Ginny sits in the corner of the Gryffindor common room, clad in her pajamas and bath robe, one of last few stragglers of the night. She sighs as she scans her notes for the Potions test the following morning. A quick glance at the grandfather clock ticking away in the corner tells her its nine forty-two at night.

Knowing students are expected in their beds at ten, she decides to sneak down to the kitchen for a cram-session snack. Tip-toeing out of the common room so she doesn't draw attention to herself, she silently opens the portrait of the Fat Lady (who's asleep, snoring loudly) and sneaks down the corridor, then the down the moving staircases, to the first level of the castle.

She carefully monitors where she goes, weary of becoming lost. Even though Ginny knows she's made the trip what must be a hundred times she also knows that Hogwarts Castle is very temperamental as to where what doors lead and how corridors are placed. One wrong turn and she could be on the fifth floor before she can say, "where am I?"

Left, right, left, left, straight, left, and… ah, there it is! The red headed girl smiles triumphantly as she tickles the worn yellow pear. The portrait swings open to reveal a seemingly endless kitchen with hundreds of little house elves running in all directions.

"Hello, Missy," a small, grey-skinned house elf comes up to her with an eager look upon it's face. "What is Missy needing tonight?" By now Ginny has attracted a small crowd of elves, all ready to assist, some already holding sweets and hot chocolate for her to have as she waits.

"She will be needing none of that," someone calls from behind her. The voice is soft but holds all the demand for attention that makes both the elves and Ginny turn.

And there Headmistress McGonagall stands, her eagle-like face fixed in it's usual stern way. She's also in her night clothes, her long, old-fashioned nightgown revealing a pair of worn slippers on her feet and her hair tied to the side with a bit of emerald ribbon.

Ginny barely misses a beat, already armed with a foolproof lie. "Headmistress, I was just-"

"Come with me, Miss Weasley," McGonagall interrupts her. "To my office."

"Yes, Headmistress," Ginny sighs as she trudges after her.

"Well," Tom Riddle materializes next to Ginny, falling in step with her as she follows the Headmistress out of the kitchens. "I wonder what she could want."

Ginny stares straights ahead, ignoring him studiously.

"I see; no talking while the authorities are around. Well, blink once for no, twice for yes, and three times for foul language."

She gives no reaction, not really seeing the humor in the situation. What could she be in trouble for? Perhaps being out of bed so close to curfew, and in the kitchens to boot, but wouldn't she just get house points deducted for that- possibly detention at the worst?

"Do you know why you're being taken to the Headmistress's office?"

Ginny blinks once.

"No? Well, I'm sure she wants to check on your mental stability- Potter and his rotters have done nothing but fuss over it since we arrived, haven't they?"

She blinks twice. Although they've done nothing recently, Ginny still feels a little stung.

"You see, we can have very interesting conversations when you want."

"Lemon Sherbet," the Headmistress whispers. "Miss Weasley, if you please," McGonagall directs her up the staircase, following closely behind her.

They step into the office and sit, McGonagall at her large, ornate desk and Ginny in one of the guest seats. She notices that she and McGonagall are alone and wonders where Tom's gone to. She brushes the thought away and idly looks over the office.

Between Snape and McGonagall, almost everything about the office from Dumbledore's time has changed. The only things that remain the same from the old office are the portraits of past headmasters, Dumbledore now among them. His eyes twinkle down on them from his half moon glasses.

"Miss Weasley. Firstly, let me say that you are in no trouble. Next, allow me to give this to you." She hands Ginny a thick envelope, sealed with scarlet wax with the initials AD. Dumbledore's seal, Ginny thinks fleetingly as she moves to open it.

"Wait," McGonagall reaches across the desk and seizes her hand. "You're not to open it until you are alone. Also, I mean to give you this as well." She pulls another envelope, much thinner this time. Ginny immediately recognizes the worn, second hand parchment. Mum and Dad…

"I've been waiting for the most… opportune time to give them to you. The first was left to me by Professor Dumbledore. I found it in his desk with a note on it, expressing that I was to give it to you this year. The second, I was entrusted with only a short while ago. It seems your father is still weary of the Ministry checking owls."

