✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Y/N's P.O.V. 

Term started up once more, and Y/N was severely disappointed. It was hard going into her classes knowing what she now knew. Of her curse. Of course, she'd told Hermione every little detail - she could never keep anything from Herms. St. Mungos didn't know when they'd be able to have Remus and Y/N back, but informed the two that they'd letter immediately. 

Remus presumed it would most likely be sometime in March, or late February, since the Hospital was packed.

Y/N had packaged the jewelry that Rosetta Diggory sent her for the Yule Ball, and lettered it back to the woman. A day or two later, she had received the same package with a letter. 

"Y/N, sweetie! 

I did say you could keep it all - Christmas gift, remember? 

How was your time at the Yule Ball? I haven't spoken to my brother, Elijah's dad, in forever...nor his mother, but I remember when Elijah was young. Very sweet boy, my nephew is - how was he as a date? 

- Aunt Ettie"

Y/N smiled and placed the package on her nightstand, beside her odd mirror, and wrote back. Just a simple letter about how the Ball went okay...even though it really didn't. She just wanted Aunt Ettie to be happy, because obviously, it wasn't Elijah's fault. 

Back to more pressing things, the curse. It was always at the back of her mind, something to fall back on when a room fell silent. It was so easy to overthink.

She hadn't told Harry anything, obviously, nor Ron, because that information would be relayed directly to Harry.

Harry...

She had to be around Harry regularly now. It was fucking terrible. 

Whenever she was around them, they barely spoke. At all. The tension was at an all-time high, so thick you could probably cut it with Selene's knife.

She tried to avoid being with him as much as possible, though, but sometimes it was inevitable. The group would sit together in the common room to discuss Rita Skeeter's article and how Hagrid hadn't shown his face in forever. 

The man wasn't doing any of his duties are Groundskeeper, and wasn't even teaching his own classes. That's right - their Care of Magicial Creatures class had been filled in by a short, elderly witch called Professor Grubbly-Plank... 

Now, on Saturday, the quartet was pulling on their cloaks, wrapping them tightly around themselves, and their scarves. It was about mid-January and absolutely freezing outside, but they desired to go to Hogsmeade. They wanted to go to see if they would run into Hagrid. 

They set off through the cold, wet grounds toward the gates. Y/N made sure to keep as far from Harry as possible.

 As they passed the Durmstrang ship moored in the lake, they saw Viktor Krum emerge onto the deck, dressed in nothing but swimming trunks. He was very skinny indeed, but apparently a lot tougher than he looked, because he climbed up onto the side of the ship, stretched out his arms, and dived, right into the lake.

"He's mad!" said Harry, staring at Krum's dark head as it bobbed out into the middle of the lake. "It must be freezing, it's January!" 

Did he ever shut up? No way - it's cold? Thanks, Harry. 

Bitch. 

"It's a lot colder where he comes from," said Hermione. "I suppose it feels quite warm to him." 

"Yeah, but there's still the giant squid," said Ron. He didn't sound anxious - if anything, he sounded hopeful. Hermione noticed his tone of voice and frowned. 

"Jake wouldn't eat Krum," Y/N said smugly. She would join the conversation if Harry wasn't talking. "Jake's really into Quidditch. We talked about it when I was convincing him to help with the prank." 

Harry gave a small smile, "That's cool," he said softly. 

Ugh, as if. 

Y/N glared at him, snapped, "No, it's not," and dragged Hermione to walk very far ahead of the boys. 

"Nice going, mate," she heard Ron mutter to Harry as the two girls sped up.

"Shut the fuck up, Ron." 

Y/N kept his eyes skinned for a sign of Hagrid all the way down the slushy High Street, and Harry suggested a visit to the Three Broomsticks once he had ascertained that Hagrid was not in any oft he shops. 

Y/N was about to protest this idea, since everything about Harry pissed her off right now, but she too was cold and wanted a warm butterbeer.

The pub was as crowded as ever, but one quick look around at all the tables told the group that Hagrid wasn't there.  They went up to the bar and ordered three butterbeers from Madam Rosmerta.

"Doesn't he ever go into the office?" Hermione whispered suddenly. "Look!" She pointed into the mirror behind the bar, and Y/N saw Ludo Bagman reflected there, sitting in a shadowy corner with a bunch of goblins. Bagman was talking very fast in a low voice to the goblins, all of whom had their arms crossed and were looking rather menacing. 

It was indeed odd, Y/N thought, that Bagman was here at the Three Broomsticks on a weekend when there was no Triwizard event, and therefore no judging to be done. She watched Bagman in the mirror. He was looking strained again, quite as strained as he had that night in the forest before the Dark Mark had appeared.

But just then Bagman glanced over at the bar, saw the group, and stood up. "In a moment, in a moment!" Y/N heard him say brusquely to the goblins, and Bagman hurried through the pub toward them, his boyish grin back in place. 

"Harry!" he said. "How are you? Been hoping to run into you! Everything going all right?"

"Fine, thanks," said Harry.

'Fine, thanks,' Y/N mocked in her head, trying not to roll her eyes. 

 "Wonder if I could have a quick, private word, Harry?" said Bagman eagerly. "You couldn't give us a moment, you three, could you? Ah, the friends and the girlfriend!" 

Y/N froze. 

Harry froze. 

She could feel tears prick her eyes.

"Yeah, alright," Y/N said flatly, dragging Ron and Hermione away to a table in the corner. When they sat down, she gave both of them a bored look. "One word and I get up and leave." 

"Right..." 

