Where Two Paths Meet

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the Harry Potter story.

Warning: Book 1-6 spoilers

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. Just one thing, I know some of you may feel that I write short chapters but you have to understand that I have other commitments as well and cannot devote all my time to fanfiction. If I were to write longer chapters it would only mean that I will take longer to update. I hope, therefore, that you can be satisfied with what I do give you to read.

Chapter 9: Confessions and Secrets

Harry leaned against the railing watching the ocean absently. His curiously green eyes were swirling in confusion as he tried to sort out just what was wrong. Why he felt so different around Ginny now.

It had been almost four weeks since he had last seen Ginny and it had felt so good to be reunited with her again but something was wrong. Harry couldn’t understand why he didn’t feel the passion like he used to. Ginny used to cause such a fire in his emotions and now he felt more or less a friendly attraction to her, rather then a deep love. It was as if they had grown a part in the time they had spent from each other.

Harry frowned and stared at the sapphire blue sky. He knew a lot of this confusion was because of his changing feelings for Hermione. It had seemed they had grown even closer since they had started the horcrux hunt. Her honey brown eyes and gentle smile made him feel weak and he longed to hold her in his arms and show her how much he cared for her.

But he couldn’t do that.

He thought she might have a thing for Ron but despite even this knowledge, he couldn’t stop his growing feelings for his best friend.

“Harry.”                                                                        

Harry turned his face at the sound of the voice and saw Hermione walking towards him, her bushy brown hair blowing in the gentle breeze. He felt his heart quicken and swallowed slightly, taking a firmer grip on the rail.

“Why are you out here alone?” Hermione asked, her honey brown eyes smiling slightly in that special smile she only showed him.

“Just thinking.” Harry said dismissively, turning back to stare at the ocean. He had to try and keep his head together, it wouldn’t do to blurt out his feelings to her.

“About what?” Hermione asked coming to stand next to him, much to Harry’s dismay. He just needed to be left alone.

He narrowed his eyes at the ocean, frowning in thought. Perhaps she could help him with his problem. He had always gone to her for things like this before, so he wasn’t afraid of her getting suspicious and wondering whether he liked her.

“Hermione do you think Ginny still likes me?” Harry asked Hermione seriously, as he turned to look at her.

“Why do you ask that?” Hermione said frowning slightly, her eyes never leaving his.

“I just feel like we’ve grown a part. It’s hard to explain....” Harry said sighing slightly.

“Well, she has been going through some tough times lately. Just give her time and she’ll come around.”

“What if I don’t want her to come around?” Harry said quietly, as he stared at the waves crashing against the ship.

Hermione stared at him, her eyes widening slightly. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t love Ginny.” Harry said firmly, looking straight into her eyes. “I’ve only realised it just now. I don’t know what to do. If she still cares for me, I don’t want to hurt her but I just don’t love her anymore.”

Harry gripped the railing in frustration, his eyes once more falling to the waves.

“Hermione what can I do?” He said heavily.

Hermione touched his arm, sending shivers up Harry’s spine. Her face took on a very serious expression but her eyes still held the gentle glow he was attracted to so much.

“Harry you have to be honest with her. You’ll be hurting her just as much if you stay with her when your feelings are not in it.”

Harry nodded, knowing the truth of her words and fell silent.

“You…think she will understand?” Harry asked quietly, still avoiding her gaze.

“I’m sure she will Harry.”

OOOOOOOOOOO

Ginny stepped out from behind the door and walked back to her cabin blindly, all she had heard replaying over and over in her mind.

Harry didn’t love her. She had wasted all her teenage years pining over him and now he didn’t love her. It was sickening to know that everything she had dreamed of was now over.

Ginny cried out as she slipped on the stairs, feeling the horrible feeling of her stomach drop violently at knowing she was about to fall head first down the stairs, when a pair of strong arms surrounded her waist, stopping her from falling.

“You should watch where you’re going Weasley.” Draco said seriously, as he steadied her and took his arms away. “You wouldn’t want to hurt yourself.”

Ginny mumbled a quiet thanks and ran to her cabin, hoping that Draco didn’t see her tears. She didn’t want him asking questions, she needed to sort out her own feelings before things got too overwhelming for her.

Draco stared at the shut door with a worried expression in his eyes. “What was all that about?” He muttered to himself.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Ginny was alone in her room later that night when a hesitant knock sounded on the door. She quickly sat up off the bed and stared at the door with growing apprehension.

“Ginny can you open the door?” Harry’s voice said through the door.

Ginny sighed. She thought it might be him.

She had spent a lot of time thinking about what she had heard Harry say to Hermione. At first she had been furious and then just depressed. Now she wasn’t sure what she felt at all.

