A Favour to Ask

Author's note: Quite pointless chapter, this one... Still, I think it's necessary for the plot. Fortunately it's not that long haha.

The first thing Ginny spotted when she opened her eyes on Christmas Day was that it was snowing outside. Big flakes slowly descending towards the ground; it was quite relaxing to just lie there and watch it all. Then, as she sat up, she noticed the small pile of presents lying beside her bed. She smiled widely, picked the first one up and unwrapped the giftpaper. It was the annual Weasley sweater; just like the one her mum had held in her hands last night. Except this one had a golden "G" on it instead of an "R"...

Ginny sighed, absentmindedly looking out the window again as she thought of Ron. This was the first christmas ever that she'd spend without him. It felt weird, not to mention sad... But she wouldn't let it bring her down. Today, she would have a nice time with her family and she would make sure that her parents were happy, too. After all, it was only christmas once a year.

After she'd gotten dressed and opened some more gifts she made her way downstairs and squealed in delight as she spotted Remus and Tonks sitting by the dinner table, chatting animatedly with Mr and Mrs Weasley. Tonks smiled widely and wrapped her arms around Ginny, hugging her tightly.

"Ginny!" she exclaimed. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's great to see you too!" Ginny said. "How is the pregnancy going, are you feeling all right?"

"Never been better!" Tonks replied happily. "Can't wait for this little one to arrive though, Remus and I are both starting to get impatient"

Ginny smirked before she went to hug Remus as well.

He looked tired but happy at the same time.

"Merry christmas dear" Mrs Weasley said, smiling at her daughter.

Ginny noticed that she looked a lot happier than last night, though a bit stressed out... Ginny went to hug her parents as well and then said:

"Thank you so much for the gifts, I promise I'll put on my sweater later..."

"Oh I really hope you will Ginny, after all it's a very important Weasley tradition"

Fred, George, Charlie and Bill (already wearing their Weasley sweaters) all entered the kitchen and Ginny grimaced at George before replying:

"I must say you look absolutely dashing in yours this year! How do you do it, George?"

George opened his mouth, probably to reply with something just as sarcastic as what Ginny had just said to him, but was interrupted by a loud thump as someone made a chair fall over. Ginny didn't even have to turn around to guess who it was; Tonks looked really guilty as she was now standing by the kitchen table. Even her hair had turned slightly red...

"Oh I'm really sorry Molly!" she said and immediately grabbed the chair to put it back to its place. "I was thinking you might need some help..."

"Yeah speaking of which, when will Hagrid be here?" Bill asked and Mr Weasley replied:

"In a couple of hours, I believe. There was some work he had to finish at the school first, then he'd take the motorcycle here"

Fred and George smirked towards each other and then said, in unison:

"Cool"

Mrs Weasley had already started preparing for the christmas lunch that they'd have in a couple of hours and Ginny could see how she tried her best to hide her annoyance at Tonks' clumsiness.

"That's very nice of you Nymphadora, but I think I'm doing all right as it is..."

Tonks didn't look convinced.

"Are you sure? Because I assure you I'm quite good at..."

At that moment she somehow moved her hand over the table so quickly that a goblet filled with pumpkin juice was about to tip. Mrs Weasley said, her voice quite loud this time:

"YES, I am absolutely sure! In fact, why don't you and Ginny go into the living room? I'm sure you have some catching up to do, you were curious about Hogwarts weren't you Dora?"

Ginny knew her mum only said that to make sure Tonks wouldn't cause any other accidents in the kitchen but she didn't complain; she had really missed Tonks and catching up with her seemed like a really great idea. Apparently, Tonks thought so too since she grinned widely at Ginny.

"You have to tell me everything, Ginny. What's it like there now, with Snape as headmaster?"

Ginny met her mum's gaze and Mrs Weasley's message was clear: Take her out of here, now. Ginny turn to look at Tonks again and smiled.

