Goodbye

So lately, been wondering
Who will be there to take my place
When I'm gone you'll need love to light the shadows on your face
If a great wave shall fall and fall upon us all
Then between the sand and stone, could you make it on your own

"Ginny," he whispered. "Ginny, wake up."

She stirred, slowly opening her eyes, a blissful half-smile on her face as she looked upon the man she loved.

"Morning already?" she murmured.

"Almost. Get dressed, there's something I have to tell you."

They walked hand-in-hand out of the cottage, went to sit on the edge of the cliff. They always sat there; it was their spot.

"What is it, Harry?" she enquired, tenderly brushing a strand of dark hair away from his eyes. He didn't look at her, just stared out to sea.

"I'm dying, Ginny."

If I could, then I would,
I'll go wherever you will go
Way up high, or down low, I'll go wherever you will go

She crumpled. Tears poured uncontrollably down her cheeks as he reached out his arms to her. She fell into them, sobbing and murmuring words, barely knowing she was doing it.

"No...don't leave me Harry, I can't live without you...don't leave me, I love you..."

He said nothing. He cradled her in his arms as her tears seeped through his shirt and onto his shoulder, and he began to cry too. Tears rolled from under his glasses as she stopped talking and they were both silent, locked together, wishing that they would never be broken apart.

"Why, Harry? Why do you have to go?"

And maybe, I'll find out
A way to make it back someday
To watch you, to guide you, through the darkest of your days
If a great wave shall fall, and fall upon us all,
Then I hope there's someone out there who can bring me back to you

"My heart is failing. There's nothing anyone can do. The doctor says I can keep taking a potion; it will give me a few weeks more than nature intended."

"It's my fault," she wept. "It's all my fault...I should have been there, to help you through it..."

"It was nobody's fault but my own," he said gently. "I starved myself. I refused to eat. It was my fault I became anorexic; my fault I realised too late."

"How long have you known?"

"Nearly a week."

She began to sob again, this time with anger in her tears.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she cried furiously.

"I was trying to find the right time...I woke up this morning and saw the sun just rising, and I knew that I had to tell you today."

If I could, then I would,
I'll go wherever you will go
Way up high, or down low, I'll go wherever you will go

"I need to ask something of you, Ginny," he said.

"What?"

"You have to go on. My life is over; you still have years ahead of you."

"No - I can't go on without you, Harry - I will go, too -"

"No, you won't," he said firmly. "Find someone else. Someone else to make you happy, for the rest of your days."

"I can't - how could you even suggest that I -"

"Please, Ginny. Promise me that you'll find someone to make you happy."

She stared into his eyes, and saw truth and honesty there amongst the defeat and fatigue.

"All right," she said, her voice trembling. "I promise you that."

Run away with my heart
Run away with my hope
Run away with my love

"Does Ron know?" she asked. "Have you told Ron and Hermione?"

"No, not yet."

"And - and how long have you got?"

"With the medicine, about two months."

She pulled him towards her, holding him close.

"I'll never let you go," she whispered.

"You have to - there's nothing you can do -"

"Can't Dumbledore do anything? Doesn't he know of any magic to defy death?"

"Possibly; but all magic to defy death is dark magic, and I swore to myself long ago that I would never be involved in that."

"What about unicorn blood? There are unicorns in the forest - I could go there and -"

"No, Ginny."

"You act like you don't want to live!" she wailed. "Like you want to leave me -"

"I don't want to leave you."

"Then why are you being like this?"

I know now, just quite how
My life and love might still go on
In your heart, in your mind, I'll stay with you for all of time

"Look at me, Ginny." He pulled away from her and spread his arms. "I couldn't live like this anyway. I'm too thin; if I did drink unicorn blood, I would remain like this forever."

"But you'd still be alive - you'd still have me! We'd have each other, it'd be -"

"Ginny, please. Let me go."

She looked at him, his figure slightly blurred because of her tears. She let out a final sob, and then scrambled to her feet and walked back to the cottage.

~***~

The rain splashed down as she stood motionless, her brother's arm around her shoulders, tears flowing down her face. She wore a black dress and a veiled hat, looking much older then her years as she stared silently at the coffin.

A golden plaque had been fixed onto the coffin. The inscription read "RIP Harry Potter - The Boy Who Lived. 1980-2000."

She had insisted on the plaque. It reminded her of better times; she had often joked that he would be known as The Boy Who Lived even as an old, old man.

But he had never become an old, old man.

She leaned forwards and placed a single white lily on the coffin. He had always liked lilies, probably because they were his mother's namesake.

The coffin was slowly lowered; she turned away and wiped her eyes on the back of her hand. She tilted her head skywards, gazing into the endless white sky.

"Goodbye, Harry. I'll try and keep my promise."