Author's Note: I'm sorry for taking so long to post the next chapter. I had a serious case of writer's block. Nothing I came up with sounded right when I read it over again. But at two in the morning I had a major league brain wave, and this popped out. I hope you enjoy it, and don't be too angry with me for taking forever.

Chapter 5: Leaving Home

It was midnight and Ginny was frantically shoving things into her backpack. A few sets of clothes, her wand, a picture she had cut out The Daily Prophet of her family in Egypt, and few other things from her room. There were so many other things she wanted to take, but she didn't have room in the tiny bag, and dragging her trunk behind her would be far too difficult. She finished the packing, and turned to leave the room. She gave it on last sad look, and turned out the light, and headed down the stairs. Tears started rolling down her cheeks, she was leaving the only home she had ever known and a family who loved her. Maybe she'd come back someday, but for now, she had to get out of there. She wrote out a quick note and left it on the kitchen table.

When she got out into the yard she raised her right arm in the air, and within moments the violently purple Knight Bus was on her front lawn. She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand, and as soon as the door opened, she climbed on.

"Where are you headed, young lady?" asked Stan, the conductor.

"Um, The Leaky Cauldron," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. She paid him out of the little money she had, and then took the seat he offered her. It was a quick journey, because there were very few other people on the bus, and Ginny was glad. Watching buildings jump out of the way as the bus came careening towards them, wasn't the most pleasant sight.

As she stepped off in front of the little pub in London, Stan smiled at her and said, "Have a nice night, miss."

She walked into The Leaky Cauldron and was happy was to see that no one was in the bar itself. She walked into the back, and tapped the brick letting her into Diagon Alley. She didn't want to send much time there, but she needed to exchange her money. When she handed the goblin her money and asked for the equivalent in Muggle money, he made a face, but gave her the money all the same.

However, she hadn't thought any farther than this into her plan. She didn't know where to go from here. She couldn't stay in The Leaky Cauldron. There would be too many people in there that she knew. And she knew very little of Muggle London. She walked to a nearby park and sat on a bench to think. She was actually considering just going home, when she heard a voice next to her.

"What's a young girl like you doing out here this late. It's almost four, you know?" A woman wearing jeans and a blue parka was standing next to the bench. When Ginny looked up, the woman sat down next to her.

"I, um, ran away. I can't face my family right now, except my brother Ron. But I don't know where to go now."

"Well, honey, there's a shelter just up the street, that I can take you to. I work there. They'll give you some food, and they can help you find a job. I'm Jackie by the way." Jackie held out a hand for Ginny to shake.

Ginny took it. "Ginny. Do you think they could help me find an apartment?"

"Maybe. Maybe even one that takes babies?" Jackie raised an eyebrow, and looked at Ginny.

"How did you-"

"Years of practice, honey. Come on, let's go."

x

A week later, Ginny decided to go back into Diagon Alley, to send Ron an owl, letting him know she was okay. She watched the owl fly away, and started to cry. As she left and headed back towards The Leaky Cauldron, she kept her eyes on the ground. When she bumped into someone, she didn't even look up. She merely muttered a quick apology, and hurried off towards the pub. She only stopped when she heard a man calling her name.

She turned and saw George behind her looking shocked. "Ginny, what are you doing here? Is everybody here?"

"I have to go," she said hurriedly. She knew it was a possibility that she would bump into one of her brothers, since three of them worked in Diagon Alley, but she had really hoped it wouldn't happen. She started to run towards the Muggle world, crying even harder. By the time she reached the shelter, she was almost in hysterics.

When Ginny ran in the door, she almost ran down Jackie, who was about to leave. "Honey, what happened? I thought you were just going to the post office to send that letter to your brother."

"I was," said Ginny starting to calm down a little. "But I ran into my brother George outside the post office. And he doesn't know I'm pregnant, and he doesn't know I'm here. And I couldn't tell him."

"Hold on. I thought, your brother's name was Ron," Jackie said, looking confused.

"It is. I have six brothers. Ron lives at home with my parents. Fred and George, they're twins, opened a joke shop here in London, and live in the apartment over the store. I'm not sure where Percy is. He had a bit of a falling out with my parents. Charlie's in Romania, he works as an animal trainer there. And Bill, the oldest, just got back from living in Egypt. He's living near home until he gets married at the end of the summer," Ginny explained.

"Oh. You miss them don't you?" Ginny nodded. "And you're sure you can't go home?" Ginny nodded again. "Well then, go see those councilors again. I hear that they have good news for you."

Ginny walked toward the door at the back of the room that held the office of the resident job councilor. When she walked in a stocky, balding man, wearing reading glasses and an ugly tie looked up at her. When he saw her he smiled.

"Ah, Miss Weasley. We've found a job for you. There's a restaurant not to far from here, looking for waitresses. They've agreed to hire you, although you are pregnant. I promised that you'd go back to working for them after the baby was born. It's a place called Jimmy's. Also, we've found an apartment for you." He paused and smiled at her. "Your friend Jackie offered to let you live with her."

"What?"

"I said-" he started to repeat himself, but Ginny cut him off.

"I heard what you said, I'm just not entirely sure I believe you," she said and frowned at him.

"Well, you'd better believe it soon, because she's waiting out in the lobby for you. And I already told her about your job at Jimmy's so she can help you with that," he said with a smile. As soon as he finished speaking, Ginny thanked him and ran from the room. She ran to Jackie, and hugged her.

"Thank you, so much," Ginny said with a huge smile.

"You're welcome, honey." Jackie said with an equally big smile.

x

Ron,

I just wanted to let you know, that I'm fine, I'm living in Muggle London, and currently looking for a job. Please don't tell Harry about the baby. And if you can tell mom, that I'm fine, without her interrogating you, please do that too. I'm sort of unreachable right now, but as soon as anything happens, I promise to write you.

Love,

Ginny

The letter had arrived a two days before, and Ron had already read it a few thousand times. He wished he could write her and tell Ginny how much everyone missed her. How their mother was in hysterics most of the time. How their father was quiet most of the time. But he knew that he couldn't just send an owl out into the middle of Muggle London.

"Ron, dear, what are you reading?" his mother asked kindly.

"Oh, it's nothing, mum. Just a letter from Hermione." He knew he shouldn't lie to her, but it was just so much easier for everyone involved.

"That's nice, dear, do you know if she and Harry are coming round for the wedding?"

"I'm pretty sure Hermione is. Harry, might, but you never know. He could still feel like being an idiot. I haven't talked to him yet. Besides he had a bit of a fight with-" he stopped short, knowing he'd said more than he should have. He looked up, and saw the color drain from his mother's face.

"I see," was all she could manage before she started to cry again. She left the room, leaving Ron to feel awful.

xxxxx

That's it for now. I'll have a new chapter up soon. Really soon. I'm already working on it. In the mean time, let me know what you think of this one.