I Promise
"I care about you… you know that."
"If you care, then why are you going?"
"I would never leave without a good reason."
Tears streamed down her face, "And this is a good reason?"
"The one in my mind is, Ginny. You have to understand. It will be better this way…"
"How?"
"You'll be safe."
"I would rather be with you."
"It isn't possible to have both," he said, pulling her head up lightly so she was looking him in the eyes. "And if anything happened to you…" he trailed off.
"But—" she was crying silently now.
"No 'buts', Ginny. I'll come back when this is all finished, alright?"
"Promise me."
"I promise…"
An owl flew through the open window, causing everyone to look up at it. The envelope was a dark red, and it dropped the letter in front of Arthur Weasley. He opened it up, read it, and his face instantly darkened.
"Arthur, what is it?" Molly asked.
"It has started," was all he said. "Boys, I won't tell you to come, I just ask."
"But it's Christmas!" Ginny said.
"He does not care what day it is," Ron said darkly, standing up. "I'll come dad."
A chorus of the rest of the Weasley boys saying they would come also followed.
"Molly, Ginny, Hermione, stay in the house. Don't leave," Arthur said.
"But—"
"Just don't argue, please," he looked at them.
After saying their good-byes and I love you's, possibly their last, the men of the Weasley family left, along with Harry.
Ginny wasn't crying. She had cried way too often in the last while to do so… but her stomach was feeling weird inside her body…
"Everything will be fine," Molly Weasley said, not sounding exactly sure of it.
"Promise me," Ginny said quietly.
But no one could promise… because no one was sure…
The air got suddenly cold, like a dark veil had been pushed over any source of heat. It was also dark. But it had been dark for a while… since the battle had started. The final battle. The one that would claim many peoples lives. But whose lives Ginny could never be sure…
The air to the south had a slight red tinge. And it seemed to be advancing on the Burrow. Molly was getting worried. Hermione had started busying herself in books, trying to act like nothing was out of order. Ginny stood in front of the living room window, just staring out, watching as the red advanced, and the air got colder.
Crookshanks hopped up on the window seat in front of Ginny. He stared out the window also, as she put a hand on his back, but didn't pet him.
The red came slowly, but surely. And it didn't seem like it would stop. By the time it came within easy running distance, she was shaking, without meaning to. Hermione came in and sat on the couch behind Ginny, a book in her hands. Molly soon came in also, and stood beside Ginny.
They were all silent, Hermione staring at the pages of the book on her lap, but not reading. Molly standing, and staring, seemingly unseeing, while beside her Ginny shook with fear, and worried.
Molly reached out and closed the curtains, blocking Ginny's view of the now red sky.
The noise got louder. It was like a million stampeding elephants, coming closer and closer to the house. And when it got to the point where the elephants would trample the house, it stopped. But in the distance it rumbled. And then shouts of spells, and screams and everything else that came along with a war sounded through the air. Loud and clear. And it struck fear in the hearts of anyone who heard it, which was the whole wizarding world.
Ginny wondered what the muggles heard. If they could hear it also, or if it sounded like an angry group of birds fighting.
The fighting came closer, and Crookshanks jumped under the couch. Hermione was crying silently on the couch, and Molly was doing her best to comfort her. Ginny had no tears. Instead she just said, "You should go find some place to hide. If anyone comes in here they will see you first. Go to the cellar…"
"What about you?" Hermione asked quietly.
"I don't know."
Molly didn't say anything, she just kissed Ginny's forehead. Times were different. People had changed. And if you lived now you knew you could not change how they thought things. If they wanted to do something, you could not change their minds. And Molly knew that as well as Ginny did.
"Promise me you will stay safe," Molly said, as Hermione pulled Crookshanks out from under the couch.
Ginny didn't answer, just stared out the window, the curtains now open.
Ginny stayed calm as an earth-shattering boom filled the air. She was ready, though. Her hand was in her pocket where her wand was held. But whether she would need it or not, she did not know. Life was filled with surprises.
Fires burned outside… the air now had a feeling of a winter's air when you burn a fire in the hearth and it warms the air against what the air wants.
