OooOoOooO

AN: This is a story that was requested by someone dear to me. This is only like a prologue and might be in slower progress than my other stories. But It would be updated.

Chapter 1 – One Regret

He walked through the eerie halls of St. Mungo's.

It was sinisterly quiet. Only the moans and whimpers of people in pain from the lower floor could be heard. It seriously grated on his nerves. He hastened his footsteps and grimaced as he caught a glimpse of a Mediwitch treating a small girl's burnt arms. It was sickening. It was pitiful. It was war.

Nervously, almost a force of habit, he rechecked if he had his wand underneath his right sleeve.

He adjusted his glasses as it slid down but ignored the soot and grime on the lenses.

What's the use, anyway? Sooner or later, he had to remove it again and it would be totally useless.

He arrived on his destination and saw Hermione situated at the waiting chairs just outside the door. He frowned. Ginny was supposed to arrive by now and he hadn't caught any glimpse of red hair. Ron was out helping George search through the rubble that was once the twin's dream joke shop. Bombed by Death Eaters and consequently killed Fred and cost George his left arm. From the looks of it, the bushy haired witch was reading a letter. Her frown was steadily deepening.

She didn't even acknowledge him when he stood in front of her, but he patiently waited.

Then she crumpled the parchment and hid it in the pocket of her jacket. Looking up, her frown didn't disappear but instead a grimace took its place. He ignored the alarmed feeling that rose within him and simply raised his eyebrow at her in question.

"Bad news?" He asked softly.

"Astoria's dead, Dean just sent the message. The warehouse wasn't a hideout but a planned ambush. From the team that went to investigate, only Dean, Seamus, Luna, Susan, and Padma were alive. They barely made it out and now currently staying in Godric's Hollow with Minerva and Remus." She struggled for a bit and took a deep breath to calm down. Her cinnamon brown eyes were bright and he sank into the seat next to her.

That's another three of their friends who died. Astoria Greengrass, Ernie McMillan, and Anthony Goldstein. How would Ginny fair when she discovered that Anthony was now dead?

Now that he thought about it. . .

"Where's Ginny?" He almost dreaded questioning.

"She was the one who read this first. She just handed it to me and told me that she would go talk to Dean. Ask how or why. . .I don't know. She just wanted to know, I guess." Hermione whispered under her breath.

His green eyes flickered to the door and his heart thumped anxiously.

Hermione seemed to understand this and shook her head.

"I didn't want to tell her, Harry. Isn't Tracey's death enough? They fought on opposite sides and in the end, Tracey still cared which caused her death. I don't think she can handle this. She just had an attack last night." Her lips trembled but her words didn't slur.

"Last night?" He could barely hear himself ask faintly.

"She's already worse and I don't want it to further. She was just talking to Ron and Hannah, and looking happy but," She shuddered as if she was loathe to remember. "She just fell down and had another seizure. We panicked and the Head Healer said that her heart just stopped beating for a second and it took all of her magic to desperately revive her."

He put his head in his hands and fought the urge to cry.

It wouldn't do to break down now.

"Go to her, she will be happy to see you. You've been gone for four days." Hermione encouraged gently as she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah," He confirmed bitterly. "The lead was a fake. It wasn't the diadem."

Hermione closed her eyes.

"Don't worry, we'll find a way. I just know it." She uttered firmly but there was no real confidence in her words.

XxxXxxX

It took a few minutes before he finally gathered his courage and entered the room.

The young woman was sitting on the bed, her feet dangling at the side. Her back faced him and only her dark hair was visible. The room was quiet and he honestly didn't know what to say. He certainly couldn't just approach and tell her that he failed in his mission. The time of which he could've used to accompany Dean's team and increase the chances of the members' survival. This feeling of helplessness overwhelmed him every time he was here.

He was a bloody twenty-three year old man–he shouldn't be acting like a timid eleven year old. Naivety had no place in war paths.

But as if sensing he was there, she looked over her shoulder and smiled weakly at him. She slowly stood up and ran to him on shaky legs. And before he knew it, he had her in his arms as she hugged him in the middle tightly.

