Parallel

CHAPTER 11: CONVERSATION/ARGUMENTS

Fortunately they began to speak of other things after this, which was a good thing, because it was just at this precise moment that the door opened and a still-sleepy but fully-dressed Harry walked in. Molly and Hermione greeted him with nods and smiles, Ginny with a smile and kiss. "Why'd you leave, Gin? I missed you." He reached for her nearest hand and brought it to his lips, then bent down to nuzzle her neck, still holding her hand; the other two women pretended not to notice.

"Couldn't sleep, luv," she explained. "So I decided to come down and have a talk with Mum and Hermione while she fixed breakfast."

"Feeling all right? I couldn't help noticing that you've looked quite peaky lately and you've not been eating." His tone showed the proper concern for her well-being, but at the same time, Ginny knew even Harry's patience wasn't limitless. He was surely curious regarding her recent behaviour and if she didn't supply him with answers soon, he'd take matters into his own hands to find out for himself, whatever he had to do.

"I'm all right now ... and I ate some, so that should help."

"I hope so," Harry returned. "Remember, we've got to remain as healthy as possible during this quest." He yawned deeply and stretched, then sat down and looked at Molly expectantly, but she was already getting his food together for him. Within moments it was set before him via her wand, complete with a large glass of pumpkin juice, and he began to eat. He looked around after a few moments. "Ron not up yet?"

"No," Hermione supplied. "You know how he is. Never likes to get up early."

"Makes you wonder how he ever made it through Hogwarts, then," Harry joked between bites of food and drinks of juice.

"I think it was me as much as anything," Hermione remarked. "Particularly all the times I bailed you two out when you hadn't bothered to study or take notes."

Before she could go into a long harangue on the subject, Harry changed it to a more current one: the quest for the remaining Horcruxes and what they intended to do once the final showdown came to pass ... and no one in the room had any illusions that it wouldn't, particularly not once the last of the Horcruxes had been destroyed except for the one in Voldemort himself.

"Been able to find anything which might lead us to one of the other Horcruxes yet, Harry?" Hermione couldn't help asking.

"No, but I intend to keep looking. What about you?"

Hermione shook her head, but they weren't on a time-limit here. They would take as long as necessary, whatever was necessary, to find the Horcruxes. Until then, it was simply a matter of staying one step ahead of the Death Eaters and/or dementors. In spite of himself, Harry couldn't help an evil grin. Wouldn't it be something if the dementors got Voldemort instead of him or one of his companions and didn't realise it until it was too late?

"Harry, dear, that is a most unpleasant smile. What are you thinking?" Molly asked suspiciously.

"Oh, nothing really, just how great it would be if one of the dementors got Voldemort while trying to catch one of us," Harry replied. "That would really take care of him but good to have what little soul he still has after we get through with him sucked out of him. I might not even have to kill him then, since he'd already be worse than dead."

"Why does it have to be you that does it?" Ginny put in petulantly. "Why couldn't it be one of us--even me?"

Harry gave his fiancée a funny look.

"Well, why couldn't it? I'm just as much a witch as you are a wizard, you know."

"I know, Gin, but you don't have a psychic link with the Dark Lord. I do. That's why I have the kind of nightmares I do ... which are more like visions than dreams."

"You forget, I was possessed by him at one point. That's something even you haven't experienced, Mister Big Shot," she threw back. "Why must you feel that it's your personal duty to save the world, as if no one else was capable?"

He gave her a sheepish smile. "My 'stupid nobility', I guess. And the fact that I'm supposed to be the 'Chosen One,' the one prophesied to kill him."

"Just the same, I'm frankly convinced that you've got something that Muggles call a 'Messiah complex', an almost obsessive need to try and save the world, and never mind the danger to yourself. What's more, it's a strong belief that you're the only one who can. Dad once told me that they lock up people like that in the Muggle world. I don't remember Sirius ever mentioning that your father ever felt such a compulsive need to go out and risk his life trying to save the world. Makes me wonder where you got it from."

This latest tirade struck a mental alarm inside Harry's head and he set down his fork, this time giving his intended a hard look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I simply mean that it's unnecessary, not to mention ridiculous, for you to constantly be the one to take the weight of the whole world on your shoulders. No matter how good a wizard you are, Harry, even you are just one. And you're young. Even grown wizards need help sometimes. That's one reason the Order was formed, not to mention the Ministry of Magic. It's a cinch you couldn't have killed that basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets all by yourself, that's for sure ... to name just one incident."

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, that's enough!" Molly warned, but Ginny ignored her.

She took a breath and prepared to go on, but Harry held up a hand to stop her, his green eyes blazing. "That's enough, Gin. I get the point." Their eyes met and held, Harry's warning her not to speak further if she knew what was good for her. Now he knew that something was definitely wrong with her, something emotional--if not physical--and he was determined to find out what.

"At least the Order is usually willing to work with me. As for the Ministry, if you'll recall, my dear, in my fifth year they did everything they could to discredit me--name-calling, lies, and slander virtually every day in the Daily Prophet. They even sent that evil cow Umbridge to Hogwarts to put me through hell because I wouldn't knuckle under to her or the Ministry ... and all because they were in such serious denial!

