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Ginny Potter sat by a window in the breakfast nook of her country home. She took slow sips of coffee, enjoying the warmth that it spread through her body. Outside, the sun was shining, but she couldn’t shake the chill hanging over her. It had been days since Harry had gotten out of bed and somewhere deep inside of her heart, she knew his days were coming to an end.
Imagining life without Harry was nearly impossible for Ginny. She’d spent eighty two years with him. They’d fought and survived a war, raised three beautiful children, spoiled eight grandchildren, and even been lucky enough to witness the birth of a great grandchild together. She’d never admit it to anyone else, but the looming threat of loneliness was suffocating her.
Though she felt a great amount of turmoil on the inside, Ginny had tried her best to be calm and peaceful on the outside. She knew that Harry worried about her still, even when his own health was failing and she didn’t want him to suffer longer on her account. When the time came, she wanted him to see her smiling face.
“Ginny,” she heard Harry call feebly from upstairs. Something in his tone set her on edge. She could hear death creeping into the peripherals of his life.
“Coming love,” she called back, forcing her voice to stay steady as she climbed the stairs to the room they’d shared for so many years.
At the door, Ginny stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. She tried her best to smile as she stepped through the doorway. “Finally awake, are you? I thought you were planning to sleep all day.”
Harry gave a slight chuckle and Ginny’s heart warmed. Even as he faced the final steps in life, he was still the man she loved.
“It’s time,” Harry croaked, the words sticking in his throat.
The momentary warmth was replaced by a deep chill in the pit of Ginny’s stomach. She wished she could pretend she’d never heard what he’d just said. “If you’re sure, I’ll call the kids, but I don’t want to upset them needlessly if you aren’t.”
There was a pause after she spoke and Ginny could almost feel the air vibrating around her. She wanted so badly for him to tell her that he’d changed his mind, but something in his eyes said he was certain.
As she padded back downstairs to get their owl, Ginny allowed a few tears to slip down her cheeks. She scribbled a note in quick, sloppy writing and waved her wand over it, saying “Geminio” as she did. Soon there were twenty duplicates. She fastened all of the letters onto a long strap and then attached that to her owl’s leg.
“Medusa, I need you to take letters to all of the kids and grandkids. One to Ron and Hermione too. I know it’s a lot, but go as quick as you can. Harry doesn’t have long left.”
The owl hooted and nudged Ginny’s hand with it’s beak as if to say that everything would be alright.
Before heading back upstairs, Ginny checked her face in the mirror and performed a quick spell to erase the red streaks and puffiness around her eyes. There was no way she’d allow Harry to see her crying.
“Harry,” she said softly as she sat on the bed next to him. “I’ve sent Medusa to the kids and Hermione and Ron too.”
“Good.”
“How are you feeling, love?” Ginny bent over her husband, fluffing the pillows behind his head. “Do you need any pain potion?”
Harry took her hand in his and smiled. “I’m fine, Gin. Just a bit tired is all. I just want you to sit here with me.”
The pair sat in silence for a long while, the sound of Harry’s rattling breaths the only noise in the room. If it weren’t for the vials of potions scattered on the table beside the bed it could’ve been any normal lazy Sunday morning.
“You’re beautiful,” Harry said, giving Ginny’s hand a squeeze.
Heat rose into Ginny’s cheeks. She was amazed that he could still make her feel this way. “I’m old. My hairs gone white. I’m certainly not the girl that I was.”
“You’re still the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Ginny leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “I’m going to miss you so much, Harry.”
“I’ll miss you too, but I know we’ll be together again when it’s time.”
“How do you do that?” Ginny asked.
“Do what?” Harry’s brows knit in confusion.
“Always know the right thing to say.”
Harry’s eyes sparkled with laughter. “Must be all those years of forced public speaking.”
A loud pop in the living room caused the two of them to pause. “That must be one of the kids,” Ginny said, sad that the private moment they’d been sharing was over.
She was just about to turn and walk away when Harry grabbed her hand once more. “Promise me something, Gin.”
“Anything.”
“Watch after Ron for me, will you? I know he’s got Hermione still, but this will be the first time since we were eleven that we’ll really have been apart.”
“You know I will, Harry. Now, let me go downstairs and get the kids. Save some strength because they’ll all want to say their goodbyes too.”
Ginny was a few steps from the door, when Harry spoke to her one last time. “I love you Gin. I always have.”