Chapter 3 – Protect

Harry's eyes flickered as Ginny walked toward him and slumped in the armchair beside him. It was close to Christmas, almost three months after the incident, and he had noticed a great change in Ginny's behavior; she seemed friendlier than normal, suspiciously so, Harry thought. She had been dating more often than Ron had liked, though too much, if it were possible. Harry lifted his head as the portrait opened across the common room, and Ron appeared with Hermione right after him and Lavender behind her.

"-I'm just saying that I think she should stop following you," Lavender said snidely, casting a glare at Hermione as she pushed passed her to get to Ron. "Don't you get tired of looking behind you and seeing her face?"

"You little bitch!" Hermione hissed, causing the room to go silent. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"I'm Ron's girlfriend," said Lavender tersely.

Hermione laughed coldly. "You wish. Ron would never be attracted to you."

"No, you seem to think he'd be attracted to a bucktooth, frizzy-haired, Know-It-All." Lavender was satisfied to see Hermione's face crumble, the tears leaking onto her cheeks.

Without a word, Hermione drew her wand from her pocket and muttered, "Silencio!" Lavender's eyes widened and she opened her mouth but no words came out. "There." Hermione smiled, placing her wand back in her robes. She whirled around to see Ginny's face; it was full of fear, her eyes wide. "Gin…I'm sorry…" But the armchair in which the redhead had occupied was now vacant; the sound of the portrait slamming shut again filled the quiet room.

The corridor seemed to stretch as she ran down it, her legs aching from the pressure she put on them to get away from the common room. She skidded to a halt in front of the Great Hall, looking at the big doors. The sun was drowning slowly, Ginny knew; she saw the shadow of herself and the windows on the wall to her left. Quietly, she crept through the doors and slid down them onto the floor, breathing hard.

Ginny nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard something in the Hall with her. When she lifted her head, she saw someone standing several feet away from her, and from the stature of the person, it was male. The glass windows were large and long enough to bathe the remaining light over the floor, over the stranger.

Blaise Zabini smiled at her, reaching a pale hand toward her. Ginny screamed and took out her wand; it shook badly in her hand as she aimed it at her attacker and yelled, "Stupefy!" when it didn't work, and she squeezed her eyes shut. "S-Stupefy!" she screamed again, the tears soaking her cheeks. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" she was shaking now, coughing, gagging, and crying hard. She could barely see her hand in front of her face and he wasn't leaving.

He crouched down beside her and touched her face.

Suddenly someone shouted, "Riddikulus!" and Zabini had vanished from sight. "It was just a Boggart," the voice had said calmly.

Ginny picked her head up but all she met was silence. After a few minutes, she calmed down and lifted herself from the ground, her body aching as she walked slowly out into the hallway, looked both ways, and found no one there waiting to see how she was. She made her way to the girls' bathroom, and upon entering it, she saw Moaning Myrtle sitting on the sink, blinking at her. "Hello, Ginny Weasley," she muttered. Oh, yes, they knew each other well – from Ginny's first year.

"Excuse me," whispered the redhead as she turned on the faucet. The water shot out and she cupped her hands to catch it, throwing it all over her face. She straightened up, sniffled, and turned back around.

"You look horrible. What's happened to you – surely not another diary incident?" Myrtle said.

Ginny didn't even look up as she shook her head. "No, nothing like that," she said quietly. "Thanks again for letting me get cleaned up, Myrtle!" Ginny said as she exited the bathroom.

She stopped as the door opened and she stared into the face of Pansy Parkinson. "Weasley, you look terrible. Accused anyone else of rape lately?" she sneered, checking her pug-nosed reflection in the mirror.

Ginny stared at her back, waiting. As soon as the Slytherin whirled around, Ginny muttered, "Aguamenti!" and a stream of water shot from the tip of her wand, straight into the dark-haired girls' face. Pansy glared at Ginny and wiped the water from her face.

"What's your problem?" she shouted.

"Your disgusting face and attitude, that's what," Ginny snarled. "Don't you understand that he's dangerous?"

"Blaise would never hurt anyone," Pansy said, her eyes flashing, and her fingers twitching for her wand. "I don't know what's so messed up in your head that you have to lie and make everyone nervous around him now."

"Shouldn't they already be that way?" Ginny said, stepping closer.

"What?"

"He's a Slytherin, isn't he, Parkinson? People are afraid of you, or maybe, that's just how you want them to feel." Ginny smiled coolly and stepped from the room, suddenly feeling very tired.

After reaching the common room and climbing through the portrait, Ginny curled up on the couch, yawned widely, and snuggled against the pillows, shutting her eyes.

She dreamt of the stranger again. This time, he wore school robes and a hard gaze, his outstretched hand offering her something; it was a clear vial filled with purple liquid. "What is this?" Ginny asked, staring up at him.

"It will protect you," he whispered.

Ginny went to remove the hood covering his face but he stopped her. "Why not?" she asked.

"You'll know who I am when the time is right," the stranger said. "But now I must go."

Ginny stirred, her eyes flying open as she sat up and looked around; she was still in the common room, and she figured she had only fallen asleep for an hour or two. "Ginny!" a voice whispered suddenly, and she jumped.

"Hermione?" Ginny said, her voice shaky.

A candle emerged by her head, then Hermione, wearing a pink nightgown, her hair tied up. "What are you doing down here?" she asked softly. "I never heard you come upstairs."

"I didn't," Ginny replied. "I fell asleep here after…"

"After what?" the brunette asked, glancing at her. "Ginny, if this is after this afternoon, I'm sorry."

"It's not…I just…something happened…" her voice caught.

Hermione waited patiently.

"It was nothing, I promise." Ginny said, grinning. She had learned to fake happiness quite a lot since Harry and Hermione had gotten together. "I'm just tired. I'll be up in a minute."

Hermione nodded and left her to sit in the common room by herself. Ginny gazed at the empty fireplace and a deep shudder ran through her. She stood quietly and made her way to the staircase, looking back behind her.

Maybe tomorrow would be a better day.