Eyes of Green, Innocent Hearts
AN: This idea came to me quite suddenly a while ago, although I've found it's not original enough. I was almost finished this part of my story when I came across Arios' "An Ideal Match". Though several things are similar, it is purely coincidental. This story is going to be split into three different sections. Updates will vary with my convenience/writers block. I do appreciate comments.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
~Prophecy~
Panting.
He was panting and sweating all while his heart raced; his mind full of painful thoughts. He thrashed around in his bed. Through his sleep eerie old thoughts came upon him. Flashes of conversation swept across his mind from over a year ago.
"AND EITHER MUST DIE AT THE HAND OF THE OTHER FOR NIETHER CAN LIVE WHILE THE OTHER SURVIVES…."
A tremble at the sound of the booming prophecy, which stood imprinted on his brain forever. He recalled his own young, scared voice.
"So," said Harry, dredging up the words from what felt like a deep well of despair inside him, "so does that mean that… that one of us has got to kill the other one… in the end?"
The end. That's all he thought about now. The end, he'd known for a while now when that would be. He didn't tell Dumbledore that he'd figured it out, nor the others. This was a torment that was somewhat ritual for him. Nightly he pieced it together again and again.
"While you can still call home the place where your mother's blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort"
The Dursley's. Home.
"You need return there only once a year, but as long as you can still call it home, there he cannot hurt you."
But he wouldn't return there yet again. No, not this time. He'd always known that after Hogwarts he would leave them; he had never before comprehended just why he had to stay there in the first place. The Dursley's had gotten used to the idea too. What, did he really expect them to keep him hidden there in that old little bedroom on 4 Privet Drive forever? Stuck in the house all the time like…
Harry stifled a sob. No, he knew. They knew. Everyone knew that he was never expected to return to Privet Drive after his 7th year at Hogwarts. He wouldn't have a place anymore, he knew. Legally, he would be an adult and the Dursley's would be free. It would be bliss for them, he knew. Free from his freakish nature.
So naturally, being a clever boy, he'd known for some time now. He was sure, just like all the other battles had happened. Voldemort would strike at the end of his 7th year at Hogwarts. This year. He would have had to leave Hogwarts, and he wouldn't be able to return to Privet Drive. No matter how people tried to protect him it was eventually going to happen anyway. He'd figured it out—this was the opportune time for Voldemort.
Of course he'd known since soon after his conversation with Dumbledore. It had struck him hard one night, lying on his bed in number four…. But he hadn't told anyone. And he carried it through the following year. He'd kept his secret a whole year, he knew he'd have to face it some time. He knew that, in the end, he was going to have to face him. One of them had to die. And… it was likely that it could be Harry. Very likely indeed.
Was this where it would end? Would it end with the collapse of a frail seventeen-year-old? The last of the Potters forever now. Forever now… he was the last…
Visions of his parents in the Mirror of Erised flooded his mind; he was their only one. How could he let the legacy end?! A sick feeling overcame him as he pulled back the curtains of his bed and retched onto the floor below.
~
"Oh, sick!" was the first thing Harry heard the next morning, followed by a murmur of "what?" and bounding footsteps near his bedside.
He squinted his eyes open to four figures all hovering around him. "What? Blimey, why are you all staring at me?" Harry asked, annoyed.
"Did you throw up, Harry?" Neville asked quietly, keeping his eyes from Harry's. Since their battle in the Ministry of Magic he'd become quite mature, although still a bit apprehensive in all he did.
Harry, who was now propped up on his elbows, bent over to see the floor. Sure enough, just by Seamus' feet was a pile of chunky orange substance. Groaning and remembering his turmoil-filled night, Harry's hands went up to smooth out his face, causing his head to fall back on the pillow again.
"Don't worry about it, Neville. I'm not sick." He replied through his hands. "Just go on, all of you. Leave me alone."
He heard the retreating footsteps of three and looked up to see Ron still there with a frown his face.
"Harry, you know you can talk to me." Was all he said, before turning back to his own trunk. Harry stayed on his bed for a few more minutes, thoroughly exhausted. And it had to be a Wednesday too.
