Wanting Something More
Chapter Twenty Four: Wanting Love
Brittany milled about the house she and Harry would one day share together. Kreacher and Dobby became concerned she was depressed. Brittany would wave them off and tell them she was alright. Dobby and Kreacher had spent four months living with the normally vivacious woman, they knew she was not alright. She still practiced her magic, but she rarely smiled anymore.
Brittany could not understand why they had to leave if they were planning on brewing the Polyjuice potion. Harry and Hermione could have planned their heist of the wizarding bank at home, with her. Instead Harry held firm on leaving the next day as he had planned. The tearful goodbye left her feeling like something was off in her life. She instinctively knew that more bad was going to be coming their way, but she was stuck being protected in the home she wished to share with the man she loved.
She had placed herself at risk and Harry could not trust her not to get into danger. He made sure both house elves were not allowed to apparate her from the house, nor let her leave for any reason. April was upon them and Brittany was left staring out at the sunlight wishing for freedom. She could not fault Harry for her overzealous protection. She knew if she stepped outside someone would be waiting to use her against Harry in the coming battle. Even still the feeling of being useless invaded her thoughts like never before.
Harry was putting his life, his future, his everything on the line for this war. Yet here she sat just waiting for him to walk through the door. She had long run out of books to read from the Library she had not already from her own collection at Zabini Manor. The redecoration was finished, and there was little else besides her practicing magic to do. She almost wished for a lecture from Snape. She missed her friends as well. She had never gone more than a month without seeing either Scarlett, Nix, or Seth. The loneliness in her heart continued to fester as the month of April dragged onwards. Her sleep schedule had shifted to sleeping during the day as the sight of the sun made her feel more prisoner than she had wanted. She wanted to avoid her spiraling depression as much as she was able.
It was a Tuesday evening when she woke to hearing Kreacher and Dobby shouting at someone downstairs. She bolted awake and rushed to the stairs, hoping it was Harry, but wand in hand in case an intruder had entered instead. Surprisingly it was Severus Snape sneering at the house elves in the foyer. She rushed back to their room and threw on a robe, to ward of the chill.
"Professor, is there some reason you've come here?" Brittany questioned as she moved down the stairs, her steps careful, wand at the ready.
"Miss Zabini, it would appear that Potter has failed to take my advice." The nasily retort came quickly. It was easily apparent that Snape had figured as much would happen.
"He's keeping me safe, it helps him to focus on the war. Not having to worry about my safety." Brittany replied easily with a cautious smile.
"At least he's attempting to use that brain of his." Snape gave the young woman a nod of his head and sat down. "Join me."
"Is it often in the middle of a war to have a cup of tea with your ally's future wife and weakness?" Brittany pressed, her response guarded.
"Only when it pertains to winning the war." Snape's equally elusive reply had Brittany forcing back a frown.
"Dobby, could you please get myself and my guest some tea and refreshments, then leave us. Kreacher, please get a fire going and leave us as well." Brittany replied, her eyes never leaving Snape's.
"So wary, are you afraid after all I've done I would harm you?" Snape wondered at the response. It was rare to verbally spar with a teenager. Having been raised in on of the older wizarding families she had been well versed in the intricacies of subtle conversation. "Or perhaps, you are more afraid I am here to deliver you to the Dark Lord?"
"Neither, but one can never be to cautious in times of war. Prove to me you are Severus Snape, and we will disperse with the formailties." Brittany pressed.
Snape's eyes glinted. "During your fourth year you expressed concerns that Draco Malfoy would attempt to, accost, you again. He tried while you were on your own, serving detention for a fight you had with Miss Parkinson. He had grippped you by the hair and was actively attempting to woo you. He had managed to remove your tie, and was working on your shirt when I happened upon the scene. I told him if I ever witnessed or heard he attempted something of the like again I would bring him before Dumbledore and have him expelled. You begged me to swear to silence, and I did." Snape recounted details, without humiliating the witch.
