9
Saving the Saviour
Chapter 29: A Couple of Steps Forward
Ginny awoke feeling like she'd been trampled by a herd of wild Hippogriffs. What surprised her the most was how much she ached physically. She had expected to feel tired and maybe even weak magically but she hadn't dreamed that she'd hurt so much.
She sighed deeply, wondering if there was any way she could spend the whole day laying there in bed with Harry. She really would prefer not to have to move if she could help it.
She idly wondered what time it was and she didn't feel like opening her eyes and trying to get a look at the clock. The would require movement, something she was loathed to do at the moment.
She silently cursed the fact that Harry's bedroom didn't have any windows because she couldn't just crack her eyes open to see how light it was outside.
She was just wishing that Fawkes wouldn't show up any time soon when she felt a hand caress her cheek.
"How are you feeling?" Harry asked with great concern.
Ginny leaned into Harry's tender touch and smiled. "To tell you the truth, I feel as spineless as a Flobberworm and like I've been run over by a herd of wild Hippogriffs," she replied.
"Why didn't you stop when I told you to?" he asked, trying to keep his irritation under control.
"I couldn't stop without risking doing severe damage to your brain and I'm pretty sure you didn't want to end up as a vegetable," Ginny replied rather apprehensively.
She lay there cuddled next to him for several moments and grew concerned when he didn't say anything or move for that matter.
Glancing up, she saw him staring off, his eyes slightly widened and he was white as a sheet.
"Harry," she cried softly as she crawled up his body until she was sitting beside him in the bed. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into her tightly. "It's okay. Everything is okay," she whispered reassuringly.
She heard him swallow and ask softly "Why didn't you tell me that could happen?" His voice was laced with hurt and uncertainty.
Ginny sighed sadly. "I didn't want you to worry and try to keep me from helping you," she replied softly, her voice tinged with the anguish she was feeling.
Harry blinked rapidly and Ginny could see a couple of tears begin to trail down his cheeks. "You should have told me," he choked out emotionally.
"Maybe I should have but what's done is done," she replied softly.
"Please don't ever do that again," Harry muttered, still fighting his tears.
"Harry, I can't promise you I won't ever do something similar again if it's necessary," she snapped sadly but firmly. "You mean too much to me for me not to risk everything for you."
Harry huffed irritability but then it hit him, Ginny had risked herself just as much as she had him.
"Ginny," he fumed, his anger rising.
"No, Harry," Ginny snapped hotly. "You can't tell me what to do. You are the one destined to defeat Tom. I'm only here to help you accomplish that."
Harry's look softened. "Ginny, you are so much more than that," he sent tenderly but morosely.
Ginny sighed, knowing that what he said was true. "I know, I was exaggerating trying to prove my point," she cried in frustration.
Harry rolled his eyes, frustrated himself. "Ginny, my love. You seem to keep forgetting that my Mum said you are the key to it all. Without you I couldn't go on, couldn't do what I have to do," he murmured tenderly.
"I haven't forgotten for one second. It's you who seems to have forgotten that you're the one destined to kick Tom's arse," she huffed in frustration.
"Trust me, I haven't forgotten that," Harry said sadly, his eyes filled with pain.
"Oh, Harry," Ginny cried softly, caressing his cheek. She could sense his doubt in his own abilities to finish Tom for good, something she couldn't understand. Hadn't they just recently handed the wanker his arse on a platter? And that was when Harry was still weakened from having a severe head wound.
She leaned in and tenderly kissed him, trying to let him know that she had faith in his ability to fulfil his destiny, that he would grow into the Wizard he needed to be.
Harry sighed and gave himself over to Ginny's kiss, not wanting to argue with her any more.
Ginny smiled and sighed contentedly when she felt Harry relax into her, returning her kiss. Feeling a little better, she smiled impishly and took hold of Harry's hand and placed it on her breast outside of her nightdress.
She felt Harry stiffen and she had to fight to keep from giggling. "I want you to touch me there," she whispered reassuringly.
