Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers and its various publishers own Harry Potter. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: This story was written after the OoTP and the HBP. Thanks for taking the time to read and especially thanks for taking the time to review. I've loved reading them.

Chapter 36
Stronger Together

Moonlight streamed through the high windows of the Hogwarts infirmary. The sky outside was bright with stars. It was a familiar sight to Harry, although he really had no idea how he came to be there. He was supposed to remember…something, but he couldn't think what. A great, peaceful cloud had settled over his mind. Someone had wrapped him in a blanket charmed for warmth. He welcomed its wonderful softness and gave up trying to remember, letting his eyelids fall blissfully closed.

Sometime later, Madam Pomfrey's office door broke open, warm yellow light spilling out into the blue darkness. The light and the sounds broke through the fog in Harry's consciousness. He could hear voices inside, quiet voices…and the faint sound of…laughter?

Confused, Harry closed his eyes and tried to remember. A red dragon….a seething throng calling for his death…Bellatrix aiming her wand…Voldemort screaming out the obscene things he planned to do to him…then the white light of the spell and the wave of purifying energy that came with it.

The torch spell must have worked, or he'd be dead, wouldn't he?

"He's awake…" whispered Ron.

"No, he's not…see the even breathing and the way his eyes are closed?" Hermione laughed softly. "Let's go…he needs his rest."

"But…I have to talk to him. What if--"

"What if he's another illusion? He's not…anyway, Madam Pomfrey told us that he has to sleep or his recovery could become difficult."

"It's been almost two days." Ron said, then he grumbled something about Pomfrey celebrating too hard to notice if they woke Harry up.

Their voices grew fainter as they turned away, but Harry didn't want them to go. The cloud had lifted from his mind. He remembered what he had to do. Pushing painfully up on one elbow, he forced himself to speak. His voice sounded groggy and hoarse. "Wait…

They turned back toward him immediately.

"Harry!" Hermione called, unable to curtail her enthusiasm. She practically skipped across the infirmary in the moonlight.

Ron followed her back to Harry's bed. "Ha! Told you he was awake."

Their smiles faded slightly as they saw Harry's feeble attempt to smile back. Hermione lit the lamp next to his bed and sat down in the chair by his bed, taking his hand in hers.

"Welcome back, Harry." She gave him a shy smile. "We've all missed you terribly."

Standing behind her in the small circle of light, Ron nodded his agreement.

Nodding in return, Harry struggled to sit up. "Ginny!" he said, his voice still rough.

Ron and Hermione exchanged looks that Harry couldn't see properly without his contact lenses or glasses. Reaching a shaky hand out toward the bedside table, he fumbled around until he found his old glasses and put them on.

"I have to go back to Ginny. She'll be crazy with worry by now." Slipping his legs out from under the covers, he said, "Help me find my clothes."

"Er…sorry…we should have realized," Hermione said, shooting Ron a worried look.

"It's over, mate. Get back in bed." Ron towered over Harry as if ready to physically restrain him.

"What Ron means is that Ginny is perfectly fine," Hermione said. "She's resting. I'm sure she'll be here the minute she finds out you're awake."

Harry looked to Ron for confirmation. He thought his friend seemed a little doubtful, but at Ron's nod, he let Hermione help him back under the covers. He felt wicked tired, anyway.

Settling back into the bedside chair, Hermione looked at him with pride. "You did it! Harry…what…how? I want to hear all about it. Start at the beginning and don't leave anything out."

Smoothing down the edge of his sheet for a moment, lost in thought, Harry said, "I…figured out some things while I was trapped in the cave. There wasn't anything else to do. I studied the books I'd brought, especially the Myrddin's Torch book…I thought it might hold a clue about how to escape."

Harry looked at each of his friends in turn. Ron gave him a pitying look, presumably at his admission that he'd had nothing else to do but study. Hermione still appeared to be bursting with pride and excitement.

"The ruby from the box…oddly enough, it held something…"

Pausing to clear his throat, Harry remembered the visions in the cave. It had been strange. Not really like watching something in a pensieve, more like experiencing someone else's memories.

