Hello again readers! Chapter 16 has arrived.
Now, this one was like the last, but longer, and has slightly less action. But it was nice to write. It's quite fluffy, you have been warned!
One of the main themes of this one, I think, is the Harry/Ginny-ness. Not a huge shipper of these two like I am of Romione. In fact, I don't really care for them at all, so I wanted to write about them in a way that I would enjoy. Still, though, Romione will be the number 1 couple focus of this tale.
Current song: Move Along by the All American Rejects. Again, going by the iTunes shuffle power. But I don't think Harry should move along so soon, I mean his best friend has just been re-captured !
OK. I'm done. Now, chapter 16! Enjoy.
Everything was a blur. Harry was still unsure whether what had happened was happening, or if he had imagined it, and Ron was by his side or right behind him, having escaped with them, also on his way to take refuge in the quiet village of Muggle & Burrow. Yet when he turned around he saw only Hermione, her dress worn out and torn, her hair in a mess, and her face filled with tears.
As the gate became more and more prominent, and Snape's figure became from distant, he slowed down to catch up with her, and in an attempt to get her mind of Ron, he gently took her arm. "What happened?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" Hermione said, avoiding his gaze and attempting to take her arm from his soft grip.
"You were screaming," he said.
"She just asked me things about the sword," Hermione sniffed, but Harry saw more tears starting to stream. "And which one of you were Harry and…" the next second she burst into tears and buried her head into Harry, sobbing hysterically.
"Hermione," Harry said. "Hermione, what happened? Tell me…"
"She…she…" Hermione said no more, and pulled up the long sleeve of her dress, revealing a blood-red mark on her spelling out the word…
"Mudblood?" Harry said. "What's that?"
"It's – it's a word f-for someone like m-me," Hermione managed to say, pulling her sleeve back down. "Someone who's p-parents are l-looked d-d-down upon…for their lack of m-magic, you see…"
Harry stopped her, and wrapped his arms around her. "It's alright," he said. "That's not what you are."
"It's permanent," Hermione managed to say, as she pulled away from Harry. "She carved it into my skin with a cursed knife, and it will never go…it's a permanent reminder…"
"That vile woman has no right to tell you who you are," Harry said quietly. "You are Hermione, and that's that."
Hermione smiled at him through tears and grasped his hand.
"We'll get Ron back," Harry whispered. "I know we will."
"Potter!" Snape's shrill voice broke the moment, and he and Hermione jumped at the sound of it. "Granger! Hurry up!"
Harry and Hermione ran towards the rusty yet familiar gates of Muggle & Burrow. The sky grew lighter and lighter, and Harry could tell it was early morning; the houses were still dark, and the neighborhood quiet. When the gate was directly in front of them, Snape raised his hand, and nonverbally lifted the gate with magic. Before he entered, he turned to face Harry and Hermione. "Bellatrix drained you of your magic?"
His question seemed more like a conformation, but nonetheless, both of them nodded.
Snape rubbed his temple and said, "This was done by dark magic. I know not of a spell that can reverse it. However," he added, at the looks of Harry and Hermione's faces, "It will eventually wear off. Just not by magic."
Hermione sighed in relief, but Harry was the one to groan in defeat. "How long will that take?"
"I don't know, it could be days, weeks, even, although that is not my priority, Potter," Snape said, turning away from Harry. Harry heard somewhat of a sneer in his voice.
Harry's eyes narrowed at him as he and Hermione followed him into Muggle & Burrow. "I am most positive he hates me," Harry whispered hastily to Hermione.
Hermione looked at Harry incredulously, but was interrupted when Snape hissed at them to keep up the pace. Harry looked around ,looking for the familiar Burrow house while Hermione exclaimed, "M-master Snape, I wish to see my parents."
Snape didn't immediately reply, but after a few moments he said, "They will be with Weasley's family. I have already told them of my rescue mission at Bellatrix's household using floo. However, Miss Granger, you are to hold your tongue and not interrupt me, for it is my first duty to return dear Potter here safely with not a single scratch."
Definitely a sneer.
"Yes," Hermione whispered into Harry's ear. "He hates you."
"We are here," Snape said, arriving at the familiar front door of Ron's home. "Listen to me, Potter. You are not to breathe a world as to what happened to Weasley, for it is I who will deliver this news privately to Sir Weasley. Not a word, understand?"
"But sir –" Harry began to protest.
"Not a word," hissed Snape, and he opened the door to the familiar home.
"Severus," said the immediate voice of Molly, and out of the corner of his eye Harry saw Hermione's frightful looking parents breathe a sigh of relief, Hermione's mother running at her daughter and embracing her as Hermione cried into her chest. Harry felt a pang of jealousy but quickly turned his attention to Ginny, who was watching him, tears streaming down her face. She mouthed "Ron" before Molly next attacked Harry with a big hug. "Harry! Safe and sound, are we?"
Harry nodded at Molly, and glanced at Arthur, who was smiling down at him. Harry also saw Fred and George, who both, for the first time Harry knew, wore expressions of guilt. Fleur and Bill were there, Bill's arms wrapped firmly around her waist. Charlie and Percy were also present, breathing heavily as Harry looked upon them.
"Molly," Snape's voice said. "Molly, there is something that is needed to be said."
"Where's Ron?" Molly said suddenly, fear rising in her voice. "Severus, where is Ron? He should be here with you!"
