AN: Once again, thank you one million times over for all of the reviews. They really do mean a lot. I loved reading some of your theories on what the repercussions will be of Chapter 4. Some of them were pretty accurate, and some just made me smile. So without further adieu I present to you Chapter Five…
Bringing Down Addie
Chapter Five
Lists and Repulsiveness
As soon as I felt Harry's arms wrapped around me I lost hold of any sense of dignity that I had managed to hold onto.
"Oh Gin." Harry whispered as he held me tighter. "Let's bring her inside." He spoke up to Ron.
"Alright." I heard Ron say. "I better call Hermione, she's been worried out of her mind."
I let out another hacking sob and tried to pull myself out of Harry's arms. I didn't deserve to have him hold me like that. Not after what I had done.
"No." I croaked as Harry lifted me up into his arms and brought me inside of the flat. "No." I looked up at Harry's face. It looked pained.
"Ginny, I need to know if you're hurt." Ron took me from Harry's arms and asked.
I didn't know what to say. So I didn't say anything.
"Was it that guy?" Ron asked. His eyes were hard.
I let out a muffled gasp, which must have been proof enough.
"I'll kill him." Ron growled.
"Ron." Harry warned. He seemed to realize that killing would not help the situation.
It was at that moment that Hermione apparated in and took over. Which was good. I know that Harry and Ron were trying, but being around them just made me feel worse. There they were protecting me when I had done what I had done not even a day ago.
"Where is she?" I heard Hermione's voice demand. A mumbled response from Harry sent Hermione into the living room. Before anyone could do anything she had me out of Ron's arms and wrapped up on the couch. "Get her some tea." Hermione ordered Ron. He scurried out of the room. My brother was whipped.
"Hermione." I murmured, hiding my face in the blanket.
"Where did you go last night?" Hermione demanded. "I need to know."
"Aidan." I whispered, feeling another wave of shame wash over me.
"Who's Aidan?" Hermione asked, this time her voice was gentler.
"Kinsella." I mumbled.
"The minister's son?" Hermione asked, aghast.
"I had too much champagne." I blubbered. "And when I woke up, we were – you know…"
"I know." Hermione said sorrowfully.
"And he knows. So I can't not see him anymore." I cried.
"What does he know?" Hermione asked.
"About Addie and the plan." I answered pitifully. "I got drunk and I spilled it all."
"Alright." Hermione said pensively. "You wait here I need to go talk to Harry."
I wanted to stop her. I wanted to yell, scream, and kick. But any embarrassment I felt was well deserved in my opinion.
I heard raised voices and heated words out in the hall and I sunk further down into the couch. I had caused that fight all because I couldn't hold my alcohol or my tongue.
"I DO NOT CARE ANYMORE." Harry's voice boomed from the hall. Oh no…
"THIS COULD RUIN YOU." Hermione's shrill voice met my ears.
I had ruined Harry. It was because of me that his name would be smeared across the tabloids.
Before I could tear into myself anymore Harry, Hermione, and Ron all poured into the room. Harry looked livid.
"Gin, you are never seeing that man again." Harry growled.
"I have to." I moaned.
"No." Harry said forcefully. "I don't care what happens to me or Addie or anyone. He used you and I will not sit back and have you keep going back to him only to save me from the press."
"Harry." I said weakly.
"We're forgetting the plan. I'll finish off with Addie and she can do her worst. I don't care." Harry grated out.
It sounded nice, forgetting about Addie and Aidan and everyone else and just continuing on with our lives. But I couldn't do that. I had to redeem myself. Not only for Harry's sake but for mine as well.
"No, we are not." I said stiffly. "I have the plan all worked out."
"Screw the plan, Gin." Harry yelled.
"NO." I screamed as loud as I could. It shut Harry up effectively. "I have to do this. You don't understand. And I have lots of ideas." I said frantically. "I have an idea. I know how I can get rid of Addie and Aidan. He's just another element. Besides, I told you the dynamics already changed. You're not involved anymore. Just leave it to me."
"Merlin Gin." Harry swore lightly. His eyes met mine and I could make out one overriding emotion in them – sorrow.
"Please Harry." I was practically begging. "Just let me fix this. I can help you and me at the same time. I know I can."
"Ginny, I really think you might need help with all of this. You're letting it control you." Hermione interjected.
"I'm fine." I said unconvincingly. "I just need to go to sleep and think."
"Gin." Harry groaned. "Don't do this to yourself."
"I'm not doing anything." I snapped.
"Should we tell mum?" Ron asked.
