She hadn't wanted to stay too long in one place. She had so much family ready to take her in that it hadn't been a problem. A few days at the Burrow, her mother throwing her concerned glances every other minute; a few at Charlie and Daphne's, spending time with her new nephew. Luna had been more than ready to take her in, and they'd cried together. Her about Draco. Luna about Harry.

Ginny loved her family, was grateful that they'd take her in without much notice, but she also knew they were worried. She wasn't able to talk about what was wrong, not without feeling the crashing hurt that took over her chest.

Small bag in hand, she climbed the small stairs leading to Rose Cottage before raising her hand and knocking, hoping she wasn't catching the twins during a nap. The last thing she wanted was to cause any problems for her brother and Katie.

The knock made Pea yap, but with a stern look from both herself and Kaiya, the little yorkie contented herself with dancing around Katie's feet as she made for the door. Corey was snuggled into her side, sleepy and half dozing, and for a change, Rose Cottage was blissfully quiet but for the soft music playing on the wireless.

Her other little man was with his Papa for the day. It did the double duty of giving Katie a little less to fret over for a few hours and a little more time for both her and Fred to give the boys some individual attention.

She was unsure who could be at the door, though a small hunch was confirmed when she opened it to find her sister-in-law standing on the porch. Her visit with Molly not a few days prior had given her an idea of the matriarch's concerns for her daughter.

"Hallo, Ginny," she greeted softly, stepping back to let the ginger woman in as Pea bounded past to do her greetings by jumping up Ginny's legs. "Don't mind Pea. She'll calm in a few minutes, promise," she offered, tiny smile curling her lips.

Fingers dangling at her side to give the small dog something to run its tongue along, Ginny smiled softly at Katie, eyes traveling to her sister's side, small head of ginger hair cradled against her side. "They get bigger every time I see them," she said, reaching out to run a gentle finger over her nephew's soft hair. "Devon with Fred?"

"Mmhmm. My little hellion gets to spend time with the lifesize version today," she said, tiny grin curling her lips as raised her hazel-blue gaze to Ginny's. "Tea? Or maybe cocoa?"

Katie didn't know why Ginny had come by, but the satchel in her hand seemed telling. It made her heart hurt for her, but she wouldn't press into anything unless the ginger woman wanted to say something.

"Cocoa would be brilliant," Ginny said, coming further into the house. "Mum's force-fed me enough tea to last until next year's Boxing Day." Dropping her bag near the stairs, she followed Katie into the warm kitchen, taking a deep breath. It was clear this house was a home, and she was very happy that her brother had found a new life with Katie and the boys. He deserved happiness.

"She's had a lot of practice doing that," Katie agreed solemnly as she filled the kettle and set it on the stove. Turning back to Ginny as the taller woman took a seat at the kitchen table, nodded. "We've got more leftovers from Christmas than me or any of the boys know what to do with. Do you think she's ever really learned to cook for anything but an army?" Katie's mien was serious, but a quiet twinkle lit her eyes.

Ginny grinned, watching as Katie moved around the kitchen, tiny ginger-haired babe at the side. "There's no reason for her to. She plans on cooking for all the grandkids, and the great-grandkids... she's five grandkids currently, and that'll only keep going up. Sooner, rather than later, when Fleur gives Bill his second."

"I can't imagine more than these little ones," Katie admitted as she scooped generous amounts of chocolate into the mugs. Corey watched with content, lazy-lidded eyes from his pillow on her chest. "Though, I can't imagine not trying again later. Much later," she added, eyes lifting Ginny's as she held up the scoop, asking if her sister wanted more chocolate.

Nodding, taking one more scoop, hoping that the chocolate lifted her spirits, Ginny gave Katie a knowing smile. "It's very rare that a Weasley is content with one or two. The families always seem to grow larger than you'd think you're ready or able for. And you've seen Fred with kids. He needs at least another four. Maybe another set of twins?"

Katie nearly dropped the scoop and her eyes were as wide as saucers when she looked back up at Ginny. "You're as wicked as your brothers."

"And when you have your girl, you'll figure out why. It's hard keeping up with older brothers, and you already know she'll have at least two."

Katie narrowed her eyes at Ginny, though she couldn't contain the smile that peeked at the thought that maybe she and Fred would have a girl someday. A faraway someday. "Maybe," she conceded, crinkling her nose at Ginny before carefully pouring hot water into their mugs.

Grinning, Ginny grabbed her mug when Katie held it out, wrapping her long fingers around the warmth. "And you? How are you doing? Is your back still bothering you, or have the salves been working?"

