For the rest of my life for the rest of my life
We've been blessed with a love this rare that's why I'm goin' no where - R. Kelly
At about two in the morning, an hour before it was over, Harry pulled Elizabeth near the back of the hall.
"What's this about?" Elizabeth asked him.
"You'll see," he promised as he grabbed a chair and motioned for her to sit.
Elizabeth, utterly confused, sat down, thinking of all the weird things this might mean.
"Elizabeth," Harry started, as he pulled a box out of his robes, "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say with this, so…be a little open-minded, okay?"
"Alright," Elizabeth muttered.
"I saw this in one of the shops in Hogsmeade, you know, when we split up to go by each other presents? When I heard the legend of this ring, I couldn't help but think of you. Since we are a bit too young to be engaged without being totally reckless, not that I mind being reckless when I'm with you, but this is a different type of reckless that could ruin what you and me have, so I got you this…it's a promise ring," Harry explained as he opened the box.
Elizabeth's eyes widened at the ring. 'It is so breathtaking,' she thought. Harry put it on her finger.
"Thank you," Elizabeth said as she pulled Harry into her embrace.
"I thought you might like it," Harry replied with a smile.
Elizabeth grinned back and kissed Harry.
"What's the design on it?" Elizabeth asked when they were walking back to Ron and Hermione.
"It's a Celtic knot," he answered.
"Ha! So perfectly fitting," Elizabeth laughed, remembering the year before. She became serious in a heartbeat when Harry didn't laugh with her.
"I thought so. That promise ring signifies that I will never break your heart. The Celtic knot means our love will continue, forever," he assured.
"God, I hope so," Elizabeth breathed.
She hugged him again ─she couldn't seem to touch him enough─ as they walked by Ron and Hermione. Hermione's eyes were tearing.
"Hermione? Why are you crying?" Harry asked. He thought she'd be happy.
"Oh, don't you know? When a wizard gives the woman he loves a promise ring, it means that they are more than likely going to get married," Hermione muttered.
Ron awkwardly tried to hug Hermione, to make her stop crying.
"Oh, Ron, come off it. I'll be fine," Hermione smiled. She stood up and hugged Elizabeth. "Congratulations," she whispered in her ear.
"Thank you," Elizabeth replied.
They had fun for the last hour, when they had to go back to their dormitories.
When Elizabeth slept, she dreamt of Harry, of their future, and of their love. But a terrible revelation came to her in her sleep…
Early in the morning, Elizabeth was woken up by the earsplitting klaxonlike wail the staircase only omits when a boy tries to go up it.
"Damn that infernal staircase!" Harry cursed. Elizabeth smiled into her pillow at the sound of his voice.
She got up, got dressed, and went to the common room.
"Did you know that that's the second time, since I've been to this school, that you've done that?" Elizabeth asked smilingly.
"Yes. If that staircase would just leave me alone, maybe you would've woken up to a better alarm," Harry commented as he went up to her and brushed her arm. He couldn't seem to touch her enough these days. It was as if this was a dream, she was a dream, too good to be true.
The seventh year Gryffindors did nothing all day. They laid around, barely speaking, savoring the day without homework or classes.
In March, Gryffindor beat Hufflepuff easily. Their seeker was injured, and they had to use their reserve seeker, who was…not as good as the first one, to put it kindly. Gryffindor only had to beat Slytherin one more time, in early May, and then they'd win the cup.
In April, as Dumbledore predicted, Elizabeth was bedridden with a case of the flu for a week. Harry stayed by her hospital bed, never moving. Her fever spiked, and when she was unconscious for most of the week, Harry held her hand, hoping that his touch might bring her back to reality.
She got better and she felt fantastic after it. The first thing Harry did when he found out she was cured was kiss her, as he'd been restricted from doing so when she'd been sick.
"Why haven't you had a child?" Hermione asked Elizabeth after she'd fully recovered.
She blushed crimson. "Excuse me?"
"Those lights from last year, they melded together, didn't they?"
Elizabeth nodded slowly.
"Take a look at this," Hermione commanded. She handed a very large book to Elizabeth and pointed to one of the potions.
Annullius Perosus --- (Hate Destroyer) A very complicated potion that requires Whomping Willows around the globe in strategic places. Annullius Perosus would kill all who haven't sipped of the Anhelo Potion (See page 56). The Annullius Perosus can be stopped by an intricate process, using true love. This process could be conducted at any time or place, without notice. Two colored lights will generally appear and become entwined with each other. If the descendants after true love are of separate genders, the female becomes with child, (1) even though no deed had been done.
Elizabeth couldn't read any more of that. She was sure all the blood was missing from the rest of her body, and it was all sitting, pooled around her face. Looking for something else to take her mind off of what she just read, she turned back a page to 56.
Anhelo Potion --- (Potion of the Living) A potion that is not terribly difficult to brew. It has been known to cure small muggle illnesses, such as colds, coughs, measles, mumps, etc. It is imperative for the Annullius Perosus (see page 57). Its ingredients counter all of the ingredients in the Annullius Perosus, therefore, saving all who have sipped it from the damnation that would befall the world, should the Annullius Perosus be accomplished.
"Have you told Harry and Ron about this?" Elizabeth asked.
"I was going to, but it didn't seem important. But why haven't you gotten pregnant? According to the months that have passed, you should have had it by now."
"Er…can't say I'm not a bit grateful that that didn't work," Elizabeth said, relieved.
Hermione turned to the Annullius Perosus. "Oh, there's a footnote," Hermione noticed. She scanned the bottom quickly. "That would explain it. There," she pointed out.
(1) A charm, placed on all witches and wizards by the Underage Wizardry Department of the Ministry of Magic, will stop underage witches from getting with child when such magical processes are carried out.
Elizabeth let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. The two showed Ron and Harry the book a little later.