Harry and I arrived at the restaurant and found that Hermione and Paige were at the bar obviously not on their first drink. They were both laughing hysterically at some story Paige was animatedly telling. It was nice to see Hermione making friends.

"Well," Hermione said loudly as we approached, "you finally decide to come and join us." She stood up and put her arm through mine. "Come on their holding our table."

Harry and Paige followed and we were seated at a table in the back corner. The restaurant was really nice and we ordered a bottle of wine and I jokingly told the girls they were cut off after this. We each ordered a four-course meal from their pricey menu and settled in for what was probably going to be a long evening.

"I have to say Harry that you have some pretty great friends," offered Paige. "I've found a fabulous new shopping buddy!"

"Yes, we plan to buy out London this Saturday," added Hermione with an endearing laugh.

"That's great." I beamed looked into Hermione's eyes. There was something different tonight about them. They sparkled like I'd never seen.

"So," Paige began a bit mischievously, "are you going to let us know what happened with your ex-wife."

Harry and I were both shocked at the pointed question. At least she was honest and was trying to get the screaming banshee out of the room.

Hermione looked to me, "maybe Ron will tell us."

"Hey, I don't know. Mum dragged me into the kitchen."

"It was nothing really. She wished me happy birthday and we talked a bit. I know now that it is most definitely over." He heaved a deep sigh.

"Well hopefully you got some closure." Paige said, and then added, "my closure was finding out last week they're engaged. Four years and he wouldn't marry me and now two months without me and he's marrying my whore of a best friend." She seemed to realize that she had gotten a little loud toward the end. "So sorry." She took a swig of wine and Harry patted her on the back.

I kind of just stared at her not knowing how to respond to what she just said. I must have looked like I thought her head was on fire because Hermione nudged me and whispered that she'd fill me in later.

Dinner continued most pleasantly. I was really starting to like Paige. She had one of those magnetic personalities but I really liked that she and Hermione were hitting it off. She needed a new girl friend in her life.

As we left the restaurant I invited everyone back to my place for a piece of the birthday cake mum had left. Hermione was the only taker but said that she was full from the chocolate mousse. Harry and Paige strolled down the street a bit and Hermione and I apparated back to my place.

"I really like Paige don't you?" She asked as we entered my house.

"I think she's just what Harry needs right now. But what was with that comment about her best friend?"

"Oh, she moved her because her long time boyfriend was having an affair with her best friend. Now they are engaged. She told me that she and Harry were rebounding together." She followed with a hiccup.

I could tell she was pretty tipsy. "'Mione if you want to stay here tonight, I have a guest room you could sleep in."

"Are you saying I'm in no condition to return to the castle?"

"Um, yes.

"Okay then. Lead me to the bedroom." She blushed when she realized how that had sounded. "What I meant was…"

"I know what you meant; don't worry."

I walked her to the guest room, which I luckily keep pretty neat, and made sure she was comfortable. "I can give you something of mine to sleep in if you'd like."

"That's okay; they'd probably just fall off." She laughed thinking it was really funny basically calling me fat, which I wasn't. I'll admit that my strict Auror exercise regimen had fallen by the wayside but I was still buff.

"Ron, would you stay with me until I go to sleep?"

"Sure." She lay down on her side and I sat on the edge of the bed.

"Don't sit there and stare at me, you can lie down too."

I did what she said. I lay down next to her but with a big gap between us. I didn't want her to be uncomfortable. But suddenly she rolled over and put her arm around me and her head on my chest. I put my arm around her, holding her the way I wanted to do every night and every morning. Eventually we both drifted to sleep, the best sleep I ever had.

Ginny woke with a start. She looked around and realized she was in her childhood bedroom. She looked at the clock showing 3:00. The house was boiling hot so she got up to splash some water on her face. As she walked to the bathroom, the Burrow had an eerie feeling. She opened the door and turned on the faucet. The water felt cool on her skin and as she patted her face with the hand towel she glanced at her image. She screamed. Her face was grotesque; she looked like a skeleton with strange scars.

Ginny continued to wash and rub her face and this time when she looked in the mirror she was back to normal but she saw that she was no longer alone. She jumped and turned around to face the man. "What? How?" She asked shakily.

It was her father. Whether he was a ghost or a boggart she didn't know. She tried ridikkulus but to no avail.

"What are you doing Ginny?" The specter asked.

"What?"

