Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it is the property of the brilliant J.K Rowling. This story is the product of her marvellous characters and world and my imagination.

Any constructive criticism or reviews are welcome. Sorry the chapter is slightly late (I usually update every 3 days), but the internet crashed yesterday morning, I was at school and then visiting a university during the day and in the evening the computer with internet was hijacked by my annoying brother. So sorry. Here it is now, enjoy.

The Next Six Months

Six months had passed since the Order had met with Ginny and Voldemort in the clearing of the Forest of Dean and they were still no closer to discovering how to enter Malfoy Manor. Sure they had made progress on the general front of war, but concerning Ginny they were still hitting dead ends.

The six months had brought many changes to the Order; to everyone's relief Hermione and Ron had finally stopped dancing round their feelings and were together. When Snape had conveyed this information back to Ginny they were told that she was very happy for them and it made them feel even better about being together.

Remus was still happy with Tonks and they had finally taken the plunge and married, though they still expressed their regret that Ginny couldn't be there to be a bridesmaid for Tonks. Fred had started dating Alicia Spinnet and George was in the process of wooing Verity, their assistant at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.

The Order members remained, for the most part, hidden inside their new headquarters. Most were allowed out at some points, but Harry, Ron and Hermione were never allowed to leave for their own safety. Though disgruntled at this they understood the reasoning, especially after what had happened to Ginny, and they agreed.

Luckily for them the new headquarters were huge and there was plenty to explore. They also had their NEWT work to keep up, for Professor McGonagall and Mrs Weasley would never let them slack on their homework. They continued to have defence and attack lessons every day and all were improving in leaps and bounds.

Harry was the strongest dueller of the trio and had managed to beat most of the Order at least once. Despite this, the other two had their strengths; Hermione used very creative spells, having invented a few herself during the confinement in headquarters and Ron was a brilliant strategist. Everyone knew that all three of these attributes would be needed and encouraged them to work as a trio to increase their power.

Snape brought them messages twice a week from Ginny and sent their messages back to her. All she could tell them was that Voldemort acted much the same to her and that she missed them all terribly. She'd also got more comfortable working with Snape and they'd struck up a friendship, working in the lab formalities were merely an annoyance and so within the potions lessons she called him Severus and he called her Ginny.

Finally, six months into the potion lessons Ginny finally found she could be of use to the Order. She was sitting quietly in the library when she heard Tom discussing an attack on Hogsmeade that only five death eaters knew of, and none of them were Severus. This meant she could inform the Order through them and Tom would not consider Severus as a traitor as he didn't know of the attack.

Luckily she had a lesson just hours after she'd overheard the conversation and wasted no time in telling Severus exactly what she had heard. He seemed pleased and even went so far as to say well done to her. She could only hope the information would be of some use in saving lives and damaging Tom's cause.

During her next lesson with Severus, three days later, he conveyed a message of thanks from the Order for the warning she had given them. With her information they had managed to prevent any deaths in Hogsmeade and also had four death eaters in custody and awaiting trial. Ginny was delighted to finally be of use to the Order rather than just being stuck in the dreary Malfoy Manor.

Lessons carried on as normal and soon it was Ginny's seventeenth birthday. Her parents managed to get Severus to smuggle in the traditional 'coming of age' gold watch, though she never wore it for fear of Tom wondering how she came about it.

On the day of her birthday Severus she was lucky enough to have a lesson with Severus to make her marginally happy. He brought good wishes from the entire Order and they even got the chance to eat a small cake her mother had baked for the occasion. She felt herself tearing up a bit at the small chocolate cake with strawberries on top; her mother always made the same cake for her since it was her favourite, but this year her family weren't around to be with her. She managed to stop the tears though, she may have liked Severus better than she had previously, but she didn't fancy him seeing her crying.

She was just about to leave the lab and go back to her room at the end of the lesson when Tom suddenly appeared. Ginny couldn't help but be thankful that he hadn't turned up five minutes ago or they would have been busted in a heartbeat. Still, she couldn't think why He would be here, if he'd discovered the secret of their allegiance he wouldn't have wasted time and Severus would be dead and her punished again. That meant that there must be another reason for the visit.

Tom gave her a smile and that alone scared her, a happy Tom could not mean any good for her. "Hello Ginevra, you've just finished up I see, good, I want a word with both of you." He swept into the lab with a swirl of his robes that would make even Severus look like an amateur and seated himself. Ginny had just enough time to shoot a look of confusion at Severus and receive one in return.

They both sat down on the two stools opposite His and he began, "I need to inform the both of you that this will be the last potions lesson Ginevra has." Ginny was incredulous, "why Tom, I like my lessons." Tom just looked collected and calm, "because you will soon have other things to do and I won't want you around any of my death eaters without myself present, even if they are my most faithful."

Severus did what was expected and bowed his head at the compliment, but Ginny was annoyed. "What could I possibly be doing that will keep me so busy." She didn't like the smirk now on Tom's face, it was almost as bad as the smile.

"I have decided that since you have just turned seventeen and are now an adult in our world it is time," his smirk grew wider and Ginny panicked. Deciding it would be best not to show fear she just rearranged her features into a confused face, "time for what Tom?" Tom grinned, "why time for you to become my lady of course Ginevra. We're going to be married."

Depending on how much I get done, the next chapter should be up in two or three days.