Perpetual Shelter

Silence. Out of the corner of her eye Mrs. Weasley watched Ginny peel potatoes as if they did her bodily harm. It was obvious a tornado of emotions was going through the young girls mind and was taking control of her body. Mrs. Weasley slowly walked over and spun the dial of the wooden wireless until the room was silent. She continued watching Ginny, just waiting for the breakdown. One by one Ginny peeled, setting the peel less potatoes in the bowl beside her. Another rough skin fell into the sink and out of nowhere Ginny through the offending potato across the room with an infuriated scream. It hit the wall with a thud. Yet her mother remained in her place, being unnoticed in the counter across the way. After the scream had ended Ginny covered her face in her hands and collapsed to the ground, her body wracking in uncontrollable sobs. Molly walked across the room and picked up the bruised vegetable. She slowly walked to where Ginny was, and turned the tap water on. Feeling the shaking girl at her feet she slowly washed it off and then put it into the bowl with the others. Very slowly she dried of her hands and bent down to envelop the swollen red-eyed girl, who was now trying to calm down, in a tight embrace. Molly ran her hands through her daughter's messy hair, and felt her take unsteady breaths with sobs hidden in them. She whispered soothing words of comfort that embraced Ginny until she broke away rubbing at her eyes. No touch could remove the traces of her tears.

Molly smiled weakly at her daughter as she stood up. Both were soon standing and Ginny silently went back to peeling the potatoes, her breathing still labored with sniffing.

It was a matter of time before Ginny let a load out of her mind, until then her anger was slowly building up once again. Finishing the last peel she slowly made her way to the table and sat in a chair. She lost herself in thought, letting grief overtake her before looking up at her mother. Recognition flickered through her eyes as if she had forgotten in that world of hers that her mother was still in the room.

"It's not fair." Her raspy voice floated across the room in a whisper. The once vibrant girl was now dead in spirit and she appeared it. Her features were pale and gaunt. She was all bones and her eyes, which once held life, were now orbs of grey. Only the smallest flicker of brown proved that she once was something more. Mrs. Weasley's heart tore to see her daughter slowly mold into this lifeless person.

Ginny tiredly rubbed at her face. "I can't do anything." She stated in the quiet voice that was void of any emotion. "People are getting killed and I am at home making supper."

"Gin-"

"NO!" Ginny screamed suddenly, and then her voice fell back into its quiet, quivering whisper. "That family didn't deserve those attacks." She stated, referring to the latest muggle family that had been tortured to death by Voldermort. "They weren't expecting them. They were living their life then without warning were murdered. A father who was loved by many, a mother who was wonderful. And two girls" Her voice started to break as wetness ran down her cheeks "Two innocent, beautiful, young girls were tortured and killed. Two girls who never got chance to know right from wrong, two girl who never lived, two girls who-who" A sob passed by her lips. "Who never got the chance to love, were killed without mercy. A family who never chose to be what they were; a family who never knew of a world beyond. A family who loved each other, and were truly good people woke up one morning and were killed. For what? For someone else to live? For a righteous cause? NO for prejudice against something they didn't even know there was an alternative to! They didn't deserve it…Two girls…" She broke off, unable to go on.

A couple moments passed and Ginny managed to get control of herself enough to speak. "And what am I doing? MAKING A STUPID SUPPER! Everyone's out there fighting, making a difference. Yet I am here while innocent people are dying. Anthony Goldstein, Dennis Crevey, Amelia Lonis, Cherry Renay, Erik Parker, Sarah Bones, all dead."

The next words that were spoken would leave chills to anyone. Her voice became low and eerie. "He deserves to die, he has killed and corrupted innocent people, he has ripped this family apart, he took away the best thing I even had and I am just expected to sit back and watch?" She forced a laugh that sounded anything but happy. "Everyone's trying to protect me when all I feel is even more helpless. I want to be out there fighting alongside but I am stuck in this shelter you all build for me. I need to be with him, he needs me by his side." Once again she dissolved into delirious sobs and all Mrs. Weasley could do is watch. Through the tears, and choked up sobs she made out a couple of sentences. "Why" sob "me? Am I" hiccup "weak? Am I not" Cough "Good enough? WHY?"

She opened her eyes to her mother kneeling beside her and smoothing her hair. She looked up into emerald eyes that showed nothing but endless worry and love. She hiccupped and her mother kept brushing her hair out of her eyes.

"We have always wanted to protect you. You are our only girl, and I know growing up in a family of boys and poverty, especially being the youngest, hasn't been the easiest thing. You were continuously left out of the picture being the odd one. But you became a wonderful young woman because of it. Ron grew up thinking that he couldn't do anything one of his siblings hadn't then he went and became the sidekick to the greatest hero the world has ever known. I am sure you have had your times of insecurity and doubting as to if you could measure up. Ginny you are a little bit of everybody in the family." When Ginny looked at her, confusion flickered in her tear filled orbs. So Mrs. Weasley felt it fit to go into detail.

