Chapter 10

"Alright, we have to do this now. Voldemort's going to attack more innocent lives unless we do this," Harry whispered.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked uncertainly.

"Yes Ron, We have to," Harry answered.

"But don't you think we should wait for the others?" Ron asked.

"No I can't risk anymore lives being sacrificed!" he replied.

"Looking for me?" came Voldemort's voice from behind them. They turned around quickly, wands drawn. Many Death Eaters appeared around them.

"You didn't think you could ambush me did you, Harry?" he continued, "And what makes you think he could help you?" he said pointing to Ron. Harry glanced over and never saw so much fear in Ron's face. He worried that he would die of fright.

"Why did you raid that village? What did they do to you?" Harry asked fiercely.

Voldemort ignored him and said, "Please, Weasley is it? Why don't you go and let me and Harry here settle this by ourselves? You don't want to upset the prophecy now do you?" Voldemort smirked.

"No! But I don't want him to die either!" Ron shouted. Harry was surprised at his bravery. He never thought he'd even say Voldemort's name but here he was standing up to him.

Voldemort smiled wickedly and raised his wand, "So be it," he said. Ron was gripped with fear again. He couldn't move.

"Avada Kedavra!" shouted Voldemort. Ron dropped dead on the cold pavement. Harry shouted so loud that birds flew away from nearby trees. He met Voldemort's eyes. He raged toward him.

"No one kills my friends!" he yelled furiously. He plowed into Voldemort. His scar hurt from touching him but he ignored the pain.

"Avada Kedavra!" Harry shouted. Voldemort stood still for a few moments and finally fell, eyes wide open and lifeless. The Death Eaters gasped and apparated away. Harry breathed deeply. Ron couldn't be dead. He just couldn't. But, when Harry reached him, he could see the same expression that Voldemort's face held. Harry began to weep.

Harry suddenly bolted up in bed, pain running through him. He was in his room, in Sirius's house. He saw Ron lying in bed. He rushed over and shook him fiercely.

"What are you doing?" Ron moaned. Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He left the room to look for Dumbledore. He couldn't let this dream go. He had to find out what it meant and if it would come true. After aimlessly walking for about forty-five minutes, he saw a door cracked open, light protruding from it.

Harry peaked through and saw Dumbledore sitting in a chair with Fawkes snoozing on a bird stand. Dumbledore looked up and saw Harry peering at him.

"Come in Harry," Dumbledore said quietly. Harry opened the door and walked in the room. Dumbledore had made it so it resembled his office at Hogwarts.

"Are you alright Harry?" Dumbledore asked. Harry was very sweaty and pale, frightened.

"No, sir, not really," Harry answered quickly.

"Well what is it?" Dumbledore asked patiently.

"I just had a dream, sir. I was with Ron and we were waiting outside some building. I was talking about attacking Voldemort. It was only us and then Voldemort and some Death Eaters appeared and Voldemort killed Ron and then I killed him," Harry said solemnly, "What do you think it means?"

"Well Harry, if I had to guess, I'd say it means that you have to kill him alone, and that you might lose some friends down the road. Or maybe it means that until he does something, such as kill your best friend, you won't have the drive to kill. But don't get all worked up about it Harry. Do what you must do. You can't expect to kill all Death Eaters without the loss of a few of our own do you?" Dumbledore said softly.

"I know sir, it's just, I don't want to lose Ron, or Hermione," Harry said.

"Well Harry, just do what you must. And there have been attacks on many towns and villages around the world. I'll look into it Harry. Now why don't you go try and get some sleep?" Dumbledore smiled. Harry nodded and made his way back to bed, but he couldn't sleep. He just lied in bed and thought. Then he vowed to himself that no matter what, he wouldn't let anything happen to his friends. Harry slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next morning was very awkward, especially around Ron. Everyone kept asking him what was wrong but he couldn't bring himself to tell them. Ginny stayed by Malfoy's side all day, and surprisingly no one confronted Harry and Ron about him.

Later that day, when Ginny went to the bathroom, Harry went downstairs and talked to Malfoy.

"I'm sorry, Malfoy. I don't know what came over me," Harry apologized.

"Please, Potter. You know you did it because I have your little girlfriend now," Malfoy smirked. Harry felt fury rising but held it back.

"Malfoy, what is your problem?" he asked angrily.

"What do you think, Potter?" he hissed. Harry noticed some one had healed Malfoy's injuries.

Harry couldn't take the chance of going off again so he just simply got up and left.

"Harry, what's wrong with you today? You're not yourself," Hermione said as Harry came in the room and sat down.

Harry just shook his head and lied down. Soon he was asleep.

A few moments later he was woken up by a creak in the room. He sat up and saw Ginny trying to quietly come in. The room was empty other than them.

