A/N: So I wrote this fic after a long spell of not writing. It's not great, but I decided to share it anyway. It's sort of a repost. I have no beta. All sentence fragments are intended.

Warnings: war, character death, pain

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize. This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Prompt: 2 A.M.

You look awful. That's all I can think to say, so I say nothing. When was the last time you slept? When was the last time any of us slept? We're always running—always moving. I'm scared and you're scared. We're all so scared and we have every right to be because the world is crashing down around us and people are dying and there's no time to do anything but run and be scared.

I wonder what time it is. In those muggle shows you used to make me watch they were always so obsessed with the time. I never had to be before. The world felt like it would go on forever and there was no need to wonder about the time. We never even cared for curfew. Now all I can do is look at your face and think how I wish I knew the time so I could freeze the world at this moment forever for you. It's the last time I'll ever see you and I wish I knew what time it was.

You're looking at me with that face—that terrible sleep-deprived face that still looks so much like it used to when you were berating me for not acting in a manner befitting a Hufflepuff. You're still you, but I won't be me when you're gone. What's the time?

"It looks like it's just past 2 A.M." you rasp out before you descend into a fit of coughs that splatter me in your blood.

"Stop talking, you idiot. Save your strength. I know you're just a girl, but you're a Hufflepuff and Hufflepuffs are stronger than anyone." Of course you know what I'm thinking. You always do, so why should it be any different now? Dying won't take you away from you; it'll just take you away from me.

You see straight through my false strength. "I'm dying, Zach. Don't you think it's time we stopped playing games?"

I visibly flinch as you gasp out the last word. "I don't know what you're talking about. You're not dying. You're just hurt and you think you're dying. You're going to be fine. We're going to get married after we graduate. I'm going to ask you right in the middle of the graduation ceremony. We'll be so happy that we can't wait for a proper wedding. We'll run off and elope. It'll be the scandal of the season: the Heir of Hufflepuff absconding with the niece of the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

As I spin my tale I see you fading. I wish it were true. I can see it now: you pregnant with our first child, our children going off to Hogwarts and being sorted into Hufflepuff, just like their parents, us growing old and dying in each other's arms, surrounded by our great-great-grandchildren. I want that life. I want the life I dreamed of since I first dipped your pigtail in that inkwell in Transfiguration first year. This stupid war is taking from me the only person to see past my false bravado. It's taking the only person who never cared about my status or my bad attitude. It's taking the love of my life.

As the last light flows out of your eyes, I lean over and kiss you. I have to go now love, but I'll be with you soon. I'm done running. I'll avenge your death and then I'll come meet you in the afterlife. We'll never have the life I dreamed of or the death, but we'll have each other soon enough.

Please review. It's nice to know that someone's reading. I'd love to hear what you thought of the fic even if it's just one word, so don't be hesitant to leave a review.