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Chapter Twelve: Midnight Farewell

"Hardest part in a true relationship is letting go for good."

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The sun bid farewell to the beautiful country, filled with magical and non-magical folk. It's orange streaks illuminated the topsy turvy house known as the Burrow. The moon was slowly beginning to appear from beneath the white wisps of clouds.

The wind that blew, rustling the reddening leaves reminded Harry of the previous autumn when his wife was all well. He was reminded of a promise. A promise that he made to her during autumn. Due to being an auror, he had several paperwork. Staying up late at night came along with his workload. This caused not only his sleep pattern's disturbance but Ginny's too. She would stay awake along with him, reading a book or planning Quidditch tactics. No matter how hard Harry tried to convince her to sleep, she would not listen. This ultimately led to him promising her that he would never stay up late at night unless it was an emergency. Harry smiled bitterly. That promise was long broken.

A scream brought him out of his reverie. The evening was supposed to be a joyful one. The world crashed on Bill when he tried to convince his family to move on. Harry didn't blame him. The eldest Weasley brother had tried everything in his power to help his family. Alas, it was, or rather is a tough task. Harry himself could not bear to see his surrogate family, who were now his in-laws, so out of their usual bubbly and cheerful personality.

If Harry had the power, he would resurrect each and every victim of the war. Each and everyone who died a hero but it was not meant to be. He often pondered the use of being a 'Chosen One' when he could not even protect his family. A tear rolled down his cheek. He was so used to losing his loved ones that nowadays it seemed more like a routine to him.

An assuring hand held his shoulder. Harry bit his lip - a trait he copied from Ginny.

"Harry?"

Harry turned to face his bravest brother-in-law. He nodded and turned his gaze to the yon trees, blinking his eyes rapidly so as to not let more tears fall down.

"You need to let it out, you know," Bill said gently.

"I did," Harry replied bluntly.

"Physically yes. Emotionally no."

"I don't think I need any help, thanks Bill," Harry retorted. As much as he sympathized with Bill for his attempts, he did not want to be lectured on about bottling his emotions. "My heart is rock solid. It won't break."

"I do know, for a fact that rocks weather by rain and I believe I just witnessed you shed a rain drop of tear. Surely that will melt that so-called heart of rock."

"Just get to the matter," Harry interrupted.

"I still am amazed by you, young man and you very well know the reason for it. I'm sure Ginny will be proud of you."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Not mum. Hell, not even dad! They aren't able to move on but I wonder how you did. Supply the info, man."

Harry laughed a wry laugh. "Really? Ginny told me herself to move on."

"And how would she know about her demise?" Bill questioned, looking confused.

"Letter. What do you think, Bill? Your sister is a smart witch."

Bill laughed and Harry smiled. Unbeknownst to them, the witch in question was beaming at her two favorite men.

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The moon's dazzling light shone illuminating the lone flying car as it staggered and stumbled to the top level of the topsy turvy house. The door opened with a click as it posed itself beside the roof of the level. Ginny jumped to the roof and managed to take hold of the windowsill. Thankfully the window was open. She stepped in, wiping her sweat. Ron and Hermione were asleep on Ron's enlarged bed in his room. With a smile, she approached the sleeping duo and knelt down beside Hermione.

"I never expected myself to confront you first but here I am. This blasted car takes time to even lift to the top most level," Ginny whispered rolling her eyes. "Hermione, I am here to talk to you and I am blabbering. Listen, Hermione. You are going to be a mother. You can't back out now by taking tension to that smart brain of yours. You need to rest and forget everything. I wish I could Obliviate our memories together but firstly, I can't perform magic and secondly, I don't want you to forget them. They are beautiful memories which I will forever cherish if I were to remember. I know you will too.

"Snap out of it. You have to get through it, Hermione. You have been my best friend and you are like an elder sister to me. Ron can't watch you like this. Your future child can't watch you like this. Get back to your bossy self, that's all I ask. I will forever be grateful to Merlin to have met you. Take care of Ron and my . . . nephew. I love you, Hermione."

She looked at Ron with a sad smile. She knew he wouldn't like seeing her or even she talking to him. With a sad sigh, she left the bedroom, never to return.

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The flying car slowly descended and the witch it contained was found chuckling. If anyone were to see a car float on it's own, they were sure to land up in an asylum. Ginny once again leaped to the roof successfully climbing into the open windowsill of Bill's and Charlie's shared bedroom. Her two elder brothers were fast asleep. Ginny heard a shuffling noise and that was when she noticed Fleur with Bill. She chuckled to herself for her poor remembrance. She walked to Bill's bed first.

