part 2/3
disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
POV Draco
"We are married men, Potter"
"We are twenty-six!"
You look ever so stubborn- I thought- why fight an ending we both know to be inevitable? This wasn't meant to happen anyway. I don't know what I was thinking, letting you back into my life. Our paths weren't meant to meet again: we were convinced we'd be passers-by, glad to walk out of each other's timeline, during which we were simply forced to be around. The parting was meant to be inevitable like a boulder splitting a stream; deliberate like threads pulled apart from a rope. But water flows back together past the boulder, threads curl back into place without the pulling hands. Had this- us- been as inevitable?
Stolen hours from past days, weeks and months may say so; but doubtlessly they were also stolen, perhaps out of someone else's life, perhaps from another universe of space and time. Fate's just playing with us. Throwing you back into my life for us to push each other away. This time, we'd have to force ourselves to jostle back to our separate paths, those we're meant to be on all along. Silently watching your eyes, I know that you know it too.
"We are both fathers, Potter"
"We-"
My stomach squeezed painfully as you cut yourself off. Of course, everything I'm saying, you already know, but someone has to spell it on the parchment. I hate having to be the one.
The green of your eyes sunk, into a darkened abyss.
I'm sorry they were saying to me I'm being a selfish coward
"You love them", I don't know how I was remaining calm, "You can't leave them behind", it hurts to add to the pain in your eyes.
"I just hoped for once I don't need to be the wizarding world's picture-perfect symbol." Still that edge of independence could be heard in your voice, as pointless as it is, screaming through the quiet remorse. That's perhaps one of the reasons why I liked you so much. "I guess it was too much. I guess now it's too late."
"Being picture-perfect doesn't mean you have to be unhappy. You're forgetting how much you love them."
"But I-"
"No, Harry." I can almost hear the ghost of your voice 'but I love you too', unbearably tickling my mind.
"But-"
"Don't." Don't make this even harder- I closed my eyes for a moment, silently praying.
Finally, I saw you slowly nodding, while taking my left hand in yours and squeezing it. Two different wedding bands stood out against our entwined fingers, a sight which seems to seal both our doubts.
"I'm sorry"
I shook my head.
I thought another moment might just break me, so I stepped forward to embrace you- possibly for the last time. Knowing so, your arms didn't hesitate to hold me close; both of us relishing the familiar reassurance in the contact yet mourning the appending, permanent loss of it.
After what seemed like forever, you were the one to first step back.
Our eyes probably spelled the word we couldn't bring each other to say. Goodbye
At your nod, I apparated.
Umm, yeah. It's a break-up story. Hopefully the POV switch wasn't too confusing.
Review? Like I said last time this is my first story and I really would appreciate some feedback!
~Helena H.