A/N: This chapter doesn't have Hermione and her captors stuff in it. We get to learn about how the Weasley's are handling themselves. Hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I wish I was J.K Rowling...
Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen, busing herself with making breakfast. Ginny and Mr. Weasley were also in the kitchen, also trying to busy themselves by helping to make tea, coffee and some toast for everyone who was in The Burrow. They worked together in silence, but not an awkward silence, a comforting silence that Ginny, Arthur, and Molly needed. Ginny poured herself some tea and sat down at the table, taking a sip of her hot tea every once in a while. Mr. Weasley leaning with his back against the counter, watching the door, naively expecting Hermione to walk through the door any minute. Mrs. Weasley was walking all around the kitchen, putting different ingredients in different places and using cleaning spells wherever needed.
Then, a silver otter entered through the open kitchen door. Ginny jumped up off of her seat, spilling her hot tea all over the old, wood table. She had immediately recognizing Hermione's Patronus, and was literally jumping up and down with excitement. "MOM! DAD!" Ginny exclaimed as the otter stopped moving right over the kitchen table where Ginny had just vacated and spilled her tea. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley turned around to look at the Patronus, just in time to see it open it's mouth and speak in Hermione's voice.
"I'm going to make this quick. I'm fine, at the moment. I was captured by three Death Eaters and they are probably still here somewhere. I'm in some sort of stone labyrinth with many dungeons and hallways, and I'm in one called the Left Dungeon. I don't know where I am, exactly, but please-"
Ginny stared at the patronus that had not yet disappeared. "PLEASE WHAT?" Ginny screamed at the otter, but it opened it's mouth again. It made a creaking noise that filled the kitchen with a creepy echo. Then, the otter talked in a different voice, a deeper and manly voice that Ginny had never heard before, "Why you dirty little mudblood, CRUCIO!" Ginny felt as if time had stopped. She felt his lower lids start to sting with tears that were about to fall. Ginny had thought about horribly bad things that they were doing to Hermione, and now her worst nightmares were true.
"GO! NOW!" the otter screamed in Hermione's voice, and a mili-seconds later, Hermione's tortured screams of agony and pain escaped the Patronus, ringing all through the house. Then, Hermione's little silver otter dissapeared, leaving the Weasleys bewildered and frightened for Hermione.
Ginny stared at where the Patronus had once been, not believing that she had heard Hermione's voice again, something she was wishing with all her heart, but ended up hearing her screams of torture. Ginny felt the tears that were stinging his eyes begin to fall as she started to think about what Hermione had been going through for the past few days. Ginny wished with all her heart that Hermione would be able to come home safely.
Ginny started thinking about the mystery man pulling out his wand and torturing her friend, and her tears fell faster. Her thoughts moved to Hermione's pained face as she screamed, and the mystery man laughing as he watched her squirm on the floor, crying out in pain and looking from help from anyone who would give it to her. Ginny kept thinking of Hermione's assailants torturing her, over and over again. The images of Hermione laying down in a dark dungeon, like the ones at Hogwarts, with blood surrounding her, slowly dying. Ginny kept imagining images of Hermione being killed in all different ways.
Ginny started having trouble breathing with every image that came into her head. She had started to wheeze and grasp her throat, feeling it start to burn from her trying so hard to get more air into her lungs. Ginny started to feel very faint, and she got 'tunnel vision,' making her feel like she was looking through a long tunnel. Then, her chest starting burning, like her throat was.
"Ginny? GINNY? Are you alright?" Mrs. Weasley asked frantically as Ginny kept gasping for breath, finding it even harder to breath.
Mr. Weasley ran over to Ginny and put a gentle hand on her shoulder, and looked into her face. "Gin, I'm going to apparate you to St. Mungo's, okay?" Ginny just nodded and felt the small amount of air that was in her lungs disappear as Mr. Weasley side-apparated Harry to St. Mungo's hospital.
