I Love You, Don't Touch Me!

I Love You, Don't Touch Me!

Chapter 8: Midnight's the Time

Ginny watched as Harry exited the Hall after dinner. He moved quickly and decisively, as if he knew exactly where he was going. Quietly she slipped through the thinning crowds and followed him out, stepping back behind a suit of armor to hide while she waited to see where he was going. She thought she had lost him once, but after two minutes of looking around, she spotted Harry descending the stairs in the main hall, his Firebolt over his shoulder. Harry took a quick look around and then hurried out the front doors of the castle and out into the dark grounds that stretched in front and all around the great stone building; Ginny followed him.

Harry was feeling slightly nervous as he strode quickly across the grounds. He knew that students weren't supposed to go flying after dark; it was against the rules, not to mention the fact that it was dangerous. He glanced behind him as he neared the lake. Was someone following him? There was nothing in the rules about going for a walk on the grounds at night, as long as it was before curfew, and, in his case, that Snape didn't catch him. Harry looked around again as he checked his watch: seven-fifteen. Still plenty of time. He mounted his broom and looked over his shoulder once more; somehow he was sure that there was someone out there besides him. A quick search of the grounds about him revealed no one, so he kicked off and soared up into the night sky.

Ginny stared up after Harry's darkening shadow against the three-quarter moon as he rose higher and higher into the night. How was she supposed to talk to him now? Then a sudden thought sparked her memory: the equipment shed! She could go and borrow a school broom! Quickly she turned and hurried back toward the castle.

* * * * *

Hermione sighed, exhausted, as she sat up on her bed. Her weary gaze roamed the room and stopped to rest on her schoolbag. She sighed again. Just because Harry was being a complete and total pillock didn't mean that she could neglect her homework. Anyway, who cared what he thought about her? It wasn't as if they were dating! What right did he have to judge her?

Hermione jumped off the bed and made her way across the room to her desk. She opened her bag, pulled out her neatly rolled essay parchment, and unrolled it on her desk. She located a quill and ink bottle and began to pen the last few paragraphs of her essay, self-righteous anger coursing through her veins.

A red flash streaked past her window and Hermione blinked. She had only seen the movement out of the corner of her eye. Hurrying to the window and looking out, she saw nothing. She returned to her desk, trying to clear her mind. Damn Harry Potter for making her unable to concentrate! It was probably someone's owl or something.

* * * * *

Ginny crept up to the small shed which housed the school brooms. Nervously she whispered, "Alohomora!" and the door creaked open and she stepped inside. The school brooms were lined neatly against the wall and the handle polishes and 'pruning' clippers were stacked on shelves next to them. Ginny glanced over her shoulder, somehow sure that a teacher was going to appear behind her the second she turned around.

Her footsteps echoed oddly off the walls as she made her to the back of the small room and selected a Cloud Burst 600 before hurrying back outside and closing the door behind her. One more check to see that no one was around, and Ginny settled herself into a comfortable side-saddle position and kicked off. The wind rushed past her, tossing her hair, but Ginny kept her eyes firmly open. She didn't want to miss Harry by mistake.

It was only a couple of minutes later, after a quick loop around the castle (--she was afraid to fly near the building longer than necessary for fear that she might be seen--) that she spotted him; he was hovering over the far end of the lake. She paused, not sure of how to approach him. Harry knew that she and Hermione were close, and Ginny knew that Harry wasn't exactly in the mood to be talking to someone who wanted to defend Hermione to him, even if she wasn't exactly sure what she was defending her about. There was something that Harry wasn't telling her and she was determined to find out what.

* * * * *

Harry was moving slowly across the sky, nearly out of view of the castle now, gradually making his way toward the cliff overlooking the castle and the lake, where he had often sat to think over the years. Just before he touched down he noticed that someone was behind him. His feet made a soft thud in the dust as he glided to a stop, and Harry dismounted. He walked over to the log that he had sat on so many times and presented his back to whoever it was that had been following him. Moments later there was another soft thud, and the light scraping of another broom as its rider dismounted and made their way toward him.

"Harry..." she began softly, unsure, and Harry turned. It was Ginny. Great.

"Go away," he returned coldly.

Ginny cautiously made her way toward the log and sat down hesitantly on the opposite end. Then, taking a deep breath, she began again.

"Harry, what happened? I know that you know. Why won't you tell me? Maybe I can help?"

Harry spun around with a glare. Ginny was watching him anxiously, her eyes wide and her face pale in the moonlight. She drew back slightly when she saw his face.

