept finally, afterwards. And she dreamed. She dreamed of caves and water and lost treasure. She dreamt of walking through a forest, the moon guiding her way. She knew she was supposed to go somewhere else, but the power of the darkness was too strong for her and she was compelled to go where she knew she shouldn’t. She knew he was waiting for her to return. When Ginny reached the clearing she was frightened when she saw the image of a girl, lying naked in the moonlight. She was so young. Ginny saw the bruises along her skin and shivered despite the heat of the night. When she heard the branch snap behind her she turned and felt his breath on her neck. When his hand touched her, Ginny felt her skin go strangely cold. He whispered something in her ear and she walked into the clearing and kneeled down to the girl. Ginny couldn’t see her face and when she moved her hair out of the way, she felt herself gasp. The girl was her and she was dying, her skin glowing pale and bright. Ginny bit her lip in her sleep and turned violently, waking Harry in the process. He reached down to hold her but she pushed him away. In her dream, Ginny had stood, wanting to fight the man that remained out of sight, but he kept laughing at her from different places and she had realized that she didn’t have her wand. She would feel his touch over her skin and then he would be gone and Ginny used her hands to push him away. She was pounding on Harry’s arms when she finally woke up and she realized with a start that she had been crying. Harry was looking at her with concern and worry. Relief flooded his features when she opened her eyes. Ginny felt the darkness and the strangeness of the dream begin to leave “Are you okay?” Harry asked, his voice soft. Ginny shook her head. The dream had felt so real...she looked into Harry’s kind eyes and tried to offer him a smile. “It...was a nightmare.” “You’re telling me, I think you almost gave me a black eye,” Harry said, and he propped up a pillow behind their heads. He pulled her closer to him. “What was it about?” Ginny frowned. “I don’t know. It was about everything and then it was about nothing. I was walking in a forest and...I don’t know. I don’t want to talk about it.” Harry didn’t say anything for a moment and his hand rubbed her head, getting lost in her hair. “Sometimes it helps though, to talk about nightmares,” he said quietly after a moment. Ginny didn’t say anything, her sense of anxiety still high. She didn’t want to tell Harry she’d just had a dream about seeing herself dying. She shook her head. “Not this one. This one just needs to be forgotten,” she paused and then she pulled away and looked over at the clock. “Oh my goodness, it’s eleven already. We really have slept late for once.” Harry still looked at her, his face worried. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about the dream, Ginny. But....” his voice trailed off, uncertain. Ginny smiled with what she hoped was sincerity. “Good, because I don’t. It was just a nightmare. I’ve already forgotten it.” She moved off of the bed and opened the doors to the balcony, letting the summer light fall into the bedroom. Harry watched her for a moment and then shook his head. He grabbed his robe from the floor and padded over to her, turning her around. “Fine. Don’t tell me about it, but you know I’ll listen if it happens again.” Ginny nodded. “Of course. That’s what husbands do, right?” Harry smiled. “Oh yeah, I’d forgotten about that.” “Harry! How could you forget!” He smiled playfully at her and bent his head down, kissing her nose. “I suppose we should get ready and go tell everyone the good news?” Ginny wrapped her arms around him and breathed in deeply. She didn’t want to tell anyone; she wanted to keep it just between them. Just for a little while. “Harry, would you mind if...” “...we didn’t tell anyone just yet?” Ginny pulled back and looked at him in surprise. “Yeah, how’d you know?” Harry shrugged. “Well, I don’t really want to steal any thunder from Ron and Hermione, actually. They deserve all the attention now. We can wait a little while. Besides,” Harry said as he pulled her closer to him. “I like knowing something no one else does. And I like looking at that crude little ring on your finger and knowing what it means.” Ginny looked down at her hand and smiled. They had moved it from her ring finger to her middle finger and while it looked odd there, it didn’t look any less beautiful to her. “Hmm...why don’t we take a shower?” Harry said as he started pulling her towards the lavatory. “Harry, we can’t take a shower together.” “And why not?” Ginny paused, she wasn’t certain why not. “Well, something tells me we won’t get very much cleaning done.” Harry smiled wickedly at her. “I promise to do you, if you promise to do me.” Ginny blushed. “Why do I get the feeling you’re not talking about back washing?” “What? I am. Honest. See how innocent I look?” Ginny stared into his smiling eyes and shook her head. He turned and headed into the loo and she heard the water turn on. Ginny shivered despite herself and her mind flicked to the dream she’d had, once again. Everything was