This is my first fanfic! Please be kind. This is a missing moment from Deathly Hallows. It is Harry's third night at the Burrow.
Sadly, I do not own this universe. The wonderful JK Rowling does. Please note a short excerpt was taken from Deathly Hallows on p. 89.
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Bathroom Encounter | ||||
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Category: Post-HBP Characters:Harry/Ginny Genres: Angst, Drama, Fluff, Romance Warnings: None Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 16 Summary: It was an unwritten rule at the Burrow that Ginny liked to take a nice, long hot bath in the evenings before she went to bed. It was the one time in the day that no one ever barged in on her without knocking. Anyway, until a late summer’s night before she turned sixteen. Hitcount: Story Total: 7461 Disclaimer: Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R. Note the opinions in this story are my own and in no way represent the owners of this site. This story subject to copyright law under transformative use. No compensation is made for this work. Author's Notes: |
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Bathroom Encounter It was an unwritten rule at the Burrow that Ginny liked to take a nice, long hot bath in the evenings before she went to bed. Her brothers have learned long ago to keep their distance when she engaged in this nightly ritual. Well, ever since Fred and George were simultaneously hexed with bat-bogies for intruding. They still shudder when they recall those painful moments before she lifted the hex long enough to push them out of the small room on their arses. Since that incident, all of the ginger males respected that bath time was her sanctuary, one she would not give up. Thus, it was the one time in the day that no one ever barged in on her without knocking. Anyway, until a late summer’s night before she turned sixteen. This particular night was a rather humid one at the end of July. Ginny could not wait to soak in the refreshing water. She was utterly exhausted, having endured endless chores that day for her mother. Her brother, Bill, was getting married in two days to Phlegm, or should we say, Fleur. The wedding would be at the Burrow. Ginny, along with the others, was busy with cleaning and the various wedding preparations all day long. Her body ached. Her heart ached as well. Harry had arrived days ago: Harry, The-Boy-She-Loved, who now became The-Boy-Who-Dumped-Her. She was so heartbroken before he arrived. She rarely even left her room during those past weeks, not wanting anyone to see her cry. Now it seemed downright cruel that she had to see him and at the same time, keep her distance, when all she wanted to do was to be in his arms again. He seemed to be avoiding her as well, saying very little to her since the night he arrived. Although Harry clearly was trying to be a noble git, part of her wondered if he felt the relationship ran its course. Was it an excuse to end it? Ginny shuddered when she thought those thoughts. Although they were irrational, she still doubted his intentions. Despite her recent feelings of unrequited love for Harry, as she soaked in the wildflower-scented water, she worried about him. Ginny suspected that he, along with Ron and Hermione, would not be returning with her to Hogwarts. She was smart enough to realize that they were going away to carry out some sort of plan. She hated that they would be in danger, but tried to fool herself into thinking that whatever they would be doing; they would be smart enough to stay out of harm’s way. In her mind, they would be working from the sidelines. Ginny would rationalize any scenario in her head as long as it stated her beloved, her brother, and her friend would not really be in mortal danger. Unfortunately, Harry accidentally pulled the rug out from under her delusions earlier that day. "I think Mum thinks that if she stops the three of you from getting together and planning, she’ll be able to delay you leaving.” Ginny told Harry in an undertone, as they laid the table for dinner on the third night of Harry’s stay. “And what does she think’s going to happen?” Harry muttered. “Someone else might kill off Voldemort while she’s holding us here making vol-au-vents?” He had spoken without thinking, and saw Ginny’s face whiten. At that moment, Ginny realized the severity of the situation. Without ever hearing the prophesy, she knew then it was either Harry or Voldemort. He might not return at all. It was with these lovesick and anxious feelings that she craved the solitude of her warm bathtub. She yearned to wash all of her pain away. ***** Harry sought solitude as well, but at the kitchen table of the Burrow. Surprisingly, that part of the house was deserted. Most members of the house went upstairs to get ready for bed. Alone, Harry sipped his cup of steamy Earl Grey, thinking. He thought about many things: the horcruxes, beginning their journey, how they could escape the Burrow unnoticed… He thought about his birthday the next day and smiled because he could finally use magic whenever he wanted. The trace would be lifted. Harry frowned when he thought about the wedding, and wondered how in the world he would get through it. Seeing Ginny around the house had been torture for him. She was so beautiful, and all he wanted to do was to hold her in his arms again. How could he possibly resist her at the wedding, when she would definitely look amazing? Guiltily, Harry remembered their one brief encounter