This is the first story I have actually planned out ... so if you like it, there are multiple chapters to follow from this :)
As always, I sadly do not own or are not affiliated with any of the characters of Harry Potter
Please review :) xox

Ginny Potter had been at the Prophet for what felt like forever. Ever since Harry had left on his big, secret Auror assignment a couple of days before, Ginny had taken to putting in longer hours than she usually did to keep herself from both worrying to death and allowing the silence in their house in Godric's Hollow to remind her how much she missed Harry. As much as she understood how important it was to Harry for him to be allowed to do the work he did, Ginny couldn't help but despise the job even more every time he left her. She had long since moved past her insecurities about Harry having left her all those years ago, but she couldn't help but be reminded of her fifth year when he broke it off to go gallivanting around with Ron and Hermione, every time Harry walked out the door on an assignment.

'Pull yourself together Weasley!'

Ginny was not the kind of person, or wife for that matter who was going to sit at home desperately waiting for any man, not even Harry Potter.

She was quickly awakened from her thoughts by a tapping at the window near her desk. The source of the noise had been a tawny barn owl that she did not recognise. Curious as to what the owl had come to deliver her; Ginny quickly unlatched the window and allowed the owl to swoop in and drop the letter upon her unfinished article on the Harpies pre-season training regime, and flew off back out of the open window.

Ginny inspected the letter and recognised instantly the untidy scrawl on the front. It was from Harry.

Ginny,

I'm sorry for not being able to contact you earlier –owls have been scarce and it was only by chance that I was able to acquire this one.

The assignment is going well. We have nearly done what we are meant to have done, so I should be home soon.

I miss you more every minute I am away from you. Stay safe Gin, I cannot live without you. I'll be home as soon as I can

Love Harry xox

Ginny smiled. Although his letter didn't say it specifically, Ginny knew Harry well enough to tell when he was miserable. The briefness of his explanation about the assignment, while he never did give away specifics, hinted that his heart wasn't in it as much as it usually was. 'Well at least I'm not the only one'.

Glad she had at least heard from Harry, Ginny decided to call it a night and head home. Carefully she gathered up her article and stacks of research putting them into her bag and getting up from the desk. She tapped the lamp on the desk with her wand to turn it off and turned to leave the office.

"Night Greaves", she called to the after-hours security wizard as she made her way to the apparition point.

She walked began to walk the distance between the Prophet and the alleyway that was bewitched so muggles would not see wizards and witches apparating in and out. She had walked this path countless times before, but something seemed different. She had the unsettling feeling of being followed however she shook it off as just tiredness and general angst about not have Harry waiting for her at home and continued on.

She hadn't made it halfway when a cloaked figure jumped her, covering her mouth with his free hand and dragging her into another dark alley off the street.

Ginny tried to fight against her unknown attacker but was held tightly by her wrists. It seemed another cloaked figure had appeared, as this new attacker began to hit her with curses and jinxes she could not hear.

Just as she was about to succumb to the pain that was reaching intolerable levels, a man yelled in the distance and the two attackers let her body crumple to the gravel before disapparating quickly.

The last conscious thought she had was that she wished Harry was her to save her, just this once.

NnNnNnNnNn

Harry was cold, he felt as if he hadn't had a decent shower in forever and above all he missed his wife more than anything.

Harry didn't want to admit it, but the 'novelty' of being an Auror was beginning to wear off. It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to leave Ginny and this assignment had given him more than enough time to consider whether or not this was something he wanted to continue to do. He knew if he quit he would feel as if he was failing, giving up, but on the other hand he felt he would gain so much more if he didn't always have to leave Ginny. His long assignments put unnecessary strain on their marriage and he would be damned if he allowed Ginny and him to move apart because of something he could have fixed. He supposed he would discuss it with Ginny when he got home.

'Ginny ... Home ... Ginny'

Harry yearned for this blasted assignment to be over so he could get back to his beautiful, sexy, '... Stop it Potter! Not now!'

Before his daydream could reach potentially embarrassing heights, a popping noise outside the 'safe house-base' they were staying in draw Harry back to reality.

Harry knew the wards put up around the house would only allow Aurors working on the case with the proper clearance and Kingsley himself through (Harry himself had cast the wards). Even so, ever the cautious person, he still drew his wand, ready to stun any unwanted foe that may have been lurking outside.

Opening the door carefully, Harry was relieved to see that the tall figure of Kingsley, the Minister for Magic, drawing himself to his full height and dusting off what appeared to be fluff from his robes.

"Kingsley!" Harry all but barked out, "What are you doing here? I don't remember scheduling a meeting until Friday, and especially not one at this hour. I don't think any of the trainees are even awake."