fine. Wasn’t it? There were no strange men waiting to pounce on her. What could possibly happen now? *** Draco Malfoy watched Ginny Weasley open the door of Potter’s flat. He watched as she stood waiting for her boyfriend to finish up whatever it was he was doing inside. The years had been good to her, Draco noticed. No longer a small, skinny girl with too many freckles, the youngest Weasel had blossomed into a fairly decent looking young woman, he had to admit. He could see why Potter would be so taken with her, but then Potter always did have a thing for charity cases didn’t he? His entire life he’d been hanging about the Weasleys, so Draco assumed it was only natural he’d end up with one. He watched the couple head out into the street, their hands joined. How he wouldn’t love to tear that apart, right now, right here. The thought of Harry Potter happy with anyone made Draco angry. Very angry. The Malfoy name was ruined and here was the reason for it - Weasley and Potter, happy and oblivious to everything but themselves. Typical. Draco snorted as he started to follow them. Fagan had said he was to observe the happy couple and observe only. But that didn’t feel right to Draco. What good was watching if you couldn’t put a little fear into people and see how they’d react? With an evil smile, Draco moved closer to the couple as a plan started to form in his mind. *** “To Ron and Hermione!” Everyone shouted in agreement and drank to the toast Harry had just made to his two best friends. It was mid-day in the Leaky Cauldron and they had decided to hold an impromptu ‘engagement’ party for the happy couple, since Harry, Remus and Tonks had missed the first one. Looking around the table Harry felt a sense of happiness and contentment. His eyes lighted on Ginny talking to Tonks, and he smiled. His eyes fell on the small ring on her finger and he felt another burst of joy. If someone had told him last week that he’d be engaged to Ginny Weasley, he would have laughed in their face. As it was, laughing was really all he felt like doing now.... “Harry, that was a beautiful toast, thank you,” Hermione said, interrupting his thoughts. Harry smiled at her. “Well, I meant it, every word. Especially about the bickering.” Hermione laughed and gave him a hug. “Well, you’ll have to remember exactly what you said for the wedding.” “Yeah, mate,” Ron said as he joined them, “Best men have to make the speech, right? The one that makes everyone cry and dab their eyes? Think you got it in you?” Harry laughed. “Hmm. Maybe. I might go another way though. I could tell that story about you and Hermione sneaking out of the dorms one night, right before school was over - ” “Harry! That would not be proper for a wedding! Think of my parents!” Hermione said, her voice scandalized. Harry laughed. “Hermione, you’ve been living with Ron for close to seven years now, I think they know you do more than...sleep.” Ron laughed at Hermione’s expression and pulled her into a tight hug. Harry watched as Hermione’s expression softened and she turned to his friend, giving him a small kiss. Harry turned away and looked at Ginny again, who was now laughing at something Fred and George had told the group. He went back to his seat and sat down, taking her hand into his. She gave it a squeeze and then turned back to her brothers, who were now talking about a new idea for candies that could make your enemies speak backwards all day. Harry caught Remus’s eye and he smiled at his friend as he nodded at him and Ginny. Harry wanted to tell Remus about Ginny agreeing to marry him more than anything, but he knew they had decided on keeping it quiet for now. Harry looked over at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and knew he should probably ask them before he said anything to anyone. He didn’t think they’d object, but still it was proper to ask a girl’s parents, wasn’t it? He’d have to ask Ginny about it later. Arthur caught his eyes and smiled benignly at him and Harry nodded. It felt weird that his future father-in-law knew so much about them. Harry still felt a bit embarrassed at that and knew he was turning pink in the face. He looked away and realized Tonks was saying something to him. “Er...Harry?” “Sorry, I was daydreaming, what did you ask me?” Tonks smiled knowingly at him, her eyes flicking to Ginny. “I said, when are you going back to work? Amelia said a few days, but...the Aurors are having absolutely no luck with finding Malfoy. Not a scrap. It’s like he’s disappeared.” Harry shook his head. “I know. We ran into Terry Boot before we got here. He says Fagan is driving them all like workhorses. Malfoy’s a personal obsession of his.” Ginny, who Harry knew had been listening despite her attention to her brothers, turned her head at the mention of his old boss’s name and gave him a strange look. “Did you say Fagan?” she asked him, quietly. Harry looked at her. “Yeah, my old boss in America. Donald - remember? Terry said they’d been working non-stop practically, patrolling?” “I didn’t know you had worked for Donald Fagan.” “Er, yeah. He’s the one who came and got me to go to America, actually. Why?” Ginny