The holidays were just as uneventful as Ginny had predicted. She was playing exploding snap one evening with Tonks in her bedroom. The twins were working late as it was a few days before Christmas and Tonks was asking Ginny, "So how is the Death Eater infested school?" Ginny rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Don't want to talk about it."

Tonks sighed and shook her currently yellow hair, "That bad huh?" One of Ginny's cards exploded. She sighed and shrugged her shoulders, "Yeah…I didn't tell dad because I didn't want him to worry. He and mum wouldn't let me back." Tonks raised her eyebrows as she placed a card down. She glanced up at Ginny and whispered, "You know you can tell me."
Ginny thought about it. She could tell Tonks. Tonks was the one person in the world that wouldn't blab to her parents about all of this. She sighed and whispered, "Well it started on day one actually." Her friend listened as Ginny retold the tale of how Carrow picked on her because she was Harry's girlfriend. At this, Tonks' jaw dropped, "Wow! Does he sound like a child who didn't get his way!" Ginny whispered tightly, "That's not even the worst of it…"
She proceeded to tell Tonks how Carrow had given her several Crucio's for minor misdemeanors. How he had basically found any excuse to demoralize her and Crucio her without any reason for it. How Malfoy had once saved them from practicing it on each other. At this, Tonks glanced up from placing a card down and she gasped in shock, "Malfoy? Saved you? But isn't he a Death Eater as much as the rest of them?"
Ginny nodded and whispered, "I know. He's…he doesn't have the guts to follow through on that kind of torture. I also think Voldemort is expecting him to fail again. You can't tell anyone this," Ginny said seriously, watching Tonks' amazed reaction. Tonks nodded and whispered, "I won't Gin. I promise." Ginny nodded and muttered, "And that includes everything from here on out."
Tonks reached for her wand and cast a Muffliato spell on the door. Ginny thanked her, put her cards down and said emotionlessly, "Don't have a heart attack over this. But basically Malfoy has been uh…saving me at school a lot this year." Tonks raised her now golden yellow eyebrows and whispered curiously, "Why?" Ginny swallowed…she hadn't told anyone this but she was dying to tell someone. The only thing she worried about was Tonks telling Remus. Ginny whispered, "You have to swear you won't even tell Professor Lupin!"

Tonks sighed and muttered, "I promise, Ginny." She smiled gratefully and then continued, "Well Malfoy told me that the whole reason he was saving me was because essentially Voldemort wanted him to gain my trust." Tonks frowned and whispered, "And why? How does that help anything?" They had temporarily paused their game of exploding snap and all of the cards burst into flames.

Ginny whispered under her breath, "Because…it would be Harry's worst nightmare coming true…his whole reason for breaking up with me in the first place." Recognition dawned on Tonks' face and she whispered, "Wasn't that because Voldemort would get to him through you?" Ginny forced a grim smile and nodded solemnly, "Yeah. Exactly." Tonks was surprisingly calm as she nodded and her hair turned purple, "By getting Malfoy to fall in love with you?" Ginny stared at her friend, impressed that she had figured it out without the finer details.

Ginny nodded and murmured, "Yeah exactly." There was a silence between them as Tonks contemplated her and she whispered, "And did anything transpire?" She sighed, bit her lip and nodded, "Nothing major. It was just on the way back on the train." Tonks waited, becoming impatient with her and she said irritably, "And?" Ginny smiled at the memory and murmured, "We snogged." Tonks looked at her with an unreadable expression on her face and Ginny felt pretty sure her friend was judging her.

Then she was surprised as Tonks shrugged and murmured, "You know Harry has been gone for some time now. Don't get me wrong, I think the two of you are meant to be together. But you should also be living a life here too." Ginny felt her smile widening by the second and she leant over and hugged her friend for not shunning her, "Thanks Tonks. You're the best friend I could ask for." Tonks patted her back and chuckled, "Don't worry Ginny. If this ever comes out one day or you decide to tell Harry…I'll put him in his place for you and remind him how long he was gone for."

Ginny couldn't help but smile and then she whispered morbidly, "I miss him, Tonks. Everyday he's gone it gets harder and harder. I felt so angry with him about two weeks ago…" She released her friend and then she whispered, "I went to the Room of Requirement and asked for a room where I could scream and shout. It produced a room and there were a bunch of pillows lying everywhere and cupboards with plates. I began throwing those everywhere and breaking them and screaming and crying. I called Harry a liar." Ginny paused here and Tonks watched her silently before asking, "Why a liar?" Ginny murmured under her breath, "Because he told me when we were still together that I couldn't join him as I was underage- which I understand I've still got the trace on me- and the other reason is because he wanted to do this journey alone." Tonks sighed and shook her head, "And now he's with Ron and Hermione?" Ginny smiled bleakly, "Yeah…which is why I'm kinda angry with him right now."

