The Wizard and the Muggle Girl

Leaving

    "Time to wake up, baby." Said James, softly in my ear. I rolled onto my back and pushed myself out of the bed, over to where James was getting dressed. I helped him pack his last things, his new school books and a framed photo of him and me. It must have been taken at the wedding where we first met and it was a romantic picture, of us hugging on the dance floor. I couldn't stop the tears then. I broke down, sobbing, cradling the picture. James ran over to me, scooped me up in his arms and sat on the bed with me in his lap.

"We will see each other very soon, you know that." He said and I nodded. I sat on the bed as he fastened up his trunk and picked it up. I handed him, Eliana, his pet ferret, and we went downstairs. Harry and Ginny were waiting for us by the car. We all piled in and set off for Kings Cross. I held onto James's hand the entire journey and when we got there I held Eliana for him so we could still hold hands.

"Is there a special platform to go on to get the train to Hogwarts?" I asked.

"Oh yes, we are standing right in front of it." Said Harry. I looked where he was looking. All there was platform 9 and 10 and Harry seemed to be looking directly in between them, at the brick barrier.

"Is it through there?" I questioned.

"Yep." Said James and he leaned forward and positioned the trolley with his trunk on, directly in front of the barrier. I gulped as we ran towards the barrier, I closed my eyes, waiting for the blow. But the blow never came. James had stopped running. I opened my eyes and gasped in amazement. In front of us was a massive red steam train, with the words, 'Hogwarts Express' on it. I looked at James and he grinned. I helped him put his luggage on the train and then it was time to say goodbye. James led me by the hand, over to an area a bit of a distance away from the crowds of parents and kids. He stood in front of me, his eyes piercing mine.

"I love you." James gulped and I smiled through my tears.

"I love you too." I replied and put my arms around him and held him tightly. That was the first time we had said that to each other, I could feel his shoulders shaking as I hugged him. I looked into his face, tears were staining his cheeks and I kissed him like I had never kissed him before. I heard the whistle blow and James pressed his forehead to mine and kissed me again. Harry and Ginny were waiting by the train and James quickly gave them a hug each and then ran back to me. He jumped onto the train and into the first compartment, opened the window and gave me one last kiss.

"I love you, remember that." He said. Then he was moving away from me. The train had started leaving and I ran alongside it, racing to keep up with James.

"I love you!" I shouted to him and he nodded and waved, tears falling down his cheeks. The platform ended and he was gone. My throat was tight and I couldn't breathe properly. I started to have a headache because I had been crying so much. Ginny and Harry ran up to me and I buried myself in Ginny's shoulder and cried my eyes out. She gently led me to the barrier and we went through it together. She helped me into the car and put on my seatbelt. By then, I had regained a little composure, and could sit up properly and talk, though my voice was very wobbly.

"Ava? Harry and I were thinking of stopping off for a coffee somewhere, do you mind that? It might make you feel a bit better, having something to eat and drink. You didn't have anything for breakfast." Said Ginny. I blew out a long, shaky breath.

"Yes, I think that would be nice." I said in a wavy voice. Ginny agreed and Harry parked the car in a large car park. There was a public toilet in the car park and I paid fifty pence to go inside. I washed my face and tried to smarten myself up a bit, but I still looked depressingly upset, as I was, but I didn't want to look it. Ginny then came in, she smiled sympathetically at me and wiped the fresh tears that fell from my eyes.