"Why don't you ask Ron? He knows. Or maybe Hermione? I'm sure that she'd love to have one of her gossipy little girly-girl chats with you!" Harry retorted acidly, and watched Ginny's eyes grow wider. He moved closer to her. "Oh, maybe you could ask Malfoy?"

Ginny eyed Harry as he inched down the log closer and closer with every word. "Malfoy?" she questioned, completely in the dark. "Harry, what are you going on about?"

By now Harry was right next to her and Ginny could see the fire flashing in his eyes. The intenseness in his face was starting to scare her. She raised her arm, placing her hand against his shoulder, trying to push him back, but Harry only scowled darkly and caught her wrist in an iron grip. Ginny let out a half indignant, half terrified gasp and leapt to her feet, trying, at the same time, to pull her arm out of Harry's grasp.

"Harry! Let go!" she cried, but Harry rose with her, pulling her close against his chest.

"Do you think that's what she said? When he had her up against the wall?" Harry sneered down at her, hardly noticing what he was doing, hardly registering the brutality of his actions to the smallest Weasley. His grip tightened and Ginny cried out again. Their bodies were now only inches apart. "Do you think she told him to go away? I was there Ginny! I didn't hear any sounds of protest when I was coming up the corridor! She liked it! She wanted it!" Ginny froze as Harry's voice rose with each sentence, now a veritable shout.

"Liked what? What the hell are you talking about, Harry?" Ginny demanded, anger attempting to override her fear, but she never got any further then that in her rant. Harry glared down at her a moment before suddenly grabbing her around the waist with his free arm and bending his head down toward her.

"This!" Harry hissed angrily, and crushed his lips down on hers.

* * * * *

Hermione sighed and lifted her finished essay up to the soft glow of lantern light and gave a satisfied nod. It was nearly eleven-thirty and she had finally finished her History of Magic essay, not to mention her Transfiguration homework and a letter home to her parents. Setting her paper back on her desk, Hermione attempted to stretch out her shoulder muscles, then stood and stretched out her arms, with her interlaced fingers out in front of her. Sitting back down with a deep sigh, she lifted the essay back up and blew gently on it to help the ink dry faster. Then she blew out her lantern, murmured a soft "Lumos," to light her wand, and padded quietly across her dormitory room in her bare feet to her bed. She laid down her wand on the bedspread and slipped on her dressing gown, tying it securely at the waist, then picked up her wand again and made her way into the hall and towards the bathrooms to wash up for bed.

Ten minutes later Hermione had brushed her teeth, pulled a comb through her hair and washed her face. She opened the door to go back out into the dimly lit hall, exhausted by the day's events, and immediately slammed into another body. The girl in the hall drew back with a startled apology, and lifted her hood-covered head to look at Hermione.

Hermione let out a gasp of her own, trying to stand as her leg, which had been oddly throbbing all evening, exploded into protest again.

"Hermione? Oh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking! I--"

Hermione lifted her own head. That voice was familiar. "Ginny?"

Ginny's face was flushed and she looked as though she had just been outside, what with her cloak on and her hood pulled up over her hair. Ginny ducked her head down again and attempted to pass by Hermione into the baths. Hermione stepped back to let her friend in, but didn't leave. Ginny turned around at the sound of the door closing with a soft creak, and found Hermione leaning against it, her arms crossed.

"Okay, Gin, what's the story? I'm Head Girl and your friend, so you know I have the power to make you talk." Hermione grinned evilly, and Ginny allowed herself a small smile before growing serious again.

"Hermione, you know I love you to bits, but take off the House Points or whatever because trust me, you don't want to hear what I have to say."

Ginny watched as her friend's face fell a bit, then her eyes narrowed. "Does this have anything to do with Harry?" Ginny avoided her gaze. If there was one thing about Hermione, it was that she cut right to the chase, and Ginny did not want to answer her. She thought back to her conversation with Harry back on the hillside a short while before.

* * * * *

Ginny's eyes widened with shock as she felt Harry's strong arm come around her. There had been a time not too many years ago when she would have simply melted had she been in this situation, but now was not the case; besides, she had Neville and she loved him. She struggled in Harry's embrace and he finally lifted his head, although he didn't release her.

"Harry! You-- You--" Ginny was so shocked she could barely form words.

"I know that you have a crush on me Ginny, since second year; aren't you pleased?" Harry demanded, ignoring her attempts to free herself. Ginny stopped moving and glared up at him.

"Harry James Potter!" she exploded in outrage. "How-- how dare you!"

