A/N: I'd like to apologize for the long wait. RL has been hectic and I haven't had a lot of time for writing. I hope that it didn't end up making the chapter seem a bit disjointed, but… anyway. Do let me know what you think, and enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-Seven
"Doesn't it make you feel like a real witch, walking through a solid wall?" Yasmine cried rapturously, squeezing Katy's arm excitedly. "Look at all the people! Can you imagine actually going?"
"Look at the train!" Katy said, her eyes bright with enthusiasm, pointing at the gleaming scarlet engine, "It must have magic workings on it! Oh, Ben, you must find out how it works and write me! I promise I'll write back!"
Ben managed a smile.
"Look at the owls!" Jackie chirped, hugging Hermione's neck and peering at the birds with wide eyes, "Look!"
"Oh, but they're all so grown-up," Yasmine said, her voice hushing as she watched a group of chattering seventh years pass by, "Some look nearly as old as you and Hermione, Harry."
"Some of them are," Harry said, grinning, "Come on, Ben, let's get your trunk packed away."
As the two of them hurried away, someone called out to them.
"Hermione! Over here!"
She looked up and half-sighed, an exasperated smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She waved her free hand and indicated that she had to stay put.
Undeterred, Ginny pushed her way through the crowd and beamed at them. "How on earth do you think you're going to make it through the wedding plans without me?"
"With great difficulty, I'm sure,' Hermione said dryly, "but we'll make do somehow."
Ginny offered a quick smile.
"You know you're going to miss me. All that time I put into shoving you two together-"
"The time that I will never thank you for wasting-"
"…all the subtle hints-"
"You have the subtlety of a foghorn, Ginny Weasley, and you know it."
"…and all my free baby-sitting was a massive help. Soon you'll be wishing Mum had let me drop out. I forgot you were coming to Hogwarts this year, Ben!"
Ben shrugged.
"Well, I can't promise I won't take the mickey out of you and your mates every now and then-"
"Yes, she can." Hermione interrupted, with a rather dangerous look in Ginny's direction. "She'll do everything she can to help you, isn't that right?"
"Right," Ginny said brightly, "Though you'd probably do best to avoid me altogether-find a Hufflepuff; they're nearly always willing to help a first year out. Well, have a good time planning the wedding, you two, I'd best go find a compartment!"
With a wave, Ginny disappeared into the crowd. Hermione sighed and smiled at Ben, who was looking around the platform with trepidation.
"You should probably be going soon as well, Ben."
He nodded and swallowed visibly.
"Good-bye, Ben," Katy was the first to break the silence. She hurried up and hugged him. "Don't forget to write me about the train-oh, and find out how the staircases move! I'll write back if you write me."
Yasmine hugged him next.
"Write about everything! I want to know what everything looks like!"
He smiled then and shrugged.
"I'll try."
As soon as Hermione put her down, Jackie scampered up and hugged him around the waist. "Bye, Ben!"
"Good-bye, Jackie," he said, and obediently hugged Oats as well. Jackie beamed.
"Well," Jack said, standing in front of him and sticking out a hand, "have a good time, I guess."
Ben returned the handshake solemnly.
"See you."
"Yeah."
Dusty appeared behind Jack. His dark eyes settled on Ben's face, and he gave a smile, the small, kind smile that gave his lip the slightest curl and revealed his crooked front teeth.
"Pictures," he said, and he handed him a small, framed picture. "For memories."
Ben swallowed and looked down at the small, black-and-white sketch of the entire group, even Harry.
"Thanks, Dusty."
Dusty shrugged and smiled again.
He looked at Adrian, who was looking unusually subdued, and his stomach dropped. His little brother was staring at him morosely, and suddenly Ben felt rather guilty. He couldn't just leave Adrian here. It didn't seem right.
He couldn't run again.
Half of him wanted to declare that he was coming back, and that Hogwarts just wasn't for him, but he found himself strangely tongue-tied.
"Bye, Adrian," he said softly, and Adrian looked up at him. Ben forced a smile, and Adrian returned it. "I'll see you over Christmas holidays."
Adrian brightened slightly.
"Yeah. I'll see you then," he said, and they hugged quickly. "Jack and Harry and I will finish the tree fort by the time you get back."
"Don't forget the trapdoor!" Ben reminded him.
"I won't." Adrian promised, and they grinned at each other. Ben suddenly felt better about leaving, though a dull ache in his chest had yet to go away.
Then Ben stood in front of Harry and Hermione. Harry clapped him on the shoulder good-naturedly.
