The Ticking Life
Chapter — 3
Death is Better
Ginny sighed as she admired the beauty of the rising sun.
"What are you doing?" came Hermione's voice.
"Nothing," said Ginny as she recovered from the sudden shock.
"Couldn't sleep?" asked Hermione with a motherly smile. Ginny smiled back, as another sigh slipped past her lips.
"Kind of," said Ginny as she sprawled on the grass. Morning dew tingled her skin and the cold sensation it left on her skin felt very good.
"Don't worry about him," said Hermione as she sat beside Ginny, "He will recover."
"I know," said Ginny.
Silence fell between them as both of them continued to do what they desired; Ginny looking at the rising sun and Hermione scrutinising Ginny like she was a healer checking her patient for possible symptoms of Dragon Pox.
"Stop it Hermione," said Ginny after going through some moments of Hermione's scrutinising, her nerves getting the better out of her, "stop irritating me." Her last words came snappier then she had intended to.
"I am not doing anything," said Hermione in a defiant tone.
"Then what's with the staring?" demanded Ginny as she pulled herself in a sitting position. Morning breeze breezed through her night clothes and Ginny basked in the sensation of the cold wind against her skin.
"I'm worried about you Ginny," said Hermione as she turned to face Ginny.
"Harry is the one you should be worried about," said Ginny pointedly, as she started playing with the blade of a certain grass she had suddenly founded interesting.
"No…" said Hermione more to herself than to Ginny, and then as if she remembered Ginny was there too, she added in a louder voice, "I think I'm right in worrying about you…" — Hermione continued in a louder voice when Ginny opened her mouth to retaliate — "… because you are suffering as much as Harry."
"No, I'm not," shouted Ginny, fisting out a handful of grass in her hysterics, "I'm not the one who has been admitted in St Mungos because of… because —"
"— he worries too much," completed Hermione, "And what are you doing is nothing different Ginny."
"It is different Hermione," said Ginny turning to look at Hermione. Her eyes glistened with the sunlight because of the unshed tears as she said in a weak voice,
"I'm not the one who collapsed during Fred's funeral —" Ginny hitched as she tried suppressing a sob "— and I'm not the one who is going through so much pain…" Her voice faltered as her vision blurred. Ginny had lost count of how many times she had cried during this week; to her, it felt like happiness was never in her life and never would be.
"I know that Ginny," said Hermione and her own voice sounded close to tears, "but you should remember how much pain Harry had gone through."
"I know Hermione," said Ginny, "And that's why it hurts so much because I cannot, because I cannot help him…"
Hermione opened her mouth to say something but she closed it back when she noticed that Ginny was still speaking albeit in a voice lower than a whisper.
"… I remember it as clearly as if it had happened mere moments ago," said Ginny, her eyes glazed over because of the tears, "you remember it too Hermione, ha?"
— X/|\X/|\X/|\X —
Ginny looked around her as she saw people walking all around her, busy in preparing for Fred's funeral. She didn't know half of these people because Kingsley had been the one who had send them here, thinking that they would be too drained to arrange for the Funeral themselves.
While it was true for most of them, especially for her Mum and her, George was showing an unexpected level of enthusiasm. He was so full of energy that one could have easily thought that he was preparing for a rather wicked prank then preparing for his twin funeral, but the thing that gave him away was his red-rimmed and puffy eyes, and the warm trail of tears on his cheek.
"It feels like the Burrow is not the Burrow anymore," thought Ginny bitterly, "it's like it has turned into a haunted house full of Weasley ghosts."
"Get up Ginny," said George, pulling Ginny out of her reverie as he forced her to stand up, "get ready, Fred's fun-" — George voice hitched a little as he tried to plaster a slight smile on his face — "-eral is about to start." A fresh assault of tears escaped from her eyes as Ginny saw the tear stained face of her brother. Ginny wanted to hug him, hug him as hard as wizardly possible, but she was afraid, afraid that if she did that, both of them would loose the last strand of strength they had.
So she just smiled and tried to mimic the smile which was playing on George's lips. But as Ginny turned to head up the stairs, she hoped that her smile hadn't look as sad as George smile had looked.
