Hee... that last chapter was so much fun... which makes me sorry I'm about to do this.
One of my reviewers asked if I was going to bring more dead characters back to life. I'm not. Harry's dreams will remain dreams until they're explained, which will be in the next two chapters. So... in two chapters... we see teenagers growing up, facing huge odds, and watching as they take their New Year with the good, the bad, and the worst. Besides, I know what fanfic that reviewer was speaking of and there is no way in heck I'll tread on that original concept.
What you saw in the last chapter isn't going to go away... it's going to build. And you'll just have to wait for the Hogwarts slayer to be unmasked, because it won't happen until the end.
So... all things aside...
- - - - -
Chapter 17
Bliss
- - - - -
As the New Year approached, the Gryffindors returned to their mountains of homework and tackled it with gusto, knowing they still had some time during their break to relax.
One particular afternoon, the day before New Year's, Ron, Harry and Hermione were sitting in the library, reading about the tranquilizing charm and its theory when it was related to attacking demons.
Finally, Hermione set her library book aside, stared Harry in the eye, and sighed. He glanced up with a puzzled expression at hers, then realized that Ron was behind them in the stacks someplace. "Why did you do?" she finally asked in a quiet voice.
"Do what?" Harry asked in confusion, returning to his book.
"Ginny," Hermione said quietly.
"What about her?" For the first time, Harry's voice was full of genuine concern.
Hermione was watching him carefully. "She broke up with Dean Thomas two days ago. Apparently it's because this incredibly cute boy she has always loved finally kissed her."
Harry flushed slightly as his humbled eyes found Hermione's. "When did she tell you?"
"The night of the Yule Ball," Hermione replied blithely. "She wanted to go and find you to talk, but you were too busy with Parvati. I can't believe you went with her!"
"Who went with who?" Ron asked, rejoining the table, a heavy stack of books in his arms.
"Harry and Parvati, to the Yule Ball."
"Oh, yeah," said Ron, realization dawning on his face. "And why is Ginny so keenly avoiding us?"
"Because she saw Harry and Parvati together at the after party," Hermione replied tartly as she quickly scanned the books Ron had given her. "Thanks, Ron."
"Anytime," he said in a gentler voice before frowning at Harry. "What happened?"
Harry knew he had to explain himself now. Hermione was sitting across from him, a very impatient look on her face. And Ron was looking dumbfounded. "I kissed Ginny," he mumbled, taking the top book from Hermione's pile.
"You what?" Ron asked in a dazed voice, watching as Harry and Hermione wrestled over the book, ignoring the groans coming from both of them. "And here I thought that Hermione and I..." his voice suddenly cut short as he received a sharp look from Hermione.
But Harry had caught it. "You and Hermione what, Ron? What about you two except that..." a sudden look came over his face. "You two are... together?"
Both Ron and Hermione were flushing now. Ron finally nodded.
"I knew there was some reasoning behind it! You two hadn't argued this much before!"
"I know," Hermione said softly. "We're guilty. But that doesn't explain why you kissed Ginny!"
"I can't believe you did that," said Ron, his voice stunned.
Harry was starting to feel exasperated. "I just felt... you know... I've had this dream... of me in the future... and she was there... with my parents... and Sirius..."
"A dream," Hermione said slowly.
Harry nodded.
"And you didn't think this was bad?" Ron asked, finishing Hermione's thoughts. She seemed to find this disturbing as well as she sent Ron a troubled look before turning back to Harry.
"Please tell me you weren't just kissing a vision," Hermione pleaded softly. "That girl has had enough heartbreak without you adding to the mix. And you're the one she's always been so fond of."
"I can't believe that -"
"We know, Ron!" Harry and Hermione said together. Harry finally sighed. "What do you want me to do about it? You want me to tell her how I feel? That I let my instincts take over and I did what I thought was right? That I actually have feelings for her?"
"Do you?" Hermione whispered.
Harry nodded before looking away.
"Harry," Ron said quietly. "I know that this might sound a bit offish, but you need to talk to Ginny. Just hear things from her perspective. You'll feel a lot better when you do."
