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Author: Tosca Story: Salvation Rating: Teens Setting: Pre-HBP Status: WIP Reviews: 9 Words: 43,392
Author's Note: In case anyone missed it, there is a smutty outtake to Chapter Five courtesy of Ashwinder. It can be found at Checkmated! under the penname Tosca. If you're interested, check it out, and give thanks to Ashwinder, as she is wonderful! ^.^ Hermione struggled to hide her smile as Ron came stomping down the stairs into the common room, a scowl on his face. She had a feeling it wasn't the early rise that had him so cranky. "Why the hell hasn't he got up yet? Breakfast is only for an hour more, and then we have Defense! Is he doing this on purpose?" he asked testily, shooting her a look as he came towards her seat near the dormant hearth. With a soft smile, she shrugged. "Ron, maybe he's just tired. It's been a hard week, you know," she said calmly, reaching out for his hand. A girlish giggle bubbled in her throat as she spoke, but she managed to hold it back. Ron shook his head in disbelief, plopping down next to her with a loud sigh. "It's not like him, though. Weird, not having him in the same room as me. Now I don't know what happens to him if he has nightmares, and other stuff." Resting her head on his broad shoulder, Hermione closed her eyes for a moment. She had never heard Ron talk like this about Harry, and she wanted to relish the moment. In her excitement to begin her seventh year, she had completely forgotten that Harry and Ron would be split up for the first time in years. Now she realized how hard it must have been for both of them. Although she was sure Harry was having quite the morning without Ron, and it was probably better if Ron wasn't there. A blush rose on her cheeks, and she sighed softly, a small grin on her face. When Ginny had come to her last night with her whispered plea of assistance, she had almost died of shock. With a quick check of her notes to make sure the spell would still work, she had made sure Ginny performed a contraceptive charm and sent her off with a sort of motherly pride. Of course she'd had to distract the common room so Ginny would have enough time to get up the stairs, but that wasn't so difficult, what with the Creevey boys around. Them and their cameras. All through the night she had been afraid that she would hear Ron's screams of bloodshed from the other side of the tower; the thought of Ron walking in on Ginny and Harry's first time petrified her to her core. But the night had been peaceful, and Ron was only looking a little disgruntled. Her friends were safe, for the most part. Now, if only they would come downstairs and reassure Ron! "Hermione, where's Ginny?" She sucked in a breath; she had thought this might come up. "She must be still in bed; I haven't seen her this morning." Looking up at his freckled face, she saw the brows come together, a frown on his face. Immediately, she jumped up, pulling him with her. "Let's go to breakfast, Ron," she said cheerfully. "I'm sure Harry will be down soon enough." His dark eyes went from her face to the stairs and back. Pulling gently, he tugged his hand from her grip. "I'll just go and try him one more time, and then we'll leave him to go hungry," he said lightly, moving towards the stairs. Panic rose within her. "But Ron-" He turned back to her, a suspicious look on his face. "What's wrong with that? It's not like he's doing something illegal or anything," he said as he disappeared into the darkness of the stairwell. Wringing her hands, Hermione sat down with a huff. All she could hope was Harry had the mind to put up a Locking Charm on the door. A Silencing Charm, too. Especially that. ~*~ When Ginny finally woke, it was to Ron's shouts, coarse and hard against the calm of her mind. A groan left her throat as the warm body draped across her shifted and left her completely, leaving her chilled even under the thick blankets of Harry's bed. Harry's bed. Opening her eyes slowly, her sleep-blurred vision revealed the maroons and gold of the Gryffindor Head Boy room, shining and bright in the sunrise filtering in through the windows. Her gaze drifted to the door, where she saw a dark-haired figure speaking quickly through it, muscled back facing her. A shiver ran through her, and she buried herself in the blankets, a drowsy smile on her lips. "Bloody hell, Ron! Can't I have a lie in for once?" Harry exclaimed, voice still harsh with sleep. "But there's barely an hour left for breakfast, Harry!" Ginny giggled softly as Harry cursed fluently under his breath and muttered a spell. Immediately Ron's voice was silenced. She let out a sigh