While You Were Sleeping
Disclaimer: JK Rowling rocks. Yeah, she owns it all.
A/N: This fanfiction has been beta-read by Ahmie at Gryffindor Tower. Loads of thanks, Ahmie! Wheeeee! Heaps of hugs and kisses to Miranda, who helped me with the plot when I got stuck at the start. *hugs Miranda*
***
"I say-Mr. Potter! What on earth are you doing in here at this time?"
Harry Potter nearly jumped at the voice. He sighed and turned around. He really should have known better than to sneak into the hospital wing. It was already-actually, he didn't know what time it was, exactly. Past four, past five, perhaps? It was still quite dark outside. After the huge feast, which everyone attended wearing only their pajamas, Harry had expected that they would all be zonked out by now. Except Madam Pomfrey, apparently. For a brief moment he wondered if she ever slept at all.
He was dead tired himself, but here he was at the hospital wing. He really didn't know why, but he wanted to see Ginny.
Madam Pomfrey was staring at him disapprovingly. "Well? Are you hurt? Do you need medication?" Her eyes widened. "Oh my goodness, I forgot you were in the Chamber of Secrets yourself-"
"I'm fine, Madam Pomfrey, Professor Dumbledore's phoenix healed me," Harry cut in.
She tutted. "Well, you seem to be fine as you say you are…off you go then, go on to your room and sleep. I'll not keep you in here since you don't have any injuries." Harry could see in her eyes that she did mean to keep him here and fuss all over him. .
Harry hesitated. "The thing is, Madam Pomfrey…" he said haltingly. "Well…could I…visit Ginny for a while?"
"Visit…?" Her brows furrowed. "Whatever for? Miss Weasley is sleeping now. If you wish to see her, come back tomorrow when you yourself have had your rest."
"But-"
"Mr. Potter, honestly, do I have to throw you out of here?!"
"Please, Madam Pomfrey!" he begged. "I'm not going to do anything, really…I just want to see her! I just want to make sure she's really-," he swallowed, "-alright. Please."
Madam Pomfrey opened her mouth as if to protest, then closed it again. She huffed. "Oh very well then! Five minutes." She spun around her heel and went off.
Harry grinned. When Madam Pomfrey says "five minutes," she gives you fifteen. He made his way toward Ginny quietly. He gingerly sat on the chair beside the bed, cringing when it made a noise as it scraped against the floor. The noise didn't wake her. She was dead to the world.
He sat there for quite some time, just watching her breathe evenly, in and out. She still looked pale, but some color had already returned to her skin. He remembered seeing her lying on the cold floors of the Chamber of Secrets, very much cold herself, and looking as white as death.
'No, no, no, you can't be dead, Ginny, please…' Harry had thought frantically then. And then said it aloud: "Ginny-don't be dead-please don't be dead-" He touched her and almost recoiled in shock when he felt how cold she was. "Ginny, please wake up," he had muttered, and he shook her then, hoping that she was just deep in slumber. And then Tom Riddle-no, Voldemort-had spoken. He recalled how shocked he was when Voldemort informed him that it was Ginny-Ginny!-who did all those things.
He remembered the feeling of relief that rushed through him when Ginny finally opened her eyes and went into hysterics soon after. "-it was me, Harry-but I-I s-swear I d-didn't mean to-R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over-" she had wailed. Even after she said that, he still couldn't believe it was actually her.
It was all his fault.
'All my fault,' thought Harry, feeling miserable now. He had acted so horribly towards Ginny. He should have paid more attention to her. He generally didn't notice her when she was around because he felt sort of uncomfortable knowing she had a huge crush on him. He should have known she was going through more than just some silly crush. He should have chased after her when she ran off after Percy scared her away from the table in the Great Hall. He should have known.
But he didn't, and what had happened couldn't be taken back. He couldn't imagine how Ginny would be able to cope after all that had happened to her. She was too young. Yes, he was just a year older, but the idea of Voldemort after him was something he had sort of gotten used to by now. But Ginny was different. She may be aware that these days are dark times, but she'd never faced the enemy before. She was innocent.
Not anymore. Harry buried his face in his hands. He really should have known! In their first year, Ron had been ranting about having a lot to live up to once he was in Hogwarts. It was no different for Ginny. She must have been terrified, living up to what her six older brothers had done before her. And Harry just made it worse by ignoring her. It was just natural she'd confide all her thoughts and feelings into a diary. Only, it had been Voldemort's diary.
Harry's thoughts turned to the Malfoys. 'Like father, like son,' he thought bitterly. He would be keeping a closer eye on Draco Malfoy from now on, even if he had to drink Polyjuice Potion again. Lucius Malfoy was so foul he didn't mind using an innocent girl to bring Voldemort back to life. Voldemort. He was not like Voldemort at all, Professor Dumbledore was right. Harry was despising him more and more. How terrible the ordeal Ginny went through, he can only imagine. "R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over-"…Voldemort had controlled Ginny, used her, played with her emotions, treated her like a puppet. Ginny may not have a scar like his, but he knew she was scarred for life.
