Ok so FF is acting a little hinky today so hopefully this works! So if I was actually JK Rowling do you think I'd be posting my story here were I might loose a chapter? I think not! Anyway enjoy... hopefully! :D

Chapter Sixty-one

Gravity, Mostly

Two days later Harry and Ginny finally woke up. Taylor was so relieved to finally see her brother awake. She threw her arms around him and hugged him before hugging Ginny and then in her euphoria hugged Hermione and Ron, before doing a happy dance at the end of her brother's bed.

"Well, I guess I needn't ask if you've missed me, hey, Taylor?" Harry asked with a grin as he watched his sister's outlandish display.

"Missed you? Whatever do you mean, Potter? I just had an over infestation of Wrackspurts!" Taylor tried to say with a straight face before it pulled again into a huge grin.

Ron snorted but Harry just rolled his eyes.

"Well, that's better than having too many Nargles in your tangles." Ginny piped up with a grin of her own.

It was lunch break and Ron, Hermione and Taylor had decided to check in at the hospital before heading for lunch, only to discover that indeed the other two were awake. After a few more minutes, and promises that they'd be back after last class that afternoon, they headed for the Great Hall and lunch.

Taylor had gone back to her regular class schedule that morning. Her left hand was completely healed and she could use the tips of her fingers on her right. Plus with Ron and Hermione with her, she was fine. Well, as fine as a wandless witch could be.

Taylor missed the Head Boy though. She had quickly become used to being around him almost constantly. Yesterday he had been uncommonly quiet and had said that he needed to go study after supper last night. She tried not to read anything into it, even told herself that he deserved a break after being at her side constantly for a week, but she couldn't help but wonder if maybe finding out what they had been trying to do in the Room of Requirements might have been the straw that broke the camel's back. She shook her head sadly, not even one of her uncle's foolish sayings could make her smile.

Then after breakfast that morning, she'd had to leave him again to go to her own class.

With a sigh Taylor followed the rest of the Gryffindors from their last class of the day, which happened to be Charms, along the corridors. She was hungry but looking forward to seeing Harry and Ginny again, as well as the Head Boy.

There was no warning, when a spell smashed into the floor in front of Taylor causing chips of stone to go flying. Diving for the opposite wall, her hand was already in the pocket of her robes, fingers closing over one of the Weasley's defensive concoctions and she threw it in the direction from where she thought the attack had come from. Loud pops and smoke filled the corridor as the defensive ball exploded upon contact.

Screams and yells echoed down the corridor as spells rained down on the passing group of students.

"Taylor!" Ron yelled as he drew his wand and wheeled searching for the younger witch as Hermione did the same.

Taylor looked around but the corridor was chaos, as students ran, some returning spells, others just running. Pulling her legs in close to the wall Taylor pushed up, fear of being trampled hurrying her along.

"Porter! Hey Mudblood! I'm going to get you!" a derisive voice called from behind a statue.

Taylor had two choices. Look for Ron and Hermione, she could hear them calling but couldn't see them through the confusion and smoke, or run and hope she picked the right direction to reach them. A spell slammed into the wall inches from her face making her roll away and race down the hall in the opposite direction.

"Ron!" Taylor yelled as she pushed through the thinning crowd, and then she heard him call to her again, from the direction she had just come from. Skidding to a stop she was going to run back towards him when out of the smoke she saw two figures step out from behind a tapestry. Her blood ran cold. They were two of the Slytherins who had attacked her and Greg before Christmas.

Wheeling, Taylor took off. She could hear them giving chase. "We're going to have fun this time Mudblood!" "You are going to pay!"

Taylor already had another of the Weasley's defensive concoctions in her hand, but she held on to it as she skidded around the corner and tore down a different corridor, weaving as spells smashed into the walls and floor. It was only a matter of time before they hit her in the back with one of them. Then things went from bad to worse as two more figures appeared at the end of the hall she was running down. She was going to be caught between them.

Diving for the floor and rolling she threw the Instant Darkness Powder from her hand and as the corridor plunged into pitch black, she leaped to her feet again springing for the opposite wall and a tapestry that hung there hiding a hidden passage.

"We're going to kill you this time Mudblood! There's no escaping us!"

Taylor slammed into the wall and started following it praying she was headed in the right direction this time. Her hand came in contact with the cloth and wasting no time she slipped behind it and started to race up the stairs taking two at a time. A spell hit the wall to her left as she reached the top and pelted out of the hidden stairs and took off down the empty hallway.

