Ok! It's finally here! I'm going to TRY and update more often, but it's been hard for me. Thank you to all the reviewers, you've been great! Keep it up! ~BabeyRachey

Stepping Sideways

Chapter 9: Conversations

The Weasley's rushed around the house, gathering this and that for their overnight stay. All of them were busy packing but one. Ginny sat glumly on her bed, looking around at her belongings as though they were foreign.

'How did it all get like this?' She wondered. The first week or so of the summer had been fantastic. She had gotten to know Harry. Not Harry the celebrity, but Harry the person. Now she had messed everything up again. 'You don't deserve him.' The little voice in her mind whispered. 'He offered friendship and you threw it back in his face.'

A lone tear made it's way down her cheek. 'He'll forgive me though. Won't he? He has to!' Ginny stood up resolutely, hoping that it was true. She had nearly made it to the door before the little voice cruelly responded

'No he doesn't . . .'

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Harry gave out a groan, though nobody was there to hear. His eyes tightly shut; he grimaced at the pain that had suddenly shot through his leg, waking him. He didn't remember ever feeling so tired, even if he had felt pain. Carefully opening his eyes he looked up at the blurry, high roof of the infirmary.

Slowly his mind cleared from the residue of sleep. And though his vision was blurred, the pictures in his head were quite clear. Ginny yelling at him, him running through the woods, waking up in the infirmary, Ginny . . . 'Stop!' He told himself, and he gingerly began to sit up. Reaching out, he grabbed his glasses and put them on, and looked around. Had he been swallowing anything, he would have choked when he saw what was on his bed-side table.

Harry blinked, making sure he was seeing things right. A pure black owl on his bedside table, holding what looked like a muggle envelope, with Block lettering on the front: TO HARRY POTTER.

Though he was trembling with dread, he reached out and took the letter. Opening it, he felt fear begin to crawl up his spine as he recognized the handwriting. Every cell in his body told him to rip it up and throw it away, never to read it. But as though on their own accord his eyes traveled down and began to read.

'Are you happy now? Are you happy that you're alive and he's not? You don't deserve to be here, in the wizarding world. You're a menace! I am going to do everything in my power to keep you from killing anyone else who is innocent! Watch your back, You never know when you might turn around and see me stabbing at it.'

Harry couldn't stop the shiver of fear, or the ache of guilt. He held on for a few seconds, though, before He let the tears flow. He did not sob, but tears flew swiftly down his cheeks, soaking the collar.

After several minutes, Harry gave a large sniff and dried his eyes. He missed Ginny's comfort that she always had after he had a nightmare. The knowledge that she understood what he was going through. With a tortured sigh, He threw himself back into his pillow.

'I don't get it.' He thought. 'What happened? Why did Ginny say all those things?'

'Maybe you should've talked to her and found out.' The little voice in his mind piped up. Deciding not to argue, especially with himself of all people, he groaned. 'I know. I wasn't very nice earlier; I'll make it up when she comes back.' Feeling slightly less depressed, Harry felt himself fall nearly to sleep before his mind responded

'If she comes back . . .'

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ron stumbled out of the fireplace, his face covered with soot and his stomach rolling. Quickly pulling himself together, he realized he had flooed in to the Gryffindor Common Room once again. Unfortunately, he didn't move away fast enough and was soon knocked over by an equally sooty Bill.

"Watch it!" He grumbled as he got up from the floor. Bill grinned. "It's not my fault you didn't move." Ron just glared and stomped resolutely through the portrait and toward the infirmary.

When he reached it, he entered quietly, and saw that Harry was indeed still asleep. 'Or asleep again . . .' He thought when he saw the tearstains on Harry's cheeks and the glasses still on his friends face. He nearly turned away when he saw an open letter and envelope on Harry's bed-side table.

Curious, he walked over and picked it up. What he read made his blood run cold. His hands fisted at his sides and the paper wrinkled where he held it too tight. He was still staring at the paper in fury when his Mother, Bill, and Ginny entered.

