Open Not the Last Goodbye

[Lillian Lockwood]

-Open after Kris-

Lily wasn't sure she would ever stop crying. As the ceremony finished, she took a few moments to hug her parents, crying into her mothers shoulder, before rushing off. She had her eye out for several people, but she quickly spotted one of the most important. Breaking away from her parents, Lily darted through the crowd. "Elliot!" She called out, letting out a soft sob as she ran forward. Her heart twisted as he rushed for her. She met him halfway, jumping into his arms easily. She wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders, burying her face in his neck and crying softly. She held on, unable to find any words as she clung to her best friend.

 

[Elliot Briar]

The ceremony had ended and Elliot still couldn't quite believe it. He almost felt at a loss what to do now, milling around and nodding awkwardly to a few people who smiled at him as he passed through the crowd, trying to spot one of his friends, Alice, or at a stretch, his dad.

Lily found him thankfully, and Elliot had just enough time to turn around as she lept into his arms, laughing fondly and rubbing a hand down the back of her head as she buried her face into his neck. "Hey, hey. We made it," he said to her quietly, giving her a tight squeeze.

 

[Lillian Lockwood]

Lily cuddled more into Elliot, sniffling and crying. She was smiling though. "We did," she whispered, She giggled softly, pulling back just enough to wipe at her eyes. Her other hand clutched at his sleeve. "We're graduating, we're really graduating," she looked up to him with teary eyes and a shaky smile. "I love you, El," she added softly, wiping her sleeve across her eyes.

 

[Lars van Houten]

Lars was feeling a lot of different emotions today, but it was really starting hit home that... this was it. He would likely not see some of his classmates ever again. He had looked for Blake in the crowd first, but then wanted to see his other friends as well. It felt important to talk to them today, even if he knew they would be keeping up after Hogwarts. He spotted Lily with Elliot and headed over, hesitating for a moment as he realized Lily was crying. "Am I... interrupting?"

 

[Katy Miller]

With the ceremony over, Katy was bursting to hurry up and find Elliot, especially before her weird uncle could and make things awkward. She grinned when she saw him already wrapped up with Lily, joining Lars standing nearby and slinging an arm around his shoulder. "Nope, we're not interrupting, we're joining," she said simply, dragging Lars over and flinging her arms around all three of them in a tight hug. "Group hug! I'm so proud of all of you!" She announced, her face mushed into someone's shoulder as she gave them all a tight squeeze.

 

[Elliot Briar]

Elliot couldn’t help but let out a giddy laugh when Lily agreed with him. It felt a bit more real now, realizing it was all over, but Elliot was still finding it hard to process the thing he’d spent basically two years thinking about had just happened. He didn’t feel any different and yet he knew everything had changed. “Love you too, Lils,” he said, glancing over when Lars spoke though he didn’t have time to react before Katy had also joined them, inserting the them all into a group hug. “Hi guys,” he said, voice someone muffled in the press of bodies. “Good to see you too, Katy,” he added, though he was sure the laughter in his voice was audible. “Sorry you’re caught up in this, Lars."

 

[Lillian Lockwood]

Lily almost jumped as suddenly she heard Lars voice, but before she could move they had been squished into a bigger hug. She giggled, turning to bury her face in Lars shoulder and slinked an arm free to wrap around him. "I'm not sorry," she giggled herself, relaxing in the hug. "I was going to hug him anyways," she teased. "I love you, Lars," she murmured to him.

 

[Lars van Houten]

Lars looked up when someone slung an arm around his shoulders, half-expecting his sister but seeing Elliot's cousin instead. He was dragged into a group hug and laughed slightly, putting an arm around Elliot and smiling at Lily. "No problem." He muttered. "I suppose a group hug is a good idea at a day like this." Lily hugged him and he pulled her closer. "Love you too." He murmured back.

 

[Katy Miller]

"Group hugs are always a good idea," Katy said, hooking her chin over someone's shoulder and giving the group one last squeeze before stepping back with a fond smile. "Aw, you kids make my heart full," she said, unable to resist grabbing Elliot one last time with a single arm, ruffling his hair. He was tall enough now that she had to reach up to do it and it threw her for a moment just how much him and his friends really had all grown since she'd been at Hogwarts last. "Man, can't believe it. You're all off to the real world and stuff now. How's it feel? Ready to go fulfill all those hopes and dreams?" She asked the group.

 

[Elliot Briar]

Elliot could feel a brief moment, before Katy stepped back, where it wanted to hold onto this; it was comforting, for all the nerves of today, to have so many people he cared about so close, and while Elliot was sure he wasn't about to never see any of them again, it was still strange to know how different everything was about to be from the last 7 years. The moment was somewhat ruined by Katy messing with his hair, and Elliot ducked his hair with fond annoyance, brought back to the moment by the familiarity of the action. "Nice to not have exams ever again, at least," he said with a slow smile in response to Katy's question, not really wanting to delve too deeply into the thought of life after school just yet.

 

[Lillian Lockwood]

Lily was perfectly content to stay snuggled in amongst her friends, sighing softly. It was warm, and nice. She sighed as they pulled back, stepping closer to Lars again and quietly looking for permission to slip her arm into his. Lily smiled at Katy and Elliot's antics, shaking her head and looking at Katy. "It's nice to see you too," she smiled. She looked between the lot of them. "We should meet up for dinner soon, celebrate moving into the adult world," she offered, knowing already how empty her life would feel without them. "I'm going to miss you boys," she spoke softly, giving Elliot and Lars both a shaky smile with tears still in her eyes.