Chapter 10
More A/N for those of you who actually read them:
Yes, Fiore is an OC. All will be explained, be patient;)
TJ131: Why are you apologizing?? I ain't mad at'cha =D
Thank you to all my wonderful, wonderful reviewers. You guys are the bestest =D I wish I could go through and thank everyone individually for taking the time to review my fic, but there are so many of you beautiful people, it would take waaay too long. I luv you guys, keep reading! ;)
Sorry I didn't update sooner, but life's been crazy, and this was probably the hardest chapter to write so far, so it took me a little longer then usual. Hope I didn't do too bad a job of it(=
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Harry slammed up the stairs to the boys' dorms, fuming, trying to get a hold of his rage. How could she? He stopped just short of the door to his room and forced himself to breath, leaning his forehead against the cold stone wall and closing his eyes. But the image of Ginny passionately kissing Dean seemed to be etched onto the insides of his eyelids, so he opened them and stared sightlessly ahead.
He just didn't understand. Why would she do something like this? He had apologized for the way he had acted earlier, and they had been okay when she left. She had even kissed him goodbye just a short while ago. He was supposed to be the only one she was kissing; she wasn't supposed to be letting Dean Thomas feel her up in the hallway. Hell, she was supposed to be breaking up with Dean, she had said she was going to. She had a funny way of going about it, didn't she?
He turned and walked the rest of the way into the room, deep in thought. He looked up when he heard someone give an excited "whoop" and turned just in time to brace himself before Neville launched himself at him.
"An E Harry! Can you believe it! An E in Defense! And I thought I wasn't even going to pass! I wouldn't of if it weren't for the DA meetings; boy do I owe you, Harry! You should have seen Gran, she looked like she was going to cry! Said that I was finally starting to live up to the family name. . ." Neville's voice died down when he saw the forced smile Harry was giving him. Neville backed away from Harry, and glanced over at Ron uneasily as he cleared his throat. Ron appeared just as puzzled by Harry's starchiness. Neville looked back at Harry and shifted on his feet uncomfortably. "So, uh, have a good summer, Harry?"
"Yeah," Harry got out around his stiff smile. "That's really great about your OWL, Neville," he said and moved over to his trunk, jerking out his nightclothes. "Really. Great."
"Thanks," Neville said, and started to edge out of the room, "Well, I'll, um, be back soon. Yeah, I have to, er. . .I'll be back soon," he rushed out the door. Harry knew that Neville didn't want to be in the room while Harry's temper was so obviously close to the surface, but Harry didn't care. In fact, he would be thrilled if Ron would leave, too, so he could have some time to himself. He wasn't sure he would be able to hold his temper with anyone right now.
"What's wrong with you?" Ron asked, removing his prefect badge and tossing it on his nightstand. "I think you just scared Neville away."
Harry glared at Ron, "I don't want to talk about it."
Ron looked surprised at how defensive Harry was being, "Does it have something to do with your meeting with McGonagall?"
Harry was about to give a curt no, when he paused. "How did you know about that?"
"Ginny told me. I saw her in the hallway, she said she was waiting for you to get back. Did you see her?"
Harry's stomach tightened at the mention of Ginny's name. "Oh yeah. I saw her all right," he muttered, and winced when he felt a sting on his palms. He had been clenching his hands so tightly that his nails had left permanent indents on them.
"Well, what did McGonagall say, then?" Ron asked, not quite comprehending just how upset Harry was.
Harry turned his back on Ron as he pulled off his robes and threw them aside irritably, then began to unbutton his shirt. "I've been made Quidditch Captain," he said dully.
"That's excellent, Harry!" Ron said, looking over as Harry pulled his nightshirt over his head. When Harry just shrugged, Ron's smile faded. "Then what's wrong? If it were me I'd be running mad through the halls, screaming it at the top of my lungs. What's got you so pissed?"
Harry thought of telling Ron about what he had just seen, but only for a second. It wasn't really Ron's business. He did say, however, "Ginny and I are over."
"What!" Ron asked, sitting up quickly. "What the hell? That was the shortest relationship I've ever seen! You two were fine a little while ago."
"Yeah, well, a lot's happened since then," Harry snarled. Like Ginny fooling around with Dean. 'Why would she do this?' he thought yet again. Maybe she had done it to get back at him for his behavior that day. She had known that he would be coming that way any minute, hadn't she? He had thought that she was better then that kind of vindictive behavior. But he had also thought she was in love with him. Fat lot he knew. She wouldn't be kissing someone else if she was.
"What did you do?" Ron asked, looking at him suspiciously.
Outside in the hallway, Ginny stopped and held her breath. She had been about to rush into the room, and berate Harry for not trusting her enough to at least let her explain, when she heard Harry respond, "Why do you automatically assume it was me who messed it up?" There was little doubt in her mind who they were talking about.
"Well, it's clear that she's in love with you, especially after the other night." Ginny blushed. Was she that obvious? There was a pause in the other room, and then she heard Ron say, "She didn't find out that you were lying about writing the note, did she? That you were keeping it from her that Hermione wrote it and not you?"
Ginny's brow furrowed in confusion. What was Ron talking about? Harry had written that. . . "I told you I wasn't going to tell her that, so unless you or Hermione said something, she doesn't know."
