Back When it Started

Bad Circumstances, Good Ending

TW: mentions of suicide

Emma

"Inflamare" I murmur, using magic to set fire to the rope that would've been my noose. I'm still not in the right headspace, but I'm not in a dark enough place to try and kill myself anymore. 

I sit back and watch the moon, just letting myself think. To most, this is a bad idea, but for me? Thinking through my problems makes me calmer, it helps me rationalize my actions and feelings.

I see the sun start to rise and I stand up, turning around to head back to Ravenclaw tower. I've reached the hatch when I see a figure standing on the edge of the roof. Curious, I quietly walk over to see who it is.

It's the boy who kissed me earlier today. Eric Longbottom.
He's.. trying to jump off the roof.

"Eric!" I call out, catching his wrist before he can step off the edge.
He turns to look at me. "Emma? What are you doing up here?" He murmurs, his voice soft, his eyes are glazed over, as if he's already dead.
"Please don't jump Eric." I plead with him, I wince inwardly. This is the exact conversation I'd be having with someone had someone been there for me.
No one was there for me.
But I'm going to be here for him.

"I have no reason to be here anymore Emma. All I do is hurt people. I might as well take myself out before I end up seriously hurting people." He tries to pull his hand out of my grip.
"Eric please! I didn't decide to stay on this earth for you to jump." I plead, tears welling in my eyes.
"I'm just going to hurt you. I can do nothing but hurt people, I'm a worthless waste of space."
I ignore the tears dripping down my face. "You could never hurt me. Do you think I'd be trying to stop you if you were worthless, or a waste of space? Please Eric just step away from the edge." I hesitate before trying something else. "Or did that kiss earlier today mean nothing to you?"
That stops him. He looks back at me carefully. "It meant everything to me." He murmurs eventually.
"Then step away from the edge. Please. That kiss stopped me from being exactly where you are now. Let it do the same for you." I gently move away from the edge, and he slowly follows me.

Once he's far enough away from the edge I let go of his wrist and hug him tightly.
"Let me help you." I say softly, gently making him look at me. He seems to hesitate before nodding to me.
"Promise me you won't try this again, promise me you'll talk to me." I ask, looking up at him.
"I promise." He murmurs.

I gently pull him to the Room of Requirement, where we spend the next day and a half talking through our problems, helping each other through them.
After being awake for around 30 hours, we fall asleep curled up in each other's arms.

And neither of us have a single nightmare.