FOREWARNING: This chapter will contain explicit mature themes.
Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are NOT mine!
Chapter Twenty-Two: A Serene Seventeenth
MiaPOV
"MURDER! MURDER IN THE BATHROOM! MURDER!"
It wasn't until Moaning Myrtle started screaming that Mia was shaken out of the stupor she was in and—almost completely on auto pilot—she hurried forward through the water, her feet splashing against the ground. She dropped down to her knees, besides Malfoy, whose hands were grasping desperately at his chest, which was still oozing blood profoundly, his face scarlet.
"Malfoy, stay still, do you understand me?" Mia ordered firmly, trying not to show the panic that was rising inside of her. Her mind took a few seconds to scramble about, thinking of which spell she could possibly do to help him, until it settled on something she remembered Madame Pomfrey using when Mia had gotten seriously hurt a few years ago. She never attempted to perform the spell herself, but there was absolutely no room for doubt right now. As Myrtle continued screaming, Mia pulled out her wand, took a steadying breath, and ever so gently started to trace it across the deep wounds over his body.
"Vulnera Sanentur," she spoke slowly, the words coming out more like a song. "Vulnera Sanentur."
Mia repeatedly the incantation a couple more times, never losing the flow of the spell. Even when the door to the bathroom burst open, she refused to look over and see who it was, keeping her concentration on the boy in front of her.
"Thatcher—"came Snape's venomous hiss.
"No, she's helping him!" Harry's terrified voice came from somewhere behind her.
"Vulnera Sanentur," Mia breathed out, ignoring the commotion. Each time she said it, she was relieved to see that the blood flow slowed down until it stopped altogether, and the wounds had finally knitted themselves together. Her entire body slumped at this and she let out a weak sound of relief as she carefully helped Malfoy begin to sit up, murmuring for him to take it easy and go slow. Then, Snape came over to them and moved Mia out of the way so that he could help Malfoy stand up the rest of the way, noting that he needed to go to the Hospital Wing immediately. The potions master guided Malfoy across the room, but when he reached the door, he looked back over his shoulder at Harry, a cold fury on his face and his dark eyes glinting as he ordered him to stay put, along with Mia. Once they were gone, there was nothing but the sound of running water and Myrtle's continued wailing from above. Looking down at herself, Mia saw that she was soaked and her clothes were stained with blood. The true horror of what just happened was settling in, the adrenaline she felt at moving hastily to help Malfoy was starting to leave her, and she felt her hands shake. There was just so much blood in the water. So much blood…
"Mia," Harry said, his voice sounding small. "Mia, I—"
"Don't," Mia warned him. "Don't."
The minutes seemed to pass at a snail's pace as the two of them remained in the bathroom, waiting for Snape to come back and release his wrath upon them. Mia wordlessly placed her wand back into her pocket after a while, and she slowly got back to her feet, not wanting to keep kneeling in the crimson water any longer. She couldn't get Malfoy's bloody, terrified face out of her head, and it caused her to shiver. Harry stood off to the side, pale and seemingly still in horrified disbelief at what he did, and while he obviously wanted to say something, at Mia's expression, he kept silent. Sooner than either one of them would have liked, Snape did return, banging open the door with just as much ferocity as before, his robes billowing behind him as he strode towards them, his face lethal. He snapped at Myrtle to leave, to which she did without question, disappearing into the depths of her toilet.
"Mia had nothing to do with this!" Harry spoke up instantly. "She was trying to help Malfoy—I was the one who cast the spell, but I didn't mean for this to happen! I didn't know what that spell would do."
"Silence, Potter!" Snape snarled before turning his attention towards Mia. "Thatcher, start speaking, now. And it is in your very best interests that you do not even think about lying to me."
Mia, still shivering, swallowed thickly before she began talking, her own voice now coming out small.
"I was on my way back to the common room. When I came close to the bathroom, I heard the sounds of fighting, and Harry and Malfoy trying to curse each other. I came in, and Malfoy, he…he was on the ground, bleeding…there was so much blood…I went over to help him, I couldn't figure out which spell to use, I just tried something Madame Pomfrey used on me once, I just—I wanted to stop the bleeding."
By the time she was done speaking, Mia's throat had become painfully tight, and she remained quiet while Snape's eyes seemed to bore into her very soul, searching for any trace of deceit. After a moment of glaring at her, his mouth twisted into an unpleasant look and he turned his sneer towards Harry.
"You are extremely fortunate that your girlfriend is competent and reliable, Potter. Otherwise, I can assure you, I would make sure you would be escorted from this castle in chains. Go and get yourself cleaned up, girl," he ordered, facing Mia again. "And you do not leave your common room for the remainder of the night. Am I clear?"
"Yes, sir," Mia whispered. She left the bathroom, glancing over at Harry apprehensively before she shut the door behind her. There was no doubt that Snape was going to let Harry have it, and Mia was positive that whatever punishment that was handed out was not going to be pretty. What was Harry thinking, using that spell? He could be expelled for this! If Malfoy suffers from any permanent damage, there could be severe consequences. And all from a damn spell in the Prince's book that Harry decided to test out. Renewed with a vicious hate for the wretched book, Mia hurriedly made her way through the corridors to go up to Gryffindor Tower, doing her best to ignore the stunned and shocked stares she received due to her wet and bloody clothes. Even when she finally reached the portrait hole entrance, the Fat Lady was astonished at her current state and although she appeared itching to ask what had happened, one look at Mia's distraught face had her falling silent as she opened up for her. Thankfully, not everyone was back yet from dinner, so she didn't have to endure as many stares and whispers as she practically flew through the common room and up the stairs leading to the dormitories. In mere seconds, she entered the room, threw off the clothes that were sticking to her skin, and made her way into the showers.
