The Forgotten 7th Year

Returning

Neville's POV

Today was it. We are going back to Hogwarts. I'll see Hannah again.

A cold weight settled in my belly. We were going back to Hogwarts.

I traced the thin pale scars on my arms with a fingertip, then shuddered. Hannah has a scar too. I watched as it was inflicted. I did nothing.

I couldn't protect her.

I couldn't protect any of them. Not Padma or Terry, or Susan, or Sally-Anne, or Jason, or Antony, or Michael, or Parvati, or Seamus, or anyone. I'd failed them all, or I would soon.

And I'd especially failed her.

I buried my head in my hands. How would I do this without Ginny?

Ginny's POV

I stared out the window, gazing absently at nothing. The Fidelius Cham had been cast, and the family hidden away.

I didn't know what to think or feel. There were so many emotions I couldn't even name most of them, let alone sort them out and get through them. I didn't know how to even begin to get over what he'd done to me.

How could I?

He'd gotten so close...

I felt my breath coming faster. Visions flashed through my mind. Visions of what would've happened if I was a second slower with the severing charm.

It was a very near miss, but at the same time it wasn't. At the same time, it was nearly as bad. He'd kissed me, tried to take my shirt off. He'd gotten it mostly off too. Enough to see.

I flinched.

If he hadn't insisted on gloating, he would've snapped my wand in front of me, and then where would I be?

His little pet at Carrow Manor, said a dark voice. That's what he called it anyway.

I told that voice to shut up. It didn't.

Alecto wouldn't have stopped him. Mcgonagall wouldn't have known. No one would. You'd be stuck there until he decided he was done with you.

Would he ever?

Shut up!

How long would you stay there, forced to be his little toy until he was tired of you? Would you lose count of all the times he raped you?

GO AWAY!

My breath was coming in ragged gasps, and I clutched at the chair for support. The voice finally shrunk back into the dark corners of my mind. The terrible things it said in a matter-of-fact tone... This is my life now.

A warm hand touched my shoulder, and I flinched away.

"Ginny." The voice was calm and concerned. "You're alright. It's just me." Panic flashed through me, hot as fire.

"No." I sobbed. I looked up thorough tear-stained eyes at Fred. Or was it George? One of the two. "It's not alright. I don't think it ever will be."

"Ginny what's wrong?"

I looked up, wanting so desperately to tell him, but knowing I couldn't.

"You're not going back. You never have to see them again. They don't get to hurt you anymore. " An irrational prick of annoyance made me snap.

"It's what he's already done that's effecting me like this."

"He? I thought it was Alecto who tortu-hurt you. I thought it was Alecto who hurt you." His tone scared me. Like he was leading up to a bigger point.

And he couldn't bring himself to say the word, however accurate.

I searched wildly for a response.

"They both did."

"Well, yeah. I'm not claiming he's innocent or anything, but..."

"But what?" I snapped.

"But there's only one thing Fred and I can think of that would effect you like this, but I... I'm hoping we're wrong."

The pit of my stomach dropped out from under me. They know. Maybe not, maybe he thinks it's something else.

But when I looked into his eyes, I saw how sick he felt. I saw a mix of disgust and pity that could only mean he did know. It looked like he'd been keeping it to himself for some time.

"Mind your own business."

"Ginn-."

"No. Just no."

"Why did you go back? Why..." His voice was raw and filled with pain. "Why did you hide this from us. We're your family, Ginny. We care about you.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I forced myself to say.

"You were... sexually assaulted, maybe... maybe more." I shook my head, not sure what I was denying.

"Stop lying. Please. Don't I deserve more than that?" His tone was desperate.

"Mind your own business."

And I stormed out, feeling a knot of bitterness in my stomach.

Neville's POV

I ran through the wall, feeling like my stomach was full of rocks.

I glimpsed Hannah, but she was with her dad, so I stayed well clear. I walked over to Seamus.

"Hey." He turned around, looking practically exuberant. His face crumbled like a poorly inflated balloon when he saw me.

"Hi." He replied, not a bit of joy in his voice.

"Well, it's nice to see you too." His eyes widened.

"No no no. Don't think I'm not happy to see you. You're one of my best mates. It's just... nothing. I'm being silly."

"Ok." I turned to walk away.

Hannah noticed, and gave me a look. Something's clearly wrong. Ask him. I turned back to face him?

"What's wrong?" I asked, slightly mechanically. There was a moment of pause where Seamus looked confused. Eventually I guess he decided to tell me.

"Dean. I, I know it's stupid, but I keep expecting him to turn up. And I know how dangerous that would be, but we're-."

"You're friends. I completely understand. I'd feel the same way." I finished for him. See, Hannah was wrong. I'm very intuitive to feelings!

He looked like he would add something to my analysis, but the train whistle blew.

"We better get on board." I told him. There was a long pause.

"Um, yeah. We'd better."

We met up with the rest of Dumbledore's Army in our slightly crowded compartment. I sat down and watched Hannah through the glass pane as she hugged her dad goodbye.

A few moments later, she climbed onto the train and vanished from sight. After another few moments the compartment door swung open with a barley audible creak and she entered.

Her eyes lit up when she saw me.

"Hey, how was-."

She closed the distance, and cut me off by pressing her lips softly against mine. The world seemed to fade away, and my eyes closed. My hand found her cheek, and her fingers nestled in my hair. Nothing in the world existed except for her, and nothing else needed to exist.

When our lungs were burning, and we couldn't stay that way for a second longer, I broke away. The world was spinning, and I had the sensation of being dizzy.

I had no idea how she could do this to me with just a kiss. Scratch that, she was always doing this to me. Even when we were just in the same room.

A big, stupid smile couldn't help but cross my lips. I'd forgotten what I was going to ask her. It didn't matter.

Michael wolf-whistled. Padma smacked his arm, as did Parvati, and a second later, Lavender.

"Ouch!?"