Invisible Man
Chapter One: Invisible Savior
Ginny walked slowly towards the train, looking in the windows for an empty compartment. She was tired of Ron being overprotective; plus, he and Hermione were really beginning to piss her off with their mushy dialogue and annoying looks they gave each other.
Love was so annoying.
Nearly all of her friends had boyfriends or girlfriends, leaving her and her friend Meredith the only ones in their dormitory who never invited anyone else in.
Ginny cringed at the thought of her friends and their dates.
She opened the door of a compartment, finding it empty, except for an abandoned trunk in the storage above the seats. Ginny stuffed her trunk up into the container and sat down. She grabbed her copy of the Daily Prophet, seeing the list of students graduating from Hogwarts.
She scanned the list slowly.
She recognized names; Hannah Abbot, Neville Longbottom, Harry, Hermione. She paused on her brother's name.
Ronald Bilius Weasley.
He would be so pissed that his whole name was there.
Imagining his face, she laughed.
The train suddenly rocked, toppling Ginny to the floor.
She heard a sudden crash as if something had collided with the door, and feeling a sharp pain, realized she'd hit her head.
"Dammit…" Ginny grumbled, climbing up back to the seat. She looked out the compartment door, and saw that she was in the last compartment,
"Smart move," she scolded herself. As she leaned back, everything went out of focus. She leaned back up, and the sharp movement caused another sharp pain on the back of her head.
Ginny turned and saw a shape emerge from the air, as if a second ago invisible.
She saw a flash of blonde hair before she blacked out.
"Ginny? Ginny! Ginny, wake UP!"
Ginny heard her brother's voice calling at her frantically, followed by Hermione's, both tinged with worry.
"Ginny? Can you hear me? Please answer."
There was a moment of silence, and Hermione gave a rather loud squeak.
"Harry!"
Ginny opened her eyes hearing his name.
"Harry?' she asked, looking around to find the familiar face with piercing green eyes.
She saw a fuzzy-looking image of 3 people surrounding her. One had flaming red hair, the other a voluminous set of brown, and one a dark black.
Ron sighed in relief, and Hermione threw her arms around his neck.
Ginny stared at Harry is surprise. Why was he here now, yet he hadn't answered any of their mail?
"You came!" Ginny said in a groggy voice. Harry nodded solemnly, turning to face Ginny.
"Yeah…" Hermione looked up, frowning the serious look on Harry's face.
"Where were you?" Hermione asked, putting her hands on her hips. Harry shrugged.
"I was helping Professor Lupin and Tonks. They moved into Grimmauld, and I was setting up and helping with moving stuff." Hermione nodded sympathetically.
"Sorry I didn't return your letters or anything." Ron smiled this time.
"'S okay," he said, giving Harry a hug. Harry smiled.
They all turned to Ginny.
"What happened?" they said in unison.
Ginny shrugged.
"I hit my head on the door."
Ron snorted, Hermione raised her eyebrows, and Harry remained with his solemn look.
"Well, uh, we'll be right back. We just are going to, uh, resume studying." Harry laughed at this one, rolling his eyes.
Ron grabbed Hermione and pulled her out of the compartment and down the hall.
The door slammed, leaving Harry and Ginny in complete silence. He sat down carefully next to her.
Harry stared at the floor, Ginny twiddling her thumbs while she scrutinized the window sill.
"What… really happened?" Ginny whispered. Harry sighed.
"I… it was so hard, Gin." He said, pulling Ginny into a hug. She hugged him back.
"I'm sorry," she said soothingly, rubbing his back.
"I just…I don't want to make Ron upset that he missed out on any of the action, and Hermione…well…she would ask too many questions," he answered sincerely, pulling back and grinning at Ginny.
Ginny smiled sympathetically.
"I…missed you. We all did." Ginny said quietly, staring down at her lap still.
Harry groaned.
"I've been such a bad friend and…well…I'm really sorry, Gin."
Hitting her head on the door must have made Ginny really sensitive, because his sentence suddenly ticked her off.
"Friends?" she asked, pulling back to look Harry in the face. "We're…just friends?"
She had secretly been hoping that once Harry came back, he would realize how much he needed her, making them…well…more than friends.
Harry's eyes widened, realization appearing on his face.
"Oh." He said quietly, staring at Ginny.
Ginny sighed, shaking her head.
"Sorry, Harry, I was being stupid. I just…whatever." She said, standing up and looking out the window, letting the cool wind whip her face.
She felt Harry's arms close around her, holding her tightly.
"Ginny; that wasn't what I meant. I just…I wasn't really sure what you thought. I…okay, I suck. Just, can we…start over?"
Ginny turned around, smiling up at Harry.