The hot, steaming water felt wonderful, and once she rushed through the get any remnants of blood off of herself, she took extra time washing, her movements slow. She wanted to forget everything that had happened within the past half hour, but that was much easier said then done. Harry nearly killed Malfoy tonight, with a curse he didn't understand. The thought made Mia's heart break, and she wished more than ever that she had just followed her instincts and just tossed, or burned the Half-Blood Prince's book months ago. And as much as she hated Malfoy most times, she really hoped that he was going to be all right after all of this. No one deserves to be on the receiving end of that spell. How long Mia stood in the shower for, she couldn't say, but she knew it was long enough to where she could run out of hot water any moment if she didn't get out soon. Therefore, she finally stepped out and dried herself off before slipping into her bathrobe. When she opened the door leading back into the main room, she was surprised to see that Ginny was waiting for her, sitting on her bed.
"Hey," Ginny said.
"Hey," Mia said back, glancing around for the clothes she had threw carelessly on the floor.
"I got rid of them for you," Ginny explained. "I figured you probably didn't want to look at them right now."
"You know, don't you?" Mia sighed as she came forward to join her on the bed. "That was fast."
"You can thank Moaning Myrtle for that," Ginny stated as she moved over to make room for Mia. "She started popping up in almost every bathroom in the school to spread what happened. And I wouldn't be surprised if Snape lets the rest of the staff know within the next hour. You know how much of a gossip he is."
"Do Ron and Hermione know as well?" Mia asked.
"Of course they do," Ginny replied. "Hermione is chewing Harry out downstair as we speak."
"I guess I was up here longer than I thought," Mia mumbled.
"Something tells me that you needed it," Ginny commented, her face becoming sympathetic as she placed a comforting hand on Mia's shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"I think I will be, but right now I'm still a little freaked out," Mia admitted. "I just—it's not as though I haven't seen something like that before. I've seen people hurt last year when we were at the Ministry, but this was different. Malfoy had this look in his eyes, and he sounded like he was trying to suck in as much air as possible. His blood was everywhere and I just…I didn't know what to do."
"Yes, you did," Ginny said. "You saved his life, Mia. It was very brave of you."
"I didn't even know what I was doing until I was actually doing it, you know? I just can't believe that Harry did that."
"You know that he would never have used that spell if he had any idea of what it did," Ginny stated. "Malfoy was trying to use an Unforgivable Curse on him, right? From what I see, Harry was trying to defend himself. He just used the wrong spell to do it."
"But it came from that damn book," Mia argued. "We've been telling him for months to turn it in, or to get rid of it—"
"And if he had, my brother would be dead," Ginny reminded with a frown, causing Mia to fall silent. "He wouldn't have remembered about the Bezoar, and Ron would have died from the poison. And it's not as if the Prince had made any special notes for the spell anyway. He didn't exactly describe it, or warn people not to use it."
"I'm grateful that Harry was able to save Ron because of it," Mia sighed after a moment of thought. "I truly am. And I know Harry is happy that he is doing better in Potions class. But knowing that something in that book caused fatal harm to someone, and had Harry use such Dark magic, it makes me scared. I was too late to help when it happened to you, Gin, and I don't want it to happen again."
"I know you don't," Ginny said, her features softening again. "But don't judge Harry too harshly for this. He made a mistake, and I highly doubt he's going to make it again. Trust me, I'm sure he's beating himself up over it. It's something that he's going to have to live with."
Mia nodded, knowing that Ginny was right. Yes, she was upset that Harry had harmed Malfoy in such a horrible way, but she knew that he never meant for it to happen. Besides, Malfoy did attempt to use the Cruciatus Curse on Harry, and if he had succeeded, Mia had to admit to herself that her response would not have been much better. Just then, Mia and Ginny's conversation was interrupted by the dormitory door opening, and Rachel stuck her head in, her face apologetic.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "But Professor McGonagall wants to see you, Mia. She's outside the portrait entrance."
Mia made a face, really not wanting to have to go over the story again, but she knew better by now that she should not disobey an order from her Transfiguration Professor. With another quiet sigh, Mia stood up from the bed, and Ginny followed her down to the common room, where she saw that there was a lot more people, most of them muttering low to each other. She was surprised to hear that a commotion was going on outside of the entrance, and it only took her a couple of seconds to recognize McGonagall's infuriated, loud voice ranting from out in the corridor. After a quick glance around the room, Mia saw that Harry was not sitting with Rom or Hermione on the sofa, and she immediately knew what was going on. Ginny patted her shoulder, and then went to go over and join the others while Mia made her way through the portrait hole, opening it slowly to see Harry and McGonagall on the other side.
"—lucky that you were not expelled!" the older witch exclaimed, her eyes blazing while Harry had his shame-filled face turned down to the floor. "What in Merlin's name were you thinking Potter?! Professor Snape had every right to assign you those detentions, you should be grateful it's not something worse! I would have expected better from you!"
"Professor?" Mia piped up, making her presence known. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes, yes," McGonagall replied, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself. "Thank you for coming, Miss Thatcher. You may go now, Potter."
Harry, looking dejected, nodded silently and then left to go back into the common room. Once he was gone, Mia turned to face McGonagall, wringing her hands nervously.
"Professor Snape has informed me of your actions tonight, Miss Thatcher," McGonagall started. "It is my understanding that it is due to you that Mr. Malfoy is still alive and currently healing."
"I—I—" Mia stuttered, not really sure what to say. "I know I shouldn't have used a healing spell like that when I've never done it before. I could have made it worse. I'm sorry, Professor, I should have waited."
"If you had, I'm sure we would be speaking under very different circumstances," McGonagall countered. "It was very noble of you, and I must say that as your head of house, I am exceptionally proud. You have earned thirty points for Gryffindor, Miss Thatcher. No, do not try to object—it is well deserved."
After speaking with McGonagall for a few more minutes, Mia was excused to go back into the common room, and she honestly wasn't sure if she deserved the praise and points. No matter how much she hated Malfoy most times, there was no way she could let him bleed to death. She just did what anyone else would do. When she walked back into the room, she saw that her friends were crowded together in front of the fireplace, with Hermione and Ginny arguing quietly with one another while the boys looked on. Harry himself was sitting on the floor in front of the hearth, and when he caught sight of Mia making her way over towards them, he straightened up and looked as though he were about to stand. However, Mia held up a hand, signaling for him to stop his movements. She took her seat on the floor right next to him, and then wordlessly placed her head on his shoulder. There was a brief moment of silence between them as Mia gazed into the empty fireplace.
