-Chapter 25: Not the Best Time for This-

As everyone started to file out of the room Ginny closed her eyes to hold back her tears. She thought of Hermione and the fact that this could quite possibly be the last time the two had a moment alone. She felt something move in her pocket. She reached her hand in and pulled out a small box. As Hermione turned to leave the room Ginny grabbed her arm and pulled her in close.

"I need to talk to you, Hermione."

"Quickly, love, I don't know how much time we have."

"That's precisely my point. Do you still want to get married?"

"What? Ginny, right now is really not the best time for this! There's a bloody war going on!"

"Yes, I am well aware that there is a war going on but I didn't mean right this instant. I just need to know."

"Yes, okay? I do want to marry you but right now we have a horcrux to destroy." Hermione tried to leave again. Ginny pulled her back and opened the small box.

"They're not the most fancy but they're not string, either," Ginny said as she pulled one of the silver rings from the box and slipped it on Hermione's finger. Dazed and completely forgetting where she was or why she was there Hermione stared at the silver band on her finger, Ginny held out the box with the other.

"Well? I do believe when we talked about this at Easter you said you wanted rings, plural."

Hermione pulled the other ring from the box and put it on Ginny's finger. Ron poked his head back in the door.

"Come on, you two! Whatever you have to say can be said on the way downstairs," he yelled. The pair ran out of the room and down the corridor.

"You never gave me an actual response," Ginny said as they ran through the castle, hand in hand.

"Well it didn't happen the way I expected it to but I love you Ginny Weasley and of course I will marry you!!"

"I love you too Hermione!" Ginny stopped abruptly and jerked Hermione back to her. They kissed and smiled then continued running. They got to the entrance of the chamber, Ron spoke some Parseltongue to open it.

"Tell Harry if he dies my offer of sharing my toilet is still open," Moaning Myrtle said before they jumped in to the tunnel.

"Go find the other ghosts and go to the Great Hall, Myrtle. I'm sure there's something more productive you could do other than sit in your s-bend."

"Bossy little girl, just like your second year! Did you ever stop coughing up furballs?"

"Come on, 'Mione," Ron said, "we don't have time to argue with her!"

The three of them rushed into the Chamber. Chills ran up Ginny's spine as she looked around at the familiar surroundings. Her mind was lost in a daze, echos of footsteps and voices rushed around her for a few minutes. The damp air filled her nose and she shuddered.

"A memory...just a memory..." she mumbled.

A memory it was. Images flashed through her brain. A diary. Blood on the walls. People being petrified...Hermione being petrified...at her hand...

"Fuck...I was so stupid..." Ginny mumbled still in her daze. She was snapped out of it by Hermione grabbing her arm and pulling her back towards the exit.

"Ginny, are you okay? Come on, we have to go." Hermione said as they headed back up to the Room of Requirement. When they reached the doors Hermione grabbed onto Ginny's shoulders and looked her square in the eye.

"Ginny, go find McGonagall and let her know what's happened then get out of here. Leave Hogwarts. I will find you when I can," Hermione said, placing a hand over the pendant around Ginny's neck.

"No, Hermione, I am staying with you."

"She's right, Gin, you need to leave. Please," Ron said.

"I don't want to leave you, Hermione. Please, I want to stay with you," Ginny begged.

"No, I'm sorry Ginny but you have to leave." Hermione kissed her.

"You better come back to me alive, both of you." Ginny looked at Ron. She turned and ran away.

Ginny ran through the corridors to the Great Hall. She had no intention of leaving Hogwarts, she was going to find McGonagall and tell her that she was fighting. In the Great Hall not only did she find McGonagall but the entire Order of the Phoenix and several students. She ran to her mother and hugged her tight. Percy and Charlie were there as well.

"Ginny, dear, you need to leave immediately. I don't want anything happening…What's this?" Molly lifted Ginny's left hand.

"Engagement ring. I'll tell you later. I am going absolutely nowhere, I am going to stay here and fight with all of you."

"Ginny, your mother is right, you really ought to…" Arthur was cut off by the doors of the Great Hall bursting open. Death Eaters began casting spells left and right.

"REDUCTO!" Ginny shouted, aiming her wand at one of the Death Eaters. The figure flew back and hit the wall, she cast the spell repeatedly at others in between shield charms. She dueled with several Death Eaters alongside her classmates and family members. She didn't allow herself to get distracted when she saw them fall but continued casting spells until a loud screeching sound reverberated through the Great Hall. The Death Eaters dispersed quickly. Shortly thereafter, Hermione, Ron and Harry came running in.

