After Come Back To Me, before Far Away

It had been weeks since I left Hogwarts and the sense of yearning hadn't faded over time. I thought the distance would be enough to take it of my mind, but I was wrong. I still felt the musty books in my hands, the warmth of the blazing Gryffindor fire, the smooth neck of my broomstick in my palm. I couldn't help but reminisce my days with my friends at Hogwarts which were lingering in my past as more await me in the future. I was stuck in the frozen time between fifth and sixth year, where my only friends are my family. Bill was supposed to come with his fiancé later in the summer, but for now it was just Ron, Ginny, and I. Ron was in the kitchen for his daily late night snack. Hermione was probably in bed, sneaking a late night read. Ginny was asleep in her room- like I should be right now.

Out on the roof of the Burrow, the stars were clearly visible in the dark scape above me. I knew all of the constellations now, thanks to Astronomy class. My favorite was Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. Even thought it was globally frozen over, all alone out there in space, it still has free moving water beneath the surface. It may even be able to sustain life beneath the ice. No one can see life on Europa, however, because it's trapped beneath the surface and no one has ever dared tried to break through, and may never do so.

Somehow, this led me to think of Harry.

Somehow, the Dursley home seemed to be getting more and more crowded. Perhaps it was because Harry had grown over the summer; perhaps it was because he was itching to get back to Hogwarts…

Or maybe it was because of her.

Harry came to his window and leaned on its ledge, gazing up at the stars. They seemed so small up there, competing against the blazing streetlights. Even though they would never appear greater than the streetlights, they came back every night. The stars are actually much greater than the streetlights, but they didn't feel the need to prove anything. They stayed up in space, shining bright as the sun, but never came down to compare themselves.

Next to the streetlights, they would be greater, however they could never be the brightest. Not by any means of interpretation. To compare them to her eyes would be to compare a stone to a jewel. He remembered gazing upon Europa at the top of a tower with her. When she turned to look at him, her head against the dark sky, I knew instantly that she would always shine brighter than any star. Although she wouldn't be alive forever, trapped in a mortal body, she would be his for as long as she shined. Until the last star died.

I sighed, knowing I still had months before we could see each other again. But I found solace in knowing it wouldn't be forever.