"I never meant for that to happen," Harry eventually whispered. "I didn't realize what the spell would do."
"I know," Mia whispered back, gently. "You shouldn't have used an unknown offensive spell, Harry."
"I just…"
"But you were right to defend yourself against an Unforgivable," Mia continued on. "Just promise me that you will never do that again, and that you will be more responsible when it comes to that book."
"I promise," Harry murmured, reaching for Mia's hand and letting out a relieved sigh when she allowed him to entwine their fingers. "I'm sorry, Mia."
"It's okay," she said, closing her eyes and letting herself deflate for the first time since finding Harry and Malfoy in the bathroom.
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Dear Mia,
How are you doing? I really, really miss you! Sirius said that I could send you your birthday gift early to make sure you got it on time, I really hope you like it. We got it in Diagon Alley, he took me there for ice cream and we had a lot of fun. He got me a new toy from Fred and George's store, I can't wait to show you! He turned into a doggy yesterday and we played in the backyard together, but we did get really muddy.
I love you Mia!
-Brian
Mia smiled to herself as she read through Brian's letter. She noticed his handwriting had improved, so she assumed that his lessens with Sirius were going well. There was a picture included with the letter, showing what she could only guess was Brian and Sirius, in his Animagus form, running in the yard, with a brilliant orange sun and red trees. There was also a package, which held the gift he picked out for her, but she decided to wait until her actual birthday, which was only one day away. Placing the letter back inside her bag, Mia brought her attention back to the view of the late afternoon sun, which was dwindling just beyond the clouds that were drifting low over the horizon. Her last class of the day had ended early, so she decided to head down to the boathouse for some peace and quiet while Harry and the others were finishing up their own lessens. She was sitting on the steps, with her feet resting where water met stone, the ripples lapping at her skin.
This was one of her favorite spots on the grounds, where she could gaze out across the water of the lake, hear the creaking of the wooden boats as they rocked gently, and bask in the sunlight that would shine through the gigantic glass windows behind her that stretched from one corner to the other. It truly was astounding seeing just how small the boats looked to her now. Was there really a time when she sat in one of them so easily along with three other people? Moving across the lake and setting her eyes upon the most magnificent castle in the entire world? It all seemed mad but at the same time, so very endearing. Now, she was less than twenty four hours away from finally turning seventeen and it was very surreal. The thought created mixed feelings, but she was very grateful that it no longer caused her tremendous grief as it had for the past several weeks. Mia continued sitting on the steps, letting the cool water soak her feet, until she was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of the door to the boathouse opening. She turned her head and raised herself a little higher to get a better view of the main platform, and she smiled when she saw Harry closing the door behind him.
"How did you find me?" she asked as he came over towards her.
"Well, if you're not in the library, blowing up the dormitory or reading by the willow, I know you like to come down here," Harry explained, shrugging out of his robes and placing it alongside Mia's on a bench close to the windows. Then, he came down to take a seat on the step behind her, using the height difference to his advantage and tilting her chin upward to kiss her.
"Very funny," she said when they separated, rolling her eyes. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"
"Up in the common room, I said we'd meet them at dinner," Harry replied. "How was your art class?"
"It was good, I turned in my project, and Professor Frendell really liked it. We only have to worry about studying for our exams, now."
"Which you'll pass with flying colors, no doubt."
Mia chuckled a little at Harry's intentional pun and thanked him as she leaned against his leg, getting herself comfortable on her makeshift pillow.
"Have you gone back for the book, yet?" she asked him after several minutes of content silence.
"No," Harry answered. "Snape's been itching to catch me with it. It won't be safe until he calls off the hunt."
"And knowing him, that won't be until the beginning of next year," Mia added. "Is he still having you go through those detention boxes for Filch?"
"Every Saturday like clockwork, probably up until we graduate," Harry sighed dejectedly.
"He wouldn't be Snape if he didn't savor in your suffering," Mia commented. "I still can't believe he made you miss the Quidditch Cup, the greasy git."
"At least we won," Harry reminded her.
"I know, I just wish that you could have at least been able to watch it," Mia stated. "Ron and Ginny were phenomenal. I'm pretty sure if smiting was still a thing, they would have done it to Ravenclaw."
"You didn't do that thing where you stare and smile at Lucy and Jenna during your study group the next day, did you?"
"Can I help it if I'm exceptionally proud of my house team?" Mia asked innocently. "Especially the captain, even if he was out of commission. It was the best early birthday gift ever."
"What am I going to do with you?"
"Shower me with praise and sugar quills."
"Anything else?"
"Kisses would be nice, I like them."
It was Harry's time to roll his eyes, but he did so with a greatly amused smile. The two of them sat talking together for a while longer, going over the details once again from Gryffindor's triumph at the game, to their upcoming exams for the end of the year. They only stopped when the sun's descent over the surrounding hills became more prominent, and Mia knew it would be time for dinner soon. Therefore, she accepted Harry's hand to help her stand up out of the water and walk up the steps over to where they left their robes and bags on the bench.
"Are you looking forward to tomorrow?" he asked.
"More than I was before," Mia admitted. "And you promise you and the others are not planning anything?"
"I swear, we are not throwing you a surprise party," Harry told her. "Much to Ron's disappointment. He was hoping to pay you back for all the times you woke us up with confetti and fireworks at the crack of dawn."
"I'll make it up to him," Mia laughed. "Honestly Harry, all I need is a day with you, Ron and Hermione. That would be perfect."
