Author's Note: Oh thank you so much to everyone that's reading this story,
and the two really nice people, (Gingiesnap1 + Ectoplasmicstar7) who
actually sent me mail, telling me how much they liked my story! This
chapter is going to be very hard to write, because it's a bit cold.
--
His hand quivered as his light blue eyes widened in horror.
Ron leveled his wand as the snake raised its long thick body to the ceiling, its thin blood red tongue flicking in and out, its eyes glittering with a hungry greed at the tall red headed boy that stood so willingly in the face of pure danger. The door rattled behind them as if someone was trying to get in, but the serpent paid no notice.
Hermione made a squeak of horror as she clutched onto Ron's arm from behind. She had read about snakes so many times, and seen Harry talk to them- but never faced one before, or even knew how to ward one off.
"This is an anguis, Ron," Hermione whispered frantically, digging back into the depths of her mind as if reading out of a textbook. Remember.. Remember.. Ah ha! "The word anguis, comes from the Latin word meaning snake or serpent. It's a long descendant of the basilisk, but looking this creature in the eye would hold no effect- because it chooses to kill its victim's with its violently poisonous fangs, which hold a dark green venom."
But Ron was only half listening as his eyes focused determinedly on the enormous snake, poising itself for the kill, its head reaching the very top of the ceiling above. Hermione grasped his arm tighter, and held her wand at the ready, but nothing happened. One.. Two... Three.. Four... Nothing.
"Hermione, what's it doing..?" Ron whispered, eyeing the creature expectantly. But before she could reply, the two heard a faint, low hissing sound from behind the locked door on the other side of the room. The two looked at each other, and then at the snake, which had currently closed its mouth in frustration, and blinked angrily at the door with wide, hungry yellow eyes.
Then suddenly, as if making up its mind, the anguis wiped its head round quickly, its white sharp fangs glittering in the light, and arched its back forward, striking at them quickly. Hermione tried to gasp in surprise, but Ron had already reacted as he pushed them both onto the floor, in turn causing the snake to smash the window in a thousand pieces with a loud CRASH- glass scattering everywhere onto the floor.
Silence.
Hermione opened her eyes very slowly, just to meet Ron's. The two found themselves staring at each other sub consciously, drinking in the others scent without knowing it. Then, Ron, quite abruptly got up, helping her to her feet, and the two brushed off the loose pieces of glass on their robes.
"Alright, Ron?" She asked quietly, eyeing the stone snake near them that was lying on the cold wooden floorboards. He winced slightly, and turned away.
"Fine."
"Ron are you sure-"
"I'm fine Hermione, really. There's more important things to think about- like Ginny.." She nodded, and walked with him to the large thick brown door at the end of the room, and the two pushed it open with all their strength from the inside.
The low creaking noise of the door echoed dully through the darkened halls, as well as their thumping footsteps along the floors as they ran, their shadows dancing upon the walls behind them with the lighted candles floating about above their heads. They ran down a flight of empty stairs, deeper and deeper into the depths of the mansion, the sound of faint dripping water driving into their thoughts like a cold merciless knife.
"This must be it," Hermione whispered, touching the door they had come upon slowly, feeling the strange foreign smoothness under her fingertips of the etched pictures of snakes burned fiercely into the metal. Then, she slowly pushed the door open, and walked into the unusually rounded room, the freezing temperature dropping immediately as the fresh breath of air reached their noses.
"Harry...?" Ron ran to the other side of the room, Hermione following him. Another shadow followed behind the two as well, carefully shutting the door as the cool emerald candle lights flickered in the darkness eerily.
--
Harry looked down at her, his green eyes glittering. Ginny lay in his arms, deathly pale with her freckles growing sickeningly fainter by the second. She felt so weak, and his heart sank lower just watching her die in his arms like this. He was powerless, and that's why he hated himself for it. Out of the corner of his glazed eyes, he could see Ron and Hermione approach, and she kneeled down next to him slowly, fishing in her pocket for something- then unveiling a small, thin vile.
"Harry, we've made a healing potion for Ginny, it will cure anything life- threatening, but we've only got a small bit, so you have to give it to her quickly," Hermione said in a rush, eyeing the clock nervously behind him where its hand slowly tick Ginny's life away, where it now stood at 11:55.
Before the two of them could make any move, Ginny groaned and sat up painfully. Harry looked at her in shock, and tried to protest, but he watched in confusion as Ginny's eyes focused on Ron, and widened in horror.