Harry smiled shyly and began to gently massage the warm pliant flesh he felt, letting his fingers explore the wonders he found. His eyes widened slightly when her felt her nipple begin to harden, something he didn't recall from his explorations the previous night. He wasn't sure if it hadn't happened or that he had been so distracted by what he had been doing for the first time that he hadn't noticed
Ginny moaned softly, loving what Harry was doing to her. It felt so bloody brilliant. She laid back, her eyes fluttering closed as she enjoyed the sensations he was causing.
Feeling embolden, Harry placed his other hand on Ginny's other breast, copying what he was doing to her first.
"Oh, Harry," Ginny murmured. "That feels so good."
Harry snuggled down against the side of Ginny's body and captured her lips in a loving kiss.
A warmth filled both of them as their connection intensified, adding to the feelings of love both were experiencing.
Ginny began to let her hands roam too, though not touching him anywhere he wasn't touching her. Her hands ran over his shoulders and down across his chest and around onto his back.
She found herself smiling as it appeared Harry like her touching him as much as she like him touching her. She was also please to feel that he had a bit more mass to his body than it had in the past.
With being fed a regular and nutritious diet instead of what little his relatives had fed him, he was putting on weight and she was sure his muscle mass would improve now that they were going to be more active physically. All things that Ginny knew were good things.
Just how long they laid there kissing and exploring each other's bodies, Ginny didn't know, not that she cared either.
After a time they reined things in and began to cool down, finally just cuddling together and tenderly holding on to each other.
It wasn't much later that Fawkes appeared but instead of immediately offering his tail feathers to Ginny, he landed on the top of the headboard and began to croon a soft comforting tune.
"That's strange," Ginny observed as the Phoenix landed and began to sing.
But both she and Harry took great comfort from the soft music that seemed to fill their very souls as opposed to just their ears.
As the song permeated deep into them, they felt their connection strengthen and they felt closer than ever before. There was also a sense of contentment, of peace and above all, love.
Slowly the song faded away and they both sighed, smiles on their faces.
"That was so beautiful," Ginny sent softly.
"Yes it was," Harry agreed, smiling at her.
Ginny giggled softly.
"What?" Harry asked.
"I feel one hundred percent better," Ginny marvelled, no longer feeling tired or sore.
Fawkes trilled what they interrupted as a cheeky "You're Welcome."
The magnificent Phoenix then launched himself into the air, circled once before hovering over Ginny, wagging his tail feathers.
Ginny sighed, gave Harry a quick kiss and then grabbed on. In a flash, she and Fawkes disappeared, leaving a despondent Harry laying there, wishing she didn't have to leave every morning.
Deciding that laying there and brooding wasn't healthy, he rose and began to get ready for the day.
Harry and Ginny
Albus Dumbledore was finishing his breakfast and had just swallowed the last of his pumpkin juice when he felt a strange sensation. It took him a moment to figure what was causing it.
Staring down in disbelief, he watched as his magnificent beard began to shrivel and shorten. He looked on in horror as it finally disappeared completely.
Hoping it was an illusion, he tentatively patted his face. His eyes darted about, wondering if anyone had noticed. He sighed in relief when it appeared that no one had and he was trying to figure out how he could withdraw gracefully without drawing undue attention to himself when someone at the Ravenclaw table gasped and began to laugh.
Slowly at first, several more students began to join in the laughter until it seemed that every student was staring at him roaring loudly.
Minerva heard the first peals of laughter start to ring out and she wondered what someone found so funny. It wasn't until several more students began to join in, that she noticed they laughing students who were looking at the head table and the Headmaster specifically.
It took all her willpower and years of experience at remaining stoic that allowed her to keep from reacting, other than raising one eyebrow as she stared at the sight that she beheld. Who knew that someone as powerful as Albus would have such a weak chin. No wonder he wore a beard.
With a speed the belied his age, the ancient Wizard disappeared at a run from the Great Hall.
Minerva let the laughter go on for a couple of moments before she cast a Sonorous charm and called for quiet.
It was a testament to how highly the students regarded her as the students fell silent quickly.
"While I'm sure everyone enjoyed this morning's entertainment, I must inform you that if the perpetrator or perpetrators are caught, you will be dealt with severely," she intoned ominously, her eyes sweeping the tables, trying to pick up any hint of who was responsible.
