Ginny Weasley:
The Lion-Snake Prophecies
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter … I merely worship JKR!
Extra note: The "Guardian Bond" thing mentioned is taken from "Harry Potter and the Phoenix's Flight" by The Velvet Ghost. She is a wonderful writer with a wonderful trilogy in the Phoenix's Flight series. Please check her out on !!!
Extra, extra note: My apologizes for taking so long to update!! So many people I was afraid I had lost have reviewed back to tell me they were still reading, and that meant a lot to me. This chapter just took so long because so many different ideas come together, it was hard to write. And my initial grammar – as my beta Bells pointed out – needed a little time to fix. So please enjoy, I'll list my comments in regards to reviewer's questions at the end of the chapter this time.
Chapter Nine
There was a moment of startled silence.
Ginny stared at Hiss in frank disbelief. Ron gaped at Ginny with something akin to betrayal. Harry stepped back into the room as if to watch all three of them, right hand straying nervously near to the wand still lying on Ginny's bed.
Hiss, on the other hand, seemed perfectly comfortable with all the attention he had generated. With a snake's dignified grace he carefully slipped himself away from Ginny's ankle and slithered onto the bed. Holding himself almost at eye-level, Hiss did nothing but blink serene snake-eyes at anyone who caught his glance.
Ron fish-mouthed, Harry stared and Ginny's waited, holding her breath. She was preparing herself for the onslaught, but it never came.
Because before anyone could speak, before any questions could be asked or answers given, there was a quiet knock at the door.
"Ginny, Harry? Are you still in here?" Hermione's voice came from behind the closed door. Ron and Harry whipped around to face the door, while Ginny took a moment to think and calm herself. Making sure she was speaking in English, Ginny stood up from the bed and called out.
"Yes, Hermione?"
"Is everything alright?" Hermione asked as she opened the door and took a step carefully into the room. Ron was standing in front of her, Harry near the middle of the bed and Ginny closer to the end. Hiss was still sitting on the covers, but at the movement from the door he twisted his head around to peer at Hermione.
To find that his vision was blocked by Ron, who stood just inside the door as Hermione stood just outside of it. In a flash of movement, for which Ginny would always blame Hiss's insatiable curiosity and Harry's ultra-quick reflexes – Hiss drew himself to his full height and snaked towards Hermione, while Harry saw the sudden threat from the corner of his eye and lurched towards his wand.
Ron, startled, leapt backwards from the bed. Unfortunately, he leaped straight into Hermione, who was currently balanced on one foot as she stepped into the room. Harry, going for the wand that lay on Ginny's bed, bumped side-ways into Ron just as he hit Hermione and their combined momentums threw Hermione from the room and backwards into the hallway. Losing her balance in the hallway, Hermione teetered for one precious moment, before falling – head-first – down the stairs.
There was a crash from the kitchen, a scream from Mrs. Weasley, and a cry from Ron as he rushed down after Hermione.
But Ginny barely heard any of this.
She had been caught instead by the quickness of Harry's lunge, watched as he reached towards his waiting wand, and knew that with reflexes honed by Quidditch and fighting death-eaters Hiss wouldn't be able to escape the coming curse.
So with no thought to her own personal safety, or the immediate consequences of her actions, Ginny leapt towards her reptilian friend and shielded him from the blast that came milliseconds later from Harry's wand.
There was a startled gasp from Harry as Ginny took the full brunt of his spell and a reptilian curse from Hiss as Ginny felt herself falling … falling …
… she was crossing the old, rotten bridge from her dream, was even two or three planks from the edge of the ravine, when the raging fire on the other cliff proved it's strength too great … with a sickening feeling of terror Ginny watched as the bridge ahead of her caught fire with a mighty roar. The fire seemed to crackle and hiss as it snaked towards her, changing from red and proud to green and slimy. Ginny, knowing it would be death to let the fire reach her, leapt backwards towards the cliff-face behind her. Yet the fire was too fast and the distance too great. With a cry, Ginny felt herself falling … falling … she looked up …
… up to see that a piece of the red burning rope was falling down towards her, approaching faster than she was falling. Ginny, in a desperate move, reached up and grasped the burning rope, feeling as she did so the fire as it raked across her skin … it burned, and Ginny burned, but the rope somehow held …
… And Ginny woke to see Harry's face, scrunched in concentration, come blurredly back into focus. For an instant, there was a sickening feeling of terror in her heart. Ginny closed her eyes and concentrated on the floor beneath her. It was soft and warm, not at all like the Chamber of Secrets, and with this comforting realization Ginny allowed her eyes to open and her head to look around.
