A/N: Sorry it took so long to update… I had to read the new book and now I'm trying to incorporate all of the things that we have learned. Do you guys really think Sirius is dead? Well I don't. ;)
I spent the next five days in a trance. My partner in our interior design firm, Lavender Brown-Finnegan, noticed immediately and said, "Gin, are you alright?" I regarded her for a second before feeling like I would burst if I didn't reveal my secrets. "Look Lav, I'm about to tell you two things, and you have to swear not to tell anyone," I whispered fiercely, shutting my office door and locking it. Lavender made a motion meaning "cross my heart."
Walking back to my large cherry desk, I sat down in my leather chair and sighed, "First off, I got a letter yesterday… from Harry." She gasped out loud and scurried to sit down in the chair across from me. "He's coming back, Lav, on Monday," I whispered, watching her blue eyes grow round in shock. After a pause, I said, "But, there's more…" I leaned across the desk to whisper quietly to her. "I saw Hermione and my brother kissing in 3W." I waited for her to say what I knew she would say, "So? They're engaged." Smiling, I said, "Yeah, but she's engaged to Ron… not George." After gasping loudly, Lavender screeched out, "NO!" I nodded, laughing. "What are you going to do?" she asked me, leaning forward. I shrugged. "I'm gonna sit back and let the shit hit the fan. She turned her back on me when I needed her the most, so I'm not going to help her out of this sticky situation. If Ron comes to me and asks me flat out if I saw anything, I'm going to tell him, but I'm not going to run to him and be some kind of a bloody snitch." She snickered, leaning back into the seat and propping her feet up on my desk. "He deserves everything he gets," she said, examining her ruby red fingernails. Propping my chin up with my hand, I said, "And I can't wait to watch it all happen from the safety of Harry's arm." Lavender chuckled again and said, "What about Neville?" I glanced down at the ring on my finger and then said, "We'll see what happens on Monday."
On Saturday and Sunday, Neville tried to take me out to dinner, but I claimed I had a migraine headache and wanted to sit in my room alone. In reality, Lavender and I went to Diagon Alley to ship for an outfit for me to wear on Monday. "He loves green, and you look so brilliant in it!" Lavender said, fluffing up my curly, elbow length hair. Turning sideways, I looked at myself in the mirror. "It's sophisticated, yet still the same Ginny he loved," Lavender whispered, taking my hands in hers. "Alright!" I smiled, "Enough! I'll get it just for you!" She laughed, reaching out to hug me.
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I woke up early on Monday morning. My apartment was already flooded with cheerful sunlight as I stumbled to the bathroom to take a hot shower. I shivered uncontrollably as the water cascaded over my body; it had been three years since I had seen the love of my life. How would I explain all the things that had happened? How would he explain where he went? How would I tell him that I was engaged? These questions raced through my mind until coming to a screeching halt at one horrific thought… what if he were engaged? What id he had come back to tell me that he was getting married?
My heart pounded in my chest and I practically hyperventilated while putting on my new set of green robes. How could I have possibly overlooked the fact that Harry could have found someone else? My hands shook so violently that putting makeup on the muggle way was out of the question, even though I always thought it looked better done the muggle way. After performing charms for my makeup and to style my hair, I grabbed my purse and glanced at my clock. 9:20 am. I would be early.
Passing 3W, I looked in to find George alone at the front counter, his long fingers rubbing his tired eyes. Being his sister, however, I saw past the bloodshot eyes that most would have attributed to the long hours working on new products. George was starting to feel guilty, and I could tell. He was developing real feelings for Hermione, and in his mind, his life and the lives of others would be ruined. I shook my head as I continued to walk to the large white gates that held up the "Welcome to Hogsmede" sign. It would be my job as a sister to give him advice, but I was pretty busy with my own problems at that moment.
After glancing down at my muggle watch, I looked up to see a very familiar person walking slowly toward me. Clutching a dozen white roses, Harry Potter in muggle clothes was walking up to me. I hadn't noticed that my whole body was shaking until the sign I was holding onto began to rattle. I glanced down at my watch again. 9:54 am. "You're early," were the first words to stumble out of my mouth, as I smiled shakily. He shook his head, holding out the flowers. "No, Gin, I'm late by about three years," he said, his hand brushing a few stray hairs out of my eyes.
"Don't cry, don't cry," I told myself, my chin quivering. However, as soon as those same green eyes met mine, the dam burst and tears flowed freely down my cheeks. "I hate you, Harry Potter! Why did you leave me?" I yelled, my voice muffled by his chest as he hugged me. "Please don't hate me, I'm in love with you," he whispered, his breath tickling my neck. He slid his hands down my shoulders and took my hands in his while saying. "Gin, I --." He had stopped abruptly when he felt the engagement ring on my finger. "Are—Are you e—en—en…" he whispered, gasping for air. His sad eyes met mine again as I burst into tears once more. "I thought you loved me…" he said, his voice high and strained. "I still do," I sobbed angrily, thinking of what Ron had done to me. "Who is it?" he whispered, clutching me for support. I moaned softly before saying, "Ron made me do it." Harry swallowed hard and tears blurred my vision. "It's Neville, Harry. Neville Longbottom."
To be continued…