Chapter 3
The attack
Ginny pulled herself out of bed the next morning with great difficulty.
She was having a hard time breathing. Last night Voldemort had invaded her thoughts the only time she had her guard down. When she was sleeping.
He'd filled her mind with every vision possible.
Her family, Hermione and Harry dying.
It had been the worst night of her entire life.
Then all of a sudden it had disappeared. The nightmares had just vanished.
And she'd spent the remaining of the night in blissful nothingness.
Her head was pounding and she groaned. She'd have to make up for yesterday and put on a good front.
After reluctantly leaving the warmness of her bed she treaded over to her bathroom in a depressed mood.
After taking a shower and getting dressed into some comfortable muggle clothes she brushed her hair and scrutinized her reflection in the mirror.
She looked decent. Her eyes were a deep brown so no one would notice, unless they looked close enough, the fear in her eyes.
She plastered a smile to her lips and went down the stairs.
Miss Weasley was feeding breakfast to Harry, Hermione and the entire Weasley clan minus Fred, George who had returned to their flat in London and of course minus Percy who still hadn't spoken to the family after the whole ministry incident.
No one noticed her as she entered the room.
"Good morning everyone!" she said jovially and bounded to a chair.
The room went silent and Ginny wondered why Ron Harry and Hermione were so surprised and confused.
"'Morning Gin, are you feeling better?" Her father asked cautiously.
Ginny tilted her head to the side and put on a fake look of puzzlement.
"Of course daddy why wouldn't I be?" she asked sweetly.
Before anyone could answer she interrupted them.
"So guys who do you think the next defense against the dark arts teacher will be?"
She was pleased to see the conversation steered elsewhere and was content with eating her toast in peace just listening to the chatter around her.
She was actually starting to feel better.
"Speaking of that new book are we going to Diagon alley today?" Hermione asked and Ginny choked on her toast.
No one but Harry noticed. He gave her a sideways glance but fortunately didn't say anything.
"Yeah, it's alright if we go right mum?" Ron asked and Molly nodded.
""No you can't!" Ginny blurted.
Five heads turned her way. She blushed profusely. What was she supposed to say?
"Sorry guys Voldemort speaks to me and he said he's going to kidnap Hermione to lure Harry to him?"
Oh right that was a bright idea! She thought sarcastically and mentally shook her head.
No, she'd let her guard down while she slept and Voldemort would find out what she'd done then kill off her family one by one just like he'd said.
"Er... I mean, wouldn't you rather stay here and play Quidditch and maybe mum can get our supplies for us?" Ginny said quickly to cover up her mistake and at the same time keep them from Diagon alley.
"Normally I'd go Ginny but I can't, besides it might be nice for you to go out. Why don't you go to diagon alley with them?" Molly asked with a concerned tone in her voice.
"Mum, that's not a good idea, Gin is probably still sick from yesterday." Ron said in a condescending tone.
Ginny frowned. How dare he insinuate that she was too weak to go to Diagon alley! She wasn't weak! She could handle a lot more than he could! That insufferable Prat! She thought then decided that if she couldn't keep them from Diagon alley then she'd go with them.
"Actually I'd like to go too" Ginny said and smirked at Ron who was silently fuming.
"Right then! Ginny here's the key to the Gringotts vault and-"
"Wait hold on! Why does she get the key! I'm the oldest!" Ron shrieked jumping out of his seat in a fury.
Harry did his best not to smile and Hermione shook her head disapprovingly.
"Ronald, dear, you tend to be a tad forgetful at times" Molly said sympathetically and handed the key to Ginny.
Ginny took the key with a trembling hand. Dear god what had she gotten herself into? She was supposed to keep everyone away from Diagon alley and instead she was going with them?
Had she lost her mind?
Harry watched Ginny very closely. She was jumpy and couldn't stop looking around her nervously.
He looked at her beautiful face etched with worry and frowned.
What was wrong with her? And why had she been so adamant about not going to Diagon alley?
He wanted to shake her and force her to tell him what was wrong with her. He was extremely worried and more than once he'd wanted to kiss that worried look off her face.
He groaned inwardly, how could he be developing feelings for Ron's little sister?
It must be purely physical. Because it was true. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
Whoa, when had he started thinking of her as a woman?!
"Lets go to flourish and Blotts, I need to get another copy of Hogwarts: A history." Hermione said and Ron groaned.
"Why Hermione? You've already read the book seven times! Why do you need another copy." Ron complained and Hermione shot him her fiercest scowl.
"Actually that's a great idea! Public places are extremely good!" Ginny said quickly and pulled Hermione towards the store.
Harry frowned. Public places? What was wrong with her?
Ron hadn't seemed to notice his sister's nervousness.
Harry guessed he still held resentment of her having gotten the key to their vault instead of him.
