When she arrived at Grimmauld Place, Ginny was not surprised to see her mother in a state. She ran to hug Ginny the minute she stepped out of the fire and Ginny squeezed her tightly and whispered, "It's okay, mum. Dad will be alright." She could feel her mother's tears slide against her own face but she made no comment about it.
Sirius was standing behind her mum and he sighed, "I'm sorry about your father. Where's Harry?" Ginny stiffened as her mother released her embrace and hurriedly dried her eyes as Ginny replied, "Dumbledore told Snape to help him. I don't know what he meant by that." Sirius' eyes widened and he asked worriedly, "Help him? Oh, maybe he wants Snape to teach him Occlumency." Ginny was about to ask what that was when there was a burst of flames from behind her and Ron moved out of the fire place, followed by Fred and George.
Fred and George asked mum quickly, "How's dad." Their mum shrugged her shoulders half heartedly and she sighed, "He'll live and eventually be cured of the snake venom. It's all thanks to Harry that someone got there in time." There was silence in the dingy lounge before Ron asked, "When can we go and see him?" Her mother smiled blandly, "When Harry gets here. I'm going to go and visit him first myself. You all get yourselves settled in."
Ginny turned to sit in one of the velvet chairs. She was exhausted seeing as it was now twelve at night, but she felt like she couldn't sleep until Harry got there. Her brothers said goodnight to her and climbed the stairs. Sirius approached her cautiously before asking, "May I?" as he gestured to a chair beside her. Ginny tensed before nodding and he sat down and sighed, "I wish I could have helped him. I've felt so useless sitting here and doing nothing."
Ginny grimaced and replied, "Believe me, being there wouldn't have helped him-although maybe you're the only one who could have." Sirius raised a black, bushy eyebrow and asked curiously, "What do you mean?" She shrugged her shoulders and mumbled, "He's been very…distant this year. Moody. I understand he's annoyed that the media keeps attacking him and not believing his story…and initially I thought it was because he was just upset about Cedric, like I was…" Sirius interrupted then-looking serious, "Oh yes. He's seen far too much death for someone so young." Ginny nodded in agreement and sighed, "But now I think it's this dream, or something to do with it that's been bothering him. I just don't understand why he wouldn't tell me about it."
Sirius nodded and grimaced, "I'm surprised he tells you much at all. He's a very private person." Ginny shrugged and whispered, "I've opened up to him completely once before. Maybe he appreciated that." She felt herself blushing from ear to ear as she thought back to the time when she had first confided in Harry how she couldn't feel anything more than friends for him. Sirius looked like he wanted to ask more but he stopped himself and instead said, "Well…I just want him to be happy. He deserves it more than anyone else I know."
Ginny sat up in her chair and smiled kindly, "You really care for him. I'm glad he has you. I know he loves you." He gave a genuine smile-one of the first she'd ever seen- and he replied, "Likewise. If he ended up with you, I'd be a very happy God-parent." Ginny could feel herself blushing bright red now and whispered, "Thanks Sirius. It's…it's a bit more complicated than that though. Harry's interested in someone else." She watched his face fall and he sighed, "Well…I hope she's worth it." For some reason, Ginny felt like spilling her guts to Sirius. About how she disliked Cho, about how she felt like Cho was taking everything from her- first Cedric and now Harry. But then she realized how jealous she would sound and she was almost certain Sirius would not approve of that behavior. That's when Ginny became aware that this was the first proper conversation she'd had with Sirius on her own. She was finally understood why Harry liked him so much. What you saw was what you got with him.
Ginny suddenly asked out of the blue, "What were James and Lily like?" She had asked the question before she could even stop herself. It was a question she had wanted to know the answer to for a long time, but one she had never dared asked Harry for fear of how he'd react. Of course, Harry wouldn't know all that much himself, so the best person to ask would be Sirius.
Instead of getting offended, however, Sirius smiled kindly and replied, "They were amazing. Truly amazing. I've never seen a couple more suited to each other than the two of them, although you wouldn't have thought so at first. I don't know if you know this, but James had to chase after Lily before he wore her down." Ginny raised her eyebrows and shook her head, "I never knew that." Sirius smiled and nodded, "She finally agreed to go out with him in seventh year. I still don't know how he got made head boy. He was such a trouble maker." Ginny giggled and replied, "Sounds like Harry." Sirius grinned and replied, "A lot like Harry. But Harry has Lily's kindness. James wasn't unkind. He just…wasn't as kind as Lily. Nobody was a kind as Lily. Harry has James' loyalty…"
Sirius spoke about Harry's parents until they heard the clock chime one in the morning. Seconds later, there was another burst of flames from the fire place and an exhausted looking Harry stumbled out of it. Ginny and Sirius both stood up hastily and Harry blinked rapidly, his eyesight adjusting to the darkness of the room. He seemed to be covered in sweat and he mumbled, "What time is it?"
