Disclaimer: Anything that rings a bell belongs to J.K Rowling

Chapter Eight: The Most Important Girl in The World

Ginny's POV

26th August, 2005

"Do you think it's really her?"

I glanced at the closed door of the living room, and then back at George. I had left because I couldn't stand watching Harry's despair at the appearance of Ky, but at the same time was utterly curious as to what was happening in there so didn't follow everyone out to the garden.

Dad had convinced the Rehearsal dinner guests to start with food, so at least I didn't have to put up with the many and varying stares of my family, "I mean…how can it be. Bill said he was there, the night she died, Fleur was as well, they literally buried her."

"Maybe…" George started but then stopped. I glanced back at him, ignoring what sounded like raised voices in the living room, "You know those rumours about Harry back in the day, about how he was immortal. I mean he has escaped death twice - maybe she's-"

"Harry's not immortal!" I snapped, annoyed. I don't know why, but I hated when people spoke about him like that, and my family were usually good at not doing so. Like he was more than human, more than just Harry. It was hard enough dating just Harry, I can't imagine dating whatever Harry they seemed to think exists.

"Sorry Gin, I know this must be, weird for you." George stroked my arm and I let my glare fall.

Weird was an understatement. My boyfriend's ex-girlfriend was literally back from the dead.

My ears pricked, Harry was definitely shouting. My heart plummeted at his words.

"Can she explain why I've been hunting Theodore Nott for SEVEN years!"

Seven years.

Seven.

Harry had promised me that he had stopped pursuing Nott. He had been warned to stop from his superiors at the Ministry, informed that they were not going to spend any more resources on it, and I told him I can't see a future with someone who was stuck in the past, no matter how tortured it was.

Suddenly there was a burst of sound and footsteps and I just caught a flash of a figure with dark hair run out of the room.

Ky.

I had been expecting Ky to bolt, which is one of the reasons I remained in the kitchen.

"Wait, let me!" Harry's lips parted in shock, whilst Hermione's did so in protestation, but I didn't wait for their input, I was faster than both of them and we needed to catch Ky before she apparated away.

I pelted through the front garden, which was thankfully well lit because of the event tonight, and I was grateful that I changed out of my heels. I was gaining on her, and I smirked, Ky had always been fast but I am a trained athlete. These days she couldn't outrun me.

"Scorrrreeee." Something wet smacked me on the arm.

Vina had come out of nowhere, zooming at Ky on her toy broomstick, throwing whole salad tomatoes at her head.

"Vina! What have I told you about throwing tomatoes!" I shouted at my niece, but fortunately the tomato attack had Ky frozen in her tracks, and I caught up to them.

"To not do it front of grandma." I bit my lip, the kid was right. After my first A side game for the Harpies last summer, Vina and Gina took to re-enacting the game on their toy broomsticks, using tomatoes as quaffles. I was so flattered, and it was so funny, I couldn't exactly tell them not to do it.

"It's not your fault. Whacking round things at people is kind of in your blood." Ky crouched down, looking at Vina, "Wow."

"I know." I muttered, the girls were all Fred. His hair, his eyes, his cheeky grin.

Vina flicked her hair back, "I know, I'm very pretty."

His ego.

Ky and I burst out laughing at that.

"Are you a princess?"

Our laughter died away quickly. Following a terrible practical joke on Ky's part years ago, The Twins had nicknamed her 'princess', and almost exclusively referred to her as that. Selina and Fred even had matching tattoos of a sword crossed tiara as a dedication to her brother, Silvain Sabre, and Ky, both of whom we thought we lost in the war.

"I saw Harry carrying you into the house before grandpa made us go play outside. Did your evil stepmother bewitch an apple and make you fall into a slumber that could only be woken up by true loves kiss." Vina made kissing noises as Ky chuckled.

"Sorry, she's just watched Snow White. Ron and Hermione just got a television."

"God your dad must have gone mental." Ky mumbled, and I laughed.

"They've had to ask him to stop just 'popping' by randomly. He's trying to convince mum to get one-"

"Ahem." Vina cleared her throat, clearly not happy at the attention taken away from her.

"What did I say about children being seen, and not heard."

"That if Uncle Perce tells me that one more time you'd hex him."

Godric does this child remember everything.

"Ooof." Vina had tumbled off her broom when Gina suddenly knocked into her, but the toys only hovered a foot off the ground, so Ky easily grabbed her before she fell.

"GINA!" I shouted.

"I was just practicing my body blows!"

"Body blows are banned!"

