.:. Secrets Between Friends .:.
Chapter Five - When It Rains It Pours
It was a few minutes before Ginny snapped out of her reverie. On the way down to the hall, she tried to clear her head of the swirling mass of thoughts that were now muddling up her brain. She was unsuccessful until she rounded the corner before the entrance of the main hall.
"Why so rushed, Gryffindor?" Malfoy crooned.
The girl spun on her heels in a blink to find herself in the Slytherin's grasp. Her heart jumped to her throat as the boy pulled her close. Her body tensed immediately, expecting rough treatment, but none came. He held her firmly without causing pain. Confused, she eyes darted around their surroundings expecting Crabbe and Goyle. They too were not present. No one was around; for the moment they were alone.
"So your show of bravery at the game was short lived, was it?" He let go of her, unceremoniously. "I thought so." He studied her face before saying anything more.
"See you around Gryffindor," He stepped around her slowly with a smirk, his body brushing up against hers. "Standing up to me or not." He breathed.
Breakfast was now out of the question. Dazed, Ginny wondered the halls unconsciously heading back to her room.
—
Colin had watched Harry flee the room. From that moment he felt a powerful surge of emotion threatening to overtake him. He clenched his teeth against it. He even tore at his blankets in frustration. Once the fabric started to rip, he tried to calm himself down. He fought the incredible urge to scream. Instead he threw off his blankets, stripped himself of his dirty clothes, and grabbed a bath robe and towel on his way to the boys' shower.
Tears were welling up in his eyes as he shoved passed the door to the boys' bathroom. Another boy was washing when Colin entered, but took no notice as he passed. Colin quickly chose and started one of the showers. Cold water struck is face immediately. He welcomed the shock. As the temperature of the water adjusted, he hung his head and let the water wash over his body. It cascaded down over his face swiftly carrying away his tears.
Shaking, he placed his hands against the cold tiles in front of him. Sobs were racking his body. He leaned into the wall, his forehead pressed up against it. His hands curled up into fists at either side of his face. He pressed his body up against the hard unrelenting surface of the tiles hoping to melt into them and disappear. He didn't. The momentum of emotion rolled over him, and the boy simply let it happen wishing it would pass quickly.
—
Hermione sat at the table shoveling her breakfast down, purposely ignoring everyone around her. That was incredibly easy since no one was sitting next to her. Both Harry and Ron hadn't shown up for the meal. Ron probably went back to bed, she thought. And Harry, he's still fumbling around for his glasses, no doubt! She glanced around her briefly and realized something else. Ginny wasn't there either. Hermione broke from her swift consumption of food for a moment.
Where is everybody?
Just then a blond Slytherin entered the hall with the biggest, most self satisfied sneer she had ever witnessed displayed on the boy's face. As he sat down, he caught her stare and returned it. She narrowed her eyes and glowered at him, she still had a score to settle with him. Then Malfoy's sneer had the nerve to grow. Without looking away he said something. Crabbe and Goyle, who she just realized were already sitting, looked at her and sniggered. Now the blond Slytherin was all but glowing.
"Why that little–" She stopped immediately when she heard her voice out loud. The irritated Gryffindor promptly resumed ignoring everybody, finished her plate, and left.
—
Ginny's head was still muddled up when from down the hall she saw Harry exit from behind the Fat Lady's portrait. She stood there watching. Harry wore the strangest expression on his face. He seemed oblivious to her presence, even walking past her without a glance.
At least he found his glasses.
She approached the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. The Fat Lady in the portrait looked down at her expectantly and sighed.
"Well, come on dear, say the password. Standing there like you've been petrified will not work." She peered down at the red headed girl more closely. "What's the matter, did Filtch's cat steal away your tongue?"
"Dragonberry Pie" the girl managed to say.
Once inside the common room Ginny took a deep breath. There was so much inside her head happening all at once she felt like screaming. She thought about laying down for a few minutes before leaving for her first class. Crossing the room she heard a sound. She paused to identify it, but it was gone. Ginny waited in case she heard it again. She did. It was coming from the boys' side.
Quickly she walked over to the entrance and listened. It must be Neville, snoring. She could hear something that might be called snoring but it was muffled and seemed far away. It was then she realized that another sound was softly filling the hallway, from somewhere closer, like running water. Satisfied that she recognized the sounds Ginny turned to head back to the girls' side to her room.