"Are you mad?" I looked at him incredulously.
"Well, I don't know what to do in these situations. Mum does." Ron said defensively.
"No parents." Hermione added in her opinion. That sealed the deal. "I'm taking Ginny home." She announced as she hauled me off of the couch.
"I want to talk to you alone for a moment." Harry looked at me with a calculating gaze. Ron nodded at him once before leading Hermione out of the room with him. I didn't know what to say. "I'm not letting you do this alone." Harry finally said.
"What?" I asked, looking for clarification.
"I'm not going to let you do this on your own. I want to be part of the plan." Harry said with conviction.
"But the dynamics changed, I already told you." I tried to unconvince him.
"You're right." He agreed. I breathed a sigh of relief; he was just going to let it be. "We have two people to bring down now." Well that hadn't been what I had been expecting. But I smiled at him anyway.
"Thanks, Harry." I felt myself getting choked up. I didn't deserve to be his friend.
As if sensing my mixed feelings Harry moved forward and gave me another hug.
"I'm going to make him pay for what he did to you." He whispered into my ear. And I melted.
- -
When I got home I showered until my skin was raw. But it was worth it.
Needless to mention I had a few issues to work through as well. I cried a lot, I screamed, I ranted to Hermione, and I broke a few potted plants. Long story.
Hermione in her infinite wisdom decided that the anger I was holding against myself was self-deprecating. Which of course was the surprise of the century. To make a long story a little less long she decided I should make lists to help me sort through the changes I wanted to make in my life.
Yes, you heard right. I had another new project. I was going to turn myself into a respectable member of society and turn my ways all the way around.
After musing about life changes and things of that nature for a good three days I had the following.
Ginny's List of Life Changing ThingsDon't drink champagne.
Take away Aidan's manhood.
Feed Addie to sharks.
Snog Harry.
Clean out those dust bunnies in the closet.
Buy a pet. You know, to learn responsibility and what not.
Cleanse my aura.
I was quite proud of it actually.
I showed it to Hermione one night and she, however, seemed a bit more skeptical.
"This is, ah, very – aspiring?" She said uncertainly after I had showed it to her.
"I know." I said proudly. "I'm really dedicated to this."
"I can tell." She smiled at me cheerily. "But, how exactly are you going to take away Aidain's manhood?" She quoted from the list.
"I have another list devoted completely to that aspect." I smiled cheekily.
"That's – nice." Hermione smiled. "I'm glad you're making changes." She said kindly. "I'm just a little worried that you're still not dealing with all of this healthily."
"Nonsense." I scoffed.
"Do you want to talk about anything?" Hermione asked.
"I told you. I'm fine." I said a bit impatiently.
"Alright. Remember, I'm here if you need me." Hermione retreated.
"Thanks." I said sincerely. And I meant it. I mean, she was only trying to help and I did appreciate it. But this was just my coping mechanism. My thing.
Hermione left then and I decided to make another list, this one, however, I had a feeling would have a much bigger impact on the next few weeks of my life. For this list was the official plan to get rid of Addie and Aidan.
The more I thought about it the more I realized that I had just been flying off of the seat of my pants for the last month or so. My ideas were all mediocre and the planning was amateur at best. This was my way to make up for it. I was going to have it all planned down to the point where I could be classified as obsessive.
So, now to make the list.
I sat down at the table with a cup of tea and a pen. Hmmm…
I was always rambling on about dynamics, so maybe it would be a good idea to have some of those. Let's see…
Well, there was Addie and Aidan. And not only did their names sound the same, but their personalities were oddly similar. I'd have to look into that.
They were mean, vindictive, and obviously smart if they were controlling Harry and myself. Yet, they had different motives.
Addie was trying to further her career, and Aidan wanted a relationship.
The idea of getting rid of Aidan would probably be pretty easy to pull off. I would just have to convince him that I had had a change of heart and then be completely obnoxious. No one wanted to date obnoxious people.
Addie was trickier. She was the metaphorical thorn in my backside. She really was. I had been brilliant with my idea to have her go to a Quidditch game, but that hadn't done the trick. Harry was a miserable actor so any implied evilness on his part was virtually out of the question. I hadn't dug out any dirt that I could reveal without severe repercussions onto Harry or myself. It was extremely vexing.
It didn't help that my stomach felt queasy. I had the unpleasant feeling that I was coming down with a nasty virus or something else of the sort. Just my godforsaken luck.
Now, more on dynamics. There was obviously the press. Maybe I could use that Maggie girl to my advantage later on; after all, I had saved her career. She owed me a favor. But then how much could I tell someone like her?
