Title: Losing Faith

Summary: It's the summer after Ginny's sixth year, and Voldemort is dead. But still, things are not how they should be. How will everyone cope now that the worst threat is over? HG RHr

Genre: Angst/Drama

Rating: T

Disclaimer: It's all JK Rowling's. 'Nuff said.

A/N: -begs forgiveness- I know it's been an age since the last update, again, and I won't start on all my excuses because I don't have any – apart from the fact my muse has been cruel to me and run away. I'm afraid it's somewhat of a shorter chapter as well. I know, I know, I'm terrible – and feeling really guilty:(

V I V I V

CONFRONTATIONS

Ginny found herself tossing and turning for the majority of the night, frustrated by her insomnia. A combination of her mind going into overdrive at the strange conversation she had heard, the unbearable heat and being in a foreign country without a single friendly face made sleep practically determined not to take her.

It wasn't until the sun began to peek through the curtains, far too early, that she drifted off into an uneasy, nightmare-plagued doze.

"Incendio!"


The cry, echoing through the Great Hall, was choked with suppressed fury, and every pair of eyes snapped towards the girl standing on the bench at the Gryffindor table. Her wand aimed towards a smoldering pile of ash amidst the breakfast dishes, Ginny swept her gaze around the room, challenging. A student at the Hufflepuff table let out a shriek of surprise as the Daily Prophet that she had been reaching for burst into flames as Ginny shouted out the burning curse for the second time.

"Miss Weasley!" Both Professors McGonagall and Snape had risen to their feet, the former torn between pity and concern, the latter practically steaming with rage. Taking a great effort to wipe the smirk off her face, Ginny sat down, ignoring the worried looks her brother and Hermione were giving her.

"It's a load of trash, that paper." She snarled at anyone who was in hearing range. "The only part of it that's true is that Voldemort's dead."

"So Harry hasn't run away?" Colin Creevey asked eagerly, looking for the first time remotely happy since his brother's death in Hogsmeade. Ginny hesitated, looking towards her friends for help. Reassuringly, Ron clapped a hand down onto her shoulder and squeezed it.

"He's just recuperating, Colin." Hermione said tentatively, as the redheaded Weasley bit down hard on her lower lip. "He's not a coward."

"Oh, I know that!" Colin gasped, looking outraged at the mere thought. "Of course he isn't! I would never say such a thing!"

Ginny winced as she thought of the harsh words that the Daily Prophet had spat out upon realising they were not going to get an interview from the famous Harry Potter, defeater of the Dark Lord. 'More than meets the eye'… 'Why not even bid farewell to best friends Weasley and Granger?' … 'A dangerous amount of power…'

She snapped herself out of her doze, the tears already starting to spill down her cheeks, and, with a stifled sob, drew her knees up to her chest at the memory of the spiteful words Skeeter had written. While Harry always seemed to laugh off the articles that the Prophet printed, there was the hint of hurt in his eyes every time a new one appeared or someone referred to it.

Noting absently that the sunlight was now flooding into the bedroom, Ginny pushed the covers off her and sat upright, relieved that the night was over. She dressed quickly, finding her thinnest robes that were rather worn and tugging her hair into a hasty ponytail. Glyn and Ness' conversation pushed to the back of her mind, she padded barefoot down the stairs, drawn towards the kitchen by the delicious smell of homemade bread. A house-elf was standing on a three-legged stool at the kitchen counter, a cloth dancing around in front of it and sweeping breadcrumbs into a hovering dustpan. Ginny couldn't help but smile; the house-elf was wearing a pillowcase with jagged cut holes for her arms and legs, with a thick frayed ribbon tied around its middle.

"Ginny, good morning!" Ness said in a chipper voice from where she sat with Glyn at the table, nursing a cup of coffee. Ginny only just managed to grunt a reply, feeling highly irritable from lack of sleep, and slid into one of the chairs opposite.

"She's only that happy after her coffee." Glyn informed Ginny, smirking slightly. "I'd keep out of her way before that." He received a playful slap on the arm from Ness, who stuck her tongue out at him in a childish manner.

Ginny forced a smile, feeling rather out of the loop – it was obvious that her two 'housemates' were very close and shared plenty of inside jokes. Shaking herself mentally, reminding herself that she hadn't been in Venice a full twenty-four hours, her smile became a lot more genuine.

