All Of The Ways We Differ

9 CW: description of panic attack/flashbacks

A full day had passed since your altercation in the woods, your wounds almost healed; you were finally feeling stable enough to join the group downstairs. Ginny had taken the key to your home, meant for Fred to gather a bag of your things, now returning with a backpack slung over her shoulder. The twins still glued to your side.

"Alright you two, you at least have to allow her to change by herself, out." Ginny stated to her brothers handing you your bag. They both looked almost insulted by her escorting them out of the door. "Don't worry, she is in good hands, I will stay with her. Go downstairs, we will be down shortly."

Fred looked over at you, ensuring you were okay with them leaving. Giving him a smile and a nod, "I will be ok Freddie, if I can take on the Cruciatus curse, I can handle Ginny."

A scoff leaving George, "You don't know Ginny that well then." Ginny smacked him on the back of the head pushing him out of the door. "You see what I mean? The girls dangerous."

You giggled, watching the siblings interact with one another. Closing the door behind her brothers, Ginny turned back to you. For the first time, you finally had a moment with Ginny alone, she looked at you as if you were breakable. "How are you feeling?"

"For the circumstances, I am doing alright. All I have done is sleep, but I am still tired." You extended your hands out, "whatever they put on these worked well, look no scarring."

"Let's get you in the shower; I love you but you're looking a bit disheveled."

You looked down at the borrowed and tattered, too large, clothes you had been dressed in. Quickly nodding you agreed, "yeah, I need to wash this day off of me."

Ginny assisted you in and out of the tub as your muscles were still tense. Pulling on your clean pants and t-shirt, you were starting to feel more like yourself. Sat on the floor, with Ginny sitting behind you, she gently pulled a brush through your hair.

"Gin?"

"Hm?"

"You know, I have been thinking a lot about what happened." Ginny slowed her hand to a stop, listening to you intently. "I don't feel scared when I remember everything, if I am honest, I am more angry than anything. But I am not mad at her, I am mad at myself."

"Why would you be mad at yourself?"

"If I had just waited for Remus to come back before taking a shower or remembered my wand-"

"You cannot blame yourself. You had no reason to believe that Umbridge would come after you, she had not even shown up at the Burrow yet. It makes no sense that she went to you first."

You nodded, wiping tears from your eyes. "If anything had happened to any of you? I couldn't forgive myself Gin."

"Thanks to you, nothing happened to any of us. No one that I have ever heard of has been able to fight off that curse the way you did."

Turning to face her, "I cannot thank you all enough, for taking such good care of me. My parents- oh no my parents!"

"Don't worry, Mom and Dad sent an owl this morning letting them know you were with us. They did not tell them what happened. They wrote back that they would be extending their travels knowing you were not home alone."

"Of course they did" you scoffed, "because when would they be home?"

"You can stay with us if you would like, we were talking this morning about where everyone could sleep."

You shook your head, "No, all I want is to sleep in my own bed tonight."

"I would offer to come back with you, but I am sure I would have to fight my brothers in the back garden to have that honor."