Down Came the Sky

Chapter Five: Possession

She could hardly look at him at breakfast the next morning. Then again, he could hardly look at her, but he sat extra close to her and Ginny had the distinct impression that he was being protective.

Ginny couldn't come up with any sort of explanation to why they so swiftly avoided each other's eyes, yet never shied away from touch. It was something that was just there: they sat close enough that their thighs brushed and Harry could put an arm around her waist, but they continued to look merely at their food or straight ahead.

Ginny studied the small pitcher of cream that sat next to the tea for a long time. She had never taken notice that there were small, decorative flowers lightly painted over the surface of the smooth ceramic holder. She saw Hermione reach for it after she had poured herself some coffee, just as Ron absently did the same.

"Sorry," he mumbled, quickly withdrawing his hand.

"You go first," Hermione replied, folding her hands in her lap.

"No...no, it's okay," Ron responded, pushing the cream toward her.

"Honestly, I don't mind," Hermione said, pushing the cream back toward him.

"Just use it, its fine," Ron said a bit more sharply, pushing the cream quickly in Hermione's direction.

"After you," Hermione said tensely, pushing it back.

"I want you to use it first," Ron responded, crossing his arms.

"I don't think I want cream anymore."

"Yes you do." Ron picked up the cream and stopped it over her cup. "Tell me when," he said, starting to pour.

"I don't want any!" Hermione exclaimed, snatching the cream out of his hands so quickly that some splashed down her hand.

"Then why did you reach for it?" Ron said loudly back.

"I don't know!" Hermione yelled, slamming the pitcher on the table. Ron let out a low grumble, sounding similar to a growl, and Hermione glared at him.

"You want it though," she said, pushing the pitcher toward him.

"I'm not in the mood for tea anymore."

"Take it."

"Hermione..." Ron's voice sounded beyond exasperated.

"What, Ron?"

"I can't stand it," he said, rising from the table. Then he left without another word leaving half the Gryffindor table, including Hermione, gaping behind him.

"What a prat," Hermione mumbled under her breath.

"Hermione, maybe you should--"

"What, Harry?" she snapped. Ginny gently nudged Harry's leg and he nudged her back.

"Er--maybe you should walk to Charms with me."

"Oh. All right."

She looked fixedly at Ron's tea for a while, blinking furiously at periodic moments until she stretched a taut smile across her face.

"Let's go, Harry," she said calmly. Harry nodded and looked at Ginny for the first time that meal. His gaze felt strange and he looked away quickly, following Hermione out of the Great Hall.

"I can't believe I haven't found out until now."

Ginny turned around to see her roommate Amy sitting beside her. "Are you really dating Harry Potter?"

"Oh, yeah..." Ginny trailed, looking back out the door.

"How come you never told us?"

"Long story," Ginny replied, rising up from the table. "How did your Transfiguration essay turn out?" she said, hoping to steer the conversation.

"Fine," Amy responded tightly. For once, she didn't incessantly chat on the way to lessons that day. But Ginny wasn't even sure if she cared.

*

As if that morning wasn't bad enough, Ginny had numerous girls approaching her in the corridors, asking if the rumors were true. She hardly knew some of the girls that bombarded her with questions and she was surprised that she was at the receiving end of more than one glare. Ginny decided she wouldn't dwell on it though; she was in no mood to deal with catty girls. She had a nice headache slowly pounding at the point in between her eyebrows and had half a mind to skive off the rest of her lessons to hide in her room.

But she pushed through to the end of her lessons and even had enough strength to go to the library and study before dinner. She and Luna had decided to meet and work on Care of Magical Creatures together.

"Daddy found some interesting things out about re'ems," Luna said aimlessly while Ginny was in the middle of looking something up on glumbumbles.

"Huh?" she said, quickly looking up at Luna.

"Did you know that they're the distant relative unicorns and if you nurse them from birth on only foliage that they won't grow past dwarf-sized?"

"What?" Ginny replied, looking confusedly down at her book.

"Re'ems," Luna said simply, looking back at her essay. She started writing again and Ginny looked back at the passage she was studying on glumbumbles.

"You're dating Harry Potter," Luna stated suddenly, breaking Ginny's concentration.

"What? Oh, yes, I am," Ginny replied, startled.

