Roughing It

I can say that I've lived here in honor and danger
But I'm just an animal and cannot explain a life
Down this chain of days I wished to stay among my people
Relation now means nothing, having chosen so defined

And if death should smell my breathing
As it pass beneath my window
Let it lead me trembling, trembling
I own every bell that tolls me

Neko Case

Ginny Weasley was on her way home. Standing in her apartment in Sydney, she needled her hands into fists. She was aggravated. No, aggravated wasn't the word. She was furious and her roommate could tell.

Duncan considered himself to be a fairly stand-up chap at most times and in his experience. "Stand-up" usually included adjectives like "fearless" and "brave." Right now, however, he was thinking "cowardly" and "Merlin-fearing" were the words that best describe his behavior.

He had done it this time and he was about to witness, yet again, the wrath of Ginny Weasley.

"Duncan, what the hell are you doing? I'm leaving in ten minutes to see my family for the first time in five years and you're supposedly coming with me, but here you are, standing in nothing but a towel, and you haven't even packed yet," she fumed, her eyes narrowing behind thick eyelashes.

Duncan cowered further into the small corner of their living room. He had an odd sense that the corner wasn't going to hide him as best as he liked. He hated the way Ginny had mastered cool anger.

Oh, dear he thought, Ginny was reaching for her wand.

She started flying hexes his way, destroying the boxed up materials in the space between them both, while muttering things like "every time" and "men are completely useless" under breath.

This was rapidly escalating into a dangerous affair, indeed.

"Ginny," he stammered, "I'm...I was...no...wait...let me explain...HEY, that was my favourite poster!"

Duncan, having had enough of the cowering, had grabbed for his wand and started flying hexes her way...first on the list was a hair changer. It hit her square in the forehead and she shrieked.

"OH! Duncan...I can't believe you..." she said, huffing, while precariously reaching for her hair.

Her wand fell to the ground as her hands pulled at strands of her now bright pink and purple hair that had suddenly morphed from long and wavy to short and spiky. Just to top it off, Duncan summoned a dog collar for her neck.

Vulnerable from dropping her wand on the ground, Duncan saw his window of opportunity and hurled himself towards her, pinning her to the ground with his legs.

"That's not fair!" Ginny shouted, but it was too late.

"No, my dear Ginevra, I think it is entirely fair. Is standing in a towel really cause for the complete destruction of all my belongings?"

Still simmering, but on the verge of cooling, she muttered, "perhaps not" under her breath.

"But, the least you could do is stop suffocating me with your body," She suggested with annoyance.

"What's this? A sudden disinterest in my body? That's rather unlike you Weasley." He pouted coyly and moved to kiss her.

She, though reluctant at first, responded in kind, and wasted no time in deepening the kiss into an all out passion war. Duncan made no attempts to stall her moves and quickly rolled her over on top of him. He went to remove her blouse only to be disappointed when she pulled herself off his chest, her legs still wrapped around his torso, and began to fix her now tousled punk-rocker hair and clothing. Her mouth opened in horror.

Somehow during their romp on the floor Duncan had managed to change her clothing as well . . . into a sex-kitten costume that resembled something out of 1950s Americana.

"Duncan, you are hopeless, honestly!" But, a mischievous smile was playing on her lips as she uttered the words.

"Ginny, we still have ten minutes...you said so yourself..." he whispered as he trailed a finger along the inside of her thigh.

"No, we don't," she said, lifting his hand away, "we wasted three minutes hexing each other to shreds and another two rolling around on the floor. We have to go. The portkey is open for only another 15 minutes! I suggest you get ready. I'm going to be late and there is nothing my family hates more than an untimely guest, Duncan. Not exactly that best way to make a first impression now, is it?"

"Well, it's not as if I'm your live-in boyfriend here Ginevra. Or did you tell your brothers about our midnight trysts on the balcony?" He pouted, and then added, "I thought it was just between friends?"

"Oh shut it!" She shouted and then grabbed her wand to fix the mess Duncan had made of her as he left the room to prepare the rest of his things.

Truth be told, she rather enjoyed their occasional midnight romps. But that's all they were...moments of weakness between roommates who had a flirtation and nothing more. Although they had tried a relationship early in their program at the Institute, it was realized by both parties rather quickly that they were doomed if they tried to continue. Nevertheless, they were both pleasantly surprised to discover that during their year long relationship the lovemaking was positively brilliant. They weren't about to give that up. And besides, they were still in a relationship of sorts, it just wasn't a boyfriend/girlfriend one.

Ginny laughed silently to herself. Somewhere, in the romantic part of her mind and heart she had always envisioned Harry taking her virginity in candlelight with roses dangled across a plush bed. He would whisper sweet declarations of love in her ear while she tantalized him. In the end, she and Duncan had ingested a bit too much firewhiskey one night and in a moment of passion ended up taking their relationship to the next level. It had been brilliant. Ginny had no idea another person could make her feel that way. Her breath hitched just thinking about it. Duncan and she really did have chemistry that she wasn't entirely certain she would find with another...including Harry.

