Ginny was floating, her short hair bobbing around her face as she drifted
calmly. The water was warm and soothing as it lapped against her skin, and
she felt like she could stay this way forever. Dimly, she could hear
noises like on that television show about the doctors, but she pushed that
aside and concentrated on the lovely feeling of floating.
"Ginny, dear, please come back to us. We love you so much, and I miss our little chats. Everyone's been so worried about you, we didn't know what to think. My poor baby, come back." Her mum. Ginny was torn between a rush of love and a distinct impatience. There was no doubt her mother did indeed love her, but their little chats had mostly consisted of Molly giving advice on how to be a good wife and hinting delicately that Ginny should pressure Harry to get married immediately. Molly adored Harry, but it grated on her nerves that her daughter was sleeping with a man outside the sanctity of marriage. Shutting her mother's chatter out of her mind, Ginny returned to the bliss of oblivion.
Next came her father's voice. He sounded tired, and she wished she could sit on his lap and lay her head on his shoulder like she did when she was little. "Ginny... I know you haven't been happy for some time, but please, forgive me for not helping you. Come back and we can fix anything, just so long as I can see my little girl smile again." She tried to look at him and smile, but the water was too heavy and she couldn't lift her head up.
Then came her brothers, one after the other, each murmuring about their love and making promises for when she came back. A visit to Egypt, a ride on a dragon, a post in the Ministry, a nice long visit with Angelina, a job at the Wheezes if she wanted one, anything she wanted if only she'd come back, come back, don't leave us. Ginny felt a rush of love for her brothers, but also a strange sort of bitterness. It shouldn't take something life threatening (life threatening? But she was just floating.) to make them see her. She wanted to laugh when Ron's concern slipped into scolding her, but then he was gone.
She heard someone talking above her, something about vital signs and surgery and possible miscarriage, and she felt sorry for whoever they were talking about. She felt her hand being lifted and then came the voice as familiar to her as her own. "Ginny, you have to come back, I need you. We're going to have a baby, Ginny, and we can be happy again."
She winced at the desperation in Harry's voice and wished he would put her hand down, because it hurt. Happy again? When had she been happy in the whole time she had been with Harry? Living your life for the benefit of another person doesn't leave a lot of room for such trivialities as your own happiness.
"Please, Ginny, I'll do anything for you. We'll get married, and I'll build us a nice little house not too far from the Burrow, and I'll bring you flowers and chocolates and adore you even when you're big as a house." Harry's voice was ragged with pain and Ginny winced at causing it. "I don't know why you left. You said I took you for granted, but I... I don't know, maybe I did, but I can change, Ginny, I can, you just need to tell me how. You and me and the baby, Gin, it's part of us. I want us to be together, I want to be what you need me to be. Please, please come back. I need you, both of you."
No, Harry, you don't need me, not any more. You deserve the chance to do and be who you want to be, not who other people need. And I'm tired, Harry. I'm so tired...
"Code blue, code blue, we're losing her! Get the OR clear, now!"
"Ginny, dear, please come back to us. We love you so much, and I miss our little chats. Everyone's been so worried about you, we didn't know what to think. My poor baby, come back." Her mum. Ginny was torn between a rush of love and a distinct impatience. There was no doubt her mother did indeed love her, but their little chats had mostly consisted of Molly giving advice on how to be a good wife and hinting delicately that Ginny should pressure Harry to get married immediately. Molly adored Harry, but it grated on her nerves that her daughter was sleeping with a man outside the sanctity of marriage. Shutting her mother's chatter out of her mind, Ginny returned to the bliss of oblivion.
Next came her father's voice. He sounded tired, and she wished she could sit on his lap and lay her head on his shoulder like she did when she was little. "Ginny... I know you haven't been happy for some time, but please, forgive me for not helping you. Come back and we can fix anything, just so long as I can see my little girl smile again." She tried to look at him and smile, but the water was too heavy and she couldn't lift her head up.
Then came her brothers, one after the other, each murmuring about their love and making promises for when she came back. A visit to Egypt, a ride on a dragon, a post in the Ministry, a nice long visit with Angelina, a job at the Wheezes if she wanted one, anything she wanted if only she'd come back, come back, don't leave us. Ginny felt a rush of love for her brothers, but also a strange sort of bitterness. It shouldn't take something life threatening (life threatening? But she was just floating.) to make them see her. She wanted to laugh when Ron's concern slipped into scolding her, but then he was gone.
She heard someone talking above her, something about vital signs and surgery and possible miscarriage, and she felt sorry for whoever they were talking about. She felt her hand being lifted and then came the voice as familiar to her as her own. "Ginny, you have to come back, I need you. We're going to have a baby, Ginny, and we can be happy again."
She winced at the desperation in Harry's voice and wished he would put her hand down, because it hurt. Happy again? When had she been happy in the whole time she had been with Harry? Living your life for the benefit of another person doesn't leave a lot of room for such trivialities as your own happiness.
"Please, Ginny, I'll do anything for you. We'll get married, and I'll build us a nice little house not too far from the Burrow, and I'll bring you flowers and chocolates and adore you even when you're big as a house." Harry's voice was ragged with pain and Ginny winced at causing it. "I don't know why you left. You said I took you for granted, but I... I don't know, maybe I did, but I can change, Ginny, I can, you just need to tell me how. You and me and the baby, Gin, it's part of us. I want us to be together, I want to be what you need me to be. Please, please come back. I need you, both of you."
No, Harry, you don't need me, not any more. You deserve the chance to do and be who you want to be, not who other people need. And I'm tired, Harry. I'm so tired...
"Code blue, code blue, we're losing her! Get the OR clear, now!"