The three fell silent and sipped their butterbeer. See, Y/N had been pushing down the thoughts about her curse since she came back from St. Mungos. Everything had been odd - she couldn't look at her handmirror without it shattering. Then, she remembered that it was Selene's handmirror (most likely) and went into an existential spiral. 

Hermione always reassured her that now she at least knew why things were happening. 

But Lykos was a just bitch. 

Just love your wife and don't be a power hunger asshole, not that hard. Good going, getting the whole fucking family cursed. 

Harry rejoined their group about five minutes later. He sat down beside Ron, across from Y/N. The girl gave him a glare, but Ron asked, "What'd Bagman want?" 

"He offered to help me with the golden egg," said Harry.

"He shouldn't be doing that!" said Hermione, looking very shocked. "He's one of the judges! And anyway, you've already worked it out - haven't you?"

"Er...nearly," said Harry. 

Y/N snorted, sure he'd started on that egg. She'd bet her whole Gringotts vault that he hadn't even looked at it since the start of Christmas break. 

"Well, I don't think Dumbledore would like it if he knew Bagman was trying to persuade you to cheat!" said Hermione, still looking deeply disapproving. "I hope he's trying to help Cedric as much!" 

"He's not, I asked," said Harry. 

"Who cares if Diggory's getting help?" said Ron. 

Y/N raised her eyebrow at the ginger, who withered under her gaze and immediately took it back. 

"Uh-oh," said Ron, staring at the door. 

And uh oh indeed.

Rita Skeeter had just entered. She was wearing lime-green robes today; her long nails were painted shocking pink, and she was accompanied by her paunchy photographer. She bought drinks, and she and the photographer made their way through the crowds to a table nearby, Y/N, Hermione, Ron and Harry glaring at her as she approached. 

She was talking fast and looking very satisfied about something. "...didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo? Now, why would that be, do you think? And what's he doing with a pack of goblins in tow anyway? Showing them the sights...what nonsense...he was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging? 'Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman...' Snappy start to a sentence, Bozo - we just need to find a story to fit it —" 

"Trying to ruin someone else's life?" said Harry loudly.

Hermione and Ron tried to shush him, but Y/N didn't bother. 

A few people looked around. Rita Skeeter's eyes widened behind her jeweled spectacles as she saw who had spoken. 

"Harry!" she said, beaming. "How lovely! Why don't you come and join - ?"

"I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick," said Harry furiously. "What did you do that to Hagrid for, eh?"

Y/N remembered the article...may jabs at his teacher, his blood, his mother...how he had gotten close with Harry and the quartet. Rita Skeeter had absolutely demolished any semblance of reputation he had. Malfoy and many of the Slytherins who hated Hagrid gave private interviews, basically just shit-talking him. 

Rita Skeeter raised her heavily penciled eyebrows. "Our readers have a right to the truth, Harry. I am merely doing my -" 

"Who cares if he's half-giant?" Harry shouted. "There's nothing wrong with him!" 

The whole pub had gone very quiet. Madam Rosmerta was staring over from behind the bar, apparently oblivious to the fact that the flagon she was filling with mead was overflowing.

Rita Skeeter's smile flickered very slightly, but she hitched it back almost at once; she snapped open her crocodile-skin handbag, pulled out her Quick-Quotes Quill, and said, "How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know, Harry? The man behind the muscles? Your unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?" 

Hermione stood up very abruptly, her butterbeer clutched in her hand as though it were a grenade. "You horrible woman," she said, through gritted teeth, "you don't care, do you, anything for a story, and anyone will do, won't they? Even Ludo Bagman -"

"Sit down, you silly little girl, and don't talk about things you don't understand," said Rita Skeeter coldly, her eyes hardening as they fell on Hermione. "I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl...not that it needs it"

"Not that you need to be more green," Y/N started, referring to envy, "but has anyone, even Bozo, ever told you that lime is not your color?" 

Rita looked down at her bright green robes and frowned. 

"Neither is red," Y/N added, "The red glasses are tacky, get rid of the plastic jewels. And the lipstick? Looks like you've bled out. Crinkling 'round the edges of your mouth." Y/N gave the woman a scrutinizing look. 

The bar was silent as Rita gave Y/N a fierce glare, which the girl simply returned. The woman could not speak about Hagrid or Hermione in that way without paying the price of her dignity. Y/N's eyes burned, then Rita's mouth quirked up slightly. 

She'd gotten a new idea for an article.

"Let's go," said Hermione, "c'mon, Trouble, Harry - Ron..." 

They left; many people were staring at them as they went. Harry glanced back as they reached the door. Rita Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill was out; it was zooming backward and forward over a piece of parchment on the table. 

"She'll be after you two next," said Ron to Y/N and Hermione in a low and worried voice as they walked quickly back up the street. 

Y/N scoffed, laughing lightly. "Okay," she said. "What's she gonna say? I'm literally a teenager. She's a whole adult beefing with a fourteen year-old." 

Ron rolled his eyes and repeated his point.

"Let her try!" said Hermione defiantly; she was shaking with rage. "I'll show her! Silly little girl, am I? Oh, I'll get her back for this. First Harry, then Hagrid..."

"You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter," said Ron nervously. "I'm serious, Hermione, she'll dig up something on you -" 

"My parents don't read the Daily Prophet. She can't scare me into hiding!" said Hermione, now striding alongside Y/N so fast that the boys needed to jog to keep up. "And Hagrid isn't hiding anymore! He should never have let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come on!" 

Breaking into a run, Hermione led them all the way back up the road, through the gates flanked by winged boars, and up through the grounds to Hagrid's cabin.  The curtains were still drawn, and they could hear Fang barking as they approached. 

