Chapter Twelve: Revelations

She was right. By the time she'd made up the tea tray and brought it through to the study, Ron, Hermione and Bill were all seated in the room as Harry paced in front of the portrait of his parents – Ron and Hermione on the wide couch, and Bill at the window-seat.

"I've brought tea, Harry," Ginny said softly. He stilled abruptly, looking at her as though he didn't recognize her for a moment, before sighing and taking her into his arms. Ginny held him tightly as he buried his face in her hair.

"Harry, do we have any information at all...?"

"Dumbledore should be here shortly, Bill," Ron said before Harry could respond. "We'll know more then."

"But..."

"Not now, Bill," Ginny said softly. "Wait for Dumbledore."

Arthur entered the room a moment later, looking around as though surprised to see everyone there before catching sight of Harry and Ginny locked together under the portrait of Harry's parents. James and Lily were silent for the moment, watching the couple in front of them closely.

"Harry?"

"Mr Weasley, my aunt...?"

"Is fine. She's sleeping. Molly is sitting with her, and I've brought the Grangers over..."

"My parents?" Hermione looked at him oddly.

"Dumbledore flooed and said that it might be safer..."

Hermione blanched.

"Your father has begun preparations for breakfast," Arthur smiled and the young witch that was like the second daughter that Molly had so wanted. "And your mother is helping Molly."

"Dumbledore?" Harry asked.

"Should be arriving any..."

At that moment, the study door opened once more, and both Dumbledore and Remus stepped through.

"Harry..." Dumbledore strode towards him. "Your aunt?"

"Sleeping," Harry said.

"Good, good. Do you wish me to bring Poppy?"

"Mrs Weasley is seeing to her. I'm sure she'll be..." Harry swallowed. How was she ever going to be 'fine' again? She'd just lost her son. "Perhaps you should talk to Mrs Weasley. I don't know what she needs."

"Mum'll tell you, Harry, should she need anything," Ginny said from where her face was now resting against his chest.

"I need to speak with..." Dumbledore glanced around the room at the others.

"With all of us, Albus," Harry said firmly. "There are still no secrets here."

Albus nodded once again. "Harry, the attack on your aunt was not the only one tonight."

Harry stiffened. "Who else?"

"Seamus Finnegan's family was..."

"He's okay?" Harry's peircing eyes flew from Dumbledore to Ron and back again.

"Seamus was not at home. He had stayed the night in Hogsmeade. His family survived. Mrs Finnegan is a very capable witch who held her own quite nicely before the aurors arrived. Their home was destroyed, but..."

"But?"

"But the family of the late Miss Bones was not so fortunate. As well, Dennis Creevey's mother is in St Mungoes, and..."

"And?"

"And Neville Longbottom's grandmother is now dead. We're not at all sure how that happened, really..."

"Damn it!" Harry cursed.

"The twins..." Albus began again.

All attention in the room was immediately on Dumbledore's next words.

"Albus?" Arthur paled. "The twins?"

"The twins shop was attacked, but their rather... efficient... security measures saved their lives. They were able to apparate out. They are on their way here, but I asked them to stop by Miss Parkinson's flat on the way and bring her, as well, as I believe that this is..."

"A focused attack on those who were involved," Harry said flatly.

"Yes," Dumbledore agreed. "Mr Finnegan is also on his way. I asked him to go by the castle and bring Mr Longbottom and Miss Lovegood with him. Miss Lovegood's father has been apprised of the situation and has chosen to move to a safe location of his own selection."

At that moment, the floo fire in the lounge sounded, and Harry took a deep breath.

"Albus," Arthur looked at the older wizard, reassured for the moment that his family was safe. "You said the Bones' family... Amelia?"

"I'm sorry, Arthur. I know she was a friend."

"I..." Arthur turned to look blankly at the wall. Harry felt his heart wrench. He knew all too well what it felt like to lose a friend, a peer.

"Arthur, you do realize what this means?" Albus spoke in a low voice.

"Means?" Arthur Weasley looked up at the Head of Hogwarts, Head of the Order... Head of the Wizengamut. "Albus?"

"You are the next most senior official, Arthur."

"But..."

And with that, Harry realized what Dumbledore was saying. With Minister Bones dead, Arthur Weasley was the next, if interim, Minister of Magic.

Ginny Weasley slept in Harry's arms that night, and no one, not even her mother, made much of a fuss about it.

It might have had something to do with the fact that no one got to bed before six. Or it might have had to do with the fact that, with so many others flooing in to Potter Manor, bedspace was limited. As it was, Hermione shared with Luna and Pansy and Ron transfigured several cots in his room to be occupied by Seamus, Neville and the twins. The houseelves had furnished extra rooms on the third floor for Percy and Penelope, the Grangers and Remus and Tonks. Charlie and Bill bunked in together, and somehow, no one thought to ask where Ginny would sleep.

