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SIYE Time:14:56 on 29th March 2024
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New Year, New Hope
By Arnel

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Category: Post-OotP, Buried Gems
Characters:Harry/Ginny
Genres: Angst, Drama, Fluff, General
Warnings: None
Story is Complete
Rating: PG-13
Reviews: 117
Summary: It's Harry's sixth year and Ginny Weasley's "Harry-Watching" has paid off. In this sequel to "You're Still You" the two teens explore their new relationship while dealing with the challenges of life threatened by war.
Hitcount: Story Total: 89231; Chapter Total: 5130







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New Year, New Hope

Part Thirteen


Ginny stood, supported by Madam Pomfrey and Healer Alexander, in the aisle between the rows of beds, ready to try walking on her own for the first time in months. She’d just proven to herself and her healers that the potion Neville had created had done what they thought it would by walking behind her walking frame with an even gait and only a small limp. Her parents, all her brothers, Neville, Hermione and Harry had applauded her efforts and called encouragement to her as she traversed the length of the hospital wing. They were now stationed along the aisle to lend a hand if she needed it.

Twelve hours earlier she’d taken Neville’s potion under Madam Pomfrey’s supervision and then had endured the agonizing hours of pain required by the re-growing and realignment of the network of nerves that had been severed or damaged by the Bludgers. Harry had insisted on sitting with her, saying that when he had been re-growing the bones in his arm during second year he had desperately wanted someone to distract him from his pain. Madam Pomfrey had huffed and sputtered about complete bed rest, but had finally relented under their steady insistence that Ginny would be better served by his company. Harry’s presence had helped her through the worst of it; his hand had never left hers and when the pain seemed almost unbearable he distracted her with imaginative stories he had made up as a little boy when Uncle Vernon had locked him in his cupboard.

She now took a fortifying breath and nodded at the two healers who let go of her. For the first time since the beginning of March she took a small step forward by herself with her left leg. She paused, getting used to the sensations of temperature, weight transfer and balance among other things. Two more steps followed before she wobbled and almost fell. Ron, who was closest, was at her side instantly offering his hand. She shook her head. “I can do this, big brother,” she murmured refusing to take it.

“I know you can, but I’ll be right here if you need me,” he said, his voice full of emotion.

Ginny glanced at him with a determined smile. “Thanks. I know you are,” she said and, looking away, again focused her attention on the doors at the opposite end of the room.

Her progress was slow and painful. She felt every protesting muscle and what seemed to be every newly-repaired neuron as she willed her hips and legs to cooperate. Finally, exhausted but triumphant, she fell into her mother’s tearful embrace as the cheers of those closest to her reverberated from the ceiling.

“Oh, Ginny. I’m so proud of you,” her mum murmured joyously into her hair. “And Neville,” she called, raising her head and extending a hand to him, “you’ve given Ginny her life back! Come here so I can thank you properly.”

Neville joined the hug somewhat reluctantly. “It wasn’t just my work, Mrs. Weasley,” he said in a somewhat muffled voice. “I had lots of help from Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout.”

“I know that, Neville, but it was your idea in the first place, your desire to help my daughter, that set everything in motion and for that I’m eternally grateful to you.”

Ginny let go of her mother with one hand and held it out to Neville. “Thank you,” was all she could say.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

“A swimming pool? Where do we get a swimming pool?” Ron demanded incredulously two days later. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny were enjoying the last few minutes of the evening’s visiting hours before the four completely mobile Gryffindors had to go back to their common room for the night.

“We could use the prefects' bathroom,” Hermione suggested.

“That won’t work,” Ron stated negatively. “Too many of us take baths in the morning. There wouldn’t be any privacy.”

“Ron, we’ll be in there an hour before anybody gets up.”

“That’s what you think. Terry Boot had filled the tub before I walked in at half past five this morning!”

“Well, we can turn off the bubbles in all the taps and put up an ‘Out of Order’ sign on the door.”

“Every morning? You’ve got to be kidding! No one’s going to believe that bathroom is out of order every morning, Hermione.”

“All right, then, we’ll just have to share.”

“No way. There’s not enough room. You heard Mrs. Chang this morning. We’ll need just as much room in the pool as we need in the room downstairs.”

“So we’ll expa–”

“Would you two stop it? We’re getting nowhere with you bickering like this,” Harry interjected, sounding frustrated.

“Sorry, Harry,” Ron mumbled, glancing between him and Ginny who sat listening to the sparring match with an amused look on her face.

“Here’s my solution,” Harry volunteered. “Why not conjure a swimming pool in that unused classroom down the hall? It’s right next to the teachers’ bathroom on this floor, so it would be easy to connect the pool to the existing pipes.”

“Spoken like a true Muggle pumbler,” quipped Ron.

“It’s plumber!” Harry and Hermione corrected together. Ginny snickered behind her hand earning herself a glare from Ron.

“Whatever,” Ron groused.

Ginny spoke up for the first time since the conversation began. “That sounds like a good idea, actually.” All eyes swung toward her bed. “I wouldn’t have so far to go, then.”

“Shouldn’t we try to talk to Professor McGonagall about our idea?” Neville asked.

“No, I think Mrs. Chang was going to,” Harry said. “And anyway, I think Ginny doesn’t start Tai Chi again until Monday. And then, only if there’s a pool available.”

