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romerona · 1 year

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1-2-3 She's out.

ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴀʏɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ꜰɪɴᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇ, ɪᴛ ꜰɪɴᴅꜱ ʏᴏᴜ. ꜰᴏʀ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴇᴍᴇʀꜱᴏɴ, ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ꜰɪɴᴅ ʜᴇʀ, ɪᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ꜱᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴏꜰꜰ ʜᴇʀ ꜰᴇᴇᴛ… ʟɪᴛᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ.

Harry James Potter x OC

Marauders alive. Wolfstar.

Masterlist.

---------------------------

The Library of Hogwarts, a pinnacle of knowledge for all witches and wizards, a testament to the knowledge that the older generation entrusted to the new ones through their studies, experiments, adventures, and experiences of their own written down on blank pages for all to learn from them, a place for all those that sought out the unknown.

Love inhales selfishly the smell of old pages, bound in leather and pressed parchment, a comforting, familiar scent that she loved since her early life as golden light shining through the glass windows, casting the final light of the day over the worn-out books she was trying to read over but unfortunately failing in doing so, all thanks to the one and only Draco Malfoy, who had taken it upon himself to criticize every little thing about their new professor, Remus Lupin and occasionally taking hits at Hagrid too.

"I can't understand for the life of me what was going through Dumbledore's old skull when he decided to hire such people to teach us," He scoffs, leaning back against his chair, his green robe has been discarded once he arrived at their meeting spot. "One of greatest wizards of all time, yeah right. Shame he was allowed to return last year, he should keep away from Hogwarts in my opinion, we are better off without him–"

"Stop leaning against your chair before you fall and give yourself another injury." Love drawls from her book glancing at his bound-up right arms before turning back to read the same paragraph once again. "Thought I hardly call that an injury."

Draco narrow his eyes at her, Love could feel the heated glare but she continued to read unbothered by it. "It is a serious injury and I didn't cause it to myself, Love, it was that bloody half-breed's and his stupid bird's fault."

"Debatable, very debatable." Love mumbles, glancing at the parchment next to her and then at the books comparing texts before it was abruptly snapped shut and out of her reach, making her look up at the Slytherin boy with a glare who was still glaring back, what Draco just did was one of her biggest pet peeves and he knew that. "Really?"

"It's impolite to not look when someone is speaking to you." He shrugged with an air of indifference.

"Draco, I'm close to finishing my Kappa's essay," Love said, trying to keep her nerves settled "I promise once I'm done you'll have my undivided attention since you so much need it, so just give me the book."

He rolled his eyes, scoffing once again taking the book out of her hold when she tried to reach for it. "I wouldn't worry so much about it, Lupin hardly looks like someone who can read,"

Love purses her lips, closes her eyes and sighs, she just wants to finish the bloody essay so she can start with her Herbology work and Draco was making it very hard for her to do so, normally he was a... tolerable study partner but today she couldn't stand him, and the fastest way to get him to give her the book back was if she gives him her attention.

"Alright, what is it?" She said, opening her eyes to look at the boy in front of her.

Draco smirked triumphantly, still holding the book. "I want you to admit my injuries are severe and that the half-breed it's at fault."

She should just admit it to get Draco to give her the book back, to just give him what he wants per usual because in his mind he was always right, it was easy and quick but she couldn't.

"Why would I do that?" Love asks crossing her arms, looking at the way a frown was making its way to his pale face.

"Because it's the truth, look at my arm, Love"

"Draco, be reasonable right now." Love gave him a deadpan look. "There's nothing wrong with your arm now, Madam Pomfrey fixed it up for you, and the instructions–"

"Why are you siding with that filthy half-breed?" Draco sneered at her.

Love sighs again, getting tired of hearing the same story. "I'm just saying both of you are at fault, he shouldn't have brought such dangerous creatures to class but you didn't follow instructions, which were relatively easy."

"Are you daring to call me stupid?" He drawls, silver colour eyes hardening towards the girl.

"That's not what I–"

"The only one stupid here is you, Love." Draco cuts her off, his voice sharp enough to cut deeply. "You can't even see how people walk all over you, so I'm not surprised you can't understand that I'm right on this situation, but what am I expecting from a muggle-born?"

