money from it, so please Mrs. Rowling if you read this
don’t sue me. A comment or two would be welcome
though.
Please, if you read, take two minutes to review.
Chapter 15: Sacrificed
“No!” a woman’s voice screamed. “I won’t allow it.”
“Shut up you hag, we have no choice,” a man yelled back at her.
“Yes we do!”
“And I have made it!”
“And I have made mine!” the woman yelled back at him raising her wand. The man regarded her with his hard cold eyes for a moment before they softened.
“Put your wand down woman,” he said calmly to her.
“No, that will not work this time,” she replied before sending a binding curse at the man. The man dove out of the way of the curse and came up with his wand leveled on the woman.
“You know you are no match for me, wench,” he snarled at her. “The Master calls and I answer. It is that simple.”
“Protego!” the man yelled as he ducked his wife’s stunning spell, sending his own back at her.
“This is your last chance to put your wand down, woman,” the man growled at her.
"Crucio!” she screamed.
“Avada Kadavera!” the man bellowed. Both fell to the floor a moment later, one screaming in agony for a second as he was hit by her spell and released from it when she was hit by the death spell. The man climbed slowly to his feet and walked to the body of his dead wife. He stood over her; looking down with cold, merciless eyes and spit on her body before he levitated it into the fireplace.
“Elf,” he bellowed. A moment later a trembling house elf stood in front of him.
“Y…Yes, M…Master,” the elf squeaked.
“Burn the body and dispose of the ashes.”
The elf looked to the fireplace and began to shake even more than she already was. She looked up at the man and slowly nodded her head before igniting the fire. The man seeing that his instructions would be carried out left the room.
Harry rolled over in bed on the first day of the Christmas holiday, and for once Ginny was not awake watching him. She had been pushing herself harder than ever the last week. Her training against the Cruciatus curse, along with Harry’s had progressed past four hours now. At first Mark had been in awe of what the four of them could do. Now it frightened him.
Ginny was matching Harry every step of the way as he prepared to fight Voldemort. Both of them had reached the level where Mark and Dumbledore had stopped Dumbledore’s training. Not because he couldn’t have done more, but because neither of them could see a reason for going beyond what they were already doing. Mark had wanted to end the training for the two of them also, but Dumbledore had left it up to Harry and Ginny. She had insisted it continue.
A few weeks ago, Harry’s defense against legilimency had changed again. It was no longer like standing in a dark cave when you tried to enter his mind. It simply was not possible even to do that anymore. Ron had tried for hours.
He had finally given up; telling Harry that his brain felt like it was running into a wall. Harry understood what he meant; he had felt Ron trying to enter his mind. The only way he could describe it, even though he felt no physical force, was that it felt like something had hit him and bounced away. Each time Ron had tried, it felt like he got hit just a little harder.
A number of other people had tried with similar results. Ron, Harry had compared to a bludger that had been hit by one of the Weasley twins. Cho and Neville had felt like something the size of a snitch. Dumbledore and Ginny, they felt like a bludger that might have been hit by Hagrid or his brother Grawp.
At first, Harry had been concerned that he and Ginny would be unable to share minds anymore, but he quickly found that he could still let anyone he wanted to in. Dumbledore had also taken him aside and showed him that the defense Harry erected was entirely up to him. It could be a white cloud, a black cave or a solid wall and he could control how strong each of them were.
“How do you think I trained Healer Marchbanks? He believed Cho to be stronger than I am. The truth is that he has never seen what my full capabilities are. It would do him no good to train in the black cave, or against the solid wall that I can erect,” Dumbledore said quietly.
“You do have a lot of secrets, don’t you sir?” Harry replied.
Now, just yesterday Ginny had erected a solid wall too. She had also taken out half the DA yesterday without her wand. It was reminiscent of what Voldemort had done against Harry and the others in the cemetery last spring, and was more than Harry had managed yet. It had infuriated Ginny towards him, and left everyone including Dumbledore speechless, shaking their heads in disbelief.
Ginny had been so tired last night that she had appeared to fall into a trance at dinner. Ron and Hermione recognized it immediately as what happened to them when they sat with her. This was the sleep she allowed herself when she was not touching someone else. The second Harry had picked Ginny up to carry her to their bedroom she gave herself over entirely to the rest that her body was crying desperately for. Now, Harry watched a smile come across his wife’s face.
“You’re watching me,” she thought to him.
“I’m hoping you’re not still angry with me,” Harry replied. Ginny’s mind flashed back to yesterday afternoon as she sought to reconcile with herself that what she did to Harry was necessary.
“Ginevra, I would have a word with you,” Professor Dumbledore said to her.
“Yes, Professor?” Ginny asked when they had stepped into the hall.
“Ginevra, it is good that you push Harry. You should, however, be aware that just because he is the one with the power to defeat Tom, that there may be things you can do that he cannot.
“Professor, are you saying that I am more powerful than either of them?” Ginny asked shocked at the idea.
“No, Ginevra, there is little doubt that they are the two most powerful sorcerers in the world. I am saying that in certain situations, Harry may not be capable of what you ask.” Ginny’s look changed from surprise to anger in an instant.
“Fear of failing her will drive the Equal to where he can defeat the Dark Lord,” she replied glaring at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore’s eyes widened. “Ginevra….”
“It is Harry’s fate to fight Tom,” Ginny cut across him. “It is my fate to see that he wins. If I have to pull both of us beyond Merlin in order for him to do it, then I will. I have accepted what I must do to accomplish my fate. I accepted it before I knew what my fate was. Perhaps you should too.”