He let out a head-splitting yawn, sat up straighter and blinked. Madam Pomfrey was right, he needed to rest. He was surprised she wasn't chasing him away by now. He had no idea how long he had stayed, but he was pretty sure it was more than fifteen minutes already. He glanced at Ginny one more time before standing up and slowly walking away.
"No…"
Harry stopped. Was that Ginny? Was she awake?
"No…please, Tom…I…"
Tom. Harry felt sick. Ginny was having nightmares now, just like him. He hurriedly went back to her side.
Ginny was thrashing about on the bed, kicking at the blankets. Her hands made fists at her sides, clutching the covers. "No…" she moaned pleadingly. "I…can't-stop-leave me alone…" she shook her head from side to side. "I don't…want to do it-" She started sobbing.
Harry acted on instinct. He sat gingerly on the bed, pushing her hair away from her face. Gently, he put his hands to her face and brushed her tears away.
"Shh," he said in what he hoped to be a soothing voice. "Shh…it's alright, Ginny. He's not here."
She stopped moving about, although her body shook with sobs. Harry started to stroke her hair. "It's alright," he whispered, desperately hoping she wouldn't have nightmares over and over again. "It's alright, Ginny," he repeated.
She turned her head to the sound of his voice. Her sobs died down, her breathing becoming more regular. Harry sat still, his hand still stroking her hair. She rolled over to her side, her hand falling on his other one. He watched her carefully. It was over. 'For now,' he thought, although he wished it were for always. He carefully removed her hand and started to get up.
Ginny made a sudden, inarticulate noise at the back of her throat. He froze. He decided then and there that he would sleep here if he had to. Nightmares were horrible, he knew that well. Someone should be by her side to comfort her tonight.
Her forehead creased, and she shifted slightly. Then, slowly, her eyes half-opened, and she stared at him blearily. Suddenly Harry wanted to disappear. Had she actually seen him? Just as slowly, her eyes closed again. Her whole body relaxed visibly. Letting out a girlish sigh, she rolled over again, falling deep into sleep.
Harry bolted from the hospital wing, his thoughts jumbled. The impact of what he had done earlier hit him in the face. He saved Ginny's life. Did that mean something?
Professor Dumbledore's words came back to him.
"He saved his life…Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt…I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that it would make him and your father even…"
Harry choked inwardly. He hoped Ginny wouldn't feel indebted to him because of what he did. Although, he had this strange feeling that when the time came that his life would need saving, Ginny would gladly offer hers. He shuddered. She wouldn't…would she?
"Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!" Defending him in front of Malfoy. Maybe she would…he hoped that time would never come. His mother saved his life-and she had died.
He realized his feet had taken him to the portrait of the Fat Lady, even if his mind was wandering. The Fat Lady looked sleepily at him. "Password?" she asked groggily.
"Jumping Jupiter," said Harry. The Fat Lady swung forward and he clambered into the portrait hole. He climbed wearily up to his room, still thinking about Ginny. 'No harm will ever come to her again,' he thought, pushing aside the bed curtains and flopping onto his bed. 'I promise. I'll protect her…'
**
Ginny frowned, turning her face away from the rays of sunlight that filtered in from the window. She blinked a few times before finally sitting up in bed, rubbing her eyes.
Madam Pomfrey came bustling in, and seeing Ginny awake, immediately went over to her side. "Slept well, did you, Miss Weasley?" she asked, and then began fussing over her. Ginny went through with the checkup obediently, her mind elsewhere.
"Oh, yes!" said Ginny suddenly.
"Yes what, dear?" asked Madam Pomfrey absently, now straightening the bed covers.
"Yes, I slept well," said Ginny. She turned her huge brown eyes to Madam Pomfrey and smiled happily. The nurse smiled back, looking relieved.
"Indeed! I'm very glad to hear that, I was afraid you were going to have a hard time last night-"
"I had a nightmare, though," Ginny offered.
Madam Pomfrey frowned. "Did you? You could've come to me and I would've given you a Dreamless Sleep Potion…"
"But I never really woke up last night," Ginny said slowly. "I was having this nightmare, then suddenly I started dreaming about-" she stopped, feeling herself blush furiously. Harry. Suddenly, Tom had disappeared, and Harry was with her, brushing her tears away and stroking her hair. She stared at Madam Pomfrey. Harry wasn't there last night, was he? She opened her mouth to ask, then closed it and shook her head. Of course not. It was just a dream.
'Silly of me to think that, honestly,' Ginny thought. She cleared her throat. "It's nothing," she said rather loudly.
"Very well," Madam Pomfrey said briskly. "You're staying here for a few more days-" Ginny groaned "-Because I want to keep an eye on you! I'll be bringing you your breakfast shortly." She strode off.
Ginny fell back on the bed, sighing. Even if it was just a dream, it had been awfully nice. She felt strangely safe. Somehow, she knew, Harry would always be there to protect her.
Everything was going to be alright.
A/N: The title of this fic came from the movie, "While You Were Sleeping" ^___^ I really don't know why, but it's the first title that came to my head-suits the fic rather well, I think. The password for the Fat Lady-I skimmed my book 2 but the only password mentioned there was "Wattlebird" so I made one up. Changed it lots of times, as a matter of fact. Rather fun thinking up of passwords *grins*.