In an Inglorious Spot
Chapter 2: Far Outnumbered
Harry felt his heart leap and sink at the same time. It usually made Harry happier to see his girlfriend, but just now the horrible thought of battle clouded everything.
Ginny and Harry had been dating since the end of his last year at Hogwarts. He had spent much of that year resisting his attraction to her, telling himself that he could only endanger anyone he might date, and guiltily running through the alarmingly long list of everyone who'd already died for love of him. But Harry's basic need to be loved, sharpened by his childhood of neglect, turned out to be the only thing that could outweigh his desire to protect those he loved by pushing them away. She had broken down his defenses and he'd found himself utterly unable to resist the constant love she'd always quietly offered him. So, though the implicit threat to Ginny made him reluctant, Harry eventually found himself entering into a relationship with her. It was sometimes quite rocky, because of his moodswings, his tendency to lash out at those closest to him, and the way that every once in a while, usually after someone was killed or attacked, he would tell her they were over forever, for her own safety. Harry was always the one to start these fights, and always the one to end them. Being without her was like being locked in the dark, cold cupboard all over again. It hurt so deeply that he could never stand it for long, and he always came crawling back. And, no matter how much he hurt her with his tirades and rejections, Ginny always took him back, because he needed her, and that was all she cared about.
Ginny had a way of telling things as they were, and Harry dreaded hearing what she might have to say about the meeting, especially considering that she had probably heard what Ron had. Harry wearily opened his mouth to try to cut her off, but was surprised to hear Ron talking first.
"Sorry, Gin, I beat you to it," he said cheekily.
"You mean you've already told him off for that 'more than willing' comment? Shoot, I was really looking forward to that rant." Ginny shot Harry a wry smile.
"Oh, I was too, it was quite enjoyable," Ron replied with bright sarcasm.
"So he's no longer suicidal?" Ginny asked her brother, only half joking. Even though making light of the horrible situation did seem to help, Harry was starting to get annoyed with the way they were talking about him: as if he wasn't there, or, worse, as if Ron was a doctor, Harry a sick child, and Ginny his mother.
"I'm not sure, but I think he's seen reason." Ron answered, with a crooked grin at Harry.
Ginny shrugged. "I'll settle for that." She walked over to Harry and put her hand in his, giving him a warm, adoring smile that said it was just because they cared. His irritation melted away. They both looked a bit expectantly at Ron, waiting for him to make his usual quick exit. No matter how much Ron approved of Ginny's relationship with Harry, he still didn't like to see anyone snogging his sister. But Ron wasn't making any moves to leave.
"But anyway, Gin, I'm, uh, glad you came. I wanted to talk to you too." Ron began awkwardly.
Harry and Ginny exchanged puzzled looks. Harry couldn't imagine what Ron could want with Ginny today; she hadn't practically threatened suicide, after all.
"Shall I leave you two then?" Harry joked.
"No, Harry, maybe you should hear this too. Yeah, you definitely should." Ron said, looking thoughtful. "And I might need your help. You might be able to convince her better than me."
Harry was certainly confused now. He and Ginny waited for Ron to explain.
"Okay, remember how I suggested a getaway in the meeting?" Harry and Ginny both nodded. It had been the very first solution put forward, shot down quickly by Harry. "Well, I wasn't bluffing or anything. There really is a way for a few people to escape. I've been sort of thinking about it and looking into it for a few months now. It's not a new passageway or anything like that; it's a magical getaway that uses Hogwarts' own protection spells to keep you safe. Only thing is, it closes at sundown."
Harry still didn't understand. "Ron, I'm staying-" he began warily.
"I told you, Harry, I know you are. I'm still not happy about it, but I know I can't change your mind. Now I'm talking about Ginny."
"I'm staying too," Ginny replied quickly. "This is what we've been training for for years now, and I'm not going to miss it!"
"But, Gin, listen-" Ron started, looking to Harry for help against the outburst they both knew was coming.
"Ron, I am not a child. I am perfectly capable of fighting; I have not only the knowledge and skills but also the courage. I have decided to fight tomorrow and there's nothing you or anyone else can do to stop me." Ginny explained firmly, her carefully controlled voice bordering on anger.
"Ginny, I know you can fight, it's just-"
"Ron, you and everyone else in our family has babied me since the day I was born and I'm sick of it. I can make my own decisions and I will not be treated like a child-"
"I know! I know, all right?" Ron raised his voice to interrupt Ginny's gathering tirade. "You've proved loads of times that you're not a baby! I'm asking you to stay because." Ron took a deep breath. "because two thirds of us are going to snuff it-"
"So that means we're all needed here on the battlefield! If I leave we'll just be that much weaker and the losses that much worse." Ginny argued.
"There needs to be somebody left, all right?" Ron said in anguish. "We need to make sure somebody survives! Even if only to tell who we were and why we died." Ron's voice, thick with emotion, trailed off. Harry turned his head away, blinking rapidly.
"So why me? Neville's still a worse fighter than me, we could spare him more easily."