Albus Dumbledore paused for just a second before replying. He had seen many of the wonders of the world and learned at the feet of some of the greatest minds of the last two centuries. He had gained less from them than he had from his students at this school. More than half his knowledge, his skill, had come because some overly curious student had figured out something that he had needed to counter.
Ginny had just shown him the correct interpretation of that particular line from the second prophecy. She was not meant to stand idly to the side giving Harry a reason to fight. Defeating Tom fell as much to her as it did to Harry. Harry might fight the battle, but Ginny was the one who would see that he was capable of winning. Dumbledore shook his head and smiled at her.
“I am sorry for interfering with you, Ginevra. I know you have been motivating Harry in this manner for a long time. But I have never witnessed his reaction to it. My heart hurt for him.” Ginny smiled and her voice softened.
“I know when to ask for more and when to accept what he has given me. Harry was below his ability today and he knows it. Ron is close to figuring out the final plan. I can feel it. Time is running out, Professor. Harry would accept his own death if it meant that he would defeat Tom. I am more selfish than Harry, and I will not.
“I don’t care that I am promised eternity with Harry, or that I will likely die within days of him if Tom kills him. If God will allow it, I wish to spend a full life in this world with Harry. As long as it does not involve dark magic, I will find a way to do it. He responds to my method now, if that changes, I will find another way to make him respond.”
“Very well, Ginevra. I will leave him in your hands then.”
“Goodnight Professor.”
“Goodnight Ginevra,” Professor Dumbledore answered before he walked away.
“It is a new day, Husband,” Ginny answered before opening her mind to him.
Ron’s eyes snapped open, on the morning of Christmas Eve, his heart pounding in his chest. He groaned to himself.
Again, the voices said in exasperation.
It’s not like I can control what I dream about, Ron snapped at them.
Well we can’t either, unless you’re going to start keeping one of us up, they replied.
No. Even with the dream, we’re still better off than doing that, Ron said.
We may as well get up, his second said. Ron laid there for a minute longer before carefully extracting himself from Hermione’s arms. He couldn’t quiet fathom how he slept anymore. Before he and Hermione married, he had always woken up spread out over the whole bed. Now he usually woke up about six inches from the edge of the bed with Hermione lying half on top of him, yet he never felt confined. Despite the nightmares of the last two weeks, he still felt more rested than he ever had before he was married.
Ron sat down at the desk in their bedroom studying the chessboard again. In the two weeks since he had first defeated the voices, he had not won again. Each time he had made one mistake that he had been unable to recover from. Those games had all been played with a time limit to make your play. He actually learned more that way then if he thought about a play for hours on end. Ron moved his knight and waited.
Move our bishop. Take your knight, the voices told him. Ron moved a pawn in response and studied the board while he waited for the voices to respond again. After about thirty seconds a small smile played at the corner of his mouth.
Bloody Hell! his second blurted out.
Do you yield? Ron asked.
Like hell, the voices snapped together. The game is not over yet.
Make a play then, Ron answered them.
Give us a minute.
You’re past time already.
Do you want to see if you really won, or give us the time to think about it?
Fine, take as long as you want, Ron replied getting up and heading for the shower.
Harry carried his blindfolded wife up the stairs of the astronomy tower. She may have been small, but after climbing to the last landing he was quite tired despite the condition he was in from quidditch training. Harry paused at the landing looking at the ladder that led up to the observation deck. He had not considered that.
“I’m going to have to set you down for a sec here, Gin,” Harry said, as he let her legs fall to the ground. Ginny held onto his arm getting her balance before replying.
“What are you doing with me, Potter?” she whispered excitedly.
“That would be none of your business, Gin,” Harry replied mischievously. Harry then climbed up the ladder and opened the trap door to the observation deck.
“Where did you go, Potter?” Ginny asked when she felt the breeze coming from above her.
“Do you trust me, Gin?” Harry called down to her. Ginny looked up trying to find him despite the blindfold.
“Yes, Husband.”
“Hang on then,” Harry replied as he reached out his hand and levitated Ginny up through the trap door. Ginny stifled a small squeak as her feet left the ground. A second later she found herself in his arms again.
“Well I can’t say you haven’t got my attention, Potter,” she remarked, as he walked her over to the table. “It is kind of cold up here,” she added. Harry smiled as he walked through the ward spell Dobby had set up to keep out the wind, cold and snow that was now falling.
“Better?” he asked.
“Much.”
Harry set her down again and turned her to face the table. He reached up and untied the blindfold letting it fall away from her eyes. Ginny took in the scene in front of her. Light, provided by the nearly full moon above, washed over a table set for two. Silver domed platters waited to be opened. A bucket of ice held bottles of butter beer and her favorite, cranberry juice. A single red rose rested on one chair, which Harry walked over to and turned so she could sit in it.
“We never really got a chance to do this. I was hoping you might join me for a first date, Ginevra,” Harry said quietly to her. Ginny looked at him. Even in the dim light, Harry could see her blushing furiously.
“Please?” he asked. Ginny moved somewhat hesitantly towards the chair, amazed that she could suddenly be shy in front of the man she was married to. Harry reached down and picked up the rose so she would be able to sit. He held it out to her as she drew near. Ginny reached to take the rose from him glancing into his eyes long enough to catch the smile dancing there. She smiled shyly at him then slowly lowered herself into the chair.
“Thank you,” she whispered, as Harry helped her push her chair in.
“Thank you for joining me, Ginevra,” Harry replied as he sat down across from her. They two of them sat there staring at each other for a few moments before Harry spoke again.
“Hungry?” he asked.
“Starving,” Ginny replied. Harry reached across the table and pulled the cover off of the plate in front of her and set it to the side along with the cover from his own plate.