She was lying on the floor of her bedroom while Harry kneeled above her. He was whispering harshly in Parseltongue and spinning in his right hand some kind of complex spell with his wand. Hiss sat beside him on the floor, and was speaking to Harry softly, as if directing whatever spell he was performing.
Ginny blinked her eyes and shook her head to try and clear it; there was fuzz in her brain and a burning sensation on her left arm. Unsure how either had gotten there, Ginny struggled to recall the past few minutes. She knew that Harry had pointed his wand at Hiss and that she had jumped in the way. Ginny turned to look at her friend and wasn't comforted by what she saw. Hiss looked concerned, and even slightly afraid. His tail was spinning in slow counter-clockwise circles on the floor, an ancient motion against something unwanted – a banishment charm if there ever was one.
Turning her attention to Harry, Ginny could understand Hiss's concern. Harry did not look good at all. His face was pale and slightly green, his brows still furrowed together, and his entire body tense. Ginny, from her place on the floor, tried to see what might be wrong, but found herself distracted by some kind of commotion in the kitchen. Mundungus and Ron were shouting while mum's reaching voice yelled at them both to be quiet.
Ginny wanted to ask what was happening, but neither Hiss nor Harry was in any condition to answer her. Thinking hard, Ginny had a brief memory of Hermione being forcefully, though accidentally, ejected from her room and a scream from Ron as she fell down the stairs …
Forgetting where she was, Ginny asked, "Hermione, is she—"
But Harry's eyes were still tightly shut in concentration above her, Hiss was still speaking softly, and the noises from downstairs had stopped. Ginny lay still, trying not to disrupt whatever it was that Harry and Hiss were doing, but anxious to make sure that Hermione was alright.
Lying beneath them on the floor Ginny tried to understand what Hiss was whispering to Harry, or even he to himself, but without luck. Both men were speaking too softly, and the dialect they uttered sounded somehow different from normal Parseltongue. Wondering what had happened to Hermione, Ginny just hoped the spell they were uttering wasn't for her benefit – she felt fine except for a slight burning on the left arm.
Eventually – though the entire situation lasted perhaps twenty seconds – Ginny heard Hiss sigh and watched as his tail settled to the floor. Above her, Harry blinked green eyes open and dropped his wand, looking around unsure at the world he had come back too. Scrambling up from the floor, Ginny didn't pause to look back at either of them before running out of her room and down the stairs.
The kitchen was a mess, mum had obviously been serving breakfast when Hermione had fallen down the stairs; eggs and coffee were spilt all over the table and an overturned coffee cup lay on one of the chairs. Dad was waiting in the middle of the floor, his arms crossed in front of his chest, looking very upset and very concerned.
Ginny slid to a halt before those crossed arms, feeling fear begin to creep up her spine. Her father would never look this angry unless …
Her voice breaking, Ginny dared to look into those so often kind, understanding eyes to ask, "Is she going to be okay?"
Behind her, Ginny heard Harry pounding down the stairs but never turned to look as he slid to a halt a half step behind her. Instead, Ginny stared hopefully up at her father while he looked up from her face, behind her over to Harry, and then to the fireplace where a small trickle of floo powder could be seen.
"We don't know." He finally replied, his voice hard, "She hit the ground pretty hard. Ron went with your mother and the twin's to St. Munglos." His unreadable gaze looked back towards Ginny, "What happened?"
"Uhh …"
"Ron was startled, sir." Harry spoke up from behind her, his voice steady and firm, "Hermione had just come into Ginny's room when Ron stepped back and accidentally pushed her."
