____
Ethaline sat by a tree, a book of spells in her hand she borrowed from Hermione as she tried to find one strong enough to destroy the locket. Though none of them seemed to work.
Harry sat only a few feet from her, starring down at the locket before he snapped and turned towards the tent. Ethaline stopped him with a single look, "Don't bother him, it comforts him." She said, turning the page.
"Comforts him?" Harry asked in disbelief, "It's putting my teeth on edge listening to the radio."
"I think he just doesn't want to hear bad news," Ethaline replied, closing the book when she saw Harry stand up.
Harry bit the inside of his cheek, "How long before he can travel?" He asked when Hermione stepped out of the tent holding bloody water.
"I'm doing everything I can—" Hermione replied.
"You're not doing enough!" Harry yelled, making Ethaline stand up from the ground.
"Don't raise your bloody voice," she snarled in disbelief, watching as his chest heaved up and down. She knew Harry had a short temper, she always did, but this was different.
Something else was different.
"Take it off," Ethaline said as he began to walk away.
"What?"
"I said take it off, now."
Harry rolled his eyes, harshly taking the locket off his neck before relaxing a bit. His face softened as well as his gaze on the blonde, "Oh."
"We'll take turns wearing it." Hermione said, grabbing it from his hands before heading off to do what she was doing before he stopped her.
Night approached them quickly, Ethaline refused to head inside the tent to sleep and stayed by the fire just outside. The more she stared at it, the more she felt the absence of her dragons. She'd wondered where they are, how they are doing and concluded that not so well considering they were deemed dangerous because of who led them.
Hermione was looked down at the ground, something within her clicking before she stood up and directed her eye contact to Ethaline. "Why did you do it?" Hermione suddenly asked.
Ethaline looked up from her book, her eyes tired and rimmed around with red and purple marks of exhaustion. "Sorry?"
"Why did you lie and say you killed someone for our safety."
Ethaline set the book down, "Hermione take off the locket—"
"Did you ever consider that murder is just who you are? I mean your father is Lucius Malfoy, he killed hundreds in the first wizarding world—"
Ethaline stood up, "Take it off Granger."
Hermione stood up defenceivly, "No!" She said, reaching for her wand behind her while Ethaline called for Harry to get his friend. "You deserve everything you got!" Hermione spat, "Everything."
Ethaline's hands trembled with anger and restraint, her jaw clenched so hard she thought she would hurt herself before Ethaline said, "You don't mean that."'
"I do," Hermione voiced viciously, "I do mean it with and without this bloody locket—you are an abomination and a murderer." She spat lowly, "And you'll pay for everything—" Hermione flicked her wand, stunning Ethaline and sending her towards the ground.
Harry rushed in, Ron limping behind them as he helped her up. Harry quickly disarmed her and snatched the locket off of her neck. Once she lost contact with it Hermione's eyes widened.
Ethaline laid on the ground, now nursing a new wound on her arm but didn't say a word. Meanwhile Harry watched as Hermione's eyes watered in regret, "Malfoy—"
Ethaline quickly stood up and pushed past them all and out the tent.
Harry looked down at the locket, handing it to Ron before heading out to see her. When he didn't find her just outside he walked around for a bit, growing more and more worried before he turned to see her leaning on a rock.
Her sleeve was torn slightly as she carefully applied dittany.
Harry approached her slowly, a little worried which made her look up at him for a second before back down, "Pass me that herb will you?" She said softly.
Harry reached down and grabbed it before tugging and retrieving it. He handed it over to her and kneeled in front of her, placing it onto her arm and allowing her to rest for a second. However the question of whether or not she was upset lingered in his mind.
"I didn't want her to see it," Ethaline said quietly, wincing as the cut began to close up, "I didn't want to upset her even more."
Harry stopped for a second, his lips tugging upwards making her smile slightly, "What?" She asked, biting the inside of her cheek.
Harry shook his head, "N-nothing." Be replied, the smile never leaving.
"Out with it Potter." Ethaline said, making him look at her.
"Nothing just that, you're almost like friends now...I mean you care about her feelings." Harry shrugged making Ethaline's face scrunching up.
"F-friends? granger and I? You're delucisonal." She said, making him laugh quietly.
"Sure I am." He said, glancing up at her once more before putting a bandage on her wound carefully. Ethalinr thanked him and touched the bandage slightly, just now realizing how close he was to her.
Ethaline stared into his eyes, the two of them not moving as they savored and squeezed every bit of their intimate connection. Harry then realized that there was a bit of color in his eyes, just a tint of green on the corners of her grey eyes.
He couldn't help but wonder if it was a sign.
Could we see the world with color only with him?
It seemed like a stretch, it really did but given all they'd been through it was hard to dismiss. Not to mention it was cheesy and Harry Potter was anything but cheesy.
