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Title: Look After You

Summary: When Ginny time traveled back to her original time, leaving behind the Marauders and Lily, she knew life wasn't going to get any easier. Torn between her desire for Sirius and love for Harry, Ginny fights to survive in a world she forgot about. Sequel.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

Chapter Two

Sixteen Years Old

Molly Weasley was not a woman often surprised. She cared for her children and husband, doing everything and anything needed to get them through their day. So when she had found out that her youngest child, her only daughter, her precious Ginny, was going to be asked to go back into time Molly had almost gone to Hogwarts to stop it from happening. Ginny was always so caught up in helping other people, in doing good, that she never really stopped to think about the consequences of it. And Molly knew her daughter would agree to it.

But Arthur had convinced Molly that it would be okay, though the tightness of his face had told her that he was just as concerned as she was.

"Don't you remember her, Molly?" Arthur had asked, grabbing his wife's hand. "Don't you remember that Christmas?"

And she did remember that Christmas. It was one of the few untainted memories Molly had when she would think back on those dark times. Her twin brothers had visited and brought home a girl with them. Ginny. At the time, Molly had thought Ginny was a sweet girl, though a bit shy. But she had been extremely comfortable at the Burrow, a fact that Molly had prided herself in. And, despite the random incident where Ginny and Remus Lupin appeared by Floo in their living room, beaten and ill, Ginny had been fine. She had been happy.

So Molly and Arthur didn't object when McGonagall asked permission to send Ginny back in time to do Order business. It had been hard but they allowed it to happen.

When Molly found out months later that her daughter had returned home, back to her original time, she had been ecstatic. She missed her daughter's letters, she missed her daughter's sharp sense of humor and she missed her love. But Arthur and Molly could not immediately go to their daughter, they had to wait, there was Order business to be conducted that would hopefully allow many innocents to get to Hogwarts safely.

"She is tired," Remus had written. "She is tired and confused but she is home and safe. I will take care of her until you return."

It wasn't too many days later that Molly received word that Ginny had left Hogwarts. Remus had woken up, went to the hospital wing and found it completely empty. No one could stop her from going to Hogwarts then, despite the danger of traveling to the safe haven.

Remus had found Ginny that very afternoon, in the Ministry of Magic. He told them that he had almost been caught, that getting into the Ministry was almost as dangerous as poking a sleeping dragon in the eye. But he had found her, unconscious, in the Department of Mysteries. Her body, he said, was on top of another body.

Sirius Black.

Molly had been surprised, unable to comprehend why her daughter would go to such risks to save Sirius Black. Sirius and Molly had never been on good terms, not really. They clashed when it came to how Harry should be raised, that he was still a child, that he was not his father. She had been upset about Sirius' death, of course, but she had thought just that… that he was dead.

The timeline answered most of Molly's questions though. Fabian and Gideon had often talked about Sirius Black and James Potter. They had all gone to Hogwarts together. It did not take more than a few moments for Molly to realize that Ginny and Sirius had become friends and, perhaps, something more.

But Ginny and Sirius had been very hurt after returning from the Veil and it was only because of Remus' quick healing spells, though he flushed unpleasantly whenever Molly praised him for this, that both of them were still alive. They made it back to Hogwarts, after a few days of maneuvering through the deadly areas outside of the school. Ginny had not woken up, seemingly just asleep. Sirius had.

McGonagall had assured Molly, who had cradled her daughter's limp body, that they would do whatever they could to wake Ginny up. Sirius, who remembered nothing of the Veil, watched with dark eyes from the bed opposite Ginny in the hospital wing. Ginny wasn't waking up and no one knew why.

Molly was not one to be shocked often but Ginny was doing a good job at testing her mother's nerves. The biggest shock of all, however, was a month after Ginny returned from the Ministry. Humming to herself, Molly sewed a sweater for one of her boys. Ron's had torn during his time away with Harry and Hermione. It was a time of Ron's life that he wouldn't tell Molly about, telling her that it had to do with You-Know-Who and he couldn't say a word. She had hardly been paying attention at the moment as she sewed, so use to the silence in the Head Dorms that her daughter slept in, that when she happened to glance up, hearing the covers on the bed shift, she screamed in astonishment.

Ginny was awake.

-*.*.*-

She had many dreams. Dreams about running and flying and diving off of cliffs but never hitting the ground. There were shadowed figures in her dreams and sometimes a familiar face would be seen and they would hang out with her for a while, until another dream began. Sometimes James would laughingly tell her she was insane but brilliant. He would say thank you for rescuing his best friend. Other times it would be Lily, Lily in a gorgeous white wedding dress conversing with Ginny over a cup of tea.

Ginny tried to remember what had happened, what had caused her to be in this deep of a sleep, but all her thoughts would lead back to Sirius. It was odd and sometimes she would panic. Sometimes she would want to wake up but then a breeze would blow in the dream, ruffling her yellow dress, and Ginny would hear the whispered voice of the Veil.

"Not yet." It would say.

And so Ginny waited.

When she finally woke up it was because of a soft humming. She squinted her eyes immediately, surprised by the bright light in the room. Then, when her eyes adjusted, Ginny looked around.

She was in a familiar room, laying in a large bed. A window on the other side of the bedroom allowed the sunlight to stream in and it highlighted the darkness of the wood on the floor and walls. Ginny began to sit up, surprised. The room was so familiar because she had visited it many times. Confused, Ginny turned her head to the left and stopped.

It was surreal, Ginny realized, to see her mother sewing in a chair next to the bed. Ginny's mouth parted, what do I say?, when her mother's eyes glanced up briefly. Then she did a double take, her eyes widening and her hands dropping the yarn into her lap, before she screamed. Molly rushed out of her chair and seized Ginny in a hug, squeezing her tight enough that Ginny felt like she would burst.

"You're awake!" Molly screeched, not releasing Ginny.

But Ginny didn't want to be released, despite the fear that her mother would suffocate her. Molly's red hair surrounded Ginny's face and smelled like strawberries and safety and home. Wrapping her arms around her mother, Ginny closed her eyes tight. There was a burning in the back of her throat and she took a deep breath. This was her mum.

"You're awake, my dear girl." Molly released her hold on Ginny slightly, leaning away from her to get a better look at her daughter.

Her eyes were brimmed with tears and, at the sight, Ginny sent her mother a smile. It felt so good to see her.

