Chapter 4-Disturbing Developments

Christmas Eve was the next day and Ginny and her parents apparated to Shell Cottage. Bill and Fleur were there and the cottage had been placed under the tightest security, with Bill as the secret keeper. Bill had shared the location with his parents, so Ginny had to side-along apparate with her father. Upon arriving, Ginny was shocked to find a disheveled Ron sitting in the living room. She ran toward him, screaming.

"What the hell are you doing here? Where is Harry? Why aren't you with him? Where is Hermione?"

As she berated him, Ginny also began pounding her fists on Ron's head as he put his hands up and cowered before her. Mr. Weasley quickly took hold of his daughter and tried to calm her.

"You better tell her what you can Ron."

Blanching, Ron began with a gulp.

"Well, we were on the trail or er, well, the quest was underway, well I can't tell you what, but the three of us were having to travel and move daily and the pressure was just awful and we hardly had any food…and…and...I um flipped out…and we had a fight and Hermione yelled and I bailed. And yes Ginny, I know I am a despicable prat."

As Ron finished, he slumped back onto the couch with his head in his hands. Ginny just stared at him.

"I have no further words for you Ron. After everything that we are going through at Hogwarts and you can't keep yourself on a quest with your two best friends, you really are despicable."

That said, Ginny headed for the kitchen to talk to Fleur.

Ginny and Ron avoided each other as much as possible for the rest of the day, refusing to talk even at dinner. It was the worst Christmas Eve of her life. As soon as they apparated back to the Burrow, Ginny went to bed and wallowed in her grief. She worried about Harry constantly. She still loved him, gods how she still loved him. Ginny wondered if she could keep going.

Christmas passed morosely. The twins arrived and tried to cheer Ginny up, but she was beyond being amused by pranks. She left dinner early and went to sleep thinking about Harry and Luna.

The next day, Ginny informed her parents that she was going to visit Luna so that they could talk about Hogwarts before returning. Mrs. Weasley was happy to see that Ginny had perked up a bit and agreed that seeing a friend was a great idea. Ginny floo'd over and Luna greeted her as soon as she came out of the fire. After a quick embrace, Ginny sat Luna down to talk.

"Luna, you need to know something."

Luna blanched at the look on Ginny's face and waited while Ginny continued.

"On Christmas Eve my parents and I went to visit Bill and Fleur, and Ron was there as well. He's abandoned whatever quest he was on with Harry and Hermione and apparently whatever they're up to is pretty awful."

Luna sighed and quickly agreed with Ginny that Ron was the world's biggest prat. Ginny detailed the beating that she had given Ron on seeing him and Luna began laughing.

"Oh my Ginny, I wish I had been there to see that."

Luna's laughter was infectious and Ginny soon joined her as they finally had a chance to lighten up for the first time in months. As their laughter died, Luna reached out and took Ginny's hand, not saying anything. Ginny knew what she wanted.

"Luna, are you sure, do you want us to continue?"

Luna replied by leaning forward and beginning to kiss Ginny. Suddenly the months of fear and frustration flowed out of Ginny as she relaxed into Luna. Breaking their connection, Ginny whispered in her ear.

"Why don't you show me your room is Luna."

They proceeded up a series of winding stairs to the top of the house where Luna's bedroom was. Without words, they slowly began to undress each other, trailing kisses along the way. Once their clothes were completely gone, each of them stood, taking in the others beauty. Then they proceeded to Luna's bed and lay down. They snogged for a while, with their hands going everywhere. Soon they were both panting with desire and Ginny was the first to speak.

"Luna, are you a virgin? I mean, are you still physically intact?"

Luna giggled and nodded yes.

"What about you Gin?"

Ginny also nodded.

"Luna, I want to love you and I want you to love me, but I am still waiting for Harry. I want him to be the one who takes me completely. I hope you understand?"

Luna smiled down on Ginny.

"Of course, I only, well...um…"

Suddenly Luna seemed lost for words. Ginny tilted her face up and kissed her.

"Luna, sweet Luna, tell me what you desire, please don't hold back from me."

Luna kissed Ginny before answering.

"Well, Harry is yours and I hope every day you get him back, but I um, well I have been dreaming that maybe I would be lucky to someday have him make me a woman completely as well."

Ginny was speechless for a moment as Luna's desire was suddenly spoken and Ginny found herself not objecting at all to the idea of Harry deflowering her beautiful Luna.

"Luna, when Harry comes back, and yes, he will come back, I want us to welcome him back together and then he can complete us both."

Luna beamed as Ginny spoke the words that were her most precious dream. Then they started snogging again and the fires in each of them were relit. Luna went down on Ginny first and then gently pushed her fingers into her, being careful to not go to far. She gently coaxed Ginny to a mind shattering orgasm and carefully licked up all of Ginny's fluids after. Ginny then returned the favor, relishing the power she felt to pleasure her lover. She brought Luna to her first orgasm with just her tongue, then she pushed into her lightly and found the spot that sent Luna over the edge a second time. When they finished, they lay wrapped around each other in blissful peace. Each remained quiet as they entertained private thoughts of what they would do when Harry returned and could be between them. Before long, they dozed in each other's arms and only awakened when they heard Luna's father return. They cleaned and dressed quickly. Then, with one last kiss, they descended the stairs.

Ginny and Luna returned to Hogwarts the next week. As the months progressed, the punishments from the Carrows got worse. Ginny saw Luna daily in classes, but they barely had time for one quick snog in a bathroom between classes. Then the unthinkable happened. Ginny heard second hand one evening that while the Ravenclaws were in Charms, Alecto had come to the class and taken Luna out. She had tried to resist, but had been knocked unconscious and removed from the castle. Ginny despaired. The Death Eaters had now taken both her lovers. She was desperate for news on where Luna had gone, but no one seemed to know.

Not long after Luna's kidnapping, Ginny spotted Headmaster Snape in the halls and cornered him, demanding information on her missing friend. Snape pulled her into an office and began to question her, while also refusing to give her any information. Then Ginny felt him pressing in on her mind. Ginny used all her strength and Occlumency practice to resist and it seemed to work somewhat.

"Well, I see someone has been doing homework in Occlumency. I must say that I am impressed Weasley, you did quite well. Still, I wonder about a few stray wisps I saw. It seems that maybe Miss Lovegood is more than a friend? My, my, what would your parents think?"

All the color drained from Ginny's face as Snape continued.

"Now, Miss Weasley I suggest you return to class and not worry about what is not your business. If you behave, maybe I will not find a way to divulge certain illicit thoughts."

With that, he swept out of the room, leaving Ginny with tears silently running down her face. With nothing else to do, Ginny half-heartedly continued classes. Then, about a week after her meeting with Snape, Ginny was returning from the library to Gryffindor tower when Professor McGonagall pulled her aside and into an office.

"Miss Weasley, we have hardly any time. You must leave the school now. I do not have time to explain. The rest of your family is in hiding and you are going to join them. My position is tenuous, but Severus does not have enough proof yet to remove me, so I remain here to do what I can. Now, I have created an illegal floo connection that will deposit you in Hogsmeade. From there you must apparate home. Your mother will be waiting and will take you on from there. She assures me that although you have not passed your apparition exam, that you are capable?"

Ginny was terrified, but nodded. Then Professor McGonagall threw the floo powder in the fireplace and pushed Ginny into the flames while saying 'The Hog's Head'. Ginny stepped out of the fire and found herself standing in the dark and grimy pub with several people staring at her sudden arrival. Without a second thought, she apparated to the Burrow. As soon as her feet touched down, Mrs. Weasley grabbed her daughter by the arm and side-along apparated them to the safe house that had been established.