Tranquilizer
A/N: My second fan-fic. Please enjoy and comment. Hate comments don't faze me, so don't even try it. – Bellz
Background: Harry Potter was only eleven when he found out he was a wizard. Now, years later, Harry heads back for his sixth year at the wizard school, Hogwarts. What he doesn't know is that this will be a year like no other.
SPOILER ALERT, but at this point, it's your own fault if you get spoiled – all the HP's have been out for ages. Have a nice day.
Chapter 1
The solid brick wall gave way like a bubble. There was a moment of silence, a pregnant pause, and then the bubble burst with a clatter of sound and color.
Harry emerged from the crowed Muggle train station and smiled, drinking in the familiar scent of Platform Nine and Three Quarters – the sweetly-charred smell of smoke and oil; the warm, exciting smell of leather and metal; and the sudden, dizzyingly sweet scent of Ginny Weasley's hair as she walked over to him.
"Hey Harry," she said, her eyes scanning the ground. "Have you seen Ron's homey-sensa-whatever? Mum's having conniptions."
Earlier that summer, Mr. Weasley had given each of them a homemade homing device that he had constructed after reading about them in a Muggle report.
"No eletrosity," he had said a little disappointedly, showing them the small, black buttons. "Would have liked to have tried… But this'll work just fine. I reversed a plotting spell – bit tricky, really."
For once, Mrs. Weasley had approved of her husband's tinkering.
"So we'll always know where they are?" she had inquired excitedly upon seeing them. "All the time?" (Many groans from the Weasley children followed these words.) Mrs. Weasley had immediately insisted that the buttons be always on their person, and now grew quite frantic when they didn't have them.
"Can't you just, you know, sense it?" Harry asked as Ginny made him lift his shoes to make sure he wasn't standing on it. "I mean, it is a homing device…"
"They only work when we have them," she replied exasperatedly, now searching Harry's back pockets, to which he didn't object.
After several minutes of searching, they finally found the small device in at the bottom of Hedwig's cage.
"Alright, now that we're all accounted for," Mrs. Weasley said, nodding happily as a disgruntled Ginny held up the lost device in a heavily owl-bitten hand. "I've got one last thing to say to you all..."
But just then, the whistle shrieked above the chatter and commotion of the station.
"Be good!" she called as they jumped and began pulling their luggage onto the train. "Don't get into trouble!" They slammed the door of the car and Mrs. Weasley rapped on the window. "Eat all your vegetables!" The train, now belching thick clouds of acrid smoke, began to move. "Write home!" She was now jogging beside the train. "No fornicating!" she hollered, and Ginny slunk down in her seat a few inches as Ron and Harry hooted with laughter.
"S'not funny," she grumbled and sulked behind a magazine.
"What's up with her?" Harry whispered to Hermione, taken aback by Ginny's suddenly surly mood.
"Oh, it's awful, really. I'll explain later," she replied in a mysterious undertone, and stole behind a book with the air of a secret-bearing martyr.
Ron, hearing this exchange, shook his head with disgust. "Women and their secrets."
Chapter 2
"Twinklebells," Harry said, and the Fat Lady opened with a yawn.
"If you say so."
In the common room, people lounged around the fire, chatting contentedly, full and cozy after the feast.
"Okay, now can you tell me what was up with Ginny on the train?" Harry said, backing a drowsy Hermione into a chair.
Hermione sighed. "Can't this wait until morning?" she asked. "I would like to go to bed, Harry. Classes start tomorrow, in case you've forgotten."
"Look, just give me the basics. I just want to know why she got so upset when Mrs. Weasley told us to – what was it? – eat our vegetables?" The rich feast always made him sleepy and dumb.
Hermione blinked, and then laughed. "She got mad because Mrs. Weasley yelled about not fornicating in school."
Harry stared blankly. "I don't follow."
"Honestly," Hermione sighed exasperatedly. "You can be such a simpleton, Harry. Look," she said, leaning closer in a confidential sort of way. "Last year, Ginny got into some pretty serious trouble."
"What? Why?"
