**********
After a while Ginny's tears subsided, though the horrible feeling in her stomach hadn't lessened. She slowly sat up on her bed and took a deep breath, checking that the tears wouldn't start back up again. She listened for the voices of her roommates and finally pulled back the red curtain when all she heard was silence. She wandered over to the window seat and sat down, listening to the soft strains of music coming from the blue Symfonia that the twins had given her last Christmas.
No matter how hard she tried, Ginny couldn't escape that nightmare. Whispers of it followed her throughout the day and images of it haunted everything she did. The worst part was the utter loneliness that she felt, and that she knew she would have to get used to. Years ago she had combated a similar feeling of loneliness by writing in a diary. She'd have to make sure that she didn't make a mistake like that this time.
It was moments like this though when Ginny wished that she was still able to write in a diary, to have a place to release her thoughts. Diaries were rather like pensieves when one thought about it. Unfortunately, writing in a diary was one of the many things that Tom had stolen from her. Just like her ability to trust, her pleasant dreams, and the innocence of her childhood. And now her friends.
Ginny looked out at the stars, lost in thought, and didn't even notice when her roommate Rowena walked into the darkened room.
"Ginny?" Rowena's voice was hesitant.
"Oh, I didn't realize that you had come in," Ginny said heavily, as she turned back toward her friend.
Rowena saw the tear streaks on Ginny's face and realized that she's been crying.
"Ginny, what's wrong?"
Rowena couldn't imagine what had made Ginny cry as badly as it seemed she had. Ginny was the strong one. That's the way it was. All the fifth year Gryffindor girls played their parts. Rowena was the smart one, Amanda was the eccentric one, Kristy was the melodramatic one, Iris was the funny one, and Ginny was the strong one. Rowena didn't like anything to upset what she was used to and Ginny crying was throwing her exceptionally off balance.
"Ginny?" The girl in question sighed and then looked up at Rowena.
"I've had a horrible day," she said, hoping that Rowena wouldn't question any further. Unfortunately, Rowena wasn't convinced.
"There's something else. I know there is. Come on, you'll feel better talking about it."
Ginny smiled darkly. If that could've solved my problems I would've done it a long time ago.
"I can't."
This wasn't getting anywhere. Rowena decided to try another tactic.
"Your brother looked really upset when I was on my way up. Did you two get into another fight?"
She saw the flash of recognition in Ginny's eyes and knew that she'd guessed right and that Ron was somehow involved.
"I guess so," Ginny replied, seemingly reluctant to give any information.
"It's not your fault if he was being a prat again Ginny. I know that he's your brother, but you shouldn't take what he says so personally."
Ginny felt that it was more something that she said that was the problem, but stayed silent. Her lips tightened and Rowena looked at her curiously.
I can't tell her, Ginny repeated to herself, I can't.
"You know that you can tell me anything, right Ginny?"
Ginny slowly nodded her head. If Ginny were going to trust anyone, it would be Rowena. She'd been the first true friend that Ginny had made at Hogwarts. They hadn't become close until second year when rumors of Ginny's involvement in the opening of the Chamber had leaked out. Everyone but Rowena had stayed a safe distance from her that year. Eventually Ginny had even told Rowena some of what had happened with the diary and the Chamber, although she left out some of the more horrifying parts, like the revelation that Voldemort had poured some of himself into her and stolen part of her in return.
Rowena had countered by telling Ginny of the disappointment it had been to her family when she had been placed in Gryffindor, unlike the past six generations of her family who'd been sorted into Ravenclaw. Her parents never said anything outright to her, but she knew that the thought of having their Rowena in Gryffindor was an embarrassment.
The two girls had grown closer after that and found that Rowena's logical thinking was a perfect complement to Ginny's impulsiveness. Ginny wanted to believe that she could tell Rowena everything, but she wasn't sure if she should trust anyone with this information.
"I know Rowena. It's just really tough," Ginny said softly.
"You can even obliviate me afterwards if you want to," Rowena offered with a slight chuckle.