"It's okay Harry. You're back, that's good. I'm here, you're here. So, yeah; let's start over." She smiled reassuringly, pulling Harry into a hug.
Harry closed his eyes, smelling Ginny's comforting perfume.
He breathed it continuously, running his nose up and down her neck.
Ginny raised her eyebrows at this.
"Harry, nothing personal, but what the hell are you doing?"
Harry laughed.
"Sorry, Gin. You just smell spectacular." Ginny laughed with him.
He continued to inhale her scent.
"Still use that perfume?" he whispered, referring to the small bottle he had given to her for her 15th birthday. He felt her nod, pulling him closer.
They held each other for the rest of the ride, waiting to pull up to Hogwarts, the place they'd both been waiting for.
The bell rang, and they got up, ready to leave.
"Let's go," Harry said clearly, grabbing her hand. Ginny smiled up at him, seeing a light behind his bright green eyes. They walked out of the train.
The second they stepped out, Harry was bombarded by his fellow Gryffindors, leaving Ginny to her own carriage.
Back into her lonely mood, she walked over to an empty carriage, feeling it begin its smooth ride over to Hogwarts. She began to stretch her legs out, but was stopped by an invisible barrier. She jumped up, and was reminded of her head injury.
"Ow!" she yelped, holding her head before laying down, her knees bent this time. She tried the barrier again, and found that her legs slipped through it, letting her extend along the bench.
"Weird," she muttered under her breath, lying down. She proceeded to sleep for the rest of the ride, dreaming about that strange moment on the Express.
Who was that? The person who (she assumed) came out and saved her on the train. Where did they go? Were they there all along?
Questions swirled around her head, making her aware once more of the excruciating pain. She sighed, thoughts replaced by pleasant ones of Harry, his eyes glistening against the starry sky.
Feeling the carriage stop, she got up and headed for a boat, finding herself disoriented as she walked out of the carriage.
Concentrate, Ginny she thought.
She sat down in the boat, leaning against the edge. She saw a flash of something in the water, as if something was looking up at her. She leaned forward.
Nothing.
She tried again, leaning further.
Too far. She began to fall downwards towards the dark water, but found herself pulled back up and into the boat.
Her eyes grew wide, feeling an invisible hand let go of her robes.
"Holy shit, do I have a guardian angel or something?" she called out to the darkness.
She began feeling around the boat, searching for some invisible figure.
She felt stupid, reaching out for something she couldn't see.
"Aargh! Stupid invisible… Aargh!" she yelled, stomping on the boat and collapsing on the seat in a huff.
She pouted, leaning back against the edge once more.
She heard a chuckle, and looked up to see nothing once more.
She sighed, testing her patience. Finally, it ran out.
"Dammit, just show yourself!" she screamed out to the darkness.
She heard a rustle, like the swish of a cloak.
"Show myself Weasley?' she heard a low voice call. "But then that would take the fun out of appearing at random moments. Now, I wouldn't appear anymore if you just got rid of that hair. My God; it's amazing!"
Ginny growled, angry at whoever this annoying invisible person was. She turned in her seat, putting her feet up on the inner ledge.
"Either show yourself or just piss off and don't bother me."
The voice laughed.
"I think I'll choose the latter, Weasley, minus the bother part."
Ginny, on hearing this, exploded into a round of intense profanities under her breath.
She was still grumbling as she climbed out of the boat, walking quickly up the steps until she reached the great oak doors, where she was stopped.
"Ginny; are you okay?"
Ginny looked up to see Harry staring down at her.
"Oh, hey Harry. Sorry; I was just…oh, never mind. Let's go in, shall we?" she said, linking arms with him. He gave her a questioning look, but was willingly dragged through the doors and into the Great Hall.
Ginny sat down quickly at the end of the table, looking up at Dumbledore expectantly as Harry sat down beside her.
Dumbledore began his speech, starting with the return of Harry Potter, then onto other events of this year at Hogwarts.
Ginny began to doze off about 5 minutes after he'd started, leaning her head on Harry's shoulder.
She began to think about he boat and train ride. Who was this annoying invisible person, anyway? Why did they keep showing up? Why wouldn't they just go away?
Her thoughts were interrupted by Harry breathing in her ear, "Are you going to eat ,Gin?"
Ginny jumped, shook her head, and looked in front of her to see the tables full of food.
"Oh," she said quickly, before serving food onto her plate.
"Well, you're full, aren't you?" Hermione asked. Ginny nodded, her mouth filled with lasagna. Ron laughed, as did Harry.
"Hey, I'm hungry; what can I do?" Ginny said defensively, glaring at Ron darkly. Ron shrugged, and began to eat once more.
