Disclaimer: You know the drill
Chapter 5
Harry awoke the next morning to Ron and Hermione standing over him. Ron and Hermione had their arms around each other, mostly because Ron needed support to walk, as his hip wasn't completely healed yet. Neither of them seemed willing to admit that they were enjoying it; it was simply practical. Hermione was smiling down at him, but Ron looked livid. That's when Harry felt Ginny's hand move in his own, and remembered she was sleeping behind him.
"What do you think you're doing with my sister?" Ron said, not yelling, but in a tone that conveyed more anger than Ron had ever conveyed before, and that was really saying something.
"Shut up, Ron, this is Harry you're talking to." Hermione nudged Ron in the stomach with her elbow.
"Relax, she just had a nightmare and since you and Hermione were in the hospital wing she found me." Harry replied.
"Another nightmare?" Ron said incredulously, "She's been having them all the time lately." Harry wondered how she had time for so many nightmares as well as the dreams about Zachariah and Lucia, but he quickly dismissed this thinking, realizing he did the same thing. There really are a lot of hours in a night. His train of thought was completely cut off by Ginny's voice.
"Ron, the whole world doesn't need to know that I've been having nightmares, lower your voice." Ginny said sternly, getting up and climbing over Harry to get off the couch.
"Ron, let's go get breakfast, Harry and Ginny can meet us after they've tidied up." Hermione said quickly. Harry and Ginny both looked down at their clothes, Harry was wearing his wrinkled uniform from yesterday, as he'd never made it up to his dormitory, and Ginny was still wearing her pajamas.
After they had both gotten changed, Harry and Ginny met in the common room and walked to breakfast together.
"Thanks a lot for staying last night, I slept well once I wasn't alone anymore." Ginny said smiling as they started down the long corridor toward the Great Hall.
"No problem, I slept pretty well too." Harry replied smiling back at her. "I wanted to ask you, did you have the dream about Zachariah and Lucia last night? I mean after you went back to sleep, when I was there." Harry asked.
"Actually, I did, how about you?" Ginny questioned, but she was pretty sure she knew the answer.
"Yes, I did." He said. Ginny had been right, she wasn't sure how she knew, but she knew he must have had the dream too. She quit pondering this when he spoke again, "I also got about a second farther into it before I woke up. Lucia had that terrified face, and then there was a loud bang before I woke up. I had never heard that bang before, it was an awful sound." He said looking a little shaken.
"I heard it too! Maybe we're allowed to see further into the dream when we have it together." Ginny said, voicing her theory.
"I was thinking the same thing, and I was also thinking maybe we both had the dream last night because we were sleeping together." Harry said, blushing at the phrase 'sleeping together.'
"I just wish I could find out what that horrible bang was." Ginny said, exasperated. Then, with a sly look in her eye she said, "How would you feel about another night on the couch?"
"It's worth a try I suppose, but what will Ron say?" Harry wondered.
"Who cares what Ron says? Besides, we can just tell him I had another nightmare." Ginny said thinking quickly.
"I care what he says, I don't want my best friend mad at me. If we say you had another nightmare he'll get suspicious and wonder why you didn't come to him or Hermione. I think we should just tell him what's going on."
"Okay, but then we have to tell Hermione too, she can't be the only one of the four that doesn't know." Ginny said as she walked into the Great Hall, slightly ahead of Harry.
"Fine." Harry said, thinking they could probably use Hermione's vast amount of knowledge to help them decipher what the dream meant or what was going to happen. Harry and Ginny sat down with Ron and Hermione, who had neglected to remove their arms from around each other, even though Ron was sitting down and no longer needed the support it provided. Harry told Ron and Hermione about the joint dream, and how they had gotten farther along when they slept together.
"We just wanted you to know what was going on, in case you find us on the couch like that again." Ginny said.
"Yeah, I don't think I could handle you being mad at me." Harry said to Ron.
"Fine, but you had better not lay a hand on my sister!" Ron said sounding a little angry.
Hermione laughed, "Ron, you can trust Harry, and you know it."
"Besides, I can take care of myself!" Ginny added vehemently.
"So, exactly how many nights are you planning to do this?" Ron asked looking a little uncomfortable.
"We don't really know, it depends how far we can get into the dream in one night, and we won't know that until after tonight." Ginny said hoping Ron wouldn't blow up at them.
"Alright, I guess I'm curious about the meaning of those dreams myself." Ron said giving up.
"Me too," said Hermione looking bewildered. "I've never been so utterly clueless about what's going on." The other three laughed at Hermione as they all got up and left the Great Hall to go to class. In the corridor outside the Great Hall, Ginny went towards the dungeons for potions, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed outside to Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures. Harry walked ahead of Ron and Hermione, who were walking very slowly, because Hermione had to help Ron walk.
