The Songbird and The Viper

Parting of the Ways

It had been a few weeks since Johanna and Draco had broken up. It seemed like everyone on the face of the planet knew. At that point, Johanna really couldn't bring herself to care anymore. Despite the teasing from Pansy, she almost hadn't noticed that Draco was actively avoiding her. She preferred to keep that thought at the back of her mind. Her friends had taken her in, allotting plenty of time for study sessions and sleepovers to keep her mind off things.

Every so often, she would find herself glancing at Draco's direction on the rare occasion that he turned up for class or in the Great Hall. Sometimes she'd even bump into him in the hallways, having to curse herself for getting goosebumps when they touched, or their eyes met. Draco didn't look much better, still sulking and wasting away before everyone's eyes.

These weeks were continuously cloudy and dreary. Even if the weather had been beautiful, she couldn't be too happy at the moment. Though Harry and her friends did try, she often found herself lost in thought.

Moving on wasn't easy, they all knew that, and so gave her time to mope and hurt while also trying to cheer her up as best they could. On a mild night in June, she found herself on Ginny's bed, throwing her pillow into the air and catching it repeatedly as Ginny tried on a sweater she had received from her mother.

"It's hideous, isn't it?" Ginny grumbled.

Johanna didn't even look at it, "I'm sure it looks amazing on you, as most things do."

Ginny rolled her eyes, turning towards Johanna and pointing to the roses cascading around a giant "G". Johanna looked from the corner of her eye, completely losing focus, and causing the pillow to fall directly on her face. She laughed beneath the pillow, muffled by it.

Ginny ripped it off, chucking it at her as she flopped onto the bed beside her, "That's it, I'm burning it!" She folded her arms over her chest and pouted.

Johanna plucked the sweater and the pillow off her face, "Just be lucky you have a mother who can make you a sweater."

"Is that... I'm sorry."

Johanna waved a hand into the air, "Don't be. She's safe where she needs to be and I'm fine with it."

Ginny turned over on her side, "What happened?"

Johanna stared up at the ceiling, placing her hands on her stomach, "I kept getting these... Visions of the academy. Of our instructors... My family thought I was mental, taking me to every doctor in our town. Then one day, they turned up at my house. Told my family I was special and that they needed to help me control my powers."

Ginny took in a sharp breath, but Johanna continued, "they told me if I had contact with them then they'd be in danger... So, I haven't seen or spoken to them in years. All I can hope for is that they're safe wherever they are. No doubt they heard what happened to my school."

"So, you think that they might... Believe you're dead?"

Johanna shrugged.

"Well... If it means anything... Harry comes to ours sometimes for holidays. Not a lot of room in our house but I'm sure if I asked my mum, she'd let you share the bedroom with me. Plus, she loves having hands around the house. Treats Harry like her own," Ginny tried to laugh but stopped when she noticed Johanna hadn't said anything.

"Johanna?"

Johanna turned her head and locked eyes with Ginny, "You really mean that?"

Ginny nodded with a small smile, "I'd love to have you since you haven't got many other people to spend your holiday with."

Johanna suppressed the sting in her eyes, wrapping an arm around Ginny and pulling her into a hug, "Thank you."

A few hours later, Ginny got up to lead Johanna down into the common room so she could go back to her own room. Right as they descended the staircase, they caught sight of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Harry looked pale, whispering to the two as he handed them items. Johanna put an arm in front of Ginny, silently warning her not to say anything.