Part 8

In the Great Hall, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny are sitting together. Neville is with Luna at Ravenclaw table. The five are getting weird stares because of the scars and blood still on their faces.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked, glancing around. Ron shook his head. "He must still be up in the common room..." Though none of them said anything, they were all thinking the same thing. Sirius. "Ginny," Hermione started. "I think you should go check on him." While Ron was fighting off rapid questions from Lavender Brown who was sat a few people down, Ginny took the opportunity to whisper sharply to Hermione. "'Mione you need to stop obsessing over Harry and I! I don't have feelings for him anymore!" Hermione glanced anxiously at Ron and leaned in before whispering back. "This isn't just about you Ginny... Harry's struggling up there and we all know he's most comfortable talking to you!" Ginny glared at Hermione. "No, Hermione. He's got you and Ron for that." "He can be vulnerable with you, Ginny!" Hermione's voice was desperate now. "He's told you things about himself that he wouldn't dream of telling Ron and I!" Ginny remained quiet. "Ginny. Did you know that Harry has never told me or Ron about any of his nightmares? He just tells us not to worry, and goes back to sleep." Ginny looked up at Hermione, whose voice was no longer pleading with her, but even and strong. "But he's told you... Hasn't he, Ginny?" Ginny kept quiet, pondering Hermione's words. "Ginny. He needs you. Please, just go to him." Her voice cracked as she whispered this but Ginny pretended not to notice as she nodded slightly and got up to leave.

In the dormitories.

Ginny leaned on the door frame with her arms hugging her body and looked at Harry for a moment before knocking on the wall. "Harry?" Harry's back was to her. He jumped and Ginny heard him sniff as he quickly wiped his face with his robes. "Yup." He said weakly without turning around. Ginny sighed, it was rare seeing him so upset. Her voice came out faint and raspy. "Can I sit?" Harry nodded but still didn't look at her. They sat in silence for a while before Harry sniffed again. "I... I just wish I could forget... You know? I wish I didn't know that it happened, that I didn't have to deal with..." "The pain?" Ginny finished. Harry nodded. He was still looking down at his hands. "Harry... I know that it hurts." Ginny's voice sounded stronger than she felt. "And-and it may hurt every single day for the rest of your life. But... it's better to remember the pain than to forget him, Harry. B-because Sirius..." Ginny paused and swallowed before whispering, "Sirius was too good to forget." Harry was looking at Ginny now. She was looking at her hands to try to hide the tears welling up in her eyes. "You know..." Harry said. His voice didn't break. "Everyone else just tells me they're sorry for my loss." He chuckled a bit. Ginny smiled. "Well I'm sorry to disappoint." She looked up at him, but his eyes were already trained on her. "You didn't." He whispered. She gave him a small smile. "Oh!" Harry said, and turned around, shuffling in his bag. He turned back around, holding Sirius' wand in his hands. He handed it to her. "You broke yours, in there, didn't you?" Ginny gasped quietly. "No... No, Harry I couldn't." She handed it back to him, holding it cautiously in both hands as if it was made of thin glass. Harry closed her fists around the wand and pushed it back towards her. "I'm making you." He's said. "Besides, you were the first to hold it, after him. It would only work for you." Ginny was still looking at the wand in her hand. "Harry..." She said again, breathlessly. Harry was also looking at the wand. His eyes filled with tears again. "He liked you a lot, You know." Ginny let a tear fall into her lap. "I liked him." They were quiet for a moment, then Ginny shook her head, as if waking herself up from a daydream. "Ron and Hermione are worried." She said, sniffing and standing up. "We should head back down." Harry nodded.

In the hallway just before Ginny and Harry enter the great hall.

"Oi, Potter." Harry stopped dead in his tracks. Ginny grabbed his wrist, his hand was enclosed tightly around his wand. "Harry..." She whispered to him. "Left god-daddy back at the ministry, did you?" Draco continued. But it was Ginny who turned around. "Careful, Malfoy." She snarled through gritted teeth. Harry put a hand around her waist gently pulling her backwards. "It's okay, Ginny." He said. Ginny ignored him. "Not long 'till your scumbag father is thrown in Azkaban, is it, Malfoy?" Malfoy sneered. "At least my father didn't raise a skanky blood traitor."Ginny was fuming. Harry had to restrain himself from running at him, and instead placed a cautious hand on Ginny's shoulder. "Ginny, c'mon." Ginny ignored him again. "Oh Please, Malfoy, your father spent more time brushing his hair than he did raising you. Explains why you act more ferret than person." Ginny finished, with a lofty smirk dusting her lips. "Why, you little..." Draco started, pulling his wand out. But Harry was too quick for him. "Stupify!" Draco flew backwards into the wall behind him. He stood up quickly with his wand pointed at Harry, but again, Ginny beat him, stepping in front of Harry. "Protego!" "Engorgio." Ginny only just realized how close her and Harry's bodies were. The incantation whispered into her ear sent a small shiver down her spine. Harry's wand was pointed at Draco, under Ginny's arm. She could feel Harry's chest against her back. "Thy-Thy tfhather... ouill... Heea! Abhout tbhis!" Ginny was snapped out of her daydream by Draco Malfoy stumbling out of the corridor, with his hands covering his tongue, which was steadily growing larger in his mouth. Ginny turned to Harry, their faces mere inches from each other, Harry hadn't moved and she could still feel his chest on her back. "Nice one, James." She whispered, with a smirk. The familiar words sent warmth hurtling through Harry's body. He couldn't stop the smile from spreading on his face. And though it often seemed like she could, Harry was glad that Ginny couldn't read his mind, for he had no way of explaining how much he wanted to kiss her right then.