An R/Hr fic by MeliFlames
a/n: thanks to Liebeling for the courage to try a new point of view. kudos to you!
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For as long as he could remember, after countless hours in the library, or another restless night, she would always twinkle.
Even when times were rough, and her eyes were dull and dead, her smile extinguished, her very spirit waiting rekindling, she would still twinkle.
Under locks of bushy brown hair were buried the most delicate ears he could ever imagine. Such a frothy, peach hue, with fragile, intricate swirls that seemed ready to shatter at any moment, surrender to any harsh, wicked tongue. Perhaps that was why he worked so hard to keep the taunting purebloods at bay.
And there they were, nestled snugly into cushy skin, cradled like children. The piercing silver that glimmered in the candlelight:
Two tiny, shiny butterflies.
A pair of perfectly Muggle earrings, but perfectly extraordinary all the same.
They gave him courage. Courage to fly as a free spirit, twitteringly at first, it was true, but slowly and surely escaping the strands of fire others thought him trapped in.
They gave him comfort. Because no matter how often they bickered or how much beauty kissed her cheek, they always remained the same. Because that was the way it was meant to be.
And he knew.
And she knew.
And they relished it, in silence.
When it came time to depart from their prestigious school, she pulled him aside, without a word, reaching fluttering digits to her ears. Holding one tiny, shiny butterfly in her own palm, she placed the other in his, entwining their fingers as she did so.
Even over the din, they both heard the smallest clink of silver upon silver, of heart upon heart. Only they heard the softest sound in the world, because that was the way it was meant to be.
She began to cry just then, watching the gentle pitter-patter of tears hit the back of his hand and slide down in between the crevices of their moulded fingertips.
She smiled even through her tears, because that was the way it was meant to be.
He held her close, not wanting to let the greedy world spoil her pureness, the little innocence she had left. She wept against his shoulder, their palms connected all the while, even as he tucked a strand of chestnut hair behind her naked ear, and even as he kissed her softly, and she felt his unwavering love pulse through her, sending back her own.
And they let each other go, because of the Risk, and the faith they had that their love would hold strong, even through all the toxin of Serpent Green Eyes that clawed them for assistance.
They buried their butterflies, side by side.
In the cold, damp earth under the beech tree, so that they would return, and remember.
Of course, they returned, year after year, on the exact day and the exact time, and watered their butterfly graves with their tears, weeping for the love that could not be, held back by fear and a venom-eyed sea.
And every times, after words were not exchanged, she would take his face in her hands and comfort him with a gentle stroke, and the flutter of a chestnut wave.
And once the waves were pearly white, and freckles smeared away, Serpent Eyes helped them bury each other side by side, next to where their butterflies lay.
Because that was the way it was meant to be.
~Fin~
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so…review…