I lost you once, never again ~ A Hinny fanfiction. COMPLETED

Chapter 18

"So it all comes down to this, doesn't it?" I whispered. "Does the wand in your hand know its last master was disarmed? Because if it does... I am the true master of the Elder Wand."

A red-glow burst suddenly across the enchanted sky above us as an edge of dazzlingly sun appeared over the sill of the nearest window. The light hit both our faces at the same time , so that Voldemort was suddenly a flaming blur. I heard he high, cold voice which caused so much disparity shriek the words as I yelled my best hope to the heavens, pointing Malfoy's wand.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

The green light shot out of his wand, towards me as I said the word a second too late. But it was different - as though the time we're going deliberately slower, to savour the moment of the downfall of one of the two of us. And perhaps I had not pronounced my signature-spell properly, because for whatever reason, it wasn't working. I couldn't duck. I couldn't run. I was frozen in place, held by fear and anticipation for what was about to happen. He cackled loudly, knowing that he had won.

"Expelliarmus!" I repeated, but the wand wouldn't work.

Images flashed before me: my parents' faces, Cedric, Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, Fred, George's ear, Dumbledore, Dobby -

And then it was gone. The light had hit me, and enveloped my body, making me simultaneously loose feeling everywhere. I stopped seeing. I stopped breathing. I stopped being. And you hear stories, as to what it's like to die. They're not true. Any of them. But neither are they lies.

I felt like I was floating, and could still see,

"And that's how the Boy-Who-Lived died. Any more volunteers?"

"I volunteer as tribute." Announced a voice I could recognise even if it were a faint whisper.

"No, don't-" but no words came out of my mouth. I couldn't speak. She couldn't hear me. She stepped forth.

I woke up, panting, sweat dripping from my forehead. I was still writing as the memory - no, the nightmare - replayed itself over and over in my mind.

"Ginny?" I called out desperately. "Ginny, are you there? Are you-" the word clogged up inside my throat. There was no reply. I felt tears well up inside my eyes. It was a dream. Nothing more. She's in her room.

I got up and crept into her room. It was empty. This couldn't be happening. Maybe she just went to use the bathroom? Or - I checked the time - or she went out for a match I forgot about.

"At quarter past two in the morning?" A snide voice said to me in my head. "Don't be ridiculous Harry. It's 2007, and Ginny died on June 3rd 2002. It's been five years. Get over it."

"No. No no no no no. Today is June 3rd 2002. Ginny isn't- she's not-"

"Broom accident. Fell off at about two- two-fifty feet off the ground? Something like that anyway. You're a drunken wreck Harry. I mean, look at that beard." I looked down to see that I do, indeed have a beard.

"No. This is all a dream."

"But you just woke up from a dream."

"It's a dream within a dream then. Ginny is not - she's not gone."

I pinched myself over and over, desperate to wake up. "Come on, it's all a lie! Wake up!"

"Harry? Harry?" I felt my shoulders shake, and swatted the hand away.

"GINNY IS NOT GONE!" I roared, tears streaming down my face like shooting stars lined up to fall.

"HARRY!"