Goodbye

Goodbye

She could still feel the blood trickling down her forehead from where she had been hit with Nott's curse, but she didn't care. All that was left on the once green lawns were bodies, scattered here and there, some still alive, but most dead.

As she stood up, she saw out of the corner of her eye her red-headed brother holding a brown haired girl close. But Ginny Weasley was not looking for them. She was looking for someone else; only looking for him, as she had spent so many years of her life doing...

She searched through the bodies strewn along the ground, but none of them were his. Not until she ran all the way to the lake's edge did she see him sitting beneath a large beech tree. At first she feared the worst, then he turned his head slowly to look up at her.

"Harry!" she ran to him and hugged him tightly, and he responded by stroking her hair gently. Then she drew back to check him over, the natural motherly instinct taking over. It was then that she noticed that her hands were scarlet.

"Harry..." she said slowly, moving her hands down his black robes to find them soaked in what she wished was scarlet paint. But she knew it wasn't.

"Come on, Harry, we'll get you to Madam Pomfrey right now, come on." Desperately she tried to drag him by the arm, but he resisted.

"She won't be able to do anything, Gin," Harry said quietly. "It's not from the sort of curse that can be healed." Ginny stared at him, her brown eyes welling up with hot tears. He was going to leave her here, alone. Here to pick up all the pieces of the war, but without him here by her side. Where he ought to be.

Did I disappoint you or let you down?

Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown?

'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun,

Yes, I saw you were blinded, and I knew I had won.

"Don't say that, Harry," she murmured, running her small hand through his hair. "You can't go and leave me. We're free now. Nobody can ever hurt us now, V-Voldemort's gone."

"And so will I be in a few minutes," Harry said quietly. Ginny stared at him, startled and almost angry at the acceptance in his eyes.

"Why won't you let me try and help you?" she asked, angrily. "Please, let me help, Harry, I want to make you better. Won't you give me a chance to try?"

"There's no point, Gin," Harry said heavily. "I'm telling you, I'm good as gone."

So I took what's mine by eternal right,

Took your soul out into the night.

It may be over, but it won't stop there,

I am here for you, if you'd only care.

"Please don't leave me, Harry," Ginny pleaded, tears now falling freely. "You mean too much to me. I don't have any reason to live without you here, that thought's been the only thing keeping me going through this war."

"Same here," Harry muttered, wiping her tears. "I just wasn't quick enough, Ginny. I'm sorry."

"Don't you ever say sorry to me for doing what you had to do!" Ginny told him shrilly. "You knew that you might get killed fulfilling your destiny, and yet you did it anyway. That's pure, raw courage Harry. You made me believe I could be brave too, even when I wanted to run. You've changed my life, Harry. You've changed me."

You touched my heart, you touched my soul,

Changed my life and all my goals.

And love is blind and that I knew when,

My heart was blinded by you.

"You changed me too, Ginny, don't go giving me all the credit!" Harry joked feebly, with a weak smile. "Wherever I'm going, I'll never forget you, or all that you've done for me. All the times we spent together."

"The time you took me to that cheesy teashop," Ginny reminded him, laughing through her tears.

"That was a dare!" Harry replied defensively.

"The snowball fight last Christmas..."

"When you shoved snow in my ear."

"Valentine's Day..."

"When you gave me flu for my present."

Ginny laughed. Harry began to join in, then winced at the pain. They both stopped laughing immediately, suddenly remembering where they were and what was about to happen.

I've kissed your lips and held your head,

Shared your dreams and shared your bed.

I know you well, I know your smell.

I've been addicted to you.

"Don't make me say goodbye, Harry," Ginny whispered, clinging to the front of his robes.

Goodbye, my lover.

Goodbye, my friend.

You have been the one.

You have been the one for me.

"I can't stop it, Ginny," Harry told her gently. "If I could, then I would, because seeing you cry hurts ten times more than some stupid curse ever could." Ginny buried her face further in his chest.

"What will I do without you there, Harry?" she asked him. "I'll have to rethink my whole life. I can't imagine it without you there."

I am a dreamer but when I wake,

You can't break my spirit - it's my dreams you take.

As you move on, remember me.

Remember us, and all we used to be.

"You won't ever forget me, will you?" Harry asked her, seriously. "I don't care if you find someone else, marry them, and have 12 kids, just think of me occasionally, won't you?"

"Everyday," Ginny told him. "I won't be able to stop myself."

"Don't cry when you do, though," Harry said. "Smile instead. You look beautiful when you smile."

I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile,

I've watched you sleeping for a while.

I'd be the father of your child.

I'd spend a lifetime with you.

"Don't be afraid to move on, though," Harry instructed her, wincing as the pain grew worse, knowing he had perhaps a few more minutes. "Find someone else, Ginny. Don't cling to the past. I don't want my death to screw up your life for you."

"I can't," Ginny said shortly, tears falling once more. "I can't find anyone else like you."

"Ginny..." Harry began.

"I can't!" she wept. "Don't ask me to, Harry, because I can't!"

I know your fears and you know mine.

We've had our doubts, but now we're fine,

And I love you, I swear that's true.

I cannot live without you.

"Maybe you don't think you can, but later, if you do find someone else, please don't let my memory stop you from being happy." His green eyes looked into her brown ones. "More than anything in the world, I want you to be happy." She stared back at him, and nodded slowly.

"You'll be happy, won't you, Harry?" she asked, quietly. "I believe Luna when she says this isn't the end. You'll find your parents again, Harry, I know you will. And Sirius."

"I believe Luna too," Harry whispered. Ginny noticed he was looking paler than ever.

Goodbye, my lover.

Goodbye, my friend.

You have been the one.

You have been the one for me.

"I love you, Harry," Ginny whispered quietly, brushing his hair out of his eyes. He leaned forwards and kissed her gently, for what she knew would be the final time. She didn't want to let go.

"I love you too, Ginny," Harry told her, his breathing shallow. "And I'll never forget everything you've done for me."

"Me neither," Ginny told him, knowing it was nearly time. She reached down and found his hand, clasping it tightly in hers.

And I still hold your hand in mine,

In mine, when I'm asleep.

And I will bear my soul in time,

When I'm kneeling at your feet.

Ginny moved so that she was sitting next to Harry's head, then carefully laid it on her lap, where she stroked his hair.

"Goodbye, Ginny Weasley," Harry said, in barely less than a whisper, his eyes closing. Ginny simply stayed there, stroking his hair gently.

Goodbye, my lover.

Goodbye, my friend.

You have been the one.

You have been the one for me.

She knew he had gone. Knew that the boy she was holding was dead. But she didn't let go. She couldn't let go. The hole he had left behind him was beginning to open in her heart, and she felt like, if she left his side, if she wasn't holding him, then she would fall into it and be consumed by the grief and pain that she felt.

I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow.

I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow.

"Goodbye, Harry Potter," she whispered, as the sun began to set beyond the mountains, and she heard the rumble of footsteps coming their way. "Goodbye, and be happy."