"RON!" she gasped quietly. Harry and Hermione immediately looked up, but their best friend hand stood, partly turning away from them.
"Go on, hurry and give her the medicine," he muttered through his clenched teeth, as if he were struggling with great pain. Harry's heart pounded so furiously he was sure Ginny could hear it as she lie in his arms, struggling weakly to get to her older brother.
"Ron.. You've got.. To drink.. The medicine.. Not me," she forced, and Hermione instantly gasped almost in realization, and pulled Ron back down to a sitting position on the floor with them, and into the light. Seeing his best friend, Harry went dizzy with sickness at the sight and Hermione's mouth parted in a silent scream of terror.
The pure white fang of the anguis had driven into his right arm insanely deep, blood pouring down his ripped robes and staining it with a dark red color, the gash in his arm now sickeningly open in the shining emerald light of the candles behind him. But what really hit Harry and Hermione hard, was the dark greenish liquid that was running down his arm, mixing with his crimson colored blood. It was venom.
"Ron.."
"GIVE GINNY THE MEDICINE," he yelled, his loud voice echoing through the room like the crack of a whip, which caused Hermione to jump and Ginny to shiver involuntarily.
"No Ron, we have to save the both of you," Harry said determinedly.
"Harry.. There's only enough healing potion for one person, and that venom could kill Ron in less then 30 seconds.." Hermione's voice shook as it grew fainter and died in the silence of the room. Ron shook his head slowly, his eyelids growing heavier, and Harry could see his physical state drop dangerously low as he watched his best friend sink lower to the floor.
"Oh, Ron," Hermione whispered, trying to help him sit up. Burning tears filled Harry's eyes as he watched two of the most important people's lives go out like the faint light of a candle as if blown out by the wind in the merciless night. He felt physically sick because he had to tear himself in half and choose who meant most to him- who he really needed more. But before he could say anything more, Ginny crawled off of Harry's lap and onto the floor with all the strength she had left, grabbed the vile out of Hermione's hands, and pushed Ron to the ground, forcing him to drink the last bit of the potion.
Harry and Hermione watched in utter horror as the two brother and sister struggled with each other's hands fiercely- trying to make the other drink the potion. All Harry could do was keep himself watching as his two friends lives began to fade. Pushing grew slower, vigorous moves grew weaker and eyes burned painfully.
"Ginny.." Ron gasped, crumpling to the floor, her beside him. "Drink it.. Please.." She shook her head dizzily, and forced herself to lean on her arms, bending over her older brother.
"Hermione loves you, Ron.. She needs you to live... Harry thinks of you like his long lost brother.. Your like family to him.. I've merely shown Harry love.. And that there.. is such a thing out there for him.. You all can.. Live on with your lives.. Without me.. But they need you most, Ron.. Drink it."
One single tear ran down the side of her cheek as she handled the thin glass very carefully. 11:57. Ron looked up at his little sister, eyes glazed, but the pain was to great for him, so he couldn't even cry. 11:58. Ginny brought the vile to her brothers lips, and watched him drink the whole thing. 11:59. Everyone held their breath as Ron closed his eyes slowly, and didn't move.
12:00.
Ginny met Harry's eyes, and held it there. Two burning fires of brown and green clashed within each other like two menacing colored dragons at war with each other, the gaze intensifying. He could see the tears threatening his only loves eyes, threatening to reveal her pain to him, forcing her dangerously onto the cliff of her life.
His first year, the little red haired girl standing at the station, waving frantically and trying to run after the large, glittering red Hogwarts Express as it flew down the tracks and out of sight. His second year, the quiet young Gryffindor that hid behind corners and only managed to smile shyly at him in the halls- but almost lost her life down in the Chamber Of Secrets. His third year, the more stronger freckle faced girl who had picked up her older brothers good humor and fun-loving personality along the way, joking with Harry about Percy and Penelope. His fourth year, where he almost didn't recognize her when her confidence around him had so suddenly and oddly grew, and she almost never blushed around him at all. His fifth year, her stature had grew amazingly, and she had caught his eye on more occasions then one, with her dazzlingly brown, shinning eyes. His sixth year, where her charms had completely engulfed his every thought at the end of that second ball, and Harry could still feel the same sickening guilty feeling he felt when he had turned her down that night. Finally, his seventh year. He had confessed his love for Ginny. She had returned it. Everything was perfect. So perfect, and now they would be separated forever.
