Leaky Cauldron
Chapter Two
Not realizing the spilt mug on the floor, Ginny's world suddenly was only about this moment. She didn't think that anything else mattered. She wanted her life back. She wanted the life she had before she ran away. The two walked closer and her heart was beating quickly. She didn't notice the dead silence and the multitude of eyes on her. She didn't care. She wanted this too much.
Harry was now facing her in shock. Hermione was right behind him.
"Ginny?! Ginny!?" Her head turned toward the voice, a familiar prankster running toward her. She smiled as he rushed up to her.
"Fred!" Ginny hugged him.
"C'mon Gin, I'm George!" He laughed.
Ginny raised an eyebrow. "It's been a while…"
"I'm kidding!" He laughed again, "I am Fred!" Gin giggled.
"Well now, looks like we have a reunion of mudbloods and muggle lovers." She heard a voice say bitterly. Her head turned to see someone unexpected.
Draco Malfoy, with his smirk across his face and drink up high.
"You bastard" She heard Harry snarl and before anyone could stop him, he lunged toward the Slytherin. He slammed his first into his gut. Draco fell to the floor as Harry picked him up again, continuously beating him.
"Hey stop it!" called a voice.
The new barkeeper (Tom being killed during the war) stepped in. He grabbed Harry and took him off of Draco, being much taller and built then both of the younger men. Fred and George restraint him, while the barkeeper, Dex, held Draco back.
"YOU SHOULD ROT IN AZKABAN!" yelled Harry.
"Don't you touch me again, Potter, or I wont' be responsible for what I do!" Draco snarled back.
"What are you going to do, huh? Slam your face into my fist, like you just did? I'd like to see you do that!" Harry laughed.
Draco was frustrated, how dare he say anything to him. He hadn't seen him in nearly seven years. He had no right to say anything. "Screw you!"
"That's really mature Malfoy! I can just see how much you've changed the past years!"
"Stop it, guys…please?" Pleaded Ginny, she didn't want it to be this way. She had just gotten back. She wanted a happy little celebration with her family. She didn't want bickering like this.
Harry calmed down, but was still restraint. "I'll get the ministry on you. You'll be heading for Azkaban soon enough."
"You don't know shit about me! You don't know what I was doing during the war. You never knew where I was! You have no proof to lock me up!" Draco spat. The man who was with the male Weasley was now staring at him, which obviously was a problem to Draco. "And what the bloody hell are you staring at?"
"Nothing." The man said hoarsely, getting strange looks.
"Anyways," Began Dex, "I will not permit this in my bar. You either stay at peace with each other, or leave."
After what seemed to be a staring contest, they both agreed to be civilized. Draco took his seat in the back, while the others gathered around Ginny's table.
"I'm sorry Ginny…" Harry apologized, "Its just been really tense since the war…"
"I understand Harry, really…and it's alright that git deserved it. But let's forget about it," Ginny smiled, "It's great to see you all again…"
"Yeah it really is." Harry said and looked to Fred, "It's great to see you too…haven't seen you since…well, you know."
Fred nodded. "Oh yeah, and guys, this is Damien…" Fred motioned to the man next to him, "He helps me with the shop."
"The shop?" asked Ginny.
"Yep, the Weasley wizarding wheezes, located in Diagon Alley!" Fred said, "It's bloody excellent, I'll tell ya…"
Damien nudged Fred a bit and said in a small voice, "Actually, business isn't going too well…" Fred shrugged.
"Oh," Began Ginny, "So is George tending the shop?"
The table fell deathly silent for a couple of minutes before Harry cleared his throat. "You see, Ginny…the war changed a lot…"
She knew what was coming, "They're dead…right? In the fire…they all died. Please don't hold anything back from me. I deserve to now."
"Of course you do honey." Hermione said gently, "It's just been tough for all of us." Ginny nodded.
"Well, George…" Harry started before he was interrupted by Fred.
"I should tell her, it's only right." Harry nodded as Fred continued, "George and I wanted to start the shop as soon as we could, we wanted people to laugh more. So we were looking at the shop at Diagon Alley and there was a lot of paper work. I didn't want George to worry about it, knowing that he never like doing any of that stuff…so…I told him to go back to the house and that I would take care of it.
"He told me that he wouldn't want to leave me with all the work…but I insisted that he should go home and go to bed. He finally left to go home and I fell asleep doing the paper work…I never went home that night and I never saw our home again."
There were nervous glances exchanged between Harry and Hermione. Ginny looked down at the table, "So…they all died? No one…left…damn it." Ginny shook her head.
"Actually," Harry said.
"Not all of them died." Fred finished. Ginny looked up and he explained, "Ron was visiting Hermione at her healers' camp at the time…"
"So where is he now?" Ginny asked.
