Disclaimer: I do not own any character, setting, or part of the world of Harry Potter. The plot is mine everything else belongs to Ms J.K. Rowling.
Chapter 2
'I thought so,' Harry muttered, 'frankly Ginny, I think it's the other way around.' And with that Harry strode to the door slamming it behind him.
Harry swore he saw red. If it wasn't enough that he had died once in the past few hours, he had had to wake up after not even an hours sleep to an enraged Ginny. Who was by the way completely off the point. Even the thought of not caring for Ginny anymore was outrageous. Didn't she see that he had left like that to protect her? Tom had already used her because she was Ron's sister; even the thought of what he might have done if he had known that Harry, well, he cared for her. And dammit he did care for her, couldn't she see that too? His thoughts kept him unaware of his surroundings as he stormed through the common room and dropped into a chintzy arm chair by the fire. Shaking his head, he drug his hands through his hair and stared into the fire.
'Harry?'
Harry finally took in his surroundings as he turned toward the voice. 'Oh Hermione,' said Harry as he tried to steady his voice, 'I thought you'd gone to bed by now.'
'Well I was going up until you stormed in here,' said Hermione, 'What happened with Ginny?'
'Who says it had anything to do with Ginny?' muttered Harry.
'Harry, think about who you are talking to,' Hermione said exasperated, 'I know Ginny made her way up here after Ron said you had gone to bed and you got that look in your eye that you get when your thinking of her.'
'What look?'
'Harry, I just spent a whole year with you, I know every damn look and mood of you by now!'
Shocked by her outburst, Harry turned toward Hermione, 'Fine, she woke me up, punched me and nattered on about me not caring about her.'
'Harry, you have to think about it from her side, you broke up with her at the end of last year, then snog her on your birthday, then leave her without a goodbye. Then you run around the country for a year, and for all she knows your dead or dying. Then when she see's you again you are playing dead at Voldemort's feet. Then you disappear and end up defeating him.'
'You make it sound horrible for her.'
'Harry! I bet it damn well was!'
'Well, I, She, that's completely off the point,' Harry said, completely at a loss for better words.
'Harry, do you care for her?' said Hermione, as she shifted in front of Harry. 'Tell me the truth, do you love her?'
Harry was shocked by Hermione's bluntness. He tried to come up with an answer that wouldn't sound cheesy. His words failed him again. 'Honestly Hermione, Yes, but it's also obvious that she feels nothing back, so it's pointless.'
'I wouldn't be so sure,' and with that Hermione got up and made her way up to the boys' dormitories, leaving Harry shell-shocked and tired once again.
How could she have known? Ginny wracked her brain for the millionth time, searching, just searching for some clue. It had shocked Ginny so much when Harry had said that he had followed her dot on the map. She had thought he hadn't cared, hadn't batted an eye when he had left. But it was true that Harry had always been able to hide his emotions well, even from her. It was no wonder Ginny had thought different. She shifted again, looking out of the window by Harry's four-poster which looked over the grounds across to Hagrid's hut. Ginny's mind wondered again to when Hagrid had carried the supposedly dead Harry out of the forest. Ginny's heart had literally broken when she had realized whom he had laid at Voldemort's feet. Then Harry had disappeared and had shown up again to finally defeat him for once and for all. Yet her heart could still not be convinced what her mind was telling it. And when she had seen Harry stir at her touch tonight, all her feelings had rushed back. She had meant to be more subtle.
Ginny abruptly pushed away her thoughts when she had heard the door creak open and turned to look as Hermione quietly made her way into the room and over to Ginny.
'Ginny, I was just down talking to Harry and well…' said Hermione uncertainly.
'Well, what Hermione?' Ginny said as she tried to keep a cold indifference present in her voice.
'He's really torn up Ginny,' Hermione gushed, 'He's just sitting there staring at the fire, he looks lost, and he shouldn't-not after what he did tonight'
Ginny could not think of anything to say, couldn't think of a retort, so she simply sat there and stared out the window. Hermione sighed at moved around to crouch around in front of her red-haired friend. 'Ginny while we were gone, Harry'd always perk up at any mention of you, and when we talked to someone on our side he ask about you, subtlety 'cause he knew Ron would be furious if he clued in.'
Sighing, Ginny ran her fingers through her hair, 'That still doesn't change anything Hermione. He left me, and broke my heart when he pretended to be dead.'
'Ginny, do you actually think Harry would have done that if he had any other choice? And when I was down in the common room and talking to him, he said, well he really should tell you the first part himself, but he thinks that you don't care for him, and I know that isn't true.' Hermione grabbed Ginny gently by the shoulders when she still remained unresponsive. 'Ginny you have to show him, tell him, he needs to know the truth. He doesn't deserve not knowing.'
'I know he doesn't deserve it, but I didn't deserve this damn pain because of him. I just need some time.'
'Fine, go on and mope, but I need sleep, I'll see you in the morning,' muttered Hermione as she got up and strode out of the door.
The tears that Ginny had been trying to hold in while Hermione was in the room broke free and poured down her face. She got up off of Harry's bed and walked to the door. Wiping her face she slowly walked down the stairs into the common room. Ginny needed air, fresh air. Encompassed in her thoughts, Ginny was unaware of Harry sitting by the fire staring at her as she walked across the room and out the portrait hole.
Ginny had looked so fragile, so broken when she had walked out of the common room. The picture of her waved in his mind as Harry sat by the fire. He was so torn to follow her but he stubbornly stayed put. Hermione was not the only one who could but pieces together. Harry knew that Hermione had gone up and talked to Ginny after she had talked to him. And judging by Hermione exasperated sigh and Ginny's tears it had not turned out the way she had planned.
Harry made his way up the stairs and into the bathroom. Looking in the mirror he cringed, there was matted blood on his face and his hair was twice as long as it had been at the Shell Cottage. His robes were ripped and torn and equally as dirty.
'Kreacher!' called out Harry and was greeted with a loud crack and Kreacher appeared in front of him.
'Yes Master Harry?' asked Kreacher bowing.
'Could you please get me some clean clothes, if its not a problem,' said Harry, 'and a sandwich if you can?'
'Of course Master,' Kreacher answered again with a bow, 'Anything for the one who vanquished the Dark Lord.'
'Thank-you, I'm going to take a shower.'
'Sure, Master, they'll be here when you're done,' and with that Kreacher disappeared with another loud pop.
Gingerly Harry turned on the hot water and stepped out of his rumpled clothes and stepped into the hot stream. The water soothed the bruises and sores that Harry had not realized he had. He washed off the blood and dust and rinsed his hair. Stepping out of the shower he was greeted with clean clothes and a platter of sandwiches. He dried off and pulled on the jeans and sweater while grabbing a sandwich.
Harry walked out of the common room and across the Entrance Hall in pursuit of fresh air and was greeted with the problem that had been troubling him since he had been woken up.
Authors Note: Thank you to AnkokuSama, Loyd1989, and msginnypotter for reviewing, I really appreciate it! Please keep reviewing, I really like to read your comments and critiques. Some Ron and Hermione will show up in a chapter or two I promise.
Thanx
-fire-jinxed-