"How are you feeling? I'll get Madame Pomfrey up here right away, you look so pale. Your father and brothers will be so happy- don't you dare move from that bed, Ginevra!"

Molly rushed away from her daughter, going to the fireplace where a small fire burned. Ginny watched her mother in action. Never did Molly Weasley allow one of her children to look slightly ill. She could only imagine the heart attack her mother was on the verge of having because of the fact that Ginny was awake.

And she was awake. Ginny rubbed her face with her hands before she stretched her body. Her mother was barking orders at someone in the fireplace but Ginny didn't pay attention. When Molly finally rushed back to Ginny's bedside, ready to hug her daughter or kiss her or make sure she was okay because she was finally awake, Ginny held up a hand to stop her.

"Mum, mum, MUM!" Ginny shouted, her voice hoarse from lack of use, as she tried to get her mother's attention.

Molly stopped moving, one hand touching Ginny's forehead, the other stroking her daughter's cheek. Despite the slight swell of irritation growing in Ginny's stomach, all anyone ever did anymore was worry over her, Ginny grabbed her mother's hand from her cheek. She squeezed it and felt so safe when Molly squeezed it back.

"Mum, just… what happened?" she asked slowly, her eyes wide.

She hesitated, something that Ginny noticed right away, before sitting back down in the chair beside the bed. Keeping her grip on Ginny's hand tight, Molly chose her words carefully.

"You've been in a coma for almost a month now," Molly explained, her eyes watering again. "Magically induced."

Ginny nodded. It made sense, she supposed. Actually, it didn't. A month was a long time to have been sleeping. The thought of everything she missed in that month made her feel out of the loop. Shaking her head, Ginny took a deep breath. Her stomach burned at a sudden thought and Ginny caught her mother's gaze.

"Did it work? Did I do it?" Confused, Molly pursed her lips.

"Do what?"

"Did I bring Sirius back? Is he back? Is he alive? Please tell me it worked-"

For a desperate second, Ginny saw Molly's eyes flicker with a dark emotion. Her mother was mad at her, very mad at her, and it was only the instant relief and overflow of love at her daughter being awake that was saving Ginny from being yelled at. Then,

"Yes. Yes, Sirius is back. He is here, at Hogwarts."

Shock. Relief.

Ginny didn't realize she had begun crying until Molly let go of her hand to touch her face. Jumping, Ginny lifted a hand to her face also and felt the wetness of her cheeks.

"It's alright, dear," Molly whispered. "It's okay."

He was alive. It had worked. It had worked. Who would have ever guessed it would have actually worked? That she would have returned home and ventured back to the Veil and that she would save Sirius?

Ginny stared unseeingly in front of her. He was here, at Hogwarts. What was he doing? Was he awake also? Or had he been sleeping for the past month? Did he know that she saved him, that that was the one thing she needed to do, that she couldn't breathe without the knowledge that he was alive and well? Was he thinking about her right then-

Her hand dropped to her chest, clutching at her nightgown. Of course he wouldn't be thinking of her. How could she have forgotten? Dread filled her and she whimpered, closing her eyes tightly.

"And you would give us your hope of ever living a life with Sirius Black."

"Ginny?" Molly called softly, trying to bring her back to reality.

Ginny flinched as if Molly yelled at her. Her hands were shaking when she opened her eyes and reached out for her mother.

"Let me see him."

Molly's eyes widened.

"What?"

"Let me see him, let me see Sirius, Mum, please," she spoke quickly, rising slightly in the bed.

Her muscles were weak, however, and she fell back down. Molly stood up, lips pursed immediately but face filled with concern.

"You need your rest."

Ginny shook her head, ready to oppose sleep, to fight her mother because she needed to see Sirius. But the sudden burst of energy came with a consequence. Her body sagged into the bed. She was exhausted.

The last thing Ginny wanted to do was sleep again.

A sound distracted Ginny and Molly both; the door to the bedroom opened. Balding and with a tired face, Arthur Weasley ran into the bedroom. Ginny couldn't remember the last time she had seen her father move so fast, so quick on his feet. She cried out as soon as their eyes met. He fell to his knees beside her bed, kissing her face.

"I love you," was the first thing he told her, pressing another kiss to her face.

Ginny smiled weakly at her father.

"I love you too, Dad. I'm sorry if I worried you."

And it was true. With all thoughts of Sirius out of her head, if only for that brief time, Ginny realized she had never once thought about her family's reaction to her time traveling.

Arthur just shook his head, brushing some of her hair from her face before pressing another kiss to her cheek.

"You're alive and well," he responded. "That is all that matters, Ginny. It's all that ever mattered."

A person appeared behind her dad and Ginny faltered, not wanting to stop talking to her dad. She was tired, she didn't know how long she'd be able to stay awake. What if she didn't wake up again for another month? Ginny felt herself panicking till when she saw it was just Madame Pomfrey.

"Let me check her over, Arthur," was the last thing Ginny heard before she felt herself drifting off to sleep again.

-*.*.*-

Ginny woke up only a few hours later. She had been terrified that she wouldn't be able to wake up again and had forced her eyes to open, despite the fatigue that kept them closed. Gasping in surprise, Ginny sat up in her bed only to find that no longer was it just her mother and father in the bedroom. Sitting on the floor, drawing on what looked like a map, was Remus. And Ron.

"Ron!" Ginny cried out.

Ron looked up, shocked, his light eyes growing large when he saw that she was awake. He rushed from his spot on the floor and grabbed Ginny in a hug. The smell of fire and dirt lingered on his clothes and Ginny didn't want to let go of him ever. It had been far too long since she had last seen her brother.

When they finally let go of each other, Ron shot Ginny a lopsided grin.

"Good to see you're awake, Gin," Ron muttered, ruffling her hair. "You stink, though. When's the last time you took a shower?"

Ginny's eyebrows rose and she turned to her mother, who was sniffling in the corner. Molly wiped at her face, making any traces of tears disappear, before she responded.

"Oh, Ron, stop," Molly managed to say scornfully, though there was no real feeling behind it. "Ginny is as clean as can be."

Ginny looked back at Ron, whose grin grew.

"Thank you, Ron," Ginny dryly said, though she couldn't stop smiling.

"How are you feeling?" Ron questioned, his eyes scanning her face. "Pomfrey said you're good to go."

He seemed a bit nervous despite his attempts at being light hearted and Ginny touched his arm, her smile softening.

