Chapter 11: FINALLY

The Opposite

Chapter 11: FINALLY

"Draco, get ready. You have to be able to make your arrow strong in a short amount of time. You will be the only hope for long distance fighting," Sloan said. Draco aimed his arrow. The tip began glowing with white light. "Let it go," Sloan said. Draco shot the arrow a good distance from him. The dummy it hit exploded into fire. Draco smiled, but Sloan shook his head.

"What? That wasn't good?" Draco asked. He sounded a bit ticked. Sloan got up and walked towards him. He took the bow and arrow out of his hands. Draco stepped to the side and watched Sloan. The tip of the arrow began glowing. This time, though, a large ball of light formed. Sloan released the arrow. It flew to the ground 80 feet away from them and a large blast was made. The ground fixed itself back to the way it was. Sloan handed the bow back to Draco, who just stood there with his mouth hanging open.

"No, it wasn't," Sloan said, sitting back down. Draco frowned.

Neve wasn't far from him. She laughed a little and Draco thought about shooting her with one of his enchanted arrows. He tried again, this time using his anger at Neve to fuel him. Neve watched him, stifling a giggle. Draco released the arrow. A similar blast was made and Sloan smiled a little. "Much better, Draco! Next time, be a little quicker. It should only take fifteen seconds to shoot an arrow. If you get really good, you could shoot it in less than ten. I need you to work on your power-up ability," he said. Draco nodded then looked back at Neve, who was loading her crossbow. She liked automatic weapons better.

Inside, Ron and Hermione were with Drake. Today, Drake was teaching them to throw knives with better accuracy. Ron was getting very lazy. Hermione kept trying to encourage him, but Drake was being very tough. He was being insufferably tough.

"Hit it right on the mark, Weasley! What's so hard about that?" Drake yelled in Ron's ear. Ron rolled his eyes and sighed. He turned to face Drake. He was only about an inch shorter than he was and just as built from his training.

"Listen, I can't concentrate with you yelling in my bloody ear all the fucking time! Step away from me or the Death Eaters will have one less person to attempt to kill when they get here," Ron nearly yelled. Hermione watched with wide eyes at the two men. They were breathing very hard and Ron didn't look like he was going to back down. They stood like that for about a minute.

"Throw the damn knife and hit the fucking mark, Weasley. Or, you will regret what you just did. I will not tolerate insubordination," Drake said, his voice low and steady. Ron frowned and turned to face the target. He imagined Drake's head on it and threw the knife. He missed the target by less than a millimeter and Drake noticed it, even though Hermione and Ron didn't. Hermione clapped and hugged Ron. He hugged her back and swung her around. "WEASLEY!" Drake yelled. Ron put Hermione down and turned toward him.

"What do you want? I did what you asked me to do. Now, leave me alone," Ron said, turning his attention back to Hermione. Drake frowned and jerked Hermione out of his arms. He held her tightly and she squirmed. She could feel her bones being crushed under Drake's strength. Ron looked at him. "Stop it! You're hurting her!" He could see the tears of pain welling up in her eyes.

"You missed the target by less than a millimeter, but you missed nonetheless. Maybe what you need is a little incentive." Drake dragged Hermione roughly to the target board. He slammed her back against the board and took out a marker. He made to dots on either side of her head. He also made marks between her fingers. "Don't move," he said. Hermione nodded.

"What the hell are you doing? I could miss and hit her!" Ron yelled. Drake smirked at him and handed him pushed a tray with fourteen knives over to Ron.

"Well, then you shouldn't miss," Drake said. Ron looked at Hermione. She was obviously scared. She blinked and a tear rolled down her left cheek and Ron yearned to wipe it away. Why was Drake being so hard on them? Ron picked up the first knife. "You better have quick reflexes," Drake said. "Go."

Ron looked in Hermione's eyes, and then threw the knife at her hand. He hit the mark and Hermione breathed. He managed to hit all the marks on her right hand. Then he stared at the mark by the right side of her head.

'Come on, Ron,' Hermione thought. Ron closed his eyes and inhaled. He opened them and exhaled loudly. Drake watched. As soon as Ron raised his hand, he yelled. The knife hit the mark, but Ron was furious. He turned and looked at Drake with murder in his eyes.

"What is your damn problem? I could've killed her!" he yelled. Drake smirked and sat back down.

"Continue, Weasley," he said serenely. Ron mumbled a slew of unintelligible, but colorful words and turned to face Hermione again. She stood as still as stone, still looking Ron directly in his eyes. She blinked again and another tear rolled down her cheek.

Ron hit five of the six marks by her left hand. He looked carefully at the last one between her middle and index fingers. He threw the knife, and then heard a deafening scream. He'd missed the mark and hit Hermione in the center of her hand. Hermione started to cry for real now. Ron started to go towards her.