Ginny held her breath, not even bothering to ask herself why Harry was explaining this for her, until Arthur Weasley sighed, uncrossed his arms and ran his fingers through his shock of red hair. His anger seemed to drain away, emphasizing every age line and wrinkle. Glancing once again towards the fireplace, he looked back towards Harry and Ginny.
"Look, I know you two are … getting older; but please consider your brother in this, Ginny, he's very protective of you."
Ginny stared at her father, her mouth falling open when she realized what he was implying. Feeling a blush start to creep into her cheeks, Ginny stepped back and shook her head, just as Harry stuttered, "No, Mr. Weasley we didn't … I mean, we weren't …"
"… and please remember," her father continued as if Harry hadn't spoke or Ginny wasn't still shaking her head in protest, "that Hermione is still injured and only slowly recovering. She pushed herself too hard yesterday and Tonks said she was restless all night. I'm sure she'll be fine but please – think next time?"
And with that Ginny watched as her father turned and walked over to the garden door, stepped outside and put out a hand out to forestall Mad-Eye Moody's rush towards the house. Closing the gate behind him, Ginny could hear him faintly explaining the situation …
By the time Ginny had mustered up enough courage to turn around and face Harry, the older boy had already darted back up the stairs and faintly, from some level overhead, she could hear a door being slammed.
Sighing to herself, Ginny got busy fixing up the kitchen. Her fingers automatically picked up and cleaned the various plates and coffee mugs, scrubbed down the table and even swept the floor. It was fortunate her hands knew how to do these tasks by instinct, for Ginny's mind was so completely exhausted from her recent out-pouring of secrets that she somehow felt like an exhibitionist.
It was much easier to clean up split coffee, put away dried dishes and attend to the daily needs of the Weasley kitchen instead of wondering about what had happened with the Boy Who Lived To Make Her Life Miserable. Eventually – possibly quite soon – Ginny was going to have to sit down and sort everything out in her head, but this wasn't the time to do it.
It would be so much easier, so much simpler, to just run away. To take Hiss with her and go. She almost at legal wizarding age, and Ginny knew that the snakes would protect her. There were many of them if not in England, than in other places of the world. She could live almost as Charlie did with his dragons, only better, because she could understand snakes in a way Charlie could never understand dragons.
But still … there was Hogwarts, her family and no matter how much she wanted to deny it – Harry. Ginny didn't think, being completely honest with herself, she could ever truly run away from him. No matter where she went, she would always carry a piece of him with her, whether in anger or some other emotion, Ginny didn't know. And now with this strange bond that they shared … Ginny sighed. No. She was stuck here, no matter how much she might not want to be.
Thinking of Hiss, Ginny paused in her cleaning and wondered where he might be. She knew from the slightly featherweight feeling of her ankle, so used to his extra weight, that he hadn't re-climbed onto his usual perch. Ginny couldn't decide if this was a welcome or disheartening thing. She was concerned about her friend, and curious about what had happened between him and Harry after she had gotten in the way of Harry's spell. Of course, Ginny knew that information was not for Hiss to explain to her. If she wanted to find out what had really happened, she'd have to ask Harry herself.
That in itself was not a welcoming thought. In fact, Ginny had every intention of ignoring the Boy Who Lived In Her House To Make Her Miserable for the rest of the week. Too much had happened between them; his distrust of her loyalties, her strange memories of his childhood, and this … very odd … connection they seemed to share. Though it seemed to make sense, from what Sirius had told her about Wormtail and Harry, and what Harry had explained to her himself … there was a nagging feeling in her gut – a this-isn't-quite-right kind-of feeling that she had ignored once before in her life, to the detriment of all.
Still, Ginny knew herself too tired to debate these things with herself at this moment. Usually she could go a night without sleep, she'd had to do it often enough, but the morning's adventures had zapped her already dimmed resources and Ginny wanted to do nothing more than crawl back into bed and sleep.
So when Mad-Eye Moody entered the kitchen some ten minutes later, just as she was finished cleaning up the kitchen, Ginny made a bee-line to the stairs. Racing up them two at a time, she quickly ducked into her room and closed the door behind her, drowning out the sound of her name being called from below.