"I'm good."

Ginny felt like her heart might burst and she reached over, hugging Ron again. He seemed surprised, they were hardly the affectionate siblings, but she couldn't' get over that fact that over the past couple months they had both been fighting Voldemort in two completely different times. There was so much they had to share with each other. Ron patted her back, somewhat awkwardly, and Ginny thought she heard her mother start crying again.

"How is Hermione?" Ginny asked, pulling away. "How is Harry? Are they both here?"

Ron nodded, his cheeks pink.

"Yeah, they're fine."

He leaned closer to Ginny, his voice low.

"And almost all of them are destroyed… The Horcruxes, they're gone. At least the ones we could find."

Surprised, Ginny opened her mouth to speak but couldn't. Harry had destroyed them. What else had she missed? Was Voldemort still alive? Was everyone okay? As if reading her thoughts, which Ron always seemed to have a knack of doing, he shook his head.

"Nothing has happened yet."

Ginny sat back, relaxing, before remembering that her parents were in the room with her also. As was Remus. Her eyes met Remus' at that thought and he smiled kindly at her.

"Remus," Ginny breathed out, her throat closing up as she was hit with a wave of guilt.

He shook his head, as if signaling that they would talk about it all later, and walked up to her. Remus hugged her and she felt him take a deep breath, as though he was barely holding himself together.

"I should go," he told her, smiling tightly. "There are four men downstairs in the common room who have been waiting for you to wake up."

Ginny nodded and wanted to say more, so much more, but he shook his head again.

"You'll be back?" she asked, her voice soft.

"Of course I'll be back, Ginny," he promised.

When he left, Molly and Arthur moved closer to their daughter. They ignored the blatant affection between Remus and Ginny, though it was nothing more than platonic. As Molly began fussing over Ginny again, which caused Ron to laugh, the bedroom door opened. And, just as Remus had said, four men walked into the room.

Ginny jumped out of bed and ran towards them before she could stop herself. Her legs, not capable of being completely used yet, collapsed from under her but she was caught before she could hit the ground. Chuckling, Charlie righted his sister, putting her feet onto the carpet.

"Careful there," he said, his voice deep.

Ginny laughed and hugged him. Charlie, with more burns on him then she remembered, smiled affectionately at his little sister. He kissed the top of her head, not releasing her from his hold. She began giggling when, finally, she was passed from Charlie to Bill.

"You seem older than I remember!" Bill accused jokingly, running his thumb under Ginny's eye.

Staring at her oldest brother, Ginny fought back a frown. She was taken back by the fact that she had forgotten that Bill had been attacked by Fenrir Greyback. His face was scarred and while she may look a few months older, he looked years older than she remembered.

"That's because I am older, Bill," she retorted, allowing the moment to pass as she realized how much she had forgotten about her family.

Then she heard the twins behind Bill, pushing their way into view.

"We're always forgotten, aren't we?" Fred cried out dramatically.

"Always last!" George concurred.

Together they enveloped Ginny in a hug and she thought for a second she was going to break down, that this was too much, that she couldn't handle all this love. Then they released her, though Fred kept an arm around her waist as though he knew how sensitive she was.

"Where's Percy?" Ginny asked, wiping her cheeks which were slightly damp.

There was a shift in the air and Ginny stilled, her eyes widening.

"He still hasn't come home?" she asked, her voice high pitched. "He's still with the Ministry?"

Arthur's face had hardened and he wouldn't meet Ginny's eyes when she looked to him. Molly had begun sobbing again, though it was not for the same reason as before.

"He's a git," George said shortly, his face sour.

"Hey," Bill snapped. "He may be a git but he's still family."

Ginny shook her head.

"I can't believe he's still fighting with us, I would have thought after all this time…"

Charlie sent her a small smile, tapping her chin up with his hand.

"Sit back down, Ginny. Don't worry about that now."

So she had sat back down on the bed. Ginny couldn't get over the fact that she was really back home, that she was really okay. Finally, finally, something had gone right. She tried to keep back from crying as her family, missing one, talked and joked around her. They kept her company through the night. No one asked her about her time traveling experience and for that she was grateful. Right now, all Ginny wanted was to have it be like old times.

Hours later, when the sun had set and it was only the moonlight shining in the room, her brothers had begun to set out. Fleur was waiting for Bill in the Great Hall, he had told her. Fred and George needed to discuss tactics with Professor Flitwick. Charlie promised to meet with Hagrid by his hut. Ron told her Harry and Hermione would want to hear how she was doing.

Ginny almost didn't want them to leave. Once they left reality would sink in again. She hadn't really had time to think yet, he hadn't crossed her mind once when her family surrounded her. But, she supposed, it was time to face the fire. Allowing each of her brothers' to kiss her goodnight, Ginny turned to face her parents when the bedroom door finally shut.

"I'm going to shower," she told them slowly. "I feel gross."

Arthur smiled kindly, his grip on Ginny's hand tight.

"There's another bedroom just a few steps up the staircase," he said. "That's where we've been staying. So, if you need us, that's where we'll be."

Molly nodded in agreement.

"If you get hungry or feel sick or feel like you just need us here, just yell. I can even stay in here if you want, dear-"

Ginny shook her head, cutting her mother off. Smiling affectionately at her parents, Ginny took a second before speaking.

"Get a good night rest," Ginny said. "There isn't any point of you sleeping in here. I'm okay now."

Her mother's eyes watered and Arthur nodded sharply.

"Good night, Gin," her dad whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

Molly kissed her cheeks before they both left, shutting the door quietly behind them.

Alone in the bedroom, Ginny took a deep breath. It was the first time she had been alone all day. She closed her eyes as she thought of how much time she had missed. It's been a month. A month she has been in a coma, unaware of the world around her. What had she missed in life?

Trying to shake her thoughts away, Ginny got out of the bed and stretched. It was true, she desperately needed to shower. She felt like a shower would help wash away some of the stress, some of the demons, from her. Throwing off the battered nightgown she wore, Ginny walked into the bathroom that was connected to the bedroom. As a Head bathroom should be, it was nice and sparkling clean.

Ginny fought back the memories of the times she spent in the Head Dorms with Sirius as she stepped into the shower. The water was hot and helped ease her tight muscles. She shampooed and conditioned her hair and washed her body with soap multiple times. Nothing seemed to wash away the feeling of dread that filled her though. Turning off the water, Ginny grabbed a fresh towel and dried her body.

