Ginny Weasley had a hard time sleeping. She tossed and turned; but no, she couldn't sleep. Furrowing her brows in frustration, she fluffed up her pillow. Her head laid back onto a red pillow, beautifully embroidered with a picture of a lion. Her canopy was shining a gold in the moonlight streaking in from the half-way open window. Ginny closed her eyes, and tried to think of happy thoughts. Happy Harry... Her thoughts strolled to the raven haired, green eyed, blessed boy. Immediatly, her eyes popped open. She realized that she would never be able to sleep. She gave a surrendering sigh to the night, and carefully tip-toed out of her fifth year dormitory. Quietly closing the door behind her, she made her way down to the Gryffindor common room.
When she got to the bottom of the girls' staircase, Ginny noticed she wasn't alone. He was sitting there. Harry Potter was sitting with a small expression of his face. An expression of being in deep thought. Ginny knew this expression well, as her best friend, Hermione Granger, commonly wore that look when she did her essays. The young Weasley child took to notice that Harry hadn't realized that she was there. Concentrating on his face, illuminated by the dying firelight, Ginny suddenly felt no more silly schoolgirl crushes towards him anymore. Ginny mentally sighed, for no apparent reason.
The silence that screamed in the air was beginning to annoy Ginny, so she quietly made her way around the couch. She stood next to Harry, who didn't hear her feet hit the carpet.
"Harry?" Ginny asked, in a mere whisper. She forced herself to him a small, but weak smile. His head snapped up, as he drew in a deep breath; letting it out in relief. Vibrant green eyes locked on with coffee-bean brown ones. Ginny could feel a light blush creep up upon her freckled cheeks, and she turned her eyes to the fire. "I'm sorry, for scaring you, Harry. I couldn't sleep. I guess you couldn't either. I didn't mean to scare you, I just-- I didn't-- you just-- I thought-- you looked as if you didn't need to be bothered right now." The words stumbled out her mouth, as she tried to choose the right phrase. Harry was still looking at her with no expression on his face. Ginny turned her eyes towards him again. "I expect-- I should just-- I really should go. You want to be alone, I guess. 'Night." Turning away, Ginny mentally punched herself. Why couldn't she have just went back up to her bed?
"Wait." A hand reached out and grabbed Ginny's wrist. "I-- It's-- You can stay, if you want. I was just... thinking." Harry's voice was soft, but tired. He let go of her wrist as the red-headed girl turned back around. She made an 'o' with her mouth, and sat down gently beside him. The firelight cast eerie glows on the walls of the common room. Ginny stared straight a head at the flames, watching as they flickered to near death.
"So," she ventured, casually. "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing..." he trailed off.
"C'mon, you just said you were thinking. Now about what?"
"Nothing. You-- Ginny-- You just... won't understand."
"Harry," Ginny scoffed, looking at him. "I can read you like the back of my hand. Don't tell me I won't understand." Harry turned his head so their eyes aligned once more.
"Death, Ginny. My godfather, Sirius Black's death, and my parent's death, if you want details." His last sentence sounded a bit snippy, but Ginny didn't care. Anger was building up inside of her, and she didn't know why.
"Death?" she chuckled in an odd manner. "Death, Harry? You don't think I understand about death?" Her voice rose, to a higher, and angrier tone. "Harry, my older brother, the one I always looked up to, left the house. All right? All because of a stupid row with my father! My father almost got killed Harry! I came face to face with V-V-Voldemort Harry! And you have the guts to tell me, of all people, I wouldn't understand death?" Her last words came out in a hiss, and Ginny was standing, towering over Harry. Harry was visibly calm, but his voice thought otherwise.
"Ginny, j-j-just calm down, You're gonna wake the House!! And, besides, your brother leaving is noting compared with what I went through." His emerald eyes were pleading, but Ginny chose not to answer to them.
"Silencio! Harry, how dare you tell me to calm down! And, it's close enough, I tell you that! Here I am, trying to help you, when all you are is down in the dumps, and you tell me to calm down when you think I can't understand the image of death!" Ginny's voice was at it's highest peak, and her next sentences came out in a loud yell.
"HARRY JAMES POTTER!! I AM FUMING RIGHT NOW. I AM SICK AND BLOODY TIRED OF YOU THINKING THAT NO ONE UNDERSTANDS DEATH, BUT YOU. WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO AROUND BITING PEOPLE'S HEADS OFF ABOUT EVERY BLOODY LITTLE DAMN DETAIL!!! WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP YOU FROM HURTING YOURSELF HARRY! YOU'RE GONNA GO BONKERS IF YOU KEEP GOING ON ABOUT THIS!!" Ginny gasped for breath.
