A/N: This story was started in 2009, and edited in 2013, ready for continuation. I hope you enjoy.

My thanks goes to Ginny Guerra over at SIYE for her help with this chapter, and the next three.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters. Some lines in this opening chapter are taken directly from the film 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'

Breaking The Silence

Chapter 1 - Rescue

Ginny woke slowly, her body numb from the cold stone floor beneath her. Her eyes felt heavy as she forced them open, only to see that it made nearly no difference. The room she was in was pitch black, and the ceiling that must have been above her was obscured from her vision. She let out a small moan as she felt a dull ache run through her small frame. A shuffle of feet told her that someone was near, and she felt their weight fall next to her. Raising herself into a sitting position, she gazed into the eyes of the boy she'd idolised for the past two years. Slowly, her eyes dropped to look at the rest of him. His robes were in tatters and covered in dirt and what looked like blood. He held his right arm with his hand, and she could see the slow trickle of fresh crimson running through his fingertips. Her eyes snapped back up to his.

"Harry, it was me. But I swear I didn't mean to – Riddle made me!"

Her voice cracked at the thought of the young, handsome man she'd been using as a confidant all year long. She fought against her stomach, which was threatening to hurl its contents out of her mouth at the thought of what she'd allowed him to do. It was with a desperate, quiet voice that she continued; needing to explain what had happened to her.

"He wrote to me, took me over… I didn't even know whose diary it was, I found it inside my cauldron the day we all went to Diagon Alley and…"

She paused, looking into his eyes. Hidden within the emerald orbs was understanding, the way only Harry could look at someone who had nearly killed his best friend. She saw him visibly wince in pain, and his fingers tighten around his arm.

"Harry, you're hurt."

Guilt wracked her voice. She'd caused that. Not only had she nearly killed his best friend, she'd got him hurt. She watched as he lurched forward slightly, swaying on his knees, fighting to stay upright. Pain etched across his face, and he gave another lurch, this time slipping and falling forward, having to use his hurt arm to steady himself on the cold floor. When he opened his mouth to speak, it was hoarse and forced.

"Ginny, you need to get yourself out. Follow the chamber… You'll find Ron."

Before Ginny had the chance to ask why he wasn't coming with her, there was a rush of wings past her left ear, and the most beautiful bird she'd ever seen landed softly next to Harry. His large, brown eyes looked deep into the boy's green ones, and Ginny felt a huge sense of familiarity in the look the bird wore, like a mother looks when fussing over her sick child. Only this look was full of sorrow, and suddenly she realised why Harry wasn't coming back with her. She let out a sob that would have turned into a scream if she hadn't been interrupted by Harry's slowly fading voice.

"You were brilliant Fawkes, I just wasn't quick enough."

The bird let out a slow, crooning note that sent a shiver down Ginny's spine. The note was full of mourning and sadness, but it warmed Ginny's heart. A tear trickled down the bird's face, and it was guided skilfully on to the wound on Harry's arm. With a soft hiss, the skin mended itself, and she saw the pain leave Harry's face instantly.

"Of course, Dumbledore told me, Phoenix tears have healing powers," Harry said in wonder, holding out his perfectly mended arm and inspecting it. He stroked the bird's head, and it sang the soft crooning note once more, yet this seemed to fill the large room with joy and happiness.

Relief flooded through Ginny's body as she saw Harry smile. When he turned his grin on her, she couldn't help herself. She lunged forward into his arms and buried her head into his shoulder, tears streaming down her face. She felt his body tense against her and wondered if he'd pull away, but he didn't. Instead he gently wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair with his hand slowly.

They stayed wrapped in each other for a few minutes, in complete silence. There was no awkwardness, no need for any words at all. After not being able to talk in his presense for nearly a year, Ginny found she didn't even need to talk.

She pulled away from him reluctantly, looking into his eyes. Losing all of her shyness for just a moment, she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm sorry," she whispered softly, feeling it needed to be said.

Harry raised an eyebrow at her quizzically. "For what?"

Only Harry could find it in himself to forgive her so easily, Ginny told herself. She cast around for the right word to say to sum up what she needed to apologise for. In the end, she settled for the easiest one: "Everything."

He chuckled to himself, which caused Ginny to raise her eyebrow this time.