She was also crying.

"Daphne," He called gently but she just shook her head against his chest.

He rubbed soothing circles on her back but she just trembled.

"I know," She murmured quietly but he still understood despite her voice being muffled by his shirt.

She didn't sob. She hated doing that.

But her breath hitched and she sniffled a couple of times. He closed his eyes and thought of how Hermione shouldn't have bothered, even though thoughtful of her. He closed his eyes to stop himself from unnecessarily crying. He needed to be strong.

"I know since last night," Daphne admitted as tears continued to leak down her closed eyes. "T-The magical connection I've forced Astoria to do, it just disappeared. Flickered and gone," Her words slowed, her tone was hollowed and blank. "Just. . .like that, gone."

And that might explain the attack that Hermione told him about.

He tightened his arms around her and bit his lip from just screaming out loud. It hurt to think right now.

"I want to say it's so unfair," She continued in that slow, drawling tone. "But this is war, right? It's inevitable. But I'm scared." She pulled back and smiled at him, her red-rimmed pale green eyes full of pain.

"It's not our fault," He whispered as he held her hands with his own.

"I know," Daphne instantly argued. "H-How's Ginny? I haven't seen her." She instantly went for a subject change, her voice concerned.

"She went to Dean according to Hermione." Harry replied quietly, his green eyes still staring deeply into her pale green ones, searching through her. Even back in their school days, she was known to be very good at hiding her true feelings.

But he also worried for Ginny.

She used to have been with Neville almost six years ago–during her sixth year. She, Luna, and Neville had revived Dumbledore's Army during that year too. According to Minerva, it was going so well. The students became more confident in standing up to the Death Eaters who took over. That was, until the public execution of Neville Longbottom at the hands of Voldemort, beheaded by the cutting curse.

It took three months before Harry and his friends, together with the Order, were able to rescue them from Hogwarts.

Ginny hadn't been the same since then. She blamed herself for Neville's death. Her lover had taken all the blame for the arising of the DA. And it almost broke her. But her family nursed her back as best as they could. It was slow-process. And it almost seemed to be not working.

Until she officially met Anthony Goldstein.

The boy had actively joined the Order of the Phoenix five years ago. Harry had worked with him on occasions. Anthony was certainly intelligent, a little arrogant but kind-hearted, and had a wicked sense of humor. Ginny's meeting with him was rocky at best. Anthony had been frustrated once about not being able to join counter-raids since his parents were murdered by Antonin Dolohov and Rabastan Lestrange. The youngest Weasley had been enraged since for her, he wasn't the only person who lost someone.

The two of them had disliked each other since then.

But many had noticed how Ginny regained her blazing temper or how she slowly earned back her fierce personality. Usually seen strongest when trading scathing words with Anthony. Ron, usually upset at the Ravenclaw, had certainly discerned it as well and mostly just watched the sister he grew up with come back to life in the two's arguments.

The two of them had gotten together when Anthony's best friend, Terry Boot, had been killed three years ago, took the Killing Curse meant for Anthony.

Unsurprisingly, it was Ginny who had comforted him. Understanding the feeling of self-loathing and grief.

It took them two years and another death before they realized that their differences weren't differences after all. But a complete set of misunderstanding clouded by anger and thirst for revenge. But now, Anthony was dead and Harry didn't know how Ginny really was.

He didn't know how he would be if Daphne died.

And it had been so close.

"I wish I can do something," Daphne whispered as she pulled her hands back from his hold, there was a certain desperate note in her tone. He ignored the twinge of hurt that surged at the simple action.

"I know," He replied hoarsely. "I know."

XxxXxxX

"Damn it, move out! Move out!" Harry yelled loudly and frantically as he gestured to the others.

They were staying at one of their hideouts in Othen Village somewhere at the northern coast of the country. It was one of the Potter houses that was included in the will and it had been obscured and not known well enough to blend in to temporarily become invisible.

Harry, Seamus, Ron, Susan, and Dean had come here to restock supplies since it was the easiest source–Voldemort's people had been strictly monitoring obvious public squares.

