Author's Note: It's been way too long, but I wrestled with myself over how to write the HarryGinny scene in this chapter – I hope it lives up to expectations. My only excuse is muse abandonment and homework for not updating sooner. But not that I've hit another plot twist, I've got chapter five already forming in my head, so hang in there.

And since responses to authors are apparently not allowed anymore (and I don't want this removed for that reason) if you want a response leave your email in a review and I'll reply. All right, since it has been so long, the last bit of chapter three for your recap convenience below. Enjoy.

Recap:

Tattered and worn black robes, an unshaven face that looked to be about forty years old, short light brown hair - and unforgettable green eyes.

My breath hitched in my chest.

"Harry?" My voice barely audible.


My first reaction was to give in to that whirling feeling that had clouded my head in those few seconds of recognizing Harry. I decided against it.

Harry - green eyes my only anchor to his true appearance - seemed just as shocked as I when he saw me. And suddenly Tonks' funny look she gave me before made sense: Harry had probably used the same spell, the only thing that couldn't be changed was the color of my eyes, and Harry's.

I turned around and peered through the shop window, Tonks was still searching for the charms we needed. Turning back around, Harry was still rooted to the same spot, an unreadable look on his face. I didn't know what to do - what could I do? Harry had told me in his letter that he loved me - for the second time now - and had said that I couldn't get involved in what he was doing. For my own protection? Then what was he doing in Knockturn. What were the odds of him coming here the same time that Tonks and I had been given our assignment.

I stopped.

When did anything ever go with the odds?

Coming out of his stupor, Harry walked over to me, took a hold of my elbow forcing me to stand. Without meeting my gaze he walked briskly, I following, and into a shadowed alleyway between two shops across the street. His hold on my arm was not comfortable, and I wondered only for a moment why he was treating me this way. We were in Knockturn. He probably didn't want to draw attention to us.

Letting go of my arm, Harry stepped between the opening of the alley and me, blocking me from view of the street.

Just his simple touch made me want to give in to my charade of having "moved on".

"What are you doing here?" His voice was deeper, demanding, no doubt due to the fact of his change in appearance. It wasn't the voice I remembered.

Doing my best to slow my racing thoughts, I said, "What are you doing here?" My tone defensive.

Our first kiss surfaced in my memories, that day clear in my mind as the present.

Harry's face - his changed on anyway - softened a little bit. "Just answer my questions. It's important. Now, what are you doing here?" He asked again.

He wasn't going to leave me any time to ask him about how he was doing. I hoped for a moment that his tone of voice, his way talking to me now, was just a facade so he wouldn't have to deal with the bigger issues that concerned the two of us. I hoped, but then his words in that letter came back to be. He left to protect me, why was I so ready to disregard that and put his life in more danger?

He wasn't going to, so neither would I.

"Assignment from the Order. Tonks is with me," I said, my voice sounding hollow even to my own ears.

I wanted so to have green eyes look back at me again, seeing me beneath my mask.

The faint trace of doubt flickered in Harry's gaze as he continued to study me. "Tonks is here?" He rephrased my answer. Did he seem confused? Before I could register the expression, it disappeared, and I felt another tug in my chest.

The pull at my heart, and my head, just from being this close to Harry was already consuming my mind. Another three minutes and my mask would crumble. I knew it, and I couldn't let Harry see it. Voldemort was still alive, which meant Harry's life was devoted to destroying him alone.

"Yes, she's here. Look, I know how dangerous Knockturn is at the moment and I'm sure Tonks has gotten what she needs by now. I need to get back so she doesn't expect the worse." I was proud of my level tone, in a stomach-sickening sort of way. It wasn't control, it was running. Running from Harry.

And he seemed to know it too. Damn him.

Harry's expression changed from grim to questioning, as if he didn't trust me to tell the truth. After a moment he nodded, "Hedwig should be bringing by another letter in a few days." And with that he turned and left the alleyway, disappearing as he turned down the street, out of sight.

How long had it been since I last seen him?

It took at least a minimum of five minutes for me to settle my emotions again, not to mention control the shaking that had invaded my hands. Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself that I seeing Harry today was chance - at least I thought it was - and that any more than what had gone on would put both of us in danger. Danger that could be avoided if I could forget how many times I wished I could kiss him just once again. Danger that could be avoided if I could forget that I loved Harry, and only saw him as my brother's best friend.

That would never happen, the one thing I was sure of at that moment.


Tonks, as I had suspected, had thought something happened to me.

"Where were you?" She asked, her dark eyes scanning the alley around me as if to catch anything that might be out of place.

I debated with myself whether or not I should tell her that I saw Harry, and then I remembered that if Hermione sent a letter to the Order, she might mention that Harry had run into me. But would he tell Ron and Hermione? I didn't know. I didn't know anything! I hated the feeling of being hopeless. The assignment to go to Knockturn, I thought, would make me feel like I was doing something useful.

But I wasn't. I wasn't ever doing anything.

Unbidden, I felt my throat tighten with emotion, tears fighting their way to the surface. I swallowed, forbidding them to come through and spoke, deciding against lying.

