Story Name: I caught myself
Rating: T ( because I'm paranoid )
Summary: She thought she was falling. Down, down down, until she couldn't see the light anymore. Her life's purpose was no more detectable than a Snitch at the opposite end of a Quidditch field during a wintry blizzard. Her parents argued constantly, one of her brothers was a prat, one of them had just got divorced, one of them was in St. Mungos and wasn't getting any better, one of them had cut themselves off from the world, one of them was depressed, the last one was missing, her best friend was going through a tough time after losing her father and The Boy Who Lived never notices her. Can Ginny Weasley keep herself from drowning in her sea of worries ?
AN: This will not be like my last fic Opposites Attract. I hope you guys like this, it will be written about the character of Ginny Weasley but could change occasionally to first person. So please give me a chance with this story and I hope you guys enjoy! Before I start, thanks for sticking by me with Opposites Attract and a special thank you to Cookie Monster2244 for being with me since I officially started my writing and another thank you to a reader who doesn't wish to be named, although I don't know if she's reading this, she has helped me with grammar, story lines and just overall been great, although when going through a tough time I didn't treat her well she still supported me and helped me with my writing and helped me with my summary. Oh and also, this may be a little confusing but Bill and Fleur are married earlier in this story than they are in the books/movies and Bill and Fleur already have Victoire. Thanks again and let the story begin.
Ginny rolled over on her bed and gazed out of the window. She had the biggest bedroom in the house, which she had inherited from Bill after he left for Shell Cottage with Fleur. Around a year later, Fleur had given birth to the first of Molly and Arthur's grandchildren, Victoire. Ginny sighed as she thought of having to move back to her old, tiny room and give Bill his old room back. Bill and Fleur had been having a lot of marriage troubles lately and had finally come to breaking point and decided on a divorce. Victoire, being only one and a half, had no idea what was going on, or why Daddy had suddenly decided to leave. Ginny felt for her niece as she, herself, was in a similar situation. Molly and Arthur had been arguing for months on end and it looked as if their marriage was coming to an end. Ron going missing wasn't helping much, in fact, it was just making things even worse. Ginny sat up and ran a hand through her coppery hair. She could hear the hushed arguing of her parents in the kitchen, along with Fred throwing things and the wall. She wasn't sure what was wrong with Fred or George at the moment. Fred always seemed angry about something and George, although the more sensitive of the two, had cut himself off from everyone. Even Fred. A knock on Ginny's door had shattered her trail of thought.
"Come in." She called, pulling the quilt up over her white knickers and purple, stripy t-shirt. A welcomed face appeared in the doorway.
"Hermione!" Ginny squealed, flinging the covers aside and hugging the older witch.
"Gin, it's so nice to see you again." Hermione said, smiling at her friend.
"It's nice to see you too. Sit down." Ginny said, patting a spot on her bed as she sat down. Hermione done as she was told and sat next to her. Ginny turned to see her and held her hand.
"How're you holding up ?" Ginny said softly, looking into Hermione's eyes. At the end of term last year, Hermione had received a letter from her mum telling her that her father had sadly passed away. It had broke Hermione into a million little pieces. Her and her father were close.
"I'm doing okay. After the funeral things have started to get better. Mum has a new boyfriend already." Hermione said, disgustedly. Ginny patted her arm sympathetically.
"What's he like ?"
"He's a...He's a..." Hermione struggled to find an appropriate name to call him. "He's an idiot." She said, lying down on Ginny's bed. Hermione sighed and closed her eyes before sitting back up and putting an arm around Ginny's shoulders.
"Enough about me though. How are you holding up ?" Ginny didn't quite know where to start. She was tired, falling apart, worried sick, angry, hurt, disgusted, confused, perplexed... How was she supposed to explain that ? So she done what she normally done in these kind of situations. She lied.
"I'm fine." Hermione frowned. Of course Ginny wasn't fine. All her brothers were all over the place and her parents were arguing constantly.
"Talk to me Gin. It'll help." Hermione pleaded. Ginny took a deep breath.