It seemed like seconds later that all classes for the day were over, and Harry was heading to the Great Hall for dinner with Ron and Hermione. He had been preoccupied all day, thinking about the dream and Ginny. After last night he felt bonded to her, closer than he felt to anyone, even Ron and Hermione, even Sirius. At the thought of Sirius he was overwhelmed by an intense pain in his chest, he couldn't stop the tears from coming as he sat down next to Ginny.
"Are you okay, Mate?" Ron asked when he noticed Harry. The concern in his voice made Hermione look up.
"Oh my gosh, Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione inquired looking very worried.
"Nothing." Harry sobbed, "I don't feel much like eating I think I'll go back to Gryffindor tower." With that he got up and left.
"I'm going to make sure he's really okay." Ginny said as she got up and chased him out. She caught up to him at the staircases near the Fat Lady's portrait. He was sitting on the stairs, crying his eyes out, his glasses fogging up.
"Sirius?" She asked as she sat down next to him.
"What else?" He responded, dreading the attempts at comfort she would make, just like everyone else, telling him it would be okay, telling him Sirius was in a better place, none of it made any difference to him, and he didn't want to hear it. But Ginny didn't try any of those things. She just wrapped her arms around him and held on tightly while he sobbed into her shoulder. It was so much more comforting than anything anyone had tried to tell him. In fact, it was exactly what he needed. Even after he stopped crying she held on, just until she could be sure he felt completely better. They separated only when the staircase moved and jerked them apart.
"Thanks Ginny." Harry said, "For literally being a shoulder to cry on."
"No problem." She said, "It helps to cry."
"Then why do you always try so hard not to?" Harry asked. Ginny looked taken aback, so he added, "It's just that, I've noticed a few times when you were going through something really tough, something that would make anyone cry, and you rightfully looked as though you would burst into tears at any second, you never did. You always hold it back."
"I don't know, I feel weak if I cry, which, I guess is pretty stupid. Maybe I should take my own advice." She joked.
"It was good advice." He said sincerely, "I'm going to go to the library to do my homework, I'm sure Hermione has already dragged Ron there, and you're welcome to come too if you want."
"Actually, I really need to study alone, I have too much trouble concentrating when I'm around you lot." She laughed. "But I'll see you all tonight after all homework is complete." Ginny replied.
"If you're sure." Harry shrugged before heading off. Ginny couldn't help but smile as she watched him walking away.
When Harry arrived in the library, he found Ron and Hermione in a corner table, doing homework and exchanging kisses every so often.
"Nice of you to tell me you're an item." Harry said to them sarcastically.
"We just got together during dinner after you and Ginny left, Ron asked me out. You're still the first to know." Hermione said diplomatically, trying to keep peace.
"It's no problem, but I think I'll go find someplace else to work and leave you newlyweds to it if you don't mind."
"That's not funny, Harry." Hermione said through giggles.
"Then don't laugh." Harry replied as he ducked from a spell Ron had cast to turn his hair blue, and ran out of the library before the joke spells got too out of hand. There were times when it became obvious that Ron was related to Fred and George.
Harry headed back to the common room where Ginny was working on homework.
"That was fast." She said when he walked through the portrait hole.
"Well I decided to give Ron and Hermione some privacy while they go at it in the library." Harry said facetiously.
"You're not serious!" She gasped.
"Do I sound serious?" He asked jokingly, "No I'm not but they are kissing a little, apparently Ron finally figured things out and asked Hermione out properly." Harry said.
"Oh that's great!" Ginny squealed, "I'm not going to do anymore homework tonight, this isn't due for a few days anyway."
"Mine isn't either." Harry said, "And I'm kind of tired."
"Me too, come to that, I'll go get my pajamas on and meet you down here." She replied.
It was a cold winter night, so both Harry and Ginny returned to the common room a few minutes later wearing flannel pajamas. Harry lay down on his side and squished up against the back of the couch, leaving room for Ginny in front of him. She lay down on her side as well, with her back to Harry. Ginny summoned a blanket to cover them both, and Harry reached around Ginny's waist and took her hand in his. He rested his forehead on the back of her head, and couldn't help noticing that her hair smelled like cinnamon and cloves. Ginny gave Harry's hand a squeeze and held both their hands tightly against her stomach.
"Goodnight Harry." Ginny said softly.
"'Night Ginny." He replied into the back of her head. They both drifted off to sleep, dreaming of Zachariah and Lucia.
AN: Aw, some fluff in this chapter. Anyway, they go back in time next chapter, that's a guarantee. Thanks for reading! Please review, please don't flame. Enough said, I'm going to write an accompaniment to this story but I don't know when exactly, I just had a good idea for one.
