It seemed as though it was taking ages to reach their meeting spot with Hagrid, the atmosphere was becoming extremely tense with every step. By now they had veered off the path to head in the proper direction. Darkness was falling quickly over them and with every ominous crackle of leaves or snapping of sticks that broke the silence the group would stop to make sure they were not being followed. Little did they know that they were.

Finally after it had become nearly impossible to see, as night was completely upon them, and the vegetation was growing from every space of dirt since they were so far into the forest; they found the signs that Hagrid had been through. "Look," said Harry who was leading the group by the small light emitting from the end of his wand, "Hagrid's been through here". The trees were bent slightly and a faint path was formed through the brush and wet, brown leaves that covered the ground.

"Well, the clearing should be right up ahead," Hermione answered him pointing to a tree that had been pulled up by its root, obviously from Grawp. They carried on and arrived at the clearing five minutes later. Hagrid was curled into a huge mound under a tree, snoring loudly.

"Err, Hagrid?" Harry said trying not to startle him.

Unfortunately he was unsuccessful, Hagrid jumped to his feet brandishing his small umbrella. "Wha' whose 'ere," his whisper was still a deep, loud bellow.

"It's us, its us!"

"Oh, 'Arry, it's jus' you three. Yah scared me 'alf tah death. Yah can't be too careful nowadays." He looked around noticing how dark it had gotten. "Sure took yah's long enough. I'as beginnin' tah worry yah weren't comin'." All three just stared at him, all were exhausted and now were all startled awake by Hagrid. "Alrigh' you three, le's get a move on."

"What?" Ron said sounding part asleep and part furious. All I wanna do is get something to eat and then sleep. "Can't we just stay the night here and then head out in the morning?"

"No, Ron, I'm afraid not," Hagrid answered, he had already begun walking. "We can't stay put for too lon', too dangerous. We gotta stick tah walking at night; there be more cover that way." Ron sighed heavily. Hermione, inwardly, sympathized with him. She didn't like the idea of walking untill dawn either but she knew there was no use in complaining; this would not be the worst of it, considering she knew what could lie ahead.

The orange, early morning sunlight had begun peaking through the canopy when Hagrid suddenly stopped and announced they had found where they would be sleeping. There, the ground was drier but rocky and the trees slightly less dense. No one questioned Hagrid, but just collapsed on the cold ground with a groan. "I'll letcha know when we're tah start off again."

"Thanks, Hagrid," said Hermione appreciatively as she curled up on a moss covered patch of ground.

Both she and Ron fell asleep quickly. Harry however, had a hard time, not because of Ron's excessive snoring, but because he could not stop thinking about Ginny. I should never have broken things off with her; I don't know if I can do this without her. I hope she's okay. What if it was her on the train? What if somehow she gets hurt, or … Harry could not even bear to think worse, but his thoughts were racing with awful possibilities. I would never forgive myself. What if I never see her again? I love— His thoughts were abruptly cut off; Hagrid's huge hands were on his shoulders, shaking him to conciseness.

"Come on 'Arry," he sounded nervous. Ron and Hermione were already scrambling up. Ron's face was bright red, as if recently embarrassed; and Hermione had a smug grin about her. This confused Harry a little, it was very different from Hagrid's state; though he had a feeling that Ron and Hermione were not reacting to the same situation. Harry must have looked very confused for Hagrid verified his suspicions, "Ron's been calling to Hermione in 'is sleep, don't really wanna know what 'is dream was about meself, he had kind'f a funny grin the 'ole time. But tha's besides the point, I heard howls. Now, it could be nothin' jus' normal wolves, but I don' wanna take any chances."

Harry got up and brushed himself off and ran to catch up with the others who were already a few yards ahead. Every one was silent, with the exception of Ron's stomach growling loudly.

"Are you sure, Hagrid, that it wasn't just Ron's stomach that you heard," Harry questioned throwing Ron a chocolate frog from his bag; he desperately wanted to break the tense atmosphere.

"Thanks Harry," Ron's stomach let out another groan as he unwrapped the sweet and shoved it in his mouth.

Ginny, unbeknownst to anyone, had just caught up with the group. 'I really must be more careful. They nearly left me,' she thought tiptoeing as quickly as she could towards them, being careful to avoid and twigs or crisp looking leaves that might make a sound.

They traveled for three days in just this manor; sleeping in the day, traveling by cover of night and Ginny following in complete silence with the others completely unaware- except maybe Hagrid. Ginny could swear that every so often, Hagrid shot a knowing glance in her direction; she only hoped that he wouldn't give her away.

