A/N: Hey, everyone! Thank you for those great reviews. You're inspirational!!! Ahem I think I have too much chocolate...hehe. Thanks to those who gave me ideas.

Disclaimer: puts on my reading glasses it says right here on the cover page of the book that it's copyrighted by J.K. Rowling. So of course it wouldn't be mine!

Chapter Five

Harry walked mindlessly through Hogsmeade. No one seemed to notice anything with his hood on. He spotted some people he used to know, but they didn't notice him. He saw Parvati Patil at the Apothecary shop and Dean Thomas coming out of the Three Broomsticks. Harry walked into the Hog's Head. The last time he went in here was when their secret graduation party. That is until McGonagall somehow found them. He let out a small smile as he remembered the horror on Ron's face as McGonagall crushed the shot glass he was holding with her shoes. The smile disappeared as Harry remembered his trial. He took a seat.

"What do you want?" asked the bartender, eyeing him carefully.

"Firewhiskey," said Harry. The bartender poured him a glass. Harry felt it burned down his throat and into his stomach. "Give me the whole bottle, you idiot," said Harry. The bartender seemed offended and nearly threw the bottle in Harry's face. Harry saw the bartender scowled him through his blue eyes. Harry didn't know why, but those eyes looked familiar.

After an hour, Harry went through three bottles of Firewhiskey. He felt the strength of the Firewhiskey run through his body and his bloodstream. The bartender glared. "If you going to be sick don't do it here."

Harry grimaced. "I'm not going to be sick."

"That's what you say. Look, you get out of here or I'll kick you out," snapped the bartender.

Harry laughed. "Sure."

"I'm serious." Harry continued to laugh, taking another dive for the bottle of Firewhiskey. The bartender huffed off.

Are you drunk? The voice of Apollo came into Harry's head. Harry scowled and blocked it out. He could hear the echoes, but a few seconds after that the only sound he could hear was the pounding of his head.

The bartender came back. "I just called an Auror. So you might as well get your arse out of here or they'll come and snap you in half."

"As if I'm afraid of them," snorted Harry.

The bartender gave a huff and went off to the other customers. Harry twirled the bottle around on the table. It reminded him of that game of Spin the Bottle. The memory went away as fast as it came. Harry's head was banging like the sounds of drums. So many memories past through his head as he watched the bottle spin and the sparkle of the dim lights that hit the glass bottle. The memories come and go, never stopping to let him clear his head. He was snapped out of his dazed and intoxicated thoughts when the bartender came back.

"Ha!" cried the bartender. "Look and see! An Auror is already there!"

Harry looked up at the bartender. "Stop your bluffing. You don't call Aurors for drunks."

The bartender leaned close to his ear. "But I call Aurors for escape convicts, Harry Potter." Harry's head snapped up quickly from the table, his hand slamming on the bottle to stop its spinning. The bartender grinned crookedly. "Yes sir, that's what I did. You don't know who I am, do you?"

"I don't want to know," snarled Harry, trying to support his weight standing up.

"I'm the bartender. Not just a bartender, but the bartender. Ah! There's the Auror."

"Is there some problems here?" asked an impatient voice. Harry listened carefully. The sound was vaguely familiar, yet so unknown and distant. He wanted to know who had spoke.

"Ah, Miss Weasley, I didn't know they would send you," said the bartender. Harry's heart gave a leap and his head jerked up from the mouth of the firewhiskey bottle that he was holding.

Harry saw a scowl came upon Ginny's face. "They only sent my ass here, because they thought I had nothing better to do."

"What are they doing with all those time?" asked the bartender.

"What else?" asked Ginny. "They think as a Second year Auror student, I'm not as good as those other people. Idiots. Anyways, that's a waste of time and I have more better things to do, so what am I here for?"

"What better things than to arrest a convict right here?" asked the bartender. Harry watched as Ginny surveyed the bartender, then turned to him. She looked quite the same; maybe even better. Her chocolate brown eyes flickered curiously. Her long red hair was tied up in a high ponytail. Harry jumped when she called him.

"Lower your hood," she demanded.

"Why should I?" asked Harry, in a hoarse whisper.

"Either you lower your hood, or I have to detain you."

Harry laughed coldly. "Detain?" He asked. "What makes you think-"

"He's a crazy one," said the bartender. Harry looked at the bartender. He waved his hand and Harry's hook went down. Ginny gasped.

"Harry!" She whispered. Harry scowled at the bartender.

"How-"

"Runs in my blood," said the bartender. "You better take him away from here before the midnight crowd comes in and ruin my place more."

Ginny looked at Harry. "Are you drunk?"

"No," said Harry. "Leave me alone, I'm going home." He put up his hood and walked out.

