Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows (Page 175-183)

"Just open it," he said, knowing she was worried about the cost. He felt slightly nervous about giving it to her now.
Ginny flipped open the lid and pulled out a bracelet comprised of a delicate gold chain with a thick charm of a golden heart. The heart appeared to almost float on the chain. Ginny’s small fingers played with the heart, examining it closely.
Harry swallowed. "You told me that it was my responsibility to protect everyone from Voldemort, but that it was your job to protect me," Harry whispered. "I just wanted you to know — no matter what happens — that you’ve done that. You’ll always have my heart, Ginny."
He had seen the bracelet in a local shop after he’d realized how close it was to her birthday, and the saleslady had insisted that Ginny would love it. Sitting with her now, he suddenly thought the words sounded stupid and very corny — like something Bill would say to Fleur. He wished he’d chosen something else.
Ginny looked up at him with tears sparkling in her eyes. "Oh, Harry," she said, reaching across the table to take his hand. "It’s beautiful. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve owned. Would you put it on for me?"
She reached her arm across the table so he could fasten the clasp around her wrist, both sniffling and beaming at him at the same time.
Harry’s heart swelled as he realized how much Ginny truly liked the gift. He suddenly thought that Bill might be onto something about girls, after all.
His world came crashing back down to earth when Ginny asked, "Do you want to dance?"
The expression on his face must have shown his true feeling before he could hide them because she laughed, rising from her chair and tugging on his arm. "Come on. You danced at the wedding and it was fine, remember? It was the dance that actually set everything to rights for us," she said.
Harry followed her to the dance floor and wrapped his arms around her, swaying to the music. Every few minutes, Ginny would stretch her arm out straight so she could admire the sparkle of her birthday present. Her appreciation made Harry feel as if he could do anything. He had to admit, dancing had its advantages. He liked the freedom of being able to hold her close and run his fingers along the fabric of her dress without censure.
Later that evening, after more dancing than Harry had ever done in his life, Ginny whispered, "This has been the best birthday I’ve ever had. Thank you, Harry."
"It’s not over yet," he replied, grinning cheekily. "What say we head back to our tent?"
When they reached the tent, Harry was pleased to note that Ron and Hermione still hadn’t returned from their date. He sat on the couch and
pulled Ginny onto his lap. She curled her legs over his and rested her head on his shoulder.
He leaned his cheek onto the top of her head, enjoying the softness of her hair. "We’ll have to have nights like this more often," he said, closing his eyes. "Doing something fun and enjoyable takes the tension away and brings everything back into clear focus."
Ginny shifted so she could start trailing kisses along his neck and ear. "Harry," she whispered huskily. "It’s still my birthday for another hour, so Voldemort and his Horcruxes can just sod off until it’s over."
Harry grinned, leaning his head to the side to give her better access. He groaned at the sensations she was creating. It suddenly didn’t matter where or who he was. All that mattered was this slip of a girl in his arms and what she was doing to him. His stomach was fluttering madly as he shifted their position so he could capture her lips.
Time lost all meaning to them, but Harry had somehow ended up sprawled on top of Ginny as they lay back on the couch, their hands moving and exploring as if all on their own. Harry’s breathing caught in his throat as his hand touched the bare skin on Ginny’s well-muscled leg. Voices outside the door snapped them back into reality and they jumped off the couch, desperately straightening their rumpled hair and clothing.
Ron and Hermione had returned.
Harry and Ginny dashed into the bedroom they all shared just as the flap to the tent opened. Ginny sprinted inside the bathroom to change into her nightclothes while Harry used the bedroom. He was already lying in his bunk when Ginny returned. She quickly climbed into her own bunk across from him, and the two of them lay still waiting for Ron and Hermione to enter.
They each lay quietly, prepared to feign sleep when the door opened. Harry’s heart hammered in his chest, his adrenaline pumping. He could see Ginny’s profile in the darkness, and he grinned at her. She returned the smile, lying on her side and facing him across the gap between the two beds. Several long minutes passed, but the door never opened.
