I'm really sorry I didn't update sooner. I've been very busy this week. I won't get into detail, though, because you probably don't care. The important thing is, I'm giving you chapter 8. And no, I don't know when chapter 9 will be out, but I'm hoping to at least post it within a week.

Ginny's POV.

Numb

---Chapter 8---

When I woke up, I was warm and comfortable. Harry was still asleep. He looked like an innocent little boy. It was adorable.

I wished I was still an innocent little girl.

I sighed. That was in the past. I'd have to stop thinking this way if I wanted to get better at all. If I wanted to be able to kiss Harry again...

He moved slightly and wrapped his arms around me more tightly. I smiled. It gave me a warm feeling that I hadn't felt very often lately. For the past few weeks I had been feeling so cold. It was nice to feel almost normal.

When Harry woke up, his bright emerald eyes shifted down to mine. "Hi." I said quietly.

"Good morning." he answered. "You sleep well?"

"Yes." I giggled.

"What's so funny?" he asked, smiling. I guess he was glad that I was happy for the first time in a while.

"Your hair!" It was sticking up all over the place looking even more untidy than usual. He must have guessed, because he tried to smooth it out. I stopped him. "It's adorable, don't fix it!" I ran my hands through his hair and messed it all up even more.

"Let's go outside!" I suddenly suggested. I was feeling kind of cheerful and spontaneous at the moment.

"Now?"

"Sure, why not?"

Harry couldn't seem to think of a reason not to, so after about five seconds I got up, pulling him with me by the arm. "Come on!"

As we crossed the kitchen, Mum saw us. "Where are you two going?" she asked.

"Outside!" I didn't stop to see her reaction. There was a certain tree I wanted to get to. My favorite tree. It may have been ridiculous, but I wanted to sit under my favorite tree with Harry. We scrambled through the yard until I stopped at the tree. It was a huge oak tree and it was perfect for climbing. "This is my tree." I told him.

"Your tree?"

"Yup!"

"And what exactly is the significance of this tree?" he asked.

"I don't know. I've always loved it. It's the perfect tree! Don't you think? I mean, it's great for climbing and sitting under for shade, and it makes an awesome rain shelter if you're ouside during a storm. When it has leaves, that is. It's not very good in the winter."

"Are you outside during storms often?"

"Sure! I love storms! Don't you?"

"I guess." he said, looking entertained. I noticed it was drizzling, and the sky looked ready to start pouring any second.

"Maybe if we're lucky, we'll get one today!"

He smiled at me. "Yeah." It was sort of hot out; that kind of humid weather you only get in the summer right before it rains. It made me feel good. I hadn't been ouside in weeks.

"I love you." I said, feeling at peace with the world.

"I love you too." he said. I suddenly wanted to kiss him.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

I moved my face closer to his and, closing my eyes, I gave him a rather short but meaningful kiss. Then I opened my eyes and smiled. He smiled back. I kissed him again, longer this time. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he put his hand under my chin. His other hand was on my back before I knew it. It was complete bliss. Until the flashback, that is.

A memory suddenly flashed through my mind; a horrible, vivid memory. It was as if I was reliving the moment.

A man with long blond hair shoved me up against a cold wall. He had his hands all over me. It made my flesh crawl. I was scared out of my mind and wanted to vomit. He shoved his mouth roughly into mine and bit my lip when I wouldn't open my mouth to let his tongue in. It was dark, but I could still see his face even when I tried to shut my eyes as tightly as possible, because I knew he was there. I saw him in my head.

He was touching me everywhere he could reach. I tried to get away, but he was much too strong. "Why don't you just cooperate, you little weasel?" My heart was pounding. This could not have been happening. There was no way. It was all a bad dream. It was all a terrible, disturbing nightmare, and it would be over when I woke up. It would all be okay.

Come to think of it, how had I gotten here? The last thing I could remember was passing out in the middle of an ambush at Hogwarts. Harry hadn't been there, because it was my seventh year. It was almost over, though. There was only a week left. Wait. Maybe Harry had been there. Yes. He'd arrived with half the Order after the group of uncaptured Death Eaters.

Oh. That was how I'd gotten into this dreadful place. I really was here, and it was all real. The thought that it wasn't just a nightmare scared me even more, and I wanted nothing more than to stop existing.

I was thrown onto the hard ground and soon he was on top of me. I felt my clothes being taken off as he moved his hands all over my body. He laughed quietly and it sickened me. Then I heard a clap of thunder that seemed to come from right under us. The ground shook. All of a sudden, I felt myself falling through nothing but blackness until I hit the ground. At that moment, lightning flashed through my tightly shut eyes and I moaned pitifully, wanting everything to end.

"Ginny!" I heard Harry's panicked voice say from very far away. "Ginny!" Reality was slowly coming back. I realized I was sitting against my tree, shaking. It was cold outside and I was wet. Why was I wet?

I heard a huge rumble of thunder and suddenly became aware of the sound of rain pouring down. I didn't want to open my eyes even though I knew there was nothing to be afraid of, because I was afraid. Someone was sobbing, and it must have been me, but I wasn't sure because I didn't want to think right now. Harry's voice came back again. "Ginny!"

I really didn't feel like answering him, so I just stayed where I was, shivering and crying. Why did things like this happen every other day?

It was hopeless. I would never be able to recover from my experience. The tears and raindrops on my face felt oddly soothing for some reason, but I felt frozen everywhere else. The world had come crashing down on me just because I'd had one moment of happiness.

It was storming.

R E V I E W !