"That's not what you said when Gorgobitch said that you and Katie body blowed him in the last match!"

I took a deep breath as Ky looked to almost pass out from stifling her laugh.

"Gorgo-vich, Gina. And I said…they shouldn't be banned. Not that they're not banned, and we didn't body blow him, it was an accident, and if the referee was paying any attention he wouldn't have fouled us. Anyway." I realised I was getting completely off track, "GINA!"

"What?" The girl asked, annoyed. She had picked up the tomato that had fallen in a puddle of mud, and seemed to think it was appropriate to wipe her dirty hands on Ky's white dress!

"It's okay!" Ky waved her hand dismissing the damage to what looked like a very expensive outfit, turning and glancing at the apparition spot.

"Tell Ky you're sorry!"

"Fine." Gina huffed out, turning to her sister, "I'm sorry."

"I mean Ky! You know I mean, oh." I had been pointing at Ky, just realising that the twins actually had no idea who she was, "You don't know. How would you." I smiled, suddenly a bit overcome with emotions, remembering why it was that I had chased Ky out of the house. "Vina, Gina. This is Ky."

"That's my name." Vina said, clutching her chest with pride. "Well my middle one. Silvina Ky Weasley-Sabre." She made an elaborate bow.

"Georgina Ginny Weasley-Sabre." Her twin curtsied delicately, joining in the introductions.

"My name's more special though." Vina pushed forward, "I'm named after dead people."

"I'm named after a quidditch player!"

"I'm named after a Dumbledore!"

"Okay, okay, okay." Ceasing any further comparisons that would have us both embarrassed. "You should be having dinner, go! Victoire won't eat if you two don't and you don't want Aunt Fleur to come looking."

They both widened their eyes at the threat of Fleur, who turned out to be every bit the Weasley Matriarch in training and could easily get the best behaviour out of all the kids. The girls scampered off, Vina stopping to shout, "We're sorry about your dress, Princess!"

"It's fine!" Ky choked out, as the tears sprung to my eyes as well.

They really were all Fred, in the best way.

Ky cleared her throat, "I should-"

"Please stay." I turned to Ky, "Look, if anybody has any right to not want you here, it's me. And…" I swallowed, wiping my eyes, "I want you here." Ky sighed, clearly not believing me, "Look, I do. Yes, this is kind of my worst nightmare, who wants their boyfriend's dead lover back on the scene. But, you once told me, that I'm more than just the girl that loves your Harry. And you're more than just the girl that my Harry loved."

"Ginny-"

"You saved me. You saved dad. You saved Vina and Gina and Selina. You can't leave Ky." I cleared my throat, "And do you honestly think he will not hunt you down, wherever you go."

"Ginny, Harry doesn't -"

"Oh shut up Ky." I ground out, "You leave, and then they all go chasing after you. And the wedding is ruined. Hermione and Ron might not even get married."

"How is all of this my doing!"

"Because your actions have consequences!"

14th February 1998

"Because your actions have consequences!"

"That's a fat lot coming from you!" I snapped, both annoyed and scared.

Who was she to lecture me about playing it safe! She had broken into Hogwarts, where half the castle wanted her dead! I glanced at the door, this was meant to be just a harmless prank, but Ky was completely overreacting.

I had dosed Amycus Carrow's tea with a love potion tailored for Snape. It was meant to just annoy the dark git, embarrass him, and I was going to get some pictures of the act before Snape worked out what was going on and administer the antidote to his second in command.

I timed it perfectly, I sent a letter to the headmaster's office saying that Carrow needed to meet him at eight in his office, which would be at the end of my detention that I was serving with the Dark Arts teacher. I would slip the love potion in Carrow's pot of tea, which he always drank during detention. Colin let me borrow his camera and I was going to sneak some pictures of what would surely be an embarrassing interaction between the two Snakes.

But Ky got in the way of everything, like she usually does. She had knocked on the door in the middle of my detention with Carrow, and it was with her distraction I had managed to dose his tea. However within moments she quickly knocked Carrow out and vanished the untouched tea and ruined all my fun.

"How did you even get in here?"

"Through the front door." She muttered sarcastically.

I huffed, royally annoyed with her, and so tired at everyone keeping me out of the loop, for not taking me seriously, for being stuck here, useless. Ky's face softened, "I'm friendly with the barman at the Hogs Head. He helped me get in."

I frowned at that, "That creepy - "

"He isn't creepy." She snapped, and then sighed, "Fine, he is a little bit creepy. But he is saving your arse tonight so maybe be a little nice about it."

