Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, brilliantly created by J.K.
Rowling. Most situations are based on those created by J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Sixteen: Harry Seeks Help
By mid-January, it was clear to everyone at Hogwarts that Ron and Hermione were very much a couple. They were hardly ever spotted without holding hands, or sneaking kisses in the corners of hallways. Draco Malfoy and the other Slytherins quickly learned that teasing them and making comments about their newfound relationship wasn't any fun. Ron and Hermione were proud to be a couple.
The big problem was that Harry was starting to feel a little left out, as he suspected he might. Sure, Ron still spent time with him, and the three of them did their homework together a lot, but Harry felt like a fifth wheel. He knew that soon the couple's grace period would be over and things would be somewhat back to normal, but he also knew that there was always going to be something different about the trio's friendship from now on.
He was thinking about everything that had happened the last couple of months. As seemed normal, he was alone. Ron and Hermione were somewhere in the castle - it wasn't curfew yet - and if truth be told, Harry didn't really want to know what they were doing.
"Hey," said a voice suddenly, and Harry looked up to see Ginny standing before him.
"Hey yourself," he said. He had gotten a lot more comfortable with Ginny in the last few weeks. She always seemed to be around when Ron and Hermione weren't, so he turned to her for company - and the occasional help with his homework.
"All alone again?" she asked, though the answer was obvious. She sat down on the couch next to him. "You know, they won't always be so into each other. New couples always have this time when they want to do nothing but be together. They're still your friends, and they will realize that eventually."
"I know," said Harry. "They can be a nice distraction though."
"Thinking of Sirius again lately?" Ginny asked.
"Always," said Harry. "I mean, some days are better than others, but I think of his death a lot."
"Well, I mean, I understand a little bit," said Ginny. "I mean, I've never known anyone who died, but I can imagine what it's like."
"I don't think you can," Harry said honestly.
"Okay then," said Ginny. "But I know what it feels like to be scared someone will die. And if it weren't for you, my father WOULD have died. I remember that fear very well."
"All right," said Harry. "You got me on that one."
"Do you want to talk to me about it?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know," said Harry.
"Come on, Harry," she persuaded. "You haven't spoken to anyone, and I'm a very good listener. I promise I won't let anything that you say leak out to anybody."
"You're sure?" Harry said. He knew that it would be good to talk to someone about his problems. He had been reluctant to talk to Ron or Hermione, because they always seemed to overreact. But there was something about Ginny, something calmer than her brother and less logical than Hermione that made him want to tell her everything.
Ginny kept her promise and listened intently as Harry spoke of the feelings he was having after Sirius' death, how he thought the death was his own fault, how he should have done more to prevent Voldemort from entering his mind. He even told her about his frustrations at having to live with the Dursleys every summer, and how angry he had been the year before. He delved into some more minor feelings, about how Ron and Hermione had each other and he didn't have anybody, and how he knew that they were his friends no matter what but that they made each other happy now and that made everything different. He told Ginny that he was scared, scared of the world and scared of everything that could happen in it, and how incredibly unfair he thought it was that all of his parents - Sirius included - were taken away from him, before he had even really gotten the chance to know them at all. The only thing he left out was the burden of the prophecy. Harry didn't think it would be a good idea to spread the words of the prophecy around, even if it was just Ginny he was talking to.
"Wow, Harry, you sure have a lot on your shoulders," she said. "I had no idea."
"No one really does, I guess," said Harry. "But it was nice to talk to you about it, Ginny."
"I'm glad you wanted to tell me about it," she said. "And remember, I am always around. If you want to talk more about this."
Harry laughed. "You should be a therapist."
"A what?"
Harry smiled. He always seemed to forget that Ginny and her family didn't always know what he was talking about when he mentioned something that was common in the muggle world. "A therapist is someone who basically listens to you and tells you why you're feeling so bad. They also try to make you feel better, by figuring out what the problem is."
"Oh!" said Ginny. "Wizards have those, only we call them Mind Readers. They specialize in pensieves, mostly, so they can look at all the thoughts that someone is having and put them together. Actually, it's a career I'm considering."
"Well, I think you'd be very good at it," said Harry.
"Thanks."
"So, you want to play a game of Exploding Snap with me?" Ginny asked. "I don't suppose the lovebirds will be back until right before curfew again."
"That sounds great," said Harry and he waited while Ginny retrieved the cards, feeling as though a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Things were looking up for Harry.
