Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. All rights go to J.K Rowling and Warner Bros©. On with the story then!

Previously on One Day, Things Will Be Better:

"Hey dad," said James, stopping his father in his footsteps. "I want to learn how to do a…a Wongsi Paint."

Harry chuckled before correcting James on his pronunciation of the famous Quidditch seeker move. "See you soon!"

His family waved goodbye as Harry walked out of the door and apparated away.

Ginny awoke with a start and ran a hand through her hair, a habit she had unconsciously picked up from her husband. She sighed – she seemed to be doing that a lot lately, she noticed wryly. She turned over and snuck a glance at the clock sitting on her bedside table – half past six in the morning. Once more, she rolled over and closed her eyes, trying to get back to sleep. Trying being the key word here. After roughly five minutes of futile effort, Ginny swept the covers off her and swung her legs over the edge of her bed in one fluid, continuous motion. She gathered her clothes for the day from her closet and shuffled to the bathroom.

Ginny exited her bedroom a short while later with her bed unmade, knowing that Ellie would settle it for her in a moment. Really, she mused, I'm getting far too lazy for my own good. As she made her was down the hall, she stopped by James' room to check up on him. She opened the door a crack and peered into the room, her soft brown eyes finding James sprawled out on the bed, all sense of dignity forgotten, one arm dangling over the edge of his bed and his covers in an untidy heap on the floor. A ghost of a smile flickered across Ginny's face as she faintly registered the resemblance between father and son. How many mornings had she woken up to Harry being in that exact same position?

Ginny was shaken out of her thoughts by a slightly muffled shout. As her 'mother hen instincts', as Harry had so dubbed it, came into play, she swiftly made her way to the room opposite James' – Albus' room. She wasn't entirely sure that Albus' room was the source of the shouting, but Ginny figured that she might as well check up on Albus now, since it had been her intention to do so anyway. Opening the door, her earlier uncertainty was confirmed as she was met with the sight of a tossing and sweaty boy, tears streaming in rivulets down past his cheeks and wetting the pillows. Now that she was in the room, the occasional shouting was far louder and clearer, but it still sounded a little muffled, as though she was listening to something through a poorly cast muffliato charm… Wait, that was just it! As comprehension dawned upon her that it was merely a bout of accidental magic on Albus' part, Ginny cast a silent finite incantatem and then winced as the shouts became louder – very much louder. Oh well, said Ginny inwardly, at least I know I can cast a simple counter-spell non-verbally. Merlin knows that Harry is so much more adept at spell work than I am. Ginny Potter was well-known as a women of a great many talents, but unfortunately, non-verbal casting was not one of them.

Another shout from Albus jolted Ginny into action. She moved quickly to his bedside and shook his shoulder gently, but firmly, in an effort to rouse Albus from his nightmare. It soon became apparent, however, that it did not work, for Albus was still tossing and turning violently, tangled up in his sheets. "Albus," said Ginny softly, but that too failed to awaken him from his fitful slumber. Ginny then resorted to placing both her hands on Albus' shoulders and shaking them more firmly and roughly, while saying his name over and over again.

Ginny was glad to see that her efforts were successful as Albus bolted upright on his bed. His eyes darted around nervously and fearfully around the room, as though he was expecting them to be attacked at any moment. His breaths were coming in ragged, panicky breaths as a droplet of sweat slowly trickled past his brow. All the while, Ginny had kept a calm and firm hand on her son's shoulder. Now, Albus turned towards Ginny and stared at her blearily for a couple of moments before he found himself capable of speech. "Mu…Mum? Is that you, Mum?"

"Hey Al, I see you're awake at last. Yes, it's me, dear, there's no need to be frightened now okay? I'm right here. Everything's okay; everything's going to be just fine," whispered Ginny, her voice laced with care and concern, the epitome of comfort, which was exactly what Albus needed at that moment.

Without warning, Albus flung himself into Ginny's arms and she embraced him readily, allowing him to cry freely into her shoulder without regard for the state of her clothes. With one arm Ginny held Albus in a tight embrace, and with the other, she rubbed slow, comforting circles on his back, hoping to calm his erratic breathing and heaving shoulders. She whispered words of comfort into Albus' ear, accompanied by the occasional hushing sounds and gentle running of her soft fingers through his sweaty locks.

It had taken quite a while to get Albus to calm down, but when he did, he pulled away reluctantly from his mother's embrace. Albus rubbed his cheeks where the torrents of tears had left their mark. Still sniffling slightly, he finally spoke. "Mum, where's daddy?" Here, he paused ever so slightly, fidgeting a bit, his hands twisting themselves in his lap as he continued on. "Why's he taking so long? Where is he, mummy? Is he… Is he coming home soon?" The tears threatened to spill again as he finished, sniffling harder than before but resolutely keeping the tears at bay.

