I Was Younger Then

Don't Let Grief Steal That From You

"Penny dear, drink this, it'll help."

Penny blinked in confusion. There were people around her, all staring at her, looks of concern and pity in their eyes. She was sitting on a bed, the room dim, Harry's slumbering form just to her right. How had she gotten here? And why were they looking at her like that?

A cup was being pressed to her lips, but Penny refused it. Something wasn't right, she could feel it but she could not remember what it was. There was something she desperately needed to do. She tried to get up, but a gentle hand pressed her back into bed.

"Miss Potter, your injuries are in need of attention, I insist you stay so Poppy can tend to them."

The voice seemed familiar to Penny, but she could not recognize to whom it belonged to. All the faces before her were blending together, forming a long dark tunnel. Something fluttered around her face lingering to catch her attention before making its way down the newly formed tunnel. Every beat of its delicate wings tinkled like a wind chime, reminding Penny of warm sunny days and the smell of grass. She wanted to follow that sound--no, she needed to. There was something she needed to do--if she didn't--

""Foun' her like this, bin in a righ' ol' state, jus' mutterin' ter herself, kep' beggin' him ter come back."

The noise of these great blurred figures were drowning out the beautiful sound, swarming her, blocking her view of her guide. It was progressing without her, making it's lonely way to the end of the tunnel.

"Stop!" she begged. "Don't go that way, come back!"

"Mum. . .is she alright?

"P-Penny dear, can you hear me? It's Mrs. Weasley, we're here to help you."

The towering figures were pressing against Penny now, pushing her backwards, away from the way she wanted to go. The darkness was growing around her, and her guide's tiny light was growing fainter as it continued on its way without her.

Fear was growing in her chest, suffocating Penny. She was being pulled downward into that dark place she did not want to go. She could not go there, would not. If she was dragged in, she'd never make it out again. Her hands swung and her legs kicked instinctively. They collided with something that recoiled, so Penny continued her attacks, throwing all her body weight against the darkness, willing herself to make a path through, before the light went out.

"Get out of the way!"

Freedom was just a-head, Penny's hand reaching for it, she needed to grab it, if she could just catch it in her hand, she could stop it. . . But a towering figure grabbed her hand instead in its scissor like grasp. Its other arm pressed against her chest propelling her backwards with more strength than Penny could resist.

It forced her down into a free-fall, the darkness following her like water down a drain. It was swallowing her, the guide drowning, engulfed by the darkness. Penny had failed, there would be no second chances. She'd lost it never to find it again. She should have done more, called out--something--anything.

She was crying now, yelling in agony. She did not want to be left alone in the darkness. The falling sensation was sickening, coldness pressing in at all sides. She was gasping now, searching for air, but her chest refused to open for it.

"You're hurting her!"

The impact that came was unusually softer than Penny anticipated, it confused her. A thick blanket of emptiness encased her making it impossible to see anything, but she could feel the grip pinning her shoulders down. There was a curious vibration coming from it, spreading through her limbs. It was pleasant, calling to Penny in the tenderest of ways. She knew this sound, trusted it.