It hurts when you're gone (Ron Weasley Fanfic)

Chapter 42- He did it

Harry was missing for quite some time. Hermione and I were talking in low whispers about it, we did not want to distress Ginny even more.

'But where's Harry?'

'Please don't tell me-' she let her sentence hang midway; her eyes round in complete shock.

'Did you hear that?'

'What?'

She did not say anything, instead calling Ron and Ginny and rushing forwards to the Entrance.

My eyes first fell on Professor McGonagall- she was clutching the banister of the stairs with one hand, the other on her hair. She was screaming in wild fury, it seemed like she'd tear her hair out with the grief she had. A split second later, Hermione was to yell. I looked up, to find Harry, lying as though dead, in Hagrid's arms. 'NO!!!' Ginny yelled in anguish. Ron and I screamed at the same time- 'No!!' How could it be? Several others rushed out, hearing our screams. My world seemed to fade away- I did not care if I lived, all I could think was that I lost another great friend to the clutches of evil..Harry, who'd been the reason we'd fought for so long, the Boy Who Lived, giving us so much courage, how could it be, how could he be dead?

Harry was the reason we'd fought for this long, and so hard. I felt like the spirit to live was just ebbing out of me. I heard Neville's cry as he put a hand on my shoulder, shaking with mad grief. He looked helpless, just like the way I used to see him before- a boy incapable of facing the demons that tormented him.

As Voldemort told lie upon lie about Harry, we yelled and contradicted him- how dare he tarnish Harry's image when he was the one who was so completely wrong and cruel, how dare he prove himself right and-

I had to restrain Neville from running forwards to attack Voldemort- I knew he felt absolutely furious, but what would he alone do against so many of them? When Voldemort uttered the falsehood that Harry had tried to save himself and sneaked off, I could no longer hold Neville back. He sprinted forwards, his face aglow with righteous anger. I did not know what was going to happen- I did not want to lose another friend.

As much as I wanted to step forwards, Ginny held me back, shaking her head and saying no. When Bellatrix jeeringly called his name out, my anger reached its limits. How dare she insult his parents, they were the bravest people I'd ever known! When Neville stood up to them bravely, I couldn't help but feel proud. But when the Death Eaters kept us all at bay and I couldn't move a muscle, I knew something really terrible was going to happen. I squirmed and pushed, trying to shake the invisible ropes tightening me up.

I and the others could only watch in mute horror. Voldemort forced the flaming hat on his head and I couldn't do anything, the hat was burning, its flames almost licking Neville's face and-

Sudden chaos. I heard Hagrid's half-brother giant before I saw him. He stomped into their ranks, forcing them to scatter and thus freeing us. As everyone panicked and tried to go in different directions, I had a hard time pushing through the crowds to try and reach Neville. I pushed people from my way, trying to keep him in sight. What he did next has been forever immortalised in everyone's memories, for it is seldom you get to witness such heroic acts.

He overcame the Body-Bind curse and produced the glittering Sword of Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat, the very same sword he'd once tried to steal. Yet now, it presented itself to him without delay and Neville pulled it out with a flourish, bringing it down on Voldemort's snake; cleanly severing it in half as one part flew high above and landed back on the ground with a thud. I almost clambered over somebody in my rush to get to him.

'Neville!!' I hollered, as I finally reached him. 'You killed it- I mean..woah..you pulled the sword out, I can't even-' I could not catch my breath to talk, I was so impressed with everything that had happened. Neville looked half-terrified, half-proud. 'I almost thought I was a goner there, but I did what Harry told me to, I killed the snake. It was the last thing I could do for him, I can't believe he's gone-'

I interrupted him. 'But where is he??' Hagrid was looking around miserably as the others rushed past him into the Great Hall. 'Let's go in' Neville said, tugging my arm as we ran like crazy into the Great Hall. And what a sight met my eyes. All my friends, battling Death Eaters. I and Neville joined in wordlessly; and we all battled with a sense of revenge.

Harry had sacrificed his life for us all- there was no way we could let the people who'd killed him get away. Death missed me the second time when Hermione pushed me to the ground as a green jet of light went past my head. 'Thank you' I mumbled, but she was already on her feet. Mrs. Weasley battled Bellatrix ferociously, after pushing away Ginny; and believe me, when Bellatrix fell, Voldemort's anger was scary to behold. I was shocked the most when a Shield Charm erupted out of mid-air between Mrs. Weasley and Voldemort; there were several gasps and people seemed very astonished. But imagine how we all must have felt when Harry emerged.

He pulled off his Invisibility Cloak, staring at Voldemort with as much hate he could muster. I'd honestly never felt so happy in my entire life; I had a feeling that with Harry around, we'd make it.

After Harry and Voldemort circled the ground like two birds of prey, after Harry called him ''Tom'' and asked him to show some remorse, after Voldemort said that no one would protect Harry anymore, after Harry revealed how Snape wasn't his aide, and told him to believe in love, after Voldemort laughed it off and sent the Killing Curse at him and Harry attempted to disarm him; after Voldemort fell like a puppet whose strings had finally been cut and Harry caught hold of the wand like he used to catch the Snitch- I felt like I'd witnessed a very epic event really.

How we'd welcomed Harry, Ron and Hermione was not even comparable to this moment- we were a human ocean, full of hands wanting to congratulate Harry, tell him how he'd saved the world with his feat; how he'd surmounted all odds and finally rid the world of the most evil wizard ever and how proud and thankful we were about it.

I could barely stop the tears flowing down my cheeks; I was so incredibly happy- the hours we'd spent fighting weren't worthless; the sleep we'd lost for so many weeks welcomed us again- but how could I rest now? I was full of joy, every little thing seemed ten times more beautiful.

Later, the beauty and simplicity of everything in the world would overwhelm me so much, that I'd finally express those feelings aloud.