Time Changes Everything
A fan fiction by Pottergirl
Everything belongs to J.K.Rowling, and no copyright infringement is intended.
And once again! Thankyou soooo much for all the great reviews! I'd like to mention the names of the reviewers but right now, I am in a great hurry to get this chapter online! I promise all reviewers will be mentioned in my next chapter! And yes…I have uploaded another fic, "Christmas Wishes" which I basically wrote for www.gryffindortower.net but while it goes up there, I put it up here on fanfiction.net!
Chapter 5: Emotional Storms
Ginny vanished from sight. Harry's heart sank. He knew he had done something wrong. He could have avoided all this nastiness. Why did he have to go all tongue-tied?
Hermione turned to Ron, giving him a good glare.
'Ron, how could you-'
The door opened, and in came Fred and George, bearing amused expressions on their faces.
'What happened to our little sister back there?' asked George. His question was seemingly directed at Ron. Ron shrugged slightly, hoping Hermione wouldn't notice. She did. She gave Ron another glare, got up, and left the room.
'Was it something I said?' George ventured, his expression becoming quite serious. Ron shook his head.
'Um… forget it,' he said, looking at Harry. Harry seemed to be lost in deep thought.
Harry looked up to see Ron. He looked at Fred and George peering at him, confused.
'So, can I open your present now?' he asked, trying to sound and look cheerful. The twins caught on quickly, clearly disturbed by the seriousness in the room.
'Sure, mum just had us caught down there for a moment… here it is, open it quickly now, before Mum comes up…' said Fred, bringing forth the large box.
'Why are you hiding this from your Mum?' asked Harry, trying to keep his mind focused on the things in front of him. That was quite difficult when images of an angry, hurt Ginny flashed across his mind mingled with a feeling of warmness, as he put the Charmzirius into his pocket.
'Oh, you know… she isn't that pleased with our successes in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes,' said George, grinning widely. Harry chuckled. A hollow chuckle. He saw Ron, looking at the box, and not really looking at the box.
Harry forced himself to look away. He opened the box, and removed a large, thick card board from the top, that was covering the contents of the box. Inside was an assortment of brightly colored jars, boxes and plastic packets.
'What are these?' asked Harry, amazed. Fred and George grinned. Even Ron snapped put of his reverie, and looked into the box.
'These are the first samples of all our so-far inventions, of the ones we have been making for Zonko's recently…all for you,' said George, his grin growing wider. Harry looked at the box.
'Thanks a lot you guys… really… this is wonderful!' he said, forgetting for a moment, the unpleasantness of a few moments back.
'Yeah,' Ron nodded, 'Bet Zonko's will be amazed… they seem to be pretty good, attractive too.'
'Yeah, it's been difficult hiding them from Mum, but she hasn't been checking on us much lately…' said Fred. Harry raised an eye brow.
'Er… well, not that much… with other things going on, you know… it's been difficult for her,' said George, quite seriously. Harry nodded, and took out a bright blue jar from the box, on which was written 'Exploding Beetle Eyes'.
'Take a look at this!' said Ron, waving a bright red plastic packet, on which, in bright yellow, was written 'Ton-Tongue Toffee'. 'Remember this?'
'Yeah, I do,' said Harry, chuckling genuinely, remembering Dudley's misadventure with the innocent-looking toffee made by Fred and George. And with that, they began their way into the box, inspecting each item closely.
There was a gentle knock on the door. Ginny looked up. She was sitting by the window in her room, looking out, as everything was enveloped in bright morning sunlight.
'Who's it?' she asked dully.
'It's me, Hermione. Ginny, can I come in?'
Ginny got up from her seat by the window, and crossed her room to open the door. Hermione stood there, looking at Ginny concernedly, yet smiling in a way that made Ginny trust her deeply.
'Are you okay?' Hermione asked gently. Ginny nodded, looking away.
'It's alright, come on in,' she said, and closed the door after Hermione had stepped in.
'Sit down?' asked Ginny. Hermione nodded, and they sat down on cushions by the window.