Her bed looked deliciously inviting, but still Ginny gave the room a broad sweep with her eyes. It appeared empty, and Ginny frowned. Hiss was no where in sight. No matter, her reptilian friend might be anywhere by now, and Ginny hadn't yet decided whether to be grateful or angry at him now that her terrible secret was public knowledge. Or would be once Ron put the two ends of the wand together.
Falling back on top of her covers, curling herself into a little ball and trying to forget that the rest of the world existed, Ginny Weasley fell into a long, deep sleep …
… Only to awaken several hours later at the sudden sound of people on the ground floor. Asleep on her bed, Ginny stirred restlessly, and only the subconscious reminder that Hermione might be home drove her fully awake.
It didn't take her long to remember why she had fallen asleep in her bed or before nightfall. Quickly, Ginny pulled her bright red hair back into a ponytail, rubbed the sleep from her eyes and rose to open her door.
Just in time to see Ron walking carefully past it, one arm supporting Hermione's hand and the other wrapped protectively around her waist. At the motion from her door, her youngest brother turned his head cautiously in her direction and frowned at the sight of her. Before Ginny had a chance to say anything Ron had tightened his hold on Hermione and was already starting up the next staircase. Ginny tried to get a good look at her friend, but Hermione appeared to need all her concentration to navigate the simple staircase, and Ginny couldn't even catch her eye.
Her heart sinking, Ginny consoled herself with the knowledge that Hermione appeared to be fine, though tired. She felt further relieved when Harry's voice could be heard from the upstairs landing, only to be answered by the slamming of a door.
Obviously, Ron was angry at both of them. This wasn't really justified, since it was Ginny who had lied to him, but still it made her feel better.
Of course, just because he was angry didn't mean she wasn't going to go see how Hermione was. Deciding to give the couple a few moments, Ginny closed her bedroom door behind her and went to the bathroom to fresh up first. Once she was sure that Ron had enough time to tuck Hermione comfortably in bed, Ginny quickly ran up the stairs to the next floor of the Burrow. At the top of the landing she saw that Ron had apparently taken Hermione back to Percy's room, and had indeed closed the door behind him.
Undaunted, Ginny tried to handle only to find it was locked. Pounding on the door she called out, "Open up Ron! I want to see Hermione too!"
"It's no use," Harry's voice spoke from behind her, oddly – maddeningly – calm, "he's mad at both of us. I've seen Ron angry; he probably won't talk to us for days."
Ginny turned to see Harry standing behind the banister of the stairway. "Oh so now you're the expert on my brother?" She threw him a dirty look. Harry only shrugged, and the movement seemed to say: Prove me wrong.
Ginny snorted and turned back to the door. Personally she had her own doubts, especially since Hermione had been in potential danger, but now that it was a challenge, she pounded again on the door. "I mean it Ron, open up! I want to talk to Hermione!"
"Well maybe she doesn't want to talk to you!" Came Ron's angry reply. Ginny turned to Harry with a smug grin, but he only raised his eyebrows.
"Maybe she doesn't want to talk to either of you, did you think of that!" Ron was still shouting.
"Honestly!" Came Hermione's indignant, though tired-sounding, reply, "I want to talk to each of them just fine, it's you who has the problem here!"
"Hermione! Those two lied to us –"
But Hermione quickly cut him short, "And maybe now they're here to explain. So open the door and –"
But Ron just snorted, "Oh, yeah, now they're here. Now after you got hurt, after …" He trailed off.
This time, Ginny couldn't hear Hermione's reply. It was softly spoken but firm, and surely enough after a minute or two there was a scraping at the door, which opened a moment later to reveal a grumpy looking Ronald Weasley. Ginny looked back to see that Harry's mask of indifference had slipped, and that he looked as concerned as she felt. Turning back to Ron, Ginny held her head high while he gave them both a good, hard look, as if daring them to say anything, before opening the door wide enough to let them through.
"Now shut that behind you, I'm sure Ginny doesn't want anyone else to hear." The bushy-haired girl looked the sudden picture of Professor McGonagall, stern and commanding even while tucked into the bed. "Actually here …" she continued, pulling her wand from her robe pocket. Mumbling a slight incantation, Hermione pointed it at the door. A thin stream of yellow light shot out from the end of her wand and encircled the room.
