The Forgotten 7th Year

The Hogwarts Express (again)

Ginny's POV

I was didn't want to go back to school. The fear nestled in my stomach, and choked me in it's vice-like grip.

But, time did what time did, it passed. My feet practically dragged as I plodded though Kings Cross Station. Every instinct screamed at me that the pain and the fear was bad, and I should tell mum everything. She would never make me go back if she knew.

Only the thought of our close encounter made me continue forward. Only the thought, that if I didn't do this, that scare would become a reality.

That couldn't happen

Inhaling as if I was about to dive into deep water, I pushed though the bricks.

I coughed as my lungs got used to the train's smoke, and missed Luna even more.

I embraced mum, and tried to put as much feeling as I could into that hug. When I broke away, it took all my strength not to tell her everything, to beg not to be sent back to the Carrows.

But somehow, I turned away and, with a feeling of walking into my own grave, boarded the scarlet steam engine.

***

In the compartment, Neville was sitting alone. He was gazing avid at the platform. I saw a man whose blond, gray-striped hair was just visible as he hugged his daughter goodbye. Neville saw me, and asked, without preamble,

"Hannah and I are just friends, right?"

"What?" I was thrown completely off guard by this question. "Well, do you want to be more?"

"Kind of, I don't know. Maybe?" A moment of silence. "We, we had this moment. Over Christmas. It was electric, and we might have been about to kiss. But... I don't like her in that way."

"It-" I started, but he continued talking.

"But sometimes, she's just so smart, and funny, and kind. And she smells like honey. I want to tell her, but I can't ever find the right words to tell her how she makes my heart soar when she looks at me."

"Well-"

"But I don't fancy her or anything like that." He paused for a heartbeat.

"Right?"

"Umm." I wasn't quite sure how to respond. It sounded to me, like he had it bad for her. But, if I was a romance expert, I would've known how to get over Harry.

"Because she's just like my sister. Do you feel this way about Ron, or Fred?"

"Never."

"Well, it's probably just a brother thing, then. I should ask Ron or Fred."

If we ever see him again.

I shook away the morbid thought. We will all survive this.

"I don't think that's a sibling-."

"I'm sure it's nothing." He interrupted, and I decided to let the subject drop.

We sat in an awkward silence for some time.

"So, do we have any more pranks planned? Or are we just thinking them up as we go along?"

"Just thinking them up as we go along, I guess. I'm brain-dead right now though."

The compartment door opened, and Hannah entered.

"Can I sit here?" She asked.

"Yeah, I have to go... do something." I scurried out of the compartment, leaving them alone.

Luna's POV

Draco had come with more food. This time, it was bread with assorted berries and nuts. He didn't even give me time to thank him, before running up the stairs.

Ollivander and I slept most of the time. There was really nothing else to do.

Bellatrix hadn't caught anyone, but she'd been able to punish the three Death Eaters who let Harry escape, so she wasn't raving or yelling anymore.

The quiet was nice

Time was a nonexistent concept with no way to determine it's passing. And time was exactly what I needed.

I needed to think through everything, and sort out my feelings.

I felt angry and that Daddy had given up Harry, confused that he'd sold out his morals so easily, and a little bit of something else. Touched, maybe? Glad that he cared for me?

But mostly, I felt sad. Sad and unsure. Unsure about the man I thought my father was, and who he's turning out to actually be.

Zip, Zoo. Zip, Zoo. Zip, Zoo. Zip, Zoo. Zip, Zoo.

I was playing with the pendant again. The metal felt reassuring against my skin. I smiled, remembering when he gave it to me.

"Just think of this as an I love you gift."

I remembered the way his hands brushed the nape of my neck when he put it on, and the way his touch caused goosebumps to shiver up my spine.

I went to sleep with a smile on my face, and my dreams were filled with chocolate colored eyes.

Neville's POV

Ginny left the compartment, and I glared at her as she left. I was waiting for Hannah to say something, and she was waiting for me.

"So, anything new happen over break?" I eventually started, after several agonizing seconds.

"Umm, yeah. Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. It didn't happen over the summer though. It happened a few minutes ago."

"I'm getting nervous."

"Ernie Macmillan just asked me out."

Muahaha!

Thanks,
Aria