home..... ? {katherine} LE FINIS.

[johndawlish]

HOURS PASS AND SHE STILL COUNTS
THE MINUTES THAT I AM NOT THERE - I SWEAR I DIDN'T MEAN FOR IT TO FEEL LIKE THIS

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As John lifted his head up from the cold, hard stone, a wave of dizziness washed over him. He fell back, hitting his head once more. Why was the ground wet? His eyes closed, he reached back towards the stone ground beneath him and pulled his hand back into his fizzy eyesight.

He was bleeding. Huh, funny, that. Why would he be bleeding?

Having regretted asking that question almost instantly, it all came flooding back. The Death Eaters. The information betrayed - how he, the Auror with such a high regard to his name... it was all his fault.

It was his fault that Katherine was dead. He wished he were dead.

There were no tears left in him to cry. He was a broken shell of a man, lying on the cold stone alleyway in Hogsmeade.

Hogsmeade.

He was home. If he could still feel relief - still feel something, he would have collapsed in a pile and breathed a sigh of relief. All he could do was lie there, his eyes fixated on the stars above him, wishing he was dead.

He didn't count how many times he slipped in and out of consciousness. John briefly wondered if anyone would find him here, but then decided he didn't care. Katherine was gone...

- - -

It felt a lot longer than just a few hours. John had forgotten how to tell time - how to differentiate between night and day, and what the hands on the clock meant. He pressed his tattered shirt into the gaping wound on his head and tried his hardest to stand back up again.

Leaning all his weight against the wall behind him, he steadied himself and waited for the dizziness to stop.

One foot in front of the other. That was all he had to do. Just keep pushing.

- - -

There was some party going on at Hogwarts that John didn't know about. Hadn't there been one when he'd been kidnapped? Had all this really happened in just a few short hours? John blinked and steadied himself against the doors of the school and watched as masks, faces and costumes blurred against each other.

Katherine's face was nowhere to be found.

- - -

The door to Katherine's office pushed open easily, no creaking to be heard. All her stuff was still there, just as John remembered it. A silent tear leaked down the side of his face as his bloodied fingers touched the muggle photo frame closest to him.

It was a picture taken back in their days at Hogwarts of their whole group of friends. Katherine was in the middle, standing next to Harriet, the two of them laughing at something.

His fingers began to quiver and the last of his sight left him. The side of his face met the stone floor of Katherine's office as John dropped unconscious, pale as ever as the blood continued to trickle from his head.

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LIKE EVERY INCH OF ME IS BRUISED

[katherinedupree]

Katherine was done, she couldn't fake the smile anymore, it was too painful. She couldn't understand the happiness on everyone's faces. Didn't they understand that John was gone. Never coming back. What was there to be happy about anymore?

Her eyes swept across to the door of the Great Hall, a frown settling onto her masked face. There was nothing there but still her eyes remained on the door and she knew what she had to do. She didn't want to be there, not at all.

Slipping up to another Professor, Katherine quietly informed her that she was leaving and with that she quickly weaved her way through the dancing bodies of her students. Their laughter only served to make the horrid, heavy nauseous feeling in her stomach feel that much worse. She'd long since forgotten what it meant to be happy and wondered if she'd ever feel that way again.

Once out in the hallway, away from the curious eyes of everyone in the hall Katherine quickly pulled the feathered mask from her face. Pressing her hand over her eyes she fought back the overwhelming wave of emotions that threatened to crush her beneath the sheer weight of them. Taking a calming breath, Katherine lay her head back against the wall and took a deep breath to calm herself.

After a few moments she finally pushed away from the wall, and holding her dress up slightly she began walking up the steps, heading straight in the direction of her office. Maybe she'd be able to distract herself with some grading. Sleep was out of the question, she didn't get much of it anymore. Whenever she closed her eyes Johns face appeared breaking her heart all over again, she wished with all inside of her that their last meeting had gone differently.

Why had she run away like that?

