Fitzsimmons

Seventh Year- Part Seven

Quick Note: It's officially canon that Fitz is in a coma. Sad sigh.

Also! The deleted scenes have wonderful Fitzsimmons moments! I don't know why they wouldn't include them. If you haven't seen them already, watch them!

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Jemma woke up in her ball gown, now wrinkled from sleep. She scooted forward to the edge of the bed to get breakfast, but warm arms trapped her. She had almost forgotten about Fitz. Fitz hadn't forgotten about her.

"Morning," he grumbled, slowly moving his arms away from Jemma's waist before she caught them and wrapped them back around her.

"Morning." she replied with a sleepy smile. The late morning light streaming from the window created a silhouette of Jemma's face and bed head hair. "Breakfast?" she yawned. Fitz's stomach rumbled right on time. "You're always hungry, aren't you?"

"Yep." Fitz wasn't alert enough to have a witty comeback. Jemma released her grip on his arms, and he pulled them back, then followed closely out of her bed.

"Meet you in the Great Hall in ten?" Jemma reached behind her to grab the door knob.

"I'll miss you." Fitz said through his grin.

"Shut up." Jemma huffed a silent laugh, then pushed him out the door. As she was bringing it closed, Fitz, who wasn't moving, stuck his foot in the doorframe.

"Jemma, wait." he said. She opened the door a crack, and he immediately lunged at her, cupping her face and pulling her tight for a kiss. Jemma wasn't sure she'd ever get over all the butterflies.

Fitz stepped back, closing the door behind him and leaving the now constantly smiling Jemma to her thoughts.

"Not a word, Stanley." Fitz said as he strode confidently past his roommate, who had witnessed the whole thing.

Of course by breakfast the whole school knew. Stanley really got around fast. Most of the students weren't surprised, and would rather talk about Victoire and Teddy's snogging or how Skye, a Head Girl of Slytherin, had gone to the ball with Grant, an unlikely choice.

Fitzsimmons took their spots at their regular table, hands lazily touching on the tabletop between them as Fitz piled food onto his plate and Jemma poured milk on her cereal.

As Jemma ate, she stared at Fitz, studying in depth the planes of his face. His features were soft, but not too childishly soft. His jaw wasn't particularly defined, and neither were his cheekbones. There wasn't a distinguishing part of his face; it all sort of blended together like a watercolor painting. If Fitz's personality was compiled into a face, it would be his face, which Jemma guessed was a good thing. He looked like he should look.

Halfway through Fitz's next bite of biscuit, Jemma spoke without thinking too much.

"I love you." she said calmly, casually even. Fitz's eyes bulged as he swallowed his food quickly.

"I love you, too." he blurt out once he had finished.

"Good." Jemma said back conversationally. She went back to eating, trying not to make a big deal out of it. Fitz followed her lead and stuffed a bagel in his mouth before she decided that it was indeed a big deal.

"No, I mean I love you. Really." she said quite loudly. Fitz forced the half-chewed food down again, making his eyes water this time.

"Jemma, I know." He stared her down, making sure she knew he knew. "I love you, too." He said it like he was trying to prove something.

"Fitz, no, Leo." she tried his first name. She didn't like it as much as Fitz. Fitz was easy. "I know." He smiled.

"So, we're good?" Fitz asked somewhat nervously.

"Yeah. Are we, um, dating now?"

"If you want to."

"I want to."

"Then, yes. Jemma Simmons, we are dating."

"Good." The Ravenclaws grinned at each other.

The couple dated casually for the next few months of school, mostly studying together or eating dinner at the same table. What they normally would have done if they weren't dating, but with different feelings. They were both okay with that, too. Fitzsimmons had realized they had really been together since the beginning of seventh year.

At the end of year feast, McGonagal announced her retirement, much to the dismay of the students. Professor Longbottom announced his wife's pregnancy right afterwords. With loss comes gain, he had said. That was something he had learned from his friend, the legendary Harry Potter.

As nice as it would've been for Ravenclaw to win their final year here, Gryffindor won the house cup. Again. And Teddy and Victoire snogged about it. Again. Then Professor Longbottom had them split up. Again. Some things never change.

Late owls flew through the window before food was served. Daisy the owl no longer carried mail for Fitz. She had become too weak to continue, so Fitz had gone without mail the last few weeks, retiring the poor creature to the owlry in London.

When they began to eat, to Fitz's right was Grant, and to his left was Stanley. Both were in relationships, to Fitz's surprise. Especially Stanley. Annoying git. Stanley was whispering in his girlfriend's ear, while Grant kept glancing across the hall to Skye, the Head Girl of Slytherin. Fitz was too involved in his conversation about the future with Jemma, across the table.

Garret Davies, the head boy of Ravenclaw that Fitz had finally admitted he'd been jealous of, ended the year single, with poor marks and no hope of getting a job in the ministry or otherwise. Lucy Chang, his closest friend, sat near him, trying to counsel him.

When McGonagal chimed her knife against her glass, the noise stopped immediately, and students awaited the end-of-year speech. Jemma noticed several students and professors alike tearing up as she spoke the first few words.

"This, as well as being my last year, has been the last year of our brilliant seventh years. The first generation to start Hogwarts after the war. The first year all of the students don't remember the war that took so many lives." She gave a pointed look at Teddy Lupin, his hair turning thin and light brown. Jemma looked around to see who else had lost parents or siblings. A Hufflepuff they called Diggory. Lavender, named after her older sister. Two young, curly-haired Gryfindors stood with a younger ginger one.

"This is both saddening and joyful. Those who do not remember mixed with those who have experienced the pain first-hand. Your innocence marks the start of a new generation. One without bad memories. Only good ones, of your times here." McGonagal removed her reading glasses and looked out across the students hanging onto each word she said. "Here you have found protection. Friendship. Love." Jemma swiveled her head to the side to find Fitz staring at her. They locked gazes much easier than they had at the beginning of the year.

"Hold onto that. Remind the survivors of the joy in life. The joy first found at Hogwarts, carried throughout the rest of life." After a brief silence, which Jemma used to wipe her wet eyes, Slytherins, Hufflepuffs, Gryfindors, and Ravenclaws stood and applauded. They cheered for the past and for the future. For Hogwarts. For Home.

Jemma and Fitz found their way into each other's arms, and embraced, tears of sadness and happiness combined. No matter how bad or good things got, they knew they would have each other.