AN: Thank you, everyone, for the reviews. I was little nervous about this, so I'm glad I haven't screwed it up. Also, a big thank you to the fabulous Paula who helped me figure out where to take this. Much love.

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"Private Harry James Potter."

Ginny takes several deep breaths as her husband's face flashes across the screen. Beside her, Ron gives her hand a gentle squeeze and whispers that he'd died a hero.

Ginny can't do it. This is supposed to be her fabled big step to normalcy, but she can't sit at this service and listen to a man who probably hadn't even served with Harry talk about what a noble man he was, the same way he'd talked about the seven other fallen soldiers moments before.

"Excuse me," she whispers, climbing to her feet and bolting from the auditorium.

She wants to go home, but Ron and Hermione won't be ready to leave yet. They'll say that this is good for her, that what she's feeling is normal.

"I don't want to be normal!" she shouts at the air, kicking the picnic table before her.

"That's good," comes a familiar drawling voice behind her. "Talking to yourself isn't exactly normal, after all."

Ginny turns, eyes narrowing at Draco. "Who asked you?"

"No one," he says, leaning against the table and tucking a cigarette between his lips.

"Damn right no one did," Ginny says sharply.

She softens slightly. It isn't Draco's fault that Harry is gone. He's just a convenient target. "I'm s-"

"Don't apologize. You're angry. I understand. It isn't fair, is it?"

"No. It's not," Ginny agrees, looking down at her feet.

"Well, Potter, life isn't fair. It's one of the first things the military teaches you. The second is that you're supposed to suck it up and deal with it."

Ginny wants to snap at him, to tell him to sod off. But she can't bring herself to do it. Draco is right, and he's blunt about it. There's no tiptoeing around the matter like her family and friends do, only a simple, harsh fact. Maybe it's exactly what Ginny needs.

"Are you sucking it up and dealing with it?" she asks.

His expression grows grim. "Something like that."

The doors to the auditorium open, and people begin filing out. Ginny guesses the service is finally over.

"I should go," she says, turning away.

Draco catches her wrist. "Look, if you need someone to talk to...I'm not exactly good with this, not the way Aunt Andie is, but...I know what you're going through, okay. Don't be a stranger."

Ginny nods, not really sure if she means. "Right. Thanks, then," she says awkwardly before ducking into the crowd to find Ron and Hermione.

OoOoO

Ginny sits at the dinner table that night, forcing herself to smile through the weekly family dinner, even if she doesn't feel it. She remains quiet as everyone talks about their week and any important news. If she speaks, she knows she'll only make it awkward.

"And then, he says, if you can believe it, 'Perry, you've been a marvelous asset to the company. How do you feel about becoming CEO?'" Percy says. "Mind, I hope they'll put the right name on my office door."

Ginny stabs at her chicken, picking it apart, forcing a laugh along with the others. If she pretends, they won't try to get her to participate, she hopes.

"Ginny, dear," her mother says, shattering her hope. "Ron told us you attended the ceremony today."

"That's a big step," her father says proudly.

Ginny nods mutely. Avoid talking. They'll stop.

"And she's been going to group," Ron supplies, earning a glare from his sister.

"How's that going?"

"Okay."

"Okay?" Fred laughs. "Blimey, sis, tone down the details. It's too much."

Ginny rises to her feet, fake smile still in place. "I need to go," she says. "I told a friend I'd stop by."

She expects them to protest. Instead, her mother simply nods. "So nice to you're going out, honey," she says. "It's good for you."

Ginny says a quick farewell, distributing hugs across the table before slipping into the living room and searching the phone book for Draco Malfoy.