Trust. It's the easiest thing to lose, and yet it's the hardest thing to gain. Especially when you don't deserve it. Ginny Weasley knew this. She hadn't expected them to welcome her with open arms, but deep down she knows she was hoping for it.

Now, this is not to say they were rude to her in any way. In fact they were very hospitable. However, that's not what Ginny wanted. The majority of these people she knew to be dead in her world; she wanted to be accepted by them, to get to know them. In particularly Ron. She wanted her brother back. She wanted her family to be whole again.

It was the late afternoon when she awoke to an empty hospital wing. She had begun to get used to everyone staring at her, but she welcomed the silence. It helped her think about her situation.

Just as she sat up and reached for her cup of water, the doors opened and Hermione stepped in. She looked to Ginny as if to make sure she was awake, and made her way to the side of her bed and collapsed into the empty chair. "I just came from the library, I've been in there researching Rhience Danello and this potion Dumbledore and Lily used to send you here. Is there anything else you remember? Maybe remember what Lily used exactly?"

Ginny shook her head. "I've tried Hermione, but I don't remember anything else other than what I've already told you."

Hermione let out a puff of air. "This is so frustrating! You should have written it down or something, that way we could have figured out how to send you back!"

"Of course. If only we had you to tell us to do just that." This peeked Hermione's interest.

"Am I, am I dead in your world?" Hermione hesitated, she wasn't quite sure she wanted to know the fate of her counterpart. What if it was highly gruesome?

"She died before she ever reached school age. Voldemort killed most of the muggleborns before they could reach Hogwarts." Hermione wanted to know more, but she knew better than to ask. She could tell by Ginny's face that she didn't want to explain. Before she could say anything, Ginny spoke. "What about me? How did I die here?"

Hermione could tell she had been dying to know, but was too polite to ask before. "She died protecting Ron from an acromantula. It was after Harry defeated Voldemort."

"No wonder Ron hates me. Were they close?"

"He doesn't hate you. He just doesn't know how to react to you. He lost his sister, but here you are. You have her name and looks, and yet he – we – can tell you're a different person than she was. It's weird for all of us honestly."

"I understand, really I do. My brother Ron died a few years ago. It's a shock for me too. And you, you died. And Harry, Harry died when he was a baby. It's weird for me too."

"Harry died as a baby?" Hermione sat up straight.

"Yes, it's a horrible story."

"So is Harry's. What happened in your world?"

"It was Peter. He stopped by on Halloween at Godric's Hollow to see James and Lily and Harry. I guess without them knowing, Peter took Harry outside while Lily and James were in another room; they believed they could trust Peter. But Peter took Harry outside and straight into Voldemort's arms. When they realized something was wrong, they went outside to look for Peter, and that's when they saw Voldemort holding Harry. He Avada Kedavra'd him and then apparated. Dumbledore arrived just in time, otherwise both Lily and James would have been thrown into Azkaban."

"That's horrible!" Hermione said as wiped the tears off her face.

"That's not even the worst of what Voldemort has done in our world. Not even half." Ginny paused also wiping her face of her tears. She could still remember Lily telling her the story; she hadn't even tried to hide the tears streaming down her cheeks. "What about here? I know James and Lily died, and Harry is alive. How did it happen here?"

"I'm sorry Ginny, but that is not my story to tell. You'll have to ask Harry."

Ginny made to argue, but before she could the hospital Wing door opened revealing the topic of their conversation. Harry Potter. He walked in and stopped when he saw the two girls staring at him. Shaking off his surprise, he finished walking over to the girls. "Hermione, McGonagall asked me to tell you she wants to speak with you in her office."

With a slight squeak, Hermione jumped up and quickly walked to the door. She stopped just before it and said "I'll see you later Ginny!" and walked out leaving Harry and Ginny alone together with the awkward silence.

Ginny wanted to say something, something to break the silence, but she didn't know what to say to someone who you knew to be dead. And of course there was the tiny fact that she used to have a simple little crush on his father. A crush she never told Lily about. So embarrassing.

Fortunately, Harry saved her from having to come up with a conversation. He now stood close to her bed, but not too close. "Has Pomphrey said when you would be released?"

"She said she wants to check me one more time later today, and if she doesn't see anything wrong, then she'll let me go then."

