**This is a short chapter, but I wanted to update this story. Life has been crazy and it is only getting crazier so I can't make promises about updating. I will try to make an effort to update more than once every 6 months. Enjoy**

Ron felt better after he sent his visitation schedule to Kingsley. The week leading up to his visit with Harry and Ginny he spent time with his parents. His dad spent one afternoon showing Ron all of his new muggle gadgets. Usually, he would make up an excuse to get out of listening to his father go on and on about muggles, but now he appreciated the time they were spending together.

Since he had been working on the house and yard since his return, his mum decided she would teach him how to cook. It wasn't a complete disaster. He had been cooking for himself for years, but cooking without magic is much harder. He was learning how to basically be a muggle and it was frustrating at times. They had fun though. He even opened up to her about some of his experiences while he was gone.

Visiting Diagon Alley with his mum the day before his visit with Harry was...unnerving. He kept getting stared at by the other shoppers, but they weren't the problem. Ron had the sinking suspicion that he was being followed. He didn't tell his mum because he did't want to frighten her, or get her feathers ruffled. She was fiercely protective. It wasn't until they were leaving that he caught sight of a figure cloaked in black with silver threading. There was nothing special about the figure, except the black ink he could see adorning their wrist and snaking its way up their sleeve. The tattoo seemed oddly familiar, but he couldn't place it and they were gone before he could figure it out.

The moment he stepped into Grimmauld Place he was attacked by Ginny. For a moment he couldn't breathe, but it was worth it, "Ron, I'm so glad you're here!"

"Me too, Ginny. It's good to be out of the house for a while," he released her and turned to shake Harry's hand.

His mum stayed for about half an hour before leaving them to run some errands. Ginny insisted on telling them all about the honeymoon, but left out the parts Ron really didn't care to hear. Harry added a few details, but mostly let his wife do the talking. He and Ron simply shared a look which communicated what they were thinking. It was nice being around his friend, no brother, again.

"Ron, do you think you could give me a hand with something? I wanted to-"

"Harry Potter you will not put my brother to work! He is here for a visit!"

Ron put his hand on Ginny's arm, "I really don't mind. I could-"

Her fiery gaze landed on him and he instinctively gulped, "Well, I do mind! I haven't gotten to see you much since you've been back and I've been on my honeymoon. I would like to spend some time with you. Is that alright with you?" He nodded, afraid of saying something that would start her up again. When he met Harry's eyes they both shrugged, "Very well. Now that's settled, how about I make us some lunch?" Again, both men nodded and remained silent until she disappeared through the kitchen door.

"That was bloody scary. Is she alright?"

Harry nodded, "She's been fussing over your visit ever since we heard you would be able to come and see us. I don't know why. You were here before."

"So what did you need help with?" he asked.

Harry shook his head, "It wasn't anything important. I was just going to have you help me move some old furniture in one of the rooms upstairs, but it can wait." Ron shrugged. He didn't mind helping. "I talked to Hermione. She seemed really excited about you visiting her."

"I'm excited, too. It's nice to get out of the house and see you both. Honestly, I was afraid to talk to her again, but I'm glad I did. I feel like I'm getting my life back."

Harry just stared at his friend for a minute before answering, "She's really missed you these last few years. She didn't have an easy go of it. If it weren't for Roger I don't know what would have happened."

Ron felt the guilt eating at him. He didn't know what she had been through, but it was obviously because of him leaving, "Was it really that bad? She seems like herself to me."

"She's better, but for a while we were worried she was going to do something stupid. Do you remember Blaise?" Ron thought for a minute before finally nodding, "Well, she was with him for a while. She stopped coming around us and started drinking heavily. It was pretty bad. Roger finally pulled her out of it."

Ron hung his head, "I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"You did what you thought you had to do, and so did she. It's over now." There was silence for a moment before Harry's panicked voice broke it, "Don't tell Hermione I told you all of that. She'll kill me and Ginny will let her!"