Within the next few weeks their lives had started to be a little more natural for them. Most of the group got jobs in town. Angelina and Ginny waited tables at a pub three blocks away. Draco worked at a supply house, Harry at a sporting goods store. While Ron and George did odd jobs, mostly construction work, around town. That really helped in the long run, teaching them how to fix house hold stuff. Meanwhile Luna and Hermione mostly stuck around the house. Hermione was busy decoding and reading more books. Luna however, attempted to get twice to get a job. The first time the manager laughed at her, the second time they called the police.

They all were having a great time. Things had never been this good for the group, but soon.....reality started to set back in.

" Hey did anyone see where I put the money for the water bill?" Angelina asked loudly, walking through the house

" Didn't we pay that last month?" Ron asked, loudly from an upstairs bathroom.

" Ron we have to pay EVERY month" Hermione reminded him

Suddenly He emerged from the bathroom, a rather large wrench in his hand and a satisfied look on his face.

" Every month? really eh?! Wow, I wonder how mom and dad do this all the time" As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized his fault.

It had been several months since they had heard from Mr and Mrs Weasley, and even longer since they had seen them. As Ron took a step towards the staircase, Ginny emerged from her room, her eyes glinting with tears. Replacing his wrench back into the toolbox, under the stairs labeled R.W., Ron entered the kitchen briefly. Going to the fridge , he retrieved two Root beers from it. They were nothing like the butterbeer he was accustomed too, but they were decent, especially on a hot day. Heading back up the stairs, he had to bring his shirt up to his face, wiping the sweat. Luna passed by in deep discussion with Hermione, only to turn at the exact moment of Ron's lifted shirt. What they saw was Ron's bulky exterior was now sporting a glorious set of 6 pack abs. Needless to say, both the girls walked into the wall.

Slowly he entered Ginny and Harry's room.

" Gin?" He spoke quietly.

The door creaked as he stepped further in. It was a nice room, very open and airy. It neither resembled Harry nor Ginny's previous rooms. For one thing it was spotless. The only reminders of their past lives were a few trinkets left out. Ginny's quittitch blanket her mother had sewn for her. Harry had a picture of his mother and father at their wedding, sirius and lupin included. Walking in and to the left, Ron could see that the porch door was ajar. Wiping his head of excess sweat again, he took himself through the room and out the door. Looking along the front of the house, he couldn't see anything except george downstairs fixing the fence with harry. They turned and waved, as he did back. Harry made a gesture to his left, Ron's right. closing the door to get by, Ron went that way, finding ginny sitting on the ground holding her hands together, in what looked to be like prayer.

Without a word, a brother went to his sister in her time of need. sliding down next to her, he opened both drinks, and handed hers to over. She took it, and placed it on the other side of her. They sat there in silence for a few minutes. Finally it was ginny who spoke. Her voice so broken and wobbly, it was amazing she said as much as she did.

" We.....we don't even know if they're okay!"

The moment she finished her sentence, she felt her body melting into oblivion. She wasn't sure what was more crushing, the thought of losing her parents, or the force caused by Ron's tight embrace.

" Oh Ron" She cried heavily into Ron's shirt" What if they're in trouble, what if he has them. What if.."

" None of that is true and you know it. They're prefectly safe. they are off on their second honeymoon, enjoying the beaches. Gin they're just fine, I'm sure of it." Ron used the most comforting voice he could, but he was sure his little sister could see right through it.

He was just as worried as she was, and in fact he held guilt over himself for living in this beautiful house without even thinking of his parents once since they had been here. And what about Bill and Fleur...or Charlie..and..yes..even Percy. Where were they all..He had no way of knowing who was dead or not.

Later on that evening, once dinner was done. Ginny went to bed early, she had to work in the morning and spending a long time with Ron today really drained her. As she walked into the room she noticed there was a large lump under her quittitch bedspread. Just as she was about to investigate, a voice from behind her broke the silence.