She had to give the Slytherins credit, they had thought this out, by forcing her to run in this direction they had essentially cut her off from help. This part of the castle didn't have any classrooms and so few students.

Skidding around another corner she pulled another Weasley's defensive concoction from her pocket. The corridor here split into two, barely hesitating a half a step, she threw the Decoy Detonator in her hand down the one hall and raced down the opposite, hoping to draw the Slytherins down the wrong corridor. She almost made it to the next corner when a spell hit the floor to her right.

"You can't run from us, Mudblood!"

Not slowing, Taylor careened around the corner. There was a staircase; one that went up and one down.

Taylor's lungs were burning as she gasped in huge breaths of air and her legs were starting to tire, but she didn't slow down one bit as she raced down the steps. She had just reached the next landing when Parkinson's smirking face appeared as she stood on the next set of steps, raising her wand at Taylor. Taylor leaped off the landing towards the startled Slytherin, pushing the wand tip up with one hand, as her shoulder impacted the other witch's stomach. In a tangle the two tumbled down to the next landing.

Taylor was lucky enough to land on top of the other girl and she staggered to her feet. Chips of stone flew from the hand railing as Taylor started to race down the next flight of stairs. She could hear them pounding down the steps behind her but she didn't waste time looking. Her goal was to get down one more flight of stairs to the ground floor and then head for the Great Hall and help.

Gravity was starting to help as she raced down the stairs, but if she lost her balance, if she fell… Chips of stone and even splinters of wood flew around her, the Slytherin's behind her firing on the run.

As she reached the bottom step she fell skidding on her bare knees across the stone floor. A spell ricocheted off the stone wall in front of her face as she leapt to her feet and took off again.

"You're dead, Mudblood!"

Forcing her leaden legs to run, she pounded down the corridor and around another corner. She knew where she was, another two corners and she would be at the Entrance Hall and safety. Spells rained all around her and she dropped the last Weasley's defensive concoction hoping to give her some sort of cover. She never turned to look but she could tell the corridor behind her became extremely bright from the shadow of her racing body. Reaching the last turn she skidded into the wall, actually rolling along it a couple of times as she struggled to stay standing. Pushing off the wall, she started to run down the last long corridor. As four figures stepped out from behind a portrait.

"Taylor! What?" Greg's voice reached her ears as another volley of spells whipped past her.

"Dive!" The Head Boy's voice bellowed as he whipped his wand out, the other three Hufflepuffs doing the same.

Taylor didn't need to be told twice and she dove for the floor rolling behind a large stone bust of a badger. Gasping for air, Taylor could hear the spells being shouted and then they died away and there was quiet. It only lasted for about a second.

"Taylor! Are you all right? Justin, make sure they don't come back! Sally-Anne, go get a teacher!" The Head Boy instructed as he hurried towards the clump of robes lying on the floor. Dropping down he looked down into his witch's sweating face as she breathed heavily, too winded to even speak. He could see thin cuts on her face, her one hand was bleeding and her knees below her skirt, exposed as her robe lay open, were skinned and bleeding.

"Are you hurt? Were you hit?" he asked and was relieved to see her shake her head.

"Mr. Hunter! What is going on?" Shacklebolt's deep voice filled the corridor as he came hurrying along it, followed by Sally-Anne and a tired looking Lupin.

"Taylor was attacked!" Greg said angrily as he met the Professor's eyes. Shock was quickly being replaced with boiling anger.

"Attacked? By who?" Shacklebolt demanded as he reached the Head Boy and saw the witch lying on the floor.

"I didn't exactly see their faces!" Greg growled, "They didn't stick around long when someone was firing back but I'd say it was a bunch of Slytherins!"

Shacklebolt nodded solemnly as he spoke, "I do not suppose you have any proof?" When the Head Boy shook his head he returned his gaze to the witch. "Miss Porter, are you all right?"

"I will be… when I can… catch my breath." Taylor panted.

"What happened?" Lupin asked as his worried eyes found hers.

"We were coming from… Charms. I got separated from… Ron and Hermione when the spells started flying. So I made a hasty trip… down through the castle." Taylor answered as her breathing slowly came back to normal.

"Do you know who it was?" Shacklebolt demanded.

"Not that I can prove. Though I must say Miss Parkinson might be black and blue for a few days." At their curious looks she explained. "She was kind enough to allow me to land on her after we tumbled down a flight of stairs. I don't suppose any of you know where Ron and Hermione are, do you?" Taylor asked worried that maybe her two friends might be in trouble.

