For the Ultimate Patronus Quest (cow: Write about someone who would walk miles for someone) and the 365 Day Prompt Challenge (Helga Hufflepuff)

Sweat beads her forehead, and her knees threaten to buckle, but Rowena persists. In the back of her mind, she thinks that she should have brought a potion to renew her strength, or at least a snack for energy, and she almost laughs. Rowena Ravenclaw, the woman who values intelligence and logic above all else, has allowed her heart to cloud her mind.

"Salazar!" she cries, and she's lost track of how many times she's screamed his name without answer. It all seems to blur together. "Salazar!"

She takes another step, the rocks cutting into her bare feet. Shoes would have been nice, too, but she'd been in such a hurry when Godric had brought the news to her bedchamber.

"Salazar!"

Only silence, the same thing she's been met with countless times before.

Another step, then another. Her beloved castle is far behind her now, only a blur in the distance.

She can't stop. It would be the logical thing to do, of course. He's had a great head start, and she's on foot, hours behind him. But her heart silences her mind. Her heart tells her that she has to keep going.

"Salazar," she whispers, cursing the silence, cursing him, cursing everything and everyone that has lead to this.

"Rowena!"

But it isn't him. The voice is too soft, too kind. It is not the deep, raspy voice that has whispered velvet promises of love and the future in her ear night after night.

"Rowena, dear!"

Helga trots to her side, her fair face flushed a deep pink. "Rowena, be sensible," she urges. "You'll never catch up to him. Come back."

"I don't want to be sensible," she snaps, her tired feet stumbling along the dirt path. "I want to be with Salazar!"

"He's gone, love, he's gone."

Rowena finally comes to a stop, tears in her eyes. She looks from her friend to the landscape behind them, to everything she's leaving behind. Tendrils of shame clench her stomach, and she wipes her eyes furiously.

She's spent hours on foot, searching for a man who clearly does not want to be found. She's left the others to worry not only about Salazar, but about her as well.

Rowena exhales a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. Her mind slowly begins to clear, and she realizes how foolish she's been. Suddenly, every muscle in her body aches, and her stomach growls. "I wanted to find him," she whispers.

Helga takes her hand gently, offering it a reassuring squeeze. "I know," she says softly. "We all do. We will send a proper search party out, Rowena. Maybe Godric can find him and reason with him."

"I love him," she says, her voice breaking with emotion.

Helga pulls her into a hug. "I know, dear. I know. Now, come back to the castle. You need food and rest."

Rowena hesitates. She stares at the path the leads farther away from Hogwarts, and she still wants to follow it, to chase after the man that she loves so dearly. "I'm not going to give up," she says softly. "It's foolish, I know, but I have to believe that he will return."

Helga nods. "We all need a little hope sometimes," she agrees.

Rowena smiles sadly and takes Helga's hand. "Let's go home."