A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter and thanks to dumstrawberi for reviewing my last Author's Note. I do delete my Author's Notes after I update the next chapter as they are no longer needed, just in case ya'll were wondering.

I have not written out a real schedule for anyone's classes, so if I sometimes say Ginny has Transfiguration in the morning when before I've said she had Charms or something, this is why. In the future I will write out a schedule so I can be more precise. Sorry if this bugs anyone!

And now that that's over with, I hope the wait was worth it!

Warnings For This Chapter: self-mutilation

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the cat asleep on my feet.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Hermione was the first to notice Ginny was wearing a long-sleeve shirt that morning in the Great Hall. She frowned to herself, but remembering their fight the previous month, she kept her thoughts to herself. Ron, however, lacked the intelligence to do the same.

"Everything okay, Gin?" he asked as soon as his sister sat down across from him.

"Fine." Ginny began to pile food on her plate.

"Anything you want to talk about?" Ron continued.

"I said I'm fine." Ginny pursed her lips.

"Let it go, Ronald," Hermione spoke softly.

Ginny smiled appreciatively at the brunette. Hermione looked away. While she would keep her boyfriend from making a scene during breakfast, she wouldn't pretend like nothing had happened. Ginny's smile faded as she watched Hermione turn back to her copy of the Daily Prophet. Harry squeezed her hand reassuringly. Ginny looked up at him.

"It's all right," Harry whispered, kissing the top of her copper head. Ginny nodded before turning to her breakfast.

Harry and Ginny were just heading back to the common room when Draco stopped them in front of the double doors leading out of the Great Hall.

"Can we talk?" Draco asked Ginny quietly. Ignoring her sudden instinct to sprint up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower, Ginny nodded slowly.

Harry led the way to the nearest empty classroom. Draco was the last to enter. He closed the door behind him, before casting a Silencing and an Imperturbable spell on the room. Satisfied that they couldn't be overheard, Draco turned to Ginny, who was gazing at her hands absentmindedly.

"What happened?" Draco drew a chair up beside Ginny's.

"Why does everyone keep asking that? I'm fine!" Ginny leaped out of her chair, sending it crashing back into the table behind it.

Draco grabbed Ginny's arm and wrenched her sleeve up. "That doesn't look fine."

Furious, Ginny pulled her arm back. She cradled her arm against her chest protectively. "It's none of your business, Draco."

"Ginny," Harry approached her cautiously, "remember when Draco offered to help you? He can't help you if you don't talk to him."

Though she knew Harry was right, this definitely wasn't what Ginny wanted to hear. She didn't want to talk about her self-mutilation. Especially right now.

"I don't want help. I don't need help." Ginny went to the door and tried to open it. The door wouldn't budge. Tears formed in Ginny's eyes as she collapsed in the corner of the room. She pulled her knees up to her chest, burying her head out of sight.

"Ginny," Harry whispered sadly. He tried to pull Ginny into his arms but she fought back.

"Just leave me alone!" Ginny shrieked.

Harry was alarmed. Ginny had never acted like this before. He expected it had something to do with Draco forcing her to show him her cut, though that didn't explain why she was treating Harry this way.

Turning to try to hide her arms from Harry, Ginny dug her fingernails into her upper arms. Harry immediately saw what she was doing, and fought to grab hold of her hands. Ginny tried to pull away from Harry.

"I said leave me alone!" she screamed.

Draco rushed to Harry's aid. He grabbed one of Ginny's hands and pulled it away from her arm, allowing Harry to grab Ginny's other hand. Neither could tell how much damage Ginny had done to her arms because of the long-sleeve shirt.

"Why did you do it, Ginny?" Draco demanded.

"Because!" Ginny pulled her hands away from the two boys, wiping furiously at her eyes before she buried her head in her hands.

"Because why?" Draco persisted.

"I was overwhelmed," Ginny finally whispered after several minutes of silence. "I felt like there was too much to do and I couldn't possibly accomplish it all on time. And if I didn't I'd be a failure." Ginny smirked. "But I am a failure."

