Chapter Two: Making Adjustments

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author.

I would like to give a big hug of thanks to my beta, VIVAvivacious, for all of her help with making this story worth reading.

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It was truer than anything, though. It was hard to live and grow up one way, and then when a person just gets used to that one, everything changes, bad things happen, and adjustments must be made for the good of themselves and everyone else. Some people left adjustments to those who were confident in doing so while others ran away from their lives. The last small portion simply forgot themselves and lived through others for a short time before they lost their will to live altogether.

Ginny was one of those last people who were content to live through others while her life went to the dogs. She was comfortable with her job at the Ministry's Department of Games and Sports. She had her own sports commentary column in the Daily Prophet once a week, and she had earned her position with hard work. But once she had managed to get to the top, she didn't have to work so hard and, therefore, did not have to waste any more effort in a struggle to go higher.

This meant that she didn't have a distraction from her dismal life for that little while, and she remained miserable. She didn't go out with her friends much on weekends; the best anyone could hope for her getting social interaction was when Luna, Tonks or either of the Patil twins decided to drop in to say hi.

'Ginny, dear,' Molly Weasley would always say to her. 'You really need to take a holiday, go with some friends somewhere. Don't lock your pretty self up like you have been. Do something lovely for yourself.'

Although Ginny had never actually gotten around to the actual doing of anything, she had given it some thought and applied for a three-week holiday starting on Christmas Eve. She planned to spend Christmas day with her family before going to the States for a little while to do a tour of North America – places like Alaska, New York, and even going as far as Canada. She hadn't actually told anyone that she was planning this and was saving it as a surprise for when she saw everyone next.

Of course, because Hermione lived god only knew where, she sent an owl to tell her, only because she knew that Hermione would not tell and would most likely not reply and make her feel guilty about leaving like that. A knock on the door of her apartment startled her out of her reverie.

'I'm coming!' Ginny called, heaving herself out of her comfortable chair and going to peek through the peep-hole.

When she saw her mother's face, she was hardly surprised at all. Molly Weasley, protective as ever, always came to visit her in the morning when she had a day off before returning to the Burrow. Sighing, she unlatched all the Muggle locking mechanisms and opened the door to allow passage to the bustling, red-haired woman.

'Hi, mum, I wasn't expecting you.' Ginny lied through her teeth easily. 'What are you carrying?'

Ginny warily eyed the basket of clean something on her mothers' hip and almost jumped out of her skin when she realized it was her own laundry from the evening before. 'What are you doing with my clothes?' Ginny exclaimed, rushing over to take the burden from her mother. She gave her mother an exasperated expression as she set the basket on her own hip. 'All of them were clean; I could have washed them myself, mum!'

'Ginevra, dear, that's no way to talk to your mother,' Molly tutted as she walked into the kitchen. 'Now have you eaten breakfast this morning? If you have, what was it?'

'I had toast and tea, thanks,' Ginny replied haughtily. 'And I don't need you to come here and pick at my eating or cleaning habits. Your house can be as spotless as you like it, but this is mine, and I will not make it into an artwork.'

'Oh goodness, Ginny,' she scolded. 'I don't make your life that hard.'

Ginny raised an eyebrow at her mother's back before turning down the hall to place the basket in the other room. She took a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face before following her mother into the kitchen. 'Would you like some tea or a drink while you're here?' she offered politely.

'No thanks, dear,' Molly replied. 'I was just coming to leave your things and make sure you had something to eat on the way to see your father at work.'

'Alright,' Ginny said, releasing a breath she hadn't even realized she'd held.

Once her mother had left, Ginny returned to her sitting room with a mug of hot tea and the book from her nightstand. She was beginning to think perhaps she would leave before Christmas. After all, she was really tired and just needed a break away from her family and friends. Hermione was about the only friend she wouldn't be opposed to seeing, but she was nowhere that anyone knew. If only she would come back, it would be so much easier.

Sighing deeply, she set her cup aside and opened the book, beginning to read it from where she had left off the night before. Recently, Pavarti Patil and Lavender Brown had gotten her interested in reading saucy romance novels. Her favourites involved main characters that were blond, tall and dashing. She imagined she would have been more interested in the tall, dark types, but lately, she found blond hair quite an attractive description.

By midday she was almost finished reading the rest of her book and decided to go to the Three Broomsticks for lunch; she was desperate for a butterbeer. Perhaps she would visit Septima at the castle afterwards; she really needed to catch up on how she and Remus were doing anyway. Going to her wardrobe, she found a suitable pair of jeans and an old Gryffindor-red sweater her mother had made for her and threw them on.

She Apparated to Hogsmeade and stopped at Honeydukes to buy some Fizzing Whizbees for Ron and some white chocolate for herself and Luna. When she paid for her purchases, she went to the pub and ate a bowl of hot pumpkin soup and drank a butterbeer before heading to the castle.

'Ginny, what are you doing here?' asked a feminine voice from behind her as she walked along the path to Hogwarts.

She spun around and saw Luna standing on the path, holding the hand of her youngest daughter, Lesley. Smiling, she turned back and gave Luna a hug before lifting her niece into her arms and spinning her around, giggling and hugging her fiercely. She loved seeing Luna and her nieces.

'I was in Hogsmeade for lunch and just on my way to Hogwarts to visit Septima," she replied, shifting Lesley to her hip. 'I didn't expect to run into you two today.'

'We were shopping for Christmas chocolate for Daddy,' Lesley said in her adorably squeaky voice.

Ginny had to admit that for a girl of only three-and-a-half, Lesley was remarkably intelligent in comparison to how clever Ron had been at that age. Make no mistake, Ron had been smart, but in a different way. He had been the biggest troublemaker and always made mischief, and he picked on Ginny constantly from what she had been told by her other brothers.

'Well, I hope you find what you're looking for,' Ginny said, not wanting to keep them. 'I had better get to the castle before it's too late for visitors.'

'Alright, we'll see you soon,' Luna replied, taking Lesley off her hands and waving before they parted ways.

Ginny arrived at the castle not long after and eventually found her way to Septima's office after the stairs had moved on her twice. It really hadn't been her morning, but she had enjoyed the remainder of her day anyway. She knocked on the door and waited for Septima's soft greeting before she opened it.

'Ginny! What on earth are you doing here? I thought you'd have work today,' Septima exclaimed. 'Come in and make yourself comfortable.'

Ginny sat on the couch in front of the fire across from the older, sandy-haired witch. 'I wasn't doing anything today because I got the day off, and I was in Hogsmeade for lunch anyway, so I decided to drop in for a bit,' she replied with a small smile.

'Well, I'm glad you came.'

'How is Remus going?' Ginny asked with a raised eyebrow.

'Ginny, really, we've only been on two dates,' Septima chastened lightly. 'But I think he's going all right. I mean, we know each other a little better, and I think I like him.'

'That's great!'

'Yes, it is good, isn't it?' she replied distantly. 'Anyway, what are you doing for your holidays, and don't lie to me, I know you applied for the time off.'

Ginny smiled weakly. 'Well, I know I can trust you with this, but I'm not going to be home for the holiday. I was going to wait until after Christmas, but I'm moving my trip to the States ahead. I might leave tomorrow or the day after,' Ginny replied.

'That sounds lovely,' Septima offered. 'But, aren't you going to tell your family?'

Ginny shook her head. 'Not this time.'

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A/N – Hermione is up next finally. Sorry for the introductory chapters, but this story is a little bit about Ginny also.