Chapter 63: In Between Days
Healer Avery Myerscough was good at her job. So good, in fact, that she was rumored to be up for Healer in Charge of the Janus Thickey Ward in the very near future. As soon as current Healer in Charge, Miriam Strout ever decided to leave, that is. But Avery understood better than almost anyone that Miriam would not be going any time soon. And she was okay with that fact. It would surprise most of those in the gossip rounds that Avery did not want Strout's job. She was happy where she was at, in all honesty. She could do outside research on her own and do volunteer work when needed. Avery enjoyed her work both in and away from the hospital and did not want it to change.
Which was why, when old school chum Remus Lupin had asked her for a favor, she hadn't hesitated to agree. And also, she had always (secretly) fancied the former Gryffindor prefect. She vaguely wondered if he was seeing anyone as she hurried to meet him at a Muggle café a block or so from St Mungo's. She had been dateless for a while and wouldn't say no to reacquainting herself with the quiet yet still charming and always mysterious Lupin. She'd always wondered what had happened to him after school, and now, in this dangerous time of Death Eaters and social unrest he had called upon her, not telling her a bloody thing, of course. Which only further fueled his mysteriousness and her attraction. Avery may have been a Hufflepuff at heart, but that didn't mean she lacked imagination.
She spied him as she came around the corner, light reflecting off of his still golden blonde (graying at the temples) hair as he took a drink from his cup. She stopped a moment to catch her breath and then raised her hand in greeting. Lupin got up, holding her chair out for her as he gave her a gentle smile, and Avery felt her heart beat faster. Oh, he has manners. Lovely.
"Avery, it's been a long time. Thank you for meeting me on such short notice," Lupin was saying now, his voice deeper than she remembered, and it caused Avery to shiver a tiny bit. She heard herself laugh loudly and grimaced inwardly, knowing she sounded entirely too eager.
"I couldn't say no to an old Hogwarts revision partner, now could I? I'm fairly sure I practically owe you my current position for helping me with Arithmancy all those years ago! You and Lily Evans, or Potter, I should say."
Remus gave her an odd smile at that, and then Avery remembered that Lily Potter was dead and felt aghast that she had already spoiled their coffee date by mentioning dead school friends. This is why you don't date, you twit.
"I'm glad you remember that, actually," Lupin acknowledged now. Hiding her embarrassment, Avery ordered a double espresso from the waitress as she came by and then finally focused her attention on him, wondering what he needed.
"I have a patient for you. We don't know what's wrong with him. He is unconscious and appears unharmed, but he won't wake. We are also unable to bring him to hospital, so this will have to be kept between us. I need a Healer I can trust, and I thought of you."
Avery immediately forgot her nerves and her previous faux pas. She straightened in her chair, intrigued. And, if she were honest, a bit pleased that he'd said he could trust her. Avery prided herself on being known as trustworthy and loyal. It was the Hufflepuff double whammy. She immediately put her Healer hat on and started talking through the case.
"Was he practicing magic when it happened? Was magic being used around him? Has something like this happened to him before?"
"No. By all accounts, he had been reading and then laughing with his friends. He appeared to have a fit and has not been awake since."
Avery frowned. "How long?"
"It's been seven days."
"And when you say he appeared to have a fit?"
"According to the two people with him at the time, he cried out in pain and was convulsing and then nothing."
"And he's not regained consciousness at all? How are his vital signs?"
"None of us are healers, unfortunately, and we only know the rudimentary of diagnostic spells. But we have an Auror or two that has been able to ascertain that he appears completely healthy, for now. We've got a good potioneer on hand to make him the required feeding potions and whatever else may be required."
Avery frowned, thinking over what he had told her. She glanced at him. "Why do I feel as though there is a but in your voice?"
Lupin gave her a kind smile, but his eyes belied his apparent worry. "He is…he is under a spell that…while not the cause of his current predicament, does give his..fiancée a certain insight into his well-being. She says she cannot sense him at all – as though it were merely his body there and nothing else. I assumed that meant dark magic, or he's under a curse of some sort. He is a…special case."
"How old is he?"
"17."
Avery blinked at him. "17? Why haven't his parents brought him in yet?"
"His parents are dead. You knew his mother. In fact, you just mentioned her."
Lupin gave her a pointed look, and Avery felt her stomach swoop. She glanced around through the mostly deserted café area and realized why Lupin had picked a Muggle area. She lowered her voice. "You mean Harry Potter, don't you?"