"It's my fault he died for no reason , Ginny!" Harry shouted, now standing himself. "If I hadn't--"
"HARRY!" Ginny scowled. "IT WAS NOT YOUR BLOODY FAULT!! WHY DO YOU KEEP BLAMING THINGS ON YOURSELF?! I'M SICK AND DAMN TIRED OF YOUR LITTLE PITY PARTIES!! AND HE DID DIE FOR A REASON, HARRY! HE DIED BECAUSE HE LOVED YOU!!" Harry ignored her as if she didn't interrupt him.
"IF I HADN'T LET THAT STUPID PROPHECY BREAK, AND IT WAS STILL THERE, THEN HE WOULD HAVE DIED FOR A REASON, GIN! BUT IT BROKE, AND HE FIGHTED FOR NOTHING! IT'S GONE. HE'S GONE. IT'S MY FAULT!" Infuriated, Ginny could no longer control her actions, and slapped Harry across the face. Hard.
"QUIT BLAMING YOURSELF, YOU DAMN ARSE! HE DID DIE FOR A REASON, PROPHECY OR NOT! HE WAS WITH THE ORDER. HE WANTED TO DESTROY, TO KILL V-VOLDEMORT! HE KNEW WHAT RISKS HE WAS TAKING, HARRY! HE DIED BECAUSE HE LOVED YOU HARRY! EVERYONE FOUGHT BECAUSE WE ALL LOVE YOU HARRY! We fought because it was right." Ginny tapered down her tone, and regained her calm composure.
"OK, fine. It was right. I'm wrong, and you're correct. But," Harry sighed, and plopped down on the couch, looking up at Ginny. "What if the Dursley's die next, huh? I mean, I wouldn't care, but they're the only family I have left." Harry chose his next words carefully. "I-I just... I can't think of what my life would be like."
"Harry..." Ginny whispered softly, sitting down beside him. "The Dursley's aren't your only family. You forget where you are." Ginny gave a small smile. "Hogwarts is your family. Ron, Hermione, Neville, Me... we're all your family, Harry. You just have to understand that." Harry turned away, and stared at the fireplace mantel. He sighed, and began to speak to Ginny again, without looking at her.
"It's not the same. You guys-- You all-- We're all just friends. It's not the same as family. The only people in the house who really, you know, care and love each other are the ones who are always walking hand in hand, snogging every chance they get. They are the ones like family, Gin. They love each other. Gryffindor... it's... just an excuse. Covering up what's not really there." Stealing a brief glance at Ginny, he saw her eyes welled up with tears. "I hate it, Gin. I just... Hogwarts isn't what it seems. You think that everyone is all happy go lucky, and we all get along great, but there's no love. There's spite, and there's my fault. They blame me. You see the sad looks they give me? It's sad, pitiful, and I hate it."
"Harry, t-t-the looks they give you... We're sad because you are. Your feelings, Harry, are shared with us. We cry with and for you and your loss. When you want space, we give it to you." Tears began to roll silently down Ginny's red splotched cheeks. "You... Harry, you think we don't care, and you think we don't understand but--"
"You don't understand, Gin. Your parents didn't die. OK? You didn't watch your Godfather die." Harry had turned back to the fire, and closed his eyes.
"We do understand, Harry. We mourn with you. You think there's no real family left, Harry. But there is. Us. Me. Ron. Hermione. We're your family." Ginny embraced Harry in a warm hug. "We love you, Harry, no matter what you think. You have to listen to me. Don't go blaming other peoples faults on you. Sirius got killed. You didn't kill him. We love you," Ginny repeated, pulling back. He was staring at Ginny as tears continued to roll down her face. "We love you." Standing up, Ginny said only eight more words before leaving up to her dormitory. "We love you, Harry, and I love you."
Walking quickly and wiping the tears from her face, Ron's younger sister went up the girls' staircase. She jumped on her bed, and buried her head in her arms. Tears now fell more quickly and heavily from her eyes, and she cried herself to sleep.
But back down in the common room, it was a different story. Harry mentally went over what happened. But only the last three words Ginny spoke echoed in his mind. I love you... Harry sighed. Why did he have to make her cry? All se did was try to help him, and he just had to shout at her. Ginny had said that he did have family with the Gryffindors... and they loved him. Harry didn't believe that they all cared for him, and wasn't sure that he had enough heart, left, the wasn't grieving, to care for the ones who did love him. But the raven haired boy was sure of something. He sighed once more, and got up. Harry went over to the boys' staircase. Before going up, Harry looked up the girls' staircase. He was so sure of this, it would pain him not to say the four words he longed to say. Even though no one was around to hear, he spoke them anyway. Harry thought of Ginny as he said the four words with deep emotion.
