Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter. Wish I did.

A/N: Wow. It's been a while since I uploaded. But then again it's been a while since I vacuumed too and I'm not sure which one is more important. Real life really stinks sometimes, but it does pay the bills and keep the pups and the kneazle in kibble. Anyway, for some reason I struggled with this chapter, it's more of a transition than anything else, and I've got the rest of the story mapped out (except the ending, I'm kind of waffling on how to wrap it up) so hopefully updates will be a bit more forthcoming. Thanks to everyone who read, and those who reviewed. It's nice to know you are enjoing it.

Chapter 3

It was technically early morning when they made their way back to the Burrow. Bill and Fleur had long since departed, and the last stragglers of guests were winding their way through the front garden gate. Ginny, who was expecting another lecture from her mother on not wandering off, was surprised when she was sent up to bed with nothing more than a kiss on the cheek and a warning that they had a lot of work ahead of them in the morning clearing up. Apparently, it wasn't so much the wandering off, as it was the company she kept in her wanderings, and Harry was apparently sufficient protection for her in her mother's eyes.

The next morning dawned early and bright. Before any other member of the family had risen, Ginny was already hard at work in the kitchen, helping her mother with the mounds of dishes that still littered the house. The wedding had gone off without a hitch, but now that the tension that had accompanied the preparations was over, a deeper, darker anxiety seemed to permeate the household. They all knew that Harry, Ron and Hermione would be leaving soon on their quest for the horcruxes, and eventually to confront Voldemort himself. Ginny had known it was coming, but had, like her mother, tried everything she could think of to put it from her mind. Now that the last of the wedding distractions were over, she couldn't help but dwell on it.

Ginny had finished with the dishes and was helping her mother get breakfast on the table before the other members of the household started stirring. Harry raised an eyebrow at her as he sat bleary-eyed at the table, "You're up early."

"I couldn't sleep." She grinned. "Mainly because Mum was knocking on my door telling me to get up." She slid a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him. "She wanted me to help her finish cleaning up."

"Thanks." he said, indicating the plate in front of her. "Can you sit for a minute?" He patted the bench next to him with the hand that wasn't currently reaching for his fork.

"Yeah, give me a second to get the rest of this." She grabbed orange juice and toast and set them on the table before getting her own plate of food and sitting next to him.

Harry looked around at the rest of the table's occupants. Hermione was talking with Mr. Weasley and Ron still looked half asleep. Mrs. Weasley was still standing at the stove, and no one was paying any attention to them at all. "I've got something for you." He set his fork down and dug in his pocket for a moment. "I'm not going to be able to write you, it just won't be safe, for us or for you. I wish I could, but I can't risk more than an occasional letter with no actual information in it."

"I understand." She took a large gulp of her juice. "Really, I do. I can't lie and tell you that it doesn't scare me, not knowing if you lot are okay or not."

"I've actually thought about that. Do you remember our old DA coins?" She nodded. "Well I thought we could use that idea again." He held up his hand, with what appeared to be a Galleon with a hole in the middle dangling from his fist on a fine gold chain looped though the hole. "I used the protean charm on this one, and another one that I'm carrying. Obviously, I can't put much info on here, but I should be able to change the numbers around the outside at least once a day and it'll get warm, then you'll at least know we're okay."

She looked up from the Galleon that was swinging gently at the end of its chain directly into his eyes. All of a sudden a lump formed in her throat making it hard for her to speak. "Thank you." He dipped his head, breaking their eye contact.

"It's nothing." He seemed embarrassed, but held the chain out.

"No, it's not. It's a brilliant idea and at least gives me a little peace of mind." She leaned forward and allowed him to slip it over her head, lifting her hair over the chain. "It's just hard to imagine you all being gone." .

Harry couldn't resist running his hand down the mane of curls that hung thickly to her waist. He had almost forgotten just how soft her hair was, but with a single touch, the memory reasserted itself. "I'm going to miss you."

Afternoon found Ginny leaning against the doorframe of her brother's attic room, watching him fumble around under his bed looking for socks. A half-full knapsack sat on his desk. Hermione sat smugly on top of the bed, her bag having already been packed for two days.

A dusty Ron emerged from under his bed, muttering to himself. "Okay, so there's my socks. I think I'm done packing." Hermione let out a disbelieving little sound. Ron looked slightly offended as he stood and tucked the socks into his bag. "I've got jeans, a couple of T-shirts and jumpers, a couple of robes. Extra trainers. Toothbrush and the like. What else do I need?" He looked down at her.

"A winter cloak for starters. And don't forget your gloves, hat and scarf." Hermione started ticking items off on her fingers.

"It's August! What do I need a winter cloak for?" Ron looked incredulous.

"It's going to be getting cold before too long. It's not like we're going to be back in a week Ron." Her voice started getting louder.

"And what all did you pack?"