Maybe I could get the guy that Addie had buggered the night of the Ministry party to come forward. Or maybe I could get Maggie to interview her mum. But then I didn't want Harry to get fired.
Oh it was brilliant.
As I stared at my scribbled words on the paper I had been working on it all formed together in my mind. This time, however, I knew it would work. I just had to play my cards right and the whole thing was guaranteed to go off without a hitch. I really deserved a present of some sort.
- - -
Harry had not been happy when I informed him of the first stage of my plan. He made extra sure to inform me repeatedly that he did not approve and that I should be checked over by a brain doctor. What did he know?
Okay, so maybe he had a bit of a point. After what had happened the last time I had come face to face with Aidan his concerns were rather valid, but tonight would be different. You see, I was only going to drink water.
I allowed myself to be led through the garishly decorated restaurant by the doorman. I forced myself to hold back a laugh when I spotted Aidan sitting nervously in a secluded dining booth in the corner. Poor sod.
"Ginny!" He leapt up and helped me into my seat when he saw me.
"Hello Aidan." I said pleasantly. "How was your day?"
"Uh…good." Aidan answered nervously. He cleared his throat and looked at me pensively for a few moments. "I wasn't expecting to have you being the one calling me." He admitted.
"Well, me either." I agreed. "But I was doing yoga." I informed him.
"Yoga?" He asked in confusion.
"Yes, a very clever muggle technique. It's in order to cleanse my aura."
"Alright then." Aidan smiled all sappily and nodded for me to continue.
"I was doing yoga and I was hit with inspiration." I took a sip of my water. "You see I've been suffering from a severe case of writer's block ever since that night. Anyways, I discovered that you're my muse."
"Really?" Aidan asked. He looked too pleased with the idea if you asked me.
"Oh yes." I confirmed.
"So you're not upset anymore?" Aidan asked hopefully.
"Nope." I said lightly. "Because I've realized something even more important than you being my muse."
"What's that?"
"That, I love you." I stared him down and I swear he faltered under my gaze.
"You love me?" Aidan asked.
"Yes." I answered firmly.
"I love you, too." Aidan said, taking my hand across the table.
That was not supposed to happen.
"Oh. That's good." I forced a smile onto my face and suddenly wished my water was a bit stronger.
"Shall we order?" He released my hand and handed me a menu.
As I sat there studying the restaurants overly priced entrees something struck me as odd.
"You don't think we're rushing. Do you?" I asked in slight disbelief.
"No." Aidan nodded his head.
"Really?" I asked incredulously.
"Uh huh." He mumbled as he began to observe the wine list.
"I want to move into your apartment." I blurted out.
"Really?" Aidan looked at me.
"Yes, I can't stand to be away from you." I declared.
"Wonderful." Aidan smiled and looked back down at the menu.
"But you hardly know me." I said loudly.
"I like what I know." Aidan replied simply.
"I'm going to the loo." I declared and pushed myself out of my seat. Aidan merely nodded.
As soon as I was in the restroom I checked for feet in all the stalls and upon finding the room empty, screamed. I stomped around making huffing noises and stared at myself indignantly into the mirror.
I barely even noticed when the door opened. I just keep staring.
But I did notice when I heard stilettos.
I whipped my head up only to see Addie standing at the opposite end of the mirror reapplying her face.
"Addie!" I screeched.
"Hello Ginny." She drawled.
"What – but – ah!" I slammed my foot down.
She just kept putting on her make up.
"I hate you." I seethed.
"Surprise, surprise." She sneered.
"You had something to do with this." I said coldly.
"With what, exactly?" She looked at me in question.
"You know perfectly well." I retorted.
"Do I? It was nice seeing you Ginny. Tell Harry I'll be by tomorrow to take him with me to lunch. We have a meeting with the Ethiopian ambassador to the ministry." And she just clicked off. And I just screamed again.
I was hyperventilating by the time I stopped kicking things and then I had to wait another five minutes before my face was an acceptable shade of pink instead of beet red. Bloody witch.
"Aidan." I said fiercely once I was back at our table. Our food had come while I had been away and I had a hard time stopping myself from stabbing my potato to death.
"Yes, dear." He answered.
"Do you know Addie?" I asked impatiently.
"Addie?" He paused to think. "No, don't think I do."
"Are you sure?" I asked determinedly.
"Pretty sure." Aidan agreed. I paused to think. Maybe I had been wrong.