Not that she didn't think it wasn't funny or that Albus probably deserved it, but she couldn't in all good consciousness allow such actions taken against the staff to go unpunished. Who knew who could be the next target, though she did have a short list of her own and Albus' name was certainly at the top of that list at the moment.
That thought brought another unbidden into her mind and she glanced down the table at Poppy. While at first she didn't look any different than Flitwick with whom she was talking, at closer inspection there seemed to be a bit of a knowing gleam in the matron's eyes.
"No, she couldn't be involved," Minerva thought to herself. "She's never do such a thing."
The more she thought about it, the harder it was to convince herself that the usually proper woman wasn't somehow involved. Though she wasn't sure, Minerva vowed to herself to keep a close eye on things to see if she couldn't discover the truth.
Though virtually every student in the Great Hall was laughing, there was one exception. Hermione Granger frowned at the spectacle playing out around her. She couldn't conceive of someone pranking the Headmaster in such a way.
Her first inclination was to blame Fred and George but when she looked at them, she was sure they weren't involved. Oh sure they were laughing hysterically but they weren't exhibiting any of their normal behaviours that they let show when they had managed to pull off a particularly difficult or spectacular prank.
She had learned over the years to spot the subtle signs they displayed when they had done so. There was a certain look that they passed between one another and a couple of other barely perceptible actions that she had discovered.
"That was bloody brilliant," she heard next to her.
Turing, she glared at Ron, who was smiling goofily. "Really Ronald, such language," she scolded hotly.
"What? Come on Hermione, you have to admit that was really funny," Ron protested grouchily.
"No I don't," Hermione replied indignantly, still shooting daggers at him.
Ron rolled his eyes, giving her a look of disbelief. He couldn't understand how anyone wouldn't find Dumbledore losing his beard as funny if not totally hilarious.
He then grinned at her. "I bet Fred and George had something to do with it," he beamed with a look of pride at their imagined ingenuity.
Hermione just huffed, refusing to say anything. If he wanted to believe that his brothers were involved, she wasn't going to say anything to dissuade him but she knew otherwise.
"Come on, we're going to be late for class," she snapped as she rose.
Ron looked longingly at the large lump of scrambled eggs he had just placed on his plate as he rose to follow and then refusing to abandon them, he scooped them up with his hand and stuffed them into his mouth.
Hermione rolled her eyes, giving him a disgusted look and then to make matters worse, Ron wiped his hand on the front of his robes, leaving a trail of bright yellow dots that stood out clearly against the black of his robes.
Ron just smiled at her, looking quite chuffed with himself.
The bushy-haired girl just shook her head, trying to pretend she hadn't seen. She glanced at Ginny, who rolled her eyes and shrugged, after all it was just Ron being Ron to her, not that she approved.
Harry and Ginny
Harry sat and picked at his breakfast morosely, missing Ginny more then he could say.
"Is breakfast not to Master Harry's liking?" Dibley asked, her huge tennis ball eyes filled with concern.
"No, breakfast is fine," Harry replied sadly without thinking.
Harry suddenly realized what he done and looked at the diminutive elf in horror. "Dibley," he breathed in a panic.
"Master Harry must not worry, Dibley be keeping Master Harry's secrets," the little elf explained with a smile.
Harry looked at Dibley in confusion, "But . . ."
Dibley rolled her big eyes at him. "Master Harry is being Dibley's responsibility. Dibley is being taking care of Master Harry," she replied firmly, giving him a look that said she thought he was being rather thick-headed.
"Thank you, Dibley," Harry sighed in relief.
The elf nodded curtly before her look softened. "Dibley understands that Master Harry be missing Mistress Ginny," she remarked quietly.
Harry felt his eyes misting up and nodded sadly.
"Don'ts be worrying, everything will being alright," she reassured him.
Harry gave her a weak smile. "I hope you're right," he replied softly, though the tone of his voice echoed his uncertainty.
It was then that Harry realized two things that he thought might be important. First off, Dibley was once more calling him 'Master Harry' and the second she had referred to Ginny as Mistress Ginny as opposed to Miss Ginny, like she had been before.
Now while Harry didn't consider himself the brightest bulb in the pack, he was certain he wasn't a dunderhead like Snape liked to claim. He figured something must have changed but for the life of him he couldn't think of what it could be.
