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The Vaccuum
By thejsq

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Category: Haunted House Challenge (2004-5)
Characters:None
Genres: Angst, Fluff
Warnings: None
Story is Complete
Rating: PG
Reviews: 19
Summary: Harry faces his fears.
Hitcount: Story Total: 3831







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I do not own Harry Potter nor anything in JKR's magical universe.

Harry awoke early on the morning of October 1st. Dumbledore had hinted during their Occlumency lesson the night before that Harry would not want to miss breakfast the next morning. Harry had no idea what Dumbledore had planned, but his curiosity was piqued.

He quickly pulled on his uniform and robes, waking Ron before tying his red and gold Gryffindor tie. Harry then waited patiently as his groggy friend clumsily dressed, digging under his bed for socks and shoes.

“Why are we up so early, mate?” Ron queried.

“Dumbledore has an announcement; wouldn’t tell me what it is, but he seemed to think that we’d like it,” Harry answered.

“It better be good — it’s bloody early,” Ron grumbled as they made their way down the stairs. Ron had taken to sleeping as late as possible, getting to breakfast just in time to shovel his food down and sprint to class. Harry usually went down to the Great Hall with Ginny and Hermione.

Once in the Great Hall, Harry eyed the staff table for some clue as to Dumbledore’s announcement. Professor McGonagall wore a stony expression and Snape stabbed moodily at his plate. Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled merrily as he spoke in whispers to Professor Flitwick.

“Must be something fun,” Harry observed. “McGonagall and Snape look like they’re dreading it.”

Ron made a non-committal noise through a mouthful of egg and sausage.

Hermione and Ginny arrived as Harry and Ron were discussing the possibilities.

“Maybe it’s something about Quidditch,” Ron suggested. “Charlie told me how they used to hold inter-school tournaments.”

“No,” Harry countered, “McGonagall would like that.”

“What are you talking about?” Hermione asked, taking her usual seat next to Harry and across from Ron.

“Dumbledore’s up to something,” Ginny responded as she settled herself on Ron’s left.

Harry raised his eyebrows in question. Ginny always seemed to know the good gossip.

“He’s twinkling at everyone,” Ginny explained with a shrug.

“Right in one,” Ron answered. “Dumbledore told Harry last night after his Occlumency lesson.”

The Great Hall was nearly full when Dumbledore stood to speak.

“This year, the usual Halloween Feast will be cancelled,” Dumbledore began. Ron groaned, but Harry waited expectantly for the other half of Dumbledore’s sentence — he was familiar enough with Dumbledore’s sense of the dramatic to know that more was coming. Ginny, too, seemed to sense that Dumbledore had more to say — she caught Harry’s eye and shook her head in Ron’s direction.

“In its place,” Dumbledore continued, “we’ll be have the first ever Hogwart’s Haunted House and Halloween Party. The party will include a dance floor, but dress robes are not required. Both the Haunted House and the party will be open to all years.” Dumbledore sat down as he finished.

Parvati and Lavender squealed at the other end of the table and some of the younger girls giggled. Hermione stiffened next to Harry and studied her clasped hands — Harry knew she was trying hard not to look at Ron.

Ron was growing steadily paler and looking like he might vomit slugs at any moment. Harry knew that Ron was remembering Hermione’s words from two years earlier after the Yule Ball. He seemed to have lost all interest in his breakfast.

Harry chanced a look at Ginny. She rolled her eyes dramatically at Ron and Hermione’s antics and returned to her toast. She seemed completely unperturbed by Dumbledore’s news.

--------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- ---------------

When Harry returned from a grueling Quidditch practice — Katie Bell was every bit as fanatical as Angelina — he was greeted with the sight of Hermione seemingly holding court in front of the fireplace. Gryffindors of every year were huddled near the fire watching Hermione’s wand as she drew a complicated diagram in the air.

Harry turned to Ron and Ginny, who had climbed through the portrait hole ahead of him, to see if they had any idea what Hermione was doing.

“Planning Gryffindor’s rooms for the maze, I’d imagine” was Ron’s answer.

Harry was thoroughly confused and must have looked it, because Ginny explained, “Each House will gets to decorate two rooms for the Haunted House and if you get through the whole maze you can go to the party. If not, you get sent back to the beginning and have to start over again.”

Harry shivered unintentionally — it sounded a lot like the maze at the end of the Tri-wizard Tournament. Ginny noticed and put a steadying hand on his arm. Harry found that he didn’t mind the gesture. Ginny knew how to be sympathetic without pitying, and Harry had come to appreciate her insightfulness over the preceding months.

