Apocalypse Return

Chapter Four

When Harry woke up once more, Ginny was still there, sitting on one of the chairs.

"Hey Gin?" Something had been preying on his mind while he slept. He didn't know why he hadn't thought about this before.

"Yeah, Harry?"

"If... If everyone who was killed... If they're alive again... Are my parents...?"

She was already shaking her head and looking as though she were going to start crying. "No, I'm sorry, Harry. Everyone a- after them..."

Harry turned his head away from her. He would not cry. He would *not* start to cry. It's not like he had gotten his hopes up, anyway. If his parents were alive again, wouldn't Dumbledore have taken him to them first? Of course. If the tears started now, he was afraid that they would never stop.

"Sweet Merlin, Harry, I'm sorry." He could feel her fingers running through his hair.

After a few minutes, he turned back to face her, his eyes filled with sadness. "Well, it's what I expected. I just had to make sure."

Ginny was chewing on her lip in an indecisive manner, staring at him and thinking hard. "Harry... Dumbledore didn't want any of us to tell you this until the two of you were feeling much stronger, but..."

"If Dumbledore says something like that, it's probably for the best," Harry told her wearily.

"Not this time, I think. I'm pretty sure he just doesn't want you to excite yourself into a heart attack, and... well... Harry, *everyone* who died came back."

"No," Harry told her bitterly. "Only those who were killed."

Ginny sighed. "Yes, Harry. Those who were killed. And just because you don't view something as murder doesn't mean it wasn't. Come on, get out of that bed."

It took him a moment to overcome the apathy and get out of the white bed. He had a sneaking suspicion of what she meant, but refused to allow his hopes to rise. Over and over, he told himself that she was alluding to something different, something completely different. But he couldn't bring himself to ask outright; better to pretend he had no assumptions.

Ginny stuck her head out of the wrap-around curtain first, making sure the coast was clear. Running into a nurse or Dumbledore would put a quick end to this adventure. While all of the adults thought they knew what was best, she knew different. This was the only way to get Harry to stop moping and sulking, and make him get better faster.

Scuttling out and shushing the people conspiratorially, Ginny dragged Harry behind her. From across the room, Lupin gave them a thumbs-up and next to them, George winked and motioned for them to hurry up. When they got down through the door out to the corridor, Harry realized that he was already tired. Once again, the fact that he had barely won the battle made itself known.

After sticking her head out of the door and looking both ways t make sure the hallway was clear, Ginny hurried Harry into the corridor, then immediately into the room next door. She clapped a hand over his mouth so he wouldn't make any noise, even though he wasn't planning on speaking in the first place. Once she was sure he was going to be quiet, she darted over to the lone bed to check on its occupant.

"Oh good, you're awake," she said as she leaned over the person lying there.

~~End Chapter Four~~