'Ginny, are you okay?' asked Hermione again. Ginny did not reply hurriedly this time. She looked away, absently twirling a lock of hair around her finger. She felt Hermione's hands on hers.
'It's okay, you can trust me…' said Hermione softly. Ginny turned to her.
'I do trust you… it's just that I don't know what happened myself… I shouldn't have done that…' she said slowly.
'Done what?' Hermione enquired.
'Both, not given him that gift… and shouted at Ron like that… but I don't know what they meant… Ron and Harry…' said Ginny, confused and sad. Hermione smiled slightly.
'Ginny… neither of them wanted to hurt your feelings… it's just that it came as a bit of a surprise to them… you know… but neither Ron, nor Harry would ever mean to say anything that would hurt you…' she said. Ginny looked at her, and nodded slowly.
'But… what if he did not like it… I… I really wanted to give it to him as a safety charm…' said Ginny, emphasizing her point.
'Ginny,' said Hermione. 'He did like it, I'm sure… it is a very strong safety charm… there have been only five Chamrziriui ever made… and the one you gave him, was one of them… I'm sure.'
'Only five?' Ginny echoed, amazed.
'Yes,' Hermione nodded. 'Zirius is very rare. In fact, it was very rare…from what I read, it's gone now, the only samples left are in the Charmziriui…'
Ginny nodded, marking her understanding.
'What you gave Harry is something very rare, probably the only one in all of Great Britain… and he's probably the one who needs it most…as a thing that evokes peace, contentment and sometimes security.' Hermione continued.
'I didn't know that,' said Ginny. 'Mum told me a few days ago that it had always been in her family… being handed down generation to generation… I wanted to ask her what to get for Harry… and she gave the Charmzirius… she said she'd wanted to give it to Harry all along… and now, since last term, she was going to give it to him anyway…'
Hermione nodded, and pondered over Ginny's words.
'Oh Harry…' Ginny whispered. Hermione looked up to see Ginny, apparently lost in thought now. She smiled knowingly.
'Ginny?' she asked tentatively. Ginny looked up at her.
'Harry will love it…' Hermione said, smiling.
'You really think so?' asked Ginny. Hermione nodded.
'I see you two have been getting along quite well lately…' said Hermione, changing the topic abruptly. Ginny turned slightly pink.
'Yeah… a little, I'm able to talk to him at least!' she said. Hermione giggled.
'Yeah, I can see that…so, you like him don't you?' asked Hermione. Ginny turned scarlet.
'I…maybe, a bit,' she said, looking into her lap.
'A bit?' Hermione pushed.
'Well,' said Ginny, smiling. 'Maybe a little…'
'A little lot…'
'I guess,' said Ginny, blushing even redder this time. Hermione smiled.
'I can see that…I could see that, over the years,' she said, and burst out giggling.
'It's easy for you to giggle like that!' Ginny said huffily. 'When you have to go through what I did…'
'What?' asked Hermione. Ginny sighed.
'Oh you know…I thought it was useless to… you know…hope he'd like me, and I was getting along well, being able to talk to him, and all that but…things just changed…he's really nice…' said Ginny, almost whispering. Hermione smiled.
'Harry's a really nice person, though sometimes, under Ron's influence, he does do things like Ron but, he's really a very good friend…' she said sincerely.
'Does things like Ron…?' Ginny asked, bewildered.
'Oh, well… sometimes, they are best friends too after all,' said Hermione, sitting back against the wall. There was silence.
'Hermione,' said Ginny abruptly. 'You're one of Harry's best friends too, and you, Ron and Harry… do you… I mean, do you think he likes me at all…?
'Ginny,' said Hermione slowly. 'I don't know about that…to be honest I don't know much about these things…' Hermione blushed a little.
'Well,' said Ginny, grinning widely, 'Then how did you and Ron end up together…?' Hermione blushed even more, but let out a little giggle too.
'This is so… strange,' said Hermione, red in the face. 'I've never talked to anyone like this, and it's making me all giggly!'
Ginny giggled.
