The following day was a nightmare and a half. Molly was in the most awful mood, as predicated by Arthur, and Ginny was too. She was upset with Harry for allowing Ron and Hermione to accompany him just like that, but she wasn't allowed to go. She stayed in her room most of the day and didn't go down for breakfast or lunch.
Finally, Ginny heard a knock on the door. She didn't know what time it was, as she lay on her bed reading her magazine, but she grumbled, "Come in." The door opened and Tonks smiled at her, "Hey Ginny. How are you doing?" She sat up and made space for her friend. Ginny sighed, "I've been better thanks, and yourself?" Tonks shrugged her shoulders, "Same here."
Ginny asked her how her ankle was and she smiled, "It's a little itchy, but it will be fine. I'm taking a potion for it." They were thrown into silence and Tonks asked Ginny, "So…you're not grounded are you?" She shrugged her shoulders and sighed, "I might as well be. Mom flipped out over last night. I haven't been downstairs all day."
Tonks grimaced and whispered, "I think it might be even worse now. When I walked in through the flu, I heard them arguing about whether or not you're going back to Hogwarts." Ginny's jaw dropped and she felt her eyes bulge, "Why?! Hogwart's is SCHOOL! She can't pull me out of school! Is she mad?!"
Tonks shrugged and whispered, "I think it's to do with Snape being headmaster." Ginny had been shocked before…but this was something else. This was entirely new news. She gaped and searched for something to say and then Tonks covered her mouth, "Whoops! I wasn't supposed to say anything…" Ginny frowned, "Do Ron and Hermione know?" Tonks shook her head, "Not to my knowledge, no."
Ginny nodded and hurried upstairs to Ron's room. She knocked on the door and when she opened it they seemed to be irritated with her presence, "Hey, Ginny…nice to see you. Hey Tonks," Hermione forced a smile, "How are you doing?" Tonks shrugged and said, "Had a bit of a pep talk from Remus last night. I'm sorry for getting you guys into trouble. I know it was stupid and…"
Ron interrupted her, "Don't worry. I was glad to get out of here, even if it means we're stuck now." Ginny glanced at Tonks, who sat down beside Hermione and said, "Your mum is saying that you and Ginny shouldn't go back to Hogwarts next year." Ron and Hermione both stared at her in shock, "WHAT! That's…" Ron struggled for words also. Hermione didn't look too bothered by it. Tonks noticed, "You don't seem too worried, Hermione?" Hermione shrugged, "We might not be here next year that's why." Tonks frowned but didn't have time to asked as there was a knock on the door.
It was Lupin looking less than impressed. He nodded at them all briefly before saying, "Come on Tonks, it's time to go." She glanced at the rest of them and said, "I'm sorry for getting you lot into trouble. Good night." They closed the door behind them and Ron said once their footsteps died, "Lupin is looking awfully cheerful isn't he?" Hermione rolled her eyes, "Ron! They're obviously just tired and stressed, like everyone else lately. And they have a baby on the way. Doesn't make matters easier, does it?"
Ron shrugged his shoulders and mumbled unintelligibly under his breath. Ginny said softly, "Did you guys hear that Snape is being made headmaster?" Ron gawked like a flamingo and Hermione froze, "Are you serious?" Ginny nodded and grimaced, "Yeah. That's why mum's arguing about whether to send us back to Hogwarts."
There was silence in the room and Ginny whispered, "I'll go insane if you don't go back! It's bad enough now! What am I supposed to do all day long when I'm not in school?!" They all glanced at each other and Ginny grumbled, "I'm going to talk to mum. Try and knock some sense into her." Ron muttered, "Good luck with that."
Ginny hurried downstairs and then she fully heard the yelling. She sighed and interrupted, "Mum!" she said. Her mother paused, mid shout at her father. Her mother tried to pull herself together, "Ginny! We were just…" Ginny rolled her eyes, "Discussing whether or not I should go back to Hogwarts? Well mum…I'm going!"
Her mother narrowed her eyes at her and her father said gingerly, "Ginny, I suggest you leave this to us…" She glared at her father and said furiously, "Dad! How can you let her tell me I can't go back to school?!" My father shot a 'don't even try…' look at me. Ginny said with a huff, "How am I supposed to get anywhere in life if I don't complete my education. I know about Snape being headmaster and…" Her father sighed, "Tonks told you?" Ginny bit her lip and her mother and father glanced at each other. Her mother said, "Better be careful what we tell Tonks…" She said stiffly.
Her father stared at Ginny and said, "Listen Ginny…according to Harry Snape killed Dumbledore. Why should we trust someone like that as a headmaster? Why should we trust him to protect our children?" Ginny stared at the wooden table and suddenly Fleur appeared out of nowhere. She said briskly, "Sorry I couldn't help but overhear. Ginny iz not going to school?" My mother and father glanced at each other. Fleur nodded, "Well I zink that is unacceptable! It shouldn't matter who your headmaster iz! Look at Madame Maxime! She's half giant and she does for a vonderful headmistress…"
Ginny frowned, was Fleur actually standing up for her? Ginny smiled at the Veela in thanks and her father shrugged, "Fleur does make a good point, Molly." Her mother grimaced and said firmly, "This conversation is over. Arthur, we'll talk again when nobody else is around." Here she glanced pointedly at Fleur then at Ginny. She said swiftly, changing the conversation, "Now Fleur, won't you mind going outside and de-gnoming the garden for me with Ginny, please? She can show you how it's done."