Ginny felt all the breath leave her body in a rush, and she stared at the open doorway in disbelief, lifting her hand to her chest where it felt as if her heart had stopped, and then started beating again with a renewed force. She couldn't have heard him right. He hadn't written. . .but he had acted like. . .Ron spoke up again, "That still doesn't sit well with me. Are you sure you won't consider telling her the truth? I mean, if she really cares about you, and you just tell her that you did it because you didn't want to hurt-"
"Well you know what?" Harry exploded, "She made it abundantly clear that she doesn't care about me! If she did, I wouldn't have just caught her snogging Dean in the hallway! But it doesn't even matter, because I don't care what the hell she does, or who she does it with! I don't, damn it! She can snog Dean until she's blue in the face, because we're done, and there's nothing she can say to change what she did!" Ginny could actually feel the blood draining from her face. How could he talk about her like that?
"Are you sure that there isn't some sort of explanation?" Ginny could hear the doubt in Ron's voice, "I mean that doesn't seem like something she would do. . ."
"Well, believe it. And what the hell kind of explanation would there be for that, Ron, huh? Because I'd really like to know. Really, I would."
Ginny stood paralyzed in the hall. Too many thoughts were running through her head. She needed to get away, needed to be alone with her thoughts, to breath. She turned and almost screamed when she bumped into Neville, who said, loudly, "Sorry Ginny! What are you doing out here?"
Ginny heard everything go still in the other room, and then two sets of footsteps making their way to the door. She panicked and tried to get past Neville, but tripped and he caught her around the waist, surprised at the way she was acting. She turned towards the door and gulped as first Ron, and then Harry appeared in the hallway. There were a few moments of tense silence. Ron looked between Ginny and Harry, and immediately knew that he didn't want to be present for this argument. Harry's eyes were narrowing as he realized that Ginny had been standing there, eavesdropping on his conversation with Ron. Ginny opened her mouth to speak, but it seemed as if her throat had closed up completely, and no sound came out. Ron walked between the two and grabbed Neville by the shoulder, leading him down the stairs. Ginny grabbed at his sleeve as he passed and looked up at him pleadingly. She didn't want to be left alone with Harry right now, but Ron only gave her a sympathetic look, and whispered, "Just settle this now," before leading a confused Neville the rest of the way down the stairs.
When they were gone, Ginny was unable to make herself look at Harry, and she fidgeted with the cuff on the sleeve of her robes nervously. Harry crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame, staring at Ginny coldly. "What do you want?"
Ginny looked up quickly, but then looked away when she saw the frigid stare he was giving her. "I just. . .I came up to explain. . .and I just, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but. . .you left without letting me. . .and then I heard. . ." she stopped herself from rambling. She wasn't making any sense and she knew it. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat and finally forced herself to look at Harry, and said the first thing that came to her mind. "You didn't write that letter to me, did you?" She asked quietly.
Harry didn't say anything for a moment, just stood there and looked at her blankly. Then he straightened and turned to walk into the room, giving her his back, "So, you heard that?"
Ginny hesitated a moment before following him, stepping cautiously into the room behind him. "Why did you lie to me?" she asked hesitantly, and he turned back around to face her, a haze of anger darkening his eyes.
"Why were you snogging Dean in the hallway?" he asked defensively. "Or do I even have to ask?" he sneered, looking her over in disgust.
"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, having a feeling that she wouldn't like his answer.
"Well you obviously take it wherever you can get it, don't you? You're all over me like a bitch in heat while I'm the only male around, but then Dean's back and within two hours you're already jumping him!"
Ginny couldn't contain her hurt, and she felt her chest tighten, "How could you say something like that? How could you even think it?"
"Well, what am I supposed to think Ginny?" he asked, and when she just stared at him, he ordered, "Tell me dammit!" advancing on her.
Ginny took a step back, actually scared of him for the first time in her life. But she strengthened her resolve and stood her ground as he drew closer. "Tell me why you lied to me first! Why did Hermione write that note and not you?"
"After the way you've acted, I don't owe you any explanations," he spat at her and her eyes clouded with anger.
"How dare you be so judgmental? You don't even give me a chance to explain, you just assume! I come up here to tell you what really happened, and not only do I find you already mouthing off to Ron about me, but discover that the whole reason we're together is a lie!"
"Well, its not like we're really 'together' is it? I mean, you obviously decided that we shouldn't be exclusive. How long were you going to lead me on, huh? Did you need time to decide which one of us you really wanted, or do you get some kind of twisted kick from playing two guys against each other?"
Ginny felt her own ire begin to rise. "If you really knew me, you wouldn't think that."
"Well, fine then, Ginny, explain it to me," he said, grabbing her arms and pulling her face to within inches of hers, "Explain to me exactly how you came to be making out with Dean in the hallway when you knew I would be coming back any minute. Were you trying to make me jealous? Tell me, Ginny, and if I don't think you're convincing enough, we're done. But then again, how will I know if I should believe you? You're such a terrific little actress after all; you have everyone around you convinced that you're the sweet little innocent. So go on, Ginny, try to convince me," he dared, his fingers digging painfully into her arms.
Ginny felt her heart harden. Who did he think he was, intimidating her like this? Her eyes shot daggers at him as she said, "You're so good at jumping to conclusions, believe what you want. After the way you've acted, I don't owe you any explanations!" She said, throwing his words back in his face.
"Well, I guess we're clear on where we stand then, aren't we?" he said with finality. But he needed to hurt her. Hurt her like he was hurting. "I just wish you had been clear that you weren't serious about us. I mean, the innocent virgin act really wasn't necessary, Gin. If I had known that all you were interested in the other night was a quick lay, I would have been happy to. . .help you out," he smirked, raking his eyes over her insultingly.
