A few hours later, once they were all settled in, everyone was retelling everything that had happened to them and what they knew about Lucius' plan to Angelina and George.

Laughing, Angelia said, " Ron. I can't believe you took poor Luna up to that Cave. I can only imagine what it was like." She shuddered a little.

" Oh it wasn't so bad, Hagrid had left a bed behind that Fang once used. It smelled, but it was a little like curling up with Fang himself i would think." Luna said, smiling to George.

Everyone laughed a little. " I miss Hagrid " Angelina said, taking George's hand in her own.

" I know, " Harry said, " It's killing me not being able to just go see him. I hope he's doing alright."

There was a small gasp, Angelina brought her hand to her mouth. Slowly, as if it were painful to do, George and Angelina looked at each other, then turned to the group.

" You've not heard from anyone in a while I suppose?" Angelina asked, a tear falling from her right eye.

" No..wh..." Ron started, but was quickly cut off by Harry

" GEORGE?" Harry leaned closer to him, " George, Where's Hagrid?"

Biting his nail, George's eyes flicked quickly between all of them, as if taking in each of their faces individually.

" Harry," George spoke quietly, " I'm sorry Harry, Hagrid's...Hagrid is ...he's dead..."

Hermione and Ginny fell into each other's arm, crying. Ron took a deep breath in.

"I'm sorry Harry. I thought you knew..." George said turning pink

" Blimey George, when did this happen?" Ron asked, solemnly.

" Just last week. I guess everyone thought you would have found out..." Angelina tried to sound convincing.

Harry however, was staring into a blank spot on the back wall of the tent.

" How?" Harry said flatly

" Harry listen. This isn't the time or place to discuss this. Why cause yourself anymore grief. You'll just be torturing yourself." George put his hand on Harry's knee.

" HOW!" Harry was yelling now, " TELL ME HOW DAMNIT!"

" Giants. Harry" Angelina spoke softly, " It was all over the prophet. He had retreated into the south of France to take some time to himself. Said he'd met a really nice lady and all. McGonagall is devastated. No one actually saw what happened, i suppose it just made it way through by ear. they say He was tracked down like,...like deer and they, ..er..they basically tore him apart." Angelina's voice was shaking.

Everyone just sat in silence for a few moments. The rage that was boiling inside of Harry was at the point of explosion. His whole body went numb at once, and yet a pain was starting in his stomach and spreading throughout him. Without a word, Harry stood, turning towards the door.

" HARRY!" Ginny stood,crying " Harry,where are you going?"

" I'm going to find Hagrid" Harry said, an air of seriousness in his voice.

" Harry, Hagrid's dead." Ron pleaded.

" No one saw him actually die. It's just suspicion. They have him alive somewhere." Harry was putting his coat on.

" Even if he is Harry, This could be some grape vine trap to get you to come out of hiding." George said.

" So what?" Harry turned to them. His face was red and you could see he was on the verge of breaking down. " Hagrid risked his life many times for me, and I would risk my life for him. And if I have to, I have to. Hagrid could be alive right now and in terrible pain..." Harry trailed off, staring at his hands.

" Harry don't be stupid. " Draco stood and walked to him, " This is just another hurtle to get over. He's dead and we have to accept it and move past it."

Without warning, Harry punched Draco square in the face.

" HOW DARE YOU?" He cried, " He's alive. I'm not going to let another one of my loved ones die. how dare you?" Harry said, eye blazing. " You don't know what it's like to deal with this kind of pain"

Draco took his hand to his face, wiping the blood off his lip. Standing he put himself right in Harry's face. " You have no idea the pain I have had to deal with in my life." he growled

" Oh yeah, that's right. your sister. " Harry said, arrogance in his voice," who the hell knows if you are not just lying about all of that. Attention Whore!"

Draco punched Harry flat in his face.

"he had a sister?"

"shh!"

" Don't bring her up Harry!"

Draco's fists were clenching hard, and his lip was starting to bleed more. He stood over Harry.

" You saved Ginny during the war. Remember...you told me? You left her behind in 6th year as to keep her safe. Then when Bellatrix was going to kill her, you went to save her. Mum got there first, but you still went to her. You said you didn't care about revealing yourself to still be alive..."

Draco knelt down, pulling Harry up by his shirt. Harry's body limp, barely able to hold up his own head.

" Try watching the woman you love being tortured. While you and Ron were in the basement dungeon, my father made me stand in the next room, hidden to everyone behind a trick mirror. Told me it was going to make me a man to watch Hermione get tortured by Bellatrix. I tried to get in Harry, I tried. I stood there helpless, crying and screaming for her. Do you know how many nights I have been haunted my the look in her eyes Harry? I CAN STILL HEAR HER SCREAMING!"