As she reached the top of the stairs to her office, Katherine's steps faltered and her guard shot up. Her office door was open, and Katherine knew without a shadow of a doubt she'd closed it when she left. Reaching into a hidden pocket in her dress, Katherine pulled out her wand, gripping it tightly between her fingers as she took another cautious step towards the office, reaching out a hand she slowly pushed the door open. "Whose there?" she called out, taking a step inside, her wand held steady in front of her.

Nothing could've prepared her for the sight that greeted her once she was inside the office. An audible gasp escaped her lips and her wand fell to the floor as her hands lifted to cover her mouth as she stared down in shock at the un-moving body on her office floor.

"J...John....?" she whispered his name, shaking her head, unable to believe he was there. Quickly she rushed forward, dropping to her knees beside him. There was blood staining the stone floor of her office as it trickled from his head. He was extremely pale, gaunt looking and it broke Katherine's heart all over to see him in such a state.

Quickly she grabbed her wand and summoned a large enough cloth for her to press against the gaping wound in his head as her other hand pressed against his cheek. "John...John...please wake up..." her voice cracked slightly as she spoke, whilst tears streamed over her cheeks, "John please..."

[johndawlish]

HOURS PASS AND SHE STILL COUNTS
THE MINUTES THAT I AM NOT THERE - I SWEAR I DIDN'T MEAN FOR IT TO FEEL LIKE THIS

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John was dreaming, he was sure of it. There was a hazy light up above him and there was a weight pressing hard down against his limbs, rendering them useless. He squinted, trying to get rid of the light that grew brighter, but there was no use. He couldn't use his hands to block the ray that pierced his vision.

There was a small voice. A gentle, tinkering voice that said his name. Was this what it was like to die?

Regaining consciousness, John could make out the shadow of a figure above him. The voice sounded muted - he could barely hear it - but there she was. The face he had been dreaming about every time he closed his eyes; the only light he could see in the murky darkness that had surrounded him for all those months.

"Katherine," he breathed, raising a hand to meet the side of her face. She was alive.

She was alive.

"K - K - Ka - Katherine," he stuttered again, feeling the heavy darkness wash over him once more. He blacked out.

He was home.

[/justify][/font]

LIKE EVERY INCH OF ME IS BRUISED

[katherinedupree]

"John...please...please wake up...." she whispered, her hand slowly and ever so gently running over his cheek, her tears almost blinding her. The he stirred and Katherine was filled with hope.

"Katherine,"

Katherine let out a sound of happiness, pressing her cheek into his hand when he lifted it to touch her. Holding his hand she pressed a kiss to his palm, "It's me John...your home...your going to be okay." she said softly, gently squeezing his hand, confident now that she wasn't dreaming.

This was all real. John was here. Alive. He'd returned home to them...to her...Katherine felt a surge of happiness course through her. They'd been given a second chance and she was determined this time they weren't going to waste it.

He whispered her name again before passing out. Lifting her wand, Katherine sent a quick message to Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey, requesting their presence immediately before she focused all of her attention back on the man beside her.

"John...wake up please..." she whispered, muttering the smallest of healing spells on his head wound. Madam Pomfrey would need to take a proper look of course but at least Katherine could stem the bleeding considerably.

[johndawlish]

HOURS PASS AND SHE STILL COUNTS
THE MINUTES THAT I AM NOT THERE - I SWEAR I DIDN'T MEAN FOR IT TO FEEL LIKE THIS

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It felt like he was drowning. It became hard to breathe - like his lungs were filling up slowly with water and he was unable to escape the mounting pressure in his chest. There was a light hold on his head, but he barely felt it as he sank deeper and deeper into the murky water beneath him.

There were voices. Another male, and another female, and suddenly he was floating. His eyes rolled form side to side under his eyelids, but for whatever reason it was, he could not open them.

Katherine, something whispered in the back of his mind and a warmth spread through his body, beginning in his fingertips and ending with his steady heartbeat. Tha-thump. Tha-thump.

