Yes, I know, it's a bit short, but the next chapter will be a lot longer, don't you worry =) We're in the home stretch! (See bottom for details)
As usual, thanks to my wondrous Beta's, Snowlily and Reine Dansante (good luck with finding the mad H/H reviewer!!)
Cheers!
Bella
The Power of Love
Chapter 6: "You. Love. Ginny."
*Harry's POV*
Harry caught her easily with his lightening-quick, Quidditch-born reflexes. Alison shrieked and ran around the reception desk.
"Oh, my God! Rob!" She cried, feeling the woman's pulse. Rob came running in.
"What's all this?" He asked, looking from the woman, to Harry, to his wife, back and forth.
"I-I don't know! Maria just collapsed!" Alison cried, dangerously close to hysterics.
"It's okay, I think she just fainted," Hermione said, bending over Maria. "Unfortunately, I have no training in healing..."
Alison wrung her hands and bit her lip. "Is she going to be okay?!"
"Look, sweetheart, I'll call the doctor if it'll make you feel better, all right?" Rob said soothingly to her, rubbing her back.
Alison breathed loudly and nodded. "I'll take her into a spare room," she said, and grabbed a set of keys off of the wall behind her. "Follow me," she said to Harry.
Harry picked the woman up (Maria, he thought it was) and found that she was surprisingly light. They exited the lobby and went down a short hall. Alison hastily unlocked the first door on their right and pushed it open. It was a small, yet cozy room with dark furnishings and a queen sized bed. Harry gently laid Maria on the bed and felt his heart do a funny flip-flop.
"Alison, Dr. Callingsworth will be here in a minute. Calm down, honey," he said, hugging her tightly.
She sniffled. "I'm okay. I'll show these people to their rooms," and she beckoned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Harry?" Hermione called, pulling his wrist. He didn't budge. He felt somehow connected to this woman, and the last thing he wanted to do was leave her.
"Harry, come on!" Ron said, punching him on the shoulder. Harry blindly followed; his mind on the beautiful dark haired, dark-skinned woman whom he had saved.
Alison showed him his room and handed him his key. Ron and Hermione were in the room to his right, a door adjoining the two.
Harry sat down on the sky-blue bedspread. This was really bad. He couldn't like Maria. She wasn't Ginny...
But somehow, he thought as he laid back and grabbed a chunk of his hair, somehow, when she had looked at him, they're eyes had connected, and he felt a powerful surge go through him. Maybe, he thought, a bit vainly, that's why she had fainted.
"Argh," he made a frustrated noise and put his hands over his face. No. He wouldn't think about her that way. He was supposed to be in love with Ginny!
"Harry?" Hermione knocked softly.
"Yeah?" he grumbled.
"Can I come in?" she inquired, and without waiting for an answer, she entered and shut the door behind her.
Harry sat up and looked at her closely: Her mouth was pressed in a thin, white line, reminding him strongly of...oh, yes! Professor McGonagall!
"Harry, can I talk to you?" She asked bluntly.
He looked at her, puzzled, but at the same time, knowing deep down that she was going to ask him about Maria.
"Erm, sure," Harry said, and gestured to a chair. She pulled it up so she was quite close to him.
"Harry, might I remind you that we are looking for Ginny?"
Her tone alarmed him. Hermione rarely lost her temper. In fact, well, it wasn't as though he could really recall a time, but she seemed to be the kind of person who had to be really pushed to lose her temper. She hadn't at all over the time Harry had been with them.
He gulped. "I know that."
"Then why in the world were you looking as though that woman-" she jerked her thumb over her shoulder, "was an angel or something?!"
Harry could tell that she was really about to pop. "I-erm-was I?"
"Yes, you were! You. Love. Ginny. She is in this town, and I won't have you cheating on her!"
Harry's jaw dropped. Hermione looked like a mad woman. Her hair was coming out of its practical bun, her breathing was ragged, and her face was red.
"Hermione, I'm not cheating on her!" Harry cried.
"I know you aren't, but don't you dare tell me that it didn't go through your head!"
Harry couldn't say anything after that. "Hermione, she's pretty, that's all! You're making a big deal out of nothing!"
"I am, am I?" she began, seething, "well, the only other person I've ever seen you look at that way is Ginny!"
"I-" Harry began, but he really did not have anything to say to that. "I'm sorry?" he said finally, meaning it as a question.
Hermione sighed heavily and put her head in her hands. "I don't know," she mumbled. "Maybe you aren't the Harry you were before."
*Ginny's POV*
"I knew I recognized that name!" Alison said triumphantly, leaning over her friend.