"Hagrid!" Y/N, pounding on his front door. 

Hermione joined in, banging her fist on the wood so aggressively that Harry jumped, startled. 

"Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being-"

The door opened. 

Hermione and Y/N said, "About t- !" and then stopped, very suddenly, because they had found themselves face-to-face, not with Hagrid, but with Albus Dumbledore. 

"Good afternoon," he said pleasantly, smiling down at them. 

"We - er - we wanted to see Hagrid," said Y/N in a rather small voice. 

"Yes, I surmised as much," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Why don't you come in?" 

"Oh...um...okay," said Hermione. 

Y/N, Hermione, Ron, and Harry went into the cabin; Fang barked very loudly and Y/N looked around. Hagrid was sitting at his table, where there were two large mugs of tea. He looked a real mess. His face was blotchy, his eyes swollen, and he had gone to the other extreme where his hair was concerned; far from trying to make it behave, it now looked like a wig of tangled wire. 

"Hi, Hagrid," said Harry. 

"Hello, Hagrid," said Y/N in a much softer voice.

Hagrid looked up." 'Lo," he said in a very hoarse voice. 

"More tea, I think," said Dumbledore, closing the door behind them, drawing out his wand, and twiddling it; a revolving tea tray appeared in midair along with a plate of cakes. Dumbledore magicked the tray onto the table, and everybody sat down. There was a slight pause, and then Dumbledore said, "Did you by any chance hear what Miss Granger was shouting, Hagrid?" 

Hermione went slightly pink, but Dumbledore smiled at her and continued, "Hermione, Y/N, Harry, and Ron still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting to break down the door." 

"Of course we still want to know you!" Harry said, staring at Hagrid. "That Skeeter cow-" 

"Say it like you mean it, Harry," snapped Y/N, "that Skeeter bitch-" 

"I am so sorry about her, Professor-" 

"I can take accountability for my own actions, Potter. Sorry, Professor." 

"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't any idea what you said, Y/N," said Dumbledore, twiddling his thumbs and staring at the ceiling.

"Er - right," said Harry sheepishly. "We just meant — Hagrid, how could you think we'd care what that - woman - wrote about you?"

Two fat tears leaked out of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes and fell slowly into his tangled beard. "Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid," said Dumbledore, still looking carefully up at the ceiling. "I have shown you the letters from the countless parents who remember you from their own days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that if I sacked you, they would have something to say about it -" 

 "Not all of 'em," said Hagrid hoarsely. "Not all of 'em wan' me ter stay." 

"We do, though," said Y/N. "Remus does, too. Ced's parents too." 

"My mum and dad want you to stay, Hagrid," Ron offered. 

Harry and Hermione couldn't exactly say anything about this part, but...they offered comforting smiles instead. 

"Yeh know wha', Harry?" Hagrid said suddenly, looking up, eyes bright but still watery, "when I firs' met you, you reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' Dad gone, an' you was feelin' like yeh wouldn' fit in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh were really up to it... an' now look at yeh, Harry! School champion!" 

He looked at Harry for a moment and then said, very seriously, "Yeh know what I'd love, Harry? I'd love yeh ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all...yeh don' have ter be pureblood ter do it. Yeh don' have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you doin' with that egg, Harry?" 

"Great," said Harry. "Really great." 

Now, Y/N would've reprimanded Harry for the lie, but she restrained when she saw Hagrid's miserable face broke into a wide, watery smile. 

"You'll beat 'em, Harry," said Hagrid, eyes shining. "You'll win that cup." 

And he really seemed to believe it. 

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

It was Thursday, after classes, and Y/N, Fred, George, Lee and Elijah were currently surrounded by plants in the middle of Professor Sprout's greenhouse. They'd offered to help her with the Hiems Bushes, that got particularly out of control during cold winters. Professor Sprout had accepted warily, and she was right to look terrified when Lee added that they were "angels, Professor!" 

(Y/N blew something up.) (She didn't even have her wand in her hand.) (She looked at the plant and it went up in flames) (Professor Sprout was traumatized.) 

(George almost got strangled.)

(Fred almost ate a poisonous flower.) 

(Lee decided that it would be a good idea to overwater a desert plant.) 

(Elijah plucked a bouquet for Y/N-) 

Elijah plucked a bouquet for Y/N! 

It was a beautiful assortment of flowers: tulips, hydrangeas, dahlias, mayflowers, cornflowers, and more. She liked the familiar feelings of petals near her hands, especially since Y/N had taken off Harry's Flos Lunaris bracelet. 

In all honesty, she didn't exactly know where the bracelet went. It was somewhere in her dorm, of course, but she didn't have the energy or will to look for it. 

"A pretty bouquet for a pretty lady," Elijah had said when he handed it to her, keeping his eyes trained on Y/N.

Y/N smiled, taking it from his grasp. In a corner of the greenhouse, away from Fred, George and Lee (who were currently apologizing to Professor Sprout) they'd talked out their little...mishap. It wasn't really a mishap, but they'd spoken of their almost-kiss, and time at the ball. 

Her gaze was on him, and in all honesty, he looked handsome. His blonde hair fell nicely, framing his face, with doe-brown eyes-

"You staring?" Elijah said, chuckling as Y/N blushed. "I don't mind, as long as I get to stare back." 

"For a cost, maybe," Y/N said playfully, studying the bouquet of flowers. 

"Name a price, I'm rich, pretty girl," Elijah said confidently, giving her a flirtatious smile.

It felt right, but it also felt wrong. Y/N had decided that her feelings for Harry were still there. She convinced herself she could get over it, but she wouldn't be so hostile towards him if the feelings didn't linger. 