Luna stared at Ginny, waiting for her to continue speaking, but Ginny didn't know what to say. Luna sighed and leaned across the table. "I thought you would tell me if you started dating him," she said softly. Ginny bit her bottom lip and smiled worriedly at Luna.

"Sorry," she responded feebly.

"That's fine," Luna said, waving her hand vaguely and looking back to her essay. Ginny watched her scribble away at her parchment, radish earrings bobbing from her lobes. She sighed and bent down to finish her own homework. She felt too drained to try and make Luna feel better.

Ginny walked out of the library in a daze, and she nearly ran into Neville except he was able to gently steer her out of his way. She smiled at him and continued on her way to Gryffindor Tower. She climbed the stairs and rounded the corner, stopping abruptly at the sight in front of her.

"Harry?"

He was hidden by the statue of Boris the Bewildered, pressing his hands to the wall and muttering nonsensically to himself. Ginny approached him carefully and touched his shoulder. He jumped at her contact, spun around and stared at her. Ginny felt a shiver chill her insides at the cold smile he gave her. She stepped backwards and he proceeded to gasp in fear, only to grip the statue and release a peal of cold laughter. Ginny gazed at him, feeling paralyzed in both body and thought. He stepped closer to her touched her chin. She shivered again.

"Just the person I need," he spoke in a cold, familiar tone.

And Ginny wasn't in the halls of Hogwarts any longer, but beating her fists at Tom Riddle. He gripped her wrists and lowered her to the floor. She beat, kicked and bit at him, but her energy was waning and she slowly sunk to the ground, feeling her strength slowly leave her. The Chamber of Secrets was cold and blurry. I can't let him win, she thought furiously, and she increased her effort to try and fight him back.

He was still gripping her wrists and draining her energy.

"Get off me!" she yelled with all the voice she could muster. She twisted under his grip and felt her eyes water in fear. He closed in on her, and her vision faded so that she could only feel the damp chill of the Chamber and his cold hands on her wrists. She kicked her legs wildly at the air, wrenched her arm from his grasp and felt her fingernails cut across something soft and fleshy.

"Let go! Stop!" she screamed as hard as her voice would allow. She felt something heavy fall by means of her leg, but she still couldn't see. She huddled herself in a ball and started rocking back and forth. Somebody save me, somebody save me, she thought helplessly. She cried into her knees, still rocking back and forth, until she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She wildly tried to look around, but her vision was gone. I'm blind...I've gone blind, she thought in a panic.

"Ginny?"

She didn't recognize the voice, but she whipped her head around at the source of it and groped for the person.

"Help me," she choked out weakly, gripping the person's arm. "I need to get out of here and I can't see."

"It's okay," another hand grasped her other shoulder. "Just open your eyes."

Still trembling, Ginny cracked open her eyes and felt the light of the lamps pierce her vision. Neville was crouched in front of her, holding her shoulders. She looked around the corridor slowly and gasped when she saw Harry lying on the ground.

"What did I do?" she said weakly.

Neville looked at her seriously. "What happened," he asked softly.

"I--I don't know," Ginny replied, still staring at Harry, who looked conscious, even if he wasn't moving.

"Maybe we should go to the hospital wing," he said gently, helping Ginny to her feet.

"But...Harry..." she trailed, pulling out of Neville's grasp. Neville stooped down and helped Harry sit up.

"Can you walk?" he said, gazing up at Ginny. She nodded numbly and Neville hoisted Harry to his feet. Harry abruptly came to and looked around wildly until he fearfully caught Ginny's eye.

"C'mon, Harry," Neville muttered gently guiding him toward the hospital wing. Ginny trailed after them, almost quickening her pace to help Harry walk, but she couldn't bring herself to go near him. She was still afraid.

***

"It was a possession," Hermione said grimly, peering through the door of the hospital wing. Ginny was sitting with her and Ron on the outside benches. Madam Pomfrey hadn't found anything wrong with her, and had quickly given her some Pepperup potion and sent her on her way. For her part, Ginny was not entirely truthful in what had happened. She said it was OWL stress.

"I thought he wasn't experiencing much of that recently," Ron trailed, watching Dumbledore lean over and speak to Harry. Harry was almost motionless, except for rise and fall of his breathing and the occasional small gestures of his hand.

"He never talks about it," Ginny muttered faintly.

Hermione bit her lip thoughtfully and studied her hands. "He doesn't know how to control his Kaigdin magic," she said softly, not looking up.