Chapter 5
Harry awoke the next morning to Ron and Hermione standing over him. Ron and Hermione had their arms around each other, mostly because Ron needed support to walk, as his hip wasn't completely healed yet. Neither of them seemed willing to admit that they were enjoying it; it was simply practical. Hermione was smiling down at him, but Ron looked livid. That's when Harry felt Ginny's hand move in his own, and remembered she was sleeping behind him.
"What do you think you're doing with my sister?" Ron said, not yelling, but in a tone that conveyed more anger than Ron had ever conveyed before, and that was really saying something.
"Shut up, Ron, this is Harry you're talking to." Hermione nudged Ron in the stomach with her elbow.
"Relax, she just had a nightmare and since you and Hermione were in the hospital wing she found me." Harry replied.
"Another nightmare?" Ron said incredulously, "She's been having them all the time lately." Harry wondered how she had time for so many nightmares as well as the dreams about Zachariah and Lucia, but he quickly dismissed this thinking, realizing he did the same thing. There really are a lot of hours in a night. His train of thought was completely cut off by Ginny's voice.
"Ron, the whole world doesn't need to know that I've been having nightmares, lower your voice." Ginny said sternly, getting up and climbing over Harry to get off the couch.
"Ron, let's go get breakfast, Harry and Ginny can meet us after they've tidied up." Hermione said quickly. Harry and Ginny both looked down at their clothes, Harry was wearing his wrinkled uniform from yesterday, as he'd never made it up to his dormitory, and Ginny was still wearing her pajamas.
After they had both gotten changed, Harry and Ginny met in the common room and walked to breakfast together.
"Thanks a lot for staying last night, I slept well once I wasn't alone anymore." Ginny said smiling as they started down the long corridor toward the Great Hall.
"No problem, I slept pretty well too." Harry replied smiling back at her. "I wanted to ask you, did you have the dream about Zachariah and Lucia last night? I mean after you went back to sleep, when I was there." Harry asked.
"Actually, I did, how about you?" Ginny questioned, but she was pretty sure she knew the answer.
"Yes, I did." He said. Ginny had been right, she wasn't sure how she knew, but she knew he must have had the dream too. She quit pondering this when he spoke again, "I also got about a second farther into it before I woke up. Lucia had that terrified face, and then there was a loud bang before I woke up. I had never heard that bang before, it was an awful sound." He said looking a little shaken.
"I heard it too! Maybe we're allowed to see further into the dream when we have it together." Ginny said, voicing her theory.
"I was thinking the same thing, and I was also thinking maybe we both had the dream last night because we were sleeping together." Harry said, blushing at the phrase 'sleeping together.'
"I just wish I could find out what that horrible bang was." Ginny said, exasperated. Then, with a sly look in her eye she said, "How would you feel about another night on the couch?"
"It's worth a try I suppose, but what will Ron say?" Harry wondered.
"Who cares what Ron says? Besides, we can just tell him I had another nightmare." Ginny said thinking quickly.
"I care what he says, I don't want my best friend mad at me. If we say you had another nightmare he'll get suspicious and wonder why you didn't come to him or Hermione. I think we should just tell him what's going on."
"Okay, but then we have to tell Hermione too, she can't be the only one of the four that doesn't know." Ginny said as she walked into the Great Hall, slightly ahead of Harry.
"Fine." Harry said, thinking they could probably use Hermione's vast amount of knowledge to help them decipher what the dream meant or what was going to happen. Harry and Ginny sat down with Ron and Hermione, who had neglected to remove their arms from around each other, even though Ron was sitting down and no longer needed the support it provided. Harry told Ron and Hermione about the joint dream, and how they had gotten farther along when they slept together.
"We just wanted you to know what was going on, in case you find us on the couch like that again." Ginny said.
"Yeah, I don't think I could handle you being mad at me." Harry said to Ron.
"Fine, but you had better not lay a hand on my sister!" Ron said sounding a little angry.
Hermione laughed, "Ron, you can trust Harry, and you know it."
"Besides, I can take care of myself!" Ginny added vehemently.
"So, exactly how many nights are you planning to do this?" Ron asked looking a little uncomfortable.
"We don't really know, it depends how far we can get into the dream in one night, and we won't know that until after tonight." Ginny said hoping Ron wouldn't blow up at them.
"Alright, I guess I'm curious about the meaning of those dreams myself." Ron said giving up.
"Me too," said Hermione looking bewildered. "I've never been so utterly clueless about what's going on." The other three laughed at Hermione as they all got up and left the Great Hall to go to class. In the corridor outside the Great Hall, Ginny went towards the dungeons for potions, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed outside to Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures. Harry walked ahead of Ron and Hermione, who were walking very slowly, because Hermione had to help Ron walk.
