My name is Ginny Weasley.
"That's… the robe?" I asked, staring.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were staring, too. We had seen a lot of different robes, but nothing quite like this. It looked like a patchy fur coat. I didn't dare touch it in fear it would fall apart.
I made it correctly, did I not? asked Ax anxiously.
"I—I don't know…" I said slowly. "I didn't make my own robes."
Jake cleared his throat and rocked back and forth on his heels. "So… um… who'd you make it to fit?"
Ax looked a little surprised. Why, for Harry, of course. He is the one who needs the most protection.
"I'm supposed to wear it?" Harry asked, gingerly taking it off the bale of hay it was on.
That is the purpose I intended it for, Ax replied.
Glancing around, Harry carefully shrugged it on over his new clothes. He tugged on the sleeves and looked surprised when the sleeve didn't come off. "What'd you use to hold this together?"
Wire.
I squinted at the seem and was extremely surprise to, in fact, see a thin wire holding the two pieces of cloth together. Harry ran his fingers over it, eyes wide in surprise. Then he turned to me and said, "Hex me."
My eyes went wide in surprise. "Hex you?" I asked.
He nodded. "I want to see if this works. I'm not going to go into battle with this being ineffective. It's very heavy."
"Why doesn't Hermione? Or Ron?" I choked out, going white. What if it didn't work and I jinxed him so badly he couldn't reverse it because he had no magic left?
Both dark eyebrows went up.
"Okay, okay," I muttered, drawing my wand. I looked down fondly at it, running its make up through my mind: Rowan. Dragon heartstring. Nine and a half inches.
Rachel cleared her throat.
"Oh. Erm, what curse should I use?" I asked nervously.
Harry shrugged. "The tickling one?"
"Sure," I said, relaxing. Good, old Harry. He always knew what to do. I lifted my wand and lowered it quickly, flicking at the end and saying, "Rictusempra!"
Silver light shot out of the tip and struck Harry full in the chest. He staggered back as the spell rebounded. It rocketed off to the left and hit the unfortunate person standing there: Marco.
Marco yelped when it hit him and doubled over, shrieking with laughter. His face turned bright red and he collapsed onto a bale of hay. "Make it stop!" he howled, sobbing tears of mirth, "Make it stop!"
"Well, this is a first," Rachel quipped, "Marco actually wanting to stop laughing."
This was no help; it only made him laugh louder.
I clapped my hands over my mouth. "Holy hippogriffs! I didn't mean to—I didn't aim—it wasn't—" I spluttered.
"It's alright," Harry said, looking uncomfortable, "A little laughing never hurt anyone."
"A little?" shrilled Marco, "This—isn't—a little—laughing!"
"What's the counter curse?" I demanded of Harry.
Harry grinned a little guiltily. "That's a good question."
I sighed dramatically and threw my hands up. "This is good!"
"Oh, move over," Hermione said, striding forward and shoving Harry aside. He tripped and fell into the wall. She ignored him and waved her wand at Marco, loudly saying the counter curse.
Marco, relieved of the spell, laughed weakly and sank to the ground. Groaning, he clutched his stomach and said, "I'm never going to laugh again."
"Marco," I said, running over to help him to his feet, "I'm so sorry."
He grinned suddenly. "I always knew you cared," he said suavely, winking.
I let go of his hand with a disgusted snort. He fell to the ground with a grunt. Sighing, he said, "They were wrong when they said, 'it doesn't hurt to try'."
"Keep trying, spandex-boy," I said snidely.
Rachel grinned and winked at me. "You're my new best friend."
"Hey!" interjected Cassie.
"Oh, sorry," Rachel replied, nudging Cassie. "You're my better best friend. There's a difference. I've promoted both you and Ginny."
"Well, I think we've established that it works," Harry said, swinging his arms. "Should I try it in morph?"
"That's a good idea," Jake said with a nod.
Harry closed his eyes and began to morph lion. I couldn't help the way I stared. I had never seen a person morph before, though I had seen him demorph (at the time, however, I wasn't quite paying attention). I then decided that morphing was disgusting and erratic process.
The morph didn't take long. I watched with amazement when he grew into the robes and it clung to him like a second skin, expanding and melting perfectly into the morph. He gave me a big, lion grin when he saw my stare.
Try jinxing me again, he said, narrowing his amber eyes and twitching his tail.
I touched to my head, momentarily befuddled. I shook myself. I was just being stupid. It was only thought-speak!
"Same one?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Hermione, be on stand-by," Jake said, preparing himself to dodge.
"Ready?" I asked, preparing myself.
Nods from all the assembled.
I raised my wand. Down! Swish! Flick! "Rictusempra!"
