A/N: Review? A one-shot I want to continue but don't know how to. At least, I don't know how to. I, as you can see, prefer writing Weasleys more than anything, so I'd warn you now that is all you will find in my Word documents. Oh, Malfoy too :) But, opinions? Good, bad, whatever. I don't care, just something.
There was a dull shrugging in attempts to grope for more blankets from the corner that a girl had taken up residents, whilst the rest of the train carriage was untouched, and motionless except for the slight movement in the opposite seat where a cat was perched. The cat's eyes, traced with an eyeglasses shaped marking, were staring straight out the window without any movement from its almost stone-like statuesque pose, nor did the objects that whizzed past cause her eyes to drag behind. The cat obviously had a purpose being there, or was very amused with the outside world that was bounding past. A slight hitch in its sight every few minutes to have fleeting look at the girl, in a protective way.
The girl stirred for a moment beneath her material cacoon, making the cat leap from it's stance beside the window, to look at the vibrant red hair that was spilling over the top. A hand followed and pushed down the fluffy coating of red and yellow chequered cloth from the body within. It then was raised to pinch the dip between her eyes, trying to relieve her sudden fleeting pain. The girl suddenly looked wide-eyed and shocked at her surroundings. Her last memory was not of this train compartment. She was in bed, at her home. The cat had slunk out of the compartment and left a figure of an emotionally aged woman sitting on the chair with a strange comforting smile that unnerved the girl. That, and the fact she hadn't seen her come in.
"Ginny," The woman dipped her head in acknowledgement, before continuing, "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this." The woman stopped again, trying not to fumble over her words. A dry half-smile came from her expression, as she tried to find the words that kept trailing over her tongue.
Ginny tilted her head for a moment, not sure where this was going, but she was dreadfully sure it was not going to be pleasant. She attempted to swallow, but found a block that she couldn't swallow. Making an attempt to speak and ask what had happened, she found she was still unable to speak, so stopped her floundering in speech and shut her mouth so as not to appear like a panting fish.
"I'd suspect that the Death Eaters would have cast something to prevent you from screaming," The older woman mentioned softly, keeping her eyes on her hands without much remorse. She had seen it before, but felt rather bad for what would come next. She gritted her teeth.
Ginny mouthed a large 'What!?' at the woman and felt her eyes swell to a rather large size. Her voice was slightly audible, but was more of a raspy whisper.
"Well…your house," The woman began once more, who seemed finally ready to speak, or, felt she had plucked the right words from her lap she had spilt from her mouth earlier. She looked up at the girl, who was still very bewildered, "Was ransacked. There was an attack based on yourself and your family. Fortunately both your parents had reacted quickly enough and sent out for help. As for them now, they're being dealt with at St. Mungos. Ron tried to aid the resistance, too but…" the woman began fiddling with her hands again and her hair seemed to become an even duller brown. Ginny leant forward slightly, only to sink back at the news of her brother, "He's fine now at least. Everyone is. It was just a very lucky thing to have happened." The woman looked up and conjured up a small vial and handed it to Ginny, "Here. You might want your voice back, sorry."
Ginny, without a second thought, drank the entire content of the vial, and threw it aside onto the chair. She looked at the woman who had different hair yet again. Her face was kinder looking too, "Tonks." Ginny said, her hands crossing over and between her thighs. "What happened?" Ginny asked, knowing what had happened, but didn't and wouldn't believe it.
Tonks repeated most of what she said, and then added, "It happened a few days ago with the Grangers," Tonks swallowed rather hard, "Ginny, it's tough times, y'know. The Death Eaters no longer have a leader, so are trying to revolt and take back what was taken from them, by getting back at those and the families of those who took Vol – You-Know-Who. They're continuing their 'missions'," Tonks made air quotes with her index and middle fingers, before letting her hands fall down between her legs, "They've become more rapid, more unpredictable and arbitrary. There are clues, though, that it was planned these times. That's why the attack on the Grangers actually worked out as planned. They didn't count on your parents being awake, I suppose. Most the Death Eaters were caught, 'sides from the Malfoys and LeStanges." Tonks' tongue turned bitter at the end of her speech, as she spit out the names. Her own flesh and blood.
Ginny's eyes had glazed over long before Tonks had finished speaking. Without realising it, she opened her lips and murmured, "What happened at the Grangers?"
"I don't think I'm the one to tell you, Ginny," Tonks began again after a few minutes looking out the window, "There weren't any survivors. The Muggles had no chance against Death Eaters, even with Hermione trying, and she was a very brilliant girl."
"Was…" Ginny repeated to herself, as her eyes diverted to the stained carpet, that was once a brilliant auburn colour. They said that the carpets on Hogwarts trains would reflect your house and your mood. Ginny hadn't ever looked at the carpet on the trains. No one really did. It was a just stupid rumour. There was a soft, warm feeling that suddenly hit her forearm. She looked down at her arm to see a darkened shimmer from the tears that she hadn't realized had been falling. Roughly wiping her eyes with the heels of her palms, Ginny stood up and shrugged the rest of the blanket off, before realising that Tonks had left. Ginny glared ahead of her, trying to make sense of where she was.
Compartment after compartment rolled by as she shuffled down the train, wishing she could see clearly. Her hand traced her arms, trying to warm herself up, as she was wearing a pair of pyjamas. She wished she hadn't left the blanket in a compartment a while back, but felt she couldn't go back. Not to there. With a few more steps, she saw her brother. Why hadn't she been put with her brother, instead of by herself with a person telling her all of what had happened? Her hand trembled at the door, as she opened the door, "Ron?" She asked, her voice trembling more than her hands. Her glanced at her, trying to see her but seemingly couldn't. She sat down quietly, pulling a nearby blanket over her as the two sat in mutual quiet, both glancing at each other now and again, but mostly watching what was going past them. Countryside slowly became cityscape under the streaking sunlight. After what seemed hours, Ginny finally felt she could ask him about all of that had happened, "What happened?" She asked, her voice with a less scared tone.
Ron gave another, more emotive, look at Ginny, "Well," He began, his hands knotting together in the same way that Tonks' hands had, "It was quiet outside. Mum and Dad were just sitting outside, watching the chickens and stuff, and I was in the kitchen, I think. But all of sudden, and then about thirty-odd wizards apparated into out front yard, brandishing wands. Mum told me to go and wake you up and get you away, but by the time I'd gotten to you about five other me – Death Eaters were in already in your room," He closed his eyes and Ginny could clearly see his jaw clenched so hard, she was sure his teeth were going to shatter under the pressure.
"I got them, at least, before they got away with you…Then there was one I didn't see. Malfoy. Junior, that is," Ron added, his eyes glaring straight ahead, his hands no longer intertwining, but almost snapping each other off like dead twigs from a branch. His face was suddenly very harsh, even more so than before "He looked too smug, y'know? He hadn't got his wand out, but looked too bloody smug and happy with himself. He didn't attack me or anything either, just apparated, after saying how I couldn't, the bloody git... The Order came, and you were still passed out, I guess. Or you're just a heavy sleeper."
Ron scratched the scruff of his neck, before letting his arms settle once more. Ginny knew he had left something out, she could just tell. Did he know about Hermione yet? Did Ginny even know? She scooted over to the window and placed her hand against it, seeing it was well into the morning now. She didn't feel well nor did she feel rested, just sore and tired. Neither of them spoke until they pulled into an odd looking station surrounded by Muggles and normal things. A sudden thrashing of feet could be heard thought out the train as Ginny watched people exit the train, and march through.