When Lena finally made it down the stairs and slipped out of the common room, she ran directly into a small crowd of Slytherins gathered just outside the portrait.
"You're not even supposed to know where our common room is, you filthy Mudblood," a young man's voice called out, dark and cold.
"I'm a prefect," a girl shot back. "I know where all the common rooms are, and I'm entitled to be here. So, why don't you back off before I have the professors take ten points from Slytherin for harassment. You've already lost ten for the same before Christmas break."
"I'd rather watch a Mudblood like you get demolished than win the house cup. All of us would. It would be worth it to watch your kind die off like the dinosaurs."
Lena pushed past a few students upon hearing this and was shocked to see both Kara and Jack in the middle of the crowd.
"Jack?" she asked, voice small and betraying her disappointment.
She knew he was a pureblood, but he had truly seemed kind. This was a very different side of him, and it disgusted her. Not to mention, anyone picking on Kara was on her shit list.
"Stay back, Lena," Jack ordered, sounding as strong as he likely felt. "I'm gonna teach this Mudblood a lesson."
Jack drew his wand, but Kara simply gritted her teeth and stared at him, growling, "I'm not going to fight you."
She knew Lena had to marry this boy, and she also knew that Lena was watching. It wasn't Kara's style to hurt people. It was her instinct to deescalate and protect. Besides, she didn't really care about being a Mudblood. Of course, it upset her to be disrespected as a prefect, but that was minutia. All she cared about was that this boy was a complete and total ass (which she'd known before anyway) and that Lena was stuck with him. If she wanted any chance of remaining Lena's friend, she had to play it cool.
"Very well," Jack announced with a smirk, pointing his wand in her direction.
But just as he opened his mouth to speak, Lena dove for him, shoving his arm down to his side and saying, "Jack, no."
Kara took a step back, not wanting to escalate things by addressing Lena, but the brunette immediately got between the two of them, facing her fiancé.
"Jack. Go cool off. Let her go."
"You," Jack hissed, scowling at Lena, "will not tell me what to do."
"Jack, please. Please. I'm asking you. Please, just let it go. She was here to see me."
"What?" he gaped.
"She was here to see me," Lena repeated. "Please, just leave it alone."
Weighing his options and electing to maintain his composure in front of those around him, Jack gritted his teeth and said, "Alright. But if she comes marching around here again, I'll show her her place without hesitation." Then, he gently pushed Lena aside, addressing Kara, and asked, "Is that clear?"
Kara wanted to punch him. Really wanted to knock his lights out for speaking to her friend like that. But she knew she couldn't, so she remained quiet and simply turned away, refusing to engage further or bite the bait Jack was throwing at her.
When she saw Kara start to walk away without speaking to her, Lena ran to catch up, gently grabbing Kara's arm to slow her down
"Let me walk you back to the Great Hall," Lena offered. Then, looking intensely apologetic, she said, "I'm sorry, Kara."
"Why are you apologizing for him?" Kara asked, trying to keep her voice gentle but the bite in her tone seeping through.
"Because he never should have spoken to you that way."
"He never should have spoken to you that way, Lena."
The brunette sighed, shaking her head as she fell in step with Kara, who was headed in the opposite direction from the Great Hall.
"Hey," Lena said, tugging her arm once more. "Where are you going? Don't you want breakfast?"
"Not hungry," Kara said softly, slowing her pace.
"Kara, come on. If I had to eat when I got back, so do you."
Kara shook her head and said, "No, I don't."
Right on cue, Kara's stomach growled.
"Come on," Lena insisted. "I know you're starving."
Finally looking Lena over and taking her in, Kara noticed just how exhausted the girl looked and ignored her question, asking, "Are you okay? You look exhausted."
"Gee, thanks," Lena laughed, rolling her eyes. "Just what a girl wants to hear."
Sighing, Kara revised her statement, saying, "I'm just concerned. Did you not sleep last night?"
Lena shrugged, so Kara looked around the hallway, grabbed her hand, and very suddenly jerked her into an empty classroom, shutting the door and locking it with magic behind her.
"Lena," Kara said, tone more serious than before. "Tell me what's going on with you. Why didn't you sleep?"
"Kara…"
"Lena. Tell me."