"Bill, I now talk directly to you. I don't have much words other than 'I am proud of you'. Really. You have made me proud by being the bravest Weasley and I want you to continue that. I have helped you and I hope that will be the last time you have to muster up all that Gryffindor courage. For now, take care of your beautiful wife and remember that I will forever be that little sister of yours who you lifted, cradled and cared for."

Ginny kissed his scarred cheek then looked at Fleur. "Fleur. You are an amazing sister-in-law and never did I know that before. I have called you terrible names and now I regret it with my heart. You are the best woman I have ever met. Thank you for everything, Fleur."

Ginny turned to Charlie who was asleep on the mini couch. His bedsheet was trailing to the ground. With a soft smile, she draped it over him and knelt down beside him.

"Dragons. You love them, don't you, Charlie? Be brave like them, brother. A dragon would very much be disappointed with you if she were to know that you are sitting in an useless pit of sorrow. Or should I say a nest?

"If I was really your sister, be brave. Where is that Gryffindor Dragon I knew who played the role of a dragon in my fairytale plays. You need to support Bill, Charlie. Get through it. Find yourself a mate who isn't a dragon and build a happy family. That's all mum wants. That's all I want. Don't make me feel guilty for saying hello to that cloaked guy, Death. Love you, Charlie," Ginny whispered and placed a loving kiss on her second eldest brother's cheek. 

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Ginny opened the door of the master bedroom with an involuntary creek. She found her parents asleep on the master bed. She approached her mother's side cautiously and knelt down beside her. Dried tear tracks ran down the kind lady's face and Ginny smiled tearfully at her.

"When are you going to fix that door of yours? Oil it, mum. Mum, please don't cry. Do you really think I would love to see you shed tears because of me? No, I don't. You are the woman who I looked up to. The one who inspired me with her caring and her fierce nature, kind but strict in nature. Get back to your kitchen mum, it misses you. The pans, the vessels, everything. I bet they miss you. Dad. You are his pillar, mum. Your sons. Harry. You are their pillar, mum. If you break down, how would they be brave? Get out of it mum. Bill needs your support and that's what I want you to give him. Know that your baby daughter, your baby girl will always stay with you and look over you. I love you so much mum."

Ginny hastily wiped her tears away and kissed her mother's cheeks. She swore as she saw a small smile appear on her mother's face but she did not let it affect her. That was her mission, after all. Ginny walked to the other side and knelt down beside her father.

"Daddy, your baby Ginny is here. She can't resist not being able to hug you but she should. You have always been and will always be my first hero and not even my husband can replace that spot, dad. How can a hero lose all his hope? No dad. Bring the family out of this pit. I will never like to see you all like this. Get in all those muggle inventions and make everyone smile and laugh with your curious personality. That's the dad I know and I want to know the very same dad until the end. Believe me when I say that I would have given you a granddaughter who would resemble me but unfortunately it was not meant to be. Dad, your baby loves you," a kiss on her hero's cheek was all Ginny could give without breaking down.

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The car lowered even more and reached the second floor landing. Ginny leaped to the roof once again and climbed through the windowsill. Her prankster brother George and his wife Angelina were fast asleep in two different beds. Ginny noticed that George was sleeping on Fred's bed, bringing fresh tears to her eyes. She swallowed them and walked to Angelina.

"Angie. You are more like my second mother, you know? Teaching me new Quidditch tactics and cooking. . . I can never ask more from you but this is all I ask. Do the same good job you did after the war. George needs you. I shall help you, Angelina but you must put effort too. Take care of my prankster, okay? Love you, Angie."

Ginny walked to George's bed and knelt down beside him. "Dear Georgie, you aren't the prankster I know and I will be frank about it. Fred will hate you for this and so will I. You have a family to raise, a shop to build. Make people laugh and laugh your life off, brother. Fred will be proud of you and so will I.

"All the pranks we did together will forever be cherished by your baby sister. Cherish them and move on with life for I will come with that cloaked Death once to welcome you to afterlife. There, I shall welcome you with a 'Hey George. You're dead. Oi wait, this is a prank!' however this vision is not a prank and let the whole family know about it. When the time is ripe, I shall say hi to you, Georgie. Until then, I love you," Ginny kissed George's cheek too and the moonlight reminded her of one last person to visit before she would face the worst of her fears and tears.

Ginny creeped to her nerdy brother's room and opened the door slowly. Thankfully it produced no creaks and sounds. She felt her arms and legs pain owing to the distance between herself and the Ford Angelia. Shaking the pain off she approached Percy. He was sleeping alone as Audrey, his wife, was taking care of the whole lot of Weasley children in their household. Audrey could not attend due to her job at the Ministry and hence volunteered to take care of the Weasley children.