"Would Miss like coffee?" The house-elf had appeared at Ginny's elbow, holding out the coffee pot and looking rather eager. At the redhead's nod, a steaming mug appeared in front of her and she breathed in the sweet aroma, instantly reminded of the Burrow and the way the kitchen always smelled of a mixture of tea and coffee, her family's weakness. "Would Miss like some breakfast?" Twinkie continued, looking rather put-out as Ginny pulled a face.

"No, thank you – it's far too early for breakfast!"

"Oh, you're not a morning person either." Glyn said, and Ginny couldn't help but frown at his tone – as if he had known all along she hated getting up early and was only just remembering.

"No." She said bluntly, and turned to Ness, wrapping her hands around her mug. "What's on the agenda for today?"

"I was originally going to speak to you alone this morning, Ginny, but I thought a better idea would be for the three of us to go through the Occlumency basics together. Do you know of Occlumency?"

Ginny's frown deepened. "Ye-es." She said reluctantly, remembering the many evenings Harry had come back from Occlumency lessons with Snape exhausted, irritable and emotional. It didn't sound particularly appealing to her. "Why do you want me to learn Occlumency?"

"Oh, I don't." Ness reassured her. "But the first step in Occlumency is clearing your mind and focusing on blocking your emotions. I think that if you master that, then we can work on getting rid of your flashbacks."

Ginny noticed that though Glyn hadn't seemed to be listening, instead staring deep into his bowl of soggy cereal, his head had snapped towards the both of them when Ness had mentioned 'flashbacks'.

"Um." She pushed her chair back, unable to stand the boy's scrutiny. "If you'll excuse me, I need to – get some - air." She made a hasty bid towards the kitchen door, sucking in deep breaths of the cool morning air and feeling vaguely relaxed by the sound of the fairy splashing in the fountain. The fuzz that had been her brain when she had woken had dispersed into more furiously whirling thoughts, all centered on Glyn and his strange reactions.

Wrapping her arms around herself, Ginny found herself wishing for the millionth time that she was back in the Burrow surrounded by her family... and Harry.

V I V I V

"Breathe in, and out." Ness' voice, even and devoid of the usual laughter, was rather calming in the heat of the study. Finding it hard to focus with the sound of Glyn's heavy breathing right next to her, Ginny shifted slightly to the right, opening her eyes and grimacing as she realised Ness was glaring at her. "Eyes closed." The Healer reminded her. "Focus on your breathing – imagine your lungs expanding and contracting with each breath. Think of that only."

It sounded easy, Ginny realised, but it was in fact easier said than done. Her mind kept involuntarily drifting. Forcing those thoughts out of her head, she did as Ness said; acutely aware of the thick, rather stuffy air she was sucking in.

There was a nasty, empty feeling in her stomach as she woke up that she couldn't understand. Struggling to quench the panic that gripped her, Ginny sat up, the blankets falling down to her waist, and squinted against the light shining into her bedroom. Hermione was sprawled out across her bed, one hand dangling off the mattress and her pajama bottoms risen up to her knees, untidy in a contrast to her usual neat self. Struggling to hide her giggles, Ginny glanced at the clock on her wall and realised why her stomach felt so strange as her heart plummeted. It wasn't one of Fred and George's concoctions she had accidentally consumed as she had originally consumed.

Her Christmas present, a clock that also informed her of important dates that she had been given by Charlie, as she was rather inclined to be forgetful, informed her that today was 'Your significant other's 18th birthday'.

Harry was eighteen and, in a painful reminder of the years he had spent with Dursleys when he had barely known, let alone celebrated, his birthday, was once again spending it alone.

"Ginny, snap out of it!"

"Well, that's a new approach." Ginny murmured, biting down on the inside of her cheek as she raised a hand to her stinging cheek. Ness only looked vaguely ashamed. Ginny offered the Healer a weak smile.

"Was that one of them?" Ness asked curiously, leaning back on her ankles and scrutinizing the soon-to-be seventeen-year-old.

"Uh huh." Ginny nodded, her brow furrowed. "It was – different, though."

"Different how?"

"Well, all the others – they were of the attack, and Harry's disappearance." Ginny explained, gesticulating and not noticing the short gasp from Glyn sitting just behind her. "This one – it was of his birthday. His eighteenth."

