Let Me Dream, Let Me Stay.

Autumn stood in the doorway of the flat, her eyes filled with tears and the rain that had been pounding around outside drenching her lovely Smashing Pumpkins shirt, one she had borrowed from George on one of the many nights he had spent with her. Neither Savannah nor George could move, and Autumn didn't meet their eyes.

Finally Fred moved forward, the only one not paralyzed by her. He put a gentle hand on the small of her back, pushing her forward and closing the door. George snapped out of it, leaving Savannah to stand there in awe of her best friend.

Autumn looked like shit. There were heavy bags under her eyes, and her skin was pale and pulled taut over her high crossbones. The shirt that was once only a little too big for her was now far too baggy, and the jeans that were once too small for Autumn were now huge on her.

Savannah stared at her best friend and her jaw dropped. This was not the Autumn she knew, and George, the boy who loved her more than anything else, stared at her with sad eyes before pulling her close. He squeezed her so tight Fred was afraid he would break her. Autumn cleared her throat, pushing George off her, though holding his hand tightly in hers.

“I'd like to tell what happened,” She murmured. George gently led her to the couch, allowing her to snuggle up beside him. She was shivering, and her once tanned skin was covered with goosebumps. There was a moment of silence, and then Autumn detached herself from George, and cleared her throat.

“I watched a man die. I stood in my window and I watched it happen and I did nothing about it. I stood there and wondered, watched with a sick fascination. A life, one minute present in the human soul and the next extinguished like a flame in front of my face. I just … I've been trying to adjust to the fact that I am, now, officially, a horrible person.”

Autumn's voice did not shake, her facial expression did not change, she hardly moved at all. She was completely and totally numb. Savannah was almost … scared of her. Autumn was always the one who felt too much and worried too much – everything too much. But now, she was almost paralyzed. And George stared at her with words he was too afraid to speak and feelings he couldn't keep down. He felt so sorry for her, so sorry that she had to endure all this without him.

Without another word from anyone, Autumn broke down in tears, burying her face in George's chest. She was so frail in his arms, that with each wracking sob, her rib cage seemed to break. He could feel her heart breaking against his chest, and he looked towards Fred, who gently grabbed Vanna's hand and led her back towards Fred's room, allowing George to take care of Autumn.

“My mum always said when someone's upset, to make them a cup of tea,” George murmured when Autumn had calmed down somewhat, wiping the makeup from under her eyes. “But I think this is a little different.” Autumn managed a watery laugh, before her eyes teared up again and she buried her face back in George's chest.

The heartbreak was evident in her voice as she spoke quieter than ever. “I just … I don't want to be like them. Regarding death as nothing more than a tool for power.”

“And by admitting you don't want to be like that, you aren't. You value life in a way that I've never seen anyone value life before. You see death as tragedy, but also as the opening of space for a new life, a new miracle for some happy family, a new kind of magic that even we, the witches and wizards, can't harness. You try so hard to preserve life, and you are almost desperate to become a part of this magic. You can't destroy that kind of magic the way the Death Eaters do. Autumn, you witnessed something horrible. But that doesn't make you a horrible person.”

George's voice was sweet, caressing almost. Autumn looked at him for a moment, her head cocked to the side like she was comprehending what he was saying. And then she kissed him, hard and passionate, tears still wet on her cheeks. George knew not to take advantage of her, knew that she was broken and hurt, but he kissed her back, gently. He was terrified to break her.

And then she uttered the words she knew deep in her heart were true. “I love you, George.”