Novaturient || Wizarding World

Chapter 26

Auriah

After being banned from Quidditch Harry threw himself into our secret DADA lessons. During our last meeting before winter break Harry congratulated everyone on all the improvement.

 Even Neville, who was slightly magically challenged, was excelling. 

Harry dismissed everyone with a proud glimmer in his eye, I appreciated how much effort he had put into teaching everyone. He genuinely cared about keeping everyone safe. The more time I saw him in this light the more I felt my hatred for him slipping away.

Luna and I left to go study together in the library. She was wearing two different shoes that day but I didn't say anything. I liked it when Luna was just Luna, she was a free spirit.

Halfway to the library I remembered I had left my bag in the Room of Requirement. I told Luna I would meet her in a bit and went back to get it. When I walked into the room I found Harry and Cho standing close.

When they heard me come in they both looked at me and I saw tears in her eyes. Cho avoided eye contact with me as she left the room.

"Did I interrupt something?" I asked Harry after she was gone.

"She was just telling me... that she... she fancies me... but I had to tell her I thought of her as a friend." Harry sighed and ran a hand through his messy dark hair. "She didn't really take it well."

"Wasn't she just all over Cedric last year." I rolled my eyes, Harry laughed. "I thought you did fancy her, what happened?"

"I never did, Hermione is crazy for thinking that." Harry shrugged.

I laughed and went to find my stuff.

"Thanks for all your help teaching." Harry said as I grabbed my bag.

"I didn't really do much." I chuckled.

"You were a better teacher than me." He insisted. I smiled and Harry's emerald green eyes locked with mine. "You know...You can talk to me about him if you need to."

Instinctively I twisted the ring on my thumb and broke eye contact.

"I just want you to be okay." He continued.

"Why?" I blurted out. It wasn't like we were best friends or anything.

"I like you, Auriah." He said slowly. "More than a friend."

I was taken aback. Up until a few weeks ago I hated this boy, I was just starting to like him and now he was confessing his feelings. I was just starting to get to know the real him and he had no idea who the real me was.

"I know you were with Cedric and I respect that. I just needed you to know." A deep blushed crawled across his face. I tried to say something but I couldn't physically make any words come out.

"Anyways... Happy Christmas Riah." He gave me a soft smile before leaving the room.

I tried to process Harry's words the whole time I studied with Luna in the library. He had completely blindsided me.

"I should have seen it coming!" Hermione exclaimed when she came into the library later that night.

"What?"

"Harry told me he told you that he fancies you." Hermione said, much too loudly.

I shushed her.

"I already knew that." Luna chimed in. "It's quite obvious."

"What?" I turned to her, how in the bloody world was it obvious.

"He did ask you to the Yule Ball." Hermione pointed out.