of relief. "Ginny, you have to be awake after that," Harry commented, amusement in his tone. She sat up in the bed, a sheet wrapped loosely around her naked form. "My brother was always infamous for his wake-up calls. You've been with him at Christmas," she quipped, smiling at Harry widely. His lips lifted into a half-smile as he came back to her side, leaning into kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him on top of her as she kissed him back. Her mind was perfectly clear; the sun was shining, she had Harry in her arms... A wince traveled through her as he settled on top of her, weight on her legs. Oh, she was sore, though. She hadn't expected it to hurt quite as much as it did, but from what she had heard and read, it would pass soon enough. How wonderful it was to know that she wouldn't have to worry about hurting Harry anymore! She could finally be with him like she wanted to be, without fear. Now she could share his experiences, not shy away from knowing of them. It felt very fulfilling, knowing that nothing could touch their bond now, not even Tom. A smile crossed her face. She enjoyed being able to think that. "How are you?" he asked softly, lips brushing against hers. A gentle blush rose to her face under his eyes, especially as his hands traveled down her curves through the thin sheet. It was different to see him-feel him-in the bright daylight, and she didn't know if she wanted him to see her without the reassuring cover of darkness. The only time she had been completely bared to him was in the night; there were flaws on her body that could make him flinch. And besides, she wasn't beautiful; she knew she wasn't. Shifting under him, she subtly clasped the sheet closer to her skin. "Good. Really good," she said sincerely, meeting his darkening eyes. "How about you?" A rakish grin made a sudden appearance on his mouth, a grin she hadn't seen since... Well, it had been a long time. "I don't think I've ever felt better. You're..." He trailed off, face darkening slightly. "You're wonderful," he finished quietly, looking down at her with a gaze that made her both shiver and flash hot with need. Smiling gently, she reached up and kissed him briefly. "Thank you," she murmured, not exactly sure how to respond to something like that. She had never been called wonderful before; she wanted to hear him say it again and again, just as she wanted to hear him say "I love you" in her ear over and over. Sunshine flashed in his gaze, bright and hot inside the green of his eyes. "I think your brother is about to kill me. We slept in, I guess," he said ruefully, not sounding too sorry. "I can still use the cloak, can't I? Ron isn't so talented that he can see invisible people," she said lightly. Harry looked down at her silently, a pensive look crossing his face. She felt her skin grow warm under his gaze, wondering why he looked at her so. "Are you all right, Harry?" she asked after a moment. Startled, he shook his head as if to clear it and then smiled down at her. "Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking," he said vaguely, moving off of her and standing up. He tightened the loose sheet around his waist. Licking her dry lips, she sat up, watching him as he went to his dresser, opening a drawer. "Anything in particular you were thinking about?" He shook his head, grabbing some clothes and shutting the drawer. "No, not really." He smiled, but it seemed weak. "I'll be right back out," he said before heading into the loo and shutting the door. Perplexed, she stared at the closed door. He made such sudden shifts in energy; it was almost impossible to follow. Just a few moments ago he had seemed deliriously happy, and now he seemed subdued. Hoping against hope, she prayed that he wasn't thinking about Remus, not now. She wanted to have at least these few moments of peace and safety before going out into the world and having to face all the terror awaiting them. Sighing, she slipped out of the bed, gathering the clothes strewn about from the night before. Checking the time on Harry's watch, which was resting on the night table, she saw that breakfast was about an hour away from being over. After dressing quickly, she waited on the edge of the bed for Harry to come out and give her the Invisibility Cloak. As nice as Harry smelled on her skin, she desperately needed a shower. After a few minutes of being alone with her distracting thoughts, she was relieved when Harry came out, freshly showered and robed. He smiled slightly at her and went to his dresser once again, opening a different drawer. "Here's the cloak," he said, closing the drawer and walking over to her. "Bring