Lupin didn't say anything, but she saw his head nod slightly, and she sat back, feeling stunned. She knew then that Lupin calling her out of the blue had not been romantically motivated in the slightest. He knew she had her own reasons for detesting You-Know-Who and his cronies. Almost automatically, the image of a small girl with blonde pigtails filled her mind, and she felt her heart clench in response. All these years later, and she could still feel the pain quite clearly. She didn't know how long she would have sat there, lost in the memory if the waitress hadn't dropped off their cheque just then. Blinking her eyes at Lupin, Avery finally returned to herself and looked at her old school friend, smiling.
"Take me to him."
o-o-o-o-o
Brogan wondered if it had been a wizard or a muggle who had first discovered the many wonderful uses of the coffee bean. In the end, it didn't matter, he reckoned, but he sent his silent thanks to whoever it had been as he poured his third cup of the morning. He sighed as the hot liquid traveled down his throat and took a moment to find some sort of peace in it, to restore his sense of equilibrium. Being an Empath meant being in control of one's own emotions to better help others. It was the first thing his Mum had ever taught him, and Brogan needed all the control he could get to keep himself together. If not for his own sake, then at least, for hers.
It had been a rough night; Ginny had been extremely restless and while he knew she had eventually fallen asleep from pure exhaustion, he didn't think she'd rested much. She looked haggard, with deep, dark circles under her eyes, even though her mother had finally convinced her to start taking care of herself a bit more. Which basically meant she showered and at least tried to eat. He gazed at her across the table, watching as she moved her eggs around on the plate with her fork. She was staring out the window as though entranced with the view of the waves and the cliffs, but Brogan knew she didn't see a damn thing.
Kath had come with the last group from London, ready to brew any sort of potion they might need - for Harry and themselves. When not worrying or fretting about Ginny, Brogan would often spend time in the makeshift lab Kath and Hermione had put together in one of the other rooms. He had never been a dab hand at potions, but he enjoyed the quiet, solitude of brewing. Kath knew him well enough to know that he could cut ingredients as well as the next wizard, and she knew it gave him something to do with himself. It was nice not having to put on any sort of brave face around her; it was nice to be around a person who knew him well. At least one that wasn't just as miserable as he was.
As though feeling his eyes on her, Ginny turned her head and caught his look. He tried to smile, but judging from her lack of reaction, Brogan didn't think he'd succeeded. Without saying anything, he reached across and pulled her plate over, dumping some of the eggs into his. She gave him a grateful look and turned back to the window. He didn't need Mrs Weasley getting after her daughter to eat more, at least not yet. If Ginny still hadn't eaten anything by the end of the day, Brogan would give her his own version of nagging.
Brogan sighed and closed his eyes, feeling a surge of hopelessness inside him. He couldn't even blame Ginny for the sensation – he knew it was his own feelings. Once upon a time, Brogan had thought, rather foolishly, as it turned out, that Harry was in his way. As Aine's last descendant, Brogan had thought that he and Ginny needed to be together but that feeling hadn't lasted for long after he got to know the couple. Looking back now, he should have known he was doomed from the start. Because even back then, Brogan had felt drawn to Harry. He just hadn't understood why.
Now, it felt as though that had been a lifetime ago, and he was surprised by how much he just missed the other man. Brogan missed Harry's laughter, his sense of humor, and that way he had of tilting his head as he listened to him. It made a person feel as though they were the only thing in the world that mattered. Just last night Brogan had dreamt that Harry had been talking to him in a dream. He'd awoken in the morning so sure that the other man was about to wake up that he'd rushed into the bedroom they were keeping him in, heart in his throat. Brogan had been half-expecting Harry to be sitting up in his bed, only to find him still silent and asleep and definitely not laughing.
Brogan felt as though he was slowly cracking up.
He felt a softness surround his hand and looked down to see Ginny by his chair, her fingers linking with his. She rested her head on his shoulder, and they both sighed.
"I miss him too," she murmured. Brogan glanced at her. Her brown eyes were full of loss, and it pained him in his heart to see it.
"You know he'd yell at us for not taking better care of each other," Brogan whispered, not sure where the other people in the residence were, although at this point, he wasn't sure he cared. His heart was sick with anguish and worry. For Harry and for Ginny.
Ginny gave him a small grin in acknowledgment, but it left her face as quickly as it had appeared. She searched his eyes and then stood up, pulling him with her.
"Come on," she said softly, and Brogan let himself be led away from the table. She pulled him into the room they'd all shared their first night alone and locked the door with her wand. He looked at her, knowing that he was frowning. She started removing her clothes, and Brogan reached out to stop her.
"Ginny, what are you…?"
She put her finger to his lips and led him to the bathroom, the lights flaring into life as they entered. She turned on the taps to the giant tub and pulled him to her.
