A/N: Same as before. I hope it doesn't seem like it's going too slow..but don't worry...we'll find out some stuff about Draco within the next two chapters...um I mean... no? Thank you my dear reviewer Alexandria J. Malfoy!... (I heart reviews, but if you don't want to leave one...I guess it's okay :big sad face:)

P.S. - Sorry about the delay, I just got my wisdom teeth pulled out. I've been sort of just laying around and stuff...I wasn't exactly in any state of mind to write something comprehendible. This one's kinda long though...I hope it makes up!

Disclaimer: You know the drill.

Finding Hope Again

Chapter Three: If Only Life Was a Walk in the Park

Ginny kept running until she had managed to come across her alley and her box. She was finally away from him, away from Maggie, and away from a life she couldn't return to. The silence was almost eerie. The voice in her head made occasional comments, but she ignored them. She had ran so hard that she was actually somewhat warm for once. Sweat gathered on her brow and she used her dirty shirt sleeve to wipe it away. She decided that Maggie had already stopped by here or had not yet arrived, but seeing as she was safe for now, Ginny decided to give her sore feet and legs a well-deserved rest.

She ducked inside her box and flipped it over so it could cover her whole body. Being in this position reminded her of a time back at the Burrow when she and her brothers would play hide-and-seek, a muggle game her father taught them.

It was a warm June night in the Burrow, and a four-year-old Ginny Weasley was playing a nice muggle game of hide-and-seek with her brothers Ron, Fred, and George after a hearty dinner. Ron was 'It' and was almost finished counting to fifty while Ginny struggled to find a good hiding place. Fred and George were well-hid and had been so for a good deal of the fifty seconds they had before Ron was to come find them. She silently crept past her counting brother.

"THIRTY-FIVE...THIRTY-SEVEN...oh fiddlesticks, I mean, uh, THIRTY-SIX..." Ron screamed at the top of his lungs, slightly stumbling over his counting. His high-pitched five-year-old voice was on the edge of giving his tired mother a head ache, but she did not complain one bit.

Rushing, Ginny climbed the stairs up to her room. Realizing that hiding under her bed would be too obvious, she walked out of her room and climbed up a small stairway that led to the attic. She pushed on the somewhat small entryway, causing the door to creak slightly. She walked in, sneaking quietly across the loose floorboards that were bound to creak. She looked around her and found that she could hide behind a dusty old chair. She walked over to her new hiding place, but was shocked to see that Fred was already there.

"Go away Gin, this is my hiding spot! " he whispered harshly.

Downtrodden, she walked out of the attic, making as much noise as she could in hopes that Ron would notice someone was hiding in the attic. She walked back to her room, and could faintly hear Ron counting.

"FORTY-SEVEN.." Ron paused momentarily. "Hey mum, what comes after forty-seven?" She giggled at her brother's difficulty counting. Even she knew that fifty-two came after forty-seven, or was it seventy-two? Either way, she wasn't counting, nor was she allowed to for that matter. Her brothers said she didn't know enough numbers yet. On the other hand, she thought that she was more competent than her brother Ron by far.

Realizing that he was almost at fifty, she dashed for her parents' room and jumped in the first thing she saw- an empty trunk in front of her parents' large comfy bed. The lid accidently closed from the impact of Ginny's small body squeezing into the somewhat large trunk that smelled like mothballs.

She sat quiet as a doorknob for quite a bit of time, until she realized that it had been so long that Ron probably found Fred or George by now. She quietly giggled at her scheme to get Fred found first. She pushed on the lid of the trunk, but it wouldn't budge. She pushed harder and harder until she realized that she was not going to be able to get out. She let out a scream of anger and fear and cried to herself for a while. When she had finished crying, she found that it was getting difficult to breathe. She began to feel light-headed and dizzy, not to mention she had to use the W.C. very badly.

Meanwhile, a very angry Molly Weasley was scolding her three boys, Ron, Fred, and George, because they had not yet found Ginny and it had been nearly twenty minutes since Ron stopped counting.

"Ronald! " she screamed, "Where is your sister?"

"I don't know mum, she's still hiding," he replied, his voice quivering.

"Oh dear," Molly sighed. "I suppose I'll have to look for her myself."

Molly turned on her heel, leaving the boys to do as they please. She was only four, so it couldn't be that hard to find her. As she walked away, she looked at her special clock for a moment. Her heart sank and her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets when she saw that Ginny's hand was pointing to 'Mortal Peril'.