"Fine! You guys go there and we'll got to Fred and Georges joke shop." Ron said and Ginny screeched to a halt and swiveled around to face the two boys.
"What? Alone?" she asked worriedly chewing on her lower lip.
Harry was entranced. He wished he could be the one chewing on her lower lip and he'd like- Whoa! Get that very enticing image out of your head! Harry scolded himself and instead focused on Ginny's odd behavior.
Ron groaned and rolled his eyes.
"Were big boys Ginny! Older than you, might I add! Its not like we need you to watch over us." Ron said glaring at Ginny.
"No Ron! We have to stay together something could very well happen!" she said and Ron turned red with frustration.
"Damn it I wish something would happen to you to get you out of my hair you're so damn annoying!" Ron blurted and Ginny looked stricken.
Harry saw the pain flash through Ginny's eyes and an unexplainable anger bubbled up in his stomach.
"Ron that was completely-" Harry was cut off because suddenly there was screams around them and witches and wizards were scurrying away in fear.
Twelve death eaters had appeared out of nowhere and were surrounding the four of them.
Ginny turned ashen and she whimpered in fear.
Harry grabbed his wand and pointed at the nearest one. Ron had done the same but Hermione had blanched considerably and stood in a shocked state.
The death eater came forward and pushed Harry to the side.
"Move it Potter, were not here for you this time." The dark and sinister voice spat and Harry tumbled to the ground.
He was in a state of disbelief. The death eaters passed right by him and pushed Hermione and Ron away as well.
They all surrounded Ginny.
"Well hello little Ginny." One death eater muttered and sent her the cruccio spell.
Ginny fell to the ground and writhed in pain.
Harry finally got a hold of himself and jumped to his feet. He was about to say a spell when incantations were yelled all around them.
There were flashes of lights and screams of pain around him.
Aurors appeared out of nowhere and the death eaters retreated and disparated in fear.
Harry ran to Ginny who was shuttering on the ground.
"Harry! Are you all right? Death eaters harm you?" Tonks asked kneeling beside Harry three more Aurors in tow.
"No... they weren't after me." Harry said still shocked.
"They weren't?" Tonks asked confused.
"No they were after ... they were after Ginny." He said holding her unconscious form in his arms.
Everyone looked to Ginny and frowned.
Ron was comforting a distraught Hermione but he looked up at Harry's comment.
"But why?" he asked and Harry shook his head.
"I don't know, but I think she does."
The attack
Ginny pulled herself out of bed the next morning with great difficulty.
She was having a hard time breathing. Last night Voldemort had invaded her thoughts the only time she had her guard down. When she was sleeping.
He'd filled her mind with every vision possible.
Her family, Hermione and Harry dying.
It had been the worst night of her entire life.
Then all of a sudden it had disappeared. The nightmares had just vanished.
And she'd spent the remaining of the night in blissful nothingness.
Her head was pounding and she groaned. She'd have to make up for yesterday and put on a good front.
After reluctantly leaving the warmness of her bed she treaded over to her bathroom in a depressed mood.
After taking a shower and getting dressed into some comfortable muggle clothes she brushed her hair and scrutinized her reflection in the mirror.
She looked decent. Her eyes were a deep brown so no one would notice, unless they looked close enough, the fear in her eyes.
She plastered a smile to her lips and went down the stairs.
Miss Weasley was feeding breakfast to Harry, Hermione and the entire Weasley clan minus Fred, George who had returned to their flat in London and of course minus Percy who still hadn't spoken to the family after the whole ministry incident.
No one noticed her as she entered the room.
"Good morning everyone!" she said jovially and bounded to a chair.
The room went silent and Ginny wondered why Ron Harry and Hermione were so surprised and confused.
"'Morning Gin, are you feeling better?" Her father asked cautiously.
Ginny tilted her head to the side and put on a fake look of puzzlement.
"Of course daddy why wouldn't I be?" she asked sweetly.
Before anyone could answer she interrupted them.
"So guys who do you think the next defense against the dark arts teacher will be?"
She was pleased to see the conversation steered elsewhere and was content with eating her toast in peace just listening to the chatter around her.
She was actually starting to feel better.
"Speaking of that new book are we going to Diagon alley today?" Hermione asked and Ginny choked on her toast.
No one but Harry noticed. He gave her a sideways glance but fortunately didn't say anything.
"Yeah, it's alright if we go right mum?" Ron asked and Molly nodded.
""No you can't!" Ginny blurted.
Five heads turned her way. She blushed profusely. What was she supposed to say?
"Sorry guys Voldemort speaks to me and he said he's going to kidnap Hermione to lure Harry to him?"
Oh right that was a bright idea! She thought sarcastically and mentally shook her head.
No, she'd let her guard down while she slept and Voldemort would find out what she'd done then kill off her family one by one just like he'd said.
