The next morning had to be the best they had ever had. Hermione and Ron were cuddled up by the fire, kissing, whispering, giggling – the usual. Harry had never felt so proud, but a slight doubt still made him worry; now that they are a couple, what about him? Would he be kicked out of the circle? Harry and Ginny were lying cosily on the rug cuddling each other. Ginny had noticed Harry's odd mood and decided it must be something to do with Roxxy.
"Harry," she whispered. "You don't have to feel guilty now you know. Roxxy has gone and even if you did introduce Ron to her, no damage was done. There's no need for you to be all... funny." Harry gazed down at Ginny lovingly. She cares so much about me, he thought, she can even sense the slightest change in my mood, even if she did have the wrong idea about what was bothering me, so why don't I just tell her what is bothering me? Harry got to his feet and pulled Ginny up with him.
"Be back soon, we're going for breakfast." Harry called to Ron and Hermione. They both gave an acknowledging nod and continued making out. Harry smiled wirily and led Ginny out of the portrait hole. He explained everything to her, about Ron and Hermione, and how left out he was feeling. She listened attentively all the way through, nodding and making comments, such as "yes," and "I know," in all the right places. When he had finished, Ginny took a deep breath.
"I know this is hard Harry, but you will just have to accept this." This wasn't exactly the response Harry was expecting, but he gave her chance to explain. "Ron and Hermione are meant to be together. You can see it in their eyes when they are together, just like you and I," Ginny blushed and continued. "Now we are all getting older, friends tend to take a back seat when it comes to love. Like they say, it's not your friend you are going to marry and spend to rest of your life with is it -?" Ginny broke off and looked down, realising how she had just said must have sounded, but Harry nodded slowly in agreement and then smiled.
"You know, Gin. That sounded an awful lot like a marriage proposal." Harry laughed but soon stopped when he saw Ginny's face turn deep scarlet. His heart skipped a beat. Suddenly Harry realised how right his last comment had been, not necessarily the Ginny proposing part, but they fact that they should get married simply blew him away. Not knowing what else to do, Harry took Ginny's hand and led her into the Great Hall.
Just as they took their usual seats at the Gryffindor table, the mail arrived. Hundreds of owls flooded into the hall and dropped packages, letters and newspapers for their owners. Harry was surprised to both Hedwig and Pig land in front of him and Ginny. Harry looked at Ginny, who was still trying to avoid his gaze. Then, deciding to let her get back to her old self, he took the letter from Hedwig and the daily profit from a large barn owl that had just landed on his plate. Harry placed a Knut in the owls pouch and it flew back out of the Great Hall.
Harry decided to open the letter first. It had patches of mud and scrawled writing on it. There's only one person this could be from, Harry thought. But who the letter was from Harry didn't get to find out, for at that moment, Ginny let out a high-pitched cry and fell into Harry's arms. "Ginny!" he cried. "Ginny? What's wrong?" But she lay still as ever. Harry looked around frantically, as though looking for someone who may have cast a spell on her, but all that met his eyes were a few hundred pairs of eyes staring back at him. Everyone had heard the scream and was now trying to find the source. Harry turned back to the table, looking for some water he may be able to splash Ginny with and awake her with, but then his eyes fell upon the letter Ginny had been reading. It lay half unfolded on her plate. Harry picked it up and read what looked like an urgent note from Mrs. Weasley.
Dear Ginny,
It is extremely important that you reply to this letter a.s.a.p.
Your brother, Percy, as you know, had been charged and arrested on suspicion of being a death eater. Well, as it turns out...
The rest of the letter was tear stained and blurry, so Harry had to squint to read it.
The alligations were true, and Percy is going to Azkaban.
Harry looked over at Ginny. He was breathing slowly and deeply, unable to believe what he had just read. Slowly, he read the last line of the letter.
Your farther and I think it would be best if you and Ron came home. If they wish, Harry and Hermione may come too.
Love, Mum
xxx
Harry threw the letter onto the table and cradled Ginny in his arms as she began to stir awake. This can't be happening, he thought, this just can't be happening. But soon enough, Hermione and Ron came walking, hand-in-hand, into the Great hall, and over to Harry and Ginny. Ron was beaming until he saw Ginny and Harry and he ran over to them, wondering what on earth was wrong. Harry looked up and Hermione and Ron's worried faces and passed them the letter. They put their heads together and read. Ron's reaction when he had finished the letter was much the same to Ginny's only he turned pale green and let out a high squeak rather than scream. Hermione clapped her hand to her mouth and pulled Ron into a tight hug. Ron just stood motionlessly, unable to respond to Hermione comforting cuddle. Ginny suddenly leapt away from Harry and ran out of the hall, Ron ran after her. Harry and Hermione decided that it would be best to let them have some brother sister time. Hermione joined Harry at the table, taking Ginny's place and placed the letter neatly back in its envelope.