"I want to feel something…anything. Brogan, I…you're right, Harry would be upset with us. Let's just…take a bath together. We don't have to do anything if you don't want. I just need to feel your skin against mine. And I need someone to hold me."
"Is it the spell?" Brogan murmured as she continued to remove her clothes. He realized she hadn't mentioned the Copulatus Spell at all and wondered if her grief had simply drowned out the compulsion.
She shook her head. "No. I haven't even felt the slightest…maybe I'm too distraught to really feel anything." She bowed her head, her face crumpling into her hands, and he went to her, pulling her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head and knew that if he could, he would do anything to bring Harry back for her. Not even for himself – just for her.
Brogan borrowed her wand and made sure the water wasn't too hot, and then quickly removed his clothes as Ginny sat on the edge of the tub, her feet already in the water. He joined her and they slid into the bath together. They both hissed as their bodies adjusted to the warmth. He grabbed the soap and gently started cleaning them both. They didn't speak, and he pulled her back towards him until she was resting against his chest.
"Do you want me to wash your hair?" Brogan asked after a while. Ginny's eyes had fallen shut, and she finally looked less tense than before. He hadn't realized how hunched her shoulders had become until he saw her now, looking more relaxed.
"If you want," she murmured, her eyes staying closed. Brogan grabbed the bottle and started slowly working his hands through her hair, massaging her scalp. She sighed as he worked, and the only sound was their breathing and the infrequent drip from the tap. When he was finished, she opened her eyes and smiled at him.
"Thank you," she said as she touched his face, turning in the tub. She leaned forward and kissed him, her lips barely over his. He thought of the last time they had been in this tub and couldn't help it, he responded, pulling her closer to him.
"I'm going to ask you something," she said when they broke apart, and her eyes looked wild and dark against the paleness of her skin. Even her freckles seemed more pronounced. "And you have the right to refuse."
"Okay," Brogan said, only hesitating slightly. "But why would I refuse?"
"Because…" Ginny stopped and then bit her lip, looking unsure for a moment. "It…I don't want you to think I'm using you. That's not…I don't want to abuse our connection…"
Brogan touched her chin, bringing her gaze back to his. "Just ask me."
"Remember when we were in the shack, and you made me feel Harry? Could you…could we…do that, now? It's just…I need to feel him, Brogan. Even if it's just…a memory."
Ginny turned her head as though embarrassed. And Brogan thought that of all the things he could do for her that this would be the one that could hurt them the most. His heart twisted, but he knew that she needed it. He had no qualms about offering it…or about offering himself to her to use as she saw fit. If she wanted to feel as though she were with Harry instead of him, then that is what he would do for her. He knew Ginny loved him, in her way, the same way that Harry loved him. But he was not so daft to believe he would ever be more to them than what he was.
Ginny turned her head to his as though catching a glimpse of his emotions, frowning. "No, don't think that…"
"Shh," Brogan said, pulling her to him. "I can make you feel him, Gin. Let me do this for you. Do you want to do it here or on the bed?"
"The bed," she murmured. They got out of the tub and dried each other off. Ginny wandered into the bedroom and sat down on the bed, the towel wrapped around her. He watched her for a moment and then joined her. She met his eyes.
"Don't think this means anything significant. You can say no, Brogan. I don't want you to feel as though I'm using you. But it's just…I can't seem to feel anything real. And I just miss him. So much. I…"
"Lie back, close your eyes," he said, shushing her.
She paused and then reclined back, but kept her eyes open. Brogan sighed and released a deep breath. He drew his feelings into himself and then thought about Harry, seeing him in his mind's eye. His emotions were so much more vivid now, and he used that to his advantage. When he finally touched Ginny's leg, she gasped, and he fed everything into that simple touch. When he opened his eyes, hers were just fluttering closed as her skin flushed in response.
"Oh, Harry," she murmured. Ginny reached for him. Brogan didn't say anything and let her set the pace of what she needed or wanted.
He kept his thoughts centered on Harry, and Ginny sighed, finally putting her arms around his shoulders. Her lips were hot against his skin, and soon she as grinding herself against his leg as he held her. Brogan thought only of her and Harry together, and allowed himself to enjoy the sensation this time. Unlike the last time in the shack, he was very much in charge of what he was giving her. And he had a world of memories to help him. Images of Harry loving Ginny filled his head and Brogan used his ability to make her see them too – to help her feel them.
Ginny responded as he knew she would, and soon her whispers and murmurs turned heated and wanton. Her eyes were glazed as though seeing something that wasn't there. And Brogan loved her the only way he knew how – completely and totally – and perhaps they both cried out Harry's name this time. Still, it was good, because he could already tell it had been what she'd needed. Aine's power flowed through them then, hitting them both like a fist, and they both gasped as their connection flared into being. And when Ginny lowered herself down onto him, Brogan amazingly saw her focus switch to him instead of the memories he was feeding her. He felt his breath catch because he knew that she could see him and not the phantom sense of Harry he'd created for them.