"Reckon they’re not coming right to bed?" Harry finally whispered.
"I suppose they’re probably doing exactly what we were doing," Ginny said, giggling.
Harry’s eyes widened. "Do you think?"
He listened closely, but couldn’t hear any sounds coming from the main room.
"I think," Ginny whispered, giggling again.
"About that, Harry," she said, biting her lip.
"What?" Harry asked, feeling the temperature in the room drop alarmingly.
"Uhm…I had a really good time tonight. It was the best birthday I ever had," she said.
"But?" Harry asked, knowing there was more.
Ginny swallowed. "But…I think it was a good thing Ron and Hermione came back when they did. We were getting a bit…carried away," she said haltingly.
"I’m sorry," Harry said, feeling deflated. He hadn’t meant to scare her, but she was right. He hadn’t felt in control.
"No! It’s not your fault. I was just as involved as you were. When my head is clear like this, I know I’m not ready for the next step yet. But when I’m in your arms and kissing you, all I want is more," Ginny said, her eyes pleading with him to understand.
Harry knew exactly what she meant. She made him reckless. "You take away my thinking ability," he said, nodding.
"Good," Ginny replied, smirking. "I’m glad it’s not just me who feels that way. We’ll just have to try to take things slow."
"But we don’t have to stop kissing, do we?" Harry asked, a shiver of apprehension running down his spine.
"Absolutely not… Just try and get rid of me, Potter," Ginny said, grinning impishly. "Besides, I like the kissing."
"Good," Harry mumbled.
***
It was quite some time later when Ron stormed into the bedroom, fuming and determined to go out looking for Harry and his little sister in order to pound Harry to a pulp. He pulled up short when he found the two of them sound asleep in their beds, both wearing contented smiles across their faces.
Chapter Eleven
Lions and Tigers and…Dragons?
The first of September dawned hot and sunny over the Albanian forest. The search for clues as to where Voldemort had hidden his Horcruxes had thus far proved futile. While they had found what Harry suspected was Voldemort’s hideout during his years in exile, it hadn’t contained a trace of a Horcrux, nor a hint as to why Voldemort had felt safe there.
As they’d searched the hovel tucked deep in the forest; Hermione had stumbled upon a shallow grave containing several human bones. Harry suspected they were the remains of Bertha Jorkins. The foursome had hated the idea of leaving her there — unmarked and alone for eternity —
but couldn’t draw attention to themselves by alerting anyone at the moment.
So, they had carved a small headstone and placed it on Bertha’s grave. They’d bowed their heads while Hermione said a few words in remembrance. Before they left, they placed a locator spell on the grave, so they could later alert the Order of the location of Bertha’s remains. It was the best they could do, but Harry’s conscience still nagged at him. He knew very well that his remains could be left lying on the ground in the not-so-distant future. If that was to be his fate, he at least wanted to be treated with dignity.
Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione had allowed themselves the luxury of a lie-in on the morning of the first. They’d planned to Apparate back to London late in the afternoon and make a few public stops in Diagon Alley before visiting the Smith Museum. Harry thought that Mr. Weasley’s suggestion of being seen in public on occasion was valid, but he wasn’t certain if the elder man would still want to help him accomplish this after his daughter had disappeared with Harry.
Harry’s eyes opened slowly as he lazily stretched and rolled over on his side. He could hear Ron’s snores drifting from the bunk beneath him. The room appeared fuzzy without his glasses. He squinted as he peered at Ginny’s bed, but didn’t see the familiar cascade of red that usually covered her pillow. He felt that familiar twinge of disappointment at her absence, but squelched it.
Sitting up and cracking his back, he put on his glasses and blearily looked around. Both of the girls’ beds were empty, and he thought he could smell the aroma of bacon coming from the other room. Harry swung his legs over the side of his bunk and jumped to the floor. Ron never twitched, so Harry left him to his slumber.