Immediately, she told the boys to look for Ginny as hard as they could. She pulled out her wand and began muttering spells left and right until she jumped in joy and ran up the stairs to her room. She went to the trunk and muttered a hopeful-sounding "Alohamora" at the lock, not bothering to go get the key. She opened the lid and was delighted to see Ginny.

Ginny looked up, her vision blurry, and smiled as she saw her mother reach down and pick her up from out of the trunk. She had never been so happy to see her mother, she thought as she took a deep breath of fresh air. Snuggling into her mother's arms, Ginny heard her crying.

"I'm sorry mum," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

Molly stared at her daughter and smiled despite the tears in her eyes, confusing Ginny. She hugged Ginny closer to her and then walked back downstairs. She put Ginny on the comfy couch in the living room, and them began to talk to her daughter.

"Oh Ginny dear, my darling baby," her mother cooed before she left. "I'm not crying because I'm sad, I'm crying because I'm so happy that you're O.K." She engulfed Ginny's tiny body in a huge hug, and then left to go make a nice cup of hot chocolate for her darling Ginny.

Reluctantly out of her reverie, Ginny immersed herself in the reality of her current situation. Her eyes stung as she held back the tears that the memory caused her, though she couldn't say that she disliked it. In fact, it almost brought a smile to her face. She missed her mother, her brothers, and everyone that was now gone. She briefly wondered if anyone still around missed her. She wondered if Draco was still alive, and if he was, if he still loved her. As soon as the thoughts came, they went away, much to Ginny's pleasure. She didn't need to be bothered with depressing thoughts at the moment.

Concentrating on what she was doing in the box, she realized that the side had a small rip from wear, just barely letting light inside her hiding spot, so she took it to her advantage and peeked out. The alley seemed empty, as usual. More snow had melted, making the dirt path muddy and wet. The occasional car sped by on the street perpendicular to the alley, but that was nothing to be alarmed about. She thought everything was going to be okay until she heard the click-clack of Maggie's purple stiletto boots echoing throughout the empty alley walls.

"Ginny? Where are you, lass?" She called out. Ginny's heartbeat raced and her breathing quickened. She tried to stay quiet and immobile while Maggie searched for her. Maggie saw a nearby box similar to Ginny's and looked inside, but found no one to her dismay. She continued looking behind trash cans and in other boxes.

"Ginny? Are you here?" She looked in another box. "I need to ask you something, Ginny. Please come out! " Ginny could sense the exasperation in Maggie's voice. Ginny stayed there, denying Maggie's numerous requests to show herself. She suddenly didn't like this Maggie lady, but she was somehow drawn to her, and curiosity would eventually get the best of Ginny if Maggie did not find her or leave soon.

"Oh, fine. I don't want to result to this, but I guess I'll have to." Maggie reached into her left boot and pulled out something long and mahogany colored. Ginny gasped as she realized it was a wand, or at least it greatly resembled one. Maggie muttered something that sounded like a spell, but Ginny wasn't sure. After a few minutes, a puff of purple smoke appeared in the form of an X. They way it all had happened slightly resembled how a Patronus worked.

"Oh blast it," Maggie said in a very agitated voice, "there's a blocking charm on the girl. Who would put a blocking charm on her? She's just a muggle." Maggie kicked the slush on the ground angrily as Ginny watched, completely mesmerized and in awe. Maggie, giving one last look around the alley, began pacing back and forth.

At this, Ginny was shaking with fear. What if this lady was a Death Eater? Ginny could not believe what she was witnessing. After all this time, she thought she was the only witch left. She didn't even think the Wizarding World still existed, but apparently magic was still alive.

Maggie took off her purple duster and laid it down on top of Ginny's box. She rolled up her sleeves and held her wand out.

"I guess it's time to do some heavy magic," she muttered to herself.

Ginny desperately tried to see if there was a mark on Maggie's left arm, hoping that she would catch a glimpse. Even if the Mark wasn't there, Ginny knew she still wouldn't come out of her hiding. She remembered the charms the Death Eaters created to hide the Mark in public. As if Maggie heard Ginny thinking, she raised her left arm to brush some wayward hair out of her face. It was unmarred, unblemished, and perfectly white.