It picked at her insides sometimes when she thought about it. It hadn't been that she never wanted to make love to Harry, it just didn't seem right after everything that had happened. People had died, people had lost entire families...she had lost part of her family. To mature her relationship with Harry just seemed offensive to the memories of those who had passed. She wondered sometimes if that was partly why she broke things off with him.

Perhaps, Duncan and she could have worked things out if they had been more committed. She had been lazy, she knew. And he, well, he was just entirely too immature. But, he was sexy with a confidence that never came off as ostentatious, he had rugged masculinities, and he was hilarious. All of the things Ginny had thought she wanted in a man.

Ginny exhaled sharply, this was going to have to end soon. Part of her would miss Duncan, but another part said it had gone on long enough under the guise of "fun."

Time to grow up, Ginny.

Ten minutes later Duncan arrived, fully clothed with his bags packed. Ginny was moving out for good and he was more than saddened to discover it was the end of an era of fun and laughter between them. Ginny had somehow become his best friend and after five years of taking her friendship and presence for granted, he didn't like the idea of suddenly being without it. And he was starting to realize that his feelings for her had managed to develop into something deeper that could no longer be described as friendship.

Standing there, looking at her, he knew he was going to have to tell her this at some point before he left for America. He'd battled with himself over whether or not to keep his feelings to himself. It wasn't entirely fair to Ginny to tell her these things when they were on the verge of being separated by an entire ocean. But, he couldn't leave not knowing her response. At least, if the feelings weren't mutual, he could move on.

"What?" She said, staring at him quizzically.

"Nothing" he whispered, but Ginny could tell that whatever it was, it definitely did not fall into the "nothing" category.

"Come on, spill it now," she pushed.

"Well, it's just..." he paused, "it's just...things aren't going to be the same anymore, are they?"

"No. They aren't," she answered. She wasn't being very helpful, she knew. But, if she was being honest with herself and with Duncan, then the truth was nothing was ever going to be the same again.

"Thanks Ginny, you really know how to make a guy feel better," he frowned.

"Oh, Duncan, stop wallowing. Of course things are changing. They always do. Did you expect to be at the Institute forever? This was inevitable! But," she offered in a more friendly tone as she moved over to him and playfully hit his shoulder, "we'll still see each other, right? You're coming to visit England for a few weeks and I'll come visit you in the states in the winter. It will be just like old times."

"Yeah," he brightened, "you're right. So what are you going to do about Harry?"

Ginny smiled brightly, "I, my friend, am not going to do anything about it."

"Gin, come off it. You can't avoid it forever. Isn't five years long enough to keep a bloke waiting?"

Truth be told, Duncan knew Harry represented his main competition. He also knew Ginny still carried some intense feelings for him.

"I really do not enjoy your adoption of the English dialect, Duncan. Have you forgotten your American?"

"Ah, yes, by bloke I mean guy."

"That's better," she smiled.

"You may have successfully changed the subject this time, Weasley, but don't think I'm going to let it drop during the next two weeks."

"Good Luck then." Ginny countered.

"Where is the portkey?" Duncan asked, realizing they had best get moving.

Ginny moved to one of the boxes and picked up what a muggle would consider to be a common can-opener.

"Here, place your hand on it, we have to go!" she exclaimed excitedly.

***

Ginny and Duncan arrived in the field her brothers had used for Quidditch pick-up games. Before she knew what was happening she had been tackled to the ground by a head of red hair.

"Hey runt! You're late!" said Fred.

"Did you miss us?!" added George.

"Cuz, we sure as hell missed you!" they finished in unison.

"I don't know if 'miss' is quite the word for it," she said, shoving Fred off her.

"Ah, come on sis, who wouldn't miss us? Did you like the gift we sent you for graduation?" George chuckled.

"Oh, yes. It was...lovely." She tried to sound peeved, but as usual, it was impossible to be angry with Fred and George. They had given her a seemingly innocent box of chocolates with a note saying "Congratulations on your new degree! Now we just have to find a bloke to make an honest woman out of you!" Always having an addiction to chocolate, she quickly tasted a piece and immediately regretted it. Apparently they had charmed the chocolate with an honesty spell. For the following three hours she was forced to be completely honest on all topics, which either led her own humiliation or her embarrassment of others.

"Come inside, Hermione is going crazy cooking for you. She made all your favourites."

Ginny's stomach growled at the mention of food, but one thing needed to be covered first. Eyeing Duncan, who was smiling and looking suave as ever with his hands in his pockets, she cleared her throat.

"First, there is someone I would like you to meet. Fred, George, this is Duncan, my roommate."

Fred and George turned their heads. They weren't even aware that Ginny had brought someone with her. Their eyes followed Ginny's gaze toward the young man standing with a smile plastered on his face staring at Ginny rather shamelessly. Whom was this guy staring at their sister like that?