It was unfair to Elijah. He didn't deserve her uncertainty about reciprocating love, and she couldn't be in a relationship with him if she was still hung up on Harry. 

"We can make it work, Y/N," Elijah said, holding one of Y/N's hands. "Right? I mean, I really like you." 

"Elijah..." said Y/N, trailing off. "I really like you too." It wasn't a lie - she'd grown an attraction for him, but her pull to Harry was stronger. It just didn't seem right to be with Elijah. "I'm just unsure of a lot of things right now." 

"I can be there for you," Elijah countered softly. "I've grown to like you a lot, even though Fred and George may not like it," he chuckled. 

Y/N stared at him with a gentle look on her face. The leaves of a plant rustled beside them.

Elijah's eyebrows furrowed. "If this...if this is about me not kissing you at the ball-" 

"No, no," Y/N said quickly. "Ellie...it's not that at all. I just can't give you any serious right now." 

"Why?" 

She couldn't just tell Elijah that she was in love with one Harry Potter. Nervously, Y/N placed the bouquet she was holding on a table and took a deep breath. 

She couldn't lie to Elijah about her feelings either. They were friends - that would be so utterly wrong. 

And...as much as she didn't want to talk to Harry, because he'd genuinely hurt her, Y/N realized he was the only person she wanted.

Stupid, right? 

But the heart wants what the heart wants. 

"I'm just really conflicted right now," said Y/N slowly. "And I think it would hurt both of us, really badly, if I just rushed headfirst into something with you." 

"It wouldn't be rushing," Elijah said, a sad expression overtaking his features. His mouth turned downwards, "I thought...I thought we had something?" 

"And we did, Elijah," Y/N muttered. It broke her heart to see him like this. 

Elijah stared at her for a moment, almost studying her. The two said nothing for a moment, then he opened his mouth again, 

"Is it Harry?" 

And how could Y/N deny that? How could she look into the eyes of her friend, almost-lover, maybe in another life, and deny? It wouldn't be right...

"Yes," Y/N breathed out, directing her gaze to the floor. 

There was silence again.

"Alright," said Elijah quietly.

"Alright?"

Elijah took her hands in his. "You're important to me, Y/N. You'll always be important to me. I've known you too long to let something get in the way of it - 'it,' being friendship, I mean." 

Y/N sucked in a breath, looking up at the blonde boy uncertainly. "So we're okay...? Friends?" 

Elijah's expression took a second, which was understandable as he had just been rejected, but he seemed almost disappointed. Y/N couldn't blame him for it, she couldn't blame him for having feelings. Through this, he gave a small smile.

 "Friends," he said gently. "We're okay." 

"We're okay..." Y/N repeated. 

The atmosphere felt lighter now, and Elijah tugged on the bracelet he gave her lightly, grinning and winking playfully, "If it ever doesn't work out with Potter..." 

It already wasn't working out with Harry...but...

"Funny, Collins," Y/N sighed with a light laugh. 

There was a loud yelp from where Fred, George and Lee were. Y/N and Elijah rushed over to find George dangling by his foot, held up by a strange white vine. 

"You aggravated it," said Professor Sprout. 

"Fred is the one who touched it!" George called, still upside down and being swung gently. 

Professor Sprout tutted, "You hurt it's feelings. Called it a 'bleached disgrace.'" The vine withered slightly, slumping, like a cartoon. "Don't worry," said Professor Sprout in a consoling voice, patting the vine, "you're beautiful." 

The vine released George, who almost fell on his head, but Y/N casted a quick Wingardium Leviosa on the boy to stop his fall.

Lee was laughing wholeheartedly the entire time, which earned him a slap on the back of the head from George. 

Professor Sprout rounded up the pranksters, then quickly ushered them out of her greenhouse, muttering about how she shouldn't have let them 'help' in the first place. 

✦

Y/N returned to the common room with Fred, George and Lee, who all proceeded to their dormitory to sleep. Y/N wasn't tired, so she ran upstairs to grab a book from her own dorm. Hermione was getting ready for bed, so Y/N hugged her goodnight and went back to the common room. 

She was curled up on the couch, in the empty common room, when she heard footsteps from the boys staircase. 

Turning her head, Y/N saw one Harry Potter creeping down, the golden egg tucked under his arm. He finally noticed her, and winced. Without saying a word, the boy exited Gryffindor Tower. 

He couldn't even say a word to her. It made Y/N's blood boil. He had so much to say that night at the Yule Ball. He didn't mind insulting her, calling her a two-timer. 

Harry didn't pay any heed when she poured out her heart, like a glass of wine. She should've known he didn't want to indulge in grapes, didn't want his lips stained in the red of her love. 

And now...it was just terrible. 

Y/N tried to push the thoughts aside and continue reading, but too many things reminded her of Harry. How the main character and her love interest bantered, how they showed affection, how their friends egged it on. 

She had been asleep for a good while, head resting on the armrest of the couch, when the Portrait Hole door clicked open to reveal Harry. The sound woke her up, and her gaze fell on him. His hair was damp, he had the egg tucked under his arm and a small, triumphant smile on his face.

Now, of course, Y/N didn't make it obvious she was awake. Her eyes were open to just slivers, she didn't move from her comfortable position. Closing her eyes once more, Y/N flinched when she felt a blanket being placed on her. 

"Night, Y/N," Harry's voice came from above her, in a whisper. "Figured out the egg..." he began, then probably remembered the girl was asleep, "nevermind..." 

Y/N refrained from scoffing out loud. She didn't care.

