Down Came the Sky

Chapter Two: Heavy

It was still awkward. Deep down Ginny knew that Ron supported her and Harry, but the month of secrecy had left him noticeably offended. On the train ride back to The Burrow for Christmas, Ginny and Harry sat with a foot and two hands between them, while every bit of conversation was squeezed out of tense grins and a forced ease.

As an uneasy silence settled over their compartment, Ginny fell into a trance staring out the window at the sweeping snowy landscape. Cold hung millimeters from the glass of the window, but Ginny felt sufficiently warmed as she lingered just above that point. A loud sneeze startled Ginny out of her trance and she smiled at Hermione while she wiped her nose and nodded back. Hermione sneezed again and groaned, snapping her book shut. She left the compartment wordlessly while holding a tissue over her nose. Ron watched her go and silently turned to gaze out the window while Harry momentarily looked up from his Kaigdin magic diary, which now appeared to be almost full.

The snack trolley passed by and Harry quietly bought some food but took little of it himself; it seemed the pile next to Ron was an attempt at a sort of peace offering. Ron indeed wordlessly picked up a Pumpkin Pasty and chewed it. The silence was beginning to unnerve Ginny.

Gray, wintry light darkened the compartment while the lights glowed in a contrasting yellowy tinge. The quiet seemingly dried up Ginny's throat, causing her to idly wonder if she would ever be able to produce even a gargle again. Harry blearily looked up from his diary and rubbed at his eyes, gazing thoughtfully in the air. He looked like a thought was begging to come out, but he quickly looked back to his diary.

Ron chewed at his lip, giving Harry infrequent glances and then looking to his hands resting in his lap. Ginny caught Harry's eye and he gave her a weak smile before closing his diary and placing it to the side. He absently rubbed at his forehead and looked out the window. Both Ginny and Ron saw this action and exchanged a knowing glance. Ron cleared his throat, startling Harry, but still did not speak. Ginny started to get irritated.

"Can we just get this over with?" Her voice punctured the silence, scratching against her throat, and both of the boys' heads snapped towards her.

"What?" Ron said in what must have been a forged calm, judging by the shade of his ears. Harry sighed heavily.

"We both feel really bad, Ron," Ginny said as gently as she could. Ron nodded, his eyes searching around the compartment. Harry slouched and crossed his arms. "I'm really sorry that we hurt you," Ginny continued, hoping Harry would jump in soon. She looked over at him and he straightened, placing his arms beside his legs as if bracing himself.

"Ron--" Harry started.

"I don't mind," Ron said, overlapping Harry. Harry looked at him imploringly. "I really don't," Ron went on, attempting a strained smile. Harry shook his head.

"I would rather you just be angry with me and get it over with," he replied.

Ron furrowed his brow. "I'm not angry."

"Please, Ron--" Ginny started.

"Okay, maybe I am a little," Ron cut in roughly. "How come you never told me you fancied Ginny?" he said sharply to Harry. Ginny had privately been wondering this same thing, and she joined Ron in staring at Harry, who picked up his diary and stared at it. His face was strained but his eyes didn't move. Ginny felt a nervous leap in her stomach when Harry finally looked up.

"I was trying not to," he said quietly. Ginny couldn't help but feel stung by this. Why wouldn't he want to fancy me? And why in the world did he decide to date me if he didn't want to fancy me? Ginny opened her mouth, but Harry spoke first.

"But I couldn't help it."

He was staring at her nervously and Ginny could feel Ron looking between the two of them. The compartment door slid open before Ginny had registered the fact and she blurted out: "Why didn't you want to like me?" as her stomach clenched again.

Hermione froze as she was closing the door and turned around slowly to stare at Harry. Harry looked between Ron, Hermione and Ginny, squirming uncomfortably.

"B-because it's hard," he said, looking around to Ron, who was surprisingly holding a thoughtful expression. Harry looked uncertainly to Ginny, who deliberately kept her face expressionless. Hermione sat down and sneezed loudly again, causing Harry to jump slightly.

Odd muffling chuckles came from Ron's direction causing both Harry and Ginny to look at him quickly. He smirked at Harry and punched lightly at his arm.

