The Draught of Living Death Chapter 8: Never Before, Never Again, a harry potter fanfic

The Draught of Living Death

A/N: Major points to Tsuki no Hikari who saw the Peter Pan illusion. There's a little thing about my writing that some people don't recognize. At least once in every story I write, I will use an illusion from a favorite movie. I did it in Victim of the Game but no one recognized it. That one was kind of hard to see anyways, you only would have heard it in the movie it was from if you had been listening very carefully. I double the points to anyone who notices me using an illusion that I don't even see. I've done it before.

I'm going to skip forward a bit in this chapter, don't worry, I'll summarize what happens over the two and a half weeks to follow, but it seems kind of pointless to go through every second of them, I'll just bore you.

Foxfire: I've been putting it off… *hangs head in shame*… I have a hard time writing Hermione and Ron, I felt I had to unite them in some way first, which was the point of having them dating other people. I'll get to it, don't worry… I just have to decide how to do it first. I hope I didn't give anything important away, I think everyone saw it coming anyways.

Bucky: Thanks for stickin with me, it gets better, trust me.

Phoenix: Thanks bunches. Sweetness will ensue for the next few days… unfortunately, what is a story, without conflict?

Lightning: I will continue, don't worry, and when I finish this, I will move on to Marauders and redo it as it should have been done in the first place.

Sheila: Thanks, that's starting to be one of my favorite scenes because it's actually based off an experience from my ex and myself. Actually the roles were reversed. I was watching, trying not to upset him, and he was trying to burn the house down… and we were only making brownies.

Chapter Eight: Never Before, Never Again

Peace reigned in the Weasley household for two and a half weeks… well, almost. Harry spent as much with Ginny as he could, which was surprisingly easy considering that the twins and Ron thought he was going along with their plan. Harry felt mildly guilty, but at the same time it was hard to feel guilty when everything was going so well.

After the first week, Ron pulled Harry aside.

"Not getting too bored, are you mate?" Ron asked.

Harry looked at him, confused for a second. "What are you talking about, Ron?"

"Hanging out with Ginny so much. You're doing very well, actually."

"Oh," Harry bit his lip nervously and searched for a good answer. "It's no problem at all," he finally said. "We actually do have a lot in common."

"So," Ron smiled, "You've become pretty good friends?"

"That's a good word for it," Harry agreed.

Ron had thought something peculiar was going on, but nodded anyways. "Let me know if you need a break," he said, and let Harry off the hook.

Harry had just sighed and ran to tell Ginny everything. The twins had cornered Harry with the same line of questioning the next day and Harry had just stuck to the same story.

Luckily Hermione arrived at the beginning of the second week and took a lot of the pressure off of Harry to keep Ron happy. Within a day, Hermione already knew the whole story, even the truth of it.

Hermione had a hard time trying not to laugh when she realized how Ron's plan had backfired so badly, actually putting Ginny and Harry together instead of the original aim. Hermione had agreed to keep silent, pacifying Ginny effectively. The second week ended a lot better than the first.

The first half of the third week was pretty calm, Hermione and Ron had been arguing since her arrival, but that much was to be expected. They actually hadn't had a major row since the end of last year.

Four days were left until the return to Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny sat in the living room, a game of Mancala in the center of their circle.

Harry and Hermione had recognized the game when Ginny first brought it out, but only Hermione had played it. Ginny and Ron admitted that they had never really played it either, so they set about reading rules and getting into the game. The game board was made out of a finished oak. It had 12 circular indentations in the wood, and then two, larger, oval shaped indentations at both ends. Hermione explained that the game starts with four glass beads in each circular indentation. Each player takes turns picking up all the beads in one circular indent, and then start at the next opening, on either side and put one bead in each indent that you come to, including the long one on the end. All beads that are in the indent you keep. You keep playing until there are no beads left. The player with the most beads wins.

Ginny kept coming in last. About halfway through the third game, Ginny gave up completely and gave all her beads to Harry, who was winning anyways.

"No fair," Ron told her. "You just put him even farther ahead. Hermione, is there a rule about that?"

Ginny stuck her tongue out.

"Actually," Hermione said, "if a player drops out, they can hand their money, pieces or whatever to anyone, they can even keep them if they want to."

"That's not fair," Ron pouted. "She should have to separate what she already has and give the same amount to everyone."

Hermione smirked. "What's wrong, Ron? Afraid of losing? Again?"

