A Girl's Song

Chapter Four: The Girl in the Mirror

Disclaimer: No ownership of the characters

Harry rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. It was five AM, and after about four and a half hours of searching for Ginny, he was exhausted. Not that he wasn't worried; it was his worry that was keeping him awake. Harry snorted.

It figured. As soon as he found a girl he might be able to happily be happy with, she decided to run away. Harry sighed. They (Ron, Hermione, and later Neville and the twins) had checked all over the castle for the spry redhead to no avail. She was nowhere to be found. The others had finally decided to go to Dumbledore, for Ginny was often more responsible than this and they feared what might had happened to her. Harry had not worked up the courage to tell them what had transpired between the two, and feeling guilty, he somehow ended up in front of Ginny's dorm room. Sighing again, Harry opened the door to the room.

The room looked like no one had lived in it for decades. Both Hermione and Ginny were notorious neat freaks, so the cleanliness was not suspicious to Harry. Though herm was a sixth year and Gin a fifth year, they were allowed to share a room together, and they were the perfect match.

Harry solemnly made his way to Ginny's night table, noting the picture of her with her arm around him that day long ago in the Burrow. They had looked so happy. If only, Harry thought, if only I hadn't been such a fool. He squinted and rubbed his eyes. Something had caught his attention, off to the side in front of the wide, pink bed Ginny slept on.

Laying there across the wooden desk Hermione used for studying was a crumpled wad of parchment. Harry furrowed his brow, a thought skittering across his mind. For some reason, he was suddenly overtaken by an unsatiable urge to read that paper. He moved cautiously across the carpeted floor, his eyes fastened on the object of his desire. He held in his breath as his fingers grazed the table; there was a great tide of emotion flooding through him, a wave of power sweeping through and emanating off his palms. He closed his eyes, savoring the great rush of power that surged through him.

With a start, his eyes flew open. The parchment was slowly unfurling. He took a shuddering breath and snatched the paper from the table. Wrestling with it, he desperately tried to force the paper open. For reasons unknown, Harry could not contain himself. He felt a deep, primal need to read that parchment. Finally, with a great sigh, the paper gave up. It made a heaving sound and Harry felt the parchment give away and tear. Gasping, he tried frantically to stop it from tearing, but it didn't work. Harry was left staring dejectedly at twin forms of blotchy parchment. All at once, the tension surrounding him vanished. The emotions surging through him suddenly slipped out, and Harry shook his head, bewildered. What should he do now?

"Harry..." Harry whirled around the room.

"Where is that coming from? Who said that?" He yelled this louder than he intended; the fight with the paper had left him a bit creeped out.

No answer came.

Then, "Harry Potter...Turn around..."

Turning, Harry gazed in awe at the large, ornate mirror that stood on top of the twin dressers. Reflected in the liquidy crystal was a blurry outline of a girl. Harry's mouth dropped and he moved slowly, cautiously towards the gaping maw of the ancient furniture piece. He reached out a tentative hand and touched the smooth surface of the mirror. The girl stayed where she was, but tiny lines slowly made their way across the mirror, greatly resembling ripples travelling through a pond. The image of the female blurred again, then focused, bringing to image the picture of a tall, beautiful red haired woman. She looked about twenty, twenty one, and she had sparkling eyes that brightened her skin. Harry felt a familiar jump in his stomach, and he gasped.

The girl in the mirror was Ginny!

Harry gasped again, involuntarily. It seemed pretty much everything he was doing was involuntary right now. Shaking his messy hair out of his eyes, he pushed his glasses up.

His vision cleared. Yep. The girl was still there.

“Gin,” he started hesistantly, “Ginny, is that…is she…are you…um,” he looked down and then up, “You?”

The woman in the mirror smiled half-heartedly.

“Yes, Harry. It’s Ginny.” Her voice was soft, cultured, and it surprised Harry to hear Ginny, shy Ginny, speak with such assurance. “I seem to be in a bit deep, hmm?”

Harry smiled too. His stomach dropped a little when Ginny scrutinized him.

“Harry,” she started, her eyes widening, “Not that I’m not happy that you’re here and all, but how exactly have you arrived here? And now? I’ve been trying to get Hermione’s attention all night, and then Ron’s when he came here to search for clues.” Ginny twisted her hands nervously, a gesture that Harry recognized.

He touched the cool glass lightly. “They couldn’t see you? Well, don’t worry, Gin. I can.” he said, trying to soothe Ginny’s mind a bit.

Ginny shook her head. “Yes,” she said desperately, “That’s exactly what I was afraid of.”