"No! No, he does!" Ginny replied quickly. "The other night in the common room, he made You-Know-Who leave his head...I helped him."

Hermione looked up suddenly. "Really? How?" Ginny felt herself blush and looked in on Harry.

"We used his strongest emotion," she responded mildly. Hermione's eyes widened.

"What's that?" Ron asked while Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth. Ginny scowled at her and Hermione straightened her face quickly.

"Never mind," Ginny said, waving her hand. "The point is, is he can get him to leave with a strong focused emotion."

"So next time You-Know-Who comes into his head, I should just irk him or something and tell him to focus?" Ron said sarcastically.

Ginny smirked. "It might work."

"Right," Ron replied, peering into the hospital wing again. "So what emotion did you use?"

"I'm glad it worked," Ginny said quickly, getting to her feet. Dumbledore was walking out the door and she caught his eye twinkling at her as he reached her and patted her arm reassuringly. His smile felt comforting and Ginny returned it, hoping Dumbledore was as confident as he appeared.

"Don't look so worried, Ms. Weasley. He's stronger than he appears."

Ginny nodded mutely, letting her vision wander to Harry again. He was motionless as Madam Pomfrey examined him and a sudden swell of affection rose within Ginny. Strengthening her resolve, she walked determinedly toward Harry, vowing to forget her fear in order to comfort him. Madam Pomfrey eyed her as she approached Harry's bed, but bristled out of the room.

"Harry," she whispered, leaning over him. He was pale and Ginny could see four raw scratches, which trailed down his cheek, smothered a shiny, transparent healing salve.

"Hey," he said softly. Ginny felt a rush of warmth as he smiled and sank on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?" Harry frowned and tried to sit up. Ginny gently pushed down on his shoulders and shook her head.

"How are you feeling?" he responded, his eyes cracking open a little wider.

"Oh..."

Ginny didn't want to think about how she was feeling. If she was honest with herself, she was feeling terrified, and she didn't want Harry to know it. She didn't want him to know it because it was because of him. She gingerly put her hand over his.

"I'd feel better knowing you were okay."

Harry gripped her hand. "Will you stay?"

Ginny nodded and pulled her legs onto the bed so that she could cross them.

"Do you know what happened?" she asked, lightly running her hands over his legs. Harry shook his head.

"I'm not sure if it's strengthening me or weakening me."

"How do you mean?"

A nervous quiver started at the pit of Ginny's stomach, but she ignored it. Harry sighed and moved to sit up again. Ginny protested, but he shook his head and sat up anyway.

"Are Ron and Hermione here?" he said, glancing out to the door. It wasn't really a question since they were in view, so Ginny went to bring them in. Hermione stared anxiously at Harry while Ron aimlessly moved from chair to standing and back to chair again.

"I think he knows what I'm attempting," Harry said forcefully.

Ron stopped moving and stared straight at him. "He possessed you," he stated quietly. Harry looked down, seemingly ashamed and Ginny laid her hand back on his legs.

"I--I think it's making me too vulnerable," Harry responded, looking up to Hermione hopefully. She slowly surveyed him, slightly shaking and gave him a quick nod.

"That seems plausible," she spoke almost timidly. Harry sighed deeply and buried his face in his hands. Suddenly he punched the mattress on either side of himself and emitted a frustrated yell, causing everyone to jump.

"Ginny, did I hurt you earlier?" he said, his voice thick with emotion. Ginny pursed her lips tightly, feeling the tears grow, and she shook her head furiously, gripping at his legs again.

"I can't balance it--I don't know how to use both of them..." he mumbled, drawing his eyes up to the ceiling. "The only time it worked was when I was with you." Ginny curled at the edge of his bed and laid her head on his legs.

"Only use it with me then. If I can help you..."

"But--" Harry started, but stopped, caught up in thought again. "Maybe I should give up on using Kaigdin magic," he said quietly. "My Occulmency is getting better--"

"What did Dumbledore say?" Hermione cut in. Harry sighed deeply and looked out the window.

"He said that I should practice Kaigdin magic, but use Occulmens between the use, that way Voldemort won't be able to get to me as easily."

"So, it still must be important then," Hermione said briskly, standing up to pace.

"I reckon it would help if I could do it properly."