XxXxX
Ginny was now lying in a hospital bed, which she thought was completely unnecessary. They were keeping her over-night, which Ginny also thought was pointless. Ginny had had a panic attack from hearing Hermione's screams and imagining her dying. Ginny had come to believe that she would never see Hermione again, and that she would die in that dudgeon, or already was dead, like how she imagined before she came to St. Mungo's with her father. She began to think that she would never see Hermione again, never hug her, never see her smile, and never be able to embarrass her in front of Ron, ever again. She didn't tell anyone about these thoughts, though, because she knew how everyone would react. They would deny it, say to 'look on the bright side,' but then they'd leave and be by themselves for a while and would begin to think the same thing. Ginny didn't want anyone else to lose hope, even though she thought that there was no hope of finding Hermione alive.
Then, the door to her room in St. Mungo's burst open, and in came Harry, red in the face and breathing heavily, as if he had run all the way to St. Mungo's instead of apparating. He ran up to her bed and grasped her hand tightly. "Ginny! Are you okay? What happened? Mr. Weasley wouldn't tell me anything!" Harry exclaimed as he pulled the chair that was next to Ginny's bed over to himself and sat down, leaning in toward Ginny.
Ginny wasn't sure if she should tell him about Hermione contacting them, and hearing her screams, then having a panic attack not only two seconds after Hermione's otter disappeared. "I'm fine… just a… uh panic attack. Under a lot of stress, you know?" Ginny replied with a small smile. She really didn't want to worry Harry anymore than how much he was already worried. He didn't have to know that his thoughts of her being tortured again were now confirmed.
"Way too much stress, don't even get me started on that. What brought it on?" Harry asked with a sigh. Harry was tired, and stressed, and frustrated. He had been out with the Order on most nights, looking at old Death Eater hideouts in hopes that that was where Hermione was, with no luck. It had been three days since Hermione was kidnapped, and they don't have the slightest idea about where she was.
"No one told you?" Ginny asked uncomfortably, she really didn't want to tell Harry about what she and her parents had heard.
"No, didn't I tell you that? What are you hiding?" Harry asked skeptically.
"Erm… well, there was a patronus message this mourning. Everyone was asleep, and me and my parents were the only one's in the kitchen… so we were the only one who heard it." Ginny replied nervously, trying to put off telling Harry for as much time as possible.
"And? Who's was it?" Harry said, starting to get a little excited. What if it's a hint about Hermione? What if the Order had found something, Harry thought, if it was the Order, they would have told me…
"Harry… it was… it was an otter," Ginny replied hesitantly.
"WHAT? Hermione sent a patronus? What happened? Why didn't anyone tell me, or Ron, or anyone?" Harry exclaimed as he stood up and started pacing in front of Ginny's bed.
"Harry, I think you should sit down," Ginny whispered as she patted the bed, welcoming him to sit down on the bed next to her. Harry walked over and sat on the edge of Ginny's bed, and Ginny grabbed his hand. Ginny looked down at her lap, and stared there as she told Harry about Hermione's Patronus.
"Harry… I'm not repeating this to anyone else. It was hard to go through once, yet alone talk about it to another person. The otter had arrived, and it opened it's mouth and spoke in Hermione's voice. She said that she was safe, for now, and that she was being kept in some dungeon, and that everything was made of stone. Then, there was a creepy creak. Like some sort of door was opening. It echoed… and the sound traveled all around the kitchen. It was the creepiest noise I had ever heard.
"Then, there was another voice. A man's that I didn't recognize, but I'm not sure if Mom or Dad recognized it. He said… he…," Ginny had to stop telling the story as she felt tears start to fall from her eyes again. She kept looking downward, into her lap, not wanting to see Harry's face. Ginny sniffled quietly, and wiped her eyes. "He came in, and said, 'You dirty mudblood.' Then… he did a spell. Before he even said the spell I knew it was coming, but… I still didn't want to accept it. The man, that evil dark creature, he used the Cruciatus Cruse. Hermione yelled go, now, and right after…" Ginny was trying to blink away her tears. She had to stop telling the horrible story that she wished that she hadn't witnessed. "Then, I heard Hermione scream. It was terrible, something I never wanted to hear, and never want to hear again. I don't know how you could have listened to it…" Ginny trailed off.
Ginny kept staring into her lap, and started shaking as more tears slid down her cheeks. She didn't even try to wipe them away or hid them, she was just too tired. Ginny felt as if she needed to sleep for years, but felt that if she went to sleep she would hear Hermione's screams in her dreams.
