Chapter 37 (1/2)

Iris stayed at the rebuilt Whirlpool manor for the rest of the summer. Her mood had been at it's worst for the past few days and Edmund was worried for her. He didn't know how to comfort her and so he was getting frustrated.

On one particular night, when they were returning to their rooms after dinner, Iris stopped Edmund by slightly pulling his sleeve.

”Edmund,” She began, hesitant of what she wanted to say.

He turned around and asked, ”Yeah?”

”Can we.. talk for some time?”

”Sure!”

”In my room.”

”...Ok.”

Edmund followed Iris in her room and sat beside her on the bed. He waited for her to start as she took a few deep breaths to gather her thoughts.

”Growing up with my aunt, I never had the privilege of knowing what friendship was like. I was alone. No one wanted to get acquainted with me in primary school. Even the kids in my neighborhood avoided me. Mostly out of fear of Dudley and his friends.”

She stopped for moment and continued, ”When I met Hermione, she was lonely, just like me. Everyone shunned her away for her attitude. But I knew she was just trying to get some friends. So, I decided to be one and extended a hand if friendship. We have been through so much together. What did all that amount for? All I got in the end was betrayal. Why did she betray me Ed? It hurts. Why does losing her hurt so much?”

Edmund understood her. Even though friendship wasn't one of his strongest points, he had the memories and experiences of a four hundred year old man who lived for his friends and those he considered precious to him. Without the rookies, without Umio Iruka, without Sarutobi, the Ichiraku, Tsunade, Jiraya, Kurama and all those Naruto had come to care for, he would have been a lost and a broken man.

For Iris, her friends were her anchors, her strength. And losing them, their betrayal had hurt her.

Edmund scooted closer to her and gave her a hug. He whispered into her ear as her breath quivered, ”It hurts because you loved her as your best friend. It's the worst kind of feeling when someone you love turns their back on you. It hurts because your love for her was pure and true.”

Iris sobbed, ”I don't want to feel hurt again. Help me forget it. Please.”

Edmund broke the hug and kissed her passionately. He could taste her tears though it so he kissed them away, trailing across her cheeks to her closed eyelids and then back to her lips.

Edmund gently pushed her onto the bed and she followed.

”Hush,” he said. ”Hush. It'll be alright.” And he kissed her eyelids again, then again her lips.

The kiss continued on past the point where he usually broke off. Then, slowly, he pulled away.