"I'll meet you in the Great Hall, Harry." Came Ron's resigned voice once again and then the sound of the door closing behind him.
Grudgingly, Harry got up, his foot almost landing in his vomit. Grabbing his wand, he muttered a vanishing spell and continued to dress himself.
In the Great Hall, food wasn't looking too appetizing. The fact that he'd seen his dinner recently was not something that increased his appetite in the least.
Across from him, Ron and Hermione were quiet; Ron stuffing his face and Hermione with her nose buried in the Daily Prophet. Then Ginny plopped herself down next to Harry and heaved a sigh.
"I did not want to wake up this morning." She spoke.
"Join the club." Harry muttered. She gave him a slightly hurt look before placing fruits upon her plate.
"Anyway, we should have a break in the middle of the week. Don't you think?" she asked Ron. "A nice Wednesday break." She smiled to herself and brought and apple to her cherry-coloured lips.
Harry just nodded next to her, not wanting her to feel as though he were mad at her at all. Her hurt look had been enough to make him feel guilty for all of the people on which he'd taken out his bad mood. Namely all the 7th year Gryffindor boys, a couple of lingering 2nd and 3rd years who had been in the common room on his way down, and Nearly-Headless Nick.
He eyed her silently as she continued the conversation with Ron, who seemed to think he could actually do with a week break once a month, not including holidays. Ginny was laughing and talking animatedly, waving her arms around in an unspoken sign language, and nearly tipping over the butter.
"Careful, Ginny," He smiled. "Wouldn't want to stick your elbow in the butter dish, would you… now?" He resisted the urge to tack 'love' on the end of it, finally stuffing a biscuit in his mouth.
Ginny stopped what she was doing and blushed, knife in hand. Slowly she brought the knife away from the butter and her slender fingers released it with a clank on the table.
"Oh, Harry, " she said, clasping her hands together and turning to him with an amused smile playing on her lips. "You know I only do that when devastatingly handsome boys-"
She was interrupted by a gasp of horror coming from where Hermione seemed to be sitting, the Prophet disguising her face. She pulled it down.
"More muggle killings." Was all she said before turning back to the paper, pretending to be engrossed. It was well known now that Hermione didn't want to actually discuss the muggle killings. During their sixth year her parents had been targeted, undoubtedly because Lord Voldemort knew of her own connection to Harry. They had not died but had narrowly escaped and were now in Secret-Keeper hiding, the Secret-Keeper being Dumbledore himself. Hermione had run to him with such the favor, having the utmost confidence in him, and he'd agreed.
Ron uneasily slid closer to her and slid his arm around her waist for a quick squeeze; his retreating arm was caught by Hermione's hand. She gave him a look of thanks and squeezed his hand in turn, placing it on her own knee. Ron blushed furiously but didn't move his hand. Ginny raised an eyebrow, not seeing why he hadn't scooted back to his original place at the table yet, but sensing something was going on.
"Well, Harry, I've quite the morning, you know. Three days in and I'm already stressed! I've got double potions, and the dungeon gives me the creeps. I think Luna may be sick, I don't see her anywhere and we have been walking down together. Would you mind walking me down?" She pleaded, standing.
Nodding, he stood as well. Memories from the night were the furthest thing from his mind as he watched Ginny smile and pick up a bag of books.
"I'll see you in Charms." He called back to Ron and Hermione. She was reading again and he was eating with only his right hand, but they had not moved apart.
On the way to the dungeon Harry watched Ginny's swift movements through the corridors. The small light that came down through high windows illuminated her beautifully pale creamy skin. Her red hair, parted at the side, hung over her face, as it was bent down slightly, concentration obviously at work in her mind.
"It's so cold down here, so dank. I can't think of a place I like less in the castle than the dungeon." She said, breaking the comfortable silence that had formed as Harry had studied her.
"I feel the same, though for different reasons." He said, stopping at the door to the Potions classroom where Snape was now entering. Harry's eyes narrowed, but eased as he felt a hand on his arm.
Ginny'd stopped too, her robes swishing at the movement.