Yet, they had been clearly expected.

And, much to his despair, Harry knew that there was a leak. A goddamn fucking leak. A spy.

The Potter Villa within the village was under a Fidelius Charm.

"Nowhere to hide now, Potter!" Owen Vaisey, a Seventh Year Slytherin during his fifth year, laughed as he sent a Reducto spell to them.

Harry desperately pulled Susan down with him on the floor to duck and the glass wall behind them exploded into shards. He felt some of them pierce his skin but his body was still running on adrenaline to really focus on the pain. Harry saw Susan gritting her teeth as she glared at the Death Eater.

She pulled out her wand and pointed it at the cackling man.

"Fuck you, Vaisey! Bombarda!" The redhead screamed angrily and they both watched as the surprised Death Eater's body exploded into limbs and blood.

Harry was used to it now.

It kind of sickened him to even think that way. Susan had been the most brutal of their group after most of her friends had died. Her parents were killed before she was even a month old. Amelia Bones' murder might have counted as well. The one who showed the most change after war had affected her life.

She didn't even blink as she sent a cutting hex at another Death Eater, effectively slicing the man in half.

He pointed his wand at another one behind her and used the Sectumsempra.

"We need to find Ron, Seamus, and Dean!" She shouted urgently. "Damn it, this is supposed to be under a fucking Fidelius! We've been housing a damn traitor!" Susan looked extremely enraged as she gripped her wand tightly.

Even the thought of a traitor sent furious tingles down Harry's spine.

He sent a Confringo spell towards another Death Eater and grimaced as the once pristine walls and floors were now smudged with scum's blood. But he was also frantic inside, they got separated from Ron, Seamus, and Dean the moment the house had been swarmed by Death Eaters. They couldn't get away instantly since the house wards had Anti-Apparition and Portkeys as well.

"Who would provide leak?" Harry hissed heatedly as he ducked a bone-breaking curse and let Susan take care of the enemy with another Bombarda.

"I don't know!" Susan yelled back, frustrated, as they hurriedly descended the stairs. "But whoever the hell it is, Merlin help me, I'm going to burn him alive." It was rare when Susan seriously threatened, but she always came through.

Horrifying but actually effective in gathering cooperation.

It was with these thoughts that they finally reached the living room. Green and grey eyes widened simultaneously as they gazed at the scene in front of them. Dean was on the floor, cradling a bloody Ron in his arms but his wand was still pointed at cursing point at Seamus–who was standing with the remaining three Death Eaters, his wand pointed shakily at the two. And suddenly, the traitor was so obvious.

"Finnigan," Susan growled as she pointed her wand at the Irish man.

Harry ignored them for the time being and stared at Dean and the bloodied body of Ron. The dark-skinned man shook his head and Harry felt empty.

No, this wasn't supposed to happen.

This wasn't even a mission to begin with, just another laying low.

"Why?" He found himself asking blankly.

Tears streamed down Seamus' cheeks as his hands continued to tremble badly.

"I'm sorry, mate. I-I really didn't want to do this!" He insisted through shaky voice. "But they had 'me family! Me mum and dad! I can't just abandon them." The Irish man babbled and wailed in distress. "Y-You have to understand–"

"That ambush, it was you?" Susan gritted out softly. "Ginny's crushed, Daphne had another attack, and Hannah's devastated. Is that what you want?"

Susan had been the most sensitive regarding traitors; especially since the betrayal of Zacharias Smith who had cost them Hannah's parents.

But Harry somehow understood. Yet it didn't make him any less angry.

So he just raised his wand and aimed it at Seamus and the Death Eaters. Their eyes widened and spells were about to burst for from their mouths but they were a second too late. Harry had already dictated the spell.

"Confringo."

XxxXxxX

"I should have seen it," Dean muttered in a haunted voice.