"Aidan." I said sweetly. He looked up from his meal to my face. "What were you thinking while you shagged me?" I tried to keep the venom out of my voice.
"I never considered it shagging." I took a sip of my water as I watched him carefully. "I more thought of it as making love." I gagged on said water. "And the entire time I was thinking of how beautiful you are."
"Oh." I said flatly. "Thanks?" He just nodded and kept eating.
After ten minutes of silence I snapped.
"I think we should get married."
"Really?" He asked.
"Yes." I said stiffly.
"Sure." He gave me a dazzling smile.
"That is it!" I screeched. "Something is going on." I threw my napkin on the table and glared at him expectantly. He cowered under my gaze.
"Sweetheart…" He tried.
"Don't you sweetheart me." I snapped. By this time we had attracted the attention of a few people in the restaurant.
"Let's take this outside." He said. His voice was harder than it had been all night.
"Fine." I hissed.
He slammed a handful of galleons on the table and dragged me out into the cold night air. I shivered. It wasn't my fault the dress I had chose to wear didn't match any of my cloaks.
"What was that all about?" He demanded once we were clear from any wandering ears.
"Why don't you tell me." I snapped.
"Tell you what?" He yelled in exasperation.
"Let me tell you something." I growled. "I met you a grand total of three days ago. For half of that time I was drunk out of my mind. I have hated you since then, until I cleansed my aura." I was grinding my teeth now. "First off you don't protest to me saying 'I love you.' Second of all you agree to moving in together. And third, you agreed to marriage. After only three days. Something isn't right."
"Don't attack me." He defended himself. "You were the one who instigated it. I just went along with your crazy ideas."
"They weren't crazy." I retorted. "They were simply a test!"
"Fine, we won't get married then." He exclaimed.
"And we won't be moving in together." I added.
"Yeah, well maybe I don't love you!" He boomed.
"Fine with me." I huffed. "I'm not the one who's crushed under Addie Lewis' thumb!"
"She has nothing to do with this." He protested.
"HAH!" I exclaimed triumphantly. "You do know her."
"I do not." He said viciously.
"I bet you don't." I said sarcastically.
"You're just trying to get away from me." He snarled.
"And I thought you were dumb." I said bitterly.
"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I really truly care about you and I feel like a right arse about what happened that night." He put his head in his hands. "And I know I'm blackmailing you. I know that you have a reason not to exactly like me, but I like you." He was grabbing fistfuls of hair. "But how else am I supposed to get you to give me a chance. Tell me. How else would I have gotten you to stop hating me?" He looked up at me with pleading eyes.
"What?" I asked aghast.
"I won't tell anything if you just give me a chance." He was practically begging.
"I – "
"Please." He implored.
This was just what I needed. Really bloody great stuff. As if my love life wasn't complicated enough I had the sniveling son of a politician throwing his hat into the ring and trying to win my heart. I think.
"I want you to promise me something." I said coolly.
"Anything." He said eagerly.
"I want you to promise that if I give you a chance and it doesn't work out that anything you have learned or may learn about myself or Harry Potter in the future stays hidden." I looked at him hard, daring him to just try and disagree with me. "That man has been through hell and back and I will not having you dragging his name through the mud because some girl decided she didn't like you after all."
"Okay." He visibly gulped. "But, does that mean you like me now?"
"Sure." I said tiredly.
"Do you want to get desert?" He asked kindly.
"As long as it has the word chocolate in the title at least three times." I said grumpily as I began walking ahead, Aidan trotting happily behind me.
-
I really don't like men. At least, any man who isn't related to me by blood or Harry, but even they wear on my nerves.
Let's look at this whole thing logically. They are nothing more than a bother. They take up time, energy, and much needed oxygen when most of the time they don't deserve it.
It doesn't help that I've never had wonderful relationships. As a matter of fact the only normal relationship I think I ever had was with Michael Corner, but we were just a pair of fumbling teenagers back then.
And now I have Aidan. Yes, that is all I have. I have no Harry Potter. No Prince Charming. No knight in shining armor. I only have Aidan. And a stomachache, but that doesn't count.
"Hermione, do you find men repulsive?" I asked her over dinner the night after my date with Aidan.
"No." She answered smiling. "Does this have to do with Aidan?"
"And a bit of Harry." I answered.
"Did he say something?" She asked.
"No." I pushed my food around on my plate. "It's just that I'd like to find him repulsive. That way I wouldn't have to love him so much."
"Ah." She nodded.
"Did you know he had lunch with the Ethiopian ambassador today with Addie?" I asked, trying to hide my grin.