Tonks smiled in empathy, "I understand. When Remus has to go on Order missions these days he refuses to take me because I'm pregnant." Ginny raised her eyebrows now skeptically and she retorted, "As you bloody well shouldn't if you're four months pregnant!" Tonks rolled her eyes, "Yes but bare with me Ginny. I hate being stuck at home with my mother when he's off fighting battles and taking down Death Eaters. I never know what's going to happen to him and it makes me worried sick!"

Ginny sighed and realized what Tonks was trying to say: she understood. She smiled at her friend and then whispered, "I suppose we're in the same boat, huh?" Tonks nodded and whispered, "And I doubt we're the only people in the world feeling this way right now." Ginny nodded and for some reason, knowing that she was not alone, made all of the difference.

XXX

Neville came around for dinner the following day as they were having a big, typical Weasley dinner and Ginny asked her mother if she could invite him. Her mother had willingly agreed and she had been rather enthusiastic. Ginny suspected it was because she missed having guests over and she missed cooking for bigger numbers in the family.

The twins were over too, as were Bill and Fleur. Ginny was excited to have her brothers around as she hadn't seen them as much as she'd like to. Fred and George slept in a flat above the shop now and Fleur and Bill obviously lived in Shell Cottage. The house was exceptionally quiet these days without all the hustle and bustle of the usual Weasley family life.

When Bill came over with Fleur, Ginny ran up to him and flung her arms around him tightly. She had truly missed him the most being back at Hogwarts. She squeezed her brother and he laughed, "Hey Ginbug! What's up?" Ginny suddenly felt tears rack her body. The talk with Tonks the other day had really helped her sort through everything, but until Bill had arrived she hadn't even realized how much she'd missed her brothers. Now, the feelings were slowly but surely catching up to her.

Bill was the first to arrive that evening, and Fleur seemed to sense her need to be alone with him. She hugged Ginny and then went off to go and see if her mother needed any help in the kitchen. Ginny was also relieved because this meant she didn't have to help her mother. Bill issued them outside and he placed an arm around her shoulder as they walked, "How are you little sis? I've been worried. You've barely owled me."

Ginny shrugged her shoulders and murmured, "I've been fine thanks, Bill. A lot has been happening at school and I just haven't had much time to write. Mum and dad said the same thing to me." They sat at the long outdoor table which Ginny had set earlier that afternoon for the guests arriving this evening. Bill sighed and shook his head, "I've been worrying about you Ginbug. I really have. It's not like you've got all of us brothers around to stress about you anymore."

She smiled kindly and whispered, "I've missed you guys. I really have…more than I thought I would. It hasn't been the same. And with Harry gone too…" She trailed off and Bill gritted his teeth irritably. Ginny frowned, noticing, and whispered, "What's wrong, Bill?" He shook his head swiftly and mumbled under his breath, "Nothing. I'm just mad at Harry for abandoning you, that's all. He could be protecting you from whatever is happening in that place." Ginny frowned and raised her eyebrow, "Protecting me? Why do you think I need protecting?'

Bill rolled his eyes and sighed, "Ginny I wasn't born yesterday! You've lost weight." Ginny frowned and then reacted defensively, "So? What does that have to do with anything?" Bill stared at her and said sternly, "It could only mean that you're stressed and you haven't been eating properly." She rolled her eyes and whispered, "Bill! I'm not too thin. I exercise all the time for Quidditch! That's why I'm thinner for goodness sake! And I'm not eating mums food everday!"

This caused him to laugh lightly and he shrugged, "You've got me there." Ginny grinned at him and grabbed a cracker from the table but only to prove a point that she was in fact eating properly. Bill chuckled and shook his head before Ginny asked, "How is married life treating you?" Bill grinned and replied, "It's the best decision I ever made."
Bill glanced at Fleur and Ginny could see how much he genuinely loved her. He was lucky because even though they were on the brink of war, he could still be with the person he loved most in the world. As happy as she was for him, it hurt her to know that she couldn't have that. She whispered hoarsely, "I'm happy for you." Bill raised an eyebrow and turned back to her, "You don't sound like it."

Ginny sighed and dipped a cracker in the dip her mother had made, "I am," she insisted. Bill eyed her suspiciously and said, "But I suspect you're thinking about something else. Or someone else." Ginny blushed and shrugged her shoulders, "That obvious, huh?" He laughed and shrugged, "What can I say? I know my little sis. But seriously…it's not got to do with Voldemort or anything?"

She stared at her brother in awe. Bill was right…he knew her too well. She hadn't even mentioned Voldemort's name and yet…here he was asking her about it. She smiled sadly and was about to tell him about to tell him about the dreams when Neville and his grandmother apparated at the end of their gate. She smiled and widely and asked Bill, "Hey, can we talk about this later?" Bill nodded and murmured, "Sure thing. I'm going to find Fleur." Ginny nodded and then hurried off to go and greet Neville.

A/N: Hi guys! Wow! Thanks so much for all of the positive responses to the last chapter! I really didn't think you guys would like it and now I'm so glad I went with my gut feeling because I knew it was the right thing to do! Wow wow wow! Thanks so much guys. I truly appreciate it! Here's hoping you enjoy this chapter.