Over the next hour the bodies of those who had sacrificed themselves were lined up in the Great Hall. Harry had run away after finding out about Lupin and Tonks but Hermione convinced everyone not to look for him; Ron collapsed when he found out about Fred. Hermione filled everyone in about what had happened over the passed few hours. They detailed them on the fire in the Room of Requirement, sneaking to the Shrieking Shack, watching Snape die and Voldemort's threat. Ginny sat with her entire family by Fred's body. Hermione approached Ginny from behind and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I…I don't know what to say, Ginny. I...we...owe Fred so much; if it weren't for him and George we may not be where we are right now."

Ginny sobbed, Hermione wrapped her arms around Ginny's waist. Ginny turned to her and cried into her shoulder. Someone shouted across the room that they saw people approaching the castle. Everyone ran out of the Great Hall and to the grounds. They saw Harry, lifeless in Hagrid's arms. Hermione and Ginny held on to each other and both cried as they saw Harry placed on the ground.

"You all thought you could defeat me?" Voldemort roared. "Longbottom! Where is he?"

A Death Eater dragged Neville forward and he stood face to face with Voldemort.

"How are your parents, Neville?"

Neville was silent until a jet of red shot out of Voldemort's wand and hit the boy in the chest. Neville screamed in agony. Hermione held Ginny back until there was a rumble from the Forbidden Forest. Centaurs came stampeding out and arrows were coming in from all directions. Spells started flying from Resistance members and Death Eaters. Ginny and Hermione were separated.

After petrifying several more Death Eaters and taking a punch to the jaw from Alecto Carrow, Ginny looked up and saw none other than Bellatrix Lestrange staring at her. Ginny wiped away the blood that was seeping from her split lip and raised her wand, Bellatrix did the same.

"You'll pay for what you did to Hermione!" Ginny screamed.

"So it is true! Blood-traitor and Mudblood falling in love. Too bad you'll never know how it turns out!" Bellatrix laughed.

Everything around Ginny slowed down. She saw her mother running towards her. She turned her head and saw Hermione running at her from the other direction.

"AVADA…" Bellatrix aimed her wand at the young redhead.

"Not my daughter, you bitch!!"

Ginny felt herself get knocked to the ground, she looked around to find the culprit, a silvery blue otter patronus lingered above her for a split second then vanished. A jet of green passed over her, it would have hit her in the chest had she still been standing.

"Sectumsempra!" Hermione screamed as she slid to the spot where Ginny had been standing, flourishing her wand at Bellatrix.

The intensity of the spell Hermione cast knocked her onto the ground next to Ginny. Bellatrix flew back onto the ground, soaked in blood and lifeless. Both girls got back up quickly. Voldemort took a shot at Hermione but the combination of Ginny's shield charm and Harry "coming back to life" was enough to distract the Dark Lord and make his spell miss its target. The dueling stopped. Everyone watched as Voldemort and Harry circled each other.

Ginny and Hermione stood side by side. Ginny's left hand found Hermione's right and their fingers intertwined. Finally, Voldemort raised his wand.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd as Voldemort fell to the ground. Ginny turned to Hermione and pulled her into an intense kiss. They were interrupted by Ron pulling on Hermione's arm and motioning to Harry running away. Ginny nodded and Hermione ran after Harry.

Ginny joined the rest of her family back in the Great Hall. She sat down on one of the benches and played with the ring on her finger. She took in all of the sights around her. She watched as her parents grieved over the loss of their son. Neville and Luna walked around conjuring blankets to cover the deceased. McGonagall paced back and forth, Madam Pomfrey tended to the injured.

Her gaze was obstructed when Hermione came in and knelt down in front of her.

"It's over, love," Hermione said, cupping Ginny's face in her hands.

"Things won't ever be the same," Ginny said softly as she looked over at her parents.

"No, they won't," said Hermione, "but we'll adjust. And I am going to be here for you every step of the way."

"So many people, Hermione…so many of our classmates. Lupin and Tonks. Fred. Fred…my brother…I don't know if I can deal with all of this," Ginny said. Hermione got up and sat down on the bench next to her. She and Ginny held on to each other as Ginny cried.

I hope you're not disappointed by the lack of detail and stuff but like I said in the very beginning, I'm not going to re-write what has already been written. Does that make sense? It made sense in my head...Anyways sorry if you hate the chapter but I hope you keep reading anyways =)