The three joined Hermione’s fan club around the fireplace moments later. Despite all her talk of inter-house unity, Harry could see Hermione’s competitive nature was getting the best of her — he knew she wouldn’t rest until the plans were perfect.

“So,” Hermione hurriedly explained, “the first room will be an actual maze with shrubbery and Confundus charms and maybe Hinkypunks and the second room with actually be a series of smaller rooms with obstacles that the students have to overcome. Does that sound right?” Hermione had somehow obtained a Quick-Quotes quill, which was rapidly recording her words on a magically enlarged parchment.

The other students nodded. Harry and Ron exchanged grins — Hermione’s plans for the second room sounded very much like the protections under Fluffy’s trap door from their first year.

Hermione broke the Gryffindors into teams after that. Parvati Patil was chairing the Maze team, while Hermione took charge of the Obstacles team. She quickly chose Ron, Harry and Ginny for her own team, while Parvati laid claim to Dean, Lavender and Katie. The other students joined teams at random, with some of the younger students opting out altogether — they seemed to be afraid of Hermione and Parvati.

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The week before Halloween, Dumbledore and the staff covered the Quidditch pitch with a giant tent and separated the area underneath into eight rooms. Much to Katie’s chagrin, Quidditch practice was cancelled to accommodate what she was now calling “the Hogwart’s Halloween distraction.”

Wednesday evening found Harry, Hermione and Ron scrambling out of Transfiguration directly to the pitch to begin charming the seventh room of the maze. They met Ginny and the Creevey brothers on their way out the large front doors to the castle.

Once inside the empty area, Hermione gathered her team in one darkened corner of the room and began barking orders at them. Harry and Ron, with an awestruck Colin Creevey looking on, began to set up partition walls while Ginny and Dennis aided Hermione in deciding the order of the rooms.

“What next, Hermione?” called Ron once they had finished their task.

Hermione put up silencing charms around the group. Her eyes were bright with excitement as she began to explain.

“We’re going to replicate the teachers’ obstacles to the Philosopher’s Stone from first year,” Hermione began. “I’ve researched a bit on how to do them, and aside from the troll and Fluffy, we should be able to manage.”

“Wicked,” Ron whistled appreciatively. He had been much more admiring of Hermione’s considerable brainpower since she had accepted his invitation to the post-maze dance the week before.

“What about the mirror?” Harry asked, puzzled. He really didn’t see how Hermione planned to get her hands on the Mirror of Erised and doubted they could work it even if she did.

“Well, we can’t really copy Dumbledore’s magic there, so I thought we’d just set up some funhouse mirrors and illusions,” Hermione said. “It won’t be as exciting as the Mirror of Erised, but it should be fun.”

“I’ve already worked out the logic puzzle for the potions room,” Hermione continued, “but none will be poison this time, just pumpkin juice and Canary Cocktail — Ginny can explain that.”

“It’s Fred and George’s latest,” Ginny proclaimed with a wicked grin. “Just like Canary Creams, only in juice form — it looks like ordinary orange juice.”

She drew a small vial from her pocket and tried to tempt her fellow Gryffindors with the harmless-looking concoction, but they wisely passed, having been the twins’ victims too many times before. She gave Harry a look that promised a very entertaining prank in the near future.

“So,” Hermione continued, turning to the Creeveys, “Colin and Dennis, go to the kitchens and get some pumpkin juice and glass jars? Make sure they’re unbreakable.”

Colin and Dennis scurried off while Hermione continued.

“Harry, you, Ron and Ginny charm these keys to fly.” She brandished a bag of rusty-looking keys and set it noisily down in front of Harry. “It’s a simple transfiguration, really. You just have to add wings. I’m going to charm these decks of exploding snap…”

“Hey, that’s mine!” Ron interrupted. Harry recognized his own card deck as well — it seemed that Hermione had raided Gryffindor tower for enough cards.

“Well, Ron, we can hardly make the whole school play chess — it would take ages! This way more people can play at a time and they’ll only get sent back to the beginning if they singe themselves...”

Hermione seemed to be working up quite a head of steam and Ron didn’t look likely to back down. Harry knew that he’d fight for the inclusion of chess in the obstacles for as long as Hermione would argue against it.

“Looks like just you and me, Gin,” Harry said, turning to Ginny. “We might as well get started.”

Harry and Ginny sat down on the soft earth and spread the keys between them. Harry noticed that about a fourth of the keys looked like they would fit the door locks and seemed to glow slightly — he supposed this would help students to get through the room faster.

As Ginny worked on the keys, Harry couldn’t help but notice the easy way she held her wand — her charm work really was outstanding.

“You’ll ace your Charms O.W.L with all this practice, Gin,” Harry gestured at the seemingly endless pile of keys.

