Part 17

A few days later...

Ginny walked through the crowded hallways with Colin Creevey. They had potions next and were talking about the essay that was due last week. "Exactly, it was totally unnecessary." Ginny nodded in agreement but Colin's words grew cloudy in her mind as she spotted a familiar face in the crowd.

Harry, of course. He was leaning nonchalantly against a wall, shirt tail out, tie loose, black hair untamed. He was speaking to Ron, a gentle smirk playing on his lips. Warm breath escaped Ginny's mouth. Everything seemed to go in slow motion and somewhere in the background a voice saying, "Anyways Gin, I should probably get there early to explain. I'll see you in there." Ginny responded with a dreamy mhm and Colin walked away.

When Ginny finally peeled her eyes away from Harry, she was surprised to see her feet still moving under her. That's when she snapped back into reality. What the hell, Ginny!? She thought to herself. Shaking her head lightly, she rubbed her face with her hands. That's Harry... why did you just- "Ginny, wait up."

Dean Thomas then jogged up to her. She didn't remove her hands from her face. "What's wrong, Gin?" "Nothing." She replied, shaking her head again. "Just a headache, that's all." Dean's eyes went wide. "I knew it!" Ginny jumped at Dean's sudden exclamation, then panicked. "K-knew what?" Dean shook his head. "That bag of yours it's much too heavy. It must be what's bothering you.

Here, let me take it." "Oh." Ginny sighed with relief, as Dean took her bag from her. "Wait, my bag?" Dean nodded, not fully paying attention. "Yeah, girls always have a hard time carrying heavy things. Don't worry about it." He said, kissing her on the cheek. "That's what I'm here for. Oh, one minute, I think I see Seamus up there." Ginny's face went red with anger. She was about to stomp after him when Hermione walked up beside her. "Hey Gin! Are you alright?"

The red faded from Ginny's cheeks as she turned to look at Hermione. "Yes, fine." "Right then..." She continued. "Where are you headed?" "Potions." Replied Ginny. "Oh, me too! We've got Slughorn, the new teacher and the Hufflepuffs said we'd be smelling amortentia." "Amortentia?""Yes, it's more commonly referred to as love potion though that's not really what it is of course, because it's impossible to create love. It only causes obsession, infatuation, you know." Ginny nodded, only half paying attention.

"Anyways, it's supposed to give off the aroma of what you're most attracted to." To this Ginny choked on a bit of saliva and began coughing uncontrollably. Hermione patted her roughly on the back. "Merlin, Gin! Are you alright?" Ginny nodded, breathing heavily. "Fine, fine. You will tell me what Harry and you smell, won't you?"

And as the words came out of her mouth, Ginny realized her mistake. "Ginny, Harry's not taking potions this year..." But by then Ginny was pushing through the crowds in attempts to escape Hermione. "Sorry, I've just forgotten!" She called frantically back to her. "Dean's got my bag!"

And as Ginny ran off, Harry jogged up next to Hermione. "Hey, Mione. What was that all about?" He gestured to Ginny. "Hermione smirked deviously. "I have a hunch. What are you up to? I thought you had a free period?" He nodded. "I did, but turns out Slughorn's accepting NEWT students. Ron and I will be in potions now." Hermione's smirk grew wider as she turned her head away from Harry. "Wonderful."

That night, in the common room.

Whatever Dean was rambling about was completely blocked out by Ginny. She sat slumped in her armchair in the common room scowling at something across the room. Estelle Rooker, a girl in Ginny's year, had asked Harry to help her with a transfiguration equation exactly- Ginny checked her watch. Twenty-three and a half minutes ago. Harry seemed to be concentrated on her piece of paper but Estelle was grinning like a madman and her eyes hadn't left Harry for almost half an hour.

"Little minx." Ginny muttered crossly, shifting in her chair. "What!?" Dean exclaimed. "No! Of course not, I was glad that mum did that because if she hadn't I wouldn't have- Ginny? Are you listening?" She blinked a few times then replied. "Right- yeah, I have it's just-" Ginny fake-yawned as best she could. "I'm so tired. It's been a long day and- and that headache from earlier, OH and the bag! So heavy. I-It's been torture."