I rolled my eyes, "It was a harmless -"

"Love potions are not harmless, Ginny." She snapped, and I hated how she was talking down to me like I was just a child. "And Carrow is severely allergic to ashwinder eggs!"

"What?"

She rolled her eyes, "Ashwinder eggs are a key ingredient in any type of love potion. Your funny prank would have killed him!"

I blanched, "You can't know that!"

"I do know that." She glared at me and I narrowed my eyes at the intonation in her voice.

"You had a vision? I thought you stopped having those."

She stood and walked to the window, it was a full moon, and the only light we allowed into the dark office. I could tell she wasn't going to answer my question, I glanced at the charmed asleep Amycus Carrow.

"We should probably go before Snape gets here."

Ky remained silent. "He isn't in the castle at the moment." She turned and caught my curious gaze, "The barman let me know."

That explained why she wasn't leaving in a rush. She said she was waiting for Carrow to come to so she could alter his memory."So…what did you see?"

She shrugged, sitting on a table, "A lot of people dying. But that's what I usually see." She let out a long sigh, "It's all extremely unpredictable and most of the time a complete waste. I have no control over it, but, by chance, today I saw that Amycus Carrow died, and his sister went crazy. So many unnecessary deaths." Her eyes lingered on me and I shivered at the look…did she see me dying? "And Tom was really pissed."

"Tom?"

"He-who-must-not-be-named." She added drily, and then cocked a teasing brow at me, "Your first boyfriend."

"Shut up." I moaned, playfully annoyed. She was the only person in the world who would make light of the fact that a dark lord possessed me. "Though, why would he be angry? He doesn't care if people die!"

"He does actually, why do you think he isn't out there taking everyone down by force." She glanced at the door, "You think Tom just has prejudice and visceral hatred for muggles, it would be easy if he had, he'd be more emotional, more liable to mistakes. Unfortunately, he has ideology, and by some stroke of complete psychopathy he thinks that he can win people over. He wants what sheer fear would not get him, he wants what…what my grandfather had. Respect and legitimacy. Tom thinks he is doing what is right, what is good for all wizardkind. Do you know how much more dangerous it is fighting someone who actually thinks they are right?"

"How can he think anybody would be won over by him! This school is literally torturing us, does he think we won't tell our parents!"

She glanced out the window, her eyes almost like tiny moons in their sockets,"Yeah, but your seventh years also have the option of learning alchemy right? And ancient runes has become compulsory. I heard if you have any trace of clairvoyance in your ancestry you're obliged to take Divination. And in order to pass Charms you have to create at least one spell in your final NEWTs. Don't you see? Yes, us blood traitors and muggle-borns are furious about the unforgivables being taught, but some people might think the good outweighs the bad. You'd be surprised at how pragmatically people can think when the negative fallout in the pursuit of progress affect them the least."

I swallowed, unintentionally impressed at how much she knew. She knew more about Hogwarts than I did, and I lived here. "Is that what you and Harry do?"

She looked surprised at my question, "What?"

"Talk about him…strategise." I was loathed to admit how much I envied and admired this girl.

Ky shook her head, "Surprisingly, not as much you would think. We spend a lot of our time fighting these days."

I felt guilty at the somersault my heart did, "Oh?"

"I'm apparently reckless."

"Hypocrite." I muttered. Harry had no right telling anybody that."Not that you're not."

"Pot." She pointed at herself, "Kettle." She pointed at me. "Look, Red, if anybody gets you, I get you. Last year, everyone I love out there doing something. Fighting and being useful and me stuck here. I know how frustrating it is. And I know, it sucks to be saved by me of all people. But, you're not just some girl who happens to be in love with my Harry." My head snapped up, the protestation on my lips, but it never slipped out, "You're probably the most important girl in the world right now. If you died," She shook her head, "Your family, Harry, Mi, me - too many fucking Gryffindors in one cauldron for any semblance of control. It will be all out war, and as it stands right now - we lose."

I ducked my head down, overcome by her words. Ky was the most frustrating witch in the world to me. "Why did we have to fall in love with the same boy." I ground out, surprised at my statement, not sure why I voiced it out. Though, I was sure if we didn't both love him, things would be better between us. We would be friends. I wouldn't feel so many contrasting feelings for her.

"We wouldn't love him if he wasn't so damn fucking lovable."

I laughed, "Are we about to bond over Harry's many desirable qualities."

