AUTHOR NOTE: Well here's Chapter 25, I like it, I feel it turned out quite well even though it's not action packed or anything… I'm glad I took some time to give Ginny some roundness to her character… If I was to re-edit this fan fic, that's definitely one thing I would like to do more of… Anyways, thank you again to my reviewers and I hope you continue to enjoy what I have to write… I'm getting more and more excited now!!
CHAPTER 25
Harry lay in the Gryffindor boy's dormitory wide awake. He wanted to sleep, but no matter how many times he tossed and turned he just couldn't seem to feel comfortable and sleep wouldn't find him.
He sighed, wishing he had gone with Hermione to the Head Girls room where he knew he would have fallen asleep without a worry in the world with her wrapped in his arms.
Ron gave a particularly loud snore next to him; he wouldn't be feeling so hot in the morning after downing so many drinks last night in celebration of Hermione's scholarship.
Rolling over to his side, Harry decided to leave his bed for a little while. Maybe if he kept himself occupied somehow, he'd eventually feel the need to fall asleep.
He contemplated going to Hermione's room for a moment while he slipped his feet into his slippers and wrapped his bathrobe around his bare back, but the thought passed when he decided Hermione deserved some undisturbed rest and privacy.
He ambled down the spiral stone staircase into the common room where the hot embers in the fireplace still burned. He threw an extra log over the ashes and watched as it slowly began to crackle and smoke, before a small flame licked the bottom.
He rested his hands on the mantle for a moment, before he glanced at the table he, Hermione and Ron often used for homework; someone had left some parchment, quill and an ink bottle.
Not knowing why, he made his way over to the table and decided he felt like writing, but what exactly?
He stared at the blank parchment and lightly twirled the quill in his fingers; then he thought about the scrapbook Hermione had given him as a Christmas gift and how special it felt to read the letter from Sirius. He suddenly realized what he had wanted to do; he wanted to write a goodbye, just in case he never had a proper chance to say what he felt.
Ron,
My best mate! My brother! We've been through so much together, I can't be more grateful that we met and became instant friends the day we both started our amazing adventure. You were always loyal, sticking up for me in tight situations, and never thinking twice about the danger we would face whenever I had one of my "saving people" moments. You and your wonderful family always welcomed me with open arms into your home and into your hearts, despite the risk it brought upon you all. Because I don't know what's going to happen to me, tell your mum and dad thank you from me, they're the best parents I could have ever asked for. Thank them for anything and everything they've ever done for me… as a token of my thanks, I leave with you a portion of my fortune in case of my death, and you'll always have my love. Take Care of yourselves, thank you again for everything,
Love Harry
P.S. … Ron… Take care of Hermione, protect her and comfort her for me. Please don't let her hurt the way she did when she lost her mum. I leave the other portion of my fortune to her, please make sure she gets it and continues to reach her dreams.
Harry rubbed his eyes in an effort to try and hold his tears; he then reached for a fresh parchment.
Hermione,
My best friend, my constant companion, my girlfriend, my other half… my soul mate. Why didn't we discover each other sooner? Well, I do know it was mostly because of my stubbornness to protect you, but I should have realized that our love would protect us together. Still, I can't let you fight the last battle, it's my curse and destiny…it's my prophecy and my responsibility, I hope in some way you'll understand this.
You're beautiful, so incredibly beautiful… inside and out. My idea of eternal life would be to hold you in my arms, burry my face in your soft brown bushy hair, and listen to so little as your breathing and so much as your words of wisdom.
If I should not come out of the final battle as the victor, don't mourn my death, celebrate the life I have given the people who are living in fear, move on with your life, become successful and find love. Dumbledore once said to me that death is but the next great adventure… know that I'll be with my mum, dad, and Sirius… know that I'll be waiting for you.
I know it's easy to say not to mourn a death, but promise you'll try.
I love you Hermione… I love you so much it hurts. I want to whisper these words to you, but I'm afraid what they may mean. I'm afraid if I say them out loud, I won't have a chance to come back and say them again.
I Love You Hermione
Your Harry
Harry stared at the two parchments for a moment, trying to breathe normally. His ribs felt as though they were being gripped by a vice, and the lump in his throat doubled in size when he re-read what he had written.
He wiped the few stranded tears away hastily with his sleeve, carefully folded each letter and placed them in two separate envelopes; one with Hermione's name neatly written on the front, and one with Ron's.
Carefully placing the letters in his robe, Harry retrieved the Marauders Map and his wand.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
Lines of ink spilled across the parchment and began to reveal who was where.
Harry glanced at the staircase leading back towards the boy's dormitory, wondering if he should summon his invisibility cloak. The coast looked clear from the Gryffindor Common Room to the Entrance Doors. Aberforth's dot was motionless in the Headmasters office, unlike Dumbledore who always seemed to pace during the night, Filch was in the Slytherin wing with Mrs. Norris, Peeve's dot was next to Trewlaney's near the ladder to her classroom, (which had to mean he was either taunting the professor or causing some form of mayhem) and Hermione's dot was in the Head Girl's room.