Seeing Harry had been exactly like she thought it would be. She had been overjoyed but the feelings of relief and happiness had worn off and Ginny had sensed Harry distancing himself from her. Something had changed between them when he had left, just as she feared it would but that wasn’t all.

As she searched her feelings, Ginny had come to realise that she herself had grown distant from Harry. He was her knight in shining armour but she had realised that fantasy is not real life. People’s lives are not fairy tales and Ginny could not expect Harry to continue to be her prince when he had so many problems of his own; problems that he would never share with her.

She had hated how he sheltered her from the pain he felt. She wanted to know what was bothering him, or why he felt so worried but he would always dismiss her away. Hermione was the one he talked to, not her.

There was also Draco. Ginny felt a bond with Draco. He needed her and she knew that she needed him. He had shared his very fears with her and had laughed and talked with her. They were friends but Ginny knew that there was something more between them; a connection that could not be explained.

“Ginny?” Harry called again, snapping Ginny out of her thoughts. 

 Ginny stood up and unlocked the door.

“Come in.” She said pulling open the door.

Harry walked in looking very uncomfortable. She knew this was going to be hard because she did still care for Harry but it was just not meant to be. Ginny knew she needed to help him out if she wanted this over with.

Smiling bravely, Ginny sat back down on the bed.

“What do you want to talk to me about?”

“Uhh, well about us actually.” Harry said awkwardly, as he sat down next to her.

Silence surrounded the room and Ginny began to fidget. Harry was staring at the wall and Ginny realised he was not going to do it. He was too nice and thought that she still loved him.

“I know what you’re going to say, Harry.” Ginny said heavily, breaking the silence that had spelled the room.

“What? Harry said confused.

“I know how you feel. I think I’ve felt it too. We’re drifting apart.” She said sighing, as she gazed into his face.

Harry stared at her, his eyes wide. “Well that certainly wasn’t what I expected.” He said in surprise.

Ginny laughed hollowly, her eyes falling to her hands. “I should be upset but I’m not. I thought I would always love you and that it would be perfect but it’s not like that at all. I’m sorry I put you through so much Harry.”

Harry put his arms around her.

“Don’t say that Ginny. I will never forget the time I had with you. I think you are a beautiful and amazing person but it’s just I can never love you in that way anymore. I know it’s hard to explain and I don’t want to hurt you but it would all be lie if we keep this going and I can’t live like that.”

Ginny nodded, “You’re right, Harry. I shouldn’t be angry over this. You were my first love but I can see now that it was a growing experience for both of us. We both needed that time together.”

Ginny smiled and leaned into his comforting hold. “Thank you for telling me the truth, Harry.”

OOOOOOOOOO

Later that night…

“The stars are beautiful tonight.”

Draco said nothing. He already knew by the quickening in his heart who had spoken but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He had a lot on his mind.

Ginny sighed. “How long do we have until we reach ?”

“Not long now.” Draco said, turning his gaze to Ginny’s face. Her chestnut eyes were lit up by the soft moonlight and her face seemed paler than usual. Her hair, which reminded him so much of blood, cascaded down her back like a crimson waterfall, blowing gently in the sea breeze.  

Draco had to take a breath. She looked almost from another world right now.

She shivered slightly and smiled up at Draco, as she clutched her robe closer to herself.

“You cold?” Draco asked, as he leant against the rail.

“A little.” Ginny answered, shrugging slightly.

Draco pulled of his coat and wrapped it around Ginny’s small frame. He felt an odd feeling inside him and figured it was simply the fact he was not used to being gentlemanly around her. If she were Pansy, she would have demanded that he give her his coat, but Ginny had done none of that and Draco had given it to her because he wanted to.

Ginny thanked him and gazed at the glittering stars in the dark swirling sky. Draco realised that the stars really were beautiful tonight.

“They seem to go on forever don’t they?” Ginny said in a soft voice, as she lent against the rail, her eyes staring up into the night sky.

Draco didn’t say anything, his thoughts once more falling onto his own troubling matters.

Ginny sighed. “You know, if you don’t feel like talking to me, you can just tell me to go.”

Draco said nothing, merely continued to stare at the starry sky.

Ginny started to walk away but paused when a hand grasped her arm.

“Stay with me.” Draco said quietly.

Ginny looked at his face surprised. His grey eyes looked troubled, as though something was bothering him that he did not wish to say. Ginny wished she could make all his worries disappear; he seemed so sad and lonely right now but she knew it would never be that easy.

Silently she nodded and stood next to him, not really sure what to say.

Silence reigned around them and Ginny began to feel a little awkward. She wished that he would just say something to break the silence.

Draco sighed and turned his head to look at her. Ginny gazed back expectantly.

“You remember that night you told me that you knew there was some good in me?” He said heavily.