"Thanks, Harry." She smiled. "It means a lot to me that you walk me here, I would much rather be in company of someone than by myself." Then her grin turned into a devilish smile, though innocence still reigned in her eyes. "Especially if that company is as devastatingly handsome as Harry Potter." She leaned up in a swift mock fan-girl motion and kissed him firmly on the cheek. Then her feet were back to the floor; she gave a soft "ohhh." And her hands flew to her heart. Then, without words she had the grin on her face again and was walking towards the door.
"Bye, Harry. Thanks again." She called after herself. Harry stood in place, blushing furiously, and watched her retreating back.
"Bye." He smiled and said, almost to himself, before turning back up the stairs towards Professor Flitwick's classroom, hand on cheek. Ginny, he thought, amazed him in ways he could not put to words.
~
Faculty meetings were a rare occurrence for the Professors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but when they came they were boring nonetheless. No one, it seemed, enjoyed them except for Mr. Filch.
It was here that he was allowed give his input on the running of the school and offer several new rules to the teachers. On most occasions, his requests were denied but there was always that one time when, in desperation, the teachers would give in.
Most Professors would rather be grading schoolwork than be here, for at least the first half hour of the meeting was dedicated to boring rubbish that, in the grand scheme of things, didn't really matter and was petty. Dumbledore himself did not seem to enjoy this part of the meeting, but towards the end his eyes would sparkle with excitement as he'd start cracking subtle jokes and offering a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean around the table. His smile would brighten if someone got stuck with one of the less desirable ones, and he'd laugh, patting on the back and causing them to spit it up. Now, however, they were not to that portion of the meeting but the rubbish of a beginning.
Professor Trelawney silently closed the door behind her and turned to face a room full of professors. She nodded and apology to Dumbledore before sitting between Professors Snape and McGonagall.
"So glad you and your Inner Eye decided to grace us with your presence." Snape snapped maliciously from next to her.
"Now, now, Severus. Shall we be civil to our fellow teachers?" Dumbledore said sternly and then turned to face the rest of the teachers. He began talking about typical things, school maintenance and the like. Most weren't paying attention at all, their minds wandering.
"All in favor of changing the time in which students are to be back to their dormitories to 7 P.M.?" He was asking. Snape solely raised his hand.
"Sorry, Mr. Filch." Dumbledore nodded to the man who stood in the corner with a bitter look on his face.
"Next on the agenda—"
He didn't finish his sentence, for Professor Trelawney had risen to her feet, a dazed look magnified through her large glasses.
"Sibyll?" He questioned and the look of confusion that had spread across his face transformed into that of realisation.
She began to speak in a voice very unlike her own soft one; it was loud and harsh.
"A NEW ERA ARRIVES ONLY WITH THE BIRTH OF ANOTHER… CHILD OF LEGENDARY RAVEN, POSSESSOR OF THE POWER, AND FIERY APRICOT, ONCE AS A TOOL… ONLY WHEN THEIR LOVE ABOUNDS IN THE CHILD WILL THE DARK LORD CEASE… ON AN EVE BEFORE THE DAWN OF THE SEVENTH MONTH OR ELSE RAVEN WILL DIE AND WITH HIM ALL HOPE…"
Clearly exhausted, she sank into the chair with that same expression on her face, muttering "born of young… born of young…" softly before quieting altogether.
A disturbed silence spread over the room for the course of several minutes before Professor Sprout looked timidly at Professor Dumbledore.
"What does it mean?" she asked him. "Someone from Ravenclaw perhaps…?"
"Of course they're not from Ravenclaw." Muttered Snape.
Dumbledore's previous jovial attitude had disappeared and was replaced by a much more serious one.
"This meeting is dismissed. Severus, Minerva, Sibyll, could you stay a moment?" All nodded save Trelawney, who still sat limp in her chair.
The room was filled with the shuffle of chairs and feet through the door and finally the four were left alone.
"You do know what this means, don't you?" Professor Dumbledore asked them seriously.
"What what means?" Professor Trelawney asked, waking slightly from her daze.
With a flick of Dumbledore's wrist she was snoring softly in the chair.
"Potter." Snape muttered. Sadly, Dumbledore nodded his head.
"He possesses the power… like the older prophecy said… I'm assuming that the raven was in regards to his hair." Professor McGonagall said.
