Gone
The funeral had been one tear inducing speech after the other. Ginny had sat next to Ron, not moving, not thinking, knowing that if she let any emotion in, she would cry. She had watched as her parents, her brothers, even Harry and Hermione had gone up and spoken about everyone they had lost in the battles. Then George had gone up. George, who was always smiling, now wore a somber frown. He spoke one word
"Fred"
And that was it. George collapsed to the floor in a hollow sob. Ginny couldn't bear it. She ran, tears streaming down her face. She stopped near a beech tree, and cried, her entire body shaking. The realization of it all hit her. They were dead, all of them. Cedric Diggory, who she had only ever seen in the halls at Hogwarts. Sirius Black, who had always been so nice to her at the Order meetings. Professor Dumbledore, who was such an inspiration, an amazing person. Remus Lupin, and Tonks, who had been so much a part of her family as- she couldn't bring herself to say his name. Mad-Eye Moody, who made the best jokes, even if her mum didn't approve of the subjects. Hedwig, that amazingly beautiful creature. Dobby, the most loyal house elf there ever was, and a true friend. She even missed Professor Snape, who she had never even liked. Most of all, she missed Fred. Her brother. He never stopped smiling, even when… Ginny sobbed again.
"Ginny?" It was Harry, walking towards her. Ginny turned and looked at him. He was so handsome. Clearly, he had been crying too. He came up next to her, and wrapped her in a hug.
"Harry" Ginny cried into his shirt "I miss them"
"I know Gin. I miss them too" Harry hugged her harder
"All of them. I want nothing more than to believe this was all a dream. That I'll wake up tomorrow, and go downstairs and be teased by Fred. Go to Hogwarts and see Cedric Diggory walk by in the halls, and go to Potions with Snape, and learn a life lesson from Professor Dumbledore. Then later, we'll sneak out to go to an Order meeting, and I'll talk to Tonks about boys, and be reprimanded by Lupin, and get a smile from Sirius, and hear one of Mad-Eye's jokes. Feed Hedwig a mouse, and hug Dobby. More than anything, I want to hug all of them again. Just once" Ginny sniffed, and looked up at Harry. He was crying now, and staring at the tree they were standing under.
"If I had just grabbed the portkey by myself. Hadn't let Cedric grab it. When I was in the graveyard with Voldemort. I could have killed him then, Ginny, but I didn't. I was a coward." Harry cursed under his breath, and moved away from her.
"No. Harry, no. You would have died. You did what you had to do. You had to run away. You could never have known that the cup was a portkey." Ginny grabbed his hand. Harry looked at her, and she smiled. He smiled as well, and kissed her, softly.
"I missed you." Harry whispered.
"I missed you too. Come on, let's go back." Ginny and Harry walked back to what was left of their family, hand in hand, both crying and smiling at the same time.
