Drifting

Chapter 23: Confessions, Part 2

"Watch this,

These are my confessions,

Just when I thought I said all I could say...

These are my confessions,

Man, I'm thrown and I don't know what to do,

I guess I got to give you part two-"

Usher, Confessions Part 2

~*~

Friday night rolled around much faster than Harry had expected it to. Dumbledore had started Harry, Ginny, Draco, and Blaise on physical training as well. He claimed they needed to be physically prepared for a battle because just being able to shoot and block spells wasn't enough to partially ensure survival. After starting off the lesson with stretching, Dumbledore told them to go run a mile. The girls had protested immediately but Dumbledore had power over them and they were forced to comply with the order. It hadn't bothered Harry and Draco because they both enjoyed running.

For the start of physical training, Dumbledore had requested the room to be different. They were no longer in a stone room but in a sports field-like area. It was outdoors, with a forest behind it and a stream running along the side to cool off in. There was a track made in the grass with cement. Four laps around the track was a mile. No one had thought it was hard, seeing as it would only take four laps, until they had seen length around the track. A fresh wave of protests had broken out from the girls. Harry and Draco had just laughed and taken off around the track.

Not surprisingly to the group, Harry had finished first, in seven and a half minutes. Draco finished twenty seconds later, making his time seven minutes and fifty seconds. Both boys collapsed beside the stream, taking off their shoes and socks and dangling their toes in as they watched the girls struggle to finish without walking. Neither Ginny nor Blaise were in as good shape as the boys were so naturally it took more effort and time for them to finish. They both finished at relatively the same time, just a little over ten minutes, and joined the boys by the stream. Dumbledore made his way over as well.

"Very good for a first time. From now on I will be breaking up training sessions. There will be two pairs. Harry and Draco will be one, and Ginny and Blaise will be the other," Dumbledore said, feeling comfortable now with using each teenager's first name. "While one pair does physical training with previously given instructions from me, the other will be doing magical training under my watch and instruction. You will spend half the lesson doing each and then switch. Every other lesson will be a group lesson."

The four teens agreed with this and progressed on with the lesson. At the end, Dumbledore allowed them a ten-minute dip in the stream. Draco and Harry, who hadn't put their shoes back on for the magical training part of the lesson, shed their shirts and waded out to the middle of the stream, where the water was around six feet deep. Blaise and Ginny only went in to their knees, so the water stayed just below the hem of their skirts. They watched with laughter as Harry and Draco had a fake wrestling match, spraying water everywhere when one of them would be pushed back into the water.

Harry and Draco shoved at each other playfully, each trying to get the other underwater for ten seconds. Draco finally succeeded, pushing Harry's chest and head under and holding him there for ten seconds. When the time was up, Draco released his hold on Harry and the other boy came up, coughing and spewing up water.

"Don't swallow that much water next time, Harry," Draco said as he turned to the girls.

Harry didn't reply since his mouth was still full of water. Ginny started towards him. She became concerned when he didn't stop coughing. It took her a matter of seconds to realize the coughing was completely fake. Harry's eyes twinkled mischievously.

Draco began to take his bows. Blaise and Ginny began to clap enthusiastically. Ginny kept an eye on Harry, who had stopped coughing. As Draco bent over for his final bow, Harry jumped on him, pushing him down into the water. Both boys came up ten seconds later since Harry had gone down with Draco. Draco held out his hand.

"Truce?" he said in-between coughs.

Harry nodded and shook Draco's hand. "Until next time when I dunk you again."

Draco rolled his eyes and led the way out of the stream. The boys met the girls on the bank and Blaise performed drying spells on the four of them. Reluctantly, Ginny handed each boy his respective shirt. She got one last glance at Harry's muscular chest before he slipped the shirt on and started working the buttons. Ginny sighed inaudibly. There was no denying Harry had an incredible body except for the fact she could see his ribs with painful clarity.

Ginny shook her head to clear her mind of the naughty images running through it. She had been looking for an excuse to be alone with Harry all week and so far she hadn't found one. Ginny was finding herself craving for time to spend with Harry. She wanted to do nothing more than shove him against a wall and snog him senseless but it seemed as if neither of them had the time to spare. Ginny decided in a split second that she had to do something today or else she would do something drastic.