"Thank you, Headmistress. Is that all?"

"Yes. Now, you may head to your dormitory. But only if you take this back as well," McGonagall pulls out her wand and hits the desk with a sharp rap and a small porcelain plate with a luxurious slice of chocolate cake on it appears. A small silver fork sticks up from the top.

Ginny takes it with a small smile and dashes out of the office, down the stairway, and back to the Common Room.

"Hi, Gin," Harry jumps up from the worn red sofa as Ginny slips through the Fat Lady's portrait. Ginny has a bit of trouble making him out in the dark; the only light is that of the moon and the dying fire.

"Harry," Ginny says unenthusiastically. She really isn't looking for another mini-intervention after the last Hermione disaster.

Harry fidgets with his hands. His hair even more mussed than usual and he's still in his school robes, also a mess.

"I just wanted to, you know, talk," He sees the look Ginny's giving him and puts his hands up. "Not, you know… I mean, about us. Please, come sit. Just for five minutes, yeah? Five minutes."

Ginny reluctantly takes a seat on the sofa, a good distance from Harry. She sets the cake on the coffee stand, but tucks the letters safely in the pocket of her robe. "So," she says, still distrusting. Hardly two sentences together since school started ages ago, and he wants to talk? He'd better pull something out of his arse a thousand times greater than the defeat of Voldemort if he wants any hope of getting in my good graces… if that's what he really wants.

For all her criticisms, Ginny can't help but feel a spark of, dare she admit it, happiness. After all, this is her first love, her idol, her Harry. Their growing apart hurt Ginny to a great extent and she was trying to cover it up day by day with the profound amount of research she did for Tom. Of course, how busy he kept her helped- what with all the arguing and research they did. The aching was fading, but still there.

"Alright," he begins shakily. "I… I miss us, Gin. I really do. I don't know what's been goin' on lately but I don't like it."

"I've been trying, Harry, really, but… It's complicated."

"What is?"

"Nothing… I mean, not nothing, but," she is cut off.

"What are you doing?" Tom hisses. Although he's across the room, Ginny swears he's right next to her,

"Nothing," she replies, forgetting herself.

Harry sighs. "Alright, I understand. You won't tell me… for now."

For a few awkward moments, the room is filled with silence.

"So… Can we try again?" Harry asked, his eyes looking at her over the top of his glasses, wide and green as a pickled toad.

"Ginny, reject him. He'd only get in the way, you know that," Tom spits. "Go on."

There's a pregnant pause as Ginny hesitates. She looks from Harry to Tom and back. "Okay," Ginny gives Harry a small smile. "One more go."

"What?" Tom's pale face tinges pink and his hands clench. The flames of the fire place flare up a bit from the embers, but Harry doesn't pay it any attention.

"Great! Meet me for breakfast, okay? I'll wait just outside the Fat Lady's portrait," Harry engulfs her in a hug and rushes up the stairs.

Just as he disappears from sight, the flames flare up one last time, almost bursting from the fire place, and recede back into the glowing embers and ash.

Tom crosses his arms, displeased indeed. "And what do you think you're doing?"

"Look," Ginny rises from the sofa, a pleading look on her face. "He can help us, I know it." I don't want him angry with me. It'll only cause problems and… And what? Tom has been plenty angry with her before and she's never blinked. She knows that fighting right now would be strenuous, but there's something else. Something Ginny can't quite put her finger on.

"And how will Wonder Boy assist us? Shall we ask politely if he'll, pretty please, help bring Lord Voldemort back into existence for the umpteenth time?"

