They lingered in bed until the absolute last moment, and they remained close to each other all morning as they got dressed and prepared to go to the train station. Nigel’s fingers often brushed against Emma’s skin, in an effort to remind himself that she was still there. For the moment. It did amuse him that she seemed so distrustful of her tiny kitten, like it might betray her and eat her diamonds if she turned her back. He took the little crate she had shoved the poor thing into and let the porter carry the heavy school trunk down to the taxi. His own kitten was left sadly in the room, though Nigel did hold her up to her captive brother so she could say goodbye. He was going to be coming back to this room, after Emma left, and so he left all of his things with Coco.

The car ride to the train station was rather subdued, with Emma leaning against him and Nigel holding her close. After a moment, the driver got the hint and stopped trying to engage them in conversation. The realization was setting in that they would soon be parted. Of course, he had known it for quite some time, but having it in the future was abstract and forgettable. Now it was becoming real. He was beginning to realize, also, that there was a flaw in his plan for the summer. Yes, he had filled it with wonderful times with his beautiful girlfriend, and he had memories to hold him until they could be reunited, but now he was used to having her by his side all the time. They had practically lived together all summer, except for the occasional time when he had something to do with his friends or she had something with hers. Now he was absolutely adjusted to her presence, and her absence was about to be felt very keenly.

Of course, Nigel was just about the worst person ever when it came to dealing with change, and he could not cut his loss quickly and move on to lick his wounds at home. No, that would be reasonable and way too easy. He had to drag things out for as long as possible and make it as painful as he could for everyone involved. His hand gripped Emma’s as she looked around and greeted classmates, and he looked around and blinked disconsolately at the crowd of students. He didn’t even see Will until she launched herself at him, and in fact, his first instinct was to knock down the person who had broken his contact with Emma. Once he realized that it was Will, and that he was being hugged, not attacked, he returned her embrace and pressed his lips hard against her cheek, less of a kiss and more of a facial assault. She showed her affection by bruising his ribs, and he showed his by bruising her cheek. “You, too,” he said, about missing her. “Let me know if you need anything,” he added as she walked away from him.

He did not repeat those instructions to Emma, because he knew she would let him know what she wanted without being reminded. However, he did intend to pay Juliet a visit before leaving for France, but that was neither here nor there. The moment had come, and it was painful. She was going to have to get on the train and leave him, and he was going to have to let her. There was a fleeting second or two when he was tempted to grab her and take her away, and run across the street and take a train far, far away with her. They could get pretty far before they were missed. Will had already seen her on the platform, so they had at least until the train got to Hogsmeade, if not the next morning. It was impossible to see everyone at the feast, she could easily miss Emma in that madhouse, and by then, they could have an owl sent to explain their disappearance and that they were not coming back.

His arms twitched towards her, but at that moment, she turned to look at the train, and the spell was broken. For the moment. Instead of grabbing her and whisking her away to Paris or Madrid or Rome, he pulled her face towards his, cupping her jaw with his hands, and sliding his thumbs across her cheeks as he kissed her soundly, deeply, thoroughly… and a little bit desperately. This was their last kiss for a long time, and he wanted to make it count. Pulling away from her lips, he kissed her chin, her nose, her cheeks, her eyelids, her forehead, her earlobe, and the side of her neck as he crushed her to him in a hug so tight that he was pretty sure her anti-wrinkle charm would break. “I’ll miss you,” he whispered.

Then, he forced himself to separate from her completely, all except for the tip of his index finger, which he kept linked with hers as he stepped back. “Do you have money for the sweet trolley?” he asked her. He didn’t think she’d really eat any sweets on the train, since it was Emma, but he wanted her to be able to if she felt like it. Oh, and... “Please try to remember to feed your cat.” He looked down at their barely linked fingers and swallowed before he straightened his. “Go on, honey,” he prompted her, dragging his eyes back up to her face and forcing a smile. “I want you to get a good seat.”