it back by tonight, will you?" She nodded and let him drape it over her shoulders. Now only her neck and head were visible, which made her feel odd but didn't seem to bother Harry. Hesitating, he bent down and kissed her cheek. "You look beautiful," he whispered. Eyebrows up in shock, she looked at him in disbelief. He had to be joking; her hair was bedraggled, face pale. Not exactly the way she had wanted to wake up looking, but she hadn't had much choice. He seemed to guess her look and cupped her cheek in one hand. "I'm being serious, Ginny. You... You always look beautiful to me," he said firmly yet bashfully, tracing the curves of her face with his other hand. A soft smile crossed her lips, and she stood. "When will you go to Dumbledore?" she asked. "After dinner, I think." "Good. Tell me how it goes," she said, starting to slip the cloak over her head. His hand on her wrist stopped her. "Ginny, if you hear him in your mind, you'll tell me, won't you?" A cold feeling settled in her stomach, but she smiled bravely and nodded. "Of course I will. I'll see you in the Great Hall." She pulled away from his wrist and slipped the cloak over her head. With a quiet word, Harry repealed the spells on the door and opened it. When she saw Ron as red as a tomato, she had to struggle to get past him without giggling. She headed down the stairs with the sounds of Ron's frustrated voice behind her. ~*~ It was very strange to sit down at the Gryffindor table with Ron after the previous night. Harry had the most terrifying thoughts of his best friend knowing about the happenings between him and Ginny and slitting his throat in rage. He knew Ron had it in him; the thought almost made him throw up his breakfast. Then Ginny had entered the hall, looking clean and bright in the September sunlight, and took her seat next to him, and he forgot all about Ron and his murderous thoughts. All he knew was that Ginny was next to him, her knee brushing his, hand resting lightly on his leg underneath the table, and she was his, really and truly his. He had irreversibly claimed her last night, had even told her so. Or had he been talking to Tom? He himself didn't know. He had said "Mine," in the night, and that was all that mattered. In that moment, he knew that if they survived this war, he would marry her, no matter what. As he attempted to eat, a sort-of melancholy filled him even with his happiness. When he had looked at her in his bed this morning, he had had a sudden vision of his parents doing the same as him and Ginny, and it had subdued him. He had to wonder if they and Sirius had ever found Remus in the afterlife. It was a depressing, horrible idea to think that after everything, the true Marauders were still separated. A longing to see Remus overwhelmed him, and he had to screw his eyes shut to stop the memories from returning. He went to the headmaster that night, and while he didn't tell the older man of his and Ginny's night together, he had a sneaking suspicion that he didn't have to tell him. The way his eyes twinkled at Harry made him squirm and he realized that Dumbledore probably had a good idea of why Harry and Ginny had been so late to breakfast. "I'm pleased that you both have agreed to do this. Have you settled on a night?" Dumbledore asked. Harry shrugged. "As soon as possible; we didn't really have a preference," he replied, oddly comfortable with the headmaster. His attitude had certainly changed since a month ago, when he had first heard of the spell in this office. Dumbledore glanced at a calendar on the wall. "It is Wednesday now. We need time to work on the spell, so how does next weekend sound to you? It should give us enough time, but be soon enough." "Sounds fine to me, sir." Harry nodded. Clasping his hands together, Dumbledore gazed at Harry with clear eyes. "Now, on to the actual spell..." * Expio animam amoris mei; id defendo contra venenum. Those eight words were the key to Ginny's salvation, something he had been fighting to find for months. It seemed so simple, really; a swish of his wand towards her heart, speaking those words, and it would be over. All the pain and suffering of her life would be ended. Tom would be gone for good. Now all Harry was worried about was how Ron was going to take the news. So he decided to enlist Hermione for help, as usual. It was the second week of school, only two days before Harry and Ginny would perform the spell. Harry was waiting for Hermione to come out of her Arithmancy class, tapping his feet agitatedly as time dragged on. Damn her and her genius; she just had to be as smart as she was, didn't she? Bloody hell, why wouldn't she