Disclaimer: I do not own HP. If I did, I wouldn't still be living with my parents.
A/N: I'm finally back! My muse took a year long sabbatical, but now it has returned refreshed and sunburned. I'm sorry that I took so long getting this up. Hopefully my future updates will not take quite as long. As always, I love reviews. I'm a bit of a review whore, actually. Let me know whether you love the story, hate the story, are angry with the author for taking her sweet time updating the story. Anything. I'd love to hear from you guys. Oh, by the way, I do realize that the events in this chapter have been quite over done, but I just couldn't resist.
And now, for the review responses!
Always Reading: Thanks a bunch for the encouragement. Sometimes I feel like I'm over doing the descriptions. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
GiggleFlower: I'm sorry I made you cry! I have a thing for angst, so you can expect much more of it. Nope, Ginny is alive and kicking. After all, if Ginny died so would Ron (cuz of the whole bond thing) and my story would be dead.
Silver Witch: Sorry it took me so long to update! I swear I won't take a year to update again. Really…I won't…
Maplenut: Wow, thanks for your enthusiasm! I hope I don't disappoint you. I, too, am interested in how Harry and Hermione will respond. I guess we'll have to find out together J
Searching4Romeo: Yeah, I actually did know that. I couldn't think of a name for the bond so I went on this Gaelic online dictionary and found the closest word to bond. I'm real creative that way. If you happen to know how to pronounce it, I'd love to know. I can't even pronounce the title of my own story!
Harry Lvr: Haha, I'm finally updating. Have you been stalking me? Lol, I'm flattered, really. J
And now, on with the story! Enjoy!
L.K.
Ginny felt as if she were drowning in an inky ocean of pain and despair. The harsh emotions pressed down on her, forcing her away from the distant light of consciousness. The churning blackness tumbled Ginny end over end until she did not know which end was up. Every time she fought against the current of agony the darkness fought stronger to push her down. She was beginning to tire from this fruitless struggle. The terrible blackness covered her vision; she couldn't see a way out. As Ginny gave in to the despair she felt the oppressive darkness seeping into her soul. She felt chilled to the bone as the blackness fought for its reign over her soul. This was wrong and she knew it. She could feel it deep inside. Out of the darkness an image of Ron rose, unbidden. His vibrant hair stood out like flames, giving light to her world of shadows. His clear blue eyes pierced straight through her and chased the violating blackness away. When her brother extended a pale, freckled hand towards her Ginny didn't hesitate to accept his help. She reached out and grasped his hand tightly, allowing Ron to pull her out of the terrible waters.
Ginny returned to consciousness with a gasp. Her body arched with pain as she breathed. Her lungs were on fire and there seemed to be a very large hippogriff on her chest. She achingly turned to her side, bracing her weight on a blood-covered arm. Her head was spinning as she tried to steady her breathing. The fading sunlight that filtered into the room blinded her. She had to squint against the pain and concentrate on not getting sick.
'Ginny!' The voice filtered into her jumbled thoughts. Ginny opened her eyes to look for the speaker. Bad idea. The world twisted dizzyingly before her eyes, prompting Ginny to throw up on the kitchen floor. The heaves wracked her body making it difficult to keep her trembling arm from collapsing. She threw up until there was nothing left to purge. She could see blood mixed with the puddle of sickness. Mum was going to be angry when she saw the mess on her pristine floor. An image of her mother sprawled against the table flashed through Ginny's muddled mind. The sightless eyes stood out in Ginny's memory.
'Oh, God!' The images of blood and despair swirled together as Ginny remembered what had happened. The grief hit her hard, almost drowning out her physical pain. Almost. Her family…they were dead. All of them were gone. Ginny barely recognized the sobs that shook her body. She was too lost in her memories to notice that she was dry heaving again. She'd lost them all. She had watched them die. Ginny collapsed to the ground, curling in on herself. She remembered her father's surprise as he fell limply to the ground. She remembered her mother's tears when she was held at wand point. She remembered the four identical flashes of green that stole her older brothers. She could hear Ron's pleading voice as though he was right next to her.
'Please, Gin! Please listen to me!' The voice pierced through her troubled mind, cutting deep into her heart. There was such panic in her brother's voice. Such terror that didn't belong there. She could almost hear the tears in his voice. 'Ginny!'
Ginny's head snapped up. That wasn't a memory. Ron really was pleading with her. Could he possibly be alive? Maybe she wasn't alone after all. But where was he? She didn't see him anywhere in the destroyed kitchen. She bit her lip as she took in the sight of her family. Seven red headed bodies were scattered around the room. Seven of her beloved family members, cold and dead. Seven pairs of eyes staring sightlessly into the afterlife. Seven. Only seven.
'Ron?' Ginny called hesitantly. She hardly dared hope for a response. She searched their link fervently. 'Ron? Are you there?'
'Ginny, thank God!' Came the immediate response. 'Ginny, please! You have to help me!'
Ginny nearly cried in relief. He was alive. Ron was really alive! He hadn't left her alone! Ginny's happiness was short lived as she cast her eyes around the room once more. Where was he? Why wasn't he there with her among the dead? 'Where? Where are you?'
'The garden. Oh God, Ginny, hurry!'
The garden? Why was Ron in the garden? Maybe they were still here! Maybe he was trying to fight them off! Ginny had to help him. She couldn't let him leave her. She desperately jumped to her feet causing the pain to surge anew. She tried to take a step and stumbled. The ground came sailing up to meet her as she fell with a loud thud. The taste of blood plagued her mouth. She couldn't possibly live through such pain. She just wanted to curl up and die. Yet Ron's desperate pleas drove her on. Once again she climbed to her feet, this time taking it slowly. She placed a battered hand against the wall as she tried to gain her balance. Ginny slowly and steadily made her way across the room.
