Chapter five: The Truth And The False

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

***

The dagger was reflected in Harry's eyes. His mind ceased to connect with his actions… Ginny looked up as his chest heaved. She smiled at him and then the dagger came down. Everything happened in slow motion for Harry. He leapt aside, pushing her off him but the dagger sank into his arm. In the confusion and shock of it all, he couldn't feel any pain. He pulled the dagger out of his arm, throwing it on the floor and blood oozed from the large cut, soaking his sleeve.

He turned to Ginny, lying on the floor.

'Ginny!' Harry said, shocked, his voice coming in a gasp. He couldn't believe she had tried to kill him… she hadn't been under any influence, he could see it in her eyes. No one had been controlling her.

She sat up, her eyes narrowed.

'Ginny, what were you trying to do?'

Pain shot through Harry and he looked at his sleeve, dark maroon now where all the blood was oozing from his cut. He gritted his teeth with the pain. However, he was more shocked and hurt by what Ginny had just done.

Ginny got to her feet suddenly and grabbed the dagger once again. She lunged at him, uttering a cry of anger and he moved aside just in time.

'Ginny, are you mad?!'

He couldn't believe it… his mind told him it wasn't Ginny but then, it was. She was right before him, in flesh and blood.

'You're not Ginny, you're Voldemort!' He shouted. Ginny paused, dagger raised in mid air and brushed her hair out of her eyes to look at him.

'I'm Ginny, you idiot… but how ironic. You saved me from Voldemort in my fourth year… look how I'm going to repay you!'

He lunged at Harry again, this time getting his other arm. Harry scrambled away from her, knocking aside a dusty chair. He couldn't strike back… she was still Ginny, not Voldemort. He couldn't hurt her.

She was getting angrier. She lunged at him and the dagger sank into his lower ribs. In pain, Harry pushed her off.

'Ginny, stop!' He pleaded. It was more hurtful that it was she who was doing this to him. What had happened? Everything had been all right. He felt dizzy… the blood was flowing faster now. He staggered back against the wall and let out a soft moan. He heard her footsteps, coming over to him.

'Had enough?' He could feel her breath on his face. 'I always wanted to do that… I hate you, Harry Potter… I hate you.'

The dagger came own again but some power within Harry gave him enough strength to push Ginny off. She landed a few feet away, dagger flying in the air and landing beside Harry.

'No,' Harry moaned, feeling sick. He hadn't heard those words, he hadn't heard those words, he told himself. But he had and it hurt even more. Something within him snapped. There was a loud bang and suddenly, Ginny flew up and hit the wall behind her. Harry couldn't believe what he'd just done.

But Ginny got up again. Now she was shocked, even frightened of him. Harry raised his hand to say something… there was another bang and Ginny hit the wall again. Harry's eyes went wide… he couldn't control his powers… he had to…

But Ginny was up again. She made for the door, as if afraid he'd kill her.

'Die well, Harry! I'll be back for you later,' she shouted.

The door banged close and Harry's head spun. He staggered to his feet in shock… he had to move, he told himself. He tried to heal his injuries… he could heal minor injuries with his own magic. But the pain of what Ginny had said and the hurt… it made him want to leave his injuries as they were.

He found the power and the will to move… somehow, he yanked the door open and stepped outside. She was nowhere to be seen. Trudging on the earth, covered with autumn leaves, he headed in the direction of the castle. He was badly wounded and every muscle hurt. He wanted to drop dead there and then but something kept him going and after what seemed like years, he reached the Quidditch pitch, then, the front grounds…

Someone was coming towards him… no, he thought… his vision was blurry… someone was running to him… shouting…

He collapsed on the ground, the grass soft beneath him.

***

'Have you received news yet?'

'N-no, my Lord.'

'Lucius! You're lying… honestly, loyalty, I have taught you that well… or have I?'

'M-master… I did receive news. Potter is dead by now, I can assure you.'

Silence.

'Where is his heart? The blood? You are hiding something from me.'

'My Lord… Potter's powers are massive, he almost killed –'

'I do not care about that, Malfoy. I demand to know where is Potter's blood!'

'We do not h-have it M-Master…'

Voldemort turned around.

'What did you say? You don't have it?'

'We-we're trying our best my Lord… but Hogwarts is protected –'

'That I know very well, fool! And I have made myself clear for the final time! I want that blood! Get Potter's body, do anything, sacrifice anyone, but I want that blood! I cannot breathe well while Potter stays alive or that his blood does not replenish me!'

'Yes… M-Master!'

'Go! And remember what shall happen to you… and your family… if you fail to succeed.'

***

He was still lying on the soft grass… or was he? The material beneath him was soft… and cool. He opened his eyes slowly, his head spinning. The room came into focus. In spite of his situation, he was struck by the number of times he had awoken to find himself in the Hospital Wing.

