Dedicated to Melindaleo
Chapter 4: When You Say Nothing At All
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It's amazing how you
Can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word
You light up the dark
Try as I might
I can never explain
What I feel when you
Don't say a thing
The smile on your face
Let's me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes
Saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me
Wherever I fall
You say it best
When you say nothing at all
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When you say nothing at all –Ronan Keating
Two weeks later Ginny was in her flat eating dinner, when there was a knock at the door. She stood to open it, but the door flew open. In burst Tonks and Remus Lupin. Ginny stared at them.
"What-"
"Are you alright?" asked Remus desperately.
"Yes, but-"
"No time. Ginny, you have to get to the Headquarters!"
"Why?"
It was then that the first scream sounded. Explosions shook the whole building. Remus seized her arm and they ran down into the street. Standing at one end of the long main street in Hogsmeade were five Deatheaters. Witches and Wizards were running and screaming, but the Deatheaters ignored them, running down the street towards them. Several ruins were smoking. Remus turned to Ginny.
"Apparate to the Headquarters! Now!"
Ginny didn't ask questions but attempted to Apparate. But a painful jolting went through her.
"Remus, they've cast an anti-apparition on us!" Tonks screamed. The Deatheaters were nearly with them. Tonks seized Ginny's arm and pulled her down a side street while Remus ran in the opposite direction.
Tonks led Ginny to a tight corner, where they could hue for a few minutes.
"Portus!" Tonks whispered, tapping a drinks can with her wand.
"Ginny, this leaves in just over a minute. It'll take you to the Headquarters. I have to find Remus. Just go!"
Before Ginny could say a word Tonks had leapt out from the corner and was running down the street Ginny stood up, holding the can, staring, horror-struck down to the where the flashes of light shone from the main street. As the portkey jolted her, the last thing she saw was the outline of a Deatheater at the end of the street.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
She landed face down on the floor of the kitchen in Grimmauld Place. Gasping for breath she pushed herself up. Many pairs of hands reached down to pull her up.
"Ginny!"
"Are you OK?"
"Where are Tonks and Remus?"
"What happened?"
"Give her some space!" Harry's voice, cut through the babble. He sat Ginny at the table while Mrs Weasley poured tea
"Deatheaters… in Hogsmeade. Remus distracted them while Tonks gave me a portkey. Then she left too…"
Her voice was shaking and tears leaked from her eyes. Her hands shook and Harry put his over them.
"It's OK now. You're safe."
"What is going on?" Ginny asked. They all sat down and Mr Weasley said,
"We received word from Severus Snape. There was to be an attack on Hogsmeade. More specifically, on you. They know that you have connections with all of us. We think they were going to kidnap you."
Ginny slumped forward, head in hands.
"Remus and Tonks… they're still there. They put an anti-apparition jinx on us."
"They'll be back any minute." Arthur insisted. Ginny looked up at him, eyes red from weeping. Arthur smiled at his only daughter, and then jumped as two loud pops sounded right next to him. Remus and Tonks had apparated.
"Remus! Tonks! Are you OK?"
"I'm fine… but Tonks…" Remus said, holding Tonks up. She lifted her head and they saw that she was sporting a huge slash across the face and her robes dripped blood from various wounds. Molly sat her down, and then turned around.
"Anyone male, out!" They trekked quickly from the kitchen and Ginny watched as Mrs Weasley whipped off Tonks' robes. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt underneath. These too were stained. Pushing the t-shirt up, Ginny saw deep cuts along her upper body. Molly waved her wand and healed them quickly.
"Hermione, that cupboard. Blood replacement potion." Hermione handed her the bottle and Mrs Weasley pushed it into Tonks', who was semi-conscious, mouth. Mrs Weasley took spare robes out of a basket and pulled them over Tonks' head.
"They can come back in now." She said.
They men all came back, looking worried. Tonks smiled weakly. Remus sat next to her and said,
"You gave me a heart attack."
"Sorry."
"What happened?" Bill asked. Remus replied,
"There were five of them. They cornered us in an alley. One had a knife. He attacked Tonks. They asked us where Ginny was. Where she had gone."
"Did you-?" Ron's hopeful voice faded as Remus shook his head.
"Voice Altering charms. Didn't recognise them."
"They realised we weren't going to tell them. We managed to stun two of them. Then a few wizards from the village stunned the other three. But more arrived and took the five away. Tonks was nearly unconscious by that time, so we came straight here."
Tonks grinned.
"Remus was a right hero."
"Come on, Tonks. Let's get you into bed. You need some rest." Molly said. The rest of them agreed. Ginny waited until she thought they had all left then started to make herself some hot milk. She felt too shaken up to sleep straight away. As she stirred the white liquid she heard Harry say,
"I'm glad you're safe." She turned and saw him, hand sin pockets, leaning on the doorframe.
"You're not the only one."
"I thought… for a minute…"
"It's OK. We're all OK." Harry stepped forward and clasped her hand.
"I don't know what I'd do… if I thought that you… or any of the others, but especially you…"
Ginny felt her heart racing. Harry's green eyes were filled with sorrow.
"It's OK."
"Ginny, I…" He stopped, and looked down at her. To him, she had never looked more lovely. The way her red hair fell across her shoulders, her eyes, red as they were, shining. The way the freckles dotted her nose. Before he knew what he was doing, he was kissing her.
Ginny couldn't believe what was happening. Harry Potter was kissing her. Her, Ginny Weasley. Being kissed. By Harry Potter. As his head moved back she stared at him. He gazed at her.
"Ginny, I…"
"Shh." She whispered, putting a finger on his lips. She stared at him, then said,
"Don't say a word."
After he had kissed her again he said,
"Ginny…"
"I know." She whispered. His face broke into a small smile. Ginny smiled too.