'You're telling me! I've got six brothers! Who can I talk to except my mother?' said Ginny, grabbing a cushion, and hugging it.
'It's good though…' said Hermione, smiling. Ginny nodded in agreement.
'Uh… Hermione,' said Ginny, in a much serious voice.
'I was just thinking, y'know… when Harry opened my gift, he… he didn't seem all that… pleased…' she said. Hermione smiled.
'Knowing Harry, Ginny, I can tell you he really liked that gift, he just was a little surprised, you know, the Charmzirius was quite a spectacular thing…' she said.
Ginny smiled. Perhaps it was that way… then she had a rather horrifying realization.
'I shouldn't have stormed out of there like that… I don't know how I'll face them…him…again,' Ginny groaned. Hermione, surprisingly, let out a chuckle.
'Ginny, it's okay! You were angry…and neither of them were helping…just forget everything okay?'
Ginny smiled.
'Okay…and anyway, I've been literally crying on your shoulder for the past few minutes. I should give you a break,' she said, and both girls giggled.
Harry stuffed Fred and George's gift, all the packets, boxes, jars, etc. into his trunk, wondering how he'd fit all of his clothes into it too at the end of the holidays. But he remembered he was in the Wizarding world. And that meant he could ask Mr. or Mrs. Weasley to magically enlarge it any time.
He turned around to see Ron, sitting on the edge of his bed, lost in thought. Harry looked at him closely. The only thing that could be troubling him was Ginny. He was looking at Ginny's photograph, one he had kept on his bedside table. Harry had a strange feeling. He hated making anyone sad or angry. He hated things to go wrong. And even though you would say it wasn't a very big matter… it did pinch him. And the way Ron was acting, it seemed the matter wasn't too small either.
Harry walked over to Ron.
'Ron?' he asked. Ron stood up quickly.
'You okay?' Ron looked away for a second, then looked back at Harry.
'Nothing, I'm fine. Listen, why don't we go for a game of Quidditch or something?' he asked quickly.
'Okay but… is anything bothering you? I mean, it does…well…you know, that thing with Ginny-' Harry ventured.
'No Harry, that's nothing-' Ron said quickly, looking away.
'Um,' said Harry, 'I don't know her much…but does she usually get that angry? Because I'm afraid I said something-'
'Harry,' said Ron, with a tone of finality and urgency. 'Don't worry. It's alright, and it's nothing you said. Ginny does sometimes-you know-well… sometimes… she gets a little angry…'
Ron broke off and headed towards the door, not trusting himself to speak much.
'Let's go for Quidditch. And don't worry,' said Ron, and opened the door.
As Harry followed him outside, he had the feeling that he would probably have to worry, and that Ginny was not 'a little angry'. She was hurt.
There were only four players including Fred and George, and Quidditch could not be played well with so less players. Both Ron and Harry, in their thoughts, seriously debated whether to invite Hermione and Ginny or not. The problem was that neither of them knew how they would react. Ron was still getting double minded when Harry said-
'Why don't we call along Hermione and Ginny?' Ron looked up, with an expression that tried to say he had never, ever thought of such a thing. Fred winked at George, un noticed by either Harry or Ron.
'Sure, if you want to call them along sooo much,' said George, leaning forward on his broom.
'No, I mean, we're very less and-' Harry said quickly.
'Sure sure,' said Fred. 'I'll go call them. You go along.' Harry and Ron, both sighed inwardly with relief. They did not want to face two angry girls just then. Fred bounded off towards the stairs, and Harry, Ron and George went to the shed to get a broom for Hermione. Secretly, both Harry and Ron had a strange feeling that neither Hermione, nor Ginny would come to play Quidditch with them.
The door of Ginny's room opened, and Fred peered in. Both Hermione and Ginny looked up. They had been in very good spirits since their 'Girl Talk', and Ginny had decided to forget everything that had happened, concerning the Charmzirius, and her bursting out of Ron's room.
'What?' asked Ginny. Fred looked at her She seemed alright. The last time he had seen her outside Ron's bedroom door, she had been a whirlwind of fury, knocking him aside, as she stomped towards the stairs.
