'After the End' Chapter 17

*You guys know the drill, and I don't own any of the HP characters!*



~*~*~*Chapter 17~*~*~*

     Harry tossed and turned in bed. Images ran through his mind like a slideshow. He saw Sirius' face, once happy and carefree, writhe and roar in agony as Bellatrix Lestrange shot him down. Her mirthless laughter rang in Harry's ears. Tonks and Lupin's faces appeared and slowly faded away. Percy was sobbing over Fred's dead body. Hedwig flew away into the night sky, never to be seen again. Mad Eye Moody turned to face Harry, but he dissapeared. Dumbledore .....

     Harry sat up straight in bed, his body shaking as he let out a strangled moan. Ginny rolled over sleepily under the tangled sheets.

     "Harry?" she muttered sleepily. She opened her eyes, and they widened in anxiety. Harry's entire body was quivering violently. His face was streaked with tears and sweat. Ginny immediantly wrapped her arms around him as the sobs came at last. Tears fell in a storm down his face as the effect from the losses overcame him once again. He couldn't stop it.

     Ginny rocked him slowly, soothing him by humming an old tune softly in his ear. His sobs began to quiet, his shaking began to stop. At last, Ginny wiped away his tears and kissed his forehead.

     "Are you okay?" she asked him anxiously.

     "Ginny--" Harry choked on her name as a fresh wave of tears gathered honestly in his eyes.

     "Shh, shh, it's okay, Harry," Ginny said as she wrapped her arms around him again. "It was just a dream."

     "More like a nightmare," Harry gulped as he wiped his eyes. He left her comforting arms and turned away from her. She looked at him with fear in her eyes. She reached over and touched his shoulder, and he flinched. "Please, Ginny, I need to think," he muttered half-heartedly.

     Ginny ignored his protest and began to kiss his neck longingly. Her fingers slid up his side so gently that Harry's stomach recoiled from the tickle.

     "Harry," she whispered. Her voice was husky, full of dark pleasure. Harry rolled over to face her. Her eyes were large and bright. He couldn't help but smile as he met her lips softly. The kiss grew deeper, and Harry shifted to return it more fully.

     As the hourglass tipped to begin midnight, Harry and Ginny felt the next chapter in their lives open.

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