2: The Trouble in Diagon Alley
Ginny waited for Hermione outside, leaning against the wall of Slug & Jiggers Apothecary. She personally hated spending any more time in there then she needed; the never-ending stench of bad eggs and cabbages always made her ill. Ginny watched as people moved in and out between each other. Everyone was busy with their own shopping and things to do. Occasionally, she saw a familiar face, and she would wave and say 'hello.' She saw what appeared to be an old witch walk by once or twice and felt a small twinge of something at the back of her mind, but shrugged it off.
She yawned and moved her neck from side to side, wondering if she could perhaps find a way to get Harry behind closed doors later so that he could give her a massage. Right, and that had better beallyou're thinking about him giving you, Ginny Weasley, a voice very much like her mum's echoed in her mind. She looked up when Hermione finally came out of the shop and was dismayed to see her friend looking worse than when she'd gone in.
"Hermione, you look awful. Didn't they have anything for you?"
Hermione gave her a wan smile. "Thanks, Ginny. Nice to know you're not the type to lie to a friend. And yes, I purchased a powder to mix in my tea."
"We should get you home," Ginny said, wrapping her arm around her. Just then, a noise made Ginny look up, and she saw that the old witch from before was standing in front of them.
"Need a bit of help with your friend there, my dear?" The woman said, giving her a toothless grin. She had an odd voice, half-woman...half - touch of something Ginny couldn't place. Hermione murmured quietly, and Ginny felt her weaken beside her. Whatever was wrong with Hermione was getting worse, and she needed to get her back to the others.
"Er, no, thank you. She's just feeling a bit under the weather, that's all. I need to get her back home," Ginny said, trying to move Hermione past the old witch. For some reason, she had a very odd feeling about the witch, and she turned around, pretending to be looking after Hermione. She used her other hand to reach slowly into her robe, to grab hold of her wand.
"Oh, you won't be needing that," the old witch said, her voice sounding deeper. Ginny glanced behind her and froze. The old witch was no longer a witch; in fact, she was no longer even a she. It was Lucius Malfoy.
o-o-o-o-o
"Aw, come on, Harry, buy my sister another bloody sundae, this one is just getting all melty and gooey," Ron said as he once again tried to stick his spoon into Ginny's ice cream. Harry good-naturedly used his wand to protect it.
"Never; she'd have me over a barrel if I let you touch this, and you know it, Ron. Get yourself another one, if you're so keen."
"Fine. But there's something wrong with a bloke if he lets his girl come between his best mate and melting ice cream." Ron grumpily got up and headed back into the Ice Cream Parlor. Harry smiled and cast a quick spell to keep the ice cream cold. He then realized it was the third time he'd done that, and Ginny and Hermione still weren't back yet.
Just then, he saw Brogan during a break of the crowd and raised his hand up to attract his attention. Brogan sat down in Hermione's seat and dumped his bags on the table.
"I knew there was a reason I liked the solitude of the Abbey so much; I hate crowds, I hate shopping...and I fecking hate...London," he said disdainfully. Harry only nodded at him absentmindedly.
"Brogan, you didn't come by the apothecary, did you? Did you see Ginny and Hermione anywhere?"
Brogan shook his head. "Nope. Didn't see a soul I knew. Although I did have this annoying encounter with the shopkeeper in the robe shop. She seemed most interested in getting me out of my -"
Suddenly, Bill came jogging up to their table. "Quick, Harry, Remus, get the girls, and let's head back to the pub. There's been some disturbance, and there's a rumor going around that Lucius Malfoy's been spotted. I don't know if it's true, but we shouldn't take any changes...Harry?"
Harry suddenly felt a very harsh sensation hit him in the middle of his gut. He stood up, his wand tight in his hand.
"Malfoy's got Ginny and Hermione," he said, suddenly not sure how he knew that, but somehow he did. He'd worry about the how later; now, he just needed to find them.
"What? How do you know? Wait - where are they?" Bill looked around as Ron came out of the shop carrying another sundae. "Ron, where's Hermione? Why didn't anyone go with them?"