"Fiery Apricot." Snape pondered to himself. "Must refer to hair as well. Well there's Susan Bones…"
"I think that the 'used as a tool' portion was a better clue to who this mother is suppose to be." Dumbledore said, raising his eyebrow.
"Ginny Weasley?" questioned Professor McGonagall, the look of shock still present in her face.
Dumbledore nodded grimly.
"Our lives are in the hands of two teenagers who are too embarrassed to even think of being together?" Snape voiced.
He had spoken what was truly on everyone's minds.
"Minerva, could you fetch the pair of them for me?" she nodded. He turned to Snape. "And could you bring the Weasleys to me as quickly as possible?" He nodded as well, leaving immediately. Dumbledore turned to Trelawney.
"Ah, Sibyll, let's put you in the hospital wing." And soon she was floating through the air behind him, still sleeping soundly.
~
Harry laughed slightly. "What is this, Dumbledore?" he asked, surveying the room. He was seated in front of Dumbledore's desk; Ginny was sitting to his right. Professor Snape, McGonagall, and Molly and Arthur Weasley were standing around them; their eyes alight with concern.
He and Ginny had both been at Quidditch practice when Professor McGonagall had come running for them. They'd been in the air, unaware of her furiously waving her arms at them from below and it had taken her a good 15 minutes to get their attention.
Dumbledore had taken that time to explain to the Weasley's what they had just witnessed. Molly'd fallen back into her husband's arms with shock.
Harry's eyes were determined. Ginny gave him a sympathetic pat on the arm and smile, before turning her own concerned eyes to the bearded man before her.
"While we were having a faculty meeting Professor Trelawney burst out with some unexpected news." Dumbledore began.
Harry knew the woman as a fraud in the Divination respect. However, on more than one occasion he'd seen a true side of her seeing abilities, so Harry did not doubt that something she had said could very well indeed be taken seriously. His mouth tightened as his nodded, signaling Dumbledore to continue.
The man pulled out a bowl of sorts that Harry recognised immediately as the Pensieve. He poked at the substance that filled it and an image of Professor Trelawney from what looked like earlier that day appeared. Her voice boomed:
"A NEW ERA ARRIVES ONLY WITH THE BIRTH OF ANOTHER… CHILD OF LEGENDARY RAVEN, POSSESSOR OF THE POWER, AND FIERY APRICOT, ONCE AS A TOOL… ONLY WHEN THEIR LOVE ABOUNDS IN THE CHILD WILL THE DARK LORD CEASE… ON AN EVE BEFORE THE DAWN OF THE SEVENTH MONTH OR ELSE RAVEN WILL DIE AND WITH HIM ALL HOPE…"
Harry opened his mouth but found that he was at a loss of words, Ginny stirred beside him.
"Does that mean what I think it means?" she asked Dumbledore.
"Ginny," he began gently. "I know this is hard to take in. You are, after all, 16-years-old. It seems though, that you're…" He trailed off and saw the expression on Harry's face. "You're supposed to bring about great things… or, a great person."
Her lip trembled. "I'm just a kid, though. This is insane. I shouldn't be faced with this!" Tears were slowly making their way down her face. Molly was at her side in a moment, holding her daughter. She too had tears of her own. When they'd arrived and she'd heard what Dumbledore was saying her first instinct was to fight him on this, if it were the only thing she'd ever fight him on. But now she'd seen the prophecy for herself, and couldn't deny its realism.
"Ginny, I know this is hard." She said, smoothing out the back of her sweater, wishing she could console her more. Ginny stole a horrified look at Harry.
"Ginny, I…" he began awkwardly, scratching his head and looking down at his feet. He resisted a quiet urge to tell her that he had faced very much throughout these past 6 years.
"So what do we do?" Molly asked, looking back up at Dumbledore from her place beside her daughter.
"I'm not going to force you to do this Ginny, but realise what it means if you don't…" he started. "No, I don't want to place a guilt trip on you but… the world…" Dumbledore seemed to be losing his grip on words the same as Harry.
Sniffing, she raised her head high. With a very distinctive blush she began, "I know what this means, I know what I have to do." And nodded slightly. Dumbledore's eyes fell upon Harry and his still open mouth.
