Interlude III

Ginny P.O.V

Ginny came to on a comfortable bed, just like her own in the Burrow. For a moment, she imagined the whole thing had been a dream. Finding Harry, losing Fred, losing Harry. She would write it all off a bad dream when she woke up. She would go down and greet her mother, give her a big hug and compliment her cooking. She would busy herself with learning something new and hope for news from one of her brothers, from any of her brothers.

But. She could hear her brothers bustling around her room. Not her room, but her brothers were here. They were never in her room at the Burrow. That meant that everything was real. Harry was gone, the one person she had loved. She knew he would sacrifice himself for others in a heartbeat (but had she really known him?).

Then, there was Fred. Her older brother, her best friend. The one who would sneak in candy for her when she was sick. He would tease her just like he teased everyone else and treat her like he treated Ron or Percy. Her brother who had died thanks to death eaters.

If she opened her eyes, their deaths would be real. She would see only five brothers (if Georgie and Billy and Charlie had survived). For a moment, she thought of leaving her eyes closed, of just sleeping forever. But she couldn't do that to mum or dad.

Ginny turned and opened her eyes, then whimpered as the bright lights burned them.

"Turn the lights off," Charlie's voice snapped. The brightness reduced and Ginny slowly peeled her eyes open.

"Hey, Ginny." Ron stated, sitting on the bed next to her. "How're you feeling?"

Ginny glared. Nobody asked a sick person how they were feeling. That was like asking to be punched to a pulp. Ron's smirk showed his reasoning, but he handed her a glass of water and helped her sit up, so she forgave him. (She would have forgiven him anyways.)

She looked around the room, noticing the pale blue walls and the lack of personal belongings. Whoever owned this place hadn't used this room recently. She turned to her left and saw a large blanket strewn on the floor, with two bags placed nearby. On the right, there was another bed, like the one she was on. Probably Hermione's.

Ginny remembered, with a jolt, how still the older girl had been when she collapsed. (She remembered Fred's limp body, the light drained out of his eyes; Tonks hair a glossy black and curly, like the hair of the aunt that killed her.)

"Hermione?" She questioned, wanting to avoid asking about any of her brothers right now. She didn't want the bad news just yet.

"She's alright." Ron replied, turning away. "We've been dealing with… you know, but everyone just…"

He let out an aggravated sigh.

"They expect a lot from them," Charlie finished.

Ginny understood Ron's frustration then. He was still mourning his best friend, just like Hermione was. They shouldn't be asked to lead and take care of everyone! (She ignored the aching in her chest. If she didn't acknowledge it, maybe it would go away.)

Ginny steeled herself. "Where's Bill, Percy, Geo…?"

She stumbled over his name, unable to complete it. From the devastation on Charlie's face one (or more) of them hadn't survived.

"Who is it?" Ginny asked, voice breaking and tears stinging her eyes. "Who is it, Charlie?"

He hesitated and grimaced but sat down next to her and whispered.

"George."

Ginny's mind blanked. She didn't want to believe what Charlie said. George had sent her here. He spoke to her just a few minutes, maybe hours, ago. He couldn't be dead! Even if he told her he wouldn't survive! He had to be alive somewhere.

"He's gone, Gin." Charlie whispered, holding her close. She couldn't feel Ron. He must have left the room, but he wasn't dead.

She didn't know how long they sat like that, as she processed the fact that the twins, both of them, were gone. Her favorite siblings would never hold her hand or comfort her or laugh at her again.

"What about mum, dad?" She whispered in a small voice finally, hoping Charlie couldn't hear the childishness.

"Mum is here, helping out in the kitchen. We though it would be better for you to get your bearings before she barged in here and smothered you to death." Charlie answered, and she cracked a smile.

"Dad?"

"He's fine, 'far as we know," Charlie replied. Ginny immediately caught on to the unsure tone and wording. Who did Charlie think he was fooling?

"What happened to dad, Char?" She asked quietly.

There was silence as her older brother looked her over. She let him finish his scrutiny, knowing he wouldn't give anything until he was satisfied. He was known as a mother hen, taking after mum to a startling degree.

"He's in another safehouse." He answered decisively. "Bill is the only one here who knows where and he refuses to tell anyone."

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "Where is Bill?"

"He's out, foraging for food," Charlie responded, glaring at the ceiling as though it would solve his problems. (If it fell maybe it would.) "We are running low on other supplies as well, so he'll likely return today."

"When did he leave?" Ginny asked, a nasty feeling churning in her gut. She had only slept overnight at most. The battle at Hogwarts had to have been yesterday.

"Two days ago," Charlie glanced at her. "You've been out of it for five days."

Ginny gaped, uncomprehending of the statement. She couldn't have been asleep for five days! But she had been, and now she had to move on. Before she did…

"Why did Bill leave, Charlie?" There was something he wasn't telling her. There was something more to the story. Ginny knew Charlie was hiding more.

Charlie muttered something that sounded vaguely like a Romanian curse.

"Bill was there when George died. He came back with the body."

There was still a slight hesitation from her brother. Something more.

"What else, Char?" she requested softly.

Charlie grimaced and glanced around quickly, as if to check for intruders and eavesdroppers. "Fleur is dead."

Ginny scowled. She never liked Fleur, but Bill had loved her. He had married her, for Merlin's sake!

"He's grieving."

"Yes, he is." Charlie stated. "We all are."

Ginny felt the ache in her chest threaten to overwhelm her, but she stubbornly pushed it back. She was not dealing with that right now. Now, she would try to grieve, maybe.

"What do I do?"

She would be productive. Maybe she could help Hermione and Ron. (She'd never fill the space Har – he left, but she could help.) She could help her mum with the food, or even organize this place, this safehouse.

"You wait until Bill returns." Charlie shot back, gently pushing her back onto the bed. "And then, you can talk to him."

Ginny frowned in thought, and then it hit her. "Bill is in charge of the rebels now?"

Charlie smiled at her. (It wasn't his normal smile, but she couldn't blame him). "You sit tight, Gin. I'm sending mum here."

With that he was gone, leaving Ginny to her own thoughts and a near certain death by suffocation and/or smothering. She burrowed under the blankets and contemplated never resurfacing. (She wouldn't have to deal with all the problems then.)