Goodbye

I stood at the garden gates of the Burrow, staring at the16th birthday party of Albus Potter. My hand shook as I ran them through my curly brown hair that was pulled back into a half ponytail. The invitation had been a surprise for me that morning. I never thought that the Weasleys' or the Potters' would allow me to come to his party, let alone one of their homes. I knew that this was all Al's plan to get this family together with because my name is Lyra Malfoy, and I was the enemy of his family. Even though, I was scared, I couldn't help but smile. This would be the first birthday that I would spend with him.

Our friendship had started back in our first year at Hogwarts, a few months after I was sorted into Gryffindor. It was a shock to everyone, including me, that I was sorted into Gryffindor. A Malfoy was sorted into the house that held the worst grudge against the family. It was soon after the first week of classes that I became the target of all the bullying in Gryffindor house. The girls that I would room with would take my uniform and throw it out the tower window. I remember the first time that they did this, I was so embarrassed that I had to run outside in my pajamas for everyone to watch. During classes, they would sit as far away from me as they could. If they had to share a table with me, they would get up and move their chair to another seat to share with someone else. They did not want to sit next to a Death Eater. It hurt that no one would even talk to me or try to be nice to me. It got worst when the other houses, including Slytherin, started to help the Gryffindors. My older brother was part of Slytherin and tried as hard as he could to stop the bullying, but I would tell him that it didn't bother me. I would give him a smile, even though, I couldn't take it anymore. It was Halloween when I wanted to leave Hogwarts, but it was also when Albus came into my life.

That halloween, I was standing in the owlery, tying a letter to my Grandmere Cissy. I wrote to her saying that I wanted her to come get me. I didn't belong in Gryffindor and I didn't belong in Hogwarts. Just as I was about to send my owl that's when he came running in. His bright green eyes were shimmering with laughter as he tried to flatten his hair. I watched his eyes look over at me, and his smile seem to grow. He walked over to me and held out his hand, saying that his name was Albus and asked if I was alright. I thought that he grew two heads, but I replied that I was ok, just sending a letter to my Grandmere. After I sent the owl on its way and I was leaving the owlery, he turned to me and asked if I could sit with him at the Halloween Feast. I just ignored him and thought that it was just a joke. That night at the feast, when I walked in, Albus called me over to his seat. All the eyes were on us that whole night, but we didn't care. We talked and laughed all night making it one of the best nights I ever had at Hogwarts.

It was after Halloween that Albus became my best friend. He and I would walk to the Great Hall for meals and we would go to classes together. He would actually sit next to me at a table during classes. While we did homework together, he found out that I was really smart and couldn't understand why I wasn't in Ravenclaw. It was during this time that I told him about my life at Malfoy Manor. I told him that I loved to run around the hallways with my older brother when I was younger. He listened when I told him that my parents were killed, and how I don't remember them too much. I also told him about my brother and I and how we would make sure to make my Grandmere smile on the days we knew that she needed to smile. After listening about myself, Al told me about his life with his family. That he had so many cousins that they all seem like brothers and sisters. He told me about the Burrow and that his own Grandmere Molly could cook up a feast that was better than Hogwarts. As the first year came to an end, we agree not to tell our families about being friends until we thought they needed to know.

The beginning of our fifth year was when we realized that our feelings had changed towards each other. At first, I noticed that everytime that I got close to Albus, my heart felt like it was going to explode. My face would turn so red that it could match a Weasley hair. I also noticed that when I was around Albus, he would start being shy around me. He had gotten so shy that he started to stutter to the point his face would turn red causing him to run from me. I was so worried that he started to hate me or he didn't want to be my friend anymore that I confronted him. Albus' green eyes widen in surprise and shock when I told him how I was feeling. The next thing that I knew was that he was kissing me. My heart stopped for a full second before I threw my arms around his neck, kissing him back. When he pulled back from the kiss, he laughed and said that I was now his girlfriend. How could I say no to the one who can stop my heart?

