Chapter 10: The Funeral and the heartbreak

Ginny was sitting with Harry in the common room the day before the funeral and she kept trying to make conversation but Harry was too out of it. Ginny eventually gave up and said nothing more. Harry had been acting weird ever since Dumbledore's death and Ginny was worried him, worried about them. Ron and Hermione joined them a few moments later and Hermione picked up the Prophet while Ron sat between Ginny and Harry on the couch. Ginny nudged him and raised her eyebrows and he merely stuck his tongue out at her. Ginny rolled her eyes at him and Harry smiled weakly.

"Anyone else we know died?" Ron asked Hermione sadly while she was reading the Prophet.

"No," she said, "They're still looking for Snape but no sign…"

"Of course there isn't," Harry snapped angrily, "They won't find Snape until they find Voldemort, and seeing as they've never managed to do that after all this time…" Ron, Hermione and Ginny looked down sadly while Harry stopped and looked away from them.

"I'm going to bed," Ginny said and yawned, "I haven't been sleeping that well since…well….I could do with some sleep." She stood up, purposefully kicked Ron while she walked passed him. She leaned down and kissed Harry and stuck her tongue out at Ron as she walked upstairs and Ron rolled his eyes at her.

The next morning Ginny and Harry were sitting silently at breakfast waiting for the funeral to start. Harry seemed out of it completely and Ginny decided not to bother him. McGonagall walked into the hall and motioned for silence. Harry continued staring at the table, seeming not to notice her so Ginny elbowed him and pointed toward McGonagall.

"It is nearly time," she said, "Please follow your Heads of Houses out into the grounds. Gryffindors, after me." Harry stood up slowly and followed Ginny, Ron and Hermione out to the lake.

"You alright?" Ginny asked him quietly as they walked down the grounds, "I mean…are you getting better?" Harry smiled at her and nodded.

"I'm as good as possible considering where we're going now," Harry said and Ginny nodded.

Harry took Ginny's hand and squeezed it. Ginny smiled weakly up at him and he tried to smile again. They filed into the seats and Harry stared forward silently. Ginny looked around at the strange assortment of people there. There were hundreds of people filing into the seats around the giant white tomb in the middle around the lake. Mermaids gathered at the surface of the lake and the centaurs were standing at the edge of the forest to pay their respects to Dumbledore. Suddenly, strange music began playing, it was almost otherworldly. Ginny saw where it was coming from but many others did not, including Harry who was looking around confused.

"In there," she whispered in his ear and pointed toward the water. The music continued for a while, at least long enough for everyone to find where it was coming from. Ginny turned to see Hagrid carrying something wrapped in dark purple velvet, which she knew to be Dumbledore. Harry was still looking at the water towards the people singing, so she nudged him and pointed towards Hagrid. Ginny felt tears swelling in her eyes suddenly and spill out into her lap as she watched Hagrid carry Dumbledore's body right passed them. Hermione was crying now also and Ron and Harry were both white with shock. Ginny looked up to see Hagrid place Dumbledore's body in the white tomb and a small white haired man stepped up and stood in front of Dumbledore's body. He began talking about Dumbledore's life and death. Ginny felt Harry quickly turn away from her and she turned to look at him. He was avoiding her gaze and Ginny knew why. She rubbed his arm lightly, but he continued to avoid her gaze. Suddenly, lights erupted from around Dumbledore's body and several people screamed. The tomb then encased Dumbledore's body within it in a flash of bright light.

Arrows suddenly shot through the sky and people screamed and ducked. Ginny looked back and saw the centaurs with their bows still drawn running back into the forest. Ginny looked up at Harry who was looking at her sadly and she knew what was going to happen next. She looked at him, understanding what he was going to say and he looked away.

The funeral ended and the buzz of conversation broke out around them as Ginny and Harry stood up. "Ginny, listen…" he said very quietly, "I can't be involved with you anymore. We've got to stop seeing each other. We can't be together." These words pierced through Ginny's heart worse than she thought they would, even though she knew it was coming. She smiled a very twisted and pained smile.

"Its for some stupid, noble reason, isn't it?" she asked quietly.

"It's been like…like something out of someone else's life, these last few weeks with you," said Harry. "But I can't… we can't…I've got things to do alone now." Ginny didn't cry, she felt as if she had no tears for this. She looked up at Harry and met his gaze. "Voldemort uses people his enemies are close to. He's already used you as bait once, and that was just because you're my best friend's sister. Think how much danger you'll be in if we keep this up. He'll know, he'll find out. He'll try and get to me through you." Ginny became somewhat angry now. This was the second time Harry thought she needed protecting.

"What if I don't care?" said Ginny fiercely.

"I care," Harry said quietly, "How do you think I'd feel if this was your funeral…and it was my fault…" Ginny looked away from him, trying not to cry as his words cut through her.

"I never really gave up on you," she said, "Not really. I always hoped…Hermione told me to get on with my life, maybe go out with some other people, relax a bit around you, because I never used to be able to talk if you were in the room, remember?" Harry laughed weakly at this memory. "And she thought you might take a bit more notice if I was a bit more- myself." Harry smiled at her.

"Smart girl, that Hermione," said Harry still forcing a smile, "I just wish I'd asked you sooner, we could've had ages… months…years maybe…"

"But you've been too busy saving the Wizarding world," said Ginny half laughing. "Well… I can't say I'm surprised. I knew this would happen in the end. I knew you wouldn't be happy unless you were hunting Voldemort. Maybe that's why I love you so much." Harry smiled weakly at her and Ginny could tell this conversation was over. Harry got up and walked away, back towards the castle.

Ginny watched him go sadly and looked back down at her feet. She let a few tears roll down her face as she stared at the ground.

"Ginny," someone said from behind her, "You ready to go?" She turned and saw Ron and Hermione waiting for her.

"Yeah," she said and got up, "lets go." Ron and Hermione watched Ginny get up and walk towards them sadly. Ron put his arm around his little sister and she leaned on his shoulder.

"This is going to be a long summer isn't it?" Ron asked sadly and Hermione nodded. Ginny watched Harry walk ahead of them alone with a pang in her heart.

"Yeah," she said quietly, "It really is."