Always~Hinny

Chapter sixty five

"Ginny." Hermione woke me up by softly shaking my shoulder.

"Hmm?" I yawned and rubbed my eyes.

"Goodness Ginny you look horrible." Fred commented.

"Well thanks." I said sarcastically.

"We're about to go. Have any last advice? We've been looking over the paper for the past half hour." Hermione asked.

"Just please be smart and stay safe. I can't lose anyone else."

"Don't worry. We'll be right back Ginny. It'll only take a few hours." George grinned. Not trusting my voice I stood up and nodded. For maybe one of the first times in my life, I hugged Fred, and then George. Dad, James, and Harry were all gone and I was never as close to Charlie or Bill. Lastly I hugged Hermione.

"Come to my house when you're done. And keep them out of trouble." I whispered.

"Don't worry I will." She smiled. I released her from my embrace and they all waved before disappearing with a pop. Letting out a big sigh I plopped into the desk chair and curiously examined the desk.

James wasn't one who seemed like he would keep things nice and tidy, and I was right. Many papers were scattered across the surface but what stood out to me was what was beneath them. Instead of a brown tabletop, it was enchanted to show many different large pictures. There were some of the order, his family, Harry, my son James, and I, and more. Wistfully I looked at Harry wishing he was beside me.

"Ginny." Severus entered the room and was holding something in his hand.

"Yes?" I frowned.

"The potion is ready." He placed it carefully on the desk.

"Will it work?"

"We created this potion so there's no way to know for sure. But with everything that we added, it should work." Severus nodded.

"Here goes nothing." I drank a big gulp of the potion and put it back down. My stomach started to feel odd and I fell into a chair clutching it. It felt like a burning sensation spreading all through my body.

"Ginny? What's wrong?" Severus came beside me. But the feeling passed and I was fine again.

"I don't know. It felt like my stomach was burning or something."

"Well...there's only one way to see if it worked." Severus conjured a plate of food and set it before me. The smell hit my nose and my mouth began to water. I picked up a grape and popped it into my mouth. It tasted delicious. Eagerly I started to eat more along with the cheese and crackers too.

"I think it worked." I grinned. "Thank you so much!" I walked over and gave him a friendly hug. It was very unlike me to show affection to others but today was a special day. He instantly stiffened.

"I would like you to release me." He said.

"Oh come off it. You're happy too." I raised an eyebrow.

"Okay. Congratulations." Severus said dryly.

"Get out of here then you old lump." I nudged him out the door. He swiftly walked out without protest but I could've sworn I saw a hint of a smile on his face.

Suddenly feeling a wave of hunger from that tiny bit of food I decided to go and eat at Hogwarts as it was time for dinner. I took some floo powder and dropped it in the fire.

"Hogwarts hospital wing." I said clearly and walked through. A beautiful sunset could be seen outside the window as I came inside the wing.

"Ginny?" Lily picked her head off of where it was resting on Sirius' bed and blinked quickly to adjust to the light.

"Yes it's me." I walked up to the bed. "How's he doing?" I looked down at Sirius softly.

"His condition hasn't changed since he got in here and nobody knows why. Madam Pomfrey said his condition should've at least gotten better or worse by now." Lily sighed.

"Has she examined him?" As soon as the question escaped my lips I realized how dumb that sounded.

"Yes. Internally and externally." She didn't seem to notice my mistake.

"Do you want me to eat here with you?" I asked.

"Oh that's right! Did our potion work?" Lily asked.

"Yes it did. Thank you so much! I'm so excited to eat normal food again." I grinned.

"Don't worry about me. Go enjoy your dinner." Lily smiled and shoed me away. After thanking her one more time I took my leave and entered the hall. Draco was sitting by himself just picking at his food at the table in the front ignoring everyone else around him. I walked through the hall until I reached the front and took the seat next to him.

"Hey." I said while piling things on my plate.

"Hi." Draco didn't look up.

"Oh why do you have to be in such a bad mood? It's not like Hermione got captured or anything." I raised an eyebrow.

"I can't lose her Ginny."

"You won't. She'll be back in a few hours so don't worry about it." I said.

"Oh I just realized there wasn't a piece of bloody meat on your plate! I take it the potion worked then?" Draco brightened.

"Yes it did. Thank you so much!"

"Anytime. Honestly it was mostly them. I was just adding and stirring." He said modestly. Wait Draco Malfoy? Modest?

"That still helped."

"I suppose so." He smiled. We went back to eating and I looked around the hall when it hit me. James! Quickly I apparated to the burrow after taking a small plate of food with me.

"I'm so sorry Mom! I got caught up in so many things and this completely escaped my mind." I apologized. James was in his crib and started to cry once he saw me.

"Don't worry about it dear. You've had a lot on your mind recently." Mom smiled. I picked up James and rocked him back and forth softly.

"Don't worry James. Daddy will be back soon." I whispered. Closing my eyes I prayed that it would be true and that we would successfully break them out soon.