shook her head but Harry could tell something was troubling her. He was about to ask her about it more when the bartender came over to him with a note in his hand. “Mr. Potter, this just came for you.” Harry took it and suddenly felt a prickly feeling at the back of his neck. Turning slowly around, he looked at the rest of the pub. It looked like the normal mid-day crowd. Nothing out of the ordinary. But then Harry had reasons not to accept things at face value. He narrowed his eyes and looked at everything more closely. Ginny noticed the change in him and squeezed his hand. “Harry, what is it?” Harry turned around to face her and pulled his hand away from hers. He stood up and brushed his lips across her forehead. “Nothing. Just a feeling, I’m going to take a walk around the pub. Stay here.” Ginny opened her mouth to argue but George and Fred had chosen that moment to get Ron to try one of their Hair Changing Chocolates and a great roar had gone up at the table as Ron’s hair had grown longer while turning bright purple and green. The prickly feeling was growing, and Harry had the strange sense that they were being watched. He remembered the note in his hand and stopped half-way towards the back rooms. He opened it up and stared at it in disbelief. He looked back at the table and saw Ginny watching him, a frown on her face. She was moving to stand up when Harry shouted at her to stop. “Ginny, no!” But it was too late, the movement had been noticed and true to the words in the note, a loud crack of magical power went through the pub. Harry watched as a bodiless head appeared out of nowhere, right next to where Ginny had been sitting. He barely heard the yelling and the screaming. All he saw was Ginny knocked to the floor from the blast of the spell that had hit her and Draco Malfoy standing over her, aiming his wand at her. Harry dove towards her, to throw himself over her. Somewhere his mind acknowledged the fact that Ron, Remus and everyone else was aiming their wands at Malfoy and shouting at him. He watched as Malfoy laughed and then disappeared again, his invisibility cloak falling back into place. Harry was holding Ginny in his arms, checking to make sure she was okay. He heard a scuffle behind him but didn’t take his eyes away from her face. He felt someone at his elbow and turned to see Mrs. Weasley, who was saying something to him about his wand. Harry looked down in realization at the wand he hadn’t realized he’d drawn and used it to Ennervate Ginny. With relief flooding through him, he watched as her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him, her face white. “Harry? How did I get on the floor?” Harry held her closer to him, thanking the stars that Malfoy had only hit her with a stunner. He could have done a lot worse. Looking around suddenly, he kissed Ginny quickly and handed her towards her mother. Standing up, Harry took off after the others, running into them as they made their way back to the door of the pub. “He’s gone, Harry. We can’t find him with that cloak on,” Remus was saying as he took a hold of his arm. “How’d he get a cloak, he’s supposed to be destitute!” “Obviously he has some friends we don’t know about. Come on, back inside everyone,” Remus turned at the rest of them and then looked at Harry. “How’s Ginny?” Harry ignored him for a second, his eyes scanning the street in front of the pub. He had a feeling Draco had stayed close by, so he could laugh at all of them. Growling at the thought of it, Harry pushed away from Remus and started walking away from the pub. “Harry! Ginny’s asking for you.” This was from Hermione who had joined the group outside. Harry stopped and swallowed his anger. With a sharp look around he relented and headed back towards the Leaky Cauldron. Harry hoped Draco was aware of the fact that he had just signed his own death warrant with the little stunt he‘d just pulled. The next time Harry saw him he would not be aiming his wand for stun. Unforgivable Curse or not, Draco Malfoy was a dead man. *** Sarah Brocklehurst was asleep on her sister’s bed. She’d spent the last few days looking for her sister and she was exhausted. She had been hoping against hope that the thing that had happened to the Eaton girl had not happened to her sister, but as the days dragged by Sarah felt that hope begin to dissolve. She could only pray that her sister was at least still alive somewhere.... Sarah didn’t hear the door of the flat open or the sound of his footsteps as he entered. She didn’t know that he peeked in on her, watching her sleep. She didn’t know he felt bad for what he had done, for the part he had played. A few hours later, Sarah woke up, her mind feeling clearer. She didn’t know about the attack at the Leaky Cauldron, and she didn’t know that all of the wizards who had been out looking for her sister had been called in to look for Draco Malfoy instead. It didn’t matter anyway. Sarah found her sister as soon as she entered the living room. And she found a message left for Ginny Weasley scratched onto her sister’s skin. *** “I’m fine, really,” Ginny was insisting to her parents that she did not