Being back at school was uneventful for the most part. As Ginny arrived through the portrait hole in the common room, she received a few "hello's" from Angelina, Alicia, and surprisingly Dean Thomas. He approached herself, Ron, Harry and Hermione and said, "Hey guys! Welcome back!" They all nodded tiredly and Dean held out a hand, "Ginny and Hermione, can I take your trunk for you?" Ginny smiled fondly and nodded, "That would be great, thanks Dean!" He grinned at her and took one of hers and Hermione's suitcases to the top of the girls' staircase.
Ginny smiled at him gratefully, "Thanks so much!" Hermione nodded, "Yeah, thanks Dean. He nodded and replied, "No problem. You all look exhausted. How was your Christmas?" Ginny shrugged her shoulders, "Pretty average. Dad got bitten by a snake so that's why we went home early." Hermione dragged her trunk inside, obviously not interested in being a part of the conversation.
Dean sighed, "Oh, I'm so sorry! Is he okay?" Ginny nodded and smiled, "He is now. How was yours?" He grinned happily and told her about he'd gone to Prague to spend it with some relatives-it was the first time he'd ever been. It was so strange, Dean didn't usually speak to Ginny but she liked how easy he was to talk to. Suddenly he asked, "Hey, I was just wondering…are you keen to go to Hogsmeade together on the next trip? You know, just as friends?" Ginny was a little surprised at his abrupt manner but she shrugged her shoulders, "Sure, I suppose so. We can make plans closer to the time?" Dean grinned his infectious smile, "Great! See you then! Have a good first day back, Gin!"
Ginny hurried inside Hermione's dormitory and Hermione asked, "What was that all about? He's never been so friendly to you before!" Ginny chuckled and murmured, "Yeah…it was a bit strange." Then the weirdest feeling came over her. She remembered her dream, and what she had promised Lily and James. She had promised to protect Harry. How broad of a sense did they mean? Yes, it was only a dream, but if that had happened in real life, she would have felt compelled to keep her word. She felt guilt flooding through her for no reason.
She told Hermione suddenly, "He asked me to Hogsmeade on the weekend." Hermione's eyes widened in surprise and she gasped, "He didn't? Gin! He obviously likes you!" A broad smile crossed Hermione's face and Ginny couldn't help but shrug, "Yeah…I said I'd go but now I'm feeling guilty for saying that." Hermione rolled her eyes, "If this is because of Harry, then you shouldn't feel guilty. He's decided to go with Cho on Saturday." Ginny nodded and smiled, "Alright then. I'll go with Dean. But I want to tell you about this weird dream I had."
Hermione sat down on her bed and Ginny sat on someone else's bed-she wasn't in the same dormitory as Hermione. Hers was further along the hall. She explained the dream about Lily and James and Hermione listened with rapt attention. When she was done, Ginny asked worriedly, "Do you think I should tell Harry, or would it be too weird?" Hermione grimaced and frowned, "I don't know. The thing is it was just a dream. It's not like it actually happened, right? Besides which, you don't need to tell Harry everything." Ginny sighed and whispered, "But it felt so real." Hermione shrugged her shoulders, "It's up to you I guess." Ginny rolled her eyes and commented sarcastically, "Gee, thanks Hermione! You will such a help!" Hermione giggled and replied, "You're welcome," just as sarcastically.
The week was uneventful except for the first D.A lesson of the term. Hermione sent out the signal using the coins during the first day back and everyone was excited about it. However, for some reason Ginny wasn't as excited as usual. She had been throwing herself into her studies and she felt like any time away from them would completely deter her. Exams were coming up and so she needed to stay completely focused.
However, as she walked towards the Room of Requirement, she found Dean Thomas sidling up to her and he grinned at her cheerfully, "Hey stranger! How's your week been?" Seamus was walking beside him and he nodded at Ginny, "Hey Ginny." She greeted him and then answered Dean, "It's been busy, hey. They're piling on the work now. How are your O.W.L's going?" He groaned at the same time as Seamus and then they all laughed and Ginny grinned, "I suppose that answers that question!" The two boys nodded morbidly as they reached the entry for the concealed room as it let them in.
Harry, Ron and Hermione were already there and waiting. Ginny wasn't surprised to see Cho eyeing Harry from where she stood next to Luna, and Neville who were also early. Ginny nodded at Cho and then she suddenly remembered seeing Neville's mum in hospital. She went up to him and gave him a tight hug before smiling softly, "How are you doing, Neville?" He smiled grimly at her and replied, "Alright thanks, just stressed." She nodded, "Yeah, Dean told me about all of your work! It makes me nervous for fifth year." Neville nodded too and whispered, "Listen, Ginny please don't say anything to them about…about…" She interrupted him quickly, "Neville, I would never dream of it." He smiled gratefully at her.
That's when Michael walked in. He grinned at her and he came rushing over. She hadn't heard from him the entire holiday. He engulfed her in a hug and said happily, "Hey Gin! So good to see you again! How was your holiday?" She explained briefly about her dad and as she did people began to filter in. Soon, everybody was inside and Hermione spoke loudly, "Hi everybody! We see you got our message! We hope you all had a good holiday and thank you all for being here for the first D.A lesson of the term!" They all clapped and Fred and George even "Whooped."