All these thoughts ran through his head, in just one moment.
He looked at her, lying quietly in his arms. She looked like a sleeping angel to him, a work of pure beauty, through the darkest hours of the night. He watched her chest rise and fall, its pace slowing. For one moment, Ginny opened her eyes, and looked deep into his.
'I love you', she mouthed. And then.. Her light when out.
Harry sat there, holding her, his whole body shivering. He stared into her empty eyes, willing them to be light again. Light, he begged. He stared until his vision blurred, but he kept staring. His eyes began to water with a fire, but he didn't care. He stared. Then he felt them burn painfully, but he didn't care. His heart was broken. His dreams were slashed. He felt sick. He felt alone. He couldn't cry, he didn't know what to do, it was all a mess, confusion, pandemonium, insanity..
"I-I-I l-l-love y-y-you," Harry whispered hoarsely, and closed Ginny's eyes with shaking fingertips for the last time. She would never see again. He also bent down and kissed her cold, soft lips, before pulling away, now shaking more violently. She would never kiss again. Harry held her hand in his, heart pounding furiously as his breathing became ragged and forced. She would never touch or feel again. Ever. For all of time.
Forever.
Then, the tears came. They poured down his cheeks like a plague, burning his heart like a fire and stinging his eyes painfully from sight. He gasped over and over again, hyperventilating, his entire body shaking violently as he bent over Ginny, willing himself to believe she was alright- to drug his mind with doubt.. Anything but give in to her death.. ANYTHING!
His heart screamed, and he screamed. He howled to the ceiling like a dying animal in a cage, screaming a long, sorrowful cry of physical and emotional pain, taking his entire life and yelling, crying, shaking, screaming himself into nothing. It wasn't fair, life wasn't fair.
"GINNY!" he screamed toward the heavens, shaking the very stars above, until he had no more voice left. Then, he laid himself beside her, and fainted into the darkness of his swirling mind.
--
Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Everyday I love you more and more
Listen to my heart can't you hear it sing?
Telling me to give you everything
Seasons may change winter to spring
But I love you until the end of time
Come what may
Come what may
I will love you
Until my dying day
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waiste
It all revolves around you
And there's no mountain too high
No river to wide
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side
Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide
But I love you
Until the end of time
Come what may
Come what may
--
His hand quivered as his light blue eyes widened in horror.
Ron leveled his wand as the snake raised its long thick body to the ceiling, its thin blood red tongue flicking in and out, its eyes glittering with a hungry greed at the tall red headed boy that stood so willingly in the face of pure danger. The door rattled behind them as if someone was trying to get in, but the serpent paid no notice.
Hermione made a squeak of horror as she clutched onto Ron's arm from behind. She had read about snakes so many times, and seen Harry talk to them- but never faced one before, or even knew how to ward one off.
"This is an anguis, Ron," Hermione whispered frantically, digging back into the depths of her mind as if reading out of a textbook. Remember.. Remember.. Ah ha! "The word anguis, comes from the Latin word meaning snake or serpent. It's a long descendant of the basilisk, but looking this creature in the eye would hold no effect- because it chooses to kill its victim's with its violently poisonous fangs, which hold a dark green venom."
But Ron was only half listening as his eyes focused determinedly on the enormous snake, poising itself for the kill, its head reaching the very top of the ceiling above. Hermione grasped his arm tighter, and held her wand at the ready, but nothing happened. One.. Two... Three.. Four... Nothing.
"Hermione, what's it doing..?" Ron whispered, eyeing the creature expectantly. But before she could reply, the two heard a faint, low hissing sound from behind the locked door on the other side of the room. The two looked at each other, and then at the snake, which had currently closed its mouth in frustration, and blinked angrily at the door with wide, hungry yellow eyes.
Then suddenly, as if making up its mind, the anguis wiped its head round quickly, its white sharp fangs glittering in the light, and arched its back forward, striking at them quickly. Hermione tried to gasp in surprise, but Ron had already reacted as he pushed them both onto the floor, in turn causing the snake to smash the window in a thousand pieces with a loud CRASH- glass scattering everywhere onto the floor.
Silence.
Hermione opened her eyes very slowly, just to meet Ron's. The two found themselves staring at each other sub consciously, drinking in the others scent without knowing it. Then, Ron, quite abruptly got up, helping her to her feet, and the two brushed off the loose pieces of glass on their robes.
