They came early to the Great Hall for breakfast, but they didn't eat. They sat in silence and stared at Ernie Macmillan's back. They had already tried to persuade Professor Sprout to let him down, but the Headmaster had been clear on his and Neville's punishment.
Zacharias was trying to support his friend. Susan was on the threshold of hysterics. Apparently, through their years of friendship, he'd never noticed that she had a thing for Macmillan. She and Hannah left together when they were all shooed from the tables. This was only the second day. How long would they hang on the wall?
He had just risen to file out of the Great Hall when he caught Megan's eye. She looked pale; peaky even. He turned to her, but she only glanced at him and then ran from the Hall.
He caught up with her outside of charms and she threw herself into his arms.
"I don't know what I'd do if that were you," she said, trying not to sob out loud. She kissed him and it took everything he had to push her away just before Alecto Carrow wandered by. They didn't want any of the new staff to see their relationship since two of the sixth years already had had detention for snogging. And they thought Umbridge's special quills were bad.
He reached back and squeezed Megan's hand and as soon as Professor Flitwick opened the classroom door, they filed in, sitting next to each other.
***
"What do you think of that one, Meggie?"
"Stop calling me that."
Zacharias smiled, pointing to the medium sized ring. It was in a silver setting, the bright sapphire perfectly round. "What do you think?"
"I think it matches your eyes."
"Well, I won't be wearing it, will I?"
Megan leaned against his arm, lacing her fingers in his. "Zach." Her voice was pleading and he wondered what it was that was bothering her. He stopped admiring the ring to look into her face. "Zacharias, you know that you can't afford that ring."
"I can," he insisted.
"You can't."
"Megan, I've been saving my money for the last three months, and I'll continue to do that. Not to mention that when we leave Hogwarts, I will be going straight into the Ministry and hopefully the Wizengamot after that. That's an excellent salary. I will be able to easily afford this ring and put money aside for our house." He pulled her into an embrace. "And then you can get started on giving me those babies we talked about."
"If we live," she added, thinking of their plans with the DA.
"Yes. If we live, but Megan…I plan on living. Do you like it? Should we have him hold it for a few months as I save the Galleons?"
She nodded. "Yes. I like it very much."
He smiled and pressed his lips to hers. "Do you want to go to the Three Broomsticks, and have a bite to eat?"
She nodded, and as they left, looked back at the ring as it was put back in the case. She saw the shop clerk put Zach's name on it and she was excited, wondering when he would surprise her with it.
***
"Megan," the voice called from down the stairs.
Megan exchanged a look with Zacharias and hopped off the bed, opening the bedroom door. "Mum, did you call me?"
"Yes, love. I need to go into the Ministry today for a few hours. Do you need me to bring back anything for you and Zach?"
Megan looked back to Zacharias, reading his History of Magic book at her desk. He paused to shake his head, and she called down to her mother, "No, Mum. Thanks."
"Have fun. I'll be back in time to fix dinner."
Megan went back to her bed, lying on her stomach, her own History of Magic book opened as she read. Now that Zacharias had been pulled out of the chapter, he was distracted. He watched Megan fidget with her hair and chew on her finger while she concentrated. His eyes drifted along line of her back as it dipped into her waist and curved out again over her bum. He had a few thoughts running through his head at the moment, and suddenly got the feeling that he was being watched. He jerked his head back up and saw her watching him watching her. Caught. He grinned, thinking it silly to even try and hide it. They had been together for so long now that it was mad to pretend that he wasn't looking at her arse.
He smiled at having been caught, and closed his book quietly, stepping over to the bed and sitting next to her. "What are you reading?"
"Same as you," she answered, looking back to her book. She twitched when he put his hand on her back and kissed her head. Her hair smelled sweet and as he leaned down to kiss her, she rolled over and put her arms around his neck, kissing him first.
His arms went around her and he pressed his body down against hers. He kissed her face and moved his lips bit by bit along her neck, slowly unbuttoning her shirt, rubbing himself against her. The sounds she made were energizing; they made him forget that they were in her parents' house and that they wanted to wait for their marriage. It wouldn't really be that long until the summer after all; unless, of course, they died before the planned wedding. Did it really make a difference? They had been together for nearly two years, and they were here now; alone in the house, and she felt so good under him as he moved aside her clothing to feel the soft skin beneath.
***
Zacharias waited outside the Room of Requirement for over an hour, but no one came out. He had heard Colin screaming at him through the closed door, and then there was silence. The DA must have left a different way. Now that he was no longer one of them, the door wouldn't open in front of him, not even as an exit.
He made his way back to the Common Room and was glad to see his friends had returned. He scanned the room as he closed the door, and easily found Megan surrounded by the other seventh year girls. He had hoped to speak to her after the meeting. He had no idea that Colin would react the way that he did and he knew that he also had overreacted. He took a deep breath, knowing that she would be cross with him, but that didn't matter right now.