The group was waking up for what would be their fifth night of traveling through the forest. Oddly, they had not encountered anything on their journey, the most they heard of was a bird in the distance; it seemed every creature in the wizarding world knew that danger was upon them, anything could happen at any time. Tonight however would be slightly different. They had been walking for only five minutes when there was a crack behind them. Hagrid stopped abruptly and put his arms out, which the other three ran into and fell back wards.

"What, Hagrid?" Hermione questioned.

"Shh," was his answer. He turned around and walked toward the noise. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood looking very uneasy behind him. "Draw your wands."

"But wha—"

"Shh. I think we 'ave been follow'd. I knew I 'eard something before." He pulled out his umbrella and pointed it out at nothing. "Show yourself." Nothing. "Come on, yeh right coward." Still nothing. He shot a green beam of light from the umbrella, there was a tiny yelp which seemed to come from nowhere as the light hit a tree- leaving a long, gaping slit in its trunk.

"Okay, okay," said a small scared voice. The voice slowly pulled its cloak off, reveling bright red hair.

"Ginny!" Ron yelled sounding angry. Hermione's jaw had dropped in amazement. It was all Harry could do not to smile and run to her. She just stood there, teary and looking down at her feet. "Bloody hell, Ginny! What are you doing here! Why aren't you at school? I can't believe you!" Ron continued yelling, though Harry could tell he was happy to see her alive.

Hagrid could not think of anything to say but, "Sorry 'bout that curse. Lucky fer yeh I was never a good aim."

Ron's face was as red as Ginny's, and all he could do was glare at her. "I'm sorry," she was still not looking at them, "I couldn't stand the idea of you going with out me. I just want to help, I was worried about all of you."

"But you're too—"

"No, Ronald, I am not too young!" she was yelling now. "I am sick of hearing that I'm too young! I'm just as old as all of you were last year at the department of mysteries! And I was there too, remember! And I wasn't the one thick enough to get myself attacked by brains! I can do it, I can help you and you know it." Ron now looked as though he would attack her. For a second Harry thought he would be stopping his best friend from killing his sister.

"But Gin, what if you get hurt, think about your parents. How would they feel?" Hermione spoke up.

"Ron's going! What about him?"

"Well don't you want to finish school? Who knows how long this will take, you only have two years left."

"Your not!" she snapped at Hermione. "And you only have one year left! I honestly can't believe that you're trying to talk me out of this too. You know damn well that I care just as much about Harry as you and Ron do! I couldn't live with myself if something happened to him and I wasn't even there to try and help him!" Harry was beaming on the inside; he only hoped Ron and Hermione couldn't tell how happy he was. They both turned to Harry to help their cause, both were at a loss for anything to say; he only shrugged.

"Wait a second," Ron said seconds later. "How did you even know about this?"

"Yeah?" Chimed in the others.

"Well I—I kind of over heard..." She was crying now. Harry wanted to run to her and hug her and comfort her so badly now.

"I can't believe you!" Ron was still shouting and red in the face.

"Don' worry, don' worry. I can take 'er back wit' me after I get you three outta here." Hagrid tried to mediate the situation.

"Good!"

"Ronald would you stop your yelling," Hermione was now angry with him as well.

"I will not go back! I'm helping you no matter what you say!" Ron didn't speak and Hermione still looked unsure.

"Ginny, I just don't want you to get hurt." Harry finally spoke as a voice of reason.

"So you don't care about Ron and Hermione, is that it? Because you're letting them go."

"Well no that's not it, but..." Harry now didn't know what to say either.

"I don't want you to get hurt either, and that's why I'm going!" Her tears were streaming. Harry's heart ached for her.

"Well alright, but I need you to make a few promises."

"But, Harry--" Ron began to protest but was stopped by a nasty glare of Hermione's

"Okay, what do you want me to do?" Ginny asked, she had a now triumphant look about her.

"First promise me that you won't use ay magic unless completely necessary. You're still under age and the ministry will be able you track you that way."

"Fine."

"Next," he took a deep breath, "If anything happens to me, promise me that you will get away and save yourself."

"But, I can't--"

"Ginny.." He pressed, grabbing her hand.

"Fine," she agreed not meeting his eye.

"Alrigh' then. Let's get goin'." Hagrid stepped in. Ron turned in a huff and started walking behind Hagrid. Hermione rolled her eyes and followed. Harry smiled half heartedly at Ginny who wiped the tears from her face before following.

And the five of them were off once again.