"Have a good time, mate. You'll be fine." He winked, and Ben grinned.
"Thanks, Harry."
Hermione knelt beside him and placed her hands on his shoulders, looking him in the eye. As she did, Ben suddenly felt afraid. He looked straight back into her brown eyes, and realized just then how grateful he was to her. Especially for the nights after his nightmares, which, he realized, he would now have to deal with alone. There would be no one to comfort him after they happened, no one to dispel the dark fear that cloaked him even when he woke.
"You'll be fine," she whispered, seeing the fear in his face, pushing aside his bangs and kissing his forehead. "Be sure to write us."
His throat suddenly felt mysteriously tight.
"I will."
She studied him carefully.
"I'm proud of you, Ben," she said softly, "we all are."
He nodded. Then, before he could stop himself, he had thrown his arms around her and hugged her tightly.
"Thank you, Hermione."
She drew back and smiled.
"You'd best go and get on the train. Remember to write."
Ben flashed her the first real smile she had seen all day. "I will!"
Moments later, he had gone, disappeared in a cloud of steam and the steady chugging of the Hogwarts Express.
~*~
Dear Hermione and Harry, Jack, Yasmine, Katy, Dusty, Adrian, and Jackie,
So far it's been a really good year. I've met a lot of new people and I like my teachers, and I've had my first official flying lesson. Madame Hooch says that I might be able to make the team eventually, but I didn't try out this year.
Ginny and Luna have been very good about helping me find my way around, but I still get lost. I've walked into about twenty trick doors and Peeves managed to hit me with a paint balloon. I've got paint all over my hair again (and it's pink), but Professor Slughorn says that he might be able to find a way to get it off. I went and asked. He doesn't really pay attention to me otherwise, though he says you (Hermione) and Harry were two of his best students. But I think he says that about a lot of people.
I visit Hagrid sometimes, like he says you, Harry, and Ron used to. He gave me a stoat sandwich, and I took a bite, just to be friendly, but they looked horrible and tasted worse.
I really like Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall gave me three points for Ravenclaw. I think she was a bit disappointed that I wasn't in Gryffindor, though. I don't mind. Ravenclaw is a good house, too.
I haven't been able to find out how the staircases move yet, Katy. I read Hogwarts, a History, like Hermione said I should, but there's nothing really detailed about the staircases, only that there's a sensory charm that lets it be able to tell where it should go.
The food here is really good, though no one's been able to make a chocolate cake that tastes quite as good as Hermione's. And they don't frost it. I did try the treacle tart; it was excellent, just like Harry said it would be.
Bye!
Ben
P.S. Hermione, what's a wrackspurt? Luna says my head is full of them, but I haven't been able to find anything in the library about them, and Professor McGonagall just stared at me when I asked. I felt a little uncomfortable when she just sort of mouthed things at me (she didn't really make any noise), so I left. Was that rude? I hope not. She's my favorite teacher.
~*~
"It feels odd, doesn't it? Not having Ben home." Katy said as Hermione handed her a sweater. "It feels like we've lived here forever!"
"It does feel strange," Hermione agreed, holding out Jackie's sweater and helping her button it up, "But he'll have a wonderful year at Hogwarts-learning all kinds of things."
"That's good, too." Katy agreed reasonably, as Yasmine hurried down the stairs.
"I'm coming, too! Is Harry going to be there?"
"I think so-he said he'd be coming-Yasmine, is that all you're going to wear? You should probably put on a sweater; it's a bit chilly out."
As Yasmine obediently slipped into her sweater, Dusty dashed into the foyer, and Hermione noticed his face was streaked with tears. Startled and alarmed, she dropped to her knees beside him and said quickly, "Dusty, whatever's the matter? Are you hurt?"
Dusty's normally complacent face was screwed up with the effort of trying to keep from crying, and his dark eyes were flooded with tears. He allowed Hermione to hug him, and soon he had thrown his arms around her neck and started crying quietly into her shoulder.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked anxiously, stroking his soft, dark hair and rubbing his back, "What's wrong?"
"It's… it's…" Dusty choked and hiccupped; and Hermione felt her stomach clench with fear. Dusty rarely cried, and he was hard to upset. "It's… he's still. I found him just still. He… he… all alone-just lying there…"
She felt a pang of worry as she gazed into Dusty's tear-filled eyes.
"Who is it?" she asked in a soft voice.
He shook his head, his lip trembling, and he hid his face in her sweater. She felt him shudder and held him closer. The others were standing silent and frightened in the foyer, looking at each other with frightened, pale faces.
