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If You Can Help Her
By witowsmp

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Category: Alternate Universe
Characters:Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley
Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fluff, Humor
Warnings: None
Story is Complete
Rating: R
Reviews: 570
Summary: This story starts with an alternative ending to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets where Harry helps Ginny recover from her experience, unknowingly initiating a bond that affects the rest of their lives. Rating is for violence in the later chapters. **A French translation called "Si tu peux l'aider" is being written by the author Sined. It's posted on Fanfiction.Net.
Hitcount: Story Total: 295829; Chapter Total: 8981







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If You Can Help Her — Chapter 46 — Surprise

A few days later, Harry and Ginny were on their way to the Honeydukes secret passage to practice their dragon transformations. They were walking hand-in-hand.

‘Do you think Hermione will like the present I bought her?’
asked Harry silently.

‘She’d better. I helped you pick it out.’

‘What do you think Ron’s gonna get Hermione?’

‘Probably some cheap perfume,’
answered Ginny.

‘I don’t know. I think that he’ll avoid perfume at all costs after last year.’

‘You may be right.’ Ginny sighed. ‘Do you think there is a fourth phase to our bond?’

Harry stopped and looked at her. ‘I don’t know. I do know that the closer I get to you, the more I love you, and the happier I am.’

‘Good answer.’

‘I thought so,’
Harry answered with a grin. He pulled his original wand out of its holster and pointed it at the one-eyed witch. “Dissendium.”

The passage was opened and they entered it. Before they’d taken more than a few steps, they began to hear talking.

“I can’t believe it, Ron. I’ve always enjoyed riding horses when I could, and now I’ll find out what it’s like to be one!”

“I’ll bet its mane was really bushy.”

“If you must know, it was a bit bushier than most horses,” Hermione huffed.

“What kind of horse are you?” asked Harry, startling his friends.

“Oh, Harry, Ginny. You gave me a fright,” said Hermione. “We just did our Animagus mediations. I’m a brown and white palomino.”

“Really? They’re gorgeous!” said Ginny. “So, Ron, what are you?”

“I’m a St. Bernard, but my brown fur is a bit reddish. Not so that I look weird or anything,” he said defensively. “What are you here for? Sneaking off to Honeydukes?”

“They’d better not be,” said Hermione. “Harry’s a prefect.”

“Don’t worry, Hermione,” said Harry, “We weren’t planning on leaving the school.”

“Then why are you here? Were all the broom cupboards occupied?” asked Ron.

“If you must know, we were going to work on our bond,” said Ginny.

“But you’ve already reached level three,” said Hermione, “and you can silently communicate. What do you need to practice that requires this much privacy?”

Harry took Ginny’s hand. ‘Should we tell them?’

‘I don’t know, Harry. What do you think?’

‘Well, we originally decided not to tell them so they wouldn’t know we were animagi. Now they know that.’

‘Do we have a real reason to keep this a secret from them anymore?’

“I know what you’re doing,” said Ron. “You’re deciding what to tell us. Coming up with a story to cover up your real reason for being here.”

“Actually, dear brother, we were deciding whether or not to answer your question, and probably would have. However, you’ve made up our mind for us. Goodbye, Ron.”

As she and Harry turned around, Hermione called after them, “Ginny, Harry, I’m sure Ron didn’t mean to accuse you of anything inappropriate.” She turned to glare at her boyfriend. “Did you?”

He glared back at Hermione for a moment before his eyes lowered. Not looking anyone in the eyes, Ron said, “Of course not. I didn’t mean it.”

“The sincerity in that apology really touched me, Ron,” said Harry sarcastically.

“I almost cried,” added Ginny.

“What do you want from me, guys? You won’t tell me anything, so I have to guess what you’re up to all the time.”

‘He might possibly have a point,’ thought Harry.

‘You really want to tell them, don’t you?’

Harry sighed. ‘I think I do.’

‘Alright then. You tell them.’


Harry took a deep breath. “Well, the thing is, when we did the Animagus meditation, we each saw something beside the animal we’ve learned to turn into.”

“Another form?” asked Hermione with her eyes wide. “I’ve never read about that before.”

“Sort of,” said Harry. “You see, we were holding hands at the time and saw…er…parts of an animal. Ginny saw the head and I saw the body.”

“A combined form? Wow. I guess it’s because of the bond. Maybe the magic feels that together you’re a different entity, so it’s a different animal. That must be difficult to learn…which is why you want to practice.”

“What is the other form?” asked Ron.

‘Why don’t you tell him, Gin? I handled the hard part.’

‘Fine.’
“It’s a Hungarian Horntail.”

“What?” asked both Ron and Hermione at the same time.

“I, I suppose a magical creature might be possible when you combine the magic of two people…but that’s amazing.”