"You used to always answer me. I asked what you are doing."

"What do you mean? I was washing my face."

"Why are you doing this?" He asked gently.

"Because I was hot." Ginny replied in a half question.

"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it Ginevra." Ginny continued to shake; she was afraid of her father, she never used to be.

"Daddy, I'm the only one who still wants justice for you."

"What you're doing isn't justice Ginny, its revenge and self preservation." He moved toward her and Ginny back away. But with no where to go she stepped into the tub.

"Why are you alienating everyone? Is it that you don't want to believe that she is innocent or is it that you can't stand the weight of all the lies you told or the guilt from all the evidence you planted."

"The evidence against her was so strong. And …"

"Ginny look at me," she looked up at her father. "The evidence was strong because you made sure it was. Yes, what the deatheaters planted certainly was damning but you sealed her coffin. She was your best friend, why didn't you help her?"

Ginny cried from frustration. The one person that should be behind her questioned her. "Because I saw her with him."

"Who?"

"Viktor! Ron loved her desperately and I saw her kissing Viktor. We all know whose side he turned out to be on. When Hermione became a suspect it all made sense, she was spying for him."

"But Viktor was killed. Do you really know that he was on their side?" Ginny began to interrupt but he cut her off. "You of all people know how easy it is to plant evidence."

Ginny slid down the wall and sat in the tub cradling her knees. Her father continued, "did you ever ask Hermione about Viktor?" She looked up at him curiously. "It was during a visit to the Ministry wasn't it? If you had asked you would have found out the Viktor had cornered her and kissed her. You must have left before she kneed him you know where."

"How do you know this?"

"You weren't the only one there Ginny. Remember, mum had asked you to find Hermione and after you left I went looking too. I wasn't far behind you when I saw you stop dead in your tracks. I too saw the kiss and I saw you run off. At first I thought it was a passionate embrace and was going to tell them to be more discreet. My thoughts also went to Ron who would be devastated. But then I realized what I was seeing was Hermione struggling. I raced up to help but before I got there she managed to push him away and injure him most severely." He seemed to chuckle at the memory. "She was embarrassed and didn't want anyone to know, but I thought you might have asked her about it."

Ginny couldn't believe what she was hearing. After what she saw she would look for any little thing to distrust Hermione. When she would go to visit her parents' graves or go to Diagon Alley alone, Ginny was sure that Hermione was meeting Viktor. Ron deserved better than a mudblood tramp. Ginny had built up everything in her mind as a conspiracy that began with Hermione coming to Hogwarts.

"And where are you now Ginny? Alone and drowning is a sea of your own lies. I'm so disappointed in you."

Disappointed in you…disappointed in you…disappointed in you…

He just kept repeating himself over and over. She began to half cry and half scream.

Ginny bolted up in bed, this time truly awake. It was the same dream she kept having over an over. Each time a little different but it always ended in her dad being disappointed in her.

The clock read 7:30 and she decided to get up. She wandered downstairs.

"Good morning, how did you sleep?" Mrs. Weasley asked her daughter.

"Not well."

"I'm sorry, maybe some tea would help." Her mum placed a cup in front of her and encouraged her to drink up.

Ginny just sat there staring. Last night's dream had been the most vivid. She was never really sure whether to believe was her father was saying or not. It's a dream, it's not really your father, she thought.

"Dear, are you alright? You never did tell me about your talk with Harry."

"No I'm not alright. It's over between us for good. He as much said it. Apparently he's seeing someone else already."

"You did too dear."

"It's different."

"So it's okay for you but not for him."

Ginny looked up at her mother's knowing face. "Yes." She sat down the tea cup. "Mum, I'm going to go on back this afternoon. I don't think I'll be coming back here so you should visit me next time. You could come over winter since its summer there." She added with a smile.

Mrs. Weasley was concerned. "Of course I'll come. I'm glad you found a job at a local Gringott's branch. It makes me feel good to know that you and Bill work for the same company." She paused and sucked up some tears. "Ginny, you are my only daughter. I hate losing you."

"You aren't losing me. I'm just not as close. Bill used to live in Egypt. Remember you can come see me and anyone else that might want to."

"It just breaks my heart to think that this is how everything turned out."

"Mum it's not your fault, it's mine."

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Weasley was hoping that Ginny was starting to come around.

"Nothing." Ginny walked up the stairs to pack leaving a disappointed mother behind her.