"Accio Invisibility Cloak." He called quietly, deciding it might be useful just in case.
Throwing it over himself, he marched past the Common Room and out the portrait hole where the Fat Lady grumbled with displeasure; surely fuming with being awaken twice that night already.
"Sorry." Harry mumbled, before making his way quickly through the castle; he wasn't ready to sleep yet, he needed some time to clear his mind from the task he had just completed.
Pushing forcefully at the entrance door to the school, he allowed them to creak open just enough for Harry to squeeze through.
Freedom.
He pulled the Invisibility Cloak off and slung it around his left arm. Taking a deep breath of the cool night air, he let it out slowly, causing a stream of fog to trail from his open mouth.
Harry knew he wouldn't be able to stand in the cold air for long in nothing but his pajama pants, bathrobe and slippers; but he didn't care, it felt good to feel numb.
Hagrid's cabin stood in the distance; still, cold, empty, and lifeless.
He wondered how his possessions would look if he was to die; he didn't have much though, so maybe it wouldn't be like looking at Hagrid's cabin or setting foot in Grimmauld Place.
Shaking from the cold, he pulled his bathrobe tighter against himself and stumbled towards the cabin.
"Harry, Harry what're you doing?"
He was hearing things; who in god's name would be outside at this hour, he was, but who else was just as crazy?
"Harry!"
This time he heard her loud and clear.
He turned around slightly.
"Go back to sleep." He ordered.
She didn't move.
"Ginny, its cold, go back inside."
She brushed her straight strands of red hair from her freckled face as the wind lashed them against her skin.
They stood for a moment, just staring down one another.
Ginny tightened her night robe firmly around her petite waist and jogged up to him.
"I'm coming with you." She said stubbornly.
Harry frowned.
"You don't even know where I'm going."
"To Hagrid's Hut." She answered confidently, taking the lead.
They trudged through the snowy slush in silence; all that was heard was the crunching of their footsteps.
"Why are you following me?" He asked; this time with a gentler tone.
"I figured you might need some company." She answered shrugging.
"Well I don't."
She stopped abruptly.
Harry had hurt her; his heart gave a little throb as a feeling of guilt swept over him.
"But if you'd like to come along… I don't mind." He lied.
Her paled face brightened and she began to walk again.
Harry though it strange that she didn't seem to question why he was going to Hagrid's; it almost felt like she knew he didn't even seem to know the answer himself.
"I'm always here for you, you know?" Ginny said timidly.
"I know Gin." He answered, quickening his pace as they neared the hut.
"I want to be an Auror too." She announced while Harry pointed his wand at Hagrid's door. "You don't think Professor Pigott lives here?"
"No, it's been empty since… since,"
"Last year." Ginny finished for him, not wanting to say `Since Hagrid's death' either.
"Yeah…Alohamora."
The door clicked open and they both stepped inside.
The interior of Hagrid's hut felt no warmer than the bitter outdoors.
Ginny brushed her hands up and down her arms, before she made her way to the enormous fireplace.
"Think we could light a fire?" She questioned throwing in a log from a stack of firewood.
"Good idea." Harry said, striding over to assist her.
"Incendio." Ginny chanted, before Harry could even raise his wand.
He sometimes forgot she wasn't a little girl anymore. Smiling, he bent down near the crackling flames beside her and warmed his cold hands.
"I'm sorry I was such an idiot when we met." She said softly, avoiding his eyes.
"What? … Oh, don't worry about it Ginny."
"I would have been a good friend to you Harry."
"You are my friend." He answered, looking rather surprised.
She sighed sadly.
"No… I'm just Ron's little sister, aren't I?"
"Well, there's no doubting that, but you're also my friend, you were there for me last year and the year before that." He answered straightening up.
She followed his example; a small smile came over her balmy lips.
Harry's eyes lingered on Ginny's for a moment, before he took to exploring Hagrid's home with interest.
"He was an interesting fellow wasn't he?" Ginny asked picking up a book on Potted Creatures and then backing away quickly from a set of pots near the bookcase.
"Don't worry Gin, I don't think they're alive anymore, they haven't been watered for ages."
She laughed uncomfortably as if only half believing it.
"Yes, Hagrid sure had some crazy ideas, but he was good, he was my friend."
She nodded in agreement.
Harry stuffed his hands in his pockets awkwardly and continued gazing around.
"What happened to Fang?" Ginny questioned nervously, moving in closer to Harry.
He moved back slightly and wondered why she didn't know, but guessed that she just hadn't asked Ron and nobody really wanted to talk about Hagrid's death.
"With Madame Maxime." He answered simply, remembering the loveable Boarhound. "She wanted to take care of him for Hagrid, Fang likes her, so I suppose he won't miss Hagrid as much."
Ginny nodded again, her eyes welling with tears; she threw her arms around Harry, catching him completely by surprise with his arms at his sides.