Love gritted her teeth looking away from him. It did hurt a bit, but she was used to harsh words from him every once in a while, whenever he loses his cool demeanour he tends to let his tongue have a mind of its own, though, she often wonders if there was some truth behind what he says. Anger brings out hidden feelings, after all.

"Screw you, Draco." Love said, gathering her belongings angrily. To shit with her essay, she couldn't be near him when he was like this.

"Right, be mad at me for telling you the truth," Hisses the boy, throwing the book on the table. "Go run to your precious Half-breed in his last days in Hogwarts."

Love ignored him, she quickly stood up from the table, not wanting to stay longer - or just enough to put her things in her bag- and stomped away, huffing angrily as she left the library to her Common Room.

He was wrong, Love would know if anyone was walking over her. Sure, she might be a bit nicer than necessary but she liked helping her classmates whenever she could, she was thought since she was a little girl to help people who needed it.

But then again, it could be true, maybe she wasn't noticing it but people around her did, an outside point of view could see it all and they don't say anything because it benefited them for her not to know, to keep her in the dark, maybe she was being walked all over, and the only one who told her the truth was Draco... But her friends, Padma and Emma wouldn't let that happen, right? They would at least tell her something, right?

Yes, they would. She trusts her friends with her life, they would never let people take advantage of her kindness. She knows they wouldn't, just as she would never let anyone take advantage of them in any way, shape or form, and Love shouldn't doubt that for a second.

She was just overthinking, per usual. Her head had been a real mess lately, it had been weeks and she still hasn't found her journal, no matter how many times she has searched for it, how many times she had turned upside down her room, her common room, the damn school, it hadn't appeared. Love even went as far as to ask Filch if he had seen her book, but he only laughed in her face and told her to lose hope, he said and quote, 'All that gets lost, Hogwarts takes away.'Creepy but as much as hated to admit it, she was starting to believe it was true.

That was the main crisis in her life, the main stress, plus, since the day of the Boggart, Snape has been very sensitive about that topic and he had his students suffer for it, though she heard the Gryffindors had it the worst, and Neville was getting bullied even worst now. Poor boy, it wasn't his fault, if anything the guilty for that boggart was Snape's himself. He was the one who likes to violate the boy just because he could, hence why Neville was terrified of him, it was common sense.

A gasp broke out of her when she felt the stairs shuffle making her collide with someone, and sending her things flying to the ground. Just Great. She closed her eyes and sighs not wanting to acknowledge anything yet.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said an unfamiliar voice as the stairs stop moving.

Love opened her eyes to catch an oddly familiar pair of green ones, which for some reason widened as if surprised.

Looking at the person better, Love came to the realization it was the famous Harry Potter, she sighs waving her hand dismissively. "It's not your fault."

She kneeled to pick up her books, and other trinkets when the Gryffindor boy mirrored her actions quickly, a little too quickly and with a bit of force making Love wonder for a moment if had fractured his knees from the impact.

"It's okay, really," Love gazes at him but his eyes were firmly on the scattered books.

He shook his head nervously, black hair swaying at the movement. "N-No, I- it's my fault, let me help you."

"It's not, it's the damn moving stairs," Love lets him help, as he picks up a couple of parchments off the floor. She giggles softly, "They are a bloody menace if you ask me, it's a miracle I haven't fallen off them."

"Well, I wasn't paying attention where I was walking, so, I guess I have some fault too," Harry said, glancing at her quickly.

"With that logic, it would be both of our faults since I wasn't paying attention either," Love said, picking up the last of her books, her hand clashing with Harry's for a second making both of them pull back awkwardly, "Sorry," Love stood up as Harry grabbed it quickly before standing up as well.

"But to be fair," Love continues with her previous statement. "These stairs have little room to move around, so it's not our fault but the founder's for making such small, tricky stairs." A grin made its way to Love's face as the boy frowns looking at the large stairs, then at her, once he glance at her and quickly realized what she was meaning.

He chuckles softly, his eyes catching hers again "Right, they should have been more considered about the students who daze away from their trail."

"It would have only been the right thing to do."

