So much pain! She didn't think she could stand it. They were as close as family to her. They had survived Voldemort's wrath, only to be killed by a traitor, a rogue, and misfortune. For a long time, admiration for the Golden Trio had won out over the resentment that she would never be a part of them. She thought for a minute about their nickname, the Golden Trio.
They weren't quite so golden as their gilded images were tarnished with the dirt from their graves and the roses before their tombstones. Their memories were stained with pain and anguish. Their lives were ruined by one evil man, Voldemort. Though he was the cause of all this, the Golden Trio's blood ultimately stained another's hands. Albus Dumbledore.
She sank deeper into depression. Her brother, her lover, her best friend...gone. All because of an old man's folly.
She didn't want to think on it. Ginny knew that if she did, she'd risk madness. She had to live, even though all her meaning for life was dead.
"Mummy!"
Well, almost all.
Ginny picked up the small boy that had run into her arms. He had the Weasley red hair and freckles. His eyes, though, were a brilliant green. Ginny almost cried looking at him. So happy was her little Cedric. He barely knew his father as it was, what with Harry's going out to round up the remaining Death Eaters. It had meant as little as nothing to the small boy when he had heard, but it had bothered him to see his mother cry.
He was only three, and Ginny was trying as hard as she could to raise him on her own. Her mother and father helped out a good deal, as did the Ministry. The Ministry.
The thought opened up a can of worms in Ginny's mind. She saw red and wanted to make the building explode. Their incompetence when Voldemort first returned had only been the beginning. They proceeded to keep children out of the loop, even though the Dark didn't think twice about killing children. The Ministry forced another teacher on Hogwarts, one who would keep them from learning the practical side of Defense. Their logic being that if they didn't teach Death Eater spawn to fight, they couldn't. They hid Harry below ground, and placed a Fidelius charm on him while Voldemort was running rampant. They had to protect the Wizarding World's Golden Boy, while innocents were slaughtered by the dozens.
To try to make up for what they had done, Ginny was given a large amount of money after Harry's death. They had never married, heck, they barely even lived together, but the Ministry thought that was the best rectification of their stupidity. It wasn't enough. It would never be enough, as it didn't give her her family back. It didn't revive Harry, Ron, and Hermione from their graves.
On the first year anniversary of Harry's death, Ginny and Cedric made the trek to Hogwarts to visit the graves. In a beautiful spot by the lake, twelve holly trees were planted in a horse shoe, and flowers were magically dispersed about the area. Reds and golds met Ginny's eyes as she looked at the tombstones. A talented sculptor made a lion for Harry's grave, a knight's chess piece for Ron's, and a time turner for Hermione's. Each grave had a small piece written on them.
Seeing them all, Ginny fell to her knees, and wanted to cry. It raked at her, but she would not shed tears in front of her son. Her heart felt torn out of her chest, her eyes burned for release, and her stomach was sick. These people hadn't understood them, she thought. They had understood each other. She could barely breathe, and ignored her son's inquiring as to her health. They had died so that others might live. Slowly, comprehension dawned. The trio hadn't wanted Ginny to miserable. They wanted those who lived because of them to live their lives to the fullest.
Suddenly, she turned and caught Cedric in an embrace. "I love you, Ced," she whispered.
"I love you, too, Mum." He was unsure of what to do.
Ginny smiled a mischievous grin and tickled Cedric until he cried, "Uncle!"
A little while later, the two headed home, and Ginny felt a great burden lifted from her shoulders. She could live.
A/N: I just want to say that, yes, I am on an updating spree, and no, I have no idea which story will be next. If you want any one particular story of mine to be updated, contact me. That might just be the push I need to get going on it. How it stands right now, any chapter that you get, (except for HP and the Rest of his life), is not written. I am holding nothing back, and when I finish chapters, they're going directly up here.
Rhianna Potter: I try so hard to be unpredictable! Thank ye for reviewing both chapters, that was so kind of you. Hope you like this chapter.
Electra Black: Thanks bunches for reviewing. I know it's been a long time, but hey, it's here! The next chapter! Hope you enjoy it.
AmyChris: I appreciate your review tons. So far? It was really only supposed to be a one-shot! Then just a two-shot...and I just can't seem to stop. :-)