"But you decided she was worth it, eh?" he teased.

Hermione rolled her eyes and smiled at Ginny. "Of course he did," she said, her voice thick with her cold. Harry relaxed and placed his hand next to Ginny's.

"Yeah," he responded, moving a little closer to her.

He smiled at her, looking slightly embarrassed, and any annoyance she had previously felt vanished. She scooted herself closer to him and brushed his cheek with the tips her fingers.

"I'm glad you decided that," she whispered. Harry lifted his hand slowly to hers.

"Me too," he replied just as softly. Ron coughed abruptly, and they quickly dropped their hands. "Sorry," Harry mumbled, shifting away from Ginny.

"No, no it's all right," Ron stammered. "Just strange." A mischievous smile slowly spread on his face. "Fred and George'll have fun with this."

"Don't you dare, Ron," Ginny snapped. His smile widened as Hermione sneezed again.

"No use trying to hide it," he said casually. Ginny groaned and buried her face in Harry's arm.

"Wmm im fmm imt, Hmmy," she mumbled into him.

"What?" Harry and Ron said together. Ginny moved her face off his arm.

"I said 'we're in for it, Harry."

Hermione sneezed again, sniffing loudly. "For heaven's..." she muttered to herself, mumbling about wishing she had taken some Pepperup potion as she left the compartment. Ginny watched the door slide shut and turned to grin at her brother, who still had an evil grin plastered on his face.

"You'll get your turn when Hermione comes for New Years," Ginny smirked, attempting to wipe the stupid, smug smile off his face.

"What do you mean?" Ron replied, slightly befuddled. Harry too looked at her in puzzlement. She shook her head and leaned on Harry's shoulder. "Boys..." she muttered to herself.

*

Hogwarts Express rolled to a slow stop and Ginny glanced out the window to see a spattering of red heads standing on the platform.

"We could do this two ways," she said to Harry slowly, reaching for his hand. "We could draw it out until we feel ready to say something, or," she squeezed the top of his hand, "we could just get it over with right now."

Harry looked from Ron and Hermione to his and Ginny's joined hands. Slowly, he nodded and turned his palm up. Ginny's breath hitched and she laced their fingers.

He smirked at her. "Let's just get this over with." Ginny released an anxious laugh.

"Brace yourself, Potter," she said, pulling him by the hand down the skinny corridors.

They awkwardly dragged their trunks to the exit and Hermione stepped out first, bidding them a goodbye until New Years. Ginny heard Harry's breath quicken, and she paused, giving his hand a squeeze before they emerged from the train to meet her family.

"Hello dears!" Ginny heard her mum squeal as they made their way toward the family. Her mother stopped abruptly at Harry and Ginny's joined hands and Harry looked like he was going to be sick. She let out a soft "oh," and pressed her fingers over her lips, where a smile was growing.

Harry and Ginny were then pulled into a tight, three person hug while kisses were planted atop their heads. They kept their hands linked after they were released and Ginny saw her mother wipe a tear from her eye.

Fred and George turned from Ron and ambled toward them, both wearing identical smirks and Ginny raised her chin defiantly at them.

"Took you long enough, Ginny," Fred jested. She felt Harry's fingers clench a little tighter around hers.

"Let's get your luggage then," her dad said briskly as he approached. His gaze lingered on Harry and Ginny's hands. "Ah," he said quietly. Ginny saw him examine Harry for a moment before patting him on the back and retrieving his trunk. She was grateful that they all had the grace to act subtle.

Turning to lead Harry forward, she saw that Fred and George were still smiling infuriatingly at her and Ginny felt her face heat despite herself. She quickly turned back around toward her mum, catching Harry off guard and causing him to stumble slightly as she dragged him with her.

"Where's Bill?" Ginny said in a voice a little higher than her own. She cursed her brief lack of control and took a breath.

"He's in France," she replied absently, still smiling at Ginny and Harry's hands. Ginny pressed her lips together, restraining a grin, and caught her mum's eye.