" Don't tell anyone right away that i got that for you, ......I'm pretty sure George will be pissed" Ron was standing in the door way.

Quickly she turned her blanket over and let out a small squeak of excitement. " Ron how? When?" She barely mustered.

" I snuck out when i went to the attic for that ladder. It only took me a fraction of a second. It looked like someone had ransacked the burrow. Everything was in tact, just gone through. I wanted to bring back Crookshanks but there was a note from Fleur saying they took " the owls, the cat and that weird thing" with them. When you were crying i realized you needed to have this, we needed to have this. I'm just glad i got to it first."

Ginny raced to her brother, tears blazing, she gave him the biggest hug she had ever given anyone. Ron hugged her back, they had never really been close in their lives, but now, they relied on each other more than ever. Tightly they hugged and yes, they did cry. And clutched in Ginny's left arm, was the Weasley family clock,...all hands pointing to "vacation"

-------

Ginny never showed anyone the clock, only occasionally, and in private, would Ron ask how it looked.

She would always reply " couldn't be better".

It was late one Friday night just at the end of July that their world came to a full stop, and none of them saw it coming. Friday nights usually meant the gang would walk down to the pub where Angelina and Ginny worked for a bite to eat. The girls always worked Friday nights, so that meant the food was free. They had just been discussing Ron's newly toned body and Luna love for a sweaty dirty man ( oy) when they set off down the street towards the pub. Arriving at 9 and staying until 1, they were both full and slightly drunk. Muggle alcohol was a bit different than wizards alcohol. for one thing, muggle alcohol came in a vast variety of colors and flavors. They said bye to the girls, who usually stayed a bit later to clean up, and made the dizzy, blurry walk home. Walking through the fence Ron dug in his pockets, that night he was key holder...and he left his at the bar.

"Damnit all!"

The group of them laughed, and sway. holding each other up while Ron made the jolting run, 3 blocks back to get his keys from ginny.

As Ron approached the bar, he never noticed how dark it was after they had closed. With only a hand full of lights on indoors, they shut off the out side ones. leaving Ron to manage his drunk ass way through pitch blackness to the side door.....on which, he began to pound.

" Ginny!!!" He yelled" Ang! Open the door you guys, i left my keys in there...Mr. Delamarto? It's Ron Winters..Hello??? is anyone in there"

But there was no answer. He felt his way to the front of the building, which thankfully is a lot better lit. Opening the front door he stumbled into the pub,not stopping to consider why the door was open. Suddenly there was a loud BANG, followed by a scream. A black blur came charging towards Ron. He reached for his wand, but suddenly remembered he left his in his coat, at home. But the black blur, who was getting closer and taking a human form, did not attack him, rather, it ran past him in a hurry. Unsure of what was going on, he pressed on.

" Ginny? Ang?..Mr. Delamarto? Where is everyone"

" RON???" He recognized Angelina's voice.

" Ron we're in here. Quick.."

As Ron rounded the corner of the counter and headed for the kitchen, he slipped and fell in a puddle of water, landing flat on his back. Drunk and clumsy as he was he began laughing hysterically at the fact that he had fallen, bringing his hands up he noticed he had slipped in an oddly red puddle. With shock on his face he focused in on what he landed next to.

The body of Mr. Delamarto.

Blood flowing from his chest. Quickly he scrambled against the cupboard.

" What the fuck?" He exclaimed. " Ang what..."

As he turned to face her he saw it, Ginny's body laying across Angelina's legs. Angelina began to cry manically.

" He wanted our money and we gave it to him then he told me i was pretty and Mr. delamarto stood up for me and he shot him oh god Ron and then ginny tried to take his gun and he shot her too."

Quivering Ron crawled towards the form of his little sister. He immediately thought of his mother's clock and how it would now point to Ginny...mortal danger.

" Ron are you listening? You have to get her out of here. She's alive Ron. We need to get her home"

Without a word he scooped up Ginny in his arms, her blood ridden hair strewn across her face. With his other hand he lifted Angelina to her feet.

