"𝙸'𝚖 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚛𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎. 𝚆𝚎𝚕𝚕, 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝙸 𝚊𝚖." 

𝕀𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕦𝕕𝕖: 𝕀'𝕞 ℕ𝕠𝕥 𝔸𝕟𝕘𝕣𝕪 𝔸𝕟𝕪𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 - ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖

"You're really hard to read, you know that?"

─── ∙ ~☾~ ∙ ───

No one talked for a few minutes after the Minister and Professor's had left. Harry felt like he was going to throw up and Hermione, Y/N, and Ron were at a loss of what they could do to help him. 

Suddenly Harry got up and wrapped the invisibility cloak around him and left the bar without a word. 

"Harry?" Y/N whisper-shouted but there was no reply.

The three attempted their best to follow him, but the bustle of students doing their Christmas shopping and drinking hot chocolate made it extremely difficult to track his footprints in the snow. 

Harry had abandoned his friends at the Three Broomsticks and made his way back to the castle without them.

The trip seemed much shorter when he walked back, but he was barely aware of his actions and he couldn't hear over the sound of his head pounding. 

Why had nobody ever told him any of this? Dumbledore, Hagrid, Mr. Weasley, Cornelius Fudge...They all gossip about it to bartenders instead of telling the person it concerns.

Harry felt anger rise in him with each step he took, and he was thankful he had left because the last person he would want to see him, like this, was Y/N. 

However, he knew that she would want to see him as soon as she got sight of the boy. He knew that she was going to stop at nothing to get him to confide in her. 

During dinner, Y/N barely ate at the Slytherin table. She kept glancing up at Harry who was pushing around the food on his plate, and Hermione and Ron were watching him anxiously. They didn't know if it was smart to talk to him about what they heard at the bar, in fear of him getting angry. 

After dinner, Harry had already retreated to the common rooms before Y/N could even finish getting up. 

As much as Harry wanted to tell her everything, he was scared. Scared that Y/N would begin to see him as everyone else does. 

A boy who was cursed with danger and death his entire life.

He snuck up to his dormitory and threw his books off his bedside table looking for a specific leather photo album that he had received from Hagrid those years before. 

Not caring that everyone was nervous for his safety alone outside of the grounds, he snuck out of the castle and made his way to the black lake. 

It felt different being there without Y/N. This was where they truly connected, the days and nights spent here reading, studying, or just talking.

Harry sat down and opened the album. He started flipping through the pictures of his family and their bright smiles. 

He opened the book and began to flip through the pages. 

He stopped when he saw the ginger and messy black hair of his parents James and Lily Potter on their wedding day.

He smiled when he saw his mom in a beautiful white dress kissing his dad. Under it, was written James & Lily their happily ever after begins. 

The picture was bittersweet. He loved how happy his parents looked. If only they had got their happily ever after. He thought. If only their happily ever after hadn't ended so quickly. 

Harry began to flip through more until a certain picture caught his eye.

He noticed that the handwriting was the same that wrote captions on under other pictures. It belonged to his father. James Potter.

There was a picture of Sirius. He was way younger than he must be now, but still, Harry couldn't believe this was the same man he saw in the Azkaban wanted poster. 

He was smiling and looked happy. There was not a hint of murder in his eyes. 

But there is. Harry thought. He was his best friend and he betrayed them. Harry felt himself get angrier at the thought. The hatred he had was toxic. He doesn't have to hear the screams of the woman whose family he helped murder when Dementors are near.

His anger turned into sadness at the thought, that if only his parents had gone with someone else as Secret-keeper, they would be alive and sitting here with him.

Harry slammed the book shut, and brought his knees to his chest, staring at the black lake as he kept thinking about the 'what if's'.

"Harry?" he heard a voice call. 

Harry turned to see Y/N. She was in her pajamas and shivering in the December cold with only a sweatshirt.

Y/N sat down next to him cautiously. No one spoke for a moment. 

