To Hurt and To Heal

Barely breathing (but still alive)

May 2023 - Age 19

"Delphi, wait!" Harry called out, attempting to catch her in the nick of time.

But she couldn't wait. Not for Harry Potter anyway. She just kept on walking, walking, and walking, and now, as he chased after her to the empty hallway she insisted on taking, she wouldn't stop walking until she couldn't hear his voice.

Not too far down the street, Harry ran past all of the dim street lights and buses and lanterns, and despite the darkness from the moon, he continued to follow her down the dark path.

"Delphi!"

Her blood ran cold, and with a kick in her step, she was off once again. Before she could get farther than she would have liked, Harry grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing?" Delphi's instant reply shocked him.

She yanked on her arm, but his grasp remained firm.

She tried to get away again, turning on her feet, and yanking her other arm behind her. "Don't," he said but she didn't listen. She caught him behind the knee, sending him tumbling downwards. But Harry didn't let go of her which brought both of them to hit the ground.

Before she could make a run for it, he flipped her. The air whooshed out of her lungs. Harry lunged for her and she managed to bring her feet up and kick him square in the jaw. He cursed as he dropped to his knees. His blood dripped, a shower of red.

She sprang to her feet, but too much pressure dragged her back down.

But Harry had been waiting for this for all too long and he twisted away, catching her and throwing her to the ground.

She knew she'd been caught before but this time it hurt all too much. It was worse somehow, it was different-

"Enough!" His fingers dug painfully into her hands as he pinned her against the cement.

She thrashed, trying her hardest to get away, but Harry's force was all too strong. He gripped onto her shoulders, dragging her back down.

"Stop," he said, in between breaths. "Please."

Delphi slowly sat upwards, but she was the farthest away from defeat as she'd even been. But the defeat in his voice made her pause.

"I'm not going to let go until I know you're not going to hurt me," Harry said. His voice raw and his face full of sorrow.

She took another breath, then another. She had no reason to hurt Harry. Not really. Not when she's already lost. Not when she's spent half of her life regretting what would have happened if she hadn't started in the first place-

"I'm not going to hurt you," she mumbled.

"Swear it."

"I swear," Delphi grits her teeth through every word.

He slowly made his way away from protecting himself and holding her down, then they both got to their feet. Her hair was a dirty blonde now, with streaks of washed out blue and silver, half of her ponytail coming out and she knew she looked like she was insane.

"So," she said, taking out the hair tie and tossing it towards the ground. "Are you going to explain yourself?" He patted his cloak down then turned to look her in the eye for another time but instantly winced when he got too close.

Harry began pacing, "I just...," he began, but waved an arm, shaking his head fiercely.

"You what?" Her words were almost drowned out from the noise from the night turning behind them.