,

I was warm and he was tired. The breaths that left him grew deeper and wider, and I knew the sound of children playing by the pool and the soft dance of the palm trees above us had evolved into the sweetest lullaby. The cushion that my head had found comfort on had partially obstructed his face, leaving tufts of charcoal-tinted hair peeking from my peripherals. 

A breath later, those strands of hair shifted ever-so-slightly closer to me almost as if they were searching for something. It wasn’t difficult to know what he wanted, and my heart had to rear my tongue hard before it had the chance to grant him permission. 

My breathing shallowed substantially, and I found it difficult to relax with a hammering heart and an oceanic scent that seemed to diffuse from those black locks. I leaned forward in an instance and grabbed my small sketch book along with some drawing utensils. My back saw lazy eyes regard my every move. As I returned to my previous position, the boy beside me pulled away a little and drew a long yawn. 

I turned to him, “You tired?” He gave me a sideways glance and I smiled knowingly.

“Yeah, I’m getting pretty sleepy.” A hand came up to rub one of his eyes.

I nudged my phone his way, a handful of life-drawing references pulled up on the screen, “Here,” I watched as he slowly took the phone and eyed it wearily, “Pick one.” His eyes widened slightly as his thumb slid across the phone several times. I looked forward as he perused through the images,  wondering why I had bothered asking him in the first place. Then, I felt something bump my shoulder.

“This one.” He points to an image of a man in the middle of a side kick. He returns my phone and I settle back into the cushions with a pencil and sketchbook in hand. 

Before I could stop it, my traitorous tongue blurts the question out. He agrees without hesitation.

Swallowing, my left shoulder slightly angles itself towards him and he places his head gently onto it. My heart settles back into its place and begins to hum quietly. I lean my head against his and inhaled tentatively. That wild, carefree aroma was more potent than ever now. I resisted the urge to fidget closer.

Nothing could deny the fact that, underneath the protection of a couple trees and laying in a small poolside couch with a boy I’ve grown to care for on my shoulder, I felt a calm that managed to shake all off my mind. Without a doubt left, I began the sketching the image he picked out.

"We Never Go Out of Style"

Summary: It’s the start of summer vacation and Eleonora Sava (Gryffindor) meets with Edoardo Incanti (Ravenclaw) to reflect on their past and discuss their future together.

“You know I'd wanted to be in Slytherin, right?”

Eleonora turned her head slightly to look at Edoardo. No, she did not know that. She cocked an eyebrow, “Why?”

He answered her with a shrug and Eleonora couldn’t help but notice how golden his curls looked in the dying sunlight, “That’s the house my father and brother were in. Most of my friends were placed in Slytherin too.”

Her eyebrows scrunched together, “Hold on, so the day of the sorting ceremony...” Edoardo’s head dipped slightly, “is that why you were acting like a jerk to Silvia? It was all so you could get chosen to be in Slytherin?”

“I’m sorry, Ele. That is something I still regret doing but try to understand, my father...” He drew a deep breath, “He never gave me a ounce of recognition. So, I just thought that if I could do something or be someone great for Slytherin, then I could at least get a pat on the back from him.” Edoardo looked down once more, “Ever since I was young, I tried acting like my father because I thought that would’ve given me a better shot.”

Eleonora took some time for his words to fully permeate into her head. She brought her knees to her chest and turned to gaze at the waves that would crash gently by the pebbled shore. “Edo, I-”

“I don’t regret it too much though,” He leaned a little closer, “After all, that’s how I met you.”

She nudged his head playfully back, “Idiot, that’s no way to get a girl’s attention.” He chuckled and shrugged again.

“No, but I’m glad it caught yours.” Edoardo’s eyes turned serious again, “I am truly sorry though.”

That’s when Eleonora whacked him, “Can you stop saying sorry already? Geez, I forgave you so many times for that already.” He shook his head.

“Ele, I meant for everything.”

Oh. She sighed, “It’s happening then? You are going to accept that Auror position in the U.S?” Edo then gave her the softest gaze that only drove the dagger deeper into her heart. Even the calming breeze she’d love couldn’t save her spirit now.

She willed the tears not to fall, “Congrats, Edo. Being an Auror is what you wanted to do for a while and I’m truly happy for you.” And she was happy for him. She just wished it didn’t have to hurt this much.

He let out a pained grunt and proceeded to envelop Eleonora in his arms, “Stop, Ele. You already know how it physically pains me to see you sad.”

“I’m not sad.”

Edo rolled his eyes, “Yes, you are. You have this look where your lower lip quivers just a little, you turn your head down, and you start playing with your clothes.” She dropped the piece of cloth between her fingers. “Amore, I can’t help but want to give you anything when you have that look.” That’s when she turned to look at him.

He winced slightly, “Alright, now you’re playing dirty.” She let out a small laugh and turned to look at Hogwarts in all its beauty.

“Promise to write to me often?” She held out a pinkie for him.

He latched his pinkie around hers in an instant, “Easiest promise I’ll ever make.” Edoardo suddenly stood up and began taking his cloak and clothes off. 

“Edo!” Eleonora found her voice came out a little squeaky, “What are you doing?”

He ignored her and began to make his way into the sparkling waters. Once Edo had half his body submerged, he turned back around to face her, “Come, Ele.” He splashed the water around him, “The water’s warm.”

Eleonora hated feeling cold and he knew that. “Come on, Edo. You tricked me last time and I’m not letting you pull me into the water again.”

He grinned at the memory and arched his neck to look at the bleeding sun. Ele made sure to memorize every detail of this scene.

“I’m not lying to you this time, Ele. It's such a beautiful day and the sun warmed the water nicely.” Edo then gave her that look and she couldn’t help but start taking her robe off. 

