Author's Note/Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They
belong to the crafty, talented J.K. Rowling. The only thing I own is this
computer and maybe even my sanity (if I can find it that is). Hopefully
this story will make decent and steady progression. Flames are welcome,
but just be assured of this one little fact. they will be later on used to
roast my marshmallows to a fluffy, golden brown state. I am looking
forward to receiving constructive criticism and suggestions, so feel free
to review and tell me what I could do to make it more enjoyable to read
(make sure to tell me what you thought also!). Without further ado, I will
continue on with my fanfic. If you have any questions whatsoever; you can
place them in the reviews.
P.S. I also love feedback ^_~
Chapter 3
A/N: Colin's POV (See, I told you I'd tell you, didn't I?)
"I wonder how Ginny's doing."
My words bounced off the walls of the vacant dormitory. My mind was on Ginny, on her condition. There was really no use trying to pry it from her, everything just sort of revolves around her. So, I've finally found the solution to her mysterious attraction.
Ginny is a magnet.
She's a powerful one at that. The way sunlight is drawn to her hair, and makes it radiate like fire. The way it makes it seem like they have something in common. Ginny is so much like the sun. Her red-hot temper, the way she's always so warm towards me, the way she just brightens up my day. And apart from everything else, it's her hair that absolutely drives me crazy. It's so vibrant, like it actually absorbs light. It's almost as if it is fire itself, the way it dances and flickers to no extent. Sometimes it seems like it has a life of its own. And the way it looks so soft and feathery. I often catch myself wondering how it would feel in my hands.
I must take my mind off of her, or I'll just explode. For she has no interest in me. It's all focused on Harry, and there's none to spare on me. Sure, we're friends, but she'll never see me as anything more. Why Harry? Why did she have to like Harry? He still sees me as a little kid, someone who's bouncing off walls and admiring the ground he walks on, wanting to take an endless amount of pictures of him. Sure, I was like that before, but I'm 16 now, and I have no more desire to worship him. For that's what Ginny does, and I've seen the ridiculous things she's done to try and capture his attention. Of course, I've seen the ridiculous things I've done to try and capture hers.
'A picture, Colin. Take a picture. If you're going to capture anything, why not use the thing you're very best at to do it?'
A picture. but Ginny HATES getting her picture taken. How am ever supposed to get her picture?
'Well, you do have those pictures you sent to the Hospital Wing. Since they obviously don't need them, you could always get them back.'
"But those were such awful pictures!" I blushed; realizing I'd just answered to my own thoughts. Luckily, no one was in the room to see me do so.
'Well, you've got a choice, Colin. Either keep those pictures, the ones that will probably be the only ones you'll EVER have of her, or you can wallow in your own self pity. The choice is yours.'
~*~*~*~*~*~
Madame Pomfrey,
I'd like to know if you still have those pictures of Ginny I took the night she was injured. I know they're horrible, but still, I'm saving all of the pictures I've ever taken and adding them to my scrapbook. You see, photography is a hobby of mine, and it always has been. I've got a rather extensive collection. Anyway, although horrible pictures they may be, they're pictures none the less. If you could return them to me I would be ever so grateful.
Regards, Colin Creevey
I can't believe I just did that. I probably sounded like a freak, asking for pictures back. And not just any pictures, pictures of someone nearly dying.
Well, if that's all I'll get, that's all I'll get. No matter what the pictures tell, I'll always know Ginny as the sun's sister. And I'll do anything to restore that factor to her.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Dinner has been so dank and lonely without Ginny. I don't know why I even bother. Alas, I must eat; or else I'll probably end up in a bed next to her. I guess that wouldn't be so bad.
No, I'm going to dinner, I don't wish to have my body slowly deteriorating before my eyes. But I bet it's something Harry would do for her, if he loved her. Yes, Harry, our school hero. Our whole WORLD'S hero. Ginny's hero. why can't I be that hero? No, I had to go and get myself Petrified that year; I never even got a chance at attempting to save her. I have a chance to, now. Thank God I had my camera back in second year, or else I probably wouldn't be having this stupid mental debate right about now.
So I decided to go. under one condition.
I'd convince Madame Pomfrey to let me see Ginny.
When I'd gotten to the Hospital Wing, Madame Pomfrey was no where to be found. I silently thanked whoever it was for this miracle and proceeded to a bed that was enshrouded by curtains. That must be Ginny's bed.
I pulled back the curtains as delicately and quietly as I knew how. Ginny was absentmindedly reading a book, entranced by the words that swallowed her attention. Her gaze was intense, as her concentration never faulted.
"Madame Pomfrey, if you could just please set the food down on the nightstand, I'd greatly appreciate it. It seems I'm really fixated on this book, it's hard to put down, if you know what I mean."
"Ginny, it's me." My voice brought her concentration to her surroundings, and her eyes filled with delight at whom she saw standing before her. Just seeing her fill with awe made my heart beat wildly, and I couldn't help but keep in a smile.