"Well, that's good then."

"Yeah, I've always hated being in here. I rarely had any good memories in this place." She can still remember the days she spent helping Madame Pomphrey before the school had to close down. All those poor students.

Harry shifted his weight to his other foot. "You were in here a lot? In your world, I mean."

"Yeah, I helped Madame Pomphrey when things got bad with the war. There were several of us who helped out."

"How bad is the war in your world?"

"For it to be called a 'war' would imply both sides are fighting. We weren't fighting anymore; we were sitting on our arses doing nothing."

"What about Dumbledore? Was he doing anything?"

"Well, I mean, yes there were some people who were risking everything. Remus was doing his best working with the werewolves, but they weren't responding very well. And Dumbledore of course, he was trying, he knew the most about Voldemort, but with the school closed and the ministry over run, there wasn't much he could do. And then Neville died, Neville was working closely with Dumbledore and after he died we all just kind of lost our last strand of hope."

"The school closed?" Ginny was astonished that that was the only fact he seemed to pick up on. Seeing her face however, he added. "It's just, there were many times the school almost closed here, it just never happened. It was the one constant throughout the war."

"Dumbledore was forced to close. After the ministry was overrun, the students were torn between sides, and they were getting hurt. That's why I worked in the hospital wing while it was still open, Madam Pomphrey couldn't handle all the students by herself." Ginny grimaced with the memory.

"Wow. It was never that bad here. I mean, the ministry was overrun, Dumbledore was killed, and many people died in the battle, but never that bad." Harry paused and Ginny looked him in the eyes for the first time during their talk, and she saw him contemplating. He seemed to be debating whether to say something else as he stared at the chair Hermione formerly sat in. Suddenly, he grabbed the chair and pulled it closer to her and sat down. Apparently deciding to talk, he looked her in the eyes and asked "Was there a prophecy made in your world?"

This took Ginny by surprise. "Prophecy? What do you mean?"

"Was there a prophecy made in your world about the person with the power to kill Voldemort?" His eyes seemed to pierce her, it almost frightened her.

"I, I don't know of one? I mean, I guess there could have been one made, but I've never heard about it. Lily usually told me everything that happened in the meetings, and she never said anything about one. Why do you ask?"

Harry rose out of his chair and began pacing. "If there was a prophecy most likely she would have known about it. Unless, perhaps, it wasn't about me in your world. Then who would it have been about?" Harry stopped, evidently remembering Ginny was still there. "There was a prophecy made, in our world, about the only person with the power to kill Voldemort. The prophecy was made about me. Either I had to kill him, or he had to kill me. It was the reason my parents went into hiding when I was born, and the reason why they were murdered. Were they in hiding in your world? I mean when I was born? Assuming of course, I was born?"

"You were born, you were murdered. But I don't remember Lily or James saying anything about being in hiding, I mean back then everyone really was in hiding, it wasn't uncommon."

"Did they tell you why I was murdered? Why Voldemort wanted to kill me?"

"Lily said he wanted to kill you to destroy them, that the way to them was to murder you."

Ginny could see a fleeting emotion flit across Harry's face, but it was gone as fast as it appeared. "Okay, that means either the prophecy was never made or it was about someone else in your world. The chances are however, that it was never made. Otherwise, you would probably know about it. That would also explain why Voldemort is much stronger in your world than he was here." Harry, who had been just about to start pacing again, stopped and looked at Ginny. "Have you heard the term 'Horcrux' before?"

"No? What is it?"

Harry was about to speak, when Madam Pomphrey walked into the room and made her way to Ginny. "Good afternoon my dear, how are we feeling today?" Harry moved to sit on an empty bed waiting for the nurse to finish checking Ginny.

"I feel fine, better than I have for days."

"No headaches? No more feeling like you've been shoved through a hole?" The nurse moved around her patient doing her usual checkups.

"No ma'am. Not an ache in my body."

She finished with her fusing. "Well, I guess that means you're free to leave. I believe Professor McGonagall has said that you will be allowed to stay in Gryffindor tower while you're here."

As Ginny made to get up, Harry stood and announced that he would be outside waiting for her, and left the room. With Harry gone, Ginny changed into the clothes Pomphrey handed her. "Miss Granger was kind enough to lend you some clothes to wear. All good? Well, okay. Miss Weasley, if you start to feel anything, come see me at once. Understand?"