"Quickly change and come in the g-ar… garden," was all George said as he turned to head out. Ginny stopped and turned to look at the vanishing form of her brother because she was sure that she had heard him crying.
After quickly changing in the already chosen clothes, Ginny looked in the mirror for the first and final time today. And she despised the Ginny which looked out of the mirror, because Ginny felt like she should dress in tatters not in neat clothes, that her hairs should be a mess and that she shouldn't look so sophisticated because she was feeling ravaged from inside. She felt like she was disgracing the dead by going on their funerals like this.
"But it seemed as society has some other standards," thought Ginny bitterly as she wiped a stray tear with the back of her hand. Her palms clenched themselves in a fist as a sudden impulse overcame her, but before she could work on it, it vanished and Ginny regained her senses. For a fleeting moment then, Ginny had wanted to punch the mirror into million shards because she couldn't bear to see herself but it passed before Ginny could have done anything.
Sighing, Ginny walked out of her room, feeling that she might do something drastic if she remained with that mirror for long.
Ginny sighed again as her eyes roved around the house, looking for Harry, Hermione and Ron. The last she had seen the trio was yesterday, when they had came back from Hogwarts. And after that they had vanished, as if they never were here.
After a while of searching, Ginny admitted defeat and walked down the stairs and in the garden, vowing to herself that she would find the three and give them a piece of her mind.
But it appeared as her luck was shining down on her as she saw the three friends, huddled in a close group in a far corner of the garden, completely hidden from the crowd.
Her feet involuntarily started to move toward them when a hand clasped down on her shoulder and made her stop in her tracks.
Ginny hands reflexively reached for her wand, only to realise that it was not there; it was in her room, locked away in her closet because she had felt like she wouldn't have to use it again, at least not for quite a long time.
But here she was, wishing for her wand as she turned to look at the person who had stopped her.
"What took you so long Ginny?" asked George, "everyone came down a century ago."
Ginny didn't have the energy to comment so she just smiled apologetically and moved to the front row, where her family was sitting, completely forgetting about the trio for the time being.
The funeral went well, as well as a funeral could go. During the funeral, Ginny was scared that her Mum might lose it, but surprisingly enough her Mum was calmer than she had been during the couple of days.
Everyone went on the stage to give their final blessings to Fred, when suddenly, someone shouted, "Mr. Potter."
It was like someone had opened Pandora's Box. Everyone's head whipped in the pointed direction and sure enough, Harry was there with Hermione and Ron.
Before anyone had the chance from recover from the shock of the sudden discovery, the man continued, "Won't you like to say something for Late Fred Weasley?"
Harry sat there motionlessly, looking at the man as if he was one of his kind. And for some weird reasons, Ginny felt a feeling of Dejavu.
"Orius," said Kingsley in a slightly alarmed tone, "what are you doing here?"
"Doing my work Minister," said Orius in an unconcerned tone.
"I will have to escort you out Orius," said Kingsley in a hard tone, "it's a private funeral and reporters are not allowed."
"I didn't come as a reporter," said Orius in defence as his eyes looked around.
"But if I remember correctly," said Kingsley, "you were not invited. Now if you will, please walk out right this second or I will make sure you are thrown out."
Orius snarled and he turned to look directly at Harry.
"You are just as my brother said," he spat and whipped out his wand, "And you don't deserve to live, not after my brother had to die because of you."
"Stupefy!" SMACK!
As soon as the spell left Orius lips, Charlie punched the wand away from his hand. Due to Charlie's intervention, the spell missed its aim and instead blasted a stone into million little shards.
Everyone's attention was on Orius, so no one saw Harry as his body started shaking rapidly, like a man possessed. Even Ron and Hermione had left his side, instead choosing to vent out their frustration and anger on Orius.
"HARRY!" Ginny shouted as she noticed Harry's deranged state. He was already sprawled on the ground, curled into a ball and repeating gagging motions without spewing anything out.
As if Ginny's word were a trigger, everyone's attention turned towards Harry and in a flash, everyone was rushing to his side.
But Ginny just stood there like a stone statue, silent tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared at Harry, her mind ordering her body to rush to his side, but her body seems to be rooted to the spot.