Harry seemed slightly taken aback at these words but he didn't let her go. "Ginny, don't fight it. We both know it's fate that we be together," he continued smoothly.

SMACK!

Ginny had managed to free her right arm from its position pinned against her side, and had slapped Harry solidly in the face. He released her abruptly, his eyes widening and his own hand slowly rising to touch his cheek where a bruise was already forming. Ginny stepped back a few paces and stared at him in horror.

She had just hit Harry! The Boy-Who-Lived! Her crush of her first four years at Hogwarts! Old habits die hard, as they say, and as much as she loved Neville, a small part of her heart would always care for Harry; he had been her first love after all. She shook her head; he had deserved it. And anyway, it had brought him out of whatever fantasy world he had been living in the last few seconds; Harry was now mirroring her horror as he looked back at her.

"Ginny..." he began, as she observed the red imprint of her small hand slowly fading off his cheek, but when he took a step toward her, Ginny bolted for her broomstick.

"Ginny wait! I'm sorry!" Harry called, desperation evident in his voice. Ginny ignored him, straddling her broom quickly, not taking time for ladylike procedures this time.

She couldn't believe what had just taken place. The boy was obviously barking mad. She would find Hermione and ask her herself what was going on. With that last thought Ginny kicked off the ground hard, just feeling Harry's hand brush her ankle as he jumped forward and tried to hold her back. As she soared up into the night sky Ginny turned to look behind her. Harry was standing there watching her go, but his face was clothed in shadows and she couldn't tell what he was thinking. A moment later he turned back toward his own broom and Ginny zipped off into the darkness. He could catch up to her quickly if he so desired and she wasn't intending to give him that chance.

* * * * *

Ginny walked to the sink and turned on the taps, letting the warm water run over her icy hands, slowly bringing warmth and feeling back into them, as she pondered her answer. She had managed to return her borrowed broom to the shed without any problems; Harry had obviously gone off somewhere to sulk. Ginny felt a blush rise on her cheeks as she remembered Harry's rough kiss, his dry lips and the anger that had been radiating from his tense body. Her first and likely only kiss with Harry had been anything but the romantic interlude that she had always imagined. Right now she just wanted to go to bed and pretend that nothing had happened. However, Hermione was blocking the door and Ginny knew from experience it wasn't likely that her closest friend, who was one year her elder, was going to move from her position until she got some answers. Ginny turned off the faucet and dried her hands on a towel before answering her friend.

"Yes, it's about Harry. I followed him after supper; I wanted to talk to him. I--" she paused and looked Hermione straight in the eyes "--I heard you crying earlier, but your door was locked, and I didn't know what to do so I went to find Ron and Harry." She watched as Hermione's eyes became clouded and rushed on, "Because I just knew that one of them would know what was happening. I mean, come on, you guys are the inseparable trio of Hogwarts, famous for getting into nearly more trouble than Fred and George combined, and that's saying something!" Ginny was relieved to see a tiny smile work its way onto Hermione's lips for a fraction of a second.

"What did he tell you?" Hermione asked dully, the smile vanishing as she walked across the tiles and sat down on the edge of the small cot that was nestled in a corner of the room, reserved for those times of the month when a girl just needed to lay down for a minute.

Ginny watched her closely, biting her lip and debating whether to tell her the whole truth. "Well, he went flying over to that cliff he always sits on--" Hermione nodded, and though she looked mildly disapproving at the news of Harry breaking another rule she was too tired to raise the issue "--and I tried to get him to tell me what was going on. I mean, I had asked Ron and him after their Quidditch practice," Ginny continued, and Hermione blinked. She had completely forgotten about the practice! After that whole mess with Malfoy she hadn't wanted to go anywhere where there were people and she had blown it off. "But Ron avoided the issue and Harry just snapped at me and refused to answer!"

Ginny had sat herself on the edge of one of the sinks and was idly swinging her feet; her hood had fallen back and her hair was wind-blown and slightly stuck to the sides of her face with sweat.

"So I decided to follow him after supper and force him to talk to me. Ron had already gone into his room for the night so I couldn't talk to him," she clarified when Hermione looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "He was going flying, off to that hill that he always goes to when he's upset you know, so I followed him."

"Ginny, you don't own a broom," Hermione pointed out. Ginny flushed guiltily.

"I, erm, sort of borrowed a school broom."

"Ginny!" Hermione chided her, but Ginny could tell that the protest was only halfhearted.

