Ginny Potter felt like she was going to be sick. She was in a good place for it, though. Sorta. St. Mungos healing center in London was definitely the best place she knew for most issues, she was actually becoming friends with several members of the staff thanks to her sons and father, but this was currently one of the last places she wanted to be.

It had only been a week. Not even-only four days. Four days of being out of country as an attempt to reclaim her sanity and relax with her husband. And somehow in that time, the floor of her world dropped out from under her. Leave it to her brothers to mess up every effort she'd gone through to get their father on the mend.

Well... There was no real way to prove that it was any of their faults, but when she came rushing home from the wizarding spa on Crete, playing devil's advocate was the last thing on her mind.

She must have looked a sight. The wind had definitely messed up her hair and she couldn't currently remember if she'd put on make-up today. But several of the healers she passed nodded in greeting, then directed her along her way instead of chatting as they were prone to do.

After a good run through the corridors, Ginny finally reached the private room she'd come to dread seeing over the past four months. As much as she would have liked him to have a room like this earlier on, having it now only meant one thing. And it put her stomach in knots as she stopped at the door.

Ginny hesitated before opening the door, staring at the scene through the glass window. She'd expected Ron or Bill or even one of the twins to be there, but the ginger sitting next to the bed (with his hands in his copper curls and his elbows on his knees which made his glasses droop dangerously down his nose) was the brother she'd been sending howlers to for months. Telling him that he was being a prick for neglecting his duties as a son for so long.

"Percy?"

Her elder brother jerked to attention, looking around almost wildly before his eyes fell on Ginny standing just within the door frame. He looked tired, as though he hadn't slept well in a long time judging by the bags under his eyes, and his coloring was a little off. All-in-all, her brother looked far worse than she could have.

The assessment only took a moment and before she could say anything else, Percy had jumped to his feet. "I-I have to get going," he said quickly, grabbing his coat from the back of his chair. "The girls will probably be waiting up for me."

Ginny nodded, though his back was to her. A small pang of heartbreak set in as she saw her brother try to wipe his eyes discreetly and then he placed his hand at the foot of the bed for a moment before he sped quickly from the room. She watched him go. Relieved, somewhat, to see her brother's guard down.

After a moment, with only the sound of magical quills scratching down records of her father's vitals, she moved towards the bed and took up the chair her brother had vacated. Even as she sat there it took an enormous effort to pull her eyes upward and when she did, the tears started to fill them.

Perhaps it had been a bad idea to go away for those four days. She'd been so numb to it all before they left. But now it was as if all of her temperance was gone. Making it all the harder to look at the strongest man she ever knew now that he'd wasted away to barely a shadow of himself.

"Hiya, Daddy," she greeted softly, gripping his hand. "Harry and I had a great time in Greece. It was too short, though... I hope everyone else came to see you. Lily's at the top of her class. Albus is doing well enough, he finally got onto the Quidditch team... Harry wants to sneak up there and watch him play at some point and, considering how much trouble James has been getting into, I'm sure Neville won't mind."

For the next hour or so, Ginny settled into what had become such a commonplace to her now. Just talking about anything and everything that came to mind. How Teddy and Victorie had finally moved back from Cairo. What each of the twins' kids were up to. The latest fight Ron and Hermione had over whether their daughter was old enough to attend the Yule Ball.

The faint click of the doorknob forewarned her of intruders and Ginny forced back the tears, which somehow kept herself from jumping when a hand appeared on her shoulder. "How are we holding up, Dear?"

Ginny let herself smile. It was Dana McPeak, the Scottish night healer. The woman was always warm and loving, a wonderful presence for this place.

Dana returned the smile, then moved around Ginny to check on her patient's vitals, humming softly as she went. After all this time, Ginny had learned the differences in her hums and these were definitely not good.

"I guess we won't be seeing you much longer," Dana said after a few moments.

"No," Ginny agreed, liking this healer's approach better than those who do nothing than report how sorry they are for you. "I suppose you won't."

"Have you told the children?" Dana asked gently, taking up a second chair and scooting with it until she was in front of Ginny.

Ginny gave a small nod. "Mine came by before they left for school," she reported. "So did most of my nieces and nephews."

Dana nodded in approval, glancing at the prone figure next to them. "At times, its better that way," she commented. "So they remember him that way instead of the very end."

Again Ginny nodded, her eyes welling up as she looked towards the bed, but her voice managed to stay even. "I agree."

The healer gave her another comforting smile, then sighed and attempted to switch to a lighter topic. "No Mr. Potter this evening?"

"No," Ginny answered, not trusting her voice to carry her much further in conversation. As hard a time as this was, and even if Harry didn't have his own hell to deal with, she wanted to take these moments on by herself.

Dana might have understood this, but even if she didn't, she nodded and gave Ginny's hands a comforting squeeze. Then she got to her feet again and went for the door.

Ginny's eyes didn't leave the bed when she heard the doorknob turn. Or when Dana spoke again.

"You know," the healer stated slowly. "I think he's only hanging on for you."

"I know," Ginny responded in barely a whisper.

The door closed again, but she hardly noticed. Too many memories were flickering through her mind. Early birthdays with him tickling her awake to give her a small chocolate before anyone else could give her a gift. Playing hide and seek in the orchard near their house. Having ice cream on his days off of work. That year of extra attention while her brothers were at school. The Wizarding World Cup. All those muggle things that they'd try to figure out together.

All those days and so many more, were already tinged with the heartache and turning bittersweet as her tears finally spilled over. Without a care for who could possibly be bothered by it or the fact that she was a grown woman, Ginny crawled up into the bed next to her father just like she used to when she was little. For a moment she could almost imagine it was one of those weekends when Mum and the boys were already out and busy doing whatever, and she'd curl up next to her dad as they got a few more hours of sleep.

Her own choked sobs interrupted that and she hid her face in his hospital shirt. But even though she would have done anything to keep him hanging on, and her heart felt like it was breaking to pieces, she found herself whispering to him.

"You can l-let go now, D-Daddy," she told him, her voice breaking as she tried to say it. "You can let go. Your... your little girl's all ready t-to do this o-on my own... Might be a little bit s-scary, but—but I want you to know, I'll be okay now, Daddy. You can let go..."

A moment passed. The quills stopped moving and Ginny let herself cry.

A/N: Believe it or not, this probably could've been finished a while ago. I just had issues connecting pieces (as usual) and computer issues. Lots of computer issues. *sigh* But here's the end! *hands out tissues* Now, uh, guess I'll get a head start before y'all sharpen some pitchforks...