Visions and Prophesies

Until We Meet Again

A little bit before noon, the group of four walked down to Hogsmeade, two of them with trunks levitating behind them. They were silent as they trekked forward. Ginny looked at her brother and smiled. He deserved to be happy. After things with him and Hermione hadn't worked out, he had been somewhat sad. Matters weren't made any better by her staying at the Burrow with them, but Ron made the best of it. Of course, he would never admit it to anyone, but being his little sister, she knew him well. When Sarin had come to stay the summer at the Burrow, Ginny was relieved to have her old big brother back. He was animated, making jokes and laughing, the laughter reaching his eyes. Ginny had noticed his face lighting up whenever Sarin was around and gradually, over time, his disappointment in his failed relationship with Hermione vanished. Later that summer, Harry had come to stay with them. He and Hermione spent a lot of time together and Ginny had thought that maybe it was because he could understand what it was like not having parents around as he grew up. Then she began to notice that the only time she did see Hermione was when she was with Harry. One day, not long before the start of term, she and Ron were sent out to de-gnome the garden and they discovered something that was completely unexpected.

~Flashback~
"Aw mum! With just two of us doing the garden it will take years!"

"You'll go and do that garden right now Ronald Weasley or I'll have your head!"

"Come on Ron. Once we start you know you'll enjoy it. May help to relieve some tension you might be holding on to." said Ginny who looked contented with swinging big ugly gnomes over her head and sending them soaring over the fence. Ron looked at his little sister and smiled. Grabbing her hand, he took off out of the house and towards the garden. Halfway around the house though he stopped dead in his tracks, Ginny crashing into him from behind.

"Hey! Next time--"

He had cut her words off with his hand over her mouth. Ginny looked puzzled at his expression and leaned over his shoulder to see what was wrong. There, sitting on a blanket up against the house, was Harry and he was kissing Hermione.

~End Flashback~

Ron had been hurt, but he wasn't angry. He told them that they deserved each other and promised to thrash Harry severely if he ever hurt her. Now, Ron had found his happiness. Truth be told, Ginny felt almost guilty that she had spied on them in the common room but she was very happy for her brother.

The four students spied The Three Broomsticks and walked faster, eager to get inside. Madam Rosmerta greeted them at the door and ushered them to a table in one of the quiet corners of the pub. Since it was just four of them, Ginny was forced to sit next to Toby while Ron and Sarin sat together.

"If you need anything, just holler. I'll go let Professor Dumbledore know you've all arrived safely."

They all murmured their thanks and the tiny table fell silent. Ginny felt a hand on her arm and looked down. Toby's hand was resting right below her elbow. She stood up suddenly and yanked her arm away, glaring over at him.

"Don't. I'm going outside for a few moments Ron," she said before stalking off angrily. She was so angry until she did not realize she was being followed. Outside of the pub, she took deep, fortifying breaths and exhaled slowly.

"Ginny?"

She shrieked and spun around, falling to the ground. She landed painfully on her rump and quickly looked up at the person staring down at her. Toby saw a brief look of panic and pain flash in her eyes before her cold mask slid back in place.

"What the fuck do you want Tobias?"

He flinched inwardly and outwardly at her use of his full first name and then sighed. It was probably useless to talk to her about what had happened the night before, but he still felt it was worth a try.

"Ginny, I wanted to talk to you... about what happened last night."

"There's nothing to talk about," she replied, getting up from the ground.

"You knew exactly what you were doing. Do you think... no, let me rephrase that because it's obvious that you DON'T think Tobias." Ginny stared up into his face and continued, her voice never raising in volume, but burning hotter with every word. "Your sister was in pain last night and you didn't give a shit. You kept on hitting her where it hurt, where you knew it would hurt. Your sister ended up in the fucking hospital wing because of you!"

She paused, her red hair flying wildly, her face flushed and her eyes shining with tears.

"You didn't care Toby. You didn't give a shit. Ron may forgive you for what you did to him, but I don't know if I can forgive you for what you did to Sarin."

She brushed past him and headed back inside the pub, but before she could firmly plant her feet, his hand was around her arm and she found herself pressed against him, his warm lips crushed against hers. For a long moment, there was nothing else in the world but the two of them. Suddenly Ginny wrenched herself back.

SMACK!!

Her hand connected solidly with the flesh of Toby's cheek.

"Don't you ever do that again," she said, her voice breathless and deadly.

"Do what?" Toby asked, his eyes shining brightly. "Kiss you?"

Before she could answer, he brought his mouth down over hers again, this kiss different from the first. Where the first kiss had been chaste, this one was purely wanton, passionate, all consuming. Ginny felt as though she were drowning and even though her mind was screaming at her to push him away, her body yearned to be closer to him, to feel him pressed against her. His tongue stroked her bottom lip, begging for her permission to enter. She whimpered a little and he took that opportunity to access the inside of her mouth. He took his time and explored the warmth of her mouth. Nothing mattered at that moment but his lips against hers, and her lips against his. The need to breathe forced them apart and Ginny was shocked to find her hands locked into the short strands of his hair. They pulled apart panting and Toby looked down into her eyes. The angry words that had been bubbling on her lips died instantly as she saw the desire in his features.

"Ginny..." he said, his voice hoarse.

"We should get back inside. Ron will start to worry."

He nodded and reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

"No," she said shakily. "I need to think."

