Mortal Peril - 1

They all knew it was approaching like a thick mass of menacing storm clouds shrouding the horizon. The mood felt much as it did before a storm – everything was still and oppressed, and all living things had hunkered down for cover. Ginny knew it was on Harry's mind more than he'd admit, and she could see the wheels turning behind his eyes as he tried to discern the best way to keep the rest of them safe.

Stupid, noble, wonderful prat.

She'd never realized it was possible to love another person the way she loved him. She only wished that he'd put half as much effort into saving himself as he did trying to save everyone else. Tracing her fingers along her lips, she remembered the passionate kisses they had shared the previous evening…nearly every evening this week, as a matter of fact.

Ginny frowned and sat up straight, her heart hammering in her chest. Her mind raced as she pieced together the events of the past few days. Why hadn't she thought of it before? It was so like him to spend all this extra time – all these stolen moments – with her just before he ditched her to go do what he felt he had to do.

If he'd left her behind to go and battle Voldemort alone…Tom wouldn't get the chance to do anything to him, because she was going to kill him first. He'd promised not to do anything rash. He'd promised!

Pushing back her chair, she left her books scattered across the table as she sprinted to the window. After she'd begged off from going back to their beach this evening, Harry said he was going to say hello to Hagrid. Actually, at first he got that disappointed little boy expression on his face that nearly changed her mind. Merlin help her if he ever realized the full extent of his charm. In the end, however, she'd stood firm and told him she had to revise.

Why her mum was insisting that Ginny prepare for the end-of-term exams was beyond her. Usually the Ministry administered the exams to all home-schooled students, but it wasn't as if the Ministry was exactly functioning normally these days.

Try telling that to her mum, however. Truly, Ginny had ulterior motives for wanting to complete her sixth year studies. If she successfully finished them, she'd be in the same position as the trio and perhaps they could all return for their final year together – after Voldemort was finished. Ginny clung to that dream like a talisman. The alternative was too heart-wrenching to consider.

Shaking her head to dispel the dark thoughts threatening to overwhelm her, she peered out the window. She could see a dim light burning in Hagrid's hut. Perhaps Harry was still there chatting with his friend…or perhaps he was secretly saying goodbye. Abandoning all hope of continuing with her revising, Ginny decided to find Ron and Hermione and drag them both to see Hagrid. Perhaps they could all try and convince Harry that they needed to confront Voldemort together – that he couldn't do this alone.

Leaving the empty common room, she hurried down the main stairs, her feet barely touching the steps. Stopping on the third floor, she maneuvered through the empty corridors until she'd reached a broom cupboard hidden behind an armored knight.

Panting slightly, she wrapped her arm around her stomach, trying to catch her breath. She had no time for her body's weaknesses. Jerking the door open and shutting her eyes tightly, she stuck her head inside and hissed, "Come on out of there, you two. I need your help."