House: Gryffindor
Category: Bonus 2
Prompt: [Character] Demelza Robins
[Setting] Hogwarts Owlery
[Pet] Crookshanks
Word Count: 790 words, excluding header, author notes, and title.
Beta: CK and Tigger
A/N: This was written for The Houses Competition, Year 2 Bonus 2.
Christmas Snow, Mistletoe, and Balls of Fur
It was the first day of winter and a light sprinkling of snow layered the ground. Frost spider webbed along the glass panels of the windows. But that didn't stop Demelza from pressing her nose against the glass.
She was currently perched on one of the many window seats in the Gryffindor common room. Crookshanks, Hermione's cat, had made himself at home on her lap while she sat with her eyes trained out the large window. She didn't mind it though; Crookshanks always had a habit of appearing when Demelza needed courage, and she definitely needed courage today.
Classes had just finished for the winter holidays and most students were sleeping in, but not Demelza. Today was her last chance. Tomorrow she was going to be on a train back home for the holidays and she just knew that if she didn't do something about it today, it was going to ruin her whole break.
She absentmindedly stroked Crookshanks. He nestled into her lap even further and purred himself to sleep.
Her back was getting stiff from sitting so long in one position but she dared not get up; she didn't want to miss her chance. She began to bounce her leg up and down impatiently, causing Crookshanks to give her irritated glances.
She had been sitting there waiting for almost two hours. Maybe she had heard wrong? Maybe she was waiting for nothing?
She was about to leave her spot next to the window when she saw a black dot making its way across the ground. She quickly sprang to her feet, causing Crookshanks to fall to the ground with an angry yowl.
"Yes! I knew today would be the day!"
She rushed back to her dormitory and threw on her coat. She ran down the garland strung hallways and out the massive doors. This was it.
She was out of breath by the time she made it to the Owlery, her breath coming out in puffs. She tried to calm herself before she made her way up the stairs, but her heart was racing and her nerves were fluttering that she couldn't wait any longer, lest she talked herself out of walking up those last steps.
She burst through the doors, unaware that the orange cat had followed her, and let out a quiet gasp as she finally spotted Harry. He was sitting crumpled against the wall. His eyes were red and he looked broken and defeated.
"Harry," Demelza asked quietly, "Is everything alright?"
She slowly walked towards him, afraid that if she moved any faster he would startle and run away from her. She quietly sat down across from him, but he still didn't acknowledge her. He was just staring through her.
She shifted nervously, unsure of what to do. She had never seen Harry like this before. He always seemed so confident and sure of himself, but right now he just looked haunted.
A soft meow was heard and the fluffy cat leaped into Harry's lap. Out of habit, he began to stroke the cat, each swipe of his hand grounding him further and further to the present.
"Crookshanks?" Harry asked. "What are you doing here?"
"He followed me; he's been doing that a lot lately," Demelza said with a shrug.
"Followed you? Huh, what are you doing here?"
Demelza instantly blushed.
"Well, I wanted to talk to you," she said nervously. This was it.
"Yes?"
"Well… I.."
The flapping of wings could be heard in the distance. An owl flew into the Owlery, lightly cooing, and landed on a wooden perch. The owl was settling himself in when a ball of orange fur flew into the air.
"Crookshanks, no!" they both cried.
Sensing danger, the owl quickly flew away before Crookshanks could harm him.
Demelza scooped Crookshanks into her arms and began to scold him, but the sound of Harry's laughter startled her away from reprimanding the cat.
"Crookshanks always has a way of making me feel better, don't you, Crooks? Who knows how long I would have been up here shivering in the cold if you two didn't show up."
He took a step closer and stroked the cat's ear affectionately. At that moment, one of the enchanted mistletoes appeared right above them.
Demelza looked up at it with wide eyes before returning her gaze to Harry.
He smiled gently at her and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.
"Happy Christmas, Demelza!" He turned and walked out of the Owlery.
Demelza began to dance around with Crookshanks in her arms. She hadn't told Harry she liked him like she had originally planned, but she had received a kiss from him, which was even better.
"You somehow always know what I need, Crooks!"