Which was about the last thing on Ginny's mind as she made her way, exhausted, to Harry's room just before six that morning. As she was moving through the hallway, her mother exited the room opposite, a pile of towels in her arms, and stopped, looking at her oddly.

"Ginny... oh, Ginny, I forgot! I'll have to transfigure another bed..."

"I'm staying with Harry, Mum," Ginny said. She had no energy for another fight, and hoped her mother didn't, either.

"But..."

"Mum, he won't sleep unless I'm there to make sure he does. He'll just pace. And he needs some rest."

Molly looked at her for a moment, then nodded her head. "Alright, Ginny. Go on, then."

"Mum?" Ginny looked over her shoulder as she opened the door to his room, too tired to truly be surprised, but curious about her mother's change of attitude nonetheless.

"Go on, Ginny. He won't sleep unless you make him. We can talk in the morning."

Ginny sighed, and smiled gently at her mother, then entered the room to find Harry pacing at the foot of his bed.

"Come on," she said, closing the door behind her, and moving towards him, taking the tail of his tshirt and lifting it. Automatically, Harry lifted his arms so she could remove it.

"Gin..."

"Harry, you need to rest. Come on, let's go to bed."

"Ginny, your mum..."

"I met her in the hall. She knows where I am. Now get your trousers off and into that bed, before I do it for you."

"Your mum...?" Harry looked at her with shocked eyes.

"To sleep, Harry. Now."

Finally realizing he wasn't going to get anywhere arguing with her, he shucked his jeans and climbed in under the duvet in his boxers. Ginny stripped down, pulled on the tshirt he'd just taken off, and climbed in beside him.

"Gin...?"

"Sleep, Harry. Everything will be much more bearable after you've had some rest."

"Can I hold you?"

She shifted around, pulling him into her arms. "How about I hold you?"

Harry rested his head against her breast and sighed. The tension that had been grating at him since Dumbledore had entered Ron's quarters the night before seemed very far away right now. Ginny was holding him.

"Gin?"

"What is it, Harry?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Thank you for coming, when I needed you."

Ginny smiled against his dark hair and kissed his head gently. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight, Ginny."

And in moments, they slept.

Hermione looked down at them, her eyes soft and filled with tears. She had suspected that when Molly had quietly asked her to go and wake Harry and Ginny that Molly had done so to avoid any embarrassment of finding them in bed together. Now... well, she was just glad that Molly had sent her.

She watched as Ginny's chest rose and fell with the deep breath of sleep. Her mouth was slightly parted, and her red hair tumbled over the blindingly white pillows of Harry's bed.

And over Harry.

He slept soundly, his head cushioned against the lone Weasley daughter. Hermione had seldom seen such a look of contentment on his face. The lines that were normally there... lines of worry and tension, were gone. Hermione realized that Harry had carried them for a long time. A very long time. And strangely, they hadn't gone away after the final battle... after his defeat of Voldemort.

She wondered if, so long as Harry was awake, they ever would completely disappear. And she knew... she knew that there was something that she had to do.

But for now, lunch was ready, and Molly didn't think that Harry and Ginny should miss two meals. Several others had straggled down throughout the morning, but Harry and Ginny slept on.

"Harry..." she leaned over, touching his bare shoulder gently. He was built so differently than Ron. While Ron was tall and thin, he was also muscular. His shoulders were wide, and the muscles rippled when she ran her hands over them...

Harry's muscles were obvious, but different. He was obviously strong, but there was a lean wiriness there, like a tightly coiled spring. Hermione wondered how much of it was Quidditch, how much was his training, and how much was just Harry.

He jumped under her light touch, and Hermione suddenly found herself facing the business end of his wand.

"Harry?"

"Oh... Mione..." he relaxed, his arm around Ginny keeping him from sitting up. "What's wrong? What's happened?"

"Nothing, Harry... Molly sent me to wake you two. It's after noon, and she was worried that you hadn't eaten."

"Oh..."

"Hermione?" Ginny yawned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Ginny," Hermione repeated. "Your mum sent me to wake you. Lunch is ready."

"Oh..." Ginny stretched and Hermione noticed she wore the green tshirt that Harry had been wearing the night before.

Perhaps it was a good thing that Mrs Weasley had sent her up rather than come herself.

"I'll... Dumbledore is here. Downstairs. And the others. Harry..."

"I'll just get dressed and be down," Harry threw his legs over the side of the bed, and Hermione flushed, turning quickly towards the door.

"I think..." she took a breath, knowing what had to happen next. "I think plans are going to change, Harry."

"How so?" she could hear the sudden tension in his voice.

"You need to come downstairs," she said, not meeting his eyes. "We're in the kitchen."

Harry watched as the door closed behind her, wondering what she'd meant. Hermione was never like this. Something had, indeed, changed, or was about to.

Well, I leave you here, without my normal review responses, because I have fifteen people headed to my house right now, and the breakfast dishes are still on the countertop.

I thank you all for your reviews, I really do – you all make me better at this when you tell me what you think.

CQ