Ginny replied concernedly, "It's one in the morning." At the same time Sirius replied, "Go to bed Harry. You look exhausted." Harry stumbled over to Sirius and Ginny and said worriedly, "I didn't mean to…I didn't…" Ginny took a hold of his hand and squeezed it tightly, "We know," she said in reassurance and his worried eyes met her own. She nodded and he smiled grimly at her before clutching her own hand as if it were his life support.
Sirius whispered to her, "Get him upstairs before he passes out. I don't want to know what Snape has done to him." Ginny nodded and said goodnight to Sirius before dragging Harry slowly up the stairs after her. He was quiet until they reached Ron's room when he embraced her in a sweaty hug. He clung onto her and Ginny wrapped her arms loosely around him as she whispered, "It's ok, Harry. It's ok." He groaned and whispered, "What if I get nightmares?" Ginny tensed. Nightmares? It had happened more than once before?
She rubbed his back soothingly and whispered, "Then you come to my room, ok? I'm sure mum will understand once we explain." The last time Ginny had seen Harry this distraught was when he'd returned from the graveyard with Cedric in his arms. Gently, Ginny pulled away from him and she pulled him by the arm towards his bed. He seemed completely disorientated as he pulled the covers over himself and murmured tiredly, "Thanks for everything, Gin." She nodded and smiled kindly at him, "Sleep well, Harry." He had closed his eyes but forgotten to take his glasses off, so she placed them on the stand beside her.
When she turned towards the door, she saw Sirius watching her in smiling. She got a fright initially, but when she walked out of there and closed the door behind him Ginny asked, "Were you listening?" Sirius grinned, "A little. He likes you, you know." She shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe." Sirius shook his head in disagreement, "Definitely. He's not that affectionate with everyone. He wouldn't let everyone near him that way." Ginny could feel herself blushing in the darkness as she smiled happily, "Thank you Sirius. That means a lot. Sleep well." He nodded at her as they both went to their separate bedrooms.
During the middle of the night, Ginny woke up from a Riddle infused nightmare. She had dreamt that she was in the chamber again, but she was awake and confronting Riddle. Cedric stood in front of her in a protective stance. Harry lay unconscious and pale on the floor behind Riddle, in front of the Basilisk's cage.
Riddle was saying to her, "It's your fault, Ginny Weasley. It's your fault he's dead. You chose Diggory instead of him. So he came to me and gave me his life. He decided he didn't want to live anymore if you wouldn't choose him." Ginny felt her stomach sink. She felt sick to her core. As Ginny looked at Harry's splayed form, something erupted inside of her. Anger. Hatred. A strong desire to kill Riddle. She was screaming in agony and as Cedric clutched her around her waist and prevented her from running to Harry. She was fighting his grasp. He suddenly let go of her and as she ran towards Harry's lifeless form, the Basilisk appeared out of nowhere and swallowed him whole.
Ginny woke up with a start and she found herself shivering and covered in sweat. She decided to get up and hurry down the stairs to check on Harry and Ron. They were both sound asleep in their beds. She still was sweaty from her nightmare, so she headed down the stairs and into the kitchen. Ginny grabbed a clean cloth and mopped her forehead with it to cool herself down.
She heard someone clear their voice and abruptly Ginny turned to find Harry standing in the doorway, arms crossed. He smiled bleakly at her, "Couldn't sleep?" She nodded and sighed, "Nightmare. And you?" He smiled grimly and nodded as he walked into the room. Harry nodded in whispered, "Same. What was yours about? Do you want tea?" Ginny nodded and she sat down at the long table, "The chamber. And yours?" Harry whispered as he turned on the kettle, "You never go into specifics about your chamber dreams." Ginny swallowed hard and replied, "Because I don't usually like thinking about them. You never even told me you were having nightmares."
