The Hallway

[Simon Hedwig]

Time seemed to slow down as he stared into her face. She seemed shocked to see him. Who had she been expecting? Everyone else as gone. And as the look of horrified comprehension flickered into her eyes he realised that she hadn't known.
And then she was reaching for him. His face became confused, uncertain and he stiffened with reluctance as her hands moved towards him.
But he just didn't have the will to push her away. The moment he felt her fingers on his arm he melted and moved quickly forward to pull her into his arms. He held her tightly against his chest, his arms wrapped around her. His eyes shut tight and fresh tears ran down his cheeks, soaking into her bedraggled hair.

He was trembling. She was the enemy. She was a traitor, not only to their cause but to the love they had once shared. But right now none of that seemed to matter. She was the only person in the world who knew him. Everyone else he had ever loved was gone. And he needed that familiarity right now, and although it was messed up beyond belief, he needed the love that he knew she still had for him. It was selfish, he knew that. But solace was better than the loneliness.

[Emilia Pettigrew]

Emilia noticed Simon stiffen as she reached for him. He probably still wasn't forgive me, she decided, but she hoped that he needed someone as much as she did.As Simon pulled her into his arms, she started sobbing. Her body was shaking rapidly and she couldn't stop it. She felt so weak and helpless. She felt his arms tighten around her. She could feel his tears dripping down into her hair and she didn't care. She let her face rest on his neck, her hands gripping the front of his robe.

They had been standing there for what seemed like forever, before Emilia found the strength to say anything. "I didn't believe it, when they told me" she started, too afraid to pull back and see his reaction. Subconsiously she gripped his robe even tighter, feeling the warmth of his skin on her cheek. "They told me she was found in my office. She had looked horrified." She thought back to her own reaction and let out a sigh "I told them there had to be a mistake. Everyone who would have had a reason, were somewhere in public, surrounded by witnesses. It wasn't until later that someone mentioned seeing Kelly." Her eyes were filled with tears once more. Had she even stopped crying? She didn't know. Her voice sounded hoarse and distant "She's taken from me almost every single person I've ever cared for, Simon. I don't know what to do anymore. And as if that wasn't enough, Dara was killed as well." He voice cut off, as she realized her mistake. Dara wasn't the best subject to discuss with Simon, but she had to. She had to make him see. "Don't get angry with me. You know very well that my loyalty belonged to Dara, it always had. Not to her cause, but to her as a person. And I failed. I failed to protect her."

[Simon Hedwig]

Simon just held her as she trembled against him, his eyes shut tight. He held her willingly, almost desperately, trying to cling to the feeling of familiarity no matter how complicated it may have been.
It was only when she began to speak that his eyes opened. His face remained blank as she spoke and he offered no response. It was hard enough just trying to process what she was saying.
She hadn't known whether Kit was alive or...he couldn't even bring himself to think the word. Kelly. Yes, Kelly. His eyes narrowed at the metion of her name and athough he didn't loosen his hold on her, the anger chased away some of the desperation.
As she continued he felt a even stronger connection to the sobbing woman. She too had lost everyone. All her family and al her friends, as questionable as some of them may have been, she too was now alone.

He stiffened when she mentioned Dara. He couldn't help it. It was Dara that had aused all of this. Everyting that had happened, every single death could be traced back to her. Even the people Kelly had killed. It was Dara's actions that had begun Kelly's transformation into a monster.
It was Dara that had become between he and Emilia all those years ago. Dara that had started the war that had taken the lives of so many friends and loved ones. She was the reason Elizabeth was not here with him now. She was the reason Krysta was now god knew where. The world would be a different place this day if it had not been for Kildara Snape.
And here was Emilia mourning her?!

Without warning her retrieved his arms from aound her and stepped back, shaking his head furiously.
"There is nothing you can say to me that will make me regret her death. There is nothing, nothing that could make me empathise with your pain. Death was too quick for her. She should be rotting in a cell, made to suffer for everything she has done. I'm only sorry I didn't get a few rounds with her myself." he growled visciously, his lip curling in a snarl. He took another step back from her to stand back in the doorway.

