HARRY'S P.O.V
I'd always been told by Dumbledore of the great sacrifices that I'd have to make in order to defeat Tom Riddle, but he didn't stress on how to deal with these sacrifices. All these bloody sacrifices by others. How could I sit here happily while Hermione was almost dead, Dobby had passed and Ron was worried sick.
Dumbledore had told me how hard it would be, but he never elaborated on the hurt that I'd feel. How my chest would constrict. How I wouldn't be able to open my eyes without tears falling out. How even though I was willing to sacrifice myself over and over again for everyone I loved, sometimes I'd just be helpless and others would fall. How I wouldn't be able to live another day with the guilt inside me growing like a weed. How I wouldn't be able to eat or sleep. How the decision I made would torment me day in and day out.
Of course I'd felt pain before. Countless times, in fact. But over time the pain grew, that of losing my parents, of being shunned by my family, of my godfather dying, then Cedric and finally Dumbledore, dying at the hands of that dirty bastard.
The last straw had been Dobby. He was truly one in a million. But he lost his life not because he wanted to but in the end because of a wizard's orders, my orders. What a pathetic way to die for a free elf. I laughed humorlessly at his predicament.
Currently I was sitting in the pantry of shell cottage. A bottle of Ogden's Whiskey keeping me company. This had become a routine now. I'd wait for everyone to go to bed (Ron was usually the last) and then quietly slip into the pantry.
I'm sure everyone knew what I was doing but they were all caught up in their own problems. Downing another glass of the whiskey I wiped my face, running my hands through my hair in an attempt to calm myself.
That's when I heard the telltale crack of someone apparating into the kitchen. Grabbing my wand I slowly opened the door, a body bind curse on my lips. But I felt confunded when I saw her luscious red hair.
but I couldn't remain standing for long. Ginny seemed to be swaying on the spot and she gripped onto the counter top as though she was about to faint.
I suddenly went through all the possibilities in my mind. Maybe she got into a duel, maybe someone tried to kill her, maybe the death eaters found her...
I took two quick steps toward her and wrapped my arms around her to support her.