"Charlie's in Romania?" Her mum nodded and placed her hands on their backs to lead them to the closest taxi. Ginny squeezed Harry's hand and glanced up at him. He smiled at her, looking relieved, and she felt the tension relax in her face as she let her suppressed grin spread across it. Looking back to her mum, Ginny decided not to bother asking about Percy.

Even after cramming into a taxi Ginny kept hold of Harry's hand, which was beginning to feel comfortably molded to hers. However, the closer they got to The Burrow, the quieter he got and Ginny couldn't help but worry. She observed him rubbing at his forehead more than once.

Her mum looked as though she was about to burst and Ginny noticed her open then close her mouth at random moments during the ride. Ginny ignored her mother for Harry though. He had just pushed his palm against his scar.

When they had reached The Burrow, Harry released Ginny's hand and followed Ron, Fred and George inside. Not a moment later, her mother spun around to Ginny.

"A month," Ginny said before her mum got a word out.

"I couldn't have asked for a better boy for you," she responded, running her hands down Ginny's arms.

Ginny smiled. "Me neither."

"And you know you're perfect for him," she said, smoothing Ginny's hair. Ginny felt unusually bashful and her cheeks seemed to heat alarmingly fast. She placed a cool hand against them. Her mother pulled her in for another hug and then guided her inside.

***

Ginny felt that up until this moment, she had never fully appreciated her family. They were acting oddly sympathetic toward her and Harry's budding relationship. But, she mused, I reckon they would be more difficult if Harry wasn't going through so much.

Harry indeed grew increasingly sullen through the next few days. Meaning, he spent a lot of time in Ron's room and barely uttered a word. The thing that was frustrating Ginny the most was there wasn't much she could do to change it. He would quietly play a game with her and sometimes silently sit with her, but nothing seemed to change in his demeanor.

"Grief is a strange thing," her mum said, pounding the meat in front of her. She wiped the back of her arm on her forehead. "Could you peel those carrots, dear?"

Ginny obliged and absently washed and peeled the carrots. Wash, strip, strip, strip, strip, strip, put in bowl; the pattern was etched into her memory. She dazed out the window while following the carrot-peeling-pattern.

A flurry of snow disturbed the air and Ginny felt her throat constrict painfully. She wished she could be enough to pull him out of it. She wished she was enough to make him happy. Her eyes started to cloud and she quickly swiped at them, hoping her mother didn't notice.

She felt a hand grip her shoulder and she turned slightly. Her mother smiled sadly at her.

"He needs you, or else he wouldn't have chosen you." Tears glimmered in her eyes and she pulled the carrots out of Ginny's hands. "Why don't you go and be with him," she said softly.

Ginny felt all at once taken aback, yet grateful for her mother. Giving her mum a quick nod, she left the kitchen and delicately padded each creaky stair, letting her hand slide up the banister in the process. She gently rapped at the cracked door to Ron's room, but there was no response. She peeked her head in.

"Harry?" she said softly. He was sitting on the edge of his camp bed, his head placed in his hands, seemingly unmoved by her presence. Taking a breath, she stepped in the room and closed the door behind her. "Harry?" she said again. She saw him shift slightly, but he didn't turn around. Gingerly stepping toward him, she placed her hand on his back and leaned down to his ear. "Harry, are you all right?" she whispered.

"I want to be alone," he said stiffly, lifting his face out if his hands. Ginny frowned and placed her other palm on his back.

"You've been alone long enough."

"Later..." he mumbled, rubbing at his eyes. "Spend time with me later..." Ginny moved her hands on his shoulders and he tensed. "Please, Ginny," he said weakly. Strengthening her resolve, Ginny released her grasp and stepped around to face him. His glasses were off and his eyes red and puffy, he quickly looked away and covered his face with his hand in embarrassment.

"Harry--" she started as he shifted away from her. He was breathing shallowly and Ginny felt her emotions flood. The back of her throat itched and she swallowed. "Harry," she strangled out again. She saw heel of his hand rub at his eyes before he dropped it and dazed out at the floor. "I miss him too," she whispered. Taking a breath, she sat down next to him and ran her hand soothingly across his back. She could feel his muscles tense and relax in an irregular pattern as she attempted to relieve him.