"If that's what you want, that's what we'll do," Harry assured her. Mia smiled and then leaned in to press her lips against his, humming softly at the warmth they provided. She could feel Harry smile into the kiss, and he used one hand to cup her face, and the other to place at her hip. With gentle prodding, Mia was able to deepen the kiss, and when she did, she felt a very familiar feeling flare up in the pit of her stomach. One that she hasn't felt in quite some time, and the force of its sudden appearance almost knocked her clean off her feet. Feeling bold, she put more heat into their kiss, her hands trailing up his chest and backing them up until Harry made contact with the window. Harry's hand tightened at her hip and he groaned when Mia moved her lips over to his neck.
"Wait, love," he breathed out sharply.
"What is it?" Mia asked him, moving so she could face him. "Is something wrong? Do you not want…"
"Oh yes, I do," he quickly reassured her. "I just knew that you needed time. With everything that you've been through the past couple of months, there was no way I would even spring this on you if you weren't ready. I thought it best to wait a while, have you take the initiative. And…"
"And?"
"The potion," Harry reminded. "Like I said, you've been through a lot. It's understandable if your mind has been preoccupied, and forgot about it."
Mia couldn't help but smile lovingly at Harry's words, her heart feeling incredibly warm. Even in the midst of things, he was still thinking about her, and if this was something she was comfortable doing.
"Oh Harry," she said, giving him a peck on the lips. "I don't know how I ever got so lucky with you. It means so much that you're willing to match my pace. I promise, this is definitely what I want, what I'm ready for. As far as your other concern goes…"
A wicked smirk played across Mia's lips as she trailed one hand down Harry's front, groping the hardening bulge in his pants and taking great satisfaction in hearing him inhale sharply, tensing. She pressed herself up against him so their chests were touching, and moved her lips so they were right next to his ear while her free hand began loosening his tie.
"I started taking the potion again over a week ago," she purred.
That seemed to be enough for Harry, because in seconds he latched his lips to hers with renewed vigor, putting just as much heat into it as she had only minutes ago. In one smooth, swift moment, he spun them around so that Mia was now the one with her back pressed against the glass of the windows. A pleasurable fog started to invade her brain, clouding her senses as Harry moved from her lips down to her sensitive spot on her neck, suckling at her skin and making her squirm while his hands traveled everywhere they could reach on her body. Wetting her lips, Mia made quick work of his tie, and also gently removed his glasses to place them on top of a nearby wooden crate. Then, she undid the buttons on Harry's shirt with trembling hands, wasting no time in shoving it off his shoulders so she could trace her hands over his bare skin, reveling in it.
God, it's been too long. In turn, Harry removed her own white blouse and she swore she saw his eyes turn a darker shade of green, a predatory and lustful look in them as he gazed at her chest. To her delight, he lowered his face and started leaving wet kisses along her breasts, his teeth nipping at her skin here and there. She closed her eyes, savoring the sensation it gave her while trying to remember how to breathe properly. During all of this, one of Harry's hands slid up her thigh, underneath her skirt, and easily found it's way to where she was aching for him the most. Mia moaned loudly as he skillfully began rubbing her center, gasping as he inserted one of his fingers. Sweet Merlin, how she loved it when he used his hands. He started a torturous, slow rhythm, and Mia carded her fingers through his unruly black hair, tugging lightly when he brushed up against that deliciously sweet spot inside of her, whimpering slightly while his lips traveled back up along her neck, his free hand massaging her breasts through her bra.
"Tell me what you want, love," Harry hummed, and she could feel his lips pulled into a smirk. Mia tried to answer with a snarky, impatient remark, but at that moment she felt another finger enter her and her words seemed to die in her throat and she tossed her head back against the glass, pressing her thighs closer to create more of that blissful friction. Her voice was nothing but undistinguishable noise as Harry continued his slow, steady pace.
"Tell me," he urged.
"I want you," Mia gasped when she was finally able to manage words. "I need you, Harry, please!"
After she spoke, Harry brought her in for a brief kiss and removed his fingers from her, causing Mia to whimper again at the loss. In seconds, she felt her underwear being pulled down her legs, and she carefully stepping out of them while Harry undid his belt. Through half lidded eyes, Mia watched Harry push down his pants and boxers enough so that his member was out, however when she reached forward to take hold of it, he caught hold of her wrist and pushed it against the window beside her.
"Another time, love," he practically growled, huskily. There was no denying the excited thrill that pulsed through her at Harry's words, and being pinned against the window at his mercy made her want him even more. During times when they were intimate, they both found pleasure in teasing one another, finding satisfaction in seeing them writhe and come undone under their ministrations. However, as she gazed into his darkened, emerald irises, she knew they had come to a mutual agreement. There would be other times for prolonged teasing—right now, he needed her as much as she needed him. Releasing her wrist, Harry bunched up Mia's skirt along her thighs before grasping them and lifted her up, allowing her to immediately latch her legs around his waist, pressing the two of them close together. She grabbed hold of his shoulder with one hand, and used the other to tangle her fingers in his hair again, her lips swollen, and her chest heaving.
For a short moment, they stared at each other, neither speaking, but their eyes did all the talking for them. Mia tilted her head to steal another kiss, putting as much love as she could into it. She broke the kiss with a gasp as she felt Harry begin to push himself into her, feeling electric sparks run through her body as he stretched her inch by inch, moving slowly. Her grip on his shoulder tightened as Harry withdrew and then slid back in a couple more times, allowing her to get accustomed to him being inside of her again after so long. Soon, he was fully sheathed inside of her and he paused, giving her time to get used to him. Thankfully, it didn't take long at all, and once she collected herself, Mia lowered her lips back to his ear and whispered only one word.
"Move."
Without any further encouragement, Harry gripped her thighs tighter, pulled out until only the head of his member was still inside, and then thrusted back in, a pleasured hiss escaping him while Mia moaned. Her head fell back against the window as Harry thrusted in and out of her, using slow, but powerful strokes, and causing her to slide slightly up and down the glass with each movement. He hid his face in the crook of her neck, occasionally peppering it with kisses, and grinding his pelvis into hers with each thrust, driving Mia absolutely mad. Gradually, Harry started increasing his pace, moving faster and harder, resulting in Mia's moans growing louder. At one point, he angled his hips to where he hit her sweet spot and Mia gave a sharp cry of pure pleasure, tugging at his hair. Feeling him grin against her neck, Mia could do nothing but hold on as Harry hit that spot again, and again, drawing forth sensual sounds from her mouth. There was a familiar sensation building up inside of her, threatening to explode, and it caused her to start clenching her muscles around him.
