Hermione
My mind wanders as I walk down the street, heading for home. I just got off of work, exhaustion racks my body, but my mind still wanders away. I can't help but think of her. My love that is no longer in my life. I grew up in Muggle London, unaware of a magical world, until that one fateful day I got a letter. "You have been accepted at Hogwarts witch craft and wizardry." Those words forever changed my life. I went to school and made friends with Harry Potter and Ron Weasly, both boys are like my best friends, my brothers, not by blood but by love and the tragedy that haunted our lives. Myself, like Ron and his family joined up in the fight against Voldemort with Harry. Its very cold outside and I huddle more into my coat as I wait at a stoplight. Its cold and it reminds me I'm very much alone.... There is no more her in my life. Ginny has been missing for 5 years now. Right after she graduated from Hogwarts she joined the Order and went on a mission, no one heard from her again. I am a Hogwarts graduate, and after I lost her, I fell apart. I lost interest in everything I ever dreamed of when she did not come back. I dreamed of telling her how much I loved her, she didn't have any idea. I always loved her, I just never had the guts to tell her how I felt about her, I couldn't, and I wouldn't risk loosing her friendship. But now after so many cold lonely nights I have to tell her... We were supposed to be roommates, her stuff is still in my flat, and I can't bear to move it or to pack it away. It gives me hope that one day she will return and all will be right in my life again...I hold onto that hope like its a lifesaver in the middle of a stormy sea. Ron and Harry stop by occasionally, I can always see the worry in their eyes, they know about my feelings about Ginny. They said they've known for years, and they understand. They are together now...not openly...not while the war is going on they don't want to risk it. They often stop by at my work, I work at a muggle sandwich shop...I couldn't get a job in a wizarding place, the magic that flows in me, and around me reminded me to much of Ginny.
I slowly realize, I once again walked past my flat and turn around. This isn't the first time and it wont be the last time I do it. My thoughts overrun my brain and my senses anymore. I walk up the stairs to my flat and open the door and walk through the door, as I remove my coat and throw my mini backpack on the floor. Ron has been here, I can tell, there are dirty dishes in the sink when there was none before and a note on the fridge. " Hermione, Harry and I will be over later tonight to make you dinner. Love, Ron" I read the note then quickly do the dishes as I head for the shower, I hate the onion smell that has been embedded into my skin from working with them all day. Thoughts and memories of a giggling fire haired beauty consume my mind and grief consumes me once again. I collapse once again in the shower crying, it’s not the first time and it’s not the last. Time flows by and the water grows cold and my sobs have subsided. I hear a voice out in the living room; its probably Harry and Ron come to make me dinner. I get up and turn off the shower and quickly get dressed into some sweats. I walk out and Harry sees me first. He gasps and I wonder why, as he runs to me and tells Ron to get some bandages...I've had another cationic cutting session again it seems. I didn't see the blood and I feel no pain from it. Ron and Harry bandage me up again. This isn't the first time and it wont be the last. They will take shifts in the next few weeks to keep an eye on me while I'm home.
Ron cooks dinner as Harry finishes bandaging my arms, he would use magic but he knows that will just remind me of Ginny more and make me worse. He doesn't ask why, they both don't anymore, the just accept it and I know they hope one of these times I don't kill myself. We all three sit and eat, Harry and Ron talking about things at work. Harry is an Auror and Ron is still studying to be a mediwizard. They tell me Fred and Angelina and George and Katie both are expecting children soon and I can't but silently wonder if one of their kids will be a spitting image of Ginny, I start to cry again at the table. Both know this is nothing new and just are there with me till I calm down once again. They go on telling me Percy is starting to actually be an actually ok guy to be around, he has loosen up since his and Penelope's daughter was born...she has the trade mark red hair of a Weasley and I barely control another sob. Bill and Charlie are both dating and being the wild ones in the family...though they take their Order business seriously. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley miss the noise of a full house and have offered to have me over once again for Christmas...I decline, like I have for the last 5 years...I can't face that house without a smiling Ginny running down the stairs. Ron and Harry understand but I see the unspoken concern in their eyes. I fake a smile and they ask me how everything is going, I lie saying its ok. They ask if I have read anything lately, and I tell them no. I haven't picked up a book in a long time, it seems pointless.
