This had become common. Whenever Ginny and Harry fought, she would come visit with Bill. Sirius would almost always be waiting for her in the hallway, leaning on the wall, hands in his pockets, hair in his eyes.

Ginny tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and headed for the stairs, smiling when Sirius fell into step with her. As they walked down the corridor, people glance at them before lowering their heard or scuttling away, terrified. Sirius had been officially pardoned years ago, when it became obvious, even to a dolt like Fudge, that Sirius was not only fighting in the war against Voldemort, but that he was a great asset as well. The story of he pardon had been on the back page of The Daily Prophet, squished between an ad for Quality Quidditch Supplies' New Tail Twig Clipper and a blurb about an American witch who lost a finger to a biting glove, so it was no surprise that most of the Wizarding world was still scared witless by the man.

Ginny and Sirius found the huge sign that read Official Apparation Point for St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries (New, Improved, and Better than Before [We hope.]). Ginny look over her shoulder toward the ward where Bill was and sighed. Sirius dropped an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her reassuringly. "He'll be alright, Gin."

Ginny stuck her lower lip out in a pout and murmured, "How?" before Apparating back to Grimmauld Place.

..........

There was a note Spell-o-Taped to the cloak stand saying that Harry had gone and would get in touch as soon as he could. Ginny chucked her cloak on top of the note and headed for the drawing room, knowing Sirius would follow her after hearing him Apparate in the hall.

Sirius mulled over Ginny's question as they got situated on the couch before answering her. "I'm not sure how. But I know that you and Bill are cut from the same cloth. Strong, determined, passionate." He looked at her through the fringe of bangs in his eyes and smiled softly. "You're fighters, you and Bill. He isn't going to leave his family without a fight, even if Merlin himself was calling him into the Ether. Just like you wouldn't leave Harry," he added.

Ginny swallowed loudly and averted her eyes. "Yeah," she muttered. "Just like me and Harry."

Sirius placed a hand over hers, which were nervously braiding the tassels on a pillow before asking, "What's wrong, love?"

Ginny shrugged and blew a piece of hair out of her eyes. "Harry doesn't get it. I'm distant, he says. Preoccupied," she began. "He doesn't understand. He's so busy being the bloody martyr that he's blind to other peoples' loss.

"I know he lost his parents. So have I, in a way. And one brother, forever. Three more might as well have died..." Her voice was a near whisper as she finished. "I lost part of me, too. My innocence, my adolescence. It was stripped from me. He gave his willingly, playing the hero, running off to save the world. To save me." Ginny was crying now, fighting to maintain a little composure, to keep the sobs at bay. "I wish...I wish he had left me in the Chamber."

Ginny raised her brown eyes to Sirius' grey before laughing quietly and wiping at her tears. "You must think me the biggest bitch for talking about him that way."

Sirius didn't answer her. He was stunned into silence. He knew she hurt, but he wasn't expect this. The hopelessness in her voice nearly brought tears to his eyes. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, gathering his wits about him. "Not at all." He kissed the top of her head softly. "I'm so sorry, Ginny. So sorry."

Ginny sniffed and pulled away from him. "Why? You didn't do anything."

Sirius nodded slowly and looked into her eyes. "No, no I didn't. But," he said, cupping her cheek with his hand, "I couldn't prevent it I couldn't help you."

"It's not your job to protect me, Sirius," she whispered.

"But I want to. I want to help you, Ginny, please." He swallowed roughly and glanced away quickly. Ginny, too, glanced away, before climbing onto his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck, Sirius pulled back slightly, startled. "G-Ginny...What..." he stammered. She looked up at Sirius, her eyes filled with tears, her voice with pain. "Can you just hold me, Sirius? Please?"

He nodded, at a loss for words, and wrapped his arms around her.