"Because..well, maybe Harry can explain that better than me."
Harry thought he understood what Ron meant by that. That last thing he had said.
Ginny was looking quizzically at Harry. She looked as if she was about to ask him to explain, but Ron interrupted. In a tired voice he related how to use the getaway. Harry listened carefully, because he knew Ginny was making a point of not paying attention.
"I'm, uh, going to leave you to it then," Ron said quietly when he had finished , making for the door.
Thinking suddenly of everything tomorrow meant, Harry found he did not want Ron to leave at all.
"Wait!" he called. Ron turned back, and looked expectantly at Harry, who felt quite silly, and completely unable to explain that he simply wanted to keep Ron as close as possible for as long as possible.
"Uh, where are you going?" he asked lamely.
"Hermione's," Ron answered. "I want to see if she'll go with Ginny."
"She won't," Harry replied. At the meeting, Hermione had been just as obstinate as Ron. Harry could not imagine her turning away from battle, not even for an instant.
"I know, I don't think she will either, but I've got to try, don't I?" Ron sounded utterly miserable. It was a shade of misery that Harry had only seen on Ron when Hermione had been dating someone else. Ron turned to go again.
"Ron, you should tell her." The answer to the one question the Head Girl of their class had never been able to figure out.
Ron stared at him in surprise, reddened, and looked down. "Yeah. I was planning on it."
The thought of his two best friends together, and at his side tomorrow, was causing a rush of emotions in Harry. As much as he would rather they left, and lived, it would be rather nice to have them there, fighting by his side.he'd never done very much without them.
"And tell her from me." he started, looking at the floor.
"She knows," Ron interrupted. Harry looked up in surprise. Ron was looking frankly back at him, eyes full of sadness. More words flew to Harry's mouth.
"Ron, I-"
"I know, too," Ron whispered. "And you know that we-"
"Yeah," Harry said quickly. "Yeah, of course I know."
"Good, then. You should know."
"Thank you," Harry said feebly, staring at the floor again. It was nowhere near enough.
Ron sniffed. "Don't mention it," he said, turning back to the door. "Tomorrow, then?"
"Yeah, tomorrow," Harry replied, surprised to see a small smile through the doorway. He couldn't help but return it. In a way, he thought, tomorrow will be our biggest adventure yet.
A/n: next and final chapter, Harry must convince Ginny to leave. To see what happens when Ron goes to see Hermione, read the second chapter of the companion piece, Our Precious Blood. Thanks for reading, please review!
Chapter 2: Far Outnumbered
Harry felt his heart leap and sink at the same time. It usually made Harry happier to see his girlfriend, but just now the horrible thought of battle clouded everything.
Ginny and Harry had been dating since the end of his last year at Hogwarts. He had spent much of that year resisting his attraction to her, telling himself that he could only endanger anyone he might date, and guiltily running through the alarmingly long list of everyone who'd already died for love of him. But Harry's basic need to be loved, sharpened by his childhood of neglect, turned out to be the only thing that could outweigh his desire to protect those he loved by pushing them away. She had broken down his defenses and he'd found himself utterly unable to resist the constant love she'd always quietly offered him. So, though the implicit threat to Ginny made him reluctant, Harry eventually found himself entering into a relationship with her. It was sometimes quite rocky, because of his moodswings, his tendency to lash out at those closest to him, and the way that every once in a while, usually after someone was killed or attacked, he would tell her they were over forever, for her own safety. Harry was always the one to start these fights, and always the one to end them. Being without her was like being locked in the dark, cold cupboard all over again. It hurt so deeply that he could never stand it for long, and he always came crawling back. And, no matter how much he hurt her with his tirades and rejections, Ginny always took him back, because he needed her, and that was all she cared about.
Ginny had a way of telling things as they were, and Harry dreaded hearing what she might have to say about the meeting, especially considering that she had probably heard what Ron had. Harry wearily opened his mouth to try to cut her off, but was surprised to hear Ron talking first.
"Sorry, Gin, I beat you to it," he said cheekily.
"You mean you've already told him off for that 'more than willing' comment? Shoot, I was really looking forward to that rant." Ginny shot Harry a wry smile.
"Oh, I was too, it was quite enjoyable," Ron replied with bright sarcasm.
"So he's no longer suicidal?" Ginny asked her brother, only half joking. Even though making light of the horrible situation did seem to help, Harry was starting to get annoyed with the way they were talking about him: as if he wasn't there, or, worse, as if Ron was a doctor, Harry a sick child, and Ginny his mother.
"I'm not sure, but I think he's seen reason." Ron answered, with a crooked grin at Harry.
Ginny shrugged. "I'll settle for that." She walked over to Harry and put her hand in his, giving him a warm, adoring smile that said it was just because they cared. His irritation melted away. They both looked a bit expectantly at Ron, waiting for him to make his usual quick exit. No matter how much Ron approved of Ginny's relationship with Harry, he still didn't like to see anyone snogging his sister. But Ron wasn't making any moves to leave.