"Alright, Ron?" She asked quietly, eyeing the stone snake near them that was lying on the cold wooden floorboards. He winced slightly, and turned away.
"Fine."
"Ron are you sure-"
"I'm fine Hermione, really. There's more important things to think about- like Ginny.." She nodded, and walked with him to the large thick brown door at the end of the room, and the two pushed it open with all their strength from the inside.
The low creaking noise of the door echoed dully through the darkened halls, as well as their thumping footsteps along the floors as they ran, their shadows dancing upon the walls behind them with the lighted candles floating about above their heads. They ran down a flight of empty stairs, deeper and deeper into the depths of the mansion, the sound of faint dripping water driving into their thoughts like a cold merciless knife.
"This must be it," Hermione whispered, touching the door they had come upon slowly, feeling the strange foreign smoothness under her fingertips of the etched pictures of snakes burned fiercely into the metal. Then, she slowly pushed the door open, and walked into the unusually rounded room, the freezing temperature dropping immediately as the fresh breath of air reached their noses.
"Harry...?" Ron ran to the other side of the room, Hermione following him. Another shadow followed behind the two as well, carefully shutting the door as the cool emerald candle lights flickered in the darkness eerily.
--
Harry looked down at her, his green eyes glittering. Ginny lay in his arms, deathly pale with her freckles growing sickeningly fainter by the second. She felt so weak, and his heart sank lower just watching her die in his arms like this. He was powerless, and that's why he hated himself for it. Out of the corner of his glazed eyes, he could see Ron and Hermione approach, and she kneeled down next to him slowly, fishing in her pocket for something- then unveiling a small, thin vile.
"Harry, we've made a healing potion for Ginny, it will cure anything life- threatening, but we've only got a small bit, so you have to give it to her quickly," Hermione said in a rush, eyeing the clock nervously behind him where its hand slowly tick Ginny's life away, where it now stood at 11:55.
Before the two of them could make any move, Ginny groaned and sat up painfully. Harry looked at her in shock, and tried to protest, but he watched in confusion as Ginny's eyes focused on Ron, and widened in horror.
"RON!" she gasped quietly. Harry and Hermione immediately looked up, but their best friend hand stood, partly turning away from them.
"Go on, hurry and give her the medicine," he muttered through his clenched teeth, as if he were struggling with great pain. Harry's heart pounded so furiously he was sure Ginny could hear it as she lie in his arms, struggling weakly to get to her older brother.
"Ron.. You've got.. To drink.. The medicine.. Not me," she forced, and Hermione instantly gasped almost in realization, and pulled Ron back down to a sitting position on the floor with them, and into the light. Seeing his best friend, Harry went dizzy with sickness at the sight and Hermione's mouth parted in a silent scream of terror.
The pure white fang of the anguis had driven into his right arm insanely deep, blood pouring down his ripped robes and staining it with a dark red color, the gash in his arm now sickeningly open in the shining emerald light of the candles behind him. But what really hit Harry and Hermione hard, was the dark greenish liquid that was running down his arm, mixing with his crimson colored blood. It was venom.
"Ron.."
"GIVE GINNY THE MEDICINE," he yelled, his loud voice echoing through the room like the crack of a whip, which caused Hermione to jump and Ginny to shiver involuntarily.
"No Ron, we have to save the both of you," Harry said determinedly.
"Harry.. There's only enough healing potion for one person, and that venom could kill Ron in less then 30 seconds.." Hermione's voice shook as it grew fainter and died in the silence of the room. Ron shook his head slowly, his eyelids growing heavier, and Harry could see his physical state drop dangerously low as he watched his best friend sink lower to the floor.
"Oh, Ron," Hermione whispered, trying to help him sit up. Burning tears filled Harry's eyes as he watched two of the most important people's lives go out like the faint light of a candle as if blown out by the wind in the merciless night. He felt physically sick because he had to tear himself in half and choose who meant most to him- who he really needed more. But before he could say anything more, Ginny crawled off of Harry's lap and onto the floor with all the strength she had left, grabbed the vile out of Hermione's hands, and pushed Ron to the ground, forcing him to drink the last bit of the potion.
Harry and Hermione watched in utter horror as the two brother and sister struggled with each other's hands fiercely- trying to make the other drink the potion. All Harry could do was keep himself watching as his two friends lives began to fade. Pushing grew slower, vigorous moves grew weaker and eyes burned painfully.
