All is well - A Hinny fanfiction

Chapter 3

Wordcount: 3312

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Harry opened his eyes to the dazzling sun threatening with burning a hole through his eyelids. Blinking rapidly, he slumped forwards and grabbed his glasses from the nightstand. As the room swam into focus, he remembered something. Whirling around on the calendar stuck to the wall as if by magic, he noticed the date: June 14th. His shoulders fell as he thought of what was to come. Today was Fred's funeral, and he would be accompanying Ginny and her family, his family, through the mourning process.

Looking to his left, he remembered something else. Ginny had spent the night curled in his arms and silently crying as Harry soothed her with soft words. A pang of sadness threatened to knock him off his feet as he thought of how useless he had felt the previous evening, trying fruitlessly to make his girlfriend feel better about the prospect of burying her brother. His silent musings were brought to a halt when he noticed Ginny looking at him with a sad smile on her face.

"You need to stop doing that, Harry," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Sitting up and taking in the haunted look of her boyfriend's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Gin. I can't help it." His head fell and he felt a pair of slender arms encircling his waist. "You know, I thought I was supposed to comfort you today," he said, smiling despite himself. He heard a raspy chuckle from his left and a soft, gentle kiss on his cheek.

"Don't you worry yourself about it," she whispered, as she stood up and walked quietly to the door, "see you in twenty minutes at breakfast," and with a blown kiss, she swept up to her room.

Harry stood quietly dressing and, taking a big breath, made his way downstairs where Molly Weasley already stood making breakfast.

"Morning Mrs. Weasley," he said, making her jump a bit.

"Good morning, dear," she smiled sweetly through a sad visage. The sight made Harry feel the guilt that had gnawed at him that fateful day of the Battle, but taking Ginny advice in mind, he pushed the thoughts aside and forced a small smile back at the grieving woman.

Breakfast at the Burrow, uncharacteristically so, was a subdued affair that morning. The only words spoken were the "Good morning" of every riser as they too took their seats and helped themselves to bacon and eggs. Harry couldn't help but notice that George seemed pale as a sheet, not daring to utter a word in fear that he would open a door he'd never be able to close. He felt an extreme surge of sympathy for his surrogate brother. He was about to say his final farewell to his other half, basically.

Never having had a real family, Harry could only hope to even understand what George, and the rest of the Weasleys for that matter, was going through. The closest he had been to such a situation had been the death of his godfather, Sirius Black, but even then he had only known the man for two years. Fred had been George's other half for twenty years of mischief and laughter. To have that ripped out from under your feet must produce a feeling akin to losing a limb. When George met his eye, Harry produced a sad smile that he hoped conveyed the regret that he felt for the man sitting in front of him. A small flare flashed in the twin's eyes as he examined Harry's features. But, just as fast as it came, his resolve crumbled and with a nod, George directed his attention to his untouched breakfast.

"Well, Weasleys, off we go," Mr. Weasley was instructing at the edge of the yard where they would Apparate to the small church that would host the ceremony. As Harry saw the redheaded family nod and Apparate away, he noticed the patriarch stay behind and beckon for him to approach him. Apprehensively, he took stood before his surrogate father. A sad smile was etched on his face as he said,

"Harry, I just wanted to thank you for all the support that you have been giving our family in these difficult times. Especially Ginny." He looked at the blushing eighteen-year-old with a knowing smile. "I really mean it, Harry. I just wanted to ask that you look after her today. I trust that you share my concern for her emotional wellbeing," he finished clapping his hand to Harry's shoulder.