Innocence Lost (Official)

Chapter 14

He looked down and said, "I hadn't known what was going on; I would've been-"

"No," I interrupted. "Not then when it was happening, but after." I sniffled. "Where were you, Harry?" All the pain and loneliness I'd bundled up in his absence revealed itself. I sobbed. "I was hurt and a-afraid and you," I wiped my face. "You turned your back on me. You avenged me as though that was what I wanted or what I needed."

"Laney-"

"But what I really needed was you! I couldn't have cared less what happened to him!"

He seemed to snap once again. "But I did! I made him suffer I punished him and gave him what he deserved," he tried to justify.

I shook my head and laughed. "You thought hurting him would heal me? It was me you should've been with! You hurt him, but you left me in pain which is just as bad." I grabbed my head as the dizziness increased but I held myself standing up and through the pain. The holes were closing up and it wasn't what I wanted because now my emotions were trapped inside of me and I felt it. I felt all of it and I hated it.

I was pulled against Harry and I thoughtlessly let myself grab onto him.

"I'm sorry, Lanaura, I'm so so sorry," he said. "I didn't want this; I didn't want this for you." He kept pressing kisses to my forehead while his thumb brushed back and forth over my arm. His hand held me to him and it was warm against my skin. "I won't leave you, next time, I swear that I won't."

My sobs stopped and my tears slowed. As I became whole again I became glad for it, because a lot of the despair had left. Now I was filled with what I think could be called love.

-

 I had fallen asleep somewhere in between my crying and when I'd woken up I was happy to see that Harry was there for me. I smiled to myself when I opened my eyes and found myself cuddled on top of him. I held onto him and decided then that Harry was a lot like a teddy bear when he wanted to be.

"You're awake," he stated, rubbing his thumb along my arm.

I nodded. "How long was I out?" I asked. I glanced up at him and he pushed my hair out of my eyes.

He shrugged. "Not long." He tilted his head to the side and he brushed his finger across my chin. "How are you feeling?" His eyebrows were curved down on his jade eyes as he scoured my expression for a response.

I looked down and thought to myself for an honest answer. Only one word came to mind to express how I felt. "Better." My voice was gentle and when I looked up I smiled genuinely and nodded. "Just better." I shrugged and giggled, experiencing a strange swell of happiness.

He smiled, his dimple indenting as his eyes gleamed in satisfaction. "That's good." He nodded. "But I'm going to need you to eat already, young lady," he insisted.

My smile dropped and I rolled my eyes. I sighed in defeat. "Fine, fine." I held my hands up in mock surrender and then tried to sit up. "Just please stop calling me that," I asked silently.

He seemed to acknowledge my request with a settle wave of the hand. "Okay. Fine, I will."

I was reaching for the plate when I stopped and looked at Harry. "Harry?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Yes?"

My mind was reeling for some reason, but I held his hands in mine, looking him directly in the eyes. "Thank you," I graced. "For it all. Even... getting rid of him." I smiled gratefully and he nodded, pulling me into him for a hug. I held him just as tightly as I had earlier, glad to have him in this time of need. His arm rubbed into my back, but then it froze and pressed me to him tightly.