"But anyway, Gin, I'm, uh, glad you came. I wanted to talk to you too." Ron began awkwardly.
Harry and Ginny exchanged puzzled looks. Harry couldn't imagine what Ron could want with Ginny today; she hadn't practically threatened suicide, after all.
"Shall I leave you two then?" Harry joked.
"No, Harry, maybe you should hear this too. Yeah, you definitely should." Ron said, looking thoughtful. "And I might need your help. You might be able to convince her better than me."
Harry was certainly confused now. He and Ginny waited for Ron to explain.
"Okay, remember how I suggested a getaway in the meeting?" Harry and Ginny both nodded. It had been the very first solution put forward, shot down quickly by Harry. "Well, I wasn't bluffing or anything. There really is a way for a few people to escape. I've been sort of thinking about it and looking into it for a few months now. It's not a new passageway or anything like that; it's a magical getaway that uses Hogwarts' own protection spells to keep you safe. Only thing is, it closes at sundown."
Harry still didn't understand. "Ron, I'm staying-" he began warily.
"I told you, Harry, I know you are. I'm still not happy about it, but I know I can't change your mind. Now I'm talking about Ginny."
"I'm staying too," Ginny replied quickly. "This is what we've been training for for years now, and I'm not going to miss it!"
"But, Gin, listen-" Ron started, looking to Harry for help against the outburst they both knew was coming.
"Ron, I am not a child. I am perfectly capable of fighting; I have not only the knowledge and skills but also the courage. I have decided to fight tomorrow and there's nothing you or anyone else can do to stop me." Ginny explained firmly, her carefully controlled voice bordering on anger.
"Ginny, I know you can fight, it's just-"
"Ron, you and everyone else in our family has babied me since the day I was born and I'm sick of it. I can make my own decisions and I will not be treated like a child-"
"I know! I know, all right?" Ron raised his voice to interrupt Ginny's gathering tirade. "You've proved loads of times that you're not a baby! I'm asking you to stay because." Ron took a deep breath. "because two thirds of us are going to snuff it-"
"So that means we're all needed here on the battlefield! If I leave we'll just be that much weaker and the losses that much worse." Ginny argued.
"There needs to be somebody left, all right?" Ron said in anguish. "We need to make sure somebody survives! Even if only to tell who we were and why we died." Ron's voice, thick with emotion, trailed off. Harry turned his head away, blinking rapidly.
"So why me? Neville's still a worse fighter than me, we could spare him more easily."
"Because..well, maybe Harry can explain that better than me."
Harry thought he understood what Ron meant by that. That last thing he had said.
Ginny was looking quizzically at Harry. She looked as if she was about to ask him to explain, but Ron interrupted. In a tired voice he related how to use the getaway. Harry listened carefully, because he knew Ginny was making a point of not paying attention.
"I'm, uh, going to leave you to it then," Ron said quietly when he had finished , making for the door.
Thinking suddenly of everything tomorrow meant, Harry found he did not want Ron to leave at all.
"Wait!" he called. Ron turned back, and looked expectantly at Harry, who felt quite silly, and completely unable to explain that he simply wanted to keep Ron as close as possible for as long as possible.
"Uh, where are you going?" he asked lamely.
"Hermione's," Ron answered. "I want to see if she'll go with Ginny."
"She won't," Harry replied. At the meeting, Hermione had been just as obstinate as Ron. Harry could not imagine her turning away from battle, not even for an instant.
"I know, I don't think she will either, but I've got to try, don't I?" Ron sounded utterly miserable. It was a shade of misery that Harry had only seen on Ron when Hermione had been dating someone else. Ron turned to go again.
"Ron, you should tell her." The answer to the one question the Head Girl of their class had never been able to figure out.
Ron stared at him in surprise, reddened, and looked down. "Yeah. I was planning on it."
The thought of his two best friends together, and at his side tomorrow, was causing a rush of emotions in Harry. As much as he would rather they left, and lived, it would be rather nice to have them there, fighting by his side.he'd never done very much without them.
"And tell her from me." he started, looking at the floor.
"She knows," Ron interrupted. Harry looked up in surprise. Ron was looking frankly back at him, eyes full of sadness. More words flew to Harry's mouth.
"Ron, I-"
"I know, too," Ron whispered. "And you know that we-"
"Yeah," Harry said quickly. "Yeah, of course I know."
"Good, then. You should know."
"Thank you," Harry said feebly, staring at the floor again. It was nowhere near enough.
Ron sniffed. "Don't mention it," he said, turning back to the door. "Tomorrow, then?"
"Yeah, tomorrow," Harry replied, surprised to see a small smile through the doorway. He couldn't help but return it. In a way, he thought, tomorrow will be our biggest adventure yet.
A/n: next and final chapter, Harry must convince Ginny to leave. To see what happens when Ron goes to see Hermione, read the second chapter of the companion piece, Our Precious Blood. Thanks for reading, please review!