Happy Birthday, Rob!!!!
Happy, happy birthday to my dear friend malvernrob, a.k.a. Robert M., a.k.a. the last man standing, a.k.a. Mr. Ginny Weasley. :P
I hope you had a wonderful day. I know you weren't thrilled about this birthday, but I'm sure this year is going to hold a lot of great things for you. Best wishes, my dear.
So...this isn't as awesome as rum or chocolate, and it didn't come easy for me due to my aversion to writing Harry/Ginny and my recent writer's block. I hope you enjoy it, or at least don't think it sucks completely. Sorry, it's super angsty.
Title: When It's Over
Author: Willowwand
Pairing: H/G
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Angst, character death
Ginny lifted herself off the ground, tasting a mixture of dirt and blood in her mouth. She lifted a hand to her forehead, feeling a bloody lump rising just beneath her hairline. Her wand was still clutched tightly in her hand, and confused, she searched around for the Death Eater with whom she’d been locked in battle. She knew she’d been knocked out, so she wasn’t sure why she was still alive. Surely he would have finished her off.
Then, she heard someone in the distance shouting. He’s done it! Potter’s done it!
At once, her heart leapt. Harry had killed Voldemort. But-and her blood ran cold at the thought-what had become of Harry? Staggering slightly, she made her way blindly through the darkened corridors. Walls had been blasted apart, leaving rubble scattered across the floor. Smoke from various fires clouded her vision. There were bodies, from both sides, lying broken on the floor. She allowed herself only a moment to glance for coppery-red or messy black hair before hurrying on.
She descended staircase after staircase. Moody and Kingsley were on one landing, rounding up stray Death Eaters. Ministry officials were questioning students in what appeared to be a vain attempt to establish order. She saw people crying over the dead, people hugging friends who survived. She didn’t recognize anyone. In a sea of faces, was it really possible not to recognize a single one?
She reached the Entrance Hall, finally catching a glimpse of red hair. Ron! She made her way over, studying him as she approached. His face was pale and drawn, and he was holding Hermione tightly in his arms, as if afraid she’d vanish. Fear gripped her heart. Hermione was sobbing. What did that mean? Was Harry…? Could he be? Suddenly, Ron looked up. His face showed relief as his eyes fixed upon Ginny.
“Harry?” she managed to choke out.
Ron glanced apprehensively over his shoulder toward the large doors that lead into the Great Hall. Ginny strained her eyes to see. She saw bodies, some of people she recognized: fellow students, Order members, Death Eaters.
Finally, she saw him. Alive! He was alive! Alive, but…. she noticed Harry was hunched over a body. A vision of a similar scene flashed in her mind. Barely a year before, she’d found Harry crouched over Dumbledore’s lifeless form in a similar state. She felt torn between her joy that he had survived and the despair she felt seeing his forlorn expression. His sadness was more than she could bear.
He didn’t look up when she came over. Finally, she was close enough to see the face of the body that lie before him. Luna. Ginny, tremblingly dropped to her knees beside him. She’d felt so detached from those dead or dying she’d passed in the corridors. It wasn’t as though she didn’t care. It was just easier for her when the faces weren’t familiar. This time it was different, it was so much more real and tragic to see a friend, someone she’d known so well.
She stayed beside Harry for a while, saying nothing. Finally, his eyes flickered up at her.
“You’re okay,” he said hoarsely.
“So are you.”
He smiled sadly and she knew he was far from okay. “It’s over,” he said simply.
Ginny took off her cloak and carefully laid it over Luna’s body. If she could do anything for her friend now, she would give her the dignity she deserved in death. For a while the only sound in the hall was far off voices, sobbing, yelling.
“It’s not your fault,” she said finally. “She made her choice, same as the rest of us.”
Harry stared at her for a moment, then sighed. “I know.”
Ginny touched his cheek. She didn’t quite believe him, or rather, she didn’t think he truly believed himself. But, it was progress. It would take time for him to stop blaming himself for the lives Voldemort took, for him to realize how many lives he had saved.
“Let’s go,” he said quietly.
She nodded, following him as he got to his feet. He took her hand, tentatively, as though afraid she’d pull away. Instead she squeezed his hand tightly, willing him to understand, to know she was with him, that she’d always been with him. Harry smiled weakly as they made their way toward the heavy oak doors of the castle and stepped out into the twilit grounds.
