A/N: Because you all asked so nicely for a quick update and because I felt guilty for leaving you at such a terrible cliffhanger! Here's chapter 22! Hooray!

Chapter 22

Ginny awkwardly invited them into the apartment, only snapping back to reality when Hermione wrapped her up in a tight hug. "Mm! something smells delicious!" Hermione yelled, running into the kitchen.

Ginny glared at her friend's back 'Deserter.' Her skin tingled and her body filled with warmth as Harry stepped over to her side. "Hi, Gin…" he said slowly, searching out her eyes. Reluctantly she could feel her own chocolate colored orbs rising to meet his, and for a moment, they just stood there. Staring. Breathing. Uncertain.

There were so many emotions roiling around in the stormy depths of Ginny's mind and she almost entertained the voice in the back that was telling her to run into her bedroom and lock the door.

That particular idea was sounding better and better by the second, in fact.

"Gin?" he asked and her stomach clenched. She hadn't heard his voice in five years, hadn't been this close to him in that same amount of time. He was still handsome and still held that shy and mysterious modesty that had attracted her all those years ago.

"It's good to see you, Harry," she said at last, tearing her eyes from his.

"This looks wonderful, Ginny! Let's eat!" Hermione hollered as she walked back out of the kitchen, breaking the troubling reunion between the former couple.

Dinner was tense. Ginny tried to avoid Harry's probing gaze while Hermione was holding a one-sided conversation about her work and where it had taken her recently. She listened to Hermione's words, letting them float around her, but none were really penetrating. She was too concerned with the man sitting across from her, eyeing her intently.

Why was he back? Five years with no word, no contact and then poof! There he is-- like magic. She sent a side-ways look his way, watching him discreetly as she moved her food around on her plate.

The last time she had seen him was at Bill and Fluer's wedding; before the war, before so much had happened in her life, in all their lives. Their last words had been words of longing, words of love, but that was all five years ago now. Five years of wondering where he was, if he was okay, if he still thought about her… if he still cared.

However, now that he was sitting at her dinning room table, she couldn't think of one word to say to him. She snorted inwardly. Gryffindor courage, indeed.

But it wasn't that she was scared. Not really. She was just confused. What did he want?

He caught her looking at him and smiled widely, making Ginny turn away quickly, a scarlet blush staining her cheeks. Damn the man, he could still make her blush. It angered her somewhat that he could still make her feel anything at all.

Harry hadn't changed much, not really. He was still thin and not very muscular, and his hair was still a messy mop. His scar was still there, in the center of his brow. But his glasses were new, as was the self-confidence and deeper voice. He was still attractive, but now he was… almost charming. In an endearingly unconscious Harry-sort-of-way.

Ginny heard her name being called and realized that Hermione had been addressing her for quite some time. With a blush, she turned quickly, her hand knocking into her wine glass and sending it clattering to the floor. In her valiant effort to catch her falling glass, she had managed to send a forkful of food flying across the room and had placed her elbow in the butter dish. Damn.

Embarrassed, she closed her eyes tightly and silently counted to ten. When she opened her eyes again it was to the sight of a mashed potato covered Harry and a mirthful Hermione. The green eyed man looked so shocked that Ginny couldn't help herself and she burst into giggles, Harry following immediately after.

With that, the atmosphere was more comfortable and it was just like old times at the Burrow. They spent the rest of the evening remembering funny things that the twins had done, or crazy adventures that they had all shared. They talked about everything: Quidditch, Hogwarts, Umbridge, skiving snack boxes, the Yule ball… The three of them had shared so much.

They talked about Ron a little, only stopping when Harry seemed to become uncomfortable. That brought another question to Ginny's mind. Why hadn't Harry been at Ron's funeral?

She watched her former flame closely as they continued to talk, wondering so many things and not sure how to ask all of her questions. Not sure if she really wanted all the answers. Before she had time to decide how her inquisition would begin, Harry was standing and excusing himself. "I need to get home. I had a long trip and I'm knackered," he explained with a yawn.

Ginny had to stop herself from asking where he had traveled from, and instead, she settled on saying farewell to him with a small smile.

"Where are you staying?" Hermione asked as she hugged him goodbye.

"Grimauld Place for the time being. See if I can fix it up a bit," he said, his eyes trailing over to Ginny once more.

Hermione walked him to the door while Ginny cleaned up the table. She had just spelled the dishes to wash themselves when Hermione walked into the kitchen. She turned slowly towards her friend. "We really need to talk," she said and the brunette nodded.