"No, but he's been in the restricted section quite a lot over the years and, knowing how thick he is most times, if I, his innocent little girlfriend, were to ask a few questions for a DADA extra credit assignment…who would care?" Of course, this isn't the whole truth as to why Ginny wants to get back with Harry, but this will sedate Tom, for now.

Tom seems to be struck silent, unable to think of an argument.

"We'll see," and he's gone.

Ginny stifles a great yawn as she prepares to finally head to bed, trying not to wake the other girls. She takes off her worn, fuzzy yellow bath robe and hangs it on one of the posts of her bed. As she climbs into bed, her foot snags the bottom of the robe and pulls it off the post.

"Bugger," Ginny whispers. When she hangs it up as second time, two letters fall out of her robe pocket and to the floor; she'd forgotten about those. Ginny picks them up and hauls herself up under the scarlet covers.

"Lumos." The tip of her wand lights up, and Ginny blinks a few times as her eyes adjust.

She picks up her parent's letter first, tearing it open.

Ginny,

Hello, dear. We all miss you very much, and hope you're having a good time at school. George sends his love, and Bill and Fleur say hello. They visited the other day. Victoire is well and healthy and as happy a baby as I've ever seen, although Fleur didn't eat nearly as much as I'd hoped- always as skinny as a leaf, that one, even after having a baby! But I suppose she can't help it.

We hoped you'd have written by now, darling. I know that you're under a lot of stress lately. And I'm sorry to say that I may have added to it. We've talked to Headmistress McGonagall and she's given you permission to come home for a week this Friday. We all agree that you need some time off. Your assignments will be sent to you by owl as will a summary of anything new taught in the classes you miss. Of course, you don't have to come, dear, but we'd love it if you did.

We'll be waiting for your owl.

All our love,

Mum & Dad

Ginny sets the letter aside, unsure of what to do. Accepting the invitation would give her time off from the stresses of school, work and students alike, but would Tom allow her to go? Further more, Ginny thinks as she remembers the summer's events, how would she be treated? Over the summer hols she felt like an utter outcast, almost like she didn't belong in her own home. Will it be different now that her and Tom got on better- that she knew how to handle him better? Maybe it will. Ginny, sitting in the glowing light of her Lumos under her sheets, decides that she'll give it a try.

Now how to convince Tom, as well. Ginny would prefer to have the little vacation without a fuss…

She gathers up her parents letter and Dumbledore's, which remains unopened, climbs out of bed, and stuffs them in her trunk.

As she finally rests her head on her pillows, Ginny's mind reels with manipulating, slightly underhanded arguments that would even convince the Malfoy family to holiday at the Burrow.

A/N: Once again let me apologize. Six months. SIX. It's horrid of me. However, I've gained something from my little hiatus. I think I've improved a bit from re-reading what I've already written and hope it shows here. I worked extra hard on it to get it just right. Let me tell you, I re-read most of the reviews and that helped the motivation a lot.

Thanks again to all those who reviewed: more, CandyRedApple, ginny7777, readingandwriting, page656 (Thank you so much. The theory at the beginning was very interesting and I'm glad to know the Fred slip up (which I've fixed but haven't updated the chapter, yet) haven't made me a target of canonites (totally made that up. Clever, right? That made me feel cool.)), and Kitten Little!

Once again, I love all of you who reviewed, and kisses to those who favorite or put the story on watch (albeit in vein that past six month, yeah?) I hope I haven't lost any of my faithfuls over time and promise to get back in the game for good this time. Loving reviews are wanted, needed, and never given up, but good-hearted criticisms are priceless.

Also, closing question. Harry Potter 7, Part 2. Yay or Nay? Also, Ron, nineteen years later. Anyone else laugh so hard the people around you thought you were trolling? (Say nothing against Draco the Great or his bad choice in facial hair. NOTHING.)

Love,

ReadBML

P.S. Sorry for the two or three meme-speaks in the A/N, I've recently become a memebase fanatic.

…I don't always update my FanFiction stories… but when I do, it's not for six months. -coolest writer in the world