Ginny watched her brothers and smirked with a grin of satisfaction. Duncan was indeed one of the finer specimens of the male species, she thought as she turned her gaze on him. He was tall, athletic, but not bulky. His hair was sandy blonde, falling just above his shoulders in soft waves. But, the part she found the most attractive about him was his facial features. His cheeks were edged, but not like the creepy male models Lynn and Kate were so fond of, and his eyes were a crystal blue with a line of silver that gave him an air of mystery. At the moment, his jaw line was exhibiting the five o'clock shadow that made her body heat up with abandon...perhaps a quick romp for old times sake wouldn't be completely out of the question after all...

"Hmm, Hmm." Fred and George had not missed the way her sister was looking at Duncan either, "Just a roommate, eh?" George whispered to Fred, but Ginny had heard it.

"Wouldn't you like to know, dear brother, wouldn't you like to know," she countered.

Duncan walked into the fray and extended his hand to Fred, who eyed him suspiciously. "Pleased to meet you both," He stated. Fred grabbed his hand and smiled. Ginny could tell they already liked this guy and he'd only said one sentence. Duncan was smooth, and she liked it. Harry had always been a bumbling idiot in situations like this, but Duncan, why he could walk into a fray with the two most infamous Weasley siblings and not even bat an eye.

George walked up and patted Duncan on the back, "Nice to meet you mate! Ginny wouldn't shut up about you in her letters, said you were a real looker!"

Ginny's mouth dropped at the accusation and she decided the only suitable form of retaliation was a full-fledged bat bogey hex sent flying George's way.

Fred fell to the ground laughing as George attempted to remove the bats and Duncan shouted, "Be careful men, she already hexed me a few times today. The Bat Bogey Hex, when Ginny is on the other side, is just plain evil!"

"Gin, who is this guy? You should bring him around more often!" said Fred.

"Well, he's staying for a few weeks. Doesn't dad or Hermione tell you guys anything?"

"Of course not! They have learned by now that we never listen. Come on, let's go inside before Hermione starts hexing us too," Fred said, ignoring George's battle with the bat bogeys, as he headed for the house. Duncan and Ginny moved to follow as Ginny sent a spell over her shoulder to end the hex on George.

Fred flew into the house and announced, "Weasleys, the youngest is here! And be CAREFUL she already Bat Bogeyed George!"

At once she was bombarded by an onslaught of people with fire red hair. There were so many hands attempting to hug her that she nearly fell over. After the initial shock of having their sister in their presence again, they allowed her to come up for air.

"I missed you too," she breathed.

"Gin, wow, you look brilliant!" whispered, Ron in awe.

"She's your sister, Ronnikins, not your girlfriend," joked George.

"Shut it," said Ron, "Seriously, Gin, you look great." And he moved in to hug her again, this time letting the loneliness of the past five years enter the embrace. Ginny felt a lump in her throat begin to rise at seeing her closest brother again. It had been too long.

Someone cleared their throat in the background and, looking up, she realized suddenly how much she had missed these people. She didn't think it would be this hard, after all, saying good-bye had been quite easy. Her father was standing in the archway, leaning against the wall that connected the kitchen to the living room. He looked...aged. The past five years had not been kind to him. How could they? For a second, just a second, Ginny imagined what it would be like if she were in his position. And then silent tears escaped her eyes and meandered down her cheeks as she moved towards and embraced him.

"I missed you."

"We missed you too, sweetheart," he said, and she could feel the smile in his words.

Ginny looked up and caught the eyes of another missed friend staring back at her from behind her father. Her father followed her gaze and released his daughter from their embrace. Ginny moved towards her best friend.

"Hi," said Hermione. Ginny stared at her friend. She no longer had her trademark bushy hair; it had been replaced with sleek loose curls that flowed down her back and she looked...what was the word? Grown-up? No. She looked mature, like a woman, for the first time in Ginny's eyes. She was wearing a yellow, form fitting T-shirt with white pants and flip-flops. And she was tan.

Ginny reached for her friends hand and said, "You look amazing!"

Hermione laughed through her tears and pulled Ginny into a hug.

"Oh, Ginny, it's been ridiculous around here with no one to keep these boys in line. You have no idea how glad I am to have you back."

"Trust me Hermione, I do."

***

After more hugs, and some tears, and plenty of laughs and Duncan's introduction, everyone sat down to have a quite meal of some of Hermione's surprisingly excellent cooking. Ginny didn't miss the way Ron couldn't keep his eyes off his new girlfriend and she silently giggled at this new development. Yes, she and Hermione would be having a long chat later.

She was peeved with herself, mainly because there was a resonant annoyance scratching under her skin. Harry wasn't here. She would be having a long chat with Hermione about that later too.