"Harry...." Y/N started.

"He was their best friend," Harry said quietly interrupting her.

"Every time a dementor comes near me, I can hear my mum screaming and pleading with Voldemort. I can't just forget that. He was supposed to be a friend of hers and he betrayed her and sent Voldemort right to them."

"Harry, Black's not worth dying for," Y/N said softly. "I know it hurts that there's nothing you can do but promise me you won't go after him. It's not like you can kill him."

Harry stayed silent.

"Malfoy knows," he said after a moment. "Remember what he said in the Great Hall that day. 'If it was me, I'd hunt him down myself...I'd want revenge.' "

"Malfoy's the last person to take advice from," Y/N said. "Harry I read about him in the prophet. Ron told me that his Dad said, the only thing of Peter that was left was his finger. Only his finger was put into a simple box shipped back to the ministry. Harry, Sirius Black is dangerous."

"Malfoy's dad must have told him," Harry said still focused on his revenge plot ignoring Y/N. "He was right in Voldemort's inner circle so obviously, the Malfoy's knew Black was working for Voldemort..."

"-and obviously Malfoy would love to see you get hurt Harry, get a grip!" Y/N exclaimed. 

She took a deep breath and said the next line more softly. 

"Harry, please don't put yourself in danger. Your mum and dad wouldn't want you getting hurt."

"I'll never know what they would have wanted, because thanks to Black, they're dead!" Harry said furiously, tears threatening his eyes.

Harry knew his anger wasn't towards the girl. That the poison of hatred took over as he kept thinking of everything Black took from him. 

Y/N could see the tears trying to escape his eyes and without even thinking she embraced him as quickly as she could and at the girl's touch Harry let out his tears.

Y/N rested her chin on top of his head, kept her arms around him as he cried into her chest, and she ran her hands through his hair comfortingly.

"It's ok to be angry," Y/N whispered sweetly as Harry's sobs grew harder.

"He was their best friend," Harry said quietly through his tears. 

Y/N was at a loss for words. All she could do was hold him and listen to him talk through his sobs. That's all Harry wanted. The comfort of the girl made him feel safe, something that was so hard for him to find. 

"He was their best friend," Harry repeated.

─── ∙ ~☾~ ∙ ───

The next day, Y/N was getting ready to pack to go home for break. Daphne, Tracey, and Y/N kept up with light conversation as they began to open their trunks and pack clothes. 

Pansy, however, stayed silent but not without eye-rolls and scoffs as she was listening in on the girl's conversation. 

Thinking of how excited she was to go home and hear all about her cousin Rue's adventures, and decorate a Christmas tree Y/N didn't notice the slight hoot that came by the door of their dorm. 

"Y/N," Tracey said pulling her out of her thoughts. "Athena." she nodded.

Y/N's owl Athena was perched by Y/N's bed with a letter. 

Y/N greeted her owl sweetly as she untied the letter and gave Athena a treat. 

She flipped over the letter to see it was sealed with her family's seal. 

Confused, Y/N opened the letter and began to read.

Dear Y/N,

Your father and I are, but right now we are currently indisposed and will not be able to come home for the Holidays. Rue will also not be able to come given she is helping us with Special Ministry Business. You are required to stay at Hogwarts for the Holidays. 

From, 

Y/M/N Sinclair

Y/N read the letter twice and let out a sigh. Great. More Secrets. And now Rue's even in on it. Y/N let out a sigh a laid down on her bed. 

"You alright there Sinclair?" Daphne teased leaning against her four-poster bed. 

"Well," Y/N said getting up. "There's no need for me to pack. I'm staying here." 

Y/N sighed again dramatically and laid down on her back.

"Well at least you'll get to stay here with your boyfriend," Daphne said with a smirk continuing to fold clothes and place them in her trunks.

Y/N propped herself on her elbows and looked at the girl in confusion. 

"Harry's not my boyfriend," Y/N said defensively.

