Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series. I do however own my laptop witch I used yesterday to watch a video of Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) playing the guitar and singing a love song. It was so adorable I wanted to make out with the screen of my computer! And that British accent… to DIE FOR! You really need to youtube it. I can't remember what it was called though… BUT IT WAS AMAZING!

First and foremost: I know I don't usually do this and I'm sorry to have to say this but … I MADE A MISTAKE! Okay, it's nothing major really but I need to change something and clarify. I went back to chapter 37 and changed the part where I said Luna and her dad came to dinner. I had to change it to Neville and his Gran. I'm trying to follow the books as much as I can on the trio's part while sticking to my own timeline. I hadn't realized that I'd yet to have Luna and them rescued. I think I went back and changed four words tops. Like I said, it's nothing major. Thanks for being understanding of my lack of thought ahead!

Okay, I really wanted to get this chapter out sooner and I've been DEING to write it but I just couldn't write! I hated it. I've had NO TIME. I've been super busy with like 3 essays due over the past two weeks and 2 test and another coming up next week. Oh the joys of college life… On the bright side, I got to sleep in this morning seeing as my English class got canceled. I slept till 11! Well, the thunderstorm would occasionally wake me up with thunder that sounded like gunshots right outside my window but… Hey, I still got more sleep than I would have.

Either way, I put this extra time to use. While I should be studying for my upcoming test, I decided to write a chapter! I'd already gotten a little under half of it written about a week ago. Then I tried writing more and ended up scraping that. Finally, I just started writing and out came this baby! I hope everyone enjoys it.

This chapter was really hard to write mind you. As I wrote the end of the chapter, I was tearing up. It hits close to home for me, and maybe you too. I hope everyone enjoys it!

So, without further ado…

Chapter 38

Ginny POV

I opened my eyes to the familiar clearing surrounded by tall trees that I'd spent much of my childhood playing in. For once though, not even this happy place could make me smile. I sniffled and wiped my wet eyes with the back of my sleeves and flinched. Looking down at my hand I noticed my pinky nail missing. I'd splinched a bit.

That was what made me finally snap out of it. The thought of how much worse it could have been made my stomach drop and my blood drain from my face. I could have killed myself apparating like that. I was lucky it was only a finger nail and not my arm. I shook my head to dispel the thoughts.

So, as I walked silently in the semi-dark back up to the house, my thoughts turned back to Draco. I had to stifle a fresh wave of tears at the thought of what had just transpired. He'd not come back to me. He hadn't shown up that night. What had happened to my Draco?

Trying to push these thoughts aside for the moment too, I silently opened the door. It would do no good if Mum was up early and saw me sneaking in crying in the wee hours of the morning. I dried my face as well as I could as I walked into the kitchen. It was quiet as ever. From a few floors above me I could hear the duet of Fred and George's snores. I sighed in relief.

As I made my way up the stairs I heard someone coming down the stairs from the flight above me. With my heart in my throat, I dashed into the nearest hall closet. The door open only a crack, I watched as a still nightgown clad Mum slowly ambled her way down the stairs. It wasn't until I heard her bustling around in the kitchen did I leave my hiding place.

I nearly flew up the stairs after that. I was back much later than usual. I should have known Mum would be getting up so soon. Just before I reached my bedroom door I felt something brush against my leg. I stifled a scream as, my heart pounding, I looked down to see my cat curling her way around my legs. With a sigh of relief I picked her up and opened my bedroom door.

Once safely inside, I shed my clothes and pulled a nightgown on. Finally, taking Amour into my arms, I curled up on my bed and silently cried my heart out. Amour seemed to sense my need for comfort and curled herself right under my chin, purring softly. I turned my head and buried my face in her furry little back. Slowly the sobs died down and the sleepless night finally caught up with me and I drifted to sleep.

I heard a knock on my door less than an hour later. I woke up enough to see Mum standing in my doorway. "Breakfast is ready, Ginny dear," she said with a smile.

I just groaned and rolled over, burying my face into my pillow. "Not hungry," I mumbled just loud enough for her to hear.

"Alright dear. I'll leave you to sleep," Mum said as she left my room, the door shutting behind her softly. I was back asleep before her footsteps had fully faded away.

I wasn't sure how long I'd slept. When I woke next, the sun was low in the sky. It looked like I'd slept the entire day away. I wondered if everyone had already had dinner. For a second I was disoriented though because it looked more like a sunrise than a sunset. Finally I looked over at my watch that was sitting on my bedside table and looked at the time.

