𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐆𝐨

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐗

I was crying at this point, freely. I didn't like it, and I wanted it to stop, but I didn't have the will power to let my eyes drown in the water that needed to escape.

"How are you not upset?" I asked Draco in the most audible voice I could manage. "How is this all not bothering you?"

Draco place a hand on my arm and caressed it gently. "Of course I'm upset. But I've been upset long enough, and you seem to need someone who's stable right now."

I shook my head, trying to pull away from his touch. "No, no, no. Don't do this. I don't want you to hold in your feelings just because you think I can't handle it."

"Oh, I know you can handle it," Draco scoffed,
"You've handled it all bloody year. All i'm saying is that this time, I want to help you. And I need you to let me."

I couldn't take it anymore. I let myself collapse in his arms, holding me tight. He held me a while, and I fell apart for all the time I've been holding together the breaking pieces.

It was all so much. So much emotion. Too much. The overwhelm was unbearable, the knowing, and not being able to do.

Dead. So many people who I'd loved—dead.

Those people had saved me. I hoped they knew that. Cedric, Sirius, Remus, Fred. All in their own ways.

"It's alright, love," Draco cooed. "It's alright now."

I kept crying.

I didn't stop. Not until my eyes ran themselves dry and everything was without feeling. My breathing slowed to an average rate, along with my heartbeat. My back ceased it's trembling, and my head rested heavily on Draco's steady shoulder.

"Let's take a walk," he said.

***

"I don't see the point of this," I grumbled. "It's mucky."

I hastily lifted my boot from the mud with a squelch, showing off the watery brown sludge just to prove my point.

"It's fresh air. Forget the muck," Draco pulled on my hand, forcing me to continue forwards.

A light mist dampened our hair and clothing, my jumper becoming dusted with little droplets of water, Draco's hand slipping against mine.

"I miss the snow," I said, once we had stopped to look out at the Black Lake.

Draco looked at me. "How come you like the snow so much?" he asked.

I didn't answer for a moment, trying to think of the real reason. I told myself that it was because all of my greatest memories this year happened in the snow; but I wondered if there was a deeper reason.

I suppose, after spending so long in secluded areas with a weighing stress and anger-inducing Horcrux, the little nice things tend to go unnoticed.

Like snow.

Plus, it reminded me of Draco.

"It's pretty," was all I said.

I knew that my answer wasn't good enough, and certainly not for Draco. But he didn't question it any farther.

"Let's sit a while, yeah?"