Ginny frowned slightly. She remembered the night because it was the night Draco opened up to her. She had told him he was a good person because he chose not to kill Dumbledore as well as among other things. She had to wonder why he was bringing it up though.

“Yes.” Ginny said, nodding.

“Did you really mean that?” Draco asked, his eyes staring at his hands so that she would not see his awkwardness.

“Of course I did.” Ginny responded gently. She wanted to put her arms around him but she still didn’t feel comfortable enough to do that. She hated to think how he would react as well.

Draco searched her face for any lies but could see only sincerity. He relaxed slightly and lent against the rail, sighing heavily.

“I don’t know if you were right. I don’t know if I can change.” He said softly.

“You already have.” Ginny said firmly, as she took a step closer to him.

“Do you really believe that?” Draco asked, the confusion in his voice sounding clear, though he still would not look at her. “I just don’t know what I feel anymore. I’m so confused.” He said quietly.

“Draco.” Ginny said turning his face towards her with her hand. “You’re thinking about things too much. You may have done horrible things in the past but you have to let them go.”

Draco stared at her and began to feel the weight in his chest lighten. Perhaps it was her use of his first name, or maybe it was the sincerity in her eyes. In any case he felt calmer.

“Do you remember in your second year when the Chamber of Secrets was opened?” Ginny suddenly asked, as she took her hand away.

Draco nodded, not really sure why she was mentioning this. “I remember.”

“Well, perhaps you already knew but it was your father who gave me Riddle’s diary and allowed me to open the Chamber of Secrets.”

Draco’s jaw dropped in shock. “You opened it?”

Ginny nodded, her eyes clouding slightly at the dark memories of her past. “Tom controlled me and forced me to open the Chamber and attack the muggleborns.”

Draco lowered his eyes as a feeling of guilt swept over him. He had never known she was the one who had done that. He remembered wanting to help murder those people but knowing what he did now, he suddenly felt sick at his own vindictiveness. Ginny was an innocent and had been forced to attack her friends. It wasn’t fair that someone like her should have to face that. He wondered how she could appear so happy now, knowing what she had done.

“What’s this got to do with me?” Draco asked, turning his gaze back to her face.

“When I was being controlled sometimes I would realise what I was doing but I didn’t stop. I kept letting myself be controlled because of my fear. I hurt my friends because of my own childish worries and sometimes I began to feel that I really did want to kill the muggleborns and that it wasn’t Tom possessing me but my own feelings. I got so confused.”

Draco watched her intently. He knew that he was close to finding out the answer he wanted.

“I learnt to put it behind me. It was so hard and I still relive the memories but I no longer feel the confusion.”

Draco nodded to show he understood.

“So you see, even though you may have done terrible things, you can still change. I know you hated me when we were at school but it is not the same now, is it?” Ginny asked softly, raising her chestnut eyes to his own steely grey.

Draco looked into her eyes, an unreadable expression on his face.

“No Ginny, I don’t hate you.” He said in a soft voice.

Ginny smiled slightly and placed her hand over his on the rail. Draco stared at their hands as though it was a fascinating picture, the same unreadable expression on his face.

“I know it’s hard to forget everything, Draco but I’ll be right here with you the whole way. Don’t ever hesitate to ask for help.”

Draco tore his eyes away from their hands and stared into her face.

“You really want to help me, don’t you?”  

“Of course I do.” Ginny said sincerely.

“You know I still don’t care about this whole saving the world thing.” Draco said lightly.

Ginny laughed and took her hand away, leaning back against the rail, as she gave him a sidelong look.

“But you’re doing it anyway? Don’t try lie to me Draco Malfoy, you know you’re secretly happy you have such an important part to play in this.”

Draco looked away from her cheeky grin but Ginny could see a small smile playing on his lips.

“You really are annoying.” Draco said finally.

Ginny smiled to herself but didn’t say anything.

Draco looked  back at her, frowning slightly. “What are you smiling about?”

“Oh nothing…”

“You’re hiding something.” Draco said accusingly, as he looked at her suspiciously.

“I just realised something, that’s all.” Ginny said, still with that secret smile.

“What?” Draco asked curiously, as he leaned down on the rail next to her, giving her his own sidelong glance.

Ginny just smiled but refused to say anything.

“We should get some sleep,” Draco said yawning slightly, as he pulled himself away from the rail.

Ginny nodded and walked with him back to towards the stairwell.

“Goodnight Ginny.” Draco said gently, as he headed towards his cabin.

“Goodnight Draco.” Ginny replied back, as she entered her own cabin.

She couldn’t stop the smile that rose to her face as she fell back against the bed. One thing had become apparent to her over the past day. Though she had gotten over Harry breaking up with her, she realised now the real reason why she had taken it so well was simply because she was having deeper feelings for Draco. Tonight had confirmed to her that she cared about him…maybe a bit more than a friend.