"Molly," Snape continued, trying to calm her, "Molly, allow me to explain…"
"Where is my son?"Molly screamed, running out to the streets of Muggle & Burrow, Arthur rushing behind her. Snape closed his eyes for a second, before rejoining her and Arthur. Harry refused to look at the expressions of Bill, Charlie, the twins, Percy and Fleur, and he instead looked to Ginny, who was shaking her head in awe and chagrin. Hermione was still crying silently into her mother's chest as her father stroked her hair.
"Y-you can take my old bedroom, Harry," Charlie said. His voice was a mixture of thickness and a little bit of rage, and Harry felt as if the entire household was angered at him for the disappearance of their youngest son and brother.
Harry took one last look at Hermione, and walked slowly up the stairs, hearing footsteps behind him. He ignored them and reached the second floor, Charlie's bedroom, and closed the door silently behind him. The sun was already beginning to rise and daylight flooded the room, but he nonetheless felt tired, and sat on the old bed, his head in his hands, pondering what he had experienced earlier.
There was a knock on the door, and when Harry didn't reply, the figure opened it and quietly glided into the room. Harry looked up between his fingers. "Ginny!" he said, immediately standing up and smoothing his dirtied shirt.
"Harry," Ginny said. Harry could not ignore the fact that she still looked very beautiful, even with her messy bun, her worn out dress and her tired features. "What happened?"
Harry shook his head and walked over to a corner of the room. "It was all a blur. One minute, we had just recovered the book for the incantation of the Godric Touch and the sword, and the next…we had been captured."
"Whose hands hold the book?" Ginny questioned, her tired eyes lightning up.
Harry breathed out heavily. "Snape was able to recover it during our escape. They lie in his hands now but he has said that he will give it back to me once my powers are restored."
"What's happened to your powers?"
"Lady Lestrange drained us of them once we arrived captive at her home," Harry spat, the image of Bellatrix infecting his mind.
"Lady Lestrange?" Ginny said. "Are you alright? Her methods are quite sadistic."
"I'm fine," Harry said. "Hermione's the one to worry about. Bellatrix tortured her."
Ginny looked down at her feet. "We live in dark times. I do hope she recovers."
"As do I," Harry said, but he was keen to change the topic. He thought of Ginny in many ways but he didn't want her to think of him as a brat who was unsuccessful in saving her brother's life.
"Harry, you knew why I came here."
Harry refused to look up at her, yet it was a resistance. He wanted to see her face, to know he was safe for now, to kiss her and hold her …
"I feel as if you are keeping something from me," she continued, still staring at him. "Please, Harry. I am a part of this."
"No you're not," Harry muttered thickly, and almost inaudibly.
Ginny looked taken aback. "Oh really?" she said. "My brother is missing and I am not a part of it? How dare you, Harry Potter."
Harry looked up at her and sighed. "I'm sorry."
"That's alright," Ginny said. "Harry. I want to know where Ron is."
"I am not allowed to tell," Harry said.
"I will find out soon enough," Ginny retorted, crossing her arms across her chest. "You are being a stubborn pig, you know that?"
Harry sighed again. "During the escape, I…Bellatrix got a hold of Ron and then he let go. I suspect they think he is me now."
Ginny's eyes widened. "What?"
"They most likely think he is me," Harry confessed, taking time on each word. "They were unsure of who 'Harry Potter' was. That's why they were torturing Hermione."
Ginny shuddered, and Harry again saw tears streaming down her face. She hastily brushed them away and said, her voice filled with chagrin, "Harry, I know what you are feeling and I just want to say that I do not blame you for the situation with Ron," she said very quickly. "You are a hero and it was brave of you in the first place to go on this search effort. I…I …"
"Ginny," Harry said, wanting nothing more than to hold her.
"It's only know I realize how valuable Ron, you and Hermione are to me and I want nothing more than to live with Riddle dead," she continued.
Harry looked up at her, and saw the tears still streaming down her face, her bun now undone, and even though the tears kept falling, she ignored them.
"While you and Hermione and Ron were out Neville and I escaped the prisoner Luna Lovegood," she confessed, her voice stammering. "Now Riddle's down our throats as well…Harry, I want nothing more than to just wake up one day and realize that Riddle is gone, and that we are free."
Harry could no longer hold himself; after all Ginny had told him she had done, he needed to express gratitude. He leapt from his corner and gently took her face in his hands and crushed his lips against hers. He was afraid that she would pull away, but her hands travelled to his chest and his hands slid down to her waist, which he clutched, never wanting to let go. He did not even want to take a breath of air. All that meant to him now was Ginny and her beauty, her passion, her bravery, her everything. Their tongues did a sensual dance and he finally released, staring down at her face, now dry of tears.
He placed a hand on her cheek and said, "If anything happens."
Ginny nodded and smiled. She took his hand in hers and held it to her heart. "If anything happens."
Harry smiled at her, and gave her one last kiss on her head. She turned away from him and walked back to the door, opening it and before exiting completely, muttered, "Rest well." Harry found a nervous twist in his stomach even after she left.
He collapsed on his bed, tired and confused.
He had kissed Ginny in Charlie's old bedroom, doing what he had been wanting to for years now, and he had finally done it. He thought of Ron, and how he must still be fighting to keep alive in the clutches of Riddle. He thought of Hermione, and how much she had gone through, showing her true loyalty to Harry. He thought of Snape, the unexpected hero and aid to their journey, and finally, of Riddle, and the battle that he knew faced ahead of him.
This is not really a cliff-hanger ending and I want to kill myself because of that…I mean come on, I specialize in cliff-hangers!
I will try and get chapter 17 up sometime next week, because I start school next month. Please rate and review!
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