A note to my reader: Sorry it took so long. I head a death in my family . My family has actually been dropping like flies recently so the posts may come slower than normal…

Chapter 21- Vermin Hunt

A strong northern wind had rolled in, causing a crisp air to course through the Hogwarts grounds. It was April, everyone was leaving for Easter Holiday, sans Harry, Hermione, Ron, Draco and Ginny. Draco was sure it would be a bad idea to go home (he had received a rather nasty howler from his father about befriending mudbloods and blood traitors), and had instead decided to spend it in the safety of Hogwarts.

Ron and Ginny had passed up a rare chance to go to Romania and visit their brother Charlie, who was researching dragons. It was predicted that he would spend a while there, they had just found a 13th (and supposedly final use) for dragon blood. Fred and George, however, wasted no time jumping into a rushed and somewhat unnerving conversation on how to best prank their older sibling.

Hermione's parents were going to brazil for the holiday to enjoy the exciting night life of Sao Paulo, which was perfect for her because (as she had exclaimed more and more) exams were upon her. She had wasted no time constructing study schedules, which greatly conflicted Harry's physical training, which he had started shortly after Valentine's Day.

Harry had decided to stay only because Ginny was staying. She was beginning to look and act more like she had before. It made Harry's heart soar, knowing that she was still the same, that he had not altered that. This made Harry act in the strangest of manners. He would stare openly, tuning out all conversations around him, and did not break his gaze until she looked up and smiled at him. His cheeks would color and he would tune back into the world around him; he usually found himself breaking up an infamous Ron/Hermione fight.

Numerous 'Pettigrew Sightings' kept him on his toes, but other than that, the wind had also seemed to bring a sense of calm, as if to wash away all the bad things that threatened everyone.

The cold had also brought Harry a supreme amount of heartache. Ginny's red hair seemed more vibrant than ever. The tip of her nose was perpetually red. It was time like these that Harry wished he were older, that he could swoop down and capture her lips then kiss the tip of her nose lightly. He would pick her up and carry her to a couch conjured in the Room of Requirements and lay her down, starting a fire in the cold fireplace. He would begin by taking her scarf off, kissing her the whole time. Then he would slowly unbutton her jacket, all the while whispering to her exactly what he planned to do to her, naughty things that made her melt into his arms. Abruptly, he would stop thinking of these things and turn a brilliant shade of red to rival any Weasley.

Ginny had become his life yet again. She was his heroin, his shot of firewhisky to get him drunk, his need for a nice cold shower. He would always be there for her when he needed him because there was nothing he would rather do.

"Harry?" Ginny had said during one of their bi-weekly study sessions.

"Yeah, Gin?" He blinked twice, not remembering when exactly he had turned to face her.

"You've been staring at me for almost an hour," she said pointedly. Harry's face heated up.

"Sorry," he muttered quietly. Get it together, Potter. If you can't get your raging hormones under control, how will you fight Riddle? He thought.

"Is this going to become a constant thing with you?"

"Huh?"

"This whole staring thing."

"Yeah, maybe," Harry said airily.

"Oh, okay," she said. After a moment, she asked, "Why?"

"What?"

"Why is this going to become constant?"

"What are you talking about?" He asked dreamily.

"Did someone slip you a love potion or are you just trying to scare me?"

"Yeah."

Ron chose that moment to walk into the room. Without looking up from his potions text he said, "Keep them in your head, Harry," before quietly walking up to the dorm for the night.

"I'm going to bed, Harry. You should head back to your dorm."

"G'night then, Gin."

Ginny walked up the stairs quickly, skipping over her first year dorm and stopping at the second year dorm rooms. She opened it quietly and peered around the room. She spotted Hermione engrossed in an Arithmancy book.

"Hermione," Ginny said, trying to get the older girl's attention. Hermione grunted for her to continue. "How do I know the difference between a love potion and when-"

"Harry likes you, now go to bed," Hermione said plainly, as if it were common knowledge.

"Err, right. Thanks Hermione," Ginny said quietly. She lay staring at the ceiling for the rest of the night, wondering how reliable Hermione truly was at these things. She finally decided that, as smart as she was, Hermione was very dense when it came to boys, especially her brother. They were the most obvious people in Hogwarts. The teachers even saw it. She decided she would not be falling asleep tonight. She got up and walked to her mirror. She could see her developing chest through the tight nightshirt she was wearing. She knew she was going to be curvy as it ran in the family, and only hoped Harry would notice.

Harry. She truly hoped Hermione was right. She had prayed in intervals throughout the night that he wasn't on a love potion, that this wasn't some cruel hoax someone had concocted. She was going to have to talk to Hermione later. Hermione was a very good listener, if you hide all the books in sight. With a wide yawn, Ginny stretched her arms out. She walked down into the common room. She heard what sounded like an argument from outside. Wondering who would be up at this hour, besides Dumbledore (Did Dumbledore ever sleep anyway?), she headed towards the portrait hole.

"I don't care how you knew the password; I'm not letting you in."

"That is not your job. Now open." The voice sounded scratchy. Probably a Slytherin, Ginny thought. She walked towards the opening, ready to tell the Slytherin off, and drawing her wand to practice her new version of the Bat Bogey Hex. She had reached her hand out when she heard a shriek. The portrait hole swung open. She was a balding middle aged man. He looked small and rat-like. That was the last thing she saw before her world went dark.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Harry woke with a start, as did his roommates. An alarm was going off inside the castle, the intruder alarm. Pettigrew, Harry thought immediately. He rushed towards the black door leading out to the dungeon, only to find it locked. It didn't matter though. As he sat down at the fireplace, Snape came striding into the room. He took one look at Harry and motioned him to follow.

Harry followed obediently, somewhat curious. "Where are we going?"

"Headmasters office," Snape said simply.

"Oh, okay." Harry followed a half step behind him. They made it to the landing at Dumbledore's office. When the door opened, his heart stopped. He saw a sea of red hair. The Weasleys were all there except-

Harry turned and strode out of the room quickly. His anger was boiling over and he made no move to control his magic.

"Harry! Harry, wait!" Dumbledore was striding close behind him. He reached out to stop Harry, but withdrew his hand quickly as his hand burnt.

"Shrieking Shack," Harry said gruffly behind his shoulder, suddenly sounding older than he seemed. He shot a stinging hex at the knob on the tree and disappeared through the opening. He heard talking.

"You hold something of his, something so easily broken. I wonder what it will be like for him, watching you die painfully. He'll find us, alone and without any adults to help him. He'll run to you, yes I can see it now." Peter Pettigrew was laughing gleefully, maniacally. "Speaking of which," he said, grabbing her hair, "here comes your hero now."

Ending note to my readers: Piss and moan all you want, you still haven't been to my forum. valorousknight and his angry monkey, bob.

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