Swallowing hard and averting her gaze, terrified to see Kara's reaction to her inevitable confession, Lena sat down on one of the desks and held her head in her hands.
"Lena?" Kara pressed.
But Lena could only shake her head, whimpering, "Don't ask me. Please, don't ask me."
Looking exponentially more concerned than before, Kara stepped closer and took both of Lena's hands in her own, softly saying, "You can tell me anything, Lena."
Thinking this through, and knowing Kara wasn't lying, Lena decided on telling the truth, as twisted in knots as her stomach may have been. But she couldn't look Kara in the eyes when she said it. There was no way she could face her expression.
"I found the mirror."
Kara took a single step back from surprise and looked at Lena with wide eyes, asking, "Really?"
She couldn't deny that she was shocked. She had, in all honesty, never expected Lena to find it. If Dumbledore didn't want people to find something, they never would. But here was this genius Luthor, destroying all odds.
"I'm… I'm happy for you," Kara managed to tell her, biting her lip.
"Don't be. It was… not what I was expecting."
"Wasn't an occupation, was it?" the blonde asked gently.
Lena pulled her hands away, refusing to look up, and mumbled, "No, it wasn't."
There was a long pause of silence before Kara carefully asked, "What did you see?"
Lena shook her head and whimpered, "Don't ask me, Kara. Please, don't ask me. I can't… I just can't."
"Why not? Do you not trust me? I'm not going to judge you. I promise you, Lena. Anything you say to me is—"
"No!" Lena cried. "It's not that I don't trust you! I do trust you. Kara, I trust you. I just… It's embarrassing."
Kara tilted her head, looking confused as she repeated, "I won't judge. Just tell me."
"I can't."
"How bad could it be?" Kara asked with a warm smile.
But Lena wouldn't look up, so she didn't notice Kara's encouraging smile or gentle eyes.
"It's bad," Lena told her, voice cracking.
"Tell me, Lena. I'm here. It's okay. I'm never going to reject you or abandon you."
"Yes, you will."
"No, I won't. I promise you, Lena. I swear it. Just tell me, sweetheart. I'm here. Don't bear this burden alone. I mean, even if you're into like… freaky ass kinky sex, I'm not gonna judge."
Kara laughed, earning a soft, reluctant chuckle from Lena.
"It's not that," Lena assured her.
"Then what is it?"
"I saw… I…"
"It's okay," Kara vowed, putting her hand on Lena's thigh as she took a step closer. "Tell me."
"I saw us kissing."
Kara thought she was going to pass out, right then and there, as the room started to spin rapidly, like a carnival ride she couldn't get off.
"But…" Lena started. Then, the rest came pouring out, Lena's anxiety becoming highly evident with her pressured speech, "I… I know we can't. I know it's stupid. I don't even know why that's what I saw. Maybe the mirror is broken? Besides, I have to marry Jack, and… and it's stupid… and I know you don't like me that way, so… You know. It's not a thing, and I know that. It's probably just broken. Maybe it thinks… I don't know. Anyway, I told you it was embarrassing."
Kara tried to keep her lips from parting. Tried to keep her mouth closed, but open it fell. As soon as she felt her jaw drop, she closed her mouth, but Lena had already seen.
"I know," the Slytherin moaned. "So stupid. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you. You probably think I'm gross now. I don't even—"
"No, it's okay," Kara told her hurriedly. "It's okay. I don't think differently of you, Lena."
Looking at Kara quizzically with tears in her eyes, Lena asked, "Really? Why not?"
"Because you're still my best friend. You'll always be my best friend."
Best friend, Lena thought. I'm her best friend?
She was both flattered and surprised but didn't share this.
Instead, she told Kara, in a hushed voice, "You're my best friend too."
Kara had to smile at this, even though it hurt. It felt good at the same time. At least Lena still cared about her. She just knew she had to savor it while it was still a thing. She wanted to let it all out, to tell Lena everything, but she also knew that Lena would always choose her family, so there was no point making it harder on her by confessing her feelings.
"I'm sorry," Kara said suddenly, realizing that their friendship was likely going to end after graduation when Lena married Jack.
"Huh? Why?" Lena questioned, clearly confused by the apology.