"Oh Colin, it's so nice to see you! You could not believe how dreadfully boring it gets in here! I can't thank you enough for your card, you just made my day!"
She liked my card. At that very point in my life, it was all I could do not to enfold her in my arms and just hug her. Of all the countless, restless nights when all my energy and thoughts were those of her, everything was worth it. She deserved everything in the world, and this card was nothing compared to the endless reaches of the universe I would go to just to see her happy.
"It was really nothing, Gin, I was so worried about you." Her eyes got glossy, as a fresh sheen of tears threatened to escape her beautiful chestnut eyes.
"It was something, Colin, it was everything. It shows that someone really does care. I'm so lucky to have a friend like you."
I sat down beside her and did my best to comfort her. Tears were running down her cheeks, and ones were threatening mine as well. I couldn't control myself, seeing her cry wanted me to just make everything all right for her.
"What's wrong Ginny?" I managed through shaky breaths, my crying just as uncontrollable as hers.
"Colin, do you know just how many cards I got?" This question sincerely surprised me. Why was she so worried about how many cards she got? Her health was no popularity contest. But, not wanting to be rude, I replied as honestly as I could.
"No Gin, how many?"
"I got one, Colin, I only received one."
"But. didn't you get any from your family? Or any more from your friends? They must have noticed the terrible condition you were under that night. It's not like you were invisible, I mean, I could see you. Haven't they noticed that you haven't been going to any of your classes, or that you haven't been showing up for any of the meals?"
"I don't think they notice much of me anymore, it's like they don't even care about me anymore. It's insane, I thought family was supposed to care, not to just shatter your feelings."
"I'm so sorry Ginny, why does this have to happen?"
"I don't know, Colin, although everything does happen for a reason. But why in particular that my. my. my family does-does-doesn't love m-me anymore is beyond my imagination."
I watched in pain as Ginny hugged her knees to her chest and rocked herself back and forth, all these thoughts mortifying to her. And I felt like a bloody git, being able to only do the simple things, like pat her back and tell her everything would be okay, when obviously something was terribly wrong. I have to find out something for her, to prove to her that her family does love her.
"I'm sure they still care about you, Gin, how can they not? They're your brothers, and your mum and dad, they DO love you, no matter what they lead you to believe. I'm just sorry they're treating you this way. But honest, I really do believe they love you, it's all in your imagination that they don't. Trust me on this one, I don't think there's another explanation. I'll talk to them at dinner tonight and see what's going on. Is that all right with you?"
"Colin, you would do that for me?"
"Of course, Ginny, that's what friends are for, aren't they?" I almost stopped breathing. Of course that's what 'friends' were for, but why couldn't we just be something more. That would mean the world to me. But for now, these conditions are fine, considering the state of health Ginny's in, and I don't want to make the matters worse and put even more pressure on her. All that I should be concerned about right now is Ginny, and that's that. No more worries about being more than just friends with her right now, because that would be just selfish of me.
'You know, you've been procrastinating for a while now, Colin. You DID have the chance before this happened.'
"Colin, are you all right? You have a blank stare across your face."
"Oh-oh! Sorry about that, I guess I was just thinking about something."
"Thinking about what, Colin?" Ginny's face never looked more beautiful when it had a sincere and concerned form etched in it. Come to think of it, she was beautiful no matter what.
"N-n-nothing Gin, it was unimportant. Just some ways about how to approach your brothers about it."
"Oh, well, I hope you get something out of them, it's about time someone did. I really want to know if. if. they l-l-love me anymore or not."
I watched as my beautiful Ginny's cheeks were being stained with tears of pain, and it was all I could keep myself from kissing her pain away. again.
"Well, if I'm ever going to get this done, I should be on my way out. I only have about 20 minutes left of dinner, and I need some time to ask them some things. You know how it is. Don't worry Ginny, I'll get to the bottom of this for you."
"Oh, you're such a great friend, Colin! How did I ever get so lucky?" With this she flung her arms around me neck in a state of overwhelming joy, and I just melted into a puddle right there on her bed. I put my arms around her, hugging her tightly, letting her know that if she ever needed anything, all she had to do was ask, although no words were spoken between us.
"Lucky? Try again. Well, I'm off, get well, Ginny, or I'll never live another day." With this I gave a melodramatic sigh and flicked my head back with the back of my hand to my forehead. It made me smile to watch her laugh since a long time, and that gave me the courage I needed to face her brothers at dinner.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I entered the Great Hall. late, like I never had before, and I received pretentious stares as I meandered my way and found a seat next to Harry. He looked quite surprised, and he looked ill as well. There were deep black circles rimming beneath his eyes, and his face looked gaunt and pale. But not such a dramatic affect that anyone who hadn't seen the likes of Ginny lately wouldn't have been able to notice.
"Uh. hello Colin, it's, umm. nice to see you." Harry tried to engrave a smile on his face, but his face was shrewd and showed nothing but a myriad of opposing emotions.
"It's nice to see you too, Harry." At hearing my voice, Fred, George, Ron, and Hermione had all turned to face me. They looked at me as though I was a sickle first year, and they'd never seen me before in their lives.
