“Draco? I’m back!” Harry calls up the stairs. I sigh, turning away from the mirror, where I had stood staring at my imperfections only moments ago.

What am I trying to prove? Ginny Weasley is perfect for Harry. I am a fool to think that I, a small flower shop owner, could compete with a rising Quidditch star.

I slip on a light jacket, there much better.

“Coming, Harry!”

I rush downstairs, not wanting to give him a reason to leave…

“Hey,” I say, waiting two stairs above him, as he’s standing on the last one, blocking me from reaching the landing.

“Hey- you look nice,” I look down at my clothes, as though I hadn’t stared and spent at least twenty minutes trying to pick an outfit, and smile.

“Thank you.”

“Did you grab your phone?” He quirks a perfect dark eyebrow and my insides flip. I palm my jean pockets.

“Ye-...no…” I smile apologetically. I always leave my phone at home. It drives Harry, Lily, and Hermione insane. Aunt Andy never really uses technology anyhow, so I just never got into the habit.

“It’s ok, I have mine. Just go switch off the lights, ok?” I nod, and speed past him. I try to rush myself, not wanting to let anything keep us from spending what little time we have, to go to waste. Walking back my ears pick up on,

“Babe, it’s gonna be alright. Deep breaths, ok? That coach for the Falcons was a git anyhow, I’m sure your tryout for the Harpies tomorrow will be much better! D-Do you want me to visit you? I know how you don’t like to be alone after these types of things.”

My heart plummets,  no no no no no!

“Yeah, I’m with Draco right now, I’ll just ask if I can postpone the plans for tonight-”

“ Don’t- ”

Harry turns, looking curiously at me. I school my face into a small smile that stabs me with pain.

“Don’t let me be the one to hold you back.”

I say all in one breath, afraid if I say more I’ll burst into angry tears…. Or just tears. I take a deep breath, putting my hands behind my back.

I cross my fingers as I look at my Amaryllis painted Vans. (Vix, you sly bastard.-D)

“Ginny needs you more than I do, go to her, she’s important.”

“Yeah…” I look up at him as he gazes at me with a curious gaze.

"Well, I best be off, then. Go home and get some rest."

"Yeah…"

Harry walks out the door, jumping on the bike we would have been taking on to the beach just minutes later if we hadn't been interrupted.

I feel my heart shatter.

It’s dusk now.

Moonlight shines through the window, peeking through leaves and leaving shadows. I look up at the moon from outside the window.

I suppose that if someone were to look through the window at this moment, that if you were to capture this moment in a still frame it would seem beautiful.

Yet in this moment I couldn’t feel anything, all was numb to me. Moonlight painting patterns of soft ghostly light across my figure as I stand, arms crossed and hugging myself. My white t-shirt practically glowing in the light of the moon paired with loose jeggings and a light blue zip up that hangs a bit off my left shoulder. I gaze at the swollen moon, bright and full.

I catch sight of my bike through the window, leaning against the wall, mocking me for being weak and letting him go again .

I take a breath and grab my keys, not even noticing my phone next to it.

Riding in a daze, I’m not really aware of much but my harsh breaths. Trying to pretend that the reason for my heavy breathing is because of my pedaling and not of my suspiciously wet eyes.

I halt, snapping out of a daze when I see the moon once again. Almost as though a spell has been broken, I look out at the water beyond the railing.

Harry was right, the view of the ocean looks great...

As it always has, right?

It’s fine…

As I brush a strand of my hair that fell out of my messy braid out of my face, a single tear escapes my poorly built dam.

I already know it’s a losing battle.

It’s…

Hastily, I wipe the tear with my forearm.

Fine...

A lone tear falls again.  

...

And I break.

It’s…

Sobbing, I fall to my knees. A heart that had long been cracking finally shattered.

Why does it hurt this much? I have never allowed myself to feel, to fall prey to emotions that I know will bite me back in the future. How had I let this one escape my defenses?

The most melodic of tunes had reached my ears and I silence my tears quickly, due to practice, only a lone sniffle being heard. The sound reaches my ears again, I’m not able to make it out but it sounds beautiful.

Rising, I turn back towards the sound, towards the sea.

“Hello?”

The wind blows strong, my long blonde hair being playfully teased through its delicate hands. It is silent other than the refreshing sounds of the sea and wind. My ears suddenly pick up on the sound of a sweet melodic voice rippling through the air.

♫“Have you turned to the rippling tides?”♫

I look out to the sea, and walk slowly, cautiously, towards the railing.

♫“To engulf your lonely tears?”♫

I lean out, looking down at the choppy waves that were calm and serene only moments ago. My eyes glaze over and I see the world in a haze of blue.

SNAP

The railing breaks off, and with a gasp I plunge head first towards the sea.