He sat there contemplating the situation while he picked at his breakfast. Unfortunately he didn't gain any useful insights. So with that in mind, he turned to the only source that he figured could give him an answer.
"Dibley," he called out, trying to keep his voice calm and pleasant.
"Yes, Master Harry?" Dibley asked, halting her dusting of the furniture.
"I ah, noticed a couple of things," he said hesitantly, trying to put his thoughts in order. "First off, you've started calling me Master Harry again and you've also started to refer to Ginny as Mistress. Could you explain why?" he asked softly.
The little elf blushed and smiled shyly. "Yous and Mistress Ginny have a special connection and will be together for all yous lifes," she explained. "Yous is now a family and I's be happy to serve ones so in love," she added, blushing more deeply.
Harry looked at her in surprise, questions flooding his brain. "Do you mean that we're bonded?" he asked in confusion.
Dibley shrugged. "I's not be knowing about such things. Bondings are a Wizard matter and beyond what a simple elf likes Dibley can understand," she replied matter-of-factually.
Harry nodded in understanding, or at least as much as he did. With a sigh he went back to picking at his breakfast, knowing he had a lot to think about.
Harry and Ginny
Ginny sat in the Great Hall, picking at her breakfast, trying hard to ignore Hermione and her brother bickering once again. Fortunately she was sitting a short way from where they were, choosing instead to sit with several of her year-mates.
Colin Creevey was chatting enthusiastically with Julie about one of their classes, though Ginny wasn't really paying any attention to them so she wasn't quite sure which one.
She glanced down the table and saw Hermione glancing her way so she quickly turned her head, not wanting to get into it with the bushy-haired girl.
"Are you all right?" a voice to her right startled her.
Looking that way she saw one of her other dorm-mates, Natalie Fairbourne, looking at her with concern.
"I'm fine," Ginny replied, giving a small grin thinking about how Harry always said the exact same thing, or he did until she started to work on him.
"Are you sure? I mean you've been just picking at your breakfast and you are looking a tad peaky," Natalie persisted, still looking quite concerned.
If Ginny wanted to be truthful with herself, she did feel a little off but she didn't want to admit that to anyone.
Fortunately a couple of the Ravenclaw's began to laugh and it spread all through the Great Hall as others began to notice Dumbledore and his disappearing beard.
As the laughter began to die down she saw Hermione rise and begin to head to class and Ginny cringed when she saw her brother standing and stuffing some scrambled eggs into his mouth.
Ginny tried to ignore him, shaking her head with disgust, but at least Hermione's leaving had signalled many others that it was time to head to class so the exodus began and Natalie dropped asking her about how she felt.
Ginny sighed and dropped her fork, staring at her plate and how little she'd managed to eat. She gulped down the rest of her tea before she slowly got up and joined the rest of the students heading off to class, wishing that she would be seeing Harry before the afternoon when she would be joining him for class.
She couldn't help but wonder if she was just missing Harry or if it wasn't something more than that.
Harry and Ginny
By the time morning classes were over, Ginny was definitely dragging and she was contemplating going to see Poppy instead of heading down to lunch with her year-mates.
That thought was really tempting as she could then spend lunch with Harry instead of with her year-mates in the Great Hall. While she did enjoy their company, it wasn't anywhere comparable to spending time with Harry.
The thing was, deep in the recesses of her mind, she had a little nagging feeling that she knew what was going on. While not as intense, she realized she felt very similar to what she had felt when she had been forced to leave Harry's side at the hospital to return to Hogwarts.
That just didn't make sense to her as she was spending every night with him and large periods of time most days too. She just couldn't think of anything else it could be though.
"Ginny." she heard beside her.
Ginny sighed, "What Natalie?" she asked tiredly. She felt herself get a little annoyed. Of all the people to see her it had to be the one who had confronted her that morning about how she was feeling. Her only consolation was that it wasn't Hermione bugging her.
"Are you sure you're okay? You're looking even worse than this morning," the young girl said worriedly.
Ginny sighed again, this time more in resignation. "Thanks for your concern and I will admit I'm feeling a bit knackered. I just hope I'm not coming down with whatever Elena had," she admitted.
Natalie looked at her beseechingly.
