Gone For Good

Playground; school bell rings...again

-Flashback -

"You can't catch me!" Four-year-old Ginny teased Ron as she ran around her backyard. "I'm a girl, and I'm faster!"

"Oh yeah? Well I'm a boy, and I'm older, so that makes me faster!" Ron yelled back. He ran faster; he was gaining on her. Just a little closer... "Gotcha!" He said as he touched Ginny's shoulder. "You're it now, and you won't catch me," he bragged. He looked at his sister for a reaction, but she was on the ground trying not to cry.

"You didn't have to push me down," she said angrily. She got up and, wiping her eyes, stomped off, leaving Ron feeling guilty.

--End Flashback--

Rain clouds come to play...again

--Flashback--

"Ronnie, I'm cold. Can I wear your sweater?" Ginny asked her older brother, shivering.

"But I'm cold, too. Where's yours?"

The Weasleys were in Diagon Alley, despite the pouring rain, to shop for school supplies. It was early July, and prices were low for the time being. It wasn't until August that they started going up.

"I left it at home." Ginny looked up at Ron with pleading eyes. He grumbled as he took off his Weasley sweater and thrust it into Ginny's hands.

"There. Now I'm cold," he said roughly.

"You can have it back, then," Ginny looked guilty as she held out Ron's sweater. He snatched it from her outstretched hands.

"Good! I'll take it, and I'll keep it, 'cause I'm going to Hogwarts in September, away from you." Ron marched away, never noticing the tears in his sister's eyes, leaving her to wonder what she'd done to deserve such treatment.

*End Flashback*

It was one of the many battles with Voldemort and his Death Eaters. The fighting had raged for hours, but none would surrender. Bodies were everywhere; some fighting, most fallen to the ground, having lost. Everything was chaos.

Ron didn't know who he was fighting. This must have been one of the Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban. The Death Eater wasn't as good as Ron, but he still kept Ron on his toes. Ron had just thrown a spell at the Death Eater when a young, weak voice screamed.

"Ron!" He turned to the source, and saw Ginny, who had fallen. Immediately forgetting about his opponent, Ron rushed to his sister's side. She had been hit with some sort of spell that he was unfamiliar with. All he knew was that his face was suddenly hot, his eyes were wet, and his sister had a gaping bloody hole in her stomach.

"No! Ginny!" he yelled, dropping to his knees. The fighting suddenly ceased. Heads turned, good and evil alike. Ron noticed Lucius Malfoy hovering near, smirking. He had his wand raised, and Ron had a feeling that Ginny's wound was his doing.

"That's one less filthy Weasley polluting the earth." Fire ran through Ron's veins, but he made no effort to move. He would kill Lucius Malfoy later. Right now, though, his sister needed him.

"Ginny, are you--"

"Ron," Ginny gasped for air, "I love you, Ronnie." She exhaled sharply.

"I love you Ginny," Ron sobbed, but she didn't hear him. "Ginny, wake up! I'll find you a good Healer, just hang in there!" Ron fell over his sister. He hugged her to him, and spoke softly. "Ginny, we'll get you healed, just hold on. You'll be fine, Ginny. Don't go, we're gonna get you help."

Has no one told you she's not breathing?

Ron continued whispering for what felt like an eternity, and then wiped his eyes. He stood to face Malfoy. He had never loathed the Malfoy name more. A look of pure hatred shone in his eyes. He raised his wand, ready to perform the most deadly curse he knew, but he felt a hand grab his. It was warm compared to the ice in Ron's blood, and for a split second he had the impulse to just walk away. But if Ron didn't kill Lucius now, he may never have another chance. Before he could change his mind, he yelled the first thing that came to mind. He didn't even hear what he screamed, but the next moment Lucius was on the ground.

Nobody had really expected Ron to follow through. At the most, they expected him to knock Malfoy out. But now he was dead, to everyone's surprise. Even Hermione had let go of his hand. Suddenly, before Ron understood that the fighting had continued fiercer than ever, he was some place else, Dumbledore smiling at him.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley." Ron stared blankly; he was hardly able to process anything that had happened in the last ten minutes. Suddenly, he was very tired. His eyelids drooped, his heart slowed. He could hear a soft humming; it was pleasant to his ears, and it was more than a few moments before he realized that Dumbledore was speaking to him.

"Are you listening, Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore asked not unkindly.

"Y-yeah," Ron stammered. Then, "Not really, sir." Dumbledore smiled at Ron. It wasn't a condescending smile; it was a smile of understanding and empathy.

"Why don't you get some sleep? Drink this potion, and then go upstairs. If you don't feel better when you wake up, I'll be here for the next few days." It was then that Ron realized that he was at Grimmauld Place. Even after Sirius's death, the Order had continued to use the house.

Ron drank the potion that Dumbledore had handed him, and then he dragged his feet up the stairs. He went into his room, shut the door, and was asleep before he even hit the bed.

***

Ron was running through the maze of students in the halls of Hogwarts, screaming for Ginny. People gaped, but nobody talked to him. Dean Thomas passed him, laughing. There was Hannah Abbot, glaring at him. Neville ran past, staring. After nearly colliding with what seemed a million students, most of whom Ron knew, Ron crashed into Harry.

"Harry, you've got to help me," Ron panted. But all Harry did was gape. "Harry, I need to find Ginny. Have you seen Ginny, Harry?" Ron tried again desperately. Both boys were silent for a moment when Ron realized that it was futile. He turned to continue his search. Nothing made sense. Why weren't people headed to classes? Why were there so many people? And why were they all gazing at Ron, as if they expected something from him. There seemed to be a noisy chatter, yet at the same time, all was silent.

"Ron!" Ron turned sharply in the direction of the voice, then stopped, almost tripping over his own feet. Standing in the middle of the hall was Ginny. She was smiling at Ron and waving. "What did you want, Ron?" Not even noticing that everybody had simply disappeared, Ron dashed to Ginny and embraced her.

Hello

I am your mind giving you someone to talk to

Hello

Ron opened his eyes suddenly, letting the tears fall freely as his false hope faded. In ten minutes, however, he was sleeping again, the dream forgotten.