- - -

The light shone brightly as John's eyelids fluttered open. The dreamless sleep had been nice - it was probably the longest John had slept peacefully for, well - how long had he been gone for? There were light yellow rays streaming through the big glass window, and it took a moment for John to finally piece together where he was. The Hospital Wing.

The only thing he really cared about was the fact that Katherine had fallen asleep in the chair next to his bed, holding on tightly to his hand.

For the first time, in what felt like years, John felt like he could breathe again. His lungs filled with the sweet air around him and he finally felt like he was free. Not only was he able to breathe, but Katherine was there with him. Home is where the heart is, and wherever Katherine went was where John needed to be.

It was true. This was the second chance they needed. There was a small twang at the bottom of his gut, telling him that she didn't really love him. After all, she did run away all those nights ago. But for now, John didn't care.

She was an angel as she slept. Her golden hair seemed more vibrant in the sunlight - more than John's memory could ever do justice - and her pink, full lips were slightly parted as she breathed steadily. Even all those years ago - back in their days at Hogwarts - John knew. One look, and he was a goner.

He could have watched her sleep for hours, but just as he shifted his weight on the bed, their hands moved and Katherine woke up.

"Hey," John smiled through cracked lips. It was the most alive he'd felt, well, ever.

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LIKE EVERY INCH OF ME IS BRUISED

[katherinedupree]

The events after Dumbledore and Pomfrey arrived at her office had been a blur, Katherine couldn't remember anything other than her hand holding tightly to Johns. She'd refused to let him go, even when Madame Pomfrey began to examine him, heal him where she could. If she let go Katherine feared he'd disappear and she wasn't going to let that happen...not again.

Even after the nurse and Headmaster had left, Katherine remained by John's side, holding his hand running her fingers gently down his face. He was here, alive, but still she cried. Cried for all their time wasted. Cried for whatever hell he'd had to suffer through. Cried out of sheer happiness that he was back here with her, alive. It almost felt too good to be true.

She stayed awake all night, scared to close her eyes. However exhaustion finally won out by 4 am and she'd drifted to sleep, never once loosening her grip on his hand. It was the first time she'd slept so soundly in, well, since John had gone missing, there were no haunting images, just peace.

Feeling movement though she quickly sat up, blinking away the haziness her eyes finding John instantly. Seeing he was awake she smiled and felt her heart soar. She was still clad in the dress she'd worn to the ball, not having returned to her room at all to change. "Hey yourself....." she said softly, returning the smile, feeling the tears threatening to return once more as she looked upon him. "You gave me quite a scare last night..." she admitted, her thumb gently tracing circles on the back of his hand.

[johndawlish]

HOURS PASS AND SHE STILL COUNTS
THE MINUTES THAT I AM NOT THERE - I SWEAR I DIDN'T MEAN FOR IT TO FEEL LIKE THIS

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As long as Katherine was there, John could push the nightmares back. He didn't have to think of anything else; all he had to do was let his mind be clouded with visions of her. She would make it alright. Heck, she was asleep, breathing softly in her chair and the weight had already lifted from John's chest.

He couldn't help but smile, his eyes watering up as she drew circles into the back of his hand. She was here. She was real. It was more than John could have ever hoped or prayed for. "I thought you were dead, Kat," he breathed, covering her hand with both of his. He would not let go.

"I - I thought -" his voice broke and tears started streaming down his face. Maybe now was the time that he would finally be able to cry. Order had been restored to his world and he was finally able to be free. "But you're not." He couldn't help but let out a small, watery laugh. "You're not."

"I meant what I said, you know," he said, as his blue eyes met hers. He cleared his throat. "All those nights ago. Before.. well," he didn't want to talk about it. Not today.

"I love you, Katherine. I always have."

[/justify][/font]

LIKE EVERY INCH OF ME IS BRUISED

[katherinedupree]

"I thought you were dead, Kat...But you're not...You're not."

