AN: This story is somewhat AU; Voldemort was defeated for good at Godric's Hollow.

"Darling, is everything alright?" Lewis Rowley asked Eliza as she climbed into their bed.
"Yes," his wife replied curtly. She rolled over to face the wall and left Lewis to his thoughts.
Everything had been perfect when they met, 14 years ago next month. While working at his family's shop in Essex, she had made a habit of coming into the shop once a week to pick up a loaf of bread and a pack of gum. After three weeks, he finally got up the courage to start a conversation with her. He learned that she was 15, a year younger than himself, and that she was going back to school in two weeks.

"Where do you go to school?" the boy asked nervously. He was small for his age, a little nerdy, but he had promise.
"It's a small school, in the country."
"Do you like it?"
"I do."
The boy smiled, showing a row of metal and rubber bands. Eliza smiled back, while feeling overwhelmingly thankful that she didn't have to deal with that nonsense to straighten her teeth. They stood there for a moment before Lewis handed her her change. She thanked him and turned to leave.
"What's your name?" the boy blurted out.
"Eliza," she smiled over her shoulder, "Yours?"
"Lewis."

The following week, he had asked her to see a movie with him that weekend. She had accepted, feeling slightly apprehensive but still hopeful. Lewis had gone home that day and, as Eliza found out years later, danced around his room. He counted the hours until their date, and picked her up at her Grandparent's house at 6pm on Saturday night. They walked downtown and Lewis bought her dinner. They talked through their meal, and neither one of them remembered what film they saw, as they were too busy getting to know each other to pay attention. Lewis knew that night. Eliza did, too, in the back of her mind, but this wasn't what she had planned. She never planned on actually liking the boy three inches shorter than her, who spent his free time reading comic books and working on model trains. This boy who was a complete Muggle in every way. How could she tell him that she wasn't like him, that she studied magic and kept an owl as a pet? This boy who, no matter how hard she tried to pretend otherwise, fit her perfectly. He was sweet, and kind, and a complete suck-up to any and all authority. Eliza, on the other hand, was a textbook Slytherin - ambitious, ruthless, and, yes, sometimes a little bit evil. As he walked her home from the cinema, he slipped his hand around hers. She tensed, before letting herself intertwine her fingers with his.

Eliza left for school a week later. She had promised to write Lewis, as long as he promised to write back. He had given her a present, a beautiful stationery set accented with the moon and stars, to further make sure she didn't forget. They stood outside of her Grandparent's house that morning, holding hands and making promises. Then, as her Grandfather waited in the car, she had leaned in and kissed Lewis on the cheek. She grinned at his expression, before turning and letting her face fall.
Why? Why had she done it?
He was in love.
And, despite everything, so was she.

Lewis sighed, staring at the back of Eliza's head. Her dark hair was messy and tangled. He wanted to reach out and smooth it down, run his hands through it. Instead he just turned over. His hand reached under the bed and found his target immediately - he pulled the dusty shoebox out and, careful to stay quiet, pulled the lid off. Inside were dozens of letters, exchanged whilst Eliza was at Hogwarts. The ones from the beginning were the shortest, their envelopes covered in too many stamps. Lewis had assumed that she had overdone the postage because she liked all of the designs and wanted to send them all. Through his anxiety, he smiled to himself. So many letters… weekly letters for three years while Eliza had finished her schooling. The only space missing was three months from the beginning of her Seventh year, after she had finally told Lewis about her school and herself. That had been it, he was convinced at the time. His temper had gotten the best of him and Eliza had left for school without speaking to him.

"Lewis… I love you. I need to tell you something."
The couple were sitting in a tree her Grandparent's backyard. Eliza moved from his arms and twisted to face him. She took a deep breath.
"Anything you say, love. It won't change anything," the young man reassured her before kissing her gently. He had had filled out. Now 18, Lewis' braces had been removed and he had gotten control of his curly hair. Eliza had started helping him pick out clothes, and he had gained muscle from his new job on a farm.
"I hope not," she sighed. Her hands went to her hair, twisting it around back and pulling at it while her eyes moved from Lewis' to the ground.
"I promise."
Eliza let her hair down and took his hands instead.
"I know I've never told you much about my school. I know you've wondered, and you've asked, and I've never told you much. I'm sorry."
He shrugged.
"Well… it's a bit different from your school. From any school, really."
She swallowed.
"I'm not training to be a… a banker, or a lawyer, or… anything that you would think of. See, my school… um…"
Eliza locked eyes with Lewis. She had to do this.
"I go to a school for witches. Well, and wizards. I'm learning magic. Instead of Maths, or Science, I go to classes for Potions, and Transfiguration, and... "
Lewis looked like he was either going to burst out laughing or vomit.
"Lew?"
He was thinking. Had he heard her right? 'Oh God, I knew she was too good to be true… she's mental'.
"Just say something, I know it's a lot-"
"A lot? Yeah, Eliza, it's a bloody lot. Are you actually insane? Do you actually think you're a witch? Do you have a stick that you wave - Abracadabra! - do you-"
"A wand, Lewis, yes, I have a wand. We all do."
He shook his head before jumping down.
"Lew, please, wait."
He didn't look back until he reached his house.

Looking back, Lewis found his reaction ridiculous. He had always been a huge fan of fantasy. Here was this girl, this completely breathtaking girl who somehow was in love with him, telling him that these things that he had always dreamed of were real. And he ran away. The first letter he had sent her after it happened was in his hand, and he carefully took it out of the envelope.

Eliza,

I love you. I am so, so, so, endlessly sorry for the things I said and the way I reacted. It was a shock… I let myself overreact and probably ruin the best part of my life. But my dear Eliza, I am in love with you. These months without your letters to look forward to have dragged on. My days are long and aimless. I eat breakfast, I go to work, I come home, I eat dinner, I sleep. All day, every day, I long for sleep. You are my reason. I accept you, no matter what has happened in the past and no matter what will happen in the future. The only future I want is one with you in it.
I hope and pray you can forgive me.
I love you more than the moon loves the sun.

Your Lewis

He folded the letter back up and slid it back in its envelope, feeling the tears slip from his tired eyes. Against his better judgement, he pulled out Eliza's reply and unfolded it.

My Lewis,

Of course I forgive you, you ridiculous arsehole. I don't have your way with words, I apologize. Yes, your words hurt. But you meant them to. I had to tell you… I knew it would probably happen that way. I appreciate your apology, but it is unnecessary. You said what you said. I thought what I thought, and I will not share those thoughts with you, as I am also very interested in not losing you again.
I don't have much else to say to you, other than I hope you're not scared of owls. As you're now 'in the know', I don't have to bother with idiotic Muggle mail customs.
I love you, you twat.

Your Eliza

Lewis smiled at the parchment in his hand. His Eliza. She would always be his Eliza. He folded the letter up and placed the envelope back in its spot. Quietly, he slid the box back into it's place under the bed and wiped his eyes. They would be okay. He sighed and laid his head on the pillow, finally letting himself fall asleep.

"Daddy!" Lewis was awakened by the panicked yells of his daughter. He raised his head to see the small girl standing in the doorway.
"Clara, honey, what's the matter?"
"Mummy's gone."