"There." Hermione said, sounding pleased though even more exhausted than she had before, "Now it's sound-proofed too."
Ginny turned back from the slightly-shimmering door and shivered a little as the small sounds emanating from the kitchen vanished. Sometimes it was scary when she realized just how gifted Hermione was. That was a seventh-year spell, at least.
Not that anyone would know it to look at her, especially now. Hermione, having exerted herself, was lying back in the bed, her eyes pale and tired, and Ron hurried to pull the covers up over her. Ginny felt a fresh wave of guilt wash over her as she watched Hermione turn to her brother and smile her thanks, still trying to catch her breath. Her friend looked sick; there was a tense line around her eyes that indicated she was fighting off pain, and her bushy hair was limp against the pillow. Yet, there was a little colour back in her cheeks and she must not be as bad as she looked for the med-witches to have let her go so easily. But maybe Ron had a point, not letting them in. Her friend didn't look so good …
Suddenly nervous, Ginny gave voice to her fears, "Um, Hermione … look we can talk later, if you like. I mean … when you're feeling better. It's nothing that can't wai—"
"Oh no!" Ron spoke up from beside Hermione's bed, "Not when you've blustered your way in are you just going to run off!"
"– I didn't realize that she—"
"—she's fine –"
"Look, Ron, maybe Ginny's right –"
"Would everyone please stop talking like I'm an invalid?" Hermione's voice summoned a little of its old strength, and the group stopped arguing to look back at her. Hermione's lips were pressed in a straight line and shaking her head she shot them each a glare. "Ginny it's not your fault that I fell and Ron it's not your fault that I got sick in the first place! I'm going to be fine, but I'm not going to be happy if I don't hear what has been going on!"
This silenced the group. Disgruntled, Ron grumbled from his seat beside the bed, something about fuss and family, but no one paid him mind. Instead Harry and Hermione turned expectantly to Ginny, who flushed a deep scarlet. Taking a deep breath, determined to defend herself against the coming onslaught, Ginny said firmly but quietly, "I'm a Parselmouth."
But there was no expected gasp of surprise. Ron must have already told her, Ginny realized. Or maybe not, because Hermione simply raised her eyebrows and stared at her friend. After a moment or so had passed, the older girl spoke out-loud to no one in particular, "Well, that explains a lot."
It was Harry who asked the expected question, his voice still sounding annoyingly calm, "How long?"
Ginny first shrugged, but then spoke, "Three years, at least."
"From Voldemort?" Hermione asked.
Ginny could only nod.
In his corner, Ron erupted, "What I can't understand is why you didn't tell us this years ago!"
Ginny turned to him, "Honestly Ron, what would be the point?" she scoffed, "You saw what happened to Harry, how the school hated him! They called him the heir to Salazar Slytherin!" She dropped her gaze, "Not … not many of the students even know it was me down there. They know that a student had been taken, but only you and Harry found out who it was. If suddenly I could speak Parseltongue …" Ginny shook her head, "It'd be all around school; I don't want that."
"But what about us, what about your family," Ron pressed, "surely we deserve –"
"Deserve what, Ron?! Deserve to know; deserve to be told the truth?" Ginny shot back at him. When he didn't appear to understand, she laughed coldly.
"Oh please. Do you know the number of times I've had to guess what has been going on? Do you know how I found out about Sirius, Ron? Harry? About Wormtail? Professor Lupin had to tell me! And then Sirius himself, once we were at Headquarters!"
Ginny's voice hadn't raised much in volume, but the room seemed to increase by several degrees in temperature. Understanding was dawning on Ron's face, but Ginny continued ruthlessly.
"Can you imagine what I felt Ron, learning how much had happened, how many risks you three took? And you didn't even have the decency to tell me." She shook her head, "No, Ron. Any guilt I felt about hiding this died that day. Today – you're right – today Hermione got hurt, and I feel terrible for that, but I am not going to sit here and let you preach to me the values of family. You, who has been lying to me since the moment you first stepped foot in Hogwarts! What, you forgot about me in my first year until I was in mortal danger? By the way, thanks for coming after me that day – a lot of good you did!"