“It will be when we can do it,” said Harry.

“How far along are you?”

‘Let’s show them.’

Still holding their hands, Harry and Ginny moved closer to each other and closed their eyes. Their hands merged into one scaly arm, and then their skin turned reptile-like but still human shaped. Harry’s feet turned into dragon feet, but stayed human-sized. Ginny’s face took on the features of a dragon, including a snout and fangs, but was still human-sized like Harry. This process took about thirty seconds. They were able to hold it for about ten seconds before they reverted back to normal, looking exhausted and panting heavily.

“Wow. That looks like good progress,” said Hermione.

“Bloody hell,” said Ron. “You really are gonna be a Horntail.” He then chuckled and looked at Harry. “I guess that means you’re a dragon’s behind.”

-

That Sunday, the quartet arrived at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place very nervous. Harry and Hermione were nervous that each of them was going to attempt to side-along apparate a human. Ron and Ginny were nervous that they might be the test subjects.

“Hello everyone,” said Lupin happily.

“Hi,” said Harry along with the others.

Sirius then walked into the room and greeted them as well.

After congratulating the Weasley siblings on getting their apparition licenses, Remus began the lesson. “Well, since Harry and Hermione are going to attempt to side-along a human, I should explain a slight difference between apparating wizards, muggles, and animals. Both animals and muggles have no knowledge of apparition and as such, can’t help in the process. A witch or wizard might have knowledge of apparition, and therefore can assist with the spell. The reason they would do this is if they don’t know where they’re going, so essentially they’re following the other person. That’s the easiest way, and I’m going to start Harry and Hermione doing that for each other while Ron and Ginny begin with gerbils.”

“So we won’t be their test subjects?” asked Ron in relief.

“No.” He then conjured a pair of gerbils and handed one to each redhead and told them to start practicing in another room.

Turning back to the others, Remus continued. “I believe we’ll have Harry try first. This time, Hermione, when you feel him apparating, will yourself to go with him. After that, switch. That shouldn’t be too difficult for either of you and I don’t expect difficulties. Assuming I’m correct, we’ll move on to the more difficult procedure. Go ahead, Harry. Choose anywhere in this house and don’t say it out loud. If Hermione knows where you’re going, she may inadvertently go there herself without your help.”

Harry closed his eyes for a moment while deciding which room to enter. He thought his bedroom would be too obvious, so he picked the kitchen. He was just beginning to apparate when he felt extreme distress coming from Ginny. Harry and Hermione disappeared with a pop and appeared in front of Ginny. They were not in the kitchen.

The youngest Weasley was holding part of a gerbil that had been splinched. She had its head, neck, and torso. Its limbs were lying on the floor on the other side of the room. The gerbil was obviously terrified and Ginny was anguished.

“I didn’t mean it,” she said to the victim that couldn’t understand her.

“We might as well vanish it and make a new one,” said Sirius as he started doing so.

“It’s alright, Ginny,” said Hermione. “I did the same thing my first time.” She turned to Harry. “How did you bring us exactly in front of Ginny?”

“I didn’t mean to. I was going to go to the kitchen, but I felt Ginny’s panic at the last second and…”

“You reflexively came here instead. I wonder if you two can go anywhere the other is, provided there are no wards to prevent it.”

Ginny, who wanted something to distract her, said, “Only one way to find out. Follow me.” She disappeared with a soft ‘pop.’

Looking at Hermione, Harry asked, “Do you want to come along?”

“Why not?”

Harry focused on Ginny’s emotions and followed them to their source. The pair of them appeared in front of a delighted Ginny. “Now let’s see if I can do it.”

Harry turned to Hermione. “Now you take us somewhere.”

Hermione popped them both to the room they started in with no problems. A few seconds later, Ginny appeared in front of Harry. “There’s no place you can go that I can’t find you.”

Remus didn’t understand what that meant, but before he could ask, Ginny disappeared and Hermione said, “We both did it. Now what do we do?”

Remus instructed the ‘passengers’ to concentrate on anything but apparition. Hermione was mentally listing the ingredients of Polyjuice potion when they disappeared.

-

Hermione knew right away that something was wrong. Her head somehow felt lighter and cold. Harry looked at her, and for a moment, it appeared that he was going to burst out laughing. He quickly regained his composure and looked penitent. “I’m sorry, Hermione. I, er, left your hair behind.”

“WHAT?” she screamed as she put her hands on her bald head.

-

After Harry left Hermione alone and collected her hair, he brought it back and she unsplinched herself (simply apparate while holding the hair and concentrate on reappearing correctly). Harry was very nervous when it was Hermione’s turn to apparate him.

With a wicked grin, Hermione said, “I wonder if Ginny will miss the part of you I leave behind,” one second before disappearing.