just come out? Finally, after endless waiting, the door to the classroom opened, and he straightened, nodding to those he knew as the students streamed out. Of course, he expected Hermione to be last, and, of course, he was right. She was carrying at least three textbooks, nearly hiding her face from sight; when she did see him, she let out a long sight of relief. "Thank goodness someone is here! Will you carry one of these for me, Harry?" she asked as he came towards her. "I'm knackered." "You're taking too many classes," he said as he grabbed two books from her. Hermione shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous; third year I was taking too many classes," she corrected him as they began a leisurely walk down the corridor. "Besides, Ginny has just as many as I do, and she got nine O.W.L.s! If she can handle it, so can I." A swell of pride bloomed inside Harry; even with all her troubles in her fifth year, Ginny had still worked hard enough to get nine O.W.L.s, which wasn't bad at all. It was much better than Fred and George, anyway. Hermione continued to chat. "So, is it my night for patrolling the halls?" she asked cheerfully. He hesitated as they rounded a corner. "Actually I was wondering if you would take Friday and Saturday nights, and I'll take tonight and tomorrow," he said carefully. She frowned and halted, facing him. "You had patrol last night, though." "But I need Friday night free, Hermione." He glanced at her meaningfully. "And I need your help, too." A slight blush rose upon her cheeks, but she did not falter in her gaze. "Is that the night you picked for the spell?" she muttered. When he nodded, she sighed. "Yes, I'll take Friday. Why do you need Saturday?" He felt his face heat. "Please, don't ask." A little giggle escaped her mouth, making him roll his eyes. "All right, I won't," she conceded. "But what do you need my help with, other than that?" "Ron." Face paling, she took a step back. "Oh, Harry! Don't make me tell Ron about this." "Someone has to, and I can't afford to be killed by a vengeful older brother right now," Harry said heatedly. He had been hoping she would be a little more cooperating than this. Hermione shook her head stubbornly. "You'll have to face him sometime, won't you? Better sooner than later." He let out a long, exasperated breath. "I have to be alive to perform the spell, don't I? And what if he comes looking for me like he did last week? He's bound to notice that Ginny and I aren't there; he's not quite that thick." "Oh? Isn't he?" "Hermione, please," he ground out. "Don't make me beg. I just need you to tell him and keep him from looking for us." She stared at him for a moment before sighing; he saw her capitulate in her gaze. "Fine. But then you have to talk to him yourself, to face his wrath and try to convince him not to maul you." Shaking his head, he followed her down the hall. What a strange one Hermione was. But he was awfully glad she was on his side. ~*~ Going into Dumbledore's office on Friday, Ginny wasn't half as scared as she thought she would have been if faced with this prospect two weeks ago. Maybe it was Harry's hand clasped firmly in hers, or the night they had shared already, but no matter what it was, she felt determined, buoyed by Harry's strength and love. It was finally time to get rid of Tom for good, to do what no Basilisk fang could accomplish. Hopefully she would now be saved from whatever plans Tom had had for her. It was a relief to be rid of Tom; he had been clawing at her defenses viciously for the past week, causing headaches so severe she would attempt to knock herself out to get rid of the pain. It was almost like he was trying to dig in and secure his place in her mind. The thought frightened her; if Tom knew what she and Harry were going to do, he might be able to find a way to foil them. She had tried to keep that fear at bay, but it was harder with every push from Tom's side. It didn't do her any good to worry about that; Harry had faith in this, as did Dumbledore and Remus. She had to have faith in them. The only thing that kept her going was Harry and his constant support; if she hadn't had him, she was sure she would've ripped her head off long before tonight. Dumbledore had a ready and welcoming smile for them as they entered. "Good evening Harry, Ginny; I trust you are ready?" Harry nodded for the both of them, setting his Invisibility Cloak on a nearby chair. Ginny smiled steadily at the headmaster, feeling safe under his gaze. "Good. Anytime you are ready, please begin. I am only here as a witness," Dumbledore said, sitting down behind his desk and watching them benignly. She