Ron had come in third the first game, second the second game. Harry came in second the first game, first in the second game. Hermione had obviously won the first game, since she knew the most about the game. She had come in third in the second game, surprising everyone. She claimed she hadn't been paying attention. Harry had agreed with her, eyeing Ron suspiciously. She had been paying more attention to him than anything else. Hermione blushed furiously and was thankful Ron was studying the pieces still lying in front of him too intently to have caught anything that had happened.

The third game was coming to a close by now. Harry was still winning, Ron and Hermione arguing every time Ron did something that technically wasn't aloud. Harry did win in the end; Hermione came in second, Ron in third. Ginny leaned on Harry's shoulder; Harry leaned back against the couch. Ron eyed them suspiciously and threw questioning look at Hermione.

Hermione shrugged and began to set up the board again.

Harry glanced outside; it had been dark for a long time now. Ginny's breathing evened out and Harry realized that she was now asleep. Harry opted to skip the fifth game, and Ron threw him a dirty look.

"I'm sorry, Ron," Harry said with a smile, "But I don't understand how a game can be fun when you keep on winning."

Ron looked moderately upset, but Hermione went ahead and set up the board for a new game. Harry leaned his head against Ginny's and slipped his arm around her waist, watching Ron to make sure he didn't notice. Before much longer passed, Harry drifted off as well, thoroughly amused by the sound of Ron and Hermione arguing in the background.

* ~ *

"You didn't find it yet?" an angry voice rang out.

The man in front of the figure in shadow cowered under his mask. "I'm sorry master, it was well protected. A fence was around it and there were muggle police men everywhere."

"Are you telling me, that you can't handle a few muggle police men?"

"No, master," the voice insisted, "I could have, but I didn't think you would want so much attention drawn to you."

"You're right," the voice hissed, "you didn't think! Crucio!"

The man fell to the floor and writhed in pain. "Master!" he shouted. "Please!"

"Silence! You have failed me, Goyle. Next time, the punishment will not be so forgiving."

"Master, should we send someone else?" Another figured, all clothed in black, now stood beside the Voldemort.

"You're an imbecile, Wormtail." The Dark Lord almost smiled. "Of course we will not send anyone else."

"Master?"

"I didn't expect you to understand." Voldemort snapped his cloak in front of him and walked to his chair, seating himself before he continued. "I have no doubt that a certain young man is somewhere right now wondering how he would get a piece of it. We will wait until he figures out… then he will bring it to us."

"But Master… he's so well protected."

"You question me?" Voldemort's head snapped up in fury. "Crucio!"

* ~ *

Harry awoke with a start, almost toppling Ginny to the floor beside him. Ginny awoke looking at him in confusion, the haze of sleep still over her.

"What's wrong, Harry?" she asked.

Harry's scar was throbbing in pain. His hand shot up to cover it, and he put his head between his knees.

Ginny almost panicked. "Should I get Mum?" she asked.

Harry shook his head frantically. "I need to write something down," he said. "I need my journal." Ginny stood and helped Harry to his feet. They made their way towards the stairs, almost tripping over a sleeping Ron and Hermione in the process. Ginny did a double take when she saw Hermione laying peacefully on Ron's lap, Ron leaning against the wall. She knew it was not a good time to laugh, but had to cover her mouth anyways.

Harry flashed her a grin as they bolted up the stairs.

"It's ok, I saw it too," he said.

They came into Ron's room and within second Harry was scattering his belongings around on the floor, looking for his journal. He finally found it near the bottom and opened it and began writing frantically.

When he was done he picked up a piece of parchment and began a quick letter to Dumbledore. He stuffed it into an envelope and headed to Hedwig's cage, only remembering half way that she was on a delivery to Sirius. Ginny tapped a frantic Harry on the shoulder to remind him that she was there.

"Use Merlin, he needs a workout anyways." Harry nodded and Ginny ran to her room and brought Merlin back. After Merlin flew off, Harry sank onto his bed with a sigh.

"Thank you," he told Ginny.

"Do you want to talk about it," she asked.

"No," he said firmly.

Ginny looked a bit upset but didn't say anything.

"Its not you… my dreams are terrifying, and it's bad enough when I have to tell someone about them. No one needs to be scared if they don't have to be. Especially you."

Harry put his arms around Ginny; a few moments later she had fallen back asleep. Harry, not caring what anyone thought at the moment, laid back on the bed and fell asleep beside her.