I closed my eyes as the rain showered me with misery. Whether I was

drowning in my tears or the rain, I didn't know. All I knew was that I was

drowning; in the cold finality of death. Of his death. How did things end up

like this? How did the war tear everything apart? I felt so weary, tired of

everything. The struggle was over; we had won. Knowing that didn't make

any of us feel better. Ron was up every night, crying out for Hermione. Fred,

lifeless without George. Mom and Dad looked so much older; when had they

gotten so many wrinkles? When had their vivacious copper hair faded to a

dull gray? Voldemort was defeated. It didn't feel like we won. Harry never

smiled anymore, the war had changed him. His eyes were now just pools of

green pigment, they lacked a soul. And... HIM. His name caused my heart to

thud painfully in my chest, made me crumple to the ground with my face in

my hands. Silent tears leaked out of my eyes. I could not comprehend my

feelings for him, why I felt this way. I looked up to the sky, the rain feeling

like ice on my flushed cheeks. The gray clouds reminded me of him, of his

beautiful silver eyes. How they made me feel as if I've been swept away in a

storm.

He intrigued me. He was the type that just caught your eye. He was

handsome, no doubt about that. But, it was something more, something

charismatic about him that just drew your attention. That first day I saw him

at the Order meeting, it surprised me, then caused me to frown. Why was HE

here? Meekly, I walked up to him. "Hello, Malfoy." He just stared at me for

awhile, and I fidgeted slightly, uncomfortable with his intense gaze. Then,

after a minute or so, he replied back.

"Hello, Weasley."

"Why are you here?" He just scowled.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm in the Order." Harry entered the room, and I

quickly took a seat next to Malfoy.

"But why?" I whispered as Harry went on about some plans.

"What do you mean why?" he whispered back.

"Why are you in the Order?"

"Because I chose to be in it?"

"But, I mean, your father-"

"Well, you thought wrong," he whispered back harshly. I just blinked in

confusion, slightly hurt with how he responded back. Who did HE think he

was to make me feel this way? I tried to ignore my bubbles of

disappointment as the meeting ended. As I walked out the door, I was

surprised to hear a "Bye, Weasley." When I turned back to see him, he was

already way in front of me.

"B-bye!" I stuttered. He just raised his hand, not turning back. After

our first encounter, during those short three weeks, we became closer with

each other. It was amazing how I got to know him so well, how I developed

feelings for him in those three weeks. And then, the announcement came.

"Draco... don't go. DON'T GO." I couldn't comprehend the look he was

giving me. Tears spilled down my face; he gently wiped them off with his

thumb.

"Ginny, I have no choice... the Order..."

"Screw the Order! Draco... you'll get killed..." For the first time since I

joined the Order, I was afraid. I finally understood how scary this war was

going to be... How much he meant to me. He just silently stared at me as I

bawled into his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, resting his head on

top of mine.

"Ginny... I won't die. I know that sounds like a lie, but believe me, I

promise I won't."

"Draco... please... I'm too scared to let you go..." For a while, he did

not answer back.

"Me too.. I'm scared too," he replied back, his voice slightly shaking. I

looked up to him, my eyes watery, making my vision slightly blurry. He wiped

my tears again, and slowly lowered his lips to mine. The kiss was soft,

passionant, gentle, and powerful all at the same time. When I leaned in a

little more, I felt the cold air in between us. "Ginny, you're my best friend. I

could never leave you behind." Inside, I felt my heart wrench up with pain. I

knew friendship was strong, beautiful like love... but.. I wanted something

more with him. All I could do was nod though. "I promise I'll be back. I

promise, Ginny." And with that, there was a small pop! and that was the last

time I ever saw him.

At the funeral, Narcissa and Pansy were sobbing into each other's

arms. I stood in the back, watching the scene around me. I did not hear a

word of what Harry said. As the casket was lowered into the ground, Narcissa

cried only harder. I was too weary to cry, I had done enough. As I watched

her, I wondered if she ever really knew him. If she knew that he loved to

read Shakespeare on rainy days; if she knew that he idolized Dumbledore. I

wondered if she knew all the little things about him that made him HIM. She

probably didn't. It was all too much for me. I silently stepped away from the

crowd and Apparated back to the Burrow.

I was out on the porch. The Burrow was so much quieter with only one

of the twins now. The world looked gray, and black, and white... As I looked

up at the sky, the dark gray color warned us of the weather. A storm... And

then, I once again collapsed onto the floor. I thought that I cried it all out...

but apparently I was wrong. I was crying so hard that I was gasping for

breath. And the sky remained gray, sweeping me away into it's turbulent

storm.

THE END