Fleur glanced at Ginny and shrugged, before going outside.
Ginny spotted a gnome close by and picked it up before throwing it as far she could in frustration. Fleur watched as the gnome went whizzing over the countryside. She smiled and said, "Iz he going to come back?" Ginny nodded and sighed, "Yes probably, after a little spinning around." Fleur shook her head, "No. I was talking about 'arry." Ginny grimaced and shrugged, "He's meant to be coming here for your wedding. How long he's here for, I can't say."
Fleur went and picked up a gnome that looked like a headless chicken. It struggled and she stared at it repulsively, "They are ugly looking zings aren't they?" Ginny laughed and Fleur chucked it further than Ginny's. She laughed as it yelled out across the garden. Fleur turned to Ginny and Ginny whispered, "Thank you, for backing me up." Fleur shrugged her shoulders and said, "You're going to be my sister-in-law. I reckon we start standing up for each ozzer. Too many men ruling this roost."
This caused Ginny to smile and nod in agreement, "I agree. I might still get annoyed with you sometimes though." Fleur chuckled and shrugged as she picked up another gnome, "Wat are sisters for, Ginny?" She shrugged and replied, "I don't know. Never had one before." Fleur threw the gnome and she sighed, "You can tell each ozzer zings that you wouldn't tell anyone. Aren't you like zat with 'mione?" Ginny shook her head, "Nope. We've become friendlier, but we're not that close. Not by a long shot."
Fleur sighed and then smiled genuinely at her, "I'll teach you. Anyway, I zink zat was the last of the gnomes, am I correct?" Ginny nodded and so they turned and headed inside. Maybe…just maybe if she and Fleur could get along, maybe there was a possibility of anything happening. She smiled at the idea.
XXX
A few weeks later and a few days before school started, her mother had finally come to her senses and realized Ginny should return to school. She was insisting that Ron must also, but this made Ginny laugh. Ron wasn't returning to school no matter how much her mother might want him to.
Instead her mother kept them busy as ever, with inane and boring chores such as washing up, drying up, de-gnoming the garden, doing the washing…all of which could easily be done if her mother decided to flick her wand. But instead she had chosen to make them do manual labor…something she had never enforced before. Ginny suspected it was to keep Ron and Hermione organizing their escape. And with Harry arriving anytime soon now, well it made everything more imminent.
XXX
It was the Thursday evening before school starts. Ginny sat by the window, reading her book. The wedding was on Saturday and her brothers, Fleur, Ron, Hermione, her father and a whole bunch of order members were setting off to go and rescue Harry from the dreadful muggles he lived with. Mum was just about talking to her, so Ginny was hiding in her room so she could see when they arrived. She had wanted to go with desperately and pretend to be one of the Harry's so she could rescue him, but her mother had shot that one down immediately with the some old "under-age" nonsense.
At around eight, she caught a glimpse of light in the pond not too far off. It must mean someone was home! With a pounding heart, she hurried downstairs. She was nervous as all heck and she headed full throttle down the stairs. She yelled, "MUM! Someone has returned!" Her mother had come flying out with her and she squinted into the silence breathlessly to see whom it might be.
Ginny saw Harry and Hagrid lumbering their way towards them. They were wet to the bone from landing in the swamp and Ginny didn't care. She ran at Harry and flung her arms around him tightly. She whispered in his ear, "Thank goodness you're alright." For a minute it felt like they hadn't broken up, like everything was back to normal because he hugged her back, tightly. It was like this whole nightmare of a break up hadn't happened.
Then as soon he had done that, he pulled away and she understood what he wanted to know. She whispered, "You're the first back. Ron and Tonks should be here by now, as well as dad and Fred." As she said it, Lupin apparated into the property carrying…" Ginny gasped! George had a bleeding ear! Harry hurried to help Lupin carry him to the couch.
Ginny followed them inside and the second George was on the couch, Lupin turned his wand on Harry, shoving him up against the wall. Ginny yelled, "What are you doing?!" Lupin glared at her and asked Harry, "What was the creature sitting in my office the first time you visited?" Harry raised his eyebrow and shouted, "Are you MAD?" Ginny hurried forward and was ready to defend him from Lupin, wand out.
Lupin glanced at her and he said sternly, "Answer the question!" Ginny grimaced and Harry responded quickly, "A grindylow!" Lupin explained that they had been betrayed and he needed to make sure Harry was the real Harry. Her mother shouted at her, "Ginny quickly! Some water and a hot sponge!" Ginny nodded and hurried to the sink. She grabbed a bucket, filled up the water and while she waited, she saw the others arriving.