"Oh I'm cool, Red, but I'm not that cool." She mock glared at me. I suppose it was cheeky so openly admitting that I had feelings for her boyfriend. But it didn't matter, so it was easy to say it to her, just like it was easy for her to hear. Not because I wasn't a threat, I've yet to like a boy who hadn't reciprocated my affection. But Harry was so far gone, so enamoured with Ky, it was no use trying to get him. Not that I would ever try while they were still together…I'd never admit it aloud but I respected her too damn much to pursue him even when we were pretend dating last year. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I'm jealous of you too."

"What?" I hadn't expected that, "Ky you know that last year Harry and I were just putting on a front, for whatever reason he needed to keep away from you. Nothing happened."

She waved her hand in dismissal, "I'm not talking about history. I'm talking about the future. I don't know if Harry and I have one, but you, and your lovely big family, and your ability to respect boundaries, and your… wholeness."

"Oh shut up!" I snapped, suddenly angry, "Don't make it seem as if the only thing I've got going for me is that I'm some good little housewife in the making. That if Harry and I ever date it's because of anything other than genuine affection for me."

She groaned, jumping off the desk, "I'm not saying that, Red!"

Ky stilled, and my eyes snapped to the teacher's desk. Carrow had stirred. She looked at the clock on the wall, "I think he is coming around. I'm going to have to modify his memory. He'll be a bit loopy for a few minutes, but when his confusion wears off he is just going to think he dosed off while you were grading papers during your detention."

"Okay." I went back to my desk, suddenly nervous.

"Oh shit, here." Ky had fished out a little pouch and enlarged it as she walked to Carrow, throwing it to me, "It's something I've been working on. It helps with the cruciatus curse - just the after effects unfortunately, doesn't stop you from experiencing the pain. So have some of that after, you know."

"I've been tortured." I deadpanned.

"Yeah. Sorry the ingredients are super hard to come by, I made as much as I could. Pass some along to people. Especially Neville."

"Thanks." Ky nodded at my response, already concentrating on the task at hand.

I wanted to say more, as I watched Carrow startle awake, and Ky restrain him, and then begin modifying his memory. I wanted to say, as much as I hated saying it, that I think she and Harry could have a future. And she was wrong for thinking that way. And that, she wasn't just the girl who loved the same boy as me. That I appreciated her for saving my nieces. For what she did at the Wedding. For showing up…now. That I may not understand how she felt, losing her whole family, but that I've cried myself to sleep thinking about her situation, and how it was awful and I was so sorry. And how terrible it is that Snape betrayed her the way he had. That she too had people who would wage war at the loss of her. That I was grateful that she shared with me tonight, when so many never did.

"Ky -

"Amycus."

My heart stopped. The doorknob rattled, but it wasn't the noise that froze me, it was the fact that it was a deep baritone.

"Snape."

Ky had just finished altering his memories, and Carrow had been sat there, dazed and confused as if confounded, and then he lay his head on the table, falling asleep. Ky must have made him do that, I don't think that's usually an effect of a memory charm. She glared at the door.

And suddenly, everything made sense. She didn't have to wait for Carrow to be awake to modify his memories. Morgana, she could have spelled him awake if that had been the case. She knew that Snape had left the castle, could she have also known when he was expected to return?

Suddenly I was aware that Silvestre Sabre was not around. Where was he? A Ky without her guardian screamed carelessness.

"Ky!" I breathed, after all that nonsense about not being reckless and that my life mattered, and that I was important. "Ky!" I whispered desperately, "Go! Disillusion yourself! Hide!"

But Ky did not move, she stared at the door, wand raised, her eyes bulging in fury.

I jumped to my feet, I'll stun her if I have to, but before I could make a move she disarmed me.

"Amycus! I'm coming in!"

Just as I turned to the door, Ky's wand pointing straight at it, there was a flash of flames, and flapping red feathers, and with another flare, Ky was gone.

Fawkes?

The door banged open, "Amy-"

"He fell asleep!" I snapped, I had quickly sat down, so it looked like I was that way the whole time.

Snape narrowed his eyes, "Why was the door locked?"

He sounded murderous and I avoided his eyes, "I didn't know it was locked."

Snape's hands shivered, "Is the door usually locked for your detentions, Miss Weasley?"

I shrugged, "Not sure."

His black eyes narrowed,"You're dismissed."

"I - "

"Go, Miss Weasley!"

I had replayed the events of that night over and over in my head these past years. It was the last time I had seen Ky before she 'died'. And all the things I didn't tell her weighed heavy on my heart.

