DISCLAIMER: I own nothing!
SUMMARY: Ginny and Ron share a sad but special moment together before things changes forever. Tearjerker!
One Last Normal Day
Ginny soars through the air heading straight for a set of makeshift Quidditch goals. A feeling of freedom and happiness soars along with her. The Quaffle is tucked securely under one arm as she dives and twisted past Ron. She aims then fires the Quaffle toward the middle goal with all her might. Ron responds with amazing agility but his fingers only brush the red ball before it whizzes through one of the improvised hoops.
Ginny lets out a loud whoop of joy as she pumps her fist in the air. The joy that fills her heart has only a little to do with her impressive goal. She never wants this moment to end. She wants to stay safely within this place and time forever. Of course, time has a way of moving on whether you want it to or not.
"Ok," Ron calls out, "that ties it up, 80 to 80. What do you say we call it a game?"
Ginny froze in the middle of her celebratory broom dance, a look of shock on her befreckled face. "Why?" she asks, suspicion clearly sounding in her voice. "You never let me win."
Ron raises an eyebrow at her, "I didn't let you win.........It's a tie."
Ginny humphed. "Same difference," she says staring back at him. She had never played a game of Quidditch with any of her brothers where she had won, let alone tied. Well, at least not since she was really little when they would let her win so she wouldn't cry. Except Ron, that is. Ron never let her win. After all she wasn't that much younger then him. Besides, leaving an evenly scored game just wasn't in the Weasley blood. This 'tie' situation was a first. She could guess the reason, however.........
Her high spirits fizzled slightly as a twinge of knowledge touches her heart. "No special treatment," she whispers to herself remembering the promise they had made to each other at the start of the day. "It's just a normal day, Ron."
With difficulty, Ginny pushes the intruding sadness away. She would not allow sneaky thoughts to interfere with their day. So she raised a suspicious eyebrow back at him and said in the mandatory goading tone of a kid sister, "What? Are you giving up? Scared that I might actually whoop your butt?" She pauses for dramatic effect. Then, in a snide, superior tone she throws down the worst insult a sister could make, "Wimp."
Ron's eyes flash at this clear challenge. Then suddenly he's zooming straight at her. She lets out a shriek of laughter as she tries to dodge him. He quickly hooks her around the neck with his arm, holding her firmly in check. With the evil grin of one who knows his enemies weaknesses all too well he holds his free hand in front of Ginny's face and wiggles his fingers. Ginny's eyes go wide, "Don't –"But it's too late to protest. Ron digs his fingers into her ribs and unmercifully begins to tickle. Ginny kicks out in response connecting with his shin. He swears loudly and turns up his level of tickling.
"Roooooooon!" she gasps, trying to push against his chest as she arches away. "Ron! I sweeeeeeeeeeearrrrrr to Merlin – ha ha ha – I'm gonna p-p-pee my pants!"
But Ron is relentless. "Say you're sorry," he says, his voice smooth and calm. "Better yet say, 'Ron you are the best Quiddage player I have ever seen.'"
"Stop! Stop!" Ginny feels his fingers torture every ticklish nerve in her side. She laughs like a loon as tears begin to run down her cheeks. "Ok, ok, I'll say it!"
Ron lets her twist away a satisfied smirk on his tanned face. "Go on," he said folding his arms across his chest with the air of one waiting patiently.
Ginny sighs and rolls her eyes as if saying those specific words causes her great suffering. "Ron," she begins with another deep, brooding sigh, "You are the best.........GIT I have ever seen!"
Squealing with laughter she whips her broom around and takes off at top speed. Naturally, Ron catches up to her in no time. Laughing he grabs her about the waist and hauls her off his broom onto his. Ginny, feeling giddy and childish and loving every moment, throws her arms around his neck. They laugh together as the broom sinks slowly in a soft spiral from the sky.
When their feet finally touch the lush green grass Ron begins to draw away. Ginny's heart skips a beat and she tightens her hold. A feeling a terrible sadness intrudes on her carefree moment; a feeling that she had been trying her best to keep buried all day. The smile slips from her face as she buries her face in his shoulder. "Not yet," she murmurs. "Don't let go just yet."
"Gin," he says, his voice both pleading and understanding. "Don't do this, Gin." He tries to gently pull her arms from his neck but gives up when she whimpers in protest and tightens her hold. Instead he gathers her close and soothes a hand over her hair.
The dam that had been holding in every dangerous feeling suddenly bursts inside of Ginny. Tears well then spill over only to be soaked up by Ron's shirt. She begins to clutch at him as if she can't hold him tight enough. Weeping now, she grips his shirt in her fists. Her heart is breaking.
"Don't go! Don't leave! Please!" she pleads and she shakes as if ice has suddenly filled her veins. "Ron! My Ron! Don't leave!"
Ron pushes her back by the shoulders. "Ginny," his voice is firm even as it trembles. He stares into her brown eyes so much like his own. Then on a sigh he presses his brow to hers. "Don't do this," he whispers. "We promised each other.........we promised no tears today. Just one last normal day........."
Ginny's tears are silent now. It would do no good to lose control. It would be cruel to them both. However, there is no more pretending that this is a normal day. He was leaving her, leaving them all. He was going off to war.
She reaches up and runs her fingertips over the face she has known her whole life. She traces each feature, taking in ever detail. So tall, she thinks to herself, so handsome and so much stronger then he ever fully realized. Her big brother, her hero, her Ron.
Ron closes his eyes against the pain he sees written on her pretty face but gathers her close once again. As the sun begins to set in a blaze of golden glory he tells her, "I'll be back soon." She knows this is a lie but nods. It helps to believe in the impossible sometimes.
She looks up at him. He is staring at the setting sun, his eyes and thoughts already leaving her behind. "Do you remember," she says, her eyes never leaving his beloved face, "when I was little and how I used to say that I wanted to marry you?"
He looks down at her and grins the familiar grin that is the essence of Ron; part shy, part cocky. It shatters her heart all over again.
"Yeah," he says with a sad chuckle.
"How I love you, Ron," tears stream, her voice chokes.
He turns his back to the dying sun as he cups her face in his hands. The fading light casts a golden hue about his head and shoulders. "And I love you Ginny.........Forever and always." His voice is rough and a tear escapes his beautiful sad brown eyes. He leans forward and presses his lips to her forehead before turning and dashing away from her.
Ginny watches as he runs over the fields they played in as children. She watches until he is gone from her sight. Gone but still in every part of her heart.
"Good-bye," she whispers through her tears.
With the red sun finally fading behind her she reaches out and picks the broomstick he has left behind. Holding it to her sore and wounded heart she weeps into the encroaching night, "Good-bye, my dear brother.........My Ron."
Author's Note: There are many mixed feelings about the war in Iraq but I hope I can safely say that we are all supporting the men and woman of the Armed Forces. This fic is dedicated to those brave people and to their loved ones who had to say good-bye.
Other fics by Nanners0474:
"Mrs. Granger"
"Fairy Lights"
"Hanging Puckles"
"All That Matters"
"Burn"