Ginny was seething now; Ron looked away and even Hermione seemed ashamed. Harry, though, turned to Ginny and admonished her quietly.
"That," he said, "was a little harsh."
The words were quietly spoken, but had the effect he must have intended. Ginny immediately calmed herself, and even flashed him an apologetic look.
Beside her though, Ron's throat muscles were working convulsively.
"Fine," he said, and it looked as though the words pained him, "You've made your point. But the fact is that you're a Parselmouth. Hermione seems to know how," and here he shot her a look, "but I still don't understand. You're a Parselmouth for the same reason Harry is? Because of You-Know-Who?"
Ginny sighed wearily. This was one of the reasons she hadn't told anyone, even Hiss didn't seem to understand how far into her mind Tom had penetrated … "Yes," she answered him finally, "because Tom got into my mind. He was …" she fumbled, "…we were very close, that is, before Harry stopped him. He was torn from my mind then, and there was a lot he left behind. Parseltongue was easy, because I'd already had to … to learn it … to open the chamber and close it, but there were other things too. Pieces of half-forgotten spells, how to catch a Unicorn and drink its blood." She shivered, "Terrible things, but nothing that Dumbledore doesn't already know, or I would have talked to him about it."
"Still," Hermione seemed to consider something after a moment of silence had passed, "Perhaps you should let Dumbledore make sure … I mean, let him look around a little in your mind. There might be something you … overlooked."
Ginny licked her lips, not wanting to promise her sick friend anything, but decidedly uncomfortable with the thought. Before she could reply though, Hermione seemed to remember something. "How did the spell go, by the way?"
This time Ginny looked to Harry, and it was he who spoke.
"We didn't really get very far. Ginny has her mind locked up tight, but I did manage to make sure that if Dumbledore's right and she is dangerous, well she probably isn't doing it of her own accord. We did find out though –"
And here his throat muscles seemed to suddenly stop working. Ginny stared at him quizidly for a moment, before suddenly understanding. She smiled a little, and Hermione obviously caught on.
"The binding charm, of course. It worked then?"
Harry managed a tight nod, and Ginny smiled awkwardly. Turning to Harry she asked, "Should I – should I ask Hermione about it? Later?"
Harry nodded, and from his corner Ron perked up, but Harry shook his head in his friend's direction. Still Ron opened his mouth as if to ask a question, but then closed it and leaned back in his corner. Finally, after an odd silence in the room, Ron changed the subject.
"So where's that snake of yours then? And what exactly is he up to?"
Ginny seemed about to reply, but it was Harry again who spoke. "Hiss is … he's fine. I mean, I can vouch for him."
Ginny turned to him quickly, but he refused to meet her eyes. Hermione looked between them, unspeaking, but then shook her head.
"Well," she said, looking over to Ron, "I am a bit tired and a little hungry. Do you think you and Harry could run and get us some lunch? Ginny can keep me company."
Ginny felt herself smile. Hermione was showing them all that she wasn't afraid of her. For a moment, Ron seemed about to protest, but then he stopped and looked over at Ginny. Her youngest brother scrutinized her for a moment, but then nodded.
"Mom made Greek salad and something with fish I think. We'll be up when it's done."
Ginny watched as Ron smiled at Hermione, and as Hermione smiled back. "Don't rush," she told the boys as they got up and moved to the door. When they had left, Hermione looked over to Ginny, who blushed slightly and looked at the floor.
"Look, Hermione. I didn't mean … I mean you've been the best to me, and when I yelled at Ron, I didn't mean to yell at you …"
But Hermione shook her head, "No, really Ginny, I'm as guilty as the both of them. Even more so maybe." Hermione took a deep breath, but continued, "I mean I knew how much it hurt you to be left out. It was just …" she shrugged helplessly, as finding herself at a loss for words.