Albus and I had decided it was time to tell our families. So that Christmas, I walked up to my Grandmere and told her that I was dating Albus Potter. I had expected her to be happy for me, but what I got was not that. She yelled and screamed saying that I need to break up with him and never talk to him again. How could I ruin the Malfoy name and date an enemy of the family. I couldn't believe it that she could tell me this. How could she not see that I didn't see him like that and that I actually loved him? I ran up to my room and cried all Christmas, never leaving me room, not even to owl Al. When I came back to Hogwarts, Albus never told me what his family said, but I knew it was the same as my Grandmere. We knew that our relationship was going to be harder than others, but we were going to keep going until one of us said stop.

My mouth was dry as I pushed open the garden gate with a squeak, walking in. The garden was decorated in Gryffindor colors with a large banner saying "Happy 16th Birthday Al!". The fairy lights illuminated the garden that was already filled with the Weasleys' and Potters'. I couldn't help but smile when I turned my head and met Albus's eyes. His bright green eyes met my sterling silver eyes as he crossed the garden. I was pulled into his arms before he leaned down, kissing my lips.

"Albus Severus Potter! What is this trash doing here?!" Ginny Potter's voice pulled us apart as if we were hit with an electric shock.

As Albus explained that he had invited me to his birthday party, I slide behind him, scared of Ginny's temper. Her face turned as red as her hair as she screamed that a Malfoy whore would never be welcomed. Albus yelled at her saying that I wasn't a whore that he loved me! He continued to yell saying that there was nothing that they could say that would stop him from being with me. That's when Harry Potter walked up to us. Those green eyes that he shares with his son looked down at all of us. Albus grabbed my hand and pulled me close to his side as Harry said that his was a celebration, there will be no fighting on this day. Ginny glared at me before she turned and walked back into the house, Harry following her. Albus grinned down at me, telling me that it was alright before we walked around talking about our summers so far.

I was having fun with Albus, just talking about what he did this summer. Also, I was enjoying how Albus kept making me watch his cousin, Teddy, change his hair and features. While I was enjoying myself, I knew that his whole family was watching me. I noticed that some of his uncles would twitch towards this wand whenever I would move my hand to push back a piece of my hair. It was as if they were waiting for me to draw my wand and start to hex people. There was a few times when I would move my left arm to grab a drink or something that Ginny Potter would stare at me. It was weird, but I tried to ignore all that and focus on Albus and his birthday. When it was time for cake, Albus walked up to the front of one of the tables inside. I moved back towards the back, but still able to see him.

"I don't know what spell you have him under, but you better reverse it," A voice growled in my ear.

I turned to see James Potter standing next to me. His dark eyes glared down at me, making my stomach flip up, "I didn't do any spell…."

"Liar," He growled, "My little brother would never fall for a Malfoy. You did something to him."

"I didn't," I said as i pulled lightly on my dress, "I love him and he loves me."

"Love?" James laughed softly as he leaned down to whisper in my ear, "Look at him." I turned my eyes up at the front where Albus was laughing while everyone around us was singing happy birthday. "He looked very happy without you right now. You aren't even standing next to him. Why is that Lyra? He is ashamed to be with you. You bring nothing but pain and chaos to our family. Love? He can't love you. How can he love you when you are pushing his whole family away from him? Can you live with yourself if he loses everyone in his family?"

"I-"

"No, Lyra," His voice hissed in my ear, "You would want that. You want him to be pushed away from his family. You would want him to break so you can say that you broke Harry Potter's son."

I put a hand over my mouth and ran out of the house. I couldn't stand to listen to James anymore.

I ran outside to realize that it had started to rain. The banner had the paint start to run off the paper while the fairy lights were trying to stay lit. My dress clung to my body as I was rushing to the garden gate.

"Lyra!"

I stopped in midstep and turned around. Albus was rushing towards me. His green eyes will with worry. My chest tighten when he stopped in front of me. This wonderful man in front of me was going to suffer because of me. His family would never allow us to be together. He would lose everything that he knew; his parents, his siblings, everything. I knew what it felt like to lose their parents, and I couldn't let him lose them because of me. No matter how much that I wanted to be by his side, family was everything to Al.

"What's the matter?" Al said as he looked down at me, "Why did you leave?"

I felt my heart break into pieces when I realized that what I had to do, "I.. Albus, I can't do this anymore."