Draco let go of Harry,who hit the floor with a thud, and walked away, leaving Harry to lay there in his blood ridden face, crying.

Hermione and Ginny stood, and to Harry's surprise, ran after Draco, who now had exited the tent.

Once outside they saw Him standing a mere six feet away. Completely silent they watched him for a moment, as if unsure as what to do.Suddenly there was a heavy gasp, and Draco fell to his knees. He sat there, cradling his head, balling his eyes out in hysterics.

Hermione meant to go to him, but Ginny took her arm. " No, let me. I need to talk to him. Go and be with Harry. He'll need you."

With a last look at Draco, she turned and reentered the tent. With caution, Ginny walked towards Draco, kneeling next to him, and placing her arm over his shoulders. Resting her head on him, she could feel the true force of his crying.

" Draco. Hey...listen to me.." Ginny said, in the most nurturing voice she could.

" No", he spoke through his fingers, " ...leave me alone."

" Draco listen. I know.." Ginny started, but he cut her off.

" No! no you don't..Ginny..I TRIED SO HARD TO GET TO HER...OH GOD!... SHE WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN. "

he was crying so hard, she could see his face was speckled with broken blood vesicles. He obviously had kept this bottled up inside of himself.

" After Harry went to Voldemort in the woods. They brought him back, thinking he was dead. Laying his lifeless body on the ground for all to see." Ginny wiped a tear from her cheek. Draco finally stopped heaving and turned to her. " I thought he was dead. And in turn, I died as well. I felt the very air escape my body. I'll never forget that feeling for the rest of my life."

Another tear came down her cheek, this time, she didn't wipe it away. Turning to him, she reached her arms out to him. As he pulled her in to hug her, his face scrunched up, and he again, began to cry heavily.

" Oh god Ginny,...She's not safe. That Death Eater is going to tell Lucius that he saw us together... He's going to find her, to find us all. ...He's going to kill her,Ginny...he's going to do whatever he can to hurt me...he's going to take her away from me even if it kills him...I can't breath Ginny, oh my god I can't breath..."

"shhhhhhhh" she said, placing her hand on the back of his head, running her hands through his hair. "shhhh"

Inside the tent however, things were a bit different. No one was speaking. Hermione had gone to Harry's side, only to be cast away. George, Angelina, Ron, Luna and Hermione now sat around the table, while Harry retreated to his bed.

Reentering the tent, after some time, everyone raised their faces towards the door at Draco and Ginny. Draco had been crying so hard, it looked like his face had been slammed into a tree. Ginny however, looked very calm, noticing Harry was no where in site.

" 'Mione..where's...?" She cast a look around. Luna however, brought a finger to her lips. Taking a deep breath in, remaining quiet, Ginny could now hear the faint cries of Harry, coming from behind the tapestry where they had slept. Without a word, she walked in that direction, wiping her tears from her face.

" jeez" George said, " is it always like this?" He turned to Ron

" No, it's a present for you" He tried to smirk, " like a welcome to the 'HEY! we're in hiding and getting on our last nerves' party"

" I don't know about nerves" Hermione said, standing up, " but my sanity is definitely taking a beating"

Walking to Draco she hugged him, turning her chin up to him, " why didn't you tell me?"

" I don't think I was ready.." he said, sniffling, " Maybe I never was going to be"

Hermione smiled, " love you..."

Draco squeezed her tightly, "love you!"

" Okay ,so now, that's odd to watch" George said, being serious

" you get used to it, mate" Said Ron, running his hands through his hair and exhaling hard.

" I think it's cute" Angelina said, rubbing George's hands together for warmth.

" Exactly. And it's way better than that Pansy girl. She smelled like old cheese.." Luna said, twirling her hair, as if lost in a memory.

" ...er.." Angelina went to speak but George shook his head, smiling.

No one saw Harry or Ginny until late that evening. They had been sitting there in silence, Ginny falling asleep, Harry staring at the top of the tent.

Ginny was awoken with a start. Pulling herself up, she realized she was alone.

"Harry?" She called to him. but it was Hermione that answered,

" Ginny we're all outside"

Ginny could just barely make out Hermione walking by the tapestry, headed towards the door.

Throwing on Harry's sweatshirt, she exited the little room, and headed outside.

she gasped at the site of it.

Ron,Luna,Hermione,Draco, George, Angelina and Harry were all standing in a half circle, each with their wands lit. Hermione and Angelina were giggling and sort of crying. Ron and George, grinning from ear to ear.

" What the hell are you nutter's doin'?" Ginny asked, walking towards them.

Harry walked towards her, holding out his hand.

