Risk ✓ || D.M

•LXIV - It Will Be Over Soon•

Y/N FELT frozen as they apparated out of the Malfoy manor. It was like her body didn't feel like hers- it was so unfamiliar like she was a different person in a blink of an eye.

She fell on the soft sand, blood still dripping from her new scar.

"Y/N."

It was only then she felt like breathing again. Hermione ran towards her, hugging her tight. Y/N hugged her back, but it didn't seem like one at all. It felt week around Hermione's body.

"Are you alright?" Harry limped towards them, but stopped when he heard Dobby's weak voice.

"Harry Potter," said the house elf in a soft whisper, only loud enough for them to hear through the wind. Dobby stood a few feet away from the four of them, his hands clutching on his chest.

The boy who lived limped back towards the elf, "Dobby," he said, catching him as he fell into his arms. Blood flowed down his skin from his chest, Bellatrix's dagger full of blood beside him. Dobby just stared at the sky, "Hold on- just hold on," Harry told him.

Y/N felt her chest  tighten at the sight, "He's not going to make it," she whispered above her breath, swallowing the lump in her throat. 

Hermione just rubbed her shoulders, knowing well that the girl was right.

"Hermione will have something in her bag," Harry choked out, not wanting to believe that there was nothing they could do, "Hermione?" he whimpered. The bushy haired girl didn't give an answer. There wasn't anything she could do for Dobby, nor could anyone else, "What is it? Help me!"

Y/N felt a single tear run down her cheek, the only tear she could get out of her after all the things that happened the same day. 

She wanted this to be a dream. She wanted to wake up, and see herself inside her room in Grimmauld place, her father downstairs drinking a cup of coffee as he read the Daily Prophet.

But it was all real.

Their lives were in danger. They made scars as they went and tried their best to do what they can.

And now,

They lost a friend.

Luna sat beside Harry, closing Dobby's eyes. He seemed peaceful. Nothing could hurt him anymore.

"I want to bury him," said Harry, tears streaming down his face, "Properly. Without magic."

And so they did. On the  small hill behind the shell cottage, Harry dug a hole for Dobby, the skies grey like how they're all feeling. Hermione was the one to carry their friend up the hill, gently putting him down on the hole with white cloth wrapped  around him.

Luna said she liked to think it was so Dobby wouldn't get cold.

They covered him with sand, and lastly made a tombstone for him. The words on the stone read: Here lies Dobby, a free elf.

He's a free elf indeed. 

Now much more free from all the cruelty this world could give.

• • •

"It's beautiful here."

Y/N looked up from her arm, stopping from trying to wrap it back up with new bandages to look at Luna. She was standing by the doorway, looking out at the beach.

Bill slightly smiled, "It was our aunt's. We used to come here as kids," he said, "The order uses it now as a safe house-" he glanced at Fluer, they shared a sad look, "What's left of us, at least."

Luna stared at the dream catcher made of shells, smiling lightly, "Muggles think these things keep evil away," she said, "But they're wrong."

A moment went by. Suddenly, Harry spoke up, "I need to talk to the Goblin."

The bunch of them looked at one another, but only Bill nodded, "Come along," he said, and without missing a beat, Harry followed him, Hermione and Ron not far behind.

Y/N stayed sitting down on the dining table, still trying to cover her scars as Luna went and sat on the living room, her mind probably away from where they were.

A frustrated sigh left Y/N's lips as she let go of the bandages, giving up on trying to cover her wounds she want to bury deep inside. 

"Need help with that?"

The girl looked up at Fluer, giving a tight smile, "That would be appreciated, thank you."

Fleur sat down beside her, gently taking the bandages from her. The blonde carefully wrapped her arm, "You know, back when I joined the Triwizard tournament, I was scared. From the very beginning until the end," she chuckled with a shake of her head, her French accent thick, "But you, so young yet so brave."

Y/N shook her head, "You were very brave, Fleur. You are brave."

"Not deep inside," The Veela told her, "And definitely not as brave as you."

A small laugh escaped Y/N's lips, "I'm pretty sure I'm a big wimp," she said, looking down at Fleur's hands delicately wrapping her arm in the bandages.

"You go through all these troubles, risking your life out there to save this world we live in. To protect your love ones," Fleur finished wrapping her arm, looking up at the girl in front of her.

Y/N looked up, tilting her head oh so slightly, "Wouldn't you do the same?"

Fleur took a moment to answer. She looked out the window, the ocean waves dancing with the cold breeze, "Probably, but not without fear," she told Y/N, looking back at her, "When I failed to save my sister from the black lake, I was overcome by fear. Thinking I failed at everything. I was scared I wouldn't see my dear sister again. I was too scared to jump back in the water, getting ahead of myself and jumping into conclusions and basically just freezing where I was."

If only Y/N could tell Fleur, that she too, is scared. Of everything. But she stayed quiet, because she thought that maybe if she told Fleur that even if she seemed as brave as she thought, that there was no guarantee they were going to make it.

Everyone was counting on Harry, Hermione, Ron, and her.

Only now did she realize how heavy their baggage really is. They've got the whole wizarding world on their shoulders. It was up to them if history books would say they'll succeed or not.

Y/N took a deep breath, "It will be over soon," she said, and with that, Fleur only smiled.

It will be over soon.

It's only a matter of time before it'll be over.

The only question is: Be over for which side?

And that was a question Y/N never wants to answer.

~~~

This book really be ending soon huh.