"You're getting to be as bad as Ron!" Harry exclaimed after Ginny's third cupcake. Ginny punched him lightly in the nose reprimandingly.
"Ow!" Harry exclaimed, trying to make his voice sincere. Ginny snorted before wiping her mouth.
"Here," she said lightly, before leaning over and kissing him on the nose.
"All better?"
Harry nodded, his eyes fixed on Ginny's face. She stared back at him, gazing into his eyes.
"Get a room, Potter."
Harry sighed exaggeratedly.
He and Ginny turned, seeing Draco Malfoy standing at the end of the table.
"Piss o-" Hermione began, but Ginny cut her off.
"Why don't you, Draco? Oh, wait; you probably couldn't even find it, could you? Do you want me to draw you a map, or shall I just lead you there myself since your literary skills aren't up to date?"
Oddly enough, only Pansy snarled, darting forward, only to be held back by Draco's firm hand.
"My battle, Parkinson," he said in a deep voice, his eyes drilling hole into Ginny's with his fierce gaze.
"Prefects, Head Boys and Girls; please lead your houses to their dormitories, then do your rounds. Thank you. Sleep tight!" Draco reluctantly turned around and began herding a group of mischievous First Years out of the Great Hall.
"C'mon, Ginny, rounds!" Hermione called from the doors.
Harry carefully helped Ginny out of her seat, steering her towards the door.
"I can walk, you know," Ginny mumbled, walking out of the doors and down the hall, Hermione following her slowly.
"Ginny," Hermione said, slightly out of breath trying to keep Ginny's fast pace.
"Sorry Hermione," Ginny said quietly, slowing down her pace.
"It's okay. Just… don't get all pissy about something Malfoy or any other person says, okay?" Hermione asked, seeing Ginny roll her eyes.
"Hermione," Ginny said, turning towards her brown-haired friend, "you don't need to worry about me! I can fend for myself, okay? Now, go hang out with Ron or something. Do whatever you two do…EW!" Ginny stopped, revolted.
Hermione laughed before setting off down the next hallway, leaving Ginny in the middle of the dungeons contemplating what her brother and Hermione did with their time.
She shook her head of the thoughts before heading off down the corridor, only to run into a small stature protruding from the wall.
"Huh. I've never noticed this before," she said to herself, running her hand down the marble creation.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching. She quickly ducked behind a nearby tapestry, only to see Draco Malfoy, of all people, walk by and stop in front of the statue. He then proceeded to do the oddest thing.
He leaned forward and smelled the statue. Ginny watched, puzzled, as he shook his head.
"Ginny Weasley," he muttered, before the statue slid back and he walked through the now-open doorway.
Ginny gaped as the stone slid back, the serpent statue remaining smooth and glistening.
Ginny slowly slid out from behind her hiding place, realizing what had just happened.
Was her name a password? Not just any password, though- the password to Draco's Head Boy room?
Or did he say something else, and could just suddenly tell that she had touched the statue?
She walked off in bewilderment, wondering what other strange things would happen to her next.
Either way, Draco Malfoy was a nut.
A bad nut.
Ginny shook the strange thoughts out of her head before heading off down the corridor to finish her Prefect rounds.
Notes on Chapter One:
I thought that this chapter was a little weird, but whatever. It's cool. Kind of. Not really. Obviously I'm not the optimist.
Oh, and if you thought that Ginny seemed a bit clumsy (Ginny Weasley, clumsy? What a thought…) I didn't mean for you to perceive that she was. Because she's not. Yeah. Or maybe I did make her a little clumsy (I need to know that awesome people are clumsy for consolement. Not really, but okay). So, sorry if she seemed clumsy. It's just the Hogwarts Express made a sharp turn. Yeah. Into a tunnel (Good thing Ginny didn't hold her breath; she may have passed out from an even greater lack of oxygen as she had just hit her head and probably had lost a little of the oxygen going to her brain. That's why she passed out, right?). And in the second case she was just trying to find that annoying little dude. Now, who could that be?
Ha ha! I got the "bad nut" thing from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Remember when Veruca Salt is labeled a "bad nut" and the squirrels throw her in the trash! HA HA! Okay, so I have a really weird sense of humor, but that's me.
This is my first fan fiction, let alone Harry Potter fan fiction, so PLEASE, oh please review! I am a devoted follower of Ginny/Draco (which, duh, this story is), so if you have a D/G fic, tell me the title and I'll try to read it (did I just say "D/G fic"? Oh well); I'm always looking for more!
Oh, and if you find any grammatical or punctual/durative errors, please alert me!
Thanks!
P.S. The punctual/durative thing was kind of redundant, but it reminds me what "durative" means when I forget. Heh heh (That was my guilty laughter).