“Do you know how to eat one of those?”
“I’m not even really sure what it is,” Ginny replied, eyeing her dinner skeptically.
“I wasn’t either. It’s a lobster. Here let me do it for you. Dobby showed me how earlier today. They were his idea.”
“You’re supposed to dip it in the butter,” Harry said as he set the plate back in front of her.
“Erm….You first,” Ginny replied, slightly appalled at the process of getting to the meat in a lobster.
“And I thought you were fearless,” Harry teased her. Ginny glared at him. Picked up her fork stabbed a bite of the lobster on it dipped it in the butter and put it into her mouth, dribbling butter onto her chin as she did. She slowly began to chew, a moment later her eyes opened wide and a large grin came over her face.
“Oh my,” she said after she had swallowed and wiped her chin with her napkin.
“Good?” Harry asked. Ginny stabbed another bite dipped it in the butter and reached across the table with it for Harry to take.
“Wow,” he said, smiling at her after swallowing. “That is good.”
“You said they were Dobby’s idea?” Ginny asked.
“Yes, I was a little concerned, but he insisted.”
“He needs a raise,” Ginny replied, as she began to devour the rest of the lobster. Harry, fascinated by the beauty in front of him, watched her quietly.
“What?” Ginny asked, pausing when she noticed him staring.
“Nothing, I was just watching you.”
“You better eat that before I get to it.”
“You can have it if you want. I’m happy to feast my eyes on you,” Harry said. Ginny snorted.
“How long did it to take you to come up with that line, Potter?” Harry grinned sheepishly and started to work on his lobster.
“About a month,” he answered. Ginny smiled at him again.
“I’m thirsty, Harry,” she said quietly. Harry reached into the bucket and filled her glass with cranberry juice for her.
“Thank you,” Ginny said after she set her glass back down.
“You’re welcome.”
Ginny blushed once more under Harry’s gaze before she started eating again.
“Oh wow, have you tried the potatoes yet?” she asked a few minutes later. Harry took a bite of the mashed potatoes, his eyes widened.
“I wonder where Dobby figured out how to make those?”
“I have no idea, but I am going to add some socks to his Christmas present for making this for us,” Ginny remarked. Harry grinned at her.
“He’ll like that.” The two of them went back to their dinners and finished eating in silence. Each pausing, here and there, to watch the other for a moment when they thought the other wasn’t looking. After they had both finished, they sat quietly staring at each other.
“Dessert?” Harry asked her after a few minutes. Ginny’s face lit up with anticipation.
“I thought you would never ask,” she said. Harry snapped his fingers and the dirty plates disappeared from the table. Another snap of his fingers and a new plate appeared in front of each of them. Ginny shot him a look, which he returned innocently.
“Proud of our self aren’t we,” she remarked.
“Are you going to see what it is, or pick on me?”
“But it’s so much fun to pick on you,” Ginny said as she lifted the cover from her plate to reveal a small, dome shaped piece of chocolate cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that was just starting to melt on top of it. Chocolate and raspberry sauce had been drizzled on the plate, and a mint leaf with three raspberries was arranged delicately on one side of the cake.
“Dobby called it Molten Chocolate Cake,” Harry said to her.
“I wonder what the ‘molten’ means?” Ginny asked. Harry shrugged his shoulders.
“Try it and find out.” Ginny cut into the cake and hot chocolate fudge began to ooze out of the middle of it.
“Guess that answers that question,” she said as she lifted her fork to her lips. The cake, fudge, ice cream, and raspberry sauce melted into every crevice of her mouth, a combination of hot and cold from the fudge and ice cream along with the mixing of the flavor from the raspberry overloaded her taste buds.
“MMMMMMMMYGOD,” Ginny groaned, her eyes closed in ecstasy. “You have to try this,” she said a second later.
“I’m waiting,” Harry replied, smiling at her expectantly. Ginny’s eyes darted to him, to the cake and back to Harry.
“No way,” she said, “eat your own. This is mine.”
Harry blinked in surprise as she took another bite of cake without offering it to him.
“So much for love,” he answered, taking the cover off his own plate and tucking in.
“There is love, Potter, and then there is Molten Chocolate Cake,” Ginny teased him.
“Merlin that is good. Isn’t it?” Harry said a second later. Ginny didn’t answer him as her mouth was full. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Ginny interrupted him by clearing her throat.
Harry looked up to see she had finished her cake and was sitting with her chin on her hands eyeing his plate, a smile like the devil himself might have playing at her mouth. A mischievous smile came over Harry’s face as he made a show of scooping the last bite of his cake onto his fork.
Making sure to scrape up the last remnants of the different sauces on his plate, he lifted the fork level with his mouth. Ginny followed the movement of his fork with her eyes, continuing to raise them when he stopped lifting it until she found his eyes with hers.
“What is it worth to you?” he asked.
“My heart for eternity,” Ginny replied.
“I already have that.”
“How about not sleeping on the couch tonight?” she asked, her eyes flashing at him.
“How about dancing with me?”
Ginny slowly stood up and leaned on the table with one hand. Locking her chocolate brown eyes on his emerald green ones, she reached across the table with her other hand and took his hand in hers. Pulling his hand to her lips she slowly opened her mouth and closed it around his fork taking the last bite of cake from it.
Keeping her eyes on his she released his hand, she slipped around the table to stand in front of him. Harry turned in his chair to face her and Ginny’s hand moved to his chin. She began to raise her hand, lifting him from his seat with her touch. As she did, she slowly chewed and then swallowed the cake. Her tongue licked her lips delicately as she sought to remove the crumbs from them. And then she began to move towards Harry; pressing her mouth hungrily against his.
