I do not own Harry Potter
Thank you everyone for your reviews.
For those of you wondering, yes Ginny will be in the story much more starting chapter 4. Daphne will not be coming into the story for a while. Most likely around chapter 8 or 9. and there will be no marriage contracts or saving her from death or rape or anything like that. I don't want to spoil it tho, so I wont go into how I will be doing it.
I am always up for changing things in the story. Just post it in the reviews and I will think about it.
For those of you wanting longer chapters. At the moment I am trying to do about 1200 words a day, and I was posting them when I was done. If you would rather I post one time a weak and have larger chapter I can do so. Please leave your feedback.
Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing. And now – on with the story.
CHAPTER 4
Harry sighed as he sat in the Gryffindor common room. It had been two years since entering and he felt like he had barely accomplished much at all. Oh he was able to call up his magic at will now, like Dobby. But he was only able to cast three spells without a problem: the levitation spell, a disarming spell, and a light spell. And its not for lack or trying, he had quite literally spent the entire time here working as hard as he could. But other than those few things he had accomplished, the only other thing he noticed was his magical core was slightly larger. And even then..only marginally. But that wasn't the worst part., oh no. the worst was that he felt more lonely than ever before. Granted Dobby was great, but not having another human to talk too...well...sucked. And he was just now realizing that maybe house elves talk the way they do because they are in this isolation for so long.
Dobby had said that it took him eight years to learn what he knows, and according to him that was faster than most elves. And the real thing that bothered him, was that Dobby had told him recently that normally a house elf arrives here by themselves when first bonded to learn what they know...alone. He couldn't imagine being here for 8 years or more by himself...it was no wonder house elves where so crazy.
Although, Harry thought with a small smile, Dobby's speech had been much better in the two years that he had been speaking to him.
"Dobby?" he asked quietly.
"Yes Harry?"
"I was thinking...maybe we should go back for a while...maybe come back here after the summer...I really miss my friends." Harry whispered
"If you want to, Harry. We can dos that." Dobby said with a small hesitation.
"Whats wrong Dobby?"
"Well. I not tell you before...I forgot I did. But when you go back to normal, yous will be experiencing pain from your changes."
Harry grimaced. "What...what kind of pain?"
"Well, when yous come to the other, if yous are being changing your magical core, and adding information to your brain, when yous come out it is being all jammed into yous real fast. Time is not happening here, so it all waits for time to being starting again. Then it is being crashed into you real fast it does." Dobby rubbed his head slightly. "Hurts lots it does sir."
"Of coerce it does." Harry muttered darkly.
Dobby gave a toothy grin as he approached Harry. "You is ready to go Harry?"
"Yup...when ever your ready."
Dobby grabbed Harry's hand and with a loud CRACK they where back in the normal world...and Harry doubled over clutching his head as pain shot through him. It didn't last long but the pain was the worst pain he had ever felt. As he regained his bearing he realized they where not in the corridor that they left real world in, but in the common room that he was in from the other world.
With a surprised expression Harry looked around the common room. It was empty. "You...you can move doing that!"
Dobby gave a slight nod. "Yes, that is how house elves go places. He pop into the other and go to place he need to go, then come back."
Harry looked at Dobby horrified. "You have to walk all the way to where your going? But..what if there are locked doors..or a large amount of water that you cant swim across or something?
"Magical wards and locks and whatnot do not work in other, like the portrait to the fat lady to common room, everything be open. And wards at Hogwarts not be working there either."
"So...if a death eater where to find out how to go to the other...they would be to come here?"
Dobby gave a sad sigh. "Yes." then he gave a slight grin. "But wizards not knowing how to get there for long long time. I think house elf or Goblin would have to tells them."
Harry gave Dobby a long stare."How do you get there?" Harry asked. He couldn't believe after all this time he still hadn't asked Dobby.
"You fill both yous hands wi-" But Dobby was interrupted as the portrait swung open and students started streaming into the common room, and before Harry knew it he heard a loud CRACK and Dobby was gone.