“Harry’s right,” Ginny said. “The only way I can participate in Tai Chi is if I have a means of support and lots of resistance to work against: the water in the pool provides both.”

Neville looked at her curiously. “Why?” he asked.

“Well, if I lose my balance, I fall slower in water. It’s already supporting me, so I’ll have time to catch my breath and prepare for a softer landing. As for the exercise, it’s harder to move in water than it is in air,” she explained. “But at the moment, I’m not going to be doing anything on Monday unless I somehow come up with a bathing costume.” She waved a hand toward the end of the bed where her feet made little hills under the blankets. “I can’t go to Hogsmeade like this. I don’t have the strength yet.”

An uncomfortable silence settled over the group for a moment before Hermione inquired, “Have you owled your mum to send your bathing costume from last summer to you?”

Ginny glanced sideways at Harry as she said, “No, I haven’t because it’s a two piece bikini and the top doesn’t fit me any more. I grew.” She felt her face heat up as the words left her mouth and she shared a meaningful look with Hermione.

Hermione turned away snickering behind her hand as Ron cried, “Ginny!” and Harry’s face turned scarlet.

“Well, it’s true,” Ginny retorted, glaring at her brother.

“We don’t want all the gory details,” he said defensively.

“Well, maybe Harry does,” Neville teased, waggling his eyebrows at his friend.

Ginny chose to ignore their remarks, turning to Hermione who had recovered from her giggling fit. “Are there any spells in your Transfiguration books that could change some of my clothes into a one piece suit? There’s nothing in Grade Five.”

Hermione looked immensely pleased as she answered, “Yes, there are, as a matter of fact. Let me look them up. There’s an entire chapter covering the transfiguration of clothing. We covered it at the beginning of the year.” She dove beneath her chair for her book bag as Harry and Ron rolled their eyes. She must have caught them because she commented, “You two have your bags.”

The two boys reluctantly reached for their Transfiguration books and half-heartedly began paging through the proper chapter as Neville rose and bid Ginny good night. Five minutes later, Ron poked Harry asking, “Do you think this is what they want?”

“What have you found?” Ginny queried from where she sat reading over Hermione’s shoulder.

“Hopefully something that will last longer than an hour without being renewed,” Harry commented. “The one I found seemed to be used only for emergencies when temporary cover was needed.”

Hermione shot Harry a funny look as she asked Ron, “What page?”

He peered at his book. “One hundred seventy-nine. It’s the one on the bottom.”

With a squeal of delight Hermione exclaimed, “This is it! I remember this one. It’s perfect. Thanks, Ron...and it says here the transformation lasts two hours or more depending upon the magical strength of the witch or wizard casting it. Let’s try it.” She whipped out her wand and pointed it at her scarf which lay on the floor next to her cloak and bag. Ginny watched in amazement as the knitting began to distort and reshape itself, finally ending in what could only be described as a short sleeved, Gryffindor-striped Muggle leotard.

“That’s not right,” Hermione complained, holding up the suit. “Ginny doesn’t need to look as if she stepped out of a nineteen-twenties catalogue.” Looking at Ron again she asked, “How do we reverse or cancel the spell?”

“The counter spell is ‘Finite Incantatem’,” Ron supplied after Harry whispered the answer loud enough for the girls to hear.

It took Hermione just two more tries before she finally held up the finished bathing costume.

“Is this what you had in mind?” she asked Ginny.

“Yes! That’s exactly it, Hermione,” Ginny exclaimed, beaming at the red and gold striped racing suit. “I won’t fall out of the top of this.” She giggled at the sight of her brother and Harry turning pink yet again. “Now it’s my turn to learn that spell.”

It took Ginny a few more tries than it had Hermione to master the spell since it was non-verbal and she had never practiced a spell just by thinking it. However, she eventually ended up with an acceptable costume. As she held up the garment for the others to admire she asked, “How about you, Ron? Are you going to try this spell, too? You should know it if you’ve covered it in Transfiguration.”

“I...erm...well,” he sputtered.

Harry poked Ron with his elbow. “Neither of us did very well on that spell last October,” he admitted looking sheepish and trying very hard not to look at Hermione who was shaking her head with a hand over her eyes.

“Well, let’s see you try anyway,” Ginny challenged looking directly at Harry.

Harry stared back and Ginny knew he was caving when a grin threatened to split his face and ruin his concentration. I can out-stare him any day, she thought as he broke eye contact and took the handkerchief she held out to him.

Ten seconds later Ron’s jaw nearly hit the floor as Harry held up a pair of brightly coloured men’s swim trunks. “Where...why...how did you learn that?”

“Professor McGonagall made me do that spell a hundred times the first day I was in detention with her doing my make up assignments,” Harry admitted quietly. Ginny raised an eyebrow and glanced pointedly at Hermione. Both of them realized that this was the first time that Harry had spoken of his forced academic confinement in their head of house’s office each afternoon.

“So now he tells me,” Ron moaned. He opened his mouth to add more, but was distracted by the hospital door opening.

“Good evening, everyone,” Mrs. Chang greeted them as she came to stand at the foot of Ginny’s bed. “It’s nearly curfew, but I’d like to show you something before Harry, Ron and Hermione have to go back to Gryffindor Tower.” She paused and looked directly at Ginny. “Are you up for a little stroll, my dear?”

Ginny nodded and Summoned her walking frame from its cupboard.