Stepping back into the bedroom, Ginny went to the trunk at the end of the bed. Inside it were all the clothes she had left at Hogwarts in September, before she had time traveled. She grabbed one of her favorite shirts, despite the holes in the sleeves, and pressed it to her nose. It smelled like the Burrow and everything familiar. Ginny closed her eyes briefly, remembering what her life was like before she time traveled.

It was far from normal but it had never been nearly as difficult as this.

Pulling the shirt on, Ginny searched for a pair of pants and underwear. Then, when she was happy with what she found, she put those on also. Drying her hair with the towel, Ginny sat in the chair her mother had occupied for the majority of the night.

She was home, finally. Her family was here and Ginny didn't feel half as mad as she had when she was stuck in the hospital wing with Remus. At the thought of Remus, Ginny put her head in her hands. He was probably furious with her, for leaving so unexpectedly without telling him. But her mother had said he had rescued her and Sirius from-

Ginny stomach dropped before filling with butterflies. Sirius was alive. He was home. Her mother had said so, she had told Ginny that he was back. Rushing to her feet, Ginny ran towards the door. The desire to see Sirius was overwhelming; she had to see him for real. She could remember how young, how peaceful he had looked in the Veil. Ginny had to see him.

But then her steps faltered just as she grabbed the doorknob.

"And what if we took his memories of you?"

He wouldn't remember her. If the Veil's magic had worked as it desired than Sirius would have no recollection of Ginny's time in 1978 with him and the Marauders. Sirius wouldn't remember anything about their relationship or their love. He wouldn't remember his proposal to her and he wouldn't remember the fact that she had left him.

Ginny felt like the world was closing in on her. Pressing a hand to her chest, Ginny tried to catch her breath.

She had agreed to that and Sirius was home. He was back.

Ginny turned away from the door, her breathing becoming regular again as she calmed herself. What had she agreed to? She shook her head, feeling like she couldn't think clearly. She had agreed to Sirius living, to Sirius having another chance at life. If he didn't remember her… Ginny felt her face fall and she lowered herself slowly to the ground. It was selfish of her but all Ginny wanted was for Sirius to remember her. How was she suppose to live if he didn't remember her?

The bedroom door opening snapped Ginny out of her thoughts and she looked up in surprise. No one stood in the doorway and Ginny pushed her damp curls from her face, panic fluttering in her chest, before the air seemed to shift. Then a familiar head appeared, soon followed by a lean body, as the invisibility cloak fell away.

"Harry," Ginny breathed, her mouth dropping.

He stood in front of her, looking so strikingly different than Ginny ever remembered. It wasn't that he physically looked different. Harry still had the unruly, black hair and round glasses. A lightening bolt still scarred his forehead. Always a bit toned, Harry stood tall and handsome in her doorway. But as Ginny stared at him from the ground, she felt her breath catch. Because he looked so much like his father.

She could see James in every bit of Harry, from the way he held himself to the way he stared at her in concern. Though Harry's face was shaped differently, he was still very much James. But his emerald eyes, every bit of Lily, flashed with emotion.

"Harry," she whispered again, unable to grasp the concept that he was in front of her.

Then Harry bolted to her, dropping to his knees so he was level with her. He took her face in his hands and there was something so desperate about his actions that made her heart speed up. His warm breath hit her face and her eyes caught his own.

"You're awake," Harry said, licking his lips and sounding so much like a little boy that it caught Ginny off guard. "You're finally awake."

Ginny sent him a small smile.

"Very observant, Harry," she responded playfully.

But even her playful tone was thrown off by the seriousness of the situation. It was strange, for when Ginny would think back on this incident she would think of how natural it was for the events that followed to happen. She would never think that it was awkward or rushed. It was natural, it was right.

He kissed her and she put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. Harry hugged her body to his, one arm wrapped around her back. She arched into him, pulling away only to gasp for breath. Leaning down, Harry kissed her neck and her heart skipped a beat.

"I didn't know…" Harry trailed off, sounding so scared that Ginny lifted his head so their eyes met.

"I'm fine," she told him. "Everything is okay."

But even as she spoke tears filled her eyes. Harry frowned, wiping a tear from her face when it began to fall. Ginny took a deep breath, grateful that he had come to see her.

"My mum will kill you if she sees you in here," Ginny said after they were silent for too long, studying each other.

She had almost forgotten how beautiful Harry was.

"I know," he murmured, grinning. "Ron told me I'd be lucky if I got past her sometime this week to see you."

When he brushed a curl from her eyes, Ginny hugged him. She buried her head in his shoulder, trying to get as close to him as possible.

"I missed you," Harry whispered.

Ginny nodded in agreement, closing her eyes tight to stop tears from falling. She had forgotten so much about Harry. She had forgotten how his glasses were slightly crooked, how bright his eyes were, how one look in her direction could send her heart fluttering, how his kisses made her melt…

"I missed you too, Harry," Ginny responded. "When I was gone…"

Pausing, Ginny wondered how much Harry knew about her mission to 1978. Did he know that she had relationship with his parents, that his father was one of her best friends? Did Harry know that his godfather was a man she loved?

At her own thoughts, Ginny pulled away from Harry. Sirius's face was continually flashing in her mind and it made her feel wrong and confused to be sitting in Harry's lap, his arms wrapped around her. Harry was looking at her curiously, reinforcing the fact that he didn't know everything.

"When I was gone," she said slowly, picking her words carefully. "I thought you were dead. I thought I would come back and everything would be ruined, that everyone I loved would be gone."

Harry made a sound in the back of his throat, his eyes burning as he stared at Ginny.

"You shouldn't have gone. They should have found someone else," he said, his voice heated. "I didn't know. I didn't even know you were gone until I had made my way back here, to Hogwarts."

Ginny was surprised. Nobody had told Ron, Hermione and Harry that she had traveled back in time? Then again this war was all about politics. If it meant that Harry would be less distracted, believing Ginny was safe at Hogwarts, she wasn't surprised that McGonagall would lie to him.

"What's happened to you while I've been gone?" Ginny asked, hoping to distract him from his thoughts.

Harry shook his head.

"Nothing important," he said shortly, cupping her face with hand.

This time Ginny leaned down and kissed him.