Before the Weasley girl made a step she froze. A third sound reached her, its echoes flowing down the hall. It was unmistakable.
She felt drawn to it. Despite the fact that girls weren't supposed to enter the boys' quarters, she made the decision to investigate. She followed the sound right to the door to the boys' bathroom. Somewhere on the other side of the door, someone was crying. Slowly she pushed the door open with her hand and peered inside. She saw no one from behind the door, so she stepped into the room letting the door close behind her.
Surveying the room Ginny located the general area the sounds were coming from. She approached one step at a time, minding the treacherous puddles on the floor. When she was only a few shower stalls away from the source of the crying, a pale shape floated out in front of her.
Ginny stifled a gasp with her hand. Myrtle!
The ghost looked at Ginny with curiosity. "You shouldn't be here, girls are not aloud," Moaning Myrtle said.
"Then what are you doing here, bawling your eyes out?" Ginny shot back.
The ghost shook her head. "I wasn't crying. It was him." She pointed into the stall she had come from. "That boy is crying. I think he's very sad." She said in a hushed voice as floated away and down into a drain in the floor.
Ginny's heart sank. Uncertain that she was prepared for whatever sight she was about to witness, the girl simply took the last few steps and faced the boy that was the source of all the mystery.
The boy was naked, curled up in the corner of the stall, leaning against the tiled wall. His face was buried in the corner under thin goose fleshed arms. The water was still running and fell onto his legs pooling around his small scrawny butt. Ignoring her embarrassment, she quickly made note that the boy didn't seemed harmed, no bruises or cuts were visible. She sighed in relief.
The boy turned. With his back to the wall, he ran his hands over his face. There was blood on his bottom lip. His legs slid out from under him towards where Ginny stood. And stood there she did – in shock.
"Colin?"
His eyes snapped open, reddened and swollen as they were. He suddenly realized where he was and who she was, and franticly tried to cover his nakedness. Then his embarrassment struck him forcibly. In an attempt to regain some dignity he tried to get to his feet. His foot slipped and he accidentally shut off the hot water trying to regain his balance. In a heartbeat the water went ice cold. Ginny was momentarily forgotten, as he fumbled with the old controls turning up the cold instead of turning it off. Gasping for air, Colin squeezed in behind the cascade of icy water and finally shut it off. Shivering and numb, he looked over his shoulder.
Witnessing the whole display nearly sent Ginny into a fit of hysterical laughter. The look on Colin's blanched face made her glad that she hadn't. He looked so hurt, her heart ached. Whatever had made him cry was still causing him pain, and certainly her intrusion hadn't helped.
"What's wrong Colin?" She asked softly.
"I'm c-cold and wet and n-naked." He spat through chattering teeth. "Go away"
"No. Something is wrong, and I want--"
"Bloody hell, Ginny!" he snapped. He lowered his voice. "Can you at least get me a towel?"
"Oh."
Ginny turned and spotted a towel and a robe nearby. "Here!" She offered both to him. He took the robe without a thought and pulled it tight around his body. For a moment neither of them did anything. Colin stood there shivering and teeth clenched. Ginny stood and watched him, holding the towel in her hands. She watched the water dripping off his hair and nose.
"Come here." She told him. His response was a confused look. She stepped forward, reached up and quickly began drying his hair. He started to protest.
"Shut up." She cut him off. He obliged. "Thankfully, you haven't grown too tall. Then I'd have no choice except to have my best friend go on and catch a nasty cold"
After drying his hair she left the towel around his shoulders. She gingerly touched his bottom lip. "What happened?" She asked, genuinely concerned.
"Oh, it's a bad habit I must have started, biting my own lip. Silly isn't it?" He looked away, avoiding her eyes.
"Will you tell me what is going on?" Her voice called softly to him.
"I can't. Not now." His voice cracked. Tears began to well up in his eyes again, and then his chin quivered. He fought to keep the emotion from surfacing again. He swallowed hard. "Thank you."
"For...?"
"For being here."
Colin leaned into her and wrapped his arms around her smaller body. His tight embrace caught her off guard. Her immediate reaction was to push him away, but then she realized that he must really need this right now. In his own time he will let her know why. She respected that and made sure she gave him any help she could. She returned the embrace and realized that she too, needed friendly and reassuring arms around her.
Ginny's eyes filled with tears. Holding onto Colin she let them flow freely.
August-22-2005: first posted
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