Chapter 10 Finished

It took two weeks before I found what Ginny had been using on Harry to keep him be-spelled. Literally. After grueling research and going through at least three-dozen large tomes, I finally found the answer. Glamour. It was well know that glamour could change the appearance of a person in slight and extreme ways, but what was less known, was that if studied and mastered, a person could use it to influence people's decisions. Just as easily as they could influence them to see blue eyes instead of brown, they could make that person think that they were the cat's meow.

It took some work, but I finally confirmed my theory with a quick trip to the flat she shared with Pansy. Both girls were out shopping, thanks to some help from Draco. He called Ginny and pretended to be from Twilfit & Tatting's, where she had ordered the bridesmaids robes, and told her they had been lost. I only wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that conversation. I had a small window of time in which I could safely sneak in and out, so I would have to drill him for all the details later.

Their flat was pink. I mean even Barbie doll would take issue living there, it was so pink. I had a sudden fear wash over me as I realized this is what she was probably doing to Grimmauld Place now. I shuddered. Poor Harry, he really had no idea what he had gotten himself into, did he? I located which room was Ginny's easily enough, as her name glittered on the door with a framed portrait of herself attached underneath. What was she, a movie star?

The room had the easiest locking spell I had ever broken attached to it. I guess she never really anticipated breaking and entering by anyone but a Muggle, though I'm not even sure the spell would have kept them out. This room was as yellow as the living room had been pink. Every surface was covered in different shades of it. I was never a big fan of yellow; I would have been rubbish in Hufflepuff.

Against the far wall were her bed and a bookshelf on either side of it. I went to the shelves first and found all I needed in the bookshelves. Every single tome was dedicated to the art of glamour magic. She had never even bothered with anything else. Although, I guess some people would say she hadn't needed to since the glamour got her everything she ever wanted. I flipped through the books and, sure enough, several passages were flagged and highlighted, all referring to mental manipulation and persuasion. That bitch.

I was ready now to take her down for good. The counter for her magic was so simple it was silly, and now all I had to do was find her, preferably with Harry.

--

I found Grimmauld Place bustling with people when I arrived later that evening. It seemed I had come during the promising occasion of their wedding shower. Oh, goodie. I was happy to find that no pink had yet wormed its way into the sitting area; I would have to check the other rooms later.

Everyone shifted uncomfortably when I walked into the room. I'm sure they had all heard by now that my relationship with Harry was a tad strained at the moment. No doubt this is why I had failed to be invited to this little soiree. I waved to the people I knew and actually liked and gave Harry a hug. He was the only one in the room who looked genuinely happy to see me. Ginny on the other hand looked seething.

"Hermione, it's inappropriate to come to a wedding shower uninvited, and since you don't even have to good sense to have a gift, I think I must ask you to leave." I almost couldn't hold back the shock of her being so rude to me in public. She must be gaining confidence now that the wedding was only days away.

"Oh, but Ginny dear, I do have a gift." Though I had the feeling that Harry would get more out it than she would.

I made my way to the front of the little gathering, shifting aside some of the gifts with my foot. I took a champagne glass from the tray being carried around by a portly little house elf, and filed that new tidbit away for further examination at a later time. I clinked the glass with my wand and cleared my throat. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm glad to see you all gathered here today to celebrate the wedding festivities of my good friend Harry. Some of you have known him as long as I have, and I think you all wish him every happiness in the world, as I do. That being said, I only have two more 

things to say."

I raised my wand and pointed it at Ginny. "Finite glamour."

The counter-magic was simple enough, but I couldn't tell right away if it had worked.nI knew that it did, however, when all the confused looks transferred from me to her. Harry looked the most horrified. Ginny, however, apparently didn't understand what I had done, at least not right away.

What I hadn't expected was the change in her physical appearance. Her hair went from a vibrant dark red to an orange red, which looked much more like her family. Her freckles darkened and her face filled out, becoming softer and plumper, as did the rest of her body. She looked like a young Molly, soft and plump and ginger, just as she should.

Almost at once, various guests began excusing themselves or sneaking out altogether in order to avoid getting caught up in the hostilities that were sure to come. The only people left in the room were Harry, Mrs. Weasley and me. Molly, if possible, even angrier than Harry did. There was no way I was going to miss this.

Ginny tried to speak, tried to explain, but it was obvious what she had done and why, and there really was no good excuse for it. She just looked down at her own feet, and I felt a flicker of her power wash over me, but squashed it down. Looking over, I saw Harry and Molly doing the same.

"Young lady, you ought to be ashamed of yourself! I cannot believe my only daughter is capable of such a terrible act of magic. I should turn you into the Ministry myself."

Harry placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked directly at him. "Harry, you have to believe we knew nothing of her actions against you. We could all see the changes in her, but we thought it was just the woman she was turning into. No matter how disappointed we were in her behavior, we never suspected anything like this."

"I know," Harry said calmly, though a look into his eyes could see him seething with anger. "No one suspected it, not even me. No one except my brilliant Hermione, of course." He looked at me then, and I could see the thanks in his eyes, coming to surface above the anger. "I'm not sure if we should turn her into the Ministry or not…"

At these words, Ginny turned a pleading face up toward Harry and her mother. I could feel her fear; it was a palpable presence in the room. "Please, Harry… Mum, Please, no. I promise I won't ever do it again."

Molly shook her head, and I could tell that this was one of the hardest things she would ever have to decide. Eventually her head dropped from exhaustion, "I don't know if I can ever trust you again, Ginny." With that sentiment, she pulled the girl up and dragged her reluctantly to the door. "I'm sorry, Harry, this is your decision as much as it is mine, but I'm not sure I have the strength to send her to the Ministry."

He nodded his understanding. "Keep her at the Burrow and we'll talk on it in a couple days after you and Arthur have had time to discuss things." He paused before adding, "Ginny, I hope you understand that we're finished." There was no emotion in his words, just a terrible empty coldness.

I sighed. Harry was so diplomatic. Me? I would have broken her wand right there. Nobody fucks with my friends and gets away with a stern talking to. Rubbish.

--

It was silent for a long time after Molly and Ginny left. I could see Harry trying to put his thoughts into words, but too confused to do so. I pulled him over to the sofa and squished up next to him. "Sorry I had to do that," I said finally, something, anything to break the silence that was pressing into me.

"You only did it to protect me," he replied. "Would you have still done it if I were truly happy with her?"

I thought about it for a moment. "If you were truly happy with her, I wouldn't have had to do it."

That answer seemed good enough for him, and he rested his head on my shoulder. "What am I going to do now?" he 

asked, a little too shakily for what I liked from him.

"You move on."

"Like you?"

"Like me."

Then there was silence again, but this time it was slightly more comfortable.

--