"Because I know you're going to have to say goodbye to me soon."
"What? Kara, no. I'm not—"
"He won't let you stay my friend, and you know it. If you marry him, you and I have to lose contact. I don't even see him tolerating you being my friend while we're still at Hogwarts. You'll be graduating and married in six months," Kara reminded her. "But, Lena… I want you to know… I'm going to treasure every second I have left with you. I'm going to be here, until I can't be anymore."
"Kara, I'm not going to just walk away because Jack doesn't like you."
"Doesn't like?" Kara laughed. "He told me he wished I was dead."
Lena bit her lip. Kara was right. She was completely right. Jack wouldn't tolerate their friendship, and if she wanted to keep her relationship with her mother and her Luthor name, she'd have to make Jack happy too.
"I don't… I don't want that to happen," Lena whimpered, reaching out for her friend.
Kara stepped closer, standing between Lena's legs as she sat on the desk, hugging her tightly.
"Me either, hun," the younger girl promised. "But if… if anything happens, Lena… if anything goes wrong… I'll be right here, okay? I know you have to do this. I understand you don't want to lose your family, and that they mean more to you than anything in the world, but—"
That was when Lena tuned out and fell into her own thoughts. She hadn't seen her family in the mirror. She'd seen Kara. Now, here she was, choosing her mother and brother. Choosing Jack. It made her stomach turn with self-loathing and regret, but she voiced none of this. Instead, she held Kara close and cried into her chest, not letting go.
"It's okay, Lee," Kara whispered, stroking the girl's hair back.
The new nickname, which had honestly just slipped out without thought, made Lena melt deeper into her friend's arms.
"I don't want you to leave me," Lena sniffled, her tears dripping onto Kara's cloak.
"You're going to have to leave me, if you want to be with Jack."
"I know you're right. I know. I just… I hate it. I don't… I…"
"Shh," Kara hushed her, lightly scraping Lena's scalp with her fingernails as she continued to thread her fingers through her hair. "It's gonna be okay."
"Are you going to forget about me?" Lena whimpered. "Please, don't forget about me."
"Lena," Kara sighed, finally pulling away. "I could never. Now, let's just enjoy the time we have, okay?"
Lena hesitated, leaving her head resting on Kara's chest and her arms wrapped around her.
"Lena. Let's just make the most of what we have. You're a light in my life. I don't want to lose you either. But I know I'm damn well gonna take every single moment with you and treasure it while I can."
Feeling her lurch forward, Lena sensed nausea setting in. Kara was too sweet. Too kind. Too good. It hurt, and it made everything harder.
But if she wanted to be a Luthor… If she wanted to keep her only family… She had to do this. Had to marry Jack. Had to be a good little girl, giving in to her mother's every whim. Had to eventually say goodbye to Kara.
And Kara was feeling it deeply, despite her calm, rational external presentation. She had to keep it together for Lena, who was already incredibly upset by the situation. It wouldn't have helped for Kara to cry too, even though she knew that as soon as they separated, she would break down.
When they finally broke apart and Kara helped Lena down from the desk, Lena sighed, "You probably shouldn't walk me to class."
"Yeah… You're probably right," Kara reluctantly agreed. "Be safe today, Lena, okay? I lo—" Kara almost choked on the word that threatened to slip out before she quickly recovered, "I love hanging out with you, so stay out of trouble."
Lena's lips curled upwards slightly, and Kara capitalized on the opportunity to dive back in, reaching under Lena's armpits and tickling her to the best of her ability, despite being mostly blocked by her uniform. The Slytherin squealed loudly, jumping back and nearly fell, but Kara caught her by the waist and pulled her upright.
"Got ya," Kara said, blushing as she felt the warmth of Lena's body pressed firmly against her. Slowly, she let go and mumbled, "Sorry. Shouldn't have tickled. Couldn't help myself. Your laugh is the best, and I just wanted to see you smile again."
"Well, you did a good job at that," Lena told her, rolling her eyes and playfully shoving Kara's shoulder. "We should get going."
Kara nodded and swallowed the tears that threatened to fall, at least until they went opposite ways in the hallway. When she heard Lena's footsteps behind her, she couldn't help but turn and watch her walk away as she tears started to pour.