Harry was transfixed by the enchantress that stood in front of him. He couldn’t have moved from where he was for anything he knew in this world. His eyes glazed as he watched the muscles in her neck move when she swallowed, and his senses overloaded when she kissed him, the taste of chocolate and raspberries still on her lips and tongue.
She pulled away from him a moment later.
“How about, because I want it?” she asked, in a soft husky voice that he had not heard before. Harry’s knees nearly buckled and his mind started to drown, intoxicated by being so near her.
“That works for me,” he gulped, as he struggled to regain control of the mess his body had become.
“I thought it would,” Ginny replied in the same husky voice. She moved in close to him laying her head on his chest. Harry swallowed hard as he felt her press into him.
“Don’t we need music to dance?” she asked after a minute. Harry, still struggling to control the feelings moving through his body, came out of the trance he was in and snapped his fingers behind her back. Music started wafting through the air a moment later.
“Very nice, Potter,” Ginny said, as they slowly swayed around the observation deck. Hours later she whispered to him.
“I’m tired, Harry. Take me to bed.”
“Not quite yet, Gin,” Harry replied, as he pulled away from her. Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. He held it in his hand for her to take.
“What’s this?”
“Open it,” he urged. Ginny reached tentatively for the box and opened the cover.
“They’re beautiful,” she gasped.
“No, Gin. You’re beautiful.” Ginny looked up into Harry’s eyes, tears of joy welling in her own.
“Will you help me put them on?” she asked in a whisper.
“I can try,” Harry answered.
“Well how do they look?” Ginny asked, after Harry finally managed to fix the back on the second earring.
“They look amazing,” he replied, gazing into her eyes.
“You’re not even looking at them you prat.”
“Why would I, Ginevra?” Ginny beamed at him.
“Thank you, Harry.”
“Happy Christmas, Gin.”
“Christmas isn’t until tomorrow, Harry.”
“Well I guess you will just be getting something else for Christmas then, won’t you?” Harry replied. Ginny smiled at him. “Though I think it is late enough that it is technically Christmas now,” he added.
“Come Husband, I’m tired,” Ginny said, taking his hand in hers and leading him to the trap door. “And I still have to give you your gift,” she added.
“Have I told you what it does to me when you call me that?” Harry asked. Ginny stopped, turned to him and kissed him deeply.
“Why do you think I still do?” she asked when she pulled away. Harry grinned and started to pull her to the trap door again.
“Thank you Dobby,” Ginny called over her shoulder as they climbed down the ladder.
“You’re welcome Mrs. Ginny,” the elf squeaked, happily from behind them.
“How did you know?” Harry asked in exasperation.
“I’m your wife, Harry. I always know.”
“You didn’t know about tonight,” Harry remarked, as they started down the stairs at the base of the ladder.
“I chose to ignore your preparations.”
“You’re bluffing, Gin.”
“Maybe, maybe not, Potter,” Harry shook his head, there was no sense in trying, he would never win.
Ron sat at the desk in his and Hermione’s bedroom staring at his chessboard.
Fine, we yield, the voices grumbled to him.
No, from now on play it to the conclusion even if you’re sure I’ll win, Ron said to the voices.
What for?
I just want to make sure.
Well don’t get used to it, that is still only the second time you have beaten us.
I know, Ron replied.
“Love, it’s Christmas tomorrow, come to bed,” Hermione said quietly, as she came up behind him.
“Alright Mione, I’m coming,” Ron replied, as he slowly stood up; still staring at the chessboard. Hermione looked down and took in the state of the game.
“You’re still playing the white side?” she asked.
“Yes I am,” he answered. “Set up for a new game,” he added to the chess pieces. The pieces started to move into position for a new game as Ron pulled Hermione towards the bed. He lay down on his back and she climbed in next to him lying with her head on his chest.
“Whose turn was it, Love?” Hermione asked quietly.
“The voices were up,” Ron replied sleepily, it had been a long day for him as he had trained against the Cruciatus curse. He drifted off quickly while Hermione listened to his heart beating in his chest. She thought about the positions of the pieces; trying to see what move the voices would make and if Ron had a response.
Hermione was nowhere near the caliber player that Ron was. She had, however, played enough against Ron, Harry and Ginny that she understood the game. She was capable of keeping track of all the pieces on the board and following one or two scenarios three to four moves into the future.
He won! Hermione’s second blurted, excitedly about twenty minutes later.
Of course he won, he’s playing himself, her first remarked.
No you nitwit. Ron won, he beat his voices, one against three, her second snapped.
Oh…. the first voice said. Comprehension of what the second voice was saying dawning on her.
He only wins if he plays the rest of the game out without making a mistake, the third voice interjected cautiously.
This is Ron we’re talking about, the second voice said exasperated with the other two. Our husband, you may have met him. He is the chess genius; the person whom you may remember pummeled us, Harry, Ginny and the Headmaster this past summer. Hermione smiled happily.
Why didn’t he tell us? the voices asked a moment later.
Maybe he hadn’t figured it out yet, Hermione commented, frowning slightly. He seemed distracted, and he did fall asleep in about two minutes tonight.
Then why did he set up a new game? the voices replied.
I don’t know. We can ask him in the morning. I’m not waking him now, not with the way he has been sleeping for the past two weeks, Hermione answered before she drifted off to sleep herself.
Hermione woke very early on Christmas morning. Light from a not yet risen sun was just starting to penetrate the darkness of the night. Something was definitely wrong, and a second later she knew what it was. Ron was missing; he had been getting up early ever since the dream had started a little over two weeks ago. This was much too early.