A hard crunch of peeves being stepped on altered the two. Immediately they stood up and scanned the area, their hearts racing at the thought of another attack that they could take on if it weren't for them worrying about Ron and Hermione.
Harry stepped forward to move when Ethalinr grabbed his hand, shaking her head and bringing her finger to her lips as a death eater scouted the area. He stopped moving, sniffing into the air and turning before revealing that he was in fact Greyback.
Harry watched as Ethaline froze in pure utter fear that's he tried to mask with a straight face and it would have worked of Harry were any other person. Unfortunately, he knew her. He knew every nerve, ever crease in her skin and ehh they happened. He wondered what they did to her at the Manor, what could the man have done if she hadn't escaped—battery yet what did he do while she was there.
The werewolf sniffed in their direction making the two Order Members flinch as they slowly backed away from him. Harry had to pull her lightly, watching as she stared at the werewolf with anger and fear. Kill him, a voice told her, kill him or he'll kill you.
Ethaline felt a overwhelming feeling of reassurance, I'll kill him, just not now.
The man left.
___
Over the next few days, the group of four spoke less.
Every passing minute felt like an hour as the radio listed the name of people that have passed. It drove Harry crazy but it reassured the ginger that his family was still alive.
Hermione had tried to apologize to Ethaline, but the blonde was quick to shut her down. "It wasn't you Granger, don't lose sleep over it."
Hermione smiled at the response and didn't say anything else. It was her way of saying it was fine and she cared about her enough to forgive the act so she wouldn't feel bad about it.
The person who wore the locket was always firing up fights, inches away from grabbing their wand and the others were quick to shut them down. While Ethaline worked with Ron on conducting more research Harry and Hermione were outside checking the perimeter .
"It doesn't bother you?" Ron suddenly asked.
Ethaline looked up, "What Weasley?"
"Harry and Hermione." Ron said, making her face scrunching up, "The two of them and the fact that he's dating my sister—was I'm not sure..."
Ethaline raised an eyebrow, the questions taking her by surprise, "Suddenly you care about my feelings?"
"No, just can't keep letting my best mate keeping getting away with things," Ron said, emphasizing the best mate part by forming quotations with his fingers.
"Aren't you tired of being strung along?"
Ethaline closed her eyes, "It's my turn to carry the locket Weasley, hand it over." She said, for once seeing the physical affects it had on him. His hair looked a dull color, his eyes missing the Weasley glint and his face pale.
Ron didn't move for a second before taking it off and handing it over to her. Instantly a relief was lifted off his shoulders before she placed it on herself and felt herself become a different person. The key, Ethaline noted, was to remember it was the locket talking.
As she opened her book back up Harry and Hermione entered the tent, laughing quietly about something before they sat down with them. Ethaline felt a twinge of jealousy as the words Ron had told her echoed in her mind.
It had never occurred to her that Hermione or Harry could have fancied each other. She always thought that Hermione Geanger was smitten with Ron but the more she looked at the two laughing, the more she felt the insecurity Ron had pushed onto her.
Ethaline 's mind was shielded from the liberating idea that the locket was making her feel these things when she glanced at the two again, this time Harry's hand was on her shoulder. The blonde scoffed almost inaudible and made her way out of the tent, muttering profanities as she went around to see the perimeter.
Part of her, the selfish and attention seeking part of her, wanted him to follow. To ask what was wrong and chase after her like she was a moody princess running through the forest completely playing with the prince and strategically marking her territory when he followed her out.
Harry didn't follow.
"You're the most idiotic person I've met," Ethaline said to herself, flicking her wand without saying a single spell as her mind began to throw insults at itself.
Only you would tell Harry Potter to move on from you, her mind taunted, You're weak for losing him to Cho Chang then Ginny Weasley.
Ginny is a good person, Ethaline thought, she's the right person for him. What could I offer—
The world, her mind replied, you could offer the world and so much more. All you'd have to do is make it through the war and claim the world as your own, just like your prophecy said, you're a queen.
Ethaline gripped the wand tighter, I'm just another foot soldier for the order.
You're an idiot for thinking your anything even remotely close to a foot soldier, when are you going to stop belittling yourself to fit into their norms? You're ruthless and unmerciful to those who harm you and others. Why not embrace it?
I can't, Ethaline replied, I can't embrace it, not without jeperdizing my relationship with Harry and people I've worked to build something with—
You don't have a relationship with Harry! He's moved on! You have no one, you're no one until you're your true self.
Ethaline shook her head, trying to dispel the thoughts before she heard shouting from a few feet away. A panic Rose inside her as she ran over to the tent and saw Hermione standing between the two, her hands on both chests.
