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

March - June 2000

Mel had been sorely missing waking up next to her boyfriend every morning, having every meal together... they still spent most of the day with each other, but it wasn't the same. Mel loved her mother and baby brother, but after Erick moved out she realized she'd outgrown the nest too, and she wanted to be with her partner.

When Easter arrived, Harry and Mel packed their bags and joined Joseph, Fred, Hermione and Ron on a two-week-long trip to France. Hermione, who was the only one apart from Joseph that had been there before, took them to her favourite places.

Jo was a bit sad about leaving France, but things were going great with Fred and the twin didn't want to abandon his shop, so Erick's cousin decided to look for a new job. Mel suggested he went and asked McGonagall if she would hire him to replace Erick. Everyone thought it was a great idea.

"I could supervise the shop we're planning to open in Hogsmeade!" Fred said. "That way we can live together, no need to say goodbye for long."

"Splendid," Joseph beamed. "I could even sleep there— don't think McGonagall would find it unsuitable. It's only a few minutes away from the castle!"

He leaned and kiss Fred with enthusiasm. Mel looked away, it was hard not to feel jealous of other people's accomplishments when she still had a long way to go. Harry's hand found hers and squeezed it to bring her back from her intrusive thoughts. Years of knowing each other had made them experts at reading their body language.

He leaned over to whisper. "Soon..." Then kissed her cheek.

"It's a real pity Anne and Erick couldn't come," Jo sighed. "I know he's dying to visit ever since I moved out when I was seven... oh well, he'll have plenty of time once he resigns. And he'll be able to bring his family too!"

Mel still felt a strange pull at the base of her stomach every time someone reminded her Erick was a married man. The force with which she felt it was diminishing with each day, eventually it wouldn't be "Erick has a daughter!?" but a tug of wonderful reaffirmation, "Yes! Erick has a daughter!"

"I hope that by the time he comes this restaurant will still be open," Ron said finishing his meal. "It's so good... hey, do you think they serve bouillabaisse?"

Hermione blinked. "I don't know. Why?"

He shrugged. "You mentioned once that you'd like it. I just wanted to try it out and see for myself."

The girl smiled. "Oh well, you ate too much already, but we can have dinner at the place where I ate it when I was thirteen! Hopefully, it'll be open."

"Don't spoil him, 'Mione," Fred warned her. "He'll get used to it and then you'll have to be eating out for the rest of your days."

"That's not true, I like cooking as much as eating," Ron scowled. "Unlike you and George, pair of lazy gits—"

Harry decided to intervene before the brothers continued their argument. "I'd like to go to the beach today. What d'you think Jo?"

The young man nodded. "It's a good plan! The weather's quite nice today..."

"We should be on our way, then!" Hermione finished her drink and got to her feet. "Let's pay and then we can go to Jo's place and get our swimsuits!"

She walked away from the table, Ron's eyes followed her all the way, bright and adoring. 

***

"Uncle Moony used to take me to the beach during the time he lived here... That was the first time I truly noticed his scars..." Mel grabbed a fistful of sand and let it fall through her fingers absently. "He hated the way strangers looked at him. I knew he did, but he always acted like he was having fun for my sake... I wonder if he'll bring Teddy."