Hope
Summary: Ginny and Ron have a heart-to-heart after his Sixth Year.
They were eating silently again, an unusual occurrence for a family so large, just like they had been doing since the beginning of the summer. It was always the same routine: Ginny would wake up early and help Mrs. Weasley prepare breakfast for the family, the rest of the family would roll out of bed, eat silently and trickle off to work.
Ron was sick of it. He was sick of not being able to talk to anyone. As soon as he had made the announcement that he, Harry and Hermione would not be returning to Hogwarts next year, it was as if the whole family seemed to think he'd never come back.
Ginny took the news the best. The first time they were alone together, she told him she was proud of him. She always had a knack for understanding him.
After breakfast, when everyone had gone off to their jobs and Mrs. Weasley started cleaning up, Ron climbed up to Ginny's room.
Ginny was sprawled out on her bed, her head hanging off and her eyes closed.
Ron knocked on the doorframe and she jumped. "Hey, do you to go for a walk, or something?" he asked.
She stared at him for a moment and then grinned. "Sure." She answered as she hopped off of her bed and followed him out of the house and into the cool June morning.
They started walking to the small lake and sat down on the dock with their feet dangling above the water.
"So," Ginny started as she cocked her head to the side, looking at him. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"
"Nothing specific." Ron shifted. "It just seems like it has been a while since we've talked, just the two of us."
They sat there for a moment soaking up the sun.
"Do you think there's still hope?" Ginny asked quietly.
"What do you mean?" Ron looked apprehensive.
"With Dumbeldore gone, do you think there's still hope for our side?"
"You don't think Harry can do it?" Ron asked peevishly.
"Oh, I have full confidence in Harry, and you and Hermione as well. I was just wondering what will happen to our side, now that Dumbledore's gone. He always seemed to be the man with the insight and strategy and…well, the glue that held us all together." Ginny explained slowly, staring up at the fluffy clouds, leaning back on her elbows.
"I'm not sure. I think everyone took Dumbledore for granted. We all thought, 'We'll be fine as long as we have Dumbledore, You-Know-Who's afraid of him.' Now that he's…you know, people will probably start depending on Harry more." Ron said.
"Poor Harry." Ginny sighed. "To have the fate of the Wizarding world on your shoulders must be an awfully big weight."
"I know I never said this, but thanks Gin." Ron said looking down at her.
"For what?"
"Well, the few months that you went out with Harry…I've never seen him so relaxed. He deserved to have a bit of normalcy."
"He broke up with me, you know."
"Did he give you a reason?" Ron knew that they broken up, but Harry had never told him why.
"He didn't want You-Know-Who to use me against him." Ginny said with a deep sigh.
Ron was silent for a long time. "You understand, don't you?"
"Of course. I just wish I could help you guys. I'll feel so helpless at Hogwarts." She paused, "if it ever reopens."
They lapsed into silence for a long while.
"What do you plan to do after Hogwarts?" Ron asked.
"I'm not sure. I've thought about going to Auror School, but after the Department of Mysteries, I don't think I'm quite cut out for that sort of thing; maybe a Healer or a teacher of some sort. I'd really love to have my own family, some day." Ginny stared off into space wistfully. "How about you?"
"Same as you, I suppose. Not quite sure about the job, but I would like to have a family, too."
"A bunch of little Ronniekins running around?" Ginny smiled up at him.
Ron chuckled. "Yeah, something like that."
They both stared into the distance, thinking about the future.
Ginny leaned her head on Ron's shoulder. "I'm scared, Ron." She confessed.
Ron patted her back awkwardly. "About what?"
"I am absolutely terrified that we won't all make it through this. We already have a brother who has been maimed, next time it's bound to be something worse."
"I know. I think about that almost everyday, but there's nothing we can do about it. We've all chosen our side, this is no time to back down. We just have to hope that everybody is okay at the end of this."
Ron looked down at his little sister, but she wasn't so little anymore. She looked as though she was years older than fifteen.
"Do you miss it?" Ron asked.
"Miss what?" Ginny looked up at him.
"Just being able to be silly and laugh normally?"
"Everyday." Ginny said bitterly. "It seems like I haven't had a decent laugh or a proper smile in ages."
"I figured that this would happen to me, it comes with the job description of being the Boy-Who-Lived's best mate. I was hoping it wouldn't happen to you for a few more years, at least." Ron looked sadly at her.
"We all have to grow up sometime." Ginny answered matter-of-factly. "Our time just came early."
The two lapsed back into silence until they heard Mrs. Weasley calling them in to do chores. They both stood up and started walking back to the Burrow with their heads held high.
"So, all we've got to do is hope, right?" Ginny asked him with a slight smile on her face.
"Yeah, that's all we have to do, I reckon."
"Do you think it'll be enough?"
Ron stopped for a moment. His face lit up with a genuine smile as he threw his arm around Ginny's shoulders.
"Yeah, it'll be enough, Gin. I'm sure of it."
AN: I don't own Harry Potter or any Weasleys (unfortunately for me).
Well, a few people asked me to write more, so this is for them. Not quite how I thought it would turn out, but I'm pleased with the finished result. Please Review, it makes my self esteem go way up!