“Flatterer,” Ginny retorted. “You’re just trying to excuse your slow work.” It was true, Harry noticed; she was working much more quickly than he was. He had been splitting his own time between charming keys and watching her charm her own pile.

They worked in companionable silence for several minutes before Harry noticed that Ron and Hermione had disappeared and he and Ginny were being slowly surrounded by the surreal glow the lazily flying keys.

“Hey Gin, do you think we should gather these up somehow?” Harry asked reluctantly. He didn’t really want to collect the happily floating keys — they reminded him of being in the garden at the Burrow. Harry noticed that when they ventured near Ginny, her hair reflected their soft glow.

“Hermione fixed the doors to the rooms so they can’t leave,” Ginny answered. “Besides, I like them — they remind me of the Burrow. You know they make your hair look almost blue.”

Harry continued charming keys, but marveled that their thoughts had been so similar. He watched the patterns the keys made as they floated above him and admired the light as it danced across Ginny’s hair — he had never before recognized how very pretty she was.

Harry noticed that Ginny’s face started to go pink; he must have been staring. As he realized how much he had missed her familiar blush, his stomach did an unexpected somersault. Harry attempted push the inevitable conclusions out of his head, but failed. He felt his face heat and knew he was matching Ginny color for color.

Harry absently charmed keys as he contemplated the girl sitting across from him — Ginny Weasley, Ron’s little sister, who he’d met when he was 11 and who had done nothing other than squeak for the first three years of knowing him. He felt completely gobsmacked. She was insightful, pretty, sweet and wickedly clever — Harry wondered how he had overlooked her for so long.

Harry slowly charmed the remainder of his pile of keys while keeping his face studiously impassive. He attempted to time his looks at Ginny so she wouldn’t notice. Ginny, he observed, was doing more or less the same thing.

-------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- ---------------------
Harry spent the days between his realization on the Quidditch pitch and Halloween developing a plan of action. He didn’t really fancy either of the options he’d come up with so far: suffering in silence for the rest of his days as Ginny’s friend or suffering with Hermione’s help. Silence, Harry reasoned, would leave him frustrated and confused, but telling Hermione would most likely leave him with a black eye, as she would almost certainly tell Ron.

At breakfast, Harry poked moodily at his eggs and stole glances at Ginny as she skimmed The Daily Prophet. He thought he noticed Ginny surreptitiously glancing at him from under her eyelashes. Ginny abruptly folded her paper and turned to look at Harry.

“Harry, you’ve been grumpy lately, do you know what you need?” Ginny ventured innocently. “You need to have a blast tonight at the maze. You should come with Luna, Neville and me.”

Harry grinned happily at Ginny for the first time in a week.

“You’re on, Gin. It’ll be your personal responsibility for me to have a blast,” Harry echoed her words.

“I never back down from a challenge,” Ginny retorted saucily.

Harry spent the rest of the morning in a daze from his successful flirting with Ginny Weasley.

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After classes ended, Harry raced to Gryffindor Tower and back to the Quidditch pitch to queue up with Ginny, Luna, Neville and all the other Howart’s students waiting to enter the maze.

When the maze began, the foursome quickly found their way to their first obstacle: one of the Hufflepuff rooms. To Harry, it looked just like Nearly Headless Nick’s Deathday Party. The Hufflepuffs had coaxed all the Hogwart’s ghosts — and a few others Harry didn’t recognize — to waltz slowly around a transfigured dance floor.

“Looks like we have to dance our way across,” Ginny smirked at Harry. “I didn’t expect this until after we’d completed the maze.”

Neville held out his hand to Luna and bowed clumsily before waltzing her onto the dance floor. Halfway to the opposite door, Neville tripped into Luna, who had stopped to observe some of the visiting ghosts. The two went sprawling into a waltzing ghost couple and were instantly sent back to the beginning of the maze.

“Looks like our turn, Miss Weasley,” Harry mocked. He held out his hand to Ginny, who took it confidently.

Harry and Ginny danced their way across the floor, carefully avoiding Moaning Myrtle and the Bloody Baron. Harry concentrated to avoid Ginny’s toes and the surrounding ghosts and lamented that he had to dance with her amidst so many distractions.

Steeling his nerves, Harry smiled down at Ginny as they reached the other end of the room.

“Ginny, do you think we could try that again, erm, at the dance tonight?” Harry asked shyly.

Ginny beamed at him in response.

“My pleasure, Harry. You didn’t even tread on my toes,” Ginny answered.