It seemed like seconds later that all classes for the day were over, and Harry was heading to the Great Hall for dinner with Ron and Hermione. He had been preoccupied all day, thinking about the dream and Ginny. After last night he felt bonded to her, closer than he felt to anyone, even Ron and Hermione, even Sirius. At the thought of Sirius he was overwhelmed by an intense pain in his chest, he couldn't stop the tears from coming as he sat down next to Ginny.
"Are you okay, Mate?" Ron asked when he noticed Harry. The concern in his voice made Hermione look up.
"Oh my gosh, Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione inquired looking very worried.
"Nothing." Harry sobbed, "I don't feel much like eating I think I'll go back to Gryffindor tower." With that he got up and left.
"I'm going to make sure he's really okay." Ginny said as she got up and chased him out. She caught up to him at the staircases near the Fat Lady's portrait. He was sitting on the stairs, crying his eyes out, his glasses fogging up.
"Sirius?" She asked as she sat down next to him.
"What else?" He responded, dreading the attempts at comfort she would make, just like everyone else, telling him it would be okay, telling him Sirius was in a better place, none of it made any difference to him, and he didn't want to hear it. But Ginny didn't try any of those things. She just wrapped her arms around him and held on tightly while he sobbed into her shoulder. It was so much more comforting than anything anyone had tried to tell him. In fact, it was exactly what he needed. Even after he stopped crying she held on, just until she could be sure he felt completely better. They separated only when the staircase moved and jerked them apart.
"Thanks Ginny." Harry said, "For literally being a shoulder to cry on."
"No problem." She said, "It helps to cry."
"Then why do you always try so hard not to?" Harry asked. Ginny looked taken aback, so he added, "It's just that, I've noticed a few times when you were going through something really tough, something that would make anyone cry, and you rightfully looked as though you would burst into tears at any second, you never did. You always hold it back."
"I don't know, I feel weak if I cry, which, I guess is pretty stupid. Maybe I should take my own advice." She joked.
"It was good advice." He said sincerely, "I'm going to go to the library to do my homework, I'm sure Hermione has already dragged Ron there, and you're welcome to come too if you want."
"Actually, I really need to study alone, I have too much trouble concentrating when I'm around you lot." She laughed. "But I'll see you all tonight after all homework is complete." Ginny replied.
"If you're sure." Harry shrugged before heading off. Ginny couldn't help but smile as she watched him walking away.
When Harry arrived in the library, he found Ron and Hermione in a corner table, doing homework and exchanging kisses every so often.
"Nice of you to tell me you're an item." Harry said to them sarcastically.
"We just got together during dinner after you and Ginny left, Ron asked me out. You're still the first to know." Hermione said diplomatically, trying to keep peace.
"It's no problem, but I think I'll go find someplace else to work and leave you newlyweds to it if you don't mind."
"That's not funny, Harry." Hermione said through giggles.
"Then don't laugh." Harry replied as he ducked from a spell Ron had cast to turn his hair blue, and ran out of the library before the joke spells got too out of hand. There were times when it became obvious that Ron was related to Fred and George.
Harry headed back to the common room where Ginny was working on homework.
"That was fast." She said when he walked through the portrait hole.
"Well I decided to give Ron and Hermione some privacy while they go at it in the library." Harry said facetiously.
"You're not serious!" She gasped.
"Do I sound serious?" He asked jokingly, "No I'm not but they are kissing a little, apparently Ron finally figured things out and asked Hermione out properly." Harry said.
"Oh that's great!" Ginny squealed, "I'm not going to do anymore homework tonight, this isn't due for a few days anyway."
"Mine isn't either." Harry said, "And I'm kind of tired."
"Me too, come to that, I'll go get my pajamas on and meet you down here." She replied.
It was a cold winter night, so both Harry and Ginny returned to the common room a few minutes later wearing flannel pajamas. Harry lay down on his side and squished up against the back of the couch, leaving room for Ginny in front of him. She lay down on her side as well, with her back to Harry. Ginny summoned a blanket to cover them both, and Harry reached around Ginny's waist and took her hand in his. He rested his forehead on the back of her head, and couldn't help noticing that her hair smelled like cinnamon and cloves. Ginny gave Harry's hand a squeeze and held both their hands tightly against her stomach.
"Goodnight Harry." Ginny said softly.
"'Night Ginny." He replied into the back of her head. They both drifted off to sleep, dreaming of Zachariah and Lucia.
AN: Aw, some fluff in this chapter. Anyway, they go back in time next chapter, that's a guarantee. Thanks for reading! Please review, please don't flame. Enough said, I'm going to write an accompaniment to this story but I don't know when exactly, I just had a good idea for one.