need to go to St. Mungo’s. Harry lingered in the doorway of the bedroom, feeling frustrated yet relieved at the same time. Draco had merely wanted to play with them and not permanently hurt her. Still, it brought home to Harry the idea that he couldn’t protect Ginny against things. Not even if he was right next to her. It was a very unsettling thought. He caught her eyes as she was talking with her mother and gave her a little smile. Harry went back into the living room and found everyone talking amongst themselves. Fred and George were sitting with their heads together, having what looked to Harry like a very intense conversation. Bill and Charlie were talking with Remus and Tonks, while Ron and Hermione were walking over to him. “How is she?” Ron asked, his hair having changed back to normal finally. “She’s good. She’s fighting your parents about going to St. Mungo’s, which of course means she could probably take on a whole pack of raging hippogriffs.” Ron nodded and then got a very intense look on his face. “What’s the plan, Harry?” Harry merely looked at him and then looked at Hermione. Hermione took Ron’s hand and shook her head. “Ron, Harry doesn’t need you to go - ” “Malfoy just attacked my sister in front of me; you are not going to talk me out of helping, Hermione,” Ron said stubbornly, interrupting her. “It’s okay, Hermione,” Harry said after a moment. “I don’t think I can stop any of them from helping even if I wanted to. The more Weasley’s involved the better, if you ask me. Malfoy’s had this coming to him for a long time.” Hermione blinked at the harshness of his voice and then nodded as though she’d already realized it was a losing battle. Arthur came out of the bedroom then and looked around at everyone. His eyes rested on the three of them and he came over. He nodded at Ron. “Well, you sister is as stubborn as always. And she’s asking for you, Harry, but - ” Arthur put his hand on him before he could leave, “she’s going to make you promise some silly thing about not going out into any danger. But I want you to promise me you won’t take that vow. I want you to find Draco Malfoy and I want you to find him now. Until he’s...taken care of, I fear the two of you will just be objects for him to play with.” Harry looked Arthur in the eye and knew that Arthur understood exactly why Malfoy had targeted Ginny and only Ginny. It was because of their relationship. It was because of him. Harry nodded his head slightly and went back towards the bedroom. He paused as Mrs. Weasley came out. She met his eyes and smiled. “She’s in a state, Harry. She’s pretending to be okay, but deep down I think she’s frightened. Do something to calm her, would you? Make her drink that potion I made for her, so she can sleep.” Harry nodded and then walked into the bedroom to find Ginny laying out clothes on the bed. “And what in Dumbledore’s name do you think you’re doing?” he asked her, crossly. Ginny barely looked at him. “I’m getting dressed. I will not be lying about all day while everyone I care about hits the streets looking for that slimy git.” “And you think the fact that everyone will be worrying about you while they’re looking is going to help, do you?” Ginny narrowed her eyes at him and folded her arms. “Everyone should know that I can take of myself.” “Except when someone does something that you didn’t see coming. Like today. Ginny, be reasonable. Malfoy targeted you for a reason and you damn sure know why!” Harry hadn’t meant to raise his voice and felt immediately sorry when he saw her flinch. But it didn’t take the determination out of her eyes, and Harry knew they were really going to have a row. “It doesn’t matter why he targeted me. The next time it could be you. The next time it could be Ron or Hermione. I want to make sure there is no next time!” Harry shook his head. “Malfoy’s not interested in Ron and Hermione, he’s interested in hurting me and you know that.” Ginny shook her head. “Well then, he’s going to have to go through me, first. I will not let you go out there and fight my battles for me, Harry.” Harry rolled his eyes, which in retrospect he realized was his first mistake. Ginny made a snarling noise and walked over to him. She poked him hard in the chest and even Harry had to blink at how strong she was. “Let’s get this straight Harry, I can’t stop you from protecting me from things, this I know, but you need to understand that you can’t stop me from wanting to protect you either. I’m going with you and that is that.” Harry narrowed his eyes at her and shook his head. “No.” Ginny raised an eyebrow and made as though to hit him - he didn’t know why - maybe she thought she could just hit him out of the way until he gave in. He grabbed her arms and pulled her off the ground. She struggled and glared at him. “Put me down, Harry. You’re going to let me get dressed and you’re going to let me go out there with you.” “No.” Ginny cursed and tried to use her free hand to slap his face. Harry had never seen her so angry and if he hadn’t been a friend of the Weasleys for so long he might have actually been worried about her. With a determined effort, he placed