Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series. But I must tell you that I had very fun time on the bus ride home from a marching band contest. I was sitting between my cousin and his friend and … well lets just say neither of them really have any idea of personal space. Lol I had fun though.

Wow, look at that! I've gotten another chapter out! This one is of at least decently long length. I hope you all forgive me for the sadness of the last chapter. But hey, am I good with endings of what?! lol.

Anyway, I want to thank every one of you who reviewed and especially those of you who comforted me about my cousin. It means the world to me that you guys care about me, not just my story. But hey, the story is important too! lol.

Now, I will no longer keep you from this oh so amazing chapter!

Chapter 18

Ginny POV

The next few months passed in a blur of depression. School was wrapped up quickly, the parents not wanting their kids in Hogwarts now that Dumbledore was dead and the Death Eaters knew a way in. I spent most of my time locked up in the girls' dormitory. Only when McGonagall temporarily took the spell of the stairs to the girls' dormitory to let Ron come up to me did I leave my solitude. That day stood out in my memory of the blurry months of depression.

I heard a tentative knock on the door. I just rolled over, making sure my drapes were complexly closed. My pillow was slightly damp from my tears, but I didn't care. I had been crying almost nonstop for the past week and a half, only when I sank into an exhausted sleep did they stop. I heard the slight noise of the door opening and I just cried harder. I didn't want to talk to people right now. I just wanted to cry. What I really wanted was to be in Draco's arms again, under our tree by the lake.

I choked out a sob at that thought. I had been trying to repress thoughts about Draco since that fated day. He never really cared for me, I could see that now. He was just using me for whatever reason. Blaise was wrong. Draco didn't like me, he was a Death Eater. But still I cried because I didn't want to believe it. How could he have just been acting all that time?

The drapes on my bed opened, letting the dim light reach me. "Gin?" I was started out of my thoughts when I heard Ron's voice.

I just buried my face under my covers and cried. "Go away," I managed to gasp out quietly between sobs.

"Ginny," I heard him say softly as he sat down on my bed. I could feel his weight by my stomach. "Come on. Please talk to me. You've been up here for nearly two weeks. We all grieve differently but if you just come out, it will help." He paused and put his hand on my back, gently rubbing it until my sobs quieted. "Were all worried about you Gin. Please come down. You're wasting away up here."

I slowly rolled over, his hand falling off my back. I pushed the blankets down a bit and sat up. I looked at my brother, concern was etched into ever feature of his face. He smiled gently at me and pulled me into a hug.

He pulled back and looked at me. "You look like hell, Ginny," he said with a weak laugh, trying to lighten the mood. "Come on, it's almost dinner time. You need to eat something." He stood up and held out his hand to me.

I nodded slowly, took his hand, and stood up. I was in my pajamas that I had been in for quite a while. I didn't care what I looked like though. Ron walked over bedside table and picked up a ponytail holder. He handed it to me and I mechanically pulled my hair up into a ponytail. "Thanks," I said in small voice rough from crying for so long.

When he led me down to the common room I saw the relived looks on the faces of everyone gathered there. I heard the collective sigh of relief from my friends and many others. It was then that I realized how much I had upset everyone. They had been worried about me while I wallowed in self-pity. I vowed then that no matter how much Draco had hurt me, I wouldn't let others suffer because of it.

The following months that summer I wasn't any less depressed but it was only in the solitude of my bedroom at the Burrow did I let myself cry. I couldn't just pretend to be normal again though. Everything I did reminded me, in one way or another, of Draco. But I did my best to relive the worry of my family by trying to pretend to be normal. I was sure I wasn't really fooling anyone, but they didn't know the depths of my grief and depression, that, I vowed, to keep to myself.

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The summer was drawing near close when Bill and Fleur's wedding was to take place. It was the one time that my depression receded slightly. My mum was so hectically busy trying to get everything perfect, making me help her as much as she could, that I had little time to think about anything. It was only at night, finally done for the day and collapsed on my bed, that it suffocated me again. I continued cried myself to sleep nightly.

As the wedding grew closer, my mood lifted slightly more. It was amazing that, even in all of the craziness and fear of the war, there could still be happy moments like this. Just seeing Bill looking so happy whenever he looks at Fleur made me smile. It was nice someone at least got their happy ending.

The morning of the wedding was the happiest I had been since that night Draco had shown his true colors. I was woken by a perky Hermione knocking on my door. "Come on sleepy head!" I heard her call cheerfully from the other side of the door. I groaned and rolled over, trying to fall back into the dreamless sleep I had been in.

But I knew going back to sleep was hopeless. "I'm up," I mumbled loud enough for her to hear. I sighed as I heard her footsteps disappear down the stairs. Slowly pushing off the blanket, I sat up. The sky outside my window was a clear blue with not a cloud in sight. A smile light up my face as I hopped out of bed, unable to stay still for too long.

I skipped over to my dresser, pulling out undergarments. I grabbed my towel off the hook by my door and headed towards the bathroom. I was in luck; I only have to wait a few minutes before Ron came out in nothing but his towel. "Geez Ron, we all know you like Hermione but you don't have to flaunt your stuff to get her to like you back, she already does," I teased lightly as I stepped into the bathroom, my mood euphoric for the fist time in many months.

He blushed a deep red and I just laugh as I shut the door. It sounded like he mumbled something along the lines of, 'I forgot my clothes on my bed,' before he walked away. I just laughed and stripped down. I shivered slightly as I turned on the water, hoping that I would have enough hot water. When I got in, the water was steamy and I sighed happily.

I was out within minutes, not wanting to push my luck with the hot water. I dried off quickly and pulled my undergarments and wrapped my towel tightly around myself. I turned toward the mirror, wiping off the fog, and brushed my hair quickly. Last, I finally brushed my teeth and, checking my towel again, stepped out of the bathroom.