"I…" he began. "Of course I know too, I'll do whatever is needed to win this war." Ginny cringed at hearing him describe it that way.
"Right then… It's the 3rd…" Dumbledore started before being interrupted again.
"But!" Harry said with much emotion, placing his hand upon Ginny's. A great sense of courage suddenly forced its way through his body. "I want you to know I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been falling in love with Ginny Weasley for quite some time!" He cried to all occupants of the room.
A startled look appeared upon the girl's face. She smiled gratefully through her tears to no one in particular.
Molly and Arthur threw knowing smiles in the others direction. Ginny'd fawned over Harry for a good 3 years at least before giving up on him. Molly knew better though, she knew Ginny still harbored deep-rooted feelings for the boy.
Dumbledore smiled again. "Right, then, as I said today is this 3rd. Would it be in everyone's best interest to have a small wedding ceremony on the night of the 5th? We're going to do this right, you know." Dumbledore smiled. "If anyone else is doing the math, the dawn of the seventh month… or the beginning of July, is a little less than 10 months away and you know a child takes 9 months to fully prepare…" There was a smile twitching at his mouth.
Harry and Ginny blushed profusely but entwined their hands nonetheless. They were in this together, until the end.
~
It had taken a great deal of explaining on Harry, Ginny, Molly, Arthur, and even Dumbledore's parts to tell Ron and Hermione just why their two best friends (sister, in one case) were supposed to be married. It had shocked them to the point where Dumbledore had shown them the prophecy for themselves. That had finally quieted their questions.
The night of the 5th, just after dinner had commenced in the Great Hall, they were to meet in the Gryffindor common room. For that part of the night the Fat Lady had a new password that only those who knew about the ceremony would be able to repeat. The students were being distracted by a speech Dumbledore had requested Firenze make. Most students were captivated by him as it was.
Dumbledore approached Harry from across the room. He, Harry, was wearing black pants and a white shirt beneath his fanciest robes. Without words Dumbledore placed something small but heavy into the palm of his hand. Harry opened them and found a delicate white gold engagement ring and beside it the actual wedding band.
"It was your mothers." Dumbledore gave him a gentle smile. "Ginny has your fathers. Hagrid returned them to me when we met just after their deaths."
Harry nodded, silent tears making their way down his face. If his parents could see him now he didn't know what they would be thinking. Proud, he supposed, or worried, or even shocked. Maybe all three.
Hermione appeared down the stairs in a pale pink dress looking flustered. Her hair was twisted back eloquently with a few haphazard strands falling out of place. She bounded over to where he and Dumbledore stood.
"Ginny's quite nervous, I'll tell you that." She looked pointedly at Harry. Of course she was nervous. Harry himself felt as though he would throw up at any moment, how this had been sprung on them so. Hermione's head snapped in the direction of the stairs, a look of relief upon her face.
"Ah, here she comes." She said. Molly Weasley was walking down the stairs followed by a blushing Ginny.
She wore a white dress that looked more like a summer dress than a wedding dress. It was beautiful all the same though. The skirt was made of tulle and puffed out slightly, the sleeves were short and sheer, the stomach of it was flat with a ribbon tying around just under her bust, and the neck was square. Her red hair was parted to the side and curled, a crown of white flowers adorned her head.
Molly Weasley looked right proud. Several red heads swarmed the girl. Bill, Charlie, Percy (having apologized profusely to his family), Fred, and George had all apparated to Hogsmeade earlier that day and had walked in together.
Bill and Charlie hugged their younger sister.
"You look stunning, Gin." Bill winked and Charlie gave a hearty laugh, pride overcome in his eyes.
Percy eyed her for a minute before giving her a slightly awkward hug and patting down on her hair.
"Make the family proud, Ginny." He said, the glimmer of a tear in his eye.
Fred and George were upon her in an instant.
" 'S not going to be the same, Ginny." Fred sighed, his arm around her shoulders.
"We love you, kid." George patted her hair and winked.
Finally Ginny turned to the only brother left. Ron was looking forlorn and red in the eyes. He considered himself to be closest to Ginny of all his siblings.