I see a figure with black hair in the distance before I am swallowed by the icy cold waters.

Reaching…

Slowly sinking down, I reach my hand up in a fruitless effort to try and get back up to the surface, even though I know it’s pointless.

I’m always reaching for something that’s so unattainable from my grasp.

People say when you die you see your life flashing before your eyes. Every feeling and moment, packed into a few slides and a couple minutes. I didn’t think that was true.

But now, as I watch the bubbles blur around me and the glare of the moon from below the waters, I’m not so sure.

The bubbles turn to petals.

“Drayyy!”

I turn at the voice of my best friend, my hair flopping into my eyes.

“Guess who made Gryffindor junior prefect?!"

“'Mione! That’s amazing! I knew you would make it! I told you that you weren’t in trouble~”

I tease as I pat her head. She squints and moves away from my hand, sticking out her tongue.

“Oh shut up,”

“But I’m so proud of you, Congratulations!”

She grins and pokes my cheek, giggling

“Thanks Coco,” I pout at the nickname, and she winks. Her expression falls dramatically, and she mumbles behind her book,

“But the thing is, meetings are right after school so I can’t walk home with you everyday. Such a bummer... ”

My face falls, but I pull a smile up as quick as it had disappeared, acting like everything was ok. Like I wasn't being shoved into a corner, similar to a neglected fish, by everyone I loved.

“It’s ok we can still do homework together after you come back!”

Her face lights up, and she pokes my cheek again.

“Promise?”

I poke back with a smile.

“Promise!”

“That’s great! Because I'm totally close to failing history right now,”

I scoff, pinching her cheek. Hermione? Falling classes? Please.

“Mione…”

“Hey, Dynamic Duo! Are you guys ready to go?”

We turn, and surprise flashes across my face. I curse my pale complexion.

“Ah, hi Harry.”

Harry leans against his bike, his bag slung over one shoulder. His uniform is mussed up and his hair artfully messy. He quirked an eyebrow, and glares fondly at Hermione.

“Mione did you forget your bag again? Gosh, you're such a dunce.”

Hermione looks at him, unfazed.

"I'm pretty sure you're the dunce here, Potter ."

"That's dirty, Granger. "

"You deserved it. Anyway, this 'dunce' of yours just became a prefect, so show some respect."

"Ohhh I'm so scared," Harry muttered.

Hermione whacked him with her book.

"Shut up, you bully."

Harry scoffed.

"Also, now I have practice after school so you don't have to walk me home anymore."

"Oh, ok. But...what about Dray?"

I looked at the ground.

"I'll be alright on my own. It's okay."

Harry stayed silent for a moment, and then scratched his head.

"But then I won't have anyone to walk home with…"

I quickly backtracked.

"We can walk together if you want, I don't mind!"

He smiled at me.

" 'Kay. That's a relief…"

Before, I had never spent time around Harry unless Hermione was there. It was a new experience, and a welcome one.

But eventually, like any friendship or relationship that's cared for and nurtured properly, our seedling of friendship bloomed.

We talked often. And one day he complimented me on how mature I was. He said he envied me.

"You're really grown up for your age, you know?"

I was two years under him in school.

"I'm older than you, and yet you probably have a better rein on life than I do…"

I stared at him, before looking back down at my shoes shyly.

"I'm gonna have a little brother soon. My dad's rarely around. I'm going to have to take care of the house and help with the baby. I guess..I guess sometimes I wish I had more freedom to do what I want, like 'Mione."

I looked up.

"Then again, I'm probably just being immature. I wish I could approach things like you do."

Then he looked away, bringing a hand up to his hair to ruffle it, making it even more messy.

"I'm rambling again, aren't I? I probably sound really stupid…"

He laughed.

" No, I don't think that's stupid at all," I told him.

"If that's really how you feel, it's pretty important, isn't it?"

"I've never had to be responsible for anyone but myself. You, on the other hand, give your time to your family and friends without hesitation. You're not just the hero of your own story, but for other people's stories as well.”

I give him a small smile.

“Including mine."

He laughed, and looked at me with a sort of admiration in his eyes.

"That is so you, Dray. You always know just what to say."

He hugged me.

"Thanks Dray."

I blushed.

It was somewhere around that time that I realized an eternal spring had blossomed into my heart.

And little did I know, that those silly, childish fantasies of mine…

would eventually lead me…

to the end of everything I thought I knew.

I awoke to the feeling of those cold lips on mine again. Then they pulled away.

And I was face to face with a beautiful black haired woman, staring me down, drowning me in her eyes.

Those eyes...

It’s as if they could see right through me…

Empty and glass like, they also seemed to hold an immense sadness

But somehow…

I felt like I could resonate with them.