An unwilling damsel by Joy

The darkness that envelops

A/N: There is no prequel to this story...you will just have to wait several chapters before you find out what happened. Review more and I will attempt to put out a chapter a day.

3.

Professor Dumbledore looked at an irate Harry Potter with a mixture of amusement and concern. "Harry, as I have tried to explain to you that..."

"That you won't tell me what's going on...that these guys get free passes to harass Ginny. I mean hasn't she been through enough already. The least we can do is protect her from..."

"Harry," Dumbledore said softly.

Harry stumbled back and landed in the great chair before the professor's desk. "I don't understand professor. Something is going on with the Weasleys' and it centers around Ginny, but they won't tell me what's happened." He heaved a huge sigh. "I think the oddest thing about this is Professor Snape being worried about her. It just rubs me the wrong way him wanting to take care of her."

Harry hugged himself around the middle...and action Dumbledore had witnessed James Potter do over Lily Evans on more than one occasion, ironically in relation to Serverus Snape. Professor Dumbledore smiled knowingly, "You like saving the damsel in distress, Harry... and to put not too fine a point on it...you like saving this damsel in distress. Whatever your problems with Professor Snape are he does not truly wish you harm... most of his hostility is based in a past that died with your mother and to a lesser degree father."

"What does that mean sir?"

"Lily was a lot like Ginny, Harry. She was kind and thoughtful and beautifully innocent. She saw the best and the beauty in all. Even Snape," the professor said with the smirk. "I don't believe anyone could have love your mother as much as your father...but Serverus came bloody close."

Harry stared confusedly at his headmaster, "Sir?" not quite believing what was being implied.

"They were all in school together Harry. Is it so hard to believe that someone might have wanted to be in your father's place...maybe someone who loved your mother might even envy you for being part of her? It might even hurt someone to see the face of a man he could not stand with the eyes of a woman he loved?" This insight cast new light on the interactions he had witnessed with Sirius and Remus. It also explained some of the animosity he felt directed at himself by Snape. "You see Harry, Professor Snape has his chance to protect Lily again through you and Ginny. You might consider attempting to bond with him the way you did with Professor Lupin. He can be a powerful ally...after all you both wish to protect Ginny."

Harry was more confused than before when he entered the common room. Ginny was asleep in the big chair he had left her in. She had pulled her legs up to her chest and was in the fetal position. He touched her knee gently attempting not to startle her. Her brown eyes blinked sleepily. "Harry," she murmured stretching like a cat.

"Now what did I tell you about beauty sleep- it is truly unnecessary," he answered rubbing her knee in slow circles. Ginny gave him a grin before yawning.

"Ginny, will you tell me what's going on? Please?" Harry asked quietly. Ginny's whole body went from relaxed to stiff.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But Ginny..."

"No Harry...no. No one asks you to remember the night your parents died, or talk about what its like to be 'the boy who lived', or even being sucked dry by the Dementors. Leave it be!" she fussed and ran toward the girls' side of the dorm.

Harry got to the stairs first feeling the desperate need to keep her there, "Ginny please, don't do this. I'm just concerned as your friend." Ginny laughed sadistically. "Why is that funny?" Harry asked confused.

She looked at him like he had gone mad, "Do you honestly believe we are friends?"

"Yes."

"No, we aren't," she replied. "You know I'm there when you need me but you don't know anything about me... You know I'm Ron's little sister and you saved me from certain death at the hands of Tom Riddle but that's it. You come and spend time at the Burrow in the summers but that is familiarity Harry, not friendship... You have no idea what is important to me. You don't know what I fancy...what kind of blokes I like. You don't even know that I would be furious that you would go to Dumbledore without talking to me first. But that's what you did isn't it? That's what you always do- decide what is best because you're Harry Potter. Well how dare you make that decision for me! How dare you be arrogant enough to believe I want your help!"

Harry had never seen Ginny this angry before at least directed at him. He was completely bowled over by her emotions. "I'm...I'm sorry. I'm just concerned. You're important to me Ginny. I'm scared for you. I don't want you hurt."

Ginny's angry face began to soften a bit at his words. Harry couldn't bring himself to release the notion that this was Ron's little sister or god knows he would have kissed her right then and there. That wasn't the answer though. She was right, he really wasn't her friend in the classic sense. He couldn't leave the conversation this way...he had to do something. She was watching him oddly.

"I'll make you a deal. You don't have to tell me about what happen, but you will let me keep walking you to classes and letting me spend time with you."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "And why would you want to do that Harry?"

Harry took one step closer to Ginny, definitely into her personal space. He just spoke without thought, "Because I didn't go down to the Chamber of Secrets to defeat the monster. I came to get you. Hermione and Ron are my best friends and they have always been there, but you're the only one to have seen me kill...They can't understand what I have been through, how it envelops you...how it seeps into every part of you until you wonder if you are going to come back you or something tainted or maybe not at all. You however can understand... See you may not consider me a friend, but I consider you one."

Ginny stared at him with a look of curiosity and bewilderment as if it had never occurred to her that maybe he had put some thought into their relationship. That maybe he needed her to be there, but hadn't quite figured out the rest yet. "New deal," she said coming to a decision. "You walk me to class until I feel that it is unnecessary anymore and we spend time getting to know what is important to each other."

"Okay...Am I allowed to tell Ron what happened today? I don't want to make you angry with me again," he offered.

She smirked, "I'll tell him...in time. But not today." Harry looked down, "And I'll tell you too Harry...but not today."

Something in her statement touched him. "Thanks Ginny."

They smiled softly at one another then slowly hugged just before other Gryffindors arrived. Harry kept hold of her despite her attempt to pull back because of the other girls walking past. "Wish it were me," one of the girls whispered to another and headed upstairs.

"Don't get cocky, Potter," Ginny murmured to him.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Weasley."

PLEASE REVIEW!