"That," Hermione added, "and I think you should go to Dumbledore. Tell him about your dreams. You dreaming about your parents and Sirius is never good, Harry. Voldemort might be up to his old mind games, trying to throw you off of yours. If you want, we'll go with you."
As they both turned back to their reading material, Harry spoke up quietly. "I've just never felt like that in a dream before. It was so perfect. My mom and dad and Sirius, arguing about the Christmas tree. And Ginny, knowing me from inside out standing there beside me... it just felt so right." His voice dropped to barely above a whisper so that his friends could barely hear him. "I don't want to be alone anymore. And I don't want someone close to me to die again."
Hermione's face softened a bit as she reached across the table and took Harry's hand. "I know you'll do whatever it takes to protect her if the time should come."
Harry gave her a watery smile as Ron leaned forward.
"And my sister knows that you'll die to save her. You already did it once."
"I know," Harry said, feeling his eyes water more. "I'm just afraid that if I get too involved, she'll die, and once again, I'll be alone. I don't know if I can protect her from myself..."
- - - - -
"Buffy!"
Buffy glanced up from her list of potential slayers to see Willow pacing the living room. She was anxious because in just a half hour, they would be summoned for a meeting.
"Millicent Bulstrode, Slytherin" was marked at the top of the list of twenty potential Slayers. At the very bottom of the list was "Ginny Weasley, Gryffindor".
"Why Millicent?" Buffy asked, watching as Tara and Willow exchanged a glance, and then Tara opted to speak.
"She's strong, she's powerful, and she dusted that vampire on your second demo within thirty seconds," Tara said, listing off the finer points on her fingers. "She knows what she's doing."
"If you haven't seen her," Buffy kindly pointed out. "I've seen her. She's into the dark arts, like, majorly."
"I have sensed a rather dark vibe around her," Tara said, backpeddaling slightly as she returned to her seat.
Willow checked her watch. "We'll discuss this later... we have to go. Now."
The three rose and Willow quickly took her small trip and returned a moment later as a sleek white cat, pouncing on Tara and mewing happily.
They arrived at the meeting with only a few minutes to spare and sat. Surprisingly, when the Headmaster entered, he was in the company of three Ministry officials, including the Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt and Wesley Windom-Pryce. Buffy greeted them all quietly, her eyes betraying nothing that she had known both of these men before.
"We have a reason to suspect that Hogwarts might be the first target and not the Ministry," Shacklebolt began in his slow, deep voice.
"Evidence shows," Wesley continued in a muted voice, "that the innermost circle of Voldemort's supporters seem to be rallying their troops, for lack of a better word, to the Dark Forest outside of Hogwarts. There have been several vampires seen in the village of Hogsmeade but to our greatest shock, they're not feeding."
"That's because they have a whole school waiting for them," Buffy said sharply. "Great. Graduation day all over again."
Willow mewed pitifully. Wesley smirked into his fist.
"From what our records show, you were able to turn a school into a battlefield before," the third Auror, one that Buffy was not familiar with, said while looking through a large stack of parchment.
"I had a little help back then," Buffy replied softly.
"Now you'll have more," Wesley said, his eyes meeting hers.
"What are you talking about?" Buffy asked in confusion.
"The reason we have not asked the other members of the faculty to be present is because what we are about to tell you they won't understand," Shacklebolt replied, handing Buffy a slip of parchment. "We have obtained word that Azkaban will now be protected under the rights of this particular organization. Have you heard of it?"
Buffy flashed Tara the parchment. Tara nodded. "Yes."
"Good," replied Dumbledore, speaking at last. "This means of course that once Azkaban is secure, your entire line of Slayers will be on hand for the turn of the first battle. It looks like it will unfortunately take place so close to the school."
"We have to draw him back," Buffy said softly. "We have to draw them all back!"
"How do we do this?" Wesley asked, although he knew the frame of mind where the Slayer was leading.
"We trap them," Buffy said. "We take a volunteer couple of Slayers and ask them to draw out the vampires and the ubervampires, get them away from the Dark Forest. We know more dark creatures are sure to follow. The students will be prepared to face them. However, if the vampires crash course on a school of unsuspecting students, Voldemort would have thousands of little vampires to join his cause."