"Oh, Mione! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean..." Ron began walking forward. Drake stopped him.

"You have one more target, Weasley. Granger, don't move," Drake said. There was nothing more that Ron wanted to do then stab him with the fourteenth knife right in his chest. Instead, Ron looked at Hermione, who had not moved. She was sniffling now and looked faint.

Ron stared at the mark beside her head. He raised his hand and threw the knife just as Drake yelled again. Hermione's eyes widened as the knife cut her cheek, but hit the mark. Drake had made it deliberately that way. One way or another, she was going to get cut. Ron ran towards Hermione. He looked at her hand which was stuck to the wall.

"This is going to hurt a little, Mione. I'm sorry," he said. Hermione nodded slightly and closed her eyes. Ron pulled the knife out and Hermione screamed again. Ron picked her up just as she fainted. He turned to face a smug-looking Drake. "You pompous arse. You'll get yours eventually," Ron threatened as he carried Hermione off to find Aislin.

"Faster, Harry! One right after the other!" Aislin yelled at her pupil. Harry was working on decreasing the time between throwing spells without a wand. Normally, he would've needed about 15 seconds. He was down to ten, but he still needed to be faster. The dummy in front of him was throwing little red jets of light at him. Aurora watched with Ginny.

Ron burst through the door and Harry sent a hex accidentally towards him. Ron quickly dove to the side, minding Hermione. Harry gasped as he saw the condition that Hermione was in. Her face was smeared with blood and her hand was still bleeding.

"Ron! What happened?" Harry yelled, picking up Hermione off of him. She was still out of it. Ron stood up as Aislin walked over to them. Ginny was behind her. Aislin took one look at Hermione.

"Follow me, Harry. Ron, Ginny, you might as well come too." Aislin began walking off. They followed.

"It was that vermin, Drake. Because I missed the mark by less than a millimeter, he thought I needed some 'incentive' to help me. So, he made Hermione stand there and I had to throw knives right at her and hit marks close to her body. Treacherous snake. I could've killed her!" Ron said. He was so red he looked as though he might burst. Harry nodded. Drake had been particularly hard on both Ron and Hermione lately.

They entered the white room where Aurora and Harry were after their assessment a month earlier. Harry put Hermione on the table. Her breathing had slowed and her hand was still gushing blood. Ron paced back and forth. Ginny watched him, her heart reaching out to him. She could tell he was worried about her. Aurora walked in after them. They watched Aislin work her magic on Hermione.

"All of you out right now! Hermione needs to rest. She lost a lot of blood from that hole in her hand. I have a few choice words for Drake. He had no right to do that. You four better get to Fionnula or Sloan or wherever you're supposed to be now." Aislin ran off. Harry and Ron took one last look at Hermione, and then left the room. Ginny and Aurora watched her breathing, and then left also.

Fionnula was leaning against a wall, watching Neville shoot with a pistol. He had pretty good aim and was quick about reloading. Aurora and Ginny walked in. Fionnula noticed them.

"Ah, Aurora and Ginny. Welcome. That's enough, Neville. Go to Sloan next. Your reaction time is still a bit slow. Ladies, come with me," Fionnula said, gesturing towards the door on the far end of the room. Aurora and Ginny followed her.

They walked in the greenhouse. It was simply the most serene and tranquil place in the entire castle. There was also a silencing charm around it so that they couldn't hear any of the destruction that Draco was causing.

"Ladies, have a seat." Fionnula gestured to the chairs. Aurora and Ginny took them and looked up at Fionnula. "Today, we're going to work on mind-control. Ginny, do not put up any blocks, yet. Aurora, clear your mind and think of something you want Ginny to do. Then, try to relay that message to her with your mind. Leave your eyes open. Look directly at Ginny. Since this is your first try, you should look in Ginny's eyes. It might make it a little easier." Aurora faced Ginny. They stared at each other for a moment, sitting still as stone.

Aurora felt the euphoric feeling she got when her mind entered another's. She saw Ginny's secrets and memories of beating up Ron and Harry. She saw her remembering what she'd done in her first year at Hogwarts. She saw Tom Riddle.

'Get up,' Aurora thought. Ginny stood up, her eyes glazed over. 'Turn around and punch Fionnula. Hit her as hard as you can,' Aurora told Ginny. Ginny turned and looked at Fionnula. She balled her hand up into a fist and decked Fionnula across the jaw. Aurora left Ginny's mind after that. Fionnula stood up straight, rubbing her jaw. Ginny blinked twice and looked at Fionnula. Her face was turning purple.

"What just happened?" Ginny asked. Fionnula glared at her, then at Aurora. Aurora was nearly crying she was laughing so hard. Ginny looked around, still confused. She didn't even remember standing up. "What's so funny, Aurora?" she demanded to know. Fionnula was moving her jaw around, trying to get some feeling back in it.