"Perce. I have long since forgiven you for your stupid actions and stop feeling guilty, already! You were snobby earlier but after Audrey came into your life, which I am glad she did, you changed completely for the better. You are now the Percy Weasley who should have been from the start and I admire you for adapting yourself to this environment. Perce, you are a perfect prefect and I want you to help Bill discipline the whole family again. You will do it, won't you?" Ginny whispered. Percy slightly mumbled something. "I wonder if you people are able to hear me. Anyways Percy, take good care of Audrey. Tell her I will miss gardening with her. I shall always remain your baby sister. Love you, Percy," Ginny concluded by dropping a kiss on his cheek.

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The car was by now, too tired with less fuel as it lowered to the first floor. Ginny leaped her final leap and found the window to be closed.

"Damn you, Harry," she swore and opened the window with one hand. After struggling, she climbed into the room - her room. It was faintly lit. With a roll of eyes she moved to her asleep children for her great husband was still awake, scribbling something on a parchment.

Little Albus was snoring peacefully, cuddled by his big brother James. Ginny ruffled their hair and kissed their foreheads.

"I am sorry sweethearts. I could not watch you grow up but I shall always be in your heart if you love me as your mother. I wish I could have spent more time with you both and I am truly sorry for ruining it all. If it hadn't been for my mistake, you would be a trio and I would have gotten the chance to witness two elder brothers pamper their little sister. Alas, I have been stupid.

"You have your father, dears. Keep him close. He is an amazing father and I know that you will be raised as kind as your grandma Lily and as brave as your grandpa James. I will love you both even if I see black and white," Ginny placed another tearful kiss on her son's foreheads and moved to Harry after a long time. Her pains started returning with an I incredible speed and she knew she would have to make it fast.

"Oh dear, you promised me to not stay awake and here you are," as if Harry heard it, he looked around then shrugged and stared at his parchment. "I am so proud of you for taking that letter seriously, Harry. My words will always stay with you even if I don't. Everyone knows that there is no treason in our love and no one can talk bad about you moving on soon. I will be honest with you. You are my second hero. My hero who rescued me just because I was your best friend's little sister. My hero who stupidly left fighting the darkest wizard of all time to avenge a crazy lunatic for trying to kill me. Merlin, I just don't know but I know so much that I am so in love with you, Harry Potter.

"I am truly sorry for breaking your wish of having a daughter. If you ever move on and get married to someone else who loves you as much as I did, you might have a daughter then. As much as it would break me if I were to witness it, I am no longer there and my heart doesn't matter anymore. Move on, Harry. Raise our children well and have a life that you deserve," Harry was silently crying by then and Ginny had no time to ponder why. Her pain was now banging against her insides and she knew that the time had neared. "I love you so damn much, Harry. Always will until I pass out of afterlife."

Harry spoke something which to say that she was surprised would be an understatement. "I can never move on. Even if you caused knives to poke my heart, I never would Ginny. For I love you and only you. "

"H-how? Harry, are you able to hear me?" Ginny asked, struck with shock. This wasn't the first time but she was receiving a reply in words. Harry laughed.

"I think I am going insane. My mind is talking to me as if it were Ginny. Oh Merlin," Harry hit himself on his head. Ginny chuckled at his action. He looked around spontaneously. "Ginny. You are torturing me now. You want me to fulfill your promise, don't you?" Ginny laughed. "Okay okay! I'm going, I'm going."

Harry walked to his bed and slightly shifted James. He turned off the lights. "Gin, listen," he whispered so softly that Ginny found herself rushing to his side to hear him. "Tomorrow, I will return your treasure to you. Until then, it will be around my neck. Okay Mind Ginny, good night. I love you loads," saying so, Harry laid down and wrapped an arm around James. His eyes were open and the moonlight was brilliantly reflecting the emerald orbs, taking Ginny's breath away. As soon as he closed them, she kneeled beside him.

"I won't disturb you, Harry. Not anymore, love. Good night, peaceful dreams," Ginny whispered, stroking his hair. She heard light snores and found that he was asleep. "Sleepyhead. Has sleep ready in his eyes but stays awake," Ginny whispered then leaned in and kissed his lips. She tried hard to not think that he kissed her back but she knew it felt like that. "I love you more than anything, Harry Potter."

A smile that formed on his face was the last thing Ginny saw before collapsing on the floor beside her eternal love.

Mmm, how was this chapter? It sure was a long one. Another cliffhanger!

Thank you for reading!

Miyoko x