disclaimer: don't own Harry Potter World or Kelly Clarkson lyrics
Author a/n: I uploaded the chapter but saw that it was bunched togther, i hate that, so I tried to fix it.
Chapter 9: Secrets
Maybe no one told you there is strength in your tears
And so you fight to keep from pouring out
But what if you unlock the gate that keeps your secret soul
Do you think there's enough that you would drown?
Ginny woke up with a new sense of purpose. It was time to put an end to all this nonsense, so she could get on with life with Molly. Yesterday she let Matthew make her vulnerable and weak, but today she would be unmovable and strong. Ginny knew it would take time to fully recover from what Matthew did to her, but she refused to lie down and let it consume her.
She didn't know who seemingly had a grudge against her besides Matthew. Ginny intended to find out who's behind the anonymous letters. Heaven help them when she found him or her.
Ginny had just finished getting dressed when there was a knock at her door, and she hesitated for a moment before answering.
Hermione walked through the door, and glared at Ginny. "Alright Ginny, no more of this I'm fine business. I want to know what was wrong with you last night, and I refuse to leave until you tell me." Hermione made herself comfortable on the couch as a way to show Ginny she was there to stay.
Ginny stood frozen for a moment wondering what she was going to tell Hermione in order to satisfy her concern. Ginny decided to tell Hermione the truth. She knew she could trust her.
"You're right Hermione. Something is very wrong, and I'll tell you everything. Please don't say anything until I'm done." Ginny proceeded to tell Hermione about Matthew's threats, the mysterious letters, and about what Matthew did to her including the paternity results.
Hermione's face turned as red as Ginny's hair. "That bloody bastard!"
Ginny couldn't help the small smile. "Language Hermione! I think you've been around Ron for far too long."
Hermione turned angry eyes onto Ginny. "This isn't a joking matter Ginny! You need to turn Matthew in, and let him rot in a cell for what he did to you."
"I know Hermione. Yesterday I felt too violated to tell anyone about what happened. I still feel violated, but I plan to report him today. I need to face this big mess he made," Ginny said as she sat down next to Hermione.
Hermione threw her arms around Ginny while tears ran down her cheeks. "I want to kill him for what he did to you. Are sure the paternity results are real?"
Ginny let out a sigh. "It looked real, and I did a spell. The results are real. There's no way Matthew can be Molly's father."
The two friends sat in silence while in deep thought. Ginny thinking about the affect this will have on Molly, and Hermione thinking about how to help her friend.
"Ginny can I ask you a question?"
Ginny didn't like the wariness in Hermione's voice. "Sure."
Hermione turned so her and Ginny were eye to eye. "Remember that incident you told me about in the letter you sent me right after you left for Australia?"
Ginny thought for a moment, and then she knew what Hermione was going to ask. "Yes."
Hermione took a deep breath and let it out. "Could he be Molly's father?"
Harry's flat….
"Ron, did you notice anything strange about Ginny last night?" Asked Harry.
Ron shrugged. "She's my sister. I think she's just plain strange."
Harry sighed. "Ron I'm serious. She wasn't herself at the Burrow last night, and this morning at practice Matthew was acting even more conceited as usual. Do you think he harassed Ginny again?"
Ron took a moment to think about what Harry had said. "Ginny was quieter than normal, and if Matthew so much as breathed in her direction I'll kick his arse."
"I'll be right there beside you mate," Harry said.
"There's just something about that bloke that I don't trust or like. He would have been a slimy Slytherin if he had gone to Hogwarts, and you know how much I hate snakes."
Harry laughed. "Him and Malfoy would have been the best of friends. Maybe even more than just friends if the rumors about Malfoy are true"
The best friends laughed, but were interrupted in their shared Malfoy bashing by an owl that dropped a letter in Harry's lap before flying away.
"I wonder who this is from. I didn't recognize the owl." Harry said as he opened the letter.
Dear Harry,
Are you sure you know your friends as well as you think? Are all your memories intact? The memory in the vial should answer these questions for you, but I'll give you a hint. Matthew is not the father of Molly, you are.
Sincerely,
The one who knows the truth
Harry couldn't believe what he was reading. Molly's father? Impossible, he never slept with Ginny. Was this part of whatever game Matthew seemed to be playing with Ginny. There was only one way to find out. Harry went into his room to get his pensive, and came back into the living room. He forgot all about Ron until he spoke up.
Ron stood in the center of the room clutching the letter Harry had dropped in his haste. "Please tell me you didn't sleep with my sister, get her pregnant, and then let her leave."
Harry poured the memory into the pensive, and then looked at Ron. "Ron I never slept with Ginny. I swear. I don't know what this is all about. Maybe I'll know more after seeing the memory.
Ron had a sour look on his face. "I'm coming with you. I don't bloody like any of this."
Harry and Ron fell into the memory. They landed in what looked like a park.
"Ginny and I came here the night before she left to talk and stargaze. I needed to leave because I had an early practice, and she said she was staying for a little bit longer, then she was going home. This isn't a lost memory," Harry told Ron.
The two walked a little further until they reached the memory Harry and Ginny lying on a blanket together.
"I need to leave Gin. I have an early practice tomorrow morning."
Ginny turned her head to look at Harry. "Do you have to go? It's so peaceful here, and who knows when we'll see each other again."
Harry grabbed Ginny's hand. "I know, but I really need to go. I'll miss you!"
Ginny brought their joined hands up to her cheek. "I'll miss you too!"