Harry shook his head with a small smile as he started heading into the second year dorms. As soon as he entered he looked to his bed to see everything he owned already neatly packed away into his trunk except a set of cloths he set out for tomorrow
He walked to his side of the room and pulled out his potions book before heading back to the common room. When he entered the only familiar faces he saw where Fred and George, so he walked in their direction. "Planing for your last prank of the year?" he asked them.
"Why I have no idea-" Fred..or George said
"What your talking about" the other
"Yes, how rude of you to suggest"
"That we would do such a thing"
"In this institute of higher learning"
Harry gave them both a hard stare. "You two don't fool me...besides I'm not here to rat you out..I want in." he finished with a large grin.
The twins looked at each other briefly before looking back to Harry. "We really didn't have anything planned.,,"
Harry raised his eyebrow and gave them a cold stare. "If you think I am going to believe that your-"
"No we're serious Harry!..but now that you mention it...a end of term prank does sound dreadfully appropriate."
"Indeed brother mine." the other finished.
They twins huddled together and looked at Harry." Well..come on little Harrykins. We had best get started..not much time left after all."
Harry suddenly got a brilliant idea."Hold on a second I need to get something, I will be back in just about...30 seconds or so." With a maddening grin he tore up the stairs to him dorm and as soon as he was through the door he slammed it shut and looked to make sure it was empty. Which it was. "Dobby!" He whispered excitedly."
Instantly there was a CRACK and Dobby was in front of him. "You need Dobby?"
"Yes, take me to the other, quick."
Dobby reached out and with another CRACK they where..well still here..but not.
Harry's grin was nearly splitting his skull by this point. "Show me how to enter and leave here." he exclaimed.
Dobby gave Harry a small smile as he clapped his hands together. "Oh Dobby loves teaching the great Harry Potter!"
Harry gave a small chuckled as he focused solely on Dobby.
"You is bringing you magic to both hands and concentrate it to stepping into time. Then you shove magic through your entire body and let it out."
Harry nodded. "Can I try that when we are already here?"
"Yes, you will be going to normal if you doing it here, and come here if you is doing it normal."
Harry brought his magic to his hands and concentrated, trying to tell his magic what he wanted it to do. And almost instantly it changed to his will."Wow. That went pretty fast." Harry was quite confused. It was willing his magic to what he wanted that was the hardest for him, he was surprised it went so fast.
Dobby gave a huge smile. "Of course sir. It is easiest thing to do, if we is not being able to come here to train. We would not be able to work for masters."
Harry thought that sounded fairly logical. And a second later he pushed his magic into his body and then pushed it out. And he heard a CRACK. Not even a second later another loud CRACK sounded as Dobby was in front of him bouncing on his feet.
"Yous did it!"
Harry couldn't help the large smile from his face. "YES!" he exclaimed. "But, why didn't you come with me Dobby?"
"Yous was not touching Dobby. Yous has to be in contact to go you does."
"Right! I should have thought of that." Harry let out a laugh as he turned to the door again. "Thanks Dobby I will call you if I need to again!" and a second later a CRACK was heard as Harry brought himself to the other and dashed down the stairs to the twins. He saw them sitting there with their heads together. No doubt planning. And his grin widened as he got right next to them and with a loud CRACK he was back.
Both the twins jumped nearly a foot in the air, and one of them actually fell backwards over a chair and ended up on the floor. And Harry couldn't stop the laughter as he burst forth. He actually fell to the ground clutching his stomach.
"BLOODY HELL!" the twin standing shouted.
"What in the name of Merlin just happened!" the one on the floor demanded as he righted himself.
"How did you apparate here!" they both demanded at the same time.
"Oh it wasn't me." Harry grinned.
"What do you mean it wasn't you! We saw you! You apparated right in front of us!"
"Fraid not." Harry said. "It was Ginny. She is so powerful she can go through the Hogwarts wards. She even has enough power to Apparate people by themselves."
Both twins where looking at Harry Gobsmacked. "Your kidding" they whispered at the same time. Horror on their faces.
Deciding to mess with them some more Harry again brought himself to the other and ran out of the portrait hole. He searched the castle for nearly 2 hours before he found Ginny sitting alone in an unused classroom. And his heart constricted as he saw tear tracks down her face.