Sitting up in the bed a wave of relief washed over her as she saw him sitting at their desk. She smiled to herself.
The chess game, the voices said quietly to her.
He is fairly obsessed with it lately, she replied to them.
“Love,” she called to him. Ron jumped slightly, surprised that his solitude was intruded upon.
“Go back to sleep, Mione,” he said quietly.
“I miss you,” she said holding her hand out towards him, indicating that she wanted him to come back to her. Ron shook his head.
“I can’t sleep anymore,” he answered. Hermione crawled out of their bed pulling the cover with her. She walked over to him and sat in his lap wrapping the blanket around both of them. Ron let her settle into him and wrapped his arms around her waist. Hermione studied the chessboard in front of her.
“Whose turn is it?”
“Black,” Ron replied quietly, resting his head against her back. “I love you, Hermione Weasley,” he said a moment later. Hermione smiled in the dim light and placed her hand on his. She continued to study the board. Not noticing, that with the clouds building and the snow starting to fall, it was getting darker instead of lighter as the sun came up. It took her half an hour to find the answer.
“Lost again, didn’t you?” she asked.
“Yes, Mione,” he answered. Hermione pulled her hand out of the covers and swept her arm across the board, clearing it. She then began to replace the pieces. Arranging them as they had been the previous night when she had figured out that he had won. Ron curiously peered around her side watching her progress.
“It is the black side’s turn,” she whispered quietly to him. Ron recognized the positions before she finished placing the last piece. He rested his head on her back again and closed his eyes. “Play it to the end for me, Ronald.” Her words were hardly out of her mouth before he directed the black side to move. In a steady succession of instructions that never paused, he made five more plays for each side.
“Check,” the white, queen’s side, bishop said to the black king.
“Finish the game,” Ron said quietly to the black king as it turned to look towards him and Hermione. The black king nodded and moved sideways one space, striking the bishop so violently that it was thrown completely off of the table. Hermione watched in fascination, not quite catching the slight, sudden shudder that ripped through Ron’s body as the bishop shattered on the stone floor. The white queen then moved across the board, her staff swinging through the air to strike the black king. The black king shattered, falling in tiny pieces around the queen’s feet.
“I was right, you won, Ronald,” she whispered in awe. Ron waved his hand towards the shattered pieces.
“Repairo!” he muttered, and then summoned the bishop to him. Holding it in his hand, he stared at it as if it was the most precious thing he had ever held in his life.
“I know, Mione….That was the second time. I won a little more than two weeks ago also,” he answered struggling to control his voice. Hermione turned in his lap and pulled his face towards her so she could see his eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked. Ron’s body began to shudder. And she could see the fear that flashed in his eyes. Hermione felt her heart lurching in her chest.
How can he be this scared that we are upset about him not telling us? the voices whispered to her.
“I’m not angry with you, Ronald,” Hermione said to him.
“I know, Mione.” Hermione tilted her head at him, very confused by his behavior.
“Why are you so upset, then?” Ron turned away from her, pushing her suddenly out of his lap he stormed away towards his dresser.
“I’m not upset,” he snapped. Hermione stood in the middle of the floor where he had deposited her. She watched him angrily pulling clothes out for the day and turn to go in the bathroom.
“You stop right there, Ronald Weasley!” she snapped at him. Ron stopped in his tracks and turned to face her but didn’t meet her eyes.
“You will not walk away from me when I am talking to you,” Hermione said angrily to him. Ron flinched as if she had slapped him. Hermione walked over to him and lifted his face so he had to look at her.
“Now tell me what is wrong,” she said, her temper gone. Ron’s mouth twitched slightly and she could feel him shudder again.
“Nothing is wrong, Hermione,” he replied. “I’ll find another way,” he added and tried to head for the bathroom again. Hermione grabbed him by the arm.
“How many times do I have to tell you, that you will not walk away from me when I am talking to you?” she asked, her temper back again.
Ron had changed drastically the summer he bought the diary. He had resolved not to get in fights with Hermione about stupid things. He had realized that he needed to treat her differently if he was ever going to find a way to tell her he was in love with her.
Since Hermione had decided it would be Harry or Ron who she chose, she had come to the conclusion she needed to treat Ron differently if she was to ever hope he would look at her. Those separately made, yet mutually beneficial decisions had brought an end to the blazing rows of the first five years of their relationship.
This however, was not a subject that Ron was able to look at objectively. He was trying desperately, because he knew she didn’t know what she was talking about, but Hermione was starting to push him too far. If he wanted some privacy, he had a right to it. Ron glared at her.
“I told you, nothing is wrong. There has to be another way, all I have to do is find it.
Now, may I go shower?” he asked angrily.
“Another way to do what, Ronald?” she replied.
“Mione, we are supposed to open gifts with Harry and Ginny this morning. Not to mention the Christmas breakfast that is being served at 10:30. I would like to shower before we do any of that.”
“You are not going anywhere until you answer my question.”
“Another way to win the game, Mione,” Ron snapped at her. “Now, may I go?” he asked in exasperation.
“No, you may not. You will tell me why you are so upset about some silly game.” Her last comment was too much and Ron snapped.
“It is not some silly game!” he yelled at her. Hermione blinked in shock. She hated the way their relationship had brutalized each other’s feelings before they both came to their senses. She knew she still infuriated him at times, and he did the same to her. They still had their disagreements and arguments, but hearing his voice raised in this manner against her again constricted her heart.
He yelled at us, the voices said, trembling with hurt.
