-1An instant, a moment that's all I ever needed. Just enough time for my camera to flash, and than that moment, that small amount of time would be forever frozen. With my camera I could make a moment last a life time, never to be forgotten.
It was just one of those days. A day when you knew you shouldn't have gotten out of bed that morning, but you had to anyway. It started out all wrong. From waking up late, to missing breakfast, and failing a surprise test in Potions, everything was just going down hill. Someone spilt pumpkin juice on your paper that you had forgotten to write on bouncing bulbs in Herbologly. Draco and his wonderful gang of snakes pushed you in the halls, causing you to drop your books, and lose your favorite quill. They nearly broke your camera, which you had to carry everywhere.
All the time.
It never left your side.
Your camera was your life, even at such a young age. A tiny budding age of just barely twelve, actually more like eleven, you wouldn't be twelve for another two weeks, and four days. This was only your second year at Hogwarts, and you were still amazed by it. You couldn't get over the feeling that this was a dream; you were afraid you'd get up one morning and hear your brother snoring in the bed below yours. And that scared you more than anything.
But not as much as breaking your camera, or disappointing Harry.
Harry Potter.
The boy who lived.
Whatever he was called, he was still your idol.
Your role model.
Your biggest hero.
Even more so than your father.
Yes, this boy was amazing.
And you wanted to have everything to do with him, even if it cost you any type of friends. Did people think you were stupid? You could hear all the muttering they did when you were around; 'Potter's Pansy'was one of your many nicknames they liked to call you when they thought your back was turned. But you didn't let it get to you, because the smile on his face was worth it every time.
His small little smile that started in the corner of his left lip, and spread until it had taken over his whole face. And even when Ron and Hermione, his best friends, started poking fun at him about you, he would still smile. That same smile that was embarrassed and flattered all at once.
His smile made you smile, and the little hair ruffle he gave you now and than, that sent you to the moon.
But you knew this had to stop. Whatever it was you were doing, you had to stop. Dennis was now in school, you were the older brother, and you were his role model. You wouldn't have the other kids making fun of Dennis just because of you. Your curiosity in Harry had to stop, for the sake of your brother. Besides you knew that if Harry was in your shoes, this is what he would do.
And so this is what you would do.
"Dennis!" Colin screamed, bending down to pick up his fallen camera. "What did you think you were doing!" The older boy went on, while the younger one began to turn into a blubbering mass. "How many times have I told you not to mess with my bloody camera!"
"I-imm sorrrry, Colllin," Dennis stuttered out trying not to cry.
"Sorry isn't going to cut it!" He said fuming.
Colin Creevy, Potter's Pansy, to more than half the school, had returned to the common room, only to find his brother hovering over something on the floor. Now normally the camera never left his side, but it he had his flying lesson, so he entrusted his brother to take it up to his room and put it away.
The camera was on the floor, the film door busted open. Nothing was broken, just the film was ruined. That hurt Colin more than anything. The camera could be fixed, but the film… the moments he caught in time could never be replaced. One couldn't just recreate points in time, memories that he wished to hold onto. Those frames… they would be lost forever.
Clutching the camera and now ruined film to his small chest, his face turned red, redder than Ronald Weasley's hair. All his screaming had drawn some attention from the people around him.
"I trusted you! I trusted you with the one thing that matters the most to me! And what did you do? You… you… you…" He was huffing and puffing now, not longer able to control even his breathing. "You ruined my film! I've told you over, and over, and over not to look at the film! I can never get those pictures back! Dennis don't you see? I've lost all of my work!" What he really wanted to say was that he had lost all of the memories. Things he wanted to remember for the rest of his life.
The mousy boy, who looked so much like Colin was now crying. Silently, of course, but crying none the less. He said nothing as his older brother carried on, the only noise coming from him was a light whimpering, and the only response Colin got was a trembling lip. But the tears streaming down his brother's face couldn't stop him; he was too mad, too angry.
"That's it!" He was shaking with rage. "That was the late time!" He was now screaming, irrational, clutching the camera so hard it was bound to snap in his tiny hands. "Dennis Creevey! You are no brother of mine!" A bigger crowd was drawing in, as his voice was still growing. "I.. I… I HATE YOU!"
Than he was running, running from the common room, pushing kids out of the way. Dennis buried his face in his hands and he too ran; only he ran up to his dorm and in the opposite direction of his brother. Though Dennis stopped for one quick moment. "I HATE YOU TOO!" His brother screeched back to him before, he let out a sob and ran up the stairs.
The words rung in Colin's ears as he flew out into corridors, and shoved Harry out of his way. Only he didn't know it was Harry at the time. Everyone in the common room was a bit shelled shocked, and had no idea what had just happened or what to do about it. Harry on the other hand winced slightly.
"OI! Watch it!" Ron called after Colin who torn down the corridor.
"Who was that?" Harry asked squinting at the back of Colin's head.
"I think… I think it was Colin… Colin Creevy… " Hermione said.
"You mean Potter's Pansy?" The redhead said, snickering.
"Oh Ron, grow up." Hermione snapped, as the three of them entered the common room. To find everyone still in place, the only sound was what sounded like someone slamming things in one of the dorms. The trio looked confused.
"Neville, what happened?"
It wasn't until after hours did Colin dare return to the common room. After his fight with Dennis he had fled up and in to the highest tower he could find. It was there he curled himself into a corner, after screaming some more, a crying a bit. Alright, more than a bit. He lost it there in that tower. One would wonder what pictures could he hold so dear to him to cause him this much agony. They were pictures of his brother. Dennis' first flying lesson, his first day at Hogwarts. Moments he worked so hard to hold onto, so that he could remember them for the rest of his life.
Colin walked quietly back into the common room and settled himself on a couch, right in the very corner. He was small enough to fit, you know.