"Hello. C-C-Colin, isn't it?" Ron managed to somewhat remember my name, but then his brother, George, interrupted what I was about to say next.
"Of course it's Colin, Ron," I watched George say flabbergasted, "who else would you think it to be?" George slapped Ron on the back of the head.
"Oh, that's much better, thank you, George!"
"Sure thing. As long as it still works, I'll be happy to do it again."
By now I was way beyond shock. I was in turmoil; suspense was boiling in my blood. What the hell was going on? George just slapped Ron hard enough to render him unconscious, and he 'thanked' him for it? There was something I needed to know. along with Ginny.
"Umm. would someone mind telling me just what's going on?"
I just watched as everyone got silent and rigid, no one said a word. It looked like everyone had stopped breathing as well, it just got that bad.
Right then George turned to me with a grave face, and uttered something completely terrible.
"Colin, Ron has amnesia. We don't know how he suffered a blow like this, but he does have it. He hardly remembers anything. At first he couldn't even remember his own name. It's getting better slowly, but we've found that if we hit him in the head it will trigger some random memory back into place."
"Oh, I'm so sorry about that. Should I tell Ginny? She might want to know if Ron has amnesia."
"Who's Ginny?" Ron chimed in from out of a glazed look. "I don't remember anything about a.a Ginny."
"Colin, I don't think you should tell Ginny right now, she'd be in too much hurt. By the way, have you seen her lately?"
"George, surely you must know!"
"Know what?"
"Ginny's being hospitalized in the Hospital Wing! She had a near- fatal accident on the dormitory stairs. She's been there for three days."
"Oh, well, as long as she's safe. I'll just discuss the issue with her tomorrow then, you know about Ron's amnesia. I think it's better she hear it from one of us than from you, no offense; considering we're family and all."
"Oh my God, do you not even care about Ginny at all?"
"Of course I care, that's why I'm making sure she hears about it from me and not from you."
"You git, and you call yourself a brother! Of course Ron's amnesia is bad. but Ginny could have DIED, you bloody prat, you could have not even HAD a sister!"
"Gees, don't get all sentimental on me now, I don't care how bad you want to tell her yourself, but it's my job to tell her!" I could feel my face getting raw with anger, but then I let it subside, realizing something that could be utterly important.
"George, the next words I say, could you repeat them for me?"
"Uh. sure."
"Ginny is in the Hospital Wing, recovering from a near-fatal accident."
"Ginny is. . in dire need of knowing the truth about Ron."
"You know, suddenly I'm not so very hungry." As I sauntered off, wondering what the hell was going on with Gin's family, I overheard another interesting conversation.
"What was Colin saying about Ginny, George?"
"Oh, just saying that she probably needs to know now rather than tomorrow about Ron's problem."
"Oh, well, he's probably right. Shall we go tell her then?" George gave Fred a solemn nod and flicked his head in the direction of the doors leading out into the vast, empty hallway. Without another single word, the twins were off and catching up to me.
"Hey, Colin, what are you up to? We're going to. um. where is Ginny?"
"She's in the Hospital Wing." I saw a look of confusion prance up to their faces, but they seemed to shake it off.
"Well, no time for questions now, we must tell her."
"I'm coming with you two then."
"Why? Ouch, Fred that hurt!" Fred had blatantly stepped on George's foot, and hard. Then he whispered something in his twin's ear and I watched as George nodded his head earnestly, seemingly agreeing with whatever Fred had to say.
"Maybe you should come with us, Colin. Ginny will need some emotional support after we tell her, so you can stay with her. Right after we tell her, we're going to have to go back to Ron, he's going to need all the help he can get."
I thought I should have told them how big of gits they were, and how they weren't looking out for Ginny, or seeming to care about her at all. To tell them that Ron's state of being was bad, but Ginny's was significantly worse, but all failed profusely when I opened my mouth, and all that came out was carbon dioxide. So I just followed them to the Hospital Wing, hoping that Madame Pomfrey wouldn't be there. She always made such a mess of the already bad situations. And I could just see how this was going to end up if she were there.
As we inched the door open, we found that Madame Pomfrey was tending to Ginny's bedside. Now things would start to get worse. much worse.
"Hello boys, what can I do for you?" Now that was something was totally unprepared for. But it seemed all too natural for Fred.
"May we please talk to Ginny? We have some rather unfortunate news to share with her."
"Well, try not to upset her too much, she's still recovering. Anything that causes her too much emotional damage will only slow it down further."
"Sure, anything."
We walked towards Ginny's bed, and I found her yet again reading a book.
"Hey Colin, glad you came back! Hey Fred, hey George, it's about time I've heard word from either of you! I was wondering when you'd figure out I was in here."
"Ginny, we have something important to tell you."
"Um. okay, fire away, what's up?"
"Ron has amnesia. He's remembering some things, but others he's having a hard time remembering."
"That's it? That's what you have to tell me?"
