Chapter 8

After a couple more whispered words from Harry, Ginny found herself back at school alone.
Running round in circles looking for Neville wasn't really what she called helping.
As she ran towards the library, she crashed into somebody.
Seamus.

''Oh hi Seamus... Have you seen Neville? Harry's looking for him...'' She said as he helped her up.

''Last time I see Neville was in the Common Room... But he said that he was heading towards the library anyway...''

''Alright... Thanks''

Seamus couldn't answer any sort of reply. Ginny had taken off again, rounding the last corner in a few seconds.

''DEAN!'' She practically screamed the name as she recognized the person coming out out of the library. ''DEAN! stop! Is Neville in there?'' She panted as she skidded to a stop in front of him.

''Umm... No Ginny... Sorry...'' Dean said as he looked down at her. ''He's gone outside... Going on about some plant he's found in a book'' He added, shaking his head slightly. ''Why?''

But again, he received no answer as the red headed girl disappeared round the corner.

~*~

Alicia was getting restless again. Hermione couldn't tell her anything else about the room she was a prisoner in and now she paced the familiar house top to bottom, Jamie standing on the second landing watching as she stomped past for the twelfth time.

''Al... I think you should try to stand still for a while, otherwise you'll waste energy...'' He said slowly, keeping the worry out of his voice and face.

''You mean, you want me to calm down...'' She corrected him as she changed her route to staying on the second landing.

''Yes... That as well'' He said with a slight smile on his face. It never reached his eyes. Alicia looked over briefly and noticed it quickly, darting to his side.

''And you tell me not to worry...'' She said as she reached for his hand. He pulled his hands away from her slightly.

''I never told you not to worry... I told you to try and stay still... Then to calm down'' He clasped his hands together tightly. She glanced at them slightly before watching his face.

''Whats the matter? You never pull away...'' Again, she reached for his hand, and again, he pulled away. ''Definitely something wrong... She added as she dropped her hand and walked away towards the other end of the long corridor.

'It's nothing Al... I'm just trying not to loose it... I'm sorry if i'm scaring you...' She turned to look at him with curious eyes.

''Thats not it though... There's something else, isn't there... You wont tell me... Or think about it...'' She added as she picked up he was reciting the runic alphabet again for the third time today.

'It's nothing to worry about... That's all... Promise...' Then back to the alphabet again.

~*~

''Look Neville, just follow me PLEASE! Come on!'' Ginny said as she tugged on his arm impatiently.

''Fine! But can I have my arm back please!''

~*~

''Harry? I think Ginny's on her way... I'm not sure yet but I can see her with Neville now...'' Alicia said loudly as she continued to watch Jamie.

She had replaced her pacing with sitting, now at the end of the corridor, her back against the wall she had slid down five minutes ago without breaking eye contact.

"Good..." Was the reply that came from the room between the two of them.

''Alicia?'' Jamie's voice seemed to echo slightly as it broke the silence between them. ''I'm sorry... Sometimes I can't stay in control... You should know that...''

~*~

I'll carry on when I can...Or of the computer will let me on the site again...