Not wanted to scare her he left the classroom and went a little ways away before returning to the normal world. Then he ran to the classroom and lightly knocked on the door. He heard some sniffles in the room but no answer. So he slowly opened the door calling softly. "Its me..Harry." as he came in.
He saw her at the same place, her legs curled into her tummy and holding herself tightly.
"Sorry." she whispered brokenly.
Harry slowly approached her. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Voldemort is a sick twisted evil git! I still cant believe you held him off as long as you did...I wouldn't have lasted half as long as you did."
He sat down next to her." How..how would you like to play a prank on your brothers.."
Ginny gave a small watery laugh as she wiped her eyes. "Wi...umm...what kind of prank?" she whispered.
"Do you trust me? Its just that its been a bit already, and the faster we do this the better."
Ginny looked up at Harry with the most serious face he had ever seen. "Yes, I trust you more than anyone." she whispered before looking back down at her hands.
Harry couldn't explain the feeling in him at her exclamation. Her words left him with feeling he had never felt before, and he felt like he could do anything, like he was invincible!
"Thank you." he whispered back to her before slowly reaching out to put his hand on top of hers. He felt her tense a little but she didn't say anything. Then Harry brought them to the other.
Ginny let out a gasp of surprise when the CRACK sounded and jumped to her feet. "What was that!"
"Its okay!" Harry exclaimed. "Dobby taught me how to come here. Its how elves get around so fast. They don't use apparation like we do. This is also where they first learn to use their magic so they can work for a family. its the same as the normal world...well kind of, time is just stopped here."
Ginny was looking around with an anxious expression, mixed with a little fear on her face. "It...Its not...Dark...magic?"
"No..its perfectly ok. I promise."
He saw her swallow as she was looking around them, now more curious than anxious, the fear totally gone. And the knowledge that she trusted his word on it that easily said something about just how much she trusted him.
"Why are we here?" she asked.
Harry got a small grin as he started to explain. "Well, as you can imagine this would look very much like Apparating when you leave or appear. And I was messing with your brothers with it...Fred and George that is...and I told them that it wasn't me doing the magic, I said it was you..that you where really powerful..I thought it would be able to keep them in check over the summer...thinking you could Apparate people to anywhere you wanted whenever you wanted." he finished with a great smile.
When Ginny turned back to face him she let a small grin escape. "So..they think I can Apparate people around whenever I want?"
Harry's slight grin turned into a full smile as he saw her, and he felt his stomach do a small flip as her grin also turned into a real smile. Probable the first he had seen on her all year. And he realized for the first time just how pretty she was. Even with tears marking her face she still looked more beautiful than ever. And the way her chocolate eyes sparked at him...he ducked his head down as a furious blush started.
"Err..yea.." Harry replied to her question.
Ginny let out a small giggle. "What do I have to do?" she asked.
Harry managed to control his blush and looked back to her, and saw that she now had her head down and was blushing as well. And for the first time since he knew of her crush on him. He felt happy about it. Giddy even...she liked him! "Right" Harry said shaking his head. "Well, I will have to teach you how to come here so you can actually 'apparate' around like they think." he said
Ginny let out a gasp. "You...your really going to teach me how?"
"Of course." Harry said, waving his hand as if it was nothing. "we both survived the chamber...we deserve to have a little fun." he whispered." And at the start of next year..I reckon you can start training with me...if you want to that is..."
Without warning she launched herself at him and enveloped him in a hug worthy of Mrs. Weasley. Quite the feat for such a small girl in his opinion. And again his blush returned full force..and not wanting her to see him blushing he did the only thing he could think of..buried his head in her hair...and then he realized something else about her...she even smelled good. And he couldn't help it as he took in a large breath of air, savoring her scent. Then before he knew it she had backed away and was looking at the ground.
"Sorry." She muttered.
Harry swallowed and attempted to work his mouth..but it seemed he had lost his speech."Sock" he mumbled. And instantly he berated himself...sock?..what the hell was wrong with him! She was going to think he was stupid."Err..umm...its ok." Oh my god! He though. What the hell was wrong with me!
She let out another small giggle. And his blushed deepend. Oh Merlin, she was laughing at him now! Then before he realized it she was again hugging him.
