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ELIZA DIDN'T ATTEND THE SERVICE DUMBLEDORE HAD HELD. She couldn't bring herself to go. Daphne was seemingly missing, for good reason, and Eliza had never seen Lilly so sad. It was like life crumbled all in one day. The typical sunshine-and-rainbows girl had lost all warmth, her once permanent smile replaced with a frown full of sorrow.
It crushed Eliza to see Lilly in such pain, especially knowing the source was once their best friend.
So as she sat, her record spinning on the peculiar Muggle machine, she hummed to the tune of the song she loved. The stars from the dark sky illuminated her bedroom. Tomorrow, the year would finally close, she would go back to her home and let the weight of the world crumble on her shoulders. Tomorrow, she would worry about Connor, Daphne, and Lord Voldemort.
But tonight, she just wanted to be happy-go-lucky, unbothered Eliza Cawthorne.
How sweet it is to be loved by you, feels so fine How sweet it is to be loved by you, I close my eyes at night
She was unsure why Muggles got such a bad reputation, their music was amazing. What Eliza was sure of though, was why Mr. Weasley was so bloody obsessed with them.
"Come in!" She shouted languidly to the knock on her door. A flash of red hair and a sheepish smile made her heart skip a beat as Ron plopped on her bed, just beside the cases she was busy packing up.
"Talked to mum and dad. Our families are going on a trip to Ireland — withoutus."
"Codswallop! Why?"
"Mum refused to say. But, I could hear your own mum giggling in the background."
Eliza tilted her head, not wasting her breath to figure out the peculiar actions of Natalie Cawthorne and Molly Weasley. She couldn't bear to think that hard at times like this — after her brain was fried from papers and projects alike.
Wondering where would I be without you in my life Everything I did was just a bore Everywhere I went it seems I'd been there before
Warmth crept onto Eliza's cheeks, reaching out a hand to Ron's. He took it, befuddled, and she managed to pull him up with all her strength. All Eliza wanted to do was feel happy; so, she danced.
She danced goofily, her hand intertwined with Ron's. The boy spun her around and around, laughter and smiles overpowering the soft music. Ron turned her out and back in, and then they both seemed to still.
Their noses touched, and that was all it took for Eliza's heart to explode in her chest, heat melting throughout her entire body.
"Eliza," Ron whispered, his warm breath smelled of new vanilla ice cream and his hair smelt of a familiar scent; like home.
"Yeah?"
"Can I kiss you?"
"Please," she begged, smashing their lips together as the gap closed between them. Their lips moved in sync as the music faded, and they didn't pull apart until the grating scratch of the record signified the song was over.
They jumped apart abruptly due to the loud scratch, but both let out a tiny yelp when they looked in the doorway of Eliza's bedroom.
Lilly Lavender, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter stood, mouths wide agape at the two with faces that matched Ron's hair.
꙳
The five walked hand in hand throughout the courtyard, shouting goodbye to professors, housemates, and friends. She wished Connor was here, but in another vein, she was glad he wasn't. Everything was changing, and Connor was someplace better.
"Everything's going to change, isn't it?" Hermione chirped, looking to Harry. The curly haired girl glanced towards Ron and Eliza with a half-hearted smile, but they knew they weren't what Hermione referred to.
"Yes," was all Harry said before engulfing her into a brotherly hug, a reassuring smile on his face. "But, we've got each other. You all promise to write this summer?"
"All the time!" "Yep!" "Of course." "Absolutely!"
The replies sparsed from the group, and Harry looked at each one of them, with a gentle smile, "then we'll be alright."
