If You Were Here
Disclaimer: I think we've been through this enough.
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She carefully knelt in front of the simple headstone and lovingly brushed away the rotten leaves and moss from off it's stone face. She could tell that very few people had been to this particular place, hidden away from the eyes of those who didn't care. The stone sat under a large tree, all it's leaves already gone. A faint trail behind her was the only evidence that this sanctuary was even there. It had been a year since she had last been in this spot. A year that didn't want to pass.
Ginny looked sadly around her, at the faces of those in the Order. It was a small group that was present. The wind was biting and cold and whipped around her like a like a frozen cloak. Harry was there next to her; standing tall and confident, his face set in a grim manner. Hermione was there too, her black coat wrapped tightly around her, shivering slightly trying to stay warm. Next to her was Ron, his hands shoved in his pockets, his eyes downcast. Only a few others were there - Remus Lupin, new scars adoring his face, Bill Weasley with his hand holding tightly to his eight year old daughter's, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Minerva McGonagall - all that was left of Dumbledore's beloved Order. Everyone else had been killed in the war. The war that had ended a year ago.
She tried to keep her emotions in check. A twenty year old should not be caught crying, especially for him. But a unbidden tear found it's way down her cheek - unchecked by those surrounding her. Her hair whipped around her face as she gazed sadly upon the fresh mound of dirt and at the newly carved headstone. She knew what it said - she had read it so many times, her heart breaking with each one.
Here lies
Draco L. Malfoy
June 5th 1980 - October 17th 2001
Without him there would be no us.
"To the world he was just one person, but to one person he meant the world."
Ginny blinked furiously trying to stop the tears from entering her eyes. Taking a steady breath she spoke to him - like he was there. Her voice broke the stillness around her, wavering and loud. "Hey there. Sorry I didn't visit you sooner."
Though the war had now been over with for a year people still were trying to recover and get on with their lives. Harry's name was still worshiped and revered. No one had ever mentioned him - the one whom they all should have been honoring. If it wasn't for Draco the war would still be waging. Without Draco thousands of witches and wizards, her included, would be dead. But no one seemed to remember him and what he had done. Ginny remembered. Every day she remembered what he did. It angered her to see the flippant manner of the people around her. She had left a week after he was murdered. Not telling anyone she had left in the night and hadn't return. She disappeared to a place where no one could find her.
"I miss you," she whispered, her voice cracking slightly. "I wish you were here."
"When the war's over I'm going to go away - to a place where no one will know who I am." Ginny looked curiously at him.
"Why?" she asked.
"People will always look at me for who I was, Gin. I want people to know me as me and not as a Death Eater."
"But--"
"They'll forget that I even existed Ginny. They'll forget me." His eyes pierced her's but she didn't shrink away like others would. He could no longer intimidate her.
"I won't forget you."
"I hope that you can hear me. I remember it clearly - the day you left me."
What appeared to be a bubble made of glass appeared in front of her, floating in the air as though by a invisible string. A voice rippled from it.
"Weasley, we need you're help in section D now." Ginny didn't even reply as she started running down the halls towards the lift - the bubble following close behind her. "White, male. Looks to be in his twenties. Ginny - he doesn't look good."
"I'm on my way," she said as she entered the lift. The bubble shimmered before disappearing in response.
She knew that it was him. She didn't have to see him to know; she just did. When she finally reached section D and saw him, her world stopped. Blood was splattered across his deathly white face. Dirt and blood soiled his once pristine clothes. This wasn't supposed to be. They had been together only two hours earlier. They were supposed to have dinner that night with her parents.
"That was the day when I found it wouldn't be the same."
A knock sounded at the door. Ginny stared at it from her place on the floor up against a wall, making no move to answer it. The doorknob slowly turned and Harry entered her flat. "Ginny?" he called softly. He looked around the room searching for her. She didn't make a sound, her eyes still staring in the direction of the door. He was halfway across her living room before his eyes rested on her.
"Ginny--" He rushed forward and knelt down next to her, taking in her apparel. "Oh Gin." Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, her Healer uniform was covered in dry blood - as was her hands and arms. It wasn't until he touched her shoulder that she even seemed to realize that he was there.
"Harry?" she choked out softly.
"Bloody hell Ginny. How long have you been sitting here?"
"They let me go home early from work." Her voice sounded wispy, and as though she couldn't quite comprehend what had taken place. "I think-- I think I came here right after..."
"Ginny, I think you're in shock--"
She shook her head sadly. "No. You can't feel anything when you're in shock." She pulled her knees up under her chin. "How'd you find me here?"
"You didn't show up at you're parent's house for dinner tonight. Malfoy didn't show up either. They grew worried and I was sent out to find you both. When you weren't at work I came here."
"Oh."
"Ginny - I know about..."
"He's dead."
Harry was a little shocked that she just said it like that. "I'm so sorry Ginny."