I fake a yawn and tell them I'm tired and have work early in the morning. They tell me to go to bed, and that they will clean up, I know as soon as I close my door they will quietly discuss what to do about me, how to help me. But no one can help me, and I know that as I climb into my cold bed and stare at the ceiling. Sleep doesn't come, it hardly ever does, and when it does I have dreams of Ginny and I being together....I wake up from these crying because I wish for it to be real. Or I have nightmares of Ginny in a dark cold stone cell frail and forgotten in the bitter darkness of a lonely dungeon...and I slowly watch her die in the darkness...these nightmares have me up many nights on end because I don't want to ever face them. I can hear one of the boys at the door of my room, I flip over to fake sleep as they quietly open the door....Its Ron, I don't know how I know, I just do. He is the one staying then with me, he usually is the one to stay. He insists on trying to help me, to save me and I love him for it, but no one can do that for me. Only I can save myself, and I don't want to save myself, I just barely survive on the tiny hope Ginny is alive....I know that hope is slim, but I don't allow myself to dwell on that long. Ron closes the door and I know he has probably gone to e-mail my parents, to tell them I had another episode, they will both stop by sometime in the next few days to talk and try to cheer me up. To try talking me into moving back in with them, they know I wont, and they both understand why. They both know my feelings for Ginny, and they understand, they say they just want to see me happy again. I smile and tell them only time will tell.
Sleep evades me that night and I get up early and get ready for work. I tiptoe pass Ron, don't want to wake him up he was probably up late worrying about me. I walk once more out that door that should have been Ginny and mines home, and as I think that another small part of me dies inside. Work once again is its usual drab self and the day goes by and its time for me to head home. Weeks go by again and I really don't notice the time that goes by, I'm just a drone in my life, a robot that does certain functions at certain times and certain intervals. I walk in, throwing my mini backpack in the corner, like I always do. Ron and Harry are sitting at the kitchen table, they look like someone has died and a black hole that is in my soul and heart grows bigger. They tell me to sit down. Harry begins to tell me its time to come back to the wizarding world, that they need me, especially now. It might all soon end and they need me there to watch their backs, they say its time for me to quit wallowing in my grief and find closure. At that I break down once more at the table, its not the first time and it wont be the last, but I’m in Ron’s arms again.
“Come on ‘Mione its time to live again. I miss you, Harry misses you and Ginny would kill you if she saw you living like this, and you know it sweetheart.” I cry even harder into his chest as he says these words with images of my hopes and dreams of Ginny flying past my closed eyes. I push away from a startled Ron’s chest and run for my bedroom, diving under my mattress for my wand, I know its there…its been there since Ginny disappeared, I couldn’t bare to look at it for so long. My hand grasps it as Harry and Ron run in, the room I realize is pitch black and the boys are looking around for me.
“Lumos” I yell and the boys jump back and pull out their wands, ready for an attack…they were not expecting magic coming from me. They both grin their big goofy grins when they see that it is I and that I am holding my wand.
“Its good to have you back ‘Mione” says Harry.
“Yeah real good” says Ron.
“Lets do this guys. Its time to kick some Voldy butt. I want to know what happened to Ginny.” I said quietly as I looked at my wand, it had been a while since I seen it, since I held it in my hand and I once again felt the magic course through my body and it felt good…I don’t know what changed in me, I don’t know what drove me now, but for the first time in 5 years I thought about Ginny and didn’t feel like I was dying.
“Well ok then, lets go to the Burrow.” Harry looks at me “Are you ready for this?” I answer him by apparrating to the Burrow living room and hear an excited scream.
“My dear, Hermione!!!” Molly Weasly screams as she enveloped me in a giant hug. The boy’s apparate right behind me. Both grinning and pointing to the clock. The famous Weasly family clock, all the family members have a hand on the clock but instead of numbers to tell time, it says things like “home” “sick” “school” “work” “great peril” and “traveling”. I see that Harry and I have been added to the clock. His says “home“, mine is moving from “great peril” to “home” and I smile then my face becomes blank as I see Ginny’s hand pointed towards “great peril“. My heart skips a beat.
“When will everyone arrive?” I ask quietly, my eyes still on the clock and my face non-existent of emotion.
“In a few minutes dear.” Molly says hugging me again. She then whispers in my ear “I know sweetie, welcome home, its ok to cry.” At that I turn and face her, tears are in my eyes and she just nods and pulls me tighter to her. “No matter whatever happens Hermione, you are always welcomed, and will always be another daughter to me.” As those words are said George, Angelina, Fred and Katie apparate into the living room. They all come up and hug me, telling me it’s about time I came home. Mr. Weasly apparate home with Percy not far behind with Penelope and his daughter. Next comes Professor Dumbledore, Professor Mc. Gonagal, Professor Snape, Professor Lupin, Mad Man Mooney, Tonks, Bill and Charlie. All telling me also its about time I was home, I can’t help but smile and blush a bit, I missed this, and missed these people…but I also still miss Ginny.
