Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J. K. Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Ginny Weasley stood still in front of her parents graves. It was hard to believe that they had lived just a few weeks ago. She wiped a tear from her face; she didn't want the young man next to her to think that she was crying. Of course, she would have any rights to cry – but somehow she didn't want to show her weakness in front of him. Looking down at the graves, she read the inscriptions once more.
"Molly and Arthur Weasley, beloved parents and friends." And then the dates of their births and death. The date, the 16th of July, would forever be a mark in her heart. The day when her mum and dad were killed. She couldn't help it. With a sob she burst out into tears. The young man next to her hastily looked at her, unsure of what to do. He turned to her, after a moment of hesitating, he embraced her softly. Ginny cried even more.
"I said… I wouldn't cry", she sobbed into his robe, "but I can't …" The young man lifted up her chin and looked straight into her eyes.
"Ginny, you're only human. When your parents die… it's okay to cry." She looked up at him.
"I didn't see you cry when your parents died", she whispered. He stiffened, but then said with an easy voice:
"You didn't see me when I was crying."
"Or, you didn't cry at all." Ginny wiped the tears off her face and smiled weakly. "If I didn't know better, I'd thought you had no heart at all."
"Well, Gin", he said with a glitter in his eyes, "I do have feelings. It's just that… my parents and I – even though I tried to keep up a good façade in front of the other students – weren't exactly the best of friends. When Dad died, I couldn't cry at all. And when Mum died… let's just say that I was just like you were right now." Ginny frowned.
"I have trouble with seeing that, Draco", she admitted. "But… Where are your parents buried? I wasn't on the funeral." He nodded slowly.
"No, I saw that…. They're… they're buried on the churchyard near the manor…" Ginny shook her head.
"I would never make it, Draco. I… I don't know what to do, anymore." She turned away from him. "I have to go now. I'm supposed to meet Harry and Ron outside."
"They won't go in here?"
"Ron won't go in here. Fred and George were here last night. Bill and Charlie are back on their places… Bill in Egypt again… and Charlie's still in Romania."
"How are Fred and George taking it?"
"George cries every night."
"And Fred?"
"He doesn't cry at all. He... he just sits there… He cried on the funeral… That's all." Ginny started to cry again.
"I can't stand it! Why can't he cry?"
"Some people don't cry, Ginny."
Ginny didn't look at him. Draco felt his heart falling in his chest like a heavy rock.
"Ginny…" he said. "Come." He embraced her softly, but she stood stiff as a tree, not crying anymore.
"Ginny, what's the matter with you?" Draco said worriedly. "This isn't healthy for you. Come on, I'll take you home." Ginny turned away from him, staring at her parent's grave.
"No", she said. "I'm not leaving. Not until…"
"Until what?" Draco repeated softly. "Until what, Gin? Until you fall apart, until you die, or until you've realised that they're dead?" Ginny started to shake uncontrollably, her face white as one of the Hogwarts' ghosts, and then she said with a stifled voice:
"I don't know, Draco. I… I'm going in circles around myself." He nodded silently, his grey eyes full of compassion and another feeling Ginny couldn't identify. He leaned towards her.
"Ginny?" Both Ginny and Draco jumped and turned around hastily. Harry was walking up one of the aisles.
"Oh… hello, Draco", Harry said and nodded towards him. "It's nice to see you."
"Hello Harry", Draco said. He turned to Ginny. "Well, Gin, then I can leave you here with Harry." Ginny nodded and looked away from him. Draco felt a stitch in his heart when he saw it. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. Then he looked at Harry, and walked slowly up the aisle. Ginny stood still, wanted to run after him and talk with him, but the small moment was over. She felt a lonely ache inside her chest. She had already lost so many – would she loose him too?