"Where are Ron and Hermione?" Harry asked groggily.

"Downstairs," she answered shortly.

"So, why aren't you with Malfoy?" Harry asked mockingly.

"Because I wanted to see what you were doing," she returned the sarcasm.

"Oh, well I'm trying to sleep so go back and cuddle with Malfoy!" he said a little louder than he wanted to.

"Harry, you really do need to control your anger," she said.

"Well it doesn't help that I'm talking to the source of it," he answered angrily. Ginny stood shocked and infuriated in front of him. She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room without another word. Harry took a deep breath in frustration and chased after her.

He found her outside, feeding Buckbeak. He decided not to intrude. He sadly made his way back to his room. Hermione and Ron were there.

"Where have you two been?" Harry teased.

"No, Harry," Ron said. He knew what he meant, "We were trying to listen to the Order's meeting. They've been having a lot of them lately."

"We think it's about the raids on the villages," Hermione said.

"How did you know about those?" Harry asked.

"Like I said, we listened in on their meetings," Hermione explained.

"Oh, right," Harry said.

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked.

"Um, well," Harry started and decided against it, "I don't want to talk about it right now." Hermione looked at him uneasily. Ron looked around the room.

"Where did Ginny go? I saw her come in here a few minutes ago," Ron said.

"She left," Harry answered quietly, "I kind of made her mad."

"Did you two argue about Malfoy?" Hermione asked. Harry shook his head, "Look Harry, I'm going to tell you the same thing I told her, you've got to get over her. Find someone else."

"Hermione, the reason I broke up with her was so Voldemort wouldn't try to get to me through her. He's going to do that with whoever I'm seeing," Harry said.

"Oh, well then what's wrong?" Hermione asked. Harry shook his head.

"Come on Harry, tell us. We're your best friends," Ron urged on. Harry looked at him and remembered his dream. He shut his eyes and opened them again. His insides turned and he fell to the floor.

He opened his eyes to see Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and surprisingly Malfoy hovering over him.

"Give him some room," Ron said as he pulled everyone back. Ginny knelt on the floor beside him.

"Are you alright?" she asked with concern.

"Well, no," Harry slowly sat up. Ginny put her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her hand and then at her. He couldn't help but smile. She grinned back. Malfoy stood behind her. Ron saw what was going on and ushered Hermione and Malfoy out of the room. Draco looked back and gave them a warning look. Harry turned to Ginny as soon as the door closed.

"Ginny," Harry said.

"Yes," she replied happily.

"If I tell you something, do you promise to keep it to yourself?" Harry asked.

"Yes," she answered seriously.

"Alright. Well, the reason I've been acting so weird today is because I had a dream last night," Harry started. He told her what happened in the dream and when he finished, she had tears in her eyes. Then he told her what Dumbledore had said about it.

"And that's why I broke up with you. I didn't want that to happen to you," Harry finished, "But now, I see that since it might happen anyway, I was wondering if you'd……want to go ride Buckbeak around the village with me?"

Ginny smiled and laughed, "Maybe you'd better rest first."

"Okay," said Harry. He grinned and leaned in to kiss her. She backed away.

"What is it?" Harry's heart stopped. He hoped it wasn't what he thought it was.

"It's just, what about Draco?" she asked uncomfortably. It was what he had feared. She'd already been with Malfoy. He stood up and shook her hand off his shoulder.

"Harry don't be like that," she whined.

"Be like what? You're with Malfoy now aren't you," he said accusingly.

"Not exactly. Nothing's official. I'd much rather be with you, Harry," she cooed softly. Harry smiled and hugged her. She stepped back and told him to wait a minute.

She opened the door and ran down the corridor. Ron and Hermione walked in.

"So?" Ron asked with a big grin on his face.

"Well, we're going to ride Buckbeak around the village," Harry answered.

"What? Oh, I get it," Ron teased.

"Get what?" Harry asked confused.

"You know," Ron continued to joke.

"Ron, there's nothing to get," Harry said seriously.

"Oh, well, still, better you than Malfoy," Ron muttered. Hermione laughed. Harry opened the door to leave. Malfoy was standing there.

"Oh, hi, Malfoy-" Harry started

"So what's up with you and Ginny?" he said.

"Well, um," Harry couldn't think of what to say.

"Oh, I see," he said and stormed away. Harry saw him go into Ginny's room. He became suspicious and followed.

"How could you do this to me?" Malfoy asked teary-eyed.

"Draco I'm sorry, but I love Harry," she said. She hurried and put on her jacket and left.

"Harry," she said curiously, "What are you doing? I told you I was just going to be a minute."

"Oh, well I was just making sure he didn't do anything," Harry nodded at Malfoy. Malfoy glared at him and stalked away.

"Come on," Ginny pulled him by the hand and led him outside.