"Don't worry, I'm going to go see Pomfrey instead of going down to lunch," Ginny replied with a small reassuring smile.
"I'm sorry if I've been a nuisance," the girl muttered apologetically.
"Don't be. I'm glad you cared enough to say something. I really shouldn't have brushed you off this morning but you know what a stubborn lot we Weasleys are," Ginny reassured her dorm-mate with a wry grin.
Natalie giggled, "I didn't want to say anything," she replied with a warm smile.
"I wouldn't have been surprised if you did," Ginny giggled in reply. She gave a soft sigh, brushing a stray strand of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail out of her face with an unconscious annoyed look.
"I'd better head off to see Pomfrey," she finally sighed, really starting to feel knackered again.
Natalie gave her a concerned look, and with a small reassuring smile she motioned for Ginny to be on her way before she headed off toward the Great Hall, hoping her dorm-mate would be all right.
To Ginny it seemed to take forever to get to the Hospital Wing and she barely noticed Poppy's concerned look as she took the young Gryffindor over and sat her down.
Ginny sagged in the seat, not even noticing as the matron hurried away, returning a few moments later with a vial of potion. She mechanically downed the foul tasting thing, finally recognizing it as a dose of Pepperup Potion.
While it did make her feel marginally better, she still wanted nothing more than to curl up somewhere and get some rest, never noticing the concerned look Poppy gave her.
Poppy was beyond concerned now. The Pepperup Potion should have had a greater effect than it did. The fact that it didn't was making alarm bells ring loudly in her head.
After taking a quick glance to make sure they were truly alone, she urged Ginny to her feet.
"Ginny, let's get you back with Harry," she whispered softly.
Ginny just nodded tiredly, not understanding why she felt the way she did, still in denial about the fact it felt so familiar.
Poppy had to help Ginny stand and physically support her all the way back through her office and into Harry's quarters.
Her eyes widened in shock when she found Harry slumped back on the couch, looking just as poorly as Ginny did.
Harry's eyes found hers, not even noticing Ginny at first. He gave the matron a wan smile. "I was about to come looking for you," he managed to croak out weakly.
Poppy halted briefly and stared at Harry, not liking what she saw any more than she did when she had seen Ginny come into the Hospital Wing. She huffed in annoyance and urged Ginny forward once more.
As soon as they got to Harry on the couch, she plopped Ginny down next to him. Ginny sighed tiredly and immediately curled up, snuggling into his side.
Harry managed to wrap an arm around her automatically, not really giving any indication that he saw her, though as his eyes drifted shut he did smile contentedly as he sighed.
Poppy was still deeply concerned, neither Harry nor Ginny seemed to be recovering well. With a deep sigh and shake of her head, she headed back toward her office, hoping that she'd be able to get a hold of April and talk to her about what had happened when they had needed to rush Ginny to Harry back at the start of the year.
Harry and Ginny
Harry and Ginny found themselves back in the garden where they had met Lily before. Looking around, they didn't see anyone and they wondered what was going on.
Harry appeared annoyed and had a frown on his face.
Ginny looked up at him and smiled impishly.
"Come on, if we're going to be here for a while, let's take advantage of it," she giggled brightly.
She was happy to see his look change from one of annoyance to one of bewilderment.
When he just stared at her like a brainless gorm, she rolled her eyes, giving a small huff as she took a hold of his hand and began to lead him into the woods that surrounded the garden.
Much like at the Burrow, the path they were on headed down hill slightly and before long they heard the sound of splashing water. The path came around a corner and opened up to a clearing with a pond just like at the Burrow.
However that was where the similarity ended. The pond they found themselves at was much larger that the one
on the Weasley property, being at least twice as big and instead of a lazy stream feeding into it, there was a waterfall.
Ginny sighed contentedly, the air seemed so fresh and new. There was a fine mist floating at the base of the waterfall and with the bright Sun shining on it, there was a spectacular rainbow.
She was happy when she heard Harry sigh contentedly and she felt him relax. Her smile grew when Harry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his body, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"Now isn't this wonderful?" she asked softly.
She heard him breath in deeply before he let it out slowly and relax even more into her. "Yeah it is," he admitted quietly.