Ginny felt Harry pull away from her, and she sighed, still not looking up. Ginny felt Harry get up from the bed, too, but she still didn't look up. Ginny didn't want to see Harry's reaction. Ginny heard Harry's footsteps as he walked toward the door, and closed it. Ginny felt even more tears fall from her crystal blue eyes.
Then, Ginny felt arms wrap around her. Ginny looked up, and saw Harry sitting next to her on the bed again. Tears were swimming in his emerald green eyes, and he looked strait into her own eyes. Ginny wrapped her own arms around Harry's waist, and they laid down on the bed together. Ginny laid her head on Harry's chest, and cried silently. Harry stroked Ginny's hair with one hand, and had his other arm around Ginny's waist. The couple stayed there, Harry comforting Ginny as she cried in his arms, and he held back his own tears with great difficulty. Harry didn't want Ginny to have to worry about himself, he wanted to be strong for Ginny, but he was finding it hard to do.
XxXxXx
Mr. Weasley walked into Ginny's hospital room. He opened to door to find Harry and Ginny fast asleep in each other's arms. Mr. Weasley smiled at the image of he daughter and the boy who he already thought of as a son. Mr. Weasley was happy to see a little bit more love in a world filled with hate. He walked over to the side of the bed, and gently shook the couple awake.
When Harry awoke and saw that it was Mr. Weasley who had woken them, he quickly took his hands away from his girlfriend's body, not wanting to anger said girlfriend's father. Ginny looked up at her father, wishing she could go back to sleep in Harry's arms.
Mr. Weasley chuckled at Harry's reaction. "Time to get you out of this hospital."
Ginny smiled widely, happy to be leaving. "YES!" she exclaimed excitedly as she jumped out of bed and threw her shoes on. Mr. Weasley chuckled lightly, laughing for the first time since Hermione's Patronus had been sent to them. He was happy to see Ginny happy and excited for something.
"We have a lot of paper work to, though, so it might take a while." Mr. Weasley said with an apologetic smile.
"NO!" Ginny exclaimed as she slumped down into a chair, and tied her shoes.
"I'll go and talk to the nurses about getting that paper work," Mr. Weasley said as he walked back out the door, leaving Ginny and Harry alone again.
Harry chuckled at Ginny's dramatic reaction and sat down next to her. He grabbed her foot and tied one of her shoes for her while she tied the other.
Harry had been trying to keep Hermione out of his head, and he didn't want to bring up the Patronus to Ginny or Mr. Weasley, knowing that the both of them had witnessed it. Harry had held Ginny and stroked her hair until she had fallen asleep that night, hoping to give her just a small bit of comfort. Harry had been thinking about finding Hermione, and saving her, and the Golden Trio being re-united once again before he had fallen asleep.
"You don't have to wait, you can go home and tell Ron about… the new information…" Ginny told Harry hesitantly. She knew that Ron would want to know about Hermione contacting them, even if it ended in everyone finding out that their speculations of her being tortured were true.
"Are you sure?" Harry asked. He didn't want to leave Ginny's side, not wanting her to be taken too, even though she was with her father.
"Of coarse! I wouldn't want to watch you do paper work for hours before leaving a hospital," Ginny replied with a teasing grin.
"But, I'd love to watch you do anything, 'cause you're just so pretty!" Harry exclaimed, smiling widely as he watched the famous Weasley blush creep up on Ginny's cheeks.
"Want some crackers with that cheese?" Ginny joked, standing up and walking slowly toward the door.
"I love being cheesy! Don't mock the cheese!" Harry exclaimed as he fallowed Ginny and grabbed her hand. "Are you sure you want me to leave?" Harry asked, suddenly becoming serious.
"Yes! I'm fine," Ginny exclaimed.
"Okay, I'll see you back at The Burrow," Harry replied with a quick kiss to Ginny's lips.
"Bye!" Ginny said as Harry apparated away to The Burrow, and she sighed as she walked out of the hospital room, ready to jump head first in a pile of waiting paper work.
XxXxXx
Harry touched down from his apparition right in front of the gate leading into The Burrow. He opened up the gate of the fence surrounding the magical house that he had begun to think of as home and walked strait into the house.