"You should have warned me then. What they had done to us." Brittany hissed.
Snape's eyes dimmed for just an instant, Brittany almost missed the guilt that flashed across his eyes. "Perhaps he would not be in the state he is now. I had thought I could keep him in check. I never suspected that the Dark Lord was even then preparing for a loss. His mortality has been weighing on him since the moment Potter escaped the graveyard."
Dobby appeared and set the tea tray down and his hand reached out to Brittany's. She gave the elf and affectionate rub on the ear. Dobby vanished with a pop and she reached for her tea. "What are you here for?"
"You, Miss Zabini." Snape replied with a smirk. Straight to business then.
"I can't do much to help you from here." Brittany waved her hand at the room they were in, her safe house, her prison.
"No, but I think there is one angle Dumbledore never explored." Snape was still tight lipped about his carefully laid plans.
"How can I help? I've just been thrust into the loop. Not much experience with Dark Lords and war." Brittany smirked a little despite the tension in her stomach.
"No, but you have a remarkable quality to make Potter think. He needs to use his brain. He's far too much like his father, and not enough of his mother. He needs cunning and wit to win this war. Brute force and power will only get him so far." Snape explained with ease sipping his tea while he inspected the redecorated room.
"Harry has Hermione, and she's far more brilliant then I am." Brittany waved his praise off.
"Yes, Miss Granger is brilliant, but she is not versed in cunning, ruthless, manipulative paths." Snape curled his lips into a smirk over the tea cup. "Frankly none of them are capable of doing what must be done, and I have yet to see if you will."
"I would do anything for Harry!" Brittany ground out, her teeth grinding painfully to keep from shouting.
"Even give your life?" Snape pressed.
Brittany sat for a few moments and thought. "I would give my life for his, but I would do so only in the most dire of circumstances. If I died." She let the comment drag off.
"If you were to die, he would feel a devastation he has not truly felt. He loves his parents, but he was not old enough to know the loss of a loved one at such a young age. He cared for Dumbledore and that hit closer to home. Sirius Black was not in his life enough to make the impact truly devastating. It traumatized him and wounded him greatly but he still forged on. You hold his heart and if he lost you he may well loose the will to live."
"Why would you want that?" Brittany whispered, her tea cup rattling in her hands.
"I would never wish your death Miss Zabini. There are certain matters that Potter himself may not fully be aware." Snape's cryptic replies were beginning to irritate the young witch.
"I would never betray him, and I would protect him and aid him with all that I am. Please let me help him. It's killing me to be stuck here while he risks his life."
"I have a plan." Snape's words came slowly and with great hesitation.
Brittany listened as she sipped her tea, his own laying forgotton. She blanched at a few of his details and wonder just how much of this battle Severus Snape saw as a giant game of chess. How much of this whole ordeal, from the moment of Lily Potter's death to know had his mind planned out the moves years ahead of anyone else involved. How could he have adapted after her insertion into their lives, she would never know. The plan was set and she just hoped Harry would not hate her for it. This was a dangerous game they would be playing. Snape had done so all his life, and Brittany was no greenhorn to manipulating situations to her advantage.
"How can you be sure of what will happen?" Brittany was white as a sheet and shaking. It was her eyes, fierce and determined that urged his response.
"I've been planning my revenge for the death of the woman I loved for seventeen years. I made it my business to know how all players would act. Have faith, and follow what I've told you and we may find the end of this road nearly unscathed."
Brittany snorted. "We'll get hurt."
"That is to be expected of war. Getting a little bloody is inevitable."
It had been two weeks since the young witch had seen Severus Snape. She held her breath at every sound, expecting him to waltz into the foyer and tell her it was time. Her anxiety was making her insomnia that much worse. Finally late on a Friday evening Brittany had felt a pull inside herself. Something was wrong. All day she prepared for Snape to come gather her up for his grandest of plots.