"Harry, please, just shut up." Hermione sighed. "Well, first off, she was found snogging all over the place – behind statues, in old classrooms, even in Snape's supply closet. She kept getting detention, over and over again. But then finally, she got caught doing something even worse." Hermione lowered her voice, and looked over a Ron, who had fallen asleep on the rug and was now having his face turned egg-plant purple by a couple of giggling fourth-years. "Someone walked in on her and some other guy…well…" Hermione trailed off significantly.
Harry looked confused. "Where was I?"
"What?"
"Like, for all of this. Where was I?"
"Usually in detention with Umbridge."
Harry thought back to all the hours he had spent in Umbridge's kitten-filled office and shuddered. "Does Ron know?"
Hermione shook her head. "Only a couple of the girls know. Ginny was pretty ashamed."
The full impact of what Hermione was telling him began to sink in. "So…she had sex…with some guy." Harry's heart clenched oddly and he realized how much this bothered him. "Who was it?"
Hermione coughed. "No one…in particular." But Harry could tell she was lying by the way she glanced around, trying to appear innocent.
"Come on, Hermione, you can tell me. I swear I won't get angry."
Hermione twiddled her wand, still looking around, trying to avoid Harry's intense gaze.
"Hermione," he prompted. "Who was it?"
Finally, she sighed. "If you must know," she replied, looking upset. "It was Draco Malfoy."
Chapter 3
"What?" Harry cried, jumping to his feet and startling a group of chatting first years. "Draco?" He passed a shaking hand over his lips. "My God. Draco." He thought of that smug little bastard taking off his clothes and… Oh God. He shuddered, feeling as though he might vomit.
"You said you wouldn't get angry," Hermione whispered, looking scared.
Harry struggled to keep from screaming. "She can't have…" His hands clenched. "I can't believe she would do something like that!" His voice was rising. "I'm gonna kill that little son of a -"
"Harry!" Hermione interjected quickly. "Please!"
Harry suddenly realized that everyone was watching them. Even Ron had awoken, his face now a delicate shade of Easter green.
"Oh."
Just then, Harry caught sight of Ginny staring at him from a corner. Her mouth was open and she looked as though she was about to burst into tears.
"Ginny…I…"
But before he could speak, she got up quickly and ran up the spiral stairs to the girl's dormitory. Hermione hurried after her, shooting an incensed glare at Harry.
Harry stood dumbfounded. The whole common room was silent for a long moment, then slowly, the chatter broke out again, now hushed and fervent.
"What was that all about?" Ron said, looking confusedly between Harry and the stairs where the girl's had just disappeared.
Harry looked at his friend's concerned expression and couldn't bear to tell him what Ginny had done. With a jerk, he brushed Ron away and hurried up the stairs, leaving Ron standing alone.
That night, Harry sat on his bed with the curtains of his four-poster drawn tightly. In one hand he held his illuminated wand, in the other, the Marauder's map. He watched as Ginny's dot moved around the girl's dormitory tower for hours, until finally, well after midnight, it went still.
Chapter 4
The next morning, Ginny avoided Harry. In fact, he didn't see her again until that night when he walked back into the common room. The moment she saw him, she snapped her book shut and hurried up the stairs before he could reach her.
He even tried following her once, only to be dumped back on the floor in a heap when the stairs flattened out into a chute that caused his feet to slide out from under him, much to most people's amusement.
This continued for nearly a week. Finally, Harry decided he had to take matters into his own hands if he ever wanted to talk to Ginny again.
One morning, after everyone else had left for breakfast, Harry curled up in a chair to wait for Ginny. She had taken to leaving late to avoid Harry, but this time, he was expecting her.
Finally, Ginny came down, looking tired. Harry stood quickly, placing himself between her and the door.
Ginny looked up and her face fell.
"What do you want? I thought you hated me."
Harry's stomach clenched uncomfortably. "I don't hate you."
"Then move." She tried to brush past him, but he grabbed her by the arm.
"I just want to know why."
Ginny avoided his gaze. "Why what?"
Involuntarily, Harry's grip on her arm tightened. "You know what."
Ginny sighed. "Draco."
Harry nodded.
"I know I shouldn't have done it," she said finally. "But…I had to."
"Oh really? You had to?"
Ginny clenched her teeth. "Yes, I had to."
"Oh yeah? How do you figure? Because last I heard –"
"Harry!" she said suddenly. "Stop patronizing me one second and listen." She jerked her arm out of his hold and took a step back.
