A Moment in Time
A Moment in Time
Disclaimer: No I regret to say that none of these characters are mine.
Author's note: this is actually inspired by an episode of Grey's Anatomy that I was watching. I think it was called some kind of miracle. And that final moment when Izzy and Danny meet in the corridor was the muse behind this chapter. I hope you like it.
The morning after the bloodiest war that Wizarding Britain had seen was as beautiful as the night had been ugly. A gentle wind swept down the verdant greens of Hogwarts, rippling the silvery waters of the lake. It teased the enormous pumpkins outside Hagrid's empty cottage and whispered in the ears of the trees of the Forbidden Forest.
The sun rose high to its throne in the heavens and flooded the sky with bleeding reds, violets and pinks. The roses opened up to its warmth and blushed gently under its admiring gaze. The air itself was scented by the profusion of the hardy Scottish flowers as well as the delicate roses and jasmines that bloomed here. The castle gleamed dully in the pearly light of dawn, giving it the appearance of a fairytale castle. No one would ever know of the scars that had bled into Hogwarts's floors and walls…into its very soul.
It is often said that the wind carries our whispers to the ears of the dearly departed. If not, it wiped away the tears like a comforting hand.
But no amount of gentle breeze or dawning sunrises could warm the cold in Ginny's heart. She didn't know how she stood through the funeral services that had been happening since the first light of dawn. Yet, it was important to her, nay vital, that she keep herself composed through the most difficult thing she had to ever do. Attend the funeral of the boy who lived…
Things had gone awry last night. When Harry had returned to the castle, after placing everyone there under his protection by his self sacrifice, the side of the light had felt hope balloon through them. The very same hope that had been on the brink of extinction flared to life when Harry came back to Hogwarts alive and lead them into battle against Voldemort.
Harry had been dueling with Voldemort, engaged right in the centre of the vast Great Hall. The two of them had been oblivious to the battles raging around them and had been fully concentrating on each other. Ginny, who had been fighting Bellatrix with Mrs. Weasley, had been facing Harry. She was one of the few people who knew what actually happened.
The complex magic that was known as Priory Incantum had ensnared both Harry and Voldemort. Great sparks of magic had flown between the two. The beads of blinding light had been in the centre of the strand connecting the two wands. Only this time, no ghosts could save Harry. The magic between the two of them exploded…and consumed them.
The fluttering of her black veil brought Ginny back to the present. She drew in a deep breath in a vain effort to control the engulfing pain that was flooding through her. Sparkling tears were pouring down her delicate cheeks and her doe eyes were alive with the final memory she had of Harry. When she saw what was happening, she had lunged towards them. At the last second, Harry had looked at her and shook his head slightly. He knew what was going to happen, damn him! Ginny thought angrily, he knew he was going to die. The solitary tear that slipped down his cheek said as much. His final gesture was engraved would be engraved in Ginny's heart forever…
She knelt down near the angel that looked after Harry. The graceful angel had the beautiful face of a Madonna, as she looked down at her ward with compassion and love on her face. Minerva had cast some magic on the angel because when the wind blew, the robes of the angels actually moved as did the curling strands of her hair. Ginny stood there, wanting to prolong the moment, the last good bye she had with Harry. She looked like an angel herself, with her red hair gently floating around her delicate face. Her black lace dress swept behind her as the wind picked up in its speed for a moment.
Ginny realized then that she had to say goodbye now, while she still could. She knelt down and picked up a sprinkle of earth which she put in the vial she hung around her neck. Then she laid the blood red roses by the angel's sandaled feet and kissed her own right hand before placing it on her heart and then on the ground where Harry slept. And just then, the angel guarding Harry leaned her head forward and a solitary tear slipped down its stone cheek before it too vanished.
Ginny saw the tear fall on her roses, sparkling there like a diamond before it melted into the scarlet petals. She felt a fresh outpouring of tears threatening to escape so she turned away abruptly.
She was just about to leave when something stopped her. She squeezed her eyes shut and felt her entire body fill up with longing for Harry. A longing so intense that she felt her heart ache and soul yearn. A longing so intense that for a moment… just for a moment she could actually feel Harry standing right next to her..
Ginny squeezed her eyes tighter and felt fresh tears pouring down her face. Her heart ached harder as she heard Harry's beloved voice calling her by that special way. The way he used to when she was sad or when they had just kissed. She missed him so much.That when she woke up, this would all be a bad dream and Harry would be waiting for her with open arms and a big smile on his face.
Ginny's eyes sprang open and she sharply turned her head to the side. For a second…for a moment in time, she swore Harry standing right there. Right next to her. With the wind gently blowing his messy hair and his green eyes sparkling behind his glasses. And that big smile on his face as he once again repeated the words she longed to hear…
Ginny..
And then he disappeared. Ginny hadn't even blinked and Harry was gone. But his words warmed the cold in her heart and the vial around her neck almost seemed to glow with life itself. As if it contained Harry's very essence. She clutched it tightly before whispering the words, "I love you, my Harry"
She walked away then, trusting the wind to carry her words to Harry. Her mom always told her to send her messages through the wind. And now she knew without a doubt that he had heard her. She walked away, cutting a graceful figure against the fairytale background, raising her face to the warm sunshine. She had had Harry…for a moment in time.
Behind her, near the angel, Harry made the same gesture that he had made to Ginny before he died. He kissed his fingers and held them to his heart. He wiped away the tear that had stealthily come down his cheek and whispered the words, "And I love you, my Ginny."