"What do you mean, that's it?" Ron has amnesia for Pete's sake! He hardly remembers anything. I can't believe you're treating something like this as a joke or something. And just to tell you, he doesn't remember YOU at all yet! I just can NOT believe you!"
"Me either!" And with those last words said Fred and George headed towards the door, little wisps of smoke billowing from their ears. Or at least that's how it would have been if life was a cartoon. And right about now, anything would be better than this.
"Ginny. I'm sorry that."
"Go, Colin."
"What?"
"You heard me. go."
"Gin, I'm sorry about how your brothers acted, but I'm here."
"Would you please just go already, how many times do I have to ask you?"
"If that's what you really want, Gin, then I will."
"It's what I want, Colin."
And that's when it happened, that's when my heart found the hellhole called oblivion. Shattered, discouraged, all of these things could describe me right now quite adequately. I had no hope left not even one little sliver that Ginny would ever talk to me again. And something worse than that. it was her brothers that got her mad at me, and I don't even know why. All I know is that Ginny is mad at me, and I can't help but to continuing falling even more in love with her. an unrequited love.
But wait, could there be an upside to my overcast day?
I decided that before I made my way out that I would stop by Madame Pomfrey's office.
"Madame Pomfrey, do you still have those pictures I sent you?"
"Oh, Colin, it's you! You frightened me there for a second, I wasn't expecting you! Come in! Now, what was it you wanted?"
"Would you possible still have the pictures I sent down here the day of Ginny's accident?"
"Oh, of course! I got your note by the way, I was just really busy with Ginny that I couldn't answer right away. And of course, Colin, you can definitely have the pictures back! To be honest, I didn't even look at them, because Ginny had already reported here, so I just set them on my desk." She picked up a familiar looking manila folder and handed it back to me. "I hope this helps add to your collection!"
"Thanks Madame Pomfrey, and don't worry, it will!" I walked casually out of the Hospital Wing, not wanting to cause suspicions if I ran out of there too fast. I just wanted to get there and get the pictures out. Maybe I should actually start a collection of pictures I take.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I got to the Gryffindor common room in what must have been Hogwarts fastest record. I threw my Transfiguration and Potions books on one of the chairs and dashed up the stairs, manila folder in hand, with lightning speed. When I got to the sixth year's assigned dormitories, I slammed the door shut and jumped onto my four-poster so hard that I bounced off the other edge.
'Okay. maybe just a 'little' too excited.'
So then I tried again, with just as much enthusiasm, but a little less vigor. Ha! Success betrothed me. And then all of a sudden I became nervous. What if the pictures brought back horrible memories? Certainly I couldn't keep the pictures if they did that. I'd break down every time I'd see them. Seeing Ginny like that nearly put me into cardiac arrest. I was so worried about her, and I don't know what I would've done if she'd died. I probably would have killed myself.
'Killed yourself Colin? Would you really kill yourself if Ginny died?'
"I don't know. wait, why am I answering my thoughts?"
'Just do it, Colin. Really, would you die for her?'
"I don't know. I do really like Ginny a lot."
'Well, how much do you like her?'
"So much that I want to wake up every morning with her and not rest until I know she's safely tucked away at night. So much that I'd go to the greatest extremes to see that she was happy and healthy, even if it meant risking myself for it."
'Hey Colin, guess what?'
"What, dear thought of mine?"
'You're in love.'
"In what?"
'In love.'
"I'm in love? Am I really in love with Ginny?"
'Yes, and you should know that by now, considering I 'am' your own thought.'
"True. Wow, I'm in love with Ginny!"
'Oh, and Colin?'
"Yes?"
'Open the folder!'
"Oh yeah! Thanks me!"
With the nervousness completely diminished, I reached into the folder with such eagerness that I actually dumped them on the floor. So then I relaxed a bit once more, picking them up gradually, and holding them carefully as to not get fingerprints on them. I sighed a bit and closed my eyes and remembered what made Ginny so special and so beautiful before I took a look at when was about to bestow my eyes. The pictures of Ginny almost dead.
And then slowly I opened my eyes. preparing myself for the worst to come. And trust me, the worst was unfathomable.
Yeah, I had pictures of Ginny at all different angles, bleeding and unconscious. But I forgot I had loaded my camera with this new high-tech film that could also depict the person's aura. And it was nothing as I had expected.
At first I thought the room was just dark and dank, but then I realized it was something worse, something much, much worse.
Seeping in and out of Ginny was a black abyss, rising like highly polluted air, and I looked closely at all of the pictures and watched as it engulfed Ginny's entire body.
Now the question was. why was there a mysterious black mist shrouding Ginny?