We all sit down and Professor Snape briefs us on what has been happening. I have missed a lot of happenings…Draco is on our side, that’s a huge shocker…so are a few of the Slytherins from our graduating class. When I go “Wait and back up a minute, we have almost ¼ of the Slytherin graduating class on our side?”
“We aren’t all death eaters Ms. Granger.” is the only answer I get from Snape, before he continues. “Now as I was saying, Voldemort is at Malfoy manner but only for tonight, a select few high ranking death eaters will be there also. This will be the best time to strike. When they are finally spread out thin and not expecting anything since they believe Harry is still wounded from the last squirmish.” Snape glared at Harry when he said that.
“Wait you were wounded….damn it Harry why didn’t you tell me?” I screamed at Harry.
“Ron fixed me up right quick.” he responded.
“Oh we all bet he did!” jabs George as he pokes Ron in the arm. Ron blushed redder than his hair.
Harry coughed down a laugh, “anyways it was the night before you had your last episode…” Harry trailed off as I realized how much Harry and Ron had been protecting me…and how afraid they were for me all these years.
I hug Harry and Ron whispering, “Thank you, but I can stand on my own now.”
Dumbledore then looks at all of us “This mission is a critical one, it will be dangerous and the risk is great. Who wants to go?”
“I’m in of course,” says Harry.
“I’m in also,” says Ron.
“I’m in,” says Charlie.
“I’m in,” says Bill
“I’m in,” says Mr. Weasly
George, Fred and Percy all look at their wives who all three nod at their husbands.
“I’m in,” says George, Fred and Percy at the same time.
“I’m in,” says Professor Lupin
“I’m in,” says Moody
“I’m in,” says Tonks
“I’m in,” says Snape
“I’m in,” says Professor Mc Gonagal.
“I’m in,” says Professor Dumbeldore.
A quiet settles on the room again. Everyone is looking at me, my face is void of emotion, my eyes dead to the outside world…I’m staring at the Weasly clock once again, Ginny’s arm is still at ‘great peril’ like it has been for 5 years…I feel a hand on my shoulder its Molly’s but I can‘t take my eyes off the clock, all I can do is whisper quietly, “I’m in.” Professor Dumbledore nods at me.
“Very well,” says Snape “there are 4 ways into Malfoy manner, all 4 are on opposite sides of the manner, I will inform Draco and he will have members of our side posted on the doors so we are let in easily and quietly. We can’t apparate into the manner, there are alarms set but we should get in easily since Draco is in charge of site security where ever Voldemort is at. There are 4 entrances and 14 people. George, Fred and Percy take north or the backside of the manner. Lupin, Moody, Tonks and Arthur will take the east side. Mc. Gonagal, Dumbledore, and I will take west. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Charlie and Bill will take the south entrance or the front. Is this plan ok Professor Dumbledore?”
“Yes, Severus it is fine. What room will Voldemort be in?” asked Professor Dumbledore.
“Probably the main dinning hall, Draco and his team will know where when we get there. They will also be keeping guys on the doors to make sure no loyal death eaters walk in on us. Any loyal death eaters will be detained in one way or another.” At this Snape smiled.
“Very well, inform Draco that the plan is a go. We will be there at 8pm tonight. That gives you 5 hours to set it up Severus, see that it is done.” said Dumbeldore.
“Yes, Professor Dumbeldore.” Snape said as he nodded and he apparated out of the Burrow.
“That’s 5 hours for us to get ready. Everyone is to stay at the Burrow.” said Dumbeldore. “Harry I’d like to speak to you for a few minutes please.” At that Harry and Dumbeldore went to a room to talk. Ron went to go talk to Bill and Charlie. Percy, Fred and George all took their wives to the garden to talk for a bit. Mr. Weasly, Tonks, Moody and Mrs. Weasly all started talking to each other. Professor Lupin and Professor Mc. Gonagal started talking to each other, so I just sat there, watching that clock.
