Disclaimer: Don't own Harry.
Her skin was warm through my sleeve, and her long legs were draped over my arm.
She stared up at me with dreamy eyes, and smiled a vague smile.
It was sultry summer night, a warm breeze played with her fiery hair.
"I'm cold, Harry, hold me closer."
My arms enfolded her as rosebud's petals would its heart. She turned her eyes to the inky sky, liquid brown glittering with the silver of the moon. Raising her arm towards the heavens, she whispered,
"Hold me up higher, Harry, I want to catch a star."
The wine on her breath was the sweetest fragrance, and I wanted to taste her lips.
As I stopped still on the gleaming black road and lowered my face towards hers, she flashed her pearly teeth at me.
"Are you going to kiss me, Harry?" I smiled back at her and walked on, hunger for her gnawing at my heart.
She lowered her curtains of lashes, and looked down at her milky hand. Her fingers traced the lines on her palm.
"Can you read the future, Harry?"
I shook my head silently, but she hadn't looked up.
"I want to read the future, Harry." I looked straight ahead, my pace even, my eyes smarting. Thank the Lord she couldn't.
"Promise you'll never leave me, Harry," she whispered, her voice filled with sudden fear and urgency.
My ribs were a cage around my heart, closing in, crushing it.
"I promise," I whispered into her ear, my stomach twisting inside me.
Her lips were Egyptian cotton on my cheek, a touch of fire.
"Tell me a story, Harry," she murmured, her eyes closing.
My arms were aching, but not for the world would I put her down.
"And I want a happily ever after, Harry."
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. The corners of my eyes were burning, and a hard cold lump in my throat made it difficult to swallow. I tightened my hold around her.
"Once upon a time…"
I whispered on, afraid to break the silence of the night. Wishing it weren't nature's law that a rosebud bloom, its petals opening, giving its heart to the sun. Wishing I could hold my rosebud heart in my arms forever.
Her head was resting against my chest, the corners of her mouth lifted into a smile. Asleep.
And I wished the darkness did not enrobe her, wished I could stare at her as the sunlight danced on her skin.
I walked through pool after pool of orange light; the brave streetlights, trying to defeat the night.
"And they lived happily ever after." My voice was hoarse; my skin burned and went cold.
I dug into a pocket and pulled out my wand. The door clicked open as I waved it.
The house was dark, but my feet walked a familiar path up the stairs towards the bedroom. The moon shone through the open window. I laid her down gently on the bed, and her hair swathed the pillow in red silk.
I straightened up and stared at her, not allowing the tears to fall. My nostrils were flared, and my jaw clenched tight with the effort. I looked down, at my trainer-shod feet on the floor, but her face drew my eyes irresistibly back. I couldn't even take a step towards the door.
I reached out with trembling fingers and touched her glowing cheek.
She opened her eyes.
"Harry." She smiled at me, and then her eyelids sank down again. I bit my lip, and with a superhuman effort, turned away.
The trudging footsteps led me away from her.
And the pain was unbearable.
Ginny Weasley opened flashing eyes, and stared after him with a scream of agony poised on her lips.
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