After dinner, everyone moved into the living room where Duncan and Ginny told some of their more tame renditions of the happenings at the Institute. Her father had raised eyebrows at the mentioning of firewhiskey and boys she had dated. Her brothers only raised eyes at the part about boys. She noted that Ron would particularly scowl at the stories of her dating life. She was quite glad that Duncan didn't mention all the boys she had dated...

"Gin, you've changed so much," uttered Ron quietly to Ginny during a lull in the conversation. Ginny wasn't sure if that was a good thing; he sounded uncertain about what he wanted it to mean.

"Well, come on now, tell us about the Institute coursework!" squealed Hermione, breaking the notable tension.

"Bloody Hell, Herm, she hasn't been back more than three hours and you're already jumping up the tree about classes."

"Did you just call her Herm?" Ginny asked with a smile. Hermione more than blushed at the question.

"Yes, I did. What are you on about?" replied Ron, matter-of-factly, while simultaneously trying to cover his increasing cheek colour. Ginny was surprised that for once her brother's ears didn't turn pink.

"You've changed too Ron," she observed.

"Well, since you've all enjoyed our stories of firewhiskey, I thought I might offer up a nice gift. You're very kind for sharing Ginny with me for a few more days," said Duncan. He pulled a bottle from his coat pocket that was rather small.

"Uh, mate, not to be rude, but we might need a bit more than that. Didn't Ginny tell you there were five of us, plus Hermione if you count her?" Offered George.

"Yes, she did indeed inform me." And Duncan pulled his wand from his pants pocket, muttering "Engorgo". The bottle increased to five times its original size.

"Wow, Ginny, where'd you find this guy, again?" said Bill from the corner near the fireplace.

Hermione and Ron were sitting on the couch eyeing each other rather seductively, while the other Weasleys rounded themselves about the low table in the center of the room, mesmerized by the firewhiskey.

"I'll get some glasses," Ginny said, as she got up to move into the kitchen. She found her father leaning over the sink looking as if he were in deep thought.

"Dad?"

"Oh, sorry sweetheart. Just thinking is all," he said meekly and looking worn-out.

"Duncan brought some firewhiskey, would you care for some?"

"No thank you, not good on the old man's stomach," he smiled, patting his middle.

Ginny smiled, and moved towards her father while allowing her eyes to scan the room. She didn't like being in the kitchen anymore, she decided. It was odd to think that this room was once the heart of The Burrow, the place where its life bustled, whereas now it just felt cold and sterile. Ginny felt the lump rise again and her father, noticing the change in his daughter's disposition, moved to hug her. Ginny would not sob. She would not cry like a child. But, she would allow a few tears to stain her cheeks.

"I miss her," was all she said.

"I do too, sweetheart, I do too. But she wouldn't want us to be sad. Not now, not when we are finally together again." She tried to believe the words, but she knew just as well as he did that it was all he could offer as a means of comfort.

"I'm so sorry, Daddy, I'm so sorry I've been gone." He stroked her hair and placed his finger under her chin lifting her eyes to him.

"Don't, Ginevra, don't ever feel sorry for living your life. We missed you, but we were never angry with you for leaving. We understood."

Ginny pulled herself away from her father and quickly wiped her cheeks. Her father stepped back for a moment and admired his daughter.

"Look at you, you're all grown-up," he said, sounding somewhat shocked, as if he wasn't sure when it had happened but was sad to have missed it.

Laughing sardonically, she whispered, "Look at me?! I've barely been home a few hours and I'm already crying like a bumbling fool."

"You look beautiful. Your mother would be so proud of you. She is proud of you."

"Thanks daddy."

"So..." he began, "Duncan..." he arched his eyebrows at his daughter.

"No, dad. It's not like that. We dated for a while but it would have never worked out. But, he means the world to me. He's my best friend."

"What about Kate? How's she been?"

"She's well. She's visiting family in Romania at the moment. Her and I plan to visit Duncan in the winter in Arizona."

"Arizona? Isn't that a desert? Not much of a vacation," he said pensively.

"Exactly my point. What better place to have a winter vacation than in a place where it's always summer?!" said Ginny, excitedly.

"Ah, yes. I forgot my daughter's penchant for interesting places."

"So, what's your plan?" he asked, and he new he was referring to her current job search.

"I have a few offers in different areas. A few are out of the country...," Ginny was hesitant to discuss the prospect of her leaving England for good and she noticed the smile disappear from her father's face for a moment.

"Well then, more reason for us Weasleys to vacation to visit you!" he beamed half-heartedly.

"Dad, I'm not going to take them." He frowned and pulled his glasses off.

"No, you should consider them. Consider every offer you get. This is your life, Ginny," he placed his hands on her shoulders and added, "Live it."

"But, that's the thing dad. If I'm honest with myself, living my life the way I want to would include living it with all of you an apparition away - not a portkey." She huffed.

"Well, we'll have time to talk about all of this later. For now, let's get some glasses."