There was a slight shimmer to the memory, and the next thing Harry and Ron saw were two lovers under the stars which there could be no mistaking it as Harry and Ginny. The next scene showed Ginny standing over a sleeping Harry, and muttering the oblivate charm.
Then Harry and Ron found themselves out of the memory and standing in Harry's living room. The air crackled with silence, and anger. A loud thud echoed through the room.
Harry sat up from the floor rubbing his jaw. "What the hell was that for?"
Ron's face was red with rage. "You lying son of a bitch. You told me you never slept with Ginny. That didn't look like innocent star gazing to me."
Harry's anger began to match Ron's. "If you were paying attention to the memory you would have seen the reason why I told you I never slept with her. I COULDN'T REMEMBER IT," Harry yelled.
Harry stormed out his door, slamming it behind him. He intended to have a little talk with Ginny, but thought it would be better to take a walk first to calm down. He had never felt so betrayed.
Hermione had left Ginny alone to gather her thoughts after their eventful conversation that came from Hermione's one question. If Hermione was right, and he was the father, Ginny could expect things to get worse instead of better.
Ginny jumped when someone began to pound on her door. She's had more visitors these past few days than she's ever had. She was glad Molly stayed at her grandparent's house.
Ginny opened the door, and Harry stormed his way in. The walk didn't help him cool off. It only gave him more time to think.
"Harry, what are you doing here? What's wrong?"
Harry scowled down at Ginny. "What wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong. I got the most interesting letter today. A letter that revealed Matthew isn't Molly's father."
Ginny gave Harry a wary glance. "I can explain."
"How can you explain lying to me, to everyone about who Molly's father is?"
Ginny straightened up, and glared at Harry. "I never intentionally lied to anyone. As far as I knew Matthew was Molly's father. I never thought otherwise until he gave me the paternity results."
Harry took a step closer to Ginny, and she took a step back. "Why didn't you tell me I'm Molly's father?"
Ginny looked shocked. "You're not her father. Who told you that?"
"The letter I received not only said I was her father, but it contained a memory as proof, a memory where we slept together, and then you obliviated my memory."
"Are you mad? We never slept together!" responded Ginny.
Harry moved right up to Ginny, leaving no space between them. "I want a paternity test. I'm not going to believe the word of someone who invites many men into her bed."
As soon as he finished his sentence, Harry felt the sting of Ginny's slap.
"Get the hell out of here before you say anything else that will only make you look like a jackass." Ginny said through gritted teeth.
Harry looked into Ginny's eyes. He could see the sheen of tears she was holding back, but his was too angry with her to care. He moved by her, walked out the door, and slammed it shut.
As soon as Harry walked out Ginny allowed herself to deflate. She felt ill. The room was spinning, and she felt as though she might lose her lunch. Before Ginny could make it to the bathroom to splash cold water on her face, everything went dark.
Harry didn't even bother knocking. He just stormed into Ron and Hermione's living room.
"How could she do this to me? I thought… I thought we could have had something good between us one the Matthew problem was solved. Now I find out she's been lying to me. Who knows what else she's lied about?"
"I take it your talk with Ginny didn't go too well." Ron said.
Hermione stood up from the couch, and placed a comforting hand on Harry's arm. "Ron told me about the letter, and the memory. You shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, and gone over there angry. You shouldn't assume you know the whole story."
Harry looked at Hermione as though he'd never seen her before. "Are you serious? You're making it sound as though you think what she did was right."
Hermione shook her head. "That's not what I'm saying."
"She erased my memory so I would never know we were intimate, and that I'm Molly's father. Why?"
"Harry, you need to calm down. There are things you don't know."
Ron jerked his head up in Hermione's direction. "What do you know that we don't Hermione?"
Hermione turned pale at her blunder. She didn't mean to say this much. "It's not my story to tell."
Harry's face turned red. "That's just great Hermione. You're supposed to be one of my best mates, and yet you're keeping HER secrets. I wouldn't be surprised if you were in on her game."
Hermione slapped Harry at the same time Ron said "Back off Harry."
Hermione's breathing sped up with her anger. "I expected better from you Harry. At the moment I don't understand why anyone would want to be with you."
Harry looked at Hermione with eyes full of pain and outrage. "Ginny obviously wanted to be with me."
Hermione's eyes brimmed with tears, and in a choked voice she said "Ginny didn't sleep with you that night, or erase your memory. It was someone else with her, and his memory that was erased. If you had bothered to talk to her with a civil tongue she would have told you."
Hermione ran to the front door as Ron and Harry both called out to her. She knew Ginny was going to tell Harry about everything that was going on, including the night in question. Hermione didn't want to reveal Ginny's secret. She wanted to let Ginny tell the story. Hermione now needed to warn Ginny about what she told Ron and Harry. She only hoped Ginny would forgive her for opening her big mouth too soon.
Hermione knocked on Ginny's door, but when she didn't get an answer she let herself in. Ginny had known that Hermione would be back later, so Hermione doubted she would have left.
"Ginny, where are you?" Hermione called out.
Hermione walked towards the living room, and let out a shriek at seeing Ginny passed out on the floor.
Harry left Ron and Hermione's, and headed straight to a muggle bar so he could drown his sorrows without being recognized. He felt as though he didn't know up from down. He felt someone slid onto the bar stool next to him, and turned.
"Fancy seeing you here Harry," said a familiar female voice.