Wordlessly, they reentered the pub and found their seats. Ginny glanced up and saw Toby sliding his hand over towards his sister. When their fingers connected, he squeezed her hand and smiled at her. Sarin hesitantly smiled back, her eyes full of unshed tears. It seemed that Toby was seeing her for the first time since they got the news. He was shocked to see how thin she was, how tired and haggard she looked. The dark circles under her eyes held nothing on the paleness of her skin. Sarin had always been pale, but this bordered on sickness. "Well", he mused to himself, "she was sick... and I wasn't much of a help now was I?" Resolving to do better, he glanced at the old grandfather clock adorning one wall of the pub and started. They needed to be going soon. Just as he was about to say so, Madam Rosmerta came by with some food for them. They thanked her and the boys hurriedly tucked in. During lunch Toby slid a hand over to Ginny and took her fingers in his. She pulled her hand back and continued to push her meal about the plate. After a few moments, the last bits of food vanished from their plates and they all stood. Ginny hugged her best friend and promised to owl her the entire time she was away. Sarin smiled at her and nodded. Ron and Toby were off talking and Toby nodded at Ron a few times before thumping him on the shoulder and returning to his sister's side.

"Ginny..."

"Don't. Please," she said as tears filled her eyes.

Without another word, Toby turned to the fireplace and took a pinch of floo powder. He stepped into the flames and pronounced "Marucha Place!" before vanishing in a bright green flame. Sarin hugged Ginny again and turned to Ron.

"Will you miss me?" she asked softly.

"You know I will," he replied just as softly.

"Will you wait for me?" she asked, almost shyly.

"As long as I have to."

"Will you still love me?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes.

"Always," he replied, cupping her cheek.

Sarin smiled and moved closer to Ron. He bent his head as he raised her face and gave her a sweet kiss.

"Until we meet again love."

Sarin touched his lips with her fingers and stepped into the fireplace.

"Until we meet again then."

She took a pinch of floo powder and did as her brother had done. Ginny couldn't explain it, but it was almost as if a large part of her heart was now gone. The sweet exchange between her brother and best friend made the ache that was there worse. With tears running down her cheeks, she began to walk to the door of the bar. Ron stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Gin, what's wrong?"

"I'm just going to miss Sarin, that's all."

"Liar. Runt, you never could lie well. What's really wrong?"

Ginny turned and looked at her brother, a look of utter misery on her face.

"Toby. He kissed me Ron and..."

"You don't know how to feel about it?"

She shook her head. Recalling that second kiss was lighting her soul on fire and she couldn't forget how his lips felt against hers, his tongue sliding into her mouth so smoothly. She couldn't forget how he tasted... how he felt pressed against her body. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't forget the uncontrollable desire that had built up in her body. She knew that she was in love with her best friend's brother. The tears began to fall faster as she thought of her harsh words to him earlier, and again her mind turned to that kiss... so hot, so demanding... so needy. Why couldn't things be simple for her? Ron reached over and swiped at a tear that was about to fall from her chin.

"Come on runt," he said gently. "We should get back to the school."

He looped his arm around his sister's shoulder and together they walked out of the bar and into the cold evening. The wind whipped around them, stinging Ginny's wet face but she didn't notice. She was too caught up in her own thoughts. Why had she pushed him away? Why did he kiss her? Why did she have to fall in love with him? She rationalized that she had been in love with Toby for a long time, but she always pushed it aside as nothing more than a silly little crush, like the one she had on Harry in her first and second years. But as she spent time with him she became more aware of things about him... the way he smelled, the way he moved, his smile, his laugh, and the look he had on his face when he was concentrating on something. The difference in what she felt for Toby and what she thought she felt for Harry was simple. Harry just was. She didn't get close enough to smell him or study the different looks he had. Toby was another subject to her, someone to be carefully studied, each observation to be logged into a part of her brain. For a few moments the night before, before she became aware of just what his words were doing to his sister, she felt a hot rush of arousal at his anger. His blue eyes crackled with electric energy, the hurt and rage pouring off of him in powerful waves. She never felt that way about anyone and it scared her.

"Why does this have to be so damned hard?" she asked herself as they neared the school grounds again. Suddenly she didn't want to be back inside of the school with the other students. She wanted some time to herself. As Ron led them towards the path that lead up to the entrance, she held herself back.

"You go ahead in. I'm going to take a walk around."

"It's a bit chilly out here in case you haven't noticed Gin. It would be best to get inside."

"In a minute Ron. I just don't feel like being around people right now."

Ron sighed and reluctantly slid his arm from his little sister's shoulder.

"Ok, but don't stay out too long runt or Mum will have my head for letting you get sick." He bent slightly and kissed her forehead before walking up the path alone. Ginny watched him for a little while before she turned and began walking towards the lake. A giant tentacle poked up a little ways from the water and quickly submerged itself again as she settled herself down on a fallen tree trunk. The sky was turning a spectacular shade of pink and blue as the sun began to set and Ginny wished she could be that serene. She lost track of time and came to herself just as the sky went purple. She stood and turned to get off of the stump when she noticed a black shape near the edge of the lake, a bit off from her.

"It's probably an animal that's been injured," she said aloud. "I'll go get Hagrid and he can take it in."

She stepped off the stump and turned towards Hagrid's hut. But curiosity got the better of her and she wanted to get a closer look. Perhaps she could tell Hagrid exactly what the creature was so he could know how to be prepared to help it. As she got closer, she realized that it wasn't an animal, but a black cloak.

"Someone is going to be freezing without it. I had best get it inside and give it to McGonagall. Who knows who..."

Her words trailed off into horrified silence as she reached the shape she thought was just a cloak. Bare feet were sticking out from the black folds of the garment. It was a body. Silently, Ginny moved forward and peeled back the corner of the cloak that was hiding the body's identifying features and screamed.