A/N: Thanks again to my beautiful, lovely reviewers. You rock. A lot.
Also, this next bit takes place in Hogwarts, if you are too dim to figure
that out. It begins right before the attack on Hogwarts.
Disclaimer: I'm not stealing Harry + co.-just-um-borrowing them! They all
belong to the talented J.K. Rowling! *Cowers in the corner*
Ginny stared at the motionless form in the Hospital Wing bed before her. She had chosen lunchtime to come visit him because she didn't want the old rumors to start up again about her being in love with him. Those were nothing but annoying (and slightly embarrassing) and she was so miserable at the now-gloomy Hogwarts that she didn't need anything to worsen her foul mood.
'We need Fred and George back in this place,' she thought, 'Comic relief, that's the answer.' But she felt instinctively that things could only get worse. The anticipation of Voldemort would soon no longer be anticipation; it would be harsh reality. At this, Ginny thought of her family. How many of them would survive it?
Needing to rid herself of this morbid thought, she focused back on Harry.
"Harry," she whispered, "Please come back."
BOOM!
She jumped. She could hear shrill screams and several faint yells of, "Attack!" Ginny stared around the Hospital Wing in near panic. It was only her and Harry; even Madam Pomfrey had gone to lunch. She looked for a place to hide, but she could not see one suitable spot. If she stayed in the Hospital Wing, the Death Eaters, if, indeed, it was the Death Eaters who were causing the disturbance, would find her; they were likely to search the whole school. She ran to the door of Madam Pomfrey's office, but it was locked. Even Alohamora would not open it.
'I have to get out of here,' she thought. Then, in a rather wild move, she grabbed Harry under the arms and dragged him with tremendous effort through the door and into the corridor. Sheer fear gave her the strength to get him all the way down two long halls. She had an idea of where she might hide, but she needed to do it quickly or she would get discovered. In front of a statue of an old, one-eyed witch, she gently set Harry on the ground.
"Dissendium!" she whispered, with her hand on the witch's hump, praying that she didn't need a wand. She held her breath and, slowly, it opened. George had told her the truth.
'Thank you, George,' she thought as she lifted Harry, using the last of her strength, and unceremoniously shoved him through the hump. She too went in headfirst, and just as she heard footsteps coming around the corner, the statue sealed itself.
Ginny allowed herself to slide down the earthy slope, dirtying her robes. Harry had already rolled down and was in a heap at the bottom. She panted heavily as she bent over to pick up Harry. If she could make it all the way to Hogsmeade they might be safe, but she had no idea how far it would be. After a few steps with Harry in her arms, however, she sank to the ground. She could not do it. If only she hadn't left her wand on her bed. . .
She felt helpless, sitting there with her back against the wall and Harry's head on her lap. The tears began to fall.
"Harry," she whispered and then she said with a sob, "Please, please wake up."
But he would not wake. According to the books, he would never wake. Not until he died.
"Ginny?" she heard after what seemed to be a long time. She felt Harry's head stir on her lap. She nearly got whiplash, she looked down on him so fast.
"Harry?"
His eyes were slightly open, though it was hard to see in the dark passageway, "Ginny? Where are we? I was-it wasn't me. I-I didn't make those orange clouds. And the birds! I couldn't have! And the, and the. . .Ginny?"
"Shh, Harry," she said, "It's going to be okay." She had no idea what he was babbling about, but it was not a good sign.
'At least he's up again,' she thought as she felt his forehead. He had a definite fever.
"Harry, you'll be fine," she said in the voice that her Mum always used when she, Ginny, was sick, warm and comforting, "You were just dreaming. Go back to sleep now." But he already had.
Ginny stared into the almost complete darkness and felt very, very alone.
Ginny stared at the motionless form in the Hospital Wing bed before her. She had chosen lunchtime to come visit him because she didn't want the old rumors to start up again about her being in love with him. Those were nothing but annoying (and slightly embarrassing) and she was so miserable at the now-gloomy Hogwarts that she didn't need anything to worsen her foul mood.
'We need Fred and George back in this place,' she thought, 'Comic relief, that's the answer.' But she felt instinctively that things could only get worse. The anticipation of Voldemort would soon no longer be anticipation; it would be harsh reality. At this, Ginny thought of her family. How many of them would survive it?
Needing to rid herself of this morbid thought, she focused back on Harry.
"Harry," she whispered, "Please come back."
BOOM!
She jumped. She could hear shrill screams and several faint yells of, "Attack!" Ginny stared around the Hospital Wing in near panic. It was only her and Harry; even Madam Pomfrey had gone to lunch. She looked for a place to hide, but she could not see one suitable spot. If she stayed in the Hospital Wing, the Death Eaters, if, indeed, it was the Death Eaters who were causing the disturbance, would find her; they were likely to search the whole school. She ran to the door of Madam Pomfrey's office, but it was locked. Even Alohamora would not open it.
'I have to get out of here,' she thought. Then, in a rather wild move, she grabbed Harry under the arms and dragged him with tremendous effort through the door and into the corridor. Sheer fear gave her the strength to get him all the way down two long halls. She had an idea of where she might hide, but she needed to do it quickly or she would get discovered. In front of a statue of an old, one-eyed witch, she gently set Harry on the ground.
"Dissendium!" she whispered, with her hand on the witch's hump, praying that she didn't need a wand. She held her breath and, slowly, it opened. George had told her the truth.
'Thank you, George,' she thought as she lifted Harry, using the last of her strength, and unceremoniously shoved him through the hump. She too went in headfirst, and just as she heard footsteps coming around the corner, the statue sealed itself.
Ginny allowed herself to slide down the earthy slope, dirtying her robes. Harry had already rolled down and was in a heap at the bottom. She panted heavily as she bent over to pick up Harry. If she could make it all the way to Hogsmeade they might be safe, but she had no idea how far it would be. After a few steps with Harry in her arms, however, she sank to the ground. She could not do it. If only she hadn't left her wand on her bed. . .
She felt helpless, sitting there with her back against the wall and Harry's head on her lap. The tears began to fall.
"Harry," she whispered and then she said with a sob, "Please, please wake up."
But he would not wake. According to the books, he would never wake. Not until he died.
"Ginny?" she heard after what seemed to be a long time. She felt Harry's head stir on her lap. She nearly got whiplash, she looked down on him so fast.
"Harry?"
His eyes were slightly open, though it was hard to see in the dark passageway, "Ginny? Where are we? I was-it wasn't me. I-I didn't make those orange clouds. And the birds! I couldn't have! And the, and the. . .Ginny?"
"Shh, Harry," she said, "It's going to be okay." She had no idea what he was babbling about, but it was not a good sign.
'At least he's up again,' she thought as she felt his forehead. He had a definite fever.
"Harry, you'll be fine," she said in the voice that her Mum always used when she, Ginny, was sick, warm and comforting, "You were just dreaming. Go back to sleep now." But he already had.
Ginny stared into the almost complete darkness and felt very, very alone.