I could tell that she too was re-living that night, when she had spoken the very same words to me. That our actions have consequences.

How close Ky had come to attacking Snape, possibly killing him. That would have altered the timeline of events for sure, but Godric, knowing what we know now, how could Ky ever forgive herself if she had been successful in her attack. I never did find out who had sent Fawkes to her, of if it had been similar to how he had appeared to Harry in the Chamber of Secrets, or Neville at the Battle of Hogwarts…materialising when he was needed the most.

"Fine." Ky bit out, "You know, you've only gotten more annoying with age."

"Right back at you."

And with that, she turned and walked back into the house, to my Harry.

-x-x-x-

"Another one!"

"No, I know there's been a lot of excitement, but it's bed time, I mean it." I was in what used to be the Twins room, but now was just a mass of tiny mattresses that all the grandchildren usually slept in.

I left the room, knowing full well even with the lights turned off there was no way my nieces and nephews were actually going to go to bed.

I sighed. Enjoying a moment of respite from what felt like the longest day in the world.

"Gin?"

Clearly the universe had other plans.

Harry was hovering on the stairs, and I signalled him to hush, gesturing to the door where the hopefully sleeping children lay. I walked down the stairs, and into my childhood room, which I let Hermione use to get ready. My father had extended and renovated it, which felt a bit silly, seeing as I was eighteen at the time and practically not around, spending months away at training camps. But I suppose, it's what he always wanted to do for me but only just managed to afford to do so then, so I let him.

Harry looked the way I felt.

We sat in silence for a few moments, both utterly exhausted. Now was not the time for this conversation.

"We're done." I was quiet, but I knew he heard it.

"Gin, just because Ky's back - "

"This has nothing to do with Ky!" I spat out, jumping to my feet, battle ready in seconds, "Hogsmeade property! I've been hunting Theodore Nott for SEVEN years! Yeah, I heard that. I'll be honoured to have a wedding here Mrs Weasley. Not our wedding, a wedding. But." I took a deep breath, "None of that matters. You left her buried at Shell Cottage." He opened his mouth, "I do not care if you visited her whilst we babysat, or visited Bill and Fleur! I do not care for that!" It was a lie, I very much cared for it, but it paled in comparison to my fury at finding out she was actually still buried at my brother's house, "What if those people who came looking for her remains came when the family was home. What if the children were home with just Botty!"

"Gin how was I supposed to know-"

"How are you supposed to know!" I gasped, "You don't bury a witch just anywhere." I couldn't understand how Harry didn't understand what an awful idea this was. Didn't he remember how Bill and Lupin risked everything to find Mad Eye's remains the day he died, all those years ago.

"I didn't realise that. I'm sorry." His eyes glimmered, his tiredness making them water, and I turned to the window, not in the mood to be sympathetic to any of his causes right now. "Can we please just talk."

"And say what, Harry."

"I do love you."

I shook my head. He shot from his seat, grabbing my arms, "I do, I do Ginny. I do. I know I've really messed up. And…" He breathed, "I should have told you."

I laughed darkly, "Told me? Harry, you shouldn't have done it. I told you, when we started being serious that I could only do this if you were done with Ky. That you can't be hunting down Theodore Nott. That you can't be wearing her gifts, and that I didn't feel comfortable you owning property you inherited from your dead girl friend. That I didn't want to feel like I was sharing you with a ghost."

"Gin, you weren't sharing me. I do love you, I just, it felt unfinished. And I was right, it was unfinished. I just wanted to have that case closed, so I could concentrate on you," He stepped closer to me, "On us. On our future."

He reached into his pocket, and I wondered if he had been reaching for that ring he had been carrying around for weeks, as some desperate attempt to keep me from breaking up with him.

"NO!" I snapped, how on Earth did he think this, of all the times, was a good time to propose.

"I'm staying at my place tonight. Luna just got there, so I'll have her company. I won't say anything about us breaking up until the wedding is over. I don't want to upset everyone."

"Gin, please."

I pushed him off me, and walked out the room, tired of this conversation and living in the shadow of Ky Dumbledore.

And after all my bravado and feigned strength, I couldn't help bursting into tears at the fact that Harry did not run after me.

We really were done.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed that - even if this is a Harry/OC story, I don't dislike Ginny as a character. I think Ky and her were fated to be 'enemies' but there's a lot of mutual respect there, and I hope this chapter shows that.

Thanks so much for reading - really look forward to hearing your thoughts/feedback.

Have a lovely Sunday!

Kalina