Neither can Live While the Other Survives …

Chapter Nine: Epilogue: Three Months

Summary: Either must die at the hands of the other, for neither can live while the other survives … the Prophecy is about to be fulfilled …who will die at the other's hand? Can Harry say everything he wants to say before it's too late? Harry must vanquish the Dark Lord, or the Dark Lord will vanquish him …

A/N: Hello. You'd thought I'd gone, didn't you? This is something that lots of people have been emailing me for, requesting an epilogue for Neither Can Live, mostly because they were so shocked at the ending! I do agree actually: I myself needed closure on this story as I couldn't bear to think of JK finishing the real book so brutally. So here it is. Please review – Rosie x x x

It had been three months since it happened. And it was only in that space of time that things had begun to return to normal. Most people were out of St Mungos, some had to remain for further observation, and some never came out again. But three months had by no means lessened the vividness of the experience for Ginny Weasley.

Last week had been the service, which Ginny found that she couldn't attend. Dressed in sombre black and looking in the mirror before she was due to leave with Hermione, she found that she could not go. She would not be there and break down in front of everyone. Ron had told her that Dumbledore had said a few words by Harry's grave, for which at least a hundred people had gathered to listen to, hundreds of others having attended his funeral, which was the worst day of her life.

And it had taken three months for a sudden memory to hit Ginny like lightening. Despite dwelling on everything that had happened right up until he was killed, Ginny had completely forgotten something that Harry had said right before the war, right before he had told her she was not to take part. I'm not going to say much now, but if something happens in this fight, Gin, you've got to go to Hogsmead and to that cave that Sirius hid out in when he was on the run. Do you know where it is?

She remembered it so clearly. Why had she not thought of it before? She remembered how she had questioned him curiously after this, wanting to know what the hell he was on about, but that he had said no more on the matter. She grabbed her coat, cursing her grief for making her forget about what he had said to her before the battle; it was obviously important, and she left the house in a hurry.

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Since the three months had past since Harry's death, Ron and Hermione had spent a great deal of time in each other's company, often not saying much, just preferring to be close to each other; almost as though recreating the times that they had spent with Harry.

Hermione heard the front door go and sat up quickly.

"Who was that?" she said.

Ron raised his eyebrows. "Probably Ginny. She spends quite a lot of her time walking since … well. You know."

"Yes, I know," Hermione replied. "Maybe we should do something, you know, all together. We could get the whole gang together again, you know, Luna, Neville, Seamus … it might – help."

Ron nodded, looking up from his paper. "It might. D'you think it'll help us as well?" he added seriously. "I know you're worried about Ginny, but we need to do something, Hermione. We can't go on like this."

Hermione looked away quickly. She had always kept her emotions under control, but with hindsight, thinking about Harry's death made her want to scream with frustration.

"We need to … I don't know," Ron finished lamely. "Like, get jobs or something, a hobby."

"A hobby? A hobby?" Hermione gesticulated. "Oh that'll help, Ron, that'll really help."

Ron looked at her angrily. "You're not the only one hurting, you know, Hermione. He was my best friend too. I feel like I've lost a brother. Worse, like an arm."

Tears fell silently down her face. "I know you have," she said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said gruffly.

They stayed in silence for a few minutes, both staring in opposite directions. Ron desperately wanted to talk, but didn't know what would come out if he did, so he concentrated on Ginny.

"You know, I think what makes it worse for her is what happened … right before, you know …"

"You mean when he told her how he felt?" Hermione submitted.

Ron nodded. "He told me before that he was going to do it, if he came through it all. Asked me if it was okay. Stupid git," he added fondly.

Hermione laughed nervously. "Yeah, Ginny said to me that she was going to, too."

Ron looked up quickly. "Seriously?"

Hermione nodded, smilling.

"Huh!"

There was another period of silence, until Hermione spoke. "So I can see how it'd make it worse. She's lost so much."

Ron nodded. "But he was right, Harry was. Life's too short. If you have something to say, you should say it…"

"Yes, I suppose you should …"

"…Hermione?" he said quietly, looking her straight in the eyes.

"Yes…?" she answered slowly.

"…I love you."

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Ginny scrambled up the hillside, her feet slipping in the mud from the recent rain of Autumn, but this didn't deter her. Before long, the cave Harry had mentioned came into view. She suddenly felt a hint of trepidation, she was almost frightened. It was like she was going to talk to him from the dead. But logic knew that this wouldn't happen.

The cave was dark and musty, but dry from the rain. She glanced around her and saw it instantly: a screwed up piece of paper poking out of one of the holes in the wall. She moved slowly over to it and removed it. It was damp with condensation from the wet outside, but the message written in ink was just discernable. Ginny took a deep breath and began to read Harry's handwriting.

Dear Ginny, If you're reading this note, then I guess something happened that I didn't exactly plan in the battle. I hope it wasn't Voldemort, 'cos that'd just be embarrassing! I hope I went the way my dad did, if I have to go at all, and that everyone else, including you, is OK. This is much harder to write than I thought it would be, sitting in Sirius's old living room, thinking about death. But I guess it comes to everyone eventually. I'm writing this now in case I don't get a chance to tell you. Well, basically, I love you. There. I said it, and it looks weird on paper! I'm really sorry if you're reading this, and I'm not around anymore, cos that must make it ten times worse. So I guess I'm just being a selfish twit, but I had to let you know. Please don't cry, I'm really OK with the whole dying thing. I've had a while to get used to it, and I pretty much used up nine lives, wouldn't you say! So go and do something great with your life, use your talents. Make Ron and Hermione see sense, (you know what I'm on about and so do they) and please don't let this ruin your life. It didn't mine.
I'll always be with you.
Love, Harry.

Ginny read and re-read it through five times before pocketing it. Don't cry and don't let this ruin your life. Well, it was easier said than done! She had thought that reading something like this would have made it worse, as Harry had said. But knowing that he was prepared for it, knowing that he must have sat and thought about it before it happened, eased the pain slightly in her heart.

He had loved her, and she had loved him. That was all that mattered. She turned on her heel, sliding back down the bank, her head full of Harry's parting words, and also thinking about how she was going to get Ron and Hermione together… without knowing that there was no need for that anymore.

A/N: Crap? Not? Let me know! (This really is the end by the way. That's your lot.