A/N: This story is a secret santa present for Thalia over at the Golden Snitch Forum. I sincerely hope that you enjoy this one-shot. Happy Christmas! :)

I don't own Harry Potter, it solely belongs to J.K. Rowling!

Harry Potter had had enough. He was fed up with everything going on his life. He was tired and exhausted, and just wanted some much-needed rest along with a good night's sleep not filled with horrid nightmares. But as soon as he closed his eyes, his mind would flash frightening visions, sent to Harry by an over-crazy Dark Lord.

On top of all this, the toad lady had sworn to make Harry's life a living hell. Ron and Hermione had tried their very best to calm him and miserably tried to cheer up his dampened mood, but in his frustration, he had taken out all his pent-up anger on them.

So now Harry sat, all alone at the Astronomy Tower, wrapped up in a warm blanket on a chilly November night. He often came here because it was the only place where neither Umbridge nor Filch and his annoying cat would disturb him.

He stared at the night sky filled with thousands of too bright stars - so much in contrast to his dark and dull life. He was feeling immensely guilty of the way he treated his friends. It wasn't their fault that the Dark Lord wanted to kill him, or that Umbridge used blood quills to torture him, or that Snape loathed Harry with every fibre of his being, or that the Dursleys hated his very existence. It certainly wasn't their fault that Harry wasn't allowed to meet his godfather because of Sirius' murderer status. Ron and Hermione were just looking out for him like they had done every time.

Then why was Harry suddenly feeling so overwhelmed? Why was he getting annoyed and irritated by everything around him? What was happening to him?

Harry was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear approaching footsteps, nor did he see a figure observing him for far too long that could be considered comfortable.

"If you stay here any longer, there is a very high chance for you to catch a nasty cold."

Harry was startled out of his stupor at the sudden intrusion. Only then he saw the person standing next to him. She was a Slytherin from his year - Daphne was her name, Harry remembered. Without any invitation, she moved forward and took a comfortable seat beside him.

Harry didn't know how to react to the whole situation. In his short life, he hadn't interacted much with the opposite sex, and so he always felt nervous and uncomfortable around girls. Sure there was Hermione, but Harry saw her more like a 'bro' to him, as one would say. And then he always saw Ginny more like a younger sister. So, all in all, Harry could be considered useless in the girl's department or how to act around them.

"Why are you here all alone? I never thought that you could ever be separated from Weasley and Granger." Daphne asked in a very innocent tone, but Harry could see that she was teasing him which made him frown internally.

"I could ask you the same question. Why are you here?" Harry retorted but the blonde-girl didn't mind his change of demeanour.

"Fair enough," she hummed and then looked straight in the eyes while answering, "I didn't want to witness Draco and Pansy eating each other's face off. It gave me nightmares last time."

Despite trying his hardest to maintain a cold composure, Harry couldn't help but smile slightly at her callous statement.

Daphne returned the gesture before turning her face completely to his side, "now your turn to answer. What's gotten you so upset?"

"I don't know what to do. I'm just so tired all the time, and no one is believing the fact that the Dark Lord is back. I feel like the whole universe is conspiring against me, trying to make me feel pathetic and useless. I just don't know how to protect others when they won't even listen to me."

Harry didn't know why he was telling it to her of all people. Merlin, he didn't even know the girl, yet here he was, rambling away his sorrow like a five-year old so that it would ease the heavy burden on his shoulders.

Daphne listened to his ranting patiently. Never in a million years had she thought that she would witness the defeater of the Dark Lord breaking down. Maybe, she was wrong. Harry Potter was human too after all, and he like everyone, seemed to have reached his breaking point. She slowly put her hand on his and gave it a little squeeze in assurance - trying to convey that everything will eventually turn out fine if Harry gave himself a little more time. But poor Harry had always been so stupid around girls,

"How are your hands so warm?" As soon as he asked the question, Daphne started laughing, and Harry internally groaned at his stupidity. He swore he could hear Hermione shouting at him in his mind, saying something like, 'Harry! That is not how you talk to a girl. It is so inappropriate!'

"Warming charms," Daphne replied, quite amused at the whole situation.

"Oh right!" Harry nodded, sometimes he forgot that he was a wizard and could have used the charm to keep himself warm instead of the heavy blanket.

"I think you should give yourself and your friends a little more time," she suggested a solution to his problem. "Time heals everything, Harry, just don't stop believing in yourself and the ones you love."

The boy-who-lived took in every word. He realised how he owed Ron and Hermione a long apology. But the apology could wait for sometime, right now he wanted to know more about the girl sitting beside him. She wasn't like the others in her house - she was sweet, kind, funny and intelligent, and Harry was intrigued by her personality.

They spent the whole night talking and laughing. Harry wasn't sure if he had been this happy in a long time.

"Potter?"

"Yeah?" Harry looked straight at her when she called.

"Don't ever stop smiling. You look very cute with it."

He wasn't sure that the blush which appeared on his cheeks was because of the chilly weather or something else.