Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JKR, and Nothing Gold Can Stay to Robert Frost. This is a response to the Death of the Golden Trio challenge. Much love to Briannah of Potter Fic Weekly forum for beta-ing this.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

so dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.—Nothing Gold Can Stay, Robert Frost

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When she saw Hagrid carrying Harry’s lifeless body, Ginny did not for a second believe he was truly dead. She knew that in a moment, Harry would spring to life, because she knew he would never rest until Voldemort was dead, and he would never rest with her if he wasn’t. Any second now, he would chase after Voldemort to finish what he started.

Any moment now.

Any moment.

Why won’t you move?

They couldn’t wait forever while Harry played possum—Ginny understood that—but she didn’t understand why Hermione wouldn’t stop screaming. It was a good thing that Ron caught the back of Hermione’s robes when she surged forward because for some reason Ginny was having trouble doing much of anything.

Move, god damn you, move!

But then she heard Neville distantly challenging Voldemort, and she found her strength when she saw that snake’s head go flying. She was rushing right next to Ron and Hermione, diving straight into the thick of it.

She shouted spells and hexes she’d only read about in books from the restricted section, or used spells that you wouldn’t have used in a proper duel anyway—such as a Scourgify that made one Death Eater hack so hard he dropped his wand, making him an easy target for an Auror to pick off.

Ron separated from them, screaming and waving his wand, half mad. Hermione was next to her however, and Ginny could see she was half blinded from tears.

Why are you crying?

And maybe that explains—partially—what happened next. One moment, they were running neck and neck; the next Ginny had to crane her head around to watch Hermione as she was tossed backward. Ginny ground to a halt, and reached for her wrist to pull her back up. “The job’s not done yet!” she started to scream, tugging on her wrist.

Hermione never budged.

Hermione?

After a moment, Ginny let go.

Ron must have seen Hermione’s fall, because when Ginny let Hermione’s wrist drop to the ground, Ginny looked up to see Ron let out a noise she thought only animals in death throes could make. But standing still in battle was a death wish, she knew

I wish Harry and Hermione could remember that.

and so she turned to fight again. But over her shoulder, she took a glance at her brother.

She had never seen him like that before. He yelled, and ran like Mars across the battlefield, striking everyone in his path, either with his spells or with his fists. She only realized after a moment that he was heading straight for Voldemort, dead set on reaching the one who had caused them so much grief.

But then the snake faced monster looked to him, and raised his wand. His voice was lost in all the mayhem, but Ginny recognized the bright green light.

When Ron hit the ground, Ginny suddenly paused.

You are all pretending. Aren’t you?