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Some eyes could touch you more than hands ever could
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Addy was in a coma.
She had been in one for nearly an entire week, ever since the Battle of Hogwarts.
Harry sighed as he leaned back into his hospital chair, careful to never release her hand as he gazed down at her lifeless figure. He was tired, considering that it hadn't been many days since he died and came back to life.
He replayed that night's moment in his head for the tenth time that day, remembering how Narcissa Malfoy lied to Voldemort that he was dead, clenching his jaw at the horrid screams that escaped Ron and Hermione's mouths as Hagrid carried his limp body towards the Hogwarts castle.
He shivered at how he and Voldemort dueled one another while the last horcrux, the snake, was being hunted down, remembering the brittle, cold eyes of his enemy's that became embedded into his memory.
Harry had finished Voldemort off in the end, and his mind was only set upon one thing; Addy.
He hadn't heard nor seen of her ever since they said their goodbye's in the courtyard, and it concerned him to not be able to spot her within the crowds of students and families that crowded around to thank him for his service.
Harry, in the present, closed his eyes with a heavy exhale as he recalled Neville carrying Addy's limp body into the Great Hall with such alarm, sending him into a frenzy that couldn't be tamed.
Her lids were closed as her hand remained enclosed in a fist around her wand, and he could still detect light tear ducts upon her cheeks from earlier. However, her expression was peaceful, as if she were in a location that stripped her of the pain she was given.
Harry remembered leaning over her body and examining her paled yet beautiful features while being pushed aside by various Healers who were struggling to pick up her pulse, and he was pulled fiercely back by Sirius. He held him in place as Addy was tend to.
She was taken to Saint Mungo's and undergone many treatments all in one night, which was a sleepless one for Harry. He had paced in the waiting room anxiously while being told on several occasions by Ron to calm down and relax.
It hadn't even felt like he had won the war against Voldemort, not when he had lost her.
Addy's status remained the same for the past week, and it had become a routine for Harry to visit her room from dusk till dawn. He brought books sometimes that he read to her, and other times he would simply hold her hand until it hurt his soul too much to linger longer.
Ron usually was the only one that could coax him into leaving the hospital and returning back to Grimmauld Place, where Harry stayed with Remus, Sirius, and Mary as a temporarily arrangement. Even there, he barely got any sleep without Addy laying on the mattress with him.
Tonight was the usual; once the nurses had made their rounds, Harry curled up into his favorite chair by her bed as he took her hand, absently reaching out to smooth her hair away from her face, knowing that she hated it whenever it was in her way.
"...Today was kind of boring." Harry was quietly saying to her.
He told Addy of his days now, listening to the nurses' advice on how he should engage in speaking to her; it might be beneficial to her health.
Someday, he hoped to hear her say something back to him.
"Mrs. Weasley brought Winona over to Grimmauld Place for lunch," he narrated softly, "You would've been an amazing godmother, I just know it. We would've been amazing godparents together."
The expected silence hummed in the air as he allowed for his words to distill in the air for a few minutes. His fingertips entwined with hers as the hospital monitors beeped softly.
"I carried Winona, too." Harry resumed gently, "I was so afraid I was going to drop her, and I could imagine you laughing at the way I held her. But- but it was a lot easier than I thought, and I guess I can sort of understand her, you know? We both lost our mums and dads at a young age and only know them through stories from others."
"I miss you." he then whispered through a smile; he had finished shedding his tears long ago and therefore able to make it through every visit now without breaking down, "It's so cold without you here."
Harry admired Addy's features while tucking a strand of her hair behind her ears. She had always been incredibly modest about her appearance, unware of how she was the most beautiful person to ever roam the earth.
It was a bonus that she had an alluring soul on the inside too, forgiving of others, despite their sins, and determined to always do the right thing, even if she had to take some wrong actions.
It was one of the many things that made him love her. He loved every flaw, and every headstrong, stubborn part of her personality, and no longer cared whether those were the very traits that got them into arguments.
If she woke up, he would never again dare to do anything to let her go. He couldn't deal with separating their hearts at bay once more - his was already battered and bruised enough.
Suddenly, there was a scurry of footsteps outside of the hospital room, and Ron's disheveled, ginger hair appeared in the doorway.
"Mate, I think you need some sleep." he spoke quietly, nodding his head backwards, "You can always come back tomorrow."
Harry nodded slowly as he turned back to Addy, "Yeah... give me a moment, will you?"
Ron agreed as he disappeared around the corner to give them their privacy, and he remained silent until the footsteps were no longer perceived.
He gently lifted her hand up towards his face, pressing her palm against his lower cheek and just by his lips, allowing for him to turn his head slightly to kiss her skin.
"I love you." Harry breathed out, "And I can't move on from that, Adds. You're the only one in the world that does things to me and it's always been you. Right from the very beginning."
He clenched his jaw to retract the brimming tears as he carefully lowered her hand, tucking it beneath her cotton blanket. He stalled for a few minutes to erase any traces of his misery as he tugged the sheets over her chest, bending down to press his lips against her forehead.
