A/N: This is the beta'd version. I would like to thank my friend Cottonpaw for betaing it.

Disclaimer: Not mine

I always knew that I would eventually end up going to Hogwarts by myself. I just didn't think it would be so soon. Ever since my first year I had been trailing after at least one of my brothers when we were going to board. They did annoy the hell out of me, but it was nice to have someone carry my trunk.

I hoisted my satchel onto my shoulder before I said one last goodbye to Mum. I dragged my trunk behind me as I approached the gleaming scarlet train. The late morning sun reflected off the train, sending beams of bright light across the station.

I let out a grunt as I attempted to pull my trunk onto the train with me. I tugged furiously at the large case that held all of my belongings with no result. Curses flew out of my mouth as I kicked at the stupid wooden box. I plopped my arse down next to it. I groaned as the train blew its final whistle and stared at my worn-out, hand-me-down, dark blue trunk hanging half way out of the train.

"Umm, would you like some help?" I looked up to find a tall seventh year boy staring at me. His eyes were the color of the sky on a clear summer day. The sleeve of his cloak fell down to reveal his toned, tan arm as he ran his hand through his chocolaty brown hair.

"Er-yeah, that would be great," I answered as I pulled myself off the train floor. I smoothed my clothes down and tugged at my hair as he effortlessly pulled my trunk onto the train. "Thanks."

"No problem. I'm always glad to help a damsel in distress," He flashed a brilliantly bright smile at me. I smiled weakly at him.

"So what are you doing out of a compartment?"

"One of my friends' cat got loose. I was the sucker who volunteered to help her find it," he answered.

"Good luck with that. If I find a cat I'll send it your way," I stated as I reached to take my trunk from him. I started to drag it towards the other end of the train as the train lurched forward. I swayed, stumbled, and started to fall. The seventh year boy's arms snaked behind me as he stopped my rapid fall.

"Watch yourself," He suggested before he brought me back to my feet.

"Thanks again-" I paused. "I never got your name."

"Oh, it's Theodore Williams."

"Nice to meet you Theodore. Thanks for helping me by the way," I thanked Theodore before turning to leave.

"Wait! I never got your name either," Theodore stopped me. I stopped walking and turned around.

"It's Ginny. Ginny Weasley," I informed him. He smiled and watched me walk away.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

After a long search for a compartment that wasn't full, I found an empty one at the end of the train. I flung myself onto the seat, swung my feet up, and leaned against the window. With one hand I blindly rummaged through my satchel searching for the hard rectangle that was my book.

I tugged my book out and opened to my marked page. I shifted my position on my seat and a small piece of paper fell out of the book. The paper floated playfully through the air before hitting the compartment floor. I stretched over to reach it. My fingers grazed the smooth paper as I grabbed it.

I flipped the paper over. My breath hitched as I stared at the picture on it. Harry and I were laughing madly in the picture in my hand. I felt a tear escape my eye and slip its way down my freckled cheek as I remembered that happy day...

The fire was ablaze and roaring in the Gryffindor Common Room. I sank into the plush sofa, mulling over the crappy day I had. I woke up with cramps, a back ache, and bloated. I ending up getting a D on my History of Magic exam and I was ending my day cranky and tired. I just wanted to sulk a bit and then go to bed.

I watched Ron and Hermione scream at each other for only Merlin knows why, and Harry pathetically attempt to get them to stop. Ron and Hermione's faces both were getting as red as the sofa I was sitting on. It seemed like they were not only locked in a screaming contest, but a contest to see who could make their face explode first. With a sigh, Harry gave up and looked away from the fighting couple. His eyes locked onto mine and he smiled playfully.

I eyeballed him curiously as he approached me.

"What's wrong?" my all too caring boyfriend questioned immediately. I stubbornly looked away and grunted in response. "It can't be that bad." I grunted at him again.

I felt the sofa suddenly sink a bit. I glanced over my shoulder to find Harry smirking at me with a mischievous glint in his emerald eyes. I nervously scooted further away from him. Unfortunately, I couldn't get far enough away. His hands darted to my sides and started to tickle me.

