Dedication: To PikachuHater and cutieme012 for being there from the start. Doesn't seem like much of an accomplishment coz its 3 chapters in, but I think they deserve some praise!

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Stolen Hearts

Chapter Three

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"I'm telling you," Harry repeated for what seemed the umpteenth time. "It was Ginny! I swear to Merlin it was!"

Hermione still looked doubtful and looked at Harry with concern in her eyes. "Harry, you probably were just thinking about Ginny and--"

"How many times do I have to tell you!?" he snapped. "I was not imagining it. She was real! She's alive. I know she is, Hermione." He fell to his knees and desperately grabbed her hands, "why can't you just believe me?"

Hermione still looked at him with great pity, and was just about to reply when the sound of keys jingled outside and a door was unlocked. "Hermione? I'm home," Ron called out.

"Ron!" Hermione said, rather graciously. She untangled her hands from Harry's and made a beeline for her boyfriend. She flung her arms around his neck, a gesture which startled the redheaded wizard. "Err… what's going on?" he asked through his girlfriend's bushy hair, as his eyes fell upon Harry who was still kneeling at the armchair where Hermione was sitting, not too long ago.

Harry watched as Hermione whispered something into Ron's ear, which in return, caused Ron to raise his eyebrows. Ron nudged Hermione off him, "you saw Ginny?" Harry nodded his response, hoping his other best friend would believe him. "What? Like a ghost or something?"

So much for that theory.

"Like I told Hermione," Harry began, getting up from the floor and turning to get a better look of his friends. "She was real. Flesh and not at all transparent. She's Ginny, I swear on magic it was."

Ron and Hermione exchanged worried glances. "Harry, mate, have you ever thought of seeing a therapist?"

"Yeah, Harry," Hermione agreed. "After all you've been through; it wouldn't be such a bad idea--"

"I am not crazy," Harry retorted, using his hands as an emphasis. "And I don't need a shrink," he added. "Why is it so hard to believe that I may be right?"

"Because it isn't logical, Harry," blurted Hermione. "We all saw Ginny's body; we all were there when we buried her. There's no spell to bring the dead back to life…" she then added in a quiet voice, "I thought you knew that."

"I do know that," Harry huffed. "But I never said it was a spell that resurrected her. But could there be a way? I don't know… some form of ancient magic? Reincarnation or something?"

Hermione walked over to her best friend and placed a hand on his cheek. "There is no logical way, Harry. It was not Ginny. You were probably imagining--"

"God dammit Hermione, I was not imagining things!" Harry snapped, backing away from her touch. "I'm not crazy and I'm not seeing things." His eyes started to puddle with tears, "why can't you just believe me? After everything we've been through together, why can't you just trust me on this?"

Hermione exhaled a breath, "I really want to believe you, Harry. I really do. There isn't anything I wouldn't do to bring Ginny back… but that's the thing. There is nothing we can do. She isn't coming back."

"Maybe if you saw her, you would believe me," Harry stated quickly. "Look, I've been watching her and--"

"You've been stalking her?" Ron intervened.

Harry groped his vocabulary for the right words. "Not really… I just needed to make sure that she's Ginny. That's why I've waited this long to tell you guys--"

"How long is "this long" Harry?" Hermione asked, her eyes narrowing.

"A week or so but that doesn't matter… The important thing is," he rushed on, seeing both Hermione and Ron ready to protest. "She's exactly like Ginny. Right down to very freckle, she's Ginny."

Ron looked at him incredulously, whilst Hermione was clearly starting to get annoyed at her best friend. She had made it plain and simple: Ginny was dead and nothing could bring the dead back to life. Why couldn't Harry understand that? After all that he's lost, she thought he would understand how death worked.

"That'll do for now, Harry," Hermione said a bit harshly. "When I said that you need to go find yourself a nice girl, I didn't mean the first one that reminded you of Ginny. And no matter how much you think she looks like Ginny, she just isn't. And she never will be."

"But--"

"I said that's enough," Hermione snapped. "I'm going to start on dinner--"

"I'm not hungry," Harry grumbled.

"Fine! Starve," she replied, making a very good impression of Mrs. Weasley. She stalked off to the kitchen, where the sound of several pots and pans being angrily slammed against the countertop, echoed in her wake. Ron gave Harry an apologetic look before retreating to the kitchen as well, leaving Harry fuming at his best friend.

He knew he was right. He never had been so sure of it in his life. But how could he show his two best friends that this was Ginny?

"I'm going to prove it was Ginny," Harry mumbled under his breath. "Even if it's the last thing I do."

A/N:

Oooooh… Tension between the two 'H's. The question is now: who's right? Hermione or Harry?

I'm so happy: 9 reviews! We moved 4 up from last time. Thanks to: cutieme012, HopeCoppice, Loyd1989, hpfanficaddit327, PikachuHater, siriusblack992, Mandy, hbarsy and ginevra-james

Can we beat 9 reviews this time? I hope so! Go on, help me reach my goal.

Lots of love,
Creative Touch

Review replies:

Loyd1989: Naw! What a sweet review! Thanks so much for it. It really brightened up my day.

Mandy: Oh thanks for the review! I'm glad that you're enjoying it so much.

hbarsy: I'll keep writing as long as you keep reading. I mean, where's the point in writing if no one ever reads it? Thanks for the review and I hope you'll enjoy what's to come.