-*.*.*-

Harry and Ginny had fallen asleep on the floor, dragging the blanket and the pillows off the bed so they could be more comfortable. It had taken Ginny a while longer to fall asleep than it had taken Harry. She found herself playing with his hair, staring at his face. He looked so much like James. The thought made Ginny feel ashamed and guilty, for he was not James and she knew that. But it was like reopening a healing wound.

The reminder that James and Lily were dead burned freshly in Ginny's mind every time she looked at Harry. But she had managed to find sleep, her body still feeling tortured from the brutal days it had experienced recently.

They woke up to her father's voice, sounding somewhat amused.

"No surprise here, I suppose," he said. Then, more loudly, "Get up, Ginny, Harry."

Ginny opened her eyes and lifted her head. Harry grunted, rubbing at his face to try to wake himself up. A small smile curled on her lips at the sight before Ginny turned her attention to her father, who was staring down at the two teenagers.

"I'll pretend I didn't walk in on this," Arthur told them. "Harry, time to let Ginny get changed. We'll head down to the Great Hall for breakfast."

Harry muttered something under his breath, shooting her father an apologetic smile, his face bright red. Ginny found herself grinning but couldn't help thinking, in the back of her mind, Sirius would have never blushed at being caught.

She cursed at herself for having that thought and stood up. Shrugging when her father raised his eyebrows, Ginny stretched. Her muscles were sore but she felt like she had more energy now then she had in a while. Finally, it seemed that Ginny had healed.

Arthur closed her door, telling her to head to the Great Hall for breakfast when she was ready. Ginny took off the clothes she had slipped into last night, finding the sweater her mum had made her the Christmas before. She put that on and a pair of pants. Then Ginny ran a brush through her curls, which looked horrible from her falling asleep with them wet. After brushing her teeth, Ginny left her bedroom. It was the first time she left the bedroom since she woke up the day before and she couldn't help laughing at the freedom of it.

Raising her hands above her head, Ginny spun in a circle on the stairs. She was alive. Her family was alive. Her friends were alive. And she'd been seeing them all very soon. Ginny jumped down the remaining stairs. The common room was empty, though a fire glowed bright in the fireplace, warming the room. Ginny felt her smile freeze as she remembered lying on the common room floor with Sirius not too long ago.

He had been worried over her future with Voldemort growing more powerful.

Ginny frowned, staring at the spot where the two had laid but not really seeing it. She jumped and turned, gasping, when someone touched her shoulder lightly.

"Ginny?"

Remus stood beside her, looking as though he had lost many nights sleep. But a smile broke across his face when their gazes connected. Ginny rushed into his arms, holding him tight.

"I'm so sorry," she cried out.

Shaking his head, Remus pulled away from her. He was watching her, concerned, but a small smile was still on his lips.

"I'm so sorry for everything. For leaving without telling you, for you having to get into the Ministry- how did you get into the Ministry?-, for you having to watch me when I first got back-"

Remus just continued shaking his head.

"Stop apologizing. You saved him, Ginny," Remus told her, his voice filled with an emotion she couldn't describe. "Ginny, you saved Sirius. He's back. He really is."

Her breath got caught in her throat and they held onto each other as Ginny let his words wash over her. Sirius, their best friend, was back. He was really back.

"So stop apologizing," Remus told her, his grip on her shoulders tightening. "Even though it was stupid and risky and we need to discuss this further because some things happened that you don't know about but… you saved him. And you're awake."

Ginny nodded, wondering briefly what had happened that Remus needed to tell her, before she began doing a little dance. She didn't know what had come over her but it was the absolute relief that Remus didn't hate her, that he was happy to see her, which caused her to just start dancing in the middle of the common room. Remus laughed, catching her hand and allowing her to spin in a circle.

When she stopped dancing, laughter still ringing in the room, she caught Remus' expression. It had changed slightly, like he was going to tell her something she didn't want to hear. Tilting her head, Ginny took Remus' hand.

"What?" she asked softly, tugging him to attention.

Remus sighed.

"You did save him, Ginny," he slowly responded. "But… and I don't know how to say this at all. He doesn't…"

Remus sighed again, running a hand through his hair.

"He doesn't remember me?" Ginny spoke for him, her voice low.

Surprised, Remus' eyebrows shot up. Ginny sent him a small smile but it faded.

"I know, Remus," she whispered. "I just wish it weren't true."

"Did someone tell you?"

A silence fell over them as Ginny fought to regain her ability to speak. She had hoped something went wrong. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Ginny had prayed that for some reason the Veil hadn't taken Sirius' memories of her. Neither Sirius nor Ginny entered the Veil to learn its' secrets. Sirius had fallen through unwilling, spell bound, and Ginny had entered only to rescue him.

The sinking realization, knowing that Remus would only speak the truth to her so that she would not be hurt later on, caused her heart to break.

"No. It's just," Ginny paused, licking her lips. "It was the only way the Veil would let me leave with him."

Remus didn't understand, she knew that. But he nodded like he did understand because he knew how difficult it was for her to talk about it.

"Does Harry know about me traveling back to 1978?" she asked suddenly, thinking of the boy she spent the night with.

Once again, Remus' eyebrows shot up. She felt oddly ashamed speaking about Harry in front of Remus. Remus, her best friend, who had seen Sirius and Ginny fall in love and argue and just desperately fight to be together.

"He knows you were sent on a mission back in time," Remus answered. "He just doesn't know the details. No one does, actually, except for your parents, McGonagall, me and Tonks."

Ginny nodded.

"I should tell him, shouldn't I?"

Remus wrapped an arm around Ginny's shoulder and began leading her out of the common room. Ginny smiled in appreciation, feeling the biting hunger at her stomach.

"When you're ready, you should tell him. But not a second before then."

The two walked down the corridor, silent, just taking in their surroundings. Ginny put her head on Remus' shoulder as they walked.

"Thank you for rescuing me and Sirius," she finally said. "I didn't expect you to come to the Ministry. I had rather hoped you wouldn't."

"And where would you be now if I hadn't?" he asked, his voice tight though he meant to be joking. "We'll talk about that later. There's a lot to discuss."

Ginny glanced up at him, curious, but he didn't look at her in return.

"Anyway," Remus continued on. "You have bigger things to worry about, Ginny. Sirius is going to be in the Great Hall for breakfast. And all he remembers about you is that you're Arthur and Molly's youngest child. He remembers his time at Grimmauld Place with you but even that is a bit tainted."