Author's Note: Thankfully this chapter was longer than the previous one! Trust me, the chapters following this will be even longer if I can actually continue to develop the plot, I promise you that! Please review; if you do, I'll love you forever! ^_~
A warning to everyone who has read this chapter: If you are not a fan of sad stories, I suggest not continuing to read this. This will gradually get more depressing and sadder. If you do like these stories though, I suggest in the future after reading a chapter or two, that you read some extremely fluffy fic. I seriously cried when Cedric died in the fourth book, and I think I'm going to cry in some parts while writing this fic. But, I'm a softy, and this probably might not affect you at all. Just a warning though, you do not have to take it seriously ^_~
Zulu
P.S. I also love feedback ^_~
Chapter 3
A/N: Colin's POV (See, I told you I'd tell you, didn't I?)
"I wonder how Ginny's doing."
My words bounced off the walls of the vacant dormitory. My mind was on Ginny, on her condition. There was really no use trying to pry it from her, everything just sort of revolves around her. So, I've finally found the solution to her mysterious attraction.
Ginny is a magnet.
She's a powerful one at that. The way sunlight is drawn to her hair, and makes it radiate like fire. The way it makes it seem like they have something in common. Ginny is so much like the sun. Her red-hot temper, the way she's always so warm towards me, the way she just brightens up my day. And apart from everything else, it's her hair that absolutely drives me crazy. It's so vibrant, like it actually absorbs light. It's almost as if it is fire itself, the way it dances and flickers to no extent. Sometimes it seems like it has a life of its own. And the way it looks so soft and feathery. I often catch myself wondering how it would feel in my hands.
I must take my mind off of her, or I'll just explode. For she has no interest in me. It's all focused on Harry, and there's none to spare on me. Sure, we're friends, but she'll never see me as anything more. Why Harry? Why did she have to like Harry? He still sees me as a little kid, someone who's bouncing off walls and admiring the ground he walks on, wanting to take an endless amount of pictures of him. Sure, I was like that before, but I'm 16 now, and I have no more desire to worship him. For that's what Ginny does, and I've seen the ridiculous things she's done to try and capture his attention. Of course, I've seen the ridiculous things I've done to try and capture hers.
'A picture, Colin. Take a picture. If you're going to capture anything, why not use the thing you're very best at to do it?'
A picture. but Ginny HATES getting her picture taken. How am ever supposed to get her picture?
'Well, you do have those pictures you sent to the Hospital Wing. Since they obviously don't need them, you could always get them back.'
"But those were such awful pictures!" I blushed; realizing I'd just answered to my own thoughts. Luckily, no one was in the room to see me do so.
'Well, you've got a choice, Colin. Either keep those pictures, the ones that will probably be the only ones you'll EVER have of her, or you can wallow in your own self pity. The choice is yours.'
~*~*~*~*~*~
Madame Pomfrey,
I'd like to know if you still have those pictures of Ginny I took the night she was injured. I know they're horrible, but still, I'm saving all of the pictures I've ever taken and adding them to my scrapbook. You see, photography is a hobby of mine, and it always has been. I've got a rather extensive collection. Anyway, although horrible pictures they may be, they're pictures none the less. If you could return them to me I would be ever so grateful.
Regards, Colin Creevey
I can't believe I just did that. I probably sounded like a freak, asking for pictures back. And not just any pictures, pictures of someone nearly dying.
Well, if that's all I'll get, that's all I'll get. No matter what the pictures tell, I'll always know Ginny as the sun's sister. And I'll do anything to restore that factor to her.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Dinner has been so dank and lonely without Ginny. I don't know why I even bother. Alas, I must eat; or else I'll probably end up in a bed next to her. I guess that wouldn't be so bad.
No, I'm going to dinner, I don't wish to have my body slowly deteriorating before my eyes. But I bet it's something Harry would do for her, if he loved her. Yes, Harry, our school hero. Our whole WORLD'S hero. Ginny's hero. why can't I be that hero? No, I had to go and get myself Petrified that year; I never even got a chance at attempting to save her. I have a chance to, now. Thank God I had my camera back in second year, or else I probably wouldn't be having this stupid mental debate right about now.
So I decided to go. under one condition.
I'd convince Madame Pomfrey to let me see Ginny.
When I'd gotten to the Hospital Wing, Madame Pomfrey was no where to be found. I silently thanked whoever it was for this miracle and proceeded to a bed that was enshrouded by curtains. That must be Ginny's bed.
I pulled back the curtains as delicately and quietly as I knew how. Ginny was absentmindedly reading a book, entranced by the words that swallowed her attention. Her gaze was intense, as her concentration never faulted.
"Madame Pomfrey, if you could just please set the food down on the nightstand, I'd greatly appreciate it. It seems I'm really fixated on this book, it's hard to put down, if you know what I mean."
"Ginny, it's me." My voice brought her concentration to her surroundings, and her eyes filled with delight at whom she saw standing before her. Just seeing her fill with awe made my heart beat wildly, and I couldn't help but keep in a smile.
"Oh Colin, it's so nice to see you! You could not believe how dreadfully boring it gets in here! I can't thank you enough for your card, you just made my day!"
She liked my card. At that very point in my life, it was all I could do not to enfold her in my arms and just hug her. Of all the countless, restless nights when all my energy and thoughts were those of her, everything was worth it. She deserved everything in the world, and this card was nothing compared to the endless reaches of the universe I would go to just to see her happy.
