Chapter 9
"I'll Be Seeing You"
Harry woke up the next morning after only sleeping for an hour. It was more sleep then he got all week and it was only because he knew that his theory of Ron being alive was a fact. He hoped that everything that happened last night was a dream that Ron really didn't walk out. He wished that when he sat up in bed, Ron would be lying in the bed across from him. He knew that in reality he wasn't because there was no snoring. But Harry sat up anyway and stared at Ron's empty bed.
He rolled out of bed and went to get ready for the funeral. He figured that if he left early he could stop by Ron's and try to convince him that he had to come.
_RON'S LIVING ROOM_
Ron sat on the floor in the living room, he sat cross legged in front of the fireplace, staring into the empty grate I should probably get it hooked to the floo network, he thought. He had a row of beers sitting on the floor in front of him. These muggles really got something with this stuff he thought staring at the half empty bottle in his hand. He decided that he liked it after trying some at work.
He hadn't been able to sleep since he was usually up all night. And knew that he would soon fall asleep and that he could just snooze pass Fred's funeral and pretend it had never happened.
"Good Morning", smiled Hermione, she looked as if she was still half asleep. She had stayed the night and was sleeping in Ron's room in his sleeping bag.
"Hey", he got up and walked over to her and gave her a kiss.
She pulled away, "isn't it a bit early to be drinking", she questioned rising an eyebrow.
"Well this time of morning is usually my night, so no, it's not", he replied, taking a swig of the beer in his hand.
She eyed him carefully, "I think that I'm going to get going so I can get ready. The funeral it's in a couple hours… If you change your mind it's at the park in Godric's Hollow."
She gave Ron one last kiss and went out into the hall to apparate.
"Weasel when you have girls over you're actually supposed to stay in the room with them, otherwise it's no fun", commented Draco coming out of his bedroom.
Ron went and took his seat on the floor again. "Hermione's not like that."
"I bet Lavender Brown was, you two were repulsing. Not that you're not always repulsing", said Draco leaning against the wall next to the fireplace.
Ron rolled his eyes and finished his beer and continued to stare into the fireplace.
"What are you looking at," Ron shrugged. Draco looked from Ron to the fireplace. He went and took a seat on the floor next to him, "I hope we don't get bats."
"We should get it hooked to the floo network."
"We also need furniture," added Draco
"Maybe a lamp…" noted Ron
"A throw rug…."
"Few dishes…."
"Towels…" finished Draco
Ron opened another beer and began to chug it down
Draco looked at him out of the corner of his eye, "Are you celebrating or depressed."
"A little bit of both. Here join me", he pushed a bottle of beer across the floor towards Draco.
He took it and opened the bottle and took a sip. He was watching Ron carefully as he opened another beer and once again began to chug. "You might want to take it easy."
"I am… taking it… easy", slurred Ron, "I'm just sitting here relaxing. Thinking about how disas… diastro.. disast," he gave up trying to say disastrous," how horrible the dinner with my family was last night."
"Well I suppose your face won't be all over the Prophet anymore", said Draco taking another sip of the beer.
"Yup, Rita Skeeter was wrong! It wasn't a wild goose chase I am alive", he paused. "My family wishes I were dead," he paused. "They asked me to help carry Fred's casket and I told them I wasn't going to the funeral."
Draco took another sip of his beer and put it down on the floor in front of him, "You have to go to your brother's funeral."
"I can't, besides after I walked out on my parents last night they wouldn't want me there."
"He's your brother and they won't have to know that you're there", stated Draco.
"How will I mange that? I don't have an invisibility cloak."
"You don't need one. Granger said that it was in the park at Godric's Hollow, you can sit on the hill and just look down they won't even know you're there."
"I can't", whined Ron falling over on the floor
"Yes you can", Draco heaved Ron to his feet and pushed him towards the door. Draco opened it and held on to Ron's arm tightly and apparated them to the park. When their feet hit the ground they stood on the hill looking over the park. There were rows of white chairs and large moving photographs of Fred. The park was empty except for a couple of the Weasley's setting up.
_RON'S APARTMENT_
Harry apparated to Ron's front door in his dress robes ready to go. He knocked on the door and there was no answer. He knocked on the door again and still no answer… his knocking turned into banging, he was at the point that he wouldn't even care if Malfoy opened the door. He looked at his watch it was almost nine. He couldn't wait any longer he would have to go. He turned and disappeared.
_GODRIC'S HALLOW PARK_
"What do you mean he said he wasn't coming?" Charlie and Ginny were making sure everything was set for the funeral.
"Mum asked him to help carry the casket and he said he wasn't coming and just left", said Ginny slamming a vase of flowers next to where the casket would be placed.
"I can't believe him! How dare he do this to us… to Fred! If I ever see that little brat again I'll kill him," said Charlie taking his frustration out on a chair.
"You'll have to wait in line like the rest of us. George already called first as soon as he left."
"I don't believe this. What is the world coming to, first Percy leaves and now he's walking around like he's high on life… Earlier this morning he told me he was going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and now Ron's taken his place as official family git!" Said Charlie magically repairing the chair he destroyed.
When Ginny didn't say anything Charlie looked up at her to see what captured her attention. She was staring at something in the distance. He turned his gaze to where she was looking. The morticians from St. Mungo's were bringing in Fred. Charlie stood put his arm around Ginny's shoulders. They just stood in silence as the coffin was set up. This was it, he really wasn't coming back.