Mrs. Chang led the four out of the hospital and down the corridor toward the teachers’ bathrooms. It was hard going for Ginny, who needed to rest frequently in spite of all the progress she had made in the last few weeks. They finally stopped in front of the door to the empty classroom Ginny and the others had discussed earlier.

“I met Neville on the way here and sent him to fetch Luna from her OWL study group,” Mrs. Chang told them when the four asked why they weren’t going in.

“Mind you,” she cautioned a few minutes later when Neville and Luna were standing at the back of the group quietly gasping for breath after their rush from the library, “this is still a work in progress. However, when it’s done the school will have a wonderful place for injured students and the Quidditch teams to use for physiotherapy and specialized conditioning.”

Ginny and the others waited expectantly as she drew her wand and unlocked the door.

“Ginny, you go first,” Harry whispered in her ear. He gave her a little push toward the door and followed close behind as she pushed her walking frame ahead of her through the arched doorway.

She stopped at the top of the ramp leading down into the room, her mouth hanging open in wonder. As the others gathered around her she managed to breathe, “This is all for us?”

“And anyone whom Madam Pomfrey grants permission to use it,” Mrs. Chang told her. “Go on down, Ginny. We all want to see what’s here.”

Ginny shook her head. “Not just yet. I can see better from up here.”

The others agreed, gazing in amazement at the magnificent physiotherapy-training room stretching in front of them. The most prominent feature of the room was an enormous L-shaped swimming pool. Although only partially completed, it was beautiful as well as practical: directly in front of the ramp, the long leg of the ‘L’ extended away from them toward the back wall and seemed to be the shallow end of the pool. In the corner closest to the ramp, Ginny could see a set of circular access steps that led down to the floor of the pool in which a partially finished Hogwarts crest had been laid in tile. She pointed to her left to a long metal bar which was attached to the decorative tile work at the top of the pool wall.

“What’s the bar for?” she asked.

“It’s a grab bar, Ginny,” Hermione informed her from behind. “It reminds me of the stainless steel bars you see in Muggle bathrooms for the disabled.”

“That makes sense,” Luna commented, “especially since this pool isn’t going to be used for underwater frog games.”

Perpendicular to the bar, at each end of the pool, were built-in ledges that Ginny supposed would be used for resting or group gatherings. A barrier made of the same metal tubing as the grab bar separated the shallow end from the shorter deep end which extended half-way into the room to Ginny’s right. In this area of the pool black tiles had been laid out in straight lines.

Again, Hermione supplied the answer. “Those lines are probably going to be used as swimming lanes. Eventually, there should be floating lane dividers spanning that end of the pool paralleling the black tiles, like they have in Muggle swimming pools.”

“Quite correct, Hermione,” Mrs. Chang smiled approvingly.

“What will Ginny use the swimming lanes for?” Neville inquired.

“I suppose that Madam Pomfrey and her healers will eventually have her swimming laps to build up her stamina. I’m sure that any of you who wish to can join her,” she told them.

“That won’t be for a while,” Ginny muttered more to herself than anyone else. She was beginning to tire and leaned heavily on the walking frame.

Luna now pointed to a wooden structure to their right at the bottom of the ramp that looked very similar to the cubicles in the girls’ lavatories. “Are those changing rooms?” she inquired and upon receiving an affirmative answer she commented, “I just hope Moaning Myrtle doesn’t discover this pool any time soon.”

Behind her Harry muttered, “Here, here.”

The area farthest to their right had caught Neville’s and Ron’s attention. The floor here, instead of being textured stone, was covered with thickly padded carpet. Spaced evenly around the three surrounding walls and in the middle of the carpeted area were tangled piles of white-painted, square metal beams, stacks of black-painted blocks and a pile of bench-like padded seats.

Before anyone could inquire further Harry asked, “Will we all get access to the weight machines and free weights?”

“By all means, Harry. I’m told that part of your training with one of your other professors is going to include weight training once everything is set up.”

“Wicked!” was all he seemed capable of saying at the moment and Ginny knew he and her brother were extremely pleased by the prospect.

The last area had everyone stumped. Two bathtub-sized metal pails leaned against the far wall next to some pipe fittings that were sticking out of the floor. Mrs. Chang explained that when set up the bathtubs would be used as whirlpool physiotherapy baths for students with specific injuries.

“We have much of this equipment at St. Mungo’s,” she explained. “As advanced as most wizarding healing methods are, it is to the patient’s benefit to use a little Muggle technology every once in a while.” She glanced at her watch. “Curfew in ten minutes,” she announced. “You’d best be getting back to your common rooms. I’ll escort Ginny back to the hospital wing. Shall we go?”

The group reluctantly left the magnificent room, all talking at once. For her part, though, Ginny remained silent. She couldn’t believe the expense and opulence that had been designed into the room and she could hardly wait to begin using the new facility.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Ginn y awakened on Monday morning much earlier than she usually did at the start of the school week. She was filled with a sense of excitement that wouldn’t allow her to go back to sleep so she rose and began her morning routine. That done, she selected an old t-shirt of Bill’s to transfigure into a bathing costume thinking that if the spell wore off before she had a chance to get changed, at least she would be covered. She was just knotting her dressing gown over her suit when Madame Pomfrey came out of her office, still in her own night things, to give Ginny her morning potions.

“You’re up early this morning,” she commented, handing Ginny the firs of several goblets.