Dean, the whole time nodded sympathetically as if she was a small child. Ginny almost threw up on the spot just looking at it. "I really have to go to sleep- you know, we've got our Hogsmeade date tomorrow!" Dean grinned widely. "Alright, goodnight." He leaned in for a kiss but Ginny pretended not to notice as she got up and walked to the dormitories, forcing herself not to glance at Estelle, who was scooting closer to Harry.

In Ginny's dorm.

"Boo!" Hermione shouted as Ginny entered her dorm. She didn't flinch. "God, Ginny. You really are no fun." Ginny chuckled and flopped exasperatedly face-first on her bed. "So..." Hermione began. "That was quite a show you put on down there." Ginny groaned. "God, he was going on about his mother, or something and I just couldn't stay awake." Hermione sat down. "You looked pretty awake to me." "What?" "Nothing."

Silence followed before Ginny inquired, "So, the amortentia. What did you smell?" Hermione looked confused, then realized, and dread flooded her face. "What is it?" Ginny asked, sitting up. Hermione exhaled. "Alright." She got up and shut and bolted the door. "I'll tell you, but you mustn't tell anyone." Ginny smiled slightly, excited now. "Okay." Hermione came and sat on the bed. "I'm gonna regret this."

The next day, in Hogsmeade.

Dean and Ginny were sitting in The Three Broomsticks, talking with their butterbeers. They had visited Zonko's and the Shrieking Shack already, and although dull at times, Ginny was enjoying herself. "Hey, why don't I order another round and we can walk around a bit?" Ginny nodded and Dean left to get their drinks. Ginny took this opportunity to look over at Harry, who was there with Ron and Hermione. They were chatting with professer Slughorn, but Ginny couldn't help noticing that Harry seemed far away- distracted.

He was looking at something near the girls' bathroom. "Alright, ready to go?" Dean was holding two Butterbeers. Ginny nodded. The two left and began strolling along the snow- covered cobblestone street. "I'm excited for quidditch tryouts." Dean started. "I reckon I'll go out for chaser." Ginny smirked. "What, going after my spot?" They both chuckled and began discussing quidditch cup strategy and who would be on each house team.

"You know, Malfoy's not going out for quidditch this year." "Yeah, he told me." Dean's brow furrowed. "What d'you mean he told you?" Ginny looked at him. "Oh, no, I meant I heard that he was-" Ginny stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes went wide and her breath faltered. She felt her glass leave her hand. It shattered loudly as it fell to the snow. "Ginny? Ginny are you okay? Reparo. Gin?"

Dean's voice was warbled and foggy as it danced around the back of her mind. She didn't peel her eyes away from the floor. "Just go back and give Rosmerta the glasses. I'll catch up with you." She murmured. "But Ginny-" She looked Dean sternly in the face. "Y-yeah, alright." He said timidly. And as he walked away, Ginny turned her attention back to the large, crisp pawprint etched in the powder.

Later.

Ginny had followed the trail of pawprints all the way into a dark cave just off of Hogsmeade. She trudged in. "S-Sirius?" She felt stupid, saying the name. The word hadn't left her lips since that night last year. "Sirius are you in here?" She took out his wand and looked down at it, rubbing the carvings. She swallowed. "Lumos."

A loud, shrill howl flooded the cave, coming from a silver wolf at the back of it. "Oh my God." Ginny breathed. Her wand fell from her shaking hand and clattered to the floor of the cave. She pressed her back to the wall and shut her eyes tightly finally let the tears she was trying so hard not to let out, roll down her cheeks. "Ginny?" She opened her eyes.

It was Harry. He glanced at her wand on the floor and back at the footprints leading into the cave, and stepped out of the way as the large silver wolf trotted out of it. It wasn't hard to know what had happened, at least not for Harry. "Merlin." He breathed. Ginny shook her head and wiped her face. "I don't know why I thought that-" Harry walked over and pulled her into a hug.

It was warm in Harry's arms, and safe. He tightened his grip around her. "It's okay, I know."

Just thought I'd let you know that if you'd like to read about what went on between Hermione and Ginny in the dorm, the full story is on @dobbyrip_ on Instagram. Love you!