Her father opened one of the cupboards and pulled a few glasses out, placing them on a tray. They walked into the living room only to discover that glasses were no longer needed; the boys were drinking straight from the bottle and already seemed to be tipsy.

"Tsk, tsk, Bill. Now what would Fleur say if she saw you behaving this way," said Fred teasingly.

"What Fleur doesn't witness, she doesn't have to know," he replied as he took a pull from the bottle.

The bottle passed to Hermione who, quite to Ginny's surprise, took a sip. Her cheeks were already flushed from the alcohol.

Her father, seeing what promised to be a night of stories he didn't want to hear, excused himself for the night and travelled up the stairs to bed. Naturally, before doing so, he reminded Ginny that Duncan would be staying in Percy's old bedroom. Ginny noticed her father didn't mention anything about Ginny visiting him in that bedroom and thus cleverly reminded herself of that later, if she so aptly chose to pay him a visit, it wouldn't necessarily be breaking house rules. Afterall, she was 24 now.

They were responsible and began to pour the firewhiskey into glasses over ice as the conversation simmered to days in the past and reminiscing. Ron and Duncan were in a heated discussion concerning this year's Quidditch World Cup, to which Ron mentioned the Cannons could have won if their new keeper would actually get some eyes. Duncan was simply in awe from not only speaking with an actual professional Quidditch player but drinking firewhiskey with him as well. So, Hermione, seeing her opportunity, sauntered (or more likely stumbled) her way over to Ginny, who was well on her way to feeling the affects of the alcohol they had consumed.

"So..." offered Hermione.

"Alright. Dive in. I know you've been dying to ask," said Ginny, fully prepared for the onslaught of questions that were to follow.

"Are you and Duncan dating again?"

"No."

"Are you and Duncan..."

"Occasionally, yes."

"Is it still..."

"Of course, why would I continue to do it if it weren't?"

Hermione giggled at Ginny and continued the questioning.

"That job offer in Romania - "

"Decided not to take it."

"The offer from Hogwarts..."

"Haven't decided yet...and don't try to talk me into it while I'm intoxicated."

"Fair enough. The Institute program - worth it or not?"

"Absolutely worth it!"

"That guy you were seeing last month for a while...what was his name, Jeffery? Still flames or a dying fire?"

"Dying, have no idea what I was thinking. My turn," said Ginny.

"So, Ron. Are you guys..."

"In love? Absolutely and it's amazing!"

"No, I was going to ask..."

"Of course we are."

"Of course you are what?"

"Having sex."

"Oh, god Hermione! I know we are best friends, but honestly, I do not want to know those details about my brother."

"He's surprisingly good."

"No more whiskey for you sweetie," Ginny chuckled, as she moved Hermione's glass to the table.

"Point taken."

"I was going to ask, are you and Ron moving in?"

"Someday perhaps, not anytime soon, we still enjoy our freedom."

"How did he ask you out?"

"He didn't. I asked him, over a bottle of firewhiskey," then Hermione paused for a moment, thinking, and corrected, "Actually, I kissed him and then he asked me out."

Ginny laughed.

"That is unbelievable! Hermione Granger! Drinking firewhiskey and attacking men! Who would have ever thought...switching gears, Hogwarts, promotion..."

"I think so, in January. Gryffindor Head."

"Nice!"

"I know! Cheers to me!" said Hermione, reaching for her glass, raising it to Ginny and taking another drink of her whiskey despite her agreement to stop.

"Harry."

Hermione spit her drink across the room causing everyone to stop their conversations and turn to look at the girls.

"What?" said Ginny, as nonchalantly as possible given the circumstances. Meanwhile, Hermione was wiping the spilled firewhiskey off her pants.

The boys being unperturbed, jumped right back into their conversations.

"Ginny, sorry. You caught me off guard."

"Sorry, Herm," she said, giggling all the while.

"Very funny, what would you like to know."

"Well, for starters, where the bloody hell is he?"

"At home."

"Why didn't he come? He knew right?"

"Yeah, he knew. But, he didn't want to come. It isn't easy to face a girl when the last time you saw her she was technically still your girlfriend and the love of your life and the woman you were hoping to marry and have children with...you know live happily ever after."

"Gods, Hermione, do you have to say it like that?" scowled Ginny, feeling a tad guilty.

"No. That's what Harry said earlier tonight to me when I asked him to reconsider."

"Oh," said Ginny silently.

"He'll see you. He's been planning on it. I think he just needs to get his mind wrapped around the fact that you are back. Ginny, it is a little awkward. I mean, it's been five years. Should he know how to act around you when he was kissing you the last time you were together? I mean, I don't know how he should act! It's got to be sooo weird, you know...."

Hermione was lost in her own world and blabbing ten words a second.

"Uh, Hermione, over here? Yeah," said Ginny between chuckles.

Hermione offered a sheepish 'sorry' before asking, "So exactly what are you going to do about this?"