her back down on the bed and held her down. She struggled against him and glared up at him. “Get off me Harry or I’ll scream for my brothers.” “No. Not until you listen.” Ginny opened her mouth to call out but Harry stopped her by kissing her. Kissing someone while they didn’t want you to was not a good experience, Harry discovered. He pulled back, his lip red from where she had bitten it. “Ginny Weasley, you are going to listen to me, do you understand?” She stared defiantly at him and didn’t say anything. Well, at least she had stopped struggling. Harry thought about how he was going to make her see reason when the idea came to him. He bent down to kiss her again, but instead of kissing her mouth his kissed her neck and it only took a short while until he felt her relax slightly. Using the distraction of his mouth against her skin, he slowly removed one of the arms that was holding her and went for his wand. Ginny immediately started to push herself out from under him but Harry was quicker, once again thanking his many years of Quidditch skills. He aimed his wand and two small white ropes shot out from the tip and bound themselves around her. Ginny gasped and then before she could open her mouth to scream, Harry uttered the Silencio Spell at her. Nodding at his work, Harry pulled away from her and looked at her. Ginny was shooting murdering glances his way and if a look could maim, Harry was pretty certain he’d have been knocked down a long time ago. “Now since I have your attention, maybe I can get you to see reason.” Ginny’s look told him not to count on it, but Harry ploughed on anyway. “You will not be going out onto the streets, as you put it, to help anyone do anything. You have been the victim of a Stunning Spell, which wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but it was bad enough. You have also just recently gotten over having the life sucked out of you, by yours truly of course, and are in no condition to fight anyone off, judging by the easy way in which I just got you tied up,” Harry paused as Ginny made a frustrated squirming sound on the bed. “Your parents are right outside that door and your father has already personally asked me to get Draco for this little stunt. There is also your brother Bill, your brother Charlie, Fred and George who appear to be planning some terrible thing, and Ron, all boiling over with revenge and retribution for your sake. And then there’s me.” Harry stopped and made certain he had her attention. “There’s me. This person who defeated Voldemort, this person who asked you to marry him not less than 7 hours ago, this person that loves you more than his own self. This person who is now asking you from the bottom of his heart that you calm down and not make him do anything worse then what he’s already done to you. Because if it comes down to it Ginny, I will hit you with my own Stunning Spell just to make sure you sleep until we get Draco into custody. Do I make myself clear?” Ginny looked at him and saw that he was dead serious about knocking her out. For the first time, Harry saw some of her anger leave her. But she still stubbornly shook her head at him. She made a motion with her head and opened her mouth, indicating she had something to say. Harry shook his head. “Nope. I’m not going to give you your voice back until we reach an understanding here.” Ginny’s eyes grew wide and then she slumped. Harry felt bad but he had to make certain she wasn’t just faking it so that she could get loose. He kneeled down in front of her and held her chin with his hand. “Please, Ginny. Let me go out and find him and know that you’re safe and well. I don’t want to worry about you - and yes, I know you can take care of yourself. I think I have a permanent hole in my chest from where you poked me earlier. This isn’t about me thinking you can’t handle yourself, it’s about me kicking Malfoy’s arse once and for all and making certain he can never use anyone to hurt me ever again.” Harry stared into her brown eyes and saw what he wanted - the start of her relenting. With a small smile, he used his wand to untie her and then removed the Silencing Charm. She didn’t say anything and looked down at her hands. Harry reached out and took her hand into his. “See, now we have matching rope burns.” Ginny blushed and looked at him. “Very funny,” she whispered. “You’re mad at me.” It wasn’t a question Harry asked because he already knew the answer. But Ginny shook her head, surprising him. “No. But I just...I feel powerless and I hate that. I want to help, I want to protect you, I want - ” Ginny paused and looked at him. “I let you go by yourself last time and look what happened!” “Is that what this is about? Ginny, we can’t watch each other everywhere we go. I’m an Auror. This is what I do; I get into dangerous situations. I break a few bones. I scratch this face a few more times. What do you want me to do? Never leave the flat? And just yesterday you were saying we shouldn’t spend too much time together - ” Ginny pulled her hand away and then started crying. “It’s not something to make fun of Harry. How can you when...oh, I don’t know what