Ginny gasped and covered her mouth. Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked at him, her hurt evident. She couldn't take any more of this. She shook her head and backed away from him, then turned and ran from the room without saying another word.
With Ginny gone, Harry dropped the angry façade and let the hurt course through him. He sat down on his bed and rested his elbows on his raised knees, his head in his hands. When she had looked at him, her eyes glazed with pain, he had had to restrain himself from running after her and begging her to forgive him for every awful thing he had just said. But she had done this. He had given her a chance to explain, and she had refused to say anything.
And to make matters worse, his scar was beginning to throb again.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ginny ran back to her dormitory, her vision clouded by tears she refused to cry yet she wasn't quite able to suppress. She was about to rush into her room when she heard the giggling chatter of the other girls from her year wafting through the doorway, and she stopped herself from rushing in. She couldn't let anyone see her right now. She was afraid that if she did, she might just break down and cry. She looked up when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs towards her, and started back down the stairs to avoid whoever it was when she heard the person calling down to her. "Ginny! Wait, I've been looking for you, I wanted to ask you. . ." Hermione's voice faded away to nothing. Ginny had turned around and it only took one look at her face for Hermione to know that something was horribly wrong. "My goodness, Ginny, what happened?" she gasped, rushing down the rest of the stairs and hugging her as Ginny finally let go of a sob she had been trying desperately hard to contain.
"Oh, Hermione," she said, leaning her head against Hermione's shoulder as she finally let the tears go, "He said such awful things. I just can't believe the things he said to me, it was horrible!" she sobbed, her tears soaking the robes on Hermione's shoulder, but as hard as she tried she couldn't make them stop.
"Shush, Ginny, it's okay," Hermione said. She could hear more people approaching from upstairs, and she thought frantically for somewhere she could take Ginny without people walking in on them. She had a feeling Ginny didn't want anyone to see her like this. "Come with me," she said, taking Ginny by the elbow to lead her down the stairs. When they walked through the common room Ginny ducked her head and let her hair fall to curtain her tear-streaked face from the curious stairs of some third years. Hermione led her out into the hall and down several different corridors, and Ginny barely noticed when they had stopped and Hermione was whispering a password to a large statue, which jumped aside to reveal a door that Hermione ushered Ginny through after peering in hastily to make sure that the room was unoccupied.
Ginny walked in and looked around in confusion, "Why are we in the loo?" she asked, wiping at her eyes as she sniffled.
"Well, the prefect's loo, actually," Hermione said, locking the door behind her, "it's the only place I could think of where we could talk without people walking in on us." Hermione walked over to Ginny and led her to a bench by the wall, which was surrounded by several strange looking lockers. Ginny sat down, and took a deep breath, finally feeling as if she had gotten her tears under control. Hermione looked at her somberly, "Okay, Ginny, tell me what's going on."
Ginny stared vacantly ahead for a second. Where should she begin? She took a deep breath. "Well, I guess the best place to begin is right after I left the Hall to go upstairs. McGonagall wanted to see Harry in her office, and I went back up to the commons alone. . ."
~ ~ flashback ~ ~
Ginny stood outside the commons, arms folded as she waited patiently. Harry had looked so worried when she had left him, she had decided to wait for him until he came back to see what McGonagall had wanted. She saw a large group of people coming around the corner, and waved at Ron and Hermione who were leading the first years to the dorms.
"What are you doing, Gin?" Ron asked, hanging behind to let the first years pass through into the commons before him.
"McGonagall wanted to see Harry in her office. I'm waiting for him to get back," she said, smiling at several of the first years as they passed. It amazed her that she had once been that small, and she thought back to the child she had been such a short while ago. She had changed so much since then.
"Nothing serious, I hope?" Ron asked.
"No, I don't think she was angry. I am anxious to find out what she wanted to see him for, though."
Ron nodded as the last first year disappeared into the common room. "Well, I better go. I'll see you later."
"Bye," Ginny said and watched him leave. After about five more minutes, she was thinking about waiting for Harry in the common room, though she had really hoped to have a moment alone with him. She began to pace, staring at the floor. Finally she turned to go, when she felt a set of masculine arms circle her from behind. She stopped and smiled saying "How'd it go," as she leaned back against him, but immediately straightened up. Something wasn't right; that wasn't Harry's chest. . .
"How did what go?" Dean asked, smiling down at her as she turned to face him.
"Oh, Dean! I thought you were someone else," she said without thinking, then felt as if she could smack herself. His eyes narrowed.
"Who exactly did you think I was," he asked suspiciously.
"Never mind that," she said evasively, smiling at him uneasily. "Dean, I need to talk to you about something-"
"Because unless you're dating someone else, I don't know who would be putting their arms around you like that other then me."
"Well, that's interesting you should bring up me seeing someone else, because actually-"
"You thought I was Harry, didn't you?" he asked tersely. "I saw the two of you earlier, the way you kept looking at each other."
"Dean, please, I didn't want you to find out like this, but-"
"So I'm right," he said sadly, interrupting her again. She took a deep breath.
"Well, yes," she said, as kindly as she could, touching his arm consolingly. "Look, Dean, I don't know exactly how to explain this. I've been in love with him since I met him five years ago. And, I don't know, sometime during these last two weeks, something just clicked with us. I didn't want to hurt you Dean, really I didn't, but I can't keep seeing you when my heart isn't in it."
"You're breaking up with me?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yes. Yes I am."