"God, yes," she heard Harry whisper, his tone and hot breath nearly making her melt.
"Harry, I—I'm—" I'm so close!
Instantly, Harry's thrusts became even more powerful and he removed one of his hands from Mia's thighs so he could reach down in between them and use his thumb to rub frantically against her little bundle of nerves.
"Come for me, Mia."
That was all it took for the dam to completely burst. Mia closed her eyes as the amazing convulsions of her orgasm rippled throughout her body, her back arching and her legs holding Harry flush against her as a shout of utter surrender left her lips. Her muscles clamped down hard on Harry's member, but that didn't deter him as he continued thrusting, his movements more erratic as he tried to chase after his own orgasm. Within seconds, he came with a loud moan of her name, riding out his climax as he emptied himself into her.
Once the heavenly feeling was over and left their system, the two of them finally stilled, taking some time to catch their breaths as they came down from their high. Mia's heart was calming down from its frantic thumping, and her body went a little slack in Harry's hold, suddenly feeling drained. A thin layer of sweat coated their skin, but she honestly couldn't care less. Her boyfriend still had his face nestled against her neck and she absentmindedly began tracing her fingers along his arm.
"I was wrong," she murmured after a period of comfortable silence. "This was the best early birthday gift ever."
Harry blew out a chuckle at this, and placed a tender kiss on her shoulder. Then, he slowly pulled himself out of her before gently setting her back on the ground. For a moment, Mia thought that her knees would buckle and give way, but after holding on to Harry for balance, she was able to keep herself upright. When Harry pulled his pants back up and fastened his belt again, he cupped Mia's face with his hand, running his thumb across her cheek while giving her an adoring smile.
"I love you, Mia," he said.
"I love you too," she replied, returning his smile with one of her own before they sealed their words with a soft, loving kiss. After spending a little time kissing and embracing each other, they decided it was time for them to head back up to the castle before anyone came looking for them. Therefore, once they both got fully dressed and grabbed their belongings, Mia and Harry left the boathouse and began climbing the long staircase that would lead them back up to the courtyard outside the Entrance Hall, walking hand in hand.
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The morning of May the twenty-sixth dawned bright and early through the windows of the girl's dormitory, casting a sliver of light through the gap in the curtains of Mia's four poster. She laid there under the blankets, watching the thin ray of light as it slowly crawled over her legs, attempting to cover her with its warm glow. A part of her was still considering just staying right where she was, but another part of her knew that it wasn't going to be an option. It was finally her seventeenth birthday, and even though she couldn't help but feel a bit sad, she couldn't let her mood damper the day for her friends. She knew they would respect her wishes when it came to her birthday, but she also knew that they were looking forward to it, just as she had for each one of their own birthdays in the past. Also, she knew that deep down her parents would not want her to wallow on such an important occasion.
Therefore, after a while of losing herself in her thoughts, she sighed softly before sitting up, taking a nice long stretch and untangling herself from the sheets. When she opened up her curtains, her eyes went wide at the sight of a huge pile of brightly colored parcels at the foot of her bed on top of her trunk, all towered so high it partially blocked the view of Parvati's bed on the opposite side of the room. Mia's expression twisted into one of complete disbelief as she openly gaped at the amount of presents that were awaiting her, and she blinked a few times before she closed her mouth, hardly believing what she was seeing. She turned her head over towards Hermione's bed, where the young witch was already sitting up against her pillows, with Crookshanks nestled in her arms. Hermione smiled at Mia, carefully setting her cat down and petting his head before she stood up and walked over.
"It's about time you woke up," she playfully chastised. Once Hermione took a seat next to Mia, she immediately wrapped her arms around her in a hug, squeezing her shoulders.
"Happy birthday, Mia," she said.
"Thank you, Mione," Mia muttered back, not being able to help the smile that came across her face as she returned the hug. "Did you guys really do this?"
"You said that we were not allowed to have a big party for your birthday," Hermione reminded as they released each other. "You didn't say anything about us not giving you any gifts. Although, there would really be no point, because we would have ignored you and did it anyway."
"You are the worst, Hermione Granger."
"Well, after being friends with you for so long, what did you expect?"
"You may as well give up, Mia," Parvati said as she came out of the shower room, already dressed for the day and tying her dark hair back into a long braid. "You know you're not going to win."
"And she shouldn't," Rachel's voice piped up from behind her own curtains. "Six years of being woken up at the crack of dawn, getting confetti stuck in our hair, and nearly setting our room on fire from fireworks, she's lucky that I wasn't in charge of her birthday wake up call! I've been denied of my revenge!"
"You and the whole of Gryffindor Tower, Rachel," Parvati laughed. "Get over it."
In turn, Rachel stuck her head out from her curtains, proceeded to stick her tongue out at Parvati, and then sent a half-hearted, playful glare in Mia's direction.
"Happy birthday, Thatcher," she said.
"Thank you, Collins," Mia countered with an amused grin.
"All right, come on, Mia," Hermione laughed as she stood up and started placing some of Mia's gifts in her hands. "I promised Harry and Ron that you wouldn't open your gifts without them."
Smiling to herself, Mia got up and slid her slippers onto her feet. She took the other half of her presents in her arms and after thanking Parvati for the birthday wishes, both Mia and Hermione made their way down the staircase of their dorm and proceeded to head up the one that would take them to Harry and Ron's room. Upon reaching the door, Hermione tapped it with her foot a couple of times and only a minute later, they were let inside by Seamus, who chuckled at the sight of them.
"I think this is our cue to leave now, mate," he said over his shoulder to Dean.
"You would be correct," Hermione stated as she strode into the room with Mia in tow. "Privileged personnel, only."