"What happened then?" Ness asked softly, and Ginny couldn't stop the bitter laugh from emerging.

"Nothing." She said shortly. "Absolutely nothing, and that's the problem. We – well, we couldn't exactly celebrate without him, so we sent a big package, but well, he didn't even acknowledge that he'd got it… it was just the thought of him spending it alone, and – he should've been with his family, not moping around somewhere feeling sorry for himself!"

"He wasn't moping." Glyn's voice, loud and indignant, cut through the tension in the room, and Ginny twisted around to stare at him in surprise. She had completely forgotten he was in the room. Ness said nothing, her gaze only flickering between the two teenagers.

"How would you know? You don't even know who I'm talking about!"

"I – um…" Glyn floundered, struggling for words, deliberately avoiding eye contact. "I just figured that you know, he probably didn't want to be away from you, but needed to have some time alone."

Ginny continued to stare. "I said," she continued, only just managing to get the words past the lump in her throat. "That you don't even know who I'm talking about. You didn't even know why I'm here. You don't know anything, so kindly keep your nose out of my business!"

"Ginny." Ness said sharply. "The reason you're both here…."

"I'm not here to talk to him!" Ginny spat, ignoring the hurt look in Glyn's eyes. "He deliberately kept quiet so that he could listen in to our conversation – all he's been trying to do is pry into my business!"

"He's just being a friend."

"He's not a friend." All of a sudden furious, Ginny jumped to her feet. "I've not even know either of you a day. You're not friends, so don't act like it!"

"Hey, Ness didn't do anything!" Glyn interrupted, though the Healer didn't look in the slightest bit upset by Ginny's declaration. "She's just trying to help!"

"You're right, she is." Ginny agreed. "So what's your excuse? Why would you want to help a stranger? Why are you acting so chummy? There's got to be some ulterior motive you've got… so spill."

"I just want to be friends." Glyn uttered lamely.

"Friends don't start off by demanding to know their most private business!" Ginny exclaimed, her voice growing shrill. Folding her arms, she glared at him. "Why are you here, then?"

Glyn stiffened, and for the first time she saw a flash of fear in his grey eyes. "I'd rather not say." He muttered finally.

"So it's all right for you to demand to know why I'm here but not all right for me to ask you." Ginny demanded. She pointed an accusing finger at the boy. "There's something off about you, Glyn Something, and don't think I haven't noticed. I heard you last night."

Both Glyn and Ness gasped, and Ness turned accusing eyes on Glyn. "I told you she'd hear!"

"How was I supposed to know – she does sleep like a rock usually!" Glyn protested. Frustrated, Ginny let out a small scream and tugged at her ponytail.

"Why would you say that? How can you know how I sleep, or who Harry is, or why he left? The only person that knows that is Harry!"

Both Glyn and Ness' mouths snapped shut, and a silence settled in the room. Trembling, Ginny backed away, feeling overwhelmed, and unable to silence the voice inside her head telling her what could only be the reasons behind the boy's strange behavior.

The aura of familiarity that surrounded Glyn, his reactions whenever she mentioned anything to do with her life, his insistence to know why she was in the company of a Healer… it all added up. There had been a strange emotion in his eyes when she had met him the day before – a great sadness, the look of someone having had a large burden dumped on their shoulders from a young age. It was a look she realised she could recognise anywhere.

Pressing a hand to her mouth, Ginny stared at Glyn, as he opened and shut his mouth wordlessly.

"Um… guys?" Ness asked tentatively, looking from one to the other. "Ginny, listen."

"You're – you've been lying to me." Ginny gasped, reaching behind her for the doorknob. Wrenching the door open, she practically fell into the living room. Glyn lowered his eyes to the floor, and Ness just looked saddened.

"Tell me the truth." Ginny said firmly, staring at Glyn. "Your name isn't Glyn, is it?"

Hesitantly, Glyn shook his head, still refusing to meet her eye.

"You weren't a Hufflepuff." Ginny continued, wondering inwardly why her voice was so calm when her insides were twisting painfully. Once again, there was a shake of the head. "You were a Gryffindor." A nod, and Ginny felt like throwing up, not understanding what was happening. "Harry?"

Glyn finally looked her in the eye, and she saw all she needed to know.