The Sacrifice of Harry

By Li Cruz

A short that came to while I was listening to She Will Be Loved by Marron 5. However this doesn't belong to any of the fanfiction worlds I'm currently writing but a stand alone. I'd appreciate some feedback.

Hatori watched Lily run from her boyfriend's rented house. He stood under his umbrella, pushing himself from the post. He moved to intercept her course. He gave his friendly smile as she looked at him questioningly. He held out his umbrella.

"You should take it. Your mother wouldn't approve of you getting ill."

"Thanks."

"It's of nothing." Hatori allowed her to pass.

She gave him a brilliant smile before walking away. He sighed when he was sure she couldn't hear him over the rain. He leaned against the street post again. He glared darkly at the house from where she ran.

How he wanted to show Lily how much he loved her but he had seen how happy this James follow made her. He thought she deserved better than James and … himself. What could he give her but his support? She couldn't and wouldn't fall in love with the quiet foreign kid from elementary school.

The same one who became her best friend. The one was there when her grandparents died. The one who wasn't fully human even though she never knew. She couldn't fall for an hanyou and be happy.

He stretched out his wings and took to the stormy air. There was no use moping about something he could never have. Several dark feathers roiled in the wind where he had stood.

"Hatori!" Lily laughed as she jumped into her old friend's arm. He nearly dropped his books. He smiled shyly at her.

"Lily-san." He said almost huskily. It had been almost two years since he seen her. Kami, she had become more beautiful. He had avoided her for so long.

"Are you okay, Harry?" She asked. He smiled at the nickname. "When did you get so formal?"

"Um, sorry. Been so busy with Uncle's shop and all." Hatori said, feeling the intense gaze of her male friends whom he didn't recognized.

"I'm engaged." She showed him the golden ring. "Isn't that wonderful?"

"Yes. Quite." He barely kept the pain out of his face and voice. "So to whom?"

"Well, I wanted you to meet him. Guys, this is my childhood best friend, Hatori Mitsukin. Tori, this is James. Sirius is the dark haired man, Peter's the shortest, and Remus is the one with graying hair."

"Nice to meet you." Hatori's sense suddenly went into overdrive. His eyes became fixated on the one Lily called Peter. There was something dark about Peter. James' voice startled him out of his daze.

"So, Lily is he normally like this?"

She giggled. "Yes. But isn't he the greatest? He was always there for me."

Hatori closed his eyes. He didn't want to be here, reminded of all the things he couldn't have. Lily's love. His own life.

"Will you attend the wedding, Harry?" She asked him, worry in her voice.

"I'll try, Lily-san."

"Harry?"

"I'm dying, Lily-san." Hatori murmured. "I'm not sure how long I have."

"What?" Lily moved a bit to see his face.

"The reason we fell out of touch is I wanted to spar you the pain of my death." Hatori undid her hand from his arm and took it in his thin hands.

"Harry…" Lily looked up and Hatori looked away.

"Listen, Lily-chan. No matter what happens to me, remember I'll always be there for you if only in spirit." He knew her fiancé and his friends were either pissed or close to.

"But there's ways to prolong your life…"

"I refused. I lived my life to the best of my ability. I have no regrets." He rubbed her hand with his thumb.

"Hatori."

"I guess you got to get going. I'll try to be there for the wedding. I promise."

Hatori watched everyone was they went about so cheerily. The reception was a happy occasion. He moved slowly through the crowd. The bride and groom were dancing so beautifully. He hoped that they would live happily, but in his heart, he sense that it might not be one of those happy-ever-afters.

He pulled his courage together and asked to cut in to the happy couple. James shot him a dirty look as Lily allowed him to whisk her away. He pretended for a moment he was married to her and savored the moment.

The moment lasted only for a few seconds. People started screaming. Dark robed people with silver masks were pointing sticks and saying words that killed a few people. A tall man walked arrogantly forward. He smirked at the group on the dance floor.

"Well, well. Look at the muggle dancing with the mudblood while her traitorous husband has to stand on the sideline. Humorous."

Lily moved in front of Hatori. "Leave,Voldemort! You have no right here."

"Ah, I see the pretty mudblood stalling for time. No matter. No one will come in time to save you."

Voldemort pointed his wand at Lily and muttered the words that had killed several folks already. Without a thought, Hatori pushed Lily out of the way. The green light hit him in the chest. He went down.

He gasped for breath. Voldemort cursed loudly as there was a bright flash of light but then Voldemort and his cronies were gone.

Lily pulled Hatori into her lap. He smiled as best he could.

"But how?" Lily managed through her tears.

"Sh." He hushed her. "I lied that day in the shop. I have two regrets. One was not telling you the truth and not telling you years how I felt. I love you, Lily. Always has and always will."

He coughed as he felt the spell pulled at his soul and the pain in his chest. "The reason I never told you was … I'm a half-demon."

He wheezed and looked into her eyes. "I want you to be happy, Lily." He smiled wryly. "Sometimes I wish we could go back … when I used to wait for you in the rain."

Lily was crying. "Yes. I'm sorry, Harry."

"Love you, Lily." Hatori let out his last breath.

"Love you, my Harry." Lily sobbed as she held the body of a half-dragon demon.

"Lily." James peeked into their bedroom. Her best friend had been buried several days ago and she hadn't left the room. She didn't respond.

"Dumbledore told me Hatori managed to call up a powerful spell. Voldemort can't touch you unless you offer to." James felt a stirring of jealousy at the dead demon.

"You're jealousy. Of him and his 'gift'."

"No, Lils." He sat down.

"Yes, you are." James looked away. "You also disliked him because he was there for me and because he loved me. I want to name our first kid Harry." She turned to James. "For his sacrifice. He sacrificed his life for mine."

"Huh?" James stared at her.

"You know he used to wait in the rain for me…God, I miss him." She nestled herself into James. "He told me to be happy. "

She feel asleep. James pulled her closer. He could of sworn he saw the ghost of Hatori watching them both with a bittersweet smile just before he fell asleep. Had he fully awaken, he would have seen the ghost bend down and kiss her on the forehead before fading into the air.