Hermione stopped abruptly and examined at him. "What's wrong with what you're doing now?"

Harry seemed to uncharacteristically flush at this comment, and his eyes grazed Ginny quickly before he looked back out the window.

"I've only been successful once," he mumbled. "But I was using one of the stronger emotions--it...it's not suggested."

Ron coughed and averted his eyes from Harry. Harry shifted slightly and Ginny pushed herself up into a sitting position, feeling herself flush in sync with Harry.

"No...I don't reckon it would be a good idea to abuse those feelings..." Hermione trailed pensively. "And it is a more powerful magic when executed by a more controllable emotion."

"But none of my emotions seem strong enough to use," Harry said heavily.

"You have to practice to make it work though."

Harry made a noise of frustration and clenched his jaw. Ginny squeezed his legs, though she felt her hands shaking, and prayed her touch was soothing.

"Perhaps you should practice with a person," Hermione suggested quietly. Ron looked at her quickly, as did Ginny while Harry gazed out the window, frowning.

"Maybe..." he replied.

"You said it worked with Ginny. Have you tried using a different emotion with someone?"

Harry looked back to Hermione, his brow furrowed. "Not really, no. Not in the same way anyway."

"We'll all help you then," Hermione concluded, shooting Ron a look. Ron rolled his eyes and smiled at Harry.

"Let me know if I need to irritate you," he supplied sarcastically. Harry snorted softly and gave him a nod. Ron looked between Harry and Ginny quickly and leaned in, slightly glaring.

"But I think I know what you did with my sister, and I'd appreciate it if you would lay off using...her," he said in a low voice.

Harry's eyes widened and he nodded, glancing quickly at Ginny.

"No..." He shifted uncomfortably. "I--I won't. That was stupid of me."

Ron scrutinized him for a moment and then raised his eyebrows at Ginny, as if expecting her to challenge him. Ginny might have, but at the moment she rather preferred to not exploit Harry's lust either.

"But you should rest now," Ginny said, placing her feet on the floor. "We can try it later once you've...recovered."

She walked over to the head of the bed and pushed him down by the shoulders. He opened his mouth to say something, but Ginny leaned down and whispered in his ear: "Don't worry, I'll come back later." He gave her a silent nod and she walked back to Gryffindor Tower with Ron and Hermione at a frustratingly slow pace.

"Just so you know," Ginny said, cutting into the silence, "we didn't do anything."

"Listen Ginny, I don't really want to hear about it," Ron replied irritably.

"But you got upset with Harry...I just didn't want you to think badly--"

"Well, I don't okay?"

Ginny saw the muscles in his jaw move and relax and he quickened his pace. Hermione lingered back by Ginny.

"I don't think he's over New Years," she whispered, smiling weakly.

"Maybe so. Damn Firewhiskey," Ginny grumbled, watching the vibrant head of her brother a couple paces in front of herself. Hermione made a noise of agreement, watching Ron's head as well. "Er, Hermione, I don't know what's going on with you and my brother, but I reckon--"

"There's nothing going on," Hermione announced loudly. "And it's his entire fault too." Ron stopped abruptly and started walking again; Ginny could see the back of his ears pink vividly.

Ginny felt an angry noise vibrate in her throat. "You two need to work it out before you drive us all insane!" she said irately, matching Hermione's volume. Ron turned around abruptly and rounded on her.

"This is none of your business," he said in a low voice.

"Oh really? Well, you're making it my business by unburdening all your sodding awkwardness on me," she retorted shrilly, tapping him in the chest with her finger.

"I'm not doing anything to you! This does not concern you!" he yelled, pushing her finger down.

"I think it does!"

"This is already hard enough without you butting in," he replied, glaring at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione said, pushing between the two of them.

"What?" Ron said quickly.

"Am I too difficult for you? Is that why you've been ignoring me?"

"You've been ignoring me!"

"Only because you couldn't even look at me! What was I supposed to do?"

"What was I supposed to do?"

They were standing almost nose to nose by now, and Ginny backed away as Hermione waved her hands emphatically and started explaining to Ron exactly what he could have done to make the situation "much less awkward."

"I think I'll go," Ginny said, but they didn't hear her voice amid their spectacular row. She took a step backward and saw Ron grab Hermione's wrists and force her arms to her sides. Hermione pulled her arms away and shoved Ron in the chest. He started cursing at her and she launched into another reprimand. Ginny could hear their muffled yells echoing in the corridors as she slowly crept back to the hospital wing.