Ginny took a sip and made a face. “Why do you always give me this one first? It’s terrible!” she complained. She held her nose and swallowed the rest.

Madame Pomfrey just smiled knowingly and handed her the next potion cup. The liquid within was bitter but more palatable than the first potion. It was different from the other potions she recognized on the tray and she questioned Madame Pomfrey about it. The Hogwarts matron explained that it was a nerve-strengthening mixture that supported Ginny’s regenerated nerves. This made sense and Ginny said nothing more about the new potion.

Luna showed up as Ginny was finishing the last of her potions. Her school robes were unzipped and hung askew from her shoulders revealing a garish bathing costume in shades of brown, olive, orange and yellow paisley. A tiny bag hung from her neck by a long cord and she carried her enormous book bag which was nearly as big as Hermione’s.

“Good morning, Ginny,” she called as the hospital door thumped closed behind her.

“Morning, Luna. You’re the first one here,” Ginny said taking in Luna’s choice of attire. “What’s in the bag?”

“My uniform,” Luna said looking down at her robes. “The house-elves did such a nice job pressing my robes I hadn’t the heart to wad them up and stuff them into the bag for shrinking.”

That made sense to Ginny. “Hermione would appreciate that sentiment,” she remarked gathering a last-minute change of clothes, her towel and her wand and pointing her walking frame toward the door.

“Ready?”

“Of course.”

The two shuffled silently down the corridor toward the P-T Room as Ginny had begun to think of it. They had almost reached the teachers’ lavatory when Luna remarked, “I’m really glad we’re the first to get here. There’s a spell I’d like to perform on all the pipes.”

“What will it do?” Ginny asked, her curiosity peaking.

“Oh, it’s just a little spell to exclude a certain ghost from the new pool,” Luna said vaguely.

“You mean Moaning Myrtle?”

“Precisely. She’s been popping into the Ravenclaw bathroom at the most inconvenient times lately and has really made a pest of herself. I don’t want to have her bother us when we need to concentrate so thoroughly.”

Ginny shot Luna a look. “There’s more to it than that. Spit it out.”

“Oh, all right,” Luna said in a rush. “It has to do with certain boys’...erm...body parts.”

Ginny blushed at the same time Luna did. “Do you mean to tell me that she’s been spying on the boys in the bath?”

“Uh-huh. More specifically, several certain boys, two of whom you know quite well.”

Ginny groaned. “She’s been spying on Ron and Michael in the prefects’ bathroom, hasn’t she?”

“Yes. And I think she spied on Harry two years ago.”

“How do you know that?”

“Myrtle mentioned it once when she was pestering us. It’s really quite annoying, you know, to have her pop up like that when we’re having a lovely discussion about the latest Rune translation we were given for homework. It makes the entire conversation go down the toilet.”

The remark struck Ginny as unbearably funny and she had to stop walking to control her giggles. Luna went on ahead and gave the door the password. She was already waving her wand over the pool as Ginny strolled down the ramp.

Ginny watched in fascination as Luna performed her spell over and over, going to each wall of the pool, both whirlpool baths, the water fountain, and even walking into the cubicles to cast it over each of the toilets in the changing area.

“There! That’s done,” Luna smiled triumphantly emerging from the last cubicle.

“I’ll bet she’s going to be hopping mad you did this,” Ginny remarked dryly. “C’mon. Let’s explore.”

Luna stuck her wand behind her ear and together they made their way over to the carpeted area where someone had assembled the piles of metal tubing, benches, cables, and black rectangles into what she guessed was something called “exercise equipment.” Both Harry and Ron had talked animatedly about it yesterday as if these machines were the answer to their “upper body strength” problems, whatever that was.

Curious, Ginny stood behind a machine that had a long horizontal bar suspended slightly above eye level by a cable and pulled. It was harder to do than she thought. Surprised, she let go and the machine clanged loudly as the bar rapidly retracted toward the machine.

Luna burst into giggles.

“What’s so funny?” Ginny demanded.

“The look on your face!” Luna exclaimed holding her stomach.

“Thanks,” Ginny grumbled, happy to see that Mrs. Chang and Harry, Ron and Hermione had finally arrived.

“Have a seat over here,” Mrs. Chang directed, pointing toward the shallow end of the pool. “Ginny dear, if you’d like to use the steps please feel free to do so.”

Ginny smiled gratefully and found a seat next to Harry. As she sat down a strange feeling engulfed her. Looking around, everything seemed normal except Harry. He looked rather guilty about something. All the others were busy dangling their feet in the warm water or, in Ron’s case, trying to splash Hermione. Harry, on the other hand, was hastily stowing his wand in the back pocket of his swim trunks.

“Harry, did you just cast a spell on me?” Ginny hissed at her boyfriend.

Harry’s ears began turning pink. “It’s just a simple buoyancy spell,” he whispered back. “For later,” he added glancing uncertainly at the water.

Ginny glared at Harry. She couldn’t decide whether she was more perturbed at Harry for hexing her or for presuming that she was too unstable on her feet to stand up on her own in the pool. However, before she could think of a suitable comeback Neville plopped down between them and pointed to the middle of the pool where Mrs. Chang sat on a floating platform.

“I’ll deal with you later, Potter,” Ginny hissed before turning her full attention on their instructor.