Hermione just released another sob but otherwise, didn't answer. Susan was fuming in raged silence beside her, her red hair flailing slightly with the anger of her magic–gone was the gentle or timid character, she had learned that lack of nerve had no place in this dark times. Just like how she had told Harry, she had burned the traitor's remains with an Incendio. She knew that she was brutal, even what most would now consider a psychopath.

But simply stunning or hexing enemies wasn't enough. They could just stand up again and kill again. Susan only understood that she had to put down her enemies permanently in order to decrease the number of killers or followers amongst Voldemort's circle when she had been forced to kill Edward Montague in order to save Hannah's life. She hadn't killed the boy during their first confrontation and Montague had almost killed another of her friends if she hadn't taken him down at the second.

"No one had seen it, Dean," Hannah tried to comfort and her words rang with hollowed quality.

"But I should have!" The dark skinned man yelled as he stood up and punched the wall twice. "I was his best friend. I-I can't believe it. . ." He choked out as he sank to his knees.

Susan looked up as she saw the approaching figure of Blaise Zabini and her lover, Justin Fitch-Fletchley.

"We heard what happened," Blaise stated as he sat beside Hermione. "Ginny and Bill will arrive later, they're taking him to Godric's Hollow." He explained to them and they knew he was talking about Ron.

Justin held her hand tightly.

"You alright, Sue?" He inquired quietly, voice slightly raspy but concerned.

"Of course, I'm not!" She snapped angrily but the muggleborn just looked at her steadily and patiently, he was the only one who could even stand her violent temper nowadays. "We were housing a traitor and we never knew!"

"It's the same principle, I guess." He shrugged eloquently. "How about now?" He was talking about after she had effectively vented her frustration.

"Tired but angry," She sighed as he laid a hand on her head and made her lean on his shoulder.

"But fine," He nodded as if that was all he needed to know.

Somehow, it was.

XxxXxxX

"Yes!" Daphne rejoiced as she and Harry successfully apparated just outside the wards of Godric's Hollow. "Fresh air, at last!" She breathed in deeply, a strained smile on her pale and slightly chapped lips.

But it fell the moment she saw Ginny open the door.

Without even realizing it, her eyes brimmed with tears as she hastily approached the redheaded woman and engulfed her in a hug. At first, Ginny tensed in her hold but Daphne just tightened her arms around her. The redhead slowly relaxed and returned the hug. A tear slid down Ginny's cheek, followed by another, and another. . .

"I won't say that it'll be fine because it won't be," Daphne whispered quietly in the now sobbing redhead's ear. "But we'll get through this together, you hear me?" She insisted firmly and shook the other woman's shoulder to get a nod. "No one needs to be alone right now."

She felt Harry's hand land gently on her shoulder.

"I-I know," Ginny choked out. "But it's so unfair! First, Neville, then Tony, and then Ron. If this keeps up, I don't think I can do this anymore." She admitted through sobs, strengthening her embrace around Daphne's middle as if it shamed her to even say the words.

"I understand. Remember, my parents turned on us while Astoria's gone too. You're not the only one in this thinking. It's hard, it's pathetic, but we're human and allowed to be this way. No one's ask for war. We never did. But please, never forget, you have us." Daphne stated resolutely, determined to let Ginny know that she wasn't alone.

If anything, it now looked like that Ginny was hanging on Daphne for dear life.

"T-Thank you. . ." The redhead kept murmuring against the raven haired woman's shoulder.

Harry then wrapped the two women in a group hug.

"We're all in this together," He uttered decisively and was relieved to see Ginny chuckling along with Daphne.

XxxXxxX

"How's the search for the diadem, Harry?" Remus asked during dinner.

Harry saw all eyes shift to him in question and he squirmed in his seat uncomfortably. Finding the Horcruxes, aside from fighting off Death Eater raids, was what gave them enough hope to fight Voldemort. The sooner they find it, the hope of victory increases.

"The lead had been a fake, barely escaping from Bellatrix Lestrange." He admitted with a bit of shame.

"Of course she'll be guarding the next Horcrux this time. You broke in her vault just to steal the cup before." George snorted as he awkwardly scooped some rice with only a spoon, a disadvantage of a lone arm.

