𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬. 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳

curiosity 12 ~ h potter

19 years later

"Wow, auntie Y/N, did you paint this?" Rose, Hermione and Ron's daughter, stares at the painting I've done. Standing beside her, I nodded, "All the paintings you see here... is done by me, little one." I grinned, taking her hand and twirling her around.

"That's fascinating, I wish to be good as painting like you!" Rose grins, running off to my other paintings, Ron approaches me with a welcoming hug and grin. "Nice to see you again, Y/N."

"You too, nice of you all to fly over here to see me open up my first art exhibit." I giggled.

 Hermione joins in, placing a kiss on both of my cheeks, a normal French greeting seeing how they flew over here to France to watch me open my art exhibit. "Obviously, how could we not? Your pieces are exquisite! Is it too much to ask for you to paint something to add to our home, so it does not look bland."

"Our house is as exquisite as this painting." Ron points at my work which was a landscape of a corridor which had paintings in either sides and a table at the end which held up a trophy. That painting was inspired by our journey, each painting on the wall was an obstacle we had to go through and in the end was a trophy, the trophy of being alive and still having each other. A trophy which signified that we won. 

"Oh please, Ronald. It's horrid, you lack a sense of style." Hermione wailed jokingly resulting to Ron rolling his eyes. Laughing at the married couple, I missed seeing them, they didn't change at all, the same Ron and Hermione from Hogwarts. 

"We have to go, the kids are hungry. You know kids, demanding as they can get, wouldn't want anyone catching a tantrum." Ron chuckles.

"Wondered who they got it from." I joked, earning a scoff from Ron, "Be thankful, Y/N that I love you or I would've stolen one of your paintings and sold them."

 Ron gathered their kids while Hermione stayed behind to tell me something, "Harry's there, he's been waiting to talk to you," pointing to the corner where he was standing admiring my painting. "Good luck, Y/N."

"Thanks, Herms. I'll catch you later." I smiled. 

 Walking over to his side, I looked at Harry, "It's beautiful." He compliments my work.

"Thanks." I smiled. This piece was actually one of my favorite, I recreated the scenery where we talked after the fight had finished. The dawning sky, the wonderful clouds, the amazing scenic views, and I even added the both of us sitting on a piece of debris. It was perfect to say the least, it was the time we talked. More specifically...

The last time we talked.

"If only I had known that was the last time we talked... I would've said more." Harry breathed out.

"You don't have to, actions speak louder than words." I smiled, taking something out from my pocket, showing him the piece of paper in my hands.

"You still have it." He gasps upon seeing it. Nodding, "I could never bring myself to throw it out, I mean, how could I?"

 He lowers his head, "I wasn't a very good best friend or lover to you."

"Not a very good best friend or lover? That's very debatable, Harry. You were the best. You're always there for me. You..." I looked at him, grabbing his cheek in my hand turning his head to face me.

"You kept me going. We might not have been each other's end but we were each other's start, we're unforgettable. We're still here for each other, we have our own purpose and reason. Because of me, you found your true love, you found your own purpose, bloody hell, you even have your own wonderful family, raising such wonderful children with your wonderful wife. It was mad of me to not attend your wedding, I'm sorry for that, but I am still happy for both of you.

"It might seemed we were making the wrong decisions back then but those decisions led us to the right outcome." I smiled, showing him that everything was alright, it was alright to begin with.

"Because of me, you found your passion, your happiness." Harry said weakly, to which I added, "I also found how to love myself, how to prioritize myself for the first time. I stopped blaming myself for everything to which nothing had to do with me. And above all...

"I finally stopped hurting myself." I grinned at him. "I want to thank you, Harry."

"For what?" He asked, unsure of why I was thanking him when he hasn't done anything for me these past 19 years.

"Thank you, Harry... thank you for making me curious. Because the curiosity you've given me through the letter was the reason why I continued on and why I kept living and fighting through all the obstacles." Everything was true, the curiosity on knowing what was in the letter led me to keep going. I wanted to live on just to know what was written inside and finally opening it, I was not disappointed when I read it. 

"You're welcome, it was the least I could do. I'm sorry I couldn't make you happy until the end, I'm sorry I also left you, I told you that you wouldn't lose me, but you did, not only me but all of us."

"It's fine, we all need time for ourselves. I actually needed to spend time with myself and no one else, so I could grow into this person in which who I am right now. Don't blame yourself now because I never did blame you, Harry. You've done more than enough, Harry. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, you still own a piece of my heart."

"I'm glad, Y/N. I'm glad, you're still here with us. Keep painting, show us everything through your paintings." He smiled before patting me in the back, "I'm meeting the rest at the restaurant just around the block, you should join. We're all waiting for you..."

"I will, save me a seat, I expect to sit beside my wonderful niece." I smiled back, he nods and walks out the exhibit. 

 Looking down at the folded paper in my hand, no matter how long the years have passed, I would still keep reading this and would never get tired of it. Reading the two words written in the middle of the paper.

"Keep going." 

 Smiling, I will keep going. I'll keep going as long as everyone's still going. Staring back at my painting once again, I read the name I've given it.

The Girl who Curiously Kept Going.

 Who knew a simple sentence could help her keep going. She kept going for everyone and for everyone who lost their life fighting. She kept going because she owes them, she kept going for them. She also didn't want to put her friends through the same pain of losing someone again, she was indeed tired but she remember that whenever you're tired, just get some rest, don't worry about anything, because at the end of the day, they're worrying about you too. Take your time to heal, don't rush anything, you don't rush healing. Also, please, don't suffer in silence because there are people who are willing to help and listen to you. 

author's note:

 i've finally finished curiosity! thank you for being patient, hopefully i did it justice. yes, ginny and harry are together and no, y/n and harry weren't endgame, i'm sorry. 

 long story short, y/n was barely holding on but the letter that harry gave her kept her holding onto the string. 

 if you have any questions regarding curiosity, i will happily answer them all, just comment them here! thank you!

 i'm always here for you, just dm me here if you need someone to talk to, i'm all ears for everyone and anyone! 

i love you, my buttercup.