Before she realised, she had succumbed to her knees and had wept herself unconscious.
— X/|\X/|\X/|\X —
"Well…" said Ginny as angry tear trailed down her cheeks.
"Hmm…?" said Hermione, her eyes teary, it seemed as if she too, had been remembering yesterday's event.
"How's Harry now?" asked Ginny. When her family had gone to visit Harry — what remained of her family at the Burrow as half of her family, including her Mum and Ron had been by Harry's bedside since the moment he was admitted — they had completely forbidden her from leaving the Burrow. It was not as if they didn't want her to visit Harry, it was because of that damn Healer who had advised her strict bed rests as according to him, Ginny still seems to be in some kind of shock.
"He seemed fine," said Hermione with little hesitance and Ginny eyed her with menace, "but still unconscious." She finished looking like she had just swallowed a rather bitter potion.
"And I suppose that the healer was the one who told you that he was doing fine," Ginny asked looking far in the horizon.
"Yes," replied Hermione in a small voice.
"How can you believe what those healers have to say?" asked Ginny after a bit of silence, a note of resentment in her voice, "You should know better than that."
"Ginny…" said Hermione in a weak tone and if that was supposed to be a protest, Hermione needed medical attention more than anyone.
"What?" said Ginny as she turned to look at her, "Don't tell me they can cure Harry; I don't think anyone can. Don't misunderstand me Hermione; I do want him to make a complete recovery. But I don't think they can heal him."
"Believe in them Ginny," Hermione said as she pulled Ginny in a hug, "Believe in Harry."
Moments passed as both of them just held onto each other, as if the other was the only thing which was keeping the other tethered to the ground.
Sometimes they just let their tears freely flow out as they remembered everything and everyone they had lost and sometimes they just buried their faces in the other one shoulder, trying to stem the flow of their endless tears.
It was merciless, just merciless as they both sat there, consoling the other while wallowing in their own self-pity, in their own self-resentment.
Time seemed to trickle away ever so slowly as the warm May breeze engulfed them, almost as if taunting them at their helplessness, jeering at them for being so weak while other showed un-wizardly strength.
Finally both of them pulled out of the embrace, feeling as if eternity had passed and they were just the only person left there, left there to wallow in their self-pity for the remainder of time.
"Hey Ginny," said Hermione as she turned to look away from Ginny, taking a moment to wipe away the remnants of tears from her cheeks, "who's going to make the dinner tonight?"
Ginny groaned in spite of herself as she let the last of her tears flow away with the breeze and said smiling through her tears,
"I'm not; remember that I have been advised bed rest."
Hermione looked at her, disbelief written all over her face. She tried her best not to notice Ginny's red-rimmed puffy eyes and her tears strained cheeks, but as much as tried not to, her eyes didn't seem to comply with her wishes.
Ginny gave a slight smile as her eyes twinkled in mischief.
"I don't believe you," said Hermione as a soft laugh escaped her lips.
"Let's go inside," said Ginny as the silence around them continued.
"Is anyone coming back today?" asked Hermione as she stood up.
"Mum said that Bill will come to drop Fleur here," supplied Ginny, "Except her, I don't thinking anyone is planning to leave Harry's side anytime soon." She finished bitterly for she was the only one who hadn't been at Harry's side.
Hermione sensing the change in Ginny's voice, quickly said in a cheerful voice,
"I think it's good that they all are away."
Ginny gave her a quizzical look and Hermione continued, "We never get time for ourselves; Harry and Ron are always hovering around us. Let's make the most of it."
Ginny smiled and grabbed Hermione's hand as she dragged her inside the house, desperate to forget about everything for the time being.
X/|\X/|\X/|\X
Ginny sat on the sofa, panting Hermione and she had done every little stupid thing they could think of. They were like little children, doing things on the whim, both trying to numb the pain in their heart.
"Today was fun, isn't it?" asked Hermione who was sprawled in a corner the sofa, her feet dangling on the edge.
"It was," said Ginny nodding her consent, "Let's do it again."
Hermione nodded, smiling brightly.
"Whose going to make dinner?" asked Hermione with a smile.
