Chapter 2: The Pain of it All
The group had spent the last two days forcing themselves over the mountains, and now they were in a thick forest, and headed for Alzaca. Alannah had been quiet for nearly the past twenty-four hours, Harry had been too, but Roran spoke every few minutes.
It was just too tiring to speak. They all ached with hunger, though Roran would never admit he was. They hadn't eaten nor had anything to drink for the past three days. Harry's lips were beginning to crack and bleed, and his mouth was so dry, it felt like the Sahara Desert!
"Almost there, river's just ahead" Roran said, his voice full of forced enthusiasm.
"Mm" Alannah muttered, her eyes downcast.
They walked for what seemed like an eternity, before they heard the sound of water gently slapping against rocks. It was as if they all had gotten back their spirits, and the pace became faster.
Ten minutes later, they emerged into a thinner area of the forest, and facing a large stream. Though it looked quite dirty, it wasn't a problem for them. Alannah, Harry and Roran all dropped their packs, pulled out their own personal mugs, and dropped to their knees before the stream, and scooping out a cupful of water.
Harry pointed his wand at the water inside his mug, and said, "Scrougify!"
Seconds later, the water became clean, and Harry drank greedily. His lips stung painfully when the water touched them, and the blood was washed away. He had a couple of mugs of water, before placing it back in his pack, and getting to his feet.
"SO much better!" Alannah said with a small smile.
"Excellent! On we go!" Roran said brightly, tossing his pack onto his back, and turning around.
"DROP!" Yelled a voice.
They all froze, as they were surrounded by Death Eaters.
"I said DROP!" One of them yelled angrily.
Roran, Alannah and Harry all fell to their knees, dropped their wands, and waited.
Muttered orders were given, and they were all bound, tugged to their feet, and pulled back in the forest. Harry looked over at Roran, who was looking around for some way to escape.
Suddenly something hard collided with the side of his head, and he blinked in pain, tears in his eyes. The last thing he heard, was someone say,
"Avada Kedavra"
***
"Hope, please eat!" Ginny pleaded. She would be late for work if she didn't hurry!
Hope whimpered, and turned her head away from the oatmeal that Ginny was trying to give her.
"Okay, fine, you'll have to eat at daycare" Ginny sighed, frustration ringing in her voice.
Hope had flaming red hair, with bright, round, green eyes. She couldn't speak properly yet, but could say 'Momma, Spoon, Wrew, which was how Hope said Drew, and Dadda'. The last word was rather odd, or so Ginny thought, as Hope had never known her father, and she certainly hadn't heard Ginny say the word, 'Daddy.'
Ginny pulled Hope out of her highchair, and brought her towards the door. She pulled on her own jacket, before putting one of Hope. She grabbed her purse, car keys, and was off.
She practically slammed the door shut before she locked it, and then hurriedly got into her car, and put Hope in her booster seat, in the back of the car. She revved the motor, and pulled from the driveway.
The sun was bright this morning, and a cool breeze made it way through the Halifax area. It was so beautiful today, but, like most gorgeous day, it was pretty well spoiled by having to go to work.
It took Ginny twenty minutes to reach Hope's daycare, then another twenty minutes to get to work. Ginny was a photographer at a small company. She took photos of the latest formal fashions, weddings, portraits, and pictures for magazines.
She hurried in the door, and hurried into her office. She dropped her things on the ground, and picked up the ringing phone.
"Hello?..."
It was a Tuxedo Clother representative.
"Uh, yes, I can....yes, okay, thanks"
She hung up the phone, and sat down at her desk, opening her laptop, and turning it on. The office was busy this morning, which drew attention away from her lateness, and Ginny was thankful for it.
"Gin! Oh, thank god. Remember Vince Ralave?" One of her fellow employees asked, walking into her office.
"Uh...no, but go on" Ginny sighed, opening a Program to type up a letter for the magazine's orders of pictures.
"He was that swim suit model... we met him, and you thought he was rather good looking?"
"Oh, Vince!" Ginny gasped, taking her eyes off the screen. "Yes, what about him, Becky?"
Becky smiled. "He's coming here, to get photos taken of him in speedos, and he's requested a few people to do the pictures, and guess who he wants?!"
"Oh my god!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Yeah, I know! So you want the job?!" Becky laughed.
"Yes! Of course! When does he want the shoot to happen?"
"Next Wednesday at nine a.m., sharp" Becky told her firmly.
Ginny smiled. "Excellent, thanks!"