today. He got a funny feeling in his stomach when he recalled his slip in front of her, that they would be hunting Voldemort. He didn’t want her to know the extent of the danger they would be in. He put her through far too much already. It was with these lovesick and anxious feelings that Harry dropped his cup, spilling it all over the table. His scar suddenly burned… “Crucio!” Harry suddenly could see the emaciated Ollivander sprawled out on the floor. Voldemort was punishing him again. “Since you are either incompetent or sought to deceive Lord Voldemort, I want Gregorovich! Tell me where to find him!” “I-I-I’m not sure where…” “Crucio!!!! Tell the truth!” Harry fell off of the chair, writhing on the floor in pain. “Th-th-the last time I heard of him, he was living in the mountains …” Harry opened his eyes. His scar was on fire, blinding his vision. His stomach churned violently. Feeling his way, Harry instinctively made his way to the bathroom. He burst through the door, and hurled the remnants of his dinner into the toilet. **** “Bloody hell!” Ginny was startled when the door burst open. Just as she was about to grab her wand on the edge of the tub, she noticed something that made her eyes grow wide. Her skin paled. Instead of seeing red hair hovering over the porcelain goddess, she saw a mop of messy black. “Harry?” Harry fell to the floor, clutching his scar in agony. Ginny leapt out of the tub, quickly securing the well-placed towel around her. She knelt down at his side. “Harry, are you alright?” she stroked his hair, fear in her eyes. “Oh, Merlin!” She cradled his head on her lap, feeling helpless. Harry was moaning as the intense pain seared through his scar. Voldemort was enjoying his ‘interrogation’. The last “Crucio” broke Harry’s connection. Trembling on the floor, he broke into a cold sweat, as if he just recovered from a fainting episode. He was becoming aware that he made it to the loo. His eyes finally took in his surroundings, adjusting to the normal light. As his eyes started to focus, he noticed long, fiery, damp locks falling over his face. His head rested on a soft, small lap, with gentle fingers massaging his scalp. A feeling of familiarity swept over him as he took in her wildflower scent, and for a few moments he reveled in his best source of comfort. His heart rate slowed, and his breathing was returning to normal. Reality finally caught up with him. Harry picked up his head, and looked up at Ginny. She was scantily clad in a bath towel, dripping water on the floor. Harry’s complexion went from greenish pale to red enough to fit in as a Weasley, for blood was rushing through all parts of his body. His heart and breathing rates resumed their quickened state as he looked her up and down. He stumbled as he tried to stand up, leaning heavily on the vanity. “Gin… I’m sorry… I didn’t realize…I shouldn’t have…I’ll just go,” he finally sputtered. Harry hastened through the door, trying to shake off the dizziness from standing and walking too quickly. “Harry, wait!” Ginny called. Harry ignored her cry. "Why does he always have to take responsibility for the weight of the world? It was neither his fault he had another episode, nor was it his fault he disturbed me unknowingly," Ginny thought. “The noble prat!” she sighed. Grabbing her wand, Ginny used a drying spell on herself, as well as the bathroom floor. She vanished the water in the bathtub, and then quickly got dressed. This had gone on long enough. Harry was suffering, and staying away didn’t seem to have done him any good either. Even if she had to threaten him with bat-bogies, they would sort this out. He needed her. **** Harry quickly made his way out the Dutch kitchen doors, walking straight through the yard. He stopped at an ancient large tree, which overlook the pond. He slid to his knees. He put his face in his hands. He didn’t notice the soft steps coming to him. “Harry.” she spoke, He lifted his green eyes, and gazed into soft brown ones, concern and warmth radiating from them. “Listen, Gin. I’m sorry for barging in. I didn’t mean…” “There you go again, Harry. You don’t always need to apologize. There’s nothing to apologize for. I’m not out here to hex you. Actually, I’m worried about you.” Ginny started. Harry paused, thinking. “Thanks, Gin…, but I’m fine.” He looked away, and started ripping a blade of grass. Ginny knelt down next to him. She caressed the bottom of his chin and moved his face to look in his eyes again. “Really?” she asked, quite unconvinced. Her Gryffindor courage took over. “I know what it means when your scar hurts. But this time it was so severe, I was so scared for you, Harry. What if you couldn’t break the connection?” “I wish you didn’t have to see that. But I’m fine now, Ginny. Really.” He weakly responded, returning to the offending blade. Ginny stopped. She knew the last thing Harry needed was another Hermione. She couldn’t question him. “Harry, I’m not going to press this with you. But you know I care for you, and you can always come to me,” brown eyes pleading. Please Harry, come to me… Harry looked into her eyes. “I appreciate that. Please don’t worry. It’s over, and I feel much better.” Ginny nodded slowly, stood up, and turned away. She made it a few steps, and stopped. Her feet couldn’t move, as if someone put a hex on her. “Damn it all to hell!” escaped from her lips. She whirled around, as a startled Harry stood up to look at her. “I can’t do this! I thought I could, but I can’t. You’re not fine, Harry. And I’m certainly not fine! I can’t live