Ginny looked at her son and could practically feel her heart shatter as he posed that question. She climbed onto her son's bed and sat there, cross-legged. She let herself run away with her thoughts for a couple of moments before running her fingers through her hair. "Of course daddy's going to come home soon, Al. He's probably been held up somewhere along the way that's all. He's a strong man, your father. He'll be okay. There's no need to worry, there's no need to cry. Daddy will be home soon enough, you'll see."

Ginny found herself speaking words that even she herself had trouble believing. Was he really coming home soon? Ginny sighed internally. His missions have never usually taken this long… I do hope he's fine…

"It's still early Al, why don't you try to go back to sleep for a little while longer? I'll wake you up when breakfast's ready, how's that?"

Albus nodded and lay down on his bed, Ginny tucking him under the covers and running a hand through his hair comfortingly before heading to the kitchen downstairs.

In the kitchen, Ginny was left alone with her thoughts, alone with the gaping hole left by Harry's absence.

"Please Harry, stay safe…" She felt tears well up in her eyes and blinked furiously, willing them not to fall. She had to be strong. For James, for Albus. For Harry.

Harry stared at the Death Eaters that surrounded them, panting heavily and his chest on fire. His legs seemed to be on the verge of giving way at any moment. He groaned mentally and swallowed hard, as he realised how badly out-numbered they were. The odds were clearly stacked against them but his team was fighting their hardest. Harry cracked a small smile of pride in spite of the circumstances; he would definitely treat them to a good meal or something when they got back. If they got back, came the annoying voice at the back of his mind.

To his left, Harry saw Amber, one of the aurors under him, battling desperately, colorful streaks colliding with each other and dissipating, shouting incantations and ducking and rolling almost simultaneously. He raised his wand, a spell on the tip of his lips, but he was forced to duck out of the way when a death eater lunged out at him out of the blue, sporadically shooting out curses. His timely reaction saved him from certain grievous injury. Standing up again, he prepared his battle stance. They're as desperate as we are, he noted grimly. They think they're going to lose.

Ginny was chewing her lip, a nervous habit which she'd picked up somewhere along the way from her husband. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she leaned back against the headboard. I don't know what I'd do without you… Heck, I don't even think I can live without you, Harry. But somehow, somewhere, there's this thought, there's this something that just says you won't come back. Why do I feel this way, Harry? You've been away loads of times, and you've always made it back. Please… You'll come back, right? She thought to herself.

The death eater stopped throwing curses left right and center as soon as he noticed Harry. The man's – assuming that it was a man – mask seemed to glow with an ominous light in the semi-darkness. He took aim and shot a killing curse straight at Harry, who dove sharply to the side, narrowly avoiding the streak of green.

"Don't kill him you fool!" shouted another death eater furiously. "Remember, we need Potter alive!"

"Like hell you do," snarled Harry, picking himself up.

The battle raged on, as the two of them fired spells at each other. Harry knew that he had to end it soon – he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up. He took a quick glance at his team and saw that they, too, were barely hanging in there.

Too preoccupied with his thoughts, Harry just barely noticed a spell headed straight for him. His eyes widened and he jumped out of the way in the nick of time.

He landed clumsily, a sharp pain radiating from his ankle. Harry figured it was a sprain but hadn't the time to take a closer look.

A second of delay was all it took – a death eater fired a curse straight at Harry.

Ginny's thoughts were miles away from anything that had to do with making breakfast, even as she made it. She was still biting her lip, but the slight discomfort it caused was nothing when compared to the emotional pain and worry she wished to expel. Harry could be anywhere. Anything could have happened. Ginny didn't like 'anything,' or, at least, her unconscious mind didn't. In her mind, 'anything' was quickly becoming 'everything' which fell to 'the worst thing possible.'

Taking a deep breath, her hands refraining from making breakfast, she whispered a quiet plea.)

"Please,"

Harry noticed the spell a second too late.

"Be safe."

It flew at him; he tried and failed to urge his body into action.

"I-"

He tried to block it, but it went straight through the hastily and poorly cast shield.

"Love-"

Harry had one moment to think, 'I'm sorry, Ginny."

"You."

Then it struck him, and everything faded to black.

Miles away, Ginny Potter let out a sob, as if she already knew the fate of her husband, and the life-changing events that had been set in motion only seconds prior.

A/N: That's the second chapter! Thanks to RegulusBlackIsAHero for the awesome beta-work! Remember to review please, and make my day/week/month/year/life. Thank you!

EDIT: I just made some changes, added in stuff and took away some. What do you guys think?(01/06/2013)

Written for SnarkyAndProudHufflepuff's 'Ginny Weasley Appreciation Challenge'