Nervously, Harry put his hands on every part of him when he reappeared, trying to make sure all his parts were still intact. To his surprise, he was fine. Even Remus was impressed. “Great job, Hermione. Do you think you’re daring enough to let Harry have another go?”

She looked at Harry as though calculating the risks. “I suppose one more time. But if I get splinched again, that’s it.”

Harry held his friend’s arm tightly and concentrated as hard as he could on apparating everything, including her hair. With a small ‘pop,’ they appeared on the other side of that room completely intact. They practiced several more times with no incidents, and Remus promised them both a chance at their licenses the next week. Ron and Ginny both managed to apparate with the gerbils, and were working on monkeys when it was time to leave.

-

A few days later, Harry woke up the closest he could come to happy that early in the morning. There were three things he was looking forward to that day. One was going to get his Side-Along apparition license with Hermione (they were missing charms and were going with Professor McGonagall, who was free at that time). Another was that today was Hermione’s birthday, and they were surprising her with a party after dinner. The third reason was about to begin.

After the first switchblade lesson with Kingsley, he’d suggested that they go through Harry’s pensieve lessons on the subject that Sirius had bought as a supplement to his teaching. Yesterday, Shacklebolt had said they were good enough with them that they only needed to practice once a week. He’d told them to go through the first handgun pensieve lesson the night before, and that he’d be giving them each a pistol that morning and would begin lessons.

Realizing that the best way to make sure the surprise victim suspects something is to not acknowledge their birthday, Harry, Ginny, and Ron all made it a point to wish Hermione a happy birthday as they made their way to the Room of Requirement. Hermione was very pleased that Ron had remembered.

-

“This weapon is just as dangerous as the most deadly curse, and I want you to take it seriously. Do not point this gun at anybody unless your life is in danger! I want to be very clear on this. This is a last resort weapon. You’ll carry it in this holster and keep it loaded and ready to fire. The holster will make sure the gun can’t be fired while inside it and is invisible to all and undetectable to muggle metal detectors, just like the knives’ holsters. Is all that clear?”

After they’d all answered in the affirmative, he began teaching them about guns.

-

Both Harry and Hermione passed the side-along-apparition test later in the day, and before they knew it, dinner was ending.

“So,” said Hermione expectantly, “are we going someplace before we turn in?”

Harry was holding Ginny’s hand when she thought, ‘She’s expecting a party, but doesn’t know where it’ll be.’

‘We could lead her on a wild goose chase through the castle. Or…I’ve got it.’
Harry then spoke. “Not until we go for our rounds.”

“But no one’s allowed out after curfew.”

“Except the prefects who have to patrol the halls, the staff, and anybody the staff allows to be out.”

Her face lit up for a moment and then she frowned. “But the staff wouldn’t…well, Kingsley might, but you shouldn’t have…”

“What?” asked Harry, looking confused.

“Never mind,” she said. “Maybe I should go to the library until then.”

“No. You shouldn’t go to the library on your birthday. Ron, Ginny, and I haven’t given you our gifts yet.” Hermione smiled.

‘You see, you get them to expect a very small thing, and then surprise them with a big party,’
thought Harry.

They slowly walked into Gryffindor tower together until Hermione gave the password to the Fat Lady. It opened and she walked inside.

“SURPRISE!!!” shouted almost every Gryffindor in the school, almost giving the bushy-haired prefect a heart attack. Once she realized what was happening, she smiled brightly and looked around.

The whole common room seemed to be decorated for her birthday with streamers and ‘Happy Birthday’ and ‘Sweet Sixteen’ signs. There were even magical fireworks going off above their heads. She saw one table filled with cake and butterbeer and another full of presents. She turned to Harry, Ron, and Ginny, who were behind her grinning ear to ear.

“You arranged all this?” They nodded. “And all of them kept it secret and wanted to…”

She was interrupted by several of the Gryffindors walking up to her and wishing her a happy birthday.

The party was a huge success, and Hermione had a great time. She got several gifts; mostly candy (which she thought was funny for the daughter of two dentists) but others gave her bookmarks, quills, or ink. Harry bought her a special stationery set. Ginny got her a wizarding romance novel. Ron got her a silver necklace with an open-book shaped gem hanging from it.

“Do you like it?” asked Ron.

“I love it,” she answered, and then kissed him before walking off with Harry to do prefect rounds.

-

Please review. Thank you to those who have.
Sorry I took so long to update.
Would you be too disappointed if I don’t include the Horcruxes in this story? I’ve dealt with them in several already, and would prefer not to deal with them in this story. (I know it’s my story, but I do care about my readers’ opinions.) Also, if I’ve made any references to Horcruxes in the story (aside from the diary) let me know. I don’t think I have.
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