He hugged her and kissed her forehead.
"Gin, I love you, ok?" he said. She nodded and smiled. Ron laughed, "You know he's my best mate and I trust him with anything, even you. He's probably the only guy I'd trust with you." She smiled and nodded again through her own teary eyes.
"You're part of something big, Gin. You'll be in all the history books." He whispered to her, chuckling slightly, before pushing her on to her parents. Ginny's heart gave way at her brother's words and tears came tumbling down her cheeks.
"Oh, Ginny!" Cried Molly, a handkerchief in her hand. "I didn't think this day would come for a long time and now… look at you… about to save the world." Tears began to splatter down her cheeks as she let out a sob.
Everyone present took seats; they were in a circle surrounding where Dumbledore and a very nervous Harry stood. Hagrid winked at him and gave him thumbs up.
Ginny grasped her father's hand as he brought her to the middle of the room to Dumbledore. He released her sweaty palm and hugged her so hard she though she'd burst with emotion.
"I love you, Virginia." He smiled, kissing her forehead. Then, with one swift movement he placed her hands into Harry's and sat down next to his wife.
Ginny looked determinedly into Harry's eyes and nodded to him at seeing his own forlorn look. Dumbledore placed a hand on each of their shoulders.
"Virginia Agatha Weasley" He began, and then turned to Harry. His eyes glimmered merrily and sadly at the same time, if that was at all possible. "Harry James Potter" his strong voice said.
The ceremony was short; it had gone nothing like Harry had seen in various movies. There was something unusual but spectacularly magical about it that was just his and Ginny's. When all the words had been spoken, nearly everyone in the room was crying. They'd been heartfelt and personal to those in question. Ginny looked to the ground and blushed, realising that this was where they kissed and yet they never had before. Before she even had a chance to look up again, Harry'd taken her chin into his hand and tilted her head up. He took a deep breath and searched her eyes before closing his own and placing his lips on Ginny's firmly.
"You'll never know just how much you two remind me of your parents." Dumbledore whispered proudly as he glanced at Harry.
~
One of the northeastern towers, which, until now, had been uninhabited, had been prepared for their living. Trunks had been moved up and a queen sized bed as well. It was adorned with Gryffindor coloured curtains. A small door to the right of the bed led a long pathway to the Gryffindor common room. They were, after all, still Gryffindors. The walls were blank and ready for decorating.
Ginny stared into the room, taking it all in. She was still in her dress and Harry stood awkwardly to her side, wearing his robes. Ginny turned to him, blushing and suddenly realised why they were there. She grasped the pink bottle of potion, which Dumbledore had given her minutes after the ceremony. Fertility potion. A sip every night…
As Harry walked to take a seat on the bed Ginny took a quick sip and blushed again (if only to herself) before following him and sitting down beside him.
"Ginny, I know this isn't how you'd imagined your wedding night. I'm sorry…" He muttered, his face in his hands.
She grinned slightly; taking his hands, and blushed.
"I've got to get over this blushing!" she said. "We're married, after all…. And Harry…" she started, biting her lip.
"I always imagined my wedding to be with you. Since your first year anyway."
He smiled at the hand in his, noticing the glimmer of his mother's ring.
"I do love you Ginny…" he started and then leaned down to kiss her softy. She closed her eyes and accepted it with bliss.
"And I have the utmost respect for you." He kissed her again, more firmly on the mouth. "You're the most beautiful blushing bride I've ever set my eyes upon." The kisses continued and she laughed into his mouth. He pulled back, amused.
Her eyelashes fluttered as his fingers ran their way through her red hair and she giggled.
"That tickles!" she cried, he raised an eyebrow. "Oh, but I love it." She reassured him, the same funny-teasing smile on her face.
And with that he attacked her sides with tickles, she fell back and screamed with laughter as he caught her foot—her most sensitive ticklish spot.
"Harry!" she cried out through her giggles. She lay there staring up at him as he tickled her sides once again. The giggles died down as he stopped, staring at her through adoring eyes, but the smile stayed there.
And suddenly, she was reaching up and pulling his face down to meet hers. They stared at each other once more, both breathing heavily. Harry's eyes twitched with nervousness as he gulped, and then kissed her soundly on the lips.