"Ouch," Dean chuckled. Mia giggled under her breath and scanned the room to see Harry and Ron, still in their sleeping clothes, sitting atop their beds. Neville was still in the room as well, already dressed for the day, and he was standing near his bed with a large pot that was filled with fully bloomed Moondew, their white petals simply beautiful and there was a large red bow tied around the front of the pot, where the words Happy Birthday Mia was painted. The sight of it made Mia's heart grow warm.
"I couldn't wrap it up," Neville explained sheepishly. "So, I thought it was best to give it to you in person."
"Oh Neville, it's lovely!" Mia gushed as she put her load down and then came forward to accept the thoughtful gift. "Thank you, so much!"
Neville's face went red at her words, and even more so when she gave him a tight one-armed hug in appreciation. Once Neville, Dean, and Seamus made their departure, Harry came over and greeted Mia with an embrace and a lingering kiss to the lips.
"Happy birthday, love," he murmured.
"Thank you, Harry," she said, her smile still on her face.
"Come on Mia, open your presents!" Ron insisted, draping his legs over the foot end of his bed with an eager grin plastered on his face.
"Ron, so help me, if there is a Fizzing Whizbee in one of these boxes ready to jump out at me…"
"Do I look like Fred or George?"
"They would know better," Hermione said as she passed the first gift into Mia's hands.
And so, the first part of Mia's morning was spent with her boyfriend and dearest friends, opening up all the wonderful presents from all of her friends. After some time with opening one parcel after another, Evie was happy to discover so many incredible presents that included a pair of pretty Occamy earrings, a brand new bottle of her favorite perfume, a wooden winged horse, and a hardback, sky blue journal that came with its own swan quill, with embroidery on the front in the shape of a snowflake, with several smaller snowflakes around it. Mia also received several hand drawn pictures from Brian, along with mood ring that he had won in a Muggle arcade that Sirius recently took him too. Of course, the ring was really meant form small children, but Mia didn't care in the least, immediately placing it on her pinky finger, watching it slowly change to lilac, which she would assume meant happy. She stared at it for a moment, loving the fact that Brian won this for her, and promised herself to always wear it.
Moving on, Mia was passed another present, this one very small and wrapped in red with a tiny ribbon. It turned out to be from Sirius, and when she had the paper ripped off, Mia opened the box and gasped at what was inside.
It was another ring, however, it was obvious that this was no toy ring from an arcade. This ring was absolutely stunning, made from what appeared to be sterling silver, with a twig and leaf design on the front of the band, encircling a beautiful rainbow moonstone in the very center. Mia was positively speechless as she took the ring out of the box to inspect it, and she gasped when she saw that on the underside of the ring, there was a crest. And not just any crest, but the Black family crest. She recognized it from the family tree that was at Grimmauld Place when they had spent the summer there before fifth year. The only difference was, the family motto "Toujours Pur" was nowhere to be seen. There was a letter that came along with the ring and Mia hastily started reading it.
Dear Mia,
Happy Birthday! I'm hoping that you are enjoying your day so far, because I gave explicit instructions for Harry to make sure of it. I know that this will be a difficult day for you, but remember, you still have so many people who love you and I'm sure your parents would rather you be happy instead of grieving for them.
Now, I'm sure you might be confused as far as your gift goes. Tonks told me how you managed to get the cup that Mundungus took from my old house at the start of the year. I'm honestly not surprised, and at first I didn't really think much of it. However, I started thinking that maybe that old heirloom could become of some use. After some time, I decided to have the goblins at Gringotts melt down the cup and turn it into gifts that I intended for you and Harry. Please don't tell him, I will give him his present for his seventeenth.
I know I never really said it outright to you Mia, but I see you as part of my family. I wanted you to have something that conveys just how much I mean that.
Enjoy your day, and I will be looking forward to seeing you and Harry soon.
—Sirius
Mia was utterly speechless, and she could feel her chest growing incredibly warmer at the touching gift, understanding just how much this meant for Sirius to give her something like this.
"It's beautiful," Hermione admired with a smile.
"It is," Mia agreed, before turning to look at Harry. "Are you upset at all?"
"No," Harry reassured her with a shake of his head. "I know that if things were different, I would have been living with Sirius permanently by now. I know he cares for me just as much."
Harry's sincere words made Mia smile, and she couldn't wait until it was Harry's birthday so he could see that Sirius had a similar gift planned for him as well. Once Mia slipped the ring on her middle finger, she gazed at it for a moment and then continued on unwrapping the last of her gifts. Of course, from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Mia got an assortment of delicious treats, as well as a lovely framed magical picture of Ben and Catherine, smiling and waving at her from the bench in the backyard garden. Catherine tried to get up, but Ben playfully pulled her back down next to him in order to place a kiss on her cheek. They flower beds next to them were in full bloom, so this had to be at some point between the start of summer and before Mia had come home for the holidays. Mia stared down at them, at their smiling faces, and somehow, instead of feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness like she expected, and felt her love for them swell up inside of her. They were so happy, so in love, and seeing it in their faces was enough to remind Mia that it still lived on in both her, and her brother.
Blinking back her tears, she gently passed the picture to Harry, knowing he would like to see it as well. The next box she opened was Ron's, who supplied her with a huge load of Honeyduke's sweets, which included all of her absolute favorites. He also got her a large quilt with the Holyhead Harpies colors and insignia sewn onto it. Mia thanked him profusely, instantly unraveling the quilt and covering herself with a giddy smile on her face. From Hermione, she received a charm bracelet very much like the one Mia had given her for her birthday back in September, with a few different charms dangling from it.
