-1Chapter Three
"Festivities & Fatalities"
Ginny said a mild swear word under her breath and Ron looked up in agitated surprise. "Ginny!" "Oh, come off it. Phlegm is driving me mad! 'Oh, Muzzer, zat iz not eeenuv lace! More here, More there, More, More, More!'" Hermione bit down a giggle as Ginny mimed leaping and trailing imaginary lace everywhere, which sadly was an alarmingly accurate imitation of Fluer's pre-wedding hysterics. Honestly, the Burrow now resembled something sickenly akin to Madam Puddifoot's. It was enough to turn anyone green. Hermione privately vowed that pink and lace would be blessedly absent from her wedding. That is, if she ever gets married. Hermione looked doubtfully at Ron who was, dare she think it, looking quite dashing in his new dress robes (which were mercifully black rather that pink. Mrs. Weasley had drawn the line at the men's robes).
Hermione turned her attention back to Ginny who was now standing quietly in her golden gown, her eyes focused in the near distance. Hermione had a shrewd idea as to why her friend now appeared mute; no small feat for the youngest Weasley to be sure. There. Harry was weaving through the crowd and heading in their direction. "Hiya Harry," Ron called out enthusiastically. "Where've you been?" "Talking with Moody. He seemed mighty keen to give some, er… advice." "Oh. Ya know, Mum was furious when she heard what we're up to. Mind you, she still is. Heard her an' dad having a row about it this morning, again… Are these robes too short?" Ron looked down and walked in a circle with an absurdly critical look on his face. Harry and Hermione exchanged anxious looks and Ginny grew increasingly impatient with Ron's blissful ignorance of why Mrs. Weasley was so upset, so she smacked him smartly on the head and replied matter of factly (while Ron stood mid-circling stride with a look of utmost surprise on his face), "She's worried to death about you three, you little twit. Of course she is upset." She then proceeded to gracefully walk away, mumbling unpleasant thoughts about men.
Soon enough, it was time for the wedding to begin. The trio took seats in the second row as the processions began to start. Hermione studied Harry's face as Ginny walked down the isle in her golden gown as maid of honor. It was quite obvious how he felt about her, but Ron was oblivious as always. As Harry stared at his little sister with something resembling restrained love in his eyes, Ron sat there with his arms draped over her seat and the empty seat next to him whistling along with the music, seemingly carefree. Hermione contemplated elbowing him in the ribs, and with a small smile she did just that.
Ron grunted loudly and looked at her incredulously, rubbing his now aching ribs. "What was that for?" Hermione folded her hands in her lap serenely and answered without looking at him, "For being an insensitive git." She nodded knowingly in Harry's direction. Ron looked at Harry for a dawning second and then folded his arms across his chest with a moody expression on his face.
The wedding march began and they stood up while Fleur walked towards Bill, tears already leaving trails down her perfect face. All in all, it was quite a disgustingly romantic ceremony.
As the final vows were spoken before the congregated wizards, witches, and veela alike the trio shared a secret look of suppressed relief. As three, they congratulated Bill and Fleur and continued inside the Burrow, eager to be at the beginning of the line for cake and punch. Harry appeared surprised by the 2 ft. tall waving Bill and Fleur look-a-likes topping the 10 story cake, but everyone else seemed to think it quite run-of-the-mill. Happily filling their plates, they settled on a sofa across from a window on the south end of the house. As Ron and Hermione dug in, Harry looked thoughtfully out the window. Suddenly he sat up straighter as he saw a golden-clad figure cross the grounds into the forest behind the Burrow. With a brow creased, Harry uneasily forked a piece of cake and ate it slowly. The tension between him and Ginny was higher than he liked, and he had half a mind to follow her…
But with a heaving sigh he remained seated.
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Ginny wandered away from the crowd of well wishers congratulating the newly married couple with a slight frown on her face. After walking for some time the merriment faded away and all she heard was the gentle sounds of the forest. This is what she needed so unceremoniously she sat down upon a sturdy log. She desperately needed a few minutes to clear her head.
Placing her elbows on her knees, she cradled her head and sighed audibly. Seeing Harry and being around him again was much harder than she thought it would be.
Even at the time of their mutual breakup, Ginny knew that it was the right and logical thing to do but still her heart rebelled. If only it didn't have to hurt so much. Ginny had assumed that she could go back to how it was before; she'd love Harry from a distance and be content with his friendship. But no, after she had a taste of what a real relationship with him could be like… She wanted more. Not just more she realized, she wanted forever.
A twig snapped behind her and Ginny's breath caught as the sound startled her out of her reveries. She turned her head and a scream escaped her throat. A long howl joined hers and Ginny jumped up and backed away, facing the beast. Her shoe caught on a grounded root and wildly flinging her arms, she fell backwards. As she hit the ground, only one word entered her adrenaline enhanced mind. Wand. Grasping her wand, she aimed her much practiced bat-bogey hex at the werewolf standing menacingly before her. As the hex hit her target, Ginny crawled backwards until she met a tree, and proceeded to use the tree to help her stand. Though her knees were knocking, Ginny turned and sprinted as fast as she could.
Growling and whimpering, the werewolf followed her. Unfortunately for Ginny, the werewolf was still exceptionally fast. All she had really succeeded in doing was rising its temper. The werewolf blocked her path and glared at her, preparing to attack.
Ginny drew in enough air for a powerful and earsplitting scream for help but before she could let it out, the werewolf pounced.
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Mrs. Weasley smiled at Bill's departing remark. Her silent laughter caught in her throat as her eye settled on the clock to check Bill & Fluer's journey. The spoon for her only daughter drew her attention and caused her to go faint. Ginny's hand was pointed at "deceased".
Pandemonium ensued.
Hermione screamed when she saw Mrs. Weasley faint and a crowd gathered around her, while Mr. Weasley nervously tried to rouse her. Weakly, she opened her shock filled eyes and to everyone's alarm, sobs racked her body. The only word she could manage was "Ginny." Cold crept up Harry's body as he remembered seeing Ginny enter the forest. He turned to go find her, but Hermione grabbed the front of his and Ron's robes with an unreadable look on her face. Harry and Ron turned to look at what she saw and at that moment the world crashed around the-boy-who-lived shoulders. His Ginny was dead.
An inhumane growl tore out of his throat as he jerked away from Hermione and ran towards the door. He had it open and was about to escape when strong arms grabbed him around the shoulders and pulled him back. "No!" "Everyone must stay inside until we find out what…" Slowly Harry realized that the arms holding him back were Shackleboot's. Harry struggled and curses flew out of his mouth as images of a lifeless Ginny tormented his mind. "No! I… I'm coming! I'll kill whoever… No…" Horrorstruck, Harry realized he was crying. He touched his wet face and the fight within him died. The light within him died.