The girls parted at his approach, and he noticed Susan's hand on Megan's arm. She stood to face him and Zacharias stood there waiting until they were alone by the table.
"I waited for you," he started, but stopped quickly. There was something about the look on her face. He licked his lips that had suddenly gone dry. He smiled as she lifted her arm. He was thinking that she almost always touched his face or his hair when she kissed him, and he reached for her.
He had never been more surprised when she brought her arm up and slapped him across the face. Hard. It echoed in the quiet room and his face warmed from the solid contact of her hand.
"Don't speak to me again."
"Megan."
She turned and walked away from him, not looking back as the dormitory door closed behind her.
He remained there, too stunned to move, hearing the aversion in her low voice. The sounds of the room began around him again as everyone avoided looking at him. He blinked back his emotions and crossed the room to his own dormitory, leaving the DA to the Common Room.
***
Zacharias leaned his head back against the post. His arms were suspended and he was tired. He glanced around the Great Hall. With Ernie's rescue of Susan this morning, they had taken the rest of the seventh years into the Room of Requirement. All of them. Except him. He looked at Colin and was surprised that the younger boy met his eyes. He looked nervous. Let him wonder, Zach thought. He could take a little Cruciatus. It would be like getting hit with a Bludger, and besides, he would never betray Megan. It didn't matter that she was angry. It didn't matter that she didn't understand his decision to leave the DA. She loved him. He knew that. And he loved her. They would work through it when this term was over.
He felt all eyes on him as he heard Headmaster Snape rise and approach the podium. He couldn't quite see, but there was something about the way Colin was looking at him that made him uneasy and tense.
When he heard the voice, a shiver went up his spine and Colin went pale. Zacharias couldn't turn his head, and he didn't want to look at the man. Hearing his voice was bad enough. He remembered Michael Corner's torture.
Belsen.
Mike had barely survived. Could he do much better? He closed his eyes, trying to find the strength to last. He would have to. He looked at Colin again. He hated Colin. Stupid little boy and his tantrum.
"Well, well, Mr. Smith, is it?" He stepped into Zach's line of sight, and Zach stared straight at him, trying to hide his fear. "I understand that you are descended directly from one of the Founders. That is sad for me, but what must be done, must be done. We would like to know where the rest of your class has disappeared to. And you will tell us."
Zach met his gaze again and steeled himself for the pain that was about to come. He concentrated on Megan and those moments over Easter holiday in her bed. He would win her back, but he had to save her first.
He didn't hear Belsen's words or see his spellwork. There was only one thing on his mind as his eyes closed and his body shuddered from the first assault.
Megan.
***
The night air whipped his hair in his face. He could barely see where he was going. He let his instincts carry his broom away from the fighting at the Battle; away from the castle he had called home for seven years; away from the woman he loved more than his own life. He couldn't fight. He wanted to, but Colin had seen to his impotence on any DA run battlefield, so he got his broom, and he flew.
He landed hard in the middle of the courtyard, stupefying anyone who came between him and Justin. Justin was astonished to find Zacharias here, using magic, breaking the Secrecy Statute with such impunity. It didn't take him long to see the desperation in Zach's face as he explained what was happening at Hogwarts.
Justin didn't even change as he leapt on his own broom heading to Hogwarts as Zacharias headed off to get any more Muggle-Borns that he could to return with him.
***
Zacharias waited as patiently as he could until finally he could take it no longer. He put his hands on the work station. "Please. Megan Jones. She's come from Hogwarts. I'd like to see her."
The nurse put up one finger and thumbed through the charts, finally nodding and walking out from behind the desk. Zach made to follow, but she put up her hand and shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I'll check with the family. Who are you exactly?"
"Zacharias Smith. Megan and I are to be married."
He remained by the desk, tapping on the top. He watched as others were brought in from Hogwarts and other places around Britain. Now that word had spread of Voldemort's defeat, others had risen up against the Death Eaters in their towns. There were sporadic moments of St. Mungo's shaking and he briefly wondered what was happening at the Ministry, where his father was, but there was time for that.
Megan came first.
The nurse returned quickly, and the look on her face made Zacharias feel ill. Something wasn't right. He met her halfway down the hall, trying to keep his emotions in check; his voice even. "Can I see her now?"
"No. I'm sorry, Mr. Smith. You can't go in now."
"Is she all right? When can I see her?"
The nurse gave him an unconvincing smile. "I'm sorry, Mr. Smith. You can't see her."
"I don't understand," he interrupted.
"She told me to tell you to go away. She doesn't want to see you at all. I'm sorry." The nurse turned away and Zacharias felt as though he had been slapped again.
He looked down the corridor where the nurse had come from and then approached her again.
"Will she be all right," he asked in a whisper.
"It will take some time, but yes. She'll be okay."
He turned away, taking out his wand and Disapparating.
