A/N: This is a new story for my amazing readers. The fic is of two-parts. This idea was in my head for a long time, and I had to write it down.
Hope you guys would like this. I do not own Harry Potter; it solely belongs to J.K Rowling!
Warnings: Drama, angst, unrequited feelings, some fluff, Professor Marvolo is a warning on his own.
Clutching the robe tightly to herself, she took quick steps towards the library. The chilly weather and rustling wind made it obvious that winter was around the corner.
She made a quick turn, almost stumbling into a second year student, muttered a sincere apology and continued on her way. She ignored the mumbles and chattering that followed her. People were not kind to her, never had been. But these were the people Harriet had taken a stand for.
And somehow, in all this chaos, she has become the villain.
Harriet quickly reached her destination.
Greeting the librarian, a quick good afternoon, Harriet sat in her corner, a quiet secluded area in the library near the large window panes that allowed plenty of light to pass through.
A sigh of relief left her lips and Harriet took a few moments to compose herself, then simply took out her books and started on her assignments.
The due date for assignments was nowhere near, but she had nothing else to do.
It all started when Lord Voldemort gained enough sanity to contact Albus Dumbledore, requesting a private meeting. Somehow, Dumbledore had agreed and in the meeting the offer of a Peace Treaty was kept forward from the Dark Lord. He would withdraw all his forces and agreed to maintain peace with the Light sect, on the condition that the Dark sect would be given equal rights.
That was the start. The other condition, however, was that the Peace Treaty must be approved by Harriet otherwise the war would continue.
She had had no other choice. The end of war meant good for the Wizarding world, right?
Wrong.
There had been a rebellion from both the Dark and the Light sects, and Harriet was blamed for accepting the offer.
How could these people blame her when they were the ones hiding behind her back? When they expected a child to fight a Dark Lord on their behalf whilst they took care of their families.
It was wrong, but it hurt when her friends abandoned her. Not even Hermione was on her side this time, and Harriet was left to fight this war all alone.
She was all alone.
So, with no friends and practically no social life right now, she could at least complete her Potions assignment before Professor Snape could give her another detention.
She moved to get the Potions book from the shelf. Scrounging around, she was so engorged in her thoughts that she never saw the silhouette of another person standing in the shadows.
Just as the stranger turned to face her, Harriet swished her wand to get the book and in the process, lost her balance.
She waited for the wall, instead crashing into someone's firm chest; she could feel the tight grip on her waist that saved her from a nasty injury.
Harriet opened her eyes and her breath hitched in response when she saw who it was-Marvolo Slytherin stood there with a stoic face, yet still holding her close.
They were close, so close that she could feel his breath on her face. Could smell the scent that was drowning her. Could feel his magic cloaked heavily around them at the moment.
She wanted to remain like this, close to him, drunk on his magic.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Harriet mustered to wiggle in his arms, breaking Marvolo's trance too.
"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," Harriet all but hushed an apology. She picked the book hurriedly, and rushed from away from him towards her secluded place
She needed to be alone right now, being near him always brought feelings that she was so desperately trying to suppress.
Why did it have to be him?
Harriet sighed in relief when she almost reached her table, but stopped in her tracks upon seeing Draco, Crabbe and Goyle in her seat.
"You're in my seat, Draco," Harriet politely said.
"I don't see your name written anywhere here, Potter," Draco smirked charmingly at her. Harriet narrowed her eyes, she didn't want to start a fight unnecessarily.
"My books were here, which meant I was sitting here or are you really that daft?"
"Keep your tongue in check, Potter!" Draco warned, standing from his seat and moving towards Harriet threateningly.
"Or what? Your father will hear about this too?" A smirk now adorned Harriet's face.
"Shut up!"
"Leave my seat," Harriet told him finally.
"I challenge you to a duel," Draco smiled. This time he invaded her personal space making her a little uncomfortable. He was close, too close for her liking, but her stomach churned in response, the bad kind.
It was the opposite of what she'd felt moments ago when Marvolo had held her close.
Harriet took two steps backward, being reminded of the Pureblood etiquettes she'd been learning.
"If I win, you go on a date with me. A real date," Draco weaved a hand through his hair in a flirtatious action. Harriet had a surprised reaction; she hadn't been expecting this in a million years. She never realised Malfoy saw her in that way.
"When I win, you stop bullying my friends and I, forever. Especially Luna and Neville," Harriet emphasized. She took this as an opportunity to safeguard Luna and Neville from Draco's harmful pranks on the both of them.
"Deal."
She begrudgingly shook hands with him.
But who would review the duel now?
"We'll do it," Crabbe and Goyle said in unison.
"No, it's not fair. They are obviously partial towards you," Harriet responded.
"Oh, come on Potter…" Draco tried to move forward again to hold her hand this time, when a deep voice made him stop in his tracks.
"I'll judge the duel."
She turned around so quickly upon hearing who it was. She knew this voice better than anyone else.
Marvolo stood lazily in the shadows, arms crossed over his chest and a fierce look in his eyes. Apparently, he'd witnessed the whole ordeal and took the opportunity to help her.
Where there was relief on Harriet's face, Draco paled on seeing the Dark Lord. He looked as if he could pass out anytime.
"I'm not partial towards anyone. Is that okay with you, Miss Potter?" Marvolo only took Harriet's consent, not that he needed it anyway since he'd decided already.
He'd heard the commotion and when he'd reached Harriet's table, he saw Harriet and Draco standing close. Marvolo's blood boiled at the scene in front of him, but then Harriet had taken a few steps back and Marvolo could feel how uncomfortable she was.