"Also, my hand is permanently scarred because she made me use my own blood for ink during my detentions with her! And their denial nearly cost the wizarding world its life--and certainly cost Sirius his--before they were forced to face the truth, that Voldemort was back! And then to top it off, they actually tried to get me to join them. This, after all they'd put me through that year! It's a wonder I ever survived!"

His anger was such that it cowed even Molly, who had remained silent the whole time Harry was speaking. Whatever had possessed Ginny of all people to attack him like that? It had to be due to a pregnancy-induced mood. She herself had had enough of them to recognise one when she saw one.

This was when Ginny realised she'd said too much. "I'm sorry, luv, I'm just not feeling good. Because of that I let my tongue run away with me. I meant nothing against you, I swear! Please forgive me."

For a long time Harry remained silent, still hurt and angry because of Ginny's accusations. By now he was convinced that something had to be wrong with her and he'd find out what it was, even if he had to perform Legilimency!

"All right, you're forgiven ... this time. But just what was it that set you off, for Merlin's sake? I've never known you to jump down people's throats like that, especially not mine."

"I want to tell you, luv, more than anything, but--"

"But what? Will somebody please tell me what the bloody hell is going on?" Molly renewed the Silencing Charm on the door, but even at that, she was sure that Harry's angry shouting was of sufficient volume to awaken even Ron, and he slept like the dead.

"All right, Harry, but only if you promise to keep your temper," Molly returned calmly. "After all, Ron is still asleep." I think, she finished in her mind. The next half-hour would tell one way or the other.

Harry reluctantly promised--then the bomb fell.

"Ginny is ... pregnant."

Harry was stunned into silence upon hearing this. Oh Merlin, no! No! But all he said, once he finally regained his voice, was "Why, Ginny? Why did you let this happen?"

"I told you why," she retorted. "I want your baby. Especially now, considering our situation. That way, in the event something happened to you, I would at least have something to live for."

"Provided you survived yourself," Harry threw back. "For Merlin's sake, Ginny, our quest is going to be dangerous enough without our having to worry about you being pregnant!" Harry found himself shouting once again and forcibly restrained his temper. "That does it. You're going back home, and right now, even if I have to stun you and take you back myself!"

"Never!" Ginny shot back. "I'm not leaving you, especially not now! And if you take me back, I'll never forgive you, Harry James Potter--not for as long as I live!"

At least you'll be alive, Harry thought sadly. "Yes, you are! Molly, talk some sense into her, for Merlin's sake! If it was dangerous for her to be here before, it's ten times as dangerous now!"

"I'm sorry, Harry," Molly replied gently, attempting to soothe him. "But Ginny is a grown woman, free to make her own choices. I understand how you feel, but not even I can force her to stay behind if she's this determined to go with you."

Harry closed his eyes and sighed deeply, visibly pulling himself together. He was certain there was a conspiracy to drive him crazy and that all his closest associates were part of it--most of all, his beloved fiancée! He didn't want to force her, but saw no other way to keep her (and now their baby) anywhere near safe. Why couldn't he make her see that staying with him wasn't worth risking her (and now their child's) life?

It was one thing to risk his own, Ron's or Hermione's, quite another to risk hers--especially now that she was pregnant. If she was so determined to stay with him and risk her life, however, then there was only one thing left for him to do.

"Then we've got to get married," he said. "Soon. Within the next week at the latest."

Everyone looked at him, scarcely able to believe what they had just heard.

"Yes, you heard right. Ginny and I have to get married. At least that way, the love we have will be doubled and that should help us in our fight."

Ginny could scarcely believe she'd heard right. Harry wanted to get married--and within the next week? How could it possibly be done? There was far too much involved in a Weasley family wedding to possibly be ready in that short a time!

However, Harry's expertise with Legilimency helped him to surmise what they all must be thinking. "It can't be anything fancy, just immediate family and friends before a--" He stopped short upon realising he had no idea how to go about getting married in the wizarding world. If he and Ginny were going to have to marry this quickly, it would have to be in Muggle fashion. At least that way he had some idea of how to proceed. There wouldn't be time to do a proper wizarding wedding until and if they returned safely.

"Molly, send an owl to the Burrow, tell them what we've decided and when the wedding is going to be ... but don't tell them that Ginny's pregnant. I'll do that myself when the time comes. Now that this place is properly cleaned up, we'll hold it here. Ginny, we've got to go out and pick rings as soon as the stores open. You'd better get dressed. Hermione, do you think you and Ron could accompany us?"

"I'd have to see. It all depends on whether or not I can wake him up."

"Go, then ... and let me know one way or the other. Thanks for the great breakfast, Molly. Let's go, Gin." He stood up and reached for her hand to guide her back upstairs to their shared room so they could get changed. Hermione was just disappearing into the room she shared with Ron when Harry and Ginny reached the top of the stairs, then detoured into their own room.

Within twenty minutes they were ready, but hadn't heard from Hermione, so couldn't be sure whether or not Ron was in gear yet. Finally they went to the door and knocked. Hermione came to the door and said, "He's up, Harry. Just give us a few minutes and we'll be right with you."

"All right, fine. See you in a few minutes." He turned for the stairs, still holding Ginny's hand, and went down to the living room again to wait with Molly.