"You of course," said Ginny as she leaned further into the sofa, "I don't think I need to remind you —"
"Cut it short already," said Hermione and then went quiet.
But suddenly Hermione sat up, a strange happy reaction on her face, the same one she usually have when she manages to figure out a rather hard puzzle.
"What?" asked Ginny, eyeing Hermione deliberately.
"You said Fleur is coming tonight," said Hermione in a measured voice, but Ginny caught on quickly.
"But do you think her food will be edible?" asked Ginny, interjecting Hermione explanation.
"There is first time for everything," supplied Hermione but now she seemed a little unsure of her plan.
Suddenly the fireplace roared to life, turning emerald for a moment before a familiar but unexpected face walked out of it.
"George," Ginny and Hermione both exclaimed at once and before they could say anything, George lifted a hand, indicating them to be quiet.
Ginny and Hermione compiled and soon the fireplace roared emerald again and another unexpected figure stepped out of it, her Mum.
Going further into shock about what was happening; Hermione and Ginny just blankly looked at the fireplace as every member of her family walked out of the fireplace with Harry being in the middle.
"Harry," exclaimed Ginny and Hermione in surprise, a big smile coming on their lips.
"Woah," said Ron acting as a barrier as Ginny and Hermione struggled with him, trying their best to reach Harry.
"Get out of the way Ron," "Move aside Ronald."
Ginny and Hermione said at the same time and everyone chuckled at their timing.
"Leave Harry alone," came her Mum tired voice, "Healers have advised him bed rest."
Reluctantly Ginny retreated, making sure to get a good luck at Harry first.
To her disappointment, she saw that Harry looked as worn out before and he was being supported by Charlie. Her family seemed to be in a phalanx around Harry, protecting him.
It unnerved Ginny; they were back in the Burrow and it was not like Ginny and Hermione were going to pounce on Harry.
"Hello," said Bill as he walked out of the fireplace and almost walked back in the fireplace as he found half a dozen wands trained at him.
"Guys," he said, looking from one to another, "Weren't you all" — his eyes fell on Harry — "never mind that; can you please stow your wand now?"
"Beel," said Fleur who seemed to have Flooed in during the commotion, "Movve azide."
"Err…" said Bill as everyone stowed their wand back in the pockets, "Sure."
Fleur eyes went round as she saw every Weasley there; like Ginny, Bill and Hermione, she hadn't expected them to be here.
The tension in the room was so palpable that no one said aid anything, instead scattered around, with Ron and Charlie hoisting Harry to his room.
Ginny made a move to follow Harry and she saw Hermione mimicking her action, when her Mum said,
"Ginny, Hermione, help me in making dinner."
Ginny sighed angrily and turned towards her Mum, ready to burst at her when from the corner of her eyes she saw Hermione shaking her hand and motioning her to keep her quiet.
"What?" said Ginny in a hurried whisper as she sat beside Hermione, peeling potatoes with hands.
"Hmm…" said Hermione in the same whisper as she looked at Hermione.
Ginny just glared at her and Hermione sighed.
"Your Mum is just tired and she was thinking about Harry's health and she have to cook for all of us, so I don't think her asking for help was wrong."
"You know that's not what I'm angry on," whispered Ginny furiously, peeling a lot off potato with its skin in her anger, "Why wouldn't she just let me near Harry? It had been the same from the day we have returned from Hogwarts. As soon as I have some free time on my hand and go to visit Harry, she would just give me some new thing to do."
"Well…" said Hermione in a sympathising voice, "I don't know, but maybe it's just because she is tired and the circumstances aren't exactly helping."
Ginny scoffed and dug her thumb in the potato and pulled it out hastily as it burned her skin.
"Why are we peeling the potato like this?" said Ginny as she thrust the half-peeled potato in Hermione's face.
"Your Mum said so…" was all Hermione said as she barely dodged the potato.
Ginny scoffed, pulled out her wand and started to peel them wordlessly. She looked at Hermione when she felt her gaze on her body. Hermione seemed to be looking at her pointedly as if suppressing herself from saying something.
Ginny just looked at her oddly for a moment before she continued her work as fast as possible.