His footsteps retreated to the stairs, and Y/N didn't know if she imagined what came next: 

"I'm sorry." 

Sure he was. Being sorry didn't fucking cut it! How could Y/N accept that when he'd...when he'd been so terrible? When he'd never return her love? When Harry Potter was too blind to see what he did? 

Sure, he tried apologizing that first week. Sure, it was sweet. But he was just doing it to save the friendgroup. Harry could have anyone he wanted, and he wanted Cho, and it didn't make sense as to why he cared about who Y/N was at the Yule Ball with. 

Y/N fell asleep that night near the fire, drowning in hate, but she couldn't deny how much she missed Harry Potter. 

✦

"You said you'd already worked out that egg clue!" said Hermione indignantly from beside Y/N. 

"Keep your voice down!" said Harry crossly. "I just need to...sort of fine-tune it, all right?" 

Y/N, Hermione, Ron and Harry were sitting at the very back of the Charms class with a table to themselves. 

Usually, Hermione and Y/N would sit separate from the boys because...yeah...but today Harry just had to tell them something.

They were supposed to be practicing the opposite of the Summoning Charm today - the Banishing Charm. Owing to the potential for nasty accidents when objects kept flying across the room, Professor Flitwick had given each student a stack of cushions on which to practice, the theory being that these wouldn't hurt anyone if they went off target. 

It was a good theory, but...wasn't working very well. Neville's wasn't the best, and he kept accidentally sending much heavier things flying across the room - Professor Flitwick, for instance. 

"Just forget the egg for a minute, all right?" Harry hissed as Professor Flitwick went whizzing past them, landing on top of a large cabinet. "I'm trying to tell you about Snape and Moody..."

Y/N inwardly rolled her eyes.

This class was an ideal cover for a private conversation, as everyone was having far too much fun to pay them any attention. Harry had been recounting his adventures of the previous night in whispered installments for the last half hour. 

"Snape said Moody's searched his office as well?" Ron whispered, "what...d'you reckon Moody's here to keep an eye on Snape as well as Karkaroff?" 

"Maybe," Harry shrugged. "What do you think, Y/N?" 

"I think you should shut the fuck up and actually focus on the task at hand," Y/N said shortly, banishing her pillow away from herself perfectly. She summoned it back, and kept up with the cycle. "Maybe it'll go better than when you tried the Summoning Charm, remember? Yeah, Hermione and I needed to help. Pathetic, really." 

She didn't know why she said all of that. Y/N had decided to be giving him the silent treatment...but...it just felt so good to be mean. 

Harry frowned and fell silent. 

Y/N didn't feel bad at all. 

His face was sullen for the rest of class, and his gaze was all over her. Multiple times, Y/N heard him take deep, slightly shuddering breaths.

When the bell rang, Y/N grabbed a hold of Hermione's arm and dragged the girl away to the common room before the boys could even get out of their seats. 

The group started on their homework, and for some reason, being in Harry's vicinity hurt more than it did after the Yule Ball. 

It just hurt. 

Why hadn't he apologized? 

Maybe he thought that she was in the wrong, which was utterly absurd, since she was accusing people of disloyalty. Even though she probably should - he had liked Cho all along, and had just been flirty with Y/N to fill that void. 

Obedient to Sirius's wish of hearing about anything odd at Hogwarts, Harry sent him a letter by brown owl that night, explaining all about Mr. Crouch breaking into Snape's office, and Moody and Snape's conversation. 

Then Harry, and that meant the whole group, turned his attention in earnest tot he most urgent problem facing him: how to survive underwater for an hour on the twenty-fourth of February. 

Y/N didn't understand why this was her problem, when she obviously wasn't Harry's problem. 

✦

It was February twentieth - meaning there were two days left until the second task. Harry had received a letter back from Sirius, which was the shortest one yet: 

Send date of next Hogsmeade weekend by return owl.

It wasn't signed off, it was short and sweet. Harry quickly scribbled down the date, after Hermione informed him, "Weekend after next," and sent the owl off. 

See, Y/N barely spoke in group discussions any more, especially when they revolved around anything to do with Harry. Ron always tried to include her, Hermione understood that she just wanted to be quiet, but Harry...

Harry wouldn't say a word to her. 

Not a single word. 

It was infuriating - either he wouldn't say a word, or he'd ask her questions that pissed her off and she'd snark back at him. Each time, he'd smile slightly, and that just infuriated her even more. 

He was so fucking annoying it hurt. It would've been cute if they were on good terms, but he had ruined that. 

Y/N supposed it was partially her fault too, for confessing her feelings. Maybe they could've gotten over him being a prick, but her feelings had ruined their friendship. 

"What's he want to know about the next Hogsmeade weekend for?" said Ron.

"Dunno," said Harry dully. "Come on...Care of Magical Creatures." 

Y/N and Hermione walked separately from the two boys, and she saw Elijah exiting the Great Hall. Sending the boy a wave, he grinned back, and then Y/N bumped, quite literally, into  Cedric.

"Oh, hey, Egghead," he said offhandedly. She hugged him, and then saw Cedric's eyes move to something behind her...Harry. His gaze hardened and he said, "Potter-" 

"No," Y/N whispered, giving a thin-lipped smile, "It's fine, Ced." 

"Oi, Potter!" 

"Ced, I said leave it," Y/N said in a lower tone, pushing the boy away. "I have class, see you later?" 

Cedric huffed, glaring at Harry, then looked down at Y/N and nodded. 

Whether Hagrid was trying to make up for the Blast-Ended Skrewts, or because there were now only two skrewts left, or because he was trying to prove he could do anything that Professor Grubbly-Plank could, Y/N didn't know.