faced Harry, not quite sure what to anticipate. His wand was steady in his hand, eyes locked onto hers. "Do you think this will hurt?" she asked quietly. "I don't think so. I'm sure you'll be fine," Harry replied just as softly, aiming his wand at her heart, right above her scar. Closing her eyes, she felt the tip of his wand rest on her heart. "Expio animam amoris mei; id defendo contra venenum." It was like a great fire swept through her body, burning but not hurting. The sensation spilled throughout her like an antidote to poison, seeking out any source of darkness within her and driving it out. She gasped with the power of it, feeling herself burn little by little as the fire faded as quickly as it began. Swaying on her feet, she felt someone grab her elbow to keep her steady. Her mind whirled around her; she thought she heard Tom faintly screaming in the back of her mind, thought she felt him searching for a safe place to hide as the power of Harry's magic spread through her like liquid, drawing her into safety. Just as abruptly, it was over. She opened her eyes with a jolt and found herself sitting in a chair; Harry and Dumbledore were standing over her, looking worried and anticipating at the same time. Taking a few deep breaths, she smiled weakly up at them, all the while thinking, That's it? I thought it would make more of a difference. "How are you feeling, Ginny?" Dumbledore asked quietly. She searched herself; her mind was empty, remarkably free from pain. Tom was gone from there, she knew. But her body, her soul... It didn't feel any different. She didn't feel different. Fear swept over her as she met Harry's bright gaze. "I... I don't feel changed. It feels the same as it did an hour ago," she murmured quietly, looking down at the floor. "It will be better after the physical possession," Harry said firmly. "You should hurry. This is not usual, Harry," Dumbledore urged. Ginny felt Harry's hand on her elbow, and she stood, nerves thrumming unsteadily. With a hasty good-bye, she and Harry left Dumbledore, a feeling of uncertainty between the three of them. Silence blanketed the air as she and Harry walked the corridors to the tower. Ginny groped for his hand and held it tightly as they walked, an uncomfortable sense of uneasiness filling her. From what she had heard, she was supposed to feel cleansed, protected, even without the physical possession. What was wrong? Harry threw the cloak around them as they neared the Fat Lady; Hermione was standing by the portrait, ready with the password. "Sine Que Non," she said loudly before muttering, "I'll take care of Ron. Have a nice night." Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry's waist as they weaved their way through the common room, glancing back to see Hermione pulling Ron from the hearth to a quiet corner. Her heart beat painfully in her chest, and she stopped Harry on the steps to the boys' dormitory. "What if it doesn't work? What will we do?" she whispered. He looked down at her. There was something she couldn't place in his gaze, something unfamiliar to her. "It will work. Remus and Hermione said it would, and I believe them. Don't you?" "Of course," she said quickly, not completely sure if she really meant it. She just couldn't say she didn't believe Remus; Harry would never forgive her. Quickly, she prayed to whatever luck Harry and she had guarding them for something good. The last thing Harry needed was the thought of Remus failing him. ~*~ "Harry is doing WHAT to my sister?" Hermione began to panic as the tips of Ron's ears began to turn red, a sure sign of either rage or embarrassment. She didn't have to be a genius to figure out which he was feeling right now. Laying her hands on his arms, she silently thanked her foresight to bring Ron to her Head Girl room instead of keeping him in the common room; it was hard enough in private. "It's just a part of the spell; Harry wouldn't do it if Ginny hadn't said yes," she said calmly. Ron seemed to get even redder, if it were possible. "My sister said YES?" he exclaimed. Wincing, she nodded. He tried to get out of her grip, but she held on tight. "Don't be stupid, Ron! At any rate, you're too late to protect her virtue anyway!" she said unthinkingly. As his eyes popped out of their sockets, she grimaced. "Oh no." "They've already bloody done it? He and MY sister have already done it? Why the hell doesn't anyone tell me these things, eh?" he yelled. Hermione was now getting slightly frustrated. She pulled out her wand, cast a Locking Charm and a Silencing Charm, and looked up bravely into the eyes of her monstrously tall boyfriend. "Ron Weasley, shut up!" she