"You really do care about him, don't you?" Bill Weasley whispered and put an arm around his little sister's shaking shoulders.

She did, oh how much she did. Hard as it was to admit it these days, she was so in love with him it hurt. And the hurt and despair only got harder to carry around as the days passed and nobody knew anything about him, if he was alive or barely breathing. Except that her older brother, the person she trusted and looked up to more than anyone else, he now knew where Harry was and what he was doing and how he was feeling and even how his stupid hair used to look today, while she was locked inside this house with no way to escape. She'd give anything to swap places with Bill and be able to look him in the eye and trace her fingers through his raven dark hair just one more time. Just one more bloody time before she could allow herself to think of letting go.

Bill brought her closer to his chest and rested his chin on top of her head, just like he used to do when Ginny was a child. She never showed her weaknesses in front of anyone, but she felt she could always let Bill see her true colors.

The young witch felt something break inside her at the familiarity of her brother's arms around her and she let go of the wave or tears and sadness that she'd carried in her soul all year long. She cried until she felt numb, she screamed until her throat was sore, clutching at his shirt. When there were no more tears to cry, Ginny collapsed on the floor and sat still, not a thought or feeling spared to hunt her.

Bill crouched down next to her, lightly running his knuckles in circles on her back. He could understand the pain and heartbreak his baby sister was going through - he would have gone insane if it'd been Fleur instead of Harry. But he could also feel anger and rage boiling inside his mind, imagining how he'd twist the boy's neck for making her ache so. Bill sighed and tied his hair into a ponytail, something he did when he felt nervous and frustrated.

"I'm sorry, Ginny…," he started, but she made a noise that clearly told him she did not want to be pitied.

"You know, I've always admired how tough you are. Even as a child, you were incredible and I knew you could get through anything if you put your mind to it," Bill began and waited to see if he could continue. "Until one summer when you met Harry Potter and I knew, I just knew it would be the one thing you'd never get over," he added, drops of sadness in his voice. "And I watched you that summer, at the World Cup and after, you were positively head over heels," Bill smiled for a second before the crease between his ginger eyebrows returned. "I knew you would end up together - what blistering idiot would ever say no to you?" Ginny snorted through her tears. "And that's when I started being truly afraid because I knew who he really was and what that would mean for you." Bill paused, gathering his thoughts. "That, Ginny, is why I am sorry: because I just stood and didn't do anything to prevent you battling all this pain and misery on your own," he finally said, feeling his chest swell with pain.

Ginny turned to face him, a fierce and hard expression on her face. "I'd never give up on him," she pressed on every word. "Never," she punctuated, pushing her long red hair out of her eyes. "I love him," her chocolate orbs closed and she couldn't hold her brother's gaze any longer for fear that she might cry again.

"I know," he said and hugged her to his chest again, creating a protective shield between his little sister and the madness of the world.

Ginny cried through most of that night, but this time she had her big brother to hold her and make her feel safe, even if only for a small while.


I've always wanted to explore their relationship, as Ginny looks up to Bill and it would only be natural that he be there for her during the time she had to go into hiding and Harry was at Shell Cottage :) Exploration continues through small drabbles like this one and my Bill/Fleur multi-chapter titled "Spirit"!

If you feel like discussing the baby sister-cool big brother relationship or you have any prompts that you'd like to be turned into a fic/drabble, drop me a message on tumblr: fightfortherightsofhouseelves :)