Then Harry swallowed loudly, "Alright, everyone calm down. Today, I think we should produce a little further in our abilities. Today, I'm going to teach some of you how to produce a Patronus." Excited murmuring scattered around the room as Harry explained, "What you've got to do, is think of the happiest memory you have. It can be of anything, but it needs to be strong-so strong that it can produce the charm. When it does, your Patronus will appear in a form of an animal which best represents your character. You don't even really need to use movement for the charm to appear. The chant is, "Expecto Patronum." Now everyone close your eyes and think of your happiest memory.
Ginny thought long and hard. Her happiest memory? There were so many. The first that sprang to mind was her kiss with Harry in her room at Grimmauld Place. Harry continued, "Now once you've thought of it, say the words meaningfully and keep thinking of the memory as you say it. It must be a crystal clear memory. Then if you feel like it was strong enough, open your eyes and have a look. If it doesn't work, try again with a different memory. Everyone understand?" They all said that they did.
Ginny pictured her kiss with Harry, his soft lips enveloping hers and she remembered the warm feeling boiling in her stomach, the butterflies bashing around in there as he moved closer to her, wrapping her in his arms. She opened her eyes and to her disappointment, nothing had appeared. Luna, however, who was standing beside her, seemed to have produced a small shimmer of light and as had Hermione further along the row of members. Harry congratulated them proudly and then encouraged the rest of them.
Ginny tried to imagine the kiss again and she saw the faintest of light evaporate out of her wand, but it disappeared so quickly that she wasn't even sure it was there. This obviously wasn't her happiest memory. Ginny thought about the dream she'd had two nights ago. She closed her eyes and remembered how content she had felt in the dream, just speaking to Lily and James had made her feel happy. She closed her eyes and whispered, "Expecto Patronum." The little beam of light that had been there before grew a little stronger, but didn't transform into an animal.
She huffed just as Harry walked up behind her and smiled, "What are you thinking about?" She could feel how close he was and it made her shiver. She smiled back and replied, "Um…Cedric." Harry raised his eyebrows. It had been a lie, but she couldn't very well tell him the truth-not now in front of everyone when she hadn't yet told him about the dream. Maybe she should be thinking about Cedric though.
Harry raised his eyebrows in surprised and nodded, "Fair enough. It seems like you might need something a bit stronger though." Ginny nodded and sighed, "Fine." This time though, she thought of Cedric, and his friendship. But when she opened her eyes, the light hadn't gotten any stronger.
Harry smiled encouragingly at her, "Keep trying. You'll get there." She nodded and grumbled. She was usually quite good with charms. Further along, Cho had sparked a few white ends out of her wand, and as had Seamus. They all seemed to be a little frustrated in producing the Patronus. Half an in, only a third of the class had produced a few white strands at the end of their wands, but Hermione and Luna were the only two to have produced a full Patronus. Hermione's was an Otter and Luna's was a Hare.
That's when Harry called a break. Ginny walked up to Hermione and said, "Congrats! What memory were you thinking of?" Hermione blushed and whispered, "Promise you won't tell anyone? It was when Ron, Harry and I became friends. Before I never really had any." Ginny grinned, "Did that have to do with you being a presumptuous know- it -all?" Hermione playfully slapped Ginny's shoulder and asked, "What were you thinking about?" Ginny sighed, "I'm sure you can guess." Hermione nodded, "H…" she was about to say Harry when he appeared from behind her and she jumped. He grimaced, "Sorry to interrupt the two of you, but Hermione I just checked with Cho that we're still on for Hogsmeade. She said yes." Here, he cast a furtive glance at Ginny who shrugged her shoulders carelessly. Of course she cared, but she couldn't let him see it.
Hermione nodded, "Well done, Harry. I'm impressed. I think she deserves another chance." Harry nodded and Ron appeared at his side. He groaned, "Harry! This Patronus stuff is tough work! How on earth did you get it on your third try?" Ginny raised her eyebrows, "Your third?" Harry shrugged his shoulders, "I had Professor Lupin teaching me. He's probably a better teacher than I am." He walked off and Ginny sighed, "He's so moody I can't stand it!" Ron shook his head, "Give him a break, Gin. He's having a tough time and he's got Occlumency this evening."
That's when Harry announced that break was up and they must try again. Ginny thought about the first time she'd seen Harry-when she was eleven and he was about to board the Hogwarts Express for the first time. She thought about it long and hard and when she announced the charm and opened her eyes, she groaned because she hadn't improved. Fred chuckled, "Now, now little sis, you will get there one day." He was also struggling so Ginny just ignored the jibe and tried again.
Finally she remembered the feeling of relief when she had woken up in the chamber and Harry had been alive. He had told her that Riddle had gone too and that sense of relief had flooded her entire body. She felt her skin getting warm now where her hand held her wand and she opened her eyes to see the face of a horse appearing out of the tip of her wand. Slowly the rest of the body emerged as Fred and George applauded her and she sent her hoarse flying around the room. Harry turned from behind Cho and saw it prancing around him. He looked at her and grinned, yelling, "WELL DONE GINNY!" She felt herself blushing as people watched it prance around the room majestically.
