The air was cold around him, circling him like a pack of wolves did its prey. The familiar shiver ran up his spine, and his icy fingers clutched the wand tight in his hand. It was out there somewhere, in the trees surrounding him, he could feel it; he could sense it. The presence in the back of his mind, tempting him closer and closer but he forced it away. He would not die. Ginny needed him; he could not leave her.
Then everything shifted.
He could still feel the pressure of the wand in his hand; still see the dark trees looming menacingly over him, but now something was distorted. He didn’t want to be here, trapped in someone else’s body and seeing through their eyes. He was angry. The body doubled over, letting out a yelp of pain, and he felt a thrill of pleasure run through him. He was powerful. Dark hair spilled into green eyes as he forced the body to the floor, glasses falling askew to the floor. He was winning. It was like crumpling dry leaves in his fist; easy as anything. He would be free. The gasping body he’d inhabited was curled up on the floor, tears streaming down its pale cheeks. There was barely any life in it anymore; he was crushing it from the inside out. With a shuddering breath, the body ceased moving, head lolling back and all the fight stopped. He grinned victoriously, and slipped out of the body with the remainder of its life force. Just a glance backwards as he moved away showed him what he already knew; Harry Potter was dead.
Harry gasped, bolting upright. The sudden movement displaced him from his perch and he hit the floor with a crash, disturbing Ginny who’d been curled up beside him. She was on her feet immediately as Harry tried to get his breath back, soothing him gently. He could feel the crick in his neck where he’d been using the windowsill as a pillow; the stiffness in his knees from the hard wooden floor, but none of that mattered because he couldn’t breathe.
“Shh, Harry, it’s okay. Just breathe.” Ginny murmured, not looking up when Ron made his way into the office with sleep-bleary eyes, obviously to investigate the commotion.
“It’s inside of me.” He wheezed, clutching the front of her jacket and staring her in the face, making sure she understood. Ginny was unnerved by the wild, undiluted fear in restrained Harry’s eyes. He very rarely lost control or let anyone in, so to see him genuinely terrified was not only infectious, but it nearly broke her heart. “I don’t know what it is, but it’s in me. Get it out.” He panicked, and she pulled him tighter. Ron was staring at them in concern, but made no move to help, obviously shocked. But it was no surprise that Hermione immediately rushed past him, practically barging his shoulder.
“Harry, it’s okay.” They soothed together, and Ginny tried not to stiffen when Hermione took his hands in hers.
“Kill me, please kill me. It’s going to make me kill all of you; kill me now. Please, kill me.” He begged, and Ginny couldn’t stop the tears that flowed down her cheeks at the earnest glint in his eyes. He genuinely wanted her to kill him; hysteria or not. She shook her head, still crying.
“I can’t.”
“Please Ginny, you say you love me-“ Harry’s words were cut off by a fist flying at his face. Ron grimaced, flexing his fingers as Harry hit the floor, already groaning.
“Had to be done.” He shrugged at the questioning look Hermione shot him. She looked as though she was about to berate him when Harry sat up, shooting him a slightly crooked grin.
“Thanks man.” The pair chuckled, and Ginny let out a sob of relief at the stupid grins on their faces.
“You bastard, Harry” She breathed, throwing her arms around him tightly, ignoring the disgruntled look Hermione shot her at being forced to drop Harry’s hands. She let go of Harry though, when she got the unmistakable expression of heartbreak on her brother’s face. He may be a prat and quite regularly acts terribly to his friends, but they were family, and he was broken. So she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and allowed him to sink his head into her hair, murmuring a quiet thankyou as he did so. The other pair looked on quietly; Harry with a tender smile on his face, Hermione with a look of confusion and anger.