"You're not." Harry assured her. He successfully managed to pull Ginny into his arms.

"Yes, I am." Ginny muttered against his chest.

"No, you're not. You just need to take some deep breaths. Ask for help. You know Hermione is willing to help you with your schoolwork." Harry rubbed her back comfortingly.

"I'm sorry." Tears rolled down Ginny's cheeks.

"It's okay." Harry kissed her forehead. Ginny didn't look at him. "Hey, look at me." Brown eyes met green. Harry smiled and in spite of herself, Ginny smiled back. "Ron, Draco, me, we're all here for you, not just Hermione." Harry cupped her cheek in his hand and kissed her tears away.

"I know." Ginny sighed. She turned to Draco. "I'm sorry. I acted . . . childish . . . insane."

Draco nodded. "It's all right. And you're not insane. Not any more than I am at least."

"Oh, that's comforting." Ginny teased. Then she surprised Draco by hugging him. "Really though. Thank you. The way I acted . . . you didn't deserve it. It was more towards myself than either you or Harry."

"I figured as much." Draco returned her embrace. "I'd better go. I promised Nena I'd meet her back in the common room."

Harry and Ginny shared a smile.

"Okay. I'll see you in class later, mate," Harry replied.

"Why don't you and Nena join us for lunch?" Ginny suggested.

"Sure. I'll ask her." Draco nodded before leaving the room.

Once the door was sealed behind Draco, Harry turned to Ginny. "Let me see."

"See what?" Ginny raised an eyebrow.

Without answering, Harry grasped the bottom of Ginny's shirt and pulled it over her head. Shocked, Ginny tried to grab her shirt back but Harry moved it out of her reach. He grabbed her left arm and examined it, then the right. Ginny hadn't done hardly any damage to her arms. She had barely broken the skin.

Harry sighed before he handed her shirt back to her. "Never do that again. Ever."

Ginny nodded silently. She slipped her shirt back over her head. "I promise."

Harry took her hand in his and kissed it. "Good." Opening the door, Harry led the way back to Gryffindor Tower.

H/G

Harry, Ginny, and Ron spent their morning free period in the common room. Ginny sat reading the Muggle book Pride and Prejudice, while Harry and Ron started on their Herbology homework due that afternoon.

After Transfiguration, Ginny hurried to the Great Hall to meet Harry for lunch. She found him already sitting at the Gryffindor table with Ron, Hermione and Draco. Nena, who was a year younger than Draco, had not arrived yet. Ginny plopped down next to Harry and gave him a kiss.

"How was Potions?" Ginny asked.

"Horrific." Harry scowled.

"Oh, my poor love." Ginny giggled. She squeezed his hand before she set about making herself a sandwich.

"Hi," Nena said awkwardly as she appeared over Draco's shoulder.

"Hello, sweetheart." Draco stood up, took Nena's rucksack from her and helped her to sit down.

"How are you, Nena?" Hermione asked politely.

"Very well, thank you." Nena smiled. She turned to Ginny. "Thank you for inviting me and Draco to join you for lunch, Ginny."

Ginny swallowed before replying. "No thanks needed, Nena. It's a shame that we're in the same year and don't really know a thing about each other."

"I agree." Nena nodded. "We should spend some time together, get to know each other."

For a moment, Ginny panicked. What if Nena found out about Ginny? Would she tell the whole school? Shaking her head slightly, Ginny recovered her senses enough to reply. "Definitely."

Harry frowned. Ginny's pause hadn't escaped him, but he knew better than to say anything about it in front of the others. Especially when Nena didn't know anything about Ginny. Instead, Harry filed it away to discuss with her later.

It would be hours before Harry could discuss anything with Ginny. After lunch, she hurried off with Nena to Defense Against the Dark Arts while Harry, Ron and Hermione headed down to Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. Ginny barely had time to run up to her dormitory and put her books away before it was time for dinner.