But as her luck would have it, her Mum appeared just before she finished peeling potatoes and gave a disapproving look to Ginny when she found Ginny peeling potatoes magically. Hermione seemed to be peeling potatoes the Muggle way and Ginny glared at Hermione for betraying her.
"Come with me and help me with the stew," said her Mum and Ginny stood her furiously, her lips quivering as she found herself at the verge of explosion.
But as she looked deep in her Mum's eyes, Ginny sighed; she wasn't prepared for that. She had expected her Mum's eyes to be ablaze with fire, but they were almost dead as if her Mum was just following the routine mindlessly, just doing the work for just doing it, not loving it like she used to.
The dinner was a low affair as almost everyone kept to themselves, the exception being Fleur. But soon she took in the gravity of the situation and started eating quietly, casting furtive glances once in a while.
X/|\X/|\X/|\X
Ginny groaned as she lied down on the floor, beside Ron and Hermione, who seemed to be in a grave mood. They had just discussed the reason of their unexpected return.
It was not because Harry had been fit; it was just the opposite. Harry's condition had been stable but not good and the Healers were worried that because of the attention St Mungos was getting because of Harry's presence, they would be unable to give other patient the attention they required and secondly, Harry being in the St Mungos had made commutation for other patients and their family members quite hard as they had to submit to a full search before they were allowed to enter the St Mungos.
St Mungos head hadn't outright said that they wanted Harry out of the building, and Ginny could understand the reason, even if she didn't agree. If he had said so directly, Ginny could just imagine what the wizarding folks would have done to St Mungos and to him in particular.
Instead, he had said it as a suggestion, wording it such as it sounded as he was thinking in Harry's benefit. But none of her family members seemed to buy it, as Ron and Charlie lost their cool more than once and Percy even threatened to lodge a formal complaint against St Mungos for discrimination against Harry. Everyone had quite a laugh at this one as Ron explained how the colour from the St Mungos head drained when Percy had said that.
Her Dad had outright asked if he wanted Harry to shift some place else, and the St Mungos head had said that it will be better for everyone, and that he would send a couple of Healer as soon as he could spare some. To that, to everyone's surprise her Mum had replied that it wasn't necessary and that she could take care of her children herself.
"So," said Hermione and her voice seemed to resonate from every corner of the room, "Harry's going to stay here."
"Yeah," said Ron and he loudly swore. Ginny looked at his direction and saw him staring at a clock.
"I have to go," said Ron as he jumped to his feet and dashed towards the door.
"Where?" asked Ginny and Hermione in unison and both smiled at each other; they seemed to be doing this quite frequently today.
"I volunteered to keep Harry company tonight," said Ron, his hand resting on the door knob, ready to sprint to Harry's side at a moment notice.
"I will go," said Ginny without missing a beat.
"No, it's fine," said Ron, "I'll go. You take a rest, you need it."
"No, I will go Ron," said Ginny forcefully as she jumped to her feet, "You can rest in my place."
"What's the matter with you?" said Ron and he turned to look at Hermione, asking for an explanation when he saw Hermione giving him an expression of disbelief.
"Well…" said Ron as understanding dawned on his face, "I suppose I can do with a good night rest, but if Harry needs anything and I mean anything, just shout and I will be there."
"Thank you Ron," said Ginny sincerely, ignoring the last bit of sentence.
With that Ginny walked to the door, only to stop once again.
"What now?" asked Ron before Ginny could say anything.
"Where is Harry sleeping?" Ginny asked a little sheepishly, looking down to her toes.
"Ah…" sighed Ron, "Percy's old room; Percy is sleeping with George and Charlie."
Ginny smiled slightly and all but dashed out of the room.
She came to a stop in front of Percy's room, her eyes looking at the door with a mix of emotions. Ginny started sweating for unknown reasons, and her hands shook as she wrapped her fingers around the cold knob.
With an almighty push which seemed to drain her out of energy for a moment, Ginny pushed the door open and stepped inside, dreading what she would find inside.
"Ron," came Harry's whispered voice, "is this you?"
"No," said Ginny in the same whisper as she softly closed the door.
When the door was closed, the room was enveloped in the dim flickering orange light, coming from the lamp on the wall.