"It shouldn't bother me this much after so long," he said finally. Ginny squeezed her eyes shut and opened them slowly to see him staring at the floor again, furiously rubbing at his eyes.

"But you loved him," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Harry dropped his hand and frowned at the floor. "Yeah," he breathed. Ginny moved her hand over his.

"Don't feel bad about missing him too."

She moved her fingers gently over the top of his hand and, hoping to soothe him, reached around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug. "It might be good for you to be around people," she murmured in his ear. He was breathing quickly and she placed her hand on his back.

"Can I just be around you?" he muffled into her hair.

She could feel his breathing streaming in short spurts against her neck while pressure from his arms tensely encircled her arms. The corners of her mouth felt as though two hooks were pulling them increasingly downward.

"Okay," she whispered against her progressively shrinking throat. She felt him breathe out and she pulled away, searching his face. His expression was distressed and she ran her finger over the spot in the middle of his eyebrows, which was habitually furrowed. If only I could make it better...

Ginny leaned toward Harry, heart hammering, as her eyes drifted shut. She felt his hands move to her arms as his breath grew closer. The door to Ron's room groaned and she felt Harry's hands tense around her arms. She opened her eyes, frowning at him and noted that he was staring behind her. Craning her head, she saw her brother awkwardly shifting from foot to foot.

"Its dinner time," Ron said gruffly, looking anywhere but at Harry and Ginny. Ginny felt herself flush, but breathed deeply before standing up as naturally as possible and smoothing her hair.

"Thanks, Ron," she said easily. Harry had turned around and was staring self-consciously at the wall. "C'mon, Harry," Ginny said, leaning over his back. His head drooped and he studied the floor. Ginny put her hand on his. "Let's go," she said, seizing his hands. "Let's go, Harry." She heaved him up from the bed while Ron watched them hesitantly.

Harry set his jaw and put his glasses on. Ginny gave him an encouraging smile and Ron clapped him on the back, guiding him out the door.

Amid the light conversation and occasional joke (and subtle wink) from Fred or George; the warm setting and the comforting food, Ginny felt a heaviness press on her mood. It was impossible for her to feel any less these days; the hollow look in Harry's eyes pained her, but she felt powerless, as though the only thing she could be to him was a warm body. She had willingly shouldered much of his burden, but when she couldn't take all of it, it almost hurt her more. Watching him suffer was almost more than she could bear.

But even if she was merely a small source of warmth to him, she knew she had to stay near him. Ginny made sure throughout dinner that she always found a way to touch him; she knew nothing else to do. She hoped it helped. She hoped he would at least feel better on Christmas.

Ginny wandered in the kitchen the morning of Christmas Eve, unnaturally cheerful considering her dominant feelings of recent, and breathed in the fragrance of cooking sausages and mulling spices. She yawned widely and sat herself at the scrubbed kitchen table.

"Sleep well, Ginny?" her dad said, reclining at a chair next to her.

"Mmmm," Ginny responded, eyeing a stack of toast in the corner. Her dad smiled knowingly and Ginny snatched a piece off the top of the stack.

"Ginny, dear, wait for everyone else," her mum said swiftly.

"They're all sleeping in," Ginny responded, taking a bite. Her mother sighed and turned to the stove.

"Go get them up then."

"I don't fancy dealing with grumpy sleepy boys, thanks," Ginny responded, grabbing at another piece of toast. Her mum turned from the stove and snatched it out of her hand.

"Ginevra..." she drew out threateningly. Ginny sighed dramatically and slouched in her chair.

"What, Mum?" she said dully. Her mother looked down at her and gave her one of those "or else" type of looks and so, grumbling, Ginny pushed herself off the chair and stomped up the stairs.

"Get up, get up, get up!" she yelled into the twins' room.

"Whsmmf, huh?" one of them uttered, but Ginny slammed the door behind her and marched to Ron's room.