But Hagrid had been continuing her lessons on unicorns ever since he'd returned to work. It turned out that Hagrid knew quite as much about unicorns as he did about monsters, though it was clear that he found their lack of poisonous fangs disappointing. 

Today he had managed to capture two unicorn foals. Unlike full-grown unicorns, they were pure gold. Parvati and Lavender went into transports of delight at the sight of them, and even Pansy Parkinson had to work hard to conceal how much she liked them.

"They're so pretty," Y/N whispered to Hermione. 

"Yeah..." Harry breathed out from behind her.

Y/N heard Ron scoff and laugh awfully loudly, but thought nothing of it and strode forward to pet the unicorns. Hermione followed, and the moment Y/N tried to pet one of their silvery horns, her palms stung. 

She figured it was the curse - how Selene cursed Lykos to be unable to touch silver. But Y/N wore silver all the time, so what was wrong now? 

It didn't matter, class was over, and they continued with their day. The four of them sat in the Library, groveling over books. 

Harry looked so painfully beautiful that it was hard for Y/N to focus. She hated what she felt when she was around him, she hated how she loved him. 

She hated how he hadn't apologized, and she hated how it didn't matter anyway. 

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

On the evening before the second task, Harry was going insane. They'd found nothing of use, and it took all of Y/N's strength to not laugh in his face. She was already going above and beyond by being there. 

The moment Harry asked her for help finding a book, Y/N scoffed so loudly that Madam Pince had to give her a warning.

The nerve he had! She wasn't very interested in entertaining Harry after the things he'd said, so, instead, she simply decided to leave. 

Hermione tried to make her stay, but the girl was extremely fed up. 

"No, Herms!" Y/N said outside the Library, where Hermione had followed. "I'm not just going to sit around and do everything he needs. He shouldn't have said those things. He had no reason to ruin my whole fucking night." 

"But the task-" 

"I don't give two damns about the task," Y/N said sharply. "If he doesn't give two damns about the weight of his accusations - me? two-timing? When he entertained me but longed for Cho the whole time?" 

It was dangerous, of course it was dangerous. But Dumbledore wouldn't let anyone die.

Maybe Y/N was just too caught up in her feelings to realize just how dangerous it really was, and just how dangerous it would get.

"Trouble, please, can I just talk to him about it?" Hermione pleaded. 

"No," said Y/N. "He needs to realize by himself." 

"But-" 

"Listen, Herms," Y/N said roughly, "he can drown in that lake for all I care." 

Of course, she didn't truly mean it, but Y/N turned on her heel and strode away angrily, leaving an open-mouthed Hermione at the entrance of the Library.

Now, over the course of the past...while...Hermione had informed Y/N that her eyes rimmed with white glow every time she looked at Harry. Every time she thought about him. Every time she was angry at him. It made sense, she just didn't like it.

On her way back to Gryffindor Tower, she saw Fleur Delacour, and a much younger girl who shared the same features. The two were talking very fast, something in French, when Fleur smiled and waved at Y/N. 

Y/N smiled and waved back, paying close mind to give a wave to the younger girl. She greeted Y/N with a shy, "Hello!" 

Even though Y/N was feeling a little down, she could make this little girl's day, right? 

Whipping out her wand from her robe pocket, Y/N muttered "Orchideous!" and a beautiful bouquet of baby blue flowers blossomed from her wand. 

She handed them to Fleur's sister (she presumed) and smiled again, turning on her heel and leaving with a sweet look at Fleur. 

"Who's she?" she heard the young girl's voice. 

"A very nice girl," replied Fleur. "I think zat she is one of ze kindest people in zis castle!" 

And Y/N couldn't stop smiling until she got back to the common room.

Once she'd said the password and sat down near the fire, she heard the door open again. The common room was packed, with everyone discussing and theorizing about what the second task could possibly entail. 

Keeping her focus on the flames licking the hearth, just generally hating life and Harry, Y/N jumped when a hand slapped her on the back and she whipped around. 

"First of all ow!" she screamed at Fred and George, throwing her book at Fred's stomach. "And second of all what do you want?" with a pillow to George's face.

"Calm down," said Fred easily. 

"McGonagall wants you in her office," George said, hauling her up from the couch. "We already sent Hermione."

Y/N gave him a puzzled look, "Whatever for?" 

The twins shrugged and Fred slipped Y/N's book back into her hand. She just pulled out her wand and banished it to her dormitory. 

George gasped very loudly and pointed a finger at Y/N, "You did magic outside of class!" he exclaimed, "that's not allowed, Y/N." 

Y/N gave him a deadpan look and stuck out her tongue, then heaved open the door and left the common room, wondering what McGonagall needed her for. George had said that Hermione was going too, so maybe it was something about grades? Maybe Y/N had done something bad recently? She couldn't remember. 

When she turned the corner near McGonagall's office, she saw a familiar mane of brown hair. Since Christmas, when Y/N gifted Hermione that curl cream, Hermione's curls had been much more defined and coiled - she had grown more confident her hair, and Y/N loved that. 

"Herms!" Y/N said, jogging to catch up, "d'ya know why McGonagall wants us?" 

Hermione shook her head and turned the doorknob, walking into their Transfiguration Professor's office. 

"Mind the rug," Y/N mumbled to Hermione, who wiped her shoes and looked around, just like Y/N. 

There were four chairs in front of the desk - two of them already filled by a little blonde girl - Fleur's sister, who Y/N had made flowers - and a girl who hadn't turned yet. Y/N felt a little jolt in her stomach when she saw the raven sheet of hair that Harry had admired many-a-times. 