"I know it must have been scary, Dusty," she said gently, "But who is it? Can you take me to
him?"
Dusty only held her tighter. "He's still-he's so still…"
"Where is he, Dusty?" Hermione asked quietly, trying to keep her voice even and calm. In the back of her mind, today's headline blared-"Ten Death Eaters on the Loose: Potter, Longbottom, and Kingsley Prepare!" Don't be ridiculous; why on earth would they attack here? Who would they attack? Instinctively, she counted the number of children in the foyer-all present, thank heavens.
"Backyard," Dusty sobbed after a long pause, "Backyard."
Hermione lifted Dusty into her arms, and he clung to her, hiding his eyes in her sweater.
"Stay here," she told the others quietly, "Don't come out unless I tell you that you can."
Better safe than sorry.
They nodded solemnly, looking frightened.
Hermione held Dusty in one arm as she walked slowly through the kitchen to the back porch door. She pushed it open, and a nippy autumn breeze brushed past her. Scarlet and gold leaves swirled about in the wind as she took a cautious step outside, using her free hand to hold her wand.
She walked down the porch steps into the backyard, crushing leaves underfoot. She pushed aside wayward curls of hair from her face.
She looked around cautiously, raising her wand and holding the still-sobbing Dusty close. She was still willing herself to believe that this couldn't have been what she thought it was.
She took another step out into the backyard, moving toward the trees. The leaves had gotten thicker now, and let out an audible crunch with her every step.
As she reached the tree in the corner of the yard, she approached the stack of wood the boys had been planning to use for the fort. Dusty liked to draw there with colored pencils and a sketchpad. She could see his supplies lying abandoned among the leaves. And as she came up next to them, she stopped.
The first emotion she felt was an overwhelming sense of relief, but then her hand trembled, and she felt an ache come over her as she looked down at her feet.
There, lying still and peaceful in the autumn sunshine, lay the prone, bright orange form of Crookshanks. He was still curled up contentedly against the stack of wood, but Hermione knew that her first pet, her favorite cat, was no longer with them.
"Oh, Dusty," she whispered, and Dusty burst into a fresh wave of unusually noisy tears.
"My picture-he just… he curled up and he…" he sobbed, shuddering and burying his face in her neck. Hermione put her wand in her sweater pocket and wrapped both arms around him, kneeling beside Crookshanks.
"At least he wasn't alone when he-" her throat constricted, and she shut her eyes, trying very hard not to let tears escape. "We can bury him right here-his favorite spot…"
"Hermione, what's wrong? The kids said that-" Harry stopped short when he saw Dusty sobbing in Hermione's arms. She looked up, and he saw her holding back her own tears.
"Crookshanks," she said, forcing a feeble, miserable smile. He bent beside her on one knee. "Dusty was with him."
Harry gazed down at the ginger cat's complacent squashed face and felt a wave of sadness come over him. He reached out and put an arm around them both, leaning his cheek against Hermione's hair.
"Good old Crookshanks," he said quietly. Leaves drifted down from the trees, and a cool breeze swept them away from Crookshanks' thick coat.
By this time, the other children were creeping cautiously out of the house. As soon as Jackie came up on the sight, she too burst into tears, and soon she was crying in Harry's arms. The older three stood silently, looking pale and stricken.
"Shall we bury him?" Harry suggested gently, after a while. He stood up and looked at Hermione. Hermione quickly swiped tears off of her face and nodded her permission.
He slipped inside the house, and soon reappeared with a spade in hand.
"He looks peaceful, at least," Yasmine whispered to Katy in a voice that told everyone she was struggling not to cry, "he almost looks like he could get up and start playing again."
Katy nodded and rubbed her eyes tearfully.
"Do you suppose he's happy now?" she asked Yasmine sadly, "Wherever he is?"
"He must be." Yasmine whispered softly, her eyes swimming with tears, "Can't you see him playing about in the clouds like he always did in the grass? Except now he won't get in trouble for ruining our scarves with his claws."
Hermione lifted Crookshanks into her arms and gently stroked him one more time. She looked up, and saw Harry standing with the spade in one hand, a fresh pile of earth beside the hole he had made.
Harry came and stood beside her, patting Crookshanks' head one more time.
"Goodbye, Crookshanks," he said, "thank you for everything."
"Yes, thank you, and good-bye," Katy repeated, and the others, even Jack, repeated the farewell. Hermione looked down at her pet, and felt tears rise to her eyes again.
