Serella and Ron had just finished eating their sandwiches with Ginny when the door of the kitchen opened and a very worried te

Serella and Ron had just finished eating their sandwiches with Ginny when the door of the kitchen opened and a very worried teenage boy rushed in, nearly tackling her to the floor.

"Hello to you too Harry, long time no see?" She didn't resist the warmth she found in his embrace; it was too comforting for her right now. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his waste and silently prayed that he would let go.

"The twins explained what happened on the way over here, I'm just so happy that you're ok." If was possible, he held her tighter to his body, crushing the very air out of her lungs, but she still didn't complain.

"Unfortunately the sick bastard was too much of a coward to try and take me on face to face, I would have killed him Harry, I swear I would have." She spoke with force into his chest where her face was now hidden in fear that she was going to start crying again.

"They must have seen you duel before, or heard of your undefeated reputation."

"Why did they leave me alive? It's not fair, it's just not fair. They deserved to live Harry; they were the best people in the world. They didn't deserve to die! I should have been awake, I should have done something." Holding back the tears was something she could no longer do. They came out like a river, forming a small wet spot where her face was pressed against his shirt.

"Sere, don't blame yourself for this. There was nothing you could have done and you know it. When Voldemort wants someone dead there's nothing anyone can do to stop him. I don't care why they left you alive; all I care about is that they did."

"I want to trade places with them! The way that they died was terrible. I'd rather it be me, they didn't deserve that."

"Don't talk like that. You can't change what happened and you can't wish that. No one deserves to die at the hands of such dark people, but you can't wish to trade places. You have such a life for you."

"Really? What's going to happen after school? After sixth year, where am I supposed to live over the holidays? And after school, after we've graduated I mean, where am I supposed to go? They didn't plan for this to happen, they planned for me to live with them until I was ready to move out. Now what am I supposed to do?"

"Serella, don't worry about that. You honestly think that I'm going to let you live out on the streets after school?"

"I don't know Harry, I don't know anything anymore." She adjusted her fingers that were knotted up in fists, clenched in her shirt and spread out her palms, running them up to rest on the back of his shoulders. She heard him let out a deep sigh as she moved her hands but didn't think anything of it.

"Serella, I'll always take care of you. Remember that ok." She could feel his voice rumbling in his chest as he started to rub her back with one of his hands, still not moving the other that was holding her firmly around the waste.

"Thank you Harry, thank you so much."

"For what?" He chuckled again, sending those vibrations from his chest through her own body.

"For being my friend, for always being there for me no matter how small of a thing I'm upset about. You're a really good friend you know that?"

"I had my suspicions. You never have to thank me for any of that, though it is rather nice to hear. Sometimes I think that I should be thanking you, Ron and Hermione for being my friends despite all the near death experiences."

"I wouldn't know about those, you never let me go remember?"

"It's all for your own good."

"It's only because you know I'll show you up."

"No, it's because if anything happened to you due to something that I caused, I would never be able to forgive myself."

"Someday you're going to let me come with you guys."

"Maybe, but hopefully there won't be another time like that."

"We both know the answer to that." They both knew that she was right. It was inevitable that Harry was going to have to face the Dark Lord in the end, but it was also something she dreaded to think about.

"Uh, if you guys are going to be like that can you at least go someplace people aren't going to walk in?" Ginny stomped back up the stairs once she set sights on Serella embracing Harry, neither one of them had yet to figure out why she behaved that way.

Serella groaned inwardly as Harry suddenly broke the embrace, taking away all the warmth that he had brought in with him. She wanted nothing more than to sink back against his chest and pretend that everything that happened was just a dream.

"I wonder why she acts like that." Harry wondered aloud.

"I don't know. She used to like me, but here lately she seems to hate me so much."

"Another mystery for another day I suppose. How about we go find Ron and bug him about the whole situation with him and Hermione?"

"Now that sounds like something productive to do. Any idea where he went off to?"

"Not a clue." Harry lead the way up the stairs all the way up to Ron's bedroom where he had hoped to find his best friend, but instead the two found Bill just now arriving with all of Serella's things.

"I was just about to come and find you," He levitated the trunk down onto the floor, "I hope you don't mind, but I didn't feel comfortable packing your unmentionables, so I just magiced the whole drawer into your trunk."

For the first time all day Serella genuinely laughed. "It's ok Bill, thank you again."

"No problem. Now, for serious business, Dumbledore is insisting that you all go, well, you know where, by the end of the week for safety. So I suggest not unpacking just yet."

"Ok. Did he say what day we'll be leaving on?" Asked Harry, just as Bill was about to disaperate again.

"No, mum should know though, and if she doesn't then he'll probably send you lot an owl later on." Before either one of them could question him again, with a loud crack, he disappeared.