𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸, harry potter

˗ˋ 99

CHAPTER NINETY NINE
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-: fifth year :-

── IN WHICH CHRISTMAS 
IS DISCUSSED

. . .

December came just as quickly as November passed, and nothing seemingly came of Umbridge's inspection of Hagrid. Nothing that was told to Harry, Hermione and Ron anyway. Hagrid went on with his lessons, with increasingly more vigour and didn't take any care in adjusting his accent to appease anyone afterward.

Christmas was fast approaching, and Harry found that despite Aviana's consistent upholding of the shun above Draco, her time with her friends in Slytherin didn't diminish. He didn't know why she continued to hang around them, because she always looked intensely bored and rolled her eyes at everything Pansy or Theo said, didn't even take notice of Draco's existence and hardly seemed remotely in what Blaise was talking to her about.

Alongside that, in a duty that Harry hadn't realise would fall on her, nor Hermione and Ron, but as Christmas neared the prefects from each house were forced to undergo the difficult task of putting up the Christmas decorations all around the castle. It seemed Peeves took a particular interest in messing the entire operation up, and each day ended with the prefects returning to their common rooms exhausted.

Of course, there seemed to be an added air of tension from not only Peeves between the Slytherin Prefects. Every time Harry passed, or even came within the vicinity of the two fifth years, it was evidently an even harder job for them.  

Aviana was completely silent - which was a problem for her, as she told him - whilst Draco kept talking to her, not even rolling her eyes at any of his drawling or quips about how he hated Gryffindors and loved Slytherin. And every time she would see him Harry would simply sit back and listen as she let out every insult she ever wanted to unleash on Draco throughout the day and Merlin, some of them were creative.

But nonetheless, he saw her, and they talked and they sat together and yes, sometimes they made out in corridors and oftentimes Umbridge would catch them and Aviana would be no less upset by that, revelling that she was able to land some remarks where it actually mattered, she would be given a detention she wouldn't attend and they would move on. It seemed that these days, Umbridge was so caught up in being annoyed by her that it was like Harry wasn't there at all. 

And in the last week of term came the last D.A. meeting of the year, and in keeping with the more recent traditions, Aviana and Harry spent the short period of time after dinner before the meeting began together, making their way slowly up to the seventh floor to enter the Room of Requirement, so the room could be set up before everyone else arrived. 

"The decorations look good." Harry commented, their hands swinging between them. 

"Thanks." Aviana said drily. "They were a nightmare to put up, Peeves took half of the tinsel garlands and Draco was going on and on about Hagrid and how shit of a teacher he was again. It was a great time. To make things even better, everyone is going home just as they've been put up and nobody but me will be here to see them. And I'll be eating Christmas dinner with Umbridge."

Harry frowned, confused. There was such a confidence to her convictions that it was almost certain that he mind was made up. "You're not going to Grimmauld Place?" He asked. 

"Oh." Aviana murmured. "No." She shook her head. "Given that last time we spoke to Sirius his hair almost got pulled by Umbridge and the last time he was written to your owl ended up hurt... I haven't been able to ask." 

"I don't think he would mind you just showing up." Harry told her. "He is your father... and he seems like he wants to get to know you better."

"I know that." Aviana sniffed. "But I haven't asked, nor been invited, and it would be rude to just show up. Besides, he might be my father but... but he's a stranger to me."

"You seem to get on with him." 

"We do agree on somethings, yes." Aviana bit the side of her cheek. She obviously didn't want to continue, but Harry pushed on anyway. He shouldn't, had swore to himself that he wouldn't push it these days, but he didn't want her to stay in the castle alone. It seemed like an altogether nightmare for him. 

"Then... would Grimmauld Place be so bad?" Harry asked. 

"There's only so many conversations about Umbridge that can be had." Aviana said. "Last time there was a whole Weasley family and you, and Hermione, and Lupin and a whole number of people to act as a buffer."

"Do you need a buffer?" He continued.

"It's easier to get to know someone, someone as important as a father, when you don't have to constantly talk to them." Aviana didn't expand. "And I wasn't invited. It would be rude." 

"Sirius wouldn't..." Harry trailed off. 

"You're going to the Burrow, correct?" Aviana asked. He nodded slowly, awkwardly. "Good. Well, if Sirius was right and all letters in and out of Hogwarts are being checked then I think it's a good idea if we write letters to each other." 

He nodded again, but didn't say anything. They had reached the blank wall opposite the troll ballet tapestry, and together they walked back and forth three times until the door appeared, and they stepped inside. 

They had failed in making it there first. Luna was already sat on one of the cushions, cross-legged and was staring dreamily around the room. "Hello." She said mildly, but didn't look at them. 

Both Harry and Aviana said their replies, but like Luna, their attention was taken up by the sight of the room. It appeared that Dobby had taken it upon himself to decorate the place for Christmas. It was easy to tell the elf had done it, because nobody else would have strung at least a hundred golden baubles from the ceiling, each showing a picture of Harry's face and bearing the legend 'Have a very Harry Christmas!'

"Oh, Merlin." Aviana's eyes lit up when she saw the baubles, and the silence and awkwardness of the previous conversation melted away in an instance. "Harry, he loves you." She shook her head in disbelief. Harry stared for a moment, he thought that perhaps it was the first time he had actually seen her laugh. 

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