Forgetting everything she had just thought, and out of happiness, Ginny threw the box off of her and jumped on Maggie, embracing her in a hug. Besides, Ginny figured if Maggie was a Death Eater then maybe she would be reunited with Draco, if he was still alive that is. Maggie was taken by complete surprise and thought that she was being attacked by some random muggle who had seen this little magic show. Once Ginny got down, a very flustered Maggie desperately tried to hide her wand, but Ginny told her otherwise.

"No, don'tཀ" She shouted.

"Well, you've already seen it. I guess there isn't much use now," Maggie shrugged. "I never was good at memory spells anyways." Maggie stared at Ginny with a helpless look. Ginny's face was plastered with a smile. She hadn't seen a witch or wizard in the longest time. She was positively glowing with joy.

"What are you so happy about?" A curious and slightly upset Maggie questioned the strangely happy Ginny. Maggie's frown deepened. This situation was even beginning to frighten Maggie herself, and she had been the one who had started the whole thing.

Ginny, still smiling, reached in the sleeve on her left arm with her right hand. She pulled out two pieces of a broken wand. She frowned slightly at the sight, but held it out for Maggie to see nonetheless.

"Oh my," gasped Maggie. "Now, where did you get a hold of a thing like that?"

"I'm a witch," Ginny replied, slightly stumbling over the words that flowed from her mouth. She had renounced practicing magic to herself, but she couldn't deny what she was. It was something she had to learn to be proud of again, but it didn't help that her wand had been broken for about a year. It was an accident really, how she broke it that is. One day it slipped out of her sleeve and she stepped on it while trying to hide it from the muggles on the street.

"Are you really?" Maggie asked, her eyes as big as saucers. Ginny scanned Maggie's expression, noticing that even though Maggie seemed surprised, she still wore a smirk that said otherwise.

"Yes. It's a long story, but if you want to hear I'll tell you later," Ginny replied..

"Well, this is certainly interesting. I never would have imagined." At saying that, Maggie's eyes sparkled. "I usually can sense magic, but I never sensed it around you."

"Well, there are a lot of protecting charms on me."

"Oh, really? Who put them on you?"

"I don't really want to talk about him. Maybe later." Ginny's smile suddenly turned into a deep frown. Draco put the charms on her the second day they lived together, so she would be able to live her life without worrying about Death Eaters trying to attack her. He made sure that they would be able to last forever, or until Ginny took them off herself because she was the only one who could take them off herself.

"Yes, later indeed." Maggie paused. "Now, I have a favor to ask you. You see, there's this boy who misses his long-lost love. She kind of looked like you, but -" she was cut-off.

"It is me. I was his girlfriend," Ginny whispered. "But, you see, I don't love him. I love someone else who I need to find."

"Are you sure? He seemed pretty depressed over your absence, which I take it has something to do with the Final War. This makes more sense now I suppose."

"Yes, you're right. I don't love him like that anymore, Maggie. I love someone else."

"He was good at singing, you must admit," said Maggie, abruptly changing the subject.

"Yes, he was."

"Don't you want to see him once more?"

"Not really."

"Just to tell him you're still alive?"

"That's alright, Maggie."

"To ease his aching mind? He seemed so pained, Ginny. Just for closure." Maggie stared at her intensely, her eyes beckoning Ginny to give in and go see Matthew.

Ginny gave her a wary glance. "I'm sure he needs it," said Maggie in a very sing-song voice, something Ginny had never heard before. She kept thinking about it and eventually gave in to Maggie's pleading eyes.

"Fine. Let's go." Ginny began to head back to the park.

"Wait just a second there," Maggie grabbed Ginny's arm, "we need to clean you up. "

"I suppose you're right." Ginny was silent for a moment. "How could I have survived this long? I barely eat anything, and what I do eat can't even be considered food. I haven't had a shower in over a month, unless you count the numerous slush storms I tried to take advantage of, but I don't recommend that. Maggie, what am I going to do? I must look a mess." Ginny ranted and rambled about her awful appearance. Though she complained rather childishly, every bit was true, and not exaggerated. Maggie knew this and immediately pitied the girl. Here she had lived such a wonderful life, and she had seen Ginny everyday for the past year, but had not helped her.

Well, she helped her in some ways. Occasionally she would put a loaf of bread and some cheese next to Ginny's box before Ginny woke up in the morning, but not nearly enough to live on. However, miraculously, Ginny had lived.