"At the moment? Absolutely nothing. I just got back. I've got to find a job and move into my apartment. I don't want to deal with Harry until I have the time to deal with Harry. I owe him that."

"But, I mean, you do still, love him, right?"

"I don't know Hermione." Hermione raised her eyes to the ceiling at this revelation.

"Well don't be so shocked! I was 18 the last time we saw each other. Can I be honest and say I loved him then? Yes, I did love him, as a friend and significant other. Looking back, Harry was my first real relationship outside of Dean. And we were surrounded by drama, death, war, so many negative things. Sometimes, I feel we dramatized our own relationship just to keep up with all the events swirling around us. How much of that was real, Hermione? I was in love with him, truly I was. But, it was different somehow. I feel it could have been more real in some ways. Having dated other men, I think I need to reevaluate what I was doing with him. It was puppy love, Hermione, not the earth shattering, I want to spend the rest of my life with you love, and that's the love I want."

Ginny looked up at Hermione who was looking pensive and slightly worried.

"Your saying these things because you haven't seen him in five years, Gin. You and Harry, you're meant to be!" Hermione screamed. She was worried that her friends would never be together again. Ginny blamed the alcohol consumption.

"Are we Hermione? How can you be so sure?" asked Ginny, more to placate her friend then to listen the actual answer she was about to devise.

"Because, you just are! I mean, you're Harry and Ginny. The universe will BLOODY fall apart if you aren't Harry and Ginny!"

"But that's the problem. I don't want to be Harry and Ginny. That's not who I am, Herm. I'm Ginny, and Harry...well, Harry is just a boy I happened to have dated for a while," whispered Ginny.

But by now, all other conversations had completely stopped and Hermione, noticing this fact, looked even more sheepish than before. She mouthed "I'm sorry!" to Ginny who smiled acceptingly. If she was sober, she mostly likely would not be smiling. But Hermione had just said 'bloody' and that alone had made Ginny's night worthwhile, even if it was at her own expense.

"Ah, bloody hell! To Harry and Ginny," said Ron beaming, obviously drunker than Hermione.

Duncan, on the other hand, was not looking very happy. And, Ginny's brothers were noticing.

Ginny, in that moment, knew she was going to regret telling Duncan to bring the firewhiskey.

"Alright. Come off it you two. What the hell is going on between you."

"Nothing," responded Ginny.

"Yeah, nothing," said Duncan, but everyone in the room could tell he was lying because he wasn't trying very hard to hide the huge grin plastered to his face nor the sarcastic tone he added to his words.

"Well, I've personally never heard a more honest word spoken," Hermione said sarcastically in between a drunk slur and a wink in Ginny's direction.

"Well, Gin, just remember what dear old dad said about Duncan here sleeping in Percy's room. We'll be watching you..." said Ron, cryptically.

"Oh shut it Ron, you and Hermione are going to be shagging the instant we go to bed."

Hermione nodded in agreement and then added, "Once again, I've never heard a most honest word spoken," and tipped her glass to her mouth until it was empty, dropping it on the carpet when she was done. Ron looked at her with a hopeless gaze on his face.

"Who wants more whiskey!?" offered Duncan, but her brothers were already closing in on him and pulling him up out of the chair. He seemed to have been expecting this.

"You'll be wanting more whiskey to clear the pain your going to feel if you don't start giving us some answers," countered Bill.

"Honestly, I just got back. Do we have to jump right back into the 'as your brothers we must interrogate every bloke you bring home' campaign? You NEVER did this to Harry," uttered Ginny with quite a huff of exasperation attached to the end.

"Harry defeated Voldemort! Were we really in a position to be passing judgment on him? I think not, sister dear, I think not," noted Fred in earnest.

"This is ridiculous!" She pleaded, as they dragged Duncan out into the kitchen to the door.

"We only want to ask him a few questions. Now, Duncan. You and our sister. What exactly is going on..."

"We've been shagging regularly on the balcony of our apartment," responded Duncan with a roguish grin, utterly un-phased by the developing questioning coming from her brothers, and showing no embarrassment towards the outright blunt answer concerning their relationship.

This was why she liked Duncan. He was always cool on his feet. And that helped Ginny feel unashamed too.

"So you are dating then?"

"No, we are just shagging," added Ginny with a smirk to Fred and George.

Her brothers moved Duncan outside while screaming, "Duncan and you are shagging but you aren't dating? Gin, sounds like you went...," but Fred stopped when he got outside.

"Fred, what..." asked Ginny, unsure why her brother had stopped attacking her. She quickly moved outside to see what had happened and staring at Fred she noticed the uncomfortable gaze on his face. Ginny smiled for a moment, thinking she had never seen Fred or George embarrassed in her life, until she followed their gaze and her smile quickly melted from her lips. She quickly realised the answer to her brother's silence was standing right in front of her.

Outside, remaining near the edge of the garden so commonly occupied by gnomes, was Harry Potter. Ginny, scanning his eyes, knew in an instant that he had heard everything.

