Disclaimer: I merely played with JKR's characters.

To clear this up… This is Ginny's POV and it is her sixth year. Harry remains at Hogwarts (for not at least) and we are nearing Christmas time. Minerva is the headmistress for the time being. The italics are flashbacks. Please read and review!

Yuletide, mistletoe, treacle tarts, pumpkin juice, savory seasoned meats, snowflakes, carols, family, fresh pine scents. This is what everyone thinks of during the Christmas season. Everyone except Ginny, that is.

Ginny moved her fork uselessly around her plate, mindlessly moving carrots to the outskirts of her plate while listening to Ron babble on and on about what he assumed would be at the Christmas feast. Well, it was better then what he usually talked about: plans… without her. They never actually talked about anything. More like whispering in huddled corners, faces so close that she actually spotted Ron leaning in towards Hermione, blushing. Normally, that would have made her snicker and she would have teased him for all eternity. Now, however, she just wanted to stay away from everyone.

She hadn't always wanted to stay away, though. Her immediate thoughts last June were that she was never going to let him win. If Harry wanted her to stay away from him for her safety, then she would go right along with him. Nothing could stop her. Well, one thing could stop her – treating her like they did when she was in her second year. Ginny had tried, oh had she tried, to get in on their secret plans and show them she wasn't afraid. She remembered one day in particular at The Burrow she had tried to join in their conversation…

They had been talking in huddled whispers the entire morning, Hermione throwing crumpled paper around the room in frustration, books piled around them miles high. Ginny sat in the next room staring at the wall. She wasn't proud of herself, sulking around like a damsel in distress. She had secretly vowed to herself that she would never ever be in that position again. For a split moment she wondered what girl in the right mind would want to swoon over some guy and be completely helpless.

But that wasn't important. What was important was that she would get in on their plans. It was the first step in getting Harry back. Through she didn't want to admit it, she needed him.

Abruptly getting up, she walked over to the door and considered whether she would knock. No – it would make her look to helpless and they might not let her in then. Ginny opened the door and stepped inside.

"Ginny! What the bloody hell are you doing in here?" Ron screamed at her, jumping to his feet. Ginny wasn't sure whether he looked more surprised or angry.

"I'm here to figure out what you are doing because I'm coming with you." Ginny replied, surprised it came out evenly when she was boiling.

"Ginny…" Harry didn't even look at her. He looked straight into her forehead.

"What?" She retorted.

"You're…you're too… young." He finished lamely.

"Excuse me?" She practically screamed, daring Harry to look up at her. But he didn't. Instead, he turned to Hermione and looked at her, pleadingly.

"Ginny, listen, what Harry is trying to say is that you are in too much danger and we don't need any more people to go with us. You don't understand – you have no idea what we are doing and it's unfair to volunteer when you really have no idea. And besides, you aren't of age."

Ginny stared without blinking. She couldn't be hearing this. Hermione take Harry and Ron's side?

"Since when do you know what Harry's trying to say? Huh?" Ginny didn't bother controlling her voice as she yelled at them. She was too busy controlling her tears, making sure they didn't trickle down her face which would only prove them right. "And I'm not of AGE? Since when did that matter to you three?"

They all stared back; Ron's mouth hanging open, but Hermione was the quickest to recover.

"Oh, Ginny!" She cried and rushed over to put an arm around Ginny's shoulder. But Ginny stepped away from her. "It's just that after what happened your first year and it might not be safe for you. I mean, you are already a target and I don't know if… we… could handle it."

Ginny desperately fought back the tears that were preparing to cascade down her face. So they didn't think she could handle the pressure of what they were to be doing? Didn't think ickle Ginny Weasley could handle it?

"How dare you! Bringing up my first year and using it against me? You KNOW that wasn't my fault and you KNOW you are being an arse! You really don't think I could handle it? Don't look at me like that! I know you edited your sentence and changed the 'you' to a 'we'. I cannot believe you all!" Ginny paused, but she wasn't done. Not yet.

"You don't understand. Tom controlled me. Do you know how that feels like? I DON'T THINK SO! You truly don't get it. I HAVE to fight him. I HAVE to. I…" But Ginny couldn't go any further because the dreaded teardrops had fallen. She spun around walked out, slamming the door, immediately collapsing into tears.

But that moment was a long time ago. Since then, she had kept out of everything, ignoring all of them. Not one of them came after her or spoke directly to her since. She kept telling herself that none of this mattered – they weren't her friends. But she was fooling herself.

Her other Gryffindor friends in her year kept her a little preoccupied, her professors also helped with the enormous piles of homework they started the first day of school. For the first time, Ginny was not behind and for once she didn't have a huge stack of papers that were waiting to be completed.

"Ginny!" Sarah shouted to her from across the table. Startled, Ginny sent one of her carrots soaring through the air onto a disgruntled Gryffindor's plate.

"Oh, sorry… yeah?"

"You didn't hear a word I said, did you?"

"Umm… no. Sorry. What did you say?" Ginny now looked at Sarah, giving her encouragement to continue what she was saying.

"Oh, it's fine! But honestly, you have been so scattered these days!" Sarah talked animatedly, using her hands as much as possible. "Anyway, you never got a chance to tell me whether you are staying at Hogwarts for Christmas break."

"Oh, well I'm really not sure yet." That was only partially true. Ginny knew that she would be wherever Harry wasn't.

"Attention students!" The Great Hall became soon quiet as everyone turned their attention to the podium where the Headmistress, McGonagall, was speaking. "I have some bad news as well as some good news to announce. As you all know, Christmas is soon approaching. Some of you may have been wondering why the sign up list has not yet gone around to see who is staying at Hogwarts. Unfortunately, everyone will be staying at Hogwarts this year as it is not safe to venture out quite yet." Some grumblings were heard and she waited until she had everyone's' attention again. "However because of this, Hogwarts will be hosting another Yule Ball to get into the season. It will take place on the 24th of December and formal wear is required. Thank you."

Ginny stared at the Headmistress, mouth hanging slightly open.