Title: Getting Past the Pain
Author: jltat
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers
including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books, and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money
is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
A/N: hey, thanks for those who reviewed chapter 1, and i hope u like this chapter.
Chapter 2: Blissfully Unaware
Would you look at her, she looks at me
She's got me thinking about her constantly
But she don't know how I feel
- Evan and Jaron
Harry was trying hard to ignore the stares that he was receiving from people. He was used to the staring, of course; it came with being famous. What was bothering him was the reason people were surveying him so closely. He saw it in their eyes, every single last one of them. Pity.
Everywhere he looked, it seemed, someone would be giving him a look of sympathy. For god sakes, some of the Slytherins showed signs of sorrow for Harry. He couldn't take it. They didn't understand; none of them did. He didn't want their pity.
Harry stood up abruptly, threw his napkin down, and stormed out of the Great Hall. Hermione gave him a curious look, and under normal circumstances she would have followed him, but she remained seated next to Ron and did nothing but watch the doors of the Great Hall slam shut behind Harry.
He couldn't take it anymore. Had the whole school gone insane? Harry found himself in an empty classroom, gazing out a window. He needed some time to think. Why was this bothering him so much? It was just a crush, he could get over it. Something like his feelings shouldn't stand in the way of his friends' happiness. He wasn't in love with her, he couldn't be. Wouldn't be.
"... Harry?" Ginny whispered softly as she creaked open the door, walking in hesitantly. She came and stood beside him and was silent for a little bit before asking, "Harry, are you OK?"
Harry sighed loudly but his voice held no malice, "Yea, I guess... I'm tired of it though... just tired of everything. Sometimes, I think it would be easier to just get away from it all for a little while, you know?"
"Yea, I know, but you can't run away from your problems, it's just not that easy," Ginny said wisely in a sisterly manner. When had she gotten to smart anyway?
"I wasn't thinking about running away; just taking a break. I can't handle the drama. And I swear, if one more person looks at me with that damn melancholy look..." Harry's voice trailed off as he made a crude hand motion, demonstrating what he would have liked to do to the person.
Ginny looked at Harry and she felt like slapping that brother of hers and his girlfriend. What kind of best friends were they if they didn't notice him like this?
"Oh, Harry, is it that hard to just admit your feelings and tell her?" Ginny asked, knowing that Harry knew who 'her' implied.
Harry was just about to retort, in a negative way no doubt, when suddenly Dumbledore walked in, cutting their conversation short.
"Sorry to interrupt Miss Weasley, but may I borrow Harry for the time being?" Professor Dumbledore said with a trademark twinkle in his eye.
"We'll talk later, Harry." With that Ginny left.
"Come, let's continue this in my office, shall we?" Dumbledore said walking with Harry following him. Once in Dumbledore's office, Harry took a seat in front of the Headmaster's desk, curious about why he was brought here.
"Harry, I'm not going to lie to you," Professor Dumbledore said, his eyes losing some of its twinkle, "I've asked you to come here to discuss matters concerning the war." At this, Harry gave Dumbledore all his attention.
"Voldemort is steadily gaining supporters, and his army well soon become too powerful for the Order to fight alone. We have decided to being recruiting members at an earlier age. On top of the normal way of recruiting people after they have finished their schooling, we will begin to induct members still in their 7th year of whom we decide are worthy. These members will be in a separate division, after receiving proper training. I've asked you here today, Harry, to offer you the option of becoming an Order of the Phoenix member early."
Harry was stunned at what he had just heard. Dumbledore would allow him to become an Order member before he graduated Hogwart's?
"You will have to miss a few weeks of school, if you choose to accept, but I'm sure we can work something out with your teachers about the make-up work," Dumbledore added.
"When can I leave?" was all Harry had to say. To Harry, this was a God send. This was his opportunity to leave it all, to take a break from the drama and stress.
"Tomorrow night, be prepared to leave right after dinner tomorrow," Dumbledore said, beaming at Harry proudly.
Ginny left the classroom and and went to the Head Boy and Girl's dormitories, she needed to speak with Draco. Her boyfriend was the only other person she talked to about Harry, and he understood. He and Harry had a respect for each other, but neither would ever admit it. You could even say they developed a strange sort of friendship after the events from last year.
When Ginny entered the private she didn't find Draco, but instead saw something that made her blood boil. Now normally, Ginny would have been delighted for Ron and Hermione's relationship. However, she could not, in good conscience, support them when she knew what it put Harry through. She was angry that her dense brother and Hermione couldn't see the distress they were causing Harry. Ginny was tempted to say something, but before the words could come out of her mouth a voice from behind stopped her.
"Just leave it alone, Gin." Draco whispered. He had just entered through the portrait hole. "It's not our place to say anything, Potter needs to confront this on his own."
Ginny turned around, ready to retort, but knew it was futile; Draco was right. She sighed loudly, but the couple on the couch seemed unfazed by the noise.
"C'mon, let's go somewhere else," Draco said leading Ginny out of the room.
Hermione looked up as she heard the portrait slam shut, but thought nothing of it when she didn't see anyone. She focused her attention back onto Ron. The two were happily ignorant to the torment that Harry, or anyone else, was going through. Not for too much longer, though. They would learn soon enough that paradise had to end sometime, but for the moment, the two remained blissfully unaware.
A/N: mmmk, so a couple things i wanna say:
1) before anyone says anything, the relationship between Harry and Ginny is strictly platonic; i tried to make
it seem that way, but i dunno, it could come off as underlying emotions and what not, but there isn't any; Ginny is
with Draco, Harry loves Hermione. period. just wanted to make that clear.
2) Ron and Hermione aren't the bad guys or anything cuz they aren't actually doing this to Harry intentionally,
but i had to make them out as a little cruel because this is all a limited point of view. besides, there wuldn't be
a plot if there wasn't an antagonist. i dont hate Ron, so im not gunna turn him into an asshole, im just trying to
stick with the canon, and he's quite dense in the books. he had time to redeem himself, dont worry.
3) im sorry if the updates are a bit slow, just in case u didnt no, im only posting one new chapter a week, usually on
friday or saturday, so that's wen u can look for sumthing new; assuming u even like this story. k, so i think
that's it, thanks for reading, and please review, i wanna no wut u think. feel free to ask any questions u have,
i'll answer