"I'll tell you everything. Come on, let's go"

How do you make a time line haha

Ginny spent the next couple of minutes laughing as Tonks changed the colour of her hair from black to pink to blue to green quicker than anyone would think possible. She'd really missed this; being able to laugh about something so... normal. That was one of the many things she liked about Tonks. She was just so... easy to be around. Uncomplicated. When she had finally settled for keeping her hair pink she looked seriously at Ginny and asked:

"So, tell me... How do you survive Snape and the Carrows' terror?"

The words themselves almost sounded like almost comical but Ginny knew too well by now that it was all true. That was the world that they lived in. The world she lived in. She shrugged.

"Could be worse, I reckon... We hardly ever see Snape, I don't even know if he's at Hogwarts or if he's running the place from somewhere else..."

Tonks nodded.

"Well, I can imagine that he lets the Carrows take care of a lot of stuff. They are probably the only ones he trusts"

Ginny snorted.

"Well, that's ironic"

Tonks laughed slightly.

"You seem to do quite well, anyway"

"I have my friends" Ginny said. "Neville and Luna are great, it's not as hard when we're going through it all together"

Tonks nodded seriously.

"I guess that it's in times like these that you find out who your true friends are" she said. "You must really miss Harry, Ron and Hermione..."

Ginny avoided Tonk's gaze, like she usually did when people brought the Golden Trio up.

"Yeah..." she said quietly. "I guess I understand that they're doing something they have to do even though I have no idea what it is, but I wish they would at least write to me! It doesn't take that long and I think that if Harry really wanted to keep in touch with me he wouldn't have cared about the fact that someone could catch his owl. Or he could find another way!"

Ginny barely realized how fast she spoke and as she was finished she had to take a deep breath before she looked at Tonks who seemed surprised.

"He hasn't written to you once?"

Ginny shook her head slowly. For some reason, she almost felt embarrassed to admit it.

"I'm just... confused" she half-whispered, half-said. "I don't know what to do"

Tonks put her hand on her arm, somehow forcing Ginny to look at her.

"You try to be strong, that's the only thing you can do" she said simply. "I remember what it was like before Remus accepted the fact that I loved him despite what he was... I simply had to hang in there. For my own good"

Ginny nodded. She knew what Tonks was talking about and she really wanted to. She wanted to be the strong, independent Ginny Weasley who some people still saw her as. She wanted to be the Ginny Weasley she was before she fell in love with Harry Potter. And still...

"It's just so hard" she mumbled. "I don't know where to start"

Tonks was quiet for a short while and seemed to contemplate what Ginny had just told her. Then she said:

"You start by telling yourself that sometimes, it's better to let go of something than hold on to nothing. And if it's meant to be, it will be. In the end"

"Well, if things go on like this the end might be here very soon..." Ginny muttered and Tonks opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Fred who entered the livingroom, looking excited:

"Hey Gin, we were thinking about starting the annual snowball fight!"

Ginny stared at him for a second, surprised.

"What, now?"

"No, in a week stupid" George said sarcastically, turning up beside his brother. "Of course we mean now! Put on some warmer clothes and come outside, Charlie is joining us as well"

Ginny hesitated. Charlie hadn't been a part of the snowball fight in many years now and it could really be fun, even though Ron was missing... She sent Tonks an apologetic look and opened her mouth to ask if it'd be okay if she'd leave but Tonks reached her to it:

"Go. Have fun!"

Ginny smiled widely.

"I'll talk to you later"

Then, she stood up and crossed her arms before she eyed her brothers challeningly.

"Just so you know: you're both going down"

How do you make a time line haha

Almost two hours later, really wet and cold, Ginny, the twins and Charlie declared peace and decided that it was best for the snowball fight to come to an end so they'd have time to get ready before dinner.

"I must say I'm impressed Gin" Fred said, smirking. "You've definitely improved your skills since last year, have you been practising without us?"

Ginny scoffed.

"I was just as good last year, maybe you've just gotten worse"

George shrugged.

"Well, worse or not, we'd better head inside and get ready for dinner. Mum will kill us if we show up like this"

He scrutinized himself and Ginny couldn't help thinking that it looked as if George had been pushed into the Black Lake, fully clothed... He and Fred said goodbye to her and Charlie and then headed back towards the house.

"I STILL WON!" Ginny called after them but Fred simply laughed, waving at her.