"Ron, what's the matter?" His mother inquired, surprised at the anger and disbelieving look on her youngest son's face. Whirling around, he shoved the paper at them.

"That . . . Those. . . Them. . .That." Ron was almost beyond words with his anger. "IDIOTIC, NO GOOD, LOUSY, B-"

"Ron!" Mrs.Weasley scolded sharply before taking the letter from Ron's hand. Bill and Ginny read over her shoulder. All of them of them went pale in unison. "Has he read it Ron?" Bill asked, anger tingeing his voice as well. Ron nodded sadly.

"Yes. It was open on the bedside table. And . . ." He nodded toward Harry and they all saw the evidence of his tears. Shaking her head, Mrs.Weasley folded the letter and stuck it in her pocket.

"I'll show it to Dumbledore. Perhaps he can do something." She looked at all her children, and the one child on the bed who was as close to her heart as any of them. "Bill, Ron, you come with me. Ginny, you stay here. We'll be in Dumbledore's office if you need us. "

With barely a nod, Ginny sat down on the stool beside Harry's bed. She barely even registered the fact that they had left. Her mind was whirring with the harsh words of the letter, her own harsh words, and the words of the one person she loved the most.

'Not love.' She scolded herself. 'Just . . . intense respect and care of well being.' It even sounded stupid in her head. She sighed and shook her head.

"Ginny?"

He head snapped up and she stared in surprise at Harry's sleepy yet alert face.

"Y-Yes?" She asked, cursing herself mentally for stuttering.

"I'm sorry."

Ginny was so shocked by that simple statement that she nearly fell off the stool. Shifting to balance herself, she caught Harry's quiet chuckle. Totally startled, she gaped at him.

"W-What did you say?"

Harry would have laughed at the look on her face had it not been for the seriousness of the situation.

"I said I was sorry."

Now Ginny looked confused. "For what? YOU didn't do anything!" But Harry shook his head adamantly. "No. I ignored you earlier, and I was mean. I was hurt, and I still am. But I shouldn't have, and I'm sorry."

Ginny was humbled by his apology. He had done nothing, and she had gotten what she deserved, yet he was apologizing to her.

"I am too, Harry. I didn't mean those things I said. I was angry, and upset, and I felt rejected." Ginny felt tears sting the back of her eyes but she continued in a steady voice. "I had no idea what had happened, and I was rude. I was cruel." Her voice broke, but she didn't stop. "I didn't stop to think you had a reason. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. Please forgive me."

Harry knew in his heart he already had, and it melted when he looked at her grieving, heartbroken face.

Ginny jumped slightly when a hand took hers, and she looked up into the smiling face of the one person she trusted above anyone else. Looking into his eyes, she knew things were back to normal. Something in those eyes stirred, and she couldn't look away. She barely noticed that she had gotten up and moved to sit on the bed.

Harry kept his eyes locked in hers as she settled beside him. He had never felt so at peace, so energetic, so alive. They got closer, Harry sat up a little straighter, Ginny bent down a little.

"Ginny . . ." Harry said softly. They were nearly nose to nose. "I-"

Ron burst through the door loudly and Ginny sprang up like a rabbit being chased by a fox. Both her and Harry were blushing furiously. Harry couldn't help the stab of annoyance towards Ron. Couldn't he have waited another minute?

Ron looked curiously at the blushing pair, but decided not to comment. "You're awake!" He said brightly to Harry. "I thought you'd sleep into tomorrow for sure!" Harry shook his head with a chuckle.

"I couldn't sleep if you drugged me." Harry said happily, with a look at Ginny, who was looking adamantly at her shoes. "Not for a minute."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

There ya go! Did you like it? REVIEW PLEASE! Lol. You guys have been great, and very patient. Thanks to ALL my reviewers! I love you all! The next one won't take quite so long! Hehe. ~BabeyRachey

Preview for the Next Chapter: Harry entered the kitchen, to find Ginny already there with two steaming mugs of tea. He smiled at her as he sat down. "It's good to be back."