"Thank you...for...saving me..and..well...everything..." She squeezed him one last time in the hug then backed away.
After nearly five minutes of silence Harry finally found his voice again. "I'll always be here for you Ginny...if you ever need me..for anything...well..I'm here." He brought himself back to full control and let a small laugh escape. "Right, now lets teach you how to do this shall we?"
Reigning in her own blush she nodded and waited for his instruction.
After about 15 hours Harry realized what Dobby had gone through...sitting there waiting doing nothing...for hours...was quite boring. So he started working on his own magic, trying to master a locking spell...not that he would know if it worked...as locks didn't work here..but it would be nice to master the casting of the spell so he could try it out.
After about 20 more hours Harry finished working and looked to Ginny to see if she was done. But she was still sitting there. Looking as though in deep concentration. Harry didn't mind so much tho...it gave him time to stare..err look at her...as he continued to admire her he couldn't help but feel at peace..just looking at her face, scrunched up in concentration..she just looked so cute like that. Then suddenly her eyes opened and he felt himself flush. Damn she caught him staring!
"How." Harry gave a slight cough to his unused vocal cords. "How are you doing?"
"I did it!" she said brightly
Harry gave her a confused look. "But..I didn't see your magic...are you sure you did it right?" he asked hesitatingly, he didn't want to hurt her feelings.
She just gave a slight nod. "I think so...I found my core..it wasn't as big as what you said to look for...maybe as big as a house or so..and I didn't take all of it in me..did I need to?" she asked.
Harry thought about it..technically she only needed enough to fill her hands, so he didn't think it would be a problem. "Yea..I think it will work." Then Harry remembered the pain that came with training here and grimaced. "Ginny..I'm so sorry! I forgot that when you leave there is a pain that happens as everything that you learn here is pushed into your body as time starts again. I..sorry..dammit, how could I have forgotten that-"
"Its ok Harry. I'm sure it will be worth it. I trust you, I know you wouldn't want me to be hurt..you saved my life."
Harry gave a resigned nod "Why don't you try and bring the magic to your hands like I told you. Then will it to be a shape so it can step you out of here." He watched as she did as instructed, and could feel her magic as she was working with it..he wasn't sure if that was normal or not. He would have to ask Dobby. "Ok, now push the magic in your hands into your entire body...Yes like that. Now shove it out, not at a specific point. Just everywhere." And a second later there was a loud CRACK and she was gone.
Harry grinned as he brought himself back to the normal world. And grabbed Ginny in a quick hug before backing away. "You did it!" he exclaimed. "Now go back. But take me as well. You just need to be in contact with me to-" he was surprised as she grabbed him in a hug and he heard a loud CRACK
Harry grinned down at her as she looked up at him with a large smile. And he couldn't help but stare at her beautiful face, her eyes where drawing him in and he realized he was leaning down to her. And his eyes glanced at her lips. Which where now parted as she let out a small gasp. Harry looked back to her eyes as his heart beat faster than ever before. "I...we...should finish the prank." he mumbled as he backed up from her. And he couldn't help feel as if he was the worst person in the world at the hurt look in her eyes.
"Yea...the prank." she mumbled glancing down at her shoes.
Harry felt like an ass for hurting her...but...well...they where still so young...and he didn't know what to do. What if she didn't like him any more if he had..'he gulped' kissed her. Her entire family would hate him then! Or what if he messed up and did it wrong! No it would be better for them both if he didn't do something like...that...but it still cut him deep to know that HE had hurt her.
"So..umm...lets head back to the common room then.." Harry muttered.
Ginny gave a slight nod and followed him as he walked out of the room and headed for the stairs leading to the Gryffindor tower. Half way there Harry reached out and grabbed her hand. She tensed for just a second before she relaxed and tightened her grip.
"I'm sorry." Harry whispered, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. He saw a look of hurt pass through her before she looked down at the ground as she walked. And Harry couldn't take it anymore. He stopped and pulled her to him in a tight hug. "I'm so sorry! It...its not because I don't want to..I..I really do...y...your really pretty and stuff..." God he felt like a total idiot! But he had to make her understand it wasn't because he didn't like her, or because she wasn't good enough or anything like that. "I...Its just that we don't really know each other really well...and what if you decide you don't like me when you get to know me and stuff...I just..." Harry hugged her tighter as he felt tears fall down his face. "I...I'm horrible at this stuff.." He pulled back some so he could see her face. And he felt his heart constrict at the tears in her eyes...but he didnt see the hurt anymore..that was always good...right?