I shivered when the cool air hit my bare arms and legs as I hurried back towards my room. "Hey Harry," I said happily when I passed him on his way to the bathroom. He merely gawked at me. I rolled my eyes and told him that I had underclothes on under my towel.

"Sorry, just not used to seeing you in only a towel," he said with a weak laugh as I rolled my eyes and joined his laugh. Our laugher seemed to feed itself till we were both gasping for breath, clutching at our sides. I wasn't sure what was so funny, but it sure felt good to laugh.

I sighed happily as out laugher died down. "Well, I better go before Mum hexes me into next week for not being ready on time. Have fun looking like my cousin," I laughed happily again and he rolled his eyes.

"Oh yes, so fun being a short red head," he replied, patting my head pointedly.

"Hey I'm not that short," I said, putting my hands on my hips defiantly, smile still on my face.

He tried to hold back his laugh, unsuccessfully of course, as he said, "Go get dressed short stuff." I threw a mock glare at him as he pushed me towards my room.

"See you in a bit Harry," I said as I shut the door behind myself. I went over to my closet, grabbing the golden dress from the hook on the inside of the door. I lifted it up, making sure that it didn't drag the floor, and hurried off to Mum and Dad's Room where Mum and Gabrielle were waiting.

"Good, good," Mum said as I closed the door. Gabrielle was already in her bridesmaids dress. "Now, let us get you dressed Ginny." So for the next hour, she dressed me, put more makeup on me than I think I had ever worn before, and fixed mine and Gabrielle's hair into delicate curls that framed our faces beautifully. Finally though, Madame Delacour came and knocked on the door.

"Fleur is ready," she said, smiling brilliantly at us. We all walked out and into the room where Fleur's parents and stayed. Fleur was fully dressed and waiting. She looked stunningly beautiful in her wedding dress, tiara perched on her head.

It wasn't long before Monsieur Delacour came and said everyone was ready. Mum and Madame Delacour left to go out to sit down. "Let us go," Monsieur Delacour said after kissing Fleur on the cheek, his eyes shining.

Gabrielle and I followed Fleur and her father, stopping outside the large tent. Once the music started, Fleur was led in my Monsieur Delacour; the two of us close behind. The tent was full of gasps and sighs as Fleur came in, seeming to brighten the whole assembly.

Monsieur Delacour led Fleur up to the altar and went to sit down. Gabrielle and I stood at Fleur's side. I smiled happily as the tufty-haired wizard started talking in his lilting, song-like voice. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said with a wide grin at the assembly. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two faithful souls…"

I glanced around at the large crowed there to watch my brother and Fleur get married. I grinned happily at Harry who smiled back. I saw Mum pull out a handkerchief and dab at her eyes lightly, Madame Delacour doing the same next to her. I silently laughed to myself. Today was such a happy day.

"Do you, William Arthur, take Fleur Isabelle…?" I heard the preacher begin the ceremony. Unwillingly, my mind wandered as he spoke. It drifted to the thoughts I had been trying to hard to ignore. But I could ignore them no longer. Images of Draco filled my head. I remembered so clearly his face, small smile on playing at his lips as he stroked my hair. That was one of my favorite memories of him, under the tree with my head on his lap. I had been gazing up at his face, him looking down at me while combing his fingers through my hair.

The pictures in my mind drifted again. This time I pictured myself in Fleur's place, Draco in front of me. I wondered if we would have a small, cozy wedding like this. Or would he want a more lavish one for us. Some huge wedding with hundreds of people. It might even be out on the front lawn of his manor, a beautiful sunset in the background.

I shook my head slightly to dispel the images. That would never happen. Draco was a Death Eater. He never loved me, nor would he ever. I tried to concentrate on the preacher as he spoke, fighting back the depression that threaded to overwhelm me more than ever. I put on my most convincing smile, hoping nobody noticed my few minutes of obvious depression.

"… Then I declare you bonded for life," the small wizard concluded, waving his wand over Bill and Fleur's heads, a shower of silver stars falling upon them, spiraling around their now entwined figures. The golden balloons above the crowd burst: Birds of paradise and tiny golden bells few and floated out of them, adding their songs and chimes to the din.

The chairs and walls of the tent diapered, leaving just a beautiful canopy. The dance floor spread like molten gold, making a huge area. Everyone spread out and cleared the dance floor as Bill led Fleur out onto it. A soft, sweet song started to play, seeming to come from the air itself. He pulled her close, her eyes brimming with tears, huge smiles on both of their faces.

After that song, more couples made there way onto the dance floor. I gazed longingly, wishing Draco were here to lead me out there. I wiped away the tears from my eyes before they could fall. Walking over to the tables that were placed around the edges of the canopy, I sank into a chair, staring out at the orchard.

When someone would come to talk to me, I would make small talk, acting as happy as I could. They would leave and I would go back to staring out at the countryside. I wasn't sure how long I sat there. After a while I was startled out of my thoughts, along with everyone else there, as a large sliver thing came falling through the canopy, landing in the middle of the dance floor.

It didn't take long for me to recognize it as a Patronus in the shape of a graceful lynx. It opened its mouth wide and spoke in the loud, slow, deep voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt. "The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."

Well, still sad but hey, it works. Trust me, the drama will keep up but some happiness may find itself into the chapters again soon… Hope you like it! Tell me what you think with that amazing little button down there. Ya, I know you see it. You can't lie to me. You have no reason not to review! Unless of course you're reading this at school or something and if you randomly started typing your teacher would get suspicious as to what you doing… But then you should review when you get home!

Remember, a happy author writes better and faster! So review and make me happy!!!