Chapter One
New Year's
People knew her only by name.
Serena was a pretty sixth-year Gryffindor with big, blue eyesthe colour of the Mediterranean Sea. She looked delicate, and reminded everyone of a porcelain doll. There was an air of subtle mystery about her, though not like the type that Luna Lovegood had. Most students in Hogwarts bullied Serena and trailed her around the school. They were the only ones who did.
Serena was not popular. She wasn't the leader of a clique, in fact, she never belonged to one. She was a loner, and people never gave her the time of day. The only person who had made her feel welcome at Hogwarts was Ginny Weasly. Serena blended in to the crowd when she was alone, but she stood out when followed by her crowd of bullies. Serena hated her life.
There was one person who noticed Serena. A tall, skinny boy with bright green eyes and a lightning bolt scar on his forehead. Harry Potter felt like he was in love. Actually he knew he was in love, the minute Ginny introduced them by the fire of the common room in late November, where he was doing his homework with Ron and Hermione.
"Harry, Ron, Hermione, this is Serena," Ginny said, sitting down next to Ron. "I've just rescued her from Pansy Parkinson's gang: they were making fun of her. Sit down, Serena." Ron, who's eyes were previously skimming the pages of 1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi, were glued to Serena's face. Harry looked up from his piece of parchment where he had been writing a letter to Fred and George Weasly. He felt that swooshing feeling he used to experience when he saw Cho.
"Hi," she mumbled and smoothed her skirt underneath her and sat in an armchair next to Harry, her arms around her knees, hugging them tightly.
"Hello," Ron said huskily, but before he could make a move, Ginny slapped his arm.
"Serena's had a hard day today," Ginny told the group quietly.
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell people about my private affairs, Ginny," she said, silent tears running down her face, mixing with her eye makup to make a black, gooey mess. Everyone was shocked by her boldness and that probably was the bravest thing she'd done since she admitted to Ginny her parents were recently tortured to insanity by Lord Voldemort.
"I'm sorry, Serena. I-"
"There's no need to apologise. I'll see you all at dinner." Serena stood up and stalked up the staircase to her dormitory.
Serena knew the only person who understood how she felt was Harry Potter. She started to talk to him more often, just to stare into his vivid green eyes or to experience a tightened, happy feeling in her stomach. They had became good friends and stayed up late together for hours talking. He confessed things he'd never talk about to Ron or Hermione.
"Hey, Serena!"
It had been a month since the meeting by the fire and Serena was climbing the staircase to the girl's dormitory when the sound of Harry's voice changed her mind. It was almost midnight. She wasn't going to bed yet, when Harry wanted to talk to her. He sounded so desperate, too.
Harry watched as Serena turned round and walked slowly downstairs. At last; he was looking for her for hours using the Marauders Map and now he had found her. Surprisingly, Serena wasn't at the new years party.
"Hi, Harry. What did you want?" Serena asked.
"I just um, wanted to see you. I haven't seen you all day."
"Yes you have. We sat together with your friends at lunch, remember?"
Idiot. Stupid fucking idiot.
"Uh, yeah. Sorry, I had lots of homework I had to do…" Harry slowed down at the end of his sentence. Serena had moved closer.
"Harry. What's wrong with you? You're always a bit shy when you're around me but you're more yourself when you're with other people. Has it got to do with me?" her voice broke. "That's what used to happen to other people when they were around me. When they were too embarrassed to be seen with me. Please don't be feeling that, Harry, It'd-"
Serena thought Harry did it to shut her up. It wasn't anything to do with that. He wanted to. After many nights of flirting and pouring out his secrets, he could bear it no longer. There was one secret he never told her, and he was telling her it now. He wanted her to know how he was feeling. He didn't know she felt the same way.
How long they were standing with their arms around each other, locked in a passionate kiss they never knew, nor cared. Finally, they broke apart. Harry stared into Serena's eyes and whispered "Happy New Year."