"It was really nothing, Gin, I was so worried about you." Her eyes got glossy, as a fresh sheen of tears threatened to escape her beautiful chestnut eyes.
"It was something, Colin, it was everything. It shows that someone really does care. I'm so lucky to have a friend like you."
I sat down beside her and did my best to comfort her. Tears were running down her cheeks, and ones were threatening mine as well. I couldn't control myself, seeing her cry wanted me to just make everything all right for her.
"What's wrong Ginny?" I managed through shaky breaths, my crying just as uncontrollable as hers.
"Colin, do you know just how many cards I got?" This question sincerely surprised me. Why was she so worried about how many cards she got? Her health was no popularity contest. But, not wanting to be rude, I replied as honestly as I could.
"No Gin, how many?"
"I got one, Colin, I only received one."
"But. didn't you get any from your family? Or any more from your friends? They must have noticed the terrible condition you were under that night. It's not like you were invisible, I mean, I could see you. Haven't they noticed that you haven't been going to any of your classes, or that you haven't been showing up for any of the meals?"
"I don't think they notice much of me anymore, it's like they don't even care about me anymore. It's insane, I thought family was supposed to care, not to just shatter your feelings."
"I'm so sorry Ginny, why does this have to happen?"
"I don't know, Colin, although everything does happen for a reason. But why in particular that my. my. my family does-does-doesn't love m-me anymore is beyond my imagination."
I watched in pain as Ginny hugged her knees to her chest and rocked herself back and forth, all these thoughts mortifying to her. And I felt like a bloody git, being able to only do the simple things, like pat her back and tell her everything would be okay, when obviously something was terribly wrong. I have to find out something for her, to prove to her that her family does love her.
"I'm sure they still care about you, Gin, how can they not? They're your brothers, and your mum and dad, they DO love you, no matter what they lead you to believe. I'm just sorry they're treating you this way. But honest, I really do believe they love you, it's all in your imagination that they don't. Trust me on this one, I don't think there's another explanation. I'll talk to them at dinner tonight and see what's going on. Is that all right with you?"
"Colin, you would do that for me?"
"Of course, Ginny, that's what friends are for, aren't they?" I almost stopped breathing. Of course that's what 'friends' were for, but why couldn't we just be something more. That would mean the world to me. But for now, these conditions are fine, considering the state of health Ginny's in, and I don't want to make the matters worse and put even more pressure on her. All that I should be concerned about right now is Ginny, and that's that. No more worries about being more than just friends with her right now, because that would be just selfish of me.
'You know, you've been procrastinating for a while now, Colin. You DID have the chance before this happened.'
"Colin, are you all right? You have a blank stare across your face."
"Oh-oh! Sorry about that, I guess I was just thinking about something."
"Thinking about what, Colin?" Ginny's face never looked more beautiful when it had a sincere and concerned form etched in it. Come to think of it, she was beautiful no matter what.
"N-n-nothing Gin, it was unimportant. Just some ways about how to approach your brothers about it."
"Oh, well, I hope you get something out of them, it's about time someone did. I really want to know if. if. they l-l-love me anymore or not."
I watched as my beautiful Ginny's cheeks were being stained with tears of pain, and it was all I could keep myself from kissing her pain away. again.
"Well, if I'm ever going to get this done, I should be on my way out. I only have about 20 minutes left of dinner, and I need some time to ask them some things. You know how it is. Don't worry Ginny, I'll get to the bottom of this for you."
"Oh, you're such a great friend, Colin! How did I ever get so lucky?" With this she flung her arms around me neck in a state of overwhelming joy, and I just melted into a puddle right there on her bed. I put my arms around her, hugging her tightly, letting her know that if she ever needed anything, all she had to do was ask, although no words were spoken between us.
"Lucky? Try again. Well, I'm off, get well, Ginny, or I'll never live another day." With this I gave a melodramatic sigh and flicked my head back with the back of my hand to my forehead. It made me smile to watch her laugh since a long time, and that gave me the courage I needed to face her brothers at dinner.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I entered the Great Hall. late, like I never had before, and I received pretentious stares as I meandered my way and found a seat next to Harry. He looked quite surprised, and he looked ill as well. There were deep black circles rimming beneath his eyes, and his face looked gaunt and pale. But not such a dramatic affect that anyone who hadn't seen the likes of Ginny lately wouldn't have been able to notice.
"Uh. hello Colin, it's, umm. nice to see you." Harry tried to engrave a smile on his face, but his face was shrewd and showed nothing but a myriad of opposing emotions.
"It's nice to see you too, Harry." At hearing my voice, Fred, George, Ron, and Hermione had all turned to face me. They looked at me as though I was a sickle first year, and they'd never seen me before in their lives.
"Hello. C-C-Colin, isn't it?" Ron managed to somewhat remember my name, but then his brother, George, interrupted what I was about to say next.
