All I Ever Wanted Was the World

chapter 22

The great castle doors shut with a small noise behind Harry and he felt the onslaught of trembles start to shake his frame.
He couldn't handle the sight of his friends walking through the halls of Hogwarts, couldn't handle the casualness of it all.
He couldn't bear to see them on their way to class, something he wish he could be doing with them.
Was it the thought of him being without them or was it the idea that they didn't need him?
Them without him...?

He felt tears well up in his eyes as him and Tom made their way down the steps to cross the grounds of Hogwarts.

Their feet made almost no sound as they walked down the steps of Hogwarts, and Harry began to drag his trainers against the concrete slabs.

His tongue felt as heavy as lead and his throat began to tighten. He felt as if he was being choked. It was like a great troll had wrapped a large fist around his neck and wouldn't let go.

He began to limp and moved more sluggishly, the rush of adrenaline now leaving his body after there was no immediate threat of danger or discovery.
He felt tired.

"Harry..?" The older boy murmured against the back of his neck, the warm breath tickling his skin and making his hair stand on end.
Tom made sure that the cloak was still concealing the two as he wrapped an arm around Harry's middle.
"Were you injured?" He asked gently, something Harry had never heard or imagined would come from the mostly ruthless and blunt boy.
It was uncharacteristically kind of him, though Harry didn't think it was necessarily bad.

His thumb found its way on his hip and rested there.

Harry could not find it in himself to respond, so he decided that nodding his head would be best.

"You idiot."
There was no anger or annoyance in those words, and Harry glanced over his shoulder only to see a mostly concealed yet worried face.
He found it didn't suit Tom and his sharp features.
"I'll be fine." Harry gave a small forced smile, and he was grateful that Tom did not push it any further, though the wrinkle between his brows did not smooth out.

Harry frowned.

The taller of the two reached forward and grasped Harry's arm.
He let out a pained cry when Tom tried to wrap Harry's arm around his neck, and, as tenderly as he could, he moved his arm back to his side.
"Damnit, Harry." The boy breathed, and he began to walk faster, practically lifting the shorter boy as they quickly began to cover more ground.

"Harry!"
A girl called out.
The voice was shaky and unsure.
The large door to the entrance opened and out walked two figures, their bodies going straight into the mist that blanketed the school.
"Hermione..please. Let's go back inside." Ron rested a hand on her shoulder, attempting to try and get her attention.
His blue eyes were dark and half-lidded, almost as if he could fall asleep at any moment. The bags underneath his eyes were apparent, and they stood out like dirt on a snow day against his ghastly pale skin.
As if he hadn't been sleeping much.

"Harry, I know it has to be you!" Hermione's voice was now watery and wavered with each word.
He could tell that his friend was close and, if not, was about to have a breakdown.

Harry bit his lip when Tom gave him a stern look to prevent Harry from any further interactions.
"We cannot interfere." Tom said quietly and almost reluctantly, his eyes peering down at the other who shakily inhaled a breath.
"Please. I just need to tell them I'm alive, I'll shout and nothing more. We won't be found by anyone else...they're my friends."
Harry pleaded, his green eyes filled with a sadness from being away from his home for months, from the despair that stemmed from the loss of so much in such a short time.
His heart throbbed in desperate need.
Tom's eyes softened even further than they already had, and he turned his head away for a moment.
Harry presumed it was from showing so much weakness, as Tom would call it.