Mrs. Chang began their session with their usual relaxation exercises. Ginny was happy to discover that the meditation she had been doing in the hospital wing with Healer Rodkey at the start of their daily sessions was similar to what they were doing now. Within minutes she felt ready to try anything Mrs. Chang wanted her to.

They moved into the pool and went over to the long metal bar as instructed. Just walking over there Ginny could feel the pull of the water on her legs and slowed her pace to make the most of it. This part of the lesson was fun.

“It’s almost like ballet,” Hermione commented to Ginny and Luna as they practiced slow kicks and circle-type leg motions while holding onto the bar.

“What’s ballet?” Ginny and Luna asked at the same time.

“A type of Muggle dance,” Hermione supplied. “If you point your toes and keep your knees straight like this,“ she executed the move they were doing stiff-legged and pointed-toed to demonstrate, “you’ll be doing what ballerinas call barre exercises.”

Luna and Ginny looked at each other, giggled quietly while glancing at Mrs. Chang and tried it. The move felt weird and Ginny wasn’t too sure she liked the tight, restricted feel of the motion. However, she felt more resistance from both the water and her muscles and decided she’d ask Madam Pomfrey about it when she got back to the hospital wing.

“All right, everyone,” Mrs. Chang called, “come to the centre and spread out.” She waited for the group to comply with her direction, Ginny taking a position between Ron and Harry. “Take a moment to centre yourselves...now follow me.”

She led them through a series of slow, fluid movements that really tested Ginny’s body. She felt clumsy and not at all herself; try as she might, she couldn’t fall over. Something seemed to be holding her up!

The spell Harry cast on me! Ginny thought furiously. Potter, what did you do to me again? she demanded, sending her thought at Harry.

A buoyancy spell, replied his cocky voice in her head.

Well, take it off!

O.K. came his cocky reply and with a big splash, Ginny lost her balance and sank to the bottom of the pool.

Pandemonium reigned as she surfaced. Ron had cornered Harry and was almost belligerently demanding to know why Ginny had fallen.

“That’s enough, Ron!” she said hotly pushing her wet hair out of her face. “There’s no need to jump all over Harry for something I’m equally responsible for.”

Ron raised his eyebrows. “Huh?”

Ginny squeezed water from her hair as she continued, “I demanded that Harry lift the hex he put on me before we entered the pool. He did what I asked and I fell.” She frowned at her brother as she said, “It wasn’t very long ago that you and Fred and George thought it was funny to throw me into the pond at home. You laughed when sank to the bottom then. Why not now?”

Ron stepped away from Harry, a stricken look clouding his features. “But that was before you got hurt,” he said in a strangled voice. “I couldn’t bear to have you bedridden again.”

Ginny’s anger seeped away at the concern her brother was so obviously showing. She laid a hand on his arm as she told him, “Well, I’m not hurt, just good and wet, and a little water never hurt anyone.”

“Well said, Ginny,” Mrs. Chang commented from where she stood on the periphery of the group. “Now we all know that Ginny won’t drown if she falls over, so let’s finish up here and get you changed and down to the Great Hall for breakfast on time. Shall we sit on the ledge again to wrap up?”

They all agreed and swam over to the ledge where they had begun the session.

“I want your honest impressions of how our time together went today. Any volunteers?”

Ginny raised her hand before Hermione had a chance. “I really liked what we did today,” she began. “At least for me the water tested my body while giving me an environment I know will support me. Unfortunately, due to Harry’s Buoyancy Spell, I still don’t know definitively whether or not I can stay on my feet during centre exercises.” She flashed Harry an accusatory look as she finished.

“Actually, Ginny, the spell was my idea,” Mrs. Chang told her. “Don’t blame anyone but me for that spell. I asked Harry to cast it.”

“Why?”

“To help you build your confidence, but I see now that my good intentions backfired on me.”

“Do you do that to your patients at St. Mungo’s?” Neville asked a mixture of anger and curiosity showing on his face.

“Only on those who understand and willingly consent to have it done, Neville. Your parents are not cleared for the therapy pool at the hospital, so you have no cause to be alarmed.”

“Thank you,” he murmured sheepishly. “By the way, I think I found muscles Tonks hasn’t tested yet.”

This comment caused everyone to chuckle. Luna spoke up next followed by positive comments from Hermione, Ron and Harry. As time for breakfast was quickly approaching, the six exited the pool and hurried to change out of their wet things. Ginny was finished first and slowly pushed her walking frame up the ramp to the door to wait for the others. She felt pleasantly tired and definitely ready for breakfast and a nap.

A hand placed gently on the small of her back brought Ginny from her thoughts. “I’m sorry about dumping you in the water,” Harry murmured softly in her ear, his breath sending tendrils of excitement down her spine at the nearness of his proximity as the others joined them on the landing.

She smiled up at him. “Apology accepted, Harry. Believe it or not, it was kinda fun getting dunked by my boyfriend.”

He pushed the door open to let her out. “Good. I was hoping you wouldn’t be angry with me.”

She stepped through, quickly followed by the others. As the door closed behind them Harry’s hand travelled further up her back and she turned to give him a quick kiss on the cheek even though Ron was watching. She never had the chance; Moaning Myrtle suddenly zoomed up to the group demanding, “What’s in that room and why can’t I get into it?”

“What’s keeping you out, Myrtle?” Hermione asked.