"What? To the loo? I think they can - hey, what's going on?"
Harry moved quickly, so quickly, that no one saw him get out from behind the safety of the table until he was in the middle of the crowd, pushing past everyone. Whywerethere so many people about?Harry thought to himself. To create confusion and to get in the way, a small voice said in his head.
"Harry!" Professor Lupin yelled as he tried to get to him. No, Harry thought, he's just going to tell me to let someone else handle it, and that I need to be safe. Well, sod that.
Harry turned back once and met Brogan's eyes. He nodded, slipping away into the crowd, knowing that the other man was probably going to follow him. He didn't care; he knew he had to get there and get there quickly before it was too late. Too late for what exactly, Harry wasn't certain.
o-o-o-o-o
"Get your hands off of me," Ginny said, her voice low. Lucius Malfoy smiled benevolently, clucking his tongue at her. He tightened the ropes around her wrists by hand, before bending down and checking the ones he had cast around her legs.
"My, my, but you do light up when you're excited," he said as he stood up again, looking down on her. "Yes, I can see what Potter sees in you, my dear. But then, of course, he's always had such low expectations."
Ginny was tempted to spit at him, but since he had them at wand point, she decided against it. He'd made them enter one of the empty shops near where he'd grabbed them, and now...well, now they were just...waiting. For what, Ginny didn't know. All she knew was that Hermione was getting very ill indeed, and Malfoy didn't seem surprised in the slightest.
Now that he thought Ginny was taken care of, he turned his attention back to Hermione. She was propped up against the wall, her skin an ashy sort of white. He felt her forehead and then smiled. He waved his wand over her, and she went still. He turned and then smiled at Ginny.
"Well, that certainly took long enough. I've been waiting all day for that bloody curse to work. Muggle-borns have such intolerant dispositions."
"You walked around as a witch all day, putting a curse on her to make her sick?" Ginny asked, glancing down at Hermione's motionless form.
"Can't throw anything past you, Weasleys, can I? Tell me, Ginny...how's your diary writing going these days?"
"Why are you doing this?" Ginny asked, ignoring his question. "That woman recognized you out there, and they're bound to notice we've been gone too long. We have an Auror with us, and my brothers and a Professor -"
"Yes, Lupin. Yes, I know. He's another disgrace. But I didn't come here to chat about the poor company you keep, girl. We're really only interested in one member of your party."
Ginny felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Harry? You planned all of this to make Harry come and find you? To save Hermione?"
Malfoy offered her a smile, the kind Ginny thought one might use on a small child who didn't understand something. Ginny no longer felt scared; she felt irritated.
"But of course, dear girl. Champion Potter - always off to save the world and his friends. You were just an added bonus, though, I have to admit. Oh, dear me, which one of you will he save first? The filthy Mudblood of a swot who no doubt saves his arse at school, or you, the blood traitor who apparently just likes to kiss his arse."
Ginny suddenly felt a warm sensation pass through her and knew, without a doubt, that Harry was coming to find her and that he was close. She also knew that Malfoy was hiding something...some sort of...secret. Just then, there was a noise behind Malfoy, and he half-turned. Ginny narrowed her eyes as her brother entered the room.
o-o-o-o-o
Harry liked to trust his feelings about things; it was probably both a considerable fault and blessing. It was what had led to him rushing off to save Sirius two years before - and it was probably what was making him ignore the people that were trying to protect him now. But he only wanted to do one thing, and that was to get to Ginny and Hermione. He wished for a moment that he could see if Voldemort was perhaps, happy, about this turn of events, if it was something he had planned, but his head stayed cheerfully empty and Voldemort-free.
Well, at least I know nothing's happened to her, he thought to himself. Yet.
He felt someone behind him and turned, seeing Brogan move out from the crowd and come towards him.
"Harry -"
Harry put up his hand. "Don't lecture me about waiting for everyone else. I am not going to stand about while two of the people I care about the most are with Lucius Malfoy. You don't know that family like I do, Brogan. They're despicable, and they hate Muggle-borns, and they most assuredly hate the Weasleys. And I have no doubt he did this to get to me."
