Ginny locked herself in the bedroom she shared with Dean. She didn't want any interruptions while she read her mother's letter. She traced her fingers along the envelope. There was nothing written on the outside. Somehow, Ginny was both eager and nervous to read this. Last time she had seen her mother, it didn't end well, thanks to her temper. Her brothers hadn't helped the situation either. Carefully, she opened the envelope and retrieved the letter. She came across Molly's very familiar handwriting and started reading.

Dear Ginny,

I hope this letter finds both you and Dean well. Truth be told, I wanted to write to you for a while now, but I never got the courage. Perhaps I was too scared pushing you away and eventually losing you, like Percy. I'm aware things between us haven't been ideal, but I ought to give this a try.

Fleur is pregnant again! She and Bill casually dropped the news yesterday during dinner. Another little Weasley! Another niece or nephew for you, another grandchild for me. I'm so, so excited about this new baby and I hope you're too.

George's shop has been doing great. Angelina and Percy have been an enormous help for him, even if he doesn't really want to admit it. In fact, business has been so good that they're opening a new shop in Hogsmeade this year! They found another partner to support their project. I haven't been more proud - even though I was reluctant at first about this business, both you and I are aware of that.

Charlie was here up until recently. He mentioned that he went and visited you while you were hospitalized in St. Mungos. He's back to Romania now - he seriously cannot be separated from his dragons, I swear.

Ron and Hermione are doing alright. They're both keeping themselves busy with their careers at the Ministry. Hermione has been trying to promote new legislation regarding house elve's rights and Ron is busy with his auror work, as I'm sure you already know.

Your father and I are doing alright. Work for him hasn't been too hectic. I'm sure Dean has mentioned that their department is the least busy currently.

I hope you're happy with your life, my love. That's the most important thing for me. The same goes for your father and your brothers. We only want what's best for you, what makes you happy. I'm aware that harsh things were exchanged between you and your siblings, but I assure you none of them wanted to impose on you. We all miss you terribly.

We've been thinking a lot about you, Ginny dear. We've been worried, especially with the whole situation… We don't have a lot of input on what's going on, Ron doesn't tell us anything, we don't know if you're safe or not. I've been worried sick, Ginny. I wake up every day and I'm dreading bad news… There are nights I can't sleep. I'm afraid something will happen to you and I will not have the chance to see you again and make things right.

I know how stubborn you can be, but please consider bringing Dean over to the Burrow one day. We'd love to meet him and discuss the details of your wedding, but only when you feel ready for that. I will not pressure you, considering everything that's going on in your life at the moment.

You don't need to answer this letter. Just know that I miss you terribly. No matter what happens, I'm your mother and I will always love you.

Stay safe,

Molly

Ginny's vision became blurry due to the tears. The truth was, she had missed her family greatly, despite what had gone down between them. Not that she liked how her siblings insisted on how marrying Dean was a rushed decision, but at the end of the day they were still her family. She could go as far as to say that she had overreacted just a tiny bit. The war and its scars had made her less tolerant and less patient, that was for sure.

Ginny read the letter again. She knew how Molly could be, but she could sense her words were sincere. She was a mother after all, she was bound to be worried. A part of Ginny craved for the motherly comfort, especially during those hard times, despite her best efforts to convince herself she didn't need her. That was a lie. Ginny had been attacked already three times, with the last attempt sending her to the hospital. She came to realize that the only place she could feel safe at the moment was the Burrow, because that was her home.

She heard the bathroom door opening. Ginny looked down at the letter in her hands then the door. She unlocked the door carefully and came across Dean while he was making his way towards their bedroom as he dried his hair with a towel.

"Hey there." He smiled at her. His eyes averted towards the letter she was holding in her hand. "What's this?" he asked.

"A letter from my mother," Ginny replied. "She wants to visit them at some point."

She waited for his response. She was well aware that he had mixed feelings about the situation with her family. It made him uncomfortable. Therefore, she couldn't predict his reaction to these news. She only hoped he wouldn't take it badly.

"I don't know, Gin." Dean scratched the back of his neck. "Isn't this all too sudden?"

"You're probably right," she admitted. "But mum's probably worried due to the situation. She wants to make sure we're okay."

"I'm still not sure how I feel around your family," Dean insisted. "I think it's just going to be weird."

"Come on, Dean. This is an opportunity to fix things. Besides, it's just going to be my parents. Mum didn't say anything about my brothers."

"This is exactly why I'm worried," Dean pointed out. "Don't get me wrong, it's nice that she worries and that she wants to see us, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. I don't want us getting into a situation with your brothers."

"Alright, then I guess I'll have to go on my own," said Ginny.

Dean looked surprised. "Do you really want to go after everything that happened?"

"Yes, Dean," Ginny deadpanned. "They're still my family. I haven't visited them in months. I won't make you accompany me, but I have to go."