Chapter Sixteen: Harry Seeks Help
By mid-January, it was clear to everyone at Hogwarts that Ron and Hermione were very much a couple. They were hardly ever spotted without holding hands, or sneaking kisses in the corners of hallways. Draco Malfoy and the other Slytherins quickly learned that teasing them and making comments about their newfound relationship wasn't any fun. Ron and Hermione were proud to be a couple.
The big problem was that Harry was starting to feel a little left out, as he suspected he might. Sure, Ron still spent time with him, and the three of them did their homework together a lot, but Harry felt like a fifth wheel. He knew that soon the couple's grace period would be over and things would be somewhat back to normal, but he also knew that there was always going to be something different about the trio's friendship from now on.
He was thinking about everything that had happened the last couple of months. As seemed normal, he was alone. Ron and Hermione were somewhere in the castle - it wasn't curfew yet - and if truth be told, Harry didn't really want to know what they were doing.
"Hey," said a voice suddenly, and Harry looked up to see Ginny standing before him.
"Hey yourself," he said. He had gotten a lot more comfortable with Ginny in the last few weeks. She always seemed to be around when Ron and Hermione weren't, so he turned to her for company - and the occasional help with his homework.
"All alone again?" she asked, though the answer was obvious. She sat down on the couch next to him. "You know, they won't always be so into each other. New couples always have this time when they want to do nothing but be together. They're still your friends, and they will realize that eventually."
"I know," said Harry. "They can be a nice distraction though."
"Thinking of Sirius again lately?" Ginny asked.
"Always," said Harry. "I mean, some days are better than others, but I think of his death a lot."
"Well, I mean, I understand a little bit," said Ginny. "I mean, I've never known anyone who died, but I can imagine what it's like."
"I don't think you can," Harry said honestly.
"Okay then," said Ginny. "But I know what it feels like to be scared someone will die. And if it weren't for you, my father WOULD have died. I remember that fear very well."
"All right," said Harry. "You got me on that one."
"Do you want to talk to me about it?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know," said Harry.
"Come on, Harry," she persuaded. "You haven't spoken to anyone, and I'm a very good listener. I promise I won't let anything that you say leak out to anybody."
"You're sure?" Harry said. He knew that it would be good to talk to someone about his problems. He had been reluctant to talk to Ron or Hermione, because they always seemed to overreact. But there was something about Ginny, something calmer than her brother and less logical than Hermione that made him want to tell her everything.
Ginny kept her promise and listened intently as Harry spoke of the feelings he was having after Sirius' death, how he thought the death was his own fault, how he should have done more to prevent Voldemort from entering his mind. He even told her about his frustrations at having to live with the Dursleys every summer, and how angry he had been the year before. He delved into some more minor feelings, about how Ron and Hermione had each other and he didn't have anybody, and how he knew that they were his friends no matter what but that they made each other happy now and that made everything different. He told Ginny that he was scared, scared of the world and scared of everything that could happen in it, and how incredibly unfair he thought it was that all of his parents - Sirius included - were taken away from him, before he had even really gotten the chance to know them at all. The only thing he left out was the burden of the prophecy. Harry didn't think it would be a good idea to spread the words of the prophecy around, even if it was just Ginny he was talking to.
"Wow, Harry, you sure have a lot on your shoulders," she said. "I had no idea."
"No one really does, I guess," said Harry. "But it was nice to talk to you about it, Ginny."
"I'm glad you wanted to tell me about it," she said. "And remember, I am always around. If you want to talk more about this."
Harry laughed. "You should be a therapist."
"A what?"
Harry smiled. He always seemed to forget that Ginny and her family didn't always know what he was talking about when he mentioned something that was common in the muggle world. "A therapist is someone who basically listens to you and tells you why you're feeling so bad. They also try to make you feel better, by figuring out what the problem is."
"Oh!" said Ginny. "Wizards have those, only we call them Mind Readers. They specialize in pensieves, mostly, so they can look at all the thoughts that someone is having and put them together. Actually, it's a career I'm considering."
"Well, I think you'd be very good at it," said Harry.
"Thanks."
"So, you want to play a game of Exploding Snap with me?" Ginny asked. "I don't suppose the lovebirds will be back until right before curfew again."
"That sounds great," said Harry and he waited while Ginny retrieved the cards, feeling as though a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Things were looking up for Harry.