Never Leave Me - Sequel to Helpless - Updated 06-11-03
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2002 7:12 pm
Never Leave Me
Disclaimer: I don’t own or have any rights to the characters from the Harry Potter books. Those credits go to J.K. Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury and Warner Brothers. And the title is pinched from another Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which belongs to the awesome Joss Whedon. When I run out of Buffy titles to steal, I suppose I'll move on to Angel. ;) Rating: TEEN
*~*~*
Chapter One – Goodbye To You
June 1996
Ginny Weasley was dreading the summer holidays like some people dreaded a visit to the dentist for a root canal. She had begged Harry to plead with the headmaster to give him permission to stay at the Burrow for the summer, but he only shook his head and told her,
“There’s nothing that would make me happier than to spend the summer at the Burrow, but Dumbledore has said repeatedly – I have to stay at least part of the time with the Durlseys.”
“That’s just not fair,” said Ginny with a pout.
Harry patted her hand sweetly and kissed her on the forehead. “I agree,” he said with a sigh. “We can only hope after a month or so, your parents will liberate me from Dursley hell.”
“I’ll liberate you myself if they won’t!” said Ginny emphatically.
Harry laughed. “And I believe you would,” he said, hugging her tightly and stroking her flaming red hair.
Ginny sighed. “Three more days – you don’t think Dumbledore would let us stay at Hogwarts all summer, do you?”
“I don’t know about Dumbledore,” said Harry. “But I’m pretty sure Molly Weasley will object."
*****
The journey to Hogsmeade and the train station was particularly bittersweet. Ginny took a last longing look at Hogwarts castle as the carriages clunked along the road to the village. She sighed heavily and thought of everything that had happened over the last school year. Her fourth year had been somewhat of a turning point in her life. She had learned so much, confronted her darkest fears and …
She turned to look at Harry, who was seated beside her in the carriage. The best thing that happened to me this year, she thought.
The carriage came to a halt and the doors swung open. She could see the steam billowing from the bright red engine of the Hogwarts Express. She wished the train would take them anywhere but London. She knew, once the train pulled into Kings Cross Station, her Mum and Dad would be waiting there for she and her brothers and those awful Muggles would be waiting for Harry. She feared it would be more than she would be able to bear.
Ron and Hermione, who had been sharing a carriage with them, got out first. Harry took Ginny’s hand and helped her down the step. She ignored the sneering looks from the people exiting the carriage behind them.
Draco Malfoy emerged, followed by the very clingy Pansy Parkinson and his two toadies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Draco gave Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione a smug look, shook Pansy off of his arm and gestured for the thuggish Crabbe and Goyle to follow him to the train. Ginny noticed the identical looks of loathing that Harry, Ron and Hermione were giving him – she figured the same look was on her own face. They were never able to prove that Draco and his father were behind the Dementor attacks of the previous year, but Ginny would have bet all the gold in Gringott’s that the Malfoys were the culprits.
“Give me a reason to hex him into oblivion,” said Harry as they all watched Draco and company strut onto the train.
“You don’t even need to give me a reason,” said Ron, his hand patting the pocket in his robes where his wand was concealed.
*****
They all found a compartment to themselves – far away from Draco and his devotees – and settled down just as the whistle blew, sounding the train’s departure from Hogsmeade station.
“Are your parents going to let you visit this summer?” Ron asked Hermione.
“I think so,” she answered. “We’re going on holiday to Switzerland for three weeks, but after that, I don’t see why they wouldn’t let me come to the Burrow.”
“Three weeks?” griped Ron. “In Switzerland? What are you going to do there for three whole weeks? Strap wood planks to your feet and slide down the side of a mountain with all the other insane Muggles?”
“Actually, I’m hoping to write a comprehensive essay for Defense Against the Dark Arts while I’m there – strictly extra credit, mind you – the Swiss Alps are loaded with trolls. It shouldn’t be too difficult – given my first-hand experience with them and all …” She winked at both Ron and Harry. “After that, I suppose I could squeeze in some time on the slopes.” Ginny thought she sounded far too cheerful at the prospect of jumping right into an essay – one that wasn’t even required – while she was supposed to be on holiday.
“Tell me you’re joking,” said Ron.
“You know she’s not,” said Harry in an undertone, chuckling.
“Of course I’m not joking!” said Hermione, looking slightly hurt.
“Well, what about you, Harry?” asked Ron. “Are you going to be able to skive off the Muggles this summer or do we have to come and snatch you again?”