"Ali, what am I going to do? He's alive! He's-he's not...he's not supposed to b-be alive!" Ginny began crying again, and Alison comforted her, yet again. "Wh-what did you tell them?" She said when she had calmed down.
"I just told them that you had been in the hospital and you faint at random sometime." Alison pressed the cool cloth to Ginny's head.
"Alison! There are people here to see you!" Rob called from downstairs.
Alison groaned. "Show them up!" She called.
A few minutes later, three people entered the room: one tall red head, one woman with bushy brown hair, and one man with untidy black hair. Ginny paled.
"Hello, Mrs. Waldron, we just stopped by to see how she's-oh good, she's awake!" Hermione smiled and extended her hand. "I'm Hermione Weasley," she said politely.
Ginny managed a weak sort of grimace/smile and shook her hand. "Maria. Maria Carmon."
"Whoa! The supermodel, Maria Carmon?" Ron asked energetically, shoving his wife aside and grasping Ginny's hand.
Hermione glared at him, but he took no notice. Ginny shifted, sat up, and made sure her blanket was covering every part of her. It was way to weird to have her own brother...eww, she didn't even want to think about it...
"And you are?" Ginny asked, raising her eyebrows at him.
He blushed. "Ron, Ron Weasley, Hermione's erm-" he hesitated for a second, in which Hermione glared at him so forcefully he staggered, and quickly said, "Hermione's husband! And we have two beautiful children, might I add!" in a voice that was a few octaves higher than normal.
"It's nice to meet you," Ginny said, flashing him a smile and taking her hand away. Harry stepped into her view silently, and she felt her heart begin beating so fast, she was sure he could hear it.
"Harry Potter," he said in a low voice, taking her hand.
Ginny did her best to keep her face neutral. "You were the one who caught me, right?"
He smiled. "Yes."
"Thank you," Ginny said graciously, smiling at him.
Harry stared into her eyes for what seemed like ages, and she noticed that they shone with the same fire she had seen in them on that fateful night all those years ago, when he had told her he loved her.
The something horrible hit her like a ton of bricks. He was in love with her. No, not her as in Ginny, but as in Maria!
"What brings you to Australia?" Alison asked quickly.
"We're looking for someone, right Harry?" Hermione asked, shoving him lightly.
"Oh, who is that?" Alison asked curiously.
"My sister," Ron said miserably. "She's a witch and has been missing for a little over a year."
"Oh," Alison said nervously. "What is her name?"
Ginny shut her eyes.
"Her name is Ginny," Hermione said, glaring at Harry.
"Why look here?" Ginny asked, in order to look inconspicuous.
"Because we did the finding spell and it said she was here. You don't know her, do you?" Hermione asked sharply.
"No, never heard of her before," Ginny choked.
"Oh," Hermione said, looking quite sad.
"Will you be staying here tonight?" Ginny asked, desperate to change subjects.
"Yes, and maybe longer. However long it takes to find Ginny," Ron said firmly.
"Good luck," Alison said in a quiet, sarcastic voice. Ginny glared daggers at her.
"Well, I suppose we should owl Molly, Ron," Hermione said, sighing wearily. "I hope you get better soon," she said coldly to Maria, and left quickly, Ron at her heels.
Ginny felt as though her heart had been ripped out. Hermione knew that Harry was interested in her-Maria, she corrected herself-and was not pleased at all. Speaking of, Harry was still in there, staring at her.
"Would you excuse me? I'm feeling a bit tired," Ginny said, smiling weakly at him.
Harry looked a bit taken aback, but quickly smiled and nodded. "Sure. I'll come back and visit," he promised.
Once he was safely out of earshot, Ginny let out a moan and buried the heels of her hands in her eyes, willing herself not to cry.
"Well, it serves you right," Alison said heatedly, pouring Ginny a glass of water. "They don't deserve to go through all of this."
"I can't go back," Ginny said firmly, removing her hands and taking the glass.
"Goddamn it Ginny!" Alison burst, slamming the water down on the table. "I can't believe you! You are acting so selfish! Can't you see that your family misses you? And it's plain as day that Harry feels attracted to you, so even if they did give up looking, there's no way he would let you go-you as Maria! Ginny, your only way out is coming clean. You have to tell them!"
Ginny stared at her friend in astonishment. Alison was breathing heavily and her hands were balled into fists. "I-well," Ginny stuttered and looked down. The fuzzy end of the blanket had become quite interesting...
"Ginny, I hate to do this to you," Alison said in a tight voice, "but if you don't tell them, then I will." And she stomped out of the room, clutching the pitcher of water in a death grip.
Ginny knew her friend meant it. Now what was she going to do?
I apologize for the shortness of it! But don't worry, the next chapter will be quite a bit bigger. I'm thinking that it will be the last chapter, and then I will post an Epilogue. :D Please review!
