A/N Thanks so much for the reviews!
I would like to dedicate this chapter to yunie7777; my 200th reviewer!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or settings. They are owned my JK Rowling.
Chapter 29: What They Don't Know Won't Hurt Them
Finally, Hermione spoke again.
"Ginny?"
"Yes?"
"I have a plan."
Harry didn't know how long he had been lying there. It'd have to be more than an hour now. It's not that he wasn't tired, because he was; really tired. He just had way too much on his mind to allow himself that much needed sleep, deprived of him for 2 weeks. 'That's a lie.' He thought. To be honest with himself, he had too much Ginny on his mind. He just couldn't get her out of his mind. His mind was full of her; the image of her; her scent; her voice, every part of her, and he couldn't get her out of his head. The sight of her curvaceous figure, her somber face at King's Cross this morning had not left his mind. It had haunted him during the train ride to Hogwarts, but he was able to push the image and thoughts out of his mind by focusing on something else; namely Ron or Hermione. But now that he was in his new room, he felt more alone than he had in a long time. It wasn't the loneliness that got to him, it just seemed to magnify everything, and no longer could he hide from it.
Giving up on sleep for the time being, he pulled his sheets back and climbed out of his new four poster bed and crept silently out of the room and into the sitting room of the Head's dorm, which adjoined Ginny's room; the other Head's bedroom, though it was rumoured that in the past it had hardly been used, and had been added just for appearance sake. Knowing this didn't make it any easier for him to be there, seeing it, and feeling the way he did. He stared at the wooden door; as if seeing through the wood and into the room, where Ginny was lying awake, looking grim, and trying to think of plans to bring Harry back to her. Every now and then she would look over in the direction of his bedroom and whisper the repeated phrase 'You're not the only one who's hurting, Harry', which made her feel a little worse, knowing she had caused him that pain.
But Harry couldn't see through the door, nor could he hear anything from her room, so he abruptly turned his attention elsewhere.
The fire was blazing away, and the way it lit up the room somehow created warmth throughout the whole dorm. Harry sat down in front of the fire, on the red Gryffindor rug, and pulled his legs up to his chest; hugging them tightly.
Staring into the fire didn't necessarily take his mind off of Ginny, but for the time being it was a good enough distraction. He watched the flames rise and fall, then come back up again, and dance around the wood embers. His mind soon drifted off, and he found himself sorting through his thoughts, about the day, people's attitudes, and how he felt about being back at Hogwarts after only 4 months since the Battle. In reality, it had been plenty of time to recover from such an event, but mentally and emotionally it had hardly been time enough.
Not long after he'd sat down in front of the fire, he was shocked out of his daydream. He heard light footsteps and a small cough, which was quite peculiar considering that it was past midnight, and he was the only one awake. There was no one there though, so he turned back to the fire, shaking his head. He heard the same noise about 2 minutes after the first, but still, he saw no one. Deciding that he was going insane with fatigue, he tiptoed back into his room and lay down in his cold, empty bed; he fell asleep within five minutes of putting his head on the pillow, and had Ginny-filled dreams all night long.
The next morning Harry woke and dressed fairly early so he could try to avoid Ginny at all costs. Luckily, fate was in his favour and he was able to escape from his dorm, showered and dressed, ready for the day, before she had even made it out of her bedroom, and made his way slowly around the castle to the Great Hall, where breakfast was beginning to appear on the house tables; the small number of early risers gathered around their house tables brimming with the cheerfulness of another day.
Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table and piled a few pieces of toast, some bacon and a few eggs on his plate and worked his way through the hearty breakfast. Slowly, as he drank a glass of pumpkin juice, he noticed more and more students filing through the oak doors into the Great Hall. His breakfast lay forgotten as he stared amiably at the doors, awaiting the arrival of Ron and Hermione. And Ginny.
That thought shocked him. Well, didn't really shock him, but startled him. He started the day avoiding Ginny, and here he is crushing over her at breakfast. He shook his head in amazement, not aware he was smiling, looking goofy.
As he was sorting out his thoughts, Ron and Hermione had entered the Great Hall and had approached him, only to find him staring off into the distance, a weird expression on his face.
Ron slid down onto the bench across from Harry, and began talking to him a hundred miles a minute about something or other, until he realised Harry wasn't answering his questions. Hermione looked on at the two of them bemused.
"Harry? You alright mate?" Ron asked Harry, waving his hands in front of Harry's focus.
Harry nodded absentmindedly, still not quite aware of their sudden appearance.
"What were you thinking about?" Hermione asked, sliding into the seat next to Ron.
"Huh? Oh, hey. I uh . . . wasn't thinking . . . I was just . . . uh . . . sleeping. Yeah, I was sleeping. That's right." Harry said, picking his fork back up and continuing to make his way through his now-lukewarm breakfast.
"Sleeping? With your eyes closed, in the Great Hall?" Hermione inquired disbelievingly, holding back a smirk. She glanced at Ron, who was trying to do the same, but was failing, and just looked like he was giving birth to a rhinoceros, which made a few on-looking first years laugh and point their fingers.
"Well . . . uh . . . you see, I was . . . uh . . . tired, and I was . . . uh . . . already here, so I just . . . you know, went to sleep . . . but I wanted to . . . know when you guys got here, so I . . . uh kept my eyes open." Harry mumbled his argument not very believable, even to himself.