Hearing the break in his voice as his tears fell broke Katherine's heart all over again. He thought she was dead? Why would he have thought that? She wanted to know what he'd been through, but then another part of her didn't want to know. He'd been broken, it was her job now to help him get back to his normal, incredible, amazing self.

Shaking her head she stood from the chair which had doubled as a bed for her during the night, and settled onto the edge of his bed being careful not to jostle it. She placed their hands on her lap and released a watery smile. "I'm right here John, and I'm not going anywhere..." she said softly.

"I meant what I said, you know...All those nights ago. Before...well...I love you, Katherine. I always have."

Katherine found herself unable to stem the flood of her tears as she nodded her head, looking into his eyes. There were no words for what she was feeling now, what those words meant to her. For so long she'd feared she'd never hear them again, never be able to let John know what she should've told him all those nights ago...

"I love you to John. I always have." she told him softly, a smile on her face as she mimicked his words, the sincerity of them shining brightly in her eyes. "I wanted to tell you that night but...but with what happened...it was almost too good to be true...I shouldn't have left you John, I'm so sorry..." she told him ashamed of her actions that night, her voice cracking ever so slightly.

She hoped he'd forgive her.

[johndawlish]

HOURS PASS AND SHE STILL COUNTS
THE MINUTES THAT I AM NOT THERE - I SWEAR I DIDN'T MEAN FOR IT TO FEEL LIKE THIS

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[ ooc: i've been watching that gif for far too long now... hnnggg ]

Katherine moved from her chair to the edge of his bed, their folded hands ending up in John's lap. There was no way that John was going to let go. She was alive - something that was harder for John to process than almost anything else. Dimmare - the shadowy figure John had come into contact with countless times - had promised John that he himself had seen to Katherine's fall.

He studied her kind face - memorising every feature so the image of her face burned into the back of his mind. He would never forget it again. And once those words had been spoken, the two friends lovers in tears, John pulled Katherine closer to him with what little strength he had and kissed her.

It wasn't urgent. They had all the time in the world. John's lips moved silently against hers, their tears mixing together. A small, warm fire, lit at the bottom of his stomach and crept up towards his throat. So this was what love felt like. His hands were in her hair, on her cheeks, doing everything they possibly could to hold Katherine to him.

"You didn't know," he said, his voice faltering as their lips parted for a moment. "You didn't know what would have happened - there's nothing to be sorry for." He held her face between his weak, shaky hands and kissed her forehead, closing his own eyes.

John shifted his weight so that Katherine could curl up next to him - leaving enough space for the two of them to lie comfortably.

He kissed her hair and ran a hand down her arm to hold hers. "Looked like quite a party you were all having last night," he mused out loud, unable to wipe the smile from his gaunt face. "What was the occasion?"

Well, at least he would be able to know how long he'd been gone for.

[/justify][/font]

LIKE EVERY INCH OF ME IS BRUISED

[katherinedupree]

John pulled her closer and she went willingly, her hand moving to rest against his chest as their lips met. It wasn't like their last kiss, there was no urgency, it was perfect. Their lips moved in sync together softly, as though they'd only been made for each other. Now after ten years of hiding how they felt, after so long of thinking they were never going to see each other again, here they were. The moment was perfect, Katherine felt her heart threatening to burst from the many overwhelming feelings coursing through her.

This was it. Finally. John knew she loved him and he loved her back. In this one moment, this one kiss Katherine had no doubt this was where their lives together began. Never again did they have to be apart. She softly traced her fingers along his cheek as they parted.

John tried to reassure her but the guilt was still there. Maybe she didn't know about what had happened, but maybe if she'd stayed with him, not left him alone in that courtyard and sorted things out properly, then he wouldn't have been taken. So she didn't reply when he told her she had nothing to be sorry for, she just smiled softly, closing her eyes and savoring the moment he kissed her forehead. "I'm just happy your back...I missed you..." she sighed quietly.