But Ginny understood, "I know," the younger girl nodded, and then sighed. "I know; you three are best friends, that's all. I wasn't … I'm not part of your group. I may have wanted to be, but I wasn't." Here she looked back up at Hermione, "I was hurt to find out how much I didn't know, wasn't told, though. But … well, I can kind of understand it."
Hermione nodded, still looking guilty. After a moment of almost-comfortable silence, Ginny looked up at her friend and grinned. "What do we do about Ron though? He's not really the world's best secret keeper …"
Hermione laughed, it was a soft sound, but warmed Ginny's heart nonetheless, "No, he's not is he? Still – I don't think he'd tell anyone about you, not on purpose anyways. Family honour and knowing that Malfoy will use anything he can against you should stop him. Let me have a talk with him, though. If he's still suspect, well – maybe he'll let us put a binding charm on him." She wiggled her eyebrows mischievously.
Ginny laughed, and Hermione joined in with her.
"Now," Hermione said shrewdly, eying the younger girl when they had both calmed down, "what was it you wanted to ask me?"
Ginny looked down at the bed and bit her bottom lip, taking a moment to collect herself. When she had organized her thoughts, the younger girl sat up straight in her chair and looked Hermione in the eye.
"What," Ginny asked, "do you know about magical connections?"
Hermione's surprised look was soon covered by a furrowed brow as she thought quickly. Her eyes darting back and forth as if she were scanning her own knowledge, Hermione admitted, "Not much." Ginny felt her face fall, but Hermione continued haltingly.
"I know," she continued cautiously, "that there are several examples. The Magical Guardian bond, for one, is rather like a muggle godparent arrangement except with a little more punch. There is the Lover's Connection, but that's only when a pair has forged a particular bond …" she stared at Ginny, "You haven't … have you?"
"Oh, no!" Ginny laughed. "Merlin, Hermione, I'm only fifteen! And Dean and I broke up weeks ago!" She shook her head, "No, I was wondering instead about the bond that's forged when … well when one wizard saves another's life."
She paused, eyes alight with a hope that faded at the look on Hermione's face.
"Do you mean between you and Harry, in the Chamber of Secrets?"
Ginny blushed, even though she tried not to. Gathering her courage, she forged ahead, "Well, yes I do. I mean, there would be a bond there, right?"
Hermione looked doubtful. "I never really got a true accounting of what happened in the Chamber. From what I understand, Harry and Ron set out to rescue you, Ron got stuck with Professor Lockhart when the ceiling caved in, Harry battled the Basilisk with a sword from the Sorting Hat and some help from Fawkes, and then … defeated Riddle?"
Ginny nodded, "That's what I understand too. I don't remember much of it, being so under Tom's control, but I do know that Harry was injured by the Basilisk, and then used its poisoned tooth to stab the diary. Tom was … torn … from my mind, and my strength came back. When I sat up, Harry was there, but dying, and Fawkes came and cried on his wound. Phoenix tears have healing powers, and so he was cured."
Ginny looked back up at her friend, but Hermione still looked doubtful. Finally, the older girl shook her head.
"I don't know, Ginny. I'd have to research more into it. I know that Harry went down to the Chamber to save you, but when he defeated Riddle … well, I just don't know if it counts, do you know what I mean?"
"So … there has to be intent, right?"
Hermione nodded, "Right. At least, as far as I understand it. We could ask Harry how he felt, what he was thinking about, when he defeated Riddle, but …" she shook her head.
Ginny frowned, "But if it doesn't count, I mean … well how does that explain …?"
"Explain what?"
Chewing on her lower lip, Ginny thought for a moment if any of this was really Hermione's concern. What if all this conjecture, this effort, strained Hermione to the breaking point? What if she had a relapse and it would be Ginny's fault for placing too much stress on her already weakened shoulders? But no, she had already involved the older girl by mentioning the bond in the first place, and she knew Hermione wasn't one to go spreading rumors to the Daily Prophet. Quickly then, Ginny told Hermione about her childhood dreams, and the revelation that they were really some of Harry's early memories. Hermione's eyes widened as she listened, but when she finished, Hermione shook her head.
"That doesn't make any sense. There is no way – even if you had a connection forged in the Chamber – that it would manifest itself that early."
