True Love's Heart

Chapter 20: A Soul Connection

~Nagini, wait!~ Harry ran into the forest behind her, panic increasing in his chest the farther he went. The sun was begining to sink in the sky, casting zig-zag shadows through the trees. The ground was covered in leaves and other natural debris, making it impossible to follow her tracks. Where did she go, wasn't she just here?

Harry paused, remembering the times in which he just 'knew' that she was in the garden or in the canopy, even after leaving her in the room to take a shower. He could almost feel where she was.

Harry stopped, closed his eyes, and let his mind empty. 'OK, bond, lead me to Nagini.'

Harry kept his eyes shut as felt himself turn left, a right, straight for while, then another left. He sat down in the leaves and reached blindly to his left and smiled when he felt smooth scales. Cool.

~Nagini.~

~Please, Harry...just forget me. Find a girl who deserves you.~

~But Nagini, you are the girl for me.~ He looked over at her and placed a hand under her chin, guiding her gaze to his. ~You are not the same girl you were before. You are so brave, smart, thoughtful, kind, and respected by some of the most fearsome wizards I know. You said so yourself: you were not yourself when you were linked to Tom. He manipulated you, tricked you into doing his bidding. I know you wouldn't have hurt anybody if it weren't for him. You didn't, actually. You learned to fend for yourself for two years in the wild, in a new body for that matter. You realize how amazing that is? Not many people can do that. But you did. Not Tom's version of Nagini. Nagini's version of Nagini.~

He felt tears filling his eyes as he lost himself in her hazel orbs. ~I am so proud to call you my mate. I see your soul, Nagini Oram. And its not a soul of a murderer.~

Nagini was silent for a few beats, looking into Harry's eyes, before she curled into his lap. ~I love you Harry.~

~I love you too.~

~Always?~

~Always.~

----

When their dorm room door closed behind them that night, Harry walked them over and sat in the garden, pulling Nagini into his lap and let her rest her chest on his. He studied her face, seeing the sadness in her eyes mixed with a deeper emotion.

Love.

Love...the emotion flowering in his chest. He could feel it radiate from her, seeping from her soul into his. He could feel it bubbling in his stomach like butterflies.

He gazed down at her from above. He saw her shiny hazel eyes, her multi-shade green scales, her black lined lips...

Harry felt his eyes shut as he leaned in towards her and pressed his lips to hers. A soft, feathery kiss that shot electricity through his core and sparked fireworks in his mind.

~Harry...we can't...~ Nagini slowly pulled back, longing in her eyes.

~I know...it's so unfair. I want to give you the love you deserve. I want to show how much you mean to me.~

~Maybe you can some day? Do you think we could find a counter spell or transforming potion?~

~Merlin, I hope so. That or I'll turn myself into a snake.~

~Oh Harry, you can't.~

~I can, and I will. I will do anything to stay by your side. I love you so much.~

~I love you too. But I can't let you throw your life away like that.~

~I wouldn't be. A life with you is a life worth living.~ 

Mewing, Nagini buried her face into his shirt as she allowed him to pull her down so that he was lying on his back and she was resting on his chest. Soon, the only sound heard in the room was two sets of soft breathing as the couple fell gracefully into a deep sleep.