Author's Note: Greetings everybody! Merry Christmas Eve! Can you believe this fic has hit it's one year anniversary? I wanted to post something exactly on the one year date, but as always, life got in the way. Nevertheless, thank you all for following along! 42 chapters in one year, plus other fics I'd posted separately – man, that's a lot of writing! But the Gruvia love is ever strong, and there's plenty more where that came from :)

Anyway, this was a request from tumblr user euterpelle who wanted Potterverse Gruvia with Gray in Gryffindor and Juvia in Slytherin. I'm not super familiar with Potterverse, but I hope it came out okay! Feedback is always appreciated, and thank you for reading! Take care everybody :)

title: bewitched
rating: K+
summary: [Potterverse AU] I put a spell on you because you're mine.

Red and gold tie, white-collared undershirt. His black sweater was creeping up his torso, his fingers unconsciously pulling it up before sliding it over his head and tossing it aside.

Juvia watched it fall to the ground, forgotten by his seat while he loosened the neck of his tie.

He was already taking off his uniform, she thought with a fond smile tugging her lips. She'd make sure to pick it up for him later.

Gray was conversing with Natsu, a habit that often got him in trouble during their Potions class, but whatever they were talking about, the discussion was evidently getting heated. Natsu was cracking his knuckles, itching to start a fight while Gray pulled on his tie and slipped it off, making haste to unbutton his undershirt next.

The red and gold tie clashed with the black sweater below.

Red and gold… such bold colors. Bright, vibrant, happy, like the sun. Not at all like emerald and silver—dull, boring, dark; cloudy, like the days that used to follow her when she first joined Hogwarts.

She remembered the first time seeing him, all scowls and messy black hair. She would never forget the way his eyes connected with hers for a brief moment before he took his seat beneath the Sorting Hat, and after a short monologue about his bravery and loyalty to his friends, the Hat bellowed the all important sorting: "Gryffindor!"

When it was Juvia's turn, she took her seat, hands balled into tense fists in her lap with her posture perfectly straight. The Sorting Hat said some words, but her thoughts were preoccupied with longing to join the house with the cheerful blonde, rambunctious pink-haired boy, beautiful scarlet witch and the dark-haired wizard that took her breath away.

But then it bellowed it's decision, and her heart sank.

"Slytherin!"

Emerald and silver. The direct rival to the mighty, honorable Gryffindor.

Presently, Juvia sighed, lowering her gaze and tugging on the hem of her skirt. She'd only just caught movement from the corner of her eye before she noticed all the students gathering their books, signaling their class had ended. Her eyes sifted through the crowd of faces before finding Gray with his shirt open, sliding off his seat and growling something to Natsu. She looked to his discarded sweater and tie lying on the floor—he was going to forget his clothes and get censured, as usual.

Gathering her bag, Juvia shuffled from her seat, bending over and retrieving the abandoned clothes before folding them neatly over her arms.

"Gray-sama!" she called, but then she flinched when more than just his eyes turned to look at her. Some were so stern, serious and condescending, while others were puzzled or furrowing a brow. She didn't need to read their minds to know what they were thinking—what was a lowly Slytherin doing talking to one of the bravest wizards in the school?

Lost in her warring thoughts, she missed the way Natsu snickered something to Gray before the dark-haired wizard punched him in the arm and walked over to her.

"Yeah? What is it?" he answered, lifting a brow when her wide, doe-like eyes lifted to his.

"Juvia's sorry," she said quickly, ducking her head and bringing her feet together. "Juvia did not mean to address Gray-sama so directly—"

"What are you talking about?"

She met his gaze, nervously biting her lower lip while he casually stood with his hands in his pockets. Did he really not notice? All the stares they constantly received just by standing together, all the whispers of disapproval, the rumors that he must be taking pity on her or she must have cast him under some curse to get him to talk to her?

They weren't meant to be friends, let alone something more. The Sorting Hat proved it. But she couldn't help that his kindness warmed her chest, or that his bravery and loyalty made her heart race. She couldn't help falling more in love with him as the years passed, first from observing from afar, then finally becoming part of his inner circle.

