U guys had better be grateful... It took me ALMOST HALF AN HOUR to update this! My crappy floppy and dumb computer were not HELPING me. newaysssss......

Thanks soooooo much for all your reviews! Guys, i'm so happy that i have all of you reading this that I could cry! So, i needed to do something for all you wonderful people! This is my Christmas present to all of you! You can give me a christmas present by reviewing!Have fun and enjoy!

slytherinphoenix7

Devil's Minion: Part Two
Chapter Three
Slytherinphoenix7

"You really like me?" I asked, taken.

"Yeah. Ginny, I've liked you since first year! I just didn't realize it! But now..." his voice trailed off.

Before I knew what was happening, Colin was bending his face close to mine, leaning towards me. Did I really want to do this?

The sounds of screaming made me turn my head, and Colin's lips landed on my ear. He jerked away quickly. We glanced at each other, both blushing. An exceptionally shrill scream filled the air, and confusion was etched on his face. We both stood up and ran back into Hogsmeade. Screams grew louder and more insistent, and more people added to the harsh sound. We rounded the corner of Honeydukes, to the main street of Hogsmeade and I stopped in horror. Colin stepped around me, and then in front of me to block my view. However, I looked around him.

Dementors were chasing frantic people all over the town, and many people were lying on the ground motionless. A tall and sinister dementor grabbed a poor third year girl by the back of her robe and forced her to her knees. Her robes swirled around her, as she fought it.

"Somebody do something!" I whispered frantically, but I couldn't move. Colin seemed to be paralyzed.

The girl's arms were flailing; but the dementor gripped her neck with his rotting hand. He lowered his hood and clamped his jaws onto her mouth. She struggled for a moment, but then fell limp to the cold ground. Her blond hair fell over her pale face, and frightened eyes.

I cried out, and the dementor, finishing with its prey, turned towards me. It saw Colin and me standing there, and it advanced on us. I screamed, and the world swirled around me. Screams were overwhelming me in my mind. Terrible and painful memories were coming back, when I had tried so hard to rid myself of them. Everything went black.

I woke quietly in a foreign bed. What had happened? Then I remembered. Memories like light flooded my mind. The dementors and the blond girl. She was dead. Moreover, I had done nothing, when I could have used the Patronus. Harry taught it to us to defend others, not only ourselves, especially those who couldn't use it! I hadn't been able to move, I argued with myself. But you did have the ability; you could have tried, my other side countered.

She was dead, worse than dead. Her soul had been sucked out. There was nothing I could have done. A sob caught in my throat. Tears filled my eyes, and I turned over to muffle my crying in my pillow. Soon enough my tears stopped, and my breathing returned to normal. Unfortunatly, my pillow was soaked.

I lay in the hospital bed for sometime with my eyes closed, listening to the noise around me. People groaning, shifting of beds, the tap of Madam Pomfrey's shoes, and rustle of her skirt as she walked past. I felt my bed dip as someone sat down on the end of it.

"Ginny?" a soft voice said.

It was Alexandra.

"I know you're awake, Ginny."

That was Mia.

I turned over and opened my eyes.

I tried to smile, but it was crooked. I managed a "hello."

"We came to see you, and we brought you this," Mia said, setting a vase of flowers on the table next to my bed. There was a tag on it that read, "For Ginny- We miss you in the Common Room- from Mia, Alex, Aida, and Cait."

"And Madam Pomfrey told us to give you this, and to make sure you eat it, because she's to busy with other patients," Alexandra grinned, and handed me a large hunk of chocolate.

I took it and bit in, to please Madam Pomfrey. As usual, the familiar sensation warmed me from head to toes.

"Do you know what happened after I blacked out?" I asked between bites.

"Colin told us," Mia said.

"He didn't feel comfortable telling you, so he asked us to tell you," Alexandra stated.

"Colin said that after you blacked out, he seemed to come back to life, and he used the Patronus charm," Mia said.

"It was the best he ever had done, he said," Alexandra interjected, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

I blushed.

"Anyways, after he got rid of the dementor he picked you up and took you inside Honeydukes. He hid in the basement where he discovered a hidden passage. Then he remembered that you had told him about a tunnel going from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade," Mia told Ginny. "Then he took the passage to Hogwarts. It was dark, so he stumbled once, and you hit your head on the ground."

Alexandra snorted. "Klutz."

"That's how you got the bruise on your head," Mia said, motioning to her forehead.

Ginny reached up and felt it gingerly. It wasn't very big, but it hurt.

"But he eventually got you back into Hogwarts and to the Hospital Wing, where he turned you over to Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape –"

"Snape?" I exclaimed, puzzled.

"Yes… he was delivering fright potions for some of the students."