He found Ginny and Hermione in the kitchen. Ginny was frying some bacon on the stove while Hermione hunched over a cup of coffee. Harry had been surprised to learn how grumpy Hermione could be first thing in the morning. At Hogwarts, she always came downstairs bright and eager to start classes. While on this journey together, however, he’d discovered that until she had a shower, Hermione’s morning demeanor rather resembled Ron’s.
Ginny had told him that Hermione had always been that way; she usually didn’t come downstairs until she’d managed to fully wake herself. Hermione liked her routine, and part of that routine involved avoiding all human contact when she first awoke. Ginny said that on days when Hermione appeared at breakfast already very cross, Parvati and Lavender had insisted on speaking to her first thing.
"Morning, Harry," Ginny said, greeting him with a warm smile.
The creature that resided inside Harry’s chest purred. "Morning," he replied, unable to suppress the goofy smile that crossed his face.
"The breakfast isn’t quite ready, but there’s coffee in the pot if Hermione is willing to share," Ginny said, poking Hermione in the ribs with her spatula.
Hermione jerked away from Ginny’s prodding and silently pushed the coffeepot towards Harry.
"Good morning, Hermione," Harry said, pouring a cup and breathing in the freshly brewed scent.
"How did you sleep?" Ginny asked, gently ruffling his hair as she walked back towards the stove.
"Never better," Harry replied, watching her crack some eggs on the counter.
"I’ve been thinking about our plans to be seen in Diagon Alley, Harry," Hermione said, sitting up a bit straighter in her chair. She’d managed to open her eyes about halfway.
"What about it?" Harry asked warily. He felt a row brewing, and he knew disagreeing with Hermione in the morning was a bad idea all around.
"Do you really think it’s wise to be seen by anyone before we search for the Horcrux? I mean, what if we run into one of the Order or get detained by the Ministry? I think we ought to go straight to the museum and then go to Diagon Alley tomorrow," Hermione said.
Harry shook his head. "We’ve already discussed this, Hermione. I don’t know what will happen if we find a Horcrux. I’m not certain how we’ll destroy it, or…or if we’ll be injured in the process," Harry said, swallowing heavily. The image of Dumbledore’s withered hand arose unbidden in Harry’s mind, followed by the sound of Dumbledore’s pleading as Harry had forced him to continue drinking that foul liquid. Harry shuddered as he forced the memories to the back of his mind. He couldn’t dwell on them now.
"I realize it’ll be dangerous," Hermione said as if reading his mind, "but we’re all entering this willingly. We know what we’re doing, Harry."
Harry nodded, swallowing heavily. He knew he’d never be able to live with himself if something happened to any of them, no matter what Hermione said. He couldn’t lose anyone else…
"I still think it would be a good idea to postpone your appearance in the papers," Hermione said, apparently unwilling to drop her point. Now that she’d finished her first cup of coffee and was working on her second, she was acting more like the Hermione he knew.
"No," Harry said firmly. "I have another reason for wanting to do it today. It’s the first of September, and I suspect a lot of students might be doing the same thing Zacharias Smith is doing and going to school elsewhere. I want to show everyone that I’m still in England. It should keep Voldemort’s attention away from the other schools."
Hermione averted her eyes, staring intently into her coffee cup. Harry thought he’d seen the beginning of tears before she’d looked away. He knew that not returning to school would be hardest on Hermione. She’d always been so dedicated to her academic pursuits, and Harry had to marvel at the depth of her sacrifice for him.
He reached over and gently squeezed her hand. "I’m going to miss it, too," he whispered.
Hermione raised her eyes and smiled tremulously. "I still can’t believe there won’t be any classes at Hogwarts this term."
"I know," Ginny said, placing the bacon and eggs on the table and sitting down with them. "I keep wondering what all the teachers are going to do. I mean, they live there during the school year, don’t they? Where will they go? Will they come back when Hogwarts finally reopens, because it will." Ginny stared at them fiercely, as if daring them to disagree with her.
"Of course it will," Harry said with a confidence he didn’t feel. "It has to."