He walked into the kitchen, and saw Mrs. Weasley running around, cleaning and preparing breakfast. "Hey, Mrs. Weasley," Harry greeted with a huge smile. Mrs. Weasley had helped him through so much throughout the years, she had given him a home, and a family that he actually liked. Harry thought of Mrs. Weasley like a mother, and not as his best friend and girlfriend's mother.
Mrs. Weasley jumped with surprise and dropped the pan that she was holding when she heard Harry. "Oh! Harry, dear, you scared me! I wasn't expecting anyone to come home 'till later," Mrs. Weasley replied. Harry saw that her eyes were slightly red, as if she had been crying.
"Ginny will be coming home soon with Mr. Weasley. They have some paper work to do before Ginny can leave the hospital," Harry explained with a comforting smile.
"Oh, that's good. Just, don't go out by yourself, okay? I never thought I'd ever have to say that again…" Mrs. Weasley said worriedly with a sigh. She had thought that the worrying was over, because Voldemort was gone. She thought the danger of death was gone from her family, but she was wrong. Mrs. Weasley gazed up at the clock with the pictures of her family in it. Hermione and Harry's faces had been added to the clock, Hermione's face was still on mortal peril, Ginny and her husband's on hospital, and Harry, Ron, George, Charlie, Bill, Fleur (who's face was added when she and Bill were married), and Mrs. Weasley's faces were all on home. Mrs. Weasley sighed, hoping that Hermione's face would once again be back on home.
"I'll stay safe," Harry said as Mrs. Weasley tore her gaze away from the clock. She rushed over to Harry and wrapped him into a huge motherly hug.
"Good," Mrs. Weasley said, and backed away from Harry. She wiped her eyes, concealing tears that were threatening to fall, and went back to cleaning and cooking.
Harry smiled and rushed up to Ron's room, which he still shared with him. He walked in, and saw Ron laying on his bed, and he had pulled out a book to read. Harry stared at Ron for a moment, thinking about how strange it was to see Ron actually reading a book. Ron didn't notice Harry, even when he walked around to see the cover of the book. Harry saw that he was reading Hogwarts: A History, Hermione's favorite book.
"I miss her too," Harry said sadly. Ron sighed and put down the book, wiping away the tears that had been falling down his cheeks, hoping to hide them from Harry. Harry just pretended like he hadn't seen them.
"Yeah. How's Ginny?" Ron asked, in an emotionless voice.
"She's fine. I think you would want to know what happened to cause her panic attack, though," Harry said as he sat down on a chair near Ron's bed. Ron looked down at his lap, not wanting to look up and talk to Harry, or talk to anyone.
"I don't want-"
"Yes you do. A Patronus arrived yesterday mourning while everyone was sleeping… it was an otter."
Ron's head jerked upward, realizing instantly who's Patronus it was. A smile spread across Ron's face, smiling for the first time since everyone was at the airport.
Harry looked at Ron, and saw that he was happy for the first time, and he didn't want to ruin it by tell Ron that the Patronus didn't have a very good message.
"What did it say? Did Ginny hear Hermione? Is she alright?" Ron asked excitedly as he sat strait up in his bed.
"Erm… she said some information about her being in a dungeon, and everything was made of stone-"
"Do you know where she is?" Ron asked, smiling even wider.
"No… a man had come into wherever she was… and it didn't end well."
Ron stared blankly at Harry, as if not understanding what he was saying. "What do you mean?" Ron asked, his smile falling from his face.
"The man… he… well he used the… the Cruciatus Cruse…" Harry stuttered out, looking away from Ron and toward his lap. Harry felt tears well up in his eyes, put didn't let them fall. Harry felt Ron's eyes staring at him, but he didn't dare look up, scared to see Ron's face.
Ron kept staring and Harry, feeling useless. He got up off his bed, and slammed his bedroom door as he walked out of his room. Ron walked down the stairs and out the kitchen door, passed his confused mother. Ron kept walking, opening the gate to the fence and slamming it behind him. Then, he apparated away from his house.
Mrs. Weasley started after her son, and started at the place where he had apparated from. She looked up at her clock, and Ron's face was on traveling, then moved to lost.
A/N: I hope you liked Harry's cheesy-ness and the small bit of Hinny fluff.
Until next time!