"I'm broken. All mum and dad do now is argue and it's horrible. It's constant and then they try and get us kids to pick sides. I have to give up my room and move back to the tiny one I had all those years ago because Bill and Phlegm are getting a divorce and he needs a place to stay so I need to give him his old room back. Charlie's stuck in St. Mungos because of that stupid dragon trying to kill him and he's not getting any better. I heard mum and dad talking to one of the Healers and he said that he didn't think Charlie was going to last much longer. Percy hasn't even bothered to check and see if we're okay! We're his family and he doesn't care about us. Fred's angry all the time and it's not like him...he's usually care-free and funny. George has cut himself off from everyone. He won't even talk to Fred. You know how close they are! Nobody knows what's up with him. And Ron. I miss him so much. He just took off one day and left nothing but a note saying : It's just too much for me now. Sorry, take care -Ron" Ginny burst into tears. Hermione wrapped her arms around the younger witch and tried to soothe her.
"Ginny, I know it's hard but your Mum and Dad will work through this. I've saw them together and they're great. Everyone has a rough patch. I thought you didn't like Fleur anyway? And you'll grow used to your old bedroom soon enough. It's better that Bill has somewhere to go. And he is your favorite. I'm sure Charlie will pull through and will be fighting fit when he's back on his feet. He knew what he was getting into when he took on the job. The Healers aren't always right, you know." Hermione stopped for breath. " Percy left a while ago now, Ginny. He's power-hungry. You know that. Soon he'll come round and he'll be so sorry and you'll all forgive him and that'll be the end of it. Maybe Fred's angry because George won't talk to him. They are close and maybe because they're so used to sharing everything that he just can't adjust to not having George tell him everything. George might be going through a tough time just now. It's better to leave him and let him come round on his own. He knows you still care but he needs to pick himself back up when he falls. It's a part of life. And Ron. Gin, Ron is my best friend. Him and Harry. I love him like a brother. Knowing that he's gone..." Hermione tailed off and allowed two tears two roll down her cheeks.
"Oh Hermione." Ginny sighed, reaching upwards and wiping away the tears from her friend's face. "Don't cry." Hermione let out a sudden giggle.
"Shouldn't it be me comforting you ?" The girls laughed away together until they heard Mrs. Weasley's calls to come down for breakfast. Ginny hurriedly pulled on a pair of black pyjama bottoms and they made their way downstairs and saw Mr Weasley seated at the head of the table with a grim expression on his face.
"Morning Ginny lo- Oh Hermione, you're here!" Molly exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Hermione.
"Nice to see you again Mr and Mrs Weasley." She said politely.
"Lovely to see you too. Although, I'm afraid it'll be just the four of us until Harry and Bill arrive, seeing as the twins won't come out of their rooms- they sleep in separate rooms now- and Ron's gone. But Bill will be moving back! You know Bill don't you dear?" Mrs Weasley babbled on, bustling around the kitchen, buttering slices of bread.
"Yes, I was at his wedding a few years ago." Hermione said before she could stop herself. Mrs Weasley stiffened.
"Sorry." Hermione muttered, ducking her head down to hide the blush that was creeping up from her neck.
"That's alright dear, take a seat." Arthur smiled, pointing to a little wooden chair. Ginny and Hermione sat down and began eating their scrambled eggs, before hearing a bang and looking upwards.
"What in the name of Merlin was that ?" Ginny said, spilling orange juice all down her front. The ceiling shook as the person ran down the stairs. A moment later, Fred appeared in the doorway, wearing only a pair of dark jeans. Hermione had never noticed just how fit he was.
"Hermione, you're here!" He said smiling. Four pairs of confused eyes met his. Realizing that he'd been shut away in his room for a fortnight and had ran down the stairs and exclaimed that a younger girl that wasn't even his friend was here, wasn't expected of him. Fred coughed.
"I mean, she's here to help find Ron." He covered his perfectly toned chest with his freckled arms. Ginny giggled. Fred shot her a look.
"Yes she is Fred. Would you like to join us for breakfast ?" Molly asked, almost timidly. This came as a shock to everyone seated at the table. Molly Weasely was a lot of things, but timid has never been one of them. They all waited with baited breath for Fred's answer.