She frowned when Harry told her to go ahead without him because he needed to talk to Dumbledore.

"It's important, Gin. When I get back to the tower I have something I want to show you," Harry said, kissing her quickly on the lips.

Ginny sighed. "I'll meet you there."

She left the room after Draco and Blaise, fingering her lips where Harry had kissed her as she walked away. Harry turned to the Headmaster with a pained expression on his face.

"Can this be quick? I've barely spent any time with Ginny all week and I need to go make it up to her," Harry said in a pleading tone.

"This will be quick, Harry. I just wanted to give you an update on the situation with Lord Voldemort. I have sent some of the members of the Order to track Death Eaters. So far nothing has been confirmed. Lord Voldemort may have set us up for another trap but this time I believe he let you into his mind without realizing he had done so. I will be speaking to the Minister about the situation tomorrow and what should be done to prepare for an attack. I will be giving you updates as I get them and I hope that if you find out, or see, anything that you will tell me as well," Dumbledore said.

Harry nodded. "I promise I will, sir. If that's all, then am I free to go?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he smiled. "Yes, Harry, you are free to leave."

"Thanks, sir," Harry said as he scampered out the door.

~*~

"Remember when I told you about the boy Dumbledore and I saw last weekend?" Harry said, sitting down on his bed next to Ginny.

As soon as Harry had entered the common room, he had grabbed Ginny's arm and hauled her up the stairs to his dorm room. He had owed this to Ginny since the previous weekend and was determined to show her now.

"Yes, I do."

Harry slowly let go of the Pensieve he had taken out of his trunk. He placed it gently on his night table.

"Come here. I'm going to show you what happened."

Ginny stood before the Pensieve with Harry. She hadn't looked into a Pensieve before and therefore had no clue what to expect. She held on to Harry's hand tightly as they dipped their heads in and got engulfed into the memory.

"Neville?" Ginny whispered in disbelief when she saw the boy.

Harry just stood there, staring off into the distance. He didn't think he could bear to watch the memory again. It was still painful to him to think that he had ever wanted to wish all this on Neville. It made him feel sick just to think about it.

Harry felt Ginny's body press against his. She shook against him as she sobbed. Harry didn't need to look at the ground to know that Neville had just taken his life. He wrapped his arms tightly around Ginny and held her to him. Soon he felt a semi-familiar tug as the memory faded around them and they were pushed out of the Pensieve.

Ginny allowed Harry to guide her over to his bed. She refused to let go of him as he set her down.

"I can't believe it," Ginny said finally.

"Believe it, because it's what could have happened," Harry said in a dark tone.

Harry lay back on the bed. Ginny, who was still clutching him, was pulled to lie next to him.

"This could happen to you, too," Ginny said, moving as close as she possibly could to Harry.

Harry reached his arms around her and pulled her into a warm embrace.

"I wouldn't do anything that drastic to myself. You know me, Ginny, and you know I'd never do that," Harry said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone.

It seemed to have worked, since Ginny finally began to relax in his arms. Suddenly Harry realized how they had shifted on the bed. Ginny was pressed tightly against him, her head buried in his chest. Ginny looked up at him, emotion swirling in her eyes. That was all it took to make Harry lose any self-control he had. The next second his and Ginny's lips were locked in a passionate kiss.

Harry rolled over so Ginny was under him. He straddled her legs with his and leaned over her.

"Making up for lost time, are you?" Ginny asked in a teasing manner.

Harry smirked and dived in for another kiss. This one lasted much longer than the last one had. Ginny deepened the kiss almost instantly. She let out a small moan as Harry's tongue began to explore her mouth. At this rate, neither of them cared if they got caught and who caught them. All the couple cared about was each other.

A few breathless minutes later, Harry and Ginny broke apart. Harry settled himself on the rumpled covers, the right side of his body touching her left.

"I love you, Gin," he whispered.

"I love you too, Harry."

As Harry looked back on this moment in the future, he wondered how he and Ginny had ever managed to get down to dinner without arousing suspicion from Ron and Hermione.