In the time that Harry had begun to question Kingsley's sudden appearance, Kingsley had made his way into the small living room. Only now did Harry notice the expression on Kingsley's face. The man looked more tired and grave then Harry had ever seen him, at least not since the war.

"Harry ... I'm not here for a meeting. I'm not sure how to tell you this ... something's happened ..."

"What's wrong with her? Is she okay?" Harry recognised the tone in Kingsley's voice all too well. It was the same tone he himself had used countless times when delivering bad news to families.

"Calm down Harry. She's alive. We're still not exactly sure what happened. She was leaving the Prophet earlier this evening and was attacked on her way to the apparition point. The after-hours night wizard Greaves or something found her in the gutter. We don't know who they were, but I assure you, we are working on it I promise you Harry."

"I ... I mean ... I need to see her", Harry couldn't begin to process the magnitude of what Kingsley had just said. 'Someone had hurt Ginny, someone had hurt his beautiful, amazing wife, who would possibly?' She had been attacked while he had been sitting here. He had let her down, he had promised her the day he proposed and the day he married her that he would always be there to protect her and here her was, having failed her.

"Yes ... you do. I've come to relieve you until we can find a suitable replacement"

"I ... er ... thank you Kingsley ... I'll ... er ... just ..." Harry couldn't make full sentences as images of a dead Ginny began to fill his thoughts. He raced to the room that he had been occupying and gathered his things, shoving them carelessly into his old rucksack before darting back into the living room.

"She'll be alright Harry. We'll catch the people who did this, I promise you that"

"Yes ... umm ... thanks again Kingsley, I'll see you later"

Harry ran out to the small courtyard where he would be able to apparate and spun on the spot, appearing seconds later in front of the St. Mungo's visitors entrance. From here he walked as quickly as he could without actually running to the reception desk.

"Ginny Potter please. She was brought in here earlier tonight" Harry managed to blurt out as he tried to catch his breath.

"And you are?" the small witch behind the desk asked. She reminded him a lot of Hogwarts librarian Madame Pince. He hadn't much liked that witch, and he didn't think he would be fond of this one either.

"Her husband, Harry Potter"

"Ah yes ... came in looking particularly nasty. She's in Room 627 on the fourth floor 'Spell Damage'", she smiled cruelly up at him, but Harry hadn't noticed as he dashed towards the lifts and pushing rather harder than necessary the number four.

After what felt like years listening to the annoying, cheesy music that filled the lift, a 'ding' signalled that he had reached the fourth floor. He stumbled out of the lift and not caring that he was running now, made his way towards Room 627.

He knew he was in the right place when he saw various red-headed people, a certain bushy-haired brunette and a sleek long-haired blonde, sitting outside a door on uncomfortable plastic chairs.

Mrs. Weasley's head was lying on her husband's shoulder. Both parents had the same look of despair, angst and worry. Harry couldn't help but wonder if they too were wondering whether they were about to lose yet another family member. Ron's face was buried in his hands as Hermione, with her legs up on one chair and the rest of her body draped over Ron, snoozed in his lap. George was sleeping, though it did not look like a restful sleep. Both Charlie and Percy sat straight backed against the chairs, both not looking at anything in particular. Bill cradled Fleur in his arms as he tried to comfort her and himself.

Harry looked around at the various members of the Weasley family, his family. His heart could not bear to think what would happen to them, what would happen to him, if they did in fact lose Ginny.

Without acknowledging any of them, Harry pushed through the door. He was not at all prepared for the scene that would greet him when he entered.

His beautiful, lively, vibrant wife lay almost dead-like on the bed. Her loose fiery, red-hair was only just visible through the numerous layers of white bandage that covered it. Her usually porcelain-like face that adorned a few freckles was now full of red, angry cuts and blue to yellowing bruises all of which were at different stages of healing. The rest of her body, save her arms that thankfully didn't appear to have any visible signs of harm, was tightly tucked under the white and green hospital blanket, so Harry could not further assess whether she had any more injuries. The slow rising and falling of her chest was the only indication that she was alive.

Harry moved towards her, pressing a kiss lightly onto her forehead before conjuring a hard-backed chair, similar to the one the Weasley family were sitting on just outside, sat down and gently grabbed her hand in his.

His heart broke in absolute agony to see her like this. Hatred towards himself for not having been there to protect her and even more towards those who had attacked her caused tears to break down his face as he surrendered to his sobs.

"I am so sorry Gin. I will never forgive myself if you don't wake up. I promise I will catch whoever did this to you and make them pay. I need you to wake up ... please ... please Gin, I need you!"

Harry continued to whisper words of love and pleas for forgiveness throughout the night, praying for a miracle that would see his wife pull through.