Both boys were breathing rhythmically, and Ginny sat on the edge of her brother's bed. "Get up you great oaf," she said, ruffling his hair. Ron mumbled something incoherent and rolled over. Ginny pulled his blanket off and he recoiled quickly, shivering.

"Ginny," he whined. Ginny grinned and walked over to rouse Harry.

"Harry, get up," she said into his ear. He either was ignoring her, or didn't hear her, so she yelled it in his ear. He sat bolt upright unwittingly letting out a few curse words.

"Not a morning person, are you?" she said, smirking at him. Harry looked at her as if she was from another planet and laughed in disbelief.

"Bloody hell, Ginny," he mumbled, shaking his head.

"Mum's made breakfast and I'm starved, so get your arses downstairs."

Ron sat up and glared at Ginny, mumbling under his breath. She raised her eyebrows at Harry and grinned cheekily at him.

"Let's go then." And, not caring that they were clad in their pajamas, Ginny led them out just as Fred and George stumbled out of their room.

Her father looked impressed as Ginny ushered the group of rumpled boys to the table. "Don't mess with my Ginny when she's hungry, eh?" he said, patting her hand. Ginny sniggered and sat next to Harry. She was glad to see him acting relatively normal for the first five minutes he was up and she squeezed his hand under the table. He turned his palm up and squeezed back, lacing their fingers. For such a small gesture, Ginny felt oddly affirmed and bit lightened. Her hopes for Christmas were becoming increasingly optimistic.

He was trying. Ginny could tell through every Weasley holiday tradition that Harry wanted to be happy, and perhaps everyone else too. It was only in the silent lulls of time that she saw him bite back a frown or blink furiously for a couple seconds.

Christmas passed relatively pleasantly, all things considered, and Ginny donned a simple silver bracelet--a gift from Harry--that dangled from her wrist. Part of her thought that the small square shaped piece of foe glass she had gotten Harry was unequal in comparison. For the price she paid, she wondered if it was even authentic. The bracelet caught silvery gleams of light whenever she moved her arm and she swore she'd never take it off. On Christmas night, after everyone had filled their bellies, they gathered and sat comfortably in the living room. Harry retired first. Ginny watched him leave, deciding he probably wanted to be alone tonight.

"Have you talked to him at all?" Ginny asked Ron when it was only the two of them left in the living room. Ron shook his head.

"He's having nightmares though, he keeps crying out Sir--his name."

Ron ineffectually ground his fist against the arm of the chair. Ginny pursed her lips and shook her head.

"I wish I could do something to help him," she choked. Ron frowned at her.

"But you are helping," he said. Ginny shook her head, swallowing another painful lump.

"He still so sad, why is he so sad?"

Ron released his fist and pressed his fingers one at a time against the cushioning of the chair. "We're all sad though, aren't we?" he said tonelessly.

Ginny blinked back her threatening tears and studied her hands. Everyone was sad, she realized. She had grown so accustomed to seeing the deadened look lingering in everyone's eyes that she had hardly noticed it was still there. What's worse, it seemed nothing could alleviate it until Harry was triumphant. She shut her eyes and grimaced.

"It's not fair to him," she said softly, "that he's almost completely responsible for our happiness."

Ron smiled sadly. "No it's not," he said weakly. "That's why we help him."

Ginny stared at her brother. It hadn't sunk in until that moment how dedicated he was to his best friend. She wouldn't be surprised if Ron would die for Harry. Ron shifted and placed his forehead in his hands. Ginny started wondering how much of his feelings he had to swallow to accept the fact she and Harry had kept their relationship from him. She leaned over and slipped her arm around him, giving him a small squeeze. Ron pulled away from her with a look of puzzlement.

"You're an exceptional best friend," she said, pulling her arm back to her side. He shifted and gave her a lopsided smile.

"Of course I am," he replied breezily, extending his long legs in front of him.

Ginny punched him lightly on the shoulder and stood up to stretch her arms.

"Yeah, bed..." Ron said as Ginny's arms dropped back to her side. She nodded in agreement and they both quietly crept upstairs. Ginny wondered if Ron would have to listen to Harry dreaming again tonight. Let him be happy, she prayed, it's Christmas, give him good dreams.