"Yes, Madam Pomphrey." Ginny said and then met Harry in the hallway. "I thought she was never going to let me go."

Harry laughed. "Yes, she can be that way sometimes.

That was the first time she heard him laugh, it was the same laugh she heard many times when James and Sirius were together. She vowed to cause Harry to laugh more often.

"Are you hungry? Lunch is still being served in the Great Hall."

"I'm starving. You don't have to stay with me if you've already eaten. I understand."

"Trust me; you're not ready to face everyone by yourself. They're going to swarm you when they realize you've been released."

"Ahh, I see. I guess I can't really blame them. If I were them, I'd want to know all about the new comer also."

When they stepped into the Great Hall, the few students left stopped eating and gaped at the pair. However, knowing Harry would curse them into oblivion, they remained in their seats. And yet the fear of Harry didn't stop them from staring and whispering to their neighbors. They sat down at the Gryffindor table and Ginny immediately began filling her plate. She wasn't kidding when she said she was starving.

After she was beginning to feel content, she noticed Harry looked quite bored. She tried to think of a topic she could bring up, but she didn't know what would be safe to talk about. She knew not to bring up her alternate, as she had dubbed the Ginny from this world. But what could she talk to him about? Looking around the hall for some kind of clue, she noticed some students with a broom in their hands. 'That's it' she thought. Quidditch.

"So you were sorted into Gryffindor?" Ginny asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Yeah," Harry replied. "Were you?"

"Yeah, my whole family was in Gryffindor. Did you play quidditch at all?" Ginny looked up as she said this and met his emerald green eyes. She could tell she hit her target.

"Of course. I was the youngest seeker in a century. I got on the team first year." She could tell he was proud of this fact. If only James could hear him.

"That's incredible! James would be so proud. You play seeker? That's the position I usually played when we used to have games with my brothers and James and Sirius. I always chose to be on James and Sirius's team. They always won." Ginny giggled.

Harry looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead said "Yeah, I play seeker. I haven't played in a while though."

"Yeah, I'm sure you've had a lot more important things to worry about." Just as Ginny was about to grab another roll, the plates of food disappeared signaling the end of lunch.

"You ready?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, guess I have no choice." She laughed.

They got up and left the hall. Agreeing to go to Gryffindor tower, they climbed the marble staircase. At the Fat Lady, Harry spoke the password "Fortitudinis et Animi" and she swung the portrait open allowing them entry.

Before Ginny could get a good look at the common room, Harry's arm shot out and blocked her from going any further. It took her only a minute to realize why he was shielding her. She saw the flaming red hair right before the shouting match started.

"Harry, how could you bring her up here? Don't you think we've been tortured enough?"

"Ron, you need to calm down."

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down! Ginny was my SISTER! Does that mean anything to you at all? I thought you of all people would understand why I do not want her here! YOU of ALL people should understand my pain Harry! You were in LOVE with her! And you're okay with gallivanting around with this, this IMPOSTER? I can't BELIEVE you!"

Ron frantically searched his pockets for his wand, seeing this, Harry pulled his own out and pointed it at his best friend. "Ron, please don't make me do this mate."

"Go ahead Harry." Ron said defiantly, right before he tried rushing at Harry. However, Harry was quicker. "Petrificus Totalus." Ginny watched as Ron fell onto his back.

"I was really hoping Hermione took him out for the day. I guess her talk with McGonagall went longer than expected. Sorry about this."

Ginny walked over to her brother, and knowing he could hear her, she said "I know how you feel, and I'm sorry I'm putting you through all this pain. But you should know, I'm in pain too. My Ron died a few years ago; I watched him die. You're not the only one suffering by my being here." She looked to Harry who seemed to be studying her.

At that moment, Hermione came in through the portrait hole. "I ran here as fast as I could! I went to the hospital wing but Madam Pomphrey said you had already left." Taking a minute to catch her breath, she noticed Ron on the floor and rushed over to him. "Oh, Ron." She looked back to Harry and Ginny. "We've found a way to figure out the ingredients to the potion. I don't know why we didn't think of it before, Harry. We're going to use Dumbledore's pensieve."