Stay With Me (sequel to Forever Yours)

7. Warning

Jo stood nervously beside of her boyfriend Chad just outside the gates of Hogwarts.  She wasn't sure how long she would have to stand there before someone would come, but she felt a little uneasy and exposed at the moment.  She tossed her head back, getting her short blonde hair out of her eyes.  Chad watched her curiously.

"So let me get this straight," he said slowly.  "We're going to be staying here?"

"Yes.  That is if Severus can talk Dumbledore into it.  He wants Lucy to stay here and she won't stay without me.  And since I won't stay without you, here we are."

Chad frowned.  "What about my job?"

"Hopefully he'll be taking care of that as well."

He shook his head.  "Jo, I'm glad you got Lucy back.  This the first time you've seemed like yourself in a really long time.  I just don't know why you couldn't tell me you were going to try and find her."

Jo sighed.  "Chad, you had already tried numerous times to talk me out of it.  Now I know I should have told you, but I wasn't expecting him to show up on my doorstep at four this morning and I most certainly wasn't expecting him to want to go hunt for Lucy.  I thought I was crazy.  But as I told you on the way over here, he got a letter from her too.  I didn't think you would let me go."

Chad took a hold of her shoulders.  "Listen.  I would go anywhere for you.  I love you, Jo.  And if you wanted to go to the moon and back I would try to find a way to go with you as long as you don't get hurt."

She stared at him blankly, her heart racing inside of her chest.  "You said you loved me."

He smiled.  "I do."

"That's the first time you've ever said it."  She grinned.  "I love you too, Chad."  She threw her arms around him and whispered an apology in his ear.  "I'll never do anything like that again."

"No secrets."

"I promise no secrets."  She bit her lower lip.  "Which reminds me that there's something I need to tell you."

Chad frowned.  "Uh oh.  What did you do now?"

Jo smiled.  "I didn't do anything.  Lucy was being held by Death Eaters and she said they mentioned something about killing me and Severus.  That's why we're here.  Severus didn't want Lucy to leave his side."

"Oh.  That, I can live with."

She giggled.

"So how are you guys doing on the outside?"

Jo and Chad both whirled around.  Lucy was standing there grinning at the two of them.

"How long have you been standing there?" Jo demanded.

"Not long.  I just remembered that you wouldn't have any way to get into the gate."  Lucy walked through the iron bars and gave her friend a hug.

Chad stared at her for a long time before he spoke.  Then he just shivered.

"What?" Lucy asked.

"Nothing," he answered.  "I just can't get used to you being able to walk through things.  Doesn't that hurt?"

She laughed heartily.  "No, Chad.  It doesn't hurt."  She took a hold of Jo's hand.  "You guy's ready to go inside?"

"Yes," Jo answered.

Chad just shrugged his shoulders.  "I guess.  Has Severus already okayed everything with Professor Dumbledore?"

Lucy nodded.  "I was right there when he did it.  Chad, you'll have a job under Madame Pomfrey and Jo, you're going to get all your supplies brought here.  That way, Severus will have all he needs.  He plans to pay you just as he normally would.  This way you both can have your jobs."