Author's Note: Once again, none of this is mine. Also, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed for doing so. I'll acknowledge at the end :D

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II

Hope at the Burrow?

"Harry!" said a distant, familiar voice, "Wake up, mate!"

Harry mumbled as the world drew ever closer. He'd managed to sleepily force out a "Bugger off, Dudley," before he realised that the voice was that of Ron Weasley.

He bolted upright. "Bloody...!" Harry began. He glanced at the clock: 08:37. "How long've you been here?"

"Well, it's about time," Ron said, "After twenty minutes I'd figured I'd just as well give up."

"Let's get going," Harry started as he got out of bed. He'd packed all of his things the previous evening and sent Hedwig ahead to the Burrow. "I'll just wear these pajamas and change when we get there, I guess..."

"Sure thing," Ron agreed, and turned to Harry's things. After waving his wand and muttering something, all of Harry's luggage quickly shrunk to a pocketable size. Harry looked slightly surprised; apparently Ron'd been paying attention in Charms.

"That's bloody useful," he muttered, grabbing his things, "Let's go."

Ron glanced around at the room's shoddiness. "Too right you," he said, and grabbed ahold of Harry, and with a turn and a crack! appeared in his room at the Burrow.

Harry took his things out of his pocket and placed them on the bed. Ron, with a wave of his wand and an incantation, returned them to their normal size. "I'm going to let Mum know you're here," Ron mentioned as he left the room, "You might as well get dressed."

Harry opened his trunk and collected some clothes, saying "Alright, catch you up later." Once he'd finished dressing, he sat on his pre-set bunk. He wondered if Ginny was awake yet. He wanted to talk to her, desperately. He thought about what he might say to her, and as he did, his stomach growled at him impatiently. "Alright," he said to himself and went downstairs into the kitchen.

A moment later Harry found himself being squeezed to death. He'd be worried if this were anyone other than Mrs. Weasley, but he figured he was in good, bone-crunching, care.

"Oh Harry!" Mrs. Weasley said happily as she let go of him, "It's so good to see you! And safely away from those horrible people in Little Whinging!"

Harry simply smiled and nodded his thanks. He had other things--beautiful and auburn-haired--on his mind. He took a seat next to Ron at the breakfast table. It appeared as though no one else were awake. Harry grabbed some fruit out of the bowl and began to peel it. He wondered how Ron felt about his and Ginny's split, not knowing what she may have said to him, and decided that until he could work things out with Ginny that he'd do his best to not mention it. "Where's Hermione?" he finally asked.

"Oh, she's still with her parents," Ron replied, "They wanted to see her a bit longer before she went off galavanting 'round the country, or something."

Harry thought about Ron and Hermione's behaviour at Dumbledore's funeral. He wondered, "You two an item?" Oops. Harry winced slightly as he realised this was out loud. Ron seemed unphased.

"Yeah," he replied cooly, "essentially." His tone changed, "And my sister?"

Harry frowned. Evidently Ginny had spoken to Ron about her feelings, and avoiding it was useless now. He knew what his answer was, that he had amazing feelings for her, that he might likely love her. But how would Ron react if he came up with that, only several days after he'd told Ginny "we're living someone else's life?"

"I dunno," Harry said detachedly. What the bloody hell was that? Ron's face screwed up into what Harry thought was bemuddlement, a frown, and a scowl at the same time. Ron shook his head.

"Well, mate," he began as he stood up, "I do hope you figure something out. For your sake."

Harry frowned again. He was good at that these days. But what had Ron meant by 'for your own sake?' Ron'd been half-way up the stairs when he said "'Morning Ginny." Harry perked up. There she was, his vision of beauty. Clad in what appeared to be night shorts and a very baggy tee-shirt, in strode Ginny Weasley to the kitchen. Harry was about to say something when he noticed that she hadn't even looked at him. She went about her business, pouring a glass of milk, even reaching past him to grab a banana, and left the room. Harry sat there, staring.