with these lies anymore!” she ranted, her fiery locks blowing in the breeze. “Lies?” Harry started. “No, please let me finish.” She took a deep breath. “I lied to you, Harry… at the funeral. I acted as though I was okay with you breaking up with me. I understand, but I don’t agree with you…unless, you don’t have feelings for me anymore.” “You think I don’t have feelings for you? How can you think that?” his green eyes burning into her determined brown ones. “What else can I think? You dumped me, Harry! We’ve barely spoken. Is this what you want, or are you just being noble?” She retorted. His voice softened. “Ginny, I didn’t ‘dump’ you. I had to end it. I thought I explained to you that I don’t want you to get targeted. They’ll come after you, Gin. I thought we were clear about that.” Ginny’s face hardened. “Oh, I get it. You think I’m not hurt as long as no masked evil minions come knocking at my door. Well, I’m just peachy now! I guess my broken heart is a small price to pay for my security.” She started to pace, her features become wild. Harry shrank back, but took in all of her words. “Oh, poor little Ginny needs to be protected! She’s so delicate, like a porcelain doll! She’s learned nothing since her tiny body was lying in that Chamber. Well, I got news for you, Potter! I’m not the shrinking violet I used to be. I can duel with the rest of them.” She turned towards him, red sparks flying from her wand. “And how can you be so thick to think you can protect me by ending it. Do you honestly think Professor Greasy Git will say, ‘Oh Magnanimous Dark Lord, Harry did have a girlfriend, and they seemed hot and heavy at the time, but my sources say he broke up with her. I’m sure it has nothing to do with your rise to power. He’s over her, so there’s no need to bother.’” Ginny melodramatically stated in her best Snape impersonation. She stepped closer towards him. “Don’t you get it, Harry? Haven’t you even looked at Mum’s clock? My hand has been pointed towards ‘Mortal Danger’ for quite some time. Let’s see… I’m a blood-traitor, my family’s involved in the Order, I accompanied you to the Department of Mysteries, I fought against the Death Eaters at Hogwarts, and I’m known by Snape, Draco, and virtually every student at Hogwarts as the girl who pined for you for all these years; who finally dated you this spring. Nothing you can do can change that. I will be targeted regardless of your decisions now. That I am sure!” she confessed. “I am such an idiot,” Harry thought aloud. Harry enveloped her in a hug. At first, anger kept her arms rigid at her side. As he lowered his head to her, her arms softened, and wrapped around him. Tears threatened to be released. “Ginny, you’re absolutely right. I can’t believe I thought I could protect you that way. Oh, Merlin, Gin. What are we going to do? I can’t lose you! I won’t!” Fear engulfed him. He lost everyone he ever loved. His biggest fear now would be to lose her. If she was killed, he couldn’t carry on. Ginny rubbed his back, trying to calm him. She felt victorious that he finally understood reason, but now her heart wrenched at his fears. “Shhh, Harry. I don’t plan on them getting to me. Remember what I said, I’m not the weakling I used to be. I learned a trick or two from the most handsome wizard I ever met.” He chuckled, but still was unconvinced. He sighed. “Gin, I also broke up with you for another reason. I know you don’t like to be protected, but I can’t help myself. That’s who I am. The problem is I can’t protect you.” Harry looked into her eyes. He confessed, “We’re going away, the three of us, as I think you already realized. We won’t be at Hogwarts. Dumbledore left us with a mission, and I wish I could confide in you, but I promised Dumbledore I’d only tell Ron and Hermione. I won’t be at Hogwarts to protect you. We won’t be together.” “Harry, we don’t need to physically be near each other in order to be together. My heart will be with you, wherever you go. I don’t need your protection at Hogwarts, anyway. You have your trio… and I have mine,” she replied. “What do you mean?” Harry wondered. “I sat with Neville and Luna on the train ride home. We guessed you wouldn’t be returning, and we started to make our own plans. The war hit home when it got to Hogwarts. We’re restarting the D.A. We’re going to train as many students as possible. We agreed we don’t trust the faculty enough to make it public. Who knows who will be the DADA teacher this year, nevertheless who the new Headmaster will be? After we’ve been babied all of these years, we’ve decided to take the matter into our own hands. The students of Hogwarts will be ready for whatever gets thrown our way.” Ginny stated proudly. “That’s brilliant, Gin. This is a great plan!” Harry beamed. Ginny nodded, suddenly smiling. “So, let’s recap, Potter. There’s no reason to break up with me. You still have feelings for me, and it won’t protect me anyway. I can and will protect myself. And yes, we will be apart, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still care for each other. What are you thinking, Harry?” She looked into those emerald eyes. “I’m thinking I really want to kiss you,” he leaned down, capturing her lips on his. It was pure bliss for the both of them. For the first time since that dreadful funeral in May, their aching hearts were no more. They reveled in their best sources of comfort with an understanding that they both care for each other, and the war damn well won’t tear them apart. |
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