Lily's Charm- Severitus fanfiction

Vulnerable

1996

“Where’s Harry?” Ginny asked Hermione as soon as she came over to where her friend and brother were sitting at the Gryffindor table.

“Snape threw him out of Potions class,” Ron spat, the irritation on his face clear.

“We haven’t seen him since,” Hermione added, her own face, alight with concern.

Ginny narrowed her eyes, her temper igniting as she swung around to face the Head Table, finding Snape staring at the three of them, with what seemed almost to be concern on his harsh features. She had no idea what had transpired in Potions class, but if Snape had dismissed Harry from class and he had subsequently secluded himself somewhere, there was little hope that things had gone as planned.

With a final furious glower at Snape, Ginny snapped to Ron, “You could have told me Harry was missing.” And then, not waiting for an answer, she said tersely, “I’m going to find him.” With that, Ginny turned and stomped out of the Great Hall, her anger guiding her through the corridors of the castle.

She had spent the hours after her own afternoon classes had ended, in the Gryffindor common room, studying with the other fifth years. She had wondered briefly as the dinner hour drew closer why Harry hadn’t come to the Tower, but she had figured that he was occupied either with Lupin or in the library with Ron and Hermione, since they hadn’t made any specific plans to meet. As soon as Ginny had seen Ron and Hermione without Harry in the Great Hall however, she knew immediately that something wasn’t right.

Damn Snape anyway, she fumed as she made her way outside, knowing it was the most likely place for Harry to sequester himself if he was upset. Why couldn’t the impossible man just stop playing with Harry’s feelings? Didn’t Snape even care how much he was hurting him? He’d made him so upset this time that he’d actually run off, for Merlin’s sake.

Maybe he had gone to Hagrid’s she thought briefly but decided it was unlikely, as Hagrid had been at dinner. Ginny's annoyance was beginning to expand to Harry as well as she stormed through the huge Entrance doors. Why was his first predilection always flight when he was troubled? Harry should have found her or at least Lupin if he’d been angry enough to leave the castle.

Ginny’s anger evaporated though as she spotted Harry’s dejected form, sitting just out of reach of the Whomping Willow. It was not lost on Ginny that Harry had chosen to escape to the same place where he and Sirius had been when his godfather had invited him to live with him more than two years ago.

Ginny continued toward Harry, her heart heavy. When she reached him, she slid down next to him on the ground, reaching her fingers out to caress his cheek gently. Harry brought his troubled eyes up to meet her gaze. “What happened?” Ginny asked softly.

“I’m not sure,” Harry mumbled as he shook his head. “I don’t think I was ready to just act as if nothing had happened. Snape didn’t seem to have the same problem.” Harry’s face darkened, his tone turning bitter. Ginny scooted closer to him and took his hand.

“What did he say?”

Harry shrugged as he answered, “Called me incompetent, took points…the usual.”

Ginny hesitated before asking the obvious question, “But, wasn’t that what he was supposed to do?”

Harry chuckled darkly, leaning forward to pluck up a blade of grass. “Yep. It wasn’t hard for him at all. He acted exactly like he has been for five years…five years of hating me. He didn’t even hate my mother after he thought she had slept with James,” he finished, angrily flicking the little green blade from his fingers.