"Ron flooed me to tell me while you were out blowing things up in the garden." Hermione said teasingly. I flushed a bit. I had had some anger to work out.
"Well, I talked to him afterwards and he told me all about it." I said happily. "He dumped water in her lap and slipped all these embarrassing 'intimate' details to the ambassador about Addie. He said she was livid."
"Good for him." Hermione said proudly.
"But I still find him to be just another stupid boy." I grumbled, my mood souring a bit.
"He likes you." Hermione said wisely.
"Oh, I'm sure that's what it is." I scoffed. "If he fancies me why hasn't he done anything about it?"
"He's Harry." Hermione said as if it had been the most obvious thing in the world.
"I still don't believe you." I sulked.
"He's really worried about you and I swear if he ever meets Aidan on a dark corner there will be one less politician in this world." She paused. "Not that that's necessarily a bad thing."
"He'd do that for any of his friends." I retorted. "I'm just stupid little Ginny Weasley. That's all I'll ever be."
"Ginny, don't be ridiculous." Hermione scolded.
"Maybe I like being ridiculous." I said childishly.
"Apparently so." Hermione sighed.
Just then a loud crash came in from the living room making me fall out of my seat.
Harry and Ron came bounding into the kitchen a few moments later. Ron started laughing.
"That's enough Ron." Hermione scolded him. He silenced immediately.
"Ron." I said scathingly. "Tell me, where's the leash?"
"Huh?" He looked at me in confusion.
"Men." I grumbled, causing Harry to chuckle lightly. I merely looked up at them indignantly, still on the floor, until Harry helped me back into my seat.
The two boys pulled chairs up to the table as well, settling themselves down. Ron immediately began devouring everything he could find that was edible in the vicinity.
"Ronald, don't be repulsive." Hermione said lightly, sending me a wink. I snorted into the glass I had been drinking from. Merlin bless Hermione.
Ron appeared not to notice as he kept shoveling down food, barely even pausing to acknowledge the fact that Harry had gotten up to make tea.
"But, no Ginny. I do not believe all men are repulsive." Hermione started our conversation up again. I glared daggers at her. What was she playing at her? She just smiled all smugly like she knew a secret nobody else did.
"What's that?" Ron asked, swallowing his food.
"Oh, Ginny here thinks all men are repulsive." Hermione said conversationally.
"You do?" Ron looked at me.
"Yes." I confirmed. "But after what I've lived with for my whole love that shouldn't come as much of a shock to you." Ron gave me annoyed look and started back on what was probably his tenth dinner of the night.
"Why is that, Gin?" Harry asked me carefully as he came back to the table holding four cups of tea.
"Well they just – are." It really wasn't that fair to my argument that Harry was looking especially nice on this particular evening. How could I make a point against the veritable fact that all men were repulsive when I had someone like him living in the same galaxy?
"Whatever," Hermione waved off the subject. It had obviously done its job. "What are you two doing here?"
"Harry burnt dinner and we got bored." Ron answered.
"I didn't burn it." Harry said indignantly. "It was more like a special crisp."
"If a crisp involves flames then sure mate." Ron teased him good-naturedly.
"You should really fire call before you pop in here like that." Hermione informed the boys reproachfully. I sniggered as they looked at her sheepishly. They were under her control. She turned to me just then and smirked. "Ginny could have been naked."
The result was instantaneous. Ron choked on his food and Harry's eyes widened.
"What?" Ron spluttered.
"Honestly." Hermione chided them. "And Harry," she smiled sweetly, "Do try and get your eyes to the proper size. You look like you're on narcotics."
Harry's cheeks turned bright red and he cleared his throat obviously trying to find something to say. I was actually rather pleased with the whole effect it had had on him.
"Do you have a problem with me being naked, Harry?" I asked coyly. I don't know what possessed me and caused me to ask him that, but I had. And if I was being completely honest I really wanted to hear his response.
"No." He sounded choked.
"Good." I patted him on the hand kindly before I turned back to Hermione and smiled at her. She looked undoubtedly pleased with herself.
"Can we move on." Ron more ordered than asked.
We continued talking and laughing well into the night. Hermione made her share of comments that she thought would get a rise out of Harry. They all worked. Ron and I played a game of chess. We discussed nothing unpleasant. Nothing that had to do with Addie or Aidan, and for the first time in a long time I felt truly content with myself.
- - - -
AN:I know, a bit of a lackluster ending there. Oh well. Hope you all enjoyed, and don't forget to review!