"You dear old thing," she whispered, kissing his fur, "I'll miss you. And thank you for everything-even pouncing on Ron's head. I never did thank you for that."
She choked on the last few words, letting out a watery laugh. She gently laid the cat down in the grave, wiping away the tears trickling down her cheeks. Harry covered the grave carefully, and stepped back.
"He needs a grave marker, doesn't he?" Adrian said quietly, "Here, Dusty and Jack and I will go find a rock or something-there should be some in the patch of woods right outside the backyard."
The three boys hurried out of the yard, even Dusty, whose face was puffy and wet.
Harry rubbed Hermione's shoulder and held her close, as Hermione finally let out a sob. She wrapped her arms around his torso and hid her face in his shoulder.
"He was just a cat, I don't know why-" she choked and Harry wrapped his other arm around her, resting his chin in her hair.
"He was special, and we both know that," Harry said quietly, stroking her hair, "Remember the night he saved us from the Whomping Willow? He was good friends with Sirius…"
She laughed tearfully and leaned up against him. "How could I forget? And Ron hated him so much-"
"I don't think he ever liked Ron much, either," Harry said, with a quiet chuckle, "Remember when you brought him over, when Ron and I first rented that flat? He kept hiding all of Ron's things-one sock from every pair Ron owned."
Hermione laughed, and Harry used his thumb to wipe away her tears. "I didn't know that."
"Ron didn't want anyone to know. It doesn't do anyone's pride much good when a cat can outsmart you."
"Crookshanks was different," Hermione said wistfully, and Harry smiled.
"Yeah, he was."
Hermione sighed and hid her face in his sweater.
"It's been a month of good-byes," she said softly, "Ben, Crookshanks-"
Harry kissed her softly.
"You won't be saying goodbye to me anytime soon,," he promised. She smiled softly.
"Not if I can help it."
Together, they walked slowly back into the house.
Leaves drifted softly down onto the small mound of fresh earth, covering it in a blanket of scarlet and gold. Soon, the only trace left of the small grave was a small, flat stone, with a small chalk drawing of a flat-faced, sleeping cat on the front.
~*~
Dear Hermione, Harry, Adrian, Jack, Dusty, Yasmine, Katy, and Jackie,
Thank you (to Harry) for the gift. It's come in very handy when I need to find my way around. I'm always quite sure to put it away properly when I've managed to finish what I started.
Hermione, if wrackspurts don't exist, then I suppose heliopaths don't either? I'm never sure when to take Luna seriously.
I was very sorry to hear about Crookshanks, and Hagrid sends his condolences. So does Witherwings. I think Witherwings likes me, but he wouldn't let me ride him.
My hair is still pink. Professor McGonagall says that Peeves found a way to keep in touch with George Weasley, so I've been taking a lot of baths like I did the last time.
I've made a couple of friends here, some in all of the houses. My friend Jacob (he's in Slytherin) is showing me some tips for playing chess. He says it's all a matter of knowing what you want and making sure that you can always pull yourself back. Samantha (yes, she's a girl, so what? She's fun.) is in Gryffindor and doesn't mind breaking the rules-actually, I think she enjoys it-and she's figured out a way to get into the kitchens. Nathan's really funny and really hard-working (he's in Hufflepuff for a reason) and all the girls fancy him, I think. Sam thinks he's good-looking.. How would I know? I'm a boy. Kendell is in Ravenclaw and she's very clever, a bit too clever, if you know what I mean, but she's nice.
Yours truly,
Ben
~*~
"Remind me," Hermione said dryly to Harry one evening, "to elope."
"Bit late for that one," he said apologetically, gently tapping her nose, "What's wrong?"
"I can't get through a single phone call with Mum without at least one mention of the wedding," she said as Harry checked the steaks. "As if my Healer's training wasn't enough."
Harry prodded the steaks, closed the grill, and turned to face Hermione. "We did send out the invitations."
"Yes, I know," Hermione said, rather wearily, "But Mum is already talking about bridesmaid dresses and color schemes. `Pink doesn't suit you or Ginny very well, but what about a blue and white color scheme?'," she mimicked, and Harry laughed.
"You're her only daughter, Hermione. I suppose it's natural that she wants to make this the best wedding it could be."
"Well, yes, that does make sense, I suppose, but sometimes I just wish I could hang up and do all the arrangements myself. Honestly."
Harry pulled the steaks off the grill and slid them onto a plate. Hermione sniffed them appreciatively.
"Those look absolutely delicious, Harry."
He grinned.
