XF → Harry Hook [2]✔

Pain

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted her," Harry grumbled as they walked back to their cottage, his hold on XJ tightening. "All she has is pretty promises and half-hearted lies. She might not have even given you the place you wanted on the royal court."

"It doesn't matter," XJ said dismissively. "At least now we're free to do what we want, the way we had intended this summer to go."

At this, Harry grinned. "You're right. We can pack our things and travel."

XJ smiled too. "Screw Mal. Screw Auradon. There's the rest of the world to explore."

Harry whooped, and XJ laughed, but their noises of elation were drowned out by the loud crash of thunder and lightning from behind them.

They whipped their heads backwards just in time to see a cloud of purple smoke ascending from the spot where they had been only a minute or so before. Harry – drawn to loud noises by nature – found that he couldn't tear his eyes away from the clear destruction that had occurred.

"What was that?" He asked, more curious than concerned.

"The curse," XJ answered. "The further we got from them, the more my protection spell waned, and Audrey's magic was able to eat into it."

"Why didn't that happen to everyone else who's turned to stone?"

"Audrey's magic had to fight harder against mine, and all that energy was released in the form of a lightning strike. I don't think any of them are fried; they're just stone."

Harry was silent for a bit, pondering the thought of the other villain kids on the Isle being reduced to rock. He wasn't really friends with any of them, but he found that a certain, strange companionship had subconsciously developed from fighting alongside them. A hint of regret was quickly overpowered by the bitterness at the memory of Mal's betrayal.

"Serves her right," He huffed. "That's what she gets for lying to us."

They resumed their course, and Harry noticed that XJ was beginning to regain her strength. By the time they had reached their cottage, XJ was capable of walking on her own without his support, and his arm around her waist was more intimate than functional.

As they walked inside, Harry shut the door behind them. He wrapped his arms around XJ's waist and flung himself onto the sofa, his back hitting the leather. XJ laughed as she felt her feet leave the floor, and her own back lie against Harry's chest.

He yawned, stretching like a massive cat. "All this running around is tiring." Harry rested his chin on top of XJ's head, shutting his eyes. When he felt XJ stir, trying to escape from his embrace, he didn't have the energy to stop her, but he did manage to get out a grumble of annoyance.

"Come...back..." He groaned. Harry's arms flopped uselessly. His limbs felt like lead, and he entertained the notion that the sofa was covered with glue. It would explain why he couldn't move.

XJ watched as Harry's eyelids fluttered shut, and his skin took on the polished grey color of stone. The second they had stepped inside of the cottage, XJ retracted her protection spell. She should have been filled with energy as her magic flowed back to her, but the second Harry turned to stone, she wanted nothing more than to turn back time and keep him safe.

She raised a hand, willing herself to touch the side of his granite face. The stony, rough texture made her shiver; it in no way resembled the unpleasant scales of a snake, but XJ had reacted as if it did – had reacted even more strongly than if she had been touching a real reptile. The lack of movement and warmth made every nerve in her body scream that it was wrong, and her heart shouted at her to breathe life back into him as soon as possible, no matter the cost.