"Tom, please," she pleaded with me. "I'm fine really."
I stared at her pale fading form that lay on the bed. The gnawing sensation in my stomach grew to what I could tell what it was. It a craving and desire for her, but she was so terribly weak. It frustrated me that I could do nothing for her. I was so weak right now and it scared me, one of the few moments of my life that I felt fear. I finally managed to ignore the painful gnawing enough to just see that she was smiling at me. It was a weak smile in the fading winter sunlight. The hospital wing was freezing too, which probably made the sight of her smile weaker.
"You know, Autumn, that I don't want you… you…" I stumbled on the words. The next word caught in my throat. This was so unlike me, so powerful and not fearing anything. I knew what I didn't want, but I couldn't do anything. It wasn't like I could fix this anymore than she could. I felt so stupid. A single diamond tear rolled down my already extremely pale cheek. This I really couldn't believe, I was about to wipe it away when her hand was already on my cheek wiping it for me.
Autumn's soft eyes made me feel like a child and like she was the mother. Her voice soft she spoke to me, "Tom, please don't cry, not on your birthday."
A non-humorous barking laugh escaped my lips. I was worried about her and out of all things she was worried about me crying on my birthday, I couldn't help it. Another tear rolled down my face but on the other cheek this time. Her forehead creased, in concern at it. She attempted to sit up, to comfort me, but she was so weak she couldn't even do the simple bodily as I was now. Sitting at her bedside watching her die.
"Tom, please don't you'll make me cry," she looked at me pools of the clear tears already in her amber eyes. "Please, don't let me see you cry, please."
I bit my lip so hard it bled as I forced myself not to cry, as hacking coughs escaped her lips. She lay so weak and tired on the bed gasping after she finished she could barely keep her eyes open. I cupped her cheek in my palm; her skin was so clammy and sweaty against it.
Autumn's face relaxed into my palm and her breathing relaxed and a bead of blood from my lip trickled down my chin. I was thinking of doing a horocrux to keep her alive, but I knew she'd hate me for it. I didn't care though; I wanted her alive. I loved her so badly. Truly what had I gotten myself into?
"Tom, kiss me please."
I barely heard her weak voice, as my mind was so deep in thought. I looked at her, a tear escaping her eye. Nodding slowly, I helped her sit up, so she was close enough to kiss and I let my lips simply press against hers. It was like our first kiss, so simple yet so amazing at the same time. The tingles ran through her and me as they always did making me shudder and her frail frame shudder as well.
I felt her lips smile against mine as she spoke softly, her soft tender lips forming the words against my mouth, "I love you so much Tom Riddle, please don't ever forget me."
And, just like that she was gone. She completely relaxed and her eyes closed. The body I held was now, so incredibly empty. A single tear fell from my eyes and landed on her cheek as I held the embrace hoping she could feel this kiss, in her other life now.