"I was only going to ask how can I help?" Brogan said after a minute, his eyes sober.
Harry sighed, releasing a deep breath and loosening the tightness in his chest. Anyone else would have told him to let someone else handle it. At that moment, Harry realized he was glad Brogan was there. He was probably the one person who wouldn't treat him like a kid.
"I don't think they've gone far; I can sense...I can tell...Ginny's close by."
If Brogan found that to be a strange answer, he didn't mention it. They split up, Harry taking one side of the alley, and Brogan the other. They were nearing the apothecary shop, and Harry realized that the area wasn't as busy and filled with people as it had been before.
Brogan trotted over to his side of the alley. "Look, this is ridiculous. Can't you...well, just see if you can feel where she's at?"
Harry startled and looked at him. "What?"
"Come on, Harry - you and Ginny have a connection, I've seen it, and I know you can feel it. See if you can get it to work for you. Now."
"But I don't...I mean...that's..." Harry didn't know what to say, really. He couldn't really tell where she was...could he?
"Try it," Brogan said, calmly. "Try to see her in your mind. See what comes to you." There was something in Brogan's eyes that Harry couldn't read, but he knew he didn't have time to think about it. Harry closed his eyes and tried to picture Ginny in his head.
He felt the world around him melt away; there was no street, no other people, just him and Ginny. At first, there was nothing there, but then...Harry felt...something, and he opened his eyes, barely noticing that Brogan had moved closer to him so that their arms were touching. He whirled around and saw the empty shop directly across from them and nodded his head.
"They're in there," Harry said, scarcely believing that he knew it, but know it he did. He'd bet all his money in Gringotts that that was where Malfoy had taken them.
"Good, well done, Harry," Brogan said, his voice sounding slightly winded. Harry turned to him to see what was wrong when he saw Bill, Charlie, and Professor Lupin at the edge of the crowd heading towards them. And none of them looked pleased.
o-o-o-o-o
"Ah, Weasley, I was just telling your sister here -"
"Shut up," Percy said, his voice muted. Ginny blinked to make sure she wasn't seeing things.
"Untie my sister," Percy continued, holding his arm steady and trained on Malfoy. "Or I'm afraid I'll have to...harm you, Mr Malfoy."
Ginny noted that Malfoy seemed unperturbed by this development; he smiled, seemingly amused at her brother, a slight sneer twitching at his lips.
"Do you really think this ploy will work, Weasel? Your whole family knows you're a traitor; do you honestly think helping them now will matter?"
"Expelliarmus!" Percy yelled suddenly, and Lucius Malfoy's wand went flying through the air, landing in front of her brother's feet. Ginny felt strange inside; the same warm feeling was back, and it seemed to flow through her. She felt the ropes around her wrists and ankles begin to loosen. She tried to concentrate on what was happening in front of her.
"...I can't let you hurt my sister...I can't let you do it," Percy was saying, his mouth set, and his chin pointed in a determined way. She tried to get his attention, but Percy kept his eyes on Lucius Malfoy's.
For the first time, Ginny noticed that Malfoy's veneer of annoyance held a trace of real fear; she felt her right hand slip further out of the rope and almost had it free.
"Put down your wand, Weasley; this is stupid. They will never accept you back...not after what you've done...will you?" Malfoy suddenly turned around and was facing Ginny, just as she felt her hand become free. She tried to move as little as possible, but he noticed the jerk of her shoulder. He narrowed his eyes at her, his eyes roaming up and down her body.
"Now how did you manage that? I tied those ropes extremely well; you can't possibly have -"
"Stay away from my sister!" Percy yelled, and the green light of a stunner went flying in between her and Malfoy. Malfoy whirled around.
"Stop it, you fool; she's managed to come untied, help me get her -"
Ginny felt the ropes slip down around her and fall to the floor; she saw her own wand lying near Hermione and moved to her left, slowly inching her way to it while Percy and Malfoy argued. Suddenly, the door to the shop blew wide from the blast of a spell.