Drinking the glass of water Hermione offered him, he said, "I'm convinced that it would only have worked in that cave. The walls, the floor, the whole cave was made entirely of crystal -- "

Hermione interjected. "I read somewhere that pure crystal is the best amplifier of magical energy in the natural world."

Smiling at her enthusiasm, Harry continued. "I don't know what triggered it, but the ruby began to give off sparks and then they were spinning around…and then it was like a blast…it knocked me down and…then there were…"

Ron looked skeptical, but Hermione seemed eager for him to try to explain.

It was an effort to speak. Harry still felt very tired, but he wanted to tell them. "Suddenly I was remembering all sorts of things, but the memories really…weren't my memories…they belonged to someone else."

"Like a vision?" Hermione said.

"Like Trelawney," Ron said, with a smirk.

Hermione's exasperated look silenced him quick enough. Anyway, privately Harry agreed with Ron…the whole experience with the ruby reminded him of one of Trelawney's trances – only they were about the past instead of the future.

"The memories belonged to Owain. I saw everything through his eyes." Harry figured his friends probably thought he was round the bend, but it was what had happened. "Do you remember the ghost of Niniane, Ron?"

"I remember you telling me about her…" Ron said.

"Owain was the man the ghost kept confusing you with," Hermione said, as usual completely correct.

"I'm fairly sure these were specially selected memories from his life…especially his dealings with Merlin." Harry paused to see what his friends thought, but neither of them said anything so he went on. "And they did show me how to get out of the cave…only it wouldn't work from the inside…but then Ginny was – where'd you say Ginny was?"

Harry's voice was beginning to sound shaky and he felt light headed.

"She's asleep," Hermione said slowly, standing and turning to Ron as if getting ready to go. "And maybe you should be too."

But Harry wanted to finish the story…and then maybe he'd go find Ginny…just to see for himself. He might need Ron and Hermione's help to get all the way up to Gryffindor.

Making a determined effort to steady his voice, he sat up a little higher and continued. "Wait…I'm all right. Let me finish. One of the visions showed Merlin using a crystal from the cave to construct a torch spell, protecting Hart Fell…"

His voice trailed off, even this small exertion was difficult, but he had succeeded in catching Hermione's interest. She sat back down.

"Hart Fell," Hermione said, with a quick nod. "Of course, that's where the legends say he spent his later years…at his refuge in Hart Fell. And Ginny said – that is – that's where your phoenix has been taking you…to Hart Fell."

"And the weather's beautiful, even in the winter. And the trees are lush and full." Ron said as though he was repeating something. He laughed. "Ginny gave us an earful about the beauties of the ancient forest."

"If everything she told us is true, then it seems like the torch protects the area from the weather, too."

Hermione looked at him sharply, but Harry couldn't answer her. He simply didn't know.

"Where is she?" Harry asked, avoiding Hermione's gaze. He wouldn't feel right until he had a chance to talk things over with Ginny. He hoped he hadn't bollixed everything by leaving her behind.

"She was tired and hurt." Hermione gave him an appraising look. "Madam Pomfrey insisted that she take a sleeping draught and go to Gryffindor."

"Hurt?" Harry said, wincing as he bolted upright. "Help me…"

"She's all right. It was only bumps and bruises. Madam Pomfrey healed most of them with a quick wave of her wand," Hermione said, pushing him back against his pillow and shaking her head. "You on the other hand, took a dragon's spike across your back and a nasty curse to your chest--only partially deflected from the look of it. And you're suffering from exhaustion."

Her voice dropped conspiratorially. "We're not even supposed to be here, but…we couldn't stay away."

"Maybe you should go then…you could go check on Ginny. Make sure she's all right." Harry knew he was ranting a bit. Maybe his head wasn't quite as clear as he'd thought. "I mean did anyone manage to find Malfoy? And Rhys -- Rhys can't be trusted and he…"

"Oh, Ginny's protected all right -- " Ron said in a mocking tone.