He tried to sit up but there was someone at his side immediately.

'No, don't get up!' The voice was hurried but gentle… and familiar. Madam Pomfrey.

There was a scrambling sound and Harry saw Ron, Hermione and Dumbledore standing beside the door.

'How do you feel Harry?' Dumbledore asked, looking down at Harry with a very serious expression on his face. Hermione seemed to be on the point of bursting with pent up questions. Ron was looking at Harry with his eyes wide. He still hadn't changed into his school robes either.

'Don't know…' Harry said vaguely. Madam Pomfrey touched a sore spot over Harry's ribs causing him to wince.

'His injuries have not healed…' said Madam Pomfrey, looking up at Dumbledore. Harry's mind was still spinning… what had happened was coming back to him slowly… he laid his head back on the pillow, feeling devastated.

'Harry,' said Dumbledore urgently, coming closer. 'Are you all right?'

Harry wanted to shake his head… no, he wasn't all right. He felt terrible…

But he nodded slightly, in spite of the lump in his throat.

'Harry,' said Dumbledore, sitting down beside Harry, 'you've got to use your powers to heal your injuries. They are very deep and you are very weak right now. We have done all we could… but if you do not will the injuries to heal, they will only get worse.'

Harry nodded, looking up at the ceiling. How could he? He couldn't even think properly just then. Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder.

'I know very well that I should not ask this now… but it well help your injuries heal. Who did this to you Harry?'

Harry didn't know what to say… how could he when he didn't believe it even himself? But it had been true to the end… she hadn't been Voldemort… but why? It hurt more than all of his injuries… or all the times he had ever been wounded before… to say that name –

'Ginny.'

Ron and Hermione gasped.

'What?!' Ron spoke first, his voice shaking. Dumbledore stood up.

'Harry, what are you saying?' Even his voice sounded faint. He was gripping Harry's shoulder, looking down at him through wide eyes.

Harry wanted to shout out what he felt… that it was not true… it couldn't be… but her eyes… they had burned with a passion… he'd seen that fire in her eyes… it could only be her… and her words…

'Ginny.' He said it in a lower voice, almost choking.

Hermione's hand was on her mouth. 'No, that's impossible!'

Dumbledore looked up at Ron. 'Find Ginny… bring her here.'

Harry closed his eyes…  she was coming. Was she even in Hogwarts? Where was she? He didn't want to see her. It wasn't as if he hated her now… he just didn't want to hear those words again… that she hated him or see that hate in her eyes.

Hermione sat down on the bed next to Harry.

'Harry, it can't be –'

Dumbledore raised his hand, motioning her to stay silent.

Several minutes later, the door of the Hospital Wing opened and there was the sound of hurried footsteps.

He knew she had come, even before he saw her. He opened his eyes and found her at the edge of his bed, panting. Her hair was quite messed up and she, too, was still in her Quidditch robes. Her lip was bleeding slightly and her robes were muddy. Apart from everything, wlse that surprised Harry the most was the way she was looking at him… her eyes were wide… soft… no hint of any flame, passion or hurt.

'Harry…' Her voice broke and she rushed to his side without any word, throwing her arms around him and burying her head in his neck.

A barrage of emotions hit him as she touched him, flooding him. It was warm and comfortable… he could feel her worry, her sadness, her fright, her tenseness… most of all he could feel her love…

Harry closed his eyes and his heartbeat calmed down. This was Ginny… the feeling of being complete… truly complete, relieved, loved and calm.

He wrapped his arms around her… the person who had tried to kill him hadn't been Ginny, he thought fiercely. He was even ready to believe that had been a figment of his imagination… this… the Ginny he now held was real.

He reached out to her through the link and found her immediately. She was there… there was no coldness… only warmth – soft, wonderful warmth.

In his mind, she wrapped herself around him and he wrapped himself around her. Pain was being wrenched away from his very soul… he knew tears were now rolling down his face. He couldn't believe everything was okay… nothing had happened at all… she was there…

Finally, reluctantly, they opened their eyes to return to the real world. He noticed he and Ginny were now alone… Dumbledore… everyone had left. Ginny lifted her head and looked down at him through watery eyes.

'Harry…'

The relief he felt under that pure, loving gaze was unbelievable. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her slowly, gently, needing to be sure that she was still there. She kissed him back, tears rolling down her face, taking his hand in his.

Slowly, she pulled away, straightening up. He sat up… finding he could do so easily… all his injuries were healed. He pulled her to him in a tight embrace, holding her quietly to himself for a long time, sharing his feelings with her in complete silence… until there came a time when there was an equilibrium and both were completely calm.

He pulled back and kissed her cheek.

'Gin…' It was the first word he had said to her since he had seen her at the edge of his bed.