Ginny felt as though everything around her slowed down; Malfoy pushed forward from the force of the door being blown in, fell towards Percy, his hands finding his wand which still lay at her brother's feet. She flicked her eyes to the door, seeing Bill and then Charlie and Professor Lupin enter, all shouting and keeping their concentration trained on Percy. Ginny turned her attention back to Lucius Malfoy as he rolled over and sneered, aiming his wand for the door because he seemed to know who would be coming in next. It was then that Ginny seemed to feel time stop for the briefest of moments, and she heard a voice in her head, telling her what to do. She threw herself in between the door and the man on the floor, just as Harry entered, and the spell left Malfoy's mouth.
Time seemed to speed up again, and Ginny felt the full brunt of the spell, even as she tried to deflect it. The white heat that she had begun to associate with her new power caused a momentary flare around her. She saw Malfoy's eyes widen for the smallest moment before Bill stunned him, knocking him out. Ginny had a strange sort of coppery taste in her mouth and then felt herself falling backward - slipping into darkness.
o-o-o-o-o
There were, of course, moments in Harry's life that he never wanted to re-live. There were still images and sounds that haunted him; mistakes he had made that had cost him and those he loved far too much. But none of them - noneof them...held a candle to the image he now saw before him. He felt as though someone had ripped out his heart, and he knew the anguish that he had felt when Sirius had died was just a pinprick of pain compared to this. One look at her still and silent face and Harry couldn't see anything but red. Red to match the bright flame of her hair, so dark against the white of the hospital sheet. Red to match the small drop of blood that had appeared by her mouth after she had been knocked out. Just trickling out of her as though wanting to say goodbye.
He closed his eyes and the image still stayed with him. He heard a moan escape his mouth but didn't care. Everyone had finally gone or left him alone. He knew her family was nearby; Hermione was being looked at in the next room. He knew Dumbledore had shown up at one point as well, but Harry had never left her side, nor pulled his eyes away from her face. He didn't care what they were saying about him or what they had said about her needing to wake up on her own. Harry wasn't going to leave her.
He took her hand into his, and she felt cold; her fingers were like ice, and Harry thought irrationally that they should be trying to keep her warm...so warm that she would have to wake up just to cool down again. He climbed up onto her bed and lay down beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist. Harry felt his eyes begin to water as he pulled her to him, burying his face in her hair. He whispered her name, his voice breaking. His head felt heavy; too many images flying through it - too many different ways of watching her get hit with the spell from Malfoy's wand. Harry had thought that he was too old to really cry anymore - that after everything he had seen and experienced, nothing could hurt him enough to ever make him do it again.
He had been wrong.
o-o-o-o-o
Ginny drifted in and out of the darkness, getting lost in the fog of her mind. She had a feeling that someone was trying to reach her...trying to tell her something, but she only wanted to keep drifting. She dreamed, and then she didn't dream, and she knew she should be getting back; she had to see if someone was okay. But the darkness she had fallen into was a tricky thing - she didn't want to go back into the light and be forced to feel. She only wanted to forget.
In one of her dreams, she was walking towards a small hill that was surrounded by stones. She knew this place like she knew her own name. It had been passed down from family member to family member, and now it was finally hers. She stood in the middle of the circle, her arms wide, and she felt thankful for the bounty of the Meadowsweet. Thankful for the call of the birds and for the sound of the water lapping against the stone...
She went to the cave that stood at the edge of the western point and entered it, feeling at home within the cool damp of its walls. She wanted to see the Well; she wanted to wash her hands in the sweet water and taste the liquid freshness of it as she drank its gift down. She paused, marveling at the vast circle before her. Stalagmites and stalactites dotted the floor and ceiling of the cave, and she moved through them by instinct.
When she finally reached the edge of the water, she smiled and peered over the ledge of the stone to see her reflection. She was shocked when the face that greeted her was not her own - the hair was similar enough, but the face...the face was older, and the eyes were a bright blue. She wore an emerald green dress...it reminded her of something... or someone she should be thinking about. She felt her heart beat faster suddenly, feeling as though she was falling again. She looked back into the water, hoping it would calm her.
