but you'll never see the end of the road
while you're traveling with me
hey now, hey now
don't dream, it's over
- Crowded House
Invasion
The wintry sun shone brightly on the red-haired girl as she read a Potions book. She was safely ensconced in a wide-backed, red-cushioned chair. Her legs were crossed under the heavy tome that lay open before her; the light that shone from a nearby window glittered on faintly golden strands of her hair, and made the pages of the book blindingly white. But Ginny didn’t care about the glaring reflection from the book before her, for her thoughts were elsewhere.
She had woken up a mere hour and a half before and had completely missed breakfast. Her stomach was grumbling in a way that clearly attested to that fact, but Ginny tried to convince herself that there was no need to go down to the kitchens when lunch would be served shortly. The truth was she was afraid that she might bump into Blaise or Draco on her way to the portrait with the pear. She had been plagued all night with her wonderings about those two boys, and she was not sure how she would react if she saw them; thus, Ginny decided to hide and deal with her empty stomach.
To prevent herself from thinking about Blaise and Draco, she let her eyes wander around the room. Her fellow Gryffindors were engaged in various forms of relaxation. In one corner, Ron was playing chess with Harry, while Hermione read and occasionally lifted her head to watch. Dean and Seamus were seated in chairs near the stairs leading to the dorms, in deep conversation with Neville, Colin Creevy, and some second year boys; periodically, they would all break into guffaws of merriment. Near the fire was a gaggle of gossiping girls, who occasionally giggled and stole looks at Harry. On the floor, small groups of first and second years played with Gobstones and dealt out Exploding Snap cards.
Ginny sighed contentedly as she viewed the peaceful scene before her. Even though the school was still under siege and the halls were filled with Aurors, professors, and other officials, this pleasant tableau calmed her greatly. With a faint smile on her lips, she remembered what the weeks had been like before that Quidditch game. Right now, she would have been in the library, working on her homework with Blaise and Draco to keep her company. Her smile widened into a grin as she recalled their petty arguments and the sarcastic banter that they threw at her and each other.
She stopped herself before her thoughts continued in that vein. There was no use in remembering the past and wishing that things were different, when it had all been a farce. She turned her eyes back to her potions text, and continued reading about the same blood-replenishing potion that her father had needed after that infernal snake attacked him last year. She could still remember Harry’s horror when he realized that his dream had actually occurred. She sighed and propped her chin up with one hand, while the other idly played with a corner of a page. She had been terrified when she had seen her father in St. Mungo’s, surrounded by cold, heartless white. That day, she vowed to do everything she could to prevent her from feeling that helplessness again. Yet, here she sat with an empty stomach, because she had no idea what to do when and if she saw Blaise or Draco again. She felt just as vulnerable as she had in St. Mungo’s, and she was doing nothing to stop it.
Frowning at her weakness, Ginny gave up all pretenses of reading and shut the book with a loud snap. She tossed said book to a nearby chair, shifted her body so that she was facing the window next to her, and closed her eyes. The minute her eyes shut, she was deluged with her musings on Draco. She could still envision him in her mind, standing there silently as she berated him for becoming a Death Eater. His impassive countenance and hard eyes were obvious, but as she continued to “look” at him, she was struck by his exhaustion. The Draco in her mind had unmistakably bloodshot eyes; his pale skin was smudged with shadows, making him look aged and world-weary. She continued her perusal of her memory of him, and realized that his hair was unusually disheveled, and his robes were dirty and wrinkled.
Startled by this revelation, Ginny replayed the entire conversation in her mind. She realized that his jaw had been clenched angrily while she questioned him. In fact, a muscle in his cheek had twitched when she accused him of being a Death Eater. He had obviously been impeding a reaction to her words, but why?
Ginny couldn’t deny that she had accused him of being a Death Eater to rile his temper and force him to react. Even if Draco had lied to her and told her that they weren’t Death Eaters, she would have believed him willingly. But he had simply watched her as she jumped to conclusions, never correcting her.
Had she been jumping to conclusions? Ginny remembered that she had not actually come out and asked him if they were Death Eaters. However, she was certain that if she had, she would have still been met with that puzzling silence.
Ginny was also bewildered that Draco had been alone and outside after curfew. She, at least, had had a legitimate excuse for doing so, but he had never explained or gave any indication of what he had been up to. She knew that the place would have been crawling with Aurors and ministry officials, even at that hour of the night. If they had set eyes on him, they wouldn’t have hesitated to, as Draco had said, “curse first and ask questions later.” She smirked at the irony of using Draco’s words to question his own carelessness. Her smile turned to a frown as her thoughts shifted to Blaise; where had he been? She had rarely seen the boys separated from each other; she would have expected Blaise to follow Draco to give him company at least, if not to protect him.
She sighed wistfully as she remembered Blaise’s smile and comfortable demeanor. She missed him more than she had thought possible. It had only been a few days since she had traipsed into the Great Hall on Harry’s arm, but it felt like years since she had felt Blaise’s kiss. She almost smacked herself when she realized that she missed him so much. Hadn’t she been the one who regretted going out with him in the first place? Now, she finally didn’t have to worry about how to tell him that she didn’t love him.