"Hey," said Ginny in a soft whisper as she took slow deliberate steps toward Harry.
"I wasn't expecting you," whispered Harry with a smile, craning his neck to look at her.
"I like to surprise you," said Ginny a smile coming to her lips.
"I think I may to grow like your surprises," said Harry with a faint smile as he tried to sit.
Ginny put a hand on his shoulder, and with a light pressure, pushed him back into the bed.
"You need to rest," Ginny said, sitting besides him on the bed.
"I don't," said Harry stubbornly with a smile on his lips.
Ginny just laughed softly and ran a soothing hand through his hair.
"I was bracing myself for Ron," said Harry, "And his boring tales; I swore to kill him if he repeated the Golden Years of Chudley Cannons; he had repeated it so much times that I feel like a Chudley Cannon history book."
"He has a habit of doing that," said Ginny.
"How are you?" said Harry in a slightly grave tone.
"The question should be," said Ginny, leaning to look Harry in the eyes, "How are you?"
"I'm fine," said Harry, "I don't know why everyone is fretting over me."
Ginny gave him a look of disbelief and Harry sighed.
"Okay, I'm just a little tired, but that's all, I swear that's all". Harry added as Ginny glared at him.
"But the Healers seemed to think differently Harry," said Ginny in a small voice as she remembered what Ron had told her about Harry's condition, how they thought that Harry condition was rather fragile.
"Please can we talk about something else," begged Harry, "Mrs Weasley, I mean your Mum was so insistent about taking care of me that she wouldn't even let me go to the bathroom alone."
Ginny laughed and Harry eyes sparkled seeing her smile.
"Tell me about it," said Ginny as she leaned against the wall, half-laying on the bed, her back resting against the bedpost. She started racking her fingers through his hairs and Harry leaned in her hand.
"You know how your Mum worries really easily," said Harry and Ginny nodded her head, "See, there was this healer who told that if I didn't have the strength to walk, I can err…" — Harry cheeks reddened and Ginny barely managed to stifle a laugh — "umm… relieve myself in the magical container like thing."
Harry paused, apparently too embarrassed to continue. Ginny nudged him softly and whispered, "Continue."
"Do I have to?" said Harry, but continued without waiting for an answer, "Anyway, so you know how it goes. I had too many liquid in my system — I wonder if I can call these horrible tasting potions liquid — so anyway," — Harry sucked in a breath — "I had the urge of using the bathroom but your Mum was like I was forbidden from leaving the bed and if I needed to use toilet, I could do so in the bed."
Ginny laughed at this and Harry made a face but a soft smile was still on his lips, as if he was happy to be embarrassed like that.
"So anyway," said Harry once Ginny had managed to control her laughter, "somehow I managed to persuade your Mum into letting me use the bathroom and then she insisted that she would come with me."
Ginny laughed again as Harry cheeks coloured spectacularly as he remembered what had happened back in the hospital.
"Continue Harry," said Ginny when Harry didn't say anything for a while.
"So…" hummed Harry and Ginny urged him to continue, "Anyway, Ron and I somehow managed to persuade your Mum into going me alone but she made Ron accompany me to the bathroom and the toilet was so crammed that Ron and I stood there back to back as I err… relieved myself."
Ginny laughed again as happy tears sprang out of her eyes.
After that, both of them just sat silent, enjoying the others company.
"Ha…" sighed Ginny as she looked at Harry, "I was supposed to keep you company, but you have been keeping me company."
"It's nothing," said Harry as he tried once again to sit, but Ginny's hand forced him down once again and Harry sighed in exasperation, but Ginny didn't notice it.
"I had so many things I wanted to talk you about," said Ginny staring at some unknown point, "but right now, I can't even think of one."
"You don't need to," said Harry, "we have a lifetime to talk about things."
Ginny smiled, bent down and kissed his cheek. Harry's cheek burned red and Ginny let out a soft laugh again.
"Aww… Harry, you are so cute."
Harry smiled and silence surrounded them. Ginny held Harry's hand and just sat there quietly, basking in the relief of being near Harry, knowing that he was fine.
