I'm unbelievably unhappy with the end result, but there you go.
Review! (:

Words Like Smoke

A whirring noise thundered in Harry's ears as he was rushed through the hospital hallways on a stretcher. Every part of his body stung and ached and his mind was filled with terror; the piercing sirens and frantic voices of people around him made his head throb uncontrollably.

And all he could think about while he was fading away, his grip on life slowly slipping, was her.

"Come on," Harry whined desperately, "I'm so sick of studying. I'm sick of uni! There's no more room for any more of this European history shit in my itty bitty brain." He laid his head down between two notebooks, completely defeated.

"Haz, you've not even been studying! I've been studying while you have been attempting all these freaking magic tricks. You've got to focus! That's the whole reason why I'm here," Lolly laughed, rolling her eyes and shifting her focus back to the textbook.

"Awww, liar! The only reason you're here is because you love me, and you know it," Harry maturely stuck out his tongue, reaching over to plant a slobbery kiss on her cheek.

Squirming away from him as he continued to attack her, she giggled uncontrollably. "Harry! HARRY! Stop it, you oaf!" Lolly laughed, swatting him in the arm. "You've got to study, yeah? Or I leave and you're stuck asking for help from Dougie." She returned his gesture and mockingly stuck out her tongue before pushing a textbook in front of his face.

Harry pitifully pouted and whimpered as he plopped the book in his lap, sighing dramatically every five seconds and flipping the pages noisily. Fiddling nervously with a box in his pockets, he huffed obnoxiously, "Hmph!" glancing sideways to see if Lolly was paying any attention to his antics.

"I need ice cream," Harry announced suddenly, disrupting the quiet of the room, "I can't concentrate without my bloody ice cream! Of course! That's what's been missing this entire time. All I need to help me focus is some good ice cream…"

Without looking up from her reading, Lolly nodded towards the end of the room. "We're in a student cafeteria, Harry. That's all you've needed this entire time? Go get some and get back to studying, alright?"

"But…" Harry leaned back against his chair, sighing. His plan to escape the evil wrath of studying hadn't worked out so well after all. His face suddenly lit up as he thought of an idea…

"Cones!" he exclaimed, "They've not got any cones! What kind of facility is this, serving ice cream without cones?!" He pounded his fist on the table dramatically, grabbing the attention of those surrounding him. "I demand to see the man in charge of this place!"

"Harry, please!" Lolly hushed him, embarrassed for the small child she called her boyfriend. "Don't be such a melodramatic little boy!" She tugged on his arm, giving him a stern look, but not able to contain some giggles as she looked at the fully grown man acting like a toddler before her.

"No! I can't concentrate without my damn ice cream in a cone!" he stated firmly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Lolly paused, not believing she was about to give in to his devious plans. "You swear you'll study hard the second we return? And not try and pull anymore of your childish antics once that ice cream is in your hands?"

Harry nodded, saluting her. "Yes, ma'am!"

Rolling her eyes, Lolly stood up. "Alright, let's go get some ice cream—"

"In cones!" Harry interjected.

"Right…in cones. There's a shop not too far away. No more of your silly business, little boy, alright? I swear, I'd think you were a child if it weren't for the stubble," she laughed, grabbing his hand.

"RACE YOU TO THE CAR!" he grinned excitedly. "Ready?! Three, two, one!" Harry took off, running out the door and leaving a very amused Lolly trailing behind.

Beeping machines filled the room with high-pitched pulses, Harry's headache growing as stinging pain traveled up and down his swollen wounds.

Where was she? Was she alright?

Harry could barely remember what had happened; he only recalled seeing the headlights of a large truck. He wanted to shout until the entire hospital heard him in pain, until someone could tell him where she was.

He tried to say something, but his throat was dry like sandpaper. The only sound that came out was small gasps that completely exhausted him. He was barely alive—the only thing keeping him on earth was the need to see if—to make sure—she was okay.

Harry called her name softly, his lips barely able to form the syllables of her name.

"Lauren?"

"Mmmm. Cones!" Harry smiled, nodding in appreciation as the man handed him his ice cream. "Thank youuu for letting me get this food of the gods," he cooed, putting his arm Lauren's waist as they walked out of shop, sitting down on a nearby bench.

"You're welcome," she laid her head on his chest, "But you'd best stop acting like a fool when we get back and start studying, yeah?"

Harry sighed, reluctant to return to his coursework, but he knew he had to keep the promise he'd made. "Alright, alright mother. I suppose it's about time to get studying anyways. Stu-dying, that is."

She laughed at him, absentmindedly playing with the hem of his shirt. "Very clever, Haz. It's really not that bad if you focus on it and try hard."

"Well…" Harry started, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, "You could show me how to focus tonight in bed…"

"Harry! You pervert," Lolly giggled, punching him lightly. "You aren't even going to be sleeping in the bedroom at this rate."

"Awww, no. That won't work; I'm too hot to resist," Harry stated confidently.

Lauren giggled again before lightly kissing his ice cream-clad lips. "All right, Romeo. Time to get studying." She stood up, taking his reluctant hand and dragging him towards the car.

Pausing for a second next to the car, she eyed him carefully. "You promise you'll work when we get back?"

Nervously sticking a hand in his pocket, reaching for the box, Harry whispered softly, "Only if…if you promise to marry me," he placed his hands on Lolly's waist, drawing her shocked form closer to him.

"Oh my god," she breathed, eyes wide, "You're unbelievable. I love you; of course." She lightly brushed his lips with hers, letting him slip the ring onto her finger, the sapphire glistening softly in the moonlight..

Harry held her slightly shaking body, unbelievably happy with her answer. "I love you, too." The pair closed their eyes, shutting out the world around them, unaware of the large, out-of-control truck lunging at them.

"WATCH OUT!" someone yelled, trying to save their lives, but far too late to do anything.

Three, two, one…

Crash.

The memory of what had happened came flooding back to Harry, putting an unbearable pressure on his chest. He needed to find Lauren, the only thing keeping him alive.

No words could come out of his mouth; his throat felt like he'd not had a glass of water for years. Closing his eyes, small tears crept out of the corners of his lids.

Outside of his doorway, he heard two doctors talking in hushed tones, obviously unaware the he had regained consciousness. Harry could barely decipher their words, but as soon as he heard them mention the name Lauren, his eyes flicked open.

"It's such a shame the poor girl had to pass that way," he heard a man say.

"I've no idea how to tell the boy," another sighed, nervously thinking about the worst part of his job.

"You might not have to, anyway. I hate to say it, but I reckon he won't make it," the first doctor claimed before leaving.

Harry couldn't breathe as he heard these words. His life was crumbling before his eyes; the only one he cared for was gone. Harry wished desperately that it had been him, that she could have lived. The pressure on his chest turned into great pain that he couldn't bear, and he could feel his life slipping away from him.

All he could think of was the loss of the only person he loved and the great pain he was in—emotionally and physically.

He was quickly fading, his surroundings blurring together. He barely made out the doctors rushing in to aid while the heart monitor began to flatline. He dreamed of seeing Lolly again, his heart breaking in half as he grew weaker and weaker.

Letting go on his grasp of life, Harry could have sworn he heard Lolly's sweet voice whispering into his ear.

"Three, two, one…"

His last tear escaped, his last breath shaky like smoke.

And he finally let his body go limp, forever gone.