She smiles at him, and an awkward silence stretches as he continues to stare at her. Love cleared her throat looking at his hands which were still holding her books. "So, uhm- can you pass my books before the staircase moves again and this time actually sends me flying off of them?" She joked.

"I would catch you." Harry blurred, taking Love by surprise.

She blinked, bemused and confused. "What?"

"I- erm," he clear his throat, his cheeks turning a shade of soft crimson as he looked away. "I would catch you, if- if you fall."

Love couldn't help but smile, holding back a chuckle. "For those people who say chivalry is dead, they have yet to meet Harry Potter, do you often offer to catch people falling from the stairs?"

Harry glanced back at her, his own mouth parting in a smile, his cheeks still as pink as they were moments before. "Not really, just—

He was cut off by the movement beneath them, once again the stairs move. Love threw her hand to hold onto the handrail as the sudden change caused her to stumble a bit, she kind of hated the stairs when they move.

Finally, when they stopped moving, Love decided she had enough of them, she turned to the emerald gazed boy. "Okay, this would be my stop."

That snapped him out, and he quickly nodded and gave her the book he was holding tight to. "Oh, right, sorry."

Love quickly shoved them into her bag as Harry Potter grabbed something from the ground again, his broom, that's when Love finally noticed he was in his quidditch uniform, which was wet and covered in mud.

"Thanks for the help." Love gave Harry one last smile.

"No, thank you—"

Love frowns lightly at his words, they didn't make any sense and by the looks of it, Harry had realized that as well as he turned a deeper shade of pink. Love finally giggle, his facial expression was too funny not to.

"What I meant was— erm, you know—"

"No problem, Potter," She chuckled again, before continuing her route to her common room. "I'll see you around,"

"Yeah, brilliant, I'll- I'll definitely see you around."

Love chose to ignore his last statement and continue to climb up the stairs, yet a smile formed on her face. He was really nervous for some reason, it was kind of funny.

'What can you break, even if you never pick it up or touch it?'

Love breathes out the answer tiredly after walking up the stairs, that is the one thing she didn't like about her common room, the number of stairs she had to climb to get there.

The bronze eagle flaps its wings once and the door opens without another second to waste, letting the girl inside. Looking around, Love noticed Emma sitting alone at one table and moves towards him, letting herself fall onto one of the sofas with a tired sigh.

"Shut up, I'm trying to read," Emma mumbles, not even bothering to look up knowing that the only persons who would dare to sit at the same table as he was would be Love or Padma.

"Is it a good book?" Love asks, glancing at the cover. Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. C. S. Lewis.

"I'm trying to figure that out, but annoying twats keep interrupting me."

Love rolled her eyes, and she stayed quiet for a few seconds, granting Emma his wish before she spoke again. "Where's Padma?"

"Do I look like her bodyguard?" Emma huffs annoyed, putting his book down to look at Love. "Why would I know?"

"Because when I left you were with her?" Love gave him a hard look which was borderline amused.

Emmanuel rolls his eyes and shrugs. "I don't know, I think Anthony Goldstein came to tell her something about Rogers needing her."

"So, she's in a Quidditch meeting," Love concludes, she leans back into her chair, letting her gaze travel to the nearby window, looking at the night sky, her mind went back to the nights she spend in Shanghai, how she and her family would stargaze every night without fail.

She should send them a letter soon.

"Hogsmeade is the 31, by the way."

At his voice, Love turns to her friend frowning. "What?"

"The trip to Hogsmeade," Emma didn't glance up from his book but nudged his head in the direction of the bulletin board where a couple of people hanged about. "Clearwater posted the bulletin a few hours ago."

Love's eyes shinned as she perked up from her seat, looking at the board and then at Emma. "Oh, that's great, I can't wait to visit Honeyduks."

"I'm more interested in the shrieking shack, I overheard that one could still hear the shrieks coming from it if you get close enough." Emma shared, slightly excited.

"And you want to hear them?" Love questions, suspiciously.

Emma shrugged, but a small smirk made its way to his face before he could answer, Padma slumped down next to Love and groaned.

"At Six in the bloody morning. Roger wants us to train at six in the morning," Padma grumbles, running a hand over her face. "Not even the sodding ghosts are awake at that time."