“It is the plan, Hermione!” Ron continued to rant at her. “I didn’t realize it until this morning. Those are not pieces on the board. They are people. THIS,” he screamed, shaking the bishop that was still in his hand in her face. “IS MY SISTER!” he finished, and before she could recover turned and stormed into the bathroom slamming the door behind him.
Hermione stood in the middle of the room, staring at the bathroom door in shock, trying to digest what Ron had just said to her.
What? the voices whispered to her.
How can the game be his plan? her second asked timidly.
It is a metaphor, Hermione answered, as she quickly walked over to the board and set the pieces on it again. She studied it again for a moment, even with the bishop missing, she could see it.
Oh my, the voices whispered in fear to her. Hermione shook her head, regaining her composure; she quickly scribbled a note onto a piece of parchment.
“Pig, come here,” Hermione called to the owl. “Quickly, take this to the Headmaster.” She then walked over to the bathroom, pausing a moment before she entered. As she opened the door a wave of steam hit her. Hermione stepped into the bathroom, closing the door softly behind her. She quickly undressed and opened the door to the shower.
Ron sank to his knees on the floor of the shower letting the water wash over him as his body shook violently.
You have been trying since the first time. Every game you have lost since then is because you tried to save her, or we were simply better, the voices commented.
There has to be another way, Ron replied desperately.
There is, you can tell Harry the secret from Ginny’s memories and let him fight alone. He and Voldemort are equal though. Harry will destroy him, but there is little doubt it will cost him his life. You could sacrifice yourself, or Hermione, but Ginny is stronger than both of you. She will weaken him the most and give Harry the advantage that will let him live.
Ginny will die though, Ron answered.
That is not a given. Besides that, you know that if Ginny dies, so do we, so does Hermione. If either we or Hermione play the part you have for Ginny, all three of us will for sure die. Only Ginny has the means to escape. Only Ginny can do this and allow any of us to live, the voices answered.
Ron turned when he felt the rush of cold air hit him from the shower door opening. He looked up at Hermione, the fact that the water was washing away his tears could not hide that he was crying uncontrollably.
“Mione,” he whispered to her. Hermione closed the door and sank down on the floor of the shower with him. Pulling him into her arms, she held him, watching the water going down the drain as his body was wracked with sobs. When he calmed enough to look at her she just smiled at him.
“You told Dumbledore, didn’t you?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“There are other ways, Mione.”
“It will work Ronald. Dumbledore will decide if you should keep searching. Forgive yourself, Love.
Hold me, Mione.” Hermione pulled Ron close again letting him rest against her. After a short time she lifted his lips to hers and kissed him gently. He responded to her slowly then more forcefully as her hand slid along his arm. She took his hand and entwined her fingers with his, her kisses becoming more insistent and hungry. Hermione broke away from his lips kissing his chin and moving to his neck. Her teeth gently bit at him as she worked her way towards his ear. Ron’s body shuddered with each touch of her lips on his skin.
“Make love to me, Ronald,” she said to him.
“Here?” he whispered in reply.
With the water washing over them, Hermione pulled him on top of her as she laid back on the floor in response.
Ron sat on the couch holding his head in his hands, talking to the floor. Hermione was on the floor in front of him on her knees. Her arms wrapped around his legs she rested her head on his lap. Albus Dumbledore stared at the chessboard listening quietly. When Ron had finished, he let the debate rage in his mind.
Again he found himself amazed at one of his students. Actually both of them in the room confounded him. Hermione had not known the entirety of the plan, only that Ron had found something that would work. She had not flinched when she learned what hers and Ronald’s role would be.
Dumbledore had known about the mind linking potion Hermione and Ginny had created. They had used it to increase the time they could stand against Harry. They all would have reached the point they were now at eventually. But it had accelerated their growth and by default Harry’s. What he had not anticipated was the way Ron was going to use it to attack Tom. It was only a defensive weapon, or so he had thought.
The boy is truly a strategic genius, the voices remarked.
We have known that since his first year, Dumbledore replied.
Yes we have. But this…. they answered.
For once Harry will not rely on luck, Dumbledore replied.
Is she capable of standing against him like this? It will take two to three weeks to really have an effect on Tom, the first voice said.
We could do it, Dumbledore’s third said.
Ginny’s power now exceeds our own. She lacks knowledge, but we can change that. She is capable of doing this and will have Ron and Hermione helping her. She can also leave at any time. This is beyond brilliant, Dumbledore said finishing the conversation.
“You have not told Harry or Ginny any of this yet?” Dumbledore asked quietly.
“Hermione and I figured out what we thought was the key in Ginny’s scar a few weeks ago. We told Ginny about that and after looking at things in her mind again, all three of us are positive we have that correct. But I only figured this out,” Ron said gesturing at the chessboard, “this morning.”
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. “I would like to see these memories that each of you have of Ginny’s possession,” he said to them after a moment. Ron flinched.
“Wouldn’t it be enough to see mine, sir?” he asked.
“It’s ok, Love,” Hermione whispered to him. Ron closed his eyes tightly as he tried to suppress the part of him that wanted to scream in agony.
“Why couldn’t I have been born a Muggle?” he mumbled under his breath.
“Because I needed you, Ronald,” Hermione answered him, squeezing his legs tightly in her arms. Ron opened his eyes to look at her.
“I love you, Mione,” he answered smiling weakly at her.
There is no doubt that they have found the key to defeating Tom, Dumbledore’s first commented after he had looked in both Hermione and Ron’s minds. Dumbledore simply starred off into space as he contemplated everything Ron and Hermione had told him that morning.
“Sir?” Ron asked. Dumbledore’s attention snapped back to Ron and Hermione.