"Harry," was all she could manage to breath in her bewilderment. The air was sufficiently awkward. He looked...amazing. His hair was still as messy as ever, but it was longer now, almost like Sirius' used to be. He looked...handsome and somehow distinguished.

"What in the bloody hell is going on?! Oh, Harry! Come in, we have FIREWHISKEY!" Hermione squealed in a pitch that would have broke glass if they had been inside.

She exited the house and, almost tripping on the stairs, moved to give Harry a hug only to have him decline and allow her to slide down the expanse of his body, tumbling on the ground at his feet.

"Harry, that wasn't very nice." She slurred, attempting to point a finger at him but instead only finding the ground.

He stepped away from her. "Right," he stated simply, "I hope you enjoy the evening then," and turning, he began walking down the walk to the point where he could apparate outside of the wards.

Ginny eyed Hermione wearily, but quickly concluded that her friend was in no shape to advise her now. Turning to her brothers, none of them sober, she found Duncan's eyes. He looked...torn. But he nodded his head in the direction Harry had walked. And Ginny nodded in thanks, running down the path.

"Harry," she panted, "Harry, wait, please."

He reluctantly stopped, but refused to turn to face her.

"Harry, I'm so sorry. I...Hermione...she...I thought you weren't coming," she managed. She was almost certain she was making a complete fool of herself.

He took a deep breath and looked upward before wheeling around to meet his eyes.

"You thought I wasn't coming, so you brought your boyfriend instead?" he replied with cold sarcasm.

"Harry, this is not how I'd hoped this to go," she pleaded.

He smiled somewhat regretfully, and softly whispered, "This isn't how I wanted a lot of things to go, Gin."

She didn't know how to respond and it seemed he didn't want to hear anything she had to say, because in the next moment he had apparated away. Ginny walked, defeated, back up the path to find Ron attempting to stir a tired Hermione from the drive.

Hermione was definitely going to feel horrible in the morning, but Ginny had a sneaking suspicion she would feel even worse.

***

Ginny and Duncan dragged themselves into the small café in Wizarding London and sat down next to Lynn on the patio. They had graciously agreed to meet her and Lorne for brunch in a more sober moment yesterday and were now seriously regretting their decision in light of the morning's hangover.

Lynn looked dashing as always, with her hair swept up in an elaborate style and a black suit that complimented every curve of her body. Ginny suddenly felt quite unattractive in her current outfit of a jumper and jeans.

"Well don't you two darlings look bright as sunshine this morning? Had a randy night I guess?" Lynn smirked.

"Shove it," was all Duncan could muster. The eggs on the table next to him were turning his stomach with each passing second. Ginny meanwhile was thinking she still might be slightly drunk from the night before.

"Can I take your order?" asked the server, approaching their table.

"Yes, I'll have a double Martini, with gin, stirred please," responded Lynn without taking her eyes off the menu.

"It's 10:00 a.m. in the bloody morning!" stated Ginny in shock.

"I know darling, I should have had a drink hours ago," Lynn said admonishing herself.

"I'll have a café au lait, and he'll have a pepper-up potion if you got it, with a glass of water," Ginny added to the order.

"Certainly," responded the server and he turned to place the order.

Ginny felt like she might expel the contents of her stomach at any moment. "Where's Lorne?" she asked.

"'Round the corner buying the papers."

"Please, do not order eggs. Whatever you do, do not order eggs," mumbled Duncan, resting his head on the table.

"What in Merlin's name happened to you two? And to think you used to be so much fun, tsk, tsk," said Lynn, with a knowing smile plastered to her face. This time Ginny offered a retort, muttering "sod off" under her breath.

"Is that anyway to talk to a dear old friend?" mocked Lorne as he approached the table.

"Now darling, he does have a point, it isn't nice," added Lynn.

"We made a cataclysmic fuck-up last night," Duncan began.

"Cataclysmic doesn't quite do it justice," was all Ginny would say.

But now, Lorne and Lynn were more than intrigued and never ones to shy away from a good round of gossip encouraged the other two to continue.

"Basically, I saw Harry for the first time in five years..."

"She was pissed out of her mind..."

"So were you..."

"Yeah, well, if we had been at my house my sisters wouldn't have been harassing you like that..."

"Well you didn't seem so peeved at the time, in fact I think you were enjoying it.."

"Bloody hell, your brothers are insane!"

"You told them all about us!"

"Well you didn't exactly expel the rumours now did you?"

"Sod off!" they said in unison.

"Whoa, hey now kids, let's just slow down and take this one step at a time. What exactly happened?"

"I brought some firewhiskey to Ginny's parents' house last night, we got more than a little wrecked with her brothers and, well, after a few conversation lead-ins, they began interrogating me about Ginny..."

Ginny jumped in and with a whiny voice added, "To which he responded, 'we regularly shag on the balcony of our apartment'."