"I'm all mended now, thanks to you," she said, smile finally touching her lips again as she settled next to Ginny, adjusting Corey so he was more on her lap now. His bright blue eyes followed his auntie now, but the sleepy boy still made no move to indicate he wanted to be anywhere but snuggled into his Mummy. "It was a little crazy around here, but now that I'm fully functional again and the hols are over, I think we'll be able to go back to normal again."

Katie took a careful sip of her cocoa then, before adding, "and I think I might be going into the shop with Fred, soon. The flat above the store is empty still, so the boys can play and nap there and I can have a few moments not here." She felt selfish even thinking it, but after a year spent mostly at home with her boys, she was ready to step back into the world a bit now that they weren't breastfeeding anymore. She'd grown up in Diagon Alley, after all. Though she liked the quiet of Cornwall, she missed the busy friendliness of her Papa's pub and the city, too.

"I think that's an amazing idea," Ginny said, smiling at Katie. "That shop needs a little estrogen inserted, and I know that you can keep up with the activity. Plus, the boys will be able to start learning early," she added, a small smirk turning her lips. It felt good to smile again, though she still felt an ache in her chest, and all she could do was continue being as normal as possible.

Even if most of the time she felt like hiding in the dark and crying.

Whiskey gaze looked down at her cup of cocoa, curling her fingers around the warmth, attempting to draw some of it into herself.

"They'll learn no matter how hard I try to make sure they stay straight. At least if they're with Fred, he knows most of the remedies to everything." Her lips curled slightly. "He should. He and George got into just about every kind of trouble there is."

There was a lot Ginny wasn't saying. As much as she was, Katie wagered, but it wasn't her place to nose into it. Still, she tipped her head and asked, "are you alright, Ginny?"

"No," Ginny answered, honesty in the simple word. "Draco's... we're not... I don't know what we are anymore. I feel like such a failure." Her hands slipped from around the cup, resting in her lap as she looked down at them. "I just ignored how it was, hoping it'd get better, and it only made him worse."

She'd heard bits of it, but seeing Ginny's brightness dim made her heart hurt. It'd been like that when she'd watched Fred's light nearly go out after George had died. There wasn't anything anyone could do to fix it and that was the hardest part of all.

Setting her cup down and shifting Corey, she moved over and wrapped her arm around Ginny's shoulders, pressed her cheek to the other woman's. There wasn't anything she could say that would make it better. She'd watched Fred ... it would all be empty platitudes, and all she said was a whispered, "I'm sorry, Gin. I'm really sorry it hurts so much."

Ginny's arms rose to accept the embrace, taking comfort in the compassion that Katie was showing. "I don't know what to do," she whispered, the pain evident in her voice, the moisture that sprang unwanted to her eyes.

"Just keep moving forward. No going backwards," Katie said, tears springing to her eyes when she heard the catch in Ginny's breathing. She hated that those close to her could hurt, that this bright and vibrant, strong, woman, could be brought here - seemingly little and unsure.

"One foot in front of the other," she whispered, an echo of what she'd whispered to Fred so many years ago now. "And let us love you, no matter what you think of you."

Laughing lightly, the sound tinged with the tears on her cheeks, Ginny nodded. "Sometimes it's easier said than done in our family. The loving can be a bit strong."

"Yeah. And very shiny," she agreed, nuzzling her nose into Ginny's hair before pulling away some to look into her sister's eyes. "But it'd sure be lonely without them all." Katie hadn't even realized how alone she'd really been until she had become one of the Weasley's.

Nodding, swallowing past the lump in her throat, Ginny gave her a watery smile. Loneliness was something Ginny had never had to worry about at the Burrow, and she was more glad than she could say that she had someone looking at her like Katie was right then. "Would you mind if I held Corey for a bit?"

"You hold him all you want," Katie said, shifting to pry the little boy from her side and handing him over to Ginny. His blue eyes were sleepily solemn on her, but then he reached for her, wanting to be snuggled as he'd been moments before.

Taking care as she grabbed her nephew, Ginny cradled Corey to her chest, the scent of something acutely child filling her lungs as she took in a deep breath. She looked up at Katie as she began to bounce slightly, hands smoothing over his back. "Thank you." The word was loaded with meaning, two simple words expressing what a hundred others might not be able to.

Katie's lips turned up slightly, though she kept Ginny's gaze as she nodded. A thousand and one things were littering the air, but Katie hadn't ever been a woman who needed it all said aloud.

Standing, she snatched her mug and Ginny's. More hot water and more chocolate was needed. First though, first she bent to press a kiss to Ginny's hair, whispering, "Always."


SUMMARY: Ginny goes to Rose Cottage for the comfort of family and finds it in Katie and Corey.