While I wrote this chapter I used my music to help me capture the right sort of emotions I wanted to show. So this time I listened to 'Dumbledore's Farewell' from the Half Blood Prince Soundtrack.

Chapter 24 – What Happened?

Ron stood motionless as Harry moved past him towards Ginny's bed, his heart beat so hard against his ribs he was sure someone would see it pumping out of his chest. Harry delicately lifted her hand to his cheek shutting his eyes as it made contact with his skin.

"Harry?" He barely whispered wanting to place a reassuring hand on his best mates shoulder, but thinking of how he just reacted to the contact he thought better of it.

He watched Harry kiss her hand before whispering, "I'm...so sorry." Placing her hand into his mums before turning on his heal running towards the hospital wing doors.

"Harry wait!" Ron cried after his friend moving himself to the exit.

"Ron, follow him before he does something he'll regret!" Hermione shouted, tears running down her cheeks seeing the torment her friends were going through.

With that Ron sped up into a run, bursting through the doors trying to follow Harry. He knew Harry was fast as he could hear the slapping of his bare feet across the stone floor ahead of him; the corridors were clear as most people were attending lessons.

"HARRY COME BACK... WAIT!" Ron continued to shout as he realised where Harry was heading too.

He heard Harry shouting something at the fat lady, she shrieked letting him through before Ron came face to face with her just after being slammed shit, he abruptly said the password shouting for Harry to slow down, but he knew his attempts were useless.

He finally caught up to him, and was just about to enter his and Harry's dormitory when his ears were subjected to one of the most horrific noises he had ever heard in his life. It took him a few seconds to realise that the noise was coming from Harry.

He squeezed his eyes shut and put his hands over his ears trying to block out what was happening. He was very pleased that Harry and Ginny were alive but nothing could of prepared him for what he had seen when they had walked through the great hall doors. The thoughts were too much for him to bear as he placed a hand on the door handles in front of him; Harry's scream had stopped but had been replaced with bangs and crashes. Ron opened the door slowly to reveal Harry whipping himself around the area as pieces of the room littered the floor, Harry's face red, tears flowing from his eyes until he fell face first into the opposite wall his fist clenches either side of his head. Harry stood still for a second before lifting his fists, slamming them hard against the wall, "why?" he asked quietly to himself.

Until he raised them again slamming them a little harder, "why?" he repeated.

"WHY?" He screamed, slamming his fists harder and harder into the wall.

"WHY?"

Ron ran towards his friend grabbing his fists ignoring the blood that poured from them. He roughly turned Harry around, hugging him tightly; trying to still his friend's actions.

Harry clung to his friend, grasping his shirt as he struggled to breathe, his feet went from underneath him, causing him to fall to the floor; Ron close at his side learned him gently against the beaten wall, before moving to sit beside his broken friend.

Ron didn't know how long they sat there in silence but he knew it was what Harry needed. Harry had rarely shown any emotion since for as long as Ron had known him but now he couldn't stop. He sat with his head in his hands as the cries still overtook his body; it took awhile before he could get them under control.

"It's going to be okay Harry...you're back...you're both safe!" Ron tried to soothe him.

"It's not okay Ron...it's my entire fault, I love her so much and I couldn't protect her!" Harry replied his eyes staring straight ahead.

"You were kidnapped...that wasn't your fault." Ron tried again.

"It was my fault! She was taken because I love her, they did those things to her because I love her!" Harry's voice began to rise.

"What things?" Ron asked shakily knowing now really wasn't the time, but not knowing seemed to make it worse.

"They...they...hurt us...cut us...tortured us...and..." Harry struggled, refusing to look at Ron.

"And?"

"Draco Malfoy." Just the name made him want to release the contents of his stomach. "He was a spy...he was watching me and Ginny...he told Voldemort about us...he wanted her!" He shuddered, "He wanted her, to destroy me!"

Ron's head was spinning it all made sense of course, but the feeling that was starting to form in his stomach was making him feel queasy, scared of what Harry was going to say next.

"Hours before Snape rescued..."

"What? Snape rescued you?" Ron questioned in shock.