"I did it for you," she said, dramatic and furious. "You, although I guess that was a mistake."
"Me?" Harry tried to imagine a rationale for that. "What do you mean?"
"You remember that stupid little Inquisitorial Squad Umbridge had?"
"Yeah, so?"
"And do you remember who was in charge?"
"Draco, I guess," Harry said, loosing footing and feeling like a moron.
"I was trying to bribe him."
Something was beginning to dawn on Harry. "Bribe him?"
"Yes," Ginny said, looking as though she was about to cry. "I was trying to get him to leave you alone. I had gone to the others first, flirting and snogging all over the place." Tears were now coursing down her cheeks and Harry took a step back, feeling his stomach drop. "But it didn't work. So I went to Malfoy. And he fell for it." Ginny laughed shortly, then sobbed. "But then someone found us." Ginny hiccupped, now crying freely.
"Hell…" Harry whispered. "Ginny, I had no idea." When he held out his arms for her, she fell into them, crying against his chest.
"Wanna go upstairs?" he asked quietly after a minute. Ginny nodded, still hiccupping.
Up on Harry's bed, Ginny calmed down a little.
"I should have told you sooner," she admitted, wiping her face on the corner of Harry's sheets. Harry sat beside her, feeling awkwardly defeated.
"I'm sorry I judged you," he said reluctantly.
"You are?" she said, looking up at him with red, tear-rimmed eyes. "Good." She smiled a little. Then, suddenly, she leaned across the bed and kissed him.
Harry blinked, surprised, then, slowly, leaned into her, kissing her back.
She was a good kisser, Harry thought to himself, folding her into his arms.
Then, suddenly, her hands found the clasp of his cloak. Deft hands slid the heavy fabric down his shoulders, letting it pool in thick folds. Surprised, Harry tried to back away, but Ginny held him closer.
"Ginny…" he whispered, but she kissed him again, deeper. Harry let her pull him down onto the bed.
"We shouldn't…" he whispered, but Ginny laughed.
"Says who?"
Just then, however, a voice broke between them and Harry jumped.
Chapter 5
"Harry!" The voice was loud and urgent. "Harry!"
"What was that?" Harry shot up, pulling his cloak back around himself.
"What was what?" Ginny asked, confused. "Harry, come on." She tugged at him, and finally, he lay back down, feeling as though they were being watched.
But no sooner had he resumed kissing Ginny when the voice spoke again, closer, louder.
"Harry? Can you hear me?"
Harry sat up again.
"What now?" Ginny sounded annoyed.
"Can't you hear the voice?" Harry was beginning to get a little scared.
Ginny, on the other hand, was beginning to get a little pissed.
"No," she said curtly, and practically shoved Harry down. But Harry sat up again.
"Harry! Harry! Oh my, I do believe he can hear us!"
Other voices began to clamor around them, calling his name.
"Okay, can you seriously not hear them?" Harry demanded, standing. His knees were beginning to shake. Ginny realized that he was serious.
"What on earth are you talking about?" she said. "Harry, are you okay?"
Above him, or somewhere, the voice asked the same thing.
"No!" Harry shouted. "No, I don't know! Ginny, you've got to help me!"
Just then, Harry jolted horribly as a strange electric pain shot through him. For a moment, he saw nothing but a bright light, a bright face, but it faded back to Ginny, who was now staring at him.
"I'm going to go get help," she said, her voice scared. "Harry, stay here." Ginny hurried down the stairs, her fan of red hair streaming behind her.
"Ginny!" Harry called, but a moment later, he was struck with another wave of that strange pain. This time, the light was dimmer, the face clearer.
"Harry!" it said. "Come on, Harry, you can do it!"
Harry gasped, terrified, as the dormitory came spinning back into view. But no sooner had he focused, the pain hit him again.
The face was old. Glasses. A long crooked nose.
Harry was on his knees, gasping.
There were others, more faces.
The dormitory was spinning around him.
A red-haired figure. Freckles.
Ginny was kneeling by Harry's convulsing frame.
"Hold on," she whispered, or was it the voice?
Dumbledore was beside him, and the pain hit him, and he was still there.
Waves of pain hit him over and over, one after the other, until finally, everything wove itself into black.