Harry walked over to her and said proudly, "You can get it to come to a half if you'd like? Just pull your wand closer to your waist." She did as she was told and the horse trotted up to her. It bowed down and she leant forwards and stroked its nose. She couldn't feel the white silvery mist, but she could see the Patronus was appreciating it. She giggled, "I always wanted a horse. This makes total sense." Harry grinned appreciatively and checked his watch, "Alright it's the end of the lesson everyone! Well done for trying! And well done to Hermione, Luna and Ginny for all perfecting their Patronus's." Everybody clapped and Ginny could feel herself blushing.
As people trickled out, Harry pulled her aside and asked quietly, "What were you thinking about?" Ginny swallowed and whispered honestly, "Seeing you alive in the chamber after I woke up. And seeing Riddle gone. But most importantly seeing you alive." Harry's green eyes sparkled in wonder and his eyes locked with hers, and it was the same look she had seen in them when he had kissed her in her room. She felt the atmosphere change, when she heard someone clear their voice behind her. Cho.
Ginny turned quickly and Cho blushed, "Sorry for interrupting, but do you mind if I talk to Harry for a sec?" Ginny shook her head and smiled brightly, "Not at all! I'm just on my way out. See you next meeting, Harry!" She hurried out of that room as fast as her legs would carry her.
When Ginny arrived in the dormitory, she sat down to do some work. Several minutes later, however, Ron and Hermione came walking back up. They joined Ginny at her table and Ron asked curiously, "So, what memory did you think of when you cast your Patronus?" Ginny shrugged her shoulders and told a half truth, "When Harry told me that Riddle was gone." Ron frowned and asked, "That was your happiest memory?" Ginny raised her eyebrow and asked petulantly, "Yes. What's wrong with that?" Ron shrugged and replied, "It's just a weird thing to be your happiest memory."
Ginny avoided eye contact with Hermione who was staring at her with suspicion written across her first. Hermione asked Ron, "What memories were you thinking of?" Ron blushed red and murmured, "Well whatever it was, it didn't work did it? You had one that worked. What was yours?" Hermione grinned and replied, "When I became friends with you and Harry." Ron's mouth fell open and he laughed, "You joking?" Hermione shook her head and said seriously, "Nope. When you rescued me from the troll it was like I actually had friends who cared for the first time." Ron grinned and patted her shoulder, "Hermione…you're just too much." Ginny giggled at the pair of them, and that's when Dean plonked himself down next to her, "That Patronus charm is a mission, isn't it? I feel exhausted! Congrats to the two of you for conjuring it! I don't know how Harry managed to do it on his third try. He must be some sort of a genius!" Ginny thought to herself, 'he is,' and she grinned, "Thanks Dean. You will get there, don't worry. Besides, it may be a weird memory that you don't consider to be a happy one at first. Mine was more a feeling of relief." Dean nodded and sighed, "Ron you going to come and study, mate? Seamus, Neville and I are going through Divination." This caused Hermione to giggle and Ron nodded, "Sure mate." Dean suddenly asked, "Where's Harry? He's usually with you." Ron chuckled, "He's…uh…having girl trouble." He winked at Dean who chuckled, "He's lucky he has girl trouble. See the two of you later." He nodded at Hermione and Ginny as they went and sat in a group opposite the room.
Hermione turned to Ginny, "Seriously, what was your memory? I saw you and Harry talking about it." Ginny rolled her eyes and grimaced, "Stalker. Fine, I'll tell you but you can't tell Ron, deal?" She nodded and Ginny whispered, "It was of the chamber. I had this immense rush of happiness when I saw Harry was alive and I hadn't been the cause of his death like Riddle had been telling me for months. It was a feeling I've never felt before. Even kissing him was good, but it was nothing like that feeling. On top of that, I was also glad to see Riddle dead, so that was bonus," she shrugged. Hermione smiled and dreamily, "That's so cute." Ginny shook her head in surprise, "But you keep encouraging Harry to go for Cho! Why would you say it's cute?" Hermione's eyes widened and she sighed, "Ginny, I think you even know that now's not a good time for you two to be together. It's just causing rifts in your friendship and Harry needs as many friends as he's got right now…" Ginny raised her eyebrows, "So you're saying I'm not allowed to like Harry any other way than as a friend?" Hermione blushed furiously and she tried to back track, "I…uh…I didn't say that," but Ginny had had enough! She retorted fiercely, "Hermione, I'm warning you, don't try and tell me how I should feel about someone…" and as she said this, Harry himself walked into the room.
He plopped down next to Ginny in Dean's vacated seat and Hermione said tensely, "I better go and study in the library…" Ginny nodded as Harry frowned and asked, "What's up with her?" Ginny gritted her teeth and replied, "Who knows?"
Author's Note: Can't believe I've got another one done already! It's quite a long one-five pages! Hope you guys enjoy it!