She continued on like she hadn't heard him. "He was stabbed four times - once for every year that he was in the Order."
Harry stared at her, not quite sure what to say.
"He spoke to me before he died." She gave a dry laugh. "He was still alive when they brought him in."
"What did he say Ginny?" Harry asked softly, trying to keep her mind off of how he died.
"He apologized to me," she said in a small awed voice.
"What did he apologize for?"
"For not telling me sooner. He told me he loved me." Harry found himself fighting back tears. He hurt for Ginny.
"He told me he loved me," she repeated. Suddenly she took a deep, unsteady breath and tears coursed down her face. "He loved me and I didn't even tell get to tell him that I loved him back."
Harry's arms wrapped around her and she cried into his shirt.
"I didn't even get around to kiss you goodbye. I wish that I could see you again - but I know that I can't."
"Oi! Watch where you're throwing those things Draco." She picked up the piece candy that he had chucked at her from off the ground and tossed it back at him.
"Come on, Gin. It's a beautiful day, we're outside and your studying."
She raised her eyebrow. "And that gives you the right to start throwing candy at me?"
"I got you're attention didn't I?" She rolled her eyes at him then returned to her book. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him stand and wander around the Quidditch pitch then start walking towards her again. "Dun Dun." He said and took a heavy step closer to her. She knew what he was thinking, but she didn't look up.
"Don't even try it Malfoy," she warned him.
"Dun Dun." Another step.
"Stop."
"Stop what?" He asked getting closer.
"Please don't." He was standing right next to her now and she was starting to panic.
"Okay. I won't."
"Ahhh!" She shrieked as he pounced on her and pinned her to the ground. "You said you wouldn't!"
"I said I wouldn't do... what exactly?" He grinned cheekily at her. Suddenly she was laughing uncontrollably, his finger tickling her sides.
"St-- Draco. Stop - I can't breathe. I can't breathe." He paused as she caught her breath. Her eyes matched his; shining with laughter.
He rolled off her and they lay there side by side on the grass, staring up at the sky, all books forgotten.
"Do you remember - two years ago - when you told me you were going away when the war ended?" She asked him suddenly. He turned towards her giving her a questioning look. "It's ended now. Where are you going to go?"
He shrugged his shoulders and looked away. "I was just going to go anywhere. New Zealand or something. But now I am thinking of staying right here."
"Why?" She asked, her heart starting to beat wildly within her.
He looked at her again, an emotion that she had never seen before was in his eyes. "Things change." He said simply. But he leaned quickly over, and hovered above her, pausing, before putting his lips to hers.
"I left - a week after we last spoke. I went to New Zealand like you said you were going to do."
Her footsteps rang out loudly on the shiny marble floor. Arriving at the front desk, she waited for the secretary to finish with what he was working on before she spoke. "I'm here to see Mr. Harry Potter - he's expecting me."
The man looked at her suspiciously. "And your name--"
"Ginny Weasley." The man's eyes grew wide at her last name.
"Bubble." A little glass bubble that looked like Ginny's all those years ago appeared in front of him. "Harry Potter," he stated.
"Yes?" Harry's voice wavered from the small bulb.
"A Miss. Weasley here for you Sir."
"Send her up." The connection was lost and the bubble disappeared.
"Seventh floor, five doors down on the left."
It wasn't hard to find Harry's door, and knocking she found herself face to face that she hadn't seen in a year.
"Ginny!" He welcomed her with a bright smile and gave her a hug. "How are you? Where did you run off to?"
"I'm good Harry. So good in fact that I don't think I'm going to tell you where I've been as I am going to return there as quickly as possible." She smiled, but the warmth didn't reach her eyes.
"Fair enough." He took his seat behind his desk that was littered with papers. He motioned towards a chair. "Please."
"What's this about Harry? You know why I'm here."
"Well, um. Yes." He stumbled around and shuffled through the papers on his desk before peering at her through his glasses. "We've found Malfoy's attacker--"
"Murderer." She corrected him. "Who is he?"
"She actually. It appears that his family was very, very unhappy with his decision to join our side and they sent Bellatrix Lestrange. His Aunt."
"We've found her Draco. You're Aunt. We know that it was her that did this to you. That's the reason I came back."
It was right before the last battle. All was dark. They were all wearing black dragon hide outfits under their black cloaks. Ginny felt like she was in a spy movie. Draco and her were standing away from everybody else, their backs to a wall, not speaking. The moment was to horrific to speak. She was shivering slightly, from both the cold and nerves. They knew that in only a few minutes the sign was going to be given and they were going to have to part company. The minutes passed and they felt like a eternity. Finally it came. The sign was given. Ginny started to walk away when he stopped her.
"Oi, Ginny. Will I ever see you again?" She smiled at him, suddenly feeling more confident in herself. He had asked her that question every time there was a chance that they were, in fact, not going to see each other again. She had never answered him. He wasn't looking for a answer. It was for her sake that he asked the question. She knew that he make sure to get back alive. The question was to make sure she did. He squeezed her hand and she was gone, running swiftly and silently down the hill.