"Reckon ghosts don't sleep," Emma mumbles.

Padma rolled her eyes and kick his leg with her foot. "Shut up, you know what I meant, besides, it's just insane, who in their right mind would set practice at that hour?"

"All of this is for you to train so we can win the cup this year," Emma asked, frowning at his friend's lack of professionalism. "Or are you telling me you don't want to win the cup?"

"Don't be stupid, of course, I do, don't get me wrong I obviously want to win but this just seems a bit extreme."

"Well, on the bright side it's better than the Gryffindors," Love told her, making Padma glance at her. "I just passed Harry Potter in his uniform all wet and covered in mud from the field, at least it won't rain at six in the morning, I hope."

"I take rain any day over get up early." Padma huffed, placing her arm over her eyes.

Love places a hand on the girl's forehead affectionately. "Work hard now and be proud later,"

"Yeah, yeah, easy for you to say when you're not the one who has to wake up at six in the bloody morning."

"Emerson, is this yours?" A feminine voice called from behind her.

Love turned to see an older Ravenclaw girl holding a very familiar green amphibious in her hands making her gape at it. "Hoppy, how–?"

"I found him near the entrance," said the older Ravenclaw as she gave her the toad who croak when he settled on her hand. "Looks like he got lost or maybe he was trying to make a run for it."

Love frowns glancing down at her croaking toad."I hope not, anyways thank you for giving him back."

"No problem."

With that, the girl walks away leaving the trio and the amphibious behind. Love holds Hoppy in her palm, inspecting the toad for any harm that might come to him when he was on his little adventure.

"You were sleeping on my bed this afternoon, how did you get from there to here?" Love mumbles looking at his blinking yellow eyes.

"Maybe he's going through a rebellious phase?" Padma offers, returning to her self-pity after a moment. "Y'know running away from home and all that."

Love hums looking down at her toad, "Maybe, but don't go turning into Trevor now."

"I kind of want to get a pet," Emmanuel told them, placing his book down.

"What do you have in mind?" Love asks as she places Hoppy on her shoulder. "A cat perhaps?"

"An owl?" Padma added, looking up at the starry ceiling.

"It's not like I have many options." Emma purses his lips and shrugged. "Anyways, it's just a thought, I might not be ready for the responsibility yet."

"Fair..."

🤍

"What do you think you're doing, Mr Salazar?" Snape's cold voice drawls around the potions classroom as he stands in front of Emmanuel, who tensed up at the professor's words.

Emma glance at him before looking down at his potion, they were working on Anti-Paralysis Potion, and it was an extensive potion, they could use all the help they could get. "What you told us to, sir."

"Is your stature affecting your hearing?" The professor sneers, staring down his hooked nose at Emmanuel. "I did not tell you to mix the Mandrakes roots with the lacewing flies yet, that is after you blend the ginger with the water, which you are not doing."

Love shared a look with Padma before glancing at her other friend who was turning a deep shade of pink. From under the table, she grabbed his hand which was turning white at how tight he was clenching it and tried to smooth it open.

"Professor, but the book says–" Padma tried to speak but she was cut off by the older man.

"You do what I told you to," Professor Snape sends Padma a sharp look, "And when I tell you to do what the book says you do it which I did not today. Back to your potions, those who don't get it done today will have to make an essay on it for the next class."

"Throw that away and do it again," Snape continued, he tap his wand on the corner of Emmanuel's cauldron and in the next instant, its blue colour changed to bright yellow, not at all how it was supposed to go.

"It's going to take me all class," Emma mumbled, his eyes meeting Snape's for a short moment.

"Then we should learn how to listen and follow instructions." With one last look of disdain, he turn on his heel to scrutinize a couple of Hufflepuffs potions who stiffened when the professor approached them.

Finally managing to hold the boy's hand, Love to tighten her hold three times in return he holds her hand tightly before having to stand up to throw the potion away.

Love turns back to her potion, which in her opinion, it was the hardest potion she ever made so far. Beds of sweat dripped down her forehead as she grinds the bitterroot - which to her feels like they are made out of diamond– to a fine powder so she could add it to the potion and let it seemer.