Y/N couldn't help but feel slight resentment for Cho. Of course, the girl was happy with Cedric - they'd been talking and hanging out, and Cedric was planning on asking her to be his girlfriend. But...Harry liked her too. 

Still, when Y/N sat down, she gave a sweet look to both of them. Cho returned the look, with a, "Hi, Hermione, hi Y/N! You're Cedric's friend, right?" 

"Yeah," Y/N smiled. "He's talked about you."

Cho flushed slightly, "He talks about you too - I love your bond with him! If you don't mind me asking...what does he say about me?"

Y/N, warming up to Cho, was about to answer when she heard the door click, and Professor McGonagall walked in, alongside Dumbledore and the other Heads of Schools, Karkaroff and Madame Maxime. 

Y/N narrowed her eyes at Karkaroff, and he sneered right back. She frowned. 

"Welcome," Dumbledore said, "I assume you would like to know the reason as to why you are here." 

The four girls nodded with vigor. 

Fleur's little sister glanced at Madame Maxime, who gave a small nod. Fleur's sister relaxed. 

"Well," Dumbledore continued, "for the champions, their second task is to retrieve what they'll miss most. And, through a thorough process, we have decided that this...is you four." 

"Huh?" said Y/N, confused. "What do you mean? How do you know?" 

Dumbledore chuckled, "Ah, I knew you'd have questions. Now, we have had spells placed on the champions that reach into their hearts. The mermaids at the bottom of the Black Lake have taken what they'll sorely miss...well, if you all agree." 

"Agree to what?" Hermione asked. 

"Agree to undergoing a spell in which you will be immobilized - yet, safe, and will know nothing of the lake, awakening when you are above water," Dumbledore said. 

McGonagall stepped in, "If you all agree, it will be Gabrielle Delacour for Fleur Delacour..." she looked at the girl for confirmation. 

The little blonde girl's eyes widened, looking to the other girls for help. 

"It'll be safe," Hermione whispered softly. "They won't let anything bad happen to you." 

Gabrielle looked to McGonagall and nodded. Y/N wondered why she was here - maybe for Cedric? Maybe Cho was for Harry...or maybe Y/N was for Harry. Though, he didn't miss her...

Then McGonagall went on, "Cho Chang for Cedric Diggory..." 

Cho blushed very deeply when Y/N nudged her in the side, quickly agreeing to being Cedric's possession, leaving Y/N's eyes to widen, brain whirring.

"Hermione Granger for Viktor Krum..." 

Hermione, concealing a very bright smile, accepted this in a very flustered state. Y/N would laugh at her later, because right now, Y/N's chest was seizing up. This made absolutely no sense, this was crazy. Insane. 

"And finally," McGonagall said with a thin-lipped smile, "Y/N Sterling for Harry Potter..." 

Now that it had been said out loud, Y/N's eyes widened very rapidly. She gazed at Professor McGonagall, who gave a jerk of her head - a signal to answer. Y/N almost didn't agree, her pettiness almost got the best of her. 

"Yeah, alright," Y/N said with a very dry throat, palms sweaty and stinging. 

Dumbledore studied Y/N's face, then spread his arms, wand in hand. 

"Now that we've gotten your voluntary consent..." he said in a low voice, "We'll see you when your champion is victorious." 

Before anyone could say anything else, before Y/N could even think anything else, Dumbledore waved his wand. Slowly, slowly, slowly, the world blinked out of focus and Y/ felt herself stiffening, like a stone statue. 

✦

The first gasp of air was life-giving. It felt like Y/N was holding her breath for hours without dying, with no actual pressure on her lungs. There was splashing water all around her - she sputtered, going under the waves for a moment. 

They were in the middle of the Black Lake, and a dock was set up for the spectators. Many faces that Y/n couldn't discern at the moment gazed down at her, cheering and roaring. 

There was a loud splash beside her, and Y/N caught sight of a sheet of silvery-blonde hair, and a small body - Fleur's sister, struggling in the water. 

Y/N paddled towards her, putting an arm around her shoulders and guiding the young girl to the dock. It was hard, guiding another body, but she managed. As they got to the edge, a hand reached down to grab Gabrielle out of the water. 

"Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she okay? Is she 'urt?" 

Why Gabrielle agreed to the task if she couldn't fucking swim, Y/N didn't know, but it was happening.

Another pair of hands reached out to help Y/N, and she was immediately coddled in blankets. Only then did she realize that she was shivering, water making her hair stick to her skin. Y/N was wrapped in a towel and suddenly,

"Y/N! Y/N! You were down there for so long-" 

"Godric, Hermione!" came Ron's voice, "she just came out of a lake, give her a second!" he exclaimed, coming behind Y/N and patting her back as she coughed up a load of water. "How're you feeling?" 

"Like I've just sunbathed for hours, thanks," Y/N snarked. 

Ron rolled his eyes, "Really? You seem a little wet." 

"I hope you drown." 

"You just did." 

Ron then started conversation with Hermione, and Y/N looked around. She was Harry's prize...so...where was Harry? Not that she was worried...or anything, but...he was kind of important. 

Cho and Cedric were huddled together, with Mathew and Liana near them. Mathew was drying Cedric's hair, and Liana was drying Cho's.

There was another loud splash from the water, even louder than the roar of the crowd, and then a thump! on the dock. 

Y/N tried to see around all the people, and saw Harry laying on the dock, choking up water. He was in a red champion uniform that clung tightly to his body due to how wet he was, and Y/N couldn't help stare at when it creased around his arm muscles and abs. 