They clung to each other as they moved. It was short and embarrassingly quick, Brogan thought, but he didn't care because Ginny was murmuring his name and then Harry's name and it was as though the three of them were together. He allowed his control to slip and felt the essence of the two of them intertwine, and he was gone – lost to his own feelings. There was nothing but the sensation of the woman above him as she loved him, and the two of them loved the memory of Harry, together.
o-o-o-o-o
When Ginny awoke, it was dark in the room, and she stretched, feeling rested for the first time in a week. Her hand reached out for Brogan, and she realized she was alone. His gift of making her feel Harry had been just what she had needed to properly relax – to just let go long enough to slip into a deeper sleep. But she also knew she had been aware enough to know that she had needed Brogan as well – her feelings and his were inexplicably linked now. He had put all of his feelings and memories of watching the two of them together into his touch and she had been awash in the pure joy of it, if only for a little while. Seeing Harry and herself the way that Brogan saw them had been the rarest gift and even though nothing had changed, she felt stronger now than before.
She got dressed again, smiling as she realized he had done a fresh cleansing spell on her clothes for her, and then wandered into the loo to see how dreadful she looked. Her hair was a tangled mess since it had been wet when she'd fallen asleep, but she quickly sorted it out and tamed it into a ponytail. She could tell she looked a bit better after resting. She brushed her teeth and then headed out to find Brogan and to check on Harry.
She heard voices from the bedroom they were keeping him in and hurried her step almost against hope, but when she made it to the door way she realized it was just Lupin talking with Brogan and a blonde haired woman Ginny had never seen before. The woman saw her first and gave her a brief yet friendly smile. Brogan turned as though sensing her and beckoned to her.
"Ah, Ginny," Lupin said, nodding at her. "Meet Avery, she's a Healer, and I've asked her to give us her educated opinion on Harry's status. Avery, this is Harry's fiancé, Ginny Weasley."
Ginny greeted the other woman. "Do you have any ideas on how we can wake him up? Is he at least still…healthy?"
Avery nodded. "The potions that he's been given have been doing their work. Remus was telling me about a spell the two of you have been placed under. I wonder if you and I could talk a bit?"
Ginny nodded. Brogan and Lupin started to move as though to leave them alone, but Ginny shook her head. "No, you two can stay. You both know everything, anyway."
Avery looked impressed by this but didn't say anything as Lupin conjured up a small table for them to sit at. Ginny walked over to Harry and touched him gently. She let her hand linger on his forehead and bent down to place a small kiss next to his scar. When she turned back around and saw they were all watching her, she felt a bit self-conscious and chose the seat next to Brogan. Her hand promptly moved to his underneath the table. His fingers felt warm, and she immediately felt steadier. Ginny flashed him a grateful look and then turned towards the Healer.
"So, Remus told me the two of you are under a compulsion spell of sorts?" Avery asked, leaning forward.
Ginny nodded. "It's called the Copulatus Amororis, and it means we must…be physical with one another, or, at least, close to each other. It's worse when Harry and I are apart and don't know where the other is. It can cause extreme anxiety and intense feelings of… frustration when we're apart. But when we're together, it can allow us to feel each other very keenly."
Avery nodded. "I have heard of such spells before but haven't heard of one being used in a long time. If it is at all reassuring, I don't think what is happening to Mr Potter right now is because of the compulsion spell."
Ginny had thought as much herself and nodded her head in agreement. Before she could ask what the Healer thought was wrong, Brogan spoke.
"Ginny is also…well, I'm not sure how to put it, but she is tapped into a large reserve of power thanks to a prophecy. She protects Harry from…You-Know-Who with this power, so we're both a bit confused about how this has happened. We assume his condition is a result of You-Know-Who doing something to him."
"I see," the Healer said, frowning and glancing at Ginny. "Remus mentioned something about how you were unable to feel or sense, Mr Potter. Is this ability part of the Copulatus benefits or is it because of something else?"
Ginny glanced at Brogan and hesitated before answering. "Brogan is…an Empath, and he helps connect Harry and me together. For some reason, he has been able to open up a connection between the…two…of us. Harry and I can sense each other most of the time. But ever since this happened, I haven't been able to get an impression of Harry at all."
Avery frowned and glanced at the bed, her brow furrowing at what she was thinking. She looked at Brogan next. "Do you sense anything from him? I'm sorry, I've only read about Empaths, and I'm not sure how it works, but I am assuming you pick up emotions and things like that?"