No, I couldn't possibly, Ginny thought, trying to stop the giddy feeling of hope that had risen in her at Rowena's offer. It would be wrong to obliviate a friend, right?
"Really?" Ginny heard herself ask.
Rowena had been joking when she made that comment, but she couldn't ignore the desperation in her friend's eyes. Apparently whatever was going on with Ginny was much more serious than she thought. Taking a deep breath and ignoring the fear she felt about possibly having her memories erased, she answered, "Yes."
Ginny's lips slightly turned up as she looked back out the window. Rowena waited in silence while Ginny stared out at the stars above the pitch. She was just starting to drift off into her thoughts when Ginny muttered something.
"What?" Rowena asked.
"Have you ever dreamt something so clearly that you couldn't quite shake it off when you woke up?" Ginny said, still looking through the window.
"Is this about your nightmares?"
Ginny's eyes snapped over to her, frightened.
"You know about those?"
"Well, the silencing charms weaken throughout the night, I've heard you. Don't worry though, the other girls sleep like the dead."
"Why didn't you ever tell me that you knew?"
"I figured that if you wanted me to know, you'd tell me. Otherwise I wanted to give you space about it."
God only knows what this is about if it's related to her nightmares and makes Ginny feel like she has to erase my memory of our conversation, Rowena thought. She had often woken up to Ginny's muffled screams and bargaining for Harry's life, and had hoped that her friend was talking to somebody about the things that haunted her dreams. However, if tonight's reaction was anything to judge by, she hadn't told anyone that she was even having nightmares.
The silence stretched until Ginny quietly spoke again.
"Row, do you think that dreams can come true?"
"You've been reading too many of Kristy's romance novels," Rowena said, nervously cracking a joke.
"Sorry," Rowena said. She took her Ginny's slight head nod as an acceptance of her apology. "I don't really know," she continued more seriously, "I've heard of some people having precognitive dreams, but they're extremely rare. The only people that usually get them are-"
"I think I am one, Row. I think I'm a seer."
*********
After several minutes of just standing there, Hermione and Ron sank into a nearby couch and Harry into a nearby chair.
"Well, that went rather well, don't you think?" Harry grumbled.
"Harry, there's no need for your attitude," Hermione said gently before she turned to Ron and asked if he was okay. Harry crossed his arms and sank lower into the chair, frustrated because the conversation had turned out exactly as he'd thought it would - an utter disaster. I never should have gone along with Ron's plan.
"How can she think that? That I only care when it suits me! I know I'm not the best brother sometimes, but," Ron paused, eyes glistening, "Has she really felt this way the whole time?"
"Ron," Hermione said as she laid a hand on top of his, "I'm sure she hasn't. She's probably just feeling out of sorts because of whatever is going on."
Hermione's soothing voice was starting to annoy Harry. Things weren't fine and they weren't going to become fine just because she said so.
"She had a point you know."
Ron and Hermione's attention jerked to Harry at the sharp tone of his voice. Hermione glared at him not to continue, but Harry didn't care.
"I mean you did ignore her a lot the past few years Ron. We didn't even notice that something was wrong second year. She bloody well even tried to tell us! Maybe she's right. You ignored her and I betrayed her trust."
Ron gaped as Harry confirmed his worst fears.
"Bloody hell, she was right, wasn't she?" Harry gave a weak smile and Ron buried his face in his hands, trying to figure how he was going to make things right with his baby sister. They had been best friends before Hogwarts, partners in crime. He'd never thought how it must've felt for her to suddenly be left alone. Even after the Chamber he hadn't spent enough time with her. He'd figured that she'd want to spend time with her own friends. She had close friends, right?
"Wait," Hermione interjected from his right, "How did you betray her trust?"
"Oh, that," Harry said darkly, not particularly wanting to think about it, "I was the one who dragged her in here. And after, mind you, I told her that I wouldn't push her to say anything."
"Harry," Hermione said sympathetically, sneaking a glance at Ron over on the couch, "Why did you say that? You knew what the plan was."
"She asked me, all right?" Harry said defensively, "She said that she would never push me about talking about things if I didn't push her."