"Let me help, dear–" Molly tried to grab the utensil but the redheaded man pulled away angrily.

"I can feed my own mouth," George gritted out softly. "Losing an arm doesn't mean I am eternally crippled and useless." He hissed further as his eyes glinted with fury.

The redheaded man hated it when people looked at him with pity for having one arm and unfortunately, offering help meant pity to him.

But his mother looked upset and hurt.

"George, don't be such a prat," Ginny hissed back, equally incensed. "Mum just hates seeing you have a hard time, all of us do but don't push us away, please." She choked out the last word as she looked away, not wanting any of them to see the surge of tears.

"Oh Gin," The man's eyes softened as he laid a hand on top of hers across the table. "I'm sorry, I know but it's really difficult. But I'll try, alright?" He stated softly.

Ginny nodded but didn't say anything else.

Dinner was subdued after that. Harry knew how hard it was for the Weasley family; losing two of its members just recently–Fred and Ron. And they were keeping an eye on the remaining members much closely, afraid that if they didn't, they would disappear. And it was having a negative effect on George, thinking that it was because he lost an arm and therefore helpless. Just like how Daphne usually felt, now that he thought about it, but she understood it much closely.

Speaking of which. . .

"Where's Daphne?" He asked Susan who was sitting beside him.

She paused in taking a spoonful of mash potato and gave him the evil eye. He smiled at her sheepishly but was otherwise not scared. They were used to it anyway.

He and his classmates who had joined the Order–no matter what house–had gotten closer while the war was ongoing. Harry certainly hoped it was in better circumstances but fighting to survive had united them. And he was glad that he got to know them. In a way, they had been the next generation of the Order as Voldemort had taken most of the originals one by one–starting from Dumbledore, down to Moody, Tonks, Kingsley, and the others. So they all had each other to depend on.

"She's not feeling well," She shrugged but her eyes flickered momentarily to the stairs. "You might find her in the library," The redheaded woman suggested.

"Thanks," He stated gratefully. "You may go back to your meal now," He ushered to her innocently.

Susan just rolled her eyes while Hannah smirked from beside her.

Chuckling slightly, Harry pushed back and stood up from his chair. The topic about the diadem was momentarily forgotten but he didn't really want to know what conversation would be entailed with that. But he ignored it for now and instead went up the stairs.

Entering the library, he saw that Daphne was just returning a book on the shelf.

Just as he entered, the woman whirled around in surprise as her eyes widened. Instead of inviting him in, however, Daphne pulled him out by the arm.

"What were you doing up there?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I wasn't feeling well so I decided to just do some light reading," Her smile was a little strained and her eyes were solemn.

Maybe, she needed some time alone.

If he saw the title of the book though, he might not be so confident.

XxxXxxX

Hermione looked at the huge gash in Susan's torso, the large amount of blood pooling underneath her, and Hannah who was cradling Susan's head and desperately pressing a cloth on the severe wound to stop the bleeding.

But both of them knew that they couldn't save her. Even Susan said so.

"Damn it, let me go back!" Justin yelled as he thrashed violently and was being held down by Blaise. The usually calm muggleborn man was now the epitome of rage and fury. "I have to go back and kill those fuckers! Damn it, let go of me, Blaise!"

"And let you get yourself killed?" Blaise demanded harshly as he slapped the man.

"I don't care!" Justin argued furiously.

"What about Susan then? You're just going to leave her now? When she needs you?" He challenged frostily as he gestured to the dying redheaded woman.

Justin stared at the pale face of Susan, her grey eyes now gazing at Justin with longing.

The muggleborn man then broke down just as Blaise let him go, crawling towards the injured body of his lover. They had just come back to stop a Death Eater raid on an oblivious muggle village in the rural area somewhere in the southern regions. Susan had saved a young boy from being sliced by a cutting curse and had been a second too late to cast a Protego so took the hit instead.

"I-I won't make. . .it, Just." Susan coughed just as a stream of blood trickled at the side of her mouth. "G-Give those bitches hell, alright? And I'm sorry." She apologized hoarsely.