Ginny, feeling a sinking sensation in her heart, tried to salvage her … well, actually Harry's, theory, "But I thought … the TimeTurner … I thought for wizards it might be different …" she trailed off, and Hermione looked at her sympathetically.
"No, Ginny. Time was one thing I did study – Professor McGonagall asked me to learn as much as I could, so I would know how to properly use the TimeTurner. There is absolutely no way a connection, if you even forged one with Harry in your first year of Hogwarts, could manifest itself in your childhood. There has to be some other explanation."
"But what," asked Ginny with lead in her heart, "Could that be?"
And to that question, Hermione had no answer.
Hey All,
Well, this is me from December 2004 right now. I've left the comments from the first time I posted this chapter at the bottom of this section.
Quite a few things got moved around here. Here I really didn't like switching into Hermione's POV. I kept it Ginny's, but tried to still let the reader understand Hermione's emotions in this exchange. I know the chapter doesn't answer a lot of burning question, but it does provide a movement point into the next section of the story. And who didn't laugh at Mr. Weasley's implied statements! I know I sure did .. lol
Anyways, next is what I put up last time. Remember: FEED THE BUTTON!!
(please)
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Well, hope you enjoyed the chapter! The next one will be coming along soon enough … remember – review review review!!!
J.Rhaye - welcome to my reader list!! V. cool that you recognized my name from Jedi Amoira's fic reviews … I love her stories, and I have to admit that she inspired me in many ways to write about Ginny myself. Glad you seem to like Hiss – he's really a well received character! I hope you keep reading and reviewing; do you have any suggestions or constructive critics to offer?
gallandro-83 – well I already wrote to you a lot so I don't have much to say here! Hope you're still reading and that you enjoyed this chapter J
Jcd1013 – yea!!! So good to hear from you … I'm a pre-med student, so I'd love to hear about your experiences. Doing the MCAT this summer and applying next year … sigh so much work, but so much fun! Foxy Fox Mulder … Mmmm. Definitely a hot choice! Don't worry; you're forgiven about the reviewing. I just have lost so many people it seems and I was afraid that you were one of them! Hope you like the 'confrontation' coming up … I know the journey wasn't what a lot of people expected, and it wasn't even really what I expected when I started it … but this journey of Ginny's is only beginning, and I didn't want to give too much away! Don't worry, she'll be re-visiting that mansion, and she'll learn a bit more next time, especially about her real relationship with Harry (wink wink), but its not going to be for a while yet.
Every now and then the truly daunting prospects of this story hit me … hopefully I'll be writing it for a while. I know you don't review often, but that can be a good thing! You're only allowed to review a chapter once, so if ever several weeks go by again and I haven't written anything new, just send me a review and I'll remember and get cracking. Sometimes I just forget how much I love this stuff, and I stop updating.
Jaquelyne – ah, Jaquelyne! You have finally asked the question I've been waiting for someone to ask!! So of course, I can't tell you the answer, because that would be giving too much away! I will simply wish that you stay all confuggled and don't jump to the correct conclusion.
Hmm … you avoided this story? Well that's not good … do you think I should change the little two lines I have to introduce it on fanfic. net? I've already changed it once, and I think it was for the better, but then again I'm not the one who sees it out on the site, so you tell me if you think I should change it.
Thanks for the complements, I often wondered too if Ginny were a Parselmouth and decided to write a story to explain why she is … and it's not quite as simple as one might imagine! Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on whom you ask) whenever I do something I do it big – and this plot is just that – big! (literally! Lol .. aww, no one will get that joke until later, lol .. maybe that's half the fun)
Hermione Starise – thank you for the compliments!! I DO like the Ginny in you're story – and I LOVE Hermione!! As always, waiting on your next chapter – hope you like this one!
PianZoe, kitten530 – thanks for the reviews! More more … grr, argh!
Witch of Darkness – glad you liked that the parseltongue thing is out in the open … tell me what you think about how it develops in this chapter J
Bells – of course, I cannot neglect my beta and my roommate! J You're review's are by far the longest and the most informative! Email me back the chapter and I'll post it, k?