'We're going to play Quidditch… want to come?'
Ginny turned to Hermione, and raised an eyebrow questioningly. Hermione smiled slightly.
'We're only four, and we want two more pla-' insisted Fred.
'Okay, we're coming, just wait for a minute,' said Ginny.
'We're waiting,' said Fred, his head disappeared from the door, and the sound of his footsteps could be heard, thudding down the staircase.
'So…' said Ginny, grinning widely.
'This is going to be good. I can imagine the look on Ron's face already… and Harry's too,' said Hermione, and both girls walked off down the stairs, trying to keep their faces straight.
'They're coming,' said Fred, loudly. Harry and Ron's hearts, both skipped a beat. They were surprised.
'They are?' asked Ron.
'Yeah, got the broom?' asked Fred, not noticing the rather surprised looks on Ron and Harry's faces.
'Comet one-fifty, but it'll have to do,' said George, holding a battered looking broom along with his Cleansweep.
The thud of footsteps coming down the stairs caught their attention, and they turned around to see Ginny and Hermione step into the hall.
'Ready?' asked Ginny, quite bravely because Ron and Harry were looking at her very closely. They were amazed to see she was not avoiding their eyes. Neither was Hermione.
'When you are,' said George, giving the Comet one-fifty to Hermione.
'Let's go then,' said Hermione, grinning. Ron chanced a glance at Harry, who caught Ron's eye. Harry grinned, and Ron smiled. They had been worried about nothing.
Hermione moved to Ron's side, as they started off to their usual Quidditch spot. Leaning over, she whispered in his ear,
'Amazing isn't it?'
Ron turned to look at her. She smiled, and he grinned automatically.
'Thanks,' he replied honestly, knowing Hermione had something to do with the sudden change in both Ginny and her own mood. Hermione smiled, and Ron, making sure no one was looking, slipped his hand into hers, holding it happily. Hermione smiled, turning slightly pink for no reason that she could explain.
'Rest, please!' George yelled, gasping for breath, and everyone descended.
'That was one game!' Ron panted.
'Three, you're forgetting how many we -(pant)- played,' Harry said, sitting down on the grass.
'They were fun!' said Ginny, grinning, as she circled above them.
'Tired already?' Hermione teased, as she landed, wobbling a little. She was caught in time by Ron.
'Watch out,' said Ron, holding her steady by her arm.
'I'm a little dizzy, flying after ages. I can't remember when I last flew,' she said, sitting down to end her dizziness.
'Probably your last flying lesson in our first year,' said Ron, chuckling. Hermione, always quick to answer, said,
'Well, there was the time when Siri-' Ron gave her a panicked, yet warning look. Apparently, neither Fred, George nor Ginny had been hearing the dialogue between Ron and Hermione. They did not know everything about Sirius Black's escape during Ron, Hermione and Harry's third year. Ron sighed in relief. Hermione smiled weakly at him, a rather apologizing smile. Last time, it had been Ron who had made that mistake.
Fred took a long drink of water from his plastic bottle. It was about noon, and it was hot.
'Boiling isn't it?' said Fred. There was a murmur of agreement.
'Though there are clouds coming up,' said Ginny, pointing to the west. Everyone squinted in the direction.
'Bit far away, still got about half an hour before a storm blows up,' said George. 'Another game?'
'One more wouldn't be bad… I need all the training I can get,' said Ron grimly. He desperately wanted to make it onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team. For years, he had been looking out for an empty position, and now there was finally one, for the Keeper.
'I'm sure you'll make it Ron, we'll all stand up for you,' said Harry, placing a hand on Ron's shoulder.
'Okay, come on now,' said Ginny, mounting her broom. 'If you want training Ron, you're not going to get it with both your feet on the ground, and your broom in your hands!' Ron groaned.
'I hate it when she acts like she's a commander or something!' he whispered to Harry, though he was too glad his sister had forgiven and forgotten so easily to say it out loud.
Everyone mounted their brooms, and in five minutes another Quidditch game was in full swing.