Harry shrugged his shoulders. “I have to wait for the go-ahead from Dumbledore – I don’t care what the Dursleys have to say about it. As soon as I get Dumbledore’s consent, I’m as good as there.”
“But, that could take a month – or longer,” sighed Ginny.
“Dumbledore has his reasons for wanting Harry there,” said Hermione. Ginny knew Hermione was saying this to restate how imperative it was to follow the headmaster’s instructions, but it didn’t make her feel any better. “Let’s make a pact,” added Hermione, apparently noticing Ginny’s sullen face. She turned to Harry. “We’ll both try to get to the Burrow by your birthday – if Dumbledore will allow it.”
“It’s a deal,” said Harry.
Ginny thought to herself that July would be the longest month of the year.
*****
The Hogwarts Express came to a screeching stop at Platform 9 ¾ and Ginny peered out of the window of the compartment. A few feet away, she saw her mother and father, looking expectantly at the train and waiting for four of their children to disembark.
Ron and Hermione left the compartment, but Ginny stayed in her seat as Harry moved towards the door. He looked at her inquisitively. She felt like she had become glued to the seat. “I don’t want to go yet,” she said in answer to his questioning look. “I’m not ready yet.”
Harry knelt beside her seat and whispered, “It’s only a month. I’ll owl you everyday. Hedwig’ll be able to fly to Ottery St. Catchpole blindfolded by the time I get through with her.” He winked at her playfully.
“I’d owl you everyday, but I don’t think Errol would survive it,” she said, trying to muster up a smile.
“Just send replies with Hedwig, then,” said Harry. “And before you know it, it’ll be July 31 and I’ll get the best birthday present I could ever hope for.”
“And what’s that?” said Ginny.
“You,” said Harry. He kissed her softly and held out his hand. “C’mon … your Mum and Dad are waiting.”
*****
Harry and Ginny joined Ron, Hermione, Fred and George on the platform. They had already found Mr. and Mrs. Weasely and looked at Harry and Ginny curiously as they met them.
“What kept you?” said Fred with a devious grin.
Ginny ignored him and hugged her mother, then her father.
“It’s good to see you, my darling daughter,” said Arthur, squeezing his her tightly. “You gave us quite a fright earlier this school year. I’m so glad we’ll have you for two entire months – with all that’s going on, it’ll give me a good feeling have you home again.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” said Molly, fussing over Ginny’s robes and hugging her again once Arthur had let her go. “Harry, dear,” she said, once she’d finally released Ginny. “I saw your aunt and uncle on the other side of the barrier as we were coming in here – I was hoping they wouldn’t show, so we could take you home with us. You know you’re welcome there any time you like – just say the word.”
“Thanks,” said Harry, turning slightly red. “I hope to be able to visit soon.”
“The sooner the better,” said Arthur, clapping Harry on the shoulder.
*****
The six Weasleys and Harry made their way through the magical barrier and back into the Muggle section of Kings Cross Station.
Ginny held tight to Harry’s hand as she saw his bony Aunt Petunia and podgy Uncle Vernon standing, arms crossed, near Platform 10.
Vernon Dursley looked at Ginny as if she were a stinkbug. He turned to his wife and said in a sarcastic voice, loud enough for all of them to hear, “Now the boy’s got a freak for a girlfriend, Petunia. Isn’t that the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen? Just like his father.” His face reflected pure revulsion.
Ginny wasn’t sure who to try and hold back – Harry, Arthur, Ron, Fred and George were all looking reading to charge at Vernon like a herd of mad hippogriffs.
“Let it go, Arthur,” hissed Molly Weasley, though she was shooting loathsome looks in Petunia Dursley’s direction. “Not here!”
Vernon Dursley looked absolutely thrilled to have gotten such a tremendous reaction from the lot of them.
Harry turned to Ginny, as Hermione and Molly attempted to move the male Weasleys out of the proximity of the Dursleys.
“It’s only a month,” he whispered to her, with a shakiness in his voice that made it evident he was trying to ease his own mind, as well as hers. And much to the disgust of his aunt and uncle, he kissed her goodbye.
**********************************************
Author’s Note: The chapter title comes from the Michelle Branch song of the same name. The term “toady” is nabbed from one of my favorite holiday films of all time, A Christmas Story.
![http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/shield_05[1].jpg](http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/shield_05%5B1%5D.jpg){kind=link}
