𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐆𝐨

𝐋

For the sweeter times, I strayed not far from home. That home was Hogwarts.

But as I boarded the Hogwarts Express for the last time—Draco clung to my arm—I couldn't help but feel that home had moved on elsewhere.

Perhaps, I would find it at Grimmauld Place, or once again at the Burrow on later dates, or maybe even a future occupation—depending on whether I pursue the job as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.

I assumed that I would miss Hogwarts far more than I felt I did as Draco sat close to me in our compartment, and far more than I ever did, but I couldn't help but feel that I now had the closure I'd been longing before this year.

Apparently, defeating Voldemort and saving the Wizarding World just wasn't enough.

Of course it wasn't. I hadn't even truly had a life then.

This year had given that to me—a life. It hadn't gone in any way that I had expected, no. I hadn't known what to expect, I had never had the experience of a normal school year before.

Draco gave me more life than I felt I would ever need. So much that I didn't have a clue of what to do with it all.

Now, I would never go as far as to say that he was the missing piece to my puzzle, or my lost story arc, those things I had found on my own. But he was certainly the brightest star in my sky.

It was a few hours into the journey that I felt the drowsiness take over my mind and my eyes, and I laid my head in Draco's lap.

The last thing I remember feeling was his gentle fingers untangling and re-tangling my hair, the sweet bitterness of his scent—something that I couldn't quite place my finger on, but I knew that it reminded me of a serene rainfall. But perhaps it was colder than that—like a gentle snow.

The train would slow to a halt. However, at this stop, no one would get on, and no one would get off. The souls of all the lost students would linger in search for their true home.

But where did they go?

This. This is the place where they go.

The heroes, the villains, the strong, the broken, the brave, the weak. This is where they belong.

And here, in this wondrous place, with Draco, I can't help but think that that feeling will last forevermore.

And it's so much brighter than I remember.