Fall (Harry Potter/Next Generation YHMH)

Chapter Twelve

"How'd she get yours?"

"Before I dove in, I took it off. After I got out I took hers off and put mine on her to try and warm her up," his cheeks blushed a little. He just told Bella's mother that he'd seen her without a shirt on. Although he's seen her in just a bra many times, admitting it to her mum was just strange.

"Go to the other bathroom and shower. Warm up and come back down here," Sarah told him quietly.

"No I won't leave-"

"Go, we need to get her out of wet clothes anyways," Sarah cuts him off.

Nick sighs, defeated. Hurriedly, he headed up another floor to take a shower.

"Is she okay?"

Right before he got into the room, he heard the familiar, deep voice. He knew it could be only one person.

"James," he sighed. He turned around. "She's breathing now. But she's... Well, freezing. They're trying to prevent frost bite down there."

James Sirius Potter. Bella's number one protector. He'd do anything for her. It was something he had in common with Nick.

"And you?"

"I'll survive."

"Thank you," James says quietly. He put his hand on Nick's shoulder.

"I would never willingly let her go," Nick simply answers.

"Take this. It'll warm you up," James says, giving Nick a flask. Without another word, he walks away.

Without even questioning it, Nick drinks it. It's Firewhiskey. It burns his throat and heats up his stomach. But hell, does it warm him up.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Bella's mother and grandmother have gotten her out of wet clothes and into warm ones. Molly is performing a spell to help warm her up. Ginny is putting a steamed towel on her head. The color is returning to Bella's body.

Within minutes of coming to, Bella is up and running. Laying down with people catering to her makes her feel weak. She, instead, insists on just going to her room to sleep.

She, still stiff from her little adventure, can only slowly walk upstairs. Right when she walks by the bathroom, the door opens, steam pouring out of it, and Nick emerges, only in a towel.

"You're... Okay!" Nick exclaims loudly, hugging her tightly.

"Nick... Towel... Hold it," Bella says with a smile.

"Oh, right," his face reddens. "One sec.."

He runs into his room, and in under a minute he's out, in just a pair of sweatpants, holding a long sleeved tshirt. They walk into Bella's room and then he throws on his shirt.

"What happened, love?"

"I stepped too close to the ice, and it cracked under me," she answers, shivering at just the thought. "What happened after that?"

"I saw you fall in, and dove in after you."

"I'm still wearing your sweater. I insisted on wearing it."

This brought a smile to Nick's face. She insisted on it? She wanted to wear his things. She wanted people to know she was his, right?

"Do you still have your necklace?"

She reached down her shirt to pull out the white gold chain with the heart shaped ruby gem on it. The white gold heart with Nick carved in it was also on the chain. Another smile found its way on his face. "I'm happy it didn't fall off."

"Me too."

"I'd be diving in the lake tonight trying to find it," Bella jokes, tucking it back under the black sweater with an N stitched into it.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone. It's my fault."

Bella looked at Nick sadly. But on the inside, she was smiling. He's so weak. He's so submissive. But he's powerful. I have to exploit that.

"It's not your fault. I asked you to leave," Bella sighs. "Besides, I lived, didn't I? Lets just be happy that I didn't die."

"But you had no pulse. You needed CPR. And you could have died of hypothermia or have gotten frost bite. The fact that I left you alone against my better judgement and you got hurt is killing me." Nick felt like breaking down. The girl he loved had gone through a lot today.

"I'm fine, Nicky. Thank you." Her lips found his cheek. "You saved my life in the end. I couldn't thank you more."

"I love you, Bella." The words left his lips before he could stop them.

"I love you too, Nicky." Her internal smile was growing wider than ever. She had him.

"Not the way I love you."

"Oh, Nick," Bella spoke softly.

"You don't get it, do you?" His voice was just as soft. "I'm in love with you Bella. I always have been."

"I know." On the outside, she was emotionless. On the inside, she was laughing. This weak, spineless, rat. Her twisted laugh rang through her ears.

"And you...?"

"I almost just died, Nick. I can't think right now."

"Oh."

Neither one of them spoke. They didn't even show emotion, for that matter. It was just quiet. Nick placed a small kiss on her cheek.

"I'm glad you're okay."

And with that, Nick walked out of her room, giving her the time to think that she wanted.