"Um…" Juvia began, glancing down to the sweater and tie draped over her arms. "J-Juvia just called Gray-sama… because…"

"My clothes?! When did I—" He patted around his chest, sighing in relief upon finding his undershirt was still on. "Thanks," he said, sliding his sweater over his head and hanging his tie loosely around his neck. "If I got one more detention for breaking uniform, I'd be suspended, and the house would get docked points. Erza would be on my ass for months."

"Juvia doesn't think Gray-sama would be suspended," she replied, reaching up and gathering both ends of his tie before she recognized what she was doing. Her hands froze, a deep blush veiling her cheeks at her audacity, but Gray said nothing, instead watching her expectantly as her trembling hands continued fixing his tie. "Sh-She thinks… with Gray-sama's bravery… saving the school last year from the Death Eaters, with Natsu-san and the others… that Gray-sama would be pardoned." She pulled the loop through the knot, tightening the tie to his collarbone before withdrawing her shaky fingers to her chest, clasping them together.

"Maybe," Gray muttered, tucking the tie beneath his sweater before patting it down. "I'd still get an earful from Erza though, and the old man too. Not that she isn't gonna yell at me already about my grades—did you fail the potions test too?"

"A-Actually, Juvia passed," she mumbled, fumbling with one of her pigtails as he slipped his bag over his shoulder.

"What?! But I thought—"

"Porlyusica-san said it was designed for everyone and their partner to pass, because she 'didn't want to see our sorry faces next year'."

"That flame-brained bastard! He sabotaged me!" Gray cursed, passing a hand through his hair. "That's it, next time I'm just partnering up with you. So much for all those tutoring sessions—"

Juvia flinched, her heart skipping a beat as her gaze whipped to his. Partners? With her? Where they'd be seen… together? In front of prying eyes?

"U-Um… m-maybe Gray-sama shouldn't—"

"By the way, you gonna eat dinner with us again? 'Cause Cana's been binge-drinking—well, more than usual—'cause of the holidays, so I'd steer clear from her—"

"Juvia can't," the girl blurted, halting her next step while Gray stopped with her.

"Huh? Why not?"

She glanced to her left. "Because… Juvia promised to dine with Gajeel-kun, so—"

"Just bring him along," Gray shrugged. "You've done it before."

"No!—I-I mean, she shouldn't, it's not—she's not—"

She staggered backwards, spinning on her heel to flee before she felt a tight grip on her wrist.

"What are you talking about?" Gray asked, narrowing his eyes when she tried to tug her wrist out of his grasp. "Juvia, why aren't you looking at me? What's going on?"

The girl winced, glancing around herself as bystanders cast gazes towards them. "Please, let Juvia go—"

"You've been acting strange all week. What's the deal? Did something happen?"

"Gray-sama," she whispered, raising imploring eyes to his. "Please—"

"What happened?" he pressed, tightening his hold on her. "What's changed? Huh?"

Juvia lowered her gaze, letting her arm fall slack between them. "…Hasn't Gray-sama noticed?"

"What?" he retorted. "Noticed what?"

She shifted her feet, idly pulling on the hem of her skirt. "Th-The… stares, and the whispers, and all the…" Her eyes glanced sadly to his tie. "Gray-sama is from Gryffindor, and Juvia is from Slytherin. Gray-sama shouldn't associate himself with—"

"That's what this is all about?" he countered, brows furrowing in a scowl. "What, you think I'm gonna let some colors dictate who I can or can't be friends with?"

"'All bad wizards are from Slytherin'," Juvia recited, lips tugged in a heavy frown, "and Gryffindor and Slytherin loathe one another. It's principle—"

"That's bullshit," Gray snapped. "Anyone who hates people 'cause of their houses are living in the past. Just because the founders hated each other doesn't mean that's the way it has to be. There's only who we are now, and you're too smart to be in a house with Natsu anyway. Besides, water is your House's element, and that's what your best magic is, so I think the Sorting Hat picked right."

"Gryffindor is fire," Juvia mumbled. "We're opposites."

"Yeah, but I hate the heat. Maybe the Hat chose wrong for me—who knows, maybe I was supposed to be in Slytherin too."