"I love you, too."
When she got to the bottom of the girls' staircase, Ginny noticed she wasn't alone. He was sitting there. Harry Potter was sitting with a small expression of his face. An expression of being in deep thought. Ginny knew this expression well, as her best friend, Hermione Granger, commonly wore that look when she did her essays. The young Weasley child took to notice that Harry hadn't realized that she was there. Concentrating on his face, illuminated by the dying firelight, Ginny suddenly felt no more silly schoolgirl crushes towards him anymore. Ginny mentally sighed, for no apparent reason.
The silence that screamed in the air was beginning to annoy Ginny, so she quietly made her way around the couch. She stood next to Harry, who didn't hear her feet hit the carpet.
"Harry?" Ginny asked, in a mere whisper. She forced herself to him a small, but weak smile. His head snapped up, as he drew in a deep breath; letting it out in relief. Vibrant green eyes locked on with coffee-bean brown ones. Ginny could feel a light blush creep up upon her freckled cheeks, and she turned her eyes to the fire. "I'm sorry, for scaring you, Harry. I couldn't sleep. I guess you couldn't either. I didn't mean to scare you, I just-- I didn't-- you just-- I thought-- you looked as if you didn't need to be bothered right now." The words stumbled out her mouth, as she tried to choose the right phrase. Harry was still looking at her with no expression on his face. Ginny turned her eyes towards him again. "I expect-- I should just-- I really should go. You want to be alone, I guess. 'Night." Turning away, Ginny mentally punched herself. Why couldn't she have just went back up to her bed?
"Wait." A hand reached out and grabbed Ginny's wrist. "I-- It's-- You can stay, if you want. I was just... thinking." Harry's voice was soft, but tired. He let go of her wrist as the red-headed girl turned back around. She made an 'o' with her mouth, and sat down gently beside him. The firelight cast eerie glows on the walls of the common room. Ginny stared straight a head at the flames, watching as they flickered to near death.
"So," she ventured, casually. "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing..." he trailed off.
"C'mon, you just said you were thinking. Now about what?"
"Nothing. You-- Ginny-- You just... won't understand."
"Harry," Ginny scoffed, looking at him. "I can read you like the back of my hand. Don't tell me I won't understand." Harry turned his head so their eyes aligned once more.
"Death, Ginny. My godfather, Sirius Black's death, and my parent's death, if you want details." His last sentence sounded a bit snippy, but Ginny didn't care. Anger was building up inside of her, and she didn't know why.
"Death?" she chuckled in an odd manner. "Death, Harry? You don't think I understand about death?" Her voice rose, to a higher, and angrier tone. "Harry, my older brother, the one I always looked up to, left the house. All right? All because of a stupid row with my father! My father almost got killed Harry! I came face to face with V-V-Voldemort Harry! And you have the guts to tell me, of all people, I wouldn't understand death?" Her last words came out in a hiss, and Ginny was standing, towering over Harry. Harry was visibly calm, but his voice thought otherwise.
"Ginny, j-j-just calm down, You're gonna wake the House!! And, besides, your brother leaving is noting compared with what I went through." His emerald eyes were pleading, but Ginny chose not to answer to them.
"Silencio! Harry, how dare you tell me to calm down! And, it's close enough, I tell you that! Here I am, trying to help you, when all you are is down in the dumps, and you tell me to calm down when you think I can't understand the image of death!" Ginny's voice was at it's highest peak, and her next sentences came out in a loud yell.
"HARRY JAMES POTTER!! I AM FUMING RIGHT NOW. I AM SICK AND BLOODY TIRED OF YOU THINKING THAT NO ONE UNDERSTANDS DEATH, BUT YOU. WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO AROUND BITING PEOPLE'S HEADS OFF ABOUT EVERY BLOODY LITTLE DAMN DETAIL!!! WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP YOU FROM HURTING YOURSELF HARRY! YOU'RE GONNA GO BONKERS IF YOU KEEP GOING ON ABOUT THIS!!" Ginny gasped for breath.