"He's been in a coma for nearly two years. No one can figure out what's wrong with him, he's just out cold." Fred explained.
It had been like Ginny was taking blows in the chest. One after another, the bad news kept coming. She didn't picture her return like this.
"He'll get better someday." Harry assured her. Hermione was silent.
Ginny was silent for a minute, before asking, "Can I see him? Is he at St. Mungo's?"
Fred nodded. "We'll take you now if you want."
"Yes please…" She got up and put on her coat and the four left for the hospital. They reached the closed Purge and Dowse Ltd in mere minutes and entered the wizarding hospital.
"Where is he kept?" Ginny asked as they walked in.
"Fifth floor." Hermione answered, "They changed the shop into a place for war veterans since there were so many permanent injuries. They're adding another level soon."
"Oh." Ginny said as they went up to the highest floor of the hospital. They walked there way through a hallway and finally stopped.
"C'mon," Fred led her in. Harry, Hermione and Damien followed him. Ginny slowly walked toward the bed and began to cry as she saw her brother in the bed. He looked as good as dead. The once tempered red-head was now as silent as a shadow. He was pale from staying in a hospital for so long. He looked horrible.
Ginny turned her back and pulled the closest person toward her, which happened to be Damien. She began to sob against his shirt. He didn't mind and pulled her into a chair next to her brother's hospital bed. He quietly comforted her. The rest took a seat next to them, waiting patiently as she cried.
"I can't" She mumbled.
"What?" Damien asked.
"I shouldn't…" She mumbled again.
"What?" Damien asked, trying to be as patient as possible. She stood up, nearly tripping over herself. Her face was red as she shook her head.
"I can't look at him like this…" She whispered.
"We understand Ginny…" Fred said.
"More then you know…" whispered Hermione.
She kept on shaking her head. It seemed as she was emotionally breaking down. "I need to see mum and dad!"
"Ginny…" Harry began.
Damien interrupted, "I think you should rest a little first. I don't really know you that well, but I know that you're really ready for the emotional baggage."
Ginny shook her head against his chest, "Take me to them" She said hoarsely.
"Alright," Fred stood up. "The whole family is buried in the same cemetery. It's not far, we can apparate." Ginny nodded. "Look, you guys can stay here…I'll bring her and then come back."
"You sure?" Damien asked. She nodded, "Alright…"
Fred and Ginny apparated to the place where the rest of the Weasley family was buried. Ginny looked down at the tombstones engraved with the names of the most important people in her life.
"Are you going to be alright?" Fred asked.
"Yeah…" She replied. "I just need to be alone for a while…"
"Alright sunshine, I'll see you back at St. Mungo's" Fred gave his sister one last hug and peck on the cheek before he left. Ginny turned around and faced her family. She walked toward her father's grave and fell to the ground. Without warning, tears fell from her eyes.
"Hey daddy," She whispered. "I just needed to talk to you all one more time. I don't think you really understand, I mean, I don't either. Why'd you have to leave? Why'd you leave me without a family?"
She put her hand toward her face, catching her tears, "No…I'm so selfish. I'm sorry I'm so selfish. I'm sorry that I'm not the daughter you would have liked. I'm…not a very good person, am I? Well, I don't believe I am. I'm such a coward. Maybe, if I stayed, if I hadn't run away from it all, maybe I could have saved you, just like I could have saved Neville.
"But, I didn't stay. I ran away and I'm sorry. But I did live as a muggle, I'm sure you would have been proud to know of everything I learned. I wish you were still here. But, that doesn't make it happen, does it? If I knew you were going to die, I wouldn't have left. You know that…or at least I hope you do.
"There's just so much that isn't going to be answered now. What happened to you guys during the war? What did you feel when you found out that I had fled? Did you hate me? I wouldn't blame you if you did. I hated myself for leaving. I was just so scared. I wish I was stronger. Can you do one thing for me? One last favor? Can you give me the strength to continue on? The strength to live my life again? I just don't know what to do anymore. I need something, anything, or someone, to just make it feel worth it again.
"I can see the pain in everyone's eyes. They're happy on the outside, laughing and comforting me because I'm not strong enough to hide the pain. I can see it though. I can see the stress inside of them. Help them too, would you?
"I'm sorry Daddy, Mum…Bill, Charlie, George, and…Percy. I can't say it enough. You died not knowing how much I love you. Because, I love you so much and I don't know what else to say except I don't know if I can live with out you."
Ginny placed her hand on her father's grave and whispered one last apology.
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A/N: Emotional chapter, the last scene was tough to write thinking about my own experiences.
But like I said, complete A/N at the end of chapter 3.
Please keep reviewing every chapter!