Kreacher and Dobby had eventually convinced her to sleep. Brittany, had begrudgingly allowed them to feed her a sleeping draught and fell into the inky blackness of a restless sleep. A loud bang woke her, and she shot out of bed faster than if the bed had been on fire. The high pitched shouts alerted to her that Snape had arrived. Either Harry was dead, The war was over and Snape had not needed her aid, or it was time. Brittany prayed that all was over, but the twisting in her gut told her otherwise.
She made her way down the stairs finally having enough of the high pitched shrieks. "Dobby, Coffee. Kreacher, Fire." She groaned out. "Please stop yelling."
Snape looked up at the woman who had impressed him a few months prior and scowled. "You look awful." He stated simply.
"Harry refused to let me help him. I'm forbidden to leave for everyone's safety, and I'm terrible bored." She paused for a moment as she sat in one of the lounge chairs. "I may also be suffering from depression as well."
Snape wondered at her change in attitude. "He's not dead. That's not why I've come here."
Brittany smiled. "I know, you probably would not have suffered the screeching if he was. So, why are you here? Harry send you to check to make sure I've not found a way outside?"
Snape grinned at the female. "No I'm here to take you to him."
"The battle's over? Is Harry still in one piece? What about my friends, did everyone make it?" Brittany pressed for answers. Surely Snape being here meant Harry was alive and just unable to grab her himself.
"No." Snape stopped as Dobby set down the cup of coffee and glared back at the Hogwarts Headmaster.
"Dobby why are you glaring at Professor Snape?" Brittany snapped.
"He's come to take you away. Harry Potter said you were not to leave until he came here himself." Dobby grumbled a bit. Harry had scolded him for taking Brittany to Malfoy Manor and he was not about to fail his friend again.
"Harry forbade me from walking out the door and apparating with you or Kreacher. He never said Snape could not fetch me himself." Brittany shot back in annoyance.
"Miss Brittany is safe here. She is not safe out there and we are supposed to keep Miss Brittany safe." Dobby argued back.
"I'm going insane sitting here Dobby." Brittany whispered. "I am not the type of person to just sit back and wait while someone else does everything to protect me."
"Which is why you are coming with me to help that stubborn fool." Snape added.
Brittany turned to him and almost let the coffee cup slip from her hands. "Wait the war isn't over?"
"No the battle is going on right now." Snape replied with ease.
"How are you even here then?" She shouted standing up and letting the cup fall to the floor.
"Because Potter needs you. I have a few more minutes left to take you back to the castle then report back to the Dark Lord. I need you to ready yourself." Snape replied gravely.
"Why didn't you say so? Kreacher Dobby go get my things, Now!" She shouted.
Kreacher and Dobby took a few moments to stare at her before complying with her request. They had to do as she asked still. Brittany turned to Snape and glared at him. "You want me to go to the final battle in my pajamas?"
Snape smirked. "I had not thought you would be lounging in your pajamas at nine o'clock. He gave her a critical eye, or sleeping."
"How can you be so calm?" Brittany shouted at the man.
"Because my dear girl, I have a plan. We've been over this." Snape replied with a sickly sweet smile.
"I know, but how can you be so sure that it will work?" Brittany seemed unsure. "How can you insure that we make it through this with as little casualties?"
"I've seen into the Dark Lord's mind and I know how this will play out. While this is a war, this fight is a battle, and there is a strategy to knowing all the players involved. You must follow my instructions to the letter. Do this and we will hopefully make it out of this mess with as few needless sacrifices as possible." Snape's confidence seemed to rub off on her a little as Dobby and Kreacher reappeared with her bag, stocked with healing potions, her wand, some clothes, and a pair of her shoes.
"Well, do you mind turning around so I can change?." Brittany replied. "If we pull this off,"
"When we pull this off." Snape chastised. He waited, hearing the rustling of her clothes.
"When we pull this off, this will have been the most elaborate victory of all time." Brittany smirked.
