Defend

Chapter Sixteen I Won't Have The Same Fate

 My heart stops.

 "What?" The blood is rushing in my ears and blocking out other people's screams.

 I tear away from Draco and run down the stairs, unconsciously shoving people out of the way.

 "Harry!" I yell, bounding towards him as fast as possible.

 "Eliza!" he hugs me tightly, holding onto me as if I'm keeping him here. "C-cedric's gone."

 "I know." My voice breaks, and for the first time since I thought Ginny was dead, tears pour down my cheeks. I don't care.

 My world is shattered. My brother is dead. The one I teased, the one that despite our arguments was always there for me.

 Was. 

 I tear away from him and run towards the body. My mum and dad run from the stands towards me. I fall onto my knees at Cedrics' body. I can't even be bothered to wipe the snot dripping from my nose or the tears clouding my eyes, and grab his cold hand. 

 It's already cold. I'll never feel his warm embrace again. 

 "You big dimwit. I told you you might get killed, but I didn't even believe myself." I squeak, my voice small and pathetic as it tries to make it's way into his ears.

 My mum tries to pull me away and into her arms, but I can't stop staring. My brother is gone. I'm shaking so hard I can hardly stand. Harry is being led to the hospital wing.

 I ignore my parents cries and rush towards him. I need answers. I need something, anything.  "Harry! Harry!"

 "Yes?" Harry shrugs away from the others for a moment. 

 "How— how did it happen?" I stutter, wiping my tear-sodden cheeks violently.

 "Voldemort killed him." 

 I gasp. "No!"

 He goes on to tell me this mad story, about how they took his blood and re-made Voldemort a body, and how he killed my brother immediately, without hesitation. And how, his spirit was brought out of Voldemort's wand, and he asked for his body to be brought back to his family.

 Voldemort's exact words were: "Kill the spare."

 Spare.

 My brother was a spare.

 I throw my arms around Harry. "I'm so sorry for all you've been through." I pull away, keeping my hands on his shoulders. "But, this means He-Who—"

 "Voldemort," he corrects.

 I inhale deeply, trying to get my vision clear. "This means, V-voldemort's back."

 "It does."

 I hug him again. "I'm so sorry."

 "I'll be alright. Now, you have to stay strong. For Cedric." Harry tries to smile, but neither of us can.

 "For Cedric." I echo.

 I run back to Draco and cry into his chest. He hugs me.

 "It'll be alright." He echoes Harry's words unknowingly. "I'm here."

 I eventually pull away, still unable to form coherent words, and run through the crowd of people. I'm sprinting around everywhere for reasons I can't explain. I can't face my parents yet. 

 "Ginny! Ginny!"

 Someone hugs me from behind. "Ginny!" I yelp again. 

 I turn around to hug her, tears still falling. "I'm so sorry." She whispers. "Our parents are talking. You're coming straight to the Burrow this summer. They agree you need me."

 I weep in relief. "Thank you."

 "We'll have another funeral at the Burrow this summer."

 "Okay," my voice breaks and I don't bother trying to say anything else.

~~~~

 My dad is choking up. "So if anyone has any last words..."

 I walk up the aisle and place my hand on the casket. I bite my lip like I used to when I was young and nervous, but this time to hold back a sob. Dumbledore held a memorial service at the school, which I appreciated. However, even with Draco trying to comfort me I eventually fled the halls because I was crying so hard it was getting hard to breathe. Ginny came and found me and held me until I could see through my tears.

 I face the small congregation. I see a handsome guy in the back row wearing an all black suit. It's... Draco!?

 I manage a smile and begin speaking.

 "I'm sure everyone here today, Cedric touched your heart in some way. Whether you grew up with him, or just recently met him, or didn't even know him personally and just cheered for him in the tournament. Cedric was an amazing brother and I love him. I'll never stop."

 I inhale and catch Ginny's eye, who nods at me encouragingly. "V-voldemort has returned, and the proof is sitting in this casket behind me." I lock eyes with Harry, who's sitting with Ron and Hermione, and he gives me an encouraging smile.

 I close my eyes briefly and continue. "It doesn't matter if you're here for the food afterwards, or because you truly care about Cedric, we're all in this together. Cedric was a wonderful person who died at Voldemort's hands. We have to stand together, stronger than we ever have been, so that we don't have the same fate. Cedric Diggory will live in our hearts forever, as long as we keep being strong."

 People nod solemnly in agreement, and I walk back down to sit with my parents and Ginny.

 Ginny squeezes my hand. "You alright?"

 "Yes. But Voldemort is back." I lock eyes with her. Her shiny, strong ones, and my red irritated ones from non stop tears. :And we have to fight back if we don't want the same fate."