"Good morning, Mum," he heard Ginny say to her mother, in a rather blank tone, after she turned the corner into the living room.

"Oh, hullo Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley replied happily, "You know, Ron just arrived with Harry a few minutes ago." Harry smiled softly when he heard this.

"Lovely weather, isn't it?" Ginny half-asked her mother in the same, colourless tone. Harry's smile immediately inverted. Could it be that...no. He pushed it from his mind. Something else must've happened. Perhaps she'd begun her period. Yes, that was the answer that satisfied him...slightly.

"Why yes, the weather is lovely," Mrs. Weasley mentioned from the other room, "Hermione ought to be here later today. Good day for some two-on-two Quidditch, no?" Harry thought that Mrs. Weasley might be on his side. After all, it'd been Quidditch that brought them together in the first place.

"Not in the mood for flying lately," Ginny retorted and quickly turned the corner and went back up the stairs, her face expressionless.

Harry's head slumped forward onto an orange on the table, causing it to split from the sides. "For Merlin's sake, Harry!" He was mentally kicking himself. It was as though his very presence was a foot-in-mouth experience. He obviously miscalculated this when he broke up with her. What had made him think she was willing to sit around at the Burrow or Hogwarts or where ever it may be, and wait for him? Noble cause indeed. He sighed deeply as he stood up, cleaned up his mess, and headed for Ron's bedroom.

Harry had collected his toothbrush and made his way toward the bathroom. He tried to open the door. Locked. He frowned and turned to walk away when a voice on the other side asked "Hold on, who is it?" He stopped in midstep when he heard this. It was Ginny.

"I-I-" he stammered, "Sorry...it's Harry."

A soft grunt came from the other side of the door and a bang that sounded like she'd just slammed the cabinet door closed. He felt defeated and took that as a "Get the bloody hell away."

Ron had witnessed this and was standing in his doorway, unamused. "You know," he started, "she's been like this all week. You being here just seems to've worsened it." Harry's frown deepened. This was Hell. He and Ron entered his room and sat on Ron's bed.

"You know, Ron," Harry began, "I've not been here fifteen minutes and I feel quite as if I've been hit with a mental Cruciatus Curse."

"You royally messed her up, mate," Ron said quietly and patted Harry on the back, though slightly harder than solely out of comfort, "Give her some time. Good news is that she's softened up a bit as the week's gone on." Harry looked pleased by this, so Ron was sure to add, "Although, like I said, your being here's made her about ten times worse." Harry's pleased expression died instantly. Ron stood up, patted Harry's back again, and then left him to sit.

"Damn," Harry said. He sat forward and rested his face in his hands. This was obviously going to be a lot harder than he originally thought. "What's worth having is worth working hard for," Harry thought, and he knew he'd have to work hard. Ever since Dumbledore's funeral he'd felt empty, as if his very soul had a chunk missing. He was certain that this chunk was Ginny.

"I've got to make every minute count," he said into his hands. He imagined Ginny's beautiful face, smiling at him. Would he ever see that again? He decided that if he worked damned hard enough, he would. After all, she was definitely worth it.

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Author's Note: Well there you have it, the second chapter. I greatly appreciate all of the reviews I've recieved since the first chapter was published. I'm really glad you all bothered to read it.

tvchick87: Thanks for the encouragement, I really appreciate that you couldn't wait to see what would happen.

digitalMuse: Thanks. I hope that where I take this pleases you, and everyone else.

RainDateChick: Thanks a lot! Also, I'm usually up pretty late at night, so I hope to be adding a chapter daily, provided I can think.

Washdup, deathroses, MSparrow29, and 5CANDALOUS: Thanks a whole lot! I'm glad you're all eager for me to update. I hope I don't let anyone down.

Well, that's it for me for tonight. Stay tuned and I'll try to have chapter three up in twenty-four hours.

-Walz