Ginny turned to the bartender and gave him a knowing look and left quickly. She spotted Harry walking a bit slanted down the cobble road. She walked quickly to him.

"Would you talk to me?" asked Ginny quietly.

"There's nothing to say," said Harry. "It's all behind me."

"It's been killing me," said Ginny.

Harry almost stopped, but didn't. "Then why are you alive?" He asked, coldly.

"Do I look alive, Harry?" asked Ginny. "Do I really look the same now as two years ago? If I do, then you haven't looked at me long enough to know."

"I don't care," said Harry. "Just go away and leave me alone."

"What makes you think I will?" asked Ginny, threateningly. "My family was dragged into this mess. What do you say?"

Harry scowled. "I have nothing to do with your family anymore. I broke that bond when you sent me to prison." They were walking on a narrow road in Hogsmeade. The dim candle lights were flickering inside the shops that they walked by. "Everything was broken on that day. It's hard to pick up the shatter pieces without knowing where it goes."

"Harry, I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't give me the last two years of my life back," hissed Harry. "Sorry doesn't make me forget the fact that you betrayed me. There's nothing more to talk about."

Ginny felt hot tears sliding down her cheeks. "Please, Harry. Can't I just talk to you without you lashing out?"

"No," said Harry. "Because I don't trust you."

"I know Azkaban was terrible, but will you please let me help."

Harry laughed. "You're an Auror, what's there to help?" Ginny bit her lip. She pulled out her wand and waved it. A blue folder landed in her hands.

"Do you want to know what you wrote on your application to be an Auror?" asked Ginny.

Harry turned to her. "Where did you get that?"

"Tim Vanes gave it to me," said Ginny.

"Why would he do that?"

Ginny frowned. "You know him?"

"He sent me a letter, telling me that I was accepted." For the first time since they met, Ginny heard some softness in Harry's cold voice. They warmed up, only for a mere second. "I was prepared. I was ready. I read every book on it over the summer. My training would've started in November. But..." Ginny heard the coldness coming back into his voice. "But...but I failed," he spat. "And that's all I'm going to say. Leave me alone, Ginerva." He lowered his head, so he was an inch from Ginny's nose. Ginny could smell the bitterness of the Firewhiskey that Harry drank. It was strong and intense. She knew Harry for years and he never smelt like that. She reminisced on Harry's scent. It was the natural smell of fresh grass at the peak of midnight when the wind would rush through. It was the smell of mint and warmth and cool at the same time. She remembered how much it had comforted her.

Now, however, it was a different story. Harry scared her. No longer the sweet scent came from him, but the strong intoxicating smell of devil's liquid. She felt her body shake, tremble.

"And...don't ever try to find me again," said Harry in a low whisper. Ginny felt his hot breath on her face. She winced.

"Harry...you're drunk-"

"I'm not," snapped Harry. He moved away and started walking again. Ginny watched him helplessly and he swayed. She tried not to blink, but she did and then Harry was gone. She gasped and ran down the road. He was gone. She looked from left to right, still no Harry. Anger shook through her. She slammed her fist on the wall.

Ginny came back to the Burrow and went into her room. She stared around at her things, miserably, then without warning, she swept everything off her table. Her figurines came smashing down to the floor and shattered to pieces. She stormed around her room. Papers, books, pillows, feathers, they flew everywhere.

"Ginny!" cried Hermione, rushing into Ginny's room. Ginny didn't stop terrorizing her room. Hermione grabbed Ginny's arm, but the young Auror tore free and let out a scream. Hermione pulled Ginny onto the bed. "Ginny! Snap out of it!" She yelled, annoyed. "What are you thinking? Did something happen? Look at your room! It's a mess. Molly is not going to be pleased-Gin?" Hermione had been too busy yelling to notice the tears rolling out of Ginny's eyes. Hermione's eyes softened. "Ginny? What-what's wrong?" Ginny threw her arms around Hermione and sobbed. Hermione placed her hands on Ginny's back, trying to soothe her. "Shh...tell me what's wrong."

Ginny continued to sob. "He hates me, Hermione," she cried. "He hates me."

"Who?" asked Hermione, a bit confused. Ginny shook her head and continued mumbling 'he hates me.' Hermione pulled Ginny away. "Listen, I can't help if you don't tell me what happened."

Ginny wiped her tears. "It's not his fault," she whispered. "It's our fault."

"Who's fault is what?" asked Hermione.

Ginny stared into Hermione's light brown eyes. "It's all my fault. He's right. I should've died."

"Who said that?" asked Hermione, her eyes flashed. Ginny buried her head on Hermione's shoulder.

"Harry," she whispered. Hermione gasped and pulled Ginny away from her again.

