Hiding in Plain Sight (A Hinny Fanfiction)

Restituo Amare

Harry turned around, wanting to grit his teeth but failing. "What?"

"I said I'll do it. I'll kill Grindelwald if it means we get the spell to destroy the Horcruxes," Ginny repeated. As the thought registered, she could see Harry's heart break.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" he demanded. A private conversation would be problematic in this cramped, stark prison cell, but he gestured over to the far corner just the same. Ginny got out of the chair with a slow exhale and joined Harry.

"Tell me this is one of your tricks," he whispered as soon as Ginny got close enough.

"No trick. It's the only way to get what we need. I can see it in his eyes."

"But there's plenty of people down in the village willing to manage it." Harry's face was slowly shifting to pleading, although he was willing his voice to stay authoritative.

"For some reason, he trusts me."

"Because he's insane."

"Excuse me?"

"That's not what I meant," Harry backtracked.

"It better not have been."

"I just think he's using you for some reason. Trying to wedge us apart."

"The only way that works is if we allow it. Is it working?"

Harry's gaze shifted down. "I don't know... I've never seen this side of you."

"Where I accomplish anything I put my mind to? Yes you have. You liked that on the Quidditch pitch."

'This isn't Quidditch!" Harry exploded. They both looked back at their host, who had an amused expression on his face.

"We're wasting time. I'm doing it." Ginny announced as she turned back to the room. Harry caught her arm.

"This is my mission. I... I forbid it."

"I'm sorry... what?" Ginny's eyes could burn a hole straight through Harry's skull

"This isn't how I want things done. We need to be different than the Death Eaters. If we start killing to get what we want, we've lost," Harry rationalized.

"Let go of my arm, Harry. I'm doing it with or without you. You'll have to curse me. Would you really do that? If so, you're just like them – one way or the other."

Harry's eyes widened as he let go. Ginny got a breath and returned to the room.

"Do we have a deal, Potter?" Grindelwald asked.

"Not with me," Harry answered.

"Harry," Ginny whispered. ''Please."

''Fine. Munch, take Mr. Potter back to the village." The house-elf waddled out of his crawlspace and cut across to stand beside Harry.

''Wait, what about the spell?" Harry asked as he shirked away from the creature's grip.

"People don't receive rewards if they refuse to execute the work, Potter."

"I'm not leaving Ginny!"

"It sounds like you already have. Dumbledore would have been very disappointed.''

With a nod and a pop, Harry and Munch were gone. Ginny couldn't help but to reach out for the space he was hardly a second before.

"You didn't have to do that!" she shouted at the old wizard.