29th April 1996
It was the scariest moment of Harry's life. Time slowed as the car slammed into Ginny. Her head turned to the car, eyes wide. She put her hands out as it slammed into her. She screamed. The driver jumped out of the car and Harry ran over, not looking himself whether any cars were coming. Unlike Ginny, Harry was lucky.
"Do you know her?" the driver asked Harry urgently, taking out his mobile phone and dialing 999. Harry nodded desperately. He scooped her up in his arms, his muscles protesting slightly. There was a bench that she'd been sat on just to the side of the road. He laid her down there and listened as the driver asked for an ambulance. Unable to do anything except stare at the damage the car had caused, Harry knelt beside her.
Her ankle was bent in an odd direction and her t-shirt had ridden up, revealing bruises that were already blooming on her ribs. Harry didn't know how long he sat there by her side, just staring at her, wondering what on earth he had been thinking when he'd left. He'd seen the car just as it came close to her. Maybe if he'd shouted there would've been enough time-
Sirens interrupted his thoughts. They pulled over where he was. It was all a blur. The flashing lights. The paramedics asking him his name, her name. Ginny was taken into the ambulance and Harry followed, leaving the distraught driver behind. Inside an ambulance. An ambulance had once visited their primary school, Harry distractedly remembered. The paramedics were doing things to Ginny. They were looking at her, her leg, her rib cage.
Words he didn't understand. No one speaking to him. Staring at his perfect Ginny. All his fault.
All his fault.
XXX
Harry sat on the chair beside her, a three-month-old magazine in his hand, hanging limply. He'd stopped looking at it as soon as the nurse had left the room. He was breaking apart. They'd been gone from Hogwarts for four days and, already, he'd failed. Ginny was lying in a hospital bed, asleep after her operation. He'd promised to look after her. They'd promised to look after each other and he'd failed her. She'd done everything for him. She'd done what she'd promised. And, despite all of that, despite his promise, here he was, sat beside her.
The hospital was asking for her name, her identity, her age. Harry hadn't told them anything. This was the one thing he could do. He could do everything possible to make sure they weren't caught while they were here. He was going to protect her properly from now on. He was going to look after her.
It had come out of nowhere. It had been raining. No wonder she hadn't seen it. Harry should've seen it. Harry should've known that it would come. It haunted him now. Her scream. The crunch of her bones. All his fault. All of it.
Harry stroked her hair back from her face. She looked so peaceful asleep. She'd been in so much pain before they'd put her to sleep and it had physically hurt him to see her in that way. Now, though, she looked completely calm and at peace with herself and with the world. He wondered how she'd react when she woke up and there were all sorts of tubes sticking out of her. She wouldn't have encountered any of it before, of course.
Harry sighed. Had it only been four days? Four days ago, he'd been at Hogwarts with Ron and Hermione and everyone. Four days ago, he'd been free and innocent and safe. Now, look what had happened. He wondered if it would ever go back to normal again. He wondered if he and Ginny could survive this, if they could stay out of prison forever. He didn't know if they could, but he was going to try. He had to protect her. He'd promised her, he'd promised her family, that he'd look after her. That they'd look after each other.
And then she ran across a road to him. And now she was in hospital. The doctors had told him what was wrong with her. Four broken ribs. A broken ankle. A collapsed lung.
If he'd shouted her, telling her where he was when he'd first seen her, then she'd have run across the road earlier, when there were less cars. If he'd explained the danger of the road to her fully, maybe she wouldn't have run. If he'd run to her instead of her to him, then the car would've gone past before he'd got to that side of the road. If he'd not left in the first place, she wouldn't have been out of the house at three o'clock in the morning. The opportunity for a car to hit her wouldn't have been there.
Everything was his fault. Why did he continue to fuck up so massively? He stared at the broken girl on the bed and whispered his apology to her.
XXX
2nd May 1996
Harry slept by her side. He ate by her side. He held her hand. He didn't leave the room. The only times he was apart from her were during operations. There were multiple. They had to set her ankle and put a rod in it for the first one and then they had to do something with her lung. Something happened to it. Harry didn't understand all the medical jargon. All he needed to know was that she was okay.
For the first few days, they wouldn't tell him. She was on life support. She was being fed oxygen. He asked them if she was going to be okay and they wouldn't give him an answer. It was the most desperate he had ever felt. All he needed to know was that she was going to live. He didn't care in what state. As long as she was alive, he could protect her, he could make sure she was happy and safe.