"Ginny, don't worry," said Maggie as she wiped away the tears that flew down Ginny's face. "I'm a witch remember. I know you are too, but my wand is in good shape."

Ginny smiled slightly. But it was replaced with a grimace. "Maggie? Do you really think that magic will help me?"

"I'll try my best."

"O.K."

Maggie then started muttering spells at full speed. Ginny then noticed how dirty she had been.

Her hair was so greasy that it hung limply and was matted down, clinging to her head. Her shirt looked like a puke green and had dirt and grass stains all over, even though it had been a very light blue originally. Her jeans that were worn, ripped, and faded, not to mention one would not even be able to tell they were jeans, for their nice dark blue color was hidden by all the dirt and grime they had accumulated. The thin duster she was wearing had holes and rips on it. Some kind of mold was beginning to form inside the left pocket, and the right one had been ripped off. Ginny's under garments were not even worth mentioning as they had practically unraveled into nothing. Looking at her clothes, Maggie wondered how she could have survived the harsh winter. This girl was especially lucky.

After whispering a few more spells and transfiguring nearby objects into articles of clothing, Ginny's whole outfit changed drastically. Her once disgusting shirt had turned into a nice warm green sweater. Her once grimy jeans were restored to a pair of clean light blue jeans that slightly clung to Ginny's skin-and-bone figure. Ginny felt much better and more confident when she realized that she was wearing new, or at least mended under garments. Her ripped and worn duster transformed into a very warm and good-quality charcoal pea coat. A nice grey wool winter hat appeared over her now clean long red hair, and matching gloves appeared on her small cold hands.

While lowering her gaze to conjure shoes on Ginny's feet, she noticed that the poor girl's toes had a very bad case of frostbite. Tapping into her Mediwitch skills, Maggie said a fairly easy spell that immediately cured all of Ginny's frostbite and rejuvenated the once infected parts of Ginny's body. Then, Maggie figured that a nice pair of nearly knee-length black boots were appropriate, so she tried her best to form them.

Ginny's skin was the grandest improvement. Before Maggie had cleaned it, it was almost permanently tinted a dirt color, but not as dark. Her freckles weren't even visible through the filth that coated her face. It was amazing that people didn't stare. She was completely filthy. In the midst of it all, Ginny had indeed sprouted a small bout of acne, but considering Maggie was a Mediwitch before the war, she cleared it in a jiffy.

Once Maggie declared Ginny clean, they rushed to the park. Ginny wanted to see how she looked, but Maggie said that it would have to wait because the band would be packing up by now, and Maggie didn't want to miss Matthew. Running, Maggie had to put an enforcement charm on her heels to make sure they wouldn't break. Stilettos weren't made for running.

They reached the park a whole ten minutes late, but Ginny's old flame was still vigilantly waiting. The band members had packed up about twenty minutes ago and were currently drinking hot cocoa at the café across the street. Thinking of the hot cocoa made Ginny hungry which upset her because she had just blocked the hunger feeling away earlier. Things were too important to worry about being hungry, she deducted, and tried to put on a strong front. She looked over to the gazebo and saw him, sitting there with a guitar, making up random tunes that were bound to turn into beautiful songs one day. The slightly familiar image swept her away into the memory of the day she first met him.

The partially-cloudy August day could not have been anymore boring than it already was. Ginny had been home from Hogwarts for a while now, and she decided that about now would be the best time to go back. At least it would only be a few weeks until she did though because the boredom was really getting to her. She looked forward to her sixteenth birthday on the eleventh, but it was still a good ten days away. Harry and Hermione would come and visit in a week if they were able to, but other than that there was nothing to really look forward to. Times were troubled and safety was top-priority, especially for Harry Potter.

She wandered down the dirt path, kicking stones occasionally. She let her mind wander as to what the next year would be like. She knew she was quite popular at Hogwarts, but she had a weird feeling inside that she wouldn't find someone she could love during the coming year. She had already dated Michael Corner during her fourth year, Dean Thomas during her fifth year, and then at the end of her fifth year she and Harry gave it a whirl. That didn't work out of course, and they broke up during Dumbledore's funeral. She understood though, Harry had bigger problems to deal with, and she could just make things harder. They would never get back together though, and she knew for he had told her in a letter he sent her in late June. Things were just too difficult.