"That was quick," Harry said as Ginny approached.

"They're rowing," she responded, climbing back onto the foot of his bed. "Perhaps they'll work something out this time," she smirked.

"We can only hope," Harry snorted, shifting his pillows. "Or else they could kiss again and stop talking all together." He pulled his legs from under Ginny. She looked around the hospital wing to see if it was empty and crawled closer to him so that they were sitting knee to knee.

"So, they did kiss?"

Harry nodded and made a face. "It was more than I wanted to see." Ginny laughed sincerely. It made her feel slightly relieved.

"But Merlin knows how they got in that position," she added with mock concentration.

"I don't think I want to know," Harry chuckled, tentatively placing his hands on Ginny's knees.

She ran her hands over his and picked up his right hand curled their fingers together. Harry looked at her in puzzlement until she pressed her thumb on top of his and declared, "Ha! I won!"

Harry grinned playfully at her and pulled his thumb out. "Think you can really beat me?" he said, attempting to catch her thumb. Ginny laughed and twisted her arm around until Harry trapped her thumb and counted to five.

"We'll call it a tie then," Ginny said as Harry released her hand.

"A tie?" he replied in pseudo-disbelief. "After you cheated the first time?"

"I didn't cheat, you were just distracted by my good looks," she retaliated. He looked down at the covers over his legs and picked at the fabric.

"That I can't help," he said, looking up at her hesitantly with a small smile resting in the corners of his mouth. Ginny felt her insides swell and she stopped his fingers from their nervous motions.

"I think I can afford to let you win at thumb wars from now on," she smiled, holding his hand in between both of hers. Harry stared at her for a long time and looked to the ground.

"We still need to be careful, Ginny," he said quietly.

"I know."

"I--it's hard--we--and you--" His hand tensed in hers and Ginny could feel it growing clammy.

"We already agreed no more drunken snog sessions," Ginny said releasing his hand as the swell in her chest slowly deflated.

"I--I've been thinking...and don't think this is what I really want, but I think--"

"It's okay Harry, just spit it out," Ginny sighed calmly, although inwardly she felt the exact opposite.

"I reckon it might be better if we avoid kissing until I get this more under control," he said quickly.

"Oh...yes, well that's probably a good idea," Ginny trailed weakly. She couldn't deny that it probably was the best course of action, but it still didn't mean she was happy with the idea.

"I messed up before...the other night--I know that was too much for you," he was watching her uneasily.

"I'm fine," Ginny said firmly. "Don't worry."

Harry's mouth rested into a down turned line and he picked at his covers again. Ginny watched the motion of his callused hands futilely plucking bits of lint from the linens.

"Ginny?" he asked softly, "Am I too much for you?"

"How can you say that?" Ginny exclaimed, pulling his chin up to look at him. "I chose you with full knowledge of all this, didn't I?"

"I keep hurting you," he said, pushing her hand off his face.

"It's not your fault!" Ginny retorted, crossing her arms.

"But it sort of is."

"Unless you're hiding some other deep dark secret from me, then I would say you're seriously mistaken in blaming yourself," Ginny replied sharply.

"I'm not blaming myself, but sometimes..." his voice faded and he grew very red.

"What, Harry?" Ginny said, exasperated.

"If I would have never kissed you back, then you wouldn't have had to go through all of this."

"You regret us then?" Ginny responded tightly.

"I regret that "us" is kind of a burden on you," he mumbled.

"What?" Ginny could feel her eyes cloud and she turned so he wouldn't see. "How can you say that?" she whispered. She turned around and Harry was frowning at her.

"I'm straining you," he said quietly.

"No, OWLs are straining me. You-Know-Who is straining me. You..." She felt her throat clench again and she rubbed furiously at her eyes. She didn't want to cry.

"Ginny--"

"Harry, just shut up and be my boyfriend, okay?"

Harry closed his mouth, looking almost relieved by Ginny's last outburst. He held her gaze for a while until his eyes trailed down to her mouth. He looked away quickly, rubbing the back of his neck and mumbling to himself.

"What was that?" Ginny said.

Harry shook his head with a defeated air. "I said 'stupid no kissing rule'." Ginny snorted, but silently agreed with him at that moment.