Kissing Harry was extraordinary. It was so warm and comforting, and yet it excited her so much. All the love she felt for this man was told through those kisses.
Eventually Harry said,
"We should be going up."
"Yeah." They walked up the stairs in silence. They reached Ginny's room first. She faced him and said,
"Goodnight."
He answered her with another kiss. She climbed into bed with an expression of extreme happiness on her face.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When Ginny went down for breakfast the next morning she found everyone else already eating. Harry smiled at her.
"Morning."
"G'morning." She replied. Molly put a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her. Bill said,
"Eat quickly. We'll go to Hogsmeade and check out the damage."
"Most of the buildings were OK. A couple near the top were ruined, but none other than that." Tonks told them. Ginny bit her lip.
"I hope the shops alright."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Apart from a few broken windows the shop was alright. Ginny waved her wand to repair them. Going through the front door with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Bill in tow she found the contents mostly fine, apart from a few ripped robes near the front. Ginny went to the counter. The money was still there, her designs tucked into the drawer and the measurements of customers in their files.
"It's all here." She confirmed. Hermione laid the torn robes on the counter. Ginny fingered them.
"I can't repair these. They're too bad." She said. She took them into the store room and threw them onto the ruined pile of robes.
Suddenly Ron started shouting at someone. Ginny rushed out and saw Malfoy, glaring at Ron.
"Piss off Weasley. I just came to get my robes." He turned to Ginny. She went back into the storeroom and picked them up. Taking them back out, she said,
"You'll have to try them on. If alterations need to be made I'd rather do them now."
"Ginny, why don't you just wait until you've recovered?" Hermione asked concernedly. Malfoy glanced at Ginny.
"What happened?"
"Deatheater attack." Ginny muttered, summoning a stool to her. Ron snorted,
"Yeah, as if you didn't know."
"Careful, Weasley. Sounds almost as if you're accusing me."
Malfoy went into the changing rooms with the robes. Ginny turned to her friend and brothers.
"I'll meet you in the pub in an hour."
"Ginny, I'm not leaving you alone with him." Bill said. Ginny shook her head.
"Just go. I can look after myself."
With a few glares at the changing rooms, the four left the shop. Malfoy emerged in his robes looking, much as she hated to admit it, pretty good.
"They suit you."
"They're too long." Malfoy complained. Ginny nodded.
"Stand on the stool."
He did so and she knelt to pin the hem up a few centimetres.
"Deatheater attack, huh?" he said.
"Yeah. So?"
"Nothing." He fell silent, and then asked,
"Where did you learn to do that Bat-Bogey Hex? That's the second time you've used it on me."
"With six brothers, you have to be able to stick up for yourself." Ginny commented, poking the hem with her wand. Malfoy snorted,
"That lot couldn't curse a flea between them."
"Yes, insult my family while I have my wand in my hand. Good idea."
"So, when are we going out again?" Ginny looked up at him, an annoyed expression covering her face.
"We're not. Get that through your head."
"Why?"
"I'm not going through all this again!"
"Fine. I thought we had a good time."
"Malfoy, shut up. Or I'll be sticking these pins somewhere you won't like." Ginny threatened.
"Someone's feeling feisty."
"Shut up." Ginny stood up and selected a thread from behind the counter. Malfoy watched her, then said,
"Is it Potter?"
"And why would you say that?"
"Because you're constantly mooning over him."
"I am not!"
"His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad." Malfoy sang in an irritating tone. Ginny accidentally slipped a pin into his ankle.
"OW!"
"Baby…" Ginny muttered. Malfoy glared down at her.
"You wrote it, not me."
"When I was ten years old!"
"So?"
"So, I have matured since then, unlike some people I could mention."
"Well, you didn't particularly seem to mind going out with me. If you so desperately didn't want to, why did you say yes?"
"I told you. Because otherwise you wouldn't have left. Plus, I said I would. And I keep my promises. Even to people like you."
"People like what?"
"Never mind."
Ginny tapped needle with her wand and it started to slide through the material, sewing it together. As it finished she cut the thread and stood up. Malfoy stepped down and admired himself in the mirror. He nodded in satisfaction.
"Well done Weasley."
"Just get out. I have things to do."
"Like what?"
"Like clear up the mess your Dad's mates left!" Ginny said viciously.
It was the first time she had seen Draco Malfoy genuinely upset.
"You think I'm a Deatheater?" He asked quietly.
"Your Dad was."
"So that makes me one?"
"Look, Malfoy, I'm sorry." Ginny said, realising exactly how harsh she had been. Malfoy shrugged and turned away, walking into the changing rooms.
When he came out Ginny had made them coffee. Malfoy accepted the steaming cup silently.
"I'm sorry Malfoy. I'm just feeling very angry. People got hurt last night."
"Who?"
The question surprised her.
"A few of the villagers. A friend of mine."
"I'm not a Deatheater." He told her. Ginny looked him in the eyes. They were filled with a strange emotion. She couldn't quite understand it. But before she had a chance he had looked away. After a few minutes quiet sipping he asked,
"Can I take you to dinner again?"
"Malfoy, I've told you no. I'm… there's… someone else."
"Someone else?"
"Yes. Well, I think so anyway. I'm not sure. I want to get things sorted out with him." Ginny said, cursing the hereditary Weasley blush that was colouring her face. Malfoy nodded and said,
"Floo me. If things don't happen."
"We'll see." Malfoy stood up.
"Bye Weasley."
"Bye Malfoy."
He walked to the shop door, and then he was gone.
Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. He always made her so tense. She looked around, then summoned a broom and started to sweep the shop floor.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Thanks for the reviews everyone! You're all so kind! I know Malfoy seem pretty OOC. I can't say much, but all will be revealed.
Lotsa luv 'n' huggles
Katie