Ginny didn't know when sleep finally claimed her or when she slipped down the bed till her head was resting on Harry's shoulder.
X/|\X/|\X/|\X
Ginny stirred as she felt someone's hand on her forehead, running over it soothingly.
Ginny leaned in the touch, as she tried to open her eyes. But in her half-sleepy state, all she could manage was to crack open her eyes.
The room was shrouded in darkness and a dark figure loomed over her. She felt someone's controlled and soft breathing beside her and with a flash, Ginny realised that she had been sleeping with Harry.
A warm fuzzy feeling bubbled in her stomach, and for a moment, she forgot about the dark figure which was looming over her and Harry. And it wasn't until the moment she felt something being pulled over her, when she acknowledged the dark figure.
Panic filled Ginny as she tried to move her body, but only managed to thrash around, her half-sleep turning to be a curse.
Suddenly, she felt a soft and warm hand over her forehead and her mind calmed down. She tried to lean in the hand again, but this time the owner of the hand retracted it and left Ginny with an empty feeling. She whimpered at the lose of contact and tried to crack open her eyes again but this time they didn't.
Ginny tried to stir but this time her body felt like it was glued to the bed. She heard a tiny sob and her heart clenched in a vice, but still her eyes remained closed, it was as if Ginny was in a dream but something about this whole event made her believe that it was reality rather than a dream.
As Ginny gave in the silence, she heard the soft pitter-patter of steps and suddenly her closed eyelids were ablaze with light.
But it only lasted for a moment and ended with the soft thud of closing of a door.
Ginny smiled in spite of herself, her mind still covered in a thick haze of sleepiness as she turned to Harry's side and wrapped an arm around his chest as she snuggled her head in the hollow of his chest.
This was the last thing Ginny's mind registered as she lost the sense of time and soon lost herself in the peaceful sleep.
X/|\X/|\X/|\X
"Get up Ginny," a soft almost song-like voice said in her ear and Ginny stirred, only to nest herself more snugly in Harry's chest.
But only, there was no Harry.
Ginny eyes snapped open in panic and she saw Hermione's face looming over her, her hands ready to shake her for a second time.
"Where is Harry?" said Ginny in a panicked voice as she shot up from the bed, her eyes roving all around the room.
"Calm down Ginny," said Hermione, grabbing a hold of Ginny's shoulder and looking her in the eye, "Harry is downstairs, eating breakfast."
Ginny sighed in relief and sat on the floor.
"Why didn't anyone woke me up?" asked Ginny.
"Mrs Weasley, I mean your Mum said that Healer had advised you bed rest so we should let you sleep," supplied Hermione as she sat besides Ginny.
"How considerate of her," said Ginny her voice dripping with sarcasm, "I wonder where this consideration was yesterday when she made me work like a house elf."
Ginny gulped as she felt Hermione's murderous glare on her body. She laughed nervously and stood up, ready to flee out of the room.
"I will go take a bath," she said already inching toward the door.
Hermione sighed, stood up and said, "Okay, I will meet you downstairs."
Ginny smiled a slight smile and headed down the stairs and to her room.
Soon she was standing in the Burrow's garden, dressed in loose jeans and a top and her hair in a loose ponytail, as her eyes looked around for any sign of Harry, Hermione and Ron. Her Mum had told her that they had headed outside.
The sun was warm and bright and a cool May wind was flowing around. Ginny just stood there, here eyes taking in the glorious view.
"What are you doing here Ginny?" came the voice of Charlie from her right side.
"Nothing," said Ginny turning to look at him, "I was just looking for Ron, Hermione and Harry?"
"They are in the back," said Charlie cocking his thumb in the said direction.
"Thanks," Ginny said with a pleasant smile and Charlie smiled in return.
Ginny walked in the direction Charlie had pointed her in, humming a tune.
Soon she spotted the three friends, lying down on the grass and discussing something in whispered voices.
Ginny inched towards them as quietly as possible but as her luck would have, Ron spotted her.
"What are you doing here Ginny?" asked Ron.
"I never knew you owned this place," said Ginny, her voice lacking the usual edge.
"Whatever," said Ron to Ginny's surprise.