"Sit down, Ginny. That was very good, Aurora. Next time, could you think of something a little more subtle? Now, Ginny, it's your turn," Fionnula said. Ginny sat back down and looked at Aurora. They stared into each other's eyes and Ginny felt her mind leave her body completely. She did not see Aurora's mind. Instead, she saw herself in Harry's room. Only she didn't know why she was there...

"GINNY!" Ginny heard Aurora yelling. She opened her eyes and sat up. How had she ended up on the floor? She looked around. Fionnula was eyeing her suspiciously. Ginny stood up.

"What did you see?" Fionnula asked. Ginny looked around, as if trying to remember something.

"I don't remember..." she whispered.

That night, after dinner, Harry sat in his room summoning things to and fro. He was supposed to be sleeping, but he was not tired in any way. In fact, he was rather hungry. He picked up his wand and started to walk to his door. Harry quietly opened it and looked around. The castle was deathly quiet. It was almost eerie.

"Lumos," Harry said. The tip of his wand lit up and he started down the hallway. When he arrived at the kitchen door, he heard movement. He lowered his wand down and listened. He just heard a single, soft voice. Opening the door, he pointed his wand only to see Ginny sitting there, pointing hers as well. They stood like that for a moment, as if making sure it was really them. Ginny was first to lower her wand.

"Oh, come on Harry. It's really me. Do you want me to use telepathy to prove it?" Ginny giggled, sitting down to a large bowl of chocolate pudding. She pulled out another spoon and threw it at Harry. Harry finally lowered his wand and sat across from Ginny.

"Why are you up? Shouldn't you be asleep?" Harry asked, sticking his spoon in the pudding. Ginny looked at him as if he was speaking Japanese.

"I could ask the same of you, Mr. Potter. It isn't exactly like you're supposed to be up either," Ginny said, swirling the pudding. Harry smiled at her. Then he looked at the pudding.

"Gin, where did you get this anyway?" he asked, tasting it. Ginny smiled a sly smile.

"That's for me to know and for you to never find out. How about that, Harry? Besides, if I'm eating it, it's obviously not poisoned," Ginny said, innocently licking the spoon.

"Well, you could've made it so that the poison was meant only for me. You could be immune to it, Ginny," Harry said. Ginny rolled her eyes. She licked the spoon again, not knowing that she was being seductive as Harry watched her. She had no idea what she was doing. Her voice brought him back to planet Earth.

"Harry, what do you think my power is? I don't think I'm a telepath. My power is far more complex than that. I mean, I can completely separate my mind from my body and be in two places at once. Well, it's more like my mind is somewhere else and my body is another. I can also see a certain distance into the future. Why is that?" Ginny asked, sounding genuinely confused. Harry shrugged.

"It really sounds like you're a Seer, Gin. But the separation of mind and body is something new to me. No one has ever done it?" Harry asked, looking up at her. Ginny shook her head.

"If they have, it's never been documented. Otherwise, Hermione would know, wouldn't she?" Ginny laughed. Harry smiled and ate another spoon.

"She sure would. There's no doubt about that." They finished off the pudding. Ginny stuck it in the sink and picked up her wand. Harry followed her upstairs. They came to Ginny's door. Harry turned to face her.

"Good night, Gin," he said quietly. A short, five-foot-two Ginny looked up at Harry. They stared at each other for a moment.

"Good night, Harry." Ginny turned to go in her room. She shut the door and stood by it for a moment. She didn't hear Harry walk off.

Harry stood at Ginny's door, staring at. He hated that he could never bring himself to tell her how he felt. Maybe he was just imagining that she might be interested in him. Plus, if Ron knew all the VERY dirty thoughts he had about Ginny, he was sure that Voldemort wouldn't have to kill him. Ron would've beaten him to the punch. Harry stood by the door a few seconds more, and then walked two doors down to his room.

Ginny heard him go after a moment, and then walked to her bed. She lay there, thinking. Why wouldn't Harry just admit that he fancied her? Why couldn't she do it first? Ginny sat up, frustrated and shook her head. The glass of water by her bed broke, scaring her.

'I've got to learn to control that,' she thought derisively. Ginny swung her legs over her bed and stood up.

Harry lay in his bed with his hands behind his head. He was levitating one of Sloan's balls with his mind. He heard footsteps then a soft knock on his door. Forgetting that he had no shirt on, he traipsed to the door and opened it. A very flushed Ginny stood there. She stared up at him.

"Harry, I...well...I love you," she said. It looked as if she was going to cry. Harry stood there dumbfounded, then found words to say.

"I love you, too, Ginny," he said, smiling mischievously. Ginny smiled and threw her arms around his neck. In order to accomplish this, Ginny had to jump up, making Harry lean back as he caught her. They kissed and Harry kicked the door shut.