Dean sighed. "Fine then. I guess there's no point in trying to persuade you otherwise if this is what you really want. But remember, you're the one who wanted to avoid them."

Ginny opened her mouth to tell him that she avoided her family for his own sake, but decided against it. She was so tired of fighting that she preferred to let it slide this time. Instead, she just nodded. Dean walked past her and entered their bedroom in order to get dressed. Ginny stood in front of the door for a while, still processing everything. Eventually, she put the letter inside her pocket and went downstairs to prepare dinner.

Throughout the process of cooking for her and Dean, Ginny found herself thinking about when she could drop by at the Burrow. Ideally, she would prefer to visit soon, maybe sometime during the week.

Problem was, they had a match on Saturday against Wimbourne Wasps and Gwenog didn't mess around when it came to championship games. She had to postpone her visit until the next weekend.

When dinner was ready, she called Dean. They ate quietly, although there was undeniable tension between them. Did it really bother him that much that she wanted to visit her parents? Ginny understood his position, but she felt like he was overreacting about this. However, she didn't voice her feelings. It would end up in a fight, and that was the last thing she wanted, especially after a tiring day.

After dinner, Dean went straight to bed, without another word, leaving Ginny entirely annoyed with his behavior. She washed the dishes, but she wasn't ready to go to sleep yet, not until Dean fell asleep. She dropped herself on the couch and read Molly's letter again. She would have to notify the aurors for her plans.

Just the thought of it made Ginny want to scream in exasperation.

She most certainly didn't want to deal with Harry. She just couldn't face him, especially after their last confrontation at St. Mungo's. She didn't regret what she had said, but it didn't make things any less awkward than they already were. Out of all the aurors the Ministry employed, why did it have to be him? She was convinced one of the reasons Dean behaved the way he did was due to Harry's presence, even if he didn't show it. She couldn't understand why her fiancé would be jealous of her ex-boyfriend all of a sudden. They hadn't spoken in five years, since Harry decided to dump her for the 'greater good' and to 'keep her safe'. However, she was nowhere near being safe. What an irony.

And yet his partner was quick to defend him. It only made Ginny huff. Of course Athena Wilson would defend her partner, Harry Potter. It only made sense. Ginny bet there was more than just a professional relationship between them. Not that it was any of her business. She couldn't care less if Harry was sleeping with one of his colleagues. She had other things to be worried about anyway.

Ginny checked on the clock that was pinned on the wall. It was slowly getting late and she couldn't afford not resting enough. Training started early and she had a feeling Gwenog would push them even harder, in correspondence with the upcoming match. She switched off the lights and headed upstairs, hoping that Dean would already be asleep.

~•~•~•~•~

The next day, training was just as demanding as Ginny had anticipated. Gwenog wasn't messing around, and even threatened to keep them longer if she wasn't satisfied with their performance. As much as Ginny would like to talk to Caroline about the situation with Dean, there was simply no time.

However, focusing on her training made her forget about her worries for a little while. She could never get over the feeling of fresh air running through her hair as she flew fast, the feeling of the adrenaline kicking in as she performed a difficult maneuver, the excitement as she dodged a bludger. There was only one reminder of her problems, and that was the auror that looked over their training from the stands. Thankfully, Ginny was too busy to pay too much attention to what was going on in the stands.

Eventually, Gwenog allowed them to have a small break before continuing. Everyone was covered in sweat and their uniforms were dirty, but their captain seemed satisfied with their performance so far. Ginny managed to quickly debrief Caroline about the situation with Dean. The blonde woman looked equally unimpressed with her fiancé.

"Gin, I don't know what to tell you. It's not like I've figured out men myself," Caroline said before taking a long sip of water from her bottle. "They tend to be very childish, that's all I can tell you."

"I figured that out myself." Ginny sighed. "But it's like he doesn't want to solve the problem, based on his reaction. Or at least, he's not ready yet. I don't know, Caroline, I really don't."

"Maybe it's more complicated than that. You did mention he has an issue with Harry…"

"I don't know what his problem is, I'm not a psychic. If he doesn't talk to me, I can't do anything," said Ginny, clearly annoyed and frustrated. "I'm tired trying to figure out what he wants."

"You're right, Ginny." Caroline nodded. "Like you aren't going through enough, you've also have Dean acting like a child, instead of having him support you."

"Right! I'm so done trying to fix things on my own. Maybe it's time he tries too, instead of waiting for me to cover the distance."

"Did he say anything about the wedding?" Caroline asked.

Ginny wasn't sure why that particular question made her that uncomfortable. "Not a single word. We haven't talked about it since our last date. It's like he has forgotten about it or something."

Caroline eyed Ginny carefully. The ginger didn't know what her blonde friend was looking for. A reaction? An expression? Some sort of emotion? Ginny herself sounded too deadpanned, she now realized that.