Harry shrugged and murmured, "I was scared everyone would think I was being possessed by Voldemort." Ginny didn't flinch when Harry used his full name. He grabbed some cups and placed two tea bags in them, "Two sugars?" He asked. She nodded and replied, "Yes please. But Harry that's really thick of you! I'm the only other person you know who has been possessed by Voldemort. You could have spoken to me and I wouldn't have thought you were crazy!" Harry blinked profusely for a few seconds and then smiled, "You're right," he said while stirring the tea. She smiled smugly, "I know I am. What other dreams have you had like this one?"
Harry explained about the one when Voldemort had been plotting to kill someone, that one he had last year. Ginny gasped when he told her that and she nearly spat out her tea as she quietly yelled at him, "You have been having them since last year! Harry! He could have gotten to you by now!" She was looking at him with an awestruck expression on her face and suddenly her dream she had just had kind of freaked her out.
He groaned and replied, "This is why I didn't want to tell anyone-in case of this reaction. I didn't want anyone to worry!" Ginny pulled herself together and asked seriously, "Listen Harry…have you had moments where you've blanked out and can't remember what you did that day and there are gaps of time missing?" Harry furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head, "No. I've always known where I am." Ginny nodded and smiled in relief, "Good that settles it. Riddle is not possessing you."
Harry gave her a sad smile and sighed as he sipped his tea, "Thanks Gin. I hope you're right. I just don't understand these dreams though." Ginny nodded and grimaced, "I reckon no-one does. Probably not even Dumbledore." There was silence for a bit before Harry asked, "And your dream?" She grimaced and swallowed her tea to bide some time before asking, "Do you really want to know?"
Harry nodded and she sighed, "Fine. Basically…Riddle was there, but you were the one dying. Cedric was also there and he was restraining me from running to your body." Ginny shuddered as she was staring at her tea the entire time she spoke, so she continued quickly, "Riddle was telling me it was my fault that you were dead…because…" here she halted, not sure how to continue.
Ginny glanced up and found Harry watching her intensely as he asked, "Because?" She swallowed hard and found her eyes landing on any surface but him as she took another sip of her tea and blurted, "Because I chose Cedric over you." Harry paused and frowned, "But you never needed to choose between us." She nodded and she sincerely hoped he couldn't see her blushing profusely in the dark as she murmured, "I know. But Riddle clearly wanted me to feel guilty for your death. I think that was the point."
Harry was silent for quite a while, probably lost in thought before he glanced up and asked quietly, "Do you still miss him?" Ginny didn't need to ask who Harry was referring to. She sighed and nodded, "I do, but not as much as I used to. In the beginning the pain was unbearable. You saw how it was. Now…I'm dealing with it. How are you coping?" She realized that it was the first conversation that Ginny was having with him this year where he hadn't yet started snapping at her.
Harry swallowed the last gulp of his tea before replying, "I'm not gonna lie it's been tough. But it's even tougher with Cho. Why I decided to like Cedric's girlfriend really dunno." He was clearly frustrated with himself over the situation and Ginny pointed out, "You liked her before he started dating her, didn't you?" Harry nodded, "I should have plucked up the courage and asked her when I could. Then you could have been with Cedric longer too."
Ginny rolled her eyes and finished her tea before replying irritably, "Harry, don't you dare go all guilt trip on me now. I'm not in the mood." He chuckled and it was the first time she had heard him laugh in ages. She'd missed the sound. He grinned and replied cheekily, "The Weasley temper has been woken." She grinned at him and laughed, "Oh haha. So funny."
They heard the grandfather clock chimb once. It was one in the morning. Ginny yawned and told him tiredly, "We better get back to sleep." Harry nodded in agreement and they trooped up the stairs together. When they reached Harry's landing he hugged her goodnight before retreating into his own room. When Ginny climbed into bed, she sincerely hoped she wouldn't have another nightmare. She drifted into a fitful sleep.
Author's Note: What do you guys think of the chapter? I really enjoyed writing the conversation between Sirius and Ginny. I feel like that should have been in the books since Sirius is Harry's only relative Ginny could have ever actually met. It would have been nice to know that Sirius would be happy with Harry's choice of wife although I'm fairly certain he would have been happy as long as Harry was happy.
Also thank you to the amazing reviews for the last chapter! I'm so pleased you guys are enjoying this story! Also it has been requested that I do some more important chapters from Harry's P.O.V as well as Ginny's. What do you guys think and what chapters should those be? All ideas welcome!