The night followed through as a typical wedding night would, sparing the details, as that is the private business of Harry and Virginia Potter.
When Ginny woke the next morning though, she was snuggled in his arms and his breath caught her bare shoulder gently. She pulled up the strap of her slip and rolled around to watch his sleeping face. There was a boyish charm about him. His hair stuck up from all sides, but of course it always did that. His face looked innocent without his glasses on. She was quite in love with her husband.
She giggled at the thought. Her husband.
~
Of course, all of Gryffindor tower was in an uproar about the sudden disappearance of their friends and their respective trunks.
"What could they have done to be booted out so fast?!" cried Abigail Crimsley, a 5th year Chaser on their house Quidditch team. What would they do without their talented Captain/Seeker and fellow Chaser?
Complaints had been thrown at McGonagall in defense of their friends.
Colin Creevey could be heard venting as he walked down to breakfast that morning. "Harry's saved us all on many occasions with no regard for the rules, what could he have done now to cause them to kick him out? Dumbledore no less!"
"Put a pipe in it!" Ron, overhearing, had stormed.
Colin looked taken aback. "Your best mate and your sister! Don't you want justice?"
But it had been Hermione who'd responded. "Don't go talking about things to which you know nothing about!"
It didn't just stop there, though. They'd spread the news to the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, and no doubt the Slytherins had heard. They were found laughing joyously in the corridors. The fact that Harry and Ginny slept to late hours of the day did not help. By lunch, when they finally showed their heads in the Great Hall, the whole school knew about their moved trunks and how neither had been seen the night before. As they walked in, hand in hand, all conversation came to an abrupt halt and mouths reached the floor.
"Harry, what's this about?" cried Dean Thomas as they sat down. Unsure of what to say, the boy gave Dumbledore a pleading look. He nodded at Harry and stood.
"Now, now, I say, quit your gawking!" His voice rose through the hall. "You've all been so worried about the welfare of these students. They have not been expelled, as you believe. Their living quarters have simply changed, and if they wish to, they may tell you why. If you choose to hear them through though, you'll find a funny kind of charm on yourself that will prevent you from revealing it or discussing it with anyone else." He nodded and sat, pleased with his speech.
In the end most people didn't like the sound of the charm, they loved gossip of all kinds, and Harry and Ginny ended up just telling Neville and Luna. Luna stared with her dreamy expression, which held more excitement than usual, at the rings that had suddenly appeared before her eyes on Ginny's left ring finger. She picked up her hand and stared at the diamonds in awe, muttering about the shell of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.
Meanwhile, September was moving on and all those involved were getting anxious. Ginny couldn't blame them, unless her child was to be premature, she'd have to have conceived by near the end of the month. Ginny, herself, was probably more worried than the lot of them together. It wasn't as if they hadn't been trying. Sure, Ginny knew that it took some people years to conceive, and the thought worried her, but she knew that her mother had never had to wait very long. And she had this fertility potion, which was suppose to work 100%. It was now the 19th and they had little over a week left until October began.
"What if there is something wrong with me, Harry?" She cried into his shoulder one night. "I'm so scared!" Her body was shaking in fear, and Harry had not known what to do. All he could do was hold her and rock her back and forth. The movement finally caused her to fall asleep, soft snores escaping her mouth. He looked down at her red head and sighed, stroking it and thinking to himself. What if Ginny did have something wrong with her? Prophecies, he know on most occasions, were not simple to follow through with. He shuddered and closed his eyes.
~
Several nights later Harry opened his eyes he felt cold and lonely. It was then that he realised that Ginny was not within his arms. He'd grown so accustomed to holding her at night that now it just felt wrong not to have her there.
He grabbed his glasses off his bedside table and shoved them on, looking around at the room. It was still dark.
"Ginny?" he called, standing up. Then he saw the crack of light shinning for under the bathroom door.His heart felt quite relieved at the knowledge that she was within reach. He plopped back into bed, in the same position, and pretended to be asleep.He'd felt rather silly at becoming so alarmed, although he guessed he'd been through enough to have cause to be alarmed.He heard the light switch off and the door shut, and then Ginny's soft footsteps coming nearer and nearer.He felt her weight on the bed and expected her to ease her way back into his arms, though this never came.
