Stretching, I opened my eyes, sitting up and letting the warm sun wash over me. I glanced outside, smiling at the sight of my family grounds bathed in the early mourning sunshine. Today was my eighteenth birthday!

I squealed excitedly, jumping out of bed and running to the bathroom, having the quickest shower I could manage, before throwing on the first piece of clothing my hands touched and running to my door. I nearly ran into it, before yanking it open and running into the corridor, not taking notice of the house elfs milling around me, and going to my brothers door. "WAKE UP!" I screamed, throwing my brother Lukas door open and jumping on his bed, "WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" I continued to shout, jumping on him, until he woke, smiling up at me

"Happy birthday, sis." He smiled, pulling me down for a hug. If this was any other mourning he would be moaning at me for waking him up this early, but it wasn't just any other mourning.

"Happy birthday." I gave him a kiss on the cheek, hugging him tightly

"Now, go wake Alek, while I shower." I nodded, running out of his room and across the hall into Aleks room, going to wake him up in the same fashion, but he was already awake, sitting up in his bed waiting for me.

"Someone's excited." He laughed, standing to hug me.

"Well duh." I laughed hugging him back "You're up." I muttered, narrowing my eyes at him as I moved out of the hug "Why are you up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep." He said, shrugging as Lukas walked into the room

"ITS OUR BIRTHDAY!" He shouted, jumping up and down on the spot, me and Alek laughed at him, before having to join in.

"Well, good mourning." Dad said, as he walked into the room. I smiled, running to him for a hug. He held me tight, kissing my head "Happy birthday baby girl."

I woke in a sweat, panting as my body curled in on itself, trying to stop the pain that a stupid dream had caused. "I've still got Lukas. I've still got Lukas." I repeated, holding myself tightly as I pushed the dream away from me. It seemed that every night my sub conscious came up with a new way to torture me, trying to make me believe that I still had a life. My dad was dead. Alek was missing. I needed to accept it. I knew I did. But how did you except that? Its not exactly easy.

A scream brought me out of my thoughts, jolting me up right. I fell out of bed in my haste to get to the screaming, but that didn't stop hither me, I crawled up right and carried on. I reached my brothers room, throwing the door open as his screaming got worse.

I hated this. Ever since that night at the ministry Lukas had been having nightmares, waking up screaming. I would run to him, pulling him to me and we would both cry over the loss of our family. I thought he had been getting better, he hadn't screamed in about a week. I was obviously wrong.

I threw his door open, running to him. He had tangled himself up in his sheets, and was fighting against something, his screaming not stopping, as his body thrashed "Lukas." I said, trying to get him to calm down. His arms were flailing, his body convulsing as his nightmare got worse. "Calm down. Im here." I repeated, trying to get a hold of his hands. He managed to get a few good hits in, before I managed to get to him, holding him to me, and rocking slightly. "Lukas, wake up." I said, straight into his ear "Wake up. Its just a nightmare. You're safe. I'm here." I held him until he woke.

"Oh, Merlin, Mia." He sobbed, clutching me. I held him as he cried, muttering sweet nothings into his ear to calm him.

"Better?" I asked, easing myself out of his grip when he had stopped crying. Lukas sighed, lying back down, pulling me with him

"It wont ever be better." Lukas said, staring up, as our hands entwined

"But it will get easier." I assured

"How can you be so sure? He was your dad as well!"

"I've lost a parent before." I shrugged, squeezing his hand.

"I love you Mia. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You don't have to know. I'm your sister. I'll be here." Lukas laughed, although it was completely empty, and we laid in silence, just staring at his ceiling.

Eventually, I heard Lukas breathe even out as breathing over took him again. I smiled, standing up and tucking him in, before sneaking out the room.

We had gone back home, initially after dads death...but now? Now the house felt so empty, and wrong without him around. So, we had moved out, renting a three bedroom house not far from Grimmrauld Place, and we now lived their as our house went to ruins. It wasn't a big house, but it wasn't small. It was the perfect us size, with a decent size garden out front and a patio and garden out back. We had brought the house elf's with us, well they shouted that they would follow us even if we gave them clothes, and they kept the house and gardens in perfect conditions.

"'Appy birthday Miss." The house elfs said as I walked into the dining room. They were all lined up, smiling brightly at me

"We got you this." Thimble, the oldest and head house elf said, walking forward with a package levitating in front of him.

I opened the haphazardly wrapped present, with care

"Thank you." I breathed, holding the necklace up so I could look at it better

"We founds its when we were leaving." He told me "In yours fathers room." The necklace had two silver rectangles hanging of it, with a silver heart in the middle. On either side of the heart was my parents name, and the date of their marriage in the middle.

"Thank you." I repeated, fighting the tears.

"We mades you breakfast!" The youngest elf said practically jumping at me

"Did you know?" I asked, smiling at him, and moving to the table where my breakfast lay.

"I mades the juise!" popsy said, her youth showing.

"Well thank you." I nodded, tucking in to the breakfast that lay in front of me, the elf's eventually popping of until it was just me and thimble left. "Could you get me my brothers present from my room?" I asked, tucking into the plate of blueberry pancakes.

"Here miss." thimble said, handing me the package I had brought for my brother.

"Thank you."