The red hot anger that had such a firm grip on his was now gone, and instead a sadness remained in its place. No longer did he care about the pictures, but about what he had said to Dennis. The one person who mattered the most to him. He had told his little brother, his own flesh and blood that he hated him. And in return Dennis told Colin he hated him too. The camera geek felt worse than scum, worse that the scum on the bottom of scum's shoe.
How could he say such mean things to his brother? How would he be able to make that up to Dennis? Colin knew how bad words could hurt, he should know, so how did he allow himself to cause his brother all this pain. Wasn't this what he was trying to protect Dennis from?
Colin sniffed and let his camera sink softly into the cushion besides him. He pulled his knees to his chest, and put his face in his hands. He was crying all over again. The small boy rocked back and forth on the couch, hoping and praying the couch would just swallow him whole so he would never have to face his brother, or anyone, again. He wondered why he was put into Gryffindor, he wasn't brave, and he was a coward. He didn't deserve to be put in the same house as Harry, he didn't even deserve to have Harry be so nice too him, or to be his role model either.
This only made Colin cry harder.
Harry couldn't sleep; it seemed he was sleeping less and less as the days went on. He couldn't explain why, maybe he should figure out how to brew a sleeping potion. Yeah, that's he needed. Reaching for his glasses he put them on and crawled out of bed. Grabbing his invisibility cloak he made his way down the stairs, maybe he'd pay the kitchen a visit. But his mind changed when he heard whimpering, curious he moved quietly towards the sound. By the dim light of the fire he could just make out a mass of a boy curled into a ball.
Due to his crying he didn't hear anyone approaching, not that Harry made any noise
because the boy didn't, he almost screamed when he heard someone whisper, "Colin?" But he did jump, and turned wildly in the direction of the noise. Even with the crude light he was able to tell that it was Harry, normally he would have relaxed, but this was not a normal day. Instead the tears only fell harder, and he quickly his hid his face in his hand.
"Go away." Came his mumbling voice creaked through his sobs.
Harry was slightly astonished to hear Colin telling him to 'Go away', this was Colin, and he wasn't called Potter's Pansy for nothing. He stood there a moment longer looking at sobbing boy on the couch before moving to take the sit next to him. He wrapped an arm around him awkwardly.
"Leave me alone." Colin said, but made no effort in pulling out of Harry's semi-embrace, if anything he seemed to have curled himself into an even smaller ball. "I'm sorry Harry, I'm so sorry." He muttered.
"What, why?" Asked a confused Harry.
"For everything I ever did. I knew taking pictures of you was only making things worse for you, and I still took them… I was being selfish… I'm sorry." Harry went to speak, but Colin wasn't finished. "I'm sorry that I yelled at Denny, I really am… I didn't mean it… I love him… he's my brother… and… and…" He couldn't finish it was becoming too hard to try and talk.
Harry pulled Colin to a small embrace, pulling the smaller boy's body against his. Colin's body shook with sobs, and he grabbed onto Harry as if there was nothing else to hold onto. The only words Harry could make out of the younger boy were the word 'sorry'. He seemed to be repeating it over and over again like some kind of mantra. Harry did his best to try and comfort Colin, rubbing his back some, and making soothing noises. He was quite new at this you see.
"Please… Harry… just … go…" Colin murmured as he pushed Harry away ever so slightly. "I'll… I'll ….be alright…." He muttered softly, already getting his ragged breaths under control.
Harry pulled back at Colin's wish, but never fully let go of the second year. The smaller boy sat up, and pulled himself out of Harry's lap, which he had gotten pulled into when Harry tried to comfort him.
"I'm sorry." Came Colin's tiny voice, once more.
"Don't be." He smiled.
"But I am.. I.. I didn't mean to cause you any problems, Harry."
"You didn't." Which was a lie.
"I know I did. I was an idiot, I am an idiot. But I only didn't it because.. Well… you're my role model Harry." Colin blushed.
"Me?"
"Yeah, I want to be just like you someday…."
"Why?"
Colin blinked, he never really knew why; he just knew that he wanted to be like Harry. The boy who lived was a great person, and there was just something about him that touched Colin deep in his soul that made him want to do good, to do the right things in life. And Colin wanted to have that effect on someone one day, he wanted to be able to touch the hearts of the people around him, and just make them feel good about themselves… even if it was only for a little while. "Thank you…. for everything."
"No problem." Harry said getting up and offering Colin a hand as well. "What are friends for?" He smiled, which felt like the sun shinning again.
"We're friends?" Colin asked, a bit dumbfounded.
Harry chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, just promise to stop taking pictures of me all the time."
Again Colin blushed, but smiled, grabbed Harry's outstretched hand and pulled himself up. The older boy leaned forward and used his thumbs to brush away the last of the tears on his face. Colin placed his hands over Harry's keeping them on his face, and Harry made no move to remove them. They stood there, for a few seconds, Harry stroking Colin's cheeks with his thumbs before anything happened.
Colin was shorted than Harry by at least a whole head; he pushed himself up on his tippy-toes and let his hands rest against Harry's chest. Lips like butterfly wings fluttered against the boy who lived. Colin's eyes drifted closed, as Harry pressed his lips back in return.
But in an instant it as all over.
An instant was all it took.
It was all he needed.
All you needed, all you would ever need.
With a smile as wide, and as bright as the sun, you grabbed your camera and dashed up the stairs. Leaving a shocked and startled Harry behind you.
This was one time when I didn't need my camera to help remember this moment in time… this tiny, minuscule moment. The tiny, minuscule moment that meant the world to me. But when I was safely hidden in my bed, I snapped a quick picture of my smile. So that I would never forget, ever.
Just in case.
Author's Note: My first slash.. I hope you enjoyed it.