House: Slytherin
Class: Astronomy
FFN Name: MossLynne
Type: Themed
Theme: Isolation
Prompt: Camping Trip
Rating: K+
Word Count: 1248
Undoing the Darkness
Ginny lay awake in her dark bedroom. The curtains were drawn and there were still a few hours before the sun peeked over the horizon. Her skin was covered in a layer of cold sweat and her fingers gripped her covers. The only movement was the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she tried to regain control of her breathing. It had been a year since she had been dragged down into the Chamber of Secrets, but the nightmares were still frequent as the day she was pulled out.
Inhaling, Ginny swung her legs over the side of her bed and sat with her elbows resting on her knees. She took a few more breaths of stale summer air and then stood. Creeping across her room, she walked to her window and pulled back the curtains. In the yard, she could see the tent where Ron, Harry and Hermione were staying. There was a soft glow emanating through the gaps in the fabric. She imagined they had spent the evening laughing and telling stories. Sometimes, she wondered if they had nightmares too. All of them had endured terror at the hands of dark wizards, but none of them had experienced as a personal attack as she had. A shiver ran down her spine as she pulled the curtain back into place.
She felt alone. As though a wall of glass sat between her and her peers, her potential friends. She wondered if she would ever be able to move past the horrors she had faced, or if she would always be the girl who almost died in the Chamber.
Harry sat in the cramped tent with his two best friends. It was well into the evening but none of them felt even the slightest bit tired. They had spent the evening gorging themselves on sweets bought on the train coming home that they had hoarded until their camping trip. Hermione had brought bags of muggle sweets coated in sour sugar and large plastic bottles of soda. Their sugary feast had sent them into fits of giggles, and now, with the stars overhead, they were lulled into a relaxed, groggy state.
"Let's go look at the stars," Hermione suggested, pulling back the flap of the tent.
The boys nodded and followed her out. Outside, as they craned their necks for a better view, Hermione started to tell them muggle stories about the different constellations and how they got there.
Familiar with the stories, Harry looked away from the sky and let his eyes wander around the Weasley's property. As his eyes roamed the house, he saw a small, pale face staring at him from the kitchen window. He gave a small wave to Ginny and she turned away.
Harry turned back to Ron, who was engrossed by Hermione's stories, then he got up and started to head towards the house. Once there, he opened the door and crept inside.
"Ginny?" he whispered, hoping not to wake anyone.
When he didn't hear a response, he slowly felt his way down the hall. A small sniffle alerted Harry that Ginny was still nearby. He found her crying softly in the living room, snuggled under one of Mrs. Weasly's hand-knitted blankets.
"Ginny?" he asked again, not waiting to startle her.
"What?" she squeaked back, still hidden under the blanket.
Harry suddenly felt very nervous and was uncertain what to say next. He hadn't spoken much to Ginny after pulling her from the Chamber in his second year. A wave of guilt washed over him as he stood awkwardly in the living room. Maybe he should have reached out to her more.
"I…I don't know." He hung his head. "I just wanted to know why you were still awake. Were we being too loud?"
Harry felt silly asking the question when he knew that wasn't the case but he hoped it would help break the ice.
Ginny shook her head and pulled the blanket tighter.
"I was having nightmares."
Concern swept over Harry.
"About what? Voldemort?"
Ginny's eyes went wide at the mention of the name.
"Sorry, sorry. You-Know-Who."
She nodded slowly.
"I was back in the Chamber. He was taunting me. Telling me that it was my fault that you were going to die. It's always the same. I'm cold and weak, my vision begins to blur and all I know is that my last memories will be of how I killed you, my friend and family. How it's all my fault."
The words fell out of her mouth and sobs followed. Harry sat down beside her and pulled her close. Her tears fell fast, soaking a patch on the shoulder of his pyjamas.
"I feel so alone," She whispered to Harry. "I made so many mistakes."
Harry felt tears pricking at the back of his eyes. The sorrow and guilt Ginny felt were not hers to carry and yet she did it day after day. Why hadn't he said hi to her in the hallways or taken notice while she ate dinner alone? How could he have been so ignorant as to let her float through the school year without a friend?
"I'm so sorry."
For a moment, the room was still aside from Ginny's tears. Harry held her close, wishing he could take those feelings away from her.
"I never told anyone that," Ginny said, pulling away from Harry. "Not about the nightmares or the loneliness, nor the guilt or fear. I don't know why I chose you."
"Because we were made different in very similar ways. You have your nightmares, and I have mine."
Ginny's eyes widened as her gaze fell on Harry's scar. She nodded in understanding.
"I know it's late, but would you like to look at the stars with us? I promise no one will mind."
"Yes please," Ginny nodded, following Harry out of the living room.
As they neared the tent together, they spied Ron and Hermione sitting on the grass together, nearly asleep. Ron opened his mouth to ask Harry why Ginny was with him but Hermione jabbed him in the ribs. She was always better at reading cues than he was.
"Evening," Ginny greeted Hermione shyly while completely ignoring Ron.
They sat under the stars in a row. Harry and Ron started to badmouth teachers they didn't like. Hermione sat, determined not to laugh, but lost it when Ron jumped up and began to impersonate Snape. Ginny sat back, feeling welcome.
Together they stayed awake through the night, watching as the sun broke over the horizon. They sat in silence for a while, admiring the sky as it grew brighter until Ron yawned loudly, then turned to the group.
"Do you reckon Mum's up yet? I'm starving."
Hermione playfully swatted at him as he ran towards the house. Jumping up, Hermione followed him, leaving Harry and Ginny alone.
"Thank you," Ginny said, not looking at Harry.
"You're welcome."
They sat together a while longer, while Harry tried to think of more to say.
When they finally stood to go back into the house Harry blurted out, "Don't be a stranger next year at school."
As soon as the words left his mouth he knew how lame they sounded. Shaking his head, blushing, he ran off to join his friends.
Ginny stood alone, bemused by Harry's embarrassment. She wasn't going to be a stranger. She broke into a grin, and for the first time since that day in the Chamber, Ginny felt her guilt and fear start to shrink away.