"Would you like me to wake him?"

"No. He doesn't sleep enough as it is."

"Very well misses." Thimble said, before disappearing. I ate in silence, fingering the new necklace every now and then and keeping a constant eye and ear on the door, waiting for my brother to appear.

During breakfast popsy brought in my mail, handing it to me before disappearing. Like usual had letters from numerous magazines asking for an interview, and some letters from people I didn't even know telling me that they were sorry for my lose. I threw them in the fire without even thinking, whittling the pile down. A letter from the ministry asking for me to go and see the minister at my earliest convenience, a letter from the Order, asking me to go and see them and a letter from Harry.

Mia,

The Order have asked me to ask you to stop ignoring them and come and visit them. They have plans that they need to go over with you.

But that isn't the reason for my letter, I want to ask you to meet me. Just us two We have some things we need to discuss, and I need to give you your birthday present.

I know you've been going through a lot lately, but we cant forget your birthday, please?

Waiting for your reply,

Harry

I laid the letter down, sighing and resting my head on the back of the chair. "Cant I have just a day to myself? So me and Lukas can spend one single bloody day together? Its our birthday!" I cried, wishing I had someone around who I could vent to, who would listen to me.

Draco had...he was around, and he had made it clear that we were still together, but he wasn't around enough. His father had been sent to Azkaban, meaning that he was now in charge of of the Malfoy estate, and he was trying to set it right after his father had left it in ruins. Meaning a lot of meetings and luncheons with people that meant a lot to something, and not enough time spent with me. And certainly not enough time for me to off load on him my worries, when he had enough of his own.

"THIMBLE!" I shouted, throwing the letter down and having as last sip of my tea.

"Yes missus?" Thimble asked with a bow

"I'm going out, can you give this to my brother when he wakes?"

"Of course, miss?"

"Thank you." I stood, going up to my room to get changed, and make myself look decent before flooing to the Malfoys.

"Mia? I didn't know you were coming round? Draco is not home at the moment." I smiled at Cissy. She was sitting in her chair, doing some cross stitch- a past time that the high class of all worlds seem to enjoy- with a cup of tea in front of her. The war had taken affect on her, and the loss of her husband had made her fragile. It was obvious what the stress was doing to her, her thinness making her bones visible, and her hair seemed lank as it lay on her shoulders. She looked more like a child then the lady of a house.

"I though I would come and see you actually, we never seem to talk any more and-"

"And you've had enough of the real world." I nodded, knowing their was no point in trying to lie to her. "Sit down my dear, and talk to me." I did as I was told, getting myself a cup of tea and slumping into the chair opposite her "Sit straight." She ordered, I laughed, straightening myself. "now, what is the matter?"

"Why couldn't he die?"

"The evil always seem to have away to pop back at us."

"I just...I don't think my family can make it through another war. I don't think I could make it through another war. It took such a big toll on us last time, and Lukas, I don't think he will be getting better any time soon. And Draco...with everything going on I hardly get to see him. And I miss him. I miss him terrible, and I'm scared. I'm so scared."

"Shhh, my dear." Cissy stood, coming to me and holding me "It will be al right, no matter how it turns out. Our sort our very good at getting through these things." I laughed, holding her tightly.

"How about we go shopping?" Cissy asked when my tears had dried up "I need to buy you and your brother a birthday present, and shopping-"

"-will help even the biggest of problems." I smiled, moving back

"Put it on my account." Cissy said with a smile, handing yet another bag to the house elf, who disappeared, taking the bag back to her house, before reappearing, waiting for the next bag. We had been shopping for around an hour, and although it had made me a bit happier- hearing Cissy gossip about passing witches and wizards was incredibly funny- it didn't stop me from still knowing I had a real life to go back to, with real worries.

"Back to mine for lunch?" Cissy asked, taking my arm in hers as we exited the store,

"I should really check on my brother."

"Nonsense. He can look after himself for one day, and I'll be having you both round for dinner tonight."

"Will you know?"

"Yes. No arguing."

"Like I could ever argue with you."

"True" We laughed, carrying on down the alley. In the corner of my eye, I saw a large group of people heading straight for us, but only one caught my full attention. I froze at the sight of him. What was he doing out? I wandered, staring as he walked down the street, people starring at him as he walked past.

"Mia?" Cissy asked, coming to stand in front of me

"I'll catch you up."

"What's the matter?" She asked, turning around, following my eye line "oh."

"I'll be back before dinner."

"If you're sure? Just...be careful, dear."

"I will be Cissy. See you later." I leant down, kissing her cheek before standing straight and looking back towards him. As I straightened up, he caught sight of me.

Hi! So, im back! How are y'all doing? I know its been a hwile since i finished 17, but i have wanted to get a few chapters in the done slot before uploading, in a hope to avoid massive gaps between uploads. Once a week will be the aim, might not always happen, but will happen more than not.
If you haven't ready 17, the i suggest you go and read that, as this story wont make much sense without it.
Another thing, to the haters. In my last story i had some people pm me some rather nasty things about my writing and what not, dont do it. Simple. Constructive criticsm, love it do it, but being plain nasty? No. I know my spelling is not perfect and i am working on it.

Anyway, on a lighter note, hope you all enjoy XD