"Of course it's Colin, Ron," I watched George say flabbergasted, "who else would you think it to be?" George slapped Ron on the back of the head.
"Oh, that's much better, thank you, George!"
"Sure thing. As long as it still works, I'll be happy to do it again."
By now I was way beyond shock. I was in turmoil; suspense was boiling in my blood. What the hell was going on? George just slapped Ron hard enough to render him unconscious, and he 'thanked' him for it? There was something I needed to know. along with Ginny.
"Umm. would someone mind telling me just what's going on?"
I just watched as everyone got silent and rigid, no one said a word. It looked like everyone had stopped breathing as well, it just got that bad.
Right then George turned to me with a grave face, and uttered something completely terrible.
"Colin, Ron has amnesia. We don't know how he suffered a blow like this, but he does have it. He hardly remembers anything. At first he couldn't even remember his own name. It's getting better slowly, but we've found that if we hit him in the head it will trigger some random memory back into place."
"Oh, I'm so sorry about that. Should I tell Ginny? She might want to know if Ron has amnesia."
"Who's Ginny?" Ron chimed in from out of a glazed look. "I don't remember anything about a.a Ginny."
"Colin, I don't think you should tell Ginny right now, she'd be in too much hurt. By the way, have you seen her lately?"
"George, surely you must know!"
"Know what?"
"Ginny's being hospitalized in the Hospital Wing! She had a near- fatal accident on the dormitory stairs. She's been there for three days."
"Oh, well, as long as she's safe. I'll just discuss the issue with her tomorrow then, you know about Ron's amnesia. I think it's better she hear it from one of us than from you, no offense; considering we're family and all."
"Oh my God, do you not even care about Ginny at all?"
"Of course I care, that's why I'm making sure she hears about it from me and not from you."
"You git, and you call yourself a brother! Of course Ron's amnesia is bad. but Ginny could have DIED, you bloody prat, you could have not even HAD a sister!"
"Gees, don't get all sentimental on me now, I don't care how bad you want to tell her yourself, but it's my job to tell her!" I could feel my face getting raw with anger, but then I let it subside, realizing something that could be utterly important.
"George, the next words I say, could you repeat them for me?"
"Uh. sure."
"Ginny is in the Hospital Wing, recovering from a near-fatal accident."
"Ginny is. . in dire need of knowing the truth about Ron."
"You know, suddenly I'm not so very hungry." As I sauntered off, wondering what the hell was going on with Gin's family, I overheard another interesting conversation.
"What was Colin saying about Ginny, George?"
"Oh, just saying that she probably needs to know now rather than tomorrow about Ron's problem."
"Oh, well, he's probably right. Shall we go tell her then?" George gave Fred a solemn nod and flicked his head in the direction of the doors leading out into the vast, empty hallway. Without another single word, the twins were off and catching up to me.
"Hey, Colin, what are you up to? We're going to. um. where is Ginny?"
"She's in the Hospital Wing." I saw a look of confusion prance up to their faces, but they seemed to shake it off.
"Well, no time for questions now, we must tell her."
"I'm coming with you two then."
"Why? Ouch, Fred that hurt!" Fred had blatantly stepped on George's foot, and hard. Then he whispered something in his twin's ear and I watched as George nodded his head earnestly, seemingly agreeing with whatever Fred had to say.
"Maybe you should come with us, Colin. Ginny will need some emotional support after we tell her, so you can stay with her. Right after we tell her, we're going to have to go back to Ron, he's going to need all the help he can get."
I thought I should have told them how big of gits they were, and how they weren't looking out for Ginny, or seeming to care about her at all. To tell them that Ron's state of being was bad, but Ginny's was significantly worse, but all failed profusely when I opened my mouth, and all that came out was carbon dioxide. So I just followed them to the Hospital Wing, hoping that Madame Pomfrey wouldn't be there. She always made such a mess of the already bad situations. And I could just see how this was going to end up if she were there.
As we inched the door open, we found that Madame Pomfrey was tending to Ginny's bedside. Now things would start to get worse. much worse.
"Hello boys, what can I do for you?" Now that was something was totally unprepared for. But it seemed all too natural for Fred.
"May we please talk to Ginny? We have some rather unfortunate news to share with her."
"Well, try not to upset her too much, she's still recovering. Anything that causes her too much emotional damage will only slow it down further."
"Sure, anything."
We walked towards Ginny's bed, and I found her yet again reading a book.
"Hey Colin, glad you came back! Hey Fred, hey George, it's about time I've heard word from either of you! I was wondering when you'd figure out I was in here."
"Ginny, we have something important to tell you."
"Um. okay, fire away, what's up?"
"Ron has amnesia. He's remembering some things, but others he's having a hard time remembering."
"That's it? That's what you have to tell me?"
"What do you mean, that's it?" Ron has amnesia for Pete's sake! He hardly remembers anything. I can't believe you're treating something like this as a joke or something. And just to tell you, he doesn't remember YOU at all yet! I just can NOT believe you!"
