Cotton Snow

"Harry, Ron, HARRY! RON! WAKE UP!" screamed a horrified Hermione.

"Myuhne! Run thus ur duputmunt gerrup."

"Um Myuhne sud 'Urry."

"Nuh, Myuhne sud Run."

Harry and Ron spoke into their very comfortable (and very old) pillows. Hermione tore into their (Ron's) room at 6a.m. "Hermione please!" exclamed a teary Ginny, running behind. "No, I can't let you do something so dangerous, alone and in the dark night. You could have been hurt! You could have been slaughtered! Like I would lie to Ron and Harry about something like this! I'll do naught of the sort!" Hermione gave Ginny chapter and verse that would make Molly Weasley proud.

"It's time to explain, Ginny," said Harry, in a betrayed tone "why you leave in the middle of the night and come back in the morning in such attire-" Harry frowned at her all-black outfit "and without telling at least us, your friends."

"Harry, please, don't do this."

"What is it you feel you need you need to hide from me?"

"Harry, it's more complicated than you know."

Ron and Hermione give each other a significant look.

"Harry, what's going on with my sister?" asked Ron, puzzled by how the situation had turned from Ginny to Harry and Ginny.

"I'm sorry, Harry. There so much I have kept bottled inside from when Voldemort possessed me, so much anger and pain. I didn't want to cause my family any more pain. I wanted to tell you lot, honestly, I just couldn't find the right way or the right time."

"Ginny you knew we were going to find out eventually. Now the time has come for you to speak. Please don't keep it a secret. I know. Had I not been so dense, Sirius would still be alive. I wanted to take on all the responsibility, suffer alone, do things without turning to the people who cared about me the most."

"It's just too much! I-I killed Greyback, n-and I j-just k-killed Nagini and Theod-dore Nott, and I'M NOT SORRY. I'M NOT SORRY! I hate them. I hate them all! I want him dead. I want Voldemort's bloody head on a bloody silver platter in my bloody room. I want to torture Lestrange until she screams worse than a Mandrake! I'll never forget what he did to me and to too many others." Ginny cried openly about the darkest year of her life for the first time. She expressed her feelings and confessed her deeds, leaving out certain details, but painting the general truth picture, nonetheless.

Harry, Ron (who was also hysterical and beet-faced from tears), and Hermione stayed with Ginny and embraced her for the rest of the morning, soothing her forehead with cool cloths and listening to her pain from her own misfortune and her best friend's misfortune. They vowed to not tell anyone else until she was ready.

I was only trying. Every day I walk these halls and I feel as though my purpose is to simply occupy space. I will go out to space one day. Even there I won't be able to forget what happened to me all in one day. I was only 12, for Merlin's sake. I wanted to see my grandmum one last time. Dad Flooed me and told me it was almost time. I hated that I couldn't Apparate or fly. I am fatally allergic to Floo. If I knew then what lay ahead, I would have taken that chance. But I ran up King Street, stopping and gasping for air at intervals. Time was running out and I would lose my grandmum forever. I knew the shortest way to her house was up Stoatshead Place. Dad warned me never to walk that dark alley. But this was for my grandmum. So I ran through. I held my burgundy scarf against my numb mouth and ran against the cruel blizzard. I ran for what seemed like forever. The way was long and dark, but the fastest way to grandmum's. I ran and hit a solid figure.

"I would watch where I was going, blood traitor."

"And you are who to tell me where I can and cannot go?"

"Let just say you might like what I have to offer, being a Nott."

"I don't have time for games right now."

"Wow. That's pretty direct coming from a loony."

"Whatever. Look, I really have to go-"

"Not to worry. I'm sure I can give you a ride

"No thanks."

"Really, it would be my pleasure" He grabbed my arm.

"Let go." I felt his grip tighten and then he threw me hard against the cold brick.

"Ok." he said. Then he walked toward me. "I'm sorry. Perhaps we should do this another way." He stroked my cheek, pulled back, and then punched my face. Everything was a blur as I descended into the snow. All I felt next was his nose against his cheek and pain, terrible pain. I couldn't breathe. Then he got up and walked away. It took me 15 minutes to recover and get my vision back. I got up, dusted the snow off my coat, and kept walking toward my grandmum's.

"My moonchild, how much I've wanted to see you-what happened to your face, dearie?"

"I had a fall on the way here. It's snowing."

"Mmm I love the smell of Wizard's Luck. But Luna dear, why are you wearing men's cologne?

"No mum, I'm not wearing any. There were a group of Wizards in Chatterly Square, right before Stoatshead Place. I had to walk through them."

"I love you Luna. There is something you need to tell me, something that's troubling you. I am a dying woman who has seen too much of life. Let me help you in your time of need."

"No, mum. All I want is for you to be happy soon. I'm just scared of what's going to happen. Nothing terrible happened. I'm alright."

My grandmum tightly gripped my hand and then let go forever, as silent tears rolled down my face.