A sharp gasp caused her to look up. There, in the doorway, stood Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks. They were looking around the room in horror. Lupin was the first to spot Ginny. He yelled for help before rushing over to Ginny. She fell into his arms, sobbing. She was so grateful for the strong arms that kept her standing. He was saying something, but she couldn't hear him over her own crying. Lupin took her chin in his hand, searching her eyes. She didn't know what he was looking for. She only knew that she was safe now. The order was finally here. She could rest at last.
"They're dead. Gods, Remus, they've been massacred." Tonks called. She sounded like she was trying not to cry. "But, wait! Ron! Where's Ron?"
Ron. They hadn't found him yet. They must have seen him; they walked right through the garden. Ginny ignored Lupin as he asked her where Ron was. Ginny pulled out of Lupin's grip and stumbled towards the door. She ignored the voices that called after her. She had to find her brother. Ginny ran into the warm body of an auror, but didn't stop. Not even when arms grabbed at her, trying to keep her still. She had to get to Ron. Couldn't they understand that? Ginny shoved her way through the group of aurors. Crisp air met her as she stepped outside. She could see the garden from where she stood. Ron wasn't there.
'Ron? Where are you'
'I'm in the garden. Mum's garden.' Ron's voice responded. He sounded distressed. Yet Ginny didn't see him in or around mum's garden. Still, the desperate pleading spurred her on. 'Ginny, please! I don't want to die!'
'Ron, I don't see you.' Ginny whispered through the connection. 'I'm in the garden but I don't see you!'
Suddenly her view was blocked as someone stepped in front of her. She glanced up at Lupin as she tried to push past him. He held her tightly, his voice soft and soothing. He was trying to comfort her. Didn't he see that it was too late for comfort? How could she possibly calm down when she had just watched her family die? Just how did he expect her to react? Ginny angrily shoved her way past him, searching desperately for her brother.
'The tulips. God, Ginny, I'm under the tulips.'
He's under the tulips? What the bloody hell is he talking about? There wasn't anything under the tulips but dirt. That's when it struck her. The dirt beneath the tulips was freshly turned. It looked as though someone had been digging in the little plot. Her mind started screaming at her. 'Oh my God! The tulips! Those bastards buried Ron under his own flowers!'
Ginny threw herself to the ground and started digging madly. She felt hands pulling at her, trying to pry her away from the ground. Away from her brother. Without thinking, Ginny struck out at the person holding her back. The hands released her suddenly fell back to the ground. Her own beaten hands hastily scooped away the dirt. She threw it behind her, continuing in her quest to free Ron. Yet the dirt just kept coming. Tears streamed down her face, dripping off her chin to dampen the earth beneath her.
'Ron! Ron, I'm here! I'll get you out!' She screamed. She was pulled away from her task once again. This time it was Dumbledore holding her back, looking at her sadly. She struggled in his grip, ignoring his placating words. When she managed to get free she was pulled back to Lupin. Ginny was hysterical. Her brother was slowly suffocating beneath her feet. She had to help him. She couldn't let them stop her. She couldn't let him leave her.
'Let go! Lemme go! Please let me help him!' Her mind shouted at the gentle hands that held her in place. She tried to tell them, tried to form the words. It was no use. She was too frenzied to complete the task. Instead she pointed at the patch of dirt beneath her feet. She franticly jabbed her dirt-coated finger towards her brother's tomb, trying to get her point across. Dumbledore's gaze followed her finger to take in the freshly turned earth beneath them. A placard stood just above it reading "Tulipa chrysantha: Ronald Billius Weasley." His eyes widened imperceptibly as everything clicked into place. He immediately ordered Ginny and Lupin out of the way. Ginny obeyed immediately, relieved that Dumbledore would save her brother. She stood, shaking, in Lupin's arms as Dumbledore magically moved the dirt that was imprisoning Ron.
The aurors watching gasped as a long, narrow box was revealed. Dumbledore quickly levitated the box out of the dirt. Ginny was kneeling beside the box almost before she realized she'd moved. The lid was magically removed to reveal a rather beaten, and bloody Ronald Weasley. He wasn't moving and his skin was very pale. An auror quickly stepped forward to lift Ron out. He was placed on the ground next to Ginny, before Dumbledore began reviving him. For a terrible, agonizing moment Ginny thought they'd lost him. Her filthy hands fisted in the tattered remains of Ron's shirt. She couldn't lose him. He had to live. She had no one else.
Ginny clutched one of Ron's hands and began to concentrate. She closed her eyes and focused on forcing life and energy through their bond. She could see it in her minds eye. It was a thin silver stream connecting the two minds. Ginny channeled her strength along the stream and right into Ron. She felt herself weakening, but did not let up. He had to live. He just had to. With determination, Ginny forced her energy into Ron. She was tired, so very tired. But she wouldn't stop until Ron was all right.
Finally, Ginny heard Ron take a raspy breath. His hand tightened around hers as his body jerked with each breath. Ginny cut the flow between them and opened her eyes to see Ron staring back at her. Her own pain and desperation was mirrored in those blue eyes. They were haunted and hardened, but they were alive. Ron was still with her. He hadn't left her. Ginny managed a smile. They were safe. They were together. She could finally relax. And with that thought in mind, Ginny passed out.