Bitter Irony
'When Everything Changes'
Summary: What happens when the youngest Weasley is trapped within her own tormented inner hell? Will the ones who love her be able to reach her and bring her back again? Or will it take something entirely different...?
Disclaimer: I am not J.K Rowling, nor do I pretend to be, all of the characters concerning Harry Potter belong to her, they are not mine, only Zakota Skye and Michael Smith are characters drifting in no-man's land.
Author's Note: Hey, this is my first actually published fanfic, everything else I've ever written has been kept to close friends or myself. Mike and Zak are two characters invented by close friends that were used for role-playing, their actions are based on what I caught one from the boys. The same with Oliver, if he is not pictured in the obvious, book, way, it is more based on the way my friend portrayed him, I liked that Oliver better. I hope you like it. Please review and let me know your thoughts, whether they are good or bad. Thank you.
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The sun was barely even glazing the horizon as the sound came from the door. The soft repeated rapping at the door rose her from the light slumber she had finally managed to fall into only an hour ago. This was the same sound that had awoken her everyday for the past week: her mother waking her up without really wanting to wake her up. Sighing heavily she reached behind her head, digging her nails into her pillow as she slowly opened her eyes, staring blankly out the window in the darkness. Lying there silently she tugged the blankets up to her chin, her eyes unfocused and hazy since she was once again trapped within the confines of her own mind. Such things happened to her a lot lately, she was retreating more and more into herself and there was no one who even noticed.
She remained in the same position until a light glow was seeping in through her filthy window. Slowly and hesitantly she managed to pull herself from the warmth of her bed. Pulling a black, figure hugging, sweater over her head and a pair of worn jeans she turned to look at her reflection in the mirror hanging on her door. Hell, that was one word to describe the face that was staring back at her in the mirror. She looked like hell, even if she never understood that expression. Dark circles rounding beneath her eyes, contrasting heavily against her now pale and gaunt face, the color having been gone since she returned. Her once brilliant and gorgeous red hair was now limp and dull. This was fine, she could deal with all of this, but meeting her own eyes in the mirror was impossible. If she dared, even she was shocked to see how lifeless and hallow the brown orbs were. The person staring back at her was more depressing than she ever could have imagined, how could she have let things get so bad, how could she have let herself get so bad? To most people, she had managed to pull of the front that she was doing just fine, no one really had enough time to question her otherwise.
Sighing again she finally pulled herself from the mirror, her reflection gone in a fleeting instant. Turning to the door she placed a bruised and swollen hand on the knob and pulled it open. Wrapping her arms tightly around herself, as if she were cold she slipped through the small space between her door and the frame and out into the hallway. Wincing vividly as the house shifted and the door slammed shut. She hated the sudden sounds, the spooked her more than anything. She never knew what was coming and could never be sure, one reason that she always had her hand with her at all times of the day. Even in her bed, when she lied down for another night of restless sleep, it was clutched tightly in her right hand. As of now she had grabbed her wand, which had been tucked into her pants at the small of her back, gripping it painfully in her right hand as she spun around. Sighing heavily and pressing back against the hallway wall across from her room she slowly slid to the floor. Bringing her knees up to her chin she wrapped her arms around her legs and lied her head in her lap. Her whole body shaking with silent sobs. The girl was an absolute mess, having only been home a week, it was to be expected.
After what seemed like hours she was finally able to regain control over herself as she got to her feet, wrapping her arms tightly, protectively around herself again she hesitantly started down the stairs. Following the creaky, edgy staircase down into the kitchen she froze in the gaze of six pairs of eyes turning to look at her. Standing silently at the bottom of the steps she waited for a few moments, the eyes turning away quickly only caused her to breathe out a sigh of relief. The same question that had been asked every morning since she returned was not going to be the topic of this morning's breakfast discussion. Slowly she made her way into the room, sliding carefully into her place at the table. Their places had never changed for as long as she had remembered. The nine of them had always sat in the same places, no matter what routine, something that was uncommon in this household. Looking down, extremely dissatisfied by what she saw in front of her, a plate full of food, shuddering some she pushed the plate away from her, reaching for her water glass with her right hand, her left hidden away under the table. Slowly she pulled the glass to her lips and took a sip, setting it back on the table, trying desperately to ignore the stares and uneasy glances that she was getting from the rest of her family.
Ginevra Weasley had never felt so uncomfortable in her own house as she did now. The stares, the whispers behind her back, it was unbearable. Sighing she pushed her chair back from the table and got slowly to her feet. Her arm wrapping quickly around her midsection as she winced visibly. With that one wince, she managed to bring life back to the kitchen that had been previously dead only moments before. With a scraping of chairs and clatter of silverware, every member of her family were now on their feet and hurrying to her aid. Her mother and father were standing still, helpless, gaping at her in horror. Her twin brothers standing across from her, looking dark and dangerous. Her two oldest brothers looking to their left at her in concern. All while her big brother, the one that was only a year older than her, and the only one that could seem to get through to her as of now had quickly wrapped a protective arm around her waist carefully and pulled her to him.
She tried to fight against him, she really did, but knew that in the end it would be pointless, he would win out, like he always did. Sighing heavily she shot her family an exhausted look and allowed her body to collapse into the arms of her overprotective, older brother. Her eyes drifting closed slightly as he took a quick glance at his baby sister before picking her up, cradling her like a child in his arms. Truth to be told, she was anything but a child, in the past months she had grown more than anyone he knew, and in ways that he was nowhere near happy about. Taking a look at his family he nodded slightly, catching the hidden glances of jealousy from the rest of them. He understood where they had been coming from, if he were any of them, he'd be going crazy. Truth to be told, Ginny had become a shell of her former self, and the only one she'd allow in was Ron. If he had been kept on the outside like the rest of his family, he believed that he would have lost his mind right along with her.