"Don't act like you were upset about my honestly, you practically encouraged it! And if I remember correctly, you confirmed it with 'no, we're not dating, we're just shagging!"

Lorne and Lynn were completely unimpressed, "Well, so? What's the big the deal?" asked Lorne, confused as to why this story was supposed to be interesting.

"The big deal, Lorne, is that Harry witnessed the entire conversation without any of us knowing and now completely hates me."

"Oh my," said Lynn, struggling furiously to suppress the giggles that were rising in her throat, "Haha, I'm sorry Ginny, it's just so...," she gave in to the laughter.

"Yeah, yeah," she said as the server arrived with their drinks.

"Will you be dining as well today?"

"No," stated Ginny and Duncan simultaneously.

"Indeed, they will not. We however, shall have..."

Ginny tuned them out, and while she couldn't do the same with her pounding headache, she was certain she deserved all the pain that came with it.

After brunch, Ginny and Duncan parted ways. He was to follow Lorne and Lynn to their flat to pick up a few things he had let them borrow. Ginny decided to walk the streets of Diagon Alley for a while at a last attempt at clearing her mind before meeting her potential landlord.

It was proving dismal.

Children were perusing the stores preparing for Hogwarts. She sighed, going back to that. She thought her childhood had been difficult...I mean, it isn't everyone's common experience to battle Dark Wizards. But, ironically life seemed a hell of lot less complicated then looking back on it now. There was a purpose, a drive. Destroy the evil in the world. What better endeavor than that to keep one focused on why their life was meaningful? She felt like she had no purpose anymore.

She was lost. In her mid-day hangover soul-searching she had stumbled down an alley she was unfamiliar with and she had a misgiving that someone was following her. She moved out of the alley and caught the glimpse of man out of the corner of her eye. He was dressed in what could only be described as some of the best clothing Wizarding London had to offer. He looked as if he was ready to enter a ballroom and address a crowd of thousands on the virtue of buying excellent clothing. She ruffed at the sight of him.

She turned the corner that would lead her back to the street with the main shops (she hoped).

"Oi!" she heard someone shout from behind her. Turning, she was pleasantly surprised to find two friends approaching her: Remus and Tonks.

"Hullo!" she offered, surprised she was capable of such cheer when in such a state.

"What are you doing 'round her Ginny?" asked Tonks, while Remus embraced her in a hug.

"I got lost; I'm a bit under the weather."

"No need to explain, Harry already told us."

"You've got to be bloody joking! What did he do, shout from the rooftops that I occasionally enjoy a bit of shagging?!"

Remus and Tonks' jaws dropped.

"Well, no, he didn't exactly tell us that," said Remus, "he did, however, tell us that you had quite the party last night with a bottle of firewhiskey."

"Oh," replied Ginny with a blush, "sorry."

"No harm done."

"How've you been?" she asked.

"Well, funny you should ask. We were planning on stopping by tonight, but since you are here now...what are you doing on Nov. 12^th?" asked Tonks with a sly smile.

"I have no idea, why?"

"Oh, nothing earth-shattering, I was just curious if you would be interested in being a bridesmaid again," said Tonks, with complete nonchalance while she twirled her hair with her finger.

"Oh congratulations!" responded Ginny as she embraced them both in a giant hug.

"Why Ginny, I think you're more excited than we are," Remus chuckled.

"Are you busy right now? Would you like to grab some lunch?" asked Tonks.

"No, no. I just had brunch - if you want to call a coffee that - with some friends. I'll join you for a little while though. I have a meeting in the afternoon."

"Wonderful. Remus, grab a table at the restaurant. We will be along shortly."

When Remus was well on his way to the restaurant, Tonks turned to Ginny and said, "So, Harry found out about Duncan than?"

"That's an understatement. I've made a right mess out of things."

"Let's go. You can tell us more over lunch." Tonks offered with a reassuring smile, pulling Ginny out of her pout and towards the place serving lunch.

***

Ginny ended up steering the conversation with Tonks and Remus away from Harry and the complete lack of dignity she possessed. Instead, she discussed her friends' impending nuptials and her job search. She said an impromptu good-bye, her hangover finally catching up with her. She needed to lie down after her appointment.

She exited the restaurant and saw the man in the fancy clothing from earlier still sitting on a bench outside as if waiting for her. What was this guy's story? And was it her imagination, or was this guy following her?

She was too tired to care. She continued walking towards The Leaky Cauldron to take the floo to the apartment complex and began walking briskly only to find the man was indeed following her. He had been tracking her all morning and she was now getting peeved.

She stopped finally and turned to face the man that had been trailing her.

"Fine then, what is it you bloody well want?" she huffed with more than a little indignation added for spice.

The man smiled, as if expecting her response to be filled with an air of annoyance.

"It's not what I want, Ms. Weasley. It's what I'm offering you," he replied, with utter satisfaction in having sufficiently succeeded at leaving her speechless.