*~*
PS. We decided I was your favorite. After a Beater's bat to the head, PWH finally saw reason.
I hope you had a wonderful day. I know you weren't thrilled about this birthday, but I'm sure this year is going to hold a lot of great things for you. Best wishes, my dear.
So...this isn't as awesome as rum or chocolate, and it didn't come easy for me due to my aversion to writing Harry/Ginny and my recent writer's block. I hope you enjoy it, or at least don't think it sucks completely. Sorry, it's super angsty.
Title: When It's Over
Author: Willowwand
Pairing: H/G
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Angst, character death
Ginny lifted herself off the ground, tasting a mixture of dirt and blood in her mouth. She lifted a hand to her forehead, feeling a bloody lump rising just beneath her hairline. Her wand was still clutched tightly in her hand, and confused, she searched around for the Death Eater with whom she’d been locked in battle. She knew she’d been knocked out, so she wasn’t sure why she was still alive. Surely he would have finished her off.
Then, she heard someone in the distance shouting. He’s done it! Potter’s done it!
At once, her heart leapt. Harry had killed Voldemort. But-and her blood ran cold at the thought-what had become of Harry? Staggering slightly, she made her way blindly through the darkened corridors. Walls had been blasted apart, leaving rubble scattered across the floor. Smoke from various fires clouded her vision. There were bodies, from both sides, lying broken on the floor. She allowed herself only a moment to glance for coppery-red or messy black hair before hurrying on.
She descended staircase after staircase. Moody and Kingsley were on one landing, rounding up stray Death Eaters. Ministry officials were questioning students in what appeared to be a vain attempt to establish order. She saw people crying over the dead, people hugging friends who survived. She didn’t recognize anyone. In a sea of faces, was it really possible not to recognize a single one?
She reached the Entrance Hall, finally catching a glimpse of red hair. Ron! She made her way over, studying him as she approached. His face was pale and drawn, and he was holding Hermione tightly in his arms, as if afraid she’d vanish. Fear gripped her heart. Hermione was sobbing. What did that mean? Was Harry…? Could he be? Suddenly, Ron looked up. His face showed relief as his eyes fixed upon Ginny.
“Harry?” she managed to choke out.
Ron glanced apprehensively over his shoulder toward the large doors that lead into the Great Hall. Ginny strained her eyes to see. She saw bodies, some of people she recognized: fellow students, Order members, Death Eaters.
Finally, she saw him. Alive! He was alive! Alive, but…. she noticed Harry was hunched over a body. A vision of a similar scene flashed in her mind. Barely a year before, she’d found Harry crouched over Dumbledore’s lifeless form in a similar state. She felt torn between her joy that he had survived and the despair she felt seeing his forlorn expression. His sadness was more than she could bear.
He didn’t look up when she came over. Finally, she was close enough to see the face of the body that lie before him. Luna. Ginny, tremblingly dropped to her knees beside him. She’d felt so detached from those dead or dying she’d passed in the corridors. It wasn’t as though she didn’t care. It was just easier for her when the faces weren’t familiar. This time it was different, it was so much more real and tragic to see a friend, someone she’d known so well.
She stayed beside Harry for a while, saying nothing. Finally, his eyes flickered up at her.
“You’re okay,” he said hoarsely.
“So are you.”
He smiled sadly and she knew he was far from okay. “It’s over,” he said simply.
Ginny took off her cloak and carefully laid it over Luna’s body. If she could do anything for her friend now, she would give her the dignity she deserved in death. For a while the only sound in the hall was far off voices, sobbing, yelling.
“It’s not your fault,” she said finally. “She made her choice, same as the rest of us.”
Harry stared at her for a moment, then sighed. “I know.”
Ginny touched his cheek. She didn’t quite believe him, or rather, she didn’t think he truly believed himself. But, it was progress. It would take time for him to stop blaming himself for the lives Voldemort took, for him to realize how many lives he had saved.
“Let’s go,” he said quietly.
She nodded, following him as he got to his feet. He took her hand, tentatively, as though afraid she’d pull away. Instead she squeezed his hand tightly, willing him to understand, to know she was with him, that she’d always been with him. Harry smiled weakly as they made their way toward the heavy oak doors of the castle and stepped out into the twilit grounds.
*~*
PS. We decided I was your favorite. After a Beater's bat to the head, PWH finally saw reason.