They poured themselves another glass of wine, finishing off the bottle, and sat facing each other on the couch. Ginny held up a finger, telling Hermione to wait a minute, before she took a big gulp of her wine. She exhaled loudly and then nodded, looking into her friends' thick lashed, brown eyes. "Ok, I'm ready."

Hermione smiled at her gently. "He just showed up at my hotel last night. We had been corresponding for about a month." At this, Ginny opened her mouth and Hermione quickly stopped her. "He told me not to tell you. Anyway, he knew I was coming home for a few days and he just showed up. We talked and he told me some things."

"What sort of things?" Ginny asked nervously.

"That he wants you back, Gin. He came home for you." she let her words sink in for a moment and grabbed Ginny's freckled right hand between her own. She could feel it shaking in her grasp.

Ginny couldn't breathe. Her mind was running too fast and she just couldn't keep up with all of the passing thoughts. "Me?" she managed after a moment. "He came back…"

Hermione nodded. "He's changed a lot, matured."

She pulled her hand out of Hermione's and took another sip of wine, her shaking hands making the amber liquid slosh back and forth in its glass.

"You should give him a shot, Ginny. You haven't dated in a long time and we both know that you never truly got over him."

Ginny's wide eyes met Hermione's evenly and the brunette smiled at her. "This is your chance to be happy!" She sobered and her smile faltered. "Don't loose your second chance, Ginny. We don't all get one."

"Hermione…"

"No. Its ok, He's gone and I've dealt with it," she said, gently wiping tears from her eyes

The redhead could feel her own eyes misting at the memory of the love her best friend and her brother had shared. Ron.

He had always been the kind of person to put others' needs above his own. He had been a wonderful brother and an even better friend. She remembered making forts out of pillows, crawling into his bed when she had had a nightmare, and finishing each other's sentences. He had been the knight when they had played fairy tale games. He had always been the one to save her -the princess- while the twins would play the dragons. They took care of each other. They didn't always get along, but they knew that they would always be ready if the other needed them. She had been the one to comfort him while he talked about his feelings for Hermione.

Hermione. His love for her had been there for almost as long as Ginny could remember. She was ten when he came back from his first year and told her stories about his newfound friends and the pretty, bright girl that he fancied. Their love had been a storybook one, the kind that lasted forever, the kind that was meant to be.

He should have lived. He was supposed to live. Ron was supposed to marry Hermione and have many beautiful children. He was supposed to be here now when she needed him to tell her what to do; now, when she was so lost, so confused.

She looked up into Hermione's eyes once more and saw the same thoughts reflected in her friend's deep gaze. No longer able to hold it in, the flood gates burst.

Hermione pulled Ginny into a hug and laid her head on the younger girl's shoulder. "Just promise you'll try. Promise that you won't waste this second chance," she pleaded, her voice trembling.

"I promise." She breathed, holding her friend tightly as they cried.

A/N: Once again, thanks for the reviews to last chapter! HyperSquishy, beckysue2, kasey07, harrypotterchick4ever, babi-gurl-chels, Robin, AuntAnnie, grannyHPfan, Dumbledore's Troop, Dumbledore's Troop, CanYouLovetheImaginary, Dracosbaby7, M i s s G i n e r v a Z a b i n i, KissBangBang I loved reading your reactions!

Special thanks to my new reviewers! Thanks for taking the time to tell me what you think! It's very much appreciated!

Well, to the disappointment and relief of some; there will be no Harry/Hermione pairing. lol. I didnt think that it would be fair to Ron's memory if Hermione got with Harry although I did briefly consider it. No, it's much more fun this way!

Questions:

Robin: We will learn where Harry was for so long, but not for a few chapters evil cackle

babi-gurl-chels: lol, no Mr. X is not, unfortunately, Snape. Poor Snapey-poo died in chapter 13 with the final battle- by Lucius' hand sobs So, unless we have zombie!Snape coming back from the grave and being the right hand man of an unknown mastermind for a black market slave trade...it's just not going to happen. lol!

Speaking of... I get a little confused with who all has died in this fic and I know that some of you do as well..since it is so long.

So, here's a list of people who died in the final battle as a refresher: Snape, Mcgonagall, Narcissa, Ron, Percy

Charlie is missing his right arm and Ginny has a scar that runs up her abdomen from her left hip and ends at her lower ribs. The final battle is recapped in Chapter 13 from Draco's P.O.V. yay!