'Get it Ron! Get it! Stop it!!!' Hermione yelled, as Ron tried to keep his mind on the apple, the supposed "Quaffel" that was nearing him, whirling through the air. As Keeper, he had to stop Harry, Fred and Ginny's team from winning. It was a rather altered version of Quidditch with only three players in each team.
Ron swung his club just when the apple was about five feet away from him. He forgot he had to hit it not too hard. The apple smashed against the club, and became a twisted mass of fruit pulp. Everyone except Ron burst out laughing.
'Well, this isn't a real Quaffel! This was bound to happen!' Ron yelled indignantly. Hermione flew up to him, and gave him a large, clean handkerchief to wipe off the smashed apple from his club.
'Ron, you-'
A sudden clap of thunder drowned Hermione's voice. The sun began to be covered up with rain clouds, and a dark shadow spread over the field and surrounding areas. Everyone turned their gaze skywards. Large masses of black storm clouds were quickly covering up the sun and the sky.
'Oops!' said Ginny, and everyone quickly sped towards the ground.
'Hope we make it back before we are soaked to the skin,' said George loudly, as large raindrops began falling on their heads.
'Yeah,' agreed Ginny, as everyone went out of field quickly, taking quick steps. 'And Mum'll be really mad.'
Larger raindrops began falling, causing the muddy lane to become full of large puddles, as the group of six practically ran towards The Burrow.
'Can't we use our brooms for once?' said Ron loudly over the thunder and lightning.
'I would have if it was possible!' George yelled in reply. It was a serious crime if any Muggle saw any Wizard artifact, like a broomstick, flying, with a Wizard atop it.
Ginny shrieked suddenly as she slipped, and fell into a muddy puddle, drenched from waist to toe.
'Yuck!' she said, annoyed with herself for not being more careful. She prepared to get up, but when she looked up, she saw Harry bending beside her, extending his hand.
'Come on!' he said loudly, as lightning flashed across the sky. Ginny took his hand with her muddy one, and he pulled her up.
'You okay?' he asked, as she quickly steadied herself. She nodded.
'Apart from being dripping in muddy water, I'm okay,' she said, and smiled. Harry grinned.
'Come on then,' he said, and turning back, he saw most of the others were quite ahead. Apparently, in the thunder, rain and lightning, they hadn't seen or heard Ginny fall, or Harry turn back to help her.
'Pretty far up ahead, come on,' said Harry, and moved off in the direction of The Burrow, visible in the distance. He felt a strong tug at his arm. Ginny was standing there in the rain, smiling in a shy sort of way.
'Uh-' Harry said, confused.
'My hand, um…' said Ginny and Harry saw he was till holding Ginny's hand. He hadn't released it after he had pulled her up from the puddle. He blushed.
'Oh, sorry,' he said, and quickly let go of it. Ginny felt sort of sorry he had left it. It had been really comfortable. She grinned at him, blushing, yet extremely content.
'We're soaked already, might as well avoid any more falls, let's go slower,' said Harry. Ginny blushed, not noticed by Harry and began walking. Harry walked beside her in silence, not too fast but not too slow either. Ginny felt strange. She and Harry were walking side by side in the rain, quite alone. She could see the others in the distance, turning into the garden of the house.
There was nothing to talk about in the rain, and she had to face it. What would she talk about? She had not said anything to him at all since the "gift incident", and was rather nervous. Somehow, she felt that whenever they talked, the talk would finally come around to the Charmzirius. And she wanted to avoid that. She knew she probably would not be able to find a reasonable answer for most of his questions. You know…love has no reasons. It was actually Ginny's deep love for Harry, and the fact that she was really worried for his safety and security, that she immediately agreed on giving him the Charmzirius, proposed by her mother.
They entered the house, dripping wet, from head to toe. A trail of wet footprints and splodges of mud could be seen leading down the corridor, and to the stairs. Hermione, Ron, George and Fred had passed a few moments ago. This was confirmed just then.
