TITLE: Didn't Get to Say Goodbye
RATING: T
GENRE: Friendship (I think)
SUMMARY: Before Harry goes into the Forbidden Forest, he doesn't say goodbye.
Didn't Get to Say Goodbye
"HARRY!"
Hermione came running towards him, her hair flying wild. She was casting spells, jets of light flying from her wand so quickly that all Harry could see was a blur.
No. This wasn't planned.
"Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione reached him and grabbed his arm. "You're not leaving, are you?"
"No, of course not!" Harry said quickly. The lie tasted bitter on his tongue.
"Good," Hermione said. She released his arm. Harry felt the Snitch Dumbledore had left him trying to open its wings, but he pressed against it.
Hermione was about to say something else, but then a spell nearly hit her, clearly aiming for the now visible Harry. She shouted and started casting maniacally again.
Harry sighed in relief. He glanced down at the cold Snitch, still trying to pathetically beat its wings against his palm.
It would be so much easier for Ron and Hermione if Harry did this.
It was for them, he told himself as he slipped the Invisibility Cloak over his shoulders. Hermione clearly thought that he was just wearing it to not become a target, because she flashed a small, brief smile at him then returned to fighting.
It was his fault, all of this.
Harry exited quietly.
The woods seemed even more haunting at this crucial moment in time. Harry forced down his fear.
He didn't get to say goodbye.
But he chose to, didn't he? It was his fault he didn't say goodbye.
He glared at the Snitch. Somehow, blaming it made him feel better.
Harry was a coward, and he knew it.
Sirius - and his parents - would be ashamed of him, but again, Harry thought, he was in a rather...delicate situation.
He spoke words to the air, words that Ron and Hermione - nobody - would ever hear.
"I'm sorry."
Written for Auction - Day 1, Auction 2 - (plot point) not saying goodbye to someone - and Shiny Collecting - 16. snitch
WC: 301