The image smiled up at her, and Ginny knew then that she wasn't really looking at an image of herself. The water rippled, and the woman in the Well beckoned to her with her hand. Reaching out tentatively, she dipped her finger into the dark blue-green of the water and felt herself being sucked downwards as though caught in a strong current. Ginny knew she was being pulled into the Well, and she knew she ought to fight it, but she didn't. Like the darkness before it, the feeling of letting go was too pleasant. She closed her eyes.
She felt the caress of the water around her, and she was afraid to release her breath, fearful that she would drown.
"You are safe here, for now; you may breathe freely," a voice whispered around her, and Ginny opened her eyes. She was sitting at the bottom of what had to be the Well. Ginny looked up and saw the surface of the water and the ceiling of the cave above it. The space she'd landed in was completely dry, although she could see the water around her, shimmering and moving back and forth.
"You are prettier than I expected; I can see why he likes you," a voice said from behind her, and Ginny turned, coming face to face with the woman she had seen reflected in the water. Aine.
"See why who likes me?" Ginny asked perplexed. Aine merely smiled at her. The witch's image was flickering in and out like a Muggle moving picture show her father had taken her to once. The memory stirred something inside her again...
"My descendant, of course. He believes that you and he should be together, but he will soon understand that you are already spoken for. Your lover...your Anam Cara, his hold on you is strong, and I can only keep you here for a short while. There is much that I should teach you now, mo'beagon'aon."
"Why did you give your gift to me?" Ginny asked, feeling more confused by the second.
"And you are forceful as well," Aine smiled at her, and Ginny felt the confusion abate for a moment. "This will serve you well. Your Anam Cara is fortunate you have been chosen for him. You will form a formidable team against that which has betrayed the oldest law. Come, you must listen to me - you will not remember all of it until it is time, but hear it now, you must. Please, take my hand before he wakes up."
Ginny shook her head, not certain she understood anything at all. Aine smiled patiently at her and held out her hand. There was something in her eyes that Ginny felt connected to, and she reached out with her own hand. A warm sensation filled her, one that she recognized. Aine nodded at her and began to speak, her voice filling in the empty places inside of her. Ginny felt the darkness ebbing away, and she knew she was ready to find the light again, to make her way back to Harry...
o-o-o-o-o
"Ginny...don't be dead...please don't be dead...Ginny..." he was saying her name, leaning over her someplace dark and cold - lost somewhere between consciousness and dreaming. But Harry felt himself wake when he heard her reply.
"Hmm...Harry..." she said softly, and he felt her move against him. For a moment, he was confused, thinking they were in their bed at the Abbey. But we left the Abbey, didn't we?
He felt Ginny turn and wrap her arms around his neck, moving forward to kiss him, her lips finding his by their own accord. Harry relaxed for a moment and kissed her back. Finally, the conscious part of his brain screamed at him, and he pulled back, opening his eyes to look at her.
"Gin? You're really awake, aren't you? I'm not dreaming?"
She smiled lazily and opened her eyes. "No, you're not dreaming, but you should definitely still be kissing me. This is nice, Harry." She tried to kiss him again, but he stopped her.
"Gin, you're...you were...you're in hospital. St. Mungo's. Don't you remember what happened?"
Ginny frowned, and then he saw recognition in her eyes. She looked around and then looked at him. "But...how long have I been out? I...I remember Malfoy tying me up and talking about you, and...oh, Harry! Are you all right? How is Hermione? Is everyone safe?"
"Everyone is okay; you were the only casualty. Hermione's been given an antidote to take to counter-effect the curse Malfoy put on her. Unfortunately, that's all I know. I wanted nothing to do with anyone until I knew you were okay, and you woke up."
Harry touched her face with his hand, not daring to believe she was really all right. He'd been so certain, so convinced she'd never wake up that he felt his heart break in a new and completely different way. He knew that he should run and get a Healer to make sure she was really all right, but he didn't want to leave her.