"Sue, please! Not like this, please. . ." Justin pleaded as he held her hand.

They heard the distinct sound of displaced air and they all stared as Harry finally arrived. His eyes instantly sought out Hermione's and she shook her head, tears silently streaming down her cheeks as she fought off sobs.

"She won't make it," She simply muttered.

XxxXxxX

"Where's Daphne?" Harry asked Remus as soon as he arrived at Godric's Hollow.

The werewolf frowned.

"She's asleep in your bedroom," The man informed him gently.

"But," Harry's lips tightened in confusion. "She was just awake when I left two hours ago. And she was asleep for the remainder of the time yesterday." He stated in worry as he and Remus walked up the stairs.

"I think that the curse is getting to her," Remus informed him as gently as he could. "She's been sleeping a lot lately and seemed to be tired most of the time."

"No. . ." Harry shook his head in denial.

The werewolf sighed as he pulled the raven haired man in a hug, noting how tense the body had become in his hold.

"You have to accept it, Harry. You know that this would happen sooner or later. And it's sooner than we thought," The brown haired man said carefully and slowly, so not to freak out the man.

"It's so unfair, Remus. . ." Harry embraced the man tightly. "I can't lose her, I don't want to. . ."

It was Daphne who had destroyed the Slytherin locket with Gryffindor's sword, and just like the Gaunt's ring, it was also cursed. It was supposed to have hit Ron but Daphne had shielded them and taken the brunt of it. Her magic had reacted very badly–trying to neutralize the curse within her body and therefore, it was slowly destroying her inside. The only sign of the curse was her eyes' new color of pale green, which used to be bright sapphire blue.

And sometimes, the curse reacted poorly. There were random times that Daphne would panic since her vision would suddenly become very dark and leave her blind. There were also times she had an aversion of food intake. Or how she had seizures from time to time when her magic tried to fight it off.

Like George, Daphne certainly had her moments.

There were periods where she would blow up over Harry's fussing or concern. Or how she would avoid them when discouraged from either participating in some group activity or helping around the place. And she extremely hated it when people looked at her sadly or anything close. It meant weakness to her and she hated being reminded of it.

"It was never fair to begin with," Remus reminded softly and Harry felt ashamed about acting as if he was the only person losing someone.

Remus lost Tonks. Ginny lost Neville and Anthony. Justin lost Susan. Hannah lost Ernie. Hermione lost Ron. George lost Fred. Blaise lost Tracey. Daphne lost Astoria. Lisa lost Terry. Padma lost Parvati. And a lot of people lost too.

So who was he to question about the unfairness of it all?

XxxXxxX

"Who's there?" Daphne questioned quietly.

"Daphne?" Ginny's voice rang within the room and the raven haired woman felt herself relax marginally. She trusted that voice with her life but she had to know to be careful. When she was in this state, she only allowed Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Susan to watch over her.

"Are they gone?" She stated almost feebly.

Ginny's cry of relief washed over her hearing. The next thing she knew, she was being engulfed in a tight hug and she returned it almost immediately. Desperate sobs escaped her throat but she didn't care, it was nothing compared to the fear and helplessness she felt earlier. Death Eaters had finally broken down the wards around St. Mungo's and it just happened to be the day that Daphne had another seizure last night and was brought here.

Death Eaters had instantly swarmed while the Aurors on guard were frantically trying to rebuild the wards around the place. Luckily, Bill was with them and would be able to help in further strengthening them.

Then things got fucked and her vision darkened. She didn't even know if a spell was already careening its way towards her or if someone nearby was already killed. She couldn't even tell.

She had felt through walls and nervously skirted at the edges to at least have the decency to hide and be out of people's way.

"Is everyone–" She started to ask.

Ginny nodded against her shoulder.

"Hannah was injured but fine. Harry's also fine and my brother's alright. Some patients and healers were killed and they're helping right now. I came looking for you." The redhead stated worriedly as she wiped Daphne's face with her hands.