"Sure. Because that's so normal. But when you're ready to tell us what you were really thinking about, let us know."
Harry grimaced slightly at Hermione's reaction, though he knew it wasn't intentional, but felt bad anyway.
"I was thinking about Ginny." He said awkwardly, hiding his expression in a mouthful of toast.
He looked up to see their expressions, thinking they'd be ones of surprise and shock, but instead, they looked at him like he was stupid.
"What?"
"We knew that, mate. We wanted to know what about." Ron said obviously.
Hermione shook her head at Ron and then looked at Harry intently.
"What Ronald meant was that it was quite obvious you were thinking about her. What was so important about Ginny that distanced you for so long, with such a weird expression?" Hermione said, and she herself doubted that she was making much sense.
"Oh, it was . . ." Harry noticed Ginny walking into the Great Hall, and his stomach churned. He couldn't face her now, not when she was still all over his mind. "It was nothing. Listen, I just remembered something I've got to do. I'll see you later." Harry said, picking up his bag and stalking out of the Great Hall.
Ron called out to him through a mouthful of scrambled eggs, saying something that sounded similar to " ut u'll tiss de howl vost".
Hermione glared at him.
"Vat?"
She shook her head.
"Where's Harry?" Ginny asked, walking up to Hermione cautiously.
"Oh, he left a few minutes ago, something about doing something somewhere. Or something like that. Why?" Ron said after swallowing.
"Oh, uh, no reason." She said quickly, trying to cover her mistake.
"Ginny, don't worry. I told him." Hermione said to her friend, sipping her pumpkin juice.
She remained silent.
"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about." Ron said seriously, then took a mouthful of his bacon toasted sandwich.
Ginny eyed him curiously before relenting and sitting down heavily onto the bench across from the both of them, where Harry had only just vacated from.
Ginny picked up a croissant sitting in front of her and began nibbling on the corner of it worriedly.
Hermione was about to say something to Ginny when an owl flew down and fell onto Ron's plate.
"Can't believe mum's still sending letters through him. That owl's too old to be flying anymore." Ron said, removing the letter from Errol's foot, and moving him off of his plate.
Dear Ronald,
How are you dear? Eating well? I just thought I'd send you a quick letter with some cookies and such to keep you eating when you're studying – made them for Bill and Charlie as well. Have a nice first day.
Say hello to Hermione, Harry and Ginny for me.
Mum and Dad
"Mum says hello. She sent snacks." Ron said distractedly, looking around the table for the box of snacks Errol was carrying. He located them halfway down the Gryffindor table, and came back munching on the end of a gingerbread man.
"Ronald, you haven't even finished your breakfast! And your mum said they're for when you're studying." Hermione hissed crossly.
"'Orry." He mumbled through a mouthful of the gingerbread man's leg.
Meanwhile, Ginny was reading The Daily Prophet which had dropped into her lap after she paid the owl.
"Anything interesting?" Hermione asked, picking up a slice of toast.
"Kingsley's been named the official permanent Minister for Magic." Ginny said, skimming the page.
"That's wonderful! We'll have to send a letter of congratulations." Hermione said, searching her bag for a quill and parchment.
"Hermione, do you mind if we skip the letter for now. I need to ask you something." Ginny said, dropping The Daily Prophet into her bag.
"Sure. What is it?"
"Harry."
"I was wondering when he was going to come up. What's the matter?"
"Do you really think he'll want me back? I mean, it was my fault after all." Ginny said, stirring her cereal meaninglessly.
"Ginny. I do. Believe me."
Ginny didn't bother arguing with her, and continued to fiddle with her breakfast. She sat there for a few minutes, pondering what Hermione had said, but it didn't really sink in.
"Listen Hermione, I have some things I need to take care of. I'll see you later. Bye Ron." Ginny said to the both of them, before rushing out of there like a bat out of hell.
"You feel bad?" Ron asked Hermione.
"No. Should I?"
"Well, I mean, don't you feel bad about going behind their backs and 'match making'?" He asked curiously.
"Ron, I never thought I'd say this, but what they don't know won't hurt them. Honestly."
"If you're sure."
"I am, and if you even think about arguing that 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' then drop it, because Harry and Ginny are a special case. They're meant to be, and by being apart they're avoiding fate."
"So. What are your plans for the two of them?" Ron asked.
"I have no idea, to be honest. But I'm sure I'll think of something."
"That's what makes you Hermione." Ron said, pecking her cheek affectionately, then went back to his cold scrambled eggs.
A/N Okay, so reading back through this chapter it doesn't really seem to make much sense, but then, I'm the author, so I suppose I'm allowed to think that. Anyway, sorry this is a week late, it took a little more inspiration than I expected. I was actually a little disappointed with reviewers last week, of which I only received 8. I love writing, and your feedback helps me to write. I'd love to know what you think about the story, what you want to happen, what you think will happen, fanfic recommendations and any ideas you have for the story. Constructive criticism is also welcome.
Recommendations this week are:
Dead Without You by JadeSeraph
Time Changes Everything by GinnyK
Great Expectations by Cassandra's Cross
Little Red Wonder by MarielleAster
Finding Love Through Letters by Classic Pairs Shipper
Moving Out by Birchwood29
So, that's the recommendations for this chapter, feel free to recommend some to me, and I'll pass them on.
As always, I had great fun writing this, and I hope you feel the same way reading it.
Until next update, take care.