But her longing continued, no matter how hard she tried to stifle it. She truly did miss the way he would hold her hand amiably without dragging her everywhere with him. She longed for the comfort of his arms and the sweet sensuality of his kisses. With a sinking feeling, Ginny wondered if she had a crush on Blaise… or maybe loved him. She knew he was her best friend, and she was perfectly comfortable with spending all of her time with him. But did all of that amount to loving him? And what had happened to her crush on Draco? She still found him very attractive, and she was sure that he felt something for her.
Ginny was startled out of her reverie when she heard a tentative, “Ginny?” and looked up to find Hermione standing before her.
Ginny cleared her throat awkwardly and replied, “Yes?”
Hermione took a deep breath, as though she was steeling herself, and said, “I’d like you to eat lunch with us.”
Ginny had completely lost track of time; sure enough, the common room was practically empty at this point. She sighed inwardly as she thought about Hermione’s offer, because she knew that “us” included Harry and Ron. But, there really wasn’t much to consider, for Ginny had no one else to sit with. Before she was engulfed in another wave of nostalgia, she replied, “All right,” with a brave smile.
Hermione let out a breath of relief; “Come on, then,” she urged, as she beckoned Ginny to get up and follow her. With a heavy feeling of foreboding, Ginny obediently pushed aside the potions textbook and rose. Both girls walked to the portrait hole, where they found Harry and Ron waiting for them impatiently.
When both boys saw Ginny, they gave Hermione pointed looks and frowned; apparently, Hermione hadn’t alerted them of her plans to invite Ginny. To Ginny’s surprise, Hermione frowned back. Silence reigned for a second, before Harry let out a strangled, “Hermione…”
“Harry,” Hermione replied with a long-suffering sigh, “we’re only going to lunch. Besides, let’s enjoy the time we have left in peace.”
“But-” Harry began.
“Oh, come on, Harry,” Ron piped in. “She’s right. Besides, she’s my bloody sister!” He turned giving Ginny a weak smile of encouragement.
“Ron, watch your language,” Hermione warned primly; but Ginny could see the pride in the other girl’s eyes as she gazed at Ron approvingly.
“Fine,” Harry said with a sigh, and exited through the portrait hole. The other three followed suit, and in a few minutes they were on their way to the Great Hall.
Harry and Ron walked side-by-side, ahead of the two girls. “Hermione,” Ginny began in a low voice.
The bushy haired girl turned to her and murmured, “Yes?”
“What did you mean when you said ‘the time we have left’?” Ginny inquired.
Hermione paled and whispered furiously, “It’s nothing, really. Just a way to convince them, is all.”
“Oh,” Ginny murmured, but she was not at all convinced. The rest of the trek to the Great Hall continued in silence, but she began to suspect that the other three knew something she didn’t. She saw that they had their wands out, their heads swiveling in all directions as they peered into dark recesses and shadowy corners as they walked.
By the time all four of them reached the Hall, Ginny felt extremely lonely and excluded. When they entered the room, she was relieved to see that her peers barely noticed her entrance. The Hall was filled with students, as usual, but there was an unusual flurry of activity from the Ministry officials, Aurors, and professors in the place. She caught herself looking towards the Slytherin table for Blaise and Draco, but forced herself to turn away. She somehow managed to squeeze past the people rushing past her and found an empty seat at the Gryffindor table next to Hermione. Directly opposite her was Harry, and next to him was Ron.
As they began piling food onto their plates, Ron inquired, “What do you think all of these officials are here for?” Ginny glanced up to look at Ron, and was startled to see him smiling at her uncertainly. She grinned back shyly and shrugged her shoulders.
He then turned his eyes to Hermione, as Ginny turned her attention to the Staff Table. To her surprise, she saw that the teachers were only stopping by the table to eat a few bites; then, they were flitting around the room, traveling from group to group of Ministry employees. She smiled when she saw Hagrid discussing something very seriously with an Auror in the far corner of the room.
But where was Dumbledore? She looked to the Staff Table again, and found Snape glaring at a man who was talking earnestly with Dumbledore. The Potions Master’s trademark scowl was fiercer than ever, so that he reminded Ginny of a bristling cat. Ginny’s eyes traveled to Dumbledore – she was saddened by what she saw. The Headmaster seemed older than ever; his twinkling blue eyes were duller, his long, white beard a bit scraggly and his robes wrinkled. She also saw that he had a plate full of food in front of him, yet he hadn’t eaten a single thing on it. This whole deal with Hogsmeade had taken its toll on him.
“-again, tonight’s the dance, so they’re probably setting up security or something,” Hermione interrupted Ginny’s thought.
Ginny’s eyebrows furrowed at that concept, and before she could stop herself, she asked, “Would it really require this much effort for security? I mean, they only have to stick Aurors in every corner, and put a few of them at the entrance.”
Ron grinned at her statement as he chewed his food; even Harry looked at her with an appreciative glance. Hermione swallowed and replied, “You’re right; it does seem a bit nonsensical. Fudge is probably getting paranoid, is all.”