When Ginny looked at him confused, he sighed.

"Ginny… he realized who you were when we were in Grimmauld Place. And it had been really hard for him. He would get absolutely smashed some nights just to try to drown out the thought of you. I know he was plagued with the thought of you for the majority of your time there."

Swallowing back tears, Ginny tried to look away from Remus but he caught her face with his hand.

"It's not your fault," he told her sharply. "Ginny, I will fill you in on everything later. I will, I promise. But I can't right now because your parents and your brothers will hunt me down if I don't bring you to the Great Hall as promised."

"Okay," she muttered, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I just don't want you to get your hopes up," Remus slowly said. "Because it's hard for me to be around him and not talk about you. To talk about old times. I have to watch what I say because I didn't want to make the choice for you."

"What choice?" Ginny asked, confused.

Remus hugged her a bit closer to his body.

"You have the choice of not letting Sirius know the truth, of not telling him that the Veil took his memories of you. You can let him go on never knowing that you ever traveled back to 1978 or… or you can tell him everything. Tell him everything and let him decide where to go from there."

Ginny opened her mouth, surprised. She had never thought about it before, about the fact that she could tell Sirius what had happened.

"But he's a different man now, Ginny," Remus started, his voice low. "He's a man now, just to begin with, whereas he was only a boy before. When you knew him he was completely different. There's been Azkaban, James and Lily dying… I- just don't make this decision lightly."

"I'm not going to tell him," Ginny stated firmly then stopped, astonished by how quick she made up her mind. "Not yet anyway."

Remus seemed torn, his lips thinning.

"Maybe we're not meant to…" Ginny couldn't finish the words but Remus knew what she was going to say.

Maybe we're not meant to be together.

His face tightened and his eyes narrowed at her words.

"It is your choice," was all he said.

They continued their walk in silence.

When Ginny first entered the Great Hall she was shocked by how many people filled the large room. Each of the four tables were filled to the brim. There were so many more people at Hogwarts than Ginny would have ever guessed. Remus led her by the arm over to the Gryffindor table, where a sea of red heads sat. Among them were several close friends.

Ginny barely had time to think before her eyes found him in the crowd. He was sitting next to Harry and Charlie, elbowing Harry in the side as he laughed at something. She could remember him from the Veil, how young and untouched he looked. And the look of youth had yet to fade. Azkaban had taken a lot from Sirius, she knew that, but it seemed to have all been given back to him.

A grin easily came to his lips as he continued to joke around with Harry and Charlie. There were hardly any wrinkles that marred his handsome face. She could see that he was much more carefree than he had ever felt at Grimmauld Place. If Ginny remembered hard enough, she would forget about Sirius at seventeen, the Sirius who she so clearly saw in her head every time she closed her eyes. And she would remember the Sirius from Grimmauld Place, who would not talk to her unless necessary. He had been damaged goods and had been unhappy.

This was not the Sirius in front of her.

Her breathing slowed and she could have sworn that time stopped all around her as she stared at him. The urge to run up to him, to kiss him, to have him just look at her was too much and she wondered if this was love- all the beauty of it and all the pain and torture of it. Because she couldn't breathe and time had stopped and he didn't even notice she was here.

"Ginny!" Remus hissed, snapping her back to reality.

She gasped, breathing in for the first time since she saw Sirius, and looked up at Remus. It felt as though she had to tear her eyes away from Sirius. Remus stared down at her, his eyes burning, and she gripped onto his shirt.

"It's okay," he told her quietly. "Don't panic."

Ginny had forgotten about her newfound panic attacks that only Remus seemed to be able to stop. She breathed in heavily again, her face red, her heart racing.

"Ginny," Remus softly said, rubbing her back slowly.

"Ginny?"

She snapped her head to the side, surprised to see Harry beside her. His eyebrows furrowed when he took in the state of her and she smiled weakly, her grip on Remus' tightening. Trying desperately not to look over where Harry had stood up from, what if Sirius was looking at her?, Ginny leaned towards Harry.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, looking unsure of what to do.

"I'm starving," she choked out, her breathing becoming more regular as she let go of Remus and stumbled towards the table.

Sliding into the seat next to Fred, who didn't seem to know anything was wrong and smiled at her brightly, Ginny reached out to grab a plate with eggs on it. Her hands were shaking, though, and she stopped before she could grab it. Harry took the seat on the other side of Ginny and grabbed the plate for her.

"How much do you want?" Harry quietly asked her.

She looked up at him, thankful for his understanding, and smiled slightly.

"Load me up," she responded.

As Harry placed some food on her plate for her, Ginny couldn't help but glance down the table. Remus had slid into the spot next to Sirius and was leaning over to whisper in his friend's ear. Sirius' eyes flickered from Remus over to Ginny and she stilled, caught in the gaze. His gray eyes narrowed a bit when he smiled charmingly at her and she looked away quickly, unable to take his attention. Especially because there was nothing familiar in his eyes when he looked at her.

-*.*.*-

Being in the company of Ron, Hermione, Harry, Neville and Luna brought Ginny crashing back to her fourth year, when they had fought at the Ministry of Magic together. The group worked together easily and enjoyed each other's words. It was almost as though they were normal teenager as they sat in the Room of Requirements undisturbed by the population of the school.

Ginny sat beside Luna, braiding some of her friend's hair as the group chatted. Harry would glance at Ginny often, his emerald eyes soft, and Ginny would often flush. She didn't deserve his attention, not after what she did, not after she fell in love with his godfather. How would she ever tell him?

"Gran is here too," Neville said, adding one more name to the list of people residing at Hogwarts.

"Really?" Ginny asked, surprised.

"And how has that been going for you, Neville?" Hermione kindly questioned, looking over a book to see his reaction.

Neville shrugged.

"She's been a lot more encouraging since fifth year," he said slowly.

"Most of the students who had been taken out of school have returned," Ginny noted, after having seen everyone in the Great Hall at breakfast. "What caused this?"

Ron frowned from his spot on the couch.

"You-Know-Who," he said shortly. "Duh."

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Obviously, Ron," she snapped back.

Harry grinned at Ginny and she felt herself smirking back before she could stop.

"It's been a bit hard for the wizarding world to ignore Voldemort now that he's been killing wizarding families at large," Hermione answered.

"It's safe here," Neville agreed.

"Aren't we a bit like sitting ducks?" Ginny questioned.

