Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I'm not a genius like JK or John Williams. (I do have a pretty impressive IQ, though...)

Chapter 5: Nightmares

Ginny woke with a start. Blearily she looked at the clock. It was 12:24. She took a moment to rid herself of the horrible she'd recently seen. She knew why Harry needed to talk about his nightmares. She was glad that he'd be willing to hear about her fearsome dream too. Ginny stood up and went to the door. She was just about to open it when she heard Hermione stir behind her.

"Ginny?" Hermione said sleepily, "What are you doing?"

"I just need to use the toilet," she lied, "Go back to sleep." Hermione mumbled a bit, but she was apparently satisfied because she went back to sleep. Ginny continued out the door and up the stairs. When she entered the room, she could see that Harry was considerably shaken.

"Usual dream or different?" she said automatically.

"Different," Harry whispered, barely looking at her, his breathing shaky.

"Tell me," she said as she sat down.

"Oh my God, Ginny, it was terrible. I was walking down Godric's Hollow – where my mum and dad...and I lived." It took a minute for him to go on, "There was a sign that said 'Godric's Hollow,' you know? But when I looked back–" he shuddered, "– it said 'Slytherin's Hollow.' At the end of the road was a house...with the – the Dark Mark over it. I looked to my left, and I saw three gravestones. The furthest read 'James Potter,' the next one said..." his voice faltered, but he swallowed the sob that was fighting to escape him.

"It said 'Lily Potter.' And the one closest to me said 'Harry Potter: The Boy Who was Defeated.' Then I heard that high, cold, manic laughter..." Harry trailed off.

Ginny was stunned. That's terrible, she thought, No one should have to go through that.

"Ginny?" Harry seemed to have come out of some sort of trance.

"Oh, Harry. I – I can't imagine..." she was speechless. Silence fell over them. After a good number of minutes Harry spoke. "Why did you come? I wasn't screaming again, was I?"

"No! Actually, I had a – a nightmare too."

"Hmm. What happened?"

"Well, I was in my dormitory at Hogwarts, and I was writing in Riddle's diary – about you, actually," she looked up at him and almost smiled. "So, it sort of – sucked my into its pages. I know it sounds weird, but..."

"Actually," Harry cleared his throat with a small cough, "that happened to me. Riddle took me into one of his memories."

Ginny continued looking slightly relieved, "Suddenly I was in the Chamber of Secrets with Riddle and the basilisk."

Harry took her hand, and she didn't pull away. She was scared out of her wits.

"You flew in on Fawkes, Harry, and you started to fight the basilisk. I wanted to help you, Harry, I really did," she looked at him with pleading eyes, "Fawkes picked me up and flew away. You were just standing there, all alone. I was screaming your name, but when you looked up the basilisk attacked. Then I woke up."

Now it was Harry's turn to stare.

"I'm so sorry, Harry. I tried to get back..."

"Gin, don't cry." Harry put his arms around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm right here. It's not real." Ginny was crying so hard that Harry was forcibly reminded of Cho last Christmas. But this is different, he thought. Somehow, he wasn't scared this time. He wasn't terrified that he would mess up or make a fool of himself.

He thought of kissing her. In fact, he seriously considered it. But Ginny didn't need to know that Harry wanted to kiss her right now. She did need to know that she had a good friend in him who would always be there for her.

"It's okay, Ginny," he whispered.

Ginny almost cried herself to sleep. It's a good thing she didn't, thought Harry, If she had, I would've had to carry her down the stairs.

"I'm sorry Harry," she sniffed, wiping her eyes, "I sort of fell apart on you."

"Hey," Harry smiled, "it's about time you returned the favor, eh?"

She sent him a watery smile. "Walk with me?" she asked.

"Uh..." he glanced at Ron, "sure."

They exited the room together, and their hands found each other almost automatically. When they reached the landing on the floor below, Ginny kissed Harry on the cheek as she had the night before.

"You're amazing, Harry," she said.

Harry imagined himself catching her as she turned to go, and kissing her on the lips. In reality, he just stood there like an idiot.