" Come on"

--

Luna was leaning on the door while Draco tried to pick the lock with his wand.

" Damn thing isn't good for much is it?" He said, in a slur.

" Hey look" said George" Ron's back. All hail the key master."

Ron pushed forward through them and with one foot, kicked the door in. None of them really had time to take in fully what they had just all seen. Without hesitation he layed Ginny's blood soaked body on the dining room table. As they all entered their confusion would quickly subside as Ron ripped his shirt off and applying it to Ginny's side, where she was losing blood quickly.

" Ron.............." Was about all Harry could muster.

" Ron what happened" Draco quickly ran to his side. " Ron?"

" We were robbed at gun point. Mr. Delamarto is dead. Ginny tried to take his gun, and while they were fighting the gun went off."

Angelina was shaking so badly that it wasn't clear if she forced herself to sit down, or if her body just did it. Luna fell into Hermione and they crumpled together in a crying mess. While George and Harry stood there, with that deer in headlights look, completely in shock.

" Ron we need help" Draco was now yelling at Ron, who didn't seem to be hearing him

" Ron......RON!!! ( Draco smacked him hard across his shoulder)...We need help or she is going to die!!!"

-

When they retell this story later, no one will remember Ron leaving the room. With a POP, he was gone. Draco was holding Ron's shirt in place over the wound, but it was soaked through.

" HARRY..GIVE ME YOUR SHIRT" he yelled, seeing though his own was now under Ginny's head.

Harry blinked twice and followed orders like a zombie, incapable of rational thought. Suddenly there was another loud POP, a mere few feet away. And a familiar voice, that no one expected to hear.

" Mr. Weasley!!!I demand you tell me what you think you are doing? Kidnapping a teacher is still punishable even if you are no longer a student! MR. WEASLEY SAY SOMETHING FOR PETE'S SAKE!"

Ron rounded the corner, still with a look a shock, with out a shirt, and tightly gripping the arm of Professor McGonagall.

" Good Gracious, child what has happened?" She exclaimed as she ran to Ginny's side.

Turning to the fact next to hers, " Mr. Pott....Mr. Malfoy? What are you doing here" She had clearly not heard that Draco was not only with Harry Potter, but was now a trusted companion and family member.

" Professor?" He said, his voice pleading.

Her eyes turned back to Ginny now, " We need to get her to a muggle hospital, we can't do anything for her"

" FIX HER" Ron's voice was loud, he was now standing closer to the table. " You fix her now"

McGonagall was so taken back by his tone and manner, she seemed stunned.

" I cannot fix this Mr. Weasley. It's a muggle wound, our magic would not do anything for her, she needs a muggle doctor. They can save her"

Ron took another step forward, " Professor................Hagrid is missing.....Dumbledore is Dead, Sirius is DEAD...." his voice gaining volume and speed " MY PARENTS ARE OFF HIDING ON SOME ISLAND SOMEWHERE.................YOU ARE ALL WE HAVE!!!!!"

For a moment he stood there, breathing heavily, fists clenched so tightly his hands were turning purple.

" You have made yourself clear Mr. Weasley" Said Professor McGonagall, in a rather subdued tone " Then as a person held in such high respects then you will listen and do what I say. We are taking her to the hospital! Mr. Malfoy...help me won't you"

As they picked her up and headed towards the door they heard him say " It's Holliday now Professor."

" What is"

" Me"

" Forgive me if i don't find the humor in your joke mr. malfoy"

" No Professor, we have different names, we're hiding... "

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A/N Don't hate me for putting Ginny in harms way. I really needed to get the point across that things can be just as terrible for a muggle. People die everyday without the involvement of magic ( and the unforgivable curses). I wanted to put the group into a real life situation and force them to live through it. Ron's had built up aggression for years, and ( as we all remember) Harry had gotten an attitutude towards the end of the series, working out his problems....i think it's time for Ron to address his own.