His words were cut short by Hermione elbowing him in the ribs.

"Ow -- your friend Rhys is in that bed on the end. He's not going anywhere…" Ron's voice dropped lower. "In fact, they've done all they can do. He hasn't woken up yet, but they think he'll be all right. He's not going anywhere tonight."

"He took a curse meant for Ron," Hermione said, her voice clear and matter of fact. "So I'm willing to trust him. He can't be all bad. I rather think he was trying to make up for what he did to you when he jumped between Ron and that curse."

"But Malfoy." Ron spat the name like it tasted bad. "He's locked in the dungeon with Snape by now. Serves the little bastard right."

"What do you mean by that -- locked in a dungeon?" Harry asked, dumbfounded. "Remember the last time we thought he was safely locked in the dungeon? Someone let him out."

"Well, that was probably Rhys, but even so, what if someone does let him escape, what then?" Hermione asked, giving him one of her know it all smiles. "Right now everyone on Voldemort's side thinks Malfoy betrayed him with a miraculous spell, capable of deflecting the Dark Lord's attack and stealing Hogwarts from his grasp. Of course the truth will come out eventually, but for now…"

Harry laughed as he realized that what she said was probably true. It wouldn't be long before Voldemort realized that Harry had escaped from the cave, but until then -- well -- until then, the joke was on them.

Ron grinned and Hermione giggled, then laughed along with him.

The sounds brought them company. Madam Pomfrey's office door opened again, bathing the room in golden light. Gliding across the dimly lit room, Dumbledore joined them. He seemed like his usual self, despite the ordeal of bolstering the wards against the attack.

"Ah, I'm glad you're awake," Dumbledore said, smiling softly. "And in good spirits it seems."

One look at Ron and Hermione was all it took to sober them up.

"I…we were just going, Professor," Hermione said, pulling on Ron's arm. "Good night, Harry."

They beat a hasty retreat from the infirmary, leaving Professor Dumbledore and Harry alone in the dim light.

"I daresay you've had an interesting time of it these past few weeks, Harry"

"Yes, sir," Harry said, taking another long drink of water to soothe his raw throat.

"It's nice to see you again. We had wondered where you'd gone." Lowering his tone, he added. "Miss Weasley told us the story -- at least the part she knew."

At the mention of Ginny, Harry wondered again if she was all right.

"Madam Pomfrey checked Miss Weasley over before I spoke to her. I believe she sent her to bed with a strong potion." Dumbledore paused. The dim light of the bedside lamp, flickered on his glasses, for a moment. "Now…I wonder if you're up to a bit of chat. There are a few questions I hope you'll be able to answer."

That was a bit of a change. Usually it was Harry looking for answers from Professor Dumbledore. He shook his head in disbelief.

Dumbledore held up a small book. Harry recognized the tangled tree on the front. "I hope you don't mind, Harry. I took the liberty of looking through this while you were resting."

"You were worried about the spell," he said, taking the book back and smoothing the front cover with his right hand. He could understand the Headmaster reading the book. After all, he was the Headmaster at Hogwarts. The responsibility for the school was on his shoulders.

"Curious might be a better word, Harry. It was, after all, immediately apparent that your spell had succeeded in safeguarding Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, the corners of his mouth slightly curling. "I would appreciate some of the details – if you feel able. I understand some of the basics of the spell. It's not a cosmetic change such as one would expect when something is hidden under the Secret Keeper spell. It's not an illusion. Hogwarts has shifted slightly – outside of its former space, has it not?"

Nodding, Harry fingered the book. "It is the same space, separate from the original, but it has shifted just the same. It's not like the wizard space inside of a trunk where space has been expanded. The torch is essentially a time spell. Hogwarts has been moved, shifted outside of normal time, the place, not the people. The spell is designed to protect people from anything that might harm them, predatory animals, men with evil intent. I suspect that it might even affect the weather."

Harry felt his eyes drift closed. He couldn't help himself. The effort of talking with his friends and now Dumbledore was taking its toll. He started to feel the fog returning to his mind.

