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— That night, Harry wrapped Finley in his arms as they slept.
It was a long night, but a successful one.
It was not long after they got settled at The Burrow, Finley planned to go to bed. She cleaned up hers and Harry's wounds to the best of her ability before they set off to bed.
The black wound on her leg stung sharply.
Finley stirred in her sleep as she felt movement from beside her. She had been allowed to sleep in the same bed as Harry. It's not like the adults had any say, since none of them had any guardianship over the teenagers. They were in Ron's room. It's where Finley would stay anyways when she resided at The Burrow.
She woke up just as Harry did. She panted, heavy breathing. "Fin?" He whispered into the darkness.
"Harry...?" She had seen only an image from the dream. The locket.
His eyes held thoughtfulness for a moment as his brain worked hard to find out something. Finally, he spoke up. "Go back to sleep, Fin." He stood up out of bed quietly. "I'm going to get some fresh air."
Finley knew he was lying.
She watched as he picked up a bag while going outside, grabbing his wand. Hedwig flapped behind him quietly. Finley got out of bed as soon as he exited the room.
She heard Ron start rustling when she exited as well.
"Where do you think you're going?" Finley spook quietly as Harry was almost out the front door.
"I–"
"Don't give me any BS. Tell me the truth." She cut him off.
"I have to start finding other Horcruxes. I can't drag anyone else along with me– I can't have anyone else die." Harry almost whimpered, as his face crumbled. He couldn't have that on his conscience.
Harry never showed emotion, especially to people he wasn't close with. But Finley was different. She was her. And that's what he needed. He could be himself with her; show his true colors.
"I'm not stopping you, but I'm not letting you go alone either. So, come on, then." Harry nodded at her with a soft smirk on his face.
He situated the bag on his back, exiting the home. Finley follows after him, quietly closing the door.
Just as they continued on their way towards the tall crops, the front door to The Burrow opened. "Going somewhere?"
Harry and Finley paused, turning around.
Hedwig, who was on hovering in flight above Finley's head, chirped at the new presence.
Harry immediately began to defend himself. "Nobody else is going to die... Not for me." He grabbed Finley's hand, starting to walk forward again.
"For you?" Harry kept marching forward, refusing to stop. Finley dug her feet in the ground, trying to halt his movements. "You think Mad-Eye died for you? You think George took that curse for you?" Harry finally stopped, slowly turning around. "You may be The Chosen One, mate. But this is a whole lot bigger than that. It's always been bigger than that."
"Come with us," Harry insisted.
"What, and leave Hermione? Are you mad? You realize how angry she'd be? And, we wouldn't last two days without her if we lost Robin somehow. Don't tell her I said that. Besides... you've still got the Trace on you. We've still got the wedding." Ron started to make more excuses to keep his best friend with him at his childhood home– where it was safe.
"Well, I don't care about a wedding– I'm sorry– no matter whose it is. I have to start finding these Horcruxes, and Finley won't let me go anywhere without her by my side. They're our only chance to beat him. And the longer we stay here, the stronger he gets."
"Tonight's not the night, mate." Ron denied, inching closer. "We'd only be doing him a favor." Ron is now only few inches away.
Harry and Ron both sighed. Finally, Harry dropped the bag off his back and on to the ground.
Finley rolled her eyes as Ron picked it up, securing it on his back. Finley pushed Harry towards the home again. Ron walked alongside the couple.
"Do you think he knows? I mean... they're bits of his soul, these Horcruxes, bits of him. When Dumbledore destroyed the ring, you destroyed Tom Riddle's diary, he must have felt something. But to kill the other Horcruxes, we have to find them. Where are they? Where do we start?" Ron opened the door to the home, creeping back up the stairs to the room.
Finley answered Ron's questions. "We really can't tell, Ron. But we have to start somewhere– get somewhere. The fate of the world relies on us, we can't just not try." She whispered the words lowly.
Harry shreds his shirt from his body, laying in bed first and taking off his glasses. Ron had already laid back down in his bed, almost passed out already.
Hedwig sat back in her cage, closing her brilliant eyes.
Harry opened his arms for Finley, letting her take the spot right next to him. She cuddled close to his body, closing her eyes with her head snuggled into his chest.
"Right, and what happens if we can't find them– much less, destroy them?" Ron questioned back, voice drowsy.
"We can't think like that." Ron sighed at her words, rolling over to face the opposite of the couple.
Finley felt Harry press his lips against the top of her head. "Good night, love." It was the first night Harry and Finley had slept in the same bed together since the end of the school year last year.
It felt nice.
Finley didn't respond to Harry's words at first, just taking in the feeling of being in his arms once again.
"Harry?" She gained his attention. He hums sleepily. "I'm wide awake now."
"Then go to sleep," he grumbled, holding her tighter against him.
"The point of being wide awake is not being able to go to sleep," she deadpanned. Harry sighed. He was more awake now.
"So, what do you want to talk about?" He turned his head up to look at the ceiling. His vision was blurred so he couldn't really focus on anything.
"How was your day?"
At the simple question, Harry's heart melted. "It was pretty okay. I get to have you back in my arms, so what more could I want?"
"I could figure out what more you want," she murmured. Finley leant backwards, situating herself to be eye level with the boy. She smirked, leaning forward to give him a kiss. Something they haven't done in far too long.
It was like the first kiss all over again. Fierce and passionate, and full of want– need.
He responded immediately, kissing back.
Before anything else could really happen, a grumble interrupted them. "I get that you two are madly in love with each other, but I don't really wanna listen to you two snogging while I try to go to sleep in my room."
Finley giggled at the redhead roommate. "Sorry, Ronald." She gave Harry one more quick kiss before laying back down. "Good night, boys."
"Good night, Fin."
The room grew quiet once again. Just as Finley was about to fall asleep, a voice spoke up.
"Finley? I'm wide awake now."
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- J.S.