Disclaimer: God is my strength...
It seemed like days since the incident, but in all reality it was only two day later when Ron came down from his room. Lorel had not come down from hers yet, convinced that if she did, he'd hit her. Though he didn't know exactly what had happened, it didn't take him long to figure it out, especially when Fleur scolded him on his atrocious behavior.
"Dammit, Fleur. Sod off," he snapped, holding his head in pain. "Don't you think I feel bad already," he muttered, his guilt filling him. Bill frowned.
"Hey Ron. I think all she's trying to say is that you need to stop drinking all that alcohol. You're always doing something stupid," he said. Ron pushed back his chair and stood up.
"Perhaps I was drunk the day Hermione disappeared," he grumbled.
"RON!" Molly scolded.
"Oh shove off," Ron groaned. "I'm tired of all of you telling me I act like a complete arse every time I come here!"
"You do!" Ginny said. Ron shot her a dirty look.
"Well then, maybe I shouldn't come back. Then we'd all just be happy wouldn't we," he hissed. Molly stood and approached her son.
"Ron… maybe you should just stop looking… It's been seven years. You can't keep beating yourself up about it. It wasn't your fault," she whispered to him. Ron stared at the ground, eyes glazed.
"I promised I'd never let anything happen to her," he mumbled. He looked out the window. "I'm not even a good father…" Ginny shook her head.
"Ron, you're a great dad!" she exclaimed. Ron snorted.
"A good father, am I? Wasn't I the one who staggered in here the other day and had to be knocked out just so I wouldn't hit my own daughter?" he asked bitterly. When no one answered, Ron moved to the family room.
"Maybe it would have been better if I just hadn't come," he whispered.
"What are you thinking about?" Ginny asked that night after she came in from putting the kids to bed. Harry was sitting at the edge of the bed, eyes on the floor. She crawled over the bed and sat down beside him, holding his eyes. He shook his head.
"That could have easily been me…" he looked up at her. "Seven years ago. That could have been us…" Ginny's eyes watered and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Don't… don't think like that…" she begged. He buried his face in her hair.
"I don't know what I would do if I lost you," he mumbled into her hair. "I don't want to end up like him…" They pulled away from one another and Ginny wiped her eyes.
"He's never recovered, has he? He blames himself for everything. Hermione's disappearance and Triniti's death." Harry nodded. He looked over at his wife and remembered the conversation he had with Ron before he disappeared.
"He doesn't want to admit to the fact that she might actually be dead," he muttered. Ginny turned to him and frowned.
"Do you believe she's dead?" she asked cautiously. Harry gave her a weird look.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked. She shrugged.
"I'm just saying. If you're going tell Ron to let go, you shouldn't be the hypocrite and not let go yourself," she murmured. Harry stood up.
"I let go five years ago, Ginny. I let go when I realized I'd be the one taking care of her! Dammit, Ginny! I see Hermione every time I look at Lorel and that's the only reason Ron stays away from here as much as possible." Ginny hated seeing Harry beat himself up about this.
"Harry," Ginny said. He whirled on her.
"It's true! He can't stand looking at her because he feels responsible… drinking is just a way to get rid of that false guilt," he whispered. Ginny stood up and touched his face.
"Are you sure there's no false guilt lurking around in here?" she asked, her hand resting on his heart. Harry was quiet for a while as he took Ginny's hand in his. He looked up into her eyes and then turned and left the room. Ginny closed her eyes and sat back down on the bed. This was her life…
Morning rush hour in that part of the city, like the rest of the city, was absolutely horrible. As a photographer though, there was no rush. The sights of New York City were amazing in itself. Thirty-three year old Colin Creevy was early, so he stopped at a café and grabbed a coffee before heading off for a photo shoot with some muggle girls. It wasn't that he didn't use witches as well, but he had been hired by a muggle who had viewed his work. The still photos, of course. The models this time were women who had been offered the chance from all over the country. The women ranged from many ages and but all were very beautiful, or so he was told. He hadn't had a chance to see pictures of these women yet. The magazine he was shooting for wizarding and muggle and was supposed to show how women who weren't stars could look beautiful as well. Colin had immediately accepted.
"There you are! I was getting worried you wouldn't show up!" Henry Nederfield shrieked, striding up to Colin. He towered over Colin, his long frame accented by his wild red hair and high cheek bones. He was an eccentric man who had worked with several people in the past, firing all of them because the photos didn't come out right.
"Well, I'm here, so where do I set up?" Colin asked, not wishing to point out that he was ten minutes early. Henry pointed to the photo area and the backdrop.
"There. I'll go get the women," he said, prancing off in high form. Colin shook his head and began to set up his equipment. Colin picked up his best camera and waited. Soon, about ten women entered the room, all in about the sexiest swimsuits he had ever seen in his life. Henry came in with another tall woman who sat in one of the seats. Henry walked over to Colin.
"There are two more models that will be shooting alone," he said. Colin nodded and started his work. He loved his job. Finally when he was finished, he turned to Henry.
"I'm done," he said. Henry nodded and turned to the woman beside him.
"Go get Charlie and Lisa," he ordered. The woman nodded and disappeared into the room with the other women. Colin bent down and got a different camera. Cleaning his camera, he didn't notice that the two people had entered and were waiting. Bringing his camera up to his eye, he stood and turned to them. He froze, his camera dropping to the floor.
"Oh my God…"
A/N: I love cliffhangers.
-47SydneyVaughn74-: Putting faith in God is always the best way to go!
Dany Granger Weasley: I think you don't have to worry...
Wesker888: Yes... he is falling apart isn't he? Hopefully he'll get back on his feet soon.
Cynthia Cacciola: I'm glad you like it so much!
No Chapter Tease, I think you guys can use your imaginations.