"That explains why Hogwarts has enjoyed such sunny days while you've been resting, Harry." Dumbledore patted his arm, giving him a worried look. "The rest of my questions can wait. You seem fatigued."

"No that's all right." Harry forced his eyes open. He'd need to stay awake to go find Ginny anyway. Maybe if he focused on talking to Dumbledore he could fight off the fuzziness that was settling in. He could tell that Dumbledore had more question, but didn't want to ask, so he asked one for him. "You want to know where I found the tanglewood?"

Dumbledore nodded. "More precisely, how did you know where to look? Tanglewood trees were hunted to extinction thousands years ago. Even in Merlin's time, they were thought to be only a legend. Stories persisted about them, of course, it was said that they grew only inside the deepest woods, that they had no natural protection of their own and they would give up their precious limbs to anyone who asked for one. So many years have passed that their existence has been relegated to children's stories."

In his mind's eye, Harry saw the storm of lights in the cave, followed by the visions.

Then he began to explain as much as he could, about Rhys springing the trap set by Voldemort, about the weeks spent in the white cave and the ruby coming to life. He'd just told the story to Ron and Hermione, but with the Headmaster, he was careful to include every little detail.

Dumbledore listened patiently to the story of his quest, first to understand the mystery, then to find the materials to construct the torch. When Harry finally finished, he asked, "And the torch? How long is it likely to keep Hogwarts hidden?"

"I put as much energy into the spell as I could but I simply don't know," Harry said, with a shrug. "You'd probably like a better answer than that…but I'm just not sure. I did my best, but… "

The torch at Hart Fell had lasted for centuries, but that was made by Merlin himself. Harry couldn't imagine that the torch he'd constructed would last nearly that long.

"The drawback is that from now on, someone who was inside Hogwarts during the construction of the torch will have to act as a guide," Harry said, unable to keep the worry out of his voice. "If anyone comes to visit or…even next year when new students arrive…someone who was here will have to be their guide through the gates. No one else will be able to find their way."

Dumbledore waved him off. "A mere inconvenience, Harry. A fair exchange for the safety the school now enjoys," Dumbledore said, waving Harry off. "You've shown great courage once again, Harry, putting the safety of others above your own."

"And if the last person involved dies without removing the torch spell, no one will be able to find Hogwarts." Harry kept a close eye on Dumbledore, trying to gauge the Headmaster's reaction to his next question. "But what about people like…Malfoy or Rhys? They'll be able to lead people into Hogwarts as well."

There were probably others too, people whose loyalties hadn't been tested yet.

"The wards are still in place. Hogwarts is more protected than ever. What's really on your mind, Harry?"

"What about Rhys?" Harry asked, looking over at the only other occupied bed in the infirmary.

"The story he gave Miss Weasley is that he was coerced into helping Voldemort. He was trying to protect his mother and sister. He behaved wrongly and foolishly. Whether he acted out of a concern for his family or not…he could have cost you your life. The Order has taken steps to protect his family from retaliation." Dumbledore sounded so in control, as if he'd thought of everything. "Unfortunately, he and Draco Malfoy have both shown where their loyalties lie."

"With Voldemort?"

"With themselves."

"What are you going to do with them?"

"Nothing for the moment. Whatever their sympathies, neither of them have anywhere else to go. I expect if they posed a threat to the school at the time you cast the spell, they would have been expelled from the grounds along with all of the other creatures Voldemort had assembled."

Harry nodded. "Or it could have been that they were both unconscious."

His eyelids felt heavy again. Closing them, he imagined for a moment, Malfoy flying through the air along with the menacing trolls and the crazed dragons.

"Is Malfoy still wearing my face?"

"Does that bother you, Harry?"

"Yes…but it doesn't seem to have fooled anyone." Harry smiled at the thought of his friends ferreting out Malfoy's deception. "But I don't like the idea of him impersonating me. He should be held somewhere until the spell can be broken."

"I'm sure it won't surprise you to find out that Professor Moody was able to break the illusion charm on young Malfoy. He is restored to his original appearance."