"About the same as you for clothes. Plus my winter cloak." This was said rather pointedly. "Ink, quills and parchment for taking notes. An atlas."

"A what?"

"A book of maps. To help us figure out where we are going."

"A book. Why am I not surprised. How many books did you pack?"

The argument got going in earnest now, and Ginny tuned them out as she moved from the doorway to the window, where Harry sat on the sill, stroking Hedwig, who sat on his arm.

"Are you sure you want to take the two of them along?" She pulled Ron's desk chair over and sat on it. "Being stuck listening to the two of them argue constantly could drive you absolutely mad."

"Naw, I'm used to it by now." She raised an eyebrow and he laughed. "Okay, so I've just gotten really good at tuning them out. Plus, I'm of age now and I know a really good silencing charm."

"I think you'll get a lot of practice at that one." She grinned wickedly and dropped her voice so only he could hear her. "Personally, I wish they'd just snog each other and get it over with. Maybe if they find some other use for their mouths, then they'd quit arguing all the time."

Harry let out a bark of laughter. "You and me both." He cleared his throat nervously. "I have a favour to ask of you."

"What is it?"

"I was wondering if you could keep Hedwig for me."

"You're not taking her with you?"

"I would love to, but she draws so much attention. There are so few snowy owls around that she's really kind of obvious at times, and most people know she belongs to me." His eyes drifted from Ginny to the owl as she shifted from his arm to the sill next to him. "I'd hate to think of her being attacked, or somehow followed and bringing attention to us. So we're taking Pig. He's not as conspicuous."

Ginny gave a quick glance at the tiny owl who was perched on the top of the wardrobe shredding a Daily Prophet. "He's not as well behaved either."

"True." Harry grinned at Pigwidgeon's antics before turning back to Ginny. "So you don't mind keeping her?"

"Of course not. She's not going to be happy, but then again, neither will I. I suppose we can keep each other company. Crookshanks too."

Harry was surprised. "You're keeping Crookshanks? I thought Hermione was going to leave him with her parents."

"No, he's staying here. I'm not sure why, she just asked and I told her as long as he doesn't eat Arnold, I'll be more than happy to keep him."

"It's going to be quite the zoo around here."

"You aren't kidding. And you don't even know the worst of it."

"The worst of it?"

"Fang."

"Hagrid's Fang?"

"How many Fang's do you know?" She laughed. "Of course it's Hagrid's Fang. He asked me last night. Apparently he's going off somewhere on some mission for Professor Lupin where he can't take Fang with him. He said that normally he'd leave him at Hogwarts, but with the fire in the cabin and everything, he asked if we could keep him here. I told him yes, so here I am, Ginny Weasley, petminder extraordinare." Her voice was harsh and she turned away from him.

"Don't sound like that. What you're doing is important." He shifted to sit on Ron's desk, just a scant few inches away from her. "I know you wish you could go with us, but don't put down what you are doing. I can't speak for Hermione or Hagrid, but I know that I appreciate knowing that I won't have to worry about Hedwig while I'm gone."

"I just wish I could do more."

He moved his hand to rub reassuringly up and down her arm. "I know you do."

They were quiet for a moment, then Ginny spoke. "Promise me you'll be careful?"

"I'll do my best."

She smiled. "You always do."

Ginny opened her eyes, instantly awake. She noticed the small wrapped box sitting on her bedside table at the same time she heard the quiet footsteps heading in the direction of her door. She swore she could still feel the warmth of his hand where it must have ghosted over her cheek. Her bedroom door closed with a nearly imperceptible click and she let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. She suddenly realized what the appearance of her birthday present in her room two days before her birthday meant. They were leaving. The thin gray light fighting its way through the window told her just how very early in the morning it was, and she couldn't blame them for trying to sneak out early, before the rest of the family awoke. Before they had to deal with a nearly hysterical with worry Mrs. Weasley. Before the sad, but resigned looks of Mr. Weasley and slightly envious looks of the twins could watch them over another breakfast table, her brother, one of her best friends, and the boy that she now knew without a doubt that she loved were leaving without a proper goodbye. Without a single thought, she propelled herself out of bed, and grabbed her dressing gown as she headed for the doorway herself.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were almost to the front gate when the heard the door to the Burrow open and shut. Ginny was flying down the front steps, her flaming curls streaming behind her along with her hastily donned dressing gown that she hadn't bothered to tie. Her feet were bare and her pale legs gleamed in the weak morning light under the hem of her nightgown. Harry turned and met her halfway across the front garden, where she flung herself into his arms. "I couldn't let you leave without telling you goodbye."

"We thought it would be easier to leave without all the fuss with your parents and all."

"I know. But then I woke up and knew you were leaving, and this might be the last chance I get to tell you this." And with that, she wrapped her arms around his neck, whispered in his ear, "I love you" and drug his unresisting head down until their lips met.