"Who said, Harry?" Tracey chimed in smiling. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Y/N said feeling her cheeks heat up. 

"It means," Daphne said stopping what she was doing and looking at her, "You obviously like him."

Y/N scoffed, "That's ridiculous."

"Oh really," Tracey said laughing. "What did you get him for Christmas?"

"None of your business," Y/N said simply trying her best not to make eye contact with the bag in the corner. 

Tracey eyed the girl suspiciously until she realized the bag in the corner. She rushed over to it trying to take a peek inside.

"You're not going to touch it," Y/N said sternly giving a death stare causing Tracey to back away with a huge grin on her face.

"Fine," Tracey said. "Tell us at your wedding."

"OH MY GOD!" Y/N exclaimed throwing a pillow at her while Tracey was giggling.

The three looked at each other and burst out laughing obliviously forgetting Pansy was in the room. 

"Will you three keep it down," Pansy hissed causing Daphne to roll her eyes.

"You finished packing," Daphne replied. "Why don't you go down to the common room and hang out with the boy version of yourself."

"Draco isn't here right now," Pansy glared. "Why do you think I'm sitting here right now listening to you idiots."

"Idiots?" Y/N said faking being hurt. 

"Last time I checked my boyfriend didn't get beat up by a bird—" Tracey said.

"—or punched by a girl," Daphne added. 

"Oops, I did that," Y/N said smirking and raising her hand. 

"You're just mad you're stuck with Potter while I get Draco," Pansy said matter of factly.

"We don't want your little boyfriend Parkinson," Daphne said. 

"No-one wants your boyfriend," Y/N said. "That's why he's with you."

"Your talking about me, when Harry's the one who fell off his broom because of dementors!" Pansy accused. "Bloody pathetic."

"Okay. No one cares Parkinson," Tracey said going back to packing. 

"Your all a bunch of blood-traitor imbeciles." Pansy spat getting up to leave. 

"It's what makes us interesting babes," Y/N called out from her bed.

Pansy's upper lip curled before she stomped out of the dorm. 

─── ∙ ~☾~ ∙ ───

The next morning, Y/N waved goodbye to her Slytherin friends as they boarded the train. 

As she was walking back to the common room she ran into Harry causing them both to collide and fall on top of each other. This time Harry was on top.

"Y/N!" Harry exclaimed. 

"Hey Harold," Y/N said not phased by their awkward position. "Surprised?"

"I thought you were going home?" He said getting up and reaching out his hand to help her. 

Y/N took it as she told him, "My parents sent me a letter saying for some weird reason they weren't coming home. So guess what, you're stuck with me." 

"Brilliant!" Harry said a little too enthusiastically.

"Someone's happy I'm staying at school," Y/N said smirking. 

"No no...," Harry started feeling himself get flustered. "Well yes.....I mean no...yes I'm happy you're at school....but no to th—"

"Harry," Y/N said smiling and placing her finger to his lips to shut him up. 

Harry couldn't deny the butterflies that erupted in his stomach at the girl's touch on his lips. 

"I know what you mean, I was just messing with you." she finished. 

"Yeah, yeah I knew that," Harry said cursing himself for the crimson in his cheeks. 

"Come on, I have to put these books in my dorm," Y/N started, gesturing to the books that Tracey had handed her to put back in their dorm before she got on the train. "It's empty for the holiday and so is most of the common room. Then we can go meet up with Hermione and Ron." 

"Yeah uh sure," Harry said still a light shade of red. Y/N grabbed his hand and led him down to the dungeons. 

Harry hadn't been in the Slytherin common room since last year when he used Polyjuice Potion with Ron and Hermione. He had become Goyle to see if Draco was the heir of Slytherin. 

"Torpe,"  Y/N said as they approached the common room. 

Harry gave her a perplexed expression. 

