Dean, Bill, Fleur and me all rushed into the garden to see what was going on. Ron was supporting a suffering Hermione inside, and Harry was bending over Dobby. Oh no. Dobby!
Dean spotted the half-conscious Griphook and carried him gently inside, Fleur and I followed. Bill stayed with Harry and started muttering words I couldn't hear. Dean laid the goblin on a sofa and I covered him with a spare blanket, and tried a Rennervate spell to see if it could get him slightly more awake. It didn't really work, but I think the elf dozed off along with Mr. Ollivander. I smiled fondly as Fleur found a coat and draped it over me. We both followed Dean outside.
"We should close his eyes." I commented, randomly.
Harry looked at me and nodded, he hadn't noticed us coming outside until now. Dean saw Harry taking off his shoes and socks and put them on Dobby's small feet. Dean fumbled around in his inside pocket and found a brown woollen hat and handed it to Harry, who put it on the elf's head. I bent down and gently placed my fingers on Dobby's eyelids, moving them down over his lifeless stare. His skin felt softer than human skin, despite the constant years of beating that I vaguely remembered Ginny telling me about Hermione campaigning about it three years ago. "There, he looks like he's sleeping, now."
After we'd buried Dobby, I made a short speech. I liked that elf. Well, he did save us…
Harry wanted a moment to himself, the rest of us made our way in, each muttering something encouraging, I patted Harry's back and was the last to go into the cottage. I think I heard a sob.
We all sat huddled in the living room, I'd shrugged off Fleur's coat, thanking her, and Dean and I were huddled awkwardly together underneath a blanket, both clutching the cups of lukewarm tea stiffly. Neither of us were paying attention to Bill's talking, something about Secret Keepers or something. I was still gripping a cup full of tea, whereas Dean sipped the last dregs of his and set the cup on the coffee table, his hands free. I thought nothing of it until he absent-mindedly twirled a curl of my hair and sweeped it behind my ear. I looked bemused but he just smiled at me.
"I think there's some Wrackspurt around here somewhere…" I yawned sleepily, closing my eyes…