Chapter 6
"Harry, can you hear me?" The voice was not unfamiliar in and of itself. It was the tone. The tone was different.
"Yes," Harry murmured. "I can hear you." His mouth was dry and his words felt tight and uncomfortable in his mouth. He coughed, struggling to open his eyes.
"Now don't hurt yourself," the voice said. "Just relax. You've just had a hell of a shock." A soft chuckle.
Harry managed to open his eyes. A kindly old face with a long crooked nose and bright blue eyes was smiling down at him.
"Dumbledore?" Harry croaked. He coughed again, vaguely aware of the room coming into focus around him. "What happened?"
Behind Dumbledore, a red-haired figure shifted.
"Ginny?"
Dumbledore smiled. "Glad to see that your memory is returning. We were getting a little worried."
Ginny smiled. "Glad to see you awake, Harry. It's been a while."
But Harry frowned. There wasn't something right about the situation. The voices were too cheerful, the room was too bright. Something was wrong.
"Where am I?" Harry asked, struggling to sit up.
"Sh, sh," the strange Dumbledore crooned gently. "Calm down." He put a hand on Harry's shoulder and gently pushed him back down. "Don't exert yourself."
"Where am I?" Harry repeated, getting a little panicked. "This isn't right!"
Dumbledore sighed. "I was worried this would happen." He turned to Ginny and gave her a meaningful look. "What's the last thing you remember?" he asked, turning back to Harry.
"I was in my dormitory," Harry recalled. "I…I was getting ready to go down to breakfast." Harry glanced up at Ginny. "I was with…someone."
The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched. "With whom?" he asked gently.
"Just…a friend." Harry glanced up at Ginny again, but her expression didn't change. She was watching with calm concern.
"I see said," Dumbledore. "And you have no memory of this place?"
For the first time, Harry really looked around. They were in a brightly lit room with white walls. It was strangely empty. Harry looked down. He was laying on a narrow white bed.
"St. Mungo's?" Harry guessed. "It's not Hogwarts, I don't think."
Dumbledore sighed again. "Indeed it's not." He frowned. "You have no memory of this room?"
"No," Harry said, panicked confusion beginning to grip him. "Should I?"
"Harry," Dumbledore said slowly, leaning in. "Have you ever heard of the East London Psychiatric Hospital for Children?"
Harry's stomach tightened. "No."
"Well," Dumbledore said, giving Ginny another glance. "You've been here for six years. We've been treating you for acute schizophrenia. Ever since you began having these…hallucinations."
Harry couldn't breathe. "Hallucinations?" he repeated slowly.
"Yes. An imaginary world called 'Hogwarts.'" Dumbledore said. "A friend named 'Ron.' It is interesting to note that most of the people you encountered bear a striking resemblance to the members of my staff." Dumbledore hazarded a smile, but Harry was beginning to hyperventilate.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he shouted, trying again to sit up. "They're real! I know they're real! And Voldemort, what about him? Are you saying he's not real, too? I fought him!"
"Yes, Harry, so you've told us before."
"No!" Harry screamed. "I've never seen you before! This isn't happening!"
Harry began to scream, jerking around on the bed, trying to get up.
"Nurse!" Dumbledore said quickly. Ginny hurried over, a needle in hand. "We're going to need to sedate him again."
Chapter 7: Bonus Chapter
"Harry, can you hear me?" The voice was familiar.
Harry immediately jerked awake. He was lying flat on his back in the boys' dormitory. Dumbledore was standing above him, looking concerned.
"Harry, are you okay?"
Harry sat up shakily. "Yeah." He looked over a Ginny, who was kneeling beside him, looking terrified. "I'm fine."
"What happened?"
"I dreamed that I was… in a hospital," Harry said slowly, getting shakily to his feet. "And there was a doctor who looked just like you." He leaned against his four-poster, feeling dizzy. "He said… that this was all a hallucination…"
Dumbledore frowned. "Oh dear. Not again."
A/N post note: Well, this turned out very differently than I had planned. Originally, I had started out with a vague idea to write something more along the lines of my first story, Amid the Poppies, but as the plot developed, I actually kind of got into it and I was actually quite pleased with the way this turned out. How you liked it, or were at least surprised, because I know I was.