𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬 | 𝐜𝐨𝐝

22. ending chapters.

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Harry and Addy were out on the Astronomy Tower alone, watching the sunset on the last evening of school.

It was hard to believe the horrors that had happened here in just one night.

Harry and Dumbledore left to go receive a horcrux that terrible night, which was a locket. Only it wasn't really a horcrux. It was a fake.

"R.A.B." Addy read the note inside of it, "Who's that?"

Harry shrugged, "I dunno. The entire trip was all for nothing." he sighed and continued to stare out into the distance.

The past two months hadn't been very great. Between Addy's parents' and Dumbledore's death, the school year had ended on a low note. Lower than last year.

Addy remembered how she and Harry came up to this very location earlier this year. He had mentioned how things were bound to change. He was right. They did.

After the funeral, Addy and Harry spent their time in one of their dorms. Rarely snogging, but just staying with another. She could tell something was off between them. Something was different.

"Addy." Harry spoke up, keeping his eyes on the horizon, "I- I don't think we can be together anymore. You and me."

She was unfazed by his words. She had been suspecting something like this was coming up. Their was a divide in their relationship that she hadn't been able to place a finger on. Now she could.

"It's going to be too dangerous. I can't stay here anymore." he continued, "I've got to finish what Dumbledore started. You might be tortured for information about my location, or worse."

Addy felt that that might not be the only reason this conversation came up. Their relationship had been different after the whole Draco incident. Addy still cared about him, but something wasn't right. They didn't laugh or smile as much when they were together. The happy moments the two shared didn't seem to be making an appearance as frequently anymore. If it did, it seemed forced and strained.

"We're coming with you Harry. Me, Hermione, and Ron. It might be safer for me anyway. I'm going to have to be on the run." Addy responded. It was true. Death Eaters now wanted to capture her for her ability to see the future, and the professors here at Hogwarts could only protect her so much, "But, it's your choice. Us being together I mean."

"We can't. It's too risky." he didn't dare look at her, "As much as I care about you, I think letting go is the right thing to do. My future is undetermined as of now."

"Everyone's future is undermined, Harry." Addy said softly. He glanced over at her. He seemed conflicted between wanting to pull her into a hug or walk away.

She figured Dumbledore's death had really opened his eyes. He must have realized there was more danger than he thought. And he wanted her to stay away from it.

"Addy, the time we've been dating has been amazing. I really do care for you, really. But I won't be able to forgive myself if something happened to you. I want to keep you safe as possible."

"I can take care of myself." Addy gazed into the sky, "Besides, I have my parents watching over me."

She was surprised by how Zen she sounded, but one of them needed to be in their right mind.

He was silent, taking in her words. Even in his eyes, she could tell he didn't want to break up, but his words were saying otherwise. She was hurt that he wanted to let her go. She was hurt that he didn't want to keep her close and protected. He wanted to let her go, which would lead her to be vulnerable to the dangers.

But, Addy couldn't keep forcing their relationship. That would only make things worse. It would be best if they didn't keep up what they had.

"If you really don't want to be together, then so be it." Addy finally spoke, "But we're still coming with you to find the horcruxes."

"I can't let you, Hermione, and Ron risk your lives for me." Harry protested, "It'll be too dangerous and-"

"Harry you are really thick." Hermione had entered the Astronomy Tower with Ron, "When are you going to learn that you don't have to do everything alone?"

Harry tried to protest but was interrupted by her again.

"We decided on this for a while, years really." Hermione continued, "You once told all of us that we had the chance to turn back whenever we wanted to. We haven't once."

"Yeah, wherever you're going, we're coming with you, mate." Ron added, "We've stuck by your side all these years. Why would we leave now?"

Harry was silent, so he probably agreed with them. He shot Addy a glance, looking away quickly. In the small space of time their eyes connected, she saw them as a time capsule. They brought up the memories of them. She could see them easily in his eyes. The first day they met, all of the innocent times they spent laughing and smiling in their youth, their touching moments as the years progressed, and their intense kisses. The night of the Burrow flooded his eyes the most.

Addy realized that she and Harry were over. She found it ironic how he feared her breaking up with him, when he was doing that very thing at this moment.

She was aware of the chain hanging around her neck. The H pendent necklace that Harry had given her all those years ago now seemed to be weighing her down.

"I never realized how beautiful this place was." Harry spoke up.

Addy glanced over at him. He looked more beautiful than she had ever seen him before. The golden light of the sun enhanced his delicate features.

His dark hair that Addy would never run her hands through again.

His pink lips that she would never receive kisses from again.

His emerald eyes that would never gaze at her like she was his again.

She sighed, unnoticeably. Hermione was right, she really did love him whether she realized it or not. The past three years had been incredible with him, but it was now over. All of those moments they spent walking through that path in the forest would never happen again.

She never realized there would be a last.

She tried to remember their last kiss, their last hug, their last time they held hands. It was over. That wouldn't happen again.

She cursed herself for being too dramatic. It was just a breakup. It wasn't the end of the world. They would still be together on the horcrux hunt, though things may be different. It wasn't as if she would never see him again.

Yet, she cared about him for too long just for them to turn into friends. She loved him, even if she had never said it. She wished she did. Maybe he wouldn't be so quick to let her go. Their past years together had been the best years of her life. She hadn't remembered how much she smiled whenever he was in her sight. But it was over.

All stories had chapters. This was their end.

"Yeah, beautiful." Addy turned away from Harry and followed his gaze off into the horizon.

She had expected the two to go through the next several years together. To experience the pain and grief together. To console each other together.

She was wrong.

They would have to do those things alone.

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