As she strolled down the path, she was shaken from her thoughts when she heard someone, most likely a rowdy boy, screaming at her to get out of the way. Shocked, she looked up from the rock she was staring at on the ground and jumped to her left just in time to see a group of about three teenage boys zoom past her on bicycles. After they seemed to be gone, she sat down on a large log near the bridge over the Otter River and stared at the sky, trying to get lost in her thoughts again.

While thinking about her classes, she heard the familiar sound of a bike coming her way. She didn't bother to look until she felt someone tap her shoulder. She looked up, slightly surprised, to see a boy with a grin on his face and a helmet in his hand waving at her.

"Hey," he started, slightly out-of-breath, "I'm sorry about before. My friends and I were having a bike race, and we didn't want to run you over." He chuckled lightly, waiting for her response.

"Oh," Ginny said, unsure of how to respond, "okay." There was an awkward silence as they stared at each other. He was a very attractive boy, and she seemed to almost fall into his gorgeous eyes.

"Do you mind if I sit down?" he said, motioning to the log she was sitting on.

"Go for it," she replied with a bright smile. He sat down and looked as though he was going to talk, but every time he started, he closed his mouth. Ginny raised her eyebrow slightly and smiled in amusement. She decided to take matters in her own hands.

"I'm Ginny," she said brightly while extending her arm. "What's your name?"

"My name's Matthew, but you can call me Matt for short." She watched him as he tried talking again, but failed. She was about to say something, but finally, he spoke up. "I'm new to this part of Ottery St. Catchpole. My family just moved in July."

"That's interesting," Ginny said. She had never seen this boy at Hogwarts, so she wasn't sure if he was magical or not. He did just move here, so maybe he would transfer schools. Ginny pondered his magical possibilities and a comfortable silence ensued.

"Do you like pancakes?" he asked, with hope in his eyes. Ginny was slightly befuddled by his random question and was not sure what to say.

"Who doesn't?"

"Well, I was thinking about making some back home, so if you would like to join me in my pancake escapade, I would be thoroughly grateful."

"I would love to, but why would you be so grateful?"

"Well, who wouldn't be thankful if they had such a beautiful girl in their prescence?"

And with that last line, he had Ginny. She was always one who'd melt for anyone who could talk their way into her heart. She was a sucker for sweet talkers, one might say. They made their way back to his flat, only a few houses beyond the bridge, and ate sweet chocolate chip pancakes while Matthew would occasionally play guitar. A week later, they began their relationship that was put on pause for Ginny's school year. Surprisingly, Matthew attended a boarding school also, making the transition something truly inevitable. The next summer they immediately began their relationship again, as if they had never taken a break.

He looked just as she remembered him, but had a more defined jaw-line and chiseled cheek-bones. His brown hair looked as though he hadn't even brushed it, but it's shagginess and messiness worked for him. It was slightly mussed more than usual from the winter wind, and it seemed a bit longer than she had last remembered. She couldn't blame him for growing his hair a little though, it gave him a very sexy edge. His skin was slightly tanned since the last she saw him. His hands were calloused and strong-looking. Ginny remembered when those hands would massage her back over the summer when she felt stressed about her NEWTS and the events going on in the Wizarding World, even though she told him it was a problem in the family she didn't want to discuss.

"Hello lad!" she shouted in attempt to get his attention.

He first looked up and saw Maggie - purple and all.

"Thank you, Mag-" he stopped mid-sentence. He had seen Ginny.

"Hello Matthew," Ginny solemnly whispered. She was immediately engulfed in a hug by him. He pulled away and looked into her eyes.

She felt nothing that she used to feel when he hugged her. She felt sorry for wishing that it was Draco's embrace, not Matthew's. He looked at her and stared into her eyes, and she felt nothing. He was just another person to her, but she cared for him. For the first time since she ran, she had cared for another human being. One couldn't blame her for caring though, especially because of what she saw in him.

He had the saddest brown eyes. They were full of love, but she saw right past that - into the hurt and pain that he experienced while she was gone. He spoke. A low, hurt, yet wonderful voice.

"Where have you been?" He asked, his voice strained. Ginny could tell he was holding back tears.

Seeing as this was the best place to intervene, Maggie handed Ginny a slip of paper. "Here, Ginny. I'll leave you two to talk." Maggie walked away and left Ginny to fend for herself.

"Matt," she paused for a moment, "it's a long story."