"Nothing happened, Tonks, I'm all right." Okay, that was a lie. "Harry was here, I think he used the same charm as us..." at least that was the truth.

I had been expecting an expression of...relief? Surprise? Maybe annoyance at Harry being so reckless? No, that's not what I saw. I knew that the metamorphmagus wasn't any good at hiding her emotions, one thing we did not have in common I hoped.

Tonks' smile formed almost immediately, her eyes brightening.

At first, I wanted to join in, as hard as it was to see him again and not be able to kiss him, I was grateful that I was able to just see him. But then, I felt confusion. Why was Tonks smiling? Then annoyance.

"Why are you smiling? Do you think it's funny?" I whispered in a tone harsh enough for Tonks' smile to disappear.

She shook her head and then met my gaze again. "I'm sorry Ginny, it isn't that," Tonks said.

I raised an eyebrow, my energy already drained from my encounter with Harry. "Then what is it?" I demanded. It was easier acting annoyed and angry then collapsing my mask.

She was definitely not good at hiding her emotions. "It's like nothing," she lied, "Come on, we should leave before the charm wears off," she finished, whispering.

What?

"What?" I echoed my thoughts. "Are you telling me you could sprout your neon green hair back at any moment?" I asked, output.

Tonks led me by the arm, walking at an almost jog up Knockturn Alley, pushing past a few dark wizards in her way. A few "What yourself" and grunts were heard along the way. I remained silent, choosing not to speak after seeing that Tonks was set on leaving the alley immediately, and already bumping into people that could most likely hex us the way to Timbuktu.

Only when we were on Diagon Alley again, under the overhang of an abandoned shop did she let go of my arm.

"Yes, the charm wears off," she answered my question. "The anima charm can't be controlled like a hex or curse can, trade off of suppressing your true appearance." Tonks explained the function of the charm she used on the both of us to me.

That still didn't settle me any. "How long does it usually last-" I had begun to ask, but a whir of red hair encompassed my vision on both sides. "Bloody hair," I muttered to the brilliant shade that had been handed down to me, the legacy of any Weasley.

"Quite accurate," Tonks grinned, and a second later her dark brown hair was replaced with neon green spikes.

"Let's get back to the Burrow," Tonks said, resuming her walk at a slower pace up Diagon Alley. I followed, wondering if Harry had been able to get out of Knockturn or wherever he went before his charm wore off.


After Tonks and I got back from Knockturn, we surprisingly found Fred, George, Charlie and Bill sitting at the table. Expression all around the table were grim, though Fred and George seemed…I couldn't name it, but they seemed different than Bill and Charlie, their expressions, I mean. Tonks muttered a hello and then headed up the stairs, probably to send the charms off to Kingsley. She cast a shrug at me, not knowing why all four of them were there either.

"Sit down, Ginny," Charlie began, pulling out a chair next to him. Fred and George were seated across from him, Bill at the head of the table.

I wondered why all four of them were there as I took a seat, searching their expressions for any clues or indications. Nothing. They must have inherited that ability from the Weasley line as well.

Charlie exchanged glances with Bill, not saying anything. I looked from Fred to George, who seemed to be trying their hardest to remain indifferent. What was wrong with them? After a few moments of silence Bill pulled out a folded letter and slid it across the table to me.

Unfolding it slowly, I looked between my four brothers again before finally reading the scribbled handwriting.

B.,

Your sister was in K.A. today, apparently with T. Just making sure they got back safely. She said K. gave them an assignment.

H.

Pain was the first feeling: couldn't Harry even write my name? He had to use pronouns...Your sister. Then it turned into anger. He didn't think Tonks and I could handle one assignment in Knockturn? I wasn't an inept witch, and Harry should've known that! What right did he have to inform my brothers of my whereabouts when he was the one that had–

Remember the pang? In the heart? I felt another one, sharper than before. I forced myself to finish my thought.

...When he was the one that had abandoned me.

When I looked up again, I knew that I had let my expression change with my feelings. Fred and George eased up slightly, showing empathy now mixed with something else. But Bill and Charlie's remained like stone.

Forcing my emotions to slow, I wrangled them and set my expression to one of a shrug. "Kingsley gave us the assignment, and we got back fine," I said, somewhat defensively.

George spoke first. "Gin, we're not trying to corner you, honest. But..." he trailed off.

"But what?" I demanded, annoyance growing.

"After we got the letter we contacted Kingsley...there was no assignment," Fred finished for his twin.

I did feel my mouth open in confusion, all other emotions fleeing. This made no sense. "There had to be. Tonks said..."

I stopped. Right there. Everything that had happened, all that I'd seen that day, slowly coming together to form the puzzle. The anima charm. Meeting Harry. Tonks' smile. And now, Fred and George's expressions: it was guilt.

Dropping the letter, I stood from my seat in the chair, pushing it back several feet in the process. I didn't wait for my brothers' reaction, but ran up the stairs. I found her, in the one guest room we had.

"Tonks!" I yelled.