"It's my fault he died for no reason , Ginny!" Harry shouted, now standing himself. "If I hadn't--"
"HARRY!" Ginny scowled. "IT WAS NOT YOUR BLOODY FAULT!! WHY DO YOU KEEP BLAMING THINGS ON YOURSELF?! I'M SICK AND DAMN TIRED OF YOUR LITTLE PITY PARTIES!! AND HE DID DIE FOR A REASON, HARRY! HE DIED BECAUSE HE LOVED YOU!!" Harry ignored her as if she didn't interrupt him.
"IF I HADN'T LET THAT STUPID PROPHECY BREAK, AND IT WAS STILL THERE, THEN HE WOULD HAVE DIED FOR A REASON, GIN! BUT IT BROKE, AND HE FIGHTED FOR NOTHING! IT'S GONE. HE'S GONE. IT'S MY FAULT!" Infuriated, Ginny could no longer control her actions, and slapped Harry across the face. Hard.
"QUIT BLAMING YOURSELF, YOU DAMN ARSE! HE DID DIE FOR A REASON, PROPHECY OR NOT! HE WAS WITH THE ORDER. HE WANTED TO DESTROY, TO KILL V-VOLDEMORT! HE KNEW WHAT RISKS HE WAS TAKING, HARRY! HE DIED BECAUSE HE LOVED YOU HARRY! EVERYONE FOUGHT BECAUSE WE ALL LOVE YOU HARRY! We fought because it was right." Ginny tapered down her tone, and regained her calm composure.
"OK, fine. It was right. I'm wrong, and you're correct. But," Harry sighed, and plopped down on the couch, looking up at Ginny. "What if the Dursley's die next, huh? I mean, I wouldn't care, but they're the only family I have left." Harry chose his next words carefully. "I-I just... I can't think of what my life would be like."
"Harry..." Ginny whispered softly, sitting down beside him. "The Dursley's aren't your only family. You forget where you are." Ginny gave a small smile. "Hogwarts is your family. Ron, Hermione, Neville, Me... we're all your family, Harry. You just have to understand that." Harry turned away, and stared at the fireplace mantel. He sighed, and began to speak to Ginny again, without looking at her.
"It's not the same. You guys-- You all-- We're all just friends. It's not the same as family. The only people in the house who really, you know, care and love each other are the ones who are always walking hand in hand, snogging every chance they get. They are the ones like family, Gin. They love each other. Gryffindor... it's... just an excuse. Covering up what's not really there." Stealing a brief glance at Ginny, he saw her eyes welled up with tears. "I hate it, Gin. I just... Hogwarts isn't what it seems. You think that everyone is all happy go lucky, and we all get along great, but there's no love. There's spite, and there's my fault. They blame me. You see the sad looks they give me? It's sad, pitiful, and I hate it."
"Harry, t-t-the looks they give you... We're sad because you are. Your feelings, Harry, are shared with us. We cry with and for you and your loss. When you want space, we give it to you." Tears began to roll silently down Ginny's red splotched cheeks. "You... Harry, you think we don't care, and you think we don't understand but--"
"You don't understand, Gin. Your parents didn't die. OK? You didn't watch your Godfather die." Harry had turned back to the fire, and closed his eyes.
"We do understand, Harry. We mourn with you. You think there's no real family left, Harry. But there is. Us. Me. Ron. Hermione. We're your family." Ginny embraced Harry in a warm hug. "We love you, Harry, no matter what you think. You have to listen to me. Don't go blaming other peoples faults on you. Sirius got killed. You didn't kill him. We love you," Ginny repeated, pulling back. He was staring at Ginny as tears continued to roll down her face. "We love you." Standing up, Ginny said only eight more words before leaving up to her dormitory. "We love you, Harry, and I love you."
Walking quickly and wiping the tears from her face, Ron's younger sister went up the girls' staircase. She jumped on her bed, and buried her head in her arms. Tears now fell more quickly and heavily from her eyes, and she cried herself to sleep.
But back down in the common room, it was a different story. Harry mentally went over what happened. But only the last three words Ginny spoke echoed in his mind. I love you... Harry sighed. Why did he have to make her cry? All se did was try to help him, and he just had to shout at her. Ginny had said that he did have family with the Gryffindors... and they loved him. Harry didn't believe that they all cared for him, and wasn't sure that he had enough heart, left, the wasn't grieving, to care for the ones who did love him. But the raven haired boy was sure of something. He sighed once more, and got up. Harry went over to the boys' staircase. Before going up, Harry looked up the girls' staircase. He was so sure of this, it would pain him not to say the four words he longed to say. Even though no one was around to hear, he spoke them anyway. Harry thought of Ginny as he said the four words with deep emotion.
"I love you, too."