"Certainly will be one for the history books."
"Maybe Professor Binns will even have a lesson on it in a few centuries." Brittany teased.
"Oh let's hope it's at least that long. Potter does not need that kind of ego boost." Snape grumbled. He steeled his face and seemed to be staring into her soul. "I swore to myself I would protect Lily's child, and I will do for her son I could not do for her. Prepare yourself."
Brittany had no more than nodded her head before they had apparated directly into the Hallway outside of the Room of Requirement. Brittany swayed on her feet a little and felt the whoosh of Snape leaving her side. She hoped healing potions she demanded Snape take, helped. They had yet to be fully tested. Guess a war is the best test run they'll ever get.
She had just managed to get her baring before she heard the voice of the man she loved as he came rushing up the stairs with Neville Longbottom. "Brittany? What the bloody hell are you doing here?" He practically screamed.
Brittany turned and smiled at him as Harry rushed to her and began checking her over for injuries. "I'm fine Harry." She whispered.
"Did they break into the house? Did Dobby or Kreacher bring you here to keep you safe?" Harry pressed. He had thought it might happen and had ordered them to bring her to him at Hogwarts if the wards at Grimwauld Place were breached.
Brittany shook her head. "Snape came at the last minute as they were about to enter and got me here. He left to report I was not in the house to Lord Moldybutt."
Harry wanted to scream at her, but if Grimwauld was no longer safe, he would keep her at his side for as long as possible. "I know where another Horcrux is." Harry declared.
"Well then let's go! Oh Neville, Professor Snape said to tell you to go to his office and grab a few things." She handed him a list. "Maybe get Luna to help you. Also, you might want to tell her you love her. War and all."
"How did you?" Neville shook his head and nodded. "Right. Wow, he's thought of everything hasn't he?" Neville smiled.
"You have no idea. Just go, and Hurry." Brittany pressed. "If you see Scarlett, Nix, or Seth tell them I'll meet up with them soon." Brittany looked at Harry's hand and noticed the Basilisk Fang. "Where are Hermione and Ron?" She watched Neville run off down the hall and wished the boy luck.
"With the Rest of the DA. They are helping get the younger students into the Dungeons to keep them safe. Snape warded them before hand." Harry explained. "They are all safe. I just saw them."
Brittany threw her arms around the man she loved and kissed him like she would never be able to do so again. Harry responded to the kiss immediately. His hands were shaking, from adrenaline or happiness he was unsure. His lips were pressed to hers and he pulled her to his body so tightly she squeaked a little in pain. Harry did not care and winced when one hand gripped his hair so tightly pulling him more forcefully to her. His hand dug into her back as his gripped her, his lips moving frantically trying to convey all his love and fear to her. Her own lips moved soothingly, telling him without words that she was with him and that everything was going to be alright. Eventually they parted with heavy panting and sounds of distant battles being fought ringing in their ears.
"I'm glad Snape got you out. Stick close to me alright." Harry's hand refused to release the woman he loved just yet.
"I'll always be with you Harry." Brittany promised with a ferocity she had never shone before. "So where are we going?"
"Right here, the Room of Requirement is whatever a person needs them to be. Voldemort never had time to remove the Horcrux from Hogwarts so he stashed it in here thinking he was the only one who knew this room existed. Clearly he never met my father and his friends." Harry explained.
"Smug Prick." Brittany growled. "Well let's go get that Horcrux."
The pair waited while the Room of Requirement shifted to allow them entrance into the Room of Hidden Things. Brittany held onto Harry's hand as tightly as she was able. "You know I love you right?"
"Yeah, and you know I love you." Harry replied back as the door began forming.
"No matter what I'll be yours forever." Brittany moved to open the door.
"Britt, you're starting to worry me here." Harry held his ground and looked his girlfriend in the eye.
"Don't worry Harry. I just wanted to tell you before things get really serious." Brittany beamed at him.