“Neither of you has to do this,” Dumbledore said.
“And Harry could run and hide; leaving us all at Voldemort’s mercy,” Ron growled at him. Dumbledore held his hand up to stop Ron from going further.
“You are both prepared to play these parts then?” he asked solemnly.
“Yes, sir,” they replied together without hesitation.
“We want Harry to live, sir, not just destroy Tom,” Hermione added.
“As do I. This does not guarantee that though,” Dumbledore replied.
“It makes it more likely,” Hermione retorted. Dumbledore held his hand up again for her to stop.
“It is not me that will need to be convinced or even Ginny, it is Harry. Let us hope she can make him see things her way.” Ron and Hermione’s only response was to exchange a nervous glance. “It is time to set things in motion then,” Dumbledore continued. “Hermione, will you ask Harry and Ginevra to join us?” Hermione took a deep breath and slowly stood up; she kissed Ron on the top of his head and left the room.
“Come in,” Ginny called over her shoulder; turning away from the mirror where she had been admiring the diamond earrings Harry had given her the night before. Hermione came in the room and stopped halfway to her.
“Happy Christmas, Hermione,” Ginny said, brightly to her. “Sorry we’re late. Harry and I will be out in a few minutes,” she added. Hermione’s mouth twitched into a smile as she looked at her.
“They’re beautiful, Gin,” she said, trying desperately to cover how uncomfortable she was. Ginny beamed at her.
“It was amazing, Hermione. He had dinner for two. The only light was from the moon. Dobby cast a ward spell to keep out the wind and the cold. He danced with me for hours, just the two of us, Hermione. I forgot about everything,” she gushed.
Hermione smiled as best she could, but could not will away her tears when Ginny said she had forgotten all of her troubles. Ginny caught it a second later.
“What?” she asked nervously.
“Where is Harry?”
“He’s in the shower,” Ginny replied. Hermione opened her mouth and closed it again. She had no idea it would be this difficult to tell Ginny, and she was only telling her the plan was ready. She was not telling her what it was.
“What’s wrong, Hermione?” Ginny asked, growing more nervous by the moment.
“Please tell me that bastard hasn’t attacked anyone today.”
“The Headmaster is in our room right now. He would like you and Harry to join us,” Hermione said quickly, and then dropped her eyes to the floor.
“What for?” Ginny asked her mind racing with the possibilities of what could be wrong. Hermione took a deep breath and raised her face to Ginny’s again.
“Ron is finished, Ginny.” Ginny looked at her quizzically for a moment. And then her eyes went wide while her lip started to tremble. A moment later she was blinking furiously.
“I’ll….I’ll get Harry,” she whispered. Hermione nodded and turned to go, she was almost to the door when she stopped.
“Ginevra.” Ginny looked up, Hermione had never called her that before.
“Y…Yes?”
“You should know that I made love to my husband this morning,” she said. Ginny swallowed.
“Th…Thank you f…for telling me, Hermione….Harry and I will be there shortly.”
“I’m sorry, Ginny….For everything,” Hermione said, and quickly left before she couldn’t walk anymore. Ginny stood in the middle of the room cold shivers running through her body. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly trying to control her shaking. As she looked around the room her eyes fell on her wedding photo and then the photo album of Harry’s parents. The image of Lily simply gazed back at her.
“He will not die!” Ginny said angrily and then walked into the bathroom.
Harry stared in disbelief at Professor Dumbledore. He turned to Ginny.
“It can’t be true, Ginny.”
“Search your heart, Harry. You have seen every memory in my mind of Tom possessing me. You know what the truth is.”
Harry thought about what he had been told, running through what had happened to Ginny when Tom had possessed her. The others simply watched him. Giving him the time he needed to reach the conclusions they had come to.
It must be the truth, the voices finally said to him.
So how do we use it? Harry asked.
Ask Ron, his second replied. Harry smirked at his own stupidity.
“So what is the rest of your plan, Ron?” he asked looking at his friend. Ron closed his eyes tightly. It was Professor Dumbledore who started explaining things to Harry and Ginny.
Harry’s eyes grew wide and his heart started pounding in his chest. Without realizing it, his magic started to pulse in the room, rattling the windows in their frames and then his anger exploded.
“NO!” he thundered advancing on Ron. “How could you?” he demanded. Ron blanched but didn’t back away from him. Ginny stepped in front of Harry before he could tackle Ron or worse.
“SIT DOWN!” she stormed back at him, power radiating from her. The air around her crackled with electricity and a breeze started to blow towards her in the manner it had rushed at her that past spring in the field, when she had stood over what she thought was Harry’s dead body.
Hermione had seen this in Ron’s mind. Even though Ginny had not reached the level of that display, her heart skipped a beat. It was enough to give Harry pause. His face twitched as he glared at Ron.
“Sit down!” Ginny demanded pointing at the chair Harry had just vacated. Harry’s eyes shifted from Ron to Dumbledore to Hermione and then to Ginny.
“Sit down, Harry,” she said softly to him. Harry slowly backed up and sat down in his chair again. Ginny moved in front of him; effectively trapping him.
“Ronald, Hermione, perhaps you should leave for now,” she said while continuing to watch Harry. He may have acquiesced to her demands, but he was anything but calm. Ron and Hermione glanced at each other quickly.
“We’re staying, Ginny,” they replied.
“I am telling you to leave us. We will speak with you when my husband is in a reasonable state,” Ginny told them calmly while glaring at Harry. The two of them glanced towards Professor Dumbledore, who nodded at them, indicating that they should leave. When the door closed behind them, Ginny spoke again.