"Er... I mean, wouldn't you rather stay here and play Quidditch and maybe mum can get our supplies for us?" Ginny said quickly to cover up her mistake and at the same time keep them from Diagon alley.
"Normally I'd go Ginny but I can't, besides it might be nice for you to go out. Why don't you go to diagon alley with them?" Molly asked with a concerned tone in her voice.
"Mum, that's not a good idea, Gin is probably still sick from yesterday." Ron said in a condescending tone.
Ginny frowned. How dare he insinuate that she was too weak to go to Diagon alley! She wasn't weak! She could handle a lot more than he could! That insufferable Prat! She thought then decided that if she couldn't keep them from Diagon alley then she'd go with them.
"Actually I'd like to go too" Ginny said and smirked at Ron who was silently fuming.
"Right then! Ginny here's the key to the Gringotts vault and-"
"Wait hold on! Why does she get the key! I'm the oldest!" Ron shrieked jumping out of his seat in a fury.
Harry did his best not to smile and Hermione shook her head disapprovingly.
"Ronald, dear, you tend to be a tad forgetful at times" Molly said sympathetically and handed the key to Ginny.
Ginny took the key with a trembling hand. Dear god what had she gotten herself into? She was supposed to keep everyone away from Diagon alley and instead she was going with them?
Had she lost her mind?
Harry watched Ginny very closely. She was jumpy and couldn't stop looking around her nervously.
He looked at her beautiful face etched with worry and frowned.
What was wrong with her? And why had she been so adamant about not going to Diagon alley?
He wanted to shake her and force her to tell him what was wrong with her. He was extremely worried and more than once he'd wanted to kiss that worried look off her face.
He groaned inwardly, how could he be developing feelings for Ron's little sister?
It must be purely physical. Because it was true. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
Whoa, when had he started thinking of her as a woman?!
"Lets go to flourish and Blotts, I need to get another copy of Hogwarts: A history." Hermione said and Ron groaned.
"Why Hermione? You've already read the book seven times! Why do you need another copy." Ron complained and Hermione shot him her fiercest scowl.
"Actually that's a great idea! Public places are extremely good!" Ginny said quickly and pulled Hermione towards the store.
Harry frowned. Public places? What was wrong with her?
Ron hadn't seemed to notice his sister's nervousness.
Harry guessed he still held resentment of her having gotten the key to their vault instead of him.
"Fine! You guys go there and we'll got to Fred and Georges joke shop." Ron said and Ginny screeched to a halt and swiveled around to face the two boys.
"What? Alone?" she asked worriedly chewing on her lower lip.
Harry was entranced. He wished he could be the one chewing on her lower lip and he'd like- Whoa! Get that very enticing image out of your head! Harry scolded himself and instead focused on Ginny's odd behavior.
Ron groaned and rolled his eyes.
"Were big boys Ginny! Older than you, might I add! Its not like we need you to watch over us." Ron said glaring at Ginny.
"No Ron! We have to stay together something could very well happen!" she said and Ron turned red with frustration.
"Damn it I wish something would happen to you to get you out of my hair you're so damn annoying!" Ron blurted and Ginny looked stricken.
Harry saw the pain flash through Ginny's eyes and an unexplainable anger bubbled up in his stomach.
"Ron that was completely-" Harry was cut off because suddenly there was screams around them and witches and wizards were scurrying away in fear.
Twelve death eaters had appeared out of nowhere and were surrounding the four of them.
Ginny turned ashen and she whimpered in fear.
Harry grabbed his wand and pointed at the nearest one. Ron had done the same but Hermione had blanched considerably and stood in a shocked state.
The death eater came forward and pushed Harry to the side.
"Move it Potter, were not here for you this time." The dark and sinister voice spat and Harry tumbled to the ground.
He was in a state of disbelief. The death eaters passed right by him and pushed Hermione and Ron away as well.
They all surrounded Ginny.
"Well hello little Ginny." One death eater muttered and sent her the cruccio spell.
Ginny fell to the ground and writhed in pain.
Harry finally got a hold of himself and jumped to his feet. He was about to say a spell when incantations were yelled all around them.
There were flashes of lights and screams of pain around him.
Aurors appeared out of nowhere and the death eaters retreated and disparated in fear.
Harry ran to Ginny who was shuttering on the ground.
"Harry! Are you all right? Death eaters harm you?" Tonks asked kneeling beside Harry three more Aurors in tow.
"No... they weren't after me." Harry said still shocked.
"They weren't?" Tonks asked confused.
"No they were after ... they were after Ginny." He said holding her unconscious form in his arms.
Everyone looked to Ginny and frowned.
Ron was comforting a distraught Hermione but he looked up at Harry's comment.
"But why?" he asked and Harry shook his head.
"I don't know, but I think she does."