"But, Harry, why are you in bed with me?" Ginny said, looking down at him.
"Because I couldn't bear not touching you," he said softly. "And I couldn't bear you sleeping alone and so cold in this miserable bed." Ginny met his eyes and grabbed his hand.
"Oh, Harry. I'm all right. Really. I...I'm sorry I scared you."
Harry released a deep breath, trying to hide his eyes from her. She put her hand on his chest, and he finally looked at her. Her face was full of concern for him.
"Harry, you look awful. Did you stay up all night worrying over me?"
"Yes, he did, and may I also add that he has thrown Molly, in particular, into a fit about where he finally chose to sleep. Not that she is too upset, Harry - she did want you to rest, after all."
They both startled and turned towards the voice at the foot of the bed. Harry should have known Dumbledore would be the one to catch them in a semi-compromising position. The headmaster used his wand to pull two dividers closer around the bed. He sat down in the chair Harry had been using and smiled at them. Harry sat up but tried to make sure that Ginny continue lying down.
"No, Gin, stay down until we have someone look at you. Please."
"Then you lay down too. I can't see anything except your back, Harry. And I don't fancy talking to that."
Harry sighed, but realized that if she could get irritated with him about something, then she must indeed be okay. They compromised by both settling back onto the pillows propped up behind them. Harry was glad they were both around the same type of body size, or otherwise, it'd be uncomfortable. When he finally looked at Dumbledore, the headmaster was watching them.
"Everyone comfortable?" he asked. They both nodded.
"Now, before the time comes to let your family know you are awake, Ginny, I was wondering if you could tell me exactly what happened?"
Harry glanced sideways at Ginny and saw her bite her lip. Her eyes were on Dumbledore.
"From the beginning?"
Dumbledore nodded. "If you don't mind, please."
"Well, Hermione went into the apothecary shop; I stayed outside, waiting. I saw what appeared to be an old witch walk by a few times, and then I forgot about it; I think I was er...distracted. Hermione came outside, and she looked horrible, so I said we should get her back home," Ginny paused, remembering. "And then the witch was there, except it wasn't really a witch...it was Malfoy, of course, and he grabbed us."
"No one else was with him?" Dumbledore asked.
Ginny shook her head. "No. That is, not until Percy came in on him later. I..." Ginny paused and looked at Harry. "I wasn't surprised to see him, actually. Remember earlier, when we'd first entered the alley, and you caught me staring at something?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, did you see Percy then?"
"I thought so, but I thought maybe I'd just...imagined it," she looked at Dumbledore. "I reckon I should have let Professor Lupin know. But...he's my brother, still. I...I have a hard time believing he's really that much of a git. Especially since we haven't heard from him in so long, and no one has seen him."
Harry held her hand to comfort her. Ever since Percy's turn around in his fifth year, the Weasleys had all but disowned him. He'd been sacked from his Ministry position and had fallen in with a bad crowd, supposedly. None of them had known how bad until yesterday.
Ginny cleared her throat and continued her story. "Malfoy put us in one of the empty shops, and he tied me up first - he used a Binding Spell, and then he made certain the ropes were tight with his hands. Hermione was completely out of it; he didn't even have to worry about her. He did a spell to knock her out; he said he'd been waiting all day for the curse to affect her."
"Yes, Miss Granger was the victim of a rather nasty Bombastus Curse, expertly cast by Mr Malfoy for most of the day. It works fairly quickly, but I do believe the Healer in charge said Miss Granger did a fine job of fighting it, even if she didn't realize that is what she was doing."
"He...well, he told me he had planned everything to make Harry try to rescue Hermione," Ginny said softly, not looking at Harry. He felt his insides twist and grew angry. Harry made a fist with his hand without thinking, and Ginny placed her hand over his, looking at him. Harry didn't know why, but sometimes just the simplest touch from her, and he suddenly felt less angry...less crazy.
"And your brother, he interrupted Mr Malfoy at this point?" Dumbledore asked, and they both looked at him.
