A/N: Ok, this was supposed to be the sequel to one of my other D/G fics, Tarnished Gold, but since the plot bunnies seem to be taking their time in giving me something to write for TG, I decided that I wanted to start with this one so long. It is therefore a stand-alone fic, with no reference what so ever to either my other D/G fics. That said, here we go! Please remember to review!

Summary: Ten years after the death of Voldemort a new Dark Lord is on the rise, but his identity is still hidden. Auror Harry Potter and his estranged wife Ginny Weasley find their marriage suffering under the strain of Harry's job, and to add to the stress Ginny's hidden past still haunts her. Can Ginny resist temptation as a major player from her past makes a sudden reappearance?

Rating: R by the old system, M by the new one. Will contain scenes of violence and sex, although neither will be worse than can be seen in late night movies.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Hogwarts or any of the characters/places/animals/plants/minerals etc that you recognize in this story. If I did, I would be the richest woman in the world, and guess what, I'm not. So, before you try and sue me, I might also add that I do not make ANY money out of this story whatsoever (darn!). Yep, that's about it. Don't own it, don't benefit from it.

Ever Dream

By: Katyla

Harry Potter didn't even look up as his wife came down the stairs. He hadn't slept at all the previous night, and was feeling the strain as the clock struck seven. Without a word to him, Ginny started to brew a pot of coffee and threw some eggs into a frying pan. He wasn't exaggerating, she really did throw them. Harry knew she was still angry about the fight they had the previous evening, but he didn't feel like being the first one to apologize. It's not like he was the only one who had been in the wrong.

Ginny banged a coffee mug down on the counter with such a clatter that Harry was surprised it didn't break. She was doing it all for his benefit, he knew, but he studiously ignored her, rather opting to stare blankly down at the papers before him. The smell of coffee drifting from Ginny's mug was divine; Harry bit his tongue to keep from asking for a mug. He knew from experience that Ginny had only made enough for herself, and asking her to make more would only result in a full-out brawl.

There was a sizzling sound as Ginny added some bacon to the hot pan, and before long the small kitchen was filled with the smells of bacon, eggs and toast. None of it was for him though. After filling a plate with food, Ginny chucked the pan into the sink with a clatter, grabbed her mug of coffee and the food and headed back up the stairs without a backward glance.

When he heard the door of their bedroom slam shut, Harry dropped his aching head onto his folded arms, groaning softly. Their marriage had never exactly been all moon-shine and roses before, but the last year had been extremely tough on them. Harry's promotion to Head Auror of the Department of Magical Defence had seemed like such a blessing in the beginning, but time had revealed it as a curse. Not that Harry would give up his job for anything in the world – not even to save his marriage – and Ginny knew that. This was exactly what made the whole situation worse.

The fight the previous night had started the same as always. Harry had come home two hours later than he had promised, and found Ginny still sitting quietly at their dinning room table, the meal she had prepared cold and untouched before her. He only had to look at her face once to know that he was in big trouble. Ginny was a woman of great passion, and usually this zest for life shone out of every pore of her body. Her temper was lighting quick and feisty, often violent, but when she became really angry – and he meant really angry – she suddenly locked up, and everything became ice cold.

Her eyes were like ice that night, and Harry was hard pressed to give her a small smile. "Sorry I'm late…" He began, but she didn't even give him time to finish his sentence.

"You're sorry?" She hissed her voice dangerously low. "You're sorry!" Ginny pushed herself up from the chair, and Harry had to swallow hard as he saw what she was wearing. His wife was wearing a small, clinging black dress with an open back, a low neckline and a slit up to mid-thigh. "You forget about our five year anniversary, and then come home two hours late?"

Harry had to duck as the salt shaker went flying over his head, shattering against the wall. He felt as if the bottom of his stomach had suddenly and unexpectedly fallen into his shoes. He really had forgotten about their anniversary, and he was in for it now.

"I just got caught up at work, honey, you know I wouldn't…" he was interrupted yet again as a heavy vase holding red roses was thrown at him, forcing him to jump out of the way.

"Fucking hell, Ginny!" He screamed as the expensive vase smashed to bits against the wall, spilling water and roses across the carpet. She was screaming right back at him, calling him all sorts of names as her hand groped for another object to throw.

Lunging forward Harry grabbed her hands, restraining her from breaking any more of their property.

"Get your hands off me!" She growled, shaking furiously in his grasp.

"No!" He growled back, giving her a hard shake for good measure. "Not until you calm down."

"I will not calm down, Harry!" She was pulling hard now, trying to fight her way free. "Let me go, you have no right to do this."

"You are my wife." Harry hissed, tightening his grip on her. "And I will hold you like this until you stop acting like a child."

Ginny aimed a kick at his shin, but he managed to side-step it. "Then perhaps you should start treating me like your wife!" She yelled at him, baring her teeth as if she would happily tear out his throat for him.

"And how am I supposed to treat someone who throws things at me?" His own anger rising, Harry was yelling right back. For once he didn't care if the neighbours heard them.

"If you were around more, and actually bothered to keep your promises, I wouldn't have to throw things at you." A lone tear was making its way down Ginny's cheek, and she shook her head angrily. Harry knew she hated crying, but it didn't keep her from screaming like a banshee.

"You know how busy I am, Ginny. You knew when you married me that we would both have to make sacrifices. My job is very important!" He loosened his grip on her slightly, thinking her calmer.

With one vicious tug Ginny managed to free herself from Harry's grasp and nimbly managed to step out of his reach. 'Ah yes, and heaven forbid that Harry Bleeding Potter should be at home with his wife when he could be out there saving the world." Her tone was sharp and sarcastic. "Please forgive me oh Boy-Who-Is-The-Hero-Of-The-World, but I thought Voldemort was dead!"

Harry tried to get something in sideways, but Ginny just bulldozed over him. "It must seem so selfish of me to want some time with my husband, when all I'm actually doing is keeping him from saving the whole bloody planet. How could I have ever been so selfish?" She shot him a sharp look, the sarcasm in her voice dripping like venom.

"Ginny…" Harry began, his voice low and dangerous.

"Fuck you Harry." Ginny replied, turning away from him and starting her trek up the stairs. "Oh, and by the way, don't even try to show your face in that room tonight."

And so Harry had spent his night downstairs, going through his work in a bid to keep his thoughts from wandering to the room where his wife lay. With a sigh he got up to make himself breakfast, and then went up to their bedroom. She was in the shower when Harry softly pushed open the door, but before he could manage to gather his clothes and slip out again, the door to the bathroom opened in a cloud of steam.

Ginny came waltzing in wearing nothing but a towel, and it suddenly struck Harry that he hadn't seen his wife naked in more than six months. She grabbed her clothes off the bed and walked back into the bathroom without a backward glance, leaving Harry to shower in the guest bedroom.

A/N: That's that for the first chapter. I know it's short, but this is sort of a tantalizer. The second chapter is almost finished, but unless I get some reviews on this, I won't be posting it. So, whether you get the second chapter or not is up to you!