Brogan nodded. "To get a clear reading, it has to be fairly strong emotions, or I have to be open and emotionally close to the person. But with Harry…well, there's a thing Empaths can do to join two people together, and this is what happened with Harry and Ginny. It usually fades after time, but this never has…that is…it's even stronger now than it was before. And like Ginny said, it's…there's nothing there where Harry should be. It's not even how it is with people I don't know. It's just…a blank emptiness. Nothing."
"Hmm," Avery said, frowning. She tapped her fingers on the table in front of her as though in deep thought.
"Do you have an idea?" Lupin asked after a long moment.
"It's almost as though someone has put a stop to your connection somehow," Avery said, frowning. She stared at Harry again and then brought her attention back to the table.
"There are spells designed to splinter or cause division between people, mostly dark ones, of course. If someone wanted to…" Avery paused and then stood up, going over to Harry's body. Ginny watched as the Healer moved her wand in a series of complicated waves and watched as a faint red light appeared above Harry, different sigils and emblems that reminded Ginny of Ancient Runes moving in quick succession as Avery read through them. The Healer did another spell, and this time the light was green. Avery's face lit up.
"Ah-ha!" The Healer cried triumphantly. But the cry died in her throat as the green light flared brighter and then twinkled out a moment later. Avery grunted and then came back to the table, looking at them.
"He's under a hindering spell, all right. An old one. So old that I don't even know the counter-spell or if there is one. This one is complicated, too. And it appears to be draining him of something. But his life signs are strong. I don't quite understand the mechanism behind it."
"Which means we can't fight it or stop it, doesn't it?" Lupin asked, his expression rough.
"Not necessarily. We can try certain things. You said you had a good potioneer around? There may be a way for us to fight it. Can I speak with them?"
Lupin glanced at Ginny and Brogan, who both nodded their heads, and the other two stood up. Avery rested her hand on Ginny's shoulder.
"Don't give up hope, Miss Weasley. Not to sound cocky, but I've never met a patient I couldn't help, and I'm not about to start now with Harry Potter, of all people. I knew his Mum, and she was…well, she was a strong personality, and I'm sure Harry is equally as brilliant, from what I have heard about him." Avery paused and gave Ginny a gentle look. "I don't like these dark circles under your eyes. On either of you," she said, glancing at Brogan. "You two have to keep your strength up just as much as he does. I'm going to prescribe a few potions for you, as well."
Without waiting for either of them to even begin to utter an argument, the Healer swept out the room after Lupin. Ginny shared a glance with Brogan.
"Well, she certainly told us. And here I thought that I looked a bit less peaky."
"Aye, she did. I get the feeling that if anyone can help Harry, she might be the best bet we have."
Ginny nodded and gazed at the bed, watching Harry breathe in and out for a moment. But still, the darkness that had been threatening her for days seemed much further away, amazingly enough, and she knew why. She looked at Brogan.
"Thank you for earlier."
"Anytime."
"I hope you didn't feel…that is, you know…"
"Ginny, it's fine. It…was what we needed, I think. I almost felt like he was there. Almost." Brogan squeezed her hand, but looked away. When she didn't say anything, he eventually found her eyes again and she leaned forward.
Ginny wanted him to know that she understood what he had done for her. "The way you feel about us and the fact that you shared that with me meant everything, Brogan."
He briefly looked embarrassed but squeezed her hand again, nodding his head slightly in acknowledgement.
"Harry tried to tell me something might happen to him, but I didn't want to listen. Now I wish I had. He told me if there was one breath left in him, he would make it back to me." Ginny blinked her eyes quickly, sensing the hot feel of tears behind her eyes. She hadn't cried all that much since it had happened, and she wasn't going to start now. She stubbornly wiped at her eyes and looked away.
Brogan reached out and cupped her face, his thumb running tenderly across her cheek. He pulled her to him, into his lap, and she sighed as she rested her head on his shoulder. Ginny couldn't imagine going through this without him, and that was the truth. Regardless of their physical relationship, Brogan's most significant benefit to Ginny was his ability to make her feel that everything was not lost. It was something she thought she had taken for granted until now.
"I'm sure he's fighting, Gin," Brogan murmured. "He loves you with everything he has, and you know it."
"I know," she whispered.
o-o-o-o-o
"Ginny? Would you like a cup of tea?"
Ginny looked up from the book she wasn't really reading and smiled at Hermione. She glanced at Harry out of habit and sighed as she let go of his hand, placing it back on the bed. She nodded at her friend, and the other girl handed her a cup while she used her wand to conjure another chair to sit in.
