Quick Author's Note:

Ya know how authors are always like, "Hey, read the Prologue! You won't understand anything otherwise!"

Well...

My Prologue isn't like that. It may give you some insight, but it certainly isn't necessary. Read if ya want. Don't if ya don't.

Prologue

The two of them strolled calmly through the park. They were discussing anything and everything, just as they always did. The blonde young man listened to the short young lady attentively, absorbing every word. He never laughed more than when he was with her, and he had a feeling it went both ways.

This walk in the park had become something of a tradition every Friday after work. They never told anyone of their excursions. They couldn't. There was never any need for it anyway. Her boyfriend never asked why she was always busy. He just assumed that she was over-working, like she always did. And the young man's mother never cared where he went anyway. It was a given that they wouldn't tell anyone. The newspaper would have a field day, and their friends and families would be horrified and shocked beyond repair. Even after finally accepting their friendship, it would never be the same.

The young lady wasn't ready for any of that. She didn't know if she'd ever be ready, but the tall young man beside her had already decided it didn't matter. She meant more to him than anyone else. She meant more to him than the hurt, the ridicule, and the humiliation. Her opinion was all that mattered. He loved her, and he still hadn't told her. Time was running out.

He knew she didn't look at her boyfriend the way she was smiling at him now. He knew that he didn't make her laugh like she was laughing now. He knew that in her heart, she knew they were meant to be. It was a palpable force in the air. However, he also knew that she wouldn't make the decision. If her boyfriend asked her to marry him, she would. The simple fact that she didn't know he loved her could ruin everything. She needed to know –before this went on any further.

He had to tell her. It was now or never.

But what would she say? Honestly, he didn't know. His heart was pounding when she laughed at her own joke, and he smiled softly at her.

"What?" She asked at the look on his face.

He shook his head and put his hands in his pockets, "Nothing. I…I was just enjoying the moment." Untrue. Not necessarily false, but untrue.

Butterflies erupted in her stomach as he smiled at her, and she grinned back, "I suppose it is pretty wonderful at the moment, isn't it? What with your promotion and my newly successful case...I feel like flying."

"We should celebrate," He agreed readily. They both worked at the Ministry of Magic, he in the Auror office, and she in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as a detective. They had been assigned many cases together, causing the growth of their friendship.

"Yes!" She clapped her hands once, "I know this muggle gelato place that is simply—"

"Or how about I take you to dinner tomorrow night in Diagon Alley?" He interrupted hastily and mentally crossed his fingers.

She looked at him in shock, and they both stopped walking. "Like..." She gulped nervously, trying to settle her heart rate, "You mean like a date?"

His breath caught, but he looked at her seriously. Now or never... "Exactly like a date."

Before any kind of emotion could catch up with her, her logical side snapped into action, "You know we can't do that."

"Can't?" He frowned, more in confusion than anger, "Or won't?" She looked at him sadly and turned to walk again, but he gripped her elbow gently, "Please."

At his unbearably gentle call, she tugged her arm away and shook her head, "I have a boyfriend."

"Don't feed me that!" He spun her around, careful not to hurt her, "You said so yourself you didn't love him!"

"I do! Just not—"

"Not romantically? Alright. My point remains the same. Please," He looked her straight in the eye, "Don't tell me you don't feel anything."

"Even if I did—"

"Do you?"

"If I did—"

"Do you?" He repeated fiercely. Merlin, he was pathetic. He felt so desperate...His heart would break if she said no. She looked at him for a few agonizing moments before looking away, "I...I think I do."

That simply wasn't good enough. "Think? Sweetheart, it isn't a matter of thinking. I know that I've fallen completely head-over-heels in love with you, and I'm not afraid of it."

She stared at him, and tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she turned away, "We can't."

"Why ever not?"

"Our families—"

"Forget our families," He said softly, but with intensity, "Those that mind don't matter, and those that matter shouldn't mind." He was throwing her own words back at her.

"Stop it!" She looked at him incredulously, "Do you not hear yourself? It simply can't be done. You might be able to give up your life so easily, but I couldn't!"

"And you call yourself a Gryffindor," He hissed as he glared angrily at her. But she saw through him. His whole body had retracted away from her. She had hurt him, and the pain shown smartly in his eyes; she couldn't bear it. Without thought, she flung herself at him in a desperate hug and clung to him like she had never clung to anyone before.

At first, he refused to hug her back, but the slight shake of her shoulders caused him to clutch her tightly, never wanting to let go. They stood like that in silence for Merlin knows how long. Somehow, he knew he would never get to hold her like this again, and he franticly memorized the way every curve of her body melted into his, the way her hair smelled like peach blossoms, the way no one could ever fit this perfectly in his arms.

She finally pulled away slightly to look at his pained expression and brought her hands up to cup his face. She brought their faces closer together, but stopped short and took a quick, shaky breath.

His eyes were half-closed, and his mind was completely blank apart from the gentle curve of her waist he was clutching, the soft touch of her fingertips on his jaw, and her beautiful lips a breath away from his...No. She wouldn't do this to him. She loved him enough to give up what she wanted just to hurt him less than she knew she already had.

"I'm sorry," She breathed and opened her eyes, which she didn't even realize she had closed. After a short, tense moment, she pulled away, and he released her, slightly dazed. He watched in horror as she righted herself and wiped her tears away franticly.

With a smart tug at her wrinkled blouse, she looked up at him, took a deep breath, and whispered, "Good-bye, Malfoy."

He had hardly registered that she had used his last name for the first time in months when he was suddenly alone and staring at her bouncing brunette curls as she ran.

He didn't see her for the rest of the week, but the next Friday, he still waited for two hours at their bench, just in case.

She didn't show.

Any other interaction with her was strictly business, and she continued to avoid meeting him at the park. For months, he waited, but he couldn't wait forever. Bitterly, he moved on and pretended to forget, but what he didn't know was that she was hurting every bit as much as he was. It killed her to move on, but she did, just as he had. And with the scars to match.