"I love you, Adds." he repeated, his voice softened.
His heart yearned for those words to be murmured back to him, having the deepest desire to see them scrawled upon his patched soul. However, he was thankful they had bid their farewells on terms that were good, and he knew she loved him just as so.
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A few mornings later, Harry was seated in the kitchen with Sirius and Remus, listening into their conversations of the many arrests of the Death Eaters who were Voldemort's accomplices.
He poked at his eggs uselessly while being poked in the back at the same time by Mary, who insisted for him to eat properly.
Ever since the battle, she had been determined to restore everything to how it used to have been, focusing on pulling regular-selves from inside people everyday.
Harry was aware of how close Mary and Addy had been, and therefore wasn't surprised to catch Mary tearing up alone in her bedroom every so often.
"...The Malfoy's will be going on trial in a few months." Remus was saying through a sip of his tea, "It'll be a tough case however."
"Why?" Harry interfered, "Narcissa Malfoy sacrificed her life for me, and without her, I don't think we would've won. And she was the one that helped you get Addy out of their Manor, and Adds even told me that she gave her blankets and fresh clothes and other stuff."
"While that's true, she still was of assistance." Remus sighed, "And keep in mind that they won't let Lucius and Draco get off so easy. Like I said, this case will be complicated - Kingsely's gonna deal with it."
"I say we let Lucius rot in Azkaban again." Sirius shrugged simply, "The blondie could use some prison time and-"
Suddenly, the sound of heavy dust and fire crackled loudly in the room, cutting off Sirius' last words.
The noise was impactful, causing Mary to drop her kitchen apron, startled. The noise was already beginning to fade slightly, but there was no doubt that it was still present.
"The fireplace." Harry said quickly, pushing his chair back as he stood from the table.
Recently, Sirius had the main fireplace of Grimmauld Place hooked to the Floo Powder network to the hospital, where they could get immediate news of Addy's state in case of any changes. It had been disconnected years ago while the house was inhabited.
Healer Xenia, who was in charge of Addy's treatment, never failed to update the four with her health. She had a high position in the hospital and therefore had one of the most areas of expertise, and it was helpful that she was a muggleborn as well - the best of both worlds.
Xenia was kind, and sometimes managed to pull a few strings to extend Harry's visiting hours by at least thirty minutes and let him sneak by during her checkups with Addy.
He liked her, and trusted her with Addy.
The four quickly exited the kitchen and crossed the hall to reach the sitting room, and sure enough, Xenia's warm smile greeted them in the green embers of the fireplace.
There was something more to her usual cheerfulness, and Harry could feel a hopeful sensation sit within himself.
"Good morning, everyone!" Xenia addressed brightly, "I apologize if I'm interrupting your breakfast."
"No worries," Mary shook her head, "Is Addy alright? Has anything changed with her health?"
"As a matter of fact, yes." the Healer replied with a nod, "She has just woken up this morning, which is spectacular news! Everything seems to be intact and other than a little shock and weakness, she's perfectly fine."
Harry instantly jumped up from the chair he had been settling down on, his heart leaping with joy. Addy was alright, she was okay.
He was immensely relieved the hear the news, and couldn't help but notice how beautiful the world looked today.
"She's awake?" Harry questioned hurriedly, "Come on! Let's go to the hospital! We have to see her!"
"Calm down, Harry." Xenia chuckled at his eagerness, "I have a few more tests to run, just to confirm and double check a few things, so you can come visit after two hours. It'll be best if she doesn't have more than one or two visitors at a time, just to not overwhelm her."
"We'll be there soon." Remus nodded gratefully, "Thank you, Xenia."
The Healer smiled, "Of course, take care!"
With that, Xenia's bright face disappeared from the emerald flames with another loud gust, leaving the fireplace back to its original state.
Mary placed a hand upon Harry's shoulder to prevent him from dashing out the front door, gesturing towards the kitchen, "Finish your breakfast and get dressed, then we'll go out to buy something for Addy before going to Saint Mungo's. The two hours will be up before you know it."
Harry sighed impatiently, "Fine, fine."
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Mary had been right; the two hours had raced with time and completed the journey far before he was prepared.
Harry barely registered standing outside of Addy's room with red roses, her favorite flowers, clutched tightly in his hand. He couldn't deny how he took a few extra minutes to make an effort into his appearance, suddenly anxious to see her.
His fingers weaved through his hair as an attempt to lay it flat as he eyed the doorknob uneasily. Addy was given her own, separate room, rather than staying in a ward with the other patients; mainly because of her serious state and ranks amongst the wizarding world.
Harry's thoughts argued with each other in his mind, doing anything but taming his nerves.
Would she be happy to see him?
What if she hated him for putting her through all the trauma?
Stop being an idiot, idiot. She won't hate you.
Can she even talk in the first place? Can she even open her eyes?
Of course she can, you dimwit.
Harry inhaled and exhaled the thin, hospital air several times as he finally had the courage to curl his hand around the doorknob and push open the door.
