Its Over (Lara) (PG-13)

Romulus paced through the common room his talk with Malphas left him steamed with rage and anxiety. Time was ticking and if he didnt just find the courage to go tell her its over now, then she could be hurt or worse by morning. Running a rough hand through his hair he touched his bruised nose that had been injured during his encounter with Mal. His heart told him not to do this but he knew he had to do whatever it took to protect his Lara...

Knowing she would finish class soon he leaned against the wall as he waited for her class to let out

"See you in the Common Room, Lara!" a fellow Hufflepuff called as Lara exited the Herbology classroom, as they weren't meeting in the greenhouse that day. Waving to her friend, she turned and nearly crashed into Romulus. "Rom, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there," she said adjusting her bag and going to hug him but stopped before her arms could wrap around him. Seeing the bruising on his face, Lara gently reached up and touched his cheek. "What happened?" she asked, worry heavy in her eyes and on her words.

He knocked her hand away from his face, he locked up his heart and soul and it killed him to do this "Listen Lara, I made a mistake"

Lara stood stunned by his action. Slowly lowering her hand, she asked, "What do you mean made a mistake?"

He looked into her eyes making his own colder then ice "Your a mudblood and I cant be seen fucking around with someone who has no right to magic"

His words struck her as if he hit her himself. Lara's jaw went slack as the harshness of them and of his look. Tears began to well in her bright eyes as she looked away for a moment or two. Biting her bottom lip to help with from quivering, she looked back up at him, the pain in her eyes crystal clear. "I thought.....I thought that didn't matter to you, Rom. That you weren't a purist...." she said softly.

"I was being stupid" he said coldly "you'll find someone, from your own kind or maybe a muggle." with that he turned on his heel and walked away, he spotted Mulciber and Lucius watching him probably on Mal's orders. Mulciber clapped him on the back and he nodded walking away with his friends.


an hour or so later

Carrying with him fire whiskey he made his way to Lara's secret spot, it was where she felt safest..near the furthest part of the lake stood a cluster of about fifty trees seperate from the forest. His heart hoped she came here for some peace and quiet. If he knew his Lara like he did...then his words would require some time in her safe place. Sitting with his back against a tree he stared out at the water his eyes filling with moonlight his heart shattered.

Lara was speechless as Romulus spoke to her in such a way. Her heart was breaking with each hurtful word he said to her. When she tried to speak as he walked away, no words came. Lara felt completely broken, used almost. She had no idea what happened to change the loving boy she had started to fall for in the library into this pureblood purist. Lara knew there were those he hung out with that were like that, but he wasn't.... At least, she hadn't thought so. Leaning against the wall outside the classroom, she hugged her arms around herself and the tears fell. Sliding to the floor, she sobbed softly as she broke by his words. Her friends came out and tended to her, but she heard nothing of what they said, only the harsh, hateful words of the boy she loved...

An hour or so later...

Lara had been in a fog since Romulus broke her heart and treated her like any other pureblood elitist would have. She skipped dinner, and while her housemates brought her some of her favorite items from dinner, she didn't touch them. Lara had tried to draw, but nothing came. After a long while of sitting in front of the fireplace, she got up and left the Common Room without a word to any of her friends. She needed to be someplace safe, someplace quiet, someplace away from everyone... Walking out of the castle, Lara headed for a small outcropping of trees near the far edge of the lake where she enjoyed stargazing and just being alone. Not many people knew about this spot, which made it perfect for a solitary place to simply be.

As she neared her secret place, she spotted a form sitting against one of the trees. Lara came to a dead stop when she figured out who it was. Her heart pushed for her to go to him, but she could't. Turning on her heel she made to simply run back to the castle, fresh tears running down her pale cheeks.

Hearing a sound his head jerked to the side, "Lara!' he called out to her, sprinting after her his long legs easily helping him out run her he grabbed her from behind and held her his shoulders shaking with sobs. He gently pulled her towards the trees where they couldn't be seen by man or beast. Letting her go he slid to his knees unable to look at her in shame "Lara...lara...i'm so sorry.." he croaked.

Hearing him call to her, Lara ran, but she was quickly overtaken by Romulus. When he pulled her towards the trees, she struggled weakly against him as quiet sobs and cries to let her go emanated from her petite form. Letting her go, Lara straightened her hoodie and turned on him, but seeing him on his knees, tears on his cheeks, and hearing his apology, she paused and watched him. Wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of her hoodie, she said, "Sorry? Now you're sorry? Sorry for what, Romulus?" She wanted to comfort him, go to him, love him as she knew she could and he wanted, but the wounds he caused were too fresh to simply dismiss them now. And now, on top of being hurt and broken, she was confused....