He stood there awkwardly, feeling rather trapped as Ron's sister wept into his bathrobe.
"Err.. you…err, okay… Ginny?" He questioned.
She hiccoughed, pressing her teary face further into his bathrobe, touching her tear filled cheek into his bare chest underneath.
Sighing, he gently pulled his arms loose from her tight grip and wrapped them around her in an effort to comfort her and hopefully stop her crying; why did he have this horrible effect on women?
"What's wrong?" He persisted, making sure to sound empathetic.
Just then, the door to Hagrid's hut creaked open and a wand pointed out from the crack directly at Ginny and Harry.
"Don't move." A voice instructed. "I'll hex you to oblivion!" It demanded harshly before the door opened completely.
Harry's eyes widened.
"Hermione, you scared me!" Harry announced releasing Ginny and clutching his chest.
She stared at him and Ginny; both her eyebrows raised high in surprise, before lowering into an uncertain scowl.
"What're you two doing here?" She demanded staring hard at Ginny.
"Well… see…it's the weirdest thing." Harry's face reddened as he realized the ridiculousness of the explanation he was about to give. "I, I…. I honestly don't know."
"You don't know?" Hermione repeated, raising her eyebrow dangerously.
"I couldn't sleep," Harry continued. "So I decided I'd come down for some fresh air before I gave it another try, then when I got outside I felt like coming here, I just… I miss Hagrid." He confessed feeling slightly foolish.
"And you?" She rounded on Ginny. "You couldn't sleep either?"
"Well, to be honest, I decided to make an early start, I hadn't finished my homework last night so I thought I'd finish it in the morning, but then I saw the Portrait Door shut, and I went to go and find out who it was, and what they were doing." Ginny explained crossing her arms, not bothering to wipe her tears away. "I found Harry outside and then I tagged along to Hagrid's."
Hermione stared into Harry's dark green eyes, as if she was trying to read truth from them. She closed her eyes and held them shut for a moment before she let out a sigh.
"It's so strange being back in here." She said softly.
"Yeah, kind of haunting isn't it?" Harry asked, wondering what had made her so upset.
"So what're you doing out here?" Ginny asked as thought it were a casual conversation.
"I saw the smoke from the fire and came to see what was happening in here." Hermione answered.
"But I looked at the map, it looked like you were sleeping." Harry commented.
She didn't answer for a moment, peering deeply once again into his eyes as though he had said something wrong.
"Yes, well I was sleeping."
"You had a nightmare?" He questioned again, as Ginny watched them speaking back and forth.
Hermione shifted uncomfortably from her left foot to her right.
"It's no big deal." She answered, not quite meeting Harry's eyes. "I guess I'm just a little overwhelmed by everything that's been happening."
Harry waited for her to elaborate, but she didn't seem to want to go into anymore detail.
"Maybe we should go back to the school?" Ginny suggested after a period of silence.
Harry shrugged, while Hermione nodded in agreement to Ginny's proposal.
"Say Ginny, what were you so upset about when I came in here?" Hermione asked as she shot a spell from her wand to extinguish the fire.
Harry watched Ginny closely, wondering the same thing.
"I'd rather not talk about it." Ginny replied, opening the door and stepping back into the cold.
They began to trudge back towards the school, when Harry thought it would be a good idea to have a look at the Marauders Map to see how clear the path to the dormitory was.
"Since we're all up now, and school will be starting in a few hours, do you think we could sit around in the Common Room?" Ginny suggested.
"Sounds like a good idea to me." Harry decided, watching Mrs. Norris' dot scoot past Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
Hermione didn't say anything; she seemed to be studying Ginny's avid reaction to Harry's agreement.
"Think you could have a look over my homework Hermione?" Ginny asked, kicking her leg in an effort to shake off the snow that caked around the cuff of her pants.
Hermione hesitated.
Harry thought this odd as she was usually more than eager to help someone with schoolwork.
"Yeah, I guess so." She finally answered.
"Thanks Hermione." Ginny smiled. "Have you two had that new potions professor- Harry, Hermione! Are you two alright?"
Harry griped his forehead, his scar was searing quite painfully despite the spell Aberforth had placed on it.
Hermione was on her knees, clutching her temples with the palms of her hands.
"Make is stop!" She pleaded "Please, just make it stop!"
"What in the name of Merlin is going on?" Ginny questioned frantically looking rather frightened.
"I…don't…know, but…it's happened…before." Harry managed to mumble as the pain slowly worsened; he felt himself drop to his knees.
Hermione now lay crumpled on the ground, shaking slightly as beads of sweat trickled from her forehead.
"I have to get you both out of here, you need help!" Ginny decided, aiming her wand at Hermione.
"Petrificus Totalus, Mobilicorpus."
Ginny did the same for Harry before she marched across the remaining grounds, through the entrance doors, and up to the hospital wing; both Harry and Hermione's bodies drifting slowly behind her.
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