"Don't forget to save one for me, Hermione!" he teased, and she swatted him with a hand.
"Oh, shut up."
He carried them inside to the kitchen table.
"I don't envy Molly at the moment."
"She loves having them over. I suppose now that her house is empty it's nice to have children in the house every once in a while."
"Lucky for us." Harry commented as Hermione filled two glasses with pumpkin juice. "We don't have as much time together as I'd like."
She paused.
"I know," she said softly. "We've both been so busy. It's been a long time since we've been able to just have dinner together."
She moved a bowl of fresh green salad to the table. He watched her contentedly. Her hair had eased its way out of her ponytail, falling about her face and shining in the soft candlelight.
"I wish I could have taken you out somewhere, Hermione. I know this isn't very romantic or anything, eating dinner at my flat."
She looked up and smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear. The diamonds on her ring caught the light, glittering brightly and sending dozens of tiny, silvery flashes of light across her cheek.
"I don't mind. Lucky for us, my love for you doesn't depend on romance."
She leaned over and kissed him softly, laughing and changing the subject easily. "So how was work today?"
He started. This was what he loved about her-well, one thing he loved about her. She could make the simplest things feel special and important, without needing frills or sonnets or fancy clothing. Love was a subject they discussed as easily as they discussed their jobs, their days… each other.
He took the fork she handed him and waiting for her to sit down before started to cut up his steak.
"Fine. The Level One classes have been… interesting."
"How so?"
"It's amazing how many full-grown wizards can't perform a decent Shield charm." He shook his head and took another bite of hot steak. "One wizard actually caused the Shield charm to reverse. He went flying to the other end of Padfoot Hall! He was the laughingstock of the class."
"You changed that, of course?" Hermione questioned shrewdly.
"Well, yeah, I tried. They at least stopped making fun of him to his face-I think."
She nibbled at her steak thoughtfully.
"Kingsley's taken Level Four, and Neville's taken combat classes. Who's going to teach Potions now
that Professor Slughorn has gone back to Hogwarts?"
Harry paused, pretending to finish chewing a bite of steak. He took a swing of pumpkin juice, and looked up at her. The soft candlelight flickered across her face as she frowned.
"Harry? Didn't you hear me?"
"Yeah, I heard you." He put down his fork. "Well, Neville and I were hoping… well, all right, I was hoping-that you would."
Her jaw dropped.
"Harry!"
"Look, you wouldn't have to start right away," he said quickly, seeing the look on her face, "I know you have training and the wedding-"
"I have the wedding?"
"You know I meant we, Hermione-I just thought…"
"Harry, you never told me about this. You can't just volunteer me for something!"
"Look, I'm sorry, all right?" he said irritably, "If it sounds so awful, I'll just tell Neville to call it off."
"You've already planned classes?" she said in disbelief, "Harry, I can't just drop everything to teach!"
"Yeah, okay, I know! Forget I said anything."
There was a thick silence.
"Hermione, I'm sorry," Harry said after a while, reaching out and taking her hand. "I didn't mean to bring this up tonight. And I should have asked you. I just sort of automatically thought of you when the position came up."
She relaxed finally.
"I'm sorry I got so upset. But Harry, we really have to work on talking to each other before we automatically make plans. I think we've both taken for granted that the other will be there all the time."
"Yeah, that's probably it." Harry said, smiling, "Trust you to come up with an explanation right away."
She smiled back.
"Why don't you tell me what you had in mind-later. I might be able to work something out until you find a replacement."
"Thanks," Harry said gratefully. He paused.
"So how was your day?"
"Oh, you know-training lasted longer than it was meant to, but that's all right. The children went to the park with Arthur today while we worked. Apparently I'm much farther along in training than I should be; in fact, Healer Pruitt says I might be done in another two years or so, rather than in four or five."
"That's great!" Harry praised her warmly, "'Course, I shouldn't have expected anything else from you, Hermione. Did the kids have a good time?"
"Well, Yasmine ended up with a nosebleed, and Jack had a black eye. But those were easy enough to mend. They both swear that they hadn't been fighting. Apparently Yasmine gets nosebleeds on the carousal, and Jack hit his eye while he and Adrian were playing catch. They seemed happy enough, though, so I let it go."
"It's a good enough story for me," he said, shrugging and grinning. "What else?"
"I received a letter from Ginny today-apparently she's the one who's been sending me those bridal magazines. Oh, and Harry?"
"Yeah?"
Hermione looked straight at him, her eyes softening. The candlelight gave her eyes a golden tinge.