"Ahhh!" I screamed at the sudden tickle attack, before laughing uncontrollably. I squirmed and kicked furiously underneath Harry. He laughed madly at my struggles. I rolled, not realizing I was on the sofa, trying to get away from him. I collapsed onto the scarlet rug, tugging Harry down with me. Our laughter froze and hung in mid-air as we stared at each other from our landing spots on the ground. Hermione and Ron's fighting ceased and they eyed us with looks that questioned our sanity as we burst into another laughing fit. We barely even registered the click of Collin Creevy's camera.

Collin ended up giving me the picture after he charmed it to move. He thought I would like it, and I did.

I couldn't help but think that if I said something, anything, to Harry when he was about to climb out my window, he would still be here. If only I thought of the right words to say, I could have held onto his love. If only I was a better girlfriend to him, I wouldn't be feeling this broken. I couldn't help but think these thoughts. I couldn't help but think that I did something wrong. That it was my fault.

I quickly swiped the tear from my cheek and shoved the picture back into the book. I was putting the book back into my satchel when there was a knock at the compartment door.

"Come in!" I called. The door slid open, exposing Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom standing in the door way.

"I hope you don't mind but everything else is full," Neville mumbled.

"It's fine, come in," I waved the odd duo in.

Neville smiled and came in with Luna in tow. She sat down across from me, opened a Quibbler, and began to read. Neville hesitated in the middle of the compartment before settling down next to the blond Ravenclaw with a slight blush creeping up his face. Luna turned in her seat, kicked her shoes off, swung her legs up onto the seat, and settled her stripped, stockinged feet onto Neville's lap. I giggled to myself as Neville's blush deepened.

"Where's Harry, Ron, and Hermione?" Luna asked, glancing up from her issue of the Quibbler.

"They're not coming back this year," I responded bluntly. Luna tilted her in confusion.

"Why?" Neville wondered.

"I have no bloody clue."

We settled into a comfortable silence. I was watching the scenery slide past us in blurry stripes of green, orange, yellow, red, and brown when the silence broke after several minutes.

"I wonder what's going to happen at Hogwarts with Dumbledore gone," Neville wondered.

"McGonagall is probably going to be the head mistress," I remarked.

"There is an article in the latest Quibbler about what's going to happen to Hogwarts. It says that You-Know-Who is going to take over and become the new headmaster," Luna informed us before going back to her Quibbler.

"That could never happen," I roll my eyes nervously at the idea.

"I hope it won't," Neville shuddered as the train came to a halt.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Luna, Neville, and I strode into the Great Hall, laughing about a story Neville was telling about a plant he grew over the summer. Apparently the plant quacked every time it needed water or food and it would only eat chocolate frogs. He nearly spent the entire summer feeding it so it wouldn't quack constantly. One day it mistaken his toad, Trevor, for a chocolate frog and tried to eat him.

Luna skipped over to the Ravenclaw table while Neville and I sat down at the Gryffindor table. I sat among my friends while they chatted happily.

The sound of the grand oak doors to the Great Hall called the room's attention to the herd of first years flooding in. I watched with little interest as the scared first years got sorted. My eyes drifted over to the head table. It was then that I realized Professor Snape was sitting in the headmaster's chair.

"Huh?" I mumbled quietly to myself. I glanced over to a callous looking man and woman both dressed in black robes. "Who-"

"Students, I am sure all of you had heard of Dumbledore's unfortunate death," Snape stood and spoke in disgust at the student body after the sorting. "I am to take over as the new headmaster." Snape gestured towards the scurrilous looking man. "This is Professor Ferreus, your new Muggle Studies teacher." Professor Ferreus sneered. Snape then gestured to the woman, "This is Professor Puter, your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. On one last note, we will be having a few special guests in a couple days, and classes start tomorrow. Let the feast begin."

Our feast magically appeared on our plates and tables like it does every year. After a couple glances at our new headmaster everyone dug into the feast. As I ate I couldn't deny the underlying feeling that something was wrong, very wrong.

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