Say something, Ele. Tell him not to go. Tell him you still want to be with him. But the girl didn’t speak and Eleonora had to watch from a distance as Edo, the very essence of her being, walked out of her life again. Eleonora banged on the glass more frantically now. Please! Edo, come back. Tears started to flood her body now, making her heart feel heavier than ever. I’m sorry.

“Mommy! Mommy, wake up!”

Suddenly, the scene dissolved before her eyes and she was pulled violently back to reality. Her eyes slowly cracked opened and she was greeted by a boy with wild, hazel-nut curls and a trembling frown.

“Mommy, is everything okay? You-you were crying. Why are you sad, Mom? Is it because you got really mad at Daddy earlier?”

Eleonora gingerly brought a palm to her cheeks and brushed the tears off. “Oh, baby, don’t worry. Mom was just having a bad dream.”

His eyes widened and the boy suddenly jumped up into a warrior’s stance, “Who hurt you in your dream, Mommy? I’ll fight em’ off.” Several grunts of exertion left the boy as he gave an invisible enemy a handful of small punches and kicks. Ele couldn’t help but giggle.

“Come here, you little monkey.” Eleonora’s arms snaked around the boy’s waist and both came tumbling back onto the bed. Soon, the room was filled with firework-like laughter.

“Mommy, you’re smiling again! Does this mean the bad guy is gone?”

She gave a bittersweet smile to her little angel, “There was never a bad guy in mommy’s dream. Mom was just thinking about something that happened a long time ago.”

The boy’s eyebrows scrunched together, “But if it happened a long time ago, then why does it still make you sad?” Eleonora took a breath.

“Well, baby, everyone has good memories and sad memories.” She placed a hand on his rosy cheeks, “And some memories hold onto you, no matter how hard you try to let them go.” Eleonora looked over the boy’s shoulder and felt her heart weep at the sight of something missing. She hastily placed a kiss on his forehead, “You can sleep in Mommy’s and Daddy’s bed tonight. I’ll be right back.”

Eleonora softly closed the door behind her and started to creep down the dimly-lit hallway. She stopped her quiet stalk when she heard a familiar song coming from the living room. It was one of her favorites and the one she and Edo had used for their...

As she peeked from the corner, she saw Edo lying haphazardly on the couch watching something on his phone. He seemed entranced by the video as his eyes rarely blinked away from it. A lump grew in her throat as she heard Edo’s vows spill from the phone. Then, without warning, Eleonora found herself both reaching for and running towards Edoardo.

“losing him was blue like I’d never known.

missing him was dark, grey all alone.

forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you never met,

Fwd To: the girl that was

Send this to the girl that was.

Tell her that she’s going to go through some tough times.

Tell her that there will be times when she’s going to question why she’s there and what she’s doing.

Tell her that she’s going to know what pain and failure really feel like.

But, most importantly,

Tell her that it’s all going to be okay.

She doesn’t know the future yet so she won’t understand this.

But remind her that by living through all this pain and suffering, there follows a growth that will undeniably strengthen her.

Tell her that there will be days when she will be missing the girl that was but remind her that the girl that was could never be as strong as who she is now.

Sometimes she will get sad thinking about her memories with the girl that was, but let her know that some of her happiest memories are still yet to come.

Tell her that she is loved and that we would never change anything about her.

But, most importantly,

Tell her that it’s all going to be okay.

"General, we are going to run out of resources soon. I suggest we contact Hazelor immediately."

My fingers twitched against the cloth around my palms. I arched my neck slightly towards the voice as I bit my lip. "Hazelor has done enough for our cause, more than enough actually. I'm afraid it isn't our place to ask the base for any more favors. Why don't we contact Neptula instead?" I heard a sharp exhale followed by a scoff from behind me and I turned abruptly to face the noise. "I'm sorry, Captain Roth. Is there something you'd like to mention to me?"

Rachel looked up at me through hooded lids. We've been friends since my teenage years and I still don't know what that expression means. It was after a healthy silence that she decided to say something, "It's because of him, isn't it? Because of Saf?"

My eyes drifted towards the ground and my lungs shuddered out a breath, "No. Saf and I are on neutral terms. Besides, I haven't spoken to him in years."

I felt a warmth on my shoulder, "Nevertheless, I know you have history with him," The warmth disappeared, "You should talk to him again. I'm sure Hazelor would welcome us with open arms."

My thoughts connected together a series of incoherent words, "You don't know that, Rachel. You can't know for sure."

"I know that you two loved each other, and, while that feeling may be gone, I know you still care for him," she pushed a communicator into my hand, "So contact him. For you and for the cause." I clutched the communicator tighter in my grip and looked up just in time to see Rachel's coat swivel out of sight.

With the sense of privacy returning to the room, I turned the communicator within my hand as I willed my thoughts to focus. I knew I should contact him. It was the right thing to do. But I was scared. Scared that he might reject me as I'd once rejected him. But if there was one thing I've learned while being a general is that there's always a right decision, no matter how wrong the choice seems at the moment.

I knew what I had to do. I slowly brought the communicator to my lips and pointed the antenna towards the light-brown planet below the shuttle. "This is General Arella from the Alliance," I swallowed, "I'd like to speak with Saf Langston."

It was something she avoided. His eyes. It was something she couldn’t fall into.

She’s trying to find it. His words. She savored them.

She believes it’s there. His games. She thinks she knows the rules.

It wasn’t hers. He smiles. He thinks he’s won.

@writing-prompt-s: “Every person on Earth is born with a tattoo on each arm. One matches your soulmate, and one matches your enemy. However, most people have no clue which is which. You do, because they are both the same.”