A silver jet of light shot out my wand again. Harry took the blow and rocked back when it hit him. There was blinding flash as the morph reflected the spell and it came bounding back…
At me.
I threw myself onto the ground and rolled. The jinx hit the wall and burned completely through, disappearing into the distance. Face ashen, I stared through the plate-sized hole.
Cassie groaned. "How am I going to explain that?"
"Just say we were playing with fire," Marco replied with a grin.
Everyone—Ron excluded—glared at him.
I shuddered when I looked at Ron. He had a blank look on his face, a look that matched the emptiness in his eyes. A fake smile was drawn across his lips, a mere façade of the grin I had always known. He wasn't… Ron anymore. The change that had taken place in my older brother scared me… if it had happened to him, couldn't it happen to me?
Casting my eyes down, I studied the dirt. Cassie sidled forward and squeezed my shoulder, as if feeling my depression. I was a tad bit unnerved. Harry had been right when he had confided that she seemed to have a six sense about emotions.
Harry demorphed and examined the robes. "At least these robes won't get torn in the next duel I fight in. And there's no telling when that'll be."
Cassie, Tobias said suddenly, extending his folded wings, Your dad is almost here. He'll get here in… oh, say, five minutes. We'd better go. He looked pointedly at the Aniwizards and me.
"We're off," Ron said, turning his wheelchair and strenuously pushing himself out the door. Hermione instantly caught the back of his chair and helped him. Harry shrugged at me and followed, robes snapping at the movement. I waved sheepishly at the human Animorphs, trotting out the door after my friends.
Harry was striding in front of me. I jogged up to his side. "Hey," I said, keeping pace with him.
"Hey," he replied quietly, not looking at me.
We were silent for a moment.
"How's life?" I asked, wishing I could take the words back after they had left my mouth.
He smiled dryly. "As miserable as I've ever been."
"Yeah, I bet," I said in just as dry a tone. "Look on the bright side. You've still got me."
"Yeah, I've still got you…" he said, staring almost hungrily at Hermione's retreating back.
I hugged him about the shoulders. "Don't worry about her. We'll fix her memories soon. She'll be back to normal before no time. You forget that I'm on the case."
A real smiled tugged at the corners of his lips. It disappeared when Hermione and Ron laughed, Hermione swooping down to plant a kiss on my brother's cheek. I felt Harry shudder against my arm.
The clearing was just a few feet ahead by now. I stopped him before we were within ten feet of it. "Don't. Stop. Let's talk."
"About what?" he asked. He didn't take his eyes from his two best friends.
I took his face in my hands and turned his face so that he'd look at me. I felt a familiar giddiness come over me when his emerald eyes met mine. His strong, firm hand clutched my arm. Memories rushed back. Now was one of those times when I remembered why I had had such a crush on him for such a long time…
"What's the matter?" he asked in his rich voice, sending shivers down my spine.
I shook the feeling off. "Harry, you've not been yourself lately. I know that there's a lot of pressure on you. I know that the Hermione and Ron's change has been difficult. I know it must have been hard to lose your magic like that. But there are people counting on you, Harry. You can't give up."
He opened his mouth to protest, but I put a finger on his lips, silencing him.
"No. I know what you're like when you're about to give up. I was there with you last year. I remember what really happened. You can't give up on this. You have to get your magic back. You have to save Ron and Hermione. You have to help the Animorphs."
He closed his eyes, a shuddering sigh leaving his lips. "Why me, though? Why can't someone else do it? It's not my bloody fault that all this is happening. Someone else can do it. I'm nothing now that I don't have my magic. That's the only thing that made me who I am. Now that it's gone… I can't do it anymore. I should just go and hand myself over to the Yeerks." He grimaced and kneaded his scar.
Horror gripped my heart. "No! No! That's what they want! Don't you see? They're trying to get you to give up. Now, I don't know why all this is happening to you. I know that I'd break under all this. But there is a reason you were born as Harry Potter, that you survived that Death Curse… can't you see? If you give up, then for what am I fighting?"
I was ranting now, but I wasn't going to stop. Tears slid crazily down my cheeks. "You're the only person who can do this! You're brave and smart and funny… you're the one holding us wizards together! You're our leader and, though Ron and Hermione don't know it right now, you're our best friend. We aren't your friends because of your magic! It's who you are that attracted us. Do you think Hermione loves you for your fame? Do you think I befriended you for your power? Do you think Ron befriended you for your money?
"Harry, I can't do this without you… please. You're the only person who can do this. You're one of my best friends and I hate to see you hurt like this, but I'm not the one who decided that this was going to happen. Please, Harry! Do it for Hermione! Do it for Ron! Do it for the Animorphs…" I trailed off and said in a very quiet voice, "Do it for me."