is wrong with me.” Harry pulled her into his arms and held her. He couldn’t say anything that would make it better because he knew nothing would. Ginny either had to make peace with the fact that he would be in dangerous situations from time to time or she would always be miserable every time he left the front door. Harry suddenly felt very old and tired. Shouldn’t couples who had just become engaged be arguing about who to invite to the wedding? He’d have to ask Ron and Hermione about that one the next chance he got. Ginny stopped crying almost as soon as she’d started. She moved away from him and then shook her head. He watched as she looked down at her hand. “Fine,” she said, quietly. “Go off and find him and hit him once, no, twice, for me. Make certain Fred and George get to spend some quality time with him too.” “So we’re okay?” he asked her after a moment. Ginny nodded but didn’t look at him. She wiped at her eyes and then stood up. “Ginny.” She glanced at him and then hugged her arms around herself. He recognized it for the nervous gesture that it was and stood up as well, to embrace her. She put her hand out in front of her. “Just go, Harry. Don’t...look, if you touch me right now I can’t say that I will let you go, so...just go. And come back in one piece.” “I promise,” he said simply. Ginny shook her head and then turned away from him. It broke something in Harry’s heart to see her suffering but he didn’t want to make it worse then it already was. He walked to the door, his hand on the handle, when he suddenly felt her behind him, her arms gripping him tightly. Harry turned, and Ginny moved closer and pulled his head down to hers. She kissed him for a very long time, and somehow Harry had managed to sink down to his feet, his back against the door. He had pulled Ginny down with him and they sat there, entwined in a tangle of robes and odd angles. Finally coming up for air, he gazed at her. His skin felt hot inside and out. What had Mr. Weasley said again about Eros...? “Now that was a goodbye kiss,” he said, his voice rough in his ears. Ginny looked into his eyes, her own skin flushed. “No, it wasn’t. It was a ‘get your arse back here so I can do that to the rest of you’ sort of kiss...you understand me, Harry Potter?” Harry nodded and Ginny smiled slightly. She stood up and even giggled as he struggled to right himself. He dusted himself off and then smiled at her. “Take the potion your mother made, would you, please?” Ginny grumbled something he didn’t quite catch, and Harry was certain he wouldn’t be happy about what she’d said even if he had. With a final look, he opened the door. “If you take it, I’ll be back by the time you wake up, I promise.” Ginny nodded and then Harry left, a new determination settling over him. He’d be back beforehand, if he had anything to say about it. *** Ginny sat morosely on the bed. She heard Harry and her brothers leave. She knew Hermione and probably her mum and possibly her father were still out there, waiting. She also knew her mother would probably be in to check on her as well. Ginny looked at the potion she was supposed to take and frowned. It was just a Sleeping Draught and maybe a good long sleep was what she needed. She was certainly grouchy enough. Sighing, Ginny got up and moved her clothes off of the bed and flopped down in their place. Ginny felt depressed now that her anger had left her and she felt an ache for Harry to return, knowing full well that he‘d just left and would probably be gone for hours. Shaking her head at herself and calling herself bad names inside her head, Ginny rolled over to drink the potion. Maybe she did just want to forget everything for awhile.... A tapping on the bedroom window stopped her, and Ginny recognized one of the Ministry owls waiting to be let in. She jumped up off the bed and opened it. The owl flew in and landed on the bed post. It hooted at her and stuck out its leg. Ginny recognized her name on the envelope and took it. She walked over to Hedwig’s cage and snagged an owl treat. The Ministry owl caught it when she threw it and soared back out again. Ginny’s attention was already on the note in her hand. Mandy had been found, returned to her own flat, unconscious like Winifred had been. Another clue had been left and this time it was left for Ginny specifically. She needed to get to St. Mungo’s as soon as she could. Staring at the closed door, she knew her mother and Hermione would never let her go by herself, and Hermione couldn’t Apparate yet and Ginny didn’t fancy taking her mother with her. There was nothing for it, she was just going to have to leave and suffer the consequences later. Ginny grabbed her clothes off the table and got dressed, hurriedly. She pulled her hair back and put it into a pony tail. Leaving a hastily scribbled note on the back of the one she’d received from Dex on the bed, she used Harry’s balcony to Apparate. She would just go and see what was going on. That’s all. They couldn’t honestly expect her not to do her job, could they? *** “You did what?” Louis asked Draco again, his anger coiling like a snake just below his surface. “I only