Charlie and Ginny looked after them for a few seconds before Charlie said:

"Well, I suppose I should also..."

"Wait"

Ginny put her hand on his arm and he stopped, looking at her curiously. Ginny made sure that twins were out of earshot and then she bit her lip. She wasn't sure about this, but Charlie seemed like her best hope... Her only hope, in fact.

"I... I was wondering if you could help me with something" she said and Charlie shrugged.

"Sure, or at least I'll try... What do you need?"

Ginny hesitated, before asking, her voice low:

"Could you apparate to Godric's Hollow and take me with you?"

She spoke very fast and at first the suspected that Charlie hadn't even heard what she said. But then he opened his mouth to say something, shaking his head at the same time.

"Charlie please!"

"Ginny, there's no chance they are still there! They must know by now that they were sighted..."

"I know, that's not why I want to go there" Ginny explained. "I just... maybe I can find some clues, talk to someone who knows what they were doing there"

Charlie shook his head again.

"That 'someone' could be on You-know-who's side and give you away"

"If You-know-who would have wanted to get to me he would have done so already, I've been unprotected all year at Hogwarts" Ginny replied hastily.

She was prepared; this was exactly what she'd imagined that Charlie would say. She could see how her older brother hesitated.

"I don't like this" he muttered.

"Well, you don't have to. You just have to take me there"

He sighed.

"Ginny, there is nothing for you there! And if you're looking for Ron he wasn't even with them..."

"Charlie, please" Ginny said, and he actually fell silent and listened intently to her as she continued:

"You have no idea what it's been like, these last couple of months... Having no idea where they are or what they're doing..."

She drifted off, swallowing hard. She didn't exactly enjoy talking about this, but what choice did she have? She had to convince him...

"If I can find out anything by going there, anything at all... Then it'll be worth it"

Charlie sighed, looking almost annoyed. Then, he turned his gaze away from her and said:

"I just don't understand what they were doing there in the first place... I heard mum and dad discuss it as well, it's crazy to turn up in a place where they can be discovered so easily..."

"That's why I think they must have had a good reason" Ginny said. "And I'm doing this for mum and dad too. Mum was devastaded after she'd seen the Prophet yesterday, perhaps I can find out something that'll make things a little bit easier for her"

Charlie looked at her. Ginny held her breath. Then, finally, he nodded slowly. It seemed to be the part about Mrs Weasley that had made him make up his mind...

"Are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely"

She couldn't help smiling; she knew she had him... Charlie really was her favorite brother. At least when it came to this sort of things.

"So... you just want me to drop you off there?"

Ginny nodded. Charlie raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"And I can't come with you to make sure that nothing happens?"

She snorted.

"Charlie, it's Christmas Day and it's a common wizarding village. Nobody will be outdoors anyway, what could possibly happen?"

Charlie sighed tiredly, looking seriously at her.

"These days? Everything..."

They both fell silent, realizing the truth in his words. Ginny knew it, too; it could be dangerous going to Godric's Hollow. And she was pretty sure her parents wouldn't exactly approve of the idea...

"You can't tell mum" she said and Charlie laughed slightly.

"I kind of figured that one out on my own, she'd kill me for leaving you there..."

Once again, he seemed to hesitate so Ginny quickly said, to settle the deal:

"So... after dinner then? You tell her we go for a walk?"

Charlie nodded.

"After dinner"

How do you make a time line haha

As Ginny was getting ready for the christmas dinner she thought about what Tonks had told her earlier:

Sometimes, it's better to let go of something than hold on to nothing.

But letting go wasn't easy. Not when your whole body and soul seemed to fight against it. When she still missed him.

Ginny stood in front of the window, staring out of it without actually seeing anything. What if she only missed him, because she was afraid of what would happen if she stopped doing it? After all, her feelings for Harry had been her constant companions for almost a year now.

What if the only thing they actually had in common anymore, was history?

And maybe, just maybe, that was all it'd ever be.

But she still had to go to Godric's Hollow. And she told herself firmly that the person she wanted information about was Ron. And perhaps Hermione.

Not Harry.