"Well, don't you think this is a little sudden? I mean, we're fine at the end of term, and you don't give me any indication that anything's wrong over the summer, and then you all of a sudden decide that you want to break up the first day back!"
"But this isn't all of a sudden, not really," she reasoned. "You don't understand how it is with Harry and me. We're really in love, Dean."
"Yeah, right. So just because you've had a crush on Potter, and he's finally showing some interest, you won't even give us a chance?"
"It's not just a crush," she said, a little defensively, since the accusation touched on one of her insecurities. "Please don't do this, Dean. I really like you, and I had hoped that we could still be friends. Don't make this difficult."
"What can I do to make you reconsider this, Ginny?"
"Nothing, Dean. My mind's already made up," Ginny said quietly, and was surprised when he looked at her maliciously.
"Maybe I just wasn't aggressive enough for you," he said bitterly, and grabbed her by the arms. She didn't even have time to register what was happening before he was kissing her, hard, holding her still as she tried to get away. She was getting ready to panic, but then she heard Harry's voice, "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."
She turned around, relief rushing through her, but it quickly turned to dread as she saw Harry's stony expression. . .
~ ~ end flashback ~ ~
". . .and then he just left, just ran away from me," Ginny said, but her eyes were dry. She almost felt numb.
"Well he must have been pretty upset. But he really should have listened to what you had to say," Hermione said sympathetically.
"Oh, you haven't even heard the worst of it," Ginny said, picking at some of the peeling paint on the bench absently. "I followed him upstairs, because I wanted to tell him what happened," Hermione nodded, "and I heard him telling Ron that we were through. Ron thought. . ." she looked at Hermione, "Ron thought that it was because I found out that you wrote that note and not Harry."
Hermione blushed and looked away guiltily, "I didn't mean for this to happen, Ginny. I wanted to get back at the two of you, yes, but I wanted to bring you together, not tear you farther apart."
Ginny sighed and shook her head, "I just don't understand why Harry kept it from me. I mean, if he loved me like he said. . ." Ginny faded out as a thought suddenly struck her. "He never said he loved me," she whispered, and felt the tears welling up anew, "Oh Hermione, everything really was a lie! I thought we were in love, truly I did, that's why we almost. . .Oh my goodness, I showed him my breasts!" she gasped, covering her mouth, and Hermione had to stop herself from smiling. This really wasn't all that funny.
"But I think he does love you, Ginny, even if he didn't say it. That's the whole reason he didn't want you to find out about the letter, he didn't want you to be hurt," Hermione said consolingly.
"No," Ginny shook her head sadly, "You didn't hear what he said when Ron left. . ."
"What did he say?"
"Well, they found out I was listening and Ron left with Neville, I think he wanted us to resolve this on our own, but we only ended up arguing more and. . .Hermione, he said such awful things to me," she looked at Hermione desolately. "He said that," she swallowed, "that I was like a bitch in heat," Hermione gasped, her eyes widening as she gave Ginny a stricken look, "and that I'd take it wherever I could get it, and that he would have been happy to help me out the other night if he had known all I wanted was a quick lay," Ginny's eyes stung from the tears she was holding back, "and so many other equally horrible things. I just couldn't take any more, Hermione, I just ran."
Hermione was horrified, "I can't believe him. The nerve!" She stood up, truly outraged, "I'm going to go get him right now and he'll take every one of those things back if I have to beat him," she started walking toward the door, but Ginny grabbed the back of her robes to stop her.
"No, Hermione, don't," she said pleadingly. Hermione hesitated.
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because this is between Harry and me," Ginny said sadly as Hermione sat back down, "and he can't just take back what he said," she looked down at her hands, away from Hermione's pitying gaze. "All I know is that I don't want to see him right now."
"I understand," Hermione said, rubbing Ginny's back consolingly. "But you know that this can't go unresolved forever, don't you?"
"Yeah, I know," Ginny said, "but right now I just need some time, Hermione. Time to. . .well, mope," she smiled sadly, but the attempt at humor was lost on her friend, who just shook her head. She felt her heart swell with gratitude. "Thanks Hermione," she said.
"For what?" asked Hermione, looking confused.
"For being here for me," Ginny smiled, and one more tear escaped down her cheek.
Hermione hugged her, "Don't worry, Ginny, this will all get straightened out, you'll see. Everything will be okay."
Ginny nodded as she pulled away, but felt a dreadful sense of foreboding in the very pit of her stomach. Somehow, she severely doubted that everything would be that easy.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Oh, the drama of it all!! And YES I KNOW; I made Ginny cry again. Well :-p if you don't like it. She had a bad day, I think she deserved a good cry. I promise that Harry won't keep acting like a sh!t for too long. He's hurting, people;)
I had to make a teeny tiny little change to chapter 9. I had thought that Katie Bell graduated in Book 5, but I was wrong, so McGonagall now says: "Remember that you and Ms. Bell are the only people who have been on the team for more then a year. . ." This doesn't affect the plot, so you really don't have to read the chapter over again, I just wanted you to know so that you didn't get confused when I started mentioning Katie Bell in later chapters.
