This Is The Day
Part One
There is not much time left for them. It is now or not at all. If they cannot accept the inevitability of this day, they'll never truly know the happiness that is possible for them. It's all over now. The peace they longed for has come and yet the days and weeks and months that once separated them still resound in their memories. The words that remain unspoken hang in the air. For them, this is not a new beginning. They are in the middle of something that they cannot shut the door on until one of them finally speaks.
He's still struggling to come to terms with even the simplest facts of what has passed. And she is timid and shy, like she hasn't been for years. She doesn't want to do or say anything that will upset him but she doesn't understand that her silence may be causing more pain than a confrontation.
Yet, he cannot find the words to tell her that what he really needs is her laughter if he is ever to recover. He cannot tell her that there's only one thing he needs to move on towards his future, that now he has the chance of a future.
They have remained this way for two months, with only a few words exchanged and certainly no lengthy conversations. There is never a hint at anything deeper than the mundane aspects of their existence. The hustle and bustle of family life was determinedly encouraged by Mrs Weasley and soon returned. Normal, everyday activities kept them busy and concealed their awkwardness and stilted exchanges. This was not to say that the other members of the family did not notice what was going on. However, they chose not to interfere, believing Harry needed time to heal and Ginny needed time to accept that things would not be the same as before.
This is the day that will decide their fate and the sun rises slowly over the Devon countryside, hazy through the mist. Dew clings to each blade of grass and it splatters Ginny's bare legs as she walks through the damp garden of the cottage. She is unaware of the figure that watches from an upstairs window. Goosebumps rise on her arms so she folds them against her body, protecting them from the cool breeze. She wanders mechanically towards the orchard to sit and think as she does every morning.
Harry, watching, follows her figure through the tall grass. He sees her shiver against the chill. Glancing to the blanket draped on the end of his bed, he wishes he could summon the courage to take it out to her, to drape it around her slender shoulders.
Upon hearing footsteps on the stairs, he darts away from the window and sits on the bed with sudden movements. Ron walks in and immediately notices Harry looking suspicious. He rolls his eyes at his best friend. "No need to pretend, Harry", he says. Although no reply is offered, the faint blushes of pink that appear on his friend's cheeks are proof enough.
Harry shifts awkwardly on the bed, touching his scar absent-mindedly and grabbing a Quidditch magazine. He ignores Ron's gaze and sifts through the pages, without reading anything or even noticing the pictures. Ron moves to peer out of the window at the orchard, standing where Harry had been. The concerned frown that crosses his face makes Harry's stomach lurch with anxiety and he longs to be looking out at her again, to make sure she is okay.
Meanwhile, outside, tears run down Ginny's cheeks as fast as she angrily wipes them away, oblivious to her brother's watchful gaze. She's thinking about the impending arrival of Bill and Fleur. It's Bill's birthday and, though it should be a celebration, it upsets her. Firstly, the very idea of a family gathering without Fred is enough to have her eyes prickling with tears. She doesn't feel as if she can laugh without him. But she also longs for the time when she used to make fun of Fleur with Harry. A time when she was teased by her brothers: about her schoolgirl crush and then her brief relationship with him. Now, no one dares to speak of them in the same sentence. Just in case the memories are all too much. Right now they are.
The smell of breakfast cooking dries her eyes and she stumbles to her feet, taking deep breaths and composing herself for the day ahead. She finds Ron and Harry already at the kitchen table and they both avoid her eyes when she forces herself to look at them. She busies herself helping Mrs Weasley and extracting the morning post from Errol.
George joins them, causing a welcome distraction, until he innocently asks Ginny why her eyes are red. Mrs Weasley diplomatically remains silent. Ginny simply shrugs but is well aware of the two pairs of eyes examining her. She meets Harry's gaze and he quickly looks away. Her gaze travels to Ron and, unlike his friend, he holds her gaze and raises his eyebrows.