She grinded with all her strength in hopes to accelerate the process, she didn't want to do another essay this week, alas she usually enjoys doing potion homework but this week has been a bit shit, so she rather not get any work for the weekend.

After what felt like a lifetime, the bell rang, and mostly no one got to the potion right, Love was thankful that she was not one of them, but her friends were not that lucky.

"I just don't get why he has to be such a massive cunt," Emmanuel huffs angrily as they sat on the edge of the fountain in the middle of the courtyard.

It was a nice day, one of the last to have sunlight and warmth which was rare in October. So, the trio decided to spend their free period outside before charms.

"Professor Dumbledore should revise his staff more often because Snape could use some examination." Love mumbles, head looking up at the sky, eyes closed as she let the sunlight fall on her face.

"Snape needs to be sacked, he does," Padma grunted, from next to Love, whilst doing her Astronomy chart homework she had forgotten about.

"You got that right," Emma said angrily, crossing his arms and shaking his head vexingly. "He even deserves more than to be sacked. He should go to prison, I don't understand what it is about me that he enjoys harassing.— Padma, if you answer I swear to Merlin."

"Hey, I wasn't going to say anything, that you thought I would it's your own mind coming up with answers." Padma snickers, earning a nasty glare and a slap on the arm from the boy. "Sorry, Sorry, I promise Emma the only one who has deep problems here is snape,"

Love hummed in agreement, "It's him, not you."

"... Thanks," Emma mumbled bashfully.

"Anyway, in another piece of news guess what Parvati told me– uh, why is Harry Potter coming this way?"

Opening her eyes, Love watches in confusion as the boy nervously walked towards them.

🤍

The night the September 1 of 1991 was a very memorable evening for Harry Potter, because not only it was his first time in Hogwarts, the place his parents and uncles talk about so much and with so much nostalgia and fondness, the place he had been counting the days to go since he could remember, the place he was meant to make a home out of. He also met her.

Harry Potter often likes to remember the first time he met Love Emerson. He could remember every little detail of his interaction with her.

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron Weasley, who had been a friend of Harry's for the longest time whispered. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

Harry smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but he did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Harry didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment, not to mention, he wanted– no, he needed to be in Gryffindor, like his whole family had been because regardless of what his mum and father says, that all houses are great and that they'll be proud of him wherever he gets sorted, he knew that deep down they were hoping he gets sorted in their former house, so it was making it all feel a bit worse.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause --

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, after all, he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they looked like an unpleasant lot.

He was starting to feel definitely sick now. He didn't want to disappoint his family, what if Ron gets into Gryffindor and he doesn't? Or worst what if he gets sorted into Slytherin? His father and uncle Sirius would love that.

His train of thought, or more like the nervous recked that was going on in his head was cut off short when he felt something softly bumping his arm making his head turn in that direction. It was a blonde girl, about his height, with bright blue eyes and pink cheeks.

"Sorry." She mumbled lowly and gave him an awkward smile. "The crowd's a bit crazy on my side, I couldn't count the many times someone had to dig their elbow in my ribs."

"It's alright." Harry smiled back at her dismissively, he thought that might have been the end of their conversation but it wasn't.

"This is awfully nerve-racking, isn't it?" The girl bit her lip as another student was called. "What house do you want to be sorted into?"

Harry turned to her again, meeting her nervous blue eyes which he was sure to mirror his own. "I hope I get into Gryffindor, my entire family has been sorted there."

"Ah, so you already knew about all of this?" The blonde girl quickly waves her hand motioning the hall.

"Not really," He thought for a second, he, of course, knew plenty of Hogwarts but not all as his parents and uncles wanted to keep a few parts a secret from him so he can experience them for the first time like the sorting, "Not all anyways, I thought we were going to do a spell or fight a troll."

"Now, that would have been quite tragic, to die before experiencing what the school was to offer would have definitely ruined my night but... it would have been a unique death, no doubt." She giggles making Harry smile a bit, he could help it, her laugh was contagious but his smile disappeared when he saw her eyes glance at his forehead.

