Until the very End - [Harry Potter xF!Oc]

January 1999 - January 2000

Even years after Mel and Harry had long stopped working together, people continued to talk about how lovely they were as a couple. 

Most of the wizards and witches at the Ministry had never been in school with them, but their friends and family still recalled what a cloying thing Mel and Harry were during their fourth year, exuding giddiness and infatuation, and they could assure that the adult version was a more controlled rendition of it.

This, however, didn't mean they were dull. 

Harry was quiet about his private life, but he was transparent when it came to his love for Mel. He adored her, and would happily ramble about her to anyone who had time to ask: "How is your Mel doing?"

He would get a funny little feeling at the centre of his chest whenever someone referred to Mel as "his", it felt like the world could not perceive one without the other, and quite frankly, he did not plan to change that. 

Mel wasn't a secretive person per se, but she was careful with what she said to strangers. Only the closest friends had the privilege to hear about her weekends with Aberforth Dumbledore, or anything related to her baby brother.

Harry was a subject she could never get tired of bringing up at any given time. It wasn't like she would force the conversation, but much like Harry and her, everyone could feel that they were meant to be together. 

They never hid their feelings from the rest of the world once the war ended. One day, when Mel had offered to run an errand for her mother, Harry joined her taking little to no notice of the curious eyes following them.

A woman, a bit older than Emily, approached their lively chat.

She'd noticed them across the street, they were surrounded by a jovial shine that could only be granted when one is young and in love. It didn't hold the innocent brilliance of puppy love, nor its intensity, but it was better in the way only things that age gracefully can aspire to be.

"Hello?" She spoke amicably, giving a timid step forward. 

Harry ceased his speech at once. He looked at the woman, not in a rude way but undoubtedly frowning. He was used to strangers approaching out of nowhere, but something in the way this woman was looking at them somehow caught him off guard.

Mel, who'd grown to be a quick-thinker and soft-spoken after many trial-and-error, assumed the lady was there perhaps to ask for directions. She smiled at the woman and the stranger instantly looked a little more relaxed after Harry's confused glaring. 

"Hi," She said. "Can we help you?"

Coming from any other person that question would've felt defensive, but Mel made it sound genuine and even friendly. The woman's smile emerged again, this time brighter. 

"Oh, I knew it. I knew it the moment I saw you," She gave another step forward. "You're Emily's daughter, aren't you?"

Mel blinked, it was the first time a stranger asked that without sounding pitiful. "Yes?"

The witch looked at Harry. "And you're Lily's!"

Harry's mouth opened a bit, strangers would recognise him from the scar, or his similarity to James. But she'd said his mother's name first... and he was delighted.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to interrupt you— you must be so busy," The woman shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "I saw you and it was such a delightful surprise! You look just like them!"

Harry and Mel shared a look. The girl smiled a little. "To our mothers, you mean?"

"Indeed!" Acknowledging the way Harry was looking at her, she clicked her tongue. "Oh, I'm not so blind as to say you're Lily's spitting image, boy— All about your looks is Potter. But don't be mistaken, you are your mother's son."