When Ron and Hermione arrived, Harry hurried to them and she saw him giving them a tight hug. She couldn't help but let the old jealousy creep back in. She had naively thought that maybe because Hermione had missed her last term, that things could possibly change. She supposed wrong.
Ginny turned her back on them and took the sponge and warm water to her mum. She whispered hoarsely, "How you feeling, Georgie?" Everyone was gathering in the room now and Ginny bought the tub of warm water to her mother. George tried to crack a joke about being saint-like because he was holy…but no-one really laughed, although Fred tried to.
Bill came in minutes later and whispered, "Mad-eye is dead." Silence fell upon the room and Ginny glanced at Harry. He stared unseeingly at the floor, and everyone else looked at each other in shock. Bill continued, "Death Eaters took one look at him and…" Harry walked out the room then, and Lupin said, "I'll got talk…"
Hermione shook his head, "No. Just leave him. He needs to be on his own." She knew Harry. He probably did need time on his own. But Ginny wasn't about to let him abuse himself with the thoughts she knew he was probably dealing with right now. She followed him upstairs, seeing that he was heading to Ron's room. When he reached her landing she whispered, "Harry…"
He stopped midstep and swiveled to face her. She sighed in relief and whispered, "You don't really want to be going to Ron's room, do you? Where he and Hermione will probably be retreating a in a few minutes from now?" Ginny raised an eyebrow at him and Harry looked at her stiffly before whispering, "What are you saying, Ginny?"
She hopped up the flight of stairs and whispered, "Come to my room. You don't have to talk. I'll just be there." He still seemed confused, but nevertheless he followed her. Ginny closed the door behind her and sighed in relief. She had been worried Harry was going to use Mad-Eye's death as a distraction so he could run.
She sat on her bed and glanced at Hermione's mattress on the floor. Harry sat down at her desk and sighed in relief, "Thanks Gin. You know I've never been in your room before. It's very…you." He glanced at the Hollyhead Harpies. She shrugged and replied, "The pink colour needs to change. I think I've outgrown it. It's been the same as long as I can remember."
Harry shrugged and replied, "It's still nice." He was just being kind himself. They fell into silence and Ginny stared at the wooden floor, unsure of what to say. She glanced at him and whispered, "How were the muggles?" He glanced up at her and smiled, "They were decent actually. Dudley came and said thank you for saving his life. I hadn't been expecting that." This made Ginny smile, "At least you ended on good terms. Maybe I'll get to meet him some day…"
As she said the words, she realized that was a really inappropriate thing to say. She bit her lip and whispered, "Sorry…I didn't mean to imply anything like that." Harry shook his head and smiled, "I know Gin. I uh…it's been hard for me too this summer, you know…processing everything. Not knowing how I would react when I saw you. I've had a lot of time to think about these things." Ginny blushed a little. It was strange how he had been thinking along the exact same lines as she had.
Harry suddenly asked her, "Have you thought about how you might be able to contact us?" Ginny nodded and whispered, "Yeah…I came up with an idea." Harry grinned at her and nodded encouragingly, "And…?" She got up from her bed and rummaged in her desk drawer beside him. Then she pulled out a coin and handed it to him. His eyes widened, "The D.A coins!" She grinned at him and nodded, "Yup. I know they can't do long messages…but I was hoping that I could ask Hermione to somehow connect mine so that it's just to you…or something." Harry got up and hugged her tightly, "Gin! You're bloody brilliant! I could kiss you!"
Ginny was beaming and then pulled away just as he said that. Ron came barging in and raised his eyebrow at Harry, "Huh! What are you doing here?" Hermione followed him and frowned, "Harry…what…" Harry shook his head, grinning just as much as Ginny was, if not more. He showed Hermione Ginny's coin and whispered, "Ginny just had the best idea ever…" He handed her the coin and Hermione's jaw dropped, "The coins! Of course! It's how we can let you know if we're safe…"
Ginny nodded enthusiastically and Ron chuckled, "Well blow me down, I've got a smart little sister haven't I?" Then his frown turned serious, "I hope you didn't mean what you said about kissing her, Harry." Hermione glared at Ron and all but pulled him out the room.
Ginny shouted, "Wait, Hermione I want to ask you something." Hermione nodded and Harry muttered, "I better go and calm Ron down." She nodded and watched him leave, closing the door behind them. Ginny whispered to Hermione, "Is there any chance I can send messages just to him? I want to let him know I love him…you know, while you're away." Hermione smiled sneakily and shrugged, "There might be a way. Can I keep this? I'll try and make replica's and see what I can do." Ginny hugged Hermione and sighed in relief, "Thanks so much, Hermione! You're such a good friend." Hermione nodded and replied, "Don't mention it," before leaving Ginny to her thoughts.
A/N:Hi All! Finally another chapter, hope you enjoy it! And thanks PotterWeasly and Starrya47 for your enthusiasm about the idea of Ginny leaving halfway through. This did actually happen in the books anyway. So I'll just make it slightly longer! This chapter was going to be short but I decided to make it exceptionally long for you guys!