"I don't mind. I've been dying to live this day since the moment I realized you were gone, Ginny." He looked her dead on in the eye, but she couldn't bear being under his gaze.

"It's cold out here," she replied, avoiding his gaze as much as she could.

"That's O.K."

"No, Matt, I don't think you're getting my point. It's a long story, and I don't want to tell it out in the cold." A smile played on her lips. She still couldn't believe that she was seeing someone from so long ago in her past. She wondered if he would noticed how much she's changed.

"Well then how about we go into the diner. I'll buy you something to eat." He grabbed her hand and smiled one of those goofy boyish smiles that used to melt her heart before.

"Matt, you don't have to do that." Ginny then muttered to herself, "not after what I'm going to tell you."

"What was that last part?"

"You may hear something you don't want to. You don't have to buy me anything." She let go of his hand and stared at the ground. She hated breaking hearts. It was something she was always put on the spot to do though. It was as if once boys got a taste of her, they could never let her go. She was the one who usually ended the relationships, and it wasn't something she was proud of.

"Well, I feel as though I have to. I mean, no offense, but you look like you're all skin and bones!"

Ginny did have to admit that not eating healthily did take a toll on her body. Well, it was more-so the not eating at all part that had given her the appearance she had. Her shoulder blades were visible through her shirt when she would move in a special way, and her stomach had slightly sunken in. Her chest had become relatively flat, and her period had stopped. She was thankful for that though, there was no way to care for it because she did not have the magic or the funds for supplies. In addition to all of this, her face thinned, giving her a colder appearance than the warm glowing one she portrayed before.

She shrugged and allowed him to lead her into the diner and order her something to eat. When they had finished eating and were enjoying a nice warm cup of hot chocolate, Ginny decided to tell Matt a non-magic version of the story. She told him that her family had been murdered and the house was set on fire. She was kidnaped and when she was finally free, she had lived on the street. She had no one to go to, and just by chance she had made friends with Maggie. She even managed to squeeze a few tears out to make it more believeable.

"Oh, my Ginny!" exclaimed Matt, shocked. "I had no idea."

"I know Matt, and there's something else I have to tell you."

"O.K., shoot." He grabbed her hand in a sign of support.

Ginny pulled her hand away, took a deep breath, and let it go slowly before beginning. "Well, when I was kidnaped, there was another boy my age there too. He had also been taken. It was some kind of plot to hurt many different families. Well, we were together for quite a while and we escaped together. But they got him back."

"What are you trying to say, Gin?" She cringed at the nick name that Draco, not Matthew, had used to call her.

"Well, you see," she whispered in a barely audible voice, "I love him. With all my heart." A few tears slipped down her flushed cheeks.

Matthew looked crestfallen. His eyes darkened to a almost black color. "I've been looking for you for the longest time, and you've been getting it on with some guy you met while you were kidnaped," his voice quivered in a low, almost dangerous tone. "Did you ever even thing of me? Did you think about what we had?" He knew that he was bound to hurt her feelings with his words, but suddenly he didn't care. The pain he was in, that she was putting him through, was worse than anything he had experience before. He didn't know why he loved her so much, and he didn't know why he looked for her so desperately, but he did.

"No, Matt. I love him. Please try to understand." Ginny was now crying freely. She did not want things to work out this way.

"Oh really? And how was I supposed to know? Huh? You escaped from your kidnapers and went on with life thinking about your lover guy who is probably off with some other girl right now. Do you even know where he is?" The look in Matthew's eyes was deadly, and struck fear into Ginny's body. She didn't know what would happen, nor did she want to find out.

"Matt, please, just let me explain." Ginny was desperate now.

"Fine. You explain and I will listen. Tell me." There was no sympathy in his eyes. All Ginny saw was pain and anger, and she had caused it all.

"I really was kidnaped, Matt," she cringed at the lie, but she had to do it. "But I fell in love with him. I really am still in love with him. I've been living on the streets for so long, but I spent so much time with him. I'm sorry, but my welfare came before you. Could you just understand that?"

"You love him?" He knew the answer, but just couldn't believe it.

"Yes. With all of my heart."

"Do you know where he is?"

"No. They found him and took him again."

"What about me?" He wanted her back so badly, and now that she was so close, he could barely resist kissing her with all of the pent-up passion he held inside.

"Matt, it's hard to say. I care about you, but I'm not in love with you."