exclaimed, breathing heavily. His shock at her outburst was great enough to keep him from bolting. Sitting him down on the bed, she stood in front of him, hoping to gain any sort of leverage by his sitting. "Listen to me; do you want Ginny and Harry to be unhappy, hmmm? Do you want Voldemort to use your sister to get to Harry, or me, or you?" She grabbed his face between her hands. "This was the only way to help her. And they love each other! You know they do! And Harry didn't force her to do anything she didn't want to do. You know he wouldn't do that." Ron blinked, the redness leaving his features. "But she's my little sister, Hermione," he said simply. His tone shook her to the core, and she wrapped her arms around him. "I know, Ron. But she's not little anymore," she replied quietly. He pulled her into his lap and embraced her, burying his face in her hair. She sighed softly, resting her face on his shoulder. 'Look what war did to people, and see how they still survive,' she thought. 'See how the bonds of family and friendship were more important than anything in the world.' Suddenly, he chuckled into her hair. "I'll have to threaten to kill him, just for fun." She smiled slightly. "He's anticipating it from you." With a kiss on her neck, he pulled back from her, hands resting on her neck. "And you found the spell?" He laughed. "You must have had a time of it telling him. Poor Harry." "What about poor me? He's a bit thick, you know; I practically had to spell it out for him," she commented, shifting to find a more comfortable position in his lap. Ron grinned, hands sliding around and down her back, sending a shiver down her spine. "Poor you, then," he said quietly. "How long will this take, d'you think?" A fierce blush flamed her cheeks, and she buried her face in his chest. "Ron! How am I supposed to know?" she hissed. "I just wanted to know if we would be needed." She lifted her face, jaw agape, and met his strikingly clear gaze. Smiling slightly, he tightened his grip on her. "You've already done patrol for the night, haven't you?" Dumbstruck, she nodded. He leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead. "I miss you, Hermione," he whispered. "You drive me crazy, but I miss having you." Her logic was beginning to melt away into something much more colorful; she wondered idly if the charms on the door would hold throughout the night. "Can I stay?" he asked, voice nothing more than a low growl. Faintly, she nodded, looping her arms around his neck and kissing him soundly. The calm continued through the night, everyone feeling safe in the warmth of their rooms. ~*~ Anger was not a stranger to Tom Marvolo Riddle, now known as Lord Voldemort. But this was an anger that filled him beyond anything, even beyond his hatred for Albus Dumbledore. This was complete loathing and disgust for two people, so cursed in his mind that he was nearly blinded by the feelings rising in him. So she had tried to escape him. Little Virginia Weasley had attempted to outwit him with the help of Harry Potter. Did she think he was stupid? Of course he knew about the spell. He had known since last week, as long as she had, and had been preparing. He hadn't known what kind of effect the spell would have, but he had cleared a path in preparation, entrenching himself inside her soul as best as he could. Then he had tried to enter her mind, to see how far he could go. Potter had done his work and done it well. It was like hitting a brick wall. Lord Voldemort was not used to hitting walls. "What is the matter, my Lord?" Lucius was with him, coolly loyal; he liked Lucius, in spite of all the mistakes he'd made in the past. "She's found a way to block her mind from me. Virginia has blocked me." His fists clenched, making his knuckles almost blue against the pallor of his skin. "But is her soul still open, Master?" Lucius asked, eyes lowered in deference. Voldemort closed his eyes, reaching out with dark tendrils to feel the pure ecstasy of her soul flowing around him. Rapture of the darkest kind filled him, shunting the hatred to one side. He opened his eyes and smiled. His plan had worked; he had been able to keep her soul open for his own devices. They would all pay for his trouble. "I may not be able to control her anymore or feel her thoughts, but I will hurt her, Lucius. I will poison her with pain, make her bleed, kill her ever so slowly. And then we shall see if the mighty Harry Potter can stop me." ~*~ A/N-II: Many thanks to Joe and Anne, my wonderful betas! ^.^ The rough Latin translation is: Purify my love's soul; protect it from poison.
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