Mortal Peril - 2

"Ginny!" Ron bellowed, his voice echoing in the empty corridor.

Ginny pulled her head out of the cupboard, shutting the door and crossing her arms around her chest.

"I kept my eyes shut, and I really don't care if you have your knickers on or not right now," she said crossly. "We need to talk to Harry."

If worry for Harry weren't clawing at her insides, Ginny might have found the situation funny. She ignored her momentary stab of guilt over interrupting them. Ron certainly wouldn't have hesitated to drag her and Harry out of that cupboard if they had been the ones engaged inside. He probably would have tried to knock Harry's head off for less.

The cupboard knocked and banged for several moments before the door swung open and Ron climbed out, his shirt un-tucked and ears blazing red. Hermione followed him, hiding behind her boyfriend while she clutched her robes tightly. She refused to meet Ginny's eyes.

"What are you on about, Ginny?" Ron demanded, towering over her and advancing menacingly.

Unintimidated, Ginny poked him in the chest, hard. "Don't get shirty with me. This is important."

"And it couldn't wait?" Ron asked, scowling.

"I think Harry is planning on confronting Voldemort alone," Ginny said, watching Ron deflate before her eyes.

"What?" he asked blankly.

"What did he say, Ginny?" Hermione asked, finally moving out from behind Ron, concern replacing her embarrassment.

Ginny gestured impatiently for them to follow her, explaining as they walked. "It's more the way he's been acting all week. It suddenly occurred to me that he's been trying to say goodbye," she said, feeling a painful lump form in her throat. She wasn't going to go act like a girl and cry. She wasn't! She had to pull it together.

"He's going to ruin everything if he slips off without us," Hermione said, hurrying her pace. Ron's longer legs had him several steps in front of the girls.

"Well, since he has no idea what we're planning, he's kind of a wild card, isn't he?" Ron asked. "Since when has Harry ever done what he's supposed to do?"

"He's gone to Hagrid's – we can still catch him there," Ginny said, grabbing Hermione's elbow and stopping her progress.

Hermione impatiently turned toward Ginny with questioning eyes.

"Your blouse is on inside out," Ginny whispered with a smirk before hurrying to catch up to Ron. She heard Hermione yelp before a quick rush of air let her know Hermione had cast a spell to set her clothing to rights.

They slipped outside and hurried down the worn path to Hagrid's hut. Ron banged on the door, which was opened surprisingly quickly by a disgruntled-looking Hagrid.

"Oh. It's you," he said, turning his back and retreating inside.

Ron, Ginny and Hermione followed him. He sat at his massively large wooden table in front of a bowl of squirmy black things that he was in the process of shredding. The smell inside the hut was intolerable and nearly forced the three teens back outside.

"Bloody hell, Hagrid!" Ron shouted, scrunching up his face. "What is that?"

"Eh? Ah, it's nothin'. Jus' sommat I'm makin' for the vegetable garden. Helps the plants ter grow nice an' big," Hagrid said. "What can I do for yeh?"

"Is Harry here?" Ginny asked, glancing around the small hut at the sparse furnishings. It appeared empty.

"Nah. I saw 'im talkin' ter Pansy by the forest earlier. Thought he might stop by fer a visit, but he didn't," Hagrid said sadly. Ginny noticed two unused teacups by the sink, along with an uneaten plate of Hagrid's rock cakes.