Author's Note: Look people. I hope you enjoy my story, every author hopes you enjoy their work. And just like every other author I would really appreciate if you clicked the little review button at the bottom. Here's what makes me different from every other author. I WANT you to flame. If it was really that bad set this bad boy on fire. I can't learn to improve if I don't know what to improve. So do you want to read this chapter? (Nod if you do!) Wow, thanks! Now pinky-promise to review. (Wave your pinky!) Thanks…Go On read.
Disclaimer: I own Harry Potter and all of these characters. I am the almighty J.K. Here are the secrets to Harry Potter …SIKE!!!
Of all people to go and rat, Ginny would've never expected Ron. He went and told Hermione everything! Ginny walked up to her room to find Hermione standing by the door, pacing and waiting. Hermione's eyes tried to find Ginny's but she gave up and spoke.
"We need to talk." Ginny's whole body tensed up.
"About earlier?" Ginny asked.
"Yes. Ron told me all about it." Hermione looked away when she said it and Ginny took that time to mouth the word 'bastard'.
"I should have told you. I know I just—"Ginny stopped. Hermione was her best friend. She'd planned to keep Hermione clueless so that she didn't have to lie to her. But know-it-all Hermione was always a step ahead. This time, it would cost her. "I was so ashamed."
"Oh Gin!" Hermione scooped her up in a big hug and grabbed her hands as she pulled away. "It's okay. I mean, Harry had no reason to say those things to you. He should be ashamed, not you."
Jackpot. Not one person in this house gave a damn as to how Harry felt right now. Ginny had turned the great Harry Potter into nothing but a drag of villain. Whoever said lying wasn't good for you weren't lying well enough.
"I'm going to take a shower." Ginny said. "Maybe I'll feel better."
"Good idea. Oh, I have this great new shampoo. It smells almost heavenly!" as Hermione disappeared to her trunk, Ginny disappeared to the bathroom.
"So where'd you get this stuff?" Ginny asked from the other side of a sea blue dolphin shower curtain.
"My mum bought it for me ages ago and I never used it until recently. I think its jasmine scented." Hermione giggled. "I was wearing it that night Ron and I…"she giggled again.
"Eww." Ginny giggled, "Give it here!" She reached out to grab the bottle from Hermione and forgot all about it.
Hermione screamed and dropped the glass bottle spilling the contents all over the tiled floor. It was there on her arm. The mark…it ….it was on Ginny. Hermione stepped back and hit her head on the shelf behind her. The skull …the snakes, all there.
"Hermione? What?" Ginny looked down at her arm and felt gravely ill. She'd found it. "Hermione. I- I-." She turned off the shower and the towel wrapped itself around her body. As she stepped out of the shower Hermione grabbed for the doorknob. Ginny reached out took hold of her hand. "Mione, please."
"Let go of me!" Hermione hissed and snatching her hand back as if dealing with a dangerous creature. "That's what's wrong with you!" Hermione said that a bit louder than Ginny would have preferred. Ginny snapped her hand shut in front of Hermione's face and silenced her. Hermione tried to open her speak but, she had no voice. Her eyes grew wide and she leaned back away from Ginny.
"Will you listen to me now?" Ginny whispered. She ran her arm over the mark and Hermione stepped back again. "Will you?"
Hermione relaxed and stood up straight. Her eyes softened as if to say 'Tell me'. Ginny led Hermione back to her room by the hand. Hermione sat on Ginny's bed and Ginny beside her. Ginny waved her hand and relieved Hermione of her silence as they folded their legs beneath them and interlocked hands with each other as they always did when sharing secrets.
"Remember what, Ron told you?" Ginny asked and Hermione nodded. "It wasn't all true."
"What?"
"How would've Ron reacted to this." Ginny nodded toward her arm. "I couldn't tell him everything. He would've killed me and told Mum and Dad.
"So you let him knock the stuffing out of Harry? Ginny this isn't –"
"I know it doesn't make sense, Hermione, but you have to listen to me!" Hermione removed her hands from Ginny and Sat back.
"Ok, go on."
"Well, the mark was for your and Harry's protection."
"What?"
"Let me continue! You-Know-who starting sending me letter through Draco last year, all these different things about me that know one else knew. At first I thought it was a hoax. You know something Draco thought was funny but, then they started getting really personal and he knew stuff about me that I'd told no one. It was like …like"
"Like what?"
"He could read my mind and see inside of me. He told me that if I didn't answer his letters that he would kill you."
"He couldn't."
"That's what I thought, until he sent me your parents address and, sent me a picture of you sleeping."
Hermione stopped breathing. Her entire world made no sense at that moment. She felt like she was being watched. All those feelings she had over the summer of uneasiness had proved her right. Someone was looking over her shoulder at night and standing over her as she slept.
"Does… Does he still know where I am?" Hermione stuttered.
Ginny nodded.
"Hermione, you're not safe anywhere. They sent me your picture the day before you came. Again, you were sleeping but the camera seemed so close, like they were inside your bedroom. I knew I could never look at you the same and that's why I ran."
"What does this all have to do with Harry?"
"When I first met with You-know-who, he told me I had to join them to keep you and Harry alive. I told him anything and…he branded me. It hurt so badly one night, it just burned like my skin was on fire. I tried to hide it but, Harry knew something was wrong. And he saw it.
"He said that he had to tell someone for my own safety. I told him if he told I would kill him. He didn't believe me. He started to look for Dumbledore and I hexed him. I kept throwing all the jinxes I knew at him but he wouldn't respond. He just… took it. He only threw one curse and when he did, I blacked out and woke up 3 days later in the hospital wing"
"He told us you'd gotten into an argument with a Slytherin."
"I wouldn't tell the truth and he wouldn't either."
"So what did you tell Ron?"
"That he attacked me."
"Why not the whole truth?"
"Because he's Ron."
Hermione pulled back the covers on her cot and lied down. She sighed and closed her eyes then rolled over to face Ginny.
"Thanks for being honest."
Ginny felt a hole the bottom of her heart. Hermione only knew half the truth and it killed Ginny to lie to her. But this is war. People betray and kill. That's life.
She put on a nightshirt and rolled into bed. At was about 7:00 and the Burrow was just going to sleep. Thanks to a power hungry redhead.