Hermione insisted that they all study after dinner, as O.W.L.s were approaching fast. At nine o'clock, Ginny had had enough. She packed up her books and headed off to take a shower.

Ginny spent more time than usual under the spray of the water. The heat was therapeutic and helped soothe her knotted muscles. Ginny was shocked to find Hermione sitting on her bed when she emerged from the bathroom.

"Hermione?" Ginny almost dropped her towel in surprise. "What're you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you. I didn't think you would agree if I asked, so I decided to wait for you." Hermione twisted her hands nervously.

"You were right. I would've said no." Ginny could feel herself getting angry. "So, what do you want?"

Hermione sighed. "Look, I don't want something like last time to happen, okay? I know you hurt yourself after our fight last month."

Ginny looked away guiltily. "That doesn't explain why you're sitting here on my bed."

"I'm worried about you, Ginny," Hermione watched as the younger girl busied herself with getting ready for bed.

"Well, thanks for the concern, Hermione, but it's completely unneeded." Ginny slipped a long-sleeve shirt over her head.

"You're wearing long-sleeves again." Hermione raised an eyebrow. "And you still say that my worry is unneeded?"

"I'm just a little chilly, okay?" Ginny tried to convince the older girl.

"I'm not stupid, Ginny. I know you hurt yourself again." Hermione stood up.

"So what?" Ginny began to brush her long red hair.

"So what! Ginny, you're intentionally causing yourself harm!" Hermione exclaimed. "You swore you would stop!"

Ginny spun around. "No, Hermione, I didn't. I said I would try. I never swore anything."

"Be that as it may, you haven't been trying either." Hermione crossed her arms.

Ginny turned back to the mirror and continued to brush her hair. "You don't know that."

Hermione scoffed. "Oh, don't I? Ron's noticed you've been spending more and more nights with Harry."

"So? That doesn't mean anything except we're both a bit randy," Ginny spoke boldly.

"Believe it or not, your brother isn't stupid. Ron knows something other than sex is going on." Hermione walked over to where Ginny was sitting at her desk. "Ron's worried about you too, you know. He wanted to write to your Mum-" Ginny gasped, "but I talked him out of it."

"Thanks," Ginny muttered. "But I promise you, you have nothing to worry about. I just slipped up, okay?"

Hermione paused, wondering if she dared ask her next question. "Why?"

"I was overwhelmed." Ginny told her what she had told Draco earlier.

"You could've come to me for help. You know I'm more than willing to help you. And not just with schoolwork. If there's anything you ever need me for, you just need to ask," Hermione spoke softly.

Ginny put her hairbrush down. "That's what Harry said."

"Well, he is very bright." Hermione smiled softly. Ginny returned a half-hearted smile.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I know I let everyone down when I hurt myself, but I couldn't help it. Things just got out of control in my mind." Ginny went on to tell her about her fight with Harry and Draco earlier.

"Oh, Ginny." Hermione embraced the smaller girl. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." Ginny pulled back. "Really it is. I think I'm okay . . . for now at least."

"Well, that's better than nothing." Hermione sat down on the edge of Ginny's bed. Ginny joined her.

"Honestly, I'm a bit scared. I know if I keep on, something bad can happen, and the more I do it . . . someone else is bound to find out. Today when Nena said she wanted to get to know me. . . ." Ginny trailed off, unable to say anymore on the subject.

"I noticed you paused before you answered her." Hermione nodded thoughtfully.

"Exactly. I just, I'm afraid she'll find out and not want anything to do with me. And if Nena doesn't want to know me, then maybe Draco won't." Ginny took a deep breath.

"Ginny, Draco isn't like that. Surely you know that. After all, you accepted him even before Harry did. You would be the last Gryffindor on earth Draco would abandon." Hermione assured her.

"You're right." Ginny sighed. "It's just in my mind, things are a bit different. They don't seem the same."

"That's alright. I understand." Hermione squeezed Ginny's hand. "Depression is very hard to overcome, even with Cheering charms."

"Yeah. It is hard. Very hard."