Ginny smiled thankfully and closed her eyes as the warm liquid seemed soothe and settle her.
"How is he?" Hermione asked, looking at Harry, a sad look on her face.
"His vitals are very encouraging, or so says our new Healer," Ginny replied dryly.
"I like her," Hermione said matter of factly. "She seems very clever and knows a lot about spell damage and the type of curses that are out there. I think if anyone can do something to help him, it'll be her."
"That's the impression Brogan got as well," Ginny said, taking another sip of her tea.
Hermione nodded, and the two sat in silence for a little while. Finally, the other girl put her cup down and looked at her.
"How are…that is, how is Brogan dealing with things? The two of you…with this?" Hermione gestured at Harry.
"We're looking out for each other. Well, he's mostly looking after me. It's different than if my Mum or one of my brothers does it, though. Brogan's less…"
"Obnoxious about it?" Hermione asked, her lips twitching in amusement. Ginny smiled.
"Yeah. He doesn't really tell me to eat; he just puts the plate with a sandwich on it in my hand. He doesn't tell me to go to sleep; he just lowers the lights and hands me a pillow or a blanket. It's subtle but more effective than Weasley blundering, I reckon."
"He…" Hermione paused, and she looked slightly embarrassed. "He cares about you."
"He loves us, is what you mean," Ginny said, meeting Hermione's gaze. The other girl ducked her head and then gave her a gentle smile.
"He loves you."
"He loves Harry as well, trust me, Hermione."
Hermione didn't say anything and rested her head on her hand. She stared off into space for a little bit, and Ginny continued drinking her tea.
"How…I mean, I know how, really, no details, but…how does it work with the three of you? I always thought Harry was or…would be the jealous type. You too, for that matter. How do the three of you make it look so…uncomplicated?"
Ginny shrugged. "It helps, I think, that Brogan emotionally connects us and that Harry and I know each other so well. And I can't say there haven't been previous issues about some things between us but…for the most part, we do manage to get along fairly well. And jealousy really hasn't occurred…mostly, it's just one of us being insecure about something or other. Usually something silly."
"I suppose it's because Ron and I have been removed from the three of you truly interacting together, but…noticing how much he's taken care of you these last few days…it just hit me how much Brogan feels for you and you for him. I'm sorry, it's none of my business."
"No, it's alright, Hermione. We've never had a proper woman to woman chat about it, have we?" Ginny glanced at Harry's peaceful form and sighed. "Harry was dead frightened when I told him you knew, but then he just shook it off saying how clever you were, and of course, you'd figured it out."
Ginny paused. She looked at Hermione, who had still had a slightly embarrassed look on her face. "There have been times I've really wished you were around more so I could talk about things. They're great, Harry and Brogan, but they're blokes. I'm not sure they understand things from a woman's perspective."
"Like what?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrow.
"Like…it's not fair, really, how I feel guilty sometimes about how okay with everything I really am, you know? They don't seem to suffer from that, or I should say, they don't get the same feeling of shame I do. Or did feel, at first." Ginny looked down at her hands and pulled at an imaginary string on her robe, feeling her face heat.
"You mean because you're with the both of them? Well, that's just brainwashing, really. We're taught from the moment we hit puberty to be Very Good Girls and to not do certain things. Or wear certain clothes or, I don't know, even talk about certain things out loud. Boys get treated and raised differently. For them, it's the more, the merrier, I dare say. For us, we're told we're slags for even thinking about fancying another bloke." Hermione sounded indignant, and Ginny bit back a laugh.
"I knew you would understand," Ginny said.
"The only thing I'm curious about is how you got Harry to…well, actually admit he might fancy another man?" Hermione sat forward, curiosity bright in her brown eyes. Ginny smirked.
"Harry did that all by himself, believe it or not. He's the one who made the first move."
"No!"
Ginny nodded. "Yep. Just up and kissed Brogan like it was nothing. I sort of walked in on them."
"Oh, Merlin, and you didn't hex his bits off? I've never been more impressed with your self-control, Ginny."
Ginny smiled, remembering. "On the contrary, I…I think it had been there in front of me for a while, their attraction. I knew Brogan had feelings for Harry, and once I mentioned that to Harry, I really should have known it wouldn't take very long. You know how Harry is. He's always so…unassuming about people liking him. He expects everyone to treat him like those Muggles that raised him. As though there was nothing about him that could be attractive to someone else. As though he were nothing. I don't think it was Harry fancying another man so much as…him responding to a person who liked him for him. Well, that and the fact that Brogan is quite fit and snogs like a house on fire. We were both goners, actually, come to think of it."
Hermione shook her head as though Ginny had just told her the sky was really periwinkle. She shook her head at Ginny.
