home (reader at hogwarts)

forty

on the way out of class, you hand in your test to minnie and quickly lean over the desk to mutter a quick request to her.

"hey, minnie?" you ask, she glances at you from where she stood by the large blackboard. "how was i?"

she didn't need you to clarify. she knew exactly what you meant to ask.

"you were perfectly magical, y/n. you're a splendid witch."

you smile, heat rushing to your ears. "thank you."

you head out of the classroom and find serena waiting for you.

"hey." she greets you, linking arms with you as the pair of you make your way down the corridor.

"hello, you. how did you find the first two lessons?" you ask.

serena grins. "i think i'm going to enjoy school."

"same." you laugh. "i'm a bit peckish, i think."

"they have tarts out on the tables at break. at least, that's what goyle told me his older sister said."

the pair of you speed down a long staircase before walking through to the great hall where students sat at tables with their friends, chatting the fifteen minute break away.

"tarts!" serena squeals, holding your hand and tugging you toward hufflepuff table. you learn over and grab one.

"hey!" you hear a deep voice call. "what are you doing?"

you look at the person seated to your right. he's grabbed your wrist and the tart remains in your palm.

it should be in my mouth.
so, get off, peasant.

"you two are green ties." he says, eyeing up your ties of silver and emerald. "snakes."

"so?" serena challenges.

"you have your own snacks on your own table." he tells her, looking her dead in the eyes.

you could see serena's cheeks flaring up, going pink. the girl was doing a terrible job of keeping her idiot smile under check. you couldn't blame her, though.

the boy was very, very handsome.

"just this one tart, badger." you plead. "i'm desperate for it."

"alright, young ones." he sighs, feigning a hesitant surrender. "only because i'm nice."

"oh thank you!" you say, before shoving the entire tart in your mouth.

"dear merlin, y/n!" serena laughs. "calm down!"

the hufflepuff boy let's out a charming laugh. one that makes your stomach feel all giddy.

serena feels the same. all her teeth are on show.

"the tart won't run from you, snape." the boy, teases.

you swallow. "how do you know my name?"

"they called your name at the sorting ceremony. it's easy to forget most names but with a father like that your face isn't something anyone in the school is going to forget." he says.

"but i don't know your name-" you say, hoping he'll introduce himself. you let out a sigh of relief when he did.

"i'm cedric. cedric diggory."

"nice name." you grin. of course, it was cedric. it had to be.

"but i'm a third year so don't get any funny ideas." he smirks and you frown at him.

"no funny ideas here." you confirm.

lies. lies. a shit ton of lies.

"sure." he nods. "i've gotta go set up quidditch practice, you girls carry on stealing our tarts like the reptiles you are and i'll see you around."

"bye cedric!" serena calls after him as he shoulders his bag and walks off. he turns and gives her a wink.

"merlin, he's dreamy." serena sighs. then, her eyes widen and she shakes her head. "no i mean, astaghfirullah."

the two of you burst into laughter just as the bell sounds for the end of break. serena was already head over heels for him, and you would be lying if you said you didn't wish your wrist was still occupied.

"come on. let's take big boy's advice." you grin, pulling the tray of tarts towards you and pocketing a few in your robes.

"on it captain." serena giggles, doing the same before linking arms with you and walking off to join the group of first year slytherins you see wandering off into the courtyard.

"blaise!" serena calls out and he turns stopping the rest of the group and making them wait for the two of you.

"why are you two so pink?" daphne asks, frowning at you.

"some boys are really, really, really, really pretty." you giggle.

"yeah, like me." draco smirks and everyone bursts into laughter.

of course, the malfoy heir is exceptionally serious.
-and of course, no one takes him seriously.

"why are you laughing?" he glares and you all try desperately to control your laughter. blaise puts a hand on draco's shoulder and rubs it comfortingly.

"it's alright. nothing to worry about."

draco whacks his hand away before strutting down the corridor, off to charms. crabbe and goyle following quickly behind him with draco's bag full of books.

"charms then?" theo asks.

"i think so." pansy replies, and the lot of you make your way down to charms.

the rest of the day whizzes past you exceptionally quickly. you now definitely know what it means to believe that time truly does speed past you when you're having the time of your life.

you're in love with this school.

in love with the way you can just turn around and smile at harry potter, or ron or serena when you've wished to do that all of your life.

somehow it's true. somehow you're here. and you're going to do your damn best to save everyone.

"ohho, dinner time!" crabbe chuckles. "i've been hungry all day."

"vincent, you've been eating all day." blaise laughs, and you, serena and pansy laugh to.

you turn around. "where's daphne?"

"oh she's just there, at the ravenclaw table." theo explains, pointing over to where you can see the girl with dark blonde hair, leaning down to speak to a ravenclaw second year boy. he's staring at her, you're not sure if he's hearing a word she's saying.

"oh so we can leave?" you ask. "like talk to kids on other tables if we need to."

"well, yeah basically." he confirms.

right. you say, picking up your bag and heading over to the gryffindor table. with a quill you knicked off of hermione's table in charms for an excuse to head over there and talk to her.

time to mingle with the lions.