The Doe

Now What?

I focused my eyes on the darkness my closed eyelids created, the sounds around me slowly fading to nothing. Flecks of gold flew through my vision as I opened my eyes to see the same coastline in front of me. Lowering my body to sit in the grass, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. The salty wind that hit my face soothed my body, allowing me to feel the environment around me. The chirps of the birds were happy and content, my magic allowing me to see the peaceful dreams of the foxes in the woods a few miles away from the beach. My eyes opened again to see a darker sky rolling into the coast. The hairs on my arms stood up and I felt an overwhelming sense of negative emotions. Anger, sadness, longing, jealousy....

"Maddie?"

Being pulled out of my trance, I turned to see the dark floppy hair of James Potter at my doorway. I smiled and he took that as his confirmation that he could enter.

"How are you?" he asked, setting a glass of water on my bedside table and taking a perch on the bed where I lay.

"I feel a lot better, I'm just doing the preparation Nicolas told me to do for the next task. It's going to be the most draining one yet, apparently," I laughed, softly, closing my eyes.

"Really? I find that hard to believe after the last one," he chuckled, taking my hand, "Do you want to get out of here for a bit?"

I opened my eyes again, frowning up at the face above me.

"James, you know I can't," I told him, shaking my head.

"Yes you can, you just said you were feeling better," he countered.

"James, it's not about that. I can't leave the cottage, you know that," I whispered, my eyebrows furrowed.

"You did with Sirius."

My eyes softened as he looked away from me. I rubbed my thumb on the back of his hand as I sighed.

"That was a one off. It was for something special-"

"So what am I to you then?" he suddenly asked, his voice louder than before.

The shock on my face was clearly visible as I sat up against the backboard of my bed.

"Prongs, don't be stupid," I told him.

"I'm sick of not seeing you, I'm sick of not having time to spend with you," he muttered, angrily, standing up and pacing around the room as he ran his hand through his hair.

I looked down at my hand that had been holding his, the tingles spreading through my arm. I could feel his emotions, ones that I never associated with him, ones that I had just felt on the beach.

"I'm sick of being in this house, I'm sick of never leaving this house, I'm sick of being in this god forsaken place, I'm sick of being STUCK here!" he exploded, throwing his hands down and turning to face me.

I felt the hurt become visible in my eyes, so I gulped and looked down, before meeting his eyes again with a clear head.

"I thought you knew what you signed up for," I told him, venom beginning to enter my mouth.

"So did I," he said back, never breaking eye contact.

"I guess you regret it, then?" I nodded, the pace between our exchange getting quicker.

"Coming here? Yes."

"Finally he's honest."

"I'm sick of being trapped here."

"I can't apologise for you not reading the terms and conditions."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I hardly think I'm the one being ridiculous here," I laughed.