Author's note: I am so sorry for the long wait – I have had so much to do and to tell you the truth, I had forgotten about this story for a while. I know how bad it is when writers abandon their readers and I feel really guilty when I realise that I have done just that. I have a terrible habit with starting a story, and then having no idea where to go from there. Luckily I do have some idea of where this story is going, although I have a feeling that it will change along the way. The previous chapter was short, I admit, but it was only an introduction. This one isn't as long as I would have liked but it is a start.

Disclaimer: Considering that this is a fanfiction site, I am writing a fanfiction. This means that I don't own any characters, only this particular storyline.

Dedications: I would like to dedicate this fiction to Lochie, my cockatiel, who sat on my shoulder and screeched endlessly whilst I was writing this chapter, as well as demanding strokes and leaving a lovely deposit on page 2.

Chapter Two: A Storm-Tossed World

It wasn't fair – none of it was. Ginny Weasley sighed and slumped back on her bed in the Burrow, the dark howling weather outside perfectly mirroring her mood. A flash of lightning danced across the sky briefly, illuminating the storm-ravaged countryside stretching out for as far as she cared to see. The weather had been steadily getting worse over the past six months, as if nature herself was crying out in defiance at Lord Voldemort's terrorisation of Britain. It was as if the very nature of Wizards and Muggles alike was a storm-tossed boat, gradually drifting away from the ever-fading hopes of humankind, soon to be lost forever in the unforgiving, battering waves.

A copy of the Daily Prophet lay on Ginny's desk, the prominent headline reading: DUMBLEDORE DEAD. A picture underneath this showed Dumbledore's tomb, surrounded by students. Some were crying, others terrified and some just looked shocked. Ginny herself was standing near the front of the crowd, the tears in her eyes glistening. Right underneath was an article about a group of giants finishing their work that they started last summer in Somerset. Three photos were next to it; two showing the ruined cities of Bath and Bristol and the other showing the crater where the primary school of St. Benedict's had once stood. On page 5 there was a list of the many dead in the previous 2 years. It was news like this that had frightened wizards and witches all across the United Kingdom to enter into a state of fear unsurpassed by any previous war, including the last one against Lord Voldemort.

Ginny scowled at the innocent-looking newspaper so full of bad news and promptly set it on fire with her wand. The law against underage magic had been temporarily revoked, meaning that every young spell-caster would not have to attend a hearing to determine if there was a valid, serious and legitimate reason for the offence. In times where people needed to be able to defend themselves frequently and with the Ministry focusing their much-needed attention elsewhere, the law was unnecessary.

The last whole page of the Daily Prophet curled its edges whilst flames licked the sides of it, and Ginny watched as it was consumed. The last thing that she saw was Harry's grief-stricken face at the sight of Dumbledore's tomb before that too was destroyed by the hungry fire.

Finally, a sad-looking pile of ask was left sitting on Ginny's desk and she sat and stared at it for a while. A small tear trickled out of the corner of her eye, slowly winding its way down her face and leaving a shimmering path of sorrow behind it. Dumbledore was dead – she couldn't quite believe it. He had always been there as a symbol of safety, goodness and trust. No-one believed that he would or could go. He was the only person that Voldemort feared. He was the headmaster of Hogwarts. He was the discoverer of the uses of dragon's blood. He was the head of the Order of the Phoenix. He was invincible. He was Dumbledore and now he is gone.

Ginny sniffed angrily, wiping away her tears. It wasn't fair. Life was so short – not even a blink of an eye in the fathomless vortex of time. People existed only for a short time on this earth, but yet their actions during this time would be remembered forever, written down in the insubstantial book of legends. It was a book that Harry was destined for as well.

Harry. It was a rare thing whereby just one word could fill her up inside with so many conflicting emotions and thoughts, all whirling around in her brain and demanding precedence over the rest. Ginny stared down at her bare feet as though they somehow held the answers that she so desperately craved. For a short while, she and Harry had shared a relationship, but then they were torn apart through Voldemort. Ginny clenched her fists. He had ruined so many lives and now he had ruined this. Thanks to her looks, she could have had any guy that she wanted and indeed she had been in many relationships, but the brief one that she had shared with Harry felt different. Not different in a bad way, but in a good way. It was as if in this one she felt complete, her heart bursting with a golden warmth called love. Perhaps it was because she had a silly little girl's crush on him when they were both younger, she didn't know. The only thing that she had to guide her by was her heart and the fact that in previous relationships all she had was a mutual affection – a liking that could never quite evolve into love.

A small book caught the corner of her eye. Pulling it out of her bookshelf, Ginny was amused to see childish sketches of her and Harry together. A small smile mingled with sadness and regret for things past crept over her face as she flicked through the book. She had drawn in it the year before she came to Hogwarts and during her first year. Most of the pictures depicted her and Harry smiling and holding hands. A life that could never be.

"Ginny!" A shrill voice shrieked from downstairs. "I need your help with this icing!" Ginny sighed and rolled off her bed. Despite everything that had just happened, the wedding between Fleur and Bill was still taking place. Ginny's liking for Fleur had increased since Fleur had vehemently proved people who thought that she would not want to marry Bill after his run-in with Greyback wrong.

Ginny took her time on the stairs, not overly eager to help her mother out with more preparations for the wedding, which she was steadily getting tired of. Mrs Weasley hurried out of the kitchen and glanced up at the stairs that Ginny was slowly descending.

"Hurry up dear," she said. "I need your help with the cake."

Ginny swung off the stairs with her hand on the banister carelessly. Walking into the kitchen she noticed Harry staring expressionlessly out of the window at the falling rain. She stared at him for a while and then shook her head angrily. She couldn't have him so she shouldn't burden herself with false hopes and dreams.

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The front door of the Burrow crashed open and the howling wind could be heard clearly all throughout the house. "I am 'ome," Fleur announced as she stepped through the doorway. "I 'ave got zee dresses too."

Mrs Weasley looked up in annoyance and then hurried over to shut the door. "I'm sorry Fleur, but I don't know what you mean" she said, her feet squelching in the water left by the rain on the threshold. She pursed her lips and cleaned the floor with a flick of her wand.

Fleur rolled her eyes. "Zee bridesmaid's dresses o' course," she exclaimed. "For Gabrielle and Ginny." Obviously pleased with the stir she had caused and the look on Mrs Weasley's face, Fleur swept into the living room.

"I thought that we were both going to decide!" Mrs Weasley stuttered. "I…" She was silenced as Fleur produced the dress. In the kitchen, Ginny dropped the pan that she was washing.

A long silence followed, broken only by Fred and George's sniggering which soon developed into hoots of laughter at the hideous golden dress and the horrified look on Ginny's face. She glared at them and Fleur shook out the dress so that it could be seen clearly, seemingly oblivious to the twins.

"Ummm…," Ginny said in a strangled voice. "It's… ah…"

"Eet ees beautiful," Fleur said firmly. "You and Gabrielle will look beautiful."

Ginny managed a small smile, desperately trying to mask the horror on her face. "I need to go and have a shower," she said hastily, standing up." Bye." With that, she hurried back up to her bedroom.

I hope that chapter was okay… I promise that future ones will be longer. Heh – I couldn't resist the reference to Somerset. I lived there and I was quite sad yet proud at JK Rowling's reference to it in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Please review – I have seen the hits I got for the first chapter and so I knew how many people read it, although I have no idea what they thought of it. Please review so that I will know what other people think of my story. I don't see much point in continuing with a story if I don't know what people think of it, so I won't continue this story if no-one reviews. It isn't that hard and you don't even need an account on FanFiction to review, so I don't know what is stopping people.