"For a long time I wanted to kill her - to make her suffer the way that she made you. Then I realized that you wouldn't want that for me. You never liked it when I killed."
She took another bite out of her chocolate frog, throwing her legs across the overstuff chair and sinking into it's large cushions. "How many times have you used the Killing curse?" Hermione and Draco stared at her in shock. "What? I think we all know that we have."
Draco threw a peppermint drop into his mouth and looked at Hermione with curious eyes. She fidgeted in her chair before answering.
"Three times." Ginny almost didn't catch her answer, her voice was so soft.
She looked at Draco. "Well?"
He shrugged his shoulders before sighing. "Let's see here... Eleven times."
Hermione sat forward. "You've killed eleven people?"
"I was a Death Eater remember? Besides, when one is in a war, one has to kill or be killed."
Hermione looked at Ginny after pondering his statement. "Ginny?"
"I've killed seven people, but only used the Killing curse six times."
"What!?"
"Bloody hell, Ginny. How did you manage that little fact?" Draco asked, worry in his eyes.
"Remember when my wand broke after one of the raids? It really didn't just break - more like blown to pieces. A Death Eater was beating me up pretty bad, and I found a large piece of broken wood. I managed to stab him in the leg with it, but he kept coming after me... I think maybe I hit a lung or something. He just - fell - and stayed there."
Hermione's eyes were wide. "Ginny, how come you didn't tell anyone?"
"What's the big issue - I didn't tell everyone when I would use a Killing Curse."
"But this is different--"
"How is this different Hermione? How was it different from all the other times when I've killed before? I'm not saying I enjoyed stabbing the guy--"
"But--"
"No! Hermione I don't want to talk about it. I wouldn't have brought it up if I had known that you were going to react this way. It's like Draco said, it's kill or be killed, and I chose to former. I have no regret for what I did--"
"Did you see that the Falcons won their last match against Cannons?" Draco asked gracefully, cutting into the heated discussion. Hermione continued to stare at the redhead for a moment before standing up suddenly. She opened her mouth like she was going to say something further, but snapped it shut and strode out of the room.
"Nice way to change the subject, Malfoy," Ginny muttered.
He gazed at her evenly. "I couldn't stand to hear anymore of it."
"What, you can't handle it when a conversation gets a little heated?" She asked, still feeling slightly irritated at Hermione.
He stood and straightened his shirt. "No. I can't stand to hear about you killing someone." He reached down and gently took one of her hands in his. "These hands should never have to kill."
"She's dead Draco."
"Harry - I just want to see her before she is taken away."
"You can't Ginny--"
"Please. I just need to see the person that took him away from me," she said earnestly.
Harry leaned back in his chair and took off his glasses, cleaning them on the edge of his robe. "She's dead. We were closing in on her location and she killed herself." She didn't reply - how could she? There was nothing she could say.
"I guess it's all for the best. I might have had done something rash if I had seen her. A part of me was happy that she was dead; another was mad... she left me here alone to suffer for something she did."
Ginny shifted and touched the stone again. "I'm leaving now - I don't know when I'll return again - but... I wanted you to know, Draco, I'll never forget you or what you did." She leaned closer. "I love you, and always will," she whispered softly, a tear falling down her cheek.
She stood up quickly and turned to go. She found Harry standing behind her. He blushed slightly and shifted his weight.
"I came by to tell Malfoy the news - but it appears you already have." Ginny said nothing. Her silence was apparently making him very uncomfortable. "You're parents are having a dinner tonight - they would love it if you showed."
"I'd rather not Harry. In fact I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell them that you saw me at all."
"You really just came back for him then?"
"Yes."
Ginny knew it probably hurt him to hear her say that, but she knew he would get over it. She began to walk past him.
"Goodbye Harry."
"He was going to propose you know," he told her. Ginny turned to look at him. "He told me so. He had the whole thing planned out - even had the ring. The only thing that stopped him was that he wanted to tell you he loved you first." Ginny bit back the tears that were threatening to fall. She only nodded slightly at Harry and again turned to go, but he reached out and grabbed her arm. "Ginny - wait." He reached into a pocket of his coat and pulled out something, handing it to her. "Goodbye Gin." With a tiny pop he was gone, leaving Ginny to herself.
The tears were leaving her eyes freely now. The box felt like ice in her hand. It was a small square silver tin, the words "Marry Me" were engraved on the lid. It was his writing. Slowly she pulled the lid off, and nestled on a soft, light green velvet sat the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. Silver, with a simple round diamond adorning the band. It felt so small in her hand and felt even smaller as she put it on her finger. She walked back to his grave.
"Yes."
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Please review!
Hope y'all enjoyed that. Came out so different from how I thought it would.