Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the idea for this story. All else belongs to the wonderful J.K Rowling.

A/N: This chapter was not meant to be here either but I had to have Harry and Ginny in somewhere. I'm sorry for those who really wanted to know more about Hermione.

Liability

Harry sat in the common room wondering where everyone was. The last time he'd seen his friends was at lunchtime, and it wasn't like Hermione to miss class, especially not with this being such an important year. After all, she'd spent the last week lecturing him over how little work he'd done over the summer. He decided to go to the library to see if he could find her.

She wasn't there, and she wasn't by the lake, and she wasn't in her common room. From what Harry could tell she'd disappeared off the planet. Ron was missing too. 'Perhaps they are together.'

Harry went up to his room and opened his wardrobe to take out his broom. Flying always made him feel better, and he would get a better view over the grounds. Pulling back the robes hanging in his wardrobe he found a note in place of his Firebolt.

Harry,

I know you're going to kill me for "borrowing" your broom but I really had no choice. Hermione's been captured by Voldemort and I have to go rescue her. I know that you're the hero and I'm the sidekick but you seem distracted and it would just have wasted time. I know this seems reckless but I lo...I mean I... you know what I mean. This is just something I have to do. Please don't worry...I'll bring your Firebolt back in one piece, I promise.

Thanks again,

Ron.

'Hermione and Ron are gone? This is all my fault. Voldemort is my fight, not theirs. I shouldn't be allowed friends. I'm just a liability. They all just end up dying for me. Now my two best friends are in his clutches and I have no idea where they could be. I'm helpless... no I'm useless!'

Harry broke down. He had lost so many people, but losing his best friends would be the end to him. He had for the first time experienced what it was like to be separated from Hermione during the summer and he never wanted to experience that again. It was his fault twice in such a short time that she was in pain. It was always his fault that people were hurt. 'They should avoid me like the plague.' But of course people didn't avoid him. Even then there was a knock at the door.

"Harry, it's me, Ginny.... Are you okay?"

"Yeah Gin, I'm fine, just go back to the common room, okay?" Harry answered with his best-forced cheery voice. Ginny always saw through that voice.

"Harry I know you aren't fine, please just let me in."

"No one can come in. When I let people in they all die." Harry said remorsefully to himself.

Ginny was totally confused by his sentence 'What does he mean people die? What has he got in there?' She became more desperate to get in and took out her wand. Soon she was kneeling beside him as he cried into her shoulder.

"Harry, what's wrong?"

"They're gone Gin, that's what's wrong." Harry said as he lifted his head from her shoulder and stared right through her.

"Who's gone Harry?"

"My best friends."

"Hermione and Ron? Where have they gone Harry?" He just sat there. Staring. She shook him repeating "HARRY WHERE ARE THEY?"

He snapped out of his world and looked at her. Fear spread across her face, deep within her chocolate eyes.

Those eyes; they showed such compassion, such love and yet such turmoil. He had already put her through so much just by being at the same school as her. He didn't want to mention His name in front of her. He didn't want to instil that pain again. The deep, old pain that he himself had buried deep within. And yet looking at her day in, day out, he still felt that pain as she did. He still knew the terror she faced every time she closed her eyes. He still knew that she put on a façade. The same cheery face every morning and he loved her all the more for it. How could she be so strong? How had he overlooked her? Not that it mattered now. He had to get out of there. Away from her, and anyone else He might wish to hurt.

He stood up and, as he was about to leave his dorm, he turned to look at her.

"Hermione was captured by Vol...Voldemort. Ron went to rescue her. Gin please stay away from me. I'm no good. Just stay away." Harry said whilst fighting back his tears. He had to be strong. He needed to find away to rescue his friends.

Ginny just sat there taking in what he said. That name still sent shivers down her spine. She had spent so many years battling with herself over the horrible mistake she had made and was determined to not make any more. She knew that by letting Harry push her away she would be making a mistake. She was the only one who could understand it and if Hermione and Ron didn't come back she would have to be strong for him. Or at least try.

"Harry wait!" Ginny cried after him as she ran down the stairs. She caught him just before he left the common room.

"Harry you can't do this alone. You can't be a hero for the entire world without anyone to support you. Let me in Harry. Let me be here for you. I understand it. Bloody hell, they're my best friends too!" She said as her fiery temper rose. She scolded herself for sounding so much like her brother.

Harry looked at her. He knew that she was scared but she loved them both so much. He could understand why she would be willing to put herself through it all again.

"Ok, I guess I can't stop you from helping. Don't happen to have any bright ideas?"

To all my reviewers who hate cliffhangers...I'm sorry! Hermione will be back in the next chapter I promise! I'll type it really quickly and put it up as soon as possible.