"I know this is why Harry doesn't want me to get involve with raids and fights." Daphne replied almost helplessly as she clung to Ginny. "One moment, I was walking with Hannah then the next thing I knew, people were screaming and I went blind. I was very afraid, Ginny. I can't see a damn thing. I didn't know if a curse was hurtling towards me or if a person nearby was killed already. I don't know what to do. I can't even do anything. So I just hid like a coward and. . .and–" She broke down into sobs.

"Ssh," Ginny whispered in her ear. "It's fine, no one's blaming you. . ."

And that's the thing.

XxxXxxX

"Happy Birthday, Harry!" The remaining members of the Order and his classmates chorused, beaming smiles on their faces despite the solemnity in their eyes. Justin looked particularly miserable with his pale face and dark circles under his eyes but he still looked genuinely happy to be reminded of something other than the war and loss.

Harry, though, looked partly confused and thankful.

"Thanks, guys." He replied sincerely. "But I-I don't think we should be celebrating–"

"Just this once, Harry." Justin cut him off with a small glare. "Just this once, let's forget about the outside and pretend. Just this once." He urged strongly, his eyes burning.

He looked at the others' determined faces and suddenly understood what they were asking of him. The pain that accompanied the war was never met understandably. Many of them had lost too much and yet, they still fought. There had been many downsides but they still stood with him. They were asking for a chance to at least have something that was normal and bright, something that didn't necessarily remind them of the war. To momentarily escape their inner-monsters. Just like Justin said, just this once.

"Besides, you're already twenty four!" Ginny smiled softly. "That's another year for you to celebrate, don't you think?" Her eyes softened into a pleading brown, like she was asking for a last thing from a dear friend.

"For all of us," Hermione looked at him hopefully.

And Harry suddenly knew what they were talking about. All of their remaining friends or family were here, and they were using his birthday to celebrate their remaining bonds. That all was not lost. To have a chance to be together before it was too late. Before those smiling faces become lost in the sea of war and blood.

His eyes brimmed with tears that he furiously tried to blink away.

Then they smiled at him before parting at the middle, Daphne walked in with a simple chocolate cake with twenty-four small candles on it. Supporting her by her side was Remus. The dark haired woman was beaming at him, despite the clamminess of her face. It was the first time that Harry saw her pale green eyes brighten so happily like how her sapphire ones used to do.

"Happy birthday, you." She grinned at him widely. "And stop gawking!" She laughed as she motioned the cake to him when she got close enough.

"Who made the cake?" He asked playfully.

Daphne tried to scowl but then gave up and chuckled.

"Ginny and Hermione did since I am a disaster in the kitchen." All of their friends got amused smiles on their faces. "And just blow the candles already!" She urged as her cheeks reddened in slight embarrassment.

"Don't make her wait on you, Harry." Ginny teased while winking at the confused Daphne's direction.

Harry wouldn't realize it but he should've taken those words to heart.

XxxXxxX

Unlike their friends' deaths–or in this case, murder–her death had been surprisingly peaceful and quiet.

A week after his birthday, the mood had genuinely brightened significantly. And it helped that they had just gone back from a Death Eater raid with no one dying this time. It might have been only a slight improvement but anything was better than another coffin. Harry had been the one feeling the most light-hearted. The leaders of the raids had been Lucius Malfoy and Rodolphus Lestrange–main members of Voldemort's inner circle and they all knew that their deaths would be a very hard blow to the dark lord.

Their relief smiles and slight rush of adrenalines instantly turned to dread when Minerva appeared with a pale face, red-rimmed eyes, and anguished expression. The woman had pulled Harry aside and told him the news determinedly, no matter how much it obviously pained her to do so.

Harry hadn't even listened to everything before he was rushing upstairs to their room and burst in, already feeling the seed of fear growing rapidly within him.

As soon as he got inside, he stared at the situation before him.

Ginny didn't even acknowledge him, just sat by the bedside as she held the dark haired woman's hand with her right and combing her other hand through the dark tresses gently. The stillness of the room was too quiet that he could clearly hear Ginny's hitching breaths and slight sniffs. And he didn't really need to see to know that the woman on the bed was barely breathing, the loud sounds of intake of air making it sound like she was desperately trying to breathe. It honestly hurt his ears, his brain, his mind.