"Yes. And...I wasn't surprised, and I wasn't scared, really. I..." Ginny paused, and her brow furrowed. She looked at Dumbledore, who waited patiently. "I knew Harry was nearby...I knew he was coming to get me."
Harry remembered his own strange sense of knowing what was happening as well. He frowned.
"Something you wish to add, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, his voice soothing.
"It's just...I had the same sense of...knowing what was happening. I mean, not exactly with details or anything, but I just...knew. It was odd. And Brogan...he told me that I should try to focus on where Ginny was; that I would know somehow."
Professor Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully, folding his fingers underneath his chin, deep in thought.
"Have either of you read about Aine's apparent gift of Seeing?"
"No," Ginny said. "I mean, I was still working my way down that list, unfortunately, before we came home, so I haven't read everything...to tell you the truth sir, I was more interested in the Grange Diary, and the book about the gate that Sioda lent us."
Dumbledore smiled at them. "It's perfectly all right; I do realize the two of you did have a rather eventful summer." Dumbledore paused, his eyes twinkling. Harry felt his skin grow warm as he remembered how much Dumbledore did know. Harry struggled not to dwell on his embarrassment and tried to pay attention to what the man was telling them.
"I believe there have been a few documented instances of Aine being able to foretell actions before they occurred. Of course, her mother was known to be a great Seer. Interestingly enough, it may be something that runs in the family line; Mr Caley's own mother was what we call a 'Clairsentinent.' She was more of an empathic connector, linking people using their feelings, as well as being able to gauge the emotions of others. You should ask him about it if you feel comfortable enough."
"So...because Aine had this ability, I have it now?" Ginny asked.
"Yes, and no. I think there is something else going on between the two of you."
"So, we can read each other's minds now?" Harry asked, feeling bewildered.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Afraid not, Harry. But there have been cases of wizards, particularly two that enjoy a strong bond - as you and Ginny no doubt do, being able to find each other in times of need. I think you both illustrated that yesterday."
"Well, great," Ginny said lightly. "This means he can never get too far away from me."
Harry shook his head and looked at her. "What I don't understand is what happened after Professor Lupin and Bill blasted in the door. I came in, and you moved so fast...I didn't even see you until you fell. How did you do that?"
Ginny frowned, her expression confused. "I don't know, to be honest. Things get a little bit fuzzy after the door blew in. Do you think that's because of the curse I deflected?" she asked Dumbledore.
"Let's return to the previous thought for a moment. Do you remember if Mr Malfoy was surprised at your brother showing up?"
"He wasn't, actually. In fact, he seemed rather annoyed, especially after I'd managed to throw off the ropes he'd bound around my hands and legs. In fact, he told Percy to help him get me tied up again, and that's when everything sort of goes black for me. I mean, I have no doubt it happened; I'm lying in a hospital bed, but honestly, I don't remember how I knew to get in between Harry and Malfoy or..." Ginny's voice ran off as a dark look filled her features.
"Gin?" Harry asked, suddenly concerned. Her eyes looked blank for a moment, and Harry felt frightened. He knew he should have gone and found a Healer immediately after she'd awoken. He was about to get out of the bed when she blinked and looked at him.
"Sorry, I...reckon, I was trying too hard there."
When she saw his bemused look, she smiled. "In trying to think. The Weasley brain, sometimes it's thick. Just ask Ron. He was cursed with the worst of it."
Harry turned to Dumbledore, but right then, a movement on the other side of the dividers distracted them. Dumbledore smiled at him.
"You may want to get out of the bed now, Harry. Something tells me Ginny's parents are about to realize she's awake."
Harry jumped out of bed, feeling guilty, even though he knew he shouldn't. Still, he didn't want Mr and Mrs Weasley to think he'd take advantage of their daughter or anything. He saw Dumbledore smile once again and then pull apart the dividers.
"Ah, Arthur, Molly...what wonderful timing you both have. Your daughter is awake and none the worse for wear." Dumbledore swept his arms wide, and Harry saw the worried faces of Ginny's parents looking in on them, with Bill's angry one behind them.
o-o-o-o-o