I don’t know how long I just sat there staring, but I startled back to reality by a hand on my shoulder. Proffessor Lupin and Professor Mc. Gonagal looked down at me worried, I realized then what I had been doing. I was staring at the clock, running the wand I hadn’t put down since I picked it up in my bedroom, up and down my left arm, along one of the scars from my cutting sessions. “Are you sure you can do this Hermione?” was all that Professor Mc. Gonagal asked me.
“Yes Professor Mc. Gonagal, I’m ok, I need to know what happened, and its time for me to face whatever reality deals me.” I said as I looked up into their eyes. “Though, I have to admit…I think I’m pretty rusty on my magic, it’s been 5 years since I could hold this wand…”
“Well then, us three will just have to go out to the back and practice a bit then. And Hermione please call me Minerva. You aren’t one of my students anymore, you are a witch full grown, and one of my trusted friends.” Minerva said as she started to lead Professor Lupin and I to the back.
“Same goes for me, call me Remus.”
“Yes, profes…errr. I will do that.” was all I could get out. The next few hours were spent with Minerva and Remus practicing defense against the dark arts. I wasn’t all too rusty, a bit slower, but I remembered everything, all I really needed to do was react faster. An hour before we were all to leave Molly called us in for dinner.
“You all need to eat a good meal.” shes worried I can tell. She is wondering who next she will have to loose to this war….and I’m silently thinking the same. I think all of us are. There is a certain still quiet tension in the air….its waiting to break, and finally it does…but not in the way I thought it would. I thought maybe an argument or something like that….nope.
Harry slowly turns to Ron, “Ron”. Ron is a bit startled but looks around the table quickly before he looks at Harry.
“Yes?” a nervous Ron asks.
Harry slides from his chair and gets on one knee. “Ronald Weasly, I love you with all my heart…” Harry pauses at Ron blushes and tries to hide his face, he knows what is coming up, we all know and as I quickly look around the table, I see that everyone is smiling. “Ron, will you marry me?”
Ron looks up from hiding his face, his eyes are filled with tears…tears of joy, the first I’ve seen from him in years… “Yes Harry. I will.” Ron blushes again even redder, if that could even be achieved as Harry litterley tackled him into a passionate kiss. Everyone is clapping at the table, and I can’t help but feel happy for my two best friends, but yet that hollow deep inside me is bigger now. But no one knows that, and I like to keep it that way, this is Harry and Ron‘s time to be happy. Rounds of cheers and congratulations go around the table. Molly is crying, and Mr. Weasly is beaming with pride. The joyous last hour ends as everyone prepares to leave. Molly, Angelina, Katie and Penelope start clearing away the tables and doing the dishes, the rest of us prepare to leave, though I really don’t know how one prepares to go into battle, where they might not return…or they loose someone they love…but when it was time all we did was get up, the boys kissed their wives and we apparated to wooded area just a few minutes away from Malfoy Manner.
“Ok everyone, this is it. Everyone be cautious and be steadfast. Good luck.” was all Dumbeldore said as we broke off in our groups and headed off in the direction of the house entrances we were supposed to assault. Our group was quiet as we walked south to get to the entrance of the manner. “Ok Harry how you want to go about this?” asked Bill. I blinked…Bill deferring to Harry? I looked at Ron who just nodded to me.
“I think Ron and I will take point, Hermione in the middle, you and Charlie in the back watching our rears.” said Harry.
“Wait we aren’t playing protect the female now are we?” I asked. All four men busted out laughing. “What is so funny?”
“Its good to have you back Hermione!” said Ron through laughing as he hugged me and Harry just grinned. I had the good grace to blush big time. The laughing stopped as we came on the manner…it was time to face destiny. We eyed carefully the guards on the doors…one of them was Draco; he spotted us and signaled us in.
“About time, thought you guys might of gotten lost or chickened out on us.,” sneered Draco. What came next was a big shocker to my senses…Bill quickly stepped up and kissed Draco full on the lips. Draco shutted up really fast. I just blinked and Ron and Harry barely stiffled a giggle. Blaise Zambini, the other guard on the door, just smiled coyly at Charlie who winked back at her. “Damn it Bill, I’m suppose to have my senses about me, not knocked out of me.” protested Draco after Bill stopped kissing him, Bill just shrugged and winked. “Ok I should go in with you guys and lead you where we need to go…Blaise stay out here and watch the door. Ahem anyone want to stay out here with her?”
“I do” was all Charlie said.
“Ok then Harry, Ron and I will take point, Zeke and Sam will take middle. Hermione and Bill will take rear.” Draco said and I finally realized there were two other people near the door but inside. “Oh and Hermione good to see you back, is this arrangement ok Harry?”
