Chapter 42– The Past Never Goes Away
Harry softly stroked Ginny's hair as she lay asleep against his side on a large loveseat sofa that Poppy had transfigured from one of the hospital beds. The moment Harry entered the Hospital Wing with Ginny, she went into a psychotic breakdown, as Poppy explained once she got Ginny calmed and sedated. Harry had to stand by helplessly, watching as Poppy had to restrain Ginny, unable to get her to drink a calming potion. Poppy had no choice but to use other methods, even restraining Ginny to her chest as she inserted an emergency syringe that already had the necessary potion inside into Ginny's hip, pushing down the plunger.
Once sedated, Ginny was moved into a private room in the Hospital Wing. Even under the sedation, once placed on the bed, Ginny started to whimper and struggle. In order to keep the girl calm, Poppy transfigured the bed into the loveseat sofa where Harry and Ginny now sat.
Harry refused to leave Ginny's side, not wanting her to be alone in case she woke up. He sat next to her on the loveseat sofa, holding her in his arms. In her sedation, Ginny had managed to curl herself into a ball, bringing her legs up so they lay across Harry's lap at a bent angle.
Harry noticed bruises starting to form on Ginny's arm where she threw herself up against the wall in order to get away, and every now and then, Harry could feel Ginny's body give off a twitch.
Harry didn't know how long he sat in silence before there was a soft knock on the door before it slowly opened to reveal Hermione.
"How is she?" Hermione whispered as she carefully closed the door so it didn't make any noise before she made her way over to the two and sat down on the footstool that was in front of the sofa.
"Asleep…sedated," Harry corrected himself, taking Ginny's hand in his and running his thumb over the top of her hand. "What happened? What did Ron do?" He inquired.
Hermione let out a long sigh as she looked down, placing her hands over her forehead. She knew the question was coming, but that didn't make it any less hard. "It was awful," Hermione said as she looked back up at Harry. "Ginny was hanging out with Fred and George when Ron stormed into the Great Hall…I was right behind him," Hermine added as an afterthought. "He questioned Ginny, but she kept saying that she never had detention with Lockhart, but Ron wouldn't let it go. He kept telling her that she did and that he wanted to know what he did to her. Ginny got fed up and turned to walk away, Ron grabbed her by the arm…that's when it happened. It happened in an instant. Ginny let out this awful scream as she collapsed to the floor. Her eyes became glazed over and she wouldn't respond to anything, "Hermione explained as she thought back to what happened in the Great Hall. "Is...is that what happened to you?" She asked.
"... kind of. I think it's different depending on the person, "Harry replied. "All the memories…they all come back at once. It's like it's all happening again. You're trapped in your mind and it doesn't matter how hard you fight, you can't get out," Harry explained before speaking again. "I'm going to kill Ron."
"I think you're going to have to get in line for that," Hermione said, earning a confused look from Harry. "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are being informed as we speak. They're in Dumbledore's office along with Ron and the twins. No doubt the story of what happened is being told by Fred and George."
"They're going to take her home?" Harry inquired.
"I don't know what's happening. Once I told my side of the story, I was asked to leave and come check on you and Ginny," Hermione said as her eyes scanned over the two. "You care about her, don't you? You have feelings for her" Hermione stated.
Harry averted his eyes as he was now looking down in his lap. "She shouldn't have to go through this," he spoke softly as the door opened once more as Snape came into the room.
"Miss Granger, don't you have studying to do?" Snape inquired as he dismissed the girl.
Getting the clue, Hermione gave a final look at Harry and Ginny before leaving the room without saying a word.
Once the door was closed, Snape made his way over to the two. Without saying anything, he took Ginny's wrist and snapped a bracelet around it, the same kind of bracelet that Harry had on.
"Is that necessary?" Harry snapped as he took Ginny's wrist back, seeing as the bracelet started to glow as it sealed itself to Ginny.
"Yes," Snape simply said before sitting down in the same spot Hermione occupied moments ago. "We don't want any more incidents."
Harry bit his tongue. Snape saw the bracelet as protection, but Harry saw it as an invasion of privacy, even if it was for Ginny's and his own good.
"You want to tell me what happened?" Snape inquired.
Even if Snape phrased the questions as if he had options, Harry could tell he didn't have a choice. Harry took his time explaining everything that had happened from that morning, starting with when they found Ginny's name on the list of students who had detention with Lockhart to now.
"What's going to happen to her?" Harry asked after it became obvious that his Professor wasn't going to say anything.
"That's up for her parents to decide," Severus replied. "Miss Weasley has her memories back, and as you know, there's nothing that can be done to reverse it."
Harry nodded in understanding, but his fear still lay in the pit of his stomach. The thought that Ginny may take her own life in the same way that he did came across his mind, and that's why he couldn't let Ginny go. As long as she was in his arms, he could keep her safe; he could protect her.
Harry watched as Snape stood up, picked up one of the folded blankets and draped it over both of them. "It's vital that Miss Weasley keeps warm," Snape muttered before excusing himself to Poppy's office, going through the door that was attached to the room. Harry caught the flash of light that surrounded the door, showing that a silencing charm had been put in place.
Harry's attention went back to Ginny. As he watched her chest rise and fall with each breath she took, he vowed that he would see to it that Lockhart would pay for what he had done. He would make sure that the man would never have the chance to hurt anyone else.
Note: Dear readers I am giving you a choice for the next chapter. Would you like to see Ginny wake up in Harry's arms?