"What happens if we run into Fred and George…or Mum while we’re in Diagon Alley?" Ginny asked, biting her lower lip.
"We can’t let that happen," Harry said firmly, knowing Ginny half wanted to run into her family. "After we get the Horcrux — if there’s one there — then we’ll go back to Grimmauld Place. We’ll deal with the repercussions of our disappearance when we get there, but we can’t risk anyone getting in the way of our visit to the Smith Museum."
"What if we don’t find a Horcrux?" Ginny asked, her gaze direct and unwavering.
Harry swallowed. He’d been thinking about that possibility for several days, although something kept telling him that they would find something there.
"I don’t know," he said, sighing. "I don’t want to go back to headquarters without having made some progress — without having something to have made the trip worthwhile."
"But you’re still not planning on telling them about the Horcruxes?" Hermione asked.
"No," Harry said. "I have a feeling we’re in for a lot of shouting when we go back, but we are doing the right thing. Having found one will simply make me feel better while stonewalling them."
"Mum is probably going spare. She’ll likely try and lock us up in chains," Ginny said, groaning.
"I know," Harry said, squeezing her hand. "But we’ve been gone all this time and we’ve done all right. It’s you that she’s going to be the hardest on. We’re all of age, so there really isn’t anything she can do, but you-"
"It doesn’t matter," Ginny said, raising her chin in the air. "I’m not a little girl anymore, and I won’t go back to being treated like one. I love my mother dearly, but I’m her daughter through and through. I can be as stubborn as she can."
Harry smiled fondly, rubbing his finger along her forearm. Lately, he’d felt the constant need to touch her whenever she was near. He’d noticed that she’d been doing the same to him, too. Just small caresses, holding hands, a light touch whenever they spoke. He’d never been one to crave much physical contact, so he wasn’t certain what was happening or why he found her touch so soothing, but he did.
"I don’t think Mum will be too bad about my accompanying you once she’s had the chance to calm down," Ginny said, stirring some sugar into her coffee.
The other two looked at her doubtfully, and Hermione’s eyebrows rose so high they disappeared into her hairline.
"Ginny, we are talking about your mum here, right?" Hermione asked. "The same woman who refused to allow the Order to discuss so much as the weather within our hearing distance?"
Ginny shook her head. "She’s not as uptight as she was the last time we stayed at Grimmauld Place. After what happened at the Ministry, she…I dunno…she changed. She resigned herself to the fact she couldn’t keep us out of the war no matter what she did. It was right after that when she allowed the twins to fully join the Order. She might not like it, but she’s accepting it. She’ll blow up at first, mind, but then she calms down. Trust me."
"If you say so," Harry said, still feeling doubtful. He vividly remembered Mrs. Weasley’s despair the night Sirius allowed him to question what the Order was doing. She had even dragged Ginny out of the room and sent her off to bed so she wouldn’t hear anything she deemed inappropriate.
"You must have noticed the change in her," Ginny said. "In the hospital wing the night Dumbledore died, she didn’t try to send any of us out of the room. She didn’t even act surprised that we’d all been involved in the fighting."
Hermione’s eyes widened. "You’re right," she said. "Ron told me she’d sent him outside to use his Patronus the night the Burrow was attacked, too."
"Exactly. I’ve been thinking about her a lot since we’ve been here," Ginny said, her eyes dipping to the table.
Harry took her hand, knowing that despite her bravado, she was missing her mum. Harry didn’t blame her; Mrs. Weasley was the best mum he knew.
"And I came to the realization that my mum is a tough lady," Ginny said, her lip trembling slightly. "I’ve been rather hard on her, I think. She may not be the one getting involved in any battles with Death Eaters, but she didn’t hesitate when Professor Dumbledore asked her to join the Order. She got her whole family involved because it was the right thing to do. I should have given her credit for that."
Hermione sniffed and suddenly threw her arms around Ginny. "I miss everyone, too, Ginny. You’re right. It’s going to be fine. We’re not
the same people we were when we left, and I think everyone will see it."