Harry and Ginny quickly made their way through Slytherin’s first room — a graveyard — and Gryffindor’s maze room. The four point spell that Harry had learned during the Triwizard Tournament helped them successfully navigate through the Confundus Charms and the Hinkypunks. Harry was impressed to note that Parvati had managed to replicate the reversing mist that has upended him at the Tournament for the Gryffindor room as well.

In Ravenclaw’s first room, the floor spun as soon as they shut the door, reminding Harry unpleasantly of the Department of Mysteries. Ginny gripped his hand as they navigated through a mock-up of the Forbidden Forest using only their knowledge of the constellations Ravenclaw had magicked to the ceiling. Harry continued holding Ginny’s hand even after they left the Ravenclaw room.

Harry and Ginny continued through the maze, occasionally meeting up with other students, and quickly traversed Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor’s second rooms. Harry recounted the recovery of the Sorcerer’s Stone as he and Ginny made their way through Hermione’s obstacles. Harry was careful to avoid the Canary Cocktail when they reached the Potions logic puzzle.

Harry was relieved to approach the final room of the maze — he was hungry and anxious to ask Ginny for a second dance. Harry braced himself for another mind game — the last room belonged to Ravenclaw.

When they entered the room, Harry felt instantly that something wasn’t right. It was too quiet. The room looked harmless enough — a bit like an empty version of the Weasley tool shed.

As Ginny released Harry’s hand to walk towards the door in the opposite wall, the one they had come through snapped shut and they were plunged into complete darkness. Harry pulled his wand and attempted to light it with lumos but nothing happened — his wand didn’t light and, to Harry’s horror, he couldn’t hear his voice. He attempted to shout for Ginny, but couldn’t hear his own screams, nor any sound from Ginny.

Although Harry had only been feet from the door when it shut, he couldn’t find it again to try the handle. The room seemed to have grown since Harry entered and Ginny already seemed miles away. Harry fought down a panic as he assessed the situation. He could hear nothing and see nothing — he felt completely and utterly alone.

Harry thought desperately that Voldemort had somehow infiltrated the maze. Surely, this couldn’t be an ordinary room. Harry hoped that somehow, there was maybe the slimmest, wildest chance that Voldemort had captured only him and not Ginny as well.

Harry groped blindly for Ginny. Deprived of his sense of sight or hearing, he relied on luck to try to stumble across her — he realized he could still feel as he sensed an increasing chill creep into his skin. Perhaps Ginny would find her way to the opposite door and get the lights back on. Perhaps he would be close enough to smell the fresh strawberry of her shampoo.

Harry walked in the direction in which he thought he’d find the way out. Arms swinging widely, he collided with something soft and warm. He wrapped his arms tightly around Ginny’s middle and rested his chin on her head. The familiar strawberry scent grounded him. He felt Ginny’s arms wrap tightly around his waist and felt, rather than heard, her sob into his chest.
Harry rubbed his hand comfortingly on Ginny’s back and attempted to soothe her. Soon her trembling ceased and she seemed to be more calm. With Ginny’s hand in his, Harry continued his path toward the far wall. When his hand found solid wood, he groped in both directions for the door.

When Harry’s fingers bumped the familiar outline of an ordinary Muggle light switch, he inwardly rejoiced and deftly flicked it upward. The lights flared and both doors flew open. Harry and Ginny shielded their eyes from the lights and rushed through the door into the awaiting Halloween party. Relief flooded through Harry and he drew Ginny to him again.

Uninterested in food, Harry pulled Ginny gently to the dance floor and wrapped her tightly in his arms. His heart was still racing from the maze, but relief and happiness were slowly taking hold. His former plans of action seemed naïve and wasteful now that he had Ginny so comfortably nestled on his shoulder.

Harry pulled Ginny slightly away from him and looked hard into her eyes. She returned his gaze steadily.

“Gin, I just wanted to say…” he trailed off, not really able to finish his sentence with the right words to convey just how he felt when he thought he’d lost her.

He tried again.

“Ginny, when we were in that last room, I thought that you were gone or that Voldemort had us both and…I just don’t know what I’d do if that happened” Harry finished lamely.

Ginny looked up at Harry. Her eyes looked suspiciously bright.

“Harry,” she whispered, “I know exactly what you’d do. Because you did it four years ago, before you even knew me. You’d follow. That’s what makes you you.”

Ginny leaned forward and pressed the softest of kisses to the corner of Harry’s mouth, then leaned her head against his shoulder, resuming their dance.

Harry pulled her close and marveled at how lucky he felt. Despite Voldemort and the Prophecy and even Ron’s wrath that he would surely incur the next day, Harry felt happy and let himself revel in it for the night.

Fin

A/N: I wrote this very quickly in order to submit it before the deadline. Please let me know about any problems you find; it would be greatly appreciated.
Reviews 19
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