Chapter 3 : The shadow of a doubt
"Ginny ?" He seized her hand, it felt cold as ice in his. "I thought you were dead!" His voice was somewhat higher than usual.
Ginny blinked. " Harry? Ron... Do something!" she pleaded.
Ron was there? Harry looked around and saw him lying in a corner of the cabin. He let go of Ginny's hand reluctantly and went near him with a feeling of apprehension, trying to avoid the sight of Snape's body, slumped on the dusty floor. Ron's face was turned against the wall but at least Harry could hear his painful breathing. He kneeled down and bent over him. He recognised with a shock the bloody wounds only one curse could have possibly left on Ron's chest and livid face. He had lost a lot of blood, but the wounds were healing. How many wizards knew Sectumsempra, and how many the countercurse? This just didn't make sense...
"Harry?"
"He'll be all right" he said quietly. "Ginny, what happened?"
"A Deatheater cast this curse at him..."
"Snape?", Harry interrupted sharply.
"No, not him. He had blood all over him, I brought him here, I didn't know what to do to stop it. I was watching him die and I couldn't do anything!"
She'd never sounded so shaken, so terrified. Ginny, so blazing, so brave. He stood up, came near and took her in his arms. The noises seemed to be intensifying outside, there were shouts of panic. Did they know now?
"And then?"
"It went cold and dark inside of me..."
"Dementors."
"Dementors", she gasped. "I didn't have the strength to fight anymore. They kissed me, I think they kissed me!", she shrieked.
"No, they didn't", Harry said firmly, afraid that she was losing her mind. "They can't have".
"It was like death. Death must be like this".
"It's o..."
He didn't finish his sentence. It was clear that the battle was taking a different turn outside. "Go! Go!" shouted someone just outside the cabin. "He's dead! I'm telling you he's dead!"
"I almost forgot to tell you." Ginny stared at Harry. "Voldemort's dead, Ginny. It is over."