1Disclaimer: I took lines from "Who'd You Be Today," by Kenny Chesney, and "Hero" by Nickelback. No credit for that.

Chapter 17

"Forever You Will Stay"

"It's not fair,

you died to young,

like a story that had just begun,

the death tore the pages all away.

God knows how I miss you,

all the hell that I've been through,

just knowing, no one could take your place.

Sometimes I wonder who'd you be today."

-Kenny Chesney "Who'd You Be Today"

The gray headstone gleamed in the sunlight, reflecting off the sparkling lake. The willow tree's branches thrived, purple and pink buds bursting off of every limb. A branch hung over the gravestone, covering some of the name written upon it. It was beautiful out, everything lively and cheerful. Ginny hated it all.

She bore her eyes into the gravestone. Tears didn't fall. They couldn't. She had cried so much, that tears weren't even an option. Her throat pounded terribly, sore from the sobs and screams. Her face seemed to be permanently stoned. Her lips didn't move from her frown. Her face didn't scrunch up in tears. She stood there, lifelessly, gazing at the headstone.

Red waves of hair billowed out on her shoulders, spreading over her pale skin, and onto her black dress. It was nothing special. Just black. She didn't care what she looked like anymore. Simple things 'like what to wear' or 'how to act', didn't matter. They seemed so childish. Why worry about mediocre things like appearances, when things like death drowned you every minute of every day?

One of Ginny's hands hung at her side, the other clutched a small, rectangular piece of paper. She didn't move. She barely blinked. The voice of a man seemed far away. So distant, in fact, that it seemed more like a hum. As a gentle breeze blew, it fanned out the bottom of her dress, revealing her black heels. Her hair blew slightly to one side. Stands of hair fell across her face, but she didn't bother to brush them away.

Everything seemed to hurt.

It hurt so, so bad.

The brilliant sun blinded Ginny. She hated it. She hated everything for being so perfect, when everything else was so wrong. She wanted to destroy it. Inside she was screaming, yelling, thrashing around, trying to break and tear everything away. It wasn't supposed to be so beautiful, when he wasn't here to see it.

Flowers flourished, rampaging around the Hogwart's grounds. The grass was greener than ever before. It was as if his death changed everything for the better.

And that sickened Ginny the most.

She was cold. But, she guessed, maybe that's how she would always be now.

Emotionless.

Lonley.

And so, so cold.

The voice stopped humming, but Ginny still didn't turn away from the stone. She didn't want to. She didn't care about anything else, except for the person that now lay deep within the soil. She wasn't there when they buried him. She didn't have the strength. She couldn't bear to watch as they lowered him into a dark, hollow hole, destined to waste away. She didn't think she could take it.

He was too young. He was too young to die. He was sixteen! He hadn't seen the world, experience marriage or children, or anything that everyone else could do! It didn't seem fair! It WASN'T fair! Why was it, that Ginny could still do all this, when he now couldn't? Why was everyone else able to live, when so many others who did wrong DESERVED to die? He didn't deserve it! He didn't deserve to have his life snatched away, his dreams only to be crushed and forgotten! And why was it, Ginny thought, as a sharp pain struck inside of her, that it wasn't her dead, instead of Draco?

The pain threatened to spill out, tears wanting to erupt with it. Ginny knew she wouldn't cry. She couldn't anymore. She wasn't strong enough.

It should have been her. She should have died, not him.

Regret.

It filled Ginny. It flooded through her heart and veins. But there was nothing she could do but sit here and stare, wishing nothing more than to just blow away with the breeze that surrounded her.

Love is what did this. How did people think love was the greatest thing of all? Look what it did! Look what love did to the lives of innocent teenagers! It took the pages of their lives and shredded them. Shredded them into a million tiny pieces! Death tore the pages all away! But death didn't cause this, love did. If love hadn't interfered none of this would have ever happened! They said love was what would save them. But how could that be when this is what love gave them?

Ginny wanted desperately to cry. She wanted to sob and rip the green grass from the ground.

But she didn't.

People stirred around her, beginning to walk away from the funeral. Ginny knew it was teachers and some fellow students. Draco's family hadn't attended, now thinking of Draco as a traitor. That wasn't fair! How could they say that! Draco gave his LIFE for her, and they dishonor his memory by calling him a TRAITOR!

Teachers and students attended in sympathy, yes, but no one understood as she did. No one had watched him die.

Ginny felt an arm wrap over her shoulders. It was muscular, a guys, no doubt. She didn't turn, only drew her arm up and fiercely pushed the other person's arm away. She didn't want their sympathy. Didn't anyone CARE? Didn't they see that Draco had given his life for her? Ginny didn't understand. She didn't understand why people weren't heartbroken as she was. To them, it was just another person. Just another thing that happened in their life. But to Ginny, he was everything, and he had died for her: the only thing he had left.

