Title: Trading Places

Author: Aiden Rice

Disclaimer: Anything familiar to you is J.K. Rowling's: characters, places, other nuts and things. Everything else is mine!!!...which is just the plot. :-( oh shinkleberries.

A.N.: This is my attempt at a fan fic in a LONG, LONG time. And it has been a long time since I've kept up to date with my harry potter readings so if I make any mistakes, please make an effort and help me and others by correcting me under the comments section. Oh by the way, I want to warn you that I am an unconditional D/G shipper (I don't care for much else)...so if you hate the pairing...sorry. Well enjoy! And uh, I know you want to review, because you want to make me happy and harry happy. That is unless you want to make harry sad. :-(

Chapter 1

"Really Ginny, you have to kind of stroke it. You won't get that off of you if you keep doing...that." Ron trailed off as he stood watching in the doorway.

Ginny continued to scurry around, screaming and batting at her shirt, exasperated that she had found an unrecognizable furry animal attached to her shirt while she had been asleep. Ron silently giggled and marveled at his prank as he watched the spectacle. This summer, Mrs. Weasley had gone off to Romania to visit Charlie and his fiancée. Without the strict and most orderly parental unit around, it was only expected that hell would break loose under the roof of Fred, George, and Ron Weasley.

"What in the world is going on here?" a tired Mr. Weasley popped into her room, a bewitched razor floating around his face.

"Watch out, Dad!" Ron yelped and ducked as Ginny somehow managed to pry off the animal and flung it away from her.

The animal did a triple flip and like a magnet, landed on Mr. Weasley's nightshirt. Moments of silence built up until:

"KYYYAHHHHHHH!" Mr. Weasley's high-pitched scream was like a tidal wave, shaking the burrow from all sides. When the hallucinating effect wore off (Mr. Weasley's scream seemed to have bewitching powers) Ron and Ginny peeked out from their tightly shut eyes and found their father frozen stiff, his arms still blocking his face. The animal was stuck to his chest, its face buried into him. After long moments of pushing and arguing, Ginny pinched Ron and pushed him, who gave her the ugliest look as he reluctantly crept up to their father and poked him on the arm. "D-ad? You alright?"

The prodding was effective, for Mr. Weasley dropped his arms. Ron jumped back and scurried looks at Ginny who watched Mr. Weasley anxiously. Mr. Weasley opened his eyes and took a moment to examine the buried animal shivering from the most frightening experience it had probably ever had in its pitiful life. Mr. Weasley shakily stroked the animal which prompted a deep purr. Daintily, the animal landed on its feet and started to rub against Mr. Weasley's legs. Releasing a sigh of relief, Ginny started a question. "Dad, what'is'that thing?"

Mr. Weasley watched the animal blankly, pondering the question. "Well, it seems to be some sort of ferret'or weasel." It started head-butting his right leg, paused, and whimpering from pain resumed the questionable procedure. "a crazy ferret or weasel." He looked up. "The real question is how it got into your room."

"Well, more like how it got into my bed and slept with...me...for...the...whole...nigh..." Ginny looked at Ron warily. "It was you, wasn't it."

Ron turned a deep crimson and took a step back. "Do-on't look at me! I-I didn't--"

Ginny shrieked and reached for an object nearest at hand. Mr. Weasley laughed nervously. "Ginny, I'm sure Ron was--"

"Dad." Ginny's voice hinted that she had submitted to the dark side.

Mr. Weasley quickly picked up the ferret and the razor off the floor and backed out of the room. Ron grabbed at him but Mr. Weasley shook him off.

"He's such a great dad." Ron muttered watching him run off.

"What'd you say?" Ginny's voice resounded. Ron turned to face her. "Ginny, I'm sorry, I-you know...You started it!"

"ME?" Ginny swung the toy broom, missing Ron's face by an inch. Ron jumped back and swallowed back his heart that had jumped into his throat.

"We-well remember last night, when you" Ron ducked as she swat at him a second time. "said I was an ugly fat pug who couldn't get any girls if I tried." Ron finished.

Ginny halted her rampage and glared at him. "Ron, you said my soup tasted like slump for the hogs."

Ron stopped to think. "...oh yeah. Forgot about that." He cackled and slapped Ginny on the back. "Well, we're even now." Ginny glared at him.

"Even?"

Ron scrambled away.

"Ugh." Ginny rubbed her head and dropped the toy broom. She flopped onto her bed and stuffed her face into the pillow. What a morning. She looked at the clock. "6:15 am." She turned over and stared at her ceiling and listened to the others downstairs, their muffled conversation wandering in and out of her ears. Slowly she drifted off back to sleep.

"Alden! There's something wrong with Trot!" She forced open one of her beloved horse's eye open. She could only see the sclera. She hastily laid her head upon his chest, checking for a pulse. It was faint. A stout man of forty came running into the stable and entered the stall.

"Lady, what may it be wrong with Trot?"

"I don't know he was like this when I found him. Please do something!" She scooted back and Alden quickly bent down and did exactly as she had done. He checked for his pulse. At a feeble attempt at finding the problem, he looked into the horse's mouth.

Tears spewed from her eyes and she quickly rubbed them away with her arm. Hang in there Trot, please don't leave me. It's too early. Please, please don't go. She dare not watch the horse suffering. She was afraid she'd start crying and be weak. Instead, she looked at his mane--the mane that she had always grabbed and tugged as a baby, and brushed and marveled at for its luster growing up.

The horse suddenly heaved a breath. She gasped. "Trot?" The horse flickered his eyes open. They were not focused. She crawled over to his face. "Trot, it's me. Can you recognize me?" The horse focused his eye on her and let out a soft neigh. "Oh Trot, please don't go." She stroked his face. The horse closed and opened his eyes with meek strength. It tried to move but only drained what was left of his energy. His movements halted and his eyelids drooped to a close.

"Lady, he's gone." Alden whispered, respecting the passing of an honorable companion and beast.

"NO!" she gasped, her eyes widening. "It can't be. He was mine forever. He can't leave me." She let out a raspy breath. "He was the only thing of Darrel's left. And now, there's nothing." She got up, wiped her eyes dry, and walked out of the stall.

"Lady! Where might you be going? Lady—"

Ginny woke to a start. What was that. She sat up and scratched an itch on her arm. Deep in thought, she got up and made her bed.

"Ginny, you sleepyhead, wake up. It's almost lunch time." Fred knocked on the door.

Snapping out of her reverie, she quickly responded: "Alright, I'll be right down." She quickly changed, washed and went downstairs, forgetting about the dream.

That is, until that very night.

Yes ok, so how was it? Yes, it's pretty short. But later chapters will be longer. Please review. If you don't, I might not bother writing anymore. Ever. You have the power. Use it. Don't abuse it.