He knew what was coming, It had occurred too many times for Harry not to know what was next. He brace himself for the unavoidable question to be thrown at him like it had a plethora of times before, for the question he hated for all the meaning behind it, for its–

"Has anyone ever told you that you have very lovely eyebrows?"

Harry blinked. "I– what?"

"They have a nice arch and they're the right amount of bushy," She told him, glancing at them. "My sister would be jealous of them–"

"Emerson, Love," McGonagall called making the girl's eyes widen.

She let out a nervous breath before walking away from him, leaving him more confused than ever. He watches as she sends the professor a nervous smile before sitting on the stool, – what did she mean by his eyebrows? Were they actually nice?-- the hat was placed on her head which cover half of her face, and it hummed — Nice arch? The right amount of bushy? What a weird girl– It took the hat a moment before he spoke.

"RAVENCLAW!!!"

When the hat was removed from her head, the girl was sporting the biggest smile, there was no more nervousness or awkwardness or anything other than excitement, her eyes gleaming as she sat down at the cheering table next to Terry Boot who was quick to offer her a handshake.

Harry didn't even notice he was staring until she looked back at him and send him a smile and a quick thumbs up before looking away when someone started to talk to her. Really, really weird girl.

He got sorted into Gryffindor, much to his relief, the hat attempted to get him into Slytherin but he would rather not talk about it now or ever, he'll take that secret to the grave. On better news, he couldn't wait to tell his parents, though he might be a bit worried about his father and uncles sending him a howler or something else more embarrassing but it's a risk he's willing to take.

Sitting on the red and golden table, chatting with Ron and his other peers about their families and trying the delicious treacle tart- which was just as good as his mother had told him it was if not better- he couldn't help as his eyes travel to the Ravenclaw table.

The weird girl was happily eating a chocolate pudding, laughing at something someone said before adding something of her own. It seems right for the hat to have sorted her in Ravenclaw, he didn't know much of the bunch other than they were the smart ones, and he didn't know the girl at all other than the little conversation they had, but for some reason, it made sense to him that she was in the blue and bronze house. Thought, for a single second he felt disappointed they weren't sorted in the same house but the thought went as quickly as it came.

She was still weird, he would probably never speak to her again a fact he should be pleased for.

But after that night, Harry's green eyes seemed to have a mind of their own for wherever he went he searched for the weird girl with charming blue eyes who told him he had lovely eyebrows, his brain betraying him as it memorize every class he had with the girl whose soft hair looks like honey, eventually his heart joined the rebellion against him and threatened to beat out of his chest whenever he saw the soft dimples on her cheeks when a laugh breaks out of her pretty pink lips.

Whenever the girl was around he couldn't work properly.

It took him a bit to realize what all that meant, he even considered sending a letter to his father but he then thought about it better and decided against it, so, he settle for Ron who was just as clueless, the third option was talking to Fred and George who after teasing him were very helpful and help him conclude that well, he fancied the weird Ravenclaw girl.

Harry Potter fancied Love Emerson.

"I know you enjoy gazing but stop staring at her before she catches you and thinks you're insane, mate." Ron's voice cut through his thoughts. "Then you'll really have zero chances with her."

"I'm not staring," Harry mumbles, looking away from the girl to the book in his hands trying to hide his crimson cheeks.

Ron scoffs as he leans on the pillar, he and Harry had been standing by for the past ten minutes in hopes that Harry gather enough courage to walk up to her. "You always do, it's a bloody miracle she hadn't caught you yet."

Harry didn't bother answering, he only sends his friend an annoyed look making him hold his arms up in defence.

"Come on, Harry, talk to her!" Ron encourages, placing a hand on his shoulder and sending him a grin. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Before Harry could muster a word, another voice beat him to it, a very familiar voice much to his dismay.

"Talk to who?"

"Dad, what are doing here?" Harry exclaimed turning to face his father and uncles who he had noticed were coming behind his father.

James gave him a cheery smile. "I told you I and Sirius would be making rounds a few days a week, did you forget after all the fun we have when we're here?"

"No, no I didn't. I couldn't even if I wanted to." Harry mutters, remembering a few embarrassing moments his father and uncle had made him go through in the past weeks.