Slowly, almost numbly, he walked to the other side of his lover's bed and fell on his knees–his hand automatically searching for her own and entwining their fingers firmly.

He didn't speak, just watched with agony as the pale and pained face turned towards him, half-lidded eyes staring back at him warmly and sadly, and her hand could only squeezed back his hand weakly in an attempt to placate him.

"It got worse," Ginny croaked, as if barely able to get the words out. "Just two hours ago and Madam Pomfrey said that she wouldn't make it. The curse had already spread through that her magical core already collapsed and her body's slowly shutting down. Even though it's apparent death, the. . .process is still painful, as if she couldn't even get some peace." The redhead's voice contained barely suppressed rage and bitterness. "Even if it's hard, they're telling her to sleep to stop the pain. But she wouldn't, she kept on waiting for you."

Harry knew that they were giving Daphne a chance to move on painlessly and the fact that she chose otherwise because of him–

He closed his eyes as he tightened his hold.

"H-Harry," Daphne whispered hoarsely, voice barely audible.

He nodded as he felt the tears leak out, flowing down his cheeks as he leaned his forehead on her hand. He refused to let her see that he was in so much pain just to see her like this, dying, and couldn't do anything but watch. But he also refused to let her remember even in death that she had been the one to cause it.

"I know," He whispered back brokenly. "Just rest, alright?"

"I love you," She simply responded quietly.

"I know," He answered automatically, barely able to suppress sobs from surfacing. "I love you too,"

He was surprised to feel a slight tingle in his magic and heard Ginny gasp. He looked up just to see the room bathed in comforting orange around them just as Daphne smiled at him softly, her breath shortening as seconds passed by. Their entwined hands were glowing in warm yellow and he was confused at what was happening.

"Gift," Daphne rasped out as she closed her eyes.

"I love you," He repeated almost desperately as he kissed her hand. "I love you."

She didn't respond and he knew.

And he let himself crumble and wept, sobbed, cried, and even wailed. He kissed her hand repeatedly which had slackened in his grasp. He didn't even notice it when Ginny had also started sobbing as she held on to Daphne's hand, or when others had filed into the room with anguished expressions on their faces, or when Hermione had approached him and engulfed him in a hug, her sobs mixing with his own.

The worst thing, he was supposed to propose two days later on time for Astoria's birthday and the ring box in his pocket suddenly felt like a heavy burden.

XxxXxxX

When he was dying, he had taken the diadem and Bellatrix Lestrange with him.

He knew that Neville had already destroyed Nagini back in Hogwarts and it would be now up to his friends to finish off Voldemort once and for all. It hurt to breathe, his chest was aching and his body was tingling all over as his nerves reminded him of the after effects of the Cruciatus Curse. Bellatrix really loved using that vile spell. And even as he welcomed death, he wondered if would see his parents and Daphne again.

Despite the cut and blood on his lips, he smiled at the thought.

After her death, Harry had worked harder to stop the war, to stop other people from feeling what he had gone through. The pain and the emptiness that suddenly followed, it was frightening. But he had pulled through with the help of his friends–Daphne always reminded him to depend on them in case the curse had gotten worse during those quiet days that she could really think on the threat over her head. At first, he had just wallowed and even seemed to give up until he read Daphne's short but meaningful note that had been attached to a box with her wand. She was a woman of few words.

Live for me, it simply said. And Harry did, it was hard but he really did.

And now, he had lived to give his friends the freedom from the bloodshed of war and hoped that he had done enough. It was getting harder to breathe and he let himself fall as he closed his eyes.

His left wrist glowed a pale yellow, the same warm feeling during those few seconds before Daphne's death.

And he let the darkness embrace him, thinking of death.

XxxXxxX

When he awoke again, it was to a strange new world that he could change and live in.

"Get up, boy!"

And promptly wondered if he had landed in hell.

O.o.O