Short chapter, sorry, but I figured I'd give you a small chapter before anything big happens.

Ch. 44
Farther Apart

Christmas went by faster than it normally did, which was horrible.

It seemed like Harry had barely been home for a day before he was soon to be carted back to school. At least he had Ginny, however, even if she was still distant.

But she was scared, and he knew it. He was scared as well. No matter how much he ached to hold her again, it was impossible and dangerous.

The two found themselves wanting to explain to their parents what had happened. To get help. But Cain insisted that it needed to be kept a secret, to keep their informant safe as well as to make sure that the Order wouldn't get mixed up in it. If that happened, there was no way they could get in and out of there fast enough to just kill Patrick, as that was their goal.

The feeling of success had already formed in Ginny's stomach. The man who had tortured her, made her afraid of sleeping, and who had allowed this thing get into her mind so it could rip apart the Bond, was going to be dead.

But still, there was something deep inside her that said something was wrong. The way Katrin and Cain took it upon themselves to protect them, saying only that they were 'Guardians' but not explaining what that meant.... It was suspicious, and it felt wrong.

She voiced this to Harry, and he had given her a small smile, "I think that they are just trying to help us. Nothing more to it." He said.

"But why?" Ginny huffed, "Katrin was nothing but rude to us in fourth year, and now she's protecting us." Harry looked at her, his eyes soft and slightly amused.

"You have no idea, do you?" He said. She narrowed her eyes, sitting up from where she lay on the floor of the Potter's house. She looked him in his green eyes.

"What?" She asked, watching as he shook his head and laughed.

"Nothing. Just that Katrin and I have more in common than you could ever imagine."

Ginny bit her lip at his words, wondering what he meant. For a second, she wondered if Katrin had been flirting with him, talking to him behind her back. But then she remembered her conversation with the girl in the middle of Hogwarts, and how she had looked when Ginny had mentioned her having a crush on Harry.

She didn't reply to what he said, instead watching as he quietly flipped through his new Quidditch book. She knew how much he missed flying ever since Umbridge banned it, after an unfortunate incident with her own brothers, and he always looked so at peace whenever he read or talked about it.

The only other time she had ever seen him so at peace was when they used to fall asleep in the Common Room, and he'd wrap his arms around her and quietly mutter about his day while she tried to fall asleep. He'd run his fingers through her hair, his mouth moving at the bare minimum, but a smile on his face none-the-less.

Right now, Harry's hair was messed up and damp from when they'd been outside, playing in the snow with Cara and his parents as well as Ron. To be honest, she'd kill to be able to snuggle into his side again and run her fingers through his locks. But, she supposed that was about to come true, as soon as Cain was told the date of the meeting.

"I love you..." Harry looked over at her. Ginny smiled, the little aching in her heart dimming slightly and the scratching in her mind becoming more insistent. It didn't seem like Tom was interested in keeping the two apart any longer, and didn't bother to control her words to make them spiteful, but it was still unnerving to say it when she knew she could suddenly start cussing Harry out without any sign.

"Love you too," She said back. His face lit up slightly, and she couldn't help but laugh. By instinct, she started reaching over to mess up his hair. But she stopped, her face becoming stony, and let her arm fall limp to her side.

Harry gave a forced smile, looking back to his book. He wasn't reading, she knew, just staring at the pages as an awkwardness folded over them.

She looked out of the window, her heart sinking slightly, and watched as the sun started setting over the backyard. She watched and thought until the light dimmed and the orange glow that had washed over the room was gone. Replaced by darkness.