Purple Rain.

Chapter Fifty-Two.

"Harry!" (Y/n) shouted, jogging up to Harry, Hermione, and Ron the following day. "HARRY!" she shouted again, pushing her way through the crowd to reach the halted trio. Hermione and Ron looked at one another, at Harry, at (Y/n), and at one another again before excusing themselves and walking away just far enough to look as though they weren't listening in.

"Hey," Harry greeted.

"Um..." (Y/n) nervously looked over her shoulder, where Cho, Marietta, Padma, Parvati, and Lavender were watching the two. They all instantly looked away, pretending to emerge themselves in a conversation. (Y/n), who seemed to be annoyed upon noticing she had in fact not lost her friends, turned back to Harry. "There's another Hogsmeade trip next month, did you see that?" (Y/n) asked, smiling.

"What? Oh no, I haven't checked the notice board since I got back..."

"It's a day after Valentine's Day..." (Y/n) hinted, staring at Harry expectantly.

"Right," said Harry obliviously, wondering why (Y/n) was telling him this. Ron and Hermione groaned. "Well, I suppose you want to—?"

"Only if you want to," (Y/n) said eagerly.

Harry stared. He had been about to say, "I suppose you want to know when the next D.A. meeting is?" but her response did not seem to fit.

"I— er—" Harry said.

"Oh, it's okay if you don't," (Y/n) stammered, looking both mortified and disappointed. "Don't worry. I-I'll see you around." She started to walk away. Harry stood staring after her and briefly glanced back at the livid Ron and Hermione, his brain working frantically. Then something clunked into place.

"(Y/n)! Hey— (Y/N)!" Harry ran after her, catching (Y/n) and the friends trying to comfort her halfway up the marble staircase. "Er..." The girls seemed to catch the hint and slowly continued up the staircase. "D'you want to come into Hogsmeade with me on Valentine's Day?" This seemed to be the question (Y/n) was expecting, for she beamed and started shyly fiddling with one of the many rings on her hand.

"Oooh, yes!" (Y/n) said, her face heating up as it clicked just how excited she was over being asked out on a date.

"Right... well... that's settled then," said Harry. The two stared at one another before setting off back to their friends. (Y/n) pumped her fist in accomplishment and Harry, catching this, smiled up at her, returning to Hermione and Ron with a bounce to his step.

(Y/n) had opted to join Ron and Hermione in the library that evening due to wanting to hear all about Harry's first Occlumency lesson. Ron and Hermione were hard at work on Umbridge's most recent ream of homework whilst (Y/n) was working on her Advanced Arithmancy problems all the while subtly drinking a cup of tea to get that week's Tessomancy out of the way.

"Hey..." (Y/n) said suddenly. Ron looked up instantly but Hermione finished writing her sentence before looking up. "Have you ever wondered why Dumbledore brought the Philosopher's Stone to Hogwarts?" she asked. Hermione and Ron eyed her in confusion.

"To protect it of course," Hermione said.

"But... why would it need protecting?" (Y/n) asked. "Not many people openly go out seeking immortality." Ron and Hermione stayed silent for a moment, seemingly pondering the question. "Do you think... he believed You-Know-Who was still alive and it was all a plot to draw Him out?"

"Very possible," Hermione said at length. "If he did really want to bring the Stone to Hogwarts to keep it safe, the chambers wouldn't have been easy enough for four eleven-year-olds to break through it."

"So he's probably been making preparations for this since our first year, huh?" Ron said.

"Maybe even longer," Hermione murmured. They all quickly turned back to their homework upon catching Madam Pince's piercing stare. Not long into their homework, Harry came and joined their table, catching himself in the window reflection.
"How'd it go?" Hermione whispered, looking concerned. "Are you all right, Harry?"