Slowly he got too his feet and raised his broken eyes to hers "I had to break your heart to save your life" he said. "Malphas ans i got into a fight in our dorm I begged him not to threaten you and he said he will spare you if i leave you broken.." he blinked at her sadly the tears catching on his hair a bit he roughly brushed them away "I lied ..i didnt mean a single word...i dont care your muggle born...your beautiful, and lovely and kind and i love your mind body and soul where you come from does not matter but i cant risk your life"

Lara hugged herself as he spoke to her, told her of the events that brought about this painful experience. As her tears fell, she didn't bother to wipe them away, and when he confessed that he had lied, her already confused mind couldn't take it any more. "You have broken me, Romulus. You hurt me like no one ever has before.... And now, I don't know what to do..." she said, a sob sounding from her as she tried to hold herself together. "You said all those hurtful things and now, only hours later, you want to make amends? I don't understand, Romulus!" she said, nearly shouting at him. Falling to her knees, she covered her face with her hands and sobbed uncontrollably.

He fell to his knees once more pulling her into his chest holding the girl he loved closely "I had to hurt you Lara...I dont want him to kill you...I dont want anyone to kill you..and I cant let them hurt my mother and father because of this...It wont be forever but i'd rather have no one to love but you.." he held her tightly trying not to cry "please beleive me lara please i wouldnt be here if i wanst being honest"

Feeling him pull her to him, she tried to push away, but he was too strong for her. As he spoke, telling her that this wasn't about him and not just her, she slowly lost the fight to get away from him. Gripping his shirt, she clung to him, burying her face in his chest and smelling his familiar scent as she slowly calmed down. Romulus' grip around her tightened and his plea for her to forgive and believe him reached her ears as she sobs quieted. "You mean all of that?" she asked softly, raising her face to him, her cheeks streaked with tears and her eyes full of questions.

"yes..yes i do...this is the only way...for all of us to be safe..." he pleaded with her.

Drawing her sleeve over her cheeks, Lara nodded looking away. "What happens now? Since you can't be seen with me..... We just....make amends and go our separate ways?" she asked, sniffing.

"We'll meet in secret until things can be fixed...that is unless you wish to move on.."

Swallowing and taking a deep breath Lara looked up at him and managed a small smile. "If we can stay together, no matter how we have to make it work.... I'd like that over never being with you again. I can't.... I can't see myself with anyone other than.... you," she said simply.

Blinking back his tears he kissed her tasting the salt of her tears on her lips. "I'm so happy to hear you say that"

Putting her hands to his wet face as he kissed her, Lara forgave him in that moment. Smiling at him at his comment, she wiped his tears and kissed each of his cheeks. "Will everything be alright, Rom? If you felt I was in danger so much to say.....say what you said..... Will everything be alright?" she asked, worry replacing the hurt that was in her bright eyes.

Raising the sleeve of his hoodie he dried her tears gently "As long as no one knows were still together then everything will be okay...I know you dont understand but Malphas is my brother..i've seen him do some crazy shit before and I know what he is capable of....he and his father...there dangerous ok? I dont want you hurt or my family. Once we figure things out..it will be okay.."

Lara nodded slowly as she listened to his explanation to what was going on. "So, what do we do?" she asked simply, slipping her small hand into his. Keeping themselves secret was going to be hard, but it could be done. However, seeing one another around school.... That could potentially be trickier. She wished things could just be fixed now instead of later....

"We'll meet when we can" he said nuzzling her "i'll sneak away to see you as often as possible when we are in class we just need to go back to not knowing each other..."

Folding into him and breathing him in, Lara's heart sank and soared, if that was possible. The idea of still being his, still being able to see him, but in the eyes of everyone else, they were simply as they were before was reasonable. "I guess I have it a little easier as I can sneak away without many taking notice," she said softly to him, rubbing her cheek against his. "Maybe here can be our meeting place...." she whispered, feeling her heart begin to mend.

He closed his eyes his entire body practically covering hers as he cradled her "thats a good idea" he whispered softly "Lara if you decide to back out i'll understand...I just don't want to imagine a life where your not alive..i just..i'm willing to do anything to keep you"