Something quaked the ground, causing the walls to shake.
If this was how life was to end, then so be it. If Ginny were to fall right now, she would accept it.
Who was winning?
She did not know.
It could be light or dark who was winning. Was Voldemort still alive? Who out of the people Ginny loved was still alive? Were any? Would Hermione and her mother live?
So many questions. But no answers.
One above them all rose out of the jumble of words. Where was Draco? Why did he leave? What was it that he decided he needed to save Ginny from? So many questions concerning him, and still there were no answers.
"I care about you… you know that."
"If you care, then why are you going?"
"I would never leave without a good reason."
Tears streamed down her face, "And this is a good reason?"
"The one in my mind is, Ginny. You have to understand. It will be better this way…"
"How?"
"You'll be safe."
"I would rather be with you."
"It isn't possible to have both," he said, pulling her head up lightly so she was looking him in the eyes. "And if anything happened to you…" he trailed off.
"But—" she was crying silently now.
"No 'buts', Ginny. I'll come back when this is all finished, alright?"
"Promise me."
"I promise…"
When all what was finished? The Dark versus Light? Was he even alive anymore? Questions… Answers… Confusion… Hope… Death…
A flash of light, and the walls quaked again. What was causing it?
Another flash of light. The house seemed to blow apart, Ginny along with it. Except she didn't feel dead. She felt alive. Yet she knew she wasn't. A quote from a book she had once read came to mind…
'When life ends, we shall know it, whether we care to or not… for freedom cannot last forever… yet it never does end.'
Ginny turned from watching visions of her life play out before her, when a voice behind her said, "Ginny?"
"Draco?" she asked, in disbelief.
'All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by frost.'
"Where am I?"
"I do not know exactly," he replied.
"Am I dead?"
"I think so."
She looked down, to see her house non-existent.
She smiled slightly, "I was wondering what had happened to you while I was looking out the window. I was watching people fight. Too many questions were going through my head that I could not sort them all… How did I die?"
"Something happened inside your house. I saw it happen, somehow."
"But my mom and Hermione. Are they alright?"
"Where were they at?"
"The cellar."
"Why don't you go check?"
"I can do that?"
"Before you go to the other side you can revisit one place or person. Revisit the cellar."
"But my brothers and dad."
"You can only choose one, Ginny."
She was silent, thinking over her choices, "I was not afraid to die. I knew it would happen. And I knew that if I went into the cellar it would happen to me anyways. But I don't think Hermione and Mom felt that, or else they most likely wouldn't have gone down there… I feel they are safe. I would like to go to Ron."
He nodded, "then go. I will be waiting here."
"Do you promise me?"
"I promise."
Ginny watched Ron, as he fought the Deatheaters surrounding him.
"Ron?" she said quietly.
His eyes flashed confusion. He had heard her. But what about the Deatheaters?
"I need to talk to you," she said.
"Ginny?"
And then he disappeared.
Surprised, and not sure what exactly to do, she turned. Only to find Ron right behind her, looking very confused, "Ginny? Where am I?"
She pointed below in answer, and he almost jumped out of his skin.
"Am I dead?"
"No, nothing happened. You just disappeared."
"Why?"
"I wanted to make sure you were alright."
He still looked confused, "You should be in the house."
"There is no house to be in."
He looked worried, and then confused, and then disbelief showed out through his eyes and features, "Are you dead?"
"I believe so," she answered.
"What about Mom and Hermione?" he was oddly calm about the whole thing.
"They were in the cellar. They are fine. Now tell me, what about Dad and the rest of them?"
"Last I heard they were alright. I'm not sure anymore though."
"Ron, promise me something," she was growing on panicked, as behind her shone the light to the other side.
"Anything. What?"
"Tell everyone I love them. And not to worry. And please don't let them grieve to long. Make sure they move on. I don't want to be the object of sadness forever."
"Ok."
"Promise me."
"I promise."
"Good. I love you, Ron."
"I love you too, Gin."
"Good-bye."
She turned, letting the light envelop her, and was gone, while Ron went back to the battle.
'I promise…'