If she died, Harry didn't know if he'd be able to go on. He rather thought that he would give himself up to the aurors. If Ginny died, he'd have let down the whole Weasley family, his best friend, the couple who had taken him in when they hadn't even known him. He'd been able to save her when he was 12 - why couldn't he do it now?
His major disadvantage now was the lack of magic. Even when he'd only been 12, he'd had a wand. And help from a phoenix and a magical hat. Now, he felt as though he'd lost a limb. He regularly reached for his wand. Staring at Ginny's broken body, the only thing he wanted to do was pull out his wand and heal her. Not that he even knew the spells.
It wasn't as though he didn't have a wand, either. Unlike Ginny, whose wand was in auror custody, Harry's remained constantly in his pocket. Maybe this was worse, because he wanted to use it. He wanted to use it so much, but he couldn't. If he did, the whole ministry would find them in seconds. Ginny had tried to explain the magic behind the trace, but neither of them fully understood it. All he knew was that it was not worth the risk.
XXX
Ginny's eyes flickered open. She was in a clinically white room, although was it a room if there were no walls? All she could see for what seemed like miles and miles was white. It was as though her whole life had been consumed by one colour. It was very disconcerting. She was even dressed in a white shift. She'd never been so grateful for her bright hair as it grounded her.
Was this a dream? It was a very odd dream. She couldn't remember ever having one like it. Looking around was making her head feel funny, so she sat down and folded her knees into herself, waiting to wake up.
"Ginny," she heard a soft voice from behind her. Ginny furrowed her brow and twisted her neck around to look. A woman stood there, long ginger hair and piercing green eyes. There was no doubt in Ginny's mind that this was Lily Potter.
"Lily," Ginny whispered. Lily nodded. It struck Ginny suddenly just how young Lily had been when she gave her life to save Harry's. Ginny wondered whether she would have the strength.
Lily enveloped Ginny with her arms. The other woman wasn't much taller than Ginny, so they lay their heads on one another's shoulders. Before she knew it, Ginny was crying, sobbing. Lily just continued to hug her, to hold her.
Ginny didn't know how long they stayed like that for, holding one another. It could've been hours, could've been days. When Lily eventually pulled away, she said, "I would have loved to have had you as my daughter-in-law. Tell my son I love him."
And then she disappeared. Before Ginny could feel alone, however, the white began to melt away. She was waking up.
XXX
Ginny's eyes flickered open.
Harry looked away. And then looked back.
Her eyes were open. "Ginny," he gasped desperately. She struggled as she attempted to talk. He shook his head vigorously at her. "Don't try to speak. I'll get the nurse."
Harry raced out of the room and to the nurse's station. "She's awake," he panted to the nurse sat there. She was the same nurse who had been looking after Ginny for the past few days. Harry appreciated the fact that she stood up at a similar pace as he had when he'd discovered that she was awake. Back in her room within minutes, they found a Ginny who was petrified and didn't understand what was going on. She was struggling against the tubes in her arms and the oxygen mask on her face. The catheter, too, had probably been an unwelcome surprise.
"Please give me a name," the nurse asked Harry as she desperately tried to calm her.
Harry racked his brain. What was the name they'd put on the passport? She'd know that name even if it wouldn't comfort her. He was sure it began with a C. He was William, he knew that much. C. Was it Chloe? Carla? Clara!
"Clara," Harry said, faux reluctantly.
The nurse smiled triumphantly. "Clara, Clara," she cooed, trying to get Ginny to calm down.
"Clara," Harry began, "don't try to fight the machines. They're helping you."
Harry's voice seemed to get her to calm down and the nurse encouraged him to carry on, so he explained to her where they were and what all the machines around her were doing. Eventually, she calmed down, her eyes locked on his. The nurse completed some checks during this time and Harry was gratified when she gave him a nod - Ginny was doing fine.
"Right, Miss Clara, you're doing well. You're not out of the woods yet, but you're on your way. I'll leave you with your attentive boyfriend here," the nurse said, after adjusting the notes at the end of Ginny's bed. "Don't hesitate to give me a shout."
Harry didn't care that the nurse had called him her boyfriend. He could understand why she'd got that impression. He'd been fierce in his protection of Ginny the past few days. Now, he took her hand and squeezed it, so grateful that she was finally able to squeeze it back. "Go back to sleep, Gin," he whispered. "I'll be here when you wake up."