~*~

Harry rubbed his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. It was five in the morning and Harry still hadn't managed to get a wink of sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about everything that was happening to him.

The quick flash he had seen of Voldemort in London kept playing across his mind. Harry was beginning to wonder if he was sure of what he had seen. Even though he had lain awake late every night this week thinking about it he still doubted himself.

Harry thought about putting the memory in his Pensieve and then viewing it to see if he had missed anything. He thought that a different perspective might help him to see anything he had looked over the first time. Then he decided it wouldn't do him any good because he already had the memory in his head and could see it clearly all night.

Harry rolled over and yawned. He shut his eyes and tried to get some sleep but he knew it was useless. The sky was already beginning to get lighter outside the window. Harry turned his back to the window and wished for sleep to come.

Three hours later, sleep had yet to come and Harry was fed up. He sat up and threw the covers off of him. His feet slipped into his trainers and he got up and left the dorm room.

Hermione was sitting down in the common room, a book open in her lap. She had started a fire in the early morning chill and was sitting in her favorite armchair in front of it. Her head turned as she heard footsteps plodding down the stairs. Since it was the weekend, most of the students slept in. Normally no one was up until nine at the earliest. She was surprised to hear someone up now, an hour before normal. What surprised her more was that it was a boy, because they were normally the ones who slept in to noon.

Her eyes fell on a mop of disheveled black hair. Immediately she knew it was Harry and wondered how he had managed to wake up this early. He normally slept until at least ten. As he moved closer she noticed the grayish smudges under his eyes and how tired he seemed. Harry saw her and smiled, coming to plop down in the chair next to her.

"Harry, if you're tired, go back upstairs. You look horrible," Hermione said in a motherly tone.

"'S why I'm down here in the first place. Didn't get a second of sleep the whole night. Couldn't stop thinking about...things..." Harry said in a voice that clearly said that if he could, he would be sleeping nearly the whole day.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Hermione asked.

"Only if you tell me how late you and Ron were up 'talking' until," Harry said with a smile.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Only an hour after you went up. If you were awake, didn't you hear Ron come in?"

"I wasn't exactly paying any attention. For all I know it could have been Voldemort and I wouldn't have heard," Harry said. "So, an extra hour in an empty common room. I'm surprised I didn't hear the sounds of snogging."

Hermione slapped Harry playfully on the arm. "Harry! Don't make assumptions about things you don't know about!"

Harry laughed. Hermione smiled at the sound of his laughter. It was rare that Harry laughed these days and to hear the ringing sound of his voice was great.

"Could I talk to you about something?" Harry said quietly, his laughter dying.

Hermione could detect a hint of worry in his voice. He sounded like he desperately needed answers and that she was the only one who could give them.

"Of course, Harry. I'm all ears."

Harry sighed. He was glad he had someone to talk to. He couldn't talk to Ginny about this because it was partially about her. It was the other thing that had been weighing down on him all night.

"I'm worried that I'm going to be too busy this year. I don't think I'm going to have any free time to spend with Ginny or anyone for that matter. I don't want to give up anything that I'm doing either. Last night before dinner was the only time I've spent with her all week. I can't stand it. Then Dumbledore wants me to continue the D.A. and I honestly don't think I can, which brings me to my other problem. I don't think I can continue with the D.A. because I really think that my magic is going to become out of control. I was reading that book on the Mark of the Phoenix and it said that using your wandless magic ability enough will unlock your magic reserves, or magic that can only be released by a strong force. White magic, Hermione, pure powerful magic. I can feel it happening and it's scaring me. I mean, what if I put too much power behind a spell and knock someone out? What if I put so much into the spell without meaning to that I kill them? Of course, it's great with fighting Voldemort and his followers but what about my own friends?" Harry said, his voice sounding even more desperate for an explanation than before.

Hermione could see tears forming in his eyes and figured that he had been struggling with this for a while. She stayed silent as he blinked the tears back, trying to regain his composure. Barely thinking about what she was doing, she got up and pushed her chair so that it touched Harry's. He shifted so his head was lying on the touching chair arms, the rest of his body curled up in his chair as he stared at the fire. Hermione began to stroke his hair.