Okay, peeps, I hate to do this to ya, truly I do, but I'm afraid it's one of those times. Now that summer school is FINALLY over (yay! All 4.0s! I ROCK), I am going on a well deserved vacation to visit family in Texas, so I will be unable to update for two weeks. I know, I know, don't be sad;-). I promise to add the new chapter as soon as I get back, so: NEXT POST WILL BE 8/20. I will be expecting an insane amount of reviews when I get back=D
More A/N for those of you who actually read them:
Yes, Fiore is an OC. All will be explained, be patient;)
TJ131: Why are you apologizing?? I ain't mad at'cha =D
Thank you to all my wonderful, wonderful reviewers. You guys are the bestest =D I wish I could go through and thank everyone individually for taking the time to review my fic, but there are so many of you beautiful people, it would take waaay too long. I luv you guys, keep reading! ;)
Sorry I didn't update sooner, but life's been crazy, and this was probably the hardest chapter to write so far, so it took me a little longer then usual. Hope I didn't do too bad a job of it(=
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Harry slammed up the stairs to the boys' dorms, fuming, trying to get a hold of his rage. How could she? He stopped just short of the door to his room and forced himself to breath, leaning his forehead against the cold stone wall and closing his eyes. But the image of Ginny passionately kissing Dean seemed to be etched onto the insides of his eyelids, so he opened them and stared sightlessly ahead.
He just didn't understand. Why would she do something like this? He had apologized for the way he had acted earlier, and they had been okay when she left. She had even kissed him goodbye just a short while ago. He was supposed to be the only one she was kissing; she wasn't supposed to be letting Dean Thomas feel her up in the hallway. Hell, she was supposed to be breaking up with Dean, she had said she was going to. She had a funny way of going about it, didn't she?
He turned and walked the rest of the way into the room, deep in thought. He looked up when he heard someone give an excited "whoop" and turned just in time to brace himself before Neville launched himself at him.
"An E Harry! Can you believe it! An E in Defense! And I thought I wasn't even going to pass! I wouldn't of if it weren't for the DA meetings; boy do I owe you, Harry! You should have seen Gran, she looked like she was going to cry! Said that I was finally starting to live up to the family name. . ." Neville's voice died down when he saw the forced smile Harry was giving him. Neville backed away from Harry, and glanced over at Ron uneasily as he cleared his throat. Ron appeared just as puzzled by Harry's starchiness. Neville looked back at Harry and shifted on his feet uncomfortably. "So, uh, have a good summer, Harry?"
"Yeah," Harry got out around his stiff smile. "That's really great about your OWL, Neville," he said and moved over to his trunk, jerking out his nightclothes. "Really. Great."
"Thanks," Neville said, and started to edge out of the room, "Well, I'll, um, be back soon. Yeah, I have to, er. . .I'll be back soon," he rushed out the door. Harry knew that Neville didn't want to be in the room while Harry's temper was so obviously close to the surface, but Harry didn't care. In fact, he would be thrilled if Ron would leave, too, so he could have some time to himself. He wasn't sure he would be able to hold his temper with anyone right now.
"What's wrong with you?" Ron asked, removing his prefect badge and tossing it on his nightstand. "I think you just scared Neville away."
Harry glared at Ron, "I don't want to talk about it."
Ron looked surprised at how defensive Harry was being, "Does it have something to do with your meeting with McGonagall?"
Harry was about to give a curt no, when he paused. "How did you know about that?"
"Ginny told me. I saw her in the hallway, she said she was waiting for you to get back. Did you see her?"
Harry's stomach tightened at the mention of Ginny's name. "Oh yeah. I saw her all right," he muttered, and winced when he felt a sting on his palms. He had been clenching his hands so tightly that his nails had left permanent indents on them.
"Well, what did McGonagall say, then?" Ron asked, not quite comprehending just how upset Harry was.
Harry turned his back on Ron as he pulled off his robes and threw them aside irritably, then began to unbutton his shirt. "I've been made Quidditch Captain," he said dully.
"That's excellent, Harry!" Ron said, looking over as Harry pulled his nightshirt over his head. When Harry just shrugged, Ron's smile faded. "Then what's wrong? If it were me I'd be running mad through the halls, screaming it at the top of my lungs. What's got you so pissed?"
Harry thought of telling Ron about what he had just seen, but only for a second. It wasn't really Ron's business. He did say, however, "Ginny and I are over."
"What!" Ron asked, sitting up quickly. "What the hell? That was the shortest relationship I've ever seen! You two were fine a little while ago."
"Yeah, well, a lot's happened since then," Harry snarled. Like Ginny fooling around with Dean. 'Why would she do this?' he thought yet again. Maybe she had done it to get back at him for his behavior that day. She had known that he would be coming that way any minute, hadn't she? He had thought that she was better then that kind of vindictive behavior. But he had also thought she was in love with him. Fat lot he knew. She wouldn't be kissing someone else if she was.
"What did you do?" Ron asked, looking at him suspiciously.
Outside in the hallway, Ginny stopped and held her breath. She had been about to rush into the room, and berate Harry for not trusting her enough to at least let her explain, when she heard Harry respond, "Why do you automatically assume it was me who messed it up?" There was little doubt in her mind who they were talking about.
"Well, it's clear that she's in love with you, especially after the other night." Ginny blushed. Was she that obvious? There was a pause in the other room, and then she heard Ron say, "She didn't find out that you were lying about writing the note, did she? That you were keeping it from her that Hermione wrote it and not you?"
Ginny's brow furrowed in confusion. What was Ron talking about? Harry had written that. . . "I told you I wasn't going to tell her that, so unless you or Hermione said something, she doesn't know."
