Dumbledore's funeral was on a gloomy day. Silence filled grounds as everyone sat outside by the great lake. A silence that was broken by quiet sniffs and heartbreaking sobs. No one spoke except for those saying speeches with solemn and nostalgic voices. I felt my eyes prickling as the professors talked about Dumbledore and told stories I had never heard. Their voices were watery as they talked about their happy memories with the great man who was stolen from them. From us.

I sniffed and rubbed my nose with my wrist. I was sitting beside Harry, who was glaring at the ground with tears in his eyes, fists clenched. Hermione sat beside him and Ron beside her, their sides were touching as they sat and silent tears ran down her face. As impossible as it sounded she looked even more beautiful when she cried, but in an aching, painful way because I never wanted to see her cry. I wished I could be the one to whom her side was pressed. I needed that comfort too. But she seemed to be avoiding my glances. So all I could do was watch helplessly as life as we knew it ended.

After the service Harry and I sat in our seats as conversations started and people got to their feet.

"Ginny, listen.." he said very quietly, his eyes hidden by the fringe of his hair, " I can't be involved with you anymore. We've got to stop seeing... we can't be together."

I felt myself smile, but it felt twisted, more of a grimace. "It's for some stupid, noble reason, isn't it?"

"It's been like...like something out of someone else's life, these last few weeks with you," said Harry, looking up at me, "But I can't...we can't...I've got things to do alone now."

I didn't cry, although I felt like it. I knew he wouldn't be alone, wherever he'd be Ron and Hermione would go with him. I knew this day would come, the day I would have to face the reality that Hermione would leave to help Harry protect the Wizarding world and I... I would be left behind. I gave a light laugh, "I knew you wouldn't be happy unless you were hunting Voldemort…"

The rest of our conversation was spent in autopilot, when I finally focused on what I was doing I was sitting on my bed, staring at the floor. My body had this strange buzzing numbness that started in my chest and spread out until my fingers and toes.

I didn't even look up as someone entered the room and walked to stand in front of me, I recognized the shoes and the perfect shins.

"Ginny.. We need to talk." She said her voice controlled carefully as not to betray emotion. I nod quietly and force myself to look up at her, to look in her hazel eyes knowing what she was going to say.

"We can't.. We cannot see each other romantically anymore. All of this.. All of this has made me realize that this silliness... has to be stopped. It is time for seriousness and I can't be serious when I'm playing out a fantasy with you.. I fantasy that can never be real."

Her deliverance was calm and forceful. Like she was trying to really make me believe what she said was really what she felt. I found myself clenching the blanket as I let it all sink in.

Silliness.

The numbness was overtaken by a steadily growing ache in my chest. Why does she have to be so fucking difficult?

"I..." I couldn't speak so I just swallowed down the lump in my throat and nodded.

She extended her hand in a professional way, "Friends?"

"Friends." And I shook her hand with the last bit of will I had.

She walked away without a look back, and I didn't see her as she stood at the top of the stairs and gave a sob, wiping tears from her eyes before she forced herself to continue down the stairs and away from the source of her greatest happiness.

I lay down on the bed and tried to swallow down the painful lump in my throat, but I didn't cry. For being dumped twice in one day… I was handling it pretty well.

I was serving my last detention with Professor McGonagall in her office, helping her pack up her spare pieces of parchment and cleaning up the floor. I had been serving detention ever since my risky escape from the Gryffindor tower the night of the attack and was sort of sad this was the last. I had grown close to the serious professor and we had often got into talking. She had become one of my comforts as the school year drew to a close.

She read a letter and shook her head with disapproval. I could tell she had started to become upset and looked at her with question.

"Severus.. Professor Snape has been given the title of Headmaster. How despicable... These are dangerous times Miss Weasley and I am afraid.. War is inevitable."

"Being around Harry.. That's something I've been afraid of for a while. He knows too.. The time has come. I think.. Professor Dumbledore might have told him something, something important before he.. And I think it drives Harry now. I feel his need for action. I just wish there was something I can do than just support him."

"Well I think there is, our students should be prepared the best they can, as I am sure Defense Against the Dark Arts will be of little help..." She gave me a pointed look, hinting at something.

I nodded as a sense of responsibility flowed through me. Yes, something I could do to help the resistance and do my part. To do as much as a possibly can to support Harry... And Hermione.

Dumbledore's Army.

But first there was something else that needed to be done. With Snape coming into authority over the castle there was some things that should not be allowed to fall into Death Eater hands. One thing in particular, the sword of Gryffindor. If I could take it from the headmaster's office I could keep it hidden in the Room of Requirement in case one day Harry needed it. So I knew what I had to do and that night I set my plan into motion.

"Lumos." I muttered in the dark corridor, keeping my wand low as it shone to life. I walked as quickly as I dared to the griffin statue that marked the hidden stare case up to the Headmaster's office. Earlier I had questioned Professor McGonagall on the possible passwords, and one in particular she had given me her usual hinting look. And so I stood before the griffin and calmly pronounced:

"Ton-Tongue Toffee" I waited nervously until relief flooded through me as the gargoyle leapt to the side. I quickly climbed the stairs as they escalated upward and found myself in a room that was very much Dumbledore. I had never been in this place before, but it was exactly how I imagined it would be. But now is not the time to think of that. I scanned the room for the sword and saw a portrait of Professor Dumbledore watching me; he appeared to wink before closing his eyes to sleep. I walked up to an empty stand that was just the right length for the sword to fit, but it was empty. Damn it. I tried to hope that Dumbledore had sent it somewhere safe and not that the Death Eaters had looted his office already. My body stiffened and my thoughts were cut short as I heard the staircase start to rise and the sickeningly familiar monotone drawl echo from below. I panicked and dove under the desk, searching frantically for a better place to hide but was turning up short. I knew exactly when he hit the top of the stairs and entered the office, his voice was clear but from where I was crouched I couldn't see him, or whom he was talking to.

I could feel my legs cramping as I crouched, but I refused to shift and give away my position. I just hope Snape didn't want to sit down. Thankfully, luck was on my side as he quickly bottled up memories from Professor Dumbledore's pensive and left the office, his cloak whipping around like an enraged bat. As soon as I could no longer hear him I snuck out of the room as fast as I could without running, and didn't stop until I was safely in the Gryffindor common room.