"No," the girl replied, shaking her head. "Gray-sama is too kind, too brave, too loyal…" She placed a timid hand on his chest, just above his heart. "Gray-sama may not like the heat… but Gray-sama is very warm-hearted."

He stared at her, silently studying her face as her lashes rose to his. "You're worried about people talking about us?" he murmured, watching her cheeks bloom in color. She looked between both his eyes, flushing dark when he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. "Then let's give them something to talk about."

His mouth was on hers before she could react, capturing her lips in a firm, searing kiss. Her lashes fluttered closed as he drew her closer, resting his hands on the curve of her back while hers slid up his chest to his shoulders. She gripped them tight when he slanted his mouth, bringing a hand to her jaw and angling her lips against his before he pulled back. She stared at him with wide eyes, cheeks flushed and heart racing as it thumped wildly in her chest.

"Eeep!"

The two glanced to the side, finding a flash of yellow and pink duck behind the corner before Natsu's cackles echoed down the hallway. Popping his head out, the boy beamed a wide, mischievous grin.

"Ha! I win!" Smack! "Ow!"

"Don't say it like that!" came a shrill voice.

"Oi!" Gray scowled, releasing Juvia and turning towards the two eavesdroppers. "How long were you standing there?!"

Juvia placed her hands on his shoulders and peeked over, feeling her heart flutter upon finding the tips of his ears burning pink.

Natsu only chortled in response. "Took ya long enough, ice princess!"

"Natsu! That's not what you say!" Lucy chided, falling into place beside him. "You say Congratulations, because we just won one-hundred gold from Cana! Now I can buy those pricey chocolates I'd been eyeing—"

"Cana?! There was bets on this?!"

"What? No! I mean—maybe just a few—"

"Whad'ya mean, Luce? It was almost everyone in the whole House—"

"Natsu! Don't be upset Gray, it's just, with all those tutoring sessions—"

"Nothing happened!"

"I believe you! But then you came back with a perfectly knit Gryffindor scarf—"

"Gray-sama kept Juvia's scarf?"

"Lucy—!"

"—and wouldn't stop staring at it, and now look! …Congratulations!"

The girl smiled nervously, innocent sparkles twinkling about her while Gray's brow twitched.

"…Hey, Lucy," Natsu murmured, leaning towards her, "what about the other bet, about when Gray's gonna bang—"

"That's it! You're both dead!"

Lucy screamed as Natsu stepped forward. "Hell yeah! Bring it on ice—ack!"

"Run, Natsu!"

Lucy jerked on Natsu's scarf as she rounded the hallway corner, dragging the flame wizard behind her. Gray tore right behind them, handing Juvia his bag and clothes before dashing after them.

The girl simply blinked at the dust billowing in the hallway, glancing down to the bundle in her arms. Spotting his unlatched bag, she moved to close it before catching a glimpse of red and gold. She reached inside, digging the article out only to find the scarf she'd gifted him bundled at the bottom of his bag.

Her eyes widened, heart skipping a beat. She thought he'd rejected it, choosing to leave it behind after one of their numerous tutoring sessions. She'd forgotten it too, lost in the thoughts of what his rejection meant, but when she had returned to retrieve it, it was gone.

He'd… had it this whole time? And kept it with him everywhere he went, in his school bag?

She heard a mix of voices returning down the hall before looking up, finding Lucy, Natsu and Gray running back towards her.

"Run!" Lucy yelled to Juvia, her musical laughter following after as Natsu pulled her by the arm.

"Eh?" Juvia asked, tilting her head before she felt a familiar grip on her hand.

"It'z Erza!" Gray shouted behind him, hauling her body into a sprint while he continued dashing forward.

"No running in the halls!" Erza's voice boomed, making the three Gryffindor wizards pale before running faster. "Juvia! You are no exception!"

Juvia squeaked, trailing close behind Gray. No exception—the words rang continuously in her head as her gaze fell to the scarf bundled in her arms, then the hand gripped tightly in hers.

Red and gold, emerald and silver. Maybe they were just colors after all.