"Don't mention it!" Becky called, leaving the office, and leaving Ginny to her work.
Ginny leaned back in her chair, thinking. The one model that actually noticed her wanted HER to take the pictures!
'Wouldn't it be great if we got together...' Ginny thought happily. Then she shook her head, amused with herself. "Never happen" She said under her breath.
***
That night, Drew and Ginny had pooled money together to buy a pizza and they rented a couple of good movies. Hope fell asleep around eight, and Ginny put her up to bed. She was almost thankful Hope was down for the night- it meant that they could sit back and relax with romance films!
"Pass the pizza, please" Drew requested, folding her legs under her.
"Here" Ginny said, rather cheerfully. "So, I got to work today, and, remember I told you about Vince Ralave?"
"Yeah! That gorgeous model guy?" Drew said brightly.
"Well, he asked for me to take his pictures!"
"Oh my god! He likes you!" Drew exclaimed loudly.
Ginny blushed slightly. "I'm irristable!" She joked.
"You wish!" Drew teased. "No, really, I'm going with you that day!"
"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Ginny laughed.
"Oh yeah!" Drew nodded, pointing the remote at the DVD player, and clicking play.
The commercials came on, and it began with an advertisement for a movie with a man whose wife was murdered, and left alone to raise his children. Apparently Drew had the same thought.
"How ironic is that. First commercial we see, and it's like your life. Husband dead, left to raise a kid!" Drew said quietly.
"First of all" Ginny snapped. "He's NOT my husband, and he's NOT dead"
"Sorry" Drew muttered, she skipped to the 'Menu' screen, and had the movie play.
Ginny felt slightly guilty for jumping down her friend's throat like that, but she knew she was right. It was ironic, and she was alone to raise Hope, but she prayed Harry wasn't dead.
'Well, excellent! Great job, Ginny! You're attracted to this gorgeous model, and this other man who fathered her child!' She thought angrily.
Ginny took another piece of pizza, and took small bites. Her mind zoomed again. Why was she always reminded of him?! It was like the whole world wanted to make sure she never forgot Harry! He was everywhere she turned, and Ginny didn't know how much longer she could take it.
Not only had she messed up her daughter's life, by letting Harry leave, but her family's. She had left in the dead of the night, no note, just up and left. She knew her parents would be worried sick and angry with her, but she couldn't risk being tracked down by Death Eaters.
The movie was two hours long, and so at ten o'clock, Ginny walked slowly up to her room, feeling as bad as she did last night. If only she'd been smarter when she was sixteen! She wouldn't have had Hope so earlier, Harry and her could have married, and then she would have more of a say, on whether he could leave or not.
Ginny stopped outside Hope's room, and stared through the darkness at the small child sleeping peacefully.
"I'm so sorry, Hope" Ginny whispered, slowly shutting the door, and walking slowly to her bedroom.
She undressed quickly, got into pajamas, and into bed. Sleep was far from her, so she turned on her radio. A song was playing that made Ginny feel even worse.
'Cause you're everywhere to me
And when I close my eyes its you I see
You're everything I know
That makes me believe
I'm not alone
whoa oh oh oh
I'm not alone.
And when I touch you're hand
It's then I understand
The beauty that's within
It's now that we begin
You always light my way
I hope there never comes a day
No matter where I go
I'll always feel you so
'Cause you're everywhere to me
And I close my eyes it's you I see
You're everything I know
that makes me believe
I'm not alone
whoa-oh-oh-oh
'Cause you're everywhere to me
And when I catch my breath
its you I breathe
You're everything I know
that makes me believe
I'm not alone
A-whoa-oh-oh-oh
You're in everyone I see
So tell me,
Do you see me?
Tears filled Ginny's eyes, and she shut off the radio, unplugged it, and in her frustration, knocked it purposely off the night table. She had always her break ups hurt, divorces are hard, but this was far beyond what she'd been told! It hurt so much, the pain of unbelievable!
Why her?! What had she done to deserve this?! Okay, maybe she had done something that had disappointed her parents completely, and then gotten pregnant, but she had given the child a home, sort of, and was easily supporting her, as well as paying Drew rent.
She was doing well for someone who had been so poor as a child, left home with hardly anything, and then gone and gotten herself a well-paying job!
Tears dropped onto her pillow, and she turned out the light, leaving herself in the miserable darkness.
***
Okay this chapter was a little messy because my computer deleted half of chapter 2 so I had to retrieve another version. My apologies!
** this song is property of Michelle Branch. I do not own it. (Michelle Branch, Everywhere)