"Ginny.." Ron gasped, crumpling to the floor, her beside him. "Drink it.. Please.." She shook her head dizzily, and forced herself to lean on her arms, bending over her older brother.
"Hermione loves you, Ron.. She needs you to live... Harry thinks of you like his long lost brother.. Your like family to him.. I've merely shown Harry love.. And that there.. is such a thing out there for him.. You all can.. Live on with your lives.. Without me.. But they need you most, Ron.. Drink it."
One single tear ran down the side of her cheek as she handled the thin glass very carefully. 11:57. Ron looked up at his little sister, eyes glazed, but the pain was to great for him, so he couldn't even cry. 11:58. Ginny brought the vile to her brothers lips, and watched him drink the whole thing. 11:59. Everyone held their breath as Ron closed his eyes slowly, and didn't move.
12:00.
Ginny met Harry's eyes, and held it there. Two burning fires of brown and green clashed within each other like two menacing colored dragons at war with each other, the gaze intensifying. He could see the tears threatening his only loves eyes, threatening to reveal her pain to him, forcing her dangerously onto the cliff of her life.
His first year, the little red haired girl standing at the station, waving frantically and trying to run after the large, glittering red Hogwarts Express as it flew down the tracks and out of sight. His second year, the quiet young Gryffindor that hid behind corners and only managed to smile shyly at him in the halls- but almost lost her life down in the Chamber Of Secrets. His third year, the more stronger freckle faced girl who had picked up her older brothers good humor and fun-loving personality along the way, joking with Harry about Percy and Penelope. His fourth year, where he almost didn't recognize her when her confidence around him had so suddenly and oddly grew, and she almost never blushed around him at all. His fifth year, her stature had grew amazingly, and she had caught his eye on more occasions then one, with her dazzlingly brown, shinning eyes. His sixth year, where her charms had completely engulfed his every thought at the end of that second ball, and Harry could still feel the same sickening guilty feeling he felt when he had turned her down that night. Finally, his seventh year. He had confessed his love for Ginny. She had returned it. Everything was perfect. So perfect, and now they would be separated forever.
All these thoughts ran through his head, in just one moment.
He looked at her, lying quietly in his arms. She looked like a sleeping angel to him, a work of pure beauty, through the darkest hours of the night. He watched her chest rise and fall, its pace slowing. For one moment, Ginny opened her eyes, and looked deep into his.
'I love you', she mouthed. And then.. Her light when out.
Harry sat there, holding her, his whole body shivering. He stared into her empty eyes, willing them to be light again. Light, he begged. He stared until his vision blurred, but he kept staring. His eyes began to water with a fire, but he didn't care. He stared. Then he felt them burn painfully, but he didn't care. His heart was broken. His dreams were slashed. He felt sick. He felt alone. He couldn't cry, he didn't know what to do, it was all a mess, confusion, pandemonium, insanity..
"I-I-I l-l-love y-y-you," Harry whispered hoarsely, and closed Ginny's eyes with shaking fingertips for the last time. She would never see again. He also bent down and kissed her cold, soft lips, before pulling away, now shaking more violently. She would never kiss again. Harry held her hand in his, heart pounding furiously as his breathing became ragged and forced. She would never touch or feel again. Ever. For all of time.
Forever.
Then, the tears came. They poured down his cheeks like a plague, burning his heart like a fire and stinging his eyes painfully from sight. He gasped over and over again, hyperventilating, his entire body shaking violently as he bent over Ginny, willing himself to believe she was alright- to drug his mind with doubt.. Anything but give in to her death.. ANYTHING!
His heart screamed, and he screamed. He howled to the ceiling like a dying animal in a cage, screaming a long, sorrowful cry of physical and emotional pain, taking his entire life and yelling, crying, shaking, screaming himself into nothing. It wasn't fair, life wasn't fair.
"GINNY!" he screamed toward the heavens, shaking the very stars above, until he had no more voice left. Then, he laid himself beside her, and fainted into the darkness of his swirling mind.
--
Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Everyday I love you more and more
Listen to my heart can't you hear it sing?
Telling me to give you everything
Seasons may change winter to spring
But I love you until the end of time
Come what may
Come what may
I will love you
Until my dying day
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waiste
It all revolves around you
And there's no mountain too high
No river to wide
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side
Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide
But I love you
Until the end of time
Come what may
Come what may