Inbetween (A Harry Potter Next Generation Fanfic)

Chapter 25

"Why do you think Ukara hated love?" James asked as we were walking around the grounds of Hogwarts a couple of hours after the battle.

"Because she was in love with Voldemort. You know that he was incapable to love, your Dad must have told you that. That's why he was so cold hearted, he'd kill anyone just like Ukara. Voldemort never showed any love towards her, so Ukara became bitter about the thought of love because she loved Voldemort with all her heart. At first she wanted to get revenge on your Dad, but then George and Athena told them about our curse and she hated the thought of people being loved. She saw how strong our love is and immediately wanted to destroy what she couldn't have." I explained to him.

"You've put some serious thought into this haven't you?" James shoved me in the side playfully with his body.

"No, I just know how her mind works. We're women James, we have funny minds." I rolled my eyes at him jokingly.

"Oh I know that!" James joked.

"Oi!" I cried, shoving him.

"Sit with me a minute." He pulled my hand so that I would sit down next to him. I leaned my side against him.

"What's wrong?" I asked, looking at him a little worried.

"Did you mean it?" He asked, playing with his hand's nervously.

"Mean what?" I replied, a little confused as to what he was trying to ask me.

"That you love me?" He asked, not meeting my gaze. I just rolled my eyes and grinned.

"Look at me silly." I told him. He looked up at me wearily, trying to read my expression.

I quickly leant forward and crashed my lip's against his. It took a few minutes for him to respond, but he finally did and fireworks exploded in my stomach just like last time. He was so silly. Of course I loved him. Yes, it had taken me a long time to actually realise it, but I did. I loved him unconditionally.

"Is that enough proof for you?" I asked as I pulled away from him.

"Yes" He replied, looking a little shocked. "I love you."

"I love you too." I smiled as he placed a light kiss on my lip's.

"Ew. You two better not be doing that twenty four seven." Fred groaned as he sat down on the other side of James.

"They will be." Lola laughed as herself and Luke sat down on the other side of me.

"It's disgusting." Fred wrinkled his nose.

"You need to find a girlfriend Freddie." I laughed.

"Mission find Fred a girl friend is go." James fist bumped Luke as if they were making a deal.

"Definitely. I'm glad you're okay twinnie." Luke squeezed my knee.

"I still can't get used to that." Lola shuddered.

"I'm glad you're okay Lo." I gave my best friend a one armed hug.

"Lyla Malfoy I thought you were going to die!" Lola cried, hitting me lightly on the arm.

"I'm sorry." I blushed, looking down at the floor.

"She's pretty reckless when she knows what she wants." James shrugged.

"I thought you were going to as well James Potter! I nearly had a heart attack when you ran to Elle!" Lola cried, hitting a James on the arm.

"I think everyone nearly did." Luke agreed.

"Grandma Weasley is going to have a heart attack when Mum and Dad tell her what you did James." Fred rolled his eyes.

"I know, she'll be so mad that all of her children and grand children were in another battle. She would have wanted to come but Uncle Bill never would have let her because she's getting on a bit now." James sighed sadly.

"I love your Grandma." I smiled, thinking of Molly Weasley. She was such an incredible woman and she was so nice the first time that I met her. She had always said that James would fall for a 'stunning girl like me'.

"Grandma loves you Elle, she never shuts up." Fred rolled his eyes.

The five of us sat in silence for a while, taking in the silence and just watching the water ripple on the Black Lake. The sun was beginning to set in now, I could just see the top of it setting over the mountains in the distance and it looked beautiful. It was quite warm to say that it was late evening, and it was nice to just sit in the sun with the people that I loved the most. I had also been sat in a dark room for Merlin knows how long, so it was nice to see the light of day again.

"Guys, what do you think will happen to us in the future?" Lola spoke up, interrupting my gaze on the setting sun.

"I think we'll still be the same as we are now." Luke shrugged.

"I have no idea." I shrugged. I had no idea what tomorrow would bring, or the day after that, or the day after that. For now, I was happy and I would be that way for the rest of my life if I still had the amazing people that I had in it today.

"I hope that we're still friends, all of us and that we're happy." James voiced my thoughts.

"I just hope I don't die alone." Fred shrugged.

We all looked at each other once before bursting into laughter.

"Don't worry Freddie, you won't!" Lola laughed.

"I think we should go back to the castle before the Giant Squid eats us." Luke announced after we had all gotten over our laughing fit.

"I second that." James agreed, standing up and pulling me up with him.

"Last one there has to kiss the winner!" Lola yelled, taking off into a sprint towards the castle, James, Luke and Fred following quickly behind. Thankfully, James was currently in the lead because I was going to lose.

I smiled to myself as I watched my four best friends laugh. We were all finally happy after the grief that our last year at Hogwarts had given us and it was rewarding to watch them all look happy again. It made me happy.

I just hoped that it would stay that way.

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