When he made room for her on the bed she smiled softly again and tucking her gown beneath her she lay on the bed, curling into his side. Letting her head rest on his shoulder and her arm wrap around his waist she sighed contentedly, letting her eyes flicker closed when he held her to him, kissing the top of her hair. "The students idea...it was a Masquerade ball for Valentines Day..." she told him, he'd been gone so long. "I wasn't too into it though...the only reason I was there was to make sure none of the students pulled a stupid prank like last time. I left pretty early though..." she told him, she hadn't seen any reason to celebrate the day, but from now on she would always know it as the day John found his way back to her.

[johndawlish]

HOURS PASS AND SHE STILL COUNTS
THE MINUTES THAT I AM NOT THERE - I SWEAR I DIDN'T MEAN FOR IT TO FEEL LIKE THIS

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John had to laugh. She had missed him? For all he knew, she had thought that he was dead. He certainly thought that he'd never see her again, that was for sure. But, no. He couldn't focus on that now. All he cared about was the fact that he had Katherine in his arms and that he wasn't going to let her go. "I missed you, too," he said quietly. "I never thought I'd see you again."

John frowned. Valentines Day? "It's February?" he asked, a twinge of dread in his voice. Had he really been away for that long? He missed Christmas. And New Year. And, well, pretty much everything.

It was hard for John to believe that he'd really been away for that long. He'd lost all sense of night and day and what time really meant. He'd been kept in small living quarters, with the only food he'd received was based on how much information he was willing to give up. And even then he didn't have much of a choice. Dimmare was skilled at legilimency - far superior to anything that John had ever come up against in his whole Auror career. Time had meant nothing, and here he was on the fifteenth of February, almost four months later.

Just as John was about to say something else, Madam Pomfrey bustled in to check John's vitals. The wound on his head had been cleaned up, but he still looked gaunt and translucent. His bones stuck out in places he didn't know they could. From what Pomfrey was saying, John understood that it would take time and a strict feeding program to get him back on his feet.

Well, at least he would be able to live his life again. And with Katherine, too - which was possibly the best part about coming home.

Madam Pomfrey fluffed John's pillow and told Katherine that it was time to leave so that John could get some rest. She put a dreamless sleep draught on the bedside-table and left; probably to take care of some of the problematic kids from last night's events.

[/justify]

[ ooc: WANNA HAVE A FLUFFY THREAD WHERE JOHN COMES TO SLEEP IN KATHERINE'S BED BUT HAS NIGHTMARES OR SOMETHING? <3 ][/font]

LIKE EVERY INCH OF ME IS BRUISED

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[katherinedupree]

It's February?

Katherine didn't miss the note of dread in his voice, as well as disbelief and she couldn't blame him. It had been a long time since Halloween, it felt almost like a life time away. "You were gone a long time, too long." she told him softly, burying her head into his chest before looking up at him as if just to confirm he was in fact here with her now and it wasn't some cruel dream she was having that, she would, eventually, have to wake up from. She'd had so many similar ones over the last few months, leading her to dread sleep just as much as she'd dreaded the waking hours. At least in dreams she was with him.

John made a move to say something but the school nurse bustled back in and began to check John's vitals, so Katherine sat up, but kept hold of his hand, reluctant to put any kind of distance between them just yet. It broke her heart to see John who'd always been such a strong man looking so weak. Katherine hated the monsters or monster that had done this to him and only hoped that one day justice found him/them. To her immense displeasure though Madam Pomfrey told Katherine she'd have to leave. As much as she hated having to she knew the good nurse was right, John needed rest, proper rest and she handed him the sleeping draught, giving him a soft smile.

"Don't tell I said this but she's right. You need your rest, but I'll be back in a few hours okay." she said softly, smiling gently as she let her fingers run through the top of his hair, before she leaned down and pressed her lips to his again. There were no words to describe how happy it made her not just having him back but being able to finally do this, to kiss him and have their feelings for the other known. Pressing another soft kiss to his forehead she stepped back, "I love you." she said softly before releasing a quiet sigh and turning on her heel to leave the infirmary, a small smile tugging at her lips.

John was home now...they were together at last.