"Well, I caught up to him, but he didn't really want to talk. I prodded at him a bit and he finally got annoyed and shouted something about Malfoy?" she hedged, deliberately leaving out her kiss with Harry and ending her comment with a questioning glance at the bookish Gryffindor sitting across from her. Hermione was avoiding her eyes.

"Hermione, I'm not sure what happened, but whatever it is, I will believe what you tell me," Ginny said quietly, her voice soundly oddly loud in the nearly deserted bathroom.

Hermione lifted her head and looked at her copper-haired friend. Ginny's eyes were earnest and unblinking, and Hermione knew that she spoke the truth. She nodded and Ginny walked over and sat beside her. Hermione kept her head down, her curly hair falling forward to hide her face, as the bed creaked and sank down a few inches where Ginny's weight settled onto it.

"I was going back to the Tower after class and I ran into him," she began; Ginny didn't need to ask who the 'him' was, it was obviously Malfoy. "When I tried to go past him he blocked my way; pushed me against the wall. He made a bunch of comments about Harry and--" Hermione cut herself off before she said the word "I"; what Malfoy had implied in hallway about Harry and herself had been embarrassing enough then; she wasn't sure if she wanted to have to describe the nature of his remarks to Ginny, even if the girl was her best friend. Not that she wasn't best friends with Ron and Harry too, it was just that a girl needed some female companionship too and Ginny was it as she was really the only one would understood what Hermione had gone through; she had gone though some of the same situations in the Chamber and the Department of Mysteries over the last few years. Hermione rushed on, "Then he kissed me."

Ginny sucked in her breath. "Hermione! Are you all right? Did he do anything else to you? Did you tell Professor McGonagall? She would have taken off points for him harassing you!"

Hermione shook her head, lifting it to look at Ginny, who was staring at her with wide, anxious eyes.

"Harry came along when he was doing it. He shouted at Malfoy, but when he saw me, he-- he didn't even listen to what I had to say! Ginny, he just looked at me like I was disgusting and a traitor! It wasn't my fault! I don't know why Malfoy did it! He's always hated me! But Harry--" She broke off and swallowed hard, tears coming back to her eyes as the hurt of Harry not believing her, not waiting to listen to her side of the story, all came flooding back "--Harry just brushed me off. I thought that he would take a swing at Malfoy; maybe give him a good hex into the wall, but he just looked at me as if I had allowed it; as if I had wanted it! Merlin Ginny, why did he act that way?"

Ginny just pulled her now sobbing friend into her arms and gave her a sisterly embrace as Hermione cried into her shoulder. She didn't know what to say. Harry had always been level headed about these sorts of things. Malfoy hated Hermione. Hermione hated Malfoy. Always had, always would. How could even think that she would have participated in the kiss willingly? Ginny felt herself begin to shake with anger on behalf of Hermione. Of course, now that she understood what Harry had thought happened, Ginny understood why he had been so angry out on the cliff-side earlier; not that that gave him any excuse for the way he had treated her, no matter how sorry he had appeared at the end of it all.

"McGonagall came along after Harry left, and Malfoy left nearly as soon as she appeared. I didn't tell her, I was too embarrassed and confused by what had all taken place, I suppose. I brushed off everything; told her that I had dropped my bag, which I did when I first ran into Malfoy, and let her come to her own natural conclusions about Harry and Malfoy. She didn't know that I was involved at all." Hermione sniffed, getting herself under control a few minutes later, long enough to finish her story.

"Oh 'Mione..." Ginny said softly, stroking her friend's hair in the motherly fashion her own mum had done for her countless times when consoling her over something. For some reason Hermione burst into fresh tears again. The nickname, unbeknownst to Ginny, who had used it often enough when talking about the other Gryffindor girl to her family, although never actually to Hermione herself, was another reminder of what Hermione had thought was a sweet, new side emerging in the now bitter Harry who probably would never speak to her again. Suddenly Ginny gasped and Hermione jerked her head up with a loud sniff, trying to get her emotions under control.

"Hermione, there's blood on your skirt!"

Hermione looked down, her cheeks reddening. Was it that time already? Had she miscounted her calendar? But when she pulled up her skirt to examine it, Hermione realized that the blood was coming from a cut on her thigh. So that's why her leg had been hurting. The wound was long and thin and shallow, partially scabbed, but now had the beginning of red irritation around it, the light healing having pulled apart slightly, probably when she and Ginny had run into each other at the door, and had begun to bleed again. Hermione stared at it, noting that there was some old, dried, blood on her skirt as well; she had no clue when she could have hurt herself like that. Ginny was watching her closely, her eyes equally confused.

"Hermione, what happened?"