"It basically means someone who is deeply in love with someone but is too shy to admit it," Y/N explained. "I don't know the Slytherin Prefect who made it for this month just got a girlfriend." 

Harry laughed as the two entered the common room. There was not one student in there but a small first year in the corner sitting at a table doing work. 

"Here," Y/N said pointing to a staircase. "The girl's dorms are this way."

Y/N led him up the stairs and opened her empty dorm room. 

"So this is where the famous Y/N Sinclair gets her beauty sleep," Harry said teasingly sitting on her bed. 

"Oh shove it," Y/N said walking in.

He noticed the four other beds all looked the same as the ones in the Gryffindor ones but it the accents were green. The windows that they had didn't look out onto Hogwarts grounds like his dorm. It showed the beauty that was underneath the Black Lake. 

Y/N set down the books on Tracey's nightstand and joined Harry on the bed sitting up with her back against the headboard. 

"You excited for Christmas tomorrow?" he asked trying his best to sus out what Y/N got him.

"Your presents already wrapped Harold, don't even try it," Y/N said smirking. 

This present had to be perfect and she didn't want anyone to know about it before Harry. 

Meanwhile, Harry had gone to Ron for help on Y/N's present and Ron not so helpfully suggested an engagement ring. That was right before Harry hit him over the head with a pillow while Seamus, Neville, and Dean laughed.

"Fine," Harry said moving to sit next to her.

"I'm bored," he said resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Ok, and I'm supposed to do what?" Y/N said sarcastically.

Harry's eyes darted to the small record player in the corner. 

"What?" Y/N said.

"It's almost Christmas," Harry said matter of factly, getting up and fidgeting with the record player. 

"No really?" Y/N said sarcastically. 

"That means it's Christmas Eve," Harry said even more confidently.

"Are we just stating the obvious?" Y/N said playfully joining him by the record player. "What are you doing?"

"Around Christmas time you play, Christmas music don't you?" Harry smirked. 

"Oh my god Harold spit it out," Y/N said still confused looking at Harry who had a determined look on his face. 

"Yes! finally!" He exclaimed as he hit the button on the player. 

"You're really hard to read, you know that?" she said.

Suddenly the record player starting playing the opening to 'All I want for Christmas'.

"Harold?" Y/N said with a smile. 

Harry grabbed two of Y/N's hair brushes that were laying on top of Y/N's trunks and handed one to her.

"Oh my god.." Y/N said as Harry started singing the opening to the song. 

"IIIIIIIIIIII don't want a lot for Christmas," Harry started singing as Y/N burst out laughing. "There is just one thing I need!"

"I don't care about the presents...."  Y/N said joining in with the biggest smile. "Underneath the Christmas tree!"

"I just want you for my own!" Harry sang. "More than you could ever know!"

"Make my wish come trueeeeeee!" Y/N sang. 

"ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOUUUUU," They sang together laughing and dancing around Y/N's dorm. 

Harry felt untethered and more comfortable when he was with Y/N causing him to let loose and act completely ridiculous with her.

Y/N couldn't help smile at the way Harry sang his heart out into the 'mic' and the way he twirled her around while they danced to the music. 

As the record kept playing music like 'Last Christmas!' 'Jingle Bell Rock' and 'It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas', the two kept singing their hearts out and jamming out together in the dorm. 

Before they knew it, it was late afternoon and the record had finished. 

They both collapsed on their backs on Y/N's bed out of breath. 

"Hey Y/N," Harry said still smiling. 

"Yeah?" Y/N said, her smile as wide as Harry's. 

"I'm really glad you stayed here for the holidays."

"Me too," Y/N answered. 

After a while, the two left the dorm together with their moods lifted and made their way to find Hermione and Ron so they could meet up with Hagrid. 

─── ∙ ~☾~ ∙ ───

𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝟑: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟓

A/N: Not me smiling at my own book. I'm sorry this is so late but anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

ALL ART IS NOT MINE I FOUND IT ON PINTEREST!!

💕