"As long as you're happy, then I'm happy. I said it then, and I'll say it now. And I'm glad you aren't going through this alone. Well, you have us, and your family, of course, but I know it's different. I never understood that before your brother and I became a couple, you know? There's comfort in someone knowing you better than you know yourself, sometimes. And there's a comfort that comes from a lover that just feels like more."
Ginny nodded, knowing what she meant. She finally finished her tea and set the cup down. She reached out for Harry's hand again, feeling the steady thrum of his pulse from his wrist. It was a habit now that she always checked. She released his hand and looked back at their friend, blinking rapidly, feeling overcome, suddenly.
Hermione smiled, gazing at Harry. She reached out and took Ginny's hand, giving her one of her famous determined looks. "He's going to wake up, you know. I…this isn't the end. I know I am usually not one to just go with her emotions about things, but I just…feel it. He'll come back to you. And to us."
"I know," Ginny whispered, not trusting her voice. Hermione frowned and then moved forward, wrapping her arms around her. Ginny closed her eyes and let her friend hold her, not caring for a moment. She always tried to be the strong one, but she knew that she had to take comfort from someone eventually. Hermione pulled back finally and nodded at her to make sure she was okay. Ginny gave her a sheepish grin.
"Sorry, I felt overwhelmed there. Thank you for saying that. I know it too, but it's nice to hear someone else voice it out loud that isn't Brogan trying to make me feel better."
Hermione smiled and then glanced down. "Ginny, why don't you try putting your necklace around Harry? Isn't Waystone supposed to have restorative properties? I mean, it helped you before, didn't it?"
Ginny's hand went to her throat, wrapping around her necklace. She had forgotten all about it, actually. She reckoned it couldn't hurt to use it. She undid the clasp and then stood up, moving over to the bed. She slipped her hand around Harry's head and draped the necklace over him, making sure the clasp was done tight. She lowered her hand to cover the stone as it sat against his skin and wished with all her might that the necklace would call to him wherever he was. And that it would help him find his way back home again.
o-o-o-o-o
Ginny awoke with a start, not sure what had caused her to wake up mid-dream. She heard loud voices outside the bedroom door and turned, realizing Brogan wasn't beside her (again). Grabbing a dressing gown, she slipped it over her shoulders as she left the room to see what was going on. The first person she saw was Ron.
"What's going on?"
Her brother blinked at her as though not seeing her for a moment and then appeared to come back to himself.
"Death Eater attack in London, near the flat, but we're not sure if they know where it's at or not. Sketchy reports coming back, and Tonks was on watch tonight. Remus is a bit stressed out. Mum and Dad have checked in, but they were out doing Order business."
Ginny frowned, wondering what sort of business her parents could be doing at…she didn't even know what time it was. Still, it was late, or very early, judging by the lack of light from the big windows in the dining room as they entered it. Hermione was already there, talking with Kath. Ginny slipped away from Ron and went to Harry's bedroom, just to check on him.
"Hmph," she muttered as her head ran right into Brogan's chest.
"He's fine," Brogan said, gripping her briefly by the shoulders. "I was about to come wake you up."
"I heard Ron talking in the hallway. He wasn't using his 'indoor' voice, so he saved you the dirty deed of waking me from my beauty sleep," Ginny said, knowing she sounded far too sarcastic but couldn't seem to help it. She poked her head around the door, and sure enough, Harry remained asleep. She sighed, feeling a bit of her tension leave her. She glanced at Brogan, realizing he was still dressed and hadn't come to bed at all yet.
"What time is it?"
"Around 3 or so."
"Where were you?" Ginny hadn't meant to sound so blunt or accusing and winced at herself.
Brogan looked startled, then sheepish. "Helping Kath with some ingredient chopping. I didn't realize how late it was until we got word about the flat. Sorry."
Ginny shook her head. It wasn't really her place to get him to sleep. After all, he was a grown man. Although chopping potions ingredients seemed a rather tedious use of his time. As though sensing her emotions, he touched her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, I just lost track of time," he murmured.
"It's fine, Brogan, you don't have to explain." Ginny shrugged, feeling weirdly possessive suddenly. Some irrational part of her brain realized that they had spent every moment together (and with Harry) until Kath had shown up. Now it was as though he barely spent any time alone with her. Ginny stopped herself suddenly and took the thoughts she had been thinking and buried them in a deep part of her brain. Complete with a big mound of dirt and a rusty shovel thrown on top. She honestly didn't need to feel jealous. Not now. It was silly anyway, and Ginny knew it. She squeezed his hand as they made their way back to the others.
Ginny noticed the change of mood in the room immediately. "What's happened?"