"So you love me like a brother?"

"I guess. In that sense..."She was unsure of how she felt about him altogether, but it was the closest thing as to how she felt towards him at the moment.

"This will take some time for me to get used to."

"I'll bet."

"I want to be your friend though."

"I want to be yours too."

There was a comfortable silence around them as they finished their drink.

"Do you have anywhere to stay?" Matt asked.

"No, I've been living in an alley, actually," Ginny blushed.

"Well, you could stay in my apartment with me if you'd like." It hurt him to know that she hadn't been living in conditions that everyone needs. He wondered how she had survived on the streets for so long.

"No I think I'll be O.K. for now." But deep inside, she knew that she had to find shelter. It seemed as though the winter would last forever. But she didn't trust Matt like she used to. It had been about four years since she last saw him, and frankly, she didn't trust him enough yet. She was even puzzled by the fact that he still had such strong feelings for her. What they had was not something that would have lasted forever. The look in his eyes she saw before didn't help her trust him anyways. It was filled with such a pure form of pain and anger.

"Well," Matt gave her a skeptical look, "here's my address if you ever need a place to stay." He have her a card that looked remarkably like a business card and Ginny took it.

Yet thoughts ran through her head. 'Does he keep these handy and give any girl these cards?' 'Why does he have a business card for his address.'

Her thoughts must have appeared on her face because Matt knew what she was thinking "I'm trying to get my band somewhere, and, well, you never know when you're gonna need to give it to a record producer."

"Oh, well good luck with that," Ginny said in attempt to give some sense of happiness towards him.

He paid the bill for the meal, as he said he would, and he and his band finished packing up and left. Ginny sat there for a while and contemplated what she would do next. She decided she would leave and shoved her hands into her pockets. Then, she noticed the letter that Maggie left her while she was with Matthew.

She walked a ways away from the diner and pushed her back up against a brick wall. Taking a deep breath, she unfolded the letter .

It read:

Dear Ginny,

I know you've been living on the streets for quite some time, so I decided that you could board with me. My penthouse has more than enough room.

Also, I have many things to tell you. And I am sure that you have plenty to tell me.

Here's my address:

7 Brooke Road

London, England

Kind James Flats

I know you know where this is. Across from your alley there is a bakery store, and next to the store is the building.

Sincerely,

Maggie W.

Deciding this was the best place to stay tonight, she set out on the somewhat long walk ahead. She knew that it was across form her alley and did not need the explanation from the note, but it was dark and she couldn't see very well. She cautiously followed the way back to her alley, and decided that she would continue her way to Maggie's from there. She kept walking with her head bowed, staring at the ground.

Thinking back on the small meeting with her ex from so long ago, she remembered how the sadness and anger in his eyes were unbearable to witness. She had never seen him so angry before, even though she had angered him accidentally in the past, like the one time she forgot their anniversary. It was only a month, and she hadn't paid so much attention to it. Also, once she was an hour late to his house because she and her family were at Diagon Alley for longer than expected. He was upset, but she didn't see the anger burning in his eyes as she had just witnessed. She figured that he had just changed over time and the search got to him, making his emotions stronger.

Ginny had approached her alley and was walking through it comfortably when she tripped over her box. She cursed slightly at herself. She should have known it was there for she knew this alley like the back of her own hand, but it had probably been thrown to the center of the alley when Maggie was looking for Ginny. She was almost at the end of the alley, almost directly across from the bakery that stood next to King James Flats, when she was sharply and roughly grabbed from behind and shoved up against a wall.

Her head smacked the brick wall with a thud, but the figure holding her there showed no sympathy to her whimpers. The figure adjusted so that it hand a firm grip on her waist and held her against the wall with his body. The figure was dressed all in black and was masked, so she could not figure out who had attacked her, but from feeling the person's physique, she was sure it was a man. Fear coursed through her body. She attempted to wriggle free, but her attacker would not let go.

"Oh Ginny," whispered the masked figure in a low voice that sounded almost familiar. "You have no idea what you've done to me." He chuckled almost evily.

Before she could protest to what the man attacking her was insinuating she her him muttering silently. Suddenly, she felt an immense pain on the right side of her head. She tried to struggle against his strong hold, but it was useless. She felt as though she couldn't stand upright, and became almost limp while she stood. She screamed out for help with the last energy she had before she slipped into a black darkness.