"What happened to you?" Madam Pomphrey asked. Ginny sniffed. It had been hard to get through the Gryffindor common room for three reasons. One, she was crying, covered in blood, and being guided by Hermione. Two, they had all just seen Dean being escorted away by McGonagall, and her return without him. Three, she had been coming out of the boy's dormitories. She was now concerned, because the story would most likely make its way towards Ron.
Hermione walked up to Madam Pomphrey and whispered something into her ear. She gasped and rushed off to go get something. Hermione stroked Ginny's shoulder.
"She's getting you a Sleeping Draught," Hermione explained quietly. "So you won't have to feel the pain when your injuries are first healing."
"Ron's going to hear. And Harry too. They share a dormitory with Dean, they'll find out first why he's missing," She cried. "I don't want them to find out, they'll be so disappointed in me. And they might tell Mum. If she finds out-"
"Shh," Hermione said softly. "I know, Ginny, don't get worked up. I'll solve whatever goes on with Ron. You won't have to say a word to him about the subject, nor hear a word. I will take care of it, I promise you."
Madam Pomphrey came back. She handed Ginny a few pills and a glass of water, then set a goblet down on the bedside table. "Take these." Ginny swallowed the pills. "And change into these." She said, handing her a pair of pajamas. "Here's a washcloth. There's blood seeping through your robes. After that, take the potion."
"Thank you, Madam Pomphrey," Ginny said. She took off the robes, wiped the blood up, and changed into the pajamas. After assuring Hermione she would be okay, she drank the whole goblet in one gulp and almost instantaneously fell asleep.
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"Hey, did you hear what happened to that Dean Thomas guy?"
"Didn't he get expelled?"
"Yeah, do you know why? He raped Ginny Weasley. Beat the shit out of her too. Holy crap, shut up, that's her brother!"
Ron looked at the two whispering Ravenclaws for only a second before moving on. He sat down at the table next to Harry, across from Hermione, feeling again like everyone was watching him. Harry and Hermione weren't acting oddly though. Ron looked at them. "You guys didn't do anything out of the ordinary, did you?"
"No, why do you ask?" Harry asked.
"Everyone's staring at me like they do when you do something," He responded. Harry and Hermione both shrugged. Ron looked over at Harry again. "Did you see Dean at all last night? I haven't seen Ginny since last night in the common room, either, and it's not like her to sleep late or miss breakfast."
Harry looked at him. "I heard Dean got expelled, mate."
Hermione laughed. "You're not actually believing those ridiculous rumors, are you?"
"You don't believe he was expelled?"
"Of course I do, but not because he helped Peeves throw statues out the window or because he wiped his shoe on Flitwick's face."
"Why do you think he got expelled then?"
"Dunno." She shrugged.
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Ginny woke up in the hospital wing on Saturday afternoon. She had a bandage over her cheek and on the side of her forehead, next to her eyebrow. Her stomach was bandaged, as were her knees. She lay there for a moment, tears falling gently down her face.
At least once, just once, he hadn't violated her. She felt so dirty every time afterward. Covered in blood. Tears. Bruises. It was just too much. She was happy Hermione had discovered what was happening. But then she was scared. By now, someone must know what had happened. It only took two seconds for a story to spread at Hogwarts. By the time six people knew, the story would be altered. Either Dean would get expelled for some different reason, or something worse for her. She really hoped that they just twisted Dean's side. She really hoped she wasn't part of the rumor. She just wanted out. She had been dealing with it for weeks. The last thing she needed was a thousand reminders that it had happened.
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"Hermione, you knew didn't you?" Ron yelled, pushing her into a chair, then apologizing a thousand times and saying he didn't mean to push her. It only took her a second to know what he was talking about.
"I'm the one who told McGonagall and had something done," Hermione said quietly, hoping that he was talking about what she thought he was.
"How could she be so goddamn STUPID?!" He yelled, kicking the table. "I thought she was smarter than to keep secrets like that."
"Ron, she is smart. She was just scared. And who wouldn't be in that situation?"
Ron sat down, burying his face in his hands. A minute later when he emerged, he had tears on his face. "My sister. Raped. Abused. Hermione, how could she let this happen to her?"
"It's not something that she could have stopped without getting more hurt. Sometimes fear makes you do stupid stuff," She said. Ron sat there, staring at her.
"Where is she?"
"You can't see her, Ron, this is traumatic enough, she doesn't need to know that you're angry at her. Besides, Madam Pomphrey gave her a Sleeping Draught to calm her down, she's probably out cold."
He stood up and started walking away. Hermione stood and chased after him. "Where are you going?"
"I'm writing Mum."
"Over my dead body, get back there," Hermione said, taking his collar. "You absolutely cannot write your mother about this. Do you have any idea what she would do if she knew Ginny was raped by Dean? Ron, she would be a wreck, which would only torture Ginny more and be a constant reminder of what happened. You don't want that to happen, do you?"
"Then what the hell am I supposed to do? I can't talk to Ginny, I can't write to Mum," he complained. Hermione sighed.
"I dunno, go punch things. I'm going to go see if Ginny's awake," She looked at him. "Will you be okay?"
"Yeah. Fine," He croaked. As she walked off, he called after her, "Tell me how Ginny is, okay? And tell her…that I'm sorry."
"I will."
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"Ginny, how are you, sweetie?" Hermione asked, sitting on the edge of her bed. She had the covers tight up to her chin, and tears were rolling down her face.
"How many people know?"
Hermione sighed, stroking her hair. "Just about everyone." Ginny closed her eyes and let out a loud whimper. Hermione wiped a tear away. "Ron wants to know how you're doing. He's worried about you, and sorry for what happened to you."