"Don't talk like that. We are going to get through this. I have to save you from Malfoy still." Harry shrugged off the alarm bells and nodded. "Let's go."
Brittany looked at the room in horror. "How in the hell are we supposed to find the horcrux in this?"
Harry groaned. He hardly wanted to tell his girlfriend about how he could feel the Horcruxs. "Accio Horcrux." Nothing happened. "Figures. I know what it looks like. It's the Diadem of Ravenclaw."
Brittany perked up at that tidbit. "Like the one on the Bust in the Ravenclaw Common Room?" Brittany smiled.
Harry looked at his girlfriend oddly as they entered the room. "How did you?"
"Nix." She replied simply. "Let's go get us a Diadem. Hopefully it won't take us all year to find it. We do have a deadline you know." She tried to lighten the mood as she pulled him along.
"Oh we'll find it before then. I mean I've been looking forward to the special night once this battle over." Harry teased back, unable to help himself.
"Get your mind out of the gutter Harry and help me look." She poked him in the side.
Harry and Brittany began sifting through the items. The search was taking a while as Brittany and Harry waded through all the items people had left in the room to be forgotten. After about twenty minutes Harry felt he was nearing the Diadem and called Brittany over to him. Harry and Brittany continued a more concentrated effort until Harry doubled over in pain.
"Harry! Are you alright?" Brittany shouted.
"I'm fine. Oh no." Harry whipped his head around frantically. "Where's the fang?"
"Don't tell me you've lost it too?" Brittany grumbled. She flopped down to the ground in annoyance and yelped in pain as her arm caught a box by the comer and she sent it tumbling to the floor.
Both stared in almost awe at the Diadem sitting innocently on Brittany's lap. Brittany started laughing, and Harry joined her. He saw the fang over on a table a few feet away and sighed in relief. Having been mentally exhausted Harry plopped down beside her and laughed with the woman he loved.
"No matter how many ways this could have played out, you're clumsiness may have just saved us another half an hour of searching." Harry teased as he brushed the hair out of her eyes.
Brittany continued giggling. "I don't think my klutz streak has ever actually worked out in my favor." Brittany reasoned.
Harry cupped her face in his hand and leaned over the woman he loved. "Except that Hogsmede date where you and I both fell for each other."
Brittany's giggles died down as she nodded. "Okay, but this is like a life or death lives and war are at stake saved my bacon, not a fall for the man of my dreams favor." Harry just shook his head and pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. Harry continued to enjoy the moment of peace and caressed the cheek of the woman who would one day be forever his life, home, and heart.
Neither were aware that Draco Malfoy seen the pair enter the room. He was so stunned to see Brittany he was frozen. He had to force his way into the room, and it took a great amount of effort. Pansy was with him begging him to go with her to the dungeons to keep safe. They could be hurt accidentally with the war raging around them. Draco could not let Potter have another minute with the woman who had been promised to be his own. Once he force his way into the room he and Pansy then began searching through the massive room trying to locate the pair. Their laughter had led him and Pansy right to them. When Draco turned a corner around a massive table of books he shook with rage. He pulled out his wand and Pansy shouted.
"Draco what are you doing?"
Harry and Brittany were quick to jump up and split apart. "How the hell did you find us?" Harry hissed.
"His secret stalker powers." Brittany surmised.
"Potter. This, ends now." Draco growled out. "If I can't have her. No one can." He quickly cast Fiendfyre, but due to his out of control rage, his spell was quick to spiral out of control as well.
"Draco stop this!" Pansy screamed.
"No, if I can't have her, I'll just have to die with her." Draco began laughing and Pansy stared at the man she loved before slapping him.
Draco seemed to snap out of the daze he was in and dropped his wand. It was too late. He looked in horror at his wand before dropping it and fleeing the opposite way. What have I done?