He wanted to kill Draco right there. He wanted to crush Draco's skull with his bare hands and color his hands with Draco's blood.
The Malfoy boy had challenged Harriet, and never being the one to back off from it, Harriet had accepted it. Marvolo felt a fuzzy feeling in his chest, felt proudness coursing through him because he knew Harriet was more than capable of defeating Draco.
He'd taken the opportunity to review the duel because he wanted to see Draco lose.
"I have no problem," Harriet gave her answer. She nodded at Marvolo in a silent thank you.
The group shifted to the courtyard that was already busy with commotion.
Marvolo explained the rules of the duel to both the opponents, "The rules are very simple, you have to disarm your opponent only, not seriously injure each other. The first person to do so, or to have their opponent on the ground, would be declared winner. Remember, I want no tricks,"
Harriet and Draco nodded; they both took their positions a few feet away from each other.
Harriet was okay, but Draco seemed a little nervous at the prospect of his loss. The students seemed to have stopped chattering now and were all focused on the duel happening.
"Ready?" Marvolo asked. Getting a nod from both, he spoke, "Begin."
Harriet was quick to attack, moving at lightning speed and catching Draco off-guard. He threw a 'Jinx' charm which Harriet dodged simply by rolling away. In return, Harriet threw a 'Patronus Charm' to distract him. After that, she threw an 'Expelliarmus', getting Draco's wand in her hand, and then kicking him slightly, Harriet had him fall down with a loud thud.
Just like that, the duel was over. Harriet stood there, giving Draco a helping hand to diffuse the tension. The Malfoy boy, however, refused her offer.
"The winner is Miss Potter," Marvolo announced and some of the students hooted in congratulations. Draco rushed away from the scene as soon as he could, with Crabbe and Goyle at his tail.
"Thank you, Professor," Harriet expressed her gratitude in a soft voice.
"You are welcome, Miss Potter."
Harriet was about to walk away when Marvolo continued. "If, Mr Malfoy or any other boy, bothers you, please file an official complaint. I will see to it."
This was the politest way of him saying that he would kill boys if they bothered Harriet.
She got the message clear, and was quick to turn on her heels and be in the safety of her dorms. Her mind was reeling with how her afternoon had spiralled.
There was a soft knock, followed by a voice, "May I come in?"
Leaving the comb on her dresser, Harriet turned to see Hermione standing in the doorway with an awkward smile on her face.
So much had happened between them; it felt so long since they had talked.
"You don't have to ask." Harriet patted on her bed, asking Hermione to sit with her. The bushy-haired girl readily accepted.
"I saw your duel in the courtyard this afternoon, you were really good," Hermione congratulated her. She had learnt the whole ordeal from the librarian, and she was pleased to hear that somebody had put Draco in place.
What surprised Hermione more was the fact that Marvolo had willingly helped Harriet. This had confirmed Hermione's suspicions a little.
"Thank you," Harriet replied. She didn't know what else to say and her friend noticed her hesitation.
"I'm really sorry, Harrie. For everything," Hermione scooted closer to her and held one of her hand. "When you signed the treaty, I thought you had made a huge mistake. I was worried that you were putting yours and everyone else's life at risk by agreeing to him."
Harriet listened carefully. This was the first time she was getting an explanation of Hermione's abrupt behaviour change.
"We had all sacrificed so much for the war, especially you, that it felt like a trap. That the Dark Lord was trying to do something. When you said that you had signed the Treaty because you wanted peace and that you believed in his plans, I felt that you had given up."
Harriet retraced her hand from Hermione's grasp.
"I was wrong, Harrie. These two months, I have been waiting for him to do something, you know—a secret attack, someone getting hurt. It never happened. And then, I realised that I was the one who abandoned you. And I'm so so sorry for that." There were tears in Hermione's eyes—of guilt, of desperation.
Harriet pulled her in for a tight hug, assuring her that everything was alright and that she wasn't mad at her, that it was all a big confusion between them.
"We'll talk, alright. Like mature adults, communicate well," Harrie told her, and Hermione agreed.
"So, no more hiding, promise?" Hermione confirmed and Harriet nodded.
"You still love him, don't you?" Hermione asked the next question and Harriet stiffened immediately. "No secrets, Harrie."
"Mione….it's."
"I have noticed the way you look at him—there is respect and adoration, but there is also longing. And I can't keep seeing you like that."
"I can't, Hermione. It's not….it's wrong. He is my parents' murderer…..I just," Harriet broke down then. She may not have said those words, but the feelings she was trying to suppress kept coming back.
"You may be the Prophesied child or the Chosen one or the great Harriet Potter, but you're human. You are allowed to have feelings." Hermione held her close, rocking her a little to soothe her.
"I have seen him, Harriet. He holds the same respect and concern for you, as you do for him. I saw how proud he was when you won today's duel."
"Hermione, you're reading too much in between the lines," Harriet mumbled.
"No, I'm not. Otherwise I wouldn't be supporting the idea of you dating him."
"You don't have a problem?" Harriet asked tentatively.
"Absolutely not. I think you two should talk." Hermione suggested. "It'll be good for both of you."
"I think I want something to eat right now," Harriet mumbled just as her stomach made a growling noise. The two girls went into fits of laughter, forgetting about the worries of the world for a while.
"To the kitchen then?" Hermione asked, knowing that Harriet was dodging the topic for now, but they will soon talk about it again.
"To the kitchen," Harriet said taking out her Invisibility Cloak in response.
The duo went out for another night time adventure.
-A/N: Let me know what you guys think about this one! Reads, followers, favorites and reviews are always appreciated! Good day to all! :)