Alexandra leaned closer. "Someone told me that he's working on a potion that will revive someone's soul once a dementor has sucked it out. I suppose it will somehow call it back, or something."

"Brilliant!" I said, enthusiastically. "It would revive –" but I faded away, remembering how terrible it was when I witnessed the removing of her soul.

"Oh, Ginny!" Mia sighed. "How strong Colin must be to have carried you the entire way to the Hospital Wing!"

"More like he dragged her," said Alexandra with a scornful tone. "That kid is so annoying! I don't know how you can stand him!"

I was shocked. Colin was my boyfriend and she actually said that in front of me! "Alexandra!" Mia and I said at the same time.

"What?"

"He's Ginny's boyfriend! He saved her life! If he hadn't been there, would Ginny have survived? What possessed you to say that in front of her?" Mia said. "I don't know why you think that – he's so sweet and thoughtful… and feeling!"

I agreed inwardly, but didn't express any feelings outside. The thought of the five girls in our dormitory being separated because of Colin and me was a thought I didn't take pleasure in.

Alexandra displayed no emotion. She just shrugged.

"Well, Ginny," Mia stood up. "I have lessons right after lunch, so I need to go eat. Come on, Alex, I'm sure Ginny wants to be alone."

"Can you send Colin up, sometime today?" I requested.

"He'll be up on his own accord," Alex said. "He's hardly left the Hospital Wing, except classes and meals."

I grinned, and snuggled under the covers.

A hand pushing my hair off my face woke me. I opened my eyes slowly. It was getting dark outside. The room was filled with shadows and burning lamps. I looked up. Colin smiled at me.

Sitting up, I noticed that a lot more cards and flower arrangements and candy were sitting on the table around the original one from Mia, Alex, Aida, and Caitlin.

Colin sat on the end of my bed watching me.

"How are you?" he asked anxiously.

"I'm feeling fine… I have a slight headache, and occasional shivers of cold… but I'm definitely in better condition than some of the others over there."

I nodded in the general direction of a younger student lying wide-eyed and still, with the covers pulled up to his chin.

Colin smiled. "I assume Alex and Mia told you what happened?"

"You assume correctly….Why didn't you tell me yourself?" I asked.

"I didn't want to accidentally tell things wrong… and have you get the wrong impression, that I was perhaps bragging or something. I mean… I didn't do anything big, really."

"Nothing big… you didn't save my life. You didn't use one of the hardest curses known to wizards. Nothing big, you're right."

"Oh, Ginny! That's why I didn't want to tell you! I knew I would say something that would seem wrong." Colin was clearly upset.

"It's ok… I know what you mean," I amended quickly.

"Alright, so I did stop the dementor… but you were the only one I saved. I didn't go back and stop more! I didn't run for help! I didn't save the little girl's soul!" Colin was breathing hard.

"Colin – I know! What could you have done? Leave me there to fall prey to another dementor? One man, against more than a few dementors! It wouldn't have done any good – you would have gotten yourself killed, and it wouldn't have helped anyone!"

I could feel tears running down my cheeks.

"Ginny…"

He moved closer and gave me a hug. I put my head into his shoulder and sobbed. I grieved for those who had died. For those who suffered. For those who dealt with lost family. I cried for those I was unable to help, or save. Tears coursed down my cheeks because I weak and I had lost consciousness.

I stayed in his arms for a long time. I was tired of being vulnerable. I was sick of fainting in the presence of dementors. I was an easy target for Voldemort. I could be used. Anyone could get at Harry through me, because of our friendship. How could I become stronger? More resistant? Harry had battled his problem with dementors by learning the Patronus. I had learned it. It didn't help me! I had only used it once… and I almost passed out after getting rid of it. Could I practice some more on Boggarts? No.…I would just end up in the hospital wing the rest of my school life. Not to mention all the chocolate I'd eat. I'd become fat… like Americans. That was an awful thought.

I shuddered.

Colin, feeling the shudder, let go of me. "You should go to bed….Ginny. I'll see you tomorrow!" He kissed me on the cheek quickly and blushed. Then he walked quickly out of the Hospital Wing.

I felt my cheek. It was burning.

Authors Note:

REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I NEED IT!!!!!!!!!!!! as i said.... it can be your christmas present to me! wink

I'm in a really weird mood.I'm happy to be updating, and I love you all for reviewing.... yet I'm ticked about your reaction to Colin. The stuff Mia says about Colin is exactly what I'm trying to portray him as! Guys! GET AWAY FROM THE MOVIES! Gosh…. He's not like that in my fanfiction, so try to see him like I do! The part where I wrote about the dementors stealing the girl's soul, I was almost crying, it was so wrenching – it was sooo incredibly hard to write, and I hope it was sad to read.