Pansy had also begun running off after Brittany and Harry, crying as she feared Draco was too far gone to be saved now. She ran and when she looked back all she had been able to see was fire, hot on her heels. All she wanted was for him to love her too. He was possessed by something none of the teens could explain.
Pansy caught up to the pair quickly enough. "Wait, please don't leave me behind!" She begged.
Harry and Brittany turned as they were running and motioned for her to run faster. "Hurry Parkinson or you'll be roasting like that psycho."
"Pansy, you've got to move!" Brittany screamed.
The smoke filling the room was that of the foulest odor. Fiendfyre, while naturally nasty and caustic, was burning books, dark magic, and other various items. The room was quickly becoming toxic. It was becoming harder to breathe with each pounding step the trio took. Eyes were burning with tears to protect the eyes from harm, and their visibility was becoming worse. All three feared if something was not done soon, no matter how fast they ran, they would die.
"When we make it out of this alive I'm never touching a flame again!" Brittany swore.
"I'm never letting you light a fire when you go to sleep." Harry shot back.
"How the hell are we getting out of this deathtrap!" Pansy continued to shriek.
"Working on it!" Both shouted back at her.
"Jinx, you owe me a-"
"Not now love."
"Sorry."
"We're going to die in here!"
"No we aren't!"
"Harry, Brooms!" Brittany screamed pointing frantically to his left.
"Woman I could kiss you!" Harry shouted back as they made a sharp left avoiding the flames.
"Not now love. After we're free." Brittany smiled. "You can kiss me forever after we get out of here."
"Less talking more escaping with our lives!" Pansy shouted at the pair, passing Brittany with a burst of speed. Pansy was not yet ready to die and threw her all into getting her hands on the smooth wood and up into the air.
Harry turned back and was the first on a broom. He turned his head and watched as Pansy mounted hers. He looked to find Brittany only to watch in almost slow motion as the bag she had, caught on a chair leg sticking out. She fell forward as a few potions shattered onto the ground. Harry reached out his hand to her and looked on in horror as the diadem fell. The living wall of flames hit the crown, just seconds from the love of his live and the flames turned an evil black. Then almost in super speed smoke blocked his vision and he barely even heard the scream over the devilish roar of the fire.
Pansy screamed as well. "Brittany!" She turned to Harry and was shocked to find he had not even kicked off yet. "Potter, if you want to avenge her death you have to live. Voldemort has been giving Draco a potion to make him even more unstable. Voldemort did this! Get off your ass and let's go! If you die this is all for nothing!"
Harry felt his body move but his mind stayed watching as he flew off and stared at the spot where his life ended. He was having an out of body experience from the trauma of losing Brittany. He had well and truly failed her at every point. Malfoy had done as she had said. Malfoy had been the death of her, and Harry had been no more than twenty feet away.
He floated from the spot but kept his eyes on the location he had last seen his love alive. He could not shake the image from his mind that she was somehow calm just before she died. He figure it was his mind trying to cope with the loss. She must have thought she had more time. He pushed the thought from his mind, he had thought they had more time. A hundred and sixty more years, more time. He closed his eyes wished he would wake up and find this was all a dream. It was still summer before seventh year, before he ever met Brittany. He would wake up and find her. He would propose to her and then hide her away until the end of this war. Then he would spend the rest of his life feeling her love and showing her how much he loved her as well. He felt his mind returning to his body and he wept for the random act of clumsiness, and the insanity of another that stole their future. All he ever wanted was to love and be loved, now his future had gone up in flames.
AN: I know this is pretty dark, and it felt rushed in areas, but it was hard to get it right. I'm still not 100 percent happy with it, but this is where it was supposed to go. Do not worry there are still a few more chapters left to go, and I believe that the next one is going to be really short. The one after that will be a bit longer and the few following that will be shorter looks into the aftermath. The end is coming. I have a plan, so have faith while I leave you with this little tid bit. The next chapter should be up fairly soon. I have a decent chunk of it written already.