“Do you think you can control yourself enough to listen to the rest or do we need to wait?” she asked. Harry scowled at her but didn’t say anything.
“Just listen to the rest of it. We can discuss it afterwards, Harry.”
“Fine,” he replied slumping back in the chair. Ginny turned to Professor Dumbledore.
“Please finish, Headmaster,” she said to him. Dumbledore let out a breath he had not realized he was holding and proceeded to finish telling Harry and Ginny the rest of Ron’s plan. When he had finished, Ginny and Harry continued to simply glare at each other.
“Please leave us now, Professor,” Ginny said when he had finished. Harry watched him go and the second the door closed, he was out of his chair.
“Ginny….” he started. She interrupted him.
“Did you really think Ron would do nothing to protect me?”
“I….No,” Harry finally replied.
“You will apologize to him and Hermione.” Harry folded his arms defiantly across his chest.
“And you’re not going to do this. Neither are they,” he answered, in a raised voice.
“And who will stop me!?” Ginny screamed at him. Her fists clenched at her sides as she leaned into the words she directed at Harry.
“I won’t allow it Ginny!” Harry stormed back at her. “That Ron and Hermione are a part of it only reinforces that.”
“Why not?” Ginny snapped tears of desperation starting to fall from her eyes. Harry softened instantly and moved towards her.
“Ginny, please, don’t cry,” he said softly to her. Ginny backed away from him as he moved to her. Harry paused in his advance, surprised that she would back away from him.
“Why not, Husband?” she yelled at him. “Why are you allowed to save the world, and I am not allowed to save you?”
“Because I can’t handle you being hurt like this,” Harry replied softly while taking a step towards her again. Ginny didn’t back away this time, and Harry, thinking he had won, moved to close the rest of the distance between them.
“And I cannot live without you,” she whispered as her tears streamed down her cheeks. Harry staggered back as if she had struck him.
“Y…You think I will fail?” he whispered his heart breaking. If Ginny didn’t believe in him, he could never do this. Ginny saw the clouds filling his eyes and instantly moved to him grasping both sides of his face in her hands forcing him to look her in the eye.
“No, Husband. Never, for a second, have I ever doubted you. I know you will destroy him.” Harry could see the truth of her words in her eyes and the strength returned to his heart. The clouds began to clear from his eyes as he spoke.
“Then why, Gin, why must I allow this?” he asked as he reached up and took her hands in his.
“Because I fear, we all fear, the price of your victory, this is the last thing we can do to help you live. This is the last thing I can do to help you live. You know that we can do this, Harry. You know I can do this.”
“Ginny please….”
“Harry, I accepted that I would have to let you fight Tom that I would have to let you fight for me. Why haven’t you accepted that I will fight for you?”
“I have Ginny, but not like this, not against him. Ginny I’m begging you; don’t make me let you do this.” The two of them looked at each other for a moment, silence hanging between them. “No, Ginny, please don’t,” Harry whispered in anguish when he realized what she was about to do.
“I’m sorry, Husband. This is my request.”
“Ginny….” Harry pleaded sinking to his knees in front of her with his arms wrapped around her waist; his eyes closed tightly as he tried to prevent his tears from forming. Ginny placed her hands on the back of his head and pulled his face tight against her stomach. She held him for a few moments before she spoke again
“This is my request, Harry.” Harry’s shoulders slumped.
“You win, Ginny,” he whispered in defeat.
“You will promise, Harry. You will promise not to disappear on me. You will promise not to run of to face him before it is time. You will wait until Ron sends you.”
“I promise, Ginny.” Ginny moved her hand from the back of his head to his chin and lifted his face so he had to look at her.
“I promise, Ginny,” he said again when their eyes met. Ginny continued to lift her hand pulling him to his feet with her touch.
“I will save you, and you will save me, or we will die together,” she said softly. “You have known that since the day you put your mother’s ring on my finger. In truth we have both known it since the day you showed me the first prophecy.” Harry sighed deeply and closed his eyes again.
“I’m sorry, Ginny.”
“Harry, the only pain worse than your death would be having you deny me when you truly loved me, you have nothing to be sorry for. Forgive yourself and gather your strength. You will need it to save me.”
Harry opened his eyes again and smiled at her. And while his smile was weak, the fire blazing away in his eyes was not. The clouds of doubt that sometimes still plagued him faded away leaving them crystal clear. She moved her hand to the side of his face, and returned his smile.
“I love you, Harry James Potter. I cannot begin to express it or show it. There is nothing that is good that I would not attempt if you asked me.”
“I love you too, Ginevra Molly Potter.”
Ron looked up when Harry and Ginny opened the door exiting his and Hermione’s bedroom. Harry walked purposefully over and stood in front of Ron, who stood up to meet him. They looked at each other, searching for the right thing to say. Something passed between them without words or thought and they moved at the same time to embrace the other. Ginny came up behind Harry and wrapped her arms around both of them. Harry held his hand out to Hermione who took it and let him pull her into the embrace.
“We will be using Ronald’s plan, Headmaster,” Ginny said after a minute.
“I will begin the preparations,” he replied quietly and headed towards the door.
“Professor.” Professor Dumbledore stopped
“Yes, Ronald?”
“He may call our bluff, make sure things are in place for that also.”
“We will prepare for everything we can, Ronald.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I am sorry, but you four must resume your normal schedules when classes start again. There are spies in the castle,” Dumbledore said.
“We know, sir,” Ron said.
“I know this will not be easy, but try to enjoy the rest of today and the Holidays.”
“We’ll try, sir,” Ron replied. Dumbledore nodded and closed the door behind him.