"Me either!" And with those last words said Fred and George headed towards the door, little wisps of smoke billowing from their ears. Or at least that's how it would have been if life was a cartoon. And right about now, anything would be better than this.
"Ginny. I'm sorry that."
"Go, Colin."
"What?"
"You heard me. go."
"Gin, I'm sorry about how your brothers acted, but I'm here."
"Would you please just go already, how many times do I have to ask you?"
"If that's what you really want, Gin, then I will."
"It's what I want, Colin."
And that's when it happened, that's when my heart found the hellhole called oblivion. Shattered, discouraged, all of these things could describe me right now quite adequately. I had no hope left not even one little sliver that Ginny would ever talk to me again. And something worse than that. it was her brothers that got her mad at me, and I don't even know why. All I know is that Ginny is mad at me, and I can't help but to continuing falling even more in love with her. an unrequited love.
But wait, could there be an upside to my overcast day?
I decided that before I made my way out that I would stop by Madame Pomfrey's office.
"Madame Pomfrey, do you still have those pictures I sent you?"
"Oh, Colin, it's you! You frightened me there for a second, I wasn't expecting you! Come in! Now, what was it you wanted?"
"Would you possible still have the pictures I sent down here the day of Ginny's accident?"
"Oh, of course! I got your note by the way, I was just really busy with Ginny that I couldn't answer right away. And of course, Colin, you can definitely have the pictures back! To be honest, I didn't even look at them, because Ginny had already reported here, so I just set them on my desk." She picked up a familiar looking manila folder and handed it back to me. "I hope this helps add to your collection!"
"Thanks Madame Pomfrey, and don't worry, it will!" I walked casually out of the Hospital Wing, not wanting to cause suspicions if I ran out of there too fast. I just wanted to get there and get the pictures out. Maybe I should actually start a collection of pictures I take.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I got to the Gryffindor common room in what must have been Hogwarts fastest record. I threw my Transfiguration and Potions books on one of the chairs and dashed up the stairs, manila folder in hand, with lightning speed. When I got to the sixth year's assigned dormitories, I slammed the door shut and jumped onto my four-poster so hard that I bounced off the other edge.
'Okay. maybe just a 'little' too excited.'
So then I tried again, with just as much enthusiasm, but a little less vigor. Ha! Success betrothed me. And then all of a sudden I became nervous. What if the pictures brought back horrible memories? Certainly I couldn't keep the pictures if they did that. I'd break down every time I'd see them. Seeing Ginny like that nearly put me into cardiac arrest. I was so worried about her, and I don't know what I would've done if she'd died. I probably would have killed myself.
'Killed yourself Colin? Would you really kill yourself if Ginny died?'
"I don't know. wait, why am I answering my thoughts?"
'Just do it, Colin. Really, would you die for her?'
"I don't know. I do really like Ginny a lot."
'Well, how much do you like her?'
"So much that I want to wake up every morning with her and not rest until I know she's safely tucked away at night. So much that I'd go to the greatest extremes to see that she was happy and healthy, even if it meant risking myself for it."
'Hey Colin, guess what?'
"What, dear thought of mine?"
'You're in love.'
"In what?"
'In love.'
"I'm in love? Am I really in love with Ginny?"
'Yes, and you should know that by now, considering I 'am' your own thought.'
"True. Wow, I'm in love with Ginny!"
'Oh, and Colin?'
"Yes?"
'Open the folder!'
"Oh yeah! Thanks me!"
With the nervousness completely diminished, I reached into the folder with such eagerness that I actually dumped them on the floor. So then I relaxed a bit once more, picking them up gradually, and holding them carefully as to not get fingerprints on them. I sighed a bit and closed my eyes and remembered what made Ginny so special and so beautiful before I took a look at when was about to bestow my eyes. The pictures of Ginny almost dead.
And then slowly I opened my eyes. preparing myself for the worst to come. And trust me, the worst was unfathomable.
Yeah, I had pictures of Ginny at all different angles, bleeding and unconscious. But I forgot I had loaded my camera with this new high-tech film that could also depict the person's aura. And it was nothing as I had expected.
At first I thought the room was just dark and dank, but then I realized it was something worse, something much, much worse.
Seeping in and out of Ginny was a black abyss, rising like highly polluted air, and I looked closely at all of the pictures and watched as it engulfed Ginny's entire body.
Now the question was. why was there a mysterious black mist shrouding Ginny?
Author's Note: Thankfully this chapter was longer than the previous one! Trust me, the chapters following this will be even longer if I can actually continue to develop the plot, I promise you that! Please review; if you do, I'll love you forever! ^_~
A warning to everyone who has read this chapter: If you are not a fan of sad stories, I suggest not continuing to read this. This will gradually get more depressing and sadder. If you do like these stories though, I suggest in the future after reading a chapter or two, that you read some extremely fluffy fic. I seriously cried when Cedric died in the fourth book, and I think I'm going to cry in some parts while writing this fic. But, I'm a softy, and this probably might not affect you at all. Just a warning though, you do not have to take it seriously ^_~
Zulu