_THE HILL_
Draco sat in the grass watching the casket being brought in. Ron was lying on his back next to him staring up at the sky.
"Has it started yet?"
"Nope", said Draco pulling up the grass and breaking it into pieces.
"This wasn't a good idea", moaned Ron.
"Yes it was, he's your brother", said Draco quietly.
"Not that, the beer", Ron got up off the grass and went behind a tree.
Draco scrunched up his nose at Ron's vomiting noises. People were starting to arrive for the funeral. Surprisingly they had smiles on their faces and they were laughing and chatting. Draco thought that a funeral was supposed to be sad or at least that's how Crabbe's was when he went last night. Everyone was crying and it was dark and depressing. The sun is shining brightly on this affair and no one is wearing black. George had on an awful Dragon skin jacket.
"Oi, Weasel, it's starting", called Draco to Ron who still hadn't come back from behind the tree.
Ron stumbled over holding his stomach and sat down next to Draco.
_THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE_
A screen and projector magically appeared above the casket. There was a mix of Fred's favorite songs playing, everyone was quiet as baby Fred appear on the screen crying, to The Bent Broomsticks "Only One". The picture changed to Fred and George as toddlers waddling after the cat.
Although eyes were filled with tears, people couldn't help but smile as Fred and George wrapped baby Ron in Christmas lights. Or laugh when they put a spark shooting whoopee cushion on Percy's chair. There were cheers at the photos of Fred soaring around on his broom during a Quidditch match. You could clearly hear the sobs when a photo of Fred and George hugging and jumping about in excitement outside of Weasley Wizarding Wheezes when it first opened, to the Hobgoblins "Unexpected Twist".
Ron felt a single tear fall from his eye as the photo of Fred chatting up one of Fleur's cousins at Bill's wedding moved across the screen. He was going to miss Fred so much. Just as an image of Fred dancing at the Yule ball appeared Ron stood up.
Draco looked up at him questioningly, "I thought the plan was to stay hidden?"
Ron didn't respond. He had planned to stay hidden but the next thing he knew he was walking down the hill towards the funeral. "Sinister" by Cornwall and Idiot blaring in his ears, he couldn't help himself he just kept walking, people turned to look as he made his way up the center aisle.
The projector stopped and the screen disappeared. It was time for the final goodbye. Charlie, Bill, George, Percy, Harry, and Lee were getting ready to lift the casket. Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around. He smiled at Ron and stepped aside. Mrs. Weasley started to cry uncontrollably at the sight of Ron and Mr. Weasley gave Ron a pleased smile and nodded encouragingly.
The six men carried the casket down the stone path and everyone followed. Ron couldn't see where he was going the tears were coming fast and weren't stopping. They walked out of the park and the short distance to the cemetery. They put down the casket and watched as it was magically levitated into the ground. Ron felt his brothers all embrace him at once but he couldn't stop crying. He just couldn't stop. Fred would never be with them again. He would never smile… or… laugh. People began to throw roses into the grave with the casket except for all of his friends, they were throwing in Weasley Wizarding Wheeze's products and Oliver Wood put in the Gryffindor patch from Fred's Quidditch uniform. He didn't see who did it but someone let fireworks go and it exploded into a huge W.
_THE ROOF_
After Ron had left the top of the hill Draco left the park and returned home. He apparated straight to the roof his favorite spot, Wesealbe thought I was insane wanting the room where all you could see was the building next door and the fire escape but it leads to the roof, which has the greatest view of all. Draco could see the park and passed it to the rooftops of the houses in the distance and from the other side you could look over the city.
He preferred the park side it was more peaceful and stress free. The last thing I need is more stress. It's only a matter of time before I'm questioned about my involvement with the Dark Lord. Draco felt his eyes sagging he hadn't been to sleep yet, he climbed back down the fire escape through his window and climbed into his bed when he finally felt himself drifting off to sleep there was a knock on the door.
"Enter", he growled and rolled over.
Ron opened the door and stood in the doorway with another beer in his hand, "I just wanted to thank you for what you did today… making me go to the funeral."
"It was nothing," he raised an eyebrow, "How many of those have you had." Draco was referring to the beer because Ron seemed to be having trouble standing.
"Counting this morning or just now?"
"Are you becoming a drunk", asked Draco grumpily, "because I need you to stay sober long enough to get paid so you can pay your share of the rent?"
"Calm down… this won't be a… regular thing it's only my fourth," slurred Ron trying to lean against the doorframe but kept missing.
Draco shook his head in shame, "is there anything else I can do for you?"
Ron gave up trying to lean against the door, "you can look out for Hermione for me, as you can see I'm kind of a wreck right now and I may not be there for her as much as I would like to."
"Why would I do that", Draco was completely perplexed by this request.
"I don't… oaf", Ron had stumbled backwards and fell on his bottom. Draco got out of his bed and closed the door to his room leaving Ron on the floor in the hall.
Why would he want me to look after Granger? I would never do that, making him go to that funeral was sending out the wrong message. Maybe I should go hex him? Draco yarned and thought, maybe some other time as he crawled back into his bed.
"I'll Be Seeing You" Billie Holiday