They stood there, letting the soft sounds of nature permeate their bodies and souls. It was so peaceful with nothing but the sound of the waterfall coupled with the sweet songs of birds in the nearby trees to serenade them.
Though to Ginny it seemed really corny, the only thing she could think of to describe the setting, was magical. The very air seemed to be filled with it.
Though the mist from the waterfall felt good on her face, the Sun was at its zenith, driving the shadows well away from the clearing, leaving her feeling quite warm.
Harry watched as Ginny twisted her head around, looking in all directions, seemingly searching for something.
When she stopped, she looked at him, her eyes alight with mischief and she smiled impishly. "Lets go swimming," she giggled.
Harry just stared at her in surprise but she ignored him and slipped out of his grasp, heading for the pond.
"But we don't have any suits," he protested.
Ginny giggled as she looked at him brazenly as she began to remove her clothing.
Harry had taken several steps toward her but as she striped off more and more of her clothing, he ground to a halt, mesmerized by the sight before him.
Soon Ginny was naked, her back to him as she stepped into the water. Looking back over her shoulder, she smiled. "The water feels wonderful," she said smugly.
Harry stood there, slack jawed, his eyes glued to Ginny. Her hair fell down her back in a shimmering wave of glorious colours and he couldn't take his eyes off her pert derrière.
Ginny waded out up to her knees and glanced back over her shoulder again. "Are you going to join me?" she asked coyly, smiling brightly.
Harry felt like he couldn't breath. To him Ginny looked like some exotic beautiful water nymph and for a moment it seemed like he was frozen in place. Then her melodious voice sunk in and he started to move again.
He ran, trying to remove his clothing as fast as possible so he could join her in the water. He stumbled, almost falling over as he pulled his trousers off, eliciting a peal of laughter from Ginny.
Finally as he reached the water's edge he managed to remove his last article of clothing and he hurried to Ginny's side. She was now shoulder deep in the water, her eyes shining brightly as she watched him come closer.
Just as he reached out to take her in his arms, she pushed off and swam away, giggling the whole time.
Undeterred, Harry took off after her but like the water nymph she appeared to be, she remained tantalizing out of reach.
Harry redoubled his efforts and just as he thought he would catch her, she dove down out of sight. He growled in frustration, glancing around, trying to catch sight of his elusive quarry.
He twisted and turned, scanning the pond for any hint of her whereabouts but it wasn't until he heard her giggling did he spot her.
Turning in the direction of the musical sound, he spotted her head bobbing at the edge of where the water cascaded into the pond. Her eyes were alight with laughter but as he drew nearer he could see something else in their depths.
There was a smouldering fire that he had never seen before and it hit him like a runaway Hippogriff. He briefly feared she would slip away again but as he came up to her, she launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately.
Everything around him slipped from his consciousness and all he was aware of was the warm wonderful witch in his arms and her lips fastened on his. He felt her wet, slick skin pressing against his body, seeming to set his on fire and he felt himself reacting to her.
Ginny disengaged one hand and trailed it down across his chest, reaching down between him and caressed him gently. "Is this for me?" she whispered coyly, her eyes aflame with desire.
Harry groaned as Ginny touched him and he thought he'd lose his mind. All he could think of was taking her back under the waterfall and laying her on the gravel there so he could make love to her and he was just about to do so when they heard to sound of soft laughter.
Their heads spun and there on the bank where they'd left their clothing, Lily stood, smiling at them.
"If you two are done . . . playing, I'd appreciate it if you'd join me so we can talk," she smirked, her eyes dancing merrily.
Harry's only consolation was that Ginny looked just as disappointed as he felt.
Ginny sighed with a smile and she kissed him intensely. "Come on," she sighed and she began to swim back toward where Lily stood.
Harry groaned softly and knowing the moment had been lost, followed.
Harry and Ginny
A/N: I know, I'm cruel, so sue me but let me warn you I don't have anything worth anything, even this laptop is refurbished.
So Ginny has healed Harry and he can now talk, but they are trying to keep that a secret. Wonder how long they can pull that off. And what's up with them feeling poorly again?
LOL, and then there's Lily's timing. At least she didn't react like Molly would have.
So many questions. I guess you'll just have to wait till the next chapter to find out some of the answers.
As always, please review.
