After making it safely back to the castle, and in the safety of her bed, Ginny still couldn't shake the feeling of Tom Riddle's gaze. His eyes were the same dark shade they were when she first met him when she was twelve, and although Tom was much different now than he was at seventeen, his handsome looks and charm were still the same.

Ginny was no longer the naïve little girl she was at twelve when she strived for companionship, she knew who Tom Riddle really was, but her heart still raced every time she laid her eyes on him.

But it didn't compare to the way Sirius made her feel. He went to all the trouble to give her the perfect Valentine's Day, and even if their evening was cut short by a death eater raid, she found herself falling for him more and more.

Tom Riddle was all clean-cut beauty with his proper manners, and his manipulating charm. Whereas Sirius had charming good looks, that gave way to his laid back and carefree attitude. But he was honest, and compassionate, even if he didn't like to show it and most importantly, he was loyal. There was no one Sirius treasured more than his friends. Sirius was all heart where Tom Riddle was callous.

It was Sirius's eyes that filled her dreams that night, his embrace she longed for under the covers, and his name that lingered on his lips the next morning when she woke.

**
By the time Ginny, Lily and Alice made their way to breakfast the Great Hall was in an uproar. By then the prophet would have written about the attack, and everyone in Hogwarts would know that a mysterious group of cloaked figures terrorized Hogsmeade village.

"It's terrifying," Lily voice, after she finished reading the front page of the prophet.

"Who do you think is behind it?" James asked, wrapping a comforting arm around Lily.

"They were wearing cloaks, it was impossible to tell," Sirius replied gravely, catching Ginny's eye from across the table.

"But surely the Ministry must know whose behind it," Remus stated.

"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore told them," Sirius responded flicking his bacon around on his plate.

"Why would Dumbledore know?" Lily asked.

Sirius froze, his fork hovering above his plate.

"Did the prophet not say he was there?" Sirius asked, his voice strained.

"No," Lily responded, eyeing Sirius wearily.

"Oh, maybe you mentioned it then," Sirius covered, nervously.

"No, I don't think anyone mentioned the head master," Alice voiced.

"I-"

"Well Dumbledore seems to know everything, the attack was so close to Hogwarts, I'm sure he's working with the Ministry," Ginny voiced nonchalantly, covering for Sirius.

Sirius shrugged, indicating that Ginny voiced what he was trying to say.

"That could explain why he hasn't showed up yet," James whispered, nodding his head in the direction of the staff table.

All seven eyes turned to look up at the staff table, and Ginny noticed that James was right, and Dumbledore's chair rested near the front, empty.

"Hopefully he wasn't hurt," Alice said, concerned.

"He obviously wasn't there," Lily soothed her friend.

The group of friends carried the conversation on the topic that seemed to captivate the whole hall. Yet in their small group, only Ginny and Sirius remained silent, as the events of last night remained fresh in their heads.

"You alright mate?" James asked, pausing the conversation as he looked over at Sirius.

"Yea, I'm fine," Sirius laughed casually.

"You've hardly touched your bacon," Remus added pointedly.

"Just not hungry," Sirius shrugged.

"Since when aren't you hungry?" Peter asked, eyeing his friend's bacon hungrily.

"Not all of us have your appetite," Sirius snapped, as he rose up from the table and made his way out of the hall.

"What's wrong with him?" James asked, looking hurt.

Peter reached over, pulling Sirius's plate towards him gingerly, as he greedily finished off Sirius's discarded bacon.

"Uh, it's my fault," Ginny apologized, making an excuse for Sirius, as she abandoned her eggs, and stood up, following Sirius out of the hall.

Ginny was relieved that Sirius wasn't walking fast, and easily caught up with him in the hall.

"Sirius!" Ginny called, when she stood just behind him.

Sirius turned around looking defeated, and Ginny noticed the dark bags under his eyes.

"Are you ok?" Ginny asked, reaching out for his hand.

"No Ginevra, I'm not ok," Sirius responded, dropping her hand.

"I know that last night was scary but-"

"Ginevra last night being scary is the least of my worries. What if someone died last night? What if someone was hurt? People's homes and shops were burnt down Ginevra," Sirius roared, his voice rising.

"Sirius I know but-"

"No I don't think you do. We were there Ginevra, we were there just watching while people were running in the streets, while fires were being started," Sirius said, lowering his voice, as to not drawn attention to the two of them.

"And we're lucky to be alive," Ginny responded, reaching for his hand again.

"Luck has nothing to do with it. We were cowards Ginevra. People were in danger and we just left, we just left when we could have helped," Sirius responded, taking a step back.

"Sirius, what could we have done?" Ginny asked, her angering rising. "It's one thing to learn things in class, but to actually be out there, that's completely different," Ginny lectured.

"We could have tried," Sirius responded, his voice sounding small, as his eyes watered. "We could have tried to help, and instead we fled. We left to save ourselves, instead of staying to help."

Ginny suddenly realized that it wasn't the traumatic events they'd witness that kept Sirius up last night. It was the same thing that slowly took the life and laughter out of him at headquarters in the future. It was the inability to do nothing, the guilt of knowing people were suffering and all he could do was hide away offering no assistance.

It was one of the virtues that Ginny both loved and hated about Sirius, the selfless and reckless part of him that put the needs of others before his own.

"I love you," Ginny said, closing the space between them.

"So I've been told," Sirius grinned slightly.

"I'm sorry I made you leave, I just-"

"It's fine," Sirius interrupted, not wanting to get in a fight in the middle of the corridor.

"It's not fine Sirius. You're the most selfless person I know, and of course you wanted to help," Ginny smiled up at him.

Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but Ginny kept talking.

"But I'm a selfish person, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to you."

Sirius looked down at Ginny, and the anguish that was painted on his face disappeared. His face softened as he pulled her close, tucking her under his chin, as he embraced her thinking that it would destroy him if he ever lost her.