"Ginny, you don't need to apologise."

"I do" she said quickly, before burying her head back into his shoulder again. She spoke softly, needing him to understand.

"I could have killed so many people this year. I should have realised Tom wasn't what he said he was. He was so understanding though, having to listen to all my crap about being poor and me spewing like a little girl over you." Realising what she had revealed, her ears turned bright, Weasley red and she swore under her breath. To his credit, Harry made no sign that he'd heard her, except she knew he was grinning madly. "Then I petrify your best friend, then go and get myself dragged down here to draw you in and you could have died Harry! You nearly died and what for? Me, stupid Ginny Weasley. Stupid, ugly, short, immature, gullible, weak, pathetic me!" She screamed the last sentence, causing Harry to flinch, before descending back into tears.

Harry didn't say anything for a moment, causing Ginny to wonder if he was thinking the exact thing she'd said, but didn't want to say. As she began to extract herself from him, feeling worse than before, his arms wrapped around her into a tight embrace and he whispered softly into her ear.

"I'd do it again"

Ginny's sobs stopped abruptly at his words. She couldn't understand. Wasn't he going to hate her for bringing him down into this stinking pit below a foul lake? Wasn't he going to shout and scream at her for him having that giant gash in his arm moments before? Wasn't he mad at all?

"Why?"

Harry contemplated his answer for a while, and they sat in silence while he tried to figure out what he was going to say.

"Did you really think I'd let you die?"

Ginny started at the question. No, Harry would never let anyone die if he could help it. It was one of the most special things about him. She thought even Draco Malfoy, the boy who made Harry's life hell on a day to day basis, would be saved by Harry if it required it. Slowly, she shook her head.

Harry slowly began stroking her hair again as he spoke, "When I heard you had been brought down here, it hit me hard. This wasn't some random person in the school who I didn't know, like a Hufflepuff third year or something. This was a girl who I'd lived with for a month earlier this year, a girl who I knew. I'd have never been able to live if I'd stood by and let something happen to you."

Silence overtook them once again, comfortable and easy, not like Ginny had always imagined it to be. She imagined speaking to Harry would be a chore, laborious and difficult, and that they would sit in awkward silence for minutes before declaring they had something to do. But the silences weren't awkward, they were nice and peaceful. Harry broke it with a soft voice.

"I had all the answers, and I had the reason to do it. I'd do it again and again for you."

Ginny felt a tear run down her cheek. She thought of telling him thank you, but it probably would have gone unnoticed or been brushed aside. Instead, she settled on brightening the mood. Picking at his tattered robes, she smiled and said "I got your robes dirty."

Harry laughed; a hearty, full laugh that echoed around the chamber. Ginny found herself laughing too. So hard in fact, that she had to extricate herself from Harry's arms and bend double just to help her breathe. She felt all the numbness that had been taking over her body since she'd awoken ebb away. When they finally stopped laughing, Harry turned his brilliant smile on her.

"They're only going to get dirtier; it's a rough journey back out of here."

She nodded, looking at the floor in embarrassment. What would the people say to her when she got out of the chamber? They'd be disappointed, especially Dad. Mum would scold her for her stupidity, and her brothers would probably want nothing to do with her for weeks.

Harry seemed to read her thoughts, as he placed his hands on her shoulders and said in a calm voice "Everything will be fine Gin, trust me"

She felt the corners of her mouth turn up at the shortened name. Normally, people using that name would be rolling on the floor with giant winged bogey's flying around their face, but she liked it in Harry's voice. It was soothing.

Harry stood, and extended a hand out to her, which she gladly took. Hauling herself up, she shook her head to get her hair out of her eyes. Harry chuckled next to her.

"What!?" she asked indignantly.

"Hair's a mess," he pointed out, chuckling again.

Ginny smiled and whacked him on the arm. "Thanks Mr. Observant."

Harry winked and held out his hand. She tentatively reached out and grabbed it, interlacing their fingers together. Now her shyness came back full force, and her ears turned red once again. Harry laughed, bending to pick up a sword and the sorting hat, which Ginny had overlooked.

Together the two walked out in silence. Not an awkward silence, but a comfortable one, hands locked between them fitting perfectly together like they had practised walking down a street hand in hand for years.