And as she sat there alone in the house and home they'd tried to rebuild since everything fell into a million pieces, she did not move.
She wanted to fight. But this was hard. Harder than anything she'd ever been through. Everyone was hurt, scarred and broken. People were gone that had always been there. Things were crooked and uneven. There were holes that couldn't be filled.
And she wanted to be brave. But watching everyone else suffer, made her cower back. She felt alone despite being thrust into this huge family who she knew would always adore and support her.
And she wanted to stop crying. But her tears kept coming, the hurt kept coming. Nothing could stop the uncertainty, the fear, the destruction.
And she wanted to smile. But nobody had smiled this past month.
Ron hadn't calmed down yet. There was so much anger.
But there was also so much frustration and emotion and desire for each other. They were still learning to be gentle, to slow down.
There was still so much learning to do.
But above all she wanted to love. She wanted to love him.
Oh her love. Her sweet childhood love.
His head of flames, his eyes like the sky.
She should just let go. But no, she couldn't let it end. It was everything holding her together. It was slowly tearing her apart.
And if she did stay, could she convince him to stay too?
Could she find a way to fix things like she used to?
A door slammed and heavy boots pounded across the floor. It made her jump, a tremor running down her spine. At once she knew who it was. Without a second to spare, his arms were around her. He cupped the back of her head with his hand, his fingers slipping into her silky hair. His face was cool against her cheek. His lips fell against hers a second or two later, desperate to remind her that they would always find their way back to each other.
Blue eyes, a freckled complexion. Ears, that turned visibly red when angered or embarrassed. A long nose and body. A smile that cut deep into her and begged her to love him. Flaming red hair, scruffy, long.
She was crying again. She was angry for crying. She didn't want to cry anymore.
"I, I thought you'd gone for good this time."
"No."
"Why have you come back?" she muttered.
"To fix what I broke when I left this time." he replied.
"Stop leaving."
"Okay."
So he stayed. And she stayed.
And they fell into each other once more.