The next morning, Ron was walking down the hall. Harry wasn't up yet. He saw Neville coming down the opposite direction and waved him down.

"Let's go jump on Harry. It's odd. Normally he's the first one up," Ron said, scratching his head. Neville shrugged his shoulders. Hermione was coming down the hall with Neve.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked. Her hand was wrapped from the previous day's events. Ron cringed when he saw it and Hermione shook her head. "Ron, it is fine. I'll live to see another day," she laughed. Ron smiled, happy she wasn't mad at him. "Plus, it's Drake who's as ghastly as they come." They walked to Harry's room. That's when Hermione got a funny premonition. "Uh oh," she whispered inaudibly to anyone else.

Ron opened Harry's door. Hermione, Neville, and Neve entered behind him. They snuck up to his bed. Ron smiled giddily and pulled back the cover.

"GET UP, YOU..." Ron stopped as he saw his sister's body. Her head was on Harry's chest and they were both very much still asleep. Hermione and Neve looked at each other. Ginny's eyes fluttered open, as did Harry's. Ginny screamed and Harry pulled out his wand. All he saw was Ron.

Just as Ron reached for Harry, Neve and Neville pushed him into the wall. Ginny tried desperately to cover herself and scoot away from her brother. Neville and Neve held Ron back as he struggled to grab Harry. Hermione turned toward Harry. Harry was watching this scene with mild fascination.

"You'd do well to run. Ron is unnaturally strong. I don't know how long Neville and Neve can hold him," she warned. Harry nodded and grabbed his jogging pants and got up. Ron watched him. All logic and reason was gone from his eyes. Harry got his glasses as Ron let loose a yell. Neville and Neve were thrown backwards along with Ginny and Hermione. Harry was well on his way out to the snow filled grounds around the castle. Ron was hot on his heels.

"Come back here you little git!" Ron yelled. If there was one thing Harry was better at, it was running. He was a little faster than Ron. Draco and Aurora stuck to the wall as the two passed by. Then they saw Neville, Neve, and Hermione running after them.

Outside, Harry had to slow down. Running in the cold was a different story. Plus, he was barefoot. He stood still too long and Ron tackled him. They rolled down the hill until Ron was on top. He punched Harry in the jaw. Harry's head turned and spat blood.

"You sneaky little cunt!" he yelled and hit him again. Harry flipped Ron off of him and stood up. The cold seemed to have become hot as Harry stared at Ron. He hit Ron in the stomach and then did an uppercut when Ron bent over. Ron recovered rather quickly. Too quickly. He kicked Harry in the chest. Harry went flying backwards.

"Ron, stop it!" Hermione yelled. She started to go down there, but Neve stopped her. She shook her head.

"There's nothing you can do. You just have to let them fight. They'll eventually get tired," she said. Hermione nodded. She knew there was no way she could stop them.

"Stop it, Ron! You're being irrational! Ginny's a big girl, or haven't you noticed? Are you too busy shagging Hermione to..." Harry said. That earned him another punch to his jaw. Harry felt his jaw break. Then he hit Ron in the eye. Ron fell backwards. Harry kicked him twice. The second time, Ron caught his leg and threw him to the ground. Hermione was right. He was unnaturally strong. Both stood quickly. By the way Ron's nose was bleeding, Harry could tell it was broken. They both ran at each other and Ron ducked Harry's punch and hit him in the side, breaking two ribs.

Harry stumbled backwards. He looked over at Ron, who was watching him with wide eyes. Suddenly, it became very hard to breathe. Very, very hard to breathe. Harry fell backwards, trying to gasp for breath. Ron looked at Harry, raising his eyebrow.

"Harry?" he asked. Harry's eyes closed. Ron knelt down on him just as Ginny ran up with Aurora and Draco. Ginny gasped when she saw the condition both of them were in. Blood was in the snow and Harry wasn't moving. It didn't even look like he was breathing. Ginny ran down the hill with everyone else.

"Harry! Harry! Harry, answer me, damnit!" she yelled while crying. Ron stood and backed away. Hermione checked Harry's pulse. It was faint, but it was still there.

"Draco, Neville, carry him to Aislin's office. Ron? Ron!" Hermione yelled as Draco and Neville picked Harry up. Ron looked back at her, blood still running from his nose. Ginny pushed past Hermione and hit her brother very hard; so hard that Ron fell backwards.

"He's dying because of you! Because you can't control your damn temper! I hate you, Ronald! Don't ever come near me AGAIN!" With that, Ginny took off after Neville and Draco. Hermione looked at Ron, who looked very lethargic and pathetic. She sat next to him.

"I may have just killed my best mate," he whispered. Hermione held his head to her chest.

"Don't say that. Harry will make it, Ron. I know he will. I believe he will," Hermione whispered to him.

"This is all my fault," Ron whispered, putting his head in his hands and letting out a long sigh.