A/N: For the Ultimate OTP Competition (round 1, bonus 2: surprise)
You sit together atop the Astronomy Tower, watching the starry sky without saying a word.
It surprises you how you live for these little moments with Barty. A war is brewing. Soon, you'll have to choose a side, but, for now, all that matters is that he is beside you. He is there, and the future almost seems like such a silly, faraway thing.
Your fingers lace with his as your other hand brings your cigarette to your lips. You wonder if he would follow you, regardless of your choice. Would he forsake his father for the sake of love? You've heard Barty speak of him before, and you're certain that he would.
But could you drag him down this path that your heart is set on? You know that damnation waits for you in the end. It would be kinder to sever the ties and set him free. Suffer alone; leave him out of it. He doesn't deserve the life that you're choosing for yourself.
But the weight of his hand in yours is so familiar, so comfortable. You never want to let go, never want to lose him, even if it means forcing him to fall from grace.