Ron was the first to speak, but he wasn't looking at Ginny. He was glancing at Brogan next to her. "We just got word…Tonks is okay, but er, a few people were hurt. They, uh, don't know where your father is, Brogan. He helped fight off the ones surrounding Tonks, but…no one has seen him since. They're putting together a search party because a few others are missing, mostly Aurors that Kingsley had in the area."
"Remus is here, and he wanted to know if you'd like to join them," Hermione added.
If Ginny didn't know him so well, she might have assumed he had no reaction to the news – but she saw his hand twitch out of the corner of her eye, and when she looked at his face, she saw his eyes widened, but only just. If she didn't know what a champion Brogan was at hiding his real feelings, Ginny might have even thought he didn't care. But she knew that wasn't the case. She slipped her hand into his and looked at him. His blue eyes found hers, and she nodded. "Go. Go find him."
"But you and Harry-"
"We'll be fine. Harry is…well, Harry's set, isn't he? And don't worry about me. Just be safe."
Brogan gave her a look and then nodded as he and her brother headed off to find Lupin. Hermione came over and put an arm around Ginny's shoulders.
"Come on, let's put the kettle on and give them a few cups of fortifying tea before they leave."
"Ron's going?" Ginny asked.
Hermione nodded. "Yes, Remus asked him to. Between you and me, he was pretty well chuffed. His ears turned bright pink, and his chest puffed out to here." Hermione gestured with her hands.
Kath was in the kitchen when they reached it, and Ginny noticed she was already getting the coffee ready. She smiled at them. "I thought I would make sure Brogan had some before he left."
Ginny nodded as she and Hermione started getting cups together. Hermione had the brilliant idea to transfigure them into travel cups. The three women set about doing that in an orderly fashion.
Ginny glanced at Lupin as the men joined them in the kitchen, and she thought her brother's description of 'stressed' didn't quite do the man justice; Lupin looked downright overwrought. His blue-grey eyes met hers, and he gave her a half-smile. "It's been a rough night even without the attack," he said, and Ginny realized they were a few days past the full moon. Harry had always told her Lupin had a hard time of it then. She reached out and put her hand on his arm, squeezing it.
"How's Tonks?"
"She's okay, just a bit beat up. She said Brogan's father did a fine job of helping her chase them off. She's going to join our search. I can't convince her to stay at the flat, of course. Apparently, until we're actually married, I can't order her around." Lupin gave her a brief, dry smile.
"How many others are missing?"
"Three in total, Solace and two Aurors. Kingsley says they are very professional and not the sort to not check-in, so…he's worried. We also haven't heard from Fred and George yet, but they were in another part of the city, so they're probably okay."
Ginny nodded and looked at Brogan, who was pouring coffee into one of Hermione's travel cups. She went to him, mindful of everyone else in the kitchen. She grabbed another cup and poured herself some tea.
"Meet me in Harry's room," she murmured, and Brogan nodded his head slightly. Ginny turned back around and then hugged her brother. Ron gaped at her for a moment as though in shock. She frowned and then punched his arm. "I want you to be safe, you git."
Ron gave her a small grin, and then Hermione was throwing her arms around him, distracting everyone. Ginny slipped out of the kitchen and went to Harry's room. She placed her teacup on the table by the door and then paused at the foot of the bed. She kept the lights low and almost didn't sense Brogan until he was behind her. He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her waist.
They both watched Harry breathe in and out for a moment, not really needing words.
"Be careful," Ginny finally whispered. She felt his lips brush the top of her head as he gave her a small kiss.
"Of course."
"I can't lose the both of you, so do try to come back unharmed if you can manage it, Brogan," Ginny said, thankful her voice sounded strong and that it wasn't shaking. She turned and looked up at him as he gave her a tender smile.
"Wouldn't dream of coming back any other way," he said lightly. He placed a small kiss on her forehead, and then he was pulling away. Ginny stopped him by latching her hand around his and pulled him back. She stretched up and kissed him, for real, wanting to remind him or maybe just herself, that he had things to come back for. He tasted of strong coffee and something that was always just him. She pulled back and swallowed roughly.
"Come back to the both of us," she said needlessly.
Brogan nodded, his eyes holding hers for a moment, and then he was gone. Ginny turned around and stared at Harry, suddenly feeling very lost and very much alone. She climbed onto the bed and lay down beside him, wrapping her arms around him. "Oh, Harry," Ginny murmured, feeling her heart clench. She rested her head under his and placed a hand on his chest. Her hand immediately surrounded the Waystone necklace he was still wearing. She felt the warmth of it and closed her eyes, willing the hours to fly by until everyone was safe again.
o-o-o-o-o
