A/N: Hey guys! Hope you're enjoying the series so far! :D Just wanted to leave a quick note for you all to say that I won't be posting next weeks chapter until Thursday (the 30th) because its my birthday on the 29th so I'm going to be celebrating with my family and my best friend. No time for FF I'm afraid! Anyway, on with the next chapter :)

Long Way Down

Ginny's POV

Ginny sat with her mother, helping her go through Fred's box of funeral arrangements after finding her sobbing on her own in the kitchen.

"No black", Ginny read from a piece of parchment as she smiled to herself. Molly chuckled softly as she read over every piece of parchment carefully.

"I'll go and get some fireworks from George at the shop later", she sighed sadly.

"Aw, is that in the box?", Ginny asked.

"No. I just think Fred would have liked it. And George", Molly smiled softly.

"That's a brilliant idea, mum", Ginny smiled warmly as she put her arm around her mother's shoulders. It soon became a tender moment as mother and daughter comforted each other, mourning in silence. "I'll go and get the fireworks. Why don't you go and sit in the living room, put your feet up and listen to a little Celestina Warbeck?", Ginny suggested. Molly smiled lovingly at her before kissing her on the forehead.

"You're a good girl, Ginny", she said as she got up, putting the wireless on before heading towards the living room. Ginny quickly got her things together, ready to go to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, but not before leaving a little note for Harry;

'Harry,

Just gone to get some stuff from George for the funeral tomorrow. I won't be long.

All my love,

Ginny.'

She left the note outside Harry's door before making her way to the fireplace and flooing herself to Diagon Alley. After briefly spotting, a rather scruffy looking, Rita Skeeter, no doubt searching for a headline, Ginny quickly and carefully rushed to the shop, luckily without being seen. She used the spare key she had for the shop and quietly made her way inside. The lights were off and the place looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years. Ginny hated seeing the shop this way. She knew how much this shop meant to Fred and George, and she knew how hard they had both worked to make it a success. It was such a shame to see it in its messy, abandoned state. Ginny began to make her way up the stairs, towards the flat that sat above the shop before opening the front door and stepping inside.

"Hello?", she spoke. "George?".

"In here", George replied. Ginny made her way down the hall and into the living room where her older brother sat on the sofa. He wore a dirty old t-shirt and some baggy ripped jeans. Small, messy ginger hairs had began to sprout from his chin as he took a sip of the water he had in his hand.

"Mum would throw a fit if she could see you", she attempted to joke as she set her bag down and sat down beside him.

"Shouldn't you be running around after Harry or something?", George asked, his eyes glued to the wall in front of him.

"You know, I'm really struggling to cope with your attitude", Ginny told him, closing her eyes tightly as she tried to remain calm. George only shrugged his shoulders as he continued to drink his water. "Everyone's tip-toeing around it, but I'm not going to anymore- Fred would be so pissed at you right now!", she suddenly raised her voice at him, her cheeks flushing their infamous Weasley red. George suddenly made eye contact with her, his eyebrows coming together angrily. Ginny refused to back down as she stared angrily right back at him. "Go on; yell at me! But you know I'm right", she continued. George's brow instantly softened as his gaze returned to the wall in front of him. "You've got to stop blaming Harry. You've got to stop looking for someone to blame full stop! Fred's gone, George", her voice broke as angry tears began to rim her bright brown eyes. "He's gone and its shit. But we have to move on. He wouldn't want us to be like this. And he definitely wouldn't want you to be like this", she finished. Ginny sat in silence for what felt like an eternity as she waited for some sort of response from her brother. Deciding she would no longer wait, she sighed deeply as she got up and put her bag over her shoulder. "I came to get some fireworks for tomorrow anyway. Mum's idea. I'll see you then", she said, kissing him on the top of his head. George continued to stare into space. "I love you, George", she sighed once more before making her way out of the flat and into the shop for the fireworks she had originally traveled for. She left the shop, wiping away the angry tears from her eyes before making her way back to where she had flooed, not caring who saw her. On arriving back at The Burrow, Ginny took the fireworks out of her bag, left them on the kitchen table and made her way out into the Orchard where she could cry freely. She sat there for what felt like hours, crying until she could cry no more. She couldn't quite figure out if she was mourning Fred or mad at George, but either way, everything ran through her mind at once.

"Ginny?", she heard a familiar voice. Ginny quickly wiped away her tears as Hermione sat down beside her.

"You're back", she sniffed as she forced a smile.

"Well spotted", Hermione chuckled. "Whats the matter?", she asked.

"You should go and see Ron. He's been driving us all mad!", Ginny joked.

"I'm sure he'll be alright with just five more minutes", Hermione fought. The girls sat in an uncomfortable silence. "Ginny", Hermione spoke, placing her hand on her friend's lap.

"Its bad enough that I've lost one brother without feeling like I've lost two", Ginny admitted. Hermione sighed sadly.

"I take it George isn't feeling any better? What a stupid question- of course he's not feeling any better", Hermione corrected herself. Ginny couldn't help but chuckle a little as she shook her head.

"Do you think he'll ever get past this?", she asked. Hermione took a moment before nodding.

"I believe everyone has their own way of dealing with things. Whether it be grief, anger, confusion, love. He just needs time. I mean, take Ron for instance; when he started to have feelings for me he was nothing but foul! But, I suppose; that was his way of dealing with what he felt. Do you understand what I mean?", Hermione asked as she bit her lip, clearly wondering whether or not she had said the right thing. Ginny found a genuine grin within herself as she nodded. She suddenly wrapped her arms around Hermione's shoulders, hugging her tight.

"Its good to have you back", she smiled warmly, her head resting on Hermione's shoulder.

"Its good to be back", Hermione sighed contently, hugging her back.