I turned away and wrapped my arms around myself, sobbing and trying desperately to stop. My fiery red locks fell like a curtain around my face, hiding me from view. I hunched myself over and closed my eyes. Tears flowed down my cheeks.
"Ginny." I felt a light touch on my shoulder. Turning, I saw Harry's face inches from my own. His face was pale and his eyes were huge. "I—I'm sorry. I didn't mean… thank you. Thank you for waking me up like that. I really would have give up if you hadn't said anything. Ron, Hermione, and the Animorphs wouldn't have said anything… thank you."
I hiccoughed. "What else am I here for?" I asked in a very shaky voice.
"Lots of things," he said, hugging me. "You helped me at the Ministry. You're helping me right now. Where would I be without you, right now? Nowhere."
"Thank you," I said breathlessly, feeling the closeness of our bodies.
"You're very welcome," he replied.
I half-closed my eyes and leaned forward. The hands that gripped my back convulsed. He wasn't much taller than I was, so our faces weren't very far apart. My lips met his with an explosion of fireworks behind my eyes. How long had I dreamed of kissing him!
Suddenly, he pulled me close. His lips covered mine and searched my face. My hands pressed him down on me. I felt him run his hands up and down my back. Passion made me gasp and kiss every inch of bare skin that I could find. He kissed me thoroughly, almost hungrily.
Thoughts whirled, half-formed, through my mind. I had been awaiting my first kiss for a very long time. I had had two boyfriends, but neither had felt comfortable enough to actually kiss me. Suddenly, I found myself wondering whether this is what Hermione felt like when Harry kissed her…
I pushed the thought away and instead pressed myself closer against Harry. Our forms melted into each other. He was nearly being violent as he kissed my face. I moaned and kissed the hollow between his neck and shoulder, resting my head on his shoulder. I took a deep breath of his unique smell… the smell of Quidditch equipment, sweat, butterbeer, and lilac.
He abruptly went erect. I continued to kiss his face. "What's wrong?" I asked between gasps.
"No," he said gruffly, pushing me away. Now I noticed that he was visibly shaking. "I can't do this. Hermione… what will Hermione think of this? I love her!"
"She doesn't right now," I said, "She doesn't know she does, at least."
"Yes, but I know better!" he said, almost hysterically. He backed into a tree, shaking his head violently. "We promised to be there for each other. I can't do this. I can't do this!"
I approached him. He twitched and pressed himself up against the tree. "Why?"
"Because of Hermione! And I'm using you! I'm using you in her stead!"
I leaned myself against him again. "I don't mind being used."
He backed away from me. "But I do. I do mind using you. I do mind kissing you behind Hermione's back. What would she think? She's my girlfriend, no matter what she thinks right now. I love her. I've loved her for a very long time. I'm sorry, Ginny, but I don't love you like that. You're like… my little sister. I can't… I can't…"
His complexion was slowly becoming whiter. Finally, he turned and ran without looking back . I stared at his retreating back.
At that moment, something occurred to me that I hadn't thought of before. It made my heart thud painfully in my throat. Fresh tears stung at my eyes. He wasn't using me. He never had…
I was taking advantage of him.
I leaned against the tree and slid down it, so that I ended up sitting. Drawing my knees to my chest, I put buried my face in my arms. My shoulders convulsed with sobs.
He was weak, right now. He wasn't the old Harry I knew. His magic was gone, his girlfriend hated him, and his best friend was someone completely different. How different was I from Voldemort if I used him like this?
The thought chilled me. Voldemort was using Harry as a toy. So was I, if I really considered it. I had wanted to be his girlfriend for the better part of my life, and now that she had left him for a little while I was moving in. This is what Voldemort had probably had in mind.
I was doing Voldemort's bidding. I was mentally tearing him down. I was playing with his mind.
Weeping, I lost track of all time and place. All I knew was the terrible loneliness and fear that I was becoming another one of Voldemort's pawns. I hadn't wanted to hurt Harry. I never had.
But I had hurt him anyway.
A/N: Awww, sadness! Sorry this was a little depressing. I'm in a depressed mood. Now, don't come after me with pitchforks and torches. It'll be alright in the end… or not. Do you honestly think I'm going to tell you?
Anywho, I have a little note. Don't expect Chapter 13 for a little while. I've got a research paper due. And that besides, I've got about three other stories that I'm working on. I've got a few tests and another book I have to read for school. Oh, and I've got archery and Literary Society and all that stuff.
I hope to get it up in the next two weeks. I'm looking forward to writing it. So stay tuned for "Chapter 13: Sprite (Jake)"!! (No, not the drink…)