It was 8:50 in the morning. I scratched my head in confusion. Was I really only asleep for three hours? I shook my head, getting slowly out of bed. Amour was nowhere to be seen. As I got dressed for the day, my head filled with thoughts of Draco and what could have happened to him, I noticed again my missing nail. With a sigh I pulled out my wand and quickly regrew it.

Once fully dressed, I made my way to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, I groaned. My hair was a mess and my face blotchy from crying, even in my sleep. After brushing through my hair and a few quick freshening spells, I was ready for the day, or as ready as I could be.

As I made my way down the stairs, I felt like I'd never be able to smile again. I had to fight myself not to cry. I couldn't let Mum know that something was wrong. I didn't want to give anything away. It didn't even occur to me that Mum could read me like an open book. Thankfully she was never one to pry too much.

I walked into the sitting room and looked into the kitchen to see Mum putting away leftovers from breakfast. I could hear Dad outside talking to Fred and George. It sounded like they were saying goodbye. Weird, I thought they weren't going back to their shop till tomorrow. The house was quiet. It seemed that everyone had gone home after breakfast. Two loud cracks sounded as Fred and George disapparated.

"Hey Mum," I said softly as I padded into the kitchen.

"Oh, Ginny dear you're finally awake!" she exclaimed, a warm smile spreading across her round face.

I somehow managed to smile back, though I'm sure it looked fake. "Finally?" I questioned. Wasn't I only asleep for a few hours?

"Yes," she said as she bustled around to fix me a plate for breakfast. "I was going to wake you up soon if you didn't get up on your own," she explained as she magically heated the leftovers up with a flick of her wand. "Normally I don't let any of you children sleep so long but you seemed to need it." She sat a full plate in front of me, reminding me how hungry I was.

I took only a small bite because, even though I could feel the hunger, I didn't have much of an appetite. My stomach was too filled with worry about Draco. Swallowing my bite, I asked, "But it wasn't that long was it? I was only asleep for three hours since you came in wasn't I?"

Mum started laughing then. In answer to the confused look on my face she said, "No dear, that was yesterday morning."

I stopped, nearly dropping my fork full of eggs. "Yesterday?" I asked incredibly.

She nodded before taking another sip of tea. "Yes, you slept for quite a while. Whatever got you so tired?" she asked with a shake of her head.

I sat my fork down, thinking back to Tuesday night. A big part of me wished I could just tell her everything. I wanted to just tell her that I'd been up all night waiting for Draco but he'd never shown up. I wanted to tell her that I'd been so tired because I'd gotten no sleep and cried nearly the entire time. I wanted to tell her about Draco, about the amazing boy he was. I wanted to tell my mum that I was in love.

But I couldn't. Instead I just said, "I'm not sure," as I scooted back from the table. "Thanks for breakfast Mum, but I'm not that hungry." I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and slowly drug myself back up the stairs. It was with a heavy heart that I shut the door to my bedroom and shut out the world.

~!~!~

A few hours later Mum came to get me for lunch. I didn't look up from where I'd be lying for the past several hours. I was curled on my side, a teddy bear I'd had since before I could remember clutched in my arms, staring at the window, silent tears streaming down my face. Luckily my back was to the door.

"Ginny, lunch is ready," she said again, thinking that maybe I'd been asleep. But I was far from being able to sleep.

"Not hungry," I said in a hoarse voice barely above a whisper, not even caring that she could hear the tears in my voice.

I couldn't see, but I could hear her moving towards my bed. I felt the soft, familiar had of my mother stroke the hair from my face, wiping away a few tears. The contact simply made me cry harder. I didn't even try to stop it. "What's wrong, Ginny?" she asked in a worry filled voice.

I couldn't tell her, and that made it worse. But rather than saying anything, I simply shook my head.

"Ginny," she said softly, her hand smoothing my wild hair.

Again I said nothing. What could I say? Finally though, after a few minutes, she kissed my forehead softly and walked out the door, understanding that I needed time alone.

Again I just lay there, the ache in my heart gnawing a hole in my chest. I wished and prayed for sleep where I wouldn't feel the pain but it would not come. I'd slept too much already and my body would not allow it. So there I lay, crying into my teddy bear. I wished more than anything that it was Draco I was holding onto. I wanted his strong arms to wrap around me and tell me everything would be okay.

That wasn't going to happen though. I didn't even know if Draco was alive at this point. But as the sun sunk low in the sky, I heard my door open again. I didn't look to see who it was. I didn't care.