Stunned her, don’t worry. She’s no worse for - ” Draco’s head snapped back as Louis’s fist met with his face. Draco recovered and narrowed his eyes. His hand went searching for his wand. “You’ll want to watch who you’re hitting there, Fagan. Malfoys don’t take to getting punched - ” Louis hit him again, and Draco stumbled backwards. He aimed his wand at Louis but before he could utter a spell, Louis had already cast his own. Draco fell like a dead weight to the floor. Louis stood over him and looked down at him, a sneer on his face. “You pathetic excuse for a wizard. You never were too quick were you, Malfoy? No wonder Potter’s always been able to best you. No wonder your father died. Probably couldn’t bear the thought of living with such a useless git for a son.” Louis spit at Malfoy, his rage barely contained. But no, he still needed the stupid bugger. Louis took a deep breath and then kneeled down so that he was close to Draco’s face. The Body-Binding spell did have its uses; it gave you a very captive audience. He lowered his mouth to Draco’s ear, to make certain he wasn’t misunderstood. “You. Are. Never. To. Harm. Ginny Weasley ever again,” Louis said, pronouncing each word with care. “If you so much as look at her then I will kill you Draco, and I’m not talking about some easy flash of green light that sucks all the life out of you. No, I’m talking about slow, deliberate death. A Muggle death. Something tortuous and foul. Something that will drive you crazy before I release you. Do I make myself clear?” Draco’s eyes stared malevolently back at him and Louis laughed. Ah, the Malfoy pride. Louis stood up and walked over to the box he kept for the girls. Pulling out the instruments he wanted, he walked back over to Draco, sitting down next to him. He held the long knife up to the light and smiled. “This is a very interesting knife, Draco, did you know that? It cuts very deeply and hardly leaves any mess behind it. I could use this on you right now, if I wanted. It goes in smooth, like you’re just cutting into a stick of butter. But then I imagine you don’t know anything about that. You probably had house-elves do everything for you, didn’t you? Even something as simple as fetching butter for your toast. No slave labour for a Malfoy, eh?” Louis smiled down at him again. He ran the edge of the knife along Draco’s arm. Knowing that he had the other man’s attention now, Louis dropped the knife and then held up the other object he’d grabbed. It was in the shape of a corkscrew and had tiny teeth along the side of each curve, and the end point was very sharp. Louis moved this one to Draco’s face, using his wand to make it hover there as he sat back and spoke. “Now this one, this one leaves a mess. It goes in quite leisurely and comes back out even slower, Draco. I think maybe I’ll use this one on your face, I know how you pride yourself on how good looking you are. Part of the Malfoy arrogance, after all. And then maybe I’ll just toss you outside, so someone can find you and they’ll scream and cry at the horrid mess I’ve made of you....” Draco’s eyes had gone from defiant to wavering fear. Louis chuckled. Draco may be full of himself but never let it be said that he didn’t have a run on the concept of self-preservation. Louis moved the instrument out of the way and then lowered his face down again. “Ginny Weasley is worth ten of you Malfoy, never forget that. You will never hurt her, again. Are we perfectly clear on that?” Louis watched as Draco nodded his head. Louis stood up and then released the other man. He tossed the knife and other object back into the box and went to the door. He opened it and nodded at Draco. “Now get out there and keep the whole wizarding world busy. I’ve got things to do.” Draco paused as he passed him. He stopped and looked back at Louis with something close to respect. Louis wondered if the man was even aware of it. “Why don’t you want anyone to hurt Ginny? She’s the easiest way to get to Potter,” Draco said, his voice a whisper, as though not wanting to provoke him. Louis paused and looked at him. What did it matter? Draco would probably be picked up as soon as he left the safety of the house and now since he‘d hurt Ginny; Louis knew everyone in her family would be aiming to kill. He shrugged and smiled at Draco. “Because I’m not after Potter, I couldn’t care less about him. What I want is something much much more. I want Ginny’s pain all for myself, you see. I’m going to be the one that hurts her, Draco. Just me. I’ve been in love with her since the moment I saw her, and I had her once, but I was young and stupid, I let her get away. Well, this time, there is no getting away for our Miss Weasley. This time, she’s mine until she dies.” Draco blinked at him and backed away slowly. Louis barely registered the look on his face. His mind was working backwards to that time when he had first touched her...oh, the memories were rich. Closing the door, Louis started humming to himself. It was almost time for him to meet up with his redhead again. Just one more girl and she’d be ready.... ***
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