The ghost glared at her. “There’s a plumbing blocking spell on all the pipes going into that room for starters!” Myrtle whined. “And another spell on the walls so that I can’t get in! See!”

The six friends watched with barely suppressed giggles as Myrtle tried vainly to penetrate the wall next to the P-T Room door several times, finally giving up and facing her audience again. She stamped her foot as she cried angrily, “I want to see what’s in there and somebody had better let me in!” Her voice, now a high-pitched screech, caused six pairs of hands to cover the ears of their owners. “Nobody likes me. I’m not good enough for that rooooooom!” With that, she sailed through the wall into the teachers’ restroom leaving a stunned group of students staring at each other.

When the corridor quit echoing several moments later, Ron said in amusement, “That’s bloody brilliant!”

“Ron!” “Language!” Hermione and Ginny exclaimed at the same time.

He ignored their admonishments. “Well...who finally figured out how to keep that menace out?”

Luna smiled shyly. “I did. She can’t get into the Ravenclaw bathrooms to spy on us either.”

“We need those spells in the Prefect and Gryffindor bathrooms,” Harry remarked dryly as his ears took on a distinctly pink tinge. “I’m tired of trying to cover myself every time she pops out of the toilets. I swear she comes looking for me at least twice a month!” He looked hopefully at Luna. “Will you teach us those spells?”

“Sure, but not today. We might get in trouble if she associates her exclusion with us,” Luna said glancing around the group. “I’d rather not have to negotiate getting into Professor Dumbledore’s office any time soon. The gargoyle doesn’t like me much.”

The others agreed to meet in the Room of Requirement in a few days’ time and they had just begun the walk toward the Entrance Hall when Ron’s stomach let out a particularly loud grumble. His friends began teasing him about it as the group, including Ginny, walked right past the hospital doors.

They reached the stairs and Ginny handed her walking frame to a very surprised Ron. “Here, big brother, make yourself useful,” she smiled sweetly and turned to Harry. “You’ll carry me down if I can’t make it all the way?”

Harry grinned. “With pleasure.”

She reached the bottom without incident and took the frame back from Ron. It felt good to be in a different part of the castle and even better when the whole of Gryffindor House and a good measure of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw stood up cheering as she took a seat with her housemates.

“Welcome back, Miss Weasley,” Professor Dumbledore called when the din subsided to a smattering of applause.

Ginny looked around the Great Hall as she reached for her glass of pumpkin juice. “It’s good to be back,” she murmured as she watched her brother and Harry wolf down their food while Hermione buried herself in the Daily Prophet. As the meal progressed, the hall began to thin out as students left for their first lesson of the day. Many of them stopped by the Gryffindor table to welcome Ginny personally and to find out when she’d be coming back to class.

“That’s yet to be determined,” she said over and over again to her well-wishers. “I still have a long way to go.”

A side benefit of Ginny’s presence was that Neville was getting as much attention as she was.

“Heard you discovered the potion that cured Ginny.”

“Way to go, Longbottom!”

“You’re going to be famous!”

“Keep up the good work!” were among the many appreciative comments that caused Neville to blush with pleasure and smile shyly as he accepted each one.

Finally, it was only Ginny and Colin Creevey left at the table.

“Do you want someone to accompany you back to the hospital, Ginny? You look tired.”

Ginny nodded and stifled a huge yawn. “Won’t you be late to your first lesson?”

Colin glanced at his watch. “Already am, so a few more minutes won’t matter much. Professor McGonagall will understand I think. And even if she doesn’t her detentions are better than Snape’s any day.”

“That’s for certain,” Ginny agreed, pushing away from the table. Colin handed her the walking frame, then picked up his book bag.

Ascending the stairs was much more work and twice as tiring as descending them; Ginny had to pause to take frequent rests as her energy reserves gave way to an almost overwhelming tiredness. It was only with Colin’s distracting banter and words of encouragement that she made it to the top of the marble staircase. As they turned into the hospital wing corridor Colin gulped and laid a hand on Ginny’s arm causing her to look up.

“Uh-oh!” they intoned together for Madam Pomfrey was striding toward them with a thunderous look on her face.

“Ginevra Weasley! Did I give you permission to go to the Great Hall after training this morning?” the Hogwarts matron enquired. She stared pointedly at her patient.

“No, ma’am,” Ginny said trying hard to not look guilty. “You didn’t. I–I was feeling so good after training that I walked past the infirmary without thinking.”

Madam Pomfrey frowned at her for another few seconds. “Ginny, I’m proud of you,” she said unexpectedly breaking into a pleased smile. “I’m very glad you went down to the Great Hall for breakfast with your friends. It shows how much progress you’re really making.” She turned to Colin. “Mr. Creevey, thank you for assisting Ginny up the stairs. Five house points to you. Now you’d best be going to your first lesson,” she directed as she moved to stand next to Ginny. “If your teacher needs a written excuse for your tardiness, please let me know and I’ll be happy to write you one.” Colin waved and sprinted back down the corridor toward the Transfiguration department.

“Well, young lady,” Madam Pomfrey said as Ginny leaned against her, “you’ve had an eventful morning. Was it worth it?”

Ginny nodded tiredly. “It was. Yes, it was.”

“Now let’s get you into bed because I have a feeling that the entirety of Gryffindor tower is going to want to visit this afternoon and you need to be rested.”