Ginny felt all the breath leave her body in a rush, and she stared at the open doorway in disbelief, lifting her hand to her chest where it felt as if her heart had stopped, and then started beating again with a renewed force. She couldn't have heard him right. He hadn't written. . .but he had acted like. . .Ron spoke up again, "That still doesn't sit well with me. Are you sure you won't consider telling her the truth? I mean, if she really cares about you, and you just tell her that you did it because you didn't want to hurt-"
"Well you know what?" Harry exploded, "She made it abundantly clear that she doesn't care about me! If she did, I wouldn't have just caught her snogging Dean in the hallway! But it doesn't even matter, because I don't care what the hell she does, or who she does it with! I don't, damn it! She can snog Dean until she's blue in the face, because we're done, and there's nothing she can say to change what she did!" Ginny could actually feel the blood draining from her face. How could he talk about her like that?
"Are you sure that there isn't some sort of explanation?" Ginny could hear the doubt in Ron's voice, "I mean that doesn't seem like something she would do. . ."
"Well, believe it. And what the hell kind of explanation would there be for that, Ron, huh? Because I'd really like to know. Really, I would."
Ginny stood paralyzed in the hall. Too many thoughts were running through her head. She needed to get away, needed to be alone with her thoughts, to breath. She turned and almost screamed when she bumped into Neville, who said, loudly, "Sorry Ginny! What are you doing out here?"
Ginny heard everything go still in the other room, and then two sets of footsteps making their way to the door. She panicked and tried to get past Neville, but tripped and he caught her around the waist, surprised at the way she was acting. She turned towards the door and gulped as first Ron, and then Harry appeared in the hallway. There were a few moments of tense silence. Ron looked between Ginny and Harry, and immediately knew that he didn't want to be present for this argument. Harry's eyes were narrowing as he realized that Ginny had been standing there, eavesdropping on his conversation with Ron. Ginny opened her mouth to speak, but it seemed as if her throat had closed up completely, and no sound came out. Ron walked between the two and grabbed Neville by the shoulder, leading him down the stairs. Ginny grabbed at his sleeve as he passed and looked up at him pleadingly. She didn't want to be left alone with Harry right now, but Ron only gave her a sympathetic look, and whispered, "Just settle this now," before leading a confused Neville the rest of the way down the stairs.
When they were gone, Ginny was unable to make herself look at Harry, and she fidgeted with the cuff on the sleeve of her robes nervously. Harry crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame, staring at Ginny coldly. "What do you want?"
Ginny looked up quickly, but then looked away when she saw the frigid stare he was giving her. "I just. . .I came up to explain. . .and I just, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but. . .you left without letting me. . .and then I heard. . ." she stopped herself from rambling. She wasn't making any sense and she knew it. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat and finally forced herself to look at Harry, and said the first thing that came to her mind. "You didn't write that letter to me, did you?" She asked quietly.
Harry didn't say anything for a moment, just stood there and looked at her blankly. Then he straightened and turned to walk into the room, giving her his back, "So, you heard that?"
Ginny hesitated a moment before following him, stepping cautiously into the room behind him. "Why did you lie to me?" she asked hesitantly, and he turned back around to face her, a haze of anger darkening his eyes.
"Why were you snogging Dean in the hallway?" he asked defensively. "Or do I even have to ask?" he sneered, looking her over in disgust.
"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, having a feeling that she wouldn't like his answer.
"Well you obviously take it wherever you can get it, don't you? You're all over me like a bitch in heat while I'm the only male around, but then Dean's back and within two hours you're already jumping him!"
Ginny couldn't contain her hurt, and she felt her chest tighten, "How could you say something like that? How could you even think it?"
"Well, what am I supposed to think Ginny?" he asked, and when she just stared at him, he ordered, "Tell me dammit!" advancing on her.
Ginny took a step back, actually scared of him for the first time in her life. But she strengthened her resolve and stood her ground as he drew closer. "Tell me why you lied to me first! Why did Hermione write that note and not you?"
"After the way you've acted, I don't owe you any explanations," he spat at her and her eyes clouded with anger.
"How dare you be so judgmental? You don't even give me a chance to explain, you just assume! I come up here to tell you what really happened, and not only do I find you already mouthing off to Ron about me, but discover that the whole reason we're together is a lie!"
"Well, its not like we're really 'together' is it? I mean, you obviously decided that we shouldn't be exclusive. How long were you going to lead me on, huh? Did you need time to decide which one of us you really wanted, or do you get some kind of twisted kick from playing two guys against each other?"
Ginny felt her own ire begin to rise. "If you really knew me, you wouldn't think that."
"Well, fine then, Ginny, explain it to me," he said, grabbing her arms and pulling her face to within inches of hers, "Explain to me exactly how you came to be making out with Dean in the hallway when you knew I would be coming back any minute. Were you trying to make me jealous? Tell me, Ginny, and if I don't think you're convincing enough, we're done. But then again, how will I know if I should believe you? You're such a terrific little actress after all; you have everyone around you convinced that you're the sweet little innocent. So go on, Ginny, try to convince me," he dared, his fingers digging painfully into her arms.
Ginny felt her heart harden. Who did he think he was, intimidating her like this? Her eyes shot daggers at him as she said, "You're so good at jumping to conclusions, believe what you want. After the way you've acted, I don't owe you any explanations!" She said, throwing his words back in his face.
"Well, I guess we're clear on where we stand then, aren't we?" he said with finality. But he needed to hurt her. Hurt her like he was hurting. "I just wish you had been clear that you weren't serious about us. I mean, the innocent virgin act really wasn't necessary, Gin. If I had known that all you were interested in the other night was a quick lay, I would have been happy to. . .help you out," he smirked, raking his eyes over her insultingly.