“Yes fine Draco, lets get going.” said Harry as he, Ron and Draco took point. Zeke and Sam stepped in behind them as the three passed the door, then Bill and I took the rear. Wands are all at the ready, the hall is a long well lit hall. We take many turns but by what I can guess we are heading for the center of the house….Draco and Harry stops and points their wands at Crabbe and Goyle both on guard duty but not paying attention.
“Experliamus” was all the two heard before their wands were knocked away and Zeke and Sam hit them with a rope charm. I realized this was probably not the first time any of these once were enemies worked together to rid the world of Voldemort. I really had been gone for a long time…. “Is this it Draco?” asked Harry.
“Yes” was all Draco said.
“Then lets go” Harry said as he sent the doors flying inwards. Chaos reigned as 3 other sets of doors were blown inward. Spells, curses and charms flew around the room as death eaters and order members battled it out in the large dinning hall. It seemed like the battle went on for hours…I don’t know when Harry and Voldemort started dueling one on one…or when the other members of my group broke off but I found myself dueling none other than Lucius Malfoy one on one…he was winning till he made a crucial mistake. He thoughts since I couldn’t see after he blinded me with a curse…that I was done, as he went in for the killing blow, I struck out with “Experiamus” and disarmed him then knocked him out cold as I sent him flying against a wall. I didn’t leave anything to chance I used the rope charm from earlier and tied him up. I noticed then that Harry was slumped on his knees Voldemort laid a few feet from him, his head missing. There was a sword lying by Harry’s right arm…Ron was running to Harry. Bill was limping towards Mr. Weasly, who was helping Dumbeldore to a chair. Minerva was putting a cloth over Snapes face who was lying next to a covered up Tonks and Moody. Lupin was finishing up tying up death eaters with the help of Sam. Zeke was a few feet from me, dead. George, Fred, Percy and a few other people who I assume helped us out during the battle were carrying the dead to the center of the room. I just stood there staring for the longest time. It seemed like hours, but as I looked at my watch I realized it had only been 10 minutes. I then walked to a bound and gagged Lucius Malfoy who was red with fury, shooting daggers with his eyes towards his son. But Draco didn’t noticed, he was to busy fussing over Bill. “Where is she?” was all I could say as I unbound his gag. He had the balls to laugh in my face then spit in it. Harry and Ron were at my side in an instant to make sure I didn’t kill him. “I’m all right, I wont kill him, I want him to pay.” I said knowing why they were there in an instant at my side. “I just want to know where Ginny is…” I added quietly.
“You wont get anything from him.” Draco said as he walked up. “Hello father, like you to meet my boy friend Bill Weasly.” Draco smiled and sneered at the same time as he said that. “Come with me Hermione we will assault the dungeons. I know there are a lot of witches and wizards down there, we will have to attack the guards though. I don’t‘ know if Ginny is down there, as I told everyone I wasn‘t allowed to be down there because I am not a full fledge death eater.”
“Lets go” said Ron and let Draco lead the way. Draco, Ron, Harry, Bill, Fred, George, Percy and I walked towards the dungeons. Mentally I prepared myself for her not to be there or to find that she disappeared because she wasn‘t captured but killed and lying in some unknown grave…Fred and George quickly blasted the guards on the door and we entered the dungeons…it was just like in my nightmare and I stopped dead in my tracks. “ ‘Mione? You ok?” asked Ron concern etched on his face.
“Its just like my nightmares…” was all I could get out barely in a whisper…before I started heading down the rows of doors and “Alohamora” all the doors unlocked. All the guys started lighting up torches that were on the walls and helping people out of the cells…well the people that were alive, not many were…I continued walking down the corridor…its been 5 years…I could feel my grip on that life saver slip from my hands with every step, every breath, every spell I cast. But I kept on going, not understanding what drives me to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Its getting darker as I get farther down the corridor, I can’t see the end, and the boys are falling behind. I realize I’m jogging down the corridor, I can’t see where I am going but yet I am running head long into the unseen…but yet I have seen this corridor it’s the one from my nightmares, the nightmares that haunted me for going on 5 years now. I quickly light a torch and run down the corridor unlocking doors as I go by, Harry and Ron are running after me, I can just barely see them behind me, but I keep running, to my unseen destiny.