Ginny didn’t protest; she obediently climbed into bed, swallowed her mid-morning potions and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Two nights later, sore from a day filled with exercise, more homework than she could ever remember, a visit from Healer Alexander–who had made her contort herself into some seemingly impossible postures in order to improve her balance and flexibility, not to mention the none-too-gentle routine massage at the end of their session– and a meeting with her OWL study group, Ginny lay in bed wishing she were sitting on a sofa in the Gryffindor common room talking with Harry. In the past, on nights like this one when she was too tired or emotional to sleep, talking with Harry had helped her relax enough to become sleepy. Somehow, they instinctively knew when the other needed to talk or be held or just needed some quiet company and they would each creep down their respective staircases and meet in front of the fire. That closeness was what she was craving at the moment and unconsciously she opened her mind to him.

Harry, I need you. I wish we could be together right now.

Much to her surprise, his anxious voice came to her. Ginny, is that you? Are you all right?

She relaxed into her pillows a little as she replied, Yes, Harry. I’m all right, I reckon. I just can’t get to sleep. I was remembering how nice it was when we would watch the embers in the common room fireplace together.

Do you want me to grab my map and cloak and come down there? His concern for her touched her deeply. I can be there in five minutes.

No, I don’t think so, Harry. Talking with you like this is almost as relaxing as leaning against you while you run your fingers through my hair.

She could hear his longing for her as he said, You know I’ll come down if you want me to. We could sit on your bed and talk until you fall asleep.

I don’t want you to get in trouble, Harry, she said hastily. With you in my head like this it’s easy to imagine we’re by the fire. She pulled the covers up closer to her chin and closed her eyes. Do you ever wonder why we can talk like this, at this distance? I didn’t know we could.

I didn’t either, he said truthfully. I talked with Professor Dumbledore a little more about our connection last Friday. I think it’s growing stronger, but don’t understand why. Just a few months ago we had to hold hands when you found me in my cupboard after I blew up the Potions classroom. Remember? Now look at us…we’re half a castle apart!

I remember. What did Dumbledore have to say?

He thinks it has something to do with the necklaces you made us. Since they’re connected through your spells, we’re connected through them. Does that make sense?

Ginny pondered this, her sleepy brain just active enough to agree with his theory. He’s probably right. Do you think the connection is a benefit or a liability?

Harry was silent for a while. You know, it’s probably both depending on the situation…He stopped talking, then queried, Ginny...Ginny?

Ginny yawned hugely, unable to keep her mind on their conversation any longer. ‘Nigh…’arry…love you…

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

True to Madam Pomfrey’s prediction, a steady stream of new visitors kept Ginny company after lessons each afternoon following her return to the Great Hall for breakfast. Her classmates provided her with homework help and all the latest gossip. The Chasers from the Gryffindor Quidditch team stopped in regularly after practice to talk strategy and her OWL study group continued to meet in the hospital wing each evening now that the exams were only two weeks away. As always, Hermione was present, revising for her own exams–sometimes with Ron and Harry, others not–and with her encouragement the girls thought they just might pass their examinations–even Potions!

As May marched steadily toward June, Ginny often accompanied her friends to the Great Hall for breakfast after Tai Chi in the P-T room. Although she was gaining strength and stamina along with her ever-growing confidence, she still wasn’t allowed to go back to class yet; Madam Pomfrey was afraid Ginny might be tempted to lug a bag as full of books as heavy as Hermione’s to every lesson and the Hogwarts healer was adamant that her patient not overtax her body with such a tremendous weight–even with the walking frame for stability–until after her release. In addition, the location of Gryffindor Tower made going back to her dormitory for the remainder of the term wishful thinking; the number of staircases the students living there were required to climb made Madam Pomfrey inflexible in her opinion that Ginny was better off sleeping in her bed in the hospital wing rather than climbing ‘nearly to heaven’ every night. Despite these restrictions and thanks to her time in the P-T room, both in the pool and working out on the weight machines, she gave up her walking frame and graduated to a walking stick two weeks before OWLs were to take place.

“You could be Mad-eye’s little sister,” Ron joked one afternoon from his perch at the foot of Ginny’s bed.

“Oh, ha, ha, ha. I’m so amused,” she shot back, whacking him playfully in the shins with her stick as she limped past.

“Hey! That hurts!”

“Don’t compare me to Mad-eye again. Have I made myself clear?”

Ron grimaced and rubbed his legs. “Abundantly.”

Reality began creeping into Ginny’s awareness of the outside world as she continued to breakfast with her friends. Hermione had always brought her copy of the Daily Prophet into the hospital wing, but with so much on her mind, Ginny had not inquired about what was happening outside Hogwarts. Now that she was back at the Gryffindor table where not only Hermione but most of the sixth and seventh years took the paper, she became aware of just how much the war against Voldemort had escalated. From what she heard each morning as she traversed the Great Hall to her seat at the Gryffindor table, the Death Eaters had become much more aggressive than they had been in prior months. In just one week there had been three sightings of the Dark Mark alone and the deaths had touched the students at Hogwarts to varying degrees. Three Ravenclaws withdrew due to parental disappearances, a Muggleborn first year Gryffindor lost her entire family to an attack and a second year girl in Hufflepuff lost an older brother while he was helping his parents defend the family’s home. The papers also reported five Dementor attacks in shocking detail and several gruesome Muggle murders which were baffling both the magical and Muggle communities. It had been reported that one of the murder victims had been the Muggle Prime Minister’s former personal secretary and the papers, both Muggle and wizarding, had been full of sensational speculation; some stories viewed the victim as someone with loose morals and a tainted past while others lauded a life filled with a generous spirit and an integrity worthy of the high office the man had attained.