"I am sorry that it is a bit overwhelming with my whole family here, but it's okay you will get use to them. And they will love you."

I took a step back as I put my hand on my chest, trying to ease the pain, "I can't be with you anymore…."

Albus blinked and took my hand, trying to smile, "W-what? What are you talking about? Is this a joke? Ha Ha Lyra."

"No, Albus… I am not joking. I can't be with you anymore."

Albus blinked again, then pulled me into his arms. I took a deep breath. Albus smelled of cinnamon, spice, and a hint of mint. It was my favorite smell in the whole world. "Lyra, I know that our families don't like each other and they don't want us together. None of that matters. All that matters is that we love each other. I love you so much. I can't live without you." Albus pulled me back and stared at me with those green eyes. The green that became my favorite color in the world. But those eyes were filled with fear, hurt, and love. My heart finally shattered into pieces inside my chest, "Please come inside, out of the rain. We can talk to this in my room."

"Albus, I.. I can't. You deserve so much better. Someone that your family can love and be able to accept. Someone-"

"No!" He said, gripping my hands and holding them to his chest, "My heart beats only for you. I can't lose you! Please, My Lyra."

I didn't trust myself to speak, so I just nodded my head. Albus kisses the top of my head then gently started to pull me towards the house. I couldn't go back into that house. I wasn't right for Albus and everyone knew it. So I stopped walking and let go of his hand. He turned around, tilting his head. Taking a breath, I smiled.

"Wait, I haven't given you my present yet," I said.

"Oh!" Albus smiled brightly as he turned around to face me, "What did you get me?"

I smiled a bit, "Close your eyes, and don't you peak."

"Me? Peak? Never." He laughed.

Albus closed his eyes, holding out his hands. I stood there for a second, trying to keep myself from crying, before I stepped into his arms. My fingertips traced over his eyes, down his nose, lightly over his lips, before I rest my hands on his chest. I leaned my head on his chest and listened to his strong heartbeat. I swallowed back a sob as I pressed my lips against his. I felt him smile into the kiss and his hands going into my hair. I pulled back from him.

"For once in my life, I had found happiness. You save me from the darkness of others around me. I couldn't believe that someone would worry about me and enjoy spending time with me. You were the only one that looked past the Malfoy name and truly saw who Lyra was, "My voice cracked as the tears started to fall down my face, "I will forever love you for that, My Albus. You are the dream that I will always remember."

"I will always love you, My Lyra." Albus said, smiling with his eyes still closed.

I took a few steps back as slowly as I could and pulled out my wand.

"Obliviate." I said in a whisper that broke my heart

The tip of my wand glowed as I watched Albus' face go blank. I locked away all the memories of us. The first time that we met in the owlery. Our conversation at the first Halloween feast that we had together. The first time that he sat down with me in class. The time that we ran through the halls at midnight trying to get away from Mrs. Norris. All our laughter and the times that we joked in the library. Each time that Madam Pince kicked us out of the library because we got too loud. The times we sat outside the common room talking with the Fat Lady and talking to each other. The owls that we sent each other every summer. The plans that we had of the future that we talked together. The first time that we kiss and every kiss after that. All the memories of us, gone, locked away in his mind.

Once the spell was done, I quickly ran out of the garden gates. I yanked off my necklace, and activated my emergency portkey. My feet hit the pavement outside the gates of Malfoy Manor. A heartbreaking sob finally escaped my lips as my legs collapsed. The rain fell around me as I gasp and sobbed. I just erased that one that I Iove memories. My arms wrapped around me, trying to stop the pain in my stomach and chest. I don't remember the gates swinging open for the next thing that I knew is that I was in my brothers arms.

"Lyra?" He whispers

"Scorpius… I… I broke up with Albus!" I sobbed into his chest, clinging tightly.

Scorpius held me tightly in his arms as he walked back to the Manor. He knew that I was planning to break up with him, and he knew that I would have to obliviate him. That was the only way Albus would not feel pain. I continue to sob on my brother's chest while miles away Albus Potter was celebrating his 16th birthday, never knowing that there was a piece of him had shattered into pieces moments before.