XXX
6th May
"Thank you, Severus," Dumbledore said as Snape finished his report on the Death Eaters. The one thing the irritating prick was useful for. If Sirius had to admire Snape for something, it would be his work as a spy. But it would be a very begrudging admiration. "Now, Nymphadora, I believe you and Kingsley are working on Harry and Ginny's case?"
Sirius almost scoffed at his use of "I believe" as if he wasn't following the case intently. Tonks stood up and began to speak. "Yes, Kingsley and I are doing all we can to protect Harry and Ginny. The ministry has authorised the use of heat cameras to be used in the memories of certain members of the public in Fort William. We have collected a few memories. Unfortunately, a robbery in the town has been linked to Harry and Ginny, so we have had to take the memory from that woman. I am almost certain we will see an individual under an invisibility cloak. Tomorrow, we're going to start going through the memories and confirming the suspicion of the invisibility cloak. Due to Percy Weasley's confirmation that Harry does indeed have an invisibility cloak, the ministry will assume that any person underneath one is Harry or Ginny.
"Once we have confirmed that, we're going to try and track them through memories and find where they have got to. We're assuming that they are using trains, hidden by the cloak. As soon as we have any information, we'll inform the Order. The problem is, of course, that we'll find out at the same time as the rest of the Order," Tonks finished.
"Are they following any other leads?" Dumbledore queried.
Tonks looked down at the table and Sirius furrowed his brows. "Yes. They have positively identified fingerprints in Umbridge's office to be Harry's. As we know, it was poison that killed her. Harry's fingerprints were found on the teacup, the sugar pot and the milk jug. We also know now that it was basilisk poison that killed her, further linking the murder to Harry."
Sirius' hackles were raised as members of the Order shared looks. Even Molly Weasley seemed to be doubting her belief in Harry. Sirius felt a hand on his arm, steadying him, and he shoved Remus off him. Harry was being framed but no one else could see that.
"I'm looking for any reason that Harry's fingerprints would be on the cutlery. I promise you I won't stop looking," Tonks swore, looking directly at Sirius, who was somewhat gratified.
Dumbledore stood at this point. "I do not wish to believe this, but I find that it cannot be avoided. When Harry was attacked by Voldemort as a child, Voldemort transferred some of himself, some of his powers, into Harry. This is why he speaks parseltongue. It is also why Harry sometimes dreams and sees into parts of Voldemort's life. This is how he saved Arthur last Christmas. For a while, I have suspected that these powers may be influencing Harry in an untoward fashion. I now believe that Harry has been influenced by the presence of Voldemort in his mind and I think he has become more susceptible to the Dark Arts. His relationship with Professor Umbridge was so strained that I think it likely that he may have snapped-"
"You can't be serious," Bill protested before Sirius had the chance. Sirius laughed sarcastically.
"He's fully serious. I can't believe I'm hearing this. I don't even know what to say."
"Sirius," Remus warned.
"No, Remus! I won't have him talk about Harry like this. He is the son of James and Lily Potter! If either of them were sat here right now, you'd better believe that they would not be taking this lying down and neither am I."
With that, Sirius stood up and stormed out, with every plan to drink himself into a stupor.
XXX
"I just don't know, Arthur," Molly said quietly. She did not want Sirius to overhear their conversation. "I'm so scared for Ginny. I know that it's not entirely Harry's fault, but if he's dangerous, then I don't want him anywhere near Ginny." Arthur nodded and Molly was grateful for his support.
"We'll have to step up our efforts, talk to the aurors maybe," Arthur whispered. Molly nodded.
"Tonks and Kingsley cannot find out though," Molly informed her husband, who nodded as though that was a given.
"Mum? Dad?" Bill's voice interrupted them. "Can we talk to you?" Bill and Charlie stood in the doorway to the kitchen.
"Of course," Molly said, rather tightly.
Charlie gave them both a smile. "We just wanted to make sure you didn't agree with what Dumbledore said and that you know that Harry would never harm Ginny."
"Did Sirius send you here to tell us that?" Molly asked them, referring to their newfound friendship with the older man. Bill rolled his eyes.
"No, Mum. He didn't. We came here of our own volition, because we believe in Harry just like we believe in Ginny," Bill said forcefully.
"Exactly, Bill! You believe in Ginny. Ginny did the things they're accusing her of because she was possessed and that's what we're saying about Harry!" Molly fought. Charlie shook his head.