"You know what? I think I will." He smiled and pulled out a chair. Molly let out a cry of relief and put her arms around her son. Fred laughed and started eating.
"Mr Weasley, has there been any word on how Charlie's doing in St. Mungos?" Hermione asked, not taking her eyes off her eggs. Arthur took a deep breath.
"Well, I was talking to a Healer yesterday and-" But Arthur never got to finish his sentence.
"Arthur! Not now. We need to wait on Bill and George." Molly snapped. Arthur slammed his cutlery down, muttering something about not even being able to talk to his own children without getting a telling off and left the table, making his way out the back door and Apparating away from the Burrow.
"Honestly, you try to make a man a good breakfast and this is how he repays you..." Molly muttered, and with a swipe of her wand, Arthurs breakfast disappeared. Ginny put her head in her hands.
"Please stop mum." She muttered. But Molly took no notice as she continued to rage on about Arthur.
"So, Hermione, when did you get here ?" Fred asked, looking up from his now empty plate.
"This morning. It was quite a long journey." She said, getting up and washing her plate before putting it away where the dishes were kept.
"Well it's good to have you here." He commented, taking Hermione's plate and putting it away as she was too small to do so herself. For what felt like a lifetime, Hermione was stuck in between the counter and Fred Weasley's half-naked body. Too soon, he pulled away and made his way back upstairs to his room. Once they were sure he was gone, Ginny turned to Hermione.
"That's the first time he's properly came out his room since the start of summer." Ginny said in a hushed sort of voice.
"Well it's a start, isn't it?" Hermione answered.
"I guess. I just hope he's okay." Hermione patted Ginny's arm sympathetically.
"I know you do."
Mrs Weasley came bustling back into the kitchen.
"Ginny Dear, please go and pack up your room and take it down to your old one. Bill is expected at dinner tonight and I want everything to be perfect for him" Ginny got up from the table and made for the stairs.
"I'll help her." Hermione said, following her friend up the stairs. Ginny slammed the door shut behind her and promptly flung her hairbrush at the wall.
"This is so unfair! Why should I have to move into a different room? Why can't he take the smaller room? It would take a lot less hassle." Ginny moaned, throwing her things into boxes as Hermione took them all back out and folded them neatly.
"It will be okay Ginny, he'll have moved out by the time you come home for Christmas." Hermione said, putting Ginny's spell books in alphabetical order.
"Yeah right." Ginny snapped, pushing boxes out onto the landing.
"For Merlin's sake shut up!" Came the angry voice of Fred, from upstairs.
"Don't tell me what to do, idiot." Ginny retorted angrily. Hermione sighed. No wonder Fred didn't want to leave his room. Ginny had quite a temper!
After a long eight hours, the room was packed and unpacked into the smallest room of the house. Mrs Weasley had given them some muggle paint and Hermione and Ginny had painted the room a shade of lilac and hung up all the paintings, pictures and mirrors before putting in the tiny desk and bed. The girls backed out of the room and admired their handiwork.
"You've done quite a job in there girls." Mr Weasley said from behind them. "I daresay you'll be okay will the changing rooms now Ginny ?" A smile played around on her lips.
"Yes Daddy." She said, wrapping her arms around his waist.
Hermione's heart turned over. She thought of the way her father had gazed at her so lovingly, the way he done everything in his power to make her a happy little girl. She missed him so much. She could feel the wetness pool at the side of her eyes. Wiping the tears away ferociously, she muttered something about going to take a shower and briskly walked down the hall to the bathroom. She sat down on the lid of the toilet seat and let herself cry for a good few minutes, thinking about how her and her father would go down to the playground at the end of the lane and play for a full hour before he took her to feed the ducks in the pond. Then they would return home and he would let her choose her favorite movie and they would watch that before having a treat for dinner. Hermione's heart ached with pain at the memory but she decided that Ginny's needs were more important than hers. She wiped her eyes again and left the bathroom to go and find Ginny. Walking down the stairs, she heard the adoring voice of Mrs Weasley fondling over someone that wasn't one of her own. Suddenly, Hermione's heart gave a leap. She ran into the kitchen and confirming her suspicions, there stood one of her closest friends.
There stood, Harry Potter.