"Worried about me, sure."
"He is, Ginny. I had to stop him from writing your mother. He's really serious about this. Ginny, he's scared. He's not angry."
"Ron's always angry!"
"Because it's the only way he knows how to show he's upset. Ginny, he really loves you."
Ginny was silent for a second. "I suppose McGonagall hasn't come to a decision about telling my parents?"
"I'm sure you'd be the first to know if she did," Hermione said softly. "Are you in pain?" Ginny nodded. "Do your bruises hurt?"
Ginny shook her head. "It doesn't hurt where I'm bandaged up."
"I understand," She felt herself crying. "Another traumatic year at Hogwarts for you, isn't it?"
"At least I didn't hurt anyone else this time. At least it was all Dean's fault," She said. "I hate him. He's ruined my life."
"Sweetie, you mustn't think that," Hermione said. "It's not true. Your life cannot be ruined at the age of fifteen. Your whole life is still ahead of you."
Hermione looked up as someone suddenly appeared in the doorway. "Hello, Professor."
McGonagall nodded. "Hello, Miss Granger." Ginny turned to look at McGonagall. "Miss Weasley."
"Is everything all right, Professor?" Ginny asked, sniffing.
"Miss Granger, could you please excuse us for a moment?"
"Yes, Professor," McGonagall sat in the chair next to Ginny's bed. Ginny sniffed and looked up at her.
"Miss Weasley, I believe it is crucial your parents are alerted of this situation."
Ginny nodded, but tears came to her eyes nonetheless. "I understand."
"I hope you do. I know this has been horrible, but your parents deserve to know."
"Yeah, they do," Ginny whispered.
"I'm so sorry, Miss Weasley," She said once more. "I'll leave you alone."
"Thank you Professor," Though she didn't know what exactly she had done to be thanked.
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Hermione walked into the common room to see Ron sitting in a chair turned to face the fireplace. The chair was close to begin with, but he was leaning forward, and the fire blended with the color of his hair and reflected off his eyes. Hermione came up behind him and he threw a piece of paper into the thriving fire.
"Hello, Ron."
"How is she?"
"Scared. Hurt. Confused," She summarized. "And looking a bit cynical."
"Who the hell could blame her?" Ron mumbled, throwing something else into the fireplace, this time something wooden. They sat in silence as it caught on fire and watched as it blackened, starting at the corners and working its way to the middle. "Have you heard anything of how Dumbledore and McGonagall are dealing with this?"
"McGonagall is writing your parents to tell them and other than that I don't really know what they can do," She said. "Do you often burn things when you're angry?"
"I guess," He mumbled, pulling a crumpled up piece of parchment out from his backpack. As he threw it into the fire, his eyes grew wide. "I'm just pretending it's that fucker who raped my sister. I want him to burn, Hermione. I want him to suffer. Suffer for what he did to my baby sister."
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"Ginny, are you awake?"
"Oh my god, please don't tell me you heard," Ginny whined, covering her face with the blankets. He walked over and gently tugged them out of her hands.
"Let me see your face, Ginny," He said. She held the covers tighter and higher over her face. "Please, Ginny."
She slowly moved the covers down so her eyes were showing. He shook his head, and she threw the covers off of her. "Happy?"
"Why didn't you tell anyone this was happening, Ginny?"
"I was afraid."
"Of what?"
"Of Dean finding out that I told. What he would do to me. Of people finding out. I was afraid of what would happen when my parents found out, when Ron found out, hell when any of my brothers found out!" She sniffed. "And I was afraid of what you would be like."
He snorted. "You should've seen me when I found out. I was wondering why you weren't at Quidditch practice and Demelza told me. Threw a basic fit. Was scared enough that you were in the hospital wing, I mean, the only times you've been in here it was because of me and because of Tom Riddle's diary."
Ginny said nothing. She didn't even look at Harry. Finally, she sighed and repeated, "Scared?"
"Scared like all hell broke loose. You're always so strong. I couldn't bear to think of what could have happened to you to make you come get medical attention."
She let out a hollow chuckle. "I didn't even want to come here. Hermione and McGonagall made me. I was fine pretending like it never happened. But they said my injuries looked bad and I wasn't exactly in the arguing mood at the moment."
"Have your parents been told?"
"Better believe it. They're going to flip out," She said, sniffing. "Bet they're on their way over here right now."
"McGonagall won't let that happen. She's all for family, but you've got to keep going a normal life."
"Normal? Harry, people will be staring at me like I have seven eyes and six arms!" Ginny sniffed, finally looking at him. "I can't have a normal life after this, Harry, who could? I really thought I could trust Dean! Now…I just don't know who to trust." She fell back onto the pillows. Harry stroked her hair.
"Hey, Gin, calm down, love. Not all guys are like Dean. There's got to be a good bloke out there. And this whole thing will blow over," Harry assured her. Ginny snorted.
"Yeah, because people often forget losing their virginity bound, gagged, and lying on a bed with tears streaming down their faces. Merlin, I never imagined actually wishing someone would walk in on me when I had my first time," She said. Harry shook his head, a fierce look on his face.
"Rape doesn't count, love, you know that for sure. It won't be your first time until you enjoy it," He said, smiling.
"How do you know I didn't enjoy that?"
"Because you're crying," He said simply. "You don't cry when you're happy, Ginny, you barely cry when you're sad." He smiled again. "Just try not to base you opinion on all guys off Dean. You'll have a hell of a time getting those grandchildren your mother wants."
"She won't get a single fucking one from the way this is going," Ginny said. "This hasn't even begun."