"Malfoy's like some kind of poisonous snake," Harry said, frowning. "Whether we keep him with us or make him leave…he'll always be a threat."

Dumbledorenoddedhis agreement, pattingHarry'sarm again. "For now, we shall keep him in our custody. His mother is still missing. The Death Eaters would kill him first and ask questions later. Professor Snape has taken on the responsibility of keeping Mr. Malfoy safely hidden. He won't be allowed out of his chambers."

"How long do you think it will be before Voldemort realizes that it was me and not Malfoy?"

"I do not know, but I am encouraged by these recent events. It always helps for your opponent to underestimate your strengths. It won't be long before you are forced to face him, Harry, use what little time you have to prepare."

Harry looked up at the Headmaster sharply. Embarrassed, he fumbled around for the right thing to say, but it just came out as a still of um's and er's.

"That surprises you, Harry?" Dumbledore seemed amused. "I do know that until Voldemort figures out that you are the one that cast the spell on Hogwarts, it won't just be Mr. Malfoy's life that is in grave danger."

"That isn't really new information. But Malfoy,he'll be in dangereven afterwards…I mean…will Voldemort or his followers ever really be able to trust him again?" Harry lifted his chin and looked Dumbledore in the eye. "Will you be able to trust Rhys, knowing that he was once under Voldemort's control?"

"I'm afraid once trust has been broken, it takes something extraordinary to reestablish it." Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "For the safety of the Order…we can't continue to trust Rhys unless he proves himself in some way."

"He saved Ron. Maybe he could find a way to help the Order." Harry suggested.

Dumbledore looked at him proudly. "Forgiveness is a quality that separates wizards from kneazles, Harry. It's never an easy path to follow."

Covering his yawn with his hand, Harry couldn't hide the sleepiness in his eyes. "There aren't so many of us that we can give up on each other. We're stronger together than we are apart. Isn't that what the sorting hat keeps saying?"

Dumbledore doused Harry light with a wave of his hand, then began to glide toward the door. "I can see that you are in need of your rest. We'll talk more tomorrow, Harry."

Letting his eyes drift partially closed, Harry saw the Headmaster's long robes as he floated across the infirmary floor and slipped through the doors.

When the doors shut behind him, Ginny appeared out of thin air. She pulled Harry's Invisibility Cloak off and slung it over her arm. Even though she stood in shadow, Harry could make out her bright hair– and the bright golden bird perched on her shoulder.

Shoes clicking across the hard floor, she moved toward him. "I…thought I should return this," she said quietly, placing his cloak at the foot of his bed.

"Ginny, I can't believe you're here. I was just coming to look for you." Harry watched Aurora flutter gracefully to the foot of his bed. "Has she been with you this whole time?"

"Day and night, Harry. I'm guessing you told her not to leave my side." Ginny almost laughed, then fell silent for a long moment.

Harry could see she was struggling to ask him something so he decided to wait until she came out with it. Finally she spoke.

"Why?" She asked under her breath, her voice sounding strained.

"I thought – mm -- " Harry tried to sit up so he could reach her hand and was instantly wracked with pain.

Ginny winced at the sight. Moving quickly to his side, she poured him a glass of water from the pitcher on his bedside table. "I…um…here," she said, holding the glass out to him.

Taking a small swallow, Harry caught a glimpse of her face in the moonlight and realized that his injuries were probably the only thing keeping her from hexing him at the moment. Sweat broke out on his brow from the pain of the curse.

Waving his hand at the large array of Potions bottles on his table, he tried to make conversation. "Are all of these for me?"

Ginny nodded and straightened the row of bottles, finally picking up a blue one and pouring out a spoonful for him. "You should be sleeping. You were hit by a nasty curse," she said.

Harry took his medicine dutifully, thinking she looked rather grim. He knew it was a stupid thing to say, but he couldn't stop himself. "You're just wishing you'd been the one to hex me."