"Good, I was starting to worry you had." James sends him a cheeky smile, not innocent at all before turning to Ron's eyebrows wiggling. "Ron, who is my son supposed to talk to? A boy? A girl perhaps?"

"Harry's talking with a girl?" Sirius's voice broke through as he came up to them, and next to him, Remus Lupin grinning at the boys. "And I'm the last one to know?"

"I'm not," Harry exclaimed, trying to keep his cheeks from heating up.

Ron scoffs loudly making Harry nudge him on the ribs with a sharp look.

"So, it is a girl?" James exclaimed eyes going wide, a smile forming on his face. "Who is she?"

Harry's eyes momentarily glance at Remus who was smiling knowingly having known about his nephew's crush since the first week of classes, he had called out Harry in class for staring but he hadn't specified who he was staring at, he just likes to startle him from time to time. Remus also tried to talk to him about it whenever Harry came by for a cuppa but he always avoided the subject like a plague, which was a bit of contrast with his father who always used to jump at every opportunity to talk about his crush on Lily.

Ron went to open his mouth but Harry clasped a hand over it. "No one, can we just go now?"

"Is it Ginny?" Sirius asks, eyes roaming about to try and find the ginger Gryffindor.

"What?" Ron shrieked, looking at Sirius with a frown similar to Harry's, both wondering how the man could have come to that conclusion. "No, Harry does not fancy my sister and never will, he fancies–"

Harry lunges towards him, the boys struggle against each other to keep the other from doing something, and then Remus spoke up making Harry freeze.

"Could the mystery girl be Love Emerson?"

Harry sends Remus a glare of betrayal which he exchanges with a borderline mischievous grin.

"Yes, that's her, sitting on the fountain." Ron panted, pointing at the courtyard.

Sirius, James and Remus turn in the direction the ginger boy was pointing, his father and uncle more eager than his uncle Remus.

"Is it the blonde?" Asked Sirius, tilting his head to get a better look.

Harry pursed his lips, sighing knowing there was no way he could avoid this any longer nor the heat from raising to his face and nodded. "....Yes, that's her."

His father turns to him, and his eyes seem to sparkle with humour and mischief.

"Love, eh? That's a pretty name. What's she like?" James said making Harry's blush spread down his neck

"He's never actually talked to her. He just stares." Ron answers for him, earning the attention of the adults. "He was raving about how he spoke to her the other day but I hardly believe it was an actual conversation."

"Ron," Harry sends him a glare, not wanting to turn to the waiting eyes of his family.

Ron sends him an apologetic look in return "Sorry, mate, but it's the truth, we've been sitting here for the past fifteen minutes waiting for you to give her her book back."

"What book?" Sirius asks, turning back to Harry in expectation.

"Reckon is the book he's clutching, Pads," Remus mumbles pointing at the leather journal in the boy's hands.

Sirius frowns. "Well, why haven't you?"

"It's just not that simple."

"What do you mean is not that simple?" James quizzes, sending his son an amused grin as he points at the object in his hands. "This is the perfect opportunity to chat with her, son, the perfect excuse to show her the Potter charisma."

"But... what do I tell her? Hey, here's your book, would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me?" Harry huffs, shaking his head.

James nods eagerly. "I used to ask your out mum that way, look where it got me."

"Right, Lily rejected you until the seventh year and even then it was a stretch." Sirius scoffs a barking laugh.

"Well, it work in the end, didn't it?"

"Don't trust your father, Harry," Remus told the boy earning an outraged 'Oi' from the man. "Just go there, tell her you found the book laying around and wanted to give it back, then later when you see her again, try and talk to her about Hogsmeade, and if all goes right all will happen in due time."

"Yeah, go on Harry." Ron encourages once again.

Harry looked back at where the girl was taking the sun, he took a silent deep breath, his ears catching the comment of reassurance from his father and uncle as he walked forward. By how nervous he felt it might seem like he was going off to war or something like that, it was even worse knowing that his father, uncles and friend were witnessing this.

But Ron was right. What's the worst that could happen? He already spoke with her once– well twice if you count the first year– it went fine, dare he even say it went fantastic, she even touch his face, she laughed with him and smile at him, so Harry has high hopes that today could also go brilliant.