" There is something I have to take care of Gin."

Bringing her to the center of the group, he stopped, turning to her.

" Do you remember the first time we met? Seems so...long ago doesn't it. Hard to believe how much everything has changed since then. The things we've been though, the things we've had to do to survive with each other.Things are getting crazier every day Gin. I don't know what tomorrow holds. I don't know who's going to make it through this. I don't know much, but I do know this. I love you with all of my heart Ginny, I know I was born to love you. Be mine. Forever..."

Harry knelt in front of Ginny, pulling out the little silver ring from his pocket.

Harry paused, taking in her beautiful face, " What do you say Gin? Will you marry me?"

Hermione squeaked, Ginny started to tear up.

" Oh Harry!" She fell into his arms, " Of course I will."

Hermione squeezed Draco's hand tightly. Ron noticed, and gave Draco the 'oh boy' eye roll.Ron knew from his brother Bill's wedding that when girls are around that kind of thing, it's all they talk about. Ron knew little about girls, but this was one of the few and far between things he got right.

Harry stood, lifting Ginny with him, hugging her tightly and swinging her around. They started kissing passionately, and that was right about when everyone else lost interest. And walked back to the tent. Entering first was Angelina.

" So what do you guys plan on doing for food?" Angelina asked, looking around.

" Well, we managed to grab some stuff when we left the cottage" said Luna

" but not much" Ron interrupted.

George turned and looked back at the door.

" Give 'em a few minutes.." Angelina said, seeing the look on George's face.

Smiling a little, George took a seat on the couch with her.

" I know. I'm happy for her. I just hope they know what they are doing." He said, seeming very Percy like.

" What do you mean?" Draco asked, sitting in the chair next to him.

" Rushing into marriage isn't always a good plan. They are young and Harry is panicking because of Hagrid. He's realizing he could loose Ginny and he's afraid. Not to mention.." George was caught off guard by Draco.

"WHAT?" He said.

" What what?" George asked, confused.

" You think Harry asked Ginny to marry him because,..he's a coward?" Draco asked, stepping out on the ledge of reason, right where George was standing.

" You are just itchin' for a fight tonight aren't ya, mate?" George asked, standing up.

" George...sit down..." Angelina said, covering her eyes in embarrassment.

" You know what Draco, you are just a one man wrecking machine aren't you. Ya gotta pick apart everyone and everything simply because you can't face your own issues." George was speaking loudly now.

" My own issues...I've faced my issues. If I didn't do you think I would have turned in my father. Do you think I would have made friends with Harry. Do you think.." Draco turned towards Hermione across the room, " think i would have told 'Mione...everything.."

Hermione smiled, but was very sick of everyone's loud raised voices. She started to contemplate if boys had 'that time of the month' or not.

" guys..just knock it off alright?" Hermione said, walking closer to the couch.

" Yeah!" Angelina said, turning around, " look you made Ron and Luna disappear."

IT was true. Ron and Luna had retreated to bed, leaving the fighting behind them.

" I'm getting kind of tired myself" said Angelina, leaning her head on George.

Slowly Hermione walked to Draco, putting her hand on his shoulder. Taking her hand he followed her to bed. Before they disappeared into the darkness Draco could have sworn he heard George mutter something.

A little while later Harry and Ginny came back inside. Noticing that George and Angelina were curled up on the couch, they tiptoed themselves to bed.

The next morning, the boys all woke up to find the girls gone, with a note saying they were in the lake, washing up.

Once the boys were awake and full of coffee...the apologies started. Draco was first.

" Um...Harry." He said, still thinking of what to say, " Listen I'm um, I'm really sorry about what i said yesterday. how i reacted. It wasn't right, but you are. It's possible that Hagrid could still be alive. I think that George could be right as well.

This could all be some sort of trap to get you out of hiding."

Rubbing his head Harry said, " Yeah, i know. Once i thought it over i realized what you guys were saying to me. I think that's why i asked Ginny to marry me last night. instead of waiting that is. Truth is, George.." He turned to him, " you are absolutely right. I'm a coward, in fact I'm a love struck coward. I am afraid of dieing again...the chance that I might leave her behind me...I couldn't live with that, especially..well..it's not important."

Harry trailed off, looking at his feet under the table.

" Hey" Draco was now focused on George," I'm sorry too mate."

George clapped him on his back, " 'salright"

" what no apologies to me? I had to put up with all of this crap!" Ron said, leaning on the table

In an flat voice George said, " Ron, I'm sorry you're a nimrod"

A/N hope you guys enjoy. I had fun writing this chapter, mostly because it was a full range of emotions. Laughing, crying, laughing some more. leave me some review. loves- dazen