She smiled at him softly. 'Are you okay?'

He couldn't reply yet. He pulled her closer again… she squeezed his hand comfortingly.

'Harry… I found out who Stunned me that day…'

He looked down at her. 'What?' He didn't really want to talk about that just then but he knew they had to sometime.

'Malfoy.'

Harry felt something flare up within him and she placed a hand on his chest soothingly.

'He did it again today… I saw him…'

'Malfoy? He Stunned you again? Ginny, when?!'

Ginny looked up at him slowly. 'I was going over to the broomshed to put Ron and my brooms back… and I didn't know he was following me. I was only able to see him before he Stunned me…'

'Gin,' said Harry quickly, 'are you okay? What did he do to you?'

'I'm okay… he just Stunned me…' She looked up at him. 'Who hurt you? You… you looked terrible.'

Harry looked down at her, into her eyes. She knew nothing… it hadn't been her. His brow furrowed in thought… and suddenly, it hit him.

'Malfoy did,' he said slowly, double-checking his theory. He told her everything from when he'd been searching for her… then she'd led him to that hut… and attacked him. Only, it hadn't been her. It had been Malfoy.

'It makes a lot of sense, Harry,' said Dumbledore quickly when Harry related his theory to Dumbledore. 'Mr. Malfoy, I presume, used a special type of Polyjuice potion. He turned himself into Ginny… and Stunned the real Ginny so that he could carry out his plan easily.'

'He almost killed Harry,' said Ginny, shuddering.

'Yes,' said Dumbledore warily. 'And I assume that when you were Stunned last month… it was to get something from you… perhaps a strand of your hair to complete the Polyjuice potion.'

Harry nodded, realizing the plot.

'I didn't realize it was Malfoy today… but I had this strange feeling and I couldn't connect with him through the link either… obviously,' said Harry, squeezing Ginny's hand.

'Harry,' she said, 'how did he injure you so much? I mean… you could have easily overpowered him as he was as short as I am right now. You could have Stunned him too…'

Harry looked back into her eyes, his expression serious. He knew, since the beginning, that he couldn't ever hurt Ginny.

'I couldn't hurt you…'

'But it wasn't me,' she said softly.

'Those… those words he said… they sounded… sounded like they were real,' he said and looked at his hands, unable to look at her any longer.

'Harry,' she said softly, 'I'd never even think of… harming you… I… I couldn't ever.'

'That's okay,' he said softly, squeezing her hand comfortingly. 'And… I sort of… lost control on myself anyway… my powers… I couldn't have stopped them. I think I hurt Malfoy quite a lot and he ran away.'

'Where is he now?' Ginny asked Dumbledore.

'Gone,' said Dumbledore slowly. 'If we would have known earlier I'd have barred all the exits but apparently, he stole away to Hogsmeade and used a Floo connection or some Portkey. Unfortunate… he would have been most helpful in gaining information. That is the only reason I have let him stay back at Hogwarts… and of course, the hope that he'd redeem himself some day.'

'Where's he gone? Back to Voldemort?' Harry reckoned.

Dumbledore smiled slightly but there was no humor in it. 'Even there, he is safe no longer. From what I know about Voldemort, he never forgives… and if a plan fails, he feels best to eradicate those who caused it to fail. Draco would have been safer here… had he known. Today, their plan failed… Harry, you are thankfully still alive… I'm not too sure about Draco anymore.'

Ginny shuddered involuntarily.

'I must ask you to keep caution… anything can happen anywhere. I will myself ask the teachers to keep a closer eye on the Slytherins. I'm afraid, there are a few who could chose to follow in Draco's steps… and carry out Voldemort's orders. Please do not leave the school after dark and report all dark activity to me.'

Harry and Ginny nodded silently.

'And Harry, if you are sure that your wounds are healed completely, you can leave the Hospital Wing… although I am sure you need a lot of rest. Good night.'

He smiled at them as they headed out of the door. He knew that as long as they stayed together, they'd be completely safe.

***

Something weighed heavily on Harry's mind even as he led Ginny back to Gryffindor Tower. She could feel it too. It was there in his eyes, as he glanced at her to see if she was okay once about every ten seconds.

'Harry, are you okay?' She asked softly.

'I'm okay…' he said but then stopped in his tracks. He turned to her and then looked around. Spotting an empty chamber to the side, he led her there. He closed the door behind him and lit up several candles in the room.

'Harry, what's wrong?' Ginny asked, sensing he was worried. He came close to her.

'Gin… there's something I have to tell you. I… I can't help thinking about it since what happened today… and I…'

'What?' She prompted him, stepping closer. He placed his arms around her waist and then turned her face upwards by placing a hand under her chin.