"No, that's not what you're saying about Harry. You're saying that Harry's been affected by You-Kn - No! By Voldemort. You're saying he killed Umbridge because he wanted to not because Voldemort wanted to. It's a completely different argument, Mum, and I can't believe you're accusing Harry of it," Charlie said, Bill nodding by his side.
"Do you not care about your sister one bit?" Molly burst. "I love Harry, of course I do, but I can't stand the thought of your sister in danger. It disgusts me that the two of you can!"
Bill scoffed. "The only danger Ginny is in is the Ministry and Voldemort. Harry is the only thing that she's got on her side right now," he told her strongly. Molly wouldn't hear of it. Dumbledore knew what he was talking about, more so than her sons or Sirius Black.
"Let's not argue, boys," Arthur said wearily.
"We'll argue until you're ready to protect Harry," Charlie said venomously, before storming out of the room, taking his brother with him.
XXX
"I just can't believe it," Bill said as he lay his head on his girlfriend's lap later that evening. "I always thought my parents were pillars of good value, but now I realise that it's only because of Dumbledore that they are. And, as soon as Dumbledore says something, they agree, even if it means sailing the boy they thought of like a son down the river," Bill said angrily.
"Beell," Fleur said comfortingly, "your parents 'ave been in a difficult time. You cannot ah - attendre - what is ze word? Attendre? Expect! You cannot expect zem to eegnore that which Dumbledore is saying, peux-tu? Mon amour, when you 'ave looked up to someone for such a long time, a change of opinion takes time, you have to take the 'abit to do," she said in her butchered English. Bill laughed at her funny expression, a little translation of what they said in French for "get used to". He gently corrected her and she caressed his cheek. "What would I do without you, mon choux?"
"But you believe me don't you, Fleur? You know that Harry would never do anything like attack Ginny?" Bill pleaded with her.
"Bien sur! 'Arry is very dear to me et je crois que 'e would never do anyzing to 'arm anyone!" she stated and Bill kissed her, laughing in relief at her support. "Guillaume, I 'ave thought. I want to join zis Order zat you do. I want to 'elp fight zis man zat is 'urting your sister and 'Arry. We cannot let 'im destroy zis country once again!"
Bill kissed her lightly. "I love you," he whispered. "Je t'aime."
Fleur giggled. "I love you too, mon amour."
"I'll speak to Dumbledore about you joining," he promised.
"Merci," she sighed and began to stroke his hair again.
XXX
7th May
"Will, please, I need some different clothes," Ginny practically begged. He did not want to leave her. His worst nightmare was coming back to the hospital and her being gone. He didn't think he could stand it if he lost her. He knew he couldn't, in fact.
"Clara, don't make me leave you. I need to know you're okay," he pleaded. Ginny shook her head.
"You've not left this hospital in days, Will. You've not slept or eaten anything properly. Please, go home, have a nap and bring me back some clothes in a few hours," she asked of him. "It'll do you good. Maybe have a shower as well," she teased. Harry knew it wasn't only a tease though. He hadn't showered for a good while.
"Okay, okay," he backed down. "I'll be back in a few hours with some clothes and a fresher smelling body," he promised her. She laughed and shooed him out of her hospital room. She was doing remarkably better and was in higher spirits.
Despite this, however, he could see that she was in constant pain and they couldn't talk for very long without her being worn out. The whole week she'd been in and out of sleep and Harry had been going insane. The nurses and doctors had got used to his presence, but they had kicked him out every so often. He'd returned immediately, covered by the invisibility cloak, of course.
He had known that Ginny would kick him out eventually but he'd been trying to avoid it. Being away from her was petrifying. There was no chance he was having a nap when he got back to the house. He needed to be with her again. He'd have a shower, grab her some clothes and then get straight back on the bus, he resolved as he boarded the bus back to their house.
Petrified wasn't even the word. There wasn't a word. No words described the feeling he felt when he thought about losing Ginny. He didn't think he'd ever felt anything like it and he never wanted to feel it again. It made him feel vulnerable.
He was so far from coping at the moment. Every sound at the hospital made him jump. In the few moments he'd been able to sleep, he'd had awful nightmares. He needed Ginny back. Without her, there was no way he could do this. He may as well hand himself into the Ministry now.
With that awful thought, Harry disembarked the bus and began to walk quickly home. It was only two minutes from the bus stop to their house, but, with tears welling in his eyes, it felt like miles.
Walking into the house, he locked the door behind him. And, with that, he collapsed onto the floor and sobbed.