Eternity

A/N: WARNING: Angst ahead. Watch out for the angst. Did I say angst? Cooked up when I was in a terrible mood and just wouldn't leave me alone. Do not flame. ANGST. Hey, just letting you know.

Disclaimer: The song used is not mine. Sarah McLachan wrote and sang it, though I'm using the words from the Westlife album. The HP characters most obviously belong to J.K. Rowling.

***

Spend all your time waiting

For that second chance

For a break that will make it OK

There's always some reason

To feel not good enough

And it's hard at the end of the day

I need some distraction, oh beautiful release

Memory seeps from my brain

Let me be empty and weightless and maybe

I'll find some peace tonight

In the arms of the angel, fly away from here

From this dark, cold hotel room

And the endlessness that you feel

You are pulled from the wreckage

Of your silent reverie

You're in the arms of the angel

May you find some comfort here

So tired of the straight line

And everywhere you turn

There's vultures and thieves at your back

And the storm keeps on twisting

You keep on building the lies

That you make up for all that you lack

It don't make no difference

Escaping one last time

It's easier to believe

In this sweet madness

All this glorious sadness

That brings me to my knees

You're in the arms of the angel

May you find some comfort here

Some comfort here

                                 -Angel, Sarah McLachan

***

She walked along the cold street, hands tucked into pockets of her heavy jacket. Stray flakes of falling snow gathered on her hunched shoulders, but still she made no movement to shake them off. Even though it was still morning, the sky was gray.

People passed by, throwing glances at this beautiful stranger. Still, she never looked up. And so they never saw her eyes. The deep brown eyes she had. Not one speck of joy danced in them. Not one glow of happiness. Just a terrible, terrible, pain.

She knew where she wasn't meant to go. She knew the terrors of the outside world that her family tried to shield her from. But still she walked along the road.

Some followed their mind: the intelligent, practical people. Some followed their instinct: the courageous, impulsive people. Then there were those who followed their heart.

She stopped in front of the shadowed building. "Go, Gin," she whispered. But she didn't move. She stood by the entrance, waiting for something, anything. Nothing came.

Tentatively she pushed open the door, before jumping back, scared for any stray curse or hex that might come. But she feared for no reason, and so she proceeded inside.

The large room was empty; save for the wooden box she knew would be there. Her steps echoed through the room, and finally she was there.

And so was he.

Ginny looked sadly at his still body. She looked at his gray eyes, eyes that would never again glow the way they glowed when she was with him. She looked at his lips, lips that would never kiss her again. She looked at his slender strong arms, arms that would never hold her against him. She ran a hand through his silvery-blond hair, and paused.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "So sorry."

Ginny tipped his chin up and bent over, placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

"I love you."

A loud noise behind her signaled the entry of someone else to the room. Ginny turned and her eyes met with Pansy's.

"Get away from... Ginny Weasley?" Pansy lowered her wand, and started walking towards her.

Ginny nodded slightly.

"He told me about you," Pansy whispered to her. "He told me how you made him happier than he ever thought he could be. How you gave him what I never could. He said the time you spent together was magic. He told me that he... he loved you."

A sad smile flitted across Ginny's face. "I love him too." The words hung in the silence that followed. Pansy noted the use of "love" not "loved", but said nothing.

"I'm glad you came to see him," Pansy said, somewhat awkwardly. "He would have been glad. I was worried you-"

"I meant to come as soon as I heard," Ginny said harshly. "My family wouldn't let me."

"I didn't mean to offend you. But we're burying him tomorrow, earlier than expected."

"Why?"

"Mrs. Malfoy couldn't bear to see his body any longer."

"I understand her point. It's painful seeing him like that." Ginny looked directly at Pansy. "I'm sorry for snapping. I'm-"

"You're upset. We all are."

"I should go. There's something I have to do." Ginny turned her back, but not before Pansy placed a hand on her shoulder.

"He wrote this sometime ago. I think he knew this would happen. I was to give it to you." Pansy held out an envelope, and Ginny paused before reaching out and slipping it into her coat pocket.

"Goodbye, Pansy. Thank you... for everything." Ginny turned and left.