"Hey," said Harry with a smile, turning to look at her.
"You look better," commented Ginny as she made a beeline toward him.
"You look great as usual," complimented Harry with a grin.
"Really Harry," said Ginny with a smile, 'you look really fit, not at all like the fragile Harry I was forced into believing you had become."
Harry laughed and said,
"Didn't I tell you, everyone was worrying over me for nothing."
"I didn't think that was nothing Harry," said Hermione sternly and Ron piped in,
"And falling down for no reasons isn't exactly in fashion mate."
Ginny and Hermione glared at Ron.
"What!" Ron said looking questioningly at both of them.
"You couldn't be more tactless," said Hermione with an angry sigh.
"How can I have such a tactless thing for a brother," sighed Ginny.
"What did I do this time?" moaned Ron his eyes beseeching to the three of them for an explanation.
"Don't look at me," said Harry as Ron looked at him, 'I have absolutely no idea."
They passed the rest of the afternoon in idle chit-chatter, till her Mum called them back in the Burrow for tea.
X/|\X/|\X/|\X
"It feels good, doesn't it?" said Hermione as she leaned against the trunk of the aged tree.
"It sure does," said Ginny lying besides Hermione.
They had passed the afternoon talking about nothing in particular, but when her Mum had called them for tea, they have found an unexpected visitor there, Kingsley.
He had come to check on Harry and for discussing politics with her father and, to her Mum's and Ginny's great dismay, Harry.
Her Mum had even protested about it, but Kingsley had begged her Mum to understand the gravity of the current situation and it had taken the combined effort of her Dad and Harry to persuade her Mum.
But surprisingly, Hermione didn't want to participate in the conversation.
"So why didn't you wanted to discuss things with Kingsley?" asked Ginny, turning around and resting her head on her palms, "Didn't you always wanted to go in Law enforcement?"
"Not exactly," said Hermione sighing heavily as she looked at a point faraway and visible only to her, "but anyway, I didn't feel like discussing about anything important right now."
"I understand," sighed Ginny and continued after a bit of silence, "This doesn't feel real."
"What do you mean?" enquired Hermione, looking at her.
"I mean," said Ginny, suppressing a sob, "I never thought that it would be like this; I mean, I thought that after the war everything will be good and everyone would be happy and their would be peace in the world. But now, even when someone smiles, it looks empty, the smile never reach their eyes."
Ginny sighed once again and Hermione remained quiet all the while, silently urging her to continue.
"Look around you, Hermione, do you feel any happiness in the air. All I can feel is this sadness in the air. Everything is in a state of distraught; it feels worse now. There is this graveness in the air, it just makes me feel sick to my stomach, makes me feel like happiness has become a distant past for me… for everyone. Sometimes I just wish that the war had never taken place, so I would never have to loose Fred." Ginny finished, her voice faltering into silence as silent tears slid down her cheek and on to the grass, only to split into thousand little droplets and jump back.
"Sh…" said Hermione as she hugged Ginny, "Don't say that. Everything is going to be alright. But you have to know Ginny; things will be rough for quite a while. People had lost much, families had been destroyed and it will only heal with time. And by crying you are only making those sacrifices get to waste."
Ginny opened her mouth to interrupt but Hermione continued in a forceful voice.
"Sometimes it's really hard I know, but you know what I do at that point, I just remember how much Harry had been through, how much he had lost. But despite all that, you know what he continued, even though he knew that he could die at any moment, he continued in the hopes of a better future for us, the future we now have in front of us. And personally I hate to see that future being spoiled."
Hermione sobbed and Ginny sat and pulled Hermione in a proper hug, both of them crying once again in the others arm.
"I know Hermione," said Ginny through tears, "just give me some time to fix myself."
"You have the time of world right now Ginny," whispered Hermione with quivering lips, pushing her head from Ginny's shoulder to look her in the eyes, her eyes glistening with tears.
Ginny smiled and buried her face in Hermione's chest as a fresh batch of tears started leaking from her eyes.
When Ginny and Hermione had gone back to the Burrow, Ginny looked a little calm, but still her heart ached when she saw others lamenting silently, because it reminded too much of her own heart ache.