"Lupin! Have you seen Taylor?" Ron's voice called from the end of the corridor, growing steadily closer, from where Taylor had just come from. When he saw her lying on the floor he sighed, "Thank Merlin! Bloody Hell, Taylor, following you is like following the path of destruction!"

"Oh Taylor, are you okay?" Hermione asked worriedly.

It took about fifteen minutes to tell Shacklebolt and Lupin both their versions of the story, though Ron's and Hermione's was more about following 'the path of destruction' as Ron had put it to get to Taylor.

"Miss Porter, I suggest you go see Madame Pomfrey. The rest of you had better get to supper." Shacklebolt said in his deep voice, effectively dismissing them.

"I'll go with Taylor up to the Hospital Wing." Greg volunteered as he put his arm around his witch. Ron and Hermione both agreed reluctantly as they headed for the Great Hall, saying they'd be by as soon as they finished eating.

Taylor rolled her eyes but nodded. It felt like she'd just endured the worst research session ever. She knew tomorrow she would be black and blue as well. She hadn't gone very far when she realized that she must have rolled her ankle somewhere along the way and now it was painful to walk on. The Hufflepuff's supporting arm was needed.

Limping, the two set out for the hospital and the Hufflepuff didn't say much until they had reached the first landing. Where he bent, caught his witch behind the knees and lifted her into his arms.

"I can walk Hufflepuff!" Taylor cried indignantly.

"Sure you can, but I want to reach Pomfrey before I have to go on late patrol." Greg said easily as he headed up the stairs.

Taylor let out a huff but she didn't complain again. Deep down she loved how safe she felt in the Hufflepuff's arms but she'd never tell another living soul that. An impish smile crept across her face as she let her head rest against his warm chest.

They were almost to the hospital door when his deep voice rumbled in his chest next to her ear. "I'm really starting to hate this place, you know."

Taylor grinned as she said, "Not half as much as I am! You can put me down you know. I can walk."

"Look Gryffindor, stop complaining. Besides what sort of gentleman would I be to make you hobble any further?" Greg asked with a chuckle.

"I wasn't hobbling! You big buffoon!" Taylor grumbled half heartedly as they went through the door to the hospital.

The Hufflepuff had only gone half a dozen steps before Harry's startled cry.

"Taylor! What happened? Hunter, what happened to Taylor?"

Taylor groaned. In the excitement, she'd completely forgotten her brother was awake. She went to twist so that she could see her brother from the Hufflepuff's arms but he tightened them and held her still.

"She was attacked! What do you think?" Greg's voice was hard and cold as he sent a glare at the Gryffindor wizard.

Taylor was surprised at the Hufflepuff's tone and tried to wiggle in his arms again as she called out, "I'm fine Harry! Don't let this buffoon wind you up!"

"Taylor! What happened?" Harry demanded as Madame Pomfrey's heels clicked across the tile floor.

"Mr. Hunter, what has happened to Miss Porter?"

"Among other things she fell down a flight of steps. Likely sprained her ankle and cleaned the skin off her knees and hand." Greg answered the nurse, turning so that Taylor still couldn't see her brother.

"Put her down over there please while I grab some healing potion. Potter, sit back down on that bed or I will tie you to it!" The nurse snapped.

Taylor glared up at the Hufflepuff but he ignored her as he carried her over to the bed and put her down. When he straightened up she caught the first glimpse of her brother and past him was Ginny staring at her.

"I'm fine! Really. This Hufflepuff just thought I lost the ability to walk!"

"What happened?" Harry demanded again as he leaned out of his bed towards her.

"Well I got clumsy and fell down some stairs." Taylor said in an off hand sort of way, knowing her brother was going to be pissed when he found out.

"How did you fall down some stairs?" Ginny asked as she narrowed her eyes.

"Gravity, mostly." Taylor said in a serious tone.

"Miss Porter, please lie back so I can examine you." Madame Pomfrey ordered as she came back out of her office with a bottle of potion.

Taylor did as she was asked and looked up as the nurse set the bottle on the nightstand and began waving her wand over her tsking quietly. "Well Mr. Hunter was right. Your right ankle is sprained. As well I see you have managed to tear the skin off your hand again as well as your knees. I am afraid you are going to be quite black and blue for the next few days even with the potion."

"Great, my favorite colors!" Taylor said dryly. Pomfrey merely raised an eyebrow at her as she healed her ankle and then poured a large helping of potion into a glass and handed it to her.

"I want you to lay there until I come back to check on you again." The nurse ordered before heading back to her office, leaving the bottle of healing potion on the nightstand.