"Goodbye, Ginny." Pansy smiled sadly, watching the retreating form grow smaller and smaller.

***

"Harry?" Ron asked. "Mione? Did any of you noticed anything... strange about Ginny today?"

"Today?" Hermione repeated. "Are you only noticing today, Ron? I love you, but you can be awfully thick about some things. Gin's been strange ever since... y'know."

"I know what?" Ron asked.

Hermione sighed. "Ever since," she lowered her voice "Draco Malfoy was killed."

"Ohhh. Oh!"

"Why'd you ask, Ron?" Harry looked at him.

"She seemed... different today. And she gave me this letter and told me not to open it till tonight."

"Where is Ginny, anyway?" Hermione looked around.

"She said she had to do something important, then she rushed out." Ron's face paled slightly. "Bloody hell, what do you think she's out doing?"

"Calm down. This is Ginny, right? Level-headed, smart Ginny. We have to trust her," Hermione looked anxiously at them. "Right?"

"Herm, people in love do crazy things." Harry glanced at her. "Like you and Ron."

"She doesn't love-"

"She does, Ron. Open the letter."

Ron fumbled with the seal on the envelope, and eventually pulled the piece of parchment out.

"Ron-

          How long did you last before you opened this? I suspect Harry and Herm might have something to do with it? But this is for them too.

          I'm sorry, I really am. I don't want to hurt anyone. But I can't take it anymore. You must think I'm insane, and perhaps I am slightly. But please, please, try to understand. Try to imagine what I'm going through.

          I do love him, Ron. I know I disappointed everyone, but I do. I love him like I'm never loved before. And him going, I feel like half of me has died.

          I won't ever get over him. Get over this. It's stupid, but I know I can't. And living half-dead is worse than death itself.   This is what I have to do, and so it's what I'm going to do. Please, I only wish that you understand. It would mean everything to me if you could manage to let us be together. Our time on Earth was cut short, but for my body to rest by his is enough for now.

          Goodbye, Ron, Hermione, Harry. Tell everyone that I'm sorry and I love them, and know that I love you all.

-Ginny"

"My God," Ron croaked out, throat dry. "Would she..."

"She must have loved him more than we knew." Harry looked down sadly.

"I should have known, I should have. I should have, Ron!" Hermione buried her face into Ron's chest, and started crying softly.

Ron's head snapped up. "We... we can still stop her. Where would she be?"

"The lake! The Merfolk Lake. It's where they first met after Hogwarts." Hermione pulled out her wand, "We have to Apparate there now!"

***

Ginny rested her head against the Weeping Willow. She didn't bother wiping away the tears that trickled down her face, both from the tree and herself. It wouldn't matter in the end, anyway.

Never say that Ginny Weasley wasn't prepared. This wasn't a rash decision; she knew what she was doing.

But she wasn't doing it.

No matter how much she had planned it out in her head, it was so much different now. She thought about his letter. She thought of her family. She thought of Harry, Hermione.

But, still, she knew what she had to do.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, and the wind caught up her words and lost them in the open air.

"Forgive me," she murmured, and the ripples in the waves captured her words and washed them away.

"It's what I have to do..."

"My dearest Ginny,

          I assume that if you're reading this I'm no longer with you. Bear with me, for I am no good with words."

She drew from her pocket the delicate silver dragon necklace he had given her, and clasped it around her neck.

"You are the most wonderful thing ever to have happened to me. I have not one single regret in all the time we spent together."

She drew out her wand with a trembling hand.

"I'm sorry we couldn't have had more time. But I knew what I had to do. I knew the risks."

She positioned the wand in front of her.

"I need you to know something. I love you, Ginny. I may not have said it, but I do. I love you."

"Avada..." the word formed and surfaced.

"Goodbye. I know we'll meet again. Remember always that I love you forever."

"Kedava..." Her wand slipped from her hand. Her lifeless hand. A small contented smile sat upon her face.

"Love always, Draco."

"Ginny!" The three ran up, a second much too late.

Goodbye...

-Somewhere in Heaven, two angels rejoiced and embraced each other. For they knew they had eternity to spend as they would.-

***

A/N: Ah, I've finished with my angst for a while now. Review, if you would.