“It’s about bloody time,” Harry replied with a grimace. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny nodded in agreement, before turning their attentions back to their food.
The rest of the meal was punctuated with simple comments and jokes. Once they had finished, Ginny followed the other three out of the Hall and towards the Gryffindor common room. She was puzzled when she saw that they drew out their wands again and treaded cautiously before they reached the portrait. Once she was safely within the tower, Ginny murmured that she wanted to take a nap, and headed off to her room. She immediately fell into an exhausted slumber without bothering to change her clothes.
A few hours later, she was awakened by muffled giggles. With a stifled curse, she cracked an eye open and looked for the fool that dared to wake her. She heard another giggle, and saw her other three roommates standing by the big mirror at one end of the room. They were modeling skirts and dress robes with each other, trying to decide on which one to wear.
Ginny closed her eyes again and groaned out loud; she had nearly forgotten about the dance tonight. After some more grumbling, she finally stood up slowly, yawning and stretching the entire time. She grabbed a towel, mentally cursed the fact that she was female, and trudged towards the bathroom.
After she was finished, she went straight to the trunk at the foot of her bed and half-heartedly searched for something appropriate to wear. Soon, she was clad in her knickers, an old, yellowing slip, and a dark green dragon shirt that was once the property of an eleven-year-old Charlie Weasley. All of her meager clothing was on her bed, and she rapidly sifted through them, looking for a nearly new skirt. She had almost lost her wits in frustration when she heard a tentative knock and the click of the knob as the door slowly opened. She and the rest of her roommates nearly shrieked out that they were half-dressed, but they sighed with relief when Hermione poked her head into the room.
“Ginny?” she asked faintly.
“Yes?” Ginny replied as she made her way to the door.
The other girl looked relieved when Ginny reached the door, and immediately grabbed her arm. “Come on,” she insisted as she dragged Ginny out of her room.
Ginny spluttered, “Hermione! I’m barely dressed!”
The other girl threw her a glance over her shoulder then replied flippantly, “Well, everything’s covered, so you’re dressed.”
“I’m not even wearing a bra,” Ginny moaned in embarrassment. But nothing seemed to deter the bushy haired demon in front of her. Ginny snorted derisively when she noticed that Hermione was fully clad in her school uniform; leave it to her to actually be dressed!
To Ginny’s chagrin, she soon realized that they were plummeting down the stairs to the common room. She felt her face go red as the other people in the room turned to look at her in surprise. But Ginny soon forgot about them when she saw Professor McGonagall at the portrait hole, surrounded by Harry, Ron, and the other Gryffindors who were at the DA meeting. Ginny started slowing down in apprehension, but Hermione just gripped her tighter and kept going.
When they finally reached the group at the entrance, Hermione began, “Professor McGonagall!” She paused to catch her breath, choking out, “Now we’re all here.”
Harry looked at both of them quizzically and demanded, “Why is she here?”
Instead of answering, the now calmer Hermione turned to Ginny and said conversationally, “Tell me, Ginny. Do you still remember the spells we practiced in the DA last year?”
“Yes,” Ginny answered without hesitation, wondering what the hell was going on.
“Then I think she has every right to be here,” Hermione said with a triumphant grin as she looked at Harry.
He immediately scowled and opened his mouth to retort, but McGonagall beat him to it. “Very well then, Miss Granger,” she said in a low voice. The professor looked at each of the students gathered around her and began, “I must impress on each of you the potential danger that all of us are in. Even though there are many Aurors and ministry officials here, we are still vulnerable to an attack from Hogsmeade,” she paused, everyone around her gasping. “If there is one,” she added hastily. “Of course, we have not had any indication that it will happen for sure. I simply ask that all of you keep your wits about you tonight, and be prepared lest you’re needed.” Silence met her in response; satisfied by their reactions, she finished, “All right then, off you go.”
The small group of students began to scatter, however Ginny was still stunned by what she had heard. So this was what Hermione had meant when she mentioned “the time we have left.” She shivered involuntarily and moved mechanically to the staircase leading to the dormitories, her mind in a whirlwind from what she had just heard.
Before she could go any further, there was a loud banging against the entrance. Ginny swiveled around quickly, the astonishment on her face mirrored on those of the students around her. McGonagall, who had been chatting seriously with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, turned to the portrait hole and opened it cautiously.
The person on the other side of the door pushed it open forcefully. Ginny caught sight of purple hair and a pale face, and nearly cried out, “Tonks!” with pleasure.
But the words died on her lips when Tonks yelled, “They’re in the castle!”
Got comments? Then please leave one!
Mucho gracias to my beta, dracosslytheringal. I loff you to death, my dear!
I had a lot of trouble getting the inspiration to complete this chapter. The entire week after I posted Chapter 14, I was just too drained to think about this story. Then, I got reviews from The Lovely Lioness here at D&G.com and MelissaSadwick at FA, and just like that, Chapter 15 came pouring out. Thank you, Lioness and MSadwick, for unknowingly spurring me on. See, this is why reviewing is good!
Responses to reviews from last chapter can be found here.
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