Before he knew it, he was standing right in front of Love, her eyes gazing up at him in confusion, he would have noticed the odd look her friends gave to each other if he hadn't been too immersed in Love.

"Yes?" She asks, sending him a puzzled grin.

"I–" He gulps before clearing his throat, glancing down at the object in his hands. "I- I wanted to give this back to you."

"Is that my journal?" Love asks eyes going wide as she spotted the leather-bound book.

"I believe so unless there's another Love Emerson around." Harry chuckles nervously as he attempts to joke.

"Not that I know of," Love stood up, eyes going between the book and the boy as she gave him a dazzling smile. "I've gone mad from looking for it for weeks... where did you find it?"

"Uh, y-you know, around."

Love laughs softly, shaking her head and walking a bit closer to him. "Of course, I've been breaking my head searching for it but Harry Potter finds it easily."

Now, Harry would never use the term feeling butterflies in his stomach, he didn't believe it was real, sure, he feels his nervous system failing him whenever Love was around and how thinks he might have a heart attack when she looks his general direction, yet he doesn't think he ever felt the said butterflies, but now, having her so close– she smells like coconut and expensive perfume– and her saying his name did something new to him.

His brain froze, which cause him to drop the journal to Love's feet hardly making her wince.

Feeling his whole face heating up, Harry quickly bent over to pick it up muttering a few sorry's while at the same time, Love did the same which he hadn't noticed until he bent back up and felt something hard hit the back of his head.

"Oww." Love groaned.

Harry's eyes widen and his mouth went dry when he saw Love holding her nose between her hands while Padma Patil and her other friend stood up to look at the girl.

"Holy– are you okay?" Padma asked, glancing at Harry and then back at Love.

The girl muttered something which no one could understand due to the hands that were covering part of her mouth.

The short boy grabbed her wrist in an attempt to free them from her nose. "Let me see."

Love winced as she drop her hands. Harry felt his stomach drop dramatically down to his feet, though he felt something heavier falling too he didn't look down to check, he didn't care, he couldn't, not when he saw the blood on her nose, which was dripping to her white shirt, staining it. "Is it bad?"

For Godrics sake, this is all going horribly, when did things take this turn? His head didn't even hurt that bad.

"Love, I-I'm so sorry–" He took a step towards Love while making a nervous attempt to apologize for causing her a broken nose when his foot slid with something making him stumble forward, in Love's direction, the force in which his body stumbled against her pushed the girl backwards, the back of her knees colliding with the side of the fountain forcing her to drop down into the water with a gasp but not before her head hit the statue of an odd looking bird that was in the middle of the fountain.

"Love!!" Both her friends cried, quickly moving into action.

Padma entered the water to grab the girl and the boy helped her to pull Love out of the water. She had a bit of blood running down her head making Harry feel slightly dizzy.

"She's out."The boy said worriedly as Padma got out of the fountain.

"Let's take her to Madam Pomfrey." Remus was quick to arrive, he swiftly gather Love into his arms, not worried about getting wet one bit and picked her up, "Come on."

Love's friends quickly gather all of their things including the damn journal which was for some reason back on the floor and followed Remus inside the castle, the commotion had gathered a few spectators, but Harry couldn't be bothered, he froze, he felt his soul leave his body, he was close to weeping, he wanted to die right then and there, he wanted to go up to the astronomy tower and throw himself off, he wanted to—-

"Harry, come on, son." He felt his father grab him by the shoulders and take him away from where he was standing, back to where it all began.

Sirius let out a breath from his nose, looking at his nephew— who was still in shock—with a hand covering his mouth. "Well, that went...." he didn't finish, he couldn't he only let out a sigh.

"Awful?" Ron mumbled, cringing a bit.

"It'll be okay, Harry." James send his son a sympathetic look as he hesitated. "I'm sure she'll forgive you, y'know, once she wakes up."

Harry, finally snapping out of it, groaned loudly, both hands covering his face in shame, embarrassment, distress, anger, too many emotions to count but one thing was undeniably true, he fucked up.

A/N: Hope you enjoy it. Tell me what you think about it.

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