As usual, thanks to my wondrous Beta's, Snowlily and Reine Dansante (good luck with finding the mad H/H reviewer!!)
Cheers!
Bella
The Power of Love
Chapter 6: "You. Love. Ginny."
*Harry's POV*
Harry caught her easily with his lightening-quick, Quidditch-born reflexes. Alison shrieked and ran around the reception desk.
"Oh, my God! Rob!" She cried, feeling the woman's pulse. Rob came running in.
"What's all this?" He asked, looking from the woman, to Harry, to his wife, back and forth.
"I-I don't know! Maria just collapsed!" Alison cried, dangerously close to hysterics.
"It's okay, I think she just fainted," Hermione said, bending over Maria. "Unfortunately, I have no training in healing..."
Alison wrung her hands and bit her lip. "Is she going to be okay?!"
"Look, sweetheart, I'll call the doctor if it'll make you feel better, all right?" Rob said soothingly to her, rubbing her back.
Alison breathed loudly and nodded. "I'll take her into a spare room," she said, and grabbed a set of keys off of the wall behind her. "Follow me," she said to Harry.
Harry picked the woman up (Maria, he thought it was) and found that she was surprisingly light. They exited the lobby and went down a short hall. Alison hastily unlocked the first door on their right and pushed it open. It was a small, yet cozy room with dark furnishings and a queen sized bed. Harry gently laid Maria on the bed and felt his heart do a funny flip-flop.
"Alison, Dr. Callingsworth will be here in a minute. Calm down, honey," he said, hugging her tightly.
She sniffled. "I'm okay. I'll show these people to their rooms," and she beckoned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Harry?" Hermione called, pulling his wrist. He didn't budge. He felt somehow connected to this woman, and the last thing he wanted to do was leave her.
"Harry, come on!" Ron said, punching him on the shoulder. Harry blindly followed; his mind on the beautiful dark haired, dark-skinned woman whom he had saved.
Alison showed him his room and handed him his key. Ron and Hermione were in the room to his right, a door adjoining the two.
Harry sat down on the sky-blue bedspread. This was really bad. He couldn't like Maria. She wasn't Ginny...
But somehow, he thought as he laid back and grabbed a chunk of his hair, somehow, when she had looked at him, they're eyes had connected, and he felt a powerful surge go through him. Maybe, he thought, a bit vainly, that's why she had fainted.
"Argh," he made a frustrated noise and put his hands over his face. No. He wouldn't think about her that way. He was supposed to be in love with Ginny!
"Harry?" Hermione knocked softly.
"Yeah?" he grumbled.
"Can I come in?" she inquired, and without waiting for an answer, she entered and shut the door behind her.
Harry sat up and looked at her closely: Her mouth was pressed in a thin, white line, reminding him strongly of...oh, yes! Professor McGonagall!
"Harry, can I talk to you?" She asked bluntly.
He looked at her, puzzled, but at the same time, knowing deep down that she was going to ask him about Maria.
"Erm, sure," Harry said, and gestured to a chair. She pulled it up so she was quite close to him.
"Harry, might I remind you that we are looking for Ginny?"
Her tone alarmed him. Hermione rarely lost her temper. In fact, well, it wasn't as though he could really recall a time, but she seemed to be the kind of person who had to be really pushed to lose her temper. She hadn't at all over the time Harry had been with them.
He gulped. "I know that."
"Then why in the world were you looking as though that woman-" she jerked her thumb over her shoulder, "was an angel or something?!"
Harry could tell that she was really about to pop. "I-erm-was I?"
"Yes, you were! You. Love. Ginny. She is in this town, and I won't have you cheating on her!"
Harry's jaw dropped. Hermione looked like a mad woman. Her hair was coming out of its practical bun, her breathing was ragged, and her face was red.
"Hermione, I'm not cheating on her!" Harry cried.
"I know you aren't, but don't you dare tell me that it didn't go through your head!"
Harry couldn't say anything after that. "Hermione, she's pretty, that's all! You're making a big deal out of nothing!"
"I am, am I?" she began, seething, "well, the only other person I've ever seen you look at that way is Ginny!"
"I-" Harry began, but he really did not have anything to say to that. "I'm sorry?" he said finally, meaning it as a question.
Hermione sighed heavily and put her head in her hands. "I don't know," she mumbled. "Maybe you aren't the Harry you were before."
*Ginny's POV*
"I knew I recognized that name!" Alison said triumphantly, leaning over her friend.
"Ali, what am I going to do? He's alive! He's-he's not...he's not supposed to b-be alive!" Ginny began crying again, and Alison comforted her, yet again. "Wh-what did you tell them?" She said when she had calmed down.