[Emilia Pettigrew]

Emilia wanted to scream when she felt Simon let go of her. Every part of her body was aching for him. She raised her head and searched for his eyes, they were filled with rage. "Simon" she cried out, taking a step towards him, her knees shaking. "I don't want you to feel sorry for him. As much as it hurts me, I know I can't ask from you to feel sorry for her." She was desperately trying to find the right words, to keep Simon close to her. She didn't want to think what would happen to her if Simon would be gone from her life for good. The way things had gone so far wasn't the perfect solution, but she always knew that Simon was safe. That a part of her heart was living and breathing. She needed that knowledge more than ever. Simon was the only part of her heart still alive. She lowered her head a little bit, as she felt blood rush to her face "i don't feel guilty when i say, that I too would have liked more to see Kildara in prison than dead." She looked down at her hands, noticing that they were still shaking. Her body had gone completely numb. All that was left were the emotions that seemed to weigh her down more than ever.

"I was meant to protect her from Kelly. That was my mission. I didn't feel connected to her cause in any way and you should know that." She looked back up at him, her eyes piercing through his "You should know me well enough, to know that I'm better than that. And don't tell me that you thought you knew me. You still do. You know the real me. Why else would I be crying here over Kit, if I'd been blinded by the Death Eaters cause? Why else did I stay in school even after you came?" She stook another hesitant step closer to him. Her blood was rushing through her veins. She wanted Simon to see, she needed him to see!

She gently took his hand and placed it over her heart. "A part of this has always been yours, but as strong as my love for you was, there was something stronger than that. It had always been in my blood, even though I tried to fight it. My parents knew, that's why they stayed quiet even when I joined the order. My mum knew that I'd turn eventually. Kit tried to convince her many times, but in her heart she always knew." Her eyes kept lingering on his features. He had not changed at all. He was still the same man, she fell in love with.

[Simon Hedwig]

Simon continued to shake his head as Emilia pleaded with him.
"I don't expect anything from you, Emilia. I don't expect you to renounce your loyalty to Kildara, just don't expect me to sympathise." he said, his voice not quite as harsh as it had been. He could see the desperation in her eyes and that was something he could empathise with. He didn't want to be alone either. He listened with strained patience as she continued explaining her feelings and loyalty to Kildara. It grated a bit, but he could see she needed to explain.

He closed his eyes and held his breath as she took his hand and placed it over her heart. He winced as he felt her heat through her clothes. He hadn't touched her in years and the old familiar touch awoke old memories. Happy memories. He shied away from them and fought the urge to pull his hand away.
"Emilia..." he began to say when she started talking about love. He couldn't deal with it right now. He shook his head gently. "Emilia I don't have the strength to hold any anger towards you anymore. I stopped blaming you a long time ago. We chose different paths. I understand that." he said calmly, almost kindly. He reached for her hands as he spoke, holding the softly in his.

[Krysta Hedwig]

*****SEVERAL MONTHS LATER*****

Krysta apparated directly into the hallway and immediately dropped her bag. It fell to the floor with a dull thud and rolled onto its side. She ignored it.
She looked around slowly, the sudden silence after the noise of the previous argument startling her and putting her on edge.
She took a few steps down the corridor towards the stairs, a movement to her left catching her eye. She stopped dead and looked sideways only to see her own reflection in Kitania's ornate mirror. She stared at her image for several seconds, unnerved by the stranger staring back.
Her lip still trembled in the last throws of anger and she wiped away the black smudge from her cheek, left there my a mascara-stained tear.

Krys tore her eyes from the reflective glass and she looked looked around the hallway. The stairs, the doorways leading off into the kitchen, lounge and dining room. It was just as she remembered. She reached out a hand and pushed open the door into the lounge. Light spilled into the hall and she squinted slightly before stepping into the room.