"It was ze grindylows...zey attacked me....oh Gabrielle, I thought...I thought...." Fleur's voice came again, snapping Y/N from her stupor. "And you! You with ze Potter boy - you saved 'er!" Fleur said, quickly kissing Y/N on both cheeks.

Hermione was back with Krum again, while Ron stayed with Y/N. It was only fair, since Krum had just rescued her from a great vat of water. 

"You haff a water-beetle in your hair, Herm-own-ninny," Krum said gently. "Let me get it..."

Harry had been wrapped in a towel as well, and he was looking around the crowd, obviously looking for someone to talk too. 

"Go," Y/N said to Ron, "to Harry." 

"You come too," Ron said in a quiet voice. Before Y/N could say anything mean, he held up a hand, "he's really sorry, you know?" 

"It would be cool if he could show it," Y/N said coldly. "Sorry doesn't cut it." 

Ron frowned, "He knows-" 

"But is he going to do anything about it?" 

This hindered Ron silent. Y/N smirked triumphantly and Ron, hanging his head, dragged himself over to Harry.

Y/N watched as Fleur waltzed over to the both of them and said something to Harry. Then, she took his face and kissed him on both cheeks, just like she'd done to Y/N. Probably a thanks for saving Gabrielle. 

Was he daft? Obviously they wouldn't let the hostages actually drown. Seeing as Hermione, Cho, and the rest of the champions had been on the dock when Y/N surfaced, that meant Harry came last. And owed to the fact that he also saved Gabrielle, Y/N deduced that he had attempted to play hero once he saw people in need. 

The idiot! 

Dumbledore was crouched near the water, talking to whom Y/N presumed was the Merchiefainess. Jake had spoken of him once, quickly describing in the dirt (with his tentacles) how they were best buds. 

Then, the man stood and joined Ludo Bagman near the middle of the dock. 

Y/N was still sitting alone, but she didn't quite mind. Fleur, seeing this, came with Gabrielle over to her, and sat quietly.

Her mind was still reeling at the fact that she was Harry's hostage, but he hadn't bothered to speak to her after. If she was what he would sorely miss, why wasn't he all over her right now? 

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our decision. Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows..." began Ludo Bagman, with the sonorous charm.

"Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points." 

Applause from the stands. 

"I deserved zero," said Fleur throatily, shaking her magnificent head. Y/N patted her on the shoulder comfortingly.

"Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour." 

Enormous cheers from the Hufflepuffs in the crowd; Y/N saw Cho give Cedric a glowing look, and her heart melted. Alongside the others, Y/N clapped as hard as her frozen hands could.

"We therefore award him forty-seven points." 

Even more cheers.

"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points." 

Karkaroff clapped particularly hard, looking very superior. The Durmstrang students stomped their feet on the dock and clapped and roared.

"Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect," Bagman continued. "He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mister Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely his own." 

Y/N scoffed - of course. 

Showed too much care, except when it came to her feelings. Obviously, she couldn't make Harry like her back, but then what was everything they shared? 

"Most of the judges," and here, Bagman gave Karkaroff a very nasty look, "feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However...Mister Potter's score is forty-five points." 

Tied with Cedric...

Harry had tied with Cedric. 

Y/N didn't bother to clap with the rest of the crowd. Somehow, Harry caught her eye. His own were again, like that day, rimmed in red. She supposed he'd gotten water in his eyes. 

The crowd began to thin as people trekked back through the cold to Hogwarts. Ron helped a shivering Harry to his feet, and then Harry parted from Ron, heading straight towards Y/N. 

Her eyes widened and Y/N knew this was what she'd been waiting for - hopefully - an apology. She wanted and explanation, but didn't want to talk to Harry right now. 

So, instead, she wrapped her towel around her righter and stood, turning her back to Harry, and letting the flow of the crowd carry her away towards the castle. She could hear faint yells in the distance, all of her name, all from Harry's mouth. It was like after the Yule Ball - yet this time, she was more confused than devastated. 

He felt sorry, from what she knew. 

Now she just needed to let him explain the rest. To apologize.

And that, she would do whenever she was ready. Those were her terms if Harry Potter wanted her back - as a friend, or as more. 

─── ☆: *.⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ .* :☆ ───

woop woop hi guys! 🥳🥳

daammnnn i updated 3 days ago and daaammnn ANOTHER CHAPTER??? y'all lucky asl ur lucky im sick n got nothin to do !! ok this one is like 8.3k words idk i like putting my word count at the end of each chapter !!

ngl im working on melodies for each song in my head...obv not ever gonna put it on spotify or shit but like mby post links to snippets in future chapter a/n's :3 

y'allll...100 followers is crazy tysm again like ?OIAWOIDJAWD?!?!??!?AWH*HICW 🥰😘

ummm ngl i dont got much to say 🧍‍♀️

eeerrrmmmmm..oh!! theres clues in this chapter [there have been clues in every chapter. every single one. >:) ] 😈

guys i love fleur ❤️💕

and yeah 

ok so y'all who r flaming y/n for avoiding harry and being petty n mean: 

harry had just insulted her dignity (two-timing, whoring around, etc, at the yule ball) and then she confessed her love to him and it literally went: 

harry: it doesn't matter

y/n: it matters to me

harry: it shouldn't

and then she wanted to be alone bc harry pushed her love away, and as a normal person, she assumed he didn't love her back and that all the affection they shared was him imagining y/n was cho !! 

so like lowkey valid and she had elijah's feelings to think about and shes stressed about the fact that she's cursed with some...things >:)

im not mad in the slightest, just explaining!!! <333

bye!!

love u troublemakers <3

- dizzy