Secrets

Harry waited anxiously for the school day to be over so he could see Ginny. He realized it was slightly pathetic how much his happiness depended upon her presence in his life, but he couldn't help it. She was so perfect. The way her whole face lit up when she laughed, the way her beautiful chocolate eyes danced when she spoke. The way she moved-she was so...graceful. She was so real. She never put on an act for anyone; she was always herself. And that was just the way Harry liked her.

"Harry?" Ron was staring at him expectantly. "Class is over. You reckon we should leave?"

Harry realized he, Hermione, and Ron were the only ones left in the room. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts of a beautiful redhead, he stood quickly and collected his books.

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Harry dismounted and slung his Firebolt over his shoulder, breathing heavily. He wiped the sweat from his brow as the others from his team joined him on the ground.

Practice today had been especially grueling, and the state of his team was quite a sight to see. Every last one of them was sweaty and muddy. Harry loved Quidditch, but training in the rain was never the most fun thing to do.

Ginny leaned wearily on her Nimbus Two Thousand and One. Her hair clung messily to her neck, but Harry just thought it made her more appealing.

Dragging his thoughts away from her for the millionth time that night, he called an end to the practice and they hit the showers.

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Harry hurried through his shower, as he always did, and waited outside the girls' locker room, as he always did.

And there she was, looking as fresh and clean and beautiful as she always did right after her showers. It wasn't like she wasn't beautiful any other time either. But she always looked so new and soft when she came out of that room. And if he stood close enough to her, he could smell the strawberry stuff she always used in her hair.

But rather than stopping next to him as she usually did, she continued on. She hadn't seemed to notice he was there.

"Ginny?" she startled at the sound of his voice. She turned to look at him. Her hand came to her mouth as she realized who it was and why he was there. "Are you ready to go?"

"Harry," her voice seemed strangely strained. "I completely forgot. I'm so sorry-I can't come tonight. I've got to, well, I- well, I just can't come. I'm really sorry, will you ever forgive me?"

Harry stared at her for a moment. She forgot? How could she forget? We always go up to the astronomy tower to talk after practice. She forgot? It's my favorite part of the day.

"Harry?" Ginny asked, her eyes full of concern. Harry gave her a smile, hoping it didn't look unnatural.

"No problem, Ginny. I have some stuff to do anyway." 'Stuff'? What stuff? Sitting in the common room feeling sorry for yourself while Ron and Hermione snog doesn't count. You're really lame, Potter.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" she sounded distressed. Good job, you big selfish git, you made her unhappy.

"Of course not-" The concerned look disappeared instantly.

"Thanks, Harry. You're brilliant, really. I'll make it up to you." And she disappeared. Ok, so technically she turned around and walked away, but basically, she was no longer there.

And, not for the first time that day, Harry was alone, feeling stupid.

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"Hermione, I need to talk to you-alone." She looked up from her book, slightly taken aback. She wasn't the only one. Ron was peering at him curiously from behind Hermione's shoulder. It had taken Harry awhile to get used to Hermione sitting in Ron's lap, but now he barely thought of it. When he did think of it, it was always with a slight hint of envy that he didn't have someone to sit in his lap.

"Ron, go away." Hermione said as she gave Harry a thoughtful look. Whatever Harry had to say must be pretty serious if he wasn't willing to talk about it in front of Ron.

"What?" Ron asked. "Whatever Harry has to say to you, he can say in front of me. Right, Harry?" Harry avoided looking Ron in the eye.

"Ron, go away." Harry attempted to ignore the hurt look in Ron's face as he quickly got up, unseating Hermione.

"Ron-" Hermione tried to console him by laying a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it away, trying to hide his confusion.

"I'm-I'm going to go do my potions homework-upstairs." As he left, Harry looked uncomfortably at Hermione.

"Well?" she looked at him expectantly. Harry took a breath.

"It's about Ginny." Hermione's face held a sudden look of understanding.

"So that's why you didn't want to talk about it in front of Ron."

"Yeah, and please don't tell him. If he realized how much I like Ginny he'd-" Harry paused.

"Punch your face in?" Hermione suggested helpfully and smiled. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. Anyway, I don't think he'd believe me if I told him. He's so oblivious. The entire school knows you're head over heels for that girl except him."

"And Ginny." The smile disappeared from Hermione's face. She shot him a sympathetic look.

"Is that what this is about? Your unrequited love towards Ginny?"

"No! Of course not-well, maybe some. It's just-" Harry stopped, unsure how to continue.

"Yes?" Hermione said, slightly impatient. Harry took a deep breath.

"I'm worried about her," he began. "She hasn't been to Quidditch practice in two days, she hasn't been inside the common room before curfew in over a week, she got a sixty two percent in Charms yesterday-it's her best subject!-and she doesn't come to meals anymore." Hermione blinked.

"Harry-"

"But that's not all. At first I thought she was avoiding me-that I was starting to get on her nerves, that she'd realized she didn't like me. But something just isn't right."

"Harry-"

"And I can't talk to Ron about this, because you know how he is, he'd immediately assume Tom Riddle was possessing her again, and then he'd kick my face in. But what if Tom Riddle IS possessing her, and I'm just sitting here while the most evil thing to ever walk the planet is hurting her sweet, innocent, perfect self and-"

"Harry!" Hermione said sharply, interrupting Harry's outburst. Harry looked at her, out of breath. Hermione sighed.

"Tom Riddle isn't possessing her." Hermione's voice sounded weary. Harry stared at her for a moment.

"You mean you know what's wrong?" he asked eagerly. Reluctantly Hermione nodded.

"Well?" Hermione said nothing, avoiding eye contact. "What?"

"I can't tell you," she said in a small voice, "Ginny made me promise."

"Why on Earth would she do that?!" Harry felt frustration building inside him.

"Because she knew you and Ron would react badly!" Hermione snapped. "Sorry, Harry. I can't tell you. You need to talk to Ginny about it."

She collected her stack of books quickly and made her way to the stairs. Before she disappeared up the steps, she turned towards Harry again.

"You're right about one thing," she said quietly, "Something isn't right."