FicWad

Chapter Six
Alone at Long Last

Harry Potter slipped out of the cupboard under the stairs in the wee hours of the night, leaving Ginny in a warm bed with only a lingering kiss to keep her company in the long hours before Hermione and Ron would leave. She snuggled under the covers, a soft smile on her lips, as she relived the past few hours. With a happy sigh, Ginny drifted off to sleep. Harry paused at his bedroom door, listening for any sounds with in his room. He heard only silence, which he gave further pause than a bit of noise would have. Where were Ron’s snores?
Harry decided that there was nothing for it. He could hardly stand out in the hall all night, hoping that Ron would fall asleep. So, pushing the door quietly open, Harry picked his way over to his bed. Ron’s back was to him, and Harry hoped he was asleep. He eased into his bed, and his head had barely touched the pillow that still smelled vaguely of Ginny, when Ron spoke up.
“Harry?” he asked quietly.
“Yeah, Ron?” replied Harry, wondering if his luck had reached its end.
“Where were you?” asked the redheaded brother of the fifteen-year-old girl Harry had just slept with.
“Uh, I don’t really sleep during the night,” Harry said, with only a half formed idea of how to defend himself.
“You do at school,” pointed out Ron.
“Well, I don’t here. If I sleep during the day and stay up at night, I don’t run into the Dursleys as often,” Harry explained.
“Didn’t you say that you had to cook for them?” asked Ron.
“Yeah, I make them breakfast then I head up here and nap. I don’t really like being fully asleep when Dudley’s around anyway,” Harry said, making things up as he went along.
“Oh,” said Ron, seemingly falling asleep again.
Harry tried to do the same, but thoughts of the girl sleeping in the cramped cupboard kept intruding. Harry had known for a while that he was completely in love with her, and now he was even beginning to think that she was the only girl he could ever possibly love. Her laughter and smiles made Harry instantly happy and when she felt even the slightest upset or pain, Harry found himself sick with remorse and upset. Besides that, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, and she was smart and tough and powerful…
As far as Harry was concerned, Ginny was perfect. His only problem was in fact that he couldn’t act like he thought she was perfect when anyone else was around.
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The next morning, Ron pulled Hermione aside in the hallway. Harry was in the kitchen, making them breakfast, and they were about to join him after packing their bags. Hermione looked around curiously at Ron then asked him what was up. His only response was to pull her farther from the kitchen door, and incidentally, closer the cupboard under the stairs. Ginny looked up from the book she was reading when she heard whispering. She eased towards the door, and turned off her light. In the darkness she sat with her ear pressed up to the door.
“What is it, Ron?” asked Hermione again, a little more urgently.
“I’m worried about Harry,” explained the gangly redhead, “I woke up around eleven and Harry was gone. He didn’t get back until nearly two in the morning!”
“Really?” asked Hermione, “Where could he have gone?”
“When he got back, I asked him and he said something about not sleeping at night when he’s here…” offered Ron, not sure if he was betraying a confidence or not.
“Do you think he’s having nightmares again?” asked Hermione.
“I don’t know, I kind got the impression that he only didn’t sleep when he was here. He mentioned something about not liking to be unconscious when his cousin is about. Maybe he’s afraid of them…” Ron was clearly worried about Harry.
“I don’t blame him. I never really thought that his family could be nearly as bad as Harry seemed to imply. Now that I’ve seen that cupboard and even his room,” Hermione paused, chewing on her lip, “I think maybe they are even worse!”
“Can we really leave him all alone here to face these people on his own?” asked Ron. Ginny’s heart began to beat faster. She didn’t know what they would do if Ron and Hermione decided that they had to stay…
“I think we should at least talk to Harry about it.” Hermione sounded decided and determined.
“Talk to me about what?” asked Harry, his voice joining the others in the hall. Ginny was relieved. Harry could take care of his overly worried best friends.
“Erm…” was all Ron said.
“We were wondering if you might not want some company even after your aunt and her family return,” Hermione offered all in one breath.
“Uh, I don’t think that would be such a great idea,” Harry said, “My uncle wouldn’t like the fact that I let you two come over while they were gone. Its probably better if we just let things go back to how they were before, when I ignored them and they ignore me except when they need something. They really haven’t been too bad this summer…”
“You said they were gone for most the holidays so far,” Ron pointed out.
“Gone is how I like them best,” Harry told his friends flatly. “I’d rather not give uncle Vernon any reason to take notice of me, if at all possible. I might not duck fast enough one of these times.”
When Hermione gasped, Harry knew he’d once again said the wrong thing. “Forget I said that. He’s never really done much to me. Even Dudley and his gang only beat me up a few times. I’m pretty fast.”
“That isn’t at all reassuring, Harry!” cried Hermione.
“Look, what if I promise to owl you every day until the wedding, just so you know I’m alive?” offered Harry with a sigh.
“We want you to be more than just alive, Harry! We want you to be happy,” Hermione argued, “We want to make sure that those three evil creatures you’re related to don’t get another chance to put you in danger!”
“Good, we have a deal,” Harry said while walking towards the kitchen, figuring that the best way to win any argument with Hermione was to not argue back.
Later, as they were walking out, Hermione held tightly to Harry for longer than he was really comfortable with. Ron just turned back to him and told Harry something that made him smile, even as he groaned. “You miss a letter even one day and I’ll get all my brothers together and we’ll come rescue you. We’ll assume the worst and tell every Order member we can find.”
And then Hermione and Ron were gone, unwittingly leaving Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter alone at long last.