"Ginny, I know you love him and he probably loves you too, but please do keep in mind that there are plenty of fish in the sea. My parents loved each other dearly, yet in the end, it didn't work out and they had to take a divorce," Caroline said as she placed a hand on Ginny's shoulder. "And I'm not saying this to make you have second thoughts. I just want you to be prepared for whatever is going to happen in the future."

Ginny stared at her. What was Caroline implying here? It was true that her life was kind of a mess at the moment, but losing Dean had always been out of the cards… Until now. He had supported her through her hardest times, made her happy, had her as his first priority, unlike somebody else. And now all of this seemed to crumble below her feet.

"Then what am I supposed to do, Caroline? I don't want to give up," she asked eventually.

"Just give him some time. I'm sure he will come around eventually. And if he doesn't… Well, I'm sure you'll find another way."

"I always try to find another way for his sake. But he always makes it seem like it's my problem alone," Ginny complained. "My relationship with my family, with Harry, the threats... I'm getting tired, Caroline."

"The sooner he realizes these aren't just your problems, the better you'll both be. He just needs some time," Caroline assured. "If you're both willing to make this work, you'll be just fine. I'm sure Dean wants the same things as you."

"You're right… Thanks Caroline." Ginny smiled genuinely. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"You would probably spend your days moping around. I know I'm a national treasure." Caroline winked.

"And also extremely insufferable," Ginny pointed out.

Before Caroline could get a chance to respond, Gwenog called them back on the pitch again to continue training. Despite their excellent performance, she kept them longer than usual, but thankfully not too long. When the training was finally over, everyone was exhausted. Ginny swore she could lean on a wall and fall asleep right there.

Athena was awaiting for Ginny outside the pitch. Ginny had almost missed her as the auror stood under a shadow, created by the slowly dying sun. Her black leather jacket made her blend with the dark environment around her perfectly. Without a word, Athena followed her to the apparition point near the pitch. The tension between them was high. Ginny hadn't forgotten the words they had exchanged while she was hospitalized in St. Mango's. She got the feeling that the auror disliked her a lot, and she could almost say the feeling was mutual.

Athena dropped her off at her house, without bothering to bid her farewell. This was their routine for a while now. The woman wanted to ignore Ginny as much as possible, and the latter was glad she did. Ginny wanted nothing to do with someone who would get out of their way to defend Harry Potter. She had her brothers for that and she was already fed up.

As she made her way towards the house, she took notice of a figure standing near the fence. Ginny stopped for a moment to observe it. It turned out it was just a black cat. It wore a cute red collar around his neck and its yellow eyes glowed. She figured it could be one of Mr Ivanov's countless pets. The cat just stood there, licking its paws, completely untouched by the fact that it probably wasn't supposed to be there. Ginny didn't mind him though. After all, it was very common that Ivanov's cats hung around her yard from time to time. She just smiled and continued her way.

The cat stopped licking its paws and looked at her curiously. Then, it followed Ginny up to her porch, while still maintaining a safe distance. It seemed to be very curious. Ginny had to stop again. The cat meowed loudly.

"What's wrong, buddy?" Ginny asked as she kneeled slowly, letting her bag down. The cat stepped a little back but didn't run away. Ginny's eyes landed on its collar; his name was Pascal. "Well, Pascal, I'm afraid I got nothing to give you to eat."

Pascal wasn't discouraged, however. He looked at Ginny curiously, then came a little closer. She reached out her hand without touching him. Pascal sniffed her fingers before he bumped his little head on her palm. It was very obvious what he wanted. Ginny smiled as she scratched him behind his ears. Pascal purred.

"What? Haven't you been getting enough attention lately?" she jokingly asked him. "Or are you trying to make some new friends?"

Pascal meowed in response. He was certainly enjoying the attention Ginny was giving him. He laid on the ground and let her pet him for a little while. Somehow, Ginny found this very calming and took her mind of things, even for a little while.

"Alright, Pascal, I think it's time for you to go home. Mr Ivanov will be worried," Ginny said to the cat as she stood up. Pascal just laid there, like he didn't even care if his owner got upset because of his absence or not. She just shook her head. She thought he would eventually get bored and would leave. She entered her house, living Pascal on her porch to clear his fur.

As soon as the door closed, Pascal raised his head and looked around. He managed to climb on the nearest window and have a peek inside. Then, he left. He crossed the street and marched towards Mr Ivanov's house. He entered through the small trap door that was installed on the front door of the house. The moment Pascal entered the house, he transformed into a fully grown man.

The man stretched his arms. Being a cat for so long had its toll on his body for sure. He wondered how that Peter Pettigrew guy had managed to remain a rat for twelve whole years. His gaze fell upon Mr Ivanov who laid unconscious on his couch.

"Don't worry, old man. Your neighbor seems to be very fond of your cat." He smirked.

A/N: Happy New Year! May 2021 be filled with happiness and creativity.

This is more of a filler chapter. Updates might be delayed due to my upcoming exams. My apologies for that.

Hope you're staying safe.

~ACG