'Ginny, no matter what happens… I need you to know that I really value our relationship… and I'd never settle for anything less. I really, really can't be much without you and it's not just because of our bond. Today, when I heard those words from Malfoy and I thought it really were you saying them… I… I couldn't bear it. I can't bear losing you ever… please. I know it probably sounds selfish of me… but I have to say this and it's true. I love you very, very much…'

Ginny looked up at him and smiled shakily.

'Harry…' she said softly, 'I want you to know something too. I'd never, ever say anything like what Malfoy said to you… never. And I told you before… I'd never do anything to harm you. I really care for you myself… and all this summer, when I was away from you and could still sense your nightmares… I really wanted to be with you just then. I almost lost you today… and I'd never want to see that again. I know I never got round to saying it properly… but I wouldn't be much without you myself. It's not selfish of you at all. Because, I love you too.'

They smiled at each other in the semi-darkness and then, Harry bent down and kissed her softly.

'Thankyou,' he said sincerely, holding her hand. She grinned up at him and hugged him again.

When Harry and Ginny stepped into the Commonroom, they'd expected it to be quite empty, being as it was quite late. But a cacophony of noises greeted them and they were pulled in quickly. Apparently, celebrations of the match victory were still quite underway.

'Get the lovers!' Someone shouted and Harry was pushed onto a sofa and stuffed with food until he felt quite sick. Ron was, as usual, quite tipsy, shouting himself hoarse. Someone commented on whether he'd taken one too many Quaffles to the head.

It was quite late until they all finally went to sleep and Harry, feeling quite lightheaded, fell asleep almost immediately. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he knew he wasn't going to have any dreams that night.

He was wrong.

***

'As much pleasure I would have in carrying out the task myself… I'd like you to do it Macnair. Your talent with swords and blades shall be put to good use.'

'Yes, my Lord, anything that pleases you.'

'Do the job finely… take your time, we are in no hurry tonight.'

'Yes, my Lord, as you say.'

'Have they been brought?'

'Yes, Avery is bringing them here as we speak.'

'Any troubles?'

'No, my Lord. Malfoy's as scared as a mouse… kept screaming… and his son's in no better state. Narcissa has had a nervous breakdown.'

'Good… let them be, I shall enjoy watching the execution. We could have simply used the Killing Curse but I want to make it very clear on how exactly I like to treat those who fail me. Am I right, Macnair?'

'Yes, my Lord.'

'Ah… here they are… hello, Lucius.'

'My Lord! Please, forgive me! I did my best! I didn't know –'

'SILENCE! Do you not know… were you not aware that Voldemort never forgives?'

'Master!! Please! Spare us! We have always been loyal to you!'

'Old lies, Lucius… a task as simple as that…'

'Please, give us another chance, Master! Draco will fare well this time –'

'There shall be no next time, Lucius. Macnair, go on with it… tonight I am free. I'd like to watch the show leisurely.'

'Yes, my Lord.'

'No!! Please, Master!'

'Lucius… this is the last piece of advice I am giving you. It's going to be quite comfortable for you and your little family very soon. I suggest you start wishing for death already…'

***

Harry hurried down the steps into the Commonroom, perspiring all over. He met Ginny halfway down and he held her there, wrapping his arms around her.

'Harry! Dumbledore was right! They're doing it,' she whispered, shivering. They'd shared one of the worst dreams… and even though Draco, Lucius… had done them nothing but harm, suddenly, Harry realized he'd never want the torture than was being inflicted on the Malfoys just then, on anybody else in the entire world… not even his worst enemies.

He opened his eyes and looked down at Ginny, her face hidden in his shoulder.

But, he thought, he would wish it on someone… Voldemort himself.

Author's Note:

Hi! Firstly, thanks a lot for reviewing (mainly after being provoked by the cliffhanger) and I do agree that the cliffhanger was a bit unfair. Even then, you'll be seeing lots of them in this story… don't you worry! *evil cackle*

I've got a private G.C.E exam in the next few days… but that does not mean I won't update! I've written the next chapter already so it should be up soon.

Any questions about this chapter, go ahead ask me… Also, I hope everyone was satisfied with this chapter… having its share of action, darkness and… *mush* (btw I hate calling it that.)

Please dooo keep reviewing as I check for reviews about 5-6 times a day!

Thankyou for reviewing – Epitaph Munku JGSPTV, Cygnus Crux, GinnyWPotter, Hot Ice, Temporary Insanity, Julephenia, Blue eyes, Jockaroo, SxtShorti, Kami Potter, Ax.

And Temporary Insanity, you got the Polyjuice Potion right! Kudos to you! ALSO, I'll be answering all reviewers of this chapter, in the next chapter so be sure to review!

Next chapter to be up soon!

B'bye!

-Ameera a.k.a. Aimen (Aimen at Gryffindortower.net, Sugarquill.net)