I felt a familiar weight come down on the side of my bed. I felt a pair of strong, loving arms pull me up. I felt myself being pulled against my father's chest. This position, so familiar to me from my childhood, made me start sobbing even more. The comforting embrace of my father's arms was one I'd dearly needed. "Daddy," I whispered as I buried my face in his warm chest.

I don't know how long my father held me while I cried. It felt like forever. Eventually it felt like I'd cried all the tears I had. "I'm scared, Daddy," I whispered after my sobs turned to hiccups. I felt his arms tighten around me and I kept talking, though I knew I shouldn't. "You know how I've been in contact with someone that's telling me when and where the Death Eaters will strike next?"

"Yeah," he answered quietly, his voice softly urging me on.

I was silent for a moment, not sure how to say it. Finally I just whispered, "I'm in love with him, Daddy."

All was quiet for a moment other than my occasional hiccup. I didn't look up to see the look on his face. I was content to stay curled up in my father's lap with my face against the front of his robes. I breathed in deeply, taking in the so familiar smell of him.

"He must be a good man to have won you're heart," he said softly after a moment. "But if you love him, why are you crying?" I felt his strong, calloused hand lifting my chin up. I saw the smile on his face and knew it was okay.

"He didn't show up. He didn't come back to me. I don't know if he's okay," I answered, though I knew he wouldn't know what I was talking about.

"On Tuesday night?" he questioned quietly. I could see a twinkle of a laugh in his eyes as he looked into my confused ones. How did he know about that? "You didn't think I was oblivious to that did you?"

"But how?" I asked the questing dancing in my eyes.

His soft laughter shook me from where I sat on his lap. "Oh Ginny, I heard you apparate the first night you left. You did it so close. You're lucky your mother didn't wake up," he said with a smile, poking my nose like he did when I was young.

I couldn't help the smile that crossed my face. "But after that?" I questioned again.

"Gin, I'm your father. I know everything," he said, kissing my forehead.

I giggled and shook my head. Not everything, I wanted to say. But I didn't. I'd already said too much. My face growing somber once more I told him, "But he didn't show up this time. What if he's dead, Daddy?" I looked up at my father, wishing he could step in and fix it like he'd always done when I was young. But for once, I knew he wouldn't be able to.

He hugged me to him once more. "Everything will be fine," he said as he stroked my hair. I wished I could believe him. But somehow, hearing my father say that, eased the pain a bit. "You're not going to tell me who this young gentleman is, are you?" he asked after a moment.

I shook my head. "I can't," I answered back sadly. I wished I could tell him everything but that would be too much of a risk. If Draco wasn't dead now, he would be if it got out that he was in love with me, a muggle-loving, Weasley blood traitor. "I just can't. I promised that I'd not tell. It would put both of us in danger."

Dad just nodded understandingly. "Well, whoever he is, is okay in my book. If you trust him and love him, Ginny, then I'll trust you. He's a good man, this boy you've fallen for," he stated. If only he knew that 'this boy' he was talking about was Draco Malfoy. "But, he'll never be good enough for you. Nobody's ever going to be good enough for my daughter."

I felt the tears well up at that. "Thank you, Daddy," I whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too, Gin-bug," he said quietly, moving me from his lap and back onto my bed. "Try to get some sleep." With that, he pulled my covers up around me, tucked me in, and lay my teddy next to me, like he used to when I was little. After a quick kiss on the forehead, he strode from my room, shutting of the lights and closing the door. "Goodnight," I heard as the door clicked closed.

And then I slept. My heart felt lighter than it had in a long time, though the worries were still there. Somehow, it all seemed a little less bleak than before. I knew in my heart that, whatever was to come, I'd be able to deal with. I'd be okay.

Okay, so yeah, I don't know what you thought the end of the chapter would be when you read that little bit in the A/N earlier but I hope this was okay. The scene with Ginny and her dad was really touching to me, even as I was writing it. I literally was wiping tears away as I wrote. I listened to the song "Daddy's Hands" by Holly Dunn. If you listen to the song, you can see why it was great inspiration for this.

So, did you enjoy the chapter? I hope it was too much of a disappointment for all of you. I know I said nothing about Draco but… ah well. Now you know how Ginny feels! :D I hope you liked the chapter though.

Okay, so BJ is growing strong and healthy by he can always use more food! He's been kind of hungry over the past month. He's glad to see a new chapter up so you wonderful people can review! Feed BJ!

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