Other whispered conversations hinted at the number of followers Voldemort was accruing. Ginny heard and even discussed with her friends whom amongst the sixth and seventh years at Hogwarts might be helping to swell the numbers of Death Eaters. Most of her friends selected the Slytherins, but they also passed along nasty rumours that many of the unpopular students had joined up as well. It was at times like these that Ginny wished something just drastic enough to unite the houses would happen.

Despite the intrusion of the war, her endless hours of revising and training in the P-T room and her constant stream of visitors, what thrilled Ginny most was Madam Pomfrey granting her permission to sit in the stands with Hermione for the final Quidditch match of the season. The contest was between Gryffindor and Slytherin as they played for the Quidditch Cup. The two girls left the Great Hall immediately after breakfast on the morning of the match so Ginny would have enough time to climb to her seat without being jostled. It was good just sitting and watching the stadium fill up; the stands were pleasantly quiet at first, which allowed Ginny to get used to some of the negative feelings bouncing around in her mind. Hermione was quite concerned and offered her support by encouraging Ginny to talk through her frightening thoughts. By the time the Gryffindor supporters had gathered in their section, Ginny was feeling happier and ready for Madam Hooch to toss the Quaffle.

The game was brutal from the start. The Slytherin players seemed bent on capturing the Quidditch Cup no matter how many penalties were called against them. Urquhart was called for blurting twice and Vaisey and Pritchard were both penalized several times for blagging; the last time, Vaisey was nearly thrown out of the game because he came away with a handful of twigs from Katy’s broom tail.

Hermione was rather concerned. “Will the loss of all those twigs affect the flight of her broom?” she asked Ginny.

Ginny shook her head and focused Harry’s Omnioculars on the Gryffindor Chaser. “I don’t think so, but she’ll want to do an overhaul on it as soon as the game’s over. It looks to me like she’s not having any trouble with it,” she said.

The Gryffindor team, however much it was abused by its opponents, rose to the occasion and pulled off several spectacular moves that gave the team enough points so that when Harry caught the Snitch both the match and the Quidditch Cup were in his possession. Ginny cheered along with everyone else in her section, but declined to join the headlong rush of housemates as the stands emptied onto the field.

“Go on, Hermione,” she told her friend with a wink. “Go give Ron that congratulatory hug you’re longing to give him. That last save he made was amazing and he needs to know it.”

Hermione didn’t need any further encouragement and left to make her way down to the pitch. For her part, Ginny kept her promise to Madam Pomfrey and began her slow descent to the lawn and then back up to the castle.

She entered the hospital wing humming happily, ready to plop her tired body onto her bed to begin revising for her History of Magic OWL. She never did get to look over her books, though, because the Hogwarts Healer met her at the door, a huge smile taking years off her face.

“I take it Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup again this year, Ginny?” she inquired.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. Your team has taken quite the beating this season and it’s good to know something pleasant has come out of all the worrying everyone has been doing.” Madam Pomfrey paused, and then said, “Let’s give your house something else to celebrate. Ginny, I gave you permission to go to the match this morning to test whether or not you were ready to go back to your dormitory and participate in the last week of lessons before your exams. You have passed that test and are hereby discharged from the hospital wing.”

Ginny stared at the woman she had come to know so well. Finally, she launched herself at the healer crying, “Thank you so much!”

“Now, Ginny, I want you to be careful. You must take your potions when you’re supposed to. I’ll send round a note to inform you of your appointment times with Healer Rodkey, too. She still wants to see you three times a week until the end of term and I need to coordinate both your schedules. Now go collect your things and give your housemates something more to cheer about.”

Ginny gave Madam Pomfrey one last hug and gleefully gathered her belongings from her bedside table. She was back in the Gryffindor common room in time to see Dobby and three other house-elves setting up tables for what was certain to be a rather noisy party.

Later that night, after the prefects had chased the last of the revellers up to their rooms, Ginny descended to the common room to sit by the fire. She wasn’t at all surprised to see Harry lounging in his favourite chair, waiting for her. He stood up with open arms as she approached and enveloped her in a tight hug which she eagerly returned.

“I’m so glad Madam Pomfrey let you out,” he said into her hair. “I’ve missed our late-night get-togethers. Talking things through with you has kept me sane this term. I...I’ve missed you, Ginny.”

“Oh, Harry, I’ve missed you, too,” Ginny said, leaning back slightly. “I was beginning to think I’d have to take all my exams in the hospital wing.”

Harry chuckled and sat back down in his chair, pulling Ginny into his lap. They sat in quiet comfort for a while with Ginny’s head resting contentedly on Harry’s shoulder. At length, Harry turned his head and kissed her gently on the lips. She responded hungrily as he deepened the kiss. It was a long time before they parted to go up to their respective rooms.



End of Part Thirteen


A/N: Many thanks to you my readers for all the nice reviews. I’m really glad you take the time to encourage me with your comments. Also, thank you to Aggiebell for her expert beta job. Her comments, many accompanied by *giggles,* or *EEEEE* [whenever Neville appears], always make rereading my chapters fun. Thanks again, Aggiebell.
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