Heartcatcher:

Chapter Seven: Saying No

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Titanic. But I do own the original story, Within the Heart of the Ocean.

Beta read by CloSalvatore.

Okay I'm hoping everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving, and I'm going to try to update WW&M. Hopefully I'll get better feedback this time.

Anyway, I'm sorry this is late, but good news. I'm almost done with chapter 8 so it should be up soon too.

The hardest thing in life is not being able to love the one you love.

When you know that you love them with all your heart, but you aren't allowed to love them.

Because it isnt' just your duty.

You're held back by laws...and a piece of paper that says you're already taken.

But does that still make it right to love you?

It will hurt.

But I have to say no.

No to everything I had with you.

No to my whole life.

No to all my love.

No.

I can't.

" Remus," I asked.

Remus and Sirius looked at each other and then back at me.

" He says he can't talk to you right now, he's trying to get things worked out with Lacey."

" How is it going between them?" I asked.

" Not well to say the least. She is accusing him of having an affair. When he explained that he loved you before he loved her, she got mad. And it was all he could do to keep her from tracking you down. Luckily nothing bad really happened. She tried to hurt you, but he wouldn't allow it. But I wouldnt' go in there if I were you. She'll probably throw whatever she's holding at you." Remus recommended.

I nodded. " Is he being successful in getting her to sign the paper?"

" Kind of. She's being rather stubborn and she's not the most willing to let him go, but I know he's already filed the papers. They go to court to get divorced in less than a month."

" So we have a month to get her to sign them?" I asked, making sure I had the information.

Remus nodded.

" I doubt she'll agree. But legally, he can't be forced to stay with her if he doesn't want to," sirius said.

I agreed silently. " Can I talk to her? Please?"

They looked doubtful.

" I have to Remus. Otherwise she won't understand."

Sirius stepped aside, letting me enter, and he lead me to a large, golden room.

It was a shimmery gold, with smooth tile, and a shining chandelier hung high above the large, oak furnishings.

The woman's head snapped around, she had round, bright brown eyes, and silky black hair, tied high in a bun. She wore red lipstick, and a bright, shimmery red dress. James sat across from her, and when I entered, he nearly spit out his tea.

" Hello, can we help you?" she asked bitterly.

I walked forward, my heels clicking on the floor. I was wearing my more formal green dress. " I wanted to talk to you. It's about James."

She looked startled. So did James, and I saw the hesitancy in his eyes, but he made no objection, and she took me into the kitchen.

" What's your name girl?" she asked, putting a kettle on the stove, and flicking it on.

" My name is Lily Potter," I replied softly.

Her eyes snapped to me, and narrowed for a second on the necklace, with my ring on it.

" Why do you think that you can take him away? I love him," she said, pulling out two cups, and digging in a small jar before measuring out tea leaves.

" I love him too. I know it's a bad excuse-saying that I loved him first. But I did. And I know, he thought I died in the Titanic. But he loved me, he married you because you made him better. But...have you ever seen those old couples as you walk down the street? How they look at each other?" I asked, watching as she carefully put the tea leaves in the cups.

" What do you mean?" her voice lost some of its sharpness.

" The way they look at each other. You can see it in their eyes. They love each other, I mean truly love each other. They look at each other like there's no one else in the world."

She nodded. " So?" But it wasn't at all harsh.

" He looks at me like the day we met. You didn't see it, the way his eyes shone. It was like there was no one else that mattered. He loved me. And...he still loves me like that. He might love you like a friend, or even as though it's forced. But he doesn't love you like he loves me. He looks at me the same way...he always has."

" I love him. I can't let him go," she said. I could tell her stubborness was wavering.

" Lacey, please. Hear me out. I love him, with all my heart. And I know he missed me, I know I broke his heart. But I still love him like I did a year ago. I'm not going to say that marrying you was a mistake, because I know he needed you. He had to heal, he thought I was dead. I want to say that I don't love him, but I do. I love him more than anything. I'll love him forever. I'll protect his heart. I won't let him get hurt again. I know he got hurt when I left, but I'll never leave him ever."

" No you won't. Because I won't let you. I can't let you marry him Lily. I can't. I'm not rich. I'm dead broke. I never told James, but he knows that now. And yes, I can pass as a First Class woman. But do you think I know a thing about being rich? I don't. And I can't let my family down. I had to marry him. And the truth is I don't love him." She looked dead serious as she admitted this.

I was shocked. She didn't love him? " If you don't love him then you aren't better for him."

She rolled her eyes. " You don't get it do you Lily? I didn't marry him out of love. I told him I loved him, and he believed me. I don't have to love him though, because no matter what, even if I don't love him, I'll never leave him like you did!" she shouted.

" You think I wanted to leave? Do you know what I went through? I cried for weeks! I couldn't even think about what happened! But here's the truth! Every night, I was back there! I was drowning, and he wouldn't save me! He wouldn't save me from myself! And more than once, I wanted to die with him! I wished that sometimes, I had died! I'd have rather died than leave him alone forever! That's how much I loved him! I wanted to die! But you know what saved me? He did. Even when I thought he was dead, I knew he would hate me if I killed myself, so I went on with my life! And it hurt, to be back there on that ship. Watching it sink. But it made me know that I was human. That he wasn't a dream. It made me remember that I would always love him," I ended barely in a whisper.

" He promised to love me forever," she said coldly.

" He promised to love me for eternity," I replied, pulling my ring out, and breaking the chain that held it to my neck. It snapped easily. I threw it on the counter. " He was going to marry me. And I regret not saying yes."

We stood in silence, the kettle went off, but neither of us moved.

" I can't let you marry him Lily."

I turned, and ran refusing to let her see me cry.