She had long ago figured out that what Harry needed to pull himself through this war was support of a loving family. He needed to feel the love that others had for him, whether it be as friends, siblings, or girlfriends. Hermione knew it sounded corny but it was the only thing that was going to work.

"About spending time with Ginny, I could make you up a schedule. I think I have a way to organize it so you have extra time each night."

"It's not just Ginny," Harry said quietly. "I feel like I'm spending absolutely no time with you and Ron. Actually, I'm more under the impression Ron's mad at me because I'm not spending time with him. Does he think I've moved on? That I've found new friends or something? You two will always be my first and truest friends. Doesn't he know that?"

"Don't worry about it, Harry. You know how stubborn Ron is sometimes. I'll talk to him and straighten everything out," Hermione said soothingly.

"Thanks. You really don't know how much you mean to me," Harry said gratefully.

Hermione smiled and squeezed his shoulder with her free hand. "Now about your magic getting out of control, it's something that can't be helped. I read about it before and you're just going to have to let it run its course. The book I saw said that eventually it will calm itself. It just needs to be used. However, I agree with you about the D.A.. I think you should have someone take over it for a while until you get your magic sorted out. Not that you shouldn't come to the meetings and help with lesson plans, but if you come, you should stay in the back or something."

Harry processed all the information Hermione had just told him. He wondered how he had ended up with such a wonderful friend that was there for him every step of the way.

"You and Ginny should take over it," Harry suggested. "You're a great teacher and leader and Ginny's a great person at defense. Well, really you're both great, but Ginny might know a little bit more than you because of the training with Dumbledore."

"I'd be honored to take over for you but are you sure?" Hermione said, flattered.

"Of course I am, Hermione. I wouldn't just hand over the D.A. to anyone!"

Hermione reached over and hugged him. "Thanks a lot, Harry."

Harry smiled. As Hermione pulled back, she noticed her book laying a little bit away from them on the floor.

"I'll be right back, I'm just going to put this book away," she said.

Harry let out a fake gasp. "Hermione Granger putting away a book? What has the world come to?"

"Very funny, Harry," Hermione said sarcastically but she was laughing with him all the same.

Through their laughter they didn't hear another pair of feet coming down the stairs. That's why Harry gave a small yell when Ginny suddenly dropped down into the chair across from them.

"Ginny! You scared me!" Harry said. "Pull your chair over here."

"Pull me over yourself, you lazy boyfriend," Ginny said in a humorous tone.

Despite what she said, Ginny got up and dragged her chair over so she was sitting right in front of Harry's face. She leaned down and kissed him softly. When she pulled back she flashed a smile at Hermione.

"Harry has something he wants to tell you," Hermione said.

Harry turned his head up to her. "I do?" Hermione rolled her eyes and hit him lightly on the forehead. "Oh, yeah! Merlin, I'm forgetful. You know how Dumbledore asked me to continue the D.A.?" Harry said, speaking directly to Ginny, who nodded. "Well you also know about how your magic under the Mark of the Phoenix tends to get a little out of control. You read the book so you should. I can already feel it happening inside me and I can't risk hurting another student by accidentally putting too much power into a spell. Can you feel it yet in you?"

Ginny thought about it for a moment. She knew the wards keeping the pure magic in took longer to break in some people than in others. Ginny couldn't remember the feeling of pure magic inside her.

"No, it hasn't. What are you getting at, Harry?" Ginny questioned.

"I need someone to take over the D.A. for me and I picked you and Hermione. Though I'll still help with lesson plans and maybe come to the meetings, I won't be doing anything spell oriented so I can't hurt anyone."

Ginny's mouth fell open at his words. "You're handing over the D.A. to Hermione and I? Thank you so much, Harry!"

She leaned over and hugged him just as Hermione had and Harry allowed himself to be lost in the sensation of Ginny's arms around him.

~*~

Bellatrix walked down the dimly lit corridor in Lord Voldemort's hideout. She had been summoned to his chamber and left her rooms immediately.

