The Ripple Effect

AN: I had a guest user asking me if this was going to be a Neville/Ginny story or a Harry/Ginny one. What I can say without spoiling it too much, this story will explore the consequences of Neville's actions and what it means for all his relationships but I can promise you Neville and Ginny will not move past a platonic status, even though it may seem like it won't at time, it is more about what she is going to do now Harry isn't the chosen one and Neville is. I hope that answers the question!

Chapter One- 'Were you dropped on your head as a baby or you naturally that stupid?'

Ginny gasped as she woke suddenly. She found herself in her bedroom at The Burrow. She shot up, looking around confused and frantic. She looked down and realised she was wearing her pyjamas. She looked at a newspaper on her table and saw the date. It was December 22nd 1996. She gasped. It was a year before. She had no idea if Neville had succeeded but he had succeeded in travelling back in time. She heard her mother's shouts of her name. She sighed, grabbed her dressing gown, put it down and headed downstairs.

'Ah, there you are Ginny, I was beginning to worry about you' Mrs Weasley told her, as Ginny walked into the living room.

'Yeah, I was going to eat your breakfast if you didn't hurry' a voice said from the table. Her eyes widened when she realised it was Ron. She ran and hugged him, four months with no contact and she had to admit she had missed him but as she hugged him, she realised that she was probably in a new world where Ron never went anywhere. She pulled away.

'Don't stop on my account, though I'm confused why the sudden need to hug me, sis' he told her, laughing.

'Can't a sister hug her brother?' she replied, quickly, sitting down. She was trying to avoid eye contact with him.

'Hermione will be here this morning and Neville should be here sometime this afternoon' Ginny dropped the fork she had just picked up when she heard her mother mention Neville.

'Why is Neville coming here?' she asked, confused.

'He is my best friend. He comes every Christmas, you know that' Ron replied, looking at his sister's confusion confused himself.

'I just need… sorry, I'll be back in a second' she said, standing up and headed outside but she did not know where she was going. She could not use the floo network. It was too risky. She had to find Remus. No, she had to find Harry and work out what was going on but first she had to find her best friend.

Meanwhile, Neville was looking around his house for Grandma but could not find her anywhere. He walked into her bedroom and saw her bed that had not been slept in for a while. He walked over and sat on it. He put his hand down and felt a layer of dust. He stood up, confused when he heard a whooshing from downstairs. Someone had arrived via floo network. He hurried towards the noise and saw Ginny standing there.

'I just had to distract my mother and my brother with a fake gnome to get here' she turned to him and gasped.

'What?' he asked, narrowing his eyes.

'You're the chosen one alright' she sighed, pointing him towards a mirror. He turned to look at his reflection and gasped himself when he saw a faint red lightning bolt on his forehead.

'This is weird' he admitted, lightly tracing the scar with his index finger.

'You can't stay the chosen one, you know that right?' she said, crossing her arms.

'This is permanent now, I can't change it even if I wanted to' he told her, turning back to the mirror.

'This isn't a medal, you can't wear it with pride. Neville, do you realise what you have done?' she questioned, in shock.

'I need to find my Gran. She's probably at the hospital visiting Mum and Dad, I should go' he said, turning around and went to walk past her.

She stopped him 'Were you dropped on your head as a baby or you naturally that stupid?'

'What are you going on about?' he asked, moving away from her.

'You've seen your forehead. You survived the killing curse. Love did that. Your parents are dead, Neville' she replied. He took a moment to fully understand but nodded his head. He sat down, his head in his hands.

'Where's my Gran then? She should be here' he said quietly.

'Come on, we need to get back to mine and work out this fucking mess you have created' she replied, holding out her hand.

Back at The Burrow, Ginny was practically walking on eggshells. She stayed in the kitchen away from everyone, not knowing what to do.

'Do you know what is wrong with Neville, Ginny? He doesn't seem himself' Mrs Weasley said from behind her.

Ginny decided to take a wild stab in the dark 'He is looking for his Gran'

'Oh that poor boy. Your father and I were worried he wasn't doing well when he told us he was okay' Mrs Weasley replied, sounding upset.

'What are you going on about, Mum?' Ginny questioned, looking at how upset her Mum was and wondered what could have happened.

That…monster, taking away the only family he had just for him to suffer' Mrs Weasley replied, her gaze falling on Neville.

'Wait, you are telling me that Neville's Grandmother is dead?' Ginny asked, quietly.

'You know she is dead. You were there. You all were' Mrs Weasley sighed. This took a moment for Ginny to think about this. She gasped when she realised.

'His grandmother died in the department of Mysteries?' she whispered in shock.

'Are you feeling okay? You are being very forgetful today, darling' Mrs Weasley proclaimed. Before she could replied, her mother had walked off because there was a knock on the door. She sighed and walked over to Neville, pulling him aside.

'You killed her. You killed your Gran by bringing us here' she hissed, crossing her arms.

'What are you talking about?' Neville questioned, raising an eyebrow.

'Your Grandmother died. She died in the department of mysteries. She died instead of…'

'Sirius!' Mrs Weasley squeal came from the kitchen.

'Tell me this is not happening right now' Ginny said under her breath. She turned and she felt her legs turn to jelly as she saw Sirius Black standing in her kitchen. Then she fainted.

'….she has barely eaten all day… think the excitement has gotten to her with all us here together for once'

'…Aww there was me thinking I had made a lasting impression on her…'

'….Sirius! She is fifteen!'

'…I was joking, Molly. You never do get my jokes'

Ginny opened her eyes and saw her mother saw next to her with Sirius sat in the armchair opposite her.

'I best not tell my Godson you are fainting at the sight of me. He might get jealous' Sirius said, with a smirk.

'Your godson? Oh yes, Harry' she replied, with a smile.

'He is still a little heartbroken over you' he told her, with a sigh.

'Heartbroken? Really? Why?' she asked, sitting up.

'You know he has a crush on you since forever but we all know your eyes won't move past your brother's best friend' he said, his gaze falling over Neville as he was in the kitchen with Ron and Hermione.

'Me and Neville? No way. It's never going to happen. He is my best friend, he's great but just no' she told him, feeling disgusted at the thought.

'I'll be telling Harry that. It will make him feel a lot better' he replied, with a smile.

'Where is Harry?' she began to look around.

'He is visiting his parents. He shouldn't be long' Sirius told her.

Ginny's eyes narrowed 'Visiting his parents?'

'Are you sure you are not suffering from memory loss today, Ginny? You seem very confused about some things' Mrs Weasley asked, feeling her daughter's forehead. It then hit Ginny. Neville had not just swapped his and Harry's fates. He had swapped their parents fates. She sighed and stood up. She made an excuse about needing air and walked outside. She exhaled deeply.

'Are you okay?' a voice asked from behind her. She turned and she did not know to cry or laugh or both because Harry was stood there. He still looked the same. The only difference was he did not have a scar. She wanted to run and hug him but something told her they weren't as close in this world and that hurt her deeply.

'I am fine, how were your parents today?' she asked, quickly, trying to stop tears of happiness from falling.

'Same old, same old. Mum knows who I am more than Dad. It is what it is' he replied, struggling. She could no longer fight the impulse. She walked up to him and hugged him. She could feel him surprised against her before returning the hug.

'We should get inside, your mum has nearly finished cooking' he said after a moment once their hug had ended.

'Yeah, we should' she replied. Her eyes and his were fixed on each. Brown merging with green. Nothing had change, not even changing universes.