And finally, from Harry she received two gifts. One was a beautiful, Peter Pan themed wooden musical keepsake box, with the words "Second star to the right, and straight on 'til morning," carved on the lid, with miniature pixies adorning all four sides, and when she opened it, a lovely tune floated out of it. Mia gushed over the thoughtful gift and she positively beamed over at Harry, thanking him. The second, and final gift was wrapped in soft blue paper, and when Mia tore it away, she discovered a leather bound album with the letters "M" and "H" stamped across the cover, woven together in a fancy script. Once she opened the album, her mouth dropped open and her eyes went wide. Staring back at her, from every page, was her and Harry. The beginning of the album went back to as far as eight years ago, when they met as small children, and the more she flipped through the pages, the more she saw how they both grew up. There were many pictures of just the two of them, some were singular shots, and others had the both of them as well as other friends, mostly Ron and Hermione. She recognized some of the pictures as ones she herself had taken, and when she looked up at Harry, he quickly explained.
"I sort of had Hermione sneak your camera out of your dorm," he admitted. "And I asked Colin to develop them for me. Do you like it?"
Instead of answering, Mia practically leapt forward and collided with Harry, making him fall backwards onto the bed with a loud "oof!" and crushing her lips against his in a grateful, passionate kiss.
"Oh blimey, my eyes!" Ron exclaimed, covering them for emphasis while Hermione laughed at his expense. "Will you two please get a room!"
The rest of the day went by just as wonderfully, and it had to be one of the best birthdays that Mia ever had in her life. After she was done opening all of her gifts, Harry had called for Dobby and the little elf appeared in the middle of the dorm, his green eyes bright and his expression eager at the idea of being needed. Harry had asked Dobby if he could bring up some food from the kitchens, seeing as they had all missed breakfast in the Great Hall, and he was more then happy to oblige. Therefore, the four of them ate a hearty breakfast together, laughing and joking in the dormitory until it was time to get dressed.
Mia, Harry, Ron and Hermione spent the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon together down at their spot underneath the Willow tree close to the lake, watching as the giant squid lazily waved the tip of its tentacle at them through the surface of the water in the distance. The sun felt so very warm, and the grass was lush underneath Mia's hands as she sat in between Harry's legs, with her back up against his chest. He used his fingers to idly twirl the end of her loose curls, while Ron laid flat on his back, playing with a Snitch he had nicked from the Quidditch supply room, and Hermione sat with her feet propped up against one of the tree roots protruding from the ground, a book in her lap and her wild hair pinned away from her face. They all talked about everything and nothing, enjoying the day with smiles on their faces. At one point Mia did end up chasing Ron around the tree just like they used to when they were younger, trying to get back at him for tricking her into eating one of Fred and George's perfected Canary Creams that was disguised as a normal pastry. Both Harry and Hermione doubled over laughing as Mia would spontaneously turn into a canary while chasing after Ron, twittering madly and pecking his head whenever she got close enough, while the redhead boasted about finally enacting his revenge against her. Needless to say, when the effects wore off, she showed no mercy as she tackled him to the ground and started roughing him up.
Later on that evening, after they had dinner with the rest of the school, Dooby once more came to see them while they were seated in the common room. The adorable House Elf had baked cupcakes for Mia as a birthday gift and presented the plate to her in an almost reverence. Mia smiled brightly and gave him a hug in order to show her thanks, to which Dobby froze up in complete and utter shock at the sign of affection. The night had ended with Mia and the others snacking on the delicious spice cupcakes and at one point, the brunette looked around at them, feeling something warm flutter inside of her chest. As far as her seventeenth birthday goes, she could not have asked for a better one.
=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=
For the next couple of weeks, Mia dedicated a lot of her time to studying, for the time of the exams was quickly approaching. As per usual, their teachers showed no signs of leniency towards their students and Mia just knew that this year (as well as the following one) was going to be tough. For most of the time, Mia studied with Hermione because, as her friend so delicately put it, Harry was being too much of a distraction. Henceforth, Hermione had it decreed that Mia and Harry were not to be left alone when studying. It was either with Hermione or all four of them together a group.
There were times when Mia couldn't believe that her sixth year at Hogwarts was ending. Once their exams were done, they only had one more year left to go before they graduated and were completely done. Even though it was sure to be exciting to be seventh years, she had to admit to herself that it would be sad when the time came to say goodbye to the beloved castle that had become like a home to her, as well as many others.
One night, she was sitting with Harry and the others in the Gryffindor common room, in front of the fireplace, with her Defense homework spread out around her and a thick volume she had checked out of the library in her lap for references. She had a strong feeling in her gut that the exam she would struggle with the most would more than likely be Snape's, so she wanted to make sure she was fully prepared. It wasn't too much longer before curfew, so most of their house mates were already in the common room for the night, sitting about in the common room as well, or upstairs in their dorms. Mia was so focused on her work that she didn't pay attention to the conversation going on behind her between Harry and Hermione, who were both sitting on the loveseat. Whatever it was, Hermione sounded frustrated and Harry seemed annoyed. Since this was per the usual, Mia didn't ponder too much on it and continued on with her homework. Soon enough, she heard someone get up from the loveseat and she peeked out of the corner of her eye to see Hermione leaving through the portrait hole in a bit of a huff.
"Harry, what did you say to make her angry this time?" Mia asked, never looking up from her book.
"I didn't say anything!"
"Ron, what happened?"
"Hermione showed us an old article about a girl named Eileen Prince, and she figures that's the owner of the Half-Blood Prince's book, that maybe her father was a wizard whose name was Prince, and her mother was a witch. Harry's sure that the owner is a bloke and not a girl, and Hermione went to go find some more evidence from the library."
"Well, if there's one thing about Hermione, she will not rest until she proves she's right, or proven wrong," Mia commented as she pulled her parchment into her lap to add more notes for her essay. "So, she's either going to come back with a heaping load of more articles and a smug grin, or give you the cold shoulder for a week."
"Brilliant," Harry muttered, causing Mia to smirk.
"She's just never got over you outperforming her in Potions," Ron stated from his spot in the armchair.
"You two don't think I'm mad, do you? For wanting to get the Prince's book back from the Room of Requirement?" Harry asked them.
"'Course not," Ron answered honestly. "He was a genius, the Prince. Anyway, without his help about the bezoar, I wouldn't be here talking about it, would I? I mean, I'm not saying that spell you used on Malfoy was great—"
"Neither am I," Harry interjected.
