"Are you okay?"

Pansy wrapped her arms even tighter across her stomach and didn't answer. She just stared out the window into the moonlit garden, silent tears rolling over her cheeks.

Harry stepped up behind her and put a robe on her shoulders.

His robe. Of course he'd give her his own fucking robe. It smelled like him and felt like him, worn, warm, comfortable. His hands kept rubbing circles over her shoulders, and against her own better judgement, she grabbed the edges of the robe to pull it around her body, engulf herself in it, lose herself in his scent, in him. She leaned back against his chest, and his hands sneaked around her waist, just holding her. His chin rested on the top of her head, anchoring her in place.

"I'm sorry, love," he murmured.

"Is it worth it?"

She cursed herself for letting the words slip from her mouth, though it had been the exact question that had kept her awake that night. She didn't want to know the answer. She didn't want to hear him say no.

His chin lifted from her head and she missed the comforting weight. He turned her around, tilting her head up to make her look at him, his thumb softly wiping away the tears.

"What do you mean?"

His voice quivered, just a little, and there was an insecurity, a vulnerability in his eyes she had never seen there before.

"Is it worth it? Us? Fighting for us?"

Pansy cursed her mouth for not keeping shut, but again the words had fallen from her lips before she could stop them. And suddenly she knew it was important. She had to know.

"We knew it wasn't going to be easy. But it's not just them." She gestured vaguely towards the window, thinking of the people who had thrown stinking potions over her in Diagon Alley that evening, ruining her dress before she'd even arrived at the Ministry function they were supposed to attend that evening. "We always seem to be fighting, over the silliest things. Is it really worth all that pain? Wouldn't it be easier to just walk away?"

She could see his Adam's apple bob when he swallowed, several times, could see the tendons in his neck tense, his shoulders rise slightly, while he thought over her question.

"Walking away… I don't think that's the easy solution. I love you, Pansy Parkinson, and walking away would break my heart. A world without you would be a very sad place indeed."

This time, she swallowed, and the tears that had nearly dried started running again.

Harry continued, his voice soft, his hands cupping her face gently, "I think you're worth it. I think this is a phase, and we'll get through this, and be as strong as ever, together. But if you're not prepared to fight for us, my love, then the battle is lost before it even began."

It was hard not to just give in, to wrap her arms around him and kiss him and get him to make her forget everything. She had to force the words out of her mouth this time.

"I'm never going to be an easy person to love. There's always going to be something. That's just me, Harry."

To her surprise, he smiled, closed his eyes and leaned his head down until his forehead touched hers. "Pans, if I wanted easy, I wouldn't have started this. I want you, with your ups and downs, with your brash confidence and insecurities, I want you, just you. Everything you. I don't have any doubts about that."

Then his eyes opened and they were so close that she drowned in them.

"The question really is, what do you want, Pansy? Because if you want to walk away, I'll let you. I won't keep you trapped."

Her hands moved as of their own accord, finally letting go of the robe and sneaking up to Harry's chest. She could feel the irregular beating of his heart under her right hand, the shallow rise and fall of his chest. Her hands clenched the fabric of his shirt.

"You. I want you."

She felt the heaving breath that escaped his lungs, the sudden rapid pitter-patter of his heart, and smiled. A moment later his lips found hers in a soft kiss.

Her heart soared in her chest, and for the first time that evening she didn't feel so cold any more.

"I'm sorry," she murmured between kisses. "So sorry."

"It's okay. I'm here. I'll always be here."