Ginny gasped and covered her mouth. Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked at him, her hurt evident. She couldn't take any more of this. She shook her head and backed away from him, then turned and ran from the room without saying another word.
With Ginny gone, Harry dropped the angry façade and let the hurt course through him. He sat down on his bed and rested his elbows on his raised knees, his head in his hands. When she had looked at him, her eyes glazed with pain, he had had to restrain himself from running after her and begging her to forgive him for every awful thing he had just said. But she had done this. He had given her a chance to explain, and she had refused to say anything.
And to make matters worse, his scar was beginning to throb again.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ginny ran back to her dormitory, her vision clouded by tears she refused to cry yet she wasn't quite able to suppress. She was about to rush into her room when she heard the giggling chatter of the other girls from her year wafting through the doorway, and she stopped herself from rushing in. She couldn't let anyone see her right now. She was afraid that if she did, she might just break down and cry. She looked up when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs towards her, and started back down the stairs to avoid whoever it was when she heard the person calling down to her. "Ginny! Wait, I've been looking for you, I wanted to ask you. . ." Hermione's voice faded away to nothing. Ginny had turned around and it only took one look at her face for Hermione to know that something was horribly wrong. "My goodness, Ginny, what happened?" she gasped, rushing down the rest of the stairs and hugging her as Ginny finally let go of a sob she had been trying desperately hard to contain.
"Oh, Hermione," she said, leaning her head against Hermione's shoulder as she finally let the tears go, "He said such awful things. I just can't believe the things he said to me, it was horrible!" she sobbed, her tears soaking the robes on Hermione's shoulder, but as hard as she tried she couldn't make them stop.
"Shush, Ginny, it's okay," Hermione said. She could hear more people approaching from upstairs, and she thought frantically for somewhere she could take Ginny without people walking in on them. She had a feeling Ginny didn't want anyone to see her like this. "Come with me," she said, taking Ginny by the elbow to lead her down the stairs. When they walked through the common room Ginny ducked her head and let her hair fall to curtain her tear-streaked face from the curious stairs of some third years. Hermione led her out into the hall and down several different corridors, and Ginny barely noticed when they had stopped and Hermione was whispering a password to a large statue, which jumped aside to reveal a door that Hermione ushered Ginny through after peering in hastily to make sure that the room was unoccupied.
Ginny walked in and looked around in confusion, "Why are we in the loo?" she asked, wiping at her eyes as she sniffled.
"Well, the prefect's loo, actually," Hermione said, locking the door behind her, "it's the only place I could think of where we could talk without people walking in on us." Hermione walked over to Ginny and led her to a bench by the wall, which was surrounded by several strange looking lockers. Ginny sat down, and took a deep breath, finally feeling as if she had gotten her tears under control. Hermione looked at her somberly, "Okay, Ginny, tell me what's going on."
Ginny stared vacantly ahead for a second. Where should she begin? She took a deep breath. "Well, I guess the best place to begin is right after I left the Hall to go upstairs. McGonagall wanted to see Harry in her office, and I went back up to the commons alone. . ."
~ ~ flashback ~ ~
Ginny stood outside the commons, arms folded as she waited patiently. Harry had looked so worried when she had left him, she had decided to wait for him until he came back to see what McGonagall had wanted. She saw a large group of people coming around the corner, and waved at Ron and Hermione who were leading the first years to the dorms.
"What are you doing, Gin?" Ron asked, hanging behind to let the first years pass through into the commons before him.
"McGonagall wanted to see Harry in her office. I'm waiting for him to get back," she said, smiling at several of the first years as they passed. It amazed her that she had once been that small, and she thought back to the child she had been such a short while ago. She had changed so much since then.
"Nothing serious, I hope?" Ron asked.
"No, I don't think she was angry. I am anxious to find out what she wanted to see him for, though."
Ron nodded as the last first year disappeared into the common room. "Well, I better go. I'll see you later."
"Bye," Ginny said and watched him leave. After about five more minutes, she was thinking about waiting for Harry in the common room, though she had really hoped to have a moment alone with him. She began to pace, staring at the floor. Finally she turned to go, when she felt a set of masculine arms circle her from behind. She stopped and smiled saying "How'd it go," as she leaned back against him, but immediately straightened up. Something wasn't right; that wasn't Harry's chest. . .
"How did what go?" Dean asked, smiling down at her as she turned to face him.
"Oh, Dean! I thought you were someone else," she said without thinking, then felt as if she could smack herself. His eyes narrowed.
"Who exactly did you think I was," he asked suspiciously.
"Never mind that," she said evasively, smiling at him uneasily. "Dean, I need to talk to you about something-"
"Because unless you're dating someone else, I don't know who would be putting their arms around you like that other then me."
"Well, that's interesting you should bring up me seeing someone else, because actually-"
"You thought I was Harry, didn't you?" he asked tersely. "I saw the two of you earlier, the way you kept looking at each other."
"Dean, please, I didn't want you to find out like this, but-"
"So I'm right," he said sadly, interrupting her again. She took a deep breath.
"Well, yes," she said, as kindly as she could, touching his arm consolingly. "Look, Dean, I don't know exactly how to explain this. I've been in love with him since I met him five years ago. And, I don't know, sometime during these last two weeks, something just clicked with us. I didn't want to hurt you Dean, really I didn't, but I can't keep seeing you when my heart isn't in it."
"You're breaking up with me?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yes. Yes I am."
