𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑 || H.P

𝟕𝟒

Harry POV;

Maybe it was the way she muttered his name when his hands searched her body.

The next morning, Harry had his face buried in the crook of her neck. Alicia slept with her hair tossed messily on her pillow and eyes. A gentle gleam covered her features. She was glowing, almost, her expression was calm. The corners of her mouth were turned up slightly into a smile.

Harry used his elbow to hoist himself up, brushing away the loose strands stuck to her forehead. He slowly leaned down to kiss the area in between her eyebrows. He quietly climbed out of bed and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders.

Before taking his own clothes and getting ready, he stacked Alicia's in a neat pile next to their bed.

He loved her.

The realization crept up on him slowly, but it dawned on him that he loved her since the beginning. He loved her when she spilled that cup of pumpkin juice on him, since she'd been his partner in Herbology. He loved her since the night they went on a walk in the courtyard. He loved her long before their very first kiss, but he didn't know it then.

He loved her when the rain started pouring, and it never stopped. He will continue to love her, even when the world shatters, and the last raindrop falls.
-

He's not coming to get me.

My nightmares didn't last, and I was dreaming. I slept through dawn's early light, thinking about the world without war. Only Harry could make me forget about that.

I stepped down the stairs of the cottage to the kitchen. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were having a hushed conversation at the table; though Ron looked as if he was falling asleep on top of his food.

Harry grinned as soon as I walked in, and I returned the smile, pulling up a chair beside him. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Alicia," Hermione beamed. "Did you sleep well?"

Harry stopped chewing.

"I did, yes." I quickly nodded and glanced sideways towards Harry. He stared down at his food and continued eating.

"Oh, good." She looked between us for a moment before training her gaze to Ron. His face was fully submerged in his bowl of cereal. "Oh, Ron!" She smacked him on the arm.

He emerged from the bowl with milk all over his face. "Blimey, Hermione!"

Harry and I started laughing at their chaos. Hermione pulled out a napkin and started wiping off his face. Ron was fussing over the soggy cereal.

I turned to Harry. "I think I know where the next Horcrux is."

Harry looked away from the duo with furrowed brows. "You do?"

Narcissa sat across from my mother and I while the house elves served us tea and biscuits. "Don't mind the noise, Bella's been staying with us for the holiday."

"No worries." My mother immediately took a sip of tea. "I've heard she's got quite the collection at Gringotts."

"Oh, yes," Mrs. Malfoy said. "Reckon some of it's stolen."

"Bellatrix said the sword was supposed to be in her vault," I whispered. "I think it really was, until Snape got it in his office somehow. She's stolen loads of things like that."

"You think she's got a Horcrux in her vault?"

I shrugged. "She's Tom Riddle's number one."
-

"Are you sure it's hers?" I asked.