Ginny's back straightened. "Is that supposed to be some sort of a joke?" she asked. "Because -- "

Harry interrupted, "Please…forgive me…I had to go – "

"Alone," she finished for him. "Yes, I had worked it out that you felt that way. But that doesn't make it easier."

Harry fell back against the pillow and listened. With her back to the light, he couldn't see her face properly, but he could hear the tremor in her voice.

"You and Ron – and even Hermione – you're always risking your own skins to make sure others are safe. You're always doing it." Ginny raised her voice as she warmed to her subject. "You went after the Sorcerer's Stone, braved the Chamber of Secrets…even last year, you were trying to save Sirius as the Department of Mysteries. I didn't do anything you wouldn't have done, coming after you in that cave. I think I've proved myself."

"I'm sorry, Ginny. I didn't think."

"And I found you and it was wonderful. I didn't mind all the risks -- then suddenly I was back to waiting around with all the worry and the fear that goes along with it."

Harry did understand. He wasn't very good at waiting around himself.He still couldn't see her expression,but he could hear the emotion in her voice. Anyway, his eyelids felt incredibly heavy from the potion. He couldn't keep them open much longer.

She rubbed her hands over her face like she was trying to keep awake. "I'd better go…get some sleep Harry."

Harry tried to speak, but his voice sounded slurred. "The torch...I had to try...I'm sorry…Ginny."

"Your spell worked, Harry, but now you need to rest."

"Wait…" Harry said, feeling as though he were about to step into a mine field. She didn't even want to talk about it. He'd always thought that it was only a matter of time before he did something so stupid that she wouldn't want to be around him.

Shaking her head, Ginny said, "Maybe we better just leave it for tonight. It's late. You need your rest."

All the blood drained from his face, as she walked away. Barely able to stand, Harry nonetheless stepped barefoot onto the cold floor and hurried to follow. He caught up to her by the exit and held onto her upper arms to steady himself. She stiffened as if she didn't want him touching her so he dropped his hands, but he still tried to speak. He couldn't stand the thought that he might have saved the castle, but lost her in the process.

She kept her back to him, listening to his stumbling apology. The plain truth was that she knew she wouldn't last another day staying angry with him. Not after weeks of missing him. She'd already missed too much – his voice, his grin…even his scowl and the way he twirled a piece of her hair sometimes when he was working himself up to say something.

"Sorry…it's just…I couldn't stand it if you were hurt…and I could have prevented it," Harry said, his voice breaking and his breath coming hard. "Forgive me…"

Of course, she'd forgive him. Harry was too important to her now. She'd risked her life for him as he had for her – and she knew she'd do it again if she had to. But it wasn't just that.

She knew what it felt like to forgive and be forgiven. Even if she hadn't been through the Chamber of Secrets, she grew up in a large family. She'd made her own share of mistakes. She'd disappointed people, even people that meant the world to her. And she knew that feeling – that need to get past things -- so that even when things were difficult, they would continue to mean the world to each other.

So she listened carefully as Harry tried to explain, coming apart a bit in the process of owning up to what he'd done, and she heard that same need in his voice.

"I…I'm not sure…how to make this better…please…we didn't know what was happening." He stopped and she felt his hand on her shoulder briefly, as though he'd reached for her and thought better of it. "I…I know you already know all of this. And…anyway…thanks for the rescue…"

At this last she heard a deep, resigned sigh. It tickled the hairs on the back of her neck and she had to bite her lip to hold back a moan as the prospect of what might come next filled her mind. Although he'd taken his hand away, she could feel his warmth behind her, standing close but not quite touching her back. He was only a step away.

He began to speak again, "Please, Ginny – "

Turning around and putting her finger to his lips, she whispered, "Shh…"

Their eyes locked, his bright with emotion, hers communicating everything he wanted to hear.

She watched as the misery in his face faded away, replaced by another expression, one full of hope and awe. Then her eyes fluttered shut as Harry kissed her softly, just a whisper of his lips over hers, but enough to warm them both all the way through.

A/N: Thanks for reviewing! Your comments are always welcome.