"Well, don't you think this is a little sudden? I mean, we're fine at the end of term, and you don't give me any indication that anything's wrong over the summer, and then you all of a sudden decide that you want to break up the first day back!"
"But this isn't all of a sudden, not really," she reasoned. "You don't understand how it is with Harry and me. We're really in love, Dean."
"Yeah, right. So just because you've had a crush on Potter, and he's finally showing some interest, you won't even give us a chance?"
"It's not just a crush," she said, a little defensively, since the accusation touched on one of her insecurities. "Please don't do this, Dean. I really like you, and I had hoped that we could still be friends. Don't make this difficult."
"What can I do to make you reconsider this, Ginny?"
"Nothing, Dean. My mind's already made up," Ginny said quietly, and was surprised when he looked at her maliciously.
"Maybe I just wasn't aggressive enough for you," he said bitterly, and grabbed her by the arms. She didn't even have time to register what was happening before he was kissing her, hard, holding her still as she tried to get away. She was getting ready to panic, but then she heard Harry's voice, "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."
She turned around, relief rushing through her, but it quickly turned to dread as she saw Harry's stony expression. . .
~ ~ end flashback ~ ~
". . .and then he just left, just ran away from me," Ginny said, but her eyes were dry. She almost felt numb.
"Well he must have been pretty upset. But he really should have listened to what you had to say," Hermione said sympathetically.
"Oh, you haven't even heard the worst of it," Ginny said, picking at some of the peeling paint on the bench absently. "I followed him upstairs, because I wanted to tell him what happened," Hermione nodded, "and I heard him telling Ron that we were through. Ron thought. . ." she looked at Hermione, "Ron thought that it was because I found out that you wrote that note and not Harry."
Hermione blushed and looked away guiltily, "I didn't mean for this to happen, Ginny. I wanted to get back at the two of you, yes, but I wanted to bring you together, not tear you farther apart."
Ginny sighed and shook her head, "I just don't understand why Harry kept it from me. I mean, if he loved me like he said. . ." Ginny faded out as a thought suddenly struck her. "He never said he loved me," she whispered, and felt the tears welling up anew, "Oh Hermione, everything really was a lie! I thought we were in love, truly I did, that's why we almost. . .Oh my goodness, I showed him my breasts!" she gasped, covering her mouth, and Hermione had to stop herself from smiling. This really wasn't all that funny.
"But I think he does love you, Ginny, even if he didn't say it. That's the whole reason he didn't want you to find out about the letter, he didn't want you to be hurt," Hermione said consolingly.
"No," Ginny shook her head sadly, "You didn't hear what he said when Ron left. . ."
"What did he say?"
"Well, they found out I was listening and Ron left with Neville, I think he wanted us to resolve this on our own, but we only ended up arguing more and. . .Hermione, he said such awful things to me," she looked at Hermione desolately. "He said that," she swallowed, "that I was like a bitch in heat," Hermione gasped, her eyes widening as she gave Ginny a stricken look, "and that I'd take it wherever I could get it, and that he would have been happy to help me out the other night if he had known all I wanted was a quick lay," Ginny's eyes stung from the tears she was holding back, "and so many other equally horrible things. I just couldn't take any more, Hermione, I just ran."
Hermione was horrified, "I can't believe him. The nerve!" She stood up, truly outraged, "I'm going to go get him right now and he'll take every one of those things back if I have to beat him," she started walking toward the door, but Ginny grabbed the back of her robes to stop her.
"No, Hermione, don't," she said pleadingly. Hermione hesitated.
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because this is between Harry and me," Ginny said sadly as Hermione sat back down, "and he can't just take back what he said," she looked down at her hands, away from Hermione's pitying gaze. "All I know is that I don't want to see him right now."
"I understand," Hermione said, rubbing Ginny's back consolingly. "But you know that this can't go unresolved forever, don't you?"
"Yeah, I know," Ginny said, "but right now I just need some time, Hermione. Time to. . .well, mope," she smiled sadly, but the attempt at humor was lost on her friend, who just shook her head. She felt her heart swell with gratitude. "Thanks Hermione," she said.
"For what?" asked Hermione, looking confused.
"For being here for me," Ginny smiled, and one more tear escaped down her cheek.
Hermione hugged her, "Don't worry, Ginny, this will all get straightened out, you'll see. Everything will be okay."
Ginny nodded as she pulled away, but felt a dreadful sense of foreboding in the very pit of her stomach. Somehow, she severely doubted that everything would be that easy.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Oh, the drama of it all!! And YES I KNOW; I made Ginny cry again. Well :-p if you don't like it. She had a bad day, I think she deserved a good cry. I promise that Harry won't keep acting like a sh!t for too long. He's hurting, people;)
I had to make a teeny tiny little change to chapter 9. I had thought that Katie Bell graduated in Book 5, but I was wrong, so McGonagall now says: "Remember that you and Ms. Bell are the only people who have been on the team for more then a year. . ." This doesn't affect the plot, so you really don't have to read the chapter over again, I just wanted you to know so that you didn't get confused when I started mentioning Katie Bell in later chapters.
Okay, peeps, I hate to do this to ya, truly I do, but I'm afraid it's one of those times. Now that summer school is FINALLY over (yay! All 4.0s! I ROCK), I am going on a well deserved vacation to visit family in Texas, so I will be unable to update for two weeks. I know, I know, don't be sad;-). I promise to add the new chapter as soon as I get back, so: NEXT POST WILL BE 8/20. I will be expecting an insane amount of reviews when I get back=D