"See what?" Ron asked groggily, stumbling into the kitchen and plopping down on the only empty chair.
"That we’re not children, and we made the right decision in hunting Voldemort alone," Harry replied, grinning.
"Right," Ron said, stuffing a piece an entire piece of bacon in his mouth. "Mum won’t have any problem with it. She’ll welcome us home with open arms right after she owls Percy to call him a git and gives the Burrow to the twins to wager on a Quidditch match."
The others burst into laughter as they enjoyed their breakfast on their last day in Albania. They were going home.
**--**--
They Apparated into Diagon Alley near the Apothecary, reckoning it was far enough from the spots frequented by Fred, George, and the rest of the Weasleys to avoid detection.
"Mmm, it even smells like home," Ron said, breathing deeply. The day was cloudy and not nearly as hot as it had been in Albania.
"I never thought I’d miss seeing robes so much, but I did," Ginny said, spinning around and smiling widely.
Despite feeling the same joy as the others in returning to London, Harry also felt apprehensive. He hoped luck would be on their side and a reporter would spot them quickly. Now that he was this close to searching the museum, he could barely contain his eagerness.
"Let’s keep moving. Keep your eyes open for any familiar faces that we want to avoid," he said.
They nodded and moved onto the main street. It didn’t take long for the familiar click of a flashbulb to mark their presence. Harry looked up to see a reporter hurrying towards him, a bloke with a camera following in her wake.
"That was quick," Ron muttered as they turned and moved in the other direction.
"Mr. Potter! Mr. Potter, stop. Just a few questions, Harry," the reporter shouted, alerting the shoppers on the street to his presence.
"Mum! It’s Harry Potter," a small boy said, pointing.
"Run!" Harry said. It always amazed him how his mere presence could create such a mob.
"I wonder what’s been happening while we’ve been gone," Hermione panted, struggling to keep up with them.
They dashed into an alley and thought they’d made an escape when another flash went off right in their faces.
"Harry, can you tell me what you think about the Inferi attacks? What are you planning to do about them?" a male reporter asked, his notebook and quill scribbling furiously as they hovered beside him.
Harry blinked uncomprehendingly.
Inferi? What Inferi attacks? Oh, no.
"Er," Harry said, searching his mind for what Dumbledore had told him about the Inferi. If the Ministry wasn’t going to warn people how to defend themselves against an Inferius, then he would. "An Inferius, like most creatures that dwell in the darkness, fear the warmth and the light, so use fire against it. It’s your best protection."
"Harry!" the first reporter shouted again, interrupting as she finally caught up with him.
Harry felt as if he’d been thrust into the lion’s den — and the lions were hungry.
"Move," he hissed to the others, shoving Ron’s shoulder in the one direction where a reporter hadn’t yet appeared. They reached the end of the alley and quickly turned right, immersing themselves into a crowd of shoppers.
"We need to split up," Harry said, panting. He kept his head low so as not to be recognized. "You three keep moving this way. I’m going to go in the opposite direction and slip under the Invisibility Cloak as soon as I find somewhere to do it inconspicuously. We’ll meet back where we first Apparated."
Ron and Hermione nodded, but Ginny stubbornly shook her head. "I think we should go in pairs. I’ll double back with Harry."
"Ginny-"
"Stop trying to protect us, Harry. We’re wasting time," Ginny said, grabbing his hand and tugging him along.
Ron smirked and Hermione shrugged helplessly before turning and sprinting off in the opposite direction.
"Let’s go," Harry said, disgruntled.
"Don’t be grumpy, Harry. How many times do we have to tell you that you aren’t in this alone? Besides, it’s only giving chase to some reporters. You must know I can handle this?" Ginny asked, arching her eyebrow.
Harry knew there was no way to answer that question that wouldn’t get him into trouble, so he kept his lips firmly sealed. They ducked around a corner as soon as they heard pounding feet. Harry pulled his Invisibility Cloak out of his pocket and swung it over both of them.