"You have Charlie's ability at sports. You have quick reflexes that nobody but Charlie can rival. When you were younger the boys used to refuse to play with you because you always beat them, and taking a beating from a girl was a bruise on their young egos. You also got Charlie's brave streak, You make reckless decisions when you feel you need to."

"You have Bill's carefree attitude. You don't let what people say sway you. I remember when you were younger you were convinced you wanted to run away and live with the butterflies. Do you remember? Nothing we said could sway you until you packed a suitcase and came home and hour later saying butterflies didn't have cookies." Mrs. Weasley let out a light laugh and looked at her daughter who had stopped crying and was listening while rubbing underneath her eyes.

"We all know when Bill said he was in love with Fleur he wouldn't let anything convince him otherwise. Like you. You loved though all odds were against you and you refused to change your heart to satisfy others." Ginny's lower lip started to quiver and she buried herself in her mother's arms. Once again Mrs. Weasley started rubbing her back while whispering on.

"Percy was such a smart boy," Ginny let out a snort "when it came to school things. He was studious and picked up on things quick. He was a natural leader. But you one upped him. You can pass with very little study time because your brain is like a sponge. You use your knowledge to logically see the big picture. And unlike him, you will remain a leader and never resort to following others." Mrs. Weasley let out a teary laugh and continued on, eager to get off of the topic of her fallen son.

"Like George, you have the ability to come up with plans and ideas in seconds. You believe anything is possible and when you set your mind to it there is no stopping you. You can come up with pranks that left your brothers fleeing the house. You threw what they had coming, back in their faces and could fend for yourself."

"You, as I am sure you have noticed, got your sharp tongue from Fred; the quick sense of humor you carry around with you. Most of the time you see the good side of things and have a joke to lighten the occasions." Ginny shook her head. Not lately she wanted to say but Molly understood and simply nodded.

"Sadly my dear, you have been cursed and blessed with Ron's clueless ness." The corners of her mouth upturned slightly. "It helps you bring people back down to earth and put them in their place when they need a good whacking. You can be hard headed sometimes, and you have his blunt mouth. But, as I have been told by many, it is refreshing to be around someone so real. Yet, you both try to hide behind layers of fake emotions when you feel it is right and have a tendency to deny feelings. For example Ron has yet to admit to himself that he fancies Hermione. And you have yet to admit that you have weaknesses. You have yet to admit that you are not all right, that you are lonely and scarred. You also get Ron's insecurities, which between the two emotions even out for the most part and make you down to earth.

"Like your father you cheer for the underdog. You keep your eyes open for possibilities and won't dismiss something someone else says as ludicrous. You keep your possibilities open and look to each day with hopeful eyes. You look for the unusual and make it apart of you."

"Me, well, you have my temper." Ginny let out a watery laugh and watched her mother smile proudly. Molly looked deep into her daughter's eyes and pushed some hair out of her waterlogged face. "And my cooking ability. And your brothers have told me on many occasions you can be quite intimidating."

"I'm not saying you are any better then your brothers, because you aren't. And I am not saying we love you any more then them. I am saying that being last you have watched phenomenal boys come in and out of this house. Each one different and striving to be something to be proud of. You saw the good and the bad and molded yourself after them. Although you might think you haven't made any big accomplishments, we couldn't be any more proud of you. We can't help but shelter you because the world is mean and you mean the world to us. I don't want to sit back and watch any of my children put themselves in danger, but it's their choice and it needs to be done. So we sit back and support them with proud hearts, hoping with all our might nothing will happen to them. With you, I have a say. You are too young and I will not allow you to go galloping into death. It's not that I don't think you can handle it, I know I can't handle it. No one can afford to lose you because in some freaky way you are the rock that holds us all together. You make a difference by being you. Harry needs to know you are safe."

"He needs me beside him!" Ginny burst and drew away quickly from her mother.

"Later, he will. He needs you, that is for sure. But Ginny you can't hold your own in the war and you would weigh them slightly down. And I need you here more then he does. You're his inspiration to go on…"

Silently Ginny started to break down crying, big fat drops rolling down her face. She covered her face and started rocking back and forth, joining her mother on the ground. Her mother lightly placed her daughters head in her lap and allowed her to cry. All the while pushing Ginny's hair out of her face and running her hands through it. In a barley audible voice Ginny spoke through the sobs. "Mother he's gone. And all I want is him. I need to be beside him. Know that HE'S okay. I love him and I never told him." With all the breakdowns her body felt tired and her eyes started to flicker close her voice echoing on the walls once again. "I love him."

As Molly Weasley sat, holding her broken daughter, she decided that this war couldn't end soon enough.