"Oh Harry," Hermione said quietly.
"I thought it was a good bargain," he added,
briefly thinking of the prophecy that was still a secret from his two best
friends. "Plus, the plan was a
bloody stupid idea anyway." Harry
didn't add that his brain had been feeling a bit fuzzy at the time.
"Hey!" Ron shouted,
"It was a good idea that just happened to go horribly wrong"
"It was stupid. I told you that, but you wouldn't listen," Harry retorted.
Harry and Ron glared at each other and Hermione quickly glanced back and forth.
"Well, I didn't see the two of you having any ideas!" Ron shouted.
"Ron, maybe -"
"Shut it Hermione." Ron said, still glaring at Harry.
"Well at least I didn't create the plan that made her hate us. Bloody stupid to make you think that forcing somebody to talk ever works. You try and do it to me all the time...Oh wait! Maybe I should just go get Snape to whip up some Veritaserum to use on me and Ginny. That'll solve all our problems!" Harry said harshly.
"Harry -"
"Shut it Hermione." Harry ground out.
"Fine! You two can just sit here and be idiots about the whole situation! I'm going to the library!" And with that Hermione gathered her books and headed out of the tower.
"I'm going out to the pitch," Harry said firmly with a parting dark look at Ron.
"Fine," Ron shouted, "See if I care!"
He noticed that Rowena Brooks shot him a confused look as she went upstairs, but decided that it didn't matter. Ginny was bound to know he was upset regardless of whether or not her dark-haired roommate heard him screaming in the common room. He crossed his arms, gave a significantly icy frown to the chattering first years in the corner, and settled down to brood.
*********
"A seer, Ginny? You can't be a seer, their powers don't manifest themselves until they're of age."
"I think I am though. It all makes sense. I've been doing some research. It's possible for their abilities to come about earlier if the seer has been through," a traumatic experience, "a difficult time and with the Chamber..." Ginny trailed off.
"But sometimes you fail the divination tests!" This can't be happening, Rowena thought, she can't be a seer, they're too rare...and we're only 15!
"That's only because Trelawny's a fake and she wouldn't know a correct prediction if it hit her in the face. Every prediction I've tried for in that class came true."
Rowena looked doubtful.
"Are you sure that you are? Isn't there some kind of test to be sure?"
"Not that I know of. I've looked, but you know that I'm not that great at researching."
"Maybe we can ask McGonagall," Rowena suggested as her academic curiosity started to override her initial disbelief, "wow Ginny, if you're right than this is amazing!"
"I'm not sure amazing is exactly the word that I would use," Ginny replied.
Rowena recognized the hopeless tone in her friend's voice and her smile faded.
"There's more isn't there? Does this have to do with you fight with Ron?"
"Not exactly," Ginny paused, unsure if she should reveal everything. She really didn't want to have to erase her best friend's memories.
"You might feel better if you tell somebody," Rowena said earnestly.
Ginny sat silently as she weighed her options. Telling Rowena would be incredibly selfish, but Ginny was tired of carrying this burden all alone. She was tired of being alone. I deserve this, Ginny thought, I deserve this one selfish act because of all the sacrifices I've made and all the sacrifices I'll continue to make until He is dead.
"Rowena," she said as she looked up to her friend's dark eyes, "I saw something."
***********
A/N: Hey everybody! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are happy that Ginny's finally telling someone. Let me know what you thought of it all!
bug - Glad you liked it, and I definitely am continuing! J
dementorchic – I'm glad you like it. I know it's a little sad, but Ginny's dealing with a lot. Don't worry, she'll start being nicer soon because she's no longer all alone in this now that she's told Rowena. The tension between her and Harry won't completely let up though, because more things will eventually happen to further complicate the matter.
Lavalampronsgirl – Your review made me laugh and smile. I'm glad you liked the last chapter Kym. Can't wait to hear what you think about this one!
Coming in the next chapter: Ginny and Rowena try to think things through, Harry ponders out on the pitch, and Dumbledore returns!
That's all for now. I can't wait for your reviews!