"I'll give it to Ron later," she announced to no one in particular while placing it neatly into her pocket. Neither of them felt like eating and decided to head for the Common Room and get some home work done instead; not that they got any done. They spent most of the day sitting around in the Common Room, gazing blankly out the window or at the fire, consumed in their thoughts.
Finally, a little after dinner that evening, Ginny and Ron climbed into the Common Room through the portrait hole and joined their loved ones. Harry noticed Ginny's eyes were pink and swollen from where she had been crying. He pulled her close to him and held her tightly. He couldn't imagine how she and Ron both must be feeling right now. If only there was some way he could help them. But there was nothing he could do. Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater...
Harry's scar began to burn, but he gritted his teeth, unwilling to let Ginny know the pain he was feeling. The sneering face of Snape towered over Harry as he clutched to Ginny.
"You'll never take her!" He cried. "Never...-""Harry! Harry! Are you okay?" Harry felt his forehead searing with pain, his eyes slowly flickered open as he realized he was lying on the floor in the strangest of positions, Ginny, Hermione and Ron all leaning over him. He could see a few other unfamiliar faces behind his friends, trying to get a good view of what happened. Harry sat bolt upright and stared at Ginny, his face pale and eyes wide.
"G-Ginny," he stammered. "S-Snape! He-He was in my dream! He wants you. We have to protect you. I knew that if we... and now you...-"
"Harry calm down, you are babbling again. Please, why would Snape want Ginny?" Hermione asked sternly, although her forehead was creased with worry.
"To get to me! Don't you see? He... He got Percy arrested and now we are all going back to the Weasley's where we won't have Hogwarts to protect us!" Ron, Hermione, and Ginny looked at each other. They could all see that what Harry said made perfect sense... but why Percy? Why not just come to Hogwarts – there was no Dumbledore to protect them now. But then again, the school is still being guarded by Aurors, enchantments and the Ministry, not to mention the best teachers Dumbledore could find. Harry jumped to his feet, his breathing short and quick.
"I knew it." he said, looking from Ron, to Ginny, to Hermione and back again. "I knew he was planning something. And now we know what. At first I thought Roxxy was his plan, but now I've realized that was just a decoy. The real idea was to get us home so he could do what ever he wanted and Voldemort -" a few shudders and squeaks were heard across the room but Harry ignored it "- would be able to get me with nothing standing in his way. But I'll be ready for him. You bet I will..." And with that, Harry stormed through the crowd of people, pushing them out of the way as he marched up the stairs and into the boy's dormitory. Ron ran after him. He could here the worried mutterings in the Common Room below, but he didn't care.
"Harry! Harry you can't do this. He'll kill you! Like you said! At home we are defenceless! We need to stay here where we have the Aurors and the teachers! Harry! Are you listening?" Ron breathed as he came to a halt next to Harry, who was gathering his possessions and pushing them into his trunk.
"Stay here Ron," said Harry. "If you go home, you will be in danger, and I don't want anything to happen to you or Hermione or Ginny. Do you understand? Have you seen my invisibility cloak?"
"Yes, I understand, Harry. More than you know. You just want to go off and play the hero don't you? You don't want anyone else to have a part in it; just you against V...Voldemort. So you can handle it all. Harry if you seriously think that you alone can handle it then there is definitely a screw loose in your head! Look at all the fully-grown witches and wizards with powers beyond our imaginations that he has killed with the flick of a wand. You've got no chance mate. Not without us-"
"Ron you just don't get it, do you?" Harry shouted, he had stopped what he was doing and was now staring, his fists clenched, at Ron. "I... I can't loose you guys! If anything happened to you I wouldn't be able to forgive myself! I would rather Voldemort kill me than lay a finger on any of you!" Ron looked blankly at Harry.
"I don't care what you think, Harry. We are coming with you." And with that, Ron turned and marched out of the dormitory and down into the Common Room. Harry turned to his bed, picked up his potions book and threw it as hard as he could against the wall. He yelled and slumped to the floor.
"They don't understand!" he cried, slamming his fists against the floor. "They just don't know!"
Ron stood anxiously in the Owlrey with Ginny. Hermione was currently attaching a letter to a sturdy looking barn owl's leg. When she had finished, it leaped out of the window and swooped out of sight.
"Do you think the letter will get there in time?" Ginny wondered out loud.
"I hope so," replied Hermione "I truly hope so..."