Before Bellatrix even had a chance to knock on the door, the Dark Lord called for her to enter. Bellatrix did. She was not one to disobey her master's orders unlike some unfortunate people.

Bellatrix stopped a few steps from the Dark Lord and bowed to him.

"My Lord," she said. "You have called for me and I have come."

"Up, Bella," Voldemort commanded.

With a wave of his hand, a chair appeared before him.

"Sit, Bella."

Bellatrix obeyed like a loyal dog would to its master. In a way that was all she was. Voldemort seemed to control a whole legion of dogs. These dogs would do anything for him, whether it was out of fear or actual loyalty.

"You have been summoned," the Dark Lord began, "because I have chosen you to lead the attack on Diagon Alley next Saturday. The plans are being finalized and you will be instructed to command my troops."

Bellatrix sucked in an awed breath. She hadn't been asked to command troops in a battle for such a long time. It had been one of the first battles in the First War. The Dark Side had lost that battle and Bellatrix had been tortured for hours with the Cruciatus Curse. The Dark Lord hadn't trusted her in command again for a long time after that.

"Thank you, my Lord. This is a great honor and I will do my best. This time the Dark will triumph over the Light," Bellatrix said.

Voldemort smirked. "Soon I will have Potter wrapped around my little finger and the Light side will fall with him."

Maniac-like laughter filled the chamber around them.

~*~

Harry felt a searing pain shoot through his scar and he stiffened in Ginny's hug. Ginny immediately released him. Harry's hand flew to his scar.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"It's his scar," Ginny answered for him.

Harry was grateful for that because at this point he thought that if he opened his mouth he would scream. The pain was horrible and blinding. He was surprised his scar hadn't split yet. Harry was glad he was lying down because he knew that if he were standing he would have collapsed by now.

Then, as quickly as it had come, it was gone. Harry let his shaky hand drop from his scar. He looked at them for blood. There wasn't any and Harry breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Harry, was that Voldemort?" Ginny asked, leaning closer to him.

"Yeah. He's happy, really happy about something. The Diagon Alley battle, probably. He has something bad planned. I know he does," Harry said.

"You need to go tell Dumbledore," Hermione insisted.

Harry sat up and shook his head. "Dumbledore's not here. That's why he kept me late at training yesterday, to tell me that he was meeting with Fudge today."

"What about Professor McGonagall?" Ginny suggested. "She's an Order member and she's Headmistress when Dumbledore isn't here."

"No. I don't know if Dumbledore's told her of the possibility of an attack yet and I can't risk it," Harry said.

"Then try to catch Dumbledore before he leaves!" Hermione pressed. "Go run and put your dressing robes on and leave! Take your Invisibility Cloak if you don't want to be seen."

Ginny nodded to show that she agreed with Hermione.

"Fine!" Harry ground out, admitting defeat. "I'll go."

He got up and ran up to his room, changing quickly into a T-shirt and pants. He didn't bother with his Invisibility Cloak seeing as it would just waste time. Harry thudded back down the stairs, ignoring an angry yell he got from one of the fourth years for disturbing his sleep. He waved to Hermione and Ginny as he slipped out the portrait hole and took of in a run for the Headmaster's office.

Just as he got there, the stone gargoyle moved out of the way and Harry saw Dumbledore stepping off the bottom of the stairs.

"Professor!" Harry called.

Dumbledore's eyes landed on Harry.

"Well, my boy, what brings you here this early?"

"Voldemort," Harry said, not missing a beat. "My scar hurt and I felt what he was feeling. He was extremely happy and it had something to do with the Diagon Alley attack he's planning."

Dumbledore waited until Harry was done. He knew the need for Aurors to be alert for a possible attack. Now, with what Harry had just said, Dumbledore was nearly positive there was going to be an attack.

"I was just leaving to talk to the Minister, Harry. I will call you to my office when I return and tell you what I can. Thank you for the information. It may prove valuable," Dumbledore said. "Now, if you excuse me, I don't want to be late," the Headmaster said kindly.

"Yes, sir. Thank you for listening," Harry said to Dumbledore's retreating back.

~~**~~