Harry waited until Pomfrey entered her office before grabbing his wand from under his pillow and putting up a silencing charm. "What the Hell happened?"

Taylor opened her mouth but the Hufflepuff cut her off.

"I told you Potter, she was attacked!"

"Where? Who attacked you? How did you end up falling down some stairs?" Harry demanded as his eyes cut from his sister to the Head Boy, who was glaring at him accusingly.

"Hunter, will you shut up!" Taylor growled as she swatted at him with her hand but he easily sidestepped it.

"No. Hunter I think I'd like to hear what you have to say!" Harry challenged the Hufflepuff.

"Taylor was attacked by a bunch of Slytherins!" Greg ground out angrily.

Harry lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "How many? A dozen? Where are they? You didn't use Dark Magic on them did you?" His voice turned hard as he looked at his sister again.

Taylor was just about to answer when the Hufflepuff cut her off again.

"That'd be kind of hard without a wand!"

Taylor groaned as she put her hand on her face. "I'm going to hex your nuts off Hufflepuff!" she mumbled into the silence.

"What do you mean without a wand? What happened to your wand? Taylor! What the bloody hell happened to your wand!" Harry yelled as he sat up so he could glare down at his sister in the bed beside him.

"You just weren't satisfied were you?" Taylor glared up at the Hufflepuff, ignoring her brother for the moment. "I suppose you've never heard of telling someone when it's the right time! You just wait until I get my wand back!"

The Hufflepuff looked down at the witch but behind the bravado he could see worry lurking in her eyes. He felt a twinge of guilt. He'd let his anger at the Gryffindor wizard get the better of him. And he was pissed at Potter, first for getting his witch to help him with something as dangerous as destroying Horcruxes, and getting badly injured doing it, and secondly for putting her in such a vulnerable position of not having a wand, even if it wasn't intentional.

"Taylor!" Harry practically snarled.

With a sigh Taylor rolled so she could see her brother better and put her back to the Hufflepuff. "I lost it." She watched her brother's eyes grow round as fear replaced the anger. "In the Room of Requirement. I think, well… hope."

"Maybe you should start at the beginning," Ginny offered as she suspected that there was a whole lot that they were missing.

With another sigh Taylor started telling a rather condensed version of all that had happened in the last nine days. The Hufflepuff interrupted her quite often though and added things, like her painfully bandaged hands and going to his classes for a week, and also the first Slytherin attack. She was just finishing when Ron and Hermione walked in and hurried towards them.

Pomfrey came out and checked on her again and after giving Taylor some more healing potion returned to her office warning Taylor to stay in bed.

Taylor, Ron and Hermione then told Harry and Ginny what had happened earlier that day.

"Sweet, holy Merlin, Taylor!" Harry breathed as he looked over at his sister, shaking his head slowly, fear and worry written on his face.

Taylor looked down at the floor. She felt that somehow she had just let her brother down. She felt a warm hand touch her back and knew the Hufflepuff was trying to make her feel better in his own quiet way.

"We are getting out of here tomorrow morning and going to get your wand. First thing!" Harry said into the silence that had settled over them, each pondering the gravity of what had just happened and what could have happened.

"Taylor?" Harry asked softly as he swung his feet out of the bed and stepped to his sister's and sat down. He ignored the glare from the Hufflepuff, as well as the hand that was rubbing his sister's back. When his sister finally looked up at him he could see the fear he knew she must have felt for over a week. "I promise we'll get your wand back, okay?"

Nodding her head, Taylor sat up and hugged her big brother. She had missed him.

The Hufflepuff's hand curled into a fist, safely hidden from view in his robes, as he watched his witch hugging another wizard.

A/N Well there... what did you think? First I have to say that this is another one of my favorite chapters... I just love to write action and there was lots of that in this chapter! Plus I love humor... and well I thought it was funny hopefully you do to! So Harry and Ginny are finally awake however the tension between my favorite Hufflepuff and Harry doesn't seem to be any less! :D There is no fun in writting everyone got along great and lived boring non exciting lives! LOL! Well let me say I can't write that way! So hope you enjoyed it. That little button there that reads "review" is a great way to let me know what you think! ;)

Thank you to those who left a review! I LOVE them! Thank you as well to those who Alerted and Favorited this story! And those who are reading this far need a BIG thank you as well! Cause goodness knows that if you made it this far you should be thanked! As well thank you to barbc my wonderful beta who made all this readable! Well until next time, cytpotter.