In the Melancholy Moonlight

Chapter LXX: You're What I Know About Love

What is this hollow kind of helplessness I'm feeling?
This type of terror is new
And the fact that I can hardly breathe is now revealing
How much I've changed 'cause of you
You light the world for me
You live life fearlessly
Braver than the bravest of us do
You trust, you hope, you dare
You choose to feel and care
I thought that I was strong 'til I bumped into you
What do I know about love?

HARRY:

Though the night was not as peaceful as Dumbledore surely hoped it would be, the morning still dawned. Upon leaving the Hospital Wing, I talked to Mr. and Mrs. Diggory about what had happened and tried to give them the tournament winnings, but they refused. As soon as our meeting was over, I hurried up to the Gryffindor common room.

I needed to see Lucy. I needed to know she was okay.

I needed to keep my promise to Cedric.

When I made my way up to the common room, I scanned the room for Lucy, but she wasn't there. Ron and Ginny were speaking in low tones in the corner of the room, and Hermione was leaning against the wall next to the door leading to the girls' dormitories with her arms crossed over her chest. I felt like I didn't need to explain myself, so I headed toward the door, but before I could reach for the handle, she stepped in front of it, blocking my way.

"Hermione, let me go up," I said, trying to step around her.

"She said she wanted to sleep."

"Then I'll just let her know that I'm there and I'm alright and I've talked to her parents, then let her sleep. I need to see her, now."

"She can come down once she's awake. Honestly, Harry, she's fine, Ginny was with her all night, and I checked on her this morning once you left the Hospital Wing."

"She is not fine," Ginny said fiercely, coming to stand behind me. "Just because she's not ready to cry yet doesn't mean she's fine. Hermione, let him up."

"But it's the girls' dormitories! She can come down when she's ready." She successfully stopped another one of my attempts to get around her. "Besides, the stairs are enchanted, Harry. The only way you'll be able to get up is if a girl is standing on the stairs so you don't come sliding back down."

"So stand on the stairs, Hermione," I said. "Or Ginny, I don't care. I don't care that it's the girls' dormitories. If that's where she wants to be right now, I'll be there, too."

She still looked loath to break the rules. "I suppose I can go get her-"

I took a step closer, feeling a defensive surge of anger rising in me. "Cedric asked me to take care of her. I promised him I would. And I intend to keep that promise."

Ginny, taking advantage of her temporary shock at what I had said, ducked around her, opened the door, and planted herself on the staircase.

"Go, Harry," she said, holding the door open. "We'll leave you two alone for a while. We could all use some sleep, too."

I nodded as I started up the stairs. "Thanks, Ginny."

"Harry?" Hermione called just as I reached the door of the fourth-year dormitory.

I whirled around, irritated. "Yes?"

"If she's asleep... she's a deep sleeper. A very deep sleeper. Waking her might take a while, especially since she was awake all night."

My irritation faded to nothingness. How had I not known that about Lucy, the girl I considered my best friend?

The one I almost rescued by mistake in February, before I realized Ron couldn't possibly be Cedric's hostage?