LIKE LIGHTNING | Harry Potter x Reader Fanfiction

⁕ quatervois ⁕

Y/N's POV

"Well, that was a bit shocking," I said awkwardly to Harry as we made our way down the stairs from Dumbledore's office.

"Which part? Cause I'd say all of it." said Harry with a snort. I could tell he was trying his best to seem unaffected by the last words Dumbledore had said to him in his study. 

"Good luck with the third task."

I had almost forgotten that the Tri-Wizard Tournament was happening, and my heart clenched at the thought of it. Anxiety through me, making my stomach twist and hands unable to stay still on their own. I assured myself that Harry would be fine, that he would not be one of the few wizards that perished during the dangerous tasks. I didn't wish for victory; I wished for nothing but for him to return to me unharmed. 

"You don't have to pretend," I said to him, grabbing his forearm. I stood on the corridor floor; Harry still on the step above. 

"About what?" He asked, his demeanor already showing that he knew what was coming next. I ignored his sudden avoidance of the topic. 

"That you're scared about the third task." I said calmly, trying my best to not harm his ego or whatever. 

"I'm not scared-" he started. 

"Harry." I said with a glare. 

"Okay, fine I am scared." He said reluctantly, unable to look into my eyes. 

"You don't have to pretend," I said once more, "Not with me." 

"I know... it's just that I feel like I have to put up a front. Like as if I can't let anybody else see that I always think I'm not good enough. It doesn't help that I wasn't even supposed to be into the tournament at all-" Harry started to ramble and I gave a small smile at him, waiting until he finished. I unhooked my hand from his arm and held his hand instead. He stopped and gave me a weak smile. 

"You are one of the strongest people I know." I told him, "You've fought Voldemort in your first and second year. Not to mention the whole time travel stuff last year. You are brave and strong, and a hell of a fighter," I poked his chest at every word and he laughed, "Don't ever think you're not good enough" I finished.

"How did I find someone like you?" He asked, his eyes shining a little bit. 

"On the train." I said bluntly before leaning in to give him a kiss. With him on the step, I had to go on my tiptoes to reach his face and he stooped down to meet my face; his hand making its way to wrap around my waist. It was short but as sweet; the kind of kiss that you would always remember and crave.

"I suggest we stop snogging in Dumbledore's stairway." I said after, my voice sounding more breathless than I had intended it to. 

"Yeah. That's a good idea." Harry replied, his face flushed. So he stepped off the last step of the spiral stairway and we watched as the Griffin statue closed behind us. We took our time walking to the Gryffindor Common Room. Trying to savor the afternoon sun that streamed in from the high vaulted windows.

※※※

"Dumbledore reckons You-Know-Who's getting stronger again as well?" Ron whispered. 

Everything Harry and I had seen in the Pensieve, and nearly everything Dumbledore had told us afterward, we had shared with Ron and Hermione. It had been another hour before classes ended for the two of them and in the meantime, Harry had written a letter to Sirius. We talked late into the afternoon and evening about what we had seen in the Pensieve. 

Ron stared into the common room fire and for a moment I thought I saw him shiver slightly, even though the air was warm from the orange flames right next to him. 

"And he trusts Snape? He really trusts him, even though he knew he was a Death Eater." 

"Yes." said Harry. 

Hermione hadn't spoken in about ten minutes and I turned to face her. 

"Are you alright Hermione?" I asked. 

"Rita Skeeter." She murmured. 

"What?" I asked. 

"How could you be worried about her now?" said Ron in disbelief.

"I'm not worried about her." said Hermione to her knees. Her bushy hair covering her face, "I'm just thinking... remember a few weeks ago, when we were at the Three Broomsticks?" 

I recalled the afternoon and remembered how that witch had come up to us. 

"I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl." said Hermione, "That's what she told us. This is what she meant, isn't it? She reported his trial, she knew he'd passed information to the Death Eaters." 

"Yeah, but Bagman didn't pass the information on purpose. Did he?" 

Hermione shrugged and then checked her watch. "We haven't done any practice!" she said, looking shocked, "We were going to do the Impediment Curse! We'll really get down to it tomorrow. Come on Harry, you need to get some sleep."

"Yeah, I agree. It's getting late." I looked out at the Common Room window and saw that the sky had turned from its previous orange glow to the black night sky. I kissed Harry on the cheek and watched Ron and him slow trek upstairs into their dormitory. I said a quick goodbye to Hermione, gathered my bag, and headed back up to the Ravenclaw dorms. 

As I settled into bed I remembered what Dumbledore had told us about Neville's parents. How it would feel to have parents that didn't recognize you. I felt a surge of anger towards the people who had done those horrible things to Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom. My thoughts strayed towards my parents; how lucky I was to have them supporting me. They could've shipped me off somewhere when we found out I was a witch, but no. They loved me unconditionally and I smiled at the thought. I decided that I would write a letter to them the next morning, but for now. It was time to get some much-needed sleep. 

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Word Count: 1025

The third task is coming up... but before then, we have a little bit of tweaking up to do. 😶