ETHALINE

END OF THE YEAR

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"Why do you have to go to the Dursley's?!" Ethaline asked, completely furious as she sat on Harry's bed.

Harry sighed, "Dumbledore said it was what's best." He said, "Have you decided where you'll be going?"

"No," she huffed, "I have to chose between Hogwarts, Weaslebee and Granger."

Harry chuckled, "I like having my best friend alive."

Ethaline set up a little, a smirk on her lips, "Which one."

Harry looked at her, "Both of them." He said a he placed some things into his trunk.

She groaned and laid back down, "Remus is who knows where, I'd even settle for Tonks." She said as Harry furrowed his eyebrows.

"You could always...go with Andromeda." Harry said slowly, not wanting to light a bomb as she sat up slowly.

"The woman hates me."

"She's never even met you," Harry said, "You have other family. I think you should give it a chance." He shrugged, "That's all."

"I could just slip something into your uncle and aunts drink and then spend the summer with you touring all the muggle places in the world and just...get away from everything." She said, a hopeful tone in her voice as her boyfriend sighed.

"We can't...you know we can't."

She held the duvet and covered herself with it, "I know." She muttered, her once hopeful tone crushed. Harry noticed this and set down his stuff before climbing into the bed, his front pressed against her back as he snuggled into her neck.

"A whole summer away from you," Harry whispered as he traced a pattern on her skin. "It's practically hell."

She turned around, wrapping her arms around his waist and swinging one leg around his torso, her face buried deep into his chest, his natural scent providing a calming feeling. "I'll miss you." She said weakly.

They had spent every waking moment together, ignoring the growing war and everything that had to do with it to live in a peaceful world. It was rather selfish, but they deserved the time. The two had been through multiple ordeals and they hadn't even come of age yet.

Ethaline never thought once in her entire life she would feel this way for someone. She always thought she'd have her mother's fate: an arranged marriage where she grows to like the person, not love. And while it's too early to determine whether or not Ethaline loved him as she never experience it before, that's where it felt like it was going.

The marriage of her parents was something Ethaline didn't understand until recently. Narcissi complied, gave up her rights to please her family and in doing so sealed their children's fate at any chance of willfull freedom as Lucius was now used to having his way and anything that took that away was to be eliminated immediately.

A soft knock on the door took them out of their thoughts, Ethaline frowning, it even turning around head to see who it was. "What's up mate?" Harry asked quietly, still playing with her hair as he sat up a little.

Ron blushed a light red, "The train leaves in fifteen." He said, motioning to his trunk, "The elves will take it—" the trunk disappeared in a second. "Oh well never mind."

"Can I have him for another minute before you whisk him into your bubble of bromance?" Ethaline asked in an noted tone, "Or will you rip him from my arms again Weaslebee."

Ron smirked, "I can't hear you, your highness." He called out as Ethaline reached for a pillow to throw. Harry chuckled, the vibrations soothing her slightly as Ron continued, "So where will you be staying?"

"Keep talking like that and I'll likely show up at your door just to bring you the most miserable summer of your life." She said, turning around, "Mark my words Weasle. Can you go now?"

Ron held his hands up, a small laughedcaping his lips, "Already gone sister."

Once Ron closed the door Harry raised an eyebrow at her, "As much as I love you wrapped around me like this, could the reason for you mood be a folded sheet of paper with your father as the headline?"

Ethaline snuggled in closer, "no." She lied.

"Ethaline, you've got to cut him loose." Harry said quietly, "You'll keep torturing yourself thinking he can be redeemed."

"I know that," She whispered, "I know that but I can't..." she sighed, "He's..."

Harry didn't reply, only planting a kiss on her forehead as he didn't know what to say. The man was horrid, especially to him, but he also raised Ethaline and understood the connection and why she wanted so badly to believe he could change. He didn't resent her for that, he just wished she could see the situation more clearly,

After a couple more minutes they made their way outside, Ethaline dreaded the train ride back, an awkward seating arrangement with Hermione. Nonetheless she sat in the cart, her dragons snoring soundly in their case before she returned to reading the book Romeo and Juliet.

"I.." Hermione hesitated, "I love that book."

Ethaline looked up slightly as she flipped a page, "Its rather entertaining, muggle writers I mean." She said as Harry glanced at the two of them before he went back to talking to Ron.

"Why's that?" Hermione asked, ready to defend them.

"Wizards write about excellence the need to be better or the belief that they are while muggles write about wanting to be enough. An equal." Ethaline worded carefully, "Wanting to be enough for their significant others."

Hermione nodded, "I've...I've noticed that in wizard writing." She admitted.

"Shakespeare is nice change of pace." She said before the woman selling goodies came. Ethaline immediately grabbed her pouch, "The whole cart please."

"You know Malfoy," Ron said, "There might be some good qualities in you."

Harry sighed, "You couldn't have just said thank you?"