Flutterby, Butterfly.

Chapter Four.

It was the Final Battle.

There were shouts, screams and flashes of light around every corner of the once historic castle, that now resemble a ruin that should no longer be entered. Harry couldn't stand it any longer. Seeing the destruction, the injured.

The dead.

George was now without his other half, his twin brother, Fred.

Little baby Teddy – his very own godson – with now without his father Remus. Or his mother Tonks.

There would never be another over-exuberant photo taken by Colin Creevey.

There would be no more giggles and gossip from Pavarti without her best friend Lavender Brown.

To Harry, it felt like there would be no more happiness.

He knew what he had to do and although it pained him to admit it (even to himself) he knew Pansy Parkinson was correct. He had to go. And it was exactly what he did.

Turning he walked from the Great Hall, out the Entrance Hall and through the destroyed court yard towards the forest. Towards his fate, his end.

He thought that no one had seen him leave. But watching from a hospital wing window, Gabrielle watched as Harry walked further and further away from the castle and she didn't even attempt to stop the tears from falling. Kissing the tips of her fingers she gently pressed them to the window at the place she last saw Harry, before raising her wand, determined to give Harry one last gesture of hope and happiness.

She conjured one last butterfly.

The happy shouts bombarded Harry's ears as he left the Headmaster's office. Having just seen Snape's memories, Harry didn't feel much like celebrating, he merely wanted to retrieve his old potion professors' body and go to bed, he just hoped he didn't encounter any well-wishers on his way down to the Shrieking shack. He had just reached the court yard undetected when he heard his name.

Turning around he couldn't help the relieved smile from crossing his face when he saw Gabrielle stood next to the rubble. Her golden hair was matted and filthy, with smears of dirt and dust across her usually clear and perfect face. Her clothes were torn and equally dirty, but to Harry, she looked absolutely beautiful, but it was none of these things that caught his attention.

It was her eyes.

Her beautiful blue eyes - that were now such a familiar colour to him - were shining with life and unshed tears as she gingerly made her way over the rubble towards him. Meeting her half way he had to take a small step back to stop them from falling to the ground as Gabrielle threw herself at him, her arms wrapping around his neck as his own snaked around her waist, lifting her up and spinning her around, the two laughing lightly as they celebrated in their own way, being alive.

"Harry, I'm so happy to see you again," Gabrielle told him with a happy smile, tears streaming down her face leaving clean tracks in the dirt.

"I owe it to you Gabrielle. You and your little butterflies," he told her, grinning at her surprised expression. "I realised it the moment I saw you again. Who else could create such beauty, and such a stunning colour, I'll never forget that blue for as long as I live," he told her looking into her brilliant blue eyes.

"So … You don't mind that I kept sending them to you? You didn't think they were annoying or silly?" she asked nervously, hoping she hadn't spent the last ten months annoying and distracting Harry.

"I looked forward to every one of them. Whenever they burst into dust, I counted the seconds until I got the next one," he told her taking her hands in his own. "They … You saved my life Gabrielle, you truly did."

Smiling shyly up at him, Gabrielle rested her head against Harry's chest, both their arms tightening around the other as they celebrated in their own way, surviving.

"What are you doing here anyway? You never mentioned coming to Hogwarts," he whispered to her as he held her in his arms.

Shaking her head she looked up at him, a happy and content smile on her face, "It doesn't really matter does it? I'm here, with you and you're alive. That's all that matter at the moment," she told him before pulling him down for their first kiss.

If either of them had dwelled on their lost kiss at Fleur's wedding, the reality far exceeded their widest imaginings. Her soft lips melded perfectly to Harry's dry, rough ones, the two quickly and easily getting lost in one another. It wasn't until Harry remembered he had somewhere to go, that he reluctantly pulled away slightly from the younger girl.

"I've got to go get something … someone important," he told her looking down at her slightly flushed face, knowing that he most likely looked the exact same (albeit slightly dirtier). "Wait in the castle for me? I'm sure Fleur wants to see you again."

Nodding Gabrielle reached up and placed another soft kiss on Harry's lips before retreating back into the castle, realising that whomever Harry had to collect, he had to collect them alone.

But she still counted the seconds until she saw him again.

Well that was chapter 4! I hoped you liked it, I had to put a little mention of Snape in there, I cried when I read he died, never mind the watching it, so I had to honor him.

Next up is the epilogue.