"And that's the last thing we want," Dumbledore agreed. "I will inform the other Professors of this decision."
"Which decision?" Buffy asked, now confused.
"The Slayers will be moved when Azkaban is secure." Dumbledore then turned to the three Aurors. "And you will kindly inform Cornelius that the Slayer will be taking her own discetion in teaching from now on. We want students to be prepared with what they're about to face. The last thing they need is a false sense of security. The bliss of nonchalance has fallen at last."
- - - - -
Harry had just returned to the common room when he saw Ginny sitting by the fire, staring into it.
Before he could reach her, however, a hand grasped his upper arm. It was Parvati and she looked dazzling. "Hey, Harry," she said with a grin.
Across the room, Ginny glanced up slightly.
"Hey, Parvati," he said, trying to excuse himself, but the grip on his arm tightened.
"Harry? What is it?"
"I just need to do something really quick, okay?" Harry said in what he hoped was a soothing voice.
Parvati smiled and leaned over, whispering in his ear, giggling as she walked away with Lavender.
"You and Parvati look happy," Ginny commented when Harry sat in the chair next to hers.
"Looks can be deceiving," Harry said quietly, glancing at his tightly folded hands and trying desperately to rid of the huge lump of anxiety in his throat. "Ginny... look... I'm sorry that I... kissed you... I didn't mean for it to happen..."
Ginny looked stunned for a moment, then looked away. "I-I guess," she said, her voice tinted with disappointment.
"Actually, I did," Harry said. Ginny glanced at him in surprise. "I've been having dreams lately... and you've been in them. With me. Helping me. I think you're my girlfriend."
"Are these dreams related at all to the ones you've had last year?" Ginny asked softly.
"I spoke with Professor Dumbledore and he reckons that... the dreams are showing me people that I've lost. My mum and dad. Sirius. And to an extent, you. But he also said that it could be showing the future. Which means that once again I'd lose you."
"Harry, I don't-"
"You don't need to understand, Ginny. I can't... we can't... because the last thing I want is for you to get hurt." He turned to her, his expression softening when he noticed the tears in her eyes. "Ginny, I really, really care about you. But I'm not going to lose you. That's how much I care."
She blinked, trying to smile. "Are you j-just going to pr-pr-pretend I d-don't exist?" she asked through quick gulps of air.
He leaned forward, his hand touching her cheek. Pain spread across her face as he pulled his hand away. "You need to be happy, Ginny. I'm not worth you dying."
"There's always a risk," Ginny whispered. "Life isn't always about bliss, Harry. It's about choices. It's about sacrificing."
"I almost got you killed last year," Harry said, looking tortured. "I've lost so many people in my life already... I just can't do it anymore. I'm not going to lose you too."
Ginny smiled. "I understand."
Harry leaned over and pressed his lips to her forehead. "You always do." He smiled sadly as he rose. "Maybe someday... when this is all over... I can look at you... and you'll be happy... with someone else... that you love."
"I am," Ginny whispered, so quietly he could barely hear her. Her gaze was sad as he turned to go.
"That's my girl," he said with a quiet grin as he left the commons room.
Ginny was still gazing after him when Ron and Hermione approached, his hand on the small of Hermione's back. "What is it?" Hermione asked, staring at the nothing that Ginny was eyeing.
Ginny looked as though she were about ready to collapse. "Harry told me that he couldn't see me because he's afraid of losing me." She turned to Hermione. "But isn't that what makes it worth it?"
"Some things are worth dying for," Ron said darkly, staring at the entryway. "He wants to see you happy."
"I am happy," Ginny said in a tiny voice. "I still like him... and no matter how many times he tells me to go away... it can't erase what it did. It just can't!"
But Ron and Hermione didn't look too convinced.
- - - - -
To be continued...
Chapter 18 -- the next term starts; a trap is sprung.
So... Harry's dreams are bad. Just not in the sense of possession, but more of a visionary. Now Ginny has to decide whether or not her life is worth being in Harry's or not. In the next three chapters... you'll see that the Ministry is preparing for war at Hogwarts, Voldemort springs a trap of his own, and more Quidditch. You'll also see the return of an old and beloved character.