'Harry, Ginny! Look at you! You're dripping wet! That's worse than the other lot,' Mrs. Weasley exclaimed on seeing him. Harry shivered, feeling the wetness of his clothes more inside the house.
'I slipped, and fell in a large muddle Mum,' Ginny explained.
'Well, then, go up quickly and change before you catch a cold or something. Goodness, why couldn't you have seen the storm coming?' Mrs. Weasley said quickly, and shooed them off to the stairs. Ginny grinned, as they climbed the staircase, adding their own footprints, and more mud to the already present ones.
Ginny stopped at her floor.
'See you,' she said, and turned to go.
'Okay,' Harry replied, and moved on. Ginny began her way down the corridor, when there was a loud, sharp "thud" on the wooden floor. She turned to see Harry running back down the stairs. A little golden ball was rolling ahead of him, coming towards her. She bent down, and picked it up. Harry came up to her, dripping mud all over the corridor. Water had drained from his hair, which were now sticking to his head and face. He pushed them aside quickly, and they revealed his scar. Ginny looked at the ball. She had not realized it at first, but now she did. It was the Charmzirius. She looked back up at him.
'My shirt was wet, and the pocket got torn off. The…it slipped out of it,' Harry explained quickly.
'You've been carrying it around?' Ginny could not refrain herself from asking. She held it out for him to have it back. He took it.
'Yeah,' he said, and nodded, looking a little pink.
'Oh…' said Ginny, thinking. That one word, and the nod meant a lot. It meant, probably, that he did like the gift. It meant probably, that he did feel its effect, whatever the effect was. Her mum said she had always felt its effect. She had been given it by her father, when she had been very young, and according to her, she had always felt really safe, peaceful and content around it.
'It's…' said Harry, slowly, making Ginny look up. 'It's a really good…thing…'
Ginny stood frozen. He had actually liked it. Harry continued.
'It does work… as it says…I mean, I can feel it…I could feel it when you gave it to me too…it's a really good… feeling,' he said. Ginny nodded mutely, too taken by his words to say anything.
'I…' Harry went on, quite bravely, wondering what on earth Ginny could be thinking, or making of his words.
'I really liked it,' he said. Ginny did not realize it was the third time he had said that.
'In fact,' said Harry, smiling slightly, 'It was the best gift I received today…from anyone.'
Ginny's eyes widened. She had never, ever expected that of all things he could say.
'Really?' she croaked. Harry grinned.
'Yeah, really,' he said, looking at the Charmzirius in his hands. Ginny felt really bad having said what she had said to him indirectly that morning. She immediately knew she owed him an apology.
'Harry,' she said quickly, making him look up at her, his bright green eyes sparkling brightly.
'I have to apologize for acting the way I did today. I'm sorry, really. I don't know what got into me,' she said. Harry looked as if it was now he who had not expected to hear something like that from Ginny.
'No,' he said, 'You don't have to apologize. I probably know why you acted like you did…I wasn't too quick in saying what I should have…I mean, I really liked the…Charmzirius, but I forgot to tell you that when I should've.'
Ginny could not think of a suitable reply. She nodded instead.
'And don't mind Ron,' said Harry. She looked up to see him smiling at her. 'He was just a little amazed…he probably didn't expect but…he was disturbed…you know, when you went out of the room…both of us were.'
Ginny turned a little red.
'Guess so, I went a little mad,' she said, looking at her hands.
'I should have expected it,' said Harry, chuckling slightly. 'After all, Ron does have the Weasley temper in himself too.'
Ginny giggled in spite of herself. Harry pocketed the Charmzirius slowly. There was loud and sharp "thud", and the ball could be seen rolling away, beyond Ginny. Both looked at it for a second. Harry turned to his pocket, the same torn one, and then looked up. Both burst out laughing at the same time, realizing what had happened. Again.
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Eh…how was that? I personally loved the puddle scene, and the Charmzirius scene in the end where Harry drops it into the same torn pocket…I am simply loving writing this series, I love R/Hr and H/G! (The relationships)
Now, would you please review? It is wonderful to know people actually *read* my work!
Any other questions? Mail me!