"Not everyone is here," Luna dreamily said.

"Some of the Order is outside of school, gathering alliances. Your whole family was doing it before you returned home."

At Hermione's mention of her time travel, Ginny lowered her eyes. No one had pressured her to talk about the mission yet and she wasn't ready. She didn't know if she would ever be ready. How could she describe the feeling of being truly accepted in a different time to her friends? How could she talk about James, Dorcas, Lily and everyone else from 1978 without breaking down?

Harry cleared his throat when the room filled with silence.

"Who is up for a game of Exploding Snap?"

Ron immediately jumped up from his spot on the couch, moving over to sit near Harry. Harry had pulled out a deck of cards, which seemed innocent enough, but Ginny knew the chaos they could ensure.

Smiling, Ginny finished a braid in Luna's pale hair. Luna shifted so she could turn to Ginny.

"I missed you," Luna told her.

Neville sat down beside Luna and Ginny.

"Me too, Ginny," Neville agreed, grinning. "It's good to have you back. Hogwarts hasn't been the same without you."

"I missed you both also," Ginny said, wanting to hug both of her closest friends.

But it was strange. Because as close as Neville, Luna and Ginny had been before she left, she felt as though there was a distance between them now. It was probably just Ginny but she couldn't help the feeling that things were never going to be the same again.

"So are classes still continuing?"

Ginny's question sounded stupid to her own ears but she had no idea. She was still learning so much about what had happened in the few months she was gone. Hogwarts had been transformed from a school to a shelter. Wizards and witches, young and old, resided in the school and prepared for an inevitable battle against Voldemort and the Deatheaters. Anybody was welcome to come and go, though it was the decision of the Order to decide how much freedom a person had within the walls of the school.

"Not really," Neville told her. "They are more of training courses, something to help prep everyone for battle. But those are at the discretion of the professors."

Nodding, Ginny looked over at Harry and Ron. Harry was waiting for Ron to make a move and was lost in his thoughts. He seemed worried, uneasy, and she wanted to help him with that.

It was a little over an hour later, after Harry had lost to Ron and Hermione had finished taking notes from whatever book she was reading, that the group decided to leave the Room of Requirements. As soon as they entered the corridor, Harry fell into step with Ginny. The others didn't take notice and continued walking as the pair slowed down.

"Do you feel better?" Harry asked, genuinely concerned.

Ginny nodded. She did feel better. When she was around her friends and family, when Sirius wasn't in sight, Ginny felt normal.

"Thank you for this morning," Ginny said, taking his hand and squeezing it.

He shrugged, though a small smile played across his lips.

"Of course," he responded softly. "I have a lot to thank you for, though."

Confused, Ginny stared up at Harry. He looked down at her, his eyes shining, and she felt her heart squeeze.

"Why did you risk your life to get Sirius back from the Veil?" Harry asked her. "I've been trying to understand but… but I don't. Why would you do that?"

Ginny was left speechless, unsure of what to say. They continued walking down the corridor, still holding hands.

"I can't even yell at you about it," Harry continued when she didn't answer. "Because having Sirius back has been… it's been one of the best things that has ever happened to me. And it's all because of you."

Harry sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

"But why would you do that?"

Ginny sighed. What could she say to him? That she rescued Sirius because she needed him in her life? That she rescued Sirius because she was in love with him? That she was willing to risk her life so that Sirius could have a life again?

"I did it for you," she finally said. "I know you needed him."

Harry was surprised, his mouth dropping. Guilt and shame flashed through her, making her body heat up unpleasantly, as she thought of the lie she just told him. And the worst part was that he looked so honored by her words. He stopped walking and, before Ginny could stop him, pulled her close to him. His lips hovered over hers and she clung onto his shirt.

"Don't do that again. Okay?"

But just as Harry bent to brush his lips across hers Ginny stepped back, her hands releasing his shirt. She was biting her lip and her hands clenched into fists at her side.

"Harry," she whispered, frowning.

I can't, she wanted to say. Hurt flashed across his face and then he was embarrassed, rubbing the back of his neck the way James use to. At that thought, she felt ill and she stepped away from him again.

"I'm going to go," she told him.

The last thing she wanted to do was leave Harry confused. She never wanted to hurt Harry, ever, but right now she couldn't pretend everything was okay. So Ginny turned and walked down the corridor, ignoring the burning of his eyes as he watched her leave.

-*.*.*-

When Ginny found Remus, he was not alone. It was a shocking realization that he had someone else with him, that someone else was keeping him company. Remus and Tonks had not heard Ginny enter his office as they sat in front of the fireplace. Tonks' socked feet were in Remus' lap as she laid out across the floor. Ginny stilled, watching the affection pass between the two with envy.

"Lupin, you better stop-"

Tonks burst into laughter when Remus began tickling one of her feet. She kicked her leg once to try to throw him off but, with a smirk, Remus continued tickling her.

"You know, soon you won't be able to call me Lupin and make it sound insulting," Remus said, his voice soft.

She stopped struggling, raising her eyebrows and wiggling her toes.

"Soon," Remus continued, releasing Tonks foot and crawling closer to her face. "You'll be Mrs. Lupin-"

Ginny stepped back, trying to leave the office without letting them know she had ever rudely entered without knocking. But her back hit the door, which had silently swung shut behind her, and the sound rung in the room. Remus looked up, his face dropping when he saw Ginny. Tonks' sat up, her eyes widening.

"Ginny!" Remus struggled to his feet, holding out a hand to help Tonks up.

Ginny watched as Tonks took his hand and he gingerly helped her to her feet. Face flushing, still unsure how to act around Remus and his fiancé, Ginny reached for the doorknob behind her.

"Sorry, sorry," she muttered. "I'll talk to you later, Remus."

"Wotcher Ginny," Tonks called as Ginny left the office and shut the door behind her.

Breathing through her nose, Ginny made it halfway through the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom before Remus came out of his office. She stopped, turning to face him, her face burning from shame. He offered her a guilty smile before making his way over to her.

"Sorry, Remus," Ginny muttered as she folded her arms across her chest.

He shrugged slightly, putting his hands in his pants pockets. Even after leaving Tonks in his office, he still was glowing from his time spent with her. It was a fact that did not go unnoticed to Ginny. And she felt horrible for being upset about it.

"It's fine," he replied slowly. "What did you need?"

Ginny shifted her weight from one foot to another before shaking her head.