"Yes he did...do you know if he's returned?" Harry questioned guiltily, not having thought about if Snape escaped safely.

"Don't know, I haven't seen him yet." Ron replied, trying to think back if he'd seen his potions master, but he couldn't recall if he had.

"He's a brave man, braver than I ever thought possible," Harry continued still looking straight ahead. "He saved us!"

"Why?" questioned Ron half wondering to himself.

Harry took another deep breathe not knowing how Ron was going to react hearing what he was about to tell him about his little sister. He turned his head to face his best mate; his eyes began to water as the violation shot yet again through his head.

"He saw it...he saw what Malfoy did!" Harry ground out still keeping eye contact with Ron.

"What did he do?" Ron whispered, trying to keep the fear out of his voice for Harry's sake.

Harry rose to his feet, walking over to the window, trying to allow the cool breeze to wash over his skin. Ron followed his actions until he was standing just behind him, Ron watched as Harry's body began to shake again before he spun around and faced him.

"He raped her Ron...he tore her apart straight in front of me!" Harry practically screamed in grief. "They immobilised me; I was helpless, and Malfoy threw her down next me and...and..."

Ron's blood ran cold as ice in his veins as the words left Harry's lips; he felt his body had just been crushed into a millions pieces. No not my little sister...how could they do this!

Ron looked up at Harry again and realised this was not the time for his grief, his friend was suffering and he needed to support him.

"I know..." Ron said trying to calm him down.

"I couldn't do anything...they had me pinned...and she was so weak!" He half coughed half sobbed. "She tried to fight...but she just couldn't. They did it because I love her. She became a weapon against me! And I couldn't do anything to stop it, I couldn't save her!"

"Harry listen to me!" Ron raised his voice grabbing him by the shoulders looking into his eyes. "Look at me, look at me Harry!"

Harry slowly raised his eyes to meet Ron's as Ron said, "This isn't your fault, Voldemort did this... not you," he said grinding his teeth. "She needs you more than anything now, don't let him win Harry...he wants you to suffer. He wants you to give up and be miserable."

"I don't know if I'm strong enough anymore Ron. I feel I've been fighting my whole life some way or another." He sniffed while rubbing his hands over his face trying to wipe away the tears. "I love her, but my love for her has caused this."

"Don't let him win, you can't, for Ginny's sake!"

"Has he not won already!?" Harry suddenly screamed, "I'm gone, I don't feel like I'm here anymore. I feel numb, everything inside and outside my body feels vile and disgusting!"

Ron's insides twisted listening to Harry's words; he had always been so brave, but Voldemort had known his weak spot and used it against him. Harry had to be strong, he just had to. If Harry feels this way, how in the world is Ginny going to feel if Harry's given up? He always kept us fighting but now looking into his eyes he could only see the terror that lay within.

"Everytime I blink or shut my eyes, I see it! I feel it!" Harry spluttered barely letting the words escape his lips. "She's there looking at me with horror in her eyes, while I scream and try to escape from the floor. But I couldn't, I couldn't do anything and it's killing me bit by bit.

"I feel so selfish because she went through it. I begged them to hurt me instead." he muttered fisting his hair harshly. "Me feeling this pain will be nothing compared to how she'll feeling and that scares the hell out of me."

"She's strong Harry, you both are!" Ron struggled for words, "You can fight this...together, and you can't let him win!"

All of a sudden there was a light knock coming from the doorway. Harry and Ron both reluctantly turned their heads seeing Hermione standing, blotchy faced, in the doorway.

"Sorry...but Ginny's stirring...we thought you'd want to be there if she wakes up." She informed them softly, pretending she hadn't heard what Harry had just said.

Harry looked back towards Ron.

"You can do this," Ron encouraged.

Harry slowly nodded before following Hermione out of his dormitory with Ron close behind as they made their way back to Ginny.

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I'm struggling a little with this next chapter; I've been working on it all week since I'm off work. Writing notes and researching but I cannot pull anything together yet, I hope I can get it together for you all. However I return to work next week, so I'll do my best.