Within Your Heart
Chapter 4: Angels, Tears and Testosterone.
What was wrong with Ron? Harry had never seen him get so out of control. The last time Harry had seen Ron really angry was back in fourth grade when he was jealous of Harry's constant spotlight. But when Ron was mad he would just get angry and not talk to anyone. He had never broken anything after losing his temper. The thing that bothered Harry most was the fact that all of the times Ron had gotten angry it was because something had happened. But this time nothing had happened. No-one had said or done anything to provoke Ron to lose his temper. He had said he had a headache but that was all. No warning or anything.
"Harry?" Harry looked up to see Hermione standing behind the couch, her cheeks were tear stained.
"Oh, hey Hermione. Is Ron up yet?" Harry put his hot chocolate on the coffee table and then, using his wand, conjured Hermione one.
"No, not yet. I tried to talk to him last night but he wouldn't open the door. I don't know what's gotten into him Harry. He's never acted like this before." Hermione sniffed and then took a long sip of her chocolate.
"Well he has to come down sometime. He has work today. I need him to help me figure out what's going on with these Death Eater attacks.
The clock chimed making Hermione jump; 6:30am. She would have to go and get ready for work now if she didn't want to be late.
Ron
Ron sat up, sweat tearing down his head. His breathing was rapid. He whipped the sweat off of his forehead with the back of his sleeve. Ron threw back his bed covers and got out of bed, blocking the nightmares. He had dreamt that he had chocked her, suffocated her. He could never do that to Hermione, his Hermione. He loved her too much.
Ron got up and got dressed trying to brush his hair so it looked ok. After all, he didn't want to look like a scruff for his first day back at work.
Once he was ready he opened his bedroom door and found himself face-to-face with an angel. At least that's what she looked like for a split second until Ron's eyes adjusted. But she was probably the closest thing he had ever seen to an angel. It took him a moment to realize that it was the same girl he had rescued from out front of Fred and Georges shop.
"Hey," she said, a sheepish smile spread across her face.
"Um, hi." Ron stood there staring at her. She looked even more beautiful awake and without blood seeping from her head. Her long hair shone in the light streaming through the window behind her. Ron could see that she was quite tall, only a few inches shorter than he was. Her baby pink top and blue jeans clung to her thin body, flaunting her curves. Ron moved his gaze back to the girls face. He then realized that she was blushing, having noticed he was checking her out. Ron then went tomato red, feeling overwhelmingly embarrassed.
"I'm Anika," she stuck out her hand.
Ron looked down at it.
"I'm…Um…I'm Ron." Ron took her hand, feeling her slender fingers slide between his.
Ron kept held as her hand and they just stared at each other in silence.
"RON, ARE YOU UP?"
Ron yanked his hand from Anika's in surprise. He walked to the tip of the stairs and saw Mrs. Weasley standing at the foot.
"Oh, good morning Ron. You'd better have some breakfast or you'll be late." She called.
Inside Ginny's Head
Ginny had been dealing with her pain in ways unknown to Harry or anyone else. Her behavior even seemed foreign to herself at times. She coped by getting up early and going to work before anyone was even up, and by getting home way after everyone was asleep. She did all she could to avoid Harry. Even if it meant hiding in the hall cupboard as he passed.
Later That Night
"Harry?" Anika asked as she knocked on his bedroom door. Harry opened it almost instantly.
"Oh, Hey Anika. Sorry I was just getting dressed." He pulled a shirt over his head.
"That's ok. I just came to see if you wanted a coffee. I woke up and the house was empty. Where is everyone?"
"Oh, well Ron, Hermione, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill and Charlie have all gone out for dinner. Fred and George have dates and Ginny… Well I have no idea where Ginny is." Harry heaved a sigh. He didn't know what was wrong with Ginny. Sure she was hurting but he was here now… Why couldn't she just forgive him and take him back. Didn't she love him anymore?
There was a few minutes silence as Harry thought when suddenly he realized that Anika was crying.
"Anika, what's wrong?" He asked moving towards her.
"There going to get me aren't they Harry!" She sounded really agitated.
"What? No! Who?" Harry was confused. This sudden outburst had caught him off guard.
"The Death Eaters!" Anika sobbed, sinking to her knees.
Harry knelt down next to her and put his arm around her shoulder. "Hey, hey it's ok." He hated it when girls cried. Why did they always have to cry?
"Harry I don't want the Death Eaters to get me!"
"Whoa! What?" It had only just registered to Harry that Anika had said Death Eaters. "You told me this morning that you didn't know who had attacked you." Harry pulled Anika away so that he could see her face. She looked like a scared animal, caged and frightened.
"I know I did. But I didn't want to cause a fuss."
"C'mon." Harry sat Anika on his bed and she cried into his chest.
"Thank you so much Harry." Anika took her face away from Harry's chest and whipped her eyes with the back of her pink sleeve.
Harry was about to tell her it was ok and that he would do all he could to catch the Death Eater that did this to her but he was unable to because she had already placed her hand behind his neck and pulled him into a kiss, before he was able to protest.
"Shh!" Ginny hushed as she tip-toed across the living room towards the stairs. She glanced at her watch; 11:30pm. Good, everyone would be asleep. She took the guys hand and led him up the first flight of stairs. She was about to descend the second when she realized Harry's door was ajar. She looked in and felt her breath catch in her throat.
There, laying with her head on Harry's chest, was the girl; Anika, Ginny thought was her name. Her and Harry were lying on his bed asleep. His arm was around her and she was cuddled up to his chest.
Ginny nearly hit the ceiling when she felt a kissing at her neck. She swung around to see the boy, or rather man, which she had brought home with her. His brown hair hung in his face and his eyes shone with hunger, lust, want. She had had second thoughts about this earlier but now what she was going to do was clear.
The guy was muscular and his clothes spelt strongly of testosterone. Ginny knew that she was not his first tonight; she knew he was using her and she was using him, and she knew that when she woke up in the morning, he would be gone. But besides all she knew…
She led him upstairs to her room anyway.
