They had all gone, left her alone in respect. She was glad about it. As much as she appreciated her family's and friends' concern, Ginny Potter couldn't have beared to hear any more condolences, or her daughter's quiet sobs at her husband's shoulder. Now, she was truly alone. Something the old woman knew she would feel for the short rest of her life.
Standing at her husband's grave, a wave of disillusionment overcame her. He was gone, never again would she see the smile on his wrinkled face, or hear his voice. The man she had known since she had been ten years old had just disappeared. After eighty-four years, seventy of these spent in marriage, it was quite hard to get used to that thought. Ginny would find herself over and over again looking for…something she didn't quite understand herself. You could call it the place inside her he held. But every time she tried, all she found was her memories. The place was empty, and its emptiness had already begun to consume her. It felt a little like being trapped in a dark cave without any direction, when all you had always known was light.
When she looked at the white roses on Harry's fresh grave, silent tears were running down her cheeks again. Ginny hadn't been able to actually cry at the funeral, the pain had been too great. Even now there was no sound coming from her. Despite her back pain, the skinny figure bent down to fix the fresh flowers for the hundredth time. The rain had stopped, the sun was shining through the foggy mist around the Willsbury Hills. The only person outside was an old woman who was pulling out a handkerchief to clean the cold, moist marble gravestone.
Harry's grave was right next to his daughter Leigh's, the way he would have wanted it. Ginny remembered something her mother had said at the little girl's funeral. Something about her being in a better place now. Back then, it had made her furious, after all, there couldn't have been a better place for her seven year-old daughter than her home. But secretly, she really did hope that there was a "better place" on "the other side". Harry would be with Leigh, his parents, and all the friends they had lost. God, she wished that for him.
The thought of Leigh brought images from the past back to her.
"Look, daddy!", a little girl yelled joyfully, swirling around the living room in her new, blue dress.
"I see it, sweetheart, you look very pretty.", the tall, young man replied, smiling at his daughters excitement. "But we have to hurry now, we'll be late-Ginny, are you ready?"
The child didn't seem to mind that at all, she pushed her curly, red hair back and started playing with a small, brown animal that looked a lot like an extremely round puppy with bushy fur and round, blue eyes.
"Does Aunt 'mione have a new kitty?", Leigh asked.
"I think so.", her father answered, nervously looking at the clock in the corner.
"Why can't we bring Choopy?"
"Because Choopy doesn't like travelling, and he probably doesn't like kitties either.", a pretty woman remarked, entering the room. They still had to get used to their new pet which had a name only a five-year old could pick out.
Harry walked over to his wife and gave her a quick kiss, before picking up his daughter and carrying her over his shoulder, making the little girl shriek and laugh.
Ginny was leaning on the gravestone, her built up tension slowly beginning to loosen at the old memory. Dry sobs were escaping her throat, she was openly crying now. There was no more reason to be strong. The pain was so tangible, it felt like a hole was being carved into her heart. She was waiting for it to kill her any minute, could almost feel that it was time for her to go. But the final stop didn't come and despite her sobs, she still continued breathing. Her frail body was alive. But she knew that it wouldn't be too much longer. The moment she was longing for would be there soon.
After a few more minutes, the old woman managed to straighten her posture.
"So, this is it.", she said aloud.
"I'll see you.", were the last words to her husband.
Then, the old woman turned around, slowly walking towards the big house. Her whole family, the friends who had remained, were all in there. They had all come today. Not because it was the famous Potter's funeral, not because they had to, but because a loved one had died.
When Ginny had almost reached the house, she saw a young girl with reddish-blonde hair running towards her. "Granny!", she yelled, "We were starting to worry about you. Are you okay?" The woman with the grey hair looked at her great-granddaughter and smiled.
"No. But don't worry about me, Dee. I'm as well as I can be."
Deanna just nodded at her answer. That was the good thing about children, they were honest and more likely to state things openly. An adult would have asked if they could do something for Ginny. That was nice of them, but of course they couldn't.
"Sweetie, can I ask you something?", she said.
"Sure.", the girl mumbled in a surprised manner.
"Do you believe in heaven?", Ginny asked.
Deanna just looked at her for a few seconds, then answered: "I don't know. Do you?"
"I don't know, either. I want to.", was all the old woman said.
The younger girl took her great-grandmother's arm. "Come on, Granny, we'll go inside for a while."
"For a while…", Ginny absentmindedly repeated.
THE END