"Its stupid." she whispered as she swiped tears from her face.
"No its not! I'm...I just...Can't we just be friends for a bit? I really like you." here his blushed deepened to a new level. But he still held her gaze. "Can we just wait to see if we...you know..."
Ginny gave another sob as she hugged Harry to her again. And Harry was worried he said something bad until she whispered into his chest. "Yes."
Harry let out a breath and smiled. Then led them to a wall and sat down while they both stopped their tears and regained control of their emotions. After about 20 minutes they where both ready to continue on their way to the tower. Harry got up and brushed his pants off before reaching for Ginny's hand and pulling her up, and keeping her hand in his they continued up to the Gryffindor dormitory.
When they where in front of Fred and George who where in the same secluded corner by themselves, Harry and Ginny both broke into grins.
"So, what do you want to do?" Harry asked her.
"I got it! Just come back a second after me and play along ok?"
Harry gave a mock solute. "Yes ma'am."
Getting her best 'poker face' on, she looked at Harry one more time before a loud CRACK sounded. And as soon as that happened Harry brought himself back as well with another CRACK.
Again both Fred and George jumped into the air. But this time they where staring at Ginny with fear. And Harry wondered what would make the twins fear their sister so much..he remembered Ron saying that she always talked a lot and stuff...but he didn't really know a lot about her.
"Fred, George..Bow before me." Ginny demanded.
Harry nearly burst into laughter as he looked at Ginny with a new found light.
Both twins looked at her warily before looking at each other and giving slight nods.
"And why would-"
"we do that"
"Ikkle Gin-Gin" They finished together.
Ginny turned to Harry and he saw a flash of mirth in her eyes. "Harry...Bow"
Harry wasnt sure how he kept a straight face, but he instantly dropped to the ground and placed his hands if front of him as if praying. "Please..have mercy"
Ginny looked to the twins again and they where now looking between Harry and Ginny in fear.
"What...what did you do to him?" one of the twins asked.
"I put him at the bottom the the black lake of course. Harry knows who his mistress is now...don't you Harry."
"Yes Mistress." Harry had to keep his head down for fear of anyone seeing his face..he was kind of worried his voice may have given him away actually.
"You didn't!" both twins exclaimed.
"And he knows that if he ever even says something against me I will leave him there next time. Don't you Harry."
Harry Just nodded his head rapidly to afraid to speak.
Ginny again turned to the twins. "I was thinking a desert for yo-"
Instantly they both dropped to the ground, and Harry couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. They both turned to him in confusion. Then when Ginny started laughing as well they both stood up.
"I do believe"
"We have been prank-ed."
The twins looked at Harry and Ginny who where both rolling around on the floor in laughter. "Prank war!" Both twins shouted in unison before leaving through the portrait hole.
After nearly five minutes of laughing both Harry and Ginny had settled into a comfy couch near the fire.
Harry reached out to grab Ginny's hand and laced their fingers together. "That was great. I didn't know you had such a mean streak in you."
Blushing, Ginny gave a small giggle. "I probably do half the pranks the twins get in trouble for."
Harry let out a laugh. "Well, we'll just have to up our pranks then. See if we can get them in even more trouble. After all who would think that little Ginny and Harry Potter would do such a thing."
After about an hour of planning pranks Ginny let out a yawn.
"I should go up. I still need to pack some stuff."
Harry gave her hand a small squeeze and stood from the couch, pulling Ginny with him. Then he pulled her into another hug. "Night Ginny." He whispered into her ear.
"Night Harry"
As Harry watched her walk up the girls stairs he couldn't help the small smile that was plastered on his face. Giving a small sigh Harry walked up to his own dormitory and fell onto his bed fully clothed. And before he realized it he had fallen asleep. Dreams of pranking and a girl with fiery red hair filling his night.