"You don't have to be like this Ginny," the voice of Harry spoke beside her. She didn't reply. Why did she have to? He didn't understand, and she didn't want to try and explain.

The wind picked up, tossing her flaming red hair about her. Her freckled cheeks grew red with the sudden chill. Her green eyes sparkled, reflecting the light shimmering off the stone.

"Ginny..." Ron spoke. She felt him lay a hand on her shoulder. Ginny didn't bother to brush his away this time.

He stepped in front of her, blocking her view of the stone. Ginny felt her insides sink.

No. No...move away. I can't leave him. I can't leave him out of my sight.

She still didn't speak, though her body screamed for her to shout at Ron, to scream at him and tell him to get out of her way.

But she didn't.

"Ginny, I'm sorry," Ron whispered. Tears fell down his face. It hurt to see her like this, so torn, and so empty. His freckled face shined with tears, water collecting on his red eyelashes. He embraced Ginny, digging his head into her shoulder and sobbing.

"I'm so, so sorry..." he choked. Ginny barely moved. Her face kept the same look, distant and pained. She let Ron cry onto her shoulder. She lifted her arms and hesitantly patted his back. He sobbed harder.

Ginny continued to hold him.

He should be sorry.

He broke away, shaking. Ron stepped back, his face screwed up in pain. Water stained his black suit. His red hair went astray, falling in his brown eyes. His face screwed up into a grimace, as if he were about to cry again. His eyes were filled with sadness. He was sad for her. Sad that she had to be like this, sad that she had to see him die. He just wanted her to be happy.

Ginny looked at the green grass.

"Ginny..." he spoke quietly. She looked up slowly, meeting his piercing gaze. His eyebrows furrowed. He penetrated into her, trying to search for what was wrong. Ginny felt anger boil within her. He had no right to invade into her personal feelings! He would never understand anyway! Nobody EVER would!

"Go," Ginny whispered curtly. Her voice was barely there, a rasping, choked whisper. She didn't blink. Red hair blew around her. Her pink lips drew back into a straight line.

"But Ginny–"

"Go," she whispered again, staring through him, waiting to gaze upon the stone she knew was there.

She heard him step aside, and her eyes met the familiar gleaming stone. It was comforting to her. She knew he was there with her somehow. If she just had evidence that he wasn't gone just yet, so could hang on to it...

Everyone was gone, but one person lingered behind Ginny. She could feel Hermione's gaze. She knew it anywhere.

"Are you going to be okay?" Hermione spoke confidently from behind Ginny. Ginny could picture her concerned face, her bushy hair blowing around her.

Slowly, Ginny nodded, although it was a lie. But that seemed enough for Hermione, for Ginny heard her turn around and start walking away, her footsteps dying away like everything else inside Ginny did.

If he could just come back...

She stepped slowly forward. One foot in front of the other. Her dress billowed around her feet, and her red hair whipped across her face. She continued to walk towards the stone, realization pumping through her. Her heels sunk into the earth.

She stopped.

The headstone was in front of her. She could see it better now.

No...

Please, god, no...

Engraved across the top read clearly:

Draco Malfoy.

Tears that didn't fall earlier threatened to spill. Ginny's heart thumped, pain coursing through her body and throat. If he would just come back, she would do anything..

She bent down slowly. The piece of paper in her hand quivered. She came closer to the grave, now only a foot away.

She gently took the picture out and gazed upon the view.

The woman in the photo did the exact same as Ginny. She was bent over a gravestone under the willow tree, stroking the gray marble and fingering the name. Ginny felt tears rise.

She turned it over onto the back where her eyes met the familiar words.

Don't let love escape you, for once it does, there will be no turning back.

A thought struck Ginny. Determination now coursed through her. Her heart thumped dangerously as she searched around her.

She needed something to write with...she needed something to write with...

As if the picture knew what she wanted, a beautiful quill popped out of nowhere and floated gently into her hand. Ginny smiled for the first time in a very long time.

She looked questioningly at it for a moment until she took it, her fingers rubbing along its smooth surface. She wrote carefully, making sure that every word was right. Once she was done, she lay the quill on the earth. It instantly popped away.

Ginny stood and turned the photograph back over. She bent down and placed it gently in front of the stone.

It was real...

It was finally real.

He was gone.

And he wasn't coming back.

A tear trickled down Ginny's cheek. With a splash, it landed softly onto the photograph, sparkling in the sunlight.

Ginny's eyes shined. Another tear fell out of her bright green eyes. Her dark red eyelashes became clumped together. Her lips quivered as she began to speak.

"Forever you will stay...," she whispered. And with that, she turned around, the wind whipping her hair about her, and walked away.

A/N: It's over! (Except the epilogue) REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Thanks to ALL that did. It is so, so , SO much appreciated. Also, thanks again to Victoria Lily and Emmie Elizabeth for their help. I love you guys.