Ashes to Ashes

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust..."

The voice continued to chant the meaningless words. When the speech was written thousands of years ago, it may have had some importance. When she heard it on Muggle TV shows, it had importance, when she heard it at funerals of people she'd never met or hardly known, it had importance. But now, as she heard it at her own lover's funeral, it was merely a faraway drone to which all meaning had disintegrated.

"Ginny?" She heard a familiar voice behind her. Hermione's. Having been so wrapped up in watching the smooth, black painted coffin sink into the earth forevermore, she didn't really care. She turned anyway, and suddenly did care. She saw Harry's arm around Hermione's black clad shoulders. A couple. A whole. She felt embarrassed now, being just a half. Her other half now in an egg-colored burial ensemble in a red velvet case never to be seen again. Unbearable grief continued to weigh her down as she saw Fleur and Bill, Fred and Angelina, Katie and George, and then-

Her own brother Ron, as lonely as her. He was looking at a small tombstone, encircled by hyacinths and bluebells; her favorite flowers. Ginny saw a small spider web on the grave. It shimmered in the twilight, and was lined with beads of magical dew. The name on the stone glowed faint silver;

PARVATI WEASLEY

Ginny suddenly remembered the scene of her death, the day that they took a drive through London in a Muggle rental car, the truck they didn't see, the hospital, Ron's tears, the drama, and the same phrase;

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

They seemed important then. Now, they seemed meaningless. Just like they had when Ginny's own beloved was buried. Her mother hadn't been happy when she heard that they were a couple. She was upset that her one girl child wouldn't have a normal life. She would be different. Well, now, she was nothing. Her oddness was just an echo. She sauntered over to the nearby stream and looked at her reflection. Eighteen years old, a book keeper at Flourish and Blotts, living with her mother, crimson hair, chocolate eyes, creamy skin, and grieving. Life was miserable.

She walked back over to the place of burial that her beau was. The name glimmered softly;

Luna Lovegood

"Oh, Luna. Why did you have to go and die," Ginny whispered to no one. She thought of the meaningless phrase again

"Ashes..."

"Oh my God! Ginny! Come quick! I just got word that the Lovegood place is on fire! Isn't Luna visiting her father there today?"

"Yes, she is. Are you sure Hermione? That you saw it burning?"

"Yes. We need to get help, now!"

"Let's hurry."

"...to ashes..."

"Ms. Weasley? Ms. Lovegood is in Room 215. You need to stand back as I put this cleansing charm on you."

"Will she be okay?"

"She's not singed. But smoke inhalation has left her condition very grave. Come quickly, there's a chance you've not got much time."

"Oh, God. I'm coming."

"...Dust..."

"Luna? Can you hear me? I love you. Please, be okay."

"Come now Ms. Weasley. Visiting hours are over."

"Just a second."

"NOW, Ms. Weasley. If you want her to get better, you need to let us work on her without you in here."

"...to dust..."

"Ginny Weasley? Come here for a moment, please."

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry. Your, er, partner, didn't make it through the night."

"So, in other words, she's dead. She's...gone."

"I am terribly sorry. Would you like me to get you a cup of tea?"

"No, I'll just get my friend to take me home."

"Alright. We'll keep the body until you're ready to come fetch it."

Ginny found now she was crying. But she was slowly healing. And she remembered that Luna always wanted to know what happened after death. She was very interested. She tried to see it this way; Luna finally knew. It didn't help much. But it helped about half an ounce. She looked at the tombstone again and felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, hello Ron."

"C'mon Gin, let's go home."

Her brother helped her off the ground and she brushed off her black skirt. As he walked away, thinking she was following, Ginny turned to the sky. The sun was shining on her now.

Luna had loved the sun. Luna said that she wanted to be the sun so that she could give people the pleasure of being shone on. Ginny felt that Luna had gotten her wish. Because from then on, whenever the sun shone on her, it made her feel like Luna was right there.

"Gin? You coming?

"Yup, just a second."

Ginny looked to the sky.

"I love you Luna, and I always will."

And she walked away in the sweet rays of sunshine, feeling that the ashes and dust had simmered out of her life. And that Luna had made it that way.