Survivors - 16

Her mum had been scandalized, shouting at Fred for his insensitivity. Somehow, however, Ginny suspected that it was exactly what George had been waiting for. He still enjoyed taking the mickey out of them on occasion and seeing how far he could push their patience, but for the most part, he was already becoming self-sufficient even without the artificial limb.

Everyone knew how remarkably similar Fred and George were, but Ginny knew there were also some distinct differences. She supposed that if one of them had to lose his leg, it was better that it was George.

She flushed, feeling horrible for the thought, even if it were true. Fred was always, by far, the more exuberant of the pair. He simply couldn't sit still. Fred was the idea man, while George could make things happen. Fred would think up a product or some silly new invention, and George was the one who could make it work. They were quite a team, her brothers.

Although Shannon had moved home, she was a frequent visitor at the Burrow and still worked at the twins' shop. Diagon Alley was getting ready for a grand re-opening in another week, and the shop needed to be restocked. In fact, Ginny wouldn't be surprised if George was the next one to announce his engagement.

Ginny hadn't seen as much of Iris. Mrs. Parkinson had taken Pansy's death very badly, and Iris was trying to help her cope. The two of them had returned to their own family home, but Fred told Ginny that Mrs. Parkinson was planning on selling it and starting over somewhere else. That, at least, let Ginny know that Fred was still in contact with Iris.

Draco Malfoy was also still hospitalized. Although the Healers had managed to save him, they said it would take some time for his insides to function properly again. After he'd regained consciousness, he'd become extremely sullen and bitter over the loss of his mother. Ginny had visited him once, but he made it clear that she wasn't welcome, and she hadn't tried to go back.

She'd seen Dudley visiting his room several times. The Dursleys had returned to Surrey, but Dudley was obviously keeping his ties with the Wizarding world. Dudley had even stopped by to check on Harry once, but his outright fascination with the spells used during the battle and how Harry had gained the power to defeat Tom unnerved her. There was something about pudgy Dudley Dursley that made her very uncomfortable.

Ginny glanced up as the first drops of rain spattered against the window. She watched as tiny rivulets began to trickle down the pane, lulled by the calming sound. Allowing some of her tension to ease, she wasn't quite aware when Harry began to move. A slight moan finally caught her attention, causing her eyes to widen as she became fully alert.

She watched his eyelids began to flutter – something that hadn't happened at all over the past week.

Barely able to breathe, she reached out to run her fingers through his hair. "Harry," she whispered.

His head moved slightly. "Mum," he moaned.

Ginny pulled back, her heart racing. Mum? Harry didn't even know his mum, poor thing. It seemed odd that he would be calling for her. Her heart began to race, the fear of what damage might have been caused to his brain bubbling to the surface. She prayed he was only dreaming. Her heart lurched, and she wanted to choke on her grief over the idea that Harry was dreaming of his dead mum. Her helplessness was overpowering.