Written for:
Written for my lovely housemate, Anna. With your story, I stretched out my writing muscles. Although the pairing is one I've written a few times, albeit not my favorite, I have very rarely written tragedy, but I wanted to give it a try. I hope you like it. (Pairing: Harry/Ginny, Prompt: (genre) tragedy, (action) holding someone in his/her arms)
Betaed by Angel.
Hogwarts: 365 Prompts
Prompt - coward
Hogwarts: Psychology
Task 1 - write about knowing something is the last time.
Hogwarts: Quarterly Event - Gym
Madam Pomfrey's Fun Fitness - Chest Press Machine - Male Character: Harry Potter
HPFC: Favorite House Bootcamp
Prompt - Cry
HPFC: Character Diversity Bootcamp
Character - Harry, Prompt - Hurry
HPFC: Pairing Diversity Bootcamp
Pairing - HarryGinny, Prompt - Wave
The Last One
Ginny wanted to cry. She was only 101 years old. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Her husband was the not-so-old age of 102. That might be old in Muggle terms, but the average age for witches and wizards were 160.
They should have had at least fifty more blissful years together, but instead, it felt like they were hurrying to the end of everything.
The years of being an Auror and spell damage wreaked havoc on Harry's body, and he wasn't able to sustain all of that hardship. His body was giving up from the pressure of it all.
A wave of grief washed over Ginny, and she closed her eyes tight, willing the tears to not fall. It was a cowardly move, refusing to look at his tired face, but she couldn't help herself. She wanted to remember the vibrant and excitable man he had always been, not the pale imitation he was now.
"Please don't cry," Harry whispered, the voice heartbreakingly frail.
Ginny took deep, shuddering breaths. "I'm trying not to."
"Our children, grandchildren, great-grandchild, and great-great-grandchild need you to be strong."
"I'm trying." Her bottom lip trembled.
Harry reached up, pressing his lined hand to her own wrinkled cheek. "You're still as beautiful as the day we married."
Ginny's broken sob erupted from her without her permission. "You're such a liar. I'm a pasty, wrinkled, old woman."
"To me, you're still the most beautiful woman in the world."
Ginny sniffled and opened her eyes. She stared into his emerald eyes, mesmerized by the dazzling brightness, even though they were a bit dimmer due to pain. She pressed her hand against his chest, feeling the slow heartbeat, knowing it was nearing the end.
"Talk to me," Harry begged.
"About what?"
"Anything. I just want to hear your voice. It might be my last time."
Ginny choked back a sob. She wanted to deny it but knew it was the truth. Even now, his touch was growing slack, his eyes fluttering as if he was losing the battle to keep them open.
"Okay. Remember how we thought Albus was going to be our last baby. We both thought two was enough. Although I dreamed of a little girl, I didn't want to do what my mum did and keep having kids until I got one. My luck, I would have six boys just like she did before I got my little girl. So, we agreed that two was enough."
Harry smiled. "I remember."
"And then a night of passion after you got back from a long two weeks away because of an extended Auror mission—"
"—and we forgot the contraceptive spell in our haste to be together," Harry finished.
Ginny laughed at the memory. "So much for only have two kids. Thankfully, with the accidental pleasure, I got the little girl I always wanted. Also, just as thankfully, only being able to have a lot of sons before getting a daughter wasn't genetic after all."
Harry's eyes were happy as he remembered one of the most joyous occasions of his life. "You wanted a daughter so badly, and she became a daddy's girl."
Ginny laughed. "Well, I was a daddy's girl as well, so it makes sense."
"I can't believe that was over sixty years ago. I remember it as if it was yesterday."
"Harry, thank you for making the last eighty or so years so happy. I don't know how I'll go on without you."
"You will. You're one of the strongest women I know."
They were silent for a moment.
Harry opened his arms. "I would like to hold you, if that's okay."
Ginny nodded, not trusting herself to say anything. He was fading, and it hurt so much. She carefully got on the bed next to him and sighed when he wrapped his arms around her in a loose embrace. "I love you," she whispered.
"Love you so much," Harry returned, his voice even weaker.
Ginny buried her head against his chest, knowing that the end was upon them. How would she go on without her soulmate? What if one could truly die from a broken heart?
She thought about the children. She had to keep going on. For them. They couldn't lose both Ginny and Harry at the same time.
Harry's heart was directly under Ginny's ear, so she felt it when it stopped beating. She felt it when his chest stopped rising.
She bunched the fabric of Harry's striped green and black shirt in a tight fist and let out a keening wail, sounding like an injured deer. James was the first one in the room, followed closely by Albus and Lily. All three of them looked on as their father left their mother, and this time, there was no coming back from the dead.
(word count: 806)