Jigsaw

Chapter 9: The Beginning

"So," Draco says, three weeks later,"Are you ready to tell me how this started?"

She looks at him. "How what started?"

He is still looking at the sky when he says,"You know what."

"Oh," she mutters, blushing,"Right. That."

"Yes, that."

"Well – Erm –"

"Yes, I can see how that would be very upsetting," he says, deadpan.

She glares at him in mock anger. "Do you want to know or not?"

He turns his eyes to her. "Yes," he says, completely serious.

She closes her eyes and begins.

--

"We are here today to lay to rest the bodies of Arthur, William, Charles, and Ronald Weasley."

Ginny stares at the ground as Dumbledore speaks, tears falling silently down her cheeks.

Fred and George are on either side of her, their hands laying comfortingly on her shoulders. Miss Weasley is sobbing beside Fred as he pats her awkwardly on the back.

Four Weasleys in one day, Ginny thinks. The Malfoys must be having a field day.

Hysterical laughter bubbles forth from her lips, but dies under another fit of sobs.

She is barely aware that Dumbledore has stopped speaking, until Fred is nudging her gently forward. It is time for their final goodbyes.

She stops in front of her father’s coffin first. She places a hand on the polished oak, watching as tears splatter onto the surface.

"Daddy, it’s your little girl," she says quietly, trying to hold back sobs. "I’ll miss you. I’ll take care of Mommy for you, Daddy. I promise."

She places one white rose each on Bill and Charlie’s coffins.

When she reaches Ron’s, she feels her knees go weak.

"Ron," she breathes, running her hand over the wood surface. "You promised me – You promised you would never leave."

She furiously wipes at her eyes, but the tears keep coming.

She looks down at the last rose in her hand. Pure white.

But as a single tear falls onto its petals, it turns black.

Somehow, to her, it is prettier that way.

She places it on the casket and whispers, "Save me a place in Heaven."

--

She is staring up at the stars, but her vision is blurred by tears.

"A broken plate, huh?" Draco says, his voice oddly flat.

She looks over at him, and is surprised when he reaches his hand out and brushes a stray tear away with his thumb.

The hand beside her slides over her own, until they are level.

And he laces his fingers through hers.

And, for the first time she has ever seen, Draco Malfoy smiles a real smile.