"Harry!" He felt her shaking him awake, and he opened his eyes abruptly, examining the gleeful expression on her face.
"Hmmm?" he asked, trying to sound sleepy.
She raised an eyebrow. "Why are you wearing your glasses in bed?" Harry opened his mouth to speak but no words came. A smirk spread across her face and she shook her head. "No matter…" she sighed, and then began to poke him consistently to keep him from falling back asleep.
"Ow!" he cried, though not really hurt. "Ginny?" He questioned oddly.
"Harry, I've missed my period 3 days in a row!" She cried out, a bright smile shining on her face. "And it's never late, always comes like clock work!" She blushed slightly.
Harry's eyebrows scrunched together and he scratched his head, his sleepy state seemed to have halted his ability to think. Then it hit him.
He stuttered. "Y-you mean, you think…?" He trailed off and she shook her head up and down, tears spring into her eyes.
"Let's go tell Dumbledore now!" He said, his eyes bright.
"Well, it's 4:30, Harry. Can't we keep this for ourselves? Just until breakfast?" she asked with pleading eyes.
He nodded and held out his arms for her enclose herself within. She did so, and twisted her head around to Harry's expectantly. He leaned down and kissed her lips softly. They fell asleep shortly after, Harry's hand lingering on her stomach.
~
Hermione snuggled further into the soft cushy armchair, taking in the warmth of the Gryffindor fire and pulling her book closer to her face. She had to admit that she was somewhat bookish but there was so much in this world to be taken in, and she didn't want to miss a single thing. She supposed her erudite manner could come across annoying, but she couldn't help it.
Now, however, she was not reading for learning but pleasure instead. As a child, the story had been one of her most favorites, she'd watch the Disney version almost every day. Though it may not have seemed it at all, Hermione was a bit of a romantic at heart.
Her thoughts came to a halt as joyous laughter rang from the entrance to the common room. There stood Ginny and Harry, arm in arm, an aura of brightness surrounding them. Ginny had only socks on her feet and carried two oversized shoes in her hands. She was looking into Harry's eyes with delight, laughing heartily with emotion caught up in her eyes. Ron followed behind the two, a huge grin spread across his face and a sort of glimmer shining in his eyes. His eyes rested upon Hermione's face and the grin only grew.
Immediately, Hermione placed the book face down on the couch and walked out to meet the group of overjoyed students. She glanced at the book and then to Ginny's glowing face. Ron, too, glanced curiously at the book.
"Hermione!" Ginny cried in happiness.
"Don't tell me, don't tell me. It's happened hasn't it?" she cried out too, finally grasping the reason for the shoes. One of the older wizarding pregnancy tests, she had read, was that of "Oedipregnacio". One pointed their wand at the shoes of the girl who suspected and expectance and murmured this word (pronunciation was key). If the shoes remained the same size then she was not with child, but if they'd grown then she was. The term originated from two separate words. Oedipus (1) meaning "swollen foot" and Pregnancy in which, obviously, a child is conceived and develops.
Ginny was already grasping Hermione tightly in a hug. They both squealed, which was rather uncharacteristic for Hermione.
"We met Ron up on the way from seeing Dumbledore and told him." Harry explained.
"Ginny this is wonderful!" she said, then became thoughtful. "You know, when I was in the library earlier this week I happened across a book on wizarding pregnancies. I knew I should have checked it out! Care to come take a look with me?" She smiled.
"I'd like to see what it has to say, what mum's being carrying on about all these years…" Ginny grinned, remembering many a "when I was pregnant with ::insert child here::" story. She took Harry by the hand and followed Hermione out the door. Ron smirked at her very characteristic behavior and turned to follow when something caught his eye.
There was that book that Hermione had forgotten about, that she hadn't wanted them to see. Glancing behind him nervously he picked it up at turned it around.
Sleeping Beauty.
~
Many know the story of Oedipus, the son of Laius and Jocasta, who was abandoned at birth and unwittingly killed his father and then married his mother. (Greek Mythology)~Sarimi Evolity