"I just told them that you had been in the hospital and you faint at random sometime." Alison pressed the cool cloth to Ginny's head.
"Alison! There are people here to see you!" Rob called from downstairs.
Alison groaned. "Show them up!" She called.
A few minutes later, three people entered the room: one tall red head, one woman with bushy brown hair, and one man with untidy black hair. Ginny paled.
"Hello, Mrs. Waldron, we just stopped by to see how she's-oh good, she's awake!" Hermione smiled and extended her hand. "I'm Hermione Weasley," she said politely.
Ginny managed a weak sort of grimace/smile and shook her hand. "Maria. Maria Carmon."
"Whoa! The supermodel, Maria Carmon?" Ron asked energetically, shoving his wife aside and grasping Ginny's hand.
Hermione glared at him, but he took no notice. Ginny shifted, sat up, and made sure her blanket was covering every part of her. It was way to weird to have her own brother...eww, she didn't even want to think about it...
"And you are?" Ginny asked, raising her eyebrows at him.
He blushed. "Ron, Ron Weasley, Hermione's erm-" he hesitated for a second, in which Hermione glared at him so forcefully he staggered, and quickly said, "Hermione's husband! And we have two beautiful children, might I add!" in a voice that was a few octaves higher than normal.
"It's nice to meet you," Ginny said, flashing him a smile and taking her hand away. Harry stepped into her view silently, and she felt her heart begin beating so fast, she was sure he could hear it.
"Harry Potter," he said in a low voice, taking her hand.
Ginny did her best to keep her face neutral. "You were the one who caught me, right?"
He smiled. "Yes."
"Thank you," Ginny said graciously, smiling at him.
Harry stared into her eyes for what seemed like ages, and she noticed that they shone with the same fire she had seen in them on that fateful night all those years ago, when he had told her he loved her.
The something horrible hit her like a ton of bricks. He was in love with her. No, not her as in Ginny, but as in Maria!
"What brings you to Australia?" Alison asked quickly.
"We're looking for someone, right Harry?" Hermione asked, shoving him lightly.
"Oh, who is that?" Alison asked curiously.
"My sister," Ron said miserably. "She's a witch and has been missing for a little over a year."
"Oh," Alison said nervously. "What is her name?"
Ginny shut her eyes.
"Her name is Ginny," Hermione said, glaring at Harry.
"Why look here?" Ginny asked, in order to look inconspicuous.
"Because we did the finding spell and it said she was here. You don't know her, do you?" Hermione asked sharply.
"No, never heard of her before," Ginny choked.
"Oh," Hermione said, looking quite sad.
"Will you be staying here tonight?" Ginny asked, desperate to change subjects.
"Yes, and maybe longer. However long it takes to find Ginny," Ron said firmly.
"Good luck," Alison said in a quiet, sarcastic voice. Ginny glared daggers at her.
"Well, I suppose we should owl Molly, Ron," Hermione said, sighing wearily. "I hope you get better soon," she said coldly to Maria, and left quickly, Ron at her heels.
Ginny felt as though her heart had been ripped out. Hermione knew that Harry was interested in her-Maria, she corrected herself-and was not pleased at all. Speaking of, Harry was still in there, staring at her.
"Would you excuse me? I'm feeling a bit tired," Ginny said, smiling weakly at him.
Harry looked a bit taken aback, but quickly smiled and nodded. "Sure. I'll come back and visit," he promised.
Once he was safely out of earshot, Ginny let out a moan and buried the heels of her hands in her eyes, willing herself not to cry.
"Well, it serves you right," Alison said heatedly, pouring Ginny a glass of water. "They don't deserve to go through all of this."
"I can't go back," Ginny said firmly, removing her hands and taking the glass.
"Goddamn it Ginny!" Alison burst, slamming the water down on the table. "I can't believe you! You are acting so selfish! Can't you see that your family misses you? And it's plain as day that Harry feels attracted to you, so even if they did give up looking, there's no way he would let you go-you as Maria! Ginny, your only way out is coming clean. You have to tell them!"
Ginny stared at her friend in astonishment. Alison was breathing heavily and her hands were balled into fists. "I-well," Ginny stuttered and looked down. The fuzzy end of the blanket had become quite interesting...
"Ginny, I hate to do this to you," Alison said in a tight voice, "but if you don't tell them, then I will." And she stomped out of the room, clutching the pitcher of water in a death grip.
Ginny knew her friend meant it. Now what was she going to do?
I apologize for the shortness of it! But don't worry, the next chapter will be quite a bit bigger. I'm thinking that it will be the last chapter, and then I will post an Epilogue. :D Please review!