Carefully he edged up the steps. Not wanting to jostle her or cause her anymore pain than had already been inflicted upon her small, innocent body. Pushing open the door of her room with his foot he carried her across the threshold and placed her carefully into her bed, pulling a blanket up her body slowly before bending down to plant a soft kiss on the tormented girl's forehead. Turning to leave he heard a quick gasp and turned around to find his sister sitting up in her bed looking panicked.
"Ron! Please, don't leave…just stay with me for a bit…please?" Her voice had been growing softer as she spoke, almost as if she was uncertain that she should be making even such a request. Shaking rather violently as she stared helplessly at her older brother. Her body was extremely tense; every muscle in her was tightened to the max. Finally she felt herself begin to relax and lay back against her pillows as he stretched out his hand to push her door closed signaling that he would be staying as long as she would allow.
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Brushing a hand through his overly blonde hair, the color of the week for him, he rolled his eyes as he waited rather impatiently for his friend to finish his telephone conversation. Eyeing him the other boy with a smart smirk he forced a pathetic dreary face.
"What is ever the matter? Has the princess still not returned your phone calls?" This comment only got a cold glare from his mate. He laughed heartily at himself as he clasped his friend on the back. "Oi, come off of it mate, it's only been a few days, nothing to get excited about."
"A few days? You call three weeks a few days? What is wrong with you Zak? Did they forget to teach you to count when you were being raised by Satan's underlings?" He rolled his eyes heavily and began stalking away from the overly sarcastic, cold boy. Shaking his head several times he moved through the crowd, knowing full and well that Zak was hot on a his tail. "Something has got to be wrong, I can't even get a hold of her family, and when I ask of her around, all I get is sad pathetic looks. I mean, it is not as if she is dead…but what if she is hurt…" He continued his tirade, mumbling more under his breath trying to name all of the possible scenarios that could have happened to the youngest Weasley, only to be cut off by hands grabbing him and forcing him to stop in his place.
"Mike, look, there is nothing wrong with her. I promise you mate, look, it's me, I know I may be a bit…insensitive? Sometimes… but I am your best mate, I wouldn't lie to you. Look if you'd like, we can stop by her house a bit later after Oliver's if that is what you desperately need. But, please, calm down, you are going to make me sick, at least wait until we talk to him, I'm sure he knows where the princess is, after all, mate, she is his girl, whether you like it or not." Releasing his friend he continued on, pulling his cloak closer around him as the bitter wind whipped through the street they were walking down. Mike standing still for a few moments before following the other boy's lead with a sad sigh and a heavy heart.
Zak had finished his tirade with a tone of jealousy slipping into his voice. It wasn't as though he was jealous that Oliver had her and not him, as Mike so desperately was, he was jealous of all of the attention she got. Since the day that she had forced her way into their life, nothing had been the same. Mike and Oliver spent all of their time worried about her and catering to her needs. Zak despised her. He hated her more than she could ever know; well that is what he told himself anyway. She had changed their entire relationship. From their first beginning of term feast, when Zak had been relentlessly torturing Mike and Oliver had stepped in to defend him, they had been inseparable. All of that changed once Miss Weasley had crossed paths with Oliver. He saw her once, that is all it took, one meeting after the boys had already left school and it left him begging for more. Damn Oliver and his curious nature, it was his fault that everything was turned upside down now, and their focus was all of that on the girl, the Weasley girl no doubt. Not that she wasn't special, it was no surprise that she had managed to get these boys to bend at her exact word, she just had that way about her, and that was probably what unnerved Zak most of all.
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He was pacing relentlessly around his apartment. At the moment, the expression "No news was good news" was never more untrue. To be honest, the boy was a mess; he hadn't slept in days, showering and shaving going along with that. He didn't have time, he had tried to do everything in his power to find out what had happened or what had been going on but everyone kept this more tightlipped than the secret of the prophecy. It frustrated the young Oliver Wood. He hated not being in control of situations, and it was impossible to do such when her family was so intent on keeping him out of this. It was his place. He cared for her more than anyone else in the world. That he believed at least, except for maybe Mike.
It was true, he did know of his best friend's intense love for his girlfriend, it was impossible not to, and it irritated him to a slight degree. Of course he would never let on that he knew, but he did worry about it at times, he had caught her giving him the same attention that she gave himself. Sighing some he shook his head, knowing he was only thinking crazy, there was no way she had feelings for Mike, she had told him on more than one occasion that she saw him as a brother, just another one to add to her growing pile.
His thoughts grimly shifted to Zak, shaking his head at the very thought of the man. Sighing some he flopped down against his sofa, letting his thoughts rage through his mind. Zak, that was someone he'd never have to worry about. From the day that he and Ginny had met it had been hate. The two despised one another. Oliver had just always figured it was because Zak was sore about losing a duel to a girl, and a younger girl at that. As for Ginny, he knew her well enough to know how hard headed and stubborn she was, and she wouldn't associate with someone along the likes of Zak other then the necessary means. He felt slightly bad for the girl; she had gotten the full brunt of Zak's personality the moment she met him. Normally people were eased into Zak's life, but she had happened to cross him on a bad day and was met with a curse because of it. Ginny Weasley had the spirit though, and she wouldn't take it, not even from Zak whom most people thought of as brilliant and someone not to be reckoned with when he was in one of his moods. She had stood her ground and actually ended up beating him. Oliver smiled slightly at the thought. A knock on the door bringing him back to reality, breaking his trance. Mike and Zak were here; this was going to be an interesting afternoon.
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Author Note: I hope you enjoyed it, please review, let me know if I should keep posting the story up. Thank you!
xoxo PB xoxo