He forced himself through the entrance as he closed the door behind him, instantly scanning the familiar room that hadn't changed since the last time he visited.
The only difference was was that the figure located in the hospital bed was no longer unconscious, and sitting up, alert and awake.
Addy had a book open in her lap as she read quietly to herself, and her head lifted at the sound of the door opening.
She must've showered at some point because her hair was slick with dampness, and he could notice the freshness across her features. Her hazel eyes locked against his her gaze ascended up his figure, taking note of every detail.
Harry was somewhat relieved to see her appearing so healthy, and not miserable nor in pain. He had expected worse, shivering from the horrible mental images he created in his mind, but pushed them aside as he took another tentative step forward.
"Hi, Adds." he whispered through a small smile, careful to not drop the roses, "How are you?"
Addy curiously tilted her head at him as she spoke in a soft, low voice, "I'm sorry... Do I know you?"
Harry's blood ran cold.
He had known there was something off about the way she scrutinized him; the special gaze she typically viewed him with was no longer present in her eyes. She spoke to him as if he were a stranger, and not the love of her life.
His chest rose and fell as he swallowed thickly, willing himself to not break down in front of her; she would think he was a madman.
"You- you don't remember me?" Harry's voice broke with the question.
Addy appeared slightly worried, "No... should I?"
He stared down at his feet, as the tears finally brimmed in his eyes. She had been his last hope of normal, and without her, he would be permanently lost to the darkness.
Xenia didn't tell him that her memory had been altered, and it was a nasty surprise for him to find out.
Their entire story together flashed vividly before his sight; they had gone through too much to be forgotten abruptly. He was his happiest with her, and what would become of him when she was gone?
Pieces of their past resurfaced in his mind; the yule ball dancing, going as dates and leaving the ball after their first kiss, her being the thing he'd sorely miss, the first date and forest snogging, becoming boyfriend and girlfriend, her comforting him after Cedric died in the hospital, him kissing her in Grimmauld Place to shut her up about certain things, sneaking into her room at night and pressing her very first love bites there, the detention snog that occurred after their first argument, the love potion kiss, him helping her through her panic attack over the winter holidays and both learning to trust each other better, her comfort towards him after Sirius passed, the quite heated letters they exchanged over the summer, their surprisingly impressive attempt of flirting and teasing with another, losing their virginity to each other, the talk they had about the cottage and James and Alya, him saving her from Nate and holding her close the entire night, the cottage he actually bought for her, all those interesting times they shagged, hiding a body together, dancing in the rain, him saving her once again from the man in Hogsmeade, and them expressing how they would never move on with their deaths, going through a break up that showed even distances couldn't break their love, visiting their parents' graves together, going into that bar in London, where she came out to him and kissed for the first time in forever, seeing her worst fear being his death, finally deciding that being apart wasn't the right decision, the proposal in their shared cottage, and their final goodbye before their surrender to death.
Harry snapped back into the present as he avoided Addy's eyes, unable to see the way she looked at him. It was too foreign for him, too unsettling.
He lifted his chin as he pursed his lips, shaking his head quickly, "No, it's- it's okay. I guess I should just-"
Harry gestured towards the entrance meekly as he nodded once, slowly beginning to back out of the room.
Suddenly, a wide, diabolical grin spread across Addy's face, and all forms of recognition that had been previously absent reappeared. Her eyes had turned warm as they gazed at him with the affection he had been desiring for for ages, and she chuckled.
"Ry, I was joking you idiot. Of course I remember you." Addy grinned at him as she leaned back against her bedrest, "C'mere."
Relief surged through Harry's veins as he dropped the roses onto a chair nearby, practically sprinting across the room and collapsing onto her bed. His arms wrapped around her frail figure tightly as he pulled her closer, burying his face into her hair.
"Oh god," Harry breathed out through heavy gasps, "You fucking scared me."
She chuckled while holding him back just as tightly, "Yeah, that was the point. I figured I'd mess with you a bit, it's so boring here."
"Holy shit." Harry kissed her forehead while pulling her head back enough so that he could properly examine her expression, "Don't do that ever again, I swear to god."
A wry smile was visible upon her features as she reached up to adjust the crookedness of his glasses, "Alright, alright."
He tugged her back into his embrace once more as he rested his chin against the top of her head, and he couldn't care less that he had fallen into her wicked scheme.
Harry had Addy, and it was all he needed.
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So to clarify, Addy was in a coma because she was still in between life and death but she came back to life eventually, but the soulmate bond between her and Harry was stalled for a bit!
And I lied abt what I said in the last chapter; this chapter is the last of the Deathly Hallows and I figured it would be a bit repetitive to include the Battle of Hogwarts here hehe. I decided to switch around a few things and strip the unnecessary parts so the next chapter will be post-war!
I'm not doing an eight year at Hogwarts, but I promise it'll be just as good! There will be grief and trauma and a few angsty themes, but I wanna try to make it more fluffy and happier at the same time :)
And it's gonna be sm fun writing Addy through Harry's eyes fjdskfjsdk