"You saw Harry?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes."

"Where is he?" asked Hermione, standing up. "I have to tell Ron."

"NO!" screamed Ginny, grabbing Hermione's arm. "Please, Hermione, don't make it worse." Hermione sighed.

"Ginny, he tried to kill your brother. What-"

Ginny shook her head quickly. "No!" She cried again. "He's...innocent." The last word, Ginny had whispered. Hermione frowned.

"Say that again?"

"Harry is innocent," said Ginny, tears rolling down her cheeks. "It wasn't him."

Hermione sat back down. "Ginny, I know you're upset at him, but you can't just go around saying-"

Ginny stood up, angered by Hermione's words. "How can you say that!?" She shrieked. "He was your best friend! You didn't help him! He lost trust in everyone because of that! Because of this, he wouldn't even look at me! He was drunk, Hermione, intoxicated. I saw about five bottles of Firewhiskey lying around in the Hog's Head when I came in. He spoke to me, but only in hate. He hates me. He doesn't trust anyone."

Hermione looked at Ginny's eyes. "What do you want me to do?"

"Help me."

"How?"

"Prove his innocence," said Ginny.

Hermione stared powerlessly. "Ginny, how can I prove his innocence when I don't even believe..."

Ginny scowled. "You don't believe because you only see what is present to you. You don't see the deeper meaning. I ask you, who would want Harry away from this world."

"Of course it's Voldemort," said Hermione, briskly.

"Who has the power about the same as Harry?"

"Voldemort."

"Who would want to make everyone think that Harry betrayed them?"

"Vold..." Hermione gasped.

Ginny nodded. "Do you get my thinking?"

Hermione shook her head quickly. "No, no. If it was really Voldemort's doing then how did all of the evidence came to the scene of the crime?"

Ginny closed her eyes and then opened them. "I don't care Hermione. All I know is that he's innocent. I knew he was...I just didn't believe my self conscience on the day of his trial. It's all my fault, Hermione. It's all my fault."

Hermione clasped Ginny's shoulder. "It's not your fault. It was partly my fault," she whispered. Ginny looked at her. "When I came into the courtroom, I looked at him, Gin. I saw his eyes. When I first saw them, they were filled with confusion and anger, then as they laid on me, I saw a glimpse of hope, of recognition, of innocence." Hermione paused. "But what did I do?" She asked, herself, angrily. "I ignored them. I looked away." Ginny sniffed.

"I caught his eyes when he was led out, Hermione," said Ginny. "He looked for me when he sat there. I felt relieved when he looked for me, but I...I don't know how I felt, I kept myself behind one of the twins. Then he looked at me again, when he was led out, his eyes were filled with hate and betrayal. They were on me, Hermione, on me. It was my fault." Ginny stared around at her room. "Now, I don't know what to do anymore. He wouldn't let me help him." A small smile played its way to Ginny's lips. "Do you know why? Do you know his reason for not letting me help him?" Hermione shook her head. A silent tear rolled down Ginny's face. "Because he said that I was an Auror. I couldn't believe he would say that. I took me by surprise, actually. He wanted to be an Auror as well, but he talked about Aurors with such hate that I don't even know if that's his dreams to be an Auror or an expectation from others for him to be an Auror. Maybe it was because the Aurors took sent him to Azkaban. Or maybe it was just me." Ginny looked at Hermione and saw that she was crying. Her eyes were red and puffy looking.

Hermione took a deep breath. "There are so many things that are unsolved."

"What do you mean?" asked Ginny.

"I heard from Ron that...well...Voldemort is beginning to attack, full blast. His start is in London."

Ginny shook her head. "No one can defeat him, except Harry. You know that, Hermione. Two years everyone, including me, ignored the fact that we can defeat Voldemort, but we can't. There's only one person that can defeat Voldemort...and that person isn't willing to help us."

"Because of what we did."

Ginny scowled. "Why didn't Dumbledore say anything at the trial?" She asked, furiously. "I remember hearing Snape saying that Harry doesn't have enough brains to figure this out, McGonagall saying that he was probably at the wrong place and wrong time, but Dumbledore­­­­­­­­­­­—he just stood there! He didn't say anything!" Hermione heard Ginny's voice getting stronger and louder.

"Ginny, calm down before your Mum comes up," she said.

Ginny clenched her fist. "This guilt...we'll carry it forever right?"

Hermione nodded. "Guilt and other strong emotions are forever. It's good and bad." Hermione stared around at Ginny's room. "Look, you better clear everything up. And you need to get to bed. It's pretty late, now."

"It's just not fair," said Ginny. "It's not fair."

"What's not fair?"

"Everything."