"Nothing, I just-" she stopped when she saw Remus' knowing look. "What?"

"Don't think this changes things," Remus told her. "Me and you are still the same."

Ginny laughed, though there was no humor to it.

"Everything is different," Ginny whispered. "Everything. Nothing is the same. And I feel like so much has happened today…"

"Because so much has happened today. Maybe it's time for you to go to bed?"

She knew he wasn't trying to sound like a grownup talking to a child. Ginny knew he didn't mean to sound condescending. In the back of her mind, Ginny knew his words weren't meant to sound so harsh. But they did.

The look on her face must have given away her thoughts for Remus groaned, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Ginny," he was trying to be more sensitive. "I meant that you'll probably feel better if you sleep. Tomorrow will seem a lot easier."

He wanted to spend time with Tonks. Of course, why wouldn't Remus want to spend time with his fiancé? Ginny felt her stomach drop and she began backing away.

"You're right," Ginny told him. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Ginny didn't wait for him to respond. She shut the door to his classroom behind her before running down the corridor. By the time she made it to the Head Dorms she was out of breath. Pressing a hand against the portrait, now of a raven and snake, Ginny tried to slow her racing hard.

She was annoyed, mostly with herself for how she was feeling. How dare she hurt Harry's feelings when he was ignorant of everything that happened to her? It wasn't his fault that she felt guilty smiling at him, kissing him. How dare she look to Remus for comfort when he had a life outside of her? He was happy, finally. Remus was no longer a teenage boy whose main worries were his three best friends, Ginny and homework.

How dare she think that Luna and Neville would never be able to fill the spot of James and Lily in her life? How dare she feel incomplete without Sirius' attention when he was living life carefree, for once? How dare she feel the need to curl in her mother's lap and cry, sob for hours, because she hadn't been able to do it for months while her mother was working endlessly to help the Order?

How dare she feel like a sixteen year old girl caught in a mess?

Ginny opened the portrait and entered the common room. It was empty, except for Charlie who was sleeping on the couch. Seeing him asleep made her own body feel achy, longing for the bed that awaited her upstairs. She climbed the steps and entered the bedroom. Slipping off her shoes, Ginny climbed on top of the mattress. It was incredibly comfortable and allowed her only the thought of I wish it were different before she drifted to sleep.

-*.*.*-

When Ginny woke up the next morning frustration was still built up in her chest. It felt like a weight was sitting on her chest, causing her to be unable to breathe properly. Her thoughts were scattered because of this weight, this weight that held more power than anything else in her life.

She rolled onto her side and saw the sun shining in from the window, lighting up her room. At least it looked somewhat nice out. Ginny got out of bed, never a morning person, and took her time getting ready. Today the majority of her family would be with the Order, discussing battle tactics. Since she was only sixteen she wasn't allowed at the meeting.

And, for once, Ginny didn't want to go. She didn't feel like listening to anything concerning Voldemort and his torturous ways. He had already managed to ruin her life.

Dressed for the day, though aware that she was wearing a nasty glare on her face, Ginny headed to the Great Hall. It was packed again, filled with families eating breakfast. Ginny wondered where everyone went once the meal was done. Hogwarts was a huge castle but what exactly did everyone do to fight their boredom? But at the sight of all the smiling faces Ginny felt her mood lift.

Life did suck, yes, but at least she could enjoy breakfast and spend the day relaxing, clearing her thoughts-

"'Morning."

Ginny jumped, spilling some of the orange juice she had poured herself on the table. Sirius was watching with polite interest as Ginny's face burned bright red. She grabbed a napkin, immediately shielding her face with her hair as she cleaned the mess. His voice rung in her ears and her hands began to shake. He was alive. It was him.

"Ginny?"

She looked up, her breathing labored.

"Good morning, Sirius," she responded weakly.

He grinned charmingly, taking a seat next to her even though he didn't ask her permission. It was such a Sirius move that Ginny's heart squeezed.

"I've been waiting for you to get out of bed," he told her.

Ginny just stared at him. She wondered if she seemed odd but she couldn't stop. He was alive. Sirius Black was alive and it was because of Ginny that it had happened. While the world seemed to be spinning out of control around Ginny, Sirius was at least stationary and real and he was alive.

"Now, now, Ginny, you're talking to fast for me to understand," Sirius scolded, though his eyes crinkled at the edges with mirth. "Just take a second and collect your thoughts."

She wanted to cry at the sheer cruelty of this.

"Shouldn't-shouldn't you be at the Order meeting?"

It was the only thing she could think of saying to him. Sirius took the answer gratefully, grabbing an apple from the basket and taking a bite from it. He chewed thoughtfully before speaking.

"They don't like me being there," he finally answered. "And I don't like being there either. Not yet, anyway."

Ginny watched as he continued chewing the apple. He had aged, much older than the last time she saw him, but he was still handsome. Azkaban's torture seemed to have faded. Sirius was happy and it showed.

"So why are you talking to me?" she asked, not meaning to sound cruel.

Sirius' eyebrows perked.

"Everyone else is there. Except you. I figure we need to talk anyway."

Turning away from him, Ginny grabbed some food. The idea of actually eating disappeared though.

"About what?"

Sirius caught Ginny's hand, stopping her from grabbing some toast. The contact made her skin break out in goose bumps and she looked at him with wide eyes, wondering if he felt it too. Staring at her curiously, Sirius leaned towards her.

"About why you saved me from the Veil."

Ginny' mouth dropped open and she felt sick. Why did she come down for breakfast? At his words, her face flushed and a light sweat broke out across her forehead. She tried to breathe, tried to concentrate and think up a lie. For Harry, for Harry, I saved you for Harry…

Sirius grabbed her arm and the touch was surprisingly light. Sirius, who use to always be so rough and to the point with Ginny, he always wanted her to hear him,- whether that meant shoving her to the ground to get her to stay put, yanking her around to face him when she turned her back to him or grabbing her face so she couldn't look away- touched her so lightly it was almost nonexistent on her arm. If Ginny's nerves weren't so wired she probably wouldn't have even noticed.

"You all right, kid?"

-*.*.*-

Author's Note: Chapter Two! Just so you know, the story is going to be a bit sped up. There is a lot to cover with what I have planned for Sirius and Ginny, so don't try to kill me because of the speed of the story. Everything important shall be covered. Let me know what you think. I apologize for any mistakes.