Chapter 4: Discoveries…

~*~

"A true friend is one who knows how to knock some sense into you."

[AmethystStar]

~*~

Harry waited until Ron had fallen asleep before creeping out of bed. He wasn't going to be getting sleep anyway. He never did. He slipped on a jacket over his pajamas, having some difficulty with the sling, before sneaking down the stairs and outside to the lake. As he'd expected, Ginny was already there, leaning against the large tree.

"Hi," he said shyly to her.

"Hi Harry," she said, just as shy. She looked up at him and then back at the ground. "Thanks for 'saving' me"

"No Problem," said Harry. "Are you chilly?" he asked.

"Just a little," replied Ginny.

"You can use my jacket, Not the best, just one of Dudley's old cast-offs," said Harry, "but it should be warm enough."

"Ok," said Ginny. Harry leaned over to pick up a jacket he had laid on the ground when he. As he leaned over one large sleeve of the thin tee shirt slipped over his shoulder revealing the multi-colored bruises and deep gashes. He sat up to hand her the jacket but to his surprise she didn't take it. She simply looked at him in shock as the sleeve slid even farther, "What's that on your back Harry?"

"What?" said a shocked Harry. He pulled the shirt back into place quickly.

"Harry who did that to you?" Ginny asked. She felt herself fill with anger. Who would do something like that.

"I don't know what you're talking about Ginny," said Harry in an awkward voice, obviously lying.

"Harry Potter, Do not lie to me I know what I just saw. You need to tell me right now who did this to you," said Ginny sternly. She kept running it through her mind, and then it clicked- his uncle, All the obvious signs. Immediately she hated herself. She should have seen especially after-

"Fine. I'll tell you, but honestly it isn't going to help anything," said Harry after a long pause.

"Your uncle," Ginny blurted out in shock before he could say anything else.

Harry looked away from her, his head leaning down. He cursed himself mentally. All these years he had worked to hide this part of his life. For once he just wanted to be normal. Now his secret was out and judging by the way Ginny was acting he knew she wouldn't just let it drop. He flinched as he felt a hand on his cheek, jolting him out of his memories.

"Harry, it's just me," she said in a gentle voice, " are you ok."

"Yeah," he muttered looking away again. He tried to shut out his emotions, something he was good at. Only it wasn't working now, he wasn't prepared for this. He was afraid that if he said more his voice would betray him. How could he explain it all to her when he couldn't understand himself. He doubted she would be able to understand the way he felt, the way he deserved it.

Ginny caught onto him immediately. It was so much like before.

"It's not your fault," she spoke suddenly, breaking the silence. He looked up at her, bewildered.

'What is she a mind reader,' he thought, 'I cant be that obvious.'

Ginny took a deep breath and began.

"Harry, When I was 10 years old I had a best friend…"