"But he healed all right, didn't he?" Ron continued. "Back on his feet in no time."
"Yeah," Harry agreed. "Thanks to Mia. Is he still ignoring you, love?"
"Yes, and to be frank, it's starting to feel weird," Mia admitted to him. "I'm so used to his scathing remarks whenever I walk down the corridor, or am in within hearing shot of him. I know it's toned down some this year, but now he's acting as though I don't even exist."
"Probably hates the fact that you were the one to save him," Ron said.
"Maybe. Well, you already know how I feel about the book, Harry," Mia said. "If you are going to go back for it, I suggest waiting until the week we are set to go home. Snape is still on the prowl, and I bet he's just waiting for you to lead him to it. Do you still have detention with him this Saturday?"
"Yes, and the Saturday after that, and the one after that…"
Harry sounded so dejected at this, and Mia looked up from her work long enough to give him an encouraging smile.
"Don't worry, it's not much longer before we'll be back at home, and away from the greasy bat," she reminded him. Harry smiled back at her, and then their conversation was halted by the appearance of Jimmy Peaks, who offered a greeting and then held out a scroll to Harry.
"Thanks, Jimmy," Harry said while the younger boy walked away, before unraveling the scroll to read it. "Hey, it's from Dumbledore!"
"What?" Mia piped up, dropping her book and parchment to the floor and getting up on her knees to scooch closer to Harry. "What does it say?"
"He says he wants me to come and meet him in his office as quick as I can!" Harry read from the scroll.
"You don't reckon…" Ron whispered.
"Could he have found one?" Mia whispered as well, her eyes big.
"There's only one way to find out," Harry replied, excitement in his voice as he leaned down towards Mia to give her a quick kiss before shooting to his feet, telling them he will be back later. Within seconds, he was out of the common room, leaving Mia and Ron staring at each other.
"Do you really think that this could be it?" Ron asked.
"I don't know," Mia replied, shaking her head. "All we can do is wait and find out."
With that being said, they both settled back to what they were doing, although it was obvious that their attention was a bit more distracted now. It felt like Mia was glancing over at the portrait entrance every few minutes or so, waiting for Harry to come back and tell them the news he received from Dumbledore. If the headmaster had truly found a Horcrux, would that mean he was going to have Harry accompany him to retrieve it? After just a little while of waiting, Hermione did end up coming back to the common room just before curfew was set, and when she asked where Harry was, Mia gestured for her to come over and sit so that she and Ron could fill her in on what was happening. Hermione seemed stunned at the news, and she joined them in waiting anxiously for Harry to return. The time seemed to crawl by at a snail's pace, and eventually Mia had to put her book away, feeling much too jittery to stay focused on it. After what felt like forever, the portrait entrance did open again, and Mia perked up when she saw Harry come running back inside, looking completely out of breath.
"What did he want?" Hermione asked instantly upon seeing him.
"Harry?" Mia said, seeing the look on his face. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Harry said shortly, rushing past them to hightail it up the stairs leading to the boys dormitory. Mia glanced over at the others, who seemed just as confused as she did, and before she knew it, Harry had come back down, with the Marauder's Map in one hand, and balled up socks in the other.
"I've got to be quick," he panted as he came to a stop in front of them. "Dumbledore thinks I've gone to get my cloak. Listen, he has found another Horcrux, and he's going to take me along with him! Tonight!"
"Tonight?!" Evie exclaimed.
"Yes, and do you know what that means? Dumbledore won't be here tonight, so Malfoy's going to have another clear shot at whatever he's trying to do. No, listen to me!" he hissed angrily to Ron and Hermione, who was about to object to this. "I found out that Malfoy was celebrating something in the Room of Requirement on my way to see Dumbledore, I'll explain why later. Here, take these."
Harry hastily shoved the Marauder's Map into Hermione's hands and then gave Mia the balled up socks.
"You've got to watch him, and you've got to watch Snape as well. Use anyone else you can gather from the D.A, those contact Galleons should still be working. Dumbledore says that he's placed extra protection around the castle for when he leaves, but if Snape is involved with whatever Malfoy's doing, he'll know all about the protections, and how to get around them. But one thing he won't be expecting is you guys being on the watch tonight."
"Harry—" Hermione tried.
"I don't have time to argue about this!" Harry said.
"But what are we supposed to do with old socks?" Ron asked.
"The Felix Felicis is wrapped in there," Harry explained. "I want you to share it between yourselves."
"Harry, no!" Mia countered, standing to her feet to face him. "You should take it, who knows what you and Dumbledore will end up facing! You need it more than we do!"
"Don't worry, I'll be all right because I'll be with Dumbledore," Harry reassured her. "I need to know that you lot will be okay. I have to go now, he's expecting me…"
"Harry," Mia said, her throat feeling very tight. "Please, please be safe."
"I will, I promise," he said. Then, he came forward and gave her a brief, yet loving kiss. "I'll see you later."
Then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone. Mia stood there with the Felix Felicis gripped tightly in her hands, and a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Harry's words and urgency were ringing in her head, and she was trying to process everything he had just told her. She prayed that they wouldn't have to end up using the potion, but nonetheless, she knew she would abide by Harry's wishes. Swallowing thickly, she turned towards Ron and Hermione, taking the vile of Felix out of the socks as she spoke to them.
"Mione, you and Ron drink the potion first. I'll reach out to the D.A."
+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+
Hello everyone! I'm sorry for the slow update, but I tried to make up for it by giving you a long chapter. Just as a side note, I didn't realize until after I wrote out the scene that "Vulnera Sanentur," is the counter curse specifically for "Sectumsempra" so more than likely, only Snape would know it.However, seeing as I was very close to finishing the chapter when I found this out, I have decided in this version, it is a common healing technique that Mia could have picked up. I'm sorry but there was no way I was going all the way back to the beginning to work something else out after spending hours finishing this , haha.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this, please leave me a review to tell me your thoughts, and I will see you in the next chapter!