Ethaline grinned, "Classy Hermione," She said, leaning on the pole inside as she stared at the abrunette, "The two best friends? Classic."
Harry furrowed his eyebrows, "What the hell are you on about?" He swore making Ron shake his head.
"Don't turn your anger towards her—"
Harry fumed at this, "You're defending her?!"
"Yes!" Ron raged, "Someone had to be on her side with you on every other girls side but hers."
Ethaline pressed her lips together, nodding as Hermione stared at her in disbelief, "You can't be serious Malfoy—"
"Sirius is dead, I'm very much Ethaline Malfoy," the blonde said, a dry chuckle escaping her before Ron and Harry continued to fight.
"Give me the locket." Hermione said, sparking their own little fight.
"I'll die before I take orders from you," Ethaline said, her face scrunching up. Hermione's face faltered, thinking it had to do with her boood status before she remembered Ethaline was much higher ranked in the order and, honestly, in life.
"You know what?" Ethaline said loudly, "Weaslebee has a point!"
Ron rolled his eyes, "Fuck you Malfoy."
"No thanks I don't like children," Ethaline fired back, "I think you're on to something," Ethaline then added, "Is there something going on between you and Harry?" She asked Hermione.
Hermione shook her head, holding herself tightly, "No of course not—"
Ethaline flared her nostrils, whipping out her wand, "Don't lie to me—"
"She isn't lying!" Harry said, matching her tone, "We're friends!"
"Surely there was a reason you concluded that," Ron interjected, "How did you know for sure?!"
Harry in the mist of fury grabbed Hermione and kissed her roughly, making her Yelp as Ethaline's mouth fell open before she grabbed Harry's arm and yanked him away.
"Harry what the fuck?!" Ron yelled, ready to pounce when Hermione grabbed his arm, "Ron-"
"I'm leaving," Ron announced abruptly, "Screw this, I'm not doing this." He grabbed his things as Hermione cried his name.
"Ron don't—"
Harry stumbled backwards because of Ethaline, aggressively wiping his lips as she stood in front of him, her chest rising in anger and jealousy. She couldn't feel sad, not when she was wearing the locket. She couldn't even bring herself to take it off.
"Right behind you," Ethaline muttered, her face demonstrating betrayal as she grabbed her jacket.
Harry was quick to grab her arm as Ron began to walk out with Hermione fighting after him. "Where do you think you're going?!"
"With your best friend! I'll leave you here with bloody Granger," Ethaline spat, trying to pull away when he tightened his grip.
"You're not going out there—"
"Yes I am!" She said, fighting against him. Harry still tried his best to hold her down but failed to do so as she quickly grabbed her wand. The two engaged in a small duel, none of them aiming to hurt just distract and blew a couple of things up in their fight.
Harry disarmed her and send her toppling down, rushing to straddle her waist and holding her two wrists with one hand while the other ripped the locket off of her.
Instantly her face changed, this time falling into a saddened one, "Get off me," she said quietly, her eyes watering.
The mere sight of her eyes watering was enough to hold her tighter, "You're going to leave if I do," he said, shaking his head as she groaned in frustration.
"You kissed her! You kissed Granger!" She cried out, completely furious. "I hate you Harry—Cho and Ginny are one thing but Granger?! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you—"
Harry pressed his lips against her, feeling her fight him for a second before she melted at his kiss. He could feel her tears between them, making him let her go and wiped them away with his thumb softly.
He was the first to pull away, "You don't hate me," he said lowly.
"I won't keep doing this," Ethaline whispered, "I can't keep doing this—whatever it is between us."
Harry's face fell slightly as she continued to speak from beneath him, "I'm asking you now, right here, right now, what am I to you?" She asked.
Harry was quick to reply, "You're the most important person to me Ethaline Malfoy," he said, no longer able to hold his true feelings for her. Especially after their fights.
Ethaline's face softened, "What?"
Harry let her go, sitting her up gently before he reached for her hands. The gesture took her by surprise, her mind racing with scenarios on how this could go. He could tell her then and there that he cared for her, just not in the way she did.
Or he could say...
"It's always been you."
Ethaline searches his eyes, looking deep in his sarcastic and hero soul to see if he was lying to her. He wasn't. Truth was, Ethaline wasn't mad about the kiss. It was an impulsive way to prove his feelings for Ethaline but it did it's job. Ethaline believed him.
Truthfully, whether she knew it or not, she wanted to push him away. Far, far, away so she could do what she was made to do—what the prophecy wants.
Harry's legs spread above her own legs that were also spread open so they formed V shape between them.
He ran his finger gently on her cheek, tracing the dry tears and finally feeling the courage to say it out loud, the three words he wanted to say the day she was taken from him. He had to do it now before the moment or opportunity was take form him again.
"I love you Ethaline Florence Malfoy."