I run and run, till I finally see the last door and I stop dead in my tracks, my breathing is heavy and Harry and Ron are a few feet behind me. I slowly lift my wand “its now or never, for the good and the bad, I am here…” “Alohamora” is all I can say and the door swings open, and I gasp as I quickly run into the cell. Ginny is lying on the cold floor, she is litterly skin and bones, images of the Holocaust run through my mind as I see her. Ron is behind me now, his hand on my shoulder as he sees if she is alive. All he can do is look up at me, tears in his eyes and nod at me. I quickly pick her up in my arms, and carry her out of the cell, she is not awake, she is probably to weak to be conscious. She is in my arms, and she is alive, and 5 years of grief and heart ache are finally coming out as I cry out the depression, its not the first time, but it’s the last time, because I have my Ginny and that is all that matters. I slowly walk out of the dungeons, there are ministry officials now all over the place, medi-wizards are taking care of the prisoners and aurors are arresting the death eaters. Fred, George, Percy, Bill, Charlie and Mr. Weasly see who I am carrying and run to me, tears are in their eyes, as I know they are in mine, and we all know that everything will be ok now. Ginny is transported to the wizard hospital and I go with her, its been 5 years and I wont let her out of my sight ever again. Her tiny frail hand is in mine as she lays there in the bed, she isn’t as pale as she was, and she is slowly gaining weight again, but she hasn’t woken up. She tosses and turns and cries out in her sleep, its at these times I wish the most she’d wake up and see that I am here.
Weeks go by and Ginny has yet to wake up, I haven‘t yet to leave her side for more than an hour here and there. Doctors say its from months, maybe months of malnutrition and sleep deprivation. There are scars on her body, old and new they will be there the rest of her life, but that’s okay, because in my eyes she is perfect. The Weasly’s are in and out of the room all the time, they often remind me to go eat, or change, or to shower. Ron of course brings Harry, the two always try to get me to go sleep in a bed for a while but I never do. Bill brings Draco by, who surprisingly is becoming one of my best friends, scary enough the whole hate the mud blood was all an act he really is a good actor. Charlie brings Blaise by also with him, they are now dating and by the looks of the two its love. Molly often brings me dinner and chats with me about what I am going to do now with my life.
I had money saved away and have bought a house not far from theirs and I have quit my job at the sandwich shop. I’ve moved all of Ginny and mine’s things to the house…well at least Ron and Harry moved them for me. I’ve been offered a job at the Ministry of Magic, I don’t start till after the new year. With that thought I realize tomarrow is Christmas, and that I haven’t got a tree in the room for Ginny. I quickly transfigure a pitcher into a tree, and a cup into an angel. Carefully I place the angel on the top of the tree and silently say a prayer, to any diety that might listen and grant it to me, I only wish for Ginny to wake up. Molly comes in and tells me the family will be coming tomarrow night around dinner and that she’ll bring some ornaments to decorate the tree with. I thank her and talk to her about the house I just bought.
Later that evening as I sit and watch Ginny sleep, a thought strikes me…what happens when she does wake up? What did she go through down in the dungeons? Is the Ginny that I knew and love still here or did I loose her mentally and emotionally 5 years ago? Do I tell her that I love her? That I have always loved her? Or do I sit by idly like I have for so many year watching and loving from afar…? I silently contemplate these thoughts as I hold her hand in mine and slowly drift off to sleep. I still have the nightmares, I am still afraid of loosing her, but there is a big difference. I wake up and she is right in front of me, and that makes it all that more easier to face them. Tonight is a bit different though, as I lay sleeping I have the nightmare again, but this time instead of waking up startled and seeing Ginny and calming down, I awake to someone stroking my hair. I look up to see Ginny wide awake, she is smiling at me tears in her eyes and I can’t help it but I start to cry as I jump up and hold onto her.
I hold onto her still now, in the quiet of our house, in our bed….well the quiet one can have with 6 kids and 8 dogs sleeping under the same roof. She is my love, my life, my wife and those three things are one in the same. It is years later now, 5 years to be exact, our wedding anniversary, and as I make love to my wife, sharing with her the magic of our love, I can’t help but smile. Ginny still has problems from when she disappeared, she is still learning to walk again, her legs were so badly broken, so many times in 5 years that she almost lost her legs due to it. But that doesn’t stop her, as soon as we were married we started adopting kids that were orphaned from the war. Its years later and she still wakes up crying and frightened at night, and I always hold her closer and tighter till she feels safe once again and is able to relax. She is safely in my arms now, sleep has come to visit her once again and as I close my eyes I can picture only a fire haired beauty and my dreams of her that have come true.