"You gave Ben your Marauder's Map, didn't you?" she said quietly. He smiled.
"Yeah. I don't need it anymore. Besides, I wanted to pass it on to one of my sons, and well…" he shrugged. "Ben's as good as."
Her eyes suddenly glimmered with tears, and he grinned softly, gently brushing them away.
"Don't start crying on me," he teased softly, "It's another Marauder in the making, and none of the Hogwarts professors are going to thank us."
She wiped her eyes.
"Oh, Harry," she said, shaking her head, "that was so good of you, and you don't even realize it."
He paused.
"Hermione?"
"Yes?"
He thought, then seemed to change his mind.
"Never mind. Maybe I'll ask you… after we're married." He looked up, and his eyes lit up.
"That sounds amazing, doesn't it?"
She smiled rather dreamily.
"Yes. It does. It sounds wonderful."
There was a comfortable silence, and Harry gazed at her in what he could only call awe. It was really quite fantastic, how far they had come. The candles cast a soft, golden glow onto her features, illuminating her eyes and giving her hair an almost amber sheen.
And Harry realized then how grateful he was to have her-someone who could look so entirely lovely in a cluttered flat lit by flickering candles, someone who could sit comfortably in silence and carry a heated debate with equal ease, someone who was so entirely… her.
"But there's a reason for the engagement period, I suppose," Hermione said quietly, sipping her pumpkin juice thoughtfully.
"It gives you time to back out before it's too late--"
"Really, Harry," she chided, and he grinned sheepishly.
"Sorry. What's the reason, then?"
"Waiting makes everything so much more special," she said, and he nodded in agreement.
"Like friendship."
She looked up, and when their gazes met, Harry knew she needed no explanation.
"Friendship does tend to make love sweeter, doesn't it?"
They smiled at each other and finished the meal in candlelit silence.
As Harry finished the dishes and Hermione went briskly about organizing his papers, he realized that although he knew Hermione was right, he'd never considered why.
But as he watched her out of the corner of his eyes, muttering and stacking his papers in alphabetical order, he finally figured it out. No, that wasn't the right way of putting it-he remembered. It wasn't as if he hadn't known already. He had just forgotten.
Friendship made him remember all the things they had done together, all the joy they'd shared, all the times they'd brought each other through yet another struggle. It made him want to make the next moments the best she'd ever had.
He had two roles-one as her best friend, and one as her future husband.
His love would have to be deep and wide and strong enough for both of those.
As he opened the door to let her leave the flat, he reached out and stopped her with a soft touch on the cheek.
"What is it?"
He ducked his head and kissed her gently.
"I won't be perfect at this, you know," he whispered in her ear, and she looped her arms around his chest, smiling. He held her tightly.
"I know. But we'll learn. We'll learn together."
He breathed in the scent of her hair, suddenly unwilling to let her leave. She sighed and relaxed against him momentarily.
"I love you," he said softly, "as well as I can."
She laughed softly.
"That's much more special that you make it sound, Harry." She squeezed him gently, then released him. "I have to go. Heaven knows what will be left of the Burrow by the time I arrive."
When he didn't let go, she pushed at him lightly.
"Harry, I really do have to go."
He let his arms fall back to his sides.
"I know. I'm sorry," he said in a low voice.
She paused and looked up. Suddenly, her eyes looked wet and unusually tender.
"Only eight more months, Harry-just a few."
She pressed a hand softly against his jaw. Instinctively, he reached up and grasped her wrist. She smiled, her eyes softening.
"I promise," she whispered, and he closed his eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
A gentle kiss against his smile, and a sharp crack.
When he opened his eyes, he was alone. He sagged against the door, suddenly overwhelmed, though he wasn't sure what it was that was overwhelming him. Her absence, perhaps?
"I hope you know," said a quavering, thin voice, "that some things are worth the wait."
He looked up, and saw old Mrs. McConroy hobbling out of the flat beside his.
She smiled toothily.
"She promised you forever, didn't she? Forever will still be there tomorrow." She shook her head. "You young people have such a strange way of rushing the clocks. A moment like that is worth a good couple of months at least."
She patted his arm with a gnarled hand.
"Good Godric," she said, chuckling and wheezing, "She's well and truly taken you, hasn't she? Well, enjoy a good night. After all, good nights don't come along as often as you think they do."
With that, she plodded happily down the hallway and disappeared around the corner.
A/N (2): Well, there you are! I hope this wasn't too saccharine. :D As always, feel free to ask me any questions you might have. (I can't promise any answers, though.)
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