You know how you're faced with a hard decision to make and you suddenly start blaming other people for your incompetence at actually forming a decision? All the movies have it. In the muggle and wizarding version of The Stepford Wives (Godric's Hollow Wives for us witches and wizards!), Joanna (Andromeda) blamed the other perfect wives for her incompetence. When truly, she just wasn't the home-making type!

So, I decided to take a leaf out of Hollywood (Filmation Alley) and blame someone for the fact that I can't seem to do anything to make me happy. That person is Ginny Potter, formerly Weasley. Yeah, I know it's terribly cliché to blame the stepmother, but I figured if she wasn't such a nymphomaniac and home-wrecker, my parents wouldn't have divorced and maybe, just maybe my mother wouldn't have died. Because no matter what any Healer told me, I believe that my mother died of a broken heart. Yes, the illness did eat her up, but I'm sure that if she and Father were still together, she would have survived, medicine and science be damned.

As for blaming Ginny, blaming her just seemed so much easier than blaming anyone else. That's why I asked her to meet me at the Hog's Head the first Hogsmeade weekend. I told Raymond I'd meet him at the Three Broomsticks afterward.

Ginny looked around the Hog's Head in disgust. She'd been there once previously and never wanted to be back. Ever. It looked like fate wasn't on her side if she got dragged back by her stepdaughter.

Stepdaughter. Ginny sighed and looked at the ring adorning her finger. It was larger and more lavish than the one Katia had worn when she was married to Harry and Ginny knew that. She'd chosen it purposely to show Katia up. Who was she kidding? She had been jealous of Katia. Horribly jealous.

After Harry defeated Voldemort, instead of coming back to her, like she thought he would, he went off and got on with different women, living up his bachelorhood. Ginny hadn't minded much because she knew he would come back once he was done being a notorious playboy. Then he'd met Megan. Megan had proved to be no real threat. Megan's best friend Katia, however, proved to be the biggest threat to Ginny.

Harry fell head over heels in love and married the wench. It wasn't fair. Harry was hers! He'd always been hers and some stupid foreign whore wasn't going to take him away from her. So she seduced him. Okay, so she might have drank a Felix Felicis to improve her chances but…

She got pregnant and reveled in telling Harry. He was mortified but her mother had talked some sense into him and after he divorced Katia, he married her. Ginny always tried to forget the way his eyes lit when she came to drop off her pick up Maleah. As much as Ginny wanted to pretend he was glad to see his daughter, she knew the truth.

When Katia died, Ginny thought all her problems were solved. Then Maleah moved in with them. She thought that the child would go to an aunt or grandparent but no, Harry insisted on having his daughter live with them. Every time Ginny looked at that girl…

She saw Katia. And it shamed her. It filled her with guilt because Ginny hadn't mourned Katia. The moment she heard of the woman's death, she sang because she was so happy. And deep down, she thought that Maleah's wide hazel eyes could see into her very soul and see her guilty conscience.

Ginny was no fool. It was only a matter of time before Maleah's empathy powers became active. Even though Harry was so worried about Maleah's lack of nutrition during the years after Katia's death, Ginny had known that it was sheer luck for her. That meant that Maleah wouldn't come into her magical inheritance for a longer time. Ginny was hoping that it wasn't until the girl was out the house.

"Ginny?"

Ginny broke out of her thoughts to see Maleah staring at her. The girl looked apprehensive, yet determined. Ginny gave a curt nod and waved to the seat across from her.

While Maleah gathered her thoughts, Ginny studied the young woman in front of her. Ginny had been shocked when she saw that Maleah had cut her hair, but rather impressed that she did a pretty good job with it. Maleah had grown from the scrawny malnourished child she had been. She'd grown into her looks and Ginny couldn't believe the perfect resemblance between Maleah and both her parents.

"You wanted to see me?" Ginny barely kept the contempt from her voice. Her marriage was on the rocks and the only thing that could save it is if she could somehow accept Maleah. Problem is that she wanted to smack the knowing look off the chit's face.

Maleah nodded. "I-I know you don't like me," she began. "I just don't know why. Why do you hate me so?"

Ginny froze. She hadn't expected that to come out of her mouth. "I-I-I," she stuttered. "I'm sure th-that I don't know w-what you're ta-talking about."

Maleah glared. "I need for you to tell me why you hate me so much! I'm so-look, I don't care if you never talk to me again, but I just need for you to tell me what it is that I did wrong? Why was I the brunt of your anger?"

Ginny looked away and cursed herself for showing a weakness in front of the girl. So she lied. "You needed discipline," Ginny said coolly. "You were too rambunctious. As the child of Harry Potter, you have a certain role to fill."

Maleah stared at her through wide eyes. "You're lying," she breathed. "You're lying. You hated me so-." Maleah choked up. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Why'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Sleep with a married man," Maleah opened her eyes to gauge Ginny's reaction.

Ginny blanched. "I don't know what your mother told you-."

"She told me that you were sleeping with my father while they were married. She also told me that when Daddy came home she felt waves of guilt falling off of him as he got into bed after seeing you. Plus his panic whenever you were with them."

Ginny was careful to keep her expression blank but inside she was reeling. Katia knew about her affair with Harry. She'd always thought that Katia knew nothing until after Ginny delivered James. It was humbling, yet it infuriated her.

"And what did your mother do about those suspicions?" Ginny asked smugly.

Maleah shrugged. "She knew he wasn't thinking of you when they were together at night," Maleah said bluntly. "In fact her precise words were, 'Ginny may have your father during business hours, but at night, he's mine. Only mine."

"I always loved your father," Ginny said quietly.

Maleah said nothing.

"Ever since I met him," she admitted with a slight scoff.

"Did you love Harry Potter the Man or Harry Potter, the Saviour?" Maleah asked.

"There wasn't much of a difference back then," Ginny shrugged. Then she turned defensive. "I'm sure your mother fell in love with his bank account first."

Maleah shrugged, denying nothing. "Maybe, but she didn't need it. She had her own money and there were plenty of other eligible bachelors out there."

Ginny nodded. "He was mine first. But we broke up. It was unsaid, but everyone, including me, assumed that we'd get back together after he defeated Voldemort. Then when he started dating other women, I thought that he just wanted to hang out before committing himself to me. But your mother came along. I was threatened. She was so unbelievably beautiful," Ginny's gaze glazed as though she were remembering something.

"But it would have been so easy to say she wasn't right for Harry, but she was so nice and charming. She was smart too. Hermione adored her. Ron lusted after her for about a minute before he caught sight of Hermione. But she…just charmed everyone in my family."

Maleah remained silent, fascinated with the story.

"I nearly died when your father and Katia announced their engagement," Ginny continued. "I knew it was over. He wasn't coming back…"

Ginny gazed in horror as Harry finished his sentence. His voice seemed to deepen and slow down. "…her to marry me and she said yes!"

The entire family froze as thy gazed at the two oblivious lovers who couldn't stop smiling. Then Hermione broke the silence with a loud congratulations. Ron followed then the twins and Bill then Charlie. Arthur smiled and offered his congratulations as well. Then every stared expectantly at Molly and Ginny.

Molly let out a sigh. "Oh Harry! I'm so happy for you!"

Ginny knew her mother was lying through her teeth but decided not to call her on it. She smiled brightly. "Yeah. You're a brave woman Katia," she sad trying to make a joke out of the situation. "Or a fool."

The tension broke and dinner resumed once again.

"They were so sickeningly in love," Ginny sighed.

Maleah looked away but met Ginny's gaze once again. "I don't understand."

"I wanted Harry," Ginny said unrepentantly. "So I took him."

"I can," Maleah laughed, "well, I can't respect it, but I...-."

"Can accept it for what it is?" Ginny suggested.

Maleah nodded. Then tears began to form. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you anymore grief. I jus thought you hated me because, well, I don't know why. If I knew that you were so…insecure with your relationship with Daddy and that my presence made it worse, I would've-."

"Don't," Ginny said sharply. How could three or four sentences make her feel stupid for the choices she made for the last eleven years? "It wasn't your fault. I was-. Look, I'm not promising to be Mother of the Year to you, okay? But, I suppose I should at least stop blaming you for the insecurities your mother gave me."

Maleah nodded.

"She loved you so much," Ginny murmured. "I think that if it wasn't for you, she would have probably given up on Harry sooner."

"I know. She told me."

"Harry loves you too," Ginny added in. Seeing Maleah's averted gaze she persisted. "Seriously. Harry loves you, probably more than he loves James and Sirius. But, um, he does. He was just-."

"Influenced by you?" Maleah spat bitterly.

Ginny nodded sadly. "Yes."

"Thank you for coming," Maleah said quietly, gathering her things. "Tell Sirius that I said hi."

"If you tell James I said hi," Ginny responded, standing up.

Maleah nodded. She didn't know what to do. "Uh, Ginny-."

"It's weirder for me," Ginny assured Maleah. "Trust me."

"Yeah," Maleah fled. She walked down the lane, not really seeing anything until she found herself in front of The Three Broomsticks. She saw Raymond already waiting for her. Swallowing a spurt of bile, Maleah walked in and sat across from Raymond.

He smiled and leaned over to kiss her but Maleah turned her head. Frowning, Raymond sat back in his seat. "What's wrong?"

Maleah shrugged. "I was just talking to Ginny."

"Oh? Where is she? I wouldn't mind saying hi," Raymond said turning toward the door.

"She left," Maleah said.

"Oh. Well then-."

"Let's break up," Maleah blurted out.

Raymond froze. "What?"

"I want to break up," Maleah repeated.

"Why?"

"Because neither of us is happy. Do you think I haven't heard about what happened in the fourth floor broom closet?"

"I can explain that," Raymond said quickly.

"I'm sure you can," Maleah nodded. "But I don't want to hear it. So, we're through."

Feeling empowering, Maleah stood and walked out the pub without a backwards glance.

I LOVE this chapter. Aside from the Interlude, this is probably my favorite chapter. I loved writing the conversation between Ginny and Maleah. It was…